thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--Prince Andrew Should 'Of Course' Cooperate With US Epstein Investigation, Says Keir Starmer

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Keir Starmer has said “of course” Prince Andrew should cooperate with US law enforcement in the case surrounding paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell appeared in court in the US on Thursday accused of helping disgraced financier Epstein “identify, befriend and groom” multiple girls, including one as young as 14.
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The Duke of York, who is a former friend of Epstein, has since been urged to provide information to the investigation by a US attorney.
Speaking to LBC on Monday morning, Starmer said Prince Andrew “will have to justify his own actions”.
“Of course he should cooperate with the US,” the Labour leader said.
“It doesn’t matter who you are, you cooperate with the law enforcement authorities when they require you to do so.”
Audrey Strauss, acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York, speaks during a news conference to announce charges against Ghislaine Maxwell. SIPA USA/PA Images
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It comes after a friend of Maxwell said she would “never” disclose information about Prince Andrew.
Former investment banker Laura Goldman said Maxwell regarded Andrew as a friend and was “never going to say anything” about him to investigators.
Goldman, who claims to have known Maxwell since she moved to the US, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday she would “have to” go for a plea deal with prosecutors.
Asked if Maxwell would speak about the duke as part of the investigation, Goldman said: “She has always told me she would never, ever say anything about him.
“I think she felt he was her friend and she was never going to say anything about him.
“She felt in the 90s when her father died that Prince Andrew was there for her.”
Goldman said she last spoke to Maxwell “a couple of weeks ago”, prior to her arrest in New Hampshire on Thursday, adding: “She knew she was coming to the end of the road.”
She claimed Maxwell was a “victim” of Epstein and was always “a little afraid” of him.
Maxwell, daughter of late media mogul Robert Maxwell, has previously denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of sexual misconduct by her former boyfriend Epstein.
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At a brief hearing on Thursday, a magistrate judge ordered her to remain in custody while she is transferred to New York for a detention hearing.
Four of the six charges cover Maxwell’s dealings with Epstein from 1994 to 1997, when she was in an “intimate relationship” with him, according to the indictment.
These include conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts and enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts.
She is further charged with conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Epstein killed himself last August before facing trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.
Audrey Strauss, acting US attorney for the southern district of New York, told a press conference that authorities would “welcome” a statement from the duke.
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But a source close to the duke told PA Media he was “bewildered” by claims made by US authorities that he has not offered to cooperate with the Epstein case.
One of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by the financier, alleges the duke had sex with her on three separate occasions, including when she was 17, still a minor under US law.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--This Is Why Revenge Porn Threats Should Be Made A Crime

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Threats to post revenge porn should be a crime, a charity said as it revealed one in seven young women have been threatened that their intimate photos will be shared without their consent.
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Women aged 18-34 are twice as likely than the general population to have intimate or sexual photos of themselves used against them in this way, Refuge said.
The charity’s technology abuse team said threats to share intimate images are rising, have become a common form of abuse, and should be made a crime.
One in seven young women and one in nine young men in England and Wales had experienced threats, its survey of 2,060 people – including 282 women aged 18-34 – found.
Of the one in 14 women overall who received threats, 72% were threatened by a current or former partner and of these, 83% experienced other forms of abuse.
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While 60% of those who experienced threats were under 40, around one in eight were in their 60s, suggesting this takes place across age groups.
Refuge’s “The Naked Threat” campaign is calling for the government to make threats to share intimate images or videos a crime and consider revenge porn as a type of domestic abuse.
It says this is vital given that sharing such images is an increasingly common part of romantic relationships, adding that 27% of young men and 43% of young women have done so.
Head of policy and public affairs, Ellie Butt, said: “Refuge is launching this campaign as the government heads into the report stage of the Domestic Abuse Bill with a clear ask: the law urgently needs to change and the Bill provides the Government with the perfect opportunity to act quickly and decisively.
“Sharing an intimate image is already a crime – rightly so – but now the law needs to move with the times and recognise that threats to share these images causes serious harm regardless of whether the threat is then carried out.”
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“Sharing an intimate image is already a crime – rightly so – but now the law needs to move with the times.” - Head of policy and public affairs, Ellie Butt
Eight in 10 (83%) of the women who received threats said their mental health and wellbeing suffered, while more than one in 10 said they felt suicidal.
More than three quarters (78%) changed the way they acted, with one in 10 allowing the perpetrator contact with their children, and a slightly lower proportion saying they felt forced to continue or resume the relationship.
Around four in 10 of the women had also experienced coercive and controlling behaviour or emotional abuse; a fifth experienced other forms of technology abuse such as phone monitoring, while more than one in four women were sexually abused.
Of those who received threats, almost a quarter (23%) of women and 40% of men said the image was then shared on social media platforms, which Refuge said could have been prevented if threats were made a crime. But around 5% were not sure whether the material in question even existed. Just under two thirds of the women did not report the threats to the police.
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Refuge said those who do are commonly told nothing can be done unless the image is shared because a threat is not illegal.
Natasha, 31, was six months into a relationship with her now ex-husband when he persuaded her to pose for photos. She said: “He would berate me and mock my appearance until I gave in. Posing for these photos made me feel so dirty and worthless, but I was just a teenager and I wanted to make him happy.”
She added: “The threat of those intimate photos being shared was my worst nightmare – I had no choice but to comply with his continued abuse or face potential shame and humiliation.”
Bernine via Getty Images Streams of lights on a young woman's face
A government spokesman said: “Revenge porn is a terrible abuse of trust and since changing the law, more than 700 people have been convicted with over 150 going straight to prison.
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“Those who threaten to share such images can already be prosecuted under existing offences, but we have asked the Law Commission to make sure our laws are keeping pace with these evolving crimes.”
Domestic Abuse Commissioner Nicole Jacobs, who supports the campaign, said: “Threats to share these images play on fear and shame, and can be particularly dangerous where there might be multiple perpetrators or so-called ‘honour-based’ abuse is a factor. What’s more, the advent of new technologies enable perpetrators to make these threats even where such images do not exist, but there is no clear criminal sanction for this behaviour.”
Chief Constable Simon Bailey, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for public protection, said police take revenge pornography very seriously, adding: “If prosecution is not possible officers will signpost victims to groups like the National Stalking Helpline who can offer support and advice.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--Can Dogs Sense When You're Pregnant?

Can Dogs Sense When You're Pregnant?

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Dogs can be very sensitive creatures. They often have strong reactions to changes in their environments and the people in their lives, and have even been known to experience grief after a loss.
So perhaps it’s no surprise that many dog owners say they’ve noticed changes in a pet’s behaviour when a human in the household becomes pregnant. Some have shared stories of canines “knowing” that their owners were pregnant before they even realised it themselves.
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But can your dog actually tell when you’re pregnant? Can they detect your pregnancy early on, before it’s even visible? And if so, how? HuffPost spoke to a few canine experts to find out.
The Truth About Dog Senses
Although there isn’t much definitive research to prove dogs can detect pregnancy, there are studies about dog sense detection that suggest it’s a possibility.
“Our dogs are keen observers,” said Mary R. Burch, a certified applied animal behaviourist with the American Kennel Club. “They have great senses of smell and vision, and it is no wonder that they can detect something is different when a woman is pregnant.”
She noted that many dogs can tell something has shifted in a familiar human during pregnancy by detecting physical changes related to scent and appearance, as well as behavioural and emotional changes.
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“Pregnant women have a change in their body chemistry that can result in a change in odour that can be due to an altered pH balance, and hormonal and dietary changes,” Burch explained. “In addition to body scents changing, women who are experiencing morning sickness may not feel like eating, and as a result develop ketosis that causes bad breath.”
Indeed, dogs are known for their powerful sense of smell. These are the creatures we train to sniff out drugs and explosives, after all, and research has shown that dogs can detect health conditions like cancer, migraines and epileptic seizures. Experts are currently working to see if dogs might be able to sniff out the coronavirus, too.
“Do they notice that a stranger is pregnant? Sure, just don’t expect most to care much.” - Sarah Wilson, dog trainer
A dog’s ability to detect pregnancy-related changes likely depends on their familiarity with that person.
“In a familiar woman, these changes in our hormones and body chemistry may be more noticeable compared to a woman they haven’t met before,” said Kate Mornement, an Australian animal behaviourist and consultant.
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“Changes in a woman in the dog’s own household would be the most obvious, but dogs could pick up on changes in the body chemistry of other women as well,” Burch noted.
In addition to detecting hormonal changes through their sense of smell, dogs may also be able to hear a foetal heartbeat, Mornement said. Although there isn’t much formal research to back up this theory, many expectant mothers have shared anecdotal experience suggesting it’s possible.
Still, as with any pregnancy-related differences dogs may detect, we don’t know if they really understand the reason behind the changes, or if they’ll connect the changes to the newborn baby you eventually bring home.
Inti St. Clair via Getty Images There's a lot of anecdotal evidence to suggest dogs can detect something is different when a familiar person is pregnant, even early on in the pregnancy.
How Pregnancy Affects Dog Behaviour
Your pregnancy might affect your dog’s mood and behaviour, though this isn’t always the case.
“When I was pregnant with my children, one of our dogs, a Labrador, didn’t behave any differently. However the other, a Boxer, became quite anxious,” said Mornement. “I have also heard countless clients report of their dog’s change in behaviour after they fell pregnant. Mainly that their dog became more clingy.”
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Burch noted that behavioural changes in pregnant people can lead to behavioural changes in their dogs.
“When women are pregnant, they are often protective of their unborn babies, putting their hands on their stomach or being protective, for example, if the family dog tries to jump on them,” she said. “This can result in a dog who becomes more sensitive or it can result in a dog who demands more attention and appears needy.”
FatCamera via Getty Images Some dogs become extra protective or needy when their human is pregnant. Others don't change their behavior at all.
Burch added that a friend noticed her dog acting stressed and anxious when she was in the advanced stages of pregnancy. She hypothesised this was due to things in the house being moved around and adjusted to prepare for the baby, as well as changes to the family’s daily schedule, which cut down on daily exercise time for the dog.
“Ideally, the mother- and father-to-be won’t forget about the dog and will still provide attention, activities and exercise for the dog,” Burch said.
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Sarah Wilson, a dog trainer and author of nine pet-related books, said she has heard many stories about dogs becoming more protective or attentive in response to their human’s pregnancy, but noted these tend to be “hindsight insights.”
She said examples include observations like “I wondered why he changed sleeping spots so he could always see me,” “I noticed she started placing herself between me and strangers on our walks,” and “That’s why she has to be touching me all the time now.”
Pregnancies outside the dog’s own household are probably less impactful.
“Do they notice that a stranger is pregnant? Sure, just don’t expect most to care much,” Wilson said.
Preparing Your Dog For A New Baby
“It’s really important that expectant parents prepare their dog for the arrival of their baby, as it’s a big change to everyone’s usual routine,” Mornement said. “Proper preparation also helps to avoid fear and anxiety problems once baby is born.”
One way to prepare your dog for a new baby is to gradually introduce them to baby-related items, and to create positive associations by pairing these items with treats and praise in the weeks and months prior to the birth.
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Other suggestions from experts include making gradual changes to your dog’s routine, playing recordings of different baby sounds and letting them sniff baby powders and lotions before the little one’s arrival.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--These 5 Activities Can Make You Feel Happier, According To Science

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Forget passively browsing through social media, new research has identified five activities that can help you feel happier – even during a pandemic.
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Resilience is not a fixed trait, say researchers from the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Lab at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It can be cultivated – and when we increase resilience, we experience more frequent positive emotional states.
Data was collected from more than 600 adults around the US, asking about their experiences and behaviours. So, what can you do to ‘hack’ your way to happiness?
Exercising, as well as self-care – so, engaging in hobbies and carving out time to relax – and spiritual activities such as prayer and meditation, were associated with positive emotions.
And researchers said the more stressed, anxious, lonely or depressed you are, the more it matters that you take time to exercise and care for yourself.
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Ponomariova_Maria via Getty Images
Social connection is also vital for a person’s health and happiness, they said, and have, as a result, called for the term “social distancing” to be changed – because actually, we all need social interactions right now to keep us buoyant.
While spending time passively browsing social media (scrolling through feeds, looking for updates) was strongly linked to negative feelings, people who spent more time actively interacting with others experienced more positive and fewer negative emotions. This was true for introverts and extroverts alike – and was particularly beneficial for people living alone.
How you interact was found to make all the difference though. Time spent interacting face-to-face or by voice or video call was linked to more positive emotions, whereas time spent in text-based interaction – for example, emailing, Whatsapping or texting – did not. So, you need to actually see or hear the people you’re communicating with to feel better.
Researchers suggest this is because it’s harder to establish a meaningful connection with someone via text. They added that meaningful connections with others must be the priority.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--Tom Hanks Reveals The Very Different Effects Coronavirus Had On Him Compared To His Wife

But the Hollywood star has revealed that he and his wife had very different experiences after falling ill in Australia and spending three days in hospital.
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson MediaPunch Inc./MediaPunch/IPx
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“We had very different reactions, and that was odd,” he told The Guardian.
“My wife lost her sense of taste and smell, she had severe nausea, she had a much higher fever than I did.
“I just had crippling body aches, I was very fatigued all the time and I couldn’t concentrate on anything for more than about 12 minutes. That last bit is kinda like my natural state anyway.”
Four months later and the Forrest Gump star insisted both he and his wife are fully recovered.
“Oh no, we’re fine,” he added. “Our discomfort because of the virus was pretty much done in two weeks.
“When we were in the hospital, I said: ‘I’m 63, I have type 2 diabetes, I had a stent in my heart – am I a red flag case?’ But as long as our temperatures did not spike, and our lungs did not fill up with something that looked like pneumonia, they were not worried.
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“I’m not one who wakes up in the morning wondering if I’m going to see the end of the day or not. I’m pretty calm about that.”
SIPA USA/PA Images
However, the actor is less than impressed with his home country - and President Trump’s - response to the pandemic.
“Oh dear! I have nothing but question marks about the official position as well as the individual choice,” he admitted.
“There’s really only three things everyone needs to do: wear a mask, social distance, wash your hands. I know societally it’s been politicised, but I don’t get it, man. I don’t understand how anyone can put their foot down and say: ‘I don’t have to do my part.’
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He added: “I grew up looking to our leaders for calm and informed guidance and I don’t think we’ve got that.”
Earlier this month, Tom and Rita shared images on social media of their contribution to coronavirus research at UCLA.
Tom showed a bag of plasma that he’d donated to the university, and Rita showed how she was tested for antibodies prior to making her own donation.
Plasma from people who have survived Covid-19 can contain antibodies to the disease. Researchers are investigating the use of this plasma to help patients battling severe cases of the virus recover faster.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--Keir Starmer To Take Unconscious Bias Training And Says Everyone Should Do So

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Keir Starmer has revealed he will take unconscious bias training after his controversial comments about Black Lives Matter and insisted everybody should do so.
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The Labour leader was criticised last week after describing BLM as a “moment” and suggesting the aims of some campaigners to “defund the police” were “nonsense”.
But Starmer insisted he meant that the BLM protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death in US police custody needed to be a “defining moment” and a “turning point”.
He also said he was “uncomfortable” about police’s treatment of Black Team GB sprinter Bianca Williams and her partner and questioned whether officers’ use of handcuffs was justified when they stopped and searched the pair while they were driving with their three-month-old baby in west London on Saturday.
Responding to controversy about his comments on BLM, Starmer told Call Keir on LBC: “What I was saying last week was that Black Lives Matter needs to be a moment, and I meant a defining moment, a turning point, I didn’t mean a fleeting moment.
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“So I was saying let’s not get bogged down in some of the organisational issues, let’s treat it for what it is – a moment, a turning point, a defining moment.
“I have to admit that if I’d put the word defining actually into the moment it would have been a lot easier but that’s what I meant.”
He also revealed that everyone in the Labour party would be taking a two to three hour course of unconscious bias training, designed to make people aware of how they may discriminate without thinking about it.
'Will you undergo unconscious bias training' after referring to #BlackLivesMatter as a "moment"?
Keir Starmer says he should have said "defining moment". He adds he is "going to lead from the front" and take the training.#CallKeir| https://t.co/cEAAm0zjQ6 pic.twitter.com/jMrrcu1MYb — LBC (@LBC) July 6, 2020
“I think everybody should have unconscious bias training, I think it is important,” Starmer said.
“There is always the risk of unconscious bias and just saying: ‘Oh well it probably applies to other people not me’ is not the right thing to do.
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“So I’m going to lead from the front on this and do the training.”
Turning to the stopping and searching of Williams, who has accused the police of “racial profiling”, and her partner Ricardo dos Santos, Starmer said: “I’ve looked at the video footage, the video footage only deals with what happened when the officers were at the car, so I can’t say what happened before they got to the car.
“When they got to the car I didn’t really think they handled it very well at all because it was clear there was a child, a very young child in the back, and the use of handcuffs is always controversial and I couldn’t actually see what the justification for that was.
“We’ll wait and see, it will be for the police to justify their actions and I don’t know what led to the stop in the first place.
“What I do know is that if I was a senior officer looking at that video footage I would feel uncomfortable about the way that it was dealt with.”
Starmer meanwhile said he would be talking to shadow communities secretary Steve Reed after he alluded to Jewish businessman Richard Desmond being a “puppet master” for the Tory cabinet.
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Tory donor Desmond is at the centre of a “cash for favours” row over a £1bn property deal controversially signed off by housing secretary Robert Jenrick.
Sources close to Reed told the Sun the shadow cabinet minister did not know Desmond was Jewish and has now deleted the tweet.
Responding, Starmer said: “I haven’t seen that, I haven’t discussed it with Steve, but I will do.”
Later on Monday, Labour sources said Reed would face no further action.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--These Vintage Baby Names Are Getting More Popular

Baby names follow interesting, and at times surprising, journeys up and down popularity charts. And in the US, there seems to be a trend of vintage baby names making a comeback lately.
Indeed, old-school choices like Hazel, Leo and Stella are back in the Top 50 after decades of decline, according to the Social Security Administration’s latest data.
Volanthevist via Getty Images The Social Security Administration has baby name popularity data dating back to the 1880s.
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HuffPost analyzed the SSA’s popularity lists, which date back to the 1880s, and put together a collection of baby names that were popular in decades past, fell down in the rankings, but then rose back up the charts in recent years. Scroll down for 70 increasingly popular baby name ideas with a little vintage flair.
Girls
Violet
Hazel
Faye
June
Ada
Millie
Eloise
Cora
Dorothy
Vera
Elsie
Stella
Rosalie
Alice
Leila
Olive
Josie
Esther
Frances
Jane
Rosemary
Nora
Ruth
Eleanor
Rose
Lola
Josephine
Mae
Vivian
Leona
Rosalyn
Amelia
Mabel
Isla
Georgia
Rosie
Clara
Penelope
Florence
Opal
Boys
Clyde
Warren
Silas
Everett
Otto
August
Emmett
Hugh
Jasper
Leon
Harrison
Amos
Theo
Henry
Otis
Dean
Cyrus
Archie
Turner
Isaiah
Leo
Benedict
Forest
Wallace
Augustine
Levi
Gus
Arlo
Enoch


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--Piers Morgan Says Kate Garraway's Husband Remains In 'Serious Condition' As He Clarifies Health Repo

Piers Morgan Says Kate Garraway's Husband Remains In 'Serious Condition' As He Clarifies Health Reports

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Piers Morgan has said Kate Garraway’s husband Derek Draper remains in a “very serious condition”, as he clarified media reports about his health.
Derek has been in hospital since March after contracting coronavirus, and while he is now “Covid-free”, he is still battling to overcome the damage it has caused to his body.
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After Kate gave an interview to Hello magazine with an update on his condition, the Good Morning Britain presenter has said subsequent headlines that Derek ‘had woken from his coma’ may “excite a level of optimism that may not yet be justified”.
Derek and Kate in Australia last year, shortly after she left the I'm A Celebrity jungle James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock
As Piers and co-host Susanna Reid spoke about the interview on Monday’s edition of the ITV breakfast show, he said: “A few papers doing a lot of coverage on our great friend and colleague Kate Garraway and the situation involving her husband Derek and it’s probably not quite as positive a story as the papers perhaps believe.
“So we just have a little clarification from Kate’s representative saying, ’These headlines may excite a level of optimism that may not yet be justified.
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“We hope as does Kate that there will be more evidence of a recovery but it will be a very slow and uncertain path.’”
Revealing Kate would be appearing on GMB on Wednesday, Piers continued: “She will have something, I’m sure, to say about this.
“It’s certainly premature at the moment to think Derek is in anyway out of the woods sadly on this. He remains in a very serious and critical condition.”
Speaking to Hello magazine, Kate had previously said: “We’re keeping positive and doing everything we can to bring him round,” she said. “The children and I communicate with him every day on FaceTime, while a nurse holds his iPad.
“I really believe he can hear. When medical staff say ‘Good morning, Derek,’ he sometimes opens his eyes.”
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Kate with GMB co-star Piers Morgan Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
Kate also said that “the doctors have warned that his condition could persist for years so I have to get on with life whilst we are waiting for him to get better”.
She added: “Billy (their son) starts secondary school in September, but Derek’s doctors say he won’t be out of hospital by then.”
The presenter also said she wants to return to work after Derek’s doctors “urged her not to put her life on pause”.
She said: “They’ve told me that I need to go back to work and create a routine in our lives again...
“I also need to get back to work so that I can provide for the children and we can do things together, to make them feel that the light hasn’t gone out of their lives, that there’s hope for the future.”
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The couple, who are both 52, married in 2005 and have a 14-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son, Darcey and William.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--The Funniest Tweets From Parents This Week

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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--Fox News Edits Trump Out Of Jeffrey Epstein Photo – But Leaves In Melania

Fox News on Sunday repeatedly featured a well-known photo of convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein posing with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago – but each time Trump was edited out of the image.
However, Trump’s future wife, Melania Knauss, was not cropped from the photo, which can be viewed in the video above.
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The segment focused on longtime Epstein associate and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell – also in the photo – who allegedly recruited and groomed teenage sex victims for Epstein, according to charges announced alongside her arrest last week. Maxwell has denied the allegations.
From left, Trump and his future wife, former model Melania Knauss, financier (and future convicted sex offender) Jeffrey Epstein, and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell pose together at the Mar-a-Lago club in February 12, 2000. Davidoff Studios Photography via Getty Images
Epstein and Maxwell for years moved in the same New York social circles as Trump, who called Epstein a “fun” and “terrific guy” in a now-infamous New York magazine interview in 2002.
“It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side,” the future president added.
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Police began investigating Epstein in 2005, and he was charged in Florida the following year with several counts of unlawful sex acts with a minor. He eventually pleaded guilty to two lesser counts carrying an 18-month sentence as part of a controversial plea deal.
Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail cell last year awaiting trial on new sex trafficking charges, filed a month before his death.
Following Maxwell’s arrest, Trump’s son Eric tweeted a photo of former president Bill Clinton walking daughter Chelsea down an aisle at her wedding in 2010. Maxwell appears to be one of the wedding guests in the background. Trump commented: “Birds of a feather.”
He was quickly inundated with replies showing the Mar-a-Lago photo, and others of his dad with both Epstein and Maxwell. The tweet vanished the following day.
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Eric Trump, who tweeted earlier about Bill Clinton and Ghislaine Maxwell, was literally himself on his dad’s private jet with her. FFS. You cannot make this stuff up. https://t.co/dz7jo9H002 — Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) July 3, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--Ennio Morricone, Oscar-Winning Composer Of Over 500 Films Including The Good, The Bad And The Ugly,

Ennio Morricone, Oscar-Winning Composer Of Over 500 Films Including The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, Dies Aged 91

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The Oscar-winning composer Ennio Morricone has died at the age of 91.
The Italian musician died in Rome on Monday morning following complications from a fall last week in which he broke his femur, his lawyer Giorgio Asumma told Italian news agency ANSA.
During his long and illustrious career he composed more than 500 scores for film and television, including Sergio Leone’s classic spaghetti westerns.
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Ennio Morricone in the Press Room at the 88th Academy Awards Ceremony held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on February 28, 2016. (Photo by Sthanlee B. Mirador) SIPA USA/PA Images
Known as ’The Maestro’, he was presented with an honorary Oscar in 2007 -only the second composer in history to do so - by Clint Eastwood for his “magnificent and multifaceted contributions to the art of film music,” and he collected 11 David di Donatello Awards, Italy’s highest film honours.
Eastwood starred in Leone’s low-budget shoot-’em-ups A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), which all featured Morricone’s iconic scores.
Morricone first met Leone at the age of 8 in elementary school, but the two would not connect again for more than two decades.
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“The music is indispensable, because my films could practically be silent movies, the dialogue counts for relatively little, and so the music underlines actions and feelings more than the dialogue,” Leone once said. “I’ve had him write the music before shooting, really as a part of the screenplay itself.”
He was asked but never scored a film for Eastwood the director, a decision he said he regretted, and missed out on a chance to do Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange (1971).
He won an Academy Award for his work on Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight (2015) and also was nominated for his original scores for Terrence Malick’s Days of Heaven (1978), Roland Joffe’s The Mission (1986), Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables (1987), Barry Levinson’s Bugsy (1991) and Giuseppe Tornatore’s Malena (2000).
Tarantino was a big fan and used some of his compositions for the Kill Bill films, Django Unchained and Inglourious Basterds.
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In a January 2016 interview with The Guardian, Morricone said working with the director on Hateful Eight was “perfect ... because he gave me no cues, no guidelines.
“I wrote the score without Quentin Tarantino knowing anything about it, then he came to Prague when I recorded it and was very pleased. So the collaboration was based on trust and a great freedom for me.”
His theme, Chi Mai, for the 1981 BBC drama The Life and Times of David Lloyd George became an international hit, and he received a Grammy for his Untouchables score.
Shortly after Morricone’s death was confirmed, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte tweeted: “We will always remember, with infinite gratitude, the artistic genius of the Maestro #EnnioMorricone. It made us dream, feel excited, reflect, writing memorable notes that will remain indelible in the history of music and cinema.”
Big names from the world of film and music have also paid tribute...
“Ennio was an icon and icons just don’t go away"
On #BBCBreakfast composer @HansZimmer reflects on the death of the film and TV music composer Ennio Morricone.https://t.co/poOdCpb3a2 pic.twitter.com/Azliaelk0N — BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) July 6, 2020
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With great sadness, we say goodbye to a big master of cinema. His music will keep playing in our memories. Rest in peace #EnnioMorricone. pic.twitter.com/KWwJbfHzRx — Antonio Banderas (@antoniobanderas) July 6, 2020
Where to even begin with iconic composer Ennio Morricone? He could make an average movie into a must see, a good movie into art, and a great movie into legend. He hasn't been off my stereo my entire life. What a legacy of work he leaves behind. RIP. https://t.co/qZX6qE10ke — edgarwright (@edgarwright) July 6, 2020
Only a composer like #EnnioMorricone could bring the beauty, culture and the lingering romance of Italy to your senses in the pre-virtual reality and pre-internet era... All we can do is celebrate the master’s work and learn! — A.R.Rahman (@arrahman) July 6, 2020
Damn. Ennio Morricone has left us. The way he mixed experimental sound, heartbreaking melodies and raw emotion into everything he did made him, for me, the greatest film composer EVER and a huge influence on my work..
Let’s play some things loud.. 👇👇https://t.co/hRdBWyNitx — Daniel Pemberton (@DANIELPEMBERTON) July 6, 2020
So sad to hear that Ennio Morricone has died . He was a great influence . One of the best film composers of all time. — Orbital (@orbitalband) July 6, 2020
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Morricone is survived by wife Maria Travia and their four children.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--Scientists Plan To Urge WHO To Take Airborne Spread Of Coronavirus More Seriously

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A group of 239 scientists plans to urge the World Health Organization to more seriously consider the threat that the novel coronavirus may be spread by microscopic particles in the air.
The New York Times first reported Saturday that an international coalition of researchers will publish an open letter asking WHO to address airborne transmission of the virus. The scientists say there is growing evidence tiny aerosols can linger in the air indoors and result in new infections.
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Throughout the pandemic, WHO has maintained that the virus spreads mainly through larger respiratory droplets or contact and has primarily urged people to wash their hands and socially-distance to prevent infection. These droplets, released by coughs or sneezes, are heavier than smaller aerosols and fall to the floor more quickly, thus presenting less of a threat if proper distance is maintained between a healthy and infected person.
However, if airborne transmission of the coronavirus is a significant threat, it could dramatically impact safety guidelines. According to the Times, people would need to wear masks inside places with poor ventilation even if they were socially distancing. Ventilation systems in schools and businesses would need to be updated to use powerful new filtration. Health care workers would also require high-quality N95 masks to filter out even the smallest droplets.
The scientists’ letter, titled “It Is Time to Address Airborne Transmission of COVID-19,” will be published this week in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Don Milton, a co-author of the letter and a professor at the University of Maryland, said on Twitter that the group was calling on WHO to revise guidelines in light of the possible aerosol threat.
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“Simple things can make a big difference,” Milton wrote. “Wear masks whenever you are not at home; even simple homemade masks can have a major impact. Open windows. Don’t gather in large groups inside with singing and loud talking. These three simple things will save lives.”
We ask WHO to lead in stopping spread by aerosols - microscopic droplets that can be inhaled. That is why we must wear face masks, open windows, and avoid crowded indoor spaces with singing and loud talking. Thanks @kprather88 @linseymarr @UMDPublicHealth https://t.co/K80Z3YqsxE — Don Milton (@Don_Milton) July 6, 2020
To date, more than 11 million people have tested positive for COVID-19 around the world and more than 534,000 have died.
Even as states reel from a resurgence in cases, scientists still don’t know how many people have been infected, why some patients show symptoms for months and others none at all, and how close to a vaccine the world may be or how well it will work.
Dr Benedetta Allegranzi, WHO’s technical lead on infection control, said she remained unconvinced that airborne transmission was a threat.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--Broadway Star Nick Cordero Dies Aged 41 Following Four Month Battle With Covid-19

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Broadway star Nick Cordero has died at the age of 41 after a four-month battle with coronavirus.
The actor’s wife Amanda Kloots confirmed he had died in an Instagram message on Sunday.
The Waitress and Rock Of Ages actor tested positive for Covid-19 in March and had suffered numerous complications from the condition after being hospitalised, and had his leg amputated as a result of blood clots.
Nick Cordero Paul Archuleta via Getty Images
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“God has another angel in heaven now,” his wife wrote. “My darling husband passed away this morning [Sunday 5 July]. He was surrounded in love by his family, singing and praying as he gently left this earth.
“I am in disbelief and hurting everywhere. My heart is broken as I cannot imagine our lives without him.”
“Nick was such a bright light. He was everyone’s friend, loved to listen, help and especially talk.
“He was an incredible actor and musician. He loved his family and loved being a father and husband. Elvis and I will miss him in everything we do, everyday.”
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Tributes have poured in for the actor, who received a Tony award nomination in 2014 for his role of the ghostwriting crook Cheech in the musical adaptation of Woody Allen’s Bullets Over Broadway.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson wrote: “Incredibly sad news. Can we please do what we need to do as a country to fight this virus together? It doesn’t care how healthy you are. It doesn’t care if you want to go to Fire Island. It doesn’t care if you are tired of wearing a mask. Reign. It. In.”
Amanda Kloots and Nick Cordero attend the Beyond Yoga x Amanda Kloots Collaboration Launch Event on August 27, 2019 in New York City. Noam Galai via Getty Images
Scrubs star Zach Braff wrote: “Nick Cordero passed at 11:40am today with his mother and wife by his side. I can honesty tell you I have never met a kinder human being. Don’t believe that Covid only claims the elderly and infirm. I am so grateful for the time we had. Nick Cordero fought as hard as he could for 90 days. Wear a mask. F*** Covid.”
Viola Davies also paid tribute, writing: “RIP Nick Cordero! My condolences to you Amanda who fought and loved so hard….so sorry for his little one. My heart is with you. May flights of angels.”
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Nick is survived by his wife Amanda and their son, Elvis, who was born in June 2019.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--Anger As Social Distancing Rules Bar Grenfell Victims From Attending Inquiry

Victims of the Grenfell Tower fire have voiced their frustration at being barred from the inquiry into the disaster as a result of social distancing rules.
The hearings into the blaze, which killed 72 people in 2017, will resume on Monday, but attendance has been severely restricted after proceedings were brought to a halt in mid-March as the coronavirus crisis developed.
There will be no space for bereaved, victims or relatives, as those involved in the refurbishment of the west London block continue to give evidence.
Only members of the panel, counsel to the inquiry, the witness giving evidence and their legal representative, as well as support staff and an invited journalist are allowed to attend.
Nabil Choucair, who lost six relatives in the tragedy, said: “We should be allowed to see their faces.
“We are the families that have had our families taken from us.”
In a statement released on Sunday evening, victim and survivor support group Justice4Grenfell said: “The Grenfell disaster is about the 72 men, women and children who died and hundreds more who lost their homes and a traumatised community.
“It now seems evident that the inquiry is more concerned with building safety issues rather than the impact on people and communities.”
Their anger comes as firefighters have called for no more delays or “painstaking postponements” to the inquiry.
The coronavirus delay was the second major interruption to the hearings since the second stage of the inquiry began in January.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) expressed sympathy with those affected by the fire who have been “forced to wait” for answers.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--Why People Baked So Much Bread During Quarantine: An Explanation

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The coronavirus pandemic has radically changed our lives, shedding light on myriad systems that plague us on national and international levels. And it has also given rise to ungodly amounts of homemade bread.
First, anxious shoppers hoarded loaves of bread from the supermarket, emptying shelves before we even began wearing face masks. In response, many people took matters in their own hands and began baking their own bread. But flour mills couldn’t keep up with the demand, leaving shop shelves barren and sending bakers on a search for online flour sources. Yeast then became difficult to find, leading to the booming sourdough trend.
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Everyone, it seemed, learned to make sourdough bread and starter from scratch. And even those who never quite made it to the sourdough stage of bread-baking dusted off their loaf pans to make insane amounts of banana bread.
But why bread? Of all the things in the world to cook or bake, what is it about bread that tugged at us in the pandemic?
Bread has been fundamental in the human diet since the earliest known agricultural activity in the Middle East, holding great importance in the grain-producing countries in the cradle of agriculture. In religion, sacramental bread holds significance in Christianity as one of the key elements of the Eucharist, not to mention earning a line in the Lord’s Prayer (“give us this day our daily bread”). In Judaism, unleavened bread is eaten during Passover in commemoration of the Jews’ flight from Egypt. Bread has always been everywhere, that much is clear.
And baking, especially when it’s done for others, can bring a host of psychological benefits. It’s a productive form of self-expression and communication, a form of mindfulness, a healthy distraction, and it also fits within a type of therapy known as behavioural activation. In all, baking can be a tremendous source of stress relief.
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Illustration: Damon Dahlen/HuffPost; Photos: Getty Images
But what else is there about bread that has called to us during the pandemic? We asked our readers to explain why they chose bread over other options, and they provided some deeper insight than we’d expected. Here are their answers.
Because it provides a sense of control
“My first thought: I am capable of baking bread therefore I am not powerless. It’s a very therapeutic activity, where your mind and body unite to create something wholesome, and it’s very fulfilling to see the end result. Last, it is healthier than baking sweets.” ― Sofía Slawinska
“Baking bread has allowed me to feel successful in a time where there are many challenges and so much uncertainty. The smell as it bakes, the hollow tap to ensure it’s done, the first bite into a warm piece of bread is comfort.” ― Diana Everhart Hanna
“I have been baking so much recently! It helps me have some control and be creative in a frightening world outside of anyone’s control.” ― Emily Young
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“When life hands you a furlough, make furloaves.”
Because it’s fulfilling and relaxing
“I’ve always loved the smell of bread rising. Plus, it feels so fulfilling to see the bread rise over the course of a few hours up to half a day, depending on what bread you bake. I’ve been baking bread once a week. My husband and 10-month-old daughter love it. I’m positive I’ll keep doing it once things go back to “normal.” ― Allie Gaebler
“Bread is homey, comforting, and gives a sense of what’s right in the world.” ― Linda Krajewski
“In this quiet time, in this time of deeper reflection, I am trying to bring back some of life’s pleasures that had become lost over the years, along with creating new rituals. Daily walks, Zoom cocktail parties with friends, afternoons lazing with my dog, cooking old family favourites, and getting back in the habit of baking bread.” ― Lisa Reavis Drum
“I have made bread in the past and have resumed doing so during all the time in the house now. I enjoy the sensory experience of combining the simple ingredients, kneading the dough, forming the loaves and baking it all into a magical food for myself and friends. It fills the house with a comforting aroma and fills my tummy with comfort.” ― Liz Graham
“I have always baked bread, but I decided to try sourdough during this time because I’m home and can take care of it. I stress bake, and I find making it more relaxing than any other thing I could bake. It’s challenging because the success depends on many factors... humidity, temperature, weather, etc. And bread is practical, as it has many more uses than cake or cookies.” ― LeAnna Ramsey Hawkins
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Because it gives you roots
“Bread is fundamental.
Humanity has broken bread to connect and nourish since our earliest beginnings.
It is comforting, satisfying, and easy to share.
Bread is primal.
Bread is life.” ― Rachel Robertson
“Bread is what we all need and crave right now. It’s both salt of the earth, wholesome comfort food and the forbidden fruit at the same time (carbs). What could be more perfect? Life is confusing right now, and none of us knows what’s the right thing to do. There’s a certain comfort in kneading bread, knowing our mothers and grandmothers did the same thing to feed their family (OK, even if the KitchenAid is doing the work). So yeah, I’m fully embracing it.” ― Tammy Knox Miles
Because it honours your heritage
“My father, whose heritage was Mennonite, and his family went through the Depression with 11 kids, and I was raised to ALWAYS have flour and yeast in my house. I was also taught how to make my own starter for bread if yeast wasn’t available. So we already had it available.” ― Beth Victor
“My grandmother, who recently passed, was an American who moved to the Philippines to marry my grandfather during WWII. During the war, my grandmother would bake French bread for the American soldiers every day. Her bread turned into buns to make burgers, which led to opening her very own restaurant called The Beehive in Cebu City. I was lucky to inherit her bread recipe and have been baking her bread almost every weekend I can find yeast and drop a loaf off to each of my neighbours. I bake bread to honour my grandmother. In memory of Hazel Graham Gonzalez. My namesake.” ― Hazel Nicole Pokorny
Because it helps others
“The scent of homemade bread wafting through the neighbourhood puts a smile on every face it reaches. I have been baking peasant bread for weeks and sharing it with all of my neighbours. Delicious, and everyone is so appreciative! It reminds us all of baking with Nana and happier times. The bonus is little to no chemicals in freshly prepared breads.” ― Lola Tortola
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“I started baking bread to keep my elderly parents from going to the grocery store every two days to buy bread.” ― Taina Rodriguez
Because it helps you become a better consumer
“My motivations are a combination of trying to produce less waste, consume fewer processed foods, and pick up another skill to be proud of. I’ve had an unopened jar of dry yeast in my pantry for months. Stuck at home and stressed out, I thought this was as good an excuse as any to start. My first three attempts have gone... OK. I have lots of room for improvement!” ― Kim Edwards
Because there’s time now
“I’ve been baking bread because I have the time now! I use to work six days a week on average, with my workday being close to 10 hours, and I didn’t want to spend my one day off inside baking bread. Now, in this endless house arrest, I’ve got the time to bake without feeling bad about spending my day inside.” ― Jackie Martinez
“I love making bread! But now I have the time to let it rise properly and put it in the oven at the right time, because I know I’ll be home!! I’ve made 8 or 9 loaves of ‘everything bagel’ bread.” ― Stephanie del Carmen
“I have more time on my hands, that I hadn’t had for many years. I hadn’t baked bread since my son was little and I was at home with him. I’ve always liked baking, gardening and other household jobs. I was simply too busy with work to pursue them.” ― Claudia Bouchacourt
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And ... just because.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--20 Facts You Probably Never Knew About Robbie Williams' Rock DJ

With graphic depictions of gore, cannibalism and nudity (not to mention those tiger-emblazoned briefs), pop videos don’t come much more shocking and memorable than Robbie Williams’ Rock DJ.
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The video for the lead single from Robbie’s third solo album, Sing When You’re Winning, debuted on 6 July 2000, creating nearly as much conversation as when he walked out on Take That five years earlier.
Robbie’s video proved to be hugely controversial, with the last third seeing a brief moment of full frontal nudity from the singer, who then pulls off his skin and gouges flesh from his body, before yanking out his internal organs and throwing them at the video’s blood-spattered models. They then begin gorging on his organs, leaving Robbie as a dancing skeleton.
Subtle it was not, but the daring video helped further cement Robbie as one of the UK’s most exciting male solo artists at the time.
As part of HuffPost UK’s Pop! Goes The Millennium series, we’re looking back at the classic video with 20 facts you didn’t know...
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1. The video was released way before the song
While music videos these days tend to debut either at the same time or after a song is released, you’ll remember that back in the 2000s, it was a different ball game completely.
The video for Rock DJ debuted on 6 July – three and half weeks before the track was actually released physically on 31 July 2000.
2. It debuted in front of a shocked celebrity audience at Top Of The Pops
The video was unveiled in front of a celebrity audience at the recording of Top Of The Pops on 6 July, and according to then-TOTP producer Chris Cowey, it left many of the other artists on the show shocked.
He told NME in 2000, that Victoria Beckham, Mel C, Dane Bowers and Destiny’s Child were left with their “jaws on the floor” after seeing it for the first time.
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Robbie Williams pulled off his skin in the Rock DJ video Chrysalis
3. But they were not actually the first famous people to see it
The video’s director Vaughan Arnell revealed he’d given then-Radio 1 Breakfast Show DJ Sara Cox – who was a huge Robbie fan at the time – a sneak peek at the video, noting that was left “pretty shell shocked” after watching it.
4. There was a huge amount of controversy about at the time
The Rock DJ video was met with a wave of controversy due to its explicit depictions of gore, cannibalism and nudity.
The video was cut by most music channels around Europe, including VIVA, MCM, The Box and VH1 Europe, often ending around two thirds of the way through the song.
5. One station found a nifty way of playing a longer version
With the help of some editing, The Hits played the song in full by cutting from Robbie dancing in his pants to dancing as a skeleton, slicing in some other footage from the video to fill in the gap.
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Robbie's tiger-emblazoned pants became iconic Chrysalis
6. The BBC almost banned the Rock DJ video
TOTP producer Chris Cowey fought BBC bosses to let him show the clip on the chart show.
He told NME in 2000 that he wasn’t confident it would get the go-ahead, but he ended up being able to show the first two minutes on the show that aired 7 July 2000 – with the full version airing during a late-night repeat.
Chris said at the time: “When people watch it, they go ‘Ugh, gross!’ but they keep watching it. We decided we could show it up to the point where he whips his drawers off (on the 7.30pm show). But I decided this (the full version) is exactly what the late-night repeat should be about. It’s a ground-breaking video.”
Top Of The Pops producer and director Chris Cowey PA
7. It was completely banned in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic’s National Commission of Broadcasting and Radio had concerns it promoted Satanism.
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According to BBC News, it said it was “against the moral and religious customs of the Dominican people” and the video “under no circumstances would be permitted” to be broadcast.
8. The video even came with a warning on Robbie’s own website
The full-length, uncensored video carried a 15-certificate warning when it was uploaded to Robbie’s official website.
9. You might recognise one of the video’s models
One of the models in the video was Elizabeth Jagger – daughter of Rolling Stones legend Mick and model Jerry Hall.
Elizabeth Jagger appeared in the Rock DJ video SIPA USA/PA Images
10. Robbie actually went out in public wearing the prosthetics during the shoot
The director revealed that Robbie decided he liked the make-up so much that “he popped to the local garage wearing it for a packet of fags and then to the pub for a quick pint” during the shoot.
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11. The video’s director is one of the pop greats
Vaughan Arnell had previously worked with Robbie on his videos for Angels, Let Me Entertain You and Millennium.
He has an incredible back catalogue of other great pop videos, including Dead Or Alive’s You Spin Me Round (Like A Record), Jamiroquai’s Space Cowboy, Take That’s Back For Good, Spice Girls’ Say You’ll Be There, All Saints’ Bootie Call, Geri Halliwell’s Look At Me and One Direction’s Kiss You.
He collaborated with Robbie on many of his later videos too, including Somethin’ Stupid, Radio, Bodies and more recent hits Party Like A Russian and The Heavy Entertainment Show.
12. Robbie recreated parts of the video for a TOTP performance
When Robbie debuted the video during the Top Of The Pops recording on 6 July 2000, he also recorded two performances of Rock DJ to air at a later date, one of which included him recreating the scene where he drops his trousers to reveal his tiger-print pants.
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13. Despite the controversy, the Rock DJ video won critical acclaim
It picked up the British Video Of The Year at the 2001 Brit Awards, where the track also won Best British Single.
It also won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Special Effects in 2001, while in 2006, MTV viewers voted it as the seventh Most Groundbreaking Video Ever.
In 2010, it also finished third in 4Music’s 50 Greatest Pop Videos poll, just behind Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Toxic by Britney Spears.
It’s also racked up over 64 million views on YouTube.
14. And the track was also a massive chart success
Rock DJ was Robbie’s fourth number one, and his seventh consecutive top 10 hit. He made it to 20 in a row, until this run was broken by Sin Sin Sin in 2006.
15. It toppled another classic 2000s hit from the top of the chart
Upon entering the chart, Rock DJ toppled Craig David’s 7 Days from the top spot, which fell to number two.
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Robbie knocked Craig David off the top spot Brian Rasic via Getty Images
16. It went on to become Robbie’s third-best selling single
This was just behind – somewhat surprisingly – 2012’s Candy and arguably his trademark hit, the million-selling Angels.
Rock DJ sold over 674,000 copies – nearly 200,000 of which came in its first week of sales alone – thus certifying it as a Platinum record in the UK.
17. Rock DJ actually has a sample you might not have noticed
While many people believed that Rock DJ’s base-line sounded similar to Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s Relax, producer and co-writer Guy Chambers revealed it is actually a sample from the Barry White song It’s Ecstasy (When You Lay Down Next To Me).
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18. However, this is not the only nod Rock DJ makes to another song
The line where Robbie asks “can I kick it?” is supposedly a reference to US group A Tribe Called Quest’s song Can I Kick It?, which reached number 15 in the UK in 1991.
19. Rock DJ was making fresh controversy in 2018
Robbie was invited to perform at the World Cup opening ceremony in Russia, where he changed the lyrics on the fly.
Instead of singing “Pimpin’ ain’t easy, most of them fleece me every night”, he changed the words to: “Pimpin’ ain’t easy, most of them fleece me, but I did this for free”, before flipping his middle finger at the camera.
The incident was cut from UK broadcast and streaming, but it can still be seen online.
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20. And 20 years on from Rock DJ, Robbie was recently back in those famous pants


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--Teachers Reveal Why Government’s £1bn Tutoring Plan Won’t Work

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A government plan to fund private tutors for students who need help catching up on their studies amid the coronavirus pandemic has been criticised by school leaders as poorly thought out and with little detail.
Last month the government revealed a £1bn fund – with primary and secondary schools given £650m to spend on one-to-one or group tuition for any pupils who they think need it. The most disadvantaged children will have access to tutors through a £350m programme over the course of the school year from September.
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But headteachers have pointed out the money is not entirely new, as some funding to close gaps as pupils transition from primary to secondary schools is being scrapped.
And they also fear that many pupils, especially those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds, will be wary of opening up to a stranger and admitting they don’t know or understand things.
“It is great making headlines by saying there will be funding to tutor children – but there have been no real details,” Brian Walton, headteacher at Brookside Academy in Somerset, told HuffPost UK
“It should not be about throwing money at a problem until you know exactly what the nature of the problem is.
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Others have questioned whether the money will actually be enough, as research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies suggests the £650m pot works out to be about £80 extra for each pupil.
“Children cannot learn until they feel safe, they are fed and they get back into a routine,” Tehmina Hashmi, executive director at Bradford Academy told HuffPost UK.
“It is not just as simple as plugging gaps in learning. It is about getting children back into the routines and talking to them about how they are feeling.
“It will take time for the new normal to be established before we can even begin to think about gaps in learning.”
Tehmina Hashmi, executive director at Bradford Academy. Tehmina Hashmi
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Bradford Academy has a primary school and secondary school on the same site and Hashmi says that they have only recently opened to some wider pupils on top of the children of key workers and vulnerable pupils. She says that while some children have been excited to return to school, others have been anxious and nervous, particularly the younger ones.
The area of Bradford the school serves is one of the most deprived wards in the country and Hashmi told HuffPost UK that the coronavirus pandemic has led to more families being hit by poverty.
“Children cannot learn until they feel safe, they are fed and they get back into a routine.”” - Tehmina Hashmi, executive director at Bradford Academy
“We have maintained contact with all our children and there are some children and families who we have door-step visited throughout the lockdown and we have also been delivering food parcels,” said Hashmi.
“Keeping that contact has been important and we know from the way food parcels have been received that some children have really been missing being at school.
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As a headteacher, Hashmi has found herself getting constantly frustrated by the lack of clarity from government when it comes to everything that has happened since the coronavirus lockdown, that she has taken matters into her own hands.
“I have got to the point where I am just doing what is best for my kids with the resources I have.” she said. “I know what these children need so I can try to provide it by thinking about where I can make some savings and cut some costs.”
Hashmi disagrees with the way the government has chosen to bring children back into school by year groups such as reception, Year 1 and Year 6.
She says teachers know from telephone calls and monitoring online learning which children are and are not engaging with home learning and she believes a better tactic would be to bring those pupils back into school who have not been learning to meet their needs.
“I have got to the point where I am just doing what is best for my kids with the resources I have.”” - Tehmina Hashmi, executive director at Bradford Academy
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“In our Year 10, we know there are 40 pupils who have not engaged with learning despite our best efforts. My priority will be to target them rather than bringing back whole year groups.
“That’s what we will do for every year group and will roll this out and bring the pupils back who need it most without compromising health.”
Hashmi told HuffPost UK that although the extra funding for tutoring sounds good in theory, she has many reservations – including the fact that some funding has been taken away.
“The government has taken away the Year 7 catchup funding which is a grant for schools to use for pupils from Year 6 going into Year 7 to close any gaps in their learning.” she said. “So when taking this into account, some schools will only be getting a bit more money.”
Hashmi also feels there are too many restrictions attached to how the funding can be used – such as the mention of the tuition being carried out by “approved providers.”
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“In the context of a school like mine where relationships with children are so important, engagement with our own staff would be better.” she said.
Siobhan Collingwood, headteacher at Morecambe Bay Community Primary School in Lancashire says her priority is making pupils feel safe and forging a reconnection with school life.
She told HuffPost UK that the problem with tutoring is that any vulnerable pupils throughout the country who haven’t been accessing home learning resources won’t be any more likely to take up tutoring.
Siobhan Collingwood, headteacher at Morecambe Bay Community Primary School in Lancashire Siobhan Collingwood
“For many vulnerable pupils, their lifestyle is such that they may not easily be able to access tutoring. Some families might not have the IT or find time within their day.
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“If there are families struggling with things like mental health issues, drug and alcohol problems and housing troubles, tutoring will not be top of their priorities.
“The reasons why they have not accessed home learning will still be there. What is going to be different in the way they respond to home learning and an hour’s lesson with a tutor? Why would we assume they access that when they have no relationship or connection with a tutor?”
Siobhan says the assumption seems to be that children can just pick up where they left off when they return to school – but the reality is very different.
“Children may have been hibernating and sleeping well into the day,” she said. “Their body clocks will have altered and to recharge a brain that has been in a state of lulling takes time.
“My priorities will be for children to feel safe and for them to reconnect with school, learning and teachers.”
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She added: “To me, rather than funding for tutors, I think it would have been better to provide some really excellent summer school activities where children can meet up with other children and share their experiences over lockdown in an energised space and be in a better place to re-start school life in September.”
“Children may have been hibernating and sleeping well into the day. Their body clocks will have altered and to recharge a brain that has been in a state of lulling takes time."” - Siobhan Collingwood, headteacher at Morecambe Bay Community Primary School in Lancashire
Brian Walton, headteacher at Brookside Academy in Somerset, told HuffPost UK that one of the things that frustrates school leaders is that the government makes announcements about schools but then doesn’t follow through with dialogue explaining how it will work.
“We are going to have to be realistic and look at the important gaps in the curriculum. How do we get an equity on who needs tuition and who doesn’t?
“It is about getting it right without making assumptions and we won’t know what is needed until we have got all the children back into school.”
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Brian Walton, headteacher at Brookside Academy in Somerset Brookside Academy
Walton is concerned about when tutors will provide this catch up learning to pupils and says it will be detrimental to their learning if it is during school time and they are taken out of existing lessons.
“The idea that these tutors will come in during school time is crazy,” he said. “Taking children out of quality school lessons is not the answer.
’They will miss out on time with skilled teachers who know them better and working with other children who might help to bring them on.”
“It should not be about throwing money at a problem until you know exactly what the nature of the problem is."” - Brian Walton, headteacher at Brookside Academy in Somerset
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However, Walton also has reservations about tutoring taking place outside of school hours such as during evenings and weekends. “That requires buy-in from the children and parents.” he said.
“Parents would have to be committed to taking children somewhere on a Saturday. Some parents will jump at the chance – but others won’t.”
Dani Worthington, headteacher at Moorside Community Primary School in Ovenden, near Halifax, West Yorkshire, said her school had been trying to capture the children who have not been doing much learning during the lockdown.
“It is so difficult for some parents as they are illiterate themselves so they don’t know how to help their children with their learning,” she told HuffPost UK.
“Some families don’t have the Internet or might have four or five children at home clamouring around one tablet. They can’t manage or motivate their children to do their learning at home so they just give up.
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“Our problem is we can’t make them do it. All we can do is encourage, support and offer advice. But ultimately, if they don’t want to do it, we can’t make them.”
Dani Worthington, headteacher at Moorside Community Primary School in Ovenden, near Halifax, West Yorkshire Ian Robinson
Worthington says they know several children who haven’t done any learning at all during the lockdown and she admits that those who have chosen not to return to school are the ones they really need back in school.
“I know a lot of my children would be wary of sharing what they can’t do with a stranger. They would be embarrassed to say they did not understand."” - Dani Worthington, headteacher at Moorside Community Primary School in Ovenden, near Halifax, West Yorkshire
She believes one-to-one tutoring to provide catch-up learning is a great idea as research has shown it has the biggest impact.
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But she feels it would be better for existing school staff to provide the tuition. However, she knows it isn’t realistic for them to find the time to do it.
“I know a lot of my children would be wary of sharing what they can’t do with a stranger.” said Worthington. “They would be embarrassed to say they did not understand. They need to really trust an adult and might take a few sessions to build up that trust.”
Worthington also wants answers as to how the tutor funding will be distributed as she says the need will be greater for schools in more deprived areas such as hers.
“It is about targeting the really disadvantaged pupils who don’t have that support at home rather than a blanket funding for everyone.” she said. “We need to be conscious we are not letting these children down.”
Nansi Ellis, assistant general secretary for education policy and research at the National Education Union (NEU), told HuffPost UK that while it is good there will be money available to support pupils who need it, there is already confusion around who will be eligible and how it will work.
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“There are two different pots of money – some for one-to-one tuition and some for smaller group tuition,” she said. “There was an ongoing pupil transition grant which has been scrapped so we are a bit cynical as this is not all new money and where else are they going to take money away from to put into this pot?”
Nansi Ellis, assistant general secretary for education policy and research at the National Education Union NEU
Ellis says children across the country will have done different levels of home learning and some will have done very little to none. But she says looking after the emotional needs of youngsters must be the top priority.
“All children have been impacted by this coronavirus pandemic,” she said. “Some will have had many issues, especially if they have been living in chaotic households away from normal life.
“Some children may have suffered bereavement due to Covid-19 and others will have an increased awareness of anxiety.
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“The overarching thing is what will these children need when they come back into school? The first thing schools will need to do is work out what they each individually need emotionally, physically and educationally.
“They need to look after the wellbeing of pupils as it is not just the loss of learning that will have impacted them – particularly those who come from vulnerable backgrounds.”
Ellis feels there is an expectation from government that all children will return to school in September and that most will be able to slot in and a handful will need extra support. But she says this is definitely not the reality.
“The philosophy is that pupils need to get back on a trajectory so they can get their exam results. But this is going to be more difficult for the poorest children who have lost three months of education.
“We believe all children will need support on returning to school and that disadvantaged children who have suffered the most will need even greater support – and more than just a few hours of the curriculum.
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“I think it is good that there will be money available to support pupils who need it, but schools need to be able to decide what to spend it on and start with the wellbeing and physical and mental needs of children before we can even start looking at the learning gaps.”
“Children, particularly younger ones, need familiarity and a friendly face they know."” - Nansi Ellis, assistant general secretary for education policy and research at the National Education Union
Ellis told HuffPost UK that she has serious misgivings about the government’s plans to get newly qualified graduates or tutors to provide the catchup learning rather than teachers – particularly when there are supply teachers who have been furloughed who are already known to pupils at some schools.
“Not only will graduates and tutors not know the children, they won’t know the school or system,” she said. “Children, particularly younger ones, need familiarity and a friendly face they know.
“Education is about relationships and if children are not comfortable in that relationship, they won’t be able to learn and won’t open up to a stranger.”
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smolaw11 via Getty Images
The Department for Education told HuffPost UK that the Year 7 premium for pupils was always due to end following the introduction of the National Funding Formula, as it includes a weighting for low prior attainment which replaces the need for a separate premium. It said this was not a new position and had not been put towards the £1 billion Covid catch up package.
A spokesperson said: “We are working to get all pupils back in the classroom in September because we know being in school is vital for their education and wellbeing.
“As we do so, we are asking schools to give the mental health of pupils serious attention as they return to school as well as helping their pupils to catch up academically.
“To support schools, we are providing online teaching materials, videos and webinars to schools and colleges produced by experts and charities.
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“Through our new National Funding Formula, schools attract additional money for their pupils with lower attainment who need extra support to catch up.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--Make Midweek Meals Fun With This Fish Balls Recipe

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Roll up those sleeves and get stuck in with the kids with food writer and cookbook author Olia Hercules’ fish balls recipe. Teach the little ones how to have fun in the kitchen and make a quick, easy, and delicious dinner for our latest recipe in our Cooking With Kids series.
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There’s a comforting element and a certain appeal in this dish that’ll go down well with the whole family. Hercules has always felt something quite Nordic about fish balls and recalls: “Whenever I eat these, I always think of being hygge-warm in my childhood home, reading and eating – still my favourite pastimes to this day.” Make this your new favourite in your household too.
Fishballs in tomato sauce
Serves: 2 (Makes 10 balls) | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 10-15 mins
Joe Woodhouse Fish Balls with Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
300g fillet of pollock or similar
1–2 tbsp fine semolina
1 beaten egg (to help binding, optional)
2 tbsp rapeseed or vegetable oil
Sea salt and black pepper
For the tomato sauce:
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp crème fraîche
Method:
1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat, then add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until translucent and just starting to turn golden.
2. Add the bay leaf and tomato purée and cook for a minute or so, then add the tinned tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. (My mum also adds a pinch of sugar, but I don’t.)
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3. Let the sauce reduce a little, then stir in the crème fraîche and switch off the heat. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
4. For the fish balls. My son and I like this comforting kid’s version: put the onion, garlic, a generous pinch of salt and some pepper into a food processor, then pulse until well chopped. Now add the fish and semolina and pulse again a couple of times. You will end up with a homogenous, sticky mixture, but it shouldn’t look too pulverised. (If you want a more adult version, finely chop the onion, garlic and fish by hand, then add the semolina and a little beaten egg to help bind the mixture.)
5. With wet hands, form into ten 40g fish balls and pop them on a plate or tray.
6. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and brown the fish balls, in batches, on all sides. Take care when flipping them, as they may be delicate.
7. Slip the browned fish balls into the tomato sauce, making sure they are submerged, and cook over a low heat for 10–15 minutes, until cooked through.
For more recipes Summer Kitchens by Olia Hercules is out now, published by Bloomsbury in hardback £26.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--Lockdown Has Murdered My Social Skills. Where Do I Go From Here?

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This may sound odd, but do you know how I might go about skipping the country, and starting a new life under an assumed name? It’s just that, this morning, I raised my fist at our local window-cleaner.
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There was a knock at my door, you see, and I answered it to find our friendly local window-cleaning duo on my doorstep – hands on hips, like superheroes – to announce the return of regular service now lockdown was easing.
How did I choose to respond to this? Did I say “hooray!” or “thank goodness!”, or offer them a cup of tea and enquire after their wellbeing? Oh, no. Not me.
What I chose to do was raise my fist. I raised my fist at the window-cleaners, as if to say “fight the power”. Even as my arm was ascending, it occurred to me that this wasn’t quite the appropriate response, so I took the only next step that made sense at the time: I closed the front door.
That’s right – someone said something completely unremarkable to me, and I responded by silently raising my fist, and then closing the door.
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The thing is, I didn’t push the front door hard enough, so while it creaked shut there was plenty of time for my small, half-dressed, paint-caked sons to halt their patio-based finger-painting activities and join me in the hall. And, seeing that I had one arm up in the air, they each raised an arm, too.
Ada Yokota via Getty Images
I will never forget the petrified look on the window-cleaners’ faces as they watched the front door eclipse this horrific vignette – three figures, two smaller ones in some sort of primitive warpaint – waiting silently in the gloom of the hallway, each with one arm raised, glaring malevolently at them.
So you see, now, how it’s imperative I leave this place immediately, and begin a new life far away, where no one knows my shame.
Lockdown has murdered my social skills. I haven’t been anywhere new, or really made conversation with anyone apart from my husband and two boys for four months.
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My friends have very rich social lives, despite lockdown, conducted via Zoom. Post-work drinks; nightly dates with significant others they haven’t seen since March; actual dates through online dating apps; quiz nights; virtual theatre; Netflix party film-watching marathons; book clubs; and, touchingly, quite a few have Sunday lunch up at the computer to be with their families.
I don’t do any of this. But then, unlike me, many of my friends are locked down alone, in flat-shares, or with only pets (nice pets, of course) for company. Meanwhile, I don’t even have a Zoom account.
Because all I’m ever after is a bit of quiet. I’m trying to do my full-time job from home on part-time hours – as is my husband – while we try to inflict home-schooling on our two small sons, but frequently give up in favour of forest walks, terrible baking, or far too much screen time.
“I haven’t been anywhere new, or made conversation with anyone apart from my husband and two boys for four months.”
Our days start before 6am, and our kids, unsettled by the change and weird, new rules (“Were kids allowed in playgrounds in ancient times, Mummy?”) may not fall asleep before 9pm. This pretty much gives me 30 full minutes of “grown-up time” – which I’d rather spend in the bath, halfway into a bottle of sauvignon blanc, or dozing off in front of Succession – than talking into a webcam.
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In a lot of ways, lockdown is similar to my regular life. When I was pregnant with my older son, five years ago, my husband and I moved out the city to the suburbs. After the baby was born, we went into the weird proto-lockdown that is the baby bubble, and hardly ever socialised.
Then we noticed the baby was a great excuse to get out of social obligations, which – being a pair of introverts who sometimes find social activity utterly draining – we exploited, turning down dinner invitations here and pub nights there (“Sorry, the baby is colicky” – which wasn’t a lie).
When my maternity leave ended, I decided to go freelance, and started working from home instead of returning to my office job and city commute. And I’m very happy I did this. But now – after having another child, too – I’m even more indoorsy and antisocial than ever.
What I mean by this is: my pyjama game is strong (I have day pyjamas, work pyjamas and professional pyjamas), but my social skills are poor.
Even my family are better at socialising than me. Both kids have regular video playdates, and it turns out my husband – who claims to hate everyone – is on WhatsApp groups for both the street and our school. I, on the other hand, started a WhatsApp group for my mum-friends at the beginning of lockdown – it’s very active, but I’ve posted in it, maybe, once? My family also pile into the car twice a week to visit their granddad – my father-in-law – maintaining respectful distances in his long skinny garden.
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More recently, though, people have been asking me to hang out. Online, and also for socially-distant local walks. Maybe I should take them up on it. Staying in my epic, five-year maternity-leave-freelancing-lockdown-bubble might be comfortable, but it will only worsen my anxiety when in social situations.
The other day a friend rang for a chat, and I greeted her with, “Hello, how can I help you?”. During a GP’s appointment by phone to investigate a rash, I said the words: “How is my skin wrong?”
And – even worse – on Father’s Day, I baked my father-in-law a lasagne and made the biggest social lockdown error yet. When he popped by the house, I hugged him. I. Hugged. Him. He does not live with us, and I hugged him. He is already in a bubble with other members of the family, and I hugged him. My husband and my children gave a little yell, but even then it took me a good 30 seconds to figure out the problem.
“Well, I enjoyed it,” my father-in-law quipped. I was mortified.
To date, everyone seems fine – we’ve all been isolating, so hopefully exposure would be minimal – but even so, it’s not great news. And I can’t help thinking that, had I not been so deep inside my own bubble, I might not have been so unthinking as to completely interrupt his bubble.
So, socially-distant social life, here I come. Either that, or starting a new life somewhere else. At any rate, I’ve signed up to Zoom at last.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-06--I Finally Learned To Love Living Alone. Then Lockdown Happened

HuffPost UK Courtesy of the author
Last year, I coined the word ‘alonement’ to describe the feeling when alone time is joyful and restorative – think the opposite to loneliness.
Freshly single after ending the relationship I’d assumed would be my ‘happily ever after’, I was living alone for the first time – during a period where friends were moving in with their partners. And I couldn’t spend even an hour in my own company.
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Although an extrovert, living in, overwhelmingly, an extrovert’s world, I realised how much my fear of being alone had influenced my life to date: the places I hadn’t visited, the cinema screenings I’d missed, the relationships I’d stayed in long beyond their sell-by date, and the self-knowledge I sorely lacked. As I nursed a broken heart, I was grateful that I could rely on close friends and family as a crutch – but I realised my relationship with myself needed work, too. Creating a new vocabulary around being alone was a way to thrive – not just survive – in this newfound situation.
It took time, but eventually I learned to lean in to alonement. Valuing alonement never meant ‘the more alone time the better’. A solo Saturday breakfast would be made infinitely sweeter because I was giddy with excitement to host friends for a cheese night later on. Treating solitude as ‘quality’ time transformed lonely nights scrolling Hinge into blissful evenings spent cooking spaghetti alle vongole and watching the trashiest of rom-coms. Alonement gave me the white space to work out who I am: everything from how I like to spend weekends, to what makes me feel calm and grounded at home.
“Lockdown, spent living alone, has shattered this newfound balance... As it transpires, three months without a hug is a long time.”
The process was empowering. It was a decision to choose myself over the hollow things: the flings that weren’t going anywhere, the friend of a friend’s party a 75-minute bus ride away, the ‘catch-up coffees’ with acquaintances whom I had nothing in common with. Valuing alonement gave me the bargaining chips to negotiate with: how would this situation compare to spending time alone? I’ve since launched the Alonement blog and a podcast of the same name, to help others celebrate and value their own solitude.
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But lockdown, spent living alone, has shattered this newfound balance. Physical socialising was restricted, working from home became the uncomfortable new normal. And, as it transpires, three months without a hug is a long time.
When lockdown began, initially for a three-week period, I thought I’d be fine by myself. While this has mostly held true, there have been days – even weeks – where I’ve often found myself leaning emotionally on my close friends and family, rather than gaining strength through time alone. After quarantining with mild Covid symptoms, a virtual glass of red with a friend over Zoom made me feel the most ‘myself’ I had all week. I felt intensely grateful for each lockdown update that allowed for more social contact: meeting a friend for a socially-distanced walk in Regent’s Park, eating dinner in my parents’ garden, and more recently support-bubbling with a friend and her fiance.
“As life (tentatively) returns to normal, as pubs, cafes, restaurants and cinemas reopen, I’m excited to take the ‘edge’ off my solitude.”
While I’ve kept up the Saturday morning ritual of treating myself to a fancy breakfast (just ordered from Deliveroo rather than my beloved local cafe) and reading The Times, solitude has proved harder to value having spent most of the week by myself, anyway. I’ve also realised that my ‘solo’ lifestyle isn’t confined to my flat but also the public spaces nearby – the gym, the local Odeon, the cafe down the road – where I enjoy the lively buzz of strangers. These places aren’t just functional but an extension of my living space – somewhere to go other than my small flat.
In short: like so many others living alone in lockdown, I have struggled. But that’s okay. Almost everyone, in every living situation, has felt challenged by this time. What’s testament to the ‘rightness’ of my lifestyle is that I can’t imagine having spent the past three months in any other set-up.
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It did, however, teach me a valuable lesson. I spent over a year learning that my extroverted lifestyle needed to be balanced with time alone; as the old proverb goes, hunger is the best sauce. Over lockdown, I’ve realised just how much the opposite is also true; that solitude loses its value if it’s not underpinned by social connectedness.
As life (tentatively) returns to normal, as pubs, cafes, restaurants and cinemas reopen, I’m excited to take the ‘edge’ off my solitude by spending more quality time with those I love, and to bring that all-important balance back to my life.
Francesca Specter is a writer, editor and founder of Alonement. Follow her on Twitter at @chezspecter
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--2020-07-06--Redundancy In A Pandemic: 4 Steps To Dealing With the Uncertainty

The strain of the next few weeks may lead people to lose sleep, which can have a knock-on affect on their physical health and personal relationships, isolating them from support systems when you may need them the most.
It’s important to be kind to yourself, says Paul Day, support officer at wellbeing charity CABA, which offers free counselling, career coaching, financial assistance and debt advice. Accept that any feelings of stress and anxiety are normal given the pressure of the situation – and that you’re not alone.
Self-care techniques, alternative therapy and small lifestyle changes can all help you manage symptoms of stress and prevent your mental health from spiralling. It might be worth considering therapy if you feel overwhelmed – you can access this through the NHS or privately.
Physical activity and time spent outdoors are proven mood boosters and can aid clearer thinking. Diet also plays a crucial role. Eat fresh fruit and vegetables if you can (frozen veggies are good too); stick to regular mealtimes; choose foods that release energy slowly (like oats and unrefined wholegrains); and cut down on caffeine, alcohol and sugary foods – especially in the evening, as they disrupt sleep.
2. Speak to loved ones


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-05--Sprinter Bianca Williams Accuses Met Police Of 'Racial Profiling' After Stop And Search

Bianca Williams has accused the Met Police of “racial profiling” after she and her partner were stopped and searched by officers in west London. Julian Finney - British Athletics via Getty Images
A Black Team GB sprinter has accused the Metropolitan Police of “racial profiling” after she and her partner were stopped and searched by officers in west London.
Bianca Williams, 26, a European and Commonwealth gold medallist, and Ricardo dos Santos, 25, the Portuguese record holder over 400m, were stopped and handcuffed while with their three-month-old baby on Saturday in Maida Vale.
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Footage of the incident was shared widely after it was posted by former Olympic champion Linford Christie, who captioned the video with: “Racist police aren’t just in America #BLM”.
The video appears to show the pair - who are both Black - being aggressively pulled out of a car by officers. The distressed woman is heard repeatedly saying: “My son is in the car.”
Williams later described the incident as being “awful to watch”.
“It’s always the same thing with Ricardo,” she told The Times.
“They think he’s driving a stolen vehicle, or he’s been smoking cannabis.
“It’s racial profiling. The way they spoke to Ricardo, like he was scum, dirt on their shoe, was shocking. It was awful to watch.”
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Dos Santos added he will meet with lawyers about the incident, and said he had been stopped by officers as many as 15 times since November 2017.
The Met Police have said after reviewing social media footage and video from bodyworn cameras of Saturday’s incident, that it had concluded there were no misconduct issues in relation to how the stop and search was carried out.
In a statement, Scotland Yard said a car was stopped in Lanhill Road, Maida Vale, on Saturday afternoon after it was seen driving suspiciously, and a 25-year-old man and 26-year-old woman were searched.
Commander Helen Harper said: “I understand the concern when incidents like this happen and how they can appear when part of it is filmed without context.
“Due to the concern raised, we conducted a review of the stop. This included social media footage and bodyworn camera footage of the officers at the scene.
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“We are satisfied that there are no misconduct issues.
“The officers were deployed to a high-violence area of London and the manner of the driving raised suspicion. It is only right that they act on it. We are open to discussing the incident with the individuals involved if they wish to do so.”
Footage of the incident was shared widely after it was posted by former Olympic champion Linford Christie on Twitter. ASSOCIATED PRESS
In a second tweet, former Olympic medallist Christie - who trained both Williams and dos Santos - called on the Met chief, Cressida Dick, to justify the police officers’ conduct.
“Can Cressida Dick or anyone else please explain to me what justification the Met Police officers had in assaulting the driver, taking a mother away from her baby all without one piece of PPE and then calling the sniffer dog unit to check the car over,” he wrote.
“Was it the car that was suspicious or the black family in it which lead to such a violent confrontation and finally an accusation of the car smelling of weed but refusing to do a roadside drug test.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-07-05--Protester Dies After Car Drives Into Crowd At Seattle Rally Against Police Brutality

A protester has died, and another left seriously injured, after a car drove onto a closed road and struck two people protesting against police brutality in Seattle.
Summer Taylor, 24, of Seattle died in the evening at Harbourview Medical Centre, local authorities have confirmed.
Taylor and Diaz Love, 32, of Portland, Oregon, were hit by the car that barrelled through a panicked crowd of protesters on Interstate 5 early on Saturday morning, officials said.
Dawit Kelete of Seattle drove the car around vehicles that were blocking the road and sped into the crowd at around 1.40am, according to a police report released by the Washington State Patrol.
Video taken at the scene by protesters showed people shouting “Car! Car!” before fleeing the road.
Love is in serious condition in the intensive care unit, spokesperson Susan Gregg confirmed.
Love was filming the protest in a nearly two-hour-long Facebook livestream captioned “Black Femme March takes I-5” when the video ended abruptly. With around 15 seconds of the footage left, shouts of “Car!” can be heard as the camera starts to shake before screeching tyres and the sound of impact are heard.
A graphic video posted on social media showed the white Jaguar racing toward a group of protesters who are standing behind several parked cars, set up for protection.
The car swerves around the other vehicles and slams into the two protesters, sending them flying into the air.
The driver, who was alone, fled the scene after hitting the protesters, Trooper Chase Van Cleave said.
One of the other protesters got in a car and chased the driver for about a mile. He was able to stop him by pulling his car in front of the Jaguar, Van Cleave said.
Troopers arrived, and the driver was put in custody, Washington State Patrol Captain Ron Mead said.
Kelete was described by offices as reserved and sullen when he was arrested, and asked whether on not the pedestrians were okay, according to court documents.
Kelete was booked into the King County Correctional Facility on two counts of vehicular assault. Bail was denied. A judge later found probable cause to hold Kelete on an investigation of vehicular assault.
He faces a second court hearing on Monday at which the judge will determine if he can be released on bail, according to court documents. It was not immediately clear if Kelete had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.
Officials were trying to determine the motive as well as where he got onto the interstate, which had been closed by the state patrol for more than an hour before the protesters were hit. Mead said police suspected that Kelete had driven the wrong way on a ramp.
Troopers did not know whether it was a targeted attack, but impairment was not considered a factor, Mead confirmed.
He is listed in public records as a student who attended Washington State University between 2011 and 2017 majoring in business and commerce. His enrolment status could not be confirmed because the university was closed on Saturday.
Seattle has been the site of prolonged unrest following the May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which sparked nationwide protests.
Dozens of people were arrested this past week in connection with protests as demonstrations continue after authorities cleared the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest zone on Wednesday morning.
Protesters had shut down the interstate for 19 days in a row, Mead said at a press conference.