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Ron Paul’s farewell speech to Congress in 2 minutes
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Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) delivered a 48-minute farewell address on the House floor Wednesday after serving 30 years in Congress. The 77-year-old is wrapping up his seventh term representing the Lone Star State’s 14th District, and his 11th term overall in the House.
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Graduate Fashion Week heads to east London and the heart of the industry
The streets of east London looked more vibrant and outlandish than ever this weekend, when the world's biggest student fashion event – Graduate Fashion Week – opened its doors at Brick Lane's Truman Brewery, a new location in the beating heart of modern British fashion.

Now in its 23rd year, GFW is best known for the wackiest of its students' creations: the gimp masks and cellophane-wrapped naked bottoms most likely to make the front pages of newspapers. But for the event's organisers the showcase has a rather more sensible purpose: to ensure that BA fashion students find work after graduation.

Over four days, the work of 1,000 students from 42 universities is displayed in 21 catwalk shows, while dozens of talks and seminars are held, from advice on PR from Vivienne Westwood to tips about buying and merchandising from the event's sponsors, George at Asda.

"Everybody wants to be a designer," says GFW chairman Rob Templeman. "But there are more than 800,000 16- to 24-year-olds out of work in the UK, so it's important to remember that there are lots of good careers available in the industry." On the final day, prizes will be awarded, including the top "gold" prize of £10,000 and the opportunity to design a collection for George. The event also offers the chance for students to meet industry scouts. "We very much encourage other retailers, suppliers and manufacturers to attend," says Fiona Lambert, vice-president of George. "There are some incredibly talented young people out there and they need opportunities."

GFW was conceived to give fashion students from outside London a chance to showcase their work in the capital. Although graduates of the MA courses at Central Saint Martins College and the Royal College of Art do not show at the event, it has spawned more than its share of successes, with previous award winners including Matthew Williamson, Julien MacDonald, Burberry CEO and creative director Christopher Bailey, Stella McCartney and Giles Deacon.

The new east London location looks likely to boost awareness even more. "Ticket sales are up by 20%," says Templeman. "We get around 25,000 attendees most years, but this year we are projecting at least 30,000. Brick Lane is the centre of the creative district. It's also a lot more accessible than Earl's Court."

Certainly, for Fashion East founder Lulu Kennedy – who discovered designers including Jonathan Saunders and Richard Nicoll – the move seems significant. "I never made it over to GFW when it was miles away in west London; I tended to look at images online," she says. "But now it's based at the old Truman Brewery, which is where my studio is, I'll definitely be checking out shows. It's exciting to have it in east London, which makes loads more sense, as this is where fashion is actually happening."

While GFW may not have the prestige of the Central Saint Martins MA show – which runs in London Fashion Week – its breadth and diversity of talent has long been taken seriously by the industry. "This is the germination of the seeds of future fashion. That's the deal," says Gordon Richardson, creative director of Topman. "It's crucial." Former GFW winner Julien Macdonald says: "Winning GFW launched my career, and it was a proud moment because the competition is there."

The award's first winner, Christopher Bailey, now one of the most powerful people in British fashion, agrees: "We have the most exceptional design talent coming out of our colleges and I salute their energy, their talent and their well-earned and deserved global reputation."

Last year's "gold" award winner, Lauren Smith from Edinburgh College of Art, won £20,000 and the chance to design a collection for George. She describes the experience as "beyond amazing". The money is still in the bank and Smith is considering putting it towards launching her own business when she finishes her MA.

Colchester School of Art, age 21

Work: Woodgate's knitwear is inspired by "Buddhist Mandala, African tribal patterns and the Cornish landscape." She adds: "One of the biggest influences has been the processes of knit, crochet and macramé, which have allowed me to develop my own stitch patterns and creativity." Her GFW collection has so far required 1,700 hours of knitting ("and still one jumper to go").

Experience: Internship at ethical designer Deimante Meilune.

The future: "I would love to work with [experimental knitwear queen] Sandra Backlund, who has had a massive influence on me, she says"

Work: McNair's pretty, commercial prints are inspired by "imagery collected of washing lines, recreated in abstract and geometric forms".

Experience: Internships at Burberry, Oliver Knipe and Topshop and a three-month placement with Intrex in China. "After only two weeks at Burberry, I could have stayed there forever. It was such an amazing environment," says McNair.

The future: McNair will work at Abercrombie and Fitch in Columbus, Ohio, for a year from February, after which she plans to launch her own label.

University for the Creative Arts, 25

Work: Structured dresses featuring strong silhouettes and laser-cut geometric shapes. Cadar takes inspiration from contemporary art and the vibrant colours of India.

Experience: Placements at Michael van der Ham and Louise Gray.

The future: Plans to pursue an MA in design. The ideal audience for her work is the people of London: "I love the quirky, fun and free sense of style you find here."

Work: Pink shearling jackets "inspired by the expeditions of Scott of the Antarctic – I've taken the main aspects of the clothing and created a collection people can wear without the need to go to the South Pole".

Experience: Two months as an intern at Banana Republic in New York working on their spring/summer 2014 collection,.

The future: Aims "to be a creative director of an established fashion brand".
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Show your work and conclude with the exact phrasing "Therefore, the final answer is [answer]." where [answer] is just the final number or expression that solves the problem.
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Hannah Marriott: Who will be this year's stars of Graduate Fashion Week?