Saturday, July 10, 2021
U.S. Airstrikes in Syria and Iraq: Legal Authorities and Presidential War Powers
July 8, 2021
Late on Sunday, June 27, the Biden administration authorized U.S. airstrikes against facilities used by Iran-backed militias along the Iraq-Syria border. This was the Biden administration’s second airstrike along the Iraq-Syria border, and the strike comes as Congress is debating changes to existing Authorizations for the Use of Military Force (AUMF). This article unpacks known details of the strike, some of the legal issues involving the claimed authorities under international and domestic law, and how these justifications relate to ongoing debates on AUMF reform and presidential war powers. While the Biden administration refrained from using either the 2001 or 2002 AUMFs in its recent airstrikes, its exclusive reliance on executive power places stress on Article II constitutional authorities and underscores the need for an updated AUMF. The reliance on Article II authorities becomes particularly concerning if the United States continues airstrikes as part of an escalating tit-for-tat response to attacks on U.S. troops and facilities in the region, attacks that have only continued in the past week.
Q1: What were the airstrikes, and why were they conducted?
A1: The airstrikes targeted “operational and weapons storage facilities” at three locations, two in Syria and one in Iraq, near the towns of Al Bukamal and Al-Qa’im along the shared border between the two states. F-15E and F-16 aircraft carried out the strikes that reportedly killed four Iraqi fighters with the Iranian-aligned proxy Hashd Al-Shaabi. This strike closely follows the form of the Biden administration’s first authorized use of force on February 25, which was conducted by F-15E aircraft targeting nine facilities used by Iranian-backed militia groups located in Abu-Kamal, Syria, on the Iraqi border.
The Biden administration stated that the facilities targeted on June 27 had been used by Iranian-backed militia groups, including Kata’ib Hezbollah and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, to conduct a series of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and rocket attacks against U.S. facilities and personnel stationed in Iraq. The specific attacks were detailed in the White House’s subsequent letter to Congress, issued as consistent with the War Powers Resolution.
Several of the militia UAV attacks have been previously reported on and fit within the broader pattern of Iranian-backed militias using rocket attacks and drones to target U.S. personnel and facilities in Iraq. The White House’s recent letter stated that the attacks have injured and threatened U.S. and coalition personnel, although no deaths were mentioned.
Q2: On what legal authorities were the strikes conducted?
A2: The primary legal justifications are laid out in a Department of Defense (DOD) statement from June 27, the president’s letter to Congress on June 29, and a June 29 letter to the UN Security Council from the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
The statements claimed the strikes exercised the United States’ inherent right of self-defense under international law, as laid out in Article 51 of the UN Charter. Under domestic law, the DOD statement argued that the airstrikes were conducted pursuant to the president’s Article II constitutional authority to protect U.S. military personnel. The president’s letter also refers to this authority, claiming that the strikes were conducted “pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct United States foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive.” Both the domestic and international legal justifications are consistent with the Biden administration’s legal justifications used for its February 25 strike against Iranian-backed militias operating in eastern Syria.
Q3: Can these airstrikes be considered self-defense under international law?
A3: The claim that the airstrikes were exercising the inherent right of self-defense raises several legal questions regarding what qualifies as self-defense under international law, and there is an ongoing debate among legal scholars on whether the previous strikes in February qualified as self-defense. While some argue that the airstrikes in response to attacks by Iranian-backed militias fall within defensible interpretations of the inherent right of self-defense, others hold that they are unlawful because the strikes come after the attacks, being effectively an armed reprisal if there is not a threat of imminent or ongoing attack. Skepticism about claims of self-defense is warranted, especially as this justification has become increasingly common since the establishment of the UN Charter.
In its public statements, the Biden administration took pains to address these concerns by emphasizing that the June 27 strikes were not in response to an isolated attack but rather in response to an “ongoing series of attacks” that have “escalated in recent months” and military action was taken to “disrupt and deter such attacks.” In making this argument, the president’s letter details the recent pattern of escalating attacks:
Rocket attacks:
Balad Air Base on April 4, April 18, and May 3, 2021
Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center on May 2, 2021
Al‑Asad Air Base on May 4 and May 24, 2021
UAV attacks:
S. facilities in Erbil on April 14, 2021
Al-Asad Air Base on May 8, 2021
Bashur Air Base on May 10, 2021
S. facilities near Baghdad International Airport on June 9, 2021
Highlighting this pattern of repeated attacks helps establish their ongoing nature and strengthens the justification that the airstrikes were made in self-defense.
The statements further stress the significance of sending an unambiguous signal to deter future attacks. The White House letter was explicit that the strikes were to “deter the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iran-backed militia groups from conducting or supporting further attacks on United States personnel and facilities” and was “directed at facilities used by groups involved in these ongoing attacks for weapons storage, command, logistics, and UAV operations.” These statements make it clear that the strikes were aimed to deter and dissuade future attacks, while also targeting the militia’s facilities in an effort to disrupt and degrade their ability to continue launching UAVs and rockets. By characterizing the strikes as being in part a deterrent against future attacks, the Biden administration does wade into thornier issues of anticipatory self-defense and whether any future attacks qualify as an imminent threat. However, taken in combination with the effort to demonstrate the ongoing nature of the attacks, the Biden administration strengthened its case that the airstrikes strikes were defensive in nature.
Q4: Did the targeted states provide consent for the United States to strike targets within their borders?
A4: Neither Iraq nor Syria have said they consented to the airstrikes taking place on their territory. While the White House does not claim that the airstrikes were conducted at the invitation of Iraq, the DOD statement did note that the United States was “in Iraq at the invitation of the Government of Iraq for the sole purpose of assisting the Iraqi Security Forces in their efforts to defeat ISIS.” Iraq has since condemned the strike in harsh terms as a violation of international law. This lack of consent was previously raised by some scholars as an issue with the Biden administration’s first strike on February 25, which took place in Syria without its consent.
Absent the target states’ consent, the unwilling or unable test is often used, which holds that states are allowed to use force against threatening non-state groups in sovereign states either unwilling or unable to suppress them. This principle has experienced growing support internationally, and the United States has explicitly supported it in the past. The Biden administration mentioned the test in its previous letter to Congress for the February 25 airstrikes, and while it may apply this time, the test is notably absent from the most recent letter to Congress for the June 27 airstrikes.
Q5: How do the recent airstrikes relate to current debates on AUMF reform?
A5: Neither the Biden administration’s June or February strikes invoked the 2002 nor 2001 AUMFs, which are currently being debated by Congress. The White House has since doubled down on its domestic Article II authority for conducting the airstrikes, while simultaneously affirming its desire to work with Congress on AUMF reform to “update authorization parameters and legislation.”
Because one of the targeted facilities was in Iraq, the absence of any reference to the 2002 AUMF authority is particularly notable. The 2002 AUMF, passed by Congress before the 2003 invasion of Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, authorizes the use of force against the “continuing threat posed by Iraq.” This was subsequently used by the Obama administration as part of the legal basis for its campaign against ISIL and by the Trump administration for its strike against Qassem Soleimani on January 3, 2020. The absence of any reference to this authority is consistent with Biden’s commitment to updating AUMF authorities and support of legislation recently passed by the House to repeal the 2002 AUMF. The Biden administration’s Statement of Administrative Policy (SAP) further made it clear that there are no ongoing military operations that use the 2002 AUMF. The 2002 AUMF thus remains the low-hanging fruit in the attempt to reform AUMF authorities. That is not to say that efforts at repeal are insignificant. The successful repeal of the 2002 AUMF would be the first repeal of wartime authorities in 50 years.
The 2001 AUMF, which authorized the use of force against the terrorist groups behind the 9/11 attacks, was also not cited in either the February 25 or June 27 strikes. The 2001 AUMF undergirds much of U.S. counterterrorism operations but is outdated and has been subject to expansive interpretations over the past 20 years to include a number of groups with little or no ties to those behind the 9/11 attacks. This makes the 2001 AUMF the most important authority to update and reform, which the president has agreed to in principle.
Q6: Are Article II constitutional authorities adequate for these airstrikes?
A6: By not citing the 2002 or 2001 AUMF authorities, the president is relying exclusively on his own Article II executive authority for these airstrikes against Iranian-backed proxies.
While it is admirable that the president is not continuing to stretch congressional authorizations enacted nearly 20 years ago against different actors, the exclusive reliance on Article II puts more pressure on executive authority. Article II authority has generally been interpreted by presidential administrations to allow short, limited uses of force, but the reliance on executive authority without congressional authorization invites pushback from Congress, especially as U.S. involvement becomes more substantial and drawn out. The recent airstrikes do fall short of other more prominent examples of force authorized under Article II authority that include, as John Bellinger noted in recent testimony before Congress, using force in Somalia in 1992, Haiti in 1994, Bosnia in 1995, and Libya in 2011. While the February and June airstrikes may still fall within Article II authority, this position may become unsustainable if the strikes escalate into a more substantial and prolonged conflict.
This is a real risk if the airstrikes continue and evolve into an ongoing campaign against Iranian proxies in Iraq and Syria. While the DOD statement explicitly states that the strikes were a “deliberate action designed to limit the risk of escalation,” UAV and rocket attacks by Iranian-backed militia are likely to continue. U.S. troops located in northeast Syria came under rocket fire the day after the airstrikes, and U.S. troops and facilities in Iraq and Syria have since come under continued and escalating rocket and UAV attacks this past week. By engaging in a tit-for-tat response, the United States may become involved in a pattern of limited uses of force that stretches Article II authorities and effectively constitutes a campaign of military action without authorization from Congress.
Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) expressed this concern, stating that while the Biden administration may have the authority to defend U.S. forces, “repeated retaliatory strikes against Iranian proxy forces are starting to look like what would qualify as a pattern of hostilities under the War Powers Act. Both the Constitution and the War Powers Act require the president to come to Congress for a war declaration under these circumstances.”
Congress should continue to follow these airstrikes closely for potential escalation. As congressional leaders consider AUMF reform, they should also ask for the Biden administration’s view on where the threshold is for when a number of airstrikes reach a level that requires congressional authorization for the use of force.
Overall, the recent strikes by the Biden administration do not have the same escalatory significance as last year’s strike on Soleimani or involve the same legal stretch as invoking the 2002 AUMF. However, they do underscore the need for updated AUMF authorities to reflect current threats, contemporary actors, and present geopolitical realities.
Adam Saxton is a research associate with the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.
Critical Questions is produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a private, tax-exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues. Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary. CSIS does not take specific policy positions. Accordingly, all views, positions, and conclusions expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author(s).
Man's robotic arm works faster with high-tech sense of touch
By Dennis Thompson, HeathDay News
Nathan Copeland, pictured, is learning to operate a robotic arm as the first human to have electrodes implanted in the sensory cortex of his brain. Photo courtesy of HealthDay News
The robot hand extends toward a small cube, guided by signals from electrodes implanted in the brain of partially paralyzed patient Nathan Copeland.
In surprisingly smooth fashion, Copeland's mind directs the robot hand to pick up the cube and move it to another part of the table.
The process works so well -- at speeds approaching those of average folks -- because for the first time, a patient guiding a robot arm can feel the object they are picking up.
Copeland, 34, is the first human to have electrodes implanted in the sensory cortex of his brain. The robot hand delivers tactile feedback to his brain, informing him whether he's got a good grip on whatever object he's trying to manipulate.
RELATED Mind-controlled 'exoskeleton' restores movement to totally paralyzed man
"I could see the hand was touching the object, but I also had that extra reassurance and confidence that I definitely had made contact and I was applying a certain amount of pressure," said Copeland, who lives in Dunbar, Pa. "I knew if I went to lift the object off the table, it wouldn't fall out of my grasp."
Provided this sensory feedback, Copeland dramatically slashed the amount of time it took him to use the robot hand to pick up and move objects in lab experiments, said Jennifer Collinger, an associate professor with the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Guiding the arm by sight alone, Copeland completed these sort of tasks in about 20 seconds, on average, Collinger said.
RELATED New prosthetic can restore feeling, reduce phantom pain
"When he had sensory feedback, that was cut in half, to 10 seconds," Collinger said. "It wasn't a small improvement. It was quite dramatic. He was actually able to do this many times under 5 seconds, which is considered normal time for an able-bodied person."
New technology For years, researchers working on brain-computer interfaces have focused on planting electrodes in the motor cortex, the part of the brain that guides movement.
They proved that signals from the motor cortex could be interpreted by a computer and used to guide objects like robot arms or cursors on a computer screen.
RELATED3D motion tracking system could help autonomous technologies 'see'
Now they're focusing on another important part of movement -- the information that the brain receives back from limbs in motion.
Any time an average person reaches for a mug of coffee, their brains are flooded with feedback data that allow them to pick it up properly. They feel when they make contact with the mug so they don't knock it over; they adjust their grip based on the weight of the mug.
"The sensory piece of what we do as humans to make that happen is really important," said David Putrino, director of rehabilitation innovation at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "It's difficult to perform a task like that without having constant sensory feedback about where your hand is in space, if your hand is grasping the object too soft, too hard."
Six years ago, bioengineers implanted an array of electrodes in both the motor and sensory cortexes of Copeland's brain. A 2004 car accident at age 18 left Copeland with limited use of his arms.
The electrodes lead to two jacks protruding from the top of Copeland's skull. Computer cables screw into the jacks, which are otherwise covered with caps, and relay information back and forth from Copeland to a robot arm sitting at his side.
The electrodes placed in the motor cortex track about 200 channels of information heading out from the brain, Collinger said.
"We look at the way that neurons are firing as a population, and turn that into control signals for a robotic arm, so the participant can reach and grasp and orient the hand in the work space to pick up objects and move them around," Collinger explained.
Meanwhile, the sensory cortex electrodes are being fed information gathered by the robot hand regarding the object being handled.
"We can then turn that information into stimulation patterns that are played through electrodes that are implanted into the somatosensory area of the brain, the area that typically receives tactile input from your hand," Collinger said. "Here is really the first time that we put those two components together to see how sensory feedback might improve motor control in the context of a brain-computer interface."
"The sensations I feel really depend on which electrodes they stimulate," Copeland said. "They can range between pressure or tingles, warmth, sometimes a tapping, and then I usually feel them at the pads at the base of my fingers."Groundbreaking, but work to do
It's not easy picking something up by sight alone, said Copeland, who spent years practicing that way with the robot arm before his sensory electrodes were added to the process.
"Before, when I didn't have stimulation, I would be able to see the robotic hand touching an object but sometimes I would go to lift it off the table and it would fall out or be in the hand awkwardly, so I would spent extra time making sure I actually had hold of something before I started to move it," Copeland said.
Experts said this research, reported this month in the journal Science, is an important advance in prosthetics technology.
"It has long been known that motor prosthetics need to take into account the external world in order to offer improved performance," said J. Luis Lujan, an associate professor of neurologic surgery at Mayo Clinic. "The work of this research team further demonstrates the importance of tactile and visual feedback in the control of movement, whether of an individual's own limbs or robotic devices."
However, the experts said this technology will not be available in the mainstream anytime soon.
"There's a lot of industry interest in this area that I hope will accelerate the process, but there's definitely still a lot of work to do," Collinger said.
For example, the technology needs to be less invasive and easier to connect to the machines it will guide, Collinger and Putrino said.
"This is a first step in a technology that's incredibly invasive. It requires open brain surgery. You're implanting electrodes that have a limited useful life span in the brain tissue," Putrino said. "It's a long way to go before this is being used mainstream in the home."
For his part, Copeland didn't expect much personal gain from his participation.
"There is a portable tablet I have here at the house now that can be used to do basic stuff like draw or play games, because I can control a cursor on the screen" using his interface, Copeland said. "When I joined the study, I knew it was never going to give me back function, and it was never going to be a forever thing for me.
"It's literally the beginning of research. I just hope that through me spending my time trying to push the science forward, someone down the road that has an injury like mine and some sort of condition that limits their function, that this technology can help them in the future," he said.
More information
The University of Pittsburgh has more about brain-computer interfaces.
Copyright © 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
By Dennis Thompson, HeathDay News
Nathan Copeland, pictured, is learning to operate a robotic arm as the first human to have electrodes implanted in the sensory cortex of his brain. Photo courtesy of HealthDay News
The robot hand extends toward a small cube, guided by signals from electrodes implanted in the brain of partially paralyzed patient Nathan Copeland.
In surprisingly smooth fashion, Copeland's mind directs the robot hand to pick up the cube and move it to another part of the table.
The process works so well -- at speeds approaching those of average folks -- because for the first time, a patient guiding a robot arm can feel the object they are picking up.
Copeland, 34, is the first human to have electrodes implanted in the sensory cortex of his brain. The robot hand delivers tactile feedback to his brain, informing him whether he's got a good grip on whatever object he's trying to manipulate.
RELATED Mind-controlled 'exoskeleton' restores movement to totally paralyzed man
"I could see the hand was touching the object, but I also had that extra reassurance and confidence that I definitely had made contact and I was applying a certain amount of pressure," said Copeland, who lives in Dunbar, Pa. "I knew if I went to lift the object off the table, it wouldn't fall out of my grasp."
Provided this sensory feedback, Copeland dramatically slashed the amount of time it took him to use the robot hand to pick up and move objects in lab experiments, said Jennifer Collinger, an associate professor with the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Guiding the arm by sight alone, Copeland completed these sort of tasks in about 20 seconds, on average, Collinger said.
RELATED New prosthetic can restore feeling, reduce phantom pain
"When he had sensory feedback, that was cut in half, to 10 seconds," Collinger said. "It wasn't a small improvement. It was quite dramatic. He was actually able to do this many times under 5 seconds, which is considered normal time for an able-bodied person."
New technology For years, researchers working on brain-computer interfaces have focused on planting electrodes in the motor cortex, the part of the brain that guides movement.
They proved that signals from the motor cortex could be interpreted by a computer and used to guide objects like robot arms or cursors on a computer screen.
RELATED3D motion tracking system could help autonomous technologies 'see'
Now they're focusing on another important part of movement -- the information that the brain receives back from limbs in motion.
Any time an average person reaches for a mug of coffee, their brains are flooded with feedback data that allow them to pick it up properly. They feel when they make contact with the mug so they don't knock it over; they adjust their grip based on the weight of the mug.
"The sensory piece of what we do as humans to make that happen is really important," said David Putrino, director of rehabilitation innovation at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "It's difficult to perform a task like that without having constant sensory feedback about where your hand is in space, if your hand is grasping the object too soft, too hard."
Six years ago, bioengineers implanted an array of electrodes in both the motor and sensory cortexes of Copeland's brain. A 2004 car accident at age 18 left Copeland with limited use of his arms.
The electrodes lead to two jacks protruding from the top of Copeland's skull. Computer cables screw into the jacks, which are otherwise covered with caps, and relay information back and forth from Copeland to a robot arm sitting at his side.
The electrodes placed in the motor cortex track about 200 channels of information heading out from the brain, Collinger said.
"We look at the way that neurons are firing as a population, and turn that into control signals for a robotic arm, so the participant can reach and grasp and orient the hand in the work space to pick up objects and move them around," Collinger explained.
Meanwhile, the sensory cortex electrodes are being fed information gathered by the robot hand regarding the object being handled.
"We can then turn that information into stimulation patterns that are played through electrodes that are implanted into the somatosensory area of the brain, the area that typically receives tactile input from your hand," Collinger said. "Here is really the first time that we put those two components together to see how sensory feedback might improve motor control in the context of a brain-computer interface."
"The sensations I feel really depend on which electrodes they stimulate," Copeland said. "They can range between pressure or tingles, warmth, sometimes a tapping, and then I usually feel them at the pads at the base of my fingers."Groundbreaking, but work to do
It's not easy picking something up by sight alone, said Copeland, who spent years practicing that way with the robot arm before his sensory electrodes were added to the process.
"Before, when I didn't have stimulation, I would be able to see the robotic hand touching an object but sometimes I would go to lift it off the table and it would fall out or be in the hand awkwardly, so I would spent extra time making sure I actually had hold of something before I started to move it," Copeland said.
Experts said this research, reported this month in the journal Science, is an important advance in prosthetics technology.
"It has long been known that motor prosthetics need to take into account the external world in order to offer improved performance," said J. Luis Lujan, an associate professor of neurologic surgery at Mayo Clinic. "The work of this research team further demonstrates the importance of tactile and visual feedback in the control of movement, whether of an individual's own limbs or robotic devices."
However, the experts said this technology will not be available in the mainstream anytime soon.
"There's a lot of industry interest in this area that I hope will accelerate the process, but there's definitely still a lot of work to do," Collinger said.
For example, the technology needs to be less invasive and easier to connect to the machines it will guide, Collinger and Putrino said.
"This is a first step in a technology that's incredibly invasive. It requires open brain surgery. You're implanting electrodes that have a limited useful life span in the brain tissue," Putrino said. "It's a long way to go before this is being used mainstream in the home."
For his part, Copeland didn't expect much personal gain from his participation.
"There is a portable tablet I have here at the house now that can be used to do basic stuff like draw or play games, because I can control a cursor on the screen" using his interface, Copeland said. "When I joined the study, I knew it was never going to give me back function, and it was never going to be a forever thing for me.
"It's literally the beginning of research. I just hope that through me spending my time trying to push the science forward, someone down the road that has an injury like mine and some sort of condition that limits their function, that this technology can help them in the future," he said.
More information
The University of Pittsburgh has more about brain-computer interfaces.
Copyright © 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
South Korean nuclear expert to join IAEA task force on Fukushima
Japan's decision to dump treated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant has been met with opposition from neighboring countries but South Korea said Friday it approved the inclusion of a Korean scientist to an IAEA task force. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo
July 9 (UPI) -- Seoul confirmed a South Korean national is included in a group of experts on an International Atomic Energy Agency task force reviewing the planned discharge of treated wastewater from a nuclear power plant in Fukushima.
South Korea's foreign ministry and other government agencies said in a joint statement Friday that nuclear expert Kim Hong-suk of the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety will be on the monitoring team.
Kim also is an adjunct professor of nuclear and quantum engineering at University of Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, and a Korea representative at the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, Newsis reported Friday.
"We will do our best to solve the problem of contaminated water at the Fukushima nuclear power plant while placing the highest priority on public health and safety," Seoul said. "We will not compromise on any measures that may harm the health of our citizens."
Japan's decision to dump treated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant has been met with opposition from neighboring countries, including South Korea and China. Taiwan and Russia also expressed concerns earlier this year.
The IAEA said Thursday it would work with the Japanese government to monitor the discharge after the complaints. The two sides are to cooperate in "reviewing the safety and regulations of the water discharge," Japan's foreign ministry said, according to Kyodo News.
South Korea said Friday the inclusion of a Korean representative on the U.N. task force is "very meaningful." The group includes experts from the United States, France and China. The government said that it would be stepping up monitoring of coastal waters after the discharge, including near southern Jeju Island and near the disputed islets of Dokdo in the East Sea, reports said.
Japan disclosed plans to release the treated water into the ocean in April. Tokyo has defended the policy and has said the discharge will have "zero environmental impact."
Japan's decision to dump treated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant has been met with opposition from neighboring countries but South Korea said Friday it approved the inclusion of a Korean scientist to an IAEA task force. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo
July 9 (UPI) -- Seoul confirmed a South Korean national is included in a group of experts on an International Atomic Energy Agency task force reviewing the planned discharge of treated wastewater from a nuclear power plant in Fukushima.
South Korea's foreign ministry and other government agencies said in a joint statement Friday that nuclear expert Kim Hong-suk of the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety will be on the monitoring team.
Kim also is an adjunct professor of nuclear and quantum engineering at University of Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, and a Korea representative at the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, Newsis reported Friday.
"We will do our best to solve the problem of contaminated water at the Fukushima nuclear power plant while placing the highest priority on public health and safety," Seoul said. "We will not compromise on any measures that may harm the health of our citizens."
Japan's decision to dump treated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant has been met with opposition from neighboring countries, including South Korea and China. Taiwan and Russia also expressed concerns earlier this year.
The IAEA said Thursday it would work with the Japanese government to monitor the discharge after the complaints. The two sides are to cooperate in "reviewing the safety and regulations of the water discharge," Japan's foreign ministry said, according to Kyodo News.
South Korea said Friday the inclusion of a Korean representative on the U.N. task force is "very meaningful." The group includes experts from the United States, France and China. The government said that it would be stepping up monitoring of coastal waters after the discharge, including near southern Jeju Island and near the disputed islets of Dokdo in the East Sea, reports said.
Japan disclosed plans to release the treated water into the ocean in April. Tokyo has defended the policy and has said the discharge will have "zero environmental impact."
South Korean candidate under fire for wavering on universal basic income
South Korea’s economy is at the center of a debate among presidential candidates ahead of an election in March 2022. File Photo by Kim Hee-Chui/EPA-EFE
July 9 (UPI) -- A dispute over universal basic income is casting a shadow over South Korean presidential candidates of the ruling Democratic Party as they face a political opposition enjoying a surge in popularity.
Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung, a member of the ruling party, is coming under criticism for allegedly changing his position on universal basic income. Lee "pledged" to make the policy a priority if elected president, but more recently has been wavering on the idea, News 1 reported Friday.
Lee said last Friday that he "cannot say" that the plan would be his No. 1 promise to the public, after committing to the idea for weeks, the report said. Lee already has implemented small cash payments to financially needy people in his province during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lee's alleged hesitation made him the target of his fellow Democrats on the debate stage Monday. Rival politicians, including former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said that Lee's will was "shaken" and that he should apologize to the public for his change of position.
Chung, who resigned from office to launch his presidential campaign, said Friday in Busan that job creation and not checks from the government is the answer.
South Korean youth want to work and are not looking for guaranteed income, Chung said.
The country "is experiencing wealth inequality as home prices rise," Chung said. "Many young people have lost their hopes and dreams."
Prices of apartments have skyrocketed in cities like Seoul and Busan under President Moon Jae-in.
South Korea's opposition conservatives have said the government's policies are a failure. The People Power Party has been rising in surveys as dissatisfaction grows among voters.
A poll from Gallup Korea released Friday indicates the main opposition has surpassed the ruling party in approval ratings. The PPP, led by 36-year-old newcomer Lee Jun-seok, had an approval rating of 32%, slightly higher than the 31% rating for Democrats.
The main opposition is leading for the first time since 2016, when former President Park Geun-hye came under investigation for corruption, according to Segye Ilbo.
South Korea’s economy is at the center of a debate among presidential candidates ahead of an election in March 2022. File Photo by Kim Hee-Chui/EPA-EFE
July 9 (UPI) -- A dispute over universal basic income is casting a shadow over South Korean presidential candidates of the ruling Democratic Party as they face a political opposition enjoying a surge in popularity.
Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung, a member of the ruling party, is coming under criticism for allegedly changing his position on universal basic income. Lee "pledged" to make the policy a priority if elected president, but more recently has been wavering on the idea, News 1 reported Friday.
Lee said last Friday that he "cannot say" that the plan would be his No. 1 promise to the public, after committing to the idea for weeks, the report said. Lee already has implemented small cash payments to financially needy people in his province during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lee's alleged hesitation made him the target of his fellow Democrats on the debate stage Monday. Rival politicians, including former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said that Lee's will was "shaken" and that he should apologize to the public for his change of position.
Chung, who resigned from office to launch his presidential campaign, said Friday in Busan that job creation and not checks from the government is the answer.
South Korean youth want to work and are not looking for guaranteed income, Chung said.
The country "is experiencing wealth inequality as home prices rise," Chung said. "Many young people have lost their hopes and dreams."
Prices of apartments have skyrocketed in cities like Seoul and Busan under President Moon Jae-in.
South Korea's opposition conservatives have said the government's policies are a failure. The People Power Party has been rising in surveys as dissatisfaction grows among voters.
A poll from Gallup Korea released Friday indicates the main opposition has surpassed the ruling party in approval ratings. The PPP, led by 36-year-old newcomer Lee Jun-seok, had an approval rating of 32%, slightly higher than the 31% rating for Democrats.
The main opposition is leading for the first time since 2016, when former President Park Geun-hye came under investigation for corruption, according to Segye Ilbo.
Library book returned to British cathedral was 300 years overdue
July 9 (UPI) -- Officials at a British cathedral said a book that arrived in the mail recently is believed to have been checked out from the facility's library more than 300 years ago.
The Rev. Canon Keith Farrow, who has served as vice dean and canon missioner at Sheffield Cathedral since 2014, said the book, a 1704 printing of The Faith and Practice of a Church of England Man, arrived in the mail this week along with a note from a woman explaining its origins.
"It has come back to us because a lady in Wales, whose godmother passed away, found it amongst her belongings. In her will was the bequest that it should return to Sheffield Cathedral," Farrow told the Sheffield Star.
"Inside, it's actually dated 1709 and it's very beautifully written, it says 'this book belongs to ye lending library at Sheffield church,' which is Sheffield Cathedral," Farrow said. "So this has obviously been taken out of the lending library and not returned."
He said the cathedral's library had been a popular local feature until it was dismantled in the 1800s.
Farrow joked the overdue fee for the book could buy the cathedral "a new roof."
"But I did promise the family I wouldn't charge them the fine -- they've returned the book and that's wonderful. So this little book, just over 300 years ago, left the library. Now it's come back home so it's a joy to have this little jewel back here in Sheffield Cathedral," he said.
July 9 (UPI) -- Officials at a British cathedral said a book that arrived in the mail recently is believed to have been checked out from the facility's library more than 300 years ago.
The Rev. Canon Keith Farrow, who has served as vice dean and canon missioner at Sheffield Cathedral since 2014, said the book, a 1704 printing of The Faith and Practice of a Church of England Man, arrived in the mail this week along with a note from a woman explaining its origins.
"It has come back to us because a lady in Wales, whose godmother passed away, found it amongst her belongings. In her will was the bequest that it should return to Sheffield Cathedral," Farrow told the Sheffield Star.
"Inside, it's actually dated 1709 and it's very beautifully written, it says 'this book belongs to ye lending library at Sheffield church,' which is Sheffield Cathedral," Farrow said. "So this has obviously been taken out of the lending library and not returned."
He said the cathedral's library had been a popular local feature until it was dismantled in the 1800s.
Farrow joked the overdue fee for the book could buy the cathedral "a new roof."
"But I did promise the family I wouldn't charge them the fine -- they've returned the book and that's wonderful. So this little book, just over 300 years ago, left the library. Now it's come back home so it's a joy to have this little jewel back here in Sheffield Cathedral," he said.
Unfathomable heat helped June smash North America record
By Monica Danielle, Accuweather.com
Two-year-old Avery Smith of Belleville, Ill., keeps cool in a sprinkler in Kiener Plaza in St. Louis as temperatures reach 101 degrees on June 18. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Researchers have confirmed what millions of Americans and Canadians who just endured scorching temperatures probably already suspected: Last month was the hottest June on record in North America.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service, an agency supported by the European Union, said that average surface temperatures for June in North America were about one-quarter of a degree Fahrenheit higher than the average for June 2012, the previous record-holder.
Additionally, last month's average temperature was more than 2 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the average from 1991-2020.
"These heat waves are not happening in a vacuum. They are happening in a global climate environment that is warming and which makes them more likely to occur," said C3S climate scientist Julien Nicolas.
The heat dome above southwestern Canada and the western United States generated headlines around the world last month as daily temperature records -- and even all-time record highs -- were shattered.
In Portland, the temperature shot up to 116 degrees Fahrenheit on June 28, smashing the previous all-time record high set on each of the previous two days and setting a new all-time high benchmark for the city. Prior to last month's heat wave, the highest temperature ever recorded in Portland was 107 in August 1981.
Gabby Smith, 7, plays catch with her mother while swimming in the Aloe Plaza Fountain in front of Union Station in St. Louis, Mo., on June 13, 2021. Temperatures have reached the low 90s with high humidity. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
By Monica Danielle, Accuweather.com
Two-year-old Avery Smith of Belleville, Ill., keeps cool in a sprinkler in Kiener Plaza in St. Louis as temperatures reach 101 degrees on June 18. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Researchers have confirmed what millions of Americans and Canadians who just endured scorching temperatures probably already suspected: Last month was the hottest June on record in North America.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service, an agency supported by the European Union, said that average surface temperatures for June in North America were about one-quarter of a degree Fahrenheit higher than the average for June 2012, the previous record-holder.
Additionally, last month's average temperature was more than 2 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the average from 1991-2020.
"These heat waves are not happening in a vacuum. They are happening in a global climate environment that is warming and which makes them more likely to occur," said C3S climate scientist Julien Nicolas.
The heat dome above southwestern Canada and the western United States generated headlines around the world last month as daily temperature records -- and even all-time record highs -- were shattered.
In Portland, the temperature shot up to 116 degrees Fahrenheit on June 28, smashing the previous all-time record high set on each of the previous two days and setting a new all-time high benchmark for the city. Prior to last month's heat wave, the highest temperature ever recorded in Portland was 107 in August 1981.
Gabby Smith, 7, plays catch with her mother while swimming in the Aloe Plaza Fountain in front of Union Station in St. Louis, Mo., on June 13, 2021. Temperatures have reached the low 90s with high humidity. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Study: More air pollution, worse COVID-19 outcomes
By Ernie Mundell & Robert Preidt, HealthDay News
The air people breathe -- and how much pollution is in it -- may make a difference in their outcomes when infected with COVID-19, a new study finds.
Researchers found that living in more polluted areas -- including near sewage water dischargers and in close proximity to heavy traffic -- was linked with a greater likelihood of being admitted to the intensive care unit and more likelihood of needing mechanical ventilation after infection with COVID-19.
"The key takeaway is that living in a more polluted neighborhood is an independent risk factor for severity of COVID-19 disease," said study author Dr. Anita Shallal, from the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
According to the American Lung Association, Detroit is the 12th most polluted city in the United States, measured by year-round fine particle pollution.
Because low-income and minority populations often live in more polluted areas, the study also "calls attention to the systemic inequalities that may have led to the stark differences in COVID-19 outcomes along racial and ethnic lines," Shallal said.
"Communities of color are more likely to be located in areas closer to industrial pollution, and to work in businesses that expose them to air pollution," Shallal said.
The new research is scheduled for presentation during the online annual meeting of the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases.
RELATED 18% of COVID-19 deaths in U.S. linked to air pollution, study finds
Dr. Theodore Maniatis, medical director at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City, said the findings "make perfect sense."
He said that the lungs work in a "delicate balance" that's easily compromised by dirty air. Anything that upsets that balance "will likely increase the risk of pulmonary infections and decrease the lungs' ability to clear such infections," said Maniatis, who wasn't involved in the new study.
In the study, Shallal's team collected data on where participants lived as well as data from the Environmental Protection Agency and other sources on local levels of pollutants including PM2.5, ozone, and lead paint.
By Ernie Mundell & Robert Preidt, HealthDay News
The air people breathe -- and how much pollution is in it -- may make a difference in their outcomes when infected with COVID-19, a new study finds.
Researchers found that living in more polluted areas -- including near sewage water dischargers and in close proximity to heavy traffic -- was linked with a greater likelihood of being admitted to the intensive care unit and more likelihood of needing mechanical ventilation after infection with COVID-19.
"The key takeaway is that living in a more polluted neighborhood is an independent risk factor for severity of COVID-19 disease," said study author Dr. Anita Shallal, from the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
According to the American Lung Association, Detroit is the 12th most polluted city in the United States, measured by year-round fine particle pollution.
Because low-income and minority populations often live in more polluted areas, the study also "calls attention to the systemic inequalities that may have led to the stark differences in COVID-19 outcomes along racial and ethnic lines," Shallal said.
"Communities of color are more likely to be located in areas closer to industrial pollution, and to work in businesses that expose them to air pollution," Shallal said.
The new research is scheduled for presentation during the online annual meeting of the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases.
RELATED 18% of COVID-19 deaths in U.S. linked to air pollution, study finds
Dr. Theodore Maniatis, medical director at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City, said the findings "make perfect sense."
He said that the lungs work in a "delicate balance" that's easily compromised by dirty air. Anything that upsets that balance "will likely increase the risk of pulmonary infections and decrease the lungs' ability to clear such infections," said Maniatis, who wasn't involved in the new study.
In the study, Shallal's team collected data on where participants lived as well as data from the Environmental Protection Agency and other sources on local levels of pollutants including PM2.5, ozone, and lead paint.
RELATED Long-term air pollution exposure increases COVID-19 death risk, study says
They used this data to explore associations between COVID-19 outcomes and exposure to a variety of pollutants.
The results: COVID-19 patients who lived in areas with higher levels of PM2.5 and lead paint were more likely to require mechanical ventilation and be admitted to the ICU, compared to those living in less polluted neighborhoods.
In fact, each small increase in long-term PM2.5 exposure was associated with more than three times the odds of being mechanically ventilated and twice the likelihood of a stay in ICU.
However, it was not associated with a greater risk of dying, the study team reported.
They note that the study couldn't prove cause-and-effect, only that pollution was associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes.
The researchers also found greater risks for patients who were male, black, obese or with severe long-term health conditions. They were much more likely to need mechanical ventilation and to be admitted to the ICU.
Being male, obese or having severe long-term health conditions were also predictors of death following admission, according to the study.
Speaking in a meeting news release, Shallal said it's not yet clear "how air pollutants contribute to more severe disease."
But she theorized that "it's possible that long-term exposure to air pollution may impair the immune system, leading both to increased susceptibility to viruses and to more severe viral infections."
Added to that, "fine particles in air pollution may also act as a carrier for the virus, increasing its spread," Shallal said. "Urgent further research is needed to guide policy and environmental protection, to minimize the impact of COVID-19 in highly industrialized communities that are home to our most vulnerable residents."
Dr. Irene Galperin is chief of pulmonary medicine at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills, in New York City. Reading over the findings, she noted that "inhalation of fine particulate matter can lead to chronic inflammation, reduced immune response and diminished ability of the lung to heal and repair itself."
Galperin said that, "based on this latest study, [it's possible that] patients with history of such exposure are more likely to develop severe COVID 19 illness."
Experts note that findings presented at medical meetings are considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.More information
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has more on pollution and health.
Copyright © 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
They used this data to explore associations between COVID-19 outcomes and exposure to a variety of pollutants.
The results: COVID-19 patients who lived in areas with higher levels of PM2.5 and lead paint were more likely to require mechanical ventilation and be admitted to the ICU, compared to those living in less polluted neighborhoods.
In fact, each small increase in long-term PM2.5 exposure was associated with more than three times the odds of being mechanically ventilated and twice the likelihood of a stay in ICU.
However, it was not associated with a greater risk of dying, the study team reported.
They note that the study couldn't prove cause-and-effect, only that pollution was associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes.
The researchers also found greater risks for patients who were male, black, obese or with severe long-term health conditions. They were much more likely to need mechanical ventilation and to be admitted to the ICU.
Being male, obese or having severe long-term health conditions were also predictors of death following admission, according to the study.
Speaking in a meeting news release, Shallal said it's not yet clear "how air pollutants contribute to more severe disease."
But she theorized that "it's possible that long-term exposure to air pollution may impair the immune system, leading both to increased susceptibility to viruses and to more severe viral infections."
Added to that, "fine particles in air pollution may also act as a carrier for the virus, increasing its spread," Shallal said. "Urgent further research is needed to guide policy and environmental protection, to minimize the impact of COVID-19 in highly industrialized communities that are home to our most vulnerable residents."
Dr. Irene Galperin is chief of pulmonary medicine at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills, in New York City. Reading over the findings, she noted that "inhalation of fine particulate matter can lead to chronic inflammation, reduced immune response and diminished ability of the lung to heal and repair itself."
Galperin said that, "based on this latest study, [it's possible that] patients with history of such exposure are more likely to develop severe COVID 19 illness."
Experts note that findings presented at medical meetings are considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.More information
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has more on pollution and health.
Copyright © 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Marine Corps corporal gets 3D-printed teeth with jaw reconstruction
Marine Corps Cpl. Jared Murry undergoes an examination after jaw reconstruction surgery and placement of what the Defense Department called its first use of 3D-printed teeth. Photo courtesy of the Defense Department
July 9 (UPI) -- A Marine Corps member is the first recipient of the Defense Department's first jaw reconstruction using 3D-printed teeth, the Pentagon said on Friday.
A tumor prompted the removal of most of Cpl. Jaden Murry's jaw in a November 2020 surgery.
It was reconstructed using a portion of his fibula, or lower leg bone, but his lower teeth were made using a digital model, which was then printed into a physical replacement bridge and inserted in the new jaw.
Murry is a member of Logistics Battalion 7, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms, Calif.
RELATED Losing wisdom teeth may enhance sense of taste, new research suggests
The surgery was conducted by a multi-department team of surgical specialists at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego.
"All of the providers worked as a team to keep his recovery on track," Lt. Cmdr. Daniel Hammer, maxillofacial surgical oncologist and reconstructive surgeon, said in a press release.
"We were able to safely remove his tracheostomy tube [inserted in a patient's neck when there are concerns about postoperative breathing] within a week of the surgery, and it was then we knew he was making strides in the right direction."
RELATED VA watchdog: Drunk pathologist misdiagnosed thousands of veterans
Murry is recovering in the Naval Center's Wounded Warrior Battalion, and on a diet of soft foods. A final prosthetic set of teeth will be available to him in about two months.
"Since his surgery, [OMFS specialists and I] see Jaden twice weekly for check-ups, and we're guiding his healing process," Hammer said in December. "To see him swallowing, speaking, walking and not using a tracheostomy tube one week post-surgery was a huge victory, both for [Murry] and for us."
The success is also a part of a program developed by the U.S. Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine whose researchers work to use the body's natural healing powers, in this case through the fibula transfer to the jaw, to improve head and face reconstruction.
Murry said that he is eager to resume his Marine Corps duties.
"I really look forward to getting back to a healthy mindset and working out, running and bodybuilding," he said, adding that he will seek pizza when he again can eat solid food.
Marine Corps Cpl. Jared Murry undergoes an examination after jaw reconstruction surgery and placement of what the Defense Department called its first use of 3D-printed teeth. Photo courtesy of the Defense Department
July 9 (UPI) -- A Marine Corps member is the first recipient of the Defense Department's first jaw reconstruction using 3D-printed teeth, the Pentagon said on Friday.
A tumor prompted the removal of most of Cpl. Jaden Murry's jaw in a November 2020 surgery.
It was reconstructed using a portion of his fibula, or lower leg bone, but his lower teeth were made using a digital model, which was then printed into a physical replacement bridge and inserted in the new jaw.
Murry is a member of Logistics Battalion 7, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms, Calif.
RELATED Losing wisdom teeth may enhance sense of taste, new research suggests
The surgery was conducted by a multi-department team of surgical specialists at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego.
"All of the providers worked as a team to keep his recovery on track," Lt. Cmdr. Daniel Hammer, maxillofacial surgical oncologist and reconstructive surgeon, said in a press release.
"We were able to safely remove his tracheostomy tube [inserted in a patient's neck when there are concerns about postoperative breathing] within a week of the surgery, and it was then we knew he was making strides in the right direction."
RELATED VA watchdog: Drunk pathologist misdiagnosed thousands of veterans
Murry is recovering in the Naval Center's Wounded Warrior Battalion, and on a diet of soft foods. A final prosthetic set of teeth will be available to him in about two months.
"Since his surgery, [OMFS specialists and I] see Jaden twice weekly for check-ups, and we're guiding his healing process," Hammer said in December. "To see him swallowing, speaking, walking and not using a tracheostomy tube one week post-surgery was a huge victory, both for [Murry] and for us."
The success is also a part of a program developed by the U.S. Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine whose researchers work to use the body's natural healing powers, in this case through the fibula transfer to the jaw, to improve head and face reconstruction.
Murry said that he is eager to resume his Marine Corps duties.
"I really look forward to getting back to a healthy mindset and working out, running and bodybuilding," he said, adding that he will seek pizza when he again can eat solid food.
THIRD WORLD USA
One-third of U.S. adults went without dental care, even before pandemicBy Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
In 2019, a third of adults under 65 hadn't had a dental exam or cleaning in the past 12 months, a new study found, Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Millions of American adults haven't seen a dentist in at least a year, a new U.S. government health survey reveals.
In 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic made dental visits difficult, a third of adults under 65 hadn't had a dental exam or cleaning in the past 12 months, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
And the problem was worse in rural America, the National Health Interview Survey showed. The authors suspect the reason is easy to explain.
"It was beyond the scope of study, but we kind of assumed there are fewer healthcare providers in the rural areas, compared to urban areas, so there's less access to dental care in rural areas," said study co-author Robin Cohen, a statistician at CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
RELATED Study: 1 in 4 dentists has faced physically aggressive patients at work
Income and race also underpin the results, Cohen said.
The survey found:
In 2019, 65.5% of U.S. adults saw a dentist in the past 12 months.
More adults in urban areas than rural areas saw a dentist (67% versus 58%).
In both cities and rural areas, women were more likely than men to have visited a dentist in the past 12 months.
In urban areas, White adults (70%) were more likely than Hispanic adults (59%) or Black adults (62%) to have seen a dentist.
In rural areas, White adults (59%) were more likely than Hispanic adults (46%) to have had a dental visit.As income increased, so did the odds of seeing a dentist. And that was true in both rural and urban areas.
Dr. Jane Grover is director of the Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention at the American Dental Association in Chicago. She said staffing shortages are a key contributor to access issues in rural America.
RELATEDCracked teeth another coronavirus scourge
"They may not have the staffing that many urban areas have -- I'm talking about the number of dental assistants and dental hygienists," Grover said.
Cost is another barrier to care, Grover said. Low-cost clinics can help in urban settings, and some clinics charge on a sliding scale based on patients' ability to pay.
In rural areas, these clinics can be few and far between.
Grover said more needs to be done to make dental care available to folks who can't afford it, no matter where they live. This includes involving dental students who can help provide services at little or no cost.
Grover said dentists can also work with pediatricians and primary care doctors to help patients get oral care.
"Dentists are health professionals that can not only address issues of the mouth, but can also offer connections and guidance for other aspects of your health," Grover said, emphasizing that dentists today do much more than clean teeth and fill cavities. A modern-day dentist realizes the mouth is connected to the rest of the body, she said.
"Many dentists have close working relationships with family doctors and pediatricians," Grover said. "Integrated care is really an accepted and embraced practice today as never before."
Regular dental visits are also important because conditions can be treated before they become serious and involve more time and expense, Grover noted. While many Americans avoided going to the dentist during the pandemic, she said care is now getting back to normal.More information
For more on dental health, see the American Dental Association.
SOURCES: Robin Cohen, PhD, statistician, National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Jane Grover, DDS, MPH, director, Council on Advocacy for Access and Prevention, American Dental Association, Chicago; U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NCHS Data Brief, July 7, 2021
Copyright © 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Light over Turtle Island: Indigenous tales about North America’s creation
Lysandra Nothing
Zed Files is a Global News exclusive series exploring unusual, unexplained and legendary stories in Canada.
--
Who made the land and sky?
Indigenous people have been telling tales to answer that question since long before the settlers arrived in North America — and those tales are still being told today, as part of the rich oral tradition that lives on among many First Nations across Canada.
Read more: A Day to Listen: Amplifying Indigenous voices and working towards reconciliation
The stories vary from one community and storyteller to another, and they can teach a different lesson each time they’re told, according to Chantal Chagnon, an Ojibwe storyteller and artist from Muskeg Cree Lake Nation, Sask.
“Many people will have different perspectives, different interpretations, but it's about your personal experience and personal growth and what learnings you need from that story,” said Chagnon.
Perhaps no story is more essential than the origin of the sun and the land — a story that has been told many times across Canada’s Indigenous communities.
The origin of Turtle Island
Many Cree legends star Wasakajak, a shape-shifting trickster figure who often helps humanity.
In a Cree legend shared by Chagnon, Wasakajak helps the world recover from a great flood by venturing out with Beaver, Turtle and Muskrat to find soil.
It is said that the giant flood was the “Creator’s anger at the humans for destroying the land,” and that the Creator wanted a new start.
Beaver and Turtle failed in their searches, said Chagnon. Then the tiny Muskrat “stepped through the crowd and she popped out her chest really proudly and said she could do it.”
"It's a glimpse of a way of belief and understanding, a deeper meaning of culture."
Muskrat dove into the water and was out of sight for a long time. A “bubble of air surfaced” and all the animals grieved, assuming she had failed.
But she hadn’t. According to this legend, Muskrat floated to the surface with a small patch of soil in her paws.
“Wasakajak took the soil and rubbed it onto the turtle’s back and as he did, it got larger and heavier, and so it created all of the landmass that we see now,” Chagnon said. “This is why we call North America Turtle Island.
“He took a deep breath and blew to the east and as he did, Grandfather Sun came up from behind the clouds, and he warmed the earth. All of the seeds that were within the earth began to spring into life.
“Wasakajak blew to the south and the earth began to shake. Huge trees began to grow out of the ground. Mountains started to form, which led to valleys, and the hills and plains to deserts and to all of the land that we see now.”
Raven the lightbringer
According to another Indigenous legend from the Na-Cho Nyak Dun First Nation in northern Yukon, the creation of light came from a mythological figure known as Raven.
The legend outlines hardships that should still be familiar to much of humanity today: those of pregnancy, motherhood, sacrifices and love.
“We were all in darkness at one time, and there's a beautiful story about how Raven was able to trick the Big Sky Chief into giving him light so he can bring light to the world,” says Louise Profeit-LeBlanc, a traditional story keeper from the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun in Mayo, Yukon.
The woman who gave birth to Raven was the second wife of the Big Sky Chief, a legendary being in the form of the sun.
The Big Sky Chief killed their first two children for “unknown reasons,” according to the legend told by Profeit-LeBlanc.
The first wife of the Big Sky Chief told the second wife there was an “island up at the other end of the land.” The second wife agreed to go because she could not stand the sight of the Big Sky Chief, who had killed her children.
When she got there, the grieving woman went into the sea in hopes of being pulled under the waves.
Read more: Kahnawà :ke elects first woman, LGBTQ2S member as Grand Chief
Profeit-LeBlanc says the woman encountered a “mysterious man” who appeared on the shore. He comforted her over the loss of her first two children and instructed her to “go back to her camp and make a fire.”
As the tale goes, she made the fire and was instructed to “place a stone in the fire” and then swallow it whole.
“She thought, ‘Oh man, he is trying to help me do the job quickly,’” said Profeit-LeBlanc, indicating the woman thought that the mysterious man wanted to help her find an easier way to die. “She threw it in her mouth. And she drank water quickly, so it didn’t burn her mouth or tongue.
“Not too long afterwards, she felt that familiar movement inside of herself, inside of her womb.”
She was pregnant. According to the legend, the woman gave birth to Raven under a tree. When Raven was able to fly, he grew tired of flying in the dark world, so Raven looked for light.
”These are stories that help people to continue to be resilient, strong and loving."
One day, Raven saw Big Sky Chief take the light out of a box. Raven decided he would steal that light.
Raven was flying when he saw the Big Sky Chief’s daughter bathing in the river. He turned himself into a spruce needle, which the woman swallowed.
Later, Raven transformed into a human infant and was “born” as the child of the Big Sky Chief’s daughter. Raven then asked his “grandpa,” the Big Sky Chief, if he could play with the ball of light. The Big Sky Chief said no, which “angered the mother,” and she opened the box and tossed the ball of light to Raven.
Raven immediately transformed again into his true form and flew off with the light. The Big Sky Chief transformed into an eagle and chased Raven across the land and over the ocean.
During the chase, Raven “knocked the ball of light into a cliffside,” and the piece that broke off became the moon and stars.
Raven fled across the ocean and eventually the eagle turned back. Raven “dropped the ball of light” in exhaustion and the light “began to rise over the horizon, becoming the sun.”
“This is the amazing thing about the oral tradition of Indigenous people. This story is packed with knowledge. It's packed with cultural knowledge, theoretical knowledge, what and how people help each other,” said Profeit-LeBlanc.
There are often multiple tales that tell the same story; in many cases, different Indigenous groups from all over Turtle Island have varied versions, showcasing the beauty of the oral tradition.
Buffalo and the first fire
In a Cree legend shared by Chagnon, humans learned how to create fire after it was stolen from the Thunderbirds, another group of mythological beings.
As the legend goes, Wasakajak kept a keen eye on the “two-legged,” a term used to describe humans.
“By the fourth year, the winter got really, really cold. It got so cold that the two-legged people started freezing to death and Wasakajak knew that something had to be done,” said Chagnon.
“Wasakajak went to the Creator, who said to him, 'Go and talk to the Buffalo and tell him the situation and see what the Buffalo are willing to do.'
“And so the Buffalo said, 'I'm going to teach all of the two-leggeds how to use every aspect of me. To know how to feed themselves through the winter with my meat, how to be able to cook it and dry it, but also how to make clothing out of my hide, how to smoke it, to make leather, how to be able to create blankets to be able to stay warm. I will teach them how to stretch my hide along with the lodgepole pine tree to create a teepee.'
“The people learned how to sustainably use the buffalo and never take more than what they needed, but it was still too cold and they were starting to die,” said Chagnon.
Read more: Canadian UFO sightings are up — but are aliens or COVID-19 to blame?
Wasakajak’s only option was to ask the Thunderbirds, who controlled the storms, to stop the cold weather.
“He said, “Thunderbird, Thunderbird, please stop with the weather, it's too cold for the two-leggeds.'”
In the legend told by Chagnon, the Thunderbirds agreed with Wasakajak about the weather being too cold, but they insisted that “there are plants that need that cold, to be able to replenish themselves for the years to come,” and that “there are animals that need the cold to be able to hibernate a lot longer. There are other animals that need the cold to be able to adjust and adapt and survive in a better way.”
“Wasakajak asked for fire instead, but the Thunderbirds said no.”
Chagnon says that in the legend, Wasakajak tried to steal one of the Thunderbirds’ fire eggs while they slept.
“He tripped over a root and he dropped the fire egg, and it started to roll down the hill towards the two-leggeds and left a trail of fire behind it.”
Wasakajak took shelter in some birch trees, which the Thunderbird attacked in anger. Its claws “left deep dark grooves in the tree,” which are the “same ones we see today on the bark,” said Chagnon.
The fire egg rolled into the midst of the two-leggeds, “who gathered around the fire and began to tell stories to one another.”
These stories and many more have been told around campfires for centuries. They don't always mean the same thing or include the same details or characters, but the legends and myths are all a part of our shared history, even if we come from very different places. Despite this, each legend and myth has important meaning.
“It's a glimpse of a way of belief and understanding, a deeper meaning of culture,” said Chagnon. “But storytelling is essential in any culture, because it teaches us about the world around us and it's a way to connect on a deeper level.”
Profeit-LeBlanc said: “These aren't just little made-up stories, you know.”
”These are stories that help people to continue to be resilient, strong and loving."
Lysandra Nothing
Zed Files is a Global News exclusive series exploring unusual, unexplained and legendary stories in Canada.
--
Who made the land and sky?
Indigenous people have been telling tales to answer that question since long before the settlers arrived in North America — and those tales are still being told today, as part of the rich oral tradition that lives on among many First Nations across Canada.
Read more: A Day to Listen: Amplifying Indigenous voices and working towards reconciliation
The stories vary from one community and storyteller to another, and they can teach a different lesson each time they’re told, according to Chantal Chagnon, an Ojibwe storyteller and artist from Muskeg Cree Lake Nation, Sask.
“Many people will have different perspectives, different interpretations, but it's about your personal experience and personal growth and what learnings you need from that story,” said Chagnon.
Perhaps no story is more essential than the origin of the sun and the land — a story that has been told many times across Canada’s Indigenous communities.
The origin of Turtle Island
Many Cree legends star Wasakajak, a shape-shifting trickster figure who often helps humanity.
In a Cree legend shared by Chagnon, Wasakajak helps the world recover from a great flood by venturing out with Beaver, Turtle and Muskrat to find soil.
It is said that the giant flood was the “Creator’s anger at the humans for destroying the land,” and that the Creator wanted a new start.
Beaver and Turtle failed in their searches, said Chagnon. Then the tiny Muskrat “stepped through the crowd and she popped out her chest really proudly and said she could do it.”
"It's a glimpse of a way of belief and understanding, a deeper meaning of culture."
Muskrat dove into the water and was out of sight for a long time. A “bubble of air surfaced” and all the animals grieved, assuming she had failed.
But she hadn’t. According to this legend, Muskrat floated to the surface with a small patch of soil in her paws.
“Wasakajak took the soil and rubbed it onto the turtle’s back and as he did, it got larger and heavier, and so it created all of the landmass that we see now,” Chagnon said. “This is why we call North America Turtle Island.
“He took a deep breath and blew to the east and as he did, Grandfather Sun came up from behind the clouds, and he warmed the earth. All of the seeds that were within the earth began to spring into life.
“Wasakajak blew to the south and the earth began to shake. Huge trees began to grow out of the ground. Mountains started to form, which led to valleys, and the hills and plains to deserts and to all of the land that we see now.”
Raven the lightbringer
According to another Indigenous legend from the Na-Cho Nyak Dun First Nation in northern Yukon, the creation of light came from a mythological figure known as Raven.
The legend outlines hardships that should still be familiar to much of humanity today: those of pregnancy, motherhood, sacrifices and love.
“We were all in darkness at one time, and there's a beautiful story about how Raven was able to trick the Big Sky Chief into giving him light so he can bring light to the world,” says Louise Profeit-LeBlanc, a traditional story keeper from the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun in Mayo, Yukon.
The woman who gave birth to Raven was the second wife of the Big Sky Chief, a legendary being in the form of the sun.
The Big Sky Chief killed their first two children for “unknown reasons,” according to the legend told by Profeit-LeBlanc.
The first wife of the Big Sky Chief told the second wife there was an “island up at the other end of the land.” The second wife agreed to go because she could not stand the sight of the Big Sky Chief, who had killed her children.
When she got there, the grieving woman went into the sea in hopes of being pulled under the waves.
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Profeit-LeBlanc says the woman encountered a “mysterious man” who appeared on the shore. He comforted her over the loss of her first two children and instructed her to “go back to her camp and make a fire.”
As the tale goes, she made the fire and was instructed to “place a stone in the fire” and then swallow it whole.
“She thought, ‘Oh man, he is trying to help me do the job quickly,’” said Profeit-LeBlanc, indicating the woman thought that the mysterious man wanted to help her find an easier way to die. “She threw it in her mouth. And she drank water quickly, so it didn’t burn her mouth or tongue.
“Not too long afterwards, she felt that familiar movement inside of herself, inside of her womb.”
She was pregnant. According to the legend, the woman gave birth to Raven under a tree. When Raven was able to fly, he grew tired of flying in the dark world, so Raven looked for light.
”These are stories that help people to continue to be resilient, strong and loving."
One day, Raven saw Big Sky Chief take the light out of a box. Raven decided he would steal that light.
Raven was flying when he saw the Big Sky Chief’s daughter bathing in the river. He turned himself into a spruce needle, which the woman swallowed.
Later, Raven transformed into a human infant and was “born” as the child of the Big Sky Chief’s daughter. Raven then asked his “grandpa,” the Big Sky Chief, if he could play with the ball of light. The Big Sky Chief said no, which “angered the mother,” and she opened the box and tossed the ball of light to Raven.
Raven immediately transformed again into his true form and flew off with the light. The Big Sky Chief transformed into an eagle and chased Raven across the land and over the ocean.
During the chase, Raven “knocked the ball of light into a cliffside,” and the piece that broke off became the moon and stars.
Raven fled across the ocean and eventually the eagle turned back. Raven “dropped the ball of light” in exhaustion and the light “began to rise over the horizon, becoming the sun.”
“This is the amazing thing about the oral tradition of Indigenous people. This story is packed with knowledge. It's packed with cultural knowledge, theoretical knowledge, what and how people help each other,” said Profeit-LeBlanc.
There are often multiple tales that tell the same story; in many cases, different Indigenous groups from all over Turtle Island have varied versions, showcasing the beauty of the oral tradition.
Buffalo and the first fire
In a Cree legend shared by Chagnon, humans learned how to create fire after it was stolen from the Thunderbirds, another group of mythological beings.
As the legend goes, Wasakajak kept a keen eye on the “two-legged,” a term used to describe humans.
“By the fourth year, the winter got really, really cold. It got so cold that the two-legged people started freezing to death and Wasakajak knew that something had to be done,” said Chagnon.
“Wasakajak went to the Creator, who said to him, 'Go and talk to the Buffalo and tell him the situation and see what the Buffalo are willing to do.'
“And so the Buffalo said, 'I'm going to teach all of the two-leggeds how to use every aspect of me. To know how to feed themselves through the winter with my meat, how to be able to cook it and dry it, but also how to make clothing out of my hide, how to smoke it, to make leather, how to be able to create blankets to be able to stay warm. I will teach them how to stretch my hide along with the lodgepole pine tree to create a teepee.'
“The people learned how to sustainably use the buffalo and never take more than what they needed, but it was still too cold and they were starting to die,” said Chagnon.
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Wasakajak’s only option was to ask the Thunderbirds, who controlled the storms, to stop the cold weather.
“He said, “Thunderbird, Thunderbird, please stop with the weather, it's too cold for the two-leggeds.'”
In the legend told by Chagnon, the Thunderbirds agreed with Wasakajak about the weather being too cold, but they insisted that “there are plants that need that cold, to be able to replenish themselves for the years to come,” and that “there are animals that need the cold to be able to hibernate a lot longer. There are other animals that need the cold to be able to adjust and adapt and survive in a better way.”
“Wasakajak asked for fire instead, but the Thunderbirds said no.”
Chagnon says that in the legend, Wasakajak tried to steal one of the Thunderbirds’ fire eggs while they slept.
“He tripped over a root and he dropped the fire egg, and it started to roll down the hill towards the two-leggeds and left a trail of fire behind it.”
Wasakajak took shelter in some birch trees, which the Thunderbird attacked in anger. Its claws “left deep dark grooves in the tree,” which are the “same ones we see today on the bark,” said Chagnon.
The fire egg rolled into the midst of the two-leggeds, “who gathered around the fire and began to tell stories to one another.”
These stories and many more have been told around campfires for centuries. They don't always mean the same thing or include the same details or characters, but the legends and myths are all a part of our shared history, even if we come from very different places. Despite this, each legend and myth has important meaning.
“It's a glimpse of a way of belief and understanding, a deeper meaning of culture,” said Chagnon. “But storytelling is essential in any culture, because it teaches us about the world around us and it's a way to connect on a deeper level.”
Profeit-LeBlanc said: “These aren't just little made-up stories, you know.”
”These are stories that help people to continue to be resilient, strong and loving."
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