Evening briefing: Today's essential headlines Breaking news | New York governor Andrew Cuomo resigns Prince Andrew | The Duke of York's options as he faces a US lawsuit Esther Dingley | Body of missing British hiker found by boyfriend Anti-vax protest | Parachute Regiment veterans reported to police 'Antagonistic nationalism' | Indie band drops 'British' from name The big story: A-level grade inflation hits record high

       It feels like commentators have been complaining about grade inflation in A-levels since your humble writer was in nappies.

       Yet these charts and graphs pulled together by the Telegraph's data team prove that, over the last two years, the naysayers appear to have a point.

       Nearly half of A-levels have been awarded an A or A* this year, with almost double the proportion of top marks compared to before the pandemic as results reached a record high.

       Of course the last two years have seen school-leavers given their grades based on teachers’ predictions after exams were cancelled owing to the pandemic.

       This year 19.1pc of students in the UK were awarded an A*, up from 14.3pc last year and more than double the 7.8pc in 2019. The first graph in this story illustrates the steep jump.

       The Education Secretary has defended this year's A-level results saying that students "deserve to be rewarded" after a year of disruption.

       Scottish exams chiefs have insisted that employers and universities can have "full confidence" in this year's results despite a huge increase in top grades.

       Yet these charts show how for each subject, grade inflation is rampant compared to before teacher grades.

       You can also see how boys and girls compare and which subjects have become more and less popular.

       State school beats Eton

       For many pupils, university places hinge on today's results.

       Some may well have done better than they expected, opening up extra choices both in terms of courses as well as colleges.

       Read how to upgrade your university place if you have aced your A-levels.

       A state school in London has secured more Oxbridge places for its students than Eton College for the first time.

       Brampton Manor Academy, in Newham, confirmed that 55 of its pupils met their offer grades and accepted places at either Oxford or Cambridge.

       Yet all is not lost if things have not gone as hoped. Here is your guide to grades, clearing and the next steps.

       Nevertheless, many are questioning whether university is worth it given the cost and remote learning since the pandemic, with the Education Secretary saying universities should resume face-to-face lectures or cut their fees.

       Come back to bite?

       Years down the line then, will it matter that for a few years pupils enjoyed record grades in the wake of a global pandemic?

       This time last year, Harry de Quetteville wrote of Generation Asterisk – the cohort of students forever marked by Covid. Will that assessment be fair?

       Lots of students will be celebrating, and so they should. But at the back of their minds will there be a niggling feeling that an A or B grade won’t be recognised as special or good when nearly everyone else gets one too?

       Robert Taylor fears that over time this will come to bite those who deserve better.

       Suzanne Moore sets out why this generation of children has been utterly neglected and our entire education policy is a mess.

       Comment and analysis Anthony Peregrine | Ignore the alarmists about holidays in France Kate Andrews | Don't be surprised if working from home costs you Gavin Haines | Our climate-damaging holiday habits must change Michelle Jana Chan | Why it was worth being mugged in Barcelona Simon Heffer | English culture is now banal - no wonder we can't bat Around the world: Restoring Sudan's colonial railway

       Sitting next to the colonial British railway director's old residence on the banks of the Nile River, the general manager of the Sudanese Railways Corporation chuckles to himself. Waleed Mahmoud Ahmed slowly explains his grand task. He must find a way to resurrect the third-largest railway network in Africa and restore one of his country's proudest institutions to its former glory. Will Brown finds out how it could throw a vital lifeline to millions, with stunning pictures by Simon Townsley.

       Tuesday big-read

       Hundreds of US children are in hospital with Covid

       A number of prominent scientists, politicians and parents are worried about classrooms in America becoming Covid hotbeds. Jamie Johnson and Paul Nuki examine whether the UK should be worried

       Read the full story

       Sport briefing: Messi arrives in Paris to seal PSG deal

       Lionel Messi has arrived in France today and moved closer to the world's most stunning free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain following his departure from Barcelona. The Argentina forward, 34, has agreed a deal in principle to join PSG as a free agent but his contract has not been formally signed. When the terms of his contract, which runs for two seasons, are completed he will undergo a medical. Yet what kind of Messi will PSG be signing - and is he worth the money? Sam Wallace starts by looking at how he rates alongside other greats of a similar age.

       Editor's choice Hypocrite or eco-winner? | Greta Thunberg on the cover of Vogue Troubled waters | Why swim rage is on the rise - and proposed lane etiquette 'Hugely lucrative' | Adele taking up residence in Las Vegas? Don’t bet on it Business briefing: 'Vampire Kangaroo' in takeover

       Old pipes spilling hundreds of millions of litres of water every day; raw sewage pumped into the River Thames; over a billion pounds in dividends funnelled to owners; and a corporation tax bill reduced to nearly zero through offshore tax schemes. The water industry has a woeful history of reward for failure but Macquarie's decade-long ownership of Thames Water was so bad that rivals blamed the Australian investment giant for tarnishing the rest of the industry. Ben Marlow analyses why letting the "Vampire Kangaroo" take control of Southern Water, is a disaster for consumers – and the environment.

       Tonight starts now

       I watched my brilliant father lose his mind | Dementia put a stop to theatre director and author Jonathan Miller's long-planned series about memory. Now his son, William Miller, has taken up the mantle, with the result being an hour-long documentary on Radio 4. He talks about his father's obsession with memory - and his fight with Alzheimer's.

       Three things for you Watch | Jonnie's Blade Camp, Channel 4, 10pm and more TV listings Music | Yungblud, review: Step forward, the future of rock'n'roll Play | Telegraph Puzzles featuring today's Crossword and Sudoku And finally... for this evening's downtime

       Bohemian Rhapsody 2 | Brian May says Queen are "looking at ideas" for a sequel to Bohemian Rhapsody. With plenty of material, Ed Power examines five plotlines that could make the sequel rock.

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