Brief. Me - December 22, 2024 5:57 pm
Hunt for remand prisoner accidentally released in London
Police are searching for a man who was mistakenly released from a west London jail.
William Fernandez was being held on remand at HMP Wormwood Scrubs where he was awaiting trial for various offences including sexual assault.
On Wednesday, the Met were told by prison staff that the 24-year-old had been released that evening in error. – BBC News
Thousands attend rock concert in Barcelona in COVID screening test
Thousands of people are watching a rock concert in Barcelona — inside a venue — as part of a test to see how effective same-day COVID screenings are in preventing outbreaks at large events.
Some 5,000 concert-goers were been allowed into the city’s Palau Sant Jordi on Saturday evening, and able to mix freely while watching Spanish rock group Love of Lesbian. – Euronews
Two Men in Seattle, San Francisco Face Anti-Asian Hate Charges
Prosecutors in Seattle and San Francisco have charged men with hate crimes in separate incidents that authorities say targeted people of Asian descent amid a wave of high-profile and sometimes deadly violence against Asian Americans since the pandemic began.
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Los Angeles and throughout the San Francisco Bay Area on Saturday, the latest in a series of rallies in response to what many said has become a troubling surge of anti-Asian sentiments. – VOA
Jordan inoculates more than 274,000 against COVID-19
Jordan has inoculated 274,360 people with coronavirus vaccines since it started a mass immunization program in mid-January, health officials said.
The country has launched a website, https://vaccine.jo, where people who want to get vaccinated can register. The site lists the registration steps for both Jordanians and residents. – Arab News
14 injured as two suspected suicide bombers target church in Indonesia
Two suspected suicide bombers blew themselves up outside a Catholic church in the Indonesian city of Makassar on Sunday (Mar 28), wounding 14 people on the first day of the Easter Holy Week, police and witnesses said.
National police spokesman Inspector General Argo Yuwono said at a press conference in Jakarta that the injured suffered from wounds around their necks, chests and legs. Some had blisters on their hands and feet. – CNA
Myanmar coup: US ‘horrified’ by deadliest day since military takeover
The US has said that it is “horrified” by the killing of scores of anti-coup protesters in Myanmar on Saturday.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused the military of “a reign of terror” that was “sacrificing the lives of the people to serve the few”.
Saturday was the deadliest day since last month’s military takeover. – BBC World
In today’s briefing update, many of Sunday’s papers carry the Moderna vaccine story – as the under 50s are set to receive the jab in 3 weeks.
Also featured – Covid-19 updates and the latest news.
Below are our top picks of the Sunday Papers.
Whitehall inquiry into elite school sex school
The Sunday Telegraph says elite schools are facing a Whitehall investigation over their handling of claims of “rape culture.” It comes as thousands of current and former pupils come forward with allegations of abuse they received while at school, a senior officer has told the paper. The Met police launched an investigation on Friday after reading distressing reports on the everyonesinvited.uk website.
The front page also reports Britain will tell the EU that it must acknowledge the millions invested by British taxpayers into the AstraZeneca vaccines – amid continued tensions between London and Brussels over vaccine exports.
Read the full story on the Daily Telegraph
Moderna jabs in 3 weeks for under-50s
The Daily Mail front page reports a third Covid-19 jab will be added to the UK’s vaccine rollout in the next three weeks. The US Moderna jab will be administered for the first time from mid-April, says the paper, with the arrival of more than 500,000 doses “imminent”. Currently, the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are being given to those eligible in the UK.
Read the full story on the Daily Mail
Cameron and the toxic banker
The Sunday Times leads with a report into banker Lex Greensill’s relationship with David Cameron, with the former allegedly being handed “extraordinary access” to No 10 and 11 Whitehall departments. The paper says that, during Mr Cameron’s time as prime minister, Mr Greensill was given a security pass and a team of civil servants “so he could promote a financial product he specialised in across Whitehall”.
Read the full story on the Times
Back to the life we love
The Sunday Express is also hopeful, carrying comments from an “optimistic” Boris Johnson. The PM has said there is “nothing in the data” to affect his roadmap out of lockdown, the paper reports, as he toasts “Happy Monday”.
Read the full story on the Daily Express
My four-year affair with Boris
Meanwhile, the Sunday Mirror carries an interview with Jennifer Arcuri who says she and Mr Johnson had a four-year affair. The PM has faced questions over his relationship with Ms Arcuri while he was mayor of London.
Read the full story on the Daily Mirror
Easter celebrations set to rival Christmas – even down to the tree – BBC Business
COVID-19: Spain to trial four-day working week in bid to prevent new coronavirus outbreaks – Sky News
Trade union calls for Deliveroo UK riders strike to highlight IPO risks – Reuters
Dillian Whyte knocks out Alexander Povetkin in Gibraltar rematch – Read on
Wada launches investigation into 2010 GB cyclist nandrolone case – Read on
Transfer rumours: Bale, Werner, Haaland, Odegaard, Cavani, Almiron, Sarr – Read on
YOUR QUESTIONS answered
A spat over Covid vaccine doses has erupted between the European Union and the UK threatens to have far reaching implications over coronavirus jab disruption.
Brussels demanded access to AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured in UK plants to make up for a shortfall after the pharmaceutical giant said it would have to cut the amount of doses delivered to the bloc by the end of March.
What do we know about the dispute? And what potential implications could the rumbling dispute have on future Covid vaccine rollouts? – (ITV)
Recent and upcoming changes
Restrictions are easing across the UK.
In England
Step 1 of the roadmap out of lockdown has begun. Shielding ends on 31 March.
In Scotland
People will be asked to ‘Stay Local’ from 2 April. A timetable for further lockdown easing from 5 April is on GOV.SCOT.
In Wales
The stay at home restriction was lifted on 13 March. Read about the rules on GOV.WALES.
In Northern Ireland
The next review will happen on or before 15 April. You can read the guidance on current restrictions on nidirect.
latest Covid-19 news
For the latest Covid-19 news visit the UK governement website
