Thursday evening news briefing: The GCSE grades inflated the most
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The grades inflated the most by teacher assessments
More than a quarter of GCSEs were awarded top grades today, up from around a fifth last year as students across the country collected their results. The surge in top marks comes as more than 950,000 students in England received their teachers' predicted grades rather than those calculated by an algorithm, after an about-turn by ministers this week. Not a single subject saw a decrease in its pass rate year-on-year but some subjects, particularly those with a lower number of students sitting exams, saw much bigger gains year-on-year than average. With a look back at A-level subjects as well, Alex Clark and Dominic Gilbert reveal which subjects were inflated the most by teacher assessments. Click here for a gallery of some of the best pictures from GCSE results day.
Of course, BTEC students were unable to pick up their grades today after a last minute decision from the exam board Pearson. The schools minister Nick Gibb has said he hopes they will get their results next week. This comes just days after Ofqual's controversial algorithm was cast aside, creating chaos for hundreds of thousands of A-level students trying to secure university places. Hannah Boland and Michael Cogley have the inside story on how the algorithm created an A-level fiasco. If your child did not get the results they wanted, read some expert advice.
Ex-Trump aide Steve Bannon charged with fraud
Former top Trump aide Steve Bannon has been arrested and charged along with three others for defrauding hundreds of thousands of donors in a Mexico border wall fundraising campaign - delivering a blow to the US President. The online crowdfunding campaign known as "We Build the Wall" raised more than $25 million, prosecutors said, which the defendants said would be used on construction but was instead used for their own profit. The arrest is the latest in a string of high-profile legal battles faced by members of Trump's inner circle as the Republican runs for re-election in November. Read on for details. With the US presidential election campaign now in full swing - and Joe Biden due to speak at the Democratic National Convention tonight - read how the Republican and Democratic pitches to the US people compare.
Harry and Meghan's plea not to feed social media trolls
The dark side of social media is a "shouting match" which benefits "all the wrong people", the Duke of Sussex has said, as the Duchess urges users not to feed the online trolls. The Duke, speaking to young leaders in the Commonwealth via video call, said social media was "a lot of noise" competing for attention, in which people can "project their own pain across these platforms" to leave users consumed with negativity. The Duchess, who spoke of the difficulties of being extra reliant on devices during the Covid-19 pandemic, urged people to break the habit of spreading offensive material to register their offence. Watch them here.
At a glance: Latest coronavirus headlines
Breaking news | Croatia and Austria added to quarantine list
Coronavirus liveblog | Cases surge in Lebanon after Beirut blast
Falling death rates | Scientists mull mystery in Pakistan
Blood plasma treatment | US refuses emergency licence
Britain's oldest survivor | 'Keep calm and eat an orange a day'
Also in the news: Today's other headlines
Manchester Arena bombing | Hashem Abedi, the plotter behind the bombing that killed 22 people at a concert, has been jailed for a minimum of 55 years for his part in the atrocity. Grieving families gave emotional evidence at the Old Bailey on today as the judge, Mr Justice Jeremy Baker, prepared to sentence the home-grown Islamic State-inspired jihadi. Read what Mr Justice Baker said as he passed sentence.
Russian 'poisoning' | Opposition leader in intensive care
Isil Beatles | Mother of murdered journalist makes plea to Patel
'Remember me?' | Rolex robbers target same victim twice in 24 hours
Storm Ellen | Ireland hit with 89mph winds - video
Gmail goes down | Google services crash for users worldwide
Around the world: Philippine medics struggle to cope
Desperate Filipino health workers have spoken of their fears of going to work as colleagues are struck down with Covid-19 in hospitals that are buckling under the pressure of thousands of new cases every day. The Philippines, which has 107 million citizens, is now the worst affected nation in Southeast Asia by the global pandemic, with 169,213 cases and 2,687 deaths. However, a lockdown in the capital region will be eased from today, despite warnings from health experts it is coming too soon. Read how emergency rooms are becoming makeshift isolation rooms.
Thursday long-read
The future of universities - 'I'm not getting my money's worth'
It is fair to say the short-term is something of a head-ache for university bosses following the A-level grade fiasco. Yet long term, Joe Shute reveals how a foreign student crisis, the rise of remote learning and some very expensive pianos lie in wait for higher education
Comment and analysis
John Nield | The ugly truth about exams and algorithms
Tom Harris | It's too soon for Labour to rejoice over Tories' poll slump
Neil Gardiner | Britain must stand with the US against Iranian tyranny
Ben Lawrence | The BBC needs experts – not celebrity podcasters
Nick Trend | Enough refund chaos, it's time for a holiday ombudsman
Editor's choice: Features and arts
Criticism from all sides | The lies that built The Bridge on the River Kwai
How hard is it to put on muscle? | 'My 12-week challenge to go from skinny to 'ripped'
How to plan retirement | 'I own 50 funds and have a £400k foreign pension'
Business and money briefing
Furlough winding down | Almost two thirds of workers who were put on furlough are back on the job, indicating that the economy is recovering and that the scheme succeeded in protecting their employment. One-in-eight employees are still being paid to stay at home, according to the Office for National Statistics. Read on for details.
Back to work | UK racing ahead of world as reopening fires economy
Airbnb | Travel company files to go public after recovery from slump
On top of markets | Live stocks and shares updates 24 hours a day
Sport briefing
Premier League fixtures released | Liverpool will host Leeds United in a battle of the Premier League and Championship champions on the opening day of the top-flight season. Jurgen Klopp's men will begin the defence of their first English title for 30 years against a side who last month ended their 16-year exile from the world's richest league. Arsenal also face a promoted team with a London derby at play-off winners Fulham on the weekend of September 12. Read on for details.
Jim White | Forget the derbies - the key fixture for fans is on October 3
Marcelo Bielsa | Leeds United agree new contract with manager
Austin Healey | Game limits are pointless, coaches know what's best
Tonight's TV
Criminal Kids: Crime & Punishment, Channel 4, 9pm | Another profoundly important and dispiriting plunge into the criminal justice system from veteran producer Roger Graef. Read on for more.
And finally... for this evening's downtime
How Apple hit $2tn | Forty-two years elapsed between April 1976, when two university dropouts formed Apple Computer in a California garage, and August 2018, when the company became the first publicly-traded corporation to hit a trillion-dollar valuation. Over that time, Apple released the Macintosh, iMac, iPod and the iPhone. It has taken just two years to repeat the feat. James Titcomb analyses how it was done during an economic catastrophe.
