Connect with us

NewsBeat

Top A-level grades fall in Bolton despite national rise

Published

on

Top A-level grades fall in Bolton despite national rise

Figures show that of all A-level entries in the borough Bolton 20.6 per cent received an A or A* compared to 23.8 per cent last year.

Bolton is ranked 194th out of 291 authorities listed.

Bolton performed better than neighbouring Bury where Bury 20.4 per cent of entries got the top result, in line with the year before.

Advertisement

In Salford those figures were 13.6% and 15.4%.

Nationally the proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades rose for the third year in a row, likely driven by the popularity of maths and students scoring highly in it.

Despite the overall picture, many schools and colleges celebrated exceptional individual results.

Guildford in Surrey has topped the list for the local area of England with the largest percentage of A-level entries receiving the highest grades.

Advertisement

Some 50.0 per cent of exam entries within the local authority this year were awarded A or A*, up from 48.8 per cent in 2025, according to data published by Ofqual.

In second place was Richmond upon Thames in London, where 48.7 per cent of entries received A or above, followed by Cheltenham in Gloucestershire (47.7%), Tonbridge & Malling in Kent (46.4%) and Hertsmere in Hertfordshire (46.2%).

Only one of the top 10 areas is outside southern England – Trafford in Greater Manchester, which is joint seventh on the list with 45.1 per cent.

The area with the lowest proportion of A-level entries getting an A or above this year is Harlow in Essex, on 7.0%, followed by Test Valley in Hampshire (9.9%), Hartlepool (10.5%) and Castle Point in Essex (11.8%).

Advertisement

Maths remained the most popular subject at A-level this year – the 13th year in a row it has topped the table.

More than one in eight of all A-level entries (12.7%) were for the subject, the latest figures showed.

Speaking about England only, the head of exams regulator Ofqual, Sir Ian Bauckham, told the Press Association the rise in top grades is “largely driven” by the “growing popularity of maths and the high achievements that we’re seeing in maths”.

There is a clear gender divide, with more boys choosing the subject than girls.

Advertisement

There were 72,619 boys’ entries for A-level maths this year across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, making up 63% of entries, compared with 42,761 for girls’ (37%).

Overall, boys outperformed girls in terms of top grades again, after doing so for the first time in seven years last year.

Here is a full list by local area of the proportion of A-level entries awarded A or A*.

The list is ordered by percentage, starting with the highest, and reads from left to right: name of local authority; proportion of entries receiving A or A* in 2026; proportion (in brackets) receiving A or A* in 2025.

Advertisement

Guildford 50.0% (48.8%)

Richmond upon Thames 48.7% (49.5%)

Cheltenham 47.7% (49.2%)

Tonbridge & Malling 46.4% (46.7%)

Advertisement

Hertsmere 46.2% (46.3%)

Kingston upon Thames 45.3% (46.4%)

Mole Valley 45.1% (41.3%)

Trafford 45.1% (43.9%)

Advertisement

Sutton 44.5% (44.4%)

Epsom & Ewell 44.4% (42.0%)

Southwark 43.8% (44.4%)

Newham 43.2% (40.8%)

Advertisement

Haringey 43.1% (39.8%)

Hammersmith & Fulham 43.0% (41.0%)

East Hampshire 42.8% (38.4%)

Westminster 42.7% (39.9%)

Advertisement

Reading 41.9% (37.8%)

Cambridge 41.5% (41.0%)

Vale of White Horse 41.1% (39.7%)

Oxford 40.8% (44.7%)

Advertisement

Merton 40.7% (37.1%)

Rutland 39.8% (41.2%)

Brighton & Hove 39.6% (39.5%)

Three Rivers 39.6% (34.0%)

Advertisement

Buckinghamshire 39.3% (40.0%)

Barnet 38.6% (37.3%)

Tandridge 38.4% (36.4%)

Winchester 37.5% (35.2%)

Advertisement

Cheshire West & Chester 37.2% (36.9%)

St Albans 37.0% (36.8%)

Chelmsford 36.8% (38.1)%

East Devon 36.5% (32.1%)

Advertisement

Gloucester 36.2% (34.4%)

Waverley 36.2% (37.6%)

Harrow 36.0% (34.5%)

Stratford-on-Avon 35.1% (36.5%)

Advertisement

Windsor & Maidenhead 34.8% (34.7%)

Tunbridge Wells 34.4% (34.2%)

Lancaster 34.3% (33.2%)

Kensington & Chelsea 34.0% (31.9%)

Advertisement

Bath & North East Somerset 33.9% (31.9%)

Reigate & Banstead 33.9% (32.0%)

Preston 33.8% (32.1%)

Watford 33.8% (34.9%)

Advertisement

Stockport 33.7% (29.7%)

Mid Sussex 33.6% (32.1%)

Rugby 33.6% (36.0%)

Wokingham 33.5% (33.9%)

Advertisement

Elmbridge 33.3% (33.0%)

Rushmoor 33.2% (37.2%)

Wandsworth 33.1% (32.6%)

Harborough 32.9% (29.3%)

Advertisement

Brent 32.4% (32.9%)

Exeter 32.4% (31.1%)

Norwich 32.0% (31.4%)

South Kesteven 31.9% (31.6%)

Advertisement

Warwick 31.9% (32.7%)

East Cambridgeshire 31.7% (35.6%)

Slough 31.7% (30.6%)

Stroud 31.6% (30.0%)

Advertisement

Rushcliffe 31.4% (31.9%)

Ealing 31.3% (30.2%)

Southend-on-Sea 31.3% (32.6%)

Runnymede 31.2% (31.2%)

Advertisement

Bracknell Forest 31.1% (27.3%)

Mid Devon 30.8% (27.2%)

East Hertfordshire 30.7% (30.3%)

Eastleigh 30.7% (27.3%)

Advertisement

Camden 30.5% (32.1%)

Manchester 30.4% (31.1%)

Adur 30.3% (34.6%)

Horsham 29.9% (30.4%)

Advertisement

Wiltshire 29.8% (29.7%)

Bromley 29.6% (29.8%)

East Lindsey 29.5% (25.1%)

Wakefield 28.9% (26.6%)

Advertisement

West Oxfordshire 28.9% (25.8%)

Dacorum 28.8% (27.0%)

Surrey Heath 28.7% (31.4%)

Oadby & Wigston 28.6% (28.7%)

Advertisement

Ribble Valley 28.6% (33.9%)

Sheffield 28.6% (27.4%)

Durham 28.5% (26.9%)

Newcastle-under-Lyme 28.5% (25.2%)

Advertisement

St. Helens 28.5% (26.5%)

Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole 28.4% (28.8%)

Fylde 28.4% (27.5%)

York 28.4% (33.3%)

Advertisement

Malvern Hills 28.3% (24.0%)

Shropshire 28.2% (29.2%)

Bristol 28.0% (29.9%)

Uttlesford 27.9% (25.8%)

Advertisement

North Tyneside 27.7% (24.5%)

Sevenoaks 27.6% (25.3%)

Solihull 27.6% (25.8%)

Wealden 27.6% (30.2%)

Advertisement

West Berkshire 27.6% (29.7%)

West Lindsey 27.6% (28.4%)

Colchester 27.5% (28.0%)

Leeds 27.5% (27.0%)

Advertisement

Herefordshire 27.4% (22.8%)

Hackney 27.3% (26.2%)

South Derbyshire 27.3% (28.0%)

South Hams 27.2% (24.5%)

Advertisement

Arun 27.1% (21.9%)

Lewisham 27.1% (26.3%)

Somerset 27.0% (25.2%)

Newcastle upon Tyne 26.9% (26.6%)

Advertisement

Eastbourne 26.8% (30.6%)

South Norfolk 26.8% (24.6%)

Kirklees 26.7% (26.2%)

North Yorkshire 26.7% (28.8%)

Advertisement

Worcester 26.7% (29.1%)

Ipswich 26.6% (28.0%)

Spelthorne 26.5% (21.0%)

Epping Forest 26.3% (25.6%)

Advertisement

Canterbury 26.2% (26.8%)

North Hertfordshire 26.2% (27.5%)

Telford & Wrekin 26.2% (32.1%)

Croydon 26.1% (26.4%)

Advertisement

West Devon 25.9% (20.3%)

Woking 25.7% (25.4%)

Bradford 25.6% (23.0%)

Birmingham 25.5% (25.6%)

Advertisement

Kingston upon Hull 25.4% (25.4%)

Rochdale 25.4% (27.0%)

Wigan 25.4% (26.9%)

Lambeth 25.3% (25.5%)

Advertisement

Brentwood 25.1% (24.2%)

Bromsgrove 25.1% (25.3%)

North Northamptonshire 25.0% (24.7%)

Hyndburn 24.8% (17.3%)

Advertisement

Blackburn with Darwen 24.4% (22.7%)

Derbyshire Dales 24.4% (26.2%)

Portsmouth 24.3% (27.7%)

Bedford 24.2% (23.5%)

Advertisement

Lichfield 24.2% (18.0%)

Wyre 24.2% (36.4%)

Bexley 24.1% (23.2%)

Maidstone 24.1% (24.9%)

Advertisement

Gateshead 23.9% (23.6%)

Gosport 23.9% (19.7%)

Cornwall 23.8% (24.6%)

Greenwich 23.6% (22.5%)

Advertisement

Doncaster 23.5% (20.9%)

South Oxfordshire 23.5% (21.6%)

Ashford 23.4% (24.1%)

Redbridge 23.4% (23.5%)

Advertisement

Coventry 23.3% (24.2%)

Enfield 23.3% (23.7%)

Charnwood 23.2% (24.8%)

Liverpool 23.2% (24.5%)

Advertisement

South Cambridgeshire 23.1% (26.0%)

Southampton 23.1% (20.7%)

Stockton-on-Tees 23.1% (24.1%)

Welwyn Hatfield 23.1% (27.0%)

Advertisement

Darlington 23.0% (21.9%)

Wirral 23.0% (24.4%)

Nottingham 22.8% (23.7%)

Amber Valley 22.7% (21.1%)

Advertisement

Chesterfield 22.7% (20.7%)

East Riding of Yorkshire 22.7% (20.3%)

Warrington 22.7% (22.8%)

Dorset 22.6% (21.0%)

Advertisement

Erewash 22.6% (20.9%)

Hinckley & Bosworth 22.6% (23.8%)

West Suffolk 22.6% (18.1%)

Thanet 22.5% (23.8%)

Advertisement

Cheshire East 22.4% (23.3%)

Swale 22.4% (18.2%)

Hart 22.3% (32.7%)

Torbay 22.3% (28.7%)

Advertisement

Hillingdon 22.2% (22.5%)

Stevenage 22.2% (22.5%)

East Suffolk 22.1% (22.4%)

North Devon 22.1% (23.2%)

Advertisement

Ashfield 22.0% (21.8%)

Halton 22.0% (20.6%)

Huntingdonshire 22.0% (23.0%)

Dover 21.9% (18.6%)

Advertisement

Waltham Forest 21.9% (22.7%)

East Staffordshire 21.8% (21.0%)

Walsall 21.7% (22.7%)

Hounslow 21.5% (20.8%)

Advertisement

Medway 21.5% (21.0%)

North Somerset 21.5% (20.8%)

South Ribble 21.4% (22.6%)

Cherwell 21.3% (20.3%)

Advertisement

Torridge 21.2% (29.0%)

West Northamptonshire 21.2% (22.2%)

Calderdale 20.9% (20.3%)

Plymouth 20.8% (22.4%)

Advertisement

Broxtowe 20.7% (23.0%)

Bolton 20.6% (23.8%)

Gedling 20.6% (20.9%)

North Norfolk 20.5% (22.0%)

Advertisement

Bury 20.4% (20.6%)

Peterborough 20.4% (19.8%)

Rother 20.3% (22.5%)

Melton 20.2% (20.6%)

Advertisement

Rossendale 20.2% (26.1%)

Mid Suffolk 20.1% (17.9%)

Westmorland & Furness 20.1% (20.7%)

Dartford 20.0% (19.7%)

Advertisement

Dudley 20.0% (17.6%)

Isle of Wight 20.0% (17.5%)

West Lancashire 19.9% (14.0%)

Derby 19.8% (22.1%)

Advertisement

Stafford 19.8% (18.6%)

Lincoln 19.7% (15.2%)

Oldham 19.7% (20.1%)

North Kesteven 19.5% (21.7%)

Advertisement

Blackpool 19.4% (18.8%)

Newark & Sherwood 19.4% (21.3%)

Stoke-on-Trent 19.4% (19.4%)

North East Derbyshire 19.3% (19.7%)

Advertisement

Northumberland 19.3% (23.3%)

Barking & Dagenham 19.1% (20.0%)

Islington 19.1% (19.6%)

Basildon 18.9% (17.9%)

Advertisement

Lewes 18.9% (18.1%)

Rotherham 18.8% (18.9%)

Wolverhampton 18.8% (21.0%)

Burnley 18.7% (20.1%)

Advertisement

Broxbourne 18.6% (18.4%)

Leicester 18.6% (20.3%)

Maldon 18.6% (13.5%)

Basingstoke & Deane 18.5% (21.8%)

Advertisement

Cumberland 18.5% (19.5%)

Folkestone & Hythe 18.5% (18.8%)

South Holland 18.5% (21.6%)

Pendle 18.4% (22.2%)

Advertisement

Cotswold 18.3% (19.5%)

Barnsley 18.0% (19.1%)

Chichester 18.0% (17.1%)

Gravesham 17.9% (18.5%)

Advertisement

South Tyneside 17.9% (13.7%)

Milton Keynes 17.8% (15.9%)

Sefton 17.8% (15.5%)

Central Bedfordshire 17.7% (19.2%)

Advertisement

Chorley 17.6% (12.4%)

South Gloucestershire 17.6% (17.0%)

Broadland 17.5% (20.9%)

Great Yarmouth 17.5% (19.8%)

Advertisement

Havering 17.5% (14.9%)

King’s Lynn & West Norfolk 17.5% (15.9%)

Babergh 17.3% (19.0%)

Tower Hamlets 17.1% (17.0%)

Advertisement

Worthing 17.1% (15.6%)

Crawley 17.0% (18.1%)

Tameside 17.0% (17.0%)

Bassetlaw 16.9% (18.2%)

Advertisement

Fenland 16.8% (19.3%)

South Staffordshire 16.8% (20.1%)

Redcar & Cleveland 16.6% (15.7%)

Tamworth 16.5% (20.8%)

Advertisement

Wychavon 16.4% (16.9%)

Braintree 16.3% (11.4%)

High Peak 16.3% (21.1%)

Tewkesbury 16.0% (13.9%)

Advertisement

Middlesbrough 15.9% (15.9%)

Nuneaton & Bedworth 15.8% (14.1%)

New Forest 15.7% (18.3%)

North East Lincolnshire 15.4% (12.5%)

Advertisement

North Lincolnshire 15.4% (14.1%)

Forest of Dean 15.2% (17.9%)

North West Leicestershire 15.0% (19.3%)

Blaby 14.9% (18.6%)

Advertisement

Hastings 14.9% (12.0%)

Staffordshire Moorlands 14.8% (18.4%)

North Warwickshire 14.6% (12.8%)

Cannock Chase 14.4% (16.8%)

Advertisement

Havant 14.3% (16.7%)

Rochford 14.2% (19.5%)

Thurrock 14.1% (13.8%)

Teignbridge 14.0% (14.2%)

Advertisement

Redditch 13.9% (8.7%)

Wyre Forest 13.9% (11.7%)

Breckland 13.8% (20.3%)

Salford 13.6% (15.4%)

Advertisement

Swindon 13.6% (12.9%)

Sunderland 13.2% (15.0%)

Mansfield 13.1% (14.2%)

Sandwell 12.8% (13.1%)

Advertisement

Boston 12.5% (15.0%)

Luton 12.5% (15.3%)

Tendring 12.5% (10.4%)

Castle Point 11.8% (14.9%)

Advertisement

Hartlepool 10.5% (15.0%)

Test Valley 9.9% (14.6%)

Harlow 7.0% (4.4%)

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

NewsBeat

Was the terrifying Sussex train crash caused by the heatwave? Passenger carriages came off ‘buckling track in extreme heat’ in Lewes, transport expert says

Published

on

Experts suggest that soaring temperatures may have caused the tracks or embankment beneath them to buckle before the train derailment in East Sussex

Two people have been left seriously injured and a further 18 hurt after a train carrying around 150 passengers derailed in extreme heat in East Sussex. 

Now experts suggest that soaring temperatures may have caused the tracks or embankment beneath them to buckle.

The eight-carriage Southern service came off the tracks between Haywards Heath and Lewes at around 3.54pm on Thursday, with three carriages overturning and passengers forced to scramble out of the wreckage as temperatures climbed above 35C.

South East Coast Ambulance Service said around 150 people were on board the train, and 20 were injured. It said two people were rushed to the major trauma centre with ‘severe’ injuries, while a further 18 patients were also in hospital. 

Advertisement

Three air ambulances and at least 20 other emergency vehicles raced to the scene, while a number of passengers who did not require hospital treatment were taken to a local community centre to be triaged and supported.

Pictures from the scene show passengers standing on top of the overturned carriages, with emergency crews including Sussex Police, British Transport Police, paramedics and East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service rushing to help those inside.

The cause of the derailment has not been confirmed, but transport experts have raised the possibility that the exceptional heat contributed to the crash by causing the rails to buckle or the dry ground beneath them to collapse.

Advertisement

Experts suggest that soaring temperatures may have caused the tracks or embankment beneath them to buckle before the train derailment in East Sussex 

The eight-carriage Southern service came off the tracks between Haywards Heath and Lewes at around 3.54pm, with three carriages overturning

The eight-carriage Southern service came off the tracks between Haywards Heath and Lewes at around 3.54pm, with three carriages overturning 

A passenger train has derailed near Lewes, leaving dozens of people trapped in overturned carriages

A passenger train has derailed near Lewes, leaving dozens of people trapped in overturned carriages

One passenger appeared to be being taken away by emergency staff on a stretcher

One passenger appeared to be being taken away by emergency staff on a stretcher

Advertisement

Emergency responders stand on top of the overturned train

Emergency responders stand on top of the overturned train 

Advertisement

One suggestion from transport expert Christian Wolmar was that the prolonged heat and drought could have caused the ground beneath the train to dry out and crack, causing part of that bank to give way, leaving the rails without proper support. 

He told the Daily Mail: ‘Well, there are two possible reasons this has happened. 

‘Obviously, the train track might have buckled before the train arrived. But because the first carriages didn’t derail, it might be that the dryness from the heat has led to the embankment collapsing, and then the train made the rails buckle rather than the other way round.

‘I noticed yesterday when I was out on Hampstead Heath for the eclipse. There’s just great big fissures in [the ground], big openings like there’s been an earthquake, and that must be happening in many places.

Advertisement

‘So it could be that there’s something like that that caused the embankment to partially collapse, and then the rails buckled under the weight of the train because the rails were unsupported. Which could be the more likely explanation given that the first four carriages didn’t go down.’

He added: ‘From what one can see of the amount of damage, it doesn’t seem that the train was going very fast, and it appears to not have been very heavily loaded, so fewer people were thrown into each other.

‘It certainly doesn’t seem to be a kind of high-speed crash, just from the lack of damage.’

Norman Baker, a former Lewes MP and ex-transport minister, also suggested the derailment may have been caused by a section of track buckling in the heat.

Advertisement

He told Times Radio: ‘They’ll want to make sure that the railways are completely safe before any trains are allowed back on them and if it has been the case – that the rails have buckled – that will take considerably longer to repair.’

Passengers could be seen sitting at an angle in the overturned train

Passengers could be seen sitting at an angle in the overturned train 

There have been no reports of fatalities or serious injuries, although witnesses described passengers suffering cuts and bruising in the terrifying derailment

There have been no reports of fatalities or serious injuries, although witnesses described passengers suffering cuts and bruising in the terrifying derailment

The cause of the derailment has not yet been confirmed

The cause of the derailment has not yet been confirmed

Advertisement
People being tended to at the scene after the train derailed near Lewes, East Sussex

People being tended to at the scene after the train derailed near Lewes, East Sussex

One passenger described the terrifying moment she was suddenly thrown from her seat after hearing a ‘loud bang’. 

Yana Ludwig, 56, from Washington State, USA said: ‘It was completely terrifying. I was coming back from London and Lewes is my stop.

‘There was a banging noise and everything went topsy turvy. There was lots of shaking, it felt like a really long time, but it was probably only about 10 seconds.

Advertisement

‘I landed on top of somebody. I’m just glad nobody was killed. It felt like it was maybe 20mins before the emergency services started showing up. It could’ve been faster, time is kind of warped.’

While Rob Bradley, who was travelling from London Victoria to Eastbourne with his six-year-old daughter Mabel when the crash happened, said they were in the fourth carriage while the fifth overturned.

He told the BBC: ‘We are doing okay, we were very lucky we were on the fourth carriage. The fifth went on its side.’

He said his daughter had been dancing between the fourth and fifth carriages just 30 seconds before the derailment.

Advertisement

‘As she sat down we felt the train speeding up and started to rock. Then our carriage jumped vertically upwards and we could tell it was a derailment.’

‘The emergency brakes went on the train and everything got thrown forward.’

‘The train skidded for quite a while before it stopped. We turned around and we saw the whole back of the train was open and smoke and dust were pouring into the carriage and we saw the fifth carriage had gone on its side.’

Southern Railway said all lines through Lewes had been closed to allow emergency services to reach the scene

Southern Railway said all lines through Lewes had been closed to allow emergency services to reach the scene

Advertisement
An air ambulance was seen taking off from the scene at 5.58pm as the emergency response continued

An air ambulance was seen taking off from the scene at 5.58pm as the emergency response continued

Another passenger, dad-of-two Liton Miah from Eastbourne, said he had been travelling with his wife and daughters to visit relatives in London when the train overturned.

Mr Miah suffered heavy bruising to his side and said he had noticed a warning about a problem with the track before the crash.

‘I saw on the big board there as a problem with the track. I don’t know they didn’t take any precautions. I saved my family and tried to help another couple. The guy was bleeding heavily and there was not much I could do to help him.’

Advertisement

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was ‘deeply concerned’ following the incident.

‘Deeply concerned of reports of a derailment involving a Southern train in Lewes, Sussex,’ she wrote on social media platform X.

‘Grateful to emergency services who are on the scene supporting those impacted. We are working quickly with the rail industry and local partners to assist passengers.’

Southern Railway said all lines through Lewes had been closed to allow emergency services to reach the scene and warned passengers to expect major disruption until 10pm.

Advertisement

The operator said: ‘A train has derailed in the Lewes area. This has closed all lines running through this station.

‘As a result of this, trains are currently unable to run through the area to allow the emergency services to attend the incident.

‘Major disruption is expected until 10pm.’

The disruption is affecting services around Lewes, including routes between Brighton, Haywards Heath, Eastbourne and Seaford, with passengers advised to avoid the affected area while the emergency response and investigation continue.

Advertisement

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch is deploying investigators to establish how the Southern service came off the tracks.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Super League: Leeds Rhinos 16-20 Leigh Leopards – Leopards ruin Leeds’ 100% home record

Published

on

Leigh Leopards' Umyla Hanley celebrating scoring with his right hand raised

Leeds regained their slender advantage via Connor’s boot five minutes into the second half but Charnley turned on the afterburners down the right again and was supported by Hanley on his inside to slide over and put Leigh back in front.

With 20 minutes left, Andrew Badrock was sent to the sin-bin for dangerous contact on Harry Newman. A fearless 12-man defensive showing meant Leigh did not give up a point while Badrock was off the field.

The hosts thought they were level with just over three minutes remaining when Hall barged over in the left corner but his trailing right foot was taken into touch by superb scramble defence from Hanley – and Leigh survived again.

After a monster 40/20 from Connor, Leeds had the ball deep in the opposition half with 30 seconds left but Liam Horne held on to another grubber attempt from Connor as Leigh claimed a league double over the leaders.

Advertisement

Leeds: Miller; Newman, Bird, Handley, Hall; Croft, Connor; Oledzki, O’Connor, Jenkins, Hankinson,Watkins, C. Smith.

Interchanges: Holroyd, Cassell, McCormack, Lloyd.

Leigh: Armstrong; Senior, Badrock, Hanley, Charnley; Cook, Lam; Ofahengaue, Horne, Liu, Hughes, Trout, Brogan.

Interchanges: Ipape, Mulhern, Alick-Wiencke, Davis.

Advertisement

Sin-bin: Badrock (61 mins).

Referee: Chris Kendall.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Judge tosses Trump administration’s antisemitism lawsuit against Harvard University

Published

on

Judge tosses Trump administration’s antisemitism lawsuit against Harvard University

A lawsuit brought by the Trump administration alleging that Harvard University ignored the harassment of Jewish students was tossed out by a federal judge in Boston on Thursday.

U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns ruled that President Donald Trump‘s administration did not establish a continuous breach of federal civil rights statutes.

According to the ruling, the legal challenge lodged in March primarily highlighted occurrences during the 2023-24 school year alongside a small number from March 2025.

Stearns noted that the cited events were “too isolated and episodic” to demonstrate an ongoing civil rights infraction at the Ivy League campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Advertisement

“We disagree with the ruling and are assessing next steps,” stated Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Department of Justice.

A statement from Harvard was not immediately available following the judgment.

The legal complaint had claimed Harvard failed to adequately shield Jewish students amid pro-Palestinian protests following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. Administration officials asserted university leaders remained passive while Jewish students were “harassed, physically assaulted, stalked, and spat upon.”

Responding after the initial filing, Harvard maintained that it “cares deeply about members of our Jewish and Israeli community and remains committed to ensuring they are embraced, respected, and can thrive on our campus.”

Advertisement
(Reuters)

Harvard President Alan M. Garber highlighted measures taken by the school, including the creation of an antisemitism task force. Garber noted that the university appointed a new provost and deans while overhauling disciplinary procedures to render them “more consistent, fair and effective.”

Through the lawsuit, federal prosecutors intended to reclaim billions in research grant money disbursed to Harvard from October 2023 onward. Officials under Trump maintained that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination grounded in national origin or race, justified retrieving the funds.

The complaint represents one component of a broader federal push targeting Harvard after the institution rejected executive demands issued when Trump, a Republican, resumed office last year. Additional efforts by administration figures have focused on trimming research grants and restricting the university’s enrollment of international students and American service members.

In a separate legal case last year, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to reverse more than $2.6 billion in federal funding cuts to Harvard. That decision found that the White House put unconstitutional conditions on federal funding, using antisemitism as a “smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault” on universities.

Although locked in a hostile legal standoff, Harvard and federal officials previously engaged in discussions, with Trump personally remarking that both parties were near a settlement. However, the Justice Department’s decision to pursue a civil rights suit in March underlined a severe breakdown in talks, as universities cited for civil rights noncompliance typically achieve resolution via voluntary settlements.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Nicole Kidman reveals why she was warned off marrying Tom Cruise aged 23 in rare remarks on failed union… after Keith Urban divorce

Published

on

Nicole Kidman has revealed she was warned that marrying her first husband Tom Cruise could have a deleterious effect on her career; pictured 1999

Nicole Kidman has revealed she was warned that marrying her first husband Tom Cruise could have a deleterious effect on her career.

She was 23 when she exchanged vows with Cruise in 1990, the year she achieved her Hollywood breakthrough acting alongside him in Days of Thunder.

At that point, he was 28 and already one of the most recognizable movie stars in the world, having led the cast of a string of hits like Top Gun, Risky Business, Born on the Fourth of July, The Color of Money and Rain Man.

Kidman, now 59, was told her own professional life might be eclipsed by her association with a celebrity who was so much more famous than she was.

Advertisement

‘I’m like: “I don’t care. I’m in love. I want to be married.” And then I was his “wife” and they were like: “See, we told you,”‘ she told British Vogue.

‘I’m like: “So what? I wasn’t meant to marry the man I love? Of course I’ll throw my career away. I don’t care,”‘ said Kidman, who separated from her second husband Keith Urban last summer after a marriage of 19 years.

The Daily Mail has contacted a representative for Cruise for comment. 

Advertisement

Nicole Kidman has revealed she was warned that marrying her first husband Tom Cruise could have a deleterious effect on her career; pictured 1999 

She was 23 when she exchanged vows with Cruise in 1990, the year she achieved her Hollywood breakthrough acting alongside him in Days Of Thunder

She was 23 when she exchanged vows with Cruise in 1990, the year she achieved her Hollywood breakthrough acting alongside him in Days Of Thunder

Kidman, 59, was told her own professional life would be eclipsed by her association with a celebrity who was so much more famous than she was

Kidman, 59, was told her own professional life would be eclipsed by her association with a celebrity who was so much more famous than she was

Kidman and Cruise adopted two children called Bella, 33, and Connor, 31, over the course of the decade they spent together before their divorce in 2001.

Advertisement

Cruise was Kidman’s first husband, but had himself previously been married to  actress Mimi Rogers, who reportedly introduced him to Scientology.

After her divorce from Cruise, Rogers memorably told Playboy he ‘thought he had to be celibate to maintain the purity of his instrument,’ while her own ‘instrument’ required ‘tuning’.

Kidman has now offered rare insights into her own failed marriage to Cruise, saying: ‘Yeah, I got married so young. Suddenly I was 22, 23 years old and I had this huge movie star husband.’

The Moulin Rouge! actress insisted that ‘it just seemed completely natural,’ adding that she and Cruise ‘just fell madly in love and it was that simple’. 

Advertisement

However, she recalled ‘people saying to me: “OK, well this is really going to affect your career.”‘

Cruise and Kidman became one of the most high-octane Hollywood power couples of the 1990s and were the instant center of attention on any red carpet they attended.

Onscreen, they starred together in Ron Howard’s 1992 western Far and Away and Stanley Kubrick’s swan song, the 1999 erotic thriller Eyes Wide Shut.

When they divorced, Connor and Bella reportedly stayed with their father and, like him, remained in the Church of Scientology, to which Kidman does not belong.

Advertisement
Kidman separated from her second husband Keith Urban last summer after a marriage of 19 years, having welcomed two daughters with him

Kidman separated from her second husband Keith Urban last summer after a marriage of 19 years, having welcomed two daughters with him

Kidman and Cruise adopted two children called Bella, 33, and Connor, 31, over the course of their more than decade-long marriage before their divorce in 2001

Kidman and Cruise adopted two children called Bella, 33, and Connor, 31, over the course of their more than decade-long marriage before their divorce in 2001

Cruise and Kidman became one of the most notable Hollywood power couples of the 1990s, and were the instant center of attention on any red carpet they attended

Cruise and Kidman became one of the most notable Hollywood power couples of the 1990s, and were the instant center of attention on any red carpet they attended 

Kidman said that marrying Cruise in her early 20s 'just seemed completely natural' to her

Kidman said that marrying Cruise in her early 20s ‘just seemed completely natural’ to her

Advertisement
The couple starred in Stanley Kubrick's erotic thriller Eyes Wide Shut in 1999, which was the director's final film

The couple starred in Stanley Kubrick’s erotic thriller Eyes Wide Shut in 1999, which was the director’s final film

They have rarely been seen with their mother in the intervening years, although when Kidman married Keith Urban in the Sydney suburbs in 2006, Bella served as one of her bridesmaids and Connor acted as an usher.

In 2018, Kidman told the Hollywood Foreign Press Association that she was ‘very private’ about her relationship with Bella and Connor.

‘They are adults. They are able to make their own decisions. They have made choices to be Scientologists and as a mother, it’s my job to love them,’ she added.

Advertisement

At that time, Bella was said to be living in London with her husband, IT consultant Max Parker, while Connor was supposedly a resident of Clearwater, Florida, near his father’s penthouse and the global headquarters of the Church of Scientology.

Neither of Bella’s parents was said to have been present at her wedding in 2015, although Cruise was said to have bankrolled the ceremony. 

Kidman, meanwhile, is publicly close to her two daughters from her marriage to Urban – Sunday Rose, 18, and Faith Margaret, 15.

Sunday followed her parents’ footsteps into the public eye when she was 16 years old by launching a career as a runway model, drawing widespread mockery for her severe expression, ‘stomping’ gait and ‘nepo baby‘ status. 

Advertisement

Kidman and Urban finalized their divorce this January, having separated early last summer after a marriage that lasted 19 years.

Kidman has now offered rare insights into her failed marriage to Cruise

Kidman has now offered rare insights into her failed marriage to Cruise

Kidman has insisted that she and Cruise 'just fell madly in love and it was that simple'

Kidman has insisted that she and Cruise ‘just fell madly in love and it was that simple’

In the wake of the divorce, past clips resurfaced of Urban’s cozy on-stage antics with guitarist Maggie Baugh, 26, fueling rumors of a romance between the pair.

Advertisement

One video showed him pointing to Baugh as he sang: ‘I was born to love you’ in Las Vegas, while another was of him changing his lyric: ‘Baby I’ll be the fighter,’ to: ‘Maggie, I’ll be your guitar player,’ during a show in Chicago

Meanwhile, Kidman was glimpsed last month sunning herself on holiday in Italy with private equity mogul Michael Reinstein.

Days later, she was seen beaming in Los Angeles while sitting in a car with Reinstein, who appeared to have picked her up at the airport after a flight from New York.

A source claimed Urban was ‘absolutely devastated’ that Kidman had struck up a romance with a new man, according to the magazine New Idea.

Advertisement

He was alleged to have nursed ‘hopes there might be a chance at reconciliation,’ and was said to consequently be ‘going through that feeling of deep loss all over again.’

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Two seriously hurt as passenger train derails in Lewes

Published

on

Three train carriages that have derailed. Several emergency workers are congregating by the side of the railway.

Twenty people have been injured, two seriously, after a train derailed in East Sussex and a major incident was declared.

Network Rail said the 14:24 BST Southern service from London Victoria to Eastbourne came off the tracks close to Lewes railway station, shortly before 16:00 BST.

Photographs from the scene showed people standing on top of overturned carriages. A passenger who was in the fourth carriage said it derailed from carriage five.

British Transport Police said three carriages derailed, leaving several people trapped. All 150 on board have now been evacuated.

Advertisement

Several rail routes in the area were closed, as emergency teams rushed to the scene and people were advised to avoid the area.

Patients were assessed and treated at the scene, with some sent to local hospitals.

British Transport Police Chief Superintendent Dominique Ioannou said in a press briefing on Thursday night that a number of passengers were initially trapped but were all safely evacuated from the train.

She said while two people sustained serious injuries, a further 18 suffered less serious injuries.

Advertisement

“The train started rocking violently and then I remember clocking eyes with this guy and then there was a lot of screaming,” passenger Rachel Heath said.

“It felt like we flew in the air and the carriage landed on its side and it slid. I felt like it was going to completely flip over.

“There was a mum who was bleeding from her mouth and a dad and his son who had cuts. It was like a movie.”

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Polls close in Clacton by-election as Farage vies to retain seat

Published

on

Polls close in Clacton by-election as Farage vies to retain seat

Mr Farage wanted it to be a “people versus the establishment” showdown but, rather than Labour and Tory rivals, he is facing opponents including satirical candidate Count Binface, actor-turned-politician Laurence Fox, three from the Official Monster Raving Loony Party and an array of independents.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Denise Welch quits Loose Women after 25 years on the show in dramatic statement

Published

on

Belfast Live

Denise Welch joined the show as a panellist in 2005

Denise Welch has confirmed she is leaving the show after more than two decades.

The 68-year-old has been a staple on the ITV panel show Loose Women for 25 years, but said in a statement earlier today she would be stepping down.

Advertisement

On Instagram, she told her followers the reason for her departure comes as she wants to focus on her acting career, describing it as her “first love and the thing she’s best at”.

“I’m leaving Loose Women after the best part of 25 years, off and on,” she said. “I did leave for about seven years and went back in 2018.

“This show has been part of mine, and my family’s life, for nearly a quarter of a century. I have the most wonderful, wonderful memories and it’s just that acting has always been my first love and, I think, the thing I’m best at.

Advertisement

“At the moment, I’m having the most wonderful opportunities coming my way and I’m grabbing them by the you-know-whats and running with it for this new chapter of my life.

“And so I just wanted to say that in person to thank all of the people who have shared my stories with me. I’ve shared my life with you – the good, the bad and the ugly. I’m very marmite but I cherish all the comments, good or bad, that I’ve had over the years.

She added: “I just hope you wish me well for this new exciting chapter in my life. I’ll miss everybody but I will remain friends with the whole gang because, despite what you might read, we are a happy band of campers. Lots of love, thanks for sticking with me.”

Fans have since flocked to her comments to show support, including her husband, Lincoln Townley, The Mirror reports.

Advertisement

He penned: “Grab those you know what’s darling you’re an incredibly strong talented sensational woman, the best is yet to come!”

Denise joined the show in 2005 alongside Kaye Adams and Coleen Nolan before taking a step back from the series in 2013. She then returned in 2018.

She has since shared the show with Ruth Langsford, Christine Lampard, Andrea McLean, Oti Mabuse, Gloria Hunniford and many others.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Major Loose Women star quits show after 25 years

Published

on

Major Loose Women star quits show after 25 years
Loose Women is losing one of its most popular stars (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

Denise Welch has confirmed her exit from Loose Women after over two decades as a popular panellist.

The soap star and broadcaster, 68, made her Loose debut in 2000, a year after the chat show launched.

She remained a regular until 2002 before leaving for the first time. Denise returned from 2005 to 2013 and again from 2018 to 2026.

Now, she’s dipping out for a third time to focus on her acting.

Advertisement

Addressing the whispers that she would be departing the ITV lunchtime programme, Denise took to Instagram with a video message.

She began to her 450k followers: ‘I’ve just come on to say something, because it’s going to be in the papers: I am leaving Loose Women, after the best part of 25 years, off and on.

Editorial use only Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock (16951315k) Denise Welch 'Loose Women' TV show, London, UK - 22 Jun 2026
Denise Welch is leaving Loose Women to focus on acting (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

‘I did leave for about seven years and went back in 2018, and this show has been part of mine and my family’s life for, well, a quarter of a century.’

Speaking highly of her time, she continued: ‘I have the most wonderful, wonderful memories, and it’s just that acting has always been my first love, and, I think, the thing I’m best at.

‘And at the moment, I’m having the most wonderful opportunities coming my way, and I’m grabbing them by the you-know-whats and running with it for this new chapter of my life.’

Advertisement

Denise concluded: ‘I just wanted to say that in person, to thank all of the people who have shared stories with me. I’ve shared my life with you, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I’m very marmite, but I cherish all the comments, good or bad, that I’ve had over the years.

‘And I just hope you wish me well for this new, exciting chapter in my life. I’ll miss everybody, but I will remain friends with the whole gang, because despite what you might read, we are a happy band of campers.’

Shortly after, a Loose Women spokesperson told Metro: ‘Denise has been such a brilliant part of the Loose Women family, and we are going to miss her hugely on the show.

Editorial use only Mandatory Credit: Photo by ITV/Shutterstock (996239u) 'Loose Women' TV - 2008 - [l-r]: Jackie Brambles, Coleen Nolan, Carol McGiffin and Denise Welch. ITV ARCHIVE
Pictured here in 2008, she joined the ITV daytime programme in 2000 (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)
Editorial use only Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock (14418381a) Denise Welch 'Loose Women' TV show, London, UK - 03 Apr 2024
Denise has insisted there is no bad blood between her and her co-stars (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

‘We are sending her all of our love and best wishes for her next chapter.’

Denise’s co-stars also inundated her with well-wishes, with comedian Judi Love writing under her post: ‘I’m going to miss you but I’m beyond excited to see your new chapter because baby girl it’s here and we are loving it!!! ❤️’

Advertisement

‘Nooooooo! Gutted to be honest! Going to really miss sharing the panel with you 😢❤️’, said Katie Piper.

Oti Mabuse thanked her for ‘being so welcoming’, while Brenda Edwards said they will ‘certainly keep in touch’.

‘Legend ❤️❤️❤️’, commented Christine Lampard, with Carol Vorderman declaring it marks an ‘era closing’.

Throughout her time on Loose Women, Denise has been front and centre of some of its most talked-about moments, whether it be clashing with co-stars on-air or voicing her opinions on politics.

Advertisement
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 28: Denise Welch attends the
The actress recently appeared in Channel 4’s emotional drama Tip Toe (Picture: Annie Raistrick/Getty Images)

What’s more, she’s been an open book with regard to her personal life, from sharing anecdotes about her famous son, Matty Healy, to candidly discussing her mental health struggles. This included a three-month break in 2025 due to her depression worsening.

As explained by Denise, she has a long history in the acting business, having started in the industry when she was just 12.

She went on to secure roles in some of the nation’s most popular shows, playing Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street (1997-2000), Steph Haydock in Waterloo Road (2006-2010, 2026), and Trish Minniver in Hollyoaks (2021-2022).

Denise has also appeared on reality shows like Dancing On Ice, and she won the ninth series of Celebrity Big Brother.

Most recently, she appeared as Diane Vazey in the hugely successful Russell T Davies Channel 4 drama Tip Toe, which co-starred Alan Cumming and David Morrissey.

Advertisement

Denise also portrayed Ziggy in Channel 5 crime drama Benidorm Is Murder.

Her next roles will be in the adaptation of Graham Norton’s novel, Forever Home, and in the sitcom Stepping Up.

Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX.

Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Coronation Street’s Todd stages return and immediately declares his love | Soaps

Published

on

Coronation Street's Todd stages return and immediately declares his love | Soaps
Todd’s back in Weatherfield, and it it’s anything but smooth sailing (Picture: ITV)

Todd Grimshaw is back in Weatherfield next week, and he’s barely had time to unpack before getting caught up in a whole load of Coronation Street drama.

The character, played by Gareth Pierce, returns from Thailand and quickly finds himself pulled into Sarah Platt’s (Tina O’Brien) increasingly difficult situation behind bars.

Sarah sends Todd a visiting order and he heads to the prison to see her. While there, he reassures her that she’s a good mate and tells her that he’ll always love her.

It’s a sweet moment between the pair, but Sarah has much bigger things on her mind.

Advertisement

She opens up to Todd about Kit Green (Jacob Roberts), explaining that she ended their relationship because she wanted to protect his career. Sarah knows that getting involved in her situation could put Kit in a difficult position, so she made the painful decision to walk away.

Ask Metro


Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications.

Advertisement

Things take a turn when Kacey (Emma Matthews) arrives in Sarah’s cell in tears.

She explains that her son has been arrested for armed robbery and begs Sarah to speak to Kit, hoping he might be able to do something to help.

Sarah tries to explain that she and Kit are no longer together and there’s nothing she can do, but Kacey isn’t willing to take no for an answer.

Kacey facing off with Sarah Platt inside a prison cell in Coronation Street.
She threatens Sarah, leaving her seriously worried about what might happen next (Picture: ITV)

Sarah then calls Todd from prison and tells him what’s going on.

Back on the street, Todd approaches Kit and tells him that Sarah wants to see him. She hasn’t said exactly what she needs, but Todd makes it clear that she believes it’s important.

Advertisement

Kit agrees to visit Sarah, but he isn’t exactly thrilled when he hears what she wants.

Sarah explains that she needs him to help Kacey, but Kit reminds her that getting involved could cost him his job.

He also points out that Sarah was the one who ended their relationship because she didn’t want him risking his career for her.

It leaves Sarah stuck between trying to help Kacey and protecting Kit from getting dragged into the mess.

Advertisement

And things are only about to get worse, as Kacey’s threats eventually turn violent.

Meanwhile, Todd’s got other problems…

While Sarah deals with the fallout from behind bars, Todd has plenty of his own problems to contend with on the cobbles.

George Shuttleworth (Tony Maudsley) and Christina Boyd (Amy Robbins) are excitedly looking forward to heading to Somerset to visit George’s cousins, but their plans soon hit a snag.

Todd lets slip that Christina has been on yet another spending spree, and George isn’t impressed.

Advertisement
A courier chatting to Christina and George
Christina’s spending problem remains out of hand… (Picture: ITV)

He tells Christina that she’s no longer welcome to join him on the trip, leaving her furious.

Todd also gets caught up in the funeral arrangements for Celeste (Frances Barber), who arrives at the undertakers with her driver, Fraser.

Glenda Shuttleworth (Jodie Prenger) quickly takes a shine to Fraser and wastes no time inviting him for a drink.

Things seem to be going well when Fraser gives her his number and agrees to go on a date with her.

But there’s something Glenda doesn’t know.

Advertisement

While alone with Todd, Celeste reveals that the funeral they’re planning is actually her own. She only has six weeks to live.

The pair get to work planning her final send-off, with Celeste opting for a Dolly Parton-themed funeral before she heads off with Fraser.

Glenda is thrilled about her date, but Todd soon gets wind of something that changes everything.

Glenda, Mary and Christina have already been getting on Todd’s case about his heavy drinking since he returned from Thailand.

Advertisement
Todd standing in the doorway looking worse for wear while Summer, Glenda, Christina and Mary gather in the living room in Corrie
Mary, Glenda and Christina all worry about Todd and his drinking (Picture: ITV)

Glenda warns him that if he keeps treating everyone around him like dirt, he’s going to end up without any friends.

Todd clearly isn’t taking the criticism very well.

Then, when Celeste visits the undertakers again and casually reveals that Fraser is gay, Todd sees an opportunity.

Rather than letting Glenda continue thinking she has a romantic future with Fraser, Todd decides to get his own back on her.

And considering how much Glenda is looking forward to their date, it looks like Todd’s plan could leave her seriously embarrassed.

Advertisement

So, while Todd might have returned to Weatherfield with a promise of friendship and a few words of love for Sarah, he quickly finds himself at the centre of yet more chaos.

Meanwhile, Sarah’s situation behind bars is becoming increasingly dangerous, and with Kacey’s threats escalating, she could soon have even bigger problems to worry about.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

York’s Bombay Spice celebrates awards and nomination success

Published

on

York's Bombay Spice celebrates awards and nomination success

Bombay Spice at 58 Goodramgate has won Outstanding Achievement for Restaurant of the Year – Yorkshire and secured 3rd place for Outstanding Restaurant of the Year 2026.

Manager Mohammad Ali Akbar told the Press: “These prestigious awards recognize our commitment to culinary excellence, and we couldn’t be prouder of this incredible milestone.

“We want to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude to our amazing staff members for their tireless hard work and dedication. Most importantly, a massive thank you to our wonderful customers—your continuous support and loyalty make success like this possible.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Advertisement

“Thank you for being part of our journey. Please continue to support us as this motivates us to do better!! We look forward to welcoming you back soon to celebrate with us!”

The team at Bombay Spice in Goodramgate have won again! (Image: Pic supplied)

The restaurant, which opened in 2006, has also been nominated in the Northern England Curry Awards 2026 in the category Yorkshire Curry Experience of the Year. 

Is Bombay Spice the best curry house in York? Or are there others? Who do you think is the best in the city? Share us your thoughts in the comments below?

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025