28 February - 6 March 2015
Saturday
Sword of mouth
En garde! It was World Sword Swallower’s Day, founded to celebrate the ancient art and “raise awareness of the contributions sword swallowers have made in the fields of science and medicine”. Apparently.
Sunday
Cups runneth over
Chelsea beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the Capital One Cup final at Wembley. But the Blues’ manager Jose Mourinho is hungry for more trophies. “I need to feed myself with them,” he told reporters.
Monday
Teaching on the line
“My name is Nicky. How can I help you?” England’s education secretary Ms Morgan held a conference call with teachers across the country. Issues on the agenda included workload, curriculum and assessment.
Tuesday
Care in the community
Barack and Michelle Obama revealed plans to help the 62 million girls globally who are not in school. Community partnerships could cut this number and get girls into education, the US president said.
Wednesday
School day and age
At what age should children start school? School reform minister Nick Gibb was one of the witnesses called by Westminster’s Commons Education Select Committee to discuss the issue.
Thursday
Power trip
Is it me or is it hot in here? Energy ministers from the 28 European Union member states were due to debate how best to meet the continent’s need for sustainable power in the future.
Friday
Let the fur fly
Pampered pugs, poodles and Pomeranians will be the star attractions at Crufts 2015 at the NEC in Birmingham. Fierce competition is expected in categories such as obedience, agility and, of course, “heelwork to music”.
7-13 March 2015
Saturday
Pawn enemies
The bitter rivals of higher education - the universities of Oxford and Cambridge - go to battle once more. But this time there isn’t a river or a rugby pitch in sight: it’s the 133rd Varsity Chess Match.
Sunday
Without a trace
One year ago today, Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 went missing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Despite a number of theories circulating, investigators still have no idea where it is or why it disappeared.
Monday
Nice work - and you can get it
National Apprenticeship Week gets under way. A host of events will be taking place across the country to publicise the variety of work-based learning opportunities in England and Wales for young people.
Tuesday
Horses for courses
More than 200,000 people are expected to trot along to the Cheltenham Festival. Over four days, hundreds of horses will leap over the racecourse’s 24 fences - leaving behind about 4 million hoofprints.
Wednesday
Lights out
No crafty cigarettes behind the bike sheds: today marks national No Smoking Day. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the dangers of tobacco and encourage more people to kick the habit.
Thursday
Drive time
Double world champion Lewis Hamilton and his fellow Formula One drivers will be gearing up for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne - the first race of the season - which takes place on Sunday.
Friday
Red nose alert
Dust off those oversized cheques for Red Nose Day. The comedy telethon has raised vast sums for charity since it was first held in 1988, and fundraisers will be hoping to beat 2013‘s record total of pound;75 million.
