Newspaper headlines: ‘Perseverance pays off’ and ‘foreign holiday hope’

image captionCoronavirus vaccines appear to cut Covid-19 transmissions and infections by two-thirds, the Daily Telegraph reports. The paper says “real-world data” shows a “powerful effect” of jabs on the spread of the virus. The paper separately reports that age should be the main factor in determining who gets a vaccine, according to the chairman of the government’s vaccine committee. Its main picture shows the first images beamed back to Earth from Nasa’s Perseverance rover after it landed on Mars.

image captionOne of the first pictures back from Nasa’s Perseverance dominates the Times’s front page. The paper says the mission has paid off – as the rover survived a “treacherous” seven-minute plunge. Elsewhere, the paper reports “hope” for overseas holidays as ministers are said to be working on plans to allow Britons to jet away for summer breaks.

image captionThe Daily Mail reports that people over 40 will begin to be offered a coronavirus vaccine by the end of March. It says government advisers are set to recommend widening jab lists and focus offers on the basis of age. The paper says it would be a “huge boost” for the vaccine programme and allow ministers to ease England’s lockdown sooner.

image captionThe Sun leads with Prince Charles’s “passionate plea” for everyone to take up the coronavirus vaccine – as celebrities join calls for ethnic minorities to accept the offer of a jab.

image captionAn opinion poll showing support for a mass return for schools in England on 8 March leads the i paper. It notes that half of those surveyed are reluctant to relax rules on households meeting before May. And the public want non-essential shops to be the first venues to open in the coming weeks, the paper adds.

image captionAn exclusive interview with French President Emmanuel Macron leads the FT. The premier tells the paper that Europe and the US should urgently allocate up to 5% of their vaccine supplies for poorer nations. The FT says President Macron is highlighting the “perils of inequality” in the run-up to the G7 summit of top nations this year.

image captionThe Daily Express says a new law is the solution to end organised internet abuse of epileptic suffers. The paper says young people living with the condition have been targeted by trolls who send strobes and garish messages. It notes how three victims have suffered convulsions as a result.

image captionA large thumbs down adorns the Metro’s front page as the paper reports outrage at Facebook’s decision to ban mainstream news from its site in Australia. The social media giant has banished links to news websites Down Under in a stand-off over a proposed law that would see it pay for news on its platform, the paper says. UK MP Julian Knight is quoted as describing it as “bully boy action”.

image captionFacebook’s decision to ban news in Australia leads the Guardian. The paper notes the social media network will reverse a block on government and emergency service pages – but keep a ban on news in place. Elsewhere, it reports that Boris Johnson will lead efforts to donate surplus vaccine supplies to poor nations. Pictured is the pop star Rhianna, who the Guardian says is facing a backlash for a fashion photo of a Hindu god.

image caption“Don’t flash your maracas!” is the Daily Star’s headline as it reports that presenters Ant and Dec have been warned against using comedy maracas to promote their ITV show.