Latest news with #non-Europeans
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
My wife left me for a bike race. I'm a Tour de France widower
We have football widows. Golf widows. Racing car widows. Even video game widows. Yet now I humbly suggest we have a new category: Tour de France widowers. And I should know. I am one of them. Each year my wife travels to foreign lands via the television to spend time with elite athletes in colourful jerseys as they travel through fairyland locations for the Tour de France, the world's most prestigious bicycle race. She puts on her special yellow (or should I say 'jaune'? ) Tour de France socks and joins the 'couch peloton', blocking out three weeks to watch riders cycle through some of the most beautiful areas on Earth. It's the only sport she truly adores and I fully support her enthusiasm. Indeed, I am in no way threatened by these dashing younger men with their perfect buns and seemingly endless stamina. 'Just think of them as racehorses,' she says. She knows exactly what is going on in the Tour de France: the stakes, the terrain, why grimpeurs (climbers) are the ones to watch during the mountainous stages. She loves the castles, the chateaux, the churches and the villages, the cheering and sometimes chaotic crowds, the incredible helicopter shots, the history and the rivalry between the riders. Loading Her love affair with 'Le Tour' is decades long. She cheered when Australia's Cadel Evans won the Tour – as well as the hearts of the nation – in 2011, becoming one of the few non-Europeans ever to do so. She was watching when Lance Armstrong won his too-good-to-be-true string of victories towards the end of his Tour career. She's seen it all: the highs, the lows, the drug scandals, the big accidents, the fans with flares, the tacks on the road. Indeed, for a sports-obsessed nation such as ours, it's refreshing to celebrate a sport that doesn't involve tries, wickets or goals. She's almost at the point where she'll set up an exercise bike in the apartment and race along with the competitors as she watches it on TV, a glass of champagne in hand, perhaps only pausing as I hand her a water bottle. As for me, the only thing I know about bikes and bike riding comes from riding BMXs in the 1980s (shout-out to Nicole Kidman for her breakthrough role in BMX Bandits). I just let all the facts and figures of the Tour de France wash over me in a blur. I have no idea what the 'maillot jaune' is or why the 'polka-dot jersey' is also kind of a big deal in the Tour. I am puzzled as to why being named the 'most combative rider' is a good thing.
The Age
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
My wife left me for a bike race. I'm a Tour de France widower
We have football widows. Golf widows. Racing car widows. Even video game widows. Yet now I humbly suggest we have a new category: Tour de France widowers. And I should know. I am one of them. Each year my wife travels to foreign lands via the television to spend time with elite athletes in colourful jerseys as they travel through fairyland locations for the Tour de France, the world's most prestigious bicycle race. She puts on her special yellow (or should I say 'jaune'? ) Tour de France socks and joins the 'couch peloton', blocking out three weeks to watch riders cycle through some of the most beautiful areas on Earth. It's the only sport she truly adores and I fully support her enthusiasm. Indeed, I am in no way threatened by these dashing younger men with their perfect buns and seemingly endless stamina. 'Just think of them as racehorses,' she says. She knows exactly what is going on in the Tour de France: the stakes, the terrain, why grimpeurs (climbers) are the ones to watch during the mountainous stages. She loves the castles, the chateaux, the churches and the villages, the cheering and sometimes chaotic crowds, the incredible helicopter shots, the history and the rivalry between the riders. Loading Her love affair with 'Le Tour' is decades long. She cheered when Australia's Cadel Evans won the Tour – as well as the hearts of the nation – in 2011, becoming one of the few non-Europeans ever to do so. She was watching when Lance Armstrong won his too-good-to-be-true string of victories towards the end of his Tour career. She's seen it all: the highs, the lows, the drug scandals, the big accidents, the fans with flares, the tacks on the road. Indeed, for a sports-obsessed nation such as ours, it's refreshing to celebrate a sport that doesn't involve tries, wickets or goals. She's almost at the point where she'll set up an exercise bike in the apartment and race along with the competitors as she watches it on TV, a glass of champagne in hand, perhaps only pausing as I hand her a water bottle. As for me, the only thing I know about bikes and bike riding comes from riding BMXs in the 1980s (shout-out to Nicole Kidman for her breakthrough role in BMX Bandits). I just let all the facts and figures of the Tour de France wash over me in a blur. I have no idea what the 'maillot jaune' is or why the 'polka-dot jersey' is also kind of a big deal in the Tour. I am puzzled as to why being named the 'most combative rider' is a good thing.
NBC News
21-07-2025
- Health
- NBC News
A genetic test could predict the odds of obesity, allowing for early interventions
A genetic test may one day predict a child's risk of obesity in adulthood, paving the way for early interventions. Certain genetic variants can affect how a person's body stores fat or make them more prone to overeating. Genetic variation can also predict how well a person will respond to different weight loss drugs. In a study published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine, more than 600 researchers from around the world worked together to compile genetic data from more than 5 million people — the largest and most diverse genetic dataset to date. They also used genetic data from 23andMe. From the dataset, the researchers were able to create what's known as a polygenic risk score, which takes into account which genetic variants a person has that have been linked to a higher BMI in adulthood. The score, the researchers said, could be used to predict a person's risk of obesity as an adult — before they even turn 5. 'Childhood is the best time to intervene,' said study co-author Ruth Loos, a professor at the University of Copenhagen's Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research. (Research conducted at the center is not influenced by drugmaker Novo Nordisk, though some of the study authors had ties to pharmaceutical companies that make weight loss drugs.) The findings come as obesity is rising around the world. Rates of obesity in adults have more than doubled globally since 1990, and adolescent rates have quadrupled, according to the World Health Organization. About 16% of adults worldwide have obesity and the situation is worse in the United States, where more than 40% of adults have obesity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics show. Twice as effective The new test is not the first that predicts a person's risk of obesity, but Loos and her team showed it was about twice as effective as the method doctors currently use to assess their patients. That polygenetic score can account for about 8.5% of a person's risk for having a high BMI as an adult. The new score increased that to about 17.6%, at least in people with European ancestry. 'That's a pretty powerful risk indicator for obesity, but it still leaves open a lot that is unknown,' said Dr. Roy Kim, a pediatric endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic Children's who was not involved with the research. Based on this score, more than 80% of a person's risk for obesity can be explained by other factors, such as where they live, what kinds of foods they have access to, and how much they exercise. The test was not nearly as effective in predicting obesity risk in non-Europeans. It explained about 16% of the risk for having a high BMI in East Asian Americans, but just 2.2% in rural Ugandans. About 70% of people whose data was included in the study were of predominantly European ancestry. About 14% were Hispanic and typically had a mix of ancestries. About 8% were of predominantly East Asian descent and just under 5% were of predominantly African ancestry. These samples were predominantly from African American people, who largely had mixed ancestry. Just 1.5% were of predominantly South Asian ancestry. Loos said the new score is a big step forward, but that it's still a prototype. The next step is to collect more — and more diverse — data on people with African ancestry in particular to improve how well the score works for everyone, not just white people. She said the score could offer one indicator — what high blood pressure is to heart disease, for example — that could help predict a person's risk of developing obesity. 'Obesity is not only about genetics, so genetics alone can never accurately predict obesity,' Loos said. 'For the general obesity that we see all over the world, we need other factors such as lifestyle that need to be part of the predictions.' Genetics play a bigger role in severe obesity, meaning a BMI of more than 40, she added. Still, identifying a person's genetic risk early on in childhood and intervening early with lifestyle coaching could make a big difference, she said. Research has shown that about 55% of children with obesity go on to have obesity in adolescence, and that about 80% of those individuals will have obesity in adulthood. 'Behavioral things are really important,' Kim said. 'Their environment, their access to healthy food, exercise opportunities, even their knowledge about healthy foods all affect a person's obesity risk.' How important are genetics, really? Although studies in identical twins have found that genetics can account for as much as 80% of the reason a person has obesity, lifestyle factors still play a huge role, Kim said. 'Even with the same genetic makeup, people can have different body types,' he said. 'From a very young age in my practice, we educate patients about the importance of eating protein-rich foods, a lot of fruits and vegetables and not too many refined carbs.' Dr. Juliana Simonetti, co-director of the Comprehensive Weight Management Program at the University of Utah, has been using genetic testing in her adult patients for about five years. She said understanding a person's genes can help doctors better treat weight gain. 'Obesity is not homogeneous. We have different kinds and different presentations,' said Simonetti, who wasn't involved with the new study. Simonetti uses a person's genes to determine if a patient struggles with satiety, or feeling full. 'They eat but do not feel full,' Simonetti said, adding that this is a disorder caused by genetic mutations affecting certain pathways in the body. People who have these mutations 'tend to have higher weight,' she said. But such mutations do not tell the whole genetic story of obesity, Simonetti said. The genes that a person inherits from either parent, even if they are not mutations, also determine how a person's body stores weight or uses energy. Both can play a big role in obesity risk. Genetic testing is also starting to be able to determine how well certain weight loss drugs will work for a person, Simonetti said, but she added this is just the beginning. 'We are talking about three out of 80 mutations that we can treat,' she said. 'We are getting better, and the more data we have, I'm hopeful that we are going to do a better job in being more precise in understanding treatment responses.'
Otago Daily Times
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
Hard-fought 2nd pleases Paddon
New Zealand rally driver Hayden Paddon, with Christchurch's Jared Hudson in the co-driver's seat, claimed a hard-fought second at the Ypres Rally in Belgium at the weekend. The Kiwis become the first non-Europeans to stand on the Ypres podium after the all-tarmac event. Paddon piloted a Hyundai i20N Rally2 car prepared by last year's Belgian Champions, BMA, in a field containing international stars such as Dani Sordo, Jos Verstappen, Freddy Loix and defending champion Stephane Lefebvre. It was all on from the outset as milliseconds separated the frontrunners at times. Paddon and Hudson won Saturday's second stage, putting them into the overall lead. Despite intense challenges from Sordo and Lefebvre, the Kiwis' consistency at delivering top-three stage times throughout all of the day's eight stages kept them in the lead by day's end. On Sunday, with 10 stages to tackle, Lefebvre chipped away at Paddon's lead to top the standings by special stage three. Paddon and Hudson kept the pressure on and were stoked to finish on the podium, just 10.3sec behind Lefebvre. "We always knew it was going to be tough challenge this weekend being up against very fast locals and previous winners," Paddon said. "Our goal was to try and get a podium finish, so we're pleased to have done that. "To be fighting for victory was probably more than we expected, particularly to be leading the rally for half of it. "We put up a good fight and tried everything we could. We didn't quite have enough at the end but, still, to be only 10sec shy of the winners was a good weekend for the team and car." Paddon will be straight back into action at Rally Queensland this weekend. He and longtime co-driver John Kennard resume their bid to win their first Australian Rally Championship titles. They lead their respective drivers'/co-drivers' championship points tables. Paddon has 160 points after two rounds, seven points ahead of second-placed Lewis Bates. Kennard also has 160 points, ahead of Bates' co-driver, Anthony McLoughlin. Queensland is the third round of the six-round Australian championship, and comprises 14 special stages and about 193 competitive kilometres. — APL
Economic Times
25-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Foreigners pay twice as much as locals to buy Portugal homes
Synopsis Portugal's housing market faces a challenge. Foreign buyers, especially from outside the European Union, are purchasing properties at significantly higher prices than local residents. This trend is contributing to rising housing costs, making it difficult for many Portuguese citizens to afford homes in cities. The golden visa program, aimed at attracting foreign investment, has been modified to address these concerns. Foreigners from outside the European Union are buying homes in Portugal for double the value paid by domestic buyers, helping to drive up prices in a nation where housing in cities is increasingly out of reach for many locals. ADVERTISEMENT Non-Europeans paid an average €451,000 ($523,000) for a property in Portugal in the first three months of the year, compared with €225,000 paid by locals, the National Statistics Institute said in a report on its website. During the same period, EU buyers spent an average €310,000 to buy a home. Together with Portugal, Italy and Greece are set to register record inflows of millionaires this year, investment migration advisory firm Henley & Partners said in a report on Tuesday. Italy is expected to attract more than 3,600 millionaires, Portugal may get more than 1,400 millionaires while Greece could draw more than 1,200 millionaires, it said. Portugal tightens citizenship rules, doubles wait time for foreigners Portugal, in particular, has attracted foreign residents with its mild temperatures, relatively low cost of living, tax incentives and its golden visa program. Surging property prices have created a problem for many locals, who struggle to find affordable homes. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) Average house prices in Portugal reached €2,851 per square meter in May – two and a half times more than in the same month of 2015, according to real estate website 2023, the country ended the golden visa program's real estate investment route in a bid to ease property prices. The program, which is mostly popular with US, Brazilian and Chinese nationals, currently offers non-Europeans a fast-track to residency through options including a minimum €500,000 investment in eligible funds. ADVERTISEMENT (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2024 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online. NEXT STORY
