thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--'Who's In Charge?' – Serco Outsources 85% Of Jobs Under Its £45m Test And Trace Contract

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Ministers face fresh calls to tear up a £45m contract with Serco to provide elements of its Covid-19 Test and Trace programme after it emerged the firm is outsourcing the majority of the work.
The government awarded the lucrative contract to the firm last month to help trace close contacts of coronavirus patients as the UK tries to avoid a second wave of the disease this winter.
But it has emerged the multi-billion-pound firm is subcontracting operations to 29 other companies, and that 85% (9,000 of a total of 10,500) of staff are not employed directly by Serco.
Ministers now stand accused of failing to learn the lessons of the collapse of construction giant Carillion, the so-called “mega-contractor” that folded with huge debts and left taxpayers footing a £148m bill.
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The NHS Test and Trace service, which was set up in May and includes a number of public health bodies as well as Serco, last week revealed it was still failing to reach nearly a quarter of people who test positive for the virus.
Serco has been tasked with providing “tier three” contact tracing – where non-clinical call centre staff phone or email the “close contacts” of positive cases, and update public records.
Shadow Cabinet Office minister Helen Hayes said the amount of work being subcontracted out by Serco meant accountability for operations was being eroded.
She told HuffPost UK: “This is astonishing. [Test and Trace] is an essential public service, which should be at the heart of the national effort to prevent a second wave of the coronavirus and to build confidence to restart the economy. It is impossible to see how there can be any meaningful control or accountability under these arrangements.
“The government does not appear to have learned any lessons from Carillion’s collapse and other privatisation failures, where outsourcing companies subcontracted the majority of work.
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“Labour has been raising concerns about contracts with Serco for weeks. The [Test and Trace] system relies on public trust and the government’s approach to procurement is placing this in jeopardy.”
Cat Hobbes, founder of the anti-privatisation campaign We Own It, is calling for the government to scrap Serco’s tracing contract.
She said: “This is utterly outrageous – we call on the government to immediately scrap Serco’s contract. Invest these millions in our NHS, local authorities and local public health experts so we can get out of lockdown safely.”
Referring to the 29 subcontractors Serco was using, she added: “We don’t even know who’s actually in charge right now. This would be a joke if it weren’t so deadly serious.
“Local health teams are already successfully tracing seven times more contacts than Serco – give them the resources they so urgently need.”
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A government source defended the use of private sector contractors to help speed up the NHS Test and Trace response.
They said: “This is all part of a wider attack on us for using the private sector to help deliver projects.
“The private sector have helped us deliver almost everything we’ve done – whether than be scaling up testing, delivering PPE, or building a mass contact tracing system at scale and at speed.
“We’ll make no apologies for harnessing the best people and the best organisations to help us fight Covid, whether they are from the public sector or the private sector.”
HuffPost UK has contacted Serco for comment.
NHS Test and Trace figures released last week showed that 78.7% were reached and asked to provide details of recent close contacts, up slightly week on week.
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In the week to July 8, some 13,807 people were identified as close contacts. Of these, 9,811 people (71.1%) were reached and asked to self-isolate, again a slight improvement on the previous week – but still short of the 80% figure recommended by government scientists needed to make the system effective.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--Grant Shapps Says Brits Were Too Smart To Fall For Russian Brexit Bots. Researchers Disagree

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Transport secretary Grant Shapps Peter Summers via Getty Images
Unless you have completely given up reading the news (and honestly, who could blame you at the moment?) you have probably heard about the critical Russia report, which dropped on Tuesday after months of delay.
The paper, which was written by parliament’s intelligence and security committee (ISC), found the UK government – and intelligence agencies – did not do enough to investigate or protect the UK from Russian interference in the 2016 EU referendum. (Yes, the report is a *big* deal.)
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Among the accusations from MPs was that the UK was “clearly a target” for disinformation campaigns around its elections – including the referendum on Brexit – but that no organisation had stepped up to grab this “hot potato”.
The ISC has called on the government to create a new protocol with social media companies to bar from their platforms Russian “bots” intent on hostile state activity.
But transport secretary Grant Shapps doesn’t seem convinced.
The government has already rejected calls for an inquiry into the EU referendum, insisting there is “no evidence” of successful interference (though that’s mainly because no one looked for any).
But speaking on Wednesday, Shapps appeared to go even further – and suggest that Brits were simply too clever to fall for bots, Russian or otherwise.
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He told BBC Radio 4′s Today programme: “We know that these bots exist. I think the British people were more intelligent than to fall for, sort of, social media...”
Unfortunately for Shapps (and his faith in the British public), researchers believe he is wrong.
A research collaboration between the University of Swansea and the University of California, Berkeley, in 2017 found: “Leavers were more likely to be influenced by bots compared to Remainers.
“These results suggest that dissemination of information is consistent with what is frequently referred to as an ‘echo chamber’ – a situation in which information, ideas, or beliefs are amplified or reinforced by communication and repetition inside a defined system, revealing that the outcome is that information is more fragmented rather than uniform across people.”
A paper by the same team considering the impact of bots’ tweets on the referendum and on the 2016 US presidential election found that “bots had a perhaps limited, but tangible effect on humans”. Overall, they wrote, “our results suggest that the aggressive use of Twitter bots, coupled with the fragmentation of social media and the role of sentiment, could contribute to the vote outcomes”.
Its authors also point to a “massive volume of ‘Russian’ tweets [about the referendum] created only a few days before the voting day,” that “reached its peak during the voting and result days, then dropped immediately afterwards”. They used the default profile language of the accounts to determine whether they might be of Russian origin, though pointed out these. were not necessarily all bots.
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Tho Pham, one of the paper’s authors, told the Times that “the main conclusion is that bots were used on purpose and had influence”. The Times had revealed that Russian Twitter accounts – many of which are believed to be bots – had posted more than 45,000 messages in 48 hours during the EU referendum.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--US And UK Amend ‘Anomaly’ That Let Harry Dunn’s Alleged Killer Claim Immunity

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The UK and US have agreed to amend the “anomaly” that allowed Harry Dunn’s alleged killer to claim diplomatic immunity, the foreign secretary has said.
A court hearing last month heard that the “secret agreement” permitted Anne Sacoolas to return to her home country after a road crash that killed the 19-year-old in August last year.
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Despite the “anomaly” now having been fixed in the immunity agreements surrounding RAF Croughton, the Northamptonshire military base near where Harry Dunn died in a road collision, his alleged killer still remains in the US.
Speaking to the PA news agency, Harry’s mother Charlotte Charles said Wednesday’s announcement was a “huge step forward” – adding that one of the family’s aims was for this to “never happen to another family again”.
This is great news. Should stop what happened to us happening to anybody else. But the U.S. still won’t send her back #annesacoolas #Justice4harry #thefightgoeson pic.twitter.com/EsZ2XYbIae — tim dunn aka Pops (@timntfcdunn) July 22, 2020
She said their campaign would continue for Sacoolas’s return to the UK.
Harry was killed when his motorbike and a car outside a US military base in Northamptonshire collided in August last year.
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Sacoolas, the wife of a US intelligence official based at RAF Croughton, claimed diplomatic immunity following the crash and was able to return to her home country, sparking an international controversy.
In a written statement, Dominic Raab said: “First and foremost, the US waiver of immunity from criminal jurisdiction is now expressly extended to the family members of US staff at the Croughton Annex, thus ending the anomaly in the previous arrangements and permitting the criminal prosecution of the family members of those staff, should these tragic circumstances ever arise again.
“We have the deepest sympathy for Harry Dunn’s family. No family should have to experience what they have gone through and I recognise that these changes will not bring Harry back.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--Watch Live: Boris Johnson And Keir Starmer Go Head To Head For The Last PMQs Before Summer Recess

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Keir Starmer has declared the Labour Party is “under new management”, as he distanced himself further from former leader Jeremy Corbyn.
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Speaking during PMQs on Wednesday, Starmer asked Boris Johnson “why on earth” he “sat on” a report by the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) into Russian meddling in Britain’s democracy.
The report, published yesterday – months after it was completed – concluded the government “took its eye off the ball” and failed to respond to the threat from Moscow.
Johnson accused Starmer of having “sat on his hands and said nothing while the Labour Party parroted the line of the Kremlin” when Corbyn was leader at the time of the Salisbury poisoning.
But Starmer said he had been “absolutely clear” in condemning Russian aggression.
“I’d ask the prime minister to check the record and withdraw that,” he said. “Under my leadership national security will always be the top priority for Labour.”
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In an appearance on BBC Question Time on March 15, 2018, Starmer said he condemned the poisoning “without reservation” and it was the “right conclusion” that “responsibility lies with Russia”.
During PMQs today, Starmer called on Johnson to tackle “Kremlin-backed disinformation” and suggested the government should “look again” at the licensing for broadcaster RT, formerly Russia Today, to operate in the UK.
Johnson told Starmer he should have called out Corbyn “when he took money for appearing on Russia Today”.
Corbyn, as well as members of his shadow cabinet, regularly appeared on the TV channel.
Starmer hit back: “In case the prime minister hasn’t noticed, the Labour Party is under new management.
“No frontbencher of this party has appeared on Russia Today since I have been leading this party.”
The explicit distancing from Corbyn came hours after Labour agreed to pay “substantial damages” to whistleblowers who contributed to a TV expose of its handling of anti-Semitism under its previous leadership.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--Joe Wicks Emotional As He Hosts Final PE With Joe Class: 'It’s A Sad Day But I’m So Proud'

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Joe Wicks had an emotional moment as he signed off from his final PE With Joe online class on Wednesday.
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The fitness guru has become the nation’s PE teacher over the last 18 weeks, hosting daily workouts on his YouTube channel aimed at kids, which have raised over £580,000 for the NHS.
For his last session, Joe was joined by his wife Rosie Jones and their children Indie and Marley, with more than 100,000 watching along on YouTube.
Joe Wicks YouTube
“It’s a sad day but I’m so proud,” Joe said. “We’re fitter and stronger. We’re healthier and happier.”
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After letting off party poppers, he said: “That’s the end of PE With Joe.
“Thank you so much for taking part. Thank you to everyone from the teaching assistants, parents, the fans, everyone that’s taken part. I’ve loved it so much and I’m going to miss you all.”
His voice appearing to crack with emotion, he added: “I don’t know what to say, I’m really emotional.”
After jumping off his mantelpiece, Joe signed off by asking fans to keep exercising.
“You feel quite low, your energy is not great. You come through the workout… you feel energised, happy, you’re positive, it makes you feel fit and strong and confident,” he said.
“Just because live workouts aren’t on, keep going. Every single workout we’ve ever done is on the channel. Go back and relive it.
“Keep training together as a family, you are each other’s role models. It’s all about mental health and you’re going to be living a healthier, happier life if you exercise together. So please keep it up.
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“From me and the Wicks family, bye everybody.”
Joe – otherwise known as The Body Coach – began the workouts for children stuck at home when the government first closed schools due to the coronavirus outbreak.
During that time, his 78 workouts have racked up 80 million views in total, with a watchtime for PE With Joe passing 2,271 years.
He previously announced he would be donating all the ad revenue generated from his workouts to the NHS, and along with profits from T-shirts and other merchandise, Joe has raised a total of £580,000.
On Instagram, Joe called his classes his “proudest achievement”.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--‘It’s Not A Choice, It’s A Responsibility’: Paralympian Liz Johnson Says Employers Need To Be More I

‘It’s Not A Choice, It’s A Responsibility’: Paralympian Liz Johnson Says Employers Need To Be More Inclusive For People With Disabilities
People with disabilities are twice as likely to be unemployed and face discrimination in the workplace compared to able-bodied people. It’s facts like this that lead Paralympian Liz Johnson to begin a recruitment company that helps find people with disabilities a job – and help change the often outdated attitudes towards disability in the workplace. Here Liz explains why employers need to make inclusivity a responsibility and not a choice.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--Labour Pays ‘Substantial Damages’ To BBC Panorama Anti-Semitism Whistleblowers

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Labour’s row over anti-Semitism is set to reignite after the party formally apologised to whistleblowers and the BBC’s Panorama for claiming they had “maliciously” misrepresented the issue.
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The party read out in the High Court a full apology for its depiction of the seven former members of staff, as part of an out-of-court libel settlement that cost the party an estimated £500,000 in fees and damages.
The party has agreed to pay “substantial damages” to seven whistleblowers - believed to be worth about £200,000 - over “defamatory and false allegations” made about the BBC investigation.
The seven former employees, who worked in the party’s governance and legal unit, who were responsible for the investigation of allegations of misconduct by party members, sued Labour after it issued a press release describing them as having “personal and political axes to grind”.
But HuffPost UK understands that Jeremy Corbyn is set to make clear his own opposition to the settlement, believing that the party had grounds to defend the libel action.
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His supporters are also likely to launch legal challenges to the settlement in coming weeks, arguing that a recent leaked internal report on anti-Semitism shed new light on the affair.
Former Corbyn aides Seumas Milne, Karie Murphy and Jennie Formby are all understood to have taken legal advice, in the expectation of it being funded through their union Unite, to ensure that they had access to the party apology before it was issued on Wednesday.
It is unlikely the former aides will pursue a further legal challenge, but other Corbyn supporters may well do so.
Unite general secretary Len McCluskey tweeted the settlement was “a misuse of Labour funds to settle a case it was advised we would win in court”
Today’s settlement is a misuse of Labour Party funds to settle a case it was advised we would win in court. The leaked report on how anti-semitism was handled tells a very different story about what happened. — Len McCluskey (@LenMcCluskey) July 22, 2020
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In a statement on Facebook, Corbyn said: “The Party’s decision to apologise today and make substantial payments to former staff who sued the party in relation to last year’s Panorama programme is a political decision, not a legal one.
“Our legal advice was that the party had a strong defence, and the evidence in the leaked Labour report that is now the subject of an NEC inquiry led by Martin Forde QC strengthened concerns about the role played by some of those who took part in the programme.
“The decision to settle these claims in this way is disappointing, and risks giving credibility to misleading and inaccurate allegations about action taken to tackle antisemitism in the Labour Party in recent years.
“To give our members the answers and justice they deserve, the inquiry led by Martin Forde must now fully address the evidence the internal report uncovered of racism, sexism, factionalism and obstruction of Labour’s 2017 General Election campaign.”
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Keir Starmer has vowed a “zero tolerance” approach to anti-Semitism within the party, which is in the process of responding to a formal verdict by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) into allegations of its handling of the issue.
The Panorama programme Is Labour Anti-Semitic?, screened in July 2019, saw whistleblowers make a number of serious claims about the party’s internal culture for dealing with complaints of anti-Semitism.
The former staffers and Panorama journalist John Ware launched libel proceedings after Labour’s response to the programme included claims that the broadcast contained “deliberate and malicious representations designed to mislead the public”.
In the High Court, a statement was read out on behalf of new Labour general secretary David Evans apologising for the party’s description of ex-staffers.
The statement said that before the programme was broadcast the party had “issued a press release that contained defamatory and false allegations about these whistleblowers”.
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It made an “unreserved apology” to Kat Buckingham, Michael Creighton, Samuel Matthews, Dan Hogan, Louise Withers Green, Benjamin Westerman and Martha Robinson.
“We acknowledge the many years of dedicated and committed service that the whistleblowers have given to the Labour Party as members and as staff. We appreciate their valuable contribution at all levels of the party,” the party said.
“We unreservedly withdraw all allegations of bad faith, malice and lying. We would like to apologise unreservedly for the distress, embarrassment and hurt caused by their publication. We have agreed to pay them damages.”
It added that: “John Ware is a very experienced broadcast and print journalist, producer and author, and we have agreed to pay damages to him”.
The party said that anti-Semitism “has been a stain on the Labour Party in recent years”. “It has caused unacceptable and unimaginable levels of grief and distress for many in the Jewish community, as well as members of staff.”
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Speaking outside court after the hearing, Labour’s shadow attorney general Lord Falconer said: “It is a clear line under a dispute between the Labour Party and people who had been whistleblowers about anti-Semitism.
“We can focus now not on litigation, which is a disastrous thing for a party to be focusing on.
“Instead, it should be focusing on championing the things that matter to the public, so it’s a good day.”
However, Corbyn-supporting critics of the settlement believe that it was driven by political not legal considerations.
Starmer had made clear during a Jewish Labour Movement hustings for the party leadership earlier this year that the case should be settled.
The Labour leader has set up an independent inquiry, led by Martin Forde QC, into a separate leaked internal report on anti-Semitism and factionalism within the party stretching back to the 2017 general election.
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Its court statements made clear the libel settlement was not intended to have any influence over the Forde inquiry or the EHRC investigation.
In a statement on behalf of herself and other ex-members of staff, whistleblower Martha Robinson praised Starmer for his new approach but said the issue was not over.
“After many years of loyal service, we simply could not stay silent when we saw anti-Semitism permeate all levels of the Labour Party.
“As staff, we tried our best to tackle this issue, but in the end, we had no choice but to blow the whistle in public and make sworn statements to the EHRC.
“Just over a year ago, we blew the whistle on Labour’s anti-Semitism problem on BBC Panorama. We were pleased to work with a journalist of such high repute as John Ware to bring this story into public view.
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“In response to the programme, the Labour Party launched a vicious and defamatory attack on our motives and characters. Today, the Labour Party accepted that their comments were untrue and have unreservedly apologised for them.
“We are pleased that our reputations have been restored although it will take time to repair the damage caused by their unfounded attacks.
“We are glad that Keir Starmer is showing the leadership which is so desperately needed to bring this chapter to a close, but it is not the end of the story. We hope he and others can finally eradicate the blight of anti-Jewish racism from the Labour Party. We are willing to help him do so.”
A spokesperson for the Jewish Labour Movement said: “We welcome the decision by the Labour Party to withdraw and apologise for the defamatory statements made against seven brave whistleblowers who brought to the public’s attention the scale of discrimination perpetrated against Jewish Labour members.
“It is a sad reflection of its historic role as the party of working people, that Labour sought to pursue and silence its former employees for speaking out against racism.
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“Under new leadership, our hope is that the party will continue to demonstrate this willingness to change and act decisively against anti-Semitism.”
A BBC spokesperson said: “The BBC will always support fair and impartial reporting, exposing wrongdoing and holding power to account. The Panorama programme did precisely that, but was subject to an extraordinary and vitriolic attack by the Labour Party.
“We welcome today’s long overdue apology to John Ware and the seven Panorama whistleblowers, who have been subjected to painful and damaging personal attacks on their integrity and character.
“We applaud their strength to take this case forward and are pleased it has been recognised in court that these extremely serious and damaging allegations against them were false and have been unreservedly withdrawn. John Ware is a reporter with an extraordinary record of excellence at Panorama for investigative journalism in the public interest.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--Orlando Bloom Pays Tribute To Beloved Dog, Mighty: 'I've Wept More This Week Than I Thought Possible

Orlando Bloom Pays Tribute To Beloved Dog, Mighty: 'I've Wept More This Week Than I Thought Possible'

Orlando Bloom has said he has “wept more this week than he thought possible”, as he announced the death of his beloved poodle, Mighty.
The Lord Of The Rings star’s dog went missing a week ago, and after a long search, he has confirmed that Mighty is “on the other side now”.
“After 7 days of searching from sunrise to sunset and into the wee hours, today, the 7th day ~the number of completion~ we found his collar,” he wrote on Instagram.
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Orlando carrying Mighty in 2017 gotpap/STAR MAX/IPx
Orlando continued: “I have wept more this week than I thought possible, which has been very cathartic and healing… I left no stone unturned, crawled thru all the man holes, under the roads, searched every back yard and creek bed. Had two separate sniffer dogs do their best as well.
“I feel so grateful to have learned from my little Mighty man that love is eternal and the true meaning of devotion. I feel sure he was looking down on me whistling in every back yard and knowing that I was doing all I possibly could to respect our bond. He was more than a companion. It was a soul connection for sure. I’m sorry. I love you. Thank you. RIP my MIGHTY HEART my little fellow.”
He added: “Thank you to the community for allowing me to search through their yards for him and supporting my midnight walks,” he added. “It was reassuring to see the best of people even in the worst of times.”
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Orlando also shared photos of a new tattoo that he’s had inked on his chest in honour of the dog.
Earlier this year, Orlando showed off another tattoo, in memory of his dog Sidi, who died in 2016.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--We're Spending More Time Than Ever Outdoors – And Our Skin Is Suffering

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You’re reading our series Summer’s Not Cancelled, where we celebrate summer in this new normal. From rediscovering nature and cherishing time with friends and family, to virtual festivals and unforgettable staycations – summer’s still here, it’s just different.
Two in five Brits have spent more time outdoors in the sun during the pandemic, compared to the same time last year. So what impact is this having on our skin?
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A YouGov survey, commissioned by Cancer Research UK and Nivea Sun, found that while Brits are good at applying sun cream for days out and activities, they aren’t taking steps to protect themselves from the sun when they’re at home.
The survey of 2,060 UK adults found more than a third don’t take care in strong sun in their own outside spaces – such as gardens and balconies. This means not using sun cream, wearing sun hats, or sitting in the shade. But when they’re going to the beach, visiting a park, or going on a picnic, they’re more likely to keep their skin protected.
Adults aren’t applying sunscreen often enough, either. Only 60% of those who use sunscreen apply it before going out in the sun, the survey found, and 37% take it with them to apply throughout the day. Some respondents (7%) admitted they don’t do anything to protect their skin when the sun is strong.
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With more people exercising outside and spending time in the garden due to Covid-19, Cancer Research UK is urging people to use sun protection.
Claire Knight, the charity’s senior health information manager, says confusion and myths about sun safety could be putting people at risk of skin damage. “The sun isn’t only strong abroad,” she explains. “It can be strong enough to cause damage in the UK from the start of April to the end of September.
“So even if it doesn’t feel that warm, or it’s a cloudy day, it’s still possible to get burnt.”
Risk of sunburn varies from person to person, and sun damage can look different depending on skin type – for people with darker skin types, their skin might feel hot or itchy rather than change colour.
Getting sunburnt just once every two years triples the risk of melanoma, a potentially deadly form of skin cancer. There are two main types of skin cancer: melanoma – which is less common but more serious, as it can spread to other organs in the body – and non-melanoma, the more common type of skin cancer.
Statistics published last year showed melanoma skin cancer rates in the UK have soared by 45% over the course of a decade, with young people also developing the disease. Rates have increased by more than a third (35%) for women and 55% for men – and while melanoma is still more common in those over 65, rates for 25 to 49-year-olds have increased by 70% since the 1990s.
So if you’re spending more time outdoors during lockdown, it’s really important that you protect your skin. There are easy ways to do this, says Knight. For example, using a gazebo or a beach umbrella for shade in the garden and taking regular breaks inside when the sun is strongest between 11am and 3pm.
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“When you’re heading out pop on a T-shirt, hat and sunglasses and pack some sunscreen so you can keep it topped up throughout the day,” she says.
You should regularly and generously apply sun cream with at least SPF 15 and 4 or more stars, even when it’s cloudy – and remember to do your eyelids too, as these are frequently missed.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--A Derry Girls Film Could Be On The Way As Creator Lisa McGee Confirms She's Working On An Idea

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Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee has revealed she is working on an idea for a spin-off film.
The sitcom has proved to be a massive hit for Channel 4 since its debut in 2018, and could make the jump to the big screen like the network’s other big comedy hit, The Inbetweeners.
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Speaking to the Irish Mirror, Lisa said the cast appear to be on board with the idea, amid speculation the upcoming third series could be the last.
The cast of Derry Girls L-R: Orla (Louise Harland), Clare (Nicola Coughlan), Erin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson), James (Dylan Llewellyn) and Michelle (Jamie-Lee O'Donnell) Channel 4
She said: “For a while, I was kind of like, ‘I dunno, will it work?’. But now an idea is starting to vaguely form in my head.
“After series three I’ll think about that a bit more I’d like to do it, and I think the girls would like to do it. The cast, even – some of them are men and boys.
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“I think that would sort of be the long term plan. We should have been shooting [series three] now but it has been pushed back and we are trying to wait until it is safe.”
The first series of Derry Girls became Channel 4′s biggest comedy launch since 2004, the most successful comedy launch ever on catch-up service All4 and the most-watched show in Northern Ireland on record.
Derry Girls creator and writer Lisa McGee PA
It was confirmed earlier last year that a third series had been commissioned, which was supposed to air in 2020, but filming has been pushed back due to the coronavirus outbreak.
“There is a lot of stuff to work out,” Lisa told the Irish Mirror. “Our show is complicated to film in these circumstances. We want to do it as well as we possibly can, we want it to be brilliant.”
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Derry Girls has also been reaching a new global audience since its debut on Netflix, although last week the streaming giant had to remove the second series just shortly after adding it to the service.
The Netflix UK account tweeted: “It looks like we were a bit early with this one so have had to take season two down for now.”
Both series are currently available to stream on All4.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--Trump Wishes Accused Sex Abuser Ghislaine Maxwell 'Well' At Coronavirus Briefing

“Maxwell assisted, facilitated, and contributed to Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of minor girls by, among other things, helping Epstein to recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse victims known to Maxwell and Epstein to be under the age of 18,” a copy of the indictment reads. “In some instances, Maxwell was present for and participated in the sexual abuse of minor victims.”
Nelson’s reference to Prince Andrew stems from the claim by alleged victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who says Epstein and Maxwell flew her around the world to have sex with powerful men – one of whom, Giuffre claims, was Prince Andrew.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--Katie Price 'Can't Stop Smiling' As Son Harvey Is Discharged From Hospital

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Katie Price has said she “can’t stop smiling” after her son Harvey was discharged from hospital.
The 18-year-old was rushed to hospital earlier this month with a fever and difficulty breathing, and it was later revealed that he had been taken into the intensive care unit, where he remained for a number of days.
After leaving ICU over the weekend, Katie has now confirmed Harvey has been allowed to go home.
Katie Price with her son Harvey last year PA Archive/PA Images
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She told The Sun on Tuesday night: “It feels like Christmas. I can’t stop smiling.
“The day started badly but it’s ending as the best day ever.”
A rep for Katie added to Metro: “Harvey is headed home. Katie is naturally delighted.”
Katie has been keeping fans updated on Harvey’s condition on social media over the last few days.
Last week, she confirmed Harvey had been tested for coronavirus, but the result had come back negative.
On Saturday, she posted a video of the two of them in hospital, in which Harvey – who has Prader-Willi syndrome and autism – then expressed his thanks to his supporters, and agreed with his mum that he was doing “a lot better”.
Harvey being discharged from hospital came just hours after Katie virtually attended a bankruptcy hearing.
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The reality star was declared bankrupt in November last year and discussed her current financial status and assets at Tuesday’s hearing at the insolvency and companies court at the Rolls Building in London.
She told the court she owns a house but is currently living in a rented property and has a Beetle car, one horse and one pony, but nothing else.
Katie, who was once reported to be worth £40 million, said: “I haven’t got anything, I haven’t got absolutely anything left, everything has been stolen off me.”
She said she had been burgled and cannot get any insurance, adding: “I’ve lost everything.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--Trump Admits Coronavirus Will 'Get Worse' And Won’t Admit Past Failings

Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at the White House, July 21 in Washington. AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Donald Trump finally admitted that the Covid-19 pandemic would get worse in the US before getting better after months of resisting making a nationwide call for masks and pushing for schools and businesses to reopen.
“It will get worse before it gets better,” Trump said during a briefing Tuesday of the resurgence of the coronavirus across the country. “That’s something I don’t like saying, but it is.”
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Trump also urged people in the US to wear masks for the first time during a live press conference, though he did not issue a national mandate.
“We’re asking everybody that, when you’re not able to socially distance, wear a mask,” Trump said. “Whether you like the mask or not, they have an impact. They have an effect. We need everything we can get.”
However, Trump later claimed that the “virus will disappear” without providing proof.
No medical experts, including coronavirus task force members Dr Anthony Fauci and Dr Deborah Birx, spoke.
This was the first time Trump has spoken at a White House task force coronavirus update since late April when the death toll in the US was nearing 55,000. As of Tuesday, the death toll was over 140,000 people, and there had been 3.8 million coronavirus cases reported in the US.
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The president started the press conference by referring to the virus as the “China virus,” a phrase many have pointed out is offensive, and later blamed China for not stopping the spread of the pandemic.
“China should’ve stopped it,” Trump said.
While Trump praised himself for shutting down travel into the US earlier in the pandemic, he didn’t mention the administration’s failures, such as its inability to equip doctors with protective gear as the virus spread earlier this year.
Trump also made no mention of his efforts to reopen the US economy despite the public health threat posed by the virus.
He did highlight a surge of cases in Southern states and praised Florida governor Ron DeSantis for his handling of the outbreak. (Florida is experiencing an extreme surge in cases and DeSantis has yet to issue a statewide face mask mandate.)
“We have embers and fires. We have big fires. Unfortunately, now Florida is in a little tough, or in a big tough position. You have a great governor there,” Trump said.
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On Twitter, many people were surprised by Trump’s response when a reporter asked him about Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite who was arrested and charged with helping bring young girls to Jeffrey Epstein for sexual exploitation.
Trump noted that he had met Maxwell “numerous times,” adding that she lived in Palm Beach, but he also said he hadn’t been following the case.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--Agency That Paid Sick Hospital Staff £96 A Week During Covid Is Rewarded With 5-Year Contract

A woman in a face mask walks past a sign in tribute to NHS workers outside the Homerton Hospital in east London Justin Setterfield via Getty Images
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Hospital workers in London employed by a private agency could face five more years of lower wages, less holiday and worse sick pay than their NHS-employed colleagues thanks to a new emergency deal signed by their health trust.
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The lack of sick pay has meant even people with Covid symptoms could not afford to stay off work in some cases, one worker told HuffPost UK. Nearly four fifths of the ISS workers at the Homerton in Hackney are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds – communities that were disproportionately impacted by Covid-19.
Yet ISS Mediclean, their employer, has just inked a fresh five-year contract with the trust.
“They came to us in the middle of Covid and told us: ‘We couldn’t function without you,’” they said.
“So why is it that we don’t deserve NHS pay? Why is it that we don’t deserve sick pay?”
It comes as 900,000 public sector workers, including NHS staff – but not agency employees – were given the promise of a real-terms pay rise on Tuesday. Policing minister Kit Malthouse blamed privatisation for the fact social care workers would not be eligible, saying the government had no control over the wages set by individual companies such as ISS.
Concerns have been raised about the way Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has sought to renew the contractor’s five-year deal.
Unison, their union, claims the contract will lock cleaners, caterers, porters and security staff into another five years of poorer wages and working conditions than their directly-employed NHS counterparts.
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Workers employed under the ISS Mediclean contract have laboured throughout Covid-19, but earn less and get fewer days’ annual leave than NHS employees, and are eligible only for statutory sick pay – £95.85 a week. By contrast, NHS workers typically receive full pay if they are unwell.
Contracts for providing services to NHS trusts are supposed to go through a tendering process, but Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said uncertainties surrounding Covid-19 justified awarding the contract directly under an emergency “voluntary ex-ante transparency” (VEAT) notice, which allowed it to bypass the competitive tendering process.
A VEAT notice can only be issued under certain conditions, and Unison believes that these have not been met.
In an open letter to health secretary Matt Hancock, Unison London’s regional secretary Maggi Ferncombe asked for a direct intervention to prevent the contract from being awarded to ISS. With the company currently in negotiations with the trust, it is expected that the contract will be signed within a matter of weeks.
The ISS employee, who works at the hospital but asked not to be identified, told HuffPost UK: “We just couldn’t believe, when we heard the news, that they were talking about giving them another five years because there have been so many problems for staff.
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“People haven’t been paid properly, and staff have been unhappy with problems not being resolved. Staff have been complaining about this for a long time and it looks like nothing is being done.
“We got all this thanks from the trust for all the work we put in to get through the height of the Covid crisis when the hospital was packed, but then to be told so close to the end of this contract that they want to do another five years [with ISS] when there have been so many problems feels like a huge slap in the face.”
Unison full time officer Michael Etheridge explained the difference between the contracts signed by NHS staff and ISS staff. He said: “As they’re [ISS workers] contracted out with a private company, the terms and conditions of their contracts are much inferior to the NHS contracts.
“NHS workers get quite a generous occupational sick pay scheme, a pension scheme and a salary scale with clear routes of progression.
“ISS staff don’t have access to any of that. They have statutory sick pay, with a sick pay credit scheme which is incredibly complicated and falls way short of what they would get in the NHS.
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“They have a statutory pension as well, no occupational scheme, and their pay is way lower. They receive London Living Wage, as of April 2020, but prior to that they were being paid below the London Living Wage – and that’s still 75p less an hour than they would be earning if they were employed directly by the NHS.”
A spokesperson for ISS told HuffPost UK they were “unable” to comment at the current stage of the process.
Asked if people had felt forced to work through the Covid-19 crisis even if they felt ill due to a lack of sick pay, the ISS employee said: “Absolutely – everyone was very scared of getting sick. A lot of people came into work because they couldn’t afford not to.
“I just don’t understand how it’s possible for a hospital to run like that. Even with Covid people were asking ‘if I get symptoms will I even get that pay?’ because there were so many issues with pay beforehand.
“When you have such an infectious virus you can’t afford to take those kinds of risks. You can’t afford to have people coming into work sick.”
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Even at the height of the pandemic, when staff had pulled together in a bid to tackle the virus, the anonymous employee said there was clear evidence of a “two-tier system”. When PPE ran short in the early days of the crisis, they said, ISS staff were told by some NHS employees that supplies of protective equipment were to be used by NHS staff only.
They said: “The fact that there are some staff on smaller salaries, on worse terms and conditions, encourages the idea that there are the NHS staff and then there’s the rest, and NHS staff are entitled to more.”
They spoke of a “two-tier system, where it feels like our lives are less important”.
The employee added: “I just find it horrific that a nearly 80% Black and ethnic minority workforce is facing lower working conditions than the rest of the hospital.
“Especially in Hackney, where we’re serving such a large Black and minority ethnic population, I just don’t see any way in which that can be justified, especially in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement.”
Labour MP Diane Abbott said: “I fully support the union campaign against this outsourcing deal at the Homerton. The contract is a slap in the face to all the essential workers who been keeping this NHS unit running and potentially means they will have much worse pay and conditions for up to five years.
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“This is bad news for workers and for patients too, who rely on all essential workers. These workers deserve pay and terms that are least reasonable, and this campaign should continue until Matt Hancock is forced to intervene.”
A DHSC spokesperson said: “NHS trusts are guided by public procurement regulations when considering awarding contracts to external providers.
“This is a matter for the local NHS trust, who have been closely engaging with stakeholders throughout the process.”
In a lengthy statement a spokesperson for Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said ISS had provided the hospital with a “high quality service” which had been deemed a contributory factor to Homerton’s recent “outstanding” rating from watchdog the Care Quality Commission.
They added: “A five-year contract with ISS will provide stability and continuity at a time when our energies will be focused on the gradual but steady return of services to pre-emergency levels, whilst mindful of having to adapt to any re-emergence of coronavirus in our communities.
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“We have listened to ISS staff concerns on a number of issues and are seeking firm assurances from ISS that these concerns are addressed. We have not dismissed the in-house option for some facilities services in the future and will continue to look into this option in the longer term.”
The trust said the VEAT notice fully complied with requirements set out the in the Public Contracts Regulation, describing its use as “entirely regular”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--Madonna Refused To Pay Russia $1 Million For Supporting LGBTQ Rights

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Madonna has been a devoted ally to the LGBTQ community since the early days of her career and that outspokenness apparently didn’t fly in Russia eight years ago.
On Sunday, the pop superstar posted a clip of a mid-concert speech she delivered during the St. Petersburg stop on her 2012 MDNA Tour. In it, she doubles down on her support for LGBTQ rights, telling the crowd, “We want to fight for the right to be free, to be who we are.”
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“I am here to say that the gay community and gay people, here and all around the world, have the same rights [as everyone else] to be treated with dignity, with respect, with tolerance, with compassion, with love,” she tells the crowd, many of whom signal their agreement by hoisting rainbow flags into the air.
In a caption accompanying the video, Madonna said that she was slapped with a $1 million fine by the Russian government for the speech, but that she “never paid.”
Days after the performance, the Queen of Pop was reportedly sued by a group calling itself the Trade Union of Russian Citizens for blasphemy in connection with the speech. The group sought $10 million in damages, but the suit was later dropped.
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While the Kremlin has yet to respond to Madonna’s latest claim, her 2012 concert made global headlines as it coincided with a firestorm of controversy over Russia’s opposition to LGBTQ rights. In 2013, the Russian government came under fire from human rights groups when it enacted a law forbidding the distribution of “gay propaganda” to minors.
Kevin Mazur via Getty Images
In more recent years, officials have tried to dismiss troubling allegations that gay men are being detained, tortured and even killed in the Russian republic of Chechnya. And last week, lawmakers submitted draft legislation that would effectively ban same-sex marriage in Russia after voters backed changes to the constitution that would define marriage as a union of a man and a woman.
Other stars, including Lady Gaga and Elton John, have also spoken out in defence of LGBTQ rights during performances in Russia.
Not surprisingly, Madonna’s subsequent concert treks ― 2015’s Rebel Heart Tour and 2019’s Madame X Tour ― have bypassed Russia altogether.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--Here's What Those Game Of Thrones Prequel Rumours May Mean

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Rumours are circulating.
Entertainment Weekly and Insider are reporting that casting for the Game Of Thrones prequel series, House Of The Dragon, has begun, pandemic be damned to the seven hells.
The series is based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, which tells the history of the Targaryens, and is set “a couple centuries” before Game Of Thrones, the author wrote on his Not A Blog in 2019.
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But that’s a long history, which could be about any number of Targaryen stories. Or ... maybe not?
If Khaleesi is still looking for dragons, she might look to the casting rumours around the new show. Days before casting was confirmed by news outlets, fansites had their little birds whispering more supposed specifics.
According to those stories, two major female characters being cast are Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower, who are the catalysts for the Targaryen civil war, the Dance of the Dragons.
Rhaenyra was supposed to be the successor to the Iron Throne following her father Viserys I Targaryen’s death, but the king’s second wife, Alicent Hightower, had other plans.
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Though EW doesn’t confirm which characters are being cast, it does report Dance of the Dragons “will be tackled at some point in the series.” And Martin’s previous comment that the story is “a couple centuries” before Game Of Thrones also seems to add to the evidence, since that’s exactly when the aforementioned dragons were dancing.
It’d be surprising if the Dance of Dragons is the only focus of the series. HBO has famously gone to extensive lengths to protect story plot points for Game Of Thrones, and basically everything that happens in the Dance of Dragons is already spoiled in a beautifully animated extra for the Game of Thrones Season 5 Blu-ray. But the news is encouraging because the Dance of Dragons is wild.
There are betrayals, Sophie’s Choice-like decisions and though it’s ultimately about who will rule Westeros, like Game Of Thrones, it’s got about 1000% percent more dragons.
We’ll probably have to wait until closer to the series’ supposed release date in 2022 to find out what’s what, but for now these rumours are straight fire (and blood).
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--Don't Leave A Job Interview Without Asking These 4 Questions About Diversity

When you are being interviewed for a job, you are also interviewing your prospective employer.
So when they ask, “What questions do you have for me?” that is your time as a job seeker to evaluate the company’s values ― including those on racial diversity and inclusion ― and see if they align with yours.
Asking these questions can help you learn what you’re getting into before you agree to join an organisation.
Here’s how to do it strategically:
1. ‘How do you define diversity?’
Simply asking your interviewer how they define diversity can be revealing, said Lauren Ruffin, chief external relations officer for Fractured Atlas, an organisation that supports artists.
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“If the person is just rattling off a whole bunch of identity markers, rather than them demonstrating a real understanding of systemic racism and inequity, that ends up being a pretty easy way” to know if the person has thought deeply on this topic, Ruffin said.
Pay attention to how they answer the question as much as what they tell you. “People who get it are eager to talk about it,” Ruffin said. Ruffin asks this question in her own interviews with candidates, and she pays attention to their body language. For example, when she asked one candidate to share his definition of diversity, he deeply sighed and “legit looked up at the sky like he was asking a prayer,” Ruffin said.
You can also make it a dialogue with the hiring manager and ask them what they personally have done to make their workplace more equitable, Ruffin said.
“The brief interactions that we have that signal that we might be devalued because of our identity, those tiny moments accumulate over time in a significant way to undermine health, well-being and performance.” - Social psychologist Evelyn Carter
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2. ‘What are the racial demographics of the team?’
You can be more direct when asking about the structure of the team, with questions like, “What is the racial diversity at the team level?” or, “What’s the manager’s understanding of what it’s like to be the only person of colour or of a specific race on a team or in a meeting?” said Erin Thomas, the head of diversity, inclusion and belonging at Upwork.
In these answers, “look out for thoughtfulness, rigour, honesty and authenticity,” Thomas said. “They should be approaching their diversity, inclusion and belonging efforts as strategically as top-line business needs. And, at the end of the day, you need to believe what you hear. Even if you can’t codify why you don’t believe what you hear, trust that feeling.”
Research has found that when it comes to evaluating psychological safety in workplace environments, people from underrepresented groups are attuned to subtle signals beyond what a person is saying. In one study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Black professionals were presented with a consulting firm brochure that contained group photos of team members and featured either “colourblind” language that asked employees to “embrace their similarities” or language that asked staff to embrace what made them diverse.
When few minorities were depicted in the brochure photos, the Black participants presented with the similarity-based language felt less trust and comfort than did participants presented with the language valuing diversity.
Such feelings of mistrust and discomfort are relevant information to consider, because they may not go away once you have the job, said social psychologist Evelyn Carter.
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“The brief interactions that we have that signal that we might be devalued because of our identity, those tiny moments accumulate over time in a significant way to undermine health, well-being and performance,” Carter said. “I do think candidates should take it seriously.”
3. ‘How has the company responded to Black Lives Matter protests?’
Carter said you can also ask an interviewer about the company’s stance on protests and the Black Lives Matter movement with questions like, “What kind of conversations are happening? What kind of resources are being provided for managers and teams to have these conversations? How have you been supporting your Black employees or other employees of colour right now?”
This line of inquiry also applies to questions you can ask around political actions targeting certain groups, like anti-immigration legislation, for example. When asking how the company is addressing the present moment, the goal is to listen for what it has done to live its values on diversity and inclusion.
4. ‘What are you doing to retain racially diverse talent?’
If you want to learn about turnover for people of colour at a company, ask about its programs that ensure that diverse talent stays and grows, Carter said.
You could phrase it like, “What are some of the processes that you have to make sure that it’s not just bringing in folks ― because I know we talked about how diversity is so important for you ― what are the processes that you have to keep an eye on retention and growth for the talent you are working so hard to hire?” Carter said.
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In these answers, you want to hear about the formal and informal ways managers are investing in their team members’ growth to ensure equity, so that employees from marginalised groups have the same opportunities to advance as people from the dominant group at the company.
The biggest red flag is if there is no answer that these interviewers can give you, Carter said. “Not knowing the answer is worse,” she said. “If the company does not know the answer, that means they have not started to look at the data to understand how they can improve.”
Beyond the job interview, get multiple perspectives from people who actually work there.
If you want the honest truth about how people of colour are treated in a company, it’s helpful to talk with people beyond the hiring manager. The best thing you can do is get the inside scoop from someone who knows both you and the organisation, Thomas said.
“Comb your LinkedIn network or post to your social channels to connect with people who can serve as your eyes or ears,” Thomas said. “Even with that, you shouldn’t be shy about requesting to talk to a member of an employee resource group or the diversity, inclusion and belonging team if they have one. The more trust you have in your information sources, the more confident you’ll be in the decision you make.”
Also, do your own research on demographics by looking at the company website and social media bios of staff and leadership, and seeing who is represented and in what capacity.
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These probing questions would not need to be asked if companies were more transparent about where they stand with regard to racial demographics and pay equity, though. When companies are upfront with every applicant, Carter said, that can remove the burden of asking from candidates of colour.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--How Coronavirus Has Made My Job As A Social Worker Even Harder

Colourful silhouettes of people wearing protective face masks against infection smartboy10 via Getty Images
“It’s cancer”.
These two words have the power to turn any life upside down, let alone those of the twelve children and young people sent spinning with these words every single day, from babies and toddlers who have no idea what is going on to teenagers dealing with a life-threatening illness at that tumultuous time of adolescence. Cancer is indiscriminate, and it is terrifying.
Then, there are their parents, their siblings, their school, their college, their friends, their family. Those two words have the power to turn so many lives upside down and affect not only the child’s health, but every aspect of their life.
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That’s where my role comes in. As a CLIC Sargent paediatric oncology social worker, I support and coordinate non-medical needs for children, young people and their families. I am there from diagnosis, throughout treatment, recovery and, if needed, bereavement support.
A child’s cancer diagnosis has a huge impact on the entire family. It is like a tidal wave that knocks you off your feet. At first, it’s the realisation of medication, hospitals and treatment that hits you. Then, it starts to crash past into all aspects of life; work, school, friends, relationships and finances. Your life becomes dominated by treatment and everything else is put on hold. It can feel like this unwanted and utterly uninvited disease becomes your identity and dilutes all other parts of you. Can you still go to work? What will happen about school? How will we tell their brother or sister? What will we do about paying for petrol and car park fees?
“Adding in a worldwide pandemic for the families I work with to navigate is just cruel.”
As a social worker, it’s my job to help with this collateral, and minimise the damage caused beyond the child’s health. To be an emotional support to the whole family, piece together their education, get access to finances, help to navigate benefit systems, support with housing, immigration and employment during an unimaginable situation for most.
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Adding in a worldwide pandemic for the families I work with to navigate is just cruel. The coronavirus crisis has created a whole new layer of threat, worry, stress and complexities to an already challenging situation. Not only are families having to deal with the ‘normal’ issues, they now have so much more to think about. Some families have to be in isolation for 12 weeks (and in some cases up to 12 months) to protect their children’s lives. I am increasingly collecting food packages for families through charity partners and local community action groups, just so children undergoing cancer treatment are fed. Employment issues have led to more families requiring financial support. We have also been advocating for the rights of working parents who need to shield, which means keeping up with the rapidly-changing government policies.
As the level of support given increases, the way we deliver it has had to drastically change. It’s been too risky to continue providing this support face-to-face so, like everyone else in the country, we have had to adapt. CLIC Sargent had to quickly find new equipment such as tablets and laptops so social workers across the UK could work from home.
“It can feel impersonal providing this support from afar. It’s no way near as effective as supporting families in person.”
Instead of seeing families in hospital wards, we’re now providing support virtually through phone and video calls. This means no longer holding their hands through difficult conversations, offering emotional support or spending time with children to help them understand what is going on.
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One of the hardest adjustments is trying to support patients for whom there isn’t a cure. My heart breaks for the families whose children will not survive, and are now unable to make precious memories due to the restrictions either. I am doing my best to reduce the impact of this and am trying to make those wishes happen, but it’s tough. And for the families whose children are receiving end of life care, the restrictions may mean the whole family being unable to spend those last, precious moments together.
It can feel impersonal providing this support from afar. It’s no way near as effective as supporting families in person. However, being able to continue supporting young cancer patients’ families remains our focus. We can’t imagine not being able to provide this support and doing it virtually is better than not at all.
Ideally, I hope to return to the wards as safely and as soon as possible but even if the restrictions mean I can’t be there in person, I am pleased I can still continue to tell children and families; “I am with you, I will be with you throughout this and I will help you figure out what happens next”.
Since the start of the pandemic, CLIC Sargent, which relies 100% on voluntary donations, has seen a 60% fall in income. We’ve had to put almost all our fundraising events on hold, leaving an £8million drop in income we need for things like homes near hospitals where families can stay for free, grants to help pay for essentials and even social workers like me.
While there is not a physical shoulder to cry on, our families know we are only a phone call away. Coronavirus will not stop social workers like me being there for families who need us.
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Anna Regan is a social worker with CLIC Sargent. For more information on their work, click here.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--Here Are 10 Unique Names For Your Newborn, Inspired By Netflix

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We’re here to guide you through the coronavirus pandemic. Sign up to the Life newsletter for daily tips, advice, how-tos and escapism.
From Sex Education to Breaking Bad – chances are, if you’ve been bored at home during the pandemic, you’ve been binge-watching Netflix.
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And now you can pay homage to your favourite TV series by choosing a name fit for a (Tiger) King.
Charlotte
This name comes in at number eight on one of the latest baby name databases for 2020, and it’s a fitting tribute to Ozark main character, Charlotte Byrde.
Hannah
Her story might be dark, but legions of fans were captivated by tragic Hannah’s mysterious demise in 13 Reasons Why.
Ruby
Sex Education’s Ruby, played by Mimi Keene, is the popular girl in school and leader of The Untouchables. You can’t help but love to hate her.
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Charlie
Charlie Harding is the name of Jen’s rebellious son in dark comedy series Dead To Me. He’s always in trouble – so if you’re expecting a little rascal, choose Charlie.
Josie
Josie McCoy is the lead singer of the band Josie and the Pussycats in popular teen drama series Riverdale.
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Eric
Sex Education’s beloved gay main character, Eric, steals every scene with his incredible fashions.
Jesse
Jesse Bruce Pinkman is a crystal meth cook and dealer, working with his former high school chemistry teacher, Walter White, in TV hit Breaking Bad.
Maeve
Maeve is a smart, sassy social outcast who sets up a school-based sex therapy clinic with best friend Otis Milburn in Sex Education.
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Archie
The character Archibald Andrews was first created in 1941 as the main character in the Archie Comics franchise. In Riverdale, he’s a student, budding musician and football player.
Elle


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--'My Painful Headache After Giving Birth Was Actually A Spinal Bleed'

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In HuffPost Birth Diaries we hear the extraordinary stories of the everyday miracle of birth. This week, Emma Wilson shares her story. If you’d like to share yours, email amy.packham@huffpost.com. My second pregnancy started off well, but I developed SPD – symphysis pubis dysfunction – in the middle of it, which was debilitating. SPD is a group of symptoms causing discomfort in the pelvic region. “Discomfort” is putting it lightly, though. My pelvic joints were stiff and moved unevenly. It was hard to sleep, hard to move. Towards the end of my pregnancy, I got quite depressed.
I wanted a natural labour, but the gynaecologist had advised against this. With my first son, I went into labour earlier than planned and didn’t progress, so ended up needing a C-section. They thought this might be the case the second time around, too, which could be dangerous for the baby and me.
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It made sense. But I didn’t feel nearly as prepared for the caesarean the second time round. I remember sitting in a park next to the hospital thinking, “this time tomorrow, I’ll have a second child”. I wasn’t ready, and at the time my first son had the flu, so I rang the hospital in the hope they’d defer me. The safest place for you is hospital, they said. They insisted I went in for my C-section anyway.
The next day, at 8.30am, I waddled in – the hospital was only half a mile away from my house – and I was the first up that day to have a C-section. I was far more fearful when they went to anaesthetise me. It was a different experience to my first birth, where I had music playing. But it went ahead smoothly, and my son, Edward, was born and placed on me, giving us skin-to-skin.
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The surgeon told me I would never have laboured if I’d gone for a natural birth. “Your uterus is as thin as paper,” he said. It would’ve been a long labour, so it was good I made the decision to have a caesarean.
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I was wheeled back to the ward into our private room and the breastfeeding nurse, a wonderful woman named Morag, really helped me – she fought for my son to stay with me while checks were happening. She also worked with me to get him to latch on.
The next day, my head was killing me. I’d stayed in hospital that night and it was unbearable. My partner told the nurse, who said I could be dehydrated. They put me on a drip, lay me down, and let me sleep. Later on, they said I needed to do a trip to the toilet before leaving. But as I stood up off the bed, my head started banging again.
They put me back in my room and got the anaesthetist. I felt fine once I was laying back down, but as the anaesthetist started putting the back rest of the bed up – and my head became higher – I couldn’t take the pain.
They knew something was wrong.
I was rushed back into surgery and told they’d slightly missed my spine when giving me the epidural – I had a spinal bleed. They gave me what’s called an epidural blood patch, where they drew blood from my arm, to sort of “patch up” the hole in my back. I was conscious throughout it all, lying on my front. It was really frightening.
The surgery lasted about half an hour, but it worked instantly for me. As soon as I could sit up again, I was fine and the headache had gone. I ended up leaving hospital perhaps only a day later than I should’ve done.
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I’d been home about two days, though, when I realised there was a vein in my groin area that was pulsating and popping out. I rang the hospital, who told me to go back in immediately.
They gave me an MRI, double vitamin K injections and monitored me for two nights. The MRI results came back fine, but I had to say on the jabs, that help prevent blood clots, for a lot longer than normal.
After all that, we were so happy to be at home with our family of four. It was great to finally get stuck into breastfeeding – but that’s a whole other story!


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--I Wish Someone Had Told Me I Wouldn't Immediately Love My Newborn

Courtesy of Katie Laux The author and her baby.
About two months ago, when my baby girl was placed in my arms for the first time, I felt nothing. Maybe it was the lack of sleep (I had to be induced, a process that had started 26 hours before she actually arrived) or the whirlwind of activity that surrounded the moment. But either way, when I didn’t swoon at first sight of her, I felt like a disgusting person. What mother doesn’t feel instant love for her child? I suspected my depression might be the source of this heartbreak, but I felt robbed.
In the days and weeks that followed, the connection I had hoped to feel didn’t materialise. I spent a lot of time feeling miserable. I had so much shame because every other new mom always seems to be absolutely in awe of her baby from the very first moment. But as I forced myself to share what I was experiencing, I realised maybe I wasn’t as alone in these feelings as I thought. I don’t think my depression robbed me of this special moment after all ― it was the narrative surrounding motherhood that gave me these expectations in the first place.
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Mothers-to-be are led to believe this idea that giving birth, while painful, is a magical experience — that holding your baby in your arms for the first time produces feelings of indescribable love and that there will be an immediate bond with this new life. For some people, that very well may be true, but it’s certainly not the case for everyone. And because the only narrative you ever hear is one of pure joy, it’s devastating when your reality doesn’t match that experience. It leaves you feeling broken and worthless if you don’t swoon the second you meet your baby.
“Mothers-to-be are led to believe ... that holding your baby in your arms for the first time produces feelings of indescribable love and that there will be an immediate bond with this new life.”
Prior to delivery, my husband and I took so many classes ― infant care, childbirth, CPR and breastfeeding ― to prepare for the baby, and though I know it’s impossible to be completely ready, the void was unexpected. As I struggled to find that connection with my daughter, I felt awful. I still couldn’t wrap my head around the idea that I was a mom, and yet I was already feeling like a failure at it. I could take care of the baby, feeding her and changing her diaper when necessary, but it came to feel like I was just babysitting someone else’s child. I could look down at her and think she was cute, but it didn’t feel like she was mine.
While I appreciated the thoughtfulness and company when family and friends came to visit in the first few weeks, those visits were exhausting. I felt like I had to play the part of adoring new mother, searching for the right words to convince everyone — and myself — that I was happy. Thankfully, I felt comfortable confiding in health care professionals and my husband and mom, and they provided much-needed reassurance. But whenever anyone else asked how I was doing, I felt compelled to lie. I even struggled to post about my baby on social media, feeling that I would either perpetuate a false narrative or be criticised for being honest.
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I feel really fortunate to have had the support I did. My mom stayed with us in the days after the baby was born to help us adjust and my in-laws were willing to drop everything to come hold the baby — even in the middle of the night — when she was screaming and sleep had become a long-forgotten memory. Our families were so clearly enamoured with her, spending every moment they could with us, and I longed to feel that same love for her.
“I even struggled to post about my baby on social media, feeling that I would either perpetuate a false narrative or be criticized for being honest.”
I spent so much time feeling sorry for myself and it ultimately stole that special time I should have had with my baby. I’m grateful for all of the warnings I had about postpartum depression and how it may result in a struggle to bond with my baby. With those words of caution and knowing my history of mental illness, I knew that my general hopelessness, constant crying and struggle to connect meant I could have postpartum depression. But even still, I had a hard time admitting things weren’t perfect and the only way I found the courage to call my doctor was my husband begging me, placing our daughter in my arms and reminding me that it was no longer about just me. Thankfully once I did, I was listened to and comforted.
About 20% of new parents struggle to bond with their baby just after birth, and I wish someone had told me it’s okay if it takes a while to build that bond as you get to know each other. If I had known that, things would have been more bearable, especially in those first few days of overwhelming guilt. Looking back on it now, I wish I had spoken up sooner to my doctors and nurses instead of silently worrying that I was flawed and broken. Maybe if I had, I could have spared myself some of the heartache.
I’d always dreamt of the moment when I’d hold my own baby for the first time. It hurt when the experience was lacking in every way. And it absolutely broke my heart that I couldn’t go back and ever relive that moment with my daughter. I will never get a second chance at that first time holding her and it kills me that it wasn’t what I had envisioned and everyone boasts about.
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“We need to prepare new moms for the reality of giving birth, beyond just the physical. We need to share different perspectives on the range of emotions they may encounter during those early days so they don’t feel as alone as I did.”
No one wants to admit that they didn’t feel a bond with their baby right away, so no one prepares you for the possibility that you may go through this experience. We need to prepare new moms for the reality of giving birth, beyond just the physical. We need to share different perspectives on the range of emotions they may encounter during those early days so they don’t feel as alone as I did. By being open and honest about our own experiences, mothers can help others realise there isn’t something wrong with them if they go through this. I’m here to tell you that it’s okay if your heart isn’t overwhelmed with love in that hospital room. It will come.
For me, it was the day my baby turned 1 month old. As I sat there, singing I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack to her, she stared up at me and I gazed down at her. I thought of all my hopes and dreams for this little baby in my arms and suddenly, it all came flooding over me. I knew exactly the love that every woman talks about. I cried. I cried because I was happy. I cried because I was sad that I had spent so much time fretting that moment would never come. I don’t want anyone else to ever have to hurt the way I did in the weeks it took to get to that moment.
So here it is: It’s okay if it takes time for you to love your baby. You’re doing a great job no matter where you are on your journey to get there. Just keep taking care of your baby ― and yourself ― and it will come. Maybe it will be in pieces over time or all at once, but you will love this baby with everything you have in you, and when that happens, it will be the greatest feeling of your life.
This article first appeared on HuffPost Personal
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--You Can Compost Your Period Products – Here's How

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Periods are a natural part of life, but the products we use to manage them can do serious damage to the environment.
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Globally, more than 45 billion menstrual products are used every year, according to eco-friendly period company Natracare. Some end up in landfill, while 1.4 million tampons are flushed down the loo every day in the UK alone.
Conventional pads and tampons tend to contain plastic, meaning they pollute the environments they end up in and also take a lot of energy to manufacture.
But in 2020, it’s easier than ever to have an eco-friendly period, with reusable options such as Mooncups and period pants, and dozens of companies offering organic, plastic-free alternatives to typical pads and tampons.
One benefit of the latter is that they can actually be composted, says Lucy Lettice, co-founder of eco-friendly period brand &SISTERS.
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If you want to compost your period products, opt for organic cotton tampons, liners and pads, which are compostable and biodegradable, she says.
Lettice’s company is among an ever-growing list of brands selling such products – Callaly, Dame, Freda, TOTM and Superdrug’s eco-friendly range, Luna, are all worth checking out.
martinedoucet via Getty Images
Composting organic cotton pads and tampons is easy, says Lettice. If you want to give it a go, here are her tips for getting started:
1. Start by creating the ideal conditions – i.e. warm and damp – by making a bin (find out how to with our guide) or buying one. Adding to your compost bin regularly, ensures the optimum conditions.
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2. It’s a good idea to have a balance of both ‘brown’ and ‘green’ compost in your bin. Organic cotton tampons, pads and liners are considered to be ‘brown’ compost along with paper, cardboard, egg cartons and more fibrous plant stalks and stems. These take longer to break down than ‘green’ compost, so it’s a good idea to cut or pull these apart before putting them in the compost bin.
‘Green’ compost – not surprisingly, given its name – includes softer, damper less fibrous materials such as grass cuttings, leaves and vegetable pairings, which all break down relatively quickly.
3. Be prepared to wait. Although period products are compostable, they can take at least 18 months to completely break down and for nature’s building blocks to be returned to the soil.
With such a long compost time, is it worth it? Lettice argues yes, when you think about how many period products you’ll use in a lifetime.
“Every woman can use over 16,000 period products during her lifetime,” she says. “So living lightly and avoiding sending these to landfill can drastically improve your carbon footprint and go towards helping save the planet.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--How Boris Johnson And Jeremy Corbyn Both Helped Keir Starmer’s ‘New Management’ Message

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Message from the management
“In case the prime minister has not noticed, the Labour party is under new management.” With that one sentence in PMQs, Keir Starmer ensured his MPs headed out for their summer break with a real spring in their step for the first time in years.
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The fact is that Boris Johnson has indeed noticed Starmer is not Jeremy Corbyn. The Labour leader’s personal poll ratings are as impressive as Corbyn’s were dire. On the key issue of who would make a better PM, the coronavirus chaos of recent weeks has meant Starmer has a lead. It’s precisely because Starmer is a threat that Johnson now repeatedly loses his cool in PMQs.
It’s also why the Tory leader tried to resurrect the spectre of Corbyn, suggesting Starmer was complicit in his predecessor’s siding with Vladimir Putin over the Salisbury poisonings. Johnson’s attack line backfired as it allowed the former DPP to ram home his own credentials on counter-terrorism and in representing the widow of murdered Alexander Litvinenko against the might of the Kremlin.
But worse than that, the PM’s approach gave Starmer the chance to pull off a political judo throw, using his opponent’s weight against him. Security is one area where the new leader can show he is very much not a Corbynite. Even the most loyal Labour backbencher couldn’t have teed up the ‘under new management’ line better than the PM did.
Starmer knew too that in going in on the Intelligence and Security Committee report on Russia he was taking a risk that he’d be taunted over Brexit. Johnson’s jibe that this was really all about “Islingtonian Remainers” was widened into an attack that Starmer still hadn’t accepted his side had lost the EU referendum. His Remainer credentials are undeniably seen by Tories (and their focus groups) as Starmer’s biggest weakness in the Red Wall seats.
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The Labour leader knows he has to convince those former Labour voters he wants a “better Brexit” rather than “no Brexit”. That’s why he’s avoided the whole issue of extending the transition period, and why he’s even stayed away from the prospect of ‘no deal’ at the end of this year - many Leave voters will blame Brussels not Johnson if we can’t get a good outcome.
Come the 2024 election, the Brexit vote will be so much history. In fact, Starmer may want to echo the PM’s own words from this February when he explained why he wasn’t using the B-word at all: “It’s not banned, it’s just over. It has happened..it is receding behind us in history.” Johnson’s real worry must be that the UK’s post-corona recovery lags behind the EU’s and exposes that his own brand of Brexit had piled economic misery on top of Covid.
That’s why Johnson is more likely to broaden out Brexit into a wider culture war against Starmer, shoring up the Tory Leave coalition by saying Starmer is just as out of touch on immigration, overseas aid and ‘metropolitan’ political correctness (aka ‘wokeness’). In fact, it’s perfectly possible to envisage the Johnson v Starmer battle over the next few years as ‘culture v competence’.
Yet on culture, Starmer made another big break with the Corbyn era today. The apology and settlement to Panorama’s whistleblowers on anti-Semitism was designed to draw a line under the past. The ECHR report will give him a further chance to do that and Corbyn’s own response (a bit like Johnson’s in PMQs) made his task even easier.
In PMQs, the only weapon an Opposition leader has is words (and by extension his judgement calls). However within his own party, a Labour leader has the weapon of action and few can deny his action has been swift and decisive on this issue.
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Words still count, as evidenced by the backlash he felt over the use of “moment” to describe Black Lives Matter. He also learned a lesson on “defund the police” calls, and is now more likely to be less dismissive of Black community concerns while also making crystal clear Labour under him would increase not cut police funding.
His critics on the right and the left are still trying to work out how to attack Starmer. Back in 1997, Tony Blair was targeted by the Tories as both ‘Bambi’ (worryingly weak) and ‘Demon Eyes’ (scarily strong) and neither worked. But Blair won on both culture (showing the public he shared their values) and competence (exposing a clapped out Tory administration). The former is Starmer’s big task ahead.
The scale of the task is underlined by recent opinion polls showing the Tories still have a healthy lead over Labour (ComRes tonight put the gap at 43% to 37%) despite all the corona chaos. That may change if the Tory decision to withdraw furlough this autumn proves a huge error. It could change further if the other word Johnson doesn’t like using - austerity - returns to government spending and public sector pay rises in coming years.
To have a hope of getting into No.10, Starmer has to convince the public he could manage a crisis better than Johnson, manage his party better than Corbyn and manage the country better than Blair. Can he manage it? Maybe not. But judging by his first few short months in the job, he’s made a real start.
Quote Of The Day
“We unreservedly withdraw all allegations of bad faith, malice and lying.”
The Labour party apologises in the High Court to the Panorama whistleblowers
Wednesday Cheat Sheet
Boris Johnson warned lockdown-sceptic Tory MPs at the 1922 Committee that a second coronavirus spike could happen this winter, saying “don’t think it couldn’t happen here”.
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Families and friends of some care home residents will be able to resume visiting their loved ones months after they were stopped due to the coronavirus crisis, Matt Hancock said.
Home Office minister James Brokenshire moved to quell fears that Boris Johnson’s top adviser Dominic Cummings could interfere with the work of the independent intelligence and security committee (ISC).
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the UK and the US had agreed to close a loophole which allowed the suspect in the death of Harry Dunn to flee the UK.
Department for Work and Pensions permanent secretary Peter Schofield said it would change its safeguarding of vulnerable claimants to avoid cutting off their benefits.
What I’m Reading
How Trump Is Splitting The US In Two - Atlantic
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--Foreign Aid Budget Cut By £2.9bn On Day Parliament Breaks For Summer Recess

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The UK government is facing a backlash after announcing a cut to its global aid budget by £2.9 billion this year as MPs left parliament for their summer break.
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab said the move was because of the economic hit caused by the coronavirus crisis, and insisted the UK will still meet its commitment to spend 0.7% of gross national income (GNI) on international development.
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Government sources said that a “line by line” review of aid projects had taken place and what were considered the “40 most vulnerable countries” were prioritised for assistance.
The spending on Official Development Assistance (ODA) was set to be £15.8 billion this year before the Covid-19 crisis emerged.
Sarah Champion, chairwoman of the Commons International Development Committee, said it was “poor practice” to announce the move on the final day of parliament before the summer recess as MPs could not scrutinise it.
And the Liberal Democrats branded the move “callous”.
In a letter to Champion, Raab said: “The UK is experiencing a severe economic downturn as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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“We have been able to ensure that the money we will still spend in 2020 remains prioritised on poverty reduction for the ‘bottom billion’, as well as tackling climate change and reversing biodiversity loss, championing girls education, UK leadership in the global response to Covid-19, and campaigning on issues such as media freedom and freedom of religious belief.”
Raab said spending on ODA would remain at 0.7% of GNI.
He said: “So that we can react to the potential shrinkage in our economy, and therefore a decrease in the value of the 0.7% commitment (which is based on the UK’s GNI), we have identified a £2.9bn package of reductions in the government’s planned ODA spend so we can proceed prudently for the remainder of 2020.
Dominic Raab: "We have been able to ensure that the money we will still spend in 2020 remains prioritised on poverty reduction for the ‘bottom billion'." ASSOCIATED PRESS
“The package I have agreed with the prime minister maintains our flexibility and enables the government to manage our ODA spend against an uncertain 0.7% position.
“It will see some reductions made now, with arrangements in place to tailor spending further during the remaining months as we start to gain a clearer economic picture.”
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Champion branded announcing the move on the last day of parliament before the long summer recess “poor practice”.
She said: “The announcement today raises more questions than it answers.
“The letter speaks of delaying activity and stopping some spending – what is the timescale on this?
“If it is with immediate effect, do the projects know or will they find out via the media as DFID staff did about the merger? Is there an overarching strategy in place?
“Will the evaluation of the impact of these cuts be made public? Where is the scrutiny?
“Clearly there has been no consultation, but to release this news literally as parliament rises so there can be no scrutiny by MPs is poor practice.”
Labour’s Shadow international development secretary Preet Gill said: “As we face the reality of lower GDP, projects and programmes that are not transparent or have been found to have no or limited development impact should be the focus of re-evaluation.
“Labour wants the aid budget to deliver value for money for British taxpayers and urge the Government to make sure it is focused on tackling poverty.”
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Liberal Democrat international development spokesperson Wendy Chamberlain said: “Despite previous assurances that clearly weren’t worth the paper they were written on, we now see the callous Tories for who they really are.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-22--Boris Johnson Warns Tory MPs The UK Could Suffer A Second Coronavirus Spike

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Boris Johnson has warned lockdown-sceptic Tory MPs the UK could see a second coronavirus spike unless it “throttles the life” out of the disease, HuffPost UK has learned.
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The prime minister rebuffed calls to further ease restrictions, telling MPs at the Tory backbench 1922 committee “don’t think it couldn’t happen here” in an apparent reference to countries like the US which have suffered second peaks.
One MP asked whether Johnson could make it the default position that businesses, entertainment and other premises are open unless told to close.
But the PM stressed “we can’t be complacent” and insisted: “We are doing our best to throttle the life out of the virus”.
Meanwhile, Johnson told backbench Tories, many of whom are calling for a tougher approach to China, that the government was not going to be “mindlessly adversarial” towards Beijing.
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It came after US secretary of state Mike Pompeo told China-sceptic Tories he would like to see the UK adopt a harder “grand strategy” towards China, and reportedly accused Beijing of “buying” the head of the World Health Organisation.
Johnson told MPs he would continue to take action where appropriate on issues like the Hong Kong security law and the persecution of Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
“I’m an admirer of Chinese culture and civilisation but that doesn’t mean at the same time we can’t call China out where they are going wrong,” the PM said.
He said the UK would “continue to engage” but conceded “we’ve got to be tough”.
“We have to be strong and stick to our principles,” the PM said.
One MP said Johnson’s message at the end of the parliamentary term ahead of summer recess was that the last few months had been “tough” but that he was now “extremely forward looking and positive”, if “cautious and wary” about coronavirus.
Another said the PM “did very well” in an “end of term-style speech” to a well-attended meeting of highly supportive MPs, who left “in good spirits”.