A-level results day 2025 LIVE: Thousands of students eagerly await their exam results today
LEVEL BEST A-level results day 2025 LIVE: Thousands of students eagerly await their exam results today
A-LEVEL students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are this morning opening their results - a day tinged with excitement and nerves.
Last year in the UK, 27.8 per cent earned top grades of A or A*, up from 27.2 per cent in 2023.
The majority of schools will open their doors from 8am to 11am - but it's advisable to check your school's website or social media.
It can, however, take up to 24 hours for places to be confirmed at certain universities.
Many students who don't meet the required Ucas points for their top choices will then face a frantic race for places through clearing until October 20.
1
Students posing with their certificates at the school last year
Credit: Alamy
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Journal
2 days ago
- The Journal
Hunting, pollution and tourism in EU threatening some seal species into extinction
FROM THE STORMY North Sea in Belgium, to the sun-warmed sea caves of the Greek islands, Europe's seals are facing a growing crisis. Once driven to near extinction, species such as the grey seal, harbour seal and Mediterranean monk seal are meant to enjoy strict legal protection. Under the EU Habitats Directive, the marine mammals are protected from killing, disturbance and habitat destruction, yet The Journal Investigates has found deaths and threats in some regions are rising. While many places, such as Denmark and Ireland, have seen seal numbers resurge after threatened extinction, hunting, pollution, human disturbance and climate change are still endangering many seals across EU waters. The situation has become so serious in the Mediterranean, conservationists are battling to save one species from complete extinction. Mediterranean monk seals pictured resting on the coast in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain. The species is critically endangered. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Investigations like this don't happen without your support… Impactful investigative reporting is powered by people like you. Support The Journal Investigates The battle to save seals in Spain and Greece In Spain and Greece, human disturbance and increased coastal development has led to one of the area's native species falling into dangerously low numbers. On the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, the current population of the Mediterranean monk seal is estimated to be around 1,000. Half live in Greek waters. The marine mammals are being edged out of their last strongholds, with tourism invading breeding caves and fishing practices that leave pups drowned in 'ghost nets' on the seabed. Dimitris Tsiakalos, a communications officer of MOm, the Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal, said while numbers are low, the species is now starting to appear in more locations. It has even reappeared in areas where it had completely disappeared, including beaches in the Attica region. Recorded cases of monk seals migrating from Greece to the Adriatic Sea or from Corfu to the coasts of Albania, Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro have also occurred. This means that the monk seal is getting closer, and more accustomed, to humans, which also increases risks to the animal's safety, according to Tsiakalos. In older generations of fishermen, the deliberate killing of monk seals was common, as the animals would tear their fishing nets. However, MOm says younger generations are 'more aware and cooperative' with conservation efforts. The Mediterranean monk seal, Monk seal, which faces extinction, pictured off Zakynthos island, Greece. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Rising seal deaths and legal hunting Elsewhere in Europe, another trend is occurring – more seals are coming ashore dead. In Belgium, 72 dead seals were recorded on the country's short stretch of coastline in 2024 alone, the highest annual number recorded so far. Many bore the marks of entanglement in gillnets, fishing gear widely used across the EU. In Ireland, 430 seal deaths were reported in 2023 – the highest annual number on record. This dropped marginally in 2024 but overall death numbers compiled by Seal Rescue Ireland (SRI) have climbed in recent years. The charity says that frequent, extreme storms which have hit the island over the last number of years, have harmed the seal population. Advertisement Incidents of human disturbance have also been identified as having a devastating impact on seals, according to SRI. In Denmark, where official surveys show seal populations still rising overall, experts warn of the same 'anthropogenic impacts' common across the bloc, from bycatch to overfishing, pollution and underwater noise. This week, The Journal Investigates revealed how there has been a sharp increase in deceased seals washing up along Irish coasts. We also exposed how tourists seeking pictures and 'selfies' are causing harm to one of the country's biggest seal colonies in Co Kerry. Some reports document seals found with gunshot wounds, highlighting that deliberate killings, although rare, still persist. However, the country's rigorous enforcement of EU wildlife directives, combined with local NPWS initiatives, have contributed to the considerable growth of seal colonies along its coasts. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), in charge of protecting both the grey and harbour seals species in Ireland, said the current conservation status of both is 'favourable'. In a statement, the NPWS said a new report is currently being submitted to the European Commission updating the ongoing conservation efforts within the country. Seal products still sold in some EU regions In Greenland, home of the Inuits, a group of culturally and linguistically unique indigenous people, seal hunting is considered a way of life. Hunting, fishing, and foraging for food and livelihood is a traditional practice deeply intertwined with Greenlandic culture and identity. The EU seal products regime, adopted in 2009 and amended in 2015, bans the placing of seal products on the EU market except for two major exceptions. The first is the Inuit and other Indigenous communities' exception, under which seal products from traditional hunts can be sold in the EU with documents confirming their origin. The second is the personal use exception, under which travellers may import seal products exclusively for their own use. Most sealskins imported from Greenland into the EU go to Denmark. Over 40,000 sealskins were imported there in the four years from 2019 to 2022, according to a European Commission report. Greenland is one of the few regions recognised for issuing certificates for seal products, ensuring compliance with EU standards and respecting the welfare of animals hunted in these subsistence hunts. The ban, however, has had negative economic impacts on Greenlandic communities that once relied on broader international trade for their seal products. Though hunting is illegal in many member states, it still occurs, albeit in just a small number of countries. Figures collected by the European Commission for the period 2019 to 2022, show over 6,800 seals were hunted in Sweden, while over 3,200 hunts were recorded in Finland. A seal hunter from the Inuit community, pictured in Greenland. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Slow enforcement hampering efforts The EU Habitats Directive also requires any exploitation of seals be tightly managed to ensure long-term population viability. But compliance is uneven across the continent. In Ireland, where seals were once teetering on the brink of extinction due to overhunting and habitat loss, the estimated population is now around 7,000 to 10,000, according to the NPWS. Today, grey and common seals are now thriving, with populations considered sustainable and no longer at immediate risk. Similarly in Denmark, surveys not only show strong seal numbers, but also signs of recolonisation in areas where the marine mammals had been absent for more than a century. Under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, countries must collaborate through regional conventions such as OSPAR in the North-East Atlantic and HELCOM in the Baltic, setting population thresholds and growth rate targets. On paper, these mechanisms force national governments to act, report every six years, and risk infringement proceedings from Brussels if they fail. But in practice, enforcement appears weak. Campaigners point to seabed litter levels in Belgium's marine zone, where there are up to 20,000 items of rubbish per square kilometre, as evidence that preventive measures are failing. Sign up The Journal Investigates is dedicated to lifting the lid on how Ireland works. Our newsletter gives you an inside look at how we do this. Sign up here... Sign up .spinner{transform-origin:center;animation:spinner .75s infinite linear}@keyframes spinner{100%{transform:rotate(360deg)}} You are now signed up In Greece, tourist boats continue to approach monk seal caves despite rules against disturbance. And throughout the EU's fishing grounds, bycatch reporting is inconsistent, with many deaths likely never recorded. In Denmark and Belgium, aerial surveys are conducted multiple times a year. Spain and Greece rely on hybrid approaches, photographic ID, satellite tracking, infrared cameras in breeding caves. While this monitoring produces enough data to establish trends, some say on-the-ground restrictions have been slow. Bycatch remains the most immediate killer. In the Belgian part of the North Sea, young grey seals found dead in spring 2021 showed tell-tale signs of net marks having cut into their skin. Similar reports appear in Danish coastal waters, particularly in areas where professional gillnetting overlaps with seal habitats. Sea pollution is injuring and killing seals in Europe. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Sea pollution causing serious harm Marine litter has become both a visible and invisible killer. In several member states, injured seals have been found with rope or discarded netting slicing into their flippers, causing infection and starvation. Microplastics, now widespread throughout EU waters, may also undermine reproductive health. Noise pollution from shipping lanes, offshore wind farm construction, as well as the detonation of wartime munitions is also causing harm. In the Mediterranean, conservationists say growing fleets of recreational boats add to the noise chaos, pushing animals away from their few safe habitats. Climate change compounds all of these pressures. For monk seals in Greece and Spain, rising sea levels and hotter summers are eroding critical breeding sites. Despite these threats, conservation teams across the EU are mounting bold initiatives. In Belgium, the volunteer-run NorthSealTeam works alongside the SeaLife Blankenberge centre to rescue and rehabilitate injured seals. In Denmark, researchers track behavioural changes in tagged animals to adjust tourism guidelines and fishing restrictions. Greece's MOm organisation runs the only monk seal rehabilitation centre in the Mediterranean. This year, it celebrated the release and eventual motherhood of a formerly orphaned seal pup, a first for the organisation. Spain, alongside Portugal, Morocco, and Mauritania, participates in the Action Plan for the Recovery of the Mediterranean Monk Seal, coordinated under the CBD Hábitat programme. However, experts argue that without stronger cross-border funding, multi-marine area coordination and tougher enforcement, these local efforts risk being erased by the sheer scale of the pressures seals face. While the EU is considered to have some of the strongest seal protection laws in the world, campaigners say it is undermined by slow-moving enforcement and reliance on member states to self-police. While some populations, such as those in Denmark and Ireland, remain relatively stable, others, particularly the monk seal, balance on the edge of recovery and collapse. The EU has until the next six-year reporting deadline under the Habitats Directive to prove it can reverse these trends. Failure could bring infringement cases, but for the seals themselves, the consequences are more dire. The Journal Investigates Reporter: Patricia Devlin • Editor: Maria Delaney • Social Media: Cliodhna Travers • Main Image Design: Lorcan O'Reilly This article is part of PULSE , a European collaborative journalism project. With reporting by Patricia Devlin (The Journal Investigates, Ireland), Annick Hus (Apache, Belgium), Emma Louise Stenholm (Føljeton, Denmark), Dimitris Angelidis (EFSYN, Greece) and Lola García-Ajofrín (El Confidencial, Spain) Investigations like this don't happen without your support... Impactful investigative reporting is powered by people like you. Over 5,000 readers have already supported our mission with a monthly or one-off payment. Join them here: Support The Journal
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
A-level results day 2025 LIVE: Thousands of students eagerly await their exam results today
Results day is here - with schools opening from 8am LEVEL BEST A-level results day 2025 LIVE: Thousands of students eagerly await their exam results today A-LEVEL students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are this morning opening their results - a day tinged with excitement and nerves. Last year in the UK, 27.8 per cent earned top grades of A or A*, up from 27.2 per cent in 2023. The majority of schools will open their doors from 8am to 11am - but it's advisable to check your school's website or social media. It can, however, take up to 24 hours for places to be confirmed at certain universities. Many students who don't meet the required Ucas points for their top choices will then face a frantic race for places through clearing until October 20. 1 Students posing with their certificates at the school last year Credit: Alamy
The Irish Sun
07-08-2025
- The Irish Sun
Moment plane makes emergency landing at Birmingham Airport forcing runway to SHUT and sparking chaos for thousands
SHOCKING footage shows the moment a plane careered down the runway to make an emergency landing at Birmingham Airport. The Beechcraft B200 Super King Air, with three people on board, was heading to Belfast yesterday when it experienced issues with its landing gear. Advertisement 3 A small private plane had an emergency landing at Birmingham Airport Credit: Alamy 3 The small aircraft was forced to descend without fully extending its landing gear Credit: SWNS 3 The airport closed yesterday evening due to the emergency landing Credit: Alamy The small aircraft was then forced to turn back to Birmingham for a bumpy landing. All departures and arrivals at the Midlands airport were grounded until 8pm yesterday evening, but the runway and airport have since reopened. Three people from the plane were treated at the airport and one person had minor injuries, West Midlands Ambulance Service said. Footage has now emerged of the chaotic scenes with the landing collapsing the under-carriage of the Beechcraft B200. Advertisement Video showed it landing on the runway, and tipping to the side as it slowed. An observer, who wished to remain anonymous, filmed the plane as it made the emergency landing. He said: 'It took off from Birmingham, and as it was flying over Tamworth, it declared an emergency. "The plane turned around to come back to Birmingham - when it came to land, it went for a go-around [an aborted landing.] Advertisement 'I saw all its landing gears out.' The person who filmed the footage said the plane then attempted a 'long' go-around - which means the plane wasn't able to land because it hadn't been given clearance, so it stayed in the air. He added: 'A few aircrafts landed in the meantime. Then about 15 minutes later, the Super King plane came into view. 'I could hear a loud noise which I initially thought was the brakes seizing. Advertisement Chaos as UK airspace meltdown strikes again and grounds all outbound flights 'I realised, after zooming in, the plane was dragging along.' The plane diverted to Birmingham today was built in 1981 and is owned by Blue Sky Investments on the Isle of Man, according to Civil Aviation Authority records. It took off at 1.16pm, rose to 5,750 feet and almost immediately entered a holding pattern before passing the airport at about 300ft. It then landed just before 2pm following the emergency diversion. Advertisement Around 100 flights were impacted, with photos posted online showing the airport crammed with annoyed travellers. Some flights were delayed for up to five hours and 21 inbound aircraft were forced to divert. Ryanair and Jet2 flights went as far away as Stansted and Manchester airports instead. Several flights listed on the departures page of the airport's website, including to Paris Charles de Gaulle, Brussels and Belfast International, were cancelled. Advertisement West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "We were called at 1.45pm to an incident involving a light aircraft at Birmingham Airport. Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) paramedics and three paramedic officers were sent to the scene. "Upon arrival we found three patients from the aircraft, all of whom were assessed and discharged at the scene." Birmingham Airport is the seventh-largest airport in the UK - the third biggest outside of London, In 2023, it had about 11.5million passengers, and has about 130 direct routes served by 30 airlines.
