thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Stop Shaking Hands And Kissing People To Beat Coronavirus, Says Virology Professor

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A virology expert has suggested that people stop hugging each other as concerns heighten around coronavirus spreading.
John Oxford, an emeritus professor of virology at Queen Mary University of London, said he is not expecting a vaccine to combat the outbreak for “months and months”.
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Speaking to Today on BBC Radio 4, he also dismissed the common provision of people wearing masks as a “total diversion”.
“What we need to do is less of the hand-shaking, hugging, kissing and all that sort of a thing because this virus looks like it’s spread by ordinary tidal breathing, not necessarily sneezing and coughing,” he said.
Oxford said he has studied both the coronavirus and SARS, describing them as “little people” with weaknesses.
“I think this virus has a weakness; it loves us to be close together,” he said. “It’s a social virus; it rather hates it in England compared to China, I would think, because we’re so stand-offish.
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“We have to govern ourselves in our social actions, how we interact with people, and I think that’s extremely important.”
On the other hand, Neil Ferguson, director of MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College London, appeared on the show and cast doubt on Oxford’s suggestions.
“I think the measures John talked about may have some potential to slow spread down, move us out of the winter flu season, release NHS pressures a bit, but I think it’s highly unlikely we will stop transmission of the virus,” he said.
Ferguson said it is not known for certain that the virus is being spread locally in the UK as cases are only being detected in travellers – people who were infected overseas.
Prof. John Oxford has suggested we should hold back on the handshakes. uchar via Getty Images
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With surveillance of pneumonia cases underway in UK hospitals, he said a clearer indication of how, and if, the virus is being spread will be known in “a few weeks”.
In the meantime, scaling back on physical contact won’t necessarily be effective in combating coronavirus, Ferguson suggested.
“I think we’re in the early phases of a global pandemic at the moment. The fact we’ve only reported eight cases in this country is just because again our surveillance is focused on travellers. We think probably we’re picking up maybe one in three cases coming into the country at the current time,” he said.
As of Tuesday evening, a total of 1,358 people have been tested for coronavirus in the UK, of which 1,350 were confirmed negative and eight positive, the Department of Health said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Victoria Derbyshire Fires Back At BBC Boss' Tweet About Importance Of 'Original Journalism'

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Victoria Derbyshire responded exactly as you might expect to a tweet from the BBC’s editorial director about the importance of “original journalism”.
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Towards the end of January, Victoria said she was “devastated” about her show being axed, claiming it “[broke] tonnes of original stories”, “attract[ed] a working class, young, diverse audience” and “smash[ed] the digital figures”, all of which she claimed she was “asked to do” by BBC bosses.
So when the corporation’s editorial director Kamal Ahmed tweeted “investigations matter. Original journalism matters” on Wednesday morning, Victoria understandably had something to say about it.
Victoria Derbyshire Mike Marsland via Getty Images
“Do reconsider the decision to close our programme then,” she hit back.
Do reconsider the decision to close our programme then. https://t.co/EHbrzHsFQf — Victoria Derbyshire (@vicderbyshire) February 12, 2020
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Victoria previously took the BBC to task in a string of social media posts when she live-tweeted a meeting about the cuts to the corporation’s news division, including her show.
During the meeting, she doubled down on her claims she hadn’t been charged with growing the show’s linear TV audience, tweeting: “We were NEVER asked to grow the linear TV audience. Ever. We were asked to grow our digital audience - we did - our digi figures are huge (our successful digital figures appear to be an inconvenience to those making the decisions).
“Our remit when we were set up: 1. Original journalism 2. Reaching underserved audiences 3. Growing the digital figures. We achieved all 3.”
Victoria also said that ahead of the presentation – entitled Modernising BBC News – the BBC’s Head of internal comms had told those in attendance to “’enjoy and relax”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Two Dolphins With Bulletholes And Suspected Stab Wounds Wash Up On Florida Coast

Close up of two dolphins jumping and spraying water SBphotos via Getty Images
The bodies of two dolphins with bullet and possibly stab wounds have been found washed up on Florida’s Gulf coast.
A reward of $20,000 (£15,419) is being offered to anyone who is able to help US authorities solve the case.
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According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, one dolphin was discovered dead in waters off Naples in southwest Florida late last week. Officials said the animal had received bullet or stab wounds – or possibly both.
Also last week, the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge found a dolphin with a bullet in its left side along Pensacola Beach in the Florida Panhandle.
Experts believe the two deaths might have stemmed from humans feeding the animals. When dolphins learn to associate people and boats with food, they can expose themselves to dangerous situations.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission urges people to not feed wild dolphins.
Since 2002, at least 29 dolphins have been stranded with evidence of being shot by guns or arrows, or impaled with objects such as fishing spears.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Jameela Jamil Blasts 'Dumb Conspiracy Theories' After Viral Instagram Posts About Past Ailments

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Jameela Jamil has shared her take on a string of viral Instagram posts suggesting she has been inconsistent in her accounts of past injuries and illnesses.
Earlier this week, an Instagram Story highlight from user @TracieMorrissey was widely shared on social media, featuring past quotes from Jameela, which she claimed contradicted one another.
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Among them were accounts of an incident when she was hit by a car after being chased by a bee (which was referred to as a “swarm of bees” in later retellings), and an accident she had while filming with Olly Murs, which resulted in a number of injuries.
In another Story highlight, it was also suggested that Jameela has Munchausen (a mental disorder that sees people deliberately acting as if they have a physical or mental illness that they don’t actually have) or Somatic Symptom Disorder (a mental disorder which manifests as unexplainable physical symptoms), which has now prompted a response from the Good Place star.
Jameela Jamil Broadimage/Shutterstock
“First I’m lying about my sexuality, now I’m now being accused of munchausens?” she tweeted on Wednesday morning, referencing the criticism she faced last week after coming out as queer.
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“By an unhinged idiot who didn’t even [realise] in all her ‘research’ that my car accident injury stories are ‘different’ because they were about TWO SEPARATE CAR ACCIDENTS 13 years apart? You can keep it.”
In a separate tweet, she continued: “Man, if as many people spent their time and energy helping others/fighting injustice as they do dragging and slandering people on the internet the world would be in such good shape.”
Jameela later insisted she was “not afraid of… your dumb internet conspiracy theories”, adding: “Keep them coming. You just add to my relevance.
“I’m gonna keep helping people with eating disorders, and changing laws and global policies to protect kids and their mental health and there’s NOTHING you can do about it.”
First I’m lying about my sexuality, now I’m now being accused of munchausens? By an unhinged idiot who didn’t even realize in all her “research” that my car accident injury stories are “different” because they were about TWO SEPARATE CAR ACCIDENTS 13 years apart? You can keep it. pic.twitter.com/KPuHbiyyhT — Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) February 12, 2020
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Ehlers Danlos Syndrome means always having people doubt your illness and injuries because you look okay. #edsawareness #itisntinyourhead #imsorrypeoplearedicks — Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) February 12, 2020
Man, if as many people spent their time and energy helping others/fighting injustice as they do dragging and slandering people on the internet the world would be in such good shape. @BreneBrown wrote this beautiful sentence that gives me strength. pic.twitter.com/xG0mvUIeGX — Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) February 12, 2020
Jameela has also been responding to individual Twitter users, who highlighted specific points of the viral Instagram Story highlight in question, including how she was able to enjoy some peanut butter-filled nuggets despite claiming she had a peanut allergy...
Yep. Mercury poisoning in my twenties. Had 11 fillings removed and my stomach lining was damaged for a decade. Got loads of weird food allergies that cleared up as I healed my gut. Next question. — Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) February 12, 2020
...how she was able to continue filming with Olly Murs despite claiming she had broken her tooth, three ribs and suffered concussion...
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Sure. Have you ever heard of adrenaline? I was able to keep filming for an hour after the accident. I didn’t know at the time I was concussed. I was in shock. I felt no pain. And stuck my tooth in with adhesive. I still have the cracked tooth. I never replaced it. Next question. — Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) February 12, 2020
...her “chased by a bee” vs. “chased by a swarm of bees accounts”...
But like... there aren’t. My favourite being when she says I have two different stories about my car accident without realizing they are two different accidents... I mean what an idiot... — Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) February 12, 2020
...and past comments about using a zimmerframe and wheelchair...
Wheelchair first. But lived on the second floor flat in a tiny appartment. So to actually get around I had to use a Zimmer frame. And then crutches. And then a stick. And then I was ok. — Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) February 12, 2020
When one Twitter user questioned why Jameela had to “explain her life”, she responded: “It’s because of my skin colour and my gender.”
It’s because of my skin colour and my gender. — Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) February 12, 2020
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On Tuesday, Jameela joked that she hoped to have a “calmer week” than the one before, as she reflected on the “clusterfuck” of having come out amid a backlash over her involvement in a new show about voguing.
“Well. Last week was a perfect clusterfuck,” she wrote. “It was completely overwhelming.”
Admitting she felt her timing was “bad”, “inappropriate” and “unfortunate’, Jameela continued: “The sequence of events was insane, a misunderstanding was left uncorrected for too long, and misinformation spread too far, too fast, then my timing was bad, and in a moment of distress and pain, personal things were blurted out because when you have a secret for decades and you’re traumati[s]ed, it always feels like it might just fucking burst out of you at any given moment, even the most inappropriate and unfortunate ones.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--NASA Explains Physics To Everyone Freaking Out About Twitter's Broomstick Challenge

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NASA wants everyone to know that “basic physics” ― not some mythical fluctuation in gravity ― is the reason a broomstick can stand upright on its own.
The government space agency shared a video of NASA astronaut Alvin Drew and scientist Sarah Noble answering the trending Twitter #BroomstickChallenge on Tuesday ― a day after what was purported to be the only day of the year the feat could be accomplished.
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“Did you do the Broomstick Challenge yesterday?” asks Noble in the video. “Well, turns out you can do it again today.”
“It’s just physics,” responds Drew.
🧹 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Astronaut Alvin Drew and scientist Sarah Noble respond to the #BroomstickChallenge, showing that basic physics works every day of the year — not just February 10th. pic.twitter.com/4TTbI3mvzd — NASA (@NASA) February 11, 2020
In case you missed the #BroomstickChallenge hype, it began on Monday when someone shared a video on Twitter claiming NASA had said that February 10 was the only day of the year when a broom could stand up on its own “because of the gravitational pull.”
The video then shows the tweeter standing a broom upright on the floor, where it remains even after the person removes her hands.
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Okay so NASA said today was the only day a broom can stand up on its own because of the gravitational pull...I didn’t believe it at first but OMG! 😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/M0HCeemyGt — mk (@mikaiylaaaaa) February 10, 2020
The tweet garnered thousands of responses as others around the globe rushed to grab their brooms and try the trick for themselves.
we had to go test it... pic.twitter.com/DNtkOlLRGd — Dyantá D. Harris (@dyantaatnaydh) February 10, 2020
She just made me mad😂😂😂😂 Twitter this better not work tomorrow 🤣 pic.twitter.com/5tfo91BwSE — THRILLA🅿 (@YaBoiThrilla) February 10, 2020
However, there’s no evidence that NASA had ever said anything about broomsticks, February 10 and gravitational pull until the challenge went viral.
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That’s when NASA pointed out that brooms can stand up on their own any day of the year. A household broom’s center of gravity is low and the bristles often are wide enough to act as a base to support the handle.
NASA Earth’s account also tweeted about the challenge in response to NASA’s master account, explaining that “there’s no special gravity that only affects brooms.”
There’s no special gravity that only affects brooms, but the Moon’s gravity creates tides on Earth. Thanks, @NASAMoon! #BroomstickChallenge 🌑🌊🌊🌊 https://t.co/5XryZ4SfmH — NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) February 11, 2020
As a CNN video from 2012 explains, the broom myth is a variation of an old wives’ tale that eggs can balance on their ends only on the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. Like brooms, eggs can always do that.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Eminem Tries To Explain Why He Randomly Performed At The Oscars

I kinda figured maybe since I didn’t get a chance to do it at the time, maybe it would be cool. Back then, I never even thought that I had a chance to win, and we had just performed “Lose Yourself” on the Grammys with The Roots a couple of weeks before the Oscars, so we didn’t think it was a good idea. And also, back at that time, the younger me didn’t really feel like a show like that would understand me.
But then when I found out I won, “That’s crazy!” That to me shows how authentic and real that award is — when you don’t show up and you still win. That makes it very real to me.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Oscars Bosses Speak Out After 'In Memoriam' Tributes Leave Out Luke Perry And Cameron Boyce

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A representative for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has spoken out about the notable absences during the “In Memoriam” tributes at this year’s Oscars.
During Sunday night’s Academy Awards, organisers took a moment to honour those from the film industry who had died in the last 12 months, accompanied by a live performance of The Beatles’ Yesterday by Billie Eilish.
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However, shortly after the performance, many noticed there were a couple of stars who had been missed off the list, namely Luke Perry and former Disney star Cameron Boyce.
The Academy has now responded to the stars’ absences, claiming not only that leaving them out was deliberate, but that it was done due to time constraints.
Beverly Hills 90210 and Riverdale star Luke Perry Monica Schipper via Getty Images
“[We receive] hundreds of requests to include loved ones and industry colleagues in the Oscars ‘In Memoriam’ segment,” they said.
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“An executive committee representing every branch considers the list and makes selections for the telecast based on limited available time. All the submissions are included on Oscar.com.”
Both Cameron and Luke are featured on the extended list of tributes on the Oscars’ website, as are long-time Sesame Street cast member Caroll Spinney, Bonnie & Clyde actor Michael J. Pollard and horror star Sid Haig, who were all left out of the tributes in the live broadcast.
Cameron Boyce Young Hollywood via Getty Images
Luke Perry’s absence was particularly surprising, as his final on-screen role was a small part in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, which was nominated for 10 Oscars this year, including Best Picture.
Check out the full list of winners from this year’s Oscars here.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Kelvin Fletcher’s Wife Insists There’s ‘No Drama’ After Strictly Star Is Pictured On Night Out With

Kelvin Fletcher’s Wife Insists There’s ‘No Drama’ After Strictly Star Is Pictured On Night Out With Oti Mabuse

Kelvin Fletcher’s wife Eliza Marsland has explained why she was spotted without her wedding ring after the Strictly Come Dancing champion enjoyed a night out with his dance partner and friend Oti Mabuse.
Eliza was pictured without the ring days after the former Emmerdale actor and professional dancer went for drinks at a central London hotel.
Eliza Marsland and Kelvin Fletcher Eliza Marsland / Instagram
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In an Instagram post shared on Tuesday evening, Eliza insisted there was “no drama” and that she simply wasn’t wearing her wedding ring because it is “heavy”.
“That ring is heavy. It only comes out on special occasions. Oh, and it was fake tan day. #Nodramahere,” she wrote.
Eliza Marsland / Instagram
Kelvin and Eliza married in 2015, and have two children; Marnie, three, and Milo, one.
After he was crowned champ of the BBC One dance show last year, Kelvin has been on the road on the Strictly tour.
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He is partnered with Janette Manrara as Oti films The Greatest Dancer, which she is a judge on.
Kelvin joined the show just days before it began, replacing injured Made In Chelsea star Jamie Laing.
Following his win he thanked Oti for “the most amazing experience of my life,” saying: “I think this show represents everything that is amazing with this country, I think the people personify what is great and it’s just been an absolute privilege.”
Oti, who is married to Romanian dancer Marius Lepure, told him: “I’ve been on this show for five years and I have never ever met any celeb who gives his heart, his soul… for me that is the best gift and the best ending to my year.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Church Of England "Still Institutionally Racist", Says Archbishop Of Canterbury

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby during the Christmas Day service at Canterbury Cathedral. PA Wire/PA Images
The Archbishop of Canterbury has admitted that the Church of England is still “institutionally racist”.
Speaking at the General Synod, the church’s national assembly, Justin Welby said he was “ashamed” of its history of racism.
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The clergyman’s remarks came as members unanimously backed a motion to apologise for racism encountered by “countless” Black, Asian and minority ethnic people since the Windrush migration in 1948.
Many sought to worship at the Church of England and were met with hostility.
“Personally, I am sorry and ashamed. I’m ashamed of our history and I’m ashamed of our failure. I’m ashamed of our lack of witness to Christ,” Welby said.
“We did not do justice in the past, we do not do justice now, and unless we are radical and decisive in this area in the future, we will still be having this conversation in 20 years time and still doing injustice - the few of us that remain, deservedly.
“We have damaged the Church, we have damaged the image of God and most of all, we have damaged those we victimised, unconsciously very often”.
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Synod has apologised for the racism experienced by black and minority ethnic people in the Church of England since the arrival of the Windrush generation.
Members of #Synod unanimously voted to redouble efforts to combat racism.
Read more:https://t.co/D6gO7zIFKo — The Church of England (@churchofengland) February 11, 2020
Welby’s comments came in response to Synod member Reverend Andrew Moughtin-Mumby, from Southwark Diocese, highlighting the experiences of the family of his parishioner, Doreen Browne.
Her mother, father and sibling were barred in 1961 from entering St Peter’s Church in Walworth, south London, “due to the plain fact of the colour of their black skin”, he said.
“They eventually found a home in a nearby parish church - but we know that many cradle Anglicans from the Caribbean did not, and simply left the church of England: that is a scandal of our own,” he said.
“Doreen’s family suffered a horrible, humiliating racism which still affects Doreen’s relationship with the church even today.”
Moughtin-Mumby had introduced a motion for the Synod to “stamp out” racism with “great effort and urgency”, as well as apologising for past incidents. This move was unanimously backed.
In 2018, former home secretary Sajid Javid issued apologies to Windrush immigrants who wrongly faced deportation. The archbishop drew a comparison, stating that the church had been a “hostile environment” to those people.
During a podcast for The Voice newspaper published earlier this month, columnist and BBC radio broadcaster Dotun Adebayo and Lover’s Rock singer Carroll Thompson, discussed how the rise of Britain’s Black church came as a result of racism in the Church of England.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--8 Of The Best Men's Moisturisers For Dry Skin

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HuffPost UK Louise/HuffPost UK
For some, dry skin is the norm, while for others it can be a result of the cold winter weather, switching between outside and central heating indoors. Either way it’s no fun.
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Rather than just put up with it, ingredients such as ceramides, shea butter and hyaluronic acid are dry skin saviours, replenishing lost moisture and will keep your face smooth, flake-free and comfortable.
Ahead we’ve rounded up the top thirst-quenching moisturisers, from the affordable to the luxurious and everything in between.
HuffPost UK CeraVe Facial Moisturising Lotion, Feel Unique
This budget offering is a great all-rounder for dry skin. It’s a lightweight cream that absorbs quickly and won’t leave you feeling greasy or sticky. It’s particularly geared towards those prone to eczema or atopic dermatitis, so if you fall into the dry to very dry camp, keep a tube of this nearby at all times for a top up.
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HuffPost UK Philosophy ‘Renewed Hope In A Jar’ Water Cream, Debenhams
Dry and dehydrated? Here’s the solution. Think of this as a refreshing ice cold glass of water for your skin every time you apply it. Rich in hyaluronic acid and pineapple extract, it claims to deliver hydration and moisture to parched complexions instantly.
HuffPost UK Weleda Skin Food, Boots
This green tube has been on shop shelves since 1926, and along the way has earned itself a legion of fans, thanks to its rich creamy texture with an oily, beeswax base. Together it serves as not just a brilliant solution to dryness on your face, but it can also be uses on elbows, knees, hands and feet too.
HuffPost UK Shea Ultra Rich Comforting Face Cream, L'Occitane
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L’Occitane have long been using shea butter in its cream, lotions and oils, thanks to its ability to deliver moisture and soften skin. Produced by hand by the women of Burkina Faso in West Africa, a small pot of this cream will alleviate any tightness or discomfort from dry skin. We can’t get enough.
HuffPost UK Indeed Laboratories Hydraluron Moisture Jelly Moisturiser, ASOS
If you prefer something lighter but still effective, this hyaluronic acid based pot is a lightweight jelly texture that does the job just as well. It’s helpfully packaged in a vacuum-packed pot, so you’ll never waste any product. One pump equals one use.
HuffPost UK La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Cream, Look Fantastic
Free from fragrance and alcohol, two known irritants for sensitive skin, this slimline tube suits skin that’s easily inflamed, repairing the skin barrier and keeping flakiness at bay. It’s affordable, too – what more could you want?
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HuffPost UK Curél Intensive Moisture Facial Cream, Boots
Curél Intensive Moisture Facial Cream, Boots, £19.50 Hailing from Japan, Curél is a brand aimed at dry skin sufferers. It has been on UK shelves less than a year, so you’re in good hands with a jar of this comforting cream. Layer on after cleansing your face day and night for a comfortable layer of moisture. Buy it now.
HuffPost UK Darphin 8-Flower Nectar Oil Cream, Space NK


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Bernie Sanders Is The Front-Runner For Democratic Nomination

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Senator Bernie Sanders is the front-runner for the Democratic Party’s nomination to challenge Republican President Donald Trump in November.
Sanders, with a win Tuesday night in New Hampshire and a contested victory in Iowa under his belt, is in the strongest position to seize the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee in July, clearly separating himself from former Vice President Joe Biden, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Senator Elizabeth Warren. He is also the candidate in the field with the second-greatest resources ― in the form of money, staffers and volunteers ― to power his efforts as the campaign continues.
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His strongest potential rivals ― Biden and Warren ― are struggling, and the moderate candidates elevated by the nearly universally white electorates in the first two primary states have demonstrated almost no ability to appeal to the more diverse electorates casting ballots in Nevada, South Carolina and in a host of states on Super Tuesday, on March 3.
In a crowded field, Sanders ― a democratic socialist who long declined to officially join the Democratic Party and is running on a platform of Medicare For All, a massive infrastructure program to combat climate change and a $15 (£11.60) minimum wage ― is assembling a diverse coalition beyond his base of the youngest and most liberal Democratic primary voters, according to public polling.
“We are putting together an unprecedented multicultural, multigenerational political movement,” Sanders told a roaring crowd here at the Southern New Hampshire University Fieldhouse.
A Quinnipiac University poll found him leading the field among “somewhat liberal voters” and placing third among Democrats who considered themselves “moderate or conservative.” He is third among Black voters. Among white voters without a college degree, he has a large lead and is essentially tied for the lead among college-educated white voters. Though the poll does not break out Latino voters, other surveys show him as one of the top two candidates competing for their votes.
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There are still ways the party’s moderate wing could attempt to stop Sanders, and there are weaknesses in his coalition. In the Quinnipiac poll, Sanders is the only candidate with a significant gender gap: He has the support of 32% of men and just 20% of women. And the oldest voters in the field remain resistant to him: His support among voters ages 18 to 34 is nearly seven times greater than his support among voters older than 65. Women make up the majority of the Democratic primary electorate, and the oldest voters turn out at the most reliable levels.
And though Sanders won the most votes in Iowa, Democratic Majority for Israel, a pro-Israel group whose affiliated super PAC ran ads attacking him, asserted that their ad, which questioned Sanders’s electability and health, provided a blueprint for stopping his momentum, noting he performed much worse among voters who decided late.
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has already spent more than $300 million of his own money on the election, obviously dwarfs the financial resources of Sanders. But no other candidate comes close. That will provide Sanders with a potentially key advantage as the race moves into more expensive states, including California, Texas, Massachusetts and Virginia, on Super Tuesday.
Sanders’s other rivals at the moment ― Klobuchar and Buttigieg ― are both poorly positioned to capitalize on Biden’s struggles. Buttigieg, despite months in the national spotlight, is still polling in the single digits among Black voters. Quinnipiac’s poll didn’t find a single Black supporter for Klobuchar.
“This victory is the beginning of the end for Donald Trump.” - Senator Bernie Sanders
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Klobuchar may present a more significant threat than Buttigieg. Unlike Buttigieg, she is only now fully entering the national spotlight, and primary voters who have been following the race only casually could discover her in the coming days. While her fundraising so far has paled in comparison to Buttigieg and Sanders, she has raised $4.5 million in the days since Friday night’s Democratic primary debate. Her campaign plans to deploy additional staffers to Nevada, South Carolina and key Super Tuesday states.
But if the race does turn into a showdown between Bloomberg and Sanders, there’s evidence most Democratic voters would lean in Sanders’s direction. He’s the top second choice of Warren supporters and is essentially tied with Bloomberg as the top second choice of Biden supporters, according to Quinnipiac’s poll. And Democrats’ views of Sanders ― 76% view him favourably, while just 18% have a negative opinion ― are more positive than those of Bloomberg. Just 58% have a positive opinion of the former mayor.
And on the key questions that Democratic primary voters are weighing, Sanders performs well. He’s the candidate most trusted on health care, the No. 1 issue for both primary and general election voters. Despite moderate Democrats’ worries about his ability to win over swing voters, most Democrats believe he is capable of beating Trump ― and public polling on a Sanders vs. Trump race backs them up.
“This victory is the beginning of the end for Donald Trump,” Sanders told the crowd, who respond with a chant of “Bernie beats Trump! Bernie beats Trump!”
Front-runner status after two states does not guarantee a victory. Bloomberg’s money, or Klobuchar’s momentum or Biden’s deep ties to Black voters could all, in one way or another, prove too much for Sanders to overcome.
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Even as Sanders was delivering his victory speech, another potential obstacle was appearing: A powerful union in Nevada, the next state to vote, was signalling opposition to his candidacy and his push for “Medicare for All.”
And the results in Iowa and New Hampshire did little to winnow the field. The only candidates to leave the race after the first primary results so far are Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and entrepreneur Andrew Yang. Neither attracted significant support. The crowded field, where both surging candidates like Klobuchar and Buttigieg and seemingly fading ones like Warren and Biden could be in a position to grab delegates in three weeks, is likely to lead to an extended primary battle.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--These 16 Introvert Tweets Say It All About Loving Alone Time

I’m here at the airport and just walked by Mandy Patinkin (for real) and he was making arrangements with some friend on the phone and said “what time is brunch on Sunday and more importantly what time is it over” and I’ve never related as much to a celebrity in my life.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--This Sex Toy Is The Best (And Worst) Gift My Husband Ever Gave Me

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drante via Getty Images
You’re reading How To Get Off, our series celebrating bodies, pleasure and fantasy.
In an effort to spice things up, my husband accidentally gave me the best and worst present ever: the Bed Geek Hand Held Wand Massager. This toy is so efficient, I have since gifted it to all of my best female friends, too.
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I don’t know about you, but back in my early twenties, I simply had no clue how to pleasure myself. There were no YouTube tutorials and any search for a ‘vaginal how-to’ would immediately lead you down an internet rabbit hole of things you could never unsee. Nobody even talked about female masturbation. We chatted incessantly about boyfriends and hook-ups, but never about flicking the bean. It simply didn’t occur to me I could enjoy sex by myself!
Due to a lack of masturbatory education, I wrongly assumed sex couldn’t be a solo pursuit. That is, until my husband gifted me the massager of my dreams.
I’m a ‘yes’ woman. My partner and I have never been afraid to experiment in the bedroom. We’ve played around with the occasional sex toy here and there, but the Bed Geek Wand Massager has taken our bedroom game to another level.
What’s so great about it, you say? Dildos have always been a bit crass in my opinion, and the older magic wands I’ve come across are overly bulky and many not even cordless (imagine). I actually had an ex-roommate receive one of them as a gift, which she mistakenly thought was a head massager. Not sexy at all.
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However, the Bed Geek Wand Massager is small, compact, and made with medical grade silicone finish. And despite its size, it certainly does the trick.
With its range of different vibration frequencies, you don’t need to awkwardly roam about to find ‘just the right spot’ because this Wand Massager hits all of them. Always. Heck – it even taught both me and my husband a few new tricks in the bedroom.
Bed Geek The Bed Geek Wand Massager
My Bed Geek now lives in my bedside drawer. As I’ve grown older and busier, I’ve learned to appreciate the value of showing myself some love whenever I so damn please. I never thought I could be my own favourite sexual partner; and that I could do it in sweats, with no makeup, and without worrying about my weird facial expressions, too. At the very least, it helps me sleep better at night. At best, this little toy has given me a new kind of sexual liberation, one that relies on no-one else but myself. And I must say – that certainly feels good.
I’m writing this with my husband right beside me. He still has mixed feelings about his gift of all gifts, but I’m glad to be with someone secure enough to let me fly solo (sometimes).
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These days, whenever my girlfriends and I get together and dish about each other’s sex lives, I just wait for the right moment to wax lyrical about my favourite vibrating companion in conversation.
Single and unhappy about the prospects on Tinder? Tired of receiving the same unsolicited dick pics? Long distance relationship? I simply click ‘add to basket’, and rest well knowing I’ve helped another friend discover they can be their own favourite sexual partner too.
Getty / HuffPost
How To Get Off is our answer to Valentine’s Day, celebrating bodies, pleasure and fantasy – whatever your relationship status. We’ll be exploring what really gets us off in 2020, looking at sexual awakenings, toys and erotica, and real-life experience.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Yes, Disabled People Can Have Sex. So Why Doesn't Anyone Teach Us How?

HuffPost UK
You’re reading How To Get Off, our series celebrating bodies, pleasure and fantasy. The horizontal tango (variations in different time signatures are available) is the rhythm that keeps us ticking. It’s even written into the Human Rights Act – Article 8, to be precise.
That should mean I, and any other disabled person, have as much a right to a pleasurable private life as anyone else, so why is it that when anyone with an impairment sticks their head over the parapet and says ‘I’ll have me some of that, where do I sign up?’ do those expressions of ecstasy one links to ‘doing it’ turn to ones of bewilderment and barely concealed disgust?
In my experience it all begins at school, where putting a condom on a banana is perfectly normal yet discussing disability in a sex education lesson isn’t, thereby keeping the myth that people with impairments are asexual beings well and truly alive. Not only are people like me unwelcome at the party, it seems, it’s like we were never even on the guest list.
“I was never under the impression that my wobbly frame was going to drive the teenage girls of North London wild...”
My own perfunctory ‘health’ lessons at a school for kids with disabilities in the 80s taught me the basics, but the bodies on display in the textbooks and on screens looked nothing like the models inhabited by my classmates or I – and looking at some of the positions they were in, ours weren’t going to perform like them either. I have cerebral palsy, a condition which affects my coordination and fine motor skills, so the idea of trying the ‘rowing boat’ from the Kama Sutra is a no go. I can’t carry a drink, so contortions are out. My mind, though, remains very flexible.
I was never under the impression that my wobbly frame was going to drive the teenage girls of North London wild but the lack of help made me doubt, even resent, my physical self and left me with no idea of how to interact with the opposite sex. Nothing about me being a sexual being who might like to formulate some sort of meaningful contact with a fellow human at any stage of my life emerged in ‘health’ lessons.
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My parents never broached the subject with me, either. Mum was schooled a Catholic, with all the guilt around sex that comes with that particular package firmly in place. Dad, very much a ‘man’s man’, was different: ‘Swedish Sluts 7 is in the top wardrobe boy, copy it when your mother’s out’ (the dual VHS set up in my room was way beyond him) in a surreptitious whisper just about covered it. Both just assumed that their brash metalhead son was filling his boots at the never-ending stream of gigs and clubs they were sponsoring. He wasn’t.
The parents of a former partner with a significant physical impairment, too, couldn’t process the notion that their attractive 21-year-old daughter might want to do a bit more than smile sweetly at yours truly – they actively blocked our attempts at getting me to stay over. For both of us, this was absolutely bewildering and frustrating, I had this gorgeous woman sat there and her parents hadn’t quite grasped, or didn’t want to, the fact that their daughter had entered womanhood. Fortunately, her support worker was far more enlightened, and far more willing, and facilitated our needs – normally by driving us to her flat and then, once we were settled, realising that her fridge was empty, said ‘I reckon it’ll take me a good two hours to go shopping.’ Well, you can’t rush buying the right produce, can you?
All this meant it took ages for me to gain confidence in myself as a sexual entity. I have my wife to thank for that, plus a one off encounter with a non-disabled woman the day after David Beckham’s sending off in World Cup ’98. Head down and straw very clearly in pint, resplendent in my uniform of combats, trainers and Machine Head t-shirt I was suddenly asked “is this seat taken?” It certainly was by the time I looked up to see a tall, very attractive brunette asking the question.
“Most people are embarrassed by what their peers would say if they went for ‘a disabled’.”
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After a couple of hours chat – in which my shirt and groove metal was explained, Beckham’s idiocy dissected – she got up to leave. I remained in situ, ready to say what a nice time I’d had, and so on. However, when you’re single, sexually malnourished and an attractive woman looks at you and says “Well, I can’t fuck myself, can I?” you tend to follow her. She laughed at the notion of my impairment being any issue at all. “It’s definitely working, let’s do it,” I remember her saying. So we did – with no complaints, no issues and a few ego inflating compliments.
The takeaway from my story is that good education should create rounded, informed individuals. Could you imagine the furore if you left school not knowing the alphabet, not having been taught how to add up or write a sentence? No? So why should sex and disability be any less a part of everyone’s education than the three ‘Rs’ and schoolboy stupidity? There are no good reasons for omitting this from a curriculum, and tons of positive ones for promoting the positive sexual identity of people with impairments. If, as well as Pythagoras’ theorem, my right to a status as a sexual being had been drummed into me as a teenager I would maybe have felt I actually could have had some fun with the blonde in my sixth form maths class. Maybe I would have had the confidence to have suggested something highly improper with the two best friends at uni. Maybe I could even have just stood up to her parents and stayed the night with my girlfriend.
The notion that it is just people with impairments needing greater education on sex and disability is only part of it. How about letting a few of ‘nature’s imperfections’ shine? What’s wrong with a leg that isn’t straight, or a hand that doesn’t always respond as it ‘should’? The latter may even deliver a welcome surprise or two. Most people are embarrassed by what their peers would say if they went for ‘a disabled’.
Maybe ‘they’ think we’ll steal ‘their’ men and women if the secret gets out.
Dan Batten is a disability awareness trainer with the charity Enhance The UK
Have a compelling personal story you want to tell? Find out what we’re looking for here, and pitch us on ukpersonal@huffpost.com
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--I’m A Plus-Size Woman Of Colour. Posing Nude In Front Of Strangers Helped My Self-Esteem

HuffPost UK Courtesty of the author
The day after I turned 24, I came across a Facebook post from an acquaintance that simply read: “Urgent nude modeling gig tonight.” They then proceeded to explain that they were feeling a bit under the weather and needed to find a replacement for their gig as a live model for an art class that was set to start in only a matter of hours.
It would be paid, the person stressed, and after quickly checking my dwindling bank account, I began to seriously contemplate the possibility. I had promised myself that I would take risks and learn from new experiences this year, and here was one appearing out of nowhere, a mere 24 hours after my birthday.
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With that final thought, I commented back, “I could do it.” Within moments, all the details regarding this commitment were forwarded to me, and I was on my way home to quickly shower before my grand debut.
I have always been aware of my body. Growing up as a young black woman, my then-size two body was the subject of many uncomfortable conversations. My classmates and teachers used to whisper about me in the halls, voicing their worries in quiet tones. My family was considered low-income, and I know that people believed that my thinness was because of our financial situation.
My grandmother would look at me, questioning how it was possible that I wasn’t gaining weight as fast as she thought that I needed to. Black grandmothers show their love through cooking. I was expected to finish every meal whether I was hungry or not. I was constantly eating, but nothing was happening. I honestly believed that I was lucky. Maybe I was. Then, suddenly, I wasn’t.
I began to take up more and more space, and as I became more and more aware of it, my self-esteem, which was already incredibly low, hit rock-bottom. I wasn’t gaining weight in the places that were socially acceptable. My body didn’t look like any of the ones you see today on Instagram models. Their images showcase flat tummies, wide hips, big breasts that threaten to spill out of their bathing suits. My body displayed a tummy that threatened to spill over my jeans; my thighs expanded, straining to allow clothing to fit over them. Dresses had to be pulled over my head after I said a quick prayer to the fashion gods.
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In my mind, I truly began to believe that my weight was one of the biggest issues holding me back. Men didn’t find me attractive because of it. I wasn’t moving up at my workplace because I didn’t look like the petite women that proudly paraded around. I was changing sizes monthly, and I was ashamed every morning when I got dressed, seeing beautiful dresses that I had only worn once crammed into the back of the closet, collecting dust.
I walked into the building and found the teacher quickly because she was another woman of colour. She excitedly mentioned that this class hadn’t seen too many people of colour disrobe before and that she knew I would make a good model. She also mentioned that she wanted her class to be able to draw all sorts of bodies: big ones, small ones, disabled ones. No two bodies look exactly the same. My size 18 doesn’t always look like another woman’s size 18, and that’s okay. In the end, everybody deserves to see themselves represented.
“I had promised myself that I would take risks and learn from new experiences this year, and here was one appearing out of nowhere, a mere 24 hours after my birthday.”
I stepped into the bathroom to disrobe. I took a few breaths, staring at myself in the mirror, and gave myself a little pep talk. I told myself that this was a cool experience and that, hey, maybe one day I’d get a story or two out of it.
With that in mind, I undressed. My underwear came last, a pair that had been carefully selected even though there had been no need to do so. I did keep my cardigan because the instructor remarked that having a jacket of some sort would make me feel more comfortable, especially when the class took a break and I would suddenly realise that I was the only naked one in the room. I took one last breath and stepped into the room. The light was bright and there was music playing softly in the background.
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I quickly noticed that I was the only black woman in the classroom, and one of two people of colour. I was also one of the biggest. I shifted my weight back and forth. I suddenly became very aware of my pubic hair. Should I have shaved it even though it felt like it had always been a part of me?
Was I ashy? I remembered that I had pumped half a bottle of lotion in my hands to lather myself before I left the house. Everything was fine, and frankly, I needed to stop thinking.
There was only a small handful of students present, but they all looked fairly eager to get started. The class would last about three hours. I would pose in intervals, 30 minutes being the longest block of time. I needed to stay still for the entirety of my pose, so it would be best to choose poses that weren’t too complex. I had never done this before, so there wasn’t any pressure. After ensuring that we were all on the same page, the instructor set the timer and we began.
Posing was difficult, but we made it work. I was constantly listening to my body, understanding that some poses, no matter how beautiful they appeared in my imagination, just weren’t doable and that was fine. I also wasn’t allowed to move my eyes, so there was a lot of staring off into space and being one with my thoughts. I kept myself awake by creating mental to-do lists.
When the class ended, the instructor asked me if I wanted to come and see myself through the eyes of the students. I said sure, and I stepped forward. My eyes fell onto the students’ papers and I felt immense shame. From the size of my stomach to the circumference of my areolas, every part of my body looked massive. Is this how they really saw me? Did everyone see me like this?
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The students watched me with unwavering, proud eyes, and I told them that the pieces were lovely, because they truly were. They had put great care into their pieces and their patience showed. I took a photo of one of the drawings (I had been lying down on my back with my legs propped up for this pose), thanked them for their time, accepted my payment and left.
Photo Courtesy of Katherine D. Morgan The photo from the class, censored for Instagram.
As my Lyft driver took me home, I clicked open the photo again, hoping to see it through different eyes. I noticed that my skin looked very smooth. The folds of my belly looked very soft and realistic. Yes, my areolas looked big, but I loved my breasts, so that was okay. Then a funny thing happened: The more imperfections I saw, the more I liked them. It was the first step that I ever took toward being gentle with myself.
I waited until the next day to post the photo, drawing a line to cover my breasts so the photo wouldn’t get flagged for nudity. Soon, the comments came flooding in, with my friends remarking that I was so brave for doing that and how they could never.
I honestly think that I was more broke than brave, but maybe that’s neither here nor there. Maybe I was brave just because I showed up and stood in that white, bright, chilly room, naked in front of a group of strangers who were seeing my body as a piece of art for a few hours out of their lives. I had lived with this body for 24 years and I had never been as kind to her as they had been, and they didn’t even know me.
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They didn’t know the sharp barking sound of my laughter when I think something is extremely funny. They didn’t know what my face looks like when I am truly angry about something. They had never seen me cry in a fitting room as I struggled to get a pair of pants above my thighs or a dress to fit over my stomach. Yet they had immortalised me with gentleness.
I kept that photo, even though I don’t look at it too often. I am not always patient with myself, but every day I try a little bit harder to get there. I still take chances, even when the pressure is looming over me and my expectations are low. I still show up because I deserve to be seen in all my glory, imperfections and all.
This article first appeared on HuffPost US Personal.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Birth Diaries: 'My Baby Was Breech But I Gave Birth Naturally. Here's How''

HuffPost UK
In HuffPost Birth Diaries we hear the extraordinary stories of the everyday miracle of birth. This week, Amanda Jones shares her story. If you’d like to share yours, email amy.packham@huffpost.com.
There was never any indication that my baby was going to be breech. My pregnancy was completely normal and I ended up going over by two weeks.
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I went into labour – finally – while waiting to be induced at the hospital. I was so pleased it was happening naturally and things seemed to progress quickly. This was unlike my son, four years prior, who took forever to come out.
I had a sense of optimism. “I can do this!” I told myself. They broke my waters and examined me – and that’s when they (and I) found out my daughter was breech. Usually, they’d pick up this sort of thing in pregnancy and book you in for a C-section, but I never had any indication of it.
The midwife told me my daughter was bum first, so doctors could have been feeling her bottom during examinations and thinking it was her head. They scanned me to be 100% sure and confirmed it.
This was five hours into my labour.
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I had a choice, then, to have a C-section or natural birth. I asked for the latter as bum first, I was told, was easier to birth than feet first. Also, the doctor on duty was a specialist in delivering breech babies so it gave me confidence. I really didn’t want a C-section, anyway – so when they said there was no reason I had to have one, I made my decision (despite my husband being worried).
I had to sign a document, basically to say I knew what I was letting myself in for. After that, labour carried on normally. I was progressing about a centimetre an hour and everyone around me was positive. That was, until she got stuck.
Quite a few hours had gone by and they were worried I’d been pushing without anything happening. Suddenly, a C-section was on the cards again. I was given an epidural and rushed into theatre, but when they started prepping me for surgery, they found out my daughter was already too far down the birth canal for a C-section.
“You’ve got to get her out right now,” they said to me – and I had to deliver her there and then, in the theatre.
From that moment, I closed my eyes and didn’t open them once. I was holding on to the rail on the bed and remember vividly hearing them tell my husband to sit down as apparently looked like he was about to pass out. I don’t even know how I did it – but I managed to summon the energy to keep pushing.
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HuffPost UK Amanda Jones and her daughter.
There were loads of people in the room, shouting at me to get her out. Keep pushing! You can do it! You really need to push! And, 11 hours after going into labour, my daughter was born.
Physically, the birth felt no different to my son at all, despite her coming out bum first. It just felt normal, like a totally normal birth. I guess it wasn’t really until the day after that I realised what I’d managed to achieve. A few midwives and other staff came to see us both on the ward and kept saying, “Here she is, you’re the breech delivery! We wanted to come and see you!”
It was like being a celebrity in hospital! I had so many people coming to me, telling me it was rare for someone to birth a breech baby naturally. It was then I realised what I’d done was pretty massive.
Recovery went well, but I thought about the birth a lot more when I left hospital. It had been quite traumatic. I realised I’d been in so much pain, more than I’d ever experienced, but that I managed to get through it. I thought about it a lot. But I was so glad everything went okay.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-13--Asthma Is Getting In The Way Of Good Sex. But It Doesn't Have To

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There are plenty of barriers to good sex: finding the right time and place, being in the right headspace, oh, and having someone to actually do it with. But for the 4.3 million UK adults living with asthma, there can be a bigger hurdle.
Sammi Standley, 25, says her asthma led to the break down of her previous relationship, after her ex said that it was “driving a wedge” between them. “After we broke up, I was scared to let someone in because I thought they would judge me for my asthma,” says the care worker from Southampton.
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She’s not alone in her experience. A survey of more than 2,000 people with asthma found the condition got in the way of nearly half of their sex lives.
“There is no sex in our house,” one anonymous respondent said. “I’ve been intubated and ventilated 25 times and resuscitated twice. I get breathless taking my clothes off.” Another participant said they felt “too wheezy to be in the mood”, while someone else said that even breathing through their nose when kissing was a challenge.
When Standley met her current partner, she initially hid her symptoms from him, but soon realised it was almost impossible to cover them up. Since she has told him about her asthma, he’s been there for her, she says – even in the ambulance and resuscitation room.
“There are times when he feels more like my carer than my partner, and sometimes I’m too tired or poorly to be intimate with him. But when I feel well, we make up for it,” she says. “Asthma is a part of me and because he loves me, we have been able to keep the romance alive.”
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Koldunova_Anna via Getty Images
Asthma UK’s survey found that 54% of participants have had to stop having sex because of their asthma, while one in 10 participants have had an actual asthma attack during sex. One in three people said asthma makes them less sexually confident, while a quarter have changed sex positions to ease their breathing.
What to do if you have an asthma attack during sex: Sit up straight. Take one puff of your reliever inhaler every 30-60 seconds and if you don’t feel better after 10 puffs, call 999.
Dr Andy Whittamore, clinical lead at Asthma UK, said: “If you find your symptoms are dampening the mood during a date or spoiling your sex life, it could be a sign that your asthma is not well managed.”
So, how can you manage it?
Basic management of asthma should be something you think about daily, not just before having sex. A 2019 study exploring the impact of severe asthma on intimacy concluded that healthcare professionals should be addressing this sensitive topic with patients, helping them to adopt positive strategies. Dr Whittamore recommends the following:
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:: Take your preventer medicine every day as prescribed, even if you feel well.
:: Go for regular asthma reviews.
:: Make sure you always take your reliever inhaler out with you in case you do have asthma symptoms.
:: Don’t feel embarrassed about going to your GP if your condition is impacting your sex life.
When it comes to sex, there are things you can be doing to make it easier and stress-free. Like exercise, sex can be a trigger for some people with asthma. Remember that sex doesn’t have to be vigorous – it can be slow and intimate.
Talk about your asthma before sleeping with someone. That could be as easy as saying: “I’m leaving my inhaler by the bed in case I need it.” Keep it nearby, just in case, and if you start to struggle during sex, be honest and say you need to stop for a moment. If you feel uncomfortable, try switching positions so your chest isn’t weighed down. Both of you could lie on your sides, either facing each other or with one partner behind.
Steer clear of additional triggers. Perfume or scented candles triggered asthma symptoms in more than half of people, while red roses can cause symptoms to flare up in almost a quarter)of people. Latex in condoms can also be a trigger.
Enjoy yourself. Stress can actually trigger asthma, so worrying about you symptoms during sex can, frustratingly, set them off. It’s a vicious cycle. So though easier said than done, try to relax and enjoy the moment. And if you don’t feel well enough to have sex, don’t ever feel like you have to do it.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Cabinet Reshuffle: Here's All The News And Rumours On Who's In And Who's Out

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Cabinet reshuffle latest:
Earlier predictions
Boris Johnson will on Thursday finally reshuffle his cabinet in what feels like the longest-awaited ministerial shake-up for some time.
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The prime minister is expected to sack some female cabinet ministers but it is understood that women including Anne-Marie Trevelyan are in line for a promotion.
There will be no overall reduction in the number of women in cabinet - currently seven out of 22 - Downing Street sources have indicated.
And expectations of a Dominic Cummings-inspired radical reshaping of the cabinet and government have long subsided, with the most senior ministers expected to hang on to their jobs.
Johnson’s chief of staff doesn’t seem to care anyway, saying cartoon characters could do a better job.
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So who’s in and who’s out, according to the rumour mill?
In line for the sack
With Brexit “done”, there is much less need for a Leave-supporting cabinet to back the PM in battles with Remainers who wanted to soften or even stop Brexit.
Accordingly, it is Brexiteers in a Leave-heavy cabinet who look most likely to be culled.
The bombastic Geoffrey Cox is widely tipped to lose his attorney general job, with Downing Street said to have grown tired of his grandstanding. He could however get some form of a reprieve if he is sent to head up Johnson’s commission to reform the judiciary.
Attorney general Geoffrey Cox chats with Defence secretary Ben Wallace outside No.10. Both are tipped for the sack ASSOCIATED PRESS
Business secretary Andrea Leadsom is also widely expected to get the sack after warning of the dangers of a “male-dominated environment” around the cabinet table, in what will have been seen as a last-ditch attempt to save her job.
Environment secretary Theresa Villiers equally looks almost certain to get the boot with various Tories keen for her brief at Defra, a previously unglamorous department that will become absolutely key now that Britain has left the EU.
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Trade secretary Liz Truss was another woman thought to be at risk but Johnson namechecked her in his big Brexit speech last week, leading some to conclude she could be moved rather than sacked.
Work and pensions secretary Therese Coffey could also be on the way out but equally she may be given more time to prove herself, having only got the job in September.
Defence secretary Ben Wallace is a long-term friend of Johnson but was vocally opposed to the PM’s decision to grant Chinese tech giant Huawei a role in British 5G infrastructure and could go.
Jacob Rees-Mogg has been hidden away from the public since he suggested Grenfell tower victims lacked common sense during the general election, but he is not being as widely tipped for the sack from his Commons leader post as you might expect.
Baroness Nicky Morgan is also definitely on the way out of her culture secretary job, having confirmed as much last week.
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So who’s going to replace them?
Trevelyan is certain to be promoted to the cabinet and No.10 sources have indicated that Suella Braverman and Gillian Keegan will complete a trio of women in line for promotions, although the latter two may come in below the top level.
Oliver Dowden and Alok Sharma will also be promoted.
Defence minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan is definitely getting promoted PA
Away from the dead certs, Steve Barclay looks likely to return after he led successful negotiations with Brussels but saw his Brexit secretary role scrapped on EU exit day.
Barclay has been tipped as a potential replacement for Villiers at Defra, but a number of other ministers appear to want the job.
Chief whip Mark Spencer, who has a farming business, is thought to be one of those pushing for the job, while Chris Pincher might replace him in turn as Johnson’s head of party discipline.
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Justice minister Lucy Frazer has been tipped for promotion and is a potential candidate for Cox’s job.
The Telegraph reported that Chloe Smith was in line for a “minister for the union” job while Nusrat Ghani, already a transport minister, could land the new HS2 minister role.
Victoria Atkins, Helen Whateley and Kwasi Kwarteng have also been mentioned as potential promotion candidates.
Johnson also needs to find someone to run the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow after sacking previous president Claire Perry O’Neill.
Michael Gove has been mentioned as a candidate, but will he really take a job rejected by David Cameron and William Hague?
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Zac Goldsmith might be a better bet, while Gove could get a beefed up role in the next stage of Brexit trade talks.
Rishi Sunak is almost constantly tipped for big things but is now widely expected to stay in his chief secretary to the Treasury job.
What about lower down the ranks?
Johnson will attempt to create a pipeline for female talent to reach the cabinet by ensuring a 50-50 gender balance at the most junior ministerial level - parliamentary under secretary of state.
He will also ensure that at least 60% of the so-called “bag carrier” PPS non-ministerial jobs are held by female MPs, and will promote those from the 2017 and 2019 intakes to make a dramatic increase from the current 18%.
A No.10 source said: “The prime minister wants this reshuffle to set the foundations for government now and in the future.
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“He wants to promote a generation of talent that will be promoted further in the coming years.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Is Rebecca Long-Bailey Underpriced To Win The Labour Leadership Race?

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🔖 Rebecca Long-Bailey has moved to put ‘clear red water’ between herself and Keir Starmer in the Labour leadership race - by committing to keep Jeremy Corbyn’s pledges on taxing the rich, banning arms sales, tackling climate change and ending the gender pay gap. Read the full interview »
Long-Bailey, wrong price?
Have the pundits, the bookies, the PLP and the pollsters all got it wrong again? As far as the Labour leadership election is concerned, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s a foregone conclusion and that Keir Starmer is moving inexorably to a coronation on April 4.
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But it’s perfectly possible that despite all of the impressive endorsements and nominations the shadow Brexit secretary has received to date, his lead over Rebecca Long-Bailey is not as huge as some have assumed.
The bookmakers’ odds certainly seem to underprice the Salford and Eccles MP, putting her on 12/1 against, compared to an impossible-to-back 1/8 on for Starmer (Lisa Nandy is on 16/1 against, while Emily Thornberry is the Grand National rank outsider on 125/1).
As I discovered in our interview (watch the full video at the bottom of our story HERE), Long-Bailey certainly believes she is going to win the race (“obviously”, as she put it). Why such confidence? Well, although Starmer now has 312 nominations from constituency Labour parties (CLPs) to her mere 138, she suggested this was misleading in two ways.
First, she often came a close second in these votes. Second, those CLP meetings simply fail to capture the views of more than a ‘tiny’ proportion of the mass membership, she said. In her own seat, just 100 out of 2,000 members turned up for the nomination meeting. “So a lot of people that you’re trying to reach won’t be active party members. They’ll be political, but they won’t be directly involved in your party locally,” she told me.
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Even the Starmer camp accept that maybe only 10% of more than half a million members actually turn up to these CLP meetings. And it’s possible that as soon as Long-Bailey got on the final ballot thanks to Unite and other big union backing, usual stay-at-home members again stayed at home because they saw no need to turn up to nominate her twice.
The counter case is that many of those who haven’t turned up to local meetings are the 100,000 new members who signed up since the election catastrophe on December 12. Anecdotally, they are seen as ‘time for change’ members who are unlikely to back Long-Bailey. Equally anecdotally, Starmer is drawing support in the nomination meetings from Jeremy Corbyn loyalists and they’re not some centrist stitch-up of the most active old guard locally.
It’s also true that Long-Bailey’s twin strengths, Momentum and Unite, may not be as solid as they appear. Momentum has only a tenth of the party’s total membership, and Unite members are not one big homogenous lump (some quite like the look of Nandy and Starmer). The TV debates, the first of which is on Newsnight tonight, could shift things in either direction too.
And yet for all that, there may well be many more Long-Bailey supporters out there than is commonly supposed. In some ways she has actually grown in the leadership race (a bit like Nandy) because she has been given more exposure than ever before, whereas Starmer is already a known quantity. She’s funnier, sparkier and more confident than many of her critics assumed.
Some allies of Starmer still believe the odds are not wrong and he will win by a big margin, possibly even on first preferences. But others fear Long-Bailey is not far behind at all. Her latest attempt to outflank him - by sticking firmly to the manifesto pledges on the gender pay gap, 2030 net zero, arms sales bans and specific tax rates - is another bid to reassure the membership that she won’t junk the Corbynism they all admired.
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One Survation poll (though seen as flawed) even gave Long-Bailey the lead last month. The only true picture will probably emerge when the next YouGov poll emerges (I’m told panel members have been asked in recent days about the leadership so perhaps we can expect one soon). If the polling confirms Starmer’s earlier lead, he will breathe a sigh of relief. But if there’s movement for either Long-Bailey or Nandy, the bookies will need to change those long odds.
Quote Of The Day
“I had Angela’s last Pot Noodle the other day..And she said that’s fine, what’s mine is yours.”
Rebecca Long-Bailey reveals flatmate Angela Rayner’s everyday socialism.
Wednesday Cheat Sheet
Cabinet ministers were braced for the sack, and junior ministers for promotion ahead of tomorrow’s reshuffle. Defence secretary Ben Wallace sounded defiant on death row, saying “I’m a veteran, I’m a northern MP, I was actually in the army. So I think all those hopefully qualify me”.
The House of Commons approved all stages of the emergency terrorism legislation drafted after the Streatham knife attacks. It now moves to the Lords after February half-term.
Labour expelled 25 of its members in a single day over anti-semitism allegations, party sources have confirmed.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps said that HS2 could run slower north of Birmingham to cut costs. He also said the sale of petrol and diesel cars could be brought forward to 2032, three years earlier than proposed.
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The British government has suspended its £4.7m funding of the Commonwealth Secretariat, the BBC revealed, until its secretariat improves its financial procedures.
Outgoing culture secretary Nicky Morgan revealed that Ofcom will be put in charge of regulating the internet. Online giants face big fines or prison sentences if they fail to protect users from “harmful and illegal content”.
Attorney general Geoffrey Cox suggested candidates for the Supreme Court could face Canadian-style pre-appointment interviews by a parliamentary committee of MPs.
What I’m Reading
Why This Reshuffle Won’t Be Easy - Paul Harrison
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Send tips, stories, quotes, pics, plugs or gossip to waugh.zone@huffpost.com.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Questions Raised Over Boris Johnson's £15,000 Caribbean Holiday

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Questions have been raised over Boris Johnson’s new year Caribbean holiday after a wealthy businessman denied he gifted the PM the £15,000 break.
According to details recorded in Johnson’s entry in the Commons’ register of members’ interests, the prime minister and girlfriend Carrie Symonds accepted accommodation for a private holiday in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
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It stated the gift was from David Ross, a Tory donor who co-founded the Carphone Warehouse chain.
But the Daily Mail reported a spokesman for Ross insisting he was not the owner of the villa and had not paid for Johnson’s stay.
Under the heading “nature and value of benefit in kind (or amount of any donation)”, Johnson’s entry in the register stated: “Accommodation for a private holiday for my partner and me, value £15,000.”
The private holiday lasted from December 26 to January 5, according to the entry in the register.
It provided Johnson with a break after the election campaign which saw him win a Conservative landslide.
Boris Johnson and his girlfriend Carrie Symonds at Downing Street Yui Mok - PA Images via Getty Images
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At the time Johnson and Symonds went on holiday, it was reported they were visiting the private island Mustique.
A spokesman for Ross told the Mail: “Boris Johnson did not stay in David Ross’s house.
“Boris wanted some help to find somewhere in Mustique, David called the company who run all the villas and somebody had dropped out.
“So Boris got the use of a villa that was worth £15,000, but David Ross did not pay any monies whatsoever for this.”
A Number 10 spokeswoman earlier said: “All transparency requirements have been followed, as set out in the register of members’ financial interests.”
Labour’s shadow cabinet office minister Jon Trickett said: “Boris Johnson must come clean about who has paid for his luxury trip.
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“If he fails to do so, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards should step in and make him fess up.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Coronavirus: Ninth Case Confirmed In UK Is 'First Diagnosis In London'

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A case of coronavirus has been diagnosed in London for the first time, multiple reports have suggested, as health authorities confirmed a ninth person in the UK has tested positive for the virus.
The latest patient to catch the Covid-19 virus was infected while in China, professor Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England, has said.
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They are now being treated at a specialist centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’ in the capital.
In a statement, Whitty said: “One further patient in England has tested positive for novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to nine.
“This virus was passed on in China and the patient has now been transferred to a specialist NHS centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’ in London.”
Eight others in England have already been diagnosed with the virus, which emerged in Wuhan, China.
St Thomas' Hospital in London, where a third person was brought for treatment after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK on Wednesday PA
The ninth diagnosis in the UK came hours after Dr Paul Cosford, from Public Health England, told the BBC more cases of coronavirus in the UK are “highly likely”.
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He said there are a number of “countries of concern” and that people returning from travelling abroad could bring in further cases.
Of the nine people so far diagnosed with coronavirus in the UK, two are GPs.
Officials know that the pair worked at a nursing home, Worthing Hospital A&E and two GP practices between them.
Public Health England (PHE) confirmed on Wednesday it has traced and advised all close contacts of the two GPs, including about 12 patients.
Meanwhile, the quarantine of 83 people being held in Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside is expected to be lifted on Thursday.
All of those in quarantine were flown back from China and taken directly to the hospital after arriving in the UK on January 31.
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News that they will be released from quarantine comes amid reports they have all tested negative for the covid-19 strain of the coronavirus.
A spokesman for the Department of Health said the “quarantine is expected to end tomorrow” but declined to comment on the test results of the patients.
Elsewhere, Steve Walsh, the businessman at the centre of the UK outbreak of coronavirus, has said he is “happy to be home” after being given the all-clear and then discharged from hospital.
Walsh, a 53-year-old scout leader from Hove in East Sussex, contracted coronavirus on a business trip to Singapore – and is linked to five other people diagnosed with it in the UK.
On his way back to the UK from Singapore, he stopped off at a ski region in France, where five other Britons were subsequently infected with coronavirus, now also known as Covid-19.
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Walsh is also linked to a Briton taken ill in Majorca, taking the number of confirmed cases linked to him to 11.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Labour Expelled 25 Members For Anti-Semitism In A Single Day, Party Reveals

Labour Party general secretary Jennie Formby is said to have introduced "robust" new procedures PA
Labour expelled 25 of its members in a single day over anti-Semitism allegations, party sources have confirmed to HuffPost UK.
The expulsions follow reforms that allow officials to fast-track disciplinary procedures and to review cases of social media abuse without the need for full ‘in person’ hearings with those accused.
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The moves come as the party is braced for the outcome of an ongoing statutory investigation by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) into Jew hate with Labour.
The party’s leadership contenders are due to appear at a hustings hosted by the Jewish Labour Movement on Thursday.
And they clashed on Wednesday night at a BBC Newsnight hustings, where Emily Thornberry accused Rebecca Long-Bailey of failing to push for tougher action on anti-Semitism in the shadow cabinet, unlike Keir Starmer and herself.
In a terse exchange during the 50-minute debate, Long-Bailey responded: “I did, I think you’ll find.”
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But Thornberry added: “Sorry, I don’t remember.”
Some of the 25 ex-members were expelled by an NEC (National Executive Committee) panel using the new expulsion powers, which were approved at Labour conference in 2019.
Others were expelled by the National Constitutional Committee (NCC), the party’s main quasi-judicial body for handling disciplinary issues, which reviewed the cases on paper rather than holding a separate hearing for each.
Party sources say that under new guidelines, the NCC hears cases which relate to social media posts on paper rather than conduct full hearings for each case, which are similar to court proceedings and can take days.
One source said: “As a result of significant reforms made since Jennie Formby became general secretary, our procedures are more effective than ever before and more robust than any other political party, and those who engage in anti-Semitism are being swiftly removed from our ranks.”
The party also points to a doubling of the size of the NCC and of staffing resources for tackling anti-Semitism.
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Although there were anti-Semitism complaints and live cases in 2016 and 2017, there were no expulsions in 2016 and only one person was expelled in 2017.
Recent statistics issued by the party last month revealed 45 members were expelled for Jew hatred last year, an increase on the 10 expulsions from 2018.
Allies of Formby say she has updated previously slow, outdated procedures that were sometimes exploited by lawyers for the accused to delay processes, threaten legal action or bring legal challenges.
However critics counter that there was an influx of anti-Semitic members after Jeremy Corbyn became leader and that the lengthy legal delays were encouraged by some of his supporters.
Some former insiders say that the delay in cases heard by the NCC was caused by party staff failing to present related paperwork.
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A source within the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) told HuffPost UK that the announcement appeared timed to give cover to Long-Bailey ahead of their hustings on Thursday.
Long-Bailey has been under fire for not doing enough on the NEC to combat anti-Semitism. She insists she always acted to root out the problem.
“A day before LOTO [the Leader’s office] and Southside’s [Labour HQ] favourite candidate gets a grilling on the party’s abysmal failure to deal with anti-Semitism, the party say they have expelled 25 people,” the JLM source said.
“If they had taken this kind of action four years ago...the EHRC wouldn’t be investigating the Labour Party, and we might have won the general election.
“They have only ever acted against anti-Semites when they’ve been forced to. This is far too little, far too late.”
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At the JLM hustings for deputy leadership contenders on Tuesday, former Labour MP Ruth Smeeth rounded on some of them for failing to help their Jewish colleagues over anti-Semitism, calling their silence a “disgrace”.
In recent days, the party re-suspended Jo Bird, an activist who once joked about ‘Jew process’ in disciplinary procedures.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Lyra McKee Murder: 52-Year-Old Man Charged Over Journalist's Death

The 29-year-old journalist died after she was shot during disturbances in Londonderry last month. PA Ready News UK
A 52-year-old man has been charged with the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said.
The 29-year-old was standing near a police vehicle when she was hit by a bullet fired by a masked gunman towards officers.
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Dissident republican group the New IRA said its members carried out the killing.
Four men were arrested earlier this week and detained under the Terrorism Act.
Man charged with murder of Lyra McKee pic.twitter.com/zgMVdFa2sr — Police Service NI (@PoliceServiceNI) February 12, 2020
A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) statement said: “The man, from the city who was arrested by detectives yesterday and taken to Musgrave Serious Crime Suite, is also charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and professing to be a member of a proscribed organisation.
“He will appear at Londonderry Magistrates Court on Thursday, 13 February. ”
Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy said: “I have always said a number of individuals were involved with the gunman on the night Lyra was killed, and while today is significant for the investigation the quest for the evidence to bring the gunman to justice remains active and ongoing.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Rory Stewart's 'Weird' Sleepover Idea Keeps Throwing Up Startling Stats And Incredible Tweets

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It’s just over 24 hours since former Tory minister and London mayor hopeful Rory Stewart launched what he himself admitted was a “weird” idea – staying the night in your house and having a little chat over some chocolate.
It’s all part of his attempt to “get to know the city” and by his own account it’s been incredibly successful with over 1,000 people getting in touch.
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And while you may think that’s a lot of sleepovers in stranger’s houses, it turns out he’s had a lot of practice already.
He told PA Media: “I’ve stayed in over 550 people’s houses in total, not just in London. [...] I am quite used to turning up at people’s houses and sleeping on their floors.
“I’ve slept in houses in central Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. I’m not too worried about staying in people’s houses in London.”
Crikey.
What’s perhaps even more admirable is how he’s dealt with the barrage of jokes at his expense – turns out he’s quite the wit.
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So sorry. Thought you were still asleep. https://t.co/pJ6AvaJTnp — Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) February 12, 2020
I have eaten
the fish cakes
that were in
the oven
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
they were delicious
so fishy
and so hot https://t.co/CPafiiyrB3 — Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) February 11, 2020
And spare a thought for this chap who doesn’t seem to be aware of the job Stewart is running for...
So what has Stewart learned so far? Well, turns out staying in other people’s houses gives you an insight into... housing.
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Biggest lesson from #KipWithMe is just how little is being done on affordable housing in London. We can deliver housing that is genuinely affordable - linked to salaries - on the Mayor’s TFL public land. And as Mayor I would get on with it. We can do this: https://t.co/7g1znByXZG pic.twitter.com/mwsVt04D8n — Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) February 12, 2020
Or perhaps not. In the above video, Stewart takes aim at Sadiq Khan and Transport for London for selling off public land “to try to maximise the short-term cash impact”, saying he as mayor would instead keep the land and build genuinely affordable homes on it.
A laudable aim, except that TfL recently had its central government grant slashed from £700m to £0 by (what was then) Stewart’s own Conservative Party, leaving it in dire need of funding sources for the also laudable aim of running affordable public transport.
Incidentally, It is not known how much (or indeed if) Stewart proposes to pay each host for bed and board, but since he insists the cost of housing is too high anyone hoping for a windfall from their guest is likely to be disappointed.
Asked about the vetting process for potential hosts, Stewart said he was “not too worried.
“I do ask a member of my staff to go round and say hello and introduce themselves and check people are happy.”
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Stewart said he hoped to meet people who were “willing to open up and be frank about their life and their challenges” and give a “decent sense of what it is that they’re really thinking about and worrying about”.
He said that he had spoken to hosts about their problems but also “cheerful things” like going to see musicals in London.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--PM Slams US-UK Extradition Rules Amid Claims 'Ex CIA Spy' Anne Sacoolas 'Shielded From Justice'

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Boris Johnson has branded the UK-US extradition treaty “imbalanced”, amid claims Anne Sacoolas is being “shielded from justice”.
The American woman, who it has been reported was a CIA spy, is charged with causing 19-year-old Harry Dunn’s death by dangerous driving – but Donald Trump’s US administration has refused to extradite her.
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After allegations about Sacoolas’ status with the CIA emerged on Sunday, a spokesperson for Dunn’s family hit out at foreign secretary Dominic Raab, accusing the government of failing to share information and engaging in a “cover up”.
At prime minister’s questions in the Commons, Jeremy Corbyn took Johnson to task over the case, saying the UK has a “one-sided” extradition treaty with the US.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street ASSOCIATED PRESS
Johnson admitted the Labour leader “has a point” about extradition rules but launched a strong defence of the UK’s government’s handling of the case.
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He said ministers have “tirelessly” sought the extradition of Sacoolas and “will continue to do so”.
Corbyn also took aim at Raab, saying: “Now we know the foreign secretary misled the Dunn family, who are being denied justice by the US government, will the prime minister commit to his removal from office tomorrow in his reshuffle?”
Dunn’s parents, Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn, along with family spokesman Radd Seiger, “believe the FCO [Foreign and Commonwealth Office] were complicit” in Sacoolas’s departure and have claimed they are “now engaged in a cover-up”.
The FCO has said it has “no plans” to launch a public inquiry.
The PM defended Raab, suggesting the UK had not been fully informed.
The family of Harry Dunn (left to right) mother Charlotte Charles, stepfather Bruce Charles, family spokesman Radd Seiger, father Tim Dunn, stepmother Tracey Dunn and solicitor Mark Stephens David Mirzoeff - PA Images via Getty Images
He said: “The Foreign Office has been told Anne Sacoolas was notified to the UK government as a spouse with no official role.
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“We will continue without fear or favour to seek justice for Harry Dunn and his family and continue to seek the extradition of Anne Sacoolas from the United States.”
Corbyn went on to claim the UK’s extradition treaty with the US was flawed, adding: “This lopsided treaty means the US can request extradition in circumstances that Britain cannot.
“While the US continues to deny justice to Harry Dunn, will the prime minister commit today to seek an equal and balanced extradition relationship with the United States?”
Johnson replied: “To be frank, I think [he] has a point in his characterisation of our extradition arrangements with the United States and I do think there are elements of that relationship that are imbalanced. I certainly think it is worth looking at.
“But it is totally different from the case of Harry Dunn and Anne Sacoolas and we continue to seek the extradition of Anne Sacoolas to face justice in this country.”
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Corbyn also referred to WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange and whether or not the courts will decide to extradite him to the US on charges of espionage, adding: “Will the prime minister agree with the parliamentary report that’s going to the Council of Europe that this extradition should be opposed and the rights of journalists and whistleblowers upheld for the good of all of us?”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--Movers Accidentally Destroy World-Famous Pianist's £155,000 Piano

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Movers dropped a rare and expensive grand piano belonging to one of the world’s leading pianists, damaging it beyond repair.
Canadian musician Angela Hewitt detailed the accidental destruction of her F278 Fazioli — worth an estimated £155,000 — in a poignant Facebook post.
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“I adored this piano. It was my best friend, best companion,” wrote the Italy-based pianist, who had been at a recording session in Berlin. “I loved how it felt when I was recording ― giving me the possibility to do anything I wanted.”
“I hope my piano will be happy in piano heaven,” she added.
Hewitt said Fazioli Pianos’ founder, Paolo Fazioli, and his staff had inspected the damaged instrument ― which she’d used in numerous concerts and every European recording session since 2003 ― but found its broken iron frame, lid and case to be “not salvageable.”
“It makes no sense, financially or artistically, to rebuild this piano from scratch,” she wrote. “It’s kaputt.”
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Yes, it's true. At least nobody was hurt. A very unfortunate accident. I did so love my @Fazioli_Pianos that was resident in my home in Italy, and on which I made almost all my CD recordings for the past 17 years. Pianos are friends. https://t.co/yMvVgfgDc1 — Angela Hewitt (@HewittJSB) February 10, 2020
The movers were “mortified,” said Hewitt, who plans to use another Fazioli piano for an upcoming summer festival in Umbria, Italy, before getting a new one of her own later this year.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-02-12--'Valentighting' Is The Dating Trend Out To Ruin Your Valentine's Day

Jorg Greuel via Getty Images
No breakup is ever well-timed, but there’s something particularly poorly planned about doing it just weeks before Valentine’s Day.
Just ask Amy Luong. Up until recently, Luong, a 23-year-old account coordinator from Iowa thought she was on sure footing in her yearlong relationship. She and her boyfriend had almost broken up a month ago, but if anything, that had only brought them closer together. Luong’s boyfriend told her he didn’t want to lose her. They’d started talking about the future in unambiguous terms.
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But just last week ― one week before Valentine’s Day ― he dumped her.
“He brought up that his friends didn’t like me, they didn’t want to talk to me when I was over at his place and that they suggested he break up with me,” Luong told HuffPost. “It started a 12-hour argument about us being together and how he didn’t feel like I respected him. I told him that I do everything I can to respect and support him, but he accused me of doing no such thing.”
The hyper-dramatic fight ― and the relationship itself ― ended when Luong told her boyfriend to get an Uber home and leave.
“When I told him that, he said that he was done with me,” she said. “And I still freaking drove him home.”
Luong had been “valentighted.” The term joins the ranks of other newfangled, slightly ridiculous dating trends (ghosting, mosting, orbiting, breadcrumbing, etc.) but this time, it’s pegged to everyone’s favourite Hallmark holiday.
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Valentighting was coined by Metro UK writer Ellen Scott last year. Scott defined it as “the heartbreaking act of dumping someone right before Valentine’s Day, because you’re too tight to get them a gift, write a card, or make any kind of fuss. Get it? Valentine’s Day plus being too much of a tightwad to buy a gift. Valentighting.”
Clever. But as Luong’s story illustrates, there’s usually more than an aversion to gift-giving at play when a person gets valentighted.
“Valentine’s Day of all holidays brings the relationship to a head and highlights issues between couples that might not be working,” said Kim Seltzer, the host of “Charisma Quotient” podcast and a dating coach in Los Angeles, California.
If it’s about the gifts at all, it’s less about penny-pinching and more about a person’s fear of having a gift be interpreted as an investment in the relationship, Seltzer said.
“So avoiding the gift might really be about not wanting to spend money on someone you don’t see a future with,” she explained. (In other words, your ex isn’t just a cheap-ass in this scenario, they’re a cheap-ass with commitment issues.)
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Jorg Greuel via Getty Images
The whole ordeal is even worse when you’ve gone to the trouble of buying the valentighter a slew of gifts beforehand. That was the case in 2018 for Michael*, a 23-year-old from Ohio.
“My boyfriend broke up with me on Valentine’s Day, which was also his birthday,” he said. “I was driving up to his house to surprise him with a cake I made him and presents and he called me on the way up and told me not to come because ‘We’re over.’ I had no suspicions ― it was a total surprise.”
Ashley*, a 27-year-old freelance artist from Dallas, Texas, told us about a college boyfriend who professed his love for her on New Year’s Eve, only to unceremoniously dump her on Valentine’s Day.
“We were talking about everything from a potential wedding, to our children’s names,” she said. “After winter break, we went back to school and would talk every other day. But as it got closer to Valentine’s Day we communicated less and less. I literally had to reach out to him first in order to have a conversation. Some days he wouldn’t even reply back at all, so I was starting to get the picture.”
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Then on the morning of Feb. 14 (dun, dun, dun), Ashley received a notification on her phone that her boyfriend had posted something on Facebook.
“It was a photo with dozens of roses and the biggest teddy bear,” she said. “I initially got excited until I read the caption: ’12 dozen roses for the luckiest woman alive. I love you forever.′ Then I saw her name, not mine, tagged in the photo. My heart dropped instantly.”
It’s not just the recently dumped that struggle with Valentine’s Day. The holiday puts the squeeze on a lot of relationships, especially new ones. In those cases, it’s hard to know what kind of gift, if any is called for: How much should you spend? Would you overplay your hand if you get the person something and they show up empty-handed?
And different types of partners expect different things: For every person who loathes the commercialness of Valentine’s Day and posts memes about turning it into a second Halloween, there’s another person who loves it and still isn’t over that time their ex forgot to buy flowers.
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“The thing about gifts is that they demonstrate how people give and receive acts of love,” Seltzer said. “One person may hope for roses and gifts while the other prefers cuddling and romantic night in. Because of these differences, couples often feel not ‘loved’ because of this. That’s why it’s so important to communicate what you prefer.”
For the happily coupled up, stronger communication is the answer to most Valentine’s Day dilemmas. But what do you do if you’re a victim of valentighting? Try to take comfort in the love you do have in your life, Seltzer said ― platonic love, familial love, self-love.
And obviously, avoid social media if all the schmaltzy posts are bugging you. Don’t cloister yourself away at home if you want to go out; it’s not that much of a couple-infested jungle out there, said Marni Kinrys, a dating coach at the Wing Girl Method.
“In fact, I’d say V Day is the best day for singles to go out and have fun at breweries, bars and places like that, where singles tend to congregate and there won’t be sappy couples around to make you feel bad,” Kinrys said.“You can go out with full certainly that the people you meet are single and looking!”