thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-13--Jimmy Kimmel Imagines How Donald Trump’s Superman T-Shirt Stunt Could Have Played Out

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Jimmy Kimmel is devastated that President Donald Trump didn’t end up performing a stunt he reportedly considered doing when he left the hospital after his coronavirus treatment.
According to The New York Times, Trump reportedly wanted to leave Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and “appear frail at first.” Then he’d rip off his shirt to reveal a Superman T-shirt.
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“This is not a joke,” Jimmy said on Monday night’s edition of his US chat show. “This is what he wanted to do.”
“Whoever talked him out of this, I would like to bang you right on the head,” the comedian continued. “First of all, we would have gotten to see some top-notch acting when Trump was pretending to be frail. Then he would have had to rip the shirt open ― and good luck getting the buttons undone with those nubby little baby carrot fingers he has.”
Jimmy Kimmel Huffington Post
Jimmy later imagined how the stunt could have backfired for the president:
“Would the country erupt in applause? What is he imagining? More likely he would try to fly and wet his pants or something. But who thinks like this?”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-13--Boris Johnson Freezes Ministerial Pay But Ducks Row Over MPs' Salary Bump

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Boris Johnson has vowed to freeze the pay of his top team but has refused to speak out amid fury over MPs’ £3,300 inflation-busting pay hike.
The prime minister’s official spokesperson said on Tuesday that ministers’ salaries would not rise this year as the Covid pandemic hits the economy and workers.
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But he refused to be drawn on growing unease in Westminster and among the public over MPs’ pay.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), which is separate from both parliament and government, has decided that MPs should have a £3,300 pay rise.
It would mean their wage would rise from £81,932 to more than £85,000, while many across the country face joblessness and hardship.
The move has angered the public, who have pointed out MPs will also be getting a greater bump than doctors and nurses on the Covid frontline.
Under Johnson’s new plan for ministers, a secretary of state will get no pay rise and, the spokesperson said, be paid £4,168 less than they are statutorily entitled to.
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It will mean government frontbenchers have not seen a bump in pay since George Osborne embarked upon a programme of austerity in 2010 – but as MPs they will still pocket the extra £3,300 ordered by IPSA.
Labour leader Keir Starmer has said MPs don’t deserve the rise and the money should instead go to key workers.
He told LBC last week: “This year of all years we shouldn’t have it.
Keir Starmer tells LBC MPs "shouldn't have" the £3,300 pay rise recommended by an independent body.
The Labour leader says "this year of all years that money should be spent on key workers."#CallKeir | https://t.co/32BwCXc2iM pic.twitter.com/THrR21lcok — LBC (@LBC) October 12, 2020
“That money, if it’s available, should be spent on key workers – those who have been on the front line through this pandemic.”
He added there should be a debate, saying: “I suspect there are lots of MPs that feel it just isn’t right.”
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He said the decision had been “parcelled out to an independent body so MPs don’t decide for themselves what they get paid, but that’s mitigation, it’s not an excuse”.
But the PM’s spokesperson said: “The government is only responsible for ministerial salaries. Ipsa, which is independent of both government and parliament, has responsibility for determining MPs’ salaries.
“What I can say to you today is that the prime minister has decided that at a time of significant pressure on public finances, it is only right that ministerial salaries should be frozen.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-13--Ivanka Trump’s Spin On Her Dad’s Covid-19 Failings Backfires

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Ivanka Trump faced backlash after she tried to spin the narrative on her father’s devastating mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic.
During a campaign event Monday in Las Vegas, Donald Trump’s daughter and adviser claimed that the president had taken “unprecedented” action at the start of the public health crisis “when most people, except through the lens of revisionist history” were “not taking it seriously, on the Hill or elsewhere.”
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Ivanka Trump defends her father’s handling of the virus: “Except through the lens of revisionist history, most people were not taking [COVID] very seriously, on the Hill or elsewhere.” pic.twitter.com/oxnFEazJzS — The Recount (@therecount) October 12, 2020
Twitter users begged to differ.
Some critics reminded Ivanka Trump of how her father had privately acknowledged the “deadly” threat posed by Covid-19 during taped interviews with journalist Bob Woodward in early February while repeatedly downplaying the virus in public.
Other detractors highlighted how seriously the coronavirus had been taken in its early stages by other countries around the world and by former Vice President Joe Biden, Trump’s rival in the 2020 election.
The president was hospitalised on October 3 for three days after contracting the coronavirus. White House physician Sean Conley on Monday said Trump was no longer infectious to others, allowing him to host a rally in Florida.
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Hi @ivanka, have you listened to Bob Woodward’s tapes or were you too busy posing for vapid photoshoots? — Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) October 12, 2020
Also here is Biden taking it seriously on Jan 27. https://t.co/R3y9iDQOKN — Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) October 12, 2020
How is she able to speak with a straight face knowing her father lied and continued to lie since he was briefed on how deadly this virus is? — Femmetasia (@Verdanne) October 12, 2020
That's a load of crap Ivanka. I've been taking it seriously since Feb when I came down with it — Roger Henley (@idotennis4fun) October 12, 2020
"An outbreak of a new virus in China has raised fears of a global pandemic, forcing Japan to confront the possibility of deadly contagion and disruption as it prepares to host the 2020 Summer Olympics." --Reuters, 1/23/20 https://t.co/dDpHkBCw4c — Eric Adelson (@eric_adelson) October 12, 2020
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Classic gaslighting from the designated heiress. — David Milley 🏳🌈 (@davemilley) October 12, 2020
I was locked down by choice at the end of February and I know I wasn’t the only one. https://t.co/hhzq2evpAW — Geek Girl Diva (@geekgirldiva) October 13, 2020
She's lying. Trump knew about COVID-19 in January. Throughout the world, leaders were taking decisive action to protect their citizens. Trump withheld information from, and lied to, the American people. The result: No country has been hit harder by the virus than we have. — Jim Fusilli (@jimfusillibooks) October 12, 2020
Trump's admin--including Ivanka's husband--made the decision to politicize the pandemic & shelve a national testing plan in order to blame the deaths of blue state Americans on Dem governors. Her primary job in this admin is to whitewash her father's bad acts but give me a break. — MoreSkyPlease (@Moreskyplease) October 12, 2020
Easily proven lies. Her idiot father called it a hoax. Stopping travel was too late and all he did. They killed a national testing plan because Dem led states were the ones suffering. She is a pathetic liar like her father. https://t.co/DUYVOtQ9Pc — Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) October 13, 2020
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GTFOH. Trump NEVER took the pandemic seriously even after 20,000 New Yorkers died in 10 weeks. https://t.co/0mwN5gFGby — Cleavon MD (@Cleavon_MD) October 13, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-13--The Funniest Tweets From Parents This Week

Parenting is tricky like what do you do when your 4yo greets your 11yo with “hi ugly penis” which makes everyone laugh but then she starts saying other things about him are ugly so you tell her it’s not funny anymore and she gets upset cause you laughed the first time.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--MI5 Chief Warns Of Growing Far-Right Terror Threat And Praises Black Lives Matter Impact

Ken McCallum MI5 Director General HuffPost UK
The new head of MI5 has warned that the threat of far-right terrorism in the UK will be “with us for some years to come” as more young people have been linking up online with American extremists in the Donald Trump era.
In his first major briefing since being appointed director general earlier this year, Ken McCallum said that there was “quite a lot” of “meaningful international connectivity” between white nationalist extremists in Britain with those overseas in America and parts of Europe.
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McCallum also vowed to make the Security Service more diverse and revealed that the Black Lives Matter movement had shone a light on “outright racist” conduct within the agency as well as “inadvertent” bias against staff from minority ethnic communities.
In a wide-ranging session with reporters, McCallum – the youngest director general in MI5′s history – also
revealed terrorists are searching for different targets because of empty streets caused by coronavirus
talked of how “whenever my phone rings late in the evening, my stomach lurches” in case it is a terror attack
backed longer jail time for convicted extremists and tighter licensing outside prison
said there was “thin evidence” of any Russian interference in the Brexit vote
warned that Islamist terrorism was the “largest” threat, along with attempted assassinations, and cyber attacks from Russia, China and Iran*
growing use of artificial intelligence to detect terrorist plots
McCallum said that right-wing terrorism was a “sadly rising threat” to the UK, pointing out that it made up eight out of of the 27 late-stage terrorist attack plots disrupted by MI5 and police since 2017. MI5 took over full responsibility for right-wing terrorism from the police earlier this year.
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“We see quite a lot of growth of these threats, including in particular, quite a few young people being attracted to this ideology, which does tend to suggest that this threat will be with us for some years to come,” he said.
The MI5 chief stressed that at present there was no “global” organised structure for far-right terrorism as with Al-Qaeda or Daesh, and that much of the risk came from individuals “often acting in comparative isolation”.
But he warned the agency was alive to it becoming “more structured and coherent” and said that the rise of right-wing plots was a common threat across many Western countries.
White nationalists have been on the rise during the Trump era and McCallum said the FBI were “having to deal with substantial amounts of risk” in recent years, while in Germany it was now bigger than the Islamist terror threat.
UK extremists were not in contact with American counterparts in a “structured, organised way... but they are in contact because a lot of this poison is being spread online”, he said.
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“People draw inspiration and share links and use online fora and apps to chat – at least as they hope – in secure circumstances. And we see connections therefore to the US, but also to other parts of Europe. And so we will continue to see this evolve in the years to come... lots of online, lots of young people involved and quite a lot of bitty but meaningful international connectivity.”
When asked about the drivers for young people becoming attracted to far-right extremism, McCallum told HuffPost UK that they were “sadly attracted to seeming certainty that [extremists] seek to provide”.
For young extremist followers of both far-right and Islamist groups, it was about “social processes to do with individuals’ own needs and self-view rather than it being a pure ideological moment”.
The MI5 director general also said that he wanted to better reflect “today’s wonderfully diverse UK” to attract talent from all racial backgrounds.
Black Lives Matter
When asked about the Black Lives Matter movement that swept the UK following the murder of George Floyd in the US, he said MI5 had been made more “effective” as a result of the questions it threw up.
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“The Black Lives Matter moment did have an effect inside MI5 like any other modern employer,” he said, pointing out that when he joined in the 1990s there wasn’t a single senior Black officer in the agency.
It had had “some really deep and searching conversations with our own people, including people being very brave and opening up about instances that they have suffered”.
“Either inside, not many cases but in some cases, in years gone by, outright racist behaviours within the organisation. Or much more commonly, inadvertent behaviours that excluded without necessarily intending to, but have an effect nonetheless,” he said.
People at a Black Lives UK protest in London PA
“It’s been a powerful conversation. And, you know, as a leader of an organisation when you know that you’re not where you need to be, it’s helpful actually to have real frankness, and honesty from some of our most capable people coming up through the ranks and expressing frustration, particularly when they look outwards and don’t see what they should see.
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“They don’t see a full representation of our amazingly diverse country. We are improving. We’re not there yet and I want our own people to continue holding us to account on that. Because this really matters on two levels: it is the right thing to do; and it makes us better at a job that we all care about passionately.”
The spy chief added that he wanted “to spread our net as widely as possible, including crucially to people who haven’t ever thought of applying here”, like himself in his 20s.
“Think about the sheer range of what we need here: tenacious investigators and analysts; shrewd behavioural scientists, working with creative data scientists and software engineers; compelling undercover roleplayers; through to specialists who are awesome at undetectably breaking into cars in the dead of night (with a lawful warrant authorisation).”
He said that MI5 would be using Facebook and Twitter to help recruit a younger and more diverse workforce.
“You should expect to see, for example, increased used of social media platforms as we seek to reach a different and younger and more diverse audience.”
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Covid
McCallum also talked about the impact of the Covid pandemic on the agency’s work, particularly in tracking targets on the streets.
“The big shifts in everyone’s lives – reduced travel, more online, and the rest – mean shifts in how our adversaries are operating.
“Fewer crowds mean terrorists look at different targets; online living means more opportunities for cyber hackers; and so on.
“Equally, 2020 has demanded shifts in how MI5 itself has to operate; you wouldn’t expect me to get into detail, but common sense will tell you that covert surveillance is not straightforward on near-empty streets.”
He said the virus had led to more working from home in some cases, stressed there was a “high occupancy” of its HQ with social distancing, but also that much of its work took place “in the real world”.
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“Quite a bit of MI5 activity has always taken place on the streets in the real world. We spend our days and nights planting microphones in particular attics, doing surveillance on the streets, meeting human sources out and about in the real world, the kinds of things I spent my 20s doing largely in Northern Ireland.”
Crucially, the agency had repurposed research originally done on toxic chemicals to help understand how Covid in droplets might disperse and in allowing medically-qualified MI5 officers to step away from their duties to directly support the NHS.
McCallum, in his 40s, became the youngest head of MI5 when he took over from Sir Andrew Parker at the end of April, just as the coronavirus pandemic was sweeping the country.
He also spoke of his personal response to incidents. “Terrorist attacks are always, without exception, sickening. Whenever my phone rings late in the evening, my stomach lurches in case it is one of those awful moments,” he said.
Russia and China and Brexit
The security chief also said that while Russia was currently causing most disruption, China was now the long term security threat to the UK. “You might think in terms of the Russian intelligence services providing bursts of bad weather, while China is changing the climate,” he said.
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McCallum defended MI5 from accusations from the Intelligence and Security Committee that it had not done enough to lead in tackling Russian interference with the UK’s democracy or the Brexit referendum
He said “we did not see, any of us” any evidence of hack-and-leak activity during the EU referendum, and “nothing of great significance” emerged from investigations into claims of covert attempts to influence key political figures.
On social media troll farms and online influence, he added there was a “thin evidence base that some of that appears to have taken place around the EU referendum..but it does not appear to be on anything like the same scale to what happened in some other situations we could all name [the US elections]”.
“We did respond to the leads that came our way. We don’t investigate on hunches, we have to pursue real leads, to real activity. We did do that, in some particular cases and those did not lead to any uncovering of any discoveries, which radically change our understanding of what happened in 2016.”
Jail sentences
McCallum also backed the idea of terrorists spending more of their sentences in prison and tighter licensing once released.
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“We need to have a safety net that is able to protect if they continue to possess intent, and they will continue to possess capability following their release. And so, terrorist prisoners, serving substantial portions of the sentences has to be a good thing from my point of view in reducing the aggregate amount of risk we face on UK streets.
“It is also the case that license conditions, after release, have a role to play, and helping again to continue to manage the risk across the long run.”
Artificial Intelligence
McCallum, who has a background in high level mathematics, revealed that artificial intelligence was increasingly useful to MI5, particularly in sifting through translations of documents in other languages and CCTV footage.
“You really don’t want to be a human operator, watching endless hours of a door not opening, you want to comment on the moment when the door does indeed open, and you know, a machine is quite good at doing that for you,” he said.
AI was also now crucial to helping investigators quickly search through multiple laptops and phones for specific data held by terror suspects.
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“When you’ve got a massive mountain to search through it doesn’t half help if you’ve got an automated machine learning ability to pluck out images of guns or Islamic State flags or whatever it might be,” he said.
“I think there is massive applicability to our line of business. Clearly, we exist and have for a long time had to make careful judgments and same predictions about likely human behaviour.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Stevie Nicks Joins TikTok And Of Course Slays Dreams Challenge

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Stevie Nicks just gave TikTok the video of its Dreams.
The rock legend put her own spin on the viral Dreams challenge on Tuesday, singing along to her Fleetwood Mac hit as she laced on roller skates. A bottle of cranberry juice stands by a turntable.
The challenge was sparked by a TikTok video posted by Nathan Apodaca, featuring him on a skateboard swigging cranberry juice to Dreams. But who’s going to argue with pop culture royalty?
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“Afternoon vibe. Lace ’em up!” Nicks wrote on her clip.
Earlier this month, Mick Fleetwood posted his version of the challenge and said Stevie “must be celebrating right now.” Now it’s official. She is.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Piers Morgan Has Jab At Rival Dan Walker As Mouse Invades Good Morning Britain Studio

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Piers Morgan took a cheeky swipe at breakfast telly rival Dan Walker after a mouse invaded the Good Morning Britain studio.
The ITV presenter revealed that there had been dramatic scenes during a commercial break on Wednesday when the rodent was spotted scuttling across the studio.
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And he couldn’t resist a dig at BBC Breakfast host Dan, naming the mouse after him, before beginning to impersonate him.
“Dramatic breaking news,” Piers quipped. “There’s mouse on the studio floor. There have been shrieks and wails. There’s been a lot of drama here in the commercial break.
“It’s under one of the cameras. We just don’t know which one.”
After capturing it on camera, Piers said “Shall we call it Dan Walker?” before beginning to impersonate Dan.
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Piers Morgan and Dan Walker Shutterstock/ITV/BBC
“Oh, oh, don’t be beastly to me,” he said. “Bring me some cheese and milk.”
Weather presenter Laura Tobin also captured video footage of the rodent disappearing through the wall, saying it was on its way to This Morning’s studio next door.
The two presenters have had a long-standing – but mostly amicable – feud in the media for the last few years, which has mostly revolved around the ratings of GMB and BBC Breakfast.
However, things kicked up a notch back in May, when Dan appeared to take a shot at Piers’ approach to interviewing government ministers about the coronavirus crisis, writing: “It is possible to challenge politicians & and ask difficult questions without shouting, interrupting [and] telling everyone you’re brilliant at holding them to account.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Keir Starmer Tells Boris Johnson To 'Keep Up, Prime Minister'

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Keir Starmer accused Boris Johnson of being “behind the curve again”, after the prime minister demanded local Labour leaders put in place strict restrictions to control the spread of coronavirus.
Speaking during PMQs, Johnson told Starmer to “get on to his Labour friends in those parts of the north of England” to “put those very stringent measures in place”.
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But the Labour leader said leaders in Greater Manchester, including mayor Andy Burnham and the Conservative leader of Bolton Council David Greenhalgh, had earlier on Wednesday called for a national “circuit breaker” lockdown that went beyond what the government had called for.
“Keep up, prime minister,” Starmer said. “The prime minister is behind the curve again.”
The exchanges came after Labour shifted position and called on the government impose a two- to three-week national lockdown to try and suppress the virus.
The government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) has also said a national “circuit breaker” would be the best way to reduce the spread.
But Johnson has so far rejected calls for national measures and instead argued his new new three-tier system of local restrictions is the best way forward.
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“We don’t want to go there, we want the regional approach,” he said.
The new system sees all areas of England being put into three different categories labelled as medium, high or very high risk.
The Liverpool region is the only area to be under the toughest rules. But government health officials are expected to discuss with politicians in Greater Manchester and Lancashire whether to classify the areas as “very high”.
Burnham and council leaders across the region have said the tier three restrictions are “fundamentally flawed”.
“If the government pursues its current strategy, we believe it will leave large parts of the North of England trapped in tier three for much of the winter with all the damage that will do,” they said.
“If cases continue to rise as predicted, and the government continues to refuse to provide the substantial economic support that tier three areas will need, then a number of leaders in Greater Manchester believe a national circuit-break, with the required financial support would be a preferable option.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Elton John Hits Back At Rod Stewart As Feud Deepens: 'He's Got A F***ing Cheek'

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Elton John has hit out at Rod Stewart for “having a fucking cheek” to criticise his farewell tour, as their on-going feud deepens.
The pair fell out after Rod said that Elton’s farewell tour “stunk of selling tickets” during an appearance on a US talk show in March 2018.
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During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Rod called it “dishonest” and “not rock and roll”, adding: “I don’t think this is a big deal, it stinks of selling tickets.”
Sir Elton John and Rod Stewart pictured in 2007 Dave M. Benett via Getty Images
Elton has discussed the fallout in a new chapter of his autobiography, Me, which has been featured in The Sun.
He writes: “I certainly didn’t feel like I needed a lecture on the feral spirit of rock and roll from someone who’d spent most of the last decade crooning his way through the Great American Songbook and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.”
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He adds: “What’s more, I thought he had a fucking cheek, complaining about me promoting a tour while he was sat on a TV show promoting his own tour.”
Rod first revealed that he and Elton had fallen out over his comments in November 2018, saying they were “not talking at the moment”.
“The last time I emailed him and said, ‘I have this football pitch, would you like the boys to come up’, because they both love football. ‘You don’t have to come, [but] if they want to come up and play on this, they’re quite welcome’.”
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Rod claimed that he never received a response from Elton, which he says he’d found upsetting as they’d previously been “real close”.
The rockers had been close pals before the fallout Michael Buckner via Getty Images
According to The Sun, Rod has agreed that he was “correct, but bang out of order”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Boris Johnson Refuses To Rule Out National Circuit Breaker Lockdown

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Boris Johnson has refused to rule out a national “circuit breaker” lockdown – but insisted local restrictions “will drive down the virus”.
The prime minister defended his three-tier plan under pressure from Keir Starmer, who is now calling for a short national lockdown to “save lives, fix testing and protect the NHS”.
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Johnson described the Labour leader’s shift, announced dramatically on Tuesday night, as an “extraordinary U-turn” and defended his local plan.
At prime minister’s questions, he insisted he wanted to “try to avoid the misery of another national lockdown”.
But, after Starmer quizzed him on briefing from government sources to the Telegraph that there is an 80% of a circuit break in the next two weeks, the PM said: “I rule nothing out.”
Scotland and Northern Ireland have both recently announced circuit breaker lockdowns, with measures including banning pubs from selling alcohol indoors in Scotland, and shutting schools for a fortnight in Northern Ireland.
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The Labour leader decided to back a circuit breaker after papers published on Monday night showed that the PM rejected calls from his own Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) to impose a short two-week national shutdown on September 21.
Starmer asked why Johnson had decided to “reject that advice and abandon the science”.
Responding, the prime minister said he has been advised that a “regional approach” to tackling Covid will “bring down the virus” and stressed that Sage had also noted “associated costs in terms of health and wellbeing” and the “economic impacts” of a circuit breaker, which he had to consider when making a decision.
"Why did the prime minister reject [Sage] advice and abandon the science?" asks Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer
"The advice I have today," says Boris Johnson, "is if we do the regional approach... we can bring down the R [rate]"#PMQs https://t.co/eeTIqRwUSj pic.twitter.com/te6ziJOoWu — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) October 14, 2020
In a later exchange, Starmer said: “I think this measure is wrong and a circuit breaker is in the national interest.
“I’ve read the advice from Sage, and the government has rejected it.”
He went on: “This is my last question, I’m sure the prime minister will have a pre-prepared rant ready as usual.
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“But we are at a tipping point – time is running out.
“Maybe he can seize the moment and answer a question.
“This morning the Telegraph quotes senior government sources saying the chances of the prime minister backing a circuit break in the next two weeks are about 80%.
“Is that right?
“And if it is, why doesn’t he do it now, save lives, fix testing, and protect the NHS?”
Johnson replied: “The right honourable gentleman [Starmer] claims to be supporting the government one day and then performs a dramatic U-turn the next.”
He went on: “Everybody can see what he’s doing, Labour have said it themselves – they see this as a ‘good crisis’ for the Labour Party and one they wish to exploit.
“We see this as a national crisis that we are going to turn around.
“And the way we are going to do it – and I rule out nothing in combating the virus – but we are going to do it with the local, the regional approach, that can drive down and will drive down the virus if it is properly implemented.
“That’s what I believe he should be supporting. He said he’d support it on Monday.
“This is our opportunity to keep things going, to keep our kids in school, to keep our businesses going – that is what I think the people of this country want to do.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Little Mix Forced To Delay The Search Live Shows After Crew Test Positive For Covid-19

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Little Mix have been forced to delay the first live episode of their talent show The Search after members of the crew tested positive for Covid-19.
Six bands were due to start competing for a place on the pop group’s 2021 tour on Saturday.
However, the BBC has said that “a small number of people” working on the show have contracted the virus, prompting producers to push back the start of the live shows by a week.
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Little Mix's Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jesy Nelson and Jade Thirlwall BBC/Modest TV/Zoe McConnell
A statement from the BBC said: “We can confirm that a small number of people on the Little Mix The Search production have tested positive for coronavirus and they are now self-isolating following the latest Government guidelines.
“Due to the format of the show we have made the decision to postpone Saturday’s programme.
“There are rigorous protocols in place to manage Covid-19 as the safety of all those involved in the production is paramount.”
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It is hoped the show will be able to resume on Saturday 24 October – the same night as the first Strictly Come Dancing live show.
Little Mix The Search has been airing pre-recorded audition shows over the last few weeks, which were originally scheduled for earlier in the year, but were pushed back due to the pandemic.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--A Circuit Breaker Could Save Thousands Of Lives. Here's What Stands In The Way.

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News of a circuit breaker lockdown has been bubbling for almost a month now – but we’re still none-the-wiser as to if, and when, it will happen in England.
Scotland has already implemented a watered down version of the lockdown, which came into force on October 9 and will last until October 26. In some parts of the country, licensed premises serving food and drink must remain closed for the 16-day period, while in other parts, operating hours are reduced.
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Northern Ireland has imposed a four-week lockdown, where schools will shut for two weeks – but pubs and restaurants will stay open for takeaways. And Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford said he, too, is considering a “short, sharp intervention” – but the practicalities need to be determined.
Minutes from a Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) meeting show scientists asked for a circuit breaker lockdown to come into effect immediately on September 21. Keir Starmer, the Labour party leader, has since called for an urgent circuit breaker to prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed.
The public seems keen for stricter measures. More than half (54%) of people surveyed by YouGov on Tuesday felt the government should have introduced a national lockdown in September – 28% of the 4,222 adults polled disagreed.
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What is a circuit breaker and how would it work?
Professor Mark Woolhouse, an expert in infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh, said the aim is to use additional social distancing measures to reduce the R number well below one for a short period – in this case, two or three weeks.
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Sage suggested on September 21 implementing such a break in transmission should act to reduce the R rate below 1. The UK has around 14,000 cases a day right now, with hospitalisations and deaths also rising – albeit more steadily.
A modelling study, which looked at the effects of two weeks of strict interventions from October 24 to November 7, suggests thousands of deaths could be avoided if a two-week lockdown were imposed – and up to 107,000 deaths could be avoided by January, the Financial Times reported. However, this was a figure comparing such an intervention to no government interventions at all.
The idea is that a short lockdown could be used again during the Christmas break and half-term holidays going forward to make a dent in transmission.
“Over a fortnight’s ‘break’, two weeks of growth could be exchanged for two weeks of decay in transmission, assuming good adherence to measures, and no additional increase in contacts before or after the break,” reads Sage’s document from September.
It suggests if the circuit breaker was as strict and well-adhered to as the restrictions in late May, it could put the epidemic back by roughly 28 days. “The amount of ‘time gained’ is highly dependent on how quickly the epidemic is growing – the faster the growth or stricter the measures introduced, the more time gained,” reads the document.
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Sage members also suggested other measures should be put in force, such as: different households being banned from mixing indoors in homes; closing bars, restaurants, cafes, indoors gyms and personal services like hairdressers; and moving university and college teaching online.
Alistair Berg via Getty Images
What does it hope to achieve?
The aim is to stop cases from spreading as fast, so services like the NHS can keep on top of demand and don’t become overwhelmed – especially as we head into winter. Putting such measures in place could also reduce illness from other respiratory issues, like flu.
A circuit breaker could also buy some time for the track and trace system to improve. Sage analysed the test, trace and isolate system, stating it had a “marginal” impact on transmission. Just last week the so-called NHS Test and Trace service reported its worst-ever figures, with just 68.8% of cases in England being reached and told to self-isolate.
Prof James Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, says it’s “reassuring Sage are clear-eyed about this and not misleading themselves about the effectiveness of the current system as a means to control viral spread”. The longer we delay a lockdown, the longer the actual period of lockdown will likely have to be in order to make a dent in transmission, he adds.
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What are the downsides?
A lockdown would raise concerns for people’s jobs and the economy, as well as the public who would be unable to see loved ones again. Professor Keith Neal, professor of the Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, University of Nottingham, points out that large numbers of people – both old and young – have suffered “serious mental health issues” by not being able to meet up with others.
“This degree of isolation is not allowed in prisons under human rights legislation,” he says. “What is needed is for people to reduce the number of people they meet, and these are the same people rather than different people.”
“A two-week national lockdown would have an impact, but it would probably be a short-term impact.” - Professor David Hunter, an expert in epidemiology and medicine in the Nuffield Department of Population Health at University of Oxford
There’s also concern about the long-term impact of a short lockdown. “Whilst there is no doubt that should one [a circuit breaker lockdown] be implemented, it will have an impact, its longer-term value is much less clear,” says Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in medicine at the University of East Anglia.
“A short one- or two-week circuit breaker may delay any subsequent peak but would it be sufficient to suppress the eventual size of the peak?” There’s not really much information or evidence shared in the Sage document to suggest this intervention would work, he adds.
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When the idea of a circuit breaker was first floated, Professor David Hunter, an expert in epidemiology and medicine in the Nuffield Department of Population Health at University of Oxford, told HuffPost UK he was sceptical of how much impact such a move would have. “A two-week national lockdown would have an impact, but it would probably be a short-term impact to delay or flatten the exponential increase in cases which will then have a knock-on effect to hospitalisations and deaths,” he said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Tired Mike Tyson Explains Groggy Good Morning Britain Interview

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Mike Tyson has explained his groggy appearance on Tuesday’s Good Morning Britain, assuring fans he is fine.
The boxing star left some viewers of the ITV breakfast show concerned after he was interviewed by Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, and appeared to have a problem with his speech.
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However, Mike revealed he was simply tired after falling asleep while trying to stay up for the chat, which took place very late at night for the US-based star.
Mike Tyson appeared on Tuesday's Good Morning Britain ITV
Taking to Twitter, he said: “Hey mate @piersmorgan @GMB @susannareid100 and UK. I tried to stay up late for interview but fell asleep and like a lion I’m hard to wake once asleep. Training hard and going to bed early.
“I had no monitor so I couldn’t see you guys and forgot to look into camera.”
Hey mate @piersmorgan @GMB @susannareid100 and UK. I tried to stay up late for interview but fell asleep and like a lion I'm hard to wake once asleep. Training hard and going to bed early. I had no monitor so I couldn't see you guys and forgot to look into camera.
￼ — Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) October 13, 2020
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Piers quickly replied to his tweet, writing: “No problem, Champ. We could see you were a bit weary! It was very late in LA.
“Appreciate this message as some viewers were concerned.”
No problem, Champ.
We could see you were a bit weary! It was very late in LA.
Appreciate this message as some viewers were concerned. https://t.co/meZFJrYeFX — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) October 13, 2020
Mike appeared on the show to discuss his decision to come out of retirement for a fight with Roy Jones Junior.
He said: “I just want to do this, I plan on doing this for a charity exponent and I think I am capable of doing that, and that’s what I want to do.”
Piers asked: “How do you feel, are you in the kind of nick you were in 15 years ago?”
Mike replied: “Pretty much, I am just ready to do this, I feel really good, I am ready to do this.”
Their hotly anticipated comeback exhibition match takes place in California on 28 November.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Health Minister Nadine Dorries Falsely Claims 'There Is No Such Thing As Herd Immunity'

PA
A Tory health minister partially responsible for the government’s response to the coronavirus epidemic has falsely claimed “there is no such thing as herd immunity”.
Nadine Dorries also said evidence for her statement lies in the fact that “measles and chicken pox” have not been wiped out.
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Both statements are false.
If herd immunity existed, measles and chicken pox would have been wiped out years ago. There is no such thing as herd immunity. https://t.co/THC1DC1mJa — Nadine Dorries 🇬🇧#StayAlert (@NadineDorries) October 13, 2020
Herd immunity does not require the absolute eradication of a disease but occurs when a large enough percentage of a population becomes immune so that it doesn’t spread exponentially.
For instance, if 80% of a population have immunity to a virus, four out of every five people who come into contact with someone with the virus will not get sick and further spread the disease.
Herd immunity is achieved either through vaccination or exposing enough of a population to the virus in question. It is supported by decades of scientific research.
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Secondly, new cases of measles and chicken pox still occur because people are not born with immunity to them, thus the disease is impossible to eradicate entirely but prevalence diminishes gradually over time.
Nadine, actual doctor here 👋
Measles needs to have a vaccination uptake of 93% or greater for the possibility of herd immunity to kick in, and we've never been close.
Also, fun fact: measles vaccinations have saved over 21 million lives worldwide in the last 20 years. — Dr Meenal Viz (@meenalsworld) October 13, 2020
Dorries was roundly slammed on social media with many expressing disbelief that a health minister could get something so wrong.
If I was a Minister of State assigned a health portfolio, I would simply learn the first damn thing about the subject before tweeting. https://t.co/JqpCXXDZ0H — Andrew Mueller (@andrew_mueller) October 14, 2020
OMG.... @MattHancock @NadineDorries now deny herd immunity exists despite it being initial policy of their Govt scientists in March, despite thousands nest medical experts across globe. Staggering. It’s about reducing spread, reducing reinfection, not eradication. https://t.co/MA3kRCxFtt — Richard Tice (@TiceRichard) October 14, 2020
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this would be an excellent point if – and it's a tiny detail – there weren't new, small humans with no immunity being produced constantly https://t.co/gKKXVEs1kc — Tom Chivers (@TomChivers) October 14, 2020
Dorries is also a former nurse and tested positive for coronavirus in March.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Kamala Harris Grills Supreme Court Nominee

Kamala Harris Grills Supreme Court Nominee
Vice president nominee Kamala Harris took part in the Senate hearings of Amy Coney Barrett, rebuking Republican efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and abortion access.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Northern Ireland Joins Scotland In Imposing 'Circuit Breaker' Lockdown

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Pubs and restaurants in Northern Ireland will close to the public for four weeks as part of a month-long “circuit breaker” lockdown, first minister Arlene Foster has announced.
Schools will also shut for two weeks, extending the half-term Halloween break by a week in a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus.
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People walking along Ferryquay Street in Derry Liam McBurney - PA Images via Getty Images
Pubs and restaurants will be allowed to stay open for takeaways.
The measures do not amount to a full-scale lockdown like that imposed during the first wave of the virus, but they mark a significant ramping up of the administration’s response to spiralling infection rates.
Shops will stay open, as will gyms for individual training.
Churches will also remain open. It is understood a 25-person limit will be placed on funerals and weddings, but wedding receptions are prohibited.
People should work from home unless unable to do so, and are urged not to take unnecessary journeys.
Indoor sporting activities are not allowed and outdoor contact sports will be limited to elite athletes.
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Off-licences will be required to shut at 8pm.
Foster announced the restrictions at a special sitting of the Assembly on Wednesday.
She said the rising Covid-19 figures in Northern Ireland were of “grave concern”.
“We fully appreciate that this will be difficult and worrying news for a lot of people,” she told MLAs.
“The executive has taken this decision because it is necessary, and we discussed the impacts in great detail. We do not take this step lightly.”
Foster said the executive hoped the restrictions would have two impacts.
“First, on the Covid transmission rates, which must be turned down now, or we will be in a very difficult place very soon indeed,” she said.
“Second, we believe it marks a point where everyone, each and every one of us, can take stock and go back to the social distancing messaging. That is vitally important.”
The restrictions were agreed after a stop-start meeting of the Stormont executive that extended past midnight and into Wednesday morning.
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Foster insisted the restrictions would not last any longer than four weeks.
The current restrictions on household mixing are to remain. That means no mixing of households in private dwellings, with exceptions including those joined in social bubbles, and gatherings in the gardens of private dwellings limited to six people from no more than two households.
The majority of the measures will come into force on Friday.
A further seven deaths with Covid-19 and another 863 cases were reported by the nation’s Department of Health on Tuesday.
Some 6,286 new positive cases of the virus have been detected in the last seven days, bringing the total number of cases in the region to 21,898.
As of Tuesday, there were 150 patients in hospitals with Covid-19, including 23 in intensive care.
The Derry and Strabane Council area has been experiencing the highest infection rate in the UK and Ireland, with a seven-day average of 970 cases per 100,000 people.
The area is already subject to additional localised restrictions.
Louise Haigh MP, Labour’s shadow Northern Ireland secretary said: “The executive have taken decisive action to halt the frightening rise in cases in Northern Ireland.
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“The prime minister now needs to honour the promise he made to communities across Northern Ireland, and urgently deliver the financial support he pledged. Businesses and workers must not lose out because of the sacrifices we all need to make to get this virus back under control, and protect our NHS.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Gemma Collins' Hilarious Encounter With A Polar Bear Is Giving Us I'm A Celebrity Deja Vu

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Gemma Collins’ stint in the I’m A Celebrity jungle might have been short, but it is the stuff of TV legend.
So we were delighted to see a throwback to her time in the Australian outback as she debuted the latest series of her reality show on Tuesday night.
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In ITVBe’s Diva Forever And Ever, The GC was up to her old tricks as she headed to a safari park in an effort to become “the next David Attenborough” (her words, not ours).
However, Gemma’s ambitions of becoming a conservationist hit somewhat of a stumbling block when she got freaked out during an encounter with a polar bear.
She had been invited to help feed the arctic creature after it was guided into a safe, caged environment.
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But having previously had a phone call with her mum Joan, who warned her that a polar bear could rip her head off, Gemma could not stop thinking about her words and made a bolt for it.
Running away, she stopped short of saying the full famous “I’m a celebrity, get me out of here,” phrase but said: “Thanks for the opportunity, but sorry I’m a bit scared. I need to see... Can you get me out of here?”
With the gate securely bolted, Gemma attempted to scale the fence.
Realising that wasn’t a good idea, she said: “Alright, get me out. Sorry I’m getting a bit panicky.”
But while Gemma’s hands-on approach to her animal work didn’t quite go to plan, she made up for it by sponsoring a polar bear – something she couldn’t wait to inform her crush about during a ridiculous phone call.
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While Gemma’s fear of animals doesn’t seem to have improved since her days in the I’m A Celebrity camp, she seemed to be more at home in a helicopter this time around.
The GC was seen travelling in style to the safari park and was much calmer during the flight than the last time she was in a chopper on national television...


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Why Masks Are Unlikely To Be Made Mandatory Outdoors In The UK

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Mask-wearing is now mandatory indoors and outdoors in Italy, which begs the question: should the UK follow suit?
A recent document shared by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), which advises the government on pandemic measures, suggested making mask-wearing mandatory outdoors would have a “very low” impact on transmission of the virus in the community.
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It pointed out there are “low transmission rates outdoors and [the] most risky contacts are made indoors”.
That said, scientists acknowledged that implementing such a measure “may have a small impact for those people who have to come into close contact with others”. But on the whole, it’s not enough to warrant a change in Covid-19 rules.
Dr David Strain, a clinical academic at the University of Exeter Medical School, believes we should be wearing masks outdoors. He says we know with influenza (flu), the virus is more stable in cold, dry conditions, and low humidity means it can hang in the air for longer than normal. It’s therefore a possibility that Covid-19 might follow suit.
Some studies have found the virus that causes Covid-19 can remain infectious in the air for more than three hours. Ventilation is key to dispersing airborne droplets, which is why outdoor transmission is thought to be less of a risk.
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Recent recommendations from the British Medical Association (BMA), however, called for mandatory mask-wearing in all outdoor settings where two-metre social distancing is not possible.
“The bottom line is that the current plan of the rule of six and mask-wearing indoors in some places isn’t working,” says Dr Strain. “So it’s [about] trying to do absolutely anything that prevents us from ending up in another lockdown with school closures and the devastating consequences of that.”
Dr Strain doesn’t think people should wear face masks in their own gardens or to walk the dog, but rather, in places where we interact socially with others – outside a pub or walking between shops, for example.
There are two main benefits, he says. The first is we’re keeping our droplets to ourselves when we do interact with others, so we’re not endangering them. The second is that putting our mask on and off repeatedly when we’re going into shops, or in and out of beer gardens, could risk us moving virus from our masks onto our hands, and then onto surfaces which other people might touch.
Obviously there are caveats to outdoor mask-wearing, as rainy, damp weather can compromise their effectiveness.
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LEREXIS via Getty Images
Julii Brainard, a researcher at Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, suggests there isn’t any “emerging and robust evidence” that wearing face covers outdoors would make a noticeable difference to transmission of the virus. That said, she recognises the benefits of it.
“It could be that making face cover-wearing more conventional everywhere will ensure people don’t forget to mask up when they pop indoors and remind us all to be constantly careful,” she says.
People who want to wear masks when outdoors should continue to do so if it makes them feel comfortable, but it’s highly unlikely we’ll see a shift in government guidance on the issue – as SAGE said: “It is critical that recommendations are seen to be based on the science and proportionate otherwise the legitimacy of mask-wearing overall will be compromised.
“Given that the evidence suggests outdoor spread to be very limited, this may be seen as an excessive measure.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--'We've Got Someone Who Obviously Got An Education In America': New Zealand Deputy PM Roasts Covid De

'We've Got Someone Who Obviously Got An Education In America': New Zealand Deputy PM Roasts Covid Denier

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New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters swiftly shut down a man asking him whether Covid-19 was a real threat during a campaign event in Tauranga on Tuesday.
The questioner began making a lengthy speech related to Covid-19 during a New Zealand First rally organized by Peters, who is the head of the political party and acts as deputy prime minister via a coalition government with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Party.
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“Where’s your evidence that there is a virus that causes the disease?” the man asked after Peters told him to get to the point.
“We’ve got someone who obviously got an education in America,” Peters said. “220,000 people have died in the United States. There are 8 million cases today. We’ve got 79,000 cases probably today in India, and here is somebody who gets up and says, ‘The Earth is flat.’ Sorry, sunshine, wrong place.”
When the man attempted to respond, Peters told him to be silent.
“Quiet, we have manners at our meetings as well,” the deputy prime minister said.
Aside from the questioner’s North American accent, there is no indication that they received their education in America. According to local media, the man had been questioning New Zealand First’s vote for the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act, which was legislation passed in May outlining a framework for local politicians and law enforcement to combat the coronavirus over the next two years.
The act has received criticism for restricting civil liberties, including enabling police to potentially enter premises without a warrant in order to ensure that lockdown restrictions are being followed.
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As of Tuesday, New Zealand has faced a total of 1,872 confirmed and probable Covid-19 cases. The United States, in contrast, has had over 7.7 million cases.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--These Wildlife Photographer Of The Year Pics Are Just What We Needed

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While 2020 has been defined by the pandemic for us humans, the animal kingdom has been gloriously oblivious.
This year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition has highlighted that it’s business as usual for the natural world, with a hungry fox and a zen-like proboscis monkey among the striking images captured on camera.
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The Duchess of Cambridge, patron of the Natural History Museum and a keen photographer herself, announced the winner in the London tourist attraction’s famous Hintze Hall.
Russian photographer Sergey Gorshkov scooped the coveted top prize with his image The Embrace, showing a Siberian tiger hugging a fir tree. Here are some of the other category-winning images:
(Sergey Gorshkov/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA) (Sergey Gorshkov/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA)
Mogens Trolle/Wildlife Photographer Of the Year/PA Mogens Trolle/Wildlife Photographer Of the Year 2020 /PA
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(Andres Luis Dominguez Blanco/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA) (Andres Luis Dominguez Blanco/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA)
(Alberto Fantoni/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA) (Alberto Fantoni/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA)
(Luciano Gaudenzio/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA) (Luciano Gaudenzio/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA)
(Jaime Culebras/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA) (Jaime Culebras/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA)
(Jose Luis Ruiz/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA) (Jose Luis Ruiz/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA)
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(Frank Deschandol/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA) (Frank Deschandol/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA)
(Liina Heikkinen/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA) (Liina Heikkinen/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA)
(Songda Cai/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA) (Songda Cai/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA)
(Shanyuan Li/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA) (Shanyuan Li/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA)
(Ripan Biswas/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA) (Ripan Biswas/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA)
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(Sam Sloss/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA) (Sam Sloss/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA)
(Gabriel Eisenband/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA) (Gabriel Eisenband/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020/PA)


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--All The Things The Government Has Failed To Get Ready For Brexit So Far

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A senior Tory minister caused outrage on Tuesday by claiming businesses have their “heads in the sand” about preparing for the end of the Brexit transition period.
Lord Agnew’s comments were seen as the latest in a string of attempts by ministers to blame anyone but themselves for failings.
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Experts do not doubt that businesses are not ready for the transition to end on December 31, with government statistics showing just 24% are prepared and Michael Gove warning of lorry queues 7,000-deep in Kent.
But they also believe it is “unfair” to blame firms as they grapple with coronavirus and are focused on surviving the winter rather than spending cash on things like customs agents.
Meanwhile, the government has refused to extend the transition period despite the pandemic, meaning the UK has to prepare for a raft of new trade and border checks and requirements.
And it looks set to miss Boris Johnson’s own October 15 deadline for securing an outline trade deal - and therefore clarity on the actual rules firms will face.
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Moreover ,the prime minister is trying to sell Brexit as a huge opportunity while simultaneously warning businesses they face a “nightmare” mountain of red tape.
There are also several areas where the government itself is not yet prepared, leaving businesses with many questions about what they actually need to do.
With the help of the Institute for Government (IfG), here we set out how ministers, like businesses, are not yet ready for Brexit either:
Crying wolf
This is not the first time businesses have been asked to prepare for a Brexit which could end in mountains of red tape and border chaos.
They have of course been here before, when the UK was scheduled to leave on March 29 and October 31 2019.
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Both times, the government ended up extending the deadline before finally leaving on January 31, which left many firms out of pocket after spending money on Brexit preparations like warehouse storage for stockpiles which ended up being useless.
Boris Johnson during the December election campaign BEN STANSALL via Getty Images
According to government stats, the experience has left 43% of businesses thinking the government will simply extend the deadline again - this time for the end of the transition - despite clear commitments not to.
Anand Menon, director of UK In a Changing EU, said: “There is a eral case of the boy who cried wolf about this.
“And we often forget that the boy gets eaten in the end.”
No trade deal, yet
Perhaps the biggest obstacle to businesses getting prepared is that they simply do not know the full terms they will be trading under come January 1.
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The government is right to say that many preparations will be so-called “no regrets” actions that will apply whether there is a deal or not, because the UK is leaving the EU single market and customs union and new checks and requirements will apply whatever the deal is, or isn’t.
But there are many fiendishly complicated outstanding issues to be resolved by the trade talks - including whether firms will need to prove the origin of products they are exporting to the EU, how data law applies, what rules apply to financial services and whether visas will be needed for short-term work.
Yet talks are widely expected to drag beyond the October 15 deadline Johnson set precisely to allow time for businesses to prepare.
Chief negotiators David Frost (UK, left) and Michel Barnier (EU, right) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Border infrastructure
The most obvious physical manifestation of Brexit preparations are the 10 lorry parks the government is having to build around the country to create space for HGVs in case they get backed up on roads due to delays at border ports.
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We have already seen coronavirus test centres closed to make way for lorry parks, and there are still plenty to be built.
Five sites are needed by January, and all are under construction, according to the IfG.
Meanwhile, there are also likely to be checks on trade between the UK mainland and Northern Ireland (more on this later), but senior official Denis McMahon told the NI Assembly last month that expanded facilities for checks on agri-food will not be ready in time.
Queues at Dover ASSOCIATED PRESS
Northern Ireland
There is huge uncertainty about the requirements on businesses trading between Northern Ireland and the UK mainland.
The issues were meant to have been sorted in the withdrawal agreement (WA) Johnson signed with the EU earlier this year.
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But many have not been clarified despite months of negotiation in the so-called UK-EU joint committee that was supposed to iron out the details.
It’s been further complicated by the prime minister introducing his law-breaking Internal Market Bill, which would give UK ministers the power to renege on key aspects of the WA on trade with Northern Ireland.
"Yes, this [new legislation] does break international law in a very specific and limited way," says Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis
On Wednesday, the government will publish new legislation on customs rules in Northern Irelandhttps://t.co/bvsv5puvij pic.twitter.com/O2j5w3fcdI — BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) September 8, 2020
The government has also launched a trade support service to help businesses trading across the Irish Sea with customs declarations and other paperwork, but the contract has only just been awarded and it is not clear the customs sector has capacity to be ready in time.
Businesses will also need to comply with regulations around agri-food, but the system has not been set up, according to the IfG.
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Personnel
A total of 50,000 customs agents are thought to be required to help businesses process all the new paperwork required because the UK is leaving the customs union.
But trade bodies like the Road Haulage Association have expressed deep concerns that nowhere near enough will be recruited and trained in time for January 1.
This is because the demand for, and therefore supply of customs agents has been low in the UK since it joined the European single market in 1975 and trade with the continent became largely seamless.
IT
Governments over many years have struggled with IT, and many systems are not yet ready for January 1 - just over two months away.
Firstly, there is the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) customs IT system, which will allow businesses to log customs declarations before moving goods to Northern Ireland from January.
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There is said to be confidence that the system will be ready although testing only began last month, with plenty still to complete.
A big step up in capacity will also be required for it to be used in trade with the EU, envisaged from next July.
Meanwhile the government’s smart freight system has been spectacularly rebranded: Check an HGV is Ready to Cross the Border Service.
The government is said to be confident that it will be ready in time, but the issue is that traders need time to learn how to use it and iron out any kinks.
So are businesses to blame for a lack of preparedness?
The IfG’s Maddy Thimont Jack believes the government is right to recognise business preparedness as one of the biggest problems leading up to January 1.
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But she questions whether ministers’ expectations are fair when many companies are focused on surviving the winter in the face of increasingly harsh Covid restrictions, and when the government has much to do itself.
Thimont Jack told HuffPost UK: “Information on what businesses need to do has been late coming – the government has only just published an updated border operating model and it still needs to test systems.
“Some details are still wrapped up in the negotiations, for example on rules of origin.
“But even where information is available, it is unfair to say that businesses have had their head in the sand.
“Like government, they have been grappling with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic – most businesses just don’t have the cashflow or bandwidth to prepare.”
Brexit expert Jill Rutter believes the government has created a fundamental problem for itself: trying to sell the benefits of Brexit while warning businesses of a mountain of red tape to come.
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‘Check, change, go’ sounds like what we have to do with our daughter now she’s not wearing nappies anymore. pic.twitter.com/sAJiiMd8HM — Tiernan Douieb (@TiernanDouieb) July 13, 2020
She likens it to ministers “trying to present doing your tax return as the opportunity of a lifetime”.
Rutter, senior research fellow at UK In A Changing Europe, said: “The advertising campaign made it sound as if Britain’s new start was the best thing ever, that was the message you were putting out all summer.
“It was “check, change, go” - all these people staring into the middle distance at all these great opportunities - where is that giving the message about what a nightmare businesses are about to encounter.
“This has been the government’s problem all along - the big hgh level political message, which is that Brexit is worth it, it’s great, it opens all sorts of new opportunities, is completely incompatible with the message which should be ‘even if we get a deal you’re not going to believe the amount of red tape we’re about to dump on your guys’.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Alison Hammond And Amanda Holden Are Joining Forces On A New BBC Show, So Laughs Are Guaranteed

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Alison Hammond and Amanda Holden are two of the most joyful people on television, so we can’t believe it has taken until now for TV bosses to team them up.
However, we’re pleased to report the pair are forming a dream team on the panel of new BBC show I Can See Your Face.
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The musical game show will see contestants compete for a cash prize by guessing who can and cannot sing from a group of strangers standing before them.
Alison Hammond and Amanda Holden Shutterstock/ITV
Jimmy Carr will sit alongside Alison and Amanda on the panel, who will help the players along the way and will be joined each week by a different pop star.
As the singers and imposters take part in a round of lip-sync challenges, they will be offering clues to the celebrity panel who will help the players whittle down the group until there is only one singer left.
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The chosen one will then perform a duet with the pop star to reveal whether they can or can’t sing. If the players have picked a good singer then they will take the prize, but if a bad singer is revealed, the imposter will pocket the cash.
Alison said: “I Can See Your Voice is going to be great fun and I am thrilled to be taking part.
“I’m a good judge of character and reckon I’ll be able to spot who can sing or not straight away, so the players are in good hands if they hope to win that cash prize!”
Jimmy Carr and Paddy McGuinness Shutterstock
Amanda, who is already a judge on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent, said: “I’ve seen first-hand over my many years as a judge how acts can shock you with an incredible voice.
“With my experience on stage, television and radio I think I have one of the best pair of eyes in the business for spotting talent so the masqueraders will really have to up their game to fool me!”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Donald Trump Is Literally Begging People To Vote For Him

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Polls show Donald Trump’s support in America’s suburbs has plunged, especially among women.
So on Tuesday night, he launched a desperate appeal to those voters during a campaign event in Pennsylvania.
“Suburban women, would you please like me? Please. Please,” he said. “I saved your damn neighbourhood, OK?”
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Trump bragged that he made it more difficult to build low-income housing in the suburbs.
“I ended the regulation that destroyed your neighbourhood. I ended the regulation that brought crime to the suburbs,” he declared on Tuesday. “And you’re going to live the American dream, and that’s what you’re going to do.”
Critics have decried Trump’s constant claims of “saving” the suburbs as little more than a dog whistle vow to keep people of colour out of those neighbourhoods.
“Oh, my. I mean, it’s not even a dog whistle anymore,” Senator Chris Murphy said on Twitter over the summer when Trump made a similar claim. “Our president is now a proud, vocal segregationist.”
Trump on Tuesday also claimed he won 52% of the women’s vote in the 2016 election. He won 52% of white women.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Great British Bake Off Fans Are Absolutely Distraught At The Latest Result

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Warning! This article contains spoilers about the latest episode of The Great British Bake Off.
Great British Bake Off viewers have been left devastated after a fan favourite was axed from the tent on Tuesday night.
Chocolate Week saw Sura sent home after serving up a raw cake to judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.
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The 31-year-old pharmacy dispenser from London failed to impress over the three challenges, producing some less-than-perfect chocolate brownies in the Signature, struggling with her babka in the Technical, and underbaking her white chocolate cake in the Showstopper.
Sura became the fourth person to leave The Great British Bake Off this year Channel 4
After exiting the competition, Sura said: “I’m gutted but what’s done is done.
“I’m not going to be bitter about it, I have had a great time.”
She added: “I hate white chocolate, I hate chocolate end of. I don’t think I will ever eat chocolate again.”
There was an outpouring of support for Sura on social media after her exit, having won the hearts of fans with her comic timing and facial expressions, as well as her previous bakes, which had marked her out as an early favourite.
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I would have eaten the entirety of Sura’s raw cake to keep her on Bake off tbh #GBBO — Umayyah Zaman (@Umayyah21) October 13, 2020
Seeing sura leave bake off😭 pic.twitter.com/1BJf1mwQMt — Imaan (@Maani_x_) October 13, 2020
I think @BritishBakeOff should do an 'All Stars' series like Drag Race, so Sura can come back and redeem herself. I thought she was going to win! #BakeOff #GBBO pic.twitter.com/DNmpHt9DLO — James Nelson (@spamsnob) October 13, 2020
SURA IS LEAVING THE BAKEOFF? 😭 IM HEARTBROKEN — call me gay 💄🏳🌈 (@dannnnnae) October 14, 2020
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Oh my god. Devastated.
Can Bake Off not bring Sura back as a wildcard later in the series??#BakeOff — Lucy Mapstone (@LucyMaps) October 13, 2020
It's going to take a while for me to get over Sura leaving bake off. I thank you for your patience in this time. — Neil "phoning a stranger" Harris (@neildownstandup) October 13, 2020
Never cried over bake off, am now 💔 Sura!!! No 😥 #GBBO — Soopergirl (@soopergirl) October 13, 2020
seeing a middle eastern person on screen is rare. everytime there is someone i feel represented and seen. i cant believe sura has gone so early but she left an impact on me and i am sure she will go far. she’s so cute and funny i will miss her so much. #GBBO pic.twitter.com/1QxJs6aWyQ — justice for sura (@sunfIowerbob) October 13, 2020
Devastated Sura is gone. I loved her! What a great baker. We’ll always have her amazing facial expressions 👸 #GBBO pic.twitter.com/oqE04Ts2TF — Abigail ✨ (@AbbyisBlabby) October 13, 2020
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i can't believe chocolate took sura away from us #gbbo pic.twitter.com/OM5Nkudfwu — Alex (@alexevans_14) October 13, 2020
Really liked Sura, loved her humour too. Gutted to see her go. Think that’s enough emotion for me for one day! #GBBO — Sher (@sherhshaw) October 13, 2020
Sura is my fave and she’s gonna be going home 💔 #GBBO pic.twitter.com/0h2IJCyDGz — Lizzy 🌹 (@Lizzyharveyx) October 13, 2020
I'm sad to see Sura go. She's been phenomenal the whole series and had one bad week, when everyone else did too.
By comparison Lottie has been middle of the road the whole series and also had a bad week.
Seems like they traded a good baker for a mediocre one 🤔#GBBO — Lola (@ladyofthehous3) October 13, 2020
Sura was the best thing about Bake Off ffs #GBBO pic.twitter.com/CCXnCDjhih — lilyilly (@lilyforel) October 13, 2020
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Lottie, 31, a pantomime producer from West Sussex, narrowly avoided being axed from the competition, while project manager Mark, 32, was named star baker.
Next week will see the eight remaining bakers tackle Pastry Week, and from the look of the trailer at the end of Tuesday night’s episode, there looks set to be a number of disasters.
In the meantime, you can relive all of Sura’s best bits in a video the official Bake Off Twitter account tweeted below...
From cat-walking to saving David Attenborough - what a great impression Sura’s made over the last month of Bake Off. Here are her best bits… #GBBO pic.twitter.com/yokE0Y1L1n — British Bake Off (@BritishBakeOff) October 13, 2020
The Great British Bake Off continues on Tuesday at 8pm on Channel 4.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Boris Johnson Doesn't Want A Circuit Breaker Lockdown. Here Are All The People Who Do

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Downing Street has not ruled out a two-week national “circuit breaker” lockdown to tackle the resurgence of coronavirus, but it’s clear Boris Johnson does not want to do it.
On Monday the prime minister laid out plans for his alternative, the three-tier Covid alert level system, which comes into force on Wednesday.
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But he is under increasing pressure to impose the lockdown from scientists, politicians, and the public.
Here are all the people who have called for one:
Sage scientists
It emerged on Monday that the prime minister had dismissed a recommendation for a “circuit breaker” by members of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) three weeks ago, in favour of the less drastic three-tier system.
Scientists say the short-term national lockdown could save thousands of lives by the end of the year.
A paper by Sage reportedly calculates that more than 7,000 lives could be saved if schools are closed and people are ordered to stay at home from October 24 for two weeks. The Times said the modelling suggested that coronavirus deaths for the rest of the year could be reduced from 19,900 to 12,100, with hospital admissions cut from 132,400 to 66,500.
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If schools and shops remained open, the death toll could be cut to 15,600, it reported.
The paper, due to be published on Wednesday, is authored by Professor Graham Medley and other members of the Government’s Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling – known as SPI-M.
They are said to note that there are “no good epidemiological reasons to delay the break”.
Keir Starmer
House of Commons - PA Images via Getty Images
Labour leader Keir Starmer on Tuesday demanded a two- to three-week national lockdown be implemented over the October half term to prevent a “sleepwalk into a long and bleak winter”.
Starmer told reporters on Tuesday: “There’s no longer time to give the prime minister the benefit of the doubt. The government’s plan simply isn’t working. Another course is needed.”
He said schools must stay open but that all pubs, bars and restaurants should be closed during the circuit breaker, while firms are compensated so “no business loses out” in order to “break the cycle” of infection.
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“If we don’t, we could sleepwalk into a long and bleak winter. That choice is now for the prime minister to make. I urge him to do so,” Starmer said.
Sadiq Khan
PA
London mayor Sadiq Khan has also urged the government to put the UK into a two-week circuit breaker lockdown.
Khan anticipates that Londoners will face new restrictions in a matter of days as the capital approaches the tipping point of 100 cases per 100,000 people.
“I’m afraid all the indicators are heading in the wrong direction. What we don’t want is to delay steps that will reduce the spread of the virus,” said Sadiq Khan.
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“My assessment based upon the data I have is we’ll be moving to the next level over the course of the next few days.
“Because I’m keen for us to avoid having to have these restrictions for four, five, six months and having read the advice from Sage, I think there’s a virtue in the government following the advice from Sage and having a national circuit breaker for two or so weeks beginning next week.”
He’s not the only mayor to call for a circuit breaker, either. Greater Manchester’s Andy Burnham, Sheffield city mayor and MP Dan Jarvis and Jamie Driscoll, mayor of the North of Tyne, have all expressed support for circuit breakers providing they come with additional funding.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey
PA
The Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey has echoed Labour’s call for a circuit breaker.
He said that the government needs to “go further” in its measures to fight the virus.
“The Liberal Democrats absolutely back the case for a short circuit breaker,” he told Sky News on Tuesday. “That’s the only way I think we can protect people’s lives and livelihoods and get this virus back under control before Christmas.
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“Yes there’s real problems for businesses – but if we don’t get this virus back under control, these problems are going to be far worse. It’s going to be far harsher in the end.”
The public
More than half (54%) of people surveyed by YouGov on Tuesday felt the government should have introduced a national lockdown in September, while 28% of the 4,222 adults polled disagreed.
Scotland and Wales... sort of
Nicola Sturgeon imposed a watered-down circuit breaker lockdown in Scotland last week.
Pointing to guidance published by Sage on Monday night, which showed advisers saying that a short lockdown should be brought in to stem the spread of the virus, the first minister said: “We’re trying to strike a careful balance but also to make sure that we are doing what is needed to protect the NHS and save lives.”
Last week, the first minister announced strict measures on hospitality businesses, particularly in the central belt of the country, for just over two weeks, to reduce the number of places where people are meeting and therefore reduce the spread of the virus.
Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford told Times Radio he too was considering a “short, sharp intervention” – but that there remained “some very practical things that we’ve all got to think about”.
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Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, a circuit breaker lockdown was announced on Wednesday.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Adverts For ‘Misleading’ Covid-19 Antibody Tests Banned

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Two clinics have had adverts which claimed their Covid-19 antibody tests could show whether a person had developed immunity to the virus banned.
A paid-for Facebook ad for Corona Test Centre London, a test provider owned by XMedical Ltd, and a private health clinic in Solihull were both told not to run the ads any longer by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
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The paid-for advert featured an image of several socially-distanced people wearing overalls and face masks with the message “We are on a mission to safely get you back to your friends and back to work”.
Meanwhile, a page on its website, as seen in May this year, included the claim that “antibody testing will tell you if you’ve had the virus and developed an immune response”.
XMedical Ltd removed the ad from Facebook, Instagram and Google but argued its website was not an ad “because it was their home page and their consent page”.
According to its website, the antibody and antigen tests cost £120 each, while its Fit to Fly and PCR tests go for between £165-175.
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The ASA said it considered the statement in the Facebook ad would be interpreted by readers to mean the tests “were capable of indicating whether or not someone could safely return to work and to social gatherings without fear of contracting or passing on the virus”.
It ruled the ads misleading after it found no information in either which explained that a positive antibody result did not mean that a person was immune.
In its ruling on Wednesday, the ASA said: “We considered that consumers were likely to understand from the ads that a positive antibody test would show that they were immune to Covid-19, and would enable them to get back to work and other normal activities without the risk of contracting the virus again or transmitting it to others.
“In summary, that the tests would indicate if they were immune.”
The ASA found that, as of July 13, Government guidance stated there was no strong evidence yet to suggest that those who had contracted the virus and to have produced antibodies were immune.
XMedical Ltd was told the ads must not appear again in their current form.
Meanwhile, the website for Solihull Health Check Clinic included a page which featured text stating it is offering tests with 100% accurate results within 24 hours, with text underneath stating “Public Health England and Government Approved”.
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The ad, as seen on July 2, also claimed that its test could indicate whether a person has developed an “immune response” to coronavirus.
After complaints were made over the ad’s claims ASA, the West Midlands-based clinic said it only used the Abbott antibody test which has been found to demonstrate 100% sensitivity and 97.5% specificity.
The clinic said it did not claim to be endorsed by anyone but that it highlighted the test was approved by Public Health England, who are provided the results for inclusion into official testing statistics.
While the ASA accepted that the accuracy of tests could be evaluated in terms of sensitivity and specificity, it said neither of these terms were referred to or explained in the ad.
In its ruling published on Wednesday, the ASA said: “We considered that neither the sensitivity rate, nor the specificity rate, when used in isolation, were likely to conform with consumers’ likely understanding of “100% accuracy” as presented in the ad.”
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It continued: “We noted that no information on variation of accuracy depending on when the sample was taken was presented in the ad.
“While the sensitivity results presented by different sources varied, they indicated that a negative test result did not rule out the possibility of a previous infection with Covid-19.”
It said the ad was misleading as it considered the claim “100% accurate results” an indication that the antibody test would detect, without fail and in all circumstances, whether or not a patient had contracted Covid-19, which was not substantiated by evidence.
The watchdog said it had not seen evidence that the Abbott antibody test had received endorsement from either Public Health England or any other Government body, which rendered the ad misleading on this point.
On the claim that the test could indicate a person’s “immune response”, the ASA said it was “technically accurate” but that it took into account “the wider context of the ad and public discussions around the importance of developing an antibody test which could indicate immunity”.
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It continued: “A test which could indicate immunity to Covid-19 would have significant implications for the return to life before the pandemic and we therefore considered that advertisers should be very clear about the service they offered.
“We noted that there was no information in the ad itself which explained that a positive antibody result did not mean that a person was immune.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Man Who Dismissed Covid-19 Tells Of His Guilt After 14 Family Members Got Sick

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A Texas man is speaking out after he dismissed Covid-19, contracted it, and hosted a gathering that likely caused it to spread throughout his close and extended family, leaving two dead.
Tony Green said he hosted a small at-home gathering the weekend of June 12 for himself and five members of his family, thinking that the worst of the pandemic was over. He said that nobody he knew had contracted the coronavirus and he felt it was time to move on with their lives.
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“I used to call it the ‘scamdemic.’ I thought it was an overblown media hoax. I made fun of people for wearing masks,” he told The Washington Post.
But by Sunday morning, Green said, he started to feel off. Then his partner did. And his parents. And his father-in-law.
“I have no idea which one of us brought the virus into the house, but all six of us left with it. It kept spreading from there,” he said.
Green said his symptoms just kept getting worse and worse before he was eventually hospitalised.
“I stayed in the hospital for three days, trying to get my mind around it. It was guilt, embarrassment, shame. I thought: ‘OK. Maybe now I’ve paid for my mistake.’ But it kept getting worse,” he said.
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The virus kept spreading, leading to a total of 14 infections in his family. Some got really sick. Others didn’t.
Green’s 52-year-old father-in-law, whom he called his “best friend,” and his father-in-law’s mother both died.
“I break down sometimes, but mostly, I’m empty. Am I glad to be alive? I don’t know. I don’t know how to answer that,” Green said.
In an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Monday, Green said he doesn’t know who had the virus first, but he feels a sense of responsibility.
“The feeling that I have is kind of like what a drunk driver would have if they killed their family,” he said.
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"The feeling that I have is kind of like a drunk driver would have if they killed their family."
Tony Green thought coronavirus was a hoax until he held a small gathering from which 14 family members eventually got sick and three eventually died. https://t.co/6e0UBcL9Qh pic.twitter.com/rBv9TgFBb8 — Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) October 13, 2020
Green said he voted for President Donald Trump in 2016, but sees his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic as a “big failure.”
“There should have been more mitigation that was done in the beginning,” he said. “It should have been taken more seriously by the administration.”
Asked if he would have been more likely to wear a mask and take the virus seriously had the president done so, Green said it would’ve been convincing to have had that.
He urged other families to take extra precautions this holiday season. He suggested that if you must, hold any family events outdoors or in larger homes.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Conchata Ferrell, Two And A Half Men’s Berta, Has Died At The Age Of 77

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The cast of Two And A Half Men have paid tribute to Conchata Ferrell following her death at the age of 77.
Conchata played cantankerous housekeeper Berta on the popular US sitcom, starring alongside Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, Angus T Jones and later Ashton Kutcher.
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According to reports, she died on Monday as a result of complications from cardiac arrest.
Conchata Ferrell EMPICS Entertainment
Charlie Sheen, who was fired from Two And A Half Men in 2011, tweeted a picture of him and Conchata on set and described her as “an absolute sweetheart a consummate pro a genuine friend a shocking and painful loss”.
He added: “Berta, your housekeeping was a tad suspect, your ‘people’ keeping was perfect.”
an absolute sweetheart
a consummate pro
a genuine friend
a shocking and painful loss.
Berta,
your housekeeping
was a tad suspect,
your "people"keeping was perfect.
💕©💕 pic.twitter.com/cJMK8APgQV — Charlie Sheen (@charliesheen) October 13, 2020
Jon Cryer, who played Sheen’s bumbling on-screen brother, recalled meeting her on-set for the first time and said he was already a fan of her work.
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He tweeted: “She was a beautiful human. Berta’s gruff exterior was an invention of the writers. Chatty’s warmth and vulnerability were her real strengths. I’m crying for the woman I’ll miss, and the joy she brought so many.”
She was a beautiful human
Berta’s gruff exterior was an invention of the writers. Chatty’s warmth and vulnerability were her real strengths.
I’m crying for the woman I’ll miss, and the joy she brought so many. https://t.co/SucL6gFaAR — Jon Cryer (@MrJonCryer) October 13, 2020
Two And A Half Men co-creator Chuck Lorre said: “We called her Chatty. And we all loved her. Twelve years of highs and lows, and lots and lots of laughter. Through it all she was a rock. One of the greats. I was privileged to call her a friend.”
Lee Aronsohn, who created the show alongside Chuck Lorre, described Ferrell as a “warm, wonderful woman who was always a joy to be around on set”.
He added: “My heart goes out to her husband Arnie, who was *always* by her side.”
For her role as Berta, Conchata earned two Emmy nominations. Her film roles include the 1976 satirical comedy Network, Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands and Erin Brockovich, the 2000 biopic starring Julia Roberts.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--Trump Pleads With Women: 'Please Like Me.' Women Fire Back: 'No Way.'

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US President Donald Trump on Tuesday begged for suburban women’s support during a campaign event in Pennsylvania.
“Suburban women, would you please like me? Please. Please,” he said. “I saved your damn neighbourhood, OK?”
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Polls show Trump’s numbers plunging in the suburbs, especially among women. That’s prompted him to repeatedly claim he “saved” the suburbs by scrapping rules that made it easier to build low-income housing. Critics call the comments a racist dog whistle ― a not-so-subtle vow to keep people of colour out of the suburbs.
Women ― suburban and otherwise ― were quick to fire back at Trump on Twitter:
Issa no for me, playa. https://t.co/3jF7g51fMK — yvette nicole brown (@YNB) October 14, 2020
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maybe "suburban women" don't like him because their kids are out of food, out of school, and increasingly off of health insurance? https://t.co/YywxCZs50u
the kids in cages thing probably didn't help either https://t.co/XG2lo4SBly — Catherine Rampell (@crampell) October 14, 2020
what a fucking condescending sexist asshole. https://t.co/v3KqulCYgj — Person Woman Man Camera TV (@ClaraJeffery) October 14, 2020
The guy that has a one night stand then thinks you owe him something. https://t.co/ptTVxqwKrt — Lea Black (@LeaBlackMiami) October 14, 2020
This is just pitiful. pic.twitter.com/ib9wPwDfxn — Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) October 14, 2020
Trump still doesn't know who lives in the suburbs. He thinks it's still June Cleaver white and all wealthy. Read a census, dude. https://t.co/MH1QWL8x6A — Victoria Brownworth #VOTE (@VABVOX) October 14, 2020
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I did a focus group tonight with women who voted for Trump in 2016. Not a single one was planning to vote for him again. https://t.co/hbgQA4OuXX — Sarah Longwell (@SarahLongwell25) October 14, 2020
“Suburban women, will you please like me? I saved your damn neighborhood."
From what...?
pic.twitter.com/wc6FfDWb74 — Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) October 14, 2020
This can’t be real. And yet I know it is. https://t.co/B3pPrNPYpT — S.E. Cupp (@secupp) October 14, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-10-14--I Tried To Grow My Instagram Following With 'Emily In Paris' Tactics. Here's What Happened.

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I didn’t have many expectations of Emily in Paris. For example, I didn’t expect the Netflix series to drag iconic Chicago pizza maker Lou Malnati’s so hard that it would be moved to issue a statement in response, nor did I expect how severe the French stereotyping would be or that at every turn a nouveau man cut from stone would emerge ready to coucher avec Emily ce soir.
But what I really didn’t expect was how jealous of ― and perplexed by ― Emily Cooper’s rapidly growing Instagram following I would be. In just 10 episodes, Emily goes from a few dozen followers to thousands, mainly by sharing content that is by all accounts très, très ringarde (or very, very basic, for those not yet acquainted with the show).
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Lily Collins plays Emily STEPHANIE BRANCHU/NETFLIX
Having spent many an hour on la toilette (feminine!) trying to achieve Instagram caption nirvana, I was intrigued by this approach. Though I wasn’t ready to move to a new city in a new country where I planned to make approximately zero effort to learn the language or assimilate, I was getting more comfortable leaving the couch and venturing into my own city in the middle of a pandemic.
Could I, a mere mortal sans a “masters in marketing,” grow a new following using Emily’s tactics? Was it really that facile? I had to find out.
And before you go bursting my baguette about how “it’s just a TV show” and “it’s not that deep,” tell that to my nice boyfriend in Chicago who loves the Cubs more than he loves me* and whom I left behind so I could romanticise infidelity with my friend’s boyfriend.
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The Instagram handle @jamieinnewyork was taken, which was surprising as it is such a unique and obscure name. I registered the next best thing: @ringardeinnewyork.
Emily is a runner. I was a runner once, in the Before Times. See? We have so much in common. The star of one of her earliest Paris-tagrams was a pain au chocolat. After running two very slow miles, I wondered what I could eat that was just as ubiquitous, but for New York City. Then I realised it was 9 a.m. and too early for a street hot dog. So I got a croissant, too.
“Butter + Flour = 💓.” I waited for the likes to roll in, for the barista to fall at my feet, for my chic French boss to hurl an insult my way.
This post got one like, nary an invite to any exclusive influencer lunches and no new cute French friends. Confusing!
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But undeterred, I followed Emily’s lead once more and made a berry pun in my next post, with a photo taken at a farmers market upstate (#CHIC).
To my shock and horreur, this post got one like, too.
I had to rethink my strategy. Then I remembered something Mat Cadeau told me ― er, Emily ― about boats. Something about finding your best ideas aboard one.
Except I don’t have a boat. So I took a photo of the NYC Ferry and stared at it for a few hours.
This post got ― you guessed it ― one like.
All in all, I amassed five likes and five followers (two being my co-workers whom I told about the experiment). I went back to over-thinking my Instagrams and daydreaming about a life where the likes and hot chef neighbours roll in easy, like a breeze off the Seine.
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Oh well. C’est la vie.