UK House Speaker says no one above the law as gov’t accused of blackmail

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologised on Wednesday for a video showing his staffers joking about reports of a party in Downing Street during the COVID lockdown, saying he was furious but that he had been assured there was no party.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's wife, Carrie, has given birth to a baby girl, his office said.

The leader of the UK's opposition Labour party said on Sunday (December 12) that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had broken the public's trust over COVID-19 regulations, making him "unfit for public office." Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Keir Starmer said Johnson posed a risk to public health following reports that parties were held at Downing Street during a 2020 Christmas lockdown when such festivities were banned.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday⁣⁣⁣

Since China imposed a security law on Hong Kong, more than 100,000 people have left. The UK has offered a special visa to its former colony, and 70% of Hong Kong's population is eligible. But for those who've fled, it's difficult to leave home behind.

The omicron coronavirus variant is spreading rapidly in the UK, where the number of daily infections has hit a record high. Health experts warn that it's the most significant threat to public health since the start of the pandemic.

Simon Case was leading the probe into alleged Christmas parties held by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's staff in breach of COVID restrictions. Case has quit after reports of parties in his own office.

The omicron variant of the coronavirus is less likely to land patients in hospital in comparison with delta.

Government critics said the proposed media law was aimed at silencing dissent. President Andrzej Duda said it would have dealt a blow to Poland's reputation as a place to do business.

The UK government on Tuesday reported a record of more than 200,000 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours as the highly transmissible Omicron strain surges through the country. It said it had logged 218,724 infections — the highest daily total since the pandemic began.

Israel's Health Ministry has recommended removing all the countries currently on an omicron no-fly list. The ministry also said Israelis should not travel to places with higher infection rates "without a good reason."