thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-16--Labour Demands Boris Johnson 'Get A Grip' Of A-Level 'Chaos'

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Boris Johnson is facing calls to take charge of the growing A-levels “chaos” amid mounting anger among pupils, teachers and MPs.
There was disbelief at Westminster after guidance for children in England seeking to appeal against their grades being marked down was suddenly withdrawn without explanation.
Advertisement
One senior Conservative MP said the situation is a “huge mess” while Labour said it is up to the prime minister to “get a grip” and sort out the situation.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer condemned the government’s “chaos, confusion and incompetence”, adding: “Boris Johnson has been invisible during this crisis.
“He needs to take personal responsibility and fix it.”
Weeks of chaos, confusion and incompetence.
We need a return to teacher assessments for A-level results and urgent action to avoid the same injustice for GCSE students.
Boris Johnson has been invisible during this crisis. He needs to take personal responsibility, and fix it. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) August 16, 2020
Conservative former education secretary Lord Baker urged ministers to delay the publication of GCSE results due this week until the crisis over A-levels is resolved.
Advertisement
He said the statistical model used by the regulator Ofqual to standardise results across the country in the absence of actual exams was “flawed” and led to “hundreds of thousands of unfair and barely explicable downgrades”.
Some pupils gathered at Westminster to protest against the results, while others resorted to legal action in an attempt to get their downgrades reversed through the courts.
The latest row erupted after Ofqual issued guidance on Saturday setting out the criteria for pupils to make appeals on the basis of their mock exam results, only for it to be take down hours later.
In a brief statement, Ofqual said the policy is “being reviewed” by its board and further information will be released “in due course”.
Both Downing Street and the Department for Education declined to comment.
PA Media
Advertisement
Conservative MP Robert Halfon, who chairs the Commons Education Committee, said the regulator’s actions have been “unacceptable”.
“That is a huge mess,” he told BBC News.
“Goodness knows what is going on at Ofqual. It is the last thing we need at this time. This is just unacceptable in my view.
“Students and teachers are incredibly anxious – particularly the students who are worried about their future. This has got to be sorted out.
“Ofqual shouldn’t put things on websites, take them away, sow confusion. This is just not on and it has got to be changed.”
The suspension of the Ofqual guidance followed claims by Labour that assurances given to pupils about the appeals process by education secretary Gavin Williamson are “unravelling”.
Advertisement
Williamson last week gave a “triple-lock” commitment that pupils could use the highest result out of their teacher’s predicted grade, their mock exam or sitting an actual exam in the autumn.
But the Ofqual guidance said if the mock result was higher than the teacher’s prediction, it was the teacher’s prediction that would count.
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “The Prime Minister must now take personal responsibility for this crisis by addressing the country in the next 24 hours to explain precisely how he will end this historic injustice.”
The latest setback comes as ministers are braced for a fresh backlash when GCSE results for England are announced on Thursday.
Like the A-level results, they will initially be based on teacher assessments and then “moderated” by the Ofqual algorithm to bring them in line with previous years’ results.
Advertisement
Williamson has said the process is necessary to prevent “grade inflation” that would render the results worthless after actual exams had to be abandoned due to the coronavirus outbreak.
“This looks like an appeals process so surreal & bureaucratic that the government would be better off doing that U-turn, and allowing original teacher-assessed grades, where they are higher, to replace moderated grades”: my comments on behalf of @ASCL_UK: https://t.co/Y7MVVjMuKz pic.twitter.com/tuL70Zytk1 — Geoff Barton (@RealGeoffBarton) August 15, 2020
Critics have complained it has led to thousands of individual injustices, disproportionately penalising those from schools serving disadvantaged communities.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT head teachers’ union, said all the 25,000 results that were two or more grades below their teachers’ predictions should now be subject to automatic review.
“It is quite clear that the rules are being written and rewritten on the hoof, and the people that are suffering are the thousands of young people who have seen their future options narrow and disappear through no fault of their own,” he said.
Advertisement
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, urged the government to follow the example of Scotland – where there was similar outcry – and abandon the moderated results and go back to teacher assessments.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-16--Two Bodies Found In Search For Brothers Missing Off Lancashire Coast

HuffPost is part of Verizon Media .
We and our partners will store and/or access information on your device through @ @ @ @ @ similar technologies , to display personalised ads and content , for ad and content measurement @ @ @ @ @ development .
Your personal data that may be used • Information about your device and @ @ @ @ @ IP address • Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps Find @ @ @ @ @ use your information in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy .
To enable Verizon Media @ @ @ @ @ your personal data select ' I agree ' , or select 'Manage settings ' for @ @ @ @ @ your choices .
You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Two bodies have been found in the search for two brothers who went missing in water off the Fylde coast in Lancashire
Ali Athar Sabbir, 16, and Muhammad Azhar Shabbir, 18, from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire had not been seen since shortly before 7pm on Saturday close to St Annes Pier in Lytham St Annes at about 6.55pm on Saturday.
Advertisement
A 15-year-old boy, the brothers’ cousin, managed to swim to shore and is being treated in hospital.
The search, which had resumed on Sunday morning, had been temporarily stood down.
A statement from Lancashire Police said: “Our HM Coastguard and RNLI colleagues searching for missing brothers Muhammad Azhar Shabbir, 18, and Ali Athar Shabbir, 16, from Dewsbury have sadly found two bodies.
“The discovery was made at just after 3.15pm this afternoon (Sunday, August 16) around a mile away from St Annes Pier, where they sadly got into difficulty in the water yesterday evening (Saturday, August 15).
Our thoughts are with Muhammad and Ali's family and friends during this incredibly difficult time. https://t.co/rrjBcldktZ — HM Coastguard (@HMCoastguard) August 16, 2020
“Whilst they have yet to be formally identified, they are believed to be Muhammad and Ali. Their family have been notified and are continuing to be supported by a specially trained officer.
Advertisement
“Our thoughts and condolences remain with them and their friends at this incredibly distressing time.
“Thanks again to our colleagues at HM Coastguard, the RNLI and the National Police Air Service (NPAS) for helping the search to find Muhammad and Ali, as well as everyone who sent kind words and offered to help the search.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-16--Four Men Die After Car Crashes Into House And Catches Fire Near Calne

SIPA USA/PA Images
Four young men have died after a car crashed into a house and caught fire, police have said.
The incident happened at 3am on Sunday on the A4 in Derry Hill, near Calne, Wiltshire.
Wiltshire Police said the occupants of the house immediately called 999 and were evacuated from the property while the fire service extinguished the blaze.
Nobody inside the house was injured but the four occupants of the vehicle, all young men from the local area, died at the scene.
Advertisement
Four young males have tragically died following a collision in Derry Hill.
The collision happened in the early hours of this morning.
The thoughts of all at Wiltshire Police are with their families at this extremely difficult time.
Read more here:https://t.co/vIzXG94Czq pic.twitter.com/DZOMrRaSzM — Wiltshire Police (@wiltshirepolice) August 16, 2020
Superintendent Steve Cox said: “This was an absolutely horrific collision on our roads in the early hours of this morning.
“All blue light services attended the scene and were met with devastating scenes after a vehicle travelling along the A4 collided with a house and caught on fire.
“All four occupants of the vehicle died at the scene. Their families have been informed and we are in the process of assigning each family with specialist trained officers.
Advertisement
“My thoughts, and the thoughts of all at Wiltshire Police, are with them all today.”
Police said the A4 and the A342 remain closed while investigation and recovery work continues at the scene.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-16--Sharon Stone Condemns Non-Mask Wearers For Hospitalising Sister With Coronavirus

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Sharon Stone has blamed a “non-mask wearer” for giving her ill sister Kelly coronavirus and begged others to wear face coverings.
The Casino star shared photos of her sister’s hospital room, with a huge yellow tube pumping air in and a member of the medical staff dressed in full PPE.
Advertisement
She wrote: “My sister Kelly, who already has lupus, now has COVID-19. This is her hospital room. One of you Non-Mask wearers did this.
“She does not have an immune system. The only place she went was the pharmacy.
“There is no testing in her county unless you are symptomatic, & then it’s 5 day wait for results.
“Can YOU FACE THIS ROOM ALONE? Wear a mask! For yourself and others. Please.”
Sharon Stone SIPA USA/PA Images
The actor is the latest in a number of stars who are using social media to ask people to wear masks.
Last week, Charmed actress Alyssa Milano shared a video of her hair loss as a result of Covid-19 as she begged people to take the illness seriously and wear masks.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-16--5 Times Public Health England *Wasn't* To Blame For The Country's Terrible Coronavirus Response

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Get the latest on coronavirus. Sign up to the Daily Brief for news, explainers, how-tos, opinion and more.
Matt Hancock on Tuesday pressed ahead with a controversial plan to scrap Public Health England and replace it with new body designed specifically to deal with pandemics and other health threats.
Advertisement
The health secretary said the Covid-19 response work of PHE is to be merged with NHS Test and Trace and some of the work of the Joint Biosecurity Centre to form the National Institute for Health Protection (NIHP), which will be headed by Tory peer Dido Harding.
The move has been sparked by ministers, unhappy and frustrated with the body’s response to the coronavirus crisis.
It has caused bafflement in some circles largely due to the fact Public Health England (PHE) is part of the Department of Health and is therefore ultimately the responsibility of those very same ministers, not least Matt Hancock himself.
Your regular reminder that Public Health England is an agency of the Department of Health and Social Care, and had no separate legal personality. It is *already* under the “direct control” of Ministers. pic.twitter.com/k4RbDoYsCH — George Peretz QC (@GeorgePeretzQC) August 15, 2020
Advertisement
Ahead of the announcement, shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth pointed out just that.
Talking of desperate blame shifting Matt Hancock will attempt that re Public Health England - a body he is responsible for & who take direction from him.
Last year ministers outlined PHE’s priorities. They didn’t mention preparing for a pandemic...https://t.co/MneWJJE7qo — Jonathan Ashworth 😷 (@JonAshworth) August 18, 2020
Scientists and NHS trusts also said if ministers are unhappy with PHE’s performance they have only themselves blame as it is directly under ministerial control.
And regardless of which body is contributing to decisions, since the beginning of the pandemic the government has repeatedly insisted that ministers are ultimately responsible for decisions made.
Here are five times Public Health England wasn’t to blame for the UK’s terrible coronavirus response that so far has led to the fifth highest death toll in the world...
1) The original lockdown
The UK announced a national lockdown on March 23, the same date as Germany but more than a week after many other European countries.
Advertisement
Where the UK lagged even farther behind was in the introduction of even basic restrictions. It was the second-to-last country in Europe to do so when on March 16 it advised against “non-essential” travel and contact with others, and asked people to avoid pubs, clubs and bars.
Statista
What was the cost of this delay? It’s impossible to say for certain what would have happened if lockdown was introduced earlier as no two countries are exactly alike – but the fact the UK has the highest death toll in Europe and the fifth highest in the world suggests the effects were pretty devastating.
In June a scientific adviser to the government said the lack of speed “cost a lot of lives” and the government should have taken action earlier.
Even more damning was when professor John Edmunds, who sits on the government’s scientific advisory group for emergencies (Sage), said it would have been “hard” to lock down earlier as the government’s data and awareness of coronavirus was “really quite poor”.
Advertisement
But health secretary Matt Hancock has previously insisted in response that the government made the “right decisions at the right time”.
2) Dominic Cummings
The end of May was dominated by the furore over Dominic Cummings’ apparent breach of lockdown rules when he drove his family right across the country while the strictest restrictions were still in place.
There were widespread calls for Johnson’s top aide to be sacked but the PM stuck with him and he remains in his job today.
At the time, the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner said it had a knock on effect on how the general public subsequently behaved.
David Jamieson told BBC Radio 4′s The World At One in May programme that people are telling officers “if it is okay for Cummings, it is okay for us” and “it looks like there is one rule for us and another rule for the people in No 10 Downing Street”.
Advertisement
He added: “What the police are now saying to me is they are getting quite a push back, not just from some of the younger people who previously where saying why can’t I play football, why can’t I go out in the streets? They’re getting push backs from other generations of people as well.
“Now that is a bad sign, showing that confidence in the rules, confidence in government and thereby the police’s ability to enforce it has been undermined very much in the last few days.”
3) Quarantine
Given that coronavirus arrived in the UK via an infected aeroplane passenger sometime in January, it is remarkable the UK government didn’t announce a quarantine for people coming into the country from abroad until May 22.
And it didn’t come into force until June 8.
On the day it was announced, the UK death toll from Covid-19 stood at 36,042.
4) Shaking hands
Boris Johnson continued to shake hands even as some scientists advising the government on the coronavirus outbreak were calling for the practice to stop.
Papers released by Sage in May show that some scientists were calling for an end to hugging and handshaking in early March.
Advertisement
On March 3, the SPI-B group of behavioural scientists said it would send an important signal about the need for good hand hygiene in stopping the spread of the disease.
However on the same day, Johnson told a Downing Street press conference that he was continuing to shake the hands of people he met.
Just a few weeks later the PM was admitted to intensive care after contracting coronavirus.
5) Face masks
The government’s decision last month to make face masks mandatory in supermarkets was met with dismay as the new rules, which some already see as long overdue, did not come into effect until days later.
In an interview with Sky News, London mayor Sadiq Khan said the “U-turn from the government is welcome news”, but added: “Time and time again slow action has put the public’s health at risk. Why wait two weeks? Why not do it from today?”
Or as one person put it:
There are scorpions all over my floor. So I must make sure I wear shoes in the house from July 24th. — Mark Steel (@mrmarksteel) July 14, 2020
Advertisement
Backlash
Chris Hopson, the chief executive of NHS Providers, representing NHS trusts, said “years of underfunding” for PHE and public health more generally have left the country unprepared to deal with a pandemic.
He said unlike other health bodies such as NHS England, PHE – which replaced the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in 2013 under the Conservatives’ NHS reorganisation – is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
“This gives ministers direct control of its activities,” he said.
“So whilst it might be convenient to seek to blame PHE’s leadership team, it is important that the government reflect on its responsibilities as well.”
His comments were echoed by Dr Amitava Banerjee, associate professor at the Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, who said the move is a “huge concern” in the midst of a global health crisis.
“If PHE has fallen short, responsibility lies firmly with the current government and health ministers,” he said.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--Replacing Plastic 'Bags For Life' With Paper Isn't The Answer, Say Campaigners

LOADING ERROR LOADING
We’re here to guide you through the coronavirus pandemic. Sign up to the Life newsletter for daily tips, advice, how-tos and escapism.
Morrisons is planning to scrap its plastic ‘bags for life’ if a trial scheme offering customers stronger paper bags instead runs smoothly.
Advertisement
By removing the bags from shops, the supermarket chain said it would stop 90 million plastic bags being used each year, the equivalent of 3,510 tonnes.
Supermarkets started introducing reusable plastic bags ‘for life’ in 2015 for the initial cost of 5p – marking a shift away from single-use plastic towards encouraging customers to buy a stronger bag that would last for four years and replace up to 600 single-use bags, if used correctly.
However, over the past half-decade, stores have reported high sales of bags for life – arguably because they are so cheap their cost isn’t incentive enough for shoppers to reuse them on their next visit when they can just buy another.
Bags for life are also made of higher grade plastic for durability and are therefore considerably worse for the environment.
Advertisement
Only a significant price increase – as much as £1 per bag – could shift consumer behaviour and flatten the curve of bag for life purchases, say environmental experts.
jax10289 via Getty Images Paper bags are not the answer - say environmental organisations
“We believe customers are ready to stop using plastic carrier bags as they want to reduce the amount of plastic they have in their lives and keep it out of the environment,” said David Potts, Morrisons’ chief executive in a statement about the supermarket’s trial.
“We know that many are taking reusable bags back to store and, if they forget these, we have paper bags that are tough, convenient and a re-useable alternative.”
So, is this the beginning of the end for supermarket bags for life? Charities and sustainability organisations hope so, after campaigning for their removal.
Advertisement
“We found that bags for life were quickly becoming ‘bags for a week,’ with the bags largely being treated as a single-use option with disastrous environmental consequences,” a spokesperson for campaigning organisation Environmental Investigation Agency tells HuffPost UK. EIA’s 2019 report, Checking Out on Plastics II detailed the short-term usage of supermarket bags for ‘life’.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Greenpeace, which has hailed the decision by Morrisons as “a positive move”, says, “Many people are using ‘bags for life’ once and throwing them away. This is the worst of both worlds.”
Richard Drury via Getty Images
Both organisations pointed out that replacing plastics with reinforced paper carriers is still detrimental to the environment.
“Paper bags can only be used once or twice and require a significant amount of energy to produce them, so they are far from perfect,” Greenpeace says, and the EIA warns that “no material comes without an environmental consequence.”
Advertisement
“In the case of paper, the potential impact is on deforestation – and we would strongly urge supermarkets to shift their focus from material replacements and instead concentrate efforts on a long-term shift to re-usable bags and an overall reduction in packaging,” says the EIA spokesperson.
NurPhoto via Getty Images
Consumer psychologist Nisa Bayindir says the ‘bags for life’ incentive had a positive effect on local communities and the environment when it first launched.
“It did work to begin with, because making people pay for something they never had to pay for before – believe it or not – makes a larger effect of ‘loss’ than you may think, hence the aversion to spend on plastic bags kicked in quickly,” she tells HuffPost UK.
Shoppers quickly felt as if they were contributing to help save the environment, but this had an unexpected effect when they topped up with new bags for life – something Bayindir calls the result of ‘omission bias’ and ‘effort justification’.
Advertisement
“Consumers think that those that don’t use bags for life at all are the ones that are the issue, not them who are piling more and more bags for life at home. They omit themselves from the problem because, after all, they buy them, and their effort is justified and good enough for the common good.”
Bayindir agrees with campaigners that a higher charge per plastic bag could change our behaviour, forcing us to stop purchasing more bags per trip and focus more on reusing existing ones – as the schemes was initially designed.
“It can be argued that they are now too cheap for the cost to be a deterrent,” she says. “The novelty wore off somewhat, and behavioural science is having to think harder and deeper than cost alone to plant seeds of change.”
However, with the potential for consumers to become more responsible, she believes “scrapping bags for life altogether wouldn’t be the answer, either”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--Boris Johnson Takes Holiday In Scotland As A-Levels Crisis Engulfs Government

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Coronavirus has changed everything. Make sense of it all with the Waugh Zone, our evening politics briefing. Sign up now.
Prime minister Boris Johnson is on holiday in Scotland as the A-level results crisis engulfs his government.
Advertisement
Downing Street confirmed the PM is taking a break north of the border on Monday and is not expected back in No.10 until the following week.
It comes as Johnson and education secretary Gavin Williamson were at the centre of a fierce backlash after almost 40% of A-level students saw their predicted results downgraded by a computer algorithm.
A No.10 spokesperson said the PM chaired a conference call with Williamson and senior officials on Monday morning.
Asked if the PM could cut short his holiday, the spokesperson added: “The prime minister will be kept up to date and will continue to receive updates and briefings as necessary.”
Advertisement
No.10 has refused to confirm when Johnson’s break began or exactly where he is. He is expecting back in Downing Street next week.
A number of senior Tories broke ranks on Monday to demand a U-turn and urging the government to use teachers’ predicted grades as the algorithm’s results disproportionately hit poorer students.
They included paymaster general and Cabinet Office minister Penny Mordaunt, who said she was “seeking a further meeting today” with the Department for Education after speaking with students and parents about exam results.
“I will be supporting colleges in their appeals, working to ensure those who have the grades on appeal can go to uni this year if that is what they want,” she tweeted.
“This group of young people have lost out on so much already, we must ensure that bright, capable students can progress on their next step. Delaying a year won’t be an option, and it shouldn’t be an option. For many it will mean falling out of education.”
Advertisement
She added: “I have also made my views on GCSE results known to DfE. Will be posting updates later today.”
Labour leader Keir Starmer has also called for the PM to personally take charge.
He tweeted: “Weeks of chaos, confusion and incompetence.
“We need a return to teacher assessments for A-level results and urgent action to avoid the same injustice for GCSE students.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--No.10 Signals Imminent U-Turn On Controversial A-Level Grades

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Coronavirus has changed everything. Make sense of it all with the Waugh Zone, our evening politics briefing. Sign up now.
Downing Street has suggested a U-turn on the highly controversial A-level grading system could be imminent amid a fierce backlash over last week’s results.
Advertisement
A No.10 spokesperson refused to rule out changes to the system, which has seen the widespread downgrading of pupils’ results.
It came as Sky News reported that the government is set to make an announcement on Monday afternoon about grades in England.
After coronavirus cancelled exams, pupils’ grades were determined by a statistical model that took into account their teachers’ own assessments but also, crucially, the historic performance of the school.
It was an algorithm that saw 40% of pupils face grade reductions, most severely in schools that had seen historically lower marks, prompting fears that disadvantaged pupils were losing out.
Advertisement
The Scottish government U-turned on a similar marking system a week earlier after students took to the streets, confirming pupils would instead be able to keep their teacher-assessed grades.
England has now seen similar street protests over the algorithm put in place by exams regulator Ofqual, while several senior Tories have broken ranks to demand changes.
Youth protests in front of the Department for Education NurPhoto via Getty Images
Asked whether Boris Johnson and education secretary Gavin Williamson were now planning a similar approach for England, the No.10 spokesperson told reporters: “We will continue to work hard to come up with the fairest system possible for pupils.”
After it was pointed out that Williamson had previously ruled out such an approach, and asked to rule it out again, the spokesperson said: “Same answer, I’m afraid, we continue to work hard to come up with the fairest system possible.”
Advertisement
Williamson has previously insisted there would be “no U-turn, no change” on the grading system.
Asked whether the PM would also insist on no U-turns, the spokesperson said: “I will have to repeat: the whole of the government will work hard to come up with the fairest system possible.”
Asked whether the government’s position was that the current grades are final, they said: “The government continues to work hard to come up with the fairest system possible.”
The spokesperson also rejected calls from Tory former education secretaryLord Baker of Dorking to delay GCSE results due this Thursday amid the chaos.
“We will not be delaying GCSE results,” they said.
The prime minister is currently on holiday in Scotland for the week, but chaired a conference call with Williamson and senior officials on Monday morning.
A number of senior Tories broke ranks on Monday to demand a U-turn and urging the government to use teachers’ predicted grades as the algorithm’s results disproportionately hit poorer students.
Advertisement
They included paymaster general and Cabinet Office minister Penny Mordaunt, who said she was “seeking a further meeting today” with the Department for Education after speaking with students and parents about exam results.
Amid the controversy, Downing Street said Johnson had confidence in Williamson and Ofqual chief Sally Collier.
In Northern Ireland, education minister Peter Weir has said GCSE students will be awarded the grades predicted by their teachers.
Labour called for English students to be allowed to use teacher-predicted grades.
Shadow education secretary Kate Green said: “The injustice and chaos surrounding A-level and GCSE results must come to an end.
“We gave the government days, not weeks, to end the crisis but they have still failed to take action.
Advertisement
“Enough is enough. The government have failed young people and their families on A-levels and are threatening to do the same with GCSEs.
“The government must now allow young people to use the grades their teachers predicted at both A-level and GCSE.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--Donald Trump Is Waging War On... The US Postal Service. Here's Why

mpi04/MediaPunch/MediaPunch/IPx
While Donald Trump is renowned for verbally abusing just about anyone and anything, the latest target of his ire might seem a bit mundane by comparison – the US Postal Service.
But the attacks on the president’s latest target could have far reaching consequences for the very democratic foundations of the United States.
Advertisement
At stake is far more than just a few late deliveries – it could throw the entire US presidential election into chaos.
So what’s going on?
As with so much these days, the situation has its roots in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The US presidential election is due to take place on November 3 but social distancing and fears of the virus spreading further if voters are made to attend polling stations mean states are looking at allowing people to cast their ballots in other ways.
The most obvious is mail-in ballots.
How does that work?
It’s pretty simple. Voters contact their local election authority either online or by mail and request an absentee ballot. They’re sent this in the post, they fill it in and they post it back.
That sounds easier than regular voting
It is, and that’s why some Republicans, including President Trump, are worried. They fear that an easier voting process will lead to a higher turnout.
Advertisement
Why is that a bad thing?
Only for Republicans. Generally, though obviously not exclusively, groups that find it harder to attend polling stations such as young people, low-income people, minorities, and those without access to transportation, also tend to vote Democrat.
So more people voting is likely to translate into more votes for Joe Biden.
What’s President Trump saying about it all?
Mostly stuff like this...
RIGGED 2020 ELECTION: MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WILL BE PRINTED BY FOREIGN COUNTRIES, AND OTHERS. IT WILL BE THE SCANDAL OF OUR TIMES! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2020
And this...
Because of MAIL-IN BALLOTS, 2020 will be the most RIGGED Election in our nations history - unless this stupidity is ended. We voted during World War One & World War Two with no problem, but now they are using Covid in order to cheat by using Mail-Ins! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2020
Trump appears to have two tactics. First is to suggest foreign countries will try and hijack his presidency – ironic considering he has consistently played down Russia’s documented interference in his 2016 election victory.
“It’s a way of trying to turn the foreign interference claims that have been made on their head,” said Richard Hasen, an election law expert at the University of California, Irvine told PA Media last month.
Advertisement
“Typically we’ve heard that the Russian government and others were working to help elect Trump, and here is Trump using fears of foreign interference as a way of bolstering his own side.
“This potentially lays the groundwork for him contesting election results.”
What’s the second tactic?
Attacking main-in ballots themselves.
For months Trump has tweeted about how the system will be used to rig the election despite there being no evidence that this will be the case.
There are multiple safeguards in place and mail-in voting has been used for decades without any problems – one in four voters cast ballots that way in 2016.
The United States cannot have all Mail In Ballots. It will be the greatest Rigged Election in history. People grab them from mailboxes, print thousands of forgeries and “force” people to sign. Also, forge names. Some absentee OK, when necessary. Trying to use Covid for this Scam! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 24, 2020
Is he still saying things like this?
Yes, and he’s even suggested delaying the election until after the pandemic.
With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote??? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2020
Advertisement
But he can’t do this so appears to adapted his tactic slightly by targeting the US Postal Service.
How is he doing that?
As its name suggests, the US Postal Service (USPS) will be in charge of delivering postal votes in the election.
But the USPS has been struggling for a number of years and hasn’t turned a profit since 2006. This has only been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.
On June 15 Trump appointed a new USPS postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, ostensibly to turn the fortunes of the ailing organisation around.
But, and this is a big but, DeJoy just so happens to a very rich Republican who has donated $1.2m to Trump’s campaign coffers and nearly $1.3m to the Republican Party since 2016.
Oh.
Yes, oh.
Since taking on the role, DeJoy has instituted a brutal cost-cutting campaign at the USPS that has slowed mail delivery across the country.
Advertisement
If the postal system isn’t fully functional when the election rolls around then Trump will be able to claim the election result is flawed, and then who knows what will happen.
Is it deliberate?
No one in the White House or at the USPS says so, but plenty of Democrats are suggesting it could be.
Trump is trailing in the polls, and trailing by a lot. His presidency has been upended by the coronavirus crisis and last week the national death toll surpassed 170,000, the highest in the world.
Statista
Nancy Pelosi, the country’s top elected Democrat, said on Sunday she was calling the Democratic-controlled House back to Washington later this week to vote on legislation to protect the Postal Service from what she called Trump’s “campaign to sabotage the election by manipulating the Postal Service to disenfranchise voters”.
Advertisement
And several Democratic state attorneys general told Reuters they were in discussions about potential legal action to stop USPS changes that could affect the election outcome.
“It is outrageous that Donald Trump would attempt to undermine the US Postal Service for electoral gain,” Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy told Reuters in a telephone interview, adding that the Republican president’s actions raised constitutional, regulatory and procedural questions.
Congressional Democrats also called on DeJoy to testify at an August 24 hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said the USPS’s board of governors should remove DeJoy if he “refuses to come before Congress”.
What does Taylor Swift think?
Glad you asked, because she’s actually been very vocal about it.
Trump’s calculated dismantling of USPS proves one thing clearly: He is WELL AWARE that we do not want him as our president. He’s chosen to blatantly cheat and put millions of Americans’ lives at risk in an effort to hold on to power. — Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) August 15, 2020
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--Here’s Everyone Who’s Calling For A U-Turn On A-Level Results

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Prominent Tory MPs, the National Union of Students and school chiefs are among those putting pressure on the government to scrap 100,000 A-level grades.
After coronavirus cancelled exams, pupils’ grades were determined by a statistical model that took into account their teachers’ own assessments but also, crucially, the historic performance of the school.
Advertisement
It was an algorithm that saw 40% of pupils face grade reductions, most severely in schools that had seen historically lower marks.
The Scottish government U-turned on a similar marking system a week earlier after students took to the streets, confirming pupils would instead be able to keep their teacher-assessed grades.
Education secretary Gavin Williamson has previously ruled out a similar reversal in the rest of the UK, but it emerged on Monday that the government could perform a U-turn after all.
A No.10 spokesperson refused to rule out changes to the system, which has seen the widespread downgrading of pupils’ results, and an announcement is expected within hours.
Advertisement
Here’s everyone who wants the government to admit it made a mistake.
Tory MPs
Cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt became the first government MP to break rank and criticise the exams chaos on Monday morning.
While she fell short of calling for an all-out U-turn, she addressed the fact that taking a year out to resit exams or wait for appeals to be returned is simply not an option for many students.
She wrote on Twitter: “This group of young people have lost out on so much already, we must ensure that bright, capable students can progress on their next step.
“Delaying a year won’t be an option, and it shouldn’t be an option. For many it will mean falling out of education...”
This group of young people have lost out on so much already, we must ensure that bright, capable students can progress on their next step. Delaying a year won’t be an option, and it shouldn’t be an option. For many it will mean falling out of education.... — Penny Mordaunt (@PennyMordaunt) August 17, 2020
Advertisement
A growing number of Conservative MPs have followed suit, with Roger Gale, the MP for North Thanet, saying that the government should adopt “teacher recommendations for this year only” in England. Lucy Allan, the MP for Telford, also said it was “simply not feasible to decide these issues by algorithm”.
Former Tory leader and Iain Duncan Smith was one of the MPs calling on the government on Monday morning to “put it right” and let pupils use mock results or teacher assessments for their grades.
"Let's put it right": Iain Duncan Smith tells LBC that the government need to U-turn on A-levels and tell pupils they can use their mocks or teacher assessments for their grades.@NickFerrariLBC | @MPIainDS pic.twitter.com/eJRV32FLcZ — LBC (@LBC) August 17, 2020
He told LBC’s Nick Ferrari: “The idea that you have an algorithm to figure out what they might have done in an exam is really impossible and I think that’s where the big mistakes will be made.
“I certainly would like the government to say now: ’Look, forget it. We’ll go to the universities and talk to them about accepting people and working it through at the other end, particularly with GCSEs.’”
Advertisement
Former Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson said: “Surely there must have been a better way than this.”
She told Times Radio: “The education secretary needs to get out on the television, he needs to be telling people what’s going on.”
Kenneth Baker, a former education secretary who oversaw the abolition of O-levels in the 1980s, also proposed delaying the publication of GCSE results as he criticised the “unfair and barely explicable downgrades” last week which “helped smaller private schools”.
Sixth Form Colleges Association
The Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA) revealed on Monday that A-level grades from its members had fallen below the three-year average, after analysing 65,000 exam entries in 41 A-level subjects.
Grades awarded to students in 2020 were lower in every single subject – and had particularly impacted pupils at larger sixth form colleges.
Advertisement
An article on their website states “the model has not only failed to produce ‘broadly similar’ results, but has in fact produced worse results in every single subject.”
Leaders at the association are calling for the model to be rerun to provide more accurate grates, or abandoned altogether.
Bill Watkin, SFCA’s chief executive said: “There simply isn’t time to conduct a wholesale review of the system, or to force colleges and schools through the sort of appeals process envisaged by the government. As each day passes, the strain on students increases and more young people miss out on their chosen university or employment destination. ”
“Ofqual should therefore immediately recalibrate and rerun the model to provide all students with an accurate grade, and provide an assurance that this will be no lower than the calculated grade they have already received.
“Should this still fail to produce results that are broadly similar to previous years, students should be awarded the grades predicted by teachers (known as centre assessed grades).”
Advertisement
The Labour Party
Speaking on results day, August 13, Labour leader Keir Starmer tweeted: “Something has obviously gone horribly wrong with this year’s exam results.”
Amid the news that almost 40% of pupils had seen their grades marked down and stories of would-be university students who had seen their hopes dashed by their mathematically-adjusted grades, Starmer said the system had “fundamentally failed them”.
He called on the government to “urgently rethink” its approach, guaranteeing the right to individual appeals and for the fee for appeals to be waived (which the government has since done).
Crucially, he asked for “nothing to be ruled out, including the U-turn that was forced on the Scottish government last week”.
To date, almost 90,000 people have signed the party’s petition calling for the government to rethink its approach on A-level results.
Advertisement
Shadow education minister Kate Green also called for the possibility of a U-turn to remain in the mix, describing the situation for many students on results day as a “huge injustice”.
"Students must be treated fairly and nothing should be ruled out, even if Ministers have to follow the U-turn that was forced on the Scottish Government." – @KateGreenSU — Labour Press (@labourpress) August 13, 2020
Speaking on Thursday she said: “Ministers must act urgently to correct the injustice faced by so many young people today. Students must be able to lodge their own appeals if they haven’t got the grade they deserved and admissions teams must be forced to be more flexible.
“No student should see their dreams slip away because of this government’s inaction.”
National Union of Students
The National Union of Students published a petition calling for a U-turn on the standardised graded almost immediately after A-level grades came out on Thursday, stating that the government had chosen “to reproduce and bake in educational inequality through the use of ridiculous algorithms”.
Specifically in response to the way in which the algorithm has most severely impacted students from larger or historically underperforming schools – while benefiting pupils at smaller, independent schools – the union has issued four demands.
Advertisement
Number one on that list is to give all students their teacher-assessed grades, without moderation.
Support A-Level students as the discriminatory moderation system implemented by the UK Govt. has downgraded and disregarded them.
Keep sharing & signing!
👉Teacher assessed grades
👉Free appeals process
👉Grading system overhaul
👉Investment in educationhttps://t.co/Bj7f9BM3S1 — NUS UK (@nusuk) August 14, 2020
The demands also include introducing a “fair and free appeals process for all students to combat any instances of racist, classist or other discrimination”, an overhaul of the current system of exams and grading, and further investment to “end educational inequality”.
Good Law Project
Following the headlines about the huge disparity in grades between larger schools and colleges in deprived areas and much smaller, private schools, The Good Law Project – which has mounted a number of high-profile challenges against the government in the past – said it was considering legal action.
On Sunday the project announced it was launching proceedings against governmental department Ofqual, which regulates qualifications, exams and tests in England.
Representing six young people who have been directly impacted – and receiving emails from hundreds more – the organisation said in a statement: “Of course this disaster has not been visited on rich and poor alike. The data shows – and clearly – that it is hitting poorer kids above richer, and state school kids more than private.”
Advertisement
In a letter sent to Ofqual, lawyers said that the department’s system for standardising results had given “rise to an unacceptable risk of procedural unfairness”, adding that it had breached “its obligation to ensure that ‘regulated qualifications give a reliable indication of knowledge, skills and understanding’ and to ‘promote public confidence in regulated qualifications’.
In order to address the “systemic” issues with Ofqual’s processes, the Good Law Project have demanded the department revise the present system.
A spokesperson added: “Our claim requires Ofqual to revise the present system, which is unfair and unlawful. Such unfairness might be remedied by creating a merits-based appeal right for those students whose Centre Assessment Grade has been downgraded and resetting the system so that students’ grades can be downgraded by one grade at most.”
The legal team have asked for a response by 4pm on Wednesday, August 2019. If they don’t get one, they plan to start legal proceedings.
Thousands of students
While MPs, lawyers, and unions have all come out in support of a total overhaul of the A-level grading process, it’s the students themselves who have perhaps made their voices heard most clearly as they campaign against an unfair system.
Advertisement
Hundreds of A-level students marched to Downing Street on Friday and Sunday, urging the government to perform a U-turn and allow them to use their teacher-assessed or mock exam grades.
Many on Sunday were seen holding signs reading “trust our teachers” as the students gathered in Parliament Square, chanting “fuck Gavin Williamson” and “fuck Eton”.
Thousands of pupils also took to social media – either to share their own stories of being downgraded or to stand in solidarity with those who had been denied university places as a result of the government’s standardisation process.
Ted Mellow, 18, from Wood Green in north London – one of the organisers of the demonstration – told the PA news agency: “Everywhere you look, people are either angry or confused and, quite frankly, that’s the government’s fault.
“We’re not fighting so that everyone gets A*s and As because we know that’s unrealistic. We’re fighting so that people get the grades they deserve.”
Advertisement
He added: “The government needs to be held accountable for their lack of responsibility.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--Drool Over This Comforting Cheese And Potato Chapatti Sandwich Recipe

Cooking With Kids is a weekly recipe series on getting creative in the kitchen with the family.
Another bland cheese sarnie on the lunch menu today? We see your forgettable fromage and raise you one cheese and potato chapatti sandwich.
Cookbook author and food writer Chetna Makan’s creation is a wonderful mix of paneer, cheddar, potato that’s perfect for picnics, lunch boxes, or a light meal at home.
It’s also a great way to help kids work on their culinary skills. “This would encourage them to get into the kitchen and cook for themselves,” she explains. “Making the dough is something which is very hands-on and it provides them useful knowledge about textures, dough and when to stop adding more water. It is something which is quite key to their own well being for the future too.”
Advertisement
Her children’s favourite ingredients are cheese and paneer. Combined with the spices and mustard seeds they add a wonderful aroma and flavour, but create a great-looking finish too. “They also like that it still has the flavour of chapatis and having it in a sandwich makes it more fun,” Makan explains, adding. “Kids can help grate the potatoes, cheese and paneer, as well as, picking the leaves off the coriander and have a go at rolling the chapattis.”
Cheese and potato chapatti sandwich
Makes: 4
Nassima Rothacker Cheese and Potato Chapatti
Ingredients:
For the chapattis:
200g (7oz) chapatti flour, plus
extra for dusting
¼ teaspoon salt
140ml (5fl oz) water
For the filling:
100g paneer, grated
50g Cheddar cheese, grated
1 small potato, boiled and grated
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon chilli powder
½ teaspoon amchoor (mango powder)
1 small green chilli, finely
chopped
10g (¼oz) fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
sunflower oil
black mustard seeds
Method:
1. To make the chapattis, put the flour and salt into a bowl and gradually add just enough of the water (or a little more, if necessary) to form a soft dough. Knead for 2 minutes, then cover and let rest for 15 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions.
2. Roll out each portion on a lightly floured surface to a circle 15–18cm (6–7 inches) across. Heat a skillet until hot, and cook each chapatti for 1 minute each side on a low-to-medium heat, until slightly golden.
Advertisement
3. To make the filling, combine the ingredients in a bowl.
4. To toast the sandwiches, use the same skillet you used to cook the chapattis. Drizzle with a tiny bit of oil and, once hot, add a pinch of mustard seeds. When they start to sizzle, lay a chapatti in the pan and spread with a quarter of the filling.
5. Place another chapatti on top and cook for a minute on a low-to-medium heat, until the underside is golden. Turn and cook for a minute on the other side, then remove to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chapattis and filling, cut and serve. Eat these on the day that they are made.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--PM Told Gavin Williamson Has 'Lost The Dressing Room' As A-Levels Backlash Grows

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Coronavirus has changed everything. Make sense of it all with the Waugh Zone, our evening politics briefing. Sign up now.
Pressure is building for Boris Johnson to remove Gavin Williamson as education secretary amid an avalanche of criticism over the government’s handling of the A-level crisis.
Advertisement
Former Ofsted chief Michael Wilshaw led calls for Williamson to take the blame, saying “political leaders have to carry the can” after regulator Ofqual’s algorithm saw 40% of students’ results downgraded, with poorer teenagers disproportionately hit.
It comes as students and parents in Williamson’s South Staffordshire seat were set to stage a protest outside his constituency office and a string of Tory MPs spoke out about the debacle.
Williamson is a staunch ally of the prime minister’s and a former chief whip and Johnson has refused to give an interview to the media as criticism has grown.
“There has to be political responsibility,” said Wilshaw. “Like all things at the end of the day, somebody has to carry the can and the politicians and political leaders have to carry the can.
Advertisement
“The great danger for Gavin Williamson at the moment is that he is losing confidence. He’s losing confidence of head teachers around the country who have seen this happen.”
He said the A-levels had been a “terrible farce” but it was “no laughing matter”, with “expectations dashed” and “life chances devastated”.
“Ofqual have been almost invisible while all this is going on,” Wilshaw said.
He then went on to lay into Williamson’s record as education secretary, saying: “He hasn’t exactly covered himself in glory over the pandemic period with all sorts of changes of direction, saying primary schools will be open when they obviously couldn’t be under social distancing rules, saying every poor child will receive a laptop and obviously that didn’t happen, the school meals voucher system wasn’t working.
People take part in a protest in Westminster in London over the government's handling of A-level result on Friday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“And so he’s losing the dressing room, if you like. Headteachers have got to feel confident that they are being well-led by the Department for Education who are holding this agency, Ofqual, to account.”
Advertisement
Ruth Davidson, the former Scottish Tory leader, who has returned to lead the MSPs in Holyrood, also sounded the alarm on Times Radio on Sunday, saying MPs should show their teeth to government.
She said: “This is not just one of these bubble issues. This is something that cuts through everything.
“MPs should be telling the chief whip, including Conservative MPs, that this will absolutely be one of the things that, even people who don’t even pay attention to politics, will be all over because this is their child’s future.”
Former Conservative education secretary, Lord Baker, who introduced GCSEs, said the week had been “disastrous for the government”, adding: “I can judge the damage [that] has been done both to the government and to the party, and it’s very profound.”
Asked how the scandal has been handled by Williamson and the schools minister Nick Gibb, he said: “The mathematical formula they’ve used for the algorithm is flawed, deeply flawed, because it produces 40% failures.
Advertisement
“And I don’t know what happened to the political antennae of Gavin Williamson and Mr Gibb, the school’s minister – I suspect Mr Gibb was mainly the principal author of this, because he does understand how schools work. And they should realise that when a student has lost their chance of going to the medical school they wanted to go to, or the university they wanted to go to, it’s gonna be on their record forever that they’ve failed, you’ll never forgive the government or the prime minister that did this.”
He called on the ministers to perform a U-turn on the algorithm, saying: “They should have realised that if you create 40% failures, you don’t just make aggrieved students, there are aggrieved parents, [...] there are aggrieved grandparents, there are aggrieved friends and relations and the damage is absolutely enormous, so if you’re in a hole stop digging.”
Poole MP Robert Syms, meanwhile, told Times Radio on Monday morning: ″We watched Scotland and the SNP get into trouble, and they sort of got into a bit of a hole. And they got out of it and took some criticism. And we’ve just climbed into the same hole, but we’re not getting out of it; we’re still digging at the moment.”
Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith also joined criticism and said the algorithm-awarded A-level grades should be abandoned, with teacher assessments or mocks used instead.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson PA
Advertisement
“No algorithm is going to sort our problem out, it’s a human issue,” he told LBC Radio.
He said concerns about “grade inflation” could be dealt with by accepting that 2020 would not be used as a benchmark for future years because some of the grades would have been “overcooked” by teachers.
He went on to say: “The idea that you have an algorithm to figure out what they might have done in an exam is really impossible and I think that’s where the big mistakes will be made.”
Tory MP Stephen Hammond was asked on Sky News if he had confidence in Williamson, to which he replied: “Gavin Williamson needs to spend today working with Ofqual and get this sorted out. “As I said, we can play the blame game in the future. Clearly there are a number of my colleagues who are deeply frustrated and you’ve heard them say what they have to say.” Labour leader Keir Starmer, meanwhile, took aim at Boris Johnson, saying the prime minister should get a grip. He tweeted: “Weeks of chaos, confusion and incompetence. “We need a return to teacher assessments for A-level results and urgent action to avoid the same injustice for GCSE students. “Boris Johnson has been invisible during this crisis. He needs to take personal responsibility, and fix it.” Deputy leader Angela Rayner has also said Johnson should take “personal responsibility” ahead of this week’s GCSEs results, which as it stands will draw on the same algorithm. Rayner said: “Gavin Williamson’s handling of this year’s exam results has been a complete and utter fiasco. We have had weeks of chaos, confusion and incompetence. “And yet Boris Johnson has been nowhere to be seen. He has been watching from the sidelines while a generation of young people are being robbed of their future. “We cannot have another week like this. The prime minister must now take personal responsibility for this crisis by addressing the country in the next 24 hours to explain precisely how he will end this historic injustice.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--Yes, Turkey Twizzlers Are Back For 2020. Just Don't Tell Jamie Oliver

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Listen to our weekly podcast Am I Making You Uncomfortable? about our health, bodies and private lives. Available on Spotify, Apple, Audioboom and wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Beans, chips, Turkey Twizzlers. If you were a child of the 90s, it was the school dinner of champions – until Jamie Oliver came along and ruined it all.
Advertisement
With his 2005 TV show Jamie’s School Dinners, the celebrity chef campaigned for a “school dinner revolution.” In hindsight, it was probably needed for the good of our health. But at the time, we properly mourned those corkscrews of meaty deliciousness.
Now, 15 years later, the mighty Twizzler has risen again. Bernard Matthews has announced it’s relaunching the product with a new (supposedly healthier) recipe.
Bernard Matthews
The new Twizzlers will be on sale in Iceland from Thursday in two flavours, Original Tangy Tomato and Chilli Cheese. Other supermarkets are due to stock the products soon.
Advertisement
“With the world more in need of joy than ever, the time has come – this is the comeback of the century,” a promotional video for the new products claims.
But the announcement has been met with mixed reviews on social media, with people expressing a mixture of excitement, nostalgia and disgust.
Turkey Twizzlers are returning... 2020 isn’t all bad after all ❤ — L.i.am ⭐ (@LiaamHall) August 17, 2020
Remembering the classic school rumour that eating turkey twizzlers made your turds come out curly. — máffy ohsò (@ANALNOISES) August 17, 2020
People are talking like the return of Turkey Twizzlers is a light in the dark tunnel of 2020.
No huns, that shite coming back is peak 2020. pic.twitter.com/ufFyy7lrpk — 🔺Paul🔻 (@paulnorwich) August 17, 2020
Advertisement
Even as a former fan, I’m wondering if we still need Twizzlers in 2020 – when the veggie sausages and (newly discovered) vegan schnitzel in my fridge have been hitting the spot of late.
Matt Turner, a spokesperson for The Vegan Society, is also unconvinced Twizzlers will spark the mass fandom of the late 90s and early noughties.
“Over the last few years and particularly during lockdown, we have seen the demand for plant-based and vegan offerings accelerate massively. Many have cut down on their meat and dairy consumption in favour of new, innovative vegan products that have been hitting the supermarket shelves,” he tells HuffPost UK.
“In the last week, we’ve seen fantastic vegan turkey offerings as part of new Christmas ranges being announced. Consumer demand is predominantly moving towards a more ethical and sustainable alternative, not regressing backwards.”
The old Twizzlers infamously contained just 34% meat, while the new versions contain 70%, according to the BBC. But despite the recipe change, nutritionists are warning they’re still processed food – with limited health benefits.
Advertisement
Specialist paediatric dietitian Bahee Van de Bor is yet to review the complete nutrition profile of the new Twizzlers, but from the information available online, she says the revised version “sounds like it is still a source of added salt and saturated fat in children’s diet”.
“For this reason, if it has been designed to be enjoyed as a snack or as part of the main meal for children, I would encourage parents to treat it like any other food with saturated fats and added salt,” she says. “Where possible always choose lean fresh cuts of red meat and poultry and limit processed meats and poultry that contain added salt. As per other foods with added salt (like bacon and sausages), this should not be offered to babies under 12 months of age.”
Charlotte Stirling-Reed, a nutritionist specialising in babies and children, says that as with anything relating to diet, “context matters”.
“Turkey Twizzlers (or any food for that matter) aren’t a bad food on their own,” she says. “That said, they are not something that children should be having regularly as they can be high in saturated fats and salt.”
Stirling-Reed recommends making homemade turkey nuggets instead of buying processed Twizzlers, adding: “They can be super easy to make and keep in the freezer, can be made with quality meat and don’t have to contain added salt and sugar either.”
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--Selling Sunset's Jason Oppenheim Reveals Why Show Isn't What He Envisaged: 'I Probably Wouldn't Have

Selling Sunset's Jason Oppenheim Reveals Why Show Isn't What He Envisaged: 'I Probably Wouldn't Have Signed Up'

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Selling Sunset star Jason Oppenheim has admitted he would not have signed up for the hit Netflix reality series had he known it would be so focused on the personal lives of the estate agents.
The former lawyer runs the The Oppenheim Group agency in LA with twin brother Brett, and Selling Sunset follows the professional and personal lives of the company’s employees.
Advertisement
However, Jason has told Hello! magazine that he originally thought the premise of the show would be entirely different.
Jason Oppenheim Netflix
He said: “Had I known the show would be this focused on our personal lives I probably wouldn’t have signed up for it.
“I wanted it to be all about the nuances of real estate, but I now realise the show I envisaged wouldn’t be that popular!
Advertisement
“I’ve come to accept the idea that I’m on more of a reality show than a real-estate show,” he added.
Selling Sunset focusses on the lives of the estate agents Netflix
Jason, who said he is currently trying to sell Orlando Bloom’s house, which is on the market for £8 million, added that he would do his job even if it involved less money, after initially training as a lawyer.
He said: “It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy being a lawyer, but I didn’t have the passion and drive for it. I’m more of an entrepreneur; I wanted to own my own business and I’m truly passionate about real estate.
“Being a lawyer felt like work but this doesn’t; to be honest, I’d do this job for 10% of the money that I make. That’s how much I enjoy this work.”
Advertisement
Meanwhile, fellow Selling Sunset star Christine Quinn has claimed Jason’s brother Brett has left The Oppenheim Group since the third series wrapped filming in December.
(L-R) Jason Oppenheim, Christine Quinn, and Brett Oppenheim Rodin Eckenroth via Getty Images
Speaking to Metro, she hinted that a few of the agents could jump ship, saying: “Brett has left to start his own brokerage. The girls are fed up with the favouritism of Mary in the office. We don’t know who will move where. It may be the battle of the brokerages!”
She added: “I think season four is going to be the juiciest season ever.”
The full interview with Jason appears in this week’s Hello magazine, on sale now. All three series of Selling Sunset are currently streaming on Netflix.
Hello


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--The Fabric Of Reality Is A Fashion Show Unlike Any Other - Watch It Online Now

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The fashion industry is having a major identity crisis, and the Covid-19 pandemic has amplified and accelerated the need for a radical reset in how fashion works, from curbing the excesses of planet-destroying fast fashion to recognising the need for greater inclusivity and access to this rarified world.
The way fashion is presented is also problematic: the relentless pace and vast expense of industry showcasing had many insiders heralding the end of the traditional fashion show long before the pandemic.
Advertisement
It was the physical impossibility of travelling and staging shows the past several months that forced more immediate change. This is something the fashion industry has been slow to adopt in the past, London College of Fashion’s Innovation Agency (FIA) head, Matthew Drinkwater, told us in an interview in June 2020.
The Fabric of Reality, a first-of-its-kind VR experience from Verizon’s award-winning in-house creative studio, RYOT, in partnership with the Museum of Other Realities, Kaleidoscope and the Fashion Innovation Agency at London College of Fashion, UAL, shows us a world of possibility when it comes to showcasing fashion using immersive technologies.
RYOT Studio Charli Cohen x Joy x Ana Duncan's garment is an upcycled sleeping bag emblazoned with Gudetama messaging
It harnesses the immense potential of 5G to make the virtual experience come to life in an interactive, hyper-realistic way. Best of all, it brings the immediacy that viewers want for a right here, right now appeal - and it’s available to watch as a 2D stream, so anyone can enjoy it.
Advertisement
“The trends and insights we’re seeing is that these types of experiences must offer a shared experience with a strong narrative that’s both immersive and live,” Sam Field, Head of Creative Tech EMEA, RYOT Studio, says.
“With Social VR, users consume it as if they were there, with 100% of their attention, interacting with one another in real time, and therefore they remember it as an experience, rather than something they saw or watched.”
The Fabric of Reality first premiered on July 29th, and illustrates that a fashion show doesn’t need to happen in person to be a spectacle of epic proportions - nor does there need to be compromise when it comes to creativity, energy and producing mind-blowing garments made to be seen on a screen. The Fabric of Reality proves that just the opposite is the case, as the show powerfully resonates on an emotional level, too, addressing significant themes from sustainability to mental health.
The Fabric of Reality brings together cutting-edge, emerging fashion designers Damara, Sabinna and Charli Cohen with VR artists Sutu, VRHUMAN, Ana Duncan and Joy for a virtual fashion show where each garment tells a story and any viewer with internet access is invited to take part.
RYOT Studio Guests can fly around Damara and Sutu's storyworld in the immersive experience
Advertisement
The designers and artists each bring extremely different concepts and issues to light through their storyworlds: Damara and Sutu created Symbiotic Wear, which explores the tension between the biological body and its virtual avatar. Viewers can fly around the space, a stunning multicoloured landscape that lies somewhere between a magical underwater universe and a futuristic bubble.
In A Stitch in Time, Sabinna and VRHUMAN explore the connections between our past and our future using crystals and soundscapes, allowing the viewer to exit into a post-pandemic naturescape that reinterprets Sabinna’s grandmother’s handcraft embroideries from three decades ago as virtual landscapes. Viewers can pin flowers onto their avatars or have fun checking out their reflections in VR mirrors.
Charli Cohen, Ana Duncan and Joy’s storyworld centres on mental health and the masks we all wear. Entitled Embrace Your MEH Days, it features Sanrio character Gudetama, as both a DJ on a soundstage and in their bedroom unable to get out of bed. Viewers can pin messages of positivity and support to the bedroom wall.
Watching the show, it’s clear that the opportunities are unlimited when it comes to harnessing the visual power of fashion in the virtual sphere: it can be used as a tool to educate and explore, to engage viewers in shared experiences and show them they’re not alone.
“The Fabric of Reality allowed users to interact within the exhibition, building in layers of shared interactivity, like drinks that changed your size (tiny to large) and the ability to fly through the story worlds,” says Field.
Advertisement
In addition, the show included virtual camera operators, virtual ushers, virtual hosts and a virtual Q&A.
The Fabric of Reality can also pave the way for inspiring unbridled creativity in other artists and designers who can start to experiment with 3D design without any of the limitations that physical fashion imposes.
It also opens up the exciting possibilities of what can start to happen if designers showcase, create and sell in 3D and the lasting impact that can have on sustainability in the industry, as well as a democratisation of an industry that’s notorious for leaving people out rather than inviting them in.
The immersive fashion show streams in 2D so anyone with a screen and internet connection can access it. Just head to here to watch the experience in full. If you have a VR headset, the show will live on the Museum of Other Realities until July 2021.
RYOT Studio Avatars of the designers, like Sabinna's, pictured, and virtual ushers interacted with guests at the premiere of The Fabric of Reality
Advertisement
Curious to know how The Fabric of Reality was put together? Check out the video below, which features Mark Melling (Head of RYOT / 5G Lead EMEA), Sam Field, Senior Director of Studios Geoffrey Goodwin and Creative Technology Strategist Joscelyn Wilson, discussing how the concept came about and what helped to make its inception possible: VR experts RYOT collaborating with leaders in the fields of XR and fashion, as well as a new 5G lab in London in Verizon’s Mid City Place offices.
Watch, enjoy, prepare to have your mind blown, and remember - this is just the beginning.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--Madonna Shares Stunning Photos Of Herself With Her Family, As She Sees In 62nd Birthday

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Madonna has shared photos from her 62nd birthday celebration, revealing she marked the occasion with her family at her side.
The Queen of Pop saw in her big day on Sunday in Jamaica, posting pictures of herself with her children on social media.
Advertisement
In one picture, she’s seen cuddling her eldest daughter, 23-year-old Lourdes Leon, who is sporting tattoos for her brothers, Rocco and David, and her sister Mercy.
Meanwhile, another snap from her birthday celebration shows Madonna on a bus with her children, as well as her boyfriend Ahlamalik Williams and music producer Diplo, who she has collaborated with multiple times.
The first photo that Madonna posted from the event saw the Material Girl singer holding what appears to be a large plate of marijuana, with a rolled up cigarette in her mouth.
Advertisement
Madonna previously posted some video footage from the event, which saw her dancing with Ahlamalik, who was among the dancers on her Madame X world tour.
Apparently not present at the star’s birthday celebration was her son Rocco, who lives in London with his father and Madonna’s film director ex-husband, Guy Ritchie.
Rocco celebrated his 20th birthday last week, with Madonna posting some throwback snaps of him on Instagram in honour of his big day.
Advertisement
Last week, chart-topping singer Dua Lipa unveiled a new remix of her song Levitating, featuring Madonna and Missy Elliott, with many fans disappointed not to see the former in the accompanying music video.
Over the weekend, Madonna – who is currently recovering from an undisclosed injury she sustained during her Madame X tour – shared a video of herself taping up her foot, while singing an adapted version of the track.
If the above video proves nothing else, it’s that Madonna is one of the most underrated lyricists of her generation (and that she’s determined not to lose her iPhone, even if it does mean sporting it on a jazzy lanyard around her neck).


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--Stormzy's Foundation Donates £500k To Fund Students From Under-Resourced And Under-Represented Commu

Stormzy's Foundation Donates £500k To Fund Students From Under-Resourced And Under-Represented Communities

Stormzy’s charitable organisation has donated £500,000 to fund further and higher education for young people from under-resourced and under-represented communities, as part of its £10m pledge to tackle racial inequality and injustice in the UK.
The chart-topping artist’s foundation #Merky has donated to the Black Heart Foundation’s “Each Day. Every Day” campaign, which has become the first UK charity to receive money from the fund.
Stormzy Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment
Advertisement
The charity provides funding for young people who would not otherwise be able to afford higher or further education.
Last month, it launched a campaign with a goal to raise £500,000 to double the number of students it has helped so far through its Black Heart Scholarship Programme, taking it from 100 to 200.
Stormzy’s donation will now take the total raised to more than £1.45m, including £500,000 of match funding from the board of the Black Heart Foundation in response to the money raised on Just Giving and through offline donations.
A spokesperson for the #Merky Foundation said: “The Black Heart Foundation is an incredible charity and we are proud to make them the first beneficiary to receive funding from our £10m pledge, announced earlier this year.
Advertisement
“Their Each Day. Every Day campaign is a brilliant initiative and we are elated that our £500,000 donation has played a key part in helping them achieve their target. We encourage others to donate whatever they can to help change a young person’s life.”
Businessman Ric Lewis founded the Black Heart Foundation in 2000 and launched the Black Heart Scholarship programmed in 2013.
He said: “We are grateful to #Merky Foundation and invigorated by their generosity.
“Their contribution is an amazing testament to their vision and commitment to higher and further education for ambitious, hard-working young people from the most under-resourced and under-represented communities in our society.
“With their support we will reach another 50 young people, taking the total number of scholars we can help to 250.
“I want to thank everyone that has donated money so far. The response we have had has been incredible.
Advertisement
“I know there are others who still want to help us hit our original £500,000 crowdfunding target on Just Giving and so we are issuing one final invitation to everyone to get involved, give whatever they can, and be the change we want to see in our world.”
In June, Stormzy announced that #Merky would be pledging £10m over the next 10 years to organisations, charities and movements committed to fighting racial inequality, justice reform and Black empowerment in the UK.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--Northern Ireland Will Award GCSE Students The Marks Their Teachers Gave Them

GCSE students in Northern Ireland will get the grades predicted for them by their teachers, Stormont’s education minister has confirmed.
Just days before results are handed out on Thursday, Peter Weir has scrapped a plan that would have had grades calculated using a mathematical model that took into account the past performance of schools.
The major policy shift comes amid a raging controversy in Northern Ireland – and across the rest of the UK – about the system used to allocate A-level grades.
There are continued calls for the government to abandon the algorithm for upcoming GCSE results, and even for a U-turn on A-level results that saw many students devastated by in some cases huge drops in their grades.
In Scotland this reversal has already been implemented, with Higher students told that students with downgraded results – many of them from the country’s poorest areas – could have the grades predicted for them by their teachers instead.
Weir said his decision would not delay the publication of grades on Thursday in Northern Ireland.
He explained: “Standardisation is normally a key feature of awarding qualifications in Northern Ireland and across the UK.
“However, these are exceptional circumstances and in exceptional times truly difficult decisions are made. I am conscious that for GCSEs, unlike at A-level, we do not have system level prior performance data for this group of young people.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--A-Level Grades Fall 'Below Three Year Average', New Data Indicates

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A-level grades awarded in sixth form colleges this year plummeted below the average of the last three years in England, new data indicates.
The Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA) said its research suggests that students in larger institutions have been failed by this year’s system.
Advertisement
Almost 40% of A-level grades awarded on Thursday in England were lower than teachers’ predictions with private school students benefiting in comparison to those at state schools.
The government has defended the approach it used to determine grades.
Students, who were not able to sit exams this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, had 280,000 A-level results downgraded by Ofqual’s “moderation” algorithm.
SFCA analysed 65,000 exam entries in 41 A level subjects. Overall, the grades awarded to students this year were lower in all 41 subjects than they were for the average of the previous three years.
This shows that the statistical model developed by Ofqual has failed to meet one of its fundamental objectives “to ensure national results are broadly similar to previous years”, SCFA found.
Advertisement
The analysis shows that for sixth form colleges, the model has not only failed to produce “broadly similar” results but has, in fact, produced worse results in every single subject.
Youth protests in front of the Department for Education In London on August 16. Nearly 280 thousand students saw their A-Level grades downgraded after the introduction of the controversial award model Ofqual. 5 million GCSEs will be awarded using this algorithm. NurPhoto via Getty Images
The association found that, on average, almost a fifth of students (19%) in sixth form colleges have been left with lower grades than they would have received if they had sat their exams in previous years.
Commenting on the survey findings, Bill Watkin, Chief Executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, said: “Our latest analysis provides further evidence that the government’s model for calculating A level grades has failed to do so accurately for many young people, particularly those in larger institutions.
“The priority now is to correct this problem with immediate effect. There simply isn’t time to conduct a wholesale review of the system or to force colleges and schools through the sort of appeals process envisaged by the government.
Advertisement
As each day passes, the strain on students increases and more young people miss out on their chosen university or employment destination.”
“Ofqual should therefore immediately recalibrate and rerun the model to provide all students with an accurate grade, and provide an assurance that this will be no lower than the calculated grade they have already received,” Watkin added.
“Should this still fail to produce results that are broadly similar to previous years, students should be awarded the grades predicted by teachers (known as centre assessed grades).”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under pressure to intervene to end the deepening A-levels crisis Anthony Devlin via Getty Images
The findings come amid calls for GCSE results to be postponed while the government fixes its “flawed” assessment system.
Advertisement
The Conservative former education secretary Lord Baker of Dorking urged ministers to delay the publication of these results, due this week, until the problems with A-levels had been resolved.
He said “If you are in a hole, stop digging”, the Times reports.
GCSE students in Northern Ireland are to be awarded the grades predicted by their teachers, Stormont’s Education Minister announced on Monday morning.
Meanwhile, prime minister Boris Johnson is under pressure to intervene to end the deepening A-levels crisis in England, amid growing anger among pupils and teachers and warnings of unrest among Tory MPs.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called on the PM to take “personal responsibility” for fixing the issue, accusing him of having been “invisible” throughout the turmoil.
Weeks of chaos, confusion and incompetence.
We need a return to teacher assessments for A-level results and urgent action to avoid the same injustice for GCSE students.
Boris Johnson has been invisible during this crisis. He needs to take personal responsibility, and fix it. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) August 16, 2020
Advertisement
Johnson had been expected to be in Scotland this week on a camping holiday with his fiancee, Carrie Symonds, and their baby son Wilfred.
But with Labour demanding he hold a press conference to explain how he intends to right the “historic injustice” suffered by pupils who had had their grades marked down, Downing Street was unable to say whether the trip would go ahead.
Many students are expected to appeal against the grades they’ve been allocated, however there has been confusion over the process after Ofqual suspended its guidance for challenging results within hours of publishing it on Saturday.
On Sunday evening, the Department for Education confirmed that new guidelines are still being drawn up by Ofqual,
Hundreds of students held a demonstration in central London on Sunday to demand clarity over the appeals procedure.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--Broadcaster James Whale Reveals Cancer Has Returned After 20 Years

Broadcaster James Whale has revealed he’s been diagnosed with cancer, 20 years after having a kidney removed due to a tumour.
The radio DJ said he has been told his cancer is in his remaining kidney, as well as his spine, brain and lungs.
James Whale PA
Advertisement
In an interview with The Sun, James told of how he was given the diagnosis two weeks ago, after feeling unwell for about a year.
The 69-year-old told the paper: “This little bastard has spread. It’s in my remaining kidney. I’ve got a couple of small lesions in my lungs. I’ve got it in my spine. I’ve got it in my brain.”
James is now on immunotherapy and hormone replacement treatment while awaiting a prognosis, with the hope he will be able to return to work and avoid chemotherapy.
He added that he has “no intention of dying right at this particular moment”, saying: “I am pretty strong. I’m determined not to allow this to really undermine me.
Advertisement
“I’m coming up to being the oldest working man on British radio and I have continually been on air since I was 24.
“Next year I’m 70, so if I live another ten years, I’d be quite happy.”
James was first diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2000 PA
In 2000, James had one of his kidneys removed due a cancerous tumour on it.
His experience with the disease led him to form the James Whale Kidney Fund in 2006, which merged with Kidney Cancer UK in 2015.
The broadcaster and talk show host has a regular slot on talkRADIO, having previously worked for LBC, talkSPORT and ITV over his decades in the industry.
In 2016, James also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother alongside the likes of Saira Khan, Christopher Biggins, Samantha Fox and Frankie Grande.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--Surfer Punches Shark Repeatedly To Save His Wife In Attack Off Australian Beach

LOADING ERROR LOADING
An Australian surfer repeatedly punched a shark in the head until the giant fish let go of his wife in an attack Saturday.
Chantelle Doyle, 35, was surfing north of Sydney with her husband when she was bitten two to three times in the leg in an attack by a juvenile great white shark close to 9 feet long.
Advertisement
After fighting off the shark, Doyle’s husband, Mark Rapley, and other surfers helped her to Shelly Beach in Port Macquarie. Doyle was treated at the scene and then airlifted to a regional hospital, where she was listed in serious but stable condition after hours of surgery.
“This fella paddled over and jumped off his board onto the shark and hit it to get it to release her — and then assisted her back into the beach,” Steven Pearce, CEO of Surf Life Saving New South Wales, told the Sydney Morning Herald. “Pretty full on. Really heroic.”
“I did what anyone would have done,” Rapley later told the Sunday Telegraph. “The shark was latched on to her leg. I just jumped into the water.”
Pearce also praised other surfers and bystanders who came to Doyle’s aid.
As paramedics were working on the woman, the shark could be seen leaping in the water with her surfboard in his mouth, said a witness.
Advertisement
The attack was the third in the area in just two months.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--Kamala Harris Is Already Having To Respond To Racist Birther Attacks Like Obama Faced

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Kamala Harris hit back at a racist conspiracy theory that she is not eligible to be vice president, saying she fully expects lies and distractions by her political opponents and that she’s ready for a fight.
“They’re going to engage in lies, they’re going to engage in deception, they’re going to engage in an attempt to distract from the real issues that are impacting the American people,” the California-born senator told The Grio in an interview published Sunday. “And I expect they will engage in dirty tactics and this is going to be a knock-down, drag-out and we’re ready. We’re ready.”
Advertisement
Harris’ defiance follows presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden naming her as his running mate last week, in effect making her the first Black and South Asian woman VP nominee for a major political party. Shortly after the announcement, an opinion piece published in Newsweek questioned whether she is eligible for the role based on her parents’ immigration status at the time of her birth. Her citizenship and eligibility for the role under the US Constitution are in truth not in question.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden (left) looks on as his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, speaks in Delaware last week. Harris' eligibility to serve as VP was recently questioned in an opinion piece that targeted her parents' immigration status at the time of her birth in California. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Donald Trump, who for years pushed a similar conspiracy theory against his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, called the “birther” claim against Harris “very serious” when questioned by a reporter at a press conference Thursday. He added that it isn’t anything he will be pursuing but also did not say anything to discredit it.
“I heard it today, that she doesn’t meet the requirements,” he told reporters before praising the author of the opinion piece as “a very highly qualified, very talented lawyer.”
Advertisement
Though Trump said he would not be looking into Harris’ eligibility, Jenna Ellis, a senior legal adviser to the Trump campaign, retweeted the opinion piece and encouraged Harris to address it. “It’s an open question, and one I think Harris should answer so the American people know for sure she is eligible,” she told ABC News.
Trump senior adviser Steve Cortes, when asked about Trump not condemning the false claim against Harris, said it’s not the president’s responsibility.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--Elizabeth Debicki To Play Princess Diana In Final 2 Seasons Of The Crown

“As we started to discuss the storylines for [Season 5], it soon became clear that in order to do justice to the richness and complexity of the story, we should go back to the original plan and do six seasons,” Peter said in a statement. “To be clear, [Season 6] will not bring us any closer to present day — it will simply enable us to cover the same period in greater detail.”
Elizabeth has also appeared in projects such as Macbeth, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Everest, The Night Manager, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and the upcoming and much-delayed Tenet from director Christopher Nolan.
She’s the latest star to take her shot at playing the beloved late royal, as it was announced earlier this year that Kristen Stewart will play Princess Diana in the upcoming film Spencer, which will reportedly focus on her tumultuous marriage to Prince Charles.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--What You Can Do Now To Prepare Kids For Going Back To School

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Nobody ever thought kids would spend half the year off school in 2020.
But now that we’ve adjusted to lockdown, homeschooling and a lot of screen-time, the return to formal education can seem even more daunting, with some parents worried how their children will get back into the swing of things.
Child psychologist Dr Amanda Gummer says children are resilient and, as long as they know what the rules are, they’ll adapt quickly to different scenarios. “Just because school in September might be different to school in January, it doesn’t mean it’ll have a long-term effect on them,” she tells HuffPost UK.
Advertisement
Klaus Vedfelt via Getty Images
But she acknowledges that for some children, worrying about going back could affect their performance – so it’s important to find ways to reassure them. “Kids don’t learn if they’re stressed, anxious or worried,” she says. “If you’re stressed, your cortisol levels are raised and you can’t learn.
“It’s important to get children used to playing together again and socialising, first – whatever that looks like – without worrying too much about academic performance.”
So, how can we prepare kids for the new term and the changes they’ll notice when they go back through the school gates – such as temperature guns, regular hand-washing and teaching in ‘bubbles’?
Advertisement
The good news is there are things parents can be doing right now, in the lead-up to school, that may make that first day a little bit easier.
Re-introduce a routine.
Author and parenting expert Liat Hughes Joshi says one way to help parents get their kids prepared for September is by reintroducing a routine.
“I always recommend parents start reintroducing routine before the end of the summer holidays,” she tells HuffPost UK. “This helps to ease their children back into meal and bedtimes that are more in line with when they’re back at school – but this year, it’s going to be even more important than ever.
“If you have let routine slip into being very relaxed, I’d be looking to bring things back a good week before the start of term. Do it gradually, and it’ll be less stressful for you all by the time term starts and the alarm clock returns!”
Advertisement
Talk about school – and focus on the positives.
We can’t get away from the fact school is going to be a little different this autumn, says Joshi. With this in mind, talk to your child about changes they might experience as much as you’re aware of them. “If they look concerned about it all, remember to focus on the positives – the things they’ll still be able to do, not just the things that they can’t do at the moment,” she says.
Advertisement
For children making a big transition in September, such as starting primary school or moving to secondary, it’ll be a shade harder than normal, adds Joshi. “Many of them will not have had the usual settling in sessions in the summer term. Do your best to familiarise them with the new school: walk past and talk about the aspects of their new school life that you do know about.”
Role play being back at school.
Gummer says you can introduce school back into their lives in a more subtle way, like using Playmobil or even Sylvanian Families, for example, and asking your child “how the little bunny rabbit feels about being back at school”.
“Toys provide a layer of protection for the kids when it comes to revealing how they’re feeling, because they can pretend it’s about the bunny – not them,” she says. “You can address real issues, without being too emotive.”
Kerkez via Getty Images
Start having playdates.
Getting your child used to socialising again is important, says Gummer. “One-on-one playdates at the park or in the garden, or wherever you feel safe, are a good idea,” she says. “It will help get kids used to being together again.”
Advertisement
Read more bedtime stories.
“Kids who haven’t been doing a huge amount of reading or home learning might need a gentle reintroduction into school-type learning using bedtime stories,” suggests Gummer.
“You can ask them some questions at the end [of the story] to see if they’ve taken it in. Or, try doing a jigsaw puzzle to build up attention and concentration and help them access that type of learning, when they return to school.”
Ultimately, let them lead.
Gummer says kids can be anxious about lots of things, so it’s important to allow space to have age-appropriate conversations. “Let them know it’s okay to ask questions and it’s alright if they’re feeling nervous about school,” Gummer says.
“Play games, read books, and give them plenty of opportunities to talk through any concerns. Be aware if you’re expecting them to be anxious, you might interpret what they’re saying in a more complex way, so let your child direct the conversation.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--I’m Leaving Britain, In The Middle Of A Pandemic, Because Of Brexit

LOADING ERROR LOADING
I’ve lived in London for 14 years, which is the longest I have lived in any place, and it is where I have spent my entire adult life so far. It’s where I finished my studies, started my career, met and married my husband, and had our children. It’s where I know all the hidden gems and the shortcuts and little alleyways you can take to avoid the (pre-pandemic) horde of tourists.
But despite that, in a few weeks’ time I’ll be loading all our belongings into a removal truck and boarding a plane to Finland – the country I hold a passport for, but can’t call home as I haven’t lived there for nearly a quarter of a century. Recently, it emerged that a record number of Brits have opted to emigrate to the EU following the Brexit vote, and soon my family will be joining those statistics.
Advertisement
Here’s why.
I can’t pinpoint the exact moment I started to feel like life here was no longer possible for me and my family. It snuck up on me, and grew into a big stifling cloud I was no longer able to live with. The first rumblings of our impending departure began in June 2016 and the increasingly hostile atmosphere, and the deluge of failings, hatred and lies spewed by the Tory government since has grown into something I am no longer willing to accept.
The final blow came with the government’s overwhelming election win in December 2019. That very night was when we made the decision to leave – probably much to the delight of the man who shouted at me while I was walking on the street with my kids and told me that I – along with “all the other international people” – should leave Britain because English people had spoken out and told us clearly that we were no longer wanted here.
“When Brexiteers were waving their red, white and blue flags in Parliament Square, it felt like the countdown to our departure had officially begun.”
It felt like the net was starting to close in on us, and we needed to make an exit plan. At 11pm on 31 January 2020, when Brexiteers were waving their red, white and blue flags in Parliament Square, and Big Ben’s face was projected onto the façade of Downing Street, it felt like the countdown to our departure had officially begun.
Advertisement
With the arrival of my children, everything in my life shifted. All the things that once seemed important to me were suddenly very low on my list of priorities – and like all new parents, I was thrust into a whole new world of things I’d never even had to consider. All of a sudden, my mind was filled with worry about the quality of my children’s education and the kind of life I was going to be able to offer them, and an overwhelming guilt that by living in central London, I was even subjecting them to high levels of air pollution that might stunt their lung growth.
Despite some news headlines painting Finland as paradise, it’s not all roses and butterflies there either. I am painfully aware of the fact that far-right populism is gaining support there as much as it is elsewhere in Europe, and that life in Finland as a Black person will be challenging. I’m heartbroken that things in the United Kingdom felt so bleak that we felt we had no other choice but to leave. I keep thinking maybe there exists a parallel universe somewhere, where things are different and my family could have stayed here. But at the right here, right now, it’s not possible.
“Life in Finland as a Black person will be challenging... things in the United Kingdom felt so bleak that we felt we had no other choice but to leave.”
I do not yet know what our exact plan is when we get to Finland, which, with two toddlers and three cats in tow, is a daunting prospect. The fact my husband has quit his full-time job, and that we have decided to move countries during a global pandemic feels somewhat counter-intuitive at times. We are jumping head-first into the unknown, with uncertain job prospects. For the first time in my life, I am winging it. This feels like the ultimate ‘trust fall’, and I simply have to believe and hope that everything will slot into place, somehow. Even considering all this though, leaving the United Kingdom feels like a much better option than the alternative, as the negatives of staying here now far outweigh any positives.
I have a very tangible worry for our friends and family we are leaving behind, and those who would like to leave but have no other choice but to stay. But I’m looking forward to going somewhere with affordable childcare, and living near the sea again. I’m excited about finding out what it feels like to have a slower pace of life with room to breathe after the bustle of London.
Advertisement
I hope we can start to rebuild our lives, and feel comfortable enough to soon be able to call Finland our home. We will look at our time in the United Kingdom as one of the many nice chapters in our lives but right now, I’m keeping my eyes firmly on the horizon, because it feels like we are leaving the storm behind just before it hits.
Ndéla Faye is a freelance journalist. Follow her on Twitter at @NdelaFaye


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-08-17--When Will Social Distancing Rules End In The UK?

The R number – sometimes referred to as the R0 – is the “basic reproduction number”. It’s used to measure the transmission potential of a disease and represents the number of people one infected person will, on average, pass the virus on to.
Another key factor is whether the number of new cases is low enough, so that any additional rise in cases due to the removal of social distancing can be contained by good test, track and trace – without putting too much stress on the NHS, said Prof Kao.
For this, we need a track and trace system that works well.