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Airlines have criticised the UK’s air traffic control system after a second technical problem in two weeks caused major disruption to UK flights

EasyJet said Monday’s incident “once again calls into question the resilience” of how the service works, while Wizz Air said there was a “national confidence crisis” in National Air Traffic Services (Nats), which runs the UK’s air traffic.

The technical problem at Prestwick in Ayrshire caused disruption at airports across Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England, delaying dozens of flights.

Nats said a “connectivity issue” was to blame for the disruption, and that it had “nothing to do” with a separate software defect at Swanwick that led to the cancellation of 2,000 flights earlier in September.

The underlying issue causing Monday’s disruption has since been resolved, with Nats saying it was running at “full capacity” although officials warned of knock-on effects.

A spokesperson said they were now “focused on working with our customers to recover their residual delays and help get their operations back to normal”.

According to aviation analytics company Cirium, as of 13:45 BST, at least 200 flights had been cancelled or did not fly on Monday. This includes 100 flights scheduled to arrive in the UK and 99 that were due to depart from the UK.

Easyjet was the worst affected airline, with 47 of its 670 scheduled departures cancelled, while British Airways has seen 11 cancellations from its 513 scheduled departures.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority said passengers who had flights disrupted were “unlikely” to be entitled to compensation.

It said the technical issue is “likely to be considered the result of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ under passenger rights rules”, meaning that “although passengers should be looked after by airlines, they are unlikely to be entitled to compensation for delays or cancellations that were directly caused by the incident”.

Industry representative body Airlines UK said both passengers and airlines “deserve better” service after “yet another Nats failure”.

Managing director of Wizz Air UK, Yvonne Moynihan, called for “urgent reform” of Nats, adding that she did not have confidence in its current leadership.

When asked by BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme whether Nats chief Martin Rolfe should resign, Moynihan said: “We need to look at the leadership at the top. But more than that, what are the board of directors doing?”

Jet2 boss Steve Heapy called for “urgent and accountable” action to bolster the UK’s air traffic control infrastructure.

Ryanair reiterated its calls for Rolfe to resign, saying he had failed to deliver” either a reliable system or an effective back-up”. The latest outage affected 140 of the airline’s flights and 25,000 passengers.

British Airways said “yet another technical fault with Nats” was “disappointing”.

Consumer preference for wellness ingredients has been shifting from traditional supplement formats, like capsules or tablets, towards foods and drinks with functional properties, which are often perceived as a more natural and less intrusive approach to health and wellness.

As a result, functional beverage launches are accelerating globally, with energy drinks, FAB, iced tea & carbonated soft drink applications all on trend for formulation with botanical ingredients. 

Beverages represent a convenient category that eases the intake of bioactive botanicals, as beverage consumption is a natural habit associated with a healthy lifestyle, social activities, relaxation, and mindful rituals. Natural sources of caffeine and hydration, like guarana, coconut water, green tea extract, and ginger, continue to lead botanical adoption, while sources of natural vitamin C and ashwagandha are driving growth.

To further explore the formulation possibilities in this category, Givaudan recently conducted a global consumer survey to gain insights into consumer needs and core purchasing motivations – including information on key botanicals and color expectations.

Amaize® Orange Red in electrolyte beverage. 

| Photo: ©Givaudan Sense Colour

Understanding consumer needs

The rise of functional and enhanced hydration beverages reflects a shift toward smart replenishment, where new natural ingredients deliver wellness, without compromising on taste or transparency.

“We conducted this research to better understand the evolving expectations consumers have for functional beverages and to identify the emotional and wellness drivers shaping purchasing decisions,” says Marion Veyrines, Global Marketing Manager for Protein & Initiatives at Givaudan. “These proprietary insights help brands create more targeted and meaningful beverage experiences.”

“Through this research we have identified seven ‘need states’, or reasons why people are consuming functional beverages,” Veyrines continues. “Motivations range from a desire to increase immunity or gut health, increase hydration or replenish energy, all the way to indulgence, and relaxation.”

Whether it’s a sparkling water, vitamin-enriched juice, or increasingly preferred instant tablets and dry mixes, the message is clear: beverage choices now come with a functional boost, highlighting clean energy, mental health, gut health & immunity, and health & beauty. 

Targeted health is becoming increasingly important as individuals seek specific benefits from their beverages. For instance, Gen Z often focuses on Mental Health, while Boomers prioritize Healthy Aging. 

Natural Ingredients, Natural Colors

Givaudan’s research also examined the associations between each need state and key botanical or functional ingredients as well as beverage colors. These considerations are important for functional beverage formulation because they can have a significant impact on stability, which can make or break consumer interest in a product. 

“Colors can interact with functional ingredients in a formulation,” Catalina Ospina, Technical Marketing Specialist with Givaudan Sense Colour. ‘Ingredients like lemon balm, as well as green and black tea, which are associated with relaxation, have polyphenols that can cause certain natural colors to precipitate or shift their shade, for example. So, it’s important to balance consumer expectations for certain need states with what is actually feasible in ready to drink options.” 

“Because of these interactions, there are some advantages to formulating dry mix beverages in powder and tablet formats,” Ospina continues. “Through these applications, we can minimize or eliminate the long-term interaction and ensure a reliable visual presentation for a consistent consumer sensory experience.”

Beyond Color

Natural colors also play a synergistic role in the perception of wellness and functionality, through the now increasing awareness of a certain “healthy halo”. 

“Consumers associate sources of color like fruit and vegetable juices, or pigments extracted from plants with wholesomeness, naturality, green manufacturing practices, as well as functional attributes, even if the rates of use don’t warrant any biological effect.” Says Ospina. “Labels like anthocyanins, grape skin extract, curcumin, carotenes, and chlorophylls, are familiar to health-conscious consumers and can spark positive associations that complement the functionality promise.”

“Colors are also important for flavor matching and eliciting emotional associations and need states. For instance, green can symbolize tranquility and vitality, pairing perfectly with lemon balm’s fresh green shade and association with relaxation and calm optimism,” she concludes. 

To Sum It Up

Understanding the when, why, and how behind consumers’ desire for functional beverage consumption can help brands make more informed choices around botanicals, flavors, and colors that support successful product launches.  Taking a holistic formulation approach, where color, flavor and botanicals are developed together, can also help optimize stability, sensory appeal and overall product performance.

Consumers are looking for the next innovative and authentic health and wellness experiences. For beverage developers, natural solutions that provide great taste and sensory performance will be key to creating benefit-led beverages that consumers trust and love.

MANHATTAN, KAN. — Kansas State University on Sept. 18 celebrated the opening of the Western Star Global Grain and Food Center with a ribbon-cutting celebration that university and government officials called one of the most important days in the university and the state’s history. The ribbon cutting comes a little more than two years after groundbreaking on the facility was held.

“Today, we open much more than a building,” said Dan Moser, Eldon Gideon dean of the College of Agriculture at KSU. “We open doors to new opportunities, innovations and a brighter future.”

The 178,000-square-foot, three-story Western Global Grain and Food Center is the largest agricultural construction project in KSU’s history, a $130 million investment designed to create room for researchers, students and industry partners to work side by side. It is also the final piece of KSU’s $216 million Agriculture Innovation Initiative.

The facility includes specialized teaching and research laboratories, pilot-scale processing spaces, flexible interdisciplinary research areas, a 236-seat lecture hall and designated collaboration spaces. It also connects Call Hall and Weber Hall, which serve other areas of the College of Agriculture, by enclosed walkways.

“This new facility is truly unique in its partnership impact and purpose,” Moser said. “Within these walls, the bakery science students will develop the products and technology that feed a growing population. Milling science students will learn to transform Kansas grain into value-added products that nourish communities and provide economic value to the state of Kansas. Feed and pet food science students will advance animal nutrition and support industries that are essential to animal agriculture and companion animal health. Food science students will work to improve food quality, safety and innovation, while helping address some of the most pressing challenges in our global food system.”

Ernie Minton, interim associate vice president for extension and engagement, said the day is not one that KSU will forget.

“Today, we cut the ribbon on the Western Star Global Grain and Food Center, a building that does not simply add square footage to our campus,” Minton said. “It fundamentally changes what is possible in grain science, animal science, food innovation and the future of agriculture.”

He said there is “no other facility like this anywhere.”

“The Western Star Global Grain and Food Center brings together disciplines that deserve to share a roof,” he said. “Milling, baking and food science, alongside animal feed and pet food science. The connection physically to Weber and Call halls. So this complex spans both livestock and grain derived value-added foods. A combination found nowhere else in the world.”

The complex includes the Lallemand baking teaching laboratory.

| Source: Sosland Publishing Co.

Minton said the global demand for livestock and grain-based products has never been greater or more sophisticated, and with the opening of the new facility KSU is ready to meet that demand.

“We’ve always had world-class strength in grain and animal sciences and deep ties to the agricultural heartland that feeds this nation,” he said. “What was missing was not square footage. What was missing was the connection. This building complex is that connection.”

In addition to university and government officials, guests heard from Chase Nagel, a senior in bakery science and management and milling science and management. Nagel is president of the Bakery Science Club, involved with the flour sales team in the Milling Science Club, and has gained industry experience through internships with Grain Craft and Miller Milling. She currently works in the Grain Craft innovation and quality laboratory.

“As students, we learn best when we can take what we learn in the classrooms and apply it into real world situations,” Nagel said. “For our labs, pilot plant and hands-on exercises, we develop skills that prepare us for careers in the grain and food science industries. The Western Star will take those opportunities even further. It will give students a place to collaborate, work with new technologies, and solve problems, and learn alongside faculty and industry professionals.

“As a student studying both bakery and milling science, I learned how connected the different areas of the grain and food industry really are. Farmers, millers, bakers, food scientists, engineers and business professionals all play an important role in bringing food from the field to the consumer. Having a facility that brings these areas together creates even more opportunities for students like myself to understand those connections. For students, this building is more than just a new classroom or laboratory. It is a place where we can gain experience, build relationships, and try new things. and figure out where we want our careers to take us.”

Following the ribbon cutting, guests took part in demonstrations and conversations with students and faculty. The complex includes the Ardent Mills milling teaching laboratory, the Lallemand baking teaching laboratory and the Jim and Lauran Johnson wet processing pilot plant. 

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For parents, A-Level results day is often the culmination of a long and emotionally demanding journey. For students, it is frequently presented as a defining moment that determines the direction of their future.

Yet once the celebrations fade and university places are confirmed, a more important question begins to emerge. What exactly made those results possible in the first place?

The answer is rarely found in a spreadsheet or league table. It is often hidden within the countless conversations, moments of encouragement and relationships that shape a young person’s confidence long before they sit their final examinations. While grades remain the most visible measure of educational success, they are often the final chapter of a much larger story.

Few educators understand this dynamic better than Yasmin Sarwar. Across a career spanning more than two decades, she has become one of the most respected figures in British and international education, leading institutions that reached the top of the national A-Level league tables while helping thousands of students gain places at some of the world’s most competitive universities. Under her leadership, Cardiff Sixth Form College and Oxford International College both achieved national recognition for exceptional academic outcomes, with more than 2,000 students progressing to institutions including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, LSE and UCL.

Impressive as those numbers are, they tell only part of the story. Speak to parents and students who have worked with Sarwar and a different picture emerges. Rather than focusing solely on results, many talk about confidence, resilience, clarity and personal growth. Their reflections suggest that the most valuable outcomes of education are often the least visible.

This became particularly apparent through feedback gathered following a series of university guidance sessions and educational programmes delivered to students in Asia. While the students came from different backgrounds and were pursuing different ambitions, a common theme ran through their responses. They did not simply describe receiving admissions advice. They described feeling understood, encouraged and inspired to think differently about their futures.

One student from St Paul’s Convent School thanked Sarwar for being “so inspiring and encouraging us to stay resilient”, adding that she hoped they would meet again in the future. Another spoke of how a university admissions session had helped her better understand interviews and application strategies, particularly for competitive degree programmes. Rather than focusing on technical admissions guidance alone, she highlighted the confidence she had gained from the experience.

These comments may appear small in isolation, but collectively they point towards something significant. At a time when education is increasingly measured through data and outcomes, students themselves often place greatest value on mentorship.

The distinction matters because the modern admissions landscape has become extraordinarily competitive. Achieving excellent grades is no longer enough to guarantee success at the most selective universities. Students are expected to demonstrate intellectual curiosity, wider engagement with their subject, leadership potential and a clear sense of purpose. They must perform strongly in interviews, articulate complex ideas and often compete against equally talented applicants from around the world.

In this environment, academic knowledge alone is rarely sufficient.

Sarwar has long argued that students need more than admissions coaching. They need personalised guidance that helps them understand who they are, what genuinely interests them and how to communicate that effectively. Her educational approach centres on building pathways around individual strengths rather than forcing students into a standardised model of success. According to her philosophy, the goal is not simply securing an offer letter but helping students discover what they are capable of achieving.

That philosophy is reflected in some of the more detailed feedback received from students. One particularly thoughtful message came from a student preparing for A2 examinations who found herself caught between two very different futures. She was considering medicine because of her desire to help people and her fascination with science, yet she had also developed a growing passion for linguistics. Complicating matters further were family expectations and concerns about future career prospects.

The student was not asking for help with grades. She was seeking guidance on identity, ambition and decision-making. Like many young people approaching university age, she was attempting to balance personal interests with external pressures and practical considerations. Her message revealed a level of trust that goes far beyond the conventional student-teacher relationship.

Stories such as these help explain why parents often value mentorship as highly as academic outcomes. While examination success remains important, parents increasingly recognise that the world their children are entering is changing rapidly. Careers are becoming less predictable. Technological disruption is reshaping industries. Employers are placing greater emphasis on adaptability, communication and critical thinking.

As a result, families are looking for educational guidance that prepares students not only for university but also for life beyond it.

This broader understanding of success has become increasingly important in the aftermath of the pandemic and during a period when student wellbeing has become a central concern for schools and universities alike. High-achieving students frequently face significant pressure, balancing academic expectations with extracurricular commitments, university applications and uncertainty about the future.

For many parents, therefore, the most reassuring sign is not necessarily a perfect set of grades. It is seeing their child become more confident, resilient and self-assured.

That theme appears repeatedly throughout the feedback associated with Sarwar’s programmes. Students refer to encouragement, motivation and belief. Teachers attending the same sessions have expressed similar sentiments, describing the guidance as valuable not only for pupils but also for educators themselves. One teacher thanked Sarwar for inspiring both students and staff, adding that the advice shared during the programme would be passed on to many more young people in the future.

The significance of such feedback becomes clearer when viewed against Sarwar’s wider career. Throughout her years leading high-performing institutions, she consistently advocated a model that combined academic excellence with personal development. At Oxford International College, she introduced the Strategic Global Pathways framework, designed to integrate academic achievement, career preparation and personal growth rather than treating them as separate priorities. The underlying principle was simple: students achieve more when they understand the purpose behind their efforts.

This perspective challenges a common misconception about elite education. High-performing schools are often portrayed as environments focused exclusively on grades, university admissions and competition. While strong outcomes remain essential, the most successful institutions frequently invest just as heavily in culture, mentorship and student support. Academic achievement tends to be a consequence of these factors rather than a replacement for them.

Parents understand this intuitively. When they reflect on the educators who had the greatest impact on their children, they rarely talk first about examination techniques or admissions statistics. Instead, they describe teachers and mentors who recognised potential before the student recognised it themselves. They remember individuals who provided reassurance during moments of uncertainty and encouragement during periods of self-doubt.

Those are qualities that do not appear in league tables, but they often determine whether a student thrives.

In many ways, the testimonials received following Sarwar’s recent work serve as a reminder of what education is ultimately about. Results matter. University offers matter. Future careers matter. Yet behind every successful application or outstanding grade is a young person navigating challenges, questions and aspirations that extend far beyond the classroom.

The most effective educators never lose sight of that reality. They understand that academic success and personal development are not competing priorities but interconnected ones. Students who believe in themselves tend to perform better. Students who feel supported are more willing to take intellectual risks. Students who understand their own motivations are more likely to sustain success over the long term.

That is why the most meaningful feedback often arrives after results day has passed. Long after certificates have been framed and university places accepted, students remember the people who helped them find confidence, direction and purpose.

For Yasmin Sarwar, whose career has been defined by helping ambitious young people realise their potential, those messages may represent the most important result of all. Academic success opens doors, but confidence, resilience and self-belief are what enable students to walk through them.