thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--Piers Morgan Slams Rita Ora's Apology After Lockdown Birthday Celebration

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Piers Morgan has made it clear he’s absolutely not buying Rita Ora’s apology, following the singer’s lockdown birthday celebration.
Earlier this week, the I Will Never Let You Down singer made a public apology, after her 30th birthday gathering made front page news, as it went against England’s lockdown restrictions.
Advertisement
Posting an apology on Instagram, Rita said she was “deeply sorry for breaking the rules” and called her “spur of the moment decision” to attend the party an “inexcusable error of judgment”.
Rita Ora apology Instagram
Discussing the matter during Tuesday’s edition of Good Morning Britain, Piers dismissed the apology, suggesting the chart-topping star was actually just “deeply sorry you got caught”.
Referring to Rita’s mother, who is a nurse, Piers said: “She spent most of the first wave of the pandemic speaking about her pride for the health service.
Advertisement
“She even launched a coronavirus range of clothing saying ‘stop the spread’… And then she invites 30 of her mates for her lockdown-breaking 30th birthday. What does her mum think about this?”
Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain ITV/Shutterstock
He continued: “It annoyed me because suddenly she’s ‘deeply sorry’ and volunteered to pay the £10,000 fine – which will barely touch the sides of her pocket money.
“What is she ‘deeply sorry’ about? She knew what she was doing, we are in a national lockdown – it’s not a secret!
“She’s a very rich pop star and she deliberately planned a 30th birthday party – I don’t know what the restaurant was thinking, so how are you able to do that? And why were you doing that?”
Advertisement
Piers added: “If [celebrities are] all doing that, if the rules aren’t for them, then what’s the point of the rules?
″’I’m deeply sorry’, what about? You’re not deeply sorry – you’re deeply sorry you got caught! That’s what you’re ‘deeply sorry’ about. If you hadn’t been caught would you be issuing a statement saying: ‘I’ve just woken up and realised what I did was terribly wrong and I’m deeply sorry’?”
Rita Ora Gareth Cattermole via Getty Images
Co-host Susanna Reid also repeated that Rita had said she went ahead with the gathering as it was so close to the end of lockdown, pointing out even when lockdown is over the party would still have violated restrictions.
In her apology, Rita had written: “Hello all, I attended a small gathering with some friends to celebrate my 30th birthday. It was a spur of the moment decision made with the misguided view that we were coming out of lockdown and this would be OK.
Advertisement
“I’m deeply sorry for breaking the rules and in turn understand that this puts people at risk. This was a serious and inexcusable error of judgment.”
Rita continued: “Given the restrictions, I realise how irresponsible these actions were and I take full responsibility. I feel particularly embarrassed knowing first-hand how hard people have worked to combat this terrible illness and being fully aware of the sacrifices that people and businesses have made to help keep us all safe.
“Even though this won’t make it right, I want to sincerely apologise.”
A No.10 spokesperson said prime minister Boris Johnson was “clear” that everyone needs to follow the restrictions, “including celebrities”, stressing that “it’s up to police to decide what action to take” if they are broken.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--Tier 3 Residents Could Visit Pubs And Meet More Friends If They Test Negative For Covid

HuffPost is part of Verizon Media .
We and our partners will store and/or access information on your device through @ @ @ @ @ similar technologies , to display personalised ads and content , for ad and content measurement @ @ @ @ @ development .
Your personal data that may be used • Information about your device and @ @ @ @ @ IP address • Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps Find @ @ @ @ @ use your information in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy .
To enable Verizon Media @ @ @ @ @ your personal data select ' I agree ' , or select 'Manage settings ' for @ @ @ @ @ your choices .
You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
People who live in England’s tier 3 Covid areas could be free to visit pubs, football matches and mix with more friends and family if they provide two negative tests, under new government plans.
In a bid to offer the public and MPs a glimpse of a possible way out of the “very high risk” areas, the latest “community testing” guide for local councils suggests that individuals who take rapid tests could enjoy tier 2-style freedoms.
Advertisement
The idea, which appears to be the first attempt to flesh out Boris Johnson’s own “moonshot” proposal of extra privileges for those who can show they don’t have the virus, could be trialled in local areas if councils take it up.
A government document, “Community Testing: A Guide For Local Delivery”, published on Monday night, states that new 30-minute lateral flow tests offer the “potential to relax restrictions on a limited basis for those who test negative”.
SIPA USA/PA Images
The guidance says that the pilot schemes would need approval of local directors of public health, national health advisors and health secretary Matt Hancock, but work has already started to prepare national regulations for it.
Advertisement
“Work is underway to rapidly assess options in this space, including the potential to allow the relaxation of tier 3 restrictions down to those normally at tier 2 for a time limited period for those who have two negative test results,” the document says.
“For example, the ability to meet friends and family in groups of six outdoors, the ability to visit venues (such as hospitality venues, indoor entertainment, accommodation) which are otherwise closed at tier 3, and/or the ability to attend large events (such as elite sport, live performances).”
From Wednesday pubs, restaurants and hotels will have to keep their doors closed in tier 3 areas, which will cover 23 million people.
But hospitality firms in tier 2, including London, will be allowed to reopen. Residents will also be allowed to meet outdoors in groups of upto six households and there will be limited attendance at football and rugby matches.
The latest community testing guidance HuffPost UK
Advertisement
The government guidance to councils says it “will provide all necessary support to determine what would be a safe, responsible and workable approach”, but it admits that issues of “certification, enforcement and legality” would have to be resolved.
It remains unclear just how pubs in tier 3 could practically allow limited opening to people who can show they have had two negative tests within a certain time period.
Some football clubs and other live venues, currently barred in tier 3 from having any spectators, could pilot the idea to allow those who test negative to attend matches.
Tier 3 curbs HuffPost UK
Tier 2 freedoms HuffPost UK
Advertisement
Issues such as how an individual can verify the home test is their own, how pubs and restaurants would be policed, remain unclear.
The plans seem designed to reassure MPs that “community testing” of people without symptoms, using the rapid turnaround tests bought by NHS Test and Trace, could be a way out of tight restrictions.
However, many councils are wary of the “community testing” idea, given the staff needed to implement it at a time when vaccination programmes and testing and tracing of people with symptoms is more a priority.
Labour’s shadow health minister Justin Madders told HuffPost UK: “This is another example of the Government making unrealistic promises without any idea how’ll they’ll implement them.
“They’ve already ackowledged that they don’t have the resources to put in place mass testing for the whole country at the scale seen in Liverpool.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--Debenhams To 'Wind Down' After JD Sports Pulls Out Of Rescue Talks

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Debenhams will begin to “wind down” operations after JD Sports pulled out of rescue talks, putting 12,000 jobs at risk.
JD Sports was the last remaining bidder for Debenhams, which has been in administration since April. It comes after the collapse of Arcadia, which sold clothes through own brands within the department store, on Monday night.
Advertisement
On Tuesday, Debenhams confirmed it was to start winding down its operations “while continuing to seek offers for all or parts of the business”.
In a brief statement to the London Stock Exchange, JD Sports said: “JD Sports Fashion, the leading retailer of sports, fashion and outdoor brands, confirms that discussions with the administrators of Debenhams regarding a potential acquisition of the UK business have now been terminated.”
Debenhams department store on Oxford Street SIPA USA/PA Images
Debenhams has already slashed 6,500 jobs across its operation due to heavy cost-cutting after it entered administration for the second time in 12 months.
Advertisement
It is understood that the collapse of the deal is partly linked to the administration of Arcadia, which owns brands including Topshop and Topman and is the biggest operator within Debenhams’ own stores.
Arcadia tumbled into insolvency on Monday evening, casting a shadow over its own 13,000 workers and 444 stores.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said the government remained committed to supporting the retail sector following the news.
He said: “We obviously understand it’s a deeply worrying time for Debenhams’ staff, the employees themselves and their families.
“We obviously stand ready to support them and we remain committed to supporting the retail sector and are working closely with industry during these very challenging times.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--Nadiya Hussain Reveals She Is Always Stopped And Searched When She Travels To The US

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Great British Bake Off star Nadiya Hussain has opened up about her experience of traveling to America, revealing she is always stopped and searched.
The presenter, whose new BBC show, Nadiya’s American Melting Pot, launches next week, says her past experiences of arriving and leaving the US heightens her anxiety.
Advertisement
“I’ve always been nervous about travelling to America because there isn’t one time that I’ve been to America and I haven’t been stopped in searches,” Nadiya told Metro.co.uk.
“That’s always happened and I always expect it. They always say it’s completely random – and it may very well be, but I’m always stopped and searched.”
Nadiya Hussain PA Wire/PA Images
The TV chef added that any nervousness she had is “always confirmed on the way there and then on the way back”.
Advertisement
“That almost heightens my anxiety to travel to America”’ she added.
“But to be fair, when I was there, there was nothing there to make me feel anxious or worried, even though we were in places of high immigration.”
In Nadiya’s American Adventure, the Bake Off champ travels to Louisiana and California to find out how generations of migrants are changing the national menu.
Speaking about her latest trip for the show, Nadiya said: “I almost think that when you’re doing something like this you almost have to park those emotions aside.”
Nadiya has been vocal about her experience of living with anxiety and has said the criticism she and other celebrities face can deter other sufferers from seeking help.
Advertisement
“There are people out there who are supportive, but there are others who say, ‘you’re just another celebrity jumping on the mental health bandwagon’,” she told Radio Times.
“It infuriates me because it’s that attitude that actually stops people from speaking out.”
The mum-of-three added that she felt some people lacked compassion when it came to people from different backgrounds.
She said: “As someone who’s lived with this their whole life, it’s really hard to talk about and admit to, particularly when you want to appear strong and in control.
“People aren’t always compassionate about the fact that people of all races, religions, genders and financial situations can have mental health issues.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--Doctor Who's Jodie Whittaker 'Absolutely Devastated' As Tosin Cole And Bradley Walsh Exit Show

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Jodie Whittaker has said she is “absolutely devastated” after it was revealed two major characters are set to leave Doctor Who.
The BBC confirmed that Bradley Walsh and Tosin Cole will leave their roles as the Doctor’s companions Graham and Ryan in the upcoming New Year’s Day special.
Advertisement
Jodie, who plays the Time Lord in the in the BBC series, said following the announcement: ”[I’m] absolutely devastated. Without going into any specifics about anything to do with character or what happens, just purely knowing it was the last scenes for myself with those actors, both of them had to carry me to my trailer.
“I’ve not cried like that for such a long time.”
Tosin Cole and Bradley Walsh are leaving Doctor Who BBC
She added that she “felt incredibly bereaved about what this journey has been because this started with us, as well”.
Tosin and Bradley joined the show alongside Jodie and fellow companion Mandip Gill in 2017.
Tosin said he was “looking forward to having a rest” after finishing work on the series.
“It’s been an honour to work on such a cultural institution with fans across the world,” he said.
“The people like me on the screen come and go, but it’s the people behind the scenes and the fans that will always be there keeping the Doctor Who world alive and exciting.”
Advertisement
The foursome joined Doctor Who in 2017 BBC
Bradley described his and Tosin’s last episode as “very, very dramatic”.
“It is quite sad and poignant is the word. You can expect a lot of poignancy from the episode,” he said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--13 Incredible Wildlife Photos To Distract You From The World Today

Andrey Shpatak/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA Andrey Shpatak/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that looking at photos of animals is a surefire way to cheer us up. And the latest ones do not disappoint.
The Natural History Museum is running its Wildlife Photographer of the Year award, again – and the shortlist has just been revealed.
Advertisement
People are encouraged to vote for their favourite on the museum’s website by 2pm on February 2, 2021, so you’ve got a bit of time.
From imperious lions to leaping lizards, there are some beautiful (as well as hilarious) shots this year. View the full shortlist on the museum’s website.
Karine Aigner/Wildlife Photographer of the Yea Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA
(Sam Sloss/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA) Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA
Advertisement
(Gary Meredith/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA) (Gary Meredith/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)
(Wim van den Heever/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA) (Wim van den Heever/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)
(Thomas Peschak/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA) (Thomas Peschak/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)
(Guillermo Esteves/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA) (Guillermo Esteves/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)
(Laurent Ballesta/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA) (Laurent Ballesta/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)
Advertisement
(Petri Pietilainen/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA) (Petri Pietilainen/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)
(Mogens Trolle/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA) (Mogens Trolle/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)
(Kirsten Luce/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA) (Kirsten Luce/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)
(Joseph Dominic Anthony/Wildlife Photographer of the Year) (Joseph Dominic Anthony/Wildlife Photographer of the Year)
(Neil Anderson/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA) (Neil Anderson/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--The Crown’s Helena Bonham Carter Says Show Has A ‘Moral Responsibility’ To Make Clear It Is Fiction,

The Crown’s Helena Bonham Carter Says Show Has A ‘Moral Responsibility’ To Make Clear It Is Fiction, Not Fact

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The Crown star Helena Bonham Carter has said the show has a “moral responsibility” to make it clear to viewers that the Netflix series is a drama and not historical fact.
The regal drama has attracted criticism for its use of creative licence, particularly since the release of series four, which covers the early years of the relationship between Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
Advertisement
Oliver Dowden, the Culture Secretary, is expected to write to the US streaming giant this week, raising concerns that some younger viewers may mistake The Crown as a work of fact.
Helena, who plays Princess Margaret on the show, discussed the differences between “our version” and the “real version” in an interview for The Crown’s official podcast.
Helena Bonham Carter in The Crown Des Willie/Netflix
She said: “I do feel very strongly because I think we have a moral responsibility to say, ‘Hang on guys, this is not… it’s not drama doc, we’re making a drama’.
Advertisement
“So they are two different entities.”
Earl Spencer, the brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, has called for Netflix to add a disclaimer making it clear The Crown is a work of fiction.
Speaking to Alan Titchmarsh on Love Your Weekend, he said: “The worry for me is that people see a programme like that and they forget that it is fiction.
“They assume. Especially foreigners – I find Americans tell me they watch The Crown as if they’ve taken a history lesson. Well, they haven’t.”
He added: “It is very hard. There is a lot of conjecture and a lot of invention, isn’t there? You can hang it on fact but the bits in between are not fact.”
Top: Emma Corrin as Princess Diana and (bottom) Gillian Anderson as former PM, Margaret Thatcher. Rex/Netflix
Advertisement
The Crown creator and writer Peter Morgan had previously appeared on the podcast to defend his right to creative licence.
Discussing much-criticised scenes in which features the late Lord Mountbatten sending Prince Charles a letter admonishing his pursuit of Camilla Parker Bowles, who at the time was married.
He said: “In my own head I thought that would have even greater impact on Charles if it were to come post-mortem, as it were. I think everything that’s in that letter that Mountbatten writes to Charles is what I really believe, based on everything I’ve read and people I’ve spoken to, that represents his view.
“We will never know if it was put into a letter, and we will never know if Charles got that letter before or after Mountbatten’s death, but in this particular drama, this is how I decided to deal with it.”
Meanwhile, former royal butler Paul Burrell said the new season is a “fair and accurate dramatisation” of the royal family’s treatment of Diana.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--Michael Gove Says No Plans For Vaccine Immunity Passports

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said there were no plans for an “immunity passport” for people to be allowed in places such as pubs and restaurants.
His comments come after the government’s vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi suggested hospitality and other businesses could bar those who have not had a Covid-19 vaccine.
Advertisement
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Gove said: “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, that’s not the plan.
“What we want to do is to make sure that we can get vaccines effectively rolled out.”
Michael Gove has said vaccine passports are not being planned PA
He added: “Of course, individual businesses have the capacity to make decisions about who they will admit and why.
“But the most important thing that we should be doing at this stage is concentrating on making sure the vaccine is rolled out.”
Gove’s comments came after Health Minister Nadhim Zahawi, who is in charge of the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines, suggested on Monday that a so-called “immunity passport” was being looked at to identify people who had the jab.
Advertisement
Zahawi said that hospitality and entertainment venues might insist on seeing such a “passport” from customers.
The Health Minister said that the government was “looking at the technology” so people could show that they had a Covid-19 vaccine.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--Arcadia: What Its Collapse Means For Jobs, Pensions And Shopping Orders

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The coronavirus pandemic has claimed its biggest retail scalp so far with the announcement on Monday that Philip Green’s Arcadia fashion group has collapsed into administration.
Here’s what it means for jobs, the high street and what happens next:
How big is Arcadia and how many jobs are at risk?
The group trades from 444 leased sites in the United Kingdom and 22 overseas.
It employs more than 13,000 people, 9,294 of whom are currently on furlough.
Which brands are affected?
Deloitte said late on Monday it had been appointed Arcadia’s administrator and would seek buyers for the group’s brands: Topshop, Topman, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Miss Selfridge, Evans, Burton and Outfit, Reuters reports.
Advertisement
There will also be a knock-on affect on Debenhams. Many of Arcadia’s staff worked at its brands’ concessions in the department store, which was hoping for a rescue deal after sliding into insolvency earlier this year.
However JD Sports, the last remaining bidder for Debenhams, is now expected to pull out of talks following the collapse of Arcadia, the BBC reported.
Debenhams currently employs 12,000 people.
Will there be redundancies?
No redundancies have been announced as a result of the appointment and stores will continue to trade, the administrators said, with many due to reopen on Wednesday when England’s lockdown is lifted.
Retail trade union Usdaw has said it is seeking urgent meetings with Arcadia’s administrators in a bid to preserve jobs.
Dave Gill, Usdaw national officer, said: “Now that Arcadia is in administration, it is crucial that the voice of staff is heard over the future of the business and that is best done through their trade union.”
Advertisement
HOLLIE ADAMS via Getty Images
What happens next?
Administrators need to find buyers for the various segments of the business.
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group said on Monday it was interested in participating in any Arcadia sale process.
Media reports have also identified Marks & Spencer, Next and Boohoo, as well as private equity players, as potential bidders for individual brands. All three companies declined to comment.
What will happen to staff pensions?
Stephen Timms, chairman of the Work and Pensions Committee, called on Sir Philip to stump up funds to fill the pensions black hole, which is estimated to be as large as £350m.
He also urged the pension watchdog to fight on behalf of the group’s workers.
As part of last year’s restructuring Arcadia agreed to provide 210 million pounds of security over property assets to the pension schemes, while Tina Green, Philip’s wife and the ultimate owner of Arcadia, agreed to contribute £100m to the schemes over three years.
Advertisement
“Philip Green should do the right thing and fill the Arcadia pension deficit,” Labour Party leader Keir Starmer has said.
If he does not pay up, Arcadia’s 10,000 pension scheme members should still receive the bulk of their entitlement through the government’s lifeboat scheme, the Pension Protection Fund.
A spokesman for The Pensions Regulator said: “We are aware of the challenges that the business is currently facing in these unprecedented times and we continue to work with the directors, the trustees and their respective advisers, as well as the PPF, to protect the position of the Arcadia pension schemes’ members to the fullest extent possible.”
Where is Philip Green?
Green was pictured over the weekend in Monaco where his £100m super yacht Lionheart is docked.
Philip Green's luxury yacht 'Lionheart' moored in Port Hercules during previews ahead of the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco in 2018. Dan Istitene via Getty Images
He acquired Arcadia for £850m in 2002.
Green had no immediate comment but his CEO laid the blame for Arcadia’s demise firmly on the pandemic.
Advertisement
“In the face of the most difficult trading conditions we have ever experienced, the obstacles we encountered were far too severe,” said Ian Grabiner.
Is Covid to blame?
While Covid-19 lockdowns pushed Arcadia over the edge, it has struggled in recent years, underinvesting and failing to keep pace with competitors in an increasingly online retail sector.
Kate Moss and Philip Green watch the Fashion for Relief charity fashion show in 2007. Kevin Coombs / Reuters
Its brands were squeezed between the likes of Inditex’s Zara, H&M, and Primark and online-only players ASOS and Boohoo.
A restructuring deal was approved by creditors last year, cutting rents and closing stores, but proved only a temporary respite.
Advertisement
What if I’ve ordered something from an Arcadia shop online?
Deloitte said Arcadia’s stores would continue to trade, its online platforms would remain operational and supplies to concession partners would continue.
Arcadia will continue to honour all online orders made over the Black Friday weekend.
Is the government getting involved?
Business secretary Alok Sharma said he would be keeping a “very close eye” on the administrators’ report on director conduct, and pledged the Government would support the affected workers.
He tweeted: “Within three months, the administrators have a duty to file a report on director conduct with The Insolvency Service – who will then determine whether a full investigation is required. I will be keeping a very close eye on this process.”
Which other stores have been hit by the coronavirus pandemic?
It is the latest retailer to have been hammered by store closures during the coronavirus pandemic. Rivals including Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group and Oasis Warehouse have fallen into insolvency since lockdown measures were first imposed in March.
Debenhams
British department store group Debenhams went into administration on April 9 for the second time in 12 months, seeking to protect itself from legal action by creditors during the coronavirus crisis that could have pushed it into liquidation.
Advertisement
JD Sports has pulled out of talks over a potential rescue takeover.
Laura Ashley
Fashion retailer Laura Ashley Holdings said on March 23 it would permanently shut 70 stores and cut hundreds of jobs as it appointed administrators following a damaging blow to its business from the coronavirus pandemic. Laura Ashley brand homeware will be sold from next year in stores of UK retailer Next under a deal, UK media reported in early November.
Oasis and Warehouse
British fashion brands Oasis and Warehouse, which were owned by Icelandic bank Kaupthing, fell into administration in mid-April after failing to find buyers and said COVID-19 had had a devastating impact on business. Online fashion group Boohoo said in June it was buying Oasis and Warehouse for 5.25 million pounds, but their stores are all closing.
Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Peacocks and Jaeger
The owner of British fashion chains Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Peacocks and Jaeger fell into administration in November, putting 4,716 jobs at risk. The retailers are part of privately-owned EWP Group.
Monsoon and Accessorize
Fashion retailers Monsoon and Accessorize went into administration in June after a UK national lockdown made business unviable, and were then bought out of administration by their founder with plans to close 35 stores, make 545 staff redundant and seek rent cuts for remaining shops to try and stay afloat.
Go Outdoors
JD Sports on June 23 appointed Deloitte as administrator for its loss-making outdoor clothing chain Go Outdoors as it bought back assets of the unit in a pre-pack administration deal.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--Trump 'Needs To Pardon' Himself And His 'Whole Family', Sean Hannity Says

President Donald Trump “needs to pardon his whole family and himself” as he walks “out the door” of the White House, Fox News host Sean Hannity said on his radio show Monday.
“I assume that the power of the pardon is absolute and that he should be able to pardon anybody that he wants to,” Hannity declared as he interviewed fringe lawyer Sidney Powell.
Advertisement
Powell was bounced from Trump’s election legal team earlier this month after spouting bizarre conspiracy theories claiming that Venezuela, Cuba, “antifa,” George Soros, the Clinton Foundation and the deceased Hugo Chávez, among others, were responsible for shifting November’s presidential election to Democrat Joe Biden.
Hannity did not specify what criminal charges Trump or his family could face.
He insisted Trump needs to pardon himself and his family to protect him from unspecified “witch hunts.”
Powell told Hannity that she didn’t know the details of Trump’s “authority to pardon himself.” But she insisted it wouldn’t be unnecessary because “the president is going to get another four years in office” — despite losing to President-elect Biden.
Generally, someone granted a pardon has been convicted of a federal crime and has shown remorse or made reparations. Pardons typically are granted after an application is presented five years after a conviction or release from prison and is approved by the Department of Justice’s pardon attorney.
Advertisement
A president has never pardoned himself. In 1974, former President Richard Nixon was pardoned after his resignation by his successor, Gerald Ford.
Trump last week pardoned his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was represented by Powell, after Flynn had pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about secret calls with Kremlin officials as Trump was coming into office.
Flynn was granted a “full and unconditional pardon” from “any and all possible offences” arising out of the investigation into possible Kremlin collusion by former special counsel Robert Mueller. Trump pardoned Flynn after the Department of Justice failed to get his case thrown out in court.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--I'm A Celebrity's Beverley Callard Clears Up Rumours About Her Veganism As She Leaves Castle In Doub

I'm A Celebrity's Beverley Callard Clears Up Rumours About Her Veganism As She Leaves Castle In Double Elimination

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Beverley Callard has cleared up rumours she became vegan ahead of appearing on I’m A Celebrity, as she left the show in a double elimination.
The Coronation Street star was voted out of the castle alongside BBC journalist Victoria Derbyshire during Monday’s episode of the ITV reality show.
Advertisement
During their interview with hosts Ant and Dec, Beverley addressed suggestions from her former Corrie co-star Simon Gregson that she’d turned vegan prior to entering the castle in order to get out of eating various nasties in the Bushtucker Trials.
Beverley Callard has insisted she turned vegan in March ITV
Simon, who plays Beverley’s on-screen son Steve McDonald on the soap, had previously quipped in an interview that he would brand himself a “mango” if Beverley hadn’t just changed her diet to suit the show.
Addressing his claims, she said: “I started in March because I had an operation and I saw this documentary that said your joints heal quicker if you’re plant based so that’s what I’ve been doing since March.”
Advertisement
Beverley also said she and Victoria were “sad but also happy” to leave, ahead of the final on Friday.
Speaking of her experience, she said: “Absolutely mind blowingly wonderful. We’re sad to go but also happy to go.
“I don’t know, honestly I truly don’t know [how I coped]. I truly feel as though I’ve got no survival skills whatsoever. You just do it though, don’t you?”
Beverley was voted out of the castle alongside Victoria Derbyshire Kieron McCarron/ITV/Shutterstock
Victoria added: “It’s been absolutely amazing. It’s been - marrying Mark, having my two boys and this - it’s been up there. Seriously, it was incredible.
Advertisement
“There were some elements that were hard. But I feel like I’ve squeezed the life out of every moment in there. The people were just incredible. We laughed, we cried, we shared a lot of stuff.”
Eight stars now remain in the castle, following the previous eliminations of Hollie Arnold and Ruthie Henshall.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--Trump Lawyer Says Fired Cybersecurity Chief Should Be 'Shot' For Defending Election

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump’s campaign lawyer Joseph diGenova suggested Monday that Chris Krebs, the former chief of US cybersecurity, should be executed for defending the integrity of the November 3 election.
“Anybody who thinks the election went well, like that idiot Krebs who used to be the head of cybersecurity, that guy is a class A moron. He should be drawn and quartered. Taken out at dawn and shot,” diGenova said in a call-in interview to “The Howie Carr Show,” which was broadcast on the radio, Newsmax and online streams.
Advertisement
Krebs was fired by the president earlier this month after the Department of Homeland Security office he led, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said publicly that it had found no evidence of votes being deleted, lost, changed or compromised in the 2020 election ― disputing Trump’s baseless claims of rampant fraud.
Krebs, a lifelong Republican, stood by his position during a “60 Minutes” interview on Sunday night, saying that those ongoing allegations are “dangerous” and “nonsense” and that Americans should have “100% confidence” in the security of the election.
“We can go on and on with all the farcical claims alleging interference in the 2020 election, but the proof is in the ballots,” Krebs said Sunday. “The recounts are consistent with the initial count, and to me that’s further evidence, that’s confirmation that the systems used in the 2020 election performed as expected.”
Joseph diGenova, attorney for President Donald Trump's campaign, at a November 19 press conference where Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani, Jenna Ellis and Sidney Powell peddled conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. Tom Williams via Getty Images
Advertisement
DiGenova, his host Carr and the right-wing network they appeared on all have a history of parroting unsubstantiated conspiracy theories that often benefit Trump. Carr responded to diGenova’s disturbing call for violence with a few chuckles before moving on.
The reckless comments against the former public official come as the president himself continues to lash out at Krebs and other members of his own party who have publicly disputed his claims of widespread election fraud. Some officials have reported receiving threats of violence against themselves and their family members.
Last month, another member of Trump’s inner circle, former White House strategist Steve Bannon, casually called for violence against public officials who disagreed with the president. He said he would like to see infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci and FBI Director Christopher Wray beheaded as a “warning to federal bureaucrats.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--Root Of The Recipe: How Cooking Made Me Rediscover My Italian Heritage

Root Of The Recipe: How Cooking Made Me Rediscover My Italian Heritage
In episode one of Root Of The Recipe, we meet Paola Maggiulli also known as “The Tiny Italian, food blogger”. Maggiulli is a former office worker turned Italian food expert who left behind her well-paid 9-5 office job in fashion to pursue a more fulfilling career in the world of cookery – and to reconnect with her heritage and her father’s legacy.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--The Director Of The Undoing Unpacks The Finale's Bloody Truth

Warning: spoilers for The Undoing finale, The Bloody Truth, ahead.
Leading up to the Sunday finale of Sky Atlantic’s hit limited series The Undoing, countless theories about the prestige whodunit sprouted up on the internet, namely concerning the question: Who killed Elena Alves (Matilda De Angelis)?
Did renowned pediatric oncologist and seemingly devoted father Jonathan Fraser (Hugh Grant) really murder his paramour? Or was it his 12-year-old son Henry (Noah Jupe)? Or could it be that his psychotherapist wife, Grace (Nicole Kidman), and father-in-law, Franklin (Donald Sutherland), were hiding their own dark secrets?
Advertisement
Well, in a not-so-surprising reveal, it turns out the intelligent, rich, white, cheating husband actually did do it.
Jonathan, despite his charming disposition and empathetic persona, turned out to be a sociopathic madman. He brutally bludgeoned Elena, then tried to place blame on his innocent son before kidnapping him for a suicide mission, which led to a helicopter-filled car chase.
If that all sounds over the top, then director Susanne Bier did her job bringing showrunner David E. Kelley’s thriller ― loosely based on Jean Hanff Korelitz’s 2014 novel You Should Have Known ― to life.
In this interview, the Danish filmmaker ― known for her work on After the Wedding, The Night Manager and Bird Box ― talks through the finale, the series’ star-studded cast and displaying the seemingly limitless wealth and power of the privileged New York elite.
Advertisement
Noma Dumezweni and Hugh Grant with director Susanne Bier on the set of The Undoing. NIKOTAVERNISE.COM
How does it feel to have the top-secret final episode out in the world?
It feels great. But it’s weird because I’m in Denmark and they still haven’t seen it here ― they’re watching it tonight.
The show took a different approach to the book it was based on, so the audience really didn’t know what to expect. How has it been for you to see people theorising about the killer? I’m sure making this a series versus a movie allowed you to play around with every character’s guilt a bit, right?
Yes, exactly. It’s been a lot of fun and it’s kind of interesting. Essentially what we wanted to do was give the audience an experience which is similar to Grace’s experience. In a way, you, if you take a step back, you can see that all the evidence sort of points to Jonathan, but we don’t want to believe it. We really don’t want to believe it exactly like Grace didn’t want to believe it. Hugh Grant [Jonathan] is so charming and we recognise that he’s done something bad and he’s been unfaithful, but he’s so full of remorse, so our empathy plays tricks with us. We do kind of want to forgive him and we want to look for another culprit, and that brought that whole sort of craze of “is it this one, or is it this one?” into motion.
Yes. A lot of us assumed Jonathan was this sociopathic murderer, but, again, we’re questioning it alongside Grace. Did you and David ever consider revealing him to be the killer sooner and taking a different approach? Maybe focusing on the aftermath of it all?
Advertisement
Not really. We were very clear about the story. I think one of the things David told me when we spoke for the first time was that he was going to use the book for the first two episodes. The book is more about the aftermath and David felt like it would be easier to have a clearer dramatic structure. Having said that, the book is called You Should Have Known and the series is built exactly on that conceit ― you should have known. You should have seen what was really there. It’s essentially all ingrained in our human nature ― that we want to see what we want to see and we change our perception of reality accordingly. It’s exactly what Grace does. In spite of being this brilliant, brilliant therapist, she does it like we all do.
From left to right, David E. Kelley, Noma Dumezweni, Susanne Bier, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant of The Undoing at the 2020 Winter Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, California, on Jan. 15. Getty Images for WarnerMedia
You were so smart to put Hugh Grant in the role of Jonathan. Did you want someone familiar, who was known for being a charming, romantic-comedy kind of guy, in order to dupe the audience?
I mean, I wanted Hugh Grant because he is who he is and he is charming and he has a kindness to him, he has a softness to him, he has a sadness to him. But I always, always thought that he had another side to him as well, and I think so does he. And so we had a lot of fun with calibrating his performances and the audience’s expectations and that whole thing with who Jonathan is. And I want to say that I think Hugh Grant has always been an incredible, complex actor who happened to become very, very popular in a very specific genre. That doesn’t mean he can do one thing, it’s just when you become popular in one thing, that is what people seem to think of you, which isn’t necessarily the entire truth.
Yeah, absolutely. And it was so great to see him opposite Nicole Kidman. A lot of people assumed they had worked together before since they’re a part of the same generation in Hollywood, but they hadn’t. As a director, it must have been amazing to see them perform scenes together and really bring the story to life.
Advertisement
Yeah, it was wonderful. I mean, I was sure they would have great chemistry, but the one thing that made me not worried about it was that they both told me they’d been partying many, many years ago together and they’ve had a lot of fun. I was like, “Yeah, I think you’ll be fine.” [Laughs]
Especially in the lavish New York fundraising circle!
Yeah, no, they can party.
Let’s get into the helicopter-car chase scene. Wow. The Undoing really turned into an action flick! What was it like for you to shoot that ending sequence?
It took a lot of work. The crucial thing was that it needed an action beat but it also needed to be totally cohesive to the story. The most important thing and the reason why making that action beat was that we needed to understand how insane Jonathan actually was; how much of a sociopath he was and how delusional in a way he was. I mean, kind of kidnapping his own son to take him on this last ride, it’s just such a crazy, but also oddly human thing to do. It seemed like the right thing to do.
You truly see this toxic father-son dynamic play out in this scene between Noah Jupe and Hugh. You’re witnessing Jonathan’s “undoing,” particularly when he throws Henry’s name out there as a possible killer before he kidnaps him. How did you want to capture their relationship during this car chase?
Well, you kind of wonder, did Jonathan ever love his family? Or was it more their love for him which sort of fed him in the way sociopaths occasionally function? And I think that was the case. He, in his own delusional self, thinks that Henry is enjoying this. You know? When Henry even says, “You murdered a person,” Jonathan says, “Well, it wasn’t really me.” How crazy, how insane is that?
Advertisement
It goes back to the idea that we only see what we want to ― Henry really wanted to believe his dad was the good guy. But, nope, the cheating husband did it.
[Laughs] Yeah.
Tell me about capturing that essence of New York ― that wealthy, Upper East Side feel was palpable the entire run. It all feels nostalgic now, in light of COVID.
It’s funny you say that. We were very, very careful with every decision, and we had some very good inside sources that belong to that world that were helping us. I mean, it was down to what brand of gym shoes Henry would be wearing to school. So we were very, very meticulous about every single decision.
But we had almost finished editing in London when the pandemic struck and I went back to Copenhagen. The editor had a little edit [suite] in his apartment in London, and so we finished the edit by FaceTiming. And then in the late summer when the pandemic seemed to be quieting down and travel opened up again, I went back to London in order to mix the whole series. So I sat in the cinema and watched all six hours in a row and it was oddly nostalgic. Even if it was shot one year earlier, it felt so nostalgic. People were kissing, they weren’t wearing masks, they were touching. And it was just such a different world and felt completely different with everything [the city] had gone through. It was very weird and kind of oddly romantic, actually.
Yeah, because now we’re seeing so many shows made in or featuring the pandemic, with characters wearing face masks, etc. The Undoing was one of the only prestige limited series to come out in 2020, but it also took place in the Before Times. So, it just felt extra special. Did you feel that way too, just seeing the response from viewers who tuned in every week?
Advertisement
I just felt that excitement, whether it was because of that or the story or the characters? It’s just been crazy; it’s been growing every single week. I’ve had so many people asking me [about it] ― even my parents who would never watch anything like that. My father will only watch sort of documentary things and my dad had a new theory every week about who had done it. [Laughs]
From left: Hugh Grant, Noma Dumezweni, Nicole Kidman, Noah Jupe and Donald Sutherland in The Undoing. NIKO TAVERNISE
We watched the life of the privileged unravel on this show, which is a compelling concept. We saw how the Frasers used their power to get what they wanted ― prep school admission, beach homes, helicopter rides. I mean, thanks to his wealthy father-in-law’s top-notch lawyer (played by the wonderful Noma Dumezweni), Jonathan almost got away with the murder!
He almost got away with it! That’s why Édgar Ramírez, who plays the detective, is so fed up with this sort of upper class privilege. He’s so annoyed with Grace and kind of aggressive with her because he’s so fed up with feeling that they’re being resistant. I mean, he’s trying to solve a murder case and they are trying to save their own asses, excuse my language.
I think you captured the life of the Franklin Reinhardt types very well. Lastly, could you see a second season coming out of this or do you respect the limited series approach?
Advertisement
Here’s the thing: For me? I would love to. But at this point, there has been no conversation about it at all. From my point of view, it’s just wishful thinking and, I mean, I’m capable of wishing Father Christmas is real so ... [Laughs] I will allow myself to be that wishful thinker knowing that’s exactly what it is.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--Lewis Hamilton Tests Positive For Covid-19

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Lewis Hamilton will miss this weekend’s Sakhir Grand Prix after testing positive for Covid-19, Formula One has announced.
The seven-time Formula One world champion is in isolation after his positive result was announced on Tuesday morning.
Advertisement
An F1 statement said: “The FIA, Formula One and Mercedes Team can today confirm that during mandatory pre-race PRC testing for the Sakhir Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton has tested positive for Covid-19.
“In accordance with Covid-19 protocols, he is now isolating. All contacts have been declared. The procedures set out by the FIA and Formula One will ensure no wider impact on this weekend’s event.”
Hamilton’s Mercedes team said Hamilton, 35, reported “mild symptoms” on the morning following Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix where he claimed his 11th win of the season.
Advertisement
“Lewis was tested three times last week and returned a negative result each time, the last of which was on Sunday afternoon at the Bahrain International Circuit as part of the standard race weekend testing programme,” a statement from the Formula One team read.
“However, he woke up on Monday morning with mild symptoms and was informed at the same time that a contact prior to his arrival in Bahrain had subsequently tested positive.
“Lewis therefore took a further test and returned a positive result. This has since been confirmed by a retest.”
The Mercedes statement continued: “Lewis is now isolating in accordance with Covid-19 protocols and public health guidelines in Bahrain.
“Apart from mild symptoms, he is otherwise fit and well, and the entire team sends him its very best wishes for a swift recovery.”
Advertisement
Hamilton, who wrapped up his record-equalling seventh world championship in Turkey last month, is the third driver to have contracted the illness.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--The Funniest Tweets From Parents This Week

My youngest son hid a Ziploc bag of Froot Loops in his pajama drawer so that he wouldn’t miss out on the “good cereal” if he woke up late tomorrow, in case you wondered what growing up in a big family is like.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--Feeling The December Dread? Therapists Have These Tips For You

LOADING ERROR LOADING
It’s not uncommon to feel dread come December. Sure, some people will look forward to the festive pile-up of cooking, eating, entertaining, socialising and decorating that’s part and parcel of the season. “But, very often Christmas can be a very tricky time of year, when the reality doesn’t live up to the Christmas fantasy and all it holds with it,” says accredited psychotherapist Lucy Fuller.
The impending sense of doom may be amplified if a person is grieving, already struggling with their mental health, or lonely. And with Covid-19 in the mix, many might be feeling panic at the changes to the “holly, jolly season” – particularly if they live to socialise. December dread affects extroverts as much as introverts.
Advertisement
A new survey by the Samaritans reveals being separated from family and friends ones over the Christmas period is one of the biggest concerns facing callers.
The survey of 1,400 of the charity’s volunteers found that, over the past three months, around a quarter (27%) have spoken to callers who were feeling concerned about their own wellbeing over the winter and festive period.
The most common two worries were being separated from loved ones – and how to cope with being lonely or alone this Christmas.
Advertisement
nadia_bormotova via Getty Images
December dread is “much more common this year because of lockdown,” says Gregori Savva, a psychotherapist who runs Counselling Twickenham.
The winter months can seem to stretch on forever, and be dark and cold, with little opportunity to exercise and make the most of the limited daylight – all of these things, in addition to poor diet, can contribute to us feeling low, he says.
“Obviously December and Christmas are a time for many people to build a sense of dread,” he says. “The nervous system has been dulled by the cold, wet days of winter. And like all mammals we are preparing for the dark days ahead.
“The lack of light limits the production of melanin and Vitamin D, which regulate how much sleep we get, the efficiency of our metabolism and digestive system. A lack of vitamin D also lowers our immune system and makes us more susceptible to winter respiratory diseases.”
All in all, not conducive to us feeling great.
What can you do to fight December dread?
Make plans and stick to them. “My advice would be to plan ahead in terms of making social contact over Christmas,” says Fuller. “If you let your low mood take over, in anticipation of a having a miserable time over the Christmas period, then the Christmas holiday will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
Advertisement
She urges people to arrange to meet friends or loved ones for a walk or to exercise somewhere away from home – and to have wider family Zoom sessions together involving games and quizzes you can all participate in online.
“Plan your Christmas day and Boxing day with your favourite food, films and activities,” she adds. And don’t forget to turn off your phone, too – use this period to have a few ‘me’ days. You could treat yourself to an at-home spa day, sort your wardrobe out, or plan what you’d like to do next year.
“2020 has been dire, but 2021 has to be better, as the vaccine is rolled out and society will slowly creep back to how it ‘should’ be,” Fuller adds.
If money is fuelling your feelings of dread, it’s best to be honest with those close to you about your financial situation. Lots of people will be in the same boat this year, says Ruairí Stewart, a psychotherapist known as the Happy-Whole Coach.
“The pandemic has not been financially kind to many of us, meaning pressures around spending money could feel even more distressing this year,” he says.
Advertisement
“If this is the case for you, communicate your fears to those around you and express that, though you would buy them the world if you could, this year will have to be toned down. Try to own your experience and alleviate any feelings of shame – you never know, someone unexpected might be feeling the same.”
Instead of buying presents, you could agree to a gift swap, where you swap something you own and love with something they own and love – a favourite jumper, for examples, or a throw or ornament. You could make them a gift instead of buying something, bake them an edible present (some cookies, mince pies, or a cake), or just agree to meet up and spend time together.
Mindfulness exercises which focus on ‘observing’ your physical sensations through meditative exercises could also help alleviate feelings of dread, suggests Savva. “This is not about achieving perfect calm and equilibrium, but acknowledging and accepting the physical sensation in your body and the emotional ebbs and flows they create.”
You might want to try some slow, deep breathing; stretching out the tense muscles in your neck, shoulders and back; or more rigorous exercises to increase your breathing and heart rate, he suggests.
Getting outside in daylight (try a lunchtime walk each day), eating three balanced meals a day and exercising can also help lift your spirits.
Advertisement
When to seek professional help
It’s best to seek help before the feelings of dread become overwhelming, says Savva. This might be when you notice that you are feeling hyper-vigilant (nervy irritable and on edge) for much of your day, or if you often find yourself in numb, dissociative states, cut off from your emotions and disconnected from others.
“Counsellors and psychotherapists can help you develop sensory awareness of physical sensations, emotions and behavioural strategies to get you through these difficult times,” he says.
You can access a limited number of therapy sessions for free via the NHS’s IAPT service or find private therapists through sites such as Counselling Directory and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
If you find yourself getting to the point where you are completely unable to motivate yourself and you’re experiencing very low mood, you need to seek emergency help, says Fuller, who recommends the NHS’s Emergency Mental Health Helpline (dial 111 or find a local helpline number here) or to call Samaritans on 116123.
Between December 1 last year and January 1 this year, Samaritans responded to more than a quarter of a million calls for help – over 10,000 calls for help were made on Christmas Day alone.
Advertisement
Jason, 50, from Reading, recalls how his whole world fell apart one Christmas after struggling with his mum’s death, breaking up with the mother of his son and losing his job.
“The hardship faced by people trying to cope with the pandemic reminds me how overwhelming everything became for me at Christmas, to the point that I didn’t feel or see there was a benefit to being here,” he says. ”Thankfully my ex-wife noticed my struggles and convinced me to pick up the phone to Samaritans.
“Although it was one of the hardest things I have done – that phone call changed my life and put me on a new path. I had completely lost my way in life before the call. Samaritans gave me hope and helped me to find my purpose again. For me, it was the smallest thing with the greatest outcome.” He concludes: “Our own self-care this Christmas and beyond is so important. Take each day as it comes, have strength to reach out for support in times of need; for me that would be the best gift anyone could give themselves.” Covid-19 is more than a news story – it has changed every aspect of life in the UK. We are following how Britain is experiencing this crisis, the different stages of collective emotion, reaction and resilience. You can tell us how you are feeling and find further advice and resources here.
Advertisement
Useful websites and helplines
Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--Now Is The Time To Stop Tracking Your Life 'Progress' By Age

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Listen to our weekly podcast Am I Making You Uncomfortable? about women’s health, bodies and private lives. Available on Spotify, Apple, Acast and wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Many of us live life by numbers: choose a career by 25, find love by 30, own a home by 40. The exact goals and ages may differ for you, but the chances are, you’ve got a rough timeline for all the major milestones you hope to hit in life – and a linear idea of how they’ll pan out.
Advertisement
The pandemic has thrown a curveball, though, sending even the most meticulous of planners off track. It’s left some worried about ageing, and that they’ll now “run out of time” to do the things they hoped they’d do.
“The pandemic, and its erosion of many of the building blocks of my life, has caused me to think about ageing for the first time, and to be honest it’s terrifying,” says Charlotte*, 25, from Birmingham.
“Having lost my job due to the pandemic, I’m in the same boat as first-time graduates, applying for positions beneath my level and which I might be considered ‘too old’ for – yet the longer I’m out of work, the older I’m getting.
“I’m also single, and was happily so, but with my job loss forcing a return home, I’m living in my childhood bedroom, which has amplified my ageing-anxiety.”
Advertisement
Oscar Wong via Getty Images
Millions of people will be able to relate this year, with the pandemic disrupting our plans for work, dating, travel, moving home and more. Isn’t it time we took the pressure off and removed age-based targets altogether?
“Milestones put us, as women, under too much pressure,” says Carol Russell on the latest episode of our Am I Making You Uncomfortable? podcast, which is about embracing ageing.
Russell is co-writing a book, Invisible to Invaluable: Unleashing the Power of Midlife Women, and didn’t embark on her own career as a BAFTA-nominated screenwriter until her 40s. She’s passionate about telling younger women you don’t need to reach a certain point by a certain age.
“Those ‘30 under 30 lists’, they make us feel bad about not having arrived at those life milestones,” she says. “For me, the thing I’ve really learned over the years is not to judge my own life by whether I’ve reached milestones or not.”
Advertisement
Author and journalist Poorna Bell agrees – she wrote about the topic in her second book, In Search Of Silence. “To me, the current timelines we have around age are still based on a time when our lives were shorter – so actually, certain societal institutions, and ideas of when you should have achieved success, are based on a timeline that doesn’t reflect how long we live now,” she tells HuffPost UK.
“We also don’t grow up in exactly the same circumstances or access to privilege and yet the goals of ‘do X by 30, achieve Y by 40’ are almost universally the same.”
We can look back to our school years to understand why we compare ourselves to people the same age as us.
“School is relentlessly competitive, educationally but also socially,” Lucy Beresford, a psychotherapist, previously told HuffPost UK. “House points, sports day, being chosen for the school play, or who snogged who – they’re all set-up scenarios where we are forced to measure ourselves against people we know pretty well. We forget to shake off this comparison, and instead stay in the comfort zone of this benchmark in our adult years.”
We also impose arbitrary age timelines on ourselves because we crave order and control, adds Bell – but in reality, life is more unpredictable than that.
Advertisement
“Yes we make choices that impact our lives, but none of us can predict when we’ll fall in love, have a baby and get married,” she says. “Even when it comes to your career, you can graft and work hard, but being given certain opportunities still depends on so much that may not be in your control.”
Bell admits she was plugged into ‘The Timeline’ throughout her 20s, but she let go of the expected, linear model following the death of her husband, Rob, in 2015. “When he died, I realised life isn’t linear, that you can’t insulate yourself from bad things even if, as I did, you make what society considers to be the ‘right’ choices,” she says.
“The only timeline I operate to is my own, and no one but biology or myself gets any say in what I achieve or choose to do with my time, as long as I’m kind and trying to be a good person.”
Vladimir Vladimirov via Getty Images
So, how can we stop using age as a stick to beat ourselves with? Letting go of socially-mandated milestones isn’t easy, says Bell, but it starts with sitting down and asking yourself what you really want.
Advertisement
Questions she advises considering include: Why am I doing this job when it makes me so unhappy? Is this promotion really what I want? Do I actually want kids? Do I need marriage?
“That can take place over a period of weeks or months, but it’s creating the space for you to properly think about it,” she says. “It won’t feel comfortable, and you may not want to do it, but hand on my heart, if most people asked themselves certain questions, they will actually get to a more truthful place.”
Thinking about the questions may help you realise if your ‘goal’ is something you truly want – or if it’s something you’ve just been conditioned to want.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--You Can Still Volunteer At Christmas During Covid. Here's How

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Whether serving food to the homeless or spending time with older people in your local area, Christmas is usually a time not just for giving, but for giving back. But this year, with social distancing and the tier system still in force, volunteering may feel like more of a risk or challenge.
There’s been a drop in volunteering nationwide, according to research from Pro Bono Economics, which suggests six million fewer people gave their time or supported neighbours during the second lockdown compared to the first.
Advertisement
Another survey by the Royal Voluntary Service revealed that 22% of elderly and/or vulnerable people fear they will not see anyone this Christmas – and 16% are ‘dreading’ the period.
If you are keen to help this season, there are safe ways you can still do so.
JNemchinova via Getty Images
Make a phone call
Check In And Chat is a community outreach project run by FoodCycle, an organisation that offers free hot meals to people in need throughout the year. You can sign up to take and make phone calls with isolated people this Christmas via its website. Other charities, including Shout, Young Minds and Age UK offer similar phone-based opportunities to support people in need.
The NHS and Royal Voluntary Service’s ‘Christmas Together’ initiative aims to support people living alone or shielding by connecting them with a friendly voice who can phone them for a chat. You can also still sign up to be a Community Response Volunteer with the NHS, collecting and delivering shopping and other essentials, such as medication, to vulnerable people, by car or by foot.
Advertisement
The Great Winter Get Together organised by the Jo Cox Foundation, runs from December 14 to January 18, and encourages people to help out by joining virtual events, supporting a neighbour, or reaching out to an old friend – find more details on its website here.
Help food banks and kitchens
If you feel comfortable cooking and serving food, or helping with the general running of a kitchen, you can volunteer with one of the cooking teams co-ordinated by FoodCycle.
Volunteers are required across the country – here’s a list of forthcoming locations. As with all in person volunteering, right now, it’s important you don’t show up if you have any of the obvious Covid-19 symptoms, even if they are mild, and that you follow the health and safety guidance provided at all times.
The Trussell Trust, which supports a nationwide network of food banks, is also taking on volunteers – so have a look here to spot the nearest location to you and to register your interest in helping out.
Get behind the wheel
Food banks are enabled by provisions being driven to them, so another way to volunteer this season is by offering your skills as a driver.
Advertisement
FareShare also needs drivers, as well as warehouse assistants, admin assistants and customer service assistants to help keep its food-giving operation afloat this season. Find out about available volunteering positions here.
Donate if you can


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--I’m A Black American. Here Is How I Used Solo Travel To Escape My Racist Country

Photo Courtesy of Diane Wesh The author in 2017 overlooking Athens, Greece, during the three weeks I traveled carrying only my blue backpack.
In bell hooks’ 1995 biography Killing Rage: Ending Racism, she makes an indisputable claim, stating that all Black people in America — regardless of class, status or politics — live with the possibility of being terrorised by whites.
As a child, the terrors of racism plagued me, from insults to slurs. Nothing could shield me from racism. When I reached adulthood, I was exhausted.
Advertisement
Being Black in America impacted my stress level. The pressures under which I had to live were inhumane:
Hands out of your pocket. Don’t wear a hoodie. No jogging during the day. No jogging at night. Don’t walk into a store as a group, they’ll perceive you as a threat. Hold on to your receipt. Make eye contact. Smile, always be polite. Know the law. Don’t stay out late. Come home, alive.
Although navigating racism was the norm throughout my life in America, I never imagined that surviving racism at work would lead me to planning my desperate escape.
In 2016, I worked as an employee for the City of Virginia Beach. During my tenure, behind closed doors, I experienced and witnessed embedded institutionalised racism.
Advertisement
Day after day, my colleagues and myself endured relentless racial harassment—from being denied promotions (confined to menial jobs), to racially charged attacks of verbal abuse, to being made fun of because of our ethnic hairstyles. Exhausted by the injustice of it all, I demanded an internal investigation regarding the racist structure of the workplace. Meanwhile, the toxic work environment and ongoing racial abuse forced me to “get out.”
In May 2017, using my remaining PTO, I booked a one-way ticket to Europe. I needed a respite from reality, if only for a moment — and anywhere was better than America. Upon boarding my flight, fear blossomed in my chest.
Why am I traveling solo?
What if I get kidnapped?
I began weeping copiously, clinging to the hope that my experiences abroad would be different, easier. Wiping away the residue of my tears, I found repose in prayer. Hand in hand with fear, I journeyed into the great unknown.
My first stop was Dublin, Ireland, cradling my two backpacks — one slung on my back, the other in front of me. I stood in awe and admiration of my new world. Breathing, walking and simply “being” was easy. The feelings of living a life where I was constantly on high alert and caution dissipated.
Lost in the belly of the city, I freely roamed the streets of Dublin. I made friends with locals; I partied at night with other foreigners. When my budget allowed me, I lived off gelato for breakfast and fish and chips for dinner.
Advertisement
After Ireland, I ventured to the Middle East: Istanbul, Turkey. There, I immersed myself into the culture, sharing stories and breaking bread with the Islamic community and human rights leaders. From Turkey, I traveled to Athens and Santorini, Greece, where I spent my days exploring the Acropolis, sailing along the Aegean sea, horseback riding, indulging in Mediterranean cuisine and sleeping in a cave — a converted hostel in Santorini.
Photo Courtesy of Diane Wesh The author at Coromandel in North Island, New Zealand, in 2020.
Although racism certainly exists in these countries, all I experienced were a few curious stares and people wanting to take pictures with me. In contrast to my experience abroad, America’s brand of racism is relentless; I always felt the fear of violence, anger toward the white supremacy woven into its very history and structure, and the weariness of trying to be both hopeful and resilient. My first solo experience out of America allowed me to experience a new form of liberation.
When I returned to work, everything was the same, but it was me who had changed.
Although I continued to endure racial harassment at work, solo traveling awarded me with a different level of courage, a newfound confidence and strength. I no longer allowed myself to be a victim, and instead I invested my energy mapping out my travel plans, my new hopes and dreams. In doing so, I reclaimed agency over my narrative.
In July 2017, the internal investigation was complete and I retrieved written documentation — which I have in my possession — that my allegation of racial harassment in the workplace was substantiated. Based on the founded evidence, I quit and fled from my racist work environment.
Advertisement
The results spun me into a downward depression, confined to my own self-isolation. For seven months, I hid in my room, silently battling depressive episodes, anxiety, panic attacks and suppressed trauma.
In moments of despair, I knew I needed to discover a deeper sense of spiritual and mental healing, but I couldn’t heal in the same place that hurt me.
So, I committed to four years of solo traveling. I spent the first two years traveling America, from living in wild Alaska, to Arizona, to Colorado and other states. I bounced around, working seasonal jobs. From my travels, I learned about the New Zealand Working Holiday Visa, and instantly knew that was my ticket out.
In October 2019, I bid farewell to my parents and said good riddance to my racist country. Prior to heading to New Zealand, I traveled for a month through various parts of Asia, enjoying my own version of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat Pray Love.
Photo Courtesy of Diane Wesh The author at Coromandel in North Island, New Zealand, in 2020.
Advertisement
I ventured to Vietnam’s paradise of Ha Long Bay and spent weeks living in the villages of Sapa overlooking the rice fields and waterfalls with the Black Hmong Tribe, the indigenous people of Vietnam. Upon arriving in Indonesia, I bathed in Bali’s sacred pool of purification, Tirta Empul, to cleanse myself of America’s injustice.
Although Asia has a history of anti-Black racism, I only had one notable racist encounter. One morning, I went shopping on my own in the bustling city of Hanoi. I went inside a clothing department full of Vietnamese and white customers. The owner took one look at me, opened her mouth in shock, and shooed me out the door.
I just laughed and continued on my way.
From my personal experience as a Black, female solo traveler, nowhere, it seems, is immune to racism. However — and I acknowledge this is not the case for everyone — the nature of racism I experienced overseas was subtle in nature compared to the overt racism I lived through and witnessed in America. In most of the countries I visited, the people were kind, accepting and hospitable.
Perhaps more important, the autonomy and freedom of solo travel itself allowed me to decolonise my mind, divorce myself from America’s white supremacist beliefs and experience a fulfilled, nourished life.
Varun Saroha The author in 2020 at Coromandel in North Island, New Zealand.
Advertisement
I finally moved to Auckland, New Zealand, where I still am today, one year later. I escaped, rediscovering my identity, my sole purpose.
Once I got settled into my new environment, I quickly immersed myself in Black Creatives Aotearoa, a growing community for Black creatives, to connect, create and collaborate. Today, I harness the pain from my past to empower and encourage the local Black diaspora and the global Black consciousness.
Solo traveling helped me to escape the scene of my traumatisation and discover new worlds. It granted me breathing room to heal and raise myself up, abstaining from being marked by victimisation. Navigating foreign environments alone further stripped my familiarity away, allowing me to immerse and integrate into different cultures. I achieved self-actualisation when I moved to New Zealand and connected with the Black diaspora. Through the union of art and community, they enabled me to overcome my racist trauma.
This article first appeared on HuffPost Personal.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--10 Unique Baby Names That Signify New Beginnings

NataliaDeriabina via Getty Images
As the year draws to a close, you could be forgiven for uttering a huge sigh of relief. 2020 has been a tough one, that’s for sure. But take heart, because 2021 is all about new beginnings – particularly if you’re having a baby.
There’s nothing more joyful than marking new life with a name that represents what we all need at the moment: hope.
Advertisement
We have a wealth of baby name inspiration on HuffPost UK Parents. Here are 10 of the best monikers that represent the start of something new.
Nova
The name Nova means “new” and comes from the Latin. It’s also the name for a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright new star, that slowly fades over several weeks or months.
Neo
Neo means “new”, too; but comes from the ancient Greek. It also means “sound” (ne) and “cherry blossom” (o) in Japanese.
Hope
By name, by nature: Hope means “desire of fulfilment” and is of English origin.
Ashur
This name comes from the Bible and means “he who is happy”; “he who walks” or “he who looks”.
Zera
This is a Hebrew-based name, meaning “shining”, “radiant” or “light”.
Advertisement
x-reflexnaja via Getty Images
Arun
Arun is an Indian male given which comes from Sanskrit, and means “dawn” or “reddish glow in the morning sky”. It also means “charioteer of the sun”.
Aruna
This is the female form of Arun, from the Sanskrit meaning “dawn light” or “rising sun”. According to Hindu scriptures, Aruna means the rising sun, which is believed to have spiritual powers.
Aurora
From the Latin word aurora, which means “dawn” after the Roman goddess of the dawn. It is also the name of the Aurora Borealis – a spectacular natural light display in the Arctic, also known as the “northern lights”.
Dawn
Dawn comes from the Old English, and means the first appearance of light or daybreak.
Iola


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--I’m Worried About Raising My Son As Jewish In A Time Of Resurging Anti-Semitism

Ponomariova_Maria via Getty Images Young happy couple embracing their newborn with care and love. Father and mother with infant on the hands. Family and baby care vector concept.
The week before my son was born I got a phone call from my dad. He hit the ground running.
“We need to talk about circumcision,” he told me by way of greeting.
“What about it?” I asked him innocently.
“Well, what are your plans?”
We didn’t have any plans. My partner is not Jewish. Nor – technically – is my son. It had never occurred to me that we might get him circumcised. I still can’t eat calamari without crossing my legs. I told my dad this, but not in these words. A pause bled down the line. “And I suppose you won’t be giving him a Hebrew name?”
We’d thought about calling him Ezra until my partner, Imogen, had done a little research. Ezra was the guy in the Old Testament who gathered all the Hebrews together to tell them it was time to quit it with the shiksas. Again I didn’t use these words. “No,” I said.
Advertisement
Assimilation, at one time or another, is a topic of conversation in most Jewish families, viewed variously as a goal, an inevitability, a cloak of security, and, at the extreme end, an existential threat. Existential threats are something Jews know plenty about. We’re primed to see them everywhere, like passing clouds that conspire to spell the face of departed loved ones.
“In recent years, while the eye of the UK’s media has been trained on the left, a resurgence of right wing anti-Semitism offers a more credible challenge to Jewish existence.”
Amid the media circus and false Tory handwringing over the Labour anti-Semitism scandal that led to the EHRC’s damning recent verdict on institutional bias in the party’s disciplinary processes (no small charge but a discussion for another day), some even viewed the prospect of a Corbyn-led government in these hyperbolic terms. But in recent years, while the eye of the UK’s media has been trained on the left, a resurgence of right wing anti-Semitism offers a more credible challenge to Jewish existence.
On 27 October 2018, Robert Bowers walked into the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and opened fire with an automatic weapon during a Shabbat service, killing eleven congregants. Minutes before the attack he’d posted on the far-right social media site Gab in reference to his belief that caravans of dangerous illegal immigrants, funded by Jewish interests intent on subverting the makeup of his homeland, were marauding over the US-Mexico border: “I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going in.”
Advertisement
This same belief, that Jews are an enemy within, working with foreign powers to undermine US sovereignty, was on display in Charlottesville, Virginia the previous year, when white supremacists with tiki torches marched through the town as part of a Unite the Right rally chanting “Jews will not replace us.”
The march had been inspired by the ascendance of Donald Trump, whose Argument for America, his closing statement before the 2016 election, was punctuated with anti-Semitic whistles, not so much dog as wolf, about “global special interests” who “control the levers of power in Washington.” (In case this was too subtle the words played over images of Jewish philanthropist George Soros, the Jewish former head of the Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, and the Goldman Sachs CEO, Lloyd Blankfein.)
Four years later it was these same white supremacists, namely the male-only, neo-fascist militia the Proud Boys, that Trump instructed to ‘stand by’ during a nationally broadcast presidential debate.
Trump may have lost the subsequent election (though at the time of writing he’s still to concede) but Trumpism is not confined to Trump. And anti-Semitism is not confined to Trumpism.
Across Europe, parties like Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland, Netherlands’ Forum voor Democratie, Greece’s Golden Dawn, Hungary’s Jobbik and Austria’s Freedom Party have gained notoriety and achieved electoral success promising to stand up to subversive foreign influences that are polluting their democracies, influences that more often than not are coded as Jewish.
Advertisement
Some of these parties, as in increasingly common on the radical right in Europe, where the proximity to the Holocaust has damaged the brand of overt Jew-hating, launder their anti-Semitic rhetoric with concomitant displays of disingenuous philosemitism: exalting Israel as a Europe’s frontier against the Arab world, and in some cases winning Jewish support.
But these views stand alongside Holocaust revisionism, minimisation, if not outright erasure, like the type exhibited by Alexander Gauland, the AfD’s co-founder and former leader, and current member of the German parliament, when he described it as a “speck of bird poop” in the nation’s history.
And all this at a crucial moment in Jewish history when the generation who lived through the Holocaust – what few that did – are dying off and the Holocaust itself is passing from first-hand to collective memory. From personal experience to historical record. And simultaneously, pseudo-historical debate.
“Whether or not he chooses to identify as Jewish, ultimately it won’t be my son’s choice to make.”
In the end we didn’t have our son circumcised. His Jewish identity is, ultimately, something he’ll have to decide on for himself when he’s old enough to understand what being Jewish means. But when we talk about assimilation, as it’s clear to me my dad was when he asked the question, what we’re really talking about, I believe, is security. To identify as Jewish and to comport yourself in such a way that others too may identify you as Jewish continues, in 2020, to carry an element of risk.
Advertisement
The trade-off for retaining this visibility is heightened vigilance and living behind barriers; Jewish sites of worship, Jewish cultural centres, even (or especially) Jewish primary schools all have tall walls to keep them apart from the spaces that surround them. And perhaps the corollary is true: that assimilation requires a sacrifice, of visibility, yes, but also of something less easy to name, less easy to let go of.
I don’t share my parents’ (admittedly slight) concern that in raising my son as Jewish-adjacent or Jewish with a small J and a big ish I’m breaking with the past in a way that can’t be repaired, but I do have another concern – because sometimes the clouds really do look like a face. That whether or not he chooses to identify as Jewish, ultimately it won’t be my son’s choice to make.
Matt Greene is author of Jew(ish): A Plea. Follow him on Twitter at @arealmattgreene


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--Homeless People Can Now Be Deported Just For Sleeping Rough. It Could Kill Them

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Rough sleepers are at risk of exploitation, modern slavery and death under new immigration rules that allow non-UK nationals to be deported, a homelessness charity has warned.
From Tuesday, rough sleeping will become grounds for refusal or cancellation of permission to be in the UK. It is among new Home Office powers that have been criticised as being “deeply concerning”, and as criminalising people for not having a home.
Advertisement
Jamaican-born Owen, 60, was forced to sleep rough on the streets of Wales earlier this year after his job as a cleaner came to an end and he could no longer afford to pay his rent.
Like many non-UK nationals, his immigration status meant he had no recourse to public funds and could not access Universal Credit or other types of support such as homelessness assistance normally provided by local authorities.
“They would have got the police to take me [out of my home], so I started sleeping in my van,” Owen told HuffPost UK. “Then from the van, I slept in a park and then a couple of nights under a bridge.”
A former mechanic, Owen lost his business and all his money after “trusting the wrong people” who took advantage of his illiteracy and tricked and stole from him. As a child, he had been taken out of school to work and never learned to read or write.
Advertisement
Former mechanic Owen: "If it wasn’t for the virus I would be sleeping out in the cold right now." Kimi Gill
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Owen was placed in a hotel in Romford where he continues to struggle with no work or money. But at least he is safe. “If it wasn’t for the virus I wouldn’t be where I am right this minute,” he said. “I would be sleeping out in the cold.”
If Owen ends up back on the streets, he will be one of the many non-UK nationals who could be deported if they turn down offers of support or engage in “persistent anti-social behaviour”.
According to a new rule signed by home secretary Priti Patel, which comes into effect on December 1, an individual's "permission to stay" can be refused or "cancelled" if they have been rough sleeping in the UK.
Although the Home Office has insisted the rule would only be used “sparingly”, campaigners have said this could mean a person could lose their right to stay in the country for sleeping rough for just one night.
Advertisement
Jasmine Basran, policy and public affairs manager at the homelessness charity Crisis, said these new rules could put already extremely vulnerable people at even greater risk.
“A huge concern that we have is that the rules will actually push people away from seeking support or approaching the local authorities for help,” she told HuffPost UK. “Instead they could turn to exploitative work in order to avoid rough sleeping.
“If people are fearful of being deported then they will do whatever they can to pay for a roof over their heads. We know, for example, that Eastern Europeans are particularly at risk of becoming victims of modern slavery.
“The real worry is what will happen if people are in even more dangerous and exploitative situations. That will ultimately undermine the government’s stated intention to end homelessness and rough sleeping in England.”
Owen added: “The government would have tried to kick me out,” Owen said. “I know that definitely could have happened to me if I was back on the streets.”
Advertisement
If he had been threatened with deportation, Owen believes he would have been unable to defend himself and fight to stay in the country. “When you can’t read or write, everything is so much harder. For example, if you’re supposed to attend court at 5pm today, you wouldn’t even know because you can’t read the letter. It’s a struggle.”
“The introduction of these cruel, new immigration rules is deeply concerning. No one should be punished for being homeless.” - Jasmine Basran, policy and public affairs manager at Crisis
“If there are language barriers, then it makes it even more difficult to understand what is required of you,” said Basran. “How can you understand what it means when you are told you are not engaging in support?”
Once a person is deported from the UK, it is “almost impossible” for charities such as Crisis to track them. “The horrific thing is that, for some people, it’s possible they have died as a result of that,” Jasmine continued, giving an example of a rough sleeper who was deported and who she has not been able to find since. “There is definitely that risk.”
At a time when the UK faces a “tsunami of homelessness”, many people could find themselves just like Owen – jobless and forced onto the streets. Under these new rules, they could also be kicked out of the country.
Advertisement
A government spokesperson said ministers were “committed to transforming the lives of some of the most vulnerable in society and to ending rough sleeping for good”.
They said: “The new rule provides a discretionary basis to cancel or refuse a person’s leave where they are found to be rough sleeping. The new provision will be used sparingly and only where individuals refuse to engage with the range of support available and engage in persistent anti-social behaviour.
“We remain committed to ending rough sleeping for good and have been working hard to ensure the most vulnerable in our society have access to safe accommodation. This year alone, we have provided over £700m in funding to support rough sleepers.
“The safety and security of modern slavery victims is also a top priority for this government, and the Victim Care Contract provides support to potential and confirmed victims of modern slavery who consent to support, including accommodation.”
Crisis – as well as other homelessness charities across England – has called for the government to scrap these rules and instead provide funding for local authorities to give safe emergency accommodation – regardless of their immigration status.
Advertisement
“It’s a particularly vicious policy while we’re in the midst of a pandemic,” Jasmine said. “To be fearful of seeking support when it’s already incredibly dangerous to be rough sleeping.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-01--Tesco Is Wrong If It Thinks All We Romanians Are Thieves

A sign appearing in a Tesco branch of Telford HuffPost UK
Last week, a friend of mine posted a photo on Facebook of a sign being used in a Tesco branch to deter thieves. It caught my attention because the sign was in my native language: Romanian.
My initial reaction was shock, and hurt that this sign made me and all Romanians look like thieves. My second reaction was disbelief – surely this must be fake? After some googling, I found that only was it real, but that only the Romanian Embassy and a few community leaders were talking about it.
Advertisement
This isn’t enough.
You see, it’s very rare that you hear anything good said publicly about the Romanian community. But for a major supermarket chain to single us out in this way and to send a message to the British public that reinforces the stereotype of the Romanian criminal is deeply shocking.
It’s especially troubling to see this just one month before Britain cuts its final ties with the EU, a time when we’re likely to see another rise in hate crimes against Eastern Europeans.
Tesco’s appalling behaviour – and the damaging stereotypes behind it – have not had the attention in the UK media that they should have. Romanians are the second most common non-British nationality in the UK. Data from the Office of National Statistics released in November 2019 shows that around 457,000 Romanian nationals are estimated to be living in the UK. Home Office data on the EU Settlement Scheme suggests that the numbers are even higher, with 670,600 applications (so far) from Romanians to stay in the UK after this year.
“In 2016, we were hurt by the result of the EU Referendum and the subsequent wave of hate crime. Now, with this sign, we’ve been hurt again.”
Advertisement
I present myself as Romanian from the Republic of Moldova. England has been my home for the last six years, and I can proudly say there is so much I’ve learned from the English community. I can also proudly say that I’ve shared many emotional moments with English people – and some of the best are when we’re talking about what we have in common, creating projects together, and all the while reducing stereotypes about us Romanians.
Being a migrant is not easy. I have to prove that my birthplace and ethnicity have nothing to do with my qualifications, emotional intelligence and my achievements. I have been stereotyped as ‘stealing’ employment opportunities from the British people. Even said as a joke, it’s never nice and always unfair. I will never forget the suspicious look when I handed my Romanian passport to the British person when I was opening my first English bank account in 2014.
For many years we have been fighting the stereotypes. In 2014, we were hurt when Nigel Farage said people would be “concerned” if a group of Romanian men “moved in next door”. In 2016, we were hurt by the result of the EU Referendum and the subsequent wave of hate crime. Now, with this sign, we’ve been hurt again.
That’s because this sign is more than a piece of paper. It’s an alarm bell, crying out that the discrimination towards our community is still very much present, whether in a supermarket aisle, at work, at school or in a newspaper column.
On TikTok, a Romanian comedian recently joked: “Back home I was just a guy, here I am Romanian.” His sentence made me laugh but it also made me realise that we have a reputation. We are famous, but for the wrong reasons. It’s drummed into everyone here in the UK time and again that Romanians are thieves, whether they’re stealing alcohol or jobs from British people.
Advertisement
“All I want to do is encourage people to be more open towards Romanians, open towards learning about our history, culture and values.”
I have a close connection to the Romanian community in the UK. Together with my colleagues from Romani Uniti din Anglia (RUDA), I support Romanian nationals from Birmingham and Sandwell to integrate into British society. It’s a powerful act of collaborating for the good of people.
I work hard to challenge the negative stereotypes about us Romanians, putting my days and nights into sharing our culture, values and history with people here in the UK. But this one sign crushes all that work.
However, being angry does not help. All I want to do is encourage people to be more open towards Romanians, open towards learning about our history, culture and values. You will soon see how close we are with the British people: that once we had a kingdom where our royal family was closely related to yours; that there are so many British nationals who move to the Romanian mountains and share their common values and build fantastic projects.
Where there is a will, there is a way. We’re just like you, and if you took some time to get to know us, I think we’d get on. But signs like the one Tesco chose to use have the potential to undo all the good being done.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-02--Trump's Attorney General Kept Silent For Weeks As Voter Fraud Conspiracy Theories Spread

LOADING ERROR LOADING
US attorney general William Barr, who has served as president Donald Trump’s right-hand man and protector, waited nearly an entire month after the 2020 presidential election to publicly state the obvious: Trump doesn’t have evidence for his conspiracy theories about widespread voter fraud.
“To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have affected a different outcome in the election,” Barr told The Associated Press on Tuesday, adding that most claims of fraud were “not systemic allegations” and that any allegations were run down.
Advertisement
Multiple key officials have said the same. But Barr’s admission is striking because he’s one of the Trump officials who promoted fear about election fraud in the first place. In the lead-up to the election, Barr and Trump-appointed US attorneys across the country told the public they were keeping a close eye out for voter fraud.
Election Day 2020 went pretty smoothly overall, especially amid a global pandemic. Barr was looking for fraud, and he didn’t find it.
He did, however, wait nearly a month after Election Day to state he hadn’t found widespread fraud. During that time, Trump and his supporters like Rudy Giuliani have kept spreading increasingly unhinged conspiracy theories about mass voter fraud, insisting that Trump actually won in a landslide. Trump and his team have continued floating conspiracy theories even as former and current law enforcement officials warned that they posed a public safety threat. Barr, the top law enforcement official in the country, stayed quiet even as these dangerous theories spread.
Attorney general William Barr is one of the Trump officials who promoted fear about election fraud in the first place. Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Advertisement
After Barr’s comments to the AP, what remains of the Trump campaign quickly went on the attack. Giuliani and Jenna Ellis, a Trump campaign senior legal adviser, said Barr’s opinion “appears to be without any knowledge or investigation of the substantial irregularities and evidence of systemic fraud”.
The allegations that have been emerging from the Trump camp fall apart under the slightest scrutiny, and often, Republican-appointed judges have quickly booted them out of court. Even amid the Trump campaign’s legal battle ― in which it has attempted to disenfranchise millions of Americans and convince Republican state legislators to help overturn the will of voters ― only a handful of elected Republicans have been able to publicly admit that Joe Biden is the president-elect.
Trump will remain a formidable force in Republican politics for the foreseeable future, so Republicans don’t want to cross him just yet and incur his wrath and that of his supporters. But Barr’s comments on voter fraud could potentially make it easier for Republican officials to make the jump, even as they use bogus or exaggerated claims about fraud to support further voting restrictions that would make it more difficult for primarily Democratic voters to cast ballots.
Barr’s comments could provide cover for another Republican: FBI director Christopher Wray, a Trump appointee who has to worry both about being fired by Trump and about keeping his job once Biden takes office. So far, Wray has remained silent. The FBI’s press office, which has repeatedly declined to comment about Trump’s voter fraud conspiracy theories, declined HuffPost’s request for comment following Barr’s remarks to the AP.
Even as he shot down the Trump campaign’s mass voter fraud conspiracy theories, Barr still offered the president a spoonful of sugar: He announced that, last month, he had quietly appointed US attorney John Durham as a special counsel to investigate certain intelligence and law-enforcement activities surrounding the 2016 election and the origin of the Russia probe, which has been a Trump obsession for years.