upi--2020-02-17--Ancient plant foods found in northern Australia

Feb. 17 ( UPI ) -- Archaeologists have found ancient plant foods eaten some 65,000 years ago by early human populations in northern Australia .
The bits of plant food , preserved as charcoal in ancient cooking hearths , have offered scientists new insights into the diets of the indigenous Australians .
The charcoal bits were recovered from archaeological dig sites in Arnhem Land , a historical region of northern Australia occupied by indigenous groups for thousands of years .
Within the charred morsels , scientists identified the remnants of 10 different plant foods , including several types of fruits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , tubers and palm stem .
`` Many of these plant foods required processing to make them edible and this evidence was complemented by grinding stone technology also used during early occupation at the site , '' University of Queensland archaeobotanist Anna Florin said in a news release .
The latest findings , published Monday in the journal Nature Communications , suggest the earliest indigenous Australians possess extensive botanical knowledge , which helped them adapt to a variety of harsh terrains across the continent .
`` They were able to guarantee access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applying this knowledge , as well as technological innovation and labor , to the gathering and processing of Australian plant foods , '' Florin said .
The ancient hearths were found at Madjedbebe , a sandstone rock shelter and Australia 's oldest indigenous site .
`` Madjedbebe continues to provide startling insights into the complex and dynamic lifestyle of the earliest Australian Aboriginal people , '' said Queensland University professor Chris Clarkson , who served as lead excavator on the most recent digs .
Scientists have previously discovered the world 's oldest stone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even older spearheads have been recovered , the oldest evidence of stone grinding technology outside Africa .
Researchers have also previously found evidence of the use of ochre , as well as the earliest known use of reflective pigments .
`` The site is an important cultural place to Mirarr people today who strive to protect their heritage from numerous threats , including mining , '' Florin said .

The Anbangbang rock shelter is the oldest in Australia. It is found at the base of the Arnhem Land escarpment in northern Australia. Photo by Warren Poole/ Wikimedia Commons
Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Archaeologists have found ancient plant foods eaten some 65,000 years ago by early human populations in northern Australia. The bits of plant food, preserved as charcoal in ancient cooking hearths, have offered scientists new insights into the diets of the indigenous Australians. Advertisement
The charcoal bits were recovered from archaeological dig sites in Arnhem Land, a historical region of northern Australia occupied by indigenous groups for thousands of years. Within the charred morsels, scientists identified the remnants of 10 different plant foods, including several types of fruits and nuts, as well as roots, tubers and palm stem.
"Many of these plant foods required processing to make them edible and this evidence was complemented by grinding stone technology also used during early occupation at the site," University of Queensland archaeobotanist Anna Florin said in a news release.
The latest findings, published Monday in the journal Nature Communications, suggest the earliest indigenous Australians possess extensive botanical knowledge, which helped them adapt to a variety of harsh terrains across the continent.
"They were able to guarantee access to carbohydrates, fat and even protein by applying this knowledge, as well as technological innovation and labor, to the gathering and processing of Australian plant foods," Florin said.
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The ancient hearths were found at Madjedbebe, a sandstone rock shelter and Australia's oldest indigenous site.
"Madjedbebe continues to provide startling insights into the complex and dynamic lifestyle of the earliest Australian Aboriginal people," said Queensland University professor Chris Clarkson, who served as lead excavator on the most recent digs.
Scientists have previously discovered the world's oldest stone axes at Madjedbebe, 35,000 years old. Even older spearheads have been recovered, the oldest evidence of stone grinding technology outside Africa. Researchers have also previously found evidence of the use of ochre, as well as the earliest known use of reflective pigments.
"The site is an important cultural place to Mirarr people today who strive to protect their heritage from numerous threats, including mining," Florin said.


upi--2020-02-17--Historic flooding hits Mississippi, Tennessee

Feb. 17 ( UPI ) -- Heavy rain has pounded Mississippi and Tennessee leading to historic levels of flooding and damaged homes .
At least four people were evacuated from their homes as rising water from the Pearl River flooded entire neighborhoods , and affected 300 homes near the state capital of Jackson , CBS This Morning reported Monday .
Officials expect the river to crest at its highest point in more than 35 years , but it could take up to a week before waters recede .
The worst could still be ahead as floodwaters are expected to rise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tate Reeves said Monday the river is currently cresting at 36.7 feet and will begin going down from its peak soon .
`` After days of rising floodwaters we do have positive news to report , '' Reeves said .
Reeves had declared a state of emergency over the weekend , prompting evacuations .
`` This is a historic , unprecedented flood , '' Reeves tweeted Saturday .
`` With projections showing the potential of this being the third worst flood in our state 's history , I 've declared a state of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take care of all Mississippians impacted . ''
The next day he gave an update on the conditions .
`` In the last 24 hours , there have been new developments as floodwaters have continued to rise , '' Reeves tweeted Sunday .
`` It will be days before we are out of the woods and waters start to recede , and the state and first responders are prepared and ready to act . ''
In Tennessee , historic flooding also prompted evacuations and caused a landslide in the Chalk Bluff area where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hardin County Fire Department said in Facebook posts .
Fox 13 reported that within an hour of evacuation a vacant home collapsed Saturday night .
A second home plunged into the river Sunday .
Only one of two homes was occupied when the landslide threat became imminent and rescuers evacuated homeowners ahead of time .
One Facebook post showed video of the collapse of a home in Savannah , Tenn. , a two-hour drive east of Memphis .
A separate video Monday showed a section of Glendale Road in Hardin County collapsing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard hit , heavy rain has drenched a larger swath of the South .
According to the Tennessee Valley Authority , rainfall is more than 400 percent above normal for the year .

Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Heavy rain has pounded Mississippi and Tennessee leading to historic levels of flooding and damaged homes.
At least four people were evacuated from their homes as rising water from the Pearl River flooded entire neighborhoods, and affected 300 homes near the state capital of Jackson, CBS This Morning reported Monday. Officials expect the river to crest at its highest point in more than 35 years, but it could take up to a week before waters recede. The worst could still be ahead as floodwaters are expected to rise another 7 inches.
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Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Monday the river is currently cresting at 36.7 feet and will begin going down from its peak soon.
"After days of rising floodwaters we do have positive news to report," Reeves said.
Reeves had declared a state of emergency over the weekend, prompting evacuations.
"This is a historic, unprecedented flood," Reeves tweeted Saturday. "With projections showing the potential of this being the third worst flood in our state's history, I've declared a state of emergency to deploy the necessary resources to take care of all Mississippians impacted."
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The next day he gave an update on the conditions.
"In the last 24 hours, there have been new developments as floodwaters have continued to rise," Reeves tweeted Sunday. "It will be days before we are out of the woods and waters start to recede, and the state and first responders are prepared and ready to act."
In Tennessee, historic flooding also prompted evacuations and caused a landslide in the Chalk Bluff area where two homes plunged into the Tennessee river, Hardin County Fire Department said in Facebook posts.
Fox 13 reported that within an hour of evacuation a vacant home collapsed Saturday night.
A second home plunged into the river Sunday.
Nobody was reported hurt.
Only one of two homes was occupied when the landslide threat became imminent and rescuers evacuated homeowners ahead of time.
One Facebook post showed video of the collapse of a home in Savannah, Tenn., a two-hour drive east of Memphis. A separate video Monday showed a section of Glendale Road in Hardin County collapsing.
Though Mississippi and Tennessee have been hard hit, heavy rain has drenched a larger swath of the South.
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According to the Tennessee Valley Authority, rainfall is more than 400 percent above normal for the year.


upi--2020-02-17--Watch: French ski resort uses helicopter to air-lift snow amid high temperatures

A French ski resort experiencing unseasonably high temperatures used a helicopter to air-lift snow onto its slopes so it could @ @ @ @ @ resort in the Pyrenees had a helicopter spend two hours Friday air-lifting 55 tons of @ @ @ @ @ used for classes and beginner use .
Herve Pounau , director of the Haute-Garonne department @ @ @ @ @ was necessary to keep the resort open and protect 50-80 jobs that would have been @ @ @ @ @ to close during the February-March winter sports season .
Officials said the resort has struggled @ @ @ @ @ which reached nearly 52 degrees Friday .
They said the temperatures are too high to @ @ @ @ @ cannons , which are normally used to spread artificially-created snow on the slopes .
The @ @ @ @ @ from politicians including French ecology minister Elisabeth Borne and Bastien Ho , the secretary of @ @ @ @ @ .
Critics said using a helicopter to move snow creates carbon emissions that contribute to @ @ @ @ @ resort 's solution a part of the problem .

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Odd News French ski resort uses helicopter to air-lift snow amid high temperatures By Ben Hooper
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Feb. 17 (UPI) --
A French ski resort experiencing unseasonably high temperatures used a helicopter to air-lift snow onto its slopes so it could remain open.
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The Luchon-Superbagneres resort in the Pyrenees had a helicopter spend two hours Friday air-lifting 55 tons of snow to the lower slopes used for classes and beginner use.
A second snow-moving session took place Saturday.
Herve Pounau, director of the Haute-Garonne department council, said the move was necessary to keep the resort open and protect 50-80 jobs that would have been lost if it was forced to close during the February-March winter sports season.
Officials said the resort has struggled with unusually high temperatures, which reached nearly 52 degrees Friday. They said the temperatures are too high to use the resort's snow cannons, which are normally used to spread artificially-created snow on the slopes.
The snow air-lifting has drawn criticism from politicians including French ecology minister Elisabeth Borne and Bastien Ho, the secretary of Europe Ecologie Les Verts party.
Critics said using a helicopter to move snow creates carbon emissions that contribute to climate change, making the resort's solution a part of the problem.
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upi--2020-02-17--Marc Maron's 'End Times Fun' coming to Netflix in March

Feb. 17 ( UPI ) -- Actor , comedian and podcast host Marc Maron has a new special coming to @ @ @ @ @ , 56 , announced Monday on Twitter that his stand-up comedy special End Times Fun @ @ @ @ @ service March 10 .
`` My new special 'End Times Fun ' will drop on @ @ @ @ @ !
Hope it gets in under the wire !
Things are moving fast , '' @ @ @ @ @ End Times Fun at the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater in Los Angeles , Calif. @ @ @ @ @ said Maron will explore politics , celebrity status , religion , technology and more in @ @ @ @ @ released the Netflix comedy specials Marc Maron : Thinky Pain ( 2013 ) and Marc @ @ @ @ @ 2017 ) .
He also plays Sam Sylvia on the Netflix series Glow , which @ @ @ @ @ a fourth and final season .

Marc Maron said his stand-up comedy special "End Times Fun" will premiere March 10 on Netflix. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Actor, comedian and podcast host Marc Maron has a new special coming to Netflix in March. Maron, 56, announced Monday on Twitter that his stand-up comedy special End Times Fun will premiere on the streaming service March 10. Advertisement
"My new special 'End Times Fun' will drop on @NetflixIsAJoke on March 10th! Hope it gets in under the wire! Things are moving fast," he wrote.
My new special 'End Times Fun' will drop on @NetflixIsAJoke on March 10th! Hope it gets in under the wire! Things are moving fast!— marc maron (@marcmaron) February 17, 2020
Maron filmed End Times Fun at the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater in Los Angeles, Calif., in October. Netflix said Maron will explore politics, celebrity status, religion, technology and more in the special.
Maron previously released the Netflix comedy specials Marc Maron: Thinky Pain (2013) and Marc Maron: Too Real (2017). He also plays Sam Sylvia on the Netflix series Glow, which was renewed in September for a fourth and final season.
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Maron hosts the popular podcast WTF with Marc Maron.


upi--2020-02-17--Braves extend contracts of manager Brian Snitker, GM Alex Anthopoulos

Feb. 17 ( UPI ) -- The Atlanta Braves extended the contracts of manager Brian Snitker and general manager Alex Anthopoulos on Monday , while also elevating Anthopoulos ' role with the franchise .
Snitker 's contract was extended through 2021 .
Anthopoulos ' new deal runs through the 2024 season .
Anthopoulos has been the Braves ' executive vice president and general manager since 2017 .
He will now be the Braves ' president of baseball operations and general manager .
`` I am very pleased that Alex will be leading the Atlanta Braves ' baseball operations for years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McGuirk said in a news release .
`` Since he joined the organization , Alex has continued the winning tradition that Braves fans have come to expect . ''
The Braves posted a 97-65 record in 2019 while winning the National League East .
The 97 wins were the most for the franchise since the Braves won 101 games in 2003 and 2002 .
Snitker , 64 , became Braves manager in 2016 .
He owns a 318-292 record in four seasons with the franchise .
The Braves are 3-6 in the playoffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Division Series .
Snitker also led the Braves to a National League East title in 2018 , when he was named Manager of the Year .
His staff of Sal Fasano , Rick Kranitz , Marty Reed , Kevin Seitzer , Ron Washington , Walt Weiss , Eric Young Sr. and Jose Castro also received contract extensions .
`` Winning consecutive division titles illustrates the leadership and impact of Brian and his staff , '' Anthopoulos said .
`` We are happy to know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2021 season . ''
Anthopoulos served as the vice president of baseball operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers for two seasons before joining the Braves .
He also spent six seasons as the Toronto Blue Jays ' general manager .
The Braves face the Baltimore Orioles in their first spring training game at 1:05 p.m. EST Saturday at CoolToday Park in North Port , Fla .

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker has led the team to back-to-back National League East division titles. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 17 (UPI) -- The Atlanta Braves extended the contracts of manager Brian Snitker and general manager Alex Anthopoulos on Monday, while also elevating Anthopoulos' role with the franchise. Snitker's contract was extended through 2021. Anthopoulos' new deal runs through the 2024 season. Advertisement
Anthopoulos has been the Braves' executive vice president and general manager since 2017. He will now be the Braves' president of baseball operations and general manager.
"I am very pleased that Alex will be leading the Atlanta Braves' baseball operations for years to come," Braves chairman Terry McGuirk said in a news release. "Since he joined the organization, Alex has continued the winning tradition that Braves fans have come to expect."
The Braves posted a 97-65 record in 2019 while winning the National League East. The 97 wins were the most for the franchise since the Braves won 101 games in 2003 and 2002.
Snitker, 64, became Braves manager in 2016. He owns a 318-292 record in four seasons with the franchise. The Braves are 3-6 in the playoffs under Snitker. The 2019 Braves lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Division Series.
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Snitker also led the Braves to a National League East title in 2018, when he was named Manager of the Year. His staff of Sal Fasano, Rick Kranitz, Marty Reed, Kevin Seitzer, Ron Washington, Walt Weiss, Eric Young Sr. and Jose Castro also received contract extensions.
"Winning consecutive division titles illustrates the leadership and impact of Brian and his staff," Anthopoulos said. "We are happy to know they will be leading the Braves through the 2021 season."
Anthopoulos served as the vice president of baseball operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers for two seasons before joining the Braves. He also spent six seasons as the Toronto Blue Jays' general manager.
The Braves face the Baltimore Orioles in their first spring training game at 1:05 p.m. EST Saturday at CoolToday Park in North Port, Fla.


upi--2020-02-17--Rascal Flatts adds Chase Rice, Chris Lane to farewell tour

Feb. 17 ( UPI ) -- Rascal Flatts has recruited Chase Rice and Chris Lane for its farewell tour .
The country music group announced opening acts and new dates for the tour Monday on Twitter .
Rice , Lane , Avenue Beat , Caylee Hammack , King Calaway , Matt Stell and Rachel Wammack will perform with Rascal Flatts at different points during the tour .
`` Thought we 'd bring a few friends along for the # RascalFlattsFarewell Tour ! ''
Rascal Flatts wrote .
Rascal Flatts added 11 dates to the tour , most in July and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oct. 30 in Nashville , Tenn. Rascal Flatts initially announced the tour on CBS This Morning in January .
The group said the tour is meant as a `` goodbye '' and a `` thank you '' to fans .
`` It 's our way of showing appreciation with a humble heart , '' guitarist Joe Don Rooney said .
`` We do n't have any plans right now , '' bassist Jay DeMarcus added .
`` We want to take the year and focus on celebrating with our fans for 20 wonderful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new music this year .
The group released its 10th studio album , Back to Us , in 2017 .
Here 's the new dates for the Rascal Flatts farewell tour :

Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Rascal Flatts has recruited Chase Rice and Chris Lane for its farewell tour.
The country music group announced opening acts and new dates for the tour Monday on Twitter.
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Rice, Lane, Avenue Beat, Caylee Hammack, King Calaway, Matt Stell and Rachel Wammack will perform with Rascal Flatts at different points during the tour.
"Thought we'd bring a few friends along for the #RascalFlattsFarewell Tour!" Rascal Flatts wrote.
Rascal Flatts added 11 dates to the tour, most in July and August. The tour will now end Oct. 30 in Nashville, Tenn.
Rascal Flatts initially announced the tour on CBS This Morning in January. The group said the tour is meant as a "goodbye" and a "thank you" to fans.
"It's our way of showing appreciation with a humble heart," guitarist Joe Don Rooney said.
"We don't have any plans right now," bassist Jay DeMarcus added. "We want to take the year and focus on celebrating with our fans for 20 wonderful years."
Rascal Flatts will release new music this year. The group released its 10th studio album, Back to Us, in 2017.
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Here's the new dates for the Rascal Flatts farewell tour:
July 17 - Rogers, Ark., at Walmart AMP
July 24 - Southaven, Miss., at BankPlus Amphitheater
July 25 - Kansas City, Mo., at Spring Center
July 31 - Welch, Minn., at Treasure Island Casino Amphitheater
Aug. 1 - Omaha, Neb., at CHI Health Center
Aug. 2 - Dubuque, Iowa, at Q Casino
Aug. 20 - New Orleans, La., at Smoothie King Center
Aug. 21 - Brandon, Miss., at Brandon Amphitheater
Aug. 22 - Birmingham, Ala., at Oak Mountain Amphitheatre
Sept. 25 - Columbus, Ohio, at Nationwide Arena
Oct. 30 - Nashville, Tenn., at Bridgestone Arena


upi--2020-02-18--Tourists flock to 'Parasite' locations in South Korea

SEOUL , Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- As South Korea continues to celebrate the remarkable Oscar success of director Bong Joon-ho 's darkly satirical film Parasite , locations around Seoul featured in the film have become unlikely tourist destinations .
One new hot spot is Sky Pizza , shown in the film under the name `` Pizza Age , '' tucked deep inside a warren of small streets in Noryangjin , a neighborhood best known for its enormous wholesale fish market .
The tiny shop , selling pies with toppings such as kimchi , spicy chicken , sweet potato @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boom of curious visitors and media attention since Parasite gained international acclaim .
Sky Pizza 's owner , 65-year-old Eom Han-gi , said she welcomes the attention and the boost in business the film has brought her .
`` I 'm so happy , '' she said .
`` I 'm always grateful for director Bong .
Things were difficult at times because this is not a prominent location , and we are n't a branded franchise . ''
Eom began keeping guest books when foreign visitors started descending on the location after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cannes Film Festival in May .
But ever since the film pulled off a stunning upset by winning four Academy Awards earlier this month , including Best Picture , interest has skyrocketed .
`` I came here because the film got so famous , '' said Kim Ha-young , 23 , who traveled about an hour with a friend to snap photos for Instagram and to take part in what has become a nationwide appreciation of Bong 's success .
`` I am a fan of Bong Joon-ho , and I feel like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ door for Korean and Asian cinema , '' she said .
The pizza shop has embraced its Parasite connection , with a display of the Pizza Age boxes used in the film alongside a framed photo signed by the cast and a large autographed note from Bong .
Eom said the attention since the Oscars win has been overwhelming at times .
`` It 's all so sudden , '' she said .
`` We 're finding it a bit hard to manage , but we 're happy to accept the visitors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ official tourism organization have been keen to capitalize on the film 's success as well .
The city 's tourism portal started promoting a Parasite tour of four locations in November , and last week Seoul announced plans to expand operations by including locations featured in Bong 's other films , such as The Host and Okja , and offer guided tours run by film experts .
The city of Goyang , located on the northern outskirts of Seoul , also recently announced plans to restore the studio set where the film 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebration of Bong marks a start contrast from just a few years earlier , when the director -- along with many other left-leaning artists , including Parasite star Song Kang-ho and its producer Miky Lee -- was placed on a blacklist by then-President Park Geun-hye intended to deprive them of state funding .
Another stop on the Parasite tourism trail is Dwaejissal ( Pork Rice ) Market in Chunjeongro , which has seen a steady stream of curious visitors descend on its quiet neighborhood of squat brick buildings and wafting odors of doenjang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The grocery store , known as Woori Market in the film , was the site of a key early scene when Kim Ki-woo 's friend suggests he take a job as an English tutor with the wealthy Park family .
A set of stairs near the store is also seen in the film .
Owners Lee Jung-sik and Kim Gyung-soon have been welcoming fans eager for a photo opportunity , invigorating a business they say has been stagnant for years , particularly since the rise of South Korea 's almost ubiquitous convenience store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been better , '' said Lee , who has owned the shop for 35 years .
`` We have just been killing time here at the store for years . ''
Lee said the couple were given tickets to screen Parasite by the producers and that he related deeply to the story .
`` The film was like a biography of my younger years , '' said Lee , who grew up in a period of deep deprivation after the Korean War ended in 1953 .
`` I used to live in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Neighborhood residents such as Kim Byung-Ki , 56 , have also begun stopping in to take pictures with the store 's owners .
`` I am having friends over tonight and wanted to brag that I 've been here , '' he said .
Kim , who owns a kitchenware store , said that seeing Parasite helped to open his eyes to social divisions right under his nose .
`` The movie was about the gap between rich and poor , '' Kim said .
`` I learned about their living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives of the poor more . ''
Not everyone has been as enthusiastic about the film 's impact , however .
Lee , the store owner , said the neighborhood has been marked for redevelopment and noted that some residents are concerned that the city 's tourism plans will derail the process .
`` People are worried about the redevelopment , '' he said .
`` We do n't know what will happen , if we 'll still be here next year . ''
Other voices have also spoken out against a tourism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighborhoods so prevalent in the film .
`` I 'm critical of trying to make poverty a tourism commodity without realizing the meaning of the movie , '' said freelance film journalist Sung Ha-hoon , who has written about the backlash against Parasite sightseeing .
City officials , however , are seeing the Parasite tourism bump as a boon .
`` Looking at the tourism industry as a whole , we expect the creation of positive effects , '' said Lee Doo-ran , an official with the Seoul Tourism Organization .
She said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Korean film as the country 's next big cultural product alongside K-pop and the Korean TV dramas that are popular throughout Asia .
Lee also said the city government is making efforts to spread the benefits of tourism to the neighborhoods surrounding the filming locations .
`` We will guide tours that are organized with information on nearby commercial districts around the filming locations so that we can revitalize the local economy , '' she said .
For fans such as Jeoung So-jin , 32 , who was taking social media snapshots with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a location where the Kim family walked through the pouring rain in the film , the sites offer a chance to revel in a sense of local pride .
`` Parasite has been all over the news , '' she said .
`` I 'm full of patriotism and so proud . ''

1/8
A set of stairs seen in the film "Parasite" has become a popular selfie location in Seoul. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI
SEOUL, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- As South Korea continues to celebrate the remarkable Oscar success of director Bong Joon-ho's darkly satirical film Parasite, locations around Seoul featured in the film have become unlikely tourist destinations. One new hot spot is Sky Pizza, shown in the film under the name "Pizza Age," tucked deep inside a warren of small streets in Noryangjin, a neighborhood best known for its enormous wholesale fish market. Advertisement
The tiny shop, selling pies with toppings such as kimchi, spicy chicken, sweet potato and even lobster, has seen a boom of curious visitors and media attention since Parasite gained international acclaim.
Sky Pizza's owner, 65-year-old Eom Han-gi, said she welcomes the attention and the boost in business the film has brought her.
"I'm so happy," she said. "I'm always grateful for director Bong. Things were difficult at times because this is not a prominent location, and we aren't a branded franchise."
Advertisement
Eom began keeping guest books when foreign visitors started descending on the location after Parasite won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in May. But ever since the film pulled off a stunning upset by winning four Academy Awards earlier this month, including Best Picture, interest has skyrocketed.
"I came here because the film got so famous," said Kim Ha-young, 23, who traveled about an hour with a friend to snap photos for Instagram and to take part in what has become a nationwide appreciation of Bong's success.
"I am a fan of Bong Joon-ho, and I feel like his win at the Oscars opened a door for Korean and Asian cinema," she said.
The pizza shop has embraced its Parasite connection, with a display of the Pizza Age boxes used in the film alongside a framed photo signed by the cast and a large autographed note from Bong.
Eom said the attention since the Oscars win has been overwhelming at times.
"It's all so sudden," she said. "We're finding it a bit hard to manage, but we're happy to accept the visitors."
The Seoul city government and its official tourism organization have been keen to capitalize on the film's success as well. The city's tourism portal started promoting a Parasite tour of four locations in November, and last week Seoul announced plans to expand operations by including locations featured in Bong's other films, such as The Host and Okja, and offer guided tours run by film experts.
Advertisement
The city of Goyang, located on the northern outskirts of Seoul, also recently announced plans to restore the studio set where the film's flooding scene was shot.
The official celebration of Bong marks a start contrast from just a few years earlier, when the director -- along with many other left-leaning artists, including Parasite star Song Kang-ho and its producer Miky Lee -- was placed on a blacklist by then-President Park Geun-hye intended to deprive them of state funding.
Another stop on the Parasite tourism trail is Dwaejissal (Pork Rice) Market in Chunjeongro, which has seen a steady stream of curious visitors descend on its quiet neighborhood of squat brick buildings and wafting odors of doenjang, or fermented soy bean paste.
The grocery store, known as Woori Market in the film, was the site of a key early scene when Kim Ki-woo's friend suggests he take a job as an English tutor with the wealthy Park family.
A set of stairs near the store is also seen in the film.
Owners Lee Jung-sik and Kim Gyung-soon have been welcoming fans eager for a photo opportunity, invigorating a business they say has been stagnant for years, particularly since the rise of South Korea's almost ubiquitous convenience store chains.
Advertisement
"After Parasite, business has been better," said Lee, who has owned the shop for 35 years. "We have just been killing time here at the store for years."
Lee said the couple were given tickets to screen Parasite by the producers and that he related deeply to the story.
"The film was like a biography of my younger years," said Lee, who grew up in a period of deep deprivation after the Korean War ended in 1953. "I used to live in an underground cave next to a sewer."
Neighborhood residents such as Kim Byung-Ki, 56, have also begun stopping in to take pictures with the store's owners.
"I am having friends over tonight and wanted to brag that I've been here," he said.
Kim, who owns a kitchenware store, said that seeing Parasite helped to open his eyes to social divisions right under his nose.
"The movie was about the gap between rich and poor," Kim said. "I learned about their living conditions and started to think about the lives of the poor more."
Not everyone has been as enthusiastic about the film's impact, however. Lee, the store owner, said the neighborhood has been marked for redevelopment and noted that some residents are concerned that the city's tourism plans will derail the process.
Advertisement
"People are worried about the redevelopment," he said. "We don't know what will happen, if we'll still be here next year."
Other voices have also spoken out against a tourism trend that highlights the poor and working-class neighborhoods so prevalent in the film.
"I'm critical of trying to make poverty a tourism commodity without realizing the meaning of the movie," said freelance film journalist Sung Ha-hoon, who has written about the backlash against Parasite sightseeing.
City officials, however, are seeing the Parasite tourism bump as a boon.
"Looking at the tourism industry as a whole, we expect the creation of positive effects," said Lee Doo-ran, an official with the Seoul Tourism Organization. She said the city is hoping to help promote Korean film as the country's next big cultural product alongside K-pop and the Korean TV dramas that are popular throughout Asia.
Lee also said the city government is making efforts to spread the benefits of tourism to the neighborhoods surrounding the filming locations.
"We will guide tours that are organized with information on nearby commercial districts around the filming locations so that we can revitalize the local economy," she said.
For fans such as Jeoung So-jin, 32, who was taking social media snapshots with friends at stairs to Jahamun Tunnel, a location where the Kim family walked through the pouring rain in the film, the sites offer a chance to revel in a sense of local pride.
Advertisement
"Parasite has been all over the news," she said. "I'm full of patriotism and so proud."


upi--2020-02-18--Dutch appeals court reinstates $50 billion arbitration award against Russia

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- A Dutch appellate court on Tuesday reinstated a $ 50 billion arbitration award filed against the Russian government on behalf of the shareholders of the long-defunct Yukos Oil Co .
The Hague Court of Appeal ruling reversed a 2016 District Court decision that had negated the award to Yukos shareholders , which was originally ordered by the Netherlands ' Permanent Court of Arbitration -- the largest arbitration ruling in Dutch legal history .
The panel had originally ruled that the Kremlin , in one of the first major moves of President Vladimir Putin 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oligarchs , fraudulently seized control of Yukos in 2003 by filing bogus tax claims against it .
Its founder , Mikhail Khodorkovsky , Russia 's richest man at the time , was arrested .
The Dutch panel ordered Russia to pay former shareholders $ 50 billion in compensation , setting off a 15-year legal battle .
Moscow had gotten a favorable ruling from The Hague District Court in 2016 when it found the arbitration panel had misread an international treaty that Russia signed but never ratified .
The appellate court , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result is that the arbitral award of July 18 , 2014 , is back in force , '' the appellate court said in a statement .
`` The Russian Federation can appeal the Supreme Court against the decision of the court . ''
Russian Justice Ministry said it would appeal .
The Hague Court of Appeal , it said , `` ignored the fact that the former Yukos shareholders were not bona fide investors .
Control over the assets of this company was obtained by them through a number of illegal actions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

The Hague Court of Appeal reinstated a $50 billion arbitration ruling against Russia and in favor of the shareholders of Yukos Oil Co. Photo courtesy Court of the Hague/UPI
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- A Dutch appellate court on Tuesday reinstated a $50 billion arbitration award filed against the Russian government on behalf of the shareholders of the long-defunct Yukos Oil Co. The Hague Court of Appeal ruling reversed a 2016 District Court decision that had negated the award to Yukos shareholders, which was originally ordered by the Netherlands' Permanent Court of Arbitration -- the largest arbitration ruling in Dutch legal history. Advertisement
The panel had originally ruled that the Kremlin, in one of the first major moves of President Vladimir Putin's campaign to rein in Russia's powerful oligarchs, fraudulently seized control of Yukos in 2003 by filing bogus tax claims against it. Its founder, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Russia's richest man at the time, was arrested.
The Dutch panel ordered Russia to pay former shareholders $50 billion in compensation, setting off a 15-year legal battle.
Moscow had gotten a favorable ruling from The Hague District Court in 2016 when it found the arbitration panel had misread an international treaty that Russia signed but never ratified.
The appellate court, however, disagreed with that opinion.
"The result is that the arbitral award of July 18, 2014, is back in force," the appellate court said in a statement. "The Russian Federation can appeal the Supreme Court against the decision of the court."
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Russian Justice Ministry said it would appeal.
The Hague Court of Appeal, it said, "ignored the fact that the former Yukos shareholders were not bona fide investors. Control over the assets of this company was obtained by them through a number of illegal actions, including conspiracy and bribery of officials."


upi--2020-02-18--WWE Raw: Randy Orton assaults Matt Hardy, Shayna Baszler confronts Becky Lynch

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- Randy Orton kicked off Raw by viciously attacking Matt Hardy after Hardy was n't medically cleared to face The Viper in a No Holds Barred match .
Hardy appeared to confront Orton wearing a neck brace , the end result of the WWE veteran asking Orton last week why he assaulted Hall of Famer Edge .
Hardy said that he will not allow Orton to decide when his career ends .
Orton responded by stating that he respects Hardy and loves Edge like a brother .
`` I am truly sorry , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stopped at the entrance ramp and turned back around as Hardy grabbed a steel chair .
Orton dodged his attack and delivered an RKO .
Things got more violent as Orton placed Hardy 's head onto the steel steps and smashed the chair against his head twice .
Hardy was then taken out on a stretcher .
Also on Raw , Shayna Baszler got into a war or words with Raw Women 's Champion Becky Lynch .
Baszler got The Man 's attention last week after she bit Lynch behind the neck .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of money into the ring , stating that the cash is a down payment for all the fines she will incur from hurting Baszler .
Baszler will be competing in a Women 's Elimination Chamber match at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event on March 8 along with Natalya , Liv Morgan , Asuka , Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan .
The winner will get to face Lynch for the Raw Women 's Championship at WrestleMania 36 on April 5 .
Lynch said she will be watching the match closely and rooting for Baszler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seth Rollins started to give a sermon about how he was going to continue to change the red brand for the better while being joined by his followers , fellow Raw Tag Team Champion Murphy and Akam and Rezar of AOP .
The Monday Night Messiah was interrupted by Kevin Owens and The Viking Raiders , however , leading to a main event match between Murphy and AOP against Owens and The Viking Raiders .
Owens was poised to win the bout after nailing Murphy with a Stunner but Rollins entered the ring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disqualification .
Rollins and his crew continued to attack their rivals until The Street Profits arrived to turn the tide of the battle .
Rollins escaped as his followers were taken out , leading to a celebration by The Street Profits , Owens and The Viking Raiders as Raw went off the air .
Other moments from Raw included Aleister Black defeating Erick Rowan ; 24/7 Champion Riddick Moss successfully defending his title against Mojo Rawley and R-Truth ; Drew McIntyre defeated MVP after verbally sparring with WWE Champion Brock Lesnar 's advocate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garza defeated Rusev and Humberto Carrillo ; Women 's Tag Team Champion Kairi Sane defeated Natalya via count out ; and Ricochet defeated Karl Anderson .

Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Randy Orton kicked off Raw by viciously attacking Matt Hardy after Hardy wasn't medically cleared to face The Viper in a No Holds Barred match.
Hardy appeared to confront Orton wearing a neck brace, the end result of the WWE veteran asking Orton last week why he assaulted Hall of Famer Edge. Hardy said that he will not allow Orton to decide when his career ends.
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Orton responded by stating that he respects Hardy and loves Edge like a brother.
"I am truly sorry," he said before exiting the ring.
Orton stopped at the entrance ramp and turned back around as Hardy grabbed a steel chair. Orton dodged his attack and delivered an RKO. Things got more violent as Orton placed Hardy's head onto the steel steps and smashed the chair against his head twice. Hardy was then taken out on a stretcher.
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Also on Raw, Shayna Baszler got into a war or words with Raw Women's Champion Becky Lynch. Baszler got The Man's attention last week after she bit Lynch behind the neck.
Lynch promised revenge and dumped a bag of money into the ring, stating that the cash is a down payment for all the fines she will incur from hurting Baszler.
Baszler will be competing in a Women's Elimination Chamber match at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event on March 8 along with Natalya, Liv Morgan, Asuka, Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan. The winner will get to face Lynch for the Raw Women's Championship at WrestleMania 36 on April 5.
Lynch said she will be watching the match closely and rooting for Baszler to win.
Raw Tag Team Champion Seth Rollins started to give a sermon about how he was going to continue to change the red brand for the better while being joined by his followers, fellow Raw Tag Team Champion Murphy and Akam and Rezar of AOP.
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The Monday Night Messiah was interrupted by Kevin Owens and The Viking Raiders, however, leading to a main event match between Murphy and AOP against Owens and The Viking Raiders.
Owens was poised to win the bout after nailing Murphy with a Stunner but Rollins entered the ring and attacked Owens, leading to a disqualification. Rollins and his crew continued to attack their rivals until The Street Profits arrived to turn the tide of the battle.
Rollins escaped as his followers were taken out, leading to a celebration by The Street Profits, Owens and The Viking Raiders as Raw went off the air.
Other moments from Raw included Aleister Black defeating Erick Rowan; 24/7 Champion Riddick Moss successfully defending his title against Mojo Rawley and R-Truth; Drew McIntyre defeated MVP after verbally sparring with WWE Champion Brock Lesnar's advocate Paul Heyman; Bobby Lashley and Angel Garza defeated Rusev and Humberto Carrillo; Women's Tag Team Champion Kairi Sane defeated Natalya via count out; and Ricochet defeated Karl Anderson.


upi--2020-02-18--LPGA golf icon Mickey Wright dead at 85

LPGA golf icon Mickey Wright dead at 85

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- Hall of Fame LPGA golfer Mickey Wright -- who won 13 major championships -- has died .
She was 85 .
Wright died Monday in Florida after recently being hospitalized .
Her 82 career victories rank second all-time , trailing only Kathy Whitworth ( 88 ) .
She survived breast cancer in 2007 .
She is considered one of the best female golfers of all time , winning at least 10 times annually on the PGA Tour during her prime .
`` We are deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Mickey Wright @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
`` We lost a legend , but we may also have lost the best swing in golf history today .
Our thoughts are with her family and friends . ''
Wright was born Mary Kathryn Wright in Feb. 14 , 1935 in San Diego .
She began playing golf at age 11 and won her first USGA Girls ' Junior Championship in 1952 .
She won the World Amateur title two years later before dropping out of Stanford in 1955 to start her professional golf career .
Wright won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She went on to win four U.S. Open titles and four LPGA Championships .
Wright retired from the LPGA Tour in 1969 .
She won her final tournament in 1973 at the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner 's Circle .
She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1976 .
`` The PGA of America is deeply saddened by the passing of Mickey Wright , who will forever be one of the greatest to play our game .
Her swing put the greats in awe & we are forever thankful for her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' PGA president Suzy Whaley said in a statement .
Wright and Tiger Woods are the only golfers in history to win four consecutive major championships .

Mickey Wright's 13 LPGA majors trail only Patty Berg, who won 15 major titles. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Hall of Fame LPGA golfer Mickey Wright -- who won 13 major championships -- has died of a heart attack. She was 85. Wright died Monday at a hospital in Port St. Lucie, Fla., according to her attorney, Sonia M. Pawluc. She had been previously hospitalized with an illness before having the heart attack Sunday. Wright also survived breast cancer in 2007. Advertisement
She is considered one of the best female golfers of all time, winning at least 10 times annually on the PGA Tour during her prime. Her 82 career victories rank second all-time, trailing only Kathy Whitworth (88).
"We are deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Mickey Wright," LPGA commissioner Michael Whan said in a statement. "We lost a legend, but we may also have lost the best swing in golf history today. Our thoughts are with her family and friends."
Wright was born Mary Kathryn Wright in Feb. 14, 1935, in San Diego. She began playing golf at age 11 and won her first USGA Girls' Junior Championship in 1952. She won the World Amateur title two years later before dropping out of Stanford in 1955 to start her professional golf career.
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Wright won her first LPGA tournament in 1956. She went on to win four U.S. Open titles and four LPGA Championships. Wright retired from the LPGA Tour in 1969. She won her final tournament in 1973 at the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle.
She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1976.
"The PGA of America is deeply saddened by the passing of Mickey Wright, who will forever be one of the greatest to play our game. Her swing put the greats in awe & we are forever thankful for her efforts to advance women's golf." PGA president Suzy Whaley said in a statement.
Wright and Tiger Woods are the only golfers in history to win four consecutive major championships.
Notable deaths of 2020


upi--2020-02-18--Video captures dramatic moment a landslide crumbles a Tennessee home

An angry landslide in Tennessee ripped through Hardin County last weekend , shredding a pair of homes in its path .
The two homes were previously in danger of collapsing before heavy rain triggered the landslide that swept them into the Tennessee River .
Both houses , located just north of Savannah , were unoccupied at the time of collapse , although one was still being lived in .
According to Hardin County Fire officials , the occupied home was evacuated on Saturday night , about an hour before the landslide destroyed the vacant house .
Sunday afternoon , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials said .
Drone photos taken later in the day depicted the widespread swath of destruction the landslide left in its wake .
AccuWeather Meteorologist Isaac Longley said a winter full of numerous storm systems is to blame for the destruction .
`` There have been numerous storm systems to track up the Mississippi and Tennessee River valleys this winter , bringing copious amounts of rainfall to the region , '' Longley said .
`` With an abundance of moisture to tap into from the Gulf of Mexico , these storms have brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tennessee . ''
One part , in particular , is the city of Savannah .
Longley said rainfall totals this winter are up 200 percent higher than the area 's historical average .
In recent weeks , that heavy rain left soil waterlogged and has led to flooding and landslides .
According to the National Weather Service , at its most flooded point , the Tennessee River crested at 388.72 feet just north of Savannah early Sunday morning , which ranks as the 14th most historic crest for the country 's 12th longest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerged on Facebook by way of video shared by the fire department .
In other videos shared by the department , widespread flooding inundated the region Sunday and Monday .
According to Longley , conditions are expected to remain dangerously wet for the near future .
`` Unfortunately , wet weather will continue to affect these areas as another system will bring rain and potentially some heavier thunderstorms to the lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys through the middle part of the week . ''

Feb 18. --
An angry landslide in Tennessee ripped through Hardin County last weekend, shredding a pair of homes in its path.
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The two homes were previously in danger of collapsing before heavy rain triggered the landslide that swept them into the Tennessee River.
Both houses, located just north of Savannah, were unoccupied at the time of collapse, although one was still being lived in. According to Hardin County Fire officials, the occupied home was evacuated on Saturday night, about an hour before the landslide destroyed the vacant house. Sunday afternoon, the second home was also swept away, officials said.
Footage shows one of the homes succumbing to raging landslide. Image via Facebook/Hardin County Fire
Drone photos taken later in the day depicted the widespread swath of destruction the landslide left in its wake.
AccuWeather Meteorologist Isaac Longley said a winter full of numerous storm systems is to blame for the destruction.
"There have been numerous storm systems to track up the Mississippi and Tennessee River valleys this winter, bringing copious amounts of rainfall to the region," Longley said. "With an abundance of moisture to tap into from the Gulf of Mexico, these storms have brought rounds of heavy rain to parts of Tennessee."
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One part, in particular, is the city of Savannah. Longley said rainfall totals this winter are up 200 percent higher than the area's historical average. In recent weeks, that heavy rain left soil waterlogged and has led to flooding and landslides.
Aerial footage captured the destruction in the aftermath of the landslide. Image via Facebook/Hardin County Fire
According to the National Weather Service, at its most flooded point, the Tennessee River crested at 388.72 feet just north of Savannah early Sunday morning, which ranks as the 14th most historic crest for the country's 12th longest river.
Footage of the now-destroyed homes emerged on Facebook by way of video shared by the fire department. In other videos shared by the department, widespread flooding inundated the region Sunday and Monday.
According to Longley, conditions are expected to remain dangerously wet for the near future.
"Unfortunately, wet weather will continue to affect these areas as another system will bring rain and potentially some heavier thunderstorms to the lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys through the middle part of the week."


upi--2020-02-18--Countries rush to evacuate citizens from virus-stricken cruise ship in Japan

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- South Korea , Canada , Australia and Britain are rushing to evacuate citizens from a cruise ship that is quarantined off Japan 's coast amid a drastic increase of coronavirus infections among its passengers .
The Diamond Princess anchored in Japan 's Yokohama Port with 2,666 passengers and 1,045 crew is the world 's largest cluster of confirmed COVID-19 cases outside of China with more than 500 passengers infected with the disease since it was placed under a 14-day quarantine on Feb. 3 .
On Tuesday , Princess Cruises , which operates the vessel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 aboard the ship in the past 48 hours .
Japan 's Ministry of Health said passengers of the ship who test negative for the coronavirus will be able to leave from Wednesday when the quarantine expires .
However , at Haneda Airport at nearby Tokyo , a South Korean presidential plane landed Tuesday to evacuate four nationals and a Japanese spouse from the ship with plans to return to Gimpo in western Seoul by Wednesday morning , Yonhap reported .
Britain also issued a statement Tuesday stating it was coordinating a flight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both Canada and Australia have been arranging evacuation efforts over the past few days .
News of the evacuations follows two U.S. chartered flights returning to the United States with 328 American evacuees from the cruise ship late Sunday and early Monday .
Among the passengers were 14 who tested positive for COVID-19 , nearly doubling the number of confirmed cases in the United States to 29 .
Ninty-two Americans remain under quarantine on the ship .
Meanwhile , China 's National Health Commission increased its death toll on Tuesday to 1,868 after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the previous 24 hours .
Ninty-three of the deaths occurred in the epicenter Hubei , including 72 in Wuhan where the disease is believed to have emerged .
Globally , the death toll stood at 1,873 as France , the Philippines , Japan , Hong Kong and Taiwan have each reported a death outside mainland China .
China also said the number of infections increased by 1,886 over Monday to 72,436 .
Meanwhile , Chinese health officials announced the death of a doctor at ground zero of the widening epidemic after he contracted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients .
Liu Zhiming , director of the Wuchang Hospital in Wuhan , died Tuesday morning at the age of 51 , the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said .
`` Since the outbreak , Comrade Liu Zhiming , regardless of his personal safety , led the medical staff of Wuchang Hospital to fight the epidemic , and made important contributions to the prevention and control of new-type coronavirus pneumonia in our city , '' the commission said in a statement .
Zhiming 's death is the latest among health professionals fighting the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stating last week more than 1,700 front-lined medics had been infected with COVID-19 , six of whom had died .
Among the dead is 34-year-old Li Wenliang -- an ophthalmologist at Wuhan who was punished by police for attempting to inform friends and family online in December when the outbreak began , and his death attracted wide-spread anger , forcing the government to initiate an investigation .

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Passengers of The Diamond Princess cruise ship who test negative for the virus will start to disembark starting Wednesday. Photo by Jiji Press/EPA-EFE
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- The death toll from an outbreak of the coronavirus has topped 2,000, health officials said Wednesday as South Korea, Canada, Australia and Britain rush to evacuate citizens from a cruise ship that is quarantined off Japan's coast amid a drastic increase of COVID-19 infections among its passengers. The Diamond Princess, anchored in Japan's Yokohama Port with 2,666 passengers and 1,045 crew, is the world's largest cluster of confirmed COVID-19 cases outside China, with 88 new cases confirmed Tuesday that raised the total to 542 passengers infected with the disease since it was placed under a 14-day quarantine in early this month. Advertisement
Japan's Ministry of Health said passengers who test negative for the coronavirus will be able to leave starting Wednesday, when the quarantine expires.
However, a South Korean presidential plane touched down early Wednesday at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul with six nationals and a Japanese spouse on board who were evacuated from the ship, Yonhap reported.
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The plane landed at Haneda Airport in nearby Tokyo Tuesday night for the repatriation mission, departing Japan in the early hours of Wednesday.
It was originally reported that of the 14 South Koreans who are aboard the Diamond Princess, four would be evacuated along with the Japanese spouse. The remaining South Koreans are to disembark the vessel later this week if they test negative for COVID-19.
Britain also issued a statement Tuesday stating it was coordinating a flight "as soon as possible," and Australia is planning to evacuate more than 200 nationals on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Canada also said an aircraft it charted earlier in the week was in the air heading to Japan and was to return to the North American country on Thursday.
"The departure date will be confirmed once final arrangements with the government of Japan and Princess Cruises are in place," the Canadian government said in a statement.
It did not state how many of the 256 Canadian passengers of the Diamond Princess would be evacuated, though the 43 who have tested positive for the virus will remain in the hospital in Japan.
News of the evacuations follows two chartered flights returning to the United States with 328 American evacuees from the cruise ship late Sunday and early Monday.
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Among the passengers were 14 who tested positive for COVID-19, nearly doubling the number of confirmed cases in the United States to 29. Ninety-two Americans remain under quarantine on the ship.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that all people currently on board the Diamond Princess will be under travel restrictions to the United States. They must wait at least 14 days after leaving the cruise ship before traveling to the United States.
"After disembarkation from the Diamond Princess, these passengers and crew will be required to wait 14 days without having symptoms or a positive coronavirus test result before they are permitted to board flights to the United States," the CDC said in a statement.
If someone who had been on the cruise ship travels to the United States within the 14-day time period, they must undergo a mandatory quarantine in the United States until the two weeks is up.
Meanwhile, China's National Health Commission increased its death toll on Wednesday to 2,004 after 136 people died in the previous 24 hours. Among the newly recorded deaths, 132 occurred in the epicenter of Hubei province, including 116 in the city of Wuhan, where the disease is believed to have emerged.
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Globally, the death toll stood at 2,009 as France, the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan have each reported a death outside mainland China.
China also said the number of infections increased by 1,749 over Monday to 74,185.
World Health Organization officials said Tuesday there have been 92 cases of person-to-person transmission in 12 countries outside of China, but the agency doesn't have sufficient data from many of these countries to make "meaningful comparisons."
"We have not seen sustained local transmission of coronavirus except in specific circumstances like the Diamond Princess cruise ship," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a news briefing in Geneva.
Mike Ryan, director of WHO's Health Emergencies Program, said officials in Japan initially decided to quarantine passengers on the Diamond Princess, where they could be "kept together" and monitored, but that "clearly, there has been more transmission than expected."
WHO and other experts plan to study what led to such widespread and rapid transmission on the Diamond Princess, but Ryan urged the public to keep the "event in perspective."
"The vast majority of people on the ship don't have COVID-19," he said, adding that many of the cases seem to be "mild disease."
As part of its global COVID-19 response efforts, WHO has shipped personal protective equipment, or PPE, to 21 member countries, and will provide the gear to another 106 countries in the coming weeks.
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The agency has also provided COVID-19 testing kits to 40 countries in Africa and 29 in the Americas, which means they will have their own testing capacity by the end of this week.
According to Tedros, these countries -- most of them low-income -- had been sending samples to other countries for testing and waiting several days for results. Thanks to these initiatives, "we still have a chance of preventing a broader global catastrophe," he said.
Meanwhile, Chinese health officials announced the death of a doctor at ground zero of the widening epidemic after he contracted the deadly coronavirus while caring for infected patients.
Liu Zhiming, director of the Wuchang Hospital in Wuhan, died Tuesday at age of 51, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said.
"Since the outbreak, comrade Liu Zhiming, regardless of his personal safety, led the medical staff of Wuchang Hospital to fight the epidemic and made important contributions to the prevention and control of new-type coronavirus pneumonia in our city," the commission said in a statement.
Liu's death is the latest among health professionals fighting the disease in China's Hubei province with officials stating last week more than 1,700 front-line medics had been infected, six of whom had died.
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Among the dead is 34-year-old Li Wenliang -- an ophthalmologist at Wuhan who was punished by police for attempting to inform friends and family online in December when the outbreak began. His death attracted widespread anger, forcing the government to initiate an investigation.


upi--2020-02-18--Boy Scouts file for bankruptcy to pay victims of abuse

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- The Boy Scouts of America have filed for bankruptcy amid mounting lawsuits accusing the organization of sexual abuse .
The organization said it filed for Chapter 11 early Tuesday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware to restructure its finances to compensate victims harmed while under the Boy Scouts ' care .
`` The BSA cares deeply about all victims of abuse and sincerely apologizes to anyone who was harmed during their time in Scouting , '' said BSA President and CEO Roger Mosby in a statement .
`` We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals took advantage of our programs to harm innocent children . ''
BSA said it intends to use its bankruptcy filing to create a trust structure to provide `` equitable compensation '' to victims and is encouraging those who were victimized while in the Scouting program to file a claim , stating it is the best way to provide compensation while protecting the victims ' identities .
`` While we know nothing can undo the tragic abuse that victims suffered , we believe the Chapter 11 process -- with the proposed trust structure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims while maintaining the BSA 's important mission , '' Mosby said .
However , lawyer Paul Mones who represents victims alleging abuse by the BSA said filing for bankruptcy will prevent holding the organization accountable in court , The New York Times reported .
`` The justice that they so well deserved will unfortunately escape them in the end and that is a tragedy , '' he said .
The organization , which has struggled recently over declining enrollment numbers , said Scouting programs will continue despite the filling .
News of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced its partnership with 1in6 , an organization for male survivors of sexual abuse , which will provide education to assist in training BSA staff .
During a lawsuit last year , the BSA identified nearly 8,000 former leaders who were accused of sexually abusing children over the past 72 years .

Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Boy Scouts of America has filed for bankruptcy amid mounting lawsuits accusing the organization of child sexual abuse.
The organization said it filed for Chapter 11 early Tuesday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware to restructure its finances to compensate victims harmed while under the Boy Scouts' care.
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"The BSA cares deeply about all victims of abuse and sincerely apologizes to anyone who was harmed during their time in Scouting," BSA President and CEO Roger Mosby said in a statement. "We are outraged that there have been times when individuals took advantage of our programs to harm innocent children."
BSA said it intends to use its bankruptcy filing to create a trust structure to provide "equitable compensation" to victims and is encouraging those who were victimized while in the Scouting program to file a claim, stating it is the best way to provide compensation while protecting the victims' identities.
"While we know nothing can undo the tragic abuse that victims suffered, we believe the Chapter 11 process -- with the proposed trust structure -- will provide equitable compensation to all victims while maintaining the BSA's important mission," Mosby said.
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Paul Mones, a lawyer who represents victims alleging abuse by the BSA, said filing for bankruptcy will prevent holding the organization accountable in court, The New York Times reported.
"The justice that they so well deserved will unfortunately escape them in the end, and that is a tragedy," he said.
The organization, which has struggled recently over declining enrollment, said Scouting programs will continue.
News of the filing comes a week after BSA announced its partnership with 1in6, an organization for male survivors of sexual abuse, which will provide education to assist in training BSA staff.
During a lawsuit last year, the BSA identified nearly 8,000 former leaders who were accused of sexually abusing children over the past 72 years.


upi--2020-02-18--On This Day, Feb. 18: J. Robert Oppenheimer dies

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1841 , the first filibuster in the U.S. Senate began .
It ended March 11 .
In 1930 , dwarf planet Pluto was discovered by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh .
In 1954 , the Church of Scientology was established in Los Angeles .
In 1967 , J. Robert Oppenheimer , the `` father of the atomic bomb , '' died in Princeton , N.J. , at the age of 62 .
In 1979 , snow fell in the Sahara Desert in southern Algeria for the first known time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 .
In 2001 , Dale Earnhardt Sr. , stock-car racing 's top driver , was killed in a crash in the final turn of the final lap of the Daytona 500 .
He was 49 .
In 2003 , nearly 200 people died and scores were injured in a South Korea subway fire set by a man authorities said apparently was upset at his doctors .
In 2004 , 40 chemical and fuel-laden runaway rail cars derailed near Nishapur in northeastern Iran , producing an explosion that killed at least 300 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2006 , 16 people died in rioting in Nigeria over published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that enraged Muslims around the world .
In 2008 , two of four masterpieces stolen from the Zurich museum a week earlier , a Monet and a van Gogh , were found in perfect condition in the back seat of an unlocked car in Zurich .
In 2013 , eight men disguised as police disabled a security fence , drove two vehicles onto a Brussels airport tarmac and stole diamonds worth $ 50 million .
In 2014 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev , eventually resulting in 98 dead with an estimated 15,000 injured and 100 believed missing .
In 2019 , a group of states and advocacy organizations banded together to sue President Donald Trump over his declaration of a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border .
He made the declaration so he could bypass Congress to fund a physical barrier on the border .

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On February 18, 1967, J. Robert Oppenheimer, the "father of the atomic bomb," died in Princeton, N.J., at the age of 62. File Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1841, the first filibuster in the U.S. Senate began. It ended March 11. Advertisement
In 1865, after a long Civil War siege, Union naval forces captured Charleston, S.C.
In 1930, dwarf planet Pluto was discovered by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh.
In 1954, the Church of Scientology was established in Los Angeles.
In 1967, J. Robert Oppenheimer, the "father of the atomic bomb," died in Princeton, N.J., at the age of 62.
In 1979, snow fell in the Sahara Desert in southern Algeria for the first known time. It fell a second time in 2016.
In 2001, Dale Earnhardt Sr., stock-car racing's top driver, was killed in a crash in the final turn of the final lap of the Daytona 500. He was 49.
File Photo by Cathy Kapulka/UPI
In 2003, nearly 200 people died and scores were injured in a South Korea subway fire set by a man authorities said apparently was upset at his doctors.
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In 2004, 40 chemical and fuel-laden runaway rail cars derailed near Nishapur in northeastern Iran, producing an explosion that killed at least 300 people and injured hundreds of others.
File Photo by Ali Khal/UPI
In 2006, 16 people died in rioting in Nigeria over published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that enraged Muslims around the world.
In 2008, two of four masterpieces stolen from the Zurich museum a week earlier, a Monet and a van Gogh, were found in perfect condition in the back seat of an unlocked car in Zurich.
In 2013, eight men disguised as police disabled a security fence, drove two vehicles onto a Brussels airport tarmac and stole diamonds worth $50 million.
In 2014, violence erupted between protesters and security forces in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, eventually resulting in 98 dead with an estimated 15,000 injured and 100 believed missing.
In 2019, a group of states and advocacy organizations banded together to sue President Donald Trump over his declaration of a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border. He made the declaration so he could bypass Congress to fund a physical barrier on the border.
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upi--2020-02-18--Famous birthdays for Feb. 18: Cybill Shepherd, Matt Dillon

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Aquarius .

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Cybill Shepherd arrives for Comedy Central's "Roast of Bruce Willis" at the Hollywood palladium in Los Angeles on July 14, 2018. The actor turns 70 on February 18. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Aquarius. They include: Advertisement
-- Britain's Queen Mary I in 1516
-- Physicist Alessandro Volta in 1745
-- Austrian physicist Ernst Mach in 1838
-- Stained glass artist Louis Comfort Tiffany in 1848
-- Italian automaker Enzo Ferrari in 1898
-- Author Wallace Stegner in 1909
-- Actor Jack Palance in 1919
UPI File Photo
-- Actor George Kennedy in 1925
-- Author/magazine editor Helen Gurley Brown in 1922
-- Author Len Deighton in 1929 (age 91)
-- Author Toni Morrison in 1931
-- Cartoonist Johnny Hart in 1931
-- Filmmaker Milos Forman in 1932 (age 88)
-- Artist Yoko Ono, wife of John Lennon, in 1933 (age 87)
File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
-- Author Jean M. Auel in 1936 (age 84)
-- Actor Cybill Shepherd in 1950 (age 70)
-- Actor John Travolta in 1954 (age 66)
-- Film director John Hughes in 1950
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-- Game show icon Vanna White in 1957 (age 63)
-- Actor Greta Scacchi in 1960 (age 60)
-- Actor Matt Dillon in 1964 (age 56)
File Photo by David Silpa/UPI
-- Rapper/record producer Dr. Dre, born Andre Romelle Young, in 1965 (age 56)
-- Producer/TV personality Tracey Edmonds in 1967 (age 53)
-- Actor Molly Ringwald in 1968 (age 52)
-- TV personality/personal trainer Jillian Michaels in 1974 (age 46)
-- Singer/songwriter Regina Spektor in 1980 (age 40)
-- Actor Logan Miller in 1992 (age 28)
-- K-pop singer J-Hope, born Jung Ho-seok, in 1994 (age 26)


upi--2020-02-18--Hundreds of thousands have sought hidden gold in Rockies, study says

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- In the 10 years since a gold-filled treasure chest purportedly was hidden in the Rocky Mountains , as many as 433,000 `` chasers '' have searched for it , according to a study that noted up to 2 million people have been involved at some level with the hunt .
Those numbers were higher than previous estimates given by millionaire Santa Fe , N.M. , art dealer Forrest Fenn , 89 , who has said he believed more than 350,000 people had searched for his supposedly hidden gold and jewels .
The study seeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hunters who `` pursue the unattainable , '' and the online communities that have built up around them , said Alan King , a psychology professor at University of North Dakota .
King is the author of Treasure Hunting as an American Subculture : the Thrill of the Chase , published online in Human Arenas last week .
`` The Thrill of the Chase '' is the name of Fenn 's memoir .
Fenn launched the treasure hunt Oct. 25 , 2010 , and the quest to find it has taken a deadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died looking for the gold , although some authorities believe two other deaths are linked to amateur treasure hunting .
Several treasure hunters , called `` chasers '' or `` Fenners , '' also had to be extracted from dangerous situations by search-and-rescue teams .
To find the gold and jewels , treasure hunters follow a cryptic set of clues released by Fenn .
A 24-line poem and Fenn 's self-published memoir hint at the chest 's location somewhere in the high country between 5,000 and 10,200 feet in New Mexico , Colorado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
One stanza of the poem reads : And take it in the canyon down , Not far , but too far to walk .
Put in below the home of Brown .
A decorated U.S Air Force pilot in the Vietnam war , Fenn settled his family in Santa Fe in the 1970s .
He operated a successful art gallery there , with a specialty in American Indian artifacts that he collected at archaeological sites on New Mexico properties he owns .
Along with his treasure-related books , he published several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was estimated to gross $ 6 million a year in the 1980s , according to People magazine .
Some have called the treasure a hoax , but friends of Fenn have vouched they saw the chest with their own eyes .
Best-selling author Doug Preston , a Santa Fe resident , said Fenn showed it to him several times in a home vault .
`` There were big gold nuggets from Alaska the size of your fist , and gold coins , Krugerrands , and some little pre-Columbian statues , including a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said he also saw `` loose gems -- it was like a pirate chest . ''
In 2010 , Preston said , Fenn told him he 'd hidden the chest .
`` I 've known Forrest for 30 years ; it is absolutely not a hoax , '' he said .
`` It 's not his personality to do a hoax .
I guarantee he really hid that box . ''
Yellowstone National Park is a location that many chasers believe to be the treasure 's hiding spot , based on Fenn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a child growing up in Texas .
Rescuing treasure hunters is `` not an epidemic '' in West Yellowstone , but rescues often are made more complicated by people leaving the trails and the secrecy about their whereabouts , said Jason Jarrett , retired commander for search and rescue in Gallatin County , Mont .
`` They do n't even tell their wives where they 're going .
It 's weird , '' he said .
`` When I let them out of the car , I always say , 'Do n't die @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arndt , who regularly picks up fares at the Bozeman , Mont.
, airport and drives them 250 miles to Yellowstone to search for the treasure .
Failed treasure hunters she picks up are often `` angry and swearing at me , '' Arndt said .
Searcher Jarrett believes at least two other deaths in the counties around Yellowstone can be attributed to Fenn 's Gold treasure hunting .
Most recently , Indiana treasure hunter David Christensen was rescued Jan. 5 in Yellowstone park .
Rescuers said he left the trail and rappelled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone .
Christensen filed a not-guilty plea Feb. 3 in Wyoming District Court to three misdemeanor charges .
Christensen , a U.S. Army veteran who works in the fruit canning industry , told UPI he was looking for the glory of the `` solve . ''
`` I do n't want the treasure .
I just want them to say , 'Hey this guy figured it out first , ' '' he said .
Christensen said he was in email contact with Fenn , who advised him `` wait @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had more serious outcomes during their hunts .
In June 2017 , Illinois resident Jeff Murphy , 53 , fell to his death from a 500-foot cliff in Yellowstone park .
Authorities confirmed that he was searching for treasure .
Two treasure hunters drowned in the Rio Grande River while on the hunt .
Retired Florida mechanic Randy Bilyeu drowned in January 2016 , and Grand Junction , Colo. , pastor Paris Wallace drowned in July 2017 .
Afterward , Fenn made an announcement that the hidden treasure was not near the Rio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drowned in the Arkansas River in Colorado in June 2017 while searching for the treasure .
That year , then-New Mexico State Police Chief Pete Kassetas publicly asked Fenn to call off the hunt , but Fenn refused .
Fenn has said he organized the adventure to get searchers out into nature and to enjoy the thrill of the chase .
The treasure is hidden in a location that is `` not in a dangerous terrain , '' Fenn has said .
He has advised hunters not to go anywhere a 79-year-old or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I tell people , if it 's dangerous , do n't do it , '' Fenn told UPI on Monday .
He said he is overwhelmed by 120 emails a day from treasure hunters .
`` If it 's long , I do n't even read it , '' he said .
Fenn has made more than 200 online posts .
`` I 've said all I have to say , '' he said .
`` I hid the treasure and it 's up to the searchers to go find it .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Psychologist King 's new research on the subculture of amateur treasure hunting shows that such hunters are numerous and some are psychologically obsessed .
Based on extrapolation from answers to about 2,000 paid online surveys , King 's research found 44 percent of respondents identified themselves as upper-middle class .
About 20 percent of active searching respondents were described as `` 90 percent '' certain they would find the treasure .
More than 50 percent of respondents said they spent $ 3,000 or more on the search .
About 10 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addiction . ''
Many respondents said they took risks , including searching alone and confronting wildlife that included bears , snakes , mountain lions and bison .
Two respondents said they had been rescued and required hospitalization .
But almost 80 percent of survey respondents said they were satisfied with the experience of hunting for Fenn 's gold .
Sixty-six percent said they found it educational .
`` The treasure hunt itself is a fantasy , like being able to pretend you 're 6 years old again , '' said Dal Neitzel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who runs a website with clues .
Neitzel said he does n't know where the treasure is and has been out searching for it more than 70 times .
`` On the dangerous end , we have people who have spent way too much money , gone into debt and bankruptcy searching , '' Neitzel said .
`` Marriages have been lost over treasure hunting , but others met their spouses and got married because of the chase . ''
Psychologist King compared hunting for the treasure to other seemingly impossible goals that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , everyone should pursue at least one unattainable goal in their lifetime , '' King said in an email .

As many as 2 million people since 2010 have searched the Rocky Mountains for a treasure chest of gold hidden by Santa Fe millionaire Forrest Fenn, a new report says. Photo courtesy of Dal Neitzel
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- In the 10 years since a gold-filled treasure chest purportedly was hidden in the Rocky Mountains, as many as 433,000 "chasers" have searched for it, according to a study that noted up to 2 million people have been involved with the hunt. Those numbers were higher than previous estimates given by millionaire Santa Fe, N.M., art dealer Forrest Fenn, 89, who has said he believed more than 350,000 people had searched for his hidden gold and jewels. Advertisement
The study seeks to understand the psyche of amateur treasure hunters who "pursue the unattainable," and the online communities that have built up around them, said Alan King, a psychology professor at University of North Dakota.
King is the author of Treasure Hunting as an American Subculture: the Thrill of the Chase, published online in the journal Human Arenas last week. "The Thrill of the Chase" is the name of Fenn's memoir.
Advertisement
Fenn launched the treasure hunt Oct. 25, 2010. The quest to find it has taken a deadly toll.
At least four people have died looking for the gold, although some authorities believe two other deaths are linked to amateur treasure hunting. Several treasure hunters, called "chasers" or "Fenners," also had to be extracted from dangerous situations by search-and-rescue teams.
Cryptic clues
To find the gold and jewels, treasure hunters follow a cryptic set of clues released by Fenn. A 24-line poem and Fenn's self-published memoir hint at the chest's location somewhere in the high country between 5,000 and 10,200 feet in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming or Montana, Fenn has said.
One stanza of the poem reads:
Begin it where warm waters halt
And take it in the canyon down,
Not far, but too far to walk.
Put in below the home of Brown.
A decorated U.S Air Force pilot in the Vietnam War, Fenn settled his family in Santa Fe in the 1970s. He operated a successful art gallery there, with a specialty in American Indian artifacts that he collected at archaeological sites on New Mexico properties he owns. Along with his treasure-related books, he published several volumes about painters.
Advertisement
Fenn's gallery was estimated to gross $6 million a year in the 1980s, according to People magazine.
Some have called the treasure a hoax, but friends of Fenn have vouched they saw the chest with their own eyes. Best-selling author Doug Preston, a Santa Fe resident, said Fenn showed it to him several times in a home vault.
"There were big gold nuggets from Alaska the size of your fist and gold coins, Krugerrands, and some little pre-Columbian statues, including a little frog," Preston told UPI. He said he also saw "loose gems. It was like a pirate chest."
In 2010, Preston said, Fenn told him he'd hidden the chest. "I've known Forrest for 30 years; it is absolutely not a hoax," he said. "It's not his personality to do a hoax. I guarantee he really hid that box."
Lure of Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park is a location that many chasers believe to be the treasure's hiding spot, based on Fenn's family trips there when he was a child growing up in Texas.
Rescuing treasure hunters is "not an epidemic" in West Yellowstone, but rescues often are made more complicated by people leaving the trails and the secrecy about their whereabouts, said Jason Jarrett, retired commander for search and rescue in Gallatin County, Mont.
Advertisement
"They don't even tell their wives where they're going. It's weird," he said.
"When I let them out of the car, I always say, 'Don't die!'" said Uber driver Carrie Arndt, who regularly picks up fares at the Bozeman, Mont., airport and drives them 250 miles to Yellowstone to search for the treasure.
Failed treasure hunters she picks up are often "angry and swearing at me," Arndt said.
Jarrett believes at least two other deaths in the counties around Yellowstone can be attributed to Fenn's Gold hunting.
Most recently, Indiana treasure hunter David Christensen was rescued Jan. 5 in Yellowstone park. Rescuers said he left the trail and rappelled halfway down a 850-foot cliff in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Christensen filed a not-guilty plea Feb. 3 in Wyoming District Court to three misdemeanor charges.
Glory of the 'solve'
Christensen, a U.S. Army veteran who works in the fruit canning industry, told UPI he was looking for the glory of the "solve."
"I don't want the treasure. I just want them to say, 'Hey, this guy figured it out first,'" he said. Christensen said he was in email contact with Fenn, who advised him "wait until summer."
Advertisement
Other chasers have had more serious outcomes.
In June 2017, Illinois resident Jeff Murphy, 53, fell to his death from a 500-foot cliff in Yellowstone. Authorities confirmed that he was searching for treasure.
Two treasure hunters drowned in the Rio Grande River while on the hunt. Retired Florida mechanic Randy Bilyeu drowned in January 2016, and Grand Junction, Colo., pastor Paris Wallace drowned in July 2017. Afterward, Fenn made an announcement that the hidden treasure was not near the Rio Grande.
Eric Ashby, 31, drowned in the Arkansas River in Colorado in June 2017 while searching for the treasure.
That year, then-New Mexico State Police Chief Pete Kassetas publicly asked Fenn to call off the hunt, but Fenn refused. Fenn has said he organized the adventure to get searchers out into nature and to enjoy the thrill of the chase.
The treasure is hidden in a location that is "not in a dangerous terrain," Fenn has said. He has advised hunters not to go anywhere a 79-year-old or 80-year-old man couldn't go.
"I tell people, if it's dangerous, don't do it," Fenn told UPI on Monday. He said he is overwhelmed by 120 emails a day from treasure hunters.
Advertisement
"If it's long, I don't even read it," he said.
Fenn has made more than 200 online posts. "I've said all I have to say," he said. "I hid the treasure, and it's up to the searchers to go find it. I have nothing to do with it anymore."
Subculture examined
Psychologist King's new research on the subculture of amateur treasure hunting shows that such hunters are numerous, and some are psychologically obsessed.
Based on extrapolation from answers to about 2,000 paid online surveys, King's research found 44 percent of respondents identified themselves as upper-middle class.
About 20 percent of active searching respondents were described as "90 percent" certain they would find the treasure. More than 50 percent of respondents said they spent $3,000 or more on the search.
About 10 percent described their involvement as a "possible addiction." Many respondents said they took risks, including searching alone and confronting wildlife that included bears, snakes, mountain lions and bison.
Two respondents said they had been rescued and required hospitalization.
But almost 80 percent of survey respondents said they were satisfied with the experience of hunting for Fenn's Gold. Sixty-six percent said they found it educational.
"The treasure hunt itself is a fantasy, like being able to pretend you're 6 years old again," said Dal Neitzel, of Washington, a Fenn family friend who runs a website with clues. Neitzel said he doesn't know where the treasure is and has been out searching for it more than 70 times.
Advertisement
"On the dangerous end, we have people who have spent way too much money, gone into debt and bankruptcy searching," Neitzel said.
"Marriages have been lost over treasure hunting, but others met their spouses and got married because of the chase."
King compared hunting for the treasure to other seemingly impossible goals that inspire humanity.
"In my opinion, everyone should pursue at least one unattainable goal in their lifetime," King said in an email.


upi--2020-02-18--Radiation treatment taxes heart, lungs, energy levels

Radiation therapy that targets cancers in the chest area can tax the heart and trigger high levels of fatigue , breathing problems and a reduced ability to exercise , a new study suggests .
However , doing more physical activity before undergoing radiation therapy may help reduce these problems , the researchers added .
`` This study suggests that when a patient is treated with thoracic radiation therapy , it can have a negative impact on their quality of life early on , '' said study author Dr. Sheela Krishnan , a fellow in the cardiovascular division of the Hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Philadelphia .
`` However , engaging in higher levels of physical activity before treatment may help to improve some of these symptoms over time , '' she added .
`` This study also confirms that increasing levels of physical activity during treatment are associated with concurrent improvements in quality of life , '' Krishnan said .
`` Though we can not establish a clear causal relationship from these findings , it does emphasize that physical activity and quality of life are closely linked , '' Krishnan added in a news release from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included 130 patients , median age 54 , who received radiation to treat breast cancer , lung cancer or lymphoma .
Lung cancer and lymphoma patients had an increase in fatigue and shortness of breath immediately after radiation therapy , which later improved , the investigators found .
Breast cancer patients had significant increases in physical activity and a decrease in fatigue over time after radiation therapy , the findings showed .
Moderate to vigorous exercise before radiation treatment was associated with improvements in fatigue over time .
The differences between breast cancer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be due to differences in their radiation doses .
However , after accounting for differences in chemotherapy and radiation doses , the researchers found that increases in physical activity over time were significantly associated with improvements in fatigue and shortness of breath .
The study was presented Friday at an American College of Cardiology course in Washington , D.C. , on heart care for cancer patients .
Such research is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal .
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in cancer survivors , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and survivors have significant heart disease risk factors .
`` While our study is a small study , it suggests that high levels of physical activity prior to initiation of radiation therapy for cancer are associated with better physical functioning and quality of life with cancer treatment , '' Krishnan said .
`` Additional work is still needed to understand the types and timing of exercises that can bring about the greatest benefit . ''
Harvard Medical School has more on how cancer treatments may harm the heart .

Radiation therapy that targets cancers in the chest area can tax the heart and trigger high levels of fatigue, breathing problems and a reduced ability to exercise, a new study suggests.
However, doing more physical activity before undergoing radiation therapy may help reduce these problems, the researchers added.
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"This study suggests that when a patient is treated with thoracic radiation therapy, it can have a negative impact on their quality of life early on," said study author Dr. Sheela Krishnan, a fellow in the cardiovascular division of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia. "However, engaging in higher levels of physical activity before treatment may help to improve some of these symptoms over time," she added.
"This study also confirms that increasing levels of physical activity during treatment are associated with concurrent improvements in quality of life," Krishnan said.
"Though we cannot establish a clear causal relationship from these findings, it does emphasize that physical activity and quality of life are closely linked," Krishnan added in a news release from the American College of Cardiology.
The study included 130 patients, median age 54, who received radiation to treat breast cancer, lung cancer or lymphoma.
Advertisement
Lung cancer and lymphoma patients had an increase in fatigue and shortness of breath immediately after radiation therapy, which later improved, the investigators found.
Breast cancer patients had significant increases in physical activity and a decrease in fatigue over time after radiation therapy, the findings showed. Moderate to vigorous exercise before radiation treatment was associated with improvements in fatigue over time.
The differences between breast cancer and lung cancer and lymphoma patients may be due to differences in their radiation doses. However, after accounting for differences in chemotherapy and radiation doses, the researchers found that increases in physical activity over time were significantly associated with improvements in fatigue and shortness of breath.
The study was presented Friday at an American College of Cardiology course in Washington, D.C., on heart care for cancer patients. Such research is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in cancer survivors, and it's estimated that 14.5 million cancer patients and survivors have significant heart disease risk factors.
"While our study is a small study, it suggests that high levels of physical activity prior to initiation of radiation therapy for cancer are associated with better physical functioning and quality of life with cancer treatment," Krishnan said. "Additional work is still needed to understand the types and timing of exercises that can bring about the greatest benefit."
Advertisement
More information
Harvard Medical School has more on how cancer treatments may harm the heart.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-02-18--Suicide bomber kills eight in Pakistan

Suicide bomber kills eight in Pakistan

Feb. 18 ( UPI ) -- A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a rally by a radical religious group in southwestern Pakistan , killing at least eight people and injuring nearly two dozen others , authorities said .
Police chief Abdul Razzak Cheema told reporters the suicide bomber detonated explosives strapped to his chest Monday after facing resistance from security officers on attempting to enter a rally of Islamic activists in Quetta , the capital of southwestern Balochistan province .
Among the dead were three security officers , he said , adding that more than 20 others were injured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacker as `` a youngster '' who approached the site on foot with his target seemingly being the rally organized near the press club by far-right Sunni military group Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat , which calls for Shiites to be declared non-Muslims under Pakistani law .
Quetta Civil Hospital spokesman Waseem Baig said they had received seven bodies and at least eight patients who were injured in the blast were in serious condition .
No organization has claimed responsibility for the blast .
The site has since been cordoned off and officials from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conduct further investigations .

Pakistani security officials inspect the scene of a bomb blast in Quetta, Pakistan, on Monday. Photo by Jamal Taraqai/EPA-EFE
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a rally by a radical religious group in southwestern Pakistan, killing at least eight people and injuring nearly two dozen others, authorities said. Police chief Abdul Razzak Cheema told reporters the suicide bomber detonated explosives strapped to his chest Monday after facing resistance from security officers on attempting to enter a rally of Islamic activists in Quetta, the capital of southwestern Balochistan province. Advertisement
Among the dead were three security officers, he said, adding that more than 20 others were injured in the blast.
Cheema described the attacker as "a youngster" who approached the site on foot with his target seemingly being the rally organized near the press club by far-right Sunni military group Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, which calls for Shiites to be declared non-Muslims under Pakistani law.
Quetta Civil Hospital spokesman Waseem Baig said they had received seven bodies and at least eight patients who were injured in the blast were in serious condition.
No organization has claimed responsibility for the blast.
The site has since been cordoned off and officials from Lahore were expected to arrive Tuesday to conduct further investigations.