Boris Johnson apologizes for attending illegal party during lockdown — but says it "did not occur to me" that it broke COVID rules
CBSN
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday offered a "wholehearted" apology for attending an illegal party during lockdown — but insisted he didn't knowingly break rules or mislead Parliament.
Johnson told lawmakers in the House of Commons "it did not occur to me" that the birthday gathering, complete with a cake, was a party.
Last week, Johnson was fined 50 pounds ($66) for attending his own surprise birthday party in 10 Downing St. in June 2020, making him the first British prime minister ever found to have broken the law while in office.
Paris — Jean-Marie Le Pen, the historic leader of France's far-right political movement, died Tuesday at the age of 96, the French news agency AFP said, citing his family. Le Pen, who had been in a care facility for several weeks, died Tuesday "surrounded by his loved ones," the family said in a statement.
Seoul — North Korea on Monday test fired a ballistic missile as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited South Korea, where he warned that Pyongyang was working ever closer with Russia on advanced space technology. Blinken also said that while he believed a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas would end the war in Gaza, it may not happen until after President Biden's term, under returning President-elect Donald Trump.