The preliminary results on the AstraZeneca vaccine were based on a total of 131 Covid-19 cases in a study involving 11,363 participants. The findings were perplexing. Two full doses of the vaccine appeared to be only 62% effective at preventing disease, while a half dose, followed by a full dose, was about 90% effective. That latter analysis was conducted on a small subset of the study participants, only 2,741.

“The report that an initial half-dose is better than a full dose seems counterintuitive for those of us thinking of vaccines as normal drugs: With drugs, we expect that higher doses have bigger effects, and more side-effects,” he said. “But the immune system does not work like that.”

The vaccine can be transported under “normal refrigerated conditions” of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius (36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit), AstraZeneca said. By comparison, Pfizer plans to distribute its vaccine using specially designed “thermal shippers” that use dry ice to maintain temperatures of minus-70 degrees Celsius (minus-94 degrees Fahrenheit).

Donald Trump doesn’t just talk in crude, witless insults – he actually thinks in them. His mind is a simple bot-like algorithm of petty prejudices and knee-jerk nastiness.

...

He’s more a fat white slug. A Jabba the Hutt of privilege.

...

God knows there have always been stupid people in the world, and plenty of nasty people too. But rarely has stupidity been so nasty, or nastiness so stupid.

He makes Nixon look trustworthy and George W look smart.

In fact, if Frankenstein decided to make a monster assembled entirely from human flaws – he would make a Trump.

—  Nate White

Boris Johnson's Party Loses Parliamentary Majority As MP Defects Right In Front Of Him

www.huffpost.com

Phillip Lee has defected from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats, crossing the floor in the House of Commons as Boris Johnson addressed members of parliament.

The defection of the MP for Bracknell means the government no longer has a working majority.

Lee is the fourth MP to defect to Jo Swinson’s party in the last few months and takes their total to 15.

Speaking in the Commons, Johnson told Lee he wished him “all the best” after watching him sit down with the Lib Dems.

In a statement, the former Tory minister — who supports a second referendum over Brexit — accused Johnson of “feeding division and populism” and of using “political manipulation, bullying and lies.”

“This Conservative government is aggressively pursuing a damaging Brexit in unprincipled ways,” he said.

“It is putting lives and livelihoods at risk unnecessarily and it is wantonly endangering the integrity of the United Kingdom.”

It comes ahead of the showdown vote in the Commons on Tuesday evening when opposition at Tory rebels will attempt to seize control of the parliamentary agenda to block a no-deal Brexit on Oct. 31.

Johnson has dramatically raised the stakes by signalling he will ask for a snap general election if the government is defeated.

• Milkshakes become the weapon of choice for protesters
• Nigel Farage ‘Stuck On Brexit Bus’ After Spotting People Armed With Milkshakes. 😂

How Nigel Farage became the most influential politician in modern history by masterminding Brexit and inspiring Donald Trump’s US election victory without ever becoming an MP, The Sun

[May] said she would urge other leaders to follow the UK’s example. “The G20 represents 80% of emissions, so actually it’s not just about what the UK does, it’s about what we can do together. So I’m going to be taking a message to the other leaders about the importance of them following the UK’s lead and acting on this issue.”

William, Harry and Kate Deny Trump What He Wanted Most: a Photo Op

www.thedailybeast.com

Prince Harry and his brother Prince William have successfully denied Donald Trump the opportunity of appearing in a photo with either of them or their glamorous and popular wives during his state visit to the U.K., which would have been invaluable PR for his 2020 re-election campaign, after the president used the word “nasty” while discussing Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle.

Trump subsequently attempted to deny having said Meghan herself was “nasty,” despite being clearly heard using the word on a recording, suggesting instead that he was describing what she said about moving to Canada if he got elected as a “nasty” comment.

Prince Harry is thought to have been angered by the undiplomatic remarks, made to a reporter from The Sun newspaper, and although he did not pull out of a scheduled private luncheon with Trump and his family on Monday, he had a face like thunder when he was pictured shortly afterward processing into a specially curated exhibition of American artifacts from the Royal Collection.  

Harry appeared to be escorting Trump’s daughter Ivanka; however, when the prince appeared to realize the walkthrough of the exhibit was being filmed, he quickly ducked out of the event.

Trump, however, has been left unable to complain and demand a photo call with Harry or William, because he has been given several moments with the queen and Prince Charles, who significantly outrank Harry, who is seventh in line to the throne, and therefore not obligated to take part in state occasions.

Trump’s cold-shouldering by William and Kate is arguably a more provocative move on the part of the young royals.

As third in line to the throne, it could be argued the William and his wife do have a responsibility to greet Trump one-on-one in front of the cameras, but so far they have studiously avoided doing so.

At last night’s state banquet, they were both seated several places away from Trump, in what was clearly a deliberate (and successful) attempt to restrict the president’s ability to harness the popularity of the young royals.

Harry was never scheduled to attend the state banquet, but his absence was still (correctly) interpreted as a snub to Trump.

Hi @realDonaldTrump. Just so you know, you’re wildly unpopular here in Britain. SAD! People REALLY don’t like you (though they love @BarackObama). Hope you like seeing your FAILING approval numbers projected onto the Tower of London. #TrumpUKvisit

-  Led By Donkeys‏ @ByDonkeys - June 3, 2019

A Little Reminder as @realDonaldTrump & @FLOTUS sit Down to Tea with Queen Elizabeth II.

Maybe Queen Elizabeth can Give *45 a few Pointers on what True Patriotism & Service to One’s Country Looks Like. #TrumpUKVisit #London

— Rey  🕊  🇺🇸‏ @1Jedi_Rey - July 13, 2018

She captured the incident on camera herself, and she also managed to slice herself in the process. 

A moment later she can be seen holding up her own blood-covered hand, exclaiming, "I'm bleeding quite badly, though."