By Nicky Goulder, Co-Founder & Chief Executive, www.createarts.org.uk A new academic year is always a time of excitement, new hope and fresh starts. This year, the first after DCMS celebrated the huge contribution the creative industries make to the UK, you’d expect to see arts departments in schools and universities across the country bounding to work to be greeted by rows upon rows of students on their way to continuing this economic and social success. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. Instead,...

When it comes to computer programming most people might think of tech giants Facebook, Apple, Google etc, but it seems that the US has fallen behind in the table of the best computer programmers in the world In fact according to a study by HackerRank China has the best developers followed by Russia. They based their study on the accuracy and speed of 1.5 million developers across the globe. HackerRank is a free coding practice website allowing developers to practice...

In news that will make rail users across the country angry, but probably not surprised, Southern Rail’s owner announced their profits hit £100m and also received a £20m Government “bailout.” If that wasn’t enough bad, boss David Brown got a pay rise. He will get £2.16 million in 2016, up from £1.96 during 2015. Brown’s bumper pay rise will still go-ahead in spite of being the head of a network that has the worst punctuality record of any franchise in the...

“Darling it’s me Tim Farron, your husband!” “Police- there’s a person in my bed who thinks he’s Nick Clegg.” Jibe from the ever-hilarious Newsrevue cannon aside, amidst the maelstrom that has been the summer of 2016 in British politics, the Lib Dems have been conspicuous by their absence. The fall-out and uncertainty from Brexit appears to have passed the party like ships in the night and at eight per cent in the most recent polls, 18 months on from being...

A young woman who was diagnosed with anorexia in her teens has launched a cookbook to help others suffering like she did. Even when Nicola Davis’ weight plummeted to a dangerously low level she continued to make her family tasty meals. She was consuming minus calories, but her family were feasting on pies, cakes and risottos. The recipe book contains the meals she cooked herself to help her recover from the life-threatening illness. Through a combination of medical and emotional...

Economic theory tells us that markets can ensure an efficient allocation of resources. When it comes to labour, these theories suggest that pay should be set just high enough to attract sufficient people with the necessary skills and experience to do the job. Any higher and there would be an excess supply of suitably qualified labour and this over-supply would drive down the price (pay) to a level that brings the demand and supply into equilibrium. Financial market prices follow...

A London-based food blogger went temporarily deaf after eating the World's spiciest noodles at a backstreet restaurant in Indonesia. According to reports in The Evening Standard, Ben Sumadiwiria tried "death noodles" Indomie Abang Adek, which is claimed to be 4,000 times stronger than Tabasco and has a 20 million rating on the Scoville scale, the measure of a chilli’s hotness. The video, uploaded to Mr Sumadiwiria’s Awesome Eats YouTube channel, sees the prominent blogger almost vomit before proclaiming: “That’s the worst feeling you will...

The Falcon 9 rocket carrying Facebook's first satellite has exploded on Cape Canaveral launch pad. SpaceX - a privately-owned aerospace company - operates out of the Florida base next to Kennedy Space Center and was carrying out routine rocket tests when a huge explosion was heard. According to the Mail Online, buildings several miles away shook from the blast and multiple explosions continued for several minutes. Explosion at SpaceX launch site at Cape Canaveral: media reports https://t.co/r11bBxztP7 pic.twitter.com/U4UNVkFMxp — Reuters Top...

Should two men sharing a hug, no matter the sexuality, really be considered a homosexual act? Of course the obvious answer is absolutely not. The term ‘Casual homophobia’ has been created as a response to a string of gentle nods of discrimination. Most recently displayed when the Daily Mail published an article with the headline: ‘Steady on chaps!’ after British divers Jack Laugher and Chris Mears shared a triumphant hug. Eyebrows were raised and noses were put out of joint....