thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--'It Turned Very Dark, Very Quickly': Sex Workers Are Divided About Porn Drama Adult Material

WARNING: Contains spoilers from episode one and references to rape.
Adult Material aims to showcase what life is like for people in the adult entertainment industry, but real-life sex workers are divided about Channel 4′s new drama.
Creator Lucy Kirkwood, who was an executive consultant on Succession, created the show because she was fascinated by how porn pervades all of our lives, yet we know so little about the way it’s made. She also wanted to address contradictions she has felt existed within the porn industry.
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Speaking about Adult Material, she told Channel 4: “Porn is a part of our lives, whether we know it or not, but as a society we don’t know anything about how it’s made… Once I started to look at porn much more closely, I started to understand better what the appeal of a job that is so unappealing to most of us is.”
Hayley Squires as Jolene in Adult Material Channel 4
Lucy’s script focusses on porn star Jolene, played by Hayley Squires, who gets entangled in a series of shocking events tied to her work in the porn industry. It’s often not an easy watch.
In one plot line she takes new porn recruit Amy, played by Siena Kelly, under her wing and tries to teach her to stand up for herself against the male studio manager – but Amy ends up experiencing a distressing prolapse on set after being coerced into anal sex.
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Elsewhere in the first episode, Jolene’s daughter Phoebe, played by Alex Jarrett, is raped by her boyfriend. When she tells her mother what has happened Jolene brushes the crime off, implying it’s her daughter’s job to better understand the needs of men.
The show has been generally well received by critics and viewers alike, although some sex workers who spoke to HuffPost UK feel it isn’t reflective of the realities of their jobs.
“It turns very dark, very quickly, which I like, because I like to watch something with good entertainment value, but it’s definitely not an accurate representation of the adult industry,” says Levi, 30, a camera girl from Babestation.
Another sex worker from Off The Record Models, who asked to remain anonymous, agrees. “Overall I like the fact topics like these are coming into the media more, but I feel like this could’ve been portrayed a lot better, even if it is for comedic effect,” they said.
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They disliked what they saw as the show exaggerating stereotypes about sex workers, potentially making it even harder for audiences to understand what sex work is really like.
“You’d get a much more human and ‘real’ idea by watching a documentary; I think this show might sadly push stereotypes of desperate women willing to do anything, being working class maybe,” adds the model from Off The Record.
Siena Kelly plays Amy in Adult Material Channel 4
Levi believes the two scenes in which characters Phoebe and Amy are sexually assaulted will “stick in people’s minds” but “weren’t handled well… it’s not giving the greatest outlook for what really goes on.”
Referring to how Jolene responds after her daughter Phoebe tells her she’s been raped, Levi says: “I was quite shocked at how Jolene, who would be more educated than anybody else to know what’s consensual and not consensual, brushed it [the rape] off like an opinion you’d expect from a 1950′s housewife.
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“It was awful advice, and for a woman of the world like Jolene you would’ve thought she would’ve known that was absolutely out of order what happened to her daughter.”
“If everybody watches it, the whole world would have a different view: on consent, on sex in general, on the industry and how it’s perceived.” - Penny Pierce, sex worker
Others felt these scenes were realistic in their depictions of the worst possible outcomes for porn stars.
Sex worker Penny Pierce, 23, thinks the scene in which Phoebe is raped was purposefully made to feel shocking in order to convey the real risks young girls face, either entering porn or growing up in general.
“It got me really quite disturbed… a lot of it is about the fine line of consent which really spoke to me just through personal experience,” she says.
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Penny asserts that in sex, “not everyone understands that if there’s no verbal agreement there’s no agreement at all,” and that real life instances of scenes in the show “will continue unless it’s spoken about”.
She adds: “If everybody watches it, the whole world would have a different view on consent, on sex in general, on the industry and how it’s perceived.”
James and Ethan, two performers from So Spoilt, also praised how realistic the drama was, but felt the show fell down in terms of inclusivity.
“It showed the porn industry from a straight girls’ perspective so it didn’t represent all the types of adult workers, so maybe next time they could incorporate a more diverse cast and storyline,” they said.
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Some viewers tweeted similar thoughts about how the show veered from realistic depictions of working in the porn industry to scenes which felt exaggerated. They were surprised by how dark the show became when it had begun feeling light-hearted, with one tweeting: “It’s gone from being funny to seriously disturbing.”
Another said: “I’m not being funny but all the previews looked like a story of a young powerful woman thriving in the adult industry and pure entertainment, not this dark, morally bankrupt headf**k.”
Perhaps the most prevalent takeaway is that Adult Material is a solid piece of drama, but perhaps falls short at offering a truly authentic insight into what life’s actually like working in porn.
Regardless of its legacy, Penny hopes that by simply platforming some of these challenges from within the industry, the show will help create a brighter future for all who work in porn.
“Sometimes bad things happen, but that’s what we’re trying to stop,” she said. “Normalising the industry [by showing it more on screen] will stop these negative situations that happen in the show.”
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Adult Material airs on Mondays at 10pm on Channel 4. The entire series is available to watch now on All4.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--Northern Leaders Rage At 'Disastrous' Covid Measures That Will Deepen North-South Divide

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Furious local leaders in the north of England say they have been ignored and misled by Westminster over local lockdowns – and fear the public is switching off as a result.
Mayors and council chiefs have criticised the government for failing to listen to local people on coronavirus restrictions, and say the London-centric handling of the crisis is a “recipe for disaster” that could deepen the north-south divide.
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The leaders of Greater Manchester, the Liverpool City Region, Leeds, Preston, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Warrington all spoke to HuffPost UK in dismay at the way their regions have been treated.
OLI SCARFF via Getty Images
Middlesbrough mayor Andy Preston attacked the government over tighter lockdown measures imposed on the town last week, claiming they “didn’t make sense” and vowing to defy them.
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He told HuffPost UK he spoke out after being given “virtually no notice” of the new measures and seeing local intelligence “ignored”.
“I felt very strongly about what happened and was upset, angry and frustrated,” he said. “We had gone to government with an excellent proposal on how to deal with Covid-19 locally based on local data and science.
“To see that ignored in favour of a London-based directive was disheartening and concerning.”
Mayor of Middlesborough Andy Preston Ian Forsyth via Getty Images
Preston added: “Our country has a long standing and deep-rooted problem with over-centralisation. This has been the case with whoever has been in power.
“It is really undemocratic, a recipe for disaster, and leads to a disengagement with politics.
“If the government is serious about levelling up, they need to work locally with people. Sitting in London and trying to level up just does not work.”
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On the growing sense of rebellion among leaders in the north of England, Preston said: “Tensions are very high everywhere – in every group and in different communities. Everyone is worried about the future. What we need is to talk more. The government can put this right very easily.”
Shane Moore, Hartlepool Council leader, described the new measures affecting his town as “draconian”.
He had been told no restrictions would be imposed on Hartlepool and Middlesbrough without written agreement from local leaders. Next thing he knew, he’d received a press release about the local lockdown Matt Hancock was announcing at that moment.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, meanwhile, told HuffPost UK: “We are at a point where people are disengaging because they are either confused or they don’t agree with the rules.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham PA
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“If we go into this winter with millions of people [in the north] under restrictions, and businesses suffering because of those restrictions with no financial support, we are going to see the north-south divide massively increased.
“This is a real danger staring us right in the face. A government that says it wants to ‘level up’ cannot put the north under restrictions without financial support.”
Judith Blake, leader of Leeds Council, told HuffPost UK of a general frustration with the government – but doesn’t feel this is confined to the north.
She says leaders have been pushing since the pandemic began for the government to work more closely with local authorities across the country.
Leader of Leeds City Council Judith Blake PA
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“We have seen failures when it comes to PPE (personal protective equipment); support for people shielding and problems with Test and Trace,” she said.
“All of those things would have been much better handled from a local level to enable people to live with the virus.
“The government needs to trust local government more and have faith in our expertise in public health and environmental health and our ability to work with our communities.”
But she also cautioned against constant variation in restrictions.
“When places are subjected to frequent changes by the government, it leads to confusion, particularly when areas that are close together have different regulations,” she said.
Blake told HuffPost UK measures such as the 10pm curfew risk causing “the complete and utter destruction of the hospitality sector”, particularly in city centres across the north.
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“If the government is going to put in more restrictions, they also need to put together a compensation package to enable these businesses to survive,” she said.
“We all represent areas with different characteristics and challenges. Clearly, across the north, there are more concentrations of places with higher levels of deprivation.
“The government needs to be clearer about the decisions they are making, as they are obviously not being made on just numbers alone. The reasons need to be communicated transparently so people understand why.
“Our approach is to work with our communities. We can work on the strength of community at a local level, which will lead to more buy-in.
“The problem comes when all these announcements come from Whitehall asking people to do things without them fully understanding the reasons.”
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The government’s pandemic response has been a “mess” since it began, according to Preston Council leader Matthew Brown.
He told HuffPost UK: “The messaging has been very inconsistent. People are confused and everything is very last minute.”
He says the fact some places have local restrictions imposed by law while others receive only “guidance” is confusing the public.
Matthew Brown, leader of Preston Council Preston Council
“It has been a myriad of disasters,” Brown said. “There has not been much joined-up thinking. It has been very much reacting to circumstances rather than strong leadership.
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“While I won’t be encouraging people to defy restrictions as I think that’s going too far, I can understand the anger and frustration and do think the government is going down the wrong path.
“Crucially, the things we have been putting forward as council leaders have not been taken on board and we do not have the infrastructure in place that we need.
“We need the proper resources to fight this virus and clear messages supported by proper restrictions. The current centralised system is just not working.”
Brown added that places in the north such as Preston have pockets of deprivation as well as people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) populations, who are disproportionately affected by coronavirus.
“Coronavirus has not been a great leveller,” he said. “But local authorities are dealing with this on the ground. The government should be giving communities powers to deal with things themselves.”
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Russ Bowden, Warrington Council leader, criticised the government for failing to offer enough financial support to businesses affected by local lockdown.
Russ Bowden, Warrington Council leader Russ Bowden
“The extra money that has been announced is for councils for the implementation of the new measures,” he said. “It does not support affected businesses, particularly those in the hospitality sector.
“These extra restrictions will have a huge impact on pubs and restaurants. What we can’t afford is for jobs to be lost and for businesses to close.
“The government has to come up with a financial package for businesses in any areas with enhanced restrictions.
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“It is going to be very difficult for some businesses to survive a second hit.”
Metro mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram believes northern areas have been treated differently from those down south.
“I’m told the London coronavirus figures are now higher than when Greater Manchester was put into local lockdown,” he said. Areas in the region with as few as six cases per 100,000 went into lockdown at the end of July, yet London – with 10 times that rate as of Tuesday evening, and a mayor actively pleading for restrictions – remains untouched.
“It feels like there is one rule for one and one rule for another and it does seem to disproportionately be northern areas which are being further restricted,” he said.
“We want to know the science behind it and what triggers the restrictions. We also want to know how you measure when you come out of the restrictions. Where is the road map to exit?”
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The leaders of Liverpool City Region have put together a £40m emergency package to stop pubs, bars and restaurants from going out of business.
Steve Rotheram, metro mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram
But Rotheram says areas in the north in particular need more assistance from central government: “These additional restrictions are hurting businesses. We are doing what we can to help them, but it is a sticking plaster. We need more structural help from government.”
He also told HuffPost UK the recent technical glitch that saw almost 16,000 Covid-19 cases go unreported shows the UK is “millions of miles away from the world class test and trace system we were promised”.
“In the north west, we had 40% of the new cases but only 15% of the testing capacity,” he said. “The number of cases have risen exponentially but the support hasn’t gone up in proportion.
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“We need our councils to be supported financially and for the government to ensure our businesses can survive, otherwise the economic wreckage will mean everyone will suffer.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--Jamie Laing Is Worried About A Very Different Strictly Come Dancing 'Curse' This Year

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Jamie Laing has admitted he’s worried about a rather different Strictly Come Dancing “curse” in the lead-up to this year’s series.
Over the years, Strictly has become renowned for its so-called “curse”, which has seen its contestants and professionals getting together while competing in the show, even some who were in relationships before signing up.
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However, as the stars prepare for this year’s launch, former Made In Chelsea star Jamie has revealed he is more concerned about his physical wellbeing than anything else.
Jamie Laing gets Strictly-fied ahead of this year's series BBC
Jamie – who was forced to back out of last year’s series after injuring himself while filming the launch show – explained (via Digital Spy): “If I get injured again it would look like I bottled it! So I really have to be careful. I’m not worried, I feel like I’m pretty fit and healthy.
“If something happens then the Strictly curse isn’t about me sleeping with someone else, it’s definitely about my foot!”
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Jamie Laing at last year's Strictly launch Lia Toby via Getty Images
The reality star has been given a second chance by Strictly bosses, and is one of 12 celebrities who’ve signed up for the upcoming run of the BBC dance show.
Over the summer, Jamie let slip that his foot injury may have been partly his own doing, after revealing that he’d been wearing lifts in his shoes to make him look taller.
“To tell you a little secret, the reason why I got it [the injury] was because I bought on Amazon these little things called lifts that give you a little bit more height in the old shoes,” he told Fubar radio. “Don’t buy those! Terrible things.”
This year’s Strictly launch show will be filmed next week, and will air on Saturday 17 October, with the first live show debuting the following weekend.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--Billionaires Got 25% Richer During The Coronavirus Pandemic

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The world’s richest people saw their wealth top record levels during the Covid-19 crisis, a new report has found.
A rally in stock prices and gains in technology and healthcare means the wealth of the world’s richest has now broken the $10.2tn (£7.8tn) mark.
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The report by UBS and PwC, which covers 2,000 billionaires representing some 98% of the cohort’s total wealth, found billionaire wealth grew by more than a quarter (27.5%) during the early months of the pandemic.
Individuals were not ranked in the report, but Jeff Bezos – Amazon founder and the world’s richest man – saw his wealth surpass $200tn (£152bn) as demand for the site’s services rocketed during the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s fortune has nearly quadrupled since the start of 2020, the largest increase in wealth amongst the world’s richest.
The Guardian reported a statement from Josef Stadler, the head of UBS’s global family office department, who said: “Billionaires did extremely well during the Covid crisis, not only [did] they ride the storm to the downside, but also gained up on the upside [as stock markets rebounded].”
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Stadler also explained that billionaires were able to take advantage of the crisis due to their “significant risk appetite”, and had the confidence to invest as markets crashed.
But as the rich got ever richer, millions of people worldwide have been plunged into economic uncertainty.
Government data published in mid-September showed nearly 700,000 people had lost their job in the UK alone through the course of the pandemic, and that was with the full furlough scheme still in place.
Meanwhile, the Trussell Trust forecasts that it will give out six emergency food parcels a minute across the UK in the coming months – a 61% increase on October to December last year – and in May the president of the World Bank said 60 million people globally would be pushed into into “extreme poverty” by the pandemic.
The $10.2tn figure identified in the UBS and PwCreport represents a five- to ten-fold rise over the past 25 years, the span covered by the UBS and PwC database, when billionaire wealth stood at just over $1tn (£774bn)
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Between April 7 and July 31 this year, billionaires across every industry covered by the study saw their wealth rise by double digits, with billionaires in the technology, healthcare and industrial sectors leading the pack with 36%-44% gains.
The pandemic accelerated a trend of technology and healthcare entrepreneurs, and other business innovators, pulling ahead of their ultra-rich peers.
From 2018 through July 2020, tech billionaires saw their wealth rise 42.5% to $1.8tn (£1,4tn) the report found, while billionaires deriving their fortune from healthcare similarly saw their wealth rise 50.3% during the period to $658.6bn (£510bn)


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--Revealed: These Major Pride Sponsors Don't Recognise Non-Binary People

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Corporations sponsoring the three biggest Pride festivals in the UK do not properly recognise non-binary people in their own data gathering, HuffPost UK can reveal.
Virgin Atlantic, Heart Radio, BT and TfL are advertised as sponsors to Pride festivals, but sign-up forms on their websites – the first places most people would be asked for information by the companies – fall short of including options that feel inclusive to the non-binary community.
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HuffPost UK tried to sign up to each of the corporation’s websites at the first available opportunity when browsing, but found that sign-up forms either stated simply “male” and “female”, or offered an “other” or “unspecified” box that non-binary people told us felt dehumanising.
Virgin Atlantic, the headline sponsor to Manchester Pride 2020, only offers customers the chance to define as “male” or “female” if they are joining the airline’s Flying Club.
HuffPost UK Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club sign up page displaying the 'male' and 'female' sign up options
Yet in an article on the Manchester Pride website, the travel brand’s chief commercial officer said: “Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays have long been staunch supporters of LGBTQ+ rights and we strongly believe in making our business as inclusive and welcoming as possible.”
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Their statement continued: “We are absolutely thrilled to be the headline sponsor of the Manchester Pride Festival, at our home in the north. I am really looking forward to working with Mark [Fletcher, Manchester Pride chief exec] and his team to use the influential power of our brand, our international footprint and our incredible people to fight for change across the world.”
In a statement to HuffPost UK, a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson commented: “Inclusivity is a core value of Virgin Atlantic, and we are working on system changes to include non-binary prefixes on our website and in our corresponding systems. The project was unfortunately put on hold due to our teams being furloughed due to the impact of Covid-19.
“We remain committed to updating our website when the team involved returns to work, with the project restarting later this year.”
Heart Radio, a current sponsor for Brighton Pride, offer users the option to disclose their gender as “male”, “female” or “unspecified”.
Supplied Heart Radio
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Supplied Heart Radio
“By forcing non-binary people to tick a ‘male’ or ‘female’ box they are simply asking an individual to input incorrect information,” says Lui Asquirth, who is non-binary and head of policy at Mermaids, the charity that supports trans and non-binary people. “‘Other’ is also incorrect and risks ostracising an individual.”
One article about Brighton Pride 2019 on the heart.co.uk website reads: “The incredible weekend will see thousands of people from all over the world march through the streets of Brighton with huge floats in tow asking for equality.”
Heart Radio did not return a request for comment after HuffPost UK approached them.
BT is a major sponsor of Pride in London but offers no way for non-binary people to state their preferred gender expression.
When HuffPost UK asked BT why their service wasn’t inclusive for non-binary people, a spokesperson said: “We take diversity very seriously and we know it’s crucial that all our customers feel included. We’re working on new, inclusive customer forms as a priority.”
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HuffPost UK BT
Supplied BT
TfL also sponsors the event, but has a similarly non-inclusive sign-up.
In past years, TfL has promoted its Pride partnerships with messages on public transport, using the hashtag #EveryLoveMatters. One slogan read: “Here in London, you’re free to love whoever you want to love and be whoever you want to be.”
Yet sign-up forms aren’t inclusive for non-binary people, as they only offer the opportunity for entrants to define as “other”.
HuffPost UK BT
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Supplied Tfl
Information on the TfL website reads: “To reflect the diversity of sexualities and gender identities, the ever-popular rainbow roundel returns with additional black and brown stripes to mark the representation of the BAME LGBT+ community.
“The new Bi Pride roundel uses the pink and purple colours of the Bisexual Pride flag, and the light blue and pink stripes of the Trans Pride flag represent the transgender community. All three roundels will carry the hashtag #EveryStoryMatters.”
When approached by HuffPost UK, Staynton Brown, director of diversity, inclusion and talent at TfL, said: “TfL is fundamentally committed to inclusivity, so we will be changing any forms that remain on our website without a non-binary option.”
Prominent figures support HuffPost UK’s investigation into corporate hypocrisy
Peter Tatchell, a prominent LGBT+ rights campaigner who has been on the front line of protests for equality since the 1970s, gave his support to HuffPost UK’s investigation.
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JUSTIN TALLIS via Getty Images British gay rights activist Peter Tatchell has supported the HuffPost UK findings
In a statement, he said: “This ground-breaking research reveals that some Pride sponsors who claim to be inclusive are nothing of the sort.
“It’s really depressing to learn that they ignore non-binary people, who make up a small but growing proportion of the LGBT+ community. When the Pride organisers do due diligence on would-be sponsors they need to ensure that companies recognise non-binary people and offer preferred pronoun options for staff.
“There is a tendency for too many companies to jump on the Pride bandwagon without acknowledging and respecting the full diversity of LGBT+ lives in their workplaces. That has to change.”
On behalf of Mermaids, Lui Asquith said: “The longer companies don’t include non-binary people within data collection, the longer it risks undermining their credentials as LGBTQ+ allies.
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“Now is the time to make those changes to be at the forefront of change, rather than having to catch up in due course, potentially having lost a lot of trust from LGBTQ+ folk. Some non-binary people also describe themselves as trans, so if a company is truly a trans ally, it’s a no-brainer.”
Teddy Lamb, a non-binary theatre maker who uses they/them pronouns and advised HuffPost UK on this article, added: “The corporatisation of Pride has long been a worry of mine, but the one silver lining was the potential that these big industries might be forced to become more inclusive due to their association with queer charities.
“Unfortunately that doesn’t seem to be the case – and whilst they’re very happy to take up space and take our money, they’re less willing to be trans inclusive and are actively othering us.”
Read Teddy’s Personal story, written for HuffPost UK in conjunction with the publication of this article: “Non-Binary People Like Me Won’t Fit In Until We Change Our Exclusionary Language.”
Non-binary: the facts
Supplied Teddy Lamb, who has written for HuffPost UK to express how it feels to be left off sign up forms
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Non-binary people do not experience themselves as either male or female, so therefore live outside of the gender binary.
Around one in 250 people self-define as non-binary, according to statistics gathered in 2014 by Nat Titman. A survey by the Equality and Human Rights Commission in the UK taken in 2011 recorded 10,039 non-binary people in the UK.
Non-binary people are not legally recognised, which is why applications to join doctor’s surgeries, dentists and other public services don’t typically include the option of defining as non-binary.
A years-long campaign to modernise the government’s Gender Recognition Act so that it legally recognises trans and non-binary people, and allows them to change their gender by self-identification and without medical diagnosis, was recently rejected.
Some non-binary people may also include themselves within the transgender community, but not all non-binary people do, so it’s important not to merge these two communities.
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What is the solution?
According to Teddy Lamb, one simple one-size-fits-all solution to put an end to the othering of non-binary people is to offer them the chance to fill out their own preferred title and gender by leaving sign-up boxes blank.
“I think a blank space is the perfect solution,” they told HuffPost UK, although it’s important to note that the conversation is evolving all the time. “Some non-binary people choose to use the pronouns ‘they/them’ when they define as non-binary, so may prefer this simple option added to sign up forms.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--James Corden Roasts Trump With Musical Coronavirus Parody, Maybe I'm Immune

While many celebrities have been venting their anger online at Donald Trump’s antics amid his coronavirus diagnosis, James Corden had a more musical approach on Tuesday’s edition of his US chat show.
The Gavin & Stacey star took aim at the president in a parody of Paul McCartney’s classic Maybe I’m Amazed, renamed Maybe I’m Immune.
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James opened The Late Late Show sat behind a piano as he rattled through the events of the last week – including Trump’s drive-by and the removal of his mask as he returned to the White House.
“Maybe I’m a man and maybe I don’t wear a mask because I don’t care about others, science I don’t really understand,” James sang.
James Corden parodied Paul McCartney's Maybe I'm Amazed on his US chat show CBS
The song was also cut with clips of Trump, including footage of him outside the White House on Monday, as James sang: “Maybe I just need some oxygen.”
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He continued: “Maybe I’m immune to the way the polls are looking now, maybe I’m afraid it’s not Fake News.
“Maybe I’m immune to all the lies that I have made, I shouldn’t have downplayed. Maybe I’m afraid that I might lose this.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--The Great British Bake Off’s Opening Gag About Paul Hollywood’s Handshake Was Hilariously Creepy And

The Great British Bake Off’s Opening Gag About Paul Hollywood’s Handshake Was Hilariously Creepy And Cannot Be Unseen

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Being on the receiving end of the highly coveted HH (Hollywood Handshake) is every baker’s dream on The Great British Bake Off.
Not so much for hosts Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas.
The presenting duo opened Tuesday’s Bake Off with a skit all about the legendary HH, which they discovered is actually locked in a treasure chest.
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The secret of the Hollywood Handshake! #GBBO pic.twitter.com/1R5QTbuC0u — British Bake Off (@BritishBakeOff) October 6, 2020
Upon opening the chest, Paul appears to ask Noel and Matt what they’re up to, which is when things got seriously creepy…
WARNING: The above clip contains scenes that some viewers may find upsetting and cannot be unseen.
Bread Week saw the second Hollywood Handshake of the series, after Hermine impressed Paul with her smoked salmon-infused soda bread.
Hermine’s reward for creating a new bread? A Hollywood Handshake! Ah, to live inside the bio-secure Bake Off bubble and experience such an honour. #GBBO pic.twitter.com/6YNcEArSeH — British Bake Off (@BritishBakeOff) October 6, 2020
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Meanwhile, Rowan became the third amateur baker to be eliminated from this year’s series.
The 55-year old from Worcestershire failed to impress judges Paul and Prue Leith during Tuesday’s bread-themed episode.
“I’ve had a wonderful time. It is exhausting, but very rewarding,” he said after providing us with another classic bit of innuendo...
Rowan was the third person to leave the Channel 4 show, after 50-year-old accountant Mak and 27-year-old diagnostic radiographer Loriea were axed in previous weeks.
Production of the 11th series was initially delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic, but filming finished near the end of August.
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The bakers, presenters and others working on the programme formed a “bubble” in Down Hall Hotel near Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, throughout the duration of filming, after being tested for the virus and self-isolating.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--The 19 People Around Donald Trump Who Have Tested Positive For Coronavirus

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One of Donald Trump’s most controversial aides is the latest member of his inner circle to test positive for Covid-19, adding to a growing list of names since the president announced he had the virus last week
Stephen Miller, a speech writer branded a “villain” – and worse – for his staunch anti-immigration and nationalist views, became the 19th person close to the president to make the now-regular announcement.
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“Over the last five days I have been working remotely and self-isolating, testing negative every day through yesterday,” Miller said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Today, I tested positive for Covid-19 and am in quarantine.”
Stephen Miller watches from a corner of the room as Trump holds an executive order signing event in August. Jonathan Ernst / Reuters
The US infectious diseases expert Dr Anthony Fauci, said on Tuesday the recent rash of infections at the White House could have been prevented.
“Take a look at what happened this week at the White House,” Fauci said in an interview with American University’s Kennedy Political Union, when asked what advice he had about how people could discuss preventive actions with relatives who believed the pandemic was a hoax.
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“That is a reality, right there. And every day that goes by more people are popping up that are infected. It’s not a hoax. It’s an unfortunate situation when you see something like that because that could have been prevented,” Fauci said.
Attention is focused on a White House Rose Garden ceremony to nominate judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court on 26 September which appears to amount to a superspreader event.
Many people who attended, including top Republican senators, have also tested positive for the virus this week.
Currently there are entire countries, such as Barbados, Niger and Liechtenstein with fewer active cases than the White House.
Here’s everyone who has tested so far...
Stephen Miller
Senior White House adviser Stephen Miller, a top speechwriter for the president, said in a statement he had tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday and was in quarantine.
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As the architect of some of Trump’s most controversial policies notably separating migrant children from their parents at the US-Mexico border,
Jalen Drummond
Assistant press secretary, Jalen Drummond, has tested positive for Covid-19, according to a Bloomberg News report. One of the deputies to press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, Drummond was present in the Rose Garden on September 26 ceremony for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.
Admiral Carles Ray
Vice commandant of the US Coast Guard, Admiral Charles Ray, tested positive on Monday for the virus, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.
Admiral Ray’s diagnosis has meant the top US military leaders are self-quarantining after Ray had attended a meeting last week with them.
The military’s top brass had all tested negative so far, the Pentagon said.
Joint Chiefs told to quarantine after Vice Commandant of Coast Guard tests positive for COVID-19. Admiral Charles Ray was at WH day after Coney Barrett ceremony. Began feeling unwell Fri. Tested positive yesterday. Joint Chiefs all test negative today. — Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) October 6, 2020
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Jayna McCarron
Jayna McCarron, one of the president’s military aides, has coronavirus, according Bloomberg News on Tuesday.
One of her key roles is transporting the “nuclear football”, the case of codes used in the event of a US nuclear strike that follows the president wherever he goes.
The White House Military Office Coast Guard aide is on “Football” duty for Trump’s fundraising trip to his golf resort in Bedminster, NJ, so he can continue to subvert democracy. The ~45-lb. briefcase follows Trump 24/7, holding everything he needs to authorize a nuclear attack. pic.twitter.com/6IaN0R2Q9B — Stephen Schwartz (@AtomicAnalyst) October 1, 2020
Chad Gilmartin
White House press office staffer, Chad Gilmartin, tested positive over the weekend, according to PBS.
BREAKING: Another WH press staffer has tested positive for COVID.
Chad Gilmartin is notable b/c he was NOT listed as traveling with the president nor as being part of debate prep.
This could be the next layer of COVID exposures - while working *after* POTUS was positive. — Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) October 5, 2020
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Karoline Leavitt
Karoline Leavitt, a White House communications aide, tested positive for Covid-19, according to Reuters.
The @WhiteHouse maintenance and cleaning staff are kind, hardworking, and selfless.
I am grateful to know many of them.
Today and every day, we are incredibly thankful for their service. https://t.co/NTZdcXAorF — Karoline Leavitt (@KLeavitt45) October 6, 2020
Kayleigh McEnany
White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, said in a statement on Monday that she has tested positive, adding that she is experiencing no symptoms.
Hope Hicks
Hope Hicks, a close adviser to the president who often traveled with him on the Air Force One and Marine One presidential aircraft, tested positive on Thursday.
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She is current’y believed to be the first person in Trump’s inner circle who tested positive for the virus.
I’m sure Trump will be fine. It’s not like he’s ever in close contact with Hope Hicks. pic.twitter.com/sLmhv826vr — Linda Childers (@lindarchilders) October 2, 2020
Melania Trump
Donald Trump, who had carried out a busy week of events starting with the September 26 introduction of Barrett at the packed White House ceremony, said on Friday that he and his wife, Melania, had tested positive.
Thank you for the love you are sending our way. I have mild symptoms but overall feeling good. I am looking forward to a speedy recovery. — Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) October 2, 2020
Ronna McDaniel
Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel, who has had frequent contact with Trump, said on Friday she tested positive for the virus and was quarantined at home in Michigan.
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Thank you everyone who is outside Walter Reed today to show their support for @realDonaldTrump! https://t.co/gVJKxofIFo — Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) October 3, 2020
Senator Ron Johnson
Ron Johnson, who heads the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday, a spokesman said on Saturday.
Update from Sen. Johnson: Still feeling fine, no symptoms. Yesterday’s doctor appointment showed clear lungs and blood tests normal. Truly appreciate all the well wishes and prayers. — Senator Ron Johnson (@SenRonJohnson) October 6, 2020
Senator Thom Tillis
Senator Thom Tillis tested positive for the coronavirus, he said in a statement on Friday. A member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Tillis positive test results comes after he attended a September 26 Oval Office meeting with Barrett.
Received a call from President @realDonaldTrump tonight. He's feeling great and working hard for the American people. Told him I'm recovering and look forward to getting back to the Senate and confirming Judge Amy Coney Barrett. — Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) October 6, 2020
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Senator Mike Lee
Mike Lee, another senator on the Judiciary Committee, also said he tested positive on Friday. He was present at the Oval Office meeting on September 26.
Bill Stepien
Trump’s campaign manager, Bill Stepien, also tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday and will work from home, according to a senior campaign official.
Governor Chris Christie
Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie said on Saturday that he was checking himself into a hospital as a precautionary measure after testing positive for coronavirus.
In consultation with my doctors, I checked myself into Morristown Medical Center this afternoon. While I am feeling good and only have mild symptoms, due to my history of asthma we decided this is an important precautionary measure. — Governor Christie (@GovChristie) October 3, 2020
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Kellyanne Conway
Kellyanne Conway, a former counselor to Trump, said in a post on Twitter that she had tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday. She attended the September 26 Rose Garden ceremony for Barrett.
Claudia & I are faring well in quarantine. Everyone else is negative
I had 3 tests on Friday: 1 negative (saliva) 1 pos (rapid), 1 pos (PCR, most accurate)
As soon as dr confirmed positive, I told my family & then went public pic.twitter.com/0NLDhiHrHo — Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) October 6, 2020
University of Notre Dame President John Jenkins
University of Notre Dame president John Jenkins, who also attended the White House ceremony, said on Friday that he had tested positive.
Nicholas Luna
Assistant to Trump Nicholas Luna, a “body man” who accompanies the president day and night, has tested positive, according to Bloomberg.
Nicholas Luna (far left in this picture) has now tested positive for coronavirus, according to @JenniferJJacobs https://t.co/jWIfzfyhuU — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 4, 2020
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A valet


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--Eric Trump Claims His Dad 'Literally Saved Christianity'

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Eric Trump has added a new fake achievement to his dad’s collection.
He claimed during a radio interview in North Dakota last week that his father, US President Donald Trump, “literally saved Christianity.”
“He literally saved Christianity. There’s a full-out war on faith in this country by the other side,” Eric Trump claimed on WZFG-AM on Friday. “I mean, the Democratic Party, the far left, has become the party of the quote-unquote atheist. They want to attack Christianity, they want to close churches, they want to ― they’re totally fine keeping liquor stores open ― but they want to close churches all over the country.”
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Some Democrats pushed for churches ― along with schools, businesses and other nonessential spaces ― to be shuttered or opened at limited capacity while the deadly Covid-19 pandemic spread across the country.
The president, whose white evangelical Christian supporters have remained among his most loyal during his time in office, made an empty demand that places of worship be reopened in May. However, he had no power to do so, and the decision ultimately fell to governors and local officials.
Here's the audio of Eric Trump listing "he literally saved Christianity" as one of his father's accomplishments in office. pic.twitter.com/uJG6YUPAbq — andrew kaczynski🤔 (@KFILE) October 6, 2020
Beyond the churches claim, Eric Trump cited no other examples of what exactly Christianity was being attacked by or what Trump did to save it. He claimed Democrats are out to get the religion, even though the vast majority of Democratic lawmakers identify themselves as Christians.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--Johnny Nash, Singer Of I Can See Clearly Now, Dies Aged 80

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Singer Johnny Nash, the singer of 1972 hit I Can See Clearly Now, has died at the age of 80.
He died on Tuesday at his home near Houston, his son, Johnny Jr., confirmed to CBS Los Angeles.
Although modern audiences associate Johnny with reggae, he was born in Houston, Texas, and had a long career as a pop singer before recording his signature song.
His first hit, 1958′s A Very Special Love, hit number 23 on the US charts and was followed 10 years later with the top five hit Hold Me Tight, which was one of his first dabblings in Jamaican music.
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Johnny Nash, best known for his 1972 hit I Can See Clearly Now, died on 6 October at his home in Texas YouTube
Johnny was instrumental in popularising reggae and signed Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh to publishing and recording contracts, according to this website biography.
But Johnny’s best-known song is undoubtedly I Can See Clearly Now, a 1972 smash that topped the charts for four weeks straight in the US, and became a hit again in 1993 when Jimmy Cliff recorded it for the soundtrack of the movie Cool Runnings.
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According to his bio, Johnny spent much of his last years transferring analog tapes of his songs from the 1970s and 1980s to Pro Tools digital format.
Besides his son, Johnny is survived by his wife, Carli.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--Eddie Van Halen Remembered In Tributes From Across Music World: 'He Was Like Mozart For Guitar'

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Tributes have been pouring in for legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen, following his death at the age of 65.
Eddie died from cancer on Tuesday, with his son, Van Halen bassist Wolfgang, announcing news of his death with a statement on Twitter.
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Since then, figures from across the music world have been paying tribute to Eddie, who was a member of one of the world’s biggest rock bands during the 1980s.
Eddie Van Halen pictured on stage in 2015 SIPA USA/PA Images
David Lee Roth, Eddie’s former bandmate, posted a short message alongside a black-and-white picture of the pair together.
“What a Long Great Trip It’s Been..” David said.
What a Long Great Trip It’s Been.. pic.twitter.com/M5pmkVi7hW — David Lee Roth (@DavidLeeRoth) October 7, 2020
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The Who’s Pete Townshend told Rolling Stone: “It’s completely tragic that we have lost him.
“He was not just an innovative and stylish player with great taste, he was also a laidback virtuoso showman who just blew us all away every time.
“Every shredder today has lost their Master Teacher and Guide.”
Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready said he started playing guitar about a year after Van Halen’s 1978 self-titled debut album was released, saying it sounded like the late musician was “from another planet”.
He added: “Eddie was like Mozart for guitar. Changed everything and he played with soul.”
Sammy Hagar, a former Van Halen frontman who departed the band under acrimonious circumstances, shared a picture of him and the guitarist together.
He said: “Heartbroken and speechless. My love to the family.”
Heartbroken and speechless. My love to the family. pic.twitter.com/MQMueMF2XO — Sammy Hagar (@sammyhagar) October 6, 2020
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Lenny Kravitz described Eddie as “legendary” and a “musical innovator”.
Legendary guitar and musical innovator Edward Van Halen. 1955-2020. Heaven will be electric tonight. pic.twitter.com/hdLd7atI74 — Lenny Kravitz (@LennyKravitz) October 6, 2020
Many other artists also paid their respects on social media...
Crushed. So fucking crushed. RIP Eddie Van Halen. You changed our world. You were the Mozart of rock guitar. Travel safe rockstar. — —Nikki Sixx— (@NikkiSixx) October 6, 2020
It would be impossible to measure the impact he had on the world. He changed it for all of us. Farewell #EVH pic.twitter.com/P8noiAqTyL — Mötley Crüe (@MotleyCrue) October 7, 2020
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Just when I thought 2020 couldn't get any worse, I hear Eddie Van Halen has passed. So shocking- One of the nicest, down to Earth men I have ever met and toured with. A true gent and true genius. RIP. So sad.Thoughts go out to his brother Alex, and his family. pic.twitter.com/fwIw040YMX — Geezer Butler (@geezerbutler) October 6, 2020
Oh man, bless his beautiful creative heart. I love you Eddie Van Halen, an LA boy, a true rocker. I hope you jam with Jimi tonight. Break through to the other side my brother. ❤❤❤ https://t.co/XpcTlPJq9A — Flea (@flea333) October 6, 2020
So sorry for your tragic loss @WolfVanHalen, but take solace in knowing that he will be long remembered and live on forever as one of Rock's most extraordinary guitar virtuosos. Condolences to you, Valerie @Wolfiesmom and the entire Van Halen family.#RIPEdward https://t.co/XWoCe8nrZv — Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) October 6, 2020
LL COOL J Reflects on Eddie Van Halen's Legendary Career – Rock The Bells.. 🙏🏾 Rest in Power Eddie. Love you bro. https://t.co/1UrHJVORVz — LLCOOLJ (@llcoolj) October 7, 2020
RIP to the GREAT @eddievanhalen. Even though it took a couple calls to convince U it was actually me on the phone :) U killed it on Thriller, & your classic 🎸solo on Beat It will never be matched. I’ll always smile when I think of our time working together. Eternal ❤ & props. — Quincy Jones (@QuincyDJones) October 7, 2020
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. @EddieVanHalen was one of the nicest guys I ever worked with and we shared so many laughs together. His influence on music and especially the guitar has been immeasurable. He was an absolute legend. Eddie, I’ll see you on the other side, my friend. Love, Ozzy. — Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) October 6, 2020
A maestro.
A maverick.
A legend in every sense, our modern day Mozart has left the planet.@eddievanhalen pic.twitter.com/qUNNR9Nz6V — Official Motörhead (@myMotorhead) October 7, 2020
Announcing Eddie’s death on Twitter, his son Wolfgang said: “He was the best father I could ever ask for. Every moment I’ve shared with him on and off stage was a gift.
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“My heart is broken and I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover from this loss.”
Valerie Bertinelli, Eddie’s first wife and Wolfgang’s mother, later revealed she was at his side when he died.
Eddie first received treatment for tongue cancer in 2000 and the subsequent surgery removed about a third of his tongue.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--Brentford Deaths: Mother And Son 'Dead For Some Time' Before Their Bodies Were Discovered

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A mother and her three-year-old son are believed to have been dead “for some time” before their bodies were discovered at a west London flat.
Officers found 36-year-old Poorna Kaameshwari Sivaraj and her toddler son Kailash Kuha Raj at a home in Clayponds Lane, Brentford, shortly before 1am on Tuesday.
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Her husband 42-year-old Kuha Raj Sithamparanathan, who was Kailash’s father, was found with stab wounds and pronounced dead at the scene.
He is believed to have fatally injured himself when officers forced entry to the property, the Metropolitan Police said.
The mother and son had not been seen or heard from for more than two weeks, police said.
Poorna Kaameshwari Sivaraj and her toddler son Kailash Kuha Raj. PA Media
Officers had initially been called late on Sunday by a family member raising concerns about the welfare of Sivaraj.
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Police attended the address “several times” in the early hours of Monday but did not get a reply and after speaking with neighbours as the day went on they became increasingly concerned and decided to force entry, the Met said.
A referral has been made to the police watchdog – the Independent Office for Police Conduct – due to the belief Sithamparanathan fatally injured himself when officers made their way into the flat.
Next of kin have been informed of the deaths and post-mortem examinations are scheduled to begin on Thursday.
Detective chief inspector Simon Harding, from the Met’s specialist crime command, said: “It appears that Poorna and Kailash had been dead for some time.
“This is a murder investigation and my team will work diligently to establish the sequence of events that led to their murders and the death of Kuha Raj Sithamparanathan.
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“Our initial enquiries have established that Poorna and Kailash had not been seen or heard from for some time, perhaps since around September 21.”
He said the family had often been seen walking their poodle cross-breed in the local area and asked anyone who had seen them in the past month to contact police “so we can begin to build a full picture of their lives”.
He added that “words cannot sufficiently sum up the devastation that this horrific incident will have on the families of those involved”.
Police officers and forensics were at the scene on Tuesday.
Neighbours at Golden Mile House earlier told of their shock after the deaths of the family of three.
Sheri Diba said the family were “very friendly” and she used to regularly see them taking their dog for walks.
She told the PA news agency: “I’ve always seen them in the lift. They were very friendly. They said ‘Hi, how are you?’ I always saw them together going for walks.
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“They were very friendly, nice people.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--Mariah Carey On 18-Month Relationship With Ex-Fiancé James Packer: 'It Didn't Occur'

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Turns out James Packer will not always be Mariah Carey’s baby.
The singer’s new memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey has been making waves on the internet in recent weeks for all the juicy details it reveals about Carey’s high-profile love life.
She talks in-depth about her abusive relationship with music executive Tommy Mottola and mentions a fling with Derek Jeter. But there’s nothing in the book about her ex-fiancé, Australian billionaire James Packer.
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The pair, who began dating in 2015 and broke up at the end of 2016, made headlines when they got engaged after less than a year of dating and Packer gifted Carey a 35-carat diamond ring.
Mariah Carey and James Packer. Jeffrey Mayer via Getty Images
Of the nuptials that never were, Carey told The Guardian in an interview this week: “If it was a relationship that mattered, it’s in the book. If not, it didn’t occur.”
When the interviewer pointed out that she was once engaged to Packer, Carey simply said: “We didn’t have a physical relationship, to be honest with you.”
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Damn, Mariah. She really tossed off a whole betrothal with, “I don’t know her.”
Packer, for his part, has been pretty vocal that the relationship did occur.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--Easy Family Meals To Make In Your Downtime, For Kids Of All Ages

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Parents who manage meals at home are always in need of fast, flavourful and functional recipes. But when it comes to food, it’s not a one-size-fits-all sort of deal ― speed, flavour and function are relative to the various stages of parenthood. Mums and dads of toddlers, for example, have very different schedules and meal requirements from parents of tweens and teens.
Coming up with new ideas for quick, tasty food for the family is always top of mind for most parents and caregivers, but that doesn’t necessarily mean everyone’s mastered it.
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We gathered tips, tricks and recipe suggestions from parents of children of all ages ― and those parents also happen to be culinary pros. Check out their advice that all parents can use to get a nutritious dinner on the table, no matter how much downtime you do or don’t have.
For parents of toddlers: Focus on development and distraction
If you’ve got children under the age of 3, you should nurture not only their growing bodies but their developing taste buds, as well.
Dr. Teresa Purzner, co-founder of Cerebelly and the mother of three children (ages 2,4 and 6), cautions, ”The first two years of life are critical for brain development. During this period, each region of the brain requires its own set of nutrients to grow optimally.” By the time children reach their first birthday, Purzner advises it’s time to “think more seriously about protein and iron and introduce lean meats, fish, chicken and beans.”
In order to realistically get said nourishing meals on the table, focus on the ingredients while your kids focus on something else. Daphne Oz, cohost of Fox’s “MasterChef Junior,” nutrition ambassador for Persona Nutrition and mother of four children (ages 1, 2, 4 and 6), told HuffPost, “You’ve got to keep them distracted otherwise you’ll never get anything done in the kitchen.” Oz, who has “maybe 30 minutes at night for active cooking,” relies on kid-friendly but grown-up recipes that she “can set and forget and cook passively while taking care of other things.”
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Her Nutty Chicken Fingers recipe provides the protein enrichment and the textural variety young eaters need and a flavourful crunch the adults will appreciate.
Courtesy of Daphne Oz
Nutty Chicken Fingers with Honey-Mustard Barbecue Dip
Chicken fingers
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Four 6- to 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick strips
1/3 cup blanched almonds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the paprika, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of the salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken strips and turn to coat them in the spices.
2. In a blender, pulse the almonds 5 times. Add the pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds and pulse until the mixture is semi-fine. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.
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3. Whisk the eggs and soy sauce in a small bowl, then pour over the chicken. Turn the chicken to coat, then dredge each piece through the almond mixture, be sure to coat all sides.
4. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add about half of the chicken pieces, spreading them out evenly, then reduce the heat to medium. Cook without moving the chicken until it’s browned, about 3 minutes, then carefully turn it over and brown on the other sides, 2 to 3 minutes longer to cook through. Transfer the chicken to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and cook the remaining chicken. Serve the chicken with the sauce on the side.
Honey Mustard Barbecue dip
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, mustard, honey, and salt.
Pre-teens need nutrients. Just don’t make them noticeable.
Older kids who are approaching their teens need major fuel, so it’s important to feed them meals with fruits and vegetables that still feel fun. At this age, “they are really active and growing like crazy,” said Katie Chin, executive chef and founder of Wok Star Inc. She works hard to make sure her 12-year-old twin daughters “get a balance of lean protein, whole grains and veggies.” Chin relies on one-pot recipes like her Chicken Fried Rice,” in which “you can throw in any leftover protein and veggies.”
Putting fruits, veggies and lean protein all on the same plate is how Catherine McCord, Food Network regular and founder of weelicious.com, keeps things fun and flavourful for her 11- and 13-year-old kids (she also a 5-year-old). Her Salmon with Summer Fruit Salad recipe is a staple she turns to that takes under 30 minutes to make.
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Courtesy of Catherine McCord
Salmon with Summer Fruit Salad
1 1/2 pounds salmon filet
Kosher salt
Black pepper, optional
1 avocado, chopped
1/2 cup strawberries, halved
1 ear of corn, cut off the cob
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 peach, diced
1 small lime, juiced
1. Preheat broiler. Place salmon on a foil lined baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and broil 8-10 minutes or until golden.
2. In the meantime, place the remaining ingredients in a medium sized bowl and toss to combine. Season with a pinch of salt.
3. Place the salmon on a plate or platter and top with the summer fruit salad.
Get teens to the table with tons of flavour
Since teens are typically on the go, finding time to cook for them isn’t as big of a challenge. But getting them to the table to eat with the family, that can take some effort. Danielle Chang, author of the “Lucky Rice Cookbook” and mother of two teen daughters (ages 15 and 16), uses filling dishes with flavourful aromas to beckon her hungry teens for dinner.
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Chang recommends keeping “homemade frozen stocks, sauces and other pantry staples ready to go” and depends on her signature Taiwanese beef noodle soup recipe to summon her kids for supper. “As soon as I start this dish, the pot automatically disperses a gorgeous array of smells … signalling that dinner is about to start.”
Courtesy of Danielle Chang
Taiwanese beef noodle soup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds beef shank, cut into 4 large pieces
6 large slices fresh ginger
9 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 small spicy red chillis, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
4 medium Roma tomatoes, sliced
2 tablespoons chilli bean paste
1 cup rice wine
4 star anise pods
1 cup soy sauce, plus more to taste
1/2 pound leafy greens, such as baby bok choy or spinach
2 pounds Asian wheat noodles
Preserved mustard greens chopped, for serving
Fresh coriander (leaves and stems), coarsely chopped, for serving
Scallions (light green and white parts), chopped, for serving
1. In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat. Add the beef shank and tendons and cook until browned all over, about 15 minutes. Transfer the beef to a bowl and set aside.
2. In the same pot, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the ginger, garlic, onion, and chillis and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and tomatoes and continue to cook until the sugar has dissolved and the tomatoes have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chilli bean paste and continue to cook for an additional minute. Return the browned meat and tendons to the pot. Add the rice wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the star anise, soy sauce, and about 2 quarts of water. Bring the liquid to a boil; then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook, occasionally skimming any fat and debris off the surface, until the meat is meltingly tender, about 2 hours or longer for the tendons.
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3. Transfer the beef to a cutting board. Strain the soup through a colander into a clean pot, and discard the solids. When the beef has cooled, chop into 1-inch slivers and add the meat to the strained broth. Bring the broth back to a slight boil, add the greens, and simmer just until tender. Season the soup with black vinegar and additional soy sauce to taste.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--Bruce Willis May Have Tried To Sabotage An Iconic Game Of Thrones Scene

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Bruce Willis was — allegedly — a Game Of Thrones villain.
AV Club has reviewed a copy of the book and been sharing various nuggets from it, including a story about Willis, who apparently wasn’t the biggest Game Of Thrones fan.
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According to the report, the actor was responsible for some shenanigans involving the fight scene between Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson and Pedro Pascal in The Mountain And The Viper.
Filming for the scene reportedly took place at the Hotel Belvedere in Dubrovnik, and according to Hibberd’s book, the location overlooked a “stable of yachts.” The production team reportedly struck a deal for the yachts to back off out of the shot, and everyone agreed “except for one person,” director Alex Graves said.
That person, according to “multiple people” who worked on Game Of Thrones, was John McClane himself, aka Bruce Willis.
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“[The yacht] circled trying to say, ‘Fuck you, I’m in your shot,’ a couple times and we were all laughing because we were aimed away from the water at that time anyway.”
Crew members called the attempted sabotage an act of ‘yacht rage’.
(It should be noted that Bernadette Caulfield, an executive producer, said they never actually saw Willis, and reps for the actor did not immediately return HuffPost’s request for comment.)


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--5 Comforting Soup Recipes For Nourishing Autumn Lunches

HuffPost UK
Spooky season? More like soupy season. There’s nothing better than a warming seasonal soup for lunch on a chilly day – they’re nutritious, soothing and filling.
From a balsamic roasted tomato soup, to a more complex prawn and carrot noodle soup, these recipes are sure to warm you up from head to toe. They’re great to make in advance, too, so you can batch-make ahead and freeze for a rainy day.
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Prawn and Carrot Noodle Soup
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes
Michael Powell for Chantenay.co.uk Prawn and Chantenay Carrot Noodle Soup from chantenay.co.uk
Ingredients:
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
2 tsp ginger, peeled and grated
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 green chilli, sliced
1 stalk of lemongrass, peeled and finely chopped
150g Chantenay carrots, sliced
6 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
A good dash of fish sauce
1 litre of good chicken stock
150g pre-soaked rice noodles
24 prawns, peeled and de-veined
4 spring onions, trimmed and sliced
½ bunch of coriander, chopped
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
2 limes, juiced
1 tsp sesame oil
Method:
1. Warm the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli flakes, green chilli and lemongrass. Cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute.
2. Add the sliced Chantenay carrots and shiitake mushrooms, add a dash of fish sauce and cook for a further minute.
3. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Then add the noodles, prawns and spring onion and simmer for 4 minutes.
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4. Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, lime juice and sesame oil.
5. Taste and adjust the seasoning, you may need to add a little more sweet chilli or fish sauce.
Creamy Celery Soup with Stilton Cheese
Serves: 4 (or 6 as a starter) | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes
lovecelery.co.uk Creamy Celery Soup with Stilton Cheese recipe from lovecelery.co.uk
Ingredients:
1 oz butter or margarine
1 small or ½ medium celeriac, chopped
1 large leek, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 whole head of fresh celery with leaves, chopped (reserve some leaf for garnishing)
850ml vegetable or chicken stock
150ml milk
75g Stilton cheese
Salt and pepper
For the croutons:
1 small white loaf (1day old), cut into small cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
50g cheddar, grated
Method:
1. Melt the butter or margarine and add the celeriac. Stir and then sweat for 3-4 minutes. Add the leek and garlic and cook for a further 3-4 minutes and then add the chopped celery and stock. Gently simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes or until the celery is just soft. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
2. Liquidise and then sieve if a smoother texture is desired. Stir in the milk and cheese and reheat until the cheese has dissolved, taking care not to let it boil.
3. Garnish with croutons and ½ tsp finely chopped celery leaf. If preferred the cheese can be omitted from the soup and garnished instead with the cheesy croutons for a less intense flavour.
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4. For cheesy croutons. Mix the bread cubes, olive oil, and grated cheese in a bowl. Scatter onto a baking tray and cook for 20 minutes at 180°C/350°F/Gas 5. Cook for another 10 minutes if not golden brown. Cool and store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Asparagus and Spinach Soup Topped with Chive Crème Fraîche
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 15- 20 minutes
britishasparagus.com Asparagus and Spinach Soup recipe from britishasparagus.com
Ingredients:
12 spears of asparagus stems removed and finely chopped
1 tsp olive oil
50g of unsalted butter
1 medium white onion diced
1 clove of garlic crushed
800ml of vegetable stock
100g of spinach
4 tbsp of crème fraîche (1 tbsp per soup portion)
2 tbsp of freshly chopped chives
Method:
1. Prepare the asparagus by removing the hard stems (keep four of the asparagus heads for garnishing the soup) then finely chop the rest.
2. Place a saucepan on the heat, add a little olive oil and the butter, then add the diced onion and garlic sweat for 5 minutes on a low heat.
3. Now add the chopped asparagus and continue to sweat for another couple of minutes, add the vegetable stock bring to the boil, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add your spinach to the soup and simmer for 2 minutes then remove from the heat and put into a blender and blitz in batches.
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4. Once the soups blended put through a sieve to remove any lumps, mix your crème fraîche with the chopped chives and a touch of salt and pepper to taste.
Balsamic Roast Tomato Soup
Serves: 5 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes
thetomatostall.co.uk Isle of Wight Balsamic Roast Tomato Soup recipe from thetomatostall.co.uk
Ingredients:
500g Isle of Wight tomatoes
1 red pepper, chopped
1tbsp rapeseed oil
1tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
500ml vegetable stock cube
2 tbsp parsley, chopped, plus leaves to serve
100g ricotta
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Toss the tomatoes and pepper with half the oil in a roasting tin. Roast for 20 minutes, then drizzle over the balsamic vinegar and cook for a further 10 minutes.
3. Heat the rest of the oil in a large pan and fry the garlic, onion and carrot over a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the stock, bring to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the carrot is tender.
4. Add the tomatoes and peppers to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, season, then blend using a handheld blender.
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5. In a bowl, stir the parsley into the ricotta then whisk until light and fluffy. To serve, divide the soup into bowls and top each bowl with a spoonful of the ricotta mixture.
Shallot, Pumpkin and Red Pepper Soup
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 35 minutes
ukshallot.com Shallot, Pumpkin and Red Pepper Soup recipe from ukshallot.com
Ingredients:
For the soup:
4 red peppers, deseeded and cut into quarters
30g butter
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
6 shallots, diced peeled
750g pumpkin, peeled and diced into 2 cm pieces
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Leaves of one sprig of thyme
1.2 litre good vegetable stock
100ml double cream (optional)
Sea salt and black pepper
For the candied shallots:
250g unsalted butter
¼ tsp of cumin seeds
8 (250g) shallots, peeled and sliced
¼ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp paprika
1 tsp honey
To serve:
2 tsp chives, finely chopped
30g pumpkin seeds, toasted
120ml low fat crème fraîche
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
2. Place the peppers skin side up, on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the skins are charred. Remove from the oven and place in a bowl. Cover with cling film and leave to cool. Once cool, peel off the skins, and reserve the flesh.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter with oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the shallots, pumpkin and red chilli, season with sea salt and black pepper and sweat the vegetables for 5-10 minutes without browning. Add the garlic and thyme and cook on a low heat for a further minute. Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add in the red peppers and cook for a further 5 minutes.
5. For the crispy shallots melt the butter in a small pan over a medium heat, add the cumin seeds and shallots and fry until soft. Add the ground cumin and paprika and cook the shallots for a further minute, stirring the shallot mixture all the time to prevent burning. Fry until caramelised for approx. 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with sea salt and stir in the honey.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--Long Covid Will Soon Be Recognised Medically. Here's Why That Matters.

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Since the pandemic hit, people with long-term symptoms of Covid-19 have faced hurdles in getting the right after-care and support.
Months after contracting the illness, these so-called ‘long-haulers’ still struggle with issues like breathlessness, fatigue and brain fog. In some cases, scans have shown damage to organs including the heart, lungs and kidneys.
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Now, new guidance is being drawn up, which aims to reduce inconsistencies in care for patients with the issue, dubbed ‘long Covid’.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (Sign) is working with the Royal College of GPs to create the guidelines, which will be published later this year.
Paul Chrisp, director of the Centre for Guidelines at Nice, said: “There is growing evidence to suggest Covid-19 is a multi-system disease that for many people involves persistent symptoms with longer-term impacts on their health.
“It is important, therefore, that people requiring ongoing support and treatment are identified quickly and are supported by the NHS throughout every stage of their journey.
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“We also want to ensure that clinicians have clear guidance on how best to support patients struggling with this newly emerging disease.”
Roberta James, programme lead for Sign, said the guidance will include recommendations on monitoring, testing, treatment options and the provision of advice and support for those who are experiencing long-term effects.
What actually is long Covid?
Long Covid isn’t a medical term, but it’s used to describe the long-tail of symptoms some people experience after becoming sick with Covid-19.
There’s limited data on it, but the Covid-19 Symptom Study found one in 10 are reporting a longer tail of symptoms, exceeding the suggested two-week recovery time. Around 5% of people experience symptoms for months.
Earlier in September, The BMJ hosted an online webinar on the diagnosis, management, and prognosis of the illness. Nisreen Alwan, associate professor in public health at the University of Southampton, who has personal experience of long Covid, said a common feature is the ”relapsing, remitting nature” of the illness, “where you feel as though you’ve recovered, then it hits you back”.
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Data from the Covid-19 Symptom Study showed people with mild cases of the disease were more likely to have a wide range of symptoms that come and go over an extended period – and these people are often flying under the radar because they’re not in hospital.
Some patients, who were previously healthy and active, have been left using wheelchairs or forced to move back in with their parents due to being unable to return to work and financially sustain themselves.
What symptoms do people with long Covid experience?
Most people experience “profound fatigue”. Other symptoms include a cough, breathlessness, muscle and body aches, chest heaviness or pressure, skin rashes, palpitations, fever, headache, diarrhoea, and pins and needles.
The all-party parliamentary group on coronavirus has heard from hundreds of people who have suffered continuing health problems due to Covid-19. They identified 16 common symptoms of long Covid experienced by the people they spoke to. These include:
Lasting breathing problems Purple toes Chills Disorientation Hallucinations Muscle/body ache Insomnia Arrhythmia (a problem with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat) Tachycardia (where the heart beats more than 100 times per minute) Exhaustion Vomiting Diarrhoea High temperature Hair loss Cognitive problems - memory loss, brain fog, confusion Chest pain
Who is impacted?
Long Covid seems rare in those under 18 and over 65, with higher prevalence among those of working age, according to a report from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. The median age of those affected is 45 years old, and it affects women more than men. It’s unclear why this is.
Tim Spector, professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, who runs the Covid Symptom Study, noticed that people who had a persistent cough, hoarse voice, headache, diarrhoea, skipped meals, and shortness of breath in the first week of Covid are “two to three times more likely” to get longer term symptoms.
How long does it last?
The answer is: we don’t know. For some people, symptoms are slowly getting better. But it’s taking time – and those with long Covid are often worried about overdoing it because it can set them back in their recovery.
One rehabilitation consultant based in the UK estimates that for up to a million people, the after-effects of the virus could last for months, maybe even years.
Dr Manoj Sivan, associate clinical professor at the University of Leeds and a consultant in rehabilitation medicine in NHS Trusts, said: “Most [infected by the virus] will have experienced a mild illness but a sizeable minority, up to one million, will have after-effects that will last for many months and possibly years.”
Previous outbreaks of Spanish flu, SARS and Ebola have shown up to a third of survivors can suffer from long-term problems, particularly chronic fatigue, which has implications on family life, work and health economy.
Why are the new guidelines important?
Just this week, Prof Tim Spector warned that the effects of long Covid could be a bigger public health problem than excess deaths from the virus. And as it stands, there’s no uniform guidance for treating long Covid, which means people struggling with symptoms are receiving a broad range of care.
Most of the people HuffPost UK has spoken to since the start of the pandemic said they were unhappy with the care they received from GPs, some of whom brushed off their concerns as anxiety, or simply told them they couldn’t help.
Specialist long Covid clinics were supposed to be set up to support those with the illness following an announcement from Hancock in July, however a BBC investigation found fewer than 12% of 86 NHS care commissioning groups who responded to a request for comment said they were running such services.
Claire Hastie, founder of the Long Covid Support Group, which has more than 24,000 members on Facebook, told PA Media it’s “vital” patients are involved in the creation of the new guidelines.
“The guidelines cannot come soon enough” - Claire Hastie, founder of the Long Covid Support Group
Hastie, who has lived with long Covid for many months, said: “The 24,000 members of our Long Covid Support Group include medics and academics who would be well placed to contribute, and it is crucial that those with direct experience of the diverse symptoms and potential risk factors of long Covid are invited to do so.”
She added: “The guidelines cannot come soon enough. Too many of our members continue to be told by their GPs that their symptoms are caused by anxiety, yet research has confirmed that even those with mild initial symptoms can sustain organ damage.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--Here's How Likely You Are To Catch Covid If Your Housemate Tests Positive

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Your housemate or partner has a fever and a cough – the classic Covid-19 symptoms – so is it inevitable you’ll become infected, too? The chances are high, but it’s not a foregone conclusion.
Due to ventilation, Covid-19 transmission is more likely to occur indoors than outdoors, says Oksana Pyzik, an infectious diseases expert and senior teaching fellow at UCL.
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We also know the risk of infection increases with prolonged contact, meaning you’re more likely to catch Covid-19 from someone you spend a lot of time around (such as a housemate) than you are from passing someone with Covid-19 in the supermarket.
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While the risk of becoming infected if you live with someone is considered high, not everyone who comes into contact with Covid-19 will become infected.
“A study conducted in New York demonstrated that approximately 38% of household contacts tested positive for SARS-Cov-2 [the virus that causes Covid-19], which is comparable to the secondary infection rates reported in China,” Pyzik says.
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“Although the public view household visits as a low-risk activity, a significant number of super spreader events are linked to contact within households when widespread community control measures are in place.”
More then 3,000 UK students have faced university lockdowns due to virus outbreaks, but your risk of catching Covid on campus will depend on your housing set-up – and your housemates.
“Students who have part-time jobs as essential or key workers place higher risk on household contacts as they are more frequently exposed to infectious individuals than the general population,” says Pyzik.
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The risk of transmission decreases in halls of residence and off-campus housing when shared spaces such as kitchens and common areas are closed, adds Pyzik, although this isn’t always possible.
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“The lessons learned from US universities is that viral transmission between asymptomatic students on campus occurs more quickly than we can stop it without resorting to locking down students,” she adds.
Because of this, Pyzik, believes we need screening of asymptomatic students, plus a “blended” curriculum featuring online learning and small, socially distanced classes, to reduce the risk of transmission between housemates.
Ian Forsyth via Getty Images Student accommodation near to Northumbria University.
In a family home, there are also things you can do to reduce your risk of transmission from the 38% average.
Opening windows and trying to stay at least one metre apart from family members or housemates is a good place to start, especially if you can’t avoid mixing with others outside the home.
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Closing the toilet seat before flushing may also reduced the “cloud of virus-containing aerosol droplets” from circulating around your bathroom.
Justin Paget via Getty Images
It’s also important to maintain good hand and surface hygiene – even before anyone in the household has started to show symptoms.
“If any one in the group is infected, a) they will be expelling droplets which will settle on to surfaces and b) they will likely be touching their mouth or nose and have the virus on their hands,” Professor Sally Bloomfield from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine previously told HuffPost UK. “Avoiding transmission via their hands and contact surfaces is key.”
Ultimately, try to avoid coming into contact with the infected person – and avoid sharing kitchen and bathroom essentials like hand towels, tea towels, plates, bowls, cups and cutlery.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--Non-Binary People Like Me Won’t Fit In Until We Change Our Exclusionary Language

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The problem with gender is that it doesn’t really exist. It is a construct that has changed multiple times throughout the course of history – we all know those throwaway facts like high heels were invented for men or blue was originally a feminine colour! So why have we suddenly become so militant when policing the gender of others? And what does it feel like to be policed in this way? The first question, you’ll have to ask an anthropologist but for, the second I feel qualified to offer an answer... or 15.
You see not only am I non-binary and use both they and she pronouns, but I’m also very visibly non-binary. Seeing as I don’t conform to any specific gender stereotypes, lots of people are confused and often, strangely, offended by my appearance. I wrote a whole damn play about being non-binary but to put it simply, and to bastardise the iconic (yet Trump-supporting) Shania Twain, ‘So you’re non-binary? That don’t impress me much’ is pretty much how it feels to go about my everyday life openly and visibly.
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It’s a unique, yet not new, phenomenon that thousands of non-binary people like me around the globe face when trying to do the most basic of tasks to not be able to record their true identity. It can range from the dramatic and financially damaging fact that that in the UK, in order to get a basic background check to ensure someone has no prior offences or history that should prevent them working with children, you have to categorise yourself as either male or female, meaning non-binary teachers, artists and facilitators have to either actively lie or misgender themselves in order to accept work and earn a living, to the more trivial fact that when signing up for Little Mix tour tickets, I had to identify as either male or female. Seeing as I’m neither, I couldn’t complete the online form and so I missed out on presale tickets for my favourite girlband. Quite why they needed to know my gender at all is beyond me!
“I’ve lost count of the amount of job applications I’ve given up on because they don’t include an Mx prefix option, or where my only gender choice is ‘prefer not to say’.”
Even within individual organisations, policies can be so confusing and irregular that it’s impossible to know the rules. One friend of mine took their deed poll to two separate branches of their bank to change the name on their account – the first insisted that the deed poll was not valid as it was not enrolled, while the second did it instantly and with no fuss. On Tinder, I can list my identity as non-binary, but then have to chose if I want to be visible to people who filter for male or female, making the definition of my own identity irrelevant anyway.
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When you don’t know where or how you’ll be accepted, it can be hard to fit in – or even want to. I’ve lost count of the amount of job applications I’ve given up on because they don’t include an Mx prefix option, or where my only gender choice is ‘prefer not to say’. The thing is, I don’t ‘prefer not to say’ – I want to say. I want to shout it from the rooftops, display it on my passport, be legally recognised as non-binary. But I can’t.
This means that, at every single step of my life from an online form to a waiter referring to me as ‘sir’, I am reminded of my otherness. I’m well aware that these are rarely acts of malice, but regardless of their intention, the effect is always detrimental to my mental health. We need to make the world a more inclusive place for trans and non-binary people, and a very simple way to do this is by adapting our language to be less binary. When 48% of trans people have attempted suicide, and 84% of us have considered it, this seems like a no brainer.
A basic example of adapted language you could use yourself is to use “folks” or “gang” or “team” instead of “guys” or “ladies and gentlemen” when addressing a group of people, using the ‘they’ pronoun when you’re unsure of someone’s gender identity – or even better, specifically asking all people indiscriminately what pronoun they’d prefer you to use for them. I’ve never met a trans or non-binary person who doesn’t appreciate this. It shows that you see us, but also that you don’t see us as different.
Teddy Lamb is a non-binary writer and performer. Follow them on Twitter at @TheTeddyLamb


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--Why A Covid Vaccine Won't Be A Magic Bullet

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Although shielding officially ended in the summer, there are many people who are continuing to stay at home rather than expose themselves to others, even with social distancing and hygiene measures in place.
Ask these individuals – who, let’s not forget, are among the frailest in our society and so have legitimate fears for their health at the hands of coronavirus – what will make the difference and the answer is usually: a vaccine.
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But the reality is that the Covid-19 vaccine, groundbreaking though it will be both in the speed with which it will come to market and the sheer number of people who will receive it, is not the magic bullet some are making it out to be.
Clinical trials are essential in order to demonstrate that the vaccine causes the immune response necessary to reduce the chance of someone getting ill if they come into contact with the virus.
Yes, reduce the chance, not eliminate it. No vaccine offers 100 per cent protection.
Some individuals simply don’t develop the expected immune response – for instance, this happens in five to 10 per cent of children with measles after the first dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab – whereas others respond in the first instance but then lose their immunity over time; this is why children are given repeated doses of the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine, for instance.
Testing is key for a vaccine that is potentially going to be rolled out so widely, and that doesn’t just mean the immediate reaction someone experiences after an injection such as a sore arm or slight headache.
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Scientists, and importantly regulators, need longer-term data on safety, such as whether adverse effects occur weeks or months later. For anyone who thinks this isn’t important, a single word of caution: thalidomide.
It will also take a while for vaccine production to reach the scale at which it can meet the massive and unprecedented demand. Some of the vaccines in development are being produced using cutting edge technology – those based on RNA, for example; there are no such vaccines currently approved for human use – so it is going to potentially involve significantly more effort on the part of manufacturers than simply switching over a flu jab production line.
“None of this is to say the Covid-19 vaccination isn’t the right thing to do. It absolutely is.”
The logistics of vaccinating as many people as possible also cannot be understated.
While the UK government may have secured early access to 90 million doses of two of the Covid vaccines currently being trialled – and let’s assume that these are the successful candidates – there is a lot to work out in terms of getting supplies to the healthcare staff who run vaccination clinics, and getting the people to those clinics in an organised manner.
Consider for a moment Public Health England’s annual flu report for 2019-2020: this states that over the course of several months just over 14 million vaccines were administered to people in the eligible priority groups for free NHS seasonal flu vaccination (over 65s, those with clinical vulnerabilities, pregnant women and healthcare workers), and uptake in those groups ranged from just over 41 to nearly 75 per cent.
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Now consider these figures in the context of the UK’s nearly 67 million population, and the impact that deploying so many healthcare workers with vaccine administration as their sole purpose will have on their usual patient duties.
There will be some who refuse to have the Covid-19 vaccine, not just the traditional anti-vaxxers but also the Covid-deniers; those who reject the restrictions put in place to try and control the spread of coronavirus in order to protect the most vulnerable and manage demand on NHS services.
Anti-vaxxers may benefit from an awareness campaign that emphasises how the personal and public health benefits of vaccination far outweigh the real but exceptionally small risk of post-vaccination adverse reactions, perhaps by comparing them to medicines where there tends to be less pushback.
As tough a job as that is, it pales into insignificance in terms of trying to persuade Covid-refusers of the need to prioritise the greater good to society over the perceived breach of their rights.
None of the above mean that Covid-19 vaccination isn’t the right thing to do. It absolutely is.
And even if 60-70% of people receive the vaccine, there is a good chance that herd immunity will start to develop, which in turn can lead to gradual but safer lifting of restrictions such as lockdowns, and relaxation of measure such as social distancing. But a panacea it is not.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-07--Child Custody Rules During Covid-19 Are Still 'Open To Abuse', MP Warns

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A policy launched in March allowing one parent to unilaterally withhold child contact from a co-parent on safety grounds is causing concern among domestic abuse campaigners and family support services who say it is “dangerous” and enabling abusers to control their victims further.
According to current guidance, if one parent is “sufficiently concerned” that complying with arrangements set out in a child arrangements order would be against current health advice, they “may exercise their parental responsibility and vary the arrangement to one that they consider to be safe”.
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Any parent disagreeing with an ex-partner’s decision to withhold contact can apply to the Family Court – but only after the decision to stop contact has been enforced.
Dame Vera Baird, the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, is now calling on the government to scrap the policy, launched at the start of lockdown, after a House of Commons briefing confirmed that it was still in place.
Speaking to HuffPost UK, Dame Baird said: “This exception is much less needed, perhaps not needed at all now, because the Family Court is up and running with phone and Skype hearings said to be commonplace.
“Therefore the need to give one parent unilateral licence to change child parenting arrangements no longer exists. It is time this policy was scrapped.”
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Rosie Duffield MP, who moved the House of Commons to tears in 2019 with a speech where she opened up about her experiences with a violent ex-partner, said the guidelines were “clearly open and liable for abuse”.
“If, for example, a coercive former partner’s shared custody time coincided with a change of rules or tightening of lockdown, they could easily exploit this and refuse to hand the child back or take them home,” she told HuffPost UK.
Rosie Duffield speaking in the House of Commons about her abuser.
Parents across the UK have been voicing their concerns on Facebook since discovering the rule was still in force.
Michele Simmons, a researcher who specialises in the adoption process wrote: “I’m living and seeing the consequences of what can happen when a child has been isolated from a parent’s care for extensive periods. They can be poorly for life, and as a mother that makes me very concerned.”
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A father, also on Facebook, said: “I suspect there will be legal challenges to it and we may find that in certain circumstances it might be seen as fair, for example where there is a high R rate in an area, or where travel is restricted and the other parent cannot travel within a local lockdown area.”
Laura Baxter, who produced the first UK database looking at contact arrangements during lockdown, said the guidance is “open to misinterpretation and abuse, particularly by separated parents playing a tit-for-tat custody game”.
globalmoments via Getty Images
Charities in the UK offering support to families have noted a significant increase in parents claiming they have been unjustly denied contact during lockdown.
More than a third of respondents to a survey carried out by Women’s Aid who had child contact arrangements said contact had been used to further abuse, with children not returned as arranged or a mother’s access being restricted.
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Lucy Hadley, campaign and policy manager at the charity, said it was trying to raise awareness of the dangers faced by adult and child victims of domestic abuse. “We are concerned about the safety of child contact arrangements for survivors of domestic abuse during the pandemic, and we are also concerned that the current guidance does not address these challenges,” she said.
Billy McGranaghan, founder of the DadsHouse charity, which offers support and advice for single fathers, said dads were also being blocked from seeing their children during the pandemic.
“We have seen a rise in fathers facing allegations, which are often false, over their conduct. As every accusation made has to be checked by social services or Cafcass [Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service], these investigations take up a lot of time, which means dads are blocked from seeing their children for even longer periods. This policy is clearly dangerous, and will be used as a delay tactic by angry parents,” McGranaghan said.
Despite the introduction of remote court hearings for contact disputes on March 23, some lawyers say the help available to parents who find contact withheld is limited – and often out of reach.
Simon Bruce, senior counsel at law firm Farrer & Co, which specialises in family cases and also runs the law clinic at DadsHouse, said victims of abuse were being let down by the justice system.
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“The government’s own coronavirus advice suggests that a parent who is not getting to see their children can make an application to the court to get redress or seek out the help of a mediator, but this ignores the reality that many clients don’t have the resources to invest in legal assistance and other forms of dispute resolution. Estranged parents are now left with nowhere to turn,” he said.
“People will now use this as a carte blanche to breach orders.”
Anne Neale, who leads Legal Action for Women, an organisation that offers vulnerable mothers legal assistance, agrees with Dame Baird that the policy is not fit for purpose. “Preventing children having contact with their mothers is devastating for them, as well as their mothers, and this guideline should be scrapped and replaced with one emphasising that Covid must not be an excuse to renege on court agreements by denying contact with children,” she said.
Rosie Duffield back calls to update the policy. “I would support clarification in the guidance to prevent potential exploitation of the pandemic with regard to family separation and child care,” she told HuffPost UK.
This follows a meeting on October 1 in which domestic abuse victims spoke to members of the House of Lords about their experiences in the family courts.
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Victims told peers they were often ignored in court, and made to share child contact with abusive ex-partners. After the meeting, the Victims’ Commissioner for London, Claire Waxman, said the treatment of domestic violence victims in the family courts amounted to “state-sanctioned abuse.”
The government’s Domestic Abuse Bill, which includes creating a statutory definition of domestic abuse and training for professionals to spot controlling and coercive behaviour, awaits its second reading in the House of Lords.