thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-29--2020 Was Supposed To Be Our Best Last Chance To Save The Planet. So How Did We Do?

As wildfires and storms raged, and even the Arctic broiled and burned, scientists’ dire climate warnings came to life in frighteningly vivid fashion in 2020. With political leaders and the public preoccupied by Covid-19, the world careened closer to the brink of environmental catastrophe.
When 2020 began, a youth climate movement was gaining traction, a key summit in Glasgow looked like a chance to breathe new energy into the Paris climate agreement as it neared its fifth birthday, and many hoped this might be the year leaders finally moved with the urgency the planetary crisis demands.
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The stakes were momentous – every day without action, the window to prevent catastrophic climate change narrows. “This is really a minute to midnight,” said Inger Andersen, director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
Yet hopes that 2020 would be a pivotal year for climate action evaporated as Covid-19 upended governments’ priorities. Summits were put on hold and climate action dropped down political agendas.
As the year ends, the possibilities it offered seem to have drained away – or at least, like so much else in this virus-plagued year, been postponed. And with unprecedentedly rapid action needed to avoid the most disastrous scenarios, the consequences of the lost focus, missed chances and lurches backward could be grave.
The ‘last, can’t-miss opportunity’ to change course
Andersen offered a chilling assessment of where things stand. Without a course correction, she said, we’re heading for 3.5C of warming by the end of the century, a level scientists say would drown some coastal cities, intensify heat waves, droughts and floods, and make swathes of the world all but uninhabitable, driving hunger, disease, conflict and migration.
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To turn that around, fossil fuel production must drop by 6% a year for the next decade, UNEP reported. Yet countries are still planning average annual increases of 2%, it said. And so far, the 20 biggest economies have poured £172bn of Covid recovery cash into boosting fossil fuels, compared to £108bn for renewable power, energy efficiency and carbon-cutting areas like biking and walking infrastructure, according to the report.
Flared natural gas is burned off at Apache Corporations' operations at the Deadwood natural gas plant in the Permian Basin, Garden City, Texas. To meet climate pledges, fossil fuel production must drop by 6% a year for the next decade. Spencer Platt via Getty Images
But it’s not over yet. A fresh round of recovery packages is likely to provide one last, can’t-miss opportunity to change course in 2021, Andersen said. If they’re deployed wisely, the new economic recovery funds many countries are planning could help put the world on a more sustainable path, and limit warming to the 1.5C envisioned in Paris. “It is unheard of, the kind of monies we’re putting into the economy,” she said. “For goodness’ sake, let us not waste this opportunity.”
US president-elect Joe Biden’s victory means the United States could become more of an ally to climate progress. And more nations have committed to slash net carbon emissions to zero by the middle of the century. Those promising to do so now include the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Britain and Canada.
But while far-off goals are laudable, they mean little without specific plans to cut carbon now, said Elizabeth Sawin, co-director of the think tank Climate Interactive. “It’s like saying you’re going to run a marathon in a year,” she said. If you’re serious, you’d better start training tomorrow.”
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Voluntary corporate pledges: ‘The emperor’s new clothes’
In one key area, we’re clearly running in the wrong direction. This year brought a painful moment of reckoning on deforestation. Back in 2014, multinational companies, financial institutions and governments pledged to end deforestation for products like palm oil, soy and beef, and to halve forest loss overall by 2020, with the ultimate aim of halting it altogether by 2030.
That first milestone has come and gone. “No company, not even the best leaders, not even those in the forefront, have achieved the goals,” said Niki Mardas, executive director of Global Canopy, which tracks the market forces driving deforestation. Instead, the rate of tropical deforestation has accelerated by more than 40% since the deal was forged, and 2020 brought the most rapacious destruction of the Amazon in more than a decade, he said.
Fire consumes land deforested by cattle farmers in Para state, Brazil, on Aug. 23, 2020. AP Photo/Andre Penner
“In the world of corporate commitments, it was the year the emperor’s new clothes were made visible,” as it became undeniable that voluntary pledges were not enough, Mardas said.
Political action on deforestation has been sorely lacking, especially in Brazil, home to around 60% of the Amazon. President Jair Bolsonaro’s government has ignored illegal seizures of public land and gutted the regulatory agencies meant to stop it.
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Change will have to start elsewhere. And it is. Slowly. Indonesia is beginning to clamp down on forest destruction, although it is still widespread, Mardas said. In Britain, lawmakers are drafting a loophole-ridden, but still fixable, bill, designed to reduce deforestation from its supply chains. The European Union is consulting on a strategy with the same goal.
Follow the money
One way campaigners have sought to push change is by tracking not only the food, consumer products and paper companies whose goods come from cleared woodland, but also the sources of the more than £738bn in financing enabling the destruction, Mardas said. “It’s in our investments, our pensions. We’re all part of a deforestation economy.”
The same applies to fossil fuels. And this year campaigners turned up the pressure on those funding drilling, mining, pipelines and other carbon-intensive infrastructure.
Since the Paris Agreement, 35 banks – many of which say they support the deal – have together poured £1.9tn into the fossil fuel industry, a coalition of climate groups reported. “That financing has actually gone up each year,” said Ben Cushing, head of financial advocacy at the Sierra Club and a steering committee member at Stop the Money Pipeline, a new campaign targeting the sector. It’s “enabling further expansion of the fossil fuel industry at the exact moment, or past the moment, when we need to be responsibly winding down the production” of oil, gas and coal.
Campaigners’ pressure – along with economic forces roiling big oil and gas companies – have brought some small steps in the right direction. In the past year, the six biggest US banks joined international lenders in vowing not to finance Arctic drilling.
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Some banks have sworn off or restricted funding for extremely high-carbon sectors like coal and oil from tar sands. Such successes are “one of the bright spots of the climate movement in 2020,” Cushing said. Now, banks must accelerate that effort, and “recognise that at this stage in the climate fight, all fossil fuels are risky and extreme”.
Long-tailed Duck near Kaktovik, Alaska, on the northern edge of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Sylvain CORDIER/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Campaigners and non-profit organisations are also targeting insurance companies whose policies enable fossil fuel development and giant asset managers such as Vanguard and BlackRock, which Cushing said have failed to use their immense influence to push for decarbonisation by companies whose stock they hold.
In January, BlackRock chief executive Laurence Fink wrote in his annual letter to CEOs that climate risks would reshape finance. But while the company promised to prioritise sustainability, its pledge contained wide gaps. A coalition of environmental groups reported BlackRock is the largest investor – to the tune of £81bn – in a dozen oil, gas and coal projects the campaigners said would collectively emit three-quarters of the greenhouse gases allowable if warming is to be held to 1.5C.
A rough ride for oil and gas companies
Despite the eye-popping amounts of money still flowing, it was a rough year for fossil fuel producers, some of which struggled to stay afloat as oil prices crashed.
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“It was sort of like draining a lake, and then we could see what was on the bottom,” said Amy Myers Jaffe, director of the Climate Policy Lab at Tufts University’s Fletcher School.
It turned out many companies were unprepared, and investors who know any meaningful climate action will tank oil and gas demand permanently are growing increasingly wary of the industry, she said. With wind and solar power cheaper than ever, “the long-term trend is much clearer now than it was,” Jaffe said.
Among those clocking fossil fuels’ trajectory of decline was New York state’s pension fund. It delivered a major blow to the industry in December when it became the largest pension fund and the first US state to announce it would pull out of fossil fuels – albeit gradually.
Oil and gas companies face social and political headwinds too. The Twitter blowback was fierce when Shell asked: “What are you willing to change to help reduce emissions?”
I’m willing to hold you accountable for lying about climate change for 30 years when you secretly knew the entire time that fossil fuels emissions would destroy our planet 😇 https://t.co/ekj1Va1Cp0 — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 2, 2020
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Such framings matter, said Mary Annaïse Heglar, co-creator of the Hot Take newsletter and podcast. “For the longest time, it’s just been this faceless fight” against climate change. Now, “people know who the villain in the story is”.
There’s a tipping point to catastrophe. But we’re not there yet
Already, 2020’s might-have-beens are fading into history, another year when political and corporate leaders failed to meet the moment’s demands. We know temperatures will keep climbing, not-so-natural disasters will keep coming and the need for swift action will only increase. All is not lost, and there is progress to build on – new promises nations and companies must be held to, clean power that’s cheaper and more reliable than our dirty, old fuels, and the urgency that rises as the terrible reality of climate change becomes ever more apparent.
“There will come a point where we won’t be able to pull it back,” said Andersen, the UNEP director. In her view, we’re not there yet, but 2021 could be the last, best chance to secure a liveable future.
If there’s one lesson 2020 has taught, it’s “what happens if you don’t address a crisis when it’s small and manageable,” Sawin said, likening the pandemic’s exponential growth to an environmental crisis that similarly requires decisive action before the worst consequences materialise.
“And boy, I hope the world can generalise from Covid and apply that learning to climate change.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-29--31 Surreal TV Moments From 2020 That We Still Can’t Quite Get Over

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While 2020 has been a year we’re keen to forget in many, many respects, TV has been one of the few constants in our lives serving up plenty of moments to remember.
From the strangest pronunciation of the word “microwave” we’ve ever heard, to Judge Rinder’s most unexpected case yet, there’ve been many surreal scenes that have unfolded on screen over the last 12 months.
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Here are 31 that we’re still quite not over...
1. When Casualty star Amanda Henderson thought Greta Thunberg was called Sharon on Celebrity Mastermind
2. When Corrie’s Beverley Callard described her husband as a “mega shag” on I’m A Celebrity
3. When this happened on Countdown
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4. When Nigella Lawson revealed her unusual way of pronouncing “microwave”
5. When Gemma Collins came over all funny after arriving at a caravan park
6. When 80-year-old Iris got very descriptive when talking about her sex life on This Morning
She made @Schofe and @hollywills blush back in January, with her saucy interview about falling for 36-year-old Egyptian toyboy Mohammed - and now 81-year-old Iris is back!
This is one interview you don't want to miss, so stream it live from 10am! 🕙👉https://t.co/Q7IV485mUn pic.twitter.com/QCVgloly4C — This Morning (@thismorning) September 28, 2020
7. See also: 95-year-old twins Lil and Doris’ appearance on Good Morning Britain
8. When Dracula emerged naked from the stomach of a terrifying wolf
Gore! Blood! Nudity! Not for the faint hearted, this is how the makers of Dracula created *that* gruesome wolf scene.
🚨 Contains spoilers… 🚨 pic.twitter.com/QedZ5JXEdA — BBC One (@BBCOne) January 1, 2020
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9. When Wendy Williams appeared to fart on her US chat show
Wendy Williams really farted on live TV.
I am unable. pic.twitter.com/rZBLijgauZ — Hussy Tears™ (@RandyEmillio) January 19, 2020
10. When BBC Breakfast’s Carol Kirkwood got joggers confused with “doggers”
Yet further proof that @carolkirkwood is a National Treasure pic.twitter.com/Q2uzv9mtl5 — Greg James (@gregjames) August 10, 2020
11. When the Pussycat Dolls had a massive intro fail on The One Show
12. When the Queen and Margaret Thatcher played Ibble Dibble on The Crown
13. And when Margaret Thatcher seemingly tweeted from beyond the grave on BBC News
BREAKING: Margaret Thatcher is now tweeting from the grave via @BBCNews pic.twitter.com/H95warH4dA — Michael Andrews (@mytentoryours) November 4, 2020
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14. When a Naked Attraction contestant had to walk off set flustered by the sight of five vaginas
15. When Matt Lucas was almost too good at impersonating Boris Johnson on The Great British Bake Off
Welcome to a new series of The Great British Bake Off - and a big hello to our new presenter Matt Lucas! #GBBO pic.twitter.com/0sa8NxTJtE — British Bake Off (@BritishBakeOff) September 22, 2020
16. When Alison Hammond interviewed a tree on This Morning
17. When Dianne Buswell and Max George performed to The Simpsons theme on Strictly, and he played her leg like a saxophone
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18. When BBC News’ Simon McCoy had an absolutely savage dig at one family’s Covid-friendly Trick or Treat solution
This is a brutal quip at the end of a news report by @BBCSimonMcCoy pic.twitter.com/dEMZpLRYM7 — Scott Bryan (@scottygb) October 28, 2020
19. When Family Fortunes asked the question “Name something you put in your mouth but don’t swallow?’
20. When Jordan North spewed his guts up at the top of a Welsh cliff on I’m A Celebrity
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21. When Nicola Coughlan was left a broken woman after an appearance on New Year’s Day Bake Off, which featured her attempting to grill a sponge
Do you think I was having a meltdown or nah #GBBO pic.twitter.com/WbtI6KtYmL — Nicola Coughlan (@nicolacoughlan) January 1, 2020
22. When Matt Hancock “pretended to cry” on Good Morning Britain
23. When Tyra Banks announced the wrong result on Dancing With The Stars
24. When a Jeremy Vine prank caller dropped the C-bomb live on air
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25. When Caroline Quentin licked her dance partner Johannes Radebe on Strictly
#Strictly pic.twitter.com/RU3FNNU1Am
Caroline Quintin 100% inappropriate. Vile. Rest of show fantastic 👍👍👍 — Darran Bilton (@dalbydasher) November 21, 2020
26. When Siannise had this reaction to a new arrival on Love Island
27. When this kid interrupted his mum live on Sky News to ask for two biscuits
28. When BBC News’ Ben Brown was caught yawning live on air
29. When Quiz featured a musical interlude, starring the fictional Charles and Diana Ingram and Chris Tarrant
ITV
30. When John Torode set fire to his kitchen on This Morning
31. And finally, when Judge Rinder heard the case of a dog who stood accused of shagging a cat


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-29--The Best Animal Stories That Kept Us Going Through 2020

Elena Eliachevitch via Getty Images
Most of us don’t want to reflect too much on the year that’s passed for obvious reasons, but actually, some truly wonderful things happened in 2020 – if you know where to look.
Here’s a month-by-month look at the animal stories that made us laugh, smile or cry (for nice reasons!) this year. They really got us through.
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January: tortoise retired after epic sex drive saved his kind from extinction
It might seem like five years ago, but 2020 actually kicked off with a bang (or several, for Diego) who was able to retire and return to the wild at the ripe old age of 100 after saving his species from extinction.
In the 1960s, Diego was recruited along with 14 other giant tortoises for a captive breeding programme on the Galápagos Islands. At the time, this was almost the entirety of the endangered chelonoidis hoodensis subspecies of tortoise.
The programme has been such an unmitigated success that the population has swelled to more than 2,000, and Diego’s sex drive has been credited with the surge. According to some estimates, Diego fathered 800 children. Here’s to a happy retirement.
RODRIGO BUENDIA via Getty Images Diego the tortoise
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February: puppy with a cheesy grin finds his forever home
A black Labrador puppy who went viral on Facebook for his sweet smile was re-homed in February thanks to his unique features.
Burreaux, the black Labrador pup, and his two siblings, Joe and O, were picked up by a Humane Society volunteer after the organisation’s director spotted the pups at a kill shelter. Initially, visitors to the shelter weren’t showing much interest in Burreaux, but that all changed when he started showing off his fabulous smile. He was re-homed by a local family not long after.
Elliot Mason, a dog behaviourist with Dog Behaviour Solutions, told HuffPost US Burreaux’s smile is likely what’s known as a “submissive grin,” which dogs sometimes do to show they’re not a threat.
March: gang of goats take over Wales in lockdown
March was full of surprises, but perhaps the most hilarious was seeing footage of goats taking over a town in Wales.
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The wild herd of Kashmiri goats lived on the Great Orme headland, but moved into the town of Llandudno during the coronavirus lockdown, eating people’s hedges and running around the deserted streets like a bunch of unruly teenagers.
April: Olive and Mabel become internet sensations
2020 might’ve brought us coronavirus, but it also brought us Olive and Mabel – and for that we’ll be eternally grateful.
If you haven’t heard of them, the two dogs belong to sports broadcaster Andrew Cotter who has been keeping the internet highly amused throughout the pandemic with sports commentary of his dogs’ daily movements.
The pair are now so famous they’ve got a book out – what a difference a year makes!
Some sports are slower. More about the strategy. pic.twitter.com/JMBaGJ1tSd — Andrew Cotter (@MrAndrewCotter) April 9, 2020
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May: singing husky wows us with his warbling
Three-year-old husky Kovu won himself global praise earlier in the year after he was filmed howling along to an acoustic version of Bill Withers’ 1972 hit, Lean on Me, sung and strummed by his owner Tate Hegstrom.
The pair have done several renditions together since then, including I’m Yours by Jason Mraz and Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson – they deserve a medal for providing the perfect distraction from the pandemic.
June: world hears the sound of a baby squirrel eating
Who knew this was the antidote to the doom and gloom the first half of this year brought? Hearts melted everywhere when people heard this footage of a seven-week-old red squirrel having a munch (and a subsequent squeak).
The video was captured by Dani Connor, a zoologist and wildlife photographer from London, who lives in North Sweden. According to Bored Panda, Connor has semi-adopted four baby red squirrels whose mum was hit by a car. The photographer visits them in the wild each day, giving them food and water, while also capturing them growing up.
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I put my microphone in front of a 7 week old baby red squirrel. pic.twitter.com/JrRRvE9ngN — Dani Connor Wild 🐿 (@DaniConnorWild) June 23, 2020
July: Cathedral cat steals Dean of Canterbury’s milk during online prayer service
Throughout the pandemic, the cats of Canterbury Cathedral have kept us highly amused – but perhaps one of the greatest moments was when Tiger the cat proceeded to steal milk from the Dean of Canterbury’s tea service while he was delivering an online prayer.
A video shows the mischievous moggy sauntering up to the Dean and sitting on a chair nearby. Moments later he’s sat on the garden table, sticking his paw in a jug of milk and licking the residue off his furry fists.
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August: cheeky cat finds internet fame after begging at Toby Carvery
From one cheeky cat to another. Cole Clark’s long-haired moggy, Tula, became a viral sensation in August when her owner shared a note from Toby Carvery that had been attached to her beloved (albeit, very greedy) pet.
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The 11-year-old cat arrived home one weekend with a paper collar attached. “She’d come into the lounge and I could see something on her neck,” Clark, a primary school teacher, told HuffPost UK at the time. The paper collar read: “Does this cat have a home?”. On the back it said: “Always at Toby Carvery.”
The 41-year-old said she couldn’t stop laughing when she found the note. She later went down to the restaurant to let them know Tula wasn’t homeless and they told her how she spent hours each day meowing at staff and customers for food until they shared some with her. Oh Tula.
September: landmine rat awarded prestigious (and super tiny) medal
Magawa the five-year-old African giant pouched rat was awarded a medal for his life-saving efforts in September. Why? Well, the heroic rodent has been sniffing out landmines in Cambodia. He’s quite a Big Deal.
Rats are specifically suited to landmine detection because of their keen sense of smell and the fact they're light enough to step over the mines without setting them off.
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Magawa received a PDSA Gold Medal, which is typically given to dogs and sometimes other animals for “outstanding acts of devotion or valour” in civilian life. So far, he’s the only rat to have been given the award.
APOPO / PDSA Magawa the hero rat
October: black cat reunited with owner after eight years missing
In October, we brought you the wonderful story of Mo the cat, who was reunited with his family eight years after he first went missing. Mo stayed in a cattery on the outskirts of Swansea eight years ago, while his owners went on holiday. They were devastated to find he’d gone missing when they got back.
“We were utterly shocked and heartbroken when we found out that the cattery had lost Mo, our little black cat,” Izzy Harris, who was a teenager when her beloved moggy went missing, told HuffPost UK.
Izzy Harris Izzy reunited with her cat Mo
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Harris and her parents searched for months for their little pet – printing flyers and posters, knocking on doors and putting adverts in the newspaper hoping to find him. But they had no luck.
Turns out, Mo had moved in with an elderly lady who lived near to the cattery. On October 21, the Harris family received a call from a volunteer at the Llys Nini RSPCA branch, from where they’d adopted Mo when he was a kitten.
“They said they had found a cat matching Mo’s microchip, and that he’d been living with an old lady near where he got lost,” said Harris, 23. “Unfortunately, the lady had passed away and the RSPCA had come to collect her cat, when they matched him with his original home – us!”
As you can imagine, the reunion after eight years apart was pretty special.
November: a shelter dog heads for the White House
After a dog-free hiatus under President Donald Trump, the White House is set to hear the patter of paws once more – and the public is pretty chuffed about it.
When Joe Biden won the 2020 US presidential election, animal lovers were thrilled to find out his two German shepherds: Champ, purchased from a breeder in 2008, and Major, adopted from an animal shelter, would be heading to the White House too. We love a happy ending.
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December: pygmy possums found alive and well one year after bushfires
After bushfires killed or displaced more than 3 billion animals in Australia, it was feared the native pygmy possum had become extinct.
But December brought good news at last when one of the tiny marsupials, which lives on Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia, was rediscovered by conversationists in an “unburnt patch” of land.
Fauna ecologist Pat Hodgens told ABC the find is welcome news after a tough year. We’re not crying, you’re crying.
The status of the little pygmy possum (cercartetus lepidus) was unknown pre 2020 bushfires on #kangarooisland. With most of its habitat severely burnt we are happy to have detected the species for the first time since the fires in the largest unburnt patch #BushfireRecoveryAU pic.twitter.com/tSRjPunDZ8 — Pat Hodgens (@terrainecology) December 4, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-29--A Love Letter To My Granddaughter (Who I Knew As My Grandson Until Five Weeks Ago)

I was raised to believe that I would go to heaven if I followed my faith’s rules, and that those who did not follow the rules would not get into heaven. In the late 1970s, I moved to Texas to raise my family. There, I experienced, firsthand, fundamentalist conservative attitudes and a lack of acceptance of others, which I had not witnessed before (it was apparent they didn’t even like “Yankees”). But a divorce led me to the theatre community, and once my kids had grown, moving back to New York was the answer to my next phase ― becoming a New Yorker again.
Striving to understand people who are different from me is important. Like many others, I realised that organised religion messed me up and that I needed to rethink my biases and understanding of sexuality and gender. Brainwashing takes time to undo. Often it means having (or creating) a wide enough circle of family and friends with different backgrounds to open one’s eyes to our shared humanity. I still hear my mother’s judgmental tone in the back of my mind telling me I am going to hell if I accept what was once (and, by some, is still) considered “deviant behaviour.”
Maybe, in some cases, understanding a transgender person is easier for a non-family member. There are no emotional bonds and no history with that person to look back on and reminisce about. But when it’s your grandchild who is transgender, it’s complicated. I worry that I may do or say something wrong by accident. Saying a new name after knowing a person for 20-plus years isn’t easy. It’s not just about my granddaughter changing. It’s also that I have no “how-to” manual for processing my memories of my former grandson. All I know is that I love my granddaughter.
I have been researching, reading and watching movies and documentaries to aid me in better understanding and empathising with what transgender people experience. From the documentary Born To Be, which helped me to learn about gender confirmation surgeries and other health care options for transgender and non-binary individuals who choose to transition medically, to Susan Stryker’s book Transgender History, which helped me to understand the importance of the movements that have led to creating a space for social justice for the trans community, this new knowledge helps me to support my granddaughter.
For instance, it’s key to understand that each transgender person thinks about their identity differently and uniquely, so it is always important to know which pronouns to use. Elliot Page uses both “he” and “they” pronouns. My granddaughter uses “she” and “her.” Getting it right may seem like a small detail to some people, but to trans people it means the world.
Still, no matter how good my intentions are, mistakes are made. Sometimes I slip right back into using my granddaughter’s “dead name.” Most trans people never identified with the name they were given at birth (which is known as their “dead name”), so they choose a new one that reflects and communicates who they really are. If you don’t understand this concept, you may not get that using their old name prevents them from being fully recognised ― and you may not realise how disrespectful and incredibly painful it can be for the individual when it happens.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easy to change my ways, especially when remembering the history of the sweet little child I once knew. But I am committed to doing everything I can to embrace her as the beautiful young woman she is (including apologising if I do make a mistake), and I want to learn as much as possible to help our whole family make this transition easier for my new granddaughter. After all, a matriarch’s position should not be underestimated.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-29--Steph McGovern: 'A Year Ago I Wouldn't Do A Photo-Shoot In My House, Never Mind A Daily Show'

When the first lockdown was announced back in March, it had a devastating effect on the TV industry, with production on countless shows shut down indefinitely.
Fortunately, broadcaster Steph McGovern had a plan.
Almost immediately, she sprung into action, and within days, she’s had crew over to her family home to rig it with cameras, so she could move her then-upcoming Channel 4 talk show from its planned studio in Leeds to her... front room.
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It was from here that she fronted the new daytime show for a total of six weeks, as well as guest hosting the first episode of Have I Got News For You upon its unusual return – all with her newborn daughter in another room.
The Steph Show gave way to Steph's Packed Lunch, which debuted in September. Tom Barnes
As part of HuffPost UK’s new interview series 2020: The Year That Wasn’t, we spoke to the Steph’s Packed Lunch host about navigating a hectic year and how she’s feeling as we head into 2021...
Thinking back to January, how did you feel looking ahead to 2020?
I felt quite nervous, because I felt like I was doing lots of new things at once. I’d just moved to North Yorkshire from Manchester, I’d just had a baby and I’d just left a job I’d been in since I was 19, at the BBC. So it was full on.
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But actually, I shouldn’t have worried at all at the beginning – because none of it turned out how I imagined. I had also been excited that things were going to be different in 2020, but like all of us, I didn’t know how different…
How did lockdown affect what you already had planned for the year?
Well, it affected things massively. I was originally meant to be launching a show from Leeds, in the studio there. I’d done the pilot there, everything was underway, we were getting the team together and it was all getting to the point that we were ready to go – and then obviously, the announcement came about lockdown. And so it was either we don’t do anything, and postpone the launch until later in the year, or I try and do it from home.
I don’t know why I ever suggested it, but I suddenly said ‘maybe we could do it at home’, not thinking it would be feasible, but then within a few days an engineer had been round and worked out that actually it was possible. And then a brilliant director who’d worked on Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity and everything, worked out how to rig the house and the living room so it would work. And then we just went for it!
For six weeks, Steph hosted a daily Channel 4 talk show from her own sofa. Channel 4
It was all a bit of a flash, the five days where we decided to do it from my house and then it happened a week later – but it just felt like everyone was adapting, so it was really exciting.
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Obviously there were still concern about what on earth was happening in the world, but from a work point of view, it felt really exciting to be part of it. Plus, I’m one of those people who likes to be part of the action. I didn’t want to be just sat at home watching all the stuff about lockdown, I wanted to be part of the story and muscle my way in on the action, as well.
What’s mad is I’m actually quite a private person. In January I wouldn’t even have done a photo-shoot in my house, never mind a daily show from my front room.
How did you make it work in 2020, and what are you most proud of?
This sounds really cheesy, but I think I’m actually most proud of managing to balance the baby and doing my work. That was the one thing I was worried about, ‘as a new parent, how am I going to get through being a mum and working?’, or whatever. So I felt proud that me and my partner and the baby and the job all kind of came together and worked.
But then you realise, that’s what everyone does. Hundreds of years before us, people have done that. You kind of doubt yourself, though. I know that I’m hardworking and I can do my job well, but I didn’t know whether I could do parenthood well. And so I think I’m pleased that I got to the end of the year, my child’s one year old and she’s still alive, and actually I’ve still got a job!
"We got there in the end and we’re doing it safely, and doing important stories as well as bringing a bit of fun to people’s daily routine," Steph says. Tom Barnes
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It’s the little things that I’m proud of, now. For years I did massive interviews and all kinds of amazing things with my job, but now I’m actually like, ‘oh my god, we’ve got through another few months of looking after her, and it’s going fine, and we’re all fine, and we’re happy’.
Also, I’m just proud that our team managed to pull off doing the show. And managing to launch in the studio, still in the middle of the pandemic. We got there in the end and we’re doing it safely, and doing important stories as well as bringing a bit of fun to people’s daily routine.
What was the one thing that got you through lockdown?
Again, this sounds cheesy, but it was my baby, because she was just totally unaware of anything, so actually her development this year, has been the thing that’s kept me grounded. Because it’s like, ‘OK we don’t know what’s going to happen next with the pandemic, we don’t know when we’re going to be out of this lockdown… oh but look, she’s just been laughing!’ or ‘she’s just pooed on the utility room floor’ or whatever. I actually got loads of joy out of those types of things and they kept me sane. OK, she wasn’t seeing family and our friends… and she still finds it a bit mad when we do see people now because she’s like, ‘wow, more people on this planet exist than you, and my other mum’.
She’s helped to make it feel normal. I really look forward to seeing what the next thing that she was going to do is.
What did you find to be the biggest challenge or lowest point of the year?
It’s really obvious, not seeing my friends and family. I just really miss them. And my daughter’s grandparents not getting to see her for so long in a year where she has changed so much, that was the tough thing. There’s only so much FaceTime you can do with a one year old.
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And then, not knowing when it was going to end. I’m someone who does set myself targets and goalposts, and say ‘it’ll be alright because by July, we will be doing this, this and this’. And it just felt like we couldn’t do that, and therefore it was hard to get by each week.
But that’s the same for everyone, I have an incredible amount of respect for everyone trying to get through it, because it is hard. I’m lucky that I’ve got my partner – I don’t know how single parents have done it.
My hat is off to single parents anyway, but unbelievably more so now. It’s hard enough in normal times looking after a baby on your own, but in this… it must just be unbearable.
Steph says being kept apart from loved ones was the hardest part of 2020. Tom Barnes
What’s the biggest lesson that you’re taking away from 2020?
You never expect there to be a time where you’re not allowed to see your friends and family, so I’ve learned now that I will absolutely cherish all the time that I have with them. I took things for granted before, but I will not take them for granted again.
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I’m no different to anyone else – I actually think I’ve had a better lockdown than lots of other people, because I have still got my job, and I’m doing a job I love, and I’ve got my family, and my daughter, and fortunately I haven’t got ill, and stuff like that. I feel like one of the lucky ones, if I’m honest.
How do you feel now looking ahead to 2021?
I daren’t feel excited about 2021 in case it’s just more of the same. I’m not trying to look too far ahead now, I’ve decided now I’m literally going to take things week by week. I’m not going to go, ‘I can’t wait for 2021’, because none of us know what it’s going to bring us.
Hopefully, things will eventually get back to some type of normality. But I’m not going to hold out everything for that, I’m just going to carry on thinking ‘let’s just get through this week’, and enjoy the things that we can do.
Steph’s Packed Lunch returns to Channel 4 on Monday 4 January at 12.30pm.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-29--New Covid-19 Variant From UK Confirmed In US For First Time

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The first confirmed case of the new, more transmissible Covid-19 variant first discovered in the UK has been discovered in the United States.
Colorado governor Jared Polis said on Tuesday that a state laboratory confirmed the variant – known as B.1.1.7 – in a male in his 20s, who is currently in isolation.
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State authorities say the man had no travel history, and so far, no close contacts have been identified.
The mutant Covid-19 variant has already been detected in at least 18 other countries, including the UK.
Denver International Airport isn’t currently operating a direct flight to the United Kingdom, the Colorado Sun notes, though direct flights to some other countries, including Canada, are available.
A couple in Ontario, Canada, tested positive for B.1.1.7 earlier this week.
“There is a lot we don’t know about this new Covid-19 variant, but scientists in the United Kingdom are warning the world that it is significantly more contagious,” Polis said in a statement. “The health and safety of Coloradans is our top priority and we will closely monitor this case, as well as all Covid-19 indicators, very closely.”
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Researchers in the UK warned last week that B.1.1.7 is around 56% more contagious than the initial strain of the coronavirus that first emerged late last year in China. So far, however, the mutations do not appear to make it more deadly.
Recently approved Covid-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna are expected to be effective against the new strain.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-29--Covid-19 Patients Treated In Ambulances Outside London Hospital As Cases Soar

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Coronavirus patients are being treated outside a hospital in ambulances as rising numbers put “significant pressures” on the NHS.
Footage shared on social media of Queen’s Hospital in Romford, east London, appears to show dozens of emergency vehicles queueing outside the hospital.
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It was the latest sign hospitals in England are coming under increasing strain as the number of Covid-19 patients is at its highest ever level during the pandemic.
Health secretary Matt Hancock is due to announce any changes to tier areas in a statement to the Commons on Wednesday.
With case rates rising in all regions of England, and record patient numbers, any changes are likely to involve areas moving up a tier rather than down.
Figures from NHS England showed there were 21,787 patients in NHS hospitals in England as of 8am on Tuesday, compared with 20,426 on Monday, and 18,974 at the first wave peak on April 12.
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Total coronavirus cases hit a new record on Tuesday, rising above 50,000 cases for the first time, to 53,135 lab-confirmed cases.
Ambulances outside Queen's Hospital in Romford, which has moved into the highest tier of coronavirus restrictions as a result of soaring case rates. PA
Ambulances wait outside London Royal Hospital as the number of coronavirus cases surge due the new variant. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Just getting out of a&e after another loooooooong day.. Almost all these ambulances are waiting With patients inside them For more than 3 hours Because there's no place in hospital to bring them in..😩 #hospitalisfull#birmingham #qehb #covid19 #nobeds pic.twitter.com/XTn9SG2HnM — Punith Kempegowda (@drpunith) December 29, 2020
Pic of ambulances stacked up outside @RoyalLondonHosp pic.twitter.com/unZUhixOuk — Shaun Lintern (@ShaunLintern) December 29, 2020
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A statement released by the Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Queen’s Hospital, urged people to only contact ambulance services in the case of real emergencies.
“Along with the rest of the NHS, we are under considerable pressure as we look after a rising number of Covid-19 patients, some of whom are being cared for safely in ambulances before entering Queen’s Hospital,” it said.
“You can help us by calling NHS 111 if you need medical advice, and only coming to our emergency departments in a real emergency.”
Multiple ambulances were also seen lining the streets near to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London, as the Barts Health NHS Trust announced it had moved into a “very high pressure” phase.
Magda Smith, the Trust’s chief medical officer, said: “London’s NHS is under significant pressure from high Covid-19 infection rates and non-Covid winter demands, with staff in all services going the extra mile and we are opening more beds to care for the most unwell patients.
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“It is more important than ever that Londoners follow government guidance and do everything possible to reduce transmission of the virus.”
A junior doctor has said his London hospital is “aggressively overstretched” by Covid patients and he expects the situation to worsen.
The doctor, who works in general medicine and wished to remain anonymous, said if the volume of Covid patients continues to increase his hospital will need to start rationing oxygen – which he expects it will.
“We’re just aggressively overstretched… shifts which previously would have been manageable are distinctly not,” the medic told the PA news agency.
“There’s just been a huge expansion in the number of Covid in-patients, the number of patients we’re admitting and the baseline sickness of the patients.
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“We are close to or have exceeded maximum capacity already in terms of 100% ideal care… if it goes beyond that then things would be bad.”
The doctor said the current situation in hospitals is as strained as it was in the first wave of Covid-19 earlier this year and he would be “very shocked” if things do not get worse.
He said he and fellow staff are suffering from exhaustion and many patients are being handed over to doctors on the next shift because staff “can’t get through them quickly enough”.
He knows colleagues at another London hospital who have had to lead treatment for multiple cardiac arrests from emergency vehicles because they could not fit them in A&E.
He said “a few” patients at his hospital have had their treatment started in ambulances.
“We haven’t had people being treated in corridors yet, but that partly reflects a fairly rapid rate of death… that clears out bed space, unfortunately,” he said.
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The doctor said he sees a couple of patients die per shift and he is currently routinely working 70 hour weeks.
“I was barely able to eat on the nights over Christmas,” he added.
With the virus spreading quickly, Boris Johnson is under pressure to delay the return of schools.
But the government said it is “still planning for a staggered opening of schools” after Christmas but is keeping the plan under constant review.
Johnson’s official spokesman told a Westminster briefing: “We’re still planning for a staggered opening of schools and we are working to ensure testing is in place.
“As we have said throughout the pandemic, we obviously keep all measures under constant review.”
Earlier this month, the government said exam-year students in England would go back to school as normal after the Christmas holidays, from January 4, but the majority of secondary school pupils would start the term online to allow headteachers to roll out mass testing of children and staff.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-29--Is 'Tier 5' Looming? More Lockdown Restrictions Feared As Hospital Numbers Surge Beyond First Peak

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With Covid-19 cases in the UK soaring, and hospitals under increasing pressure, questions have been raised over whether the harshest tier 4 lockdown restrictions are enough to curb the spread of the disease.
More than six million people in east and south east England went into tier 4 on Saturday, meaning 24m – 43% of the population – are now affected.
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But more areas of England could be placed under tougher restrictions when the health secretary Matt Hancock outlines changes to tiers on Wednesday – a decision that will be made against a backdrop of rising infections and hospital admissions and a new more contagious variant in the UK that is believed to be up to 70% more contagious.
According to the Mirror, a Whitehall source has said the tier 4 rules do not appear to be working, adding that the government could introduce “another level on to tier 4, so like a tier 5”.
So could a new tier delay the reopening of schools after the Christmas break? And could parts of the country return to full lockdown status where leaving the house is limited to the bare essentials?
Which areas are set for tougher coronavirus restrictions?
With case rates rising in all regions of England, there are likely to be changes announced involving areas moving up a tier rather than down.
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Five factors are considered when determining the restrictions in each area, including case detection rates in the over-60s, the rate at which cases are rising or falling and the ‘positivity rate’, which measures the number of positive cases detected as a percentage of tests taken. But the measures are not rigid as the government has said it needs to maintain flexibility to weigh the indicators against each other – such as whether hospital capacity in neighbouring areas is lower.
Reports suggest some parts of the East Midlands, such as Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, could be moved up from Tier 3 to Tier 4, while other counties such as Lincolnshire and Derbyshire may stay in Tier 3.
All the areas within the West Midlands metropolitan county – Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton – might be facing a move from Tier 3 to 4.
Hartlepool in north-east England, along with a handful of areas in Lancashire – Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Pendle and Ribble Valley – could also be upgraded from Tier 3 to 4.
Cumbria might be moved from Tier 2 to Tier 3, as could Worcestershire and North Yorkshire.
Covid-19 case rates in regions of England. Press Association Images
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Lockdown measures are also in place across the other three home nations, after mainland Scotland entered tier 4 restrictions from Saturday for three weeks, and a similar stay-at-home order is in place in Wales.
Northern Ireland has also entered a new six-week lockdown, and the first-week measures are the toughest yet, with a form of curfew in operation from 8pm, shops closed from that time and all indoor and outdoor gatherings prohibited until 6am.
The head of an organisation representing health trusts said “as much of the country as possible” should go into the harshest tier 4.
Asked whether a national lockdown should be brought in, NHS Providers deputy chief executive Saffron Cordery told BBC Radio Five Live: “I think we need to see, yes, as much of the country as possible in tier 4.”
She said some trusts are reporting up to three times the number of Covid-19 patients as at the peak of the first wave.
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Why is concern growing?
Key indicators are heading in the wrong direction. Figures from NHS England showed there were 21,787 patients in NHS hospitals in England as of 8am on Tuesday, compared with 20,426 on Monday, and 18,974 at the first wave peak on April 12.
The true number is likely to be even higher because figures do not include information from Scotland and Northern Ireland, which did not report data between December 24 and 28.
Trusts in England were told in a letter just before Christmas to begin planning for the use of Nightingale hospitals, although concerns have been raised around staffing the sites.
Five of the seven NHS regions in England are currently reporting a record number of Covid-19 hospital patients: Eastern England, London, the Midlands, south east England and south west England.
The other two regions, north east and north west England, remain below peak levels that were set in mid-November.
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Total coronavirus cases hit a new record on Tuesday, rising above 50,000 cases for the first time, to 53,135 lab-confirmed cases.
Things are bad.
Please stay at home if you can.
Please. — Dr Philip Lee (@drphiliplee1) December 28, 2020
While the number is likely to have been inflated by a delay in the reporting of data across the UK over Christmas – with some of the total including people who tested positive before December 25 – Dr Susan Hopkins said the figures are “largely a reflection of a real increase”.
The senior medical adviser for Public Health England, said the “unprecedented levels” of Covid-19 infection across the UK were of “extreme concern”.
It is not possible to make direct comparisons with the level of infection during the first wave of the virus, because mass testing was only introduced in the UK in May, but it has been estimated there may have been as many 100,000 cases a day at the peak in late March and early April.
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But what about another, higher tier?
London – one of the first regions to be placed in tier 4 – is under particular pressure.
The number of Covid-19 patients in hospital in London is now higher than levels recorded at the peak of the first wave of the virus. A total of 5,371 hospital patients were confirmed as having Covid-19 as of 8am on December 29, according to the latest figures from NHS England. During the first wave, the number of patients in London peaked at 5,201 on April 9.
Paramedics in London are receiving support from other ambulance services in the south as they receive up to 8,000 emergency 999 calls each day.
BREAKING: Photo shows ambulances queuing up outside the Royal London Hospital in White Chapel - it comes as the UK records more than 53,000 cases of COVID-19 in the previous 24 hours pic.twitter.com/J980JKYfwG — TNLT NEWS (@NewLondonTimes) December 29, 2020
Professor Andrew Hayward, of the government’s “new and emerging respiratory virus threats advisory group” (Nervtag), said widespread tier 4 restrictions – or even higher – are likely to be needed as the country moves towards “near-lockdown”.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think we are entering a very dangerous new phase of the pandemic and we’re going to need decisive, early, national action to prevent a catastrophe in January and February.”
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Fellow Nervtag member Professor Neil Ferguson said there had been a “balancing act” since lockdown was initially eased to try to keep control of the virus while maintaining “some semblance of normal society” but that the new variant had made it more difficult.
He told BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme: “Clearly nobody wants to keep schools shut. But if that’s the only alternative to having exponentially growing numbers of hospitalisations, that may be required at least for a period.”
What more could happen in ‘tier 5’?
Nobody knows for certain what a “tier 5” would entail, or whether tier 4 would be beefed up, if new measures were brought in by ministers. Given the limited room for more of a crackdown, “tier 5” could in effect become a regional version of the first national lockdown in the spring.
Under tier 4, pubs, bars and restaurants are still allowed to operate as a takeaways. During the spring lockdown they were shut entirely, leaving open only essential shops including supermarkets and pharmacies.
Tier 4 prohibits mixing indoors with anyone outside your household or support bubble – but you can meet one person outside in a public place such as a park. The national lockdown barred this from happening.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-29--Archie Makes Guest Appearance On Meghan Markle And Prince Harry's First Podcast

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are officially taking over the heir-waves. And little Archie is helping too.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex released their eagerly anticipated holiday special on Tuesday, nearly two weeks after Spotify announced its multiyear partnership with the couple’s new Archewell Audio production company.
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The podcast episode features a star-studded lineup of inspirational figures and Sussex friends, all reflecting on their 2020 experiences through audio diaries.
The couple’s son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, even makes a surprise appearance and says a few words into the microphone. It’s the first time royal fans have ever heard the one-and-a-half year old publicly speak.
Pool via Getty Images Archie publicly speaks for the first time on the couple's new podcast.
“We’re glad you’re here. As we all know, it’s been a year,” Harry says in the beginning of the episode. “And we really want to honour the compassion and kindness that has helped so many people get through it.”
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“And, at the same time, to honour those who have experienced uncertainty and unthinkable loss,” Meghan adds. “Our thoughts have been with you, especially during this holiday season.”
For the special holiday episode, the duke explained that the couple asked some of their friends ― and people they admire ― to document their thoughts on what they’ve learned this year and what they’re hopeful for going into 2021.
“We were curious to hear what they’d reflect on when they had a moment to themselves … without navigating the sometimes awkward dance of a video chat,” Harry said. “Meaning, no one having to say ‘you’re on mute’ over and over again — which is probably one of the defining phrases of 2020.”
Special guests include climate and food activist Christina Adane, tennis pro Naomi Osaka, professor and podcast host Brené Brown, Loveland Foundation founder Rachel Cargle, Deepak Chopra, novelist Matt Haig, poet and mental health campaigner Hussain Manawer, George the Poet, and actor and director Tyler Perry.
Stacey Abrams, who Meghan mentioned speaking to over the summer, stops by to chat, along with José Andrés, whose World Central Kitchen recently partnered with the couple’s Archewell Foundation. Sir Elton John and James Corden, longtime friends of the couple, also pop by.
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At the end of the episode, the couple introduces a very special guest ― Archie.
“You can speak into it,” the duke says, directing Archie to the microphone.
“Archie, is it fun?” the duchess says, as Archie repeats after her and says, “Fun.”
“After me,” the duke says, “Ready? Happy ...”
“Happy ...” Archie repeats.
“New ... ” the duke and duchess say.
“New ... Year,” Archie finishes, all by himself.
“YAY!” Meghan and Harry exclaim, before the duke signs off with a trademark “BOOM” and laughs, while Archie lets out a little giggle.
Chris Jackson via Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Sussex released their first holiday episode with Archewell Audio and Spotify on Tuesday.
Spotify previously revealed a snippet of Harry and Meghan (and their podcast voices!) introducing themselves earlier this month, when their new venture and deal was announced.
“Should we, should we start? Hmm? Ladies first,” the duke says to Meghan at the beginning of the clip. The duchess replies, “No, say it! ’Cause I think it sounds really nice with your accent.”
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The duke and duchess released a statement about their choice to partner with Spotify in December on the heels of their megawatt deal with Netflix in September.
“What we love about podcasting is that it reminds all of us to take a moment and to really listen, to connect to one another without distraction,” they said in a joint statement shared with HuffPost at the time.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-29--Should Schools Reopen In January? Here's What The Key Players Say

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With more than 50,000 new Covid infections – the highest number ever – reported on Tuesday alone, there is significant pressure on the government to keep schools closed when term starts on Monday.
The TES reported on Tuesday that ministers had agreed another week of closures after the end of the Christmas break for all secondary school pupils, with the exception of those classed as vulnerable or the children of key workers.
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But the government has continued to insist that its original staggered return plan, set out before the Christmas holidays, is still in full effect, with the Department for Education (DfE) refusing to confirm whether the TES’ report was correct.
Here’s what those in the know have said so far.
What the scientists say
According to reports on Monday, the government’s own scientific advisors have urged Boris Johnson to keep schools closed through January in order to keep Covid infections from spiralling even further.
As Politico reports, the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) met last week with ministers to warn that keeping schools open would result in a rising R (reproduction) number for the virus, even if a third lockdown – similar to the one implemented in November – were to be introduced.
The closure of schools could force the R number below 1, the scientists reportedly said, taming the soaring infection levels.
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Andrew Hayward, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at UCL and a member of the government advisory committee Nervtag (new and emerging respiratory virus threats) told BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday morning: “From a purely epidemiological point of view then it makes a lot of sense to keep schools closed for longer and introduce more stringent testing in them.
“Unfortunately, what we’ve failed to do is address the digital divide amongst schoolchildren such that the opportunity to provide high-quality online education for the poorest parts of the communities has been lost.
“So I think we’re going to have to get schools back, maybe a little bit later, but we’re going to have to have increased strict restrictions in other areas of society to pay for that.”
What ministers say
When it comes to plans for school reopening, the government has been very careful not to hint at anything that could suggest schools may remain closed for longer than is currently planned.
As of Tuesday, Downing Street has said it is “still planning for a staggered opening of schools” after Christmas but is keeping the plan under “constant review”.
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The PM’s official spokesperson told a Westminster briefing: “We’re still planning for a staggered opening of schools and we are working to ensure testing is in place.
“As we have said throughout the pandemic, we obviously keep all measures under constant review.”
Conservative MP Robert Halfon, chair of the Commons Education Select Committee, said he “hope[d] very much” that schools would reopen from Monday, but called on Johnson to “set out a long-term plan for education” and end confusion about the future of schooling during the pandemic.
He told Good Morning Britain: “I would welcome a statement either from the prime minister or the chief medical officer as to what the scientific evidence is, and also to set out a long-term plan for education – a route map out of this – because we can’t have schools as a revolving door, with parents, the teaching profession and support staff not knowing from one day to the next what is going to happen.”
Cabinet minister Michael Gove insisted on Monday that he was “confident” the staggered return to schools would go ahead as of January 4.
He told BBC Radio 4: “It is our intention to make sure we can get children back to school as early as possible.”
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“We have a new strain and it is also the case that we have also had, albeit in a very limited way, Christmas mixing, so we do have to remain vigilant,” he added.
“We are confident that we will be able to get schools back in good order. Our plan and our timetable is there, and we are working with teachers to deliver it.”
What teachers say
Jon Richards, Unison head of education, said: “It’s clearly important for schools and colleges to be open but that has to be weighed against the rapid spread of infection, particularly in schools.
“Mass testing of staff and pupils has been rushed and schools are struggling to cope with demand.
“It makes sense that schools should move online for at least the first fortnight of term, to enable proper plans for mass testing to be put in place.”
Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, the joint general secretaries of the National Education Union (NEU), have also written to education secretary Gavin Williamson, as well as the PM, reiterating calls for schools and colleges to remain closed for at least the first two weeks of January, except for vulnerable children and the children of key workers.
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Steve Chalke, founder of Oasis, one of the largest multi-academy trusts in England, also suggested delayed reopening.
He told the Radio 4 Today programme: “We would suggest a week or two’s delay to think it through, to do it well – and we think that if you really care about kids you would do this well. To invest now, to give time now, makes sense.”
To those people reiterating that schools must remain fully open at all costs. Go & volunteer your services, you will see what ‘Covid-secure’ looks like. It’s very easy to spout nonsense about how learning will be permanently lost, whilst in the safety of your own home. — Secondary Teacher (@SecondaryTeach6) December 23, 2020
Meanwhile, Chris Foley, headteacher at St Monica’s RC High School in Prestwich, Manchester, said there is “huge challenge getting the balance right between supporting pupils’ wellbeing and reducing community transmission”.
He told the PA news agency: “We do feel that we want our school to be open, and we are equally concerned by the impact of uncertainty on the pupils.
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“We have wonderful Year 11 pupils who just want to get on with their studies, take their exams and then move on to the next stage of their life.
“The disconnect between national policy and then the delivery of policy directives at a school level has been the most challenging part of this, to be honest.”
What is going on with the testing programme in schools?
In a statement put out by the DfE on December 17, announcing the testing plans and the delayed start to term for most secondary school pupils, the armed forces were mentioned only once.
The relevant part of the press release read: “Armed forces personnel will support directly through planning with schools and colleges.”
No further details were given, with more specific plans promised in the rollout of advice to schools during the first week of the Christmas holidays.
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On Tuesday it emerged that this “support” would be largely remote, with just 1,500 members of the armed forces made available for the operation. According to the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA), there are almost 3,500 state secondary schools in England.
Rather than being situated in schools themselves, the government press release on armed forces involvement states that the “majority” of personnel will “form local response teams, providing support and phone advice to institutions needing guidance on the testing process and set-up of the testing facilities”.
This “support” will be offered “predominantly through webinars and individual meetings, but teams will also be on standby to deploy at short notice to provide in-person support to resolve any issues in the situations where testing would otherwise not be able to go ahead”.
HuffPost UK asked the DfE at what point a school would become eligible for in-person support, but no direct response was given.
Dec 17: DfE announces armed forces personnel will be involved in 'planning' of mass testing in schools
Dec 29: DfE announces said personnel will also be 'on standby' to provide 'in-person' support, but there's only 1,500 available and most won't be on-site https://t.co/Godli8datl — Freddie Whittaker (@FCDWhittaker) December 29, 2020
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HuffPost UK also asked the DfE for an estimate of how long it expected testing each class to take.
A spokesperson did not answer the question, instead pointing to the existing guidance which states that all school or college staff would have routine weekly testing with pupils offered “serial testing” for seven days if a close contact tested positive for Covid.
As the handbook of testing guidance sent out to schools sets out, most pupils are expected to self-administer the swab itself, but six “workforce roles” have been set out, including a team leader, test assistant, processor and cleaner.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-29--UK Daily Covid-19 Cases Surge Beyond 50,000 For First Time Since Pandemic Began

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More than 53,000 people in the UK have tested positive for coronavirus in a day as the disease continues to surge.
As of 9am on Tuesday, there had been a further 53,135 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK – a new high – while a further 414 people have died within 28 days of testing positive.
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The positive tests for Tuesday are around 12,000 higher than a day earlier – which was itself the highest daily total since the pandemic began.
Dr Susan Hopkins, senior medical advisor at Public Health England, said the “unprecedented levels” of Covid-19 infection across the UK was of “extreme concern”.
She said: “Whilst the number of cases reported today include some from over the festive period, these figures are largely a reflection of a real increase.
“It is essential, now more than ever, that we continue to work together to stop the spread of the virus, bring the rate of infection down, and protect the most vulnerable and the NHS.
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“A critical part of this is each and every one of us abiding by the restrictions in place however hard it may seem at this time of the year. It is critical that we reduce our contacts especially mixing between households. We must observe the basic measures – wash your hands, wear a mask and keep your distance from others.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-30--Why Only Fools And Horses Bosses Had To Keep One Of Its Most Iconic Episodes Secret From The BBC

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Only Fools And Horses bosses had to keep the sitcom’s famous sex doll episode a secret from BBC bosses over fears it would be pulled, it has been revealed.
In the 1989 episode Danger UXD, Del Boy tries to sell blow-up sex dolls without realising they were filled with toxic gas.
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Writer John Sullivan was so worried the BBC wouldn’t air the scenes that the plot was kept “hush hush”, before the art department saved the day by making the blow-up dolls fit for family friendly TV viewing.
Only Fools And Horses stars Nicholas Lyndhurst and David Jason BBC
Art director Alison Rickman told Channel 5 documentary We Love Only Fools And Horses: “That whole episode was kept hush-hush because they were very frightened of being censored and then being told they couldn’t do it.
“Most blow-up dolls have an open mouth. But we couldn’t show that, so somebody altered the faces to make them more suitable for television because we knew we wouldn’t be able to broadcast it, and we wanted to do the gag which involved the dolls and them being inflated. That was an important part of the whole story.“
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Del Boy – played by David Jason – nicknamed two of the dolls Pepsi and Shirlie after the 80s pop duo.
Singer Shirlie Kemp called it a highlight of her career, explaining: “My house phone did not stop ringing. I had so many people telling me ‘You’re on Only Fools And Horses’. I had more calls than when I had a hit record.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-30--Covid Rules: The Places That Could Face Tier 4 Coronavirus Restrictions This Week

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Matt Hancock is set to announce further coronavirus restrictions for some areas of England in an attempt to curb the surge in cases causing “significant pressure” on the NHS.
The health secretary will reveal any new changes in the Commons on Wednesday afternoon, with new restrictions likely to come in on Thursday – New Year’s Eve.
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The number of lab-confirmed cases recorded in a single day in the UK hit a new record on Tuesday, rising above 50,000 for the first time to 53,135.
In London, already under tier 4 restrictions, patients are being treated outside some hospitals in ambulances as they queue to get in and a “major incident” has been declared in Essex.
Outside of those areas already in tier 4, cases are surging. Some areas in tiers 2 and 3 now have higher rates of infection than those in the strictest lockdowns.
Christmas shoppers in Birmingham on Christmas Eve. PA
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For context, the government’s own threshold for quarantining overseas travellers is 20 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day average.
Brits visiting countries with higher case rates are required to quarantine for 10 days upon their return.
The figures below show cases per 100,000 people and then the percentage rise in cases in brackets. Both are over the seven-day period covered by the latest NHS data, up to December 27.
Unless otherwise stated, all areas listed are presently under tier 3 restrictions.
The places with the highest rates of infection outside tier 4
Hartlepool – 470.8 (24%) Wolverhampton – 469.3 (42%) Sandwell – 380.6 (27%) Birmingham – 335.9 (14%) Blackburn with Darwen – 335.3 (15%) Walsall – 318.1 (21%) Dudley – 315.9 (21%) Northamptonshire TIER 2 – 313.7 (22%) Leicester 313.6 – (-1%) Swindon 297 – (50%) York TIER 2 – 292.9 (104%) Warrington – 291.9 (11%) Cheshire – 283.9 (28%) Staffordshire – 274.9 (7%) Gateshead – 271.7 (63%) Cumbria TIER 2 – 269.0 (60%) County Durham – 266.7 (21%) Derby – 265.4 (7%) Wirral TIER 2 – 260.8 (72%) Cheshire – 256.7 (29%)
The places with the fastest growing rate of infections outside of tier 4
Isle of Wight – 106% (231.4) York TIER 2 – 104% (292.9) Plymouth TIER 2 – 92% (205.6) Cornwall and Isles of Scilly TIER 2 – 83% (145.7) Wirral TIER 2 – 72% (260.8) Gateshead – 63% (271.7) Sefton TIER 2 – 61% (218.5) Cumbria TIER 2 – 60% (269.0) Swindon – 50% (297) Knowsley TIER 2 – 47% (221.4) Wiltshire TIER 2 – 46% (175.2) Stockport – 45% (225.6) North Yorkshire – 44% (205.3) Dorset TIER 2 – 43% (134.7) Bournemouth TIER 2 – 42% (244.4) Wolverhampton – 42% (469.3) Tameside – 39% (194.3) Somerset TIER 2 – 33% (244.0) Rutland TIER 2 – 30% (175.3) Cheshire East – 29% (256.7)
There has already been reports suggesting some parts of the East Midlands, such as Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, could be moved up from tier 3 to tier 4, while other counties such as Lincolnshire and Derbyshire may stay in tier 3.
All the areas within the West Midlands metropolitan county – Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton – might be facing a move from tier 3 to 4.
Hartlepool in north-east England, along with a handful of areas in Lancashire – Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Pendle and Ribble Valley – could also be upgraded from tier 3 to 4.
Cumbria might be moved from tier 2 to tier 3, as could Worcestershire and North Yorkshire.
In more positive developments, the coronavirus vaccine created by Oxford University and pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has been approved for use in the UK, paving the way for rapid rollout.
Hancock said on Wednesday morning the approval means there is a “new route” out of the pandemic but added it would take until “spring” to get enough people vaccinated.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-30--Boston Dynamics' Robots Are Dancing Now, And Yes, It's Still Scary

This is how the robot overlords will celebrate when they take over.
Boston Dynamics, the Massachusetts company known for its cutting-edge work in robotics, released footage on Tuesday of its famous robot collection boogieing to The Contours’ 1962 R&B hit “Do You Love Me?”
The impressive performance featured the humanoid Atlas, dog-inspired Spot and box-moving Handle, all of which move with unsettling precision in the nearly 3-minute routine.
It went viral after it was shared by Reza Zadeh, a technology executive and machine learning expert, who said that the dance made the robots “less intimidating.”
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It's pretty awesome how dancing makes robots less intimidating. Looking forward to seeing more nontrivial Machine Learning on these robots. Credit: Boston Dynamics. pic.twitter.com/wnB2i9qhdQ — Reza Zadeh (@Reza_Zadeh) December 29, 2020
Tesla founder Elon Musk seemed impressed but summed up the general sentiment in one word:
Less? — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 29, 2020
The company has become widely known through viral videos of its incredibly agile and advanced robots.
Its most famous machine, Spot, is already being put to work in the real world. The robot maker began leasing out its Spot models in September 2019, and they have since been used to patrol oil rigs, assist law enforcement, help on construction projects and in hospitals to help doctors communicate with Covid-19 patients.
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Hyundai Motor Group purchased a controlling stake in the company from SoftBank Group earlier this month for $1.1 billion. The companies said in a statement that the deal would elevate their respective strengths in manufacturing, logistics, construction and automation.
Some Twitter users welcomed our dancing robot masters with open arms. Others will probably need a lot more convincing.
totally. personally looking fwd to getting killed by one of these and then having it do the crank that dance on my body! https://t.co/QytdZZNO6e — Cody Ko (@codyko) December 29, 2020
TikTok "personalities" shaking right now knowing their dance moves can be automated and outsourced https://t.co/ZIUOIkqS3R — CircleToonsHD (@CircleToonsHD) December 30, 2020
This is what they'll do when they win. https://t.co/0XjE7nzsP8 — Ben Schwartz (@rejectedjokes) December 29, 2020
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Boston Dynamics has released yet another video of its robots dancing that is equal parts impressive, creepy, and cringe https://t.co/RF5mQQhC0m pic.twitter.com/h9hDiEJK8X — Mikael Thalen (@MikaelThalen) December 29, 2020
Oh, look.
Someone taught robots how to dance on our graves.
Super.pic.twitter.com/Cad0m42iEz — Holly Figueroa O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) December 30, 2020
How fun, they said.
How cute, they said.
Isn’t it just wonderful, they said.
Until the day came when the cute little dancing robot turned on them.
And now they have to listen to this song on repeat as they slave away for their robot masters.
It has begun.pic.twitter.com/cQ8o85VTpI — Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) December 30, 2020
Working at Boston Dynamics must be part terrifying part incredibly fun 🤖
(this was shot in the same room as my video with SPOT a few weeks ago)
Full video: https://t.co/hm4KKwrGZ2 pic.twitter.com/1tt5IxvBlL — Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) December 29, 2020
I, for one, welcome our Boston Dynamics robot overlords. — the new 2021 model mark hoppus (@markhoppus) December 29, 2020
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-30--Lord Sugar Says Sister Shirley Has Become 'Another Victim Of Covid' Two Weeks After Brother's Death

Lord Sugar has revealed his sister Shirley has died after becoming “another victim of Covid” – just two weeks after his brother died from complications caused by the virus.
The Apprentice star posted a tribute to his sister on his social media pages in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Lord Alan Sugar NurPhoto via Getty Images
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Tweeting a picture of her, Lord Sugar wrote: “My eldest sister Shirley passed away today at the age of 88.
“She had been sick for a while but I guess Covid got her in the end to join our brother Derek, who passed two weeks ago. RIP SHIRL.”
He added on Instagram: “I guess another victim of Covid.”
My eldest sister Shirley passed away today at the age of 88 she had been sick for a while but I guess covid got her in the end to join our brother Derek who passed 2 weeks ago . RIP SHIRL pic.twitter.com/IldwzQS6WP — Lord Sugar (@Lord_Sugar) December 30, 2020
Earlier this month, Lord Sugar paid tribute to his brother Derek, after coronavirus complicated his underlying health problems.
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The business tycoon wrote: “He was a life long Spurs fan and my sister in law made me laugh in 1991 thanking me for buying Spurs for him.
“He will be sadly missed by the whole family. RIP BRO.”
Lord Sugar was a part-owner and chairman of Tottenham Hotspur from 1991 to 2001, selling his remaining stake in the football club in 2007.
The former Amstrad boss is now best known for fronting BBC reality show The Apprentice, which has been running since 2005.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-30--RAF Takes Modern Approach To Porn Star & Reservist Marc McAulay’s Dual Careers

RAF Takes Modern Approach To Porn Star & Reservist Marc McAulay’s Dual Careers
Scottish professional gay porn actor Marc McCaulay has been nominated for five adult entertainment ‘Prowler Awards’, which the MOD and the Air Force congratulated the reservist for in their internal magazine.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-30--Sir Anthony Hopkins Celebrates 45 Years Sober With An Uplifting Message

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Sir Anthony Hopkins has celebrated 45 years of being sober by sharing an uplifting message with fans reflecting on his journey.
The Silence Of The Lambs actor struggled with alcoholism during his early career, going teetotal in December 1975, following a talk with a woman from Alcoholics Anonymous.
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In a video posted on Twitter, the 82 year old said 2020 had been a year “full of grief and sadness” but urging those struggling not to give up.
Anthony Hopkins Axelle/Bauer-Griffin via Getty Images
Sir Anthony said: “45 years ago today, I had a wake-up call. I was heading for a disaster, I was drinking myself to death. I’m not preachy but I got a message, a little thought that said, ‘Do you want to live or die?’ And I said, ‘I want to live’ and suddenly the relief came. And my life has been amazing.
“I have my off days and sometimes little bits of doubt and all that but all in all I say, hang in there.
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“Today is the tomorrow you were so worried about yesterday. You young people, don’t give up, just keep in there, just keep fighting. Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid. That sustained me through my life.”
He added: “Happy New Year – this is going to be the best year.”
With gratitude, I celebrate 45 years of sobriety. pic.twitter.com/fxzMRGlI4m — Anthony Hopkins (@AnthonyHopkins) December 29, 2020
Sir Anthony discussed his alcoholism during a speech with students near his home in California in 2018, reflecting how drinking marred his early career.
He said: “Because that’s what you do in theatre, you drink. But I was very difficult to work with, as well, because I was usually hungover.”
He added he had been “disgusted, busted and not to be trusted” while he was drinking.
He said a woman from Alcoholics Anonymous asked him, “why don’t you just trust in God?” and from then on the urge to drink was “never to return”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-30--Ofcom Receives Complaints Over Channel 4's Deepfake Version Of The Queen

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Channel 4′s deepfake version of the Queen’s speech has attracted more than 200 complaints to TV watchdog Ofcom.
The 25 December broadcast used digital trickery to make an actress look like the Queen in the network’s annual alternative Christmas message.
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In what was billed as a warning about misinformation and fake news, “Her Majesty” joked about Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s departure from the UK, as well as nodding to the scandal surrounding the Duke of York.
Channel 4 created a deepfake version of the Queen Channel 4
Ofcom has confirmed it had received 214 complaints since it aired on Christmas Day, shortly after the Queen’s official annual televised message to the nation on the BBC, ITV and Sky News.
As is standard procedure, the broadcasting regulator will assess the complaints before deciding whether to formally investigate.
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Ian Katz, director of programmes at Channel 4, described the deep fake Christmas message one as “a powerful reminder that we can no longer trust our own eyes”.
Deepfake technology has become increasingly prevalent over recent years and can be used to create convincing but completely manufactured video content of high-profile figures, most notably of former US president Barack Obama, who has been the subject of a number of deepfake videos.
How we deepfaked the Queen for our #AltXmas message pic.twitter.com/I6FYCNeOiI — Channel 4 (@Channel4) December 25, 2020
In the alternative speech, the digital version of the Queen performed a TikTok dance routine and revealed her penchant for “Netflix and Phil” with the Duke of Edinburgh.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-30--Oxford Vaccine: Here's Who Will Get It First

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In a hugely welcome end-of-year development, the Covid-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca has been approved for use in the UK.
It means Britain now has two vaccines at its disposal to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
The approval was hailed on Wednesday morning as a “game-changer” by Andrew Hayward, professor of infectious diseases epidemiology at University College London.
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He told BBC Breakfast: “It’s exactly what we need right now.”
When will the vaccine be available?
Health secretary Matt Hancock said the approval was “fantastic news” and confirmed that the roll out would begin on January 4.
There is considerably less uncertainty over the rollout of the Oxford vaccine, with the scene having largely been set earlier in December with the Pfizer/BioNtech jab.
The Oxford vaccine can be stored at fridge temperature for at least six months so it is hoped the logistics of administering it will be easier.
AstraZeneca said it was building up a manufacturing capacity of up to three billion doses worldwide next year, and aims to supply the UK with millions of doses in the first quarter in 2021.
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PA Media
Who will receive the vaccine first?
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) guidance is as follows:
Older adults in a care home and care home workers All those who are 80 years of age and over and health and social care workers All those who are 75 years of age and over All those who are 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals, excluding pregnant women and those under 18 years of age All those who are 65 years of age and over Individuals aged 16 to 64 years with underlying health conditions All those aged 60 and over All those aged 55 and over All those aged 50 and over
Not all of the people at the top of the priority list have received the Pfizer vaccine yet.
It is hoped more people in care homes will be reached with the rollout of the Oxford AstraZeneca jab due to how easy it is to store and move.
Like the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, people will need two doses.
But people don’t need to receive both doses of this one before protection against the virus begins.
The JCVI said data showed high efficacy from the first dose of both jabs. It has therefore advised, given the surging Covid cases in the UK, that the priority with both should be to give as many people in at-risk groups their first dose, rather than providing both doses in as short a time as possible.
Hancock has said the decision by regulators that the second dose of the Oxford vaccine can be administered up to 12 weeks after the first would speed up the rollout.
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“This is important because it means that we can get the first dose into more people more quickly and they can get the protection the first dose gives you,” he told Sky News.
“The scientists and the regulators have looked at the data and found that you get what they call ‘very effective protection’ from the first dose.” This protection occurs about two weeks after the first jab, he added.
“The second dose is still important,” said Hancock, “especially for the long-term protection – but it does mean that we will be able to vaccinate more people more quickly than we previously could.”
It is truly fantastic news - and a triumph for British science - that the @UniofOxford /@AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved for use.
We will now move to vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible. pic.twitter.com/cR4pRdZJlT — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) December 30, 2020
There is another key change – while people who are pregnant and breastfeeding were previously advised against having the vaccine due to the lack of evidence, they may now take it where the potential benefits are deemed to outweigh the risks.
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MHRA chief executive Dr June Raine said: “Now that we have reviewed further data that has become available, the Commission on Human Medicines has advised that the vaccine can be considered for use in pregnancy when the potential benefits outweigh the risks, following an individual discussion with every woman.”
Will I be able to choose which vaccine I get?
As things stand the vaccines will be rolled out as and when they become available.
No announcement has been made on whether one might be given priority over another as they become ready on a mass scale.
People are not expected to be able to choose which jab they want to receive.
How many doses will the UK get?
The government has secured 100m doses of the Oxford vaccine which are due to be dispatched from Germany, with a large proportion then manufactured in the UK.
This is almost enough for most of the population.
There will be four million doses available post authorisation and tens of millions of doses in the first quarter of next year, PA Media reports.
A specific schedule is difficult to establish as batches need to be quality approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
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Does this mean the worst of the pandemic is over?
Unfortunately not. Hancock said on Wednesday morning the approval means there is a “new route” out of the pandemic but added it would take until spring to get enough people vaccinated.
Until then, the situation facing the UK is grim. Total coronavirus cases hit a new record on Tuesday, rising above 50,000 cases for the first time, to 53,135 lab-confirmed cases. Coronavirus patients are being treated outside some hospitals in ambulances as rising numbers put “significant pressures” on the NHS. Footage shared on social media of Queen’s Hospital in Romford, north-east London, appears to show dozens of emergency vehicles queueing outside. It was the latest sign hospitals in England are coming under increasing strain as the number of Covid-19 patients is at its highest ever level during the pandemic. Hancock said: “It is going to be a difficult few weeks ahead.” But Hancock did say he has a “very high degree of confidence” that the pandemic’s situation in the UK will change by the spring. Asked if he could provide a timeline for when under-50s without pre-existing conditions may be vaccinated, Hancock told Times Radio: “It depends on the speed of manufacture, I wish I could give you a date, your invitation right now, but we can’t because it depends on the speed of the manufacture. “This product, it’s not a chemical compound it’s a biological product so it’s challenging to make, so that is the rate-limiting factor in terms of the rollout. “Now that we have two vaccines being delivered we can accelerate, how fast we can accelerate will be determined by how fast the manufacturers can produce. “But what I can tell you is that I now have a very high degree of confidence that by the spring enough of those who are vulnerable will be protected to allow us to get out of this pandemic situation.”
An NHS worker as he receives his first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on December 29. Huw Fairclough via Getty Images
How does it compare to other vaccines?
Oxford data indicates the vaccine has 62.1% efficacy when one full dose is given followed by another full dose, but when people were given a half dose followed by a full dose at least a month later, its efficacy rose to 90%.
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The combined analysis from both dosing regimes resulted in an average efficacy of 70.4%.
As well as the Pfizer vaccine which has an efficacy of 95%, there are a number of other jabs the UK has secured doses of.
Final results from the trials of Moderna’s vaccine suggest it has 94.1% efficacy, and 100% efficacy against severe Covid-19.
The early contenders all have high efficacy rates, but researchers say it is difficult to make direct comparisons because it is not yet known exactly what everyone is measuring in the trials.
What about cost?
Pfizer/BioNTech is making its vaccine available not-for-profit.
According to reports, the Moderna vaccine could cost about $38 (£28) per dose and the Pfizer candidate could cost around $20 (£15).
Researchers suggest the Oxford vaccine could be relatively cheap to produce, with some reports indicating it could be about £3 a dose.
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AstraZeneca said it will not sell it for a profit, so it can be available to all countries.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-30--Chrissy Teigen Got Her Nose Pierced And It Went Hilariously Wrong

Chrissy Teigen got her nose pierced and it didn’t exactly go to plan.
The model and cookbook author tweeted about her decision to get the body modification, sharing with her millions of followers that she did so while on vacation in St. Barts and that it went “wrong.”
“So I did this today and it immediately fell out and healed the second she left because she did it wrong lmao,” Chrissy wrote.
In another tweet, she added: “Like how do you do it wrong? It’s a hole, through the nose. It’s like jerry seinfeld’s bobsledding joke. It’s impossible to do wrong.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-30--Michael Sheen Reveals Why He Handed Back His OBE: 'I Realised I'd Be A Hypocrite'

Speaking to newspaper columnist Owen Jones on his personal YouTube channel, he said: “In my research to do that lecture, I learnt a lot about Welsh history. And by the time I’d finished writing that lecture on this laptop that I’m talking to you on right now, I remember sitting there going, ‘Well I have a choice – I either don’t give this lecture and hold on to my OBE or I give this lecture and I have to give my OBE back’.”
Michael, who is from Port Talbot, said Wales and England’s shared history was still a point of contention for many Welsh people.
He pointed towards the controversy caused by the decision to rename the second Severn crossing the Prince of Wales Bridge in 2018. A petition against the move received more than 30,000 signatures.
“These things have power,” Michael said. “The idea of the Prince of Wales and that being an Englishman and the history of that.
“Why Edward made his son the Prince of Wales (was) because it was part of keeping down the Welsh rebellion. These are things that happened so long ago but these things are resonant.”
Charles, the current Prince of Wales, is due to forfeit the title when he ascends the throne.
Michael suggested it would be a “really meaningful and powerful gesture for that title to no longer be held in the same way as it has before”.