thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-12--Who's Inside No.10? These Are The Key Figures In Downing Street's Power Struggle

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A battle for control has broken out in Downing Street after Boris Johnson’s top adviser Dominic Cummings and director of communications Lee Cain dramatically resigned this week.
But while the row has rocked No.10, you won’t have seen any of its big players on TV, at coronavirus briefings or on the front pages of newspapers.
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Cummings broke his silence on Thursday night to say he would exit Downing Street in December.
It comes after his fellow Vote Leave ally, Cain, refused to stay at Boris Johnson’s top table having been blocked for a promotion to chief of staff.
The moves have sparked a flurry of briefing and counter briefing by the main players as jostling for position begins.
Add to that the victory of Joe Biden, who is no fan of the UK leaving the EU, and Johnson’s urgent need to freshen up much-criticised government communications on the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lost? Fear not – here is your essential guide to the key figures in Downing Street’s power struggle.
Lee Cain
Former director of Communications Lee Cain leaves 11 Downing Street, Westminster, London. PA
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A veteran of the Vote Leave campaign, Cain has been an adviser to Johnson since he was foreign secretary, so his shock resignation will have come as a blow.
Before entering politics, he was a journalist and, at one stage in his career, dressed up as the Daily Mirror’s famous chicken to chase after Tory MPs.
I don’t think the Lee Cain discourse focusses enough on his role as The Mirror’s GE2010 chicken. pic.twitter.com/B5wFFDKCfa — LC 🏴 (@LisaCChilds) November 12, 2020
Cain (“Caino” to his pals) is close to Johnson’s senior aide Dominic Cummings, who needs no introduction, and will remain in post until the end of 2020.
So why is he leaving?
It comes down to infighting over new American-style televised briefings to Westminster journalists, which Cain pushed for.
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He is said to have wanted the BBC’s Ellie Price for the role but the PM instead hired Allegra Stratton.
Cain feared being sidelined and attempted to resign, it is claimed, and as a compromise Johnson is believed to have offered Cain a new role as chief of staff.
But this was met with a fierce backlash by Tory MPs, who want a parliamentarian for the role, as they have been increasingly frustrated with the Brexit campaign’s power axis at No.10.
Dominic Cummings
Senior aide to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings, arrives in Downing Street PA
Dominic Cummings was probably the most controversial figure at the top of government and without doubt Johnson’s most recognisable aide.
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A close friend of Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove, he led the 2016 Brexit campaign and has been de facto chief of staff at No 10 since the Tories’ stunning 80-seat majority election victory.
His position has repeatedly been questioned, however, since he spectacularly broke lockdown – travelling to County Durham with a sick family when the order from government was to stay at home.
He is no fan of MPs or the Whitehall establishment and was expected to scale down his Downing Street role to focus on civil service reform and a new science body after the UK broke from the EU in December.
Cain’s promotion would have allowed him to maintain a power base both at Downing Street and the Cabinet Office.
How Cummings’ decision to leave the heart of power will affect Johnson’s administration remains to be seen, but it is expected the impact will be huge.
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His confrontational style frustrated many but others would point out the Tories would not have their 80-seat majority without Cummings’ ability to communicate with red wall voters.
Carrie Symonds
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, right, with partner Carrie Symonds, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Carrie Symonds? As inJohnson’s fiancée, the mother to his baby boy Wilfred? What’s she got to do with the his day job?
Well, she’s actually the Conservative Party’s former head of communications (which is how they met) and a formidable campaigner in her own right.
Known to be a passionate advocate for animal welfare and ocean conservation, Symonds has previously worked as media adviser to former chancellor Sajid Javid.
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She therefore knows the cogs of government, the Conservative Party and the vital importance of running a tight ship better than most.
Symonds is reported to be among those who urged Johnson not to offer Cain a promotion.
Allegra Stratton
Allegra Stratton, the face of Downing Street's new daily televised press briefings in Downing Street, London, the morning after Lee Cain announced he is resigning as Downing Street's director of communications, . PA
Allegra Stratton – we mentioned her earlier – is set to be the new face of US-style televised briefings aimed at shaking up government communications.
A distinguished journalist, she has held positions with the Times and the Guardian, and has served as BBC Newsnight’s political editor and ITV’s national editor. She was strongly criticised when, in her Newsnight role, she was accused of misrepresenting a working mother in housing poverty as a scrounger.
As it stands, she is director of strategic communications for Rishi Sunak at the Treasury, where she is seen as having successfully helped the chancellor maintain his polished image during the Covid-19 crisis.
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Her new position at the heart of Downing Street will be as political press secretary and underscores the rising influence of No.11 (that’s where the Treasury is run – incidentally, it’s next door to No.10, not opposite as you might expect).
It will be a key, public facing role in the months and years ahead as the government picks up the pieces from the pandemic.
Munira Mirza
Munira Mirza, director of the No.10 Policy Unit, arrives at 10 Downing Street, London. PA
You may not have heard of Manchester-born Munira Mirza, but she is every bit as crucial to the Downing Street machine as Cummings, and then some.
The Marxist-turned-Tory Eurosceptic was Johnson’s director of culture at City Hall and then served as London’s deputy mayor for education.
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Johnson values her opinion, and has previously described her as “extraordinary”, “ruthless”, and among a small number of “women who have shaped my life”.
She is known to have strong libertarian views and was tasked with forming a commission on racial inequalities when the government was asked to respond to the Black Lives Matter movement.
The writing was on the wall for Cain when Mirza, who prefers to work behind the scenes, made her opposition to his promotion known.
Eddie Lister
Edward Lister, Chief Strategic Adviser to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, leaves 10 Downing Street NurPhoto via Getty Images
Lister is a long-standing member of Johnson’s inner circle, having served as chief-of-staff at City Hall when the PM was mayor of London. He isn’t directly involved in the row, but is a key player behind the scenes at No.10.
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The 71-year-old headed up Johnson’s transition team when he won the Tory leadership contest and moved to Downing Street, and was persuaded to stay on as chief strategic adviser.
He will always having the prime minister’s ear and, as a Conservative peer and advocate of tight public finances, helps Johnson’s relations with older, more fiscally conservative MPs, who feel sidelined by No.10 and frustrated at the level of government borrowing.
Lister has also been a key figure in Brexit diplomacy, but it has been frequently reported he does not wish to stay on beyond the end of the transition period.
James Slack
Prime Minister Official Spokesman James Slack in Downing Street Stefan Rousseau - PA Images via Getty Images
James Slack is the prime minister’s chief spokesperson when briefing journalists and after Cain’s exit will be promoted to No.10′s director of communications.
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As the Daily Mail’s former political editor, Slack was behind the controversial “Enemies Of The People” front page and was made a CBE by ex-PM Theresa May.
As a civil servant, rather than a political figure, Slack’s role has been to steady the ship throughout Brexit talks and during the Covid-19 crisis.
He will remain a key figure working behind the scenes on government communications.
Ben Gascoigne
Ben Gascoigne, political secretary to the PM SIPA USA/PA Images
Ben Gascoigne is Johnson’s political secretary and someone the PM keeps very close.
Gascoigne briefly worked for the communications firm Grayling, but is among the uber-loyalists at No.10, having worked with the PM on two mayoral campaigns, two elections, and the Brexit referendum.
Another figure from Johnson’s City Hall days, he was private secretary when Johnson was mayor and also served as adviser when the PM was foreign secretary.
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Johnson trusts him completely and, amid Covid-19 and Brexit, is thought to rely heavily on Gascoigne.
Simon Case
Cabinet secretary Simon Case in Downing Street, London for a Cabinet meeting at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).
Simon Case replaced Mark Sedwill as cabinet secretary in September, so is relatively new to the powerful role of head of the civil service.
He entered Downing Street as a civil servant on a temporary basis in May, and impressed Johnson for his calm handling of Covid-19 after the PM was hospitalised.
Case is not thought to oppose radical reforms of the civil service desired by Michael Gove, which have seen a number of top chiefs moved on and the Department for International Development folded into the Foreign Office.
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The 41-year-old joined the civil service in 2006 and has been key in attempts to resolve the Northern Ireland border issue. He also helped David Cameron’s administration deliver the London 2012 Olympics.
David Frost
UK's chief Brexit negotiator, David Frost PA
Tory peer David Frost serves as a special adviser on both national security and Europe.
The former diplomat, and Eurosceptic, also leads the UK’s team of Brexit negotiators but first built a relationship with Johnson as his special adviser in the Foreign Office (back when it existed).
His appointment to the role of national security adviser drew criticism across parliament, including from former prime minister Theresa May, who pointed to Frost’s lack of experience.
It has been reported Frost was “on the brink of resignation” following Johnson’s clash with Cain.
Given Brexit trade talks are at a critical phase, with the transition period due to end within weeks, it would herald fresh chaos were the chief negotiator to walk.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-12--Nicola Adams Forced Out Of Strictly Come Dancing After Partner Katya Jones Tests Positive For Corona

Nicola Adams Forced Out Of Strictly Come Dancing After Partner Katya Jones Tests Positive For Coronavirus

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Nicola Adams has been forced to withdraw from this year’s Strictly Come Dancing after her partner Katya Jones tested positive for coronavirus.
The couple are unable to proceed in the competition as the Olympic boxer will now have to self-isolate for two weeks while her professional dance partner recovers.
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In a statement, Strictly bosses revealed Katya is asymptomatic, adding: “As part of the protocols outlined ahead of the series, this sadly means they will no longer be able to take part in the competition.”
Nicola Adams and Katya Jones BBC
Nicola, who was part of the show’s first-ever same-sex couple alongside Katya, said: “I’m absolutely devastated my Strictly journey has come to an end so soon. I had so much more to give and so many people to win this for! But I just want to say a huge thank you to Katya for being the best dance partner anyone could ask for. She pushed me way out of my comfort zone and it’s been an incredible experience.
“I’m gutted to be out of the competition but in these unprecedented times and as frustrating as it is, the Covid measures in place are to keep everyone safe, and I’m doing what I can to help.
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“I’ll be spending the next 14 days isolating so I’d like to apologise in advance for the ridiculous amount of TikToks I’ll be posting, in my new found free time when I’m not gaming!”
Prior to the series, Strictly bosses had warned stars that they would be axed from the show if either person in their pairings tested positive for the virus.
Strictly rules have always allowed injured or sick stars a one-week bye in previous years, but the two-week isolation period means that contestants forced to quarantine would be out of the competition for too long.
Nicola and Katya were the show's first-ever same-sex couple BBC
Katya added: “Dancing with Nicola has been an absolute inspiration. She’s given her all each and every week and we were so excited to create more dances in the competition.
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“Of course, I’m devastated to leave this way but I’ve made a friend for life and loved every moment of this special journey. I’d like to wish good luck to all the remaining couples!”
Strictly’s executive producer, Sarah James, also said she was “hopeful that there will be opportunities for them to dance again in the future”, hinting the pair could return next year.
“They are a brilliant partnership and had already achieved so much during their time on the show,” she added.
The BBC has confirmed the rest of the cast are unaffected and the show will continue on Saturday as usual.
However, according to the PA news agency, a number of Strictly crew members are also self-isolating after coming into contact with Katya.
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Bosses have hinted the pair could return to the dancefloor next year BBC
Before the series kicked off, Nicola’s fellow contestant HRVY tested positive for coronavirus, but was able to proceed after isolating and returning two negative results.
Meanwhile, It Takes Two presenter Rylan Clark-Neal has also been forced into self-isolation after coming into contact with someone who has the virus outside of work, meaning he will miss two weeks of hosting the spin-off show.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-12--Alison Hammond's Video Tribute To Kylie Minogue Is Genuinely Frame-For-Frame Perfect

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After teasing us all earlier this month, Alison Hammond has unveiled her musical tribute to Kylie Minogue, and we can confirm it was well worth the wait.
The This Morning presenter filmed an homage to the Aussie star’s Can’t Get You Out Of My Head video, complete with copycat outfits and choreo.
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And we’re not just saying this because we love everyone and everything involved, but it is actually frame-for-frame perfect.
Alison Hammond and Kylie Minogue ITV
Seriously, take a look...
Flawless.
Alison made the video ahead of interviewing Kylie for the ITV daytime show on Thursday.
During the chat, Alison was keen to get the dirt on Kylie’s legal battle with US reality star Kylie Jenner, who had wanted to trademark the use of their first name.
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“What happened there babes?” Alison enquired.
Alison also interviewed Kylie over video link ITV
“We came to an agreement…” Kylie admitted.
Alison said: “Well, when we think of Kylie we think of you, we don’t think of anyone else.”
Kylie then said: “Well, thanks Alison. I mean it’s different in America, that’s not my market so we came to an agreement. She can use it in some places and I can use it in other places. So I’m all yours!”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Facebook Won't Ban Bannon After Beheading Remark - But Breasts Remain Fair Game

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Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has reportedly avoided a ban from Facebook after suggesting America’s top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci and FBI director Christopher Wray should be beheaded.
Bannon – who also served as senior counsellor to outgoing President Donald Trump from January to August 2017 – made the comments in his War Room: Pandemic talk show, which was shared across several social networks.
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“I’d put the heads on pikes,” Bannon said. “I’d put them at the two corners of the White House as a warning to federal bureaucrats.”
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon Andrew Kelly / Reuters
Twitter removed an account belonging to Bannon in response, but Facebook has only opted to remove the offending content.
According to a recording heard by Reuters, Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg told an all-staff meeting on Thursday that Bannon had not violated enough of the company’s policies to justify a ban.
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“We have specific rules around how many times you need to violate certain policies before we will deactivate your account completely,” Zuckerberg said. “While the offences here, I think, came close to crossing that line, they clearly did not cross the line.”
The decision appears to be the latest in a somewhat uneven policy in respect of what bans or suspensions the company does and doesn’t enact.
Last month Facebook updated its policies to ban content that “denies or distorts the Holocaust”, more than two years after Zuckerberg suggested such posts were allowed in the name of freedom of speech. The update followed a crackdown on other forms of hate speech, including the banning of a number of white supremacist groups, as well as content around militia groups and the QAnon conspiracy theory.
Here are some of the more unlikely matters which have results in bans and suspensions.
Breastfeeding, mastectomy, birth
Despite the social network’s insistence that its nudity policies have become more nuanced over time, Facebook has repeatedly come under fire for issuing bans for pictures of people’s breasts post-mastectomy, as well as in the context of breastfeeding, protest, birth and post-birth.
Last month the founder of a Facebook support group for people who have undergone mastectomies said she faces a “constant battle” with the social network to keep it open.
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Jay Walker, who runs the Mastectomy Network page, said several images have been taken down from the website, despite mastectomy photos being within Facebook’s community guidelines.
“We regularly have images removed for containing ‘nudity or sexual activity’, despite mastectomy images being included within the community standards,” Walker, a compliance officer from Manchester, said.
She noted that instances of photos being removed have taken place in October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Mastectomy Network/ PA
A spokeswoman said: “Jay’s profile shouldn’t have been suspended, and we have restored the posts that were removed – this was a mistake and we’re sorry for any upset this has caused.
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“Whilst adult nudity isn’t allowed on Facebook, we make exceptions for posts which are clearly intended as medical or educational. This can include images of post-mastectomy scarring.”
“Facebook could fast-forward the conversation within years, and completely de-sexualise mastectomies,” Walker said.
“It just reinforces that belief that breasts are scary or sexual … they’re perpetuating that stereotype.”
In 2014, this picture was removed Facebook
Facebook has probably been the most controversial with its breastfeeding censorship. Back in 2012, leaked guidelines showed that the site would ban breastfeeding images which showed any exposed nipple.
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Now the network seems to have come around, with the official community standards stating: “We restrict some images of female breasts if they include the nipple, but we always allow photos of women actively engaged in breastfeeding”.
But, as some people have found out the hard way by having their pictures removed or pages taken down - as in the case of this incredible water birth - there’s still a grey area as to what is classed as compliant in the eyes of the networks
Works Of Art
Last year Facebook agreed to settle an eight-year legal battle with a French teacher who sued after the social media giant closed his account when he posted a photo of a renowned 19 century nude painting.
The image was of Gustave Courbet’s 1866 painting “The Origin of the World”, which depicts female genitalia.
Facebook fought a seven-year court battle over its right to ban a user for posting this painting https://t.co/V7HARqDzZ4 pic.twitter.com/hTmTOpKMC5 — Julia Carrie Wong (@juliacarriew) November 13, 2020
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Frederic Durand initially won his €20,000 case in a Paris court, but the ruling was overturned in 2018. A year later Durand’s lawyer said a deal had been made which saw Facebook make a donation to a street art association.
Facebook has since changed its standards policy to now allow photographs of nude figures in art.
Other users have responded to the latest news with their own stories of being blocked on the social media platform.
I tried to report a comment that had the state epidemiologist's home address and a date and time to meet and protest AT HER HOUSE. Facebook came back and said it wasn't harassment or a violation of privacy. — janel (@janellie57) November 13, 2020
I almost got banned for making a page called "not eating at @Wendys because Wendy is a redhead" and this guy is saying government officials should be beheaded and gets a slap on the wrist — jordan 🤔 (@jnmcabee) November 12, 2020
I got a 48 hour bam for saying "Men are weird." — Video Games and Politics (@Xanthicirs) November 13, 2020
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I shared this meme SIX YEARS AGO and some petty asshole went through my timeline in March *this year* looking for something to report.
Got a day or two in Facebook jail for it.
Meanwhile I report a video of somebody killing a dog and they decide it doesn't violate any rules 🤬 pic.twitter.com/66GmA2JP6i — 🥔𝓜𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓮𝓭 𝓟𝓸𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓸𝓮𝓼 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓷 𝓐𝓬𝓬 ❤ (@TheVandelay) November 13, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Harry Styles Is The First Man To Have A Solo Vogue Magazine Cover, And Twitter Can't Deal

Harry Styles’ first ever Vogue magazine cover photo-shoot has been unveiled, and we probably don’t need to tell you that Twitter is absolutely loving it.
The chart-topping singer has become renowned for his unique style since leaving One Direction, and pushes fashion boundaries once again in his Vogue cover, which sees him sporting a Gucci dress and jacket.
He’s also the first man to appear alone on the cover of the American edition of Vogue in its history.
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.@harry_styles is our December issue cover star!
Read how the star is making and playing by his own rules: https://t.co/tQPLi5OEtj pic.twitter.com/AxZgxE68Rx — Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) November 13, 2020
Discussing his approach to fashion in the accompanying interview, he said: “You can never be overdressed. There’s no such thing. The people that I looked up to in music – Prince and David Bowie and Elvis and Freddie Mercury and Elton John – they’re such showmen. As a kid it was completely mind-blowing.
“Now I’ll put on something that feels really flamboyant, and I don’t feel crazy wearing it. I think if you get something that you feel amazing in, it’s like a superhero outfit.”
Harry continued: “Clothes are there to have fun with and experiment with and play with. What’s really exciting is that all of these lines are just kind of crumbling away. When you take away ‘There’s clothes for men and there’s clothes for women,’ once you remove any barriers, obviously you open up the arena in which you can play.
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“I’ll go in shops sometimes, and I just find myself looking at the women’s clothes thinking they’re amazing. It’s like anything – anytime you’re putting barriers up in your own life, you’re just limiting yourself.
“There’s so much joy to be had in playing with clothes. I’ve never really thought too much about what it means—it just becomes this extended part of creating something.”
Harry’s Vogue cover has already sparked a lot of conversation on social media and, suffice to say, fans have given it a big thumbs up:
oh to be a tiny balloon cradled lovingly by harry styles and his many rings pic.twitter.com/du85EruURM — Kate Halliwell (@katehalliwell) November 13, 2020
HARRY STYLES IN A DRESS, BLOWING A BALLOON IS SOMETHING I DID NOT KNOW I NEEDED, BUT I DO. — megha♡ saara’s wife (@bbystylinsonn) November 13, 2020
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AAAAAAAHHHHH YOU LOOK AMAZING, YOU ARE THE DEFINITION OF PERFECTION. THAT DRESS OMG BEAUTIFUL, HONESTLY THIS IS YOUR WORLD AND WERE JUST LIVING IN IT — lisette²⁸ ♡◟̽◞̽ (@darlingxlouist) November 13, 2020
HARRY STYLES IS ON THE COVER OF VOGUE WEARING A DRESS NOBODY DOES IT LIKE HIM TRUELY https://t.co/ZyYlPIQwag — beeᴴ (@vol6kiwi) November 13, 2020
First male solo act to cover Vogue!! It’s what he deserves ❤ @Harry_Styles pic.twitter.com/OEqTxT6DAw — sarah (@sunflower6tpwk) November 13, 2020
"are you okay?" bro harry styles said embrace gender fluidity and is wearing a dress on the cover of American Vogue, of course i'm not okay — jeanne ♡'s hagar (@BETTER0TB) November 13, 2020
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harry styles is the first solo man to be on the cover of american vogue and he did so iN A DRESS !!!!! KING SHIT pic.twitter.com/TkouzswbYu — abiᴴ (@abboyabbo) November 13, 2020
harry edward styles, the first solo male to be in a cover of the american vogue in history. and he’s wearing a whole ass lace ballroom dress. — nea²⁸ (@tearsandflxwers) November 13, 2020
Harry styles breaking gender norms and ending toxic masculinity ✨ — ESWA (@eswacc) November 13, 2020
Thank you for having him. Everything was a serve. Oh my god. I can't breathe — Golden Nimzyᴴ is VOTING (@goIdenmzy) November 13, 2020
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“why are you screaming?”bitch Harry Styles is the first man in history to have his own Vogue cover of course I'll scream — Pri🍒 Louis is infact gay (@patatodirection) November 13, 2020
is “Harry Styles is on the cover of Vogue” a socially acceptable reason to cancel all of my plans today? — Pauline 🦦 (@happilyintheam) November 13, 2020
This isn’t the first time that Harry has sparked a lot of conversation with a magazine cover in 2020, though.
Harry appeared to break the magazine Beauty Papers’ website when he posed for them wearing fishnet tights and, well, not much else, to be honest.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--This Is What The UK's First Mass Coronavirus Testing Operation Has Told Us So Far

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Nearly 20% of Liverpool residents took part in the city’s mass coronavirus testing pilot in its first week, according to figures from the city’s mayor.
Mayor Joe Anderson said 90,000 people had been tested for Covid-19 since last Friday, when the city began offering tests to everyone regardless of whether they had symptoms.
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The figure is 18% of the city’s population of just under half a million.
Anderson told BBC Breakfast that 430 people had tested positive, with only about 200 of them showing symptoms before they had a test.
The latest approximate figures for testing, until mid-afternoon on Thursday show:
More than 50,000 Liverpool residents tested for Covid19 using lateral flow devices
Liverpool residents tested for Covid19 using lateral flow devices More than 30,000 Liverpool residents tested for Covid19 using PCR tests at mobile testing units
Liverpool residents tested for Covid19 using PCR tests at mobile testing units Total of over 80,000 Liverpool residents reached since Friday 6 November – over 16% in less than a week
In addition, almost 10,000 people from neighbouring areas have been tested for Covid19 using lateral flow devices at Liverpool sites, bringing the total of people tested to 90,000.
have been tested for Covid19 using lateral flow devices at Liverpool sites, bringing the total of people tested to 90,000. Lateral flow tests confirmed 336 positive cases, 265 from Liverpool. This is a positivity rate of about 0.5 percent.
He said: “Four hundred and thirty people are not spreading the virus – it means that we can break the chain of infection.
“Since we’ve been into Tier 3, we had 680 people per 100,000 that were positive in the city. We’ve now got that down in terms of the R rate, the infection rate, to around 300 per 100,000, so that’s a positive move and a positive step for us.
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Soldiers at The Exhibition Centre in Liverpool, which has been set up as a testing centre as part of the mass Covid-19 testing in Liverpool PA
“The overall aim, of course, is to reduce the admissions into our hospitals, which is also now starting to come down, so we’re pleased with the way things are going and we think it will have an impact.”
The latest figures, for the number of new cases in the week up to November 8, show that Liverpool had an infection rate of 283.1 per 100,00 people.
On Twitter, Anderson said 50,000 people had received lateral flow tests, which are being offered to people without symptoms and give results within an hour, and 40,000 had gone to mobile testing units across the city.
50,000 people have been tested by lateral flow tests &
a further 40,000 have been tested at the mobile testing units across the city. 90,000 through 34 testing sites. Thank you to those who have taken part,please get tested and get tested again after 7 days. Let’s #BREAKTHECHAIN — Joe Anderson (@mayor_anderson) November 12, 2020
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There are currently 38 test centres in Liverpool, including facilities at leisure centres, church halls and at Anfield Stadium.
About 2,000 military personnel have been deployed to the city to help run the pilot.
Testing has also taken place in some schools in the city and thousands of home testing kits have been sent out.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--The UK Coronavirus 'R Rate' Has Fallen. Here’s What It Is Near You

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The reproduction number, or R rate, of coronavirus transmission across the UK has dropped to between 1.0 and 1.2, according to the latest government figures.
R measures the number of people, on average, that each sick person will infect.
If R is greater than 1 the epidemic is generally seen to be growing; if R is less than 1 the epidemic is shrinking.
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The estimate published on Friday is down from last week, when the Government Office for Science (GSO) and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) believed the R rate was in the range of 1.1 to 1.3.
Pushing the R rate below 1 is seen as vital to allowing any Covid-19 restrictions to be lifted, although it is just one measure on which Boris Johnson will base any decision.
The figures, for the entire UK, were released one week into the four-week national lockdown in England.
But there is a time lag on the data, and Sage cautioned it represents the situation over the “last few weeks” and does not reflect “any very recent changes” in transmission as a result of “recent policy changes”.
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The GSO and Sage also publish regional R rates across England as supplied by NHS England.
Regional R numbers across England
East of England 1.1 to 1.4 (unchanged)
London 1.0 to 1.2 (down from 1.1 to 1.3)
Midlands 1.1 to 1.3 (unchanged)
North East and Yorkshire 1.0 to 1.2 (down from 1.1 to 1.2)
North West 0.9 to 1.1 (down from 1.0 to 1.1)
South East 1.2 to 1.4 (unchanged)
South West 1.2 to 1.4 (unchanged)
Nicola Sturgeon said on Thursday the R rate in Scotland “might be slightly below one”.
The latest data specifically from Wales, suggested the R number was estimated to be between 1 and 1.3.
Arlene Foster has said the most recent estimate in Northern Ireland is the R rate is about 0.7.
Sage said on Friday while there was “some evidence that the rate of growth in some parts of the country may be slowing, levels of disease are very high in these areas”.
“Significant levels of healthcare demand and mortality will persist until R is reduced to and remains well below one for an extended period of time,” the scientists said.
Johnson has all but promised the current blanket restrictions will end on December 2, after which England will return to some system of local tiered lockdowns.
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MPs will get to vote on the next steps, and the prime minister may have to rely on Keir Starmer and Labour votes following the formation of a 50-strong group of Tory MPs opposed to any new lockdown.
Separate data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published on Friday suggested infection rates in England have increased in recent weeks, but the rate of increase is slower than previous weeks
According to the ONS study carried out between October 31 to November 6, around one in 85 people in England are infected with Covid-19.
More than 50,000 people in the UK have now died within a month of testing positive for coronavirus, with the grim milestone having been passed on Wednesday.
In March Stephen Powis, the medical director of NHS England, said a death toll lower than 20,000 would be “a good result”.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Kate Garraway 'Blown Away' By Kind Offers Of Help From Good Morning Britain Viewers After Car Theft

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Kate Garraway has said she’s been “blown away” by touching offers of help from fans after her car was stolen.
The Good Morning Britain presenter has been inundated with messages from people offering to lend her their car, after the theft added to her stresses earlier this month.
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Her husband Derek Draper is still in a serious condition in hospital with complications caused by Covid-19, having been admitted after contracting the virus in March.
Last week, Kate revealed their family Volvo was stolen from outside her London home, and thanked GMB viewers for their kind offers to help as she updated them on Derek’s condition on Friday.
After @Kategarraway had her car stolen there has been an incredible outpouring of support from our viewers.
Loads of offers from the audience to lend Kate their cars and even an offer to chauffeur her around!
Kate’s blown away by all the kindness and generosity❤🚘 pic.twitter.com/Ynhgya4hoG — Good Morning Britain (@GMB) November 13, 2020
Speaking on the ITV breakfast show, she said: “They’ve been so unbelievably nice, and it’s been a bit of a tough old week for Derek so I haven’t got back to anybody.
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“But it’s so lovely – some viewers are offering to lend me their cars!”
She added: “I am constantly blown away by how lovely you’ve all been through this and it’s that kind of kindness and generosity that sees us through.”
Blasting the thieves, Kate continued: “There’s a premium on second hand cars at the moment, and people are stealing them.
“I know times are tough and people turn to things they shouldn’t do but it is heartbreaking, it is an intrusion, it’s something that’s yours.”
Kate Garraway with GMB co-host Ben Shephard ITV/Shutterstock
Speaking about her car – nicknamed “Vicky Volvo” – she continued: “It was the first car we had as a family with [daughter] Darcey, so it’s a real shame.”
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Kate reassured fans that while her vehicle hasn’t been returned, her “car situation” has been fixed.
Derek, a former lobbyist and political adviser, was placed in an induced coma after being admitted to hospital with Covid-19 in March.
Kate Garraway and Derek Draper pictured last year, after she left the I'm A Celebrity jungle James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock
Kate has shared regular updates on her husband’s health through social media and on Good Morning Britain during the last seven months.
Last week, she told of how he mouthed the word “pain” as he spoke his first word in seven months, as doctors moved his body while she watched over video call.
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The couple - who are both 53 – married in 2005 and have a 14-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son, Darcey and William.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Dominic Cummings' 5 Most Controversial Moments

Dominic Cummings, the prime minister’s former top adviser and one of Downing Street’s most polarising figures, is no stranger to controversy. Here are five of his most disagreeable moments:
1. Barnard Castle
The scandal surrounding Cummings’ lockdown-breaking trip to Durham is etched into everyone’s memory.
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On May 22 2020 it emerged that the PM’s top adviser had broken lockdown rules to travel hundreds of miles from London to Durham at least once with his family while the UK was living under the strictest lockdown rules – despite contracting Covid-19.
Number 10 said the first trip was to guarantee childcare for Cummings’ four-year-old son, but Cummings has flatly denied a second trip.
Dominic Cummings delivering a statement in the Rose Garden at 10 Downing Street following the news of his trip to Durham. JONATHAN BRADY via Getty Images
In a bizarre press conference that firmly cemented Barnard Castle as a punchline for Downing Street critics, the adviser said he had travelled to the popular tourist spot whilst he was supposed to be self-isolating in order to test his eyesight.
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A number of Tory ministers, as well as swathes of opposition MPs, called for Cummings’ resignation in the wake of the revelations, arguing that his conduct weakened the government’s authority to set strict lockdown rules.
Studies have since shown that the adviser’s actions had indeed undermined public confidence in the nation’s leadership.
The Lancet published a paper by University College London in August looking at the so-called Cummings effect, finding a “clear decrease in confidence starting on 22 May [when the story of his trip to broke] and continuing to fall quickly in the days following”.
2. *That* Vote Leave bus
The infamous bus. Jack Taylor via Getty Images
As campaigns director for Vote Leave, Cummings’ was behind one of Brexit’s most visible, and most widely-derided, symbols.
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Now regularly referred to simply as the ‘Brexit bus’, it carried a slogan – “we send the EU £350m a week, let’s fund our NHS instead” – that has since become known as one of the Leave campaign’s most successful messages.
Despite being thoroughly debunked more than three years ago, the idea that Brexit would result in more money for the UK’s health service is still repeatedly cited by Brexiteers.
The UK Statistics Authority slammed the claim as a “clear misuse of official statistics” while Full Fact, which investigates misinformation and works to correct the public record, highlighted the fact that the UK has never paid the EU £350m a week.
Cummings himself suggested in 2017 that the bus was one of the key reasons behind Vote Leave’s success.
“Would we have won without immigration? No. Would we have won without £350m/NHS? All our research and the close result strongly suggests no,” he said.
3. Appeals to the ‘weirdos and misfits’
Cummings once again attracted headlines in January 2020 when he issued a call out for “misfits and weirdos” to apply for jobs in government.
Perhaps the approach, widely viewed as an attempt to shake up the status quo in Whitehall could have worked, if it didn’t apparently lead to the hiring of Andrew Sabisky who promptly quit after being accused of sympathising with eugenics.
The 27-year-old, hired as an adviser, was found to have written a post on Cummings’ site in 2014 which advocated for forcing women to take contraception to stop unplanned pregnancies.
He wrote: “One way to get around the problems of unplanned pregnancies creating a permanent underclass would be to legally enforce universal uptake of long-term contraception at the onset of puberty.”
In one Twitter post he said: “I am always straight up in saying that women’s sport is more comparable to the Paralympics than it is to men’s”, and another comment was also uncovered in which he suggested Black Americans have a lower average IQ than white Americans.
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4. Joining Sage meetings
In April, as the UK battled lived through the first peak of the Covid-19 crisis, members of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) raised concern that Cummings had taken an active role in meetings.
One member of the group told The Guardian that they felt the advisers’ presence and interventions “had sometimes inappropriately influenced” what is intended to be an impartial process.
Concerns were widely raised about political interference in scientific discussions, the findings of which would then go on to inform the government’s response to the pandemic.
The Guardian also revealed that Ben Warner, who also worked on Vote Leave with Cummings, had attended the meetings.
A Downing Street spokesperson downplayed concerns at the time, saying: ”“It is factually wrong and damaging to sensible public debate to imply [Sage] advice is affected by government advisers listening to discussions.
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“It is entirely right that No. 10 advisers attend to better understand the scientific debate and the decisions that need to be taken.”
5. Sacking Sonia Khan
Sonia Khan (right), pictured with Philip Hammond in 2018. PA
Taxpayers were forced to foot the bill for an out-of-court settlement after a Treasury aide was summarily sacked by Cummings and escorted by police out of Downing Street.
The five-figure agreement came to light just hours after Cummings said he would leave No. 10 before Christmas, and is believed to be worth between £50,000 and £100,000.
Sonia Khan’s departure from Downing Street and Boris Johnson’s subsequent decision to take control over key Treasury appointments later led to Javid’s own resignation from the cabinet.
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HuffPost UK exclusively broke the news in August 2019 that Cummings had fired Khan, taken her pass from her and got police officers to escort her out of Downing Street.
The PM’s chief adviser accused Khan of leaking government information and having unauthorised contacts with former colleagues, claims which she strenuously denied and for which Cummings appeared to have no evidence.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Anton Du Beke Confirmed For Strictly Come Dancing Judging Role

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SEE ALSO: Anton Du Beke Speaks Out On Strictly Come Dancing Judging Role
Anton Du Beke will be stepping up to the Strictly Come Dancing judging panel this weekend, it has been confirmed.
The professional dancer will become a judge for the first time, after it was revealed Motsi Mabuse will miss two weeks of the live shows as she is self-isolating.
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The news was confirmed in a tweet from the show’s official Twitter account on Friday.
News: Anton has a new role on #Strictly this weekend! ✨ pic.twitter.com/iZHoPrNBX8 — BBC Strictly ✨ (@bbcstrictly) November 13, 2020
“We are pleased to announce that the King Of Ballroom Anton Du Beke is stepping into our judging panel this weekend,” the statement read.
It followed the news that Motsi will only be able to appear on the show via video-link this weekend, as she needed to make an urgent trip to Germany earlier in the week.
She explained: “Earlier this week I needed to travel to Germany for an urgent reason. I will of course be following the UK government guidelines and self-isolating for 14 days.
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“I’ll be watching from home and by the power of technology, should be in your living rooms.”
Motsi Mabuse is having to miss two weeks of Strictly as she is self-isolating BBC / Kieron McCarron
Anton and his celebrity partner Jacqui Smith were the first couple to be voted off this year’s series last month.
The dancer, who has been a professional on Strictly since its inception in 2004, previously made a play for a role on the judging panel in 2017, when he was in the running to replace head judge Len Goodman.
However, Shirley Ballas was later announced as Len’s replacement.
This year’s Strictly Come Dancing has been hit by a number of complications due to the coronavirus pandemic.
On Thursday, it was announced that Nicola Adams had been forced to leave the competition, after her partner Katya Jones tested positive for Covid-19.
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Nicola Adams and Katya Jones had to leave the competition after Katya tested positive for coronavirus BBC
Regular Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli is also missing from the series this year due to travel restrictions, as he’s currently also a judge on the US version of the show.
It Takes Two presenter Rylan Clark-Neal has also been forced into self-isolation after coming into contact with someone who has the virus outside of work, meaning he will miss two weeks of hosting the spin-off show.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Joe Wicks Celebrates Ending Mammoth 24-Hour Workout By Taking Himself Off To Bed

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On Thursday morning, The Body Coach kicked off a full day of live exercise to help raise money for the charity, which included rowing, cycling, running, boxing and leading several HIIT classes.
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After a full 24 hours, Joe wrapped things up on Friday with another gym class, which was joined by school children around the UK.
At the end of the grueling challenge, it was revealed that the fitness expert had raised more than £1.5 million for Children In Need.
Joe Wicks speaking to Greg James and Jimmy Anderson (via video-link) BBC / James Warkins
Speaking to Zoe Ball on Radio 2, he said: “I feel so buzzed, full of adrenaline. Captain serotonin as I say, I’ve got all that serotonin through me.
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“I’m going to bounce all over the room and probably faint and then get to my hotel bedroom and sleep as much as I can.”
He echoed these sentiments in an Instagram post, writing: “OMG we did it What an incredible 24 hours.
“I’m absolutely broken but we raised an unbelievable amount of money for Children In Need and we’re going to help so many children and families. THANK YOU to everyone that donated or sent me a message of support. I honestly could not have done this without you. I’m off to bed now.”
It was recently announced that Joe was being awarded an MBE for his efforts in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, leading children around the UK in a daily YouTube “PE lesson”.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Why I'm A Celebrity Star Giovanna Fletcher Had Her Genius Luxury Item Request Denied

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Emma Willis had an ingenious suggestion for a luxury item when she found out her friend Giovanna Fletcher would be taking part in this year’s I’m A Celebrity – only for the request to be denied by producers.
Author and podcast host Giovanna is one of 10 famous contestants who’ll be heading into new digs in a ruined castle in Wales this weekend for the new series of the ITV reality show.
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Giovanna Fletcher is getting ready for her I'm A Celebrity return ITV/Shutterstock
Speaking to The Sun, Emma – who used to host spin-off show I’m a Celebrity , Get Me Out Of Here NOW!, and is married to former winner Matt Willis – said: “[Giovanna] came round just before lockdown and I was like: ‘What’s your luxury item going to be?’.
“She didn’t know and I said: ‘You have to take cycling shorts – long cycling shorts!’ She was like: ‘Why would you do that??’ and I said so bugs aren’t going to crawl up the places you don’t want them to crawl up!
“She hadn’t thought about that and was like: ‘Oh my god, I need to take cycling shorts!’... nobody wants a cockroach up the butt, or any other orifice.”
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Emma Willis and Giovanna Fletcher pictured in February of this year PinPep/Shutterstock
Sadly, though, the request was shot down by I’m A Celebrity bosses, as it violated one of their key rules.
“She wasn’t allowed because that’s clothing,” Emma said, adding: “You can only take in the clothing they approved.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Victoria Derbyshire Dismisses Concerns I'm A Celebrity Could Harm Her Journalism Career

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Victoria Derbyshire is one of the most respected news broadcasters in the country and she is adamant her upcoming stint on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! is not going to affect that.
She has insisted she is not concerned her reputation will be harmed when she enters the ITV reality show’s castle on Sunday.
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The BBC journalist, who has presented the likes of Newsnight and Panorama as well as her own current affairs show, said she does not feel she has to be restricted to staying in one lane.
Victoria Derbyshire ITV
She said (via PA Media): “I haven’t worried about it, because I think, when I look at this year, I’ve presented my own programme, I’ve presented BBC news, I’ve done a Panorama on domestic abuse in lockdown and now I’m doing this.
“I don’t feel that I have to be in a box, or labelled in a particular way. I don’t know why, especially when I know, I really know, that life is short – I don’t know why you can’t say yes to once-in-a-lifetime experiences, which is why I’ve said yes.
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“I want to do it! My kids want me to do it, I’m totally up for it, and life’s short.”
Victoria, who is one of 10 stars taking part in this year’s I’m A Celebrity, also said she is not concerned about violating the BBC’s impartiality guidelines during her stay at Gwrych Castle in Wales.
This year's I'm A Celebrity line-up ITV
She said: “I mean, I’m allowed to have an opinion saying, ‘Oh my god I’m starving’ but I can’t… you know, I’m a BBC journalist. I’m not going to reveal my opinions on all sorts of politics or other matters.
“I’m quite sensible, I’m quite responsible on that respect.”
This year, the show is relocating from the Australian jungle to a creepy castle in the Welsh countryside due to the pandemic.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--The Weeknd Will Headline The Super Bowl Halftime Show In 2021

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2021’s Super Bowl LV is shaping up to be a game like no other, with The Weeknd set to take the stage as the night’s halftime entertainment.
The Canadian singer-songwriter, jointly confirmed the news on social media with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, which is producing the halftime show.
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“We all grow up watching the world’s biggest acts playing the Super Bowl and one can only dream of being in that position,” he said in a press release.
“I’m humbled, honoured and ecstatic to be the centre of that infamous stage this year.”
Added Jay-Z: “This is an extraordinary moment in time and the Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show is going to be an extraordinary experience with an extraordinary performer.”
A three-time Grammy winner, The Weeknd will join a list of music icons including Madonna, Beyoncé and Bruno Mars who have performed at the halftime show in recent years.
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Earlier this year, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira took the stage in Miami for a co-headlining set that included pyrotechnics, pole-dancing and even a touch of political commentary.
Shakira and Jennifer Lopez on stage at this year's Super Bowl Focus On Sport via Getty Images
Super Bowl LV, which is set to take place on 7 February 2021, in Tampa, Florida, will no doubt present logistical challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last month, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said organisers were “exploring” a scenario in which the Raymond James Stadium would be kept at 20% capacity, with attendees required to wear masks and be seated in individual pods.
“The safety of the public, attendees, players and personnel continues to be our foremost priority,” he added, noting that plans were still subject to change.
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Still, the news is a testament to The Weeknd’s continued success in the music industry.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--These Are The 13 Women Murdered By Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe

Amid the news that Peter Sutcliffe - the serial killer known as the Yorkshire Ripper - has died, people are being urged to remember his victims and their families.
Sutcliffe murdered 13 women, and seven women are known to have escaped from him with their lives before he was captured.
Many relatives of the victims, and former detectives, have urged people to “remember the victims, not the killer”. John Apter, National Chair of the Police Federation, tweeted: “Let’s show the faces of those he killed, not him. The 13 women he murdered and the 7 who survived his brutal attacks are in my thoughts.”
These are the women who lost their lives at Sutcliffe’s hands.
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Wilma McCann
Wilma McCann, 28 Mirrorpix via Getty Images
The first victim to lose her life, sex worker Wilma McCann was hit with a hammer and stabbed 15 times in October 1975.
Her son Richard was five when his mother was killed.
On the anniversary of the mother-of-four’s death, Richard also called for an official apology from West Yorkshire Police for the rhetoric used about Sutcliffe’s victims.
He said: “I want the force once and for all to give some closure and apologise for the way it described some women.
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“The things that were said in particular by George Oldfield [former Assistant Chief Constable for West Yorkshire Police] were about some of the victims having ‘doubtful morals’ and the comments about Jayne MacDonald being an ‘innocent victim’. Weren’t they all innocent?
“These words, to me, suggested that some lives taken were worth more than others.
“I think this anniversary would be a great opportunity for West Yorkshire Police to make this overdue apology.
“My children are growing up now and will soon learn about their grandmother and how she was seen.”
Marguerite Walls
Marguerite Walls, 47 PA Images via Getty Images
A civil servant working in Pudsey, Marguerite Walls had worked late on the night of August 20, 1980, and was due to go on holiday the day after for two weeks.
The 47-year-old was attacked and strangled as she walked the half mile home from work. Her body was covered with leaves and grass cuttings and was found the next day by gardeners.
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Yvonne Pearson
Yvonne Pearson, 21 PA
A sex worker from Bradford, Yvonne Pearson was murdered on January 21, 1978.
Sutcliffe hid the 21-year-old’s body under a sofa, which meant her remains were not found until two months later on March 26, 1978.
Jayne MacDonald
Jayne MacDonald, 16 PA
Jayne MacDonald was Sutcliffe’s youngest victim and was murdered on June 26, 1977.
The 16-year-old’s body was found in adventure playground in Leeds by two children. The teenager was a shop assistant and had been on her way home from a night out when she was attacked.
Josephine Whitaker
Josephine Whitaker, 19 Mirrorpix via Getty Images
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Josephine Whitaker, 19, was building society clerk who was attacked and killed on her way home from home in Halifax on April 4, 1979.
Patricia Atkinson
Patricia Atkinson, 32 Mirrorpix via Getty Images
Patricia Atkinson, 32, was a sex worker from Bradford and was found murdered in her flat on April 23, 1977.
Sutcliffe left behind a clue in the form of a bootprint on a blood-stained sheet.
Helen Rytka
Helen Rytka, 18 PA
Helen Rytka was killed in January 1978. The 18-year-old sex worker’s body was found dumped in Garrards timber yard in Huddersfield.
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Jacqueline Hill
Jacqueline Hill, 20 Mirrorpix via Getty Images
A student at Leeds University, Jacqueline Hill, 20, was Sutclife’s last victim and was murdered on November 17, 1980.
Then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was said to be so incensed by the killings she reportedly told her staff she was going to Leeds to take over the investigation “because nobody but her, she thought, really cared about the fate of these wretched women.”
In a biography of Thatcher published while she was in office, Hugo Young claims it was left to Home Secretary William Whitelaw to persuade her against the plan.
Irene Richardson
Irene Richardson, 28 PA
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Sex worker Irene Richardson was murdered on February 5, 1977. The mother-of-three’s body was found behind a sports pavilion in Roundhay Park. Sutcliffe left tyre prints close to the 28-year-old’s body.
Vera Millward
Vera Millward, 40 Mirrorpix via Getty Images
Vera Millward was killed on May 16, 1978. She was attacked in the car park of Manchester Royal Infirmary. The mother-of-seven was hit over the head and stabbed several times.
Barbara Leach
Barbara Leach, 20 PA
A Bradford University student, Barbara Leach’s body was found on September 1, 1979. Leach had been on a night out at a pub near the university when she was attacked by Sutcliffe, who hit her over the head and stabbed her eight times, just yards from her home.
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He tried to conceal her body by hiding it under some steps and covering it in rubbish.
Jean Jordan
Jean Jordan, 20 Mirrorpix via Getty Images
Jean Jordan was a sex worker who was murdered on October 1, 1977. The mother-of-two’s body was found in an allotment and her bag in some nearby bushes.
A new £5 note left in a pocket of the 20-year-old’s bag enabled police to trace it to the payroll of Yorkshire hauliers T and W H Clark, who employed Sutcliffe. He was interviewed by detectives twice but was able to provide an alibi.
Emily Jackson
Emily Jackson, 42 Mirrorpix via Getty Images
Emily Jackson had turned to part time sex work after her family fell on hard times. She was murdered in January 1976 after getting into Sutcliffe’s car and agreeing to have sex with him.
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She was stabbed 52 times.
Sutcliffe attempted to murder seven more women who managed to escape.
One of his surviving victims said she still suffers from the effects of his attack in Leeds, 44 years on.
Marcella Claxton told Sky News: “I have to live with my injuries, 54 stitches in my head, back and front, plus I lost a baby, I was four months pregnant.
“I still get headaches, dizzy spells and black outs.”
Detectives have been criticised alongside journalists and even the attorney general who prosecuted Sutcliffe for dismissing many of those who died as prostitutes.
And senior officers’ preoccupation that the Ripper was only targeting sex workers is seen as one of the many crucial wrong turns taken in the flawed 1970s investigation.
When 16-year-old Jayne MacDonald was killed in 1977, officers referred to her as the first “innocent” victim.
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At Sutcliffe’s trial, prosecutor Sir Michael Havers, who was the attorney general at the time, said: “Some were prostitutes but perhaps the saddest part of the case is that some were not.
“The last six attacks were on totally respectable women.”
Retired detective Roger Parnell, who worked on the Ripper inquiry, rejected accusations the officers “did not care less” about sex worker victims.
He told BBC Radio 5Live: “We certainly did, I can assure you we did.
“These ladies were wives, they were mothers, they were sisters. And the inquiry did not change at the murder of Jayne MacDonald.
“We were all determined from the beginning to catch the perpetrator of all these murders.
“When I heard this morning that Peter Sutcliffe had died, I just could not care less, to be honest.”
On Friday afternoon, West Yorkshire Police Chief Constable John Robins issued an apology to the relatives of Sutcliffe’s victims for “the language, tone and terminology used by senior officers at the time”.
He said: “On behalf of West Yorkshire Police, I apologise for the additional distress and anxiety caused to all relatives by the language, tone and terminology used by senior officers at the time in relation to Peter Sutcliffe’s victims.
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“Such language and attitudes may have reflected wider societal attitudes of the day, but it was as wrong then as it is now.
“A huge number of officers worked to identify and bring Peter Sutcliffe to justice and it is a shame that their hard work was overshadowed by the language of senior officers used at the time, the effect of which is still felt today by surviving relatives.
“Thankfully those attitudes are consigned to history and our approach today is wholly victim focused, putting them at the centre of everything we do.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Elderly Couple Separated By Covid Lovingly Reunited

Elderly Couple Separated By Covid Lovingly Reunited
This is the heartwarming moment Betty Meredith, 91, surprises her husband Kenneth, 96, in his care home after being more than a month apart due to the pandemic.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--The Friends Reunion Finally Has A New Date – And Fans Are Delighted

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The long-awaited Friends reunion finally has a new date.
Matthew Perry, who played Chandler Bing in the iconic sitcom, has confirmed the cast get-together will now be taking place in March 2021.
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The cast of Friends NBC via Getty Images
However, plans were thrown into chaos after the coronavirus outbreak, and filming was later rescheduled to August only to be cancelled again.
But writing on Twitter on Thursday, Matthew confirmed plans are now afoot to film the show next year.
He said: “Friends reunion being rescheduled for the beginning of March. Looks like we have a busy year coming up. And that’s the way I like it!”
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Friends reunion being rescheduled for the beginning of March. Looks like we have a busy year coming up. And that's the way I like it! — matthew perry (@MatthewPerry) November 12, 2020
Cue lots of excitable reactions from the show’s loyal fanbase...
Can hardly wait!!! Thanks for doing this for all your fans who adore all of you!! Matty, wear blue!! pic.twitter.com/31xvh99bxg — Love to Laugh (@TryingtoKeepUp5) November 12, 2020
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Finally some good news https://t.co/sIDRhor0pd — farshid (@farshid1sarraf) November 12, 2020
this single tweet saved 2020 https://t.co/qipfLVVjXF — andi (@andreaaanicole_) November 12, 2020
2021 is already flirting with me 🙈😍 https://t.co/7F3FcOotvH — somk (@somkjujk) November 12, 2020
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This just made me so happy 😌 https://t.co/2bN4LVRQgc — Paulette 🇧🇫🇨🇮🇺🇸 (@Paulett71392290) November 12, 2020
The unscripted special will see the show’s cast returning to the soundstage on which Friends was filmed, reflecting on the sitcom’s global impact and best moments.
It will be directed by Ben Winston, best known for his work alongside James Corden on The Late, Late Show.
Friends ran for 10 seasons from 1994 and remains one of the most popular shows on TV.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Boris Johnson Must Reshuffle 'Young And Inexperienced' Cabinet, Says Senior Tory

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Boris Johnson should sack the “young and inexperienced” members of his cabinet in the wake of Dominic Cummings’ decision to resign from Downing Street, a senior Tory MP has said.
Bernard Jenkin, the veteran MP who chairs the Commons liaison committee, said the prime minister should reshuffle his top team to bring in “more experience”.
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Cummings is expected to leave his role as Johnson’s chief adviser by the end of the year after No.10 became consumed by a bitter power struggle. It follows the departure of Downing Street communications director Lee Cain.
Both men were veterans of the Vote Leave campaign that won the Brexit referendum in 2016 and moved into No.10 after Johnson became prime minister.
Jenkin also worked on Vote Leave but is no fan of Cummings, and told BBC Radio 4′s Today programme on Friday his decision to quit was an “opportunity to reset how the government operates”.
“I would suggest there are three words that need to become the watch words in Downing Street – they are respect, integrity and trust,” he said.
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“Certainly in the relationship between the Downing Street machine and the parliamentary party there’s been a very strong sense that has been lacking in recent months.
He added: “I’m not surprised in a way that it is ending in the way it is. No prime minister can afford a single adviser to become a running story, dominating his government’s communications and crowding out the proper messages the government wants to convey. Nobody is indispensable.”
But Jenkin said rather than Johnson having appointed too many pro-Brexit staff and ministers, the opposite was true.
“A lot of the people closely involved with Brexit, with Euroscepticism, were exiled from the government.
“And a lot of the people who voted Remain, and frankly some of them seemed like hangers on, were given very prominent jobs.”
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“You need substantial people who have experience,” he said. “It’s been a very young and inexperienced cabinet. There is an opportunity in a reshuffle to bring in more experience.”
All four of the people holding the so-called great offices off state, Johnson, foreign secretary Dominic Raab, home secretary Priti Patel and chancellor Rishi Sunak voted Leave. And Michael Gove, who holds the powerful Cabinet Office job, was chairman of Vote Leave.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Elderly Couple Separated By Covid Reunite In The Most Heartwarming Way

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An elderly couple who were separated for more than a month due to the pandemic were reunited this week – and the moment will leave you in tears.
Betty Meredith, 91, surprised her husband, Kenneth, 96, by showing up at his care home and revealing she’d moved in because she “can’t live without him”.
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The emotional reunion, caught on camera, shows Kenneth walking through the door with his zimmer-frame, then breaking down in tears at the sight of his wife.
He rushes over to Betty, who is sitting at a table set up for a makeshift date night and decorated with heart shaped balloons and roses. With The Platters’ 1954 hit, Only You, playing in the background, the couple share a long hug.
Rosie Boshell / SWNS
The pair were heartbroken after Kenneth moved into Bourn View Care Home, Birmingham, five weeks ago due to his worsening Alzheimer’s. Due to strict Covid rules, he couldn’t see wife Betty, who he has been with for 76 years.
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With no sign of restrictions changing, lonely Betty asked if she could be moved into the care home because she could no longer be apart from her husband.
Unbeknown to Kenneth, Betty had moved into the floor below as she waited for her Covid-19 test results, but continued to phone him for their daily chats.
Once her results came back negative, Betty and staff helped arrange the surprise for Kenneth on November 10.
Rosie Boshell / SWNS SWNS
Care worker Rosie Boshell, 24, who helped decorate and set up the surprise, said: “They couldn’t cope without each other any longer. Kenneth was emotional everyday and missed her so much. He would cry daily to us.”
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She added that Kenneth was “over the moon” when he heard the news and after their date, Betty took Ken to show him their new room.
“Every time I went to see them they were just smiling. They’re just too happy,” she added.
Bourn View Care Home / SWNS.COM
The couple’s great granddaughter Charlotte shared the heartwarming video on social media earlier this week.
She tweeted: “My grandad went into a care home five weeks ago and my nan couldn’t live without him so she decided to move in and the care home did this for them my actual heart.”
Care worker Rosie added: “Honestly the job is amazing. We aren’t a care home we are a family and would do anything for our family staff and residents.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Stephen Colbert Trolls Donald Trump With A Subtle Omission From His Monologue

President Donald Trump appeared to be he who shall not be named in Stephen Colbert’s monologue on Thursday’s broadcast of his US talk show.
The host did not say the words “Donald Trump” during his 13-minute summary of the day’s events, while the term “Trump” was also censored in screenshots of news headlines that the late-night presenter was passing comment on.
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It’s not the first time Colbert hasn’t said Trump’s name.
And Twitter users spotted the subtle snub...
My husband says Stephen Colbert is now using T**** instead of Trump when his name appears on the screen. — 𝗅𝖾𝖾𝗂𝖺 (@hey_leia) November 13, 2020
Serious question: why do people censor “Trump”? I notice some people on Twitter doing that; others do this: “tRump”. Tonight, Colbert censored Trump’s name — Alex Brandy™ (AB) 🌹 #VOTED (@__therealab__) November 13, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Of Course The John Lewis Christmas Advert Has Already Had Everyone In Tears

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This year’s John Lewis Christmas advert has been unveiled, and we probably don’t need to tell you that it’s sparked quite an emotional reaction.
As what’s been a difficult year for most of us nears its end, the department store has broken from tradition with its new advertising campaign.
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Rather than focussing on one story, the new ad features a string of short animated vignettes, which show people (and some cute animals, obv) performing small acts of kindness to brighten one another’s day.
The ad was unveiled online on Friday morning, and it very quickly gave viewers a lot of feelings:
The first proper sign of Christmas. The arrival of the John Lewis ad.
Soundtracked by @celeste. https://t.co/XbMD1lxDpe — Jim Gellatly (@JimGellatly) November 13, 2020
This @waitrose & #johnlewischristmasadvert moved me more than ever before.
Perhaps it’s thinking of how different #Christmas2020 will be. Perhaps it’s @celeste’s magical voice. Or perhaps it’s just that hedgehog... 😭 https://t.co/CNFG6HFYDP — Cher Richardson (@CherRichUK) November 13, 2020
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Me at 06.59: Not crying this year
Me at 07.01: 😭😭😭 #johnlewischristmasadvert pic.twitter.com/5nt2wQwhGK — anna tyler (@Tyles09) November 13, 2020
After the year we've all had #johnlewischristmasadvert has knocked it out the park.. in a year were so much has changed lets remember to be kind and give the greatest gift of them all #GiveALittleLove — Elsie (@ElsieSafc) November 13, 2020
I'm usually pretty cynical about John Lewis' Christmas ads, but this one's got me ❤ https://t.co/hxerrtU4bG — Robin Parker (@robin_parker) November 13, 2020
ok but the #johnlewischristmasadvert is so cute and sweet and just what we need in 2020 #GiveALittleLove pic.twitter.com/YPY5lcWXIb — pj - #wearamask (@loonylunes) November 13, 2020
Needed the #JohnLewisChristmasAdvert this morning — Megan Jones (@megansreads) November 13, 2020
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The John Lewis Christmas ad has lots of different beautiful animation styles, a sweet message but most notably it’s using a BRAND NEW SONG rather than a cover! Lovely work by @celeste. https://t.co/pm6tJ25GLJ — Kat Brown (@katbrown) November 13, 2020
John Lewis Christmas ad has arrived. Love the message about kindness, helping others and #GiveALittleLove ❤ https://t.co/lfTlrz6J0I — Cat G (@catcoral5) November 13, 2020
Did I actually fucking cry over animated pigeons and a hedgehog on that John Lewis Xmas ad? No couldn't have been me👀😭 — Thomas Thorne's Pistol 🔫☃ {Emily} (@notawaterpistol) November 13, 2020
Ok I actually LOVE this years ad! 😭🎄 The message is so important, spread a little love and be kind, always. Well done John Lewis ❤👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 https://t.co/0TsYluak4n — amy (@weirdworld0famy) November 13, 2020
JOHN LEWIS WINS THE BATTLE OF THE ADS SO FAR ❤❤❤❤ https://t.co/VglGVhY4ab — CurlyWirly (@sclfc1) November 13, 2020
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While past years have been soundtracked by covers from artists like Ellie Goulding, Lily Allen and Bastille singer Dan Smith, the new advert features an original song from Celeste.
The British singer-songwriter – who was named the BBC’s Sound Of 2020 and received the Rising Star prize at this year’s Brit Awards – said: “I felt honoured to be asked to take part. I wanted to create something that felt classic but still true to who I am as a writer and performer.”
Celeste’s track is also helping those in need, with 10p from each download of A Little Love going towards John Lewis’ charity campaign.
The retailer previously pledged support to FareShare, the Marcus Rashford-backed charity that helps those facing food poverty, and Home-Start which works with parents who are struggling.
A scene from the new John Lewis advert John Lewis and Waitrose
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Instead of the usual stuffed toy merchandise, the retailer has unveiled a series of “Give A Little Love’”products, including a slogan t-shirt and a heart-shaped umbrella. All profits from these will also go towards the charity appeal.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--A Minute Of Kindness: Condoms And Lube For Beirut's LGBTQ+ Community Affected By Blast

A Minute Of Kindness: Condoms And Lube For Beirut's LGBTQ+ Community Affected By Blast
The founders of Queer House Party have been collecting lubricant and condoms for Beirut LGBTQ+ organisation Helem, after a large explosion rocked the capital Lebanon in August. With the aim of helping marginalised communities affected by the blast the group are asking donations be sent to LGBTIQ+ shelter, and community centre, The Outside Project in London. They are also encouraging people to make direct donations to Helem’s fundraiser through OutRight Action International.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Home Alone 2 Director Tells Of How Donald Trump 'Bullied' His Way Into The Film

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Home Alone 2 director Chris Columbus has spoken out about how Donald Trump “bullied” his way into making an appearance in the festive film.
As Home Alone fans will know, the 1992 sequel features a brief cameo from the man who would eventually go on to become the US president, and in a new interview, its director has explained how this came to be.
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Speaking to Insider, Chris explained that a condition for filming a scene in the Plaza Hotel would be that its then-owner, Trump, also appear in it.
Macaulay Culkin and Donald Trump in Home Alone 2 20th Century Fox
“We paid the fee, but he also said, ‘The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie,’” Chris said. “So we agreed to put him in the movie.”
The filmmaker went on to say he was surprised at how positive the initial audience reaction to Trump’s cameo was, which is how it ended up staying in the film.
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“People cheered when Trump showed up on-screen,” Chris recalled. “So I said to my editor, ‘Leave him in the movie. It’s a moment for the audience’.”
“But he did bully his way into the movie,” Chris added.
Donald Trump addressing America on election night CHRIS KLEPONIS/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Trump actually has a long list of TV and film cameos to his name, recorded years before he made the bid to become president.
This includes cameos in Sex And The City, The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air and the oft-forgotten film Ghosts Can’t Do It, for which he was awarded a Razzie for Worst Supporting Actor.
He also recorded a cameo for The Scent Of A Woman, which was once again part of the conditions for the crew to film at the Plaza, though this ended up on the cutting room floor.
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Actor Matt Damon previously told The Hollywood Reporter: “The deal was that if you wanted to shoot in one of his buildings, you had to write him in a part. Martin Brest had to write something in Scent Of A Woman – and the whole crew was in on it.
“You have to waste an hour of your day with a bullshit shot: Donald Trump walks in and Al Pacino’s like, ‘Hello, Mr. Trump!’ – you had to call him by name – and then he exits.
“You waste a little time so you can get the permit, and then you can cut the scene out. But I guess in Home Alone 2, they left it in.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Comedian Rosie Jones Makes Impassioned Question Time Speech

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Comedian Rosie Jones has won praise for an impassioned speech she gave during her first ever appearance on Question Time on Thursday night.
Rosie – who has cerebral palsy – began by speaking about how her life was improved by the Disability Discrimination Act, which was introduced in 1995.
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“I was five years old, and without a doubt my life has been better because of [the Disability Discrimination Act,” she said. “I had an education, at a mainstream school, I went to university and got a job and with my cerebral palsy I have been a successful and independent human being.
“And I am proud of who I am… I can wee in disabled toilets and park where I want, because of this groundbreaking Disability Act.”
“I went to university, I got a job and with my cerebral palsy have been a successful and independent human being. I am proud of who I am.”
Comedian @josierones says her life has “without a doubt” been better because of the Disability Discrimination Act #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/OBpX5nZWKJ — BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) November 12, 2020
As health secretary Matt Hancock and presenter Fiona Bruce looked on, she continued: “Saying that, we’re 25 years on, and whenever I walk in the street alone I wear headphones... because of how I walk and I talk, I get abuse on a daily basis. I am not alone in that.
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“I am not alone in that I have had times of unemployment. Unemployment is huge among disabled people. I’ve tried to apply for jobs and I have been hung up on because of how I speak. And I’m not alone, because right now a quarter of a million disabled people are unemployed and because of Covid, that is rising.”
Rosie was on the same Question Time panel as Matt Hancock, the health secretary BBC
Rosie concluded: “I was going to say that disabled people are overlooked, but they are not, they are deliberately ignored because disabled people need more care and more money, and I don’t feel like as a disabled person, I am getting the care and support I need right now.
“I want to end by saying stop ignoring disabled people, we make up 22% of the population. We’re here and we’re worth listening to.”
The speech was met with applause from viewers on screen who were watching from home, as well as winning praise from many on social media:
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Thank you so much Rosie for being you and for speaking up for all disabled people. You were excellent on #bbcqt . 👏🏼👏🏿👏🏾👏🏽👏❤🌈 xxx — Clare Harrison Mccartney (@OfficialClareH1) November 13, 2020
Thank goodness for Rosie who can articulate on behalf of my sons, and other disabled people in a way that they cannot. — Kath (@mytippex) November 12, 2020
I dare anyone not to be moved to tears listening to Rosie Jones @josierones who spoke about her lived experience of being a disabled person in Britian today under a Tory government. #bbcqt 👏🏿 https://t.co/L97WE5G9uB — Michael Thawe (@Michael_Thawe) November 13, 2020
Very moving to hear Rosie Jones speak out on behalf of, in her words, the ‘deliberately ignored’ disabled community during Covid. Since 1995, it has been a little better for disabled people, but still a long way to go ❤ — John Cadman Stewart (@StewartCadman) November 13, 2020
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Rosie Jones is just consistently a legend. https://t.co/5XhhaB9gk6 — Elliot Wengler, or is he? (@Wengle) November 13, 2020
Rosie Jones saying it how it is👏🏼 excellent panelist. #bbcqt https://t.co/3uCXnW6T4Z — Laura Casey (@LauraCaseyOT) November 13, 2020
@josierones Rosie Jones was magnificent on #questiontime last night. Passionate, eloquent and moved me (and I suspect most people) to tears. So refreshing to see a real person on there, asking questions we'd all like answers to. — Loose-Heel. (@AMSant2) November 13, 2020
Rosie also reposted the clip, commenting: “I am disabled and I am bloody proud of it.”
I am disabled and I am bloody proud of it. https://t.co/GNZn3YQZRr — Rosie Jones (@josierones) November 12, 2020
After making her debut at the Edinburgh Festival in 2017, Rosie has gone on to become a regular at the event, and supported fellow stand-up Nish Kumar on his UK tour.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Treasury Aide Sacked By Dominic Cummings Wins Tens Of Thousands In Out Of Court Settlement

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A former Treasury aide who was summarily sacked by Dominic Cummings and escorted by police out of Downing Street is to receive tens of thousands of pounds in a settlement over her dismissal.
British taxpayers will have to foot the five-figure bill after the agreement between the government and Sonia Khan, who was Sajid Javid’s media adviser until the dramatic confrontation in No.10.
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The payout is believed to be between £50,000 and £100,000, but avoids a potentially explosive tribunal hearing that was brought on grounds of unfair dismissal and sex discrimination.
Khan’s departure and Boris Johnson’s subsequent decision to take control over key Treasury appointments later led to Javid’s own resignation from the cabinet.
HuffPost UK exclusively broke the news in August 2019 that Cummings had fired Khan, taken her pass from her and got police officers to escort her out of Downing Street.
The PM’s chief adviser accused Khan of leaking government information and having unauthorised contacts with former colleagues, claims which she strenuously denied and for which Cummings appeared to have no evidence.
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Backed by the FDA civil service union, she was due to appear at an employment tribunal next month to put her case. Cummings would have faced key questions at the tribunal over his conduct but it will not now go ahead.
In a statement issued by the FDA, Khan said: “Following 14 months of negotiation, I have today reached a settlement with the Treasury, my former employer, and as a result I am no longer pursuing my employment tribunal claim which was due to be heard in London in December.
“I would like to thank the FDA who have supported this action and were instrumental in finding a settlement, alongside their legal advisers Slater and Gordon.
“I would also like to thank the Metropolitan Police Service for their support during intense scrutiny and pressure for myself and my family, and my current employer, Cicero/AMO, for their wholehearted backing in the last year.”
Cummings’ conduct, which appeared to breach rules that only ministers and prime ministers could fire such aides, sparked a widespread backlash within Whitehall.
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In a meeting of other special advisers soon after Khan’s sacking, Cummings was reported to have told them: “If you don’t like how I run things, there’s the door. F**k off.”
HuffPost UK understands that the settlement was signed off a fortnight ago and predated the row over Cummings’ ally, communications chief Lee Cain, and the chief adviser’s decision to step down from No.10 by this Christmas.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Experts Say 'Nothing Abnormal' About Massive Gator Freaking Out Social Media

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An enormous alligator spotted in Naples, Florida, has caused some to make a snap judgment.
The Naples Daily News reported Wednesday that the baby dinosaur was spotted at Valencia Golf & Country Club by PGA professional Jeff Jones, who shot footage of the gargantuan gator.
HUGE FLORIDA GATOR! 🐊👀 Yep, this monster is real. Caught on camera during Hurricane #Eta in Naples. Credit: Jeff Jones @WINKNews pic.twitter.com/LGn0Hb19Rd — Matt Devitt (@MattDevittWINK) November 12, 2020
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Even before Jones’ video was circulated on social media, Wink News meteorologist Matt Devitt tweeted photos of the gator, and the buff beast appeared so colossal, many thought the images could be fake.
I thought the photos were fake...
This gator in Naples is massive 😳
🎥: Jeff Jones pic.twitter.com/aotOKeNBKU — Zach Abolverdi (@ZachAbolverdi) November 12, 2020
It looks fake but saw this video https://t.co/W2jgHSIrI3 — Sara K. Satullo (@sarasatullo) November 12, 2020
It almost looks fake but apparently there is a video of it too!! I have seen some big ones in the Everglades but dang! That's an impressive gator! https://t.co/vT57XHDOkT — Dr. Kaitlin Gallagher (@kait_a_gallaghr) November 12, 2020
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One suspicious aspect of the photos and videos is that the ripped reptilian’s legs look suspiciously long.
“Not very many people get to see alligators high walk,” John Brueggen, director at St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park, told HuffPost via email. “But there is nothing abnormal about this alligator.”
Brandon Fisher, a gator expert and director of media relations at Orlando’s Gatorland, agreed.
“Nowadays anything can be make-believe or altered in some way,” Fisher told HuffPost over the phone. “But honestly, it seems pretty legit.”
Fisher explained that a high walk occurs when an alligator stands up with “full legs spread out completely,” and that the right front leg will move with the left back leg, and vice versa.
Live News conference of the Giant Gator seen in Naples FL today pic.twitter.com/3PKSXPCxbw — UzamakiJ (@UzamakiJ) November 12, 2020
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Fisher also noted that the reptile was pretty big for a “golf course gator” and estimated it was about nine or 10 feet long.
“Adult alligators, especially getting up to that nine-to-10 foot range and above, their legs are about a foot-and-a-half to two feet long,” Fisher added. “So, when they stand up, and they do that high walk, they’re going to look tall.”
David Steen, the reptile and amphibian research leader of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, told HuffPost via Twitter that the gator’s actual size may be hard to gauge.
“I think some people might have a distorted sense of scale when looking at the photo,” he told HuffPost. “And the alligator may appear larger than it really is. I think many folks also aren’t used to seeing an alligator walking in the open.”
He concluded:
“There’s nothing unusual about the video. It’s a good-sized alligator out for a stroll.”
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Tyler Stolting, a PGA professional who also shot footage of the animal (above) told the Miami Herald he saw the gator from his golf cart at around 2 pm, and that there were no plans for the course to call a trapper or the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Presidential Election ‘Most Secure’ In History, Top Security Experts Say

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The 2020 presidential election was the “most secure in American history,” a group of top security and election officials at the Department of Homeland Security wrote Thursday, despite the White House’s ongoing lies about rampant voter fraud.
Members of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, released a joint statement days after Democrat Joe Biden was declared the president-elect but amid President Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to deny his electoral loss by sowing doubt about the results.
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As Axios notes, CISA’s overt rejection of the president’s baseless fraud claims is likely to infuriate Trump and those in his administration, who have already vowed to punish government officials seeking new jobs outside the White House.
“While we know there are many unfounded claims and opportunities for misinformation about the process of our elections, we can assure you we have the utmost confidence in the security and integrity of our elections, and you should too,” the group wrote. “When you have questions, turn to elections officials as trusted voices as they administer elections.”
The statement follows the resignation of Bryan Ware, the assistant director for cybersecurity at CISA, on Thursday. The Trump administration asked Ware to step down, Reuters reported, after CISA refused to echo the president’s accusations of voter fraud.
The head of the CISA, Christopher Krebs, has also told associates he expects to be fired, Reuters reported.
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Biden was declared the winner of the election last week, but Trump has refused to concede. His campaign has filed a bevvy of legal challenges in battleground states, claiming, without evidence, that there was widespread voter fraud around the nation that deprived Trump of a second term in office.
Many top Republicans have supported the president’s efforts and refused to acknowledge Biden as president-elect, but election officials have issued statement after statement rejecting the fraud claims while noting that the election went relatively smoothly even amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“All of the states with close results in the 2020 presidential race have paper records of each vote, allowing the ability to go back and count each ballot if necessary,” the group wrote on Thursday. “This is an added benefit for security and resilience. This process allows for the identification and correction of any mistakes or errors. There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised.”
“The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history,” the group added.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--Covid-19 In US Is A 'Humanitarian Disaster', Says CNN's Dr Sanjay Gupta

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CNN’s chief medical correspondent, Dr Sanjay Gupta, pulled no punches when spelling out the reality of the latest surge of the coronavirus in the US, describing it as a “humanitarian disaster.”
“Those are not words I use lightly,” Gupta tweeted Thursday. “But when there’s more than 60,000 people in the hospital and we could lose more than 2,000 lives a day by Jan, there’s no other way to describe this.”
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Gupta, during an appearance on CNN’s “New Day,” said the astonishing rise in daily Covid-19 infections and hospitalisations nationwide “is like a really fast-moving ship through the sea that we have to stop somehow.”
Some rural areas with low numbers of ICU beds were now “running out of options,” Gupta noted, and teams from Doctors Without Borders, the international humanitarian organisation famed for assisting in conflict and disaster zones, were now coming into America.
Gupta acknowledged “nobody wants to hear” about a possible new lockdown to curb the spread of the contagion but said “at some point it’s no longer our decision” if health care services are overwhelmed and can’t receive new patients.
His comments echoed those of Michael Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota and member of President-elect Joe Biden’s coronavirus advisory team, who this week warned America was “about to enter Covid hell.”
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“The next three to four months are going to be, by far, the darkest of the pandemic,” Osterholm said Monday. “I don’t think America quite gets this yet. This is going to get much worse. This is not to scare people out of their wits. This is to scare people into their wits to understand that because we still have control. We can basically limit the contacts we have with people that will dramatically impact our ability of getting this disease.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--China Congratulates Joe Biden For Winning US Election

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China has congratulated Joe Biden on being elected US president, saying “we respect the choice of the American people”.
Foreign ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin, added: “We congratulate Mr Biden and (vice presidential running mate) Ms (Kamala) Harris.”
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China, along with Russia, had avoided joining the throng of governments that congratulated Biden last weekend after he was projected to have secured enough Electoral College votes in the November 3 election to win the White House.
Joe Biden has been congratulated on his electoral win by China Joe Raedle via Getty Images
China’s government is mired in a tariff war with the Trump administration over Beijing’s technology ambitions and trade surplus.
Donald Trump also has labeled China a security threat and imposed export curbs and other sanctions on Chinese companies.
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Political analysts expect few changes under a Biden administration due to widespread frustration with Beijing’s trade and human rights record and accusations of spying and technology theft.
The remarks come as Trump continues to contest the election.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--This Scientist Just Gave The Best Explanation Of Covid Vaccine Safety

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An immunologist has been praised for setting out a “brilliant” explanation of why we should trust Covid-19 vaccines, such as the Pfizer vaccine announced as more than 90% effective.
The anti-vaxxer movement has, perhaps unsurprisingly, opposed Covid vaccines from the start, spreading baseless conspiracy theories both online and on the street at lockdown protests.
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But even outside of these circles, the speed with which the vaccine has been developed – far faster than our usual understanding of how long it takes to reach such a development – has left many with questions about its safety.
Appearing on BBC Question Time, Professor Robin Shattock, an immunologist based at Imperial College London, sought to explain why we should be confident about vaccines.
He said: “I think we need to remember that vaccines, next to clean water, have been the single most effective public health implementation globally.
“They’ve saved more lives than any other medicines. People are concerned about this vaccine because they perceive that it’s been done too quickly, and actually we’ve done a disservice by saying ‘it takes ten years to make a vaccine’.
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“Vaccines, next to clean water, have been the single most effective public health implementation globally.”
Immunologist @robin_shattock tells #bbcqt that people concerned about the Covid vaccine should be reassured that they have "saved more lives than any other medicine”. pic.twitter.com/x24RLwSm6T — BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) November 12, 2020
“Technology is changing very very quickly, and what has happened is the same number of participants have been exposed to this particular vaccine, 43,000 participants.”
Among the fears shared by those sceptical of a Covid-19 vaccine is the possibility of side effects that may not have had time to materialise as the trials have progressed.
But Shattock explained: “When you’re looking at side effects, most side effects occur very quickly. Within a week or so of have having a vaccine we would see any severe side effect at this stage.
“No regulatory authority, whether it’s the UK Medicines Regulatory Authority, or the European Regulatory Authority or the FDA will let anything go through that doesn’t have a totally squeaky clean safety record.
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“One thing that I think people completely forget is that a vaccine stimulates your immune system, it tricks it to see if it’s seen the virus, so you’re getting an aspect of the infection that’s so much minor than the real virus.
“So when you think about the risk-benefit, the risk of having a severe outcome from Covid-19 far outweighs any theoretical risk of a vaccine, and the problem is that vaccines are so successful that diseases go away and all you see are the side effects.”
Amid months of pandemic disinformation, Shattock earned praise after a clip of his argument was posted on Twitter, with social media users complementing his “brilliant”, “clear” explanation.
A brilliant explanation last night by Prof @robin_shattock of Imperial on #bbcqt on why vaccines are such a huge benefit to mankind and for Covid19 a light at end of the tunnel.
Paracetamol has a huge list of unlikely side effects listed too!
Clear, simple, direct#VaccinesWork https://t.co/cd8RsIglmb — Oonagh Moulton (@oonaghmoulton) November 13, 2020
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--John Lewis Christmas Advert: How Celeste Broke From Tradition With Her Musical Contribution

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The new John Lewis Christmas ad was unveiled on Friday morning, and has already sparked the annual conversation about how emotional it’s making everyone and, indeed, raised questions about why we’re all so excited about a literal advert in the first place.
While past efforts have been soundtracked by a range of singers from Ellie Goulding, Lily Allen and Bastille singer Dan Smith, the musical contributions have all had one thing in common – they’ve been covers of songs we already know.
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For their 2020 ad, John Lewis did things a little differently, and recruited Celeste singer-songwriter to contribute an original track to feature in their first effort.
Having been named the BBC’s Sound Of 2020 and received the Rising Star Award (previously named the Critics’ Choice Award) at the Brits back in February, Celeste’s original song A Little Love features in the two-minute clip.
Celeste pictured at the Brit Awards earlier this year Jim Dyson via Getty Images
She said: “I felt honoured to be asked to take part. I wanted to create something that felt classic but still true to who I am as a writer and performer.”
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Celeste’s track is also helping those in need, with 10p from each download of A Little Love going towards John Lewis’ charity campaign.
The retailer previously pledged support to FareShare, the Marcus Rashford-backed charity that helps those facing food poverty, and Home-Start which works with parents who are struggling.
A very special announcement ❣For this year’s @jlandpartners and @waitrose Christmas advert I had the chance to write an original song it’s called A Little Love ✨🎄🃏✨🎄🃏 You can watch the advert on YouTube now at https://t.co/snJp2myAe9 ✨ #GiveALittleLove — Celeste (@celeste) November 13, 2020
Instead of the usual stuffed toy merchandise, the retailer has unveiled a series of “Give A Little Love’”products, including a slogan t-shirt and a heart-shaped umbrella. All profits from these will also go towards the charity appeal.
A second shorter ad, created with artwork by four post-graduate students from Kingston University, details how customers can further support the campaign.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-11-13--8 Showbiz Highlights That Put A Smile On Our Faces This Week | Good Vibes Only

8 Showbiz Highlights That Put A Smile On Our Faces This Week | Good Vibes Only
With a brand new series of I’m A Celebrity just round the corner, we take a look at what to expect from this year’s crop of castle stars. There’s also a tantalising preview of The Crown’s long-awaited fourth season. Plus find out why Lizzo and John Legend had us howling in the wake of the US election result, and why David Beckham’s choice of footwear has been causing a stir.