It is science, not lockdowns, that will save the world November 18, 2020 The various new vaccines announced over the past two weeks give real hope of a return to normal life. Of course, many practical questions remain. How will these vaccines be delivered? Do they stop the transmission or simply the symptoms of the virus? Exactly how effective will they be outside a controlled trial environment? But [...]
Why virtual clubbing could lift your lockdown blues November 14, 2020 Ibiza may be the world’s best-known clubbing destination, but for real connoisseurs of nasty techno, Berlin is where it’s at. Most famous among its venues is the legendary Berghain, a vast concrete cathedral to dance music where club nights turn into club days and back into club nights, and the world’s top DJs provide the [...]
The Mandalorian season 2 episode 3 review: S2E3 action and revelation in hit show November 13, 2020 *** SPOILERS AHEAD: If you haven’t watched the most recent episodes of The Mandalorian Season 2, look away now*** Thus far, The Mandalorian Season 2 has been about self-contained adventures, where the fun comes from the twists and turns in our hero’s path. This week was a bit more action packed, with some huge plot [...]
First lockdown cost food and drink industry £751m a week in lost sales, research shows November 12, 2020 The first UK-wide national lockdown cost the food and drink industry £751m a week in lost revenue, according to the latest research. Out-of-home food consumption fell 36 per cent in the first half of 2020, as the closure of restaurants and cafes and the shift to remote working forced Brits to eat more meals at [...]
Billie documentary review – an oral history of Billie Holiday November 12, 2020 Great documentaries are often founded on great discoveries. In the case of James Erskine’s Billie, that discovery is a treasure trove of interviews by the late Linda Lipnack Kuehl. A writer based in Washington, she spent a decade between the 60s and 70s researching a book about Billie Holiday, interviewing friends, fellow performers, and key [...]
How to eat well during a pandemic, from pre-mixed cocktails to Michelin home delivery November 11, 2020 Another endless week approaches its inglorious mid-season finale. But what do we have to look forward to in the barren cultural landscape of November 2020? Well, restaurants may be closed but many canny entrepreneurs have turned their empty kitchens into home delivery hubs, allowing you to feast like it’s 1999, or indeed 2019. Each week [...]
Winners and losers: Stocks soaring AND plummeting as Pfizer reports Covid-19 vaccine breakthrough November 9, 2020 US pharma giant Pfizer reporting today that early studies of its Covid-19 vaccine are 90 per cent effective has sent markets into a frenzy, with travel and hospitality stocks shooting up while food delivery services and video conferencing software providers plummeted. Jet engine maker Rolls-Royce saw the biggest change on the FTSE 100, surging 43 [...]
Pfizer vaccine: ‘A good news day’ for markets, say analysts November 9, 2020 Global stock markets catapulted this afternoon on news that Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine saw a 90 per cent success rate in clinical trials, as analysts welcomed the announcement as a “boost for hopes of a return to normality”. The prospect of a vaccine electrified world markets, with S&P 500 futures hitting a record high and tourism [...]
Weekly outlook, 9-13 November: Investors shift their focus back to the UK economy November 9, 2020 Investors were kept busy with the drama across the Atlantic last week, but they’ll soon want to focus back on the UK in what will be a busy week of results and economic updates. After a nail-biting election, markets will likely be considering the implication of a Biden presidency. But with GDP and unemployment figures [...]
How to make the most of the last pre-lockdown days, from a US election party pack to a prohibition jazz night November 2, 2020 During any other year, this would have been among the busiest weeks of the social calendar. Halloween parties would have spilled into US election parties, which would have led into Bonfire night, and before you know it, the weekend is upon you again. Instead, we have the bleak prospect of yet another lockdown. But try [...]