Author: MoorningTimes

Ministers plan to turbocharge their school improvement programme to tackle regional inequalities, aiming to export the success of London’s high-achieving pupils to England’s most struggling schools.Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, said her school improvement plan was “taking the best” of the previous Labour government’s successful London Challenge, which revolutionised the city’s school system, and applying the techniques to flagging schools throughout England.This week’s A-level results raised alarm at the widening gap between results in London and regions outside the south-east of England, particularly in the Midlands and the north-east, where improvements in top grades have been stagnant.The Department for Education…

New Delhi: Most of the “common man items” are proposed to be moved to the lower GST slab rate of 5 per cent under the GST rationalisation initiative, government sources said on Friday, noting that the Centre will closely engage with states to build a broad-based consensus in the coming weeks.The sources said that food items and daily use items will fall in the 5 per cent GST slab. They said if implemented, this proposal will give a big boost to consumption and will have a positive impact on GDP.They also said the government doesn’t require legislative changes to implement…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! President Donald Trump said Friday he “won’t be happy” if he does not walk away from his meeting with President Vladimir Putin with a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Trump told Fox News’ Bret Baier he doesn’t like to have “too many expectations,” but “I’d like to have a ceasefire.” “I wouldn’t be thrilled if I didn’t get it,” he said. “Everyone says, ‘You’re not going to get a ceasefire. You – it’ll take place on the second meeting,’ … but I’m not going to be happy with that.”The president said he might cancel…

IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.Now PlayingPutin’s ride in ‘The Beast’ stirs speculation02:05UP NEXTTrump and Putin briefly face cameras at beginning of Alaska summit02:56Putin grins from inside Trump’s presidential vehicle at Alaska arrival ceremony03:42Trump and Putin arrive in Alaska, shake hands on tarmac04:03Zelenskyy urges U.S. to take ‘strong position’ with Russia00:37Putin visits WWII memorial to Russian-U.S. cooperation00:47‘I have no hope’: Pro-Ukraine protesters decry Trump-Putin summit01:58Trump departs for Alaska ahead of summit with Putin02:15Russians express hope and skepticism over Trump, Putin summit01:15Lavrov hopes for ‘useful conversation’ during Trump, Putin summit00:33President Trump and…

New Delhi: India’s foreign exchange reserves surged by $4.75 billion to $693.62 billion for the week ended August 8, data released by the RBI on Friday showed.  A strengthening of the country’s foreign exchange kitty reflects a strengthening of the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals and gives the RBI more headroom to strengthen the rupee vis-a-vis the US dollar.  A strong forex kitty enables the RBI to intervene in the spot and forward currency markets by releasing more dollars to prevent the rupee from going into a free fall and curbing its volatility. For the week ending on Aug 8, foreign currency…

Moves to find a successor to Diane Abbott in the parliamentary seat she has represented since 1987 are under way, prompting concern that her fate has been decided before an investigation into her latest suspension has concluded.Figures on Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) have spoken to potential contenders, teeing them up for a future contest in her constituency of Hackney North and Stoke Newington, and giving them informal advice on how to prepare, according to a party source.Abbott was suspended from the party in July for repeating that Jewish people do not experience racism in the same way as Black…