Good news times three: and a bit of fun

Sir Ian Blair your time has come BBC

Speaking after Sir Ian's resignation, the mayor said: "There comes a time in any organisation when it becomes clear it would benefit from new leadership and clarity of purpose. I believe that time is now."

South African government to take AIDS seriously FT

South Africa’s new health minister Barbara Hogan vowed on Thursday to make Aids a top priority, after years of controversy over her predecessor’s unconventional support for treatments like beetroot and garlic.

Hogan replaced Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who was removed from her post when President Kgalema Motlanthe formed a new cabinet last week after Thabo Mbeki resigned as head of state...

Dubbed Dr Beetroot for her promotion of beetroot, garlic and other foods as frontline treatments for HIV/Aids, Tshabalala-Msimang was accused by scientists and grassroots activists of being in denial about the disease.

Obama steams into the lead in key states FT

Polls released on Wednesday showed Mr Obama had taken a strong lead over Mr McCain in the important swing states of Ohio and Florida, which have tipped the outcome of previous contests.

According to a Quinnipiac University poll, Mr Obama leads Mr McCain by 51 to 43 per cent in Florida, by 50 to 42 per cent in Ohio and by 54 to 39 per cent in Pennsylvania. The two were much closer before last Friday’s debate, where most observers agreed Mr Obama’s performance made him look more presidential.

In addition, a poll on Wednesday by the Pew Research Centre showed Mr Obama with a national lead of 49 per cent to 42 per cent after being in a dead heat for most of September. It also showed voters trusted Mr Obama over Mr McCain to handle the continuing financial crisis by a margin of 46 per cent to 33 per cent.

Students forced to know "stuff" Push Jelly

Several universities are under investigation after allegations were made by former students that they were to take part in bizarre and degrading initiation rites. Amongst the allegations are claims that before being allowed entry into some universities, students were made to “Display the ability to comprehend complex concepts” and “Show understanding of a particular topic through properly-structured essays and reports.”

One secretly-filmed video, believed to be an entrance interview for Trinity College Cambridge, shows an elderly man subjecting a young female student to a barrage of humiliating questions. The fifteen-minute clip shows a university professor repeatedly asking the unnamed student about her aptitude to study English literature, her knowledge of Chaucer and Shakespeare and her understanding of post-structuralist theory. At one point, the leering don is heard asking the clearly-shaken student to show him her A level results.