European Commission calls for reciprocity on vaccine exports with the UK March 19, 2021 European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen has called for reciprocity on vaccine exports amid an ongoing row with the UK and US over jab deliveries. “I ask for greater openness as Europe is among the regions in the world that exports the most, but reciprocity is needed,” she told Italian newspaper la Repubblica. She [...]
Britain to trial vaccine passports to reopen sports venues March 19, 2021 Britain will pilot vaccine passports to encourage the return of fans to sports events, the culture minister has announced, as he claimed the future of the sporting industry depended on crowds filling seats this summer. In an interview with The Sun, Oliver Dowden said: “We are working to make sure we can get as many [...]
UK borrowing hits highest February figure on record March 19, 2021 The government borrowed £19.1bn last month, marking the highest figure for February since records began amid the spiralling cost of support measures during the pandemic. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed public borrowing ballooned thirteenfold to £19.1bn in February this year – up from £1.5bn in the same month a year earlier. [...]
France, Spain, Italy and Germany to resume Astrazeneca vaccinations after EU regulator rules jab is ‘safe and effective’ March 18, 2021 France, Spain, Italy and Germany are among the European countries that have confirmed they will resume rolling out the Astrazeneca vaccine after the EU medicines regulator said there is “clear scientific” evidence that the jab is both “safe and effective”. Emer Cooke, executive director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), earlier today said the agency remains [...]
FTSE 100 recovers after Bank of England holds interest rates March 18, 2021 London stocks recovered this afternoon after suffering a drop following the Bank of England’s decision to hold interest rates indicated the pace of Britain’s economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. The BoE kept its stimulus programme unchanged this afternoon ahead of an expected recovery in Britain’s economy later this year, helped by the fast rollout [...]
Covid-19 vaccine shortage: India manufacturing shortfall will delay 1.7m doses to the UK March 18, 2021 A spike in demand for vaccines from a manufacturer in India will leave a hole of more than 1.7m vaccine doses in the UK’s vaccine supplies over the coming months. A shipment of 1.7m doses of the Astrazeneca vaccine expected from the Serum Institute of India has been held up by four weeks, the health [...]
Existing Covid jabs may protect against Brazilian coronavirus mutation, study finds March 18, 2021 Existing coronavirus vaccines may prove effective against the Brazilian Covid variant that scientists previously feared would be resistant to antibodies, a University of Oxford study has found. Researchers studied the impact of natural and vaccine-induced antibodies on different strains of coronavirus. They specifically tested the Astrazeneca and Pfizer/Biontech vaccines on different mutations. They determined that [...]
Misogyny to be recorded as a hate crime from autumn March 18, 2021 Police will record misogyny as a hate crime in England and Wales from the autumn, following wide scale protests about the treatment of women in the UK following the murder of Sarah Everard. Home Office minister Baroness Williams said police forces around the country will be instructed to record cases of harassment and stalking as [...]
UK on course to meet vaccine targets despite ‘lumps and bumps’ in supply, says minister March 18, 2021 Britain is on course to meet its vaccination targets despite major “lumps and bumps” in supplies expected over the next few months, the housing minister has said. The UK will see a “significant reduction” in Covid-19 vaccine supplies from 29 March onward, a letter from the NHS to local vaccination centres revealed yesterday. The NHS [...]
888 profit doubles in ‘landmark year’ for betting during lockdown March 18, 2021 Betting giant 888 saw adjusted profit double last year as the company cashed in on a spike in online gambling during lockdowns around the world. 888’s group revenue swelled 52 per cent to $849.7m (£607.6m) in the 12 months to 31 December, up from $560.3 in the same period last year. Adjusted profit before tax soared 218 per [...]
