Factories of the future: we’re spending heavily to give workers skills they won’t need by 2030 John Preston, University of Essex “This government is obsessed with skilling up our population,” said Boris Johnson in his recent speech on “levelling up”. There is still a fair amount of uncertainty about exactly what the UK prime minister’s plan to level up the regions will involve, but manufacturing and skills seem close to the heart of it. The government is trying to achieve a renaissance in vocational education with its industry-focused T-level courses for students, “Skills Bootcamp” retraining programmes for adults, and increased funding … Continue reading So what skills will you need by 2030?

Why COVID cases are now falling in the UK – and what could happen next Paul Hunter, University of East Anglia After two months of soaring COVID-19 cases in the UK, numbers have again started to fall – and to the surprise of many, fall quite dramatically. New cases peaked at 54,674 on July 17 before falling to 23,511 on July 27. They rose slightly to 27,734 on July 28, but the seven-day average continued to fall. We should note that whether this decline will continue is as yet uncertain, as the effect of lifting most of England’s remaining restrictions … Continue reading COVID cases falling in the UK – what next?

Why animals recognise numbers but only humans can do maths Silke Goebel, University of York Counting feels utterly effortless to adults, who are unlikely to even remember when or how they picked up this useful, apparently automatic skill. Yet when you think about it, counting is a remarkable invention. It helped early humans to trade, apportion food and organise fledgling civilisations, laying the foundations for life as we know it today. But a sensitivity for numbers isn’t uniquely human. Tiny guppies and honeybees as well as hyenas and dogs have been found to perceive and act on numerical stimuli. So responding … Continue reading Why animals recognise numbers but only humans can do maths

Miyamoto Musashi, Way of Walking Alone: 21 Rules to Live Your Life The Dokkodo or “The Way of Walking Alone” written by Miyamoto Musashi just before dying, for the occasion where Musashi was giving away everything he owned in preparation for his death. It was given to Terao Magonojo, his disciple in Niten-Ichi-Ryu. After the Gorin-No-Sho, Dokkodo is the summary of Musashi’s life, his will and his philosophy. The 21 Rules of Dokkodo are: Accept everything just the way it is. Do not seek pleasure for its own sake. Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling. Think lightly … Continue reading The 21 Rules of Dokkodo – Miyamoto Musashi

Abdullah Al-Mudaifer (AAM): Peace and blessings be upon you. Welcome to this very special interview with Crown Prince His Highness Mohammed bin Salman that is being broadcasted on the Saudi Channel and on a number of Arabic channels. Greetings to you, Your Highness. It’s a pleasure to have been given this opportunity. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (CP): It’s my pleasure also to meet with you Abdullah. You’re one of the best interviewers in Saudi Arabia and the Arab World. It’s my honor to be with you. AAM: It’s my honor, Your Highness. Today, Your Highness we are celebrating the … Continue reading Full Transcript: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman interview with Saudi journalist Abdullah Al-Mudaifer

REGIMENTAL SERGEANT MAJOR JOHN CLIFFORD LORD (2613527) MBE, was Academy Sergeant-Major at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. RSM JC Lord MBE trained King Hussein of Jordan, the Duke of Kent and along with many others. JC Lord was born on the 26th April 1908 in Southport, Lancashire. He enlisted into the 3rd Grenadier Guards on the 27th March 1933. JC Lord got posted to Egypt on 14th November 1933, where he remained until 8th April 1936. He left the British Army on the 26th March 1937, and two days later joined the Brighton Police Force. He served with the police … Continue reading The Resilient Leader: Regimental Sergeant Major John Clifford Lord

London to Calcutta Bus Service ran from the 1950s to the 1970s. Some 30 plus operators ran services. The first of these was “The Indiaman”, a service from London to Calcutta started on 15 April 1957. “The Albert” ran 15 round journeys from London to India with connections to Australia. The bus used to travel from The UK to Calcutta via Belgium, West Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, West Pakistan, India. The UK to Sydney trip via Belgium, West Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, West Pakistan, India,Burma, Thailand, Malaya and Singapore. There was also a double-decker … Continue reading The London – Calcutta Bus Service

Researchers from Macquarie and Victoria Universities have published the first study mapping the online activity of right-wing extremists in New South Wales. Their study has revealed a network of highly active, social, and complex communities that is difficult to monitor for potential offline violence and is highly successful in radicalising at-risk individuals and introducing hateful and extreme rhetoric into Australian political discussions. The report highlighted the strong influence of American populist politics particularly Trumpism on right-wing extremism in Australia. Macquarie researchers Dr Brian Ballsun-Stanton, Lise Waldek and Dr Julian Droogan mined publicly available social media data to examine the narratives … Continue reading RISE OF ONLINE RIGHT-WING EXTREMISM MAPPED IN LANDMARK NSW STUDY