Lawrence Weathers

Lawrence Weathers.
Lawrence Weathers (1890–1918) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in battle that could be awarded to a member of the Australian armed forces at the time. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in early 1916, and joined the 43rd Battalion. His unit deployed to the Western Front in France and Belgium in late December. Weathers took part in the Battle of Messines in June 1917, and was wounded. Rejoining his unit in December, Weathers fought during the German Spring Offensive, but was gassed in May and did not return to his unit until the following month. He participated in the Battle of Hamel in July, the Battle of Amiens in August, and the Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin in September. At Mont Saint-Quentin, he was recommended for the award of the Victoria Cross based on his actions on 2 September. He was mortally wounded by a shell on 29 September during the Battle of St Quentin Canal, never having been aware that he was to receive the Victoria Cross.

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The Mummy Returns

The Mummy Returns.
The Mummy is a 1999 American action horror film written and directed by Stephen Sommers and starring Brendan Fraser (pictured), Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Kevin J. O'Connor, and Arnold Vosloo. In this film, a loose remake of a film of the same name from 1932, adventurers accidentally awaken Imhotep, a high priest from Pharaoh Seti I's reign who has been cursed for eternity. Filming began in Marrakesh, Morocco, in May 1998; the crew had to endure dehydration, sandstorms, and snakes while filming in the Sahara. The visual effects were provided by Industrial Light & Magic, who blended film and computer-generated imagery to create the mummy. The film opened on May 7, 1999, and went on to gross $416 million worldwide. The box-office success led to two sequels, The Mummy Returns (2001) and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008), as well as an animated series, and a prequel, The Scorpion King. The film also inspired a roller coaster, Revenge of the Mummy, in three Universal Studios Theme Parks.

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Taxonomy of lemurs

Taxonomy of lemurs.
The history of the taxonomy of lemurs dates back to 1758 when Carl Linnaeus first classified them. Having undergone independent evolution on Madagascar, lemurs have displaced many other types of mammals, and approximately 70 to 100 species and subspecies are recognized today. They include the smallest primates in the world, and once included some of the largest. Currently living lemur species are divided into five families and 15 genera. Since the arrival of humans around 2000 years ago, lemurs have become restricted to 10% of the island, and many face extinction. The recent steep increase in species numbers is due to improved genetic analysis, a push to encourage the protection of isolated lemur populations, and the elevation of existing subspecies to full species status. Concerns over lemur conservation have also affected their taxonomy, since distinct species receive increased conservation attention.

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Tropical Storm Faxai (2007)

Tropical Storm Faxai (2007).
Tropical Storm Faxai was a short-lived tropical storm that had minor effects on land. The twentieth named storm of the 2007 Pacific typhoon season, Faxai originated from a tropical depression over the open waters of the western Pacific Ocean in late October. The storm quickly strengthened, becoming a severe tropical storm on October 26 as it rapidly traveled towards the northeast. It became extratropical the following day as it brushed Japan. Although Faxai never made landfall, outer bands associated with the storm produced torrential rains, amounting to 458 mm (18.0 in) on Miyake-jima. A Japan Airlines flight to Narita Airport encountered severe turbulence during the afternoon of October 27; one person sustained serious injuries, five others received minor injuries, and the plane was damaged. One person was killed near Tokyo as the storm passed by, and three others were injured. The storm's remnants dissipated on October 28.