thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-02--We Tried 9 Delicious Restaurant Meal Kits. Here Are Our Verdicts

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It’s been one hell of a year for the restaurant industry. Back in March, we entered lockdown, restaurants shuttered their doors, and many had to get creative about how to serve food to hungry customers around the country.
Businesses were forced to look at other options to keep afloat in spite of everything, whether they upped their online game investing in takeaway and delivery apps or transformed themselves into essential grocery shops.
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As for us foodies, well, we’ve properly missed going out for dinner. Yes, we started off okay – making sourdough and banana bread and even trying our hand at all the pasta and curries we were missing. But fast forward to December and, let’s face it, we’re all sick of our own cooking. It’s just not the same.
Thanks be, then, to all the excellent restaurants that are now providing restaurant-quality food for us to make at home. These weekly menu drops and special one-off collaborations have been selling out like hotcakes and the DIY meal kit is one item we don’t want taken off the menu anytime soon.
Some involve numbered step-by-step instructions using pre-measured ingredients, others simply putting things together on a plate, but do these meal kits deliver? We got the HuffPost UK team to taste-test and try them out.
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Kolamba at Home, £36 for two, nationwide delivery
Sarah Turnbridge Kolamba at Home Meal Kit
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“Everything arrives feeling as though it has just been taken out of the fridge and all individual packages are clearly labelled with cooking instructions. With three dishes to warm through – young jackfruit curry, dhal and a beetroot curry – and aromatic basmati rice to cook, the meal itself isn’t exactly light on washing up. That being said, the preparation couldn’t be easier and all the dishes (with the exception of the rice) take exactly the same amount of time to warm up, saving the potential headache of how and when to serve.
“Set out on the table alongside the toasted pol sambol, lime pickle and lime and date and lime chutney, the complete spread really does resemble a restaurant meal and offeres extremely generous portions for two people. The dishes complement each other perfectly, with the crunchy beetroot curry and creamy dhal particular highlights for us, and it is clear how much effort had gone into preparing them by the Kolamba team. Ultimately, if it were a choice between going out to a restaurant or cooking up a meal kit, I would pretty much always choose to eat out. But for as long as we don’t have a choice a meal kit like Kolamba’s seems to be absolutely the next best thing, and would be perfect to order in for a special occasion.” – Sarah Tunbridge, Weekend Editor
Sabor en Casa, £60 for two, nationwide delivery via Restokit
Yasmin Grey Sabor en casa meal kit
“This menu consists of ham croquetas, tortilla, gambas al ajillo (garlic prawns), pulpo a la Gallega (an octopus dish), beetroot salad with horseradish cream and Presa Iberica (pork) with veal jus and mojo verde. The first thing to say is that almost every single dish is delicious – the croquetas are salty and crisp, the octopus is tender and delicately flavoured and the prawns are garlicky little bites of heaven. But it’s the Presa Iberica that is the real star of the show – the meat is succulent, while the mojo verde adds a nice acidic bite.
“There is only one overwhelming issue with the meal kit – it’s incredibly difficult to juggle cooking several dishes at once, especially when a number of them have to be cooked at the last minute. It takes two of us around 30 minutes to make the meal – but by the time we have cooked all five of the hot dishes (and washed the pans that we needed to re-use) most of them are pretty cold. In other words, it’s pretty clear why tapas restaurants bring dishes out as they become ready. At £60 a box for two people, cold food is not what you’re looking for. However, this meal box would be an excellent anniversary gift to a couple if you were offering to do the cooking as part of the present. If not, you could split the dishes into two courses, with a break from cooking in the middle.” – Jasmin Gray, News reporter
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Rochelle Canteen x Resy Home Specials, £80 for two, London-only delivery
Angela Hui Rochelle Canteen x Resy Mealkit
“This is the mother of all restaurant meal kits – if you look up the word ‘unit’ in the dictionary you’d find a picture of Rochelle Canteen and Resy’s collaboration. It’s a hefty price tag starting at £80, but it’s also a hefty multi-course meal complete with starter, sides, main and a dessert, as well as a specially curated Spotify playlist to fully recreate the restaurant at home experience. For those wanting to go all out or looking for a lockdown treat, you have the choice to bump it up to £150 for the full works, which includes a welcome cocktail, bottle of wine, a bag of tea leaves as a digestif, candles, beautiful ceramic dishes to keep afterwards and even hand-cooked crisps to snack on while you prep.
“Each week is an exclusive menu inspired by different chefs across the globe and we end up trying chef Margarita Forres from Manila-based restaurant LUSSO’s menu. Starting with a zingy raw sea bass, coconut and lime salad and wonderfully smoky, charred barbecued prawns alongside a gigantic comforting bowl of chicken and pork belly adobo served with lardo brown rice and shiitake mung bean noodles – a Filipino feast fit for a king. All the hard work has been done prior, so you merely finish everything off on the hob and oven. A word of warning, wear loose-fitting clothing because there’s a lot of food to get through – we have plenty leftover for lunch the next day.” – Angela Hui, life reporter
Padella Pasta Kits, £15 for two, nationwide delivery
Rachel Moss Padella Pasta at Home Meal Kit
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“I adore fresh pasta, but have never been to either of Padella’s London restaurants because the queues are legendary. As a commuter with a train to catch, bookable alternatives always take precedence. So I’m delighted to discover I can try Padella from my Hertfordshire home during lockdown, thanks to nationwide deliveries. I’m initially disappointed when the box arrives, though. It has an insane amount of packaging and the ingredients look a little meagre for two people; you receive a (small-ish) bag of pasta, a tub of parmesan, a tub of partially-made beef shin ragu and three lonely cubes of butter.
“But things improve when I start cooking. All I need to do is add the butter to the ragu in one pan and boil the pasta in another. You then add some of the pasta water to the sauce, top with parmesan and voila! The dish is complete within 10 minutes – perfect for a weekday treat. The end result is delicious; the beef shin melts away and the sauce is silky, rich and comforting. The dinner may look smaller than my usual homemade bolognese mountain, but it’s far more decadent and despite my initial misgivings about the portion size, I’m full by the end.” – Rachel Moss, life reporter
Salon at Home, £59 for two, London only delivery
Brogan Driscoll Salon at Home Meal Kit
“From the rich, warming venison and potato pie to the indulgent coffee panna cotta and chocolate ganache dessert, the food from Salon was faultless. I loved that it was a set menu, meaning the deliberation over what to order was taken out of our hands, and we tried starters I wouldn’t normally reach for. I’m always slightly nervous about bitter leaves, such as radicchio, but these were subtle and complemented the beetroot and goats cheese curd. It was so simple to prepare. We had to reheat the main in the oven while we ate the starters.
“The most difficult part was plating up and trying to make it look like Instagram-worthy restaurant food – but I don’t think we did too badly. I’d definitely order this again for a special occasion. For a moment, we thought we were in a restaurant. The added benefits are eating the desert curled up on your sofa with the rest of your wine and exclaiming how delicious the food is without breaking any social etiquette. Oh, and less washing up!” – Brogan Driscoll, life editor,
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Dishoom Vegan Sausage Naan Roll Kit, £16 for two, nationwide delivery.
Becky Barnes Dishoom Vegan Sausage Naan Meal Kit
“Breakfast and chai for two for £16 isn’t mega cheap for essentially a sausage roll and a cuppa at home, but this is a nice treat when you’re getting rich and ‘meaty’ vegan sausages, and fresh ingredients delivered straight to your door. I get a lockdown thrill from the unboxing and find the recipe really easy to follow. I have to use a glass bottle to roll out the naans as I don’t own a rolling pin but it feels rewarding to make something that looks so impressive and tastes so delicious, without too much effort.
“The vegan sausages have almost a black pudding vibe to them – spicy and made with fermented beetroot, mushroom and onion (I had to look that up because they do not taste like vegetables). I love the combo of flavours – vegan cream cheese, tomato-chilli jam and coriander, all rolled up in hot, fresh naan. –An excellent twist on your classic sausage roll. I wouldn’t have minded a bit more kick in the jam and for the price I would preferr the sugar and oat milk to add to the tea included. But the chai was very fragrant and warming on a grey autumn day. And yes I did eat both sausage rolls and drink all the tea because I live on my own. No regrets.” – Becky Barnes, audience editor
La Mamma Mia Pasta Meal Kit, £35 for two. London only delivery
Ash Percival La Mammia Mia Sunday in Napoli Pasta Meal Kit
“Italian food is one of my favourite cuisines, but making it at home is just never the same for me, which is why something like La Mia Mamma is great for fans of authentic flavours and fresh pasta. Their concept is based on inviting Italian home cooks from the 20 different regions over to the UK every three months to introduce new recipes for them which feature in a menu rotation every three months. As such, the food is fully of heart. I try the Sunday In Napoli kit, which consists of pasta alla Genovese (eight hours slow cooked beef in a rich onion sauce), polpettone con friarielli (wild broccoli meatloaf) and a pistachio tiramisù dessert kit, which includes homemade ingredients to build your own version of the classic sweet treat.
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“Also in the box was a bottle of wine, with customers able to pick red or white to accompany their meal, and it’s all included in the price. I’ll admit I had my reservations about the meatloaf, but it was delicious and I was pleased to try something I’d probably never have ordered myself. The beef in the pasta sauce was tender and fell apart – exactly as you would want it – and even better took less than 10 minutes to prepare.” – Ash Percival, entertainment editor
Natasha Hinde Gunpowder at Home Kashmiri Lamb Chop Meal Kit
“This meal kit comes with a Kashmiri ghee roast (seasoned rack of lamb), tandoori new potatoes and mustard-marinated broccoli with a makhani sauce to pour over it. In short – an absolute flavour bomb. Each part of the meal comes individually wrapped and marinated, so all you really have to do is take it out of the packets and cook it. The instructions are super easy to follow and let you know how to cook the ingredients on a BBQ if you’re up for the challenge, or in your oven. I opt for the latter. The meal takes about half an hour to cook and the only real preparation is bunging it all in different roasting dishes, and searing the lamb rack in a frying pan before popping it in the oven. The end result is absolutely delicious – amazing quality lamb with so much meat on it that my partner and I can’t finish it all (you could probably feed three people, maybe even four, with this) – potatoes bursting with flavour and a really interesting take on broccoli. If anything it feels slightly too rich because there is so much flavour happening across every inch of my plate. In lockdown, there’s really no better way to spend a Friday night in.” – Natasha Hinde, life reporter
Giz ‘n’ Green x Grey Goose Friendsmas Feast Delivery Kit, £65 for two, London only delivery
″This meal box is Christmassy indeed: Christmasier than Santa Claus’ morning routine on December 25. Be warned though, much like Christmas day itself, it veers into teeth-chatteringly sweet territory as it progresses. To kick-off, there’s a gingerbread man to decorate and fasten to the edge of your pre-dinner cocktail, which is fun, but the cocktail was too sweet for an aperitif. Then the food: pigs in blankets poutine is a novel idea, and turkey gravy, gorgeously sour cranberry sauce and bread sauce – as well as the cheese - make an indulgent creamy mess to put atop tater tots and the pigs themselves: though two pigs in blankets is beyond tight. The main is a brioche bun essentially stuffed with the aforementioned trimmings, plus crunchy Brussels sprout slaw and a turkey fillet and sage and onion stuffing patty.
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“It’s indulgent in all the right ways, and nearly as fun as an actual Christmas dinner. Two deep-fried mince pies for dessert fell into the novelty category but a final espresso martini ended things on a high. Get past the sweetness and everything’s well-marked, easy-to-cook, and great fun.” – Adam Bloodworth, life and entertainment writer


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-02--Wear And Care: From Driftwood, Old Cutlery And Chain to Handy Household Hooks

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Wear And Care: From Driftwood, Old Cutlery And Chain to Handy Household Hooks
Charis Williams known as the Salvage Sister shows you how to upcycle old driftwood, leftover cutlery and chain to create handy hanging hooks for the household. Williams also shows how the same skills and materials can be used for freestanding version of the low cost and upcycled hooks.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-02--Wear And Care: Upcycling Your Clothes & Towels For Reusable Nappy Systems

Wear And Care: Upcycling Your Clothes & Towels For Reusable Nappy Systems
It’s estimated the average child will need 5,000 to 6,000 nappy changes before potty training. Sarah Smith from the Bristol and South Gloucestershire Reusable Nappy Library shows you how to use old t-shirts and towels in reusable nappy systems. This diaper hack helps you save money, upcycle your fabrics and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-02--Wear And Care: Mend Your Socks & Denim To Save Money And The Environment

Wear And Care: Mend Your Socks & Denim To Save Money And The Environment
Martha Mouat Salkeld, who is a seamstress at Cornwall based Clothes Doctor, shows how you can mend and darn denim and the holes in your socks. Saving you money, avoiding buying fast fashion and reducing landfill.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-03--Trump Releases 46 Minutes Of Lies Falsely Asserting ‘Fraud’ In 2020 Election

President Donald Trump arrives for a Thanksgiving video teleconference with members of the military forces at the White House last month. Erin Scott / Reuters
Donald Trump on Wednesday released a lie-packed video on Facebook falsely claiming there was massive “fraud” in last month’s election, which he lost by seven million votes to Democrat Joe Biden.
“Like other authoritarians, Trump is unable to admit defeat and in fact always doubles down on his propaganda points, hoping to save face with his followers,” said Ruth Ben-Ghiat, an authoritarianism expert at New York University.
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“Look for this to continue, and for him to let stand even the most dangerous rhetoric of his supporters, like Flynn’s call for martial law. It is in his interest to make things as unstable as possible.”
Former Army general Mike Flynn was Trump’s first national security adviser, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI regarding his contacts with Russia during the 2016 post-election transition. Trump pardoned him this week, and Flynn on Tuesday endorsed a call for Trump to declare martial law and force a revote.
The 46-minute, 8-second video, shot in the White House, recycled a host of debunked claims that together paint a global conspiracy designed to make him lose his reelection bid.
Trump touched on nearly every absurd conspiracy theory trotted out by his supporters and lawyers in the weeks following the election, including claims of fake ballots, a computer system that could flip votes from Trump to Biden at the touch of a button, and ballots that were counted ― inexplicably ― overseas. Trump then folded in long festering complaints about special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into the help Trump received from Russia to win the 2016 election, and newer complaints that an investigation into that probe is not proceeding fast enough.
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“It’s like living in hell,” he said.
“My opponent was told to stay away from the election. Don’t campaign. We don’t need you. We’ve got it. This election is done,” Trump said to the camera. “In fact, they were acting like they already knew what the outcome was going to be. They had it covered and perhaps they did, very sadly for our country. It was all very, very strange.”
It was unclear who helped him produce a video that is clearly an extension of his campaign’s continuing efforts to overturn the election.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-03--The Masked Singer Series 2's Weird And Wonderful Costumes Have Been Unveiled In First-Look Photos

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The 12 characters competing in the upcoming series of The Masked Singer UK have been unveiled.
And the costume department have gone all out with the new batch of outfits.
While most of last year’s disguises were of the animal variety, this year producers have been a bit more inventive, introducing Grandfather Clock, Sausage, Viking and Bush Baby into the mix.
Also among the disguises are the somewhat more traditional Robin, Badger, Seahorse and Swan, as well as Blob, Dragon and Harlequin.
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Get to the know new cast of characters a bit better below…
The Masked Singer UK ITV Alien
ITV says: "Alien hopes to dazzle earthlings with out of this world performances." The Masked Singer UK ITV Badger
ITV says: "Badger steps out of the sett, but will this badger stand out from the crowd?" The Masked Singer UK ITV Blob
ITV says: "They have many eyes but will all eyes and ears be on Blob?!" Advertisement The Masked Singer UK ITV Bush Baby
ITV says: "He is an adorable looking cheeky fluffy fella but will the voice match the cute appearance?" ITV ITV Dragon
ITV says: "Dragon is a cutie but, when they open their mouth to sing, can they bring the fire?"
The Masked Singer UK ITV GrandfatherClock
ITV says: "Grandfather Clock is the original Tik Tok and will be making every second on stage count."
Advertisement The Masked Singer UK ITV Harlequin
ITV says: "They could be a joker in the pack or a stunning singer." The Masked Singer UK ITV Robin
ITV says: "This rockin’ Robin will be hoping to deliver tweet harmonies and show that he’s not just for Christmas but planning to go the distance."
The Masked Singer ITV Sausage
ITV says: "They are all wrapped up in a newspaper BUT will Sausage be the talk of the town?"
Advertisement The Masked Singer UK ITV Seahorse
ITV says: "Seahorse is a beautiful marine creature who will be hoping their singing goes swimmingly."
The Masked Singer UK ITV Swan
ITV says: "Swan will be confidently swanning into town but when swan sings will they ruffle feathers?"
The Masked Singer UK ITV Viking
ITV says: "Viking is armed with a sword and wearing a helmet and clearly taking this battle seriously!" Advertisement
The Masked Singer launched in the UK at the beginning of this year, and sees a variety of disguised celebrities trying to impress the judging panel with their singing abilities, all while their identities are completely hidden.
Series one was won by former Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts, disguised as Queen Bee, while comedian Jason Manford and opera singer Katherine Jenkins – otherwise known as Hedgehog and Octopus – also made it all the way to the final.
For the time being, the identities of this year’s celebrities are still under wraps, though presenter Joel Dommett teased to Digital Spy earlier this year: “If anyone thought they can’t step it up from the first series, they have. It feels huge.
“The names are insane, like really insane.”
The judging panel for the first series of The Masked Singer UK Vincent Dolman/ITV/Shutterstock
Joel will once again be back on judging duties for series two, while Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross and Rita Ora will return as judges.
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There is one small change to the panel, though, with comedian Mo Gilligan standing in for Ken Jeong, who was unable to take part due to travel restrictions.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-02--Will Boris Johnson Face More Awkward Moments With His Scientists This Winter?

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It was only a matter of time before the UK’s twin preoccupations of 2020 – Covid and Brexit – really collided. Within minutes of the 7am announcement that British regulators had approved the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, business secretary Alok Sharma and health secretary Matt Hancock tried to stick a Union Jack on the news.
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While Sharma boasted that “we will remember this moment as the day the UK led humanity’s charge against this disease”, Hancock said that the UK was able to achieve a faster approval than the EU “because of Brexit”. Yet within a few hours, the MHRA regulator June Raine pointed out she had in fact operated under European law, which runs out in the UK at the end of the year.
The PM’s spokesman refused several times to endorse the Hancock line, and got into a muddle about Sharma’s (read the Lobby exchanges in all their painful glory in my Twitter thread HERE). Even Boris Johnson himself, never knowingly unavailable for a bit of Brussels bashing, refused to hit the “Brexit Bonus” softballs fed him by the Sun and Express in the later press conference.
In fact, it was deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam who most ridiculed the suggestion of Little Englander triumphalism, pointing not only to the German-American teams who developed the vaccine but also the wider global cooperation to combat Covid-19.
And what was most notable in the No.10 briefing, and earlier in PMQs, was how unusually cautious Johnson was in hailing the vaccine progress. Acutely aware of the danger that the public may see it as an excuse to drop their guard, he said people should “not get their hopes up too soon” about being rapidly vaccinated.
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Van-Tam underlined the point by warning the public that “you have to take the vaccine...low uptake will almost certainly make restrictions last longer”. That wasn’t a direct threat to link an area’s vaccine rates to lifting tiers, more a home truth that vaccinations can get the R number right down.
But the whole press briefing ended on a truly awkward note when the PM and Van-Tam differed over the longer-term impacts of the virus on public behaviour. In the first explicit reprimand of one of his scientists, Johnson asserted himself after Van-Tam suggested long-term mask-wearing and hand-sanitising “maybe a good thing”.
The PM’s line – “on the other hand, we may want to get back to life as pretty much as close to normal” – was quite the public slapdown. And when the deputy medical officer later explained he meant some individuals would stick with mask-wearing, Johnson sounded incredulous at the suggestion that the UK could copy Japan or South Korea. “As in the Far East? Well, who knows?”
Many of Johnson’s allies will say he was well within his rights to avoid the long-term downer, not least as he knows the promise of a brighter 2021 is crucial to getting people to stick to more lockdown-style curbs this winter. Others will say he sounded like he was putting politics ahead of Van-Tam’s honest judgement.
Van-Tam tends to be plain speaking, and that’s his main asset. He famously made clear Dominic Cummings should not have broken Covid rules earlier this year, and was not seen for months thereafter. Given his importance on the vaccines front, a new sin-binning is unlikely, but the awkward moment with the PM can’t help.
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There was another “Far East” lesson on Wednesday, from former chief medical officer Sally Davies. She told MPs on the science and tech committee that the UK’s advisers failed to spot that Covid was not like flu. “We did not – our infectious disease experts – really believe that another Sars would get to us, and I think it’s a form of British exceptionalism.” That was a reminder to some Johnson supporters that his own scientists were themselves fallible early in this pandemic.
It is perhaps precisely because Johnson has gone along with the scientists’ advice on “tough tiers” that he chafed when pushed further. But further tensions still beckon, not least as his plans for “community testing”, as a way out of tough restrictions, lack concrete data.
And one of the most pressing tensions will come in a fortnight, when that “meaningful review” (will it be as meaningful as Theresa May’s “meaningful votes”?) arrives on December 16. The PM told MPs yesterday he wanted “granular” assessments of “human geography”. In tonight’s briefing he said: “We are going to make sure we are as local and as sensitive as we can possibly be to local achievement and local incidence of the disease.”
That contrasts with his own words only six days ago, when he said smaller tiered areas would lead to “loads of very complicated sub-divisions” that would cost clarity. He also made plain on Friday that contagion was unavoidable, warning “unless you beat the problem in the high-incidence area, the low-incidence area I’m afraid starts to catch up.” Has he ditched those concerns just to avoid another Tory rebellion?
No one has yet asked Chris Whitty or Patrick Vallance, let alone Sage, whether a shift to tiers based on individual boroughs would simply mean the virus again running out of control. If the PM shifts back to his hyperlocal “whackamole” approach, it may be Van-Tam and the awkward squad of scientists he ends up whacking hardest - as well as his own hopes of a sunlit spring.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-02--All The Things You Were Told About The Pfizer Vaccine That Are Wrong

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The UK has become the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, with the rollout expected to start as soon as next week.
But the groundbreaking announcement, which has provided light at the end of the tunnel, has prompted a carnival of wild claims, distortions and flat-out lies. Here are some of the most outlandish – and whether there’s a scintilla of truth to the assertions (spoiler alert: not really).
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Claim: The Brexit dividend
Source: The government
Straight out of the gate, the UK government was anxious to wrap the announcement in a Union flag.
Matt Hancock ramped up the rhetoric by suggesting that “because of Brexit” the UK has been able approve the vaccine more quickly than if it was an EU member.
Hmmm.
“We do all the same safety checks and the same processes, but we have been able to speed up how they’re done because of Brexit,” the health secretary said on Wednesday morning.
Sure, the EU has yet to approve the vaccine for use in member states. But his claim was quickly shot down by the UK’s own regulator – the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) – which actually granted the temporary authorisation of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab for use in the UK. It explained the move was possible under an existing carve-out granted to the UK, so Brexit made no difference.
“We have been able to authorise the supply of this vaccine using provisions under European law which exist until January 1,” June Raine, chief executive of MHRA, told a Downing Street briefing.
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And Downing Street wasn’t keen to go there.
The prime minister’s official spokesperson said: “The MHRA is globally recognised for requiring the highest standards of quality, safety and medicines regulation and the public should be sure that the vaccine is safe for use.
“It is clear that we are the first country in the world to approve this vaccine and it is incredibly positive news that we will be able to start to distribute it.”
Claim: We are the champions!
Source: The government
The jingoism continued thanks to business secretary Alok Sharma.
He tweeted: “The UK was the first country to sign a deal with Pfizer/BioNTech, now we will be the first to deploy their vaccine.
“To everyone involved in this breakthrough: thank you.”
The minister seemed particularly effusive about the UK’s role in this momentous first, despite the fact that the actual British vaccine – a joint venture between Oxford Uni and AstraZeneca – has not yet been approved, and there are questions over some of its trial data.
Undeterred by these details, Sharma added: “In years to come, we will remember this moment as the day the UK led humanity’s charge against this disease.”
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Let’s remember Pfizer is a huge American pharma company and BioNTech is a small German firm, so calling the UK’s rapid stroke of a pen “leading humanity’s charge against this disease” might be slightly overstating things.
And approving drugs is what the MHRA does every day. A Freedom of Information request in 2015 found it had approved 978 medicines and healthcare products that year alone.
The “win” is also a quirk of different systems: American regulators pore over raw data from vaccine makers to validate their results, while in Britain and elsewhere in Europe they lean more heavily on a company’s own data.
Claim: Thalidomide is a remotely relevant comparison
Source: Anti-vaxxers
Naturally, the online swamp had its own interpretation of the news as “Thalidomide” began trending on Twitter.
Opponents of the vaccine – anti-vaxxers – compared it to a drug marketed as a treatment for morning sickness in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The drug was later found to cause birth defects.
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But the Thalidomide Society swiftly stepped in, saying that comparisons between the coronavirus vaccine and the scandal are “insulting”.
Dr Ruth Blue, consultant for the Thalidomide Society, said it was “a bit insulting that suddenly Thalidomide gets remembered after all these years when it suits anti-vaxxers to have something to compare to”.
However, she stressed that “it isn’t a comparison”.
The society was formed in 1962 by parents of the children affected by the drug.
Although Thalidomide did initially pass safety tests in animals, proper tests were not performed and it was never tested on pregnant animals.
The drug was never approved for sale in the USA because the Food and Drug Administration felt that not enough testing had taken place.
Dr Blue said: “The reason Thalidomide caused impairments in children is because it wasn’t tested properly. This was a long time ago.
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“The outcome of Thalidomide completely changed the way drugs are tested and are passed.”
She continued: “It’s very unfair because these are people now mostly in their early 60s, a few in their late 50s, and they have been living with the effects of Thalidomide for all this time, without anybody paying much attention really, apart from in the early days.
“Now suddenly they are top of the pile because there is a campaign people have against having the vaccine.”
Claim: Care home residents will get it first
Source: The government
There are also questions about who is first in line for the vaccine. The disease has killed 70,000 people in the UK within less than a year.
Elderly people in care homes and care home workers are first on the priority list to receive the vaccine as determined by the UK government’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
But ministers are facing questions about the delivery of the vaccine to care homes due to the very cold temperatures at which it needs storing. The Pfizer vaccine needs to be kept below -70C.
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In Wales, the health and social care minister Vaughan Gething said it would be difficult to vaccinate vulnerable care home residents – and some might not get the jab.
He told the Senedd: “Some care home residents therefore won’t be within the first few weeks of delivery of that vaccine.
“That is a challenge and that means that care home residents, who are right at the top of the vulnerability list, we’re not going to be able to deliver the vaccine to them.”
Later on Wednesday, the head of NHS England admitted the delivery of the vaccine to care homes cannot happen yet.
Sir Simon Stevens explained that the vaccine comes in packs of 1,950 doses (that is, double doses for 975 people), which means it cannot be distributed to the thousands of care homes across England with smaller numbers of residents.
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And the government is not permitted to split the packs into smaller deliveries until the regulator approves it.
Stevens told a Downing Street briefing: “If the MHRA, the independent regulator, give approval for a safe way of splitting these packs of 975 doses, then the good news that we will be able to start distributing those to care homes.”
Stevens said the rollout of the vaccine was “logistically complicated”. It will therefore initially be rolled out to 50 “hospital hubs” around the country, which will start to offer jabs to over-80s, for example those with outpatient appointments next week, and care home staff.
When the Oxford vaccine was approved for use, it would be a better option as it could be more easily stored.
Claim: The speed of approval raises concerns
Source: Twitter
It is true that most vaccines usually take several years to be developed, and questions have been raised about the short timeframe.
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However, as deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam explained, this is usually because they are produced by companies which make an “investment decision about whether to move on” at each stage.
“But with Covid vaccines it is clear that we have a global public health emergency on our hands and that even waiting five years for a Covid vaccine if we don’t have to is completely the wrong thing to do.”
He said this meant the “shackles had come off in terms of investing”, and that governments such as the UK had invested hundreds of millions of pounds “to try and speed it (vaccine development) up”.
The standards for safety and effectiveness have not, however, changed due to the speed of production and testing – and it is still subject to independent regulation. In the UK’s case, this comes from the MHRA.
Claim: Bill Gates is, er, using the vaccine to microchip people
Source: Take a guess
Probably the biggest of the whoppers: Bill Gates is using the vaccine to secretly microchip the world.
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Gates is regularly the subject of conspiracy theories due to his charity’s work in vaccine development.
There is unsurprisingly no evidence that the Microsoft founder, or anyone else, is trying to implant microchips in anyone through vaccines. Gates has also repeatedly denied these claims.
The conspiracy theory may have originated from a December study published by a team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The study was funded, in part, by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The team had developed an “approach to encode medical history on a patient” by including a small amount of dye with a vaccine.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-02--Taylor Swift Debuts New Version Of Love Story With A Bit Of Help From Ryan Reynolds (And The Devil)

Taylor Swift has teased the first re-recorded version of one of her classic singles in a way that none of us saw coming.
The chart-topping singer is currently in the process of re-recording her first six studio albums following a well-documented dispute with her old record label, Big Machine, and music manager Scooter Braun, with whom she’s had a long-standing feud.
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While fans are still a long way off hearing the re-recorded collection, Taylor has treated us to an early Christmas present, by teasing the new version of one of her earliest hits, Love Story.
And she did it with a bit of help from Ryan Reynolds, a popular dating website and the devil.
Allow us to explain.
Taylor Swift Daniele Venturelli via Getty Images
On Wednesday, Ryan unveiled a new advert for the dating website Match.com, which he wrote.
The ad sees Satan finding his perfect match in a woman who is supposed to represent 2020, and the couple’s antics are accompanied by Taylor’s re-recorded version of Love Story.
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“Okay so while my new re-records are NOT done, my friend Ryan Reynolds asked me if he could use a snippet of one for a LOLsome commercial he wrote,” the singer explained. “So...here’s a sneak peak of Love Story!”
“Working hard to get the music to you soon!!” she added.
Okay so while my new re-records are NOT done, my friend @VancityReynolds asked me if he could use a snippet of one for a LOLsome commercial he wrote so...here’s a sneak peak of Love Story! Working hard to get the music to you soon!! https://t.co/0vBFXxaRXR — Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) December 2, 2020
Taylor and Scooter’s feud first came to light last year, when it was announced he’d bought her old label, and therefore owned the masters to her first six albums.
Speaking at the time, Taylor said she was “sad” and “grossed out” and accused the music manager – whose past clients have included Justin Bieber and Kanye West – of being behind “incessant, manipulative bullying”.
Last year, Scooter called for an end to the feud, claiming he’d received threats against his wife and children.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-02--Get Vaccinated Or Lockdown Will Last Longer, Warns Jonathan Van-Tam

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Social distancing measures will have to “last longer” if people do not take the coronavirus vaccine, England’s deputy chief medical officer has warned.
Speaking at the Downing Street press conference on Wednesday, Jonathan Van-Tam said people “have to take the vaccine” if they want lockdowns to end.
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“Everyone wants social distancing to come to an end — we are fed-up with it,” he said.
“Nobody wants lockdowns and to see the damage they do. But if you want that dream to come true as quickly as it can come true, then you you have to take the vaccine when it is offered to you.
“Low uptake will almost certainly make restrictions last longer.”
Van-Tam also warned of a “tidal wave” of infections if people decided to “abandon caution” too soon.
And he said he thought Covid-19 was “going to be with humankind forever”.
“I don’t think we are going to eradicate coronavirus ever,” he said. “I think we may get to a point where coronavirus becomes a seasonal problem.”
Britain's new Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England Jonathan Van-Tam. STEFAN ROUSSEAU via Getty Images
Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said the bulk of vaccinations will take place in “January through to March or April for the at-risk population”.
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And he said delivery of the vaccine to care homes cannot happen yet despite residents being clinically the top priority for a jab.
Despite warning against over-optimism, Boris Johnson told the press conference it was now “sure and certain” that life could start returning to normal in 2021.
But the prime minister acknowledged there were “immense logistical challenges” in distributing the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
“It will inevitably take some months before all the most vulnerable are protected – long, cold months,” he said.
“So it’s all the more vital that as we celebrate this scientific achievement we are not carried away with over-optimism or fall into the naive belief that the struggle is over.”
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Here is the new priority list:
Older adults resident in a care home and care home workers All those 80 years of age and over. Front line health and social care workers All those 75 years of age and over All those 70 years of age and over All those 65 years of age and over All Individuals aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions. All those 60 years of age and over All those 55 years of age and over All those 50 years of age and over The rest of the population (priority to be determined)
The UK government has ordered 40m doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, enough to vaccinate 20m people with two doses, given 21 days apart.
But there are huge logistical challenges behind delivering a vaccine which needs to be stored between minus 70C and minus 80C.
Pfizer’s manufacturing site in Puurs, Belgium, is being used for European supply.
The vaccine will be delivered by planes – Pfizer has already ruled out ocean transport due to timings.
The company has created special suit-cased size containers fitted with temperature and GPS trackers to ship the vaccine.
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Once the supply arrives in the UK it will undergo quality checks to ensure it has been shipped safely.
It will then be unloaded and moved to storage freezers where it will undergo a further temperature check.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-02--Care Homes Cannot Get Vaccine Delivered Despite Residents Being Top Priority

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Delivery of the new approved coronavirus vaccine to care homes cannot happen yet despite residents being clinically the top priority for a jab, the head of NHS England has said.
Sir Simon Stevens explained that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine comes in packs of 975 people’s doses, which means it cannot be distributed to the thousands of care homes across England with smaller numbers of residents.
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And the government is not permitted to split the packs into smaller deliveries until the regulator approves it.
The announcement risks disappointing elderly care home residents, identified as being clinically the top priority for a jab by official vaccination advisers, and their families.
Stevens told a Downing Street briefing: “If the MHRA, the independent regulator, give approval for a safe way of splitting these packs of 975 doses, then the good news that we will be able to start distributing those to care homes.”
Stevens said the rollout of the vaccine was “logistically complicated” because it has to be stored at -70C then moved around the country in a “carefully controlled way” with only a limited number of “further movements”.
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It will therefore initially be rolled out to 50 “hospital hubs” around the country, which will start to offer jabs to over-80s, for example those with outpatient appointments next week, and care home staff.
Chief executive of NHS England, Sir Simon Stevens says 50 hospital hubs will start offering the #coronavirus vaccine from next week, with more clinics opening as more of the vaccine becomes available.
Get the latest on #COVID19: https://t.co/mAtJHCOZ3N pic.twitter.com/FjYJZGgPHL — Sky News (@SkyNews) December 2, 2020
Following this, GP practices will come together to operate 1,000 local vaccination centres across England.
When more vaccines are available, large vaccination centres and local community pharmacists will begin to offer jabs, “probably from the beginning of January”.
Because two jabs 21 days apart are required to deliver immunity, those who get the first dose in December will have a second one reserved, making it harder to vaccinate new people until the first wave is complete.
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Stevens suggested the NHS was seeking to vaccinate all the most vulnerable groups by March or April, with the bulk of jabs being administered from January.
“In a nutshell this is going to be a phased programme,” he said. “We the NHS – your GP or your hospital – the NHS will contact you if you are ready to be offered the vaccination.
“Today of course is a day of great optimism but for all the reasons I’ve said I think it needs to be tempered with realism around phasing.”
Elderly people in care homes and care home workers are first on the priority list to receive the vaccine as determined by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
But ministers are facing questions about the delivery of the jab to care homes due to the very cold temperatures at which it needs storing.
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The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has to be stored at -70C and is also stable at 2C to 8C for a short time, which has raised concerns about logistical challenges.
Downing Street earlier appeared to suggest that care home residents would start to get the vaccine next week.
Asked if they would get the vaccine within days, a No.10 spokesperson told reporters: “Yes, you have seen the prioritisation list with care home residents being right at the top of that list.”
But Johnson earlier warned of “logistical challenges to be overcome to get vulnerable people the access to the vaccine that they need”.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said that delivery of the vaccine would be according to the clinical priority list but also “operational necessity”, because the required cold temperature “makes this vaccine particularly challenging to deploy”.
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The Welsh government went much further on Wednesday morning, saying it would not be able to deliver it to care homes at all for “practical” reasons and accepting some residents would miss out as a result.
“At this stage we cannot deliver this vaccine to care homes,” Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething said.
“That means we’re going to have a smaller number of vaccination centres that we’ll need to bring people to.
“Some care home residents therefore won’t be within the first few weeks of delivery of that vaccine.”
Pfizer and BioNTech have said the jab can be sent to care homes, as long as the vaccine travels for no more than six hours after it leaves cold storage and is then put in a normal fridge at 2C to 8C.
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Ben Osborn, Pfizer’s UK country manager, told reporters: “The point I really want to emphasise is, at the point of administration and deployment by the NHS, our vaccine can be stored under normal refrigerated temperatures at 2C to 8C for five days.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-02--Harry Styles Pokes Fun At Vogue Dress Critics With Defiant Instagram Post

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Last month, the singer made history as the first man to land the cover of the iconic American fashion magazine, posing for photos in a tuxedo jacket and Gucci dress.
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.@harry_styles is our December issue cover star!
Read how the star is making and playing by his own rules: https://t.co/tQPLi5OEtj pic.twitter.com/AxZgxE68Rx — Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) November 13, 2020
And while Harry’s fans and peers were loving it, certain right-wing critics were less enthusiastic, including US pundit Candace Owens, who commented at the time: “Bring back manly men.”
Fortunately, it doesn’t sound like the former One Direction singer is letting the criticism get him down.
On Wednesday, Harry shared a new picture taken by photographer Parker Woods, which showed him sporting a pale blue frilled jacket while, naturally, eating a banana.
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Echoing Owens’ remark in the caption, he cheekily wrote: “Bring back manly men.”
Discussing his approach to fashion during his accompanying Vogue interview, Harry said: “Clothes are there to have fun with and experiment with and play with. What’s really exciting is that all of these lines are just kind of crumbling away. When you take away ‘There’s clothes for men and there’s clothes for women,’ once you remove any barriers, obviously you open up the arena in which you can play.
“I’ll go in shops sometimes, and I just find myself looking at the women’s clothes thinking they’re amazing. It’s like anything – anytime you’re putting barriers up in your own life, you’re just limiting yourself.
“There’s so much joy to be had in playing with clothes. I’ve never really thought too much about what it means—it just becomes this extended part of creating something.”
His Vogue cover wasn’t the first time that Harry sparked conversation with a magazine shoot in 2020, though.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-02--These Christmas Odd-Jobbers Are Glad To Have Work This Year

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Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year – but 2020 is unlike any others. Many traditions and events are either cancelled, postponed, or taking a different turn this year. What happens, then, if you rely on a Christmas job?
Getting seasonal work can be a great way to boost cash flow without having to commit to a role long-term. But millions may be financially struggling this year, as many rely on a busy Christmas period in order to survive. Seasonal roles are down by a third, according to research from job search engine Adzuna, but there are currently 13,600 temporary Christmas jobs unfilled in the UK.
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The pandemic may have changed the type of work on offer around the festive season, but people are working harder than ever to make ends meet. We spoke to the Christmas workers creating new seasonal opportunities for themselves this winter.
Chief Virtual Santa
‘There’ll be props to bring everything to life, such as a roaring fire, a map, and a storybook’
Grottos up and down the country are still able to go ahead, but everyone will have to stick to strict social distancing rules. Instead, many grottos are turning to online personalised virtual experiences. Santa and his elves visit children virtually, where families can book storytelling sessions, complete reindeer training, a virtual sleigh-ride, or an elf-themed treasure hunt.
“It’s a different experience, but at least there’s an experience,” says Aaron Spendelow, 31, chief Santa at Santa’s Grotto Live. “I was working as an elf a couple of years ago and one of the Santas got ill, so I jumped in. I’ve loved it ever since, it’s a magical experience and I love getting into character.”
Spendelow has worked in children’s theatre for most of his career – and it’s been one of the worst-hit industries. He’s lost work from pantomimes and doing hospital bedside shows for Great Ormond Hospital and Children In Need.
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“I’ve branched out doing loads different things and using my character and acting skills to keep working,” he says. “This year, I’ll be sat in a real grotto with a Christmas tree, no green screen involved. There’ll be props to bring everything to life such as a roaring fire, a map, and a storybook. However, as a performer, I do miss being around other actors because it’s solely down to you to keep the energy and if anything happens it falls on you to keep the show going.”
Santa's Grotto Live Chief Santa Aaron Spendelow at Santa's Grotto Live
Being a one-man online show can be tiring – Santa gets Zoom fatigue like the rest of us. “It can be a long day,” adds Spendelow. “I could have back-to-back shows where each session lasts for an hour and you do that two or three times a day. You put your all into it: your character, your energy, and your voice – it can be quite exhausting.”
There are some perks. Children can be apprehensive or scared in a different environment, but they feel much more comfortable in their own home. “I love live theatre and acting, a lot of people say there’s nothing like it and I think that has its place, but we need online experiences, too,” he adds. “We need to think more about accessibility and for people who can’t travel out and about.”
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Terranium Christmas Tree Designer
‘The festive design challenge is like no other we have done before’
The high street is looking a little quieter than usual this year – but despite the lack of footfall, Christmas trees are still going up. In fact, they’re being put up earlier than usual for some much-needed festive cheer.
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For Darren Henderson, 42, founder of Botantical Boys in London, his terrarium Christmas tree design in Coals Drop Yard in King’s Cross is the biggest project to date. “The festive design challenge is like no other we have done before,” he says, “and creating something new and bespoke has been super exciting.”
King’s Cross has a big residential community, so Henderson says they can get into the festive spirit and take joy from the Christmas decorations. “It has allowed us to do something rewarding for people in this extraordinary year – they can connect to nature and enjoy looking at the festive tree whilst they are taking in some fresh air.”
David Parry/PA Wire Botanical Boys founder, Darren Henderson unveils his installation named The Terrarium Tree at Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross
The sustainable 28ft tree is made from 70 enclosed terrariums, each containing a unique, individual miniature garden and surrounded by 168 mirrored baubles in differing sizes. The terrariums will grow throughout the festive season and then be re-homed in the new year.
“It’s an alternative, unexpected interpretation of the traditional festive tree that’s made by hand,” says Henderson. “We chose plants that don’t require too much moisture and the higher placed terrariums contain more colourful mosses in their base so they reflect against the bauble mirror and look very festive.
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“The most important driver for this project though is giving people something special to look forward to this year.”
John Sturrock The Terrarium Tree, Coal Drops Yard, Christmas in King's Cross
Christmas Trail Light Creators
‘We’re spacing everything out around the city, the park, or in the woodlands’
Most big Christmas lights switch-on events have been scuppered, but some light displays are still shining on to brighten up the dark winter nights.
For Sevim Sangwell, director of Fineline Lighting, a lighting and rigging events company in Bristol, this year was supposed to be the most profitable and busiest time of year. Usually, they’d be working on Christmas markets and events. The Bath Christmas markets are considered one of the city’s biggest festive attractions, which draws in over 400,000 visitors annually. With no markets on this year, nearby local businesses are taking a battering.
Instead, Sangwell says they’ve managed to create some lighting Christmas walks and trails around Bath.
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Fineline Lighting Fineline Lighting Christmas Light Trail
“It’s been hard, we’ve had to let people go and furlough staff, but we’re hanging in there just about,” says Sangwell. “We’re currently working on lighting up historical buildings around Bath.
“We have to ensure we’re putting on a Covid safe and secure environment, even if it’s outdoors. We don’t want people to gather at one point, so we’re spacing everything out around the city, the park, or in the woodlands.”
Sangwell says there’s a lot of meticulous planning and meetings – “people seem to think it’s a simple flick of a switch and the lights come on, but there’s a lot of risk assessment”.
“We are hopeful for the future and it will all come back eventually, but we just need to survive until we can start bouncing back,” she adds.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-03--Strictly Come Dancing's JJ Chalmers To Undergo Surgery On His Leg When This Year's Series Is Over

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Strictly Come Dancing contestant JJ Chalmers is to undergo surgery on his leg when this year’s series came to an end.
The former Royal Marine suffered major injuries during his military career, following an IED explosion in Afghanistan back in 2011.
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In the years since, JJ has trained as an Invictus Games athlete, and is currently one of six celebrities still in the running in this year’s series of Strictly.
Speaking to The Sun, JJ has revealed that his time on the show has exacerbated one of his war injuries, and will undergo surgery to have shrapnel removed from his leg once his time on the BBC show is over.
JJ Chalmers is still in the running for the glitterball trophy BBC
“My body is covered in scars and it’s full of shrapnel and frag and stuff from Afghanistan, which can sit quite happily for many years without any real issues,” JJ told the newspaper.
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“But the problem is, this one has been exacerbated. It can be the physical exertion or it could be the exhaustion. Unfortunately, what it does is it looks for the quickest way up to the surface of your skin, which is where the scar is.
“So it’s about a six-inch scar that’s pretty inflamed. It’s a very tender, stinging pain. When Amy [Dowden, his professional partner] presses up against it, it’s not a very nice thing to poke at.”
JJ Chalmers and Amy Dowden during last week's Strictly live show BBC/Guy Levy
He added: “As far as my surgeon’s concerned, this thing needs to get taken out of my leg.
“If we’d had the time, it would’ve been done by now, especially when it first flared up. But this is the situation. Life gets in the way, and that’s a great thing.
“I have the privilege of a life to have, so I’ll be getting it dug out in January, once my world calms down a little.”
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The Sun said that JJ is in regular contact with his surgeon, who monitors his injury via video chat, and is also taking antibiotics.
Saturday night’s Strictly live show will see the six remaining couples performing new routines set to classic songs from musical theatre.
JJ and Amy will be performing a Charleston to the title track from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, while the other couples will dance to songs from Waitress, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Phantom Of The Opera.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-03--Avonmouth Explosion: 'Multiple Casualties' After Incident At Warehouse Near Bristol

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Four people have been killed and one injured after a “large explosion” involving a chemical tank at a waste water treatment works near Bristol.
A major incident was declared at Wessex Water’s Bristol water recycling centre in Kings Weston Lane, Avonmouth, after reports of a blast at 11.22am on Thursday.
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Avon and Somerset Police said they were trying to establish the exact cause of the blast.
Chief inspector Mark Runacres told a press conference at the scene that three employees of Wessex Water and one contractor had died in the incident.
“Emergency services were called at approximately 11.20am to reports of a large explosion involving one of the chemical tanks at the site off Kings Weston Lane,” he said.
“Specially trained officers have this afternoon made contact with each of the families of those individuals and informed them of the sad news.
“This is a tragic incident and our thoughts and sympathies go out to them.”
Runacres said authorities would not be speculating into the cause of the explosion – but he added it was not being treated as a terror-related incident.
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A fifth person was also injured but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
The scene in Avomouth, Bristol, as fire crews, police and paramedics are responding to a large explosion at a warehouse where there have been multiple casualties. PA
Luke Gazzard, from Avon Fire and Rescue Service, said the incident had been “very challenging” but that crews had been able to get to it quickly.
“Luckily our local fire station is not too far from here so we had crews in attendance very, very quickly and they were able to gain an element of situational awareness,” he said.
Witness Jawad Burhan took a photo showing a tank that had exploded.
He told the PA news agency there was a “helicopter looking for missing people” and police had closed a nearby road leading up to the building, which he believed was a waste centre.
“I heard the sound, I’m working beside the building in another warehouse,” he said.
“After 10 minutes I saw the helicopter coming and the police.”
New photo for the exploded tank pic.twitter.com/YzTX4AWh4V — jawad burhan (@jawadburhan98) December 3, 2020
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Runacres added that inquiries were under way into what caused the explosion.
He said: “Officers remain at the scene and are likely to be for some time as we work together with other agencies in dealing with this major incident.
The scene in Avomouth, Bristol, as fire crews, police and paramedics are responding to a large explosion at a warehouse where there have been multiple casualties. PA
“A cordon has been set up and we’d advise members of the public to avoid the area at this time where possible to allow the emergency services to carry out their work.
“Police inquiries into exactly what happened are at a very early stage and are continuing.”
Wessex Water chief executive Colin Skellett said the company were “absolutely devastated” by the incident, and said it would be working with the Health and Safety Executive “to understand what happened and why”.
Sean Nolan, who witnessed the aftermath of the explosion, said he had heard a “boom and echo” but thought it was a vehicle collision.
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“I heard what I thought may have been two trucks colliding by the way it shook the ground… it was big,” he said.
“I continued doing what I was doing, but a couple of the lads came out to see if I was alright.
Nolan said there had been “a lot of commotion” in the minutes immediately after, but the incident itself had been “quite short-lived”.
“There were a lot of sirens coming in and some helicopter activity above as well,” he said.
“It (the helicopter) was circling for a good hour or so.
“It was quite short-lived, I’d say about two or three seconds. Sort of a boom and echo and then it just went quiet.
“That was it. There was no smoke, there was no after-effects of it.”
Prime minister Boris Johnson said “our hearts go out” to the victims and their families.
“Deeply saddened to learn that four people have lost their lives in the water works explosion in Avonmouth,” he said on Twitter.
“Our hearts go out to the victims and their families.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-03--More Women Are Selling Sex During Covid, Simply To Make Ends Meet

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An increasing number of women are turning to sex work as a direct result of financial hardship caused by Covid-19, a new report suggests.
The research, from the charity Changing Lives, found evidence of single mums selling or exchanging sex for the first time, in order to pay for food and household bills. It also uncovered adverts from students, worried about the impact of the furlough scheme on part-time jobs.
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Women with existing vulnerabilities – those who have faced homelessness, addictions or are living in poverty – are further “slipping through the net” as other support services are closed, the report adds.
In the first four months of lockdown alone, there was an 83% increase in the number of women accessing Changing Lives’ specialist services for women selling sex and experiencing sexual exploitation for the first time.
PM Images via Getty Images
The researchers looked at instances of women advertising to sell or exchange sex across specialist paid platforms, as well as mainstream community selling pages.
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They looked at two websites in detail, which require women to pay a subscription to advertise. On those sites, they found a total of 911 profiles in areas where the charity provides specialist support to women selling sex.
A “worrying number” of posts made reference to the financial hardship created by Covid-19, the researchers said.
Changing Lives
Changing Lives
Changing Lives
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One woman, who wished to remain anonymous, told HuffPost UK she posted an advert because she didn’t have enough money to feed herself, and was “feeling very low”.
“It has been very hard finding jobs or even coping with hardly no support. I turned to this because I got the cash to help me and the attention that people wanted me, as I was very lonely,” she said.
“It did make me feel dirty, that I had to turn to this as it shouldn’t be that way. People should have more support, I was reaching for help but no one was helping me.”
The charity’s findings also show a “concerning prevalence” of young women and girls advertising to sell sex or sexual activities online.
Of the 911 profiles looked at in detail, they most commonly belonged to women aged 18-25. This age group accounted for almost three fifths (59%) of women in the Northumbria area and almost half (49%) of women across all areas where Changing Lives delivers services.
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The report also emphasises the potential increased risk to women using these sites during the pandemic.
Due to the closure of most public spaces during lockdown, a number of women have been forced to use their home as a location for sex work, placing them at increased risk of physical and sexual violence, it states.
Access to vital public services – including sexual health and mental health services and support from safeguarding teams – has also been restricted due to the pandemic.
Changing Lives is calling on the government to increase the accountability of subscription-based adult websites and community selling pages, including more stringent requirements around ID and age verification.
It is also calling for the government to appoint a minister for safeguarding, to better understand the vulnerabilities that sometimes lead to women becoming involved in sex work.
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“The government has been vocal in expressing its commitment to ensure that all public services have the resources they need to support people through the pandemic,” the charity said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-03--I'm A Celebrity's Jessica Plummer Takes On Critics Who Claim The Castle Is Easier Than The Jungle

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Former I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! campmate Jessica Plummer has hit back at claims that this year’s stars are getting an easier ride than contestants in past series.
While the ITV reality show has taken place in the Australian jungle for almost 20 years, this year producers had to move the show to a ruined castle in Wales, due to travel restrictions.
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Obviously, this led to some big changes to the way things usually run, leading some critics to question whether the castle residents have had it easier than past competitors.
However, former EastEnders star Jessica has insisted this is far from the case.
Jessica was eliminated alongside opera singer Russell Watson on Wednesday Kieron McCarron/ITV/Shutterstock
“We’re in Wales, we’re not in Australia, it’s not 30 degrees,” she told The Sun. “We are freezing cold the whole time.
“All of us had thermals. I wore three pairs of socks at one point. I asked for boots that were two sizes bigger so that I could fit in.”
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She added: “It wasn’t till I just kind of surrendered to it that I think I really started to just enjoy the process.”
Jessica in the I'm A Celebrity castle ITV/Shutterstock
Just four celebrities remain in the castle, with Giovanna Fletcher, Vernon Kay, Jordan North and Shane Richie left in the running to be crowned the first ever King or Queen of the Castle.
Although the change of location has led to a number of big changes, viewers are in for a treat when the iconic Celebrity Cyclone trial returns in Thursday night’s episode.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-03--How To Find Out When And Where People Will Get The Covid Vaccine

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More than 12 million Covid-19 vaccine doses have now been administered in the UK, with the chairman of the UK Vaccines Taskforce has said he is “very optimistic” of meeting the target to jab all over-50s by May.
Downing Street confirmed on that the vaccine programme is intended to reach all those aged 50 and over, as well as adults aged 16-65 in an at-risk group, by May – having previously said it aimed to do so “by the spring”.
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So how can you find out where and when to get the vaccine?
When will people be told they can have the vaccine?
Certain groups are being prioritised for the vaccine – these follow the list set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
Prioritised groups have been called upon to take the vaccine either from their GP or hospital via a letter from the NHS or their local health board. Health and social care secretary Matt Hancock urged those who are called forward for vaccination by the NHS “to respond quickly, to protect themselves, their loved ones and their community”.
However, the government has now said people over the age of 70 who have not been offered a Covid vaccine should contact the NHS to arrange a jab. It marks a shift from the original instruction that people should wait to be contacted by the NHS rather than chasing an appointment themselves.
According to official figures, 12,294,006 people have received their first dose. Matt Hancock said on Feb 8 the government was “on track” to meet the mid-February target. He added: “I now urge everyone aged 70 and over who hasn’t yet had a vaccination to come forward and contact the NHS to book in their jab.
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“And if you have grandparents, relatives and friends over 70, please encourage them to book an appointment as soon as possible, so they can be protected against this awful virus.” The NHS said people should book appointments using the website www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination.
Those unable to get online have been told to call 119.
Paul Biris via Getty Images
How many vaccines do you need?
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is given in two doses, three weeks apart.
People receiving the AstraZeneca Oxford vaccine will also need two doses. However, people don’t need to receive both doses before protection against the virus begins. Matt Hancock said the decision by regulators that the second dose of the Oxford vaccine can be administered up to 12 weeks after the first would speed up its rollout.
However, unlike the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, the Oxford vaccine can be stored at fridge temperature for at least six months, so distributing and administering is expected to be easier.
Who will be administering the vaccines?
Trained healthcare professionals will be administering the vaccines in hospitals and GP surgeries.
A NHS spokesperson confirmed to HuffPost UK that anyone who will be giving out the vaccine will be put through proper training to be able to safely deliver it.
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Who will be prioritised for the vaccine?
Older adult residents in a care home and care home workers All those 80 years of age and over. Front line health and social care workers All those 75 years of age and over All those 70 years of age and over All those 65 years of age and over All Individuals aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions. All those 60 years of age and over All those 55 years of age and over All those 50 years of age and over The rest of the population (priority to be determined)
Downing Street has also set itself a target of vaccinating all over-50s by May.
What are the underlying health conditions that will mean those aged 16 to 64 will be prioritised?
Chronic respiratory disease, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis and severe asthma Chronic heart disease (and vascular disease) Chronic kidney disease Chronic liver disease Chronic neurological disease including epilepsy Down’s syndrome Severe and profound learning disability Diabetes Solid organ, bone marrow and stem cell transplant recipients People with specific cancers Immunosuppression due to disease or treatment Asplenia and splenic dysfunction Morbid obesity Severe mental illness
What about pregnant women?
Preliminary advice suggested the Pfizer vaccine was not recommended for women who were pregnant or breastfeeding – but this advice has now been revised by experts. Both the Oxford and Pfizer coronavirus vaccines can be given to pregnant or breastfeeding women, subject to a discussion with a doctor of their individual medical condition and history.
At a Downing Street briefing on December 30, Dr June Raine, chief executive of the MHRA, Professor Wei Shen Lim, chair of the JCVI, and Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, chair of the Commission on Human Medicine expert working group, confirmed that pregnant and breastfeeding women could receive either vaccine, subject to medical advice and a weighing up of risk with their GP.
This update has been welcomed by many women, as the previous advice would have made them ineligible for the vaccine for anything from nine months of pregnancy to several years of breastfeeding their child.
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Now two vaccines are available, will people have a say over which vaccine they would like?


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-03--Sarah Harding Says 'Things Are Tough' Following Cancer Diagnosis As She Shares Update With Fans

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Sarah Harding has thanked fans for their support following her cancer diagnosis, sharing that things have been “tough” for her in recent times.
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On Thursday, Sarah posted an update on Twitter, where she said she was “fighting as hard as I possibly can” to beat the disease.
Sarah Harding Joe Maher via Getty Images
“Thank you so much for all the messages of love and support that I’ve received since my last post,” she wrote.
“Everyone has been so kind and reading your comments and DMs has been such a huge source of strength to me.
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“I can’t deny that things are tough right now but I’m fighting as hard as I possibly can and being as brave as I know how.”
Hi everyone. Thank you so much for all the messages of love and support that I’ve received since my last post. Everyone has been so kind and reading your comments and DMs has been such a huge source of strength to me. pic.twitter.com/UGbuoEKpBX — Sarah Harding (@SarahNHarding) December 3, 2020
I can’t deny that things are tough right now but I’m fighting as hard as I possibly can and being as brave as I know how. — Sarah Harding (@SarahNHarding) December 3, 2020
Sarah then revealed that she has been writing her autobiography while undergoing treatment, explaining the book had given her “something fun and positive to focus on”.
She wrote: “In September the lovely people at Ebury Publishing asked me if I’d be interested in writing a book about my life story. It came at such a good time as it’s given me something fun & positive to focus on while I’ve been stuck at home in between trips to the hospital for treatment.
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“I’ve nearly finished it now and this week Mum and I have been looking though old photos, choosing which ones to include. It’ll be out after Christmas and I’m really proud of it. I hope you’ll like it.”
She added: “Sending lots of love to everyone – I hope you’re all keeping well.”
In September the lovely people at Ebury Publishing asked me if I’d be interested in writing a book about my life story. It came at such a good time as it’s given me something fun & positive to focus on while I’ve been stuck at home in between trips to the hospital for treatment. — Sarah Harding (@SarahNHarding) December 3, 2020
I’ve nearly finished it now and this week Mum and I have been looking though old photos, choosing which ones to include. It’ll be out after Christmas and I’m really proud of it. I hope you’ll like it. Sending lots of love to everyone – I hope you’re all keeping well - S x — Sarah Harding (@SarahNHarding) December 3, 2020
Sarah’s diagnosis came as a shock to fans, with the star writing at the time: “My amazing mum, family and close friends are helping me through this, and I want to say a thank you to the wonderful NHS doctors and nurses who have been and continue to be heroes.
“I am doing my very best to keep positive and will keep you updated here with how I’m getting on. In the meantime I hope you’ll all understand and respect my request for privacy during this difficult time.”
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Sarah is best known as a member of the Brit Award-winning band Girls Aloud, who rose to fame on Popstars: The Rivals in 2002 and went on to score four UK number one singles.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-03--Test And Trace Finally Improves Contact Tracing Rate – By Giving Up Calling Children

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Boris Johnson’s Test and Trace service has at last reported an improvement in its contact tracing rate – by giving up trying to contact children whose parents have already been reached.
The controversial system got through to 72.5% of people identified as having been near Covid sufferers in England, up from 60.5% on the previous week – having languished around the 60% mark for weeks.
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The figures, for the week to November 25, follow “protocol” changes to the way families with a positive Covid case are phoned at home.
The service had faced complaints that such households were being “bombarded” with multiple calls to check if children under 18 were isolating for the required two weeks.
Statista
Children are no longer contacted individually by contact tracers, but instead the adult with Covid is told to inform them they need to quarantine. Once the parent provides basic information for their children, they are marked as “complete”.
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The Department for Health and Social Care said: “These changes mean that under-18s in a household will no longer be contact traced individually, providing the parent or guardian in the household confirms they have completed their legal duty to inform their child to self-isolate.
“This operational improvement has resulted in an increase in the proportion of
contacts reached and the proportion reached within 24 hours.”
Insiders denied that the better results were essentially an “accountancy change” rather than an improvement in performance. Parents telling their children to self-isolate are also now better identified and more likely to engage, it is claimed.
Other reasons for the improved statistics are more local contact tracers being deployed in 250 council areas, as well as more people “digitally self-serving” by using the system’s website to hand over contacts.
Another reason for the improvement among family contact rates could be the impact of the national lockdown, with more people forced to spend time at home and therefore easier to get hold of.
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But Labour shadow health minister Justin Madders said: “On contact tracing rather than actually try and find a way of getting the system to improve it looks like they’ve moved the goalposts so that it just looks like it’s improved.”
PA
Test and Trace now has a £22bn budget, equivalent to nearly a fifth of the entire NHS budget each year, and is still failing to meet key targets set by government scientists to make it viable.
Although the 72.5% figure is an improvement, it is still well short of the 80% target that Sage (the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) recommends.
Test turnaround times have also slightly improved in the week to November 25. For in-person tests – conducted at local test sites, mobile testing units and regional test sites – 54.2% were received within 24 hours, compared to 50.7% in the previous week.
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In line with the drop in Covid cases under the second national lockdown, the latest figures show 110,620 people tested positive for Covid-19 in England at least once during the last seven-day period.
This is down 28% week-on-week and is the lowest total since the week ending October 14.
Test and Trace chief Dido Harding said: “We have listened to feedback on the contact tracing process.
“Adding a further 50 local tracing partnerships to the capability of NHS Test and Trace is also another significant step in supporting communities across the country through outbreaks in an ever more localised way.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-03--Peer Guilty Of Homophobia And Bullying Faces 18-Month Suspension From Lords

Paul Faith - PA Images via Getty Images
A peer who shouted abuse at parliamentary security staff and called an MP who complained about it a “queer” should be suspended from parliament for at least 18 months, the Lords conduct committee has recommended.
Lord Maginnis was found to have used abusive language to a parliamentary security officer as he tried to enter the building without his pass.
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SNP MP Hannah Bardell later raised the issue in the Commons, describing it as “one of the worst cases of abuse of security staff I have seen”.
In the days after, Lord Maginnis told HuffPost UK the security officer, Christian Bombolo, was “crooked”, “a little git” and a “jobsworth”.
The the staff member said this made him feel “humiliated and worthless”.
The Lords conduct committee said this incident constituted bullying.
Speaking to HuffPost UK, Maginnnis also made homophobic remarks about Bardell, accusing her of seeking “cheap publicity” and trying to “score a few points” because he is opposed to gay marriage.
“Queers like Ms Bardell don’t particularly annoy me,” he added.
The committee said Maginnis’s comments to HuffPost UK “met these criteria for harassment associated with the protected characteristic of sexual orientation, and were therefore a breach of the code of conduct”.
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Maginnis was also found guilty of homophobic harassment of Labour MP Luke Pollard in a row following a meeting of the armed forces all party parliamentary group, where the peer accused Pollard of being the “worst chairman he had ever seen”.
Later in the evening Lord Maginnis sent an email to James Gray MP, the actual chair of the APPG, copied to a number of other parliamentarians and to my office, with the subject heading “Discrimination by Homos”.
In these emails he complained to Gray that Pollard had “deliberately not called” him despite acknowledging his indication of wishing to ask a question. He described his exchange with Pollard after the meeting as one in which Pollard had “threatened me with his ‘boyfriend’”.
In another row over the incident with Labour MP Toby Perkins, Lord Maginnis was found guilty of homophobic harassment.
Bardell said in a statement she was grateful for those who had helped her through the “grim affair”.
“The extent of Lord Maginnis’s behaviour is now laid bare for all to read and my goodness is it a worrying and depressing read,” she said.
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“That someone who is in a position of such power and influence and who is a lawmaker, can think it appropriate to behave in such a manner is truly astonishing.
“I was particularly struck and saddened by the testimony of the security guard who was bullied by Lord Maginnis. I witnessed this as it happened and attempted to intervene.”
The Lords conduct committee said: “The committee has recommended Lord Maginnis of Drumglass be suspended from the House for at least 18 months for breaching the code of conduct in relation to behaviour that constituted bullying and harassment against four different complainants including a parliamentary security officer and three MPs.
“Lord Maginnis’ harassment related to the protected characteristic of sexual orientation and the language he used was homophobic and offensive.
“The committee also recommended that Lord Maginnis’ suspension should be extended beyond 18 months if he fails to engage constructively with behaviour change training.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-03--Explained: How GCSEs, A-Levels And SATs Will Be Different In 2021

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Students taking GCSE and A-level exams next year will be awarded special measures to compensate for disruption to their schooling during the coronavirus pandemic, the education secretary has announced.
The announcement comes after the fiasco around grading of GCSE and A-level students in the summer, when exams were cancelled amid the coronavirus pandemic and school closures.
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Thousands of A-level students had their results downgraded from school estimates by an algorithm, before Ofqual announced a U-turn, allowing them to use teachers’ original predictions instead.
We took a look at what the government’s latest raft of measures will mean for students.
What’s changing?
Individuals sitting exams in 2021 will have special measures to ensure they are not disadvantaged by the coronavirus pandemic (file picture) Andrew Fox via Getty Images
The measures, set out by Gavin Williamson, include more generous grades, in line with results from summer 2020.
Students will also receive advance notice, at the end of January, of some topics ahead of tests.
Additional exams will also be run to give students a second chance to sit a paper if the main exams or assessments are missed due to illness or self-isolation, the Department for Education (DfE) said.
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Students will also be given aids, such as formula sheets, in some exams to boost their confidence and reduce the amount of information they need to memorise, as part of the measures.
A new expert group will be set up to look at differential learning and to monitor the variation in the impact of the pandemic on students across the country.
But it is understood that grading changes simply based on the region you live in have been ruled out.
Sats exams in Year 6 will still go ahead – except for the grammar, punctuation and spelling test – but tests in Year 2 will be suspended for a year.
What about vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils?
Under new contingency measures, students who miss one or more exams due to self-isolation or sickness, but who have still completed a proportion of their qualification, will still receive a grade.
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If a student misses all their assessments in a subject, they will have the opportunity to sit a contingency paper held shortly after the main exam series.
These tests are expected to run in the first few weeks of July.
If a pupil has a legitimate reason to miss all their papers, then a validated teacher-informed assessment can be used but only once all chances to sit an exam have passed.
Students who are clinically extremely vulnerable will also be given the option to sit an exam at home if they cannot be in school due to restrictions.
It comes after DfE figures revealed that more than a fifth (22%) of secondary school pupils were absent from school last week for the second week running.
Gavin Williamson said: “Exams are the best way of giving young people the opportunity to show what they can do, which is why it’s so important they take place next summer.
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“But this isn’t business as usual. I know students are facing unprecedented disruption to their learning. That’s why exams will be different next year, taking exceptional steps to ensure they are as fair as possible.
“I am determined to support students, parents and teachers in these unprecedented times and hope measures like more generous grading and advance notice of some topic areas will give young people the clarity and confidence they need to achieve every success.”
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “In September, we were faced with secondary exams proceeding unaltered, all primary assessments going ahead as normal, full publication of performance data, and a return to inspection in January.
“This announcement brings with it some much-needed relief to school leaders who have been operating in ‘emergency mode’ for most of this year.”
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “This solution to next year’s A-level and GCSE exams will make them as fair as they can be in the circumstances.
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“It is not perfect – nothing can be, given the fact that learning has been so disrupted by coronavirus and that pupils have been affected to vastly different extents.”
What are the concerns with the latest plans?
Leaders from some teaching unions and educational charities still have fears about how the measures will address gaps in the system, as well as questions over how teachers will deal with the changes.
James Turner, chief executive of the Sutton Trust, said the measures would need “careful management” to ensure they do not widen existing attainment gaps “as students at more affluent schools may have better access to the resources to prepare these topics in detail and at short notice”.
Meanwhile, Bill Watkin, chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, said concerns remained about the differential impact that Covid-19 has had on pupils in different areas of the country.
He added: “More thought also needs to go into university admissions, to ensure that students in England are not disadvantaged because they are sitting exams next year, unlike their peers in other parts of the UK.”
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Advance notice of exam topics is not expected to be made public until the end of January so students can focus their revision period from February onwards.
Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, has expressed concerns that a large proportion of teachers have said they will not be able to teach the whole syllabus in the time available with repeated pupil absences.
My thoughts on the Government’s exams announcement this morning.
1. Teachers and leaders will be relieved that, at last, there has been an announcement. The stress of not knowing has been huge. Teachers care deeply about their pupils and want them to achieve their potential. — Dr Mary Bousted (@MaryBoustedNEU) December 3, 2020
She said: “That makes it crucial that teachers are told, now, what topics will be on the exam paper. I understand that this information is not going to be released until the end of January 2021. That is too late.”
Ofqual’s interim chief regulator Dame Glenys Stacey said: “Summer 2020 results were the first pandemic results. They were unique when compared to previous years, with higher grades overall.
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“We have decided to carry forward the overall level of generosity from 2020 through to summer 2021, in recognition of the baleful and continuing impact of the pandemic.
“This is an unprecedented step. Having consulted widely, we think it the right thing to do.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-03--Root Of The Recipe: Revealing Myself In My Mexican Cuisine

Root Of The Recipe: Revealing Myself In My Mexican Cuisine
In episode two of Root Of The Recipe, we meet Walter Opitz who explains his approach to authentic Mexican cuisine and how he reveals himself in his cooking. Walter makes a traditional Mexican dish, Mole Verde, chicken braised in a delicious green Mexican-style sauce.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-03--UK Approved Vaccine First Because It's A 'Better Country' Than Others, Says Gavin Williamson

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The UK was the first to approve a coronavirus vaccine for use because it is a “much better country” than France, Belgium and the United States, the education secretary has said.
On Wednesday the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) gave the green light to the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, paving the way for vaccinations to start next week.
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Speaking to LBC on Thursday morning, Gavin Williamson was asked why no other country had yet to approve the vaccine.
“Well I just reckon we’ve got the very best people in this country and we’ve obviously got the best medical regulators,” he said.
“Much better than the French have, much better than the Belgians have, much better than the Americans have.
“That doesn’t surprise me at all because we’re a much better country than every single one of them aren’t we.”
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The vaccine is a joint project between Pfizer, an American firm, and BioNTech, a German firm.
Doses of the vaccine delivered to the UK will be manufactured in Belgium.
Jonathan Van-Tam, England’s deputy chief medical officer, said on Thursday morning said he expected other countries to approve the vaccine soon.
“I actually don’t expect other regulators, particularly the US regulator, to be very far behind with this vaccine,” he told BBC Breakfast. “This will all be solved in matter of days. Other regulators are very close behind.”
Van-Tam said the UK had been able to approve the vaccine fast as the government had been “really, really organised”.
“I started focusing behind the scenes on getting vaccines and vaccine preparedness back in March,” he said.
The MHRA has also dismissed claims the UK was able to approve the vaccine quickly because of Brexit. “We have been able to authorise the supply of this vaccine using provisions under European law which exist until January 1,” June Raine, the regulator’s chief executive, told a Downing Street briefing.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-03--Love Actually's Martine McCutcheon Reveals Why She Feared Killing Hugh Grant During Filming

Martine McCutcheon has revealed she feared killing Hugh Grant on her first day of filming Love Actually.
The former EastEnders star played Hugh’s love interest Natalie in the 2003 festive romcom and said her first day on set proved to be pretty nerve-wracking.
Her first scene was the one in which the whole cast filmed their various reunions at Heathrow Airport, with Martine tasked with jumping into the arms of Hugh’s character, prime minister David.
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Martine recalled filming the scene as “wonderful” but explained that jumping into Hugh’s arms hadn’t proved as easy as it looked on screen.
Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon in Love Actually Peter Mountain/Universal/Dna/Working Title/Kobal/Shutterstock
Speaking to the PA news agency last year, she said: “It was one of the only times that everybody was together, if not the only time, and you realise that all these people are actually connected in some way without realising necessarily.
“It was just so special to look around and see everyone around us, Oscar winners, the talent on that set that day was unbelievable.
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“But I was really nervous because I had to run and jump on Hugh, that was my first scene, and I was thinking ‘Oh my God, I’m going to kill him!’”
Martine continued: “He was like ‘Come on, go for it’, and I was so nervous because I had never had to jump on anybody in a scene in my life and now as I do it, it’s with the heartthrob that is Hugh Grant, in front of everybody, in front of all these amazing actors, and what if I knock him out? What if I do something wrong?
“And every time I ran up to do it, I stopped.”
She added: “Hugh called me Teeny, and he was like ‘Come on Teeny, you can do it,’ and I was so scared I was going to hurt him or knock him over or something.
“Luckily everything went great and we did good, he was fine, he can handle it. He makes it all look effortless.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-03--The Current State Of Trump's Attempt To Thwart The Election Result

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You could be forgiven, amidst the latest incredible vaccine news, for temporarily forgetting that over in the US Donald Trump is still trying to contest an election that he most definitely lost.
In the latest instalment of the bizarre saga, the president’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani testified in Michigan on Wednesday that the vote count was deeply flawed and president-elect Joe Biden had not won the state.
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His star witness was Mellissa Carone, an IT contractor for Dominion Voting Systems, a company that Trump’s team has accused – without evidence – of tampering with the result which was certified earlier this week.
Slurring her words and constantly interrupting, Carone claimed the record of the official vote numbers “is completely off” by “over 100,000”.
She then repeatedly interrupted panel member Republican Steve Johnson who said there was no evidence of the claims, leading Giuliani to reach over and appear to stop her.
Discount Cecily Strong went so off the rails that even Rudy looks concerned about her pic.twitter.com/dTJZ94jGgs — Santiago Mayer (@santiagomayer_) December 3, 2020
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And if that wasn’t enough entertainment, footage from the hearing also appeared to catch a very loud and abrupt fart from Giuliani which caused some incredible side-eye action from Jenna Ellis, the Trump campaign’s senior legal adviser.
Ok, shut it all down.
Rudy Giuliani just farted. Check out the side-eye from the girl seated next to him the second it happens.
You can’t write it... pic.twitter.com/tDCB4IDFdP — Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) December 3, 2020
Yet despite the comedy value, the continued lies from the Trump campaign and its ongoing attempt to overturn democracy are having serious effects elsewhere.
Death threats are on the rise and local and state election officials are being hounded into hiding, the Associated Press reports.
A Trump campaign lawyer has declared publicly that a federal official who defended the integrity of the election should be “drawn and quartered” or simply shot.
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Gabriel Sterling, a Republican election official in Georgia, gave one of the most disturbing press conferences in recent history on Monday as he implored the president to “stop inspiring people to commit potential acts of violence”.
He then detailed numerous cases of election officials receiving death threats and multiple accounts of harassment.
He said: “My boss, [Georgia secretary of state Brad] Raffensperger, his address is out there. They have people doing caravans in front of their house. They’ve had people come on to their property.
“Tricia, his wife of 40 years, is getting sexualised threats through her cellphone.
“It has to stop.”
This is what cold, hard fury sounds like. pic.twitter.com/KfcWwCWQIg — James Ball (@jamesrbuk) December 1, 2020
Giuliani’s response? Tough beans.
“They’re the ones who should have the courage to step up,” Giuliani said Wednesday in Michigan.
“You have got to get them to remember that their oath to the Constitution sometimes requires being criticised.
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“Sometimes it even requires being threatened.”
There is no evidence to support Trump or Giuliani’s claims of widespread voter fraud.
Attorney general William Barr said on Monday the Justice Department has not uncovered any that would change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
The comments are especially direct coming from Barr, who has been one of the president’s most ardent allies, PA Media reports.
Before the election, he had repeatedly raised the notion that mail-in voter fraud could be especially vulnerable to fraud during the coronavirus pandemic as Americans feared going to polls and instead chose to vote by mail.
Shortly after Barr’s statement was published, Trump tweeted out more baseless claims of voter fraud.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-03--How To Make Christmas Festive In A Pandemic

How To Make Christmas Festive In A Pandemic
We’re not lying when we say Christmas 2020 is a Christmas like no other. Here’s some tips on how you can keep things festive during lockdowns, restrictions and the pandemic.