Friday newspaper round-up: Covid jab, Channel migrants, Trump, bond markets, cash
Covid jab manufacturers are preparing to make booster shots available for the public to buy after health officials gave the green light to private sales for the first time. Some pharmacists and private clinics say they are interested in offering Covid vaccination for sale on the high street to the tens of millions of people no longer eligible on the NHS. - The Times
France is intercepting fewer Channel migrants than last year despite a £480 million funding deal with Britain to help stop crossings, The Telegraph can reveal. Official figures show that just 13,759 – or 45.2 percent – of migrants have been stopped by French beach patrols since January, down from 17,032 (45.8 per cent) over the same period last year. There have been fewer overall attempted crossings this year, partly because of bad weather. - Telegraph
Law enforcement officials in Georgia say they are investigating threats targeting members of the grand jury that indicted former President Donald Trump and 18 of his allies, after private information about jurors was published online. On Thursday, the Fulton county sheriff’s office announced that it was “aware that personal information of members of the Fulton county grand jury is being shared on various platforms”. - Guardian
The cost of UK government borrowing rose to the highest level since the financial crisis yesterday when fears that interest rates would stay higher for longer triggered a sell-off on international bond markets. Yields on US and UK bonds, which reflect government borrowing costs, hit a 15-year high after predictions that stubborn inflation could mean interest rates will rise again. - The Times
Rich Middle Eastern gamblers are being put off spending in the UK by Rishi Sunak’s tourist tax, the chief executive of one of Britain’s biggest casino chains has said. John O’Reilly, chief executive at Rank Group, which owns Grosvenor Casinos, blamed weak sales at his London casinos on the end of VAT-free shopping in Britain. - Telegraph
High street banks will have to ensure customers can find access to cash within three miles of their local communities, and those falling below the minimum service level will face a fine, the government has confirmed. After the closure of thousands of local branches in recent years, and the switch to digital payment methods, ministers are looking to banks to help protect vulnerable groups and elderly customers by maintaining present levels of cash access across the UK. - Guardian