thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-26--1,300 Households Urged To Evacuate As UK Braces For Storm Bella

In Ireland, Met Eireann issued a country-wide status yellow wind and rain warning, in force until 4am on Sunday.
As of 5am, England has 78 flood warnings and 99 flood alerts, two flood warnings and five flood alerts are in force in Wales, and seven warnings and 13 alerts have been issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
Bedfordshire Police on Friday “strongly urged” residents living near the River Great Ouse in north Bedfordshire to seek alternative accommodation due to fears of flooding.
On Christmas Day, superintendent Steve Ashdown, who is leading the response, said officers had visited just over 1,300 homes in the area the previous evening and officers reiterated the advice on Friday.
“The river is currently at heightened levels and we’re predicting a significant flooding event by 8pm this evening,” he said in a video on Twitter.
“Appreciate the timing of this at Christmas Day is not great, but the risk to you and your family and wellbeing is significant.”
He asked residents able to leave their homes to do so in a “Covid-safe way” if possible, recommending they go to one single location and stay there until it is safe to return in the coming days.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-26--Covid-19: Millions Wake Up To Tougher Rules On Boxing Day

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Millions more people have woken up across England to tougher Covid-19 restrictions on Boxing Day, with new tiers coming into force.
New lockdowns are also set to be introduced in Scotland and Northern Ireland, while restrictions that were eased for Christmas Day in Wales have been re-imposed as of Saturday.
Those in the strict tier 4 in England will increase by six million to 24 million people, representing 43% of the population, in response to a more transmissible variant being discovered in the UK.
It comes after the government said a further 570 died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus as of Christmas Day, while there were a further 32,725 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.
The new measures are being imposed against a backdrop of increasing infections, hospital admissions and a new more contagious variant in the UK which was announced last week and, according to French media, has been detected in a French man in Tours who lives in England.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps said more than 10,000 tests have been carried out on lorries drivers waiting to cross the English Channel into France, of which 24 returned a positive result.
Some 1,100 military personnel have been deployed in Kent as part of the operation, after French Covid-19 restrictions caused severe disruption at the Port of Dover.
What areas of England are moving tiers?
Areas moving to Tier 4 are Sussex, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, parts of Essex not yet in the highest tier, Waverley in Surrey and Hampshire, with the exception of the New Forest.
Tier 4 restrictions include a warning to stay at home, a limit on household mixing to two people outdoors and force the closure of many shops, hairdressers and gyms.
The measures come on top of Tier 3 restrictions such as the closure of pubs and restaurants except for takeaways and deliveries.
Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset including the North Somerset council area, Swindon, the Isle of Wight, the New Forest and Northamptonshire, as well as Cheshire and Warrington, will all be escalated to Tier 3.
Elsewhere, Cornwall and Herefordshire move from Tier 1 to Tier 2.
What about the rest of the UK?
Mainland Scotland will enter Level 4 restrictions from Saturday, with the Scottish Government intending the increased measures to last for three weeks.
In Northern Ireland, the first week measures are the toughest yet, with a form of curfew in operation from 8pm, shops closed from that time and all indoor and outdoor gatherings prohibited until 6am.
Non-essential retail will close throughout the next six weeks, as will close-contact services, while hospitality outlets will be limited to takeaway services.
The tough restrictions across Wales that were eased for Christmas Day have now been reimposed. Non-essential retail, close contact services, gyms and leisure centres have been forced to close, with people told to stay at home and only permitted to travel for “essential reasons”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-26--How Frontline Workers Feel About The New Covid Strain

Frontline workers say they are “terrified” about the new strain of coronavirus sweeping the UK – and say unsafe workplace conditions are putting them at unnecessary risk of infection.
HuffPost UK spoke with two NHS consultants who work in acute medicine in Wales and are both recovering after contracting Covid-19. They believe insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) and poor safety and hygiene standards have led to as many as 70% of the consultants in their department having caught the virus.
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“NHS workers and staff always put patients first, but the trust also has a duty of care to staff and that has been completely neglected,” one said. “We should have the confidence that our organisation is looking after us while we work and ensuring whatever we do is done in a safe way. It’s completely unacceptable for so many of us to come down with this illness – some of them very seriously.”
Staff shortages have meant surfaces and labs in the hospital have not been properly cleaned or disinfected, they claimed. “Normally it would take several people to clean the department, which would include changing rooms, consultation rooms, rooms where patients might need to be ventilated or where people are doing procedures that are exposed to blood and bodily fluids – these are high-risk clinical areas.
“What staff were finding was that they would come into work and overnight the labs hadn’t been cleaned, or the bins hadn’t been emptied. It’s unacceptable for clinical waste not to be chucked out – it just takes a few days for infections to spread.”
“It’s shocking that NHS workers are getting neither the correct protection at work nor the vaccine in a timely fashion.”
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In another shocking case just a fortnight ago, one claims they were forced to remove their PPE just metres away from Covid-positive patients because there was no sterile room for them to change.
They added: “We’ve seen a surge in numbers of patients and we’ve had several consultants going off sick at the same time. It’s shocking that NHS workers are getting neither the correct protection at work nor the vaccine in a timely fashion.”
Frontline health and social care workers are in group 2 to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, behind care home residents and their carers.
In response, a spokesperson for the local health board said: “Our staff have been working tirelessly throughout the Covid-19 pandemic to care for our patients and to prevent the spread of the virus in our hospitals.
“We know that the virus is extremely contagious. We have strict infection control procedures in place within our hospitals and are taking every possible measure to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. If any staff members have any concerns about infection control then they should raise them through established Health Board procedures so actions can be taken to address them, as they are whenever we become aware of concerns.”
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Thousands of lorry drivers face spending Christmas trapped in temporary lorry parks or at the roadside with extremely limited facilities as a result o f WILLIAM EDWARDS via Getty Images
Since the detection of the new mutant strain of coronavirus, large swathes of the east and south-east of England have come under strict tier 4 regulations in an attempt to curb the alarming rise of case numbers – with more to follow on Boxing Day.
As thousands of lorry drivers remain stranded in Kent after fears surrounding the new variant of coronavirus meant France stopped them crossing the Channel, UK supermarkets have issued warnings over shortages of some fresh fruit and vegetables as a result of the disruption.
Will, 17, works for a national supermarket chain in the East Midlands, which is currently under tier 3 restrictions. He has had concerns about his safety since he began his job in August. “When I first started it was kind of strange,” he says. “I thought there would be much more safety measures but there was no one at the door and everyone was being let in.”
As a student and key worker, he is in contact with a lot of people each day and is “extremely concerned” about the new variant of coronavirus. “I am really worried about this new strain,” he said. “It’s much more infectious and I’m in places with a lot of people who don’t often distance. If one person gets it there’s likely to be a massive outbreak because of the high transmission rate.
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“I absolutely feel more worried about working in a supermarket, especially as no extra measures have been introduced to try and prevent this extra spread. I do the discounting in the evening, and customers will get way too close to me, leaning over me. I’ve had to tell customers to please keep a distance.”
He says management at his workplace can be “very funny” about employees ringing in sick or awaiting test results, and claims staff were told to turn off the NHS Covid-19 app after a large outbreak at work meant many had to self-isolate.
In the last few days, his supermarket has been “crazy” with Christmas shoppers and buyers panicked by fears of empty shelves as a result of the travel ban. “More people in supermarkets is making me more concerned about the new strain, and I can’t afford to take time off work.”
On Saturday, Boris Johnson stood in front of the nation and claimed the new coronavirus variant had forced the government to backtrack on plans to relax Covid-19 restrictions over the holiday period, effectively cancelling Christmas for millions.
Teaching assistant Donna Spicer, 48, admits she has been feeling “a bit down” after learning she can no longer celebrate December 25 as she had originally planned with her 86-year-old nan, who lives alone with dementia. “It could be her last ever Christmas,” she worries.
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Alongside ruined holiday plans are her growing fears regarding the new variant of coronavirus which has been spreading like wildfire in Greenwich.
Scientists have suggested the new strain could more easily infect children than other variants, although that analysis is still ongoing. Cases among kids are thought to be largely asymptomatic – meaning they don’t show signs of illness but can still carry the virus and spread it around.
Scientists say the new strain could more easily infect children than other variants, although that analysis is still ongoing. ANDY BUCHANAN via Getty Images
Donna is terrified she’ll catch coronavirus from one of the hundreds of children she bumps into in the corridor each day. “It’s not possible to socially distance in school,” she says. “There should be a one-way system throughout the school and kids should be made to walk apart. Instead, there are literally crowds of children walking and running in tight spaces, touching and chatting with each other.
“It’s not safe for staff. And with this strain being 70% more transmissible, I’ll be looking at all the kids wondering if they’ve got it, instead of concentrating on the job I’m there to do.”
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As a support staff member at a primary and secondary school, she may be required to work in different classrooms with different year groups in one single day. “At the beginning, everything was strict. But now staff are being asked to self-isolate so we’re being asked to do cover – when actually we shouldn’t be crossing bubbles.
“We’re not even allowed to wear face masks in the actual classrooms because the kids need to be able to see and hear us properly. For a teacher sitting at a desk at the front, that’s fine. But if you’re a teaching assistant moving around the classroom going to individual children, then that puts you at even greater risk.”
Many of her colleagues live with clinically vulnerable family members and Donna believes the appalling lack of safety measures, as well as the government’s refusal to close schools early for Christmas, has forced them to put their lives at risk.
“The government bangs on about the mental health of pupils, but what about the mental and physical health of staff? We’re having to go in and put ourselves at risk on a daily basis, to have our worries ignored and told that the children are way more important than us. It’s not OK.
“The schools are failing their staff and this isn’t just happening in my borough. This is happening to schools across the board.”
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HuffPost UK put these claims to Greenwich Council, which oversees local schools.
Leader Cllr Danny Thorpe, whose local authority was one of three to issue instructions to schools to shut early before Christmas, praised teachers and school staff as “unsung heroes of this pandemic”. The government threatened to sue Greenwich if it didn’t reverse its order.
He admitted: “The week before the end of term we had 362 staff self-isolating – that’s one of the reasons why I wanted our schools to close early.”
Thorpe added: “As a former teacher I understand how tough the job can be at the best of times. I’m in regular contact with headteachers and know they are doing everything they can to keep pupils and staff safe.
“But with cases still rising, it’s inevitable that even more staff will have to self isolate and this will cause even more issues for schools to deal with.
“Over the past week, our team has been working flat out to develop a testing strategy for our schools. It is incredibly frustrating that we still don’t have a clear plan from the government.”
“I’ll be looking at all the kids wondering if they’ve got it, instead of concentrating on the job I’m there to do.”
With schools reopening and mass testing expected to take place in all secondaries from January 4, Donna is dreading returning to work. “All the primary schools are being told to open in January and now they’re saying school kids can easily pick this new strain up. I’m not at all looking forward to going back to work in the new year – it’s just too much.
“They need to close schools for everyone – except vulnerable kids and the children of key workers – and move to either blended learning or online-only learning. Boris needs to pull his frickin’ finger out and stop leaving everybody hanging over an anxiety cliff, because that’s what everyone in schools is doing.
“We’re all stood at the cliff edge wondering who is going to be the next one to catch Covid.”
In October, HuffPost UK revealed London bus drivers had been under pressure by bosses to breach Covid-19 regulations by allowing passengers to pack on, months after they had voiced fears about the lack of protective gear provided to them. Dozens of London bus drivers have died after testing positive for Covid-19 this year.
London bus drivers had been under pressure by bosses to breach Covid-19 regulations by allowing passengers to pack on and dozens have died after testing positive for Covid-19 this year. JUSTIN TALLIS via Getty Images
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James Rossi, 43, has worked as a London bus driver for 10 years; he currently drives the 340 route from Harrow to Edgware. “I enjoy my job but it’s been a lot harder and more stressful this year,” he says.
According to James, it was not until September that adequate protections and measures were finally introduced at work. “Before that, bus drivers were bringing in clingfilm to cover the holes in the door and the cash tray,” he claimed. “We were bringing in our own antibacterial hand sanitiser, our own masks – nothing was supplied. It wasn’t until just after the kids went back to school that the bus cabs were properly secured.” HuffPost UK has reached out to TfL and the bus operator for comment.
Still, despite the masks and hand sanitiser now available in the garages, he believes more should be done. Ensuring passengers maintain social distancing and wear masks is a near-impossible task and, at times, a dangerous one.
“There are a lot of good passengers but there’s a percentage who think they’re above the law, that they don’t have to follow any of the rules and can do whatever they want. I’ve had passengers throw stuff at me and hang off the side of the bus.”
“If we were animals, we’d get better treatment than this.”
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Just five weeks ago, a young man spat in his direction after being told he wasn’t allowed to travel without a mask or ticket. Luckily, it was behind the so-called “assault screen” that separated the two men. But he says a colleague of his was “absolutely covered in spit” after a passenger managed to wedge himself through a gap in the door.
“We need more [Covid-19 wardens] on buses and major stations handing out fines to people not wearing masks, because a lot of passengers don’t wear a mask or they take it off the minute after they get on the bus.”
James himself fell sick back in March, recovering only after three weeks of “complete exhaustion, like every part of me had been beaten up and run over”. As a result, he feels less at risk – although there is increasing evidence that people are being re-infected with Covid-19 – but worries for the safety of his colleagues as the new variant tears across London.
Just recently, the toilet facilities at a bus garage were closed off after a single toilet was blocked. It wasn’t until James complained that they were opened up again, but for two weeks both male and female drivers had been unable to wash their hands. “It was really simple: we’re in the middle of a pandemic,” he says. “We need to wash our hands after holding a dirty steering wheel on a bus for five hours or before we eat.
“If we were animals, we’d get better treatment than this. You need to give livestock proper facilities and a safe place to rest and eat, otherwise the RSPCA would come in and take the animal away and prosecute you. But if you’re a bus driver then it’s perfectly fine.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-26--Bridgerton's Leading Man Regé-Jean Page On Ripping Up The Period Drama Rulebook

On first glance, you might think Netflix’s bold new period drama Bridgerton centres on a traditional romantic storyline between eligible bachelor Simon Hastings, The Duke of Hastings, and Daphne Bridgerton, one of the young daughters of the titular household.
But Daphne and The Duke are different.
These characters aren’t willing to conform to the restrictive social politics of the day by marrying a suitor when society expects them to, so they form a plan to fend off aggressive matchmaking from encircling relatives.
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This is where Bridgerton takes a fresh approach to the period drama. It may be set in 1813, but the show aims to authentically represent young people with properly-realised lead characters whose conversations about love and relationships aren’t just celebratory, but express doubt and are not schmaltzy or two-dimensional.
Speaking of the show’s approach, Regé-Jean Page who plays The Duke tells HuffPost UK that people have always been confused about what they want from love and life since the dawn of time – it’s just these complexities are rarely seen in period dramas.
“You genuinely think you invented it, don’t you?” reflects Regé-Jean of how humans experience heartache. “It’s like, mate, we didn’t invent it, everyone’s been living this since year dot – people are people – they’ve always been the same.”
We aren’t all immediately after a suitor in reality – and Bridgerton in Regé-Jean’s eyes is symbolic of how film and TV is “getting better at respecting that”.
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Regé-Jean Page as the Duke of Hastings in a still from the first episode of the series Netflix
“They want to learn how to love, to learn how to be the best version of themselves, to learn how to live life to its fullest despite what their family wants or what society wants,” continues Regé-Jean of the show’s characters. “So what changes is the restrictions – the corsets, the clothes, the societal laws or whatever else, but people are still the same, you know?”
Bold in the way it deals with emotion, Bridgerton is also ground-breaking in other ways. The show has a racially diverse cast auditioned using colour conscious casting, which means there was an effort made to represent diverse backgrounds, while aesthetically it is also hugely ambitious: the wardrobe featured 7,500 individually made outfits, and crew exclaimed how they’d never seen sets this big in sound studios before.
Back inside the plot, there’s incredibly raunchy scenes, including representation of how the LGBTQ community may have experienced sex and relationships in pre-Victorian England.
The first Netflix series from Shondaland, the production company behind Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, Bridgerton feels as if there was no expense spared.
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“The very early conversations I had with [showrunner] Chris Van Dusen and Shonda about what they were doing with this project were about this big open space that we had to run into, because period drama is seen as a very traditional genre with very traditional rules,” reflects Regé-Jean. “Which gave us so much space to explore what had been neglected with that – we could bring in this freshness, this energy.”
Bridgerton Netflix
Elaborate shots showing aristocracy sweeping from townhouses onto horse drawn carriages and gossiping on grand doorsteps were filmed in Bath, Yorkshire, London and Hertfordshire, anchoring the show in visually familiar territory.
“We talk a lot about mixed casting, but actually what you forget is it’s really good fun,” says Adjoa Andoh, who plays the formidable Lady Danbury, a friend of the Duke’s late mother. “There’s that sort of addictive joyful vibrant quality and I think this year of all years it’s a blessing that it’s coming out at Christmas. I think it’ll lift the spirits.”
Lady Danbury’s ball in the first episode (there are eight in season on) exudes the show’s high energy and Blockbuster feel. “If you’d seen the stage directions in the script it’s like it’s on steroids,” laughs Adjoa down Zoom. “And you just have to go with it – to have that energy on a period drama is quite thrilling.”
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Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury in Bridgerton Netflix
The ball is an example of how in high society, young women were often forced to present themselves as marriage material before they are ready. Amongst the flirtation from the lavishly-dressed women and sharply shaved men there are those who do not feel suited to this environment, no matter how glamorous.
The Duke professes to never wanting to marry and at first his ego means he is hard to sympathise with. “Unlike you, I cannot simply declare I do not wish to marry, I do not have such a privilege,” barks Daphne Bridgerton early on.
But as his story unfolds, Regé-Jean was tasked with interrogating what it means that The Duke sees himself as perpetually single. His character provides the opportunity to delve further into the topic of masculinity more broadly: what it means today and what it meant then.
“Simon is clearly in the tradition of romantic archetypes, your Darcys, your Heathcliffes,” begins Regé-Jean. “I wanted to examine and interrogate what makes that archetype attractive, what makes them worthy of being an object of desire, how do they find love and find the ability to love because these are tall dark mysterious broken anti-heroes, the Clint Eastwoods of culture.”
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Regé-Jean Page attends the Vanity Fair EE Rising Star BAFTAs Pre Party earlier this year Jeff Spicer via Getty Images
We’re living in an age where masculinity is constantly being questioned: are there any clear cut ways to determine what makes a good, morally upstanding, or attractive man?
Regé-Jean feels he certainly knows what it isn’t: “This constant need for dominance and strength, having walls up, this kind of silent broker cowboy who needs to have something that can be redeemed before he is actually worthy of love, there is a missing piece to that strength.”
“There is strength to letting go of grief, or at least processing grief more helpfully than we’ve necessary seen in these corseted upper class dramas before."” - Regé-Jean Page
“And that’s where I think vulnerability comes in – the fact that we’re figuring out that there is strength in actually being vulnerable to one another, there is strength to letting go of grief, or at least processing grief more helpfully than we’ve necessary seen, particularly in these corseted upper class dramas before.
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“There are enormous pressures on young men at the moment,” adds Adjoa. “To work out who the hell they are, and how they’re supposed to be in the world, how they’re supposed to be perceived, and what they are allowed to be.”
Regé-Jean concludes: “It’s well beyond time to bring that into the conversation of how you build a masculine romantic hero - and I was excited to try and contribute to that story, because that I think is the 21st century story that we’re in the middle of now.”
“Not boys don’t cry, boys should cry, and it makes you healthier and stronger for it.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-26--Put Christmas Leftovers To Good Use With These 3 Flavour-Packed Recipes

Clare Winfield A Life Kitchen Christmas
Say no to food waste and turn your leftover turkey, ham cold cuts and cheeseboard stragglers into a truly delicious post-Christmas dinner. You won’t regret it.
Ryan Riley, the author and founder of non-for-profit cookery school Life Kitchen, has shared three, flavour-packed recipes for Christmas leftovers from his new cookbook. He runs a cookery school for those with cancer, which aims to help patients find pleasure in food again.
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He’s created a limited edition free cookbook – A Life Kitchen Christmas – with 7,000 copies available. “Celebrations at Christmas time often centre around feasting on our favourite festive dishes with loved ones – such moments shared at Christmas can be even more precious for those living with cancer,” he says.
“Following a difficult year of increased cancer waiting times in UK hospitals due to the coronavirus pandemic, I wanted to offer cancer patients and their families a source of festive cheer, and a way to relieve the pressure that often comes with hosting during the festive period.”
Re-eat the magic of the big day with these mouth-watering recipes you’ll want to make time again and again.
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Leftover cheeseboard galette
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 25-30 mins
Clare Winfield Leftover Cheeseboard Galette
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Ingredients:
1 x 320g sheet of ready-rolled shortcrust pastry
A large handful of mixed Christmas nuts
100g brie, roughly chopped
100g cheddar, roughly chopped
100g blue cheese, crumbled
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 tablespoons green pesto
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 190°C/170°C fan.
2. Unroll the pastry sheet onto a baking sheet, leaving the paper it comes rolled in underneath. Sprinkle the nuts in a rough circle in the middle of the pastry.
3. Combine the cheeses in a bowl, ensuring you get a good, even
distribution of them throughout. (Use any leftover cheeses you have
lurking in the fridge – these are just suggestions.)
3. Add the cheese mixture on top of the circle of nuts and roughly fold
in the edges of the pastry to turn the rectangle into a circle of pastry
covering just the edges of the cheesy centre (don’t worry – it doesn’t
have to be neat).
4. Brush the pastry edges with the beaten egg yolk and bake the galette
for 25–30 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the pastry is
crispy and golden brown. Drizzle with the pesto and serve.
Boxing Day toastie
Makes: 1 | Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 5-7 mins
Clare Winfield Boxing Day Cheese Toastie
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Ingredients:
2 slices of bread
3 tablespoons Moorish smoked harissa humous
3 tablespoons caramelised onion chutney
A small wedge of camembert (or any other cheese you have to hand)
Leftover Christmas day meats (gammon and turkey are our favourites)
2 tablespoons pink pickled onions (you can make your own, or buy them)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for frying
Method:
1. Place the 2 slices of bread on your work surface. Spread the humous on top of 1 slice, then top with all of the other ingredients apart from the butter. Sandwich with the second slice of bread.
2. Place a frying pan on medium heat. When hot, add the butter and allow to melt.
3. Gently transfer the sandwich to the pan and fry for 3–4 minutes on the first side, then carefully flip it and fry it for another 2–3 minutes, until both sides are golden and the cheese is melty. Remove from the pan and slice to serve immediately.
Stuffed leftover Yorkshire puds
Makes: 8 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 15 mins
Clare Winfield Stuffed Yorkshire Puddings
Ingredients:
50g dried porcini mushrooms
200ml boiling water
8 leftover Yorkshire puddings
8 teaspoons mint jelly or sauce
8 tablespoons stuffing
8 slices of leftover roast meat
8 teaspoons cranberry sauce
8 rosemary sprigs (optional)
1 beef stock cube
Method:
1. Place the mushrooms into a heatproof jug and pour over the boiling water. Leave to rehydrate for 10 minutes, then drain the mushrooms reserving the liquid to make a little umami-packed gravy later. Chop the mushrooms up as finely as you can.
2. Cut a hole in the tops of the puddings if there isn’t one already
and line them up on a baking tray.
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3. Add 1 teaspoon of mint jelly or sauce and 1 tablespoon of stuffing into each pudding cavity. Sprinkle in some of the mushrooms and then roll up the slices of meat and push those into the cavities, too. Add 1 teaspoon of cranberry sauce, and a rosemary sprig, if you wish.
4. To make the umami gravy, pour the mushroom stock into a small saucepan. Crumble in the beef stock cube and place the gravy over a medium-high heat. Bring to the boil until the liquid has thickened and reduces by half (about 15 minutes), then serve immediately alongside the puddings for dunking.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-26--50 Of The Funniest Marriage Tweets Of 2020

My husband was in a virtual meeting but I needed something from the desk next to him, so I slid across the floor on my knees but everyone could see me anyway so they all just went quiet to watch me scooting across the floor on my knees and how is this year not over yet?


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-26--No One Has The Right To Judge Your Lockdown Weight Gain

No one has the right to shame you for gaining weight over the past year, writes Harriet Williamson. Halfpoint via Getty Images
There’s one thing I’m really not looking forward to in the new year, and that’s the “lose your lockdown weight” bullshit that will inevitably percolate into our lives through social media and advertising.
January is generally a hotbed of unhelpful messages about losing Christmas weight anyway, but this year, after months spent in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, the pernicious directives about slimming down and toning up are sure to be even more virulent than usual.
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Let me make one thing clear: no one has the right to shame you for gaining weight over the past year. So many of us have absorbed high levels of stress and trauma during the pandemic, and our mental health has been put at risk through loneliness, lack of routine and grief.
Unfortunately, there are people in our lives who might feel that it’s their place to make comments about our weight. Whether they are friends, family members or strangers, their words can cause unnecessary distress.
I find comments about my lockdown weight gain incredibly damaging, as someone who has struggled with eating disorders since I was in my early teens.
Anorexia was so interwoven into the fabric of my life that I never thought I would recover. Years later, I am lucky to be alive and have a body as healthy as the one I currently reside in. I still struggle with disordered eating impulses, and critical or “concerned” remarks about the extra pounds I’m carrying from the stress and inactivity of lockdown throw me straight back into a prison of disordered thoughts and self-hatred.
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Gaining weight has forced me to come face to face with my own internalised feelings of shame around my body shape and size. I ended up asking myself questions about whether I was still a worthwhile person even though I could no longer be described as “thin”. I had to address why my sense of self was so bound up with being a particular dress size.
Christmas is a hugely difficult time of year for people with eating disorders, due to increased pressure around food and sharing meals. It’s tough for people who struggle with disordered patterns of eating that don’t meet the criteria of major EDs like anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder. It may also be tricky for those whose bodies have changed over the course of a year filled with uncertainty and loss.
Whatever your Christmas plans are during this time of strain and isolation, remember that you don’t deserve to be shamed for any changes your body may have undergone.
“Before you buy into toxic diet culture this coming January, remember that fatphobia is not only rooted in racism, but inextricably linked to ableism and class politics.”
If someone you know has gained weight over the past year, it’s definitely not a good idea to comment on it. Their body is their business, not yours. You’re not doing them any favours by pointing out the change. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you’re doing it for “their own good” or with their health in mind.
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People can be unhealthy at any weight, and I should know. I was diagnosed with osteopenia, the step before incurable osteoporosis, in my spine when I was dangerously underweight. I had no energy, my hair and nails were damaged and I had wasted muscles in my arms. Thinness does not equal health.
Fatphobia, a form of bigotry that equates fatness with ugliness, lack of self-control, immorality and poor health, has deep roots in anti-Black racism and white supremacy. This goes back to when racist pseudoscience was in vogue.
People of colour are still routinely shamed and discriminated against for their weight, in the medical community and in wider society. This ties into how POC have been blamed for their greater vulnerability to Covid-19, when racism and racial inequality are the risk factor for the disease.
So before you buy into toxic diet culture this coming January, remember that fatphobia is not only rooted in racism, but inextricably linked to ableism and class politics.
When people’s routines, all over the world, are thrown out of kilter due to the impact of a global pandemic, it’s likely that many people’s weight will have changed. Don’t comment on someone’s weight, whatever the situation, but particularly don’t shame them in the midst of a pandemic.
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And as for me, I might not be as slim as I once was, but I’m still here and still fighting to see myself as more than my size.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-26--Why I Told My Kid The Truth About Santa In A Pandemic

Jenn Cox The writer's son sits with an unnamed actor portraying Santa Claus.
“Mommy, is it you writing Santa’s name on my presents?”
It was dinner time. My seven-year-old son, Cameron, had helped my husband and I decorate our Christmas tree just the day before.
I knew this question was coming, but was I really about to take the magic out of the holidays — and in a pandemic, no less? I hung my head and quietly, honestly, responded: “Yes.”
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“You’ve been lying to me my whole life?” my son muttered. He picked up a small wooden ornament shaped like the big guy. “So fake.”
My heart must have shrunk three sizes that day, but I think deep down he knew the truth, too.
It was only five short years ago that my bean was just starting to grasp the concept of Santa Claus (or, as he called him, “Ho ho ho.”) We watched all the classic movies, visited Santa in the mall, and wrote him hopeful letters that always received a handwritten reply (from our friends Amanda and Ryan).
From the beginning, my husband and I had had a “no-lying” parenting policy, and over the years, we really stuck to it. The catch was Cameron had to ask us, first. And he did. He has asked us everything. So we demystified where babies came from at age three. (“No, the mommy’s head doesn’t come off.”) At five, he wanted to know “Can boys become girls?” after a kindergarten convo about transgender people. And earlier this year, at age seven, he learned exactly how much money we were putting away for retirement each month.
On the topic of Santa, however, we were conflicted. We had seriously considered never introducing the concept of Santa to our family to begin with — if only to avoid situations like the one we were facing — but we also didn’t want to deprive our son of the magic that believing in Santa creates. So, onto the bandwagon we hopped.
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Cue years of skirting questions: “How does Santa get in our house without a chimney?” and “How do Santa’s reindeer fly?” The easy, no-lying answer was always: “He’s magic!” I wrote Santa gift tags with my left hand, and threw out leftover Santa gift wrap so my very observant son wouldn’t put two and two together. The cloak and dagger, the half-truths — they take a lot out of you.
“If your child is actively questioning the whole “Santa” thing, then maybe it’s time to ’fess up.”
So when he asked me, point blank, whether Santa was real, of course I caved. And parenting policy be damned, I was crushed in the moment. It felt like the end of a wonderfully innocent era, for both myself (who loved getting creative and creating the magic) and my bean.
The cookies on Christmas Eve, the letters to the North Pole, the homemade “reindeer food” of oatmeal and glitter — the threats that Santa won’t bring him anything if he’s naughty — all flashed before my tearful eyes. I remembered finding out the truth myself when I was around his age and feeling devastated, and I worried he felt the same.
I thought my parent friends would commend my honesty, but after their shocked reactions and gasps of horror, I truly wondered if I’d done the right thing.
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“You lie!” they said.
“You tell him kids who don’t believe don’t get presents!” they reasoned.
I turned to the experts. Researchers from Duke University and the University of California say that when it comes to the Santa experience, it’s about taking cues from your child about what makes them happy, and not lying about the magic for your own enjoyment. In other words, if your child is actively questioning the whole “Santa” thing, then maybe it’s time to ’fess up.
Jenn Cox The writer discovered that telling her son the truth about Santa gave them something to bond over.
That was definitely the case here – if I had perpetuated the Santa tale by lying, I would’ve been delaying the inevitable for my own benefit because I was the one who didn’t want it to end.
After a few weeks of letting it all sink in, Cameron admitted he’s glad we ended the lie. He was excited to be on the “inside” of the Santa ploy, and it gave us something to bond over. I divulged all my Santa secrets, from how I disguised my handwriting to who was behind his yearly letter from Santa. He seems to trust us even more now.
So, do I regret ’fessing up? No. I won’t miss covering my tracks all Christmas long to conceal the truth about Santa, and I’m stoked we can finally take the credit for the good gifts. I admit the timing could have been better, given the pandemic-shaped damper thrown on this season’s festivities, but I’m proud we stuck to our parenting convictions.
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Besides, though Santa helped with the holiday warm-and-fuzzies, there are so many other ways to make the holidays fun: rewatching the Christmas classics on movie night, baking sugar cookies for neighbours, setting up our little ceramic village, making cards for seniors, counting down to Christmas (we have six advent calendars), and I even make a Christmas Eve box with holiday PJs, hot chocolate mix and a game.
Christmas can be magical without Santa. And that’s no lie.
This article first appeared on HuffPost Canada Personal


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-26--2020: The Year In 220 Seconds

2020: The Year In 220 Seconds

2020: The Year In 220 Seconds
It’s been a quiet year. Not much happened really. The sh*tshow that was 2020 in 220 seconds.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-27--Revealed: The 10 Best UK Walks To Stretch Your Legs After Christmas

Shaiith via Getty Images Lake District, England
The Buttermere Circuit in the Lake District has been named the UK’s top-rated walk in a survey of more than 50 popular routes, ranging from gentle strolls to full-day hikes.
With the UK continuing to face coronavirus restrictions, limiting opportunities for socialising indoors over the festive season, Which? revealed the UK’s favourite walks, as voted for in a survey of nearly 3,000 members.
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The Buttermere Circuit in the Lake District, a 4.5 mile lakeside walk, took the top spot, receiving a score of 88%. It was awarded five stars for scenery – thanks to its combination of a rippling silver lake next to dramatic mountains.
Visitors also rated it for accessibility, peace and quiet, and plenty of places of interest along the route.
john finney photography via Getty Images Buttermere lake early morning reflections.
It was followed by Helvellyn, a tough eight-hour hike up the third-highest peak in the Lake District, which received a walk score of 87%. Hikers gave it five stars for its stunning scenery and views from the Striding Edge Ridge.
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While not one for the faint of heart – Which? recommends only experienced walkers tackle this route – the path is well trodden, and the chances of real danger are slim.
Ashley Cooper via Getty Images Looking towards the Helvellyn range from Great Carrs in the Lake District, UK.
Two coastal walks in Wales, The Rhossili Headland in Gower and Solva to St David’s route in Pembrokeshire, each received walk scores of 87%, too. These routes were both ranked two out of five for difficulty, making them nice options for a pleasant but invigorating stroll.
Andrea Edwards / EyeEm via Getty Images Photo taken in Rhossili, United Kingdom
Michael Roberts via Getty Images
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Receiving the accolade of Scotland’s best walk – was the Anstruther to Crail stretch of the Fife Coastal Path, with a score of 86%. This route was given five stars for peace and quiet and takes just a couple of hours to complete. The path is clearly marked too, allowing walkers to find their way easily while making the most of the views across the Firth of Forth.
Other routes receiving 86% were the Botallack Mine Walk in Cornwall, the Craster, Dunstaburgh and Low Newton Circuit in Northumberland, and the Old Man of Coniston in the Lake District.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: “Whether you’re looking for easygoing strolls to fill the space between Christmas and the new year, or you’re after a breathtaking hike to help you shake the dust off your feet, our rundown of the country’s favourite walks should provide plenty of inspiration.
“While coronavirus restrictions might prevent us from travelling to some of the farther-flung destinations on our list, the good news is that we are truly spoiled for choice when it comes to stunning walks across the UK, meaning there are walks to be enjoyed wherever you are in the country.”
Here are the top 10 best walks:
Which?
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-26--Post-Brexit Erasmus Replacement Will Cost More Than £100 Million Next Year

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More than £100 million will be spent on the post-Brexit replacement of the Erasmus exchange programme for UK students next year, it has been announced.
The Department of Education (DfE) said the Turing scheme will provide funding for around 35,000 students to go on placements around the world from September.
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The DfE said the scheme named after Bletchley Park codebreaker Alan Turing will cost £100 million in 2021/22 but that funding for subsequent academic years will be set out in future spending reviews.
The government’s decision to end involvement in the European Union scheme has proved controversial, particularly as Boris Johnson previously said Brexit did not threaten participation.
But Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “We now have the chance to expand opportunities to study abroad and see more students from all backgrounds benefit from the experience.
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“We have designed a truly international scheme which is focused on our priorities, delivers real value for money and forms an important part of our promise to level up the United Kingdom.”
The DfE said the new scheme will be targeted at students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Around 35,000 British students annually are said to study in the Erasmus scheme, which the UK joined in 1987 to allow students to study and work across Europe.
The prime minister told MPs in January that there was “no threat to the Erasmus scheme and we will continue to participate in it”.
But after successfully negotiating a trade deal with Brussels, Johnson said that he had taken the “tough decision” to pull out of the scheme for financial reasons.
In response, SNP MP Douglas Chapman accused the Prime Minister of “lies and bluster”.
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A senior member of the UK negotiating team earlier said that remaining in Erasmus would have cost “in the hundreds of millions each year”.
“That was a significant cost and we believe we can achieve something better, still allowing exchanges to Europe but allows exchanges around the world as well,” the official said.
“That’s why that particular decision was taken and we believe it’s still going to offer huge opportunities for British students to study around the world in the future.”
Universities UK International director Vivienne Stern said the Turing scheme is a “fantastic development”.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon previously described the decision to leave Erasmus as “cultural vandalism”, while former prime minister Gordon Brown also called for the UK to remain part of the scheme.
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UK institutions will be asked to bid to join the Turing scheme in the new year.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-26--Boxing Day Hunts Go Ahead Despite Covid-19 Restrictions

Polly Portwin, Countryside Alliance’s head of hunting, said: “Like other outdoor sporting activities, hunting has been able to continue today in a Covid-secure manner, offering those who have been able to participate an opportunity to enjoy the countryside.
“We hope that all hunts will be able to meet in villages and town centres again on Boxing Day in 2021 and be able to welcome the tens of thousands of supporters for whom this event is an integral part of their annual festivities.”
The Yorkshire-based Middleton Hunt, which usually hosts two meets on Boxing Day in Malton and in Driffield, moved its hunting activities away from populated areas.
Normally the hunt would take hounds to visit local care homes before hunting commenced, but organisers could not do so this year.
Ralph Richardson, joint-master and huntsman of the Middleton Hunt, said: “We know how important this occasion is for them so, when we are able to, we will arrange to take the hounds another day to make up for not being able to visit them today.”
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner branded the hunts “disgusting”, as large swathes of eastern and south-east England went into the highest level of restrictions on Saturday, limiting household mixing to two people outdoors.
And Luke Pollard, Labour’s shadow environment secretary, said: “Families across the country are rightly following Covid restrictions this Christmas.
“But for those whose passion is hunting it is a festive free-for-all, after the Conservatives exempted them from restrictions outside Tier 4.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-26--Mysterious Gingerbread Monolith Appears In San Francisco

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It could have been alien elves. There was no other immediate explanation for a 7-foot-tall gingerbread monolith that mysteriously appeared in a San Francisco park.
It’s not clear how edible the structure was, but witnesses reported the texture and smell of the monolith panels seemed to be the real thing — and it was decorated with icing.
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The monolith appeared early Christmas Day on a hilltop in Corona Heights Park overlooking the Castro neighbourhood.
Resident Ananda Sharma told KQED public radio that he went for a run in the park early Friday and spotted what he initially thought was a “big post” — but as he ran closer, he could smell the gingerbread.
The structure was the latest in a series of monoliths that have appeared — and disappeared — from Utah to the Isle of Wight. The San Francisco version appears to be the first made of a Christmas treat.
Gingerbread monolith atop Corona Heights in San Francisco this morning. And it was briefly framed by a rainbow to boot 🌈 ✨
Merry Christmas to all!!! ❤🎄💚 pic.twitter.com/9xZHxqo7hh — Lydia Laurenson ❤ 💫 (@lydialaurenson) December 25, 2020
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A mysterious gingerbread monolith appeared at corona heights park. Apparently the aliens are feeling festive. pic.twitter.com/2WsJzsQmDr — Raemond (@RaemondBW) December 25, 2020
Neighbours and city officials appeared to enjoy it.
Informed by KQED News about the new monolith, San Francisco recreation and parks department general manager Phil Ginsburg responded: “Wow. Even makes a Jewish parks director smile.”
Ginsburg said there were no immediate plans to remove the monolith, and it could stay, at least for the time being.
“Looks like a great spot to get baked,” Ginsburg quipped like a true Californian. “We will leave it up until the cookie crumbles.”
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“We all deserve a little bit of magic right now,” he said.
“I just thought it was hilarious,” said Raemond Bergstrom-Wood, who lives nearby.
Jeffrey Tumlin, director of transportation at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, called the “expertly-iced” monolith the “perfect act of SF 2020 defiance.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-26--Congestion Eases At UK Border But Hauliers Warn ‘It’s Not Over Yet’

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Thousands more lorries have been allowed to cross the English Channel after being held at the border on Christmas Day, but hauliers have warned “it’s not over yet”.
Congestion eased at the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel on Boxing Day after thousands of drivers spent days in queues, but strong winds from Storm Bella that began in the morning and lasted through the night resulted in ferry delays.
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#PODover / #POCalais: Our services have now resumed however sailings operated by the Spirit of France are currently delayed by up to 50 minutes as a knock on effect from the adverse weather conditions. Checking in for:
Dover: 13:00 (On Time)
Calais: 12:40 (ETD 13:30) — P&O Ferries Freight (@POFerriesFR8) December 27, 2020
France closed its border last Sunday following the discovery of a fast-spreading mutant Covid-19 strain in the UK, and drivers wishing to enter the country from Britain must now show proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken in the previous 72 hours.
On Sunday transport secretary Grant Shapps said France’s travel ban was “rather unnecessary” and “very inconvenient for everyone and meant a lot of people missed their Christmases”.
Speaking to Sky News, he said: “I think that the whole thing has been rather unnecessary,” he said.
“I don’t think there was a good reason to close the border for more than two days.”
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Earlier he said 15,000 lorry drivers had been tested for coronavirus by midday on Boxing Day, and the backlog at the testing site at Manston Airport had cleared.
He said on Twitter: “Update on Kent lorry situation: 15,526 #Coronavirus tests now carried out. Just 36 positive results, which are being verified (0.23%). Manston now empty and lorries should no longer head there please.”
The Department for Transport said in a tweet: “Although congestion has eased, there are still long queues and HGV hauliers should continue to avoid travelling to Kent.
“Drivers will not be able to cross the border without a negative Covid-19 test.”
Traffic began moving smoothly through Dover on Friday, with French firefighters and the Polish military’s Territorial Defence Force drafted in to help some 1,100 British military personnel with testing at Manston Airport and two mobile sites.
Update on Kent lorry situation: 15,526 #Coronavirus tests now carried out. Just 36 positive results, which are being verified (0.23%).
Manston now empty and lorries should no longer head there please. pic.twitter.com/RPBC5Rsd2C — Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) December 26, 2020
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Around 3,000 hauliers were still waiting to cross into France from Kent on Friday evening, and around half of these had been cleared by 10.30am on Saturday, according to the Department for Transport (DfT).
More than 8,000 HGVs have passed over the border via the port or through Eurotunnel since Wednesday when the border reopened, the DfT said.
Duncan Buchanan, policy director at the Road Haulage Association (RHA), said “traffic is flowing” at the Port of Dover on Boxing Day, but he added “it’s not over yet” because more drivers who held off leaving over Christmas would be joining the queue in the coming days.
Buchanan said: “At the moment, it’s just a case of keep going because we need to make sure we can get as many people out as possible.
“We still have all the people who delayed travelling, who will start to want to get through. Some people will have parked up in Essex and will be looking at moving again.
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“Next week is a normal working week so I would expect the vehicles to increase then too. It’s not over yet and we will see what happens next.
“I want to pass on a thank-you to everyone who has helped look after the drivers by giving them food – a lot of people have done a lot of hard work, and it’s really good to see so many people helping.”
Volunteers – including individuals from nearby communities, the Salvation Army, Muslim group Al-Khair Foundation, HM Coastguard and Kent County Council – have been delivering thousands of warm meals and water to the drivers.
A spokesman for the port said: “The Port of Dover is open.
“Weather conditions are affecting current ferry operators sailing schedules. Please contact your ferry operator for details.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-27--Windrush Scandal: Survivors Tell Their Stories

Windrush Scandal: Survivors Tell Their Stories
In this video survivors of the windrush scandal speak about their lived experiences. The vast majority of Windrush compensation scheme claimants have yet to receive any payouts. Recent figures suggest just 15% have been awarded, while the human cost of the catastrophe cannot be quantified.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-27--Police Trying To Identify 'Human Remains' After Car Bomb Explodes In Nashville

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Federal agents investigating the explosion of a motor home in Nashville are trying to identify apparent human remains found near the site of the blast.
The vehicle, parked on a downtown street of Tennessee’s largest city, exploded at dawn on Friday moments after police responding to reports of gunfire noticed it and heard an automated message emanating from the vehicle warning of a bomb.
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The thunderous, fiery blast injured three people, destroyed several vehicles, damaged more than 40 businesses and left a trail of shards from shattered windows, Reuters reports.
US investigators have identified a person of interest in connection with the explosion and were searching a two-story suburban house on Saturday for clues to the blast, which injured three people in the heart of America’s country music capital on Christmas Day.
A CCTV image of the vehicle shortly before it exploded. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Following up on what they said were more than 500 leads, local police and agents from the FBI and US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were searching a two-story, red-brick house on Bakertown Road in Antioch, Tennessee, 11 miles (18 km) southeast of Nashville, paying particular attention to its basement, according to a Reuters witness.
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Officials on Saturday declined to name a person of interest in connection with the explosion, but CBS News reported that the investigation has honed in on 63-year-old Anthony Quinn Warner, who recently lived at the Bakertown address, public records showed.
According to a document posted online, on November 25 he signed over the property to a woman in Los Angeles at no cost to her. The document was signed by Warner, but not by the woman.
Google Street View images of the house from 2019 show what appears to be a white motor home in the driveway. Neighbours told local TV station WKRN that the recreational vehicle had been parked there for years and is now gone.
Emergency personnel work near the scene of an explosion in downtown Nashville. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“Once we have processed the scene, we will look at the evidence and anything that we have recovered from this residence and see how that fits into this investigation,” FBI spokesman Darrell Debusk, who was at the house on Saturday, told Reuters in a telephone interview.
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“At this point we’re not prepared to identify any single individual,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Doug Korneski said at a news conference on Saturday.
Korneski told reporters that investigators were “vigorously working on” identifying what appeared to be human remains found in the wreckage. He declined to say whether investigators believe the remains belong to the person behind what officials say was “an intentional act”.
Korneski said the FBI’s Quantico, Virginia-based Behavioural Analysis Unit was helping determine the motivation of the person responsible.
The vehicle was parked outside an AT&T Inc office, and the blast caused widespread telephone, internet and TV service outages in central Tennessee and parts of several neighbouring states, including Mississippi, Kentucky, Alabama and Georgia.
Adding to the cryptic nature of Friday’s incident was the eerie preamble described by police and witnesses - a crackle of gunfire followed by an apparently computer-generated female voice from the RV reciting a minute-by-minute countdown to an impending bombing.
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Law enforcement officers investigate the house belonging to Anthony Quinn Warner, a 63 year-old man who has been reported to be of interest in the Nashville bombing. Terry Wyatt via Getty Images
Police scrambled to evacuate nearby homes and buildings and called for a bomb squad, which was en route to the scene when the RV blew up.
Police later posted a photo of the motor home, which they said had arrived in the area about five hours prior to the explosion.
Officials said 41 businesses were damaged and three people were hospitalised with relatively minor injuries. City authorities hailed police officers who they said likely prevented more casualties by acting quickly to clear the area.
Dozens of agents from the FBI and the ATF were surveying the scene on Saturday. Parked cars and trees were blackened and an exploded water pipe that had been spraying overnight had covered trees in a layer of ice.
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“All the windows came in from the living room into the bedroom. The front door became unhinged,” Buck McCoy, who lives on the block where the blast occurred, told WKRN. “I had blood coming from my face and on my side and on my legs and a little bit on my feet.”
Among those hit by communications problems as a result of damage to the AT&T building from the blast were police departments, emergency services and Nashville International Airport, which temporarily halted flights Friday afternoon.
AT&T said on Saturday that a fire reignited at the building overnight, forcing it to be evacuated, but workers were able to drill access holes into the building to connect generators to critical equipment that it hoped to have back online in hours.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-27--Dawn French Once Bagged A Seriously Impressive Gift For A Personal Appearance As The Vicar Of Dibley

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Dawn French was once repaid with flights on Concorde after making a private appearance as her character from The Vicar Of Dibley.
The actor, who plays Geraldine Grainger in the BBC sitcom, has revealed how British Airways gave her free flights worth thousands of pounds after attending a leaving party for a member of cabin crew.
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Speaking on BBC Radio 4 podcast Fortunately With Fi and Jane (via The Mirror), Dawn recalled: “They had a man who had worked for British Airways as cabin crew and was leaving after 40 years of service. They wanted me to bless the meal. To say, the grace before the meal.
“They weren’t allowed to give me money, but gave me a return ticket on Concord for two!”
Dawn French as The Vicar Of Dibley BBC
She continued: “I had a cassock and dog collar and everything there. I got into it and thought this is completely odd and completely fraudulent.
“I’m not an actual vicar, and I’m going to go and say the grace as if I am and I’m going to get paid with plane flights for doing it, and it’s going to take all of five minutes and a little bit of fussing about afterwards!”
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During the interview, Dawn also revealed how she is regularly asked to perform a number of religious duties, as people still mistake her for her character, who she began playing in 1994.
“I have been asked to exorcise people’s homes. I’ve been asked to baptise their children,” she said. “You know the way people get a bit confused, the way people get angry at people in soap operas who are murderers and stuff.
“I have been asked to marry people. I haven’t said yes, because it’s illegal.”
Dawn was recently back on screen as Geraldine in a mini-series of Vicar Of Dibley lockdown specials.
The show moved viewers to tears as the character spoke about the death of her fictional best friend Alice Tinker during an episode earlier this month, which also served as a tribute to actor Emma Chambers, who died in 2018.
The Vicar Of Dibley originally ran from 1994 to 2007, with some Comic Relief shorts airing in 2007, 2013 and 2015.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-27--RuPaul's Drag Race UK Adds Jessie Ware, Maya Jama And Dawn French To Guest Judge Line-Up

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The trio will be among the famous faces joining Mama Ru, Michelle Visage, Graham Norton and Alan Carr on their hunt to find Britain’s next drag superstar when the second series launches next month.
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Singer Jessie, who will be judging the queens after they have taken on the iconic Snatch Game challenge, said: “I’d like to say I’m slightly good cop, and slightly bad cop.
“Look out for a lot of boners and me trying to be on my best drag behaviour in front of Mama Ru and Michelle.”
The Christmas presents aren't stopping.
Excited to announce that @Dawn_French, @MayaJama and @JessieWare will all be judges on the next series of #DragRaceUK pic.twitter.com/8BVk1WVjOS — RuPaul's Drag Race UK (@dragraceukbbc) December 27, 2020
Former Radio 1 DJ Maya said: “I love all the glam that goes into to – I feel like I’ve learnt so much about the drag artistry. There’s just so much diversity to it and it’s important to show queer representation.”
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Vicar Of Dibley star Dawn, who previously hinted she’d filmed an appearance on the show, added: “The queens this year are a total eye and ear feast.
“My judging style is, I hope, supportive but honest. I’m a massive fan of the show so I know what’s expected.”
Maya Jama, Jessie Ware and Dawn French Shutterstock
It has also been reported Gemma Collins will be appearing during Snatch Game this year, as the queens impersonate a host of famous faces as they play Blankety Blank.
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Series two of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK will launch on BBC Three on 14 January 2021, meaning it will be airing at the same time as its US counterpart for the first time.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-27--Why The 'Only 377 Healthy People Have Died Of Covid' Argument Is Total Rubbish

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On Saturday, a statistic was widely shared on social media as evidence the coronavirus pandemic has been overblown and measures to tackle it should be eased as most people aren’t at risk of dying from the disease.
“The number of Covid-related deaths in England involving individuals under the age of 60 and free from a pre-existing condition is 377.
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“This is for the entire period of the pandemic.”
The claim is true and it was tweeted by columnist Paul Embery with a link to the NHS data that backs it up.
The number of Covid-related deaths in England involving individuals under the age of 60 and free from a pre-existing condition is 377. This is for the entire period of the pandemic.
Source: NHS England https://t.co/lIaln2odu4 — Paul Embery (@PaulEmbery) December 26, 2020
It was quickly seized upon by a number of commentators as evidence that lockdowns are disproportionately affecting people who should have no fear of dying from the virus.
Talk Radio host Julia Hartley-Brewer said we’d “locked down an entire country for a virus that mostly kills the very old and sick”.
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She added: “The rest of us should be free to decide our own risks.”
Just 377 healthy people under 60 have died of Covid. That's not a typo. There are no zeros missing. 377. Yes, that's sad but we have locked down an entire country for a virus that mostly kills the very old & the very sick. The rest of us should be free to decide our own risks. https://t.co/QByLy0GdP5 — Julia Hartley-Brewer (@JuliaHB1) December 26, 2020
Former Brexit MEP Claire Fox suggested restrictions should be eased because “fear” has made “people think the virus [is a] mortal threat for all”.
Only 377 people under 60 without preexisting conditions have died of COVID in Eng. Tragic but when I've stated this as fact, often disbeleived. Such is fear, people think far more, that virus mortal threat for all. IMO restrictions on ALL can mean less focus on those most at risk https://t.co/0qh6T3M1t3 — Claire Fox (@Fox_Claire) December 26, 2020
There are a number of issues with this statement.
The old and the sick
The most obvious issue is the claim suggests the lives lost of those over the age of 60 and those with preexisting conditions are somehow less tragic than others.
A person over the age of 60 can be in perfect health and still of working age. And while preexisting conditions do include terminal illnesses such as cancer and severe heart disease, they also include illnesses that are by no means death sentences such as diabetes and obesity.
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Severe mental health conditions, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are also counted as pre-existing conditions.
The below is wrong at several levels. In England and Wales, 65,000 aged 65+ have died with it, plus over 7,400 working age people. Many had prior medical conditions, but we don't hold their lives to be valueless because Britain isn't a fascist state. https://t.co/ZLCoPhv2g8 — Neil O'Brien MP (@NeilDotObrien) December 26, 2020
Julia Hartley-Brewer wants to be free to decide that my wife's life isn't worth as much as someone else's. There are several possible reasons for this position, but the simplest one is that she is actually just a bad person. https://t.co/XO8bYTRtsc — James McEnaney (@MrMcEnaney) December 26, 2020
The Great Barrington Declaration
Both Hartley-Brewer and Embrey later clarified their statements, stating they are arguing for the shielding of the vulnerable people while the rest of the population “carry on living” and “go about their normal business”.
And for the hard of understanding virtual signallers, that doesn't mean "to hell with the old and sick". It means the Great Barrington Declaration was and is correct: help the millions of old & sick to shield while allowing the young & healthy (& our economy) to carry on living. — Julia Hartley-Brewer (@JuliaHB1) December 26, 2020
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If you are tempted to accuse me of proposing the ‘abandonment of the vulnerable’, then you might want to research my position before making a fool of yourself. I have been arguing for a long time that the vulnerable should be aggressively protected.⬇ https://t.co/4h35fDz4VK — Paul Embery (@PaulEmbery) December 26, 2020
This is the approach laid out in The Great Barrington Declaration (GBD) which argues against strict lockdown measures and policies, in favour of letting the virus run its natural course among the young and healthy in society, while still protecting those who are most vulnerable.
The ultimate goal is ‘herd immunity’ which is what happens when enough of a population becomes immune to a disease, either because they’ve been vaccinated or because they’ve had the disease, recovered and developed immunity.
The GBD, proposed before any effective vaccines had been developed, advocated achieving her immunity by allowing most of the population to become infected with Covid-19 – a hugely flawed approach which was dismissed by the vast majority of the scientific community.
Firstly, it’s impossible to shield everyone in the country and the GBD doesn’t explain how this would be obtained other than to say “retired people living at home should have groceries and other essentials delivered to their home” and should try and meet relatives “outside rather than inside”.
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Nor did it contain the opinions of any of those who would spend the winter months effectively locked away from society while the rest of the country returned to restaurants, bars, gyms and work.
A few thoughts Baroness Fox
1. “Only” 377 deaths is still a disaster
2. Asthma or diabetes shouldn’t be a death sentence for a 40 year old
3. How do you propose protecting the millions aged 60+ and/or with health conditions? What specific, actual measures would you put in place? — Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) December 26, 2020
Dr Michael Head, a senior research fellow in Global Health at the University of Southampton, told HuffPost UK earlier this year “it is a very bad idea” and that segregating members of society “would also promote further inequalities across society, for example across the Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities [who are at greater risk from Covid-19]”.
Secondly, the herd immunity argument was largely inspired by Sweden’s light approach to the pandemic which in recent weeks has been shown to have been ineffectual.
Sweden’s death rate per capita is several times higher than that of its Nordic neighbours and has recently passed laws enabling the legal enforcement of lockdown measures.
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Earlier this month Sweden’s king said: “I believe we have failed. We have had a large number of deaths and that is terrible. That is something that brings us all suffering.”
Because you only matter if you’re under 60 & don’t have any other health conditions. Otherwise, bad luck! https://t.co/bASOgVB5ac — Prof. Devi Sridhar (@devisridhar) December 26, 2020
Long Covid
Around one in five people with coronavirus may go on to suffer long Covid, data suggests, and the symptoms can be severe.
A small study published in October from the National Institute for Health Research, which is largely funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, suggested that long Covid may in fact be four different syndromes.
These are permanent organ damage to the lungs and heart, post-intensive-care syndrome, post-viral fatigue syndrome and continuing Covid-19 symptoms.
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Earlier this month Dr David Strain, clinical senior lecturer and honorary consultant from the University of Exeter Medical School, said long Covid was “happening to younger people, more women than men – basically the population that were suggested to be at lower vulnerability from the initial disease, and therefore have been taking roles with higher hazard of coming into contact with the virus”.
Last week Peter Openshaw, professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London, explained that as well as the elderly, there has to be concern about the effects of long Covid in relatively young people.
He said he found the idea of his colleagues or his relatives becoming affected by long Covid “terrifying”.
I have Parkinson's and therefore have a "pre existing condition". Julia HB has a pathological narcissism allied to a defiant and calculated ignorance that makes her addicted to saying any old shit no matter how piss easy to contradict. I'd take my situation any day. — Paul Sinha (@paulsinha) December 27, 2020
Hospitalisations
Only focusing on those who have died during the pandemic plays down its severity by excluding the far higher number of people who have been hospitalised by the virus.
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While hospitalisation rates are highest among the elderly, large numbers of younger people have required hospital treatment, a number that would only increase if the virus was left to run rampant.
For example, on December 2 eight children and 114 people aged 18-65 were admitted to hospital in England in a single day.
Hospital beds
As chairman of the Healthcare Workers’ Foundation Dr Dominic Pimenta has pointed out, we only have a certain number of hospital beds in the UK.
4/ Lastly, if you need ICU with COVID and you don't get ICU, then you die.
Say 1 in 2000 <60s need ICU care:
In Scenario A, with lockdowns, only 1250 require ICU.
In Scenario B, without lockdowns, 12,500 require ICU.
We only have 4000 beds. pic.twitter.com/zMOQutg8yS — Dr Dominic Pimenta (@DrDomPimenta) December 26, 2020
Allowing non-vulnerable people to “go about their normal business” will inevitably lead to a rise in infections and a rise in hospitalisations.
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And if hospitals are full of Covid patients then there aren’t any free to treat anything else.
Alas, it’s not the first time journalists have pretended to be scientists and got it very wrong about coronavirus .
Earlier this year Hartley-Brewer helped promote the apparently alarming statistic that 91% of coronavirus tests in the UK are “false positives”.
Obviously this would be shocking if true – it would basically mean the pandemic isn’t really a pandemic and we’ve all been sitting in our homes under various forms of restrictions for months all for no reason.
But it isn’t true. You can read about it in detail here, but in short, Hartley-Brewer based her claims on one article written by someone who got their maths a bit muddled and has been repeatedly claiming the pandemic is “over” for months.
Alan, you’ve clearly not being paying attention.
The pandemic is over. Months ago.
Everything now is medical testing fraud, which is why the characteristics of those dying after a positive test are random & wholly different from spring. — Yardley Yeadon (@MichaelYeadon3) October 31, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-27--Jeremy Clarkson Couldn't Help But Revel In Piers Morgan's Disastrous Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

Jeremy Clarkson Couldn't Help But Revel In Piers Morgan's Disastrous Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Performance

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The Good Morning Britain presenter walked away with just £1,000 on a charity special of the ITV quiz show on Boxing Day, after he failed to answer the £32,000 question correctly.
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Piers appeared on the show after settling a long-standing feud with the former Top Gear star, having claimed Jeremy once hit him in the head three times at an awards ceremony in 2004.
But Jeremy proved the old rivalry was still there as Piers lost £15,000 when he was asked to select the Formula 1 driver who has not been a teammate of Lewis Hamilton.
Piers Morgan only walked away with £1,000 on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Stellify Media
After Piers incorrectly chose Jenson Button instead of Kimi Raikkonen, Jeremy remarked: “They do say that if you wait by the riverbank for long enough, the bodies of your enemies will come floating by - and yours has come by.”
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He added: “You’ve humiliated yourself – you’ve cost yourself £15,000.”
😭😭😭 Oh no! The answer is Kimi Räikkönen… #WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire pic.twitter.com/sEICPQpZP6 — Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? (@MillionaireUK) December 26, 2020
During the show, the pair also discussed their previous altercation, as they showed off their injuries to viewers.
After asking for Jeremy’s help on a particular question, Piers said: “I can think of a million reasons why I shouldn’t trust you, including this scar on my forehead.
“And there’s your broken finger... from when he struck me.”
Piers previously revealed he and Jeremy had settled their differences with a boozy night out, telling Good Morning Britain viewers earlier month: “We had a big night out at my local pub, where we sort of drank ourselves into oblivion and declared peace after a 10-year feud.”
After failing on Millionaire, Piers pledged the money he lost to Scotty’s Little Soldiers out of his own pocket, topping the show’s £1,000 donation up to £16,000.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-27--The Masked Singer: All The Fan Theories As To Who Robin, Swan, Dragon, Sausage And Badger Are

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The nation’s favourite guessing game was back on Boxing Day, as The Masked Singer returned to our screens for a second series.
The ITV show sees famous contestants sing in front of the celebrity panel while wearing an elaborate costume to disguise them, as Jonathan Ross, Rita Ora, Mo Gilligan and Davina McCall try to uncover who they are.
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However, the real joy of the show is guessing along at home, and with viewers introduced to six new masked vocalists during the launch episode, social media has been awash with theories as to who they all might be...
The first six new Masked Singers were introduced on Boxing Day ITV
Robin
There is one primary theory as to who Robin is, and that is former JLS singer and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Aston Merrygold.
Many fans of the boyband believed they spotted his voice straight away, while others thought a clue about Flying With Out Wings referred to the time JLS performed it on The X Factor. Aston also danced to Can’t Stop The Feeling – the song Robin sang – during his time on Strictly....
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thinking @AstonMerrygold is robin on the masked singer... sang flying without wings with westlife on xfactor, danced to cant stop the feeling on strictly... just the thoughts ahah — rebecca dawson (@_rebeccadawson_) December 26, 2020
Two seconds in and I KNOW Robin on the Masked Singer is @AstonMerrygold !!! #MaskedSingerUK — Kelly Stonehouse (@kelstonehouse_) December 26, 2020
Me & @elliealabasterx are acc so sad, we knew from the first note Robin sang on masked singer that it’s Aston from JLS😂😂 — aim🖤 (@aims_louuXx) December 26, 2020
I’ve known that voice for 12 years. Don’t even watch the masked singer but got 5 seconds into a clip cause everyone is talking about it. That robin is deffo @AstonMerrygold without a doubt. Instantly recognisable, I’d bet my life on it tbh — Megan Jaye (@MeganJaye3) December 26, 2020
Aston danced to can’t stop the feeling on strictly #TheMaskedSingerUK — ps1 hagrid (@nikishilton) December 26, 2020
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if the masked singer robin isn’t aston merrygold I’ll eat my sock — soph ✨ (@sophdoeslife) December 26, 2020
We should point out too, that Aston also performed Rockin Robin on Stars In Their Eyes as a child, so perhaps the costume points to this. The EastEnders clue could also refer to one of JLS’ last TV performances, which took place on the soap’s set in aid of Children In Need in 2013.
However, a couple of other fans reckon Robin could be fellow X Factor star Olly Murs...
Calling it now that’s @ollymurs as the robin in the masked singer. — Star Girl (@crazy_nicnac) December 26, 2020
Anyone else think robin from masked singer could be olly murs? #TheMaskedSingerUK — gemma (@gemma61276166) December 26, 2020
There’s also some people who believe it to be EastEnders star Jake Wood (aka Max Branning), given the nod to the soap and the fact Jake hosts a boxing podcast, as Robin said he was connected to the sport.
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I’ve been pushed to watching Masked Singer and I’ve already guessed the first one.
Robin is Jake Wood — sergeaurierbirthdayfanclub 🤴🏿🎂 (@joinerspurs) December 26, 2020
Jake Wood as Robin? Boxing podcast, performer, EastEnders... And, did he do lifts on Strictly? 😂#TheMaskedSingerUK — Jo-Anne Rowney (@JoAnne_Rowney) December 26, 2020
And we are off lol thank god for something brill to watch finally over Christmas 👌😁1st guess-Robin aka Jake Wood (Max) from eastenders, fits with Ruby song & boxing 😜🤔 #TheMaskedSinger — Tina Newman (@silverbullet2k1) December 26, 2020
Robin is Jake wood. Convinced. Eastenders ✅
Boxer ✅
Can dance ✅
Flew without wings on EE ✅#MaskedSingerUK — Jack Brown (@jacky81196) December 26, 2020
Swan
After Davina McCall presented the theory of Swan being Kimberley Wyatt – someone she used to work with on Sky’s Got To Dance – the majority of people on social media seemed to agree with her.
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I agree on Kimberley Wyatt for Swan, and I think Michelle Visage for Dragon #MaskedSingerUK — Mark (@marcouk73) December 26, 2020
The Swan is Kimberley Wyatt from Pussy Catdolls I think #MaskedSinger — Kathryn Rose (@Katrosed01) December 26, 2020
SWAN IS DEFFO KIMBERLEY WYATT #MaskedSingerUK — ash (@ashleyjhubbard) December 26, 2020
For swan I'm thinking one of the Pussycat dolls. I'm torn between Ashley Roberts and Kimberley Wyatt. #MaskedSingerUK — Daz (@dazgale) December 26, 2020
There was a plausible argument that it could have been another of the Pussycat Dolls though – Nicole Scherzinger, who is actually a judge on the US version of The Masked Singer...
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#MaskedSingerUK bare with me on this... America, coming full circle, then a ballroom.... Nicole Scherzinger. Dancing with the stars and also a judge on masked singer USA could she be Swan??? — alicew (@alicew05762093) December 26, 2020
Someone also presented a very strong theory for former Coronation Street star Kym Marsh...
I am *convinced* Kym Marsh is the Swan on Masked Singer and is just trying to put us off with the dodgiest American accent. The clues all fit. Coming full circle (Popstars), spreading her wings (leaving Hearsay), very honoured (acting awards) #MaskedSingerUK pic.twitter.com/kJkddCU1ox — shane reaction ☘ (@shane_reaction_) December 26, 2020
However, many people also went with Rita Ora’s guess of Michelle Visage due to the ballroom connection...
I’m watching Masked Singer for the first time ever and that swan HAS to be Michelle Visage and I’m 100% hooked. — Sarah-Elizabeth Daly (@selizabethdaly) December 26, 2020
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The swan is defo Michelle Visage. She was on strictly, she judges drag queens on ru Paul #MaskedSingerUK — Tiho (@TihoK) December 26, 2020
Dragon
However, when Dragon was next on the stage, Michelle’s name cropped up again on social media.
The ‘drag’ part of Dragon’s name could be in reference to RuPaul’s Drag Race while the costume’s rainbow flag is synonymous with the LGBTQ community, just like Michelle.
The dragon from the masked singer is Michelle’s Visage I’m telling ya...I’ve heard that voice many a times — Chloe Louise Reubens (@xchloexlove) December 26, 2020
Who else thinks Michelle Visage as the dragon? #MaskedSingerUK — Scott Bryan (@scottygb) December 26, 2020
Dragon is iconic therefore is 100% Michelle Visage #MaskedSingerUK pic.twitter.com/3hFMN0VzuJ — Katie (@katiesim90) December 26, 2020
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michelle visage was over here filming DRUK pls she is definitely the dragon #MaskedSingerUK — rio #1 honeymoon stan🍒 (@lanadelr0ckwell) December 26, 2020
Others guessed former Drag Race contestant Courtney Act, who is also a singer...
Now I’m convinced the dragon on the masked singer is @courtneyact — Nicola K (@klaustrup) December 26, 2020
Watching The masked singer lockdown has got to me... Courtney act could be dragon 🤯🧐 #TheMaskedSinger #MaskedSingerUK — lantaa (@lantastokes) December 26, 2020
I’m watching The Masked Singer for the first time ever and if the Dragon isn’t Courtney Act imma sue — Hannah Berry (@Hannah_Berry_27) December 26, 2020
I am convinced the dragon on The Masked Singer is Courtney Act. — D 👽 (@boldmarmalade) December 26, 2020
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Sausage
There’s two main names that seem to be floating around for sausage, the first being former popstar turned actor Billie Piper.
Viewers spotted the name of her first single, Because We Want To, in the clue package...
Sausage is Billie Piper!!!!
The clues were on the food stand 'Billie's'
+
Because we want to
= the name of Billie pipers first single
#MaskedSingerUK pic.twitter.com/bqYNHs6E1X — @GaryHayles (@garyhayles85) December 26, 2020
Calling it now! Billie piper is the sausage in masked singer! In the clues the menu said billies menu and at the bottom it said because we want to! Which was billies first song! #TheMaskedSingerUK — 🌟Tammi🌟 (@BuckyStilinski) December 26, 2020
Forgot about masked singer so just tuned in on dragon. I thought sausage might be Billie Piper but the voice sounds familiar af #maskedsingeruk — Georgia (@Georgia2PointOh) December 26, 2020
Sausage to be Billie Piper?
Triple threat, with the hint of 'Because we want to' on the chippy...#MaskedSingerUK https://t.co/rFnBm01lEj — Ben Jenkins (@benjenkinsco) December 26, 2020
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Loose Women panellist Stacey Solomon’s name was also getting thrown around a lot after Rita’s suggestion it might be her...
Sausage sounds EXACTLY like Stacey Solomon when they talk. I am sticking with her. #MaskedSingerUK — Minnie (@IlluminatePlayz) December 26, 2020
i thought sausage could be jesse j maybe? until stacey solomon was mentioned and now that’s all i can hear! — em (@benhighwayx) December 26, 2020
I think Sausage is Stacey Solomon #MaskedSingerUK — Jamie Lambert (@JamieCollabro) December 26, 2020
Changed my mind. Sausage - Stacey Solomon #TheMaskedSinger — Matt Bateman he/him (@MattBateman1991) December 26, 2020
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Other guesses ranged from Beverley Knight to Jessie J...
Anyone watch masked singer uk I think sausage and chips is Jessie j — THE SAMMY- merrell twins 2020 (@sammyvvm) December 26, 2020
Watching Masked Singer. Never seen it before. So so bad 🤣. That sausage is Joss Stone though, know that voice! — C (@WhatACharlie_) December 26, 2020
Sausage on masked singer has to be Sheridan smith?! #maskedsinger — HAYLEY CHIDLOW (@ChidlowHayley) December 26, 2020
Badger
Much like the panel, Badger’s identity seemed to have social media stumped, as there wasn’t a common name that got associated with it on Twitter.
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However, some guesses ranged from Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall, to Gorillaz’s Damon Albarn...
Idk why I like the masked singer but anyway I think Badger is Daman Albarn. — Chxr (@CHXR10969) December 26, 2020
Why am I getting Guy Martin vibes from the Badger on The Masked singer? — Tasha ✨🌻 (@Tashanneking) December 26, 2020
Absolutely love the masked singer! If the badger isn’t Mick Hucknall I’ll eat my hat! #Maskedsingeruk — 🐚 Shell Zenner 🐚 (@shellzenner) December 26, 2020
Badger on Masked Singer has got to be Will Young!! — shan (@_batqueen) December 26, 2020
oomfs if you're watching the masked singer, there's no way the badger isn't someone from the gorillaz there's just no way — lyss (@lvechrrymtin) December 26, 2020
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Saturday night’s show saw the first singer unmasked after Alien landed in the bottom three alongside Badger and Swan.
And she turned out to be.... Sophie Ellis Bextor, who many people had already guessed on Twitter.
SPOILER ALERT 🚨 Did you KNOW this earthling was ALIEN? 👽😱 #MaskedSingerUK pic.twitter.com/Ihu5M8Bl2x — The Masked Singer UK (@MaskedSingerUK) December 26, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-27--3 Pieces Of Good News About The Oxford Coronavirus Vaccine

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Despite ruining Christmas plans for much of the country, there is positive news in the UK’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
A number of announcements about the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab have raised hopes the rollout of the inoculation programme could be accelerated in the new year.
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Here’s what we’ve learned this morning...
1) It could be approved ‘in days’
According to a report in The Telegraph, the Oxford vaccine will be rolled out across the country on January 4.
The jab is far easier to store, transport and handle than the Pfizer vaccine and only needs to be kept at 2-8 degrees Celsius.
Manufacturing of the vaccine has already begun meaning the UK already has a stockpile just waiting to be approved and administered.
2) Scientists have found the ‘winning formula’
The boss of the firm behind the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine has raised hopes it is more effective than first thought.
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AstraZeneca chief Pascal Soriot told the Sunday Times he believed researchers had found the “winning formula” using two doses and promised to publish the results as reports suggested the UK regulator could approve the jab within days.
He said new data will show the vaccine is as effective as the Pfizer and Moderna jabs that have already been approved, and protects 95% of patients.
He also added it is “100% effective” in preventing severe illness that requires patients to be hospitalised.
The Duke of Cambridge talks to a patient participating in the Covid-19 vaccine trial back in June. PA
3) It ‘should be’ effective against the new mutant strains.
Soriot also said the Oxford vaccine “should be” effective against the new mutant strain of the virus which sparked tier 4 lockdowns across large parts of England.
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The claim will come as some relief even as Canada became the latest country to identify cases of the new highly infectious variant of coronavirus, which was first detected in the UK and has since spread to at least a dozen countries.
Cases of the variant strain have been confirmed across Europe including in France, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Iceland, Switzerland, Sweden and the Netherlands, as well as around the globe in Australia, Japan and Lebanon.
And Dr Barbara Yaffe, the associate chief medical officer of Canada’s Ontario province, said the first two confirmed cases were a couple from the country’s Durham region with no known travel history, exposure or high-risk contacts.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-27--There's A Reason Your Biggest Pixar Questions Remain Unanswered

Talking to the team behind Soul, we asked director Pete Docter (who also directed Monsters, Inc. and is Pixar’s chief creative officer) one of those famously unanswered questions: What were Boo’s parents thinking when she was missing?
“This is one of these questions that we asked ourselves,” Docter told HuffPost. “And we went through a lot of different machinations of writing scenes. We didn’t actually board any, but we felt like, OK, the audience doesn’t need to know this because Sulley doesn’t know. And we’re with Sulley. So who cares?”
Yep, the filmmakers just thought it didn’t matter.
“Whatever her parents think, we’re just going to ignore that,” Docter said. “And it turned out pretty OK.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-27--How The Hell To Start Processing The Year That's Just Been

Halfpoint via Getty Images
December is usually full of booze, food, parties and festive cheer. But this year there’s an added layer of introspection – reflecting on the year we’ve endured, the year that has, for many of us, pushed us to our absolute limits.
As 2020 comes to a close, we’ve started to ask ourselves: how the hell can we process what we’ve been through? Whether it’s job losses, financial struggles, grief, or simply the constant feeling of uncertainty – it’s a lot to take in.
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“People have had to cope with both the collective sense of change and loss as well as their own personal version of that, in whatever degree it has shown up for them,” says therapist Jennifer Park, who is registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
Park has seen an increase in symptoms of anxiety in her clients, as well as people putting their relationships under the microscope. “The pandemic has, in some instances, caused a total reassessment of lifestyles and the ongoing commitment to the relationships people are in, with some realising they need to end long-term partnerships and others finding a renewed passion for it.”
Philip Karahassan, registered BACP therapist, and founder of therapyin.london, agrees. For many people, he says, our hopes and dreams for the year had to be put on hold. “We didn’t have the same happiness, sense of success and self-esteem we were hoping for,” he says. “We had to go back and create a whole new identity. This was hard, as we often spend so much time hoping and planning and working towards something – then suddenly, our freedom went.”
Rather than simply saying good riddance to 2020 as the year draws to a close, it’s a good idea to reflect and process what you’ve been through. But how do you even begin to do that?
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Give yourself head space
The busy nature of the festive season often means we don’t have a second to ourselves, but it’s important to give your mind a break to reflect and just let your mind take in the year that’s just been. And for those stranded away from loved ones this year, this could be a kind approach to looking after yourself right now.
Going for a walk outside is probably a good idea. “Although it’s winter and the days are short, make sure you get outside to connect with nature every day,” says Park.
Prostock-Studio via Getty Images
Acknowledge how the pandemic has impacted your life
This is important to do on multiple levels, says Park. There’s the macro level of the changing world we live in, such as the move to a more digital-led life. And then there’s the micro level – what this has meant for you as an individual.
“By acknowledging both levels it gives permission to feel everything, not brush off one’s own experience because others may have had it worse, by allowing all that’s happened a right to be reflected on and felt, the loss, change and grief can be processed appropriately,” she says.
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We should take in that it’s a grieving process, says Park. “The post-Covid world is not one we have lived in before and this requires a letting go of the past and a reconciliation that a new world needs to find its feet. Have a cry! It sounds simple but giving into the grief and allowing the tears to flow if they want to will be extremely healing and cathartic.”
Wellbeing psychologist Wendy Shooter agrees. “In processing this year we need to acknowledge what we’ve been through and the emotions we’ve experienced,” she says. “We have a tendency to suppress uncomfortable emotions in the hope they will disappear – unfortunately they never do. They just go deeper into our energetic system, often resulting is a slightly altered approach to how we meet the world and engage with it.”
Credit the goals you have achieved (not the ones you haven’t)
Karahassan says to think about what you have learned, as this may help you refocus your goals – rather than focusing on what you didn’t achieve. “What’s important to you now?” he asks. “What has this new identity shown you?”
Your plans and aspirations may have changed as you’ve had more time to reflect on what truly matters. Karahassan says it’s likely we have gained a deeper understanding of ourselves – and it’s important to connect with, and articulate, that.
Ask yourself questions
Shooter suggests spending some time thinking about what has happened to us this year – and how it’s been for us. It might be helpful, she suggests, to work through the questions below and try answering them yourself.
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What did you learn this year? What have you enjoyed about this year? What improvements have you made to your life? How has your perspective changed?
What are you really proud of about yourself this year? What scared you this year? What have you missed? Who have you missed? What experiences have you missed? What places have you missed? How did you cope?
“Give yourself an hour to jot down some answers to these questions and allow yourself to be present with the emotions they bring up,” she says. “Cry, laugh and even scream if you need to – let those emotions out. You may even arrange to do it at the same time as a friend and then share what you have written.”
Write down your feelings – and see what comes out
“If you find yourself alone or overwhelmed by feelings a really good way is to write them down,” says Park. “The act of writing them out will help the mind process and make sense of them, in a way that just keeping them running around in your mind won’t.”
One way to do this could be through a habit known as “morning pages”. Spend each morning writing down in a notebook how you feel that day – and about the year – and write down whatever comes in your head. If you don’t know what to write for a moment, simply write: “I don’t know what to write” and wait for something else to pop in your head. By the end of it, you’ll likely feel refreshed.
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Joana Lopes / EyeEm via Getty Images
Think about what you want from 2021
Using the reflecting you’ve done and your deepened understanding of the year, Shooter suggests thinking about what you want from 2021 and how you will meet the new year. “Make a plan for without restrictions, and with restrictions so you are prepared for different eventualities,” she says.
“Look at your lists and remember the joy of some of the experiences you have missed this year. It is important we don’t forget how it ‘used to be’ and how much people and experiences fed our souls. Humans are incredibly adaptable, and there is a danger that we become too accustomed to the current way of living, and forget that freedom and choice is part of being human.”
Seek help if it gets too much
If things get overwhelming, find someone to talk to such as the Samaritans or a BACP counsellor. There are further contacts at the bottom of this article.
Covid-19 is more than a news story – it has changed every aspect of life in the UK. We are following how Britain is experiencing this crisis, the different stages of collective emotion, reaction and resilience. You can tell us how you are feeling and find further advice and resources here.
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Useful websites and helplines
Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk