DEC 10 WORLD HUMAN RIGHTS DAY
Afghan director once in Cannes spotlight now in Taliban's shadow


Afghan film director Salim Shaheen was in the spotlight at Cannes, but now he spends his days confined to his home (AFP/AREF KARIMI)

Fri, December 10, 2021

Four years ago, Afghan film director Salim Shaheen was in the spotlight at Cannes, but now he spends his days confined to his home, afraid of the new Taliban regime and their clampdown on arts and music.

Prolific and exuberant, Shaheen often speaks in the third person or as the on-screen personas developed in his 125 ultra-low-budget films.

A mention of his moment in the Cannes limelight elicits particular rapture.

"It was the most beautiful day of my life!" Shaheen cries out from his home in Kabul.

"All the French knew me. They were shouting: 'Shaheen! Shaheen!'"

The film presented at Cannes was a documentary called "The Prince of Nothingwood," produced by journalist Sonia Kronlund, which followed Shaheen as he made his 111th film.

The 56-year-old still savours the memory of the minutes-long standing ovation he received after the documentary's press screening at Cannes.

But all that now seems very far away, and though he has not received any direct threats from the Taliban, he now lives in fear of the hardline Islamists who returned to power in mid-August after a two-decade insurgency.

"I'm afraid," he admits, momentarily ditching his theatrical persona.

"I'm no ordinary guy going out onto the streets. I am Salim Shaheen."

Shaheen fled to Pakistan during the Taliban's first brutal regime of 1996 to 2001, when cinema and television were banned and the arts severely restricted.

Afghanistan's new government has pledged a softer rule this time round -- television has so far been permitted but with heavy restrictions on content, while the country's few cinemas have mostly closed because of the worsening financial crisis.

But restrictions on dancing, playing music and singing have been imposed variably across provinces.

- 'Cinema has died in Afghanistan' -

When the Taliban rolled unopposed into Kabul on August 15 during the collapse of the Western-backed regime, Shaheen burned dozens of posters of his films, keeping only two in an otherwise bare room.

He tried to leave the country later that month and he says he was on a list of people accepted by France.

"I was meant to leave the day of the explosion at the airport," says Shaheen, referring to an August 26 suicide bombing by an Islamic State group affiliate that killed more than one hundred people.

He was in a vehicle at the airport when the explosion took place, and "we received a message telling us to get out of the area," he explains.

He has since closeted himself away at home, along with 12 other family members who were also meant to be evacuated.

"All the actors and actresses from my films are currently in France... I want to go to somewhere I can resume my art and cinema," he says.

His films focus on social issues including violence against women, crime, and drugs – topics not to the Taliban's taste.

Taking inspiration from Bollywood, he flirts with all the main genres -- drama, comedy, police action -- while song and dance are also integral features.

His exaggerated style isn't always appreciated by educated Afghans, but he is very popular among ordinary folk -- many in Kabul break into a smile at the mere mention of his name.

The Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has made it clear that films that it says go against Islamic and Afghan culture are not permitted.

In mid-November, it also issued a religious directive urging Afghan television channels to stop broadcasting dramas featuring women.

A ministry spokesman told AFP he was not familiar with Shaheen or his work.

The filmmaker has just finished editing his last three projects, but doesn't know if they will ever reach the public.

"Cinema has died in Afghanistan -- and Salim Shaheen has died too with that!"

ctx/cyb/dwo/ecl/oho

COACHING IS ABUSE
From Canada to US, Olympic bobsledder Kaillie Humphries races on

Geneviève NORMAND
Fri, December 10, 2021
  

Kaillie Humphries of the US celebrates on the podium of the women's Monobob competition in Altenberg on December 4, 2021 (AFP/Tobias SCHWARZ)

Kaysha Love and Kaillie Humphries of the US celebrate with their medals after the 2-women Bobsleigh race during the Skeleton and bobsleigh World Cup in Altenberg on December 5, 2021 (AFP/TOBIAS SCHWARZ)

Two-time Olympic bobsleigh champion Kaillie Humphries left her native Canada because of harassment and now dreams of competing in a fourth Olympic Games, this time as an American.

Wearing a USA sweater, her hair pulled back with a starry headband, one of the top-ranked women bobsleighers is all smiles after "a really great week."

"I feel a bit overwhelmed, I won't lie," she told AFP with a laugh during an interview in Altenberg, Germany where she was competing in the Bobsleigh World Cup.

The 36-year-old athlete, originally from Calgary in western Canada, just learned that her two-year pursuit of American citizenship was successful, opening the door for her to represent the United States at the Beijing Olympics in February.

Two days later, she climbed to the top of the podium, marking her 28th World Cup victory.

Coming after "major ups and downs" over the past three to four years, she said she feels "a big sense of pride and accomplishment."

- Afraid of getting punched -

In August 2018, Humphries filed a complaint against her trainer, alleging harassment. It led to a break with the Canadian team and her move to the United States, which permitted her to represent the country at the World Cup in 2019.

Subsequently, an independent investigation by the Canadian bobsleigh federation concluded that there is insufficient evidence to prove the alleged harassment.

"My sporting career was over in Canada," she said. "I knew that it was no longer safe for me to continue in that environment."

She described every day being "fearful of (my) environment; you don't know if you're going to get punched in the face if you say the wrong thing," adding that she was threatened physically, as well as "degraded publicly, humiliated... bullied and abused."

"I tried to speak up," but received little or no support, she said. Walking away in the end "was not an easy decision."

"It killed me to do it," she said.

Now Humphries is dreaming of adding two more Olympic medals to her collection at the Beijing Games, in two-woman bobsleigh and women's monobob -- a new addition to the Olympics. She previously won gold in 2010 and 2014, and bronze in 2018.

Canadian bobsledder Kaillie Humphries hopes to represent 

the United States in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics 

(AFP/Tobias SCHWARZ)

- Stronger physically, mentally -

On social networks, Humphries regularly posts video of her training sessions. Sporting long blond hair on one side of her head, shaved on the other, we see her doing push-ups in her house and training in the streets of Carlsbad, California, where she lives with her husband, American former bobsledder Travis Armbruster.

She is convinced that the challenges of the past few years have made her stronger, while advocating for a sport free from tyrannical and violent coaches.

"The shift is so freeing, and I feel so free and safe and empowered in this current environment," she said of her move to join Team USA.

"I am with like-minded people (who) push me to be the best that I can be physically and mentally," she said. "I'm looked upon as a leader... I'm respected as a female, as an athlete."

"Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and be in a safe environment and not be scared of being hit or harassed or abused," insisted the adventurous go-getter, adding that she does not regret any of her choices.

A few years ago, Humphries fought to give more space to women in sports. It was at her urging that the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation opened up the premier four-man bobsleigh to women by inviting them to compete in mixed crews.

By January 17, she should know if she can go to Beijing for a fourth Olympic Games, which would in itself be a victory.

gen/tib/amc/crs/st

QUEBEC

4,500-km Indigenous snowmobile expedition will carry message of reconciliation, healing and hope

Thu., December 9, 2021

The Expédition First Nations Expedition will happen between Feb. 16 and March 4. Close to 60 people, mostly Indigenous, from seven different nations will take part.

 (Marie-Laure Josselin/Radio-Canada - image credit)

A 4,500-kilometre Indigenous-led snowmobile expedition — believed to be the longest in the world — is taking shape in Quebec and is about so much more than snowmobiling.

Expédition First Nations Expedition will see close to 60 people — mostly Indigenous — from seven different nations in Quebec travel in the bush over 18 days from Feb. 16 to March 4, 2022.

Organizers say they will carry a message of reconciliation, healing and hope and they want to help rebuild connections between Indigenous peoples across Canada and to increase understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Quebecers, among other goals.

"We are very proud of this project because it offers something that all nations can identify with," said Christian Flamand, an Attikamekw from the Mauricie region of Quebec and one of the main organizers of the expedition.

"It is not just a snowmobile trip."

Project ... offers something that all nations can identify with. - Christian Flamand, an organizer of the expedition

The participants include members from Atikamekw, Innu, Cree, Naskapi, Mohawk and Inuit communities, as well as some non-Indigenous Quebecers.

Sacred fires

The expedition is also being called The Expedition of the Sacred Fire. There will be 11 First Nations women taking part, who will be responsible for carrying charcoal from a sacred fire that will be lit on the first day in Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam, on Quebec's Lower North Shore. The community is near Sept-Iles, about 900 kilometres northeast of Montreal.

The women will also be responsible for lighting six other sacred fires in different communities along the route.

Peggie Jérôme is one of the 11 Indigenous women who will be taking part in the expedition.

"We want to heal together with a sacred fire. We will pick up charcoal from each sacred fire. It's going to represent a reconciliation of our nations across the country," said Jérôme, who is the general director of youth protection services for four Algonquin communities in the Abitibi region in northwestern Quebec.

submitted by Christain Flammand

An avid snowmobiler, Jérôme said everything about the expedition spoke to her.

"To ask the creator ... we need to heal. To start something good in our life and to renew our nations," said Jérôme, who is making the trip with her sister Marlène.

Organizers are asking each community to keep the sacred fire burning for the duration of the expedition.

Honouring children, MMIWG and Joyce Echaquan

The plan is also to honour Indigenous children who didn't make it home from residential school, as well as missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, organizers said.

The expedition will also honour the memory of Joyce Echaquan, the Attikamekw woman from Manawan who died last year at a hospital in Joliette while facing a barrage of racist insults from hospital staff that she live-streamed through her phone.

Echaquan's widow, Carol Dubé, will be one of the riders, according to organizers.

The group will pass through several Indigenous communities, from Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam to Kuujjuaq in Nunavik and then back through the James Bay Cree coastal communities and the Algonquin communities in the Abitibi region. The expedition is set to end March 4 or 5 in Manawan, an Attikamekw community, located 250 kilometres northeast of Montreal.

Christian Flamand/ Expédition First Nations

"I think a lot of people were waiting and needing a project like this," said Flamand, who says people from all over Quebec are interested in the project and helping in the organization. A film crew will be along for the whole expedition and a documentary will be produced.

Participants from each nation will take the lead of the expedition when riders are on their ancestral territory.

Cree Nation participation

The Cree Nation of Quebec will take the lead of the expedition beginning at Brisay, about 1,800 kilometres northeast of Montreal. The expedition will then travel to Chisasibi, then down the coast of James Bay through Wemindji and Eastmain to Waskaganish, said Robbie Tapiatic, one of three Cree participants.

"All nations will ride together ... this is not a race," said Tapiatic in Cree, who has been out on the weekends clearing the path through Cree territory. Tapiatic says he's taking part to help Indigenous people heal.

"I am doing this for this for the late children and missing and murdered [Indigenous] women and girls. We're doing our part to heal," he said.

The other Cree participants are Keith Bearskin and John E. Sam.

Sam, who is a Canadian ranger, says he was asked to take part because of his knowledge of the territory. He knows the expedition will be a challenge.

"It will be a tough journey. It will be hard at the beginning, and we will prepare ourselves and workout our muscles," said Sam in Cree.

The Expédition First Nations Expedition have created a Facebook page. Organizers are planning to share regular live updates during the expedition.

41 cameras set on Whitehorse wildlife corridor yield surprising results

Thu., December 9, 2021

Cameras set up by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) in McIntyre Creek over the summer photographed bears among other wildlife. The organization is studying the effects of human activity in the area. (CPAWS Yukon - image credit)

A conservation group got a close look at the wildlife in Whitehorse over the summer as it studied the impact of human activity in the area.

Between May and September, the Yukon chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) set up 41 camera traps in McIntyre Creek, a 42-square-kilometre area that cuts through the city and happens to be a popular spot for recreation.

Maegan Elliott, a conservation coordinator, said there is a "knowledge gap" they want to fill.

"We just don't have a complete understanding of how different wildlife species are using the McIntyre corridor and how human activity is affecting them. And especially what species are there throughout the year, or at different times of the year," Elliott said.

Elliott said McIntyre Creek is known as a "wildlife corridor," meaning animals use it to safely pass through the city en route to the wilderness outside Whitehorse.

The area also carries cultural significance as First Nations people would travel up the creek to access hunting and fishing grounds, she added.

CPAWS Yukon

The cameras captured a trove of data, recording common species like coyotes, foxes and deer.

They also caught grizzly and black bears, moose, pine martens and a lone wolf. Elliott noted that neither the bears nor the wolf were located in the busy areas.

"It's pretty exciting to open up a camera and it's kind of like Christmas morning (where you) open presents to see what you got on the camera," she said.

Moose were a common sight, which came as a surprise.

"It was originally thought moose were more common in the area in the winter, and they were pretty rare in the summer. But we actually got quite a few moose and even cows with calves in some of the busy parts of the area," Elliott said.

"So that was pretty interesting to me, that the moose are still able to make a living there, even with all the human activity."

Along with the photos, CPAWS also made recordings of bird songs during May and June.

Too early for conclusions

Right now, the group is surveying wildlife tracks in the snow to see how wildlife is using the area. Elliott said that data will be compared to trails and roads.

"And that should give us a pretty good idea of how they're using the area and how our presence is affecting them as well," Elliott said.

At this point, Elliott said it's too early to draw any conclusions from the data, which has yet to be analyzed.

She said the findings will be shared with planners at the City of Whitehorse, scientists and First Nation governments.

However, she urged others to pay attention, especially as the City of Whitehorse revises its Official Community Plan.

"It's a really important area for our wildlife but also for people to connect with the area," she said.

"Sometime in the new year, they should have a draft out of the plan and that will have a vision for McIntyre Creek … just want people to keep an eye out for that if McIntyre Creek is important to them."

Abandoned Ontario cemetery with graves of Black settlers to be restored after campaign by local advocates



Thu., December 9, 2021

Aileen Duncan stands near the entrance to the abandoned cemetery

 where several of her ancestors are buried. (Mike Smee/CBC - image credit)

An abandoned cemetery southeast of Hamilton which is the final resting place for Black settlers — including the niece of a famed anti-slavery icon — will soon be restored thanks to some local volunteers and county councillors.

People who escaped slavery in the United States are buried at the Street-Barnes Cemetery, tucked away in a copse of trees in the middle of a field. No one's been buried there since the 1940s, and the 500-square-metre site is now littered with overturned tombstones, unkempt brush, dead trees and tangles of old fence wire.

Sylvia Weaver, a local historian and author, says at least a dozen people are buried in the cemetery, which is near Canfield in Haldimand County — including Carrie Barnes, whose renowned aunt Harriet Tubman helped slaves escape to Canada via the Underground Railroad in the 1800s.

Rosemary Sadlier, a Toronto-based historian and former president of the Ontario Black History Society, says the rehabilitation work can't come soon enough.

"Often, sadly, because of racism, because of ignorance, because of migration, the presence of people of African descent in certain communities is completely erased," she said, noting that cemeteries "often provide the only tangible evidence of their living there ... of a Black settlement."

Mike Smee/CBC

'It's Canadian history'

Aileen Duncan, from nearby Hamilton and a descendant of the Street family, after whom the cemetery is named, said it was a "thrill" for her to see her great-great-grandparents' names at the site.

"This just absolutely left me speechless," she said.

Chris Mulligan/CBC

Only eight grave markers are still visible, but Duncan says it's important that everyone be able to visit the site, not just those whose relatives are buried there.

"This isn't just for my family or the other descendants.... It's Canadian history."

But, right now, the site is not accessible to the public.

Duncan, who uses a walker, needs to get permission before she can visit her ancestors' graves because the cemetery is on private land and is publicly inaccessible from the nearest road. The current landowner allows Duncan into the site using his driveway because she has promised not to hold him liable for any potential injuries.

$100K budget set for rehabilitation

Duncan, Weaver and Graeme Bachiu, a local filmmaker, have been advocating for the cemetery's restoration for several years and it appears they're finally getting some traction.

Coun. John Metcalfe, who sits on Haldimand County council and its heritage board, says Haldimand is in the process of acquiring the cemetery and has budgeted about $100,000 for its rehabilitation.

Mike Smee/CBC

Metcalfe says he wants to clean up "the leaning trees, the debris on the ground ... just making it safe" for people to enter the site.

"But we have to have ownership of the property, which is what's being worked on right now," he said.

According to Ontario's Cemeteries Act, private landowners whose properties include abandoned cemeteries must keep them properly groomed. If they choose not to, the local municipality can take them over without payment, as long as the local council promises to keep the grounds in good condition.

Haldimand County has made that promise and the land is in the process of being transferred into the county's care.

Chris Mulligan/CBC

Metcalfe says after the cleanup the county would like to see a committee of descendants and local historians decide on what memorials should be placed at the site.

Duncan already has plenty of ideas.

"I'd like to see the stones resurrected. I'd like to see grass on the ground and benches so that people can come in and sit. We could have a small garden with flowers and things like that in here. All I can think about is the peacefulness here."

But first, another roadblock must be cleared: access to the site.

Sylvia Weaver

That means persuading an adjacent landowner, plus the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, to surrender enough land to the county to build a path or roadway to the cemetery from the highway, about 500 metres away.

Metcalfe says lawyers for everyone involved are working out that easement and he expects the cleanup to begin in the spring.

'A feeling of reverence'

Spencer Martin, another descendant of those buried in the cemetery, says entering the graveyard evokes "a feeling of reverence of what people have gone through to get here. And it's the story of every immigrant that's come to this country to escape adversity."

Bachiu, the local filmmaker, has spent years researching the cemetery and has chronicled its history in his series Canfield Roots.

"The fabric of Canadian society is made up of all different types of ethnicities, genders," he said.

"When we start to recognize that there were historic freedom seekers [who were] settlers in rural areas such as this ... then we learn more about ourselves as a people, we learn more about ourselves as a society."

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.

Heavy crude now makes up about half of N.L.'s production

Thu., December 9, 2021

The Hebron platform is pictured anchored in Trinity Bay, N.L., in April 2017. About half of the oil produced last year by Newfoundland and Labrador's major oil projects came from Hebron. (Paul Daly/The Canadian Press - image credit)

Heavy oil makes up an increasingly large proportion of the crude produced off Newfoundland, according to the latest annual report of the province's oil regulator.

The data calls into question the provincial and federal governments' repeated assertions about light Newfoundland oil forming an integral part of the global energy transition.

Data from the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board shows that in 2020-21, more than half of the nearly 100 million barrels of crude produced at three major oil fields came from one project: Hebron. (Production at Terra Nova, the province's fourth major field, is currently offline.)

The vast majority of Hebron production comes from the Ben Nevis reservoir, which extracts crude with an API gravity of 19.8, meaning it's considered heavy oil by both the Canada Energy Regulator and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

Hebron oil, with an API gravity of around 20, has a texture similar to molasses or honey. Oil from Hibernia or White Rose, whose gravity ranges from 30 to 40, has a texture closer to water.

Heavier oil, more intensive refining

"There's going to be more energy required in order to break down the chains of the molecules of that heavy oil in order to bring it to a commercial product that can be used. So there will be, obviously, more emissions coming out of that process," said Farshid Torabi, professor of petroleum systems engineering at the University of Regina.

"The heavier the oil, the more effort and energy is required to thermally crack down the molecules and break down the chains", he said, while adding oil companies take "great measures" to reduce emissions to a minimum during refining.

Andrew Parsons, the province's energy minister, wouldn't do an interview.

A statement sent by spokesperson Kelly-Anne Roberts and attributed to the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology said demand for Hebron oil remains high and that "upstream emissions intensity (extraction) for Hebron in 2020 was the lowest in the offshore."

"Upstream emissions intensity for the offshore is mainly a function of how much oil a field is producing and how efficient the facility is from an emissions perspective (particularly power generation and flare)," the statement reads.

Over time, heavy oil from Hebron "is anticipated to become lighter as the other reservoirs (Hibernia, Jeanne d'Arc) come online," the deparment added, adding the oil contain relatively low amounts of sulfur, meaning it "is less expensive to refine and would result in lower associated emissions."

Lesley Rideout, spokesperson for the C-NLOPB, said in an email that the board "has not adopted a standard for differentiating 'heavy' vs. 'light.' We also don't track the breakdown of the volume of heavy crude vs. light crude."

Rideout also said that while most of the crude produced at Hebron is heavy oil, it is extracted without changing its viscosity, as is typically the case with heavier crude.

"All petroleum production from the N.L. offshore is produced conventionally, without the use of thermal stimulation methods such as steam injection," she said.

Government accused of greenwashing

For years, the federal and provincial governments have promoted the offshore oil industry and investment in light, sweet Newfoundland crude, for which emissions related to production are relatively lower.

Last month, Premier Andrew Furey travelled to Glasgow to participate in the UN climate summit and make the case for Newfoundland and Labrador oil as the planet transitions away from fossil fuels.

Angela Carter, an associate professor of political science at the University of Waterloo, said she believes the provincial government is purposely playing down the amount of heavy oil produced off Newfoundland and the emissions it creates.

"These are messages to try to convince the public and maybe the industry as well that, you know, the government is still supportive of the fossil fuel sector or oil extraction in Newfoundland and Labrador. It's not rooted in climate science," she said.

Carter said even if production at the Hebron platform creates relatively less emissions, compared with other offshore projects, she believes the government is painting over the downstream emissions created by Newfoundland oil — by transporting, refining, then burning the fossil fuels.

"We need to stop focusing on what's happening just at the point of extraction," she said. "It is very convenient for the oil industry, but it is not helpful to people in Newfoundland and Labrador, certainly not at a moment of climate crisis. So it's, how can I say it? It's greenwashing."

US Bureau of Land Management wasting money on unleased land, watchdog says

Only 15% of available land owned by the government was leased to oil companies. Photo courtesy of Unsplash

Dec. 10 (UPI) -- A report released Friday by the Government Accountability Office found that the Interior Department is wasting money on applications for land that isn't leased for oil and gas drilling.

The watchdog said that the Bureau of Land Management should consider charging oil and gas speculators to nominate public lands for sale.

The bureau manages about 700 million acres of minerals -- including stores of crude oil and natural gas -- owned by the federal government. It's responsible for holding sales of leased lands for energy development.

Proposals come in from oil companies and speculators. The bureau then reviews those proposals to see if the lands are appropriate for oil and gas development.

Between 2009 and 2019, only 20% of lands were offered for sale and only 15% were leased.

The federal workload to consider millions of acres of land is heavy lifting, the report stated.

Most of the 87 million acres of land nominated for leasing were never offered at auction, and of the 18 million auctioned, 4 million were never leased.

The BLM hasn't updated its application fees for more than 15 years, a move that has cost BLM staff time and money while they weigh offering proposed lands for lease.

The report suggests that BLM charge a fee to nominate lands -- a requirement that hasn't been visited since 2014 -- and perform regular reviews of its fee structure.

"Without doing so, BLM risks continuing to expend resources to process nominations that do not result in leases," the 60-page report states. "In addition, the agency may not strike the appropriate balance between encouraging nominations and controlling costs."

WORLD HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

'Silent strike' to oppose military coup empties streets across Myanmar

An empty street is seen Friday in downtown Yangon, Myanmar, during a "silent strike" to protest against the military rule. Photo by EPA-EFE

Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Opponents to the military government in Myanmar protested in a grand show of unity on Friday -- a national "silent strike" that emptied streets and businesses across the country on international Human Rights Day.

The strike was the largest nationally coordinated protest effort in Myanmar in months. Those who participated by staying home and closing their businesses did so to reject the military coup in February that removed the civilian government.

Organizers said the aim of the strike was to support a movement in Myanmar to return the government to civilian control.

The demonstration was expected to last for several hours.

Opponents to the junta rule held a similar strike in March when streets in Yangon and other urban centers were deserted.

The military seized power in Myanmar on Feb. 1 and arrested civilian leaders like Aung San Suu Kyi, claiming that the election a year ago that kept them in power was fraudulent.

Suu Kyi was sentenced this week to four years in prison on charges of inciting dissent and violating COVID-19 protocols.

Over the past 10 months, the junta have been quick to crack down on dissenting activity, which has resulted in a number of deaths. Last week, troops rammed a vehicle into a crowd of protesters, killing five.

Study: Toxins in wildfire smoke may make their way into the brain

By HealthDay News

Toxins from wildfires, such as the Caldor fire near Meyers, Calif., in August, could make their way into the brain, according to new research. File Photo by Peter DaSilva/UPI | License Photo

The smoke from wildfires is dangerous for your lungs, but tiny particles from the smoke can also enter your brain and cause lifelong neurological issues, a new animal study suggests.

Once that happens, the particles may put people at risk for everything from premature aging and various forms of dementia to depression and even psychosis, researchers say.

"These are fires that are coming through small towns and they're burning up cars and houses," said Matthew Campen, a professor at the University of New Mexico's College of Pharmacy.

Campen and his team conducted research last year at Laguna Pueblo, an area 41 miles west of Albuquerque and roughly 600 miles from the source of wildfires.

They found that mice exposed to smoke-laden air for nearly three weeks under closely monitored conditions showed age-related changes in their brain tissue.

Microplastics and metallic particles of iron, aluminum and magnesium in wildfire smoke sometimes travel thousands of miles. As smoke rises higher in the atmosphere heavier particles fall out, Campen said.

"It's only these really small ultra-fine particles that travel a thousand miles to where we are. They're more dangerous because the small particles get deeper into your lung, and your lung has a harder time removing them as a result," Campen said in a university news release.

The particles lodge themselves into lung tissue, triggering the release of inflammatory immune molecules into the bloodstream, which carries them into the brain.

They start to degrade the blood-brain barrier and trigger the brain's immune response, Campen said.

In the mice, the researchers found neurons showed metabolic changes suggesting that wildfire smoke exposure may add to the burden of aging-related impairments, though research on animals does not always produce the same results in humans.

"It looks like there's a breakdown of the blood-brain barrier that's mild, but it still triggers a response from the protective cells in the brain -- astrocytes and microglia -- to sheathe it off and protect the rest of the brain from the factors in the blood," Campen said.

"Normally, the microglia are supposed to be doing other things, like helping with learning and memory," Campen added.

The findings were published online this month in the journal Toxicological Sciences.

More information

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has more on how wildfire smoke can affect your health.

Copyright © 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

WORLD HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

U.N. General Assembly ratifies several resolutions against Israel

An Israeli flag is seen in the Ma'aleh Adumim settlement annexed to the controversial E1 area in the West Bank, outside Jerusalem, Israel, on October 16. 

File Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo

Dec. 10 (UPI) -- The United Nations General Assembly has formally approved several resolutions that criticize Israel for a variety of positions, including building Jewish settlements and acting against Palestinian rights.

The UNGA formally ratified six resolutions against Israel.

Some of the resolutions condemn Israeli settlement activity, call for a withdrawal from the Golan Heights and affirm the work of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees.

One resolution calling for financial aid for Palestinian refugees passed by a vote of 16-1, with only Israel in dissent.

Many of the UNGA parties who opposed the resolutions abstained from voting.

The UNGA resolutions call for the cessation of all unlawful Israeli settlement activities and the construction of a wall in the Gaza strip. It also orders Israel to end military operations against Palestinian and Syrian civilians.

One resolution that accuses Israel of building settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, passed 146-7. Another calling for Israel's withdrawal from the Golan Heights passed 149-2.

All six resolutions were adopted last month, but formally ratified on Friday. They are part of a package of 14 texts on Israel that the assembly is expected to pass by the end of 2021.