thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--Coronavirus R Rate Rises Again To 1.1 – 1.4 As Second Lockdown Looms

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The Covid-19 R rate jumped up again on Friday as health secretary Matt Hancock refused to rule out a second national lockdown.
Official estimates by government scientists put the key figure, which shows how quickly the virus is spreading, between 1.1 and 1.4 across the whole of the UK.
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An R rate (reproduction rate) above 1.0 means that the coronavirus pandemic is growing rather than shrinking.
The government said: “An R number between 1.1 and 1.4 means that on average every 10 people infected will infect between 11 and 14 other people.”
Last week the R rate was estimated to be between 1.0 and 1.2 across the whole of the UK.
It comes as the government mulls a “circuit breaker” time-limited national lockdown to curb the virus’ spread after the number of positive cases reached almost 4,000 on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the government introduced a curfew on hospitality venues and further social distancing measures in the north-east. New restrictions in areas of the north-west, West Yorkshire and the Midlands also forbid households from mixing in any setting and will come in on Tuesday.
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Hancock told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the rise in infection signalled “a big moment for the country”, adding: “We want to avoid national lockdown altogether.
“That is the last line of defence.”
R rate and growth of Covid-19 R rate and growth of Covid-19
Detailed figures released by the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M), a subgroup of SAGE (the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies), on Friday estimate the growth rate of the virus could be as high as 7%.
The group models the R rate and growth rate using a range of data, including infection numbers, hospitalisations and deaths.
While the R rate is thought to be at its highest in the Midlands and north-west, followed by the north-east and London, the growth rate is accelerating the fastest in the south-west.
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The Department for Health said the figures do not yet reflect any impact of the new “rule of six” on social gatherings.
The government said: “The higher R is above 1, the faster the epidemic is growing. Doubling times estimates can be estimated from positive growth rates; these suggest that the numbers of new infections have been doubling between every 10 to 20 days.”
Hancock said on Friday that the jump in both rates was likely to mean more deaths.
He said: “We are seeing an acceleration in the number of cases.
“And we are also seeing that the number of people hospitalised with coronavirus is doubling every eight days.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--5 Fibs You Were Told This Week

5 Fibs You Were Told This Week

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It’s that time of the week again where HuffPost UK takes a look back at which of those in public office treated the truth with as much respect as Kanye West shows a Grammy.
This week was once again dominated by the continuing shambles over the NHS Test and Trace system and features the relatively novel experience of two government ministers saying completely opposite things at almost exactly the same time.
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So let us begin.
Priti Patel
Priti Patel and Matt Hancock have similar jobs, work for the same Tory party and, you’d imagine, come into contact with each other on an at-least semi-regular basis.
Which is why on Tuesday it was so absolutely confounding that they both acted as if the other had never existed, never mind both be responsible for running large, complex and exceedingly important parts of the same government.
In a series of increasingly painful TV appearances, Patel vigorously defended the government’s test and trace system in the face of mounting criticism and continuing reports of massive failings.
Despite widespread complaints that tests are unavailable, people are waiting more than 24 hours for results or are being forced to travel large distances to get a test, Patel continued to dispute the facts on the ground.
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PA
She said: “Well you’ve already heard me say tests are available. You’ve heard me say as well particularly in local lockdown areas, I’ve seen this myself, I’ve seen the teams working on this.
“Mobile testing is going in, capacity is going into local areas where lockdowns have been undertaken and are taking place. So it’s wrong to say tests are not available, new booking slots are being made available every single day, mobile testing slots are being made available and on top of that, home testing kits are being issued across the country but specifically in local lockdown areas.”
But this was a fib. A MASSIVE fib. And how do we know?
Because just a few hours later Hancock got up in the Commons and admitted tests would have to be rationed due to “operational challenges” and that prioritisation was “a choice that we must make”.
The NHS, sort of
It may shock you to learn that the NHS Test and Trace is a lie. Now, it does exist and it is (with great difficulty and many problems, see above) tracking and tracing coronavirus across the UK.
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So what’s the fib? It’s the “NHS” bit.
Thirty-five organisations are listed as “data processors” involved in the NHS Test and Trace system but only four are solely NHS bodies.
A further four are Public Health England bodies, another is the Ministry of Defence and four are “Lighthouse Labs” run by the Department of Health in partnership with a number of other private companies.
The remaining 21 are private companies.
Earlier this week, the British Medical Association joined the revolt against the government’s handling of the crisis, telling HuffPost UK “we don’t have a fit-for-purpose testing system”.
Deputy chair Dr David Wrigley, added: “NHS Test and Trace – despite its name – is not an NHS service, it’s a largely outsourced programme that sees numerous private companies given billions of pounds to run testing sites, process samples and manage contact tracing call centres.”
Boris Johnson
Last week 5 Fibs brought you details of the government’s dubiously monikered Operation Moonshot, the plan to process “literally millions” of tests “every single day”, using new “simple, quick and scalable” tests that could determine whether someone had coronavirus in as little as 20 minutes.
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This plan was announced by Boris Johnson.
Boris Johnson said those words you just read, the “literally millions” of tests “every single day” bit.
Boris Johnson said it on live TV in front of everyone.
Documents compiled by Boris Johnson’s government put the exact figure at ten million.
And yet when asked about this figure at the Commons Liaison Committee on Wednesday, he said: “I don’t recognise the figure that you have just given.”
So it would appear that “literally millions” applies to all figures in the millions except literally ten million. Got that?
Jacob Rees-Mogg
It’s often hard to believe that a millionaire who lives in a 17th century castle and named one of his children Sixtus Dominic Boniface Christopher wouldn’t be in touch with the public mood, but once again Jacob Rees-Mogg has proven just that.
Standing in the Commons on Thursday, the Tory MP described the concerns of those who are struggling to get tested for coronavirus amid a nationwide shortage as “endless carping”.
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There is a queue at least two miles long to get a Covid test in Sunderland right now. pic.twitter.com/Bna8ifhHYq — Rachel Wearmouth (@REWearmouth) September 17, 2020
Instead, the Tory MP told the Commons on Thursday, people should be celebrating that “our administration” has been able to establish a testing system at all given “we have gone from a disease that nobody knew about a few months ago”.
Hope everyone has a good day. Except Jacob Rees-Mogg. I hope he falls off his penny-farthing. — Matt Haig (@matthaig1) September 17, 2020
At around the same time as Rees-Mogg speaking, the latest figures from his administration showed the number of tests completed in 24 hours had plummeted in just a week.
Donald Trump
Once again we’re absolutely spoiled for choice over which Trump gem makes into our top five this week, but this one makes it for its sheer audacity and reality-denying chutzpah.
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Earlier this week the president denied downplaying the threat of the coronavirus earlier this year – despite the existence of an audio recording of him stating he did just that.
The president participated in a televised town hall meeting on Tuesday with uncommitted voters, hosted by ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, in a warm up two weeks before he faces Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the first presidential debate.
Taped at the National Constitution Centre in Philadelphia, it featured Trump taking questions from an audience of just 21 voters to comply with state and local coronavirus regulations.
It marked Trump’s first time facing direct questions from voters in months, and an opportunity for the Republican to test-drive his message before the critical debates.
In an exchange with one voter, Trump sought to counter his admission to journalist Bob Woodward that he was deliberately “playing it down” when discussing the threat of Covid-19 to Americans earlier this year.
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Despite audio of his comments having been released, Trump told the voter: “Yeah, well, I didn’t downplay it. I actually, in many ways, I up-played it, in terms of action.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--Donald Trump’s Latest Coronavirus Comment Slammed As ‘So Cruel And Cynical’

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Donald Trump’s latest reported insensitive comment about Covid-19 sparked anger on Twitter on Thursday, with accusations the president again has shown his contempt for Americans.
In a video released by the Republican Voters Against Trump group, former White House official Olivia Troye claimed the president (a notorious germaphobe) once said an upside of the coronavirus pandemic was that he’d no longer “have to shake hands with these disgusting people.”
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“Those disgusting people are the same people that he claims to care about,” Troye said. “These are the same people still going to his rallies today who have complete faith in who he is.”
Check out the video here:
The recollection of Troye, a longtime Republican who during her time as an aide to Vice President Mike Pence sat on the White House coronavirus task force, drew widespread condemnation on social media. In the same video, Troye slammed Trump’s response to the pandemic and endorsed Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
Trump last month callously dismissed the soaring death toll from the crisis, telling Jonathan Swan of Axios that “it is what it is.”
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“When a former top Pence staffer goes on the record to say that Trump described *his own supporters* as ‘disgusting people’ ― it becomes even more credible than it already was that he referred to America’s war dead as ‘losers’ and ‘suckers,’” tweeted David Frum, a speechwriter for former President George W. Bush.
Carol Giacomo, a member of The New York Times’ editorial board, described Trump’s comment as “so cruel and cynical.”
“I don’t have to shake hands with these disgusting people.” — President Donald J. Trump.
Baskets of deplorables, perhaps? — Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) September 18, 2020
When a former top Pence staffer goes on the record to say that Trump described *his own supporters* as "disgusting people" - it becomes even more credible than it already was that he referred to America's war dead as "losers" and "suckers" — David Frum (@davidfrum) September 17, 2020
Wow. "Disgusting people" -- that's the phrase which jumped out to me. Listen and remember that Olivia Troye is a former official in Trump's White House. https://t.co/pU1SZRFSNJ — Michael McFaul (@McFaul) September 17, 2020
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Ummm this Olivia Troye (pence wh aid) report of Trump saying he was happy about coronavirus bc it means he doesn’t have to ‘shake the hands of disgusting people anymore’. Y’all trump fans go so hard for a guy that doesn’t even want to touch your ass 😩😂 — Aubrey O'Day (@AubreyODay) September 18, 2020
And this comment Troye attributes to @realDonaldTrump is so cruel and cynical: At one coronavirus task force meeting, she said Trump suggested "maybe this Covid thing is a good thing ...I don't like shaking hands w/people. I don't have to shake hands w/these disgusting people." https://t.co/3cUGzwuZcC — Carol Giacomo (@giacomonyt) September 17, 2020
Most damning part of her testimonial is her quote of Trump:
"Maybe this COVID thing is a good thing... I don't like shaking hands with people. I don't have to shake hands with these disgusting people."
The "disgusting people" Trump was referring to were his own supporters. — Mike Collier (@CollierForTexas) September 17, 2020
Listen to her. Trump has contempt for the health of millions and for his own supporters , adding that COVID could be “good” b/c he would no longer have to shake hands with “these disgusting people.” https://t.co/gpp5ZMnbk5 — Robert Shrum (@BobShrum) September 17, 2020
The President of the United States thinks you are disgusting. "I don't like shaking hands with people. I don't have to shake hands with these disgusting people," Troye claimed Trump said at the meeting. https://t.co/ie1Gefm7Eq — Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) September 17, 2020
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Tonight in Wisconsin thousands of Trump supporters are putting their lives at risk to support their President who, in a WH coronavirus task force meeting, referred to his supporters as disgusting people. — Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) September 17, 2020
"I don't have to shake hands with these disgusting people"
Dear @realDonaldTrump supporters: he thinks you're "disgusting". He thinks your friends & relatives who died defending America are "losers" & "suckers". Are you ready to dump him yet? #Trump https://t.co/KlLgsinz9i — Andy Ostroy (@AndyOstroy) September 18, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--New Coronavirus Restrictions Hit Parts Of North-West, Yorkshire And Midlands

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Areas in the north-west, West Yorkshire and the Midlands are the latest parts of the country to see tougher restrictions put in place to control the spread of coronavirus.
In the north-west Lancashire (excluding Blackpool and Greater Manchester), Merseyside, Warrington and Halton have been escalated to areas of intervention, with new restrictions in Wolverhampton, Oadby & Wigston in the Midlands, and parts of Bradford, Kirklees and Calderdale in West Yorkshire.
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The local lockdowns forbid households in all areas from mixing in any setting and will come in on Tuesday.
Additionally, in the north-west areas hospitality for food and drink will be restricted to table service and restaurants, pubs, cinemas and other entertainment and leisure venues will be required to close between 10pm to 5am.
Residents in those areas are also asked to only use public transport for essential purposes, such as travelling to school or work and avoid attending amateur and semi-professional sporting events as spectators.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said: “I know these restrictions will make every-day life harder for many, but I know that residents will work together and respect the rules so we can reduce rates of transmission.
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“I urge local people to isolate and get a test if you have symptoms, follow the advice of NHS Test and Trace, and always remember ‘hands, face, space’. By sticking to these steps, we will get through this together.”
The restrictions come as rates in Liverpool have increased to 100.6 cases per 100,000 people, with Warrington rising to 111.2, Oadby and Wigston rising to 145.5, and Wolverhampton increasing to 61.8 in the week to September 11.
They follow the introduction of restrictions in the North East on Thursday.
Though expected, the news was not welcomed by everyone in the county.
Neil Shaw, chief executive of Rossendale Borough Council in Lancashire, had earlier called for the government not to impose tighter restrictions.
To be clear, no leader in Rossendale has called for the introduction of tighter restrictions. The Govt may impose these at some point but we are making the case why they shouldn't https://t.co/7Z5YUuMlPW — Neil Shaw (@NeilShaw15) September 17, 2020
But Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson told BBC Breakfast he welcomed the action in Merseyside. He described it as “unfortunate, but welcome”, adding: “If we don’t tackle the measures now, then we will head towards the winter and Christmas period where we could be in a real difficult position, not just here but across the country.”
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In Warrington, public health leaders this week appealed to residents not to visit other households earlier this week as case numbers grew in the borough.
Nine of the 10 areas with the highest infection rates are in the North West.
Most parts of Greater Manchester are already subject to restrictions.
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In Bolton, which has the highest number of cases in the country, measures were brought in last week restricting restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs to takeaway only, and requiring all hospitality venues to close between 10pm and 5am.
Before the announcement, it was estimated that around 10 million people in the UK were under local lockdowns - covering parts of Scotland, South Wales, the North West and North East of England, Yorkshire and the Midlands.
A second national lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus has not been ruled out but the “great hope” is that people will heed current advice to help manage a “very serious” situation, the Health Secretary has said.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--Diana Rigg Once Hilariously Stormed Off The Game Of Thrones Set

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Diana Rigg was a legendary actor who knew how to live up to her Game Of Thrones nickname.
Dame Diana – who died last week after being diagnosed with cancer in March – played Olenna Tyrell aka the Queen of Thorns in the hit fantasy show.
And her whip-smart attitude didn’t stop when the camera ceased rolling, journalist James Hibberd wrote in his upcoming Game Of Thrones oral history, Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon.
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The spirited Diana “terrified” the directors on set, choosing to do things her own way rather than take suggestions, and she once even succeeded in shortening her on-screen duties, James wrote in a new Entertainment Weekly story.
The anecdote came from season six in a scene in which Olenna Tyrell told the Sand Snakes to “shut up” and “let the grown women speak.”
Jessica Henwick, who played Nymeria Sand, recalled that Diana walked on set and announced that she was ready to shoot even before the scene was done being set up. A cameraman tried to explain that things weren’t ready, but Diana wouldn’t hear it.
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″She interrupted him and said, ‘Roll the cameras!’ And she just started doing her lines,” James said.
After two takes, Diana was told it was time for a close-up. But she had other plans. She stood up and said she was done, then walked off, James recalled.
Now, she can’t walk fast. She has to be helped. So basically we just sat there and watched as Diana Rigg effectively did her own version of storming off the set, but it was at 0.1 miles per hour. She cracked me up. I loved her.
Both on camera and off, the Queen of Thorns did whatever the heck she wanted.
After Diana’s death, her Game Of Thrones co-stars posted tributes: Lena Headey said she was “witty and ferocious,” and Nathalie Emmanuel called her “an icon and powerhouse.”
Cheers to you, Diana Rigg. As co-star Pedro Pascal proclaimed, you were “the true queen of Westeros.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--Blink And You May Miss Chrissy Teigen's Low-Key Gender Reveal On Instagram

Chrissy Teigen revealed the gender of her third child in the most low-key way.
The model and cookbook author, while talking on Instagram stories Thursday about her “poopy placenta” that’s forced her into 24/7 bed rest, appeared to let slip that she and husband John Legend are expecting a boy.
“It’s super weak,” she said of her placenta.
“But it’s so weird because the baby is really, really healthy. And he’s big, he’s probably getting, oops,” Teigen added, before covering her mouth with her hands.
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It’s unclear if the revelation was really accidental.
Either way, Teigen later tweeted about there being “no fires and no one shot in the dick” with her reveal.
Authorities announced last week that the El Dorado Fire that’s scorched more than 7,000 acres to the east of Los Angeles was sparked by a pyrotechnic device at a gender reveal party.
😩 no fires and no one shot in the dick https://t.co/XivbQ8o5mq — chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) September 17, 2020
Teigen and Legend are yet to announce the due date for their third child who will have an older sister in Luna, who was born in 2016, and older brother in Miles, who was born two years later.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--£2.5m Of Books Stolen In ‘Mission Impossible’ Heist Recovered From Underground Romanian Lair

Portrait of Italian astronomer and philosopher Galileo Galilei, whose works were among the stolen books. DEA / ICAS94 via Getty Images
Some 200 “culturally significant” books including works by Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton and Goya that were stolen in a west London heist have been found buried underground in Romania.
The books were swiped in January 2017 during a burglary in Feltham, which saw thieves cut holes in the roof of the warehouse they were being stored in and abseil down, thus avoiding sensors in a Mission Impossible-style break-in.
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They were recovered this week by a joint partnership with the Met and the Romanian National Police.
The books, featuring works from the seventeenth century by Italian astronomer Galileo, Newton, and the eighteenth century Spanish painter Francisco Goya, have a combined value of more than £2.5 million, but are deemed to be of international importance and are considered irreplaceable.
Over the past three years the Met has been working with officers from the Romanian National Police and Italian Carabinieri, supported by Europol and Eurojust, on the international operation to recover the books and bring the offenders to justice.
In January 2017 they were being stored in a postal transit warehouse in Feltham waiting to be sent to Las Vegas for a specialist book auction.
Detective Inspector Andy Durham, from Specialist Crime South, said: “This recovery is a perfect end to this operation and is a demonstration of successful joint working between the Met and our European law enforcement partners in Romania and Italy - and at Europol and Eurojust.
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The stolen books were found underground in Romania Met Police
“These books are extremely valuable, but more importantly they are irreplaceable and are of great importance to international cultural heritage.
“If it wasn’t for the hard work of Detective Constable David Ward and others in this Joint Investigation Team these books would have been sadly lost to the world forever.”
The Met investigation identified the suspects involved were part of a Romanian Organised Crime Group (OCG) that were responsible for high-value warehouse burglaries across the UK.
The OCG flies members into the UK to commit specific offences and then flies them out of the country shortly afterwards, with the stolen property taken out of the country by other OCG members using different transport methods.
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The OCG is linked to a number of prominent Romanian crime families who form part of the Clamparu crime group. This group is based in the Iași region in Eastern Romania and have a history of complex and large-scale high value thefts, yet have mainly avoided prosecution by offending outside Romania.
A joint operation with the Romanian National Police and Italian Carabinieri, supported by Europol and Eurojust, has since unearthed another 11 offences in London and across the UK where a further £2 million worth of property has been stolen, generally using the same method of entering through the roof.
This culminated in coordinated arrests and searches of 45 addresses across the UK, Romania and Italy in June 2019.
Thirteen individuals were charged in the UK with conspiring to commit burglaries between December 2016 and April 2019, and to acquire criminal property.
Court proceedings are currently active, with 12 individuals having already pleaded guilty and sentencing is due to take place over four days, beginning on Monday, 28 September.
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The thirteenth defendant will tried in March 2021.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--Forrest Gump Author Winston Groom Dies, Aged 77

Forrest Gump author Winston Groom has died at the age of 77.
The novelist – best known for his popular 1986 tale about a slow-witted but kind-hearted man from Alabama – died on Wednesday.
Winston Groom PA Media
News of his death was confirmed by Mayor Karin Wilson of Fairhope, Alabama, who said in a message on social media that he had died in the south Alabama town.
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According to the Associated Press, a local funeral home also confirmed the death and said arrangements were pending.
His cause of death is not yet known.
Winston’s Forrest Gump was adapted into a 1994 blockbuster film starring Tom Hanks in the lead role.
It grossed more than $683 million (about £527 million) at the global box office, as well as winning six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Tom Hanks.
Following the success of Forrest Gump, Winston wrote a follow-up, 1995’s Gump and Co.
Winston graduated from the University of Alabama in 1965 before a spell in the US Army, which included a tour of duty in the Vietnam War.
He was also a former journalist, also wrote non-fiction on a range of subjects, including the American Civil War.
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Alabama governor Kay Ivey was among those who paid tribute, writing on Twitter: “Saddened to learn that Alabama has lost one of our most gifted writers.
“While he will be remembered for creating Forrest Gump, Winston Groom was a talented journalist & noted author of American history. Our hearts & prayers are extended to his family.”
Saddened to learn that Alabama has lost one of our most gifted writers. While he will be remembered for creating Forrest Gump, Winston Groom was a talented journalist & noted author of American history. Our hearts & prayers are extended to his family. https://t.co/ywkZfZU5mU — Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) September 17, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--Covid Testing Chaos Sparks Fears People Could Be Forced To Pay

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Fears that the government may force people to pay for a Covid-19 test are mounting, HuffPost UK understands.
It comes after the government’s test and trace service was plunged into fresh chaos this week, with demand far outstripping supply.
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Health secretary Matt Hancock, who introduced new lockdown measures in the north-east on Thursday, has faced criticism for suggesting people without symptoms are putting pressure on the service.
Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme on Friday, he said: “I shouldn’t be surprised, as a Conservative and a trained economist, if you make something free and easily accessible then demand often exceeds supply.”
He has also hinted in the Commons that “when you have a free service it’s inevitable that demand rises”, sparking concern that new charges could be introduced.
Shadow health minister Justin Madders told HuffPost UK he feared people may be forced to pay for a test privately.
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He said: “We wouldn’t want to see worried people desperate for a test pushed into paying vast sums for costly tests from those profiteering in the private sector.
“The testing system is in meltdown. And when testing breaks down, tracing breaks down and infections rise. It is now more urgent than ever that ministers fix testing now.”
In this photo issued by 10 Downing Street, Executive Chair of NHS Test and Trace, Baroness Dido Harding, left and Britain's Health Secretary Matt Hancock ASSOCIATED PRESS
A new rationing system has been introduced, which sees health workers, the clinically vulnerable and care home residents put at the front of the queue for tests.
But, when pressed about the pressure on NHS Test and Trace, Hancock told MPs on Wednesday: “I don’t deny that it is an enormous challenge and when you have a free service it’s inevitable that demand rises.
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“The challenge is to make sure that we prioritise the tests we have as a nation to those who most need it.”
On Friday, he refused to rule out a time-limited second national lockdown after the R rate jumped above 1.0 last week and the daily case count hitting almost 4,000 on Wednesday.
Pictures emerged of large queues at testing sites on Thursday and there has been a flurry of reports that the government website is regularly running out of tests.
Dido Harding, the head of NHS Test and Trace, was told at a Commons committee hearing on Thursday that she had failed to prepare for the rush, despite ministers frequently warning a second wave was always a possibility.
Harding claimed no-one foresaw a peak in demand, but admitted: “Plainly we don’t have enough testing capacity.”
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When asked whether the government had plans to introduce charging for tests, Downing Street sidestepped the question on Thursday.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--Alicia Keys Takes On Climate Change Deniers: 'We’re Literally Killing Our Mother'

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Alicia Keys has sent a strong message to US climate change deniers in a new interview, as she also called out “certain American leaders” for acting unconsciously in response to the global crisis.
In an interview with the Guardian, the singer discussed her 2016 single Kill Your Mama, co-written with Emeli Sandé, which was a response to climate change.
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“We’re literally killing our mother,” she said.
Alicia Keys PA
Asked what it’s like to live in the US, where denial about climate change is still rife, Alicia continued: “Real people do know that something’s going on. People who are totally fucking out of their mind and don’t even have a single bit of common sense in their body and do not care at all about the human race in any way? They are extremely in denial.
“It’s likely all money-driven anyway, so for them, who gives a shit? The whole world can explode because they’re going to be rich.”
Alicia said that she believed “certain American leaders” were acting unconsciously to climate change.
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“So many other countries are aware and are really taking proper steps to try to reverse it,” she added.
Alicia joked that Cardi B should replace him in the White House as she performed a song about the artists at the award show to the tune of Lewis Capaldi’s Someone You Loved.
“Tonight, we must unite in spite of all the news that we’re seeing,” she sang, before adding: “Commander in chief impeached, y’all get out. Let’s bring Cardi B in.”
Alicia also branded Trump a “fraud” in a musical number on James Corden’s US chat show last year, urging people to vote in November’s election.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--Long Haul! This Guy Did A Marathon While Pulling A 1.25 Tonne Plane

He added: “It was unbelievable to watch but also quite hard to watch because we were watching a man push himself to the absolute limit.
“It was very touching, near the end I felt quite emotional, to be honest.
“To think someone has pushed their body to the limit for my children, not just my children but all the children with Batten’s disease.”
Batten disease is an incurable illness which affects the nervous system, causing seizures, visual impairment, mobility loss and early death.
There is currently no cure or life-extending treatments for the disease, only symptom relief and supportive care.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--Bookshop Bans JK Rowling Books Over Remarks About Trans People

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An Australian bookstore has banned JK Rowling’s books from its shelves because of her comments about trans people made online and claims that her latest novel is transphobic.
Rabble Books and Games, in the Maylands suburb of Perth, said in a Facebook post it will not stock novels from the author’s crime-writer pseudonym, Robert Galbraith, and has started to phase out Harry Potter titles in order to make the store a “safer space”.
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Customers can still order the children’s series from the shop, but the titles won’t appear on the shelves and profits will be donated to Trans Folk WA.
“(We are) trying not to put books by transphobes on the shelves, when we know about them,” the shop said in a Facebook post.
“There are more worthy books to put on the shelf, books that don’t harm communities and won’t make us sad to unpack them.”
Australian bookshop Rabble Books and Games (right) will no longer stock the novels of JK Rowling (left). Getty/Rabble Books and Games Facebook
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JK has attracted criticism for her comments on gender identity but strongly denies she is transphobic.
The conversation has been reignited following early reviews of her latest book, Troubled Blood, which centres on a cisgender male serial killer who dresses as a woman to murder his female victims.
In June, JK commented on an article titled, Creating a More Equal Post-Covid-19 World for People Who Menstruate, pushing back against the headline for not referring to those who get their periods as just “women.
She tweeted: “‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”
‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?
Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate https://t.co/cVpZxG7gaA — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020
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The tweet sparked a wave of backlash from the LGBTQ community and its supporters who accusing her of erasing trans people and reminded the author that transgender people, non-binary people and gender-nonconforming people can also menstruate.
JK stood by her comments, arguing “it isn’t hate to speak the truth”.
The 55-year-old author added: “If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.”
Many stars of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies spoke out in support of the trans community following JK’s comments, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Eddie Redmayne.
Daniel, who became a worldwide star after playing schoolboy wizard Harry Potter in the blockbuster adaptations of the beloved book series, stated “transgender women are women”.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--Here's Who Is Actually Running NHS Test And Trace

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If you search social media for “NHS Test and Trace” you’ll find not the latest figures on infections in the UK, nor Boris Johnson’s plan for dealing with them, but post after post of people imploring others to drop “NHS” from the name.
Instead, they claim the name – and the negative connotations that result when the system fails to reach its targets – should reflect the private companies that actually run most of the network.
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Exactly. Can the media stop referring to it as the NHS test and trace scheme. Its a failed Serco Test and Trace scheme. https://t.co/FCVOpRjJyJ — Deborah Meaden (@DeborahMeaden) September 16, 2020
Now a Commons committee has pulled the flagship system apart for failing to achieve its “main objective” to cut transmission rates and help the UK return to normal – even though it cost an “eye-watering” £37 billion of taxpayers’ money.
The system was set up by Tory peer and businesswoman Dido Harding in May 2020. It has received approximately 20% of the NHS’s entire annual budget across two years.
Prime minister Boris Johnson claimed it would be a “world-beating” system, but the spending watchdog report claims its aims have been “overstated or not achieved”.
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“Everyone has NHS Test and Trace hoodies but none of them work for the NHS,” a test site worker employed by a private company who wished to remain anonymous told HuffPost UK last year.
“As far as I can tell, the whole thing is run by private companies as much as humanly possible.”
The ‘data processors’
Thirty-five organisations are listed as “data processors” involved in the NHS Test and Trace system but only four are NHS bodies. Four are Lighthouse Labs (see below).
A further four are Public Health England bodies and another is the Ministry of Defence.
The remaining 22 are private companies:
ACF Technologies – provided software to enable you to book a test at a regional test site
Amazon – provides logistics for home delivery of test kits, collecting completed test kits from homes and delivering them to labs
Amazon Web Services (AWS) – provides digital solution for ordering home test kits
AstraZeneca – analyses samples from the completed test kits
Barcode warehouse – provides bar codes for test kits
Boots – provides testers and test supervisors on regional test sites
Deloitte – manages the registration and appointment booking, provides the capability for users to enter sample bar codes and responsible for holding data captured by the registration system and making it available to the NHS
DHL – collects completed test kits from homes and delivers to labs
EMIS Health – provides Keystone product to enable NPEx to link your test result to your GP record
Experience Lab – provides user or market research for people who have undertaken tests
G4S – provides facilities management for some regional test sites
Jigsaw24 – provides mobile phones and SIMs for the mobile test units apps
Kuenhe + Nagel – Collects completed test kits from homes and delivers to labs
Levy – provides facilities management for some regional test sites
Palantir – analyses anonymised data
Randox – supplies home test kits, analyses the samples, informs you of the result of your Randox home test
Royal Mail Group – collects completed test kits from homes and delivers to labs
Serco -– provides facilities management for some regional test sites”
ServerLabs – builds the “digital solution”
Sodexo – provides testers on regional test sites, and facilities management for some regional test sites
Teleperformance – provides call centre assistance
TransUnion – provides identity verification checks as part of the registration process for a home test kit
Test and Trace has been accused of costing an "eye-watering" amount while not living up to expectations Mike Kemp via Getty Images
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The Lighthouse Labs
The Lighthouse Labs are “super labs” set up specifically to test for coronavirus and form a central part of the UK’s fight against the pandemic.
There are Lighthouse Lab sites in Glasgow, Milton Keynes and Alderley Park, Cheshire and the project is funded by the UK Government.
But while the overall responsibility for the system lies with the Department of Health, they are are managed through a partnership with the Medicines Discovery Catapult, UK Biocentre, the University of Glasgow, GSK, AstraZeneca, the University of Cambridge, and PerkinElmer.
Why does all this matter?
Johnson continues to refer to the “NHS Test and Trace” yet the irony is, when the NHS was actually in charge of the UK’s testing a diagnostic network, it was better perhaps better prepared to deal with a pandemic.
Dr Valerie Bevan, a retired microbiologist who helped manage Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS)-run labs in the ’90s, told HuffPost UK: “It wasn’t all perfect but there was a network of 52 laboratories and I think what would have happened is that testing could have been ramped up because there was good communication and trained scientists were already there.
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“In the late 2000s a lot of labs were given over to the private sector, to companies like Serco who managed them. It meant they were independent from the NHS and had to cut costs and be profit-making which was a false economy.
“Had a network of laboratories been maintained and properly resourced, it would have kept pace with the changes that were happening, so if you had a big outbreak, it would have been prepared for it.”
Last year, leading doctors groups joined the revolt against the government’s handling of the crisis.
Deputy chair Dr David Wrigley, added: “NHS Test and Trace – despite its name – is not an NHS service, it’s a largely outsourced programme that sees numerous private companies given billions of pounds to run testing sites, process samples and manage contact tracing call centres.
“Despite billions changing hands, we don’t have a fit-for-purpose testing system. People can’t access tests, they’re not getting results in time, they’re having to isolate for days on end while waiting for results and we see contact tracers failing to reach enough people.”
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Bevan said the solution lies in having a “fully funded system where all public health services including NHS and public health labs are fully integrated”.
She added: “I worry that we are heading for a two-tier system where the NHS deals with the routine diagnostic testing and the extraordinary is dealt with by the private sector.”
Downing Street’s response
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson told HuffPost UK last year that allegations about the network’s failings were unfounded.
They claimed: “These claims are inaccurate and do not present a fair picture or reflect the huge amount of important work being carried out by our professional and dedicated teams. NHS Test and Trace is made up of public health experts from across the UK, including NHS staff.”
Following Wednesday’s scathing report from the Commons committee about the cost of Test and Trace, a government spokesperson said: “We have rightly drawn on the extensive expertise of a number of public and private sector partners who have been invaluable to us in helping us tackle the virus.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--Trump’s New Campaign Strategy: Declare The Election Illegitimate

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President Donald Trump on Thursday ramped up his most forceful campaign message: That the coming election is illegitimate unless he wins.
“Because of the new and unprecedented massive amount of unsolicited ballots which will be sent to ‘voters’, or wherever, this year, the Nov 3rd Election result may NEVER BE ACCURATELY DETERMINED, which is what some want. Another election disaster yesterday. Stop Ballot Madness!” he said in a morning statement posted to Twitter.
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“The only way [Democrats] can win is to cheat, in my opinion,” he said during a morning interview with Fox Sports Radio.
Neither assertion is new. Trump has been falsely claiming that mail voting is rife with fraud for several months, and in recent weeks has been repeatedly claiming that the only way Democrat Joe Biden could defeat him in November would be to cheat.
Daniel Goldman, a former federal prosecutor who led the House Intelligence Committee’s successful effort to impeach Trump last year, told HuffPost he has “massive” concerns about Trump declaring an election loss illegitimate.
“He may do something to suppress the mail-in vote, to prevent all the mail-in vote to be counted, and then declare victory,” Goldman said.
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Trump’s staff did not respond to HuffPost queries regarding Trump’s statements.
In the past, White House officials have said he wants to avoid voter and ballot fraud, and have tried to make a distinction between mail ballots specifically requested by a voter and those that are automatically sent out to all registered voters or to all registered voters who have voted recently.
Trump, however, explained clearly why he opposed mail voting in a March 30 interview with Fox News. He said he opposed legislation that would have paid for coronavirus-related expansion of mail voting because: “They had levels of voting, that if you ever agreed to it, you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.”
Despite that admission, Trump has continued to falsely claim that mail voting is fraudulent. At times, his attempts at explanation have bordered on nonsensical.
“It is a much easier thing for a foreign power, whether it’s Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, many others, people — countries you wouldn’t expect — it’s much easier for them to forge ballots and send them in. It’s much easier for them to cheat with universal mail-in ballots,” he said at an August 7 news conference at his New Jersey golf course.
At a rally last Saturday in Minden, Nevada, President Donald Trump told supporters, "It's a rigged election, it's the only way we're going to lose." His false claims about mail voting increasingly have become his main campaign message. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Ten weeks earlier, at a visit to a Ford plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan, he claimed: “They pirate these applications, they print new voting forms, and then they send them around, people sign them, or one person signs them with different pens and a different signature every time.”
Both claims, however, fundamentally misconstrue how ballots are tracked and tabulated. While every state has its own rules, one common feature for mail ballots is a unique identifier ― typically a computer bar code ― for each ballot envelope, experts said. Every envelope also has to be signed by the voter, and that signature is compared to the one on file when the voter registered.
Unless the envelope and signature match that of a registered voter, the ballot is rejected and not counted.
All of which raises the question of how, even if a foreign actor did manage to forge millions of ballots, those ballots could then be introduced into the system so they would be counted as valid.
“You are now going to have North Korean or Chinese agents signing them? It seems a bit far-fetched,” said Daniel Smith, a voting systems expert and political science professor at the University of Florida. “You are trying to commit electoral fraud by retail theft? That’s not how masterminds work these days.”
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Smith said that nefarious actors’ best chance of manipulating an election are in those jurisdictions where votes are recorded directly on a computer, with no paper ballot. He added that mail ballots are less prone to rigging precisely because they are, by definition, all paper ballots.
He said the president’s efforts make a lot more sense when it is understood that Trump in 2016 did far better with voters who cast their ballots on Election Day than those who either voted early or by mail. If Trump believes that his base of supporters will turn out for him on November 3, then making it harder to vote by mail will help his re-election efforts, Smith said, because the suppressed voters will be those less likely to vote for him.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--No Staff To Swab Dozens Who Turned Up At North East Coronavirus Test Site

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Dozens of drivers turned up at a test site to find there were no staff to swab them, on the day the health secretary announced tougher coronavirus measures for people in the north-east.
People who had booked a test on Thursday at Doxford Park, an out-of-town business park in Sunderland, were told by the media they would not be tested, as there were no officials there to inform them.
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Some had been turned away on the approach to the centre by security guards, who told them the computers had crashed and to try again later.
Regulations for the local restrictions in Northumberland, Newcastle, North and South Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland and County Durham were published by the government on Thursday evening.
No staff were available at Doxford Park to swab people, nor any officials able to explain what had happened PA
From midnight, residents in these areas were banned from socialising in homes or gardens with people outside their own households or support bubble.
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Food and drink venues were restricted to table service only and leisure and entertainment venues were required to close between 10pm and 5am, although takeaways can still provide home deliveries during these times.
Some 2,350 pubs and restaurants ware affected by the measures, according to real estate adviser Altus Group.
The changes, which run alongside the England-wide six-person limit on social gatherings, will be reviewed by the Health Secretary every two weeks.
Almost two million people in the North East are subject to the restrictions, officially announced by Matt Hancock in the House of Commons just before lunch on Thursday.
The leaders of seven local councils had previously written to the government asking for additional measures to be put in place.
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Hancock said: “We’ve seen concerning rates of infection in parts of the north-east.
“Sunderland, for example, now has an incidence rate of 103 positive cases per 100,000 population.
“And in South Tyneside, Gateshead and Newcastle, figures are all above 70.”
Labour MPs in the north-east welcomed the new measures outlined by Hancock, while urging the government to work better with local councils.
In a joint letter to the minister, they said: “We do (…) believe that this must be done in close collaboration with local authorities, who must have access to all appropriate information, data and support in order to make the best decisions for their areas.”
Hancock’s announcement came after measures in the likes of Greater Manchester and Birmingham were put in place in a bid to address rising rates of infection.
Meanwhile, at the Doxford Park site, drivers continued to turn up while others sat in the car park working out what to do next.
HGV mechanic Brad Cockburn, 28, made a 100-mile round trip from Bedale, North Yorkshire, only to find there were no staff, not even a tent or other infrastructure, at the site on the out-of-town business park.
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He said: “There’s no organisation, it’s piss-poor performance as usual.”
Rob Reid, a 58-year-old cash and carry manager from Sunderland, booked for 3.45pm, only to find there were no staff.
He said: “It annoys me.
“My concern is about my health and it comes across that the government is not that concerned, when they are taking bookings on the NHS website and there’s nobody here to do it.”
Police said they will enforce the lockdown measures as a last resort.
Superintendent Steve Long, of Durham Constabulary, said: “The government has announced that further local restrictions are necessary in addition to those already in place nationally.
“We would like to thank the vast majority of people who have taken personal responsibility, done the right thing and stuck to the guidance over the last few months.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--Charlize Theron Reveals She Hasn't Dated Anyone In 5 Years: 'I Don’t Feel Lonely'

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Charlize Theron has a word of warning for all potential suitors: Come with “a lot of game” or don’t even bother.
The Oscar winner is very much single and that’s the way she likes it, revealing on Thursday’s episode of The Drew Barrymore Show that she hasn’t dated anyone seriously in five years.
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“It is strange for people to, kind of, wrap their heads around it,” Theron told Barrymore, who said she’d also been on a dating hiatus. “I’ve been on a few dates, but I haven’t dated anybody for over five years.”
Theron’s life is understandably quite full without a romantic partner, as she’s raising two children, reigning as the blockbuster action queen, and, you know, just trying to make it through 2020 like the rest of us.
Charlize Theron SIPA USA/PA Images
While the actor said she was “open” to the idea of dating someone in the future, she has some reservations, too.
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“I feel like I’m in a place in my life where you’ve got to come with a lot of game, not the kind of game that we think of, the kind of game that’s like my life is really good so you better be able to bring that and maybe better because I just won’t accept anything less,” she said. “And my life with my children and with my incredible adopted family that I have around me I don’t long for that much.”
Barrymore agreed, adding that she too wants someone who will “be an addition [to] the equation and not a subtraction.”
Theron was most recently linked to Sean Penn before the two split for good in 2015.
The star later clarified that they were never engaged despite reports at the time. She previously dated actor Stuart Townsend for nearly a decade after meeting on the set of their film Trapped in 2002.
Sean Penn and Charlize Theron PA
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Theron has since started a family of her own. She has two daughters, Jackson, 8, and August, 5, whom she adopted in 2012 and 2015, respectively. The actor recently gave a rare glimpse into her home life during a no-fuss virtual celebration for her 45th birthday.
“I can honestly say this on my life, I don’t feel lonely. Once I had my children, it’s not that it replaces something or makes you less interested in something else,” she said on the daytime talk show Thursday.
“I’m still firing on all cylinders. I think your priorities are in a place that is of high demand because it’s a lot of work to be a parent,” Theron said. “Part of that is at the end of the day I get in bed and I go I wouldn’t want this day to be anything different.”
And we don’t blame her after Theron shared her worst date ever story, telling Jimmy Kimmel earlier this year about a man who asked her to “make out with my nose.”
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Earlier this year, Theron said that she doesn’t feel like she’s “missing out on something in my life” by not dating.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--Matt Hancock Refuses To Rule Out Second National Lockdown

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Health secretary Matt Hancock has refused to rule out a second national lockdown and said the government will “do what is necessary to keep people safe”.
When asked about the possibility of a two-week nationwide lockdown to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, he told Sky News: “The last line of defence is full national action and I don’t want to see that. But we will do whatever is necessary to keep people safe in a very difficult pandemic.“
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His comments come amid a report that scientists advising the government have proposed a two-week national lockdown in October in a bid to curb the number of Covid-19 cases.
According to the Financial Times, experts on the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (Spi-m) have proposed the move to coincide with the October half-term.
When asked about the likelihood of the scenario, Hancock said: “It isn’t something that we ever take off the table but it isn’t something that we want to see either, it is the last line of defence.
“The country once again needs to come together and recognise there is a serious challenge. That the virus is accelerating.
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“Unfortunately, it isn’t just cases increasing, it’s also the number of people ending up in hospital increasing.”
Pressed again on whether a national lockdown was looming, Matt Hancock said: “We will do what is necessary to keep people safe.
“And the first line of defence is that everybody should follow the social distancing.”
His comments came as new measures aimed to curb the spread of coronavirus came into effect in the north-east of England, taking the total number of people across the UK in lockdown to more than 10 million.
From Friday, the new restrictions cover Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Gateshead, Sunderland and County Durham.
Residents are banned from socialising in homes or gardens with people outside of their own households or support bubble, food and drink venues are restricted to table service only and leisure and entertainment venues must close at 10pm.
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The changes are in addition to the six-person limit on social gatherings across England. Local lockdown restrictions are also in place in parts of Scotland, south Wales, the north-west and northeast of England, Yorkshire and the Midlands.
Lancashire is also expected to be placed under tighter lockdown measures after the county saw its largest daily rise in new cases yet.
Meanwhile the government is set to announce restrictions on care home visits in areas with high numbers of coronavirus cases. In areas subject to local lockdown, it is understood that care homes may be advised to temporarily restrict visits in all but end-of-life situations.
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “Labour warned months ago that unless the government spent the summer fixing the testing regime then we would face a bleak winter.
“The government ignored that advice, the testing regime is collapsing and so it is not surprising national restrictions are back on the table.”
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The latest figures published on Thursday showed there had been a further 3,395 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK, and 21 more people had died.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--Brad Pitt And Jennifer Aniston Reunite - And Things Got Flirty

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Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston have reunited again - and things got a little flirty between the former couple.
Alas, it was all in the name of art when they took part in the star-studded table read for the classic 1980’s film Fast Times At Ridgemont High.
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Brad and Jen, who were married between 2000 and 2005, were joined by a stellar cast including Oscar-winning actors Julia Roberts, Matthew McConaughey, Sean Penn and Morgan Freeman, who took the role of narrator.
Henry Golding, Shia LaBeouf, Jimmy Kimmel, John Legend and Ray Liotta also took part, along with host Dane Cook.
During the reading, Brad read the lines of popular high school student Brad Hamilton while Jennifer played the part of Linda Barrett.
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And in a perfect bit of casting, the Hollywood stars recreated a risque scene between Phoebe Cates and Judge Reinhold from the 1982 film.
Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt Instagram
Brad’s character has a daydream about Jennifer’s Linda making an advance on him
“Hi, Brad,” Jennifer read. “You know how cute I always thought you were. I think you’re so sexy. Will you come to me?”
Brad struggled to keep a straight face throughout.
Hollywood’s former golden couple have rekindled their friendship in the years following their split, and in January shared a touching moment backstage at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, where they were both winners.
The table read was to support charities Core and Reform Alliance in their efforts to alleviate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--NHS Test And Trace Worker Stamped On After 'Confrontation Over Face Masks' On London Bus

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Police are appealing for witnesses after an NHS Test and Trace worker was attacked on a bus in north London.
The 63-year-old victim boarded the route 149 bus just before Seven Sisters station on August 23, police said.
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The suspect boarded the bus at the next stop at about 9:45pm and about five minutes later allegedly punched the victim repeatedly to the floor and stamped on his head five times.
Police have said the attack was related to “a confrontation over face masks” and have released an image of a man wanted in connection with the attack.
The suspect is described as a tall Black man, aged approximately between 23 and 25 years and with an athletic or muscular build.
Pc Bowman from the Roads and Transport Policing Command said: “Although there is no sound on the CCTV and all the victim remembers is waking up in hospital, we believe that this was all triggered by face masks.
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“We think that the attacker, who had his face covering beneath his chin, took offence when the victim, who was fully covered, consciously moved away from him.
“When the attacker then follows the victim to the back of the bus, he can be seen pointing and gesturing at the victim’s face mask before he starts repeatedly punching and kicking him.
“This was a totally unwarranted violent assault and we urgently need to speak to this man. If anyone knows who he is or has any other information – or witnessed this offence – please call.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--White House Axed Postal Service Plan To Send 5 Masks To Every American Household: Report

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The United States Postal Service drafted an ambitious proposal in April to send a pack of five face masks to every residential address in the US before top White House officials killed the idea, according to an analysis by the Washington Post of documents acquired by the watchdog organisation American Oversight.
American Oversight, which obtained over 9,000 pages related to the USPS via the Freedom of Information Act, released the documents in late August. One of the records, entitled “US Postal Service to Deliver Face Coverings to Every American Household,” is a draft of a press release indicating that USPS planned to “distribute 560 million reusable cotton face masks on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to every residential delivery point in America, beginning in areas which HHS has identified as experiencing high transmission rates of Covid-19 and to workers providing essential services throughout the nation during this pandemic.”
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Composed in April, the draft stated that “letter carriers, rural carriers and others will deliver one pack of five face coverings to each residential delivery point and PO Box,” with the first shipments intended to reach residents that month. The Orleans and Jefferson parishes of Louisiana were targeted for delivery first, followed by Washington’s King County, Michigan’s Wayne County, and New York.
The draft was never finalised due to the White House axing the plan, the Washington Post reported, citing senior administration officials who asked to remain anonymous.
“There was concern from some in the White House Domestic Policy Council and the office of the vice president that households receiving masks might create concern or panic,” one of the officials told the Post.
As an alternative, HHS instituted “Project: America Strong,” a system that has seen about 600 million masks distributed to critical infrastructure companies, hospitals and community groups, rather than individuals.
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In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, the White House also utilised the postal service to send out a postcard prominently displaying Donald Trump’s name with guidelines for good hygiene and social distancing ― a decision that Accountable.US, another nonprofit watchdog, lambasted due to the president publicly downplaying both these guidelines and the danger of the coronavirus at the time. Though the postcard went out in March to about 138 million addresses, the White House has yet to repay USPS for the $28 million cost of printing and distributing the cards.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--Cheer Star Jerry Harris Arrested And Charged With Producing Child Sex Images

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Jerry Harris, one of the stars of the Netflix cheerleading documentary series Cheer, has been arrested and charged with producing child sex images.
The 21-year-old allegedly enticed an underage boy to produce sexually explicit videos and photographs of himself, the US attorney’s office said.
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According to court records, Mr Harris admitted to FBI agents to soliciting and receiving explicit images from one of the minors and “at least between 10 to 15 other individuals he knew were minors”.
Jerry Harris Jim Spellman via Getty Images
If convicted on the federal child pornography charge, Harris faces up to 30 years in prison.
A spokesperson for the star has denied the allegations.
FBI agents were photographed on Monday leaving a home they had raided in the Chicago suburb of Naperville, which USA Today reported was Harris’ home.
Sept 14, 2020; Naperville, IL, USA; FBI executes a search warrant at a home in Naperville, Illinois. on Sept. 14, 2020. The search is part of an investigation into allegations that Cheer star Jerry Harris solicited nude photos and sex from minors. SIPA USA/PA Images
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His arrest comes three days after twin boys filed a lawsuit accusing Harris of sexual misconduct. The lawsuit also alleges that cheer organisations failed to protect the boys.
Officials say investigations are ongoing and have called for anyone with more information to come forward.
Harris was the breakout star of Cheer, gaining fans for his upbeat attitude and his encouraging “mat talk”.
The show, which followed the cheerleading team from Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas, as it sought a national title, was an instant success when it was released in January and went on to win two Emmy awards.
Earlier this year, Harris interviewed celebrities on the red carpet at the Academy Awards for The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--How To Create A Morning Routine That Reduces Anxiety And Stress

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As a person who’s dealt with anxiety since I was a kid, I find that I’m often most anxious first thing in the morning. When I open my eyes, all of the worries and potential stressors that await me flood my mind. The pit in my stomach makes me want to stay in bed as long as I can so I don’t have to face the day ahead.
Of course, this avoidance only exacerbates what I’m feeling. What alleviates it is just the opposite: Getting up on the earlier side so I have time for my morning routine. These days, that’s making an iced coffee, taking my dog for a walk, following a short workout video, writing my to-do list for the day and ― when time permits ― meditating and journaling.
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“Morning routines are powerful and set our pattern for the rest of the day,” Lee Chambers, an environmental psychologist and well-being consultant in Britain, told HuffPost. “A worry-filled morning will often flood into an anxious afternoon.” Conversely, starting the morning with intention creates a sense of calm and confidence that makes the rest of the day seem more manageable.
So how do you create those morning rituals that will quiet your racing mind and stick with them? Below, experts offer some helpful advice.
How to start a solid morning routine
NickyLloyd via Getty Images Be realistic about how much you can dedicate to your morning routine.
Consider how much time you can realistically carve out for yourself.
“We all have a period of the morning that we have some level of control over,” Chambers said. “For some people, that may be an hour, for others, it may be 20 minutes.”
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For example, if you have young kids or a long commute to the office, you may have less time to work with. So figure out what’s realistic for your circumstances.
Waking up earlier may help your mornings feel less frazzled. That said, you shouldn’t force yourself into becoming an early riser at the expense of getting a full night’s rest. Remember that sleep plays a pivotal role in your emotional regulation.
“Often we hear of routines that start in the early hours of the morning,” Chambers said. “For some people, this is a high-energy time and a perfect time to start your routine. But if you’re limiting your sleep or you just don’t function well so early, it is going to be detrimental.”
Experiment to figure out which rituals work best for you.
Finding out which morning routine additions alleviate your anxiety may take some trial and error. What works for your partner, friend or that random influencer you follow on Instagram may or may not work for you.
“Think about your biggest stressors and problems that trigger your anxiety, and then consider what really helps in these situations,” Chambers said. “Then look to those activities and experiment. There are many ways and methods to exercise, plan, journal, listen and read, and some will feel just right for you.”
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Make it easy and enjoyable so you stick with it.
You don’t need to come up with some elaborate 20-step process to reap the benefits of a morning routine (but, hey, if you want to, more power to you).
“Morning routines are most effective when we enjoy them and they are easy to integrate into our lives,” Chambers said. “They are not about completely changing what we do, but adding small, positive changes that compound together.”
“Morning routines are most effective when we enjoy them and they are easy to integrate into our lives.” - Lee Chambers, environmental psychologist and well-being consultant
One way to make the morning smoother? Do some preparation the night before, like laying out your workout clothes, whipping up a make-ahead breakfast or putting your journal by your coffeemaker.
“Leave things to trigger you to remember, make what you need accessible and craft a space where it is possible,” Chambers said.
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But know that you’re not going to execute your routine perfectly every day ― and that’s OK.
You might be on a roll for a couple of weeks and then fall off for a few days. If you mentally prepare for these hiccups, you’ll be less likely to beat yourself up when they happen.
“It’s easy to move into judgment and criticism of yourself when things don’t go as you would have wanted or when you don’t immediately want to jump out of bed in the morning to start a new routine,” said marriage and family therapist Lynsie Seely of Wellspace SF in San Francisco. “Expect that there will be difficult moments and connect with your internal voice that offers kind words and encouragement along the way.”
And when you do follow your routine, give yourself some praise.
“Celebrate a little,” Chambers said. “Similarly, when you miss it, be kind to yourself and get prepared for the following morning.”
Some habits worth trying to incorporate into your morning
Westend61 via Getty Images Here are some expert-recommend practices to reduce anxiety. Experiment to see what works well for you and then narrow it down.
We asked mental health professionals to recommend some practices that help soothe anxiety. Try out a few of these and check in with how you feel afterwards — but know that it may take some time to see the benefits. Then you can determine if you want to add any to your a.m. routine.
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1. Start your day by drinking water.
Before you have your tea or coffee, hydrate with a glass of a water as soon as you wake up.
“It gives us increased cognitive function, allowing us more clarity of mind, can elevate our mood and energy, and promotes more balanced emotional regulation and takes less than a minute,” Chambers said. “And it’s a great habit to stack your next part of the routine into, and you can even prepare your water the evening before.”
2. Walk outside.
Taking a walk outdoors is a calming, grounding way to begin the day.
“It is also great as it gets sunlight into our eyes, stimulating serotonin, which boosts our mood,” Chambers said. “It also ignites our senses, as the wind hits our face, sounds of the environment fill our ears and we smell the external world. It makes us mindful and eases our worries in the process.”
3. Practice gratitude.
Take a moment to reflect on all of the good in your life. You can list a few things in your head, share them with a partner or child, or write them down in a journal.
“Start your day with a grateful heart before you even get up from bed,” said Renato Perez, a Los Angeles psychotherapist. “Start naming all the things you’re grateful for. This could be done through prayer or simply a list you say out loud to the universe or Mother Nature.”
4. Try to avoid checking your phone first thing.
Those work emails, text messages, Instagram notifications and news alerts can wait a bit. If you charge your phone by your bed or use it as an alarm clock, you’re going to look at it right when you wake up. Before you know it, you’re sucked in and two minutes of scrolling turns into 20. Try charging your phone across the room so it’s not within reach. Or charge it outside of the bedroom and use an alarm clock instead.
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“I see so many people who immediately check their work email in the morning, which automatically puts them in ‘work mode’ and makes them feel anxious about the day ahead before they even get out of bed,” said Gina Delucca, a clinical psychologist at Wellspace SF. “Similarly, some people hop on social media or start reading news articles while lying in bed, which may trigger anxiety by reading or seeing something negative or scary.”
That doesn’t mean you have to avoid your phone altogether, which just isn’t realistic for most of us. “But I definitely recommend giving yourself some peace and quiet in the morning before the daily grind begins,” Delucca added.
5. Take some deep breaths.
When you’re anxious, you might notice your breathing is quick and shallow, rather than slow and deep.
“This is a part of our body’s natural stress response, and it coincides with a few of the other physical sensations you may notice when you feel anxious — like rapid heart rate, dizziness and upset stomach,” Delucca said. “While we don’t have voluntary control over some of these bodily sensations, we do have control over our breathing, and we can use our breath to help induce a more relaxed state.”
“Morning routines are powerful and set our pattern for the rest of the day.” - Lee Chambers, environmental psychologist and well-being consultant
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Those deep, nourishing inhalations and exhalations stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, producing a sense of calm.
“To begin, try to spend a few minutes each morning sitting or lying in a comfortable position, closing your eyes and taking a few slow, controlled, deep breaths,” Delucca said. “Try breathing in through your nose and then breathing out through either your nose or mouth. When you inhale, imagine that you are filling up a balloon in your abdomen rather than just breathing into your chest.”
6. Meditate.
“There is no better way to quiet the mind than by practicing meditation,” Perez said. “Start small — two to three minutes — and increment every week.”
When your mind wanders away, which it inevitably will, gently bring it back to your breath.
You can sit in silence, listen to relaxing music, do a guided mediation through an app like Calm, Headspace or Insight Timer, or find one on YouTube.
You can also try repeating a mantra — “I am safe, and I will be OK,” is one Delucca suggested. Or do a body scan: Start at the top of your head, bringing awareness to each body part and releasing tension from that area as you slowly work your way down to your toes.
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7. Eat a nourishing breakfast.
“Our mood is highly influenced by what we eat,” Chambers said.
Opt for a balanced breakfast that contains protein, healthful fats, fibre and complex carbohydrates — think a vegetable omelet with avocado toast or oatmeal with nut butter, berries and chia seeds. Refined carbohydrates, such as doughnuts and sugary cereals, can lead to a blood sugar spike and crash, “causing challenges with emotional regulation, which may leave you feeling anxious,” Chambers added. (That said, if the occasional croissant or chocolate chip muffin brings some joy to your morning, it’s totally fine. Food is meant to be enjoyed, after all.)
8. Read a few pages from a book.
Rather than reading news or catching up on your social media feeds early in the morning, Perez recommends picking up a book that inspires you and reading for a few minutes ― even just five pages.
“Find a book that really speaks to you and makes you feel good,” he said.
9. Move your body.
It could be yoga, walking, running, dancing, cycling, strength-training or even stretching.
“When you exercise in the morning, you may notice improved focus and energy during the rest of the day, as well as better sleep at night, which can also help to tame anxiety,” Delucca said. “In addition, exercising in the morning can enhance your mood by giving you a boost of endorphins and a sense of accomplishment at the start of your day.”
It’s worth noting that some people report that certain workouts, especially very intense ones, actually stoke their anxiety rather than reduce it. So just be aware of that.
“We react differently to exercise, and it is a stressor,” Chambers said. “Exercising with too much intensity for some people can lead them to become fatigued and more likely to feel anxious.”
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10. Do some visualisation.
A visualization practice can help you set the desired tone for your day. If you’re feeling anxious and distracted, perhaps you’d like to feel calm, focused and empowered instead. Seely recommends calling on a memory that evokes that feeling for you. Tune into the small details and sensations of the experience.
“For example, if I’m visualising a memory where I hiked up to the peak of a mountain and I’m overlooking the summit, I might notice the details of the incredible view, the sounds of nature around me, the feel of my muscles after climbing the steep terrain, the smell and temperature of the air, the sensation of feeling accomplished, proud, unstoppable,” she said. “Really getting into every sensation of the memory helps your body to soak in the experience and primes your physiology for that particular state of being ― in this example, empowered and ready to take on the day.”
And if you can’t think of a specific memory, allow yourself to daydream and build the desired experience in your imagination.
How to stick to your morning routine
Oscar Wong via Getty Images “You’re more likely to follow through on behavior change when you set clear and specific goals versus vague aspirations," said psychologist Gina Delucca.
You may think your biggest stumbling blocks are a lack of willpower or hitting the snooze button half a dozen times. But often it “comes down to a lack of clarity with the routine,” Delucca said.
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“You’re more likely to follow through on behaviour change when you set clear and specific goals versus vague aspirations,” she added.
So instead of saying something general, like, “I want to work out in the morning,” make the goal more concrete: “I’m going to do a virtual yoga class at 7:30 a.m. after I finish my tea.”
Delucca also recommends getting up around the same time each day and outlining what specific activities you want to incorporate into your routine and in what order. It may help to write them down.
“When you do something repeatedly in the same order, you can eventually develop a habit,” Delucca said. “When a habit is formed, you’re not solely relying on how you feel in the moment in terms of your mood, motivation or willpower. Habits feel automatic without any guesswork as to what you should do next.”
She offered the example of taking a shower. You likely shampoo, condition, shave and wash your body in a specific order without giving it much thought.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--This Muslim Beauty Blogger Styles Her Hijab With These Amazing Anime Looks

Saima Chowdhury Saima Chowdhury, dressed as 'Sukura Kinomoto' from the manga series Cardcaptor Sakura.
It all started with some Disney princesses. It was 2015 and Birmingham based beauty blogger, Saima Chowdhury, was attempting to recreate Jasmine from Aladdin and Rapunzel from Tangled for a new video series on her YouTube channel.
She dressed up as some other characters from the Disney kingdom, too – everyone from Cinderella to Ariel – always making sure to shape her hijab to match their trademark princess looks. But it was Rapunzel – she of the long flowing hair – who got the biggest response.
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Chowdhury had started her channel, saimasmileslike, in 2009 at the age of 16. What began as a comedy platform is now home to a range of brilliant videos from make-up routines and hijab tutorials to myth-busting period and sex ed chat. It found a loyal audience, including but not limited to other young South Asian Brits. Such is her following, she dropped out of Birmingham City University to pursue a full time career as a social media influencer.
“That was the closest I got to cosplay,” says the 26-year-old of the Disney project that inspired her to venture deeper into the world of dressup.
As a photography student, she’d discovered the joys of Japanese anime culture in a big way. It soon became an obsession. “After watching [Japanese manga series] Demon Slayer I was so inspired to recreate these characters,” she tells HuffPost UK. “Then one thing led to another.”
Saima Chowdhury Chowdhury as 'Miwako Sakurada' from Japanese film Paradise Kiss.
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Cosplay, the art of dressing up as a fictional character by meticulously matching their outfit, face and gestures, has a huge global community. But talking about what it means to her, Chowdhury says: “It’s all about transforming yourself into a different character! There’s no rules, it’s all about having fun and showing your interpretation of the character you love!”
In the case of Demon Slayer, that’s a young boy who becomes a demon slayer after his family are slaughtered and his sister who becomes, well, a demon. “I was really surprised by the response I got from everyone because it was a slow process getting over the initial fear to pull these looks off,” says Chowdhury.
She was apprehensive before she started. “I have always been interested in cosplay, but it’s one of those things where I question myself. I wear the hijab? How will I do it? It’s not going to be accurate? Will I look stupid?”
She needn’t have worried. Her YouTube channel has an impressive 95,000 subscribers, but the Instagram account where she posts her cosplay looks has already exceeded that, with more than 115,000 followers and counting.
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Saima attended her first comic-con convention in 2017, but wasn’t brave enough to go in full costume. When she went to her second, she bumped into one of her followers. “Her cosplay was amazing and made me wish I finished mine in time so we’d match,” says Chowdhury, who’d ended up with a last-minute costume.
She credits their chance encounter with giving her the motivation to keep going. “It was incredible to see another Muslim woman wearing the hijab and cosplaying,” she adds.
Chowdhury was planning on attending this year’s comic-con in Birmingham, but it was cancelled due to Covid-19. During the coronavirus lockdown, she has spent a lot of her time experimenting with different face colours and makeup.
“Pre-pandemic, I did have some cosplayers ask me to cosplay and meet them at a comic-con event, but sadly this wasn’t possible,” she says, while noting there’s an upside: “It’s given me more time to practise and improve my skills.”
Saima Chowdhury Chowdhury as 'Mina Ashida' from Boku No Hero Academia.
Chowdhury’s cosplay looks can take up to four or five hours to create, and despite their bold colours and styling, she uses regular makeup brands such as L’Oréal, Fenty and Mac Cosmetics to achieve them. Some even require complex techniques like blocking, erasing and carving her eyebrows to the exact shape of each cosplay character.
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“When I first started off, I was doing makeup looks that were more ‘inspired by’ different characters. But as time has gone on, I now pick a character and try to match their exact look,” she says.
“The hardest part of recreating these looks is styling my hijab and matching the hair. I would just sit in front of the mirror for hours deciding how to match it.”
Saima Chowdhury Chowdhury as 'Mima Kirigoe' from Japanese animated film Perfect Blue.
Chowdhury longs for greater visibility for people of colour in the UK scene. “One aspect I have found about the cosplay community is there are still a lot of people who gate-keep it,” she says. “Some people often say all the characters should be white, even-though they’re Japanese. So when they see a person of colour in cosplay, it’s seen as strange.” Connecting with more Muslim women who cosplay has made a real impact, she says. “In places like Malaysia, the cosplay community is quite big, so they do group photoshoots and are really accepted within the society. As time goes on, you find your community within a community. It took me some time to navigate around but I have found my own little space now.”
Saima Chowdhury Chowdhury as 'Ekubo' from Mob Psycho 100.
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She sees her identity as a British Bengali Muslim woman as very much “intertwined” with her cosplay – continuing to “maintain hijab” no matter the outfit, hair or makeup she is recreating. That’s part of the creative challenge.
“People often have a perception of what Muslim women are, especially when they look into the media and become shocked. Muslim women are normal women. Some of them have engineering hobbies, some of them do archery, some watch anime.”
Saima Chowdhury Chowdhury as 'Black Lady' in manga series Sailor Moon.
Next on her to-do list is starting to making her own set of cosplay costumes and arranging more ambitious themed photoshoots, rather than her current selfies.
Alongside improving on her own looks, she’d also love to teach other Muslim women who wear the hijab how to cosplay.
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“I hope people see the same excitement I feel,” she tells HuffPost UK. “I’d love it if more girls who wear the hijab started cosplay, too, and show people that wearing the hijab doesn’t limit you in what you do!”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--People Are Discussing Their Therapy On Social Media. Share Or Overshare?

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My view of therapy used to come from TV. Shows we all loved to watch from Gossip Girl to How I Met Your Mother tended to depict anyone in therapy as dealing with serious issues – or a joke. When characters told friends they were “seeing someone”, the response was rarely positive. So when I thought of therapy, I associated it with anyone who was strange or “crazy”.
Therapy typically isn’t spoken about in African households like mine. Though the stigma is slowly changing in our communities, seeking therapy still isn’t seen as a norm. It’s telling that I only started seeing a therapist in my last year of university, while I was away from home. I was suffering with anxiety and depression. I found that it helped, but I didn’t tell many people about it.
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After taking a break for a few years, this spring I decided I’d like to go back. I’m not alone – the uptake in therapy in the past few months has been noticeable. The Office for National Statistics found that the rates of depression nearly doubled during the pandemic. Mind also reported an increase in demand for services. With the world going through a global pandemic and a huge anti-racist movement, more people are starting to see therapy not just as viable, but vital.
But when I started up again, this time via Zoom, I noticed myself wanting to talk about my sessions online, too.
ljubaphoto via Getty Images
Plenty of people I follow on Twitter and Instagram discuss their therapy on social media – but a part of me was hesitant. Therapy is personal. I was wary of what people might think of me – fearful of oversharing and discussing details of events I still haven’t healed from.
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But far from receiving negative feedback, many people tell me they find a supportive audience when they share about their therapy online.
Zuva Seven, 24, a student from Leeds, started seeing a therapist when she was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. ”I decided I wanted to make a real and long-lasting change to my life,” she says. “I went through a lot of pain, trauma and abuse growing up; however, I had control over what my adult life would look like, and I wanted it to be good.”
She tweets because she wants others to know therapy is an option, Zuva says. “Therapy is great; however, due to the cost (and waiting lists in the UK), it can be pretty inaccessible. When I tweet about my sessions, I think about how I used to look up free therapy content or how I’d watch my TV show a little more intently when therapy was shown. I would try to pick up whatever I could. So I tweet just in case someone finds it in the future when they really need it.”
Similarly, Tony, a radio producer from London, advocates for men who are dealing with accumulated trauma via therapy. “From speaking about it online, I’ve seen more men either say they’re interested or saying they’ve done sessions already,” says Tony, 30, who started therapy last October after losing five people in his life in the space of six months.
“I rarely tweet about the content of my sessions, but I do think about how much I want people to undergo therapy, just because of how much it’s helped me.”
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After tweeting, Tony’s often messaged by followers and friends. “I get a lot of private messages and support from people who ask me questions about therapy and my experience with it. I posted my therapist’s information and she got a lot more interest and clients from that. She now has a waiting list!”
Jeannelle, 24, remains super conscious of what people think of her when she tweets about therapy, but believes it’s worth it. “I’ve found through direct messages to my tweets that they’re helpful and needed,” says the marketing assistant from London. “Someone even re-started their therapy journey because of me being open about mine. I’ve also realised that a lot of my problems aren’t just mine but other people can relate to them too,” she says.
Counsellor and psychotherapist Saffya Fatima says that posting about your therapy session can positively echo somebody’s else’s feelings or emotions. “Sometimes, if we tweet or share something that has happened to us, the insight we’ve gained about that through therapy, can help others,” she says.
But posting depends on the person, she stresses – and it’s worth considering your motivations. “What is the unconscious desire behind it? Is it to feel connected? Is sharing going to resolve that and will it expand with a new issue? These are perhaps some of the questions one has to ask himself when sharing online. If it leaves one feeling expanded and intuitively feels right, I think that is okay. If something doesn’t feel quite right, it’s important to listen to that.”
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Tim Robberts via Getty Images
Psychotherapist and author Dr Aaron Balick agrees that people should be cautious when posting details about a therapy session online. “Therapy is a highly private situation. I wouldn’t say that one shouldn’t tweet about it, but one should be circumspect about how much of that therapeutic process they choose to share because it’s such a personal experience,” he tells me.
There are risks when sharing specific details about our sessions, he adds. “You’re giving people detailed information about your inner life, you’re giving access to your psychology that in many cases you don’t even know. Also, we change over the course of life. So you might be happy to share at this point in your life but you may be less happy that you share, 18 months down the line.”
Jeannelle sees it as generational. “The stigma is changing with people around our age, due to social media. More people are sharing and being vulnerable, for sure. People take the bold journey to discover things about themselves, to develop healthy habits and to perhaps unlearn things that have been passed down to them. I think it’s harder to be completely open about mental health and therapy with the older generation.”
Fatima agrees there has been progress and credits it to a wider cultural conversation. “In the past five to 10 years, there are a number of therapists in the public sphere who have reached millions of people worldwide through their articles, their books, podcasts, TED talks,” she says.
Ester Perel’s Where Shall We Begin has a global following – and I follow several therapists on Instagram such as silvykhoucasian, themindgeek and Lindsaybraman. ”I think the internet and social media has been a real catalyst for this,” says Fatima.
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In a time when our mental health is being tested, normalising therapy can only be a good thing. Since starting up again, I’m already noticing a difference in myself – in the way I react to specific situations and I’m more intentional with the decisions I make.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-18--Sex After Miscarriage Is Hard. This Is How We Got Back Into The Swing

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You’re reading Sex Diaries, a HuffPost UK Personal series about how we are (or aren’t) having sex. To share your story, get in touch on ukpersonal@huffpost.com.
Eleven months ago, I lost a baby. Now, they should be a brother or sister to our five-year-old daughter.
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Miscarriages are hard – emotionally, physically, and, because of that, sexually. Sex is what led to the loss in the first place, after all. The end of a ‘non-viable pregnancy’ can take its toll on you and your relationship. And the mental as well as bodily impact bleeds into the way you feel about yourself. Your self-worth and confidence takes a knock, and your understanding of what you are capable of is rocked. It might be the first time you’ve dealt with a close loss and the grief can feel new, and raw.
My loss was an ectopic pregnancy. The fertilised egg, and then the tiny foetus it became, implanted itself into the fallopian tube rather than in the uterus. The foetus continues to grow (albeit at a slower rate than usual) and if it’s not caught in time, the fallopian tube will burst, which can lead to death.
I’m writing this to you now, so obviously I was lucky. Once an internal ultrasound established that the pregnancy was not viable, I was rushed into surgery later that day – a straightforward keyhole procedure that meant I was back home a day later, sore but walking. Just three tiny dressings to show for my stay, and paracetamol to numb the pain.
“The first time we had sex after the surgery, I was nervous, with the ghost of the ectopic pregnancy hanging over us.”
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Mentally, the recovery takes much longer. I was tired, stressed and teary, but I didn’t know how to process my feelings. I had no benchmark to set them against, and I closed in on myself like a daisy at night.
I didn’t mean to close myself off from my husband at the same time. Intimacy of course was off the cards for a while – the bruising and scars more than anything else putting paid to any levels of passion, but we also didn’t seem to understand each other, and communication was in fits and starts. We’d been casually trying for a baby when the ectopic pregnancy happened, but I found that my husband didn’t feel the loss as I did. I might not have understood why I found myself crying on the floor of the shower a couple of days later, but I had assumed he’d feel something of the same rawness. In reality, he was more focused on the fact that I was safe and sound rather than a tiny cluster of cells.
As the weeks passed, and I – we – worked through the emotional impact of my self-perceived failure and the grief for the death of potential with both my therapist and our couples therapist (we love therapy), our communication lines started to open again and my grief abated.
“The relief was immense – being able to revive intimacy with the person with whom all this had started, and reconnect with myself.”
The first time we had sex after the surgery, I was nervous, with the ghost of the ectopic pregnancy hanging over us. But we took it slowly and gently. Afterwards I cried, and I was low post-coitally a few times after that. Even a few months later, thinking I’d come through to the other side, I would find that a difficult few days or particularly hormonal part of my cycle would have me blubbering again after sex. My husband would hold me and comfort me, but he sympathised, rather than empathised with my upset. I found his soothing words lacking, because he didn’t really know what to say, and so his condolence felt false.
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It took a long time before we re-found our swing, yet again. And the relief was immense – being able to revive intimacy with the person with whom all this had started, and reconnect with myself. I’ve been open about the fact that my post-partum sex journey was also not an easy one, and it took years before my husband and I were able to have fulfilling and loving sex again after the birth of our daughter. So I was overjoyed to find that we could still click after this second setback.
Looking back, it’s only normal that it would take some time to heal from an experience such as the loss of a baby and that one or both of your will suffer difficult emotional associations with sex afterwards. Put in a societal context, it’s easy to understand why. We don’t talk about miscarriages and we don’t talk about sex. We only trumpet healthy pregnancies, births, hint at how great our sex lives and marriages are. When you go through it, you realise that under the surface there must be plenty of others experiencing the same thing.
They’re just hiding it away too.
Clio Wood is Founder of &Breathe, the family wellbeing company, and passionate women’s wellbeing advocate. She is @itscliowood on Instagram