Your Thursday Briefing

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Good morning.

We’re covering the final moments ahead of a Brexit deal, the coronavirus’s effect on holiday celebrations and the many innovators and thinkers we lost this year.

A last-minute scramble ahead of a Brexit deal

Britain and the European Union appeared on the cusp of a post-Brexit trade agreement late Wednesday, with negotiators in Brussels having all but resolved the final issues, a person briefed on the talks said. An announcement is expected to come Dec. 24, a week before the Dec. 31 deadline for Britain and the E.U. to negotiate long-term trade arrangements.

Negotiators were scrambling to finish their talks in part to avoid the danger that the deal might not be adopted in time for Jan. 1. Without a deal in place, Britain and the European Union would default to trading under World Trade Organization rules, levying tariffs on each other’s goods.

Official remarks: Eric Mamer, a spokesman for the E.U.’s executive arm, the European Commission, posted on Twitter after midnight local time that work on the agreement would “continue throughout the night,” adding that “hopefully,” it would be an “early start tomorrow morning.”

How the coronavirus stole Christmas

Across Italy and beyond, many people were looking forward to Christmas with loved ones to soothe the heartache of a year of mourning. But with a surge in infections, mounting numbers of deaths and new lockdowns dashing those hopes, “home for the holidays” has taken on an ominous meaning: There is nowhere else to go.

In Nigeria, a business opportunity born out of tragedy

For years, police officers in the West African nation of Nigeria have tortured, killed and extorted young people, accusing them of being criminals, according to many testimonies in hearings and studies.

Some — among them human rights group, lawyers and pastors — have sensed a business opportunity in these disappearances, wringing money from desperate families who often have already paid large bribes to the police.

Quote: “They give you a prophecy that he will come back,” said the mother of one victim. “Whatever they tell you to do, you do it.”

#EndSARS: Nigeria’s young people have finally had enough, and in October, the biggest protests in a generation erupted against the country’s police and armed forces.

If you have some time, this is worth it

12 tales of pandemic resilience

A one-man aid organization. A teacher’s door-to-door hugging operation. And about 2,000 house calls to feed and care for hundreds of cats and a rabbit.

We asked our correspondents around the world to share stories like these that speak to the strength of the human spirit, and to the way that disruption can bring out the best in us.

Here’s what else is happening

U.S. politics: President Trump threatened to veto a much-needed stimulus bill, demanding that Americans get $2,000 in direct payment instead of $600. Now in the final weeks of his presidency, Mr. Trump remains the most powerful man in the world, albeit one who is unhappy, unleashed and unpredictable.

China-E. U. deal: Negotiations between China and the European Commission that aim to roll back restrictions on investment have hit yet another snag after a tweet from a top aide to Joe Biden indicated that the president-elect was not happy about the deal.

Police in France: A heavily armed gunman in central France killed three police officers responding early Wednesday to reports of domestic abuse, in a rare outburst of deadly violence against the French security forces; a local prosecutor described it as a “war scene.”

Stella Tennant: Stella Tennant, the unimpeachably aristocratic model and inspiration to designers like Karl Lagerfeld and Gianni Versace, died suddenly on Tuesday, five days after her 50th birthday.

Presidential pardons: President Trump has granted clemency to two people who pleaded guilty in the special counsel’s Russia inquiry, four Blackwater guards convicted in connection with the killing of Iraqi civilians and three corrupt former Republican members of Congress.

Panda death: Xin Xing, the world’s oldest giant panda in captivity, died at age 38.

Snapshot: Above, members of the band Molchat Doma in Minsk, Belarus, this month. Their music — at once bleak, yet danceable — was the soundtrack to a traumatic year, especially since many of their tracks went viral as the backdrops for videos on TikTok.

Lives lived: Cecilia Chiang, the chef and restaurateur who escaped war in China and transformed America’s perception of Chinese cuisine, was among the many people the world lost this year. The New York Times Magazine wrote about Ms. Chiang, and other artists, innovators and thinkers, in its annual collection of obituary essays.

What we’re reading: This thoughtful, immersive Twitter thread, which takes the reader on a walk through the beautiful city of Tétouan, Morocco, and its complicated colonial history.

Cook: There is an incredible number of recipes for this Italian pasta and chickpea stew, a classic Roman dish, and everyone has an opinion on how it should be prepared. Here’s ours.

Listen: If you are just starting to dip into the world of audiobooks, these recent releases may persuade you to keep listening.

Do: What’s the secret to longevity? A high-intensity workout, even for a few minutes a week, according to one study.

Let us help you celebrate the holidays with our At Home collection of ideas on what to read, cook, watch and do while staying safe at home.

And now for the Back Story on …

From the musicians who can’t bring you Handel’s ‘Messiah’ this year

We asked performers to guide us through the emotional arc of performing the classic piece — one of the holiday rituals we’ll be missing this year. Here’s what they said, excerpted.

“What I’m after is a sense of calm. It’s all about long lines. Baroque ornamentation is fun, but here, it’s about taking time and not doing anything too flashy.” — the tenor Brian Giebler, on “Comfort ye”

“By the time you’re ready to sing, you almost can’t contain your excitement. It’s like you’re addressing a friend who’s been grieving and maybe has been home alone for a while, and you come over and say, OK, get your coat on, we’re going to have a great time: ‘Get thee up into the high mountains!’” — the mezzo-soprano Luthien Brackett, on “O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion”

“The music sounds like skipping through a meadow. I don’t know how you can say the words ‘rejoice greatly’ without smiling. But the challenge is how to make the joy last so it doesn’t feel false or overdone.” — the soprano Joélle Harvey on “Rejoice greatly”

“It’s a joy to sing those lines in one breath, to heighten the drama and really cinch these incredibly long phrases together. … It’s the greatest moment onstage to be able to say to the audience: This is for you and this is with you.” — the bass-baritone Dashon Burton on “The trumpet shall sound”

That’s it for this briefing. Have a peaceful Thursday.

— Natasha

Thank you
Theodore Kim and Jahaan Singh provided the break from the news. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com.

P.S.
• We’re listening to “The Daily.” Our latest episode offers some positive news stories from this year.
• Here’s our Mini Crossword, and a clue: “___, all ye faithful” (five letters). You can find all our puzzles here.
• The word “jungaliciousness” — whose meaning is somewhat open to interpretation — appeared in The Times for the first time this week, according to the bot @NYT_first_said.
• Blumhouse acquired the film rights to our story about a mother chasing down her daughter’s kidnappers in Mexico.