thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--White House Officials Still Aren't Wearing Masks, Even As They Address Trump's Coronavirus

White House aides and officials continued to blatantly ignore medical advice and remained maskless Friday, even as some of them discussed Donald Trump contracting Covid-19.
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and even Trump’s health adviser Dr Scott Atlas mingled with people at the White House complex without wearing masks or even having one on their necks to use.
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Top economic adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters at the White House how important “masking” is — but he didn’t have one. Kudlow put one on when a reporter pointed out the discrepancy.
Larry Kudlow without a mask talking about the importance of masks. When I pointed it out, he then did put one on. pic.twitter.com/wY7jGaVGXo — Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) October 2, 2020
Top White House aide Johnny McEntee, who was standing close to Trump on Thursday, was also spotted without a mask on the White House grounds Friday — on his way to get a Covid-19 test, according to CNN.
Coronavirus adviser not wearing a mask at the WH the day the President of the United States tests positive. https://t.co/LPMDF5F920 — Allie Malloy (@AlliemalCNN) October 2, 2020
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When CNN reporter Jim Acosta asked why he wasn’t wearing a mask, Meadows indicated that he didn’t need one because “obviously, I’ve been tested, and we’re hopefully more than six feet away.”
He also insisted, “We have protocols in place” — which apparently didn’t involve face masks, personal protective equipment strongly recommended by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
White House protocol clearly failed to prevent the president from contracting the coronavirus. And Meadows could have been exposed to Covid-19 and become contagious since his test. In addition, the rapid test the White House relies on is often not accurate soon after exposure to the coronavirus and prior to the onset of symptoms. Meadows had been in close proximity to Trump for several days.
4) as we know, #COVID19 tests can be negative today, positive tomorrow based on *TIMING* of the tests. See chart - testing too early can miss virus.
We should try to see least 3 negative tests over the next week to be honestly sure for many of these SCOTUS attendees pic.twitter.com/53C7AhjW5z — Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) October 2, 2020
Besides the potential to risk someone else’s life, White House officials’ refusal to wear a mask also sets a dangerous example, Democrat senator Chris Murphy pointed out.
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He called Meadows’s decision not to wear a mask the same day Trump was rushed to Walter Reed Hospital for treatment of Covid-19 “disturbing.”
It “doesn’t appear to me that the White House has gotten the message,” Murphy told CNN. “They seem to still be playing way too fast and loose with the CDC guidelines, and that’s a really dangerous message.”
Unbelievably, masks are still not required on the White House grounds.
Trump spokesperson John Deere insisted to The New York Times that “encouraging” the use of face masks and social distancing, as well as the availability of hand sanitiser and testing, “ensure[s] exposure is limited to the greatest extent possible.”
Fox News host Chris Wallace, who moderated the presidential debate between Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden on Tuesday, urged Americans in a Fox interview: “Wear the damn mask.”
“Follow the science,” Wallace said on “Fox & Friends.” “If I could say one thing to all of the people out there watching: Forget the politics. This is a public safety health issue.”
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Epidemiologist Dr Eric Feigl-Ding, a senior fellow at the Federation of American Scientists, called it “inevitable” that more people at the White House will test positive for Covid-19.
He suspects cases may be linked to the Supreme Court nomination event last Saturday in the Rose Garden for Amy Coney Barrett, where few wore masks and many shook hands. Barrett had Covid-19 earlier this year.
The president of the University of Notre Dame, the Reverend John I. Jenkins, who attended the Rose Garden event, has tested positive for the coronavirus. So has Republican senator Mike Lee, who met with Barrett at the White House at that time. The president and the first lady also attended.
BREAKING: SCOTUS announcement attendee, Notre Dame President Reverend John Jenkins, who attended WH rose garden announcement on Saturday, tests #COVID19 positive now too. Like many others at #SCOTUS nom event, did not wear a mask and shook hands with many people. pic.twitter.com/Sm5gTSuHew — Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) October 2, 2020
Expert Epidemiologist says "there will be more." https://t.co/7Vqfppt8Tr — Trial Lawyer Richard (@TrialLawyerRich) October 2, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--Dubstep DJ Cookie Monsta Dies, Aged 31

Dubstep DJ Cookie Monsta Dies, Aged 31

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The new pointing dance for 2020 is gonna take the world by storm 🤞🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻☝🏻✋🏻👉🏻🖕🏻👆🏻 Photo: @limepic


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--‘Potent’ Experimental Drug Given To Trump Being Rolled Out Across UK

A “very potent” experimental coronavirus drug being given to Donald Trump is already being used in a handful of UK hospitals, an Oxford University professor has revealed.
The US president was given the artificial antibody treatment REGN-COV2 at the White House on Friday after being diagnosed with Covid-19, before he was airlifted Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre.
The Guardian reported that the cocktail of drugs, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, has been described by the White House coronavirus adviser Anthony Fauci as showing promise.
The drug began being used in “about three hospitals in the north” last weekend as part of Oxford University’s national Recovery trial, said Professor Peter Horby.
Horby, who specialises in emerging infectious diseases at Oxford University and is co-chief investigator of the Recovery trial, added that the drug is due to be rolled out to “another 30 to 40 hospitals” in the UK next week.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday morning, Horby described the drug as “very promising” and “very potent”.
He said: “The class of drugs, these artificial antibodies, have been around for quite a while now, and they’ve been extensively used in inflammatory conditions and cancers, and they’re pretty safe and well understood, and so the technology is something that I think we have confidence in.
“This particular drug has probably been given to, I would think now, four or five hundred patients, mild or severe patients in different trials, and so far there’s been no worrying safety signals.
“In the laboratory, in cell cultures it has a very strong effect against the virus, and there have been studies in artificial animals where it also shows benefits. So probably of the drugs that are available, it’s one of the most promising.”
Horby said a single dose of the treatment provides “prolonged protection” for “a month to six weeks”, making it “quite attractive for the older population”.
The antibody cocktail works by binding to a protein on the surface of the virus, stopping it from attaching to cells and replicating, while allowing the immune system to attack the virus.
Trump has been given the drug alongside Remdesivir, an antiviral treatment which has been shown to help some coronavirus patients recover faster.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--James Bond Fans Are Now Going To Have To Wait Even Longer To See No Time To Die

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The coronavirus pandemic has pushed back the release of James Bond film No Time To Die for the second time.
The 25th film in the 007 franchise was originally due to be released in April, but was delayed until November earlier this year amid global concern around the spread of Covid-19.
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It has now been announced that Daniel Craig’s final outing as the British spy will now not be released until April 2021.
A statement on the film’s official Twitter account explained this was because producers want it to be “seen by a worldwide theatrical audience”.
MGM, Universal and Bond producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, today announced the release of NO TIME TO DIE, the 25th film in the James Bond series, will be delayed until 2 April 2021 in order to be seen by a worldwide theatrical audience. pic.twitter.com/NqHlU24Ho3 — James Bond (@007) October 2, 2020
The tweet said: “MGM, Universal and Bond producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, today announced the release of No Time To Die, the 25th film in the James Bond series, will be delayed until 2 April 2021 in order to be seen by a worldwide theatrical audience.
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“We understand the delay will be disappointing to our fans but we now look forward to sharing No Time To Die next year.”
The initial postponement came after fans wrote an open letter asking for the release of the film to be delayed during the first months of the pandemic.
This setback is the latest in a long line of difficulties faced by No Time To Die during production, which has also included the departure of the film’s original director Danny Boyle, and a crew member acquiring a “minor injury” after a controlled explosion on set went wrong.
Lead actor Daniel Craig was also forced to take two weeks off after injuring himself during filming.
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No Time To Die will be Daniel’s final outing as James Bond, having first debuted in the role in Casino Royale back in 2006.
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The upcoming instalment in the hit film franchise will see Oscar-winning star Rami Malek playing Bond’s new adversary, while Lashana Lynch will play a new character, who has succeeded the titular character as agent 007.
No Time To Die finds Bond after he has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica when his old friend Felix Leiter, played by Jeffrey Wright, from the CIA turns up asking for help.
Speaking on the first episode of the official James Bond podcast, producer Barbara Broccoli said it will deliver a satisfying ending for Daniel Craig’s Bond.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--The 32 Hunniest Huns To Ever Hun: An Apprecia-Hun

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There’s not been an awful lot to celebrate in 2020, but the continued rise of the hun has meant that meme culture has thrived in lockdown.
Social accounts like Love Of Huns and Hunsnet on Instagram have brought us much joy, as they’ve celebrated the ladies behind some of the most hilarious moments in the world of entertainment, relating their escapades to a number of everyday situations.
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For the uninitiated, a hun usually describes someone who is always relatable and has an air of camp about them. In some cases, they ooze down-to-earth charm, in others they exercise their divaship. But what they all have in common is a naughty sense of humour, often coming out with ridiculous observations or anecdotes that make perfect soundbites. Their hun-ness may be conscious or unconscious, but essentially, they are low-key iconic in everything that they say and do.
In our own ode to the hunest huns to ever hun, we’ve complied 32 of their hunniest moments ever – so pour yourself a lovely glass of rosé and enjoy dallyns!
1. When Pam Shipman got a bit tiddly on Gavin & Stacey
BBC
2. Whenever Ruth Langsford has a musical moment with her QVC girlies on Instagram
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3. When Katie Price debuted her new mobility scooter in typically low-key syle
4. When Sharon Mitchell lived out all her fantasies with Keanu Taylor on EastEnders
BBC
5. When this woman was looking for her African Grey parrot on the streets of Liverpool
Utterly OBSESSED with this Facebook video of this woman who’s lost her parrot Chanel. #FINDCHANEL 🙏🏼 ❤ pic.twitter.com/NJHdutnWoj — James (@jamesc1995) April 23, 2020
6. And when Jade Thirlwall took that and turned it into something even more iconic than the original
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7. When Mandy Holden took the bins out wearing this
8. When Chantelle and the rest of ‘Kandy Floss’ gave the most 2006 performance of I Want It Right Now
9. When Jane McDonald admired the local gentlemen during one of her cruises and subsequently trotted off into the sunset with them
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Channel 5
10. And when Adele Roberts introduced the value of Our Jane to her I’m A Celebrity campmates
11. When Lisa Scott-Lee made the B-list at Capital
12. When EastEnders’ Peggy and Pat got legless in the back of an ice cream van
13. When Kim Woodburn got on the ’seccy in the Celebrity Big Brother house
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14. And when EastEnders’ Vanessa Gold had this reaction to a chilled bottle of bubbly
15. When Kat Slater discussed her promiscuity with a nun played by June Whitfield
16. When a refreshed Sharon Osbourne mistook her shoe for her phone
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Shutterstock
17. When Naomi Campbell got dressed up in her Met Gala dresses to keep herself entertained in lockdown
18. When this X Factor contestant laid into a “very very ’arsh” Simon Cowell
19. When Gemma Collins absolutely refused to get into a tight space
20. When Alexandra Burke brought the phrase “elephant in the room” back to the UK
21. When Chezza and Vicky B took Baden Baden in 2006
Ross Kinnaird via Getty Images
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22. When Sally Metcalfe ran for local election in Coronation Street
23. Basically everything Nikki Grahame ever said in Big Brother
24. When Natalie Cassidy’s tomatoes were “coming up lovely” because she’d watched an episode of Gardener’s World
25. When Alison Hammond was totally cool, calm and collected whilst trying to get an interview with “Megs”
26. When Britney Spears sent a message to everyone “at the LGBTQ community”
27. When Coronation Street’s Deirdre Barlow found love in a hopeless place
28. Similarly, when Gail Platt showed off her vocal talents, or lack thereof
29. When Lindsay Lohan was having a lovely old time in Ibiza
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30. When Claudia Winkleman rocked up to the GQ Awards looking like she’d just had a heavy sesh at the nearest All Bar One
Mark Cuthbert via Getty Images
31. When Nicole Scherzinger unleashed her inner disco diva on The X Factor
32. When Gogglebox’s Marina regaled Mary with tales of her visit to a strip club in quite some detail


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--Innuendos, Puppet Savagery And The Return Of Iris – 10 Things That Brought Us Joy This Week

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It’s been another strange old week, hasn’t it?
But amid all the doom and gloom on the news, there’s been plenty of joy that the entertainment world has served up over the last seven days.
From nutty innuendos to the return of a This Morning favourite, here’s 10 of our favourites...
1. Iris stages a triumphant return to This Morning
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Cast your mind back roughly 300 years to January, and you may recall a truly iconic daytime TV moment when 81-year-old Iris Jones stopped by This Morning to discuss her romance with her 36-year-old partner, Mohammed.
Well earlier this week, she was back – this time with Mohammed in tow – and served up another iconic interview.
2. A chef called Boris a ‘tit’ on BBC News, but you would have missed it
Did anyone see the restaurant guy on BBC News earlier today? Look real close 😂 pic.twitter.com/RRw5nMwa0B — Emma (@EmzJB) September 29, 2020
A chef in Newcastle cunningly let Boris Johnson know exactly what he thought of him during a live interview on BBC News on Tuesday.
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Thanks to a carefully placed poster of British Tits (the feathered variety) that can be seen in the background, Max let the PM know exactly how he felt.
3. Gary Lineker’s savage reaction to Piers Morgan’s Spitting Image puppet
The first time I can recall a spitting image puppet to be actually quite flattering, @piersmorgan pic.twitter.com/kHPDu2orCm — Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) September 30, 2020
Piers is the latest star to be parodied in the reboot of the satirical comedy series, with his puppet revealed live on Wednesday’s GMB.
The host admitted he’d “waited all his adult life” to be featured in the show, but was less than impressed with the end result. Cue Gary giving his (savage) verdict…
4. Prue Leith goes nuts for Marc’s nuts
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During Tuesday night’s Bake Off, viewers got a big reminder of what helped make the show so infamous... some good old-fashioned innuendo.
Prue dropped a classic double entendre, and had the entire tent howling in the process.
5. Mak pens tear-jerking letter after his Bake Off exit
“There is always hope in baking”
Here’s marvellous Mak’s letter to all you Bake Off fans out there… #GBBO pic.twitter.com/mVgoSdjVHf — British Bake Off (@BritishBakeOff) September 29, 2020
Following the latest Bake Off result, an emotional open letter from Mak was shared on the official GBBO Twitter account, as he thanked the show for being “a beacon of light” in a year that “the world was in turmoil”.
Yep, there’s definitely something in our eye.
6. Gordon Ramsay’s son nails his trademark scowl
Gordon Ramsay’s youngest may only be 18 months old, but it seems he’s already in training to take over the family business.
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That’s because young Oscar Ramsay has already nailed his dad’s trademark scowl.
Uncanny.
7. Adele gets pranked by Nicole Richie
Adele shared a string of throwback photos to commemorate her good friend Nicole Richie’s birthday, including a video of Nicole pranking her that had us laughing out loud.
Now, we have to be honest and say we had no idea that Adele and Nicole were actually chummy like that, but it turns out they’re actually very close, and we’re very much here for it.
8. Amanda Holden has the most Amanda Holden response to Ofcom complaints about her BGT dress
Instagram
Last week, Amanda wore a blue boned corset dress for the most recent Britain’s Got Talent, but her outfit was the subject of more than 200 complaints to Ofcom.
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After some media reported on the complaints and linked them to tweets from viewers who had wondered whether she’d suffered a wardrobe malfunction during the show, Amanda took to Instagram to set the record straight in the most Mandy way possible.
9. Cardi B offers her take on the Trump vs Biden debate
The first live US presidential debate was shown on TV on Tuesday night in America, prompting exasperated responses from a number of mortified high-profile celebrities.
Among them was Cardi B, who offered her own unique commentary throughout the debate on Instagram, becoming part cheerleader and part soccer mum as she cheered on Joe Biden from home.
10. Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter has typically teenage response to her naked snap
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Gwyneth Paltrow saw in her birthday over the weekend by stripping off for an impromptu photo-shoot in nature, but it seems not everyone was won over by the snap.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--The 7 Types Of Protester Who Attend An Anti-Lockdown Rally

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On Saturday, thousands of people gathered in Trafalgar Square in what was billed as a “We Do Not Consent” protest.
Just what exactly those attending did not consent to was not immediately clear – pictures from the day show signs objecting to a wide variety of things, from masks to child sex-trafficking.
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People take part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions, in London, Saturday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
So what is going on?
For anyone angry at any aspect of the coronavirus pandemic and the UK’s response, your options for protest are limited almost entirely to groups willing to risk mass gatherings and the potential spread of the virus that goes with it.
Currently this means the largest events are being organised by those who believe the whole thing is a hoax.
And while there certainly are a large number of people in attendance with some wild ideas, the full picture is a little more nuanced.
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Here are seven different types of protester at the event.
The lockdown sceptic
Greg* and his wife Theresa* were at Saturday’s march because of concerns legislation brought in to fight the pandemic amounts to a “destruction of our democratic rights”.
“The government are making decisions under the emergency acts that are not being debated in parliament and I don’t agree with it,” Greg says.
“I think it’s absolutely wrong.”
This turned out to be a view shared far beyond the confines of Trafalgar Square: Boris Johnson himself was this week facing a rebellion from backbench Tory MPs trying to ensure new restrictions were subject to Commons votes before being introduced. In the end, health secretary Matt Hancock attempted to meet the rebels halfway, saying any national lockdown would be debated by MPs “where possible” but steering clear of the same commitment for local lockdowns – that is, currently all the lockdowns.
Greg also worries that further lockdown restrictions could do more damage than the virus itself and it should be up to the individual, not government, to decide what to do.
“I agreed with the initial lockdown because we didn’t know or understand what was going on,” he says.
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“But as knowledge has increased we’ve got to live with the virus. We can’t kick the can down the road and keep locking down – we’ve got to accept there’s a level of risk.
“And in my view, the people of the country should be able to make their own risk assessments and live a proper life without destroying the economy.”
Barcroft Media via Getty Images
Greg also expresses concern that “measures being brought in are more and more draconian”. His talk of the overreach of government quickly turns into scepticism about the actual science underpinning the UK’s response to the pandemic.
“The scientists from the government are presenting evidence which I frankly don’t believe myself,” he says.
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Greg and Theresa both insist they “are not conspiracy theorists” and know people who have been registered as dying of Covid-19 – but don’t believe government figures are accurate.
“My wife’s grandfather died of so-called Covid,” says Greg. “He was 87 and he’d had a stroke and he’d had cancer three times. He died of a stroke, not of Covid-19. I don’t accept the figures – I don’t think they’re right.
“The PCR testing for example is fundamentally flawed. The government’s not admitting it but Dominic Raab was on Sky News and he actually let slip that we’re not testing at the airport because the test is only 7% accurate.
“Well if that’s right then 93% of the PCR tests that are being done, that the government is basing its policy on, are wrong.”
This claim about the accuracy of tests is incorrect but has been promoted widely on social media by a number of journalists including Julia Hartley-Brewer and Toby Young.
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The parents
For many people at Trafalgar Square, the event was a family affair.
Joanne Cragg, 57, and Barry Gordon, 44, were at Saturday’s march with their 10-year-old daughter Eva, and are concerned how the pandemic is affecting young people.
“We’re here for the children. There’s not going to be a future for them as it should be – it’s wrong,” says Joanne.
In a report published this week, children’s commissioner Anne Longfield said children younger than 12 should be exempt from the “rule of six” limitation on social gatherings.
It also said children have been overlooked by policies aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus, and urged the government to put their interests first in the event of a second national lockdown.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Barry adds: “Our stance is you should look after the people who need looking after, protect the elderly and the sick and let the economy continue, and let children continue to be children.”
But Joanne also suggests the scale of the pandemic is being overblown: “I’m not saying it’s a hoax, but it’s nowhere near where all the hype is at.”
The anti-vaxxer
Jenny, 60, told HuffPost UK she believes a healthy diet can protect people from coronavirus and says any eventual vaccine should not be made mandatory.
“We’ve all got an immune system and it works very well,” she says.
“I’ve mixed with everybody but I look after myself. I eat well but you get a lot of people who eat a load of shit and they walk around in a mask because they don’t want to get ill.
“Just stop smoking and drinking and eating shit. Treat your body with respect – don’t abuse it and expect somebody to come along and make it better for you.”
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While there is evidence that conditions affected by lifestyle such as obesity put you at greater risk of dying from Covid-19, there is none to suggest diet alone can prevent you catching it.
A protester holds up a placard in Trafalgar Square against vaccination and government restrictions designed to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus. JUSTIN TALLIS via Getty Images
Additionally, there are numerous examples in the UK and worldwide of young, healthy people with no pre-existing conditions dying of the disease.
Jenny also does not believe it’s a highly infections disease as she doesn’t know anyone who’s caught it.
“Is coronavirus highly infectious? I absolutely don’t believe it is,” she says.
“I know a lot of people and not one of them knows someone personally who has had it. I believe it’s around, but I don’t believe what they’re saying.
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“I’d believe it if I saw a decent amount of people who had it like I do with ordinary flu. But I’ve yet to see that.”
The 5G sceptic
Gulab, a 54-year-old technician for Virgin Media, believes coronavirus is a manufactured bioweapon released by “the high and mighty” in order “to take control of the world”.
He’s a bit short on details but told HuffPost UK that Bill Gates – who is leading the global charge for a vaccine and has become a hate figure among sceptics – and George Soros (more on him below) are controlling a global plot to eradicate large sections of the world’s population.
“They think the earth belongs to them and they want it for themselves and they want to get rid of us lot,” he says.
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To do this, he believes, an as-yet-unidentified person or group manufactured Covid-19 at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China and then released it... practically next door.
“The 5G is somehow connected,” he insists. “If you put the map of Covid cases over the map of 5G [masts], it’s exactly the same.”
When it’s pointed out that coronavirus is essentially everywhere in the world where there are people, he says: “It doesn’t take effect until the 5G is turned on, it makes it worse.”
The 5G conspiracy theory is one of the most debunked of recent times and there is absolutely no evidence to support it.
The QAnon acolyte
Howard, 43, travelled from Cornwall to attend Saturday’s march and is a fervent believer in QAnon, a far-right conspiracy theory that began in the US but has slowly made its way over to these shores.
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In short, it states that president Donald Trump isn’t actually president Donald Trump – he is in fact an undercover agent on a top secret mission to rid the world of evil and prevent a coup by liberal elites who also happen to be paedophiles.
Howard claims this shadowy global cabal consists of three main parts.
“One is the Rothschilds banking family, which controls all the central banks,” he said.
“Another side is the corrupt cabal inside the Saudi administration, and the third part of it is George Soros, who is the hitman for the Rothschilds.”
As well as being anti-Semitic, the theory requires Saudi Arabia to work with prominent Jewish people whilst maintaining decades of very public hostility with Israel. Howard does not explain how or why this might be the case.
Howard and his QAnon sign. Barcroft Media via Getty Images
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Undeterred, he goes on to explain the role of coronavirus.
“The coronavirus was designed to destroy Trump’s economy in the US, destroy his presidency and bankrupt the world,” he says.
“But if the corrupt cabal are in power when artificial intelligence comes of age in, say, 10 or 15 years, we are buggered, basically. The cabal will have full control over the planet.
“There will be no way of getting out of it.”
The so-called ‘#SaveTheChildren’ supporters
Originally the well-meaning initiative of the actual Save the Children charity, the #SaveTheChildren hashtag has been hijacked in recent months by an off-shoot of the QAnon movement.
As mentioned above, supporters of QAnon believe that those in power who run the shadowy cabal trying to control the world and bring down Donald Trump are also paedophiles.
The #SaveTheChildren supporters – again, nothing to do with the charity of the same name – has taken this aspect of the theory and run with it.
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Craig*, who attended Saturday’s protest, told HuffPost UK: “It’s not addressed enough, how many kids are going missing and being sex-trafficked by the elite and other people in Hollywood, in the government.
“Can you tell me why there’s been nothing in the news about Hillary Clinton being in court recently for sex-trafficking children from Haiti and drinking their blood for andrenachrome?”
In essence, the #SaveTheChildren movement has taken the real-world cases of sex-trafficking such as that of Jeffrey Epstein and then applied them to those people deemed a threat by the QAnon movement – hence why Hillary Clinton regularly appears.
SOPA Images via Getty Images
As for the part about child sacrifice and the consumption of andrenachrome – a chemical allegedly harvested from the blood and drunk to keep people young and healthy – that requires a bit more digging.
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The only thing is, there is absolutely no evidence no matter how far you dig. It’s a theory that has developed through multiple and sinister misinterpretations of completely mundane things such as pizza shop signs, t-shirts with French words on them and even invitations to garden parties.
These are then condensed into social media posts like this...
Which are then read by at least some of the people who attended Saturday’s protest.
Clinton was involved in a court appearance back in June of this year, but did not actually testify. Her lawyer made a virtual appearance as part of the long-running saga about emails sent on a private server while she was Secretary of State.
It had nothing to do with child-trafficking or drinking anyone’s blood.
The true disbelievers
Of the six types of protester mentioned so far, all have accepted that coronavirus is real even if they disagree on how dangerous it is.
For an example of someone who thinks the entire thing is a hoax, look no further than one of the key speakers and organisers of the event – Piers Corbyn.
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Speaking to the crowd on Saturday, the brother of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn attempted to explain away the pandemic, saying: “I’m often asked: ‘Is there a deadly virus and, if not, how are people getting ill and dying?’
“Well, one, they make up the numbers and they tell us lies. There has been a flu around which, you know, people get.
“And the other thing is increased wi-fi, 4G and 5G. It’s a proven fact 5G and 4G and 3G does lower your immune systems. So, when they turn it up, some of you will get ill. And that will be used to increase the so-called Covid numbers.”
Piers Corbyn speaking on Saturday. SIPA USA/PA Images
Corbyn also claimed wrongly that there was no scientific evidence of the virus existing.
“When we asked Boris Johnson and Bill Gates for evidence under proper, respected, scientific tests, that this dangerous virus exists, they could not reply,” he said.
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“Now, don’t you think if they had evidence, they would show it to us? Exactly. So our conclusion is: it’s a hoax.”
He did not say who "we" was, or why the prime minister would engage in scientific discussion with a discredited weather forecaster about public health.
Doubling down on his positi, he added: “They also claim that they found the virus even though they haven’t seen it. And then they said they’ve even got a vaccine for it. A vaccine for something they can’t see. Well, that no one can see.
“They say [...] they’ve seen a genome sequence in a dish and that could be the virus. Now, that argument is bananas.
“I’m not going to go into the details of that, but that is the point. It is not an honest scientific method. They are just conning you.”
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Like all viruses, the coronavirus is very small and cannot be seen by the naked eye.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--Let's Be Clear, Another National Lockdown Would Be Boris Johnson's Failure – And No One Else's

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In the year that has lasted forever and a day, I cast my mind back to early March. Spring was threatening to come into bloom, and I was struggling through my first pregnancy.
At five months pregnant, I was looking forward to a summer full of baby showers, family picnics, and a new chapter in my life. Even as I suffered from severe bouts of vomiting during my shifts in hospital and struggled with my health throughout winter, I knew that there would be something to look forward to.
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There was a sense of optimism, a genuine feeling of hope that my future child would be the balm to solve all.
Yet, as a frontline doctor, myself and my colleagues were already seeing many patients with suspected coronavirus – we were unable to confirm most of these cases at the time due to a lack of testing infrastructure.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson making a statement to MPs in the House of Commons on the latest situation with the coronavirus pandemic. PA
These patients were cursorily asked to “self-isolate”, without any second thought. There were plenty of concerns being escalated by doctors, but we were either given false reassurances or batted away altogether.
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In March, while other countries across the world were facing lockdown, there was a reflexive indifference from our leaders.
We were one of the last countries in Europe to be badly affected by an influx of coronavirus, and as such, we were assumed to have had the most time to prepare.
It was roundly assumed that our island status would confer an obvious advantage against the import of any disease. We had plenty going for us.
On March 3, 2020, Boris Johnson proudly announced that he was still shaking hands with patients, while on a hospital visit. This was a colossal misstep that set the early tone for a pandemic which was to be confirmed by the WHO just days later. The entire world was morphing before our eyes, and we were perilously slow to react: why?
Exceptionalism, hubris, and outright arrogance were the hallmarks of our leadership throughout Spring. They saw us heading straight into the iceberg; they told us we’d miss it by miles, and then they told us life was better living on the ocean floor anyway.
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This is what has made this country’s leadership so objectively poor over the past months. Johnson has been at the head of a dysfunctional group of decision-makers who seemed to view themselves as picaresque characters – often behaving as lone heroes in their solipsistic fairytales, never accepting of any criticism. Ever.
All the while, we were constantly reassured or misled completely. Take the PPE debacle, which is still being peeled back thanks to the good work of investigations and judicial reviews – it was up to doctors like my husband to raise serious concerns at great professional risk; these concerns were first rebuffed by Matt Hancock, and then euphemistically described as “distribution issues.”
“Another lockdown would not be a failure of the public to adhere to ever-changing guidelines. It would be an admission of failure by our government.”
When Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jenny Harries then told doctors that we needed to have an “adult conversation” about PPE, at a time when healthcare workers across the country were dying with coronavirus, we came to understand that any semblance of mutual trust had been eroded.
The consistent thread in our country’s handling of the pandemic has been an abject failure of leadership from our decision-makers. For politicians to make effective decisions during a pandemic, there must be a mutual level of trust.
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Regrettably, at every opportunity, our politicians have reached from the self-aggrandizing to the outright farcical. Having compromised our trust, there is no contrition and no apology for the wasted months – millions were spent on a defunct app, and the promises of widespread testing continue to be inconsistent at best.
As cases rise once again, the government faces a familiar dilemma. At the time of writing, forty-eight areas in England have recently been subject to restrictions.
Our greatest concern should be that in recent months, only Luton has been able to emerge from a state of pseudo-lockdown and escape these restrictions, although local cases are still rising.
What is absolutely clear is that while the whole world pours its resources into developing a vaccine, a subsequent rollout would certainly not happen overnight.
It’s well-established that a functioning contact tracing system is the only way to achieve something approaching a “Zero Covid” society. This government has forked out hundreds of millions to private industry to work out a functional contact tracing system. On occasion, this has even been subcontracted to the likes of a humble travel agent.
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Why involve public health doctors, district nurses and GPs, when you could pay twice the amount to a person whose only unique skill set was to book stag trips to Magaluf?
Another lockdown would not be a failure of the public to adhere to ever-changing guidelines. It would be an admission of failure by our government.
It would be an admission that whether you consider our national response in terms of infections, death rates, or testing, we deserve leaders who stand tall during a crisis.
Instead, we have been hindered by people who have shown themselves capable of turning a blind eye to our suffering.
We deserve better.
Dr Meenal Viz is a writer and hospital doctor. She hosts the podcast Meenal’s World and tweets @MeenalsWorld.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--The Forgotten Ones: What It’s Like To Lose Your Brother To A Brutal Knife Attack

Supplied James Brindley and his sister Charlotte.
It was Friday, June 23, 2017 when I lost my big brother. I know this is and will be the most difficult piece I write in my career. However, I want to share my story in the hopes it makes someone think twice about carrying a knife.
James was stabbed in a motiveless and unprovoked knife attack as he walked home from seeing his friends at our local pub. He was on the phone to his girlfriend and couldn’t possibly have foreseen what was about to happen.
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His senseless death and its catastrophic impact on my family has been covered by the media. However, siblings of knife crime victims are not often written about. We hear about the impact on parents, but brothers and sisters tend to fade into the background. Our grief is not always acknowledged, and while our parents are consumed by their own loss, we can often feel abandoned.
It felt it was important to tell my story, and those of others who have lost siblings to knife crime, in the hopes it will begin to make a difference – and broaden people’s perspective of bereavement.
Supplied Charlotte and James.
I remember my phone ringing at 11.45pm and the blood-curdling sound of my brother’s girlfriend screaming down the line at me: “James has been stabbed.” I cannot begin to express what I felt in that moment. The world I knew had shifted catastrophically.
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James had been stabbed in front of the parish church in our hometown in the West Midlands, managing to get himself onto Aldridge village high street before collapsing.
I frantically rushed into my parents’ room and yelled what had happened, before racing into the village. I saw a sea of blue lights as I turned the bend from our road, and a crowd of people being pushed back by police. Abandoning my car, I sprinted towards the scene, screaming out James’ name. A police officer grabbed me and asked: “Who are you?” I answered: “I’m his sister.”
Supplied Charlotte and James as young children with their first dog, Major.
Forced to stand behind police tape, I watched from afar as paramedics worked on my brother. By this point, my parents had arrived and stood beside me. Our previously indestructible family was breaking up before my eyes. We waited and waited – completely powerless.
Eventually the doctor and paramedics began walking over to us and I heard one say: “Are you going to tell them, or shall I?” Those words will echo forever through my head.
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James had been stabbed once through the heart, and wasn’t going to survive. We had our chance to go over to him to say our final goodbyes. He had open heart surgery at the scene, so little was left to the imagination. They couldn’t get him to a hospital in time, and he died right there, in the middle of the high street.
He was just 26.
Supplied James Brindley
My head was spinning. I could barely walk, my body was so numb. I couldn’t cry, couldn’t scream. I couldn’t even sit by him to say goodbye. Traumatised, I sat slumped in a heap on the floor, listening to my parents cry.
A young policewoman was trying her best to comfort me and stayed with us as long as she could. It must have been traumatic for her as well. I never got to thank those who tried to save James’ life, but to that policewoman who looked after me, if she ever reads this, I want to say: thank you.
Nearly three weeks later, two brothers were arrested and charged with murder, and the following January the case went to trial. The younger brother, Ammar Kahrod, who was 17 at the time of the attack, was found guilty of murder. The older brother, Aaron Kahrod, 21 at the time, who was present at the attack but not found guilty of murder or manslaughter, was acquitted.
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“I do not know how I managed to complete my degree with my brother’s murder sucking me into a black hole.”
At the time of the trial, I was studying for my finals. I don’t know how I managed to complete my degree with my brother’s murder sucking me into a black hole.
James had so much to live for. A kind, ambitious young man, and wiser than his years, he was a couple of weeks away from opening his first business, a health food shop designed for people in weight training and amateur gym-goers. He loved the gym, and loved helping people get better at what they loved, too.
The business – “one of many”, I remember him once saying – was going to be called Zest. James certainly had a zest for life, but it was snatched away from him in a matter of seconds – for what gain? The person who needlessly murdered James was given a jail sentence of 17 years.
TWorld Studio James Brindley
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It’s been more than three years since I lost my big brother and it hasn’t got any easier. I think I’m still processing what happened and will be for the rest of my life. I struggle to find the words. What I can tell you is that I miss the person I was before this happened.
We still haven’t had answers, and probably won’t ever know why James was killed. How can you possibly begin to heal, knowing there was absolutely no reason for your only brother’s murder?
A chance encounter that led to tragedy has caused immense upheaval to our family, our friends and the community we live in. My relationship with my parents has changed dramatically – I can’t always be around them anymore. That quiet village where we live is forever tainted.
To outsiders I seem like I am coping, but I still feel disconnected from the world, like I’ve been put inside a bubble all on my own and I’m screaming to get out – but can’t. I battle daily with a sense of guilt that I couldn’t protect James.
His death has meant I’m now an only child. He will never be able to share in my life, and I won’t ever be able to share in his.
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Elysia’s story
Supplied Reagan Asbury
My story is echoed by others I have spoken to who also lost their brothers to the senseless violence of knife attacks.
Elysia Asbury’s brother Reagan was stabbed in the neck outside a boxing match at Walsall Town Hall in October 2017.
Elysia, 26, was not at the match that night, but says spectators attempted to stem the flow of her brother’s blood with table cloths before the paramedics arrived. Reagan had been starved of oxygen for 20 minutes.
Supplied Reagan Asbury.
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She received news of the horrific attack by telephone. “We had a call from my aunt and uncle screaming that Reagan had been stabbed,” she says. “I had to stay with my sister, but I couldn’t stop pacing. I was thinking he was a strong lad; he will pull through. I didn’t realise at the time the extent of the wound.”
After multiple blood transfusions at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, Reagan’s organs began shutting down and he died there, less than nine hours after the attack. He was 19.
It was incomprehensible. “I didn’t want to admit that he was dying, but even if he did survive, he would have been brain damaged,” says Elysia. “I know it sounds awful, but I didn’t want him to survive it because it wouldn’t have been Reagan anymore.”
Supplied Elysia with her bother Reagan.
This is exactly how I felt about James, when told that, had he lived, he would have been severely brain damaged. As his sister, I knew he wouldn’t have wanted that – it wouldn’t have been him.
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A death in the family initially brings you closer together, but the dynamics in the household often change dramatically. There can be immense strain on existing relationships, because each person grieves their loss in very different ways.
Elysia has found her relationship with her mum the most altered. “I can’t talk to my mum about how I feel anymore because I don’t want to put that on her and I don’t think she has the head space to take my feelings on,” she says.
“It’s so difficult seeing your parents melt away from the people they once were.”
“It’s so difficult seeing your parents melt away from the people they once were,” says Elysia. “My parents are completely different and dealing with their grief in different ways, and that actually causes a lot of conflict and tension… the house feels like there is a massive black cloud over it.”
Each special occasion, every birthday and Christmas, becomes more difficult. A gaping hole has been left – there is nothing more noticeable than their absence – and it’s not uncommon to dread these days and want them to pass you by.
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“I would love nothing more than for my brother to be sharing in those moments,” says Elysia. “We will never get to see him live the life we thought he would have.”
Supplied Reagan and Elysia as young kids.
She also finds it hard to relate to friends. “You have a few hours out of the house and then you come back into that environment, you see your family, and you crash,” she says.
“It’s a lifelong battle, you will never get over it, but it’s something you learn to cope with,” says Elysia. “I will never get my head around it, I still don’t understand what happened, and I still can’t make sense of why it happened.”
Cleared of murder, Reagan’s killer was sentenced to 14 years for manslaughter.
Supplied Reagan Asbury
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Jade’s story
Siblings bereaved by knife crime can feel the need to take responsibility for their remaining family. This might mean striving for normality by doing household chores, which give you a sense of focus and purpose.
Ultimately, though, it’s a protective instinct – because the thought of losing anybody else is beyond terrifying.
Jade Akoum, 30, lost her brother Yousef Makki to knife crime in March 2019. Although we first spoke just a few months later, she bravely described the events that led to his killing and the impact on her family.
Supplied Yousef Makki
Yousef had been off school one Friday, going to a friends’ house in Hale Barns, Greater Manchester, and staying over when it got late. But he never came home, after being fatally stabbed through the heart by his school friend.
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“I always wanted a baby brother,” Jade says. “When Yousef was born we were over the moon. I fed him, changed his nappies and did everything for him. Not being able to have been there to protect Yousef, and the fact he died alone with none of us there hurts beyond words.”
Supplied Jade with her brother Yousef as a baby.
Yousef, who was 17 when he was killed, was a gifted young man, with his whole life ahead of him. He went to Manchester Grammar School on a scholarship and wanted to study medicine.
Like James, Reagan and many more young people lost to knife crime, he would have given so much. “He was never happy with just straight As, he wanted A*s across the board,” says Jade. “He had so many dreams and aspirations. He will never now be able to fulfil them.”
Supplied Yousef and Jade.
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As a mother herself, Jade says it’s difficult when her son mentions his uncle. “My two-year-old still asks where Yousef is, but I can’t explain to him where he’s gone,” she says. “My youngest son doesn’t know who Yousef is at all. That’s what’s so hard. He will grow up not knowing who his uncle was.”
The pain of losing a sibling to knife crime isn’t just coping with the initial loss, but dealing with the destruction one selfish act leaves behind. Bereavement can be a source of immense strain among relatives, including Jade’s, with some members of her family experiencing suicidal thoughts.
“We are still close as a family, but they have different personalities, I don’t really recognise them anymore,” she says.
Supplied Yousef with his nephew, Jade's son.
After Yousef’s death, Jade’s mother Debbie moved out of the family home. Jade now lives there with her own family but it’s a constant reminder of her brother, she says. “My children sleep in Yousef’s bedroom. It’s so painful to think about the loss of Yousef, but equally painful knowing what we will now miss out on.”
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Joshua Molnar, now 18, who was charged with stabbing Yousef, was found not guilty of either murder or manslaughter after a jury accepted he knifed him in self-defence. Molnar admitted to perverting the course of justice and possession of a flick knife, and was given 16 months in custody.
A second boy, Adam Chowdhary, 18, was acquitted of perverting the course of justice, but given a four-month detention for admitting possession of a flick knife.
Supplied Yousef Makki with sister Jade and mum Debbie.
Since we spoke, Jade has tragically lost her mum, who died of what her daughter describes as “a broken heart” – 15 months after Yousef’s death.
“Mum tirelessly fought for justice for her son, and in the end her health deteriorated so much so she could no longer fight,” Jade says.
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“One of the last conversations we ever had was to continue the fight for justice for Yousef so the world finds out the truth… It’s not just for Yousef now, but for both of them.”
Elysia, Jade and I are just three voices out of a mass of bereaved siblings throughout the UK. We have all lost brothers or sisters to an epidemic that desperately needs to be curbed. The situation simply cannot continue.
Losing a loved one to knife crime isn’t a one-off experience. Adjusting to our ‘new normal’ is almost impossible. The attacks on our brothers were unprovoked and motiveless. The sentences given feel disproportionate to the devastating harm that’s been done.
Yet who are the ones left serving the life sentences? It’s us.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--101 Joyful Things To Do While Self-Isolating

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Self-isolating is not only the right thing to do, but you could also end up in serious hot water financially if you fail to do it. Refusing to self-isolate is now illegal in England – those who don’t could face fines up to £10,000.
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As it stands, there a few different circumstances where you need to self-isolate:
if you have any symptoms of coronavirus,
if you’ve tested positive for coronavirus,
if you live with someone, or someone in your support bubble, has symptoms or tested positive,
if you’ve been told to self-isolate by Test and Trace,
or if you’ve arrived in the UK from a country with a high coronavirus risk.
If you have symptoms or have tested positive for coronavirus, you’ll usually need to self-isolate for at least 10 days.
However some people – such as those who live with, or are in a support bubble with, someone who has symptoms or tested positive; or those who’ve been told to self-isolate by Test and Trace – need to stay put for 14 days. The time scale is longer in these groups to allow for the virus’ incubation period.
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Of course, spending long periods of time at home without being able to leave the house can be pretty boring for those who aren’t working or studying.
So, here are some uplifting ways to fill your time if you do end up having to self-isolate (or, if you’re just stuck indoors because there’s a storm outside!):
1. Look after and tend to your house plants.
2. Download a language app and use it each day.
3. Write down three things you’re grateful for.
4. Finish reading that book on your bedside table.
5. Binge a Netflix series. We recommend Schitt’s Creek.
6. Use the colouring book you got for Christmas in 2014.
7. Make a dish you’ve never made before.
8. Call a grandparent.
9. Set some goals for the rest of the year.
10. Have a bath (or a longer shower than usual).
Zave Smith via Getty Images
11. Open a window, pause, and enjoy the sun shining onto your face.
12. Complete a video game.
13. Learn sign language.
14. Make a delicious breakfast – and eat it in bed.
15. Take part in ‘Optimistic October’ every day.
16. Bake some cookies.
17. Write a page of that book you’ve been meaning to start.
18. Search for freebies on Nextdoor.
19. Jot down a poem.
20. Upcycle old furniture instead of getting rid of it.
21. Order a takeaway.
22. Go for a run – on the spot or around your flat/house.
23. Learn origami.
24. Deep-clean your home (it’ll make you feel better afterwards, honest).
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25. Make a start on your Christmas shopping, online.
26. Buy a cross stitch kit – and actually finish it.
27. Play a board game.
28. Listen to a new podcast.
29. Clear out your makeup drawer and ditch any out-of-date beauty products.
30. Marie Kondo your wardrobe and put unwanted items in a charity bag for when your self-isolation ends.
32. Carve a pumpkin and put it in your window.
33. Dance in your kitchen to your favourite song.
34. Create your own sourdough starter.
35. Sort out your crap drawer – we all have one.
36. Make your favourite pizza from scratch.
37. Book an online food shop and order all your favourite things.
DragonImages via Getty Images
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38. Invest in some swanky new PJs or loungewear – you deserve it.
39. Write a letter or send a card to a friend.
40. Plan a staycation or weekend break for once you’re out of quarantine.
41. Take time to think about what makes you feel good – and implement it.
42. Sign petitions to further the Black Lives Matter movement.
43. Research local charities in your area and donate to one.
44. Think about one change you can make in your life that benefits the environment.
45. Download the Calm app and actually use it.
46. Paint your bedroom (or any other room in your home).
47. Put up some of your favourite pictures (if you’re renting, get some Command strips so you don’t have to put nails in the wall).
48. Teach yourself to make a killer cup of coffee.
Savigny Melodie / EyeEm via Getty Images
49. Rewatch old Bake Off episodes.
50. Become an online mentor.
51. Learn how to make pasta with an Italian Nonna (grandma).
52. Colour code your bookcase.
53. Give online wine tasting a whirl.
54. Master the art of DJ-ing, from your phone.
56. Ditch social media for the day.
57. Treat yourself to an early night.
58. Write a five-year plan.
59. Sit down for an hour to draw or paint.
60. Make time to watch A Life On Our Planet (on Netflix from October 4).
61. Ditch the meat and see if you can follow a vegetarian diet for the week.
62. Look out of someone else’s window for a change.
63. Treat yourself to a new winter coat.
64. Cheer up your home with letterbox flowers.
65. Learn to knit (it’s good for the soul).
66. Paint your nails – or give yourself a pedicure.
67. Binge a boxset (you can get a 7-day free trial of NOW TV).
69. Swot up on your general knowledge.
70. Finish that jigsaw puzzle.
71. Masturbate – go on, treat yourself.
72. Buy some ring binders and file away your paperwork. Colourful dividers are a must.
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73. Write a journal about your life in the pandemic. One to show the grandkids some day!
74. Organise your photos – they might be stored on The Cloud, but it’s helpful to pop them into folders so you can easily refer back.
75. Print your favourite photos out.
76. Shimmy your way through an online dance class.
77. Try online yoga.
78. Play a card game with your housemate – single player card games are a thing, too.
79. Leave conditioner on your hair for longer than normal and get that glossy feel.
80. Decorate your own gingerbread house (and then eat it).
81. Make a list of all the life admin you have to do – and get started.
82. Book a haircut (for two weeks time, of course).
83. Switch energy providers to get a cheaper deal.
84. Assess your direct debits.
85. Try Laughter Yoga, if you dare.
86. Make popcorn and watch your favourite childhood film.
87. Host an at-home cocktail night with these easy recipes.
88. Build a den – with or without kids at home.
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89. Polish your shoes for when you’re allowed into the world again.
90. Learn a magic trick via YouTube.
91. Get the Christmas decorations out early (we’re in a pandemic, it’s allowed).
92. Try this mulled wine recipe while you’re at it.
93. Follow uplifting Instagram accounts – and delete the ones that are dampening your sparkle.
94. Sew on that button, or mend that hem, that you’ve been meaning to do.
95. Make an upbeat playlist and listen to it.
96. Laugh out loud at these honest film trailers.
97. Teach yourself how to play chess.
98. Use one of your newly-acquired skills to make a Christmas present for a loved one.
99. Discover an introduction to tasting beer.
100. Set up a standing order to your savings account.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--Laundry Stripping: The Grossly Satisfying Way To Clean Your Clothes

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Who knew that regular cycles in your washing machine may not be enough to get clothes clean?
A viral TikTok by user MrsLaurenElms, which showed her soaking towels in a bathtub, helped launch a national obsession with “laundry stripping” during the pandemic.
Over the last few months, TikTok’s #laundrystripping tag page has garnered 27 million views and counting.
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“One reason that we have seen a rise in this trend is because of the shock factor that it gives people when they realise that the clothes they thought were clean are horrifically dirty,” said Michelle Hansen, an organising and cleaning expert and owner of Practical Perfection.
Laundry stripping provides physical proof that our regular washing methods might not be working as well as we thought. “Plus, it’s satisfying to see the murky coloured water and see how much cleaner you’ve been able to get your laundry,” Hansen said.
But what, exactly, does laundry stripping do? And is it safe for your fabrics? Here’s a closer look at the latest washing trend.
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What is laundry stripping?
“Laundry stripping is a soaking method designed to deep-clean your washing, with the intent to remove built-up residue from detergent, hard water, body oils and fabric softener, which you simply cannot do using a washing machine,” explained Dr. Elizabeth Mullans, a dermatologist in Houston, Texas.
Unlike other common products, the cleaning agents used to strip your clothes don’t have a waxy build-up that forms over time and causes clothes to become stiff and uncomfortable to wear.
Laundry stripping can be done in a traditional washing machine, though it requires a top-load washer. Since not everyone has one, using the bath is often the most convenient option.
Because of the extra-large capacity of a bath, it allows for the powders and hot water to have access to all parts of the washing, Hansen explained. The extra water and extended soak time allow the mixture to strip away the buildup that regular detergents leave on clothes.
Basic Laundry Stripping Recipe And Instructions
Start by filling your tub with the hottest water possible. You can also use a large bucket or utility sink ― anything with enough space to fully submerge the fabrics
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Next, add your stripping mixture:
¼ cup Borax
¼ cup washing soda (sodium carbonate)
½ cup detergent of your choice
The Borax and washing soda are boosters, which remove hard water minerals in fabrics. Laundry detergent contains surfactants and enzymes to break down and remove other build-up on fabrics. The TikTok that kicked off this trend used a mixture of Borax, Arm & Hammer super washing soda and Tide powder detergent.
After about four hours of soak time, squeeze out excess water as much as possible. Then run the washing through a cycle in your washing machine without any detergent.
How To Maximise Strip Washing
Hansen recommended starting your laundry stripping with a load of clean clothes. “That way you’ll really be able to tell what a difference laundry stripping makes, even on clothes that you thought were clean,” she said.
Mullans noted that if you have sensitive skin, it’s a good idea to use a detergent designed for that. She added that laundry stripping is not always ideal for clothing as it can cause dyes to run. Also be careful with the type of items you decide to strip, such as comforters or pillows, as a high pH will strip the oils and could even cause the fabric to crack.
Since using hot water is essential to the process, it’s best to avoid stripping any colours other than white. Save the stripping process for your white towels, sheets, undergarments and clothing. It should also be done to clothes just a few times a year to avoid damage.
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Also, because there are several cleaners and a large amount of water involved, it’s important to keep any little ones or pets away from the tub area until you’re done to avoid accidents.
Is It Worth The Trouble?
Laundry stripping requires a lot of water, time and can be harsh on fabrics. So should you bother?
“While this laundry stripping trend seems to have gained popularity with many consumers, our research and laundry expertise suggests that there are more effective methods to remove build-up on fabrics,” said Jennifer Ahoni, Tide senior scientist. That’s because using washing or baking soda in a stripping process can not only cause some of the issues outlined above, but even form new soap scum residues on fabrics.
“Additionally, we have learned that low wash pH is an effective method for soap scum removal, and washing soda raises wash pH,” she added. “Washing soda can also deactivate some detergent components.”
Often, residues consist of body soils and fatty acid salts (“soap scum”), which a high-quality detergent and the warmest water possible can mostly remove, Ahoni said. “For additional removal of insoluble soap scum, I would recommend using a rinse treatment that is acidic, like 9 Elements Purifying Softener.”
It also helps to avoid overcrowding your washer or using more than the recommended amount of detergent, both of which make it tougher to effectively remove buildup.
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Ahoni said that if you do give laundry stripping a shot, don’t do it frequently, as it can prematurely age and damage clothes. The hot water temperature required can be damaging to fabrics, as well as cause dye loss (which, by the way, is likely what contributes to the murky tub water). “I would avoid doing laundry stripping on delicate garments and fabrics, or those that you are worried about fading,” she said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--When Trump Went After Hunter Biden For His Addiction, He Went After Me Too

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I was among the 73 million people who watched Tuesday night’s debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. It was a debate, I might add, that had all the decorum of a “Real Housewives” reunion show (no shade to all you Real Housewives out there).
As a Black woman, I was stunned and demoralised by Trump’s refusal to denounce white supremacists. But when Biden brought up his late son Beau’s military record and Trump countered by attacking Biden’s other son, Hunter, saying he was thrown out of the military for cocaine use, I had to get up and walk away from the television. Ouch.
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I circled back, though, when I heard the tone of Biden’s swift, loving response.
“My son, my son, my son ― like a lot of people you know at home ― had a drug problem. He’s overtaken it, he’s fixed it, he’s worked on it, and I’m proud of him. I’m proud of my son.”
Thank you, Joe.
Even the Real Housewives know that kids are always off-limits. Around 20 million Americans ages 12 and older have a substance abuse disorder, according to a 2019 report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. When Trump took a shot at Biden’s son on this prime-time stage, he was also firing off at them and at the tens of thousands of family members who have an addict in their lives.
With roughly 70,000 people dying per year from accidental overdoses and with alcohol use skyrocketing during the pandemic, it feels wildly callous and irresponsible for our president to “go in” on people who are struggling with a disease formally recognised by the American Medical Association.
On April 22, 1978, then-first lady of the United States Betty Ford bravely announced to the world that she was addicted to prescription medication and alcohol. Later on, she famously created the gold standard in treatment centres, the Betty Ford Center. And up until her death at age 93, she worked tirelessly to remove the stigma that many people associate with alcoholism and addiction.
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Last week when actor Dax Shepard opened up on his podcast Armchair Expert about his drug use after claiming 16 years of sobriety, he spoke about being scared — not just of having “lost his time,” but of being stigmatised. Shepard spoke candidly about how his ego was his own worst enemy, saying he had been afraid of what people would think of him if he confessed.
In 2019, US Surgeon General Jerome Adams said, “The biggest killer around drug and alcohol abuse isn’t the overdoses. It’s the stigma. Stigma keeps people from asking for help.”
I know a little bit about that.
In 2006, I was fighting a monster of an alcohol and pill addiction, and I was losing. Like Shepard described on his podcast, my tolerance was also off the charts, meaning I had to take larger and larger quantities to feel even just kind of normal.
I was hiding my addiction from everyone I knew, keeping up with a wild schedule and suffering through daily bouts of withdrawal and shame. Even though I knew that the quantities of pills and booze I was downing on a nightly basis could kill me, I was determined to keep up appearances. I’d just been named president of the PTA at my kid’s school. Later that year, I was asked to join the Board of Trustees. And I had been at countless meetings and lunches with other committee moms and heard the way they trash-talked other parents who fell from grace.
“Did you hear that Parker’s mom is having an affair with Mr. Todalski?” Or, “I heard, Bryce’s dad lost his job. He may have to switch schools.” But the most scandalous subject of all, the one that they huddled around to discuss in excited, hushed tones? Rehab.
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“Did you hear that so-and-so went to [the addiction treatment centre] Hazelden? Her poor children. Her poor husband. I heard he had to hide her keys so she wouldn’t try and drive the kids to school drunk.”
Gulp. How could I tell anyone that I had this horribly destructive disease if admitting it meant that I would become the drunk mom de jour on the next PTA gossip menu?
Checking into rehab on July 14, 2008, was frightening. I was scared to leave my kids, I was scared of what was sure to be a gnarly, painful detox, and I was terrified by the possibility of facing life without a cocktail (or seven). But it was boarding that airplane to return home 28 days later that was really the most terrifying thing I’d ever done.
To me, it was the equivalent of walking into the lion’s den. I returned to an ex-husband who had no doubt discovered all of the bottles I had hidden around the house. I returned to a group of women who had probably been coached on what they could and couldn’t say to their fragile, alcoholic friend.
But the most petrifying thing was driving to campus that first day back to drop off my kids. I briefly thought about switching them to a different school but decided instead to don the required uniform of any disgraced addict — dark sunglasses and a baseball cap. Parking on the ramp to wait in that line was agonising.
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It’s taken me years to learn to hold my head high after rehab. When appropriate, I identify as an alcoholic, but more often, I identify as a woman in recovery. I write openly about my journey in sobriety, and for the most part, the responses I get are lovely, filled with inspiration and gratitude.
Until Tuesday night, I had started to become hopeful that the nation was indeed coming to a point where the stigma of addiction was becoming less and less significant. That could possibly spare the lives of countless folks like me who might be reluctant to admit to having a condition that some people believe is a matter of choice or a weakness of character.
In a strange way, I’m glad that Trump attacked Hunter Biden’s addiction and recovery onstage that night. Now there can be no doubt about where he stands. And I’m glad that Joe Biden was allowed that moment — not just to defend his son, but to come to the defence of addicts all over the world.
People in recovery have laboured under this stigma long enough. We’re not bad people trying to be good. We’re sick people trying to get better. And as singer-songwriter Jason Isbell tweeted the day after the debate, “Recovery lessons really come in handy when you’re trying to rebuild something that’s in extreme disrepair.”
This article first appeared on HuffPost Personal
Have a compelling personal story you want to tell? Find out what we’re looking for here, and pitch us on ukpersonal@huffpost.com


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--Trump's Doctors Reveal President Is Further Into Covid-19 Diagnosis Than Previously Thought

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Donald Trump is “doing very well” after being hospitalised with Covid-19, the president’s doctor has said, revealing that the president was diagnosed 72 hours ago ― a day earlier than previously thought.
Questions have also arisen around whether or not the US president had required supplemental oxygen at any point.
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Physicians Sean Conley and Sean Dooley stated that Trump was not currently on oxygen and not having any breathing trouble, but repeatedly declined to say he had definitively not been on oxygen at all over the course of his treatment both at the White House and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre near Washington DC.
Doctors also revealed that Trump had symptoms on Thursday, including a “mild cough, and some nasal congestion and fatigue.” Trump attended a fundraiser in Bedminster, New Jersey, that same day.
White House physician Sean Conley (2nd R), with medical staff, arrives to give an update on the condition of Donald Trump. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images
Speaking to reporters outside the hospital on Saturday Dr Dooley said Trump was in “exceptionally good spirits” and even told doctors “I feel I could walk out of here today.”
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The 74-year-old president – deemed to be at higher risk of severe illness after testing positive for the virus due to his age and weight – was airlifted to hospital on Friday evening “out of abundance of caution”, officials said.
But while Trump’s doctors said they had been pleased with the president’s progress, questions have arisen around the timeline of his positive status, with his doctors referring to “72 hours” since his Covid-19 diagnosis, when it was previously believed to have been fewer than 48.
Despite warning that days seven to 10 were critical in diagnosing the severity of Trump’s illness, the tone of the conference was overwhelmingly positive. But in the wake of the event, a source with knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press that some of the president’s vital signs in the last day were “very concerning”, improving since he arrived at hospital.
Trump and first lady Melania Trump announced they had tested positive on Friday on after appearing at a number of events this week, including a presidential debate, a fundraiser at his Bedminster golf resort and a White House Rose Garden ceremony to nominate judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.
Many people who attended these events, including top Republican senators, have also tested positive for the virus this week.
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The president tweeted a short video on Friday evening, filmed in the White House prior to his transfer to hospital, in which he said: “I think I’m doing very well, but we’re going to make sure that things work out.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-03--'I'm Just Not': Trump Told Bob Woodward He Wasn't Worried About Getting Covid-19

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Donald Trump told Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward earlier this year that he wasn’t worried about contracting Covid-19. “I’m just not,” he said in a newly released audiotape of the interview obtained by CNN.
Now Trump’s being treated for the coronavirus at Walter Reed Hospital.
In an April 13 interview for his book “Rage,” Woodward asked the president about his fears of contracting the disease.
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“You’re risking getting it, of course,” Woodward warned him in the recorded interview. “The way you move around and have those briefings and deal with people. Are you worried about that?”
“No, I’m not,” said Trump. “I don’t know why I’m not. I’m not.”
Yet Woodward pressed him: “Why?”
Trump responded: “I don’t know. I’m just not.”
In a strange disconnect, the president had also described the coronavirus to Woodward as “deadly stuff,” a “plague” that “rips you apart,” a “scourge” and a “monster.” He warned Woodward that the virus is “so easily transmissible, you wouldn’t even believe it.”
“It moves rapidly, Bob,” Trump said in an earlier tape. “It moves rapidly and viciously. If you’re the wrong person and if it gets you, your life is pretty much over if you’re in the wrong group. You know what I mean. It’s a tough deal.”
But he also admitted to Woodward that he had been downplaying the danger of the virus to Americans.
“I wanted to always play it down,” Trump told Woodward in March. “I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”
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You can hear the newly released recording at CNN here.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-02--Donald Trump Hospitalised Hours After Testing Positive For Coronavirus

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US president Donald Trump is set to remain in hospital “for a few days” as his condition appears to have worsened after testing positive for coronavirus.
Trump was airlifted to Walter Reed hospital on Friday evening “out of abundance of caution”, officials said, and will undergo treatment at the military hospital on the advice of doctors.
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Trump, 74, will be moved to a special suite at the Medical Centre in Bethesda, Maryland, as doctors urged the move so the president could get immediate care if needed, they said.
At least six people in the president’s inner circle have now tested positive for the virus, including the first lady Melania Trump, his campaign manager Bill Stepien and former White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway.
Shortly after boarding Marine One, the president tweeted a video saying: “I’m going to Walter Reed hospital, I think I’m doing very well, but we’re going to make sure that things work out. The first lady is doing very well.”
SAUL LOEB via Getty Images
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SAUL LOEB via Getty Images
“President Trump remains in good spirts, has mild symptoms, and has been working throughout the day,” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement.
“Out of an abundance of caution, and at the recommendation of his physician and medical experts, the president will be working from the presidential offices at Walter Reed for the next few days.” Trump had a low-grade fever on Friday, reported multiple outlets. It emerged on Saturday that Trump had already been treated with an experimental cocktail of drugs – which are starting to be rolled out in hospitals across the UK – prior to leaving the White House, and has also been given Remdesivir.
Trump, who has played down the threat of the coronavirus pandemic from the outset, wrote on Twitter on Friday that he and his wife Melania were going into quarantine after testing positive for the virus, which has killed more than 200,000 Americans and severely damaged the US economy.
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Trump is at high risk because of his age and weight. He has remained in apparent good health during his time in office but is not known to exercise regularly or to follow a healthy diet.
The news came after White House doctor Sean P Conley wrote that Trump “remains fatigued but in good spirits”.
The language shifted over the day, with White House officials initially majoring on the fact he was in “good spirits”.
Boris Johnson – himself previously hospitalised with Covid-19 – wished the president well on Saturday, telling reporters he thought the US president would “come through it very well”.
He added: “I think obviously everybody’s wishing him and Melania the very best and hoping that they recover speedily and I’ve no doubt that he will, he’ll make a very strong recovery.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-04--How Donald Trump Became A Possible Superspreader

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President Donald Trump knew he may have been exposed to Covid-19, was experiencing mild symptoms and was tested Thursday, his doctor said at a news conference Saturday.
Trump traveled to a fundraiser in New Jersey anyway, possibly exposing attendees, staff and others to the deadly virus that has killed more than 208,000 Americans.
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The timeline Trump physician Sean Conley outlined offered the clearest evidence yet that Trump had, at the very least, serious reason to suspect he had Covid-19 yet continued behaving as if he did not.
Conley said Trump was tested Thursday afternoon after a positive test result from a close contact he declined to identify but is likely aide Hope Hicks. She received a result Thursday morning, though senior officials tried to keep it from the public, Bloomberg News reported.
Trump had a fever “Thursday into Friday,” Conley said, as well as a “mild cough and some nasal congestion and fatigue.” He received the test result Thursday evening, Conley said. The president went through a “very concerning” period Friday, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Saturday.
Still, the timeline Trump’s medical team put forward is extremely muddled. Conley told the news conference that Trump was “72 hours” into his diagnosis, which would mean he knew as early as Wednesday, when he attended another fundraiser in Shorewood, Minnesota.
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Trump began receiving antibody therapy about 48 hours ago, another member of the medical team said, which suggested it started on Thursday — even before Trump attended the New Jersey fundraiser and had a confirmed positive test.
About two hours later, Conley issued a memo saying that was incorrect and that the doctors meant to say he was diagnosed Thursday evening and began treatment on Friday.
Conley declined to tell the news conference when and where Trump likely became infected: “We’re not going to go into that. As far as his care, it’s irrelevant.”
But it’s not irrelevant to the countless others who may have been infected. Trump’s lax response to the virus, politicisation of masks and insistence on reopening businesses and public spaces has been a major factor in the US death toll.
The latest news implicates Trump as a superspreader in an even more direct way: At least eight people who gathered at the White House on September 26 to celebrate Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court have tested positive after foregoing masks, hugging and shaking hands.
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Multiple other members of Trump’s inner circle tested positive this week, possibly because of exposure during preparations for Tuesday night’s debate or at other events.
And for all of those confirmed cases, countless more may have been infected without willingly putting themselves at risk: people working the events, such as waiters, cleaners, support staff, Secret Service agents, military personnel and others who had little choice in attending. Those people run the risk of affecting their families and communities without the guarantee of medical care that the president, his family and high-ranking lawmakers can expect.
President Donald Trump heads to New Jersey for a fundraiser Thursday. Susan Walsh/Associated Press
The White House medical unit and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are currently doing contact tracing, Conley said. But as HuffPost reported Friday night, contact tracers in New Jersey were still trying to get a full list of those potentially infected at Trump’s fundraiser.
When Trump became infected is essential for contact tracing and informing those whom he may have exposed to the virus. That his medical team refused to provide a clear answer means the public is in the dark about whom the president may have knowingly put in danger. Also unclear is when first lady Melania Trump first showed symptoms.
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The Virus Creeps Through The GOP’s Top Ranks
The genesis of the spread among high-ranking GOP officials is also unclear. Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel found out Wednesday that she tested positive for Covid-19. The last time she interacted with Trump was September 15, sources told The New York Times, and the RNC said she has been isolating at home since.
On Tuesday, Trump showed up to the first presidential debate too late to be tested, moderator Chris Wallace said. Organisers relied on self-reporting symptoms and test results. As of Friday, at least 11 cases were tied to the debate, which host city Cleveland said were tied to “pre-debate planning and setup.” Trump’s family declined to wear masks despite pleas from organisers to do so.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who helped Trump prepare for the debate and attended the Supreme Court nomination event, has since tested positive for Covid-19.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie tested positive for COVID-19 less than a week after attending a ceremony at the White House. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Trump has spent months downplaying and spreading misinformation about Covid-19, repeatedly insisting that the nation has “turned the corner”. At Tuesday’s debate, he mocked Biden for wearing a mask too much and insisted that Trump’s large, sometimes indoor campaign events have “had no negative effect”.
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A Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June was the “likely” source of a surge in coronavirus cases in the area, according to the Tulsa City-County Health Department. Former 2012 presidential candidate Hermain Cain and six of Trump’s campaign staffers tested positive for the virus after the event; Cain died a month later.
But apparently as long as it doesn’t affect Trump, he seems to be OK with it. “I’m on a stage, and it’s very far away,” Trump told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in mid-September. “And so I’m not at all concerned.”
Little Indication Of Change At The White House
It appears the White House and Republicans haven’t learned a lesson. Masks are still not mandatory at the White House and are considered a “personal choice,” a senior White House official told The Associated Press.
Vice President Mike Pence, who has twice tested negative for Covid-19 but has been in contact with others who tested positive, is holding an in-person campaign event on Thursday in Peoria, Arizona. The event listing on the campaign site makes no mention of masks but does include the campaign’s standard language: “In attending the event, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to Covid-19, and waive, release, and discharge Donald J. Trump for President ... from any and all liability.”
Trump's event to nominate Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court on Sept. 26 was a social-distancing-free affair. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images
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Attorney General Bill Barr, who has also tested negative, is reportedly declining to self-isolate even though he was in close contact with people who tested positive, and results can often change days after exposure.
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Saturday that he would push back other Senate business until after October 19 but that the Judiciary Committee would nevertheless begin confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett on October 12.
Three Republican senators have tested positive for Covid-19 in the past few days. Two of them — Senators Mike Lee and Thom Tillis — sit on the Judiciary Committee and may have already infected others. Both have said they intend to isolate for just 10 days, which is short of the 14 days the CDC recommends but would allow them to attend the hearing.
Trump has spent months trying to ignore and downplay the virus. A Cornell University analysis this week concluded Trump is “likely the largest driver of the Covid-19 misinformation.” That much does not seem to be changing.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-04--The Crown Shares First Glimpse Of Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress And It's Just As Impressive As The

The Crown Shares First Glimpse Of Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress And It's Just As Impressive As The Original

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The Crown has offered fans a a first glimpse of Emma Corrin as Diana, Princess of Wales in her iconic wedding dress.
An image released by Netflix shows the actor wearing a new version of the gown, which was based on the original design by David and Elizabeth Emanuel.
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The post on the show’s official Twitter account said: “A first glimpse of Princess Diana’s wedding dress.
“Emmy award-winning costume designer Amy Roberts wanted to capture the same spirit and style of David & Elizabeth Emanuel’s original design, without creating a replica for Emma Corrin.”
A first glimpse of Princess Diana’s wedding dress. Emmy award-winning costume designer Amy Roberts wanted to capture the same spirit and style of David & Elizabeth Emanuel’s original design, without creating a replica for Emma Corrin. pic.twitter.com/iYXN66aFjh — The Crown (@TheCrownNetflix) October 3, 2020
The original dress was famous for featuring a 25ft train, although the angle of the picture does not allow us a peek at its recreation.
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Emma, whose previous credits include Misbehaviour and Grantchester, will portray Diana during the early part of her relationship with Charles – played by Josh O’Connor – in the upcoming fourth series of the Netflix drama.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles married in July 1981 Shutterstock
Diana's dress had a 25ft train Shutterstock
Last week, Netflix gave fans the first proper look at Emma in character, as well as the first pictures of Gillian Anderson as former prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
It’s time. Here’s your first look at @GillianA as Margaret Thatcher and Emma Corrin as Princess Diana in Season 4 of @TheCrownNetflix. pic.twitter.com/3eg121ugPJ — Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) September 29, 2020
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The upcoming fourth series will be Olivia Colman’s second in the lead role of the Queen, with production on the new episodes wrapping shortly before the UK went into lockdown earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Lesley Manville and Elizabeth Debicki will be playing Princess Margaret and Princess Diana, although it’s yet to be confirmed who will be appearing opposite her as Prince Charles.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-04--Paul Hollywood Reveals He Taught Matt Lucas And Noel Fielding To Drive During Bake Off Filming

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Paul Hollywood found a useful way of filling his time while bubbled up in the Great British Bake Off’s biosphere.
The baker has revealed he taught Matt Lucas and Noel Fielding how to drive while filming the current series of the Channel 4 show.
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Neither of the show’s presenters are able to drive, so famous petrolhead Paul opted to help them learn using the on-set buggies at Down Hall in Essex.
The Great British Bake Off's Matt Lucas, Prue Leith, Paul Hollywood and Noel Fielding Channel 4/Mark Bourdillon
Speaking to The Mirror, Paul said: “Neither of the male hosts have actually got a driving licence.
“So I was trying to teach Matt a few little tricks on the go kart and how to drive it at speed. But it was, it was fun. We need a challenge actually.
“We need to get a newspaper involved where we end up teaching Noel and Matt how to drive a car. Get a licence for them.”
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Fellow judge Prue Leith: “I tell you what, Matt got to drive just as fast as Paul Hollywood. In the end, he was zipping around with that bug. And I kept thinking, ‘That’s a guy who can’t drive!’.”
Paul added: “Now he wants to do his test. The buggies did the trick.”
During filming of the latest series, all of the cast and crew had to live in a self-contained biosphere for six weeks so they wouldn’t have to socially distance on camera.
All of the hosts, judges and bakers lived alongside 80 members of the production team, 20 hotel staff, and around 20 “children, chaperones and dog walkers” during the six-week shoot.
Paul, Matt, Prue and Noel in the Bake Off tent Channel 4/Mark Bourdillon
Prior to moving in to the hotel, people had to self-isolate for nine days and take three Covid tests to ensure they did not have the virus.
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The shoot, which was described as “gruelling” by the show’s bosses, saw the team work on a two days on, two days off basis, while they also built 12 practise kitchens for the bakers to use on their days off.
Kieran Smith, who is the creative director at the Channel 4 show’s production company Love Productions, previously revealed that there was only one coronavirus scare during the shoot, which turned out to be a false alarm.
“It was a massive operation,” he said. “It felt like the safest place in Britain.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-04--Cineworld To Close All UK, US And Ireland Cinemas After Delay Of New James Bond Film

In July, the government promised a package of more than £1.5 billion to help the arts and culture industries forced to shut down earlier this year as a result of the pandemic.
Cineworld had reopened most of its cinemas in July when lockdown measures were eased across the country.
Daniel Craig’s final outing as spy James Bond will not hit big screens until next April, it was announced on Friday.
No Time To Die was originally scheduled for release in April 2020, but was first pushed back to November as a result of the pandemic.
A statement on the film’s official Twitter account said: “We understand the delay will be disappointing to our fans but we now look forward to sharing NO TIME TO DIE next year.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-04--'Suspicion' Of 'Political Interference' Over Local Lockdowns, Says Labour

Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Toby Melville / Reuters
Labour says a “suspicion of political interference” hangs over local lockdown decisions as many Tory ministers’ constituencies have been spared restrictions.
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth urged the government to publish more Covid-19 infection data as it was “not clear why” places were chosen.
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He said while huge swathes of the north were under lockdown, some areas with higher case rates – such as communities secretary Robert Jenrick’s Newark and chief whip Mark Spencer’s Sherwood – do not have restrictions.
The government has said lockdown measures are being imposed to drive down infections.
“Because there is no clear guidelines as to why an area goes into restrictions and how an area comes out of restrictions then there is a suspicion that there is political interference – I hope there isn’t,” Ashworth said, speaking on the BBC Andrew Marr Show on Sunday.
“But until the government publish clear guidelines, that suspicion will always linger.”
The North East, Merseyside, and huge swathes of Lancashire and Leicestershire are under lockdown.
Saying there appeared to be a “red wall lockdown” emerging, Ashworth said: “What we need to see is local authority leaders properly involved, we need to see local councillors properly involved, we need to see the local health service involved as well.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson on local restrictions: "I know people are furious with me and they’re furious with the government but… it's going to continue to be bumpy through to Christmas. It may even be bumpy beyond"#Marr #Covid_19 https://t.co/iUFQLFuY4J pic.twitter.com/YVAKc3CzuW — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) October 4, 2020
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In an interview on Sunday, also with Marr, prime minister Boris Johnson warned it would be “bumpy” until Christmas.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, meanwhile, has said the government is “in danger of losing the public in the north of England”.
Speaking to the Sophy Ridge On Sunday show on Sky News, the former Labour minister said: “We need a bit of a reset here so that people can clearly understand what’s being asked.”
He added: “I certainly feel this week that we’ve reached a bit of a turning point with all of this.
“The government are really in danger of losing the public in the north of England.
“And actually if they carry on imposing restrictions on the north without proper support for the businesses and the employees affected in the North, we will see a winter of levelling down and the North-South divide getting bigger.”
On Saturday, fresh fears were mounting about the virus’ spread after almost 13,000 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in the UK in the 24 hours up to 9am Saturday - a jump of nearly 6,000 from the day before.
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The official dashboard that records cases said the surge was due to a technical glitch and includes some additional cases from the period between September 24 and October 1.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-04--Louise Redknapp Reveals The Astonishing Reason She Turned Down Huge Friends Role

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To have a guest role in Friends would be on many people’s ultimate bucketlists – but not Louise Redknapp’s it seems.
The singer has revealed she “turned down” the role of Ross Geller’s second wife Emily on the US sitcom so she could appear on Top Of The Pops.
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Emily featured in the fourth and fifth seasons of Friends and ended up being played by Cold Feet star Helen Baxendale.
But speaking at a socially-distanced music event at the Clapham Grand on Friday, Louise revealed how it could have been her standing opposite David Schwimmer as Ross when he made *that* epic wedding gaffe.
Louise Redknapp Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
According to Metro, who were in attendance at the event, Louise said she chose to appear on Top Of The Pops instead as it was a “big opportunity”.
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“I didn’t have a lot of time and a lot of people were investing money into the album,” she said.
“To be on Top Of The Pops with that single meant a lot to me. Back in the day Top Of The Pops was huge.”
Helen Baxendale ended up playing as Emily Waltham, seen here with David Schwimmer as Ross Geller NBC via Getty Images
The host at the gig later referenced a “Jennifer Aniston and Louise love triangle”, to which Louise replied: “Yeah, well you know Top Of The Pops was really important at the time.”
The character of Emily was involved in one of Friends’ most memorable storylines back in 1998.
The fourth season’s finale saw Rachel Green – played by Jennifer Aniston – fly to London to try and stop Ross and Emily’s wedding after realising that she was still in love with Ross.
While Ross went ahead with the marriage, he blurted out Rachel’s name instead of Emily’s as he recited his wedding vows, leaving the show on a major cliffhanger.
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The Friends cast relocated to London to film Ross and Emily's wedding in 1998 NBC via Getty Images
News that Louise was almost in Friends is not the only shock casting revelation that has come to light in recent weeks.