Margaret Atwood warns world is 'fertile for dictators' due to 'polarisation' of political climate
The Handmaid's Tale author Margaret Atwood has warned to 'be prepared' for a world 'fertile for dictators'. Canadian novelist Margaret, 81, who penned the classic dystopian novel set in a totalitarian North America, said that 'extremes at both ends' of the political sphere are becoming more and more polarised. In an interview with Stylist magazine, she warned that the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change are further 'unsettling civic order' and 'frightening the moderates'. 'Compounded by the rising tide of Covid, which is unsettling civic order, and by the effects of climate change, ditto. In February, the novelist once again warned against the effects of climate change, claiming that women's rights and the climate crisis are 'very connected'.
Source:Daily Mail
November 25, 2020 18:35 UTC
Dirty Dancing's Jennifer Grey says Patrick Swayze 'can't be replaced' in sequel
Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey has opened up about filming the second movie without her iconic co-star Patrick Swayze. The 60-year-old actress - who played Baby Houseman in the 1987 classic - maintains that no-one will be able to replace Patrick in the upcoming sequel. Jennifer's latest interview comes months after film bosses announced plans to produce a Dirty Dancing 2 movie. Although television bosses have kept the plans for Dirty Dancing 2 top secret, Jennifer is set to reprise her role and will also act as an executive producer. (Image: REUTERS) (Image: Vestron/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock)During her interview with People, Jennifer also opened up about her thoughts on age.
Source:Daily Mirror
November 25, 2020 18:27 UTC
The Irish Times view on protests in Thailand: royal taboos broken
As young democracy protesters in Thailand have broadened the scope of their demands to encompass once-taboo criticism of the king, the government has cracked down using the country’s infamous lese-majesté laws. This week 15 protest leaders have faced charges relating to comments made about Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s lifestyle and rule from his luxury home in Germany. Protests have included demands to curb the king’s recently expanded powers and have challenged his decision to declare crown wealth his personal property, making him by far the wealthiest person in Thailand. There is also anger at the king’s unprecedented decision to take personal command of all military units based in Bangkok. He defied a ban on hotel stays in the state at the time of one of Bavaria’s coronavirus lockdowns.
Source:The Irish Times
November 25, 2020 18:22 UTC
Coronavirus Ireland: six further deaths and 269 new cases
There have been a further six deaths and 269 new cases of coronavirus in Ireland. There has been a total of 2,033 coronavirus related deaths in the country and a total of 71,187 cases. Of the cases notified today, 123 are men and 146 are women. Read More88 cases are in Dublin, 42 in Cork, 25 in Limerick, 20 in Louth, 16 in Donegal, and the remaining 78 spread across 17 other counties. As of 2pm today, 260 coronavirus patients are hospitalised, of which 36 are in ICU.
Source:Irish Independent
November 25, 2020 18:22 UTC
80% Londoners think crime will rocket when lockdown measures eased
Four out of five Londoners believe that crime rates will rise when lockdown restrictions in the capital are eased. Four out of five Londoners believe that crime rates will go through the roof when lockdown measures are eased. Stock pictureMs Hall accused Khan of 'ignoring' Londoners' priorities by planning to cut London's policing budget. City Hall, which has about 1,000 staff, has been earmarked for £59million of cuts. 'Sadiq Khan would be ignoring Londoners' priorities if he cut London's policing budget by nearly £110 million.
Source:Daily Mail
November 25, 2020 18:14 UTC
Tesco unveil Black Friday deals including Nintendo Switch for just £229
The Black Friday deals at the supermarket span across gifts, toys, homeware, electrical goods, video games and much more. (Image: SWNS)One offer which been spotted by hotukdeals happening this Black Friday at Tesco is, the Nintendo Switch Fortnite Edition has been reduced from £279 to just £229. Get ready to dive into a 100-player Battle Royale wherever you are with the Nintendo Switch Fortnite Special Edition. One member said: “That's a steal if you can actually get one.”Another added: “Incredible deal.”We’ve outlined some other Black Friday deals from Tesco below that you won’t want to miss out on either. You can shop the rest of Tesco's Black Friday deals, here.
Source:Daily Mirror
November 25, 2020 18:02 UTC
Border force officer sacked for calling black colleague 'King of the Jungle' wins £16,000 payout
A senior Border Force officer who was sacked after calling a black colleague 'King of the Jungle' has won more than £16,000 after a tribunal ruled his remark wasn't racist. 'On the other hand, Mr Gold was clear that no one present had taken offence. Judge Russell ruled: 'I find there was an air of inevitability about the eventual determination from investigation through to the appeal outcome. I find all involved in that process were too ready to conclude Mr Gold was guilty.' 'It was simply that the bar was set too high, unfairly so, for Mr Gold to prove his innocence.
Source:Daily Mail
November 25, 2020 17:51 UTC
UK coronavirus death toll soars by 696 in highest rise since May 5
It takes the total number of deaths to 55,838 and the total number of infections since the pandemic hit the UK to 1,538,794. England accounted for 353 of the hospital fatalities, Scotland 44, Wales 41 more lives have and Northern Ireland's hospital death toll rose by seven. Last Wednesday there were 388 hospital deaths. The previous Wednesday, November 11, another 478 coronavirus deaths were recorded in UK hospitals. (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto) (Image: Getty Images)You can behave as if you’re in one household for that five-day period.
Source:Daily Mirror
November 25, 2020 17:45 UTC
Mystery customer leaves $3,000 tip for staff at Kerry man's bar in Ohio
Staff at the Nighttown bar and restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio in the United States were left delighted after a mystery man left a very generous $3,000 tip. Picture: AoifeoreganOn Sunday, November 22, the last night of service, Mr Ring described his disbelief when a customer left the $3,000 tip to be shared among the staff. "But then I put my reading glasses on and I saw it was a $3,000 tip on a seven dollar beer. The whopping $3,000 tip for a pint of Stella left by the mystery customer. Mr Ring described the situation of the pandemic in the US as a "rudderless ship" with every state going in a different direction.
Source:Irish Examiner
November 25, 2020 17:42 UTC
Pensioners and savers to have £122billion swiped from payouts by Rishi Sunak's small print
That might not sound a lot, but has the ABI estimates that the move could cost investors and pensioners £122 billion - with pensioners hit particularly hard. (Image: Getty)And it's not just today’s pensioners who will lose out, but workers in final salary schemes too. “This looks set to include millions of defined benefit scheme members whose pensions are linked to RPI," Selby said. "In addition, those who have bought annuities from insurance companies promising annual RPI inflation rises will also bit hit. Many contracts for mobile phones also allow "inflation linked" rises each year - meaning people could also save money that way too.
Source:Daily Mirror
November 25, 2020 17:31 UTC
Letters: Sturgeon needs to address the large minority who are breaking Covid rules
The First Minister needs to stop telling people what a great job they are doing keeping to the guidelines when they obviously are not. The meeting-in-house rules are being broken, the travel rules are being broken. She needs to start talking to the minority, a large minority, who ignore the rules instead of just complimenting the ones who do go by the rules. NICOLA Sturgeon and the other three national leaders had a tough choice to make when it came to relaxing the Christmas guidelines. I understood, from her pronouncements several months ago, that she didn’t have the power to (try to) close the border.
Source:The Herald
November 25, 2020 17:26 UTC
Men are sharing their pandemic GLOW-DOWNS on TikTok to show how much they've changed in one year
Men on TikTok are sharing their 'glow-down' photos to show how they looked their best a year ago — before quarantine — and are no longer as attractive as they were pre-pandemic. The trend was started by women earlier this year, but now guys are sharing their own versions. Start of it all: Men are sharing their 'glow-down' photos to show how they let themselves go over the past year. A number of the guys have longer hair or more facial hair amid the pandemic. 'So I've been seeing these trends on TikTok of people sharing their glow-ups,' she said.
Source:Daily Mail
November 25, 2020 17:19 UTC
Dezeen Awards 2020 honour the best architecture, interiors and designs of the year
The prestigious Dezeen Awards 2020, run by architecture and design website Dezeen and now in its third year, took place in a series of online ceremonies this week. The awards identify 'the world's best architecture, interiors and design', as well as the studios, architects and designers producing 'the most outstanding work'. According to Dezeen, architects extended the foundations and added a timber-framed upper story. Designers at Koning Eizenberg Architecture rejuvenated the building, turning it into a children's museum, which opened last year. Dezeen explained that the 'subtlety and sobriety of Japanese crafts and its skilled artisans have informed the interiors of the restaurant'.
Source:Daily Mail
November 25, 2020 17:15 UTC
Mortified mum fails to notice X-rated rip in jeans so does school run with bum on show
"I got up in the morning, got dressed, and went to do the school run as usual," explained Katt. (Image: Katt Rogers / SWNS.COM)"I think I was in there for about twenty minutes until an Asda employee came up to me and said something. To Katt's surprise, it wasn't just a rip but a full-blown tear in a prime location, revealing her entire bum for the world to see. "But I must have been in there for 20, if not twenty 25 minutes, with my whole bum out. "That morning I even thought about wearing my Bridget Jones pants but I gave it a miss so it literally was my whole bum crack.
Source:Daily Mirror
November 25, 2020 17:01 UTC
Sea level changes in the northern hemisphere caused the Antarctica ice sheet to grow
Changes to the Antarctic ice sheet at the bottom of the southern hemisphere have been triggered by sea level changes in the northern hemisphere over the past 40,000 years, a new study discovered. New models found that as the climate cooled in the northern hemisphere and more water turned to ice, sea levels in Antarctica dropped, making its ice sheet grow. Likewise, as temperatures rose again, the ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere retreated, causing levels to rise around Antarctica and its ice sheet to retreat. The only possible explanation, the scientists say, were changes in sea level caused by the growth or retreat of ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere. 'In the modern era, we haven't seen the kind of large ice sheet retreat that we might see in our future warming world.
Source:Daily Mail
November 25, 2020 16:59 UTC