thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-10--I Run A Muslim Mental Health Helpline. Covid Has Put My Community In Crisis

A Muslim man wears a face mask to protect against coronavirus as Muslims gather to pray at Minhaj-ul-Quran Mosque, at the start of Eid al-Adha, in London, Friday, July 31, 2020. Britain’s health secretary is defending the government’s abrupt re-imposition of restrictions on social life across a swath of northern England. Matt Hancock says it's important to clamp down quickly on new outbreaks of COVID-19. The affected region has a large Muslim population, and the restrictions come prior to the Eid al-Adha holiday starting on Friday. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) ASSOCIATED PRESS
I’ve always been aware that I was very lucky growing up. I was an overly perceptive young kid and would take things to heart, but my mum recognised this and would prioritise my wellbeing, always practising active listening at the dinner table.
My mum helped me identify my stresses and change my perspective so I could cope better, and would always encourage us to talk about what was on our mind, to share our problems and open up – and she would actively listen.
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It wasn’t until I left home and went to university that I realised this was far from a typical upbringing. While we need to prioritise our mental health just as much as our physical health, many of us aren’t used to opening up about our feelings, and the taboo of talking about mental ill-health has only recently started to lift.
For the British Muslim community in particular, there are specific extra barriers to getting support, including concerns around the double stigma they may face due to religious identity and mental health.
In many Muslim families, the normalisation of conversations around mental health has been slower than in mainstream society. And from talking to my peers, I’ve learned that reaching out to mainstream support services as a Muslim and a person of colour often comes with its own challenges. In order to feel confident that someone is giving the best holistic support, sometimes people seeking that support prefer to share with people who understand their background, culture or religion. This would also save them from having to explain their experiences.
“We then noticed a rise in calls coincide with Ramadan, a time of year when Muslims traditionally come together with family.”
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According to recent research, Muslims in the UK are less inclined, compared to other religious groups, to seek mental health services because they highlight a preference for help with a spiritual underpinning. A poll conducted by the Muslim Youth Helpline (MYH), which I run, showed 40% of Muslim men said they talked to nobody about their mental health.
Our helpline officers are not counsellors – nor are they religious scholars who are qualified to give callers religious advice. Instead, we are the first point of call, where our helpline officers practice active listening as opposed to giving advice. We give agency back to the caller, asking them to reflect on their feelings, with the aim of them coming to their own conclusions. We can then signpost to the appropriately tailored support services: addiction, domestic violence, suicide prevention.
That’s why services like MYH are so crucial – and this has proven just how overwhelming the need is.
Covid-19 and the lockdown have made 2020 unimaginably difficult for us all, and throughout this crisis, the phones at MYH have been off the hook. We’ve seen a staggering 313% rise in calls since March. We saw spikes at significant times of the year: the beginning of lockdown when everything was up in the air, and nobody quite knew what the future held.
Ethnic minorities in the UK were disproportionately impacted by Covid-19, and shockingly, every Muslim I’ve spoken to knows someone who’s lost a loved one. This was reflected in calls to MYH in April when Covid-19 peaked to the extent that we had to retrain our officers in handling bereavement calls.
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We then noticed a rise in calls coincide with Ramadan, a time of year when Muslims traditionally come together with family. With us unable to do that this time, we saw a surge in calls relating to loneliness and suicidal thoughts. We also saw spikes on A-level results day with the chaos of so many people not getting the grades they expected, and again at the start of the new academic year.
“As people experience unimaginable anxiety this year, this World Mental Health Day is unlike any other.”
The team at MYH have opened up their homes to operate the helpline since Covid-19, showing real resilience and strength to uphold our mission to support young Muslims with their mental health and wellbeing. By offering a safe space where people can turn to through our non-judgmental and culturally sensitive free helpline. Space for MYH to operate is essential now more than ever, and we must continue to ensure mental health conversations remain on the agenda.
My faith describes ways to worship God, through prayer and fast; but also a principle of my faith is to help and aid others as a form of worship. Our communities must come together and support each individual who is suffering in silence, by discussing mental health and creating safe, honest spaces for people to open, and by donating to mental health charities who are offering support services.
In lockdown, our service users have had Increased exposure to stressors, coupled with the loss of their usual coping mechanisms and a sharp reduction in access to traditional mental health support, and organisations like MYH are filling in the gap as listening services. Thanks to financial support from funders like Islamic Relief UK, we have been able to keep going throughout this time to support this caller and others who approach us.
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Some people have been affected by this crisis far more than others, but in some ways, it has united us all. As people experience unimaginable anxiety this year, this World Mental Health Day is unlike any other. But I want young British Muslims to know that there is somewhere they can turn to without fear of judgment or chastisement, where we will listen, provide empathy and support.
The Muslim Youth Helpline is open every day between 4pm and 10pm. People can access support by calling 0808 808 2008 or going to their website, www.myh.org.uk


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-10--NHS Staff Are Suffering A Hidden Mental Health Crisis

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As the days grow shorter, it is a reminder of just how long we have been living with Covid-19.
Over six months ago, we went into lockdown and all our lives were fundamentally altered by this virus. Since that time, we have suffered the highest level of excess deaths in Europe, the deepest recession in the G7, and tragically, one of the highest rates of healthcare worker deaths.
While the UK has been trailing behind the rest of the world on so many metrics, sadly, with respect to the response to the mental health crisis left in the wake of Covid-19, it is no different.
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Our frontline NHS and care staff have been left out in the cold by this government, and without action this winter – it’s going to get colder.
The reality on the frontline was that health and care staff were working in situations that they had never been trained for. Many were redeployed, proud to play their part in the national fight against this virus. Soon however, they were seeing their colleagues, friends and loved ones falling ill.
In May alone, over 500,000 sick days were taken by NHS staff owing to mental ill health, an increase of a third from May 2019. There’s a hidden crisis taking place and the knock-on effect this has on the NHS is damaging.
Our children and young people have also had their lives turned upside down. Schools were closed, their exams results were a debacle and now students are locked in university accommodation with people they have only just met.
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“This government likes to pretend that this was “unavoidable”, but the extent of this crisis was anything but.”
The education secretary acknowledged the mental health impact on students, but stopped short of offering any solution. The minister for mental health this week said she “just does not recognise” the difficulties our young people are facing.
As people across so many sectors are losing their jobs, and some are being told that their careers are unviable, the government is silent on their wellbeing and how to support people through one of the worst recessions globally.
This government likes to pretend that this was “unavoidable”, but the extent of this crisis was anything but.
Across Europe, countries have had a very different outlook on the importance of mental health and have sought to address the very problems that are placing a huge strain on people’s mental health in the UK.
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Wales and France have been supporting healthcare workers’ mental health, with psychological support being offered to address the unique difficulties that staff have experienced.
The Welsh government has focused on children’s mental health by developing a Young Person’s Mental Health Toolkit and announcing £5 million of mental health support for schools to allow for an increase in staffing to deliver counselling services in schools.
Perhaps most crucially, other countries appear to have grasped the importance of collecting data on the mental health of their populations.
Germany, France, Ireland and Switzerland have all been conducting research throughout the pandemic to track how people’s mental health is affected by Covid-19, with Switzerland focusing on the most vulnerable groups in society and studying the extent of economic impacts and what that means for people’s lives. Where is that level of detail from the UK government?
“Daily life has changed, and positive reminders of how everyday life can be enjoyable and how we can look after ourselves are vital to wellbeing.”
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Government ministers have tried to explain their lack of action away by claiming that they’ve been focusing on the virus. But this separation of mental health from physical health is extremely dangerous. As a quarter of all health need is mental health related, it’s alarming that the government does not recognise its importance during a health crisis.
From the start of lockdown in March, Public Health France were conducting surveys to assess the impact of Covid-19 and prevention measures on the public. There has simply been a lack of political will to do the same in here in the UK.
Ahead of a second spike, and a particularly cold, dark and lonely winter, the government has a chance to learn from its neighbours. I urge the government to learn from the freephone numbers and online signposting of mental health support offered by Germany, France, Ireland and Switzerland.
Daily life has changed, and positive reminders of how everyday life can be enjoyable and how we can look after ourselves, such as by exercising, sitting down and having a proper breakfast, and speaking to family, are vital to wellbeing.
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Public Health France has put out videos that show the small things we can do in our daily lives that can promote more positive feelings, in order to encourage a healthier population.
We have a long road ahead, but we don’t have to be left behind. The government still has time to learn and, this World Mental Health Day, I urge them to put mental health at the heart of their response to Covid-19 and to pledge to give it the attention and resources it will need beyond this crisis.
Dr Rosena Allin-Khan is MP for Tooting and Labour’s shadow minister for mental health.
Got a unique opinion on a news story that will help cut through the noise? We want to hear from you. Find out what we’re looking for here
Useful websites and helplines
Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-10--We Need To Talk About The Toxic Fandom Around RuPaul's Drag Race

“Honestly, I don’t much follow the show anymore,” confesses Dax Exclamation Point, queen from the eighth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. “I will check in here and there, but I’m not tuning in weekly.”
What would peak her interest? “Focus more on the creative and artistic efforts of the performers featured… A little less bickering, shouting, and copyright free musical numbers, and a lot more sewing challenges please!”
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Having first sashayed onto our screens in 2009, RuPaul’s Drag Race brought drag into the mainstream, garnering queer culture millions of straight allies around the world in the process. Its positive impact on queer communities has been huge - but in recent years the show has also become known for feuds, between the queens themselves and opposing groups of fans.
The latest series of Drag Race to air on screens in the UK is Canada’s Drag Race. From the off, judge Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman became the target of online abuse by a small minority of Drag Race fans, resulting in the the presenter deleting his Twitter account.
Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman has deleted his social media accounts due to fan pile-ons Ethan Miller via Getty Images
Drag Race judge Michelle Visage and RuPaul himself also deleted their social media accounts this year.
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Conversations around the toxicity of social platforms peaked recently with Kim Kardashian-West and Katy Perry temporarily deactivating their social media accounts in a protest against a lack of regulation around online abuse.
Former contestant Dax ExclamationPoint says the behaviour of some judges and the way the show is edited may be fanning the feuds and fan pile-ons.
Jeffrey was accused by some fans of giving contestants bitchy looks and making catty comments. And they say the show edits emphasise the moments of tension between competing queens.
All of this may be true - but there’s never an excuse to be rude online, says Crystal from the first season of Drag Race UK.
“Sometimes you’ll see someone doing something you don’t like, but you don’t need to talk about it on the internet. It’s really important to remember that everyone is just a person doing their best.”
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Crystal tweeted asking viewers to be kinder after the initial abuse Jeffrey received, saying she believes structural racism is a factor.
I wrote a piece for @MetroUK about JBC, bullying, and the racist undertones of the whole situation.
If you disagreed with my previous tweets about the situation, please give this a read with an open mind.
Let's be a bit kinder.
xxhttps://t.co/GenqZArcTF — Crystal | Black Lives Matter (@crystalwillseeu) August 26, 2020
″We live in an incredibly racist society where structural racism is part of everyday life,” says Crystal. “Drag Race is not exempt from that. The systems of racism that people of colour experience in the world is just played out in the Drag Race fandom in the exact same way.”
Crystal says “nine times out of ten” it’s queens of colour receiving abuse, who’re “painted as bullies” and she references Brooke Lynne Hytes, the contestant-turned-presenter, who she says has been on the receiving end of an unfair digital pile-on.
“Jeffrey told me he’d never had so much racial abuse in his entire life and he grew up gay and black in Calgary, which is like the Texas of Canada. So I think there’s a bit of a reckoning to be done,” Crystal says of the fan treatment.
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So the black queer judge on Canada’s Drag Race gets bullied off twitter. Ya’ll happy? — Crystal | Black Lives Matter (@crystalwillseeu) August 23, 2020
Social media makes it easy for abusers to attack, almost validating bad behaviour, says Crystal. “Twitter rewards people with straightforward black and white statements, so if you’re going to tweet something you’d better make it absolute. You’ll get more likes if you make it absolute.
“It creates a culture where people who can say the most shocking thing get the most social credit.”
Following weeks of toxic and abusive messages, fans rushed to support Jeffrey, demonstrating how kind and inclusive the community can be.
ok we get it Jeffrey bowyer chapman can be a bit mean on the judging panel but this OBSESSION with hating him is a bit strange *cough* racist *cough* considering the fact that brooke lynn is also very mean and no one really gives a shit — out of darkness - bestseller by sidney prescott (@stephenboyle3) August 23, 2020
Jeffrey Bower Chapman is a JUDGE... on a tv show... Fuck off people. He is doing his job. Get one, and you won't have time to come for him. — Scott 🌈 (@NiagaraScott) August 25, 2020
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According to Charlie Sayce, founder of the RDRUK Instagram page, disagreements between the queens are inevitable, so it’s authentic for the show to air them when they happen, although arguments are often made more dramatic for the sake of adding drama.
“One major moment of conflict or ‘bitchiness’ on Drag Race UK was between Divina De Campo and The Vivienne,” he recalls. “It was shown with hilarious reactions from the other queens (looking at you Baga Chipz), and was dealt with swiftly and then not really mentioned again,” he says.
“However in the US editing, any small moment of conflict is shown, replayed and then those pesky producers ask the queens about it in their confessionals thus continuing and highlighting any small conflict to the max, this is just very unnecessary!”
Dax ExclamationPoint acknowledges that stirring up competitive spirit in the studio and amongst fans is inevitable in reality TV. “Reality TV shows need conflict to present a heightened sense of drama,” she says.
However Crystal takes that idea one step further, believing audiences should become more savvy to the way the show is edited. “People just accept what they’re being presented,” she says.
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“Instead of watching it critically or thinking maybe there’s a story being told here, they accept things at face value.”
Dax ExclamationPoint Supplied
Despite her belief that reality TV needs conflict, Dax agrees with Charlie that edits can take things too far.
“The show definitely makes drag queens more competitive and judgmental of each other―especially new drag queens,” explains Dax.
One option for viewers may be to find more balanced drag shows away from the world’s biggest one. RuPaul’s has birthed a culture of drag on mainstream TV, which includes other shows like recent Channel 4 show Drag SOS.
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“They [drag queens] see the show as the standard by which all drag is judged: it’s not,” says Dax. “Its an option...but not the standard.”
Crystal explains how Drag SOS is different: “It followed four drag queens around the country and they used the power of drag to tell queer stories and transform people and give them a spotlight moment,” she says.
“It was kind of like Queer Eye but with drag - it was an example of how positive drag can be and the transformational power of it.”
Crystal continues: “Not one show can be everything to the queer community, serving one purpose. There’s lots of other entertainment out there that maybe does more of the other stuff.”
Other programmes may be cashing in on the cache of RuPaul’s Drag Race, but its popularity shows no signs of waning: it recently received its highest ratings in two years, suggesting the formula is still working - and much loved.
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Vinegar Strokes, Baga Chipz, The Vivienne, Cheryl Hole, Gothy Kendoll, Scaredy Kat, Divina De Campo, Sum Ting Wong, Blu Hydrangea and Crystal attend the Ru Paul's Drag Race UK Launch in London Karwai Tang via Getty Images
Drag Race’s longevity may be part of the problem - Crystal believes some fans who’ve been watching for over a decade feel they have license to criticise it when they don’t have all the information.
“Just because you watch ten seasons of a show doesn’t mean you have any clue on how the actual production works, or what it’s like to be there, the pressure the contestants are under, or the pressure the judges are under,” she says.
Another cause for the abuse may be “decades of shame and trauma from growing up in a straight world,” believes Crystal.
“Sometimes we end up re-enacting that or using other people’s positions to put other people down to make us feel better,” she says. “It’s just classic bullying isn’t it?”
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Queens can exacerbate online abuse by liking posts which criticise other drag queens, validating online arguments, says Charlie from the fan group.
“Sometimes I think the Queens themselves have to accept some responsibility for creating a ‘toxic’ fandom,” says Charlie. “When they like or RT a post which is unkind or detrimental they are encouraging that behaviour, perpetuating the problem and the stigma of Drag Race having toxic fans.”
An anti-bullying policy is one possible solution some fans are suggesting producers adopt. ″They could always do more to have a no tolerance policy for the ‘fans’ who think it’s acceptable to send hateful posts,” suggests Charlie.
In the meantime, Charlie has taken on the responsibility of nurturing and promoting a healthy community fandom. “I hate seeing so-called ‘fans’ sending nasty, bitchy or even sometimes hateful messages to Queens,” confesses Charlie. “I tend to unfollow or block them because we want to create a healthy community for fans.”
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Ultimately, the solution may be for the fandom to be able to healthily disagree, says Crystal. “I feel like I sound like that girl in Mean Girls who’s like ‘I wish I could just bake a cake with rainbows!’ - but there’s nothing wrong in asking for kindness,” she believes.
“Jeffrey knows people are going to have opinions,” she concludes, “but that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t tell you when your opinions are out of order, and that we shouldn’t just try and make everything a bit nicer.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-10--Laughing Fits, One-Liners And A Rock Icon Swigging Cranberry Juice: 10 Celebrity Moments We Loved Th

Laughing Fits, One-Liners And A Rock Icon Swigging Cranberry Juice: 10 Celebrity Moments We Loved This Week

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*sigh*
It’s been another fairly relentless week, hasn’t it? And in times like this, with the news cycle as chaotic as it is, we’re even more grateful when we find something to laugh at.
Fortunately, the world of celebrity has gifted us with more than a few such moments in the last seven days.
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From behind-the-scenes bloopers with the cast of Normal People to Great British Bake Off taking a weirdly surreal turn, here are 10 moments that have brought us some much needed relief this week...
1. Mariah Carey rewrites history and makes zero apologies for it
Mariah Carey truly is the gift that keeps on giving.
Not only has she bestowed us with the year’s most important literary offering in the form of The Meaning Of Mariah, she’s also given us countless iconic lines while she’s been promoting it.
This week, The Guardian ran an interview with Mimi, in which she gave a truly priceless line about being high-maintenance:
““You know what? I don’t give a shit. I fucking am high-maintenance because I deserve to be at this point... That may sound arrogant, but I hope you frame it within the context of coming from nothing. If I can’t be high-maintenance after working my ass off my entire life, oh, I’m sorry – I didn’t realise we all had to be low-maintenance. Hell, no! I was always high-maintenance, it’s just I didn’t have anyone to do the maintenance when I was growing up.””
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And she clearly doesn’t mind being thought of as a “diva” either:
“No! Who the fuck cares “Honestly! ‘Oh my God, they’re calling me a diva – I think I’m going to cry!’ You think in the grand scheme of things in my life that really matters to me, being called a diva? I am, bitches, that’s right.””
However, our personal highlight of the interview was the moment she was questioned about why ex-fiancé James Packer had been left out of the book completely:
“If it was a relationship that mattered, it’s in the book. If not, it didn’t occur.””
Ouch.
2. SNL takes on the presidential debate
With the sense of dread and frustration that hung over the entire thing, there was very little joy to be mustered from the first US presidential debate earlier this month... that is, until Saturday Night Live got their hands on it.
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The first skit of the new series saw Alec Baldwin reprising his genius interpretation of the US leader, as well as Jim Carrey making his debut as Joe Biden, and he did a pretty great job of it, too.
Stealing the show, as ever, though, was Maya Rudolph – who entered towards the end as Kamala Harris, putting both candidates in their place.
3. Mick Fleetwood gets in on that Fleetwood Mac-inspired viral moment
When TikTok user Nathan Apodaca uploaded a clip of himself skateboarding while swigging cranberry juice and lip syncing to Fleetwood Mac, he probably wasn’t counting on it being viewed by more than 32 million people (and counting!):
What he also probably wasn’t expecting was that it would get the seal of approval from the actual Fleetwood Mac, with Stevie Nicks retweeting a clip of the post and Mick Fleetwood even getting in on the fun himself:
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4. This Normal People blooper brings a smile to everyone’s faces
We were big fans of Normal People when it debuted on the BBC iPlayer earlier in the year, though there’s no getting round the fact that laughs were few and far between in the show.
It seems this was not the case behind the scenes, though, with Daisy Edgar-Jones sharing this video of herself and co-star Paul Mescal fluffing their lines during filming, and struggling to get things back on track:
5. Jane Fonda makes a return to the world of home workouts for a good cause
It’s been almost 40 years since Jane Fonda first donned her lycra ensemble for her iconic exercise video, but she’s made a one-off return to the world of home workouts this week.
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However, it soon transpired that the exercise she was most concerned about this time around was Americans “exercising” their right to vote, as evidenced by this star-heavy clip:
6. Matt Lucas and Noel Fielding are truly taking Bake Off in a new direction
What we loved the most about Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig’s three-year stint presenting the Great British Bake Off together was the way their opposing styles balanced one another out.
But with Sandi out and Matt Lucas in, Noel has really been able to indulge his wacky and left-field sense of humour, with the two seen really egging one another on in the tent.
That was certainly the case at the beginning of this week’s show, which saw them taking part in this rather surreal sketch – even roping in Paul Hollywood in on the action...
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The secret of the Hollywood Handshake! #GBBO pic.twitter.com/1R5QTbuC0u — British Bake Off (@BritishBakeOff) October 6, 2020
7. Dolly Parton’s new Christmas film looks outrageously camp, and we can’t wait
The meeting of Dolly Parton and the art of the Christmas movie was never going to be an understated affair, but even when we found out the country icon was going to be playing Christine Baranski’s guardian angel in the new film, we still weren’t prepared for quite how camp things were going to be.
But behold...
Netflix
Seriously, is it Christmas yet?
8. Macaulay Culkin’s face mask is all kinds of distressing
From the extremely camp to the borderling terrifying, now.
Former child star Macaulay Culkin took to Twitter this week to encourage his fans to wear face masks, revealing he’s got one that’s inspired by his most iconic film role.
What we weren’t ready for, though, was what a distressing image that would be...
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
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*shudders*
9. Good Morning Britain presenter Laura Tobin gets the giggles and can barely make it through her weather report
We never did get to the bottom of quite what was making Laura Tobin laugh on Good Morning Britain this week, but it certainly did make it difficult for her to present the usual weather forecast.
Well, it was a welcome distraction from the weather itself, we suppose.
Laura later 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.
ITV
Didn’t you want to share what was so funny with the class, Laura...?
10. The thought of Laurence Llewellyn Bowen back in action is enough to keep us all motivated, right?
On Friday, Channel 4 confirmed the news that we’ve all been waiting for... there’s a Changing Rooms reboot in the works.
And while Davina McCall will be taking over presenting duties (despite Carol Smilie previously expressing interest in a revival), we’re happy to see that Laurence Llewellyn Bowen won’t be going anywhere.
And neither will his unique fashion sense, apparently:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-10--It's Been 20 Years Since One Of The Most Memorable – And Mortifying – Awards Show Moments Ever

Over the years, award shows have been responsible for some of the most memorable showbiz moments ever.
From the LaLa Land/Moonlight mix-up at the Oscars to Sam Fox and Mick Fleetwood’s disastrous turn hosting the Brit Awards, literally anything can happen when some of the biggest names in the industry are gathered under one roof and the TV cameras are live.
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That’s something Judy Finnigan knows only too well, with her appearance at the 2000 National Television Awards going down in history.
Judy Finnigan at the National Television Awards in 2000 ITV/Shutterstock
It’s been 20 years exactly since the daytime TV host had a mortifying on-stage moment as she and husband Richard Madeley collected a gong for This Morning, which they hosted from 1988 to 2001.
This Morning had beaten Neighbours, Countdown and Pet Rescue to win the NTA for Best Daytime Show, which was presented by Les Dennis and Amanda Holden (you might have forgotten were an actual married couple back in those days).
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After R&J made their way up on stage to say their thank yous, the crowd were a little more animated than they’d been at other points during the ceremony.
Richard Madeley being Richard Madeley believed this was because they wanted to hear his infamous Ali G impression (“I’m not doing it! I’m not doing it!”) – but it soon became apparent they were being vocal for a very different reason.
Poor Judy had not realised she’d experienced a rather embarrassing wardrobe malfunction, and was standing up at the podium with her bra on show to the thousands in the crowd in the Royal Albert Hall, as well as the millions watching at home.
ITV/Shutterstock
Thankfully, Judy’s This Morning colleague John Leslie rushed to her aide, coming up on stage to cover her up.
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But Judy took it all in good spirit, erupting with laughter as Richard stepped in to help.
“I’m sorry about that, let’s try that again!” she told the crowd.
Reflecting on the incident in a 2016 interview, Judy revealed that her bra was swiftly binned, despite becoming one of the most famous awards show outfits ever.
She recalled: “I was wearing a halterneck evening dress and had a brand new matching black bra but it didn’t fit properly so I swapped it for a trusty old favourite, a lacy pale pink.
”‘No one will ever know’, I said to Richard as we changed in our hotel room. They soon did of course. I was mortified. I chucked it into the dustbin the very next day.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-10--4 Questions To Gauge Your Kid's Mental Health During The Pandemic

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Kids have been through a lot since the Covid-19 pandemic began: school closures, massive changes to how they socialise and unrelenting uncertainty about what comes next.
Fortunately, mental health experts are quick to note, children are, on the whole, resilient. But there are plenty who are struggling. In one study, 60% of teens said they’re feeling lonely and 50% said they’re feeling anxious. Up to one-third of parents say they’ve noticed their children’s mental health get worse since March.
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There are many ways parents and caregivers can help children cope with the pandemic and everything it has brought about. One of the simplest is just to ask. But those conversations can be difficult, particularly if they’re new for your family or if your child isn’t particularly talkative.
Here are four simple, expert-recommended questions to get you started.
1. What do you think about what’s happening right now?
“Parents have to keep in mind that kids aren’t necessarily thinking about everything that is happening right now in the exact same way they’re thinking about it,” explained Jill Emanuele, clinical director of the Child Mind Institute’s Mood Disorders Center. “It’s really important to start with general, open questions.”
So just ask your child what they think or feel about what is happening right now. Maybe don’t even mention the Covid-19 pandemic.
Part of what this kind of broad question — and others like it — does well is help give you a sense of what your child thinks he or she knows about what’s happening in the world around them. If they’ve picked up false information, this can be a good way to talk to them about it. You can also be honest with them about what you don’t know.
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Prostock-Studio via Getty Images A few simple questions can help parents gauge how their children are really coping with Covid-19 stress.
2. How do you think your friends are dealing with everything?
Some kids might respond really openly to big, open-ended questions. Others might not have much to say at all. For those children in particular, it can be helpful to use their friends — or maybe even characters from a TV show they like — to back into the conversation, said Isaiah Pickens, a clinical psychologist and the CEO of iOpening Enterprises.
“You can say, ‘How do you think your friends feel about the coronavirus?’” he suggested.
Another variation of this tactic can be to gather your family — whatever your family looks like — and say something like, “Hey, let’s have a group conversation. How are we all doing with this right now?”
“If you frame it as a family conversation, the ‘heat’ is not all on the kid,” said Emanuelle.
The bottom line is that some kids aren’t big talkers. That’s OK, but it doesn’t mean you should totally give up. Try and sneak it in however you can, Emanuele said — maybe not daily, or even weekly, but definitely try. She also noted that if your child used to be really responsive to conversations and now they are much more reserved, that’s something to pay attention to.
3. I’m feeling [try a bunch of different adjectives here]. How about you?
While open-ended questions are valuable — and you certainly don’t want to fall into the trap of projecting your fears and feelings on your child — it can be helpful to lead with yourself, both experts said. It helps normalise the fact that people are coping with a lot of different feelings right now. Just keep it age and developmentally appropriate.
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When you start by identifying how you’re feeling, it can really help to have a lot of adjectives at your disposal, particularly if your child is younger and is just learning how to identify and put words to what they are feeling, Pickens said.
“What’s making you feel worried/nervous/excited/embarrassed to talk about?” he offered as an example.
You want to make room for your child to open up to you about different experiences and emotions, and to use a variety of language so you can help them translate what they are experiencing internally.
4. What’s got you excited right now? What are you really loving?
Another way to get a sense of how well your child is coping right now is to ask them about what they’re enjoying. You’re really getting at: How is my child coping? Pickens explained.
You could ask: “What’s giving you energy?” he said. “What’s making you happy?”
Those types of questions are also a good barometer of your child’s current mental and emotional well-being, and whether they are in any kind of distress. Parents should be on the lookout for sustained changes in their behaviour, including diminished enthusiasm for activities and things they once loved.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-09--Wear And Care: Turn Tea Towels Into Garments With Momtaz Begum-Hossain

Wear And Care: Turn Tea Towels Into Garments With Momtaz Begum-Hossain
Crafts & Colour Expert Momtaz Begum-Hossain uses tea towels lying around the house to update shirts. Hand sewing with a needle and thread, the items are given a new look that can be worn as a shirt or jacket. This fashionable approach to upcycling includes examples for kids and one vintage tea towel used with lace trimmings and diamante adornments too.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-10--The Crown's Charles And Diana On Doing Their Royal Roles Justice

What Josh O’Connor and Emma Corrin probably didn’t expect when they wrapped up filming on The Crown earlier this year, was that six months later they’d be promoting the show separate from one another, via video-link.
The pair are currently gearing up for the release of the fourth series of the hit Netflix drama. It will see Josh reprising his role as Prince Charles alongside Emma, who is joining the show as Lady Diana Spencer – the young woman who would soon become known to the world as Princess Diana.
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“It’s great!” Josh jokes, when asked how he and Emma are finding promoting the show together, despite not being able to be in the same room.
“No, I’m joking, it’s not. It’s really weird not being next to Emma. Although we’re probably being better behaved, to be honest.”
“Josh, maybe everybody else is together and we’ve just been separated,” Emma suggests, to which he offers: “Maybe the whole of Covid was made up so that we’d be doing press separately, so that we’d behave.”
It’s good to see, if nothing else, that the two are getting along a lot better than their characters on screen...
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Emma and Josh as Princess Diana and Prince Charles in the new season of The Crown Netflix
But while Diana is an iconic figure who absolutely everybody has an opinion on, Emma – who, at 24 years old, hadn’t yet celebrated her second birthday when the late princess died – admits that her own feelings about the late princess were mostly influenced by her family.
“I had an awareness of her,” she explains. “She was kind of just always there. I can’t remember ever first learning about her, but my family are very fond of her.
“Some people are quite divided by her, but my family – and my mum particularly – is just so fond of her, and has a real empathy with her. So Diana has always kind of been a martyred figure to me.
“I feel like I got to know her better [through doing The Crown], like I’ve uncovered a lot of things, and I feel I understand her experience. But also, part of my whole process of becoming the character is actually letting go of trying to understand her, because A, that is never possible, B, The Crown is fiction, and this is like my interpretation of her.
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“I’m very fond of her, though,” she adds.
"The Crown is fiction, and this is like my interpretation of her..." Des Willie/Netflix
Emma says that for her, like many people, it’s Diana’s “sense of fun” that stood out when researching for the role.
“That’s something I’d always known was there, because I think that’s why so many people are so drawn to her, and why they felt like she was such an un-royal person, I suppose,” Emma says.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana during a visit to Canada in 1983 Boris Spremo via Getty Images
The new series will also dive into many of Diana’s personal troubles, including her eating disorder and other struggles with her mental health.
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Emma – who is joining the cast alongside Sex Education’s Gillian Anderson, joining as prime minister Margaret Thatcher – notes that while she felt a pressure to make sure these moments were portrayed with sensitivity and accuracy, she also thinks they’re important aspects of Diana’s story that shouldn’t be glossed over.
“It’s something that I was really concerned about, getting it right, from the off,” Emma recalls. “I was working with Polly Bennett, an incredible movement and character coach, and we were reading the scripts and we noticed that they put the bulimia scenes in, but they kind of alluded to it.
“During my research [I learned that] Diana spoke very candidly about her struggles with mental health and that kind of thing, and so I felt that I really wanted to show it. I didn’t want to just suggest that she was going through and experiencing these things.
“I wanted to do it justice, because I think it’s important these things, especially these days, are represented on screen.”
"Diana spoke very candidly about her struggles with mental health." Des Willie/Netflix
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To make sure things were done right, Emma did a lot of research, which included reading up on eating disorders and speaking to people in forums who’d been affected by bulimia.
However, she admits that she still wasn’t prepared for how tough filming the scenes in question would be.
“I kind of underestimated how hard it would be,” Emma recalls. “I was like, ‘it’ll just be like crying on screen, you just get into the zone’... but it was not fun. But I felt like it was important, and so I kind of just did it.”
Charles and Diana’s rocky relationship will be one of the key storylines in the upcoming series of The Crown, and both Josh and Emma were keen to make sure the story was told with as much balance as possible.
“It is interesting, isn’t it? Maybe it kind of tips to one side a little bit, the story, about the Diana and Charles marriage,” Josh muses.
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“But I think ultimately – and we talked a lot about this when we prepped for it – no one ever knows about the failing of any marriage. There are always two sides to the story.”
Josh O'Connor with his on-screen mum (who just happens to be Queen Elizabeth II, played by Olivia Colman) Des Willie/Netflix
He continues: “I was fortunate enough to have a bit of time on season three to kind of lay out the ‘sympathetic Charles’, and to hopefully have people on my side for a little bit – get them on side, trick them into it! – and then pull the rug from under them a little bit. And that was an exciting thing for me.
“But as we’ve talked about before, he loves Diana. And he does love her at various different stages, in varying levels of love and in different ways. And the failure of the marriage, I think, is as heartbreaking for him as it is for Diana. It’s tragic for everyone involved.
“And Emma and I have often talked about how in reality, there are two young boys – well, not so young anymore – who came out of that marriage, who, I would say, seem to be pretty good eggs. And so I think that there must have been so much love there, as a family.
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“But I think it was important to me that we represented that in a kind of authentic way.”
The fourth series of The Crown debuts on Netflix on Sunday 15 November.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-10--The Crown's Emma Corrin Reveals 'Filthy' Diana Anecdote She Unearthed During Research

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The Crown newcomer Emma Corrin has revealed a rather rude anecdote she unearthed about Princess Diana in the lead-up to the new series of the royal drama.
The actor joined the cast of the award-winning Netflix show for its fourth season, playing Princess Diana opposite Josh O’Connor, who returned as Prince Charles.
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Speaking to HuffPost UK about getting into character, Emma revealed she did lots of research about Diana, including speaking to people who knew her, which is where the actor discovered a “filthy” tidbit about the late royal.
Emma in character as Princess Diana Des Willie/Netflix
“I recently met someone who knew her, and who worked with her very closely, and he said that she used to send him the filthiest birthday cards,” Emma said.
“He used to say ‘darling where have you found these?’, and she used say, ‘I know people’, which I think is brilliant.”
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She continued: “He would say, ‘please tell me you’re not going into shops and buying these’, but she was like, ‘oh yeah, there’s a little shop down the road from me, so I go in’. And I love that about her, I love her sense of fun.
“I think that’s something I’d always known was there, because I think that’s why so many people are so drawn to her, and why they felt like she was such an un-royal person, I suppose.”
Princess Diana pictured in 1995 Anwar Hussein via Getty Images
While Olivia Colman, Tobias Menzies and Helena Bonham-Carter will all be reprising their roles from the third series of The Crown, Emma is not the only new addition to the cast for season four.
Gillian Anderson is joining as prime minister Margaret Thatcher, while British comedy actor Rebecca Humphries will appear as her daughter (and future I’m A Celebrity champion), Carol Thatcher.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-10--12 Totally Inspiring Coming Out Videos That We Love On YouTube

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National Coming Out Day takes place on October 11: it’s an opportunity to celebrate your queerness if you’re out, but importantly it’s also a day to recognise those people that have yet to come out.
They might be planning on coming out to a supportive group of friends or family, or fearful of coming out and facing the repercussions of hostile environments. (If that’s you, there’s plenty more information here on staying safe as a young LGBT+ person.)
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Coming out can be unimaginable for LGBTQ+ people, young and old. (Some people, like Kenneth, take 90 years to come out. Congrats Kenneth!) But with the right amount of time and support, coming out is possible for all of us.
Scroll down for some of the most inspiring coming out videos we love from YouTube this National Coming Out Day.
Heart-warming and helpful coming out videos
Mistake Mafia
″The way I sound, the way I talk, you might think I’m not, but yes, I am,” says Mistake Mafia in his powerful coming out story, which soberingly includes the violence he’s experienced from bigots for being publicly out.
Mafia talks about how his mum, dad and friends are “cool” with his sexuality now he’s managed to come out, despite the small group of nasty people who tried to stand in his way. Nevertheless, he’s proudly open and dedicates this YouTube video to sharing his story.
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Helena
″I had the biggest crush on Blake Lively, and I thought, ’oh this is normal, lots of girls get girl celebrity crushes, right? No? guess I’m the only one,′ says this young YouTuber.
“It took a long time to come out to myself... but when people say it gets better, it really does, it does get better. It will take some time, it’s a process, but it will get better.”
A lady called ‘M’
“Last year when I turned 40 I had the biggest shock of my life when I fell in love with a woman,” says this lady, who refers to herself as M. “I’m coming from a really traditional country in eastern Europe, now I live in the UK so luckily I’m in a better place.
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“I never knew such a word as gay or lesbian... I’m still working on accepting who I am,” she says. And in advice for others, she says: “look for help, and be strong.”
Dylan
“I had dated girls because I thought that was what I was supposed to do,” says Dylan in his coming out video. “I didn’t think I could be a part of the gay community,” he carries on, “because there was no one like me.”
Having come out to all of his friends, Dlyan says he feels “blessed” to have a supportive network and says: “Overall, every single one of my coming out moments was extremely positive.
His advice? “Come out when you’re ready and when you’re safe... If you’re young and you don’t think you fit in, you do. You’re probably just trying to fit in in the wrong places.”
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Coming out to Christian parents
“I’m gay, I always have been, always will be. I wasn’t okay with it for a long time, but a few years ago I decided I was okay with it, and I want to be myself and I’m not really going to be ashamed of who or what I am anymore, and I don’t believe it’s a sin, and that’s the reason I accepted it,” says Drew Carter.
Drew comes out to his mother in the video, who says she was praying for him as she suspected he might be gay, but hoped he’d “gotten through” his queerness. Drew explains that feelings aren’t possible to change, having done a “lot of research,” and says “you can’t change your sexuality. It’s impossible.”
Despite having a hard time coming to terms with her son’s sexuality, she says: “I love you, Andrew, with all my heart. That will never change.”
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Twins coming out to dad
“We’ve taken some time off and we want to come back as authentic as possible,” say twins Aaron and Austin Rhodes. “What we’ve wanted to share for a long time is, ‘I’m gay,” says Aaron, “and ’I’m gay too,’” says Austin.
Both twins are out to everyone in their life except their dad, who they telephone in the video. The brothers break down in tears. One says: “I didn’t want you to find out through YouTube. I feel like we’re close enough and I finally feel like I’m at that point now to be able to tell you and I just want to be able to have you behind us 100%, I don’t want you to not love us anymore.”
“Stop it. Would you just stop? It’s the way things are,” responds their dad. “You grew up in a lot different generation to me. You know? You know I love you both and that will never change.”
“You’ve gotta live your lives and you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do.”
Coming out as ‘grey-a’
“I’m more attracted to men than I am to women, although I’m not particularly attracted to either,” says Sally in her coming out video. She goes on to talk about why it’s important, as a science professional, to come out, in order to celebrate the diversity within the industry that’s rarely platformed.
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“The majority are okay with queer people, but there is still a minority who think I should burn in hell,” she says. “There is such a lack of visibility in this sector,” she continues.
Sally hopes to “show other people that it is okay to come out. They can see the response to this video... That’s why I decided making a coming out video is important.”
And a few inspiring celebs coming out too:
HuffPost UK recently interviewed queer Black drill rapper Mista Strange about coming out in an industry that’s predominantly straight. Strange is a true pioneer, coming out in a drill rap video – a subgenre traditionally responding to gang violence and urban crime – and has inspired a legion of others.
“I knew it would be controversial, but I didn’t expect it to blow up like it did,” the rapper tells HuffPost UK. “In a way I’ve opened a door, I’m definitely leading the way for a load of gay kids, rappers, that just wanna be able to be themselves. I’ve shown that it can be done and it’s not going to end badly.”
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“Being a gay Black male,” he carries on, “I feel like the torch is hotter. When that torch is passed, I have a bigger responsibility in a way.
Nikki Tutorials
Nikkie de Jager, the beauty blogger with more than 13 million subscribers, first revealed to them she was transgender in an emotional 17 minute video.
The 25-year-old makeup artist explains she had been forced into telling her story after being blackmailed, but felt liberated by sharing her truth.
“I wanted to start the year off by finally revealing a part of my life that has made me who I am. It’s time to let go and be truly free.” She goes on to say: “When I was younger I was born in the wrong body, which means that I am transgender.”
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Described her journey to the news, she says: “With this message I want to inspire little Nikkies around the world, who feel insecure and out of place, who feel misunderstood. I hope by me standing up and being free, that it inspires other to do the same... We need to accept each other, we need to respect each other but most of all we need to hear each other and understand,” she says.
Troye Sivan
It’s surreal watching Troye, aged 18, in his coming out video, which was presumably filmed at his family home in Australia. Pre-stylist, pre-international fame, Troye the YouTuber comes out in a remarkably confident vlog, although he admits it’s probably “the most nervous” he’s ever been.
“I feel like you guys are real, genuine friends of mine,” he says. “This is not something I should be ashamed of, so why not share it with you guys. If anything, it brought me and my friends and family a lot closer because I didn’t have anything to hide anymore.
“It’s really really shit in the beginning, but don’t worry, it gets better. It can be good right from the start. You could have a completely smooth sail out of the closet...
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“Contact me with any queries,” he adds, saying he’s adding a “whole load” of resources for young gay teens in the notes, “the kind of resources which helped me out when I was a scared fourteen year old. ” Those resources are still there. Remarkably, so is his email address.
Ellen Page
Ellen Page came out at the Time To Thrive conference, hosted by the Human Rights Campaign. No one knew she would be coming out – and after she delivered her powerful speech, she received a spontaneous standing ovation.
″There are pervasive stereotypes about masculinity and femininity that define how we’re supposed to act, dress and speak and they serve no-one,” she says in her speech. “All of us can do so much more together than any one person can do alone. And I hope that thought bolsters you as it does me.”
“I am here today because I am gay, and because maybe I can make a difference. To help others have an easier and more helpful time. I feel a personal obligation and a social responsibility. I also do it selflessly, because I’m tired of hiding, and I’m tired of lying by omission. I suffered for years because I was scared to be out. My spirit suffered, my mental health suffered, and my relationships suffered,” says Page.
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“I am standing here today with all of you on the other side of that pain... What I have learned is that love – the beauty of it, the joy of it and yes, even the pain of it – is the most beautiful gift to receive as a human being.”
Coming out on TikTok
YouTube’s only one way to come out digitally... Check out this compilation too.
Need help coming out?
We all did. Or do. If you’d like some more practical advice about coming out to friends, family, or even just yourself, call or text any of the charities below. Best of luck, and happy Coming Out Day! xxx
Stonewall offer free support and advice on coming out
Shout offer support day and night for LGBTQ+ people wanting to come out or in other need.
Mind Out offer confidential support.
Switchboard offer information and support, as well as referrals, for LGBTQ+ people.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-10--Borat Just Joined Twitter And Is Already Trolling The Wawaweewa Out Of Donald Trump

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Borat Sagdiyev ― the comic alter ego of British actor Sacha Baron Cohen ― joined Twitter on Friday and wasted no time in taunting President Donald Trump.
The fake Kazakh reporter went on a Trump-worthy tweetstorm offering sarcastic praise of the president and his devastating mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic.
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“Premiere Trump true leader - he have prove himself stronger than more than 200,000 of his American subjects!” read one post referencing Trump’s Covid-19 diagnosis, which came after he ignored safety guidelines and downplayed the virus for months.
Borat and Donald Trump Huffington Post
Another said, “Trump so strong he did not even need to drink bleach to stay alive!” ― a reminder of the president’s bonkers suggestion that consuming disinfectant could be a treatment for the disease.
Premiere Trump true leader - he have prove himself stronger than more than 200,000 of his American subjects! — Borat (@BoratSagdiyev) October 10, 2020
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Trump so strong he did not even need to drink bleach to stay alive! — Borat (@BoratSagdiyev) October 10, 2020
Trump would have leave hospital sooner, but he nice and did not want to hurt covid’s feelings — Borat (@BoratSagdiyev) October 10, 2020
Trump very kind man! When he go on car ride outside hospital, he give driver many thanks and also some of his covids medicine — Borat (@BoratSagdiyev) October 10, 2020
It’s unclear if Cohen himself is tweeting from the verified account, and representatives for the actor did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for more information.
However, the feed is most likely a publicity stunt ahead of the upcoming release of the sequel to Cohen’s 2006 mockumentary Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-10--Donald Trump Is The ‘Superspreader-In-Chief’ In Republican Group’s Cutting New Ad

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Donald Trump’s continued disregard for safety measures designed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus – even after contracting Covid-19 himself – is the subject of two damning news ads from groups on both sides of the aisle.
A video released by Republican Voters Against Trump on Friday pours scorn on Trump’s claim that he’s “better” and perhaps now immune, following his release from the hospital on Monday, after just three days of treatment.
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The clip features footage of some of the events that Trump has hosted amid the pandemic – many of which have been attended by maskless supporters – and ends with a stark reminder of the more than 210,000 Americans who have died after contracting the virus.
Check out the video here:
The progressive political action committee (PAC) MeidasTouch, meanwhile, urged voters to “get rid of the Trump virus” with its ad that contrasts the prominent Republicans who have tested positive for Covid-19 after ignoring safety measures with the American workers who have contracted the virus and don’t have top-level medical care.
Check out that video here:
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Combined, the two videos have more than 1m views on social media, but it’s unclear if these kind of viral clips (that seldom appear on television) have any effect on swing voters.
In his first on-screen interview since falling ill last week, Trump on Friday night claimed on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show that he felt “really good, really strong” and had been “medication-free” for the eight previous hours.
Trump avoided answering a question about whether he’d been tested earlier in the day by saying, “I have been retested and I haven’t even found out numbers or anything yet. I’m at either the bottom of the scale or free.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-11--Vue Cinemas To Close Some Cinemas Three Days A Week

Signage is seen outside a Vue cinema in Altrincham, Britain, February 18, 2019. REUTERS/Phil Noble Phil Noble / Reuters
Nearly a quarter of Vue cinemas will be shut three days a week in an effort to reduce costs following delays in the release of a string of blockbusters.
From next week, the cinema chain will reduce its opening hours to four days a week at 21 of its 91 sites, keeping them shut on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
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This comes after rival chain Cineworld announced it will temporarily close 127 Cineworld and Picturehouse sites in the UK.
The chief executive of Vue Cinemas previously said cinema chains were dealt a “body blow” by the delay to the next James Bond film, No Time To Die, until April next year.
Marvel film Black Widow, sci-fi blockbuster Dune and Jurassic World: Dominion are also among the high-profile titles that have seen release delays as a result of the global pandemic.
Tim Richards said on Monday: “Our problem right now is we have no movies. This was a big blow for us. We’re likely going to make it through; I’m concerned about the independents and the small regional operators right now that are going to really struggle, and when they close they may not reopen.”
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Five of the branches with reduced opening hours are in London, including the chain’s large cinema in Leicester Square.
The affected Vue sites are: Vue Accrington, Vue Altrincham, Vue Barrow, Vue Birkenhead, Vue Blackburn, Vue Cardiff, Vue Carmarthen, Vue Cleveleys, Vue Dagenham, Vue Hull Princes Quay, Vue Lancaster, Vue Newbury, Vue Piccadilly, Vue Redditch, Vue Rhyl, Vue Scunthorpe, Vue Shepherds Bush, Vue Stroud, Vue Swansea, Vue West End (Leicester Square) and Vue Wood Green.
Rival chain Odeon has also confirmed that about 30 of its 120 cinema sites will shut from Monday to Thursday after audience figures have been slow to recover following the pandemic.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-11--Manchester MPs Revolt Against Pub Closure Lockdown Plan

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Five Manchester MPs are revolting against plans by Boris Johnson to place the city under the toughest local lockdown measures, including pub and restaurant closures.
The prime minister is due to set out a new three-tier approach to local lockdowns on Monday, with Manchester potentially in line for the toughest coronavirus restrictions in tier-3, which will include blanket hospitality closures.
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But in a letter to Johnson and chancellor Rishi Sunak, reported by ITV News, the MPs wrote: “We are concerned that closing all regulated premises will not only lead to gatherings being pushed underground, but won’t have a sizeable effect on virus transmission rates.
“Yet, as you are well aware, would have a devastating impact on jobs, livelihoods and businesses in our area.
“We would not support Manchester being put in tier 3 on this basis.”
NEW: Manchester MPs write to PM arguing against tier 3 lockdown.
They say data “would not seem to support a rationale” for closing pubs and restaurants. Large proportion of the spread is among students & in private homes. Hospitality a “very small proportion” of infections. pic.twitter.com/TMYxQmfTYB — Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) October 11, 2020
The city has for several weeks already been under a local lockdown which prevents households from mixing, but has still seen cases rise.
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The five Labour MPs questioned officials’ insistence that hospitality accounts for a large proportion of Covid-19 transmission, arguing instead that the majority of infections are happening in “household settings”.
Data presented to 149 MPs from the north and Midlands by England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty suggested hospitality accounts for 30% of “common exposure settings” for coronavirus.
But it has been criticised as relying on a small sample size, with backing from a study based on data from the United States.
Government coronavirus data HuffPost UK
The MPs - Lucy Powell, Jeff Smith, Mike Kane, Afzal Khan and Graham Stringer - wrote: “The data on where infections are occurring would not seem to support a rationale for your proposed measures.
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“As you will know a large proportion of our recent increase in infections are amongst our student population, now being managed in confined ‘households’ mostly in halls of residence.
“Indeed, many of these were asymptomatic and were only picked up because of (locally delivered) mass testing.
“We were assured in parliament this week that confined outbreaks would not be a reason for tighter restrictions for the wider population.
“Beyond the student population the majority of transmissions are still occurring in household settings.
“Manchester has put forward thorough proposals for tracking this through local, intense track and trace alongside well-resourced door-to-door activity able to communicate the guidance effectively.
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“This would need to sit with the economic support available for people to self isolate.
“Transmission in hospitality settings, as you know, constitutes a very small proportion of infection rates.
“Nonetheless Manchester authorities want the powers to quickly sanction and close individual premises not complying with the safety guidance.
“We are concerned that closing all regulated premises will not only lead to gatherings being pushed underground, but won’t have a sizeable effect on virus transmission rates.
“Yet, as you are well aware, would have a devastating impact on jobs, livelihoods and businesses in our area.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-11--The Everybody's Talking About Jamie Trailer Is Here To Spread Some Much-Needed Joy

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If you could do with some cheering up – and let’s face it, who doesn’t need that right now? – then the newly-released trailer for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie could be just the thing.
The big-screen version of the hit West End musical about a teenager who dreams of being a drag queen was originally supposed to be released later this year, but will now be hitting cinemas in February 2021.
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To tide us over until then, a new trailer for the film was unveiled on Sunday morning, showing newcomer Max Harwood in action as the titular Jamie New for the first time.
The trailer also teases some of the film’s elaborate musical numbers, as well as a glimpse of cast members Richard E Grant, Sarah Lancashire and Sharon Horgan in character.
Max Harwood in the Everybody's Talking About Jamie trailer 20th Century Studios
“I don’t just want to be a drag queen,” Jamie is heard saying in the trailer. “I have to be one.”
It’s also revealed in the trailer that British drag performers Myra Dubois, Anna Phylactic and Son Of A Tutu will be appearing in supporting roles in the film, alongside Oscar nominee Richard as his drag alter-ego Loco Chanel.
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Richard E Grant as Loco Chanel 20th Century Studios
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie debuted in the West End in 2017, based on the BBC Three documentary, Jamie: Drag Queen At 16, a teenager who wanted to attend his school prom in drag.
The production received critical acclaim, including nominations for Best New Musical, Best Actor In A Musical and Outstanding Achievement In Music at the Oliviers, the same year Hamilton ended up sweeping the board.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-11--Tories Facing Northern Anger On Scale Of Thatcher Years, Labour Warns

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Boris Johnson is facing anger in the north of England on a scale last seen by Margaret Thatcher’s government in the 1980s, a shadow cabinet minister has warned.
Wigan MP Lisa Nandy said people in the north feel like the government is “actively working against us” and stressed she had not “felt anger like this” since the 1980s.
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The senior Labour figure led calls for the government to boost financial support for areas to be placed under tougher coronavirus restrictions under the three-tier local lockdown plan the prime minister is expected to reveal on Monday.
Nandy was backed by the Tory leader of Bolton council, David Greenhalgh, who called on Rishi Sunak to “at the very least” restore support to the levels of the original furlough scheme, which saw the government cover 80% of workers’ wages.
The chancellor last week announced plans for a 67% wage subsidy but northern leaders have warned this does not go far enough and will lead to businesses “going under” and job losses.
But communities secretary Robert Jenrick suggested on Sunday that the government would not go further, insisting: “We can’t do everything.”
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Johnson is also facing anger for failing to involve local leaders enough in decision-making, and because plans for local lockdowns, including pub and restaurant closures, leaked to the media days before they were due to be formally announced.
People feel the government is actively working against parts of northern England says Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy
#Marr #Covid_19 https://t.co/JYYPxtoIYk pic.twitter.com/0h5zeldyAW — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) October 11, 2020
Nandy, the shadow foreign secretary, told BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show: “It’s really hard to explain how angry people are in the north of England about what has happened not just over the last few months but over the last few days.
“I haven’t felt anger like this towards the government since I was growing up here in the 1980s.
“People feel that they haven’t just been abandoned by the government, they now feel that the government is actively working against us.”
Nandy said many northern areas were into the third month of restrictions but Covid cases were still going up and businesses fear “death by a thousand cuts”.
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She said: “If they carry on like this, briefing out new lockdown restrictions on a Thursday night and then going missing over the weekend... if they don’t do something quickly they are not just going to lose control of the virus but they are going to lose trust in what people are being told, and that is really, really serious.”
Greenhalgh said many businesses in Bolton have already been closed for three months with the lockdown on hospitality, with many jobs lost already and firms “on the brink”.
He told Marr that Johnson’s “build back better” agenda will be left in tatters unless more financial support is provided.
"Why should the north of England be treated any differently?"
Conservative Cllr David Greenhalgh tells #Marr the government can’t continue restricting northern England without an exit package
#Covid_19 https://t.co/JYYPxtoIYk pic.twitter.com/mDGEnZ8ARn — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) October 11, 2020
On the wage subsidy scheme Sunak set out last week, he said: “The idea that this money is only payable from the beginning of November and it could come to us as late as late November, early December, is just not good enough.”
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Greenhalgh went on: “It has to at the very least be a package that returns to the furlough of the March lockdown and anything less is quite frankly unacceptable.
“Many of these businesses will simply go under and we can’t ‘build back better’ if we’ve lost some of these businesses.”
Nandy meanwhile confirmed Labour would attempt to force a vote on the local lockdown restrictions expected to be applied to the north and the financial package.
But she stressed the party would not seek to vote down government measures but instead “try and frame the terms of a debate and vote in the House of Commons so that there is an opportunity to put forwards an alternative support package”.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said Johnson would be breaking his election promise to “level up” the country unless he provides more economic help.
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“If they continue with this, jobs will be lost, businesses will collapse, the fragile economies of the North will be shattered,” the Labour mayor told Times Radio.
“The government has a real choice here, if it proceeds on the path it is on, in my view, the central so-called mission of this government to level-up will be over.”
Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson revealed the city is “likely” to be placed in tier three – the toughest local lockdown likely to include pub and restaurant closures.
“That is going to have huge economic damage and damage that will take us back to the position this city was in in the 80s with large levels of unemployment, of people unemployed and it will set us back a long time,” he told Times Radio.
“Let’s make it absolutely clear here, if this was down in the south east in London, it wouldn’t be happening, it simply wouldn’t be tolerated.”
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Jenrick defended the government’s financial support package, telling Marr: “They need to be seen in the context of everything else we’ve done.
“This country has put in place measures which compare extremely favourably to other countries.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-11--Strictly Come Dancing's Nicola Adams Candidly Reflects On Violent Childhood Abuse

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Strictly Come Dancing star Nicola Adams has spoken candidly about the abuse she endured from her father as a child.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Nicola reflected on the emotional and physical abuse both she and her mother suffered, admitting at one point she even wanted to kill him to get him to stop.
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“Before my mum left my dad, my childhood was very up and down. I didn’t like the way my dad used to treat us,” the gold medallist said.
“He was very controlling with my mum and me. My mum wasn’t allowed to go anywhere by herself. She wasn’t allowed any friends. She wasn’t really allowed a life at all.”
Nicola Adams SIPA USA/PA Images
Nicola continued: “He’d get violent with both of us. Because I have ADHD, when I was younger I was very hyperactive, so it was very, very hard for me to keep still, especially when he was watching TV.
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“So, I was always getting into trouble with my dad. Sometimes, I felt I was getting hit for no reason. It got to the point when I was around nine that I told my mum that I thought we needed to leave.”
She added: “I was watching a TV show about a family that was going through the same sort of situation we were. They ended up killing the father and burying him in the garden.
“I remember saying to my mum, ‘It’s going to be OK, I’ve seen a way we can get rid of Dad on TV, I just don’t know where we’re going to put the body because our garden is concrete’. That was a pretty big wake-up call for my mum.”
Nicola with her gold medal after the 2016 Rio Olympics Jan Kruger via Getty Images
Nicola went on to say that getting into boxing was what gave her confidence, stating: “It gave me a lot more confidence knowing I could defend myself and look after my mum and brother.
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“When my mum and dad were together, there were plenty of times when I wasn’t able to help my mum because I was only a kid, so not very big.
“As much as I shouted and tried, I was pushed to the side, so there was nothing really I could do. I wanted to be able to give my family a better life and I saw boxing as the way out. I saw how hard my mum worked and wanted to make her happy.”
Nicola is one of 12 celebrities currently gearing up for the new series of Strictly, and will make history as part of the show’s first ever same-sex pairing.
Strictly BBC
Speaking ahead of her dance floor debut, Nicola was asked why she had requested a female partner, explaining: “Just for diversity I guess. And I wanted to do something different and I didn’t see what the big deal would be with pairing with another female.
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“You go to nightclubs and girls dance with girls all the time, professional dancers dance with girls all the time, so I don’t think it’s a big deal.”
The new series of Strictly launches on Saturday 17 September, with the first live show airing the following weekend.
If you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. If you are not in immediate danger, you can contact:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-11--White House Doctor Gives Trump The All-Clear But Questions Remain

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Donald Trump’s physician issued a statement late Saturday declaring that the president no longer poses a risk of transmitting Covid-19 to others. But he failed to provide the critical detail about whether or not Trump has tested negative for coronavirus.
“By currently recognised standards,” Trump is “no longer considered a transmission risk to others,” noted the unsigned statement by White House physician Dr. Sean Conley. He added the “assortment of advanced diagnostic tests obtained reveal there is no longer evidence of actively replicating virus”.
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Not only did Conley fail to reveal if Trump has tested negative for Covid, but he also did not provide specific details about the results of Trump’s “advanced diagnostic tests.”
The PCR lab test Conley refers to his memo can give doctors a “rough sense” of how much virus remains in a person’s body, or the viral load, The New York Times noted. Conley’s wording implies that some virus remains in the president’s body.
Melissa Miller, a clinical microbiologist at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, told the Times that no test can definitively show if a person at the end of a coronavirus infection is still contagious and poses a risk to others.
The White House has been extraordinarily tight-lipped about the exact nature of Trump’s illness and recovery.
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It remains unclear when the president contracted coronavirus. The White House has refused to reveal when Trump last tested negative.
Conley initially suggested a week ago that Trump had actually been diagnosed a full day earlier on September 30 than what the president stated in a tweet, which would have meant that Trump knew he had Covid-19 before attending group events without a mask or social distancing. Conley later retracted his statement after the White House complained.
But Conley again indicated in his memo that Trump was diagnosed September 30. That would make Saturday “day 10 from symptoms onset,” as Conley noted in the memo.
WH doctor says Trump “no longer considered a transmission risk to others...” pic.twitter.com/ymUrjMLx4Z — Jim Acosta (@Acosta) October 11, 2020
In any case, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that those with severe Covid-19 may need to isolate for 20 days. Trump was airlifted to Walter Reed hospital, was given supplemental oxygen, steroids and two experimental drugs before he was discharged three days later on Monday, which would indicate the illness was serious.
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Also, the president’s health could still deteriorate in the next few days, experts note.
Epidemiologist Dr Eric Feigl-Ding, senior fellow of the Federation of American Scientists, called Conley’s memo “evasive” and “sketchy.” He noted the 20 days in isolation recommended by the CDC — and pointed out that people with Covid can be infectious to others for even longer if they’re taking dexamethasone, the steroid that Trump has been on.
3) also studies show that dexamethasone (a corticosteroid) extends the period of infectiousness of #SARSCoV2 #COVID19 beyond even 20 days!!! pic.twitter.com/GcQu77uLzP — Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) October 11, 2020
He also pointed out that “synthetic antibodies” created by the experimental drugs Trump took is not the same as immunity, and may skew diagnostic results.
Breaking—Dr Conley now claims Trump is not infectious. He cites CDC criteria, yet CDC clearly says severe #COVID19 cases are infectious for 20 days. And his viral load might be down, but he also has synthetic antibodies. Synthetic doesn’t equal immunity. Ct value also unreported. https://t.co/i4bAXZPXk5 pic.twitter.com/tn3dgp3lDs — Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) October 11, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-11--Watch Jon Courtenay's Winning Britain's Got Talent Performance

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Comedy musician Jon Courtenay was crowned this year’s Britain’s Got Talent winner in a final that looked a little bit different to usual.
To adhere to coronavirus restrictions, each of the 10 performances in the final were pre-recorded ahead of time, while an “audience wall” of people watching along from home replaced the traditional studio audience.
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Jon’s win was also a significant one for the show, as he became the first act to have previously been awarded a Golden Buzzer to go on and win the show.
His finale routine saw him performing an original song for judges Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, David Walliams and Ashley Banjo, while accompanying himself on the piano.
Jon Courtenay performs in the Britain's Got Talent final Dymond/Thames/Syco/Shutterstock
Jon’s performance began with a summary of “small things that make you glad”, before moving onto a look back at the events of 2020.
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“I wasn’t happy when the schools closed and I had to teach my son,” Jon sang. “I was happy when Boris told me I could finally hug my mum, but I was happiest in April finding loo roll for my bum.”
He continued: “Happiness is small things like being with our friends, little things like when the Queen said ‘we’ll meet again’.
“On Thursdays on our doorsteps with pride inside our chests, taking just a moment to clap the NHS.
“And it won’t be long before these masks are gone we’ll be living life again to the maximum, and we’ll remember people like Sir Captain Tom, and in years our kids will be reminiscing, not about the big stuff that they’ve been missing, but that every day they got to play with dad and mum.”
Watch Jon’s winning performance below:
It’s since been revealed that Jon won the show by a landslide, with an impressive 35.7% of the votes cast in the final.
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Things were a little bit closer between second, third and fourth place, with runners up Sign Along With Us landing 15.3% of the votes.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-11--Local Leaders To Get More Control Of Failing Covid Test And Trace System

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Local areas are to be handed more control of coronavirus contact tracing amid ongoing failures in the national Test and Trace system, a cabinet minister has revealed.
Robert Jenrick admitted councils and communities “are bound to be better than Whitehall or national contact tracers” following weeks of pressure to give local areas more control.
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The Test and Trace service, headed by Tory peer Baroness Dido Harding, this week reported its worst ever figures for tracking down “close contacts” of people with coronavirus.
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, well short of the 80% needed for the system to work effectively.
The so-called “NHS Test and Trace” system has been dogged by criticism since it began earlier this year, with many attacking its use of private firms like Serco and Deloitte.
Baroness Dido Harding, executive chair of NHS Test and Trace PA
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Labour leader Keir Starmer told HuffPost UK earlier this month that council chiefs and mayors should be given more powers over contact tracing.
Now, with the UK said to be at a “tipping point” in the Covid-19 pandemic and with millions of people set to face more restrictions from Monday, Jenrick confirmed local mayors and councils would be given more control of contact tracing.
It came after the Sunday Times reported plans are being drawn up to give local leaders powers to deploy an army of volunteer contact tracers as well as giving local authorities more control over mobile testing units and walk-in centres.
Jenrick told BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show: “We’re going to work very closely with local authorities.
“So in addition to the national infrastructure, which is developing and increasing with every passing week, we’re also going to be making use of local councils to do contact tracing in particular.
“Because there is clear evidence that local councils are good at that, as you’d expect.”
Jenrick said there was “real evidence” that mobilising council workers to do contact tracing in places like Leicester helped get the spread of coronavirus under control.
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“People who know their own community, particularly hard to reach communities, are bound to be better than Whitehall or national contact tracers,” he said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-11--Strictly Come Dancing's Caroline Flack Tribute Moves Viewers To Tears

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Strictly Come Dancing fans were moved to tears by an emotional tribute to Caroline Flack during a highlights show which aired on Saturday night.
In the lead-up to this year’s Strictly launch, the BBC has been showing celebrations of past performances in specially-curated highlights show, with Saturday night’s focussing on the best moments from finales gone by.
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This included a celebration of former winner Caroline Flack – who died by suicide earlier this year – including tributes from those who knew and worked with her.
Caroline Flack and Pasha Kovalev in their show-stopping final routine BBC
“For me, Caroline was one of the best, best dancers we’ve ever had come into Strictly Come Dancing,” professional dancer Janette Manrara recalled. “Whenever she was around you, you couldn’t help but smile.”
Through tears, she continued: “There was just something about Caroline [on the night of the Strictly final]. She was beaming and so for it to just culminate in that one moment…what an amazing moment for her.
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“Watching her do that showdance and just how beautiful she looked in white is a memory I’m going to hold really close to my heart forever and ever.”
Caroline’s dance partner Pasha Kovalev agreed: “We saw how she transformed into that beautiful dancer. A dancer with a big heart on her sleeve.”
He added that the moment he and the star won the show “such an incredible experience” that “will always hold a special place in my heart”
Pasha Kovalev pays tribute to Caroline Flack BBC
Long-serving judge Bruno Tonioli said: “I love Caroline, she was such fun. Great to be with, I mean she really was a joy.
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“We will always love Caroline and we will never forget her. We love you, my love.”
The show ended with a dedication to Caroline’s memory.
The show was dedicated to Caroline's memory BBC
Viewers praised the touching tributes on social media, with many revealing that they were crying as they watched:
The Caroline Flack tribute on #Strictly has reduced me to tears her story was beautiful and the ending was awful, for it to be aired on Mental Health Day too sends an even stronger message, she is so missed, I hope the story resonates and teaches people to be kinder #MentalHealth — Toyah (@toyahann_) October 10, 2020
The Caroline Flack tribute on tonight’s #Strictly was beautiful. She was always my favourite winner. Just awful that she’s no longer with us. A timely reminder that #MentalHealth is precious & we must continue to talk about its importance. — Magical Mr Christopherlees (@XtopherCalvert) October 10, 2020
Lovely seeing #Strictly paying tribute to Caroline Flack - she had such a beautiful partnership with Pasha back in 2014. Emotional. Something in my eye 😢 pic.twitter.com/81gWwR4Aw2 — Steve Coats-Dennis (@blondsteve) October 10, 2020
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Beautiful tribute to Caroline Flack from the #Strictly team tonight. Emotional and heart wrenching. pic.twitter.com/VqKE62QU2W — Anne Reed (@AnnieEReed) October 10, 2020
Dear @bbcstrictly you couldn’t have finished the specials more perfectly. Dedicating the show to Caroline Flack, in her beautiful white dress. In a world full of uncertainty let’s #bekind to each other. Her happy face filled the screen. I know she’s dancing with angels now♥ pic.twitter.com/v5juq8cCnA — Julie Anne Cotterill (@SpeedyTyping) October 10, 2020
The Caroline Flack tribute on #Strictly was beautiful. She was a phenomenal performer 💔 — 🎃Trick or Tweet😏 (@Mr_ChRiSsI_X) October 10, 2020
Brilliant tribute to the beautiful and talented Caroline Flack tonight on #StrictlyComeDancing #Strictly.
We need to do a lot more to support mental health especially during #COVID__19 pic.twitter.com/1aUQG6Eqg0 — Dr Marina Soltan (@marinasoltan_) October 10, 2020
On #mentalhealthday2020 so sad to be watching Caroline Flack on Strictly 💔 a beautiful woman gone far too soon. We need to #bekindalways especially at the moment. Many are suffering with our mental health #MentalHealth — Angela Wood (@woodsharp) October 10, 2020
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The bit about Caroline Flack on tonight’s Strictly Best Of destroyed me. My favourite ever contestant anyway. Made me weep every time I watched her Show Dance (which I watch a lot). And then with her passing & it being Mental Health Awareness Day. I’m clapping & sobbing. #bekind — Matthew Parker (@MatthewParker75) October 10, 2020
I still can’t believe Caroline Flack has gone, 8 months on and I still can’t get my head around it 💔 I hope she’s found peace wherever she is, mental health is so important, please talk to someone 💚#Strictly #bekind #WorldMentalHealthDay pic.twitter.com/EW7X0rN0mg — тαѕнα (@eds_shirtsleeve) October 10, 2020
Absolutely heartbreaking tribute to Caroline Flack on @bbcstrictly tonight. Absolutely balling. What an incredible woman and an amazing performer. Really emotional🤍✨ — Niall Morris (@niall_morris98) October 10, 2020
Such an emotional wonderful tribute to caroline flack - she will always be remembered and loved for many things she did but to show the world the dancer and performer in her was such a special thing to witness @bbcstrictly #Strictly — Bethan (@BethanSmith19) October 10, 2020
After winning Strictly in 2014, Caroline hosted The X Factor alongside Olly Murs, as well as the revival of Love Island, which went on to become the presenting job she was most known for. She died in February, at the age of 40.
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Rewatch Caroline and Pasha’s showdance below:
Useful websites and helplines
Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0300 5000 927 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-11--Donald Trump 'Wanted To Rip Open Shirt And Reveal Superman T-Shirt When Leaving Hospital'

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Donald Trump considered wearing a Superman t-shirt under his suit so he could dramatically reveal it upon leaving hospital last week.
According to a report in The New York Times, the president was worried he would look frail after his treatment for Covid-19 and believed the stunt would be a symbol of strength.
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He ultimately decided against the stunt, thus depriving the world of what would have been a... memorable moment in a year of memorable moments.
(PS) My God, the memes on this... they'll never end. It'll be 2030 and they'll still be using the Trump-as-Fat-Superman meme in GIFs.
Wow. Just... wow. pic.twitter.com/4GowR9Bsr1 — Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) October 11, 2020
The revelation comes as a giant of the graphic novel world, ‘Watchmen’ creator Alan Moore, argued that superhero movies may very well have contributed to the rise of Trump and Brexit.
“This may be entirely coincidence, but in 2016 when the American people elected a National Socialist satsuma and the UK voted to leave the European Union, six of the top 12 highest-grossing films were superhero movies,” he said.
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“Not to say that one causes the other, but I think they’re both symptoms of the same thing — a denial of reality and an urge for simplistic and sensational solutions.”
Meanwhile, Trump is no longer at risk of transmitting the coronavirus, his doctor has said.
Navy Commander Dr Sean Conley said the president meets the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria for safely discontinuing isolation and that by “currently recognised standards” he is no longer considered a transmission risk.
The memo followed Trump’s first public appearance since returning to the White House after being treated for the coronavirus, but it did not spell out at he had tested negative for the virus, PA Media reports.
Some medical experts had been sceptical that Trump could be declared free of the risk of transmitting the virus so early in the course of his illness.
Just 10 days since an initial diagnosis of infection, there was no way to know for certain that someone was no longer contagious, they said.
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Dr Albert Ko, an infectious disease specialist and department chairman at the Yale School of Public Health, said the White House appeared to be following CDC guidelines for when it is appropriate to end isolation after mild to moderate cases of Covid-19.
But Dr Ko cautioned that those who have had severe cases of the diseases should isolate for 20 days, noting Trump was treated with the steroid dexamethasone, which is normally reserved for patients with severe Covid.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-11--UK At 'Tipping Point' As Millions Face Ban On Mixing Under New Coronavirus Rules

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The UK is at a “tipping point” in the fight against coronavirus, a top scientist has warned, as millions in the north of England face a possible ban on mixing indoors and outdoors from Monday.
Prime minister Boris Johnson is set to outline a new three-tiered system of restrictions with measures expected to force pubs and restaurants shut across the north of the country.
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Reports suggest under the top tier no household mixing will be allowed either, which could affect millions of people living in areas with high Covid-19 rates across England.
It comes as England’s deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said the country is at a tipping point similar to the first wave of coronavirus, but can prevent history repeating itself, PA Media reports.
He said the best way to keep transmission low and stop the NHS being overwhelmed was for people to follow self-isolation guidance, wash their hands, wear face coverings and social distance.
He added: “Earlier in the year, we were fighting a semi-invisible disease, about which we had little knowledge, and it seeded in the community at great speed.
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“Now we know where it is and how to tackle it – let’s grasp this opportunity and prevent history from repeating itself.”
One leading scientist went further on Sunday, saying a second national lockdown is a possibility and stringent measures are needed to avoid it at all costs.
Professor Peter Horby, of the University of Oxford, told the BBC’s The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday that the country was in a “precarious position” with rising coronavirus case numbers, hospital admissions and deaths.
People out socialising in Liverpool city centre, ahead of the 10pm curfew on Saturday night. Peter Byrne - PA Images via Getty Images
Leaders across Northern England have criticised the plans for further regional lockdowns, accusing the government of treating the region as “second-class” and did not rule out possible legal action.
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The Sunday Times reported ministers were drawing up proposals to give town halls more powers over the test and trace system to try to secure their support.
Meanwhile, people could be seen socialising in city centres across the UK – including Liverpool, Newcastle and London – on Saturday evening before pubs in their areas were potentially closed.
It comes as the number of people in hospital with coronavirus increased across every part of England on Saturday – rising to 1,167 in the north west from 725 previous week.
A further 15,166 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK were reported on Saturday, and 81 more deaths were confirmed of people who died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19.
Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies show there have now been 58,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
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Under the proposed three-tier system, different parts of the country would be placed in different categories, with areas in the highest level expected to face the toughest restrictions.
The Conservative Mayor of the Tees Valley Ben Houchen said the third tier restrictions are expected to run in four-week blocks, with pubs and bars being required to close and no household mixing will be allowed for socialising either indoors or outdoors.
Real estate adviser Altus Group has said there are 7,171 pubs in areas with restrictions across the north of England at risk of temporary closure.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced on Friday workers in businesses which are forced to close under the new restrictions will have two-thirds of their wages paid by the government.
But Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said that accepting Sunak’s financial package would be to “surrender” people to hardship in the run up to Christmas.
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Speaking at a press conference with political leaders from Liverpool, Sheffield and Tyneside on Saturday, Burnham said the measures risked “severe redundancies” and business closures.
Burnham said the government was treating the North as second-class and did not rule out legal action.
He added: “It will level down the north of England and widen the north-south divide.”
The leaders of West Yorkshire councils also warned on Friday that “significantly” more financial support was needed to prevent an even deeper economic catastrophe.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was also critical of the business aid package and said the government had “lost sight of the guiding principle” that restrictions are always accompanied by appropriate economic support.
But the Sunday Times reported plans are being drawn up to give local leaders powers to deploy an army of volunteer contact tracers as well as giving local authorities more control over mobile testing units and walk-in centres.
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A government spokeswoman said all financial support will be kept under review, to support businesses and protect jobs over the coming weeks and months.