Latest news with #Araújo
IOL News
06-08-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
How data collection can improve lives for LGBTQIA+ communities in South Africa
A webinar was held to discuss issues around data collecting of the LGBTQIA+ community Image: Unsplash The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), in partnership with The Other Foundation, hosted a critical webinar exploring how information about LGBTQI+ people in South Africa is or isn't collected, why that data matters, and how it can improve lives. The session aimed to unpack what kind of data is currently missing, how collecting it responsibly could enhance services and shape inclusive policies, and what risks emerge when deeply personal information is gathered without cultural sensitivity or ethical safeguards. At the heart of the discussion was a powerful question: How can we collect data about queer communities in a way that is safe, respectful, and truly affirming? This comes as the HSRC considers updating its 2015 national survey on attitudes toward homosexuality and gender nonconformity — a move that could help close long-standing gaps in South Africa's understanding of LGBTQI+ lived realities. The webinar also delved into the politics behind it, including the fact that data is not neutral, and is often shaped by unequal power structures and perspectives that privilege the global North. The discussion signaled an important shift: a move toward data that doesn't just count people, but includes them. On the panel was Caio Simões de Araújo, Research Officer at the Other Foundation, who reflected on the decade-long collaboration with the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), which began with the first attitudinal survey on LGBTI issues in South Africa. 'A lot has changed. It has been nearly 10 years,' he said, noting the increased complexity of the research landscape and the greater involvement of civil society. 'The reason why we have rekindled this partnership today is to really think about the last 10 years... what still need to change?' he explained. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Araújo emphasised the importance of involving communities meaningfully in both research and advocacy. 'Our business is supporting civil society organizations and advocacy,' he said. 'So the research report is not the final output. There needs to be a process of activation of this data for political purposes.' Anthony Brown, from UNISA's School of Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Studies, presented on 'the politics of ethics in LGBTIQ+ research.' He questioned the assumptions that position all LGBTIQ+ studies as high risk. 'Behind this process, there's a bit of politics,' he said. Brown criticised ethics committees for pathologising LGBTIQ+ communities as inherently vulnerable. He shared being told his research was 'purple knowledge,' seen as unnecessary. Brown argued this blanket vulnerability lens results in delayed or denied ethical clearance and suppressed knowledge: 'They delay, they exclude, and they deny knowledge.' He added, 'Not all the lives of LGBT identities are at risk. They have agency.' Brown also raised the problem of requiring parental consent for research involving queer youth: 'If we cannot get the consent… we miss out on epistemic justice.' He called for inclusive representation on ethics panels and for ethics training rooted in lived LGBTIQ+ realities. Melanie Judge, a queer feminist activist, scholar, and Adjunct Professor in Public Law at the University of Cape Town made four key points on LGBTQI+ data and advocacy. 'LGBTQ people have always been here. And so there's always been data,' she said, emphasising that lived experience, oral histories, and community knowledge are legitimate data forms. She warned that a lack of big data should not excuse policy inaction. Her second point noted that 'data doesn't always tell us what we want to hear,' citing early research on victimisation that revealed complex, unexpected results. Third, she stressed that research questions are shaped by power and must be informed by lived realities: 'Data is never neutral.' Participatory practices help ensure inclusivity and challenge institutional biases. Lastly, she called for strategic, ethical data advocacy to drive policy change and resist erasure, noting the 2022 Census excluded LGBTQI+ people. 'Now is the time when hard-won gains for rights and justice are increasingly vulnerable to reversal,' she warned. 'Let us continue to blind them with good science.'
Irish Examiner
17-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Brazil passes ‘devastation bill' that drastically weakens environmental law
Brazilian lawmakers have passed a bill that drastically weakens the country's environmental safeguards and is seen by many activists as the most significant setback for the country's environmental legislation in the past 40 years. The new law – widely referred to as the 'devastation bill' and already approved by the senate in May — passed in congress in the early hours of Thursday by 267 votes to 116, despite opposition from more than 350 organisations and social movements. It now goes to the president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has 15 working days to either approve or veto it. Even if he vetoes the legislation, there is a strong chance that the predominantly conservative congress will overturn that, triggering a likely battle in the supreme court, as legal experts argue that the new law is unconstitutional. 'Either way, its approval is a tragedy,' said Suely Araújo, public policy coordinator at the Climate Observatory civil society group, arguing that the legislation would, among other serious consequences, drive large-scale deforestation and heighten the risk of human-caused climate disasters. 'There's no precedent for how damaging this law is,' she said, describing it, as have several other environmental organisations, as 'the greatest setback to Brazil's environmental legislation' since the 1980s, when licensing first became a legal requirement in the country. One of the main points of criticism of the law is that it allows projects classified as having 'medium' polluting potential to obtain an environmental licence through a self-declared online form — without prior impact studies or regulatory review. Previously, this fast-track process was limited to low-risk activities. According to Araújo, this will affect about 90% of licensing procedures in Brazil, including those for mining companies and the vast majority of agricultural activities. 'We're seeing the implosion of Brazil's environmental licensing system, that is going to become full self-licensing, where a company just clicks a button and the permit gets printed,' said Araújo, who served as president of Brazil's environmental protection agency, Ibama, from 2016 to 2018. The law also states that agencies responsible for protecting the rights of Indigenous and quilombola communities will only have a say in licensing processes for projects located on officially recognised territories — excluding more than 30% of Indigenous lands and over 80% of quilombola areas that have been awaiting official titling for years. 'Many of these lands are already under dispute or being targeted by exploitative companies,' said Dinamam Tuxá, executive coordinator of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (Apib), who described the law's approval as 'the legalisation of a process of extermination of Indigenous peoples'. Tuxá says Lula should veto the bill, but recognises that in a predominantly opposition-led congress, the president's decision is likely to be overturned. 'That's why civil society must remain organised to pressure lawmakers not to overturn the veto,' he said. If the law does come into force, it is likely to trigger a wave of legal challenges, as activists and legal experts argue that it violates the constitution and previous rulings by the supreme court. Some activists have criticised Lula's administration for not doing enough to prevent the bill's approval, and even for giving it a free pass, as reported by the news outlet Sumaúma. Resistance to the bill was primarily confined to the environment minister, Marina Silva, who described it as 'the burial of environmental licensing'. According to the Climate Observatory's Araújo, the law also creates a major embarrassment for both Brazil and Lula just months before the country is to host Cop30 in the Amazon in November. 'This law is a serious setback and will shape how Brazil is viewed by those who see it as a potential environmental leader,' she said. Read More French mural shows Statue of Liberty covering her eyes in swipe at Trump
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Transfer-linked Barcelona star responds to exit questions
Barcelona star Ronald Araújo on Wednesday moved to draw a line under his future with the club. The subject of Araújo's potential departure has of course been a prominent one in the chatter at Barcelona across the summer to date. Advertisement This comes with a difficult season for the 26-year-old in 2024/25 having given rise to widespread calls for the Camp Nou brass to sanction a sale. To date, no such move has been forthcoming, with Araújo remaining a member of Hansi Flick's squad. And if the latest comments on the part of the stopper himself are anything to go by, this situation is unlikely to change any time soon. After reporting for pre-season training ahead of schedule on Wednesday, Araújo was stopped by a group of fans and journalists upon his exit from The Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. One such media member made use of the opportunity to ask whether the South American plans to stay put at the Camp Nou this summer. Advertisement And Araújo confidently went on to respond with: 'For me, yes.' Conor Laird – GSFN
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Transfer interest in Barcelona defender continues to fade
Interest in the signature of Barcelona star Ronald Araújo is continuing to fade out across the continent. That's according to Diario Sport, who have on Tuesday provided an insight into the latest chatter surrounding the Uruguayan's future. Advertisement Just months ago, Araújo was of course considered as very much on the way out at Barcelona. Amid a January assault on his signature on the part of Italian heavyweights Juventus, Barca were tipped to sell, only for a last-minute change of heart to culminate in the stopper putting pen to paper on fresh terms at the Camp Nou. Links between Juve and Araújo had since persisted, with the Bianconeri still on the lookout for reinforcements at the back ahead of next season. If the latest word stemming from the media on Tuesday is anything to go by, however, then those behind the scenes in Turin appear to have cooled their interest considerably. Advertisement As per Sport, Araújo is no longer viewed as a viable signing for Igor Tudor's side. This comes amid interest in the 26-year-old fading across Europe, after what was a hit-and-miss close to the campaign for Araújo in Barcelona. Conor Laird – GSFN
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Heart health: Not yoga, not a workout—but most people fail this simple heart test
At first glance, it seems like something you'd be dared to do at a party—sit cross-legged on the floor and then stand up without using your hands, knees, or anything for support. But scientists have said this simple move might actually hold clues about how long you'll live—or how likely you are to die from a heart attack? It's called the Sitting-Rising Test, or SRT, and researchers say it's one of the easiest yet eerily accurate indicators of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Yes, that harmless little move might be a sneak preview of your heart's future. The Sitting-Rising Test isn't a new party trick or TikTok challenge—it's been around in the medical world for over a decade. But it's getting new attention now thanks to recent research that links your performance on this test with how healthy your cardiovascular system really is. Here's the deal: You start standing. You sit down on the floor. Then you stand back up. Easy? Not so fast. You're scored out of 10, and you lose points each time you use a hand, knee, or lose your balance. In the most recent study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, researchers followed over 4,200 adults between 46 and 75 for more than 12 years. The findings were wild—those who scored low on the test had a significantly higher risk of dying from cardiovascular problems. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo In some cases, the risk was up to six times higher. Researchers looked at 4,282 men and women between the ages of 46 and 75. The idea was simple: see how easily people could go from standing to sitting on the floor, and then back up again, using as little help as possible—no hands, knees, walls, or anything else for support. Dr. Claudio Gil Araújo, the study's lead author and director at an exercise medicine clinic in Rio de Janeiro, told the Post the test focuses on 'all the parts of fitness that aren't about cardio.' That means your muscle strength, balance, flexibility, and body control—all of which play a big role in staying healthy as you age. So what did they find? People who could do the test smoothly, without needing support, were way less likely to die from heart problems and other natural causes (like cancer) over the next 10 years. In fact, they were about six times less likely to die from cardiovascular disease compared to those who really struggled with the move. Dr. Araújo pointed out that while there are lots of tests out there that measure strength or balance or flexibility, the sitting-rising test stands out because it combines all of those into one. 'That's why we think it's such a strong predictor of longevity,' he said. So why does such a basic move tell us so much? The test reflects more than just muscle strength. It's about flexibility, balance, coordination, and overall functional fitness. If you're too stiff to bend or too wobbly to rise without help, chances are your internal systems—arteries included—might not be functioning all that well either. Doctors say that a lower SRT score doesn't just predict falls in old age; it could be a red flag for underlying health conditions like clogged arteries, high blood pressure, or declining heart resilience. What's also fascinating is how this ties into our daily routines—or the lack of movement in them. Even if you hit the gym for an hour every morning, if you're sitting for the next 10 hours straight, your heart may still be in trouble. Multiple large-scale studies have shown that prolonged sitting raises the risk of cardiovascular disease and early death. And no, your treadmill run doesn't fully cancel it out. It's like brushing your teeth and then eating candy all day—something still erodes over time. Back to the test. You don't need a doctor to administer it. You can try it right now on your living room floor. Just be careful and maybe have someone around to spot you the first time. If you need to prop yourself up with one hand or roll sideways like a kid in gym class, it's okay—but it's also a cue that your body needs some attention. The SRT is not a death sentence; it's a mirror. It reflects how well your muscles, joints, and cardiovascular system are working together. And if you get a low score, you're not doomed. You're just getting a head start on prevention. How to do the sitting-rising test? Here's how you can do it: Sitting–rising test is done on a non-slippery flat surface, in a minimal space of 2 × 2 m, with the participant standing barefoot and wearing clothing that does not restrict his/her movements. Without worrying about the speed of movement, try to sit and then rise from the floor, using the minimum support that you believe is needed. Crossing the legs for either sitting or rising from the floor was allowed, while the sides of the participant's feet were not used for support. Researchers have advised to do this with a partner, who can observe and give score in the test. People who scored between 4.5 and 7.5 on the test were about three times more likely to die during the study period than those who scored a perfect 10. That's a pretty big difference. So, what can you actually do if you flop the test? Move more. That's the not-so-secret secret. Build strength in your legs, hips, and core. Practice mobility exercises. Get up from your desk every 30 minutes. Walk around when you're on calls. Dance while you do the dishes. These little micro-movements add up. Your body was built for motion, not marathon sitting sessions. What's also striking is that researchers say people with lower SRT scores often have less-than-ideal cholesterol profiles and blood sugar levels, even if they don't look overweight. That's the scary part. You could look 'fit' on the outside and still be heading toward trouble if your internal flexibility and balance are fading. That's why this test is making waves—it's accessible, affordable, and brutally honest. It might feel a little ridiculous at first. But once you realize how closely your body's ability to move mirrors your heart's ability to function, you'll never shrug off stiffness or poor balance again. It's all connected. The body whispers before it screams, and the SRT might be one of those whispers. So here's your weekend plan: push back the coffee table, roll out a yoga mat, and give it a try. If you glide to the ground and pop back up like a spring, amazing. If not, don't panic—just take it as your cue to get moving. Not for abs or biceps, but for your heart. Because sometimes, the simplest moves hold the loudest warnings. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
