City schools refuse to hold ‘useless’ tests Several women claim Trump groped them

Several minority-run and international schools in Mumbai will not hold the mandatory competency tests — to assess basic skills of students from Classes 1 to 8 in first language and maths skills — on October 19 and 20.

They have refused to conduct the tests stating they didn’t find them useful.

Competency tests were introduced by education minister Vinod Tawde last year and they were made compulsory for schools of all boards and managements. The education department has stipulated three tests for this year, while two were held last year. A baseline exam testing students on previous year’s syllabus was conducted in July this year. The next test to be held in October is summative in nature covering everything students learnt in the first semester.

Donald Trump’s remarks that he had boasted about kissing and groping women but never indulged in such actions has triggered a series of accusations of inappropriate behaviour, with at least five women saying he forced himself on them.

Two Miss USA contestants have accused the Republican presidential nominee of walking into a dressing room when they were naked while CBS News reported of a 1992 video that showed Trump, then 46, looking at a group of young girls and saying he would be dating one of them in 10 years.

Observers have said the latest allegations could deal another blow to the real estate mogul’s campaign in the aftermath of a 2005 video that featuring him bragging about kissing and groping women.

Among the five women is Jessica Leeds, 74, a former businesswoman, who told The New York Times that Trump groped her on a flight in the 1980s as they sat next to each other in first class.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sought a report from the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in connection with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)desilting scam to investigate money-laundering allegations.

The EOW case is against contractors and civic officials who were alleged to have carried out shoddy cleaning of storm water drains in various parts of the city. ED will check the money trail in the case and have sought an FIR copy.

“We have sought a report from the EOW. We will examine the case from a money-laundering point of view. We will look into how the money was spent and if any money was diverted or siphoned off by influential people,” said a high-ranking ED officer.

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