thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--The Next Trump-Biden Presidential Debate Will Be Virtual

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President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he wouldn’t participate in next week’s presidential debate after organisers announced it would be held virtually “in order to protect the health and safety of all involved”.
Democratic nominee Joe Biden initially agreed to take part, but suggested the debate be postponed after Trump rejected the new format.
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Trump, still recovering from Covid-19, said the altered debate format that the Commission on Presidential Debates announced earlier in the day was unacceptable.
“I’m not going to waste my time on a virtual debate,” the president, in a hoarse voice, told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo in a phone interview.
The debate commission had said the next event would take place October 15 in a town hall format as previously planned, but that each candidate would participate remotely. Town hall participants and the debate moderator, C-SPAN anchor Steve Scully, would attend in person at the debate venue in Miami.
Biden’s campaign quickly said the Democratic nominee would participate and “looks forward to speaking directly to the American people and comparing his plan for bringing the country together and building back better with Donald Trump’s failed leadership on the coronavirus.”
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But later, after Trump declared he would not participate, Biden urged that the town hall event be postponed until October 22, when a third presidential debate was already scheduled to take place. The Biden campaign said that should be the final debate.
“Trump’s erratic behavior does not allow him to rewrite the calendar, and pick new dates of his choosing,” Biden’s communications manager Kate Bedingfield said, noting October 22 was already one of the latest debate dates in recent history.
Biden will dedicate the October 15 day to another event.
“Donald Trump clearly does not want to face questions from the voters about his failures on Covid and the economy,” Bedingfield said. “As a result, Joe Biden will find an appropriate place to take questions from voters directly on October 15th, as he has done on several occasions in recent weeks.”
Bedingfield added that the commission could delay the planned town hall debate for one week “so that the President is not able to evade accountability.”
“The voters should have a chance to ask questions of both candidates, directly,” Bedingfield said. “Every Presidential candidate since 1992 has participated in such an event, and it would be a shame if Donald Trump was the first to refuse.”
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The Trump campaign appeared to agree to the new date of October 22, and, as opposed to the Biden campaign, called for the third and final debate to shift to October 29. It also accused the nonpartisan debate commission of being favourable to Biden and resumed attacking the former vice president for taking Covid-19 safety measures, such as falsely suggesting he was “hiding” in his “basement bunker”.
“As president Trump said, a virtual debate is a non-starter and would clearly be a gift to Biden because he would be relying on his teleprompter from his basement bunker,” Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien said in a statement. “The CPD and the media cannot hide Joe Biden forever. Americans deserve to hear directly from both presidential candidates on these dates, October 22 and 29.”
Earlier, Stepien, who also has tested positive for Covid-19, called the virtual format a “sad excuse to bail out Joe Biden” and said in a statement that Trump would “do a rally instead”.
Days after last week’s presidential debate in Cleveland, Trump tested positive for Covid-19 and was hospitalised for three days. Since his diagnosis, dozens of people in his orbit have also tested positive, including White House officials, campaign aides and associates who helped in his debate preparations.
On Friday, hours after Trump announced he had tested positive, Biden said he tested negative for Covid-19. He has since tested negative several more times, according to his campaign.
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Meanwhile, Trump and his team have flouted coronavirus health guidelines, such as wearing face masks. Members of Trump’s family refused a doctor’s admonition to keep their masks on in the debate audience in Cleveland.
Wednesday night’s vice presidential debate was held in person with a plexiglass barrier between vice president Mike Pence and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. Audience members were required to wear masks.
However, at the end of the debate, Pence’s wife Karen appeared on stage without one, ignoring guidelines both campaigns had agreed to observe.
Throughout the pandemic, Trump has continued to hold campaign rallies with mostly maskless crowds. He also has mocked Biden for wearing a face mask and observing other coronavirus health guidelines.
“I don’t wear face masks like him,” the president said during last week’s debate. “Every time you see him, he’s got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away ... and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”
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Nearly 212,000 people in the US have died of Covid-19.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Aldis Hodge On Art As Activism, And Fighting Racism Until The Day He Dies

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Aldis Hodge first experienced racism aged eight.
“I grew up in New Jersey, around the KKK and all that,” he tells HuffPost UK. “At a very young age I realised the world treated me as ‘less than.’ People would often say, ‘oh you wanna grow up to be a rapper or basketball player?’
“That pissed me off at eight years old. There’s nothing wrong with those careers, those are fine careers, but you’re only saying that because I’m Black. If that’s the only option you want to give me and my people, as opposed to presuming that I can be a doctor or a scientist...
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“I was insulted because you put a cap on my intellectual potential based off of your ignorance and negligence of my culture.”
Aldis Hodge unifies his projects - watch-making and acting - under one umbrella as 'art' Gregg DeGuire via Getty Images
It was during this period that Aldis decided he “wanted to be anything with engineering in the title,” in a defiant attempt to deconstruct toxic stereotypes about people of colour.
And the actor, known for his roles in period drama Underground, biopic Brian Banks and the Oscar-hyped Clemency, managed to do just that.
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Alongside his acting credentials the words “horological engineer” appear on his Instagram profile: that’s engineering speak for watch designer.
It’s forgivable to find it a tad unusual for an actor to also have a penchant for designing watches, rather than posing wearing them in expensive-looking ads, but Aldis sees all of his work - from on screen to behind his watch-making counter - as sharing a similar purpose.
“People like to separate the two but really they’re not,” the 33-year-old explains down the phone from Los Angeles. “For all intents and purposes, art is my language, that’s how I connect and communicate with the world, that’s how I understand the world.”
A familiar sight on TV, Aldis is experiencing a new rush of attention after Clemency, the film offering a fresh perspective on life on Death Row, premiered at Sundance last year and won the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize. The Prize has a reputation as a possible precursor to Oscar noms, although for Clemency that wasn’t the case.
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With Clemency, Aldis says he has achieved activism. The film presents the story of life on Death Row from the perspective of one worker whose day-to-day is ending people’s lives.
It’s threaded with the idea that some of these people may not have committed the crimes they have been imprisoned for, such as Aldis’ character Anthony Woods, and asks the broader question about the case for and against capital punishment.
“I’ve only seen the film three times, I think that’s about as much as I can take,” reflects Aldis. “I think it’s a great film, but it is emotionally taxing in the best way possible. You’ve got to temper yourself. Oftentimes we’re afforded the luxury of being able to ignore on a daily basis, but this is real - some people can’t ignore it.”
Another recent project is The Sunshine Cake, a podcast for children and families released in support of the GEANCO charity, raising money to support the Covid-19 relief effort in Nigeria. Aldis’s podcast is one in a series which includes editions read by Thandie Newton, Benedict Cumberbatch and Megalyn Echikunwoke.
“I love kids, man,” he says of the podcast. “I enjoy making kids smile and educating kids. That is my greatest joy.” Many of the children in the podcast have a disability but the story is about finding positive perspectives. “I thought it was really teachable for a lot of kids, to shape up their mindset to think about ways to reframe the positive in a situation,” he says.
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Aldis says he is "nowhere near yet accomplished" Amy Sussman via Getty Images
Despite the Clemency hype, Aldis describes himself as “nowhere near yet accomplished.” He’s open minded about which roles will further his career, from commercial roles to issues-focussed ones such as Clemency and Brian Banks, about a high school footballer falsely accused of rape.
That said, broadly he hopes to make that eight-year-old frustrated New Jersey boy proud.
“I want a career of work that serves a couple of agendas,” he says. “One, educate people on my culture; we’re still so very far regressed in our cultural understanding and acceptance. And beyond that I want to have a career that is a part of creating a change, the necessary change that needs to be seen as it relates to this industry for opportunity.
“I want to be a part of the reason people normalise seeing Black people in positions of regularity, normalcy, commonly accepted just as human beings as opposed to being a specified subject.”
He gives an example of a clichéd Black role. “I’m here because I’m Black, I’m this and this, and because I’m Black it has to be explained.” Thoughts of those childhood memories of adults asking about a career in basketball resound.
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“We’re tired of that, we’ve been tired of that, it’s exhausting,” he says. In response, in the hours spent away from filming and watch-making, Aldis spends his time reading. Either as many scripts as he can, or wider research that will inspire his agenda-setting work.
Another way Aldis works to educate people on Black culture is through the recent Black Lives Matter protests, which he has spent time at.
Attending, whether to publish a photo on Instagram or for the purpose of real change, is a good thing, he says, although he fears that progress and assumed progress are two different things: the protests may have made the news, but are people wrongly assuming that institutional racism will be eradicated because of the work of a few hard months?
“We’ve been here before with protests in the ’60s, we’ve been here in the ’90s, in the 1800s,” says Aldis. “People can’t get comfortable in thinking there’s change happening, no. Why?
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Aldis Hodge on sustaining the protest movement until we see real change, which could take 10 years or more Patrick McMullan via Getty Image
“Because we’ve been here before. We are on the precipice of change, but we have to maintain our work to maintain the change. True change is not momentary, it doesn’t happen in one year, it doesn’t happen in one particular month, it doesn’t happen with a few policies changing, true change happens through consistency.
“This has to be a new set of changes that live out a lifetime - that’s real change. So can we keep this consistent? I don’t know if I’ll see change today, tomorrow, the next year, the next two years. I will know that change has been applied in the next ten, fifteen, twenty years.”
It’s easy to read the headlines, hear the diversity conversations and to have hope - but to believe we have broken the systemic practices of racism in the US and around the world is a privileged perspective on an issue which pervades the lives of people of colour for a lifetime - not only a brief few months following a murder, like that of George Floyd.
“We live this every single day,” Aldis says. “We’re always looking for means of trying to create a better life and better opportunities for ourselves so it’s regular life for us, it’s not simply a taboo subject matter or a hot subject of the moment, this is just everyday life.”
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Aldis Hodge at a press conference for the movie Brian Banks WireImage
“I see the inklings of change, but we should not get comfortable with believing that change has come already, we should get comfortable with believing that we are actively working for change and we still have to keep that work up to maintain the change. Don’t get lazy, don’t get comfortable.”
This is integral work - but Aldis doesn’t necessarily define himself as an activist because his work isn’t always what he describes as on the “front line”. His activism hinges around the art he has grown up expressing himself through: be it painting, acting, watch-making or writing for screen, which he says has taken a back seat to watches of late.
He’s yet to sell a script to a studio but his passion for doing so reflects the actor’s warmth for humankind. “I’ve always written and I’ve always wanted to push out stories because I want to be in a position of creating and supplying jobs to people,” he urges. “I want to be able to help someone else build the career of their dreams.”
More than that, he wonders whether if all the time he’d spent on watches was spent writing scripts, he may have sold ten massive shows by this point, but he circles back to how everything in his professional sphere is unified, how art is his superpower.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Not A Single Covid Marshal Has Been Recruited In The Six Areas Hardest-Hit By Coronavirus

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Not a single Covid marshal has been recruited in the six areas of England with the highest levels of coronavirus.
In September, Boris Johnson announced that a force of “Covid-secure” marshals would be introduced to ensure social distancing rules were being followed in town and city centres.
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But more than a month on, and amid surging levels of Covid-19, councils in the very hardest hit areas have said that a delay in government funds has tied their hands when it comes to recruiting the marshals.
Areas with the highest rates of Covid-19* Manchester – 504.5 cases per 100,000 population Knowsley – 488.7 cases per 100,000 population Liverpool – 464.0 cases per 100,000 population Newcastle upon Tyne – 427.4 cases per 100,000 population Nottingham – 380.6 cases per 100,000 population Leeds – 311.5 cases per 100,000 population *Summary data from September 27 to October 3
It was only on Thursday – a full month after the prime minister’s speech – that the government announced £30 million to help cash-strapped councils to cover the cost of the new roles.
Manchester City Council, Leeds City Council and Nottingham City Council are among the local authorities that told HuffPost UK they had been unable to recruit marshals due to the hold-up in funding and lack of any guidance from central government.
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“We do not have dedicated Covid marshals,” a spokesperson for Manchester City Council said ahead of the funding announcement. “The reason why is one that’s been well documented across other local authority areas – the government has not made any money available to do so.
“That isn’t to say that we would never be able to get them in place, but until we are given the resources it’s an unlikely prospect.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Leeds City Council said they had been unable to hire marshals due to the “current financial challenges”.
Also speaking before the government’s cash pledge, they said: “We do have a range of enforcement resources across the council and within West Yorkshire Police.
“With no additional funding provided by the government for Covid marshals, this is not something we need or are able to implement at the current time.”
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It’s not just local authorities in the very-hardest hit areas that have yet to employ marshals, either.
A wider investigation by Politics Home revealed that just four councils among the top 100 with high coronavirus infection rates had recruited people for the job.
A man wearing a face covering due to the Covid-19 pandemic, queues to attend a novel coronavirus walk-in testing centre DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS via Getty Images
Councils told HuffPost UK they had instead been relying on existing staff to carry out enforcement duties.
While Manchester said it had been depending on police and its own compliance officers, Leeds said it had a “range of enforcement resources across the council and within West Yorkshire Police”.
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A spokesperson for Newcastle City Council said it would not be hiring any marshals because its work with police and other partners to enforce the measures “goes above and beyond the role of the marshals mentioned by the prime minister”.
“We have qualified environmental health, trading standards and licensing officers actively patrolling the city day and night,” they said.
The local authority in Knowsley, which had the second highest coronavirus infection rate in the country between September 27 and October 3, said that while it currently did not have any Covid marshals it “would consider this type of role”.
According to the government, Covid marshals have successfully been rolled out by a number of other councils in England – including Charnwood Borough Council, Blackpool Council and Northamptonshire County Council.
On Thursday, local government secretary Robert Jenrick announced the £30 million would “support their [councils’] work on compliance and enforcement in their communities”. He also announced £30 million for police forces.
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Local authorities will be able to spend the money on Covid marshals, staff training and sharing Covid-19 guidance, the government said.
The funding has been welcomed by the Local Government Association (LGA), which said it was “helpful” that councils would be able to determine how best to spend the money.
The LGA’s Nesil Caliskan said: “It is good that government has recognised the pressures on council enforcement officers and will provide additional funding for councils to support the enforcement of Covid-19 laws.”
She added: “The pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing pressures on councils’ regulatory services, which in many places are now at tipping point.
“As local authorities continue to lead local work to tackle Covid-19, the government needs to use the Spending Review to ensure councils have enough funding to maintain vital trading standards and environmental health services over the next six months and beyond.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--What To Do If You Have A Half-Term Holiday Booked

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If you’re planning to head abroad or already have a UK holiday booked during the half term break, you may be wondering whether it will go ahead.
It’s been widely reported that the government is considering a “circuit break” – or mini two-week lockdown – to limit the spread of coronavirus in the UK.
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Members of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) told the Financial Times if this goes ahead, it’s likely to coincide with half term to limit the impact on education.
It’s unlikely this kind of lockdown would be as dramatic as the measures introduced in March, but it’s expected hospitality venues may have to close early – or completely. There’s also the possibility that households will be told not to mix and people will be discouraged from non-essential travel.
The government is yet to confirm if the circuit break will happen, so should you cancel anyway? It really depends on how important a holiday is to you and how quickly you’d need a refund if it can’t go ahead.
If you’re considering cancelling now, the first step is to check the cancellation policy on your holiday to decide whether it’s worth pulling the plug now, or leaving it until the last minute. Some Airbnbs and hotels, for example, allow you to cancel up to 48 hours before your check-in with no fees.
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Your other option is to wait for a government announcement that will potentially ban your holiday from taking place. In this scenario, you’d then have to contact your holiday provider or your insurer for a refund, but beware this may not be processed quickly, as you’ll likely be joining a queue with thousands of others.
Malcolm Tarling from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) says “it’s a tricky time” if you have a half term holiday booked. In the event that your holiday can’t go ahead, he says you’ll need to contact your accommodation provider or airline for a refund first, before trying your insurer.
“The reason travel insurance policies require you to try other refund sources first is that travel insurance is primarily designed and priced to cover the risk of needing emergency medical treatment while overseas,” Tarling tells HuffPost UK.
“Where people have first tried to get travel refunds from other sources, and then turn to their travel insurer, then (provided it is covered) insurers will deal with the claim as quickly as possible.”
However, you’ll need to check if your travel insurance policy covers you for travel disruption – because not all policies do.
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“If the policy does cover them, this will usually kick in if the customer has tried and not been able to get refund/s from any other source, such as the air carrier, tour operator or credit card provider,” Tarling says, reiterating that you might need to be patient.
“It is worth bearing in mind that travel insurers expect to pay £275 million in travel cancelation claims – a record amount in cancellation payments so far from a single event.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Royal College Of Midwives Apologises For Slimming World Ad 'Pressuring' Mums To Lose Weight

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The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has apologised for posting a Slimming World advert on its Facebook page, after a mum of three complained that it would put “pressure” on new mums to lose weight.
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The post featured a photo of a mum with her baby, alongside the text: “Faye lost 2st with Slimming World.” It added a quote from Faye, saying: “After welcoming my little boy, I returned to group – and with their support I got back to my target.”
Elaine Gunn, 40, from Edinburgh, spotted the post on Facebook and says her initial response was “utter confusion and disbelief.”
Elaine Gunn
“I had my three boys in 2009, 2011 and 2013, but I remember the ridiculous pressure to ‘get my figure back’ – and I am not having it!” Gunn tells HuffPost UK.
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“Who at the Royal College of Midwives could possibly have thought this was an appropriate partnership to enter into, or supportive messaging to endorse? I suspect that the campaign is a symptom of the systemic misogyny that is rife in our maternity services, and we have a responsibility to call it out.”
Elaine Gunn Elaine Gunn
The advert posted by RCM has since been deleted, but another version still features on the Slimming World Facebook page at time of writing. The second post uses the same image, but the caption text adds that Faye joined Slimming World “after receiving hurtful comments at a birthday party”.
Gunn questions why the company would want to celebrate someone being shamed into losing weight, adding that the wording “really isn’t consistent with the happy, positive story the imagery tells”.
Slimming World/HuffPost UK
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The partnership between Slimming World and RCM is longstanding – the two groups have worked together since 2012.
They claim the collaboration is designed to “raise awareness in supporting pregnant women and breastfeeding mums in managing their weight”. Caryl Richards, Slimming World’s CEO, previously insisted that the group doesn’t “encourage weight loss or ‘dieting’ during pregnancy”.
But Gunn is frustrated that weight loss messages are being targeted at post-natal women, too.
“I struggle to believe that any responsible healthcare professional would suggest that weight loss should be a priority for women in the months after giving birth, but that’s exactly what this post seems to recommend,” she says.
“We are letting new parents down every day in this country – between under-funded, overstretched maternity services, a lack of basic support, dignity and autonomy in childbirth, and all but absent breastfeeding support. The RCM should be focusing their resources in these areas, rather than targeting vulnerable (and probably exhausted and overwhelmed) new parents with diet culture.”
In response to the complaint, RCM stood by the Slimming World partnership, calling the company “fantastic supporters of our Caring for You programme for members”.
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“Their advice and support for pregnant women on healthy weight management during pregnancy is an important and useful tool for midwives and maternity support workers, who are only too aware of the risks to pregnancy and maternal health brought about by a raised BMI,” RCM said in a statement.
“We shared a post that did not reflect this, for which we apologise. We remain committed to working with Slimming World on their pregnancy weight management programme.”
A Slimming World spokesperson added: “Like the RCM, we’re extremely proud of our partnership and the work we’ve done together to provide support to women to manage their weight healthily before, during and after pregnancy. We never put pressure on women to lose weight or to be a certain size. The aim of the partnership is to offer support to those women who would like it given the significant risks excess weight poses for maternal health.”
They acknowledged that the posts by both RCM and Slimming World “could have been misinterpreted” and “apologise for any offence or upset this caused”.
“Our intention was to show new mums who may be worrying about their weight and health what is possible with the support and care of a Slimming World group,” they said.
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Slimming World also emphasised that both posts were unpaid for social media posts, not a paid-for advertisement.
Gunn says she is glad the RCM post has been deleted, but expresses frustration at the ongoing partnership between RCM and Slimming World.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Selling Sunset's Davina Potratz Announces She's Quit The Oppenheim Group – And No, She Didn't Sell T

Selling Sunset's Davina Potratz Announces She's Quit The Oppenheim Group – And No, She Didn't Sell The $75m House

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With much speculation about what is happening with the fourth season of Selling Sunset, one of the agents has just confirmed their future is no longer with The Oppenheim Group.
Davina Potratz has announced she is leaving the property firm featured on the hit Netflix reality show to join a rival brokerage.
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She revealed she’ll be moving to Douglas Elliman in Beverly Hills after they made her an offer she couldn’t refuse.
Davina Potratz Rochelle Brodin via Getty Images
She told People magazine: “I’m really excited to be a part of Douglas Elliman and their very sophisticated and global new development division.
“My background is in new development sales and marketing, so this is just a wonderful opportunity for me. It’s just very in tune with my skills.
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“It’s not that I wanted to leave, but I had a great opportunity. It was a purely business decision.”
Selling Sunset fans will also be keen to know that it looks like Davina did not manage to sell that infamous $75 million house prior to her exit from The Oppenheim Group, as the property is still listed on the company’s website with the same asking price.
Davina’s struggle to sell the nine bed, 12 bathroom Beverly Hills home was a central storyline in the show’s third season, where she was seen clashing with boss Jason Oppenheim over the listing.
Davina's $75m listing is still on the Oppenheim Group's website The Oppenheim Group
But while she won’t be selling homes at the Oppenheim Group any more, Davina said she is still hoping to feature in the next season of Selling Sunset.
“I certainly hope that I’m still part of the cast,” Davina said. “Brett is not at the Oppenheim Group anymore either, so I don’t think that that’s going to be an issue at all.”
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There has been much speculation as to whether Brett has left the brokerage he ran with his brother to launch his own.
While Davina and co-stars Christine Quinn and Chrishell Stause have now all suggested this is the case in various interviews, Jason has previously denied it.
He also recently defended Selling Sunset from accusations it is “fake” after a Mail On Sunday report claimed the women at the Oppenheim Group are not actually estate agents at all, but paid actors, as well as suggesting that a lot of what we see on screen is actually scripted.
Supporting the cast, he said: “All of the women who work out of the Oppenheim Group are licensed and successful real estate agents.”
This was backed up by Chrishell, who confirmed she was working as a realtor three years prior to the first season of Selling Sunset with a picture on her Instagram Story.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Are Little Mix Making A Dig At Simon Cowell On New Track Not A Pop Song?

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Little Mix appear to have taken a less-than-subtle dig at their former mentor Simon Cowell in the lyrics to their new track, Not A Pop Song.
The former X Factor winners will unveil the latest cut from their upcoming sixth album Confetti on Friday, but it’s been noted that the lyrics seem to be making a dig at the music and TV mogul, who was formerly their label boss.
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According to Metro, the band can be heard singing: “I don’t do what Simon says, get the message cuz it’s read, that’s just life it never plays fair... said to follow any dream, be a puppet on a string, works for you but that isn’t me.”
The line “I don’t do what Simon says” was previously tweeted by chart-topping singer MNEK, who co-wrote the track, though he has since deleted his post.
Little Mix performing last year Joseph Okpako via Getty Images
The band were signed to Simon’s former record label for seven years after winning The X Factor, but they parted ways suddenly just days before the release of the group’s 2018 album, LM5.
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Simon later claimed in an interview the departure was due to a disagreement over the album’s lead single, Woman Like Me, which he said the band “didn’t want to record” at all.
Simon Cowell NBC via Getty Images
Band member Jesy Nelson later clarified: “So this is what happened. We so wanted to write a song like Strip and were so passionate about releasing it as our first single.
“We’d co-directed the video, we’d done the photoshoot, so we were excited. Obviously when Woman Like Me was put on the table, in our heads Strip was going to be the first single, and [Woman Like Me] didn’t feel exactly like what we’d sing about.
“So we went in, tweaked the lyrics, changed the production, and got Nicki [Minaj] on it, which was an absolute dream.”
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She added: “We didn’t despise it at all. It’s a banger.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Test And Trace Hits New Low With Worst 'Contact Tracing' Rate Since Service Began

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Boris Johnson’s Test and Trace service has reported its worst ever figures for tracking down “close contacts” of people with Covid.
As well as thousands of cases going missing due to an IT blunder, the controversial system hit a new low with just 68.8% of cases in England being reached and told to self-isolate to stop the spread of the virus.
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Government experts have advised that the whole system can only work effectively if at least 80% of “close contacts” are actually tracked down and told to quarantine.
“Close contacts” are defined as those who have spent more than 15 minutes within two metres of a positive Covid case.
Latest figures for the week between September 24 and 30 confirmed the “September surge” in coronavirus cases across the country, with 51,475 people testing positive for the first time – a 56% increase compared to the previous week.
The so-called “NHS Test and Trace” system, which is headed by Tory peer and former TalkTalk phone giant boss Dido Harding, has been dogged by criticism since it began earlier this year, with many attacking its use of private firms like Serco and Deloitte.
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Although it has managed to dramatically increase testing capacity from 2,000 a day to around 300,000 a day, its performance on getting tests to those who need them has remained under fire.
The new figures show that the proportion of Covid cases it reached overall went backwards, down to 74%, as did 24-hour turnaround times.
This week’s 68.8% “close contact” rate – taking into account all the cases’ contacts who were identified – was down from 71.6% the week before and is now the worst since the system was launched back in May.
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On testing, too, the system is getting worse and is nearly back at its all-time lows of a fortnight ago.
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Boris Johnson promised 100% of in-person tests would be done in 24 hours by the end of June.
But Thursday’s figures show that for in-person tests – done at local test sites, mobile testing units and regional test sites – just 25.7% are done within the 24-hour time frame. The figure is down from 38.0% in the previous week.
And for all test routes combined, barely one in 10 is being done within the 24 hour target set by the PM.
Just 11.9% of tests from all test sites were received within 24 hours of a test being taken compared to 17.0% in the previous week.
Shadow health minister Justin Madders said: “It is now clear that the government has lost control of contact tracing with the system failing just when we need it most.
“The government should have fixed test and trace when infections were lower over the summer. It must act urgently to ensure the country doesn’t pay a terrible price over the winter because of this failure.”
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Rehana Azam, GMB union national secretary, said it was time for Harding to “consider her position”, not least as she this week broke a pledge to remain independent by voting with the Tories in the Lords on an immigration bill.
“The Prime Minister said he couldn’t think of anyone better than Baroness Harding to run the UK’s Test and Trace programme, and that shows a clear lack of judgement. It’s scary that one of the Prime Minister’s cronies with a terrible track record has been put in temporary custody of our country’s public health.
“There is now ample proof to show that the UK’s Test and Trace programme needs to be taken into public hands and led by experts and local authorities, not party-political cronies.”
But the prime minister’s official spokesman said he still had confidence in Harding.
“We have set up from scratch what is the largest testing network in British history, and that includes 96 NHS labs, 258 mobile units, 77 regional sites and 150 walk-in sites and our labs are now processing over one million tests a week,” he said.
The chief executive of NHS Providers, Chris Hopson, said: “It’s worrying that NHS Test and Trace performance in key areas such as the proportion of positive cases transferred into the Test and Trace system, of close contacts reached, and of tests turned round within 24 hours, are all getting worse when we need them to get better, quickly.”
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Rowland Kao, professor of veterinary epidemiology and data science at the University of Edinburgh, said the positivity rate and the fact that test numbers are not increasing may be a “troubling indicator” that Test and Trace is not keeping up with demand.
The split between public sector and private sector contact tracers was underlined once again in the latest figures.
For cases handled by local health protection teams, 97.1 % of contacts were reached and asked to self-isolate in the week to September 30.
In contrast, cases handled online or by call centres returned a 62.4 % successful contact rate.
As a result of the IT blunder identified last weekend, approximately 11,000 positive test results were not added to the contact tracing system between September 24 and 30.
Contact tracing for those results will be added to next week’s figures, the government said. Just 71.6% of the missing contacts have been traced, meaning nearly 30% have yet to be tracked down.
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The department of health and social care insisted that it is making progress on contacts despite the worsening rate on one measure.
101,782 people were identified as coming into close contact with someone who had tested positive between 24 September and 30 September.
The number of contacts “identified” increased by 11% compared to the previous week and is more than 3 times higher than the end of August, the DHSC said.
For those “where communication details were available”, 82.2% were reached and asked to self-isolate. This is the government’s preferred measure of close contacts, but critics say that it paints an overly rosy picture of the situation.
Harding announced that a new partnership with four university laboratories had just been agreed to expand capacity of the whole service this winter.
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She also said that she had hit her target of opening 500 test centres across the UK by October, with the median distance travelled for in-person tests having fallen for the second consecutive week, now to just 3.7 miles.
“As the number of cases rise, so demand for tests continues to grow. We are working hard to increase testing capacity to meet that demand and improve turnaround times for tests,” Harding said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Donald Trump Calls His Coronavirus Diagnosis: 'Blessing From God'

Donald Trump Calls His Coronavirus Diagnosis: 'Blessing From God'
In the first video message since returning to the White House, Donald Trump declared that contracting coronavirus was a "blessing from God". He added that his use of the medication from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals had allowed him to experience first-hand how effective it could be.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Fly Lands on Vice President Mike Pence’s Head

Fly Lands on Vice President Mike Pence’s Head
A fly stole the show at the vice presidential debate when it landed on Mike Pence’s hair.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Kamala Harris And Mike Pence Go Head-To-Head

Kamala Harris And Mike Pence Go Head-To-Head
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Vice President Mike Pence went back and forth about the coronavirus pandemic, racism, climate change and more on the vice presidential debate stage.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Laura Tobin's Giggly Forecast On Good Morning Britain Certainly Makes Up For The Terrible Weather

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With the weather as terrible as it has been in recent times, the forecast doesn’t really make for enjoyable viewing at the moment.
That is except for Laura Tobin’s forecast on Thursday’s Good Morning Britain, which definitely helped brighten an otherwise gloomy day.
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The forecaster had a serious case of the giggles as she delivered her weather update on the ITV breakfast show.
Laura Tobin had the giggles on Good Morning Britain ITV
Laura admitted she’d been told a hilarious joke during the break prior to her going on camera, and struggled to hold things together as she spoke.
“I’m so sorry. This is so unprofessional. I’m sorry,” she said as she continued to giggle.
Laura struggled to keep it together during her forecast ITV
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GMB presenter Susanna Reid could be heard laughing across the studio, and told Laura after she’d managed to get through her forecast: “Don’t worry. No one noticed.”
Co-presenter Ben Shephard, who we suspect just might have had something to do with the laughing fit, joked: “We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
Ben had returned to the daytime show after two months off to film new episodes of ITV gameshow Tipping Point.
Elsewhere on the show, Kate Garraway also voiced her anguish at US president Donald Trump’s latest comments about coronavirus.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Raised Eyebrows And Side-Eye: Kamala Harris Was A Human GIF Machine At VP Debate

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Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris got her point across even when she wasn’t speaking during Wednesday night’s debate with Vice President Mike Pence, responding with a range of looks almost custom-made for memes and GIFs.
The senator from California delivered shade with her facial expressions, from pitying smiles to straight-up side-eye, a range of looks that’ll almost certainly end up on “Saturday Night Live.”
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Twitter users definitely noticed ― and they were here for it:
Kamala Harris said just as much without words.#VPDebate pic.twitter.com/KDg0QBslao — The Recount (@therecount) October 8, 2020
Damn.@KamalaHarris shading Mike Pence with these looks, is giving me life. pic.twitter.com/2DS7uTnJML — Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) October 8, 2020
KAMALA IS SO UNBOTHERED I CANNOT BREATHE 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/oQR1jXzDQ8 — amorphous (@loneamorphous) October 8, 2020
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All of us hearing Pence's lies. pic.twitter.com/gRuDzn2yXs — The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) October 8, 2020
Kamala breaking down the fourth wall like Fleabag with a fucken law degree — Benjamin Law 羅旭能 (@mrbenjaminlaw) October 8, 2020
Kamala Harris' side-eye. That's it. That's the tweet. — rachel leishman (@RachelLeishman) October 8, 2020
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Kamala facial expressions are taking me OUT #VPDebate pic.twitter.com/c53Hv5GOwH — Drebae (@Drebae_) October 8, 2020
It's the raised eyebrow for me pic.twitter.com/rnBDnAc26f — mattie kahn (@mattiekahn) October 8, 2020
Seeing Pence’s reflection while Kamala gives him the side-eye has been my favorite part. #VPDebate2020 pic.twitter.com/2x2KgUsnDR — Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) October 8, 2020
Pence took a minute and DID NOT dispute that Donald Trump paid $750 in personal federal income taxes...meanwhile Kamala’s facial expressions were gold pic.twitter.com/J1FH1xkQ6i — Icculus The Brave (@FirenzeMike) October 8, 2020
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Kamala Harris doesn’t need to interrupt Pence — her facial expressions are screaming. 😱#VPDebate pic.twitter.com/LeZHw1PDUs — Andy Sternberg (@andysternberg) October 8, 2020
tonight’s debate in four perfect Kamala Harris reaction shots pic.twitter.com/grcCbQJicU — Kay Taylor Rea but spooky (@kaytaylorrea) October 8, 2020
kamala’s facial expressions the best part of the debate i’m sorry pic.twitter.com/P826WMGJJi — 🇼🇸 (@kimukardashiann) October 8, 2020
kamala reaction pics for the rest of the year 😗✌🏽 pic.twitter.com/FZYHP0ynBq — peanut (@brittanymajette) October 8, 2020
Kamala Harris every single time Pence fires off a lie. #VPDebate pic.twitter.com/jb36yz7Mzs — Andreas Hale (@AndreasHale) October 8, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Prince George 'So Sad' Watching David Attenborough Doc, Says William

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The Duke of Cambridge has spoken about how the dire threat to the natural world has affected his seven-year-old son Prince George.
William admitted the young royal was left so saddened by a Sir David Attenborough documentary about extinction, he told his father: “I don’t want to watch this any more.”
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In an interview to mark the launch of his environmental Earthshot Prize, William said he was “struggling to keep the optimism levels going” with his children and worried they would soon realise the true predicament of the planet.
Speaking to Sky News, the future king said the same commitment to tackling coronavirus should be shown towards saving the natural world, adding: “We found over £190bn worth to fix and help the recovery through Covid.
“We can do the same for the environment.”
UK Press Pool via Getty Images
When asked about the importance of optimism and whether he tried to bring it into discussions with his family, the duke replied: “I think to be perfectly honest I’m struggling to keep the optimism levels going with my own children, and that’s really kind of like… an understanding moment.
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“Where you kind of look at yourself and go ‘am I doing enough on this, are we really at this stage in life when I can’t be hugely optimistic and pleased that my children are getting so into nature’.
“Because you kind of worry and dread they’re soon going to realise that we are in a very, very dangerous and difficult time in the environment and that as a parent, you feel you’re letting them down immediately.”
William went on to say how his children were fans of Sir David Attenborough’s nature documentaries but that the stark reality could get too much for George.
He said: “The most recent one – the extinction one – actually George and I had to turn it off, we got so sad about it halfway through. He said to me ‘you know I don’t want to watch this anymore’.
Sir David Attenborough, we've got some questions for you...🌍🕷🐒 pic.twitter.com/MTQ68WnOrt — The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) October 3, 2020
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“Why has it come to this and you know he’s seven years old and he’s asking me these questions already, he really feels it, and I think every seven-year-old out there can relate to that.”
The Duke said his kids do love Attenborough’s work, adding: “Last night we started watching one of David’s newest documentaries.
“It’s amazing at bedtime when I can crowd the children, just shouting ‘we’re going to watch one of David’s documentaries’ and they come herding in. It’s the easiest way to catch my children and get them ready for bedtime.”
George and his siblings, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two, quizzed 94-year-old Sir David Attenborough in a video recorded at Kensington Palace in August.
William’s eldest son, to whom Sir David gifted a fossilised giant shark’s tooth to mark their meeting at Kensington Palace a few weeks ago, asked him which animal he thinks will become extinct next.
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The broadcaster told him: “Well let’s hope there won’t be any, because there are a lot of things we can do when animals are in danger of extinction. We can protect them.”
William’s ambitious Nobel-style Earthshot Prize – which has a £50m prize fund – aims to recognise ideas and technologies that can safeguard the planet.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--New Children's Book Gives Boys Who Love Ballet A Chance To Feel Seen

Luciano Lozano/Doubleday Released in September, John Robert Allman's picture book "Boys Dance!" is geared toward young male dancers who are passionate about ballet, jazz and other classical styles.
John Robert Allman immersed himself in the intricacies of ballet for months before setting out to write his latest picture book. But if the author has his way, readers will be able to do more than just distinguish between a pirouette and a plié by the time they’ve finished the story.
Allman, who is based in New York, said his lifelong love of the stage inspired him to write “Boys Dance!” The book, released last month, features illustrations by Luciano Lozano and is geared toward young, aspiring male dancers who are passionate about ballet, jazz and other classical styles ― but have yet to see themselves represented in children’s literature.
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“I wanted to make sure that boys would be able to see dance as something they can — and should — get into if they want to,” Allman told HuffPost. “So little in media when I was a kid made that case, showed you a role model, or made it seem OK to be excited about dance the way I was. But it’s something guys have always loved and excelled in, so they shouldn’t be at all hesitant to try it.”
Luciano Lozano/Doubleday "[Dance is] something guys have always loved and excelled in, so they shouldn’t be at all hesitant to try it,” Allman said.
To further that point, “Boys Dance!” acknowledges stars like Savion Glover and Gene Kelly, whose distinctive, era-defining moves continue to influence modern styles. In rhyming couplets, the book also explains how studying dance can boost physical health, as well as academic and athletic skills. Allman said he and his editor, Frances Gilbert, consulted eight male American Ballet Theatre performers for the project, and those dancers’ photos and testimonies appear as an epilogue.
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Rachael Dean/Doubleday "Boys Dance!" was released in tandem with a second book, "B Is for Ballet," in honor of American Ballet Theatre's 80th anniversary.
“Boys Dance!” was also shaped by surprising controversy. In August 2019, “Good Morning America” host Lara Spencer mocked Prince George after it was reported that the young royal had enrolled in ballet classes. Before long, the hashtag #BoysDanceToo took off on social media, with established dancers Robbie Fairchild and Travis Wall among those to express their frustration with Spencer’s on-air reinforcement of gender stereotypes.
Spencer apologised, but her remarks left a stinging impression on American Ballet Theatre principal James B. Whiteside, who also appears in “Boys Dance!”
“Homophobia is at the root of the bullying of boys in ballet,” he told HuffPost. “It doesn’t even matter if you’re actually gay, it just matters that you seem gay, just by doing ballet. ... This book will teach kids that their love of ballet has nothing to do with anything other than loving ballet.”
Luciano Lozano/Doubleday Allman's book points out how studying dance can boost overall health, as well as academic and athletic skills.
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Like other performing arts organisations, American Ballet Theatre has been forced to cancel or postpone much of its programming due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, “Boys Dance!” and “B Is for Ballet” debuted to less fanfare than Allman anticipated. Still, the author hopes that the books serve as a collective antidote for readers of all ages who miss the stage as much as he does.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--US Broadcaster Backs Out Of Spitting Image Deal Due To 'Nervousness' Around Content

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Spitting Image lost its planned US broadcaster just weeks before it was due to air, because of “nervousness” surrounding its content.
The revival of the satirical puppet show debuted on BritBox last week – more than 20 years after it last aired on ITV – whereas in America, it was due to be shown weekly on NBC.
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However, The Times has reported that this deal fell through just six weeks ago when network executives “got cold feet”.
Jon Thoday – executive producer at the production company Avalon, who make Spitting Image – told the newspaper there was “too much nervousness” surrounding the show for NBC to go ahead with the proposed plans.
Donald Trump visits the CDC to find out what's taking them so long on this Coronavirus vaccine.#SpittingImage #TrumpHasCOVID #TrumpCOVID pic.twitter.com/AsFTmXq9MB — Spitting Image (@SpittingImage) October 2, 2020
“It’s basically quite a difficult show to do in the environment that exists, particularly if you’re attacking tall poppies. Inevitably if you attack tall poppies, people get worried,” he told The Times.
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“You can’t really do Spitting Image unless you’re fighting the corner of attacking everybody, but by doing that people just get nervous. They think they want it, but when they’ve got it they just start worrying about it.”
Instead, the first episode of Spitting Image debuted on Facebook in the US, and included additional sketches specifically aimed at American viewers, replacing scenes featuring more UK-centric figures.
Donald Trump, Kanye West and Meghan Markle will all appear in the Spitting Image reboot BBC/ITV
It was noted producers hoped that if enough people watched it on Facebook, as well as clips posted on social media, it could attract another US broadcaster in the future.
The first episode of Spitting Image, which debuted last week, contained scenes that saw Donald Trump’s anus tweeting on his behalf, while teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg was portrayed as an angry weather presenter.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Kate Garraway Left Stunned By Trump’s Coronavirus ‘Blessing’ Comments

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The Good Morning Britain presenter looked exasperated as Trump’s comments were discussed on the ITV breakfast show on Thursday.
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Kate’s husband, Derek Draper, has been in intensive care for six months due to complications caused by Covid-19, and was asked for her take on the president’s remark as someone whose life had been affected by the virus.
Kate Garraway ITV
″‘Blessing from god’,” Kate began. “The idea of getting a fateful disease with no confident cure at the moment as any kind of blessing from god is such a strange thing to say.
“If I’m trying to be fair to him, does he mean it’s a blessing because he understands the impact? He’s now used himself as a trial for some of these things?
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“That’s a nice way you’d hope he’d be saying it but it completely ignores the fact that those things that are tried and tested aren’t as accessible…”
She continued: “You can’t say something’s a blessing when more than 200,000 people in your own country and more than a million worldwide have died from it.
“It’s not the way we hope our elected representatives feel. You’d hope they can sense the horror before they actually go through it.”
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT! pic.twitter.com/uhLIcknAjT — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 7, 2020
Kate added: “The strong leadership position at this point would be to publicly follow the rules… and be a beacon of how to behave.”
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In a video message outside the White House on Wednesday, the president said of Covid-19: “I think this was a blessing from God that I caught it.”
He also claimed that his use of the medication from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals had allowed him to experience first-hand how effective it could be.
Trump tested positive for Covid-19 last Thursday and spent three days hospitalised at Walter Reed medical centre before returning to the White House on Monday.
Kate previously criticised Trump for telling Americans earlier this week to not let the virus “dominate” or “let it take over your lives”.
“It is extraordinary. It’s heartbreaking, actually,” she said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Covid Has Killed 122 Times More People Than The Flu In England And Wales

Women walk along London's Oxford Street while while wearing face masks as a preventive measure against the spread of coronavirus SIPA USA/PA Images
Almost 50,000 people died of coronavirus between the months of January and August in England and Wales this year, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics.
The figure of 48,168 is 122 times more than the 394 people who died of the flu and more than three times higher than the 13,619 people who died of pneumonia during the same period.
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The data in the latest ONS figures uses deaths where Covid-19 was the underlying cause of death.
It gives a slightly lower total number of deaths than another measure used by the ONS that counts any death where Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate.
The ONS also said influenza and pneumonia was mentioned on more death certificates than Covid-19, but was not the underlying cause of death in the vast majority of cases.
The data also revealed that the proportion of deaths occurring in care homes due to Covid-19 (30.0 per cent) was almost double the proportion of deaths due to influenza and pneumonia (15.2 per cent respectively).
ONS’ head of mortality analysis Sarah Caul said: ”More than three times as many deaths were recorded between January and August this year where Covid-19 was the underlying cause compared to influenza and pneumonia.
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“The mortality rate for Covid-19 is also significantly higher than influenza and pneumonia rates for both 2020 and the five-year average.
“Since 1959, which is when ONS monthly death records began, the number of deaths due to influenza and pneumonia in the first eight months of every year have been lower than the number of Covid-19 deaths seen, so far, in 2020.”
It comes as medical leaders have express concern over the rising numbers of Covid-19 patients admitted to hospital.
Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, said the “indications are not looking good” as she urged people to stick to local lockdown measures.
She said the nation was at a “tipping point” and warned virus transmission could “get out of control”.
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The former chair of the Royal College of GPs said that as well as rising numbers of patients needing hospital admission, there is also an increase in those needing intensive care.
“We will be getting more data later today but all of the indications are not looking good,” she told BBC Breakfast.
“In the last month alone we have gone from a few hundred a people a day in hospital with coronavirus, to thousands. Right now we have got over 3,100 people in hospital with coronavirus around the UK.
“Actually, 500 of those are in ITU beds. That’s really worrying.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--A Draconid Meteor Shower Is Set To Dazzle The Skies Tonight

HuffPost UK
Skygazers are set to catch a glimpse of celestial fireworks on Thursday night as the Earth passes through a cloud of cometary dust.
The Draconid meteor shower, also known as the Giacobinids, will peak sometime during the night of October 8 and will be visible until the early morning of October 9.
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Named after the constellation of Draco the dragon, the Draconids take place every year and is one of the two meteor showers to light up the skies in October.
The streaks spawn from the comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner, which orbits around the sun for six-and-a-half years.
Anna Ross, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, said: “Most of this debris will burn up at a height of around 80km above the ground, so this is not a dangerous event.
HuffPost UK PA graphics
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“The number of meteor seen during the peak night varies quite a lot from year to year – usually there will only be around 5-20 meteors per hour visible but some years there have been reports of thousands per hour spotted.”
The Draconids will be visible in northern America, Europe and Asia until October 10.
Ms Ross said: “For the best chances to spot them, find a dark area of clear sky and allow around 20 minutes to let your eyes adapt to the dark.
“It may also be advisable to lie down as you may be looking up for a long time.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--People Who Wear Mesh Face Masks Are Losing The Covid-19 Battle On Every Level

Looking for a face mask that skirts the face covering guidelines while simultaneously screaming “Pick me next!” to the coronavirus? Look no further than the mesh mask.
The barely there facial coverings are in the news this week after singer Lana Del Rey wore a bejewelled version to a Barnes & Noble poetry reading and fan meet-and-greet in Los Angeles on Friday. (Naturally, there were plenty of “Born To Die” quips on Twitter.)
Del Rey, who wore a similarly sparkly, similarly ineffective mask on the cover of Interview magazine last month, was quickly called out by concerned followers on social media. (Photos posted on Instagram and Twitter show the singer in close proximity to some fans while taking selfies.)
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“Girl that’s not a mask,” read one comment from her more than 17 million Instagram followers. “You make good music but poor decisions.”
“ILY BUT WEAR A PROPER MASK,” read another upvoted comment.
Other fans of the singer-cum-poet insisted that the mask featured an invisible lining for added protection but as Page Six noted, the Dolls Kill “Pure Finer Things” mask Del Rey appeared to be wearing includes no such barrier.
Whatever the case, Del Rey is hardly the first to flout mask regulations by wearing a questionable face covering. In recent months, everyday, non-Grammy-nominated people have thrown on mesh and crochet masks to protest safety regulations they say are government overreach.
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Some have filmed or photographed themselves successfully going into markets and stores, claiming that their demonstrations are proof that mask ordinances are for “compliance,” not safety.
While there are Counties requiring masks in public;
NO law requires a specific type or particulate rating of mask.
The general public are making their own masks including open mesh. No fines have been issued while wearing them in public.
This is about compliance, not safety. pic.twitter.com/dZnmHwcTeF — Futilz (@futilecauz) July 7, 2020
On Etsy, more than 7,500 search results come up for mesh masks. Many were originally marketed for events like raves but the reviews show that people are buying them to tiptoe around mask ordinances: “Awesome product, appeases the mask police while allowing me to breath [sic] and look fancy while doing so lol,” a review of a popular bejewelled mesh mask reads.
It goes without saying that these “masks” offer little ― if any ― protection against a virus that has killed more than 1 million people worldwide.
“Respiratory droplets are tiny and can easily be released through the openings of the mesh,” said Kirsten Hokeness, professor and chair of the department of science and technology at Bryant University and an expert in immunology, virology, microbiology and human health and disease.
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Hokeness said that hearing about the mesh mask trend is especially hard to swallow after the events of this weekend: The United States’ mask-averse president is infected with Covid-19. The virus is now tearing through the West Wing and Capitol and on top of that, we still have to deal with the attention-seeking antics of the “personal freedom” crowd.
Seven months into the pandemic, Hokeness, like many Americans, is suffering from anti-masker fatigue.
“It is infuriating to continue to see people either try to skirt the mask mandates by not wearing effective masks or not wearing masks at all as we still struggle to get this virus under control in this country,” she said.
“The coronavirus outbreak at the White House clearly indicates how quickly this virus can spread to individuals who are not wearing masks and are in close contact,” Hokeness said. (Many experts believe that Trump’s gathering in late September to celebrate the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court could be classified as a Covid-19 superspreader event.)
Lana Del Rey wearing a face mask // a random Karen wearing a face mask pic.twitter.com/2qNeoPbBSw — LG⁹¹¹ 〄 (@EnigmaticGaga) October 2, 2020
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As for people who wear mesh PPE, they’re losing the Covid-19 battle on every front. First, there’s the twofold health concerns: They magnify their risk of catching the virus themselves and risk spreading it.
What’s more, their political statement has holes it in (literally): Wouldn’t real rebellion mean refusing to conform to the rules and going entirely mask-free?
They may feel as if they’re “owning the libs” with their workaround, but they still have to go through all the minor discomfort of wearing a mask ― just without any of the actual benefits.
What they do gain is attention, said Shane G. Owens, a psychologist and the assistant director of campus mental health at Farmingdale State College in New York (SUNY).
“This makes sense with celebrities because they live on attention,” he said. “The ‘regular Joe and Jane’ faux-mask-wearers are harder to understand.”
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Still, the psychologist gave some thought to why you’d risk you and your family getting Covid-19 to spite the government.
“Some value independence over personal and public health,” he said. “Some people believe that masks are more dangerous than the disease. Others believe they’re part of a sinister plot to enslave us.”
Whatever their beliefs, as the war over mask use wears on, Owens thinks the mask-resistors’ behaviour is sort of like that of children in a family with a lot of conflict.
“They’re trying desperately to get their parents’ attention and control the uncontrollable.”
They may end up attracting the wrong kind of attention, though: If you’re wearing a faux mask to protest government overreach into your life, you’re behaving in a way that begs for more government intrusion into your life, Owens said.
“Wearing masks that draw more attention to you like these mesh ones is not an effective way to keep the government off your back,” he added.
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In other words: If you hate the government-mandated mask guidelines, you’re really going to hate government contract tracers incessantly calling you once you test positive for Covid-19.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Jurassic World: Dominion Filming Shut Down After Positive Covid Tests

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Filming on Jurassic World: Dominion has been temporarily shut down after people working on the film tested positive for coronavirus.
Work on the latest film in the dinosaur franchise will now pause for two weeks.
Director Colin Trevorrow confirmed the news on Twitter on Wednesday evening.
Woke up to the news we had a few positive Coronavirus tests on Jurassic World: Dominion. All tested negative shortly after, but due to our safety protocols we’re going to pause for two weeks. Back soon. pic.twitter.com/DxuqX9UdgX — Colin Trevorrow (@colintrevorrow) October 7, 2020
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He tweeted: “Woke up to the news we had a few positive coronavirus tests on Jurassic World: Dominion.
“All tested negative shortly after, but due to our safety protocols we’re going to pause for two weeks. Back soon.”
He did not confirm the identities of those who had tested positive for the virus.
Chris Pratt is one of the stars of the Jurassic World series Universal
On Tuesday, the action film – starring an ensemble cast including Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum – had its release date pushed back from next summer to June 2022.
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The film became the latest in a string of blockbusters to be delayed.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Piers Morgan Predicts Election Disaster For Trump After Correctly Foreseeing 2016 Result

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Piers Morgan has predicted disaster for Donald Trump in the upcoming US election, claiming Americans are about to tell him: “You’re fired.”
The Good Morning Britain presenter correctly foresaw Trump’s presidency in the 2016 election, but believes there will be a different outcome when he goes up against Joe Biden next month.
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After the latest polls showed Trump was fast falling behind his democratic opponent, Piers claimed the US president would have “brought it all himself” if he loses, blaming his “supremely selfish, narcissistic, empathy-devoid, incessantly inflammatory antics during the most difficult year most Americans have ever endured”.
Piers noted that while the polls were wrong in forecasting the last election result, things “feel different” this time around.
Piers Morgan and Donald Trump Shutterstock
Writing in his MailOnline column, he said of the last US election: “I was filming down in Texas and Florida at the time and could sense the Trump Train was steaming powerfully towards the White House, so repeatedly predicted a shock win.”
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He added: “But this feels different. Very different.
“Trump’s not the renegade outsider now, promising to smash everything up and ‘Make America Great Again.’ He’s the incumbent president who’s smashed everything up… and made America a lot worse.”
Discussing his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, particularly his conduct in the wake of his own diagnosis with the virus, Piers continued: “It’s increasingly felt like Trump thinks he’s in a particularly explosive episode of the Apprentice where the more chaos, drama and outrageous behaviour, the better his ratings will be.
“This, after all, was how he won the presidency in the first place; ensuring he hoovered up all the media oxygen with endless headline-grabbing stunts and pronouncements.
“But it’s now having the opposite effect. The more outrageously he behaves, the worse his numbers are getting.”
Piers correctly predicted Trump would win the 2016 election Mathew Imaging via Getty Images
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Referencing Trump’s tenure as the face of The Apprentice in the US, Piers concluded: “The American people are heading towards delivering the words he least wants to hear: ’President Trump – YOU’RE FIRED.”
“He thinks it’s a reality show,” Piers said. “Honestly, the recklessness of this.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Northern Mayors React With Fury To Prospect Of Pub Closures And Further Restrictions

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Mayors in the north of England have expressed shock, outrage and anger at the government after reports of tough new coronavirus restrictions including the possible closure of pubs and restaurants.
Amid fears the disease is spiralling out of control, ministers were said to be considering the new measures, which could come as early as Monday, according to media reports, as infection rates continue to soar in cities such as Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle.
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The move, if confirmed, would be another body blow for the hard-pressed hospitality industry in the regions already reeling from the imposition of the controversial 10pm curfew.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham reacted angrily, tweeting: “No discussion. No consultation. Millions of lives affected by Whitehall diktat. It is proving impossible to deal with this government.”
No discussion. No consultation.
Millions of lives affected by Whitehall diktat.
It is proving impossible to deal with this Government. https://t.co/1lcRRNvptd — Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) October 7, 2020
Sacha Lord, Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester, also described Boris Johnson’s government as a “disgrace”.
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With a leaked report and no talk of a strong support package, this morning many NW operators and employees are extremely anxious and fearful of their future.
This Government has treated the 5th biggest industry in the UK with utter disregard and a throw away thought
A disgrace. — Sacha Lord (@Sacha_Lord) October 8, 2020
Executive mayor of Middlesbrough Andy Preston said the move will cause “much suffering”.
Protect Jobs - £billions Needed
Closing pubs & restaurants will kill 100s of thousands of jobs. So much suffering will come
We desperately need to see a govt rescue package for the food and beverage sectorhttps://t.co/V70bmzQeMz — Andy Preston Mayor (@Tees_Issues) October 7, 2020
Dan Jarvis, mayor of the Sheffield city region, called on Boris Johnson to “get a grip”.
Recklessly irresponsible to brief the papers but not leaders in the North who’ll somehow have to make this work. Get a grip @BorisJohnson. https://t.co/WNUc5Xf5DI — Dan Jarvis (@DanJarvisMP) October 7, 2020
And while not addressing the news directly, Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson yesterday retweeted a tweet from a restaurant chain criticising developments.
Restaurants, pubs & bars in Liverpool are suffering so much right now. Every single one is losing money and one by one, we’ll all close. Its just not viable to open with the restrictions as they are. Landlords aren’t willing to take any of the heat and the government are silent — Maray (@MarayRestaurant) October 7, 2020
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And it has also raised fears of a surge in revellers this weekend. Nottingham council leader David Mellon, told the BBC’s Today programme: “There’s a chance this weekend that ppl will think ‘this might be the last chance before Christmas so let’s get out and party’ and we cant have that.”
Earlier this week furious local leaders in the north of England said they have been ignored and misled by Westminster over local lockdowns – and fear the public is switching off as a result.
Mayors and council chiefs have criticised the government for failing to listen to local people on coronavirus restrictions, and say the London-centric handling of the crisis is a “recipe for disaster” that could deepen the north-south divide.
Tory backbenchers warned MPs must be given a vote before any such measures are brought into force in line with assurances given last week by health secretary Matt Hancock.
Hancock appeared to signal there would be dark days ahead for the sector during a conference call with the Confederation of British Industry on Wednesday.
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“Outside your household and socialising between households, the highest place of incidence of likely transmission – measured by where people have contacts – is unfortunately hospitality,” the Daily Express quoted Hancock as saying.
“Now obviously that finding is not good news in terms of the policy action we have to take for that sector,” he added.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is finalising a package of financial support for the sector, the Financial Times reported, amid fears of a fresh wave of job losses.
Downing Street and the Department of Health and Social Care both declined to comment on the reports.
Wellingborough MP Peter Bone told BBC2’s Newsnight: “If it is put into place and I have no power to stop it the government will have gone back on the word they gave to Parliament when they said all major new powers and regulations would be debated in Parliament.”
Meanwhile MPs on the Commons Health and Social Care Committee and the Science and Technology Committee have announced that they are launching an inquiry into the government’s handling of the pandemic.
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The latest moves come after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced a further tightening of restrictions in Scotland from 6pm on Friday.
Under the new rules, indoor hospitality venues will only be allowed to operate between 6am and 6pm daily, selling food and non-alcoholic drinks only, while outdoor bars will be allowed to serve alcohol until 10pm.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Macaulay Culkin's Slightly Terrifying Home Alone Face Mask Will Make You Scream

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Let’s face it: Even in a pandemic, you’re not always home alone.
To encourage mask-wearing and discourage the spread of Covid-19, actor Macaulay Culkin took to Twitter on Wednesday with a Home Alone-inspired message.
“Just staying Covid-safe wearing by the flayed skin of my younger self,” Culkin wrote, wearing a mask depicting his famous aftershave scream in the blockbuster 1990 movie. He added, “Don’t forget to wear your masks, kids.”
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Just staying Covid-safe wearing by the flayed skin of my younger self.
Don't forget to wear your masks, kids. pic.twitter.com/RBd3X1AayD — Macaulay Culkin (@IncredibleCulk) October 7, 2020
Besides the Covid-19 prevention PSA, Culkin also recently trolled the world by taking note that he’s 40, just in order to make us feel OLD.
Perhaps all those years of being called a disease really gave Kevin McCallister perspective.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--With Nearly 212,000 Dead, Mike Pence Says COVID-19 Response Has Been Great

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The vice presidential debate between Republican Mike Pence and Democrat Kamala Harris started with a clash on the Covid-19 pandemic ― one in which Pence, head of the White House’s coronavirus task force, repeatedly misrepresented the truth and tried to change the subject.
Harris responded by bringing the conversation back to the huge toll Covid-19 has taken in the US ― closing in on 212,000 dead as the debate began ― and the ways the Trump administration’s slow, dismissive response contributed to that figure.
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The debate was vastly more civilised than last week’s presidential debate, when President Donald Trump repeatedly interrupted both the moderator and his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, turning the event into a circus.
But the arguments were just as sharp, especially on the subject of the pandemic. When moderator Susan Page asked Harris, the senator from California, how Biden and she would deal with the pandemic if they took office on January 20, she started by attacking the Trump administration’s performance.
“The American people have witnessed what is the greatest failure of any presidential administration in history,” Harris said. “210,000 dead people in our country. … Over 7 million people have contracted this disease. One in five businesses closed. We’re looking at frontline workers who have been treated like sacrificial workers.”
Harris pointed out that Trump and other officials, including Pence, knew about the threat in January and downplayed the threat for months ― as journalist Bob Woodward’s reporting recently confirmed.
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Rather than explain why the administration minimised the threat for as long as it did, Pence insisted the administration acted effectively and early by restricting travel from China, where the outbreak started.
Specifically, Pence said that the restriction bought “valuable time … to stand up the greatest mobilisation since World War II.” Pence also claimed that Biden opposed stopping travel to and from China and criticised it as “xenophobic.”
In reality, the precise impact of the travel limit is murky, in part because it was far from a total prohibition. Tens of thousands of people made trips between the US and China even after the limit was in place. And as media fact-checkers have pointed out, Biden didn’t actually oppose the restrictions. His “xenophobic” complaint response was a more general attack about Trump’s constant use of the phrase “China virus.” (The president, now afflicted with Covid-19, used the phrase again in a video he released on Wednesday.)
But the more important point ― which Harris got across and Pence never really confronted ― is that the administration’s slow response is partly to blame for shortages of personal protective equipment and delays in deploying a robust testing regime.
Had personal protective equipment gotten to front-line workers more quickly and had testing been more available early on, public health experts have said repeatedly, it’s likely fewer Americans would have gotten Covid-19 and fewer would have died. (Amazingly, PPE is still a problem in many nursing homes.)
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And while many state and local authorities also bear some responsibility for Covid-19 failures, Trump’s delay in recognising the virus as a major crisis ― and, then, his ongoing resistance to embracing guidelines to fight it while agitating to reopen the country prematurely ― added to the US death toll, public health experts have said.
Harris brought up these shortcomings, pointing out that Pence was and remains in charge of the administration’s coronavirus task force. Although she did not offer many specifics about what she and Biden would do if elected, Biden first rolled out a detailed Covid-19 agenda back in March ― a time when the Trump administration was still fumbling around, trying to figure out how to straighten out supply chains, and the president himself was still insisting the pandemic would go away quickly.
Pence responded by saying that the Biden agenda was similar to what the Trump administration was already doing. “It looks a little bit like plagiarism which is something Joe Biden knows a little bit about,” he said, referring to a scandal ― Biden using passages from a British politician’s speeches without credit ― that unravelled his 1988 presidential campaign.
Harris didn’t take the bait on that ― perhaps figuring that a decades-old case of verbal plagiarism doesn’t feel especially relevant today, especially compared with the personal and financial scandals that have hovered over Trump.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Katherine Schwarzenegger Labels Trump 'Trash' Amid Husband Chris Pratt's Voting Backlash

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The Pratt-Schwarzenegger family is a house divided when it comes to political endorsements by celebrities.
Days after her husband, Jurassic World star Chris Pratt, came under fire for mocking the importance of voting in the upcoming presidential election, Katherine Schwarzenegger has made her political allegiances abundantly clear: She’s backing Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden come November.
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Schwarzenegger, who welcomed her first child with the actor earlier this year, directed her ire at Donald Trump on her Instagram Stories.
The children’s book author labeled Trump’s missive about his return to the White House this week after receiving treatment for Covid-19 the “sickest tweet I’ve ever seen.”
“If that tweet itself is not enough to get you fired up to want to elect Biden and get rid of Trump as president of our country, then I don’t know what is,” she wrote, per Yahoo.
Katherine Schwarzenegger and Chris Pratt welcomed a child earlier this year. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
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In his tweet on Monday night after a three-day stay at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Trump had downplayed the seriousness of Covid-19, urging Americans to “not be afraid” and to not let the disease “dominate your life,” even as the nationwide death toll surpassed 210,000.
The oldest daughter of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver went on to describe herself as somebody who is “respectful of people’s choices to support whoever they want to support, especially politically,” having grown up in a family with differing views.
But she apparently drew the line at Trump’s recent actions.
“I’m actually at a point now where if I think that I am interacting with anybody who supports a man who tweets that when there are people who have lost loved ones and who are really sick and people who are still dying because of COVID, then I just don’t really know how I can understand how you can support an individual like that,” she continued. “So, get thinking people.”
Schwarzenegger also hit back at Trump’s tweet on Twitter, with a one-word response.
Her comments strike quite a different tone than Pratt, who has declined to align himself with any political party despite public pressure as of late.
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Last week, the actor faced a backlash when he jokingly expressed frustration with celebrities wading into politics by rallying his millions of followers to vote for his movie Onward at the People’s Choice Awards.
“With all that’s going on in the world it is more important than ever that you vote. Just ask any celebrity. They will tell you. Every day. Several times a day. To vote. But me? I will tell you EXACTLY who to vote for #onward,” he wrote, adding that it would be the “most consequential vote in the history of mankind times a million infinity.”
He added: “Vote for #Onward for family movie of the year. Or else. You WILL die. No hyperbole.”
Given Pratt’s longstanding political silence, the gag didn’t exactly sit well with many fans, who blasted his post as “insensitive” and “tone-deaf.” Others came to his defense, praising him as a celebrity who isn’t “shoving their politics down your throat.”
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Schwarzenegger, meanwhile, brushed off any potential heat coming her way for speaking out against Trump, encouraging her followers to see themselves out if they disagreed.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Schitt's Creek's Dan Levy Blasts Comedy Central India For Editing Same-Sex Kiss

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Dan Levy has blasted Comedy Central India after the network apparently edited a scene from an ad for his award-winning series Schitt’s Creek that showed two men kissing.
The newly minted Emmy winner retweeted a video of Schitt’s Creek that had been shared on Comedy Central India’s official Twitter account.
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The clip was excerpted from a Season 5 episode titled Housewarming, in which the characters David Rose (played by Levy) and Ted (Dustin Milligan) shared a kiss during a game of spin the bottle.
(L-R) Ted (Dustin Milligan) shares a kiss with David Rose (played by Levy). Netflix
Though the snippet shared by Comedy Central India clocked in at more than 3 minutes, the actual kiss was removed. The decision didn’t sit particularly well with Levy, who is gay and an outspoken LGBTQ rights advocate.
After noting that the channel hadn’t removed an opposite-sex kiss and a smooch between two women from the ad, he wrote, “This is a show about the power of inclusivity.”
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“The censorship of gay intimacy is making a harmful statement against that message,” he added.
In a second tweet, Levy specified that he’d taken issue with Comedy Central India as opposed to the U.S. division of the TV franchise, who had been “lovely and respectful.”
You showed the kiss between two women, you showed the kiss between a woman and a man, then removed the kiss between two men? This is a show about the power of inclusivity. The censorship of gay intimacy is making a harmful statement against that message. #loveislove https://t.co/3ouNbuetq1 — dan levy (@danjlevy) October 6, 2020
A Comedy Central International representative confirmed to HuffPost that the scene had aired in its entirety when the Housewarming episode was broadcast. The kiss between the two men had to be edited for the promotional segment, however, as it was more sensual compared to the fleeting nature of the other two.
“A lingering, close up and passionate kiss shown during child viewing hours on channels in India may lead to content related issues regardless of whether the kiss was between a man and a woman, a woman and a woman or between man and man,” the rep said, adding, “Comedy Central India supports and celebrates inclusivity and the LGBTQ+ community.”
Dan Levy Rich Fury/VF20 via Getty Images
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Foreign markets have taken issue with LGBTQ-inclusive programming produced in North America in the past.
In 2017, Malaysian government censors pressured Disney to edit a scene from its live-action reboot of Beauty and the Beast that showed the character of LeFou (Josh Gad) briefly dancing with another man. Though the ensuing controversy led to a brief postponement, the movie was released with the segment intact.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--A Fly On Mike Pence's Head During The VP Debate Drew The Buzziest Reactions

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Imagine you’re a fly. You’re zipping along and see a soft, white surface. You land and look up. You realize you’re at the 2020 vice presidential debate and you’re seated atop the head of US Vice President Mike Pence.
This was the reality of one insect at the debate on Wednesday night.
Total time a fly sat on Mike Pence's head: two minutes pic.twitter.com/PtI0rKSi5I — Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) October 8, 2020
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More than halfway through the debate between Pence and senator Kamala Harris, public attention veered off from the responses of the two presidential running mates to zero in on the bug on Pence’s coiffure.
The buzz was plentiful on Twitter, so we’ve done you the favour of rounding up the buzziest of the bunch:
Pence apologizing to Mother right now for getting to 3rd base with the fly — The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) October 8, 2020
I think the fly won this debate — Ana Cabrera (@AnaCabrera) October 8, 2020
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Live look at the SNL writing room when the fly stopped on Pence's head pic.twitter.com/5AEZGGhXe2 — Peter Rosenberg (@Rosenbergradio) October 8, 2020
EWWWWWWWWW that fly has Mike Pence on his stomach. #VPDebate — Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) October 8, 2020
The fly is free and now getting a COVID test — Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 8, 2020
Siri, play "Stay Fly" by Three 6 Mafia — ko “that’s it” bragg. (@keaux_) October 8, 2020
the fly showing up at tonight's debate pic.twitter.com/X5msW8nKhz — David Mack (@davidmackau) October 8, 2020
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So, a fun art history fact! Flies are used to represent rot, wasting away, decay, death, melancholia.
A fly hovering over a church official or nobleman indicates disfavor with the king or corruption and dereliction of duty. pic.twitter.com/aLuiKFwWNI — Jennifer Wright (@JenAshleyWright) October 8, 2020
Even worse for pence, the fly is gay pic.twitter.com/km115DiGRa — Randall Otis (@RandallOtisTV) October 8, 2020
who is she pic.twitter.com/ZzD9KBX2ZA — quinta brunson (@quintabrunson) October 8, 2020
someone better interview that fly tomorrow. — melissa radz (@melissaradz) October 8, 2020
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That fly is an American hero. — Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) October 8, 2020
Even Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden offered a response to the fly:
Pitch in $5 to help this campaign fly. https://t.co/CqHAId0j8t pic.twitter.com/NbkPl0a8HV — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 8, 2020
And, of course, there were numerous Twitter pages set up for the fly itself:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Leading Medical Journal Calls For End To Trump Administration

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In a rare political statement from a scientific journal, the New England Journal of Medicine released an editorial Wednesday lambasting the Trump administration’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and calling on Americans to vote President Donald Trump out of office next month.
November’s election will have life-or-death consequences for people across the country regardless of party alignment, the journal’s editorial board said.
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“Reasonable people will certainly disagree about the many political positions taken by candidates,” the journal’s editors wrote. “But truth is neither liberal nor conservative. When it comes to the response to the largest public health crisis of our time, our current political leaders have demonstrated that they are dangerously incompetent. We should not abet them and enable the deaths of thousands more Americans by allowing them to keep their jobs.”
This is the first time in the journal’s 208-year history that the editors have ever published an editorial about elections, Editor-in-Chief Dr Eric Rubin told CNN. The editorial was collectively signed by every editor on staff, something that’s only happened on four other recent occasions, Rubin added.
The United States has “failed at every step,” leaving the nation with more than 500 coronavirus-related deaths per million people ― a shocking statistic compared to China’s reported 3 deaths per million, the editors wrote.
It’s easy to trace the myriad ways the Trump administration went wrong, they said:
The United States instituted quarantine and isolation measures late and inconsistently, often without any effort to enforce them, after the disease had spread substantially in many communities. Our rules on social distancing have in many places been lackadaisical at best, with loosening of restrictions long before adequate disease control had been achieved. And in much of the country, people simply don’t wear masks, largely because our leaders have stated outright that masks are political tools rather than effective infection control measures.
Under the leadership of Trump, who has dismissed the coronavirus as a hoax and refused to issue basic safety measures, the federal agencies needed to help control the outbreak have been eroded.
The editorial specifically mentions the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health:
The federal government has largely abandoned disease control to the states. Governors have varied in their responses, not so much by party as by competence. But whatever their competence, governors do not have the tools that Washington controls. Instead of using those tools, the federal government has undermined them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which was the world’s leading disease response organisation, has been eviscerated and has suffered dramatic testing and policy failures. The National Institutes of Health have played a key role in vaccine development but have been excluded from much crucial government decision making.
The longstanding magazine Scientific American similarly broke with tradition last month and endorsed Trump’s Democratic opponent, Joe Biden.
“Scientific American has never endorsed a presidential candidate in its 175-year history,” the magazine’s editors wrote. “This year we are compelled to do so. We do not do this lightly.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-08--Meghan Markle And Princess Diana Share Obvious Parallels, The Crown Creator Says

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Peter Morgan, creator of The Crown, doesn’t want to feature Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in his hit Netflix show, but he will talk about them.
Morgan recently talked about the similarities between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the late Princess Diana in an interview with Vanity Fair about the upcoming season of his show.
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“When you see a beautiful young princess struggling to find love and acceptance within the family, the parallels are obvious and the parallels write themselves,” Morgan said.
“If you come into [the royal family] with any agenda for yourself — or if you come in and connect with the public in a way that threatens to change the way that the royal family connects with the public — that’s something that doesn’t particularly sit comfortably for either side,” he added.
“Really, the only version of events that works is if somebody comes in and becomes invisible, and just sort of knuckles down to a lifetime of agreeable supplicancy to the duties of the crown,” the British screenwriter and playwright said.
Morgan sees similarities between the Duchess of Sussex (left) and the late Princess of Wales (right). Getty Images
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“Diana struggled to fit in with the institution in a way that it’s impossible not to see the parallels with Meghan Markle and Harry,” Morgan explained. “So the story feels both incredibly vivid historically, but also it really shines a lot of lights on where we are now.”
Season 4 of The Crown premieres on 15 November and will explore Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s relationship, as well Queen Elizabeth and Margaret Thatcher’s strained interactions.
Gillian Anderson portrays Thatcher, while Emma Corrin joins the cast as Lady Diana Spencer. Helena Bonham Carter is back as Princess Margaret, while Tobias Menzies reprises his role as Prince Philip.
The Crown recently released photos of Corrin in a replica of Diana’s wedding gown, created by costume designer Amy Roberts for the Netflix show. The dress took four months and 600 hours of labour to create: