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What the eyes say – learn their language

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News desk
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Eyes are a mirror of the soul What feelings can a look express? Is it possible to guess a person’s intentions from his eyes? How does the eye react to different emotions? We will explain these and other things in this article. The human appearance, body and facial expressions are able to convey any emotion. And yet, if people have learned to control facial expressions and body movements to hide their true feelings, then it is almost impossible to control eye expressions. What the eyes say – learn their language Our eyes will tell and reveal exactly what a person feels or thinks at the moment. No wonder there is a judgment that the eyes are the mirror of the soul. You can find out a lot about how often your interlocutor looks at you, as well as where exactly he directs his gaze. In psychology, several types of views are defined, each of which shows the nature of relationships between people.

If, for example, the gaze is focused on the eye-bridge-forehead area, it shows a business connection, maintains a serious, working atmosphere during a conversation. The so-called social view characterizes more friendly, calm communication, while the interlocutor looks in the area of ​​the “eyeballs”. If the interlocutor looks in the eyes and below – in the chest, it shows his sexual interest and such a look is called intimate. Knowing the above subtleties accepted in our culture, you can understand how a person treats you – as a friend, employee or sees you as an attractive person of the opposite sex.

The direction of the interlocutor’s gaze speaks volumes

However, social norms of communication are different for different nations. For example, among the Japanese it is considered acceptable to direct your gaze to the neck, and direct face-to-face contact is considered unacceptable. Therefore, in an attempt to interpret the behavior of the interlocutor, it is always good to remember his national characteristics.

The direction of the gaze can also tell about the feelings of the listener or interlocutor. So, if the speaker averts his eyes during a conversation, it may signal that he is: hiding some information; not sure what he says; lies; And if the listener carefully looks away, most often it shows that he: does not completely agree with the speaker; doubts his words; does not want feelings (shame, resentment, disagreement, etc.) to be visible; The most obvious example of life is children. When they quarrel, they almost always hide their eyes: or look down. Duration of the gaze When making eye contact with strangers (on the street, in public transport, shops, etc.), one tends to look away, as open viewing is uncomfortable for most of us. Strangers look at each other for a moment and a long look is considered a challenge. This can be either a sign of sympathy or covert aggression. The fact is that in the animal kingdom, a long and insistent look means the same thing. It is believed that the gaze should be held for no more than 3 seconds. If he is detained for more, it causes the interlocutor uncomfortable feelings and is perceived as a signal of danger. This approach is used by experienced manipulators to unbalance a person and deprive him of confidence. When the gaze changes its direction too quickly, psychologists explain this reaction as strong excitement, secrecy, cunning, dishonesty, shame, fear or just proof of boredom.

Pupil size

Surprisingly, even the size of the pupils can say a lot about the interlocutor. One cannot consciously control the changes in the pupils, so their reaction will betray one’s true feelings. From joy, excitement, sexual interest in a person, the pupils dilate. In addition, dilated pupils are considered an indirect sign of trust in the interlocutor. The bent pupils “speak” of hostility, fear, aggression or irritation. When trying to interpret human behavior, we should not forget about the natural contraction of the pupils in bright light and their dilation in the dark, as well as when taking certain drugs. In general, the size of the pupils can say a lot about the interlocutor.

The color of the iris

According to esoterics, even a person’s character can be recognized by the color of his eyes. For the owners of blue eyes we can say that they are romantic, dreamy, sentimental, but at the same time they are very touchy and vulnerable. Green-eyed people are assertive, sensible and purposeful. Curiosity, restraint and perseverance characterize gray-eyed individuals. The browns have energy in their character, entrepreneurship, they are gambling personalities, they show a thirst for power. If the color of the iris is ambiguous and combines several shades – such as gray and green, then their owner has characteristics of both colors. The degree of expression of each trait in the character directly depends on the intensity of the color.

Тhe largest cave paintings in North America discovered

By
Gaston de Persigny
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The cave where the images were found, unlike anything known so far, was discovered by scientists long ago. But only now has it become possible to “see” its richly decorated ceiling – with the help of not very archaeological equipment. In 1998, in Alabama, archaeologists discovered a cave with several fragments of pottery, as well as coal suitable for radiocarbon dating. The pottery turns out to be similar to specimens from the Woodland period (from around 1000 BC to 1000 AD). Radiocarbon analysis gives two dates for two groups of specimens: it turns out that the cave was guaranteed to be visited in 133-433 and 660-949 AD. A group of scientists led by Jan Simek from the University of Tennessee (USA) studied the ceiling of this cave: it must be said that it is very low – from 60 centimeters to 1.25 meters. The results are presented in an article published in the journal Antiquity. Cave 19 in Alabama itself (archeological sites are sometimes given numbers instead of proper names to keep their location secret) is huge. It has both vertical galleries, typical of karst caves, and galleries with low ceilings. On the ceiling of just such a gallery with an area of ​​20 by 25 meters, scientists have discovered the largest North American rock paintings known today. So far, they have not been paid attention to, because they are difficult to distinguish: for this you have to lie on the floor. Simek applied the method of photogrammetry, which has long been known and widely used for applied purposes, but not in archeology. Shortly before the drawings were made, a thin layer of clay formed on the ceiling of the cave – probably a remnant of a large muddy stream. It is in this layer that the drawings are located. It is now difficult to say whether the ancient artists used any tools or painted with their fingertips. The specific microclimate of the cave not only provides a “canvas” for the rock paintings, but also preserves them: the clay layer is preserved by oxidation caused by condensation of moisture.

What did the people of pre-Columbian America draw?

Humans and animals. On the ceiling, the image of a rattlesnake about three meters long is completely distinguishable – it is believed to have been a sacred animal among a number of indigenous peoples of the southeastern part of the modern United States. Scientists have described the five largest drawings. In addition to the rattlesnake on the ceiling there are human figures and intricate patterns. Two of the anthropomorphic figures are slightly longer than 1.8 meters, the other is slightly longer than 90 centimeters. These people seem to be dressed in ceremonial clothes and perform some kind of ritual.

Researchers suggest that some of the anthropomorphic figures depict ghosts rather than people, and the whole complex of drawings is dedicated to the spirit world. It is not yet possible to test this hypothesis. Simek believes that the use of photogrammetry to study caves with traces of human habitation will make it possible to find more similar drawings. And then it will be possible to talk about a system of ideas, and not about the work of one person (or group of artists).

Simek’s hypothesis about the object of the image (the afterlife) is supported by the place chosen for the drawings. The gallery in which they were found is located in the dark area of ​​the cave, that is, the sunlight does not reach that far. Ancient artists painted their paintings in the light of torches made from arundinaria (or American bamboo). In fact, according to the remains of the torch, one of the dates for visiting the cave has been set. In addition, virtually all peoples of pre-Columbian North America (and those living in the modern United States and Mesoamerica) considered the caves a passage to the realm of the dead. The late Woodland period, to which the drawings seem to belong, is characterized by the fact that the population of eastern North America is beginning to spread over more and more areas, although it is not increasing in number. This led to the isolation of tribes that had previously maintained cultural and commercial ties. As a result, some elements of the material culture of different peoples proved to be completely unique: for example, some managed without bows and arrows, although the proliferation of these weapons was extremely wide. The extent to which such peoples have been able to preserve common cultural and religious ideas is a matter for future research.

Photo: Jan Simek et al.

Negotiations on the return of the Macedonian Church to the Serbian one

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Newsdesk
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Serbian Bishop Photius announced that talks between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Macedonian Orthodox Church were held in the city of Nis last weekend, with the participation of Serbian Patriarch Porphyry.

The news of the talks was announced after the liturgy for “St. George” yesterday and it became clear that the meeting was attended by Bishop Photius himself. According to him, as early as this month, “it is possible for the Macedonian Orthodox Church to return to canonical unity with the Serbian Orthodox Church.”

“This will put an end to the 1967 schism of the Macedonian Orthodox Church,” the Serbian bishop said, adding that “the return of the Macedonian Orthodox Church could take place during the Serbian Orthodox Church’s May meeting.”

“This is a great challenge. If God has said the prayers of Bishop Nicholas, Saints Cyril and Methodius, Saints Clement and Nahum, and Saints Sava of Serbia, it can lead to the restoration of unity and the removal of the schism from 1967 We are on the threshold of this decision, and that is why I call you to prayer. This is for the good of our holy churches, for the good of our Serbian and Macedonian people, who are two fraternal peoples, “said Bishop Photius.

Let us recall that at the end of last year, the Serbian Orthodox Church called for a meeting between Patriarch Porphyry and the head of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, Stefan. But so far there was no information about such a meeting. At the same time, Macedonian politicians and a local bishop are constantly lobbying the Ecumenical Patriarch for the recognition of the Macedonian Orthodox Church and its declaration as an autocephalous church.

Years ago, the Macedonian Orthodox Church demanded that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church be declared their mother church, but as soon as a commission was formed at the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church on the issue, Macedonian bishops began seeking direct assistance from the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Urgent Call to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights

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News desk
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PARIS, May 6, 2022 — Forced Organ Harvesting from living people specifically to sell their organs for profitable transplant surgeries is among the most egregious crimes against humanity conceivable. Witnesses first testified about China’s abuses before U.S. Congress in 2001. In 2006, allegations were raised of the brutal persecution of Falun Gong, a peaceful spiritual discipline that follows the principles of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance whose adherents are subjected to the industrialized practice of organ harvesting throughout China’s military and civilian hospital systems.

A plethora of research, investigation and testimony have compiled copious evidence of organ harvesting since 2006 which was reviewed and assessed by the independent China Tribunal, chaired by Sir Geoffrey Nice. Their judgment concludes unanimously that Falun Gong practitioners have been victims of this transplant abuse. 2019 and 2022 peer-reviewed publications add further evidence. In June 2021 a group of 12 U.N. Special Rapporteurs expressed concerns about forced organ harvesting in China. After a U.S. congressional House Resolution 343 in 2016, the European Parliament has passed the resolution, “Reports of continued organ harvesting in China” [P9 TA(2022)0200] on May 5, 2022.

The accumulated evidence on forced organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners validated by concerns expressed by parliamentary bodies leaves no doubt that the time to act is now.

Between 2012 and 2018, DAFOH has organized a global petition campaign to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights demanding he call upon China to immediately stop the forced organ harvesting and to conduct further investigations. More than three million people in over 50 countries and regions signed the petition, reflecting a global concern by the public that action be taken to stop China’s unethical transplant practices. In a recent side event to the UNHRC in March 2022, panelists proposed the establishment of a U.N. Special Rapporteur on forced organ harvesting.

In consideration of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet’s visit to China in the upcoming days, we would like to highlight point twelve of the European Urgent Resolution “On continued reports on Forced Organ Harvesting’ adopted yesterday by the European Parliament(1):

“12. Requires that the Chinese authorities grant open, unfettered and meaningful access to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the mandate holders of the special procedures of the UN Human Rights Council to visit Xinjiang; asks the Chinese Government to cooperate with the UN organisations on this matter; urges the UN Human Rights Council to deal with the issue of forced organ harvesting as a matter of priority;”

We therefore, call upon Mme High Commissioner to acknowledge the evidence prompting concerns by millions of people around the world and demand that China end unethical and illegal transplant practices and to allow free and independent investigations.

Torsten Trey, MD, PhD
DAFOH, Executive Director
Thierry Valle
CAP Liberté de Conscience, President
Contact :
[email protected]
[email protected]

(1)European Parliament resolution of 5 May 2022 on the reports of continued organ harvesting in China (2022/2657(RSP). Here

China: Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell in the EP debate on organ harvesting. Here

Do you know what dry wine is and why it is called so?

By
Gaston de Persigny
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What do you initially pay attention to when choosing a wine? First, as a rule, the color is white or red, and then the most important thing is whether it is dry or sweet. If everything is clear with sweets, then the term “dry” – why it is so called.

Let’s find out

Everyone has tried grapes and knows how sweet they are, and the amount of carbohydrates is generally comparable to chocolate. This is because berries are high in natural sugars. In the process of converting grape juice into wine, yeast turns it into ethanol. If the winemaker’s goal is sweet wine, the fermentation is stopped before the yeast has turned it into sugar. This is how port wines are made, for example, they are fortified with grape alcohol and about half of the sugar remains in the drink. If the goal is to create dry wine, the fermentation is not interrupted and all the sugar is converted into alcohol. But this does not mean that the wine will be high in alcohol, less sweet grapes are used to make it. It turns out that “dry” is a wine with a minimum amount of residual sugar and this term is accepted in all countries, it is just accepted. When choosing for yourself, look for varieties – zinfandel, primitive, nutmeg, vionia, gewürztraminer. These are the most popular dry wines, they are in the vast majority on store shelves, so lovers of semi-sweet have a great choice.

By standard, the concentration of sugars in dry wines is not more than 4 grams per liter. In the European Union, wine is considered dry if it contains 4-9 grams of sugar per liter. Due to this, many dry wines from Europe, coming to our country, become semi-dry. In order not to make a mistake with the choice, always look at the label how many grams of sugar per liter there are and the amount of carbohydrates, so in time you will find your wine among them.

How about the dry mouth that remains after wine?

Exactly the same astringency you feel after an unripe paradise apple or strong black tea. These are the tannins that create an astringent feeling, add intensity, bitterness and astringency to the taste. These substances are found in wood, bark, leaves and fruits. In grapes they are in the husk, seeds and ridges. If you do not like the astringency of wine, choose white wines. In the production of red wine, the contact of the wine with the skin of the grapes is much longer. In sweet wines, sugar smoothes the astringency caused by tannins

Eurostat: Coronavirus has shortened life expectancy the most in Bulgaria

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Newsdesk
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The life expectancy of Bulgarians is already very low, but because of Kovid -19 it has decreased even more, by 2.2 years, which is a record for the EU. This shows a study by Eurostat, quoted by “Now”. According to inconclusive data for 2021, the pandemic has had a negative impact, shortening the lives of Europeans in almost half of the EU member states. The most serious decline was registered in Slovakia and Bulgaria (-2.2 years compared to 2020), followed by Latvia (-2.1 years) and Estonia (-2 years). Life expectancy in the EU has been steadily increasing in recent decades, rising by an average of 2 years per decade since the 1960s, according to Eurostat statistics. But the coronavirus has broken this trend. In 2021, some Western European member states have returned to predictable life expectancy, while others – especially in Eastern Europe, have experienced this year.

We remind you that according to a report quoted earlier this year by Euobserver, Romanians and Bulgarians are dying even younger than before because of Covid-19. Life expectancy in both Bulgaria and Romania decreased by 1.5 and 1.4 years, respectively, in 2020, which is twice the European average (0.7 years). In Bulgaria, like Romania, the “Covid-19 pandemic” has temporarily turned years of progress in life expectancy, which was already the lowest in the EU in 2019, the report said. Despite improvements in the health system over the last decade, life expectancy remains alarming, with life expectancy in Romania and Bulgaria increasing by four and two years respectively between 2000 and 2019, but still below the EU average with incredible six and eight years.

There is another negative trend – in Romania, women live on average eight years longer than men (78.4 years compared to 70.5), which is one of the most significant differences between the sexes in terms of life expectancy in the EU. Among the main factors leading to the shortening of the lives of many Bulgarians and Romanians is the sick health care system, the newspaper writes. The per capita spending on prevention in both countries is the lowest in the EU, the document said. The health system is understaffed and underrepresented.

In recent years, healthcare in both countries has consistently ranked last in the EU according to the Euro Health Consumer Index. Romania (661 euros per capita) and Bulgaria (626 euros per capita) spend less on their healthcare systems than any other member state, according to Eurostat, and are well behind the top of the list – Luxembourg, Sweden and Denmark, with over € 5,500 in healthcare costs per capita each year.

Another problem identified in the report is the lack of medical staff. For Romania, “the migration of medical staff has contributed to the shortage of health workers in the country, and the number of doctors and nurses per capita is well below the EU average. This has a negative impact on access to care and increases waiting times.” In Bulgaria, “several factors contribute to the shortage of nurses, including the low number of graduate nurses, the loss of trained nurses due to emigration, the aging workforce (the average age of nurses is over 50) and dissatisfaction with wages and working conditions” .

Security Council ‘speaks with one voice for peace in Ukraine’

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Newsroom
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Security Council ‘speaks with one voice for peace in Ukraine’
The UN chief welcomed on Friday afternoon, the unity of the Security Council in support of peace in Ukraine, while also assuring that he would continue to “spare no effort” in saving lives, reducing suffering and finding the path of peace.

“As I have often said, the world must come together to silence the guns and uphold the values of the UN Charter,” Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement. 

“For the first time, the Security Council spoke with one voice for peace in Ukraine”. 

Last week the UN chief flew to Europe where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv.

His diplomacy paved the way for joint UN-Red Cross humanitarian missions, which have so far evacuated about 500 civilians from Mariupol and the beleaguer steel plant in Azovstal. 

Today, for the first time, the Security Council spoke with one voice for peace in Ukraine. @antonioguterres welcomes this support and will continue to spare no effort to save lives, reduce suffering and find the path of peace: https://t.co/LLHeGusG4M

— UN Spokesperson (@UN_Spokesperson) May 6, 2022

Council issuance

He was referring to the presidential statement on Ukraine released minutes earlier by the Security Council.

“The Security Council expresses deep concern regarding the maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine,” said the Council President for the month of May, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield of the United States, on behalf of the Ambassadors.

“The Security Council recalls that all Member States have undertaken, under the Charter of the United Nations, the obligation to settle their international disputes by peaceful means,” the communication continued.

It went on to express “strong support” for the Secretary-General’s efforts to find a peaceful solution.

“The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to brief the Security Council in due course after the adoption of the present statement,” concluded the statement.

The adopted text was drafted by Norway and Mexico.

How we got here

Since Russia launched what it called a “special military operation” on 24 April, a draft Security Council resolution that would have deplored Moscow’s invasion was never adopted.

However, shortly thereafter, the 193-member General Assembly did adopt two non-binding resolutions, deploring Russia’s “aggression against Ukraine.”

It also condemned Russia for creating a “dire” humanitarian situation and demanded that its troops “immediately, completely and unconditionally” withdraw and that there be aid access and civilian protection.

Being Overweight Amplifies the Harmful Effects of Alcohol on Cancer Risk

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European Association for the Study of Obesity
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Being Overweight Amplifies the Harmful Effects of Alcohol on Cancer Risk

UK analysis of nearly 400,000 adults suggests overweight and obesity amplifies the harmful effects of alcohol on cancer risk, particularly in those with a high body fat percentage.

According to new research being presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Maastricht, Netherlands (May 4-7, 2022), being overweight or having obesity can exacerbate the harmful effects of alcohol on the risk of developing alcohol-related cancer, especially in people with a high body fat percentage.

Importantly, regardless of alcohol usage, the data revealed a dose-response association between increased obesity levels and the chance of getting obesity-related cancers.

The research, by Dr. Elif Inan-Eroglu from The University of Sydney, Australia, and colleagues, is the first study to look at obesity (body fat percentage, waist circumference and body mass index [BMI]) and alcohol consumption together, in relation to all the cancers that are known to be influenced by alcohol and obesity.

The researchers say that current guidelines do not reflect the degree of cancer risk from the combined effects of alcohol and obesity and underscore the need to increase public awareness.

“Our results suggest that people with obesity, especially those with excess body fat, need to be more aware of the risks around alcohol consumption,” says Dr. Inan-Eroglu. “With around 650 million adults living with obesity worldwide, this is a hugely important issue. When it comes to the lifestyle factors and habits that people can change to reduce their risk of cancer, obesity and alcohol are top of the list.”

Worldwide, 4% (741,300) of new cancer cases in 2020 were linked to alcohol consumption,[1] and overweight and obesity are linked with a higher risk of 13 types of cancer that account for over 40% of all these cancers diagnosed in the USA.[2] However, estimates suggest that more than half of cancers are potentially preventable—with alcohol the third leading preventable cause of cancer behind tobacco and obesity.

For this study, researchers combined data from 399,575 participants (aged 40-69 years; 55% female) from the UK Biobank prospective cohort, who were cancer free when the study began, and followed for an average of 12 years. Cancers were identified from hospital admissions and cancer registry data.

Participants were divided into three groups according to their body fat percentage, waist circumference, and BMI),[3] and classified according to their self-reported alcohol consumption based on UK guidelines (never, previous, within guidelines [14 units or less of alcohol/week] and above guideline drinkers [more than 14 units/week]) to examine the joint association of alcohol consumption and obesity with the risk of 21 different types of cancer (13 obesity-related and eight alcohol-related cancers.[4]


The results were adjusted for factors that might affect the findings including age, sex, diet, education level, physical activity, smoking status, sleep duration, socioeconomic status, and existing cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes.

Over an average follow-up of 12 years, 17,617 participants were diagnosed with alcohol-related cancer and 20,214 developed obesity-related cancer.

The researchers found that across all obesity markers, people with higher body fat percentage levels who drank more than the recommended guidelines, were at greater risk of cancer.

For example, people in the highest body fat percentage tertile who drank within the recommended alcohol guidelines were 53% more likely to develop alcohol-related cancers than those with the lowest body fat percentage who never drank; while those who drank above alcohol guidelines were at 61% greater risk.

Regardless of alcohol intake, the analysis identified a dose-response relationship between larger waist circumference and risk of developing obesity-related cancer. For example, people with bigger waistlines who drank more than the recommended alcohol guidelines had a 17% greater risk of developing obesity-related cancer compared to those with a healthy waistline who never drank; while in people with the largest waistlines who drank above alcohol guidelines the risk was 28% higher.

“Further research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms behind this joint effect of alcohol intake and obesity on cancer risk”, says Dr Inan-Eroglu. “Alcohol drinking guidelines need to acknowledge that two-thirds of the UK adult population are overweight or obese and consider specific recommendations to increase public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer risk in this group. From a cancer-prevention standpoint, the safest level of alcohol consumption is total avoidance.”

Despite the important findings, the authors acknowledge that this is an observational study and is not based on a representative sample of the UK adult population. In addition, they note that the study relied on self-reported alcohol intake which may lead to underreporting and make affect the conclusions that can be drawn.

References:

  1. “Global burden of cancer in 2020 attributable to alcohol consumption: a population-based study” by Harriet Rumgay, BSc; Kevin Shield, PhD; Hadrien Charvat, PhD; Pietro Ferrari, PhD; Bundit Sornpaisarn, PhD; Prof Isidore Obot, PhD; Farhad Islami, PhD; Prof Valery E P P Lemmens, PhD; Prof Jürgen Rehm, PhD and Isabelle Soerjomataram, PhD, 13 July 2021, The Lancet Oncology.
    DOI: 10.1016/S1470-2045(21)00279-5
  2. Obesity and Cancer | CDC
  3. Overweight is defined as a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9 and obesity as a BMI of 30 or more. For waist circumference: normal (<80 cm for women, <94 cm for men), overweight (>80 cm for women, >94 cm for men), and obese (>88 cm for women, >102 cm for men). For body fat percentage (BF%): tertile 1, 27.8% for women, >39.8% for men; tertile 2: 23.1- 27.8% for women, 33.9-39.8 for men; tertile 3: >27.8% for women, >39.8% for men.
  4. Eight alcohol-related cancers (oral cavity, throat, larynx, oesophagus, liver, colorectal, stomach, and female breast) and 13 obesity-related cancers (meningioma, multiple myeloma, adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus, and cancers of the thyroid, postmenopausal breast, gallbladder, stomach, liver, pancreas, kidney, ovaries, uterus, colorectal.

This work was supported by an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator Grant (APP1194510).

Bulgaria: Expensive gas and labor shortages hamper rose oil production

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Newsdesk
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Expensive gas and labor shortages hamper rose oil production.

Most of the distilleries in our country use blue fuel in the production of rose oil. Gas is a significant pricing factor in rose oil, Metodi Stefanov, a producer of essential oils, told Bulgarian National Radio. “After the price of color, fuel is the second factor that determines the price of rose oil. The price for the processing of rose oil will jump three times, “he said.

At the same time, the labor problem is getting worse. Farmers whose plantations are in the Brezovo area have complained that they may not be able to find pickers. The workforce has decreased, as picking up rose leafs is labor-intensive, and the gardens are entered at dawn. That is why the workers are trying to twist the hands of the producers and this year they want BGN 1.50 per kilogram. “It’s an unrealistically high price. There is no way we can give it to them “, say the rose growers.

At the moment, they hope that the purchase price will not be less than BGN 3 per kilogram. However, even it is low to cover all costs if they have to give half to the pickers.

The rose picking in Bulgaria is late, it will start after May 20. “Because of the bad weather, roses grow more slowly. We expect the campaign to be shorter this year as well “, explained the owners of pink massifs. According to them, the harvest of an oil-bearing rose will begin after May 20, and the mass picking – at the earliest on May 25.

The unworthy behavior of clergy: sin of the Church or sin before the Church?

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News desk
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Author: Priest John Burdin of the Kostroma Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, who became the first Russian priest to be tried under the new law on “spreading false information about the special operation in Ukraine.” A repressive law that legitimizes repression and gossip. Father John was arrested at the behest of his parishioner, who was outraged that his parish priest had declared war on him. More than a month has passed since then, and the priest has been relieved of his parish activity “at the request of the parishioners.” Father John continues to preach, but there is no insult or condemnation in his words. This is his advice to Christians who are deeply saddened by what is happening in the ROC and feel it as a betrayal of Christ.

The text is from the author’s telegram channel

The unworthy conduct of pastors poses the question to many members of the Church: is it possible to go to church, to receive the sacraments, if the priesthood does not keep the commandments of the gospel?

Particularly serious doubts arise when the clergy utter words filled with hatred and malice, claiming to be in sync with the teachings of the gospel. What is this but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31)?

We know where the blind lead the blind. Increasingly, however, people who have not lost the ability to distinguish good from evil, who have not lost their mercy and conscience, ask: will I not fall into the same pit if I remain a member of this deluded flock? Is it enough that I do not accept with my heart someone’s blasphemous words and deeds? Moreover, the Scripture also says: “Therefore come out from among them and separate yourselves, says the Lord, and do not touch the unclean, and I will receive you, and I will be your Father, and you will be My sons and daughters.” says the Lord Almighty ”(2 Cor. 6: 17-18).

This is a complex and ambiguous question. During the two millennia of the Church’s existence, it was decided in different ways, as the circumstances in which it arose were different.

The closest analogue to us (in time and in essence) is the movement of the “non-mentions” and the “catacomb” church of the 20th century.

They arise in the conditions when the official church in the person of Mitr. Sergius states that he shares the “pain and joys” of the Soviet government and the Soviet people, thus sharing with them the responsibility for the persecution of believers, the executions, the killings, the mass executions, the repression, the torture.

The non-men (catamobniks) cut off communion with the “Sergians” and did not maintain Eucharistic communion with them until the early 1950s. Almost all of them were destroyed. By the way, like most members of the “official” church.

It is difficult for us to judge whether they were right. However, seeing their experience, we cannot fail to note that those who did not mention the survivors for the most part returned to the bosom of the official church, sometimes even repenting of the schism.

One illustrative case in this regard is the repentance of a candle. Valentin Swieczycki in 1930. He not only repented of “falling away from the unity of the council” and called on his spiritual children to do the same, but also wrote that the Church does not accidentally canonically allow only one possibility to break communion: in the fall in heresy. There can be no reason for this for any political or moral reasons.

The most authoritative figure among the “catacombs” who called for union with the official church was Ep. Athanasius (Sakharov), who was persecuted for decades. After the election of Patr. Alexius I, he stated that there were no grounds for a split: “Patr. Alexius and his associates do not preach the heresies condemned by the fathers тр Patr. Alexius has not been condemned by any legitimate supreme hierarchical authority, and I cannot, I have no right, say that he is ungrateful and that the sacraments performed by him and his clergy are not valid.

However, still in the late 1960s, several million people in the USSR remained members of the “catacomb” communities.

However, brutal repression has gradually led to the complete degradation of these communities. The catacomb Christians died without confession and communion, the funerals were performed without a service, the newlyweds were left without anointing, the newlyweds – without the sacrament of Marriage. Gradually, in the absence of priests, their role was taken over by itinerant preachers, elderly women…” They hold memorial services, baptize, marry, and some even confess and receive communion. Thus, the Catacomb Church, originally defined as a conservative movement, marked the beginning of the so-called new Russian sectarianism. And this, after all, is the fate of every schism that has arisen for any reason other than heresy.

However, how do we deal with the sins of shepherds, especially when they clearly violate God’s commandments?

He most accurately formulated his position on this issue candle. Valentin Sventsitsky: “Can the grave sins of individual representatives of the Church, even of the hierarchy, be called sins of the Church? These are not the sins of the Church, but their sins before the Church.

We know that sin throws man out of the Church: evil has no place in the Body of Christ. And return to the Church is possible only through repentance. This is what the permissive prayers that the priest reads during confession speak about.

From here arises a kind of theological paradox: a man dressed in the rank of patriarch, bishop or priest, can physically stand before the throne, offer the Sacrifice, but at the same time spiritually be outside the Church. Until the moment of personal repentance. Are the sacraments performed by such a person valid?

Church teaching answers this question in the affirmative.

Because the Sacrament is performed not by man, but by God. In the prayer of St. Ambrose of Milan, which every priest reads before the Liturgy, the same thought is repeated several times in different versions: “You who offer yourself are in a wonderful and unspoken way both a priest and a victim.” The Church believes that Christ Himself sacrificed Himself, and the priest is only the unworthy hands with which He does this.

However, all these theological reflections leave one question open: what to do if only moral violence against yourself allows you to continue going to church?

I think it is spiritually safer for a Christian to continue to be a member of the Church, even if he or she thinks he or she is mistaken. To some extent, this can help a person to break away from pleasant fellowship with people and to seek Christ in the Church, but moral violence against oneself can also cause severe depression.

Freedom of choice is given to man by God, and no one has the right to deprive him of this freedom, including manipulating his consciousness by threatening him with destruction and hell. I believe that every person, aware of his weakness, offers it before God as his personal sin, can withdraw from the earthly church for a certain time, without losing irretrievably the opportunity for personal communion with Christ. One must only be aware that this is a path for saints, and in this way only a few will be able to avoid complete apostasy from Christ.

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