Johnson to make statement to parliament on COVID-19 restrictions

14 Sept 02:05 Key points summarised by AI

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will address parliament Monday to outline potential new COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.
This statement follows a rapidly accelerating second wave in England, with average daily cases doubling in one week.
The government faces increasing opposition to further measures amidst severe economic damage, as August GDP growth significantly missed forecasts.
Senior aides stress the urgency of finalizing local restrictions to control the virus spread, noting the UK already has Europe's highest COVID-19 death toll.

Mbappe apologises for Mao Zedong comment after Chinese sponsors drop him

Yesterday 11:30 Key points summarised by AI

Kylian Mbappe issued an apology after a viral video showed him joking about a 'Chinese dictator' in reference to Mao Zedong, sparking widespread offense in China.
Major Chinese sponsors, including beverage giant Dongpeng and dairy producers Mengniu and Milkground, swiftly terminated their endorsement deals with the football star.
The controversy escalated as China Media Group (CMG) suspended broadcasts of La Liga matches and demanded an apology from Real Madrid, despite La Liga's own apology for Mbappe's comments.
The incident underscores the strict cultural taboos surrounding Mao Zedong in China and the significant repercussions for public figures making insensitive remarks.