Babak Belurs

Kamis, 17 Agustus 2023

A-level results in England show biggest drop on record - The Guardian

A-level grades awarded to students in England have shown their biggest drop after results plummeted across the board in line with the government’s policy of enforcing a return to pre-pandemic grading.

Five thousand fewer students in England gained three A* grades than in 2022, while the proportion of top A*-A grades shrank from 35.9% to 26.5% within a year.

Headteachers said they were alarmed to see that in some cases grading was even more stringent than the last set of A-level exams taken before the pandemic, with the proportion of A*-C grades this year lower than those awarded in 2019 because of a sharp increase in the number of lowest grades.

For the first time, more than one in 10 entries in England were awarded an E or U (unclassified), a 10% increase on such grades in 2019. The increase is likely to be the result of more students taking A-levels based on their GCSE results awarded by teacher assessment when exams were cancelled in 2021.

England’s results also showed a large gap in top grades compared with Wales and Northern Ireland, where regulators have taken into account the long-term impact of the pandemic through more generous grading.

Northern Ireland awarded A*-A grades to 37.5% of its A-level entries, while Wales awarded 34% – in stark contrast to the 26.5% in England.

Gillian Keegan, the education secretary, sought to reassure students by telling them their efforts would be forgotten within a few years.

“They won’t ask you anything about your A-level grades in 10 years’ time. They will ask you about other things you have done since then: what you have done in the work place, what you did at university.

“And then, after a period of time, they don’t even ask you what you did at university,” Keegan told Sky News on Thursday morning.

But Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said this year’s set of students should be proud of what they achieved.

“The proportion of students achieving the top A-level grades has fallen sharply this year, not as a result of under-performance, but because the grading system has been adjusted in the wake of the pandemic so that the distribution of grades in England is similar to 2019,” Barton said.

“Whatever the rationale, however, it will feel like a bruising experience for many students, as well as schools and colleges which will have seen a sharp dip in top grades compared to the past three years.

“It is important to remember that these students also suffered the disruption of the pandemic, and this will have impacted particularly on those from disadvantaged backgrounds.”

Jeremy Miles, Wales’s minister for education, told students during a visit to Coleg Gwent in Ebbw Valeon Thursday morning: “We know what a challenging time this has been. Our aim in providing extra support this year was to make sure the exams were fair, despite the difficulties you’ve faced.”

Ucas, the university admissions organisation, said 79% of UK school-leavers qualified for their first choice of undergraduate course starting in autumn – slightly below the 81% who did so last year but higher than the 74% who got their first choice in 2019.

The Joint Council for Qualifications, representing examination boards in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, commented that “overall grades for A-levels are similar to before the pandemic, in line with policy”.

The proportion of A* grades awarded in England was 8.6%, a steep fall on the 14.5% awarded last year and still above the 7.7% awarded in 2019. The proportion of A* and A grades combined were also higher than in 2019, by 0.7 percentage points.

But results at the other end of the scale were below those of 2019, with the proportion of entries awarded an E or U rising from 9.2% in 2019 to 10.1% this year. In 2022 just 6.6% were E and U.

There were also sharp regional disparities. While London and south-east England recorded a greater proportion of top grades compared with 2019, there was a fall in the north-east England, and Yorkshire and Humber regions. There was an 8 percentage point gap between students getting A*-A grades in south-east England and those in the north-east, wider than the 5 percentage point gap in 2019.

Mathematics remained the most popular subject for this year’s students, while economics replaced geography in the top 10 most popular subjects, with more than 39,000 students taking the subject.

English literature went up in popularity, after two years of declining entries, while computing recorded the highest increase with 16% more entries this year.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiaGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRoZWd1YXJkaWFuLmNvbS9lZHVjYXRpb24vMjAyMy9hdWcvMTcvYS1sZXZlbC1yZXN1bHRzLWluLWVuZ2xhbmQtc2hvdy1iaWdnZXN0LWRyb3Atb24tcmVjb3Jk0gFoaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL2VkdWNhdGlvbi8yMDIzL2F1Zy8xNy9hLWxldmVsLXJlc3VsdHMtaW4tZW5nbGFuZC1zaG93LWJpZ2dlc3QtZHJvcC1vbi1yZWNvcmQ?oc=5

2023-08-17 09:23:00Z
2296339997

Sir Michael Parkinson: Chat show host dies aged 88 - BBC

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

By Steven McIntosh

Entertainment reporter

Broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson has died at the age of 88, his family has confirmed.

His TV career spanned seven decades, and he interviewed the world's biggest stars on his long-running chat show.

A statement from Sir Michael's family said: "After a brief illness Sir Michael Parkinson passed away peacefully at home last night in the company of his family.

"The family request that they are given privacy and time to grieve."

BBC director general Tim Davie led the tributes, describing Sir Michael as "truly one of a kind, an incredible broadcaster and journalist who will be hugely missed".

"Michael was the king of the chat show and he defined the format for all the presenters and shows that followed," Davie said.

"He interviewed the biggest stars of the 20th Century and did so in a way that enthralled the public. Michael was not only brilliant at asking questions, he was also a wonderful listener."

Sir Michael Parkinson with Sir David Attenborough and Sir Billy Connolly in 1998

Radio 4 presenter Nick Robinson said:"He was the greatest interviewer of our age who owned Saturday night TV for year after year."

Comedian and broadcaster Stephen Fry described being interviewed by Sir Michael as "impossibly thrilling".

"The genius of Parky was that unlike most people (and most of his guests, me included) he was always 100% himself. On camera and off. 'Authentic' is the word I suppose."

'A lovely guy'

Singer Elaine Paige added: "Such very sad news that Sir Michael Parkinson has died. Have known him for many years, sang on his TV chat show and attended many events with him.

"A legendary interviewer that will be remembered as the best of his profession. We will never see his like again."

Broadcaster and author Gyles Brandreth said Sir Michael's chat shows were "truly engaging conversations that brought out the best in his guests".

"And what an array of guests," he continued. "'Parky' was one of my heroes - and a lovely guy. A privilege to have known and worked with him."

Star guests

Sir Michael introduced the first Parkinson show in 1971 on BBC television - with US jazz singer Marion Montgomery his first guest.

The show ran initially for 11 years and spanned hundreds of episodes in which Sir Michael combined an avuncular style with a journalistic background.

He returned to the BBC in 1998 for another run of the show. Sir Michael estimated he had interviewed more than 2,000 guests in total.

Sir Michael's high-profile guests included Sir Billy Connolly, Muhammad Ali, Sir Elton John, Madonna and Dame Helen Mirren.

Michael Parkinson with Morecambe and Wise in 1976

Born in 1935 in the South Yorkshire village of Cudworth, Sir Michael was the son of a miner who instilled in his son a love of cricket.

He achieved two O-Levels and got a job collating sports results on a local newspaper.

After two years in the British army, he worked as a journalist for the Manchester Guardian (later renamed the Guardian) before joining the Daily Express in London.

He moved into television as a current affairs presenter and reporter for both Granada and the BBC before he was recruited to present his self-titled show on BBC One.

Michael Parkinson with Liza Goddard and Lionel Blair on Give Us A Clue in 1991

Of the many high-profile guests he interviewed, Sir Michael said boxer Muhammad Ali was his favourite.

His TV career also included ITV's TV-am breakfast show, Give Us a Clue, and BBC One's Going For a Song.

Sir Michael also hosted a Sky Arts series called Michael Parkinson: Masterclass from 2012 to 2014.

He was made a CBE in 2000 and was knighted in 2008.

The presenter revealed he was receiving radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer in 2013, and said he got the all-clear from doctors two years later.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer called Sir Michael a "broadcasting giant who set a gold standard for the television interview".

"He spent his life entertaining millions of us with his Saturday night talk show and was one of our most treasured TV personalities," she said. "My thoughts are with Michael's family and friends."

Rabu, 16 Agustus 2023

British Museum worker sacked after items found 'stolen or damaged' - The Independent

The British Museum has announced items from its collection were found to be missing, stolen or damaged.

The London museum, which houses artefacts from around the world, has launched an independent review of security as it said a staff member at the institution has been dismissed.

The matter is also under investigation by the economic crime command of the Metropolitan Police.

It is understood that the items were taken before 2023 and over a “significant” period of time.

The museum’s director Hartwig Fischer apologised for the missing artefacts, explaining “we are determined to put this right” and ready to “throw our efforts into the recovery of objects”.

Chair of the museum, George Osborne, said the trustees were “extremely concerned” by the incident and “used all the disciplinary powers available to us to deal with the individual we believe to be responsible”.

The items reported stolen, missing, or damaged include gold jewellery, semi-precious stones and glass dating from 1500BC to the 19th century.

The museum described these as small pieces which hadn’t been on public display recently and were mainly used for research and academic work.

A spokesperson for the Met Police said their investigations are ongoing and no arrests have been made, but declined to provide any further information.

Mr Fischer said: “The museum apologises for what has happened, but we have now brought an end to this – and we are determined to put things right.

“We have already tightened our security arrangements and we are working alongside outside experts to complete a definitive account of what is missing, damaged and stolen. This will allow us to throw our efforts into the recovery of objects.”

Mr Osborne outlined key priorities for its trustees including recovering the missing objects and taking steps to ensure an incident like this does not happen again.

He said: “The trustees of the British Museum were extremely concerned when we learnt earlier this year that items of the collection had been stolen.

“The trustees have taken decisive action to deal with the situation, working with the team at the museum.

The museum said it had dismissed a member of staff after items from its collection were found to be ‘missing, stolen or damaged’

“We called in the police, imposed emergency measures to increase security, set up an independent review into what happened and lessons to learn, and used all the disciplinary powers available to us to deal with the individual we believe to be responsible.

“Our priority is now threefold: first, to recover the stolen items; second, to find out what, if anything, could have been done to stop this; and third, to do whatever it takes, with investment in security and collection records, to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

“This incident only reinforces the case for the re-imagination of the museum we have embarked upon. It’s a sad day for all who love our British Museum, but we’re determined to right the wrongs and use the experience to build a stronger museum.”

Items have gone missing from the museum in previous years including a number of coins and medals in the 1970s and a 1993 break-in when Roman coins were taken.

In 2002, the museum reviewed security following a 2,500-year-old Greek statue being stolen by a member of the public.

The institution said at the time that the Greek Archaic Gallery had been open to the public but there was no permanent guard on duty when the 12cm-high marble head was taken.

Two years later, Chinese gems also went missing.

In 2017, it was revealed a £750,000 Cartier ring diamond from the heritage asset collection had been reported absent in 2011.

A view of the British Museum, one of London’s most famous tourist attractions

The incident comes days after a man was stabbed while waiting in a queue outside the world-famous tourist attraction in London.

Police officers responded to reports of a knife attack near the museum on 8 August, with an eyewitness recalling seeing “a pool and trail of blood” on the ground.

Witnesses described how the middle-aged male victim, who was stabbed in the arm, “dripping blood everywhere” along the busy street while trying to escape.

He was treated at the scene before being taken by the London Ambulance Service to a hospital.

Additional reporting on agencies.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiZmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmluZGVwZW5kZW50LmNvLnVrL25ld3MvdWsvaG9tZS1uZXdzL2xvbmRvbi1tdXNldW0tc3RhZmYtc3RvbGVuLWRhbWFnZWQtaXRlbXMtYjIzOTQ0NDIuaHRtbNIBAA?oc=5

2023-08-17 04:03:36Z
2351003731

UK inflation falls 1.1% in just one month as energy price crisis starts to ease - The Independent

UK price inflation fell 1.1 per cent in a month to approach levels not seen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but experts warned the cost of living squeeze was far from over despite the turning ride on rising prices.

Office for National Statistics data published on Wednesday morning showed the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) stood at 6.8 per cent in July – down from 7.9 per cent in the previous month and broadly in line with what most economists had predicted. The drop was attributed to falling energy prices.

Rising prices have slowed for two consecutive months and are now being outstripped by record wage growth. But core inflation – which strips out volatile food and energy prices – remained unchanged at 6.9 per cent and experts warned any gains in pay would be “swallowed up” by increased borrowing costs and higher taxes.

Bank of England policymakers are expected to further hike the base rate when they meet again in September, piling further misery on some mortgage holders and those taking out loans. Dr Sushil Wadhwani, a former member of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee, on Tuesday predicted a rise of 0.25 per cent to 5.5 per cent.

Sky-high gas and electricity costs, fuelled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have begun to come down as Western countries get a better grip on their energy policies. In the UK, from the start of July, the average price for each unit of electricity that someone uses was slashed to 30p per unit, while gas prices fell to 8p per unit, meaning the average annual energy bill for a household dropped to £2,074 from the capped rate of £2,500.

Matthew Corder, ONS deputy director of prices, said the fall in the energy price cap had helped to bring down bills. He added that, while food price inflation remains high, it had eased slightly, particularly for everyday staples such as bread, milk and cereal. But he said that the “falling cost of goods [were] offset by higher service prices.”

Analysts welcomed the inflation figures and said they showed that the tide was “turning” on inflation but warned there was still a long way to go in tackling the cost of living squeeze, echoing previous comments by chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

Jason Hollands, managing director at investing platform Bestinvest, said the July figures represented “a big move down” on the previous month’s data “however core inflation … is proving much stickier” to bring down.

He added that Wednesday’s figures “will undoubtedly” be touted by the government as evidence that their “fiscal prudence is working … however, inflation still has some way to go before it returns to the Bank of England’s long-term target rate of 2 per cent, so the fight against inflation is not yet over”.

Bank of England expected to raise interest rates further despite drop in inflation

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) said it was “positive” that pay was now outstripping inflation but warned any benefits gained by workers were likely to be “swallowed up” by higher taxes and higher borrowing costs.

“For most people, this won’t feel like a turning point in the cost-of-living crisis,” Suren Thiru, ICAEW economics director, said. “While core and services inflation are proving harder to shift, they should fall back over the rest of the year as rising unemployment and tighter monetary policy help choke off demand in the economy.”

Ms Thiru added that while another Bank of England interest rate rise in September looks “inescapable”, the drop in inflation for June is likely to drive a more notable split among the central bank’s policy-makers.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak earlier this year outlined his five priorities for government, which included a promise to halve inflation by the end of the year. The Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank said July’s figures suggest that pledge is now hanging by a thread as there is “only so much” the Treasury can do to bring down inflation.

“When the target was set, the prime minister may have hoped he could rely on falling in energy prices to do most of the work to hit it,” Heidi Karjalainen, IFS research economist said.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak made five key pledges when he moved into No 10 - including a promise to halve inflation by the end of the year

(PA Wire )

“However, the stubbornly high rate of price inflation for goods and services other than food and energy has put the target in jeopardy. With only four months to go, it no longer seems at all clear that inflation at the end of the year will have fallen by enough to achieve it.”

Speaking to broadcasters after the inflation figures were published, John Glen, the Treasury minister and a close ally of the PM, refused to be drawn on whether or not his boss would hit the target and cautioned that “a lot has changed since the start of the year”.

He insisted that the government was not complacent about bringing down inflation and suggested that economists’ predictions that the UK was no longer heading for a recession showed that the economy was heading in the right direction.

Labour welcomed the fall in inflation but used the figures to attack the government’s record on the economy, pointing out that the UK still has a higher rate of rising prices than “many other” major economies in the G7.

"After 13 years of economic chaos and incompetence under the Conservatives, working people are worse off - with higher energy bills and prices in the shops,” Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, said. “Labour’s plan to build a strong economy will make working people better off by boosting growth, improving living standards and cutting household bills."

Mr Hunt said the easing of inflation showed "the decisive action we’ve taken to tackle inflation is working" but "we’re not at the finish line".

"We must stick to our plan to halve inflation this year and get it back to the 2 per cent target as soon as possible," he added.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiZGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmluZGVwZW5kZW50LmNvLnVrL25ld3MvdWsvaG9tZS1uZXdzL2luZmxhdGlvbi1maWd1cmVzLXVrLW9ucy1lbmVyZ3ktcHJpY2VzLWIyMzkzODAyLmh0bWzSAQA?oc=5

2023-08-16 10:07:55Z
2321591001

Crooked House owners' links to previous major fire - BBC

By Liz Copper & Susie Rack

BBC News, West Midlands

The owners of a Black Country pub which was gutted by fire and then demolished two days later experienced another huge fire on land they owned.

The Crooked House, near Dudley, had recently been sold to its new owners.

The cause of a previous blaze at Finmere landfill, Buckinghamshire, in August 2018 was never established.

Adam Taylor is director of AT Contracting and Plant Hire Ltd, which, according to Land Registry documents, owns the Finmere site.

His wife, Carly, controls the company ATE Farms Limited, which bought the "wonky" Black Country landmark in July.

Mrs Taylor also currently controls AT Contracting and Plant Hire Ltd, which the BBC understands rented a digger a week before flames engulfed The Crooked House on 5 August.

Two days later the 18th Century building on Himley Road was flattened, leading to widespread protests.

Mr and Mrs Taylor have not replied to the BBC's requests for an interview.

Four hundred tonnes of waste caught fire at Finmere landfill on 4 August 2018.

Firefighters from Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire worked through the night to extinguish it.

Almost exactly five years later, firefighters worked overnight to save the historic Himley pub, which began to subside in the 19th Century.

Staffordshire Police confirmed last Wednesday the blaze was being treated as arson.

South Staffordshire Council said it was conducting an investigation into the "demolition of the entire building, without appropriate permissions".

The force previously said its investigation would be robust.

Mystery and anger over wonky pub destruction

Inside another crooked pub

Miniature Crooked House wins plaudits

Protests against The Crooked House's destruction weeks after it was sold by previous owner Marston's have seen signs and other tributes placed among the rubble.

A petition to rebuild it has amassed more than 18,500 signatures.

Fences put up at the site on Tuesday were thought to be there for safety reasons.

A nearby notice states two adjacent footpaths have been closed to the public by Staffordshire County Council, including one leading to the pub's car park, due to concerns over the instability of the ground.

Dudley North MP Marco Longhi said a public meeting at Himley Hall on Wednesday at 18:00 BST would be a chance for concerned residents to "vent their anger" and voice ideas for the building's future.

He met with South Staffordshire Council on Tuesday and added, while he could not go into the details of what was discussed, was "much more reassured about where we are going with all of this".

Campaigners met Mr Longhi after the meeting and one of them, Ian Sandall, told BBC Radio WM he felt "very buoyant and very confident" afterwards.

"Everything seemed very positive. What I can say is we are all singing off the same hymn sheet," he said.

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk

Babak Belurs

Kamis, 17 Agustus 2023

A-level results in England show biggest drop on record - The Guardian

Sir Michael Parkinson: Chat show host dies aged 88 - BBC

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

'A lovely guy'

Star guests

Related Topics

West Country mum's heartbreaking tribute as daughter is found dead and manhunt is launched - Bristol Live

Rabu, 16 Agustus 2023

British Museum worker sacked after items found 'stolen or damaged' - The Independent

UK inflation falls 1.1% in just one month as energy price crisis starts to ease - The Independent

Crooked House owners' links to previous major fire - BBC

Related Topics

Related Internet Links

UK inflation falls 1.1% in just one month as energy price crisis starts to ease - The Independent

Kamis, 17 Agustus 2023

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

'A lovely guy'

Star guests

Related Topics

Rabu, 16 Agustus 2023

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world

Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world

Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email

Related Topics

Related Internet Links

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world

Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email