London (TIP): British police will investigate alleged lockdown breaches at Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Downing Street residence after receiving evidence from an internal government probe into a series of gatherings. Johnson is fighting for his political survival after new allegations that he broke the Covid-19 lockdown rules he imposed by attending a surprise birthday party in Downing Street when social gatherings indoors were banned.
That added to a long list of alleged lockdown breaches in Downing Street, including one ‘bring your own booze’ party, which Johnson has said he attended thinking it was a work event. Police will now investigate, London’s Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said on January 25. “I can confirm that the Met (Metropolitan Police) is now investigating a number of events that took place at Downing Street and Whitehall in the last two years in relation to potential breaches of Covid-19 regulations,” she said. The police investigation could force a delay to the internal inquiry commissioned by Johnson and carried out by senior official Sue Gray, who is expected to report her findings later this week in what was seen as a key moment for Johnson’s future as prime minister. Reuters
Fire, clash at nightclub kill 19 people in Indonesia
Jakarta (TIP): A nightclub in Indonesia’s West Papua province burned after two groups clashed inside the building and 19 people were killed, officials said January 25.
One of the dead was a member of the groups that clashed Monday night at the club in Sorong city and 18 bodies were found after the fire, Adam Erwindi, spokesperson of West Papua Police, said on Metro TV. Police are still investigating what caused the clash and whether the fire was set or was accidental.
Erwindi added that along with the investigation, police officers were meeting the main figures of the two groups to make for more conducive conditions. Police and Indonesian military officers were in control in the area. AP