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After coming in for criticism over harsher student visa restrictions and new measures that have made international students feel less welcome, the British government has unveiled plans to recruit almost 100,000 more overseas students over the next five years.

The plans were part of a new governmental strategy for international education, called International Education - Global Growth and Prosperity that was revealed on Monday. With the sole aim of encouraging students to study in the UK, the initial report said that it is ‘realistic' for overseas student numbers to grow by 15-20% in the next five years, meaning an extra 90,000 students by 2018.

The scheme comes in part as a reaction to the growing dissatisfaction amongst higher education experts at government actions that have been perceived as making international students feel unwelcome in the UK. Indeed, this year, the number of overseas applications for UK universities fell for the first time in 16 years.

Business secretary Vince Cable addressed this issue and emphasised how he hopes to prevent the downturn from becoming a trend:

"We have created an attractive environment and we should sell this in a positive way. We are anxious to reassure you we welcome overseas students and there is no cap on numbers."

The recent acquittal of George Zimmerman, who killed the 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Florida in February this year, has sparked protests across the African-American community in the US, who are protesting against the verdict of the jury.

President Obama declared during a public speech, that the protests are the result of racist discrimination against black men who are often judged by the colour of their skin:

"It's important to recognize that the African-America community is looking at this issue through a set of experience and history that doesn't go away. There are very few African-American men in this country who haven't had the experience of being followed when they were shopping in a department store. That includes me. [...] The African- American community is also knowledgeable that there is a history of racial disparity in the application of our criminal laws."

Trayvon Martin might have been a ‘thug', he might have acted suspiciously and might have assaulted Zimmerman.

However, rather than focusing on whether Zimmerman reacted in self-defence (a right that is often abused and extremely hard to prove right or wrong) or not, the argument here is on the conversations going on about racial discrimination and prejudices that show still how ephemeral any integration can be.

People were so preoccupied by the royal baby that they failed to realize that the King of Belgium resigned in favour of his son this week.

It seems that people all around the world, including Slovakia, were curious about the new prince in London.
Women with small children who still remember their own labour felt especially sorry for the Duchess surrounded by journalists. The couple confirmed my opinion that William and Kate give a good name to the Royal Family and should not be hassled by the public and press.

When I asked my friends whether they knew about the Belgian king stepping down, they did not. Well, people are so preoccupied by celebrities that they fail to take notice of the everyday happening. On the one hand, it testifies to the popularity of the Royal Family even in central Europe. On the other hand, is such a media craze necessary?

Prince William took paternity leave from his duties as a helicopter pilot in order to be with his wife. I don't think, he can realistically get much closer to the common man. New kings are not born every day, but common people are, most of them into poverty. And I believe William and Kate know that.

A future king was born yesterday after Kate Middleton and Prince William gave birth to a healthy son. After months of speculation and weeks of rumours, the world's attention was on St Mary's hospital in Paddington when Kate went into labour early Monday morning.

It had been expected that the first news would come from the traditional placing of a medical bulletin on an old wooden frame on Buckingham Palace's forecourt. However, in the end tradition was slightly rewritten, with the first news coming at around 8.30pm last night in a statement from Kensington Palace that read:

"Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 4.24pm. The baby weighs 8lbs 6oz. The Duke of Cambridge was present for the birth. The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news. Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well and will remain in hospital overnight."

Britain awoke to the exciting news this morning that Kate Middleton had finally been admitted to hospital after going into labour.

After several false rumours in the last 10 days, a statement came from Kensington Palace at 7.30am this morning that read:

"Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge has been admitted this morning to St Mary's hospital, Paddington, London, in the early stages of labour. The duchess travelled by car from Kensington Palace to the Lindo wing at St Mary's hospital with the Duke of Cambridge."

A spokesman has since added that "things are progressing as normal". We will be bringing all the latest updates live over the course of the day as things progress: