⏳ Tuesday Fix: The Eye of the Tiger
Morning all,
It is Lunar New Year, marking the beginning of the Year of the Tiger.
Meanwhile, it's more 'Eye of the Tiger' in the UK, where Prime Minister Johnson is "just a man with the will to survive".
Until tomorrow,
Your Fixers
GOOD LISTENER?
Click the screenshot below to access the podcast version of today's NewsFix.
MONDAY'S MAIN LINES
Sue Gray's "extremely limited" report was published yesterday, but the ongoing police investigations meant it was impossible for Gray to provide a "meaningful" conclusion on the Downing Street gatherings.
Of the 16 events Gray looked into, twelve are also being investigated by the Metropolitan Police - two of those were attended by Johnson.
Speaking of the Met Police, more than 300 photos have been handed over to them as part of their probe.
Johnson apologised in the House of Commons on Monday, saying he "understands the anger that people feel". There were some extraordinary scenes in Westminster yesterday, and below is a very worthwhile watch.
Here is a link to the full report.
ON TODAY'S AGENDA...
British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, will visit Ukraine later today "for talks with the country's president".
It comes as the Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, revealed "legislation was being prepared" to target President Putin's inner circle should there be an invasion. Truss was supposed to be travelling with Johnson, but tested positive for coronavirus on Monday.
Meanwhile, from today Russia assumes the presidency of the UN Security Council for the next month. The presidency is held by each member for a month at a time, and rotates in alphabetical order. The UK and US will have the presidency in April and May.
PANDEMIC
In Austria, a new law making vaccines mandatory for anyone above the age of 18 goes into effect from today.
There will be fines for those who do not comply, but those who are pregnant or have a medical reason for why they cannot get vaccinated will be exempt. As BBC News pointed out, it is "the first nation in Europe to adopt such sweeping measures".
Meanwhile, in England the government has reversed its plan to introduce mandatory vaccinations for NHS and social care workers. Channel 4 News noted there are an estimated 52,000 frontline NHS staff who are not vaccinated, without a medical exemption.
TWITTER TRENDS
#WhoopieGoldberg
Why? Goldberg is a panellist on The View, a show where women discuss their views on topical issues. On Monday's show, Goldberg said the Holocaust "was not about race". She went on to say "it's about man's inhumanity to man".
Her comments received a lot of criticism online, with many pointing out that roughly six million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust, because they were viewed by the Nazis as an inferior race.
In an apology Goldberg later tweeted, she said "I stand corrected," adding "the Jewish people around the world have always had my support and that will never waiver".
#NickCannon
Why? The actor and comedian announced he is expecting a baby boy with model Bre Tiesi. As CNN noted, "it will be his eighth child and his fifth baby in less than two years".
Back in September, Cannon joked his therapist told him he should be celibate.
MOST READ
- BBC News: Whoopi Goldberg slammed for Holocaust remarks
- The Guardian: 'Zero shame': how the papers covered anger at Boris Johnson over Sue Gray report
- The Financial Times: Johnson rejects calls to resign after scathing report on lockdown parties
- Al Jazeera: World accused of 'sitting and watching' as Myanmar slides to war
- The Irish Times: I was Anne Lovett's boyfriend
TODAY MARKS...
One year since the military coup in Myanmar. This day last year, the military ousted the government, months after claiming - without credible evidence - the November 2020 election was fraudulent.
If you've ever been curious to know more about the country, read our recent piece - Myanmar: The Constant Struggle for Democracy.
TODAY ALSO MARKS...
Chinese/Lunar New Year - where millions welcome the Year of the Tiger.
Here is a lovely article explaining what happens in the lead up to the New Year, and what the zodiac calendar represents.
"The 12-year Chinese zodiac calendar cycle is represented by 12 different animals - the Chinese zodiac signs - but that's only the start. Followers believe that for each of the Chinese zodiac signs, luck will depend largely on the positions of the Tai Sui - the stars directly opposite Jupiter." - CNN context
ON A LIGHTER NOTE...
Monkeyin' around.
