Newspaper headlines: Fourth jabs not necessary, and holiday 'stampede'

Government scientific advisers have recommended that fourth jabs are not currently necessary, the Daily Telegraph reports.

The paper carries analysis from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which found that three months after receiving a third jab, protection against hospitalisations among the over-65s remained at about 90%.

The Daily Mirror says this week's easing of Covid travel restrictions has driven a huge spike in summer holiday bookings - what it calls a "Vaccation Stampede".

"People are desperate to get away," remarks the boss of Jet2, a holiday firm, while easyJet's bookings are reported to have almost tripled week-on-week.

The "mini-boom" in holidays has been welcomed by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, according to the Daily Express after what it calls "fearful Britons" built up a "giant savings pot" worth £1.7 trillion during the pandemic.

The FT, meanwhile, reports Mr Sunak faces calls to reverse his decision to suspend the "triple lock" on annual state pension increases.

Two former pensions ministers - one Tory and one Lib Dem - it says, want help for the most vulnerable, as they struggle with surging energy bills and inflation.

The government says it is encouraging those eligible to claim pension credit.

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The Daily Mail has what it calls a "bombshell" interview with a woman who gave evidence at Ghislaine Maxwell's trial.

Carolyn Andriano says she received a text message from Prince Andrew's accuser, Virginia Giuffre, in 2001, claiming she was going for dinner in London with Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein and the prince.

A week later in Florida, Ms Andriano says Ms Giuffre showed her a photo of her with Prince Andrew, and told her she had slept with him.

The Mail says it has not paid for the interview.

The paper says Prince Andrew's representatives declined to respond.

He has consistently strenuously denied any wrongdoing.

The Daily Telegraph adds the duke's legal team has not ruled out offering Ms Giuffre a payoff in order to avoid a potentially damaging trial.

It says it understands any such settlement would likely exceed £5m, and that the Queen would be asked to contribute, alongside Prince Andrew's own input.

But the paper states he has so far indicated he wants to fight the allegations and clear his name.

The i weekend says there was an "NHS exodus" as medics leave en masse after a grim two years.

It says NHS England figures show more than 27,000 doctors and nurses voluntarily resigned between July and September last year - the highest number on record.

The Independent website says the government has been accused of "subverting the rule of law", after the attorney general announced she could refer the Colston statue case to the Court of Appeal.

A jury found four people not guilty of criminal damage, despite their admission they helped topple the slave trader's statue in 2020.

The Guardian says senior lawyers have accused Suella Braverman of "politically-driven meddling".

A former director of public prosecutions, Ken Macdonald, says "juries have always been given the space to do what they think is right" and ministers would be "foolish" to try and challenge this.

The Times has a warning from the head of the armed forces, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, that there has been a "phenomenal" increase in Russian submarine activity, posing a risk to undersea cables and the world's information system.

He tells the paper any attempt to sever the cables could potentially be considered an "act of war".

Sir Tony says the UK must urgently develop hypersonic missiles, to compete with Moscow's growing military strength.