RIP MAX VON SYDOW

Game Of Thrones and The Exorcist star Max Von Sydow dies at his home in France aged 90

'An iconic presence in cinema for seven decades': British director Edgar Wright leads tributes to Game Of Thrones and The Exorcist star Max Von Sydow after he died aged 90

Max von Sydow's family announced his death with 'infinite sadness' on Monday

Swedish-born actor made his film debut in 1949 and became a Hollywood star 

He had more recent roles in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Game of Thrones 




By AMIE GORDON FOR MAILONLINE 9 March 2020

Stars of the silver screen have today paid tribute to the actor  Von Sydow, who has died at the age of 90. Max

The Hollywood legend, known for roles in Star Wars, Game Of Thrones, Flash Gordon and The Exorcist, died at his home in France on Sunday.

His family announced the Swedish-born actor's death 'with a broken heart and infinite sadness' today.

Actress Mia Farrow, who appeared alongside Von Sydow in the 1979 movie Hurricane, was among those paying tribute, remembering him as a 'great artist and true gentleman.'

British director Edgar Wright called Von Sydow 'A God', tweeting: 'Max Von Sydow, such an iconic presence in cinema for seven decades, it seemed like he'd always be with us.

'He changed the face of international film with Bergman, played Christ, fought the devil, pressed the HOT HAIL button & was Oscar nominated for a silent performance.'

The Swedish- French actor Max Von Sydow and his wife, producer Catherine Brelet, at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016

Max Von Sydow (right) as the Three-Eyed Raven in HBO's Game of Thrones 2016, alongside Isaac Hempstead Wright who played Bran Stark

Sam Jones and Von Sydow, who has died aged 90, in the 1980s film Flash Gordon


A scene from the 1973 film The Exorcist, in which Von Sydow played Lankester Merrin

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Actress Mia Farrow and British director Edgar Wright are among those paying tribute today

The actor's agent Jean Diamond said: 'It is with a broken heart and with infinite sadness that we have the extreme pain of announcing the departure of Max Von Sydow, March 8, 2020.'

Born in 1929, Von Sydow made his film debut in 1949, going on to appear in several films by Ingmar Bergman including a role as a knight in The Seventh Seal.

The film's scenes of him playing chess with the figure of Death would become renowned in cinematic circles.

Before his big-screen career took off, Von Sydow studied at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm.

He went on to work with Bergman at the Malmo Municipal Theatre in the 1950s.

He also went on to star in other Bergman films including Wild Strawberries, The Virgin Spring and Hour Of The Wolf.

Subsequently, he enjoyed an illustrious Hollywood career with movies including The Exorcist and Minority Report.

He played Jesus in The Greatest Story Ever Told and Lassefar Karlsson in Pelle the Conqueror, which earned him an Oscar nomination for best actor. 

Max von Sydow appears in classic Flash Gordon 1980's movie


Catherine Brelet (left) and Max Von Sydow at the European Premiere of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' in Leicester Square on December 16, 2015

Max Von Sydow and his wife Catherine at the Emmys in Los Angeles in September 2016

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Hollywood stars have taken to social media to share their tributes and fond memories of the late actor

He received a second Oscar nomination, for best supporting actor, in 2011 for his role in the post-9/11 film Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close.

He also played sinister James Bond super-villain Ernst Blofeld in 1983's Never Say Never Again.

During his extensive film career he worked with a number of heavyweight directors, such as Martin Scorsese, David Lynch, Woody Allen and Steven Spielberg.

In 2015, von Sydow joined the cast of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, portraying Lor San Tekka who appeared at the very start of the film.

The following year, he portrayed the mysterious Three-Eyed Raven in HBO's Game Of Thrones, receiving a Primetime Emmy nomination.

Although originally from Sweden, Von Sydow lived in France for many years and eventually took French citizenship.

While his characters were often sinister, tormented or evil, the soft-spoken Von Sydow said he became an actor to overcome his own shyness.

'I was a very shy boy when I was a kid,' he once said in an Associated Press interview.

'When I started acting in an amateur group in high school, although I wasn't aware of it at the time, I suddenly got a tool in my hand that was wonderful.

'I was allowed to express all kinds of strange things that I never dared to express before. Now I could do it with the character as a shield, as a defense, and as an excuse.

'I think that for many years I used my profession as some kind of a mental therapy.'

Von Sydow married Swedish actress Christina Olin in 1951 and had two sons, Clas and Henrik.

The couple later divorced and he married French filmmaker Catherine Brelet in 1997, with whom he had two more sons, Yvan and Cedric. 

Watch the trailer for the iconic 1974 film The Exorcist

From Swedish arthouse to Hollywood: Max Von Sydow's 65 year career included starring roles in Ingar Bergman's The Seventh Seal and William Friedkin's The Exorcist

Max von Sydow was known for his many collaborations with Ingmar Bergman before he made the leap to Hollywood .

The actor, who has died aged 90, worked with the Swedish film-maker multiple times.

Their credits included The Seventh Seal, in which he famously played chess with the figure of Death, The Magician, The Virgin Spring, Through A Glass Darkly, Hour Of The Wolf and Shame.

In the 1960s, he made the move from European to US films.

More recently, he appeared in Game Of Thrones and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

A scene from the film Minority Report, with Max Von Sydow (left) portraying Lamar Burgess and Tom Cruise (right) as John Anderton

Von Sydow was born in Lund, Sweden, but later became a French citizen.

He was born Carl Adolf von Sydow, according to reports, but changed his name after deciding to act for a living.

"During my military service, I performed a sketch in which I played a flea called Max. So when critics kept misspelling my name, I decided to change it and thought, 'Ah! Max!'," he later told The Guardian.

He attended the acting academy at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm.

"I didn't dream of becoming a movie actor when I was a boy, I wanted to go to the theatre," he later told The Wall Street Journal.

"I was very impressed by the first theatre I was introduced to ... and it made an enormous impression on me."

The actor made his film debut in the Swedish film Only A Mother in 1949.

He was Oscar nominated twice - for best actor for his role in Pelle The Conqueror (1987) and for supporting actor for Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close (2011).

He was also acclaimed for his role in The Diving Bell And The Butterfly (2007) and played sinister James Bond super-villain Ernst Blofeld in 1983 movie Never Say Never Again.

Hollywood credits included The Exorcist, Minority Report, Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island and Ridley Scott's Robin Hood.

Other titles included Hawaii, The Kremlin Letter, Three Days Of The Condor and Woody Allen's Hannah And Her Sisters,

He appeared in Star Wars: The Force Awakens as Lor San Tekka and Game Of Thrones as the Three-eyed Raven, for which he was nominated for an Emmy.

Von Sydow was previously married to actress Christina Inga Britta Olin and tied the knot with second wife Catherine Brelet in 1997.

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Bears are coming out of hibernation more than a month early after one of the hottest winters in human history
Bears in Russia, Finland, and New England have come out of hibernation early
Researchers believe the record high winter temperatures have woken the bears
In some parts of Siberia, bears never started hibernation as temperatures hovered in the mid-50-degrees Farenheit

By MICHAEL THOMSEN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM 6 March 2020 
Bears all over the world are coming out of hibernation more than a month ahead of schedule after one of the hottest winters in human history.

Moscow Zoo CEO Svetlana Akulova announced the zoo was making preparations for two Himalayan bears held in captivity at the zoo to come out of hibernation more than a month earlier than the April window they had been expecting.

The zoo staff had begun around the clock monitoring of the bears in February and noticed they were much more actively astir than normal, indicating they were ready to come out of full hibernation.


In Vermont and New Hampshire there have been multiple sightings of bears coming out of hibernation more than a month earlier than is typical, something researchers attribute to warmer temperatures

‘Our zoologists were preparing for the bears to wake up earlier due to the abnormally warm winter, ’Akulova said, in a statement reported by The Moscow Times.

To avoid shocking the bears’ digestive systems, the zoo prepared a steady range of small meals.

The bears will indulge in frequent but low calorie meals of apples, pears, salad, vegetables, while staple ingredients like honey, fish, and nuts will be gradually added to the mix.

Similar reports of bears coming out of hibernation early have come from other regions in Russia, and from all over the world.

In Voronezh, the city zoo's resident brown bear Masha woke up a month ahead of schedule after zoo workers noticed her hibernation state was unusually light and she was more sensitive to sounds than normal.

Something similar happened with two brown bears at the Korkesaari Zoo in Helsinki, Finland, who woke in mid-February after just two months of hibernation.


The Moscow Zoo's two resident Himalayan bears showed signs they were ready to come out of hibernation as early as February, and they fully work in early March, more than a month ahead of the expected April window they would normally have come out in

Depending on the species, bears typically hibernate for around four or five months a year, though some can go for as long as eight months.

In New Hampshire, bear researchers said there had been multiple bear sightings as early as February.

‘We have a lot less snow this winter, and temperatures have been higher than normal, making it even more tempting for bears to wake up and seek a snack,’ Andy Timmins, a biologist with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, told the New Hampshire Union Leader.


To avoid shocking the bears systems, staff at the Moscow Zoo prepared a steady diet of small, low calorie meals for the bears, comprised of apples, pears, salad and more, while slowly adding in staple foods like fish and nuts

In some regions, this winter has been so warm, local bears never even started hibernation.

Several bears kept in captivity at Bolsherechensky Zoo in Omsk, Siberia were still awake in December, as local temperatures hovered in the mid-50 degrees Farenheit.

Typically, bears won’t begin hibernating until the temperature drops below at least 50 degrees Farenheit.

WHAT IS HIBERNATION?


Hibernation is a mechanism employed by many animals to help them survive cold weather.

Throughout winter months temperatures dip, food is scarce and survival can be difficult.

Hibernation is different depending on the species but all awaken in the spring when temperatures recover again.

A hibernating animal's metabolism slows and its temperature plunges, this helps conserve energy and resources.

Breathing slows as well and in some animals, so does the heart rate.

Some cold-blooded animals, such as wood frogs, produce natural antifreezes to survive being frozen solid.

Mammals entering hibernation must store up large amount of fat by eating considerably in the weeks approaching hibernation,

This layer of extra fat allows them to survive hibernation - insufficient fat reserves can result in starvation during hibernation.

Large black bear seen roaming around California neighborhood


Read more:
Warm Winter Wakes Moscow’s Bears Early - The Moscow Times

Spectacular pictures show the 'worm' supermoon lighting up night skies around the world and it will only get brighter as it reaches its peak TONIGHT

The full point of brightness for the March supermoon will be at 5:48pm GMT on March 9 in the evening

Supermoon events mark the point when the moon appears bigger and brighter than would usually be the case

The March supermoon is also known as the 'Worm Moon' and is named for the coming of springtime

The March full moon will reach peak fullness tonight at 5:48pm GMT - but it appeared full from Sunday night and will still be visible through to Tuesday.

The Worm Moon will be 'spectacularly bright', according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, and appear about seven per cent larger than a normal full moon.

A supermoon occurs when the full moon nearly coincides with perigee – the point in the orbit of the moon at which it is nearest to the Earth.


Scroll down for video

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The near full supermoon sets over London. Also know as the Worm Moon at this time of year - it will be at it's fullest as it rises later today

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The first Supermoon of 2020 rises above Tenerife's Teide National Park The Worm Moon can be viewed from Sunday Evening through to Tuesday morning

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The moon at 99.0 per cent rises behind One World Trade Center and the skyline of lower Manhattan in New York City at sunset on March 8, 2020

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Earlier Sunday evening an almost full moon at 97.6 per cent sets behind the Statue of Liberty in New York City. The Super Worm Moon will rise on March 9 and reach peak at 5:48pm GMT

At perigee a supermoon can appear as much as 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter than normal, when viewed from Earth, depending on the time of year.

Full moon names, which are used to describe the supermoons, were historically used to track the seasons and therefore are closely related to nature.

‘Worm Moon’ is the common name for March’s full moon because at the time it appears the ground begins to soften and heaps of soil left by worms start to appear.

This invites the return of birds to feed, which is seen as a sign of springtime starting to return after a long winter.

There will be two additional supermoons this season – April 8, when a ‘Pink Moon’ will be 221,851 miles from Earth, and the ‘Flower Moon’ on May 7, at 224,429 miles away.

Dr Daniel Brown, an astronomy expert at Nottingham Trent University said supermoons often encourage people to go out and take their first steps in astrophotography thinking the moon will be much larger than normal.

'However, in reality supermoons are never huge at all so don’t get fooled in thinking that you can see it being larger than usual,' he said.

'Supermoons appear only 14% larger than the smallest possible moon –so it would be very difficult to recall its smallest apparent size when that happened in September last year?

“The so-called ‘moon illusion’ will make the moon appear much larger than it really is, when it is close to the horizon, but that happens for any full moon or moon phase you observe.

'So go out there, enjoy spotting the moon and watching it rise and glide through the sky.'

Last night the moon was at 99 per cent and can be seen rising behind One World Trade Center and the skyline of lower Manhattan in New York City as a man stands next to the Hudson River at sunset


The worm moon signifies the oncoming spring and can be seen here next to One World Trade Center in New York - as seen from New Jersey

Here the moon rises behind the spire of One World Trade Center in New York City at sunset on March 8, 2020 as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey

Lady Liberty is framed in front of the orange tinged worm supermoon as it set in New York City on Sunday. The moon is the second supermoon of 2020

WHAT IS A SUPERMOON?

A 'supermoon' appears to us as a larger-than-usual Moon in our night sky.

A supermoon takes place when the moon is full and its orbit at its perigee point is closest to Earth.

As the moon orbits in an ellipse its closest point - the perigee - will come very close to earth. The farthest point of the ellipse is called the apogee.

When a full moon appears at perigee, the moon looks brighter and larger than a regular moon, hence the nickname supermoon.

The Worm Moon is the second of the supermoons to grace the sky this year, following the ‘Snow Moon’ in early February, so-called as it often coincides with heavy snowfall.

The supermoon on November 14, 2016 was the closest full supermoon since January 26, 1948, and will not be surpassed until November 25, 2034, according to Earth Sky.

The closest full supermoon of the 21st century will occur on December 6, 2052.

Astronomers differ on what they believe constitutes a ‘supermoon’ – however, the original definition as coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979 puts it as a full moon or new moon that comes within 90 per cent of its closest approach to Earth.

If possible, the best time to view the full moon is when it is close to the horizon, due to an optical illusion that makes it appear bigger due to its relative size compared to buildings, trees and other objects in the foreground.

Astronomers advise photographers to download apps and maps to track the progress of the moon across the sky, in order to make sightings easier.

NASA demonstrates what exactly makes a Supermoon super

FULL MOON NAMES AND THEIR MEANINGS

January: Wolf Moon because wolves were heard more often at this time.

February: Snow Moon to coincide with heavy snow.

March: Worm Moon as the Sun increasingly warmed the soil and earthworms became active.

April: Pink Moon as it heralded the appearance of Phlox subulata or moss pink – one of spring’s first flowers.

May: Flower Moon because of the abundance of blossoms.

June: Strawberry Moon because it appeared when the strawberry harvest first took place.

July: Buck Moon as it arrived when a male deer’s antlers were in full growth mode.

August: Sturgeon Moon after the large fish that was easily caught at this time.

September: Corn Moon because this was the time to harvest corn.

October: Hunter's Moon after the time to hunt in preparation for winter.

November: Beaver Moon because it was the time to set up beaver traps.

December: Cold Moon because nights at this time of year were the longest.

Source: Old Farmer's Almanac

Emissions from coal power see 'biggest fall' in decades as electricity generation switches toward solar and wind — but more is needed to meet climate targets, report finds

The analysis was undertaken by Ember, the London-based climate think tank

Electricity generation from coal is estimated to have fallen by 3 per cent in 2019

This led to a reduction of 2 per cent in power sector carbon dioxide emissions

But coal use needs to fall by 11 per cent a year until 2030 to meet climate goals

Emissions from coal power saw the 'biggest fall' in decades last year as electricity generation switched toward solar and wind, a report has found.

The global study by climate think tank Ember found that electricity generation from coal fell 3 per cent in 2019 — leading to a 2 per cent reduction in carbon emissions.

This is the biggest decrease on both counts since the International Energy Agency began reporting on them in the year 1990.

However, declining coal generation is not yet 'the new normal' — and more will be needed in the coming years to meet climate targets, the Ember report concluded.

The analysis was based on data on 2019 electricity generation that covered 85 per cent of the world — including China, the EU, India and the United States.



Emissions from coal power saw the 'biggest fall' in decades last year as electricity generation switched toward solar and wind, a report has found (stock image)

Limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels — which scientists warn is necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change — will be extremely difficult, Ember said.

While coal power usage has collapsed in both the EU and the US, the use of electricity sourced from the fossil fuel grew in contrast in China last year, with the country now responsible for half of the world's coal generation, the report found.

The fall in coal usage is partly due to a structural shift towards wind and solar but also one-off factors, such as the restarting of nuclear power generation in Japan.

However, coal use would need to collapse at a rate of at least 11 per cent each year until 2030 to keep global warming down to 1.5°C or less, the report warned.

The reduction in coal use in the US — which fell by 16 per cent in 2019 — is undermined in terms of its climate impact by the fact that the power sector has undergone a significant switch over to gas.

In the EU, coal generation fell by 24 per cent, with the bloc leapfrogging from coal straight to wind and solar power, the report noted.


The global study by climate think tank Ember found that electricity generation from coal fell 3 per cent in 2019 — leading to a 2 per cent reduction in carbon emissions (stock image)

Wind and solar generation rose by 15 per cent in 2019, generating 8 per cent of the world’s electricity.

This level of growth will need to continue for many years in order to to tackle the climate crisis — a feat possible with falling prices, but one that will require a concerted effort from all regions, the report warned.

The researchers' analysis also revealed that the growth in demand for electricity has slowed down to 1.4 per cent — the smallest increase since the 2009 recession — due to a combination of low economic growth and a milder winter in the EU and the US.
Protesters are arrested after Home Office anti-coal stunt

'The global decline of coal and power sector emissions is good news for the climate,' said report author and Ember electricity analyst Dave Jones.

'But governments have to dramatically accelerate the electricity transition so that global coal generation collapses throughout the 2020s.

'To switch from coal into gas is just swapping one fossil fuel for another. The cheapest and quickest way to end coal generation is through a rapid roll-out of wind and solar.'

Without concerted efforts to boost the uptake of solar and wind power, however, the world will fail to meet climate targets, Mr Jones said.

'China’s growth in coal — and to some extent gas — is alarming, but the answers are all there,' he added.

'The EU leaps out with 18 per cent of electricity now coming from wind and solar, but with the US on 11 per cent, China at 9 per cent and India at 8 per cent — the race is on.'

The full findings of the report were published on the Ember website.

'TIME IS RUNNING OUT': DAVID ATTENBOROUGH'S WARNING TO HUMANITY


Sir David urged action against global warming and called it a man-made disaster that poses 'our greatest threat in thousands of years'

Your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.

'We the peoples of the United Nations'.

These are the opening words of the UN Charter.

A charter that puts people at the centre.

A pledge to give every person in the world a voice on its future.

A promise to help protect the weakest and the strongest from war, famine and other man-made disasters.

Right now, we are facing a man-made disaster of global scale.

Our greatest threat in thousands of years. Climate Change.

If we don't take action the collapse of our civilisations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon.

The United Nations provides a unique platform that can unite the whole world.

And as the Paris agreement proved, together we can make real change happen.

At this crucial moment, the United Nations has invited the world's people to have their voice heard, by giving them a seat.

The People's Seat; giving everyone the opportunity to join us here today, virtually, and speak directly to you the decision makers.

In the last two weeks, the world's people have taken part in building this address, answering polls, sending video messages and voicing their opinions.

I am only here to represent the 'Voice of the People': to deliver our collective thoughts, concerns, ideas and suggestions.

This is our 'We the peoples' message.

The world's people have spoken. Their message is clear.

Time is running out.

They want you, the decision makers, to act now.

They are behind you, along with civil society represented here today.

Supporting you in making tough decisions but also willing to make sacrifices in their daily lives.

To help make change happen, the UN is launching the Act Now bot.

Helping people to discover simple everyday actions that they can take, because they recognize that they too must play their part.

The People have spoken.

Leaders of the world, you must lead.

The continuation of our civilisations and the natural world upon which we depend, is in your hands.

US surgeon general mocked after saying Trump is 'healthier than he is'

Jerome Adams, the US surgeon general has been ridiculed after saying that Donald Trump 'sleeps less than him' and is 'healthier' than him.

Adams, who is in his mid-40s, appeared on CNN to discuss the White House reaction to the continued spread of coronavirus but somehow found himself defending the 73-year-old president's health.

Speaking to Jake Tapper, Adams said:

If people are going to go out there we want them and we want them to wash their hands more frequently.

I was with the president on Friday and I said 'Sir, when was the last time that you washed your hands?'

He said 'I washed my hands just a few minutes ago.'

This shouldn't be a surprise as Trump is a well-documented germaphobe but what he said next saw him subjected to widespread mockery.

Speaking of being at risk, the president sleeps less than I do and he's healthier than what I am.

That's the other reason why this messaging is hard because there are 70-year-olds who run marathons who are healthier than some 30-year-olds.

OK...

We're no experts on this kind of stuff but at a glance, we would say that Adams looks a lot healthier than Trump does. After all, this is a man who reportedly drinks 12 cokes a day.

Needless to say, Adams bizarre defence of Trump was the subject of much derision on Twitter.

This is reminiscent of the time that Trump was declared by his own doctor to be the "healthiest president ever elected" which seemed to be more than an extension of the truth.

Coronavirus researcher accused of scaremongering for calling it 'most frightening disease I've ever encountered'

THE INDEPENDENT 

Dr Richard Hatchett, a doctor leading the efforts for a potential vaccine for COVID-19, took some time away from his research yesterday to appear on Channel 4 news and remind viewers of the dangers of the novel coronavirus.

When asked about his potential vested interest in "making people fearful" in order to receive investment for his research, he said:

It's the most frightening disease I've ever encountered in my career, and that includes Ebola, it includes MERS, it includes SARS. And it's frightening because of the combination of infectiousness and a lethality that appears to be manyfold higher than flu.

According to the World Health Organization, the flu's mortaility rate is below 1 per cent, while COVID-19 has killed 3.4 per cent of reported cases so far. However, estimates suggest there could be many more people who have been infected with the virus, but have had symptoms so mild that they have not been tested, meaning the mortality rate could be much lower.

Hatchett also compared the outbreak to the Spanish flu, which emerged in 1918 and estimated to have killed around 50 million people globally over two years.

We have not since 1918 seen a virus that combined those two qualities in the same way. We have seen very lethal viruses [...] but they don't have the infectiousness that this virus has. They don't have the potential to explode and spread globally.

So far, there have been 3,524 deaths since the first case was discovered in December 2019. This would average at around 1,175 deaths per month, which would mean 14,100 per year.

Of course, as the virus spreads, rate of infection and therefore mortality would likely increase, but it's still a long way off 50 million, especially considering the huge increase in scientific understanding of pandemics, vaccination and treatments which have been developed in the past 100 years.

The clip of the interview was tweeted by Channel 4, and has since gone viral given the gravity implied in this statement, which stands in somewhat stark contrast to the official statement from the UK's chief medical officers, which places the UK risk level at "moderate", while stressing that:

It is likely there will be individual cases and we are confident in the ability of the NHS in England, Scotland and Wales and HSC in Northern Ireland to manage these in a way that protects the public and provides high quality care.

Many have criticised the nature of Hatchett's comments, calling them "scaremongering", "unhelpful" and "sensationalism".

While it's crucial we take this virus seriously to avoid further spread, we must also avoid causing global panic, which we are already seeing as people panic-buy and stockpile, with dangerous consequences to the most vulnerable.

Study: No leaking radiation from Alaska island nuclear site

FROM THE ARCHIVES
THE AMCHITKA ISLAND NUKE BLAST IN 1971 WAS THE BASIS OF A MASS PROTEST ACROSS CANADA LED BY THE NEWLY FORMED ORG. GREENPEACE, AND VARIOUS ANTI WAR AND LEFT WING GROUPS. I WAS INVOLVED WITH ORGANIZING PROTESTS IN EDMONTON.
PHOTO ESSAY
Study: No leaking radiation from Alaska island nuclear site

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
PUBLISHED: 12 February 2019

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The latest round of testing on Alaska's remote Amchitka Island found no radioactive material has leaked from locations where the federal government conducted underground nuclear tests there decades ago, a federal official said Tuesday.

Environmental samples tested in 2016 show no subsurface migration of radioactive material, said Jason Nguyen with the U.S. Department of Energy. Samples tested in 2011 also showed no "excessive risk" was found, he said. The department funds sample testing conducted on the island every five years.

"Our preliminary results for 2016 are showing that that conclusion still holds," Nguyen said as he moderated a panel discussion Tuesday at an environmental forum in Anchorage. A final report on that study is expected later this year.

Nguyen, the department's site manager for Amchitka work, also said a 2014 earthquake with a magnitude 7.9 damaged the caps of three drilling mud pits on the now-uninhabited island. But he said none of the diesel-fuel filled mud was exposed. The damage has not yet been repaired.

Three nuclear tests were conducted between 1965 and 1971 on Amchitka, located in the Aleutian Islands chain 1,340 miles southwest of Anchorage. The island was occupied by Aleuts for thousands of years. But they were long gone by the time the U.S. military built a base there during World War II as a strategic defense post, said Bruce Wright, the science adviser for the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, a tribal organization for Alaska's Aleuts including those on the closest occupied location, Adak Island, 200 miles east of Amchitka. Wright was among the speakers at Tuesday's gathering.


Wright's group is a partner with the Department of Energy in the periodic sampling tests, including the latest studies.



FILE - This file photo from June of 1971 shows the exterior of a fallout shelter built for 200 people on Amchitka Island, Alaska, the site of nuclear bomb testing in the 1960s and 1970s. The U.S. government conducted three underground nuclear tests on the island, located in Alaska's Aluetian chain, in the 1960s and 1970s, and the Energy department is responsible for long-term stewardship and monitoring of the sites. (AP Photo, file)

"And so far, we're not seeing any leakage," he said. "That's good news."

The 2011 sampling report said tests indicated that seafood harvested near the now-unoccupied island is safe to eat. The report also said radioactive material from the nuclear tests has remained in the subsurface of each blast location, with the exception of small concentrations of radioactive material detected in several places in subsurface water after the first nuclear test.

The first of the nuclear blasts, dubbed Long Shot, was launched in 1965 with a goal of improving detections of underground nuclear explosions. The second test, called Milrow, was conducted in 1969 to assess detonations of much larger bombs.

The final blast, called Cannikin, the largest underground nuclear test in U.S. history, was launched in 1971 as a weapons-related test. That detonation lifted the ground 20 feet and was equal to the 400 times the power of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, according to information on the National Park Service website. Between 700 and 2,000 sea otters were killed by pressure changes caused by the explosion.

Amchitka, which became part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge in 1980, was part of another refuge when it was chosen for the nuclear tests, given the island's remoteness and existing infrastructure from the former military base. Other projects that followed at Amchitka include the construction and operation of a radar station. The island is now uninhabited.

Radiation-related cancers were far more common among scores of people who worked on Amchitka than among the general population, according to health screenings done through a federal government program. The program compensated hundreds of workers for medical costs.


Others, like Hayden McClure of Palmer, Alaska, received no compensation because he worked there many years after the nuclear blasts. The 71-year-old retired heavy equipment operator is convinced his blood cancer, lymph disease, bone lesions and other health problems stemmed from the 75 days he spend digging trenches on the island in 1988. A fellow worker developed leukemia and died the following year, he said.

"I didn't have any medical problems until I went there," he said of his time on Amchitka.

McClure said he is now free of cancer after undergoing stem-cell therapy


The eighth paragraph of this story corrects the date of the sampling report to 2011 instead of 2001. The date of the final underground nuclear test was in 1971, not 1972.

Follow Rachel D'Oro at https://twitter.com/rdoro

FILE - This file photo from June of 1971 shows a buckled cement pad that was damaged from the 1 megaton nuclear blast "Milrow", detonated 4,000 feet underground in 1969, Amchitka Island, Alaska the site of nuclear bomb testing in the 1960s and 1970s. The U.S. government conducted three underground nuclear tests on the island, located in Alaska's Aluetian chain, in the 1960s and 1970s, and the Energy department is responsible for long-term stewardship and monitoring of the sites. (AP Photo, file)

Jason Nguyen, with the Office of Legacy Management for the U.S. Department of Energy, addresses earthquake damage to some mud disposal sites and sampling results from radiologic monitoring on Amchitka Island during a forum Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019, in Anchorage, Alaska. Officials say the latest round of testing on Alaska's Amchitka Island found no radioactive material has leaked from locations where the federal government conducted underground nuclear tests there decades ago. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

FILE - In this file photo from June 1971, a general view of the site where the Atomic Energy Commission plans to detonate a 5-megaton nuclear bomb nearly 6,000 feet underground, sometime in the fall of 1971, is shown on Amchitka Island, Alaska. The U.S. government conducted three underground nuclear tests on the island, located in Alaska's Aluetian chain, in the 1960s and 1970s, and the Energy department is responsible for long-term stewardship and monitoring of the sites. (AP Photo, file)



Anne M. Jess, of The Doodle Biz of Seattle, creates a graphic representation of a U.S. Department of Energy presentation addressing earthquake damage to some mud disposal sites and sampling results from radiologic monitoring on Amchitka Island during a forum Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019, in Anchorage, Alaska. Officials say the latest round of testing on Alaska's Amchitka Island found no radioactive material has leaked from locations where the federal government conducted underground nuclear tests there decades ago. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)

FILE - This file photo from June of 1971 shows a derelict World War II cargo plane resting with other junk by the side of a road in Amchitka Island, Alaska, the site of nuclear bomb testing in the 1960s and 1970s. The U.S. government conducted three underground nuclear tests on the island, located in Alaska's Aluetian chain, in the 1960s and 1970s, and the Energy department is responsible for long-term stewardship and monitoring of the sites. (AP Photo, file)

FILE - This file photo from June of 1971 shows a general view of the facility and cement pad at ground zero where a 1 megaton nuclear blast was detonated about 4,000 feet underground in 1969 on Amchitka Island, Alaska. The U.S. government conducted three underground nuclear tests on the island, located in Alaska's Aluetian chain, in the 1960s and 1970s, and the Energy department is responsible for long-term stewardship and monitoring of the sites. (AP Photo, file)

Men are more likely to die from coronavirus than women, scientists say

THE INDEPENDENT MARCH 9, 2020

PA

Men have had a pretty good run of luck for the last few thousand years, given the patriarchal system of world domination that they've presided over.

But apparently that might be about to change with the news that women and children are less likely to die from coronavirus.

The findings

A Chinese study found that 2.4 per cent of 44,672 people infected with the coronavirus had died. That’s pretty low but obviously higher than the ideal figure of 0 per cent. The amount of men and women catching the disease is roughly the same but men are more likely to develop such a serious case of Covid-19 that they get so ill they ultimately die.

The study covers late 2019 when the virus was first discovered all the way up to 11 February and found the death rate was 2.8 per cent for men compared to 1.7 per cent for women.

The explanation

While experts are not entirely sure about the reasons for this discrepancy, Professor Paul Hunter from the University of East Anglia did have this to say to the BBC:

Women are more likely to suffer from auto-immune diseases, and there is good evidence that women produce better antibodies to vaccines against flu.

Apparently men are more likely to damage their health in myriad other ways such as smoking thereby making them susceptible to a fatal case of coronavirus.

What about the children?

The good news is that, unlike ordinary flu, coronavirus does not appear to stimulate children’s immune system into overdrive so they are not at risk like the elderly. Professor Nathalie McDermott from King’s College London said:

There must be something this virus does that is not as readily stimulating the immune system in children, but what that is unclear.

The scientists don’t fully understand it but it’s good news. Hopefully they’ll understand more to combat the bad news in the not too distant future.

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Yet again, men of the internet are completely missing the point of International Women's Day

Sirena Bergman in news THE INDEPENDENT

iStock/Canva/indy100

Sometimes it feels as though International Women's Day should just be renamed to International Male Fragility Day, and 2020 is no exception.

Once again, and as always, men across the globe are having meltdowns because for ONE DAY women's issues are at the centre of the media narrative.

According to stats from digital marketing company SEM Rush, global searches for "International Women’s Day" and related terms decreased by 41 per cent between March 2016 to March 2019, meanwhile searches for "International Men’s Day" and related terms have increased by 1002 per cent between November 2016 to November 2019. Yes, you read that right. One thousand and two per cent.

Meanwhile, "When is International Men's Day" is trending on Twitter, in large part due to comedian Rickard K Herring, who takes 8 March every year to reply to every such tweet, reminding men that yes, there is an International Men's Day, and it's on 19 November (coincidentally the same day as World Toilet Day, which provides no end of amusement).

To be fair to Herring, the slightly obnoxious choice of once-a-year hobby is for a good cause: he tweets out every response alongside a link to raise money for Refuge, a charity which supports women who have experienced intimate partner violence. At the time of writing, barely a third of the way through IWD (depending on your timezone), he's already raised over £30,000.

Asked about why he does this every year, Herring said in 2019:

I do this so that everyone else can get on with celebrating International Women's Day and using it to raise awareness of the issues that affect women. And trying to achieve equality.

But having performed this service for the last few years, I’m assuming that everyone will know when International Men’s Day is by now (it’s November 19 by the way), so I’m hoping to have a relatively quiet day.

By the looks of his timeline today, this is clearly not the case.

Are we here for men trying to make IWD all about themselves? No. Are we here for turning fragile masculinity into cold hard cash for some of the most vulnerable women? Yes.

Last year, a graph compiled by a Reddit user showed that since 2010, more people google "International Men's Day" in March than they do in November, when it actually falls.

(Reddit)

Interestingly, it seems no one is really searching for International Women's Day on International Men's Day.
(Google Trends)


It's almost as if women have enough to worry about living in a patriarchal society which systematically demeans and degrades their value on a daily basis, and don't feel the need to come for days that raise awareness of issues that may not affect them.

In case any men have made it this far, here's your annual reminder that really International Men's Day is every other day of the year, when men's needs, points of view and interest are protected and elevated by the vast majority of the world's output. You're welcome.


MORE: On International Women's Day, let's consider these overlooked issues facing women for the other 364 days of the year

This artist put Donald Trump quotes on sexist 1950s advertising posters

Posted Wednesday 22 March 2017 14:15 by Narjas Zatat in news

Saint Hoax is a Syrian artist whose satirical, political visual manipulations provide a snapshot controversial current issues. 

In the latest manifestation of social criticism, the artist took vintage posters from the 1950s and printed things that Donald Trump was reported to have said about women in the past. 

indy100 spoke to Saint Hoax about the series.

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1

Last year on International Women’s Day, I published my ‘Once Upon A War’ campaign which featured Syrian refugees dressed up as Disney princesses.

2

For 2017, Saint Hoax was working on a project inspired by 1950s misogynistic advertisements, and noticed the growing similarities between the posters’ sentiments and Donald Trump’s comments about women. 

As I was researching those ads, I couldn't stop comparing them to Trump's sexist remarks about women. 

3

I decided to match the visuals with sexist Trump quotes and turn them into an awareness/art project that would be published on International Women's Day. 

4

 

5

The vintage advertisements work well with Donald Trump’s sourced quotes, and Saint Hoax agrees, calling misogyny “the common factor”.

 The way women are represented in the media has shifted drastically since these advertisements were initially published. Sadly, Donald Trump is trying to take America back to the "Mad Men" era. 

6

I'm hoping that these posters would make people realize that Trump's ‘locker room talk’ is extremely dangerous especially now since he is the president of the United States and he's ‘supposed’ to be representing one of the most feminist countries in the world. 

7

 

What does Saint Hoax make of the next four years in the US? 

Putting his sexism and racism aside, my biggest problem with Trump is how ego-driven he is. This is an extremely dangerous trait. Putting a man like him in a position of power could lead to tragic consequences.  

8

There's a lot of talk about impeachment, but I'm not sure how long this process would take. I'm hoping not too long though.

9

 

10

 

11

And who would Saint Hoax vote for, if they could choose anyone? 

Michelle Obama. 

You can view Saint Hoax' other works, which have been exhibited in galleries in New York, Bangkok, Florida, Singapore and Beirut, here.