News Juice! Is Britain Preparing for Battle?

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Should We Embrace Negative Emotions? In his book Shift, award-winning Psychologist Ethan Kross argues that negative emotions can be learning tools that pass crucial information. Trying to squash negative emotions such as fear and envy can be counterproductive. Instead, We should learn to live with them and use them as guides to better our lives.
What Gen Z Really Think About Dictatorships: Contrary to a recent Channel 4 study which suggested Gen Z are overwhelmingly in favour of authoritarian government, another recent study shows very different results. In a survey of 1,000 13-27-year-olds, participants were asked if they preferred a ‘dictator’; only 22 per cent said yes. This contrasts with the 52 per cent recorded by Channel 4 when young participants answered yes to preferring a ‘stronger leader.’ When the same participants were further questioned about whether they wanted a government with no checks and balances on the MP and no national elections, only around 6 per cent of Gen Z appeared to support dictatorships.
What’s Prompted the ‘Unprecedented’ State Visit? Kind Charles has invited Donald Trump for a state visit. This marks a first for an elected political leader to be hosted twice by a British monarch. Trump’s first visit was in 2018 under Queen Elizabeth II.
Is Britain Preparing for War? In the biggest increase since the Cold War, Keir Starmer has promised to raise the UK’s defence budget to 2.5 per cent, up from 2.3 per cent, from April 2027. Speaking on The Times radio programme, former British Military intelligence officer Philip Ingram has argued that this should be raised to 3 or 5 per cent of GDP because the path to World War III is becoming ‘clearer.’
Will the US and Russia Cut Military Spending? In response to President Donald Trump’s proposal that Russia and the US cut their military spending by 50 per cent, President Vladimir Putin has said: ‘We think it’s a good proposal and we are ready for a discussion about this.’
Why Britain’s Medical Profession ‘Urgently Needs … Equality’: Research by the Sutton Trust and University College London reveals only 5 per cent of entrants to UK medical schools come from working-class backgrounds. Nick Harrison, chief executive of the Sutton Trusts said: ‘Working-class entry into medicine is in a critical condition. The profession urgently needs a shot of equality.’
Can Parenthood Keep You Young? According to Rutgers Health and Yale University research, parenting may benefit your brain. A sample of 37,000 people has revealed that those with children and those with a greater number of children had better brain connectivity in key brain networks, especially those concerned with movement and sensation. This challenges the idea that parenting increases stress, suggesting instead that it could be beneficial for brain health.