ADVERTISEMENTThe Soviet higher education system had certainly been impressive – at least on paper. The UK had also restricted the part of its tertiary education system deemed “higher”, but that was about to change. The strains on UK higher education financing are increasingly being felt by academics as well as students. Regardless of whether that nettle is grasped, future governments will almost certainly be involved in developing and encouraging shorter and cheaper forms of higher education. Back then, UK governments did not have to think very hard about whether the higher education system could be maintained or was worth maintaining.

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The Yorkshire-set series about the life of the landed gentry and their servants is to end with a film titled Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, which will be released in September. McGovern, 64, plays Cora Crawley, who is married to Hugh Bonneville’s Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham, who holds the title to the Downton Abbey estate. I’m ready to move on.”Downton Abbey star ready to move onDownton Abbey started as a TV series, which first aired on ITV in 2010, and ran for six series before the creation of films Downton Abbey (2019) and Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022). The third film will be the first without veteran actress Dame Maggie Smith, who played Violet Crawley and died in September 2024 aged 89. Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale will be released in cinemas on September 12.

The mean average temperature for the season stands at 16.13C, based on data up to August 25. This is higher than the existing summer record of 15.76C, which was set in 2018. Temperatures peaked above 32C on 16 days during the summer of 1976, compared with nine days in 2025. “However this is not the case for everyone and recent studies indicate that there have been hundreds of heat-related deaths during the UK summer heatwaves. “The 2025 summer is the new normal due to climate change and we Brits need to adapt as quickly as possible – and the Government needs to step up its adaptation plans before it’s too late.”

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The UK’s public EV charging network has come under fire once again after a new survey found that two thirds of drivers have had to wait more than 10 minutes for an available device. Data commissioned by Direct Line Motor Insurance found that 66% of EV drivers had faced significant waits to plug in to a public charger, highlighting ‘significant challenges’ with the network. However, some users complained of wait times of up to two hours and a whopping 74% reported seeing public charging spots blocked by cars not plugged. ‘These findings highlight the impact of public charging infrastructure on electric vehicle owners. ‘For EV drivers, being prepared is crucial: plan your route, find where the charging facilities are and consider where they may be busiest.

SynopsisGlobal Music Junction and Hariprem Films collaborate with Devi Chitralekha. The aim is to promote devotional music globally. This partnership includes concerts and digital content. Warner Music India supports this initiative. The target audience includes India, US, UK, Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

Certainly, Orr is an attractive sell to a political strand that all too often seems limited to serving up reactionary anger and bigotry. In 2021, in his essay Divine Lawmaking: Powers and Kinds, Orr turned from phenomenology to the machinery of metaphysics. Stein, whom Orr studied closely, was murdered at Auschwitz because she was Jewish. And in doing this, Orr offers up what the right have been seeking: a clever Calvin Robinson. Byline Times spoke to a Cambridge academic, who prefers to remain anonymous, who works in similar areas to Orr.

In May last year I was flying solo from Florida to Philadelphia with American Airlines. BA told me to go to the nearby American Airlines desk and book on to another flight. There was nothing the American Airlines staff could do at that point, so I stayed put. I have asked BA to refund the difference in the cost between business class and the economy seat I ended up in. This is totally untrue and I sent it my American Airlines boarding pass showing my seat number.

Ash Dykes, 34, will journey 3,400 miles (5,400km) along China’s Yellow River, from its source to the sea. The Welshman, from St Asaph, claimed to be the first person to complete a 4,000-mile (6,437km) expedition on foot along the length of China’s Yangtze River in 2019. The longest river in the UK is the Severn which stretches 220 miles (354km) through Wales, the West Midlands and South West. The Yellow River is often called the cradle of Chinese civilisation, and is the country’s second longest river. Speaking about his latest mission, Mr Dykes said: “The Yellow River is known as the lifeblood of Chinese civilisation, and China has always felt like a second home to me.

According to reports, Sting has been handed a High Court writ from guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland. The pair are claiming "substantial" damages and has sued Sting for millions. Sting sued by former bandmates from The PoliceA source told The Sun: "This has been coming for quite some time. Sting appears under his real name as the defendant, while his company, Magentic Publishing Limited, is also listed as a defendant. A spokesperson for Sting has denied that the current legal battle between the former bandmates is in relation to Every Breath You Take.

3 die as chopper spirals into field during a flight lesson in UK; cause under probe (Pic credit: X/@standardnews)Isle of Wight County PressThree people were killed and one seriously injured after a helicopter crashed during a flight lesson on the Isle of Wight, off England’s south coast, on Monday morning, authorities said.The Robinson R44 II aircraft, operated by Northumbria Helicopters, had taken off from Sandown Airport around 9 am local time with a pilot and three passengers on board. It went down just before 9.30 am in a field near a road in the Shanklin area, reported AP.The survivor was airlifted to University Hospital Southampton’s trauma centre in serious condition, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary confirmed.Eyewitness Leigh Goldsmith told thehe saw the helicopter spiral into a hedge while driving nearby.In a statement, Shanklin Town Council said it was “shocked to hear about the incident involving a pleasure flight helicopter crash landing on the outskirts of the town”, reported BBC.The council also noted that the crash came during a busy bank holiday weekend, when several events were underway on the island — including the Isle of Wight Scooter Rally at Sandown Airport, which drew thousands of vintage scooter owners.The UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch has deployed inspectors to the crash site to gather evidence and determine the cause of the incident.

Image caption, The Guardian follows with Israel facing "global condemnation" for the hospital bombing. The paper says the first strike hit the top floor and the building was struck again as rescuers and journalists arrived on the scene to help the wounded. Front and centre is a picture of Mariam Abu Dagga, standing in front of the ruins of destroyed buildings in Gaza, with the paper featuring words from her will to her son: "I want you to pray for me and don't weep over me, so that I may remain happy." Israel has called the incident a "tragic mishap".

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“The time has come to put this country first. This is all a question of priorities. Is Keir Starmer on the side of the British people, national security and protecting women and girls – or is he on the side of outdated international treaties and human rights lawyers?”