thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Boris Johnson Warns Against Large Gatherings – Minutes After Meeting '50 MPs'

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Downing Street has insisted Boris Johnson obeys social distancing rules despite his attendance at a reportedly packed meeting of Tory MPs in parliament.
Multiple reports suggest at least 50 MPs were at the meeting of the 1922 committee of backbench Tories that the prime minister addressed on Wednesday night, despite a sign on the door stating 29 as the room’s maximum capacity.
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Around 40 minutes after the meeting ended, the PM’s office sent a tweet warning that gatherings of more than 30 people are currently illegal due to coronavirus restrictions.
Gatherings of more than 30 people are illegal. Breaking the rules could cost you thousands.
If you attend an illegal gathering, you could be fined £100, increasing on each offence up to £3,200. pic.twitter.com/4QXz0FQ3hL — UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) September 2, 2020
The Liberal Democrats have seized on reports of the meeting, accusing Johnson of “hypocrisy” and asking Commons leaderJacob Rees-Mogg to launch a full investigation and pass any evidence of criminal activity to the police.
But on Friday, a No.10 spokesperson insisted: “The PM abides by the social distancing rules that are in place.”
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The official however refused to comment on the 1922 meeting.
“I’m not privy to the detail. It was a political event – I’m a civil servant so I’m not privy to the details of political events,” they said.
In a text message to Bloomberg, 1922 committee chair Sir Graham Brady insisted social distancing rules of “one metre plus” for workplaces were observed, but did not say whether MPs attending wore face masks or stood between screens while staying one metre apart from colleagues.
“Obviously it is important that the democratic process is not interrupted,” he added.
But the government’s own guidance for working in offices states that remote working tools should be used to avoid meetings and that “only absolutely necessary participants should physically attend meetings”.
Boris Johnson leaves Downing Street on Wednesday ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lib Dem MP Wera Hobhouse linked the event to Johnson’s top aide Dominic Cummings flouting lockdown rules earlier this year.
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“If these reports are true, then it is just further evidence that it is one rule for the government and one rule for everyone else,” she said.
“Warning against illegal gatherings just minutes after their own potentially illegal meeting shows there is no end to the Tories’ hypocrisy.
“The prime minister and his ministers have already evaporated the public’s trust in them with their shameless defence of Dominic Cummings, but it appears they have not learnt their lesson.
“If people don’t trust that the prime minister and his government are following the rules, why will they follow the rules themselves?
“To try and restore any sense of respectability, the leader of the house must urgently find out if there’s any truth to these accusations and, if so, launch a full investigation passing on any criminal activity to the relevant police services. If Jacob Rees-Mogg fails to take this seriously, then the government will once again risk their entire ability to respond effectively to the pandemic.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--‘Black’ Professor Admits She Is Actually White In Self-Published Essay

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‘Black’ Professor Admits She Is Actually White In Self-Published Essay
A professor in America has confessed to pretending to be Black. Jessica A Krug — whose areas of expertise include “African American history” and “imperialism and colonialism” — came clean in a self-published essay titled “The Truth, and the Anti-Black Violence of My Lies” on Medium published Thursday. In the confessional piece, Krug said that she has deceived friends and colleagues by falsely claiming several identities like “North African Blackness, then US rooted Blackness, then Caribbean rooted Bronx Blackness” for “the better part of my adult life.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Coronavirus Cases In England 'Continuing To Level Off', Official Figures Suggest

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The number of new coronavirus infections per day in England has “continued to level off”, official figures published on Friday have suggested.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said there were around 2,000 new cases in the community per day from August 19 to August 25.
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Last week’s survey, which covered August 14 to August 20 estimated there were 2,200 new cases per day.
Heather Bovill, from the joint Covid-19 infection survey, said today: “For another week, our evidence suggests that the level of infections and people who currently have Covid-19 in the community has continued to level off.
“Through analysing blood samples from a section of our participants, we believe that around one in 17 people in England have Covid-19 antibodies and are therefore likely to have had the virus at some point.”
A separate study from the ONS released today revealed there has been an increase in people travelling to work in the last two months.
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According to the data, 57% of working adults reported that they had travelled to work – either exclusively or in combination with working from home – in the past seven days, while 20% had worked solely from home.
The findings show an increase from the results of an ONS survey in the last week of June when 49% of working adults said they had travelled in to work, and 29% said they had worked exclusively at home.
Ministers fear huge job losses in town and city centre shops and cafes if workers do not return to their pre-lockdown commuter patterns.
It comes as Grant Shapps this morning admitted that varying advice for quarantining when arriving in different UK nations from abroad had caused “confusion”.
The transport secretary defended the UK government’s decision not to impose restrictions on people entering England from Greece and Portugal despite the Scotland and Wales ordering periods of isolation to slow the spread of coronavirus.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Russian Coronavirus Vaccine Trial Yields Promising Early Results

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Two early-phase Russian coronavirus vaccine trials have produced promising results, with participants experiencing no serious adverse effects and evidence of an antibody response.
Controversy greeted the announcement last month that Russia had approved the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine – before it had completed final “phase 3” clinical trials.
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Those still have not been done. But the findings of two smaller 42-day trials published in the Lancet medical journal on Friday do suggest the vaccines produce a double protection in the form of a T-cell response within 28 days.
T-cells attack viruses directly by recognising and killing cells that have been taken over by a virus.
The vaccine involved 76 participants, all of whom knew they were receiving it (file picture) Joe Raedle via Getty Images
The two-part vaccine includes two adenovirus vectors which have been modified to express the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
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These types of vaccines are based on weakened versions of adenoviruses, which are a group of viruses that typically infect membranes of the eyes, respiratory tract, urinary tract, intestines and nervous system, and include the common cold.
Lead author Dr Denis Logunov, of the N F Gamaleya National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology in Russia, said: “When adenovirus vaccines enter people’s cells, they deliver the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein genetic code, which causes cells to produce the spike protein.
“This helps teach the immune system to recognise and attack the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
“To form a powerful immune response against SARS-CoV-2, it is important that a booster vaccination is provided.”
To compare post-vaccination immunity with natural immunity formed by Covid infection, the authors obtained convalescent plasma from 4,817 people who had recovered from mild or moderate coronavirus.
The frozen vaccine was tested with a mind for large-scale use through existing global supply chains for vaccines and the freeze-dried version for hard-to-reach regions as it is more stable and can be stored at 2 to 8 degrees centigrade.
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The most common adverse side effects were those characteristic of those seen with other vaccines, including pain at injection site, hyperthermia, headaches, lack of energy, and muscle and joint pain.
The trials took place in two hospitals in Russia, with the 76 participants knowing they were receiving the vaccine. They were all healthy adults aged 18 to 60, who self-isolated as soon as they were registered for the trial and remained in hospital for the first 28 days of the trial.
The frozen vaccine (Gam-Covid-Vac) was trialled in a branch of Burdenko Hospital, an agency of the Russian ministry of defence, and involved both civilian and military volunteers. The freeze-dried vaccine (Gam-Covid-Vac-Lyo) trial took place at Sechenov University and all volunteers were civilians.
While generally positive, the authors of the study note it was a small sample, without any placebo or control vaccine. Part of the phase 1 trials only included male volunteers and while efforts were made to recruit volunteers of a broad age range, most were in their 20s and 30s. The authors admit more research is needed to evaluate the vaccine in different populations, including older age groups, those with underlying medical conditions and those in at-risk groups.
Explaining the next steps of their research, Professor Alexander Gintsburg, of the N F Gamaleya National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology, Russia, said the next phase of the trial was approved on August 26.
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He added: “It is planned to include 40,000 volunteers from different age and risk groups, and will be undertaken with constant monitoring of volunteers through an online application.”
Dr Naor Bar-Zeev, of the International Vaccine Access Centre, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA – who was not involved in the study – said the research was encouraging, though small-scale.
And he warned: “To be sure, most past vaccines were designed to target disease and not infection as such, but with Covid-19, the general public could be expecting striking reductions in disease transmission after widespread vaccine introduction.
“Such effects would be very welcome if they occur, but they are far from certain. A vaccine that reduces disease but does not prevent infection might paradoxically make things worse. It could falsely reassure recipients of personal invulnerability, thus reducing transmission-mitigating behaviours.
“In turn, this could lead to increased exposure among older adults in whom efficacy is likely to be lower, or among other higher-risk groups who might have lower vaccine acceptance and uptake.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Diarrhoea And Vomiting 'May Be Signs Of Coronavirus In Children'

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Children with coronavirus may display signs of an upset stomach, a new study has found. Scientists say diarrhoea and vomiting could be the first clue kids have the virus, even if they don’t have a cough.
It’s led to calls for the NHS list of symptoms to be revised. At the moment, the official checklist includes three symptoms: a high temperature, a new and continuous cough, and a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste.
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But researchers at Queen’s University in Belfast now say having an upset stomach could be a key symptom of Covid-19 in children.
“In our group, diarrhoea and vomiting were more predictive than, say, cough or even changes in smell and taste,” said Dr Tom Waterfield, as reported by The Guardian. “If you want to actually diagnose infection in children, we need to start looking at diarrhoea and vomiting, not just upper respiratory tract symptoms.”
naumoid via Getty Images
Waterfield said the current list of officially recognised symptoms only identifies 76% of cases – whereas adding stomach trouble to the list could up the detection rate to 97%.
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The study tested more than 990 healthcare workers’ kids from across the UK, aged between two and 15. Results found that 68 children had antibodies and likely had already had Covid-19. Half of these children had reported symptoms, of which 19% suffered from diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach cramps.
“Lots of children will have a running nose this winter [and] sneezing – that is not a sign,” Waterfield added.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Report Alleges Trump Called Veterans ‘Suckers’ And ‘Losers’

Report Alleges Trump Called Veterans ‘Suckers’ And ‘Losers’
A report in the Atlantic has said multiple sources have verified claims that Donald Trump has made several disparaging comments about America’s war veterans who died or were captured, including late senator John McCain. The president has strenuously denied the claims.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--An Absence Of Women's Voices Weakened Our Pandemic Response. It's Time To Put That Right.

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In a public health crisis, speeches save lives. Without drugs or vaccines to stop Covid-19, politicians had to use the power of public persuasion to get all of us to change behaviour and make personal sacrifices.
But that is what makes it so shocking that at the height of the coronavirus crisis, 89 out of the 92 ministerial speeches given in the UK government’s daily press conferences were given by men. When political decisions were being taken and communicated, women were left out.
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The irony is that across the world many of the leaders who have done the best job making covid decisions, communicating them and building community confidence have been women.
In different ways, New Zealand’s Jacinda Arden and Germany’s Angela Merkel built trust, speaking directly to their countries with empathy and openness about the challenges they faced.
Britain's Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance during a media briefing on coronavirus ASSOCIATED PRESS
Back here at the height of lockdown, the person who best captured the national mood and pulled us together was the Queen as she invoked our history to inspire compassion and resilience, promising that “we will meet again.”
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Men at the heart of the UK government could have learnt many lessons from all these women on how it should be done.
Sadly of course none of this is new. Women are still less likely to hold public office, less likely to get to speak at conferences, less likely to hold forth in a business meeting zoom or a conference call.
For centuries, bold and brilliant women have taken to public stages to speak out – as experts and activists, as politicians and protesters – but too often their voices have been sidelined or drowned out, and public speaking can still feel like a man’s world.
Even in recent speech anthologies or online celebrations of oratory, women are notably absent – often accounting for just one in five or even fewer than one in ten of the chosen speeches.
Too often when women do speak out, they can face greater vitriol or even violence for doing so. The abuse aimed at women MPs – particularly black, Jewish and Muslim MPs – is vile. But it is part of a long history of attempts to silence women.
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Suffragettes were tortured, abolitionists faced angry mobs outside the churches where they spoke. Josephine Butler, a Victorian campaigner for women’s rights had to escape from a window when the barn she was speaking in was set on fire by her opponents.
For centuries women have been fighting back and speaking out – so it’s time we celebrated and amplified their words rather than letting them get lost or assuming that all the great oratory through the ages belongs to men.
“The Covid-19 crisis has shown once more the power of words and also why it matters when some voices are missing.”
That’s why I have compiled forty women’s speeches from across the world and through the ages – published in paperback this week.
From Sojourner Truth’s powerful words against slavery in 1850s America to Julia Gillard’s exposé of Tony Abbott’s misogyny in the Australian Parliament eight years ago, from Boudicca to Greta Thunberg, these are incredible speeches that should be read and heard to inspire more women to speak out.
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Many women’s speeches from our past feel more important than ever. Words from the speech by civil rights activist and poet Audre Lourde, given in Chicago in 1977, have been emblazoned on the banners of Black Lives Matter protests.
Her words, “your silence will not protect you”, are relevant and rousing for a new generation, and a reminder of the responsibility we all bear to recognise and challenge racism and injustice wherever we find it, and to seek out under-represented voices.
The Covid-19 crisis has shown once more the power of words and also why it matters when some voices are missing.
The absence of diverse voices made for a weaker response. It’s time to put that right – to amplify and to celebrate women’s voices so we can inspire a new generation of women and girls to speak out.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Arnold Schwarzenegger Had A Glorious Response To Fan Who Made A Terminator Pipe

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Arnold Schwarzenegger fans know him for being a badass on screen, but they may not know him for being a badass on ... Reddit?
In July, a Reddit user by the name RadonLab celebrated the former California governor on the platform by sharing images of a custom carved tobacco pipe that featured the likeness of Schwarzenegger’s character in Terminator.
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The user shared the images of the incredibly detailed pipe with the caption: “I Carved this pipe specially for Arnold’s birthday” (Schwarzenegger turned 73 on July 30.)
Soon after, Schwarzenegger ― whose Reddit name is GovSchwarzenegger ― found the image and commented that he thought the pipe was fantastic.
“Would you sell this to me?” he asked on the platform, to which RadonLab said he’d like to simply give Schwarzenegger the pipe.
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In response, Schwarzenegger said: “If you insist on giving it to me, I insist on sending you back a signed photo of me using it (Now that it’s 2020, I just sign things on my machine and send in email if that works for you). You can send me a message and I’ll give you the details.”
Fast forward to this week, and RadonLab shared a snapshot of the image Schwarzenegger sent him using his new “Terminator” pipe.
“To Radon, thank you for the great pipe,” the signed image reads.
Schwarzenegger also told RadonLab on Reddit: “I love it. You’re really talented, and I can’t thank you enough!”
Sceptics on the platform pushed back to express their disbelief that Schwarzenegger actually signed the photograph, which prompted Schwarzenegger to defend himself and verify that yes, it is authentic.
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He also offered some pretty sage advice for Redditors: “Saying something is fake without proof does not make you better than someone who accepts something as real without proof. You’re just a negative mirror image of them.”
This joyous story has since gone viral on other platforms, including Twitter, where it’s racked up more than 25,000 retweets.
“This was a fantastic birthday gift and I am glad Radon Labs is getting the attention he deserves,” wrote Schwarzenegger in a later Reddit comment.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Trump Is Really Cross About A Trip To The Hairdresser. Here's Why

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A scandal involving long-time Trump rival Nancy Pelosi and a hair dresser’s escalated on Thursday as Donald Trump seized on her visit to score political points.
The squabble over the top Democrat’s hair appointment in San Francisco, where she lives when she’s not in Washington, began unfolding on Tuesday after Fox News published security camera footage showing her walking across the salon with her mask hanging around her neck.
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The problem? San Francisco has not yet allowed salons to reopen indoors, and anyone entering any business in the city now is required to wear a mask to slow the spread of Covid-19.
Pelosi said on Wednesday that the footage doesn’t tell the whole story and implied she wasn’t aware of the city’s salon rules. “I take responsibility for trusting the word of the neighbourhood salon that I’ve been to over the years many times, and when they said, ‘We’re able to accommodate people, one person at a time,’ I trusted that,” she told reporters at an event in San Francisco.
As for wearing a mask, behaviour she strongly advocates and models in public, she said her mask was off in the footage only because she had just had her hair washed. “Do you wear a mask when you’re washing your hair?” Pelosi asked reporters when challenged on it. According to California’s salon rules, people must. Though it’s worth noting the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says masks are ineffective when they get wet.
Nancy Pelosi addressed the hair salon controversy during an event at a San Francisco school on Wednesday. Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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“I think that this salon owes me an apology for setting me up,” Pelosi said.
Jonathan DeNardo, the stylist who did Pelosi’s hair, says the salon owner gave him permission two days ahead of time for Pelosi to come in, but then the owner sent the footage to Fox News. A lawyer for DeNardo also says the owner “made several vitriolic and incendiary comments about Speaker Pelosi,” suggesting the disclosure of the video was politically motivated.
Trump cheered on the scandal, tweeting on Wednesday that Pelosi went to a salon “despite constantly lecturing everyone else.” He’s since tweeted three more times about it, asking Thursday is anyone wants “a Speaker of the House who can be so easily SET UP?”
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany opened her briefing on Thursday with a recap of the incident, flanked by two TVs playing the salon security footage on a loop.
“Apparently, the rules do not apply to Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She wants small businesses to stay shut down but only reopened for her convenience,” she said. “Do as I say, not as I do, says Nancy Pelosi.”
As opposed to Trump, Pelosi has advocated for a more gradual, science-based reopening schedule across the country, and though it’s hard to believe she wouldn’t know the rules in San Francisco, she had nothing to do with establishing them. Under Trump’s leadership, all Covid-19 guidance has been left up to states and local governments.
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San Francisco Mayor London Breed dismissed the attention Trump, Fox News and other conservative media outlets have placed on the issue.
“We have our speaker working day and night against the challenges we have at the White House,” Breed said. “It’s unfortunate this conversation has blown up in the way it has and distracted us from the real issue.”
The salon owner, Erica Kious of eSalonSF, appeared on Fox News after the story first broke, telling host Tucker Carlson on Wednesday that she wasn’t trying to embarrass Pelosi.
“She had called the stylist ... the appointment was already booked, so there’s no way I could have set that up,” she said, though she didn’t refute the stylist’s claim that she gave him permission to have Pelosi come in.
“It’s the fact that she actually came in and didn’t have a mask on, and I just thought, you know, my staff and people haven’t been able to work and make money and provide for their families, and if she’s in there comfortably without a mask and feeling safe, then why are we shut down? Why am I not able to have clients come in?”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Ant And Dec Tease New SM:TV Special – And It's Already Been Filmed

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Ant and Dec have confirmed that an SM:TV reunion special, featuring themselves and Cat Deeley, has already been filmed.
During an interview with Zoe Ball on her Radio 2 show, the pair revealed they’d already recorded a nostalgic one-off look back at the hit children’s show, which will be airing later in 2020.
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“There’s definitely an SM:TV reunion,” Dec explained. “We’ve filmed a show looking back at the story of SM:TV and how it came about.
“That’s going to be on later in the year. We’ve recorded that already.”
Ant and Dec, pictured in 2019 Mike Marsland via Getty Images
Asked whether a one-off return for SM:TV Live could be in the pipeline, Dec added: “We should just do another one time. Just do it. But do it 9.25 on a Saturday morning for three hours, get some bands on.”
He added that while he and Ant would “love to do it”, he “doesn’t know if we can”.
Ant and Dec hosted SM:TV Live with Cat Deeley for three years, eventually stepping down in 2001, around the time they began presenting Pop Idol on Saturday nights.
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SM:TV was known for its unpredictable – and usually fairly chaotic – live studio segments, which included recurring features like the quiz Challenge Ant, the game show Wonky Donkey and Chums, a weekly parody of Friends.
Ant and Dec with Cat Deeley in 1998, the year SM:TV Live debuted Ken McKay/Shutterstock
The presenting duo were previously tipped to have been reuniting with Cat for a one-off instalment of SM:TV in 2018, to commemorate the show’s 20th anniversary.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Why Chadwick Boseman Kept His Cancer Battle A Secret, According To His Agent

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Black Panther director Ryan Coogler and Da 5 Bloods director Spike Lee have already said they had no idea Boseman was battling colon cancer, a disease he was diagnosed with in 2016. Marvel boss Kevin Feige reportedly only learned about Boseman’s diagnosis on the day he died.
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Only a “tight-knit” circle of friends and his team were aware of the actor’s diagnosis, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Michael Greene, Boseman’s longtime agent, was one of those people, and he explained Boseman’s reasoning for not telling more people.
Chadwick Boseman Matt Winkelmeyer via Getty Images
Greene told THR that he partly attributes Boseman’s choice to keep his cancer battle private to lessons the actor learned from his mother, Carolyn.
″[She] always taught him not to have people fuss over him,” explained Greene. “He also felt in this business that people trip out about things, and he was a very, very private person.”
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Keeping his health battle to himself meant that Boseman struggled privately. Greene talked about Netflix’s upcoming movie Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, based on the play written by August Wilson, explaining that though Boseman was experiencing “hard-core pain” during filming, he was excited to be in a movie produced by Denzel Washington and “launch this cycle of August Wilson at Netflix.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Trump Campaign Running Photo Ads Edited To Make Joe Biden Appear Older

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Donald Trump’s campaign launched a series of Facebook ads on Thursday featuring a manipulated photo of his US presidential opponent Joe Biden edited to make the former vice president appear older.
The ads, which label Biden “Sleepy Joe,” show him gazing out against a dark background with his mouth slightly agape. The Trump campaign is also running near-identical Facebook ads featuring the same text along with the original, unedited photo of Biden, in which his skin looks much brighter and healthier.
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It’s among the latest examples of Trump officials circulating imagery that has been deceptively altered or pulled out of context to attack Biden.
An original photo of Joe Biden in one Trump campaign Facebook ad, left, and a manipulated image, right. Facebook
On Sunday, White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino tweeted a fake video that appeared to show Biden sleeping through a TV interview. A day later, the campaign’s “Trump War Room” Twitter account shared a truncated clip of Biden saying, “You won’t be safe in Joe Biden’s America.”
In the full quote, which the clip did not include, Biden said: “Trump and Pence are running on this, and I find it fascinating: Quote, ‘You won’t be safe in Joe Biden’s America.’ And what’s their proof? The violence we’re seeing in Donald Trump’s America.”
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Trump, 74, who melted down on Twitter this week over rumours that he had suffered “a series of mini-strokes,” has spent months implying that Biden, 77, is senile and unfit to be president.
The Biden campaign didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about the ads, which first appeared on Facebook in August. The Trump campaign told HuffPost that it applied a filter to the photo of Biden and declined to answer why.
As a policy, Facebook does not fact-check political ads, giving politicians a green light to spread false and misleading information to millions of people in the midst of an election cycle. Trump’s team has paid Facebook to run numerous ads containing claims that are demonstrably false, including that Biden wants to “defund” police forces.
Biden’s campaign, on the other hand, “has not taken similar advantage of Facebook’s leniency about political claims,” according to an analysis by The Washington Post.
Facebook announced Thursday that it would ban new political ads from running in the week before the November vote.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--HRVY Joins Strictly Come Dancing 2020 Line-Up

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HRVY has become the 11th celebrity confirmed to be taking part in this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing.
The 21-year-old pop star began his career after uploading his own home-made music videos online, and later signed a major label deal in 2017.
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He has gone on to collaborate with DJs Sigala and Jonas Blue, as well as presenting the CBBC series Friday Download.
He's a pop sensation, a TV presenter and now a future #Strictly star! Welcome HRVY to SCD!
👉https://t.co/afDauKyLSc @HRVY pic.twitter.com/DPXtWGN3YK — BBC Strictly ✨ (@bbcstrictly) September 4, 2020
HRVY – whose real name is Harvey Cantwell – said: “Being on Strictly is going to be such an amazing experience and I’m so thankful to be taking part this year.
“I think my mum is more excited that she’ll be able to see me every Saturday night now.”
HRVY at the Brit Awards earlier this year David M. Benett via Getty Images
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HRVY released his debut single Holiday, featuring Redfoo of LMFAO, in 2017.
That same year, he experienced his biggest chart hit to date, when his track Personal peaked at number 62 in the UK.
His debut album, Can Anybody Hear Me?, is slated for release on 20 November.
HRVY was previously rumoured to be taking part in Strictly by The Sun on Thursday, with the tabloid claiming there were only two spots left on the line-up, including his.
They also reported that the final famous face to sign up in 2020 is former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, who stepped down from the post in 2009 following the expenses scandal.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Miley Cyrus On What 'Sucked' The Most About Her Divorce From Liam Hemsworth

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Miley Cyrus says there’s a lot people don’t know about her split with ex Liam Hemsworth ― even though the details (and the timeline) seem very public.
The Midnight Sky singer, who was married to her Last Song co-star for less than a year, stopped by the Joe Rogan Experience podcast on Wednesday to talk about her “very public divorce” and what “sucked” the most about it.
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Miley Cyrus Amy Sussman via Getty Images
“It wasn’t the fact that me and someone that I loved realised that we don’t love each other the way that we used to anymore. That’s OK, I can accept that,” she said.
“I can’t accept the villainising and just all those stories,” Miley said. “It’s amazing that the public kind of thinks there’s no gap of time they didn’t see that could possibly be what led to this.”
During the interview, the singer also addressed other people’s comments last year about how quickly she’d moved on with her friend reality star Kaitlynn Carter after separating from her husband.
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Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth, then married, pose at the Saint Laurent Men’s Spring/Summer 2020 fashion show on June 6, 2019. Mario Anzuoni/Reuters
“It’s not, ‘One day you were happy on the carpet, and the next you’re making out with your friend in Italy, what the fuck?’ Well, there was a lot of time between that that you didn’t see,” she said.
After ending things with Liam and later Kaitlynn, Miley began dating Australian singer Cody Simpson. The two recently called it quits after about 10 months together.
“I think men in my life have told me that I’m cold ― I’m a cold fucking bitch because I leave when things are done,” Miley said.
She added that she “used to be very emotional” but now worries that she’s “too tough.”
“I worry sometimes that I can get over things easily. I don’t fall to the floor and crawl up in a ball the way that I used to and I think that’s a part of me growing up,” the Wrecking Ball singer said.
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Part of that evolution means that Miley is now more sure of what she’s looking for in her next partner.
“I want the soul connection but I’m more about the brain connection,” she explained, adding that she’s looking for someone older to date.
“I don’t need a man or a woman that’s gonna take care of me. I can take care of me because I’ve got money, I’ve got all the things that I need to take care of myself,” she said. “I need them to be able to take care of them.”
Liam and Miley separated in August 2019 after less than a year of marriage, though the two had been together on and off for nearly a decade.
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“Liam and Miley have agreed to separate at this time,” a rep for the singer told People last year.
“Ever-evolving, changing as partners and individuals, they have decided this is what’s best while they both focus on themselves and careers.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Strictly 2020 Lineup & VMAs Reaction | Good Vibes Only

Strictly 2020 Lineup & VMAs Reaction | Good Vibes Only
This week in entertainment, the announcement for the Strictly Come Dancing 2020 contestants came in one by one. We review Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande and the Miley Cyrus performances from this year’s MTV Video Music Awards.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--US Police Officers Suspended After Suffocation Death Of Black Man

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The mayor of Rochester, New York, Lovely Warren, on Thursday suspended seven police officers involved in the suffocation death of Daniel Prude, a 41-year-old Black man, The Associated Press reported.
Warren’s announcement followed a day of protests in Rochester which saw community leaders and Black Lives Matter demonstrators calling for justice for Prude, who died in March after police officers detained him and covered his head in a mesh hood.
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Protesters demanded the officers be held accountable for Prude’s death ― and also questioned why it has taken more than five months for officials to publicly acknowledge the troubling circumstances around his death.
Body camera footage of Prude’s fatal encounter with police shows the man sitting naked and handcuffed on a road as a light snow falls. He’s wearing a mesh hood over his head ― a safety device used by police to protect themselves from a detainee’s spit.
Officers said they’d put the hood on Prude, who was under the influence of PCP, because he was spitting on the ground and they were concerned about the spread of the coronavirus.
The officers had been responding to a 911 call made by Prude’s brother, Joe Prude, who said he called the cops because he’d been concerned about his sibling’s welfare.
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Daniel Prude had been released from the hospital a few hours before his deadly encounter with police. He’d undergone a medical evaluation there after expressing suicidal thoughts.
“I placed a phone call for my brother to get help. Not for my brother to get lynched,” Joe Prude told reporters on Wednesday, AP reported. “How did you see him and not directly say, ‘The man is defenceless, buck naked on the ground. He’s cuffed up already. Come on.’ How many more brothers gotta die for society to understand that this needs to stop?”
The body camera footage shows Prude, who had taken off his own clothes, complying with police instructions to get on the ground and put his hands behind his back.
Sitting on the ground, he becomes visibly agitated and shouts at the officers to “give me your gun.” The officers then put the hood on Prude, who cries, “You’re trying to kill me!”
When Prude attempts to rise from the ground, the footage shows officers forcing him facedown on the road.
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One officer used both hands to push Prude’s head down. Another officer used his knee to press down on Prude’s back and a third held down his legs.
The officers’ methods have drawn comparisons to the actions of the Minneapolis police officer who knelt on the neck of George Floyd.
Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died in May after the encounter ― sparking nationwide protests against racism and police brutality.
Daniel Prude needed mental health assistance.
Instead he was handcuffed in near-freezing temperatures and killed by Rochester police.
His death was unjust, inhumane, and avoidable. We demand justice for Daniel Prude and his family.https://t.co/3HKzGCyuEX — NYCLU (@NYCLU) September 2, 2020
In the body camera footage of Prude’s arrest, his body gradually becomes more still and his shouts turn into whimpers as he remains pinned on the ground.
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By the time officers roll Prude onto his back ― about three minutes after first pressing his head down ― he’s lost consciousness and, according to an ambulance EMT at the scene, stopped breathing.
Prude’s heartbeat was restored in the ambulance and he was hospitalised, but he died on March 30 ― a week after his encounter with police, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported.
The Monroe County medical examiner ruled Prude’s death a homicide caused by “complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint.” The autopsy report also lists “excited delirium” and acute intoxication by PCP as contributing factors.
New York officials have vowed to quickly conclude a “fair and independent investigation” — which state Attorney General Letitia James’ office launched in April — into Prude’s death.
“The death of Daniel Prude was a tragedy, and I extend my deepest condolences to his family,” James said in a statement Wednesday. “I share the community’s concerns about ensuring a fair and independent investigation into his death and support their right to protest. We will work tirelessly to provide the transparency and accountability that all our communities deserve.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Jim Carrey Says U.S. 'Faces Catastrophe' In Fierce Attack On Donald Trump

When I was a little boy in Canada, I watched old Superman reruns, and fell in love with the United States. I was blessed to be able to come here, and to realise my wildest dreams. In 2004, I proudly became a citizen. But lately, my adopted home has become almost unrecognisable. Whatever happened to “Truth, Justice, and the American Way”? That line was written when the Nazis were ravaging Europe and America was the hero of the world. It’s more than a line in a TV show; it’s a set of ideals we should always aspire to uphold.
In November, we must vote in historic numbers, gathering all the “snowflakes” until there’s a blizzard on Capitol Hill that no corrupt politician can survive. We must vote for decency, humanity, and a way of life that once again captures the imagination of kids all over the world—kids like me.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Syrian Asylum Seekers Left 'Distressed' On Madrid Streets After Deportation From The UK

Tom Kemp, a spokesman for the organisation, told the PA news agency that they were left “on the street near the airport” because there was no one to receive them when they landed.
He said: “They are very confused about what is happening to them and distressed about it.”
Kemp said the asylum seekers have now been picked up by local welfare groups.
He continued: “When the Home Office say they’re deporting people to functioning asylum systems in Europe, they’re really saying they’ll abandon people on the streets of Madrid.
“UK and EU governments are playing games with the lives of refugees. And mutual aid groups are struggling to pick up the pieces.”
The home secretary came under fire on Twitter after announcing the deportations, writing: “Today we removed people who came here via small boat.
“They had previously claimed asylum elsewhere and had no legal right to be in the UK.
“Removals continue to be frustrated by activist lawyers, but I will not let up until this route is unviable.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Robert Pattinson ‘Tests Positive For Coronavirus’ Halting The Batman Filming

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Filming on The Batman has been halted after its lead star Robert Pattinson tested positive for Covid-19, according to reports.
Warner Bros confirmed filming had been suspended just days after it resumed because a member of the production team had tested positive for the virus but did not say who.
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Robert Pattinson SIPA USA/PA Images
A spokeswoman for the studios said: “A member of The Batman production has tested positive for Covid-19, and is isolating in accordance with established protocols.
“Filming is temporarily paused.”
US outlets Variety and Vanity Fair quoted unnamed sources close to the production which said the person in question was the British actor.
The superhero film only recently returned to filming near London following a six-month hiatus due to the pandemic.
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It was initially due for release in June 2021 but has been delayed until October 1 2021.
Directed by Matt Reeves, The Batman will Robert follow in the footsteps of Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, Val Kilmer, Michael Keaton and George Clooney in playing the Dark Knight.
Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne in Matt Reeves 'The Batman' Yahoo Movies UK
The film also stars Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth and Jeffrey Wright as Gotham City’s police chief Commissioner Gordon.
Last month, a trailer saw the Twilight star debut as a darker, brooding Bruce Wayne.
Fans also caught a glimpse of Colin Farrell in heavy prosthetics for his role as Penguin.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--5 Fibs You Were Told This Week By Politicians, Pollsters And, Er, David Icke

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Hello and congratulations if you’ve made it to Thursday.
Now, we’re not saying this last week has been the most despair-inducing week in political history, but the president of the United States did retweet an account called “Cat Turd”.
Forget everything else, the fact the US president retweeted an account called "Cat Turd" alone should be grounds for impeachment pic.twitter.com/JlaJ6fH4XK — Chris York (@ChrisDYork) September 2, 2020
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Elsewhere, the political landscape was equally as depressing with fibs aplenty, which is great news for a certain weekly HuffPost UK series, but terrible news for democracy, truth and the idea that humanity somehow actually deserves its place on earth.
So let’s start with Boris Johnson, partly because he’s the PM but mostly because we just can’t bring ourselves to kick things off with David Icke.
Boris Johnson, part 1: Offices
Amid fears that town and city centres will soon be filled only with long-dead zombie office workers vainly searching for a Pret, the government has for a few weeks now been pushing Brits to get back into their workplaces.
And this week, refreshed after the long Bank Holiday weekend, they did! Or at least Johnson claimed they had, announcing that “huge numbers” of people had returned to work on Tuesday.
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Unfortunately, Downing Street could not supply any evidence for the statement. And it emerged later that, in Greater London, bus use was up by just 6% and Tube use by 8% week-on-week.
“People are going back to the office in huge numbers across our country – and quite right, too,” he told ministers gathered in a socially-distanced room at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
But as social media users pointed to empty streets and train stations in big cities, his official spokesperson admitted that there were no publicly available statistics for any return.
Westminster tube station, 2pm pic.twitter.com/zTgz9AdPNL — Matthew Garrahan (@MattGarrahan) September 2, 2020
Asked for evidence for the “huge numbers” remarks, the spokesperson said: “Schools have largely gone back today.”
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Jeremy Corbyn voted best PM we never had
Our second entry is a cautionary tale that you would have assumed most people had learned around December last year.
On Monday, Times journalist Matt Chorley held an informal Twitter poll of “Best PMs We Never Had” which was won by Jeremy Corbyn.
Times Radio World Cup of Best PMs We Never Had#WCBPMWNH
FINAL!!!
Listen along on @timesradio
DAB | App | Smart speaker | https://t.co/lSeupav8Ru — Matt Chorley (@MattChorley) August 31, 2020
Now, if there was one takeaway from the 2019 general election that was not in dispute, you’d have thought it would be that unbridled enthusiasm on Twitter does not translate into actual real-world political outcomes.
Despite still being relatively fresh from Labour’s biggest defeat since 1983, a sizeable and very vocal portion of Corbyn-supporting Twitter declared the completely unscientific poll as a weird sort of victory and it all got a bit out of hand.
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In a further bizarre twist, Corbyn himself gave an acceptance speech, saying: “I’m not sure this Twitter poll gave the result that a lot of our media pundits really expected, or possibly even the one they wanted.”
The best Prime Minister never had, Jeremy Corbyn, responds to the news and confirmation from Matt Chorley, that he is in fact, the best Prime Minister we never had. pic.twitter.com/ciBSiW4Jr2 — Rachael Swindon (@Rachael_Swindon) September 1, 2020
It’s all just a bit of harmless fun, right? Well, not really. Many of the issues we face today are fulled by the distorting and manipulative effect of social media, so a former opposition leader perpetuating the supposed reliability of Twitter polls is a bit on the irresponsible side.
More to the point, in an actual professional poll Corbyn ranked bottom, with a net rating of -53%, so claiming him as the people’s choice is, basically, a fib.
Also, if you’re going to accept the result of that one, then you also have to accept the result of this one...
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Who is the worst Prime Minister we never had? — Christopher Snowdon (@cjsnowdon) September 2, 2020
David Icke and oh my god how are we actually writing about David Icke in 2020?
For those of you not acquainted with David Icke, let us give you a brief overview.
David Icke used to play in net for Coventry City. From there things get a bit weird.
After leaving the world of professional football, he forged an absolutely stellar career in being completely and fantastically wrong about pretty much everything.
Here are some highlights:
declared he was the son of God and that the world would end in 1997
published a book which claimed a “small Jewish clique” was responsible for both world wars and had “financed Hitler to power in 1933″
claimed an inter-dimensional race of reptilian beings called the Archons rule the earth
described how the moon is actually an alien spaceship that controls human thought
insisted Holocaust denial be taught to schoolchildren
It will come as absolutely no surprise whatsoever that he also believes 5G causes coronavirus and that everything is being controlled by the state of Israel.
Which makes the fact he stood onstage in Trafalgar Square on Saturday to be cheered by thousands of anti-mask protestors all the more concerning.
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Amongst the conspiracists gathered at Saturday's Trafalgar Square protest to hear David Icke + others were a wide range of racists and fascists, such as Holocaust denying James Thring who contends:
"We didn't know [the Nazi murder of Jews] was going on because it wasn't." (1/3) pic.twitter.com/vx3foqUOmd — HOPE not hate (@hopenothate) September 1, 2020
It’s difficult to pick one fib out of all the nonsense Icke said on Saturday, but we’ll go with the suggestion that the government is somehow controlling coronavirus to crush dissent.
He said: “We have a virus so intelligent that it only infects those taking part in protests the government wants to stop.”
OK, Dave, OK...
Boris Johnson, part 2: Schools
In a similar vein to his fib about office workers, Johnson also made a bizarre boast about schools this week.
During prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, the PM said teachers and pupils are “proving the doubters wrong because they are going back to school in record numbers”.
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This phrase is pretty meaningless because *all* children are supposed to be in school unless they’re registered as home learners, of which there are believed to be growing numbers. Some 30% of 5,000 parents surveyed last month weren’t planning to send their kids back this week so it seems unlikely (and is at any rate not documented) that homeschooling rates are now suddenly lower than ever before.
The expectation should be 100% so how can you have record numbers? Was it an exceptional birth rate?
Utter nonsensical PR. (is nonsensical a word?) — Neil Edgar (@neil_edgar) September 2, 2020
There’s not much else to say on this peculiar phrase other than to introduce you to the Twitter account of Jason Hazeley, who had this absolute gem of a response.
What PITIFUL CRAP this thatched twat came out with today. Pupils going back 'in record numbers,' FFS.
Wobbling nothings from a spluttering piffle hydrant. pic.twitter.com/8nn39c4joL — Jason Hazeley (@JasonHazeley) September 2, 2020
Donald Trump’s thugs
As is customary, we end with a contribution from one of the biggest fibbers of them all – the president of the United States.
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Donald Trump this week said an investigation is under way into a how a plane load of armed “thugs” made their way to the Republican Party convention with the sole purpose of “doing big damage”.
But it’s not clear who is conducting the investigation as there is no evidence the event actually took place, and the government agencies that would be responsible for looking into it have no idea what he’s talking about.
Speaking to Fox News on Monday, Trump made cryptic claims about armed thugs he said had boarded an airplane seeking trouble.
The president, seeking re-election on a promise to restore “law and order”, said the plane was “completely loaded with thugs wearing these dark uniforms, black uniforms with gear and this and that”.
The president did not specify a date for such an incident, detail what gear the individuals were carrying or say whether anyone was arrested or charged.
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He added: “Here were, like, seven people on the plane like this person [a witness], and then a lot of [other] people were on the plane to do big damage.”
Asked for more details, Trump said: “I’ll tell you some time, but it’s under investigation right now.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--7 Ways To Make Your Long-Distance Relationship Feel Less Distant

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On top of the usual romantic challenges, long-distance relationships come with their own set of issues. Whether you’re 100 miles apart or 10,000, there will likely be times when things feel particularly distant.
“It’s only natural for two people who aren’t living in the same area to experience feeling the distance at times. To expect otherwise, you’d be kidding yourself,” said Neely Steinberg, a dating coach and founder of The Love TREP.
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When issues like work stress, family problems or health struggles arise, it may feel easier to pull back from someone who isn’t present geographically. Or there may just be stretches when things simply feel off between the two of you.
“People sometimes forget that the primary purpose of a romantic relationship is to provide comfort and security, and most people need physical closeness in order to feel comfort and security,” said Seth Meyers, a psychologist and author of “Overcome Relationship Repetition Syndrome and Find the Love You Deserve.”
“A long-distance relationship can be a happy and fulfilling one, but the distance will cause occasional moments when the individuals have pangs of loneliness.”
There are ways to work through this, however. Below, Meyers, Steinberg and other experts share their advice for what to do when a long-distance relationship starts to feel extra distant.
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Work on your communication skills.
“Relationships may start to feel extra distant when one or both partners aren’t communicating enough,” said Alysha Jeney, a therapist and owner of Modern Love Counselling in Denver. “Maybe they are struggling external to the relationship and don’t want to communicate about it and resort to pulling away to cope. Maybe partners are struggling with building intimacy from a distance and need to prioritise the uniqueness of their relationship.”
She noted that transparent and vulnerable communication is important in a long-distance relationship, so it’s important to express what you’re feeling while you’re living apart rather than let things fester.
“Couples may struggle when they make assumptions about each other and begin to build insecurities or assumptions,” Jeney added.
Talk about what’s happening in your day-to-day life. That way, your partner will know what challenges you’re dealing with outside the relationship rather than fill in the blanks with unhealthy assumptions.
Ask difficult questions.
“Be curious,” advised Jeney. “Ask questions that are not accusatory, such as ‘I wanted to check in and see how you’re feeling in general and about us.’ Or ‘How are you feeling about how things are going in our relationship? What can we do to bridge any gaps or disconnects?’”
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Steinberg echoed this sentiment, emphasising that you have to be willing to face any issues that arise head-on but should avoid being overly accusatory or jumping to conclusions. And don’t let your fears about what the answers or consequences might be prevent you from asking the tough questions.
“Bring up your concerns and feelings in a sensitive, mature way ― to let the other person know how their behaviour is affecting you,” she said. “Say, ‘When you go a few days without checking in, I start to feel disconnected from you. Is there a way we can make this work better for the both of us?’ You will learn a lot about the person and how important the relationship is to him/her by his/her response to your requests.”
tomazl via Getty Images Working on your communication and getting creative with technology are two ways to help bridge the distance.
Set expectations together.
“Trust is huge with long-distance relationships, and you both need to express your expectations and make fair agreements so both of you are on the same page about your connection and responsibility to each other,” Jeney said.
Do a bit of housekeeping by setting expectations together. This involves discussing each other’s needs and feelings so that you can agree to a schedule for visiting each other, as well as how often you want to be communicating with each other via text and video chat.
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Talk about your long-term hopes and expectations as well. Meyers noted that it’s helpful for couples to “mutually remind each other of their shared goals for the relationship.”
Make tangible plans.
“Relationships thrive off of anticipation of things you might do together or moments you may create,” said Damona Hoffman, a dating coach and host of the “Dates & Mates” podcast. “If there isn’t a specific plan to be together that you are working towards, a relationship can feel distant and aimless.”
She advised building moments of anticipation in the relationship ― whether that’s an in-person meet-up or a fun virtual date night.
“Knowing you have special time together coming up can give you both a sense of purpose in the relationship,” she explained.
Take stock of your needs and feelings.
“Individually, you can work on mindfulness and be really attuned to your own needs and feelings throughout the day,” Jeney noted. “If you miss your partner, how do you respond to it? Do you reach out to your partner excessively, do you suppress it and move on? How can your feelings and needs be congruent with your behaviour?”
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Understanding yourself will make you better able to communicate your needs and feelings when you have big conversations and set expectations.
Try to be a better listener.
In addition to better equipping yourself to express what you want and need, you should also work on your ability to process your partner’s needs and feelings. Showing interest in what your partner has to say goes a long way.
“From a self-improvement perspective, make sure you are focused on building your listening skills so your partner feels connected and supported when you speak,” Hoffman suggested.
“The key to a fulfilling long-distance relationship is a relationship that offers tremendous emotional intimacy,” Meyers said, adding that showing curiosity in what is happening in your partner’s daily life is one way to increase that emotional intimacy.
Get creative.
Distance poses unique challenges, so it’s important to think outside the box while you’re apart.
“Couples who are separated by geography must work harder and be more creative in order to sustain a sense of closeness,” Meyers noted. “Sending tiny gifts on a regular basis and designing fun, creative theme dates on the phone or virtually can go a long way in keeping two people connected.”
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You can also spice up your standard video chat, Hoffman suggested.
“Instead of the boring usual video chat, play a game together or do an activity like sip and paint night to give yourself an additional interaction point than just the conversation,” she said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Trump Reportedly Referred To American War Dead As 'Losers' And 'Suckers'

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President Donald Trump, who has been criticised in the past for making disparaging remarks about veterans and military families, reportedly referred to American service members who’d died in World War I as “losers” and “suckers” in conversations with his staff.
The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, citing multiple anonymous sources who had firsthand knowledge of the conversations, reported Thursday on the president’s comments.
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Associated Press reporter James LaPorta later corroborated Goldberg’s article, saying a senior Defense Department official had confirmed the information.
A senior Defense Department official I just spoke with confirmed this story by @JeffreyGoldberg in its entirety. Especially the grafs about the late Sen. John McCain and former Marine Gen. John Kelly, President @realDonaldTrump former chief of staff. https://t.co/ol2lhBbgv8 — James LaPorta (@JimLaPorta) September 3, 2020
According to Goldberg, Trump uttered the belittling remarks about the American war dead while in France in 2018.
During that trip, the president nixed a planned visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery ― a World War I cemetery in Belleau, France, near the site of the Battle of Belleau Wood. Trump blamed rain for the cancellation at the time.
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Goldberg said, however, that Trump had actually “rejected the idea of the visit because he feared his hair would become dishevelled in the rain, and because he did not believe it important to honour American war dead.”
Goldberg added:
In a conversation with senior staff members on the morning of the scheduled visit, Trump said, “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” In a separate conversation on the same trip, Trump referred to the more than 1,800 marines who lost their lives at Belleau Wood as “suckers” for getting killed.
Goldberg said later in the article that Trump had also referred separately to John McCain, the late senator and war veteran, as a “fucking loser”.
Trump has previously been criticised for denigrating McCain, who was held for 5½ years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.
“He’s not a war hero,” Trump said in 2015 of McCain. “I like people who weren’t captured.”
White House spokesperson Alyssa Farah told HuffPost that Goldberg’s report was “false.”
“President Trump holds the military in the highest regard. He’s demonstrated his commitment to them at every turn: delivering on his promise to give our troops a much needed pay raise, increasing military spending, signing critical veterans reforms and supporting military spouses,” Farah said.
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Trump himself later refuted Goldberg’s report, insisting that he’d never called McCain a “loser” and that he “never called our great fallen soldiers anything other than HEROES.”
....John a loser and swear on whatever, or whoever, I was asked to swear on, that I never called our great fallen soldiers anything other than HEROES. This is more made up Fake News given by disgusting & jealous failures in a disgraceful attempt to influence the 2020 Election! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2020
HuffPost’s S.V. Dáte reported earlier this week that Trump had refused for two years to go to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to receive the bodies of US soldiers ― despite his insistence that he’s paid his respects to “many, many” US soldiers killed in the line of duty.
A former White House aide told Dáte that Trump had stopped going to the base after Bill Owens, the father of a slain Navy SEAL, refused to shake the president’s hand at a 2017 meeting and lambasted Trump for his incompetence.
“He refused to go back for two years, he was so rattled,” the aide said of the president.
Trump never served in the military. He received five military deferments, including one for alleged bone spurs in his feet and four for education, during the Vietnam War.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--My Daughter Made A 20-Point Plan For The Post-Lockdown School Run

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I don’t think I’ve witnessed the levels of excitement in my house the night before schools started after lockdown... ever. Perhaps at Christmas Eve, or the night my daughter hosted a sleepover for her eighth birthday. That came close.
But it was nothing compared to the giddy euphoria of my little girl preparing for going back to primary school after six months at home.
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She worried she wouldn’t be able to sleep the night before because she was too excited, and she couldn’t stop talking about seeing her friends. She asked me to read her the email I’d received from her headteacher, which laid out the ways school would be different – temperature guns at the gate, individual desks facing the front, rather than blocks of children sitting together – five times.
She carefully laid out her school uniform (which is all new, because she’s grown so much since March) on the floor, ready to put on the next morning. And she even created a ‘20-point plan’ for the way she hoped and expected the hour before school to go down.
Amy Mitchell via Getty Images
It began with point 1: “Mummy wakes me up at 7.30am” – which is, in itself, a revelation. For the past six months, we’ve relaxed bedtimes, and she’s been waking up naturally around 8.30am. We needn’t have worried about this one, though – she was so excited, she was dressed by 7:32 (after point 2 on her list: “shower” and point 3: “dry”, of course).
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She had everything accounted for – from point 11, “brush my teeth”, to point 14, which consisted of helping her little brother put his “bike helmit on” (sic).
And the points that really warmed my heart? The final three: “18. Feel excited. 19. Get ready, and 20. GO TO SCHOOL!”
Seeing my daughter create a blow-by-blow schedule, in anticipation of the return to school, showed me just how much our kids want to be “back to normal”.
We’re still in the midst of a global pandemic, with infection rates going up in parts of the world and local lockdowns reimposed. We’ve taken the necessary precautions, however uncomfortable they’ve made us: quarantine and self-isolation, homeschooling, social distancing, shielding and wearing face masks.
At times, it’s felt impossible. Research tells us the mental health of parents has suffered during the pandemic – mothers, particularly; who bore the brunt of homeschooling. A third of women reported the stress of teaching their children during lockdown had affected their mental health.
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But just as much as it’s affected mums, dads and carers, it’s also had a substantial effect on our kids. The ONS analysed the results of a survey of more than 12,000 British parents between April 3 and June 7, which asked them about their experiences of homeschooling during the pandemic, and more than two in five said their children’s wellbeing has been adversely affected.
Hopefully, our kids won’t suffer long-term – but what my daughter’s reaction taught me is that a return to school, if done safely, is, in many ways, a blessing.
Oksana Aksenova via Getty Images
As for how it went? Well, she ticked off all of her 20 points with a marker pen as she did them – though I did scupper things, slightly, when I told her I didn’t want to wear a coat, contravening point 16: “Mummy puts her coat on”.
She couldn’t stop chattering on the 10-minute walk to school – she was so giddy, she even asked if she could “do a cartwheel in the street” (I said yes to a cartwheel, but no to the splits).
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We saw a friend of hers on the other side of the road, and it was as though they’d met at the end of a long voyage at sea – which, in a way, they have. They threw their arms around each other immediately and held hands all the way to school, which I wasn’t too worried about, seeing as they’re in the same “class bubble”.
It was refreshing for me to see parent pals I’ve missed dearly during lockdown, too. The only thing I couldn’t do was hug them hello.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--How To Get Real About Money With Your Partner During The Pandemic

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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.
Money is an awkward topic of conversation topic at the best of times. During a pandemic, it can become a nightmare. Financial worries, debt and inequality can put a high degree of strain on the most solid of relationships, threatening existing dynamics, even when the subject is broached with good intentions.
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It’s hardly surprising we’re most focused on the health impact of the virus on our nearest and dearest, not to mention our own, which can mean discussions about personal finances take a back seat. But what happens when you or your partner have been furloughed, left as the sole earner, or one or other have lost considerable income due to Covid-19?
Money can change relationships forever, and drive a wedge between people that proves to be the be-all and end-all.
So what are the best ways to navigate it in a relationship right now.
Out in the open
Simply avoiding the topic or ignoring the problem might be the easy path to take, but it certainly doesn’t help anyone. When someone close to you is struggling financially it’s important to have these honest, uncomfortable conversations about money. Sure, these can lead to embarrassment, shame or confusion, but once it’s out in the open, you can only move forward from there.
“When we are highly stressed about money – it can trigger a part of us that goes into fight or flight or freeze,” Pam Custers, relationship therapist and Counselling Directory member explains. “Conversations shouldn’t be black or white, but have a conversation that teases out not only where you are now, but also the possibilities of the future.”
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Think medium and long term
With future plans on hold and many taking things as they come, we are living in an infinite present. Where income has suddenly reduced or even completely dried up, it’s about sitting down with your partner, co-constructing a way forward and working out how to manage together.
“Be gentle with each other. Don’t just talk about the bottom line. Start talking about how you’re going to go about this and the importance of thinking about the future,” Custers adds.
“Say you’re furloughed or you’ve just lost your job. Figure out some sort of trajectory for how you can navigate out of this situation. Have a conversation that focuses on each other’s strengths and be sure to value each other’s competencies in order to recoup and reorganise – it’s a really scary, uncertain time and we need to pull together, and not apart.”
Prostock-Studio via Getty Images
Be on the same page financially
It takes a lot of courage to be able to voice any fears and concerns that you may be having, but taking the first steps in creating a plan that works for everyone and sticking to that plan is a step in the right direction.
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“Take stock of where you’re at and assess your priorities. Make some lifestyle adjustments and come to terms with the change because you don’t want to be coping and waiting for an end of the tunnel that’s not really coming,” advises Bukiie Smart, founder and editor of Save Spend Invest.
“Be flexible and adaptable. You may be earning less or not at all – and that’s okay. Think outside the box and find more ways to make an income. It doesn’t necessarily mean ‘get a proper job’. You can monetise the skills you already have, sell things lying around the house, or get creative doing something entirely different.”
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Spread the load
Where we’re all feeling the pinch right now in this current climate, helping someone else out financially can be hard. Not just because your own budget may be tight, but because money is such an emotionally charged subject.
“It’s not possible to lend a hand if you yourself, don’t have anything to give. People need to get that comfortable saying ‘no, I can’t afford that right now,’” Smart adds.
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“If they do decide to help out in some way be prepared to lose that money in the worst-case scenario. Obviously, it’d be great to get the money back and if there’s some repayment plan in the future, but when lending money people should have a mindset of ‘if I don’t get this back, would I be still okay financially?’ Make sure it’s not something you’ll regret or have a huge impact on your financial goals.”
Re-evaluate budgets and move goalposts
Financial circumstances and timelines change all the time. Making adjustments – no matter how big or small – can be imperative and instead of polarising one another, it can actually bring a couple together.
“What Covid-19 has actually shown us is that there are some families who’ve lost jobs or experienced income reduction – most of us are eating into emergency savings,” Aditi Shekar, founder of personal finance app Zeta, tells HuffPostUK.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--This Is How Our Bad Sex Education Shaped My Sexuality

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You’re reading Sex Diaries, a HuffPost UK Personal series about how we are (or aren’t) having sex. To share your story, get in touch on ukpersonal@huffpost.com.
Like so many people going through school in the Noughties, I got my sex education from playground rumours and science books – and, eventually, free porn.
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When we did have any classes, teachers would shuffle about at the front of classrooms, red-faced, waving around bananas and condoms. The (only) message they hammered home? Unless you want a baby or a mysterious disease, leave sex well alone.
When sex was spoken about in the classroom it was always about the physical act of a man and a woman getting intimate and the possible implications of that (again: babies and STIs.) Pleasure and consent weren’t mentioned, and anything other than a penis penetrating a vagina wasn’t touched upon – not to mention LGBTQ+ relationships, which were, of course, entirely off the syllabus.
In truth, I always thought sex was something that was done to women. When you’re 14, curious, and immersed in a world of free porn where women are repeatedly told they’re going to be ‘fucked’, it’s hard not to think that way. It never occurred to me that as an active participant in my own sex life I deserved to enjoy it.
I still remember the first time I kissed someone I didn’t want to – I was 16, and we were in the bathroom at a house party. Afterwards I debriefed with my friends and we came to the conclusion that it was probably fine, it was what he wanted, and we let the moment pass. When I left for uni and people would try and put their hand up my skirt in queues for the bar, I didn’t say anything either. It was ‘just what happened’ and I ‘should probably take it as a compliment’. When someone tried to touch me without my consent while I was sleeping at a friend’s house, I simply got up silently and moved away.
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“Free porn taught us that sex is a performance – and that means finishing on demand so as not to hurt your partner’s feelings, whether it’s real or not.”
I’m smart, independent, and pretty outspoken. I’ve called myself a feminist since I was old enough to pick up a Roxane Gay book. But looking back over the innumerable times that I’ve been touched without consent or gone along with getting with someone ‘because it’s the right thing to do’, I never connected that what I learned about sex growing up may have dictated how I engaged with intimacy as a teenager and adult.
This month hopefully marks a change. From September, all secondary schools will be required to teach sex and relationship education. This is so much more than teaching pupils about where babies come from – so much changes during your formative years and while learning about safe sex and physical changes to your body is incredibly important, giving kids the knowledge and space to work out what’s acceptable, what consent looks like, and where to turn should they need help will make a massive difference in how they feel about their sexuality later down the line.
Critics say there should be age restrictions on what students learn, as if there isn’t a whole world of free porn out there, accessible at the click of a mouse. However, when two thirds of young women and girls have experienced unwanted sexual attention or harassment in public places such as at bus stops, parks or on the street, giving them the power and knowledge to know that’s not acceptable and that they don’t have to put up with it is life-changing.
If sex education doesn’t change, then the weird attitudes towards consent and respect that I lived under won’t either. Behaviour is taught and it’s little surprise that one of the main things my friends were resolving not to do in 2020, as grown adults, was fake any more orgasms. Free porn taught us that sex is a performance – and that means finishing on demand so as not to hurt your partner’s feelings, whether it’s real or not.
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“The shame, scariness, and embarrassment that I attached to sexuality is pretty much gone. I’m a prouder, more confident person for it.”
The good news is there’s now an uprising of young sex educators, certified therapists, counsellors, and people who work in the sex industry who’ve basically stuck a middle finger up at the poor sex education many of us have received. Social media has become a haven of sex positivity, with people like Africa Brooke, Hannah Witton, Reed Amber, and Florence Bark teaching me that getting in touch with my sexuality might be messy and painful, but it’s also the most fulfilling thing I could do.
Undoing everything I learned about sex while growing up, and revisiting painful intimate experiences, hasn’t been a walk in the park. It sounds silly but I’ve literally read books on how to redefine sex, and ways to prioritise my pleasure. Thanks to all that, the shame, scariness, and embarrassment that I attached to sexuality is pretty much gone. I’m a prouder, more confident person for it.
But prevention is always better than a cure. If schools taught our kids about consent, pleasure, and the emotional side of getting intimate with someone it may save them the traumatic experiences of figuring it out themselves. I know first-hand what prioritising pleasure and consent can do for your confidence and sense of self.
Alice Broster is a freelance journalist. Follow her on Twitter at @alicebroster1
Have a compelling personal story you want to tell? Find out what we’re looking for here, and pitch us on ukpersonal@huffpost.com


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Priti Patel Complains About ‘Activist Lawyers’ Attempting To Halt Deportation Of Migrants

Home secretary Priti Patel attends a Cabinet meeting of senior government ministers. TOBY MELVILLE via Getty Images
Home secretary Priti Patel has been accused of using “divisive and deceptive” language after complaining “activist lawyers” were frustrating the removal of migrants.
Patel on Thursday posted on Twitter that the government had removed people who had arrived in the UK in small boats and had no “legal right” to be in the country.
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But she said that efforts to remove more migrants were being “frustrated by activist lawyers”.
Patel added: “Today we removed people who came here via small boat.
“They had previously claimed asylum elsewhere and had no legal right to be in the UK.
“Removals continue to be frustrated by activist lawyers, but I will not let up until this route is unviable.”
Today we removed people who came here via small boat.
They had previously claimed asylum elsewhere and had no legal right to be in the UK.
Removals continue to be frustrated by activist lawyers, but I will not let up until this route is unviable https://t.co/oc1sOTTOae — Priti Patel (@pritipatel) September 3, 2020
Her comments come a week after the Home Office was forced to abandon using a video which accused “activist lawyers” representing migrants of trying to disrupt the asylum system after a barrage of complaints.
Amanda Pinto QC, chair of the Bar Council, said that lawyers should not be political targets for simply doing their jobs.
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She added: “Irresponsible, misleading communications from the government, around the job that lawyers do in the public interest, are extremely damaging to our society.
“Legal professionals who apply the law and follow Parliament’s express intention, are not ‘activists’.
“They are enabling people to exercise their statutory rights and defend themselves against those in power. Without those lawyers, our system would crumble.
“The justice system provides a vital check and balance and should not be attacked for the sake of political point-scoring by the Government.
“We strongly condemn the use of divisive and deceptive language that undermines the rule of law and those working to uphold it.”
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The Home Office published a video on Wednesday August 26 showing a moving graphic of planes leaving the UK with the caption: “We are working to remove migrants with no right to remain in the UK.
“But currently return regulations are rigid and open to abuse…
“Allowing activist lawyers to delay and disrupt returns.”
A university professor lodged a complaint with the department’s top civil servant, permanent secretary Matthew Rycroft.
Jonathan Portes, a professor of economics at King’s College London, said he complained to Rycroft about the video, and in a post on Twitter, on Thursday August 27, quoted his response as: “I agree the phrase you quote should not have been used on an official government channel.
“I have made clear to the team this post should not be used again from Home Office accounts or anywhere else by civil servants.”
The Home Office press office confirmed the response was accurate and that it would no longer be using the video or the phrases included in the footage.
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A record 416 migrants arrived in the UK on small boats on Wednesday, the most ever on a single day.
The figure was revised up from 409 by the Home Office on Thursday morning.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Why Tony Abbott’s Appointment Shows Boris Johnson Couldn’t Give A XXXX

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You’re reading The Waugh Zone, our daily politics briefing. Sign up now to get it by email in the evening.
A blizzard of Oz
It’s been a strange old summer, with many Brits not feeling they’ve had a summer at all. The stop-start events and U-turns that have disrupted people’s lives – A-level results, local lockdowns, short-notice holiday quarantines – have fuelled the uncertainty already widespread since Covid hit our shores in spring.
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On the spread of coronavirus, there was more uncertainty today. At first, there seemed to be good news as the ONS said “the incidence rate for England remains unchanged”. But within minutes of Matt Hancock welcoming that statement, the latest data on the ‘R’ number was published – and it was not a rosy picture.
The current figure is between 0.9 and 1.1, but a lag in the stats meant that “SAGE does not have confidence that R is currently below 1 in England” and it would expect to see that change in transmission reflected in the R in the next few weeks. In other words, the virus is not shrinking but spreading again.
We then learned that the UK has recorded 1,940 new cases of coronavirus, the highest daily total since 30 May. Yes, some of this may be because of increased testing but the proportion of those testing positive has gone up too.
Uncertainty over the economy has caused unease among Tory MPs too, not least the threat of tax rises to rebuild the public finances. Today we report that David Davis has become the first senior Tory to publicly vow to vote down the Budget if it contains the tax hikes some have reported in recent days*. The revolt may be so strong that Rishi Sunak instead implements some much milder measures.
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Perhaps because he’s so hemmed in on corona and on the economy, the PM seems to think Brexit is the policy safe space where he can be ‘Boris the bold’ once more. No.10 today didn’t deny a claim in the Times by James Forsyth that Downing Street rated the chances of a deal with Brussels at “30 to 40%”.
Johnson himself used a TV clip to declare the UK would “prosper mightily” even if it failed to get its “Canada-style” trade deal and had to settle for an “Australia-style deal” – itself a euphemism for not much of an agreement at all. And that praise for all things Oz was evident too as he defended former PM Tony Abbott as a fit and proper person to advise the UK on trade.
Abbott’s appointment to the Board of Trade was finally confirmed by the Department of International Trade (another Friday night drop to match last week’s last-minute schools reopening guidance). And Johnson made plain he couldn’t give a XXXX about Abbott’s views on women, gay rights or climate change denial.
Again, all that mattered was being bold on Brexit, and Abbott is seen as the kind of guy who can get him a good free trade deal in the Pacific region. His Australian government got trade deals with China (when he watered down environmental and labour standards), Japan and South Korea. Abbott won’t know the detail, but he will have a Johnson-like belief that sheer political willpower matters just as much in a negotiation.
But the appointment also underlined that Johnson is unafraid of defying his critics and wants to be able to stick to his chosen course on at least one area of government policy. He claimed that he “obviously” didn’t agree with all of Abbott’s views (not that obvious to anyone who recalls his description of gay men as “tank topped bum boys”) but stressed those views were irrelevant to his post.
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Given he feels he’s winning a ‘culture war’ on things like toppled statues and Last Night of the Proms, the Abbott appointment is a reminder that Johnson thinks attacking what he sees as ‘political correctness’ (and others see as basic decency and equality) is part of his political appeal.
No one can say they weren’t warned. Johnson’s leadership launch speech last year had this key line: “One of the reasons people have become disillusioned with us [politicians] as a breed is because too often they feel we are muffling and veiling our language.”
Abbott may not be the last appointment of its kind. Whether Johnson’s ‘bold’ approach on a no-deal Brexit proves to be a reckless gamble is another matter entirely.
*Footnote: You can hear Davis’s interview with me in full on Radio 4’s Week in Westminster on Saturday at 11am. We also have a fascinating in-depth look at Tony Abbott.
Quote Of The Day
“This is a guy who was elected by the people of the great, liberal, democratic nation of Australia. There you go, I think that speaks for itself.”
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Boris Johnson on Tony Abbott
Friday Cheat Sheet
Former Australian PM Tony Abbott was appointed to the UK Board of Trade to advise on post-Brexit deals.
The UK recorded 1,940 new cases of coronavirus, the highest daily total since the end of May.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps admitted that the different travel advice across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for people returning from Portugal was “confusing for people”.
Leeds was added to Public Health England’s weekly watch list of areas of concern for Covid-19.
Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people in Britain may be less likely to trust government coronavirus health advice than white people due to “perceptions of institutional racism”, official science advice warns.
Shadow Scotland secretary Ian Murray was the eighth original member of The Independent Group of MP, before pulling out at the eleventh hour, the Times revealed. He was even photographed at a rehearsal on the morning of the launch.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Covid Advice Less Trusted By BAME People Due To Perceptions Of Institutional Racism, Sage Warns

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Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people in Britain may be less likely to trust government coronavirus health advice than white people due to “perceptions of institutional racism”, official science advice warns.
The government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) found that BAME people may actively resist Covid-19 guidance because they do not trust the government due to “historical issues”.
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The findings by Sage’s behavioural science unit SPI-B came in response to data showing BAME people are more likely to die from coronavirus than white people.
And it comes amid concerns about coronavirus hotspots in areas where BAME people are at increased risk of infection, potentially due to the presence of more large, intergenerational households and the fact that many are employed in frontline roles.
The scientists urged the government to promote culturally specific health messages for BAME communities and to use people who are “known and trusted” to them.
In a paper titled Public Health Messaging for Communities from Different Cultural Backgrounds, written in July but published on Friday, they said: “During a pandemic, many racial and ethnic minority communities may be less willing to trust government communications on pandemic measures due to historical issues and contemporary perceptions of institutional racism.
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“Mistrust of government and authorities may result in active resistance to risk communication particularly when messages are perceived as authoritarian from sources that are not trusted.”
The report added: “Health messages are more likely to be received by someone known and trusted within BAME communities.
“These include faith groups, community leaders and lay health educators such as shop workers and taxi drivers.”
BAME members of the community in Leicester city centre wearing masks EMPICS Entertainment
NHS Test and Trace must also ensure it transmits messages effectively to communities as terms like “shielding” and “self isolation” do not retain the same meaning or cultural content when translated, and the government needs to take this into account.
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It should also ensure it has multilingual contact tracers.
Local authorities should have an active BAME “engagement cell” with health, political, community, legal and academic representatives to build trust and acted as a trusted source for “hard to reach” populations, the scientists said.
Meanwhile, the perception that promoting health is a “white, middle class characteristic” and the “fatalistic attitudes” that follow should be countered by linking health messages “with social identities other than white and middle class to increase impact on BAME groups”.
The government should also highlight risks to specific groups and include stories from within local communities including “real-world examples of the consequences of following and not following health guidelines”.
But ministers should avoid using “fear inducing messages” because “stressors remain in the physical environment that are not within the control of individuals from BAME communities”.
“For example, people from BAME communities are more likely to work in frontline roles which increases their exposure and risk to the infection. If the message induces fear, it may result in denial or avoidance as a coping strategy and lead to fatalistic attitudes,” the paper said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Tony Abbott Appointed UK Trade Envoy Despite Sexism And Homophobia Accusations

While serving on the frontline of Australian politics, Abbott opposed same-sex marriage as “political correctness” and said he was “a bit threatened” by gay people.
In 2011 Abbott, the then opposition leader, appeared on stage in front of a sign that called prime minister Julia Gillard a “bitch”.
And in a 2017 speech, also in London, Abbott said climate change was “probably doing good” and policies designed to tackle it were like “primitive people once killing goats to appease the volcano gods”.
Trade secretary Liz Truss will head up the Board of Trade as president, while Tory Brexiteer MP Marcus Fysh will take up the role of deputy.
Truss said: “The new Board of Trade will play an important role in helping Britain make the case for free and fair trade across the UK and around the world.
“At a time of increased protectionism and global insecurity, it’s vital that the UK is a strong voice for open markets and that we play a meaningful role in reshaping global trading rules alongside like-minded countries.
“The new Board will help us do that, bringing together a diverse group of people who share Britain’s belief in free enterprise, democracy, and high standards and rules-based trade.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Boris Johnson Defends Tony Abbott Amid Sexism And Homophobia Row

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Boris Johnson has defended Tony Abbott amid suggestions the former Australian prime minister – who has been accused of sexism and homophobia – will be handed a senior British trade job.
He is in talks to become joint president of the relaunched Board of Trade to help the UK negotiate post-Brexit international trade deals.
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Abbott has faced accusations of sexism and homophobia. He has also dismissed the negative impact of climate change and said there is “hysteria” about coronavirus.
Asked about the allegations on Friday, Johnson said: “I don’t, obviously don’t agree with those sentiments at all.
“But then I don’t agree with everyone who serves the government in an unpaid capacity on hundreds of boards across the country. And I can’t be expected to do so.
“What I would say about Tony Abbott is this is a guy who was elected by the people of the great liberal democratic nation of Australia.
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“It’s an amazing country, it’s a freedom-loving country, it’s a liberal country. There you go – I think that speaks for itself.”
He added: “There’s going to be an announcement I think in due course about the composition of the Board of Trade.”
As pressure grew on Downing Street not to appoint Abbott, a No.10 spokesperson said: “No decision has ever been made and hasn’t been made about this.”
Labour has said appointing Abbott would be “completely unacceptable” because of his “offensive and outdated” views.
Don Arnold via Getty Images
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Speaking in London earlier this week, Abbott attacked what he sad was “hysteria” over coronavirus.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggest the UK death toll is now 57,310.
While serving on the frontline of Australian politics, Abbott opposed same-sex marriage as “political correctness” and said he was “a bit threatened” by gay people.
In 2011 Abbott, the then opposition leader, appeared on stage in front of a sign that called prime minister Julia Gillard a “bitch”.
And in a 2017 speech, also in London, Abbott said climate change was “probably doing good” and policies designed to tackle it were like “primitive people once killing goats to appease the volcano gods”.
Johnson, while saying today he did not agree with “those sentiments at all”, has himself often been accused of making controversial comments.
In an 1998 newspaper article, he referred to gay people as “tank-topped bumboys”. In a 2001 book, he compared gay marriage to bestiality.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-04--Jacqui Smith, Former Home Secretary, Completes Strictly Come Dancing Line-Up

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Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has been revealed as the 12th and final celebrity competing in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.
She said: “I was speechless with excitement at being asked to join Strictly – and that’s very rare for me.
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“Fifty years ago, I got a bronze medal for Scottish Highland Dancing and it feels about time to return to dancing. I couldn’t be in better hands with the Strictly team and I’m going to throw myself into the challenge. Watch out!”
Getting ready to govern the dance floor. Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is making #Strictly her new constituency!
👉https://t.co/uugMRt7A3m @Jacqui_Smith1 pic.twitter.com/9vsjfoRSXY — BBC Strictly ✨ (@bbcstrictly) September 4, 2020
The former Labour MP made history in 2007 when she became the first woman to serve as Home Secretary, when Gordon Brown was still the prime minister.
She resigned two years later, after being named in the parliamentary expenses scandal.
Her successor as Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, also made a recent venture into reality TV, competing as Pharaoh on the first series of The Masked Singer, which aired at the beginning of this year.
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Jacqui completes this year’s Strictly line-up, which has been slowly revealed in the last few days.
Jacqui Smith outside Downing Street in 2009 Dan Kitwood via Getty Images
It was then revealed that Olympic boxer Nicola Adams would be taking part, as part of the first same-sex partnership Strictly has ever had in the competition.
Strictly will run for slightly shorter than usual as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, with Bruno Tonioli not featuring on the panel for the first time due to travel restrictions.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-05--Anti-Immigration Protesters Clash With Police In Dover

He continued: “We are not those people. We are standing up and welcoming people who are in desperate circumstances fleeing from awful situations.”
Officers on horseback were among a heavy police presence in the town monitoring the situation amid fears of clashes between opposing groups of protesters.