All posts tagged: transformative

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to Retire in December After Transformative and Tumultuous Tenure

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to Retire in December After Transformative and Tumultuous Tenure

Published by Sam Flores

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is retiring at the end the year, bringing to a close her seven-plus years at the helm of the league and a stewardship that has been transformative and at times tumultuous. Engelbert is the second-longest tenured WNBA president or commissioner, and she helped negotiate a lucrative collective bargaining agreement this past spring that resulted in the league’s first set of million-dollar player salaries. That growth has been accompanied by a series of headline-grabbing distractions for the league under her leadership, especially in the last year. She had a strained relationship with the players during the contract negotiations, and the 2026 season has been dominated by controversies surrounding officiating and the transgender debate along with a large amounts of social media backlash against WNBA participants. Engelbert told The Associated Press that the decision to leave was solely her own and that she did not feel any pressure to step down from NBA or WNBA stakeholders before Friday’s announcement. She insists she has a good relationship with players. While talks between the commissioner …

The Clean Energy Transition as a European transformative strategy

The Clean Energy Transition as a European transformative strategy

Published by skeptic

Stella Tsani, Associate Professor Department of Economics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, explores the necessity of collaboration and equality in the Clean Energy Transition. Europe’s clean energy transition is accelerating. In 2025, wind and solar reached 30% of EU electricity, overtaking for the first time fossil power (29%). Yet the benefits and costs of decarbonisation remain unevenly distributed across regions and communities. In 2025, 92.7 million people in the EU (20.9% of the population) were at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Europe’s energy transition will succeed only if it strengthens social cohesion, industrial competitiveness and inclusive governance. Fairness and cohesion-oriented policies and investments for a successful energy transition The European Union has made significant progress towards clean energy transition. Renewable energy deployment is accelerating, fossil fuel dependence is declining, and clean technologies are reshaping the industrial systems. Yet the transition remains highly uneven across European regions. Coal-dependent areas, carbon-intensive industrial clusters and rural communities continue to face disproportionate economic and social pressures linked to decarbonisation. The challenges of the energy transition in …

‘Transformative’ pancreatic cancer drug doubles survival time

‘Transformative’ pancreatic cancer drug doubles survival time

Published by skeptic

The drug daraxonrasib is being put forward to treat people with advanced pancreatic cancer in clinics REUTERS/Danielle Villasana A daily pill doubles the survival time of people with pancreatic cancer, one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of the condition, even after they have stopped responding to chemotherapy. What’s more, the convenient pill has fewer side effects than standard chemotherapy. “It’s a transformative treatment,” says Pilar Acedo at University College London, who wasn’t involved in the research. “For decades, [survival outcomes] haven’t changed for pancreatic cancer. [The new treatment] gives you double the amount of time to enjoy your life, be with your family and do things that you would like to do.” About 70 per cent of people with pancreatic cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage. A combination of no routine screening and vague symptoms, like a sore back, means that the condition is usually spotted when it has spread elsewhere. Standard treatment involves chemotherapy, but even then, most people only survive for about three to six months, on average. “The disease …

Dame Mary Berry to receive prestigious Bafta Fellowship for ‘transformative’ Great British Bake Off role

Dame Mary Berry to receive prestigious Bafta Fellowship for ‘transformative’ Great British Bake Off role

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Culinary icon Dame Mary Berry is set to receive the prestigious Bafta Fellowship for her exceptional contribution to TV. The 91-year-old has described the honour as “the icing on the cake” and said she was “completely overwhelmed” by the news. Dame Mary will be presented with the accolade at the Bafta Television Awards in May. “What an honour for a cook to receive the Bafta Fellowship,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it – for just doing what I love.” Bafta, which bestows the fellowship as its highest individual accolade for “an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film, games or television”, lauded Dame Mary as “one of the UK’s most beloved broadcasters”. Dame Mary Berry attends the Sky Women in Film and Television Awards (PA Archive) Her career spans six decades, beginning in the 1970s, with her role as a judge on …

The most transformative thing you can do for your brain isn’t mental

The most transformative thing you can do for your brain isn’t mental

Published by Jenni Sidey

What you do with your body affects your brain. And what you think with your brain also has an effect on the physiology of your body. It works both ways. People have known that experience can change the brain ever since it became known that the brain was the seat of consciousness, thought and experience. The brain must undergo change to grow and to be plastic. Memory tends to decrease with age because our brains, like the rest of our body tends to age and function does not continue the way it does when we’re young. One of the things that you can do to keep your brain happy and functioning well as you get older is to have a mentally engaged lifestyle. Every single time you move your body you are giving your brain what I like to call a wonderful bubble bath of neurochemicals. Those neurochemicals include dopamine serotonin noradrenaline endorphins. Here’s the good news: You don’t have to be a marathon runner to get this, because even ten minutes of walking will …

Presiding Bishop George R. Lucey, FCM, releases two new works exploring faith, inclusion, and the transformative power of Christ’s love

Presiding Bishop George R. Lucey, FCM, releases two new works exploring faith, inclusion, and the transformative power of Christ’s love

Published by Sam Flores

Catholic theology informed from Vatican Council II WEST ORANGE, N.J. — Bishop George R. Lucey, FCM, Presiding Bishop of the American National Catholic Church, has released two new books offering timely reflections on faith, community, and the healing presence of Christ in the lives of those often overlooked by institutional religion. Together, Where Else Shall We Go, Lord? Reflections on Christ’s Love and Compassion for Those at the Margin of the Church and Shepherding Peace present a compelling pastoral and theological vision for a Church rooted in mercy, justice, and authentic welcome. A Pilgrimage of Faith and Belonging: Where Else Shall We Go, Lord? In Where Else Shall We Go, Lord?, Bishop George R. Lucey, FCM, offers a deeply personal and spiritually rich exploration of God’s transformative love. Drawing from his decades of ministry as a priest, bishop, and theologian, Lucey reflects on the central question at the heart of Christian life: What difference does Jesus make? Part memoir, part theological meditation, the book invites readers into a journey through the joys and tensions of …

Promoting Civic Friendship: The Transformative Power of Public Spaces

Promoting Civic Friendship: The Transformative Power of Public Spaces

Published by Jenni Sidey

The neighborhood in Lisbon where I spend a lot of my time is densely populated. It has undergone many changes, with new cafes and restaurants catering to youngsters as well as a significant influx of immigrants. Increased population and tourism put pressure on infrastructure, and local branches of government have been slow to respond. The bus I take is overcrowded. Garbage collection is falling behind. The local hospital is understaffed and underqualified: almost no one can address those seeking care in English. Immigrants are often met with hostility and frustration. The result is a chaotic neighborhood that feels vibrant and diverse, but also exasperating and hostile. It’s a striking contrast with the recent history of some areas surrounding this neighborhood, which were part of an innovative project: the SAAL—Serviço de Apoio Ambulatório Local, which was meant to “support, through the municipal council, initiatives by poorly housed populations to collaborate in transforming their own neighbourhoods” (my translation). When it was abruptly terminated in 1976, SAAL counted 41,665 families involved, 2,259 homes that had started to be …

Psychologist explains why patience can be transformative

Psychologist explains why patience can be transformative

Published by José Betancourt

PsyPost’s PodWatch highlights interesting clips from recent podcasts related to psychology and neuroscience. On Monday, January 19, 2026, the Hidden Brain podcast, hosted by Shankar Vedantam, featured psychologist Sarah Schnitker. The episode, titled “You 2.0: The Practice of Patience,” challenged the conventional view of patience as a passive trait. Schnitker framed it instead as an active form of emotional regulation that protects mental and physical health. In the first half of the interview, Vedantam and Schnitker discussed the boundaries of healthy patience. Schnitker explained that virtuous patience occupies a “sweet spot” between the extremes of recklessness and passivity. She noted that true patience often requires courage, citing Martin Luther King Jr.’s approach to civil rights as an example of active waiting rather than resignation. Research tracking personal goals supported this distinction. Schnitker mentioned a study showing that individuals who balanced patience with courage were able to pursue their objectives effectively. Those who lacked courage often slipped into passivity, failing to make progress despite their willingness to wait. Later in the episode, the conversation shifted to …

‘It’s sacred and transformative’: Somerset holds Saxon-inspired festival to embrace ‘month of mud’ | Environment

‘It’s sacred and transformative’: Somerset holds Saxon-inspired festival to embrace ‘month of mud’ | Environment

Published by Jenni Sidey

A misty, rainy day in the uplands of Somerset and the mud was thick and sticky. In some patches, just putting one foot in front of the other without plunging into the mire felt like a win. But Jon Barrett, a community engagement officer for the Quantock Hills national landscape, had a broad grin on his face as he negotiated the ooze. “I know for some, mud may be their nemesis at this time of year but we’re trying to celebrate it, get people to embrace it,” Barrett said. Barrett and his colleagues are running a Month of Mud festival in February, inspired by the Anglo Saxon name for this time of year – Solmōnaþ, sometimes translated as “mud month” (a second possible translation is month of cakes). The landscape team is holding events ranging from squelchy hikes to art sessions in which participants are shown how to make mix the red-hued mud with honey to make paint. There will also be story-telling sessions focusing on earthy legends. “We’re keen to reconnect people with mud,” …

Inside Michelle Obama’s most transformative fashion year yet as she turns 62

Inside Michelle Obama’s most transformative fashion year yet as she turns 62

Published by Daniella Wilson

Michelle Obama has long woven fashion into her political identity, using her wardrobe to spotlight emerging designers and project warmth and approachability throughout her tenure in the White House. She embraced everything from bold colors and cozy knits to elegant chiffon gowns and refined A-line silhouettes. Each look had to be ready for whatever the day demanded – often while challenging expectations and redefining traditional First Lady dressing norms. However, as she turns 62 on January 17, Michelle’s fashion sense is more liberating than ever. She has begun experimenting with more risqué ensembles, documenting this evolution in her book The Look, which debuted late last year. The Look was published on November 4. “Beautifully illustrated with more than 200 photographs, including never-before-seen images, The Look is a stunning journey through Michelle Obama’s style evolution, in her own words for the first time,” reads the synopsis. “In this celebration of style, from the moment she entered the public eye during her husband’s U.S. Senate campaign through her time as the first Black First Lady of the …