thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--Baftas 2020: What You Need To Know About This Year's Nominations

Baftas 2020: What You Need To Know About This Year's Nominations
The nominations for this year’s Baftas have been announced – and there aren’t too many surprises. Joker leads the pack with 11 nominations, closely followed by Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman with 10. 1917 and Parasite join those titles to make up the Best Picture category. However, controversy has again been caused by the lack of diversity in the all-white nominee lists for the major categories.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--Britain Is Changing. It’s About Time The Media Did Too

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As a dark skinned Black woman from a working class background, I became acutely aware of my difference growing up – first consuming British media and then working within it from the tender age of 16. This was, of course, a great opportunity and a privilege, and one that has put my life on a different trajectory from others from similar backgrounds. But it has also meant that I have had the experience of being the anomaly – often the only one in the room – and, ultimately, facing the battle to belong.
Encounters from the very start of my career – being excluded from a photoshoot which had included all of my fellow female presenters, or being frustrated by a TV executive having concerns about putting two black presenters on a show – are just some early examples of how I experienced the world of the media. It was a world in which I was a part and yet not fully part of. These experiences and others during my career are perhaps not unique to anyone who has felt different, but have in fact gifted me an insight and the ability to see patterns of exclusion, that to those unaffected go unnoticed.
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It would be wrong to suggest that nothing has changed from those early days of my career, but progress has often been too slow and there is still a way to go. That is why I am proud to have joined the BBC as the first Director of Creative Diversity. In my first two months here, I have been impressed by the work already happening and the steps being taken to address issues. Diversity is not a “nice to have” but an essential part of the BBC’s agenda and positive action is already underway with urgency. I welcome Tony Hall’s bold plans to rapidly increase BAME representation at senior levels through the appointment of advisors to leadership teams – ultimately we want to see more diversity of thought at the very top of the organisation. I welcome too, the plans to boost disability representation on and off screen next year.
One such positive example is Charlie Swinbourne who joined the BBC’s Writer’s Room Access Group for disability, and is now writing for Casualty and CBBC. Our plans include a series of targeted efforts to help underrepresented talent gain the career opportunities they deserve. We are also looking at ways to ensure socio-economic diversity is reflected throughout the corporation and have recently launched an internal staff network (called RAISED), committed to raising awareness of this issue within the BBC.
We can’t escape the fact that the makeup of Britain’s viewing audience and workforce is rapidly changing. And we can only continue to make the case for the BBC as a broadcaster of choice by cultivating inclusion and harnessing the power of our diversity. Put simply, we need to reflect and engage with the UK’s diverse communities both on and off screen, and to produce the inclusive conditions required for diversity to thrive. However, there is no getting away from the very real barriers that exist, which have slowed progress and led to the emergence of roles like mine across all industry sectors in an attempt to help circumvent them. Part of the problem is that these barriers cannot always be seen, but they can definitely be felt if your lived experience of being different has exposed you to them.
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All too often, those barriers are ignored because it’s easier to stick with the familiar, but it should come as no surprise then that we continue to see the same results. In the words of Einstein: “The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” It is why I am excited by the ways we are looking to innovate and create change at the BBC.
I have already mentioned the plans to inject diversity at the top of the organisation and to increase representation. This spring, we will host the BBC’s first ever Creative Diversity Festival, and the preeminent BAME-focused creative festival in the world. This three-day celebration will connect the best of BAME creative talent with the BBC and the industry at large by leveraging the convening power of the BBC. We know some in the UK’s BAME communities have felt disconnected from the BBC. As a public service broadcaster, it is crucial that we find more ways to reconnect and reengage with this important, yet underserved audience, and bring them back home to the BBC where they belong. The Creative Diversity Festival will aim to address this issue not just for the BBC but for the industry as a whole. We can only succeed in building a more diverse BBC if diversity is embraced by all corners of the media, and I will set out the plans for the festival in more detail soon.
In my excitement and enthusiasm I have not lost sight of the fact that the journey towards inclusion will be uncomfortable at times. It will require us to ask difficult questions and to challenge some of our core beliefs and established wisdoms. In the pursuit of diversity we are not looking to exclude those who have already succeeded, but to allow room for new voices to be included. Ultimately, I believe the BBC’s window into the UK will be all the richer as a result, and hopefully one that more people see themselves reflected in too.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--Stormzy Embarrassed After Forgetting To Take Off Slippers Before BBC Breakfast Appearance

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You know that anxiety dream you used to have about accidentally turning up for school in your pyjamas? Well, Stormzy just experienced the real-life equivalent.
The chart-topping grime star was left rather embarrassed on Tuesday morning, when BBC Breakfast’s Dan Walker pointed out he’d made an unfortunate choice of footwear for his appearance on the show.
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At the beginning of their interview, Dan revealed to viewers that Stormzy was wearing slippers, saying: “Can I just say, first up… those slippers are amazing.”
The embarrassed rapper quickly responded: “I know… do you know what it is, I forgot. No I actually forgot. I’m an idiot.”
Stormzy on BBC Breakfast BBC
He went on to add that he had been wearing his slippers at a signing in Bristol, and absent-mindedly got in the car to take him to his BBC Breakfast interview before changing into a more traditional choice of shoe.
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“I got in the car and I was like, damn,” he added. “So…”
Still, no one can say Stormzy doesn’t know how to work a look. The Union Jack stab-proof vest, the bright orange tracksuit bottoms and now… the slippers.
Oh dear BBC
It’s fair to say it’s been a bit of an eventful week for Stormzy, after he found himself swapping insults with fellow grime star Wiley, culminating in the chart-topping rapper debuting a diss track on Monday afternoon.
On the song – titled Disappointed – Stormzy accuses his rival of “using his name for clout”, before dropping the line: “I’m so big that the only thing bigger than me last year was Brexit.”
Stormzy also recently celebrated landing the first number one single of the new decade, after the Ed Sheeran collaboration Own It topped the UK charts.
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BBC Breakfast airs every day from BBC One at 6am.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--Alex Jones Sums Up Struggle Of Mums Going Back To Work: 'The Juggle Begins'

David M. Benett via Getty Images
Alex Jones has summed up the struggle mums feel when they return to work after maternity leave – and women can relate.
The 42-year-old TV presenter, who is mum to two-year-old Teddy and seven-month-old Kit with her husband Charlie Thomson, shared a black and white photo of herself cuddling her boys.
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“Back to work today, so many different feelings,” she wrote. “Anxious about leaving the boys, excited to be back on the show. As soon as I put lipstick on this morning, little Ted looked at me with his huge brown eyes and asked, ‘where are you going mummy?’ It nearly killed me.”
Jones added that she’s looking forward to going back to a job she loves, adding, “But my goodness, I’ll miss these two. So here we go... the juggle begins.”
Women commenting on Jones’s post were able to relate to her feelings. “Like yourself, I’m going back after baby number two in a few weeks and feel the exact same emotions,” one mum wrote. “We will all adapt really soon to the new routine, I hope!! You’ll do so well.”
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Another commented: “I’m in exactly the same boat, have a small cry after dropping them off at the childminder for the first time today. The struggle is real. Sending you love.”
Others who had been there offered advice to Jones, and the other mums. “It’s so hard, I’ve been there, but you’re like all the rest of us and leading the example for working mums across the country, so be proud and remember you’re providing for them.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--Greggs' Vegan Steak Bake, Reviewed By Meat Eaters, Veggies And Vegans

“Sorry to fuel a stereotype, but as a Geordie, Greggs holds a very special place in my heart, so my standards were very high. I’m not a vegan, but if you gave me this and told me it was the original, I’d have absolutely no trouble believing you. It’s delicious! I will absolutely be buying this next time I visit Greggs on my lunch, and I’ve now got my fingers crossed for a full vegan menu!” Cathie Swan, Production Coodinator
“The filling tastes like a normal steak bake to be honest – my basic tastebuds wouldn’t be able to tell the difference in a blind taste test. I probably wouldn’t buy it again because I’m not big on steak bakes. But if you’re a fan of Greggs, then fill your vegan boots.” Natasha Hinde, Life Reporter
“I swear by a steak bake – there’s nothing better to tackle the particular hunger that comes with a hangover – so I had high hopes for this. It could be The Steak Bake It’s OK To Eat... but it’s not. It’s too salty. The gravy is not gravy, it’s a sauce. The familiar stringy sludge of the steak bake is even more indeterminate here – made, somehow, worse by the fact I’m not even sure what I’m eating. The pastry is the same, so that’s a comfort, but, sadly, this is a parody not a substitute.” Jimmy Leach, Editor-in-Chief


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--Chris And Liam Hemsworth Donating $1 Million To Help Fight Australian Bushfires

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Chris Hemsworth has announced he and his family are donating $1 million to help combat the wildfires in Australia.
The Australian actor shared the news in a video message he posted on social media, urging his fans to contribute whatever they “can muster up”.
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He explained: “Like you, I want to support the fight against the bushfires here in Australia. My family and I are contributing a million dollars.
“Hopefully you guys can chip in too. Every penny counts so whatever you can muster up is greatly appreciated.”
Hi everyone. Like you, I want to support the fight against the bushfires here in Australia. My family and I are contributing a million dollars. Hopefully you guys can chip in too. Every penny counts so whatever you can muster up is greatly appreciated.https://t.co/KcBpMe7QvY pic.twitter.com/gYuA4LELZM — Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth) January 7, 2020
The video message was then reposted by his brother, Liam Hemsworth.
Chris also provided a link where his followers can donate money to the cause, saying: “Beyond appreciative to everyone around the world for their well wishes and donations.
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“It really does make a difference, so dig deep! Love ya.”
Liam and Chris Hemsworth Kevin Winter via Getty Images
The Hemsworth brothers are the latest Australian stars to donate to help fight the bushfires, with Kylie Minogue also donating half a million dollars towards the cause.
She said: “Last year I had the incredible opportunity of visiting some of the many beautiful places in my homeland for the first time,” she wrote.
“Returning home to such devastation throughout much of the country is heartbreaking.
“As a family, we’ve donated $500,000 towards the immediate firefighting efforts and the ongoing support which will be required.”
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More than 20 people have died and millions of animals are believed to have been killed in the blazes that have ravaged the country in recent months.
At least eight people died last week in New South Wales and neighbouring Victoria, Australia’s two most-populous states, where more than 200 fires are currently burning.
Meanwhile, at Sunday night’s Golden Globes, Russell Crowe was unable to collect an award as he was “protecting his family in Australia”, but sent a message about climate change in the wake of the blaze.
As read out by Jennifer Aniston, Russell said: “Make no mistake, the tragedy unfolding in Australia is climate change-based.
“We need to act based on science, move our global workforce to renewable energy and respect our planet for the unique and amazing place it is. That way we all have a future.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--Rebecca Long Bailey Claims She Argued Against Labour's Second Brexit Referendum Policy

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Rebecca Long Bailey has said she privately argued against Labour supporting a second Brexit referendum.
The shadow business secretary has formally announced her bid to succeed Jeremy Corbyn as party leader.
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Long Bailey, the likely main challenger to shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer, is seen as the favourite of the current leadership.
Starmer was instrumental in shifting Labour’s position towards a promising a public vote on any Brexit deal.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4′s Today programme on Tuesday morning, Long Bailey said Labour had not been “trusted on Brexit” at the election.
“When I knocked on a Remain voter’s door they thought we were a Leave party. When I knocked on a Leave voter’s door they thought we were a Remain party,” she said.
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“We were losing trust with our communities who voted Leave because they were very clear they wanted the Brexit issue resolved as quickly as possible.”
She added: “Everything we were trying to say in the media was confusing to voters.”
Asked if she argued against Labour moving to a position of supporting another public vote, Long Bailey said: “I certainly did.
“I was very focused on making the point we were trying to get a good deal, I think that should have been a very strong message on everything that we said.”
Her comments appear at odds with what she told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show in October when she had “been on a journey” and supported a public vote.
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Long Bailey said today that while Corbyn had to accept “ultimate responsibility” for Labour’s heavy election defeat, she still backed him.
“I still support Jeremy because I felt that he was the right man with the right moral integrity to lead the party,” she said.
Long-Bailey’s announcement came as the party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) set out the timetable for election, with the new leader to be announced at a conference on April 4.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--Baftas 2020 Slammed After Only White Actors Receive Nominations

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Film fans have been voicing their concerns on social media after it was revealed that all 20 of this year’s acting Bafta nominations have gone to white stars.
On Tuesday morning, it was revealed that stars including Joaquin Phoenix, Brad Pitt, Scarlett Johansson and Renée Zellweger had all been recognised for their acting work in the last year, with Margot Robbie even bagging two nominations in the same category.
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A selection of the stars nominated at this year's Baftas Shutterstock
However, many quickly pointed out that actors of colour have been completely snubbed at this year’s ceremony, despite many receiving critical acclaim for their performances, including Lupita Nyong’o for her dual role in the horror film Us and The Farewell star Awkwafina.
Many also pointed out the absence of Eddie Murphy, Cynthia Eviro and Jennifer Lopez, all of whom had been nominated for Golden Globes for their roles in Dolemite Is My Name, Harriet and Hustlers, respectively...
Congratulations to the all-white nominees! Why even feign surprise at this point... #EEBAFTAs https://t.co/UjYTTbJ47I pic.twitter.com/GlH4XUBfdO — Tufayel Ahmed (@tufayel) January 7, 2020
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It is rly embarrassing for Britain that this is what BAFTA is putting to the world as our standard-bearers for acting tho. Doesn't reflect the diversity of the country at all. #EEBAFTAs — Tufayel Ahmed (@tufayel) January 7, 2020
Before anyone starts with 'maybe these people were just better' - I love Margot, but she barely spoke in OUATIH. Yet JLo can't get a nod for her career best, and Lupita can't get a nomination for Us? #EEBAFTAS — Emma Kelly (@TooManyEmmas) January 7, 2020
Deeply disappointing to see there's not a single person of colour nominated in either the Best Actor/Actress or Best Supporting Actor/Actress categories for the #EEBAFTAs.
And no, I'm not counting Scarlett Johansson. — Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) January 7, 2020
Margot Robbie got TWO flippin' nominations for Best Supporting Actress, but not one POC gets a nod in four categories? R U MAD BRUV??? — Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) January 7, 2020
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Not a single person of color nominated despite plenty of contenders. No Lopez. No Nyong'o. No Erivo. No Shuzhen. No Awkwafina. No Parasite actors. No Murphy. #BAFTASsowhite — Alejandro (@adounce) January 7, 2020
No nominations for Queen & Slim
No nominations for Harriet
No nominations for Blue Story
No nominations for Us
Appalling. #BAFTASSoWhite pic.twitter.com/zWIFcbgGA0 — lizzo mcguire (@JemalPolson) January 7, 2020
BAFTA. SO. WHITE. Absurd, all white actors, in a year with:
*7 nom-worthy performances in PARASITE
*2+ in The Farewell
*LUPITA NYONG’O
*Octavia Spencer, 2 best turns of her career - MA and LUCE
*@QueenAndSlim
*@wavesmovie
*Woodard + Aldis Hodge, Clemency
*Cynthia Erivo
*and more — Tim Gerber (@Zuranthium) January 7, 2020
Y’all need to divert your attention from Oscar So White and take a look at the damn BAFTAs snubbing Cynthia Erivo, Jennifer Lopez, and Awkwafina — Mr. Mistoffelees (@kbaileyjava2) January 7, 2020
not a single poc nominated in the acting categories for the baftas... yea throw the baftas away — rowan (@sapphicrogue) January 7, 2020
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BAFTA hates diversity!
Jennifer Lopez
Awkwafina
Eddie Murphy
Cynthia Erivo
Lupita Nyong'O
Ana De Armas
Where are they?#BAFTA — 👑 Anne Hathaway👑 (@anniiehathaway) January 7, 2020
Shocked at BAFTA for giving 2 noms to Margot Robbie, (in one role where she barely has any dialogue) and not nominating JLo for her outstanding turn as Ramona in Hustlers... says a lot that they’d rather nominate the same white woman twice than give a nomination to a Latina woman https://t.co/vFI2tPq2F7 — Harriet King (@harrietnking) January 7, 2020
BAFTA when it comes to diversity pic.twitter.com/iGQCnkT28b — ari. (@nottfunnyy) January 7, 2020
All of the BAFTA acting nominees are white and 20% is either Scarlett Johansson or Margot Robbie, well done everyone — Simon Wright (@simonwrite) January 7, 2020
Many have also lamented the fact that, much like the recent Golden Globes, no women have been nominated in the Best Director category, despite critically-acclaimed efforts from filmmakers Lulu Wang, Greta Gerwig and Lorene Scafaria, among many others…
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Where is this commitment to diversity in awards @BAFTA that you’ve set yourself when you do not nominate any woman for director OR any POC for any acting nominations??? #baftasomale #baftasowhite https://t.co/ZIBdjS0Kbj — Kelly Holmes (@vintagetakk) January 7, 2020
Completely white nominations across all acting categories and an entirely male selection for best director! Congrats BAFTAs really solid move there! — Daniel Bravo (@DanielCBravo) January 7, 2020
wow so where are the females in the best director nominations for the @BAFTA #baftas ???? — hamidha🌻 (@ednamariemode) January 7, 2020
It's depressing @BAFTA voters can't see excluding female directors & BAME acting talent undermines the legitimacy of the awards themselves. While great films have been recognised & that should be celebrated, the gold mask is clearly tarnished by gender/racial bias in action. — David F Poole (@DavidFPoole) January 7, 2020
I love @BAFTA but it's disgraceful there are no female Best Director nominees once again. In a year that saw Olivia Wilde, Lulu Wang, Greta Gerwig & more connect with audiences, its even more baffling & wrong. They must address this urgently, it overshadows all their good work — David F Poole (@DavidFPoole) January 7, 2020
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All-Male Best Director line-up, all white acting nominees, and a near-slobbering devotion to Hollywood over our own industry and its creatives. Seriously, at this point in time, the Baftas are becoming pathetically irrelevant. — Kayleigh Donaldson (@Ceilidhann) January 7, 2020
Hey @BAFTA, I fixed it for you...
🎥 Booksmart - Olivia Wilde
🎥 The Farewell - Lulu Wang
🎥 Hustlers - Lorene Scafaria
🎥 Little Women - Greta Gerwig
🎥 The Souvenir - Joanna Hogg#EEBAFTAs https://t.co/OshaRlzqu9 — Louis Whyte-Smith (@lswhytsmth) January 7, 2020
Earlier in the week, Bafta announced the contenders for the Rising Star award which included a much more diverse list of people, including Micheal Ward – of Top Boy and Blue Story fame – and the aforementioned Awkwafina.
Also competing for the Rising Star title are Jack Lowden, Awkwafina and Kelvin Harrison Jr.
And finally, a reminder of the @EE Rising Star Award nominations:
💫 Awkwafina
💫 Kaitlyn Dever
💫 Kelvin Harrison Jr
💫 Jack Lowden
💫 Micheal Ward
Vote for your winner now! https://t.co/4hxN1BHe9L #EEBAFTAs #EERisingStar pic.twitter.com/zNXI303L3o — BAFTA (@BAFTA) January 7, 2020
Past winners of the title include Black Panther star Letitia Wright, Oscar nominee Daniel Kaluuya and Spider-Man’s Tom Holland.
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This year’s Baftas will take place on Sunday 2 February and will air on BBC One.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--PC Andrew Harper Death: Henry Long Admits Manslaughter

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A teenager has admitted the manslaughter of newlywed police officer Andrew Harper, who was dragged under a van in Berkshire last year.
But Henry Long, 18, denied murder and will face trial alongside two others in April.
PC Harper, 28, died from multiple injuries following the incident on August 15.
The Thames Valley Police officer had been on duty when he was killed near the village of Sulhamstead.
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Long, 18, from Mortimer, Reading, was allegedly behind the wheel. He appeared at the Old Bailey for a plea hearing by video link from Belmarsh prison wearing a black and white Puma sweatshirt.
When asked for his plea to a charge of manslaughter, he said: “Pardon, was that manslaughter?” before adding: “I plead guilty, guilty.”
Long denied PC Harper’s murder but admitted conspiracy to steal a quad bike.
A 17-year-old co-defendant, who cannot be identified, entered not guilty pleas to PC Harper’s manslaughter and conspiracy to steal.
28-year-old PC Andrew Harper PA Wire/PA Images
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The boy appeared in court by video link from Wetherby young offenders institute in a grey sweatshirt and wearing a crucifix around his neck.
Previously, another 17-year-old boy has entered not guilty pleas to manslaughter and conspiracy to steal.
A fourth defendant, Thomas King, 21, from Basingstoke, had admitted conspiracy to steal a quad bike.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--Pentagon Contradicts Trump, Says US Won't Strike Iran's Cultural Sites

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Defence secretary Mark Esper said the United States would not target Iranian cultural sites should tensions with Tehran escalate into an armed conflict, contradicting president Donald Trump’s vows to hit the country “very fast and very hard” if Iran retaliates for the assassination of one of its military leaders.
“We will follow the laws of armed conflict,” Esper said during a news conference at the Pentagon on Monday, according to The New York Times. In response to a question from a reporter, Esper agreed that such rules barred the targeting of cultural sites.
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His comments come amid an international outcry over the plan, first touted (and then repeated) in a series of tweets by Trump this weekend. The president said on Saturday that the US had selected 52 sites to target in Iran should the country attack any American assets, including some sites that “at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture.”
Tensions with Tehran have risen since Trump ordered the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, one of the most powerful military figures in the Middle East, in a drone strike in Iraq.
The killing sparked fury within Iran, which ended its remaining commitments to limit nuclear fuel production that had been negotiated as part of the Iran nuclear deal. The country has also pledged to respond to the assassination in a “crushing and powerful manner.”
Trump’s calls that cultural sites be targeted also prompted international rebukes as many noted it would constitute a war crime under international law. But despite that criticism, Trump reiterated his pledges in remarks to reporters on Sunday.
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“They’re allowed to kill our people,” Trump told journalists traveling on Air Force One. “They’re allowed to torture and maim our people. They’re allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people. And we’re not allowed to touch their cultural site? It doesn’t work that way.”
Esper defended the Baghdad drone strike on Monday, saying the U.S. was compelled to respond after the Pentagon learned Soleimani was planning attacks on American forces.
“How do you expect us not to respond when they’ve been killing our people for 20 years?” Esper said. “Soleimani alone has the blood of hundreds of Americans; he’s wounded thousands of American coalition partners. He is a terrorist, a leader of a terrorist organization who’s been killing and attacking Americans for 20-some years, and the blood is on his hands.”
White House aides went on the defensive Monday, saying Trump didn’t, in fact, say he would target cultural sites despite his repeated remarks.
“He didn’t say he’s targeting cultural sites,” White House counselor Kellyanne Conway told reporters, according to The Hill. “He said that he was openly asking the question why in the world they’re allowed to maim people, put out roadside bombs, kill our people, torture our people ... he said that they identified 52 sites.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--Gwyneth Paltrow Brings Bad Health Advice To Netflix With 'The Goop Lab'

Adam Rose/Netflix Gwyneth Paltrow's brand Goop is coming to Netflix.
New year, same Goop.
Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand is once again entering shoddy wellness claim territory, this time through a new show on Netflix. The series, called “The Goop Lab,” dives into fads and ideas that “may seem out there or too scary,” according to the trailer.
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Gwyneth Paltrow welcomes you to The Goop Lab on January 24 pic.twitter.com/o83H2OvzEV — Netflix US (@netflix) January 6, 2020
The clip only provides a snippet of what viewers can expect, but it’s enough to make any rational health professional’s stomach churn. The “ideas” that “The Goop Lab” trailer highlights include energy healing, which one woman describes as an “exorcism,” psychedelics, which another describes as equivalent to “years of therapy in about five hours,” cold therapy, psychic mediums and more.
It’s all very on-brand for Goop, which has been hit with criticism (and even a lawsuit) for its promotion of dangerous wellness products and ideas. In the past, the brand has suggested that women put jade eggs in their vagina, wear energy balancing stickers, take iodine supplements even though most people aren’t deficient, and drink goat milk to get rid of potential parasites, all in the name of their health.
The claims often aren’t backed by science, and the company has had to introduce more clear disclaimers on articles indicating that fact. Experts have continually debunked the advice on the site.
Of course, people on Twitter ― including doctors ― couldn’t help but (hilariously) call out the show’s potential red flags and the controversy surrounding Goop’s past health advice.
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A few people also got in some snarky digs at the show’s promo poster, which, uh, looks like the body part Goop wants you to stick a jade egg in.
Ideas like bras cause breast cancer? Or that supplements really don’t increase all cause mortality? Or that jade eggs can be recharged with the energy of the moon? Exploring those ideas? https://t.co/cpl9C66GRa — Jennifer Gunter (@DrJenGunter) January 6, 2020
A super absorbent Gwyneth for your heavy-Goop days. https://t.co/weelGE71gF — Geraldine (@everywhereist) January 6, 2020
"this is dangerous"
"it's unregulated"
"how can we really milk the shit out of this?"
lmaooo gwyn is rlly out here to kill you!
we've been writing goop parodies for years...and netflix... just...tweeted it out https://t.co/nDt4kFOyRP — Amanda Rosenberg (@AmandaRosenberg) January 6, 2020
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Goop in one picture pic.twitter.com/9gLwamrxZv — Scott (@thesmash) January 6, 2020
This isn’t all Goop’s fault, though. Netflix also has a history of producing irresponsible health programmes that could potentially affect viewers.
The streaming service received intense backlash in 2017 following the release of its fictional show “13 Reasons Why,” which graphically depicted a young woman’s suicide. Experts criticised the show for its portrayal of self-harm and mental health, and research has found that suicide rates increased following the show’s release. Therapists also expressed serious concerns over Netflix’s 2017 fictional drama “To The Bone,” which follows one girl’s journey with an eating disorder.
In 2018, Netflix received more scrutiny for its docu-series “Afflicted,” which featured individuals living with rare chronic diseases. Cast members published essays following the show’s release that detail their concerns over how it depicted their conditions as “psychosomatic or psychiatric disorders” rather than separate illnesses. The series relied “heavily on the skeptical voices of ‘experts’ who have no relevant professional or academic expertise in our diseases,” they wrote.
This is all dangerous, considering the number of people Netflix reaches. As of 2019, the platform had over 150 million subscribers. That gives Goop — and any other program that could contain questionable health advice — a major audience. Netflix did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--Iran Latest: ‘40 Mourners Dead After Stampede’ At Funeral Of Qassem Soleimani

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At least 50 people have been killed and hundreds injured in a stampede that erupted at a funeral procession for an Iranian general killed in a US air strike, Iran state TV has said.
The stampede took place in Kerman, the home town of Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani, as the procession got under way. Videos posted online showed people lying lifeless on a road.
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The number of casualties has yet to be independently confirmed.
The body of Soleimani reached his hometown for burial on Tuesday after a tour of holy sites in the country.
Mourners in Kerman dressed in black carried posters bearing the image of Soleimani, PA Media reports.
It isn’t known how many were at the funeral, but a crowd said by police to be in the millions filled Tehran’s streets on Monday as the general’s death prompted Iran’s supreme leader to weep over his coffin.
Mourners attend a funeral ceremony for Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and his comrades, who were killed in Iraq in a US drone strike on January 7 ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Although there was no independent estimate of Monday’s proceedings, aerial footage and Associated Press journalists suggested a turnout of at least one million, and the throngs were visible on satellite images of Tehran.
The outpouring of grief was an unprecedented honour for a man viewed by Iranians as a national hero for his work leading the Guard’s expeditionary Quds Force.
The US blames him for the killing of American troops in Iraq and accused him of plotting new attacks just before his death on Friday in a drone strike near Baghdad’s airport.
Soleimani also led forces in Syria backing President Bashar Assad in a long war, and he also served as the point man for Iranian proxies in countries such as Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen.
General Qassem Soleimani, centre, pictured in 2016. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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His killing has already pushed Tehran to abandon the remaining limits of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers as his successor and others vow to take revenge.
In Baghdad, the parliament has called for the expulsion of all American troops from Iraqi soil, something analysts fear could allow militants from so-called Islamic State to mount a comeback.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--Australia Fires: Number Of Animals Feared Dead Soars To Over 1 Billion

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The number of wildlife estimated to have died in Australia’s wildfire catastrophe has skyrocketed to more than 1 billion.
Chris Dickman, an ecologist at the University of Sydney, told HuffPost that his original estimate of 480 million animals was not only conservative, it was also exclusive to the state of New South Wales and excluded significant groups of wildlife for which they had no population data.
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“The original figure ― the 480 million ― was based on mammals, birds and reptiles for which we do have densities, and that figure now is a little bit out of date. It’s over 800 million given the extent of the fires now ― in New South Wales alone,” he said.
“If 800 million sounds a lot, it’s not all the animals in the firing line,” he added.
That figure excluded animals including bats, frogs and invertebrates. With these numbers included, Dickman said, it was “without any doubt at all” that the losses exceeded 1 billion. “Over a billion would be a very conservative figure,” he said.
An environmental scientist at the World Wildlife Fund Australia, Stuart Blanch, confirmed these estimates, reiterating that, given the expansion of the fires since the last calculations, 1 billion was a modest guess.
“It’s our climate impact and our obsession with coal that is helping wage war on our own country,” Blanch said.
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Critically endangered species, including the southern corroboree frog and mountain pygmy-possum, could be wiped out as fires ravage crucial habitat in Victoria’s Alpine National Park and New South Wales’s neighbouring Kosciuszko National Park.
Threatened species, such as the glossy black cockatoo, spotted-tail quoll and long-footed potoroo (both small marsupials), are also facing real risks of extinction in large parts of their range.
New South Wales Rural Fire Service firefighter and police officer hold a possum and her baby after they rescued them from under a car during the bushfires on New Year's Eve. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dickman said bats, which have enormous populations along Australia’s east coast and are critically dependent on forest habitat, undoubtedly also sustained enormous losses.
“The numbers would have to be huge. And they’re very susceptible to the fires,” he said.
Over the weekend, Australia Zoo’s Bindi Irwin shared sad news from the zoo’s wildlife hospital.
“In September, flying fox admissions to the hospital skyrocketed by over 750% due to drought conditions and lack of food,” she wrote. “Flying foxes are now being drastically affected by wildfires and we’re again seeing an influx of these beautiful animals from across the country.”
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Koalas have lost more than 30% of their key habitat in New South Wales and may have lost a third of their population in that region, federal environment minister Sussan Ley told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. last month. Dickman said it would be a “tough” recovery for the iconic Australian marsupial, dependent on the availability of their food ― eucalyptus tree leaves ― after the blazes sweep through.
The University of Sydney’s animal loss estimates also exclude livestock, which federal agriculture minister Bridget McKenzie expects will exceed 100,000 animals. Harrowing footage of thousands of dead animals beside roads has appeared on social media as the National Defence Force rushed to dig mass graves to avoid a health emergency.
WARNING GRAPHIC. Sorry to share these images near Batlow, NSW. It’s completely heartbreaking. Worst thing I’ve seen. Story must be told. #AustraliaFires pic.twitter.com/E7jrgcuUiv — ABCcameramatt (@ABCcameramatt) January 5, 2020
A graphic compiled by agriculture market analysis company Mecardo found that 8.6 million head of sheep and 2.3 million cattle were in the areas of New South Wales and Victoria affected by bushfires.
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It could take months before the exact number of livestock losses are known.
Officials will reportedly kill thousands of camels in the country’s northwest as they wreak havoc on communities with their water consumption during the drought and fire emergencies.
The fires across Australia have killed 25 people, destroyed or damaged more than 2,000 homes and burned nearly 31,000 square miles ― an area about the size of Austria.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Monday that the federal government would commit $2 billion over two years to a new national bushfire recovery agency, and more if needed.
Despite sustained criticism, the government has taken a firm stance on climate policy, with Morrison dismissing calls to curb the nation’s substantial coal industry and repeatedly pushing the party line: “We’re meeting and beating our targets.”
The bushfires alone are believed to have spewed as much as two-thirds of the nation’s annual carbon dioxide emissions, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
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As tens of thousands of residents fled their homes amid catastrophic conditions in early January, a kangaroo jumps in a field shrouded with smoke from a bushfire in Snowy Valley. SAEED KHAN via Getty Images
Dickman said that the only remaining glimmer of hope amid this disaster was that the government may finally heed the advice of ecologists and environmental scientists, who he said had been frozen out of policymaking for over two decades.
“With any luck, now the government will actually come back and think, OK, we do need the science. We do need the modelling predictions. We do need really good, informed advice about what we should be doing.”
WWF Australia’s environmental scientists have outlined a three-part plan to address the crisis, Blanch told HuffPost.
“One, reduce the threat by ending logging or bulldozing of mature forests... Secondly, a 10 million hectare major reforestation agenda, and, thirdly, in the very short term, more support for wildlife carers and wildlife hospitals around the country.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--The Full List Of Bafta 2020 Nominations

The Full List Of Bafta 2020 Nominations

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The contenders for this year’s Baftas have been revealed, with Joker coming out on top as the most nominated film.
Joker has received an impressive 11 nominations at the upcoming awards show, including recognition for leading man Joaquin Phoenix, director Todd Phillips and a Best Film nod.
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Closely behind are The Irishman and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, each on 10 nominations, with Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie – perhaps surprisingly, given the eventual size of her role – all up for acting prizes.
Margot has actually been recognised in the Best Supporting Actress category twice, once for her aforementioned portrayal of Sharon Tate and once in the forthcoming Bombshell.
A selection of this year's Bafta-nominated film Warner Bros/Sony Pictures/Netflix/Shutterstock
The most recognised British film is Sam Mendes’ 1917, fresh from its double-win at the Golden Globes, which is up for nine awards at the upcoming Baftas.
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Other Brits who’ve received nominations in what has turned out to be a pretty US-heavy year for the Baftas include Jonathan Pryce for The Two Popes, Florence Pugh for Little Women, Jessie Buckley for Wild Rose and Taron Egerton for Rocketman.
Unfortunately, like the Golden Globes, no female directors have received any nominations, but Greta Gerwig has been recognised in the Best Adapted Screenplay category, for Little Women.
Check out the full list of nominees below...
Best Film
1917
The Irishman
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Parasite
Joker
Outstanding British Film
1917
Bait
For Sama
Rocketman
Sorry We Missed You
The Two Popes
Best Actress
Jessie Buckley (Wild Rose)
Renée Zellweger (Judy)
Saoirse Ronan (Little Women)
Charlize Theron (Bombshell)
Scarlett Johansson (Bombshell)
Best Actor
Adam Driver (Marriage Story)
Leonardo DiCaprio (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood)
Joaquin Phoenix (Joker)
Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes)
Taron Egerton (Rocketman)
Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood)
Antony Hopkins (The Two Popes)
Al Pacino (The Irishman)
Joe Pesci (The Irishman)
Brad Pitt (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood)
Supporting Actress
Laura Dern (Marriage Story)
Scarlett Johansson (Jojo Rabbit)
Margot Robbie (Bombshell)
Margot Robbie (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood)
Florence Pugh (Little Women)
Best Director
Sam Mendes (1917)
Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood)
Todd Phillips (Joker)
Bong Joon-ho (Parasite)
Martin Scorsese (The Irishman)
Best Original Screenplay
Booksmart
Knives Out
Marriage Story
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Parasite
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
The Two Popes
Best Animated Film
Frozen II
Klaus
A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Toy Story 4
Best Film Not In The English Language
The Farewell
Parasite
Portrait Of A Lady On Fire
For Sama
Pain And Flory
Best Cinematography
1917
The Irishman
Joker
Le Mans ’66
The Lighthouse
Best Original Score
1917
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker
Best Casting
Joker
Marriage Story
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
The Personal History Of David Copperfield
The Two Popes
Best Editing
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Le Mans 66
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Best Production Design
1917
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Best Costume Design
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Best Make-Up And Hair
1917
Bombshell
Joker
Judy
Rocketman
Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director Or Producer
Bait
For Sama
Maiden
Only You
Retablo
Best Sound
1917
Joker
Le Mans ’66
Rocketman
Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker
Best Special Effects
1917
Avengers: Endgame
The Irishman
The Lion King
Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--British Teen Convicted Over Lying About Cyprus Gang Rape Given Suspended Sentenced

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19-year-old is due to arrive back in the UK on Tuesday
Teen’s lawyers confident of conviction being overturned
A British teenager found guilty of lying about being gang-raped in Cyprus can return home after she was handed a four-month suspended jail sentence.
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The 19-year-old woman hugged her family and her legal team and left court weeping, with her head in her hands, after she was sentenced for public mischief.
The teenager’s mother shouted “she’s coming home” to supporters outside court, telling reporters she feels “relieved”.
Her English lawyer, Lewis Power QC, said she will be returning home on Tuesday.
She was later pictured arriving arm-in-arm with her mother at Larnaca airport to fly back to the UK.
The teenager, who has not been named, had faced being jailed for up to a year and a fine of up to 1,700EUR (£1,500) after she was convicted of public mischief late last month.
The 19-year old British woman, centre, with head covered, being escorted to Famagusta court in Paralimni, Cyprus ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Her family had said they feared for her mental health if she was sent back to prison and hoped she will be allowed to return to the UK to be treated for PTSD.
But she is free to return home after Judge Michalis Papathanasiou told her he was giving her a “second chance”, PA Media reported.
He said: “I admit, I have been troubled over this. All the evidence shows that she had lied and prevented the police from doing other serious jobs.
“Twelve people were arrested and seven of them were there for at least 10 days. That was also a serious offence.
“Her psychological state, her youth, that she has been away from her family, her friends and academic studies this year.
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“This has led me to decide to give her a second chance and suspend the sentence for three years.”
Supporters, including a group of about 60 from Israel who travelled to Cyprus specially, had gathered outside the court on Tuesday holding banners declaring: “We believe you.”
Activists take part in a demonstration outside the Famagusta courthouse in Paralimni, Cyprus on Tuesday Yiannis Kourtoglou / Reuters
Adi Izrael said: “People took the day off work and came here because it is unbelievable, the amount of misinformation about it.
“Many people say: ‘We don’t know she was raped.’ But the way they (the Israelis) behaved, something is wrong with this case.
“The rape was obvious and it’s obvious she deserves our support.”
Elazar More said of the Israeli men and boys arrested over the alleged rape: “They are a shame to the men of Israel. They hurt the dignity of the state.”
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Cypriot protester Meli Michaelidon said: “I’m here because I’m fed up of all this – the way the system works in Cyprus and how it’s not protecting the victims and not protecting the least powerful and how it’s making everything right for whoever is in power.”
The woman’s lawyer Power said: “This has been an incredibly sad and tragic case for a young teenage girl from Derbyshire, a once happy and gregarious young girl who, like so many of her age group, came over to Cyprus with all the excitement of a young traveller and with high aspirations to attend university thereafter.
“She was on the cusp of embarking upon a new chapter in her life but, under the most dire circumstances, she went overnight from being victim to being the accused, having to endure not only the dreadful physical violation of a premeditated gang rape and serious sexual assault perpetrated upon her, but also the prolonged mental ordeal under the judicial process in Cyprus, being accused of the offence of public mischief in that this was all a lie to the police.
“She is adamant of her innocence and that she has told the truth.”
He added that the teenager would strongly contest the conviction and continue her fight to clear her reputation.
He said: “This case has far-reaching repercussions for women travelling abroad and has highlighted the need for appropriate representation.
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“This young woman has shown immense bravery, courage and fortitude in coming forward.
“Her identity has been compromised, she has been trolled viciously on social media and has been subjected to vile comments.
“Some of those who perpetrated this serious sexual assault returned to their homeland bragging triumphantly and unashamedly as to what they had done to her, compounding her trauma.”
Lawyer Michael Polak, from the Justice Abroad group which is also assisting the teenager, said he feels confident the conviction will be overturned at some point in the appeal process. He said: “Despite all the obstacles that the teenager has faced seeking justice for the terrible offences that she reported, she and her legal team remain committed to obtaining justice.”
The judge told Famagusta District Court on Tuesday the four month sentence would be suspended for three years.
Local media reports had suggested Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades was going to pardon her if she was given a custodial sentence.
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The teenager had alleged she was raped by up to 12 Israeli tourists in a hotel room in the party town of Ayia Napa on July 17, but she has said Cypriot police forced her to sign a retraction statement.
Last week she appealed to prime minister Boris Johnson to “please bring me home” and described her experience as “a waking nightmare”.
The teen and her mother (left) leaving Famagusta District Court last month. PA Wire/PA Images
Following the teenager’s suspended sentence, Labour leadership candidate Lisa Nandy tweeted: “The message this case sends to victims is that they will become the accused if they report rape. Boris Johnson should have intervened without hesitation.”
The teenager had been stuck on the island after she was charged and spent about a month in prison before being granted bail in August.
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The dozen young men and boys, aged between 15 and 20 arrested over the incident were freed after she signed a retraction statement 10 days later.
The woman maintains she was raped after having consensual sex with one of the Israelis, but forced to change her account under pressure from Cypriot police.
The case hinged on a retraction statement signed by the teenager following hours of questioning alone and without legal representation.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--John Lewis Home Bargains That Look Like Bespoke Pieces

John Lewis John Lewis
Those of us who can’t splash the cash whenever we feel like it need to be clever with our purchases to create the illusion of expensive glamour.
John Lewis has always been my go-to for smart buying, because it has a high-end feel with a price tag that doesn’t make you feel nauseous.
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As a Christmas gift to one and all, I’ve scoured the shelves – both digital and physical – to find you the homeware bargains that look as if they might be bespoke pieces.
This handy guide will help you to fit out champagne home on a lemonade budget.
This gorgeous teal number is a total bargain. Simple and stylish, we can imagine curling up with a good book. It comes with a 15 year guarantee, too.
Huffington Post UK Hammered Teardrop Tealight Holder, John Lewis, £30
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This is part light; part sculpture and it makes a dreamy table centre. It’s elegant, it’s useful and it’s gold – do you get anything more expensive-looking than gold? No, you do not.
Huffington Post UK Metal Window Mirror, John Lewis, £125
Mirrors are expensive, and nice mirrors even more so, which is why I did a gleeful jig when I saw that this ultra-luxe looking, feature mirror wasn’t hundreds of pounds. Looking at your own reflection has just never been more satisfying.
Huffington Post UK Candy Table Lamp, John Lewis, £35
Have you seen Tamara’s World, a short-lived TV series all about the day-to-day life of Tamara Ecclestone and her family? No? Well I have and let me tell you that she has lamps pretty similar to this and I’m going to guess that they didn’t cost £35.
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Huffington Post UK Padma 2 Drawer Bedside Table, John Lewis, £199
Now listen, I know that £199 isn’t a tiny amount but I’ve seen bedside tables like this at big, fancy department stores (I won’t name names) and they cost at least double this. The rich, earthy tones of the wood combined with the delicate carving and industrial-feeling, metallic detailing is just heaven.
Huffington Post UK Tortoiseshell Drinks Tray, John Lewis, £30
If this doesn’t immediately make you want to host a drinks party then I don’t know what will. A retro-inspired, delicate drinks tray can set you back over £100 but this one means there’s more money to spend on the actual tipples.
Huffington Post UK Hairpin Desk, John Lewis, £299
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This is a desk that means business. If I’d had this desk at university I would have definitely worked harder. It’s made of oak veneer which is the reason why it costs less than it should.
Huffington Post UK Ceramic Fondue Gift Set, John Lewis, £20
Who knew that a lifetime of dipping crisp bread chunks into melted cheese only cost £20? Well, I’m sure the cheese adds up over time, but the equipment only costs £20. This is the prettiest fondue set I’ve ever seen and several of my friends will receive this one soon.
Huffington Post UK 6 Bottle Wine Rack, John Lewis, £65
Wine racks are expensive, which makes sense given that it’s a certain type of person who ever has more than one bottle of knocking around at a time. This one is mid-range in price but it looks high end in terms of design.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--6 Things To Let Go Of If You Want To Be A Tiny Bit Happier This Year

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Most people kick off January by creating resolutions that drastically aim to add healthy habits to their daily lives (which doesn’t always work, by the way ― and that’s OK). But sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves is to let some things go instead.
“The new year offers a fresh opportunity, while the weight of the past keeps us in a place of inaction,” said Olecia Christie, a certified life coach and owner of Optix Communications, noting that it’s important to discern when to release the things that no longer serve our own growth and happiness.
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With that in mind, here are a few things you should consider leaving behind in the new year, according to Christie and other experts:
Comparing your life to others’ on Instagram
Carlina Teteris via Getty Images
In this era of social media, it always appears that everyone is living their best life — that is, everyone except you. Ibinye Osibodu-Onyali, a licensed marriage and family therapist at The Zinnia Practice in California, said you should remember that social media is a highlight reel. Comparing your daily life to a single picture capturing a perfect moment isn’t the best use of your time.
Instead, Osibodu-Onyali suggested engaging with the people you admire in 2020.
“Rather than spending so many hours per week scrolling mindlessly, begin to actually connect with people you admire on social media. Send them a DM, ask for advice, seek out actual mentorship,” she said. “You’ll be surprised how many new friends you will acquire just by reaching out, rather than being a jealous onlooker.”
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Alejandra de la Fuente via Getty Images
Letting fear hold you back from something you want to do
Anthony Freire, the clinical director and founder of The Soho Center for Mental Health Counselling, said in order to release fear, shame and guilt, you must first “shine a spotlight” on them.
“On your deathbed, you don’t want to be kicking yourself for not having completed your bucket list for any reason, but especially because of feelings like guilt, fear and shame — which are only problematic feelings because you’ve told yourself that you should feel that way,” he said.
Worrying about things you cannot control
Westend61 via Getty Images
It’s unrealistic to suggest giving up worry or stress entirely ― these feelings are a normal part of life. Instead, try to focus just on the worries you can take action on.
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“Focus your thoughts on things you can change. When you have a list of worry thoughts, write out what you can change and what you can’t. Work on the situation that you can change, and just release the rest. It takes a lot of time and practice to learn this skill, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll find that you’ll worry less,” Osibodu-Onyali explained.
For some, this is easier said than done. If you find that you’re unable to manage your excessive worrying ― especially over things out of your control ― it might be worth seeking advice from a professional. This could be a sign of an anxiety disorder, which is a very real and common condition.
Old grudges or grievances
Research shows holding onto a grudge or anger for longer than necessary can be toxic for your physical and mental health. Right now is the perfect opportunity to work on letting go of some old baggage “by either working on repairing strained relationships or closing the chapter on relationships that cannot be salvaged,” Osibodu-Onyali said.
This doesn’t apply to people who have severely damaged or hurt you, but could be useful for someone you’ve grown distant with or just no longer envision as a healthy part of your life. You can either choose to move forward or let go.
“Although saying goodbye to a relationship can be tough, the closure can be very freeing,” Osibodu-Onyali said.
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What other people think of you
Thomas Barwick via Getty Images
There’s a saying that goes “what other people think of you is none of your business.” It’s important to know what your values are and to be grounded in them, so that you’re not swayed by the thoughts of others. Osibodu-Onyali said she often challenges her clients by asking: “So what if they don’t like you? What happens next?” She said more often than not, the answer is usually “nothing.”
“The truth is that the world doesn’t end and you don’t have to be liked by everyone,” she said. “Stick to your core group of supporters who truly love and respect you, and don’t spend time worrying about the people who don’t quite get you. If they don’t get you, that’s OK. You can’t be a part of every group.”
The need to be right in every conflict
We’ve all strived to win arguments; however, that can cause more stress than it’s worth. Freire said letting go of the need to win “takes up enormous energy because people tend to want to be right.”
“How many times do we fight with someone and we’re simply fighting to be right?” he said. “We say things we can’t take back and later we apologise and think to ourselves ‘I overreacted’ or ‘We fought over something so stupid.’ Sometimes we don’t even remember why we were fighting to begin with. Sometimes trivial things we get stuck on are just smaller manifestations of larger underlying issues.”
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These kinds of interactions can often lead to “negative self-talk and anxiety as [we] overanalyse the situation and stress about the impact of the interaction,” according to Elise Hall, a licensed and independent clinical social worker in Massachusetts.
Instead, try looking at a fight as a problem to be solved (experts say there’s one phrase that can easily help you do this with a partner). This can help you let go of the need to be right and put your focus on a solution.
This all might be challenging, but it could be worth it to increase your joy — even just by a fraction.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--Rosena Allin-Khan Launches Labour Deputy Leadership Bid

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Labour’s Rosena Allin-Khan has launched a bid to be Labour’s deputy leader, pledging to restore trust in the party.
The shadow sports minister has said Labour must listen to the public and not try to “put words into people’s mouths” in the wake of its devastating election defeat to the Tories.
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The Remainer was a key figure in the campaign for a second Brexit referendum, has repeatedly called for action on anti-Semitism within the party’s ranks and is a trained doctor who previously worked in humanitarian aid.
The Tooting MP will face Jeremy Corbyn ally, shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon, and runaway bookies’ favourite Angela Rayner, who holds the shadow education brief.
Ian Murray, Labour’s only remaining Scottish MP who has three times survived a strong SNP challenge, is also expected to run.
Daughter to a Polish pop star and a Pakistani TV repair man, Allin-Khan has a working class background and studied medicine at Cambridge with the help of a scholarship.
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MP for Tooting Dr Rosena Allin-Khan. Empics Entertainment
Since entering parliament in a by-election when Sadiq Khan stood down to run for London mayor in 2016, she was promoted to the shadow frontbench as sports minister, working in a team with the then shadow culture secretary Tom Watson. She has used the role to campaign for free standing at football grounds and against racism.
Whichever of the candidates emerges victorious on April 4, they will be tasked with re-orienting the party in opposition to Boris Johnson’s Conservative government, which now has an 80-seat majority.
Announcing her bid, Allin-Khan said the Labour Party “shaped my values” and offered her chances in life.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Dr Rosena Allin-Khan. PA Archive/PA Images
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“It gave me the ability to represent my community and provided me with the opportunity to train as a doctor to harness the skills to listen and serve people – regardless of their age, background or personal struggles,” she said.
“I want the Labour Party to be in government again to afford the current generation the hope that was offered to me.”
Allin-Khan said it was “vital” to “restore trust” after Jeremy Corbyn led the party to its worst defeat since 1935.
She said: “It is clear that people did not trust us - we need to accept this fact, evaluate it, and learn from it in order to move forward. We cannot put words into people’s mouths. Our path back to power involves listening with humility to those former Labour voters who have abandoned the party.
“I believe my life experience means I can help our movement do this. As a doctor, I cannot guess or assume what is wrong with a patient - I have to listen to their symptoms and investigate the root causes - this is what we must do as a party, and is what I will do as deputy leader.”
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The contest to replace Corbyn will run in parallel to the deputy leadership race, with Keir Starmer, Emily Thornberry, Jess Phillips, Clive Lewis, Lisa Nandy and Rebecca Long Bailey among the candidates.
Nominations open formally this week, with the ballot taking place between February 21 to April 2.
The general public will be able to take part in the leadership election if they join the party by next week or if they pay £25 each to register for a one-off vote, the NEC decided.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--Vegan Croissants?! Caffè Nero And Pret's New Pastries Go Head-To-Head

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Croissants are full of buttery goodness, making them totally unsuitable for vegans – until now. Times are (finally) changing, with this month marking the launch of not one, but two new vegan-friendly croissants on the high street.
For the 350,000 people who have pledged to take part in Veganuary and the 600,000 (and counting) full-time vegans in the UK, Pret and Caffè Nero have both launched vegan croissants with fruity jam centres to kickstart your morning with flaky bakey goodness.
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But can they live up to the original buttery treat? Hungry HuffPosters rolled up their sleeves, put their best tastebuds forward and shared their verdicts.
Caffè Nero, Vegan Raspberry Croissant, £1.95
Amy Packham Caffe Nero's vegan raspberry croissant
Baked freshly in store, Caffè Nero’s new vegan croissant is made in the same way as its fine butter croissant, with the same proofing and resting times. The butter has been replaced by a combination of natural oils, and the pastry is filled with a tangy raspberry jam and finished with a raspberry sugar glaze. Available from 8 January 2020.
‘Crumbly and delicious. Would 10/10 buy again’
Amy Packham, assistant Life editor
“If you get this, have it warm. You’ll want to scoff the whole thing. I was so distracted by the delicious berry topping and filling I completely forgot this was a vegan croissant. It doesn’t taste different to me – in fact, it’s one of the few vegan foods I’ve tried where I can taste no difference at all. This could be because the raspberry overpowers the flavour of the croissant a little, but that doesn’t matter to me. It’s crumbly and delicious – would 10/10 buy again.”
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Rating: 5/5
‘Surpasses expectations’
Louise Whitbread, Finds reporter
“It’s warm, soft and I want to say buttery but as it’s vegan, there’s no dairy to be found. In my experience as a non-vegan, vegan alternatives of my favourite foods often fall short, but this has surpassed my expectations. It doesn’t taste different, the flaky texture is the same, and it looks exactly like my croissant from Pret. Eating it warm was like a sweet treat amidst the January blues.”
Rating: 5/5
Natasha Hinde Caffè Nero's vegan croissant
‘Pretty close in both texture and taste’
Ramzy Alwakeel, News editor
“Even if this had been horrible, I’d have been excited by the prospect of a croissant vegans like me can actually eat. As it happens, it isn’t horrible at all – not quite as rich as the butter-based equivalent but the creamy pastry inside came pretty close in both texture and taste. It isn’t too greasy to handle, either (although the raspberry sugar glaze does make it look slightly like it had been salvaged from a crime scene), and it has a lightness sometimes absent from dairy-free baking. The jam inside tasted more like a doughnut filling than something that belongs in a croissant, so I’d probably have gone for a plain option had it existed, but a plant-based croissant is a Good Thing.
Rating: 4/5
‘I couldn’t eat a whole one’
Natasha Hinde, Life reporter
“I have to admit I was pretty sceptical that a vegan croissant could exist that didn’t resemble plaster of Paris in taste and texture, so I’m delighted to be proved wrong. Served warm, this croissant is exactly what Veganuary ordered – the pastry is light and crispy, but softer near the centre, where there’s a juicy, intensely rich raspberry filling. The top of the croissant is coated with a raspberry sugar glaze. The only downside for me is that it’s very sweet – I couldn’t eat a whole one, especially not for breakfast. But on the whole it’s a delicious pastry and I don’t miss the butter all.”
Rating: 4/5
Pret, Vegan Very Berry Croissant , £1.70
Natasha Hinde Is it a croissant, though?
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The Very Berry Croissant uses margarine and sunflower oil to re-create the light texture of a traditional croissant. The pastry is filled with a sweet berry compote and finished with a sprinkling of sugar. It’s on sale at Pret and Veggie Pret shops nationwide from 7 January.
‘It’s not a croissant, it’s a pastry’
Amy Packham, assistant Life editor
“I LOVE the crunch on this one, it’s like it’s been cooked for a smidgen too long. Glazed with lots of sugar, it tastes great but is probably horrendously bad for us. The filling is delicious too. My main gripe? It’s not a croissant, it’s a pastry. It doesn’t even look like a croissant – unlike Nero’s. That being said, I’d still buy it (if I wanted a sugar rush).”
Rating: 3/5
‘Delicious, moreish and a sweet treat’
Louise Whitbread, Finds reporter
“This is a top tier dessert masquerading as a croissant. Laden with sugar and blackberry/raspberry jam, it’s delicious, moreish and a sweet treat. Flaky and warm, I will eat this everyday gladly. For a breakfast dish, it’s a bit much, but for a mid-afternoon snack or dessert to follow dinner, it’s a winner.”
Rating: 4/5
Natasha Hinde Pret's Very Berry croissant
‘The right texture once you get into it’
Ramzy Alwakeel, News editor
“The Pret ‘croissant’ is definitely less deserving of the term than the Caffè Nero one – it looks more like a Danish, or like jam spread on a piece of toast with the corners folded in and the whole thing inexplicably baked. The primary taste is fruit. But it does have the right texture once you get into it, with thin layers of light pastry and a buttery flavour just about discernable through the raspberry. It’s a nice treat, and it’s FUN, and it’s really great to have vegan options in the bakery section instead of just sad overpriced squares of dark chocolate. A croissant it is not, but I’m ok with that if you are.”
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Rating: 3/5
‘Crispier and more densely packed’
Natasha Hinde, Life reporter
“I really enjoyed this but wouldn’t recommend it for breakfast – unless you want to spend the morning coming down from the mother of all sugar crashes. The pastry wrap (I’m not sure I’d call it a croissant) is filled with a delicious, sweet jam that has a bit of a tang to it – thanks to the blackcurrant. The pastry is a lot crispier and more densely packed than Caffè Nero’s but delicious in its own right. It does feel slightly greasier though. Again, I manage to eat half of it before I have to grab myself a glass of water and have a break from the sweetness. I do wonder why both of the vegan croissants were so packed with sugar – is it masking the pastry’s lack of flavour? Would it be too dry without the jam filling? Who knows.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--Digging, Trotting And Blowing: The 16th Century Workouts We Can Learn From

With gym memberships reaching eye-watering amounts – £40 a month, on average, but some can cost more than £100 – an academic is urging people to take inspiration from the 16th century when it comes to getting fit.
Dr Joan Fitzpatrick, a senior lecturer in English at Loughborough University, explored workout advice from The Castle of Health, a popular and influential dietary written by English scholar, Sir Thomas Elyot, in the 1500s.
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“Physical exercise is key to a healthy body and healthy mind and, like us, our early modern ancestors understood the importance of being active,” said Dr Fitzpatrick.
Early modern dietaries advised a good diet, sleep, purges, and breathing good air to stay healthy. They also emphasised the value of regular exercise, although some of their suggestions may have got lost in history – “possibly for good reason”, added Fitzpatrick.
So what did she learn?
brgfx via Getty Images Grab your spade, it's time to workout.
One of the key exercise categories in the book is ‘strong or violent exercise’, said Fitzpatrick – which sounds terrifying but is fairly straightforward. Activities you could try, as recommended by Sir Elyot, include: “delving” (or just digging) in heavy clay soil; “bearing of heavy burdens” (carrying something heavy); and climbing or walking up a steep, upright hill.
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Elyot also recommends holding a rope and climbing up it, as well as hanging by the hands on anything “above a man’s reach”, so your feet don’t touch the ground.
Another top tip is to – and we quote – “hold the arms steadfast, casting another man to assay to pull them out and, notwithstanding, he keepeth his arm steadfast in forcing thereunto the sinews and muscles”. Fitzpatrick helpfully translated this as a type of resistance training where you hold your arms firmly by your side while a partner tries to pull them up and out.
“He also recommends holding a rope and climbing up it.”
Sir Elyot was a fan of an category called ‘swift exercise’, which includes activities like running, tennis, throwing a ball, trotting a space of ground forward and backward, tip-toeing while holding up the hands, and moving your arms up and down without using weights.
There’s also the ‘vehement exercise’ category: football, throwing a ball and running after it, and running in a harness while another person pulls you back.
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In another section of the book, Elyot recommends exercises for specific parts of the body. Some of the more eyebrow-raising activities include “moving of the breath in singing or crying” and “loud reading”, which were thought to expel “excess humours” and target the chest and lungs; and blowing into “instruments which do require much wind”, to target the intestines.
Dr Fitzpatrick, author of Three Sixteenth-Century Dietaries: A Critical Edition, said of her analysis: “I’m not an athlete or a physical trainer, but even I can see that while some of the exercises recommended by Elyot are clearly historical – for example playing with spears – most are still relevant and eminently do-able.
“Anyone who does not have a garden with a heavy, clay soil in which to dig this spring might consider doing some of the other exercises recommended by Elyot.” Well, there you haveth it.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-07--I’m Facing Deportation After Building A Life In The UK. This Is How I’m Coping

Courtesy of the author HuffPost UK
“How do we deal with things? By taking it one day at a time. And always remember that these tough experiences we pass through... we will need to be the advocates for those who deal with them in the future.”
These are the words my mother spoke when she, a refugee in Nigeria, found out that I, after six years of living and working in the UK, had just been denied a visa by the Home Office, and that I could be deported.
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Moving to the UK back in 2013 heralded the beginning of my adulthood – at 27, it was the first time I would be living alone. These past few years have allowed me to start becoming the woman I always wanted to be: I’ve made two additional best friends, earned a PhD in the science of infection and immunity (and one teaching award), grown a burning desire for social justice, and received a long-needed mental illness diagnosis. There’s so much more the UK has gifted me too: a Twitter addiction, a love for California rolls, the confidence to wear red lipstick every working day, a growing collection of pineapple ornaments, and the need to purchase a new Christmas jumper every year.
“I have my ‘bubbly’ personality to thank for keeping me going in times where I’ve felt like disappearing.”
In the months since my visa denial, I have cycled through shame, anger, and despair. I lost a permanent job which would have seen me forge a career in academic skills consultancy, changing my career trajectory completely. It was a dream job, one which made me feel like I belonged at least in academia – but this unexpected precarity and instability has made me question if I ever really did.
That feeling of ‘belonging’ is one I’ve been chasing my whole life, due in part to my anxiety, which always made me feel just shy of ‘normal’. While my personal life has been tumultuous over the past few years – the deaths of three friends, my PhD supervisor and my father in just two years, not to mention exacerbated physical symptoms of Sickle Cell Trait, a very hard PhD, and a crumbling love life – that feeling of not belonging has been the most isolating. I have my ‘bubbly’ personality to thank for keeping me going in times where I’ve felt like disappearing.
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My family background has also always given me an unsure sense of where I ‘belong’ too. Though I’ve never been there, I have always had a Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) passport. My father is from there, though he left for the USSR around the age of 22. In Moscow, he met my Armenian-Ukrainian mother. They would marry and eventually emigrate to Nigeria in 1983, and after the dissolution of the USSR her passport became invalid. I was born in 1986 in Bauchi, Nigeria, where my father would claim his final resting place in 2016. The year following his death, my now stateless mother was officially declared a refugee.
Courtesy of the author HuffPost UK
My mother is a woman with several privileges: racial, educational, employment, safety of habitation, and support systems to name a few. She is an accomplished dental surgeon, having worked in the same position as a head of dental surgery in a hospital for nearly 40 years. Burying the love of her life after he passed unexpectedly added to the storm she passed through and contributed to her being hospitalised three times within the space of a few months.
But in her spare time she volunteers, performing surgeries on children and adults with cleft palates, perfecting sculpting teeth for her patients on the porch of the house. She is a devoted mother and grandmother, a fashionista with a penchant for shoes, and an avid selfie-taker who, at 66, shows no signs of slowing down.
My mother has indeed faced her own storms, but often openly speaks about how despite everything she’s experienced she still anchors herself in happiness. “Mummy, how come you’re so content?”, I remember asking her. “’Because I know who I am,” she says back. “Yes, it hurts when sometimes you feel like you don’t belong… but contentment is continuing to do what you know how to do even when you have those painful feelings.”
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“I don’t need to be scared of feeling like I don’t belong, and that I need to stop waiting to 'feel' it before I start living”
One of the most valuable lessons my mother has taught me, especially valuable in this precarious phase of my life, is that I don’t need to be scared of feeling like I don’t belong, and that I need to stop waiting to feel it before I start living. I’ve watched her live, thrive, and have an impact while living out this philosophy. I know I can do it too.
That’s why I’ve decided that even though I don’t know how my case will end, I’m not going out without a fight. I am living intentionally, every single day. This means I’m keeping as active and purposeful as I normally would, and volunteering twice a week at my church’s coffee shop where I take charge of the kitchen for four hours of the day. I still mentor the same Black women academics that I mentored before. I have continued to give workshops on decolonisation of the biological sciences, write about higher education and healthcare, and have recently started working with grassroots migration activists in the Leicester area.
Courtesy of the author HuffPost UK
And perhaps more importantly, I’m trying to amplify as many causes as I can along the way. I do not see my case as more worthy of resolution than that of any other migrant in the UK. The next steps will play out in my partnership with these Leicester grassroots activists, and hopefully beyond.
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I feel no less pain now than I did the day I found out I could be deported. I still don’t know where I belong, or if indeed I will ever truly feel like I do. But what I do feel is a strong sense of purpose and advocacy. And that just has to be enough for me, for now.
Dr Furaha Asani is a postdoctoral researcher, teacher, mental health advocate, and writer. Follow her on Twitter at @DrFuraha_Asani


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-06--Rebecca Long Bailey Officially Launches Labour Leadership Bid

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Rebecca Long Bailey has officially entered the race to be the next Labour Party leader.
The shadow business secretary, the favourite of the current leadership, is seen as one of the early favourites to succeed Jeremy Corbyn.
With nominations due to open on Tuesday, Long Bailey said the party needs a “proud socialist” to succeed Corbyn and said she could be trusted to maintain “our socialist agenda”.
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Her comments will be seen as a thinly veiled swipe at shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer, who has been keen to stress his left-wing credentials despite being seen to come from a more centrist tradition.
With the climate crisis spiralling and the far-right on the march, we must regroup urgently for the struggles ahead.
Our task is to build a winning vision of a socialist future.https://t.co/P15RJx7ifI — Rebecca Long-Bailey (@RLong_Bailey) January 6, 2020
Writing in the Tribune magazine, she said: “We need a proud socialist to lead the Labour Party, driven by their principles and an unwavering determination to see democratic socialism in our lifetime.
“For all of these reasons and more, I have decided to stand for election to become the next leader of our party.”
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Meanwhile, party chairman and left-winger Ian Lavery formally announced he is not standing for the Labour leadership and will officially endorse Long Bailey.
“We must ensure that we never again are seen to be taking working class communities for granted or to write them off as ignorant or ill-educated,” he said in another apparent jibe at pro-Remain contenders.
Long Bailey’s announcement came as the party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) set out the timetable for election, with the new leader to be announced at a conference on Saturday April 4.
Earlier, Angela Rayner threw her support behind Long Bailey, her friend and flatmate, as she officially launched her bid to become the deputy Labour leader.
Starmer has emerged as the early frontrunner in the race to succeed Corbyn.
Labour MPs Emily Thornberry, Jess Phillips, Lisa Nandy and Clive Lewis are also standing. Former cabinet minister Yvette Cooper has ruled out of a leadership bid.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-06--Koko Fire: Roof Of Iconic London Music Venue Engulfed In Blaze

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A blaze that broke out in the roof of an iconic north London club has been brought under control by firefighters.
Damage to the Koko club in Camden was limited to the upper section of the building after eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters responded to emergency calls just before 9pm on Monday.
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Koko, formerly known as Camden Palace and the Camden Hippodrome, had been closed for refurbishment and was covered in scaffolding.
It was set to reopen in spring 2020 after a “major state-of-the-art” revamp, following the purchase of two adjacent buildings.
Station Commander Jon Lewis, who was at the scene said: “Firefighters quick action and hard work in the early stages meant the fire was contained to the roof and saved the rest of the building.
“Fire crews will remain at the scene throughout the morning.”
Pictures posted to social media on Monday evening show the former theatre with large flames at the top of the building, which is near Mornington Crescent station.
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The fire at KOKO in Camden Town is under control and now being pushed back. Hugely grateful to @LondonFire for their swift response, but devastated by the potential loss of such a huge part of Camden’s culture. pic.twitter.com/5k0pdkHjQF — Oliver Cooper (@OliverCooper) January 6, 2020
Formerly known as the Camden Palace and the Camden Hippodrome, the venue had been closed for refurbishment and was covered in scaffolding at the time of the fire.
It was set to re-open in spring 2020 after a “major state-of-the-art” refurbishment, after the purchase of two adjacent buildings.
The club has hosted acts including Madonna, Ed Sheeran and Prince along with the best bands and artists for generations.
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Leader of Camden Council Georgia Gould said: “Heartbreaking watching the Camden Palace / Koko up in flames this evening, a building that holds so many memories and means so much to us in Camden.”
MP for Holborn and St Pancras Keir Starmer echoed Gould’s statement on Twitter.
Starmer wrote: “Awful news in Camden tonight. Incredible response from our firefighters.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-06--Love Island Winter 2020 Contestants Include Lewis Capaldi’s Ex And Rochelle Humes’ Sister

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With just days to go until Love Island launches its first ever winter series, we’ve now been introduced to the 12 hopefuls who’ll be looking for romance in the new South African villa.
This time around, seven girls and five boys will be joining the series, and while those who’ve taken issue in the past with the lack of body diversity and LGBTQ representation on the show may well be disappointed, there’s still an interesting mix of characters, including a pair of twins, a future “lord of the manor” and the sister of singer and TV personality Rochelle Humes.
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Don’t forget, though, that as the days roll on and the contestants begin coupling up, ITV will be chucking in a few bombshells to ruffle feathers and prove that the course of true love never does run smoothly.
Anyway, fancy meeting the new batch of contestants? Well, here they are, starting with the girls...
Meet the new stars of Love Island ITV
Eve and Jess Gale
ITV
Age: 20
Job: Students and VIP hostesses
What do we need to know? Well, there’s two of them, for one thing. Eve and Jess are the first female twins to ever grace the Love Island villas, but they’ve already insisted that we won’t see them fighting over guys in the villa, as they’ve got “so much respect” for one another.
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“Some boys will be messaging me and Jessica at the same time,” Eve revealed. “I don’t think they think we talk.”
Punctuality is apparently an issue for both sisters (good luck to Love Island bosses getting them out of bed for tasks), while they’ve both named Anthony Joshua as their number one celeb crush.
Leanne Amaning
ITV
Age: 22
Job: Customer service advisor
What do we need to know? Originally from London, Leanne describes herself as a 10/10, joking: “If you don’t love yourself, who will?”
She also says she’s done with “rude” men, claiming: “I’m good with banter but if someone is too rude, I don’t like it.”
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Interestingly, Leanne says she doesn’t consider herself a particularly open person, and hopes being in the Love Island villa can change that, saying she’s looking for a Gerard Butler type on the show, and insists: “If I want something, I’ll get it.”
Paige Turley
ITV
Age: 22
Job: Singer
What do we need to know? Paige originally hails from West Lothian, and if that place rings a bell, that’s probably because it’s the hometown of chart-topping singer Lewis Capaldi, who just happens to be her ex.
“We went out when we were younger, I was about 17 or 18,” she explains. “We were together for about a year. It ended really amicably and we’re still pals.”
She now says she’s looking for a “tall, dark and handsome” man to find love with, naming Tom Hardy as her top celebrity crush.
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And like fellow West Lothian resident Susan Boyle, Paige is also a former Britain’s Got Talent star, making it through to the semi-finals in 2012.
Shaughna Phillips
ITV
Age: 25
Job: Democratic services officer (oooh!)
What do we need to know? Shaughna describes herself as “always right” and says she’s looking for a guy who’s smart, but still not quite as smart as herself.
“I want someone I can watch the news with and have a conversation about it,” she explains, perhaps revealing in the process that she’s never actually watched an episode of Love Island.
She also says her best feature is her lips (“I spent enough money on them!” she jokes) and says she has a zero-tolerance attitude to cheating, after her last boyfriend was unfaithful to her.
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Siânnise Fudge
ITV
Age: 25
Job: Beauty consultant
What do we need to know? Not only does she boast the best name in Love Island history (Siânnise Fudge, how fabulous), Siânnise also goes by the nicknames “Eyebrow Queen” and “Princess Jasmine”, claiming she’s “looking for her own Aladdin”.
Originally from Bristol, Siânnise says her ideal man is Anthony Joshua or “90s Leonardo DiCaprio”, commenting that she’s “experienced quite a lot of men” and therefore “knows what she’s looking for”.
Describing herself as “sassy and fun”, she also says her party trick is the moonwalk, which we can no doubt expect to see her break out in the villa at the first available opportunity.
Sophie Piper
ITV
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Age: 21
Occupation: Medical PA
What do we need to know? First of all, as you can probably see for yourself, Sophie is the sister of former The Saturdays star Rochelle Humes, and has actually been rumoured for Love Island once or twice in the past.
After finally landing a spot in the villa, Sophie says she’s looking for someone who’s “kind with something about them” and who “doesn’t take themselves too seriously”.
Another Anthony Joshua fan, Sophie can also balance a Malteser in her cheek dimples which she describes as her best feature (the dimples, not the trick).
Callum Jones
ITV
Age: 23
Job: Scaffolder
What do we need to know? Describing himself as a “cheeky chap” (good grief) with “builders’ banter” (good grief!), Callum originally hails from Manchester, saying he “always” fancies girls with “dark hair, tanned skin, red lipstick and white nail polish”.
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Well, it’s good to not be too specific, isn’t it?
Callum says he loves to cook, which could well make him popular in the villa, and warns he’s “prepared to go pretty far to get the girl”.
Connor Durman
ITV
Age: 25
Job: Coffee bean salesman (amazing).
What do we need to know? Connor recently returned home after four years of living in Australia, an experience that he says has really helped him grow up.
“I’ve got so many new and different life experiences,” he says of his time in Australia, where he briefly worked as a “naked waiter”. “I’ve had two big relationships, one good, one bad. I think I’ve gone through a lot. I’m mature now and I know what I want.”
He says his ideal woman has a “big personality” and “easy going”, but should also be “loving” and not “embarrassed to show it in front of people”.
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Connor is also a romantic, revealing he once surprised a girl on a first date with a reserved spot at an outdoor cinema to watch A Star Is Born with a bottle of champagne.
Mike Boateng
ITV
Age: 24
Occupation: Police officer
What do we need to know? Mike is confident that he can charm the girls in the Love Island villa this winter, describing himself as “charming and charismatic”.
Referring to himself as an 8/10, he notes: “I have piercing eyes that look into your soul.”
The London-born police officer says he’s looking for an “ambitious” and “beautiful” women with “lots of personality”, naming Rihanna and Beyoncé as his ideal woman.
We’re not sure they’ll be in the villa, Mike, but we do have a former BGT semi-finalist and Rochelle Humes’ sister, if that works for you?
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Nas Majeed
ITV
Age: 23
Job: Builder
What do we need to know? A sports science graduate, Nas says he’s not like anyone who’s ever been on Love Island in the last five years, noting: “I’m funny, always myself, caring and considerate. I’m a well-rounded person.”
Naming Aladdin and Charlie’s Angels star Naomi Scott as his ideal woman, Nas says he’s on the look-out for a girl who is “cute and funny” and can “match his energy”.
We can apparently look forward to Nas “laughing in awkward situation” and showing off his party trick of... bird noises. Interesting.
Ollie Williams
ITV
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Age: 23
Job: Land owner / heir to the Lanhydrock estate
What do we need to know? The first ever member of the aristocracy to appear on Love Island, Ollie’s dad is the “Lord of the Manor of Lanhydrock”.
He explains: “When my father passes away or abdicates, as the eldest child, I will take on the titles and the estate. I’m the heir of Lanhydrock.”
Ollie says he knows how to throw a “bloody awesome party” (“think Gatsby but with better fireworks,” apparently), and describes himself as a 10/10 for looks, naming his body as his best feature “closely followed by his wit”.
Asked for his best chat-up line, Ollie offers: ”‘Do you know Polzeath beach in Cornwall? I own it.’ That’s it. Chat up line, done.”
We reckon he’s going to be a one to watch this series...
Find out how the new Love Island contestants get on when the new series debuts on Sunday night at 9pm on ITV2.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-06--US Military Letter Announcing Potential Iraq Withdrawal ‘Was A Mistake’, General Says

The letter “was a mistake,” chairman of the joint chiefs of staff Mark Milley told reporters.
The letter was written by General William H Seely III and was addressed to an Iraqi defence official.
“In due deference to the sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq, and as requested by the Iraqi Parliament and the Prime Minister, CJTF-OIR will be repositioning forces over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement,” Seely wrote, referring to a US-led international task force to fight the so-called Islamic State. “Coalition Forces are required to take certain measures to ensure that movement out of Iraq is conducted in a safe and efficient manner.”
The letter was unsigned but US officials confirmed its authenticity and said it had been sent and received by the Iraqis, Washington Post reporter Dan Lamothe wrote on Twitter.
It was written the day after Iraq’s parliament passed a resolution calling on Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to revoke Iraq’s invitation to host US troops, which have helped the country retake control over territory lost to the Islamic State in 2014. The US currently has about 5,000 troops in Iraq.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-06--Is Labour Ready To Stop Gazing At Its Own Navel?

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Labour’s Epiphany?
It looks like 2020 is going to be quite a year. Yes, there’s the looming threat of world war three in the middle east, but here in the UK something strange is happening to the Labour party: a National Executive Committee meeting took place, it didn’t take 10 hours and it ended with calm agreement.
So, on the day of Epiphany, has Labour had its own sudden moment of realisation? That disunity leads to defeat? Well, I’m told there was very little factionalism in the NEC meeting, although that may simply be because many of its members are so discombobulated by the scale of the 2019 election disaster that they haven’t yet worked out their next moves. Neither the left nor centre know if a shorter or longer contest benefits either of them, or whether a £25 membership fee will attract their kind of supporter.
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It may also be that the YouGov polling of members (showing Keir Starmer has a healthy lead over Rebecca Long Bailey, Jess Phillips, Emily Thornberry, Lisa Nandy and Clive Lewis) has thrown a spanner in the working calculation among some in Momentum that their own candidate would walk it. Far from being the ‘front runner’ many assumed, Long Bailey has been so quiet that it appears she is unprepared for the task ahead.
As it happens, I’ve been told she has some impressive radical policy people lined up for her team amid tight secrecy. She will formally declare tomorrow, but apparently wants to keep her powder dry for a big launch among members rather than using the Commons as her platform. Tomorrow night’s first hustings before fellow MPs and peers (in the PLP room no less) will means she has to set out her stall, yet with her nominations already in the bag, she can afford to pitch herself as ‘the members’ candidate’.
I remember back in 2015 being the only hack standing outside the PLP office in parliament as the clock struck midday for the deadline for MP nominations. I saw an elated Jeremy Corbyn hugging former cabinet minister Andrew Smith after he became the 35th crucial backer for his campaign. The scenario of MPs ‘lending’ their nominations to a leftwinger to allow a better debate (Margaret Beckett, Sadiq Khan, David Lammy) won’t be on the cards this time.
One of the most important backers that Long Bailey managed to secure today was Angela Rayner. But her own deputy leadership campaign speech was so impassioned, so well-crafted and so utterly authentic that it left many of us wondering why the heck she wasn’t going for the top job herself.
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Rayner made her council estate roots a centrepiece of her launch, yet managed to range much wider with an appeal for fresh thinking, an end to factionalism (she pointed out that working class voters who were told to “f*ck off and join the Tories” did just that) and a sense of urgency that Labour must now “win or die”. One of the few stars of the party’s last election campaign, it’s pretty obvious to many that she is also better than Long Bailey or Starmer at speaking fluent human.
The great irony is that Rayner today rightly said she was sick of being told by others to stay in her lane. As a teenage single mum, “for too long I felt I wasn’t good enough”. Yet some of her admirers worry that her decision not to contest the leadership itself is an echo of that imposter syndrome. Has she bowed to Long Bailey, not just because her friend wants the top job but because her friend has the self-confidence of a graduate lawyer? More importantly, does Long Bailey really think she would make a better leader than her flat mate?
It’s early days of course, and no one can assume this contest is a cakewalk for any candidate. Labour will be hoping it has a better debate than the Tories had with Boris Johnson v Jeremy Hunt. But Johnson proved last summer that a dogged focus and broad personal appeal (especially to people not in your own party) can go a long, long way with the public. Whoever succeeds Jeremy Corbyn needs some of both. Realising that really would be an epiphany.
Quote Of The Day
“This Media Post will serve as a reminder that war powers reside in the Congress under the United States Constitution. And that you should read the War Powers Act. And that you’re not a dictator.”
The US House Foreign Affairs Committee reminds Donald Trump of its role
Monday Cheat Sheet
Labour’s ruling NEC set the timetable for the leadership and deputy leadership elections, with the ballot closing on April 2 and an announcement two days later.
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Downing Street signalled its unease over Donald Trump’s suggestion that he could bomb culturally important sites in Iran. The PM talked to his Iraqi counterpart Abdul Mehdi by phone to urge restraint. After a meeting with key ministers, the message from No.10 was “de-escalation” and “diplomacy”.
Unite and GMB union reps for Labour party staff wrote to all declared leadership candidates to ask them to condemn any attempts at a major internal reorganisation while Corbyn remains in office. General secretary Jennie Formby is under fire for plans to axe key staff. Keir Starmer was the first to come out support the staff and their unions tonight.
Former shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper revealed she would not be standing for the Labour leadership. In the Guardian, she set 7 tests for those who wanted to be Corbyn’s successor.
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Why We Search For A Happy Ending - New Yorker
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