Pfizer vaccine ‘100 per cent effective’ in children as young as 12 March 31, 2021 The Pfizer/Biontech Covid vaccine is safe and 100 per cent effective in children as young as 12, the company has announced. The two pharmaceutical giants carried out trials of the vaccine on 2,260 children aged between 12 and 15 in the US. Preliminary data showed there were no cases of coronavirus among fully vaccinated adolescents [...]
Hong Kong’s democratic dreams have been trashed by Chinese power grab – the UK must use Magnitsky sanctions March 31, 2021 The Chinese government’s actions in Hong Kong are a textbook case study of an authoritarian power-grab. Redefine national security. Exercise emergency powers in the name of national security and use these powers to take total control. Lock up the opposition. Rig the elections. Rewrite the constitution. The details of Beijing’s electoral reforms for Hong Kong [...]
Athletic Bilbao: Two Copa del Rey finals, one unique philosophy, and the roles of identity and loyalty in sporting success March 31, 2021 Athletic Bilbao manager Marcelino Garcia Toral could be forgiven for using the old cliche about every game feeling like a cup final. That’s because, due to a quirk of pandemic rescheduling, Athletic are about to play in the final of Spain’s domestic cup competition twice in a fortnight. On Saturday, a year later than planned, [...]
Financial Ombudsman Service branded ‘unfit for purpose’ March 31, 2021 The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is “unfit for purpose” and needs “major reform”, according to a damning new report published by think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). The IEA said the FOS is “failing to delivery on its primary objectives of ‘providing fair and reasonable resolution of disputes at speed’”, the think tank [...]
Explainer: How will the BBC change in the next five years? March 30, 2021 The BBC this week published its annual plan, outlining its strategy and financial targets as it looks to adapt to major shifts in the media landscape. It comes at a tough time for the public service broadcaster, which is facing declining viewer numbers and a political row over its licence fee funding model, as well [...]
Hong Kong Racing Tips: Jerry Chau’s a man in demand March 30, 2021 IT WAS good to see young 7lb claimer Jerry Chau back in the limelight following a winning double at Sha Tin last Sunday. The 20-year-old has suffered his ups and downs in Hong Kong this season. He’s sixth in the jockeys’ championship table with an impressive 32 winners but faces yet another suspension, his sixth for the [...]
Pandemic leads people to stay unemployed for longer March 30, 2021 The number of people unemployed rose during the second half of 2020, despite government measures like the furlough scheme intended to curb job losses. Between April and September in 2020 the number of people of working age out of work increased by 212,000 to 2.1 million. Of those, just 24 per cent had returned to [...]
BBC to slash BBC Four shows but stops short of axing channel March 29, 2021 The BBC today said it will slash original programming on BBC Four as part of a wider effort to cut costs, though it stopped short of axing the channel altogether. In its annual plan published today, the broadcaster said it would shift away from commissioning a high volume of lower cost shows for the channel. [...]
Falcon and The Winter Soldier S1E2: Marvel picks up the pace March 29, 2021 *** WARNING: spoilers ahead for all current episodes of Marvel’s Falcon and The Winter Soldier *** Unlike WandaVision, which played its cards close to its chest, Falcon and Winter soldier had a lot of world building to do in its first episode. Sam/Falcon (Anthony Mackie) had given up Captain America’s, while Bucky/The Winter Soldier (Sebastian [...]
Covid: UK bank lending surged £29.3bn since March, surpassing EU March 29, 2021 UK bank lending has surged by eight per cent to keep businesses afloat since the pandemic began, surpassing EU lending, according to a new study by UHY released this morning. Banks have offered around £29.3bn in businesses loans over the past year, as lending in the EU increased by an average of 5.3 per cent. [...]