Thousands of students are picking A-Level results today and while some will leave school ecstatic with what grades they get, others will be crestfallen. A number of pupils’ results have been downgraded after this year’s summer exams were cancelled because of Covid-19 despite record-high results. The proportion of A-level entries awarded an A grade or … Read more
A massive sunspot observed on the sun is turning towards Earth and is expected to increase in size over the next few days. The area, dubbed AR2770, has a ‘primary dark core’ the width of Mars and a number of crater-size ‘spotlets’ littering its surface. The sunspot is a member of Solar Cycle 25, the … Read more
Chocolates and other sweets could be slapped with a ‘sin tax,’ while bottles of alcohol could be sold with health warnings, under the Government’s latest obesity drive, it was revealed today. Ministers are considering taxing them in the same way that sugary fizzy drinks are levied as a ‘nuclear deterrent’ if other measures unveiled by … Read more
I want to buy life insurance but have had coronavirus, will I still get a good deal? A reader asks if life insurers offer deals to those who’ve suffered from Covid19 Expert reveals that some applicants may get cover, but with exclusions Cover could cost more with premiums offered at 50-100% more than normal Here’s … Read more
The optimist sees the glass as half-full, focusing on what is actually there Are you a glass half-full or a glass half-empty person? It’s a question used as a litmus test to determine a person’s world view. The optimist sees the glass as half-full, focusing on what is actually there. The pessimist sees the glass … Read more
How will drawing my state pension affect my TfL pension and what happens if I work part-time? Steve Webb replies By Steve Webb for This Is Money Published: 07:42 BST, 15 June 2020 | Updated: 07:42 BST, 15 June 2020 I will be 66 in December. I have a private pension from Transport for London. … Read more
Slow-motion VAR replays during football matches do not impact a referee’s decisions by making incidents appear more intentional, a new report claims. UK psychologists say slow motion actually helps referees to better distinguish yellow card and red card incidents during football matches. The controversial VAR, or ‘video assistant referee’ system had been a constant talking … Read more
Professor Lucy Yardley, from the University of Bristol, sounded the alarm today, saying evidence shows ‘viral load’ plays a big role in how sick someone will become People exposed to a higher dose of coronavirus are more likely to fall critically ill, a scientist part of Number 10‘s SAGE panel has warned. Professor Lucy Yardley, … Read more
What is the coronavirus? A coronavirus is a type of virus which can cause illness in animals and people. Viruses break into cells inside their host and use them to reproduce itself and disrupt the body’s normal functions. Coronaviruses are named after the Latin word ‘corona’, which means crown, because they are encased by a … Read more