thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-21--2020 Emmy Awards Winners: The Complete List

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HBO proved it’s just as competitive in a post-“Game of Thrones” world, dominating the 2020 Emmy Awards on Sunday night with its series, including “Watchmen” and “Succession,” taking home major prizes. “Schitt’s Creek,” meanwhile, swept the comedy categories in its final season.
Streaming live from more than 130 cameras stationed in nominees’ homes around the world ― from New York and Berlin, to London and Tel Aviv ― the first-ever virtual Emmys kicked off on Sunday night to celebrate a year in television that already feels like eons ago.
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About the only normal thing viewers witnessed at the 72nd annual ceremony was host Jimmy Kimmel, who took shots at President Donald Trump and put out literal fires with Jennifer Aniston during the opening moments of the show at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the nominees waited patiently to make their acceptance speeches from the comfort of their own couches during the three-hour telecast.
The first-ever virtual Emmy Awards unfolded on Sunday. ABC
A lucky few winners even received a delivery of the non-Postmates variety, as trophy presenters in tuxedo hazmat suits ― yes, tuxedo hazmat suits ― stopped by certain homes live during the ceremony to hand out the statues in person.
Despite its many moving parts, the ceremony wasn’t as unpredictable as producers had teased ahead of Sunday night. Expected favorites like HBO’s relevant-as-ever “Watchmen” led all the shows with an impressive haul of 11 trophies in Primetime and Creative Emmys combined, including for Outstanding Limited Series and acting wins for Regina King and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. The network also fared well with “Succession,” pulling in multiple wins including the Outstanding Drama Series award and the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series trophy for Jeremy Strong.
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Pop TV’s “Schitt’s Creek” cleaned up in the comedy categories, winning seven trophies including all four acting Emmys in its category and the prize for Outstanding Comedy Series.
And while Netflix dominated the nominations this year, loosening HBO’s long grasp on the awards show, it failed to gain much traction at the ceremony ― with only Julia Garner of “Ozark” winning for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and “Unorthodox” coming out on top in the Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series or Movie race.
In the end, HBO picked up 30 awards in total ― more than any other network or streaming service.
Check out the list of nominees and winners below.
Outstanding Drama Series
“Better Call Saul”
“The Crown” “The Handmaid’s Tale” “Killing Eve” “The Mandalorian” “Ozark” “Stranger Things” WINNER: “Succession” Outstanding Comedy Series “Curb Your Enthusiasm” “Dead to Me” “The Good Place” “Insecure” “The Kominsky Method” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” WINNER: “Schitt’s Creek” “What We Do in the Shadows” Outstanding Limited Series “Little Fires Everywhere” “Mrs. America” WINNER: “Watchmen” “Unorthodox” “Unbelievable” Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Jennifer Aniston, “The Morning Show”
Olivia Colman, “The Crown”
Jodie Comer, “Killing Eve” Laura Linney, “Ozark” Sandra Oh, “Killing Eve” WINNER: Zendaya, “Euphoria”
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Jason Bateman, “Ozark”
Sterling K. Brown, “This Is Us” Steve Carell, “The Morning Show” Brian Cox, “Succession” Billy Porter, “Pose” WINNER: Jeremy Strong, “Succession”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-21--Here's What You Need To Know About Halloween And Covid-19

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For some kids, including mine, it’s the best day of the year – yes, even better than Christmas. But this year, Halloween, which many children celebrate by going trick-or-treating and getting amped up on sugar while wearing a costume, is in jeopardy, thanks to social distancing.
While there’s not yet been any official guidelines about how to handle October 31, there’s been fierce speculation the government may reintroduce a second national lockdown due to a rising number of Covid-19 cases in recent weeks.
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Halloween festivals in Scotland, including Paisley and Fife, have already been cancelled, and Nicola Sturgeon said while she didn’t want to be the person telling children they “can’t go guising” (trick-or-treating), she warned that if it becomes necessary, “it’s better than allowing children to be at risk”.
RamilF via Getty Images
In the case of a national lockdown, trick-or-treating and other Halloween-based activities outside your home are unlikely to go ahead. Or, if you’re in an area where there’s a local lockdown, trick-or-treating probably won’t be a goer either – although it may depend on restrictions put in place in your area.
But without a lockdown, could it be possible? Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine and expert in infectious diseases based at the University of East Anglia, says the issue isn’t necessarily to do with children – because children don’t really suffer severely from Covid-19 – but in knocking on the doors of vulnerable or elderly people.
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“The chances of transmitting an infection during a typical Halloween encounter is quite low, but the chances of transmission to vulnerable people who’ve been shielding is a concern,” he says. “A lot of elderly people get nervous about Halloween anyway, and with the stress of the pandemic, you could be causing extra worry or anxiety.”
We also don’t yet know what cases will be like in October. “By Halloween I’d expect the numbers of cases to have risen even more,” he adds. “To do it safely, you’d have to agree with other people that it’s okay – with your immediate neighbours, if they’re not in a vulnerable group, that they’re happy for you to knock on their doors. But visiting random homes at this time is not a good idea, particularly when a lot of older people are trying to avoid social interactions.”
If you do go ahead, you’ll need to take precautions: hand washing, no big groups, and packaged sweets. “Keep it to a small number of people, and have a small number of bagged sweets, rather than breaking them into individual sweets,” says Prof Hunter. “Give those – say, tubes of Smarties – to children’s parents to leave out overnight, or for a couple of days. Then, the risk would be small.”
Of course, social distancing rules will still apply – so that needs bearing in mind, too. Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, told the East Anglian Daily Times many older people have concerns about answering the door to trick-or-treaters this year. “We hope everybody follows the government guidelines,” she said. “If visiting doorsteps, be sure to step back after knocking, so you’re around two metres away from the person when they answer the door, and make sure everybody hand-washes before and after eating and handling treats.”
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Anchiy via Getty Images
It looks increasingly likely that even if Halloween isn’t officially cancelled, it won’t be the same as it was. Still, all is not lost – and if this thread on Mumsnet is anything to go by, there are still ways to help kids have fun.
Go hands-free
“I may leave some treats out if I can find a way to do it,” one mum said. “A bowl with many hands doesn’t appeal.” Try individually-wrapping small selections of sweets such as jellybeans in cellophane, paper napkins or pieces of cloth tied with string, and leaving them on your doorstep. You could also try this mum’s approach: “I still hope to have trick-or-treaters and will have individual bags of sweets and possibly give them out wearing gloves or using tongs!”
Go on a pumpkin-hunt
Much like kids went on a teddy bear-hunt, and rainbow trail-walk, during lockdown; why not take children out for a walk in the neighbourhood to see how many pumpkins they can spot from the street? You can also go pumpkin-picking at selected farms – try searching for a pumpkin patch near you.
Have your own party at home
“I’ve already told my kids I don’t think trick or treating will be happening,” one mum wrote. “I have suggested we have our own little party. We can do a craft and cake-decorating, and maybe make chocolate-coated apples. I will put together a little bag of sweets, each, too.” Another parent added: “I’m having a Halloween party, just me, hubby and our two kids. Games, sweets and music!”
Go on a ghost walk
As a back-up plan, how about a trick-or-treat scavenger hunt at home? That’s the idea suggested by this parent: “Get dressed up, go for a spooky ghost walk (maybe tell your kids a ghost story while walking and get a relative or friend to jump out and scare them at a scary bit), and then head back home for a trick or treat scavenger hunt around the house or garden.”
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Have a ‘Halloween tree’, then move straight on to Christmas


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-21--This Cheat's Vegetable Samosa Recipe Will Leave Kids Wanting More

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Cooking With Kids is a weekly recipe series on getting creative in the kitchen with the family.
You can’t go wrong with these folded parcels of spiced bliss – they make for a great light bite or a cracking snack for the family. And chef and cookbook author Shivi Ramoutar says they’re an easy way to inject more vegetables into any fussy eaters’ diet, too.
“I find the folding of the filo quite meditative, not least because it keeps the kids quiet whilst they get stuck in with the nitty-gritty on their samosa manufacturing line,” says Ramoutar.
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“The folding of the samosas is all about angles, so you can get technical with the angles in a triangle as well, if your inner mathematician so wishes. This is a great activity for kids and, once demonstrated, they can build their own.”
Not only can the kids keep busy, they can learn about spicing, freezing and the importance of seasonality. “They can learn how different spices can change flavour profiles of a simple vegetable base,” Ramoutar explains. “If frozen veg is used, it’s a great place to talk about how freezing foods can lock in the goodness of vegetables at their peak freshness and how it’s worth freezing glut or excess fruit or veg so you can enjoy it year-round.”
Andrew Burton
Cheat’s Vegetable Samosas
Makes: 12 (6 for now and 6 for later) | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 45 mins
Ingredients:
2 large glugs of oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp garam masala
½ tsp ground turmeric
Pinch of chilli powder (optional)
1 small potato (sweet or white), finely diced and boiled until tender
2 handfuls of frozen mixed small veg (peas, carrots, sweetcorn and peppers work really well)
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 packet of ready-made filo pastry
Melted butter, for brushing
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Serve with Mango chutney (optional)
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Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6 and line a baking tray with baking parchment.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the onion, stirring regularly until softened, about 5-10 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and stir continuously until the aroma hits you, about 20 seconds, then add the potato and frozen veg. Cook for 10 minutes until the veg is heated through. Season with salt and pepper and stir in coriander leaves. Set aside to cool.
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3. Unroll the filo pastry and peel off one sheet of filo, covering the remaining sheets with cling film so that they don’t dry out. Lay the filo on your work surface and brush with butter. Fold in one third of the pastry towards the centre, brush with butter again, then fold the other third into the centre, so you end up with one long strip, made up of three layers.
“The folding of the samosas is all about angles.”
4. Brush the strip with melted butter. Place a heaped teaspoon of filling off centre, about 2.5cm from the end of the pastry strip that is nearest you. Fold over one of the corners to cover the filling to make a triangle shape. Then fold the filling over, keeping the triangle shape. Continue folding the triangle, making sure that all points are tucked in. Brush with butter and sprinkle over a few sesame seeds. Continue until you have used up all your filling.
5. Put the samosas on the lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and crisp. Optionally, serve with mango chutney.
6. If you want to freeze, follow the recipe up to step four, except don’t brush the samosas with butter or sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Flash-freeze the samosas on a covered tray, then pop into a resealable bag.
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7. To cook from frozen, brush the frozen samosas with melted butter and sprinkle over a few sesame seeds. Pop them on to a lined baking sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6 for 30 minutes until cooked through and golden and crisp.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-21--20 Things You Should Never Say To Someone Who's Just Lost Their Job

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The pandemic has led to mass job loss across the UK – and friends and family don’t always know how to react.
Sometimes, well-intentioned phrases such as “everything happens for a reason” or “the best is yet to come” can actually have a negative effect. Psychologists term this blinking optimism in the face of adversity “toxic positivity”.
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The problem with toxic positivity, is that it doesn’t acknowledge the pain a person is going through, or give them permission to open up if they’re struggling.
To help loved ones get it right, we asked people on Twitter to tell us the things you should never say to someone facing job loss. We were inundated with responses, both from people facing job loss at the moment and people who’ve been there in the past.
Kristen Prahl via Getty Images
Some people did say redundancy led them to starting their own business or finding a better job. But when you’re in the dark days of unemployment panic, hearing those success stories isn’t always helpful – especially when you’re job hunting in a pandemic, something your well-intentioned friend/auntie/former boss has probably never experienced.
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Here are the phrases that need to be dismissed with immediate effect, suggested by readers:
1. “As one door closes, another one opens.” – Andrea Gough, Liverpool
2. “You don’t know it yet, but it’ll be the best thing that ever happened to you.” – Sara Spary, London
3. “Anything starting with ‘at least...’. ‘At least you are healthy’, ‘at least you can apply for other things’, ‘at least you are not the only one in this position.’” –Rachel Allan, Glasgow
4. “Don’t worry, in a few months you’ll look back and laugh.” – Abigail Meadow, Manchester
5. “Have you been applying for jobs?” – Mary Walker, Barnsley
6. “You’ll look back on this and see it as an opportunity.” – Luce Brett, London
7. “Well, you did say you were a bit fed up.” – Flic Everett, Scotland
8. ”Not a great time to be looking for a new job.” – Jodie Schofield, Liverpool
9. “It could always be worse.” – Jeremy, Norfolk
10. “What is meant for you won’t pass you by.” – Joel Jelen, Liverpool
11. “Start your own business, it’s so easy!” – Hannah Jane Thompson, London
12. “You’ll come stronger after going through this.” – Maddie Davies, Reading
13. “You’re so lucky to have the summer [or insert a time period here] off.” – Sophia, London
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14. “Well maybe it’s time to find something more stable.” Said to freelance folk of all industries at one time or another. – Kerren Garner, Brighton
15. “Don’t worry, it was a terrible job anyway.” – Gary Glover, UK
16. “Oh I’m sure you’ll find a job soon. Don’t worry.” – Apple Mandy, New York
17. “Everything happens for a reason” and “You’re so strong.” – Toni White, Exeter
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18. “You just need to stay positive!” – Jen Kaarlo, London
19. “I never really thought you were up to it.” – Edward Quigley, London
20. “Ooooh, good things will come your way, it must be fate.” – Graham, Rugby
So, what should you say to help a loved one who has recently lost their job? A version of, “I’m so sorry, that’s really, really shit” is a good place to start, as is offering a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-21--Can Covid-19 Cause Hearing Loss?

Can Covid-19 Cause Hearing Loss?

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Every Monday we’ll answer your questions on Covid-19 and health in a feature published online. You can submit a question here.
HuffPost UK reader Amy asked: ”Does having coronavirus affect your hearing? And why?”
As our understanding of coronavirus increases, so too does the list of symptoms associated with the virus. Loss or change to taste and smell was added to the list after a number of people with confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported this symptom. Now, some are wondering whether hearing loss should be added, after Covid-19 patients have reported changes.
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A review of 54 studies identified an association between Covid-19 and hearing problems. The review, published in the International Journal of Audiology, found 7.6% of people report hearing loss after Covid. Meanwhile the prevalence of tinnitus is 14.8% and vertigo is 7.2%.
CSA-Printstock via Getty Images
Professor Kevin Munro, professor of audiology at The University of Manchester and deputy director of the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, led the review of studies. He told HuffPost UK it is possible Covid-19 is linked with hearing loss – but why or to what extent is still unknown.
“We know that viruses – e.g. measles and mumps – can damage the ear, either the cochlea with the delicate sensory cells or the hearing nerve,” he said. “Some people who had SARS-CoV-2 [the virus that causes Covid-19] are reporting hearing problems.”
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There are a number of reasons why people hospitalised with Covid-19 may report changes to their hearing, including the fact it’s an unusual environment and face masks may change our perception of hearing. Anxiety about the pandemic may also lead to people reporting symptoms, plus it could be that drugs used to treat Covid-19 cause hearing loss, rather than the virus itself.
Studies on the subject to date have been of varying quality and reliability, so Professor Munro is leading a year-long UK study to investigate the possible long-term impact of Covid-19 on hearing among people who have been previously treated in hospital for the virus.
His team hope to estimate the number and severity of Covid-19 related hearing disorders in the UK, and discover what parts of the auditory system might be affected. They’ll also explore the association between these and other factors such as lifestyle, the presence of one or more additional conditions, and critical care interventions.
A separate study led by Professor Munro, suggested more than 13% of patients who were discharged from a hospital reported a change in their hearing.
PhD researcher Ibrahim Almufarrij, who worked with Professor Munro on the review, said: “Though the evidence is of varying quality, more and more studies are being carried out so the evidence base is growing. What we really need are studies that compare Covid-19 cases with controls, such as patients admitted to hospital with other health conditions.
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“Though caution needs to be taken, we hope this study will add to the weight of scientific evidence that there is a strong association between Covid-19 and hearing problems.”
You can seek help for hearing loss if it’s troubling you. If you suddenly lose hearing in one or both ears, you should contact NHS 111 or your GP as soon as possible, advises the charity Action On Hearing Loss.
If you think you’ve experienced more gradual hearing loss, you should get a hearing test, particularly if you think you may be in need of help, such as a hearing aid.
“Due to the coronavirus outbreak, audiology providers have paused most face-to-face appointments, including non-urgent hearing tests,” the charity says. “Some audiology providers have re-started these services. However, there is a lot of variation across the UK and it is likely there will be longer waiting times for these appointments.”
Experts are still learning about Covid-19. The information in this story is what was known or available at the time of publication, but guidance could change as scientists discover more about the virus. To keep up to date with health advice and cases in your area, visit gov.uk/coronavirus and nhs.uk.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-21--Just When I Thought It Was Over, Lockdown Saved My Marriage

Fanatic Studio / Gary Waters via Getty Images profile image of a man and woman facing each other wearing surgical face masks depicting protection
This March, after 14 years together, it looked like our marriage was over.
Just months ago, I was preparing to tell my two young children that their father and I had reached the end of the road. Then, the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown came careering into our lives unexpectedly. Six months later my marriage is stronger than ever, and I believe Covid-19 saved it.
If recent headlines pointing to a marked increase in online divorce searches are to be believed, we’re on the brink of a mass post-lockdown separation. Evidently, a lot of us have been simply tolerating our partners until the end of lockdown, and preparing a new life for afterwards which doesn’t include them.
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At the start of the year, my husband Mark and I were preparing to become a statistic. We were not so much on different pages as on different planets – he was content with our lives as they were, while I was always striving for more. We approached everything differently, from important things like parenting our two boys and dealing with our finances, to more trivial matters such as cleaning the house or cooking dinner. I felt overburdened with life admin and a simmering resentment had built up within me towards Mark for not ‘pulling his weight’, as I saw it then. We were drifting further and further apart, arguing constantly, both of us always on the defence.
I also experienced a worsening of my ongoing depression leading up to lockdown, which may have coloured my viewpoint to a certain extent, and my poor husband bore the brunt of my daily battle with this. When lockdown was announced, followed by Mark being furloughed, I felt for sure that would be the final straw and we would come out of this pandemic as single parents.
“With the shrinking of our world came a lowering of my expectations of life, including of Mark, in a good way.”
It’s easy to see why the omnipresent threat of catching Covid-19 and the enforced lockdown would put any relationship under strain, even more so if you’ve also had to navigate the minefield of homeschooling one or more children. For a couple like Mark and I, who had different approaches to parenting before lockdown, having our parenting techniques tested to their limit in this way would surely be too much pressure to bear.
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Except, for us, it wasn’t. To be clear, we did not find homeschooling easy; it felt like torture at times. If we weren’t dragging our two boys, five and seven, to the dining table to do their work, we were cajoling them out for a walk to make the most of our allotted one hour of exercise time. Our days were simplified all of a sudden. Priority number one: get their lessons for the day done. Priority number two: get some exercise and fresh air. Nothing else mattered as much as those two daily goals.
Of course there were other things to do like sitting up until midnight to get a shopping delivery slot and ordering toilet roll off Amazon, but we were militant in our pursuit of our two key aims each day. We divided the school work equally, with the children handily having three daily lessons each. I usually took the more theoretical subjects like maths, science and English, while Mark taught history, art and geography.
And it worked well, really well. We made a list at the start of the day and carried out our tasks diligently. I’m ashamed to admit now that Mark’s commitment to the lessons surprised me, and I was firmly put in my place when it transpired that the kids actually responded better to him than to me.
“Lockdown was make or break for a lot of couples and I can understand why.”
With the shrinking of our world came a lowering of my expectations of life, including of Mark, in a good way. What really mattered became very apparent, and squabbles about chores and money paled into insignificance. We were healthy and together, safe in our little family cocoon - the four of us against the world. I also found that my depression lifted somewhat, as I felt less pressure to have to perform each day to inevitably be found wanting.
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I saw Mark properly for the first time in a while, and was reminded of what there was to value and cherish in him. Where once I had reprimanded him for not taking things seriously enough and being too childlike, we all now enjoyed the lighter moments of fun he regularly provided. I realised how serious I had become lately, and Mark reminded me how important it is to just play sometimes, to be in the moment rather than always worrying about the future. Every day I noted how thankful I was that he had been furloughed and was around to help with the homeschooling. I don’t know how I would have done it without him.
The pandemic has destroyed many relationships and taken too many lives; lockdown was make or break for a lot of couples and I can understand why. But it didn’t break us as I thought it would and, if we find ourselves in another lockdown, I’m confident we will cope as well as before, if not better.
I can’t be ‘grateful’ for the pandemic because of the widespread devastation it’s caused, and of course we are not out of the woods yet. But Covid-19 saved my marriage and, as hard as it was, I’m grateful for the time we got to rebuild ourselves as a couple. It seems we’re stronger than we thought we were, at the roots – where it really matters.
Sarah Bones is a freelance writer. Follow her on Twitter @sarahboneswrite
Have a compelling personal story you want to tell? Find out what we’re looking for here, and pitch us on ukpersonal@huffpost.com


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-21--I Never Expected To Go Viral On TikTok For A Mistake I Made While Teaching

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Teachers ― the youth of America are tired of you. To be fair, the feeling often goes both ways, but let’s focus on the feelings of the youths here because for the purpose of this article, those feelings are ultimately the ones that matter.
What are the young people tired of exactly? Well, they are tired of being asked to turn in arduous assignments. They are tired of being asked to do work that is confusing and doesn’t align with their interests. But, perhaps most of all, they are tired of being asked to be perfect by imperfect people. To be clear, teachers, those imperfect people are you and anyone who supports or helps you do your job.
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Why are you imperfect? Because you raise your voice when you get frustrated with these students, and you criticise them for their shortcomings while demanding leniency and grace when you fall short yourself.
In their minds, you are very likely the greatest symbol of hypocrisy in one of the only institutions that, thus far, they have first-hand experience with, and they are done with your crap.
How do I know all of this? Well, I’m a teacher, and I recently went viral on social media for coming clean about a mistake I made while doing my job, and the children ripped me ― and all teachers ― to shreds.
My rocky road to being decimated on social media began simply. Like a lot of people looking for ways to entertain themselves during quarantine, I turned to the very popular app TikTok. I discovered it during the last year as many of my students were on it, and I noticed one particular thing about it: If you were an attractive, dancing young person, it seemed fairly easy to amass a large following and potentially make a great deal of money posting content. I also noticed that individuals that created content about cooking or raising their kids, as well as comedians who did short skits, were able to gain a lot of followers.
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Not fitting into any of those categories myself, I began to post videos about my life that garnered very little interest. I had a modest amount of followers and used the app as a bit of creative therapy. Even though I was certain that I would never become part of the upper echelon of ‘TikTokkers’, I still relished the opportunity to share a bit of myself with this new world. Besides, I was just a bored teacher quarantined with her parents in Texas awaiting the end of a global pandemic. No harm could be done by me making some videos and sharing them with the world, right?
Oof ― wrong. Very wrong.
My dramatic error in judgment occurred when I decided to post a “Tok” to a popular audio that was going around the app (people on TikTok will take the same audio file and create a skit around it that applies specifically to their life). The audio in this case was a tiny voice whispering in an embarrassed and comical tone that “everybody makes mistakes,” and the idea was to think of a time in your life when you did something ridiculous and you were filled with embarrassment.
Ridofranz via Getty Images "No harm could be done by me making some videos and sharing them with the world, right? Oof ― wrong. Very wrong."
As a teacher struggling with online learning, I had made many mistakes in the past week alone, and one in particular really made me crack up. So, I made my little “tok” and uploaded it to the platform thinking it would get, at most, a few thousand views. Again, I am not a conventionally attractive teen, or a dancer or a chef, and I don’t have cute children to show off, so I had no reason to believe I had created anything that would attract any kind of attention.
It turns out the content of my TikTok was apparently more than just a little notable. It was, for lack of a better word: atomic.
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The mistake I decided to talk about was a moment during remote teaching when I was frustrated with my students for not beginning their online lesson. Flustered and fed up, I had begun to chastise them for refusing to engage in the online learning process after I put so much work into developing the lesson (which actually happens a lot). However, it turned out in this case, I had never even uploaded an assignment in the first place! No one had attempted it, because there was nothing to attempt. Whoops!
When I realised what I had done, I apologised to the students and I gave them an extension to complete the work. The teachers of Tiktok (the ones I was really making this piece of for) immediately showed their support upon viewing my little creation.
“Oh my God, this was me the other day!” one teacher commented.
“I did this with my Google forms ― I was so embarrassed!” another shared.
However, it was this comment from another teacher that turned out to be particularly ominous: “This is hilarious, but the teenagers of Tiktok will find this and demand that you be fired, and maybe even thrown off a roof... teenagers are dramatic.”
I agreed with her, but I doubted they would find it or that any of them would really care if they did.
Courtesy of Stephanie Comfort The author's "innocent" contribution to TikTok was greeted in a way she never anticipated.
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But find it, they did. Suddenly my comment section transformed from one of supportive educators empathising with me about the struggles of responding to students during a time when stress makes one prone to gaffes and mishaps, to one of traumatised students burned and bitter about their history with hypocritical teachers who attack them for their shortcomings and make their learning experiences unbearable.
“This was my professor with my final ― he lost it and I failed the class,” one student wrote.
“This is why we hate teachers,” another student noted.
My personal favourite was, “Oh, so when a teacher does it, it’s a ‘mistake,’ but when a student does it, it’s ‘poor work ethic.’”
Before I turned my comments off to catch my breath (I reinstated them shortly afterward), this was the top response, and I can see why. Many students can only interpret a teacher’s response from their side of the situation, and therefore they translate our reactions to their behaviour in a limited, one-dimensional way. But as someone who has been a teacher and a student, I know this comment is far from accurate.
I know that in the educational process, the stress to reach academic goals is heavily felt on both sides. From the teacher’s perspective, if students don’t respond to and complete their lessons, they won’t show mastery of that information on their tests. If they don’t demonstrate that they’re ready to move forward to the next grade or to graduate, the teacher’s professional reputation and livelihood can be at stake. Therefore, the teacher must be a constant interpreter of educational standards, an expert at diagnosing learning and emotional disabilities, a flexible and determined classroom manager, and, especially these days, a technological Svengali.
It is said that in one day, teachers do the job of seven different professionals, and they must do so while working with the most sensitive and malleable materials: children. I have found this statement to be absolutely true and understand firsthand the overwhelming and superhuman nature of our job. But we are only human and we will make mistakes. In fact, they should be expected, acknowledged, learned from, and used to grow.
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Still, I understand the student perspective as well. I know that they have been forced to attend their classes ― often when it’s the last thing in the world they want to be do ― by their parents, by their cultures, and by their governments. I know that they are being asked to respond, to perform and to stay focused, which can be difficult in “normal times,” but is even harder during a pandemic.
Many times, the demands our students face are downright overwhelming. For these reasons, I know that they do not always understand that a frustrated teacher is a human being who can be just as overwhelmed. I myself have been angry at a teacher for what I felt was undue criticism and dramatic overreaction. I remember what it was like to resent my instructors with every fiber of my being.
“We are only human and we will make mistakes. In fact, they should be expected, acknowledged, learned from, and used to grow.”
So, when I saw that comment about work ethic, I responded in another TikTok, simply saying, “As a student and as a teacher... we are both allowed to be human. There is a difference between a mistake and poor work ethic ― you owe it yourself to discern between the two. In my case, I have no problem apologising for my mistakes and correcting and adjusting the learning process when the situation requires.”
That response video garnered a lot of positive comments, but it was too late, the damage had been done. Students from all corners of the internet continued to find my initial video and they used it as a platform to air out their frustrations with all “teachers like you.”
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They also used the comments section to argue with each other about whether these adults who were so hard on them and often caused them so much pain and stress should be allowed to be lighthearted about their own human failings. As a sensitive person who was new to this platform ― and had never experienced this kind of attention or public scrutiny before ― my first impulse was to take down my video. But the teacher in me wouldn’t allow it.
As educators, we are often told that sometimes the best teacher for students is the students themselves, and as I watched the conversations unfolding in the comment section of my little six-second video, I realised these kids were being given a place to scream, to vent, to comfort each other, and to let each other know they were not alone in the educational process. They had found a place to challenge one another’s views on the humanity of those entrusted to provide them with an education.
Some were just happy to see a teacher ― that dark cloud of bureaucratic power they were forced to contend with on a daily basis ― finally admit to messing up. For many of them, it was probably the first time they saw an authority figure not only fail, but admit to a mistake ― and make a joke about it. By leaving the video up, I committed to allowing whoever views it to create their relationship with it, as well as a place to share, to shriek and, ultimately I hope, to learn something about me, their teachers, and themselves.
Over a million people have seen the video and it has become bigger than I ever expected. This experience has given me a lot to unpack, and I hope that in the end, my creation served as a place for conversation and, if nothing else, it made some people smile or think.
Now, if you asked me at the beginning of quarantine if I’d ever go massively viral on a site infamous for teens showing off their latest choreography skills, I would have said no. I don’t really have anything of merit to add to a place like that. I’m just a bored teacher, who likes to make a joke or two at her own expense.
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But boy, was I ever wrong. I guess everybody makes mistakes.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-20--Top Coronavirus Advisers To Hold Urgent Briefing As UK Hits 'Critical Point'

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The UK stands “at a critical point” in the Covid-19 pandemic but the data is “heading in the wrong direction”, Chris Whitty will warn at a snap press conference with top experts.
The chief medical officer’s stark words follow Boris Johnson cautioning on Friday a second wave “is coming” and may hit the country as winter bites.
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Whitty will head a snap public briefing at Number 10 on the latest data on coronavirus alongside chief scientific officer, Patrick Vallance, at 11am on Monday, Downing Street said.
On Friday, the “R” rate jumped again to between 1.1 and 1.4 and daily infection numbers peaked over 4,000 last week for the first time since May.
The pair are expected to back Johnson and health secretary Matt Hancock’s attempts to persuade the public to stick to the new “rule of six” on social gatherings in order to avoid full lockdown.
Whitty is expected to say: “The trend in UK is heading in the wrong direction and we are at a critical point in the pandemic.
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“We are looking at the data to see how to manage the spread of the virus ahead of a very challenging winter period.”
Would you call the police on a neighbour who's failing to self-isolate?
"Yes," says UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock, as he tells #Marr how £10,000 fines could be enforcedhttps://t.co/GCTX2iCqwl pic.twitter.com/PHE7eFOLUX — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) September 20, 2020
Using charts and graphs to set out the latest figures, they will also present data on other countries in the grip of a second wave and how this could be replicated in the UK.
Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, Hancock said there was a danger the infection rate could “shoot through the roof”.
It came as the government announced those who fail to self-isolate may face a hefty fine of £10,000.
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Hancock said anyone who saw their neighbours breaking the rules should tell the police, adding: “I am very worried about this second wave.
“We have seen in other countries around Europe how it can absolutely shoot through the roof.”
The health secretary also hinted a second national lockdown was possible.
“The nation faces a tipping point.”
He added: “We have a choice. Either everybody follows the rules – the rule of six and the need to self-isolate if you have a positive test or if you are contacted by NHS Test and Trace – or we will have to take more measures.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-20--Nancy Pelosi Doesn't Rule Out Using Impeachment To Stall Supreme Court Nomination

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Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Sunday left open the possibility of using the impeachment process to prevent the Republican-controlled Senate from confirming a new Supreme Court associate justice in the next few months.
George Stephanopoulos, host of ABC’s “This Week,” told Pelosi that some people have suggested the House could move to impeach President Donald Trump or Attorney General William Barr “as a way of stalling” the judicial nomination process.
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“Well, we have our options. We have arrows in our quiver that I’m not about to discuss right now,” Pelosi said before pivoting to discuss the upcoming election and the coronavirus pandemic.
“This president has threatened to not even accept the results of the election with statements that he and his henchmen have made,” she said. “So right now, our main goal ... would be to protect the integrity of the election as we protect the American people from the coronavirus.”
Stephanopoulos pressed Pelosi: “But to be clear, you’re not taking any arrows out of your quiver? You’re not ruling anything out?”
Pelosi hesitated before responding, adding that Democrats will use “every arrow in our quiver” to protect democracy.
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“We have a responsibility,” she said. “We take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. We have a responsibility to meet the needs of the American people. That is when we weigh the equities, protecting our democracy requires us to use every arrow in our quiver.”
“We have our options. We have arrows in our quiver that I’m not about to discuss right now,” Speaker Pelosi tells @GStephanopoulos when pressed on what Democrats would do if Pres. Trump and Republicans push a SCOTUS nomination ahead of the Nov. 3 election. https://t.co/MCxVZDHboU pic.twitter.com/9Rd1sXdIQW — ABC News (@ABC) September 20, 2020
The House impeached Trump in December, and the Senate ultimately acquitted him in February. Many of his Republican allies have called for the swift filling of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat following her death on Friday.
Ginsburg, 87, died from complications of cancer. She was one of the court’s most liberal judges, making Republicans eager to fill her seat with a conservative. If they succeed, the court will have a 6-3 conservative majority among the justices.
Hours after Ginsburg’s death, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said that Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the Senate floor. Trump said Saturday that he will announce his nominee “next week” and that the person “will be a woman.”
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Democrats called out Republicans’ hypocrisy in pushing to fill a Supreme Court vacancy before the November presidential election. In 2016, McConnell blocked a vote on Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, whom then-President Barack Obama tapped to fill the vacancy created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.
McConnell said at the time that a confirmation vote would come too close to an election and that the winner of the 2016 election should pick the nominee. Scalia died 269 days before the 2016 presidential election. Ginsburg died 46 days before the 2020 presidential election.
Republicans hold a 53-seat majority in the Senate. If three GOP senators defect and oppose Trump’s nominee, Vice President Mike Pence could break a tie vote.
Two Republican senators said recently that they would oppose holding a vote on a Supreme Court nominee ahead of the election.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who faces a tough reelection battle this year, told The New York Times Saturday that the winner of November’s election should choose the next Supreme Court nominee.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--Military Could Help Police Enforce New Coronavirus Rules, Says Boris Johnson

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Boris Johnson has said the military could be deployed in England to help with the enforcement of new coronavirus restrictions.
Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday, the prime minister said there would now be “greater police presence” on the streets with “the option to draw on military support where required”.
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The move come after the government’s chief scientific and medical advisers warned there could be 50,000 UK cases a day by mid-October with a daily death toll of 200 or more by mid-November if the current growth in the rate of infection is not halted.
Johnson announced there would also be “tighter” enforcement of the new rules as the fine for not wearing a face mask will rise to £200,
The prime minister also today ripped up his push to persuade people to go back to their offices and told the public to work from home if they can.
“No British government would wish to stifle our freedoms in the ways that we have found necessary this year,” he said.
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“So it now falls to each of us and every one of us to remember the basics – wash our hands, cover our faces, observe social distancing and follow the rules.”
Under the new measures, pubs, bars and restaurants in England will have to close by 10pm each night and must operate as table service only from Thursday,
“What we have seen from the evidence is that alas the spread of the disease does tend to happen later at night after more alcohol has been consumed,” Johnson told MPs.
Face masks will become compulsory for bar staff, shop workers, waiters and taxi drivers.
Businesses will be fined and could even be be closed if they breach the rules.
The number of people who can attend weddings will be halved from 30 to 15 from Monday.
A plan to allow small crowds to sports stadiums has been suspended.
Johnson said that the restrictions announced could remain in place for “perhaps six months”.
“For the time being, this virus is a fact of our lives and I must tell the House and the country that our fight against it will continue,” he said.
The prime minister’s spokesperson said the military could be used to backfill certain police duties, such as office roles and guarding protected sites, so police officers can be out enforcing the virus response.
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“This is not about providing any additional powers to the military, or them replacing the police in enforcement roles, and they will not be handing out fines. It is about freeing up more police officers,” the spokesperson said.
Johnson sad MPs will have the opportunity to debate the new coronavirus measures next week.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--Dancing On Ice 2020 Line-Up: Here's Who Has Been Announced So Far

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We all still might be waiting for a new series of Strictly Come Dancing to start, but Dancing On Ice bosses are already building anticipation for their new series.
The full line-up of stars taking to the ice in 2021 has now been revealed, with 12 famous faces confirmed.
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The stars were announced one by one, beginning last month with former Hear’Say singer Myleene Klass and concluding with comedian Rufus Hound on Sunday.
Find out who else is taking part below...
Myleene Klass
David Fisher/Shutterstock
Former Hear’Say singer and TV presenter Myleene was the first of the batch of new skating stars to be officially unveiled.
Writing on her own Instagram account, she added: “My girls have always wanted me to do this but I’ve always been too scared someone will skate over my fingers!
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“Anyway, I want to make them proud and show them I’m up for a challenge when completely out of my comfort zone but most of all, I want a bum like Jlo!”
Joe-Warren Plant
Ian Gavan via Getty Images
The 18-year-old Emmerdale star – better known as the Dales’ Jacob Gallagher – was the second celebrity to be confirmed.
Announcing the news on Instagram, the show said: “He’s spent a decade in the Dales, so now it’s time to try out the ice! Better get your skates on @joeplant10.”
Denise Van Outen
Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment
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TV personality and West End star Denise was announced for Dancing On Ice on during an episode of Loose Women.
Denise – who’s previously competed on Strictly Come Dancing – joked: “I’ll have to make sure I wear knee pads on de-knees.” See what she did there?
Faye Brookes
David M. Benett via Getty Images
Faye is best known for her performance as Kate Connor in Coronation Street, a character she played until last year.
She said: “This is the first time I think people are just going to see me, not being a character, just being me... Faye!”
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Jason Donovan
David M. Benett via Getty Images
Jason Donovan – who, like DVO, previously appeared on Strictly Come Dancing – was the fifth celebrity confirmed for the line-up during an appearance on This Morning.
The former Neighbours star told Holly and Phil: “I’ve always been a big fan of winter sports, whether that’s skiing, skating, snowboarding, après skiing… and this has been an unusual sort of time and with a show like this, you have to dedicate and work hard at it.
“And theatre unfortunately is not seeing audiences... film is not really happening, but TV, particularly your side of TV, is sort of… what people go to, and I felt like why not?”
He also joked: “And I’ll get to spend my Sunday nights with you two!”
Sonny Jay
PA
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Former Britain’s Got Talent star Sonny will be trying his luck on another ITV competition series when he takes to the ice next year.
The ex Loveable Rogues singer, who now co-hosts the Capital Breakfast Show with Roman Kemp and Sian Welby, said of joining DOI: “I don’t want to fall over, not in front of the nation. I don’t want to be a meme the next day!”
Graham Bell
Joe Maher via Getty Images
Olympic skier Graham Bell already has a background in winter sports, but admits that performing on TV is something that’s totally new to him.
“Ice doesn’t scare me, it’s the dancing,” he admitted.
Since retiring from his skiing career in the late 1990s, Graham is now best known as a TV presenter and commentator.
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Colin Jackson
Karwai Tang via Getty Images
The third of this year’s celebrities who has previously competed on Strictly, Colin Jackson is a record-breaking spring and hurdle athlete, who previously represented Team GB at the Olympics.
He said: “I’m going to try and that’s the most important thing. You go out there, you enjoy yourself and you learn a new skill and to hone the skill of skating will just be a huge, huge plus. I’m looking forward to it.”
Rebekah Vardy
Matt Crossick - PA Images via Getty Images
The WAG and reality star – who last year made headlines after an infamous incident involving Coleen Rooney – is getting her skates on for the new series of Dancing On Ice.
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She said: “My dad taught me how to stand up on a pair of skates when I was about seven years old... [since then] the only time I’ve been ice skating since is when we take the kids to our local ice rink at Christmas to have a really good time.”
Rebekah added that husband Jamie Vardy “thinks it’s such a brilliant idea”, but “hopes I don’t fall over too much”.
Lady Leshurr
Ian West - PA Images via Getty Images
Rapper and singer Lady Leshurr was the 10th star to be revealed for the line-up, confirming her spot on the KISS breakfast show.
“Oh my gosh, I don’t what I’ve got myself in for,” she said. “But everyone knows me to be that person to just throw myself in at the deep end and I just wing it a lot of the time.”
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She added that while she’s “petrified” of getting on the ice, skating is something she’s always wanted to try, “so what’s better than doing it in front of millions of people?”.
Billie Faiers
SIPA USA/PA Images
Former The Only Way Is Essex star Billie revealed she would be taking part in a post on her Instagram.
“I still can’t believe I am actually doing it! I am so nervous but so excited… This will honestly be one of my biggest challenges yet!”
The Mummy Diaries star added that although she has no skating or dancing experience she will try to make her family “proud”.
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Rufus Hound
EMPICS Entertainment
Comedian and actor Rufus was the 12th and final celebrity to be confirmed for next year’s Dancing On Ice.
Announcing the news on Martin and Roman’s Sunday Best, he quipped: “I’m doing it for the money. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but about six months ago this global pandemic hit and made just about everything I’ve ever done to earn a pound note disappear!
“And so this point has arrived and they said ‘We’ll pay you’ and I said ‘Do you know something? I love ice skating!’”
Dancing On Ice is scheduled to return for its 13th series in January, and will once again be hosted by Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--Here's What You Can And Can't Do Under The New Covid-19 Rules

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Go to work. Don’t go to work. Socialise, but don’t socialise. Eat out, but don’t help out. It can be hard to digest government guidelines when they seem to be changing so often.
But we’re here to make it a little easier for you. The latest measures have been introduced to combat the sharp rise in coronavirus infection rates – including the much-talked-about 10pm curfews. Boris Johnson has also said people should assume these new rules will stay in force for six months.
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So what else has changed? Here’s a guide on the new restrictions. Bear in mind these rules apply to England only – people in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland should follow the specific rules in local areas.
You can socialise in groups of six, but you should break ‘unnecessary links’ between households.
The number of people who can attend social gatherings inside or outside remains at six in England, under the ‘rule of six’ introduced earlier this month.
This rule doesn’t apply to households or bubbles of more than six, or gatherings for work or education. It also doesn’t apply to indoor sports, such as gym classes. People will be fined £200, and this will double on each further repeat offence up to a maximum £3,200, which depends on your location. Covid-secure marshals are making sure rules are being followed.
Scotland and Wales have different rules on household configurations, with under-12s not counting toward the total.
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elenabs via Getty Images
In order to stop Covid-19 cases rising, though, people in the UK are advised to “break unnecessary links” between households to stop coronavirus spreading.
“We have to break unnecessary links between households because that is the way this virus is transmitted,” England’s chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, warned in a press briefing on Monday.
It’s pretty much up to you to decide on whether a meet-up is “necessary” or “unnecessary”, but the idea is that we should be social distancing and limiting social contact where possible. Things like not hugging others, avoiding crowds, and reducing the amount of mixing with other households will help.
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You can go to the pub, but you’ll have to leave before 10pm.
The curfew will take effect from Thursday September 24 in an attempt to reduce Covid-19 transmissions. This means if you’re out for a drink with your mates at the pub, last orders will be around 9pm, as you’ll need to leave by 10pm.
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This rule applies to pubs, bars, restaurants and casinos in England. It will not apply to theatres and cinemas, where performances may run over the 10pm deadline.
Starting from today, parts of England’s north-east are already under a 10pm curfew. There’s no news yet on what the fines are for flouting curfew rules.
You can go out for food, but it’ll be table service only and staff are required to wear masks.
Food and drink outlets are now going to be restricted to table service only. Some had been doing this already, but it’s no longer voluntary.
Pubs, bars, restaurants, and cafes must also now legally collect customers’ details to aid with contact tracing. Face masks will also become compulsory for bar staff, shop workers, and waiters.
Fines for failing to wear a face mask will rise to £200 and will be extended to customers when they are not seated at a table, Boris Johnson told MPs.
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You can go to work if you can’t work from home, otherwise – work from home.
“Work from home, if you can,” Michael Gove told the BBC’s Today programme on Tuesday morning.
The latest government advice now goes back on their original campaign to encourage workers back to office. In a bid to reduce social mixing and slow the spread of the virus, there’s now a “shift in emphasis” and the people of England will once again be asked to work from home if they can.
Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday afternoon, Johnson said: “We are once again asking office workers who can work from home to do so. In key public services and in all professions where home working is not possible, such as construction or retail, people should continue to attend their workplaces.”
You can still attend a wedding, but no more than 15 people. Funerals still allow 30 people.
Wedding ceremonies, funerals, and team sport can still go ahead, so long as they’re carried out in a Covid-secure way, in a safe venue or public outdoor space.
Restricted weddings now allow for a maximum gathering of up to 15 people, down from 30. Funerals are exempt from this rule. Plans to allow limited crowds to attend sporting fixtures have all been suspended.
Organisers of large gatherings of more than 15 people – like unlicensed music events and raves – can be subject to fines of up to £10,000 in England and Wales.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--BBC Breakfast's Charlie Stayt Throws Weather Presenter Matt Taylor Under The Bus Ahead Of Rick Astle

BBC Breakfast's Charlie Stayt Throws Weather Presenter Matt Taylor Under The Bus Ahead Of Rick Astley Interview

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BBC Breakfast weather forecaster Matt Taylor had a real-life Rick-rolling at the hands of Charlie Stayt on Tuesday.
The presenter threw his colleague well and truly under the bus ahead of an interview with Rick Astley on the BBC early morning show.
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Charlie and co-presenter Louise Minchin went to Matt for the latest forecast, with Charlie asking him if he was a fan of the Never Gonna Give You Up singer.
“Errr, not a massive one,” Matt said, drawing an audible gasp from Louise.
“Well that was the wrong thing to say,” Charlie informed him.
BBC weather forecaster Matt Taylor BBC
Matt could be seen looking panicked before Charlie then said: “He’s listening and he’s coming up in just a moment.
“I’ll ask you again, Matt are you a Rick Astley fan?”
Quickly backpeddling, Matt replied: “Love Rick Astley. Best. Grew up with him.”
BBC Breakfast hosts Charlie Stayt and Louise Minchin BBC
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The camera then cut to Rick listening in on the other line.
“That’s brilliant,” the 80s hitmaker laughed.
Charlie said: “It’s too late Matt, the damage is done.”
Rick Astley appeared on BBC Breakfast on Tuesday BBC
The moment caught the attention of Radio 1 Breakfast Show DJ Greg James, who praised Matt’s “great recovery” on Twitter.
I love @MetMattTaylor. Great recovery after being thrown under the bus by Charlie Stayt pic.twitter.com/oQQ1dHVDLb — Greg James (@gregjames) September 22, 2020
There’s been a number of humorous moments on BBC Breakfast over the last few months, most recently when Gordon Brown left Charlie and Naga Munchetty bemused with the way he ended an interview with them.
Weather forecaster Carol Kirkwood also had viewers in hysterics after an unfortunate slip of the tongue as she hosted a segment from a favourite dog walking spot.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--Will A Curfew Work? Here's What Scientists Think

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Pubs, bars and restaurants across England will be subject to a 10pm curfew from Thursday – but will it actually help slow the spread of Covid-19?
The latest announcement follows curfews in the north-east of England and parts of Wales. Unfortunately, it’s too early to see if those curfews have been effective.
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On Friday, Professor Eugene Milne, Newcastle’s public health director, explained there’s always a lag in results and residents in the north-east should expect cases to rise for “the next week or maybe two”. He added that we could be well into October before we see signs of a positive response.
Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases expert and professor in Medicine at University of East Anglia, says in general, there’s a “lack of any real evidence” on the impact of curfews on epidemics. “I did find one paper that suggested some benefit, but was not at all impressed by their analytical approach,” he tells HuffPost UK.
The move towards curfews, therefore, is largely based on scientists’ predictions of what might happen.
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“I guess it depends on what effect a curfew has on behaviour,” adds Prof. Hunter. “Are people going to go out earlier in the evening and still spend the same amount of time out as they would, or would it lead to less time out? If the latter, then there would be some value as risk is dependant on the number and proximity of people you are with and the time you spend with them.”
A curfew could also lead to some consuming less alcohol, adds Prof. Hunter – although again, there’s a lack of evidence that 10pm is the magic number. “If it leads to less alcohol consumption and less drunkenness, then maybe people would be better at social distancing,” he adds.
Dr Julian Tang, an honorary associate professor of Respiratory Sciences at the
University of Leicester, is a little more hopeful about the effectiveness of curfews, though.
“Curfews can be effective if people adhere to them to reduce the contact frequency between those who are still susceptible,” he tells HuffPost UK. “If you have six friends of whom four decide to obey the curfew and two don’t – this is better than none of them obeying the curfew.”
It also comes down to the fact the risk of transmission is higher during prolonged interactions, as opposed to fleeting interactions, Dr Tang adds.
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“If the friends above choose to meet after school but can only meet for one hour instead of two hours before the curfew kicks in, then the risk of transmission may be reduced – though transmission is likely to be relatively quick at typical face-to-face conversational level,” he says.
“Again, all the interventions are incrementally beneficial. If there is a rule in place, some will choose to follow it and can reduce their contact frequency/duration to some extent, compared to if no rules are in place.”
Dr Nilu Ahmed, a lecturer in Social Sciences at the University of Bristol, also believes curfews will be effective as they will act as a reminder to people that we are still in the midst of a pandemic.
“As people drink more and as people get past that point, usually after about 10pm, that social distancing goes out of the window,” she previously told HuffPost UK. “Even if you’re not a drinker or you’re a mild drinker, it’s about getting too comfortable. As soon as you’re back in that familiar space, you start to go back to our old habits.”
If handled the wrong way, some scientists have raised concerns that curfews could actually cause interactions and transmissions to increase.
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Timothy Sly, an epidemiologist and professor emeritus at Ryerson University, previously told Global News that curfews can force people together at earlier times. He gave the example of Victoria, Australia, where an 8pm curfew was imposed – including shopping for groceries.
“People that would be at the grocery store are forced to go home, but they still need to get their food. Instead of going later, between 8pm and 10pm, for example, they now have to go in the middle of the afternoon with everybody else,” he said. “You’ve got an increase in density of people during the rest of the day simply because you’ve told everybody go home.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--Leighton Buzzard Hit With Third Earthquake In Two Weeks

Grand Union Canal in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire www.bridgetdavey.com via Getty Images
Leighton Buzzard has been hit by an earthquake for the third time in two weeks.
The magnitude three tremor hit the Bedfordshire town on Tuesday morning, the British Geological Survey (BGS) confirmed.
It followed the initial 3.5 magnitude event on September 8 and a first aftershock on September 13, which registered as 2.1.
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Glenn Ford, a seismologist with the BGS, told the PA news agency: “What we’re seeing here is a small aftershock from that earthquake (on September 8).”
Ford said it was “typical behaviour” which had been seen in different areas of the UK “on many occasions”.
SEISMIC ALERT: LEIGHTON BUZZARD, BEDFORDSHIRE 22 SEPT 2020 08:32 UTC 3.0 ML
DATE: 22 Sept 2020
ORIGIN TIME: 08:32 UTC
LAT/LONG: 51.941° North / 0.662° West
GRID REF: 492.0 kmE / 227.8 kmN
DEPTH: 10.0km
MAGNITUDE: 3.0ML
LOCALITY: Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
INTENSITY: 3 EMS pic.twitter.com/mBUYQ5yVj7 — British Geological Survey (@BritGeoSurvey) September 22, 2020
He added: “There’s obviously been some stress been building up in that particular area and we’ve had the initial earthquake. It’s maybe just still rebalancing the stress regime in that partcular part of the world and we’re getting these little aftershocks occurring as well.
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“It probably will settle down soon but could we get another one? We certainly could, but when it could happen, we don’t know.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--Government Confirms It Will Not Allow Trans People To Self-ID

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The government has confirmed that it will not allow trans people to change their legal gender via self-identification.
More than 100,000 people, including some 7,000 trans people, responded to a consultation on the reform of the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) 2004 in 2017, and the community has been left waiting for an official response from the government ever since.
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It was reported in June that measures drawn up under Theresa May’s government to enable trans people change their birth certificate without a medical diagnosis had officially been dropped, a move that human rights organisation Amnesty International described as “extremely worrying”.
In a statement released on Tuesday morning, Conservative Liz Truss, the minister for women and equalities, said that changes would not be made to the GRA legislation, writing: “There are proper checks and balances in the system and also support for people who want to change their legal sex.”
A reform to the Act could have seen self-identification introduced for trans people across the country.
Instead, Truss said the process of accessing a Gender Recognition Certificate would be made “kinder and more straightforward” – namely by moving the process online and reducing the £140 fee to a “nominal” amount.
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Truss also said three new gender clinics would be opened in 2020, adding that their introduction “should see waiting lists cut by around 1,600 patients by 2022” in a bid to address distressingly long waiting times for before trans people can access NHS services.
Cara English, head of public engagement at Gendered Intelligence, said: “After years of hand-wringing, the government has today laid out its intention to make surface-level changes to the Gender Recognition Act. This won’t come as a shock to most interested parties, but it is nevertheless disappointing in its scope.
The government has formally responded to a 2017 consultation on the Gender Recognition Act. Barcroft Media via Getty Images
“We welcome the step in the right direction to lower the financial barrier facing people wishing to apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate. But reforming a piece of legislation which is fundamentally broken does not and cannot mean slapping a discount sticker on it and expecting great results.
“Historically poor take-up of applications through the GRA is unlikely to be improved in any meaningful way, with such fundamentally inhumane vectors of gatekeeping as the Gender Recognition Panel still in place. The indignity of having to explain — in detail — your personal and private life to a group of strangers will remain. The required diagnosis of gender dysphoria (by two doctors) will remain.”
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Nancy Kelley, chief executive of Stonewall, said the government had “fallen far short on its promise to reform the Gender Recognition Act”.
She added: “All trans people deserve to be respected for who they are. Reforming the Act could have brought England and Wales in line with our neighbours in the Republic of Ireland, who have had a de-medicalised, self-determination system for gender recognition since 2015 without any problematic repercussions. The government’s own response states that a strong majority of people who responded to the consultation supported these reforms.
“And just last week the British Medical Association called on the government to allow trans people to be recognised for who they are without a medical diagnosis. So, we share the frustration and disappointment of trans people and allies who have campaigned and fought hard for GRA reform over the last few years.”
A spokesperson for the Equality and Human Rights Commission added: “We welcome steps to reduce fees and NHS waiting times. However, this was a missed opportunity to simplify the law on gender recognition whilst maintaining robust safeguards.
“Trans people should be free to live their lives without fear of discrimination and prejudice and there is more to be done to increase understanding in wider society and address the divisive public dialogue in this space.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--Are Glasses Wearers Less Likely To Catch Covid-19?

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We all know by now that wearing a face mask can keep germs away from your nose and mouth. But what about your eyes? Aren’t they letting in germs, too?
For a new study, scientists in China wanted to find out how glasses-wearing impacts Covid-19 risk. They analysed data from 276 patients hospitalised with Covid-19 in Suizhou, China, from January to March this year to see how many wore glasses.
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The number of Covid-19 patients in the hospital who wore glasses was lower (5.8%) than that of the local population who wore glasses (31.5%), they found.
Viorel Kurnosov via Getty Images
Viruses like Covid-19 primarily enter the body through the nose and mouth, but it’s also thought the virus can infiltrate your system through the membranes in the eyes.
Researchers in China noticed the proportion of glasses-wearers among patients with coronavirus disease was small, so they wanted to investigate why this might be.
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They studied all inpatients with Covid-19 in Suizhou Zengdu Hospital, China, from January 27 to March 13 2020, to compare glasses-wearers (those who wore glasses for more than eight hours a day) with non-glasses-wearers.
A total of 276 patients with Covid-19 were enrolled onto the study. Of these, 155 (56.2%) were male, and the median age was 51. All those who wore glasses for more than eight hours a day had myopia (meaning they were short-sighted) and included 16 of 276 patients.
In Hubei province, it’s thought the proportion of people who are short-sighted is 31.5%, which was much higher than the proportion of patients with Covid-19 who were short-sighted. Some reports suggest as many as 80% of the population in China have myopia.
Researchers concluded that the proportion of inpatients with Covid-19 who wore glasses for extended daily periods was smaller than that in the general population. They suggested, therefore, that daily wearers of glasses may be less susceptible to Covid-19.
But Dr Amir Khan, a doctor for the NHS, cautions that this is just one study with a small sample size showing an association between wearing glasses and reduced Covid-19 rates, rather than direct cause and effect.
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“To draw any firm conclusions from this would be entirely premature, but there are some things we can take note of,” he wrote in an article for Al Jazeera.
Dr Khan pointed out that the eyes “may be an important route of entry to the body for the coronavirus”, and noted there have been reports of patients having eye symptoms like conjunctivitis, which signals infection.
“Theoretically, wearing glasses forms an extra barrier in front of our eyes, protecting them from an infected respiratory droplet,” he said. They might also stop us from touching our eyes, which is how the virus could enter the body if we had it on our hands.
“Theoretically, wearing glasses forms an extra barrier in front of our eyes.” - Dr Khan
That said, he points out that while goggles are appropriate to reduce the risk of catching Covid-19 in medical settings as they have a tight seal around the eye, glasses only offer protection to the front and sides.
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Simon Kolstoe, a senior lecturer in evidence-based healthcare at the University of Portsmouth, says a controlled trial or test is now needed to firm this up. “Ideally, this would follow two carefully matched groups of people – some wearing glasses and some not wearing glasses – to see which group gets infected more often,” he wrote in a piece for The Conversation.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--Keir Starmer Says Jeremy Corbyn 'Deserved' To Lose The Last Election

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Keir Starmer has declared that Jeremy Corbyn “deserved” to lose the last general election because the public didn’t trust Labour with their security, jobs or their money.
In his clearest break yet with his predecessor, the Labour leader used his first conference speech to vent his “anger” at the impotence of the party being out of office for the last 10 years.
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Repeatedly stressing his background as the Director of Public Prosecutions, Starmer also used the speech to contrast himself with Boris Johnson and to attack the PM as “just not serious, just not up to the job”.
When Johnson was writing newspapers columns about “bendy bananas” and getting sacked for making up quotations, “I was defending victims and prosecuting terrorists”, he said.
Speaking in Doncaster, where the Tories took a seat from Labour in the 2019 election for the first time in its 100-year history, Starmer stressed both his patriotism and his “family values” as he admitted that it would take time to win back the trust of voters lost under Corbyn.
“We’re not going to win back those we’ve lost with a single speech or a clever policy offer. Trust takes time,” he said.
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But in contrast to his leadership campaign, he heaped praise on Tony Blair as well as Clement Attlee and Harold Wilson for being the only three Labour leaders who won power in the last 75 years because they had a clear vision to “modernise Britain”.
Starmer’s most striking words were his all-out assault on Corbyn’s failures that led to the party’s shattering defeat in December.
“Let’s be blunt. Let’s be brutally honest with ourselves. When you lose an election in a democracy, you deserve to,” he said.
“You don’t look at the electorate and ask them: ‘what were you thinking?’ You look at yourself and ask: ‘what were we doing?’.”
The line was a swipe not just at Corbyn but also at Ed Miliband, who suffered his own big defeat in 2015.
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Yet Starmer made plain that it was his immediate predecessor who was most in his sights, not least over his handling of the Russian poisonings and his poor reputation on the economy.
“I can make this promise: Never again will Labour go into an election not being trusted on national security, with your job, with your community and with your money. That’s what being under new leadership means,” he said.
He also sought to turn his background as a lawyer, something Johnson has used as a criticism, to his advantage.
Although Starmer prefers not to use his ‘Sir Keir’ title, he said that it was “one of the proudest moments” of his parents’ lives to be with him at Buckingham Palace when he was awarded a knighthood for services to criminal justice.
Introduced by Jewish former Labour MP Ruth Smeeth, who heavily criticised Corbyn’s record on anti-Semitism, Starmer said that the party had in recent years “taken for granted” its voters and the things they cared about.
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“As well as anger, I feel frustration. Frustration that every Labour Party spokesperson is a shadow. Shadow Education. Shadow Health. Shadow Chancellor. Shadow Foreign. Until we come out of the shadows, this party can’t change anything.”
Starmer, who has been under fire from some of Labour’s black and minority ethnic activists for his handling of anti-Black racism in the party, also stressed his long record working with Doreen Lawrence, the mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--How Jackie Stallone Created One Of Reality TV's Most Iconic Moments Of All Time

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In her native US, Jackie Stallone will likely be best remembered as an astrologer, dancer, women’s wrestling promoter, and of course, the mother of Hollywood legend Sylvester Stallone.
However, here in the UK, she will forever be etched in the pop culture history books after creating one of the most iconic – and quoted – reality TV moments of all time on Celebrity Big Brother back in 2005.
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Jackie – who has died at the age of 98, it was announced on Tuesday – was at the centre of one of the show’s biggest ever stunts when she was dropped into the house partway through the series to surprise former daughter-in-law, Brigitte Nielsen.
And just seconds after stepping over the threshold of the Borehamwood abode, she’d served up a nugget of television more golden than the lamé outfit she was wearing.
Jackie Stallone entering the Celebrity Big Brother house in 2005 Channel 4
The housemates – who included the likes of Caprice, John McCririck and Bez from the Happy Mondays – were taking part in a shopping task set in the renaissance, all playing parts of the royal court, when they were told to be upstanding for the arrival of the Queen Mother.
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Unbeknown to them at this point, the new addition to the family was already familiar to Brigitte, who had been married to Jackie’s son Sylvester from 1985 to 1987.
During the live broadcast, viewers then saw a vintage car pull up outside the famous bungalow, before Jackie rather majestically emerged and headed inside.
As the internal door creaked, a faux fur-clad Jackie casually appeared from behind it, before the cameras cut to a close up on a visibly stunned Brigitte.
“Oh my god, Jackie?” Brigitte shrieked, clearly uncertain what to make of coming face-to-face with her former mother-in-law for the first time in nearly two decades.
Brigitte Neilsen Channel 4
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Then, in an utterance that was part high camp, part Bond villain, Jackie nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders and proclaimed: “Yeah... Jackie.”
In that moment, Jackie firmly cemented herself in the nation’s consciousness, with those two small words going on to be quoted a million times over – and 15 years later, and they’re still immediately identifiable to her.
It also set the tone for the rest of Jackie’s stay in the Celebrity Big Brother house, as it soon became apparent that her surroundings were not up to the standard she had been expecting.
“I never knew I was coming to a dump like this, frankly,” she told her housemates within minutes of her arrival.
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In one iconic Diary Room entry, Jackie vented her frustrations at not having enough A-listers to mingle with, complaining about the “nobodies” in the house and the lack of culture they brought.
“How about sending in a lovely harpist, and she can play a nice song for us while we dine?” she said, clearly having never seen an episode of Big Brother before.
Jackie’s CBB stint may have been short – she was evicted after four days, much to her delight – but there’s no argument that it was the mother(-in-law) of all twists.
Remembering her appearance, former Big Brother’s Little Brother host Dermot O’Leary said during a recent TV retrospective: “I think the great thing about Jackie going into the house was the fact that we lobbed a bomb in there. She offended everyone – she was completely oblivious. She didn’t even really know where she was.”
Rest in peace Jackie, ultimate Celebrity Big Brother legend.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--James Bond Villain Michael Lonsdale Has Died, Aged 89

British-French actor Michael Lonsdale, best known for playing Hugo Drax in the 1979 James Bond film Moonraker, has died in Paris aged 89, his agent has told AFP.
Lonsdale was also known in the English-speaking world as detective Claude Lebel 1973’s spy thriller The Day of the Jackal and as. M. in 1993’s The Remains of the Day. In 1986 he starred opposite Sean Connery in the medieval drama The Name of the Rose.
He also appeared in Steven Spielberg’s 2005 historical drama Munich, alongside future James Bond star Daniel Craig, and in 1998’s action thriller Ronin.
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Michael Lonsdale Eric Gaillard / reuters
The bilingual actor had hundreds of acting credits to his name, most recently appearing in the Belgian-French drama The First, the Last (Les Premiers, les Derniers) released in 2016.
Lonsdale reprised the role of Drax for the 2016 video game 007 Legends. When asked whether he was concerned that playing a Bond villain might affect his career, he told James Bond fan site Mi6-HQ: “Not at all! On the contrary!
“Because, I made so many films that were not really very popular or didn’t make much money, and I only made poor films, so I thought I might like to be in a rich film.”
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Reflecting on his experience of making the film he said: “It was a great experience to make a very popular film. Everybody was so kind. Roger Moore, Lois Chiles and Richard Kiel were all wonderful. There was a beautiful understanding between the actors, and so I was very happy to do that.”
The official Twitter account for the estate of Sir Roger Moore, who played Bond opposite Lonsdale, expressed its condolences online.
Terribly saddened to learn Michael Lonsdale has also passed away today. As Hugo Drax he was a smooth-tongued and cultured adversary to 007 in Moonraker. pic.twitter.com/qoBbziZlZ9 — Sir Roger Moore (Legacy) (@sirrogermoore) September 21, 2020
Moore had previously singled out Lonsdale for praise as a Bond villain, telling GQ in 2012: “All the villains are great. Michael Lonsdale [Drax, in Moonraker] is a brilliant actor, sometimes you think that they’re too good for the movie.”
Lonsdale was born in Paris to English and Irish-French parents, and initially raised in Guernsey, then later in Casablanca, Morocco. He later returned to live in Paris, making his stage debut aged 24. He made his film debut in 1956.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--Ruth Bader Ginsburg Will Be First Woman Ever To Lie In State At US Capitol

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Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died Friday at 87, will be the first woman to lie in state at the US Capitol, allowing mourners to come pay tribute to the trailblazing feminist litigator.
After civil rights legend Rosa Parks died in 2005, she lay in honour at the Capitol — a distinction given to private citizens, as opposed to government officials like Ginsburg. Ginsburg, who was the first Jewish woman on the Supreme Court, will also be the first Jewish person to lie in state at the US Capitol.
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Monday that the ceremony for Ginsburg, who was the second woman to sit on the nation’s highest court, will be held September 25. It will be by invitation only, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
In US history, only 33 people, all of them men, have lain in state at the Capitol, most of them presidents, congressmen or military leaders. Most recently, Democratic representatives Elijah Cummings and John Lewis, both civil rights leaders, lay in state after their deaths in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
Only four civilians have lain in honour at the Capitol, including two US Capitol police officers, evangelist reverend Billy Graham and Parks.
The casket of civil rights pioneer Representative John Lewis is placed by a US military honor guard at the centre of the Capitol Rotunda to lie in state in Washington, DC, July 27, 2020. Jonathan Ernst / Reuters
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There are no rules or laws that determine who will lie in state, according to the architect of the Capitol — the distinction is determined by the House and the Senate.
With the death of Ginsburg, who was one of the Supreme Court’s more liberal justices, the question of who will replace her has dramatic implications. The court is now split between three liberal justices and five conservatives. If President Donald Trump is able to get another conservative justice confirmed, that would cement conservatives’ hold on the nation’s most powerful court.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--Jackie Stallone’s Death Reported Using A Photo Of Someone Who Isn’t Jackie Stallone

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The sad news of Jackie Stallone’s death was everywhere on Tuesday morning – and so was a picture of someone who isn’t Jackie Stallone.
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Jackie Stallone PA
But unfortunately, many online news outlets, including the BBC, The Sun, Mirror, The Star, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, all used a stock image of someone that isn’t actually Jackie.
The death of Jackie Stallone BBC
Jackie Stallone's death Google
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Jackie Stallone's death Google
Jackie Stallone's death Google
The mix-up stems from the 2012 LA premiere of action movie The Expendables 3, which Jackie’s son, Sylvester starred in.
Jackie wasn’t present at the event, but a certain Ivone Weldon was because her son, Les Weldon, was a producer on the film.
Ivone Weldon arrives at the premiere of The Expendables 3 held at TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood Frank Trapper via Getty Images
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And in a case of mistaken identity, Ivonne’s brief moment on the red carpet saw her being wrongly identified as Jackie on several picture agency websites.
We even wrote about the mix up back in 2012 – because yes, we were also caught out.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--Trump Spreads Disinformation About Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Dying Wish

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Just days before Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death last Friday, she dictated a note to her granddaughter saying her “most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.” Several Republicans, eager to fill her now-vacant seat, dismissed Ginsburg’s request the same night as her death, and on Monday US President Donald Trump was trying to allege that the justice never made the request at all.
During a Fox News interview, Trump baselessly claimed Ginsburg’s request, first reported by NPR, was actually written by Democratic politicians. In reality, Ginsburg herself relayed the statement to her granddaughter, Clara Spera, NPR reported.
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“I don’t know that she said that. Or was that written out by Adam Schiff, and Schumer, and Pelosi?” Trump asked. “That came out of the wind. It sounds so beautiful but that sounds like a Schumer deal,” he added. There is no evidence to support Trump’s accusation that California representative Adam Schiff, senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer or house speaker Nancy Pelosi were involved in ghostwriting a posthumous plea from a deceased Supreme Court justice.
Trump on RBG's reported dying wish that next pres fills her seat: "I don't know that she said that, or was that written out by Adam Schiff and Schumer and Pelosi. I would be more inclined to the second ... But that sounds like a Schumer deal or maybe a Pelosi or Shifty Schiff." pic.twitter.com/zE979kK2Q3 — The Recount (@therecount) September 21, 2020
In a response on Twitter, Schiff denounced Trump’s conspiracy theory.
“Mr. President, this is low. Even for you,” Schiff wrote, adding, however, he will “fight like hell” to honour Ginsburg’s request.
“No confirmation before inauguration,” Schiff wrote.
Trump’s choice to lie about Ginsburg’s dying wish illustrates how he intends to use the Supreme Court vacancy as a galvanising force for Republicans ahead of reelection. Already, Trump has encouraged Republicans ― many of whom opposed former President Barack Obama filling a vacant Supreme Court seat hundreds of days out from the 2016 election ― to begin seating his nominee with only 43 days remaining until the 2020 election.
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Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell released a statement Friday saying the Senate will vote on Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, and other Republicans who opposed Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland have endorsed moving forward with Trump’s nominee now. Notably, two Republican senators have opposed such a move: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said the vacancy should not be filled “this close to an election,” and Susan Collins of Maine said the winner of the November 3 election should fill the vacancy.
On Monday, Trump suggested he hopes his Supreme Court appointment will help him stay in office as he and his campaign work to delegitimise the results of the upcoming election.
“We should act quickly,” Trump said, “because we’re gonna have, probably, election things involved here, you know, because of the fake ballots that they’ll be sending out.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--Duke Of Cambridge: Fatherhood Spurred Me To Protect Nature

It also charts his journey from being passionate about conservation to wanting to play a greater global leadership role on the environment, they added.
William also says that his children – George, seven, Charlotte, five, and two year-old Louis – have had an impact on his views.
He said: “Now I have got George, Charlotte and now Louis in my life – your outlook does change. You want to hand over to the next generation, the wildlife in a much better condition.”
William adds: “I always believe it is possible to give young people hope and belief that things can get fixed.
“I have the belief that if we all work together, we can make a difference.”
Naturalist Sir David Attenborough, who makes an appearance in the programme, said: “Kids know an awful lot about what is happening to the world.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--Government U-Turns On 'Return To Office' Guidance Amid Fresh Covid Measures

Michael Gove has revealed a “shift in emphasis” on the government’s push for people to return to offices – with the emphasis now on not actually doing it.
Speaking to Sky News on Tuesday morning, the cabinet office minister said if people can work from home “then we would encourage them to do so.”
In a separate interview with BBC Radio 4′s Today programme he said: “We are stressing that if it is safe to work in your workplace, if you are in a Covid secure workplace, then you should be there if your job requires it.”
Asked if that was a change in government guidance, Gove said “yes”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--Public Might Have To Pay For Rapid Coronavirus Tests Themselves, Says Dido Harding

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Companies and individuals could be forced to pay for rapid turnaround coronavirus tests as the “cost of doing business” when they become available, the head of NHS Test and Trace has warned.
Baroness Dido Harding said those without symptoms might choose to foot the bill for self-administered tests to act as a kind of Covid-19 passport to allow them to take part in non-socially distanced activities, in comments first reported by the i newspaper.
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She said the current swift turnaround tests starting to hit the market were too unreliable for use within the health service, and only indicate whether an individual is not contagious for around 24 hours.
But speaking at a webinar hosted by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Lady Harding said they might be adopted by businesses in a bid to open up more areas of the economy at greater capacity.
“I think if you are testing symptomatic individuals then it’s really important that that’s an NHS service,” she said.
“Going forward, I think these more rapid turnaround, lower sensitivity and specificity tests that might well be able to tell you you are not infectious for the next few hours could potentially have uses in the future where you are testing to prove that you are negative rather than that you are positive.”
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She added: “That might be a test that might enable more parts of the economy to get back to normal – I think in that environment I think that is actually more of a business and a consumer product rather than a symptomatic healthcare product.
“We are not there yet but there is a lot of research and development going into it.”
She said that investment in such tests might become “A cost of doing business”.
Lady Harding said a reliable, self-administered Covid-19 test that can yield results in as little as 15 minutes is currently the “holy grail” of Covid-19 diagnostics.
Rapid kit to test for coronavirus being used in Hyderabad, India. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Earlier this month, it emerged the government is considering shelling out as much as £100 billion on a programme dubbed “Operation Moonshot” to deliver up to 10 million tests every day.
Ministers and health officials are banking on a saliva-based test that yields a reliable result without lab processing – in the same way as a pregnancy test – to help get the country back to normal.
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Lady Harding said on Monday the UK was investing heavily and investing “ahead of the science” to try and speed along the process of research and development of such a test.
“I think we should be optimistic that over the course of the next few months many of these new technologies will break through, and will demonstrate that they are sufficiently sensitive and specific that they can be used in a variety of cases,” she said.
She added: “They are not here yet and they are not going to solve our problems this week but we are investing heavily.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Health told the i: “We are investing in new, faster tests to be available to the public, for free, through NHS Test and Trace for those who need it.
“Deploying the next generation of tests, which may reduce the need for social distancing in specific circumstances, will require a collaboration between businesses, government and the NHS. We continue to explore these options.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--14 Easy One-Pot Dinner Recipes For Autumn

Cooler weather requires cosy dinners that feel like the equivalent of wrapping yourself up in a warm blanket. Traditionally, those recipes often require a braise, a browning, a sauté or any number of techniques that require you to dirty up just about every pan you have in your kitchen. And unless you have someone who will happily wash all your dishes for you, the prospect of cleaning a pile of dishes can quickly thwart any motivation you had to cook.
Lucky for us, one-pot recipes have become ubiquitous in the food blogging world over the past few years. The following 14 recipes can all be prepared in a single pot, and then dished straight onto your plate. And if you used a pot that can fit the leftovers in your refrigerator, you might not even have to clean that one pot.
Check out the recipes below, from cider-braised chicken to creamy mushroom soup to a gorgeous French onion pasta bake. These’ll take care of you through autumn.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-22--Jackie Stallone, Mother Of Sylvester And Celebrity Big Brother Star, Has Died At The Age Of 98

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Jackie Stallone, mother of Hollywood actor Sylvester Stallone, has died at the age of 98.
Another of her sons, the singer Frank Stallone, confirmed the news of the Celebrity Big Brother star’s death and paid tribute to a “remarkable woman”.
Jackie died on Monday “in her sleep as she had wished,” he wrote in a social media tribute.
Jackie Stallone (1921-2020) PA
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He said: “It was hard not to like her, she was very eccentric and flamboyant person.
“Her mind was as sharp as a razor till the day she died. She never wore a mask a true revolutionary gal.”
Frank added: “My brother Sylvester took care of her like a Queen for all of her life. I will never be able to call my mom again or have her yell at me why I never got married. But we all loved her and her spirit to survive and prevail. I’ll miss you always mommy.”
Frank added he is “drowning my emotions in tears and too much vino,” but “when you’ve known someone for 70 years” it is “tough and sad”.
Jackie was married three times and had three sons as well as a daughter, Toni D’Alto, who died in 2012.
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The famous celebrity astrologer and women’s wrestling promoter had a memorable – although brief – stint in the Celebrity Big Brother house in 2005.
A surprise contestant, Jackie entered much to the shock of co-housemate and former daughter-in-law Brigitte Nielsen, with whom she had a frosty relationship.
Upon seeing Jackie, a stunned Bridgitte exclaimed: “Oh my God! Jackie!”
In response, Jackie, wearing a fur coat and sunglasses, replied with the now legendary line: “Yeah… Jackie.”
She was evicted from the house four days later, following clashes with racing pundit John McCririck. She was also parodied on long-running sketch show Saturday Night Live.
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She had seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, Frank said.