thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-25--Normal People Is The BBC's Latest Book Adaptation For Hopeless Romantics – Here's What You Need To K

Normal People Is The BBC's Latest Book Adaptation For Hopeless Romantics – Here's What You Need To Know

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Since it was announced that popular novel Normal People was being adapted for TV in late 2018, it has been one of the most anticipated dramas of the last few years.
On Sunday, the wait is finally over, as the series debuts in full on the BBC iPlayer.
It could also be one of the last new dramas for a while, given that many shows that were in production with a view to air later this year have been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.
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Here’s everything we can tell you about it...
BBC/Element Pictures/Hulu
For those not familiar, Normal People is the tender but complicated love story of two Irish teenagers
The story follows how a strange and indelible connection develops between Connell, a well-liked and popular kid, and the lonely, proud and intimidating Marianne, as they near the end of their school days in a small-town west of Ireland.
Their relationship remains a secret from their peers, as Connell feels shame that his mother was working as a cleaner for Marianne’s family.
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But as they move into their undergraduate years at Trinity College, the way they fit into the world begins to change, with the story exploring their insecurities and the complicated intimacy of young love as they weave in and out of each other’s lives.
It is based on the Sally Rooney novel of the same name
Normal People was the second novel from author Sally Rooney, which followed her 2017 debut Conversations With Friends.
Released in 2018, the novel sold just under 64,000 copies in the US in its first four months of release, with its US success explaining why the new TV adaptation will also air Stateside on streaming service Hulu.
Author Sally Rooney David Levenson via Getty Images
As well as commercial success, the novel was critically acclaimed, voted as Waterstones’ Book of the Year and Best Novel in the Costa Book Awards, both in 2018.
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It was also long-listed for the Man Booker Prize and the Women’s Prize For Fiction, and also placed 25th in the Guardian’s 100 best books of the 21st century.
Cold Feet star Daisy Edgar-Jones takes the lead alongside newcomer Paul Mescal
Daisy Edgar-Jones (Cold Feet, War Of The Worlds) plays Marianne, who is described as “extremely bright, but has a darkly complex relationship with her own insecurities and vulnerabilities”.
In his first TV role, newcomer Paul Mescal plays Connell, who has a comfortable social status at school, but his carefree and happy-go-lucky attitude is hiding his own self-consciousness.
Daisy Edgar Jones and Paul Mescal as Marianne and Connell BBC/Element Pictures/Hulu
Describing the relationship between the characters, Daisy says: “I think she finds him incredibly intelligent; she loves the way his brain works and wants to feel settled. They just have this connection which is indescribable. They need each other and they settle each other in a way that no one else can really.”
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Paul adds: “On a simplistic level, they are desperately in love with each other. But that doesn’t mean they are the best fit for each other.”
The series also stars Aislín McGuckin (Heartbeat, Outlander) as Marianne’s mother Denise, a widow who behaves with favouritism towards her son Alan.
Sarah Greene (Dublin Murders) plays Connell’s mother Lorraine. A single parent since she was 17, she works as a cleaner in Sligo, and has a close relationship with her son.
The series is faithful to the book fans love so much
While fans of Malorie Blackman’s Noughts And Crosses noticed the BBC’s recent adaptation of her novel included some tweaks, the same can’t be said for Normal People.
Screenwriter Alice Birch says it was “very important” that the series was faithful to the original text, with one of the show’s executive producers, Ed Guinely, explaining that there are “virtually no ideas or scenes in the series that aren’t in the novel”.
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“We were always reacting to what Sally had written, which is a testament to its quality and depth,” he says.
“I dearly hope that fans of the book will feel that we have done it justice, and for those who don’t know the book, I hope we draw more people into the Rooney-verse.”
The series is faithful to the original text BBC/Element Pictures/Hulu
Daisy, who plays Marianne, notes one slight difference, however.
She says: “The book is massively from Connell and Marianne’s perspective. Often we get their view of a situation, especially her home life and it’s very biased towards her feelings. It’s quite interesting to flesh out the situation more, so we see Marianne in that situation instead of through her eyes.”
A lot of that has to do with how involved Sally Rooney was with the show
Not only was the book’s author heavily involved in the development of the series, she actually penned a lot of the scripts.
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Sally wrote the first draft of the first six episodes, with screenwriter Alice Birch then writing the following drafts, as well as five of the six remaining episodes.
While Sally did not write those episodes, she still served as an executive producer across the whole series and helped cast the actors who would play her characters.
Sally co-wrote and executive produced the series BBC/Element Pictures/Hulu
Of her experiences of adapting her text for the screen, she says: “The biggest challenge was trying to make the inner lives of the characters legible through their outward actions. We had to find new ways to dramatise those differences on screen.”
She continues: “It was definitely very strange to walk through the various rooms of Marianne’s house - strange when it seemed to match exactly what I had imagined, and of course strange when it didn’t. Maybe the weirdest thing was seeing just how many people are involved in making a TV show. There were people everywhere!”
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The casting process took much longer for one character than the other
Admitting she had to put aside her “preconceived ideas about the characters” to help cast the show, Sally reveals there was an “immediate consensus” that they had found their Connell after seeing Paul audition.
Co-executive producer Emma Norton explained they already knew of him from seeing him in The Great Gatsby at The Gate in Dublin and they thought he had “that slight reticence and real warmth and he just was right”.
However, the hunt for the series’ Marianne took a little bit longer.
Paul was cast as Connell before Daisy as Marianne BBC/Element Pictures/Hulu
“We cast the net really wide for Marianne, because we didn’t find Marianne in Ireland in the first call,” Emma says. “We put out a casting call in America and the UK. So, we saw a huge number of women.”
She explains that it was Daisy’s ability to embody the “extreme facets of Marianne’s personality” that eventually won her the role.
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Sally adds: “As soon as they were on screen together, I think we all knew it was the right match.”
The book wasn’t familiar to its lead stars when they were first became involved in the project
Daisy admitted she had only read the book after her first audition.
She says: “My flatmate had got the book for her birthday and said it was the best book ever, and I had to read it! I’d heard about auditions through one of my friends, but I didn’t think it was really something that was heading my way.
“Then about a month later, I had a first audition. When I got the recall, I read the book in one day, I’m a massive romantic so I loved the fact it was a love story.”
The cast and crew at a screening earlier this year Amy Sussman via Getty Images
Paul was a little ahead of Daisy, reading the book at the start of the process.
He says: “I got the scripts sent through and then I made the mistake of reading the book first. The book is incredible, I wanted to literally eat it.”
It was also important to Sally that the location played a crucial role in the show
The book is set in a small fictional town in County Sligo, and in a few other locations in Dublin, so it was important for Sally to have the series shot in Ireland.
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She explains: “None of us really felt that those places were generic or interchangeable. We were committed to getting the environment right and doing justice to the specific setting of the story, and I think that’s become an important part of the show.”
As well as Dublin and Sligo, scenes were also shot in Sweden and Italy last year.
The characters’ amazing sexual connection presented both challenges and opportunities on set
The novel of Normal People is known for treating sex for young people in a positive way, with Connell and Marianne having an intense physical connection.
This presented both challenges and opportunities to those involved in bringing those moments to screen.
A behind-the-scenes shot taken on location last year BBC/Element Pictures/Hulu
Director Lenny Abrahamson says: “The opportunity is to show that physical connection and intimacy in a beautiful and non-exploitative way, and that is quite a wonderful and radical thing to be able to do, especially in a world that is saturated in degraded images of sex.”
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In order to do this, the show used an intimacy co-ordinator.
He says: “Having [Ita O’Brien] involved allowed us to talk so freely about what people felt comfortable with, how they would negotiate consent in the context of the simulation that you’re doing on set, the best way to shoot it, and how to choreograph it in a way that makes people feel empowered and not uncomfortable - and of course how to protect everybody involved.”
Normal People has had some ringing endorsements from those who’ve already seen it
I’ve been lucky enough to see the first few episodes of #NormalPeople and my god you’re in for a treat
It’s beautifully acted, so faithful to the book, and stunningly directed
Bravo @ElementPictures ❤ pic.twitter.com/cSAqppcdHU — Nicola Coughlan (@nicolacoughlan) April 21, 2020
I've just seen a preview of the first 2 episodes of #NormalPeople and it's REALLY GREAT, very 'Lenny' (Abrahamson), shot so BEAUTIFULLY, in gorgeous real light, lots of soft blues, greens and greys. LOTS of tight focus, reflecting the book — Marian Keyes is staying at home (@MarianKeyes) April 20, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-25--Netflix's Too Hot To Handle Sends A Toxic Message About Intimacy

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Shows like Too Hot To Handle send a toxic message about intimacy Netflix
Most of us can recall a time we really fancied someone until we kissed them. It can be a real vibe-killer to find out your crush snogs like a washing machine stuck on the highest speed setting, or worse, covers you with dry kisses like a fish gasping for water. Testing a physical connection is all part of the process when looking for a potential romantic interest. Sure, it’s not the only thing that should exist in a healthy relationship, but it’s a damn-good indicator whether things will work on “that” level. So why has physical intimacy been shunned in Netflix’s new show Too Hot To Handle and what kind of message does that send to viewers about forming healthy relationships?
Make the most of your time in lockdown with a daily dose of celebrity news and guides to the best shows. Sign up to the entertainment newsletter.
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If you haven’t seen Netflix’s answer to Love Island yet, let me catch you up. The eight-part series follows ten hot singletons from the US, UK and Australia who have travelled to a tropical paradise in hope of winning the grand prize of $100,000. Once on the island however, the contestants are told that in order to win, they have to keep their hands to themselves. The rules are - no kissing, no “heavy petting” of any kind and certainly no sex for an entire month. Every rule broken results in money being taken away from the communal prize - kisses cost the group £3,000, while sex is priced at £20,000. As some get it on, others are left frustrated, with one guy hilariously counting the deducted cash in “lost trips to Dubai.” Adding even more tension to the already chaotic reality TV show, a cone-shaped robot named Lana monitors every move to ensure there’s no cheating. However cheating is the only thing contestants can think about when there’s nothing else for them to do.
“Netflix had a real opportunity to make a show that’s both entertaining and wholesome, but sadly it pivoted to slut-shaming instead.”
A chest tattoo spelling out 6.9.69 in roman numerals perfectly encapsulates the mood of the show. Too Hot To Handle is enjoyable and in equal parts binge-able, especially for an audience currently living through a pandemic. Seeing as the lockdown has killed off the dating scene and left us desperate for human connection, the show is a comforting and relatable watch for those cursing the restrictive rules of social distancing. At the very least, it has stopped me unsubtly hitting up past flames.
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Yet, an uncomfortable undercurrent permeates the Netflix Original. By removing the experience of physical intimacy, the show falsely equates abstinence for love, making a toxic statement about dating. Too Hot To Handle is not the first to introduce “restrictive dating” to our televisions, Love Is Blind, Married at First Sight and The Circle are popular predecessors. These shows try to convince viewers that removing a physical aspect of a relationship will allow contestants to deepen their emotional experiences, but it has nothing to do with moral lessons and everything to do with producing entertaining TV. To pretend that holding off a physical relationship will ensure a great relationship later down the line is a straight up lie. Why are we so stuck on the idea that you can’t do both at the same time? To me it feels backwards, dishonest and frankly, you’d expect these kinds of views to belong in an outdated 19th century text, not a Netflix show airing in 2020.
From the get-go, the contestants are judged by the number of people they’ve slept with and their lack of long-term relationships. They’re painted as loud, dumb and unserious. Contestant Chloe racks up a small bill by kissing some of the boys on the show, but these kisses are important, making her realise there’s no real chemistry there. It seems strange to punish her for it when she gently lets the guys know she’s not interested afterwards – a mature and healthy way of handling that kind of situation. Even more baffling is the rewards system set up to give contestants the “green light” when they’ve been vulnerable with one another. During these moments, Lana the AI allows the couples to kiss because they’ve “earned it”, but this type of restriction attaches so much shame to physical aspects of a relationship. It’s one thing to work on scars of previous romantic experiences, usually left in the form of trust and intimacy issues, but it’s another thing entirely to shame people for wanting to have a smooch.
It’s easy to forget that the contestants didn’t ask for this. If they wanted to work on deepening their emotional connections, they might have saved the hassle and gone to a therapist. Too Hot To Handle teaches them nothing and pretending it does is disingenuous. The contestants are there for money and fame, while Netflix is there to make consumable content. If the producers were so invested in real connections, they wouldn’t have picked an international cast that would struggle to make relationships work on the outside.
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It’s undeniable that a fear of intimacy exists in the dating scene, but working through the problems is the answer, not enforcing sex bans for our amusement. Netflix had a real opportunity to make a show that’s both entertaining and wholesome, but sadly it pivoted to slut-shaming instead.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-25--Kids Questioned An MP About Coronavirus. Here's What Happened

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When will schools reopen? How is the government keeping vulnerable people safe? And why are some housing estates better looked after than others?
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These were some of the questions asked by four children who quizzed their local MP on a Zoom call this week – as they shared what’s bothering them most during the coronavirus pandemic and what it’s like living in lockdown.
Liz Twist, Labour MP for Blaydon, asked some of her very youngest constituents to join her for an online Q&A – which she dubbed Kids’ Question Time – to share their stories and ideas for coping with changed circumstances.
Earlier this month, the North East Child Poverty Commission drew attention to the challenges of school closures, social isolation and financial pressures on families in the region since the start of the Covid-19 crisis.
“Many children will be feeling deeply unsettled right now,” said Twist. “They may be seeing less of their parents if they are a key worker and won’t be spending as much time outside or with friends. Children may now be isolated from their usual support systems.”
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Unsurprisingly, top of the agenda on the Friday morning video call was the question of when kids will get to go back to school.
AND-ONE via Getty Images
“I can’t give you a set time,” Twist said, responding to Shevanewe, eight, who asked when he and fellow Kids’ Question Time participants Zoe, 11, and Alfie and Jack, both eight, might be able to return to lessons together.
“I think it’s got to depend on how things are going and how the coronavirus is spreading,” she added. “It’s a difficult decision to be made, but obviously it’s got to be balanced by your need to get a good education.”
Shevanewe asked how the government would ensure that the number of coronavirus cases “continues to drop”. “I think the government has to think about the figures and put more steps in place,” Twist answered. “There’s lots of talk about testing, isn’t there... and we have to make sure we keep our distance, too, so we don’t spread it to people – especially more vulnerable people.”
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Alfie, who is on his primary school council and has emailed prime minister Boris Johnson about shortages of equipment for the NHS, jumped in to ask how exactly the government was keeping vulnerable people safe.
“Part of the answer is: we’re all keeping people safe,” Twist said. “By staying at home and only going out for exercise, washing our hands and keeping 2m apart when we go out.
“But there are some older people with health conditions who really need to be looked after. They have to stay at home. In that case, the council and the government are working together to try and make sure they have the things they need – like prescriptions, and food.”
The kids said that generally they were feeling “good” and had been catching up with friends on Zoom and FaceTime, asked how MPs were getting their own meetings done (via Zoom, Twist said).
Zoe, who said she’s been spending lockdown creating her videos advocating for autism awareness – asked Twist about the rules around only going shopping for “essential items”.
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“When people say only buy ‘essentials’, have they considered people consider different things ‘essential’?” she asked. “It’s difficult really isn’t it,” Twist replied, “because what’s essential to some might not be essential to others. It’s your judgment call really and I guess we have to bear in mind that people have different needs. I need to buy cat food for example, and you might not!”
Asked what her “personal positives” of lockdown had been, Twist said it was being able to spend time at home with the cat.
Jack said he’s been playing in the garden with his mum, doing board games and having water fights, but asked why “nobody cut the grass or gets rid of weeds or plants nice flowers” near his house, when other housing estates he has seen from his bike are “so much nicer and well looked after”.
Alfie said he had been going outside to play football, and Shevanewe added: “Every now and then I’ll just be able to go out into the sun and relax.”
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Speaking after the session finished, Twist said she was impressed by the level of engagement among the participants in what was going on around them, adding: “They were all really good questions.”
“As MPs we can go into schools to talk to children and we can get asked anything. It’s something that I’ve really missed during the lockdown,” she said. “It’s also really important that children have a voice – and it gives us a really different angle on the crisis as a whole.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-25--A Beginner’s Guide To Foraging

A Beginner’s Guide To Foraging

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We’re here to guide you through the coronavirus lockdown. Sign up to the Life newsletter for daily tips, advice, how-tos and escapism.
It’s been just over a month into quarantine life and as we start to slip into new, surreal normality there’s a greater appreciation and interest for the natural beauty in the immediate areas near our homes. Rather than getting into the car or cramming ourselves on the tube on everyday commutes, we’re becoming more aware of what’s around us on government-sanctioned daily outings.
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What better time than now to learn more about mother nature’s bounty? We should look towards the different ways to source what we can eat and go beyond the supermarket shelves.
Foraging is a concept that’s been around since forever, where hunter-gatherer tribes sustained themselves by hunting animals and gathering plants in their vicinity. Discover how to gather local edible plants, herbs and fruits with our beginner’s guide to foraging.
Original Outdoors Original Outdoors Foraging Workshop
Be 100% certain and look out for recognisable things.
It’s tempting to dive straight into the deep end to look for something, but it’s important to do your homework and brush up on what’s out there beforehand. There’s a lot of information floating around, but wild food foraging experts Totally Wild UK’s plant, coastal and mushroom guides are a good place to start.
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“Make sure you’re absolutely, sure about the identification before you put anything in your mouth and don’t rely on Google searches. Start small, start with something that you already know how to identify and you know vaguely is edible, then start looking for reliable sources of information about what you can do with it,” lead foraging expert Richard Prideaux from Original Outdoors in North Wales suggests to HuffPost UK. “Things like dandelion leaves and its flower are easy to identify because there’s nothing dangerous that looks like it. You can use them like a rocket in a salad.”
It’s surprising just how much is out there and ingredients that could be sat in our gardens, hedgerows or local parks just waiting to be eaten. Not only that, but wild food can be highly nutritious, locally sourced and unbelievably fresh.
“We’re making an effort to upload much more recipes and information on basic plants you can easily find growing everywhere on to our website,” explains lead foraging expert James Woods from Totally Wild UK. “We’ve just released a ‘wild veg box’ for people who usually eat lots of wild food but can’t get out to forage during the lockdown, so people can still get their foraged ingredients at home.”
Location, location, location.
Angela Hui Wild Garlic foraging in cemetery park.
Once the basics are down, it’s vital to know what spots are good for foraging and what areas are should be avoided.
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“Ensure that you’re picking legally and safely. It’s fine to pick in public areas, as long as you’re picking for your own personal consumption,” advises John the Poacher, a local forager who supplies ingredients to some of London’s best bars and breweries, cafés and restaurants. “If you’re picking on private land or planning to sell, then it becomes a problem because there’s an old law about making money off of common land.”
Aside from that, it’s pretty much fair game on where you can and can’t pick, but according to John cemeteries or locations that are too close to the roads are places to stay away from. “It’s optional if you want to, but I tend to avoid cemeteries because there are arsenic and lead from the ancient coffins in the ground. When a coffin collapses, it will fall in and push the toxins in the soil up from the next one because the grounds are always shifting.” Yikes.
Make sure plants grow back for another year.
Found the perfect spot? Before you dive right in keep in mind there are some golden ground rules that newbie foragers should follow to ensure that plants, fungi, herbs and fruits grow back in the future so that more people can enjoy.
“People shouldn’t pick absolutely everything they see,” John suggests. “It’s crucial to pick little amounts from lots of different places and a couple of leaves or flowers here and there from each plant.”
It’s bad practice to mass-gather, horde items and discard unwanted things. Be sure to do the ethical thing and not pull items from the root otherwise this damages the delicate ecosystem.
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Seasonality is key.
Found the perfect spot? Before you dive right in keep in mind there are some golden ground rules that newbie foragers should follow to ensure that plants, fungi, herbs and fruits grow back in the future so that more people can enjoy.
“People shouldn’t pick absolutely everything they see,” John suggests. “It’s crucial to pick little amounts from lots of different places and a couple of leaves or flowers here and there from each plant.”
It’s bad practice to mass-gather, horde items and discard unwanted things. Be sure to do the ethical thing and not pull items from the root otherwise this damages the delicate ecosystem.
James Wood Chickweed, fireweed, nettle, wild garlic and salmon
Almost anything can be foraged and is edible. Whether or not they’re in full bloom or ripe for the picking is down to the right know-how, it’s easy to bring seasonal, hyper-local flavour to plates.
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“We actually have a yearly calendar of what’s in season to help our foragers and there are roughly over 80 wild ingredients right now that are perfect for harvesting,” explains Woods. “Some of my personal favourite that is in season right now are; wild garlic, stinging nettles, cows parsley, common hogweed, three-cornered leeks, dandelion leaves and flowers.”
Combined with the change in seasons and new plants growing there’s a lot out there at the moment. “Dock leaves and young nettles are in season right now and they’re delicious too. If you wear gloves, you won’t get stung and the moment you cook them, all of the hairs that sting you will wilt away,” Prideaux recommends. “If a recipe uses spinach, try nettles instead using a one-to-one ratio. A nettle lasagne is delicious.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-25--I Fostered A Puppy During Covid-19. It Helped In An Unexpected Way

HuffPost UK Courtesy of the author
Scruffy wasn’t the kind of dog we’d asked for.
The moment he was released from his kennel, it was like the Running of the Bulls. His 20-pound frame bounded around the room, his gait more bounce than run. When I scooped him up, he squirmed and barked until his four oversized paws were back on the ground. He alternated between nibbling on and humping everything. He was wild.
What was most notable about him was his hair ― shaggy and so voluminous it bounced with every step. If you’ve ever seen a bald eagle starting to morph from its brown juvenile feathers to the distinct white feathers of adulthood, that’s kind of what Scruffy’s colouring looked like, crossed with the erratic styling of Bernie Sanders. His name was fitting.
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A few days earlier, after being suddenly laid off from a restaurant serving gig due to the coronavirus pandemic and feeling guilty about the longing looks our six-year-old Labrador, Luna, was casting out the window at other dogs, I decided to apply to foster a dog.
I needed a distraction from the emotionally draining news cycle, so this would be a win-win, I thought. I’d be at home writing so I had the time, and Luna would have a four-legged friend to chum around with while we were socially distancing.
My partner, Shaun, and I specifically asked for a senior dog that would match Luna’s energy levels. A real couch buddy. But when we went to pick up our foster, we were handed an energetic three-month-old shepadoodle (apparently what you call a German shepherd/poodle mix).
“He’s super adoptable,” the rescue group worker said, trying to ease our obvious reservations. “I don’t think you’ll have him for long.”
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Calling me a dog person would be an understatement. There’s been no point in my life when I didn’t have one. However, the dogs I’ve known were almost always older and at the very least potty trained. My partner isn’t so much a dog person as he is a Luna person. She was his first real experience with pets and she made it simple. She was an exceedingly calm and well-adjusted adult when we met ― it was easy to love her.
Scruffy was beyond our scope.
The first night with Scruffy was spent Googling (how to potty train a puppy, how much to feed a puppy, how to get a puppy to stop using our hands as teething toys) and bargaining (Shaun was ready to send him back somewhere between the third puddle and the seventh barking fit).
All the while, Luna looked on, clearly apprehensive about this dust bowl-hued tornado. She was most displeased by his puppy energy, how he delighted in chomping on her velvet-soft ears, and the cuddles his exuberance was netting him.
I didn’t want to admit it to Shaun, but within minutes of coming home, I thought I’d made a mistake leaving the rescue group with Scruffy.
“Let’s give it a day,” I told Shaun. “He probably just needs to settle in.”
The next day was (a little) easier and every day that followed went better than the last ― though I don’t know how people who aren’t home all day are able to raise a puppy. It’s a full-time job in itself.
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Scruffy was like the consummate classroom troublemaker. Despite having a spectrum of colourful teething toys, he delighted in destroying toilet paper rolls ― a particularly horrifying move as the two-ply had become important social currency that week.
Keeping up with him was exhausting.
Courtesy of Bailey Berg Scruffy (left) and Luna waiting for treats.
Though Scruffy liked my partner, he took to me much more quickly. When Luna and I went out for our afternoon run, Shaun said Scruffy sat by the door and waited for our return. When I got in the shower, Scruffy put his paws on the side of the tub and repeatedly peered around the curtain to make sure I was still there.
Scruffy was a firehose of affection. He desperately wanted to dispense love and, trapped at home, facing an uncertain future, we desperately needed it.
Pandemics are hard. But slowly, his presence made everything more tolerable.
The first few days of social distancing, pre-Scruffy, were characterized by overwhelming anxiety about life going forward. The soundtrack in my mind seemed to be an unending cadence of “DOOM, DOOM, DOOM.”
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But Scruffy helped me get through the early weeks of the pandemic in an unexpected way. His need for frequent bathroom breaks gave structure to my day, helped with planning and warded off listlessness. Obsessively scrolling through news cycles gave way to constant tug of war. Crippling anxiety was lessened by laughing at Scruffy’s floppy puppy antics.
He was so deliriously happy all of the time. He perpetually looked like a guy excitedly greeting a buddy he hadn’t seen in a while: “Oh what, you’re here, too?” His buoyancy lightened the emotional load I carried as this quarantine crossed into double-digit days.
He became my constant shadow, trailing me through the house as I worked or did chores or cooked. It made me feel special and needed. I knew I’d fallen for him when I set to work trimming the little dreadlocks that inexplicably formed on his rump every other day.
One night he seemed to be feeling playful during our pre-bedtime walk, so I decided to see if he might be a good running buddy. We took off at a slow jog down the sidewalk. Every few feet he’d look back to make sure I was still there with him. His tongue lolled out and he grinned. We’d found our stride. It was then I could feel the first hairline fractures of heartbreak. The thought of him leaving hurt.
Ultimately I knew we couldn’t keep him. He would be the perfect dog ... for someone else. We had the time and patience to help more dogs find their people.
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It didn’t make saying goodbye to him any easier. When the rescue group finally texted to say they wanted to arrange a meet-and-greet with a potential family, I wept.
Scruffy taught us myriad lessons ranging from unless you want your laptop chewed on, don’t leave it out, to how to accept things you can’t really control. He helped remind us to take it one day (or more appropriately, one potty break) at a time.
When he met his would-be adopters, it was obvious within seconds they were smitten. They’d lost a dog earlier in the year that could have been his twin. They needed each other.
After the paperwork had been signed, I carried Scruffy out to their car and placed him in the lap of his new dad in the passenger seat. Scruffy nestled into his chest and I closed the door, both to the car and on our time together.
I still get updates on him via Facebook – he’s being a good boy. Now we’re fostering a three-year-old Lab named Sheila. She’s picked up where Scruffy left off on our pandemic education with important life lessons of her own.
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Sheila’s lucky – she knows she’s going back to a loving home. She flew into town from a remote village to have puppies and as soon as she’s healed from being spayed, she’ll return to a family who can’t wait to have her back. Knowing that makes it easier to accept we’ll be saying goodbye to her soon, too.
And while we can’t control much of what’s happening in the world right now, we can welcome another dog into our pack and continue to help each other through it.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-25--Through Grief, Loneliness And Anxiety, Our Pets Are Helping Us Cope

Supplied Pets helping us through lockdown
We’re here to guide you through the coronavirus lockdown. Sign up to the Life newsletter for daily tips, advice, how-tos and escapism.
With lockdown dragging on and the weeks in quarantine turning into months, people are understandably finding life tough right now – and many are finding their pets are a source of comfort and distraction.
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HuffPost UK has been inundated with messages from pet owners who have found their animal companions to be incredibly loving during this fraught time. Here are five of their stories – with lots of cute pictures, of course.
‘Fred gets me chatting to other lovely doggie people’
Nicola Cole, who is 28 and living with her parents in Southampton, has found her tiny pooch Fred to be a rock during lockdown. “I’m currently seeing a therapist for my eating disorder,” she says. “An effect of that is a need for control, and lockdown has had an impact with the change of routine and uncertainty.”
Her dog Fred, a Jack Russell crossed with a Lancashire Heeler, has been crucial in getting her out of the house, something she also finds hard due to social anxiety. “Fred gets me chatting to other lovely doggie people when we are out,” she says. “As you can imagine, he has a lot of admirers, everyone wants to know what breed he is!”
Nicola Cole Fred
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Cole says this really helps – she’s introverted, but always feels better after going out with Fred and having a few socially-distanced chats with the dog community.
“Fred is the best form of therapy when I’m feeling down as well, he just knows and he’s a very cuddly, snuggly dog,” she adds. “He makes me want to keep going, he is my main motivation.
“As the lockdown lifts and it’s all change again, it will be a struggle for me... but I know with Fred by my side, I’ll be able to get through it.”
‘My dad’s tortoise makes me feel close to him’
Losing a loved one to coronavirus is unimaginably hard, as Victoria Clifford, 39, from Kenilworth, Warwickshire, knows. She lost her dad Trevor a few weeks ago and has been grieving alongside her two sons Dylan, 15, and Jack, eight.
When her dad was in hospital with the virus, Clifford took in his pet tortoise William. She also has a rescue dog called Sweep, a Springer Spaniel and Border Collie cross. The two pets have distracted Clifford and her children over the past few weeks, providing occasional smiles among the sadness.
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“Myself and the children have had an awful two years starting with the death of my mum, my separation from the children’s dad and all of the turmoil and sadness that comes with that – and now losing dad,” says Clifford.
Victoria Clifford Sweep and Jack
Like many dogs, Sweep seems to know when her humans need her the most and will go into protector mode. Learning how to look after her dad’s tortoise has also provided a welcome, if not slightly terrifying, distraction.
William the tortoise, who has since been renamed Sonic by eight-year-old Jake, stayed asleep until the day her dad passed away. “I know nothing about tortoises and have a fear of reptiles so it was a challenge,” she says. “I had to do a lot of research. But I want to do everything to make the little fella at home for dad. Dad loved the tortoise and it makes me feel close to him.”
Clifford says she and her family could’ve “quite easily slipped into a hole of locking ourselves away”. “But,” she adds, “I have a purpose. I get up and start my day, which starts with waking the children and feeding the animals.”
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Victoria Clifford Sonic the tortoise
‘Our bunny’s cheerful personality is really helpful at this time’
For Marco Fiori and his wife, who live in Berkshire, their pet bunny Basil has been a source of joy during lockdown. “He’s super affectionate, always on hand for a cuddle and his cheerful personality is really helpful at this time,” says Fiori, 31.
“He loves our garden – we get lots of fresh air because of him, which helps with mental health and a change of scenery throughout the day.”
Marco Fiori Basil the bunny
Basil loves a good snooze during the day, which works out quite well alongside his owners’ work from home schedules. “Rabbits are most active morning and early evening – so he’s the ideal companion when working from home as he keeps to himself during work hours,” says Fiori.
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He’s also a floppy-eared comedian, apparently. “He’s genuinely hilarious! Random moments make us laugh a lot. Lockdown would’ve been much lonelier if he wasn’t in our life.”
‘The biggest positive is the comfort our kittens bring to my sons’
Feline siblings Sammy and Luna are forever putting smiles on the faces of Lisa Berry’s children – the black and white kitties turn one next month. “They’re very entertaining when they zoom around chasing each other and play fighting,” says Berry, who lives with her two sons Jake, 10, and Ollie, 11, in Swindon, Wiltshire.
“The biggest positive is the comfort they bring to both boys,” she says. “Having the kittens has calmed my youngest a little, he has had to quieten down a bit and he loves to sit and stroke their fur and listen to them purr.”
Lisa Berry Sammy and Luna
The pandemic has made her children anxious, she says, but the cats have a calming effect. “Sammy is my youngest’s kitten and Luna is my eldest’s, but they each love both of them. It works well with them having their own kitten, they feel like they are their best friends.”
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Berry says the cats also provide a welcome distraction to her children from everything going on outside the home. “Seeing the boys smile at the moment is a very precious thing as they are finding lockdown tough,” she adds. “If they are upset, the kittens will approach them and settle near them to get cuddles and cheer them up.”
Lisa Berry Sammy helps with homework.
‘Without my six pets, I would’ve been incredibly alone’
Paula Stewart, 38, lives in Liverpool with two giant breed dogs, a tortoise, snake, uromastyx (spiny-tailed lizard) and a crested gecko, who have all helped her in different ways.
“I’ve found lockdown quite tough,” says Stewart. Both her mum, who is 70, and her 102-year-old great uncle who lives with her mum, have been hospitalised with coronavirus. While her mum has recovered, her uncle has been moved to a nursing home where he is suffering from pneumonia. “It’s been one of the most terrifying times of my life,” she says.
Without her pets, Stewart says she would’ve felt incredibly alone. But having to get up every morning to feed and care for her companions, even when she’s felt down, has been important. “The routine has definitely helped my mental health,” she says.
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Getting out and about to walk Mitzi (her rescue Rottweiler x Mastiff) has been a huge help: “It has given me fresh air and an appreciation for the small things, such as the blossoming flowers, the views over the city and just enjoying being with her.”
Paula Stewart Paula Stewart and Jeff the tortoise
Stewart is particularly fond of just sitting and watching her reptile and amphibian friends. “The way they take on life, exploring every day, plodding along and finding real joy in the small things is inspiring,” she says.
“I don’t know how I had time for work before this. I was missing out on spending so much time with my pets and witnessing all their quirks and habits. I love their companionship and the focus they give me to keep on going even when things are tough.”
Paula Stewart Mitzi
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-25--Trevor Phillips Responds To Criticism Of His Appointment To Government's Review Of BAME Deaths From

Trevor Phillips Responds To Criticism Of His Appointment To Government's Review Of BAME Deaths From Covid-19

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Former equalities chief Trevor Phillips has responded to widespread criticism of his appointment to the government’s review of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities.
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Official figures show more than a third of people in intensive care from Covid-19 are from BAME backgrounds – well over double the 13% proportion in the UK population as a whole.
NHS England data for the first 12,600 deaths from the virus in English hospitals revealed that Black people are dying from the virus at almost twice the rate of their proportion of the population.
Phillips and Professor Richard Webber – who together run specialist research company Webber Phillips – were asked by Public Health England (PHE) to provide expert support to an inquiry into why increasing numbers of victims of the coronavirus pandemic are from BAME backgrounds.
Trevor Phillips, former Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. PA Archive/PA Images
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This has sparked outcry from people from BAME communities with many branding the move as “shameful” and “alarming”, given his suspension from the Labour Party over Islamophobia allegations and previous offensive comments on race.
Those condemning the move include prominent Black and Muslim figures.
Acknowledging the discontent around his appointment, Phillips – who was formerly chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission – told HuffPost UK that his priority at this time is assisting with the inquiry.
“Everyone should be contributing anything they can to tackling this crisis,” he said.
“Anyone can see the research Richard and I have already done on our website, which explains why we’ve been asked to help.”
Close-up of a patient's hand in a hospital bed rubberball via Getty Images
While welcoming the review itself, the Muslim Council of Britain – the umbrella group for leading mosques and other Islamic institutions – slammed Phillips’ appointment.
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Writing in a statement on Saturday, Harun Khan – the organisation’s secretary general said: “It is wholly inappropriate to give that responsibility to someone being investigated for racism.
“The decision is particularly insensitive given that British Muslims overwhelmingly come from BAME communities and so many Muslim doctors have died at the front line of this pandemic.”
STATEMENT | MCB responds to appointment of Trevor Phillips to COVID-19 ethnicity review | 25 April 2020
➡Full press release here: https://t.co/dezyhZ0Mfq pic.twitter.com/9SMuy4EjOb — MCB (@MuslimCouncil) April 25, 2020
On Saturday, Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East, penned a letter of complaint over Phillips’ appointment to PHE chief executive Duncan Selbie.
“To appoint Trevor Phillips, who has boasted about being labelled as an ‘Islamophobe’ undermines the integrity and credibility of the review,” she wrote on Twitter.
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Dr Zubaida Haque, deputy director of Runnymede, the UK’s leading race equality thinkthank, posted: ”#COVID19 is not a culture war. It’s the difference between life and death. The fact that Public Health England have appointed Trevor Phillips, someone with concerning attitudes towards Muslim communities as the main adviser into the racial disparities review is highly concerning.”
#COVID19 is not a culture war. It’s the difference between life and death. The fact that Public Health England have appointed Trevor Phillips, someone with concerning attitudes towards Muslim communities as the main adviser into the racial disparities review is highly concerning. https://t.co/CMSp2wGOL6 — Dr Zubaida Haque (@Zubhaque) April 24, 2020
Tweeting to Phillips directly on Friday, Journalist Afua Hirsch said: “Dear @TrevorPTweets, you’ve supported colonialism, claim Muslims are “a nation within a nation”, comparison of Grenfell Tower to a “Tower of Babel”. Do you really feel comfortable participating in an inquiry that urgently needs the confidence of ethnic minority people?”
Nels Abbey, author of best-selling book, ‘Think Like A White Man’, wrote: “I can only hope @PHE_UK don’t know how Trevor Phillips is perceived in BAME communities. This, sadly, once again proves why we desperately need real and muscular diversity in all levels of our public bodies. They’re playing politics with a matter of life and death.”
I can only hope @PHE_uk don't know how Trevor Phillips is perceived in BAME communities.
This, sadly, once again proves why we desperately need real and muscular diversity in all levels of our public bodies.
They're playing politics with a matter of life and death. — Nels Abbey 🏁 (@nelsabbey) April 24, 2020
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Some have welcomed the news including Toby Young, general secretary of the Free Speech Union, who described Phillips as the “voice of reason”.
Dr Rakib Ehsan, a columnist at Spiked, also made positive observations around Phillips’ appointment.
Professor Kevin Fenton, PHE’s regional director, London, said: “Trevor Phillips and Professor Richard Webber have been asked to support this critical work as their specialist consultancy has the right skills and experience. We need to move fast to understand why and what can be done about this.”
So, how exactly will Phillips and Webber assist with the inquiry?
Well, Phillips told HuffPost UK that the government will be using his company’s Origins software, which provides information on ethnicity, “amongst other things”.
“We’re delighted to put our team - which together has more than a hundred years experience in this field - and our technology at the disposal of PHE to help it solve the puzzle of who is most vulnerable and why,” he said.
Webber Phillips provides unique data streams and evidence-based intelligence in the fields of gender and ethnocultural diversity.
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The algorithm, developed by Webber, a visiting professor at Newcastle University, draws on a database of 1.2 billion individual records globally.
It uses 2.5 million family names and 800,000 first names to build algorithms that he says can link names to an individual’s ethnic or cultural origin from around the world with more than 95 per cent accuracy.
The results are cross-checked against publicly available sources such as LinkedIn profiles and companies’ annual reports.
“[The algorithm] can even show what might be called social integration — the likelihood of [people of ethnic-minority heritage] using Anglo-Saxon first names,” Phillips told the Financial Times in 2018.
The company has a wide range of clients including local authorities, retailers and police forces.
Payment in exchange for this service has not been discussed with the government as yet, Phillips said. “We think the priority is to get the job done,” he added.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-25--Will A Coronavirus Vaccine Really Be 'Available For Everyone, Everywhere'? Here's What We Know So Fa

Will A Coronavirus Vaccine Really Be 'Available For Everyone, Everywhere'? Here's What We Know So Far

Get the latest on coronavirus. Sign up to the Daily Brief for news, explainers, how-tos, opinion and more.
As the UK looks ahead to its sixth week in lockdown, those leading the UK’s reaction to the deadly coronavirus outbreak have been very clear – the only way life is going to return to normal is when a vaccine or effective treatment is found.
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Understandably, a lot of focus has been put on when, where and how a Covid-19 vaccine might be developed.
But another strand of questioning has grown alongside this – who will be able to get the vaccine?
On Friday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced a £6.5 billion programme to unite and speed up access to safe, affordable and universal coronavirus vaccines and medicines.
The Access to Covid Tools Accelerator programme will be officially launched on May 4.
“Past experience has taught us that even when tools are available, they have been not been equally available to all – but we cannot allow that to happen,” said WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Meanwhile, Antonio Guterres, secretary general of the United Nations – of which WHO is an agency – said a vaccine must be sage, affordable and “available for everyone, everywhere”.
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“In an interconnected world, none of us is safe until all of us is safe,” he said. “Coronavirus anywhere is a threat to all of us everywhere.”
But will this really be the case? Some people are already worried that parts of the global population could miss out even if a vaccine is developed.
Here’s what we know so far.
What has the government said about an accessible coronavirus vaccine?
On Friday, foreign secretary Dominic Raab said the UK would be supporting the WHO’s Accelerator programme.
“By working together, we can develop an affordable, which is accessible to everyone who needs it as quickly as possible, so we can end this pandemic once and for all,” he said.
The 🇬🇧 will host a Global Vaccines Summit on 4 June. Diseases have no borders so we must come together to make sure that @gavi is fully funded and its expertise is at the heart of efforts to secure broad access to any COVID-19 vaccine. — Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) April 24, 2020
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Calling the Covid-19 outbreak the “biggest global threat the world has faced in a generation”, Raab said the UK was tackling the virus at home while also “galvanising international action to drive the development of, and fair access to, a vaccine”.
The UK has already pledged £744 million to the effort, the foreign secretary said, adding: “As coronavirus has shown in our interconnected world, diseases have no borders.
“And so it’s only through coming together and collective solutions, that we will be able to defeat the virus.”
Raab also announced on Friday that the UK would host a Global Vaccines Summit on June 4.
The world must come together to make sure that Gavi – the vaccine alliance that helps to vaccinate half of the world’s children against deadly diseases – is “fully funded and its expertise is at the heart of efforts secure broad access to any Covid-19 vaccine”, Raab said.
What needs to happen to make sure a coronavirus vaccine really is ‘available for everyone’?
Raab’s comments certainly make it sound like the UK government wants to help develop a vaccine that is accessible. So what do critics think needs to happen for?
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Nick Dearden, director of Global Justice Now – an organisation that campaigns on issues of global justice and development in the Global South – has called on the government to apply conditions to the public funding given to pharmaceutical companies.
“A Covid-19 vaccine must be available and affordable to everyone in the world,” he said.
“Currently pharmaceutical corporations are both demanding government support and saying they should have the right to charge what they want from any final medicines produced. It’s time for the government to say ‘no’.
“There’s no room in this crisis for big pharmaceutical corporations to profiteer from coronavirus, especially when we are ploughing millions of pounds of public money into the development of this vaccine.”
According to Dearden, a promise by the health secretary Matt Hancock that a coronavirus drug will be made available to the British public is “not an adequate guarantee of the public interest”.
“A vaccine could still cost the NHS a small fortune, and even worse, this is not just a British crisis,” he said. “We have a duty and an interest in ensuring that any effective vaccine must be available and accessible to everyone in the world.
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“It’s time the government listened to campaigners, MPs and experts on this and applied conditions to its public funding.”
Earlier this month more than 20 organisations, including Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Global Justice Now and Oxfam, penned an open letter to the government asking them to ensure that any Covid-19 vaccines developed with UK taxpayers’ money are produced ‘patent-free’ to prevent pharmaceutical corporations profiteering from them.
The letter called on leaders to guarantee equitable access to any new drug by imposing strict public interest conditions on all UK funding.
Although the pledges made by government on Friday have been widely welcomed, organisations have urged for clearly defined steps being taken to protect the availability of future treatments or vaccines.
Roz Scourse, research and policy officer at MSF said: “We really strongly welcome all these commitments to the global collective effort, and a lot of really positive language was used, but now we want to see some really concrete plans about how that’s actually going to happen.
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“It’s great to see that the government are stepping up and committing all this money, but it is public money and there needs to be strings attached.
“From the beginning we’ve been calling for there to be no patents attached to anything to do with this pandemic. Everything we have asked for previously still stands, because ultimately what we had yesterday were just commitments, they weren’t firm actions.”
The potential for monopolies doesn’t just mean that companies could be free to set their own prices on eventual products – it could also lead to vital research and data being hoarded and hampering progress towards a solution.
Some nations have put forward solutions to this issue – for example, Costa Rica’s recent suggestion of a ‘patent-pool’ through which all knowledge and research becomes common property – but these ideas have not yet received widespread support.
Scourse explained: “We’ve seen over the years how patents and monopolies have blocked access to patients, largely through making treatments and vaccines unaffordable because these companies can set their own prices.
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“We need to share as much as possible to to make sure we can meet a global demand and really scale up the production of anything that looks promising so it’s accessible to everyone.
“Monopolies or patents will just make that impossible. We also need to make sure that all the research and data is being shared so different groups can build on the research that’s in progress.”
The Department of Health and Social Care have been contacted for further comment.
How far along are Britain’s attempts to find a Covid-19 vaccine?
On Thursday it was announced that the first people had been injected as part of vaccine trials by researchers from the University of Oxford.
Both participants – a scientist and a cancer researcher – said they wanted to help in what could be a groundbreaking development in the fight against the disease.
Researchers from the University of Oxford administered the first dose on Thursday, while another was given a meningitis vaccine, used in the trial for comparison.
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Microbiologist Elisa Granato, who took part in the trial on her 32nd birthday, said she was “excited” to support the efforts by volunteering.
She told the BBC: “Since I don’t study viruses, I felt a bit useless these days, so I felt like this is a very easy way for me to support the cause.”
Cancer researcher Edward O’Neill said: “It seems like the right thing to do to ensure that we can combat this disease and get over it a lot faster.”
Professor Sarah Gilbert, who is leading the team, said she is optimistic about the chances of success.
She said: “Personally, I’m very optimistic it’s going to work. Formally, we are testing it in an efficacy setting.
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“There’s absolutely no suggestion we’re going to start using this vaccine in a wider population before we’ve demonstrated that it actually works and stops getting people infected with coronavirus.”
Up to 1,102 participants will be recruited across multiple study sites in Oxford, Southampton, London and Bristol.
She added that after receiving either the Covid-19 vaccine candidate or the meningitis jab, she would go about her normal life, keeping a diary about how she feels, or any symptoms.
The Oxford team hopes to have at least a million doses of its candidate ready in September.
Another institution hoping to have a vaccine ready for use by the end of the year is Imperial College London.
The researchers say a vaccine may be available for frontline workers and the most vulnerable by late winter, with clinical trials starting in June.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-25--UK Border Force Busts Criminals Smuggling £1m Of Cocaine In Face Mask Boxes, Home Secretary Reveals

Screen grab of Home Secretary Priti Patel during a media briefing in Downing Street, London, on coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by PA Video/PA Images via Getty Images) PA Video - PA Images via Getty Images
Coronavirus has changed everything. Make sense of it all with the Waugh Zone, our evening politics briefing. Sign up now.
Criminals attempting to smuggle £1million worth of cocaine into the UK in face masks have been stopped, the home secretary revealed at today’s government press briefing.
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Priti Patel said that last week the Border Force discovered £1million worth of cocaine set to be smuggled into the UK through the channel tunnel hidden in boxes of face masks.
She said that overall crime has decreased during lockdown but warned criminals that law enforcement is “onto you”.
Patel told the briefing that law enforcement agencies were “adapting” during the outbreak, as criminals continued to “capitalise on this horrendous crisis”.
The home secretary added there had been a fall in overall crime during the outbreak, with “car crime, burglary, shoplifting” lower than the same period last year.
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Addressing criminals, she said: “Today I have a message for them. Our world-class law enforcement is also adapting, and they are on to you, and their efforts are paying off.”
“Our ‘You Are Not Alone’ campaign to signpost the help available and to make it clear to victims that they can still leave home, has made an incredible impact – with 98 million online impressions,” she told the briefing.
“I refuse to ignore the amplified risk for the victims of hidden crime, and I along with Lynne (Owens – director general of the National Crime Agency), along with our entire law enforcement agencies, refuse to allow criminals to take advantage of these unprecedented times.”
Screen grab of (left to right) National Medical Director at NHS England Stephen Powis, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Lynne Owens, Director General of the National Crime Agency during a media briefing in Downing Street, London, on coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by PA Video/PA Images via Getty Images) PA Video - PA Images via Getty Images
The home secretary described the coronavirus death toll in UK hospitals passing 20,000 as a “deeply tragic and moving moment” and warned that “we are not out of the woods yet”.
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Patel said the entire government was working towards returning the country to normal, but said its five tests must be met before the lockdown can be lifted.
She said: “We must be sure we can continue to protect the NHS, that there is a sustained and consistent fall in the daily rates of death, that the data shows the rate of infection decreases, that the operational challenges are met.
“And of course that there is no risk of a second peak of infections.
“Until then, we all have a role to play in pulling our country out of this crisis.”
She added: “So I urge you all to stay strong and embrace that spirit of national unity by continuing to follow the advice – to stay home, protect the NHS and save lives”.
Asked if the government could give any details of how to get the UK out of lockdown, Patel said officials were working “night and day” to develop an exit strategy.
“This is not a binary choice of just removing restrictions in terms of moving back to how things were,” she said.
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The home secretar continued: “The fact of the matter is we want to prevent a second wave of this horrendous virus, and to do that we have to make sure that we continue with the measures that are in place.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-25--Watch Live: Home Secretary Priti Patel Give Daily Coronavirus Briefing

Watch Live: Home Secretary Priti Patel Give Daily Coronavirus Briefing
Government officials hold a daily briefing to update on the coronavirus outbreak in the United Kingdom, as the death toll tops 20,000. Patel is joined by Medical Director of NHS England, Professor Stephen Powis and Director General of the National Crime Agency, Lynne Owens.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-25--Donald Trump Unfollows Piers Morgan On Twitter After Presenter Calls Him Out For 'Senseless' Coronav

Donald Trump Unfollows Piers Morgan On Twitter After Presenter Calls Him Out For 'Senseless' Coronavirus Comments

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Piers Morgan’s friendship with Donald Trump has hit a rocky patch after the Good Morning Britain presenter called out the US president for his “senseless” coronavirus comments.
And in typical Trump style, he showed just how much of a huff he’s in by unfollowing Piers on Twitter.
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Piers’ latest column in the Daily Mail ran under the headline ‘President Trump’s bats**t crazy coronavirus “cure” theories are not just shockingly senseless and stupid – they’re going to kill people.’
Donald Trump, left, and Piers Morgan ASSOCIATED PRESS
Just hours after it was published on Saturday, Piers confirmed Trump had unfollowed him on the social media platform.
“UPDATE: President @realDonaldTrump has unfollowed me on Twitter, hours after I wrote this @DailyMail column,” Piers tweeted.
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UPDATE: President @realDonaldTrump has unfollowed me on Twitter, hours after I wrote this @DailyMail column: pic.twitter.com/uRncON3Up7 — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) April 25, 2020
Piers’ column comes after a media briefing held by Trump earlier this week, when the president made a series of bizarre comments during a discussion on how coronavirus reacts to different temperatures, climates and surfaces.
He told the assembled press: “I see the disinfectant, where it knocks out in a minute, one minute, and is there a way we can do something like that? By injection inside, or almost a cleaning.
“Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it’d be interesting to check that.
“So, that you’re going to have to use medical doctors with, but it sounds interesting to me. Needless to say, do not inject yourself with bleach.”
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Following his comments, Piers took to Twitter to blast the president, tweeting: “President Trump’s defence for floating bats**t crazy claims that injecting bleach can kill #coronavirus is that he was being “sarcastic”.
“FFS @realDonaldTrump – this is not a joke. 50,000 Americans are dead & many more will die. Stop this nonsense & get serious.”
President Trump’s defence for floating batsh*t crazy claims that injecting bleach can kill #coronavirus is that he was being ‘sarcastic’.
FFS @realDonaldTrump - this is not a joke. 50,000 Americans are dead & many more will die. Stop this nonsense & get serious. — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) April 24, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-25--UK Coronavirus Toll Tops 20,000 As 813 Deaths Recorded In 24 Hours

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More than 20,000 people have died in hospitals in the UK after contracting coronavirus.
The number of deaths in hospitals has risen by 813 in 24 hours according to the Department of Health and Social Care – bringing the total number of deaths so far to 20,319.
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These figures cover the period up to 5pm on Friday, April 24.
The increase consists of 711 in England, 47 in Scotland, 23 in Wales and 16 in Northern Ireland, according to officials from the four separate devolved authorities.
As of 9am on Saturday, 517,836 people have been tested for coronavirus, with 148,377 coming back positive.
The UK is the fifth country in the world to officially report more than 20,000 deaths, with higher totals recorded only in the US, Italy, France and Spain.
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The US has by far the highest number of officially reported deaths, with the toll currently standing at more than 52,000.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-25--Six Things You Need To Know About Coronavirus Today

Cummings was among 23 attendees at a key meeting of the secretive Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) on March 23 – the day the PM announced the nationwide lockdown, according to the Guardian.
The paper reported that the advisor is part of the group itself, calling into question the true independence of the government’s advice. No. 10 have denied that Cummings is a member of the group – branding the reports “factually wrong and damaging to sensible public debate” – but admitted he had attended meetings.
Ben Warner, a data scientist who worked with Cummings on the Vote Leave campaign during the Brexit referendum, was also said to have been present.
A former government chief scientific adviser, Sir David King, said he was “shocked” to find that there were political advisers involved in Sage meetings.
“If you are giving science advice, your advice should be free of any political bias. That is just so critically important,” he told the Guardian.
“Sage provides independent scientific advice to the Government. Political advisers have no role in this,” a spokesperson for No. 10 added.
“The scientists on Sage are among the most eminent in their fields. It is factually wrong and damaging to sensible public debate to imply their advice is affected by government advisers listening to discussions.”
The spokesman said Cummings and Warner had been seeking to better understand the scientific debate around coronavirus, as well as the limits as to how science and data could assist Government decision-making.
“Occasionally they ask questions or offer help when scientists mention problems in Whitehall,” the spokesman said
The government has never released a list of Sage members or attendees – although individual members can disclose they are part of the group.
Drones to be used to transfer medical supplies to the Isle of Wight


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-26--Where Is Kim Jong Un? Here’s What We Know About The North Korea Leader’s Health

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North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has now missed two major events, fuelling speculation about his health.
Questions have been mounting about the leader’s condition, but increased dramatically on Saturday when American tabloid TMZ published and article claiming he had died – citing unsubstantiated reports from Chinese and Japanese sources.
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But Kim has been out of the public eye for extended periods of time before, and the secretive nature of the state means it’s difficult for reliable information about his health – let alone his ability to continue to lead – to come to light.
Here’s what we know so far about Kim’s health, where he might be, and who could follow him into power if he’s incapacitated:
What condition is Kim in?
There have been plenty of rumours about the dictator’s health in recent weeks, and North Korean authorities have not yet revealed any information about Kim’s health.
Questions about Kim’s condition flared after he missed an April 15 commemoration of the 108th birthday of his grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung.
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The annual commemoration is North Korea’s most important event, and Kim, 36, had not missed it since inheriting power from his father in late 2011.
North Korea’s state media on Wednesday said Kim sent a message thanking Syria’s president for conveying greetings on his grandfather’s birthday, but did not report any other activities.
It was later reported by Seoul-based speciality website Daily NK that Kim was recovering at a coastal villa after undergoing a cardiovascular procedure on April 12, citing unidentified sources.
On Saturday, Kim missed another national holiday, North Korea’s Military Foundation Day, adding to growing questions about his health.
On Monday night American news outlets published and tweeted reports that the leader was in a serious condition – with CNN reporting that Kim was in “grave danger” and NBC News later claiming he was “brain dead” (though the tweet containing the claim was later deleted “out of an abundance of caution”).
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People watch a television news broadcast showing file footage of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, at a railway station in Seoul on April 21. JUNG YEON-JE via Getty Images
Without elaborating on whether or not Kim had undergone surgical procedure, two South Korean government sources cast doubt on the reports he is gravely ill and the presidential Blue House said there are no unusual signs coming from the North.
An official at the Chinese Communist Party’s International Liaison Department, which deals with North Korea, told Reuters the source did not believe Kim was critically ill. China is North Korea’s only major ally.
A US source familiar with internal US government reporting on North Korea backed up the South Korean account and questioned the CNN report that Kim is seriously ill, even though he has been out of the public eye for an extended period.
Where is he?
What is described by Washington-based North Korea monitoring project 38 North as a special train possibly belonging to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is seen in a satellite image with graphics taken over Wonsan, North Korea. via REUTERS
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Satellite imagery has found a train likely belonging to Kim Jong Un as speculation continues over his health, according to a website specialising in studies of the country.
The satellite photos provided by website 38 North and Airbus show the train has been parked at Kim’s compound in Wonsan on North Korea’s east coast since at least April 21.
The photos do not provide any clarity on Kim’s health, but they do appear to confirm South Korean government intelligence that he is staying outside of the capital, Pyongyang.
Who could succeed Kim if he were left unable to lead?
Kim is the third generation of his family to rule North Korea, and a strong personality cult has been built around him, as well of the legacy of his father and grandfather.
The family’s mythical “Paektu” bloodline, named after the highest peak on the Korean Peninsula, is said to give only direct family members the right to rule the nation.
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Following that line, Kim’s younger sister – senior ruling party official Kim Yo Jong – would be the most likely candidate to step in if her brother is gravely ill, incapacitated or dies.
But some experts say a collective leadership, which could end the family’s dynastic rule, could also be possible.
A collective leadership would likely be headed by Choe Ryong Hae, North Korea’s ceremonial head of state who officially ranks a second-in-command in the country’s current power hierarchy.
But Choe is still not a Kim family member, and that could raise questions about his legitimacy and put North Korea into deeper political chaos, according to other observers.
Other Kim family members who might take over include Kim Pyong Il, the 65-year-old half-brother of Kim Jong Il, who reportedly returned home in November after decades in Europe as a diplomat.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-26--Boris Johnson 'Raring To Go' On Return To Work On Monday, Dominic Raab Says

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Prime minister Boris Johnson will return to full-time work on Monday and is “raring to go”, Dominic Raab has confirmed
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Johnson has been off work for three weeks after being hospitalised with coronavirus.
The PM spent three nights in intensive care at St Thomas’s hospital in central London in a battle against Covid-19 which he said “could have gone either way”.
He was discharged two weeks ago and has been recovering at his Chequers grace-and-favour residence since.
Over the past week, the PM has been easing back into duties, receiving Covid-19 updates from senior ministers, holding his weekly audience with the Queen, and telephoning US president Donald Trump.
He will return to work at No.10 Downing Street on Monday.
Raab, the first secretary of state, has been standing in for Johnson since he was taken ill.
"I've spoken to him every day this week."@DominicRaab says Prime Minister @BorisJohnson has been "abreast of everything that's been going on" and is "looking forward to getting back" to work on Monday.#Ridge: https://t.co/47EzyI9agK pic.twitter.com/YIsYJzin8e — Sophy Ridge on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) April 26, 2020
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He told Sky News’s Ridge On Sunday: “He’s really got good spirits.
“He’s taken the time and taken the doctors’ advice to rebuild his strength.
“He’s going to be back at work full time, properly at the helm, on Monday.
“And as you can imagine with the prime minister, he’s raring to go.
“I’ve spoken to him every day this week, we’ve made sure that he’s abreast of everything that’s going on and we had a meeting at Chequers, and the chancellor joined and various members of the top team.
“So I think he’s right to have taken the time to make sure he can bounce back.
“But he’s looking forward to getting back at the reins on Monday.”
Raab meanwhile rejected calls from senior Tories to ease the lockdown, which has been in place for nearly five weeks to combat the epidemic.
Six party donors and a handful of anonymous cabinet ministers told the Sunday Times they wanted to see the restrictions eased.
But Raab stressed that the outbreak was still at a “delicate and dangerous stage” and said the government would proceed “cautiously” to avoid a second peak of infections.
“We need to make sure that the next steps are sure-footed, which is why we are proceeding very cautiously and we are sticking to the scientific advice with the social-distancing measures at this time, whilst doing all the homework to make sure that we are prepared in due course for the next phase,” he told Ridge.
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He also brushed off a call from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer for the government to set out an “exit strategy” explaining how the lockdown could eventually be lifted.
“Until we can be confident, based on the scientific advice, that we are making sure-footed steps going forward that protect life, but also preserve our way of life, frankly it is not responsible to start speculating about the individual measures,” he said.
Raab, who is also foreign secretary, confirmed ministers were considering checks on people who arrive at UK sea and airports after reports said officials were drawing up plans for passengers to be quarantined for 14 days after entering the country.
Ministers have previously rejected such an approach, arguing it would have little impact given the low numbers coming into the UK and the rate of community transmission in the country.
But Raab said the government was now “looking at” introducing measures for people arriving in the UK.
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Shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves ramped up Labour calls on the government to openly debate how lockdown restrictions might be lifted.
#Marr: Is the government treating the British public like children?
Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Rachel Reeves: It’s important that we "communicate with them, treat them like grown-ups" and explain to them "where we go next"#Marr https://t.co/WhRfiYdqIm pic.twitter.com/flQPVhAIl1 — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) April 26, 2020
“It is incredibly important that the government take people with us on this journey,” she told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-26--Rylan Clark-Neal Reveals Hillary Clinton Wanted Him To Be Her Personal Aide

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Rylan Clark-Neal is not exactly short of work at the moment, but if the TV and radio jobs ever dry up, we could see him in an altogether different role.
The presenter has revealed that none other than Hillary Clinton once asked him to be her right hand man.
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Yes, you did read that correctly.
Rylan Clark-Neal and Hillary Clinton Rex
Rylan made the shock revelation about the former First Lady and US presidential candidate during a chart with comic Katherine Ryan on his BBC Radio 2 radio show.
The 31-year-old star said Hillary made him a job offer when they met while he was working on ITV’s This Morning.
He explained: “You know Hillary Clinton actually offered me a job once … As in, like, genuinely.
“It was was when I worked on This Morning, we used to do this thing called The Hub, which is where I was just off the side of the set with a big screen doing viewer comments and I called her Hills babe, and then everyone went mad because they were like, ‘This could be the next president’.
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“Anyway, we had a lovely chat and she was like, ‘I’d love you to be my personal aide’,” he continued. “So if it all goes wrong, I swear!”
Rylan Clark-Neal Mike Marsland via Getty Images
When asked if he considered taking the job, he replied: “I didn’t, but I did say to her – and I won’t say the exact words I said to her because it’s not BBC Radio 2 friendly – I said, ‘Hillary, if I say a certain swear word on daytime TV and lose all my jobs, I’ll give you a ring’.”
Katherine told Rylan she would “never, never see you as anyone’s personal aide, not the president of America, no-one, you know, so actually that was an insult”.
She added: “Hills can be your personal aide.”
Rylan is a keen follower of the political world, but his regular tweets on the likes of Brexit (remember that?) have been the butt of jokes from some users of the social media site.
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He previously hit back at “snobby-arsed” critics of his political commentary, insisting he is informing his followers who “might not necessarily understand Brexit”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-26--Seven Things You Need To Know About Coronavirus Today

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The prime minster is set to return to Downing Street as the UK coronavirus death toll tops 20,000.
According to the latest figures published on Sunday:
A further 413 UK hospital deaths of patients who had tested positive for coronavirus have been recorded in 24 hours, bringing the total to 20,732.
The number of people who have tested positive in the UK has reached 152,840.
Here’s the latest:
PM back in Downing Street
Prime minister Boris Johnson has arrived back in Downing Street after recuperating from Covid-19 at his country home Chequers, a Downing Street source said.
He is due to resume work tomorrow and will chair the morning meeting of the government’s coronavirus “war cabinet” - three weeks after leaving Downing Street for hospital.
The PM first said he had tested positive for Covid-19 on March 27 before entering his mandatory period of self-isolation at home.
Due to his symptoms persisting, Johnson was taken to St Thomas’s hospital on April 5. Just hours later, he was admitted to intensive care.
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He spent two nights in the intensive care unit at before finally being released from hospital on April 12 to continue his recovery at Chequers.
On his return to work the PM faces a radically altered situation. When he was admitted to hospital the nation’s death toll stood at 4,934, but as of 5pm on Friday evening, that number had more than quadrupled and now exceeds 20,000.
As the country enters yet another week of lockdown the PM faces mounting pressure to answer questions about a potential exit plan from the situation.
Despite originally setting a review date of April 13, foreign secretary Dominic Raab said on April 16 that the shutdown would be extended for at least three more weeks, with the situation to be reviewed once again on May 7.
At the Downing Street briefing on Saturday, home secretary Priti Patel refused to comment on what the Government’s exit strategy was, saying it would be “irresponsible” to get people’s hopes up.
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The row over inadequate levels of PPE and a relatively low number of tests being completed each day also continues to rage, with health secretary Matt Hancock’s target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of April looking unlikely.
The home secretary said on Saturday that 28,760 tests had been carried out on Friday.
NHS chief warns of second coronavirus surge
British people need to carry on social distancing or risk losing the benefits of the lockdown by causing another surge in coronavirus cases, NHS England’s medical director has said.
Stephen Powis said that despite the death rate, infections and hospital admissions decreasing, now is not the time to say “we’ve done a good job” and stop complying with the restrictions.
He spoke as government data showed signs that people might be flouting the stay-at-home measures in increasing numbers, with data suggesting a “slight uptick” in the number of people driving and requesting walking and driving directions on Apple maps.
Powis said the number of infections had started to decline “not by luck” but because of social distancing.
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There is now also a “very definite trend” of fewer people being hospitalised with Covid-19, particularly in London, and there has been a decline in the number of critical care beds used for virus patients.
He told the Downing Street daily briefing: ”My fear, as the fear of all of us is, is that those curves won’t continue to go on a downward trend, but will start to go on an upward trend.
“We’re not at the point that any of us can be absolutely confident that that’s not going to be the case.
“We want to avoid a second peak, we want to avoid a rise.”
Troops to operate testing facilities across the UK
The armed forces are preparing to conduct coronavirus tests across the UK. Hollie Adams via Getty Images
The military is to begin operating mobile coronavirus testing units which will travel to care homes, police stations and prisons across the UK.
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The new units will test essential workers and vulnerable people in areas where there is “significant” demand, the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said.
The mobile facilities can be set up in less than 20 minutes and allow for hundreds of people to be tested each day.
Specially-trained members of the armed forces will collect swabs at the mobile sites before they are sent to “mega-labs” for processing, with results available within 48 hours, the DHSC said.
As of Sunday, there are eight mobile units carrying out tests across the country, in areas including Salisbury, Southport and Teesside.
However, the DHSC said “at least” 96 will be ready to be deployed by the start of May.
More than 10m key workers and their households are now eligible for Covid-19 tests, which can now be booked online through the Government’s website.
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Coronavirus vaccine ‘not likely to come to fruition this year’ says Dominic Raab
A coronavirus vaccine this year is “not likely to come to fruition” Dominic Raab has warned.
With the first human trials of a vaccine taking place this week, hopes had been raised about the prospect of a potential solution by the end of 2020.
A vaccine has long been touted as the only solution to fully ending lockdown, but there have been a number of warnings about the likelihood of this being achieved any times soon.
The foreign secretary told Sky’s Sophy Ridge: “We’re looking at the possibility of a vaccine. That’s not likely to come to fruition this year, but it could be very important if we get multiple waves of coronavirus globally down the track.”
.@DominicRaab says a vaccine for the #coronavirus is "not likely to come to fruition this year".
The foreign secretary tells @SophyRidgeSky a future vaccine would be important if there are "multiple waves" of #COVID19 "further down the track".#Ridge: https://t.co/47EzyI9agK pic.twitter.com/jF4aqz8byI — Sophy Ridge on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) April 26, 2020
Meanwhile, former former deputy chief medical officer for England Professor Gina Radford told Sky News that people should be “realistic” about the prospect of a vaccine.
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She said: “Firstly we haven’t at the moment got a vaccine so we are having to start from scratch.
“We haven’t got a hugely good track record with vaccines for this particular virus, coronavirus, the family of viruses.
“But having said that everything is being thrown at it, there are researchers all over the world trying to identify a vaccine.
“We have never seen anything like the effort that is being put to discover this vaccine.”
Global death toll tops 200,000
The global death toll has. now surpassed 200,000. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
More than 200,000 people have now died worldwide after contracting coronavirus, according to an official count maintained by John Hopkins University.
The total number of people confirmed to have been infected with Covid-19 has surpassed 2.7m, but without widespread testing in many countries the true number is thought to be far higher.
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Of those 200,000 deaths, the UK has recorded more than 20,000 fatalities – becoming the fifth nation to surpass the grim milestone.
The US currently holds by far the world’s highest death toll, with more than 54,000 deaths and almost a million confirmed cases.
France and Spain announce plans to ease some lockdown restrictions
Spain, Italy, and France – the worst affected countries in Europe – have started to announce changes to lockdown rules. Niccolo Guasti via Getty Images
France and Spain have announced changes to coronavirus restrictions, after weeks of lockdown designed to halt the deadly spread of Covid-19.
French PM Edouard Philippe is set to present the government’s plan to unwind the country’s coronavirus lockdown to parliament on Tuesday, followed by a debate and vote, his office said in a statement.
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The lockdown ordered by president Emmanuel Macron has been in place since March 17 and is due to be lifted on May 11.
Macron is aiming to ease some of the lockdown measures with schools reopening first, although the government has yet to finalise how it might work in practice.
France has also offered retailers some relief by saying it wants them to reopen on May 11, though some restrictions could remain in certain areas to delay a new wave of the coronavirus.
The death toll in France from the coronavirus now stands at 22,614, the health ministry said on Saturday.
Meanwhile in Spain children are preparing to go outside for the first time in six weeks as changes to the strict lockdown conditions were announced.
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From Sunday they will be allowed one hour of supervised outdoor activity per day between 9am and 9pm, staying within one kilometre of their home.
Adults can accompany up to three children, who will not be allowed to use play areas and must adhere to social distancing guidelines, remaining at least two metres from other people.
Spain’s PM Pedro Sanchez also said the nations’s residents will be allowed out to exercise alone from May 2 if the coronavirus toll continues to fall. People living together will be permitted to take short walks together.
Trump skips daily media briefing
The president has faced fierce criticism for comments made during his recent appearances. OLIVIER DOULIERY via Getty Images
US president Donald Trump skipped the daily White House media briefing on Saturday evening, blaming “lamestream media” hostility for his absence.
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Trump has come under fire in recent days after suggesting during a televised press conference that injecting people with disinfectant could act as a potential cure for the virus, as well as facing criticism for other bizarre moments during press conferences.
The president has been widely ridiculed for his comments, with household cleaning brands forced to speak out and urge the public not to ingest or inject cleaning products and warning that following the president’s suggestion could lead to serious illness or death.
Despite being absent from his usual position in front of reporters Trump still found the time to tweet, blaming the “lamestream media” for his absence.
He wrote: “What is the purpose of having White House News Conferences when the Lamestream Media asks nothing but hostile questions, & then refuses to report the truth or facts accurately.
“They get record ratings, & the American people get nothing but Fake News. Not worth the time & effort!”
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Meanwhile, reports from the White House suggest that leaders are preparing to replace the country’s Health and Human Service (HHS) secretary Alex Azar as the government fields accusations that too little was done to prevent more than 50,000 deaths nationwide.
Talks to potentially remove Azar from his post are happening after weeks of growing tension between the HHS secretary and other administration officials.
Just this week, Trump’s former 2016 campaign adviser Michael Caputo was installed as a top spokesperson for HHS ― a move reportedly made to give Trump more control over Azar, Politico reported earlier this month.
Father of thirteen tests positive for Covid-19
The father of one of Scotland’s largest families has tested positive for Covid-19, forcing his entire household into a 14-day quarantine.
Roy and Emma Hann, from Dundee, have thirteen children aged five to 28 – ten of whom still live at home.
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Roy’s positive diagnosis, tested after he was found to have mild symptoms, has meant that his home has effectively gone into lockdown with everyone in quarantine for two weeks apart from Roy, who is self-isolating for seven days.
The 50-year-old nurse practitioner told the BBC that despite his type 2 diabetes, he was already keen to ready to get back to work on the front lines of the fight against the virus.
He said: “My life hadn’t really changed, I just get to see my children more. I’m actually glad I’ve had it, it makes me feel more confident about going back to work.
“There’s so many in our house, we joke we’re going for herd immunity.”
Meanwhile, his wife Emma told the broadcaster about the difficulties she’d experienced feeding her family under lockdown, particularly when dealing with the restrictions imposed on item limits in supermarkets.
“The fact that we’re a big family means social distancing guidelines are challenging for us,” she said.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-26--Gavin & Stacey’s Nessa Dishes Out Coronavirus Advice. Consider Yourself Told

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The world might be in the middle of a pandemic, but some people still need reminding to stay at home and stick to social distancing guidance.
Enter Nessa Jenkins.
Ruth Jones has taken to social media as her beloved Gavin & Stacey character to urge fans to “stay out my way” when she’s doing “my half marathon around Barry”.
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And who would argue with that?
“Oh, what’s occurring? Not a lot, other than a global pandemic but the question was rhetorical,” she begins in the clip.
“Now listen, I am not here to give advice, there’s plenty of others that would do that for you, it’s your life and I am not about to tell you how to live it. I wouldn’t do that to no one. I wouldn’t even tell myself to live my life.
“If you see me in the morning doing my daily run, my half marathon around Barry, don’t even think about breaking that two-metre rule because if you does I will not hesitate to tell you quite clearly to back off.
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“Because at the end of the day when all is said and done, no word of a lie if truth be told, just because you don’t feel ill don’t mean you’re not infectious, you could be riddled.”
Nessa signs off with the message: “Stay safe, stay out of my way and protect the NHS, obviously it goes without saying.”
Nessa’s coronavirus advice comes hot on the heels of the return of Gavin & Stacey to our screens in last year’s Christmas special.
Gavin & Stacey stars Ruth Jones (Nessa) and James Corden (Smithy) BBC
The one-off episode was watched by 18.5 million viewers in four weeks, making it the most-watched TV show since records began in 2002.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-26--Trump Organisation Seeks UK Handouts For Struggling Golf Resorts

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In yet another mind-blowing business situation for an American president, Donald Trump’s company is seeking handouts from foreign governments for three struggling golf resorts.
The Trump Organisation is after aid from the British and Irish governments to cover most of the wages of employees who have been furloughed because of Covid-19 lockdowns, Bloomberg reports.
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Ironically, the 2,000 Trump employees laid off in his own country won’t get the same government help.
The situation raises huge ethical concerns for a president. The Trump Organisation stands to gain from foreign governments at the same time Trump negotiates with them on international issues as head of the US The dual role as businessman and president highlights concerns about whose interests he is serving. Fordham University law professor Jed Shugerman called it a “flagrant violation” of the emoluments clause of the Constitution, which prohibits American officials from accepting money from a foreign government or its representatives to avoid conflicts of interest.
"I need a favor though." Trump's making another hell of an ask of a foreign government that has nothing to do with helping Americans, putting America first, or being strong. https://t.co/nzhq6531cb — John Oberlin (@OMGno2trump) April 23, 2020
This would be a direct and flagrant violation of the Foreign Emoluments Clause.
The UK surely prohibits bailouts that would be illegal where the corp is incorporated.
Donald Trump asks government to bail out his Scottish golf courses | The National https://t.co/Eqm8Qlvou4 — Jed Shugerman (@jedshug) April 23, 2020
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Some people in the UK are furious they’re being asked to bail out a man who frequently boasts he’s a billionaire and a crack businessman.
“The huge tab for this will be borne throughout the whole population through higher taxes,” said Martin Ford, a Green Party councillor in Aberdeenshire, where one of Trump’s resorts is located. “If what he says about his personal wealth is true, Trump doesn’t need the money, and I don’t see why UK taxpayers of the future should be helping him out,” he told Bloomberg.
The president’s son Eric Trump said in a statement to USA Today that the money the company is seeking “does not benefit” the Trump Organisation – it is “solely about protecting people and their families who would otherwise be out of work.” Presumably, however, many employees can continue to work on the Trump properties maintaining the greens and buildings at little cost to the president’s company.
The Trump family was initially said to be prohibited from cashing in on the US stimulus packages passed by Congress – though Trump’s Virginia winery and four hotels may still be eligible for the funds, according to a report by ProPublica.
The Trump Organisation is seeking an annual rent cut of $3 million from the US General Services Administration for the government-owned former post office that’s the site of the president’s Washington, DC, hotel. In another unique business situation for a president, Trump, the businessman renter of the site, also serves as the landlord because he’s the president of the United States.
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