Latest news with #Sorbonne
Forbes
3 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
Every 100 Grams Of Ultra Processed Foods Consumed Per Day Increases Risk Of Diseases
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 16: A photo illustration of 'Ultra Processed' foods on February 16, 2018 ... More in London, England. A recent study by a team at the Sorbonne in Paris has suggested that 'Ultra Processed' foods including things like mass-produced bread, ready meals, instant noodles, fizzy drinks, sweets and crisps are tied to the rise in cancer. (Photo illustration by) Think twice before reaching for a bag of chips or your favorite sugary beverage. With every 100 grams of ultra-processed foods you consume each day, your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, hypertension, digestive diseases, and cancer increases, according to recent research. 'Ultra-processed foods are characterized by high sugar, high salt, and other non-nutritive components, exhibiting low nutritional density yet high caloric content,' said Xiao Liu in a press release, a cardiologist at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China. 'These products may contribute to adverse health outcomes through multiple mechanisms, including but not limited to dysregulation of blood lipid profiles, alterations in gut microbiota composition, promotion of obesity, induction of systemic inflammation, exacerbation of oxidative stress, and impairment of insulin sensitivity.' Liu and colleagues analyzed 41 studies conducted on ultra-processed foods and their health impacts that had a total of 8,286,940 adult participants from Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Australia. They found that an additional 100 grams of ultra-processed foods consumed each day was associated with a 14.5% higher risk of hypertension, 5.9% greater risk of cardiovascular events, and 1.2% higher risk of developing cancer. The researchers found the strongest association between ultra-processed foods and digestive diseases as consuming 100 grams of it was linked to a 19.5% increased risk of stomach problems. The most common examples of ultra-processed foods are ready-to-eat meals or frozen foods, sweetened beverages, cooking, mass-produced bread, chips and other savory packaged foods, instant noodles, flavored yogurts, breakfast cereals, and desserts, among others. What makes these products incredibly healthy are the food additives, preservatives, and colorants added during multiple stages of processing. 'Clinicians should clearly explain that ultra-processed foods are typically high in added sugars, sodium, and unhealthy fats while being low in fiber, essential vitamins, and other protective nutrients. This nutritional imbalance contributes to a wide range of adverse health outcomes,' Liu added in the press release. 'Emerging evidence suggests a dose-response relationship between ultra-processed food consumption and negative health outcomes—meaning the more ultra-processed foods consumed, the greater the health risk. Therefore, reducing ultra-processed foods intake, even modestly, may offer measurable health benefits.' Liu's findings were presented at a conference in Singapore earlier this month called ACC Asia 2025 Together. Another recent study published on May 7, 2025m in the journal Neurology, revealed that people who eat higher quantities of ultra-processed foods like hot dogs, cookies, and breakfast cereal are at a greater risk of suffering from early signs of Parkinson's disease compared to those who limit their consumption of ultra-processed foods. 'Eating a healthy diet is crucial as it has been associated with a lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases and the dietary choices we make today can significantly influence our brain health in the future,' said study author Xiang Gao in a press release, who is a PhD student at the Institute of Nutrition, Fudan University in Shanghai, China. 'There's growing evidence that diet might influence the development of Parkinson's disease. Our research shows that eating too much processed food, like sugary sodas and packaged snacks, might be speeding up early signs of Parkinson's disease.'
New York Times
25-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
Tony Bechara, Painter Who Championed Latino Artists, Dies at 83
Tony Bechara's parents didn't believe he could make a living as an artist. So he majored in philosophy and economics in college and earned a master's degree in international relations. He started law school, too, but in his mid-20s he found his true passion as a painter. Returning to New York from Paris, where he studied history at the Sorbonne, he enrolled in the School of Visual Arts in 1967, where he began painting black-and-white figurative imagery. Animated by the chaos of the city's streets, he graduated to painting kaleidoscopic grids that he meticulously mapped, and he was embraced by critics and invited to exhibit in museums. He became a patron of the arts and of fledgling Latino artists and, for 15 years, led El Museo del Barrio, a showcase of Puerto Rican art that he expanded to encompass works from all over Latin America. Mr. Bechara died in a Manhattan hospital on April 23, his 83rd birthday. The cause was heart failure, a spokeswoman for El Museo del Barrio said. From 2000 to 2015, he served as chairman of the board of the museum, on Fifth Avenue and 104th Street on the edge of East Harlem, where many newcomers from Puerto Rico originally settled (barrio is Spanish for neighborhood). His mandate was to broaden the museum's collection and exhibits beyond the Barrio to include art from Latin America and the Caribbean. That expanded purview prompted some local critics to complain that the museum was neglecting its primary focus on Puerto Rican culture. 'If the criticism is that we're not an ethnocentric gallery, then that's fair,' Mr. Bechara told The New York Times in 2002. 'But our ambition and our mission demand that we become a world-class museum, open to all people.' He explained that the museum's educational mission extended to East Harlem school students and that works by Puerto Rican artists, himself included, represent some 60 percent of the paintings and sculptures in El Museo's biennial survey of Latino art. Mr. Bechara also served on the boards of the Brooklyn Academy of Music; Instituto Cervantes; Studio in a School, which integrates the arts into classroom education; and The Brooklyn Rail, a cultural journal. After he emerged in the 1970s as a promising talent, he also nurtured and promoted other artists, among them Carmen Herrera and Leon Polk Smith. 'They are an extension of my commitment to art, like unfinished murals in which I work during the night.' he said in an interview with AzureAzure, a bilingual cultural guide, in 2015. His paintings, which one critic compared to 'optical confetti,' were inspired by the paintings of Titian and Tintoretto; Byzantine-era mosaics; Islamic tiles and calligraphy in the Alhambra in Spain; and 19th century post-Impressionist French pointillist painters like Georges Seurat and Paul Signac. His paintings consisted of thousands of quarter-inch quadrangles. Beginning with a palette of 125 colors, Mr. Bechara used acrylics, which added a dimension that evoked weaving and basketry. He produced 'shimmering eloquent compositional arrangements developed by chromatic concentration of the squares to form abstract configurations,' Grace Glueck wrote in The Times in 1979. 'For every painting, I first use the one-quarter inch masking tape to create the grid, dividing the surface across equally,' he said in an interview with Phong H. Bui, the Brooklyn Rail's publisher and artistic director, in 2023. 'It begins with taping one layer on the whole canvas vertically,' he said, 'then proceeds the same horizontally. The next thing is to apply the selected color with a small brush, then remove the tape.' 'What I love is the degrees of surprise every time; to take each layer of tape off the canvas is to reveal new worlds of optical symphony,' he said. His art appeared in the Whitney Biennial in 1975, was the subject of a solo show a decade later at El Museo del Barrio and was exhibited at MoMA PS1, the Museum of Modern Art's outpost in Long Island City, Queens. His works are in the collections of the Brooklyn Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City; the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, Conn.; the Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill, N.Y.; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass.; and the Museo de Arte in San Juan, P.R. A book by Mr. Bechara titled 'Tony Bechara: Annotations on Color Schemes' is scheduled to be published later this year. Antonio Jose Bechara was born on April 23, 1942, in San Juan. His mother, Rosa Margarita Martinez, was from Majorca, Spain. His father, Francisco Bechara, who was of Lebanese descent, operated a limestone quarry and was a developer. Mr. Bechara is survived by a sister, Maria Rosa Bechara Escudero. His wife, Judith, and two brothers died earlier. After graduating from the New York Military Academy, he earned a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and attended Georgetown Law School (his parents wanted him to join the family business). He persuaded them to let him study at the Sorbonne and returned to New York in 1967, where he received a master's degree in international relations from New York University and enrolled in the School of Visual Arts. Mr. Bechara passionately championed painting and its pre-eminence in the art world. 'As long as there are color pigments, and the fact that no technology ever can substitute this old practice, which has existed since cave paintings, way before language and the written words were invented,' he said, 'painting culture will always be with us.'
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Romania's new president faces daunting challenges after surprise victory over far-right upstart
There was a wave of euphoria and relief across Europe following the election of pro-European liberal Nicusor Dan as Romania's new president. 'For Ukraine — as a neighbour and friend — it is important to have Romania as a reliable partner. And we are confident we will,' said President Volodymyr Zelensky after Dan's victory. Moldovan President Maia Sandu echoed the sentiment: 'Congratulations, dear Nicusor Dan,' she said with visible enthusiasm. The presidential runoff was closely watched in Kyiv and Chisinau, as Dan faced off against George Simion, a Russia-linked nationalist banned from entering both Moldova and Ukraine. Dan's victory, with 53.6% of the vote, surprised many observers. He overcame a significant 20-point deficit from the first round and secured an additional 4.3 million votes in the second round. Voter turnout exceeded 64%, the highest recorded since 1996, reflecting a highly mobilized electorate. Read also: Poland, Romania presidential elections held amid Russian interference, far-right surge — what you need to know A former mathematician and Sorbonne PhD, Nicusor Dan began his political ascent as an anti-corruption activist in Bucharest. After a failed attempt to run for mayor in 2012, he entered local politics in 2016, placing second in the mayoral race and securing council seats for his new political movement — the Save Bucharest Union. That same year, the Save Bucharest Union evolved into the Save Romania Union (USR), which would become a key player in Romanian politics. However, Dan's liberalism had its limits, he left the party a year later after refusing to support equal rights for same-sex couples. Running as an independent, Dan won the Bucharest mayoral election in 2020 and was re-elected in 2024. Now, he makes the short journey — just a 40-minute walk — from Bucharest City Hall to the Cotroceni Presidential Palace. Despite the enthusiasm from European officials, experts warn that Dan faces immediate and formidable challenges. There will be 'no honeymoon,' Romanian journalist Cătălin Tolontan warned. 'Dan has to form a government immediately to manage the country during a time that all economists say is of crisis,' said journalist Magda Gradinaru in an interview with the Kyiv Independent, referring to Romania's rising inflation and growing budget deficit. Beyond economic instability, Dan is expected to deliver on promises of institutional reform and anti-corruption efforts. His stated priorities include fixing the budget deficit, bolstering national security, and restoring public trust in government. Dan's victory also highlighted the weakening legitimacy of Romania's mainstream political parties. 'We had a vote that broke the legitimacy of the mainstream parties,' Gradinaru said. 'These parties will try to preserve the status quo during coalition negotiations.' Some believe that if acting President Ilie Bolojan of the National Liberal Party becomes prime minister, he could consolidate enough parliamentary support. But others are less optimistic. Journalist Sabina Fati pointed out that Dan's outsider image and anti-establishment rhetoric might complicate efforts to build a governing majority. 'Dan said last night that 'Romania needs new people in politics.' That will make negotiations harder,' she noted. 'If the Social Democratic Party — the largest in parliament with over 25% of seats — does not support him, his presidency may suffer from a deficit of credibility.' Notably, the Social Democrats abstained from formally endorsing Dan during the runoff. Dan has promised to reduce political polarization and expressed 'respect' for those who hold different opinions. However, it remains unclear how he plans to regain the trust of citizens who voted for the far-right. While many voters expressed hope for better wages and pensions, left-wing voices have criticized the dominance of neoliberal policies in Romanian politics, calling instead for progressive taxation and affordable housing. Political scientist Vladimir Bortun, from Oxford University, underscored the urgency of addressing social inequality. Despite recent economic growth, Romania remains among the most unequal countries in the EU, with 28% of the population at risk of poverty and another 17% experiencing severe material deprivation. 'Despite successive increases in the minimum wage over the past decade, the median wage is barely over five euros an hour — about one-third of the EU average,' Bortun wrote in The New York Times. Gradinaru believes the country needs a wide-reaching debate about national unity, not just political dialogue. 'We need administrative reform and access to education, healthcare, social services, and culture for the socially vulnerable. These are the building blocks of a strong middle class — one that is more resilient to internal and external threats.' Journalist Ioana Dogioiu offered a sobering warning: if reforms don't come soon, 'this might be the last time Romania dodges a bullet.' We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Euronews
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Macron takes centre stage in Romania's election showdown
With just hours before the end of Romania's fiery presidential election campaign, French President Emmanuel Macron has found himself at the centre of the battle between hard-right candidate George Simion and his contender, independent centrist Nicusor Dan. The leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), Simion chose France as the finish line for his election campaign, reaching out to the decisive votes of the Romanian diaspora but also declaring his aversion to Macron. Invited to a live talk show on Thursday in Paris, Simion proclaimed his love for France and then bluntly accused Macron of 'dictatorial tendencies' and stated that France 'interfered in the Romanian elections,' much to the surprise of the show host, who swiftly confronted him by saying, 'France is a democracy, without dictatorial tendencies.' 'I don't like Emmanuel Macron's dictatorial tendencies,' Simion said, to which the host replied that 'if you already call your counterpart a dictator, this is promising for Romania's relations with France.' Simion's outburst sparked a furore in Romania, which is transfixed by the presidential race, as Simion and Dan are neck and neck in the latest opinion polls before the vote on Sunday. But on Friday, the hard-right candidate chose to continue the charge when he met the French media in an event organised by far-right French MEP Marion Marechal, who endorsed Simion. The AUR leader continued his attack, saying that 'Macron is not just dictatorial, but if things go in this rhythm, in 20-50 years we won't be able to talk of the France that we know." "It can become anything, maybe a caliphate or something else," Simion said. "We don't respect Emmanuel Macron who is trying to interfere in our election. He did it in December. He is doing it again now, through the French embassy," he added. "My message is very clear: this is none of your business. Nor that of Vladimir Putin. It's none of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's business. It's not Donald Trump's business. This is the decision of the free and sovereign Romanian people. You are not an emperor. You don't even really love the French people.' While Simion was raging against Macron in the French capital on Friday, his contender Nicusor Dan, who studied mathematics at the Sorbonne in Paris, released a video of a warm conversation between him and Macron. In his social media post, Dan says that 'while my contender was insulting the French people right at their home, I had a dialogue with Monsieur Emmanuel Macron,' while thanking him for his support. The video starts with Macron speaking in English to which Dan replies that they can talk in French, 'because I spent few years in Paris long time ago', in contrast to Simion's talk-show performance in which he displayed an approximate French, ultimately switching to Romanian, much to a further-fuelled debate across Romanian social media. During the call, Macron praises France and Romania's profound relations and legacy, concluding that 'what is at stake in these elections is of course the key to not only Romania's destiny, but also ours.' Therefore, the French president said, 'it is essential to have a pro-European partner involved in the collective security and economic modernity'. Dan replied that 'security is without a doubt Europe's main concern' and 'this is the first thing that must be developed if I become the president of Romania.' 'We must pass this Sunday for Romania's direction to be clearly towards Europe,' Dan concluded.
The Herald Scotland
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Foreign students are a boon to the US. Here's why that may change.
The first week of May, some of the European Union's most high-profile leaders gathered to launch a new initiative called "Choose Europe for Science." Speaking from the Sorbonne, France's most prominent university, they announced a 500-million euro investment meant to attract foreign researchers and college students to campuses across Europe. In a thinly veiled swipe at Donald Trump, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, noted that the new program stood in stark contrast to the state of research funding in other global regions, where "the role of science in today's world is questioned." "The investment in fundamental, free and open research is questioned. What a gigantic miscalculation," she said, adding that "science has no passport, no gender, no ethnicity or political party." American colleges and universities have long been the most desired destinations for students from across the globe. Hundreds of thousands flock to the United States annually to enroll in undergraduate and graduate programs. In the 2023-24 school year alone, foreign students contributed more than $43 billion to the U.S. economy, according to NAFSA, the Association of International Educators. International students have long played an essential role at many U.S. colleges to support research, budgets and teaching programs. But the Trump administration's recent changes to immigration and education policy have led to widespread uncertainty at those schools, where administrators say they're bracing for a larger crisis if fewer students from abroad opt to study in the United States. In an unprecedented move, the Department of Homeland Security in April threatened to remove Harvard University's ability to enroll any foreign students - a tactic other colleges worry could be used on them, too. If that happened at Harvard, the consequences elsewhere would be devastating, said Suzanne Ortega, president of the Council of Graduate Schools. "The bottom line is students have choices of where to go, and if they choose to go to other nations that appear to be more welcoming, those nations' gains will be the U.S.'s loss," she said. Read more: Trump has been defunding university research. Does China benefit from it? In a recent interview on CNN, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said that while she acknowledged the importance of academic research, she believed the federal government should play a smaller role in supporting it. "Universities around the country have done a phenomenal amount of research," she said. "It's not incumbent upon the taxpayers to really foot the bill for all of that." Chaos with student immigration records In addition to cutting federal support for academic research, the federal government has targeted international students since the start of President Donald Trump's second term as part of a broader immigration crackdown. In March, college officials watched in dismay as the Department of Homeland Security began quietly removing the records of thousands of foreign students from a federal immigration database. At first, it was unclear why the students' records were being terminated. The Trump administration later revealed in court that the immigration records they erased, which allow foreign students to legally stay in the U.S., had been cross-referenced with a separate national criminal database. In some cases, lawyers said students had their legal statuses altered for minor traffic violations, such as unpaid parking tickets. Ron Cushing, the director of international services at the University of Cincinnati, said after the terminations began, chaos ensued. The students he worked with were in shock, and it wasn't clear what they were supposed to do next. "The only real option for most of these students was to obtain legal counsel," he said. As he understood it, once students' records were terminated, their legal status in the country was in jeopardy. After a flurry of lawsuits filed by students, judges across the country ordered injunctions saying that the Trump administration was likely violating the law. Though the Justice Department ultimately restored many students' immigration records, the court battle underscored how much the government was willing to expand executive power to deport students. Trump administration officials have accused many international students of supporting Hamas and characterized student visa revocations as part of a broader campaign to quell unrest on college campuses. Colleges depend on international students While international students make up roughly 6% of the higher education population, they play an outsized role in supporting schools' teaching, research and budgets. Unlike domestic students, they're more likely to pay full tuition costs. At many schools, enrolling one foreign student can have at least three times the financial effect of enrolling an in-state student, according to Clay Harmon, the executive director at the Association of International Enrollment Management, which helps colleges recruit international students. "There are a lot of reasons why many institutions are trying to look at international enrollment as one solution to address their financial challenges," he said. In STEM-focused graduate programs, the number of international students typically outweighs the number of domestic students, according to data from the Council of Graduate Schools. That dynamic, in many cases, makes more degrees possible for U.S.-born students. By paying tuition and teaching classes, international students help many schools maintain academic programs that would otherwise struggle. Of course, foreign students help with more than just campus budgets, said Kevin Timlin, the executive director of international education and services at Southeast Missouri State University. They also bring new viewpoints to classrooms. The cross-cultural bonds that form on campuses like his create more tolerance, he said, making the world a better place. For Timlin, that's what college is all about. "International students don't just shore up what we do," he said. "They're integral to what we do." Contributing: Sara Chernikoff and Jennifer Borresen Zachary Schermele is an education reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@ Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @
