All posts tagged: Approach

Politics Home | Former Foreign Office Chief Accuses No 10 Of “Dismissive Approach” To Mandelson’s Vetting

Politics Home | Former Foreign Office Chief Accuses No 10 Of “Dismissive Approach” To Mandelson’s Vetting

Published by Sam Flores

Olly Robbins was appointed as Foreign Office permanent secretary in January 2025 (Alamy) 4 min read18 min Former Foreign Office permanent secretary Olly Robbins has said No 10 had a “dismissive approach” to Lord Peter Mandelson’s vetting. Speaking to MPs on Tuesday morning, Robbins said there was “no interest in whether, only interest in when” Mandelson would be appointed to his role. Robbins was sacked by Prime Minister Keir Starmer last week after The Guardian reported that Mandelson had not cleared the UK Security Vetting (UKSV) procedure for appointment as US ambassador in late January 2025, before starting the role in February 2025. According to the newspaper, the decision to overrule the UKSV was made by the Foreign Office without the knowledge of Starmer or other senior cabinet ministers. Speaking to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on Tuesday morning, Robbins said UKSV felt the Mandelson case was “borderline” and was “leaning towards recommending that clearance be denied”, but that the Foreign Office deemed the risks manageable. He sought to stress that Mandelson did not ‘fail’ vetting. However, in evidence that …

A Novel Approach to Navigate Hard Conversations at Work

A Novel Approach to Navigate Hard Conversations at Work

Published by Jenni Sidey

Your youngest team members may just be different from the rest of your team, and the most vivid illustration of this difference is in how they perceive hard feedback. Hard is now seen as harsh. Requests for mediation or support around perceived microaggressions, emotional distress, or communication breakdowns are on the rise. Coaches often refer to Gen Z as a fragile population, believing that many parents failed to prepare them for careers. In fact, today, being offended is often a form of moral high ground. Empathy is required. Professional is now seen as personal. I see a pattern where younger employees are likely to frame feedback as personally harmful, as unfair attacks, or as lacking in psychological safety. They feel “you’re not just criticizing what I did, you’re invalidating who I am.” Any criticism feels like an assault. The amygdala in their brains can react as if they’re in physical pain. Conflict is now canceled. Gen Zers may wish to cancel any experience that’s disagreeable. Managers are unsure how to proceed for fear of being …

Our dreams become more emotive and symbolic as we approach death

Our dreams become more emotive and symbolic as we approach death

Published by skeptic

People sometimes report seeing a bright light during near-death experiences, but this symbolism of transition also commonly occurs in dreams as we approach the end of our life Kirill Ryzhov/Alamy People in palliative care who are approaching death often have vivid dreams featuring deceased loved ones and symbols of transition. The doctors and medical professionals who look after them say these dreams often bring patients comfort and make them less scared of dying. These dreams “offer psychological relief and meaning to people facing end of life,” writes Elisa Rabitti at the Palliative Care Local Network in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Rabitti led a team that surveyed 239 local palliative care doctors, nurses, psychologists and other health professionals about dreams recounted to them by terminally ill patients. The most common dreams and visions, which occurred while people were awake, involved encounters with deceased family members or pets. One woman, for example, had a dream about her late husband, in which he told her, “I’m waiting for you.” These dreams provided a sense of inner peace and helped …

How Jamie Lee Curtis’ ‘boring’ approach to health in her 60s is the ultimate longevity secret

How Jamie Lee Curtis’ ‘boring’ approach to health in her 60s is the ultimate longevity secret

Published by Daniella Wilson

Jamie Lee Curtis may be just a couple of years away from her 70th birthday, but she could be mistaken for being much younger. The 67-year-old actress has a refreshing attitude to ageing, saying she wants to look her age, despite working in an industry where actors are often undergoing cosmetic procedures to try and appear more youthful. Plastic surgery is something Jamie tried for herself at the age of just 25 after being criticised for having “baggy eyes”, and said she “regretted it immediately” and wouldn’t go under the knife again. Instead, the Halloween star focuses on a consistent commitment to living well, prioritising healthy eating and regular exercise over fad diets or punishing routines – and it’s paying off! To understand more about Jamie Lee Curtis’ wellness routine, we caught up with Colin Raney, a certified personal trainer and founder of AI personal training app Ray, who says it is the Hollywood star’s consistency that is the key to her healthy ageing. © Getty ImagesJamie Lee Curtis follows a healthy diet and lifestyle …

Novel approach to clearing brain waste shows promise for Alzheimer’s

Novel approach to clearing brain waste shows promise for Alzheimer’s

Published by skeptic

A scanning electron micrograph of a mouse nerve cell that is affected by misfolded versions of the proteins amyloid and beta, which are thought to drive Alzheimer’s disease LINNEA RUNDGREN/LINEAR IMAGING/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Interest is growing in using the brain’s waste-disposal system to delay or ease Alzheimer’s disease. Now, a new technique that helps clear toxic clumps of Alzheimer’s-associated proteins from the brains of mice has been found to boost their performance on memory and learning tests. This is done by targeting a receptor, called DDR2, that is more commonly being investigated for lung health. “If you’re blocking the DDR2 pathway, theoretically there will be less amyloid-beta protein produced and, at the same time, it will boost the waste clearance for the protein,” says Jia Li at Guangzhou Medical University in China. “So, we’re hoping it can finally reverse Alzheimer’s.” The build-up of misfolded proteins known as amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain is widely thought to trigger Alzheimer’s disease. Drugs can remove amyloid clumps, but this hasn’t translated into a large improvement …

After the Minnesota surge, ICE is moving to a quieter enforcement approach : NPR

After the Minnesota surge, ICE is moving to a quieter enforcement approach : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

A Florida Highway Patrol officer looks at pictures of undocumented immigrants accused of crimes before a press conference at the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations building on November 13, 2025 in Miramar, Florida. Florida law enforcement agencies have among the highest ICE cooperation rates in the nation, with state troopers making a significant number of immigration arrests. Joe Raedle/Getty Images North America hide caption toggle caption Joe Raedle/Getty Images North America A shift appears to be underway in how the federal government does immigration enforcement – away from the high-profile show of force seen during the Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Minnesota and toward a less visible approach, relying more on local police. “Partnership is vitally important,” Markwayne Mullin, the new secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, told Congress at his confirmation hearing last month. “I would love to see ICE become a transport more than the front line. If we can get back into just simply working with law enforcement, we’re going to them, we’re picking up these criminals from their jail.” …

GOP leaders boost two-track approach to funding DHS

GOP leaders boost two-track approach to funding DHS

Published by Sam Flores

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), joined by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), speaks to members of the media following the Republican Senate Policy Luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on October 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images News | Getty Images Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Wednesday backed a two-track plan to fund the Department of Homeland Security, paving the way to fund the Transportation Security Administration in the near-term while punting debate over the agency’s more controversial immigration enforcement functions.  The announcement amounts to a reversion back to the bill the Senate passed last week that would have funded all of DHS except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and parts of Customs and Border Protection. Democrats have called for changes to immigration enforcement practices before funding those sub-agencies. Initial DHS funding for most of the department would be followed by a second measure using a Senate procedure known as budget reconciliation for ICE And CBP, the Republican leaders said …

DfE considers new approach to funding

DfE considers new approach to funding

Published by skeptic

Government begins market engagement over ‘future support for schools and colleges to deliver careers education’ Government begins market engagement over ‘future support for schools and colleges to deliver careers education’ More from this theme Recent articles Ministers are considering a shake-up of how they fund support for careers advice in schools and colleges, raising questions about the future of the Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC). Founded by education secretary Nicky Morgan in 2014, the CEC has been responsible for supporting careers advice services for more than a decade and oversees a national network of careers hubs. It receives around £30 million a year in grant funding. But the Department for Education (DfE) recently published a market engagement notice regarding “future support for schools and colleges to deliver careers education, information, advice and guidance”. The notice contains little detail, but states that a supplier engagement event will take place on Tuesday. At the event, the DfE said it will “share our broad plans for how we want to continue to support schools and colleges to improve …

ITV responds to reports of Ben Shephard’s ‘troubling’ This Morning approach

ITV responds to reports of Ben Shephard’s ‘troubling’ This Morning approach

Published by Sam Flores

ITV has responded to reports of an interview approach by Ben Shephard on This Morning. The star has been a main presenter on the show for two years now, taking over the series alongside Cat Deeley. However, reports have emerged that Ben’s allegedly firmer questioning style in recent times has raised some concerns among guests and PRs and been described as ‘troubling’, according to The Sun, deviating from the apparently common practice of editors and guests agreeing to keep things away from personal topics. One example is a recent appearance by Stacey Solomon, with Ben pressing the Loose Women star about reports about her relationship with Joe Swash and her not wearing her ring. Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock Related: Best streaming services “Have I not been wearing my ring? Probably took it off to go to the toilet, or something,” she responded. Addressing the claims around Ben, an ITV spokesperson told Digital Spy: “This isn’t something we recognise on This Morning. Ben is very popular with guests and viewers alike and receives lots of positive feedback.” Elsewhere, …