Author: mosmi
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University rankings: proceed with caution
Alan Morton-Smith Mindreign.com 12/10/2009 The latest list of the world’s top universities has been released, as compiled by Times Higher Education/QS. Whilst the UK and the US retain their monopoly of the top ten spots, the results suggest that the dominance of traditionally elite universities is being challenged. Harvard is still first and Cambridge moves…
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Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize
Alan Morton-Smith Mindreign.com 09/10/2009 President Obama has won the Nobel Peace Prize, after having been in office for just nine months — a testament to the rapidly increasing pace of modern life. The Norwegian Nobel Committee hailed Obama’s “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” It’s traditional not to notify the winner…
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Obama abandons the missile defence shield – but at what price?
Alan Morton-Smith Mindreign.com 07/10/2009 On September 17, the United States announced that it was abandoning its plans for anti-missile installations in Poland and the Czech Republic. These were to be used as a defence against long-range Iranian missiles, which the country is currently testing. However, the review President Obama ordered into the missile defence programme yielded…
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Renewal at the UN
Alan Morton-Smith Mindreign.com 05/10/2009 The challenges facing humanity were recently discussed in a slightly dilapidated building overlooking the East River in New York. The new session of the UN General Assembly — the organisation’s main forum for debate — kicked off with its usual array of eccentric speakers, charming traditions and rampant politicking. The main…