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NewsFix: Wednesday September 22, 2021

NewsFix: Wednesday September 22, 2021

Morning all,

Did Boris admit to having six children? Did Biden make any commitments on trade? Did Russia do it?

We’ll let you draw your own conclusions.

Until tomorrow,

Hilary


TUESDAY’S TOP LINES

The parents of Harry Dunn have reached a “resolution” in the civil case for damages against Anne Sacoolas. Details of the agreement were not disclosed.

What’s the background to this case? In August 2019, Harry Dunn was killed when he was hit by a car being driven by an American woman called Anne Sacoolas. Following the crash, Sacoolas - the wife of a US diplomat - fled the UK and returned to the US. This started a long battle for Dunn’s parents to get justice, including failed attempts to have Sacoolas extradited back to the UK to stand trial.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson appears to have admitted he has six children, during an interview with US media.

Okay, why is this newsworthy? Johnson has been famously coy about this topic. He has four adult children with his ex-wife, Marina Wheeler, and a young son with his current wife, Carrie Johnson. However, there have been multiple reports over the years that Johnson fathered another child during an extramarital affair.

Why do we say he ‘appears’ to have admitted to having six children? Well, his wife Carrie is pregnant and so it could be interpreted that he was referring to his unborn child.

Boris Johnson Thumbs Up GIF - Boris Johnson Thumbs Up Good Job - Discover &  Share GIFs
  • The actor Willie Garson,who played Carrie’s best friend in Sex and the City, has died at the age of 57. A cause of death was not disclosed.
Willie Garson talks Sex and the City | Celebrity interviews

BORIS MEETS BIDEN

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Source: Biden’s official Twitter account

President Biden welcomed Prime Minister Boris Johnson to the White House yesterday.

How did the meeting go? Perfectly cordial. Biden said it was an “honour” to greet Johnson, describing the bond between both countries as “ironclad”.

In terms of media coverage, a lot of the focus has been on the apparent dwindling chances of reaching a quick trade deal with the US. Biden reiterated the importance of protecting the Good Friday Agreement and avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland, Johnson said “the Americans do negotiate very hard”.

BBC reports suggest the UK government is “now considering joining an existing North American trade pact instead of pursuing a separate deal”.

A headline in The Times this morning:“Keep your Brexity hands to yourself, says Irish Joe”

Source: A sketch in The Times this morning

RUSSIAN POISONINGS

Russia was responsible for the death of Alexander Litvinenko - who was poisoned in a London hotel in 2006 - a European Court ruled. A 2016 UK inquiry reached a similar damning conclusion.

Who was Litvinenko? A former Russian agent who later defected, criticising corruption in Russia. He ultimately fled Russia and moved to the UK.

“It has taken 15 years to establish conclusively that Vladimir Putin murdered my husband, and to hold Russia accountable for its actions in an international court.” - Litvinenko’s wife, Marina

UK police have accused a third Russian man of being involved in the Salisbury poisonings of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in 2018.

What happened in Salisbury? Sergei Skripal was a former Russian spy. He and his daughter were found slumped on a bench in March 2018, poisoned by the nerve agent, Novichok. The incident led to a bitter row between the UK and Russia, who denied involvement. The Skripals ultimately recovered from the poisoning, but months later a woman called Dawn Sturgess died after finding and spraying what she believed to be perfume on her body.


ON TODAY’S AGENDA…

A documentary about the late Duke of Edinburgh - ‘Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers’ - is set to air at 9pm this evening.

More than a dozen members of the royal family feature in the programme - including all four of The Queen and the Duke’s children. Parts of the interviews were conducted prior to his death in April, as the broadcast was originally intended to mark his 100th birthday, a milestone which would have been reached in June.


CLIMATE COVERAGE

An 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit Melbourne. Sky News is reporting that no serious injuries have been recorded at this point.


MOST READ


HATS OFF TO…

Below are the world’s oldest living identical twins, according to The Guinness World Records.

How old? 107. They were born in 1913, a year before WWI even began.


READY OR NOT

Here they come. The Fugees are back, announcing a reunion tour for this November and December.

The tour is to celebrate 25 years of their album, The Score.


ON A LIGHTER NOTE…

Anyone missing life down under?