Boris Johnson - The African Mirror

Feb

02

2021

‘Get well’ messages pour in for UK’s Captain Tom, 100, in hospital with COVID

ANDREW BOYERS PRIME Minister Boris Johnson was among a host of well-wishers from Britain and beyond willing record-breaking fundraiser Captain Tom Moore to pull through after the centenarian was admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Moore, who raised more than 30 million pounds ($41 million)for health service workers by walking 100 lengths of his garden during last year's lockdown, was admitted to Bedford hospital after testing positive for the virus, his daughter said on Sunday. "I spoke to the family last night, and all I can say is Captain Tom Moore has been an inspiration to everybody in this country during…

Jan

26

2021

By The African Mirror

Anger and grief as United Kingdom’s COVID-19 death toll nears 100,000

WORLD

ANDREW MacASKILL and PAUL SANDLE AS the United Kingdom's COVID-19 death toll approaches 100,000, grief-stricken relatives of the dead expressed anger at Prime Minister Boris Johnson's handling of the worst public health crisis in a century. When the novel coronavirus, which first emerged in China in 2019, slid silently across the United Kingdom in March, Johnson initially said he was confident it could be sent packing in weeks. But 97,939 deaths later, the United Kingdom has the world's fifth worst official death toll - more than its civilian toll in World War Two and twice the number killed in the…

Dec

31

2020

By The African Mirror

UK parliament approves Brexit trade deal as both sides look to future

WORLD

WILLIAM JAMES and GABRIELA BACZYNSKA BRITISH lawmakers have approved Prime Minister Boris Johnson's post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union, as both sides looked to begin a new chapter of relations just days before their divorce becomes a reality. Britain and the European Union were signing the deal on Wednesday and the British parliament will finalise its implementation, ending over four years of negotiation and safeguarding nearly a $1 trillion of annual trade. Both sides said it was a chance to begin a new chapter in a relationship forged as Europe rebuilt after World War Two, but which has often…

Dec

18

2020

By The African Mirror

UK’s Gove says Brexit trade talks could go on beyond Christmas

WORLD

ONE of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's senior ministers has said that Britain hoped to reach a trade deal with the European Union but that talks might go on until after Christmas. "When we think about the real deadline, I hope that we can conclude an agreement as quickly as possible but talks may go on until after Christmas," Michael Gove told a parliamentary committee. "We will want to ensure that parliament has a say, and a chance to scrutinise any agreement that's reached, so realistically it's in the days just immediately after Christmas." Gove, who earlier said the chances of…

Dec

11

2020

By The African Mirror

EU unveils plans to avoid Brexit chaos as ‘no deal’ looms larger

WORLD

JOHN CHALMERS and ELIZABETH PIPER THE European Union's executive has laid out contingency plans for a 'no-deal' Brexit at the end of the year to minimise disruption to air traffic and road and rail travel after talks between British and EU leaders failed to break an impasse. The European Commission also proposed that Britain and the EU continue to offer reciprocal access to their fishing waters for up to a year, but London quickly rebuffed the idea. Agreement on fishing rights has been one of the most emotive sticking points in negotiations for a trade deal that has eluded the…

Sep

19

2020

By The African Mirror

Amal Clooney quits UK envoy role over ‘lamentable’ international law breach

WORLD

HUMAN rights lawyer Amal Clooney has quit her role as Britain’s special envoy on media freedom in protest at the country’s intention to breach international law over Brexit-related legislation. The British government has drafted a bill which it acknowledges would violate its international legal obligations and undercut parts of the divorce deal it signed before Britain formally left the European Union in January. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the bill was essential to counter “absurd” threats from Brussels but it has prompted resignations and the threat of a rebellion by lawmakers, which appears to have been averted after a…

Sep

19

2020

By The African Mirror

European cities announce new restrictions as COVID-19 cases soar

COVID-19

GUY FAULCONBRIDGE and INGRID MELANDER EUROPEAN countries from Denmark to Greece announced new restrictions on Friday to curb surging coronavirus infections in some of their largest cities, while Britain was reported to be considering a new national lockdown. Cases in the United Kingdom almost doubled to 6,000 per day in the latest reporting week, hospital admissions rose and infection rates soared across parts of northern England and London. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was inevitable that the country would see a second wave of the coronavirus, and while he did not want another national lockdown, the government may…