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Five ACC Storylines to Watch this Offseason
Posted by Matt Patton on April 11th, 2016With the long offseason ahead of us, let's take a look at five key ACC storylines to keep an eye on over the summer.
- NCAA Sanctions: After investigations that surrounded both programs in different ways this season, there should finally be some closure for Louisville and North Carolina. Louisville is still trying to get in front of NCAA sanctions by self-imposing its own (in addition to this year's postseason ban, the program also recently added recruiting penalties). This strategy has worked well for other schools, but predicting eventual NCAA punishments is an exercise in futility. North Carolina is the more interesting case — the Tar Heels may not receive any sanctions or they may get the book thrown at them. What remains unclear is whether there will be administrative fallout from either scandal. I would not be shocked if Rick Pitino ends up stepping down from his post — especially if the NCAA deems the Cardinals' self-imposed penalties insufficient. But I would be shocked if Roy Williams did.
- Coaching Carousel: This is a slow year for the ACC in terms of coaching turnover. Pittsburgh lost Jamie Dixon to his alma mater, TCU, and Georgia Tech fired Brian Gregory. The Yellow Jackets were initially spurned by Duke associate head coach Jeff Capel and Bryce Drew (who went to Vanderbilt instead), and after reports that Cal's Cuonzo Martin was their top candidate, athletic director Mike Bobinski hired Josh Pastner away from Memphis. Pastner is far from a sure thing in this spot, but he should be able to put more talented teams on the floor. Whether those teams will have more success than what Gregory mustered (two teams with winning records; no NCAA Tournament appearances) remains to be seen. In Pittsburgh, many fans were upset with the hiring of Kevin Stallings away from Vanderbilt (ironically, the response from Commodores' fans mirrored Dayton fans after Georgia Tech hired Gregory). Stallings will have his work cut out for him in the Steel City, but he was a solid coach with several very good teams in Nashville. Like Jamie Dixon, he may have stuck around the same place a little too long, but there's no reason to think he won't do reasonably well there. Read the rest of this entry »


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The Special Needs Registry allows residents with medical needs an opportunity to provide information to Santa Rosa County so that agencies can communicate emergency preparedness, response and recovery resources to our vulnerable at risk and hard-to-reach residents. The information collected will only be shared with Santa Rosa County and interacting agencies to improve their ability to serve and will not be available to the public. F.S.252.355
Show All Answers
Special Needs Shelters are temporary, emergency-type facilities capable of providing special/supervised housing to individuals whose physical or mental condition exceeds the Red Cross Disaster Health Services' level of capability for basic first aid in emergency / disaster shelters but is not severe enough to require hospitalization. Special Needs Shelters are intended to provide an environment of those requiring limited medical assistance or surveillance due to a pre-existing health problem. It is highly encouraged to seek shelter outside the area of danger. Sheltering whether it is a Special Needs Shelter or a General Shelter should be your shelter of last resort.
Santa Rosa County Division of Emergency Management maintains the Special Needs registry. Pre-registering is a must for the Special Needs Shelter. Upon receiving the application, the address and appropriate fire department are verified, along with whether the applicant lives in an evacuation and / or flood zone. Santa Rosa County Department of Health reviews the medical portion of the application to assign the most appropriate shelter to meet the applicants' needs. This is why it is of the utmost importance to list all of the applicant's medical history. Once the application is returned to the Division of Emergency Management the information is entered in the database. The applicant will be sent a copy of original application with shelter assignment.
Bi-yearly the Division of Emergency Management will contact you to update your application to verify if your medical needs have changed. A copy of your old application will be mailed to you to review for accuracy. You can either make corrections on the application and mail back to the Division of Emergency Management or call the office and request to speak to the Special Needs Coordinator to make the changes on your application.
Special Needs Shelters are designed for people whose age, frailty, mobility, functional and / or medical disability make them particularly vulnerable and at risk in disaster situations. Special Needs Shelters are designed for those individuals who have pre-existing conditions resulting in medical impairments and who have been able to maintain activities of daily living in a home environment prior to the disaster or emergency situations.
Division of Emergency Management will make every effort of contacting the Special Needs client should a disaster be pending or occurring in their area. The Special Needs client may be asked to prepare to evacuate to a shelter if time permits or should the disaster be of a hazardous type incident they may be advised to shelter in place. Depending on what type of disaster and time, notification may occur through individual telephone calls, local media, emergency responders and / or Reverse 911 (high speed citizen notification system).
Be sure to mark "yes" on the Special Needs application when you submit the Special Needs application to the Division of Emergency Management. Should transportation not have been needed at the time you completed the application but you need it now to get to the shelter, be sure to advise the person calling you notifying you of a pending disaster that you will need transportation. Transportation is furnished through Santa Rosa County School District Transportation Department and Lifeguard Ambulance Service.
Licensed healthcare facilities (nursing homes, assisted living facilities, etc.) are required to manage their own facilities and have plans for the safety and well-being of their clients and staff. If you or a loved one are living at a healthcare facility review their evacuation plans. Chapter 119, F.S. (2006).
Hemodialysis is not provided at the Special Needs Shelter. Coordinate with your dialysis center on their plans to assure you are able to have your scheduled treatments. Contact your home medical equipment provider on their plan to assure you will have the same care prior, during and after a disaster. Section 400.925(13) and Section 400.934(20)(a)1.,F.S. Specific Authority 381.0303(6)(d), F.S. Law Implemented 381.0303(d), F.S. History-New
A caregiver whether a relative, or paid employee who will remain with you throughout your stay at the Special Needs Shelter. They will furnish supportive care such as assuming primary responsibility for assisting the shelteree to the bathroom, with meals, and care. They will assume responsibility for administering routine medications as in the home setting and will assume responsibility for managing oxygen and equipment.
The nursing staff at the shelter is very limited, a caregiver is to take care of your needs as they would in your home environment. The nursing staff is there to assist should your medical needs exceed your caregiver's medical training / knowledge.

subset: commoncrawl


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WINCHESTER could be about to see a rise in the number of affordable houses to meet overwhelming demand.
City council officials met to discuss new recommendations for a council-owned housing company to be set up specifically to develop new houses for rent and possibly sale.
Other suggestions included the possibility of entering into a joint venture with private sector developers and the option of sale and leaseback. This would result in council-owned land being sold and leased back to a developer or institutional investor.
Case officer, Andrew Palmer, said: "We have been reasonably successful in providing affordable housing over the last few years. However the national landscape for such housing has changed significantly over the last three years. We have a large number of sites coming up in the district over the next 10 years and it's prudent that we provide more affordable housing.
"We may not have the ability to develop these sites in the future. The Government has been very reluctant to increase its debt cap. However we have had discussions with local enterprise partnerships who are keen to see these houses developed."
Mr Palmer said the council would have to look into any "additional debt headroom" before committing to a strategy.
Cllr Stephen Godfrey: "I think this is a really important and exciting proposal that we must investigate."
Mr Palmer added that other district councils were looking into similar schemes and suggested collaborations with them would help officers to shape the final proposal.
He said: "We are aware of several councils who have established companies like this so there are district authorities who have already set the precedent."
Cllr Ian Tait, who spoke on behalf of local residents, said: "I fully endorse the recommendations of the paper and it's absolutely vital we look at extending our affordable housing. We have got 2,000 on the waiting list increasing by 100 people per month so whatever we can do to alleviate that is welcome."
TACT chair, Judith Steventon Baker, said: "Chairman, you said earlier that Winchester is not a speedy council. Well get speedy: we need affordable housing."
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Animal Diversity Web (ADW) is an online database of animal natural history, distribution, classification, and conservation biology at the University of Michigan
Animal Diversity Web has
Animal Diversity Web Is An Online Encyclopedia. ADW is a large searchable encyclopedia of the natural history of animals. Every day, thousands of classroom students and informal visitors use it to answer animal questions. Other sites specialize in local, endangered, or particular kinds of animals. We aim to be as comprehensive as possible. |
A Science Learning Tool. ADW facilitates inquiry-driven learning, that is, teaching about science by leading students to use the methods of science. Our large database is structured, providing consistent information for all species to foster comparisons. Our query tool allows a user to find information on a set of species that you specify. Students can explore patterns and relationships, learn how to frame and answer scientific questions and, with the help of a good teacher, experience the excitement and satisfaction of doing science. Our long-term goal is to create a database rich enough that students can discover for themselves basic concepts in organismal and conservation biology. |
A Virtual Museum ADW provides a way to make the contents of research museums available globally for teaching and research. So far, our efforts have been directed mainly at mammals. Photographs of scientific specimens are available for representative species from most mammal families. We've also included several hundred Quick Time Virtual Reality Movies of skulls. These allow the user to "rotate" the specimen, providing an excellent impression of its 3-dimensional structure. We've written in depth about and illustrated many of the characteristics of interest to students of mammals. An important goal for the future is to expand to cover other groups of animals and include other media such as animal behavior video. |
An essential feature of the ADW is student authorship of species accounts. Students learn considerable detail about the biology of a species, then share their work with users worldwide by making it part of our permanent database. Our web-based template ensures a consistent format for accounts. Help pages suggest content and sources. The system checks that no one else is writing about the student's chosen species, checks spelling of scientific names, and fills in the scientific classification. Instructors and ADW staff review and edit accounts before they are added to the site. Classes at dozens of universities and colleges contribute to the ADW project. The resulting growth of the database makes us even better for inquiry learning.
If you might be interested in having your students write accounts, please go to Teaching Resources and fill out the request to contribute. We also welcome comments, corrections, and questions.


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- By RFE/RL
Trump Travels To Saudi Arabia, Israel In First Foreign Trip
WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump is heading abroad on his first foreign trip since taking office, as the U.S. capital reels from the deepening crisis surrounding the investigation into Trump's associates and their ties to Russian officials.
The Trump administration has been hoping that the visits to Saudi Arabia, Israel, Italy, the Vatican, and Brussels would help him reinforce close U.S. ties with key allies, particularly in the Middle East.
But the trip has been overshadowed by Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey, who was overseeing the agency's investigations into communications between Russian officials and Trump associates.
News reports later said Trump in February tried to pressure Comey into dropping the probe into Trump's first national security adviser, who had reportedly lied about his Russia communications.
The White House also struggled to react to reports that during a visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Trump revealed highly classified intelligence about the Islamic State extremist group. The intelligence reportedly came from an Israeli spy in Syria.
In a further blow to the White House, the Justice Department announced on May 17 the appointment of former FBI Director Robert Mueller to head a special probe into the Russia connections.
Trump lashed out over that development on May 18, saying he was the victim of "the greatest political witch-hunt" in U.S. history. He later said that he "respected the move" but repeated that it was a "witch-hunt" and that "I think it divides the country."
"Tomorrow...I'm going to Saudi Arabia, going to Israel, going to Rome, and we have the G7," he said -- a reference to a meeting of Western economic powers in Sicily. "We have a lot of great things going on so I hate to see anything that divides. I'm fine with whatever people want to do, but we have to get back to running this country really, really well."
Saudi Arabia and Israel are among the United States' closest allies in the Middle East, and both are supporting of the U.S. effort to end the devastating 6-year-old war in Syria.
Experts are also watching to see if Trump will signal any significant change in U.S. policy toward the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, in particular the disputed status of Jerusalem.
Trump is scheduled to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas during the trip, as well as Pope Francis, when he travels to the Vatican.
In Brussels, the U.S. leader will meet with counterparts from NATO. There, leaders are hoping for a strong show of support following Trump's earlier criticism of the alliance.
He repeatedly complained that members didn't contribute enough resources, and that the United States was shouldering too much of the alliance's burden.
After the NATO meeting on May 25, Trump is due to meet with other leaders of the G7 -- a group of economic powers that comprises the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and Japan-- at a gathering in Sicily on May 26-27.
Speaking on May 18 in Washington, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who will accompany Trump, told reporters the trip was a signal to the world that the United States was "reengaging" with many of the world's problems.
"Many of the leaders, particularly in the part of the world we'll be traveling...are ready for a period of what they view to have been neglect to outright dismissal of their concerns. They're ready for reengagement with America," he said.
The trip, he said, "is really one of conveying a message that America is back in terms of our role as a convener, our role as a facilitator to address the daunting challenges that exist in that part of the world, most particularly the challenge of global terrorism and how we confront global terrorism as a global peoples," he said.
With stops in the Middle East and at the Vatican, Trump's itinerary is rich in religious symbolism, and officials said the message was unity.
"He strongly believes that it is the strength of the faith of people in these religions that will stand up and ultimately be victorious over these forces of terrorism," Tillerson said.
With reporting by AP and Reuters
More News
- By AP
Newly Enlarged NATO Begins Military Exercises In Finland, Norway, Sweden
NATO will kick off an exercise on March 4 to defend its newly expanded Nordic territory when more than 20,000 soldiers from 13 nations take part in drills lasting nearly two weeks in the northern regions of Finland, Norway, and Sweden. With over 4,000 Finnish soldiers taking part, the Norway-led Nordic Response 2024 represents the NATO newcomer's largest-ever participation in a foreign exercise, according to Finland's military. Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometer border with Russia, joined NATO in April 2023. With its bid now ratified by all NATO members, neighboring Sweden is currently finalizing formalities to enter the military alliance as its 32nd member — most likely in March.
Explosion Closes Railway Bridge In Russia's Samara Region
An explosion early on March 4 damaged a railway bridge in Russia's south-central Samara region, causing Russian authorities to suspend traffic on the line. The Baza Telegram channel reported that the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device. No one was reported injured in the blast. Ukraine's military intelligence wrote on Telegram that the bridge was disabled by an explosion and will be "impossible to use for a long time." The agency added that the rail line was used to transport military supplies, particularly ammunition produced by a factory in the Samara region city of Chapayevsk. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
Wagner Mercenary Charged With Raping Woman After Returning From War In Ukraine
A Russian mercenary who fought with the private military company Wagner in Ukraine has been arrested in Kirov in connection with the rape of a 22-year-old woman. The suspect, Dmitry Efimov, also set the car in which he allegedly committed the rape on fire to cover his tracks, according to sources quoted by the news outlet Baza. The police say Efimov forced a resident of Kirov into someone else's car in a garage and raped her on February 24. Efimov, who was convicted of rape in 2013 and murder in 2019, signed a contract to fight with Wagner in 2022. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
- By Reuters
OPEC+ Members Extend Oil Output Cuts Into Second Quarter
OPEC+ members led by Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed on March 3 to extend voluntary oil output cuts into the second quarter. Saudi Arabia, the de facto leader of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), said it would extend its voluntary cut of through the end of June. Russia, which leads OPEC allies collectively known as OPEC+, will cut oil production and exports by an additional 471,000 barrels per day in the second quarter in coordination with some OPEC+ participating countries, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak said.
Zelenskiy Calls On World To Help Ukraine Defeat 'Russian Evil' As Death Toll From Strike On Odesa Climbs To 12
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on March 3 for the world to help Kyiv defeat "Russian evil" as the death toll from a Russian drone strike on Odesa rose to 12, including several children.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.
"Every Russian loss at the front is our country's response to Russian terror. The world must respond to every manifestation of Russian evil and repel Russia's actions," Zelenskiy said after rescuers ended their search for victims in the rubble of the attack on Odesa.
He said later in his nightly video address that political will is required to make sure Ukraine has enough supplies, in an apparent reference to a crucial multibillion-dollar aid package that remains stalled in the U.S. Congress amid partisan bickering.
The war "must become hopeless for Russia.... They must sense that there is force that destroys those who seek to destroy life," Zelenskiy said.
"If this doesn't happen and America [and] Europe lose to Iranian Shaheds or Russian jets, it will go down in history as one of the most shameful chapters. Evil should never be encouraged. Neither by weak decisions, delays in supplies, nor indecision," Zelenskiy said.
The Russian drone hit an apartment block in Odesa early on March 2, partially destroying several floors and leaving more than a dozen people under the rubble.
The attack killed at least four children, including two babies less than 1 year old, according to statements by Zelenskiy and the regional governor.
"Mark, who was not even 3 years old, Yelyzaveta, 8 months old, and Timofey, 4 months old," Zelenskiy said, naming the youngest victims on Telegram. "Ukrainian children are Russia's military targets."
The bodies of a 10-year-old boy and his 8-year-old sister were found under the rubble on March 3, regional Governor Oleh Kiper said.
Ukraine's emergency services said they had found the bodies of families huddled together as they sifted through the rubble.
"A mother tried to cover her 8-month-old baby with her body. They were found in a tight embrace," the agency said on Telegram.
March 3 has been declared a day of mourning in Odesa and the region for those killed during the drone attack on the city.
According to rescuers, 18 apartments of a nine-story building in Odesa were destroyed in the air strike that the Ukrainian Air Force said occurred overnight on March 2 and also hit the Mykolayiv region.
Zelenskiy on March 2 pleaded with Kyiv's Western allies to supply more air-defense systems as Russia continues to pound Ukraine with drones, missiles, and artillery fire while the civilian death toll continues to mount. The United Nations has verified at least 10,000 civilian deaths since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
There was no comment on the attack in Moscow, which denies targeting civilians despite ample evidence of Russian strikes on residential areas.
The Ukrainian Interior Ministry reported a separate attack in the southern Kherson region that it said killed one person and wounded three others. Officials also reported an air strike on a residential quarter of Kurakhove, a town in the eastern Donetsk region, which injured 16.
Meanwhile, Russian military bloggers reported an attempted massive Ukrainian drone attack on the illegally annexed peninsula of Crimea.
Moscow said it shot down 38 Ukrainian drones, while the Rybar Telegram channel, which is close to Russia's armed forces, said one hit a pipeline at an oil depot.
An adviser to Crimea's Kremlin-installed leader said traffic was halted early on March 3 along a highway near Feodosia, the site of the earlier explosion. More than eight hours later, Crimea's local transport minister reported that traffic had partially resumed.
A bridge that connects Crimea to Russian territory was also closed to traffic for about two hours early on March 3.
With reporting by AFP and AP
- By RFE/RL
Leaked Recording Of German Military Call On Taurus Missiles Is Part Of Putin's 'Information War,' Says Minister
Berlin accused Russia on March 3 of trying to sow disunity following the leak of a confidential conference call between high-ranking German military staff discussing the possible use of German-made Taurus missiles by Ukraine.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.
A recording of the call between the commander in chief of the German Air Force, General Ingo Gerhartz, and Brigadier General Frank Graefe, along with two Bundeswehr officers was posted online on March 1 on Russian social media, initially by Margarita Simonyan, editor in chief of the Russian state-controlled RT media group, formerly known as Russia Today. Simonyan did not explain where she got the recording of the 38-minute call.
Ukraine has been asking Germany to provide it with Taurus missiles, which can reach targets up to 500 kilometers away, giving Ukrainian forces a boost as Kyiv struggles to fend off Russia's full-scale invasion.
The German Defense Ministry confirmed on March 3 that a "conversation related to the Air Force" had been intercepted.
"Whether changes were made to the recorded oral or written version that is circulating on social media, we cannot say with certainty at this time," a ministry spokesman said, according to German broadcaster ARD.
Representatives of the army told Germany's other public broadcaster, ZDF, that they considered the recording to be authentic.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the timing of the release of the recording was not a coincidence.
"It is about using this recording to destabilize and unsettle us," Pistorius said, speaking at a news briefing in Berlin on March 3.
"It is part of an information war that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is waging. There is absolutely no doubt about that," he said at a news briefing in Berlin. "It is a hybrid attack aimed at disinformation. It is about division. It is about undermining our resolve."
He said Germany should not "fall for Putin's line" and the reaction should be "in a particularly level-headed manner, but no less resolutely."
Pistorius added that he would await the result of a military probe into the case to decide what the consequences should be.
The recording includes a detailed discussion of how the German military can technically support the supply of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine in the event of a decision by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to allow them to be sent.
Scholz has refused to send the missiles, fearing that it would lead to an escalation of the conflict, draw Germany more deeply into the fight, and potentially touch off the use of nuclear weapons by Russia.
The wiretapped exchange includes a discussion of whether the Taurus would theoretically be technically capable of destroying the bridge connecting Russia to the Crimean Peninsula that Russia illegally annexed in 2014.
The discussion also addresses whether Ukraine could carry out the strike without the involvement of German armed forces.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on March 2 that the recording indicated that Ukraine and its backers "do not want to change their course at all and want to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield."
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy head of the Security Council, went further, saying Germany "is preparing for war with Russia."
The discussion between the German military officers also covered the use of long-range missiles SCALP and Storm Shadow missiles provided to Kyiv by France and Britain each with a range of about 250 kilometers.
The audio recording also contains a diplomatically sensitive reference to the British having "a few people on the ground" in Ukraine in connection with the deployment of the Storm Shadow. Britain has denied that it had any direct involvement in operating the missiles.
Scholz on March 2 promised swift clarification of the incident, calling it a "very serious matter." But the fallout from the scandal continued on March 3 as members of the German parliament demanded consequences, including that German military leaders be trained in protected communications.
The discussion was vulnerable to wiretapping because the officers were not using an encrypted line, according to sources quoted by dpa. The sources said the discussion was hosted on Webex, a conferencing platform made by the U.S. tech giant Cisco.
With reporting by AFP, dpa, and Bild am Sonntag
Flowers Pile Up At Navalny's Gravesite As Mourners Line Up To Pay Respects For Third Straight Day
Hundreds of mourners lined up on March 3 to pay their respects to opposition politician Aleksei Navalny for the third day in a row at Borisovskoye cemetery in Moscow, where a mound of flowers has formed at the gravesite of the anti-corruption campaigner.
The line stretched for about 600 meters, according to the news outlet Astra, as people waited to honor Navalny, who was buried on March 1. Many carried flowers and messages to add to the huge pile of bouquets and mementos that have been laid at the gravesite.
People of all ages lined up, including children, young people, and elderly people, risking potential arrest.
Police were present but did not intervene, according to Meduza and other media reports. A police paddy wagon was parked near the entrance to the cemetery, but the police officers were not visible, Meduza reported. Other reports said police looked on, but the situation remained calm.
"Heroes do not die. Thank you Aleksei" was one of the slogans written on a poster at the grave, where wreaths and children's toys had also been placed, according to the dpa news agency. A Russian Orthodox cross with a photo of Navalny smiling stood out above the flowers.
Navalny, who was Russian President Vladimir Putin's most prominent foe, died on February 16 in an Arctic prison camp at the age of 47. The circumstances of his death have not been clarified.
Following his funeral, Navalny's team emphasized that the opposition will continue its fight against corruption and Putin's power apparatus.
Navalny's legacy will remain alive "as long as there are millions of people in Russia and the world who are not indifferent to this," they said. "That's why we must not give up."
In the two days since his funeral, 105 people have been detained in 22 cities across the country in relation to events marking the dissident's death, the OVD-info human rights group reported on March 3. Around 20 were arrested in Novosibirsk alone. Hundreds of others were detained as they tried to publicly mourn him in the days after his death.
WATCH: Mourners Visit Aleksei Navalny's Grave On March 2
The independent project White Counter, which counts the number of participants in mass events, wrote on March 2 that significantly more than 13,000 people took part in the farewell to Navalny on March 1.
According to the project's estimates, in the first 90 minutes after his funeral service, at least 16,500 people walked across the Brateevsky Bridge from the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God, where Navalny's funeral service was held, to the cemetery where he was buried.
Earlier, the pro-Kremlin publication Ridovka estimated the number of participants at 12,000, calling it small. Many people who came to bid farewell to Navalny chanted anti-war and anti-Putin slogans.
With reporting by dpa, Mediazona, and Astra
Russian Officials Say 6 Gunmen Killed In Ingushetia Shoot-Out
Six gunmen were killed in a shoot-out with police in the town of Karabulak in the Russian North Caucasus region of Ingushetia on March 2, law enforcement officials reported. The National Anti-Terrorism Committee said in a statement that the slain men were "a group of fighters planning crimes in the realm of terrorism." Russian authorities claimed the men had ties to the Islamic State terrorist organization. The independent Baza Telegram channel reported on March 3 that only five of the slain men were gunmen, while the sixth was an uninvolved passerby. Baza also reported that three police officers were wounded. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
Moscow Blocks Site Of Project Opposing Putin Reelection
Russia's Roskomnadzor media-monitoring agency has blocked the website of an initiative to express opposition to President Vladimir Putin during the March 15-17 presidential election. The website of the Noon Against Putin project -- which urges those who oppose the Russian leader's bid to seek a fifth term as president in a noncompetitive poll to show up at polling stations precisely at 12pm to demonstrate their numbers -- was blocked by Moscow on March 2. Noon Against Putin is the brainchild of former St. Petersburg lawmaker Maksim Reznik and was endorsed by opposition leader Aleksei Navalny before his suspicious death in prison last month. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
Pakistani Lawmakers Select Shehbaz Sharif As PM
Lawmakers in Pakistan elected Shehbaz Sharif, a younger brother of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, as prime minister on March 3. Earlier, Nawaz Sharif declined to run for a fourth term, saying he did not want to head a coalition government. Shehbaz Sharif, 72, will resume the role he held until August when parliament was dissolved ahead of the elections held last month. Pakistan has had a caretaker government since then. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, click here.
Zelenskiy Awaiting 'Concrete Proposals' As Syrskiy Completes Tour Of Front
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he is expecting a "detailed report and concrete proposals" from Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskiy, who was named chief of the General Staff on February 9, early in the coming week.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.
During his daily video address late on March 2, Zelenskiy noted that Syrskiy recently returned from a tour of the front and added that the General Staff has "carte blanche for personnel changes in the army or any changes at the headquarters."
Earlier the same day, Syrskiy announced a reshuffling of commanders of several combat brigades, noting in a Telegram post that during his tour of the eastern part of the front he determined that "some brigades manage to hold back enemy attacks and hold their positions, while others do not."
The announcements came shortly after Russian forces captured the Donetsk region city of Avdiyivka following a long and costly campaign and reports that Ukrainian defense forces are experiencing shortages of munitions amid declining Western aid.
Zelenskiy said he continues talks with Western partners on the provision of weapons and "the continuity of support." A large package of U.S. military assistance has been stalled in Congress. The New York Times reported on February 29 that the Biden administration was considering providing munitions to Ukraine from existing stockpiles as a stopgap measure even though a fund to replenish those supplies has been exhausted.
"Ukraine has not asked for anything except what is needed to save lives," Zelenskiy said. "It is impossible to understand how partners can let political games or disputers limit our defense while lives are being lost."
"It is impossible to accept this," he said. "And it will be impossible to forget it. The world will remember."
Meanwhile, officials said the bodies of two more civilians killed in a Russian drone attack on the Black Sea port of Odesa on March 2 had been recovered from the rubble of a residential building, raising the death toll in the incident to 10. The bodies were of a woman and her eight-month-old baby, bringing the number of small children killed in the strike to three.
Officials have declared March 3 a day of mourning in the Odesa region.
In the early hours of March 3, air-raid warnings sounded in the Dnipropetrovsk region, but no casualties were reported in what was described as a "missile attack" in the Nikopol area.
On February 21, the United Nations reported that at least 10,582 Ukrainian civilians had been killed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, adding "it is likely the real number of civilian casualties is much higher."
- By Reuters
Slovak Foreign Minister Meets With Russia's Lavrov In Turkey
A senior member of Slovakia's government met his Russian counterpart on March 2 in a rare high-level encounter between an EU member state and a country that the bloc has sought to isolate. Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar held talks with Russia's Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of a diplomatic forum in Turkey, the countries said. The meeting, one of the few involving senior European and Russian officials since Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, was immediately criticized by Slovak opposition parties. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has opposed sending military aid to Ukraine, said the encounter "was an example of our balanced and sovereign" foreign policy.
Armenia Says It's Willing To Sign Peace Deal With Baku, Normalize Relations With Turkey Under Right Conditions
Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanian said his Caucasus nation is willing to sign a peace deal with bitter rival Azerbaijan based on principles previously agreed upon by the two neighbors. He also said his country is prepared to normalize relations with Turkey, which is a close ally of Baku. Speaking on March 2 during a visit to the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, Kostanian said any deal with Baku requires that both sides recognize each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty. He said Yerevan seeks full normalization of relations with Ankara, including the opening of their border and the establishment of diplomatic ties. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Armenian Service, click here.
Serbian Ruling Party Agrees To Hold New Belgrade Elections After Disputed Vote In December
BELGRADE -- Serbia's ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) said it will rerun the December 17 Belgrade municipal elections, a vote marred by widespread allegations of fraud and irregularities.
Aleksandar Sapic, acting mayor and SNS vice president, made the announcement on March 2 after a meeting of SNS leaders, saying that "we are not afraid" of a new vote in the capital.
"We raised the bar [of legitimacy]. We made a decision to our detriment, but we are not afraid," Sapic said.
The December 17 elections were held at the parliamentary and provincial levels and in 65 cities and municipalities in Serbia, including Belgrade.
In its February 28 report on the elections, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said the voting was marked by irregularities, including the misuse of public funds and media dominance by President Aleksandar Vucic.
It stated that the elections "were dominated by the decisive participation of the president, which, together with the systemic advantages of the ruling party, created unfair conditions for the participants."
Other foreign and domestic observers also cited irregularities in the election process.
Street protests erupted following the elections as members of the pro-Europe opposition Serbia Against Violence coalition accused Vucic and the SNS of wide-scale fraud.
Vucic and his SNS allies denied the allegations, but Vucic nevertheless said he had asked for a new election. At a Belgrade news conference on March 2, Vucic called on the government to immediately start implementing the recommendations presented by the OSCE's ODIHR unit.
The parliamentary speaker now has 30 days to set new elections.
In the December 17 vote, no grouping won enough votes to form a city government.
Belgrade's City Assembly has 110 councilors, and the SNS and its coalition partner Socialist Party of Serbia have a total of 54, leaving them two short of a majority. The Serbia Against Violence list has 43 councilors, while minor parties held the other seats.
The Serbia Against Violence coalition on March 2 said the decision to conduct a new vote in the capital was a "big victory for the opposition."
The nationalist Vucic has attempted to main good relations with the European Union -- which Serbia strives to join -- while keeping close ties to traditional ally Russia, even following the Kremlin's decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
'We Need More Air Defenses,' Zelenskiy Says, As Russian Shelling, Drone Strikes Kill At Least 11
Russia and Ukraine exchanged apparent drone and missile attacks, with the deadliest of the latest Russian strikes hitting a high-rise residential building in Ukraine's Black Sea port city of Odesa, killing at least eight people, regional officials said.
Russian drone strikes on March 2 were also reported in the Ukrainian cities of Mykolayiv and Kharkiv, killing three people and injuring several others, while a suspected drone attack caused an explosion in St. Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city, with damage to a residential building and at least six injuries reported.
St. Petersburg Governor Aleksandr Beglov reported that an "incident" had occurred without giving a cause, saying some 100 residents were evacuated. St. Petersburg news outlet Fontanka reported that the blast was caused by a Ukrainian drone. Ukraine hasn't commented.
The Russian Defense Ministry also said its forces shot down a Ukrainian drone over the Leningrad region near the Gulf of Finland and another in the Belgorod region near the border with Ukraine. No casualties were reported.
The Russian shelling in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region killed a 76-year-old man in the early morning hours, regional Governor Oleh Synyehubov said.
In the Odesa attack, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said an apartment building had been hit, with an infant and 2-year-old boy among the dead. At least 10 people remain unaccounted for, officials said.
A resident of Odesa told RFE/RL that her sister and 3-month-old nephew were under the rubble of the nine-story building, but later the woman and the baby were found dead.
The violence occurred as Ukrainian officials continued to press their Western allies for more weapons -- particularly ammunition and air defense systems -- to fight against the latest moves by Russian forces to press their advantage on the battlefield.
"Russia continues to hit civilians," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on social media.
"We need more air defenses from our partners. We need to strengthen the Ukrainian air shield to add protection for our people from Russian terror. More air defense systems, more missiles for air defense systems will save lives," he said.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
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Later, in his nightly video address, Zelenskiy said that "the world knows that terror can be opposed. Delaying the supply of weapons to Ukraine, missile defense systems to protect our people, leads, unfortunately, to such losses."
In the United States, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has put up opposition to additional military aid for Kyiv, leaving a gap of two months since the last U.S. military supplies reached Ukraine.
"If Ukraine gets the aid, they will win," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat-New York) said.
"If they don't get the aid, they will lose -- with dire consequences to the United States," added Schumer, who visited Ukraine last week.
Meanwhile, the top diplomats of two other important allies – France and Germany – will meet on March 4 to discuss aid to Ukraine.
Paris has been an active supporter of Kyiv, providing SCALP missiles, and with French President Emmanuel Macron even saying he wouldn't rule out the deployment of Western ground troops in Ukraine.
Germany, along with several other Western leaders, distanced themselves from that suggestion, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz insisting there would be no deployment of German ground troops.
In one reported success for Ukraine, General Mykola Oleshchuk, the Air Force commander, said on March 2 that his forces had shot down a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber with antiaircraft missiles.
Oleshchuk wrote in a Telegram post that "Air Command East confirms the downing of a fighter-bomber. Su-34. Unfortunately, only one."
Earlier, Oleshchuk reported the launch of missiles targeting two Russian jets – an Su-34 and Su-35. The claims could not be independently confirmed.
Kyiv has regularly reported the shooting down of Russian warplanes over Ukraine, seen by many as a major embarrassment for Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces.
With reporting by Reuters, dpa, and AFP
- By Reuters
Berlin Investigates Russian Reports Of Recorded German Military Officials
Germany is investigating an audio recording, which was published in Russian media and reported to be a conference call involving high-ranking German military officials talking about weapons for Ukraine. The publication of the recording has sparked concerns of espionage in Germany and calls for clarification from Russia. A German Defense Ministry spokesperson said on March 2 that they couldn't confirm the authenticity of the recording. Margarita Simonyan, head of the Russian state-run broadcaster RT, was first to publish the audio on March 1. Reuters couldn't independently confirm its authenticity. Among other matters, participants in the call discuss the possible delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to Kyiv, which Chancellor Olaf Scholz has publicly rejected thus far.
- By Current Time
Drone Blamed For Blast In St. Petersburg Apartment Building
An explosion occurred on March 2 in a five-story apartment building in St. Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city, with the local media saying the blast was caused by a Ukrainian drone. No casualties were reported, but windows in the building were broken, balconies were twisted, debris fell in the courtyard, and windows in neighboring high-rise buildings were also smashed. St. Petersburg Governor Aleksandr Beglov reported an "incident," without giving a cause, saying some 100 residents were evacuated. Fontanka reported that the blast was caused by a Ukrainian drone. Kyiv has not commented on the incident. To read the original story by Current Time, click here.
At Least 20, Including 9 Children, Killed In Rain-Related Incidents In Pakistan
At least 20 people were killed and dozens were injured in rain-related incidents in two Pakistani provinces, rescue officials told RFERL's Radio Mashaal. Most of the casualties were caused by collapsing roofs and landslides in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the southwestern Balochistan provinces over the past 24 hours. Seventeen people were killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa -- among them, six children, according to Bilal Faizi, a provincial spokesperson for the rescue service. In Balochistan Province, at least three children were killed on March 1 as the roof of a house collapsed in the Kharan district. To read the original stories by RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, click here.
Zelenskiy Signs Miliary Aid Pact With Dutch PM, Discusses Speeding Up Delivery Of F-16s
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed gratitude to the Netherlands on March 1 for a new package of aid signed during a visit to Kharkiv by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.
Zelenskiy put the value of the arms pact at 2 billion euros ($2.17 billion) for the current year. The package was part of a security agreement signed by Rutte and Zelenskiy. It is the sixth agreement of this kind between Ukraine and a Western state.
Zelenskiy also said in a video address that the Netherlands would help secure the skies over Ukraine with its participation in the coalition of states supplying Kyiv with F-16 fighter jets as he and Rutte agreed to speed up the process of supplying Ukraine with the planes.
"Regarding the F-16: we are on schedule. This means that they will be in the Ukrainian sky later this year, but there is still a lot to be done," Rutte said at a joint press conference with Zelenskiy.
Rutte said he and Zelenskiy discussed the possibility of accelerating the transfer of the F-16s.
"So we will ask our defense ministries to work on this together with our partners like Norway, Belgium, and other countries that are part of the F-16 coalition because Ukraine needs this advantage in the air as quickly as possible," he said.
The Danish Defense Ministry reported earlier that Denmark will transfer F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in the summer of 2024.
The ministry noted that it is difficult to establish a clear schedule for the transfer of the fighter jets because there are several conditions that must be met in order for Ukraine to be able to use them.
Denmark and the Netherlands became the first countries to promise to transfer F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, but it will only happen after Ukrainian pilots are trained to fly them.
Rutte's trip included joining Zelenskiy in visiting wounded Ukrainian soldiers at a hospital in Kharkiv. The two leaders also visited an underground classroom where schoolchildren attend classes safe from missile strikes.
The visit to Kharkiv was a rare one by a senior Western politician as the city is regularly attacked by Russian air strikes and is much closer to the Russian border than Kyiv.
"The task facing Ukrainian allies is clear -- do whatever you can to provide what is needed, as long as it takes," Rutte said.
With reporting by dpa and Reuters
Hard-Liners Ahead In Tehran After Iranian Elections With Record Low Turnout Reported
Iranian state media says hard-liners are ahead in the capital, Tehran, as vote counting progresses in Iran's March 1 elections, which were marred by what appears to be a record-low turnout prompted by voter apathy and calls for a boycott by reformists.
The elections for a new parliament, or Majlis, and a new Assembly of Experts, which elects Iran's supreme leader, were the first since the deadly nationwide protests that erupted following the September 2022 death while in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who had been detained for an alleged Islamic dress-code violation.
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said 1,960 from 5,000 ballots in Tehran have been counted so far, with hard-liners ahead as expected.
An alliance led by hard-liner Hamid Rasaee won 17 out of 30 seats in Tehran, state radio reported, while the incumbent parliamentary speaker, conservative Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf also obtained a new seat.
The turnout appears to be at a record low, according to unofficial accounts, despite the officials' repeated appeals to Iranians to show up en masse at the polls as Iran's theocracy scrambles to restore its legitimacy in the wake of a wave of repression in 2022 and amid deteriorating economic conditions.
The Mehr news agency, citing unofficial results, reported that voter turnout in Tehran was only 24 percent.
Iran's rulers needed a high turnout to repair their legitimacy following the unrest, but many Iranians said they would not vote in "meaningless" elections in which more than 15,000 candidates were running for the 290-seat parliament.
State media reported that the turnout was "good." Official surveys before the election, however, suggested that only some 41 percent of eligible Iranians would come out to vote.
The Hamshahri newspaper said on March 2 that more than 25 million people, or 41 percent of eligible voters, had turned out, thus confirming the official survey.
If the figure is confirmed, it will be the lowest election turnout in Iran since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 that brought the current theocracy to power, despite officials twice extending voting hours to allow late-comers to cast ballots.
The pro-reform newspaper Ham Mihan published an opinion piece titled The Silent Majority, reporting a turnout of some 40 percent.
Shortly afterwards, however, the title of the piece was changed to Roll Call without any explanation, which commenters on social media networks blamed on pressure exerted on the newspaper by authorities.
So far, the lowest turnout, 42.5 percent, was registered in the February 2020 parliamentary elections, while in 2016, the turnout was some 62 percent.
As the voting concluded, the United States made clear that the international community was aware that the results of the poll would not reflect the will of the Iranian people.
"As some Iranians vote today in their first parliamentary election since the regime's latest violent crackdown, the world knows the Iranian people do not have a true say at the ballot box," U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Iran Abram Paley wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Ahead of the vote, prominent figures, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, said they would boycott the elections, labeling them as superficial and predetermined.
Mohammad Khatami, Iran's first reformist president, was among the critics who did not vote on March 1.
Mostafa Tajzadeh, a former deputy interior minister, has also voiced his refusal to vote, criticizing the supreme leader's indifference to the country's crises.
Voter apathy, along with general dissatisfaction over living standards and a clampdown on basic human rights in Iran, has been growing for years.
Even before Amini's death, which sparked massive protests and the Women, Life, Freedom movement, unrest had rattled Iran for months in response to declining living standards, wage arrears, and a lack of insurance support.
In a last-ditch effort to encourage a high turnout, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said after casting his ballot in Tehran that voting would "make friends happy and ill-wishers unhappy."
While domestically attention is mostly focused on the parliamentary elections, it is perhaps the Assembly of Experts polls that are more significant.
The 88-seat assembly, whose members are elected for eight-year terms, is tasked with appointing the next supreme leader. Given that Khamenei is 84, the next assembly may end up having to name his successor.
Analysts and activists said the elections were "engineered" because only candidates vetted and approved by the Guardian Council were allowed to run. The council is made up of six clerics and six jurists who are all appointed directly and indirectly by Khamenei.
In dozens of audio and written messages sent to RFE/RL's Radio Farda from inside Iran, many said they were opting against voting because the elections were "meaningless" and likely to consolidate the hard-liners' grip on power.
With reporting by Reuters
People Keep Paying Their Respects At Navalny's Grave Despite Police Presence And Arrests
People continued to come and pay their respects on March 2 at the grave of Aleksei Navalny, who was buried in Moscow on March 1 following his suspicious death in an Arctic prison last month, despite a high police presence at the cemetery and the arrest of more than 120 people across Russia for taking part in rallies to honor the memory of the late opposition politician.
Navalny was laid to rest in a cemetery near his childhood home in Moscow as tens of thousands of supporters defiantly risked reprisals from the authorities as police kept them from joining in the services.
Lithuania-based Russian journalist Aleksandr Plyushchev reposted on his Telegram channel a message from a a woman who visited the Borisovskye cemetery in the morning of March 2 and said security forces were still at the cemetery in high numbers while iron fences installed the previous day ahead of the funeral procession were still there.
The woman said "lots of flowers are still being brought, and people keep coming," and posted several photos showing Navalny's grave covered by fresh flowers and wreaths. The woman mentioned that security forces did not rush people, allowing them to spend as much time as they wanted at the cemetery.
Alla Abrosimova, the mother of Navalny's wife, Yulia, visited her son-in-law's grave again on March 2, together with Navalny's mother. A photo of the two mothers was posted on Telegram.
Abrosimova on March 1 posted a video in which she delivered a speech at Navalny's grave.
"Yulia called me 10 times today. 'Tell him [Aleksei Navalny] directly that I love him immensely. Although you don't have to talk, because he knows it very well.' And you know, somewhere he is happy, because not everyone gets to love and be loved like that," Abrosimova said in the video.
Yulia Navalnaya, who lives outside Russia for security reasons, did not attend the service. But she posted an emotional letter and video on Instagram paying tribute to her husband, saying he made her laugh, even when he was imprisoned.
"I don't know how to live without you, but I will try my best to make you up there happy for me and proud of me. I don't know if I'll manage it or not, but I will try," she said, alluding to her pledge to continue her husband's work to bring democracy and freedom to Russia.
Relatives and close associates were allowed to be present at the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God for a brief funeral ceremony for President Vladimir Putin's most prominent foe before the burial in nearby Borisovskoye Cemetery.
Police forces were out in large numbers across Russia, and although no immediate incidents were reported during the funeral ceremony, more than 120 people were later detained in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, and other Russian cities for participating in rallies in Navalny's memory.
In Novosibirsk, police detained at least 18 people, according to Coalition Novosibirsk 2020 and Sibirmedia.
In Moscow, according to the Avtozak Telegram channel, at least 17 people were detained.
Among those detained in Moscow were Mikhail Shneider, former deputy head of the opposition People's Freedom party, or PARNAS, which was shut down by authorities in May, and Andrei Morev, the deputy head of the Moscow branch of the Yabloko party, and his colleague Alexander Efimov. Morev was later released without any official registration of his arrest.
Meanwhile, the First Department human rights project reported that courts in four Russian regions have declared Navalny's name an "extremist symbol."
First Department reported that the designation was used against three participants in rallies in Navalny's memory in the Chelyabinsk, Krasnodar, and Murmansk regions. The designation was reportedly used in the Ulyanovsk region, too.
During the funeral procession on March 1, many people threw flowers at the hearse carrying the coffin to the cemetery as some mourners broke down metal fences to get closer to the vehicle. Chants like "Russia will be free," "No to war," and "Putin is a murderer," could be heard from the crowds.
The U.S. ambassador to Moscow and several other Western diplomats attended the funeral.
"Aleksei Navalny's work was dedicated to sharing a vision of a better future for Russia and all Russians. And ultimately, he gave his life for his patriotic service. For many Russians, he remains a symbol of what Russia could and should be," the U.S. Embassy in Moscow said in a post on Telegram.
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hailed both Navalny's memory and the courage of those who attended his funeral in a message on X, formerly Twitter.
"It took a lot of courage to go pay tribute to Aleksei Navalny. Thousands of Russians found it within themselves. This is his legacy. Memory eternal," Macron wrote.
Scholz wrote that "Aleksei Navalny paid for his fight for democracy and freedom with his life."
"After his death, courageous Russians are carrying on his legacy: Many of them were at the funeral today and took a big risk -- for freedom," he added.
Navalny's death was announced on February 16 at the Polar Wolf prison colony in the Russian Arctic, where he was serving a 19-year term on extremism and other charges that he and his supporters had rejected as politically motivated.
Authorities claimed his sudden death was prompted by "natural causes" and then refused to release his body to his family for about a week.
The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement or responsibility for Navalny's death.
With reporting by SOTA, Mediazona, Baza, and Mozhem Obyasnit
- By Reuters
Russian 'Disinformation' Hyped Paris Bedbug Scare, French Deputy Minister Says
A bedbug scare in Paris last year that made headlines across the globe was artificially amplified by social media accounts linked to Russian "disinformation" activities, a French minister said on March 1. "The bedbug polemic was in a very large part amplified by accounts linked to the Kremlin," French European Affairs Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told TF1 television. After social media users published videos of the insects crawling around on public transportation, officials called on the government to help stamp out the bugs. A deep inspection was carried out, but authorities said there was no trace of any unusual outbreak.
Wanted Former Wirecard Executive Spied For Russia For Years, Investigative Journalists Say
The former chief operating officer of the defunct German fintech giant Wirecard, who fled to Russia in 2020 to evade possible prosecution on embezzlement and fraud charges, spied for Moscow for years, according to an investigation by German, Austrian, and Russian media outlets published on March 1.
Among the findings of the investigative article by journalists with ZDF, the German magazine Spiegel, the Austrian newspaper Der Standard, and The Insider is that Jan Marsalek, the shady central figure in the implosion of the German digital-payment-services provider, changed his identity while in Russia.
The journalists obtained a copy of Marsalek's current Russian passport in which he is identified as Konstantin Bayazov. The reporters found out that a man with that name is an Orthodox priest residing in the Russian city of Lipetsk southeast of Moscow. The priest resembles Marsalek, and their birthdates are only one year apart.
Marsalek appears to have assumed Bayazov's identity to be able to travel, the investigative journalists reported. The priest said he had no comment on their findings.
"I have told you that you journalists must understand that we cannot speak with you," Bayazov told ZDF.
The investigation also uncovered details about Marsalek's Russian friend Natalia Zlobina, who in 2014 introduced him to Stanislav Petlinsky, who ultimately helped Marsalek establish contacts with representatives of Russia's military intelligence agency (GRU).
Zlobina, a former erotic model who is identified in the investigation as his lover, had been "attached" to Marsalek and assigned to recruit him to collaborate with Russian secret services.
Petlinsky, who calls himself "a security consultant," told the journalists while meeting with them in Dubai that he had introduced Marsalek to "some influential persons in Russia" up to the level of lawmakers, but not to secret service employees and he denied that Marsalek worked for the Russian secret services.
Petlinsky met with Marsalek in his office in Munich opposite the Russian consulate, where Marsalek regularly met with influential people active in politics, business, and national security officials, the investigation reports.
Meanwhile, some security officials in the West say they have information about Petlinsky's cooperation with Russian secret services.
Petlinsky confirmed to the investigative journalists that in 2017 he and Marsalek visited Wagner mercenary group troops in Syria and took part in recruiting Russian mercenaries for military operations in Libya.
The investigation said it was very likely that Marsalek, while representing Wirecard, used a network of firms to buy out assets of Russia's RSB Group, a provider of services to military mercenaries across the world.
Austrian investigators say Marsalek was part of a secret services' cell providing them business opportunities and authority.
"The intensive investigations...substantiate the suspicion and point to an intelligence network that is well established in Austria...around the Austrian citizen Jan Marsalek, who is still a fugitive," a report by the Austrian special investigator said.
In addition, British authorities say Marsalek led a Russian spy network in London that followed individuals the Kremlin did not like, including Christo Grozev of the Bellingcat investigative group, which investigated Marsalek's activities.
Marsalek's lawyer refused to comment on the situation to the investigative journalists.
Wirecard, a company that was once listed in Germany's DAX index of top-tier companies, plunged into crisis in 2020 when auditors pointed to a massive 1.9 billion-euro ($2.06 billion) hole in its accounts, sending the once high-flying company into insolvency.
Marsalek is wanted by German and Austrian authorities on suspicion of embezzlement and fraud.
Since the collapse of Wirecard, interest in Marsalek has expanded beyond his role in Wirecard to include his other business and political interests.
The Financial Times reported in July that Marsalek was a person of interest to at least three Western intelligence agencies over his association with individuals or networks linked to Russia's GRU.
With reporting by ZDF, Der Spiegel, Standards, and The Insider
Kasparov Says Russia May Shed Some Territories If It Loses War In Ukraine
Self-exiled Russian opposition politician and co-founder of the Free Russia Forum Garry Kasparov told RFE/RL in an interview on March 1 that Russia's current borders may "not necessarily remain" if Moscow loses the war in Ukraine but stressed that a total dissolution of Russia is unlikely.
Among possible regions Kasparov said might separate from the Russian Federation are the republics of Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Daghestan, and Chechnya, but he added he doesn't believe everything is clear about what will come after the war.
"At the end of the day economic factors will play a major role in that matter. But it is very important today not to support the position of a united and indivisible Russia," Kasparov said, adding that he believes "the change of Russia's imperial character is necessary for its reformatting."
The 60-year-old former world chess champion said the losses to Russia would be "minimal" but said, "If you reject an empire, then you have to agree that some of its parts can go away in the end."
The bonds that would make it hard for Russia to dissolve would be mostly economic ties, he said. But if some parts of Russia seceded, it would then become possible to reach new agreements between Russia's territories under what would be a "free confederation."
"It is right, among other things, from a psychological point of view because it will be impossible to build a nonimperial Russia while preserving imperial misconceptions," Kasparov said, speaking with RFE/RL in Vilnius at a gathering of Russian opposition figures.
Kasparov also said he believes the United States and the European Union are "afraid" of possible dissolution of Russia if it loses the war in Ukraine.
This creates problems in West's better understanding of the world and the war in Ukraine and affects the West's support of Kyiv's efforts to stand against Russia's full-scale aggression.
A Ukrainian victory would be a "mighty blow" to Russia, he said, and would "most likely lead to the change of [its] entire political structure."
Kasparov has said the Russian public does not yet understand that the war is heading toward defeat and that "Putin's dictatorship will not survive."
Kasparov, who currently resides in the United States, is known as a staunch critic of the Kremlin's policies, including the war in Ukraine. He and another prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former oil tycoon, were added to Russia's registry of foreign agents in May 2022.
The Vilnius meeting was the 12th session of the Free Russia Forum.
With reporting by Andrei Grigoryev of RFE/RL's Idel.Realities
Siberian Activist Arrested On Sexual Abuse Charge Now Accused Of Violation Of Foreign Agent Law
The Telegram channel Kuzbass bez ekstremizma, which is linked to police in Russia's Kemerovo region, said on March 1 that local activist Sergei Piskunov, who was arrested last month on a charge of sexual abuse, is now also accused of violating the law on so-called foreign agents. Piskunov was labeled a foreign agent in 2021. Investigators say Piskunov failed to mark his public materials as created by a foreign agent. Piskunov used to coordinate activities of the Golos (Voice) movement that monitored elections in Kemerovo. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities, click here.
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Duck Dynasty's Willie, Korie Robertson: We Adopted 'Lil' Will' Before We Were Rich; We Didn't Even Have Enough Money for Adoption Fee
"Duck Dynasty" stars Willie and Korie Robertson were among the celebrities honored Wednesday night by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute in Washington, D.C. for making the decision to adopt their son, Will, and for promoting adoption at events throughout the United States.
Willie and Korie "have twice restored the hope of a family to a child in distress and are vocal advocates of adoption," CCAI Executive Director Kathleen Strottman said in a statement shared with The Christian Post.
"I think it's important for people to know that we adopted Will before we became rich and famous," said Willie, who was recognized as one of CCAI's National Angels in Adoption at the awards gala. "I say that because I think sometimes people think that only the rich and famous have what it takes, the money, the staff, to give a home to a child. But the truth is anyone can do it, once you have committed to make that kind of difference in a child's life. It's one of the best things I've ever done."
Willie and Korie have five children: John Luke, Will, Sadie, Bella and Rebecca. John Luke is their eldest son; Will, who's called "Little Will" on A&E's "Duck Dynasty," was adopted when he was 5 weeks old. Sadie is their eldest daughter, followed by Bella; and Rebecca, who lived with the family as an exchange student from Taiwan, is being fostered by the couple.
According to People magazine, when Willie and Korie went to meet and adopt Will as an infant, before the fame and fortune that came with the duck call business, they couldn't afford the adoption fee.
"We said, 'We're good for it – we'll come back,'" he said, adding, "We've paid it, by the way."
Korie, who also spoke at the gala, told the audience that: "From the moment we found out about him, he was ours. ... I've done a lot of cool things in the past couple of years, I've been to Super Bowls, I've met presidents – but the best decision we ever made – that made the biggest impact on our life was the adoption of our son Will."
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), co-chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption and a founder of the program, nominated Wilie and Korie Robertson for the award and spoke about her own connection to adoption.
"My family is built through adoption," she said in a statement. "My husband was adopted from an orphanage in Ireland when he was 5, and together, we have brought two wonderful children into our family through adoption."
The Robertsons were joined by fellow honorees, actress Deborra-lee Furness, New Orleans Saints Owner Rita Benson LeBlanc and 145 other parents throughout the U.S., who were nominated by their congressional representatives. The CCAI's 15th annual awards gala was held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, the real-life couple depicted in the Academy Award-winning film "The Blindside" and 2009 National Angels in Adoption, served as emcees.


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Coral Scarab Wrap Necklace
The Coral Scarab Wrap Necklace by Scarab Jewellery Design Studio.
Coral bead double-sided Scarab wrap necklace with natural 2mm coral beads set with 6 Scarab trinkets.
This long coral bead wrap necklace with 2mm coral beads is 89cm long and can be worn as a double strand necklace, or 'wrapped' around the wrist as a bracelet.
6 Scarab trinkets and fob elevate this wrap necklace into a class of its own.
About The Designer:
Scarab Jewellery Design Studio is based in South Africa and offers jewellery from creative designer Janine Davidson. Scarab Jewellery Design Studio brings you expertly crafted pieces with close attention to detail.
To find out more about the designer, please visit Scarab Jewellery Design Studio.
Necklace Type | Lariat |
Gemstone | Coral |
Gemstones | Coral |
Gemstone details | Coral bead double-sided Scarab wrap necklace with natural 2mm coral beads 9cm long and can be worn as a double strand necklace, or 'wrapped' around the wrist as a bra |
Material | Silver |
Other materials | Silver 925 |
Days To Make | 2 |
Price | £320.00 |
Weight (grams) | 0.050000 |
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Hundreds of loved ones gathered at a Langley church on Tuesday to remember a seven-year-old girl who was a "once-in-a-lifetime friend" found dead in an apartment late last month.
Friends, family and caregivers packed the auditorium at the Christian Life Assembly, fighting back tears, to tell the story of Aaliyah Rosa's too-short life.
The girl's death has been declared a homicide after her body was found in the building near 200 Street and 68 Avenue in Langley's Willoughby neighbourhood the night of July 22. A 36-year-old woman, who was taken into medical care at the time, is believed to have been involved, but police have not provided details.
Pastor Bill Ashbee asked for a moment of silence as he read a prayer for Aaliyah.
"In the middle of a puzzlingly evil act, God loves children," Ashbee said.
He addressed the girl's father, Steve Rosa, who was sitting in the front row with other family members.
"Steve, we've talked, and I understand some of the questions you have, all of the emotions… all of the whys. We're here on this journey with you," Ashbee said. "This is a safe place for you today, Steve. A safe place for all."
Trish Wright, one of Aaliyah's after-school teachers, spoke about a vivacious girl who brightened every room she walked into.
"She wore her heart on sleeve and let you know exactly how she felt," said Wright. "Aaliyah would be the first one fighting with the boys over which Hot Wheels were hers… she stood her ground for what she believed were her truths."
READ MORE: Online fundraiser started for dad of 7-year-old girl killed in Langley
With a constant sparkle of mischief in her eyes, Aaliyah was always the star of the show.
"Aaliyah loved to play 'freeze dance' with her favourite pop star Taylor Swift blaring from the stereo. The girls would all sing from the top of their lungs: 'We are never, ever, ever getting back together!'" Wright said. "I'm shocked we didn't wear that CD out."
And no matter what, Aaliyah was forever "daddy's little girl," Wright said.
When Steve dropped off his daughter every day, Aaliyah would ask him to stay.
"'Daddy, please just one more hug,' she would beg. And Steve would always give it."
Nadia Causley, the mom of Aaliyah's best friend, Stella, talked about a girl with a contagious smile who made the Causley family her own.
"Aaliyah is a once-in-a-lifetime friend. She and Stella will always be besties," said Causley.
The two girls met in pre-school, but Aaliyah quickly became much more than that.
"She became a part of our family… our rambunctious fourth child," Causley said. "When she would come over, it would be full-on arguing and fighting with all of our kids with the familiarity and love of siblings."
She paused, gathering her emotions.
"I can't believe she's gone," she said. "Aaliyah was awesome. For those of you who didn't know her… you missed out. The world missed out."
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If you, or a member of your household or community has a disability or any special requirement that may affect the ability to cope in a disaster, make arrangements now to get the required support.
Build a personal support network
Organise a personal support network of a minimum of three people to alert you to civil defence warnings, or to help if you need to be evacuated. This could be family members, carers, friends, neighbours or co-workers.
Ensure you have an emergency plan before a disaster happens and practice it with your support network. Plan for various disasters and situations you could encounter.
Discuss your needs with the support network and make sure everyone knows how to operate necessary equipment.
Inform your support team if you are travelling or away from home.
You should also consider
Ensuring you have emergency survival items, including any specialised items you need, and a getaway kit in case of evacuation.
Keeping at least seven days' supply of your essential medications and make provisions for those that require refrigeration.
Wearing a medical alert tag or bracelet to identify your disability or health condition.
When travelling, letting a hotel or motel manager know of your requirements in case of an emergency.
Knowing where to go for assistance if you are dependent on a dialysis machine or other life-sustaining equipment or treatment.
If you have a hearing impairment
Radio and television stations will broadcast civil defence information and advice before and during a disaster. Ask your support network to alert you to warnings and keep you informed. Contact the emergency management staff to find out what local warning systems are in place in your community.
Consider installing a system appropriate to your needs such as an alarm with flashing strobe lights to get your attention. Replace the batteries once a year. You may want to consider giving a key to a neighbour so they can alert you to a warning. Keep a writing pad and pencils and a torch in your getaway kit so you can communicate with others.
If you have a sight impairment
People who are blind or partially sighted may have to depend on others if they have to evacuate or go to a Civil Defence Centre. If you have a guide dog, make sure you have a getaway kit for your dog with food, medications, vaccination records, identification and harnesses to take with you. Keep extra canes at home and in the workplace even if you use a guide dog. Be aware that animals may become confused or disoriented in an emergency. Trained service animals will be allowed to stay in emergency shelters with their owners. Check with your local council for more information.
If you have a physical disability or mobility impairment
If you or someone you are caring for has a physical disability or difficulty with mobility, include mobility aids in your emergency getaway kit. This will help you cope if you are evacuated to a different area. In a major earthquake the ground-shaking will make it difficult or impossible for you to move any distance. If you cannot safely get under a table, move near an inside wall of the building away from windows and tall items that can fall on you, and cover your head and neck as best you can. Lock your wheels if you are in a wheelchair. In bed, pull the sheets and blankets over you and use your pillow to protect your head and neck.
If you have asthma or respiratory problems
People with asthma or a respiratory disorder will be more susceptible to dust, volcanic ash, or the stress of an emergency. Make sure you have dust masks at home and in your emergency getaway kit and sufficient medicines for at least seven days.
If you have special food requirements
If you, or someone you are caring for, have special dietary needs, make sure there is sufficient stock of these food items for at least seven days at home, and in the emergency getaway kit. If you have to be evacuated, emergency shelters are unlikely to have the special food items you may need.


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Trovagene and Strand Life Sciences Plan Collaboration to Validate and Offer Urine-Based HPV Screening Test in India and South Asia
SAN DIEGO, June 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Trovagene, Inc. (Nasdaq: TROV), a developer of trans-renal molecular diagnostics, and Strand Life Sciences Pvt Ltd., of Bangalore, India, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to license and validate Trovagene's proprietary Human Papillomavirus (HPV) urine test and High Risk HPV DNA Assay for clinical diagnostic and carrier screening use in India and countries in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation ("SAARC").
"The potential to use urine, an easily obtained and stable testing sample, for high risk HPV carrier screening across medically underserved areas is very promising," remarks Vijay Chandru, PhD, chairman and chief executive officer of Strand Life Sciences. "We are pleased to be working with Trovagene, a leader in this field, on this important project that has the potential to make HPV screening broadly available in the region and to become a new standard of care."
Strand intends to establish Trovagene's proprietary HPV assay technology in its molecular diagnostic laboratory operations and to perform extended analytical and clinical validation studies in its target markets. The initial validation will assess the diagnostic accuracy using urine as a specimen for HPV testing in various stages of disease progression, ranging from low grade erosions to established cervical cancer. This will be compared to standard cytology and PAP staining as well as a commercially available standard molecular test for the detection of HPV DNA from cervical smears.
"The concept of carrier screening for high risk HPV status is one that may change the way the risk for cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers is detected," states Antonius Schuh, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Trovagene. "In the majority of high risk HPV carriers the virus clears spontaneously. These individuals do not need to undergo more invasive diagnostic procedures. A urine test holds the promise to identify individuals free of high-risk HPV in an entirely non-invasive fashion."
Strand also intends to explore and validate the clinical utility of HPV DNA testing as a risk indicator and pathological cause of oral cancer in buccal swabs, biopsies and saliva/sputum specimens.
About Strand Life Sciences Pvt Ltd.
Strand Life Sciences – "Strand" has pioneered the practice of scientific intelligence in life and health sciences. Strand's segue into the life sciences was through products and services for research biologists, chemists, and toxicologists that combine advanced visualization, predictive systems modeling, data integration and scientific context management. Strand was spun off by faculty of the Indian Institute of Science, the first sanctioned example of academic entrepreneurship in India. Strand has a strong portfolio of intellectual property which include products such as GeneSpring, Avadis NGS, the Virtual Liver Platform and several novel biomarkers. Over 2000 research laboratories worldwide (about 30% of global market share) are licensees of Strand's technology products as are several leading Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology companies. Strand's talent pool, of around 150 "best in class" computer scientists and biologists, has repeatedly demonstrated capabilities to define and deliver path breaking products and solutions.
Strand's state-of-the-art Research and Development Center in Bangalore includes a 30,000 square feet informatics facility space in Bangalore has dedicated customer work areas with electronic access systems and exclusive network infrastructure to ensure conformance to the highest level of data and information security. Strand and its partner Ganit Labs share additional 10,000 square feet of laboratory space with state of the art clinical genomics capabilities and capacity for pre-clinical toxicology assays of lead compounds.
For more information, visit www.strandls.com or e-mail us at [email protected].
About Trovagene, Inc.
Headquartered in San Diego, California, Trovagene is developing its patented technology for the detection of transrenal DNA and RNA, short nucleic acid fragments, originating from normal and diseased cell death that cross the kidney barrier and can be detected in urine.
Trovagene has a dominant patent position as it relates to transrenal molecular testing. It has U.S. and European patent applications and issued patents that cover testing for HPV and other infectious diseases, cancer, transplantation, prenatal and genetic testing. In addition, it owns worldwide rights to nucleophosmin-1 (NPM1), an informative biomarker for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and mutations in the SF3B1 gene, which have been shown to be associated with chemotherapy response in CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukemia) patients.
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "forecast," "estimated" and "intend," among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Trovagene's current expectations and actual results could differ materially. There are a number of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, substantial competition; our ability to continue as a going concern; our need for additional financing; uncertainties of patent protection and litigation; uncertainties of government or third party payer reimbursement; limited sales and marketing efforts and dependence upon third parties; and risks related to failure to obtain FDA clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA regulations. As with any medical diagnostic tests under development, there are significant risks in the development, regulatory approval and commercialization of new products. There are no guarantees that future clinical trials discussed in this press release will be completed or successful or that any product will receive regulatory approval for any indication or prove to be commercially successful. Trovagene does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. Investors should read the risk factors set forth in Trovagene's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contacts |
Trovagene, Inc. |
Strand Life Sciences Pvt Ltd. |
Stephen Zaniboni |
Vikash Neelakantan |
Chief Financial Officer |
Assistant Manager – Business Operations |
+1 (858) 496-7466 |
+91 (80) 40787258 |
SOURCE Trovagene, Inc.