The Republicans were supposed to be rallying at the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, about now, and Gov. Ron DeSantis was going to ensure that schools across the state reopened in response to President Donald Trumps all-caps tweets.

Instead, Trump is expected to give his acceptance speech for the semi-virtual Republican National Convention from the Oval Office. Some official convention proceedings will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina. And DeSantis is battling in court with the Florida teachers union over his reopening mandate.

One thing thats not changing, however, is Trumps steady drumbeat for private school choice a platform that includes his administrations freedom scholarships proposal and a Republican relief bill, the School Choice Now Act, that would provide emergency funding for state-level scholarship organizations. Such policies have proved irresistible to his base, but they havent garnered much support in Congress.

I think they are going to try to really key in on private school scholarships and vouchers and their vision of the choice agenda, said Danny Carlson, the director of policy and advocacy for the National Association of Elementary School Principals. Elections are about a lot of things, but theyre really about getting out your base.

School choice is half of the education section in a proposed second-term agenda Trump unveiled Sunday, along with teach American exceptionalism. Carlson predicted that Trump will likely remind people of the win in the Espinoza case, referring to the U.S. Supreme Courts June decision overturning a Montana rule that excluded religious schools from a tax-credit scholarship program.

The inclusion of Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., on the RNC agenda could suggest the campaign wants to hammer on Trumps push for tax-credit-funded scholarships. Scott is co-sponsoring the school choice bill with Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander. The organizations would provide scholarships for private schools as well as to families that want to homeschool a segment of voters that could be growing because of frustrations over school reopening.

Trump will make daily appearances. To the extent he addresses education, observers dont expect him to stray from his recent positions on reopening schools and increasing private school choice.

Id like to see the money follow the student, Trump said Aug. 12 at his second White House event urging schools to reopen. Were having a hard time with the Democrats. They want the money to follow the union.

The U.S. Department of Education also followed up last week with a webinar titled School Choice During COVID-19 and the Impact on Families as Schools Reopen, which featured a school choice advocate in Ohio, a family participating in the federally funded D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, and the leader of a Christian school in Richmond, Virginia.

Kellyanne Conway, Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump at the Kids First: Getting Americas Children Safely Back to School event. (Official White House Photo by Delano Scott)

State of polarization

There are some signs that pandemic desperation has made some of the administrations core education priorities more palatable to many who would not have embraced them prior to the coronavirus. Families who probably never viewed themselves as potential homeschoolers are among those breaking away from their school districts or teaming up with other families to form homeschool pods.

Recent polling from organizations albeit those that support school choice show increasing interest in homeschooling among Black and Hispanic families. A RealClear Opinion Research survey of more than 600 parents in May showed that almost 41 percent said they would be more likely to homeschool after the lockdowns, with half of Black parents and more than a third of Hispanic parents giving that response. In addition, a June survey from EdChoice and Morning Consult showed that more than 60 percent of 557 parents said they feel somewhat or much more favorable toward homeschooling since the outbreak of the virus.

For families suddenly embracing school choice or homeschooling, his message about funding following students probably resonates, said Rick Hess, an education policy expert at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. In addition, for those parents eager to get their children back in school, Trumps big megaphone on school reopening has offered a counterargument to the unions position that its not safe to return to in-person classes, he said.

If Trump gains some points among minority voters over school choice issues, he might lose their support over the reopening issue. Only a fifth of Black voters support a return to in-person learning for students and teachers before a vaccine is available, according to new polling data from Education Reform Now Advocacy, a project of Democrats for Education Reform.

Trump is out of step with the desires of Black voters and, more importantly, is jeopardizing the health of students and teachers, said Shavar Jeffries, president of the reform group.

Hess added that Trump might have swayed more voters if he had handled the COVID-19 crisis with some veneer of statesmanship, but that hasnt been the publics general perception.

Ultimately, with the nation in a state of polarization, Hess said, Trump supporters are unlikely to change their vote to Democratic nominee Joe Biden even if they agree with keeping learning remote. Likewise, Biden supporters likely wont turn to Trump just because they want their children back in school.

Small, but passionate

For past Republican presidents, education has been more of a bridge issue. That was initially the case with No Child Left Behind under President George W. Bush and continued during the Obama administration with the Every Student Succeeds Act.

But thats clearly not Trumps style, said David Campbell, a political science professor at the University of Notre Dame. The president uses education to appeal to a small, but very passionate group, he said. He added that although the general population might not be as familiar with tax-credit scholarship programs as they are other types of school choice, like vouchers and charter schools, such policies are well-known to the constituents that care.

One problem for Trump, however, is that some of those voters arent particularly happy with his record on school choice either. DeVos and the administration have been unsuccessful in getting significant congressional support for their $5 billion tax-credit proposal. Its also unclear whether the Senate Republicans plan for emergency tax-credit programs in the states will make it into the next pandemic relief package.

We would like them to actually deliver on their early promises for the tax-credit proposals that they have talked about since the last campaign, said Dale McDonald, the director of public policy for the National Catholic Education Association. NCEA will certainly continue to push for assistance to parents to choose schools, but not seeing any major breakthrough just yet.

A battle-hardened DeVos

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos isnt scheduled to make a convention appearance this week, but whether she would join Trump for another four years if he wins is still up for grabs.

Presidential advisor and Catholic school supporter Kellyanne Conway, who is scheduled to speak Wednesday, frequently communicates the administrations priorities regarding education and led much of the discussion at the April 12 school reopening event.

We, as a nation, can philosophically and politically differ on many issues, Conway said, addressing Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. But Ive never, ever heard a very compelling and persuasive, memorable reason why people oppose the kind of school choice that the two of you are fighting for.

Conway announced Sunday that she is leaving the White House at the end of the month.

Some, such as Fordham Institute President Michael Petrilli, dont expect DeVos to hang around for a second term. Jason Botel, who served in the department until 2018 as an assistant secretary, said she might prefer to return to the philanthropic sector and focus on expanding school choice for children in low-income families that way.

But having outlasted so many other members of Trumps cabinet, DeVos is much more battle-hardened now and plays well with the base, Hess said. The people who give to Republican campaigns feel like she has been unfairly slandered and smeared.

Whether she would remain for a second term might be her call, he added.

If Trump wins a second term and DeVos moves on, Botel suggests the administrations efforts to appeal to the religious right will continue. Trump could also choose someone from the higher education sector who is a champion of the faith community.

A DeVos replacement at the department could also take on other initiatives, Botel said, as long as they dont overshadow Trumps primary goal pushing education-related policies that have the support of faith communities.

Originally posted here:
Trump Expected to Stick to Twin Themes of Reopening and Private School Choice at This Week's Republican National Convention - The 74

A year into office, BS Yediyurappa, the Bharatiya Janata Party's only chief minister who is above the 75-year threshold, finds himself at a crossroads.

In the past two months, the party high command has given scant regard to his choice of legislative council and Rajya Sabha candidates, when elections were notified for these.

And now, he has not been able to keep his promise of ministerial berths to leaders who defected from the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) to help him come to power last year. A cabinet reshuffle and expansion has been on the cards for a long time: defectors like MTB Nagaraj and R Shankar who have been made members of legislative council (MLCs) after nearly six months are waiting in the wings to be crowned ministers.

Yet, there have been inordinate delays, amid a buzz that refuses to go away that the 'high command' may not only go for a cabinet reshuffle but may also look at a new CM face who can front the party for the next elections.

Nobody knows whether this buzz is serious or just wishful thinking on the part of other aspirants. But the one thing everyone knows is that, in Karnataka politics, BSY is quite, quite irreplaceable.

"Actually, they have already started looking at it (a potential replacement) for almost six months," says political analyst Harish Ramaswamy. "They also realise they can't replace Yediyurappa unless they have a clear strategy on the ground, for the simple reason that he is a grassroots leader, and he has his roots clearly spread in the Lingayat region."

After all, who can forget the drubbing that the BJP suffered when BSY parted ways with it seven years ago and floated his own splinter party?

So the strategy is threefold right now, Ramaswamy says.

"They want an RSS person in the picture. They are also trying to find an alternate Lingayat candidate. Although you have Lingayats in the BJP, you don't have candidates who can replace Yediyurappa in the public space. The third thing they are working on is, if they have a new leader, will he be deep-rooted enough to garner votes for the BJP? There is one set of votes that will go to the BJP anyway. But there is political mobilisation capacity needed to garner more votes to defeat another party that is regionally strong like the JD(S) or has a national stature like the Congress with its formidable leaders like Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar," Ramaswamy says to News18.

There is still another two and a half years to go before Karnataka faces an assembly election, but the BJP has always been known to start and prepare early. So one set of voices within the party feels that it is better to face the next election under a different CM one who can take charge perhaps by the end of 2020, and go on to demonstrate his or her leadership and governance skills in the remaining two years.

There is another set that believes it is better to face the next election under BSY at the helm. But if they win the next election, then it would be better to get in a new 'surprise' face installed as the CM, with Yediyurappa being given a graceful exit as, perhaps, a governor.

"They can continue with him till the next election, so that the party comes back (or stands a good chance of coming back) to power. Everything else is secondary. The party must come back," says a senior minister in the BSY cabinet, adding, "They can then decide the next CM after winning the election based on BSY's popularity." He is a CM aspirant himself.

The problem would, of course, be that BSY would be at the ripe age of 80 by then. The party has, hitherto, prided itself on asking its 75+ leaders to move to the so-called 'margdarshak mandal', which is supposed to be an apex advisory body.

But if they make an exception for a 77-year-old now, would it matter if the age were 78, 79 or 80?

"They are likely to let him complete his term (till 2023), extracting a promise perhaps that he will be at the forefront of the next election campaign and help win it. If they win the election, the possibility of another Lingayat leader close to BSY like Bommai becoming the CM is not ruled out. An alternative option might be to make a Dalit leader like the present deputy CM, Govind Karjol, the CM for half the term and then accommodate a powerful upper caste leader for the remainder of the term (assuming the party comes to power)," says Chandan Gowda, political observer and professor at the Azim Premji University.

These leaders, however, may not be close to the party's national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh. Over the past year, Santhosh has been calling the shots over many issues, be it choice of candidates in various elections or taking on the Opposition on issues like the Bengaluru riots. He has kept a close watch over politics in Karnataka, and is said to be not averse to chief ministerial dreams himself.

But the camp that feels BSY could be replaced earlier, believes that the time may come as early as six months from now.

A Lingayat MLA from north Karnataka has been puzzled over why the cabinet expansion has been put off for over a month now.

The CM had given his word to defectors like MTB Nagaraj and R Shankar to reward them with cabinet berths. Not only this, there has also been considerable lobbying from the 'original' BJP MLAs to be accommodated in a cabinet expansion. Perhaps the expansion plans have been held up because of the high command's calculations on who should be included and who shouldn't and whether they need to have a new leader in, in six months, he feels.

"Maybe it will take another six months. What I feel is, naturally the party will look for a Lingayat face. There is a feeling in Karnataka that the votes are based on caste the Gowda votes are with the JD(S), most of the Lingayat votes are with the BJP, so changing that to a non-Lingayat face will make us lose out our core vote bank. So the party won't take a chance on that," he says, on condition of anonymity.

He adds wryly, "Our high command can take any decision, they are known for it. Only they know what calculations run in their mind."

The party has, in the past, tried to taunt BSY in various ways it installed three deputy CMs without consulting him, it went against his choice in MLC and Rajya Sabha elections, against his choice of state party president. But all this has not deterred Yediyurappa.

"If it had deterred him, he may have done other things (like going against the high command.) But it has not. However, they are pushing him into a situation where he may want out of the race by the next election," points out Ramaswamy. He says the party will probably take this up seriously only about six months before the election.

"Probably one idea that Yediyurappa had earlier was to find a place for his son and he could move away. But they did not agree. With many strategies combined, they have to carefully choose the successor, and give him a graceful exit," he says.

Another political analyst, Prof Sandeep Shastri, says the party has given BSY enough hints even some not-so-subtle ones about the need to change the CM.

The chief minister also realises where the shots are being called whether in appointment of deputy CMs or MPs, the ground is being prepared for a handover.

But the party is also eager that the handover be smooth, Shastri says.

"Who is the ideal replacement, is the million-dollar question. There are a lot of people in the BJP who say, 'Don't put me in the list of contenders.' Because the minute a name is floated, that person would be out of the reckoning. Look at the choice of the President, of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana CMs, at the choice of Tejasvi Surya for Bangalore South Lok Sabha seat. Whenever there is a decision left to the Centre, they believe in an element of surprise," Shastri says.

While surprise is one element that is part of the style of this leadership, the other is that whoever the choice is, must be their choice. Not the media's choice, nor anyone who fancies himself as the next CM or anyone who tries to promote himself.

Again, the man to watch out for is BL Santhosh, Shastri believes.

"I don't think Lingayats have a mass leader of that stature. If you look at how Ramakrishna Hegde emerged as the leader who could bring the Gowdas and Lingayats together, here too, the party may find a Brahmin is the uniting factor whether Santhosh or Pralhad Joshi. Since Yediyurappa is dead against Santhosh, Joshi may emerge as the compromise candidate," he says.

Caste is not the only calculation. The loyalty test is the only test loyalty to the party's core principles and to the Delhi bosses similar to Indira Gandhi's way of functioning, he feels.

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BJP's Karnataka Conundrum: Finding a Successor to BSY, and the Long, Tumultuous Road It Opens - News18

The body that represents more than 537 local councils says there has been continuing silence from the Prime Minister's office about whether it can have a role in National Cabinet.

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) had been part of the cabinet's predecessor, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), for 28 years.

COAG was scrapped in March in favour of the National Cabinet, which was formed to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

ALGA president David O'Loughlin said local government should be in the meetings.

"We're not at all happy that we've been left off the list of people at that table," he said.

"We've only been left with an opportunity to speak once a year to the gathering of first ministers and treasurers."

He said while ALGA is on several councils and takes part in ministerial meetings below the National Cabinet level, many of those forums are under review.

He said the nation's councils had been severely impacted by the pandemic, having lost millions in revenue.

"We haven't been given a good reason why it's happened," he said.

"We do run aged care, primary health and public health offices, so there was certainly a strong interface that would have been helpful."

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Mr O'Loughlin said the councils will be an important part of economic recovery.

"We're exactly the right level of government to be able to run small scale, local, grassroots employment programs, including training programs to get the nation back on its feet," he said.

"Even with programs such as the building grant, wouldn't it be good if local government had known about it so that our planners could be ready for the influx."

The federal minister responsible for local government, Mark Coulton, said local councils would continue to have contact with the upper levels of government.

But he said it was unlikely they would get a seat in National Cabinet.

"National Cabinet is not just a replacement of COAG," he said.

"It's part of the reform process, and the decision not to have local government there was not only made by the Prime Minister but also by the state premiers."

The reform process is expected to be complete by September.

Mr Coulton said he understood the value of local councils in restarting the economy.

"Half a billion dollars went out the door last month to enable them to undertake projects that will stimulate the economies that have been impacted by COVID-19," the minister said.

"During the drought we made two rounds of $1 million each, as well as the bushfires last summer.

"The Federal Government goes to local government to have that ability to focus on local communities and put the assistance where it's needed most."

Councils themselves have voted to continue the push to be included in National Cabinet talks.

Hilltops Council has written to its local MP for the Riverina and the Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack.

The Narromine Shire Council has also resolved to write to several state and federal MPs to express their disappointment that council is not included in National Cabinet.

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Local government wants to be in National Cabinet back in the room where it happens - ABC Local

New Delhi: In a move to further privatise the airports across the country, the Ministry of Civil Aviation will present its proposal before the Union Cabinet on Wednesday. An announcement to this effect was made by Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday. Also Read - International Flight Updates: India Negotiating With 13 Countries to Establish Air Bubbles, Says Aviation Minister Puri

We are going to the Cabinet tomorrow for further airport privatisation. We have got many more airports lined up, dozens of them, and the 100 new airports we will build between now and 2030, Puri said during a webinar on Tuesday. Also Read - Dubai-Kozhikode Plane Crash: Air India Pilot Unions Seek Meeting With Aviation Minister Over Flight Safety

The development comes as the aviation sector has been worst affected by to the COVID-19 pandemic. Also Read - Kerala Air Crash: 'Unhappy' With DGCA Chief's Remarks, Pilot Unions Seek His 'Immediate Replacement' From Post

Puri said that the airports in Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram and Guwahati were cleared for operation, management and development through public-private partnership (PPP) model in February 2019. This happened in the first round of privatisation under the Narendra Modi dispensation.

In September 2019, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had recommended the Civil Aviation Ministry to privatise airports in Amritsar, Varanasi, Bhubaneswar, Indore, Raipur and Trichy.

The AAI, which works under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, owns and manages more than 100 airports across the country.

Moreover, the Central government had in 2018 decided to privatise the airports in Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, and Guwahati.

Adani Enterprises had won the rights to run these six airports after a competitive bidding process in February 2019. Adani Enterprises signed the concessionaire agreement with the AAI for three airports Ahmedabad, Mangaluru and Lucknow on February 14, 2020.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Privatisation of Airports: Ministry of Civil Aviation to Present Proposal to Union Cabinet on Wednesday - India.com

Gavin Williamson was accused of repeated incompetence after a day in which both he and the Department for Education apparently contradicted themselves on when GCSE students official results would be released. The exam board later clarified that students would have them by Thursday.

The education secretary also refused to say whether he had offered his resignation to Boris Johnson, after the government was forced into a painful U-turn on Monday in allowing students to use teachers suggested grades, rather than those awarded by a government algorithm based on schools performance history.

While reports suggested that Mr Williamsons offer to resign had been refused by the prime minister, his public comments appeared to lay blame at the feet of civil servants, telling LBC that Ofqual didnt deliver the system that we had been reassured and believed that would be in place.

Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

It came as headteachers union ASCL called for an urgent independent review of the exams grading fiasco, with general secretary Geoff Barton claiming it was necessary because public confidence has been badly shaken.

Meanwhile, the government faced further criticism for its decision to replace Public Health England (PHE) during a pandemic, with independent health think-tank, the Nuffield Trust, warning of a major misstep.

Health secretary Matt Hancock raised further eyebrows as he unveiled its replacement body, the National Institute for Health Protection, by insisting that one of the big learnings of the coronavirus crisis has been the need for private intervention in the health sector.

Citing the partnership between the government, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and Oxford University in creating a vaccine candidate, he claimed the idea of a divide between the public and private sectors was now for the birds, adding: So my message to everyone in the private sector is join us in the mission.

Read below to see how we reported on the day's events as they unfolded:

Baroness Harding set to head agency replacing Public Health England

Health secretary Matt Hancock is expected to announce the appointment of the Conservative peer Baroness Dido Harding as head of the governments new Institute for Health Protection.

Baroness Harding, the former chief executive of TalkTalk, has been in charge of Englands Test and Trace system since May.

Since then, questions have been raised about the programmes performance and value for money.

After becoming a peer in August 2014, Baroness Harding has been on the Economic Affairs Committee of the Lords since July 2017.

Read more on the story here:

Williamson refuses to say whether he's offered to resign

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has refused to say whether he has offered his resignation to the prime ministerover the A-levels fiasco.

This follows the government's decision on Monday to ditch the controversialalgorithm that was used to standardise A Level and GCSE results.

Asked three times on BBC Breakfast whether he had discussed stepping down from his position with Boris Johnson, Mr Williamson refused to directly address the question.

The education secretary said:Of course, I spoke with the prime minister, explained the situation - the fact that we needed to move to centre assessed grades because it was the fair system and the right system to do."

But my focus is making sure that every student gets the grades they deserve - making sure we deliver the return of all children back to school in September," he added.

The Independent's Ashley Cowburn has more on the story here:

Sajid Javid takes extra role as JP Morgan adviser

The former chancellor, who quit his cabinet position earlier this year, has been appointed as JP Morgans senior adviser on its advisory council for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Although the bank did not give details about Mr Javids salary, it said the position would be paid.

Prior to his career in politics, Mr Javid worked at the bank throughout the 1990s before working at Deutsche Bank.

His new role has been approved by the regulatory Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA).

Shadow minister says education is governments blind spot

Shadow universities minister Emma Hardy has said that education secretary Gavin Williamsons delay in scrapping a controversial algorithm used to standardise exams results has caused a massive headache.

Her comments come as Labour sought clarity from the government over a range of outstanding issues posed by the U-turn.

Ms Hardy told BBC Breakfast:"His delay in making this decision has meant that more and more places at university have been filled up.

"Many students have gone ahead and accepted their second-place offers or other offers, or in fact got offers that maybe in the past they wouldn't have actually been entitled to, she added.

After accusing the government of lacking leadership and foresight, Ms Hardy said of education:"It's like it's their blind spot."

Tory MP says exam grade fiasco should be massive wake-up call for government

Robert Halfon, the Tory MP and chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee, has said that the governments handling of exam results this year has been a mega-mess and that it should serve as a massive wake-up call.

Mr Halfon told ITV's GMB programme: "This should be a massive wake-up call for the Government.

"This has been a mega-mess and should not have happened and (Education Secretary Gavin Williamson's) got to, I think, learn from this and just make sure these kind of things do not happen in the future, he added.

The Tory MP said that government by computer does not work and that Boris Johnsons government should empathise with thousands of ordinary peoplewho are affected by its decisions.

Labour calls for clarity from Williamson over U-turn

Labour has called on education secretary Gavin Williamson to give clarity to students, parents and universities after the governments U-turn on exam results.

This follows Mr Williamsons announcement on Monday that GCSE and A-level students will receive their predicted grades and that the regulator Ofquals standardising algorithm will be scrapped.

Describing the governments handling of the situation as incompetent, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer wrote in the Daily Mirror: "At a time of national emergency, this is no way to run a country.

"The Tories' incompetence is holding Britain back from recovery, he added.

Shadow education secretary Kate Green has written to Mr Williamson with 15 questions, including when students will receive their new grades.

After saying she welcomed the policy change, Ms Green added: "The delay and chaos accompanying means that students, families, and education providers have no answers to essential questions.

One of the unresolved issues is whether students who have accepted a place at university based on their moderated gradescan change institutions once they receive their predicted grades.

While announcing the policy change on Monday, Mr Williamson apologised for "the distress" last week's results caused to students and their parents.

Kent CountyCouncil says it has reached its capacity to care for asylum-seeking children

The leader of Kent County Council has said that it can no longer safely accommodate more asylum-seeking children after reaching its capacity.

In a statement released by the council, Roger Gough said: "I am deeply disappointed and concerned that, despite our many efforts to avoid this unthinkable situation, it has been necessary to make this announcement today.

"This is a huge challenge for Kent, but a relatively small challenge to solve nationally, and should have been resolved before now, he added.

Mr Gough said the limit had been exceeded despite efforts to work with local authorities and the Home Office.

More than 400 unaccompanied migrant children have arrived in Kent this year, to whomKent County Council has aduty of care.

Scotlands most senior civil servant to be first witness in Salmond inquiry

MSPs will question permanent secretary Leslie Evans as part of an investigation into Holyroods handling of harassment allegations against the former first minister Alex Salmond.

This comes after the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled that the Scottish governments actions over the complaints had been unlawful.

MsEvans, Scotlands most senior civil servant, will be the first witness to come before a committee established last year.

Mr Salmond, who was acquitted of 13 sexual offence charges earlier this year, will speak to the committee at a later date, as will the current first minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Williamson says he has every confidence schools will reopen in September

Education secretary Gavin Williamson has said that he has every confidence students will return to education in September.

Speaking to LBC, the education secretary said: "Anyone who works in education knows that ... the only right thing to do is open the doors to every single school in this country and welcome every single pupil back.

"We're looking forward to welcoming all those nine million children back into school in September and I do not have a moment's doubt, that's what we're going to achieve," he added.

Mr Williamsons remarks came as he faced calls to resign over his handling of exam results, which sparked a national outcry and led the government to scrap an algorithm that had been used to moderate students' grades.

The education secretary was criticised a few months ago after rowing back on a pledgeto have all primary school students back at school before the end of the summer term.

This followedthe closure of schools as part of lockdown restrictions.

Former conservative minister suggests Williamson may go in reshuffle

George Freeman, a former Tory minister, has suggested the education secretary may be forced out of his position in an upcoming reshuffle following the exam results fiasco.

Describing this years exam results as a total shambles, the Conservative MP told Times Radio that Boris Johnson will want to show that his government cares about a generation of young people.

"Ultimately, the Prime Minister is in charge. And I think he will want to take firm control of this and get a grip and show that his government is taking the life chances of a generation of children seriously," the Tory MP said.

"I'm told the Prime Minister's, you know, planning to reshuffle in the autumn and I dare say he wants to take everything into account, he added.

Some MPs have called for Mr Williamsons resignation, including the Labour shadow minister Louise Haigh and the Liberal Democrat leadership contender Layla Moran.

"The point is this government is utterly incompetent. Gavin Williamson must go," Ms Moran told BBC News.

Labour says government planto break up PHE during pandemic is'irresponsible'

Shadow health minister Jonathan Ashworth has strongly condemned the governments decision to replace Public Health England (PHE) during the pandemic, labelling it as risky and irresponsible.

Mr Ashworths comments, which were made in a series of scathing tweets, came as Matt Hancock is set to announce Conservative peerBaroness Dido Harding as the head of the agency replacing PHE.

In one of his Twitter posts, Mr Ashworth accused Boris Johnsons government of trying to shift the blame.

"A structural reorganisation mid-pandemic is time consuming, energy sapping. It's risky indeed irresponsible, he added.

The shadow health minister also asked who will be responsible for priorities including sexual health, obesity and anti smoking, now that PHE was being replaced.

Christina Marriott, chief executive of the Royal Society for Public Health, said: "We question the timing of an announcement to scrap our national public health agency in the midst of a global pandemic and before any public inquiry has started, let alone reported."

Exam results volte face is latest in series of government U-turns during pandemic

The governments decision to change its exam grades policy is just the latest in a string of reversals it has been forced to makeduring the pandemic, writes Kate Devlin.

On Monday, the government said that students would receive their predicted grades instead of the grades they were awarded last week, which had been moderated by an algorithm.

Boris Johnsons government has been forced to make other U-turns since the start of lockdown, including its policies on free school meals during the summer holidays and on abereavement scheme for the relatives of key workers who have died of Covid-19.

Read more here:

Hancock confirms Public Health England to be scrapped

Health secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed that the government will replace Public Health England, amid warnings that the move is irresponsible during a pandemic.

Speaking at the Policy Exchange think-tank, Mr Hancock said that Baroness Dido Harding, a Conservative peer who is in change of the test and trace system, will become the new institutes interim head.

The National Institution for Health Protection, which is set to start operating in spring 2021, wil protect the the country from external threats such as infectious diseases, according to the health secretary.

His comments came after Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, condemned the decision in a serious of tweets on Tuesday morning.

In one of the messages, Mr Ashworth wrote: Today well get a structural reorganisation, an attempt at blame shifting, more corrosive privatisation.

Hancock explains new health organisation's mission

Matt Hancock has said that the government is replacing Public Health England with a new organisation called theNational Institution for Health Protection.

In a speech given at thePolicy Exchange think-tank, thehealth secretary claimed the decision would "give ourselves the best chance of beating this virus" and would enable the country to dealwith future external"health threats".

He said: "To give ourselves the best chance of beating this virus and spotting and tackling other external health threats now and in the future, we need to bring together the science and the skill into one coherent whole.

"So, today, I am announcing that we are forming a new organisation, the National Institute for Health Protection," he added.

Mr Hancock did not specify how much funding the public health sector would receive.

Kent County Council to stop taking in new unaccompanied migrant children

Asylum-seeking children who arrive in Dover without other family members will no longer be looked after by Kent County Council.

Instead, the children will remain with the UK Border Force at Dover until another UK local authority has space to safely care for them, according to the council.

This comes one dayafter Roger Gough, the council leader, said that the council had reached its capacity to provide care for migrant children.

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Boris Johnson news live: Gavin Williamson accused of repeated incompetence after day of GCSE results chaos, as government risks major misstep with...

Parliament Hill (Vista Stock Photo)

Following a first-ever move for the Trudeau Government, theMember of Parliament for Parry Sound Muskoka is voicing his concerns about the government temporarily shutting down.

MP Scott Aitchison said proroguing the government basically means resetting all legislation that was in the process of being looked at and committees.

Until September 23rd, Aitchison says all government legislation and committees have ceased to exist until they can be reintroduced.

Effectively, what this means is that they are trying to press the reset button and hope the people will forget about the first part of this government.

This move also releases parliamentary members from their duties until this date as well.

CTV reports that this move was enacted so that the minority government can meet and discuss the eventual recovery from COVID-19.

Aitchison, however, voiced his doubts and linked this total closure to the recent scandals that have arisen like the WE Organization funding and the replacement of the Finance Minister.

He also notes its been a difficult summer for the Federal Liberals.

They went from being very popular in the early days of the COVID-19 situation where they were, I think, reacting fairly well, and now they are tied with the Conservatives who dont have a leader yet. So I think they are concerned about that.

Aitchison speculates the fall out with the previous Finance Minister Bill Morneau wasnt just in relation for the ethical lapses with WE, but also him being the only adult in the room in the cabinet and the only one really with a dissenting voice against the Prime Minister when it came to spending like drunken sailors.

He says with this move, there is a possibility the current Trudeau Government could fall later this year if the party loses a confidence vote which could trigger a general election.

Aitchison adds he is waiting with a fainted breath to see what is going to happen.

Read more here:
MP comments on proroguing government - My Muskoka Now

The Nintendo Switch wasnt just the game companys saving grace after the Wii U. The hybrid console was the first true consumer-friendly bridge between gaming portability and higher end games. For those of who had to spend time on the road, traveling with the Switch dock and AC adapter took up enough space that console started to feel less conveyable. Genkis new Covert Dock is attempting to lighten your travel load.

GENKI COVERT DOCK

Developed by: Human Things

MSRP $79.99

Included: Covert Dock, USB-C 3.1 Cable (1.8m), Global Travel Adapters, Manual

What youll instantly notice about the Genki Covert Dock is its compact size (2.36 x 1.73 x 1.3 / 60mm x 44mm x 33mm). It combines USB-C input, USB, and HDMI out in one block that takes up less room than the Nintendo Switch AC adapter itself.

There are more than a few 3rd party dock replacements for Nintendo Switch, some of which have been known to damage and in extreme cases brick the console. Genkis device is certified Power Delivery compliant to output secure HDMI signal. Its native resolution can handle up to 1080p at 30FPS meaning the consoles output can be viewed in full on a tv connected to the dock.

The covert dock aims for consumer convenience and does indeed deliver. In addition to being able to charge the Switch when connected to USB-C, most laptops, smartphones, and in my case a PS Classic I connected can energize through the USB port. Youll be able to condense the number of chargers you carry on trips with the Covert Dock.

The other big selling point of this charger is how fast it can charge your Nintendo Switch. Utilizing Gallium Nitride technology for higher power density means when connected it passes energy at larger amounts than a standard adapter. I put this to the test by letting my Switch battery drain until it was dead then connecting it to Covert Dock. A standard AC adapter charges the Switch in about 3hrs, the Genki charged my Switch in just under 2 and 1/2hrs (your times will vary).

While I do love the sleek profile and ambition of the Genki Covert Dock, it may not be a viable replacement for a standard Switch dock in your entertainment setup. If your dock is a semi-permanent part of a TV stand or entertainment cabinet where a power strip isnt in a convenient place relative to the TVs HDMI input youll definitely need a longer HDMI cable (Genki Covert Dock does not come with an HDMI cable). If your power strip for entertainment devices is dusty from being in such an out of the way spot that you cant clean it, the Genki will not have added convenience for you.

While it would have raised the price considerably, it would have been cool to see the Genki have the capability to stream to TVs via smartcast or airplay.

At an MSRP of $79.99, you can get the Genki Covert Dock about $10 less than when the standard Nintendo brand dock set is in stock on Nintendos website. For those who need a replacement dock and plan on traveling (once its safe to do so), you should strongly consider the Genki Covert Dock. While you might need a longer HDMI to make it part of your home set up, you can not beat the convenience this little device brings to the table. It even opened up a world of taking my Switch to the home of friends and family, something I used to begrudgingly have to plan and pack for. This device makes that idea happen as a simple addition to my Switch travel case. Between not having to carry multiple chargers, small size, and nitride power consumption the Genki stands clear above every 3rd party Switch dock and charger on the market.

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Tech Talk: Can The GENKI COVERT DOCK Replace The Standard Nintendo Switch One? - redcarpetreporttv.com

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Through a public disclosure request, Washington Policy Center obtained a document that lays out the Governors goals, principles, must-haves, supported revenue options and potential policy changes for what would be the Governors Transportation Investment Package in 2021. The document was developed by the Governors senior policy advisor in late April, and was reviewed by the Office of Financial Management (OFM) in early May of this year.

One of the revenue options included on the list (shown below) is a Road Usage Charge (RUC), also known as a mileage tax. The Governors senior policy advisor added a note to the RUC option, indicating this has been proposed as a replacement for the gas tax. Could consider replacement + new revenue.

The note about a RUC functioning as a replacement + new revenue raises a red flag. It could mean the Governors office would like a RUC to supplement the gas tax until the gas tax is retired and can be fully replaced. It could also mean a gas tax is replaced with a much more expensivemileage tax. This is all speculation, however, since the language is unclear.

I followed up with the Governors staffer who wrote this draft for clarification on this point and received the following response: The document you are referencing is a deliberative, internal staff document that lists ideas which have not been vetted, furthered or advanced.

My question was not answered and so it remains unclear how the Governors office views or intends to leverage a RUC. We will continue to track this issue closely, as it appears that both the Governors office and the states Department of Transportation (a cabinet agency) have different aspirations for a RUC that conflict with the recommendations provided by the state Transportation Commission leading the RUC research and policy effort.

The full Transportation Investment Package Action Proposal draft can be read here.

See the original post here:
Governor's Office considering mileage tax to replace gas tax and increase revenue - Washington Policy

Scheduled to be open to traffic by late summer 2021

RUSSELL, Ky. The work on the replacement for the viaduct bridge in Russell, Kentucky is going well, said a spokesperson for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

The work on a new flyover bridge to replace the 82-year-old bridge into downtown Russell, Kentucky began in May and crews have been removing part of a mountain next to Kentucky Road 750 on the south side of U.S. 23 and building supports for the new bridge.

Actually, it is going really well, said KTC District 9 spokesperson Allen Blair. The contractor (Triton Construction, Inc.,) is a little ahead of schedule. I dont know if that will translate getting it done ahead of schedule, but they have made really good progress.

He said it is going along pretty quickly and they are happy to see that because they started with an aggressive schedule and they seem to be moving along pretty aggressively to get the earthwork moved and get the bridge piers done, Blair said.

The earthwork and the piers have to be completed before the construction crews can begin putting down beams and other parts that will hold up the roadway.

Theyll be moving towards that for the rest of this year, Blair said, adding that it will probably be early in 2021 before the bridge starts to really take shape.

He said the current goal is to have the new viaduct bridge open for traffic by late summer next year.

It could be August, it could be September, Blair said. But that still depends on a lot of work going smoothly, material supplies being consistent and that we dont see any problems.

There will be landscaping work to be done after the new bridge is open that will carry into fall 2021.

The old viaduct bridge has remained open to traffic, which Blair said was part of the original plan and why the flyover design was chosen.

Thats why we are doing how we are, to maintain traffic and connectivity to downtown Russell throughout the construction process, Blair said. He pointed the reason that the old bridge wasnt demolished during construction is that the only other way to get to that section of town is through a railroad underpass, which isnt adequate for all traffic and especially semi-trailers.

You wouldnt be able to have any truck traffic or deliveries or firetrucks be able to get through, Blair said. So, it was an important consideration for the city and the community to do it the way we are doing it now.

The old bridge will be demolished after the new one is open.

The flyover design was chosen because it not only replaces the old, deteriorating bridge, but also improves area traffic flow by removing KY 244 from the now-congested intersection of U.S. 23 and the Ironton-Russell bridge.

Both intersections on U.S. 23 the Ironton-Russell bridge and the new KY 244 will be T-shaped intersections that handle traffic flow more efficiently with less delays.

The chosen alternative includes a new KY 244 approach at Kenwood Drive north of the existing KY 244-U.S. 23 intersection at the Ironton-Russell bridge.

This new KY 244 will loop westward along part of KY 750 then back to a new flyover bridge across U.S. 23, railroad tracks, and the existing viaduct on the river side to touch down where the old bridge connects to Bellefonte St. in downtown Russell.

The rest is here:
Work on viaduct bridge going well - The Tribune | The Tribune - Ironton Tribune

With Apples refresh of the 27-inch iMac, a new option is available that previously was only offered on the Pro Display XDR. You can now ordet your iMac with a nano-texture display. This reduces glare to a bare minimum, but cleaning the nano-texture glass on your new iMac is quite different from other display options.

When you order your 27-inch iMac with nano-texture glass, Apple actually etches the coating into the display at the nanometer level. Apple claims that it reduces glare while preserving contrast, for jaw-dropping image quality. The texturing scatters light as it hits the display, minimizing glare and reducing the undesirable haze and sparkle of the normal matte coatings.

Apple provides a special cleaning cloth for the nano-texture glass. The company says you should never use any other material on the display or you risk damaging the glass. So, how can you clean the nano-texture glass on your new 27-inch iMac if it gets really dirty?

As it turns out, the key to removing difficult smudges is something you probably already have around the house. Take that 70-percent isopropyl alcohol (IPA) solution out of your medicine cabinet. Moisten the cleaning cloth with it, and you can easily wipe away those hard-to-remove smudges.

Once done, you should clean the polishing cloth to remove excess isopropyl alcohol. Just follow these steps:

Should you lose the polishing cloth, or want a spare, you can order a replacement directly from Apple Support.

See original here:
Cleaning the Nano-Texture Glass on Your New iMac - The Mac Observer