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.

See more here:
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.

Read the original:
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

By Shahudha Mohamed

Male, August 9 (The Edition): Ruling partys parliament representative of Maafannu Central constituency Ibrahim Rasheed (Bondey), on Sunday, submitted an amendment to Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)s charter, which would result in small parties losing their cabinet seats in a coalition government.

According to the amendment, if a cabinet member of a coalition government is removed over allegations of corruption and sexual assault or other crimes, whichever party the minister was representing would lose that seat.

MP Ibrahim Rasheeds amendment states that a seat vacated under this circumstance can only be replaced by an individual belonging to a party listed on the Elections Commissions political party registry with at least 50,000 members.

Of the four coalition parties in the current administration, MDP is the only party which fits the aforementioned criteria with over 54,000 members.

The coalitions Jumhooree Party (JP), Adhaalath Party (AP) and Maldives Reform Movement (MRM) have much fewer members each, with JP boasting the highest member count, hitting the 10,000-member mark.

Voting for MP Ibrahim Rasheeds amendment will take place during MDPs congress. However, the party has yet to announce the date when the congress will commence.

Painting The Cabinet Yellow?

If the amendment passes, any vacated slot in the cabinet formerly granted to a coalition party will be replaced with an MDP member.

At the time of submitting this proposal, President Solih has dismissed the former Minister of Tourism Ali Waheed, who was appointed on Jumhooree Partys slot, over allegations of sexual assault. JPs Dr Abdulla Mausoom has now been appointed as Ali Waheeds replacement.

Prior to this, Shidhatha Shareef who was appointed as Minister of Gender, Family and Social Services for Adhaalath Partys slot and Aiminath Athifa who was filling the position of Minister of Housing and Infrastructure for MRMs slot, had both resigned.

President Solih then appointed Aishath Mohamed Didi, who is not registered at any party, as gender minister.

Instead of reappointing a minister, the President merged the housing ministry with Ministry of National Planning, resulting in the Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure headed by MDPs Mohamed Aslam.

Due to the aforementioned amalgamation, MRM has already lost a slot appointed to the party within the cabinet.

Presidents Opportunities Limited

According to MP Ibrahim Rasheed, the amendment aims to increase the involvement of bigger parties within the state, in order to solidify the democracy in Maldives.

Noting that the current situation forces qualified and dedicated individuals away from the scene of action, Ibrahim Rasheed claimed that the president lacked the opportunity to appoint suitable candidates for vacated seats.

The president plays the role of a postman who forwards the name submitted by some party to the Parliament, he said, reiterating that the president must have full freedom to appoint ministers.

Defending the possibility that MDP stands to acquire all the cabinet slots following the proposed amendment, Ibrahim Rasheed shot back that the coalition is filled with corruption and conflict.

The administration is not functioning well. The people are saying that MDP should take responsibility [for every failure].

Acknowledging that the publics anger stems from the fact that MDP was voted into power with a super-majority in Parliament, Rasheed stressed that a coalition government is not beneficial for the country.

He highlighted the shortcomings of the housing ministry to justify the aforementioned point, claiming that Athifa had failed to provide the numbers of homeless people in Maldives during her one and half years of filling the ministerial position.

Glaring Contrasts

However, the publics criticisms have been aimed at ministries that are headed by MDP members as well, and the Solih administration in general. The government came under heavy fire over its failure to ensure justice for survivors of gender-based violence and child abuse.

Although Ali Waheed was swiftly removed from his position after the sexual assault allegations, the state was not as responsive towards Ali Hashim Smith, a senior executive at the tourism ministry who openly suggested via Twitter, that he rape a girl. The MDP activist was formerly named in a murder investigation and holds zero qualifications for his post but no action has been taken against him to this day.

On July 20, MRM member and Director of Communications at Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture Ahmed Fazeel was suspended a day after accusations of sexual assault surfaced against him, reportedly spurred by an appeal from his party, till the conclusion of his investigation.

Appointed in 2019, no action has yet been taken against the Director of Communications at the Presidents Office Hassan Ismail, with close ties to MDP, despite cases of sexual harassment and corruption being filed against him at the Presidents Office, Maldives Police Service and the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).

(The picture at the top shows MDP MP Ibrahim Rasheed)

Original post:
Maldivian ruling partys bid to deny cabinet positions to small allies - NewsIn.Asia

Show and tell time.Jim Watson/Getty Images

Like usual, Donald Trump overpromised and underdelivered.

Having failed to strike a desperately needed deal with Democrats on the next round of coronavirus relief, the president defaulted to his backup plan this weekend, signing a handful of memoranda and an executive order that he claimed would keep aid flowing to struggling Americans through the crisis. Before the ceremony at his private golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, he told the crowd that we has about to sign some bills (narrator: they were not bills) that would take care of, pretty much, this entire situation.

Of course, they will not. Because Congress controls the power to spend, there really was not much Trump could have legally done on his own to help the economy or households. Whats a bit surprising, though, is that the president didnt even use his executive authority to help households in all of the ways he arguably could have. Instead, he settled for some undercooked, mostly cosmetic schemes that would give the appearance of trying to help. Typical for this White House, the moves were almost all show, no substance.

Of the four orders and memoranda Trump signed on Saturday, only one will clearly help anybody much at all. The president ordered the Department of Education to continue pausing student loan payments while waiving interest through the end of December. It wont exactly cure the plague. But it is clearly within Trumps power as president, and it will make borrowers financial lives easier.

Beyond that? His memorandum on housing, which was expected to contain some sort of partial eviction moratorium, did basically nothing, other than declare that it was the governments policy to minimize, to the greatest extent possible, residential evictions and foreclosures. (To be fair, it did set the stage for potential action later on, by instructing his Cabinet to examine various policy options. For now, though, zilch.) He also deferred payroll tax collections, a move that is unlikely to do much of anything either, since most employers are likely to keep withholding money from their workers earnings in case they have to pay it down the line. (Trump has suggested he will try to pass a law waiving the liability entirely, but nobody is really going to count on that.)

And then there was Trumps scheme to continue unemployment insurance, the most confusing bit of his plan. Going into the weekend, many wondered what bizarre legal maneuver the White House would pull to try to extend the $600 per week federal unemployment benefits that expired at the end of July, leaving millions of Americans in the financial lurch. The answer is that he didnt. Instead, hes essentially creating a new, parallel wage replacement program that will pay $400 a week, using $44 billion from a Federal Emergency Management Agency fund. It is unclear how many Americans will ever actually see this money; the program requires states, which dont exactly have a lot of spare cash lying around, to cover 25 percent of the cost if they participate (New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called the proposal laughable and an impossibility). It could also take weeks or longer for state unemployment systems to actually set up the payments. And even if they did start flowing, theres only enough money in the FEMA budget to cover five or six weeks of payments, meaning even in the best-case scenario, the idea is only a stopgap measure.

On top of all that, the entire plan may be illegal, as Georgetown University law professor David Super explains.* Trump wants to create this program using the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, which usually governs things like aid to hurricane and flood victims. The statute does explicitly allow FEMA to provide emergency unemployment assistance to disaster victims, but only if they arent receiving any other jobless benefits. So Trump is instead trying to use his powers under another section of the act, which allows him to provide households aid to address personal property, transportation, and other necessary expenses or serious needs resulting from the major disaster. You can kind of see how a creative lawyer might try to shoehorn unemployment benefits in there. But as Super writes:

If this provision existed in isolation, one might try to stretch it to allow unemployment benefits granted without specifying the necessary expenses being reimbursed.But as Congress has provided clear instructions for how the Disaster Relief Fund may be used for unemployment benefits, the Presidents action effectively reads those conditions out of the statute.

You know what the president is definitely allowed to do under the Stafford Act, though? Provide rental assistance to families in disaster zones. So, instead of setting a half-cocked unemployment scheme that might never see the the light of day, the White House could have taken the FEMA budget and used it to head off, or at least mitigate, the wave of evictions that may well be coming our way. Of course, Trump being Trump, he went with the flashy and hollow promise instead.

Ultimately, the main reason to worry about these executive actions is that they are unlikely to do much good for the economy but could conceivably make the White House feel as if it has political cover to delay negotiations with Democrats over meaningful COVID-19 relief for another couple of weeks, during which time hardships for Americans who need the governments help will continue to mount. If thats how this plays out, its worth remembering that Trump didnt even bother doing all he could have on his own to help Americans in their time of need.

For more of Slates news coverage, subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts or listen below.

Correction, Aug. 10, 2020: This post originally misattributed a blog post by Georgetown University law professor David Super to Yale University law professor Jack Balkin.

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Trumps Executive Actions Didnt Even Do the Bare Minimum They Could Have - Slate