UK no longer in group of 20 worst-hit countries for Covid-19 death rate April 22, 2021 The UK has fallen off the list of the 20 countires worst hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, as measured by excess deaths. Since the pandemic took hold in March 2020, the UK has recorded 121,000 more deaths in its population than would normally occur in a year. That’s a rate of 183 excess deaths per [...]
The Oscars 2021: Our predictions for the big winners April 22, 2021 Hollywood’s big, back slapping Oscar party arrives on Sunday, but as with other awards ceremonies, the film industry will have to congratulate itself from a distance. It will be a different kind of awards, with a rumoured additional venue in London, but the same amount of anticipation regarding who will take home a gold statuette. [...]
Freshfields tries to distance itself from ‘Magic Circle’ label April 22, 2021 Top brass at elite London law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer would prefer it not to be labelled a ‘Magic Circle’ firm, after it aggressively expanded into the US in recent years. “I don’t think the Magic Circle is a correct reference, and, at the same time, we do more than our US competitors as well,” [...]
Downing Street launches inquiry into Boris Johnson’s leaked texts with Sir James Dyson April 22, 2021 Downing Street is launching an inquiry into how Boris Johnson’s personal text messages with one of the UK’s richest men were leaked to the BBC. It was revealed yesterday that Sir James Dyson had lobbied Johnson for his staff to get tax exemptions for their work in building ventilators during the start of the Covid [...]
Drinking around the world: The Scots-Armenian wine alliance April 22, 2021 The Scottish Borders are famous for Sir Walter Scott’s old home Abbotsford House, Jedburgh snails and Hawick Balls boiled sweets, as well as being the birthplace of the “voice of rugby” Bill Maclaren. Somehow, it has also become the hub of Armenian wine appreciation and the UK’s centre of south Caucasus viniculture. “I knew Armenia made [...]
Sadiq Khan and Shaun Bailey row over ‘ludicrous’ £4.68bn tax bombshell claims April 22, 2021 Tory mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey and Sadiq Khan have today clashed over claims that the incumbent London mayor would raise taxes by £4.68bn over the next three years if re-elected. Bailey said today that Khan’s plans would mean households would have to pay £1,339 more in tax, however this figure comes mostly from a proposed [...]
Chick Fight review – lame comedy is far from a knockout April 22, 2021 In the absence of expensive promotion and cinema foyers, some films rely on a snappy title to stand out in streaming queues. Chick Fight might catch the eye for the wrong reasons, but a film will try anything to keep you from scrolling past. Sadly, most who see this film will wish they had. Malin [...]
Manufacturing optimism at highest levels in nearly 50 years April 22, 2021 UK manufacturers’ hopes for an economic rebound rose to their highest levels in nearly half a century this month as Britain slowly began its exit from Covid-19 lockdowns. According to the latest CBI quarterly Industrial Trends survey, its quarterly business optimism gauge jumped to +38, its highest level since April 1973. In January, amid the [...]
Black Bear review – a meta tale of twists and turns April 22, 2021 Recently, we’ve been treated to big budget studio fare in the on-demand space, as Godzilla fought Kong, Eddie Murphy’s prince returned to America, and Zack Snyder re-assembled his Justice League. However, with cinema re-openings just a few weeks away, the larger blockbusters are holding off and, for the moment at least, the VOD space has [...]
Greensill’s parent company enters liquidation April 22, 2021 Greensill Capital’s Australian business, which collapsed last month with debts of A$4.9bn, has entered liquidation. Administrator Grant Thornton said creditors had voted by 23 to zero, with a handful of abstentions, to liquidate the parent company of the disgraced supply chain firm. “As of today, the company is now in liquidation,” Grant Thornton said. “The [...]
