thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-29--Trevor Noah Drops Scathing Theory On Why Melania Can’t Dump Trump

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It all makes sense now.
Trevor Noah said the explosive New York Times report detailing President Donald Trump’s massive $421 million in debt ― most of which is coming due over the next four years ― was the “Rosetta stone” that explains everything else.
“Trump doesn’t actually want to be president. He just really needs that Secret Service protection,” “The Daily Show” host said. “Shit, if I had $400 million in loans coming due, I’d also be trying to cancel the election.”
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And the debt explains why first lady Melania Trump hasn’t left the president.
“If she divorces him, she gets half of the $400 million in debt,” Noah cracked.
Noah also noted that Trump was rooting for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to win the Democratic presidential nomination instead of Joe Biden.
“He wanted [Sanders] to win so that the government would bail him out,” Noah said, adding: “It even explains why Trump has been destroying the post office. Good luck collecting your money when you can’t mail him a bill.”
Check out the full segment below:
We want to know what you’re hearing on the ground from the candidates. If you get any interesting ― or suspicious! ― campaign mailers, robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about, email us at scoops@huffpost.com


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-29--BBC Director-General Tells MPs: We Are Not Institutionally Racist

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The new BBC chief has denied the organisation is institutionally racist in front of a Commons committee.
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Director-general Tim Davie gave evidence to the digital, culture, media and sport committee on Tuesday about the work of the corporation.
While grilling him about gender pay and discrimination, John Nicolson – the Scottish National party MP for Ochil and South Perthshire – asked him if the BBC was “institutionally racist”.
Davie said it was not, though did not explain why, but conceded that there were improvements to be made on diversity.
“I don’t think it’s institutionally racist,” he said. “There has been progress in certain areas – and, by the way, I’m spending an enormous amount of time talking to BAME staff, getting open forums, listening.
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“We have made some progress; on screen, I could list all the projects but I think we’ve made some progress. Internally, though, the facts are we now have an organisation that’s over 15% BAME which is reasonable progress but, I think, the biggest problem is leadership in terms of making sure we see BAME leaders in the organisation.
“We’re currently at 12% but that number, if I’m being very honest, is slightly kind to us because in terms of the top of the organisation, in terms of some of the key decision making bodies of the BBC, we haven’t had enough representation.”
Tim Davie addresses the committee in a virtual hearing Screenshot
Earlier this month, the BBC admitted that it had failed to reach its 2020 target for Black, Asian and minority ethic (BAME) leaders.
Pressing the BBC chief further on the issue of diversity, Nicolson drew reference to evidence submitted to the committee from the Campaign for Broadcasting Equality, headed up by Simon Albury, and David Olusoga’s McTaggart lecture where he said he was “crushed” by his experiences in the TV industry.
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The MP read statements from BBC staffers sent to him which echoed the concerns of racism set out in our exposé.
“We’re fed up by the lack of progress, the racism and constantly having to prove ourselves more than our white colleagues do. They cherry pick those who are compliant for promotion,” one statement read.
Dozens of current and former Black employees from departments across the corporation have given worrying accounts to HuffPost UK ranging from being denied career development opportunities to being bullied and then silenced by an ineffective complaints procedure.
We were also told that morale is at an “all-time low” among Black BBC staff who were banned from publicly supporting Black Lives Matter but watched on as their employer defended its use of the N-word.
Two weeks ago, Davie expressed an intention to “talk to staff” about these allegations, “go through the whole procedure” and take appropriate action.
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Davie was unable to answer the committee when asked how many full-time Black correspondents were on the BBC network – but doubled down on his commitment to making improvements on diversity.
“I think many staff are tired of the talk from senior leadership – they want to see action. We have to recruit differently,” he said.
Matthew Morrison via Getty Images
“It’s very difficult if you’re coming up as a minority, if you look at the top teams and who’s made it to network, and you don’t see a true diverse group of individuals.
“Therefore every one of the 15 divisional boards within the BBC now have representation from BAME. Now, they happen to be in some cases special advisers but we cannot live with a situation in which we don’t have a diverse group at the top of the BBC.”
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The chief said he is going to write to the committee to confirm how many Black correspondents are on the network, as well as their lawyers’ costs for fighting gender and racial discrimination cases.
The BBC recently came under fire for banning staff from openly supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, while spending days refusing to apologise for use of the N-word on air.
Davie told the committee: “Racism is abhorrent and absolutely we stand as the BBC against it, in support of our Black colleagues. Those things are absolutely core to us. [On] Black Lives Matter – clearly there is some debate around the various elements of that, that I think are legitimate.”
“I cannot be as the leader of this organisation more direct than to say that we want to be fully inclusive and absolutely building diversity.
“Bluntly, I think we should look at the overall staff surveys, engagement levels, because frankly you’re always going to find – and I’ve managed many of them – one or two that are not going to be happy within the organisation.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-29--Gillian Anderson's Margaret Thatcher Is Spookily Accurate In New Pics Of The Crown Series 4

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Last month, a trailer for season four of the royal Netflix drama offered a brief glimpse at the long-awaited new arrivals, including a shot of the Princess Diana actor in her wedding dress.
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On Tuesday afternoon, the streaming service’s official Twitter page unveiled new shots from the upcoming series, including Gillian in character outside 10 Downing Street, and Emma walking a red carpet with her on-screen husband, Josh O’Connor, who plays Prince Charles.
“It’s time,” they said. “Here’s your first look at Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher and Emma Corrin as Princess Diana in Season 4 of The Crown.”
It’s time. Here’s your first look at @GillianA as Margaret Thatcher and Emma Corrin as Princess Diana in Season 4 of @TheCrownNetflix. pic.twitter.com/3eg121ugPJ — Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) September 29, 2020
Other new photos also show Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies, who play Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, as well as Emerald Fennell as Camilla Parker-Bowles.
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The upcoming fourth series will be Olivia’s second in the lead role of the Queen, with production on the new episodes wrapping shortly before the UK went into lockdown earlier this year.
And a few more, because we’re nice like that. Season 4 comes to Netflix on 15 November. 👑 pic.twitter.com/MRH0x4jcKN — Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) September 29, 2020
Meanwhile, Lesley Manville and Elizabeth Debicki will be playing Princess Margaret and Princess Diana, although it’s yet to be confirmed who will be appearing opposite her as Prince Charles.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Alison Hammond Hilariously Realises She's Been Calling 'Trick Or Treat' Something Completely Differe

Alison Hammond Hilariously Realises She's Been Calling 'Trick Or Treat' Something Completely Different

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Any time Alison Hammond is in the This Morning studio, laughs are always guaranteed, and things were no different when she popped up to host a Halloween segment on Wednesday.
The presenter had Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield laughing out loud after realising she’d believed trick or treating was called something completely different for her whole life.
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As Alison trailed her Halloween Hacks slot at the top of the show, Phillip noticed she’d used the term “treacle treat”.
“Treacle treat?! What’s a treacle treat?!” he asked.
Alison Hammond on This Morning ITV
“Is it not treacle treat?” a stunned Alison said, to which Phillip replied: “It’s not treacle – it’s trick or treat!”
“No way. Are you serious?” Alison said. “I thought it was treacle treat. I’m 45 years old and I never knew that!”
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From 'trickle treat', 'hambag' and the 'half licence', turns out we've had our fair share of misheard words!
What have you be saying slightly wrongly all these years? Let us know!#ThisMorning pic.twitter.com/40AEkibSdB — This Morning (@thismorning) September 30, 2020
After Phillip enquired if that meant she went round to other people’s houses with treacle, she said: “I never did Halloween really. I don’t celebrate.”
Holly then joked: “You’re the perfect person to do this item – great!”
Alison was then curious as to what the “trick” was supposed to be, with Holly explaining people might “throw eggs at your house or something” if you don’t give them treats.
Holly admitted she’d made similar mistakes in the past, believing a handbag to be a “hambag” and a window sill to be a “window still”.
The segment amused viewers on Twitter, with some also sharing some of their own misunderstandings of certain sayings...
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@AlisonHammond was today years old when she found out it was ‘Trick or Treat’ and not ‘Treacle Treat’ 😂 ...made my day! 😂 #ThisMorning pic.twitter.com/VRMCKL8EJ1 — Miss_AC (@Miss_AC1) September 30, 2020
I think I must be losing it! I’m actually watching This Morning! @AlisonHammond just confessed she didn’t know the saying is “trick or treat”! She thought it was treacle or treat, at Halloween! I’m switching off now 🤣🤣🤣 — Patsy Murrell🇬🇧🇯🇲 (@patsy_murrell) September 30, 2020
I just love @AlisonHammond she always keeps it real! #TreacleTreating 😂 We all need an Alison in our lives in these challenging times. My #WordHack was Egg and Shoulders 😂@thismorning @hollywills @Schofe — Kelly Hannaghan (@mindworkmatters) September 30, 2020
In bits here at #ThisMorning my daughter has always called it treacle treating just like Alison... Is it a Brummy thing? 😂 @thismorning @AlisonHammond — Raisie Bay (@RaisieBay) September 30, 2020
Absolutely howling at @AlisonHammond thinking ‘trick or treat’ was ‘treacle treat’ her whole life. She’s the gift that keeps on giving. Phil’s face was everything 😂#ThisMorning — Katie Thistleton (@KatieThistleton) September 30, 2020
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Alison Hammond only learning today that it’s “trick or treat” not “treacle treat” I am OBSESSED she is a NATIONAL TREASURE 😂😂😂 #ThisMorning — faith ♥ (@faithbxx) September 30, 2020
#ThisMorning @AlisonHammond only realising today that it’s “trick or treat” and not “treacle treat” 😂🤣🤣🤣
I used to think that “wet wipes” were called “wep wipes” 😂 — Evan Slater (@Evan_Slater02) September 30, 2020
This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Speaker Accuses Boris Johnson Of Treating MPs With 'Contempt' On Covid Laws

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Boris Johnson has been accused by the Commons Speaker of treating parliament with “contempt” by bringing in new coronavirus restrictions without debates or votes.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle said the prime minister had shown a “total disregard” for the Commons by publishing new regulations just hours before they come into force, and before they have been laid in Parliament.
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Johnson has been facing a major rebellion from Tory MPs who feel he has been ruling “by decree” by passing Covid-19 laws without prior approval from the Commons.
The government has instead resorted to a parliamentary procedure that allows it to make regulations and then seek retrospective approval from MPs, almost always without a proper debate or vote.
Sir Graham Brady, chair of the powerful 1922 backbench Tory committee, had hoped to force Johnson into granting MPs a veto over new regulations with an amendment on Wednesday afternoon.
But Hoyle said he could not select Brady’s amendment because it could lead to legal uncertainty as MPs were only being asked by the government to make a “narrow, binary” choice about whether emergency powers under the Coronavirus Act 2020 should continue.
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"I look to the government to rebuild the trust with this House and not treat it with the contempt it has shown"
Speaker Lindsay Hoyle makes statement ahead of government’s emergency coronavirus powers debate and says he won't select Brady amendmenthttps://t.co/xpfjt3uGyX #PMQs pic.twitter.com/lr1lPK1L4v — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) September 30, 2020
“I have not taken this decision lightly. I am looking to the government to remedy a situation I regard as completely unsatisfactory,” the Speaker said at the start of prime minister’s questions.
“I am now looking to the government to rebuild trust with this House and not treat it with the contempt that it has shown.”
Hoyle did hold out an olive branch to rebels and put the government on notice by offering “very sympathetic consideration” to MPs’ demands for urgent questions or emergency debates that force ministers to the Commons to justify new restrictions.
And he urged Johnson to bring forward “substantive motions”, which crucially can be amended by rebels, on the operation of coronavirus emergency powers.
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“The way in which the government has exercised its powers to make secondary legislation during this crisis has been totally unsatisfactory,” Hoyle said.
“All too often important statutory instruments have been published a matter of hours before coming into force and some explanations why important measures have come into effect before they have been laid in this House have been unconvincing and show a total disregard for the House.”
But Hoyle said he could not select the Brady amendment for debate on Wednesday afternoon, stressing his decision was “guided by professional advice”.
He concluded that the amendment would “risk giving rise to uncertainty about the decision the House has taken” on extending the Coronavirus Act 2020 emergency powers, and could lead to challenges in the courts.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--4 Reasons The Plan To Send Asylum Seekers To Ascension Island Was Absolutely Ridiculous

The state of 2020 means it now takes a *lot* for us to find a news story shocking.
But Priti Patel has delivered. On Wednesday, the Financial Times revealed that the home secretary had previously ordered officials to explore plans for building an asylum processing centre on Ascension Island.
Home Office officials were instructed to look into the feasibility of transferring asylum seekers arriving in the UK to a centre on the remote volcanic island in the south Atlantic.
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If you’re not already reeling at the state of this proposal – which was unsurprisingly dropped – here are four facts to help you understand how properly absurd it was.
Most importantly – refugee charities have called the idea “immoral and inhumane”
Before you even consider the ridiculous logistics of a plan to send refugees halfway around the world for processing, it’s important to know that refugee charities have condemned the idea as “immoral and inhumane”.
Stephen Hale, chief executive of Refugee Action, said it was “deeply troubling” that Patel even considered such a plan.
“Our asylum system is descending into chaos,” he said. “The government must stop its unconscionable race to the bottom and work sensibly towards creating a fair and effective asylum system based on humanity, compassion and the rule of law.”
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Meanwhile, Refugee Council policy manager Judith Dennis said the UK must treat refugees and asylum seekers with “dignity”.
“The government should be doing all it can to ensure the UK asylum system is fair and effective. not considering proposals that would be hugely costly and would not solve the backlog of applications.”
Reactions from charities came as Stuart McDonald, the Scottish National Party’s spokesperson for immigration, called the plan “utterly toxic and inhumane”.
“The fact that the UK government even considered shipping refugees thousands of miles to remote volcanic islands in the south Atlantic, like some sort of modern day penal colony, brings shame on the UK and typifies Westminster’s hostile approach to migrants and asylum seekers,” he said.
Ascension Island is 4,000 miles from the UK
Ascension Island is 1,000 miles off the coast of Africa Google Maps
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Never heard of Ascension Island before today? You’re probably not alone (no offence to anyone from the island who is reading this...)
The isolated volcanic island is located in the south Atlantic Ocean – around 4,000 miles from the UK. Yes, you read that correctly – 4,000 miles.
If numbers aren’t your thing, you just need to know that Ascension Island is roughly 1,000 miles off the coast of Africa and 1,400 miles from the coast of Brazil.
In short – it’s absolutely nowhere near the UK, leading to the very obvious question – how the hell would an asylum processing centre thousands of miles away even work?
It’s pretty difficult to get to a tiny island in the middle of the Atlantic
Wind turbines on Ascension Island in South Atlantic Ocean with Wideawake Airfield in background StHelena via Getty Images
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If the UK government was considering sending asylum seekers to an island thousands of miles away, there must at least be good transport links, right? Wrong.
A quick search on the Ascension Island government website reveals that only military and diplomatic flights are allowed to land on the island.
The one exception is domestic flights from the tiny island St Helena, which is 800 miles away. So if you wanted to get to Ascension Island from the UK, you would first have to take a long, convoluted series of flights to St Helena, before finally boarding a plane to Ascension Island.
The whole journey would probably take about two days – and is only possible on a very small number of days each month.
We’re not saying the might of the British government wouldn’t be able to overcome this issue. We’re just wondering how the proposal to build an asylum centre on an island that’s incredibly difficult to reach ever got any airtime.
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Even if the UK used military transport to carry asylum seekers halfway around the world, the whole affair would likely be pretty pricey.
Ascension Island is only home to about 800 people
Two Boats Village and Sisters Peaks on Ascension Island South Atlantic Ocean StHelena via Getty Images
According to the United Nationals High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), around 35,000 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year leading up to March 2020.
If the UK went ahead with plans to send asylum seekers to an overseas processing centre, it would need to choose somewhere with a significant and well-developed infrastructure that could support thousands of additional people each year.
Ascension Island... probably isn’t that place. As of 2016, the island, which is a British Overseas Territory, was home to about 800 people.
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Without serious investment by the UK, it’s likely that the kind of asylum centre described in the Financial Times story would completely overwhelm the island’s current resources.
Alan Nicholls, a member of the Ascension Island Council, described the proposal as a “logistical nightmare”.
He told BBC Radio 4′s Today programme he had only found out about the possibility when contacted by journalists.
“Looking at cost and logistics, we are some 4,000-plus miles away from the UK, I would have thought it would be extremely expensive and a bit of a logistical nightmare to get asylum seekers here to Ascension because of the fact we are very isolated and I don’t think the whole thing would be very feasible, to be quite truthful,” Nicholls said.
He also spoke of concerns among the locals on the island, with a population of less than 1,000, of forcing migrants there during the coronavirus pandemic.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Joel Dommett Shares Exciting Update About The Masked Singer's Second Series

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The Masked Singer is pretty much the perfect show for a pandemic, so fans will be relieved to know that the second series has been filmed without a hitch.
Host Joel Dommett has revealed that the show has wrapped after fears it could have been shut down during filming.
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Speaking to Metro, Joel said: “We finished filming this week - two days ago, which is amazing.”
Joel Dommett SIPA USA/PA Images
He added: “It was mad, obviously, there were a lot of rules and regulations so the relief when we got it done was amazing.
“However, they had many strict rules in place so they could adhere to the social distancing guidelines.
“There were a lot of rule changes at the time and everyone was scared it was going to get shut down halfway through.
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“The scale of the production of that show is so big, so I am so pleased that it’s done and ITV managed to get it done.“
The Masked Singer is based on a South Korean format, which sees the panel tasked with guessing the identities of 12 celebrities dressed in elaborate costumes.
The first series proved to be a surprise hit for ITV when it aired earlier this year, and was won by former Girls Aloud singer Nicola Roberts.
The second series will see comedian Mo Gilligan join Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross and Rita Ora on the panel after Ken Jeong had to step down due to coronavirus restrictions preventing him from travelling to the UK from the US.
Mo Gilligan joined The Masked Singer for series two Channel 4
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Of his new role, Mo previously said: “It’s a real privilege to be joining The Masked Singer team. It’s one of the funniest shows out there and I’m really proud to play my small part to help bring a little bit of joy to the nation.”
The second series of The Masked Singer UK was one of the first TV shows able to film with an audience after returning to its studios in Bovingdon in Hertfordshire at the start of September.
Ken Jeong, Davina McCall, Rita Ora and Jonathan Ross ITV
SRO Audiences, who handle ticketing for the show, stated on its website that audience members would be subject to strict Covid regulations, which include people only sitting together if they are part of the same social bubble, temperature checks and Test And Trace forms being filled in on arrival.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Simon Cowell 'Sent Peter Kay A Stinking Email' Over Parody Show, X Factor Voiceover Star Claims

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Peter Kay received a “stinking email” from Simon Cowell over the comedian’s X Factor parody Britain’s Got The Pop Factor, it’s been claimed.
Back in 2008, the Phoenix Nights star unveiled a two-part parody of the shows that the music mogul had helped popularise around that time, titled *takes deep breath* Britain’s Got The Pop Factor... And Possibly A New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly On Ice.
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The show included the vocal talents of voiceover artist Peter Dickson – better known as the booming voice of The X Factor, who announced the contestants each week during the talent show’s live finals.
However, it would appear that Simon was not a fan of having his TV shows sent up.
Simon Cowell MediaPunch/Shutterstock
In Dickson’s new autobiography, Voiceover Man, he claims that Peter Kay told him of Britain’s Got The Pop Factor: “[Simon] hated it. Hated everything about it. Thought we were taking the piss, undermining his success. He sent me a really stinking email.
“He was particularly upset about your involvement and I felt a bit guilty about that as I had given you my word, when we met, that it was an affectionate parody.”
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Despite his initial disdain, the voice artist went on to claim that when Britain’s Got The Pop Factor proved popular with viewers Simon called the Car Share creator to apologise.
Peter Kay being interviewed on The Jonathan Ross Show in 2017 Brian J Ritchie/Hot Sauce/Shutterstock
HuffPost UK has contacted Simon Cowell’s representatives for comment.
Britain’s Got The Pop Factor featured the inclusion of one of Peter Kay’s character alter-egos, Geraldine McQueen, who enjoyed chart success with tracks like The Winner’s Song (a parody of the first releases by X Factor champions) and Once Upon A Christmas Song.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Surgeon Derek McMinn Investigated Over Claims He Hoarded 5,000 Bones From Patients

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A world-renowned surgeon is being investigated over claims he secretly hoarded thousands of bones belonging to patients he had operated on.
Derek McMinn, the inventor of a pioneering hip resurfacing technique used on former European Open champion Andrew Murray, has been suspended from Edgbaston Hospital in Birmingham where he carried out most of the surgeries, according to the hospital’s owner.
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Dr McMinn allegedly kept the bones of at least 5,224 patients he operated on at the private hospital, the Independent reported, according to a leaked report by BMI Healthcare – which runs the hospital.
Sir Andy Murray received the surgery pioneered by Dr McMinn, though it was performed by another doctor NurPhoto via Getty Images
Circle Health Group, which acquired BMI Healthcare in June this year, said the hospital is now under new leadership and in a public statement that it was taking the issues “incredibly seriously”.
A spokesperson said: “We will leave no stone unturned in investigating these historic issues.
“They have all been reported to the appropriate authorities and we will co-operate closely with regulators to resolve them.”
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Circle Health Group said Dr McMinn was immediately suspended and “recommendations and learnings have been made to staff”.
The Independent reports Dr McMinn – who did not reply to HuffPost UK’s request for comment through his website – is accused of collecting and storing body parts from patients over 25 years, breaching the Human Tissue Act, which prohibits the removing, storing or using of human tissue without appropriate consent.
He is also accused of keeping some of the bones at his farmhouse in Worcestershire, the Independent reports, and the matter has been referred to West Mercia Police.
The Care Quality Commission was first made aware of the issue in July last year, and the matter was reported to the Health Tissue Authority and General Medical Council the following month.
Investigations have continued over the past year, with the matter also referred to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) – which subsequently took no further action.
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A spokesperson for the Human Tissue Authority said: “Following an investigation after concerns were raised at the BMI The Edgbaston Hospital, we made a referral to the police.
“We cannot comment further on the police investigation.”
A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: “We are currently investigating an allegation of Breach of Statutory Licensing requirements under the Human Tissue Act 2004 following a referral from the Human Tissue Authority. Our investigation relates to a private premises in Worcestershire.
“We are working with the relevant authorities as part of our on-going investigation.”
According to his online profile on The McMinn Centre website, which is also in Birmingham, Dr McMinn has performed more than 3,500 hip resurfacings and over 6,000 total hip replacements for patients “including several high profile athletes”.
He graduated from St Thomas’ Hospital in London in 1977 where he won the Cheselden medal and first prize in surgery.
“Surgeons come from around the world to observe and train with Mr McMinn in Birmingham,” the website states.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Great British Bake Off's Latest Axed Baker Penned A Letter After Their Exit, And It's A Real Tear-Je

Great British Bake Off's Latest Axed Baker Penned A Letter After Their Exit, And It's A Real Tear-Jerker

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Warning! This article reveals the result of the latest episode of The Great British Bake Off.
Former Great British Bake Off contestant Mak has penned a tear-jerking letter following his controversial elimination.
On Tuesday night, the 51-year-old was axed from the competition after his efforts during Biscuit Week failed to impress judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood.
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While Mak insisted he had expected to leave the tent, there was still some conversation as to whether it was the right result, after Rowan narrowly escaped elimination, despite having served up some incomplete bakes.
Mak was eliminated from The Great British Bake Off on Tuesday Channel 4
Following the result, an emotional open letter from Mak was shared on the official GBBO Twitter account, as he thanked the show for being “a beacon of light” in a year that “the world was in turmoil”.
He wrote: “There aren’t that many shows on TV that brings a nation together. In recent times only one sticks out and it’s the Bake Off. A show of legendary stature and iconic value.
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“The stars aligned for me for series 11 (2020). The world was in turmoil but for me, 2020 was all about the Bake Off.
“The privilege to have been selected and go in front of the nation with my quirky features was unbelievable.
“It was an honour to be a part of a show that was a beacon of light – there is always hope in baking.”
“There is always hope in baking”
Here’s marvellous Mak’s letter to all you Bake Off fans out there… #GBBO pic.twitter.com/mVgoSdjVHf — British Bake Off (@BritishBakeOff) September 29, 2020
He concluded: “Let’s end oppression and inequality through our kindness and love. Go Bake Off!”
Yep, there’s definitely something in our eye.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Coronavirus Could Wipe Out Cash. Here's Why That Matters For All Of Us

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For people who only have to tap their bank card to pay for their day-to-day shopping, and can access their account balance at the push of a phone button, the closure of a nearby cash machine will probably be met with a shrug of the shoulders, if even noticed at all.
For some, the biggest impact this might have could be the minor irritation of having to root around in their pockets for some loose change when the card machine goes down at the local off-licence, or having to dash an extra half a mile to the nearest machine when they find out the takeaway around the corner only takes cash.
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But while digital innovations have helped make buying goods and services quick, simple and efficient for millions across the country, it’s a serious mistake to merely view the changes to the way we make payments on an individual basis – to get a true understanding, we need to recognise how it impacts on communities.
Woman hand is inserting card to atm machine to withdraw or transfer money manusapon kasosod via Getty Images
While the cash machine at the end of the road may be rarely, if ever, used by a tech-savvy teenager, it could be a lifeline to their elderly next door neighbour who struggles with their mobility, or someone on a low income who prefers using cash as a way to control their spending.
Our research has found that thousands of cash machines and bank branches have disappeared across the country in recent years, meaning this is a situation that confronts millions of people across hundreds of communities, a situation that has been made even worse by the pandemic.
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Figures from the financial regulator on Tuesday showed that a staggering 59,000 people had no access to cash within three miles of their home at the peak of the bank branch and cash machine closures during the first national lockdown.
Without access to online banking, a closure could mean a miles-long journey by public transport to take out the money someone uses to make every payment, including for food and medicine.
This could be a significant challenge for those with mobility problems or who live in areas with poor public transport. But even when people can get their hands on it, cash transactions themselves may now be at risk as retailers are wary of the safety of cash.
This is highlighted by the growing number of shop fronts now displaying signs stating they only accept contactless payments, despite evidence showing that cash presents a low risk of infection compared to other surfaces such as plastic and stainless steel, and can be guarded against by taking basic precautions such as hand washing.
“Many people wrongly assume that the only people who rely on cash are the elderly.”
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And while many people assume that those who rely on cash are elderly, our campaign to protect people’s access to cash has heard from a wide cross-section of society, including those living with disabilities or on tight budgets, as well as rural and isolated communities that have such poor levels of connectivity that they struggle to take advantage of new banking technology even if they wanted to.
A woeful lack of action from the banking industry to serve these customers over recent years has seen these problems grow to a point where the cash system is now at breaking point, and urgent solutions are needed before it collapses completely.
That’s why the announcement of a rollout of several trial schemes designed to address these issues is an important potential breakthrough. Nine communities that have significant problems with cash access from across the UK will take part.
These include Burslem, in Staffordshire, which became the first town in the UK with a population of over 20,000 to have neither a bank branch nor bank ATM on its high street, Cambuslang in South Lanarkshire, where the community is keen to find new ways to support financially vulnerable customers’ access to cash, and Rochford in Essex, which has an ageing population who are heavily reliant on cash.
“If the cash system collapses, millions of consumers could be left abandoned as a result.”
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They will test out a range of tailored solutions which, as well as installing new cash machines, will also try out innovations such as shared banking hubs in empty high street shops, and widespread access to cashback, even in locations like pubs.
If successful, these initiatives could help set us on a path that keeps cash a sustainable payment method for those who need it, alongside the new ways to pay that have become increasingly popular. So the banking industry must look to replicate trials that are shown to be effective in similar communities nationwide as soon as it can.
But given these schemes are still in their early stages, and the results won’t be established for a while yet, it’s vital that the government takes charge of the issue now and urgently steps in to guarantee access to cash for the millions who use it every day.
Its future can only be truly secured when the government introduces the legislation on cash that it committed to in the Budget.
If it delays any further, the cash system could collapse, leaving this pledge obsolete and millions of consumers left abandoned as a result.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Boris Johnson Labelled A ‘T*T’ By Chef On BBC News, But You Would Have Missed It

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A chef in Newcastle cunningly let Boris Johnson know exactly what he thought of him during a live interview on BBC News on Tuesday.
Not that anyone noticed – until now.
Geordie chef Max Gott appeared on the news channel via live video link to talk about the latest coronavirus restrictions that have been put in place in the north-east of England and the impact the ban on households mixing in huge parts of the region would have on local businesses like his.
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Did anyone see the restaurant guy on BBC News earlier today? Look real close 😂 pic.twitter.com/RRw5nMwa0B — Emma (@EmzJB) September 29, 2020
And thanks to a carefully placed poster of British Tits (the feathered variety) that can be seen in the background, Max let the PM know exactly how he felt.
At first glance it looks innocent enough, but on (much) closer inspection, there appears to be a non-feathered addition to the line-up that looks suspiciously like our prime minister.
BBC News BBC News
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Seeeee?
On Tuesday, the PM apologised and said he “misspoke” after struggling to explain new restrictions imposed on the north-east of England.
From today it will be illegal for people in large parts of the region to mix households in indoor settings such as pubs and restaurants.
The government said the local lockdown is designed to drive down a recent spike in coronavirus cases.
But it was unclear whether it will also be against the law for households to meet in pub gardens.
Speaking to reporters in Exeter on Tuesday, Johnson was unable to give a direct answer.
Boris Johnson Leon Neal via Getty Images
“I totally understand people’s feelings about this. The vast majority of people also understand we need to be getting this virus down allowing people to continue in education and keeping our economy going in the way that we are,” the prime minister said.
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“On the rule of six, outside the areas such as the north east where extra measures have been brought in, it’s six inside six outside and in the north east and other areas where extra tight measures have been brought in you should follow the guidance of local authorities.
“But it’s six in a home or six in hospitality, but as I understand it not six outside. That’s the situation.
He added: “I appreciate that this is one of those things that people will feel is confusing.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Somerset Mum Told Only Covid-19 Test Was In Northern Ireland Or Aberdeen

“The two places we were offered County Antrim and Aberdeenshire.
“My husband took a screenshot as proof because it sounds like it is exaggerated.”
She added the options were “laughable” and she was “just in despair”, saying: “We would have had to get on a plane or a ferry to get to Northern Ireland. I would have asked my husband to go with me. It would have taken us days.”
Refusing to accept a two-day journey, the family travelled to a testing centre they knew about at nearby Taunton Racecourse.
Around 20 or 30 staff were there “sitting under umbrellas” in the sun she said, but otherwise the makeshift testing centre was completely empty.
Claudia said staff acknowledged there were tests, but that without a QR code, they would not give Iolo a check.
“In the hour that we were there not one person came through the test centre,” she said.
“We were absolutely flabbergasted.
“It’s insane. We were told they simply would not test us. We went through bay one, two, three, four, and they were all empty.”
Claudia said she remained “quite persistent”, parked the car and waited for help.
But she said staff instead attempted to get her to leave.
The family were told to call NHS 119, the government’s test call centre, for a QR code but they would “on hold for a minimum of four to six hours”.
“He also said if you come last week we could have tested you but they have changed the guidelines and now we can’t test you,” she said.
“What could I do? I can’t send my child back to school if I don’t have a test. I can’t get to Northern Ireland. I can’t go to Aberdeen. What are you telling me to do? I was told to go home and wait for slots to be released.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Coronavirus Has Created A Crisis Of Over-Policing. Parliament Must Act Now – Before It's Too Late

BrianAJackson via Getty Images
Alarm bells started to ring when one police force described themselves as “like kids at Christmas” when given new coronavirus detention powers.
In the name of public health, police officers have been handed some of the most draconian and excessive powers in modern history over the past six months.
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But while policing powers grow by the day, infection rates are rising. We cannot police our way out of this.
Since March, stories of over-policing have been non-stop. Some have been almost laughable, with officers trying to ban people from buying custard tarts or stopping the sale of Easter eggs. But many others have been tragic.
Stop and searches of young black men have sky-rocketed, homeless people have been arrested for not being in homes they don’t have, peaceful protesters have faced prosecutions and unsurprisingly, it is BAME people who have borne the brunt of lockdown fines.
“Didn’t we learn in the post-9/11 years the dangers of retaining dangerous, arbitrary and discriminatory “useful tools” on the statute books.”
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Police have been equipped with the most breathtaking powers in a generation. The most alarming of those powers is Schedule 21 of the Coronavirus Act, which allows police to forcibly detain anyone who is “potentially infectious”, potentially indefinitely and in undisclosed locations – even children.
In a pandemic, this could be any one of us.
The College of Policing has had to start a consultation on the powers, with one telling line in the consultation paper reading: “Police officers are not medically trained.”
But what the government has lacked in provision of tests and PPE, it has attempted to make up for in police powers, criminal sanctions and blame piled on the public. These arbitrary police powers, unsupported by a functioning testing regime, only deepen injustice and degrade public health measures.
Take the example of Marie Dinou, a 41-year-old black woman who was held in police cells for two days after refusing to give police her personal details at Newcastle train station. She wasn’t even in the courtroom when she was convicted and fined £660 under Schedule 21 for being a “potentially infectious” person who had failed to account for herself.
“Today's vote on Schedule 21 is a vital opportunity for a course correction – if MPs don’t take it now, it’s unlikely they ever will.”
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Across the country, there have been many cases of vulnerable people, some homeless, some children, being arrested and prosecuted under Schedule 21.
In one case, 18-year-old Lewis Brown was arrested and convicted in Oxford for being “potentially infectious” simply for travelling to drop cash off to his vulnerable mother during lockdown.
There has been no basis in any of these cases for police officers to suspect their arrestees of being “potentially infectious”.
As a result, the CPS has taken the unprecedented step of initiating a rolling, month by month review of every single charge under the Coronavirus Act.
The figures are damning – every single one of the 141 charges reviewed so far has been found unlawful and subsequently overturned.
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Yet, this power remains in law, and on Wednesday the government will seek to renew it. The health secretary describes Schedule 21 as a “useful tool”. Didn’t we learn in the post-9/11 years the dangers of retaining dangerous, arbitrary and discriminatory “useful tools” on the statute books.
Injustice will be an unpleasant aftertaste of this pandemic, for many reasons – but excessive, punitive policing should not be one of them.
The parliamentary motion to renew the Coronavirus Act on Wednesday will be telling.
It will tell us whether the government is willing to prune back dangerous powers and admit where it went wrong, whether the opposition to willing to stand up to injustice or simply wants to continue to sit the hard topics out, and as a consequence, whether we’re in for a decade of over-policing.
It is a vital opportunity for a course correction – if MPs don’t take it now, it’s unlikely they ever will.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Pantone Launches 'Period' Shade To End Menstruation Taboos

Listen to our weekly podcast Am I Making You Uncomfortable? about women’s health, bodies and private lives. Available on Spotify, Apple, Audioboom and wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Pantone would like you to paint the town red – or at least upgrade your bedroom walls – in an effort to end menstruation taboos.
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The colour creation company – famed for announcing the annual “colour of the year” – has unveiled a new shade, titled ‘Period’. The bold, red hue apparently “represents a steady flow during menstruation” and has been created in partnership with the period product company Intimina.
The project is about “making periods visible, encouraging positive conversations and normalising menstruation in our culture, our society and in our everyday lives,” according to Intimina global brand manager Danela Žagar.
Laurie Pressman, vice-president of the Pantone Colour Institute, describes the shade as an “active and adventurous red hue,” claiming that it “emboldens people who menstruate to feel proud of who they are”.
Not everyone is convinced by the grand unveiling, though.
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Pantone
“Guaranteed to make me never want to buy this product,” photographer Kate Zarifeh said on Twitter. “I bet this ad campaign was thought up by a man, who wants reminding of terrible PMS and periods. Imagine having your walls painted that colour.”
Others are sceptical the campaign will make a difference to ending period taboos.
“What action will Pantone and Intimina actually do?” asked Tara Costello, author of an inclusive guide to periods titled Red Moon Gang. “And why is the menstrual cup placed like this? It’s too high and above the cervix, which is not possible.”
A lot of people also pointed out that this luminous shade of red is more ‘Manchester United’ than representative of menstruation.
“I ain’t gonna lie, my period was never this colour! More of a reddy brown with a thick mucus clotty texture! Am I right ladies!?” comedian Cerys Nelmes joked.
But Jillian Popkins, director of policy, advocacy and programmes at ActionAid UK, disagrees, saying the campaign is “fantastic” and “badly needed”.
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“Without the stigma around periods, more women could escape poverty, fulfil their potential and strengthen their communities,” she says. “This important campaign will help change that.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--EastEnders Just Pulled Off The Most 2020 Wedding Ever

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Just when you think you’ve seen about everything 2020 has to offer, there’s always something else about to surprise you.
This was proved yet again on EastEnders on Tuesday night, as bosses came up with a seriously inventive way of filming a wedding while also keeping to social distancing rules.
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During the episode, characters Rainie Cross and Stuart Highway tied the knot with one of them stuck in a car, with the pair even sharing their first kiss as a married couple through the window.
Rainie and Stuart married through a car window on EastEnders BBC
The hapless couple’s wedding day went off course when the electrics failed on the vehicle Stuart was driving, locking him inside.
We should also point out, said vehicle was actually a hearse they were using from their funeral directors business to cut costs, but we digress.
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As panic ensued, their friends and family were unable to free Stuart, and with the risk of their wedding day being cancelled altogether, Ben Mitchell brought the celebrant to the scene to officiate the wedding there and then.
Rainie and Stuart then exchanged their vows through the glass as their neighbours watched on – from a safe distance, of course – before sharing a very 2020 kiss through the pane.
On Twitter, fans praised the creativity of the producers for coming up with a way around social distancing that also fitted the storyline and the characters...
Very clever way round the social distance wedding. Totally in-character for Rainie and Stuart. Genius. #EastEnders — Stephen Patterson (@mr_sjpatterson) September 29, 2020
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I think this is a very clever way for stuart and rainie to get married whilst keeping their distance. #EastEnders — Alan (@alanactor123) September 29, 2020
Rainie and Stuart's wedding kiss through the car window fits perfectly with their characters and is such a good way to get around social distancing #EastEnders — Jack Wetherill (@JackWetherill) September 29, 2020
I really enjoyed the Stuart & Rainie wedding part of last episode, it was a creative and yet believable way to film a wedding with social distancing, well done!! #bbceastenders — HDL (@HDL42574454) September 30, 2020
A "normal" wedding wouldn't have worked for Rainie & Stuart anyway. Too boring for them😂😂 — Naja (@2smileyeyes) September 29, 2020
That was certainly a creative way to do a Socially distanced wedding. — Darren (@EastieOaks) September 29, 2020
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EastEnders bosses have come up with various tricks to get around most social distancing on screen, including the use of different camera angles, perspex screens that are edited out in postproduction, and even using actor’s real-life partners as body doubles in kissing scenes.
The soap returned to screens at the start of September after three months off air, after it ran out of episodes filmed prior to lockdown in June.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Ant, Dec And Cat Deeley Share First Look At SM:TV Reunion And Now We Couldn't Be More Excited

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Ant and Dec and Cat Deeley have shared the first look at their reunion for the upcoming SM:TV Live documentary.
The trio recently got back together to celebrate the Saturday morning kids TV series for a one-off documentary, looking back at the story of the hit show and how it came about.
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Having been filmed over the summer, Ant and Dec posted an image from the recording on Instagram, showing them sitting with Cat on an exact replica of the former SM:TV set.
They captioned the photo simply: “Excited? #reunion.”
Cat also shared the same photo on her Instagram, writing: “SMTV reunion @antanddec ...... All those in favour say ‘I’.....”
She then shared a throwback photo of herself and the duo on the SM:TV sofa in the early days of the show, adding: “Those were the days...”
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As well as the documentary, Ant recently told Zoe Ball’s Radio 2 Breakfast Show that they would also love to film a special episode of SM:TV Live on a Saturday morning, but noted he didn’t know if it would be possible in the current circumstances.
Ant, Dec and Cat Deeley on SMTV in the late 90s ITV
Ant and Dec 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.
However, these plans were seemingly quashed when Ant took some time out of the spotlight to focus on his recovery, following his arrest for drink-driving.
Ant, Dec and Cat hosted SM:TV Live together for three years, before the Geordie pair stepped down in 2001, with Cat later hosting with the likes of James Redmond, Tess Daly and Brian Dowling.
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An Off-The-Rails Debate

An Off-The-Rails Debate
Crosstalk and chaos ruled during the first debate between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden, that left little room for substantive policy discussion.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Cardi B Holds Nothing Back With Her Unique And NSFW Commentary On US Presidential Debate

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The first live US presidential debate was shown on TV on Tuesday night in America, prompting exasperated responses from a number of mortified high-profile celebrities.
And one star who made sure that her voice was heard (and trust us, it was heard, just ask her neighbours) was Cardi B, who offered her own unique commentary throughout the debate on Instagram.
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Since her rise to global fame, the chart-topping rapper has been heavily critical of US president Donald Trump, and a vocal supporter of the Democratic Party, first endorsing Bernie Sanders and later interviewing candidate Joe Biden for Elle magazine.
During the debate, Cardi posted a number of updates on Instagram, becoming part cheerleader and part soccer mum as she loudly cheered on Joe Biden from home.
Cardi B Jeff Kravitz via Getty Images
As Trump began making personal digs about Biden’s intelligence, the WAP star was heard shouting at the TV in a number of social media posts (just be prepared for some not-family-friendly language, obv):
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She became even more animated when the subject of Trump’s taxes came up in the discussion, following reports the president and former reality star “paid just $750 in federal income taxes” between 2016 and 2017:
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And she also showed her support for the debate’s moderator, joking: “This man gets me hot.”
At the end of the debate, Cardi was seemingly as exhausted as everyone else, particularly when the US president made personal digs about his opponent’s son, who was dismissed from the military.
She lamented: “I’m not even going to front, I really felt really bad when Trump came for Biden’s son like that. I feel like that was very unnecessary, especially because you wanna know something, Joe Biden’s family have suffered through so much shit, especially because his wife and one of his kids got killed in a car accident. You know what I’m saying? So you can imagine what type of pain and what type of shit his son had to turn to for comfort.”
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She added: “I wish that fucking Joe Biden would have spoken to me before he did that debate, because I would have told him he better roast his ass and I got mad jokes under my belt.”
The debate included segments on the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare and climate change.
Many stars – including Mark Ruffalo, John Legend and Pete Davidson – were highly critical of the president.
“We can’t put ourselves through another 4 years of this walking dumpster fire,” Legend, a frequent critic of Trump, said.
Marvel star Ruffalo, a climate change activist, criticised Trump’s environmental record and said “he has no leadership qualities, he has shown that all he can do is denigrate and lie”.
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And best-selling author Stephen King, another vocal critic of the president, said: “You’ve got a decent man vs. a hulking, loudmouth bully with no specific plans on anything.”
Donald Trump and Joe Biden Getty
In an Instagram post, Glenn Close said she was “mortified that the world was watching” and encouraged people to “vote vote vote”.
And as many Americans watched through their fingers, it was left to Star Wars legend Mark Hamill to sum up what the US – and the rest of the world – was thinking.
“That debate was the worst thing I’ve ever seen & I was in The Star Wars Holiday Special,” he tweeted.
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The US president’s unwillingness to disavow white supremacists also saw many famous names fiercely condemning him on Twitter.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Who Are The Proud Boys? A Brit's Guide To The Far-Right Group Trump Refuses To Condemn

They started as a joke, are named after a song from Aladdin, abstain from masturbation and have been at the centre of white supremacy in the US since 2016.
And on Tuesday night, president Donald Trump, rather than condemning them, told the far-right group the Proud Boys, to “stand back and stand by” as racially-charged violence continues to rage across the country he hopes to lead for another four years.
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He was responding to a question during the presidential debate from moderator Chris Wallace, who asked if he would condemn white supremacist and militia groups that have showed up at some protests.
Instead, Trump branded the unrest a “left-wing” problem and blamed “antifa” which stands for the anti-fascist movement.
“I’m willing to do anything. I want to see peace,” Trump said. “What do you want to call them? Give me a name.”
“Proud Boys,” his Democratic rival Joe Biden chimed in.
Members of the Proud Boys and their supporters march during a rally in Portland, Oregon last month. Jim Urquhart / Reuters
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So who are the Proud Boys? Let’s start at the beginning...
When were they founded?
The Proud Boys were founded in 2016 – initially as a joke – and were named after the song “Proud of Your Boy” from Disney’s Aladdin musical.
The group was the idea of Gavin McInnes, the controversial co-founder of Vice Media who after leaving the company, became an outspoken figure on the far-right.
What do they believe?
Introducing the Proud Boys in September 2016, McInnes outlined his ideology as “Western chauvinism”, the idea that men and Western culture are under siege from the liberal left.
He wrote: “The basic tenet of the group is that they are Western chauvinists who refuse to apologise for creating the modern world.
“Like Archie Bunker, they long for the days when girls were girls and men were men.
“This wasn’t controversial even twenty years ago, but being proud of Western culture today is like being a crippled, black, lesbian communist in 1953.”
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Is this still what they believe?
McInnes tried to distance himself and his group from the wider alt-right movement that rose to prominence after Trump’s election win in 2016, insisting it was focused on its “Western values” rather than race or religion.
This became increasingly difficult, particularly after the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville in 2017 which was organised by a then-member of the Proud Boys.
The group was classified as an extremist group by the FBI in 2018, after which McInnes quit.
How do others describe them?
The Southern Poverty Law Centre which monitors extremism in the the US, describes them as: ”...rank-and-file Proud Boys and leaders regularly spout white nationalist memes and maintain affiliations with known extremists.
“They are known for anti-Muslim and misogynistic rhetoric.”
Members of the Proud Boys cheer on stage as they and other right-wing demonstrators rally on Saturday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
How does membership work?
There are four stages to becoming a Proud Boy.
A wannabe member has to publicly declare they are a Proud Boy and this inherently includes supporting Trump. A member is expected to stand by these stances even if it gets them fired from their job.
As outlined by McInnes, a prospective member “must get the crap beaten out of you by at least five guys until you can name five breakfast cereals”. The rationale for this is apparently “adrenaline control”. They also have to give up masturbation and are only allowed to view porn once every 30 days.
Stage three is getting a Proud Boys tattoo.
Stage four is “kick the crap out of an antifa”.
It’s this final stage which has put the group at the forefront of violence sweeping the US in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests that have been ongoing since the summer.
The group has been particularly prevalent in Portland, Oregon, where they have clashed with anti-fascist and Black Lives Matter activists.
This week hundreds of Proud Boys supporters rallied to end what they called “domestic terrorism” in Democratic-run Portland.
“It’s crazy that it takes us to come here to solve things,” Proud Boys chair Enrique Tarrio said in video on the group’s Parler page.
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Proud Boy members at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City last month. ASSOCIATED PRESS
How violent are they?
In May of last year, HuffPost obtained leaked chat logs that belied their purported image as a “drinking club” who only resort to violence to defend themselves from anti-fascist protesters during political rallies.
Members of the group discussed injuring and even killing their adversaries, plotting tactics and optics for months in order to assert a claim of self-defence should they face charges.
The "Oregon for Trump 2020 Labor Day Cruise Rally" is held at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City, Ore., Monday, Sept. 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Arellano) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Why won’t Trump condemn them?
Trump continues to insist the ongoing violence in the US is a “left-wing” problem and appears unwilling to condemn any group that supports him ahead of November’s election.
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The Proud Boys heavily armed with military weapons gather with their allies in Portland, Oregon on September 26. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
At least one Proud Boy organiser, Joe Biggs, celebrated the group’s mention on the social media platform Parler, saying: “President Trump told the proud boys to stand by because someone needs to deal with ANTIFA...well sir! we’re ready!!” according to screenshots posted by a New York Times reporter on Twitter.
The Proud Boys are ecstatic tonight about getting mentioned in the debate tonight.
"Trump basically said to go fuck them up! this makes me so happy," writes one prominent Proud Boy. pic.twitter.com/hYA7yQVAOn — Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) September 30, 2020
And within moments of Trump’s “stand back and stand by” comment, Proud Boys T-shirts bearing the slogan appeared online.
The Proud Boys are now sharing the group's logo with the president's words emblazoned like a slogan. pic.twitter.com/T3tp286YRa — Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) September 30, 2020
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Sister Simone Campbell, the executive director of the Network Catholic Lobby for Social Justice, said in a statement: “I am appalled at president Trump’s refusal to condemn white nationalists.”
Biden has often said he decided to run for president after white supremacists attacked counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, and Trump said there were “fine people on both sides.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Asking Boris Johnson To Explain His Own Coronavirus Rules Is 'Gotcha' Journalism, Says Minister

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A cabinet minister has complained that asking Boris Johnson what his own lockdown rules are is “gotcha” questioning.
Business secretary Alok Sharma accused BBC Radio 4′s Today programme of behaving like a “quiz show” for expecting the prime minister to be able to explain the law.
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Johnson yesterday was forced to apologise for being unable to answer a direct question about the tough lockdown imposed on the north east of England.
He also claimed the “rule of six” governing how many people can meet up together applied indoors but not outdoors.
Labour accused the PM of being “grossly incompetent” after he admitted the rules were “confusing”.
Sharma told Today: “There is an element of slightly ‘gotcha’ about this in terms of this line of questioning.
“You are a flagship programme when it comes to serious news and it is not a quiz show.”
Alex Norris, Labour’s shadow health minister, said Johnson should be able understand the rules he is asking huge numbers of people to follow.
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“That’s not a gotcha, that’s just basic government competence,” he said.
Johnson will this afternoon lead a press conference after the UK recorded the highest number of daily coronavirus cases since the outbreak began.
He will be joined by chief medical officer for England professor Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance in what will be the 100th coronavirus briefing since the pandemic hit the UK.
As of 9am on Tuesday, there had been a further 7,143 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK – the highest daily figure recorded since the outbreak began, although far more tests are being carried out than in the spring.
Johnson also has trouble on his own backbenches. More than 50 Tories have backed an amendment calling for parliament to be given a greater say over the use of lockdown measures.
MPs are set to vote on the renewal of the Coronavirus Act’s powers in the Commons today,
Tory MPs expect ministers to offer concessions to parliament in order to avoid a damaging defeat.
Graham Brady, chair of the influential Tory 1922 Committee and the rebels’ ringleader, said there was “likely to be an accommodation reached” because “they knew we have the numbers”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Gary Lineker's Verdict On Piers Morgan's Spitting Image Puppet Is Suitably Savage

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Piers Morgan and Gary Lineker love to wind each other up as often as possible on Twitter, so when the Good Morning Britain presenter’s Spitting Image puppet was unveiled on Wednesday, it was only a matter of time before Gary piped up.
Piers is the latest star to be parodied in the reboot of the satirical comedy series, which will debut on streaming service BritBox later this week.
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After Piers’ puppet likeness was revealed live on Wednesday’s GMB, the host admitted he’d “waited all his adult life” to be featured in the show, but was less than impressed with the end result.
“Last night, I got sent the image, and I was like, ‘do you know what? I could have waited another 40 years for this’,” Piers said.
Cue Gary giving his (savage) verdict…
The first time I can recall a spitting image puppet to be actually quite flattering, @piersmorgan pic.twitter.com/kHPDu2orCm — Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) September 30, 2020
That’s gotta sting.
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Co-creator Roger Law recently said that the show would be taking aim at figures on all sides of the political spectrum, insisting there is “lots of ammunition to throw at the other side” of UK politics too.
“You go for them all,” he added.
Spitting Image originally ran for 18 series between 1984 and 1996 and was watched by 15 million viewers in its heyday.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--'Groin! Groin!' Mum Accidentally Buys French Peppa Pig Dinner Set

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A mum who intended to delight her daughter with a new Peppa Pig dinner set made a slight error when choosing the language of the pig.
Maggy Vaneijk shared a picture of the bowl. “My kid just unwrapped her new Peppa dinner set and I accidentally ordered a French version,” she wrote.
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“Now it says groin groin groin all over the plates and cup FFS.”
“Groin” in French translates to “snout”, which we can only guess is meant to be “oink” in English.
my kid just unwrapped her new peppa dinner set and I accidentally ordered a french version and now it says groin groin groin all over the plates and cup ffs pic.twitter.com/3IfXzVfjTL — Maggy (@maggyvaneijk) September 30, 2020
Luckily, Maggy tells HuffPost UK her daughter – who is only two – was too young to notice.
Still, at least she provided Twitter users with some much-needed laughs.
Haha ! ❤❤
That’s going to be a favourite family story for years 😂😂🤣
Oink, oink 🐷🐷🐷 — Sandra Lower (@EatonRifles1) September 30, 2020
This is EXACTLY my sort of parenting. Excellent work 😊😊😊#parenting — Matt (@Fromematt) September 30, 2020
I just snorked tea down my nose laughing... #mummypig — jillian webster (@mommawebster43) September 30, 2020
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And perhaps even gave her kid some French lessons in the meantime...
Early French lessons. Excellent parenting. — Chris Gerhard 🇪🇺 (@chrisgerhard) September 30, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Trump Refuses To Condemn White Supremacists

Trump Refuses To Condemn White Supremacists
Once again, Trump gave white supremacists a pass when asked to condemn right-wing extremism.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Piers Morgan's Spitting Image Puppet Is Unveiled Live On Good Morning Britain

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Piers Morgan was not exactly overjoyed when he came face to face with the sight of his Spitting Image puppet live on Good Morning Britain.
The divisive daytime star is one of a number of celebrities and public figures who will be parodied in the reboot of Spitting Image, which will debut on the streaming service BritBox later this week.
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At the end of Wednesday’s live GMB, Piers’ puppet likeness was unveiled to the world, and while he said he’d “waited all his adult life” to be featured in the satirical comedy show, it seems he was less than impressed with the end result.
“I’ve waited all my adult life to have Spitting Image do a puppet of me,” he explained. “And then last night, I got sent the image, and I was like, ‘do you know what? I could have waited another 40 years for this’.”
Piers Morgan as he will appear on Spitting Image ITV
With a drum roll, the puppet version of Piers was then revealed, with the presenter joking: “As you can see, it bears no resemblance to me whatsoever.”
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We’re less convinced, to be honest…
No resemblance? Really...? ITV
Co-creator Roger Law recently said that the show would be taking aim at figures on all sides of the political spectrum, insisting there is “lots of ammunition to throw at the other side” of UK politics too.
“You go for them all,” he added.
Spitting Image originally ran for 18 series between 1984 and 1996 and was watched by 15 million viewers in its heyday.
It will return to streaming service BritBox on 3 October, with a second series following next year.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Helen Reddy, I Am Woman Singer, Dies Aged 78

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Singer Helen Reddy, best known for her empowering anthem I Am Woman, has died at the age of 78.
The Australian singer died on Tuesday in Los Angeles, having been diagnosed with Addison’s disease and dementia in her later years.
In a statement, her daughters Traci and Jordan said: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother.
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“She was a wonderful Mother, Grandmother and a truly formidable woman. Our hearts are broken. But we take comfort in the knowledge that her voice will live on forever.”
Helen Reddy performing in 1974 ABC Photo Archives via Getty Images
After growing up in Australia, Helen moved to the US in the 1960s, where she began her music career, releasing tracks like I Don’t Know How To Love Him, a cover of the track from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar.
Her biggest hit, I Am Woman, was released in 1972, co-written by Helen and musician Ray Burton.
The song topped the charts in America, and has gone on to be considered a feminist anthem.
However, Helen always insisted the song was “not just for women”, revealing: “It’s a general empowerment song about feeling good about yourself, believing in yourself.
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“When my former brother-in-law, a doctor, was going to medical school he played it every morning just to get him going.”
Helen during a rare performance in 2017 Allen Berezovsky via Getty Images
She also had a second number one in America a year later, with her cover of the country song Delta Dawn.
In 2002, Helen retired from the entertainment industry, and began practising as a clinical hypnotherapist and motivational speaker.
Last year, Helen was the subject of a biopic, the aptly-titled I Am Woman, with Australian star Tilda Cobham-Hervey in the lead role.
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Listen to Helen’s famous song below:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Stars Wars' Mark Hamill Sums Up Donald Trump and John Biden’s TV Debate In One Perfect Tweet

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The highly-anticipated television debate between Donald Trump and his presidential rival Joe Biden took place on Tuesday evening.
And it was just as acrimonious and chaotic as you’d imagine, with Trump and Biden exchanging verbal blows while moderator, Chris Wallace, struggled to take control.
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The first US presidential debate of the 2020 election campaign descended into personal attacks and constant interruptions – as commentators spoke of a national embarrassment largely caused by Trump’s aggressive behaviour.
Mark Hamill SIPA USA/PA Images
As many Americans watched through their fingers, it was left to Star Wars legend Mark Hamill to sum up what the US – and the rest of the world – was thinking.
“That debate was the worst thing I’ve ever seen & I was in The Star Wars Holiday Special,” the actor tweeted.
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That debate was the worst thing I've ever seen & I was in The Star Wars Holiday Special. — Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) September 30, 2020
The debate included segments on the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare and climate change.
Many stars – including Mark Ruffalo, John Legend and Pete Davidson – were highly critical of the president.
“We can’t put ourselves through another 4 years of this walking dumpster fire,” Legend, a frequent critic of Mr Trump, said.
Marvel star Ruffalo, a climate change activist, criticised Mr Trump’s environmental record and said “he has no leadership qualities, he has shown that all he can do is denigrate and lie”.
And best-selling author Stephen King, another vocal critic of the president, said: “You’ve got a decent man vs. a hulking, loudmouth bully with no specific plans on anything.”
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In an Instagram post, Glenn Close said she was “mortified that the world was watching” and encouraged people to “vote vote vote”.
The US president’s unwillingness to disavow white supremacists also saw many famous names fiercely condemning him on Twitter.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Disney's The Lion King Remake Is Getting A Sequel, With Barry Jenkins On Directing Duties

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Disney’s photorealistic remake of The Lion King is getting a follow-up, with Moonlight director Barry Jenkins at the helm.
Since the animated classic’s release in 1994, the film has spawned countless spin-offs and sequels, including last year’s “live-action remake”.
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The reimagined Lion King garnered a somewhat muted response from critics, but that hasn’t stopped Disney bosses from plotting a new version, with Oscar-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins on directing duties.
Deadline was first to report on the new film, with Barry later confirming the news on Twitter.
This.
Yes, THIS👇🏿
‘The Lion King’ Sequel Set With ‘Moonlight’ Director Barry Jenkins To Helm For Walt Disney Studios https://t.co/Ev7Obi8Km8 via @Deadline — Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) September 29, 2020
Rather than a traditional sequel in the vein of the animated follow-up The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride or the oft-forgotten The Lion King 1½, Deadline has reported that the new film will “further explore the mythology of the characters, including Mufasa’s origin story”.
As well as directing Moonlight, which famously won Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 2017, Barry Jenkins’ other credits include If Beale Street Could Talk and the Netflix series Dear White People.
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Fans are already speculating what the new film will look like, with the director giving one video in particular his endorsement:
Ummmm, Lulu just sent this to me and man... well played SA 🙌🏿
Not a sequel. Not a remake.
All love... https://t.co/JGJclpEVMh — Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) September 29, 2020
The Lion King remake was followed by the release of the Beyoncé album The Gift, inspired by the film, with the singer also lending her voice to the character of Nala.
Earlier this year, Beyoncé unveiled her latest visual film Black Is King on the streaming service Disney+, featuring music videos for each of the songs on The Gift.
Barry Jenkins Joshua Blanchard via Getty Images
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Disney currently has a number of other remakes in the works, including a live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid with Chloe x Halle singer Halle Bailey in the lead role of Ariel.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Trump Refuses To Condemn White Supremacists — Tells Proud Boys To 'Stand By'

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President Donald Trump refused to condemn white supremacist violence on Tuesday night, insisting without evidence that violence is a left-wing problem.
During the first presidential debate, moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News asked Trump if he was willing to condemn “white supremacists and militia groups” and tell them to “stand down” in places like Kenosha, Wisconsin, and Portland, Oregon — cities where heavily armed far-right extremists have shown up to anti-racism demonstrations as counterprotesters.
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“Sure, I’m willing to do that,” Trump said, “but I would say almost everything I see is from the left-wing, not from the right-wing.”
“What are you saying?” Wallace asked.
“I’m willing to do anything. I want to see peace,” Trump said.
“Well, then do it, sir,” Wallace pressed.
“Say it. Do it,” Democratic nominee Joe Biden added.
“What do you want to call them?” Trump asked. “Give me a name, go ahead, who would you like me to condemn?
Wallace again asked Trump to condemn white supremacists and right-wing militias. Biden told Trump to condemn the Proud Boys, a violent neo-fascist street gang. At this point, Trump demurred.
“Proud Boys? Stand back and stand by,” Trump said before changing the subject.
“But I tell you what, somebody has got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem, this is a left-wing problem,” Trump added, referring to a loosely organised group of anti-fascist activists.
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At an official Trump campaign debate watch party on a farm in Lititz, Pennsyvania, a Proud Boys member reacted with glee when the president mentioned the group.
“Uhuru!” the Proud Boys member — who wore the group’s signature black and yellow polo shirt and would identify himself to HuffPost only as OJ from West Virginia — shouted at the TV screen while laughing. “Uhuru,” is a common Proud Boys chant.
Proud Boys members celebrated Trump’s response as a directive from above. “Trump basically said to go fuck them up! this makes me so happy,” Proud Boys member Joe Biggs posted on Parler, a right-wing social media site. “Standing down and standing by sir,” the group wrote on Telegram, an encrypted messaging platform.
Federal law enforcement officials have repeatedly cited white supremacist violence as the top terror threat to the US. But for years, Trump has downplayed the threat posed by white supremacists. During the 2016 presidential campaign, he refused several times to disavow the endorsement from former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. When white supremacists organised a deadly rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the following year, Trump responded by insisting there were “very fine people on both sides” of the event. Trump has defended 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, who killed two Black Lives Matter protesters, by saying he acted in self-defence.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Oil Giant Shell To Cut Up To 9,000 Jobs Worldwide

John Nacion/STAR MAX/IPx
Oil giant Shell has said it plans to cut up to 9,000 jobs worldwide following a collapse in demand for oil following the coronavirus pandemic.
The company said the redundancies would be made by the end of 2022 and included 1,500 people who had taken voluntary redundancy.
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Shell currently has 83,000 employees in more than 70 countries – but the company has not yet said where job cuts will be made.
The company said the job cuts are part of a major cost-cutting programme after the business was bit by the slump in demand for oil and a subsequent dive in prices.
Shell CEO Ben van Beurden said the organisation needed to be “simpler, more streamlined, more competitive”.
“It is very painful to know that you will end up saying goodbye to quite a few good people. I know I, and many others in Shell, will be saying goodbye to people we know well and really like and who have great loyalty to the company.
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“But we are doing this because we have to, because it is the right thing to do for the future of the company.”
Van Beurden said six Shell employees and six Shell contractors had died after contracting Covid-19.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Great British Bake Off Returns To Innuendo-Heavy Best In Biscuit Week

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There are plenty of things that have helped make the Great British Bake Off a success in the last 10 years, from its cosy atmosphere to its many iconic contestants.
And that’s without even getting into the excitement of seeing what statement jewellery Prue Leith is going to be wearing each week.
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In Tuesday night’s episode, though, viewers got a big reminder of what helped make the show so infamous in its first incarnation… some good old-fashioned innuendo.
Back in the day when Mel and Sue were at the helm, Bake Off was renowned for its unfortunate wording that had viewers laughing out loud, from soggy bottoms to… well… pretty much any time length or depth were brought up in the conversation.
This time, though, it was Prue who dropped a classic double entendre, and had the entire tent howling in the process.
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For this week’s signature challenge, the contestants were tasked with creating some custom florentine biscuits and as Prue and Paul Hollywood offered each of the bakers some tips, Prue admitted to Marc she was concerned about how even his would be.
Or, as she so clumsily put it: “I remember worrying a bit about your very large nuts.”
The double entendres didn’t stop there, though, with Marc falling fowl of one himself towards the end of the episode.
After serving Prue and Paul a coffee-heavy showstopper biscuit, he later told producers that he was going to keep the pair “up all night”, before quickly realising what he’d said.
Has Biscuit Week given us the naughtiest Bake Off ever? Watch this if you dare... 😱😱😱 #GBBO pic.twitter.com/jUlwS88qsH — British Bake Off (@BritishBakeOff) September 29, 2020
This week’s show saw Lottie receive the first Hollywood handshake of the series (apparently they’re going nowhere, even in the current climate), but it was Dave that was crowned star baker.
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Meanwhile, Mak became the second contestant to be shown the door, with Rowan also suffering a difficult week, with Paul telling the amateur baker to stop giving himself too much work in the signature challenges.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--5 Racist Trump Moments From The First 2020 Presidential Debate

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President Donald Trump regularly waded into racist tropes while up against former Vice President Joe Biden in the first 2020 presidential debate.
Aside from a bevvy of personal attacks, misinformation and chaotic interruption, Trump regularly waded into racist tropes and outright refused to condemn violent right-wing militia groups as moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News sought to ask the candidates about Covid-19, the nation’s summer of racial justice protests and their support for Americans of colour.
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Trump called senator Elizabeth Warren “Pocahontas” again.
The president, long known for using insulting nicknames for his political opponents, questioned Tuesday if Biden would have won the Democratic nomination if senator Elizabeth Warren hadn’t dropped out.
“If Pocahontas would have left [the race] two days earlier,” Trump said, Biden wouldn’t have been on the debate stage.
He once more refused to condemn right-wing extremist groups.
Wallace asked Trump directly to condemn white supremacists and right-wing militia groups during the debate, but the president repeatedly dodged the invitation, instead lambasting Democrats and social justice protesters.
“I would say almost everything I see is from the left-wing, not from the right-wing,” Trump said when asked about the protests demanding an end to systemic racism and police brutality. “I’m willing to do anything. I want to see peace.”
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Trump after being asked to condemn white supremacists: ‘Proud boys, stand back and stand by’ pic.twitter.com/4Pw2z3FsUO — NowThis (@nowthisnews) September 30, 2020
“Who would you like me to condemn? The Proud Boys?” Trump asked when Wallace pressed the president to condemn such groups. “Stand back and stand by. But I’ll tell you what, I’ll tell you what. Somebody’s got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem.”
The Daily Beast reported that the Proud Boys were already celebrating the name check by the president on social media.
He continued to call Covid-19 the “China plague.”
Trump has regularly sought to distance his response to the Covid-19 crisis and the more than 200,000 people who have died in the US by blaming the pandemic on China.
He did so again during the debate, repeatedly referring to the virus as the “China plague.”
He suggested a Biden presidency would threaten suburbia.
Trump repeated a broad, and false, claim that a Biden presidency would threaten American suburbs, saying that if the former vice president is elected, “our suburbs would be gone.”
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Biden fired back at Trump’s statement, saying, “This is not 1950. All these dog whistles are not working anymore.”
“What really is a threat to the suburbs and the safety is his failure to deal with Covid,” the former vice president said.
Joe Biden calls Donald Trump a "racist" to his face on the debate stage. Moments later, Biden says: "This is not 1950. All these dog whistles on racism don't work anymore. Suburbs are by and large integrated." — Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) September 30, 2020
Trump said anti-racist training initiatives were “racist.”
The president said Tuesday night that he’d pushed a recent widening of a ban on racial sensitivity training because he believed the programs were “racist.”
“If you were a certain person, you had no status in life. It was sort of a reversal,” Trump said. “And if you look at the people, we were paying people hundreds of thousands of dollars to teach very bad ideas and, frankly, very sick ideas.”
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Biden shot back, saying nobody had done so, adding about Trump: “He’s a racist.”
Earlier this month, the White House issued a memo to federal agencies ordering them to end the trainings, declaring them “un-American propaganda” and ordering the government to stop spending millions of dollars on the “divisive … propaganda training sessions.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--Mortified Stars React To Donald Trump And Joe Biden’s Chaotic TV Debate

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Many took to Twitter to condemn the US president for failing to denounce white supremacy during the debate.
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The two politicians faced off in Cleveland, Ohio, for the first debate, which came just over a month before the US presidential election.
During an acrimonious and chaotic showdown, Mr Trump and Mr Biden exchanged verbal blows while the moderator, Chris Wallace, struggled to take control.
Democratic Presidential candidate and former US Vice President Joe Biden (L) and US President Donald Trump speaking during the first presidential debate. JIM WATSON via Getty Images
At one point, Mr Trump was asked to disavow white supremacists and the Proud Boys, a far-right organisation, but instead told them to “stand back and stand by”.
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His unwillingness to issue a blanket condemnation of white supremacy brought sharp and immediate criticism online from many well-known American celebrities.
In a stinging response, Frozen star Josh Gad, who is of Jewish descent, said: “The Nazis killed my family members. Tonight Trump told them to ‘stand by.’ I have never imagined saying these words in my life. ‘Mr. President, F*** YOU.’”
Actress Kerry Washington, best known for her work on political drama Scandal, tweeted: “Once again. He refuses to condemn White supremacy. PAY ATTENTION FOLKS. Please vote.”
Once again. He refuses to condemn White supremacy. PAY ATTENTION FOLKS. Please vote. — kerry washington (@kerrywashington) September 30, 2020
The entire country has to make a decision as to whether it will continue to downplay the fact that our President is an openly racist White Supremacist and what that means for its citizens, or... VOTE HIM OUT. — Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) September 30, 2020
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DonaldTrump is utterly disgusting and Chris Wallace is a wuss. — bettemidler (@BetteMidler) September 30, 2020
Comedian and actress Robin Thede also accused Mr Trump of failing to condemn white supremacy, adding: “He encouraged it. The end. There are no two sides to this.”
Singer Christina Perri tweeted: “We just watched the president of the united states UNABLE and UNWILLING to condemn white supremacy. you all just saw and heard that.”
we just watched the president of the united states UNABLE and UNWILLING to condemn white supremacy. you all just saw and heard that. ✌🏼 #Debates2020 — christina perri (@christinaperri) September 30, 2020
The Boys star Jack Quaid said: “He literally couldn’t denounce white supremacy.”
Zach Braff, best known for his work on TV comedy Scrubs, tweeted: “Only honest thing I digested: Nazis standby!”
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Only honest thing I digested:
Nazis standby! — Zach Braff (@zachbraff) September 30, 2020
For those who hadn’t been listening for the past 4 years, Trump just told you that he ain't leaving and that he is a white supremacist. If that doesn't get every American who is not white into overdrive to toss his ass - we may actually deserve what happens next. — Ava DuVernay (@ava) September 30, 2020
And actor Patrick J Adams, the Duchess of Sussex’s former Suits co-star, said: “He just refused to condemn white supremacy. That just happened right?”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the verdict from Hollywood was in favour of Mr Biden.
Many stars – including Mark Ruffalo, John Legend and Pete Davidson – were critical of the president.
“We can’t put ourselves through another 4 years of this walking dumpster fire,” Legend, a frequent critic of Mr Trump, said.
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The debate – which was marred by frequent interruptions from Mr Trump – included segments on the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare and climate change.
Marvel star Ruffalo, a climate change activist, criticised Mr Trump’s environmental record and said “he has no leadership qualities, he has shown that all he can do is denigrate and lie”.
Trump lied about Covid 19 and now 200k people are dead. He is lying tonight. #Debates2020 — Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) September 30, 2020
You’ve got a decent man vs. a hulking, loudmouth bully with no specific plans on anything. — Stephen King (@StephenKing) September 30, 2020
And best-selling author Stephen King, another vocal critic of the president, said: “You’ve got a decent man vs. a hulking, loudmouth bully with no specific plans on anything.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-09-30--75% Of Fire Brigades Struggled To Access PPE At Height Of Covid Crisis, Union Says

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More than three quarters of the UK’s fire services struggled to access personal protective equipment (PPE) at the start of the Covid-19 crisis, and had no guidance on how to manage the shortage.
In a new report seen exclusively by HuffPost UK, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said that firefighters on the frontlines – delivering PPE, food and medicine, and transporting bodies to mortuaries – faced severe shortages of safety and hygiene supplies at the height of the pandemic.
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With the UK now firmly into a second wave of the virus, the FBU is calling for increased testing for staff. The government announced in April firefighters could be tested – but only those showing symptoms. The FBU, which estimates testing rates of below 5% of workers, wants weekly testing for all firefighters.
The report states that despite lessons learnt during the swine flu epidemic and the global release of additional health advice, the government’s guidance for fire services in the case of a pandemic has not been updated since 2008.
“Pandemic Flu: Guidance for the Fire and Rescue Service”, created by what was then the Department of Health and the Health Protection Agency more than a decade ago, does not even address what firefighters should do in the case of a shortage of PPE during a pandemic.
By late March, the FBU said, more than three quarters of fire and rescue services reported PPE supply chain issues – with masks, hand sanitiser, wipes, cloths and coveralls all in short supply.
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The lack of equipment and supplies extended into April, with members of the union across the country reporting problems with accessing essential cleaning products for specialist breathing equipment, as well as other basic PPE.
Some services also reported that European lockdowns meant staff could not access spare parts and tools to maintain firefighting equipment, while other teams said they had difficulties with computer systems and hardware during the peak of the crisis.
FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: “As death tolls soared earlier in the year, firefighters stepped in to aid their communities in their darkest hour. With a second wave of infections now arriving, our crews are staying on high alert.
“Much like their colleagues in the NHS, firefighters and control staff have had to pick up the pieces for a government that gutted their service with austerity and failed to prepare for the entirely foreseeable risk of a pandemic.”
ADRIAN DENNIS via Getty Images
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Thousands of fire service staff were also forced to self-isolate during the first wave, with FBU figures revealing almost 3,000 employees were in self-isolation in early April – though services were still able to largely function as normal.
The union’s report reveals employee absence due to coronavirus peaked at just over 4,000 (8% of the workforce) at the end of March – but control room absences at some services hit 20% at points during the crisis.
The FBU report comes as it agrees to continue its work at the front lines of the virus as a second peak approaches.
New data, published by the union, reveals fire services have intervened more than 400,000 times during the pandemic, with two thirds of crews involved with transporting victims’ bodies to mortuaries.
Some 80% of fire services also helped distribute more than 80,000 food packages, medicines and other essentials to vulnerable people, while 75% of services helped drive ambulances and assisted the ambulance service.
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Even as they struggled to access their own PPE, 70% of fire services were brought in to deliver protective equipment to other frontline workers, with the majority going to the NHS.
A DHSC spokesperson said: “The government has had significant engagement with the National Fire Chiefs Council throughout the pandemic, and the fire and rescue service have confirmed they have always had adequate PPE supplies.
“We are working around the clock to ensure PPE is reaching the frontline, and since the start of the outbreak, we’ve delivered 3.7bn pieces of PPE and have now secured an uninterrupted supply to meet the challenges in the coming months.