FACTBOX-Latest on worldwide spread of the coronavirus

* The British government said huge swathes of England would be placed under its most confining COVID-19 restrictions as a highly infectious virus variant sweeps the country. AMERICAS * The United States faced the prospect of a year-end government shutdown during a raging pandemic after outgoing President Donald Trump threatened not to sign a $2.3 trillion package that includes government funding and coronavirus aid. * The U.S. government will pay Pfizer Inc nearly $2 billion for 100 million additional doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to bolster its supply as the country grapples with a nationwide spike in infections.

At least four drugmakers expect their COVID-19 vaccines to be effective against the new virus variant spreading fast in Britain, while Americans were warned again not to travel for Christmas as the latest surge in cases overwhelmed hospitals.

DEATHS AND INFECTIONS * Eikon users, see COVID-19: MacroVitals https://apac1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/cms/?navid=1592404098 for a case tracker and summary of news.

EUROPE * In England, angry truck drivers briefly scuffled with police in the streets of Dover as a border closure by France meant to stop the spread of a new highly infectious coronavirus variant left thousands stranded before Christmas.

* The Czech Republic will close non-essential shops, services and ski lifts and enforce a stricter curfew from Sunday as it seeks to curb another rise in infections and hospitalisations. * British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said a new, potentially more infectious variant of coronavirus has been found in Britain in cases linked to South Africa.

* Around 500 relatives of people who died of COVID-19 in Italy said they were initiating legal action against regional and national authorities, seeking 100 million euros ($122 million) in damages. * The British government said huge swathes of England would be placed under its most confining COVID-19 restrictions as a highly infectious virus variant sweeps the country.

AMERICAS * The United States faced the prospect of a year-end government shutdown during a raging pandemic after outgoing President Donald Trump threatened not to sign a $2.3 trillion package that includes government funding and coronavirus aid.

* The U.S. government will pay Pfizer Inc nearly $2 billion for 100 million additional doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to bolster its supply as the country grapples with a nationwide spike in infections. * Merck & Co said it would supply about 60,000-100,000 doses of its experimental COVID-19 treatment to the U.S. government for up to about $356 million.

* Canada approved Moderna Inc's coronavirus vaccine, paving the way for up to 168,000 doses to be delivered by the end of the year. * Mexico's government said it will begin vaccinations against COVID-19 on Thursday, starting with healthcare workers, following the arrival of a first batch of doses in a country battling an upsurge in infections.

ASIA-PACIFIC * Taiwan's EVA Airways Corp sacked a New Zealand pilot whom the government has blamed for the island's first locally transmitted case of COVID-19 since April 12 because he failed to follow disease prevention rules.

* Malaysia is in talks to buy 6.4 million doses of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine and wants to increase its purchases from U.S. drugmaker Pfizer-BioNTech. * South Korea reported its second-highest daily tally of cases as a survey underscored growing public dissatisfaction with President Moon Jae-in's handling of the latest wave of infections.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA * Dubai will start inoculating people with the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer and BioNTech for free from Wednesday.

* Israel has detected four cases of the new, highly infectious variant that has emerged in Britain. MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

* British drugmaker AstraZeneca Plc told Reuters its COVID-19 vaccine should be effective against the new coronavirus variant, adding that studies were under way to fully probe the impact of the mutation. * Britain and drugmaker Roche offered reassurances that the accuracy of diagnostic tests used to detect COVID-19 was unlikely to be affected by a fast-spreading mutant variant of the virus.

* Moscow's Gamaleya Institute, the developer of the first Russian vaccine against COVID-19, said volunteers in its final-stage trials for the Sputnik V shot will no longer receive placebos. ECONOMIC IMPACT

* Stocks rose as investors waved away a threat by Donald Trump not to sign a pandemic relief bill, while the British pound soared on rising expectations of a Brexit trade deal.