Notes Today: 

•  Boris Johnson summoned ministers for an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss how to tackle mounting concerns about the new strain of coronavirus identified in parts of south-east England. The variant is thought to be more infectious. 

•  The U.S. current-account deficit, rose 10.6% in Q3

• Senator Ron Johnson blocks $1,200 checks for Americans cites the deficit. No deficit problem when he voted for tax cuts for the top 1%

• Fed allows banks to resume share buybacks

• Do you think the money Rupert Murdoch paid to get first in line in getting a vaccine came from his Fox profits for the ratings they got telling their viewers COVID is a hoax and that the vaccine is bad? @kurteichenwald asks.

• The defense bill Trump is threatening to veto contains cyber security to protect against Russian hacks.

• Germany's  VW falling a bit behind Tesla. Well, perhaps more than a bit.