Boris Johnson is reported to have attended another party in the run-up to Christmas 2020. The Mirror reports that the Prime Minister was present and gave a speech at the leaving do of his outgoing defence adviser Captain Steve Higham in the lead-up to 2020's festive period.
This news comes at a time when the Prime Minister has reportedly been interviewed as part of the investigation into partygate allegations. He is said to have “shared what he knows” with senior civil servant Sue Gray about alleged parties in Downing Street as she prepares to publish her report into claims of coronavirus rule flouting as soon as this week, the Daily Telegraph has reported.
North Korea has fired at least one suspected ballistic missile into the sea in its fourth weapons launch this month, officials in South Korea and Japan said. The Monday launch came after the North conducted a pair of flight tests of a purported hypersonic missile on January 5 and January 11 and also test-fired ballistic missiles from a train on Friday.
Celine Dion has reportedly cancelled the North American leg of her Courage world tour ahead of its European leg starting in the UK in May. The 53-year-old is believed to be suffering from "severe and persistent muscle spasms", but her UK dates are still set to go ahead.
These are just some of the national and international news stories making headlines this morning after breaking overnight.
Others include:
- Two teenagers arrested in UK in connection to Texas attack
- Five-day isolation period comes in effect in England
- France bans unvaccinated from restaurants and other venues
At-risk 12 to 15-year-olds eligible for booster doses
Read on to find out more.
Boris Johnson 'attended another party in the run-up to Christmas 2020'
The Prime Minister is battling to save his job amid mounting calls for him to resign following revelations he attended a string of parties at 10 Downing Street when the UK was observing lockdown measures.
The Mirror says Mr Johnson gave a speech at an event to mark Capt Higham's exit from Downing Street before Christmas in 2020 during the latest revelation.
He is understood to have been "there for a few minutes to thank him for his service" as a "small number of No 10 staff briefly said goodbye".
PM ‘questioned by Sue Gray’ as claim of another No 10 party emerges
Boris Johnson has been interviewed as part of the investigation into partygate allegations by senior civil servant Sue Gray as another lockdown breach in 10 Downing Street emerges, according to reports.
Capt Higham's leaving do claim is the latest in a long line of allegations about rule breaking, with Ms Gray looking into a litany of possible events, including a “bring your own booze” garden party during the first coronavirus lockdown that Mr Johnson has admitted he attended – although he insists he understood it to be a "work event".
In a bid to survive the partygate storm, reports have suggested the Prime Minister could overhaul his top team, with the likes of his principal private secretary Martin Reynolds, who sent an email inviting staff to enjoy the good weather in the No 10 garden in May 2020, being shown the door as part of a move said to have been dubbed "Operation: Save Big Dog".
North Korea fires a fourth projectile in the space of a month
North Korea has been ramping up tests in recent months of new missiles designed to overwhelm missile defences in the region.
Monday's launch was the fourth this month in an apparent reprisal over fresh sanctions imposed by the Biden administration last week for its continuing test launches.
The latest launch was confirmed officials in South Korea and Japan, although South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff did not immediately say whether the projectile was ballistic or how far it flew. Japan’s Prime Minister’s Office said it detected a possible ballistic missile launch from North Korea, but did not immediately provide more details.
Celine Dion's UK tour still scheduled despite singer cancelling US shows
Celine Dion has cancelled the North American leg of her Courage world tour, according to reports. She was due to tour the states in support of her 12th English-language studio album in the spring, but has pulled the plug.
In a statement posted to her official website, she said: "I was really hoping that I'd be good to go by now, but I suppose I just have to be more patient and follow the regimen that my doctors are prescribing. There's a lot of organising and preparation that goes into our shows, and so we have to make decisions today which will affect the plans two months down the road."
The European leg of the Canadian singer's world tour is still scheduled to begin May 25 in Birmingham before heading to AO Arena in Manchester and London's O2 Arena.
Two teenagers arrested in UK after Texas synagogue attack
Two teenagers were arrested in South Manchester on Sunday evening in relation to the attack that took place at a Texas synagogue on Saturday.
A British hostage-taker, identified as 44-year-old Malik Faisal Akram, was shot dead after an hours-long stand-off at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville. Four hostages were unharmed in the incident, which President Joe Biden described as “an act of terror”.
The Foreign Office confirmed Akram was British and the Metropolitan Police said counter-terror officers were in contact with US authorities and colleagues from the FBI.
Shorter isolation period comes into effect in England as minister offers hopeful outlook
People in England can end their coronavirus isolation after five full days in a move hailed as restoring “extra freedoms”. In a change to self-isolation guidance from today, people can leave quarantine after five full days so long as they test negative on days five and six.
Ministers had been under pressure to reduce the isolation period – which was previously seven days – to help address staff shortages across the economy and public services by allowing people to return to work earlier.
Unvaccinated to be banned from restaurants and other venues in France under new Covid law
France’s parliament has approved a law that will exclude unvaccinated people from all restaurants, sports arenas and other venues as the central measure of government efforts to protect hospitals amid record numbers of Covid-19 infections driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant.
The new law requires full vaccination for such venues, including tourist sites, many trains and all domestic flights, and applies to everyone aged 16 and over.
At-risk 12 to 15-years-olds eligible for booster doses from today
Clinically vulnerable 12 to 15-years-olds who are most at risk from coronavirus will be able to get their Covid booster jab from today.
Around 500 children will be eligible, including those receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy, those with leukaemia, diabetes, chronic diseases or severe mental illness, and those who live with someone who is immunosuppressed.
They are entitled to their booster three months after their two primary vaccine doses, while severely immunosuppressed children can get their booster after a third primary dose. From Monday, 16 and 17-year-olds will also be eligible for their top-up dose.
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