thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-30--Is This The First Glimmer Of Hope In The UK Fight Against Coronavirus?

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Game for a graph?
It was carefully caveated, it was measured, it was eminently sensible. But for the very first time since these Downing Street press conferences started, chief scientist Sir Patrick Vallance seemed to have a real note of hope in his voice as he detailed the latest Covid-19 statistics.
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Vallance’s graph, which showed the number of hospital admissions for those with the virus, was of course not good news, in the conventional sense. The NHS is dealing with roughly a thousand more people every day who present with symptoms of this awful disease.
Some 9,000 people have now been hospitalised with coronavirus and that is undoubtedly “a very difficult number to deal with”, as he was at pains to stress. With survivors graphically describing how they felt like they were ‘drowning’, it’s a terrifying ordeal, the spectre of death never far away.
Yet Vallance also pointed out the 1,000-a-day number was “not an acceleration” and in fact was “a bit more stable than it has been”. Moreover, he added: “I expect the number of people coming every day to be about that”, though it may go up ‘a little bit’.
Stabilising the rate of increase in infections would be invaluable in buying the time the NHS needs to increase its critical care beds to deal with those growing numbers. If, and it is naturally a big ‘if’ right now, the number of hospital admissions remains stable then there could be grounds for cautious optimism.
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Vallance himself said that the figures “may suggest that we’re already beginning to see some effect”. Given that we have only been in ‘lockdown’ for a week, and given the lag in response times, was he suggesting that even pre-lockdown measures (advice about handwashing and staying 6ft away from others) are having an impact? And will the tougher ‘stay at home’ edicts since last Monday really now flatten that curve?
Vallance may have dampened some optimism when he said (of the hospital numbers) that “we expect this to get worse over the next few weeks because there’s a lag phase”. If the absolute number gets worse that’s one thing, but if there is an acceleration then that’s altogether more worrying.
There’s good reason to be cautious. The number of ‘cases’ who have tested positive so far is not exactly meaningless but without widespread testing it is always going to be a massive underestimate of the total number of real cases.
And on deaths recorded, those are only for deaths in hospital. We will find out tomorrow from the Office for National Statistics how many deaths have been ‘at home’ rather than in hospital. As with opinion polls, what matters is not a few possible outliers but the overall trend over a week or weeks. But still, the fact that the number of deaths was 260 on Saturday, 209 on Sunday and 180 today, may again spark hope in some.
Another aspect of the press conference that would have been welcome to many was Dominic Raab’s urging the police to use ‘common sense’ in their own reaction to the lockdown. Amid reports of one force trying to stop people from buying chocolate Easter eggs, that was a reminder that the coronavirus curve can only be suppressed with public support.
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Today, Boris Johnson distanced himself from Margaret Thatcher’s infamous ‘no such thing as society’ image. He is probably also keen to avoid that dreadful John Major line that led many to see him as a heartless robot on the topic of unemployment and inflation: “If it isn’t hurting, it isn’t working”.
Even without any ‘acceleration’, coronavirus is hurting many. We’ll find out in the next two weeks if the Johnson-Vallance strategy is working. And if today’s first ember of hope can glow a bit brighter.
Quote Of The Day
“One thing I think the coronavirus crisis has already proved is that there really is such a thing as society.”
Boris Johnson
Monday Cheat Sheet
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab announced a new £75m fund to charter flights to repatriate Britons from “priority countries” overseas.
The UK death toll rose to 1,408, based on those who had died in hospitals on 5pm on Sunday.
The number of former NHS staff who have returned to help has reached 20,000, Boris Johnson revealed in an online video.
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Home abortions in England, Scotland and Wales are to be made easier during the coronavirus outbreak, the Department of Health has confirmed.
Dominic Cummings, the PM’s chief adviser, is self-isolating at home after suffering coronavirus symptoms.
Tory MP Bob Stewart has been accused of fuelling xenophobia after a Facebook post in which he called coronavirus a “foul Chinese illness”.
The Hungarian Parliament passed a bill to give prime minister Viktor Orbán sweeping new powers without any time limit, including the suspension of all elections.
What I’m Reading
Wuhan Residents Doubt Death Toll - Radio Free Asia
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-30--Meghan and Harry Tell Sussex Royal's Instagram Followers: 'You've Been Great!'

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It was less than a year ago that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle launched their joint Instagram – the blue-and-white monogrammed Sussex Royal account – amassing 3 million followers in less than 24 hours.
Now, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have used the last post on the account to thank their 11-million strong community “for the support, the inspiration and the shared commitment to the good in the world”, before telling followers “to take good care of yourselves”.
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The ‘thank you’ post arrived on Monday 30 March as most of the world headed into another week of social distancing, self-isolation and quarantine to curb the spread of coronavirus.
“As we can all feel, the world at this moment seems extraordinarily fragile,” the couple captioned their post.
“Yet we are confident that every human being has the potential and opportunity to make a difference – as seen now across the globe, in our families, our communities and those on the front line – together we can lift each other up to realise the fullness of that promise.”
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It was January when the couple made the shock announcement that they would be stepping back from senior royal duties, splitting time between the UK and North America, and working to become ‘financially independent’. Later it was confirmed they would no longer be using the Sussex Royal branding.
Dominic Lipinski - PA Images via Getty Images
As laid out on the current Sussex Royal website, the Duke and Duchess will from 31 March be “privately funded members of The Royal Family with permission to earn their own income and the ability to pursue their own private charitable interests.”
It’s expected they will soon share details of a new foundation with its own social media accounts – likely minus the ‘royal’ label.
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Harry and Meghan most famously used their Instagram page to announce the birth – and subsequently the name – of their first-born son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in May 2019.
They also used the Sussex Royal account to promote various royal duties and tours, share inspirational quotes and well wishes in that recognisable blue-and-white branding – and to shine a spotlight on a different charitable theme each month through the social media accounts they chose to follow.
“While you may not see us here, the work continues,” the couple assured their Instagram followers.
It was recently reported by People that the Duke and Duchess were moving back to Meghan’s home town of Los Angeles from Canada where they have been based with Archie since leaving the UK – prompting Donald Trump to insist the United States would not be paying for the royal couple’s security protection.
Focusing instead on the current global crisis in their Instagram post, Harry and Meghan wrote: “What’s most important right now is the health and wellbeing of everyone across the globe and finding solutions for the many issues that have presented themselves as a result of this pandemic.
“As we all find the part we are to play in this global shift and changing of habits, we are focusing this new chapter to understand how we can best contribute.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Health And Safety Chiefs 'Ignoring Plea Over Unsafe Workplaces' Amid Coronavirus Crisis

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Health and safety chiefs have been accused of “ignoring” pleas to intervene and protect the health of workers amid the coronavirus crisis.
Three unions have now joined forces to ask the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to directly intervene to tackle companies who are “stretching the interpretation of essential workers” by making staff show up when they don’t need to.
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It comes after staff in a range of industries told HuffPost UK of their fears after being made to “carry on as normal”, with some unable to maintain safe social distancing levels despite government advice.
Prospect, the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) and the FDA have written to HSE’s gold command unit for the second time in a week, demanding they “fulfil their duty as the independent regulator in charge of enforcing health and safety at work”.
Rawpixel via Getty Images
Combined, the organisations represent hundreds of thousands of civil servants, engineers, managers and other specialists.
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The letter, seen by HuffPost UK, says: “We have yet to receive a response or even an acknowledgement to our letter and are aware that there is significant disquiet on social media about HSE’s apparent silence on what is clearly a workplace issue.
“We are further aware that a cross-party group of 128 MPs have written to government asking for them to act.
“We are concerned not only by the apparent inaction but also by the potential reputational damage this will cause to HSE as an independent regulator in the longer term.”
The letter sent to the HSE by Prospect, the FDA and PCS Prospect
The unions say attempts by employers to keep as many staff in work as possible not only puts them at risk, but also risks the health of HSE inspectors who may be asked to conduct extra visits and assessments as a result.
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Garry Graham, Prospect deputy general secretary, said: “The government remains behind the curve on its response to the epidemic in its advice to workers and employers. We are a week into lockdown, but every day Prospect receives more concerns from members.
“They are either having to go to work despite not being key workers, or they are key workers and are worried about the number of non-key workers they are forced to encounter.
“The HSE has a regulatory duty to protect health and safety at work. We call upon HSE to pressurise the government to provide clarity on who should be going out to work, and who should not. If you leave things open to interpretation, some employers will inevitably take advantage and put workers and the capacity of the NHS at risk.”
A spokesperson for HSE said: “In these extraordinary times, HSE is constantly reviewing the fast-moving situation with our partners across government to support the national effort to tackle COVID-19.
“While social distancing is fundamentally a public health measure introduced to reduce the spread of infection, we recognise the concerns raised on social distancing within the workplace and are in contact with trade unions.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Lockdown Row After Police Target People 'Breaking Rules' That Aren't Actually In Place

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A row has erupted over police strictly enforcing coronavirus lockdown rules that were never actually put in place – including time limits on exercise and the number of people allowed on a shopping trip.
Legal professionals say ministers must now give police clear guidance on enforcing the rules – or risk undermining their entire strategy for fighting the pandemic, with one claiming “inconsistency” will lead to a disintegration in respect the both the law and government guidance on staying at home.
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It follows two local policing teams using their social media accounts to publicise action they had taken against people not following advice on leaving the house as little as possible.
Police Community Support officers patrol Piccadilly Gardens in central Manchester. Anthony Devlin via Getty Images
Officers in Warrington, part of Cheshire Police, said they had penalised “multiple people from the same household going to the shops for non-essential items”, prompting criticism from members of the public.
Government guidelines state people should stay at home unless they are shopping for “basic necessities” or medicine, helping a vulnerable person or exercising once per day.
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One Twitter user said: “What is a ‘non-essential item’. There is no definition in the regulations. There is also no regulation prohibiting multiple persons from the same household going to the shops. You’re going to look rather silly in court.”
Overnight 6 people have been summonsed for offences relating to the new corona virus legislation to protect the public:
These included;
Out for a drive due to boredom
Returning from parties
Multiple people from the same household going to the shops for non-essential items pic.twitter.com/FstjlfdEkD — Warrington Police (@PoliceWarr) March 29, 2020
The Secret Barrister, an anonymous legal professional who wrote a book on the state of UK law, also tweeted about the incident.
“There is nothing in the legislation that prohibits multiple people from the same household going to the shops,” they said.
“Nor is there a bar on going out to buy ‘non-essential items’. Such things may not be desirable, but they are not crimes. This does the police no credit.”
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There is nothing in the legislation that prohibits multiple people from the same household going to the shops. Nor is there a bar on going out to buy “non-essential items”.
Such things may not be desirable, but they are not crimes.
This does the police no credit. https://t.co/1C1rP6WpLa — The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) March 30, 2020
Furthermore, by choosing to summons (i.e. prosecute) rather than issue a fixed penalty notice, the police are contributing to an already unsustainable logjam in the criminal courts.
It may just be that the tweet is poorly worded and there is more to it. But it doesn’t look good. — The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) March 30, 2020
The Secret Barrister told HuffPost UK the problem had been caused by the government’s “confusing communications strategy” and its failure to include specifics in the emergency coronavirus legislation rushed through parliament earlier this month.
“The guidance given by the prime minister at his press conferences, which appears to largely inform that which has been given to police forces, does not in fact reflect what the law says,” they said.
“For instance, many police forces have been enforcing a supposed ‘rule’ that people should not be leaving the house to exercise more than once a day; no such rule applies in the regulations as they apply to England (although, for apparently no good reason, such a rule *does* apply to Wales).
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“On a similar note, the prime minister has said that people can only undertake one form of exercise per day; again, this is not reflected in the law he has passed. Much has been said in informal guidance about only leaving the house where “essential”; once again, this is not the language of the regulations.”
The legal expert said problems are “hard to avoid” when new laws are passed “at breakneck speed, with no time for meaningful scrutiny or considered reflection”.
“No doubt that the government, upon proof-reading its efforts, would wish to amend the regulations to make clearer their meaning and to align them more closely with the rhetoric,” they added.
“But at present, what it seems to me is needed is some clear legal guidance for the police, base on what the law actually says, rather than what politicians wish it said.”
Meanwhile police in Leigh, Greater Manchester, posted on their Facebook page that they had stopped a couple going for a long walk, as it was “longer than one hour”.
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There are currently no official time limits on exercise in place, although Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove told the BBC “a walk of up to an hour” was “appropriate”.
He told the Andrew Marr show: “Obviously it depends on each individual’s fitness, but I would have thought that for most people a walk of up to an hour or a run of 30 minutes or a cycle ride, depending on their level of fitness is appropriate.
“Again, people are displaying common sense, so yesterday I went out for a jog early on, people were maintaining their distance, I was only out for about 25 minutes but people were exercising that degree of discipline.
“Then later in the day I went on a short walk to the local grocery store to get some essentials. Again, in that store people were maintaining strict social distancing and that short walk was just to get the ingredients necessary for weekend cooking. So people have been displaying that degree of discipline and that’s admirable.”
A Cheshire Police spokesperson told HuffPost some of the Warrington incidents related to people from different households meeting up, which the government has advised against.
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“On each occasion, officers explained that they were in breach of the new legislation and they were all given the opportunity to engage with officers and comply,” they added.
“However, they refused to acknowledge the severity of the situation and the officers felt they were left with no other option than enforcement. As this is new legislation we are reviewing the circumstances of each case to ensure it was proportionate.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Belgian Authorities Say A 12-Year-Old Girl Has Died Of Coronavirus

Medical personnel work in the intensive care ward for Covid-19 patients at the MontLegia CHC hospital in Liege, Belgium on Friday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Authorities in Belgium say a 12-year-old girl has died of coronavirus, the youngest known victim of the disease in Europe so far.
It is not yet known whether she had any underlying health conditions.
Announcing the news on Tuesday, national coronavirus crisis-centre spokesperson Emmanuel Andre said it was “an emotionally difficult moment, because it involves a child, and it has also upset the medical and scientific community”.
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“We are thinking of her family and friends. It is an event that is very rare, but one which upsets us greatly,” the Associated Press reported Andre said.
No details about the girl were provided.
In Belgium, 98 people had died from the disease over the last 24 hours, bringing the total toll to 705 in a country of about 11.5m people. More than 12,705 cases have been confirmed in total so far.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Footballers' Wives: Here's What Happened To The Cast After The Final Whistle Blew

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While we might now be out of lockdown, BritBox has finally come through and answered fans’ prayers by revealing the classic series is set to begin streaming on 26 August.
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One part camp, two parts ridiculous, the series followed the escapades of a group of WAGs and their footballer husbands with plot lines involving baby swaps, unhinged nurses, incest and a man literally being shagged to death.
Subtle, it was not.
The original cast of Footballers' Wives ITV
It also introduced us to iconic characters like Tanya Turner and Amber Gates across its five series, which ran on ITV from 2002 to 2006.
With the show’s streaming debut, we thought it was time we checked in with the cast to see what they’d all been up to since the final whistle blew on the series...
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Zoe Lucker played Tanya Turner
ITV/Shutterstock
The stand-out star of Footballers’ Wives, Zoe has had many other high-profile roles since leaving scheming Tanya Turner behind – although many of them have certainly borrowed from her.
Zoe appeared in a short-lived, police-based Casualty spin-off called HolbyBlue in 2007, before going on to play Max Branning’s love interest Vanessa Gold in EastEnders from 2009 to 2010. The character has been much-memed on the internet in recent years thanks to her infamous “Bubbly’s in the fridge” meltdown.
In 2013, Zoe had a recurring role in Waterloo Road as Carol Barry, before going on to have a regular role in Hollyoaks, playing Reenie McQueen from 2015 to 2016.
Zoe was also a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2009, competing against her former co-star Laila Rouass, who played Amber Gates. Zoe and her partner James Jordan were seventh to be eliminated from the competition.
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Cristian Solimeno played Jason Turner
ITV/Shutterstock
Jason Turner was the first big casualty of Footballers’ Wives, with the Earl’s Park captain killed off during the second series’ finale in 2003 in a “whodunnit?” storyline.
From there, Cristian popped up in a New Year special of The Vicar Of Dibley in 2005 and appeared in Kay Mellor series Strictly Confidential opposite Suranne Jones the following year.
Between 2013 and 2014, he played Ray McCormick in Hollyoaks, and also starred in 2018 independent film Welcome To Curiosity alongside Richard Blackwood.
In 2020, Cristian popped up in Hugh Lawrie’s HBO comedy series Avenue 5, playing Dave in two episodes.
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As well as acting, Cristian also works as a writer and director.
Gary Lucy played Kyle Pascoe
ITV/Shutterstock
Gary was already famous when he landed the role of Earl’s Park heartthrob Kyle in Footballers’ Wives, having played Luke Morgan in Hollyoaks prior to the show.
He returned to the Channel 4 soap in 2017, taking a short break from the role in 2018 to appear in a stage production of The Full Monty.
Prior to rejoining Hollyoaks, Gary appeared in The Bill as PC Will Fletcher from 2005 to 2010, and played Danny Pennant in EastEnders from 2012 to 2014.
Gary has also taken part in two series of Dancing On Ice – the first in 2010, where he finished runner-up, before returning for an all-stars series in 2014, where he was eliminated fourth.
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Susie Amy played Chardonnay Lane-Pascoe
ITV/Shutterstock
We’re still not quite over Chardonnay getting killed off before her time at the start of the third series, but it was far from the last time we saw Susie on our screens.
After guest roles in the likes of Hotel Babylon, The Royal and Doctors shortly after leaving Footballers’ Wives, Susie had a three-episode stint in Coronation Street in 2007 before landing a leading role in ITV’s short-lived soap Echo Beach the following year.
In 2009, she also had a minor role in James Corden and Mat Horne’s critically-panned film Lesbian Vampire Killers.
In recent years, Susie has popped up in Doctors again, as well as Death In Paradise, Casualty and Holby City.
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In 2018, Susie was reunited on screen with Gary Lucy, (aka Chardonnay’s husband Kyle), when she landed a four-month guest role on Hollyoaks as Scarlett, the ex-wife of Gary’s character Luke Morgan.
Gillian Taylforth played Jackie Pascoe
ITV/Shutterstock
Having played EastEnders’ Kathy Beale for over 15 years, most people were already familiar with Gillian Taylforth when she joined Footballers’ Wives. Her character, Jackie, was the only one who appeared continuously over the show’s five series.
When the show ended, Gillian was reunited with her former on-screen son when she joined the cast of The Bill as Sgt Nikki Wright in 2006, as well as enjoying a number of short stints on the Loose Women panel in the late 00s.
Gillian entered the Celebrity Big Brother house in 2013, and shortly after joined the cast of Hollyoaks as Sandy Ruscoe, who she played until 2015.
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The same year, Gillian made a shock return to EastEnders when Kathy came back from the dead, and she continues to play the character to this day.
Daniel Schutzmann played Salvatore Biagi
ITV/Twitter
Shortly after his character left Earl’s Park during the second series of the show, Daniel was back playing another footballer when he guest-starred as Izzy Hoyland’s boyfriend Pete in London-based episodes of Australian soap Neighbours in 2007.
A few years later, he popped up as a waiter in Coronation Street before joining the cast of Doctors for a four-month stint as Dr. Franc Christophe in 2014.
Nathan Constance played Ian Walmsley
ITV/Curtis Brown
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Nathan’s first role after leaving the show came just a few months after his final episode when he had a guest role in The Bill in 2003.
From there, he played Chum in the 2006 film London to Brighton before taking on the role of Zac in the 2008 film Adulthood, the sequel to Kidulthood.
In 2009, Nathan played DC Connor in BBC drama Hunter and also had minor roles in Waking The Dead and Misfits.
More recently, he’s been lending his voice to video games, working on titles including Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III, Titanfall, Lords of the Fallen and Battlefield 1.
Katherine Monaghan played Donna Walmsley
ITV
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Katherine landed her first major TV role when she was cast as young WAG Donna in 2002.
Since leaving the show in series two, she’s only had a small number of other TV parts, including minor roles in Judge John Deed in 2007, Vera in 2013 and Holby City in 2014.
Laila Rouass played Amber Gates
ITV/Shutterstock
Amber may have been one of the most popular characters from the show, but she didn’t actually arrive until the third series and left half-way through the final run of episodes.
For Laila, an obligatory guest appearance in Casualty followed before she joined the cast of ITV sci-fi series Primeval in 2009.
She appeared in the ninth series of BBC spy drama Spooks the following year, before landing a main role in Holby City, playing Sahira Shah from 2011 to 2012. The character returned for a short stint in 2021.
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In 2015, she appeared alongside Elizabeth Hurley in short-lived US soap The Royals as Deputy Prime Minister Rani, before popping up in the penultimate series of Ruth Jones sitcom Stella.
Most recently, Laila appeared in Disney Channel series The Lodge, as well as in Netflix series Safe in 2018.
The same year also saw her stage an on-screen reunion with Zoe Lucker when they were both interviewed on Loose Women.
As previously mentioned, Laila was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing alongside Zoe in 2009, where she and partner Anton DuBeke made the semi-final.
Ben Price played Conrad Gates
ITV/Shutterstock
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Ben is one of the few Footballers’ Wives stars who is now arguably better known for another of his roles, after he took over as Nick Tisley in Coronation Street in 2009.
He has remained with the soap – bar a brief period away between 2017 and 2018 – ever since, with his character having a number of high-profile storylines in his decade on the cobbles.
Prior to joining Corrie, Ben was a series regular on Casualty from 2005 to 2007, playing hospital boss Nathan Spencer.
Alison Newman played Hazel Bailey
ITV/Shutterstock
Alison played ruthless football agent Hazel during the first four series of Footballers’ Wives.
In 2008, she was cast in ITV drama Rock Rivals, which was based on the lives of celebrity judges on an X Factor-style show. The same year, Alison also made her first appearance as DI Samatha Keeble on EastEnders. The character returned in 2014 and led the investigation into Lucy Beale’s murder, last appearing in 2016.
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Alison has also had a number of guest roles in dramas including Holby City, Call The Midwife, Casualty and New Tricks.
John Forgeham played Frank Laslett
ITV
John had roles in number of classic shows including Z Cars, Crossroads and The Avengers prior to taking on the role of club owner Frank Laslett in the first three series of Footballers’ Wives.
He went on to appear on Sky football drama Dream Team in 2005, with his final credited TV role coming in 2012, when he appeared in an episode of Doctors.
Sadly, John died in 2017 at the age of 75, after falling out of bed at his home.
Julie Legrand played Jeanette Dunkley
ITV/Shutterstock
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Julie certainly made the role of deranged nurse Jeanette Dunkley her own, and stayed with the medical theme after leaving the show in 2005.
In 2009, she made her first guest appearance in Doctors, before returning as a different character ten years later.
A year later, Julie began appearing in Holby City as Paula Burrows and continued to make episodic appearances up until 2014.
She has also popped up in Call The Midwife in 2018, playing the character of Ruth Gelin in the first episode of the seventh series.
Julie also appeared in David Tennant’s final episode of Doctor Who in 2010, when she starred as The Partisan.
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Sarah Barrand played Shannon Donnelly-Lawson
ITV/Shutterstock
Sarah joined the cast of Footballers’ Wives in the third series, with her character initially serving as a parody of Coleen Rooney.
After the show came to an end, Sarah filmed ITV documentary Date With The Dalai with co-star Zoe Lucker in 2006, with the two stars journeying across India before watching the Dalai Lama’s Spring teachings.
Since then, Sarah has appeared in a number of independent films including Stag Night, Caught In The Act, and The Kid.
She also works as a voiceover artist, lending her voice to a number of commercials.
Jamie Davis played Harley Lawson
ITV/BBC
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Between 2006 and 2012, Jamie, who played Harley Lawson on the show, had a number of one-episode roles in series including The Bill, Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps, Misfits, Doc Martin and Shameless.
However, by far his biggest role was that of Max Walker in Casualty.
While he’s previously played a different character on the BBC drama in 2009, Jamie joined the cast full time in 2013, sticking with the show for five years.
Ben Richards played Bruno Milligan
ITV/Shutterstock
Like many of his Footballers’ Wives co-stars, Ben found himself in The Bill when the show ended.
After two years playing Bruno, Ben took on the role of PC Nate Roberts from 2007 until shortly before the series’ final episode in August 2010.
In January 2012, Ben revealed that he had been diagnosed with bowel cancer and underwent surgery and treatment before he entered remission a year later.
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Since then, Ben has been in Hollyoaks, playing regular character Ben Bradley from 2014 to 2016.
Helen Latham played Lucy Milligan
ITV
Helen was a later addition to the Footballers’ Wives cast, joining the show in the fourth series.
After it finished, it was a while until we saw Helen on screen again until she popped up for a guest appearance on Casualty in 2011.
Since then, she’s had a handful of roles in short films and TV movies.
Phina Oruche played Liberty Baker
ITV
Phina’s time on Footballers’ Wives may have been short, but thanks to her outrageous character Liberty, it sure was memorable.
Following the conclusion of the series, Phina landed the role of Gabby Sharpe in Hollyoaks in 2010, and popped up in Doctors in 2012.
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In 2016, Phina debuted her one woman show called Identity Crisis at the Edinburgh Festival and NYC Soho’s Fringe festival, which garnered five-star reviews.
She also starred in Irish drama Taken Down in 2018, playing the role of Marvellous.
Phina has also served as a columnist in the Liverpool Echo, and has also presented and produced on the city’s BBC radio station.
Chucky Venice played Tremaine Gidigbi
ITV/Shutterstock
Chucky – now known by the name Charles Venn – has had an enduring career since his one-series stint on Footballers’ Wives came to an end when the show was cancelled.
In the immediate years that followed, he had minor roles in Hollywood films Bourne Ultimatum and The Dark Knight.
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In 2012, he began appearing in EastEnders as Bianca Jackson’s ex-boyfriend Ray Jackson, staying on the Square for just over a year.
From there, Charles joined the cast of Casualty in 2015 as nurse Jacob Master, who he continues to play to this day.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--I Have No Good Excuse To Wallow During Covid-19 But I Am Because It Sucks

As a driven individual with goals and aspirations, I’m struggling to find a purpose in this disconcerting time. Getty Images/iStockphoto
“We’ve taken up knitting!” beams my mother, craning the camera to show me her latest creation over Facetime. It’s a hot water bottle cover and despite its questionable shape, it’s an achievement. I can’t help but feel a pang of internal frustration.
Sat in my comfortable apartment with a secure job, doting boyfriend and no children to worry about home-schooling, I am ashamed to say that I have felt utterly dejected since Covid-19 took over our lives. Having always prided myself on being adaptable and embracing change, I can’t seem to shift the persistent gloom that descends on me when I wake up each morning.
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This might be partly down to the news cycle. I’ve taken to the habit of scrolling through the news as soon as I get up, far more so than I did before the outbreak. The live updates are as bleak as ever. An increase in cases, an increase in deaths and a message from the British government that this is only the beginning.
Yet so many members of the population have stepped up to the challenge and are responding to this crisis with determination and drive. Key workers are leaving the house each day, selflessly putting themselves at risk to help keep the population safe.
As a driven individual with goals and aspirations, I’m struggling to find a purpose in this disconcerting time. Normally, my routine involves a long commute to work followed by a busy day of meetings with my colleagues. After work, I’m straight to the gym for my daily workout before rushing home to cook dinner and cram in a bit of downtime before I’m back at it the next day. The change of pace I can cope with, but staying at home and doing my bit to protect the population somehow feels like a bit of a cop-out when people are risking their lives each day to ensure hospitals have resources and supermarkets are stocked.
“The world has changed significantly in the past few weeks, and I think it’s important to remind ourselves that we’ve barely had time to register what’s going on, let alone figure out how to navigate the next few months.”
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I also know that people are experiencing huge upheavals to their life, whether that be losing their jobs, having to close their businesses or juggling home-schooling children with a full-time career.
I’ve not had to do any of this. I’m young, healthy and have a job that easily adapts to a work from home set-up. If anyone should be able to seize the moment and be a shining example in this time of uncertainty, it’s me. Yet, I feel hopeless. I’m grieving for my past life, the one where I had the freedom to travel and roam, and to plan ahead without ambiguity or constraints.
As I scroll through Instagram, I’m reminded that even my creative and resourceful efforts at home are far from adequate. Each social media post showcases a newly-adopted pastime more impressive than the last. It’s like Britain’s Got Talent is airing during lockdown, and everyone I follow facies themselves a contender. Whether it be learning Latin or mastering the headstand, my friends seem to be embracing this unwelcome change and using it as an opportunity to better themselves. Somehow, I don’t think making my way through everything on Netflix and Amazon Prime has quite the same impact.
The world has changed significantly in the past few weeks, and I think it’s important to remind ourselves that we’ve barely had time to register what’s going on, let alone figure out how to navigate the next few months.
I’m wallowing, just a little bit, and I’m going to cut myself some slack.
I think that it’s ok to feel anxious, uncertain and disappointed. It’s easy to feel lost in a time where all plans are on hold and normality is lacking. Staying at home is the right thing to do for the greater good, and although it goes against the flow of our busy routines and active lifestyles, if there was ever time to take a step back and binge watch series to your heart’s content, I have to accept that it’s now.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Did Tiger King's Joe Exotic Really Sing Those Songs?

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It seemed to be a classic story: He saw a tiger, the tiger saw a man.
Or did he?
The new Netflix documentary Tiger King has murder-for-hire plots, animal-loving polygamists, drugs, disappearances, magic, gubernatorial races and, of course, tigers. But there’s one question it seems everyone watching is wondering:
“Did Joe Exotic really sing those songs?”
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One of the more bizarre aspects of Netflix’s Tiger King – which is saying something – is the inescapable presence of zookeeper-entertainer Joe Exotic’s, (aka Joseph Maldonado-Passage’s) extensive music catalogue.
Throughout the documentary, Joe Exotic’s bizarre songs and homemade music videos pop up again and again, and each has its own weird aspects.
In I Saw A Tiger, he sings about the big cats while standing on an emergency vehicle with an unnecessarily stormy background. In Here Kitty Kitty, he enlists an impersonator to mock Big Cat Rescue CEO Carole Baskin.
Regardless of your feelings about the videos, one universal fact is hard to deny: It slaps. The Tiger King’s got bops.
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But does Joe Exotic really have a purrfect voice? Vanity Fair last week let the cat out of the bag.
According to the outlet, musician Vince Johnson and vocalist Danny Clinton are actually behind the songs in the music videos. The pair have customised songs before, and Joe Exotic convinced them to make him some personalised tracks for free, saying they’d get exposure in his now-defunct reality show.
Sadly, according to TMZ, Danny died in October from heart-related issues. However, Vince spoke to Vanity Fair about Joe Exotic in an email, saying he “had no idea he was going to Milli Vanilli the songs”.
It was a couple of months and two or three songs [into the collaboration] when I was on YouTube one night and just happened to look up Joe Exotic. And there he was, lip-syncing and acting like the ghost of Elvis [in these music videos]. I called him up, I was hot … And he bamboozled me about his reality show — that it was coming soon and he would make everything right as rain. I just wanted the proper credit.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Tiger King co-directors and writers, Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin, opened up about why they didn’t note that Joe Exotic wasn’t singing the songs.
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“We were really struggling with what the truth of it was. We went back and forth on it. With certain songs, it became super confusing. And then our fact-checker told us we were wrong — he was actually singing on certain songs. It was tricky to determine which he was on,” said Rebecca.
Eric added: “We cut a really good scene about that. Joe even said, ‘Of course not every singer sings all his songs, that’s just how it’s done.’ His take on it was funny — that you could be a musician and a singer and not sing.”
So, is Joe singing the songs in the videos? Mostly no. But as with everything else in Tiger King, it’s a somewhat complicated tail.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Tiger King: Joe Exotic's Ex Looks Like A Completely Different Man With New Teeth

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It seems that John Finlay – or Joe Exotic’s ex, who appeared in Netflix’s wildly popular Tiger King docuseries – “went from a couple of teeth missing to Hugh Jackman overnight.”
At least according to US comedian David Spade.
John Finlay in Netflix's docuseries Tiger King Screenshot via “Tiger King”/Netflix
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Last week, John – whose smile was missing some pearly whites during the filming of Tiger King – decided to post a photo of his new teeth on his Facebook fan page.
“Yes I have my teeth fixed,” he wrote alongside the photo. “The producers of the Netflix series had video and pictures of this, but chose not to show it.”
John discusses using meth in the docuseries, but his teeth were “messed up before that, due to genetic reasons,” according to TMZ.
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“It was painful the first couple weeks, but after I got them fixed the right way, they were perfect,” John told David on the comedian’s Comedy Central show, Lights Out with David Spade.
John said he got his teeth fixed in June 2019 and that the dental procedure was more painful than the 51 tattoos he has inked on his body.
Speaking of tattoos, his new teeth are not the only workJohn has had done since filming of Tiger King finished.
John said he met G.W. Zoo’s Joseph Maldonado-Passage, aka Joe Exotic, in June 2003 after John began working at his Oklahoma compound of 225 wild cats and other exotic creatures. (Finley noted that the reptiles, some of which were from Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch, were his favourite.)
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They began dating and, in 2014, embarked on a three-way wedding ceremony with another staffer named Travis Maldonado — though John maintains that he and Maldonado-Passage were never officially married. The nontraditional relationship did not last, however and John left Maldonado-Passage for a woman.
Maldonado-Passage is serving a 22-year jail sentence for murder-for-hire and wildlife charges.
According to New York Magazine, during their relationship, Maldonado-Passage paid to have Finley get a pelvis tattoo that said, “PRIVATELY OWNED BY JOE EXOTIC.” John told David Spade that he’s since had the tattoo covered up and he’s in the process of covering up other ones associated his with ex.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Grant Shapps: Banning Non-Key Workers From Public Transport Could Do 'More Harm' Than Coronavirus

PA
Transport secretary Grant Shapps has said stopping non-essential workers using public transport could cause “more harm than the virus itself”.
The government has urged people to work from home where possible in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
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But it has stopped short of ordering people not to travel even if they are not a key worker such as a nurse or food chain employee.
Shapps told Good Morning Britain on Tuesday morning the government wanted to “be in a position where when this lifts we are able to re-start the economy”.
“There are risks in every direction. This is one of those crises where there are no really great options,” he said.
“But one of the things we need to be careful not to do is completely crash our economy to the point where it is impossible or very difficult to pick up again afterwards.
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“So we have been straightforward and said: ‘If you’re a key worker go out, but if you can’t do your job from home then it is acceptable to go out and do that work.’
“Otherwise, we will be in a position where we can’t restart the economy and millions of people will be forced into a poverty situation that would do more harm than the virus itself. That’s really the balance.”
Labour leadership candidate Rebecca Long-Bailey has demanded the government go further and “make sure those workers are at home if they are not providing an essential function”.
“The government’s main priority should be ensuring that people are able to stay in their homes and that they are financially protected enough to do that,” she told Sky News on Sunday.
Boris Johnson will chair a meeting of his cabinet by videolink as he continues to self-isolate in Downing Street after testing positive for coronavirus, amid growing pressure to get more protective equipment to health workers.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Watch: Here’s The Latest On Coronavirus

Watch: Here’s The Latest On Coronavirus

Watch: Here’s The Latest On Coronavirus - 31 March
British people currently abroad will be helped to return home by the UK government, with a £75 million airlift operation. India’s lockdown causes a mass migration, the navy rolls into New York city as hospitals there continue to be overrun and one of Van Gogh’s paintings is stolen from a museum near Amsterdam.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Coronavirus Caused 1% Of All Deaths In England And Wales Week Ending March 20

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Coronavirus accounted for 1% of all deaths in England and Wales in the week ending March 20, figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal – 103 cases in total.
The new stats include people dying outside of hospitals whose death certificates mentioned Covid-19, including in combination with other health conditions.
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By contrast, official numbers from the Department for Health and Social Care have so far only included deaths inside hospitals, though this is changing from Tuesday.
As a result, up to March 20, the ONS counted 24% more deaths involving Covid-19 than the DHSC: 210 compared with 170.
Separate figures from the ONS, including only deaths that were actually registered before March 20 (as opposed to occurring before March 20 but being registered later) show that for the 108 cases where Covid-19 was mentioned on a death certificate, 45 (or 42%) were people aged 85 and over, while 34 (31%) were people aged 75 to 84.
A total of 21 deaths (19%) were people aged 65 to 74, seven (6%) were people aged 45 to 64 and one death was aged 15 to 44 years.
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The figures come after it was revealed there has been almost a 50% rise in just a few days in the number of people being treated for coronavirus in England’s hospitals.
Sir Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said on Friday that more than 6,200 patients were in hospital with Covid-19.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Sam Smith Delaying And Renaming To Die For Album Due To Coronavirus

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Since releasing an album titled To Die For is perhaps a bit insensitive amid a deadly global pandemic, Sam Smith has announced that they are delaying and renaming their third album.
The Grammy-winning singer’s next project, featuring hit singles Dancing With A Stranger and How Do You Sleep, was scheduled to arrive on 5 June, but due to the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak it will now be postponed until sometime later in the year.
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“I have done a lot of thinking the last few weeks and feel that the title of the album and imminent release doesn’t feel right, so I have come to the decision to continue working on the album and make some important changes and additions,” Sam wrote in a statement posted on Monday, sending well wishes to their millions of fans.
“I will be renaming my album and pushing back the release date ― both of which are to be confirmed at this time.”
Sam Smith Isabel Infantes - PA Images via Getty Images
Sam went on to promise that “there will be an album this year,” before teasing that new music will be released in the coming months.
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“Thank you for always being by my side and for your understanding and patience,” they concluded. “I always want to do right by you. Always.”
To my wonderful fans... x pic.twitter.com/ZdhCeRkH7Q — samsmith (@samsmith) March 30, 2020
The Oscar-winning star has been encouraging their followers via social media to stay safe and inside amid the pandemic, while also blessing our ears with some renditions of songs like What The World Needs Now and John Legend’s Ordinary People.
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Sam has urged fans to follow suit and share videos of themselves “performing and singing your favourite songs at home.”
“Hopefully we can use some of this time to sing together,” they wrote on an Instagram post last week.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Dolly Parton Will Read Bedtime Stories To Kids To Ease Coronavirus Fears

NBC via Getty Images
Leave it to Dolly Parton to find a warm and thoughtful way to ease fears amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday, the country music icon unveiled plans for “Goodnight with Dolly,” a weekly video series featuring her reading different children’s stories on behalf of her Imagination Library, a literacy advocacy group. The first instalment will air Thursday on the Imagination Library’s YouTube page.
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Calling herself “the book lady,” Parton announced the series with a short video on her Facebook page as well as a blog post on the Imagination Library’s website. “Goodnight with Dolly” will run for 10 weeks with the aim of offering children “a welcomed distraction during a time of unrest.”
“This is something I have been wanting to do for quite a while, but the timing never felt quite right,” Parton said in the blog post. “I think it is pretty clear that now is the time to share a story and to share some love.”
The nine-time Grammy winner didn’t set out a specific schedule for the stories she’d be reading, but she did list the books. They all come from the Imagination Library’s titles for young audiences, including Parton’s own “Coat of Many Colours” and Watty Piper’s classic “The Little Engine That Could.”
“It is an honour for me to share the incredible talent of these authors and illustrators,” she added. “They make us smile, they make us laugh and they make us think.”
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Parton didn’t mention the coronavirus pandemic by name in her announcement. Last week, she urged fans to “keep the faith” in a short but quirky video posted to her Instagram page.
“I think God is in this, I really do,” she said in the clip, viewable above. “I think he’s trying to hold us up to the light so we can see ourselves and see each other through the eyes of love. I think that when this passes, we’re all gonna be better people.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Paul Chuckle Recovering After Being 'Laid Up' With Coronavirus: 'It's Not Nice'

Paul Chuckle has revealed he has been fighting coronavirus.
The former kids TV star – real name Paul Elliott – said he had experienced a “mild” form of the virus, but said it was still “not nice”, leaving him in bed for a “good few days”.
The 72-year-old posted a video on Twitter to assure fans he was doing well, urging them to also heed the government’s restrictions about staying home.
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Paul Chuckle PA
Paul said: “Hi guys, just checking in to let you know I’m still around.
“I have been laid up with Covid-19 for a good few days, just mild, but it was there and it’s not nice, I promise you, so please, please stay inside.
“We’re all going stir-crazy, we know that, but please stay inside and take the pressure off the NHS, Marie Curie, etc, etc.
“Please, please, stay in guys and enjoy as best you can.”
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Paul captioned the video with “on the mend”, along with a fingers crossed emoji.
Paul is best known as one half of children’s entertainers The Chuckle Brothers along with late brother Barry, who were famous for their CBBC show Chucklevision.
Barry died in 2018 at the age of 73, and was diagnosed with bone cancer prior to his death.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Robert Rinder ‘Still Ropey’ But 'On The Road To Recovery' After Battling Coronavirus

Robert Rinder has revealed he is “on the road to recovery” after being struck down by coronavirus.
The star of ITV’s Judge Rinder started to experience symptoms around two weeks ago, but managed to distract himself from the disease by watching television.
Robert Rinder Samir Hussein via Getty Images
Writing about his ordeal in his Evening Standard column, he explained: “It started two weeks ago when I woke up with a temperature, which I never get.
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“This was followed by a dry hacking cough, night sweats and — by day six — my lungs felt like they were being squeezed in a vice. I forced myself out of bed to eat and then collapsed into delirium on the sofa, trying to avoid the catastrophic news by watching endless reality television.
“By day seven I felt a bit better, only to relapse with a fever the following morning. By day 11 my temperature was down, the cough had begun to subside and I could do small tasks.
“I am on the road to recovery but still feel ropey.”
Judge Rinder Shutterstock
He added: “I also kept silent as I didn’t fancy becoming a Twitter spectacle. I’m sharing my story now to remind you to socially distance, but also to reassure you.
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“The vast majority of those who get this virus will make it through, albeit with weakened lungs and an addiction to Keeping up with the Kardashians,” he joked.
The 41-year-old also revealed that he decided not to get tested for the virus, due to the limited number of tests currently available to NHS workers.
“I chose not to get a test as they aren’t even available to all NHS staff and refused to jump the queue by paying,” he said in a tweet.
Getting a test before ALL our NHS staff have access to them is immoral. Simple. — Robert Rinder (@RobbieRinder) March 30, 2020
A number of other stars have revealed that they have either tested positive, or have been self-isolating after showing symptoms of Covid-19.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Officially Step Back From UK Royal Family Life

Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Officially Step Back From UK Royal Family Life
The Duke & Duchess of Sussex have officially stepped back from public duties and relinquished their royal titles and privileges and claimed financial independence. The pair and their son Archie will now be splitting their time between the Americas and the UK.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Seven Things You Need To Know About Coronavirus Today

The UK has now been in lockdown for a week in a bid to tackle the spread of coronavirus.
22,141 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK.
So far 1,408 people in hospital have died after contracting Covid-19. Since then, another 13 deaths have been recorded in Scotland, first minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced, bringing the country’s total to 60. Another six people have also died in Northern Ireland, bringing the total there to 28, while Wales recorded another seven deaths, bringing the total to 69.
Coronavirus Statista
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Here’s the latest on Covid-19:
Visas to be extended for NHS medics
NHS doctors, nurses and paramedics with UK work visas due to expire before October 1 will have them automatically extended for a year so they can “focus on fighting coronavirus”, the Home Office has said.
Belgian authorities say 12-year-old girl has died of coronavirus
Authorities in Belgium say a 12-year-old girl has died of coronavirus, the youngest known victim of the disease in Europe so far.
It is not yet known whether she had any underlying health conditions.
Announcing the news on Tuesday, national coronavirus crisis-centre spokesperson Emmanuel Andre said it was “an emotionally difficult moment, because it involves a child, and it has also upset the medical and scientific community”.
“We are thinking of her family and friends. It is an event that is very rare, but one which upsets us greatly,” the Associated Press reported Andre said.
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No details about the girl were provided.
In Belgium, 98 people had died from the disease over the last 24 hours, bringing the total toll to 705 in a country of about 11.5m people. More than 12,705 cases have been confirmed in total so far.
Coronavirus caused 1% of all deaths in England and Wales in a week
Ambulances outside the ExCel Centre, which is being turned into a 4000 bed temporary hospital for coronavirus patients in London ASSOCIATED PRESS
Coronavirus accounted for 1% of all deaths in England and Wales in the week ending March 20, figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal – 103 cases in total.
The new stats include people dying outside of hospitals whose death certificates mentioned Covid-19, including in combination with other health conditions.
By contrast, official numbers from the Department for Health and Social Care have so far only included deaths inside hospitals. However, this is changing from Tuesday.
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As a result, up to March 20, the ONS counted 24% more deaths involving Covid-19 than the DHSC: 210 compared with 170.
Separate figures from the ONS, including only deaths that were actually registered before March 20, showed that for the 108 cases where Covid-19 was mentioned on a death certificate, 45 (or 42%) were people aged 85 and over.
Meanwhile 34 (31%) were people aged 75 to 84.
Medics still facing ‘life-threatening’ shortages of PPE
An NHS nurse holds a coronavirus testing kit at a drive through coronavirus testing site in Wolverhampton Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
Doctors and nurses treating coronavirus patients are still facing “life-threatening shortages” of protective equipment, according to the British Medical Association (BMA).
On Sunday, communities secretary Robert Jenrick said the government “cannot and should not ask people to be on the frontline without the right protective equipment”.
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He also confirmed that 170 million masks and almost 10 million items of cleaning equipment are among the items being delivered to NHS trusts and healthcare settings.
However, BMA consultants committee chairman Dr Rob Harwood demanded more clarity from the government about what healthcare staff should do if they do not have the PPE they need.
“Doctors are placing themselves at significant risk by treating patients on the frontline and there are concerns that sometimes this is without adequate PPE,” Harwood said.
“While the government has been forthcoming in letting us know that protection is on the way, there are still doctors and other NHS staff who today, tomorrow and in the coming week, may face the daunting prospect of having to consider treating patients without adequate protection.”
He added: “Having seen the tragic deaths of medics in Italy and now closer to home here in the UK, doctors and NHS staff have every right to be concerned, knowing that a lack of adequate protection is not only dangerous, it may be fatal.”
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On Tuesday, a group of senior MPs, led by the Lib Dems’ Layla Moran, wrote to Boris Johnson to demand compensation for the families of NHS workers who die fighting coronavirus.
A contribution should also be made to their funeral costs, they told the PM, with the scheme providing a lump sum payment, guaranteed income for the family and child payments to those eligible under 18-years-old.
Call centre workers ‘terrified’ to go into the office
Chainarong Prasertthai via Getty Images
Despite being identified as key workers – essential in order to keep the country connected both via phone and internet – workers are continuing to take “non-essential” calls throughout the crisis about matters such as upgrading entertainment packages for broadband customers.
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Staff at Sky described how managers continue to lean over them to enter passwords on their computers and how the company had offered vouchers to be spent in the staff canteen – leading to worries that people will congregate there.
“The work I do could be done from home,” one worker told HuffPost UK. “It feels as though it’s profit over the wellbeing of employees at the moment – some additional measures have been brought in but I don’t think it’s being taken seriously enough.”
Meanwhile, managers at a Virgin Media call centre in Motherwell reportedly suggested that employees carshare, in direct conflict with social distancing rules, after a bus route to their industrial estate was cut and taxis were overwhelmed by demand.
A spokesperson for Sky said the company was minimising the number of people on site, “whilst also following all guidelines to keep our people and customers safe.”
A spokesperson for Virgin Media said: “We have implemented social distancing and hygiene measures across all of our sites, including those managed by third parties. We trust our third party partners to deliver those measures appropriately and take best care of the teams there.” Read their full statements here.
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It comes as three unions have joined forces to ask the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to directly intervene to tackle companies who are “stretching the interpretation of essential workers” by making staff show up when they don’t need to.
Donald Trump features Bible-touting CEOs during coronavirus briefing
My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell speaks during a briefing about the coronavirus in the Rose Garden of the White House ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Donald Trump once again used his daily briefing on coronavirus on Monday to parade out private company executives.
This included Mike Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow, who used the platform to praise Trump and tell Americans to “read our Bibles.”
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The US has the highest number of confirmed Covid-19 cases of any nation worldwide, with more than 155,000 reported as of midday Monday and more than 2,400 people dead.
During the briefing — meant to inform Americans about Covid-19 — Trump handed the podium to several CEO’s of private sector companies to tout their efforts to produce sanitiser, masks and other gear for workers amid the pandemic.
Lindell said his bedding company would be dedicating 75% of its manufacturing to producing cotton face masks, aiming to get up to 50,000 a day by end of this week. He then said he would read something he wrote “off the cuff.”
“God gave us grace on Nov 8, 2016, to change the course we were on,” Lindell said, referring to the day Trump was elected. “God had been taken out of our schools and lives. A nation had turned its back on God.”
“And I encourage you to use this time at home to get back in the ‘Word,’ read our Bibles and spend time with our families,” he added, touting “our great president” and “all the great people in this country praying daily” as key to getting through the pandemic.
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When Trump took back the podium, he said he “did not know he was going to do that, but he’s a friend of mine and I do appreciate it.”
HuffPost did not immediately get a response from the White House for comment.
Food vouchers sent to children who get free school meals
Children who get free school meals will be sent food vouchers Peter Cade via Getty Images
Families whose children are entitled to free school meals will be sent supermarket vouchers while schools are shut during the coronavirus pandemic, ministers have announced.
The scheme will will see families sent vouchers worth £15-a-week for each eligible child.
The vouchers can currently be spent on food at a range of shops including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose and Marks and Spencer.
“We are living in extraordinary times at the moment,” said education secretary Gavin Williamson.
“It’s really important that we do everything we can do for families, make sure those children we really want to be able to support and help are getting that support.”
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It is estimated that 1.3 million pupils are currently entitled to free meals.
Williamson said schools across England are being invited to join the scheme, while the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were also being given the chance to sign up.
Coronavirus could throw ‘millions into poverty’ in Asia
People wearing face masks walk past a bank's electronic board showing the Hong Kong share index ASSOCIATED PRESS
More than 11 million people could fall into poverty in Asia because of coronavirus in the worst-case scenario, the World Bank has warned.
In a forecast on Monday, the bank said it estimated the outbreak of Covid-19 would cause growth to slow significantly this year in China and other East Asian-Pacific countries.
Under a worst-case scenario, the region could suffer its sharpest downturn since a devastating currency crisis more than two decades ago, forecasters said.
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The bank’s report projected growth in the region would slow to 2.1% this year from 5.8% in 2019 under a “baseline” forecast in which economic recovery takes hold this summer.
But in the worst-possible situation – in which the adverse effects of the virus spill over into next year – the region’s economy would contract 0.5%, the bank said.
That would represent the weakest performance for the region since the 1997-98 Asian currency crisis, which plunged 40% of the globe into recession, and could leave more than 11 million people in poverty.
The warning comes in stark contrast to the bank’s earlier forecast that growth would be sufficient this year to lift 35 million people out of poverty.
Aaditya Mattoo, chief economist for East Asia and the Pacific at the World Bank, said: “In addition to bold national actions, deeper international cooperation is the most effective vaccine against this virulent threat.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Clueless New Yorkers Gather To Watch USNS Comfort Arrive, Completely Missing The Point

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While some New Yorkers have been isolating themselves and following social distancing guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic, others in the city are being reckless regarding others’ welfare.
On Monday morning, the USNS Comfort arrived in New York City’s harbour. The hospital ship with approximately 1,000 patient beds is expected to take the non-COVID-19 patients at city’s hospitals across all five boroughs in an effort to free up space. New York City has over 36,000 reported cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, as of Monday morning. Seven hundred and ninety people have died of the disease.
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The USNS Comfort seen sailing to New York Harbor from a NYS escort vessel.
The Comfort brings 1,000 much-needed hospital beds & 1,200 personnel to New York. I'll be in NYC to receive a briefing upon its arrival. pic.twitter.com/VpHpjymsow — Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 30, 2020
Ahead of the ship’s arrival in the Hudson River, dozens of New Yorkers gathered on Manhattan’s west side to watch it arrive.
Photos from Getty Images that were also posted on social media show crowds of people gathered on Monday, most of whom are not maintaining six feet of distance from others as advised by health experts to limit the spread of the virus.
so we're just going to be in quarantine forever huh pic.twitter.com/loykFYkNRD — internet baby (@kirkpate) March 30, 2020
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A crowd seen gathering to welcome US Navy hospital ship at New York City on March 30, 2020. NurPhoto via Getty Images
USNS Comfort arrived at Pier 90. It has a 1,000-bed capacity, which will be augmenting New York City hospitals. NurPhoto via Getty Images
COVID-19 is thought to spread between people who are in close contact with one another, which the CDC identifies as “within about six feet.” The disease can also transmit through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
The ease of transmission is the reason why residents of New York state, which has become the global epicentre of the pandemic, are being directed to stay home through April 15.
Governor Andrew Cuomo also announced on Monday that New York state now has more than 66,000 cases of the coronavirus.
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Those in the crowd must have missed the irony that they were putting themselves at greater risk of infection to see a ship that was there only because the city was struggling to contain infections.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--US Shipped Tons Of COVID-19 Supplies To China As Trump Dismissed Threat

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The US State Department shipped 17.8 tons of donated coronavirus medical supplies to China seven weeks ago, when health experts and some American lawmakers were already seeking federal action to prepare the country for the disease.
The massive shipment to China included medical masks, gowns and respirators, now in desperately short supply across America. The supplies were contributed by American companies and nonprofits, according to a US Agency for International Development official.
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The State Department touted its aid to China in a press release February 7, three weeks after the first COVID-19 case emerged in Washington state. The statement said the agency was prepared to spend $100 million on the fight against the disease in China and other foreign countries. That was the same day the World Health Organisation sounded an alert that such supplies were in critically short supply around the globe.
We have coordinated with U.S. organizations to transport more humanitarian relief to people in Wuhan. Personal protective equipment and other medical supplies donated by these organizations can help save lives in #China and help protect people from the #coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/57SN2TXfLP — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) February 7, 2020
President Donald Trump predicted that day in a tweet that China would be “successful” in vanquishing the illness, “especially as the weather starts to warm & the virus hopefully becomes weaker and then gone.”
Just had a long and very good conversation by phone with President Xi of China. He is strong, sharp and powerfully focused on leading the counterattack on the Coronavirus. He feels they are doing very well, even building hospitals in a matter of only days. Nothing is easy, but... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 7, 2020
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....he will be successful, especially as the weather starts to warm & the virus hopefully becomes weaker, and then gone. Great discipline is taking place in China, as President Xi strongly leads what will be a very successful operation. We are working closely with China to help! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 7, 2020
Later that month, Trump compared COVID-19 to his impeachment and claimed it was Democrats’ “new hoax” to make him look bad. The previous month he boasted at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland that it was “totally under control” in the US.
A desperate US airlifted 80 tons of medical supplies from China to America on Sunday. Another 21 flights are planned, The New York Times reported.
The plane delivered 130,000 N95 masks, 1.8 million face masks and gowns, 10 million gloves, and thousands of thermometers for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, said a spokesperson for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The gear is a small contribution to what’s needed.
State Department officials, responding to a question at a news briefing last week asking whether the US now regrets sending the supplies to China, pointed out that the shipment came from “private donors,” not the government.
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Even before the supplies were sent to China, US lawmakers were calling on the Trump administration to make preparations to deal with the spreading disease in America, noted Mother Jones, which was the first to report the aid to China.
Representative Chris Murphy and other lawmakers offered to allocate emergency funding for early health measures and research to address coronavirus in the US, but the offer was rejected by the White House. Murphy’s observation that such measures were needed immediately turned out to be prophetic.
Just left the Administration briefing on Coronavirus. Bottom line: they aren't taking this seriously enough.
Notably, no request for ANY emergency funding, which is a big mistake. Local health systems need supplies, training, screening staff etc. And they need it now. — Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) February 5, 2020
Ten days ago, Trump snapped at governors pleading for supplies: “The federal government is not supposed to be out there buying vast amounts of items and then shipping,” he said. “We’re not a shipping clerk.”
The Trump administration has since begun pleading with the international community for supply donations, including N95 masks, gloves, respirators and hand sanitizer.
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COVID-19 cases in the US now top 145,000 cases, with 2,500 deaths.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Trump Hands Coronavirus Briefing To Company Exec Who Tells Americans To Read Bible

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President Donald Trump used Monday’s White House daily briefing on coronavirus to again parade out private company executives — including MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, who used the platform to praise Trump and tell Americans amid a global pandemic to “read our Bibles.”
During the briefing — meant to inform Americans about COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus — Trump handed the podium to several CEO’s of private sector companies to tout their efforts to produce sanitizer, masks and other gear for workers amid the pandemic.
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MyPillow CEO Lindell said his bedding company would be dedicating 75% of its manufacturing to producing cotton face masks, aiming to get up to 50,000 a day by end of this week. He then said he would read something he wrote “off the cuff.”
“God gave us grace on November 8, 2016, to change the course we were on,” Lindell said, referring to the day Trump was elected. “God had been taken out of our schools and lives. A nation had turned its back on God.”
“And I encourage you to use this time at home to get back in the ‘Word,’ read our Bibles and spend time with our families,” he added, touting “our great president” and “all the great people in this country praying daily” as key to getting through the pandemic.
After Lindell finished his remarks, he went to shake Trump’s hand, but the president, observing a social distancing practice he had been ignoring earlier this month, did not reciprocate. When Trump took back the podium, he said he “did not know he was going to do that, but he’s a friend of mine and I do appreciate it.”
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HuffPost did not immediately get a response from the White House for comment.
The US currently has the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases of any nation worldwide, with more than 155,000 reported as of midday Monday and more than 2,400 people dead. States and hospitals across the country have been struggling to test, treat and support the ballooning number of people with the illness.
After hyping his company for a few minutes, Mike Lindell, the founder of MyPillow, says "God gave us grace" by electing Trump.
This is for some reason happening at a White House briefing on the coronavirus that has killed thousands of people in the U.S. pic.twitter.com/CmjAG1mP8o — Chris Sommerfeldt (@C_Sommerfeldt) March 30, 2020
Others at Monday’s briefing included executives from tech company Honeywell, which intends to produce N95 masks in new facilities; sleepwear company Jockey International, which is donating scrubs to New York doctors; and Proctor and Gamble, which will make hand sanitiser.
The president cued up the speakers by saying: “We’re gonna introduce you to some of the greatest business executives in the world today.”
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Earlier this month, Trump also used a White House briefing when he was still downplaying the potential threat posed by the coronavirus to praise various corporations and turn the microphone over to their executives.
In Lindell’s “off the cuff” remarks on Monday, he complimented Trump for “just a few short months ago” having the “best economy, the lowest unemployment, wages going up” in the US.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Call Centres Are 'Like A Petri Dish' As Staff Hotdesk And Managers Lean Over Workers

Concerns have been expressed about employee safety in call centres across the UK. Richard Drury via Getty Images
Call centre workers have described being “terrified” to go to work amid claims of coronavirus social-distancing guidelines being ignored and staff being encouraged to car share to avoid being late into the office.
Despite being identified as key workers, essential in order to keep the country connected both via phone and internet, workers are continuing to take “non-essential” calls throughout the crisis about matters such as upgrading entertainment packages for broadband customers.
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One employee at Sky’s call centre said they were “terrified” to go into work, describing the process of entering the building as “like walking into a petri dish”.
They added: “The thought of sitting on the bus with so many other people and then being stuck with hundreds of others in an office for hours on end, knowing that anyone could have picked the virus up from anywhere, is just horrible.
“The work I do could be done from home. It feels as though it’s profit over the wellbeing of employees at the moment – some additional measures have been brought in but I don’t think it’s being taken seriously enough.”
As well as barely sitting the government-mandated two metres from their colleagues, the call centre worker also raised concerns that promised deep cleans had not been completed thoroughly enough and said that managers often had to manually lean over employees to enter passwords on their keyboard, contradicting the two-metre guidelines.
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In addition, the employee reported that, as recognition of their work throughout the crisis, staff had been given vouchers to spend in the workplace canteen – leading to concerns that it could encourage even more people than usual to use communal areas and flout social distancing rules.
“At a time like this I wouldn’t touch the canteen food, but encouraging people to use that facility more than they would just seems so short-sighted,” they said.
“I’m so worried – not just for my health but for the health of my colleagues, some of whom are going home every night to young children and partners and parents who could be vulnerable.”
A spokesperson for Sky said: “At this difficult time it is critical we’re able to keep people connected, online and informed with the latest news and information – so we are pleased the government recognises our contact centre colleagues as key workers.
“It is vital that a core team continue to work to support our customers, particularly vulnerable ones who we are prioritising. We are minimising the number of people we need to be on site, whilst also following all guidelines to keep our people and customers safe.”
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Elsewhere, concerns have been raised about workers’ proximity to their own colleagues – while travelling.
Managers at a Virgin Media call centre in Motherwell reportedly suggested that employees carshare, in direct conflict with social distancing rules, after a bus route to their industrial estate was cut and taxis were overwhelmed by demand.
“It’s ridiculous,” said a family member of one of the workers.
“Staff are going into work as the previous shift are leaving and sitting at the same desks – there’s no deep cleaning.” People are bringing in their own wipes.
“Social distancing measures are pretty much non-existent – a few posters have gone up reminding employees to wash their hands, but that seems to be the extent of it.”
Despite claims that staff were continuing to offer services they saw as non-essential, such as handling upgrades and new media packages, a spokesperson for Virgin Media said that demand had been extremely high and exacerbated by the closure of sites overseas.
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They added: “The government have categorised our contact centre teams as key workers as the work they are doing is ‘supporting critical national infrastructure’.
“We have implemented social distancing and hygiene measures across all of our sites, including those managed by third parties. We trust our third party partners to deliver those measures appropriately and take best care of the teams there.”
Sitel, which manages the building in question, did not respond HuffPost’s request for comment.
It’s not just workers at media giants like Sky and Virgin that are worried – on Sunday, shadow environment secretary Luke Pollard published a letter online, addressed to health minister Matt Hancock, detailing his concerns about another Sitel-run office used by 111 call handlers in Plymouth.
He said staff had been left “terrified to go to work”, outlining problems such as continued hot-desking and a lack of deep cleaning – concerns also raised at the Motherwell site.
I've written to the Health Secretary @MattHancock outlining urgent concerns about the NHS 111 call centre in Plymouth.
I've been in touch with worried staff, who have told me that proper social distancing measures aren't in place, putting them at risk. pic.twitter.com/OhWMUX9paW — Luke Pollard MP (@LukePollard) March 29, 2020
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He added: “From the conversations I have had with people who work on this service I believe that these practices go against your advice on social distancing and increase the chance for the virus to spread in this environment.
“A coronavirus outbreak at this call centre would be devastating for the UK’s response to the pandemic and could result in more deaths in the long term.”
BBC News reported on Sunday that Sitel had instructed staff on site to follow stricter social-distancing measures after reports that space at an office in Stratford-upon-Avon had been “maxed out” as new starters joined the company.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--Care Home Staff Are Going Above And Beyond To Keep Residents Smiling During Coronavirus

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The UK lockdown is tough on everyone, but presents a unique challenge to staff caring for the county’s most elderly and vulnerable people in residential homes.
Around 410,000 residents live in UK care homes, with many of them affected by conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s, making it difficult for some to understand what’s going on or why their families can no longer visit.
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Other residents may be acutely aware of the continuing Covid-19 situation, and feeling anxious about their health, while also isolated from loved ones.
Amid ongoing worries over shortages of personal protective equipment and delays in testing key workers, care home staff are going above and beyond to ensure residents aren’t only staying safe, but staying happy.
Earlier this month, Bryn Celyn Care Home in Bridgend lifted the spirits of residents – and thousands around the world – when they shared a video of residents playing a human version of Hungry Hungry Hippos. And residents of Aberdeen’s Renais Care Home were cheered by 17 baby chicks which hatched from eggs they’d been caring for since February, the BBC reported.
Tweet🐥:
Residents @RenaisCareHomes in #Aberdeen have been chirped up following the arrival of 17 baby chicks.
Eggs they had been caring for since February began to hatch last week.
Staff said caring for the birds has been a "great distraction" to the #coronavirus pandemic. 😍 pic.twitter.com/0W7YkqJpRX — Ben Philip (@BenPhilip_) March 27, 2020
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Since then, staff at other care homes have been getting creative, too. Staff at Bupa’s Elmstead Care Home in Chislehurst noticed that lack of visitors was having a real impact on residents, so they’ve created some new activities to keep everyone amused.
“We normally have lots of people coming and going, whether that’s family and friends or entertainers coming in for the activities,” home manager Emma Staples tells HuffPost UK. “At first it really changed the dynamic of the home, so we’ve had to find ways to make sure we’re still the lively, fun-filled place our residents expect.”
Staples’ team have been trying to use the outdoor space as much as possible, encouraging residents to get fresh air. Activities so far have included gardening and beer in the sunshine.
“We got some novelty sunglasses the other day and the weather’s been perfect for trying them out,” says Staples. “It’s only a little thing, but it can really help lift people’s spirits.”
Elmstead Care Home Elmstead Care Home
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Another popular new addition has been the musical walking club, which meets and walks together around the home. “We theme these every day and give the residents instruments to play as we tour the home. It’s noisy, but it keeps a smile on everyone’s face – so we love it!” Staples says.
“One of our residents in particular has taken it upon himself to encourage other residents to take part in this every day. He stands behind our activity coordinator, Debbie, and bangs a drum while he sings ‘we are the walking club’ – it’s lovely to see him so involved.”
Helene Ballinger, who is resident experience manager at Southlands Care Home in Harrogate, has also been encouraging residents to get musical.
“We introduced a resident singalong which was great fun,” she tells HuffPost UK. “We’ve got some natural performers at the home! It was great to be able to share videos of this, so their relatives can see that we’re still having fun – despite the circumstances.”
Southlands Care Home Southlands Care Home
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Ballinger and the team have also introduced a lot of video calls, and have been busy helping helping residents send pictures and video messages over WhatsApp. “The residents have really enjoyed it – not only catching up with family, but also getting to try out new technology,” she says.
Looking after the health of their residents is top priority, but keeping a packed activity schedule has maintained a sense of normality, says Sally Harrison-Exton from care home chain Four Seasons, which cares for more than 10,000 people.
The chain’s Sandringham Portadown home has been busy operating a live radio station, where “residents, families and the wider community can share messages and enjoy music”, she explains.
Meanwhile, the Ashurst Park care home has introduced video talks in place of the usual visits internally, with external providers leading sessions on topics including ‘Remembering Britain in the 1950s’ and ‘Music Legends’.
Other activities added to the timetable include indoor badminton and football – both a big hit with residents. “We have had such an enjoyable, entertaining morning with everyone, we are all looking forward to the next sporty morning,” one resident, Arthur Freeland, says.
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“We all had such fun and games with everyone it brought lots of laughter and smiles,” another resident, Marjorie Gray, adds.
Four Seasons Four Seasons care home.
If you want to help care home workers boost the wellbeing of their residents, Four Seasons has launched a new initiative called Postcard Pens Pals across several of its homes.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--How Often Do You Really Need To Wash Your Face?

Handwashing has gotten all the attention lately (and rightfully so) because of the coronavirus pandemic, but with notables like singer Shawn Mendes and Sen. Elizabeth Warren saying they don’t wash their faces, the old twice-a-day rule has started coming into question.
The pop star prefers to “meditate a lot” because he believes “if you’re happy, you won’t break out!” The glowing former Democratic presidential candidate uses Pond’s moisturiser but told Cosmopolitan, “I never wash my face.” And actor Kristen Bell told Elle she cleanses only once a day, at night, since she doesn’t “want to strip my own natural oils in the morning by washing.”
Before diving into how often you should wash, we need to start by defining what cleansing actually means.
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“When we’re talking about facial cleansing, we’re typically talking about using a cleanser in addition to water,” Nada Elbuluk, a dermatologist at Keck Medicine of USC and a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Southern California, told HuffPost. “Something that’s going to help with removing the oil and dirt and things that build up on the face over the day, which water alone is not going to do sufficiently.”
What happens when you don’t wash your face at all?
When you completely abstain from face washing, New York and New Jersey dermatologist Meghan Feely warned that “not cleansing may result in acne, particularly after a day at the beach or following a workout, or for those who wear helmets or hats and may notice acne on the forehead if sweat is not rinsed off.”
Even if you’re not sweating, day-to-day life puts you in contact with elements that clog pores, and those elements should be removed regularly. “As we sleep and over the course of the day, oils and dead skin cells build up on our skin,” Feely explained. “Throughout the day, we are also exposed to environmental pollutants.”
Those pollutants “could be infectious, like bacteria or viruses,” Elbuluk said. “It could be allergens, it could be dirt, it could be all types of things, but things that we don’t want to have prolonged contact with our skin. Healthy skin is skin that is cleansed of those kinds of things. ”
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Elbuluk noted that leaving residual makeup, dirt and/or oil behind makes it hard for products like sunscreen to be effective. “Those products can’t penetrate as well if your skin isn’t clean because you have a coat of something on it,” she said. “You decrease the efficacy of those things.”
However, our skin does naturally exfoliate in the long run. “We are all like snakes and the skin turns itself over every 21 days,” New Jersey dermatologist Rebecca Baxt told HuffPost. “That happens naturally.”
What if I just use makeup wipes?
Makeup wearers, like actor Sarah Hyland, might rely on makeup wipes, which she told InStyle are “a Godsend. ... That’s what I use on a daily basis. I don’t wash my face, I just do that.”
4FR via Getty Images
“Sometimes [makeup wipes] are good to get the first layer off,” Baxt said. “But I prefer washing with a mild soap or cleanser with cool to warm water with fingertips as opposed to makeup wipes. Those wipes have chemicals in them — that’s why they’re able to stay preserved in a sealed container. There are people who get allergic to that.”
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Elbuluk recommends that makeup wipe users still cleanse after using them. “They’re not doing all the same things as a cleanser, which has specific biochemical properties to remove all the dirt and oil off your face,” she said. “Wipes alone are typically not sufficient.”
How often you should wash depends on your skin type.
For those who already get acne, Baxt suggests they “wash their face at least twice a day,” while someone with combination skin will “probably be well enough washing once a day.”
The same goes for people with dry skin. Dermatologist Steven Xu said they “can overdo it” by washing with a cleanser too often. “Cleansers strip away the top of your skin and some of the natural oils your body makes,” the assistant professor of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine tells HuffPost. “That can be bad in the context of people with dry or sensitive skin.”
Ageing skin tends to be more dry, too, and doesn’t require being washed twice a day. “As you get older, you stop making natural moisturisers that young skin does,” Xu said. “So cleaners can be extra harsh on skin that’s a little bit more weathered.”
He added, “People who don’t wear a lot of makeup and don’t put [products] on their face and don’t really get oily, that’s the kind of skin type that doesn’t necessarily need to be washing their face religiously.”
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Elbuluk said over-washing can cause dryness, too: “Using an actual cleanser is not needed more than twice a day,” she said. “For people who wash more than twice a day, it tends to over-dry the face without adding any additional benefit.”
What you wash with matters.
Basically, there’s no “hard and fast rule when it comes to frequency of face washing,” Xu said. “It all depends on your skin type and what you’re washing your face with.”
The choice of a cleanser will be guided by your skin type. “If you have sensitive skin, you can select a gentle, non-alcohol-based cleanser,” Feely said. “If you have acne-prone skin, you may choose one with ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.”
Elbuluk recommends cleansers from brands like Dove, Cetaphil or Cerave. “Those are good ones for sensitive or regular combination-type skin,” she said. “Try to keep it simple: A mild gentle cleanser is usually sufficient for most people.”
Baxt “has no problem” with people with dry skin using oil cleansers, but she doesn’t endorse them for those who regularly get acne or already have oily skin. “I’m not a believer in, if you’re oily, put more oil on your skin,” she said. “I don’t have a problem with an oil cleanser if you have dry skin, but if you’re acne prone, I’m not a fan.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--This Is What It’s Like To Experience Transphobia In The UK

This Is What It’s Like To Experience Transphobia In The UK
Police in England and Wales recorded 103,379 hate crimes in 2018/19 – 10% more than the previous year. While race remained the main trigger in the majority of reported offences there were also significant jumps in the number of transgender identity hate crimes – up by 37% in the last year from 1,703 to 2,333. In this report trans people talk about their experience of transphobia and the hopes they have for change.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-31--There's One Easy Way To Pay For Coronavirus Aid Without Punishing Ordinary People

The money lost through illicit financial flows could have been used to bolster public services, like social care and community support. Getty Images/Cultura RF
As the coronavirus pandemic worsens, governments worldwide are scrambling to keep their economies afloat. Doing so will cost money — and lots of it.
In the UK we’ve witnessed Chancellor Rishi Sunak deliver a series of emergency packages. This began with £12bn to mitigate the immediate economic effects of the outbreak, followed by a huge £350bn stimulus package, £7bn of extra welfare spending, and multi-billion pound packages to support salaried and self-employed workers.
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Around the world other countries are announcing similarly impressive and expensive interventions, such as the US’s $2tn stimulus package, Germany’s €600bn of “virus-aid” and €45bn released in France.
For governments, then, every scrap of revenue is critical, which makes the fact that they lose between $500bn and $600bn a year to corporate tax dodging — and $7trn of private wealth that is hidden offshore — harder to stomach than ever. In the UK, the most recent HMRC figures reveal that the nation lost £35bn in uncollected tax, including £5.2bn of corporation tax.
However, the price of our collective failure to tackle tax evasion and avoidance is not now limited to warding off an economic collapse. As health systems around the world strain under the pressure of Covid-19, it’s clear just how much we depend on strong, well-resourced public services in times of national crisis. Put simply, the money lost through illicit financial flows (IFFs) could have been used to properly equip hospitals and train health workers – as well as bolster other public services, like social care and community support.
“Those profiting from tax avoidance and evasion remain largely insulated against the effects of the virus.”
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Instead, in the UK, the NHS goes chronically underfunded; in the US, a wasteful and inefficient private healthcare system has made health a luxury rather than a right; and throughout Europe, hospitals routinely struggle to access vital resources.
And those profiting from tax avoidance and evasion remain largely insulated against the effects of the virus. Able to pay for private healthcare, stock up on essential provisions and avoid areas where contagion is likely (such as shops, public transport and workplaces), the wealthy’s experience of the pandemic is worlds apart from the majority’s.
As the virus continues to spread, experts are warning that next in line could be some of the world’s most vulnerable people in the global south. Lacking even basic healthcare provisions, a coronavirus outbreak in countries would be dire.
About one billion people — 30% of the world’s urban population — live in slum-like conditions. With little ventilation, drainage and sewerage facilities, diseases spread quickly and easily, and so-called “social distancing” is impossible.
Perhaps even more worryingly, three billion, nearly 40% of the global population, lack basic hand washing facilities.
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For this vast number of people, watching the coronavirus shut down country after county in the developed world must be terrifying.
Presently, African countries, for example, have access to just 1% of the world’s financial resources for health, but bear 24% of the global burden of disease. And, in 2019, cash-strapped African governments struggled with a health financing shortfall of $66bn a year.
But things needn’t be this bad. According to a report, Trapped in Illicit Finance, published by the international development charity Christian Aid, public revenue losses from IFFs in developing countries amount to around $416bn annually. While it’s too late to reappropriate that money, the lesson couldn’t be clearer: there is a huge human cost to tax evasion and avoidance.
In the meantime, to give the global south the best chance of weathering the incoming coronavirus health crisis, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank should delay loan repayments and allocate new loans (and grants) to the poorest countries. Thankfully, it looks like that will happen.
If anything good can come from this crisis, it should include a focused and committed global declaration to eliminate tax evasion and tax avoidance.
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In the UK, this could include extending and strengthening existing anti-avoidance tax legislation such as IR35 and continuing to remove other loopholes that allow corporate tax dodging. Though it’s difficult to say exactly how much money governments could reclaim by closing the most glaring tax loopholes, we can safely say the total would be hundreds of billions.
That’s surely a good long-term goal for the UK, and other countries too.