thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Boris Johnson And Matt Hancock Are Being Sued For Appointing Dido Harding To Run Test And Trace

Baroness Dido Harding during a media briefing in Downing Street, London, on coronavirus PA
The prime minister and health secretary are being sued for giving top-ranking Tories key public sector roles without any open competition or proper process, it has emerged.
The Good Law Project and Runnymede Trust have launched legal proceedings against the government’s repeated appointment of individuals who are connected with senior members of the Conservative Party – without advertising these roles.
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The organisations argue that Westminister appears to have breached its public sector equality duty under the Equality Act 2010 by filling senior public sector roles with their mates.
Recruitment without open competition may be indirect discrimination on grounds of, in particular, race and disability, contrary to the landmark equality legislation. A notice of intended action was handed to Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock on Thursday.
Dr Halima Begum, director of the Runnymede Trust, said: “When a recruitment process is not open and fair, it discriminates against those who are not already connected to the decision-makers.
“This has a serious detrimental impact on equality and on the diversity of the people at the top of organisations who get to call the shots. This is always important, but even more so now so many lives depend on it, and particularly as we know Black and Asian people continue to be disproportionately affected by coronavirus.
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“We are calling on the government to ensure proper process is followed and for NHS bodies to be truly representative of the people they protect.”
Begum added: “The sad reality is that now, as we enter a second national lockdown, responsibility for much of the UK’s emergency response to the Covid catastrophe essentially appears to rest in the hands of a former telephone saleswoman and a supermarket manager. The chumocracy has plummeted [to] new lows.”
Mike Egerton - PA Images via Getty Images
It comes after Baroness Dido Harding – whose husband is a Conservative MP close to the PM – was made interim head of the National Institute for Health Protection. Harding is also a firm friend of former PM David Cameron.
That followed her appointment to head of the so-called NHS Test and Trace service just three months before. Last week the PM rejected calls to sack Harding following a series of Test and Trace errors and missed targets.
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The Conservative life peer is a former CEO of TalkTalk and abruptly stepped down in 2017 after the company was hit by a cyber-attack affecting tens of thousands of customers. Both her new roles are unpaid, but she has been paid £65,000 a year to chair NHS Improvement for just two days’ work per week since 2018.
Both Hancock and prime minister Boris Johnson have previously praised Harding for her “brilliant” work on the pandemic.
Amid mounting criticism of the peer in August, a Department of Health and Social Care source leapt to her defence.
“If you were trying to make money off the taxpayer you wouldn’t take a high-profile job like Test and Trace and work the hours she does for free. If that’s cronyism, we aren’t very good at it,” the source told HuffPost UK.
“There are plenty of people in other parties who have been appointed to public sector boards and just turned up and did the bare minimum. She’s shown she is not doing this for the money. Her enthusiasm and inability to be tired is rivalled only by the secretary of state [for health and social care, Matt Hancock].”
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Mike Coupe, Gareth Williams, Ben Stimson and Paul de Laat have also been given senior positions at NHS Test and Trace as director of testing, chief people officer, chief customer officer and chief data officer respectively.
Coupe, the former CEO of Sainsbury’s and a one-time colleague and associate of Harding, has no known experience as a public administrator or in the health sector.
There are no job specifications or application processes in the public domain, say the Good Law Project and Runnymede Trust – yet these jobs are all key responsibilities in the national fight against the Covid-19 outbreak.
It is also unclear who identified the candidates as being suitable for the job and what the qualification criteria were.
DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS via Getty Images
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Jolyon Maugham QC, director of the Good Law Project, said: “The practice of allowing politicians to appoint their pals into prestigious public posts has gone on for far too long. The best way to secure the talented people we need to handle this national crisis is open competition. Instead appointments seem to be about who you know rather than what you know.
“We leave to others to judge whether making political appointments to Test and Trace has been good for the country. Our complaint is that it is unfair: unfair to those born without a silver spoon in their mouth. Unfair to those who don’t rub shoulders with high-ranking ministers. And unfair to groups who the data shows are shut out of public life. Were this any other country we’d call it what it is: cronyism.
“Virtually every week another job or public sector contract is handed to a friend of the Conservative Party behind closed doors. It’s unfair – and it shuts out much of the talent we need properly to handle the crisis.”
There appears to be a considerable amount of public support for this legal action against the government. A crowd fundraising effort towards litigation fees titled It’s Time For An End To Cronyism has achieved its £30,000 goal in just 24 hours.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “To build the biggest testing system per head of population of all the major countries in Europe as rapidly as we have, the skills and expertise of both public and private sector partners are required.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Simon McCoy Just Slipped An Incredible Pun On BBC News, But You May Not Have Even Noticed It

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BBC News’ Simon McCoy has once again raised a smile when we needed it most.
The newsreader slipped in an incredible – but also very subtle – pun as he informed viewers about an out-of-control metro train that careered off the rails but landed safely in a whale sculpture in the Netherlands on Monday.
He introduced images that showed the vehicle suspended in the whale’s tail in Rotterdam, several metres off the ground.
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As he went to move on to the next item, Simon then said in his typically dead-pan manner: “Latest pictures there from Dutch whale-ways.”
We all need a bit of a lift today...
...so here’s @BBCSimonMcCoy with another excellent one-liner pic.twitter.com/ZVtKX1qKTS — Scott Bryan (@scottygb) November 2, 2020
Incredible.
The company that operates the metro line said the driver was uninjured and there were no passengers on the train when it crashed through stop barriers at the end of the station in the town of Spijkenisse, on the southern edge of Rotterdam.
The whale's tail of a sculpture caught the front carriage of a metro train as it rammed through the end of an elevated section of rails ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Simon’s unique take on certain news stories have made headlines of their own on a number of occasions over the years.
Just last week, he made a savage dig at a family who had developed a Covid-friendly device to deliver sweets to Trick Or Treaters over Halloween.
In 2013, he reported on the upcoming birth of Prince George saying: “Plenty more to come from here... none of it news.”
Simon McCoy BBC
He also provided some first-rate dead-pan narration over footage from the World Dog Surfing Championships in California, which ended with him declaring: “That’s a shame, we have run out of pictures.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--MPs Will Get Vote On Whether To Extend Lockdown After December 2

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Boris Johnson has moved to quell a backbench Tory rebellion over new Covid curbs by offering MPs a vote on what happens when the second lockdown ends on December 2.
The prime minister confirmed on Saturday that England would go into a fresh national lockdown from Thursday, amid dire warnings from experts that case numbers were exploding and the NHS would run out of critical care beds by early December.
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But Conservative backbenchers, led by the chair of the powerful 1922 committee Graham Brady, are preparing to resist the move when the Commons votes on the lockdown on Wednesday, saying the restrictions are harming businesses and are an attack on individual liberties.
With Keir Starmer’s Labour backing Johnson’s month-long shutdown, the rebels are unlikely to defeat the government.
But now Johnson has offered MPs angry about the new lockdown an olive branch by guaranteeing a vote on what replaces the country-wide lockdown after December 2.
The government plans to return to the system of local lockdown, with different tiers 1, 2 and 3 deciding how onerous restrictions are, but Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said on Sunday that the blanket national lockdown could continue.
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Graham Brady, Chairman of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers leaves 10 Downing Street, London. PA Wire/PA Images
It is not yet clear whether the vote will be enough to satisfy rebels, which include many of the new Tory MPs from the so-called red wall in the north and Midlands.
Johnson is due to make a statement in the Commons on Monday afternoon, when he will underline to MPs the urgency of new measures and say he will “seek to ease” England back into the tiered system.
He will say: “Models of our scientists suggest that unless we act now, we could see deaths over the winter that are twice as bad or more compared with the first wave.
“Faced with these latest figures, there is no alternative but to take further action at a national level.
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“At the end of four weeks, on Wednesday, December 2, we will seek to ease restrictions, going back into the tiered system on a local and regional basis according to the latest data and trends.”
Brady had strong words for the PM on BBC Radio 4′s Westminster Hour on Sunday night, telling the broadcaster: “If these kinds of measures were being taken in any totalitarian country around the world, we would be denouncing it as a form of evil.”
It comes as former Brexit Party and Ukip leader Nigel Farage announced he was creating yet another new political party – Reform UK – that would be anti-lockdown.
Meanwhile, others have criticised the government for ignoring advice to introduce a “circuit breaker” lockdown earlier.
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) had advised the PM to bring in a two-week shutdown on October 23.
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During the second lockdown, all pubs, restaurants, hospitality venues and leisure facilities will close, but – unlike in March – schools, colleges and universities will stay open.
In what will be a relief for many workers, the furlough scheme, which sees the government pay 80% of lost wages, will be reactivated to run until December 2.
Johnson stressed that, during the month-long lockdown, people should only leave their home for education, work, to shop for essential items, recreation outdoors, for medical reasons or to escape harm.
The prime minister’s official spokesperson told a Westminster briefing on Monday: “Yes, these regulations will automatically expire ahead of December 2 and MPs will have a vote on the proposed way forward.”
He added: “As a matter of hard legal fact the regulations will expire on 0001 December 2 and MPs will get a vote on what replaces the regulations. The intention of the government is to go back into a tiered system which is based on a local and regional basis.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Why The US Election Polls Might Be Overstating Biden's Chances

Former Vice President and presidential nominee Joe Biden The Washington Post via Getty Images
The most nail-biting US presidential election in living memory is upon us. Many people are looking to the polls for clues on whether Trump or Biden will be victorious – but few know about prediction markets, which allow people to bet on the occurrence of events in the future: from the results of a football match to the outcome of an election.
Looking at the disparity between current polling data and what the prediction markets are saying, any politico worth their salt should take a look, or risk some nasty shocks on election night.
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I work for a markets-based prediction betting platform, Smarkets. £11m has already been placed on our “Next President” market by thousands of people, from ordinary punters to experts and insiders. This makes it a highly undervalued source of information, which gives a more complete picture than polls alone when predicting election results.
“The voter approached by a polling firm has nothing to lose, so could change their mind. In contrast, traders have skin in the game: if they make the wrong call, they stand to lose cold, hard cash.”
We compared the predictions from Nate Silver’s well-respected polling source FiveThirtyEight, with our equivalent prediction market. FiveThirtyEight gives the Democratic challenger Joe Biden an 89% chance of winning the election, with Donald Trump at just 10%.
The predictive markets are notably more cautious about Biden’s chances, with data suggesting Biden has just a 67% shot compared to Trump’s 33%.
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Looking at the likely winner in individual states, in North Carolina, FiveThirtyEight has Trump at 36% to win against Biden’s 64%, whereas Smarkets has the Democrats taking the state at 59%. FiveThirtyEight thinks Biden will just edge it in Georgia – whereas Smarkets thinks Trump is about 15 percentage points more likely to win.
It is clear that, although polls and markets agree Biden is the favourite, the markets see no room for complacency, and believe Trump is still very much in the race.
Polls still have their place in the debate, but prediction markets are a much more subtle tool for those who want to understand the full picture.
Polls are a snapshot of public voting intention at a particular moment in time. Most people the pollsters speak to have no special insights, other than knowing their own mind. In contrast, prediction markets are composed of a group of highly interested people trying to correctly forecast a result in real time, striving to keep up with the wealth of new information becoming available every day.
The voter approached by a polling firm has nothing to lose, so could change their mind, or give the pollster an answer they aren’t totally sure of. In contrast, traders have skin in the game: if they make the wrong call, they stand to lose cold, hard cash.
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“The current discrepancy between the polls and the markets suggests something may be off.”
While it is true that polls can sample a wider range of people than the self-selecting traders on political markets, and then weight the results to produce a balanced representation, incorrect weighting produces skewed results – as in 2016 when pollsters underestimated Trump’s support from blue collar voters.
We will soon discover whether they have been successful this time round, but the discrepancy between the polls and the markets suggests something may still be off.
That’s not to say polls are irrelevant, but they are just one source among many used by traders on betting exchanges, who evaluate and interrogate polls, rather than using them unquestioningly as many political pundits seem to.
Another weakness of polling data is that it only looks at voting intention, whereas market participants are also thinking about issues such as voter suppression, irregularity in counting, turnout, disqualification of postal votes and a candidate’s performance in debates. All these factors could affect the outcome of the election: many of those polled may not have their vote counted after all.
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But it’s a mistake to conflate market traders with traditional experts, much-maligned as an out of touch political class who consistently underestimate the underdog, from Corbyn to Farage. Prediction markets depend on the wisdom of crowds. The more individuals that participate, the more data there is, and the more effective the predictions.
Studies show that when a diverse group of people come up with an answer – about anything, from the weight of an ox, to the performance of stock markets – it is likely to be better than that of the smartest person in that group, or even a group of experts. Our market has many thousands of participants putting their money where their mouths are, from campaign insiders to everyday punters.
Perhaps the most valuable “lifeline” on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is to ask the audience. For anyone anxious about the result, it is well worth looking to the markets for an unorthodox view that just might prove accurate.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--People Banned From Leaving Wales While England Remains Under Lockdown

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International travel will not be permitted from Wales while the same restriction remains in force in England, Mark Drakeford has said.
People in England will also not be able to travel into Wales without a reasonable excuse during the month-long lockdown, the first minister said on Monday.
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Wales is due to lift its two-week circuit-breaker lockdown on November 9.
Announcing the measures that will replace it, Drakeford said: ’People who live in Wales but work in England will have a reasonable reason for travelling to work.
’People who live in England and work in Wales clearly have a reasonable excuse for coming across the border to work here.
’But it will be a restricted list of essential purposes, rather than the normal to-ing and fro-ing across the border that you would have seen in less fraught and difficult times.”
Announcing the international travel ban Drakeford said leaving Cardiff Airport open “would be a magnet to draw people from other parts of the United Kingdom into Wales at a point where we don’t want that to happen”.
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The new national measures in Wales include:
– The need to maintain two-metre social distancing and wear face masks in enclosed public places, including on public transport and taxis, will continue.
– The requirement to work from home whenever possible will remain.
– People should only meet with their “bubble” in their own home and only two households will be able to form a “bubble”. If one person from either household develops symptoms, everyone should immediately self-isolate.
– Up to 15 people can take part in an organised indoor activity and up to 30 in an organised activity outdoors, providing all social distancing, hand hygiene and other Covid-19 safety measures are followed.
– All premises, such as restaurants, cafes, pubs and gyms, closed during the fire-break will be able to reopen. Following the announcement about the English lockdown, ministers are having ongoing discussions with the hospitality sector about the detailed rules for reopening. This includes about meeting in public indoor spaces.
– As part of keeping risks to a minimum, people should avoid non-essential travel as much as possible. There will be no legal restrictions on travel within Wales for residents, but international travel should be for essential reasons only.
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Drakeford said the announcement of a second lockdown in England came as a “surprise”, with the Welsh government finding out about it through newspaper reports.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--The US Election Campaign In Less Than 20 Minutes

The US Election Campaign In Less Than 20 Minutes
That’s it, after months and months of rancorous campaigning, a global pandemic that’s hit America harder than most and more lies, mistruths and conspiracy theories than your average season of The X Files, we’re finally at the point where Americans vote who they want to be president. Here’s everything you need to know before the fateful vote.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--A Minute Of Kindness: Drag Race UK Star Turns Twitter Fight Into Fundraiser

A Minute Of Kindness: Drag Race UK Star Turns Twitter Fight Into Fundraiser
Drag Race UK star Crystal Will See You Now has turned a Twitter spat into a fundraiser for Colours Youth Network. When a social media argument escalated into a defamation case, there was a groundswell of support for Crystal’s legal fees and the performer used it as an opportunity to raise money for a charity that helps young LGBT+ people of colour.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Chrissy Teigen Reveals Tattoo Honoring Her Son Jack After Pregnancy Loss

“We never decide on our babies’ names until the last possible moment after they’re born, just before we leave the hospital. But we, for some reason, had started to call this little guy in my belly Jack,” Teigen wrote at the time. “So he will always be Jack to us. Jack worked so hard to be a part of our little family, and he will be, forever.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--5 Reasons The Second Lockdown Might Not Work

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A foreboding sense of deja vu descended across England over the weekend with the announcement of a second national lockdown in an attempt to get control of the coronavirus pandemic.
Although we’ve been here before, the prospect of being confined to our homes over winter with only outdoor walks for entertainment is somewhat bleaker than it was in sunny March. Some 750,000 people had lost their jobs during the pandemic as of August – they won’t be eligible for furlough even if they were first time around. And that’s to say nothing of the chaos wreaked on the businesses forced to shut down with just a few days’ notice during one of the busiest periods of the year.
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So the question everyone is asking is – will it work?
While it’s impossible to say for certain, there are a number of points that can be examined.
1) Are the the new lockdown restrictions the right ones?
The latest PHE data show that, of the top five locations where “outbreaks” of Covid occur, only two will be closed under the new restrictions – pubs and restaurants, which together account for 14.4% of transmission cases identified by NHS Test and Trace.
Supermarkets, and secondary and primary schools – which together account for 23.7% of outbreaks – will remain open.
Covid PHE PHE
2) Is the timing right?
Boris Johnson’s announcement of a national lockdown for England came over a month after experts – and Labour – called for a shorter two-week “circuit-breaker” intervention.
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Professor Andrew Hayward, who sits on the government’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group, said on Monday the earlier intervention would have saved “thousands of lives”.
He also said the move would have “inflicted substantially less damage” to the economy.
3) Is there public support?
Yes, but not at levels seen in March when the first lockdown was imposed. Back then, 93% of the public supported the measures – but this has dropped to 72%.
Support is highest among the over-65s and lowest among 18- to 24-year-olds.
Support in England for the new lockdown is lower than support for the original lockdown was in March:
All adults – 93% Mar ↘ 72% Nov
18-24 year olds – 88% Mar ↘ 59% Nov
65+ year old – 98% Mar ↘ 77% Novhttps://t.co/TYnlGCgFei pic.twitter.com/Ne0eoAIMKc — YouGov (@YouGov) November 1, 2020
4) Will it reduce infections?
Undoubtedly yes – with fewer situations in which people can pass on the disease, there will be fewer infections.
The crucial question – and the one we don’t know the answer to just yet – is by how much.
There is clear evidence that the first lockdown in March worked to reduce infection rates, halving them every eight to nine days.
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But this time around there are two indicators to suggest the effects of the lockdown will be limited.
Firstly, as mentioned above, is the fact that places where high levels of transmission occur such as schools and supermarkets, are to remain open.
The second is the timing. Modelling published last week of the effect of a two-week circuit breaker said “cooler temperatures and darker nights will lead to far more indoor mixing in the coming months, potentially increasing [the R rate] further”.
5) Will it reduce the death rate?
It’s far too early to tell, but what is certain is that any reduction in the death rate won’t be apparent for a number of weeks.
This is because of the time lag from when a person becomes infected to when they become ill enough to be admitted to hospital – and then, in the worst cases, die.
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This can be anywhere between two and eight weeks meaning daily reported deaths could still be increasing when the initial restrictions are up for review.
2) A very large number of deaths are already “baked in” now and we won’t see a change in death rate until early December. 800-2000 deaths a day by the end of Nov REGARDLESS — Dr Dominic Pimenta (@DrDomPimenta) November 1, 2020
The lockdown will then be eased on a regional basis according to the latest coronavirus case data at that time, the government hop.
The PM will use a statement in the Commons later on Monday to say that “we will seek” to ease restrictions back into the local tiered system next month.
And he will warn that Covid-19 deaths over the winter could be twice as high as during the first wave without the move, with several senior Conservatives likely to rebel against the government.
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And how does it compare to other UK countries?
Scotland will move to a new five-tier level of restrictions at 6am on Monday, as Nicola Sturgeon warned she would not hesitate to increase the level of protection either locally or nationally if required.
New national measures to help curb the spread of coronavirus in Wales when the 17-day firebreak expires on November 9 will be unveiled by First Minister Mark Drakeford on Monday.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Kate Garraway Moved To Tears As She Discusses Husband Speaking First Word In Seven Months

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Kate Garraway wiped away tears as she discussed her husband speaking his first word since being admitted to hospital with coronavirus seven months ago.
The Good Morning Britain presenter appeared on the ITV breakfast show as a guest on Monday to discuss the latest update on husband Derek Draper’s condition.
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Having previously revealed he mouthed the word “pain” as doctors moved his body while she watched over video call, Kate said she had been frightened that Derek could be “giving up” prior to the development.
Kate Garraway appeared on Monday's Good Morning Britain as a guest ITV
“It is a huge breakthrough. Even though it’s obviously heart-breaking… that he feels pain,” she said.
“What it means is that he has been able to connect a sensation in his body with his brain and connect that with his mouth to shape the word ‘pain’.
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“I believe he is in there, but it is a long way from being Derek with all his multiple words of many colours”.
‘I’m praying for a 2nd miracle and this could be it but we still don’t know.’@Kategarraway’s husband Derek has said his first word after being hospitalised with coronavirus for the past seven months.
We’re all with you Kate❤
Kate will join @lorraine at 9.10 this morning. pic.twitter.com/d27ufA8UVD — Good Morning Britain (@GMB) November 2, 2020
‘I was getting scared he might be giving up but it feels like a fight from him to utter the word pain.’ @Kategarraway tells @Piersmorgan and @susannareid100 how much her husband Derek speaking for the first time after 7 months in hospital means.
❤ pic.twitter.com/uxojxbZJm0 — Good Morning Britain (@GMB) November 2, 2020
Speaking to Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, Kate continued: “I was getting scared… I thought ‘If it’s hard for me, what is it like for him trapped in there?’
“I was getting scared whether he might be giving up.
“And so, it feels like a fight for him. He’s been able to fight out of this to utter the word ‘pain’.
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“But I’m trying to think of it as the first step, that’s he’s taken that feeling within him, he’s heard someone say ‘Let us know’ and … that is a sign, I’m hoping, of the beginning of the recovery.”
Later, she told ITV show Lorraine that Draper had drastically changed in appearance.
“He does look so different now,” she said. He has dropped “eight stone and is very weak and has also lost quite a lot of hair”.
Derek, a former lobbyist and political adviser, was placed in an induced coma after being admitted to hospital with Covid-19 in March.
Kate has shared regular updates on her husband’s health through social media and on Good Morning Britain during the last seven months.
The couple - who are both 53 – married in 2005 and have a 14-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son, Darcey and William.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Keir Starmer Blames Rishi Sunak For Decision To Reject Two-Week Lockdown

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Keir Starmer has pinned the blame on Rishi Sunak for blocking a two-week circuit-breaker lockdown in England – a decision one scientist who advises the government said cost “thousands of lives”.
“One of the things I’ve learnt from this crisis is that it exposes leadership like nothing else,” the Labour leader said on Monday morning
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“On that count, the prime minister and the chancellor have failed. They failed to learn. They failed to listen. And they failed to lead. The result is tragic – but all too predictable.”
And speaking to the business leaders at the CBI conference, Starmer added: “Make no mistake, the chancellor’s name is all over this.
“His decision to block a circuit-breaker, to dismiss it as a ‘blunt instrument’ and to pretend that you can protect the economy without controlling the virus, will now mean that businesses have to close for longer, more people will lose their jobs, and the public finances will be worse than they needed to be.”
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) recommended on September 21 that a shorter circuit-breaker lockdown was needed.
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Boris Johnson decided not to follow that advice and instead on October 12 announced a three-tier system of varying local lockdown restrictions.
The next day, after Sage’s advice became public, Starmer called for the government to impose a two-week national lockdown as Sage had suggested.
The prime minister resisted the demands and said as recently as October 21 that another national lockdown would be the “height of absurdity”.
But on Saturday Johnson U-turned and announced he would impose a four-week lockdown on England in an attempt to regain control of the virus.
Professor Andrew Hayward, who sits on the government’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag), said the decision to ignore Sage had led to dire consequences.
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“I think if we had chosen a two-week circuit-break at that time, we would definitely have saved thousands of lives,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme.
And he said it would have inflicted “substantially less damage on our economy” than the looming four-week shutdown.
Johnson will use a statement in the commons later on Monday to warn that Covid-19 deaths over the winter could be twice as high as during the first wave without his second lockdown and that there is “no alternative”.
But several senior Conservatives likely to rebel against the government when MPs are asked to vote on the plan later this week.
Graham Brady, the chair of the powerful 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs, told the BBC: “If these kinds of measures were being taken in any totalitarian country around the world we would be denouncing it as a form of evil.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Dutch Metro Careers Off Rails And Lands In Sculpture Of Whale's Tail

An out-of-control metro train miraculously avoided tragedy when it careered off the rails but landed safely in a whale sculpture in Rotterdam.
Images broadcast on Dutch media on Monday showed the vehicle suspended in the whale’s tail, several metres off the ground.
The company that operates the metro line said the driver was uninjured and there were no passengers on the train when it crashed through stop barriers at the end of the station in the town of Spijkenisse, on the southern edge of Rotterdam.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--7 Things Parents Need To Know About The Second Lockdown

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We’re here again. Just as parents breathed a collective sigh of relief for getting through half term, a second national lockdown is upon us.
It’ll be different from the first lockdown, of course, with the government seemingly determined to keep schools open this time around. But there are still new rules to navigate, as well as dark evenings and weekends to fill.
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Got questions about how it’ll work? Here are seven things you need to know.
Babies and pre-school children are exempt from the two-person rule
Following widespread concern that new parents would be isolated once more by the second national lockdown, health minister Nadine Dorries confirmed that children younger than school age will not be counted within the two person meeting rule. This means a parent with a young child is able to meet a friend or family member outside, without breaking any rules.
Over school age, those dependent on round-the-clock care, such as children with severe disabilities, will also not count towards the limit on two people meeting outside.
You can form a ‘childcare bubble’ with another household
Since the first national lockdown, the government has introduced “childcare bubbles’, which allow parents to form a bubble with another household for the purposes of informal childcare, where the child is 13 or under.
This essentially works in the same way as a support bubble, where people who live alone are allowed to join with another household. If family – such as grandparents – are required to help with childcare, you can form a bubble, but you can’t form multiple bubbles.
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There are more options for single parents
If you’re a single parent living with children who are under 18, you can now form a support bubble with another household other than the one that includes your child’s other parent.
If you co-parent, your child can go between both parent’s houses, just like the first national lockdown.
After-school clubs are likely to stop
After-school clubs have already been limited during the pandemic and the government says it’ll be updating its guidance on them shortly to reflect the latest lockdown announcement.
However, it has already confirmed that “most youth clubs and groups will need to cease for this period”. So what does this mean for the parents who rely on them?
The government has already confirmed that parents will still be able to access some registered childcare and other childcare activities “where reasonably necessary to enable parents to work, or for the purposes of respite care”.
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University students shouldn’t return home
If you’ve got older children at university, you’ll probably be tempted to bring them home for lockdown, but the government has requested you do not do this.
It states students must not move back and forward between two addresses during term time. It says students should only return home at the end of term for Christmas and it will be publishing further guidance on how to do this at the end of term.
Joe Wicks (and others!) may be back
Joe Wicks previously promised he’ll bring back ‘PE with Joe’ if we enter a second national lockdown – we’re not sure if this will still go ahead as schools are staying open. Keep an eye on his YouTube channel for updates.
Meanwhile, the Natural History Museum has a published range of nature-themed activities and crafts kids can do in and around your home. BookTrust has a range of free online books, videos and games. If you’ve got a budding illustrator in the family, they can learn how to draw their favourite character.
Read our guide on easy ways to entertain children at home from the first lockdown if you’re looking for ways to occupy little ones. You may also feel inspired by these tips and lessons learned by parents around the world this spring.
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Emotional support is out there
There are a number of organisations sharing resources for parents to try to make this difficult time that little bit easier.
NSPCC, for example, has published a series of guides for parents on everything from working from home with your kids to supporting children with anxiety due to coronavirus. The NSPCC advice line – 0808 800 5000 – is also open to parents who wish to talk to someone for support. You can also access mental health support via the charities listed below.
Useful websites and helplines
Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Mariah Carey Decrees The Festive Season Has Begun, So We Suppose The Festive Season Has Begun

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Everyone knows at this point that it’s not the start of the Christmas season until Mariah Carey says it is.
Well, excitingly, Mariah Carey says it is.
In the lead-up to Halloween, Mimi responded to one fan who pointed out there’d already been a surge in searches for her seminal festive hit All I Want Christmas Is You, tweeting simply: “Not yet.”
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Just a few days later, though, and Mariah decreed that the festive season had officially started with a suitably ridiculous video posted on her Twitter page.
The short clip showed a creepy masked figure opening a dar marked “not yet” (you see what she did there?), only to reveal Mariah sitting in a winter wonderland on the other side, surrounded by Christmas trees and fake snow.
“It’s tiiiiime,” the music legend then announced, jingling some bells to give everyone the full effect.
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Let’s face it, even if it does feel a little early to be breaking the decorations out, we could probably all do with some festive cheer now more than ever, right?
If all of that wasn’t camp enough, days prior to her Christmassy post, Mariah took part in a sketch for Bette Midler’s virtual Halloween fundraiser, which saw the Oscar-winning star reprising her iconic role from the cult film Hocus Pocus.
In the scene, Mariah opens the door to a trick-or-treating Sanderson sister, only to tell her: “I got news for you, girl. Halloween’s nearly over. So scat! It’s my turn now… get out!”
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While Mariah is not exactly one for taking an understated approach at the best of times, the festive season is the time she’s known for getting really extra, famously appearing in a totally over-the-top Christmas ad for Walkers crisps in 2019.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--RuPaul Drops Very Exciting Drag Race UK Series 2 Update

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The BBC has announced that the second series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is officially on its way, after the coronavirus pandemic briefly threw plans into chaos.
Drag Race UK was halfway through filming when the country went into lockdown in March, meaning production had to be put on ice.
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However, it’s now been announced that the reality show will be back on our screens in “early 2021” – with 12 queens vying for the crown, an increase on the 10 who competed in the first series.
The BBC also revealed Drag Race UK has been already commissioned for a third season too, with applications for the show currently being accepted.
Category is…..UPLIFTING NEWS! Series two of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is on its way and the doors are open for series three casting: https://t.co/TDhrgUCeKn pic.twitter.com/I90O2ygW7G — BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) November 2, 2020
In a statement, RuPaul said: “Looking forward to better days! I’m happy to announce the triumphant return of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Early in 2021, season two will arrive with all the hope, joy, laughter and glitter you’ve come to expect from our brilliant queens.
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“We’re also currently casting season three with the best and the brightest Great Britain has to offer. We feel honored that you’ve embraced our little show, and our only wish is that we can offer a smile at a time when we can all use it the most.”
Drag Race series two will see RuPaul back as host and lead judge, alongside returning stars Michelle Visage, Graham Norton and Alan Carr.
The team of RuPaul's Drag Race UK BBC
Teasing last month that production was set to resume, Alan said: “I’m filming [Drag Race] in a fortnight’s time, so that will be nice to just get that finished.
It’s also good for some of the drag queens who maybe their sewing wasn’t that good – because in the lockdown, if they’ve got any sense, they’d be on that sewing machine, with that pedal down! No excuse.”
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For anyone who fancies themselves as the UK’s next Drag Race superstar, you can apply to take part in series three on the show’s official website – but you’ll have to get in there quickly, as the deadline for applications is 14 November.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Strictly Was The Perfect Antidote To The Latest Lockdown News – Relive Week 2 In The Ballroom

Strictly Was The Perfect Antidote To The Latest Lockdown News – Relive Week 2 In The Ballroom
Halloween Week might have been cancelled, but there was still plenty of drama and surprises in the Strictly ballroom this weekend.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Piers Morgan And Susanna Reid Tear Into 'Dithering' Boris Johnson Over 'Delayed' Lockdown Plans

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Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid pulled no punches as they questioned why Boris Johnson waited so long to reintroduce lockdown measures in England.
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However, speaking about the new measures during Monday’s edition of Good Morning Britain, both Piers and Susanna felt that the prime minister could have acted more quickly, and shut things down sooner.
Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain ITV
Piers explained: “The prime minister of this country mocked the leader of the opposition for saying we should have a two or three-week circuit breaker. Which is what the Sage (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) advisory committee – the group of experts… recommended back at the end of September.
“The prime minister, who follows the science, ignored the science. And the big question now is, how many people are going to die now, in the next few weeks, again, unnecessarily, because this prime minister dithered and delayed and got torn [between] all sides of this debate and couldn’t make a damn decision.”
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Boris Johnson WPA Pool via Getty Images
Susanna then interjected: “And how much damage is going to be done, because Sage scientists had suggested a couple of weeks’ circuit-breaker, we now know it’s going to be at least four weeks.
“But we don’t even… I mean, Boris Johnson said that Keir Starmer didn’t have a plan for getting out of lockdown, we don’t know what Boris Johnson’s plan for getting out of the lockdown [is].
“Boris Johnson hasn’t got a plan for what day it is,” Piers concluded.
‘How many people are going to die in the next few weeks unnecessarily because this Prime Minister dithered and delayed?’@Piersmorgan and @Susannareid100 question why Boris Johnson ignored the science at the end of September for a 2-3 week circuit-breaker lockdown. pic.twitter.com/KpHBcQOyzJ — Good Morning Britain (@GMB) November 2, 2020
In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, the Good Morning Britain team won praise for the way in which government officials were held to account on the show.
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However, Piers later claimed that ministers had been banned from appearing on GMB due to his interviewing technique.
While Piers has been severely critical of the current government, he did vote for Boris Johnson in the general election last year, saying he felt that the Conservatives were most likely to deliver Brexit.
“I voted for Boris Johnson and the Conservative Party,” he told LBC. “Not from any great love of either, but because, as I have made clear on Good Morning Britain for the last three years, I was incensed by the failure to honour the result of the referendum.
“I voted to Remain and I would vote to Remain again. I’m not a great fan of Brexit. However, I’m a much bigger fan of democracy. And to me, Boris Johnson was the only major party candidate who was offering to honour democracy and to respect the fact that 17.4million people had voted to leave the European Union.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Johnny Depp Loses High Court Libel Case Against The Sun

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Johnny Depp has lost his High Court libel case against The Sun’s publisher, News Group Newspapers.
The Hollywood actor launched legal action against NGN and The Sun’s executive editor Dan Wootton over an article published in April 2018, which referred to “overwhelming evidence” that he attacked ex-wife Amber Heard during their relationship. Depp has always denied the allegations.
The verdict was returned at the High Court on Monday, after a three-week trial in July, during which Depp and Heard both gave evidence.
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Johnny Depp pictured outside the High Court earlier this year Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment
In his ruling, Mr Justice Nicol dismissed the Pirates Of The Caribbean star’s claim, saying NGN had proved what was in the article to be “substantially true”.
The judge said: “The claimant has not succeeded in his action for libel.
“Although he has proved the necessary elements of his cause of action in libel, the defendants have shown that what they published in the meaning which I have held the words to bear was substantially true.
“I have reached these conclusions having examined in detail the 14 incidents on which the defendants rely, as well as the overarching considerations which the claimant submitted I should take into account.”
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During the case – which has been referred to as the biggest English libel trial of the 21st century – NGN’s defence relied on evidence of 14 alleged incidents of domestic violence by Depp towards Heard.
NGN defended The Sun’s article as true and claimed Depp was “controlling and verbally and physically abusive towards Heard, particularly when he was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs” between early 2013 and May 2016, when the couple split.
Mr Justice Nicol found that 12 of the 14 alleged incidents of domestic violence did occur.
He said he was “not persuaded” that an alleged “incident of violence” in Los Angeles in December 2014 “constituted a physical assault of Ms Heard by Mr Depp”.
Amber Heard pictured outside the High Court in July Empics Entertainment
Mr Justice Nicol also said that he could not rule that an alleged incident in LA in November 2015 had been proven because it was not put to Mr Depp in cross-examination.
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However, he found 12 other incidents of domestic violence by Mr Depp had occurred.
The actor denied having been violent to Heard during their relationship.
During the trial, the court heard evidence from both Depp and Heard, along with friends and relatives of the couple, and several former and current employees.
Depp spent around 20 hours in the witness box over five days, facing intense questioning about his Hollywood lifestyle, his use of drink and drugs, allegations of violence, and his friendships.
Following the verdict, a spokesperson for The Sun said: “The Sun has stood up and campaigned for the victims of domestic abuse for over 20 years.
“Domestic abuse victims must never be silenced and we thank the judge for his careful consideration and thank Amber Heard for her courage in giving evidence to the court.”
In a statement after the ruling, Mr Depp’s solicitor, Jenny Afia, from Schillings law firm, indicated Depp will appeal the ruling.
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“This decision is as perverse as it is bewildering,” she said. “Most troubling is the judge’s reliance on the testimony of Amber Heard, and corresponding disregard of the mountain of counter-evidence from police officers, medical practitioners, her own former assistant, other unchallenged witnesses and an array of documentary evidence which completely undermined the allegations, point by point.
“All of this was overlooked. The judgment is so flawed that it would be ridiculous for Mr Depp not to appeal this decision.”
In a statement, Amber Heard’s US lawyer Elaine Charlson Bredehoft said the actress’s legal team would be presenting more evidence in a separate libel action launched by Depp against Heard herself over a Washington Post opinion piece.
Bredehoft said: “For those of us present for the London High Court trial, this decision and judgment are not a surprise.
“Very soon, we will be presenting even more voluminous evidence in the US.
“We are committed to obtaining justice for Amber Heard in the US court and defending Ms Heard’s right to free speech.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Strictly Come Dancing's Max George Isn't Convincing Anyone That He's Excited For His Movie Week Tran

Strictly Come Dancing's Max George Isn't Convincing Anyone That He's Excited For His Movie Week Transformation

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Max George can sing, and now he can dance, but it looks like he’s still got some work to do on his acting skills.
The former Wanted singer didn’t convince anyone he was excited at the prospect of his transformation of Strictly Come Dancing’s upcoming Movie Week.
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Sunday night’s results show saw Max’s partner Dianne Buswell reveal they would be transforming into The Simpsons to perform a routine inspired by the film next week.
Max George's face said it all as he was told he'd be transformed into Homer Simpson on Strictly's Movie Week BBC
After being prompted by host Claudia Winkleman, Dianne said: “You are the one and only Homer Simpson next week, and I am Marge.
“You are welcome by the way.”
“Do you love The Simpsons?” Claudia asked.
“Love it, especially Homer,” a less than convincing Max replied.
Fans also noticed the look on his face, causing a few laughs over on Twitter...
I love that Max couldn’t even be bothered to pretend to be excited about having to dress up as Homer Simpson #Strictly — Tom #blacklivesmatter (@tomilo) November 1, 2020
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Max when he found out he’s gonna be Homer Simpson next week #Strictly pic.twitter.com/dPrMDZGKlc — Catt (@cattbutt) November 1, 2020
Max absolutely hating the fact he will be Homer Simpson <3 #SCD #Strictly — Jen (@jenpi1) November 1, 2020
Max later joined in with the banter, retweeting a joke about his reaction, along with some laughing emojis.
Meanwhile, Sunday night’s results show also saw the first couple eliminated from the competition.
Former home secretary Jacqui Smith and partner Anton Du Beke were given the boot after landing in the dreaded dance off with Jamie Laing and Karen Hauer.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Prince William 'Had Coronavirus In April – But Kept It Secret'

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The Duke of Cambridge tested positive for coronavirus in April, it has emerged.
The Sun newspaper said William continued with his telephone and video engagements, and told one observer he had not wanted to worry anyone.
When contacted on Sunday, Kensington Palace declined to comment but did not deny the report.
According to The Sun, William said he did not tell anyone about his positive test result because “there were important things going on and I didn’t want to worry anyone” and he was “determined it should be business as usual”.
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The Duke of Cambridge speaking via videolink as he officially opened the NHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham, in April. It has since emerged he was battling coronavirus at the time PA
Prime Minister Boris Johnson was being treated in intensive care in a London hospital in April after contracting coronavirus, last night praising the team at St Thomas’ Hospital who saved his life, while the Prince of Wales was in quarantine in March.
The newspaper said William was treated by palace doctors and followed government guidelines by isolating at the family home Anmer Hall, in Norfolk, carrying out 14 telephone and video call engagements during April.
It was unclear last night why Kensington Palace would have kept secret a positive test by William, as information was given about the Prince of Wales.
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The fact he continued with his engagements suggests any symptoms would have been mild.
One royal commentator suggested the secrecy “raises serious questions about whether we can trust anything he or his advisors say.”
If the future King contracts a potentially fatal virus that the entire world is worried about during a lockdown and he and those around him cover it up, that raises serious questions about whether we can trust anything he or his advisers say. — Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) November 1, 2020
He’s not the king yet. I think he showed great leadership by trying to keep the country calm. Very disappointed to see you take this position. — Libby (a deformed bear) (@Libby92Lara) November 2, 2020
So when Prince William opened the NHS Nightingale hospital in Birmingham on 16 April (virtually from Norfolk) - he had #coronavirus. @TheSun revealed this astonishing revelation tonight but we are told Prince William decided not to go public so as not to cause any further alarm pic.twitter.com/z0Tvm2vhSW — Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) November 1, 2020
But others leapt to his defence, praising him for dealing with the matter privately and showed “great leadership by trying to keep the country calm.”
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Charles quarantined with mild symptoms separately from the Duchess of Cornwall – who tested negative and self-isolated for 14 days – and worked throughout at the couple’s Scottish retreat Birkhall in Aberdeenshire.
The royal couple reunited in early April just days before their 15th wedding anniversary.
In his first public engagement after recovering from mild symptoms, Charles revealed he lost his sense of taste and smell when he had coronavirus.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Prince William Contracted Covid-19 In April: Reports

“I think the hardest thing he found was having to stop, and not be able to go and get fresh air and go for a walk,” the Duke of Cambridge said. “He’s a mad walker, he loves walking. He found it quite difficult with his mental health not being able to go outside on walks.”
A representative of the Duke of Cambridge did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Ant And Dec Finally Take On Their Own Bushtucker Trial: 'It Was As Hideous As We Thought'

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They have spent the last two decades laughing as other stars have taken on Bushtucker Trials on I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! but finally, Ant and Dec have been subjected to their own.
And from the look of a number of pictures from the challenge, it looks like the producers gave them a rough ride for having avoided it for so long.
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Ant and Dec have finally faced a Bushtucker Trial ITV
The pair filmed the trial as part of an upcoming highlights episode celebrating 19 series of the ITV reality show, which is set to air on Sunday.
It will see them take part in a number of gruesome elements, including having their heads encased in a perspex dome filled with jungle critters.
Dec had his head encased in a dome full of critters ITV
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The first look pictures also reveal they will be sampling a number of nasties in an eating challenge.
The segment is fronted by former Extra Camp presenter Joel Dommett, who was subjected to many trials himself when he was a contestant on the show in 2016.
The presenters will also take part in an eating challenge ITV
Ant and Dec revealed they’d done the challenge in a tweet on Sunday night, and said the experience was everything they feared it would be.
They wrote: “Well, we did it. We finally got talked into doing a #BushtuckerTrial. Don’t ask how but rest assured it was as hideous as we thought!”
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Ant was also slimed as part of the challenge ITV
The new series of I’m A Celebrity is set to kick off later this month, moving from its usual setting in the Australian outback to a creepy castle in north Wales due to the pandemic.
The contestants will still take part in the familiar tasks and trials fans are used to, but will be competing to be crowned the King or Queen of the Castle, rather than the Jungle.
Last month, a spokesperson for Gwrych Castle insisted the show would not be affected by the current lockdown in Wales, which is due to end on 9 November.
Among those rumoured to be taking part include former Strictly Come Dancing professional AJ Pritchard, EastEnders star Jessica Plummer, TV presenter Vernon Kay and Coronation Street star Beverly Callard.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Nigel Farage Accused Of 'Shameless Opportunism' Over Launch Of Anti-Lockdown Party

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Nigel Farage is to launch a new anti-lockdown party that advocates the controversial and unproven “herd immunity” approach to tackling the coronavirus pandemic.
His Brexit Party has applied to the Electoral Commission to change its name to Reform UK, and will seek to attract voters unhappy with government restrictions put in place to help curb the spread of coronavirus.
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Labour MP David Lammy accused Farage of being a “shameless opportunist” and said the former Ukip leader “seeks votes risking lives by opposing public health measures in a pandemic”.
The new party will back a policy of focused protection from the coronavirus for only the most vulnerable, and allow the rest of the population to develop herd immunity, Farage and party Chairman Richard Tice wrote in an opinion piece in The Telegraph on Sunday.
Nice to see Nigel Farage getting involved in something that isn't tainted by any suggestion of opportunism — Frankie Boyle (@frankieboyle) November 1, 2020
This is the approach outlined in so-called The Great Barrington Declaration which has been dismissed by the both the government and the majority of the scientific community as “flawed” and a “dangerous fallacy unsupported by the scientific evidence”.
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Herd immunity against a disease has never been achieved without a vaccine.
Despite this, calls for the herd immunity and Focused Protection approach have continued and have even made their way to the upper echelons of the White House.
Labour’s Lammy has led criticism of the move, while others have pointed to how the party could potentially influence some Tory MPs.
Nigel Farage’s EU salary ran out, Trump is unlikely to remain President & it’s too cold to shout at refugees from Dover.
So now he seeks votes risking lives by opposing public health measures in a pandemic.
There has never been a more shameless opportunist in British politics. https://t.co/15Pniuf9ft — David Lammy (@DavidLammy) November 2, 2020
Presume it’ll do what all Farage ventures do; fail to win anything but give him a platform & panic some Tories into bad decisions, before moving swiftly on & leaving everyone else to deal with the consequences https://t.co/bCtSh3Sv4U — gabyhinsliff (@gabyhinsliff) November 1, 2020
Some people want to alleviate poverty, some people want to campaign equality. Nigel Farage wants to fight for the right to let his own demographic to die horribly and alone. https://t.co/bgNnAyp6qg — James Felton (@JimMFelton) November 1, 2020
I see Farage has set up a new party dedicated to killing the people who supported the last one. https://t.co/RPFeV7vOvm — Sam Freedman (@Samfr) November 1, 2020
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The party contested 275 seats and took 2% of votes but did not succeed in electing an MP in the 2019 general election.
It will now broaden its agenda to include coronavirus and seek “reform” in other areas.
Party leader Nigel Farage said: “As promised, we continue to keep a very close eye on the government’s trade negotiations with the EU, to ensure a proper Brexit.
“Further reform in many other areas is also vital for our nation’s future.”
Chairman Richard Tice added: “The need for major reform in the UK is clearer now than ever.
“A new approach is essential, so that government works for the people, not for itself. The most urgent issue is a new coronavirus strategy, so that we learn to live with it, not hide in fear of it.”
Farage said in December that the party could become the “reform party” if the UK leaves the EU on January 31.
He revealed he had already registered the name as he added it would “have to campaign to change politics for good”.
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On Saturday Boris Johnson ordered England back into a lockdown after the UK passed the milestone of 1 million Covid-19 cases and a second wave of infections threatened to overwhelm the health service.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--US 'Could Not Be Positioned More Poorly' On Covid-19, Says Anthony Fauci

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America’s top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, painted a grim future in a bombshell interview on Covid-19 with The Washington Post Saturday, warning that the nation “could not be positioned more poorly” to battle the pandemic.
“We’re in for a whole lot of hurt. It’s not a good situation,” said the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
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“All the stars are aligned in the wrong place as you go into the fall and winter season, with people congregating at home indoors,” Fauci added. “You could not possibly be positioned more poorly.”
Fauci praised Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden for taking Covid-19 “seriously from a public health perspective.” President Donald Trump, on the other hand, is focused on the “economy and opening businesses,” he said.
Fauci called for the government to make an “abrupt change” in addressing the danger. He warned that Covid-19 cases in the US could hit 100,000 each day — just as the nation hit that record on Saturday.
The dire warnings were a dramatic contrast to Trump’s repeated claims that the country is turning the corner on the pandemic, and that Covid-19 will “go away.”
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Trump has claimed that the “fake news” focus on “cases, cases, cases” is a plot to stoke fear to hurt his presidential campaign and that Covid-19 reporting will stop after Election Day. In reality, nearly a quarter of a million Americans have died of Covid-19, and that trend will likely continue without massive intervention.
Fauci complained that the “public health aspect” of the White House coronavirus task force has “diminished greatly.”
He also attacked Trump’s new health adviser, Scott Atlas, who supports allowing the coronavirus to spread among the young and the healthy.”
“I have real problems with that guy,” Fauci said. He’s “talking about things that I believe he doesn’t have any real insight or knowledge or experience in. He keeps talking about things that .... [don’t] make any sense.”
White House spokesman Judd Deere angrily insisted to the Post in response to the interview that Fauci “knows the risks [from the coronavirus] today are dramatically lower than they were only a few months ago.” He added that the president has “always put the well-being of the American people first.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Trump Promotes Political Violence In Defence Of Supporters Who Swarmed Biden Bus

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US President Donald Trump openly promoted people carrying out political violence on his behalf Sunday ― two days before the election ― in comments defending his supporters in Texas who dangerously swarmed a campaign bus for Democratic opponent Joe Biden.
The president tweeted Sunday evening in response to reports that the FBI has launched an investigation into an incident Friday where a caravan of Trump supporters surrounded a Biden campaign bus in Texas, nearly driving it off the stretch of highway between Austin and San Antonio.
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Trump’s Justice Department has brought hundreds of cases against defendants in civil unrest cases nationwide since May when the number of anti-racism protests skyrocketed. The Associated Press reviewed thousands of pages of court files and found that very few of those charged in the cases appear to be related to radical organisations, as Trump alleges.
The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment on Trump’s tweet. The former vice president addressed the bus incident earlier on Sunday, as well as other incidents of Trump caravans intimidating neighbourhoods and blocking highways.
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“We’ve never had anything like this ― at least we’ve never had a president who thinks it’s a good thing,” Biden told reporters in Philadelphia. “Folks, that’s not who we are. We are so much better than this.”
This is a traffic violation and attempted homicide. Why hasn’t anyone been arrested? pic.twitter.com/QnfF4vXMQn — melissa “cancel student debt” byrne (@mcbyrne) October 31, 2020
A Biden campaign official told CNN that the Trump supporters cut off the bus and forced it to reduce its speed to 25 mph, and campaign staffers on the bus allegedly called 911 in response to the situation. Biden’s campaign and state Democrats cancelled multiple Texas events following the swarm.
When asked about the video on Sunday, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said that Trump would not endorse “hurting other people.” But just one day earlier, the president tweeted a video of the incident with the caption: “I LOVE TEXAS!” He also glorified the swarming at a rally in Pennsylvania.
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At a rally in Michigan earlier on Sunday, Trump mockingly claimed that those supporters were “protecting” the campaign bus “because they’re nice.” The remarks led to cheers, laughter and applause from attendees.
Since Trump’s tweet on Sunday defending his supporters, the Texas Department of Public Safety opened its own investigation into the bus incident, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The announcement came after at least one state representative called on the agency to investigate.
BREAKING: The Texas Department of Public Safety has now opened an investigation into the incident involving the Biden bus caravan. No other information is available, officials said. — Tony Plohetski (@tplohetski) November 2, 2020
While not isolated, it is significant that the president ― who brags about being the “law and order” candidate ― is encouraging his supporters to endanger the lives of his political opponents two days before Americans finish casting their ballots.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Nikki McKibbin, American Idol Season 1 Contestant, Dies Aged 42

Nikki McKibbin during American Idol Season 1 finale. Gregg DeGuire via Getty Images
Nikki McKibbin, an American Idol contestant who finished third on the reality competition series’ debut season, has died at age 42.
The singer-songwriter’s husband, Craig Sadler, announced the news in an emotional Facebook post on Saturday, referring to Nikki by her married name. He said she suffered a brain aneurysm earlier in the week and was on life support until early Sunday morning.
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“Many of you already know something is wrong. The love of my life Nikki Sadler suffered an aneurysm on Wednesday,” he wrote. “She was so loved that I know thousands of you will be grieving with us.”
Nikki appeared on American Idol in 2002 and placed behind Justin Guarini and Kelly Clarkson, who went onto win the competition.
She’s perhaps best remembered on the show for her renditions of songs by female rock singers such as Alanis Morissette, Janis Joplin and Melissa Etheridge. Her performance of Alannah Myles’ song Black Velvet in the season one finale ranked as her most beloved by fans.
Nikki McKibbin (from left), Justin Guarini and Kelly Clarkson on American Idol in 2002. Kevin Winter via Getty Images
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Justin Guarini posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram Saturday and described Nikki as a “fiery, funny lady who could sing the hell out of a rock song.”
“Even in our 20’s when we were on American Idol together I could tell that she’d had a challenging life, and that not that many people had been kind to her along the way,” Guarini wrote. “But I’ll never forget the day that her idol, Stevie Nicks, sent her flowers with a card that said, ‘You are the Gypsy that I was. ...’ Nikki was on cloud nine and the joy and excitement that radiated from her was infectious.”
He added: “Rest well, ‘Gypsy’ ... and thank you for the laughter, merciless teasing, strength, vulnerability, love and friendship you showed me during our time together in the spotlight.”
American Idol also paid tribute to Nikki on Twitter on Sunday.
“Nikki McKibbin was an incredible talent, and we are deeply saddened by the news of her passing,” the statement read. “She was part of our American Idol family and will be truly missed. Our hearts and prayers go out to her family and friends during this difficult time.”
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Prior to American Idol, the native of Grand Prairie, Texas, appeared on the first season of The WB’s series Popstars in 2001, competing to join the girl group Eden’s Crush.
Her career stalled after Idol when she clashed with Sony Music’s RCA record label about the direction of her debut album, which wasn’t released until 2007.
The following year, she appeared on Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew, seeking treatment for cocaine and alcohol addiction, Variety reported. She was also a cast member on the spinoff series, Celebrity Rehab Presents Sober House, and later made guest appearances on shows including Fear Factor and Battle of the Network Reality Stars.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--This Is How It Feels To Be 'Cut Adrift' After IVF, Say Women

HuffPost UK
“When it worked, it was honestly one of the happiest days of my life, says Lauren Fennemore, 31, who’s in her third trimester of pregnancy after two failed rounds of IVF. “But quite instantly you feel the fear. Automatically, you realise there’s something you can lose. It’s two very different emotions all at once.”
Fennemore, from Walton-on-Thames, had been trying to conceive for four years before she saw a positive pregnancy test result. She continues to worry that something may go wrong – “that weight has still not completely lifted from me” – but hasn’t been offered any mental health support throughout her pregnancy.
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“There was really good support available to me when I didn’t get pregnant,” says Fennemore, who was signposted towards therapy after her first failed round of IVF. “But when I did get pregnant, that was the end of my contact with the clinic.”
Her experience is common among women who become pregnant following fertility treatment. In a new survey of patients, a staggering 69% said they received no further support from their fertility clinic once pregnant.
The poll, which surveyed 456 fertility patients in the UK, also found that among those that did receive support, 83% said this was only in the first trimester, with typical support including an additional scan at around seven weeks or a counselling session that often entailed an additional fee.
Lauren Fennemore Lauren Fennemore
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The survey was conducted by Cat Strawbridge, a fertility blogger and host of the Finally Pregnant podcast, who experienced this lack of support herself.
Strawbridge spent seven years trying to conceive, with multiple rounds of IVF and pregnancy loss, before she fell pregnant with her daughter, Wren, who’s now 17 months old.
She was filled with anxiety throughout the pregnancy, and the support she’d received from her fertility clinic dried up once she’d had a positive test result.
“Being finally pregnant after my fourth round of IVF was amazing, and yet incredibly difficult,” she tells HuffPost UK. “I was extremely anxious and worried.”
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Strawbridge and her husband had already spent £40,000 on fertility treatment, but then found themselves spending hundreds of pounds more on private scans, in an attempt to ease some of the worry.
“For those who have gone through fertility treatment, and potentially the trauma of loss, it is an excruciating time,” says Strawbridge. “What I really needed was emotional support, and to talk to people who understood what I was going through.”
The survey comes at the same time as Fertility Week, which aims to raise awareness of the fertility issues that one in six UK couples now face. The results, says Strawbridge, highlight how much more needs to be done to support patients at all stages of their fertility journey.
Cat Strawbridge Cat Strawbridge
“At the start of fertility treatment, clinics are right by your side to guide you through the multiple appointments and procedures,” she explains. “Once you are pregnant, however, this quickly stops and for a majority of patients it feels like they’re suddenly cut adrift with no clue of where to turn.”
This was also the experience of Vanessa Haye, 33, from Leicester, who had a miscarriage following her first cycle of IVF. When she fell pregnant again from her second cycle, she was dissuaded from therapy.
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At her six-week scan, she was asked if she’d like any further support from the clinic. Feeling anxious, Haye immediately said ‘yes’.
But she says she was then asked: “Are you sure? Because our clinic counsellor is very busy at the moment, so only say yes if you really need it.” Feeling guilty, she told the nurse not to worry about it.
Her next appointment was with her NHS midwife at eight weeks. “I remember her specifically saying: ‘I can see this was an IVF pregnancy, but we’re going to treat it as a normal pregnancy now,’” Haye recalls. “It just felt very dismissive. It was horrible, it wasn’t nice.”
Vanessa Haye Vanessa Haye
There’s a toxic misconception that “being pregnant is the goal” for women, adds Haye, and that once this is “achieved”, past trauma is erased. The reality is much different. One study found that 50% of women who undergo fertility treatment experience PTSD.
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“I didn’t see the 12-week point as the ‘out of the woods’ marker,” says Haye. “For me, it was like anything could happen at any point. From what you go through when it comes to IVF, you just don’t have that luxury of feeling free. I lived nine months of worry.”
Haye gave birth to her son Sebastian in 2018 and had a happy surprise when she fell pregnant naturally in 2019. Again, she says she was offered no additional support during this third pregnancy. Sadly, she later discovered this was an ectopic pregnancy.
Haye, Strawbridge and Fennemore each engaged with the infertility community on social media before conceiving, using the hashtag #TTC, which stands for “trying to conceive”. Couples surveyed revealed it’s common to feel isolated after falling pregnant, because many instinctively retreat from #TTC circles.
Fennemore sought comfort by using the hashtag throughout her IVF and says every post received a surge of kind words and support. But she withdrew from the community once falling pregnant, particularly during her first and second trimester.
“I wasn’t sharing in the way I had done previously during treatment, because I didn’t want to upset people,” she says. “You do lose a lot of the connection and support that’s there.”
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It’s because of this dual isolation – both from the #TTC community and from fertility clinics – that a new system is needed, argues Strawbridge.
After her own experience, she founded The Hang Out to provide peer-to-peer
support for couples who are pregnant or parenting after infertility and loss. She is now calling on fertility clinics to extend the support they provide for patients.
“The trauma of pregnancy loss and fertility treatment is something many of us carry inside for a lifetime,” she says. “And it can have a huge impact on our mental wellbeing.”
Fennemore has been attending the pregnancy yoga sessions hosted by The Hang Out, which are specifically designed for women who’ve had difficult journeys to conception. Each session starts with a 15-minute chat, where women can share their concerns. Fennemore says she’s made connections that wouldn’t be possible is a normal NCT class.
“That mini community has been so amazing, it makes me feel warm just thinking about it,” she says. “I wouldn’t have gained that experience from another type of yoga class or any pregnancy-related group. I’ve really, really appreciated it.”
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Useful websites and helplines:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--This Comforting Bowl Of Jamaican Curry Goat Is Great Family Fuel

Elainea Emmott Jamaican Goat Curry
Cooking With Kids is a weekly recipe series on getting creative in the kitchen with the family.
Miserable, cold weather outside? Chef, writer and photographer, Elainea Emmott has something up her sleeve that’ll warm you right to the core: a traditional slow-cooked Jamaican curry goat dish where the meat is infused with the most delicious mix of spices and vegetables.
“This particular recipe isn’t quick, in fact it gets better with time. It’s important to take it slow, especially in the age of fast, cheap accessible food,” says Emmott. “The smells of simmering broth, the goodness that makes us salivate and loosens our tongues. Learning, loving and appreciating each other. Food is a conduit for love. There are no shortcuts.”
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The dish is a firm favourite in the Emmott household, where her son often joins her in the kitchen.″He loves frying off the onions and garlic. Kids can stir with a wooden spoon carefully and understand about heat,” she says. “They’re also able to learn about their heritage of cooking with spices and vegetables. They can smell onions and garlic frying and can handle these important staples whilst parents do the chopping.”
Jamaican Goat Curry
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10-15 mins | Cook time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
1kg of goat meat (can substitute mutton)
500ml of chicken stock
2 large onions
5 cloves of garlic
3 tbsp of ground allspice
2 tbsp curry powder
1 large handful of fresh thyme
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
3 bay leaves
1/4 scotch bonnet chilli or 3 red chillis (or chilli flakes)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp vegetable oil
freshly ground salt and pepper
Potatoes (optional)
Serve with rice
Method:
1. Wash and season the meat with curry powder, ground allspice, black pepper, sea salt.
2. Cut one onion into small pieces and two of the garlic cloves and add to the seasoned meat.
3. Rub a tbsp of olive oil and let the meat infuse with the spices.
4. Chop the remaining onion and garlic.
5. Heat up 1 tbsp of olive oil and 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large pan on a high heat.
6. Brown and fry off the meat. This can be done in batches so that the meat browns properly and evenly.
7. Add the onion and garlic into the pot turning down the heat to medium. Cut the chilli or scotch bonnet depending on how hot you want it, and fry off with the onions, garlic and meat. When the onions caramelise, add the chicken stock and the tomatoes.
8. Add the thyme and bay leaves and plenty of ground black pepper and sea salt. Keep the heat on a gentle simmer for two hours until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick. Optional: add the potatoes 50 minutes before serving until they are soft and cooked on a low simmer taking the flavour of the sauce, or serve with rice. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf before serving.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--Covid Is Distorting People's Sense Of Smell In Really Unpleasant Ways

What can people with parosmia do?
Professor Kumar says unfortunately there’s not any medication that can help. He recommends that people try smell retraining, which is essentially teaching your brain to smell correctly again using essential oils. This stimulates the olfactory nerves that help you smell and encourages these cells to heal.
Dr Khan adds that in terms of immediate treatments, there are options available such as oral steroids to reduce inflammation, nasal steroid sprays and there is also some (albeit weak) evidence that omega 3 oil can help, he says, suggesting there’s “no harm in taking it”.
Kelly urges people to know their trigger foods (what makes you want to vomit or retch) and stay well away from them. She also recommends people eat food at room temperature or cold. “People say they cannot bear to be in the same room as roast chicken,” she explains, “but if you give them a cold chicken sandwich it might be more palatable.”
Find out what kind of spicy sauces are palatable to you, she adds – whether that’s chilli sauce, wasabi, mustard – so you have a bold accompaniment to any food whose flavour you want to mask. And for those who can’t cope with mint toothpaste, she advises trying cinnamon toothpaste instead.
Lastly, she urges people with parosmia to keep trying new things – “the best way to get around it is to keep being a taste detective,” she says. “Every week you try something new, try foods you didn’t even like before parosmia, and keep trying things you don’t like.” You might find that what wasn’t palatable last week is finally starting to taste normal again.
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--2020-11-02--It Took TikTok To Help Me Come Out As Bisexual

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I’ve long known that I was bisexual, way before I ever had the word for it; inklings stirred by playground crushes on girls and funny butterfly feelings I had learned I should only have for boys. At the same time, without ever truly knowing what it meant, it felt like something I should be ashamed of.
It’s no wonder why. Looking outwards for validation, I fell painfully short. Starting my small, rural high school in the mid-2010s, ‘gay’ was a common classroom slur and all social dynamics were strictly heterosexual. Teen media of the day offered little remedy. Rather, in the small morsels of queer representation I feasted on, I struggled to find anyone that was like me: interested in boys and girls, and completely overwhelmed by it all. Instead, bisexual characters were few and far between, and when they did survive the cut, they played up to damaging stereotypes. From the media I learned that, at best, bisexual women like me are simply confused and ‘going through a phrase’; at worst, we are greedy, hypersexual, and to be fetishised by male characters.
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At the very worst though, our identities are erased completely. Take Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Willow, a character I identified with so strongly but who was never allowed to openly identify as bisexual, a fact that the show’s creator Joss Whedon commented on in 2002: “We can’t have Willow say, “Oh, cured now, I can go back to c*ck!” Willow is not going to be straddling that particular fence. She will just be gay.”
Naturally then, I turned to shadowy, digital spaces to explore my feelings. Deleted Internet searches for queer advice pages and artistic black and white Tumblr gifs of girls kissing spoke my truth. Careful not to leave a trail, I adopted anonymous account names and hid behind profile pictures of my favourite pop stars. Anything to stop what I was doing – or feeling – from linking back ‘real world’ me.
“I had only downloaded TikTok to escape the news and to stop myself doomscrolling on Twitter, but then something surprising happened.”
It was under this secrecy that I went to university and had my first sexual experiences with men. Carefully positioning myself as outwardly straight, the few men I did trust to come out to nearly always made me regret it. More times than not I was asked about threesomes and how many girls I had been with, and one memorable Tinder match told me about his girl-on-girl fantasies before he had even asked what subject I was studying.
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I wanted to date girls, but I had trapped myself in a Catch-22. Internalising other people’s comments and everything I had been told about my bisexuality from the media – that I wasn’t really queer enough, that I was just ‘confused’ or experimenting for the sexual approval of men – scared me out of even considering it. Putting myself in that position, I thought, would expose me as the fraud I really was; ‘real’ queers would see right through me in an instant. In a destructive self-fulfilling prophecy kind of way, I actively shied away from the very thing that I wanted to do the most.
Flash forward to 2020. Initially, I had only downloaded TikTok to escape the news and to stop myself doomscrolling on Twitter, but then something surprising happened: the algorithm seemed to know myself better than I did. Instead of videos of rescue pets and aesthetic cottagecore picnics, I quickly found myself choking up over teens coming out to their parents to Katy Perry’s I Kissed A Girl and liking videos riffing off queer stereotypes. It didn’t take long for my feed to speak to the parts of myself that I had tried to hide for so long.
“I can’t help but think that, if I had something like TikTok when I was younger, it wouldn’t have taken me so long to finally accept who I am.”
Now I’m not saying that TikTok alone helped me come out – that has been a long journey, one aided by age, experience and the world growing a little kinder to queer people over the last decade. But it did force me to reconsider much of my own internalised learnings about my bisexuality. Here were teens who, though younger, appeared to be far more confident about owning and claiming their identities. Finally, I had found a space where I didn’t need to police my own feelings or quantify my bisexuality, no matter who I have or haven’t dated. From TikToks about unabashedly fantasising over both genders to teens with the bisexual flag proudly plastered across their bedroom walls, these videos confirmed for me that my bisexuality isn’t a phase, or something done for others pleasure. It is just who I am and that’s okay.
Since joining TikTok, I’ve changed my dating app preferences from just ‘men’ to ‘everybody’, which may not seem like a lot but felt like a major step. I’ve started dating women and I’ve openly talked about my sexuality with friends and family for the first time. Slowly and steadily, I’m starting to pick apart my own internalised biphobia.
Truly, I can’t help but think that, if I had something like TikTok when I was younger, it wouldn’t have taken me so long to finally accept who I am. Queer TikTok is a powerful space for representation, celebration and empowerment and a platform for young queers to tell their story themselves, rather than letting archaic stereotypes rule. I’m happy to know that it might play a small part in some other teenager’s coming out, but wish that it didn’t take a social media app to help me stop denying myself.
Esther Newman is a freelance journalist. Follow her on Twitter at @estherbnewman


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-02--It's 2020 And I'm Still Being Called 'Exotic.' Here's Why It's Not A Compliment

Courtesy of Ariane Resnick The author
I’m not someone who has ever fit well into boxes. For one, I’m a femme-presenting queer woman who’s usually presumed to be straight. For another, my inherent physical features err just far enough on the side of non-white to confound anyone who tries to place my ethnicity.
In my 1980s rural Massachusetts childhood, Caucasian kids constantly told me I didn’t look like them and asked me what my race was. Their inquiries made me realise I was different from them ― but unsure who I was the same as.
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As an adult, I continue to be asked about my ancestry by a good percentage of the people I meet. I’m from a mostly white-identified family, but my MENA (Middle East and North Africa) heritage dominates my features; many people see me as a person of colour accordingly. I’ve been spoken to in more languages than I can count by people convinced I was a member of their own community.
I wrote an article this summer about what looking racially ambiguous has taught me about my privilege. It yielded a lot of support from POC, as well as a heartening amount of “Me too!” from other racially-enigmatic-looking people. Sharing about my relationship with race also drew the kind of commentary from white people that I didn’t expect. In the comments of my Instagram post about the piece, I was praised for my “exotic” looks and told my “multicultural heritage” was “enviable” (despite the article touching on how suburban American my upbringing and family history was).
While this wasn’t the first time I’d been called exotic, it hadn’t occurred in enough years that I thought it wouldn’t happen again. I was under the impression that people now know it’s anything but a compliment.
Well over a decade ago, I spent time as a commercial model, and this descriptor was still common. “Exotic” was a word used regularly in the ads I’d peruse. A request for an exotic model meant they wanted someone who wasn’t white but wasn’t necessarily of any specific ethnicity.
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Usually, these ads were seeking women for a gig in an area of modelling outside my chosen scope: car shows, perhaps, or bikini work or Maxim-style editorial. Exotic roughly translated to “sexy” and “vaguely dark,” and it was used only for women, never to describe men. Usage of that word denoted to me that the job would be highly sexualised, and I’d keep on scrolling.
Not answering ads for exotic models didn’t save me from hearing the word, though. Commenting on how racially ambiguous I am was the norm at photo shoots I was in. It would come up first when I’d be in makeup, as those artists would struggle to find a foundation that fit my skin. Then, during the shoot itself, photographers would often mention it, usually in relation to my facial features.
Because modelling is innately a bit dehumanising, I did my best to not take comments about my physicality to heart. I hated being called exotic, but I never said anything about it because I didn’t want to be difficult and potentially lose work.
The most challenging part of being called exotic now is that comments like these are racist microaggressions, but they are proffered as compliments. Here’s why they are not.
Google gives as the main definition of exotic “originating in or characteristic of a distant foreign country.” That means calling someone exotic is telling them that they are not of your world and don’t appear to belong in it.
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Use “exotic” in conjunction with beauty, as in the comments following my article and the many, many other times I’ve heard the word in my past, and you frame a person’s physical appearance as admirable only within the context of how unlike you they are. To describe someone as “exotic” is the epitome of othering.
The latest remarks called my attention to the unfortunate but indisputable fact that even in this changing climate around race, white beauty and white experience remain centred as the norm in our society. The experience of being white in America and the cultural markers of beauty revolving around whiteness remain unchanged. They continue to be the lens through which people of all other races are viewed and judged — including those of us who hover at the edge of whiteness but are not fully perceived as such.
Additionally, I am neither a rare bird nor a flowering shrub. But dictionaries suggest usage of the word “exotic” should be mostly limited to plants and animals or inanimate objects. So not only is the “exotic” human attractive only inasmuch as they are foreign; they are of lower cultural value than a white person.
Thankfully, I’m no longer a 20-something concerned about losing a few hundred dollars if I speak up. As someone who is far less marginalised than POC darker than I am, I have a responsibility to squelch language like that.
When I was called exotic recently, I researched and found multiple articles that detailed in depth why calling someone exotic is racist and insulting, and then emailed the links to those who had made the comments. I stated in the email that I’d be happy to know the person had received my correspondence, but I wasn’t available for further discussion (read: emotional labor) on the topic. Instead, I encouraged them to talk about this issue with other white people.
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I’d like to think we’ll get to the point where whiteness isn’t the default lens through which America views life and beauty. Until then, as someone who is afforded more privilege than countless others, I’ll do what I can to move us along that path.
This article first appeared on HuffPost Personal


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-05--Caroline Quentin Admits She And Partner Johannes Radebe Have Had Their First Strictly Row

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Caroline Quentin and Johannes Radebe have had their first Strictly Come Dancing row, the Men Behaving Badly star has admitted.
The actor said they had got into an argument during rehearsals for Saturday’s Movie Week special.
However, speaking on Thursday’s This Morning, Caroline said she’s “going to learn to be quiet” after conceding she was in the wrong in the row.
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Caroline Quentin and Johannes Radebe BBC/Guy Levy
Professional dancer Johannes was full of praise for his celebrity partner, telling hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield that she was “a fantastic student” who takes directions so well”.
Laughing, Caroline appeared surprised, saying: “It’s very nice of [him] to say that when we had our first barney yesterday.
“We’re both still slightly ‘ouchie’ from it, because I got a bit - OK, it’s quite hard sometimes to be told all the time by someone that is always genuinely right, it’s quite frustrating.
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“I offered an opinion about a dance step, and I was entirely wrong but rather than back down gracefully, I just banged on about it.
“He just got really annoyed with me [laughs]. I was like, ‘Well I know I’m right about this’. And then about 10 minutes later I suddenly realised I was entirely wrong.”
Caroline and Johannes on last week's show BBC/Guy Levy
Caroline admitted their “honeymoon period” is over, but she has learned her lesson when it comes to rehearsals.
She explained: “So, I think our honeymoon period’s over. I think it’s gonna be - no, actually, it won’t because I’m going to learn to be quiet.“
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The pair will be performing their couple’s choice routine to Everything’s Coming Up Roses from Gypsy on Saturday’s movie special, which will also mark the first time there has not been a studio audience in Strictly’s 16-year history.
Earlier this week, it was announced the doors to the ballroom would be closed due to the second lockdown in England, with audiences not invited back until early December should they be permitted to do so under government guidance.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-05--Lorraine Kelly Really Doesn't Hold Back With Her Thoughts On Gwyneth Paltrow’s Latest Goop Products

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If any of Lorraine Kelly’s family have splashed out on getting her some of Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop products for Christmas, let’s hope they’ve kept the receipt.
The ITV breakfast presenter had some pretty strong views about the Hollywood star’s latest range of lifestyle products, and it’s fair to say she is not a fan.
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Gwyneth has just unveiled her wild Goop Christmas guide, featuring a £70,000 bath tub, a ouija board, a lamp made out of bread and a £26 roll of toilet paper “with a conscience”.
As showbiz correspondent Ross King talked Lorraine through the gifts on Thursday’s episode of her show, she let her thoughts be known.
Lorraine Kelly isn't impressed with Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop range ITV/Shutterstock
“Honestly!” Lorraine sighed. “You can get sustainable bog roll a lot cheaper than that! And I don’t want a lamp made of bread – though I suppose it would be handy if you wanted a snack.”
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She then offered up: “And I don’t want any nonsense things you shove up yourself either, thanks.”
A laughing Ross joked: “I’m not crying, it’s just the wind!”
Goop has become famed for its off-the-wall products, including candles called This Smells Like My Vagina and This Smells Like My Orgasm.
The vagina candle, as it was nicknamed, caused quite a stir when it was released earlier this year.
Responding to the media frenzy it caused, she later told a US talk show: “It was really funny to us, but also a little bit punk rock.
“I think women, a lot of us, have grown up feeling certain degrees of shame around our bodies or whatever.