Maybe it was your mum telling you to stand up straighter. Maybe it was a fitness instructor constantly reminding you to pull your belly button toward your spine. Or maybe it was the cultural messaging that a flatter stomach is simply more attractive.
For many women, after years of being told to “suck it in” – also referred to as “stomach gripping”– it just becomes a way of life. But physical therapists say the habit can have consequences that go far beyond appearance.
Over time, what starts as a conscious effort can become automatic.
“That becomes an unconscious holding pattern,” Dr. Caroline Packard, a pelvic floor physical therapist and founder of Connect Pelvic Floor Fitness, told HuffPost.
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“I call this ab gripping, and I see it all the time clinically in women dealing with pelvic floor symptoms, core dysfunction, back pain, hip pain and breathing restrictions.”
According to Packard, many people assume stomach gripping is simply a bad habit. But in some cases, it’s actually the body’s attempt to compensate for a deeper problem.
“What most people don’t realise is that sometimes the gripping isn’t just a habit,” she said. “It’s the body looking for stability when the deep core system isn’t providing it. When the core’s deeper muscles aren’t coordinating the way they should, the surface muscles step in because something has to.”
“The body is resourceful that way,” she continued. “But surface tension was never designed to be a full-time job.”
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Experts say this pattern, sometimes referred to as “hourglass syndrome,” can affect everything from breathing mechanics and pelvic floor function to posture and chronic back pain.
What is ‘hourglass syndrome’?
Hourglass syndrome isn’t a formal medical diagnosis. Rather, it’s a term clinicians use to describe a common pattern of abdominal tension.
According to Packard, years of pulling the stomach inward can train the body to rely on the outer abdominal muscles for stability instead of the deeper muscles that are designed to support breathing, posture and pressure management.
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“Hourglass syndrome is what that looks like on the outside,” Packard said. “On the inside, the surface muscles you can grip with are doing too much, and the deeper system that’s supposed to coordinate pressure has gotten quieter and quieter.”
This habit can cause issues with your breathing, pelvic floor and your back
Melissa Brandon, a pelvic floor physical therapist and founder of Homebody Wellness, told HuffPost that the pattern is surprisingly common and often goes unnoticed.
“In my clinical practice, I see underlying abdominal gripping in at least 75% of clients I work with, and it is often subconscious,” she said.
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Brandon explains that chronic abdominal tension changes how the body manages pressure.
“Many people think ‘sucking it in’ is a harmless posture habit, but chronic abdominal gripping can fundamentally change the way we breathe, move and coordinate pressure throughout the body,” she said.
Normally, the diaphragm moves downward during inhalation as the rib cage expands and the pelvic floor lengthens in response. But when the upper abs stay tight, breathing becomes more shallow and chest-driven.
Brandon said this can increase reliance on the neck and upper chest muscles, making breathing less efficient and more effortful.
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Packard adds that the diaphragm and pelvic floor are meant to function as a coordinated system. When one is restricted, the other is affected.
“When you grip your upper abs, you restrict the diaphragm from being able to lower and expand,” Packard said. “The pelvic floor never gets the input it needs to lengthen.”
Dmytro Petryna via Getty Images
Becoming too used to gripping your stomach over time can not only affect your muscles there but other systems in your body — including your breathing.
Over time, this altered pressure system may contribute to urinary leakage, pelvic pressure, prolapse, painful sex and persistent lower back pain.
Packard notes that these symptoms are often misinterpreted as weakness.
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“Here’s what surprises people: the pelvic floor in these cases usually isn’t weak in the way people imagine. It’s tight,” Packard explains. “Imagine holding your bicep contracted all day. By the time you actually went to use it, it would be tired and it wouldn’t work very well.”
You can’t simply Kegel your way out of this one
Because of this, she cautions that more Kegels are not always helpful. If the pelvic floor is already shortened and overactive, strengthening alone can reinforce the problem.
Brandon agrees that the first step is not strengthening.
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“Stop defaulting to more Kegels,” she said. “For many women, the first step isn’t strengthening. It’s learning how to relax, lengthen and coordinate the system.”
Back pain is also a sign of hourglass syndrome. When the body’s deeper stabilising muscles aren’t coordinating properly, other muscles often compensate. The lower back, hips and rib cage may take on more work than they were designed to handle.
According to Brandon, this can contribute to chronic back pain, tension and difficulties managing pressure through the trunk.
“The diaphragm becomes less efficient, forcing our accessory neck muscles to work harder,” she explains. “Our obliques can become overactive, while our deepest core stabiliser, the transverse abdominis, takes a back seat, leading to back pain and issues with trunk pressure management.”
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These are the signs you’ve been ‘gripping’ your stomach too much
Experts say common signs include:
A visible crease beneath the ribs
Difficulty fully relaxing the abdomen
Feeling uncomfortable when you let your stomach soften
Shallow chest breathing
Chronic tension in the jaw, ribs, hips or lower back
Trouble sensing or coordinating the pelvic floor
A persistent lower-belly pooch that doesn’t improve with more abdominal exercises
And this is how you actually start healing
Both Packard and Brandon emphasise that the first step is awareness of when and how abdominal gripping is happening.
Build awareness in real time. Packard said, “You can’t change a pattern you can’t feel.” Brandon similarly encourages people to regularly check in and ask, “Am I gripping my belly?” The goal is simply noticing the habit without judgment.
Practice relaxing the abdomen, not bracing it. Both experts stress that early work is about learning to soften the belly repeatedly throughout the day, rather than trying to constantly engage it.
Relearn breathing mechanics through 360-degree expansion. Packard recommends diaphragmatic or 360-degree breathing, where the focus includes the sides and back of the rib cage — not just the front — to restore more balanced diaphragm movement.
Pay attention to body position. Packard emphasises stacking the rib cage over the pelvis and pelvis over the feet to support more efficient pressure management and reduce compensatory gripping.
Improve rib mobility. Gentle side bends, rotations, and breathing into the back and sides of the rib cage can help restore movement in areas that may have become restricted over time.
Focus on coordination before strengthening. Packard notes that for many people, especially those already holding chronic tension, more Kegels are not the first step. The priority is learning how to relax, lengthen, and coordinate the system before adding strength work.
Undo the habit through repetition, not intensity. Brandon emphasises that unlearning abdominal gripping takes time and consistency, especially since it is often a subconscious pattern.
“One final reframe: the question of whether the pelvic floor is ‘tight’ or ‘weak’ is, in my view, the wrong question,” Packard said.
Instead, she said it’s important to ask these questions:
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Where are you holding tension in your body?
Can you feel your pelvic floor lengthen, like a trampoline descending between your hips, on an inhale?
Can you feel it lift and squeeze on an exhale?
Can you do that smoothly, breath after breath, without gripping somewhere else?
Can you do it while you’re moving?
According to Packard, this is the real measure of pelvic floor health.
“It’s the lens ‘suck it in’ culture has taught generations of women to ignore. Healing ab gripping isn’t about letting yourself go. It’s about letting your body work the way it was designed to work.”
If there’s one thing we all know about toddlers, it’s that they are capable of throwing some epic wobblies, over seemingly small things.
Of course, to a two-year-old, their banana breaking (or – even worse – you cutting it up for them when they wanted it whole) is a life-shattering ordeal.
But how’s best to respond when young kids do have the meltdown to end all meltdowns?
One therapist previously said asking them a “tiny, non-threatening question” can help distract in the moment (I’ll be honest, I don’t think my child would even hear me over the screeching).
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For parenting coach Gen Muir, verbalising what you’re seeing – from the reason they’re having a tantrum, to the emotions they’re experiencing – can help. (She used this with her children and said it vanquished a banana-induced meltdown in seven seconds).
Parents tried ignoring a tantrum and said it worked
One parent shared on Reddit how their toddler was refusing to eat dinner and then threw a hissy because she’d been told there were no other things to eat.
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Despite throwing what her parent called “the biggest tantrum” they “ignored her, continued to eat and when we finished, we started cleaning up”.
Their child, meanwhile, calmed herself down, got back on her chair and ate her dinner.
The parent noted that “ignoring” their daughter’s tantrums – instead of making demands or trying to calm her down – has “worked really well”.
Other parents agreed this strategy has worked for them, too. “Our nearly 3yo [3-year-old] has been really pushing it lately. Ignoring has helped MY sanity as much as anything.”
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Another said: “Ignoring also worked well with my toddler! They’re not really capable of using logic when they’re in a state like that so I realised pretty quickly that trying to reason with her or talk her down was only making it drag out longer.”
What do experts think of the ignoring technique?
Therapist Heidi Soholt, who is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), said: “It’s not so much ignoring that is the key to being able to diffuse a tantrum – it’s more to do with being able to stay calm.
“By doing this you are communicating to your child that you can handle and contain their big emotions, and that they are safe.”
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Young children in the throes of a tantrum often feel completely overwhelmed with emotion and need help to feel calm. Staying close, and calm, can help them regulate, added the therapist.
Dr Sasha Hall, senior educational and child psychologist, suggested that ignoring a tantrum can be an “effective strategy” in some situations, particularly when a child has learned that a certain behaviour results in extra attention, negotiation or a change in boundaries.
It might even reduce power struggles and help children learn that certain behaviours will not change their parent’s decision.
“However, it is important to distinguish between ignoring a behaviour and ignoring a child,” she warned.
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“Young children learn about relationships through repeated interactions with their caregivers. During moments of distress, they are not only learning about rules and expectations, they are also learning what to expect from the adults around them.”
There is a risk of parents interpreting this approach as withdrawing connection whenever a child is upset – and that’s not advised.
“If children repeatedly experience adults becoming emotionally unavailable during moments of distress, they may begin to learn that expressing big feelings leads to disconnection,” said Dr Hall.
“Not all tantrums are the same. A child protesting a limit is different from a child who is overwhelmed, frightened, exhausted or struggling to regulate their emotions.”
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In these situations, she suggested ignoring the behaviour may not address the underlying need.
What to try instead
For Dr Hall, the most effective response is to hold the boundary while remaining emotionally present. This could mean sitting nearby but staying firm in whatever it is they’re sad or angry about – whether that’s you not letting them have ice cream for dinner, or the fact you wouldn’t let them wee on your drive (yes I’m absolutely speaking from experience).
“While you certainly don’t need to be giving into your child’s demands, children do benefit from adults remaining emotionally available, predictable and responsive, even when they are holding a firm boundary,” she added.
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Experts recommend checking in after a tantrum has passed to talk over what happened and what they could do to help manage their big feelings next time.
Bukayo Saka was the only player not involved in group training as England continued preparations for their second match of the World Cup against Ghana.
The Arsenal winger spent Saturday’s session indoors working on an individual programme as he continues to deal with an Achilles issue he has been managing since March.
England meet Ghana in Boston on Tuesday (21:00 BST) with both sides having started Group L with a victory.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel was on the training pitch at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City with 25 of his 26 players as baseball team the KC Royals watched on alongside opponents St Louis Cardinals after the two had played on Friday night.
Before the tournament, Tuchel said Saka would require managing through the opening stages because of what is understood to be an Achilles tendinitis issue.
Saka has insisted he was ready to play and was prepared to “gamble” on his fitness to help the team during the World Cup.
However, Tuchel said the 24-year-old is unlikely to start until the final Group L game against Panama in New Jersey on Saturday, 27 June (22:00 BST).
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“Bukayo is ready and will get more and more ready,” Tuchel said. “I think once we go to the last game of this group he will be ready.”
Saka has been carrying the issue for some time, and while there was concern behind the scenes at Arsenal, they deemed the forward fit enough to start regularly during their triumphant title run-in.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is often very guarded with regards to his players’ injury concerns and has generally kept information about Saka’s condition in-house.
But Tuchel’s admission the 24-year-old has to be managed through at least part of the World Cup has thrust the winger’s fitness into the limelight.
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Tuchel’s latest comments appear to show that the German is protecting Saka, knowing the winger will likely be a crucial asset during the latter stages of the tournament – but could also start against Ghana if required.
The care home previously had complaints about safeguarding in 2024 but has now been rated ‘good’ in its latest inspection
A care home that previously had concerns raised about resident safety has improved its inspection rating. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) carried out an unannounced inspection at Aria Court care home in Coronation Close, March, between April 28 and May 1.
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CQC previously found the care home in breach of regulations relating to safe care and treatment, safe staffing and governance at its last inspection in 2024. The care home has improved on this, with CQC stating that it is no longer in breach of the regulations.
The care home was previously rated good in only effective, caring, and responsive in 2024, and requires improvement in safe and well-led, with an overall requires improvement grade. This has improved to good in all areas and is an overall good grade.
Sreeja Vijayan, home manager at the care home, is “absolutely delighted” with the inspection. Sreeja added: “This recognition reflects the dedication, compassion and hard work shown by our entire team every day!”
“We are incredibly proud of this achievement and would like to thank our residents, families and colleagues for their continued trust and support.” Inspectors acknowledged there had been improvements made to governance oversight, leadership assurance, incident review, staffing arrangements and quality monitoring systems.
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This “provided assurance” to inspectors that action had been taken. Inspectors spoke to people’s experience of the service and this was “largely positive”.
The report added: “People told us they were happy with the care they received and felt staff knew them very well.” A family member told CQC that the staff were “kind and friendly” while another said care was delivered in a “calm and unhurried way”.
During the visit, inspectors said people appeared comfortable, well-presented and settled. People also had good access to care, activities and support, including those who were nursed in bed or were unable to communicate verbally.
Overall, CQC said people experienced “kind, personalised and responsive care” and they felt “safe, respected and supported”.
Cleveland Police said they have secured more than £16 million in confiscation orders, targeting everything from cash and property to high-value designer goods.
More than £500,000 in cash, watches, diamonds, gold, houses, cars, designer clothing and even a pension are among the assets seized by Cleveland Police under the Proceeds of Crime Act, in addition to freezing bank accounts.
In once case when officers pulled over a car and spoke with a very nervous driver, who seemed suspicious, they carried out a search of the vehicle.
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In the footwell of the passenger seat, they found a huge amount of cash – £129,355.
The man was arrested on suspicion of possession of criminal property and the cash was recovered by the arresting officers.
During a different investigation into drugs activity, £300,000 in cash and other assets including several Rolex watches were recovered.
This led to financial enquiries being carried out by the Economic Crime Unit, which identified several bank accounts containing tens of thousands of pounds, all of which were then frozen under POCA.
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Organised Crime Chief Inspector, Dave Glass said: “The work of the Economic Crime Unit ensures that crime doesn’t pay.
“We disrupt criminal activity by removing the benefit of crime from criminals at every opportunity.
“We can confiscate all kinds of assets – houses, savings, cars, and even pensions.
“Literally anything that we believe has been paid for with money made from criminal activity, we can seize.”
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The team has also targeted digital assets, making their first cryptocurrency seizure in 2024 in a blackmail case involving a teenager.
Although there were no charges or convictions, more than £9,000 in cryptocurrency linked to criminal activity on messaging app Telegram was seized.
The unit’s work is supported by Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Matt Storey, who recently approved funding for an additional investigator after a staff member secured £266,000 in confiscated assets since April 2024.
Among the more unusual seizures was a pension fund, eventually used to repay a charity that was targeted by its CEO.
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After stealing more than £128,000 to fund a lavish lifestyle, the individual was found to have a pension pot worth more than £300,000.
The funds were cashed in and used to compensate the charity in full.
In another case, diamonds worth more than £3,000 were found in a caravan during a drugs investigation.
Initially mistaken for cubic zirconia, the gems and other assets were later forfeited under POCA.
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Investigators can also freeze accounts and restrain assets during ongoing investigations to prevent suspects from disposing of them.
Homes, cars, and even animals have been seized where evidence linked them to criminal profits.
Mr Storey said: “The work of this team often goes unseen, carried out quietly and diligently behind the scenes, but it is absolutely essential.”
Chief Inspector Glass said the work not only disrupts criminal networks but helps compensate victims and returns money to communities.
A 36-year-old white Scottish man has been arrested (Picture: Edward Hughes /PA Wire)
A range of attacks have been carried out in Edinburgh appearing to target the Muslim community.
Counter terror police have confirmed they are investigating the incidents which left five men – two aged 22, and others aged 24, 27 and 39 – with a range of injuries.
Three of the men were taken to hospital and none of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening.
A 36-year-old white Scottish man has been arrested.
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Police were called to the first report at 8.50pm on Friday to the Sighthill area where two men were injured.
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More reports started coming in about incidents at different retailers across the west and north of the city.
Three other men were attacked in the Telford Road and Leith Walk area.
The Scottish Association of Mosques (SAM) said two of those hurt were ‘reportedly attacked after attending prayers at their local mosque’.
Footage posted to social media shows a topless man with a knife being pinned to the ground by officers.
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He shouts: ‘I am protecting the country.’
Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton said: ‘I want to send a clear message of support to all our communities that there is no place for racism or faith-based hate in a Scotland which is at its best when we stand together.
‘Officers responded to multiple reports of a fast-moving sequence of events across Edinburgh before arresting a man and public safety was our priority. Extensive work is ongoing to establish all the circumstances.’
First Minister John Swinney said he was ‘deeply concerned’ by the attacks.
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He added: ‘There is no place for violence, racism or intolerance in our country. I met community groups last week to assure them of the strong support of the government.’
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve has for decades moved steadily from a remote, opaque government agency that shared little about what it did or why to a more transparent institution willing to explain how it makes decisions and what it thinks about the economy.
But in his first press conference Wednesday, new chair Kevin Warsh began to reverse some of those steps. Warsh, like many economists, thinks the financial markets have become too dependent on Fed guidance, and that such direction is more effective in financial crises or economic downturns.
Warsh quickly made changes: The Fed’s statement on its interest-rate decision was slashed to 132 words, from 341 in April. And Warsh pointedly noted that the statement excluded any hints, or “forward guidance,” about what the Fed’s next moves might be.
In short, Warsh rapidly delivered on a promise to slash the Fed’s communications, particularly the guidance it gives to financial markets about its next interest-rate moves. Yet such an approach carries the risk of more violent swings in stock and bond prices, analysts say, and ultimately could lead to higher interest rates for consumers and businesses.
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“Forward guidance in general has served to suppress volatility and anchor market expectations,” said George Pearkes, global macro strategist at Bespoke Investment Group. “And that has led to lower borrowing rates, relative to alternatives.”
Still, the impact on consumers is likely to be modest, Pearkes added, with mortgage rates perhaps a quarter-point higher than they would be otherwise.
Financial markets see-sawed, then fell Wednesday after the statement and news conference. The yield on the 10-year Treasury, which strongly influences mortgage rates, jumped Wednesday to 4.49% from 4.43%, though it fell back in Thursday trading. The yield on the 2-year Treasury, which closely tracks expectations for Fed action, was 4.16% Thursday, up sharply from 4.05% before the Fed’s meeting. The broad S&P 500 stock index dropped 1.2% Wednesday.
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Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh speaks during a news conference following the Federal Open Market Committee meeting, Wednesday, June 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
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Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh speaks during a news conference following the Federal Open Market Committee meeting, Wednesday, June 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
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Warsh may be headed back to 1990s
Such swings could be a sign of things to come. Previous chairs have signaled the Fed’s next moves clearly enough that financial markets have largely anticipated the central bank’s actions. But Warsh has frequently cited as a model former chair Alan Greenspan, whose circumspect comments often kept investors guessing.
Greenspan, who served as chair from 1987 to 2005, did usher in the statement the Fed now issues after each meeting announcing its decision. The first statement was issued Feb. 4, 1994, and said the Fed would increase its key rate for the first time in five years. The move caught investors off-guard and the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 2.4% that day.
The paring back of Fed communications is part of a larger package of potential reforms to the central bank’s operations that Warsh signaled Wednesday. He announced that the Fed will set up five task forces to examine the Fed’s communications, its balance sheet, how it analyzes and gathers economic data, the impact of AI on productivity and jobs, and the frameworks it uses to analyze inflation.
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Warsh said the communications task force would consider changes to the quarterly economic projections the Fed issues as well as look at other recent innovations, including press conferences. Former chair Ben Bernanke was the first to hold them, though he did so only after every other Fed meeting. Warsh’s predecessor, Jerome Powell, shifted to holding them after every meeting.
Such steps are a sharp contrast with the 1990s, when Greenspan never explained a Fed decision, on the record, to reporters. Warsh could ultimately dial back some of the Fed’s increased transparency.
“This is a big change in how the Fed has conducted itself since the (2008-2009) global financial crisis,” Matthew Luzzetti, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank, said. “Since then there has been a one-way train to greater communication, more transparency, and more forward guidance. Warsh has now put that train in reverse.”
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Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s press conference appears on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
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Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s press conference appears on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
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Fed chairs have seen benefits to forward guidance
Previous Fed chairs, starting with Bernanke, have seen a clear benefit to more communication: It helps guide the markets in the direction the Fed wants. Fed officials control a short-term interest rate, but the rates that affect the economy — such as the yield on the 10-year Treasury — are heavily influenced by investors’ expectations for inflation and economic growth. By telegraphing their next moves, policymakers can cause those longer-term rates to change even before the Fed adjusts its own benchmark rate.
Yet Warsh’s view is that financial markets have become too dependent on Fed guidance. Instead, he wants investors to gauge where the Fed may move next by examining economic data and making their own judgments, which the Fed can then consider as part of their assessments of where the economy is headed.
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“Financial market prices are probably the most important source of information to guide central bankers,” Warsh said at Wednesday’s news conference.
Guidance can help with unexpected events
David Andolfatto, an economics professor at the University of Miami and former economist at the St. Louis Fed, said he agreed with Warsh that forward guidance has flaws. It can be easily upended by unexpected events, he said, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or the Iran war.
But the chair should set out guidelines for how the Fed will react to unexpected events, Andolfatto said, or to challenges such as the persistent inflation it is grappling with now, yet Warsh so far hasn’t done so.
“I’m with him on dispensing with forward guidance, but you have to replace it with a contingency plan,” Andolfatto said. “It’s not enough to say, trust me, we’ll keep inflation at target.”
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Ironically, Warsh’s decision to drop forward guidance may empower the other 18 members of the Fed’s rate-setting committee, Pearkes said. Those officials — six members of the Fed’s governing board, plus the presidents of the 12 regional Fed banks — frequently give public speeches, and their remarks will get even more attention as financial markets seek clues about what the Fed may do next.
A big challenge to Warsh’s approach will come if there is a sharp financial downturn or economic crisis, as occurred during the COVID pandemic. In those circumstances, economists said, forward guidance can play an important role calming markets.
“Whether it will stand the test of time and he will behave this way for five years is a very different question, but one that we’re going to have to wait for events to unfold to get an answer to,” Pearkes said.
In the latest series of Clarkson’s Farm, the presenter, 66, revealed that doctors had discovered a particularly ‘aggressive’ form of cancer.
However, he also said that it had been caught early, and that he had undergone surgery to remove part of his prostate.
Posting a follow-up video to his Instagram account on Saturday, Clarkson began: ‘The more observant among will have noticed I’m not dead.
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‘I’m not just not dead, I’m perfectly fine,’ he continued, joking: ‘My eyebrows in particular are looking very lustrous.’
He finished: ‘The reason why I’m fine is because the doctor’s caught the prostate cancer early and they caught it early because I got tested.’
Clarkson urged his followers to ‘get tested’ (Picture: Getty Images)
The video seemed to come direct from Clarkson’s farm, and featured the former Top Gear host walking through what looked like one of his meadows.
‘Thank you so much for all the kind messages I’ve had but now, a announcement,’ he wrote in the caption to the post.
After sharing the good news, he went on to encourage his followers to get themselves checked out, even if it means, ahem, embellishing symptoms to get a blood test.
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‘10,12 thousand people – men – die every year of prostate cancer,’ he said.
‘Don’t be one of them. Get tested,’ he signed off.
Clarkson’s diagnosis was revealed during an episode of his show (Picture: Amazon Prime Video)
Jeremy’s diagnosis came during the final episodes of Clarkson’s Farm’s fifth series.
He told co-stars Charlie Ireland and Kaleb Cooper: ‘I’ve got cancer,’ revealing that he’d known since May.
Later in the episode, Clarkson shared that he’d undergone surgery to remove ‘10%’ of his prostate, which is where the cancer lay.
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He can then be seen speaking from a hospital bed, saying that the treatment had ‘gone awry’.
‘I’m going to be here for a little while. I don’t know what’s going to happen,’ he tells the camera.
‘What I wanted to say was if this is all successful, I’ll see you in season six, and if it isn’t, I won’t. Take care, everyone.’
Ben Kane passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Saturday, June 13
Carrington Walker Live News Journalist and Ruairi Scott Byrne
18:08, 20 Jun 2026
Tributes have poured in for a young GAA star from Dublin “who brought so much joy and laughter into any room he entered”.
Ben Kane, from Glasnevin, died “suddenly and unexpectedly” on Saturday, June 13, according to a death notice published by his family on RIP.ie.
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Ben, known as ‘Kaner’ amongst friends, was the cherished son of Mary and Dermot, adored brother of Amélie and treasured grandson of Danny, Rita, Dan and the late Margaret and nephew of the late Linda, Dublin Live reports.
He will be deeply mourned by his extended family, aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives, neighbours, friends, teammates and fellow club members. Ben was an exceptionally gifted GAA player who remained a devoted member of CLG Na Fianna in Glasnevin throughout his life.
The Dublin club have shared a moving tribute to the well-loved young man in a statement posted on social media.
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“On behalf of CLG Na Fianna, we extend our deepest condolences to Dermot, Mary and Amélie on the passing of Ben Kane,” they said. “Kaner was a valued player, teammate and friend whose spirit, dedication and kindness touched everyone at the club.”
“We mourn the loss of a vibrant young life and will always remember his commitment on and off the pitch. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kane family at this heartbreaking time. Ar dheis Dé a raibh a anam.”
Ben studied at Trinity College and proved an integral part of their GAA squad, playing a crucial role as they secured the Senior Football Division 2 League title in 2024, while also helping guide the side to victory in the 2025 Trench Cup as the college reclaimed the trophy for the first time since 2012.
In tribute to the gifted sportsman, Trinity College Dublin G. A.A. stated: “TCD GAA extend our deepest condolences to Dermot, Mary and Amélie on the passing of former TCD footballer Ben Kane.
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“Kaner was a valued teammate – a caring, sound and all round gent. He was a key player in the 2024 League success, 2025 Trench Cup run and 2022 All Ireland Fresher victory. We mourn the loss of this life taken too early. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kane family and friends at this heartbreaking time. Ní bheidh a leithéid ann arís.”
Ben remained extremely popular amongst teammates and fellow students at both Trinity College and Ardscoil Rís secondary school, with numerous tributes flooding in for the accomplished footballer, who has been fondly remembered as being “ten times the man off the pitch that he was on it”.
A close friend of Ben’s shared: “I was lucky enough to know Kaner through GAA from nursery right through to adult football. I’ll never forget the years of him cheekily dinking the ball over my head in shooting drills, and running off laughing with that big smile on his face.
“He was one of the nicest people you could ever meet, and I will always remember working nights with him, spending hours laughing and joking, while also having the kind of conversations that helped me with life. He was so intelligent, caring, and always had time for others.
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“Looking back at the photos and videos from all of the nights out with the team, he was the life and soul of every night and someone who made every occasion better just by being there.
“My thoughts are with Dermot, Mary, Amelie, and all his family and friends at this difficult time. May he rest in peace.”
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A fellow Trinity teammate paid tribute, saying: “When I met Ben playing football in first year in college, I was struck by what an amazing player he was. I learnt over the next few years that he was ten times the man off the pitch that he was on it. He was the kindest, funniest and most genuine lad in the dressing room, and he always lit the place up with his grin.
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“I’d like to offer my sincerest condolences to Ben’s family, friends and club mates. He’ll be sadly missed by everyone lucky enough to have known him.”
A further teammate also paid his respects, adding: “I was genuinely privileged to have met Ben playing freshers GAA in TCD in 2021. I am even more privileged to have become good friends over the following years together.
“Ben had the jokes to make an entire dressing room laugh, but he was also extremely kind, and always had a genuine interest in what a friend had to say, with a few words of advice always provided.
“He was truly a lovely person, as well as a fabulous footballer, and will be sorely missed by all who knew him.”
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Meanwhile, a classmate from Ben’s time at Ardscoil Rís shared: “I was fortunate enough to spend 6 years in ASR with Ben and a significant amount of time in BESS with him too.
“He was truly a larger than life personality who brought so much joy and laughter into any room he entered. My lasting memories of him all centre around him having everyone in stitches laughing – either in a classroom, college lecture hall or a football pitch.
“I am truly at a loss for words – my deepest condolences and thoughts go to his family at this time. Fly high Kaner.”
Ben’s funeral took place at Our Lady of Dolours Church on Botanic Road on Friday, before he was laid to rest at Glasnevin Cemetery.
He said complications during major surgery left him wondering if he would survive
The partner of Corrie and I’m A Celebrity star Sair Khan thought he would die after undergoing major surgery to remove part of his pelvis.
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Nathan Chilton, 39, from Stockport, was diagnosed with with chondroblastoma – a very rare, non-cancerous bone tumour – in 2013 after complaining of pain in his groin.
An MRI scan found a squash-ball sized lesion which was removed. Years later the tumour returned and he needed much more extensive surgery.
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In 2022, Nathan had an internal hemipelvectomy, an eight-hour operation that involved removing 75 per cent of the right side of his pelvis and replacing it with a titanium plate.
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During the surgery, he lost so much blood, he wondered if he would survive. “I thought it was lights out,” he said. “It was a very unreal place to be.”
He spent three weeks at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham and, after the operation, had to retrain how to walk.
His ordeal was not over. Following the surgery, he was told the tumour had spread to his lungs. The nodules on his lungs are now said to be stable and there has been no recurence in his pelvis.
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“Living with a benign bone tumour has been an absolute rollercoaster,” added Nathan, who has a two-year-old son with Sair who plays Alya Nazir in the ITV soap.
“Multiple surgeries, a lot of physical and mental pain, and even more uncertainty. But I’ve learned that you don’t have to let your struggles define you. Rather they help create a better version of you.
“Adversity and obstacles create character, develop resilience and give you skills that are transferable in all areas of your life. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been a tough ride, but it’s made me who I am today.
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“I want to negotiate challenges with grace and humility and leave a legacy of footage or videos showing people, especially my son, what is possible – especially after facing challenge after challenge of me living my life and doing the best I can.”
Nathan, a chiropractor originally from Derbyshire, was also diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes in 2018.
He said he began hiking as an ‘outlet’ and that it ‘changed [his] perspective on life’. He is now to take on the Peak District Ultra Challenge – a gruelling 75km trek – on July 4 and 5.
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He will be raising funds for Sarcoma UK, a charity that supports people with sarcoma, a rare type of cancer that starts in the soft tissue.
Even though Nathan’s tumour was not classed as a sarcoma, he went through the same medical route as many sarcoma patients – same specialists, scans and the same major operation
“I want to bring hope and inspire people who have had surgery,” he said.
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Adding: “This walk is about showing what’s possible after all of that. Not just for me, but for anyone facing something similar. I want to show my son that limitations are the ones we put on ourselves and that mindset is everything.” You can find out more and donate HERE.
Sarcoma UK’s Support Line Adviser, Carly McDonald, said: “Nathan’s story is really extraordinary. His experience, the surgeries, the uncertainty, the sheer determination to rebuild his life, mirrors what so many of the people we support go through every day.
“The fact that he’s now walking 75km on a pelvis that is largely titanium is just remarkable. At Sarcoma UK, we’re incredibly grateful that Nathan has chosen to raise funds for us, and we know his story will bring real hope to patients and families facing similarly daunting diagnoses.”
“So now there’s a group of us, (food writer) Giles Coren, David, me, one or two other people, and we meet for lunch every so often. Everybody has different Gleason scores, and everybody has different Stockholm and PSA scores. We all compare notes and I actually get muddled with what mine were.
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