Latest news with #US-Ukrainian
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
After record-breaking Everest climbers revealed they use hypoxic tents to get altitude ready without acclimatizing on the mountain, we look at how the technology works
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Around 800 people attempt to climb Mount Everest each year, braving extreme conditions for the chance to say they've stood on top of the world. Along with rigorous physical and mental training, hopefuls need to prepare for the harrowing effects of altitude atop Earth's tallest mountain, where the amount of oxygen taken in with each breath is drastically lower than at sea level. Traditionally, climbers have acclimatized by spending significant time in the mountains, heading up and down to prepare their bodies for the dizzying heights, and reducing the impact of altitude sickness. This tried and tested method has proven effective for the past 70 years of Everest expeditions, but comes with one major drawback: time. Without four to six weeks to dedicate to acclimatization, many Everest hopefuls are now turning to modern technology to help them prepare, sleeping and exercising in specialist acclimatizing 'hypoxic' tents, which do away with the need to spend months in the mountains. 'You sleep like garbage if you're not acclimatized, you lose your appetite, so you wither away Brian Oestrike, CEO of Hypoxico Altitude Training Systems As alien as it may sound, hypoxic tents, otherwise known as altitude tents, have become increasingly common in recent years, used by alpinists and climbers to prepare for harsh conditions. This year, a group of British veterans in their forties and fifties used hypoxic tents in combination with controversial Xenon gas to speed-climb the mountain, summiting a record four days after arriving in Nepal and effectively going from sea level in London, to the highest peak on the planet in 5 days. The very next day, US-Ukrainian climber Andrew Ushakov claimed to have broken their record, after spending over 400 hours acclimatizing in a hypoxic tent. Ushakov says he went from New York to the Everest summit in just 3 days, 23 hours, and 27 minutes. So what are hypoxic tents, and how can they help climbers achieve these once-unthinkable feats? Read on for everything you need to know. Put simply, hypoxic tents mimic the low oxygen levels of high-altitude environments. The air at sea level contains 20.9% accessible oxygen, a number that drops dramatically the higher you get. At Everest base camp, it falls to around 10.4%. By the summit, it's down to just a third of the accessible oxygen quotient at regular sea-level. In healthy individuals, blood oxygen saturation levels sit around 98% to 100% at sea level. At altitude, that number drops to roughly 87% to 92% This has a weakening effect and can cause altitude sickness. Hypoxic tents simulate this mix with a generator or pump, which removes oxygen and replaces it with nitrogen, reducing the amount of oxygen in the air to high-altitude levels. Sleeping in the simulated altitude conditions of a hypoxic tent triggers your body to saturate your blood oxygen levels, releasing red blood cells and ready your system for conditions at 20,000ft (6,096m). 'As you expose yourself to altitude, your kidneys release EPO [erythropoietin], which starts this physiological change that leads to an increase in red blood cells, but more so into a better ability to transport and utilize oxygen,' Brian Oestrike, CEO of Hypoxico Altitude Training Systems tells us. Climbers like Ushakov use hypoxic tents to ready themselves for the unforgiving mountain conditions atop the globe's tallest peaks. Saturating your blood oxygen levels can be beneficial in several ways, reducing the risk of altitude sickness and preparing your body for the tiring effects of altitude. 'You improve your comfort and safety margin as you're ascending up through the mountains,' Oestrike explains. 'You sleep like garbage if you're not acclimatized, you lose your appetite, so you wither away as those things happen. By acclimatizing beforehand and using this equipment, you can offset your expedition, it improves your safety and your comfort margin.' By mimicking arduous alpine conditions, hypoxic tents can reduce the time it takes to acclimatize. 'Most people, if they're going to the Himalayas, historically have a six to eight-week expedition itinerary,' continues Oestrike. 'It takes that long for your body to slowly adapt and build the red blood cells that carry oxygen and allow you to climb safely." Ultra-running superstar Kilian Jornet slept inside a hypoxic tent for eight weeks before his maiden ascent of Mount Everest, mimicking altitudes of 13,000ft (3,962m) to 16,000ft (4,877m) without leaving sea level. He then became the fastest man to climb Everest alone and without oxygen, summiting the 29,000ft (8,850m) behemoth in just 26 hours. Although they're becoming increasingly popular with climbers and other extreme athletes, hypoxic tents do have their limitations and experts say they cannot be trusted as the sole method for acclimatization. "It's not the full acclimatization. I would say it's the first step," says Grégoire Millet, Professor of Exercise Physiology at the Institute of Sport Sciences in Lausanne, France. He explains that, even after months of sleeping in a hypoxic tent, "you will use some acclimatization, but not the full spectrum. You can be fully acclimatized in the tent, and not acclimatized to the real mountain". In other words, hypoxic tents cannot fully prepare the body for the rigours and difficulties of climbing at very high altitudes. In the Himalayas, elite climbers (and paying clients) on expeditions aiming for the highest peaks enter what is known as the Death Zone, an extremely dangerous zone above 26,247ft (8,000m), where besides having to deal with temperatures potentially tumbling to -31°F (-35°C) and highly technical terrain, the oxygen in the air is so low it's impossible for humans to survive for long. "You have to go to the real mountain for at least a few days before you travel," advises Millet, an expert in acclimatization technology. He advises climbers to use the tents in combination with traditional acclimatization methods, like sleeping atop smaller mountains, before tackling any major peaks. "It's better to use the tents, and then before you go to the Himalayas, it's recommended that you go for at least a few days to the Alps," he says. He says your body acclimatizes differently at real altitude and, despite their many benefits, hypoxic tents cannot fully replicate the tough conditions and and lack of oxygen in the mountains. It's not just mountaineers who put hypoxic tents to good use. All manner of sports people, from swimmers to footballers, use simulated altitude environments to expand their physical capabilities and access the benefits of altitude training. 'If you can transport and utilize oxygen better, that leads to better performance benefits, and literally just more ability to consume oxygen,' says Oestrike. "Most of the elite athletes, they have a hypoxic chamber at home," adds Millet. "It's not a tent, but it's a real chamber. It's the same idea, you decrease the oxygen concentration in the room." By training and sleeping at altitude, athletes can increase what's known as their hemoglobin mass, which boosts the amount of oxygen they can utilize during exercise. As Millet explains, this requires considerably more time than mountain acclimatization: "Every 100 hours sleeping in the tent, you will increase your hemoglobin by one percent." Every member of the US Olympic rowing quad who won gold at the Paris 2024 games reportedly slept in hypoxic tents for six weeks before racing. Although they're designed for elite athletes, hypoxic tents can be useful to outdoor enthusiasts of all abilities, helping to build fitness and intensify workouts. When it comes to climbing, Oestrike suggests that hypoxic tents are even more useful to amateurs than professionals. 'Most people who are committed to an 8,000m (26,247ft) peak know what they're getting into, they know what the training looks like, and they know what it takes to prepare. 'High-level athletes are already training super intensively. So the person that's more modest and maybe needs to lose a little weight, they're going to see a greater upside.' Of course, hypoxic tents are not required for easy-to-medium-difficulty ascents. Nor are they absolutely essential to climb giants like Mount Everest. Traditional, slower, acclimatization has proven itself as an effective, stress-tested method of alpine preparation. Rather, hypoxic tents are an additional and convenient method of acclimatizing, to be used along with high-altitude climbing and intensive training. You can read our exclusive interview with Andrew Ushakov here. For more on climbing preparation, check out our expert guide. The best ice axes: for tackling frozen terrain The best climbing shoes: get a grip both indoors and out
Euronews
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Ceasefire in Ukraine possible within days, German Chancellor Merz says
Germany's new Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he believes an agreement for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine is on the cards and could happen within the next few days, but that "the ball is now exclusively in Moscow's court". "We now have a big chance after today, which is celebrated in Russia as Victory Day, for a ceasefire in Ukraine," Merz said, speaking alongside European Parliament President Roberta Metsola on his first trip to Brussels on Friday. He then reiterated the same belief in a separate press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the alliance's headquarters. "There's a chance over this weekend that it will come to a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine,' Merz emphasised. 'Ukraine agrees to it. The US started this and suggested it, the big European states explicitly agreed to it. I can say that this is a good thing for the entire European Union and for NATO," he added. "After the coming weekend and with the start of next week if a longer weapons ceasefire will be realised, and then creating the space for a dialogue for a lasting peace in Ukraine.' 'This is a very precise and straightforward test case for the seriousness of the willingness of the Russian president to really achieve peace in Ukraine,' Merz concluded. Ukraine agreed in March to an immediate 30-day ceasefire proposed by US mediators in Saudi Arabia. "Ukraine expressed readiness to accept the US proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and which is subject to acceptance and concurrent implementation by the Russian Federation," the joint US-Ukrainian statement read, released after the talks in Jeddah. But Russia has resisted agreeing to that deal, instead issuing a list of far-reaching demands it says must be met before it would agree. That included a ban on Ukraine using the ceasefire to regroup and rearm its forces and on the West suspending arms supplies to Kyiv. Russia has unilaterally announced two short periods of ceasefire: one over Easter and one covering the 9 May Victory Parade, but both times, the Kremlin violated its own truce and continued air strikes on Ukraine. Merz said Europe supports US President Donald Trump's ceasefire plan, with both the EU and the US prepared to slap more sanctions on Moscow to pressure it into signing off on a deal. He also said Brussels and Washington would continue to support Ukraine, increasing what they provide if necessary. "We call on Russia at last to set out on the path for real peace negotiations," he said during the press conference with Metsola. "If that doesn't happen, we won't hesitate, together with our European partners and the US, to increase the sanctions pressure." On a whirlwind debut visit to Brussels on Europe Day, Merz also held talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Putin's order for three-day truce with Ukraine enters force
Russian President Vladimir Putin's order for a three-day truce with Ukraine took effect Thursday. This move, the Kremlin, said would test Kyiv's readiness for peace but that Ukraine has slammed as a farce. The Kremlin has said Russian forces will honour Putin's order for the duration of the holiday period, but will respond "immediately" if attacked. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Push for direct talks Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads 'Peaceful atmosphere' 'Nothing scares us' Russian President Vladimir Putin 's order for a three-day truce with Ukraine took effect Thursday, a move the Kremlin said would test Kyiv's readiness for peace but that Ukraine has slammed as a was not clear whether either side was observing the ceasefire , even with world leaders -- including China's Xi Jinping , Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Serbia's Aleksandar Vucic -- in Moscow for commemorations of the end of World War appeared relatively quiet overnight, though Ukraine's military said early Thursday that Russian forces had launched air strikes in the eastern Sumy region. Kyiv did not report any damage or unilaterally ordered the temporary truce to coincide with Moscow's Victory Day parade on never agreed to the proposal, has dismissed it as theatrics and called instead for a 30-day President Donald Trump has sought to end Moscow's three-year military assault on Ukraine since his inauguration in January, but has failed to ease hostilities between the before Putin's order was scheduled to enter force, Moscow and Kyiv staged aerial attacks, prompting airport closures in Russia and leaving at least two dead in Nizhny Novgorod airport in the west was closed for about one-and-a-half hours early Thursday "to ensure flight safety of civil aircraft", according to a Federal Air Transport Agency Kremlin has said Russian forces will honour Putin's order for the duration of the holiday period, but will respond "immediately" if President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his call for a 30-day ceasefire in his evening address on Wednesday."We are not withdrawing this proposal, which could give diplomacy a chance. But the world is not seeing any response from Russia," he announced the truce last month, calling it a "humanitarian" gesture, after pressure from the United States to halt Russia's assault on rejected a joint US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional ceasefire in has said it does not believe Russia will adhere to the truce and accused Moscow of hundreds of violations during a previous, 30-hour ceasefire Putin ordered for which launched a full-scale military offensive on Ukraine in 2022, fired over 100 drones and multiple ballistic missiles at its neighbour between late Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, killing a mother and her son, Kyiv White House has become increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress towards a peace deal between the warring sides, despite Trump's Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday called on the two to enter direct marks Victory Day with a grand parade of military equipment on Red Square and an address from than 20 world leaders were expected in Moscow for the May 9 parade."Our military and special services are taking all necessary measures to ensure that the celebration of the great victory takes place in a calm, stable and peaceful atmosphere," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry also said authorities had jammed internet connections ahead of the parade, citing the threat from Ukraine."As long as guests are here, until May 10, we need to be ready for restrictions," he forces occupy one-fifth of Ukraine, and this spring hit the country with a string of deadly attacks on civilian from outside Moscow visiting the heavily policed capital on Wednesday ahead of the parade appeared unfazed."We are from Rostov-on-Don. Nothing scares us," said 22-year-old student Valeria Pavlova. The southern city serves as a command and logistics hub for the Ukraine offensive and has regularly been targeted."It's much calmer here," she scenes at airports in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other cities were more chaotic on launched a barrage of drones at Russia earlier in the day, forcing airports to halt traffic. Around 60,000 people's flights were disrupted, according to drone attacks disrupted about 350 flights Tuesday and Wednesday, Russia's Association of Tour Operators media videos showed people sleeping on the floor and airports with rows of over a dozen planes queuing on the airspace has been forced to close since Russia launched its offensive in February 2022.
The Sun
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Putin Orders Truce; Ukraine, West Doubt Its Intent
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin's order for a three-day truce with Ukraine took effect Thursday, a move the Kremlin said would 'test' Kyiv's readiness for peace but that Ukraine has slammed as a farce. It was not immediately clear whether either side was observing the ceasefire, even with world leaders -- including China's Xi Jinping, Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Serbia's Aleksandar Vucic -- in Moscow for commemorations of the end of World War II. Putin unilaterally ordered the move to coincide with Moscow's Victory Day parade on Friday. Ukraine never agreed to the proposal, has dismissed it as theatrics and called instead for a 30-day ceasefire. US President Donald Trump has sought to end Moscow's three-year military assault on Ukraine since his inauguration in January, but has failed to ease hostilities between the enemies. Hours before Putin's order was scheduled to enter force, Moscow and Kyiv staged aerial attacks, prompting airport closures in Russia and leaving at least two dead in Ukraine. The Kremlin has said Russian forces will honour Putin's order for the duration of the holiday, but will respond 'immediately' if Ukraine launches any fire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his call for a 30-day ceasefire in his evening address on Wednesday. 'We are not withdrawing this proposal, which could give diplomacy a chance. But the world is not seeing any response from Russia,' he said. 'Direct negotiation' Putin announced the truce last month as a 'humanitarian' gesture, following pressure from the United States to halt his three-year assault on Ukraine. The Russian leader rejected a joint US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional ceasefire in March, and has since offered only slim contributions to Trump's peace efforts. Ukraine has said it does not believe Russia will adhere to this truce and accused Moscow of hundreds of violations during a previous, 30-hour ceasefire ordered by Putin for Easter. Russia, which launched a full-scale military offensive on Ukraine in 2022, fired over 100 drones and multiple ballistic missiles at its neighbour between late Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, killing a mother and her son, Kyiv said. The White House has become increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress towards a peace deal between the warring sides, despite US President Donald Trump's efforts. US Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday called on the two to enter direct talks. 'We think it's probably impossible for us to mediate this entirely without at least some direct negotiation between the two,' he said. 'Peaceful atmosphere' Russia marks Victory Day with a grand parade of military equipment on Red Square, as well as an address from Putin. More than 20 world leaders were expected in Moscow for the May 9 parade. 'Our military and special services are taking all necessary measures to ensure that the celebration of the great victory takes place in a calm, stable and peaceful atmosphere,' said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. He also said authorities had jammed internet connections ahead of the parade, citing the threat from Kyiv. 'We need to take into account that dangerous neighbourhood that we have,' Peskov said, referring to Ukraine. 'As long as guests are here, until May 10, we need to be ready for restrictions,' he added, calling on Muscovites to be understanding. The Kremlin's forces occupy a fifth of Ukraine and this spring hit the country with a string of deadly attacks on civilian areas. 'Nothing scares us' Russians from outside Moscow visiting the heavily policed capital for the parade appeared unfazed. 'We are from Rostov-on-Don. Nothing scares us,' said 22-year-old student Valeria Pavlova. The southern city serves as a command and logistics hub for the Ukraine offensive and has regularly been targeted. 'It's much calmer here,' she added. But scenes at airports in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other cities were more chaotic. Ukraine launched a barrage of drones at Russia earlier in the day, forcing airports to halt traffic with 60,000 people seeing their flights disrupted, according to Moscow. Kyiv's drone attacks disrupted some 350 flights Tuesday and Wednesday, Russia's Association of Tour Operators said. Social media videos showed people sleeping on the floor and airports with rows of over a dozen planes queueing on the tarmac. Ukraine's airspace has been forced to close since Russia launched its offensive in February 2022.
Korea Herald
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Putin's order for three-day truce with Ukraine enters force
MOSCOW (AFP) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin's order for a three-day truce with Ukraine took effect Thursday, a move the Kremlin said would "test" Kyiv's readiness for peace but that Ukraine has slammed as a farce. It was not immediately clear whether either side was observing the ceasefire, even with world leaders -- including China's Xi Jinping, Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Serbia's Aleksandar Vucic -- in Moscow for commemorations of the end of World War II. Putin unilaterally ordered the move to coincide with Moscow's Victory Day parade on Friday. Ukraine never agreed to the proposal, has dismissed it as theatrics and called instead for a 30-day ceasefire. United States President Donald Trump has sought to end Moscow's three-year military assault on Ukraine since his inauguration in January, but has failed to ease hostilities between the enemies. Hours before Putin's order was scheduled to enter force, Moscow and Kyiv staged aerial attacks, prompting airport closures in Russia and leaving at least two dead in Ukraine. The Kremlin has said Russian forces will honor Putin's order for the duration of the holiday, but will respond "immediately" if Ukraine launches any fire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed his call for a 30-day ceasefire in his evening address on Wednesday. "We are not withdrawing this proposal, which could give diplomacy a chance. But the world is not seeing any response from Russia," he said. Putin announced the truce last month as a "humanitarian" gesture, following pressure from the US to halt his three-year assault on Ukraine. The Russian leader rejected a joint US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional ceasefire in March, and has since offered only slim contributions to Trump's peace efforts. Ukraine has said it does not believe Russia will adhere to this truce and accused Moscow of hundreds of violations during a previous, 30-hour ceasefire ordered by Putin for Easter. Russia, which launched a full-scale military offensive on Ukraine in 2022, fired over 100 drones and multiple ballistic missiles at its neighbour between late Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, killing a mother and her son, Kyiv said. The White House has become increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress toward a peace deal between the warring sides, despite US President Donald Trump's efforts. US Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday called on the two to enter direct talks. "We think it's probably impossible for us to mediate this entirely without at least some direct negotiation between the two," he said. Russia marks Victory Day with a grand parade of military equipment on Red Square, as well as an address from Putin. More than 20 world leaders were expected in Moscow for the May 9 parade. "Our military and special services are taking all necessary measures to ensure that the celebration of the great victory takes place in a calm, stable and peaceful atmosphere," said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. He also said authorities had jammed internet connections ahead of the parade, citing the threat from Kyiv. "We need to take into account that dangerous neighbourhood that we have," Peskov said, referring to Ukraine. "As long as guests are here, until May 10, we need to be ready for restrictions," he added, calling on Muscovites to be understanding. The Kremlin's forces occupy a fifth of Ukraine and this spring hit the country with a string of deadly attacks on civilian areas Russians from outside Moscow visiting the heavily policed capital for the parade appeared unfazed. "We are from Rostov-on-Don. Nothing scares us," said 22-year-old student Valeria Pavlova. The southern city serves as a command and logistics hub for the Ukraine offensive and has regularly been targeted. "It's much calmer here," she added. But scenes at airports in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other cities were more chaotic. Ukraine launched a barrage of drones at Russia earlier in the day, forcing airports to halt traffic with 60,000 people seeing their flights disrupted, according to Moscow. Kyiv's drone attacks disrupted some 350 flights Tuesday and Wednesday, Russia's Association of Tour Operators said. Social media videos showed people sleeping on the floor and airports with rows of over a dozen planes queueing on the tarmac.
