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Singapore should have wildlife control down to a science
Natalia Huang For The Straits Times 22 Feb 17;
As land is scarce, should wildlife growth be regulated, like cars? Let an animal management committee decide.
Where there is limited space, intensive management of the things taking up that space is needed.
Roads are limited in Singapore, and so the number of cars is managed intensively. Our options are to either build more roads or have fewer cars. We don't have the space for many more roads, so we need to have fewer cars.
Similarly, wildlife habitat is limited in Singapore. Our options are to either create more wildlife habitats or have less wildlife. Thankfully, we can choose both of these options, and more.
Every few months, public servants evaluate how many new cars should be allowed on the roads. The Land Transport Authority's vehicle quota system "regulates the rate of growth of vehicles on our roads, at a rate that can be sustained by developments (of future roads)", according to its website.
It does this with careful calculations and tried-and-tested methods, not with any sudden moves and certainly not in response to any complaints.
Why not apply this same stringent level of calculation to managing our wildlife?
We might be able to regulate the rate of growth of wildlife in our reserves (or facilitate them to do so themselves) at a rate that can be sustained by future human population growth. An undisputed first necessity is scientific research so that we shift our responses from knee-jerk and short term to scientifically sound and long term.
FORM AN INFORMED COMMITTEE
The vehicle quota system was probably created by an informed group backed by research. We need an informed committee for animal management issues in Singapore.
The role of this committee would be to come up with a united and scientific approach towards animal management across Singapore. It would assess the current situation, devise and oversee relevant research, such as alternatives to culling, trial those alternatives and implement management actions.
Wildlife is more complex than cars, and human-wildlife conflict even more complex. This means there are different topics to deal with, such as wildlife behaviour, governance, scientific research and public behaviour. This committee needs scientist representatives from the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA), National Parks Board (NParks), Wildlife Reserves Singapore, academia (comprising primate/boar/bird researchers and human behaviour change experts), Nature Society (Singapore) and animal activist group Acres, just to name a few. They should be carefully selected to ensure balanced representation. There already exist successful working groups for pangolins and pythons.
FUND THE RESEARCH
A major role of this committee would be to generate research projects which can address the immediate and long-term needs of animal management in Singapore. Any decision about animal management - especially culling - should be made by a committee which informs itself through scientific research and representative expertise.
Research could include alternatives to culling, effectiveness of each alternative, impact of culling (such as loss of genetic diversity), ability of wildlife species to manage their own numbers, methods to dissuade animals from leaving forested areas, public education, ways to alter human behaviour, and future rates of growth or loss of wildlife and habitat space.
Creative alternatives need to be conceived, tested and trialled.
The call for scientific research is not new. What is needed is funding, a scientific committee to define the research and dedicated animal management researchers. Has animal management become enough of a priority to draw funding from government coffers?
'SEAMLESS' WILDLIFE LAWS
What exacerbates the local animal management issue is legislation. If a monkey sits in a tree in a nature reserve, it is under NParks' protection. The moment it steps outside the reserve, it is under the jurisdiction of AVA. Each government department might respond differently to the monkey and to public complaints about it. We need a unified set of laws for all wildlife in Singapore.
Wildlife laws also need to be revised to reflect the current state of affairs. For example, the common mynah and daurian starling are no longer common in Singapore, but they are listed as pest species in the Wild Animals and Birds Act. This Act refers to bird damage to crops, which was relevant in 1965, when the law was created, but not in 2017.
Another example is that of the red junglefowl, which is listed as endangered in the Singapore Red Data Book, our national assessment of the threatened status of our native animals.
This native chicken is also noisy; it is unclear whether the authorities would allow a threatened species like this to be culled. Interestingly, culling of domestic chickens may benefit our junglefowl by removing the opportunity for them to interbreed and hybridise, so this may be an action the committee could explore.
MAKE MORE SPACE
Remember, our options were to create more wildlife habitats or have less wildlife. Creating more wildlife habitats may not be that easy as developments vie for space and continue to intrude into forested areas. Wildlife habitat keeps decreasing but the number of animals probably stays the same.
The obvious move is to stop encroaching into forested areas and to protect the wildlife habitat which already exists. This would provide space for wildlife to persist.
The committee might be able to examine the carrying capacity of Singapore's natural spaces. Carrying capacity is the maximum number of animals an area can support, and this is determined through scientific research. Increasing carrying capacity could be possible by creating new habitat, such as restoring degraded forested areas, planting green corridors and officially protecting natural spaces.
To plan for the future, the committee could work with the Urban Redevelopment Authority to generate an animal management plan which incorporates future plans for land-use, developments and natural spaces as well as projected wildlife growth.
HAVE LESS WILDLIFE?
If the decision is for less wildlife, culling may be an option to remove problematic wildlife.
It is a chosen option by many countries where animals threaten human livelihoods and lives. Animals can become over-abundant if they adapt well to urban areas (for example, crows, pigeons, monkeys) or because they have no predators (for example, wild boar).
When these animals damage property or forested areas, culling can be effective to reduce their numbers. However, culling must only be conducted following research, a thorough assessment of alternatives, as part of a long-term solution and as a joint decision by the committee.
People living in Singapore are a logical and fair bunch. We can understand the need for a vehicle quota system and, albeit reluctantly, certificates of entitlement.
Teach us about animals - why they do what they do and what we can do to avoid conflicts. Teach us that part of living in Singapore involves living with wildlife, and that this is something to be proud of. Charge those who enjoy our wildlife to write letters of compliment to, well, complement complaint letters.
We also respect systems. Come up with an animal management system which is backed by expertise and research, and commit to it. When complaints arise, respond in a united manner backed by the animal management committee and system.
Ultimately, Singapore is a modified landscape and it is up to us to manage it - for cars, people or wildlife. We need to address the animal management issue in a united and scientific manner, instead of behaving like (and creating) headless chickens.
The writer is principal ecologist at Ecology Matters, a consultancy providing ecological advice and biodiversity studies for environmental impact assessments.
Malaysia: My Chini 1.0 to raise awareness on need to save Tasik Chini
New Straits Times 21 Feb 17;
KUANTAN: Conservation efforts to save Tasik Chini, the second-largest freshwater lake in the country, from the threat of development should be intensifed to ensure that it does not suffer the same fate as Tasik Mentiga, said an environmental activist.
My Chini 1.0 Programme director Nurizzah Ismail said the natural lake is currently facing threat to its ecosystem and natural environment by development surrounding the area.
"Not many people are aware that Malaysia has three natural lakes - Tasik Bera, Tasik Chini and Tasik Mentiga - located in Pahang and that Tasik Mentiga has dried up and considered extinct.
"Recognising the threat faced by Tasik Chini, and to prevent it from suffering the same fate as Tasik Mentiga, MyChini 1.0 programme will be organising programmes to raise awareness among the younger generation on the issue," she told Bernama.
Nurizzah said its efforts also received support from various non governmental organisations as well as assistance from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)'s Tasik Chini Research Centre, which has been conducting research in the area.
Among the NGOs involved in the MyChini 1.0 programme are; Umno Overseas Clubs Alumni (Akuln), Najib Razak Club (NRC11), Kelas Kaseh, Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) and UiTM Student Representative Council Alumni (Pimpin).
"We hope the awareness programmes will benefit the future generation who may not have the opportunithy to enjoy the beauty of Tasik Chini if conservation efforts are not carried out earnestly from now," she said.
The 202-hectare Tasik Chini in Pekan district of Pahang covers 700 hectares of swamps and forest.
The lake comprises a series of 12 lakes, dubbed as "sea' by the Jakun tribe of the Orang Asli community, and is also listed under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) biosphere reserve.
About 51 lowland plant species, 15 swamp plant species, 25 water plant species and 87 freshwater fish species abound in the area which is famous for its wild lotus flowers that thrive there. -- Bernama
labels global, wetlands
Indonesia: Two additional helicopters needed to anticipate Riau`s forest fires
Antara 22 Feb 17;
Pekanbaru (ANTARA News) - Two additional helicopters are needed in Riau Province, Sumatra Island, to anticipate the annual land and forest fires, Riaus Forest and Land Emergency Alert Task Force Commander Brig. Gen. Nurendi stated.
"We have, so far, had one Bell 412 helicopter, while the areas that should be covered are large enough. In anticipating an emergency situation caused by land and forest fires, we need at least two helicopters," he noted here, Tuesday.
The two helicopters will be stationed in Pekanbaru and Dumai, he said, adding that the Bell 412 helicopter, provided by the Environment and Forestry Ministry, has been used to conduct air patrols and water bombings since the end of January 2017.
Nurendi said he has officially requested the deployment of the two helicopters.
"We have even requested for an aircraft that can be used to conduct weather modification operations for creating artificial rain," the Military Region Command (Korem) 031/Wira Bima commander stated.
To optimize the task forces efforts to anticipate the threats of this years land and forest fires, Nurendi revealed that the helicopters, owned by the local air force base and pulp and paper firms, were expected to be involved in an emergency situation.
Riau Provinces Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency has detected seven hotspots in five districts on Tuesday.
(Reported by Anggi Romadhoni/Uu.R013/INE/KR-BSR/F001)
Indonesia: Floods hit 54 areas in Jakarta
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Incessant heavy rains that had lashed since around 3 a.m. local time on Tuesday, triggered flooding that inundated 54 areas in Indonesias capital city of Jakarta.
Flooding was reported among other things in Grogol, with floodwaters reaching up to 30 centimeters in height; Gunung Sahari, up to 1.5 meters; and Kelapa Gading, Kemang, Cipinang Melayu, Kebayoran Baru, and Cawang, among other areas, according to information from the Jakarta Polices Traffic Management Center.
The flooding has disrupted traffic and caused congestion on several roads.
Heavy rains and thundering are forecast to continue until Wednesday (Feb 22) in Jakarta, Bogor, Bekasi, Depok, and Tangerang, Hary Tirto Djatmiko, spokesman of the meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency, stated.
Major flooding was also reported in Depok and Bekasi, forcing several inhabitants to move to higher grounds.(*)
BNPB advises Jakarta to brace for floods
The Jakarta Post 21 Feb 17;
Heavy rainfall since the early morning has led to floods in several areas of Jakarta.
Water was rising at several flood gates at 6 a.m., with most alarming level at Karet in South Jakarta, Pasar Ikan in North Jakarta and Pulo Gadung in East Jakarta.
Places nearby have been inundated with water, including the Cipinang Melayu and Cawang underpasses, both in East Jakarta.
"People should remain on alert and brace for floods," said National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho in a press statement.
The rain and floods, however, have not stopped a group of people who planned to stage a rally in front of the House of Representatives demanding the prosecution of Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama.
The Jakarta Police have reported that 200 people are already in front of the House complex in Senayan, Jakarta, as of 7:34 a.m.
BNPB provides real time information on the flood status in the capital via petabencana.id. (wit)
Indonesia: Activists help dolphin find way back to Mahakam River
N. Adri The Jakarta Post 22 Feb 17;
A pesut (Irrawaddy dolphin) that was found trapped in a swamp in Sangkuliman village, Kutai Kartanegara regency, East Kalimantan, is now free after local animal activists facilitated the mammal's return to the Mahakam River.
"According to locals, the pesut had been trapped in the area for two weeks," said Innal Rachman, an activist from Save the Mahakam Dolphin.
Following up on the report, the Rare Aquatic Species Indonesia (RASI) conservation foundation and Save the Mahakam Dolphin sent five people to check on the condition of the mammal. The East Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) also deployed a team to assist the dolphin.
RASI researcher Danielle Kreb said the dolphin did not immediately return to the Mahakam River after the activists made a way for it to swim. The animal instead played around with the activists.
Kreb said the RASI team would check again on Wednesday to see whether the dolphin had managed to return permanently to the Mahakam River. Activists will lead it to the river if it cannot find its own way back to its habitat.
This is not the first time a dolphin has been found trapped in the village area. "In 2002, there was a pesut trapped in Sangkuliman," said Innal. In 2009, Innal added, a dolphin and its baby were also found trapped in the swamp. Villagers and the RASI team were able to save the dolphins and return them to the Mahakam River. (trw)
labels dolphins, global, marine
Indonesia: Foreign researchers 'steal' Indonesia's genetic resources
Hans Nicholas Jong The Jakarta Post 22 Feb 17;
Govt may incorporate clause on biopiracy in revision of 1990 bill on natural resources
As one of the most species-rich countries on earth, Indonesia attracts researchers from around the world to study the archipelago's unique ecosystems, which contain a diverse array of flora and fauna.
Indonesia, for instance, possesses 10 percent of the world's flowering species, 12 percent of the world's mammals and 17 percent of the total species of birds, despite occupying only 1.3 percent of the world's land surface.
However, this rich biodiversity makes Indonesia a haven for biopiracy, a practice where natural resources and traditional knowledge are being exploited without consent.
"There are lots of cases we've discovered that have occurred through research and cooperation where we haven't realized that our genetic resources were being stolen," said Rosichon Ubaidillah, the head of zoology at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) biology research department.
He cited various examples, including varieties of Indonesian eggplants, the genetics of which have been mapped by the Netherlands. "There's an Indonesian researcher whose study was funded [by the Netherlands]. He unwittingly collected samples of eggplants, which now have now been genetically mapped by the Netherlands. This is very sad," Rosichon said.
Last November, Rosichon requested that his student not accept any scholarships from the German government because it required the student to collect samples of Indonesian insects in order to find new antibiotics.
"I told my student that she had two options, to risk [our genetic resources being stolen] or to find another school. She finally applied for an Australian scholarship because Australia doesn't require us to bring samples to the country," he said.
Foreign countries, he added, are also allegedly trying to collect genetic samples through other means, such as cooperation with researchers in Eastern Indonesia, where foreign researchers come to teach Eastern Indonesia's researchers.
Rosichon cited an example concerning Khairun University in Ternate, North Maluku. "The university once worked with foreign researchers to teach them how to collect and conserve marine biodiversity, but they don't even have marine biology faculty or equipment," said Rosichon.
These incidents are only the tip of the iceberg as many biopiracy cases go undetected with little to no regulation on how to protect genetic resources in the country.
Foreign researchers, for instance, could disguise themselves as tourists and go to national parks to collect samples of tree bark, logs, dried leaves and even soil that contains living microorganisms. The samples would be brought to their countries, isolated, studied and produced as medicine or other products.
As there is no clear regulation protecting genetic resources, the House of Representatives is currently revising Law No. 5/1990 on natural resources and ecosystem conservation.
"The current law only regulates information about species and ecosystems. In the latest draft of the revision bill, genetic resources have been included," Indonesian Communication Forum on Community Forestry (FKKM) executive secretary Andri Santosa, who has been involved in the deliberation of the bill, said.
The bill, which is included in the 2017 priority list, will lay out the legal framework for protection of genetic resources in the country, such as sanctions for biopiracy perpetrators, he said.
labels global, global-biodiversity
Images of new bleaching on Great Barrier Reef heighten fears of coral death
Exclusive: Coral bleaching found near Palm Island as unusually warm waters are expected off eastern Australia, with areas hit in last year's event in mortal danger
Elle Hunt The Guardian 19 Feb 17;
The embattled Great Barrier Reef could face yet more severe coral bleaching in the coming month, with areas badly hit by last year's event at risk of death.
Images taken by local divers last week and shared exclusively with the Guardian by the Australian Marine Conservation Society show newly bleached corals discovered near Palm Island.
Most of the Great Barrier Reef has been placed on red alert for coral bleaching for the coming month by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Its satellite thermal maps have projected unusually warm waters off eastern Australia after an extreme heatwave just over a week ago saw land temperatures reach above 47C in parts of the country.
According to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, sea surface temperatures from Cape Tribulation to Townsville have been up to 2C higher than normal for the time of year for more than a month.
The NOAA Coral Reef Watch's forecast for the next four weeks has placed an even higher level alert on parts of the far northern, northern and central reef, indicating mortality is likely.
Corals south of Cairns, in the Whitsundays and parts of the far northern reef that were badly hit by last year's mass bleaching event are at fatal risk.
Imogen Zethoven, the Great Barrier Reef's campaign director for the AMCS, said the projections for the next four weeks, plus evidence of new coral bleaching, were "extremely concerning".
The bleaching that occurred over eight to nine months of last year was the worst-ever on record for the Great Barrier Reef, with as much as 85% of coral between Cape York and Lizard Island dying. Twenty-two per cent of corals over the entire reef are dead.
Zethoven pointed to projections by NOAA that severe bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef would occur annually by 2043 if nothing was done to reduce emissions.
"The reef will be gone before annual severe bleaching," she said. "It won't survive even biennial bleaching."
The $1bn reef fund announced by the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, in June last year was a "cynical rebadging exercise" undercut by its support for fossil fuel initiatives such as Adani's Carmicheal coalmine "that will spell catastrophe for the reef", Zethoven said.
"There's no doubt about that anymore," she said. "They know what they are doing and they should come clean with the Australian public that they have no interest in the long-term survival of the Great Barrier Reef.
"To the average person on the street, that's what it looks like. And if the government thinks that's not the case, they're out of touch."
In December last year the government's Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund granted Adani "conditional approval" to $1bn loan for its Carmicheal coalmine and rail project in central Queensland, which could produce 60m tons of coal annually for 60 years.
Warmer ocean temperatures brought about by climate change is a key factor in coral bleaching. Polling suggests that more than two-thirds of Australians believe the reef's condition should be declared a national emergency.
Zethoven said the government had made "a very deliberate decision to go down the coal road", despite it jeopardising the reef's future prospects as well as the 70,000 jobs in regional Queensland that depend on it.
John Rumney, a diving operator based in Port Douglas, said the "commercial advantage" to saving the reef went beyond jobs. Much of coastal Queensland was "majorly invested" in reef tourism, he said.
The federal government's measures to save the reef were hypocrisy and lip service, he said, when it was simultaneously "actively supporting the cause of the cancer – the worst cause".
"It's immoral that those of us who are making our living from a healthy environment are paying taxes to subsidise infrastructure that's going to cause climate change in a major way for the next 50 years," he said. "If this all goes ahead, we're basically dooming our tourism industry."
Rumney said he had seen new and extensive bleaching of corals from Cairns to Townsville.
"There are definite large areas of mortality. It's just the next depressing moment. Before, the reef has bleached and recovered but now we're talking about how often is it bleaching and what percentage is left."
Areas that suffered in last year's event were now less resilient and there seemed to be less coral strong enough to spawn.
Climate change-induced mass bleaching increasingly resembled a catastrophe the reef would be unable to recover from, he said.
"It's weaker, just like humans," Rumney said. "If you're already down and out with a cold or cancer, you're less resilient – the next thing that comes along is going to knock you back more.
"It's the continual onslaught that will eventually kill the reef."
Coral bleaching again reported off Cairns
Dominic Geiger, The Cairns Post 21 Feb 17;
CORAL bleaching is being reported from some of the most visited reefs off Cairns for the second time in as many years.
Film maker and James Cook University researcher Richard Fitzpatrick said bleaching had been detected at Michaelmas Cay, Green Island, Upolu Reef, Batt Reef, and Vlasoff Cay.
He said that included locations filmed for David Attenborough's recent documentary series Great Barrier Reef.
"We have reported it to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) and they have told us they have bleaching reports all the way to the Whitsundays," Mr Fitzpatrick said.
The reef from Cairns south managed to escape the more severe bleaching during last year's event, while the region off Port Douglas to the Torres Strait suffered heavy coral die off.
While the bleached reefs are not yet dead, Mr Fitzpatrick said it was a "wake up call" for people from all parts of the world to take action on climate change.
"The only way to combat climate change, at the moment Australia is having a debate over renewable energy, but there should be no debate, we should be making the change now," he said.
GBRMPA is expected to issue a statement on the new bleaching event later today.
New photos reveal fresh bleaching at beleaguered Great Barrier Reef
Gavin Haines The Telegraph 20 Feb 17;
A heatwave that has brought record-breaking temperatures to parts of Australia – leading to bush fires, power outages and a rise in deaths from heat stress – could have a devastating effect on the Great Barrier Reef.
Though the mercury is set to drop this week, scientists fear the extreme weather event could place stress on the underwater ecosystem, which is still reeling from the worst bleaching events in its history.
Bleaching happens when corals become stressed by high water temperatures, which happened on a massive scale in 2016 when an underwater heatwave ravaged the 1,500-mile reef.
Scientists claim 93 per cent of the reef was affected last year and that 22 per cent of its coral had died as a result. The same scientists now fear the reef could come under attack once again as parts of Australia bake in temperatures exceeding 47C.
According to the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), which has published photographs of its findings, newly bleached corals were discovered last week near Townsville, Queensland and around the Whitsundays.
The waters off eastern Australia are unusually warm for this time of the year, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which has placed vast swathes of the Great Barrier Reef on red alert (Alert Level 1) for the next four weeks, meaning coral bleaching is likely.
Parts of the far northern, northern and central reef have been placed on Alert Level 2, indicating mortality is likely. Corals south of Cairns, in the Whitsundays and in parts of the far northern reef, that were badly hit last year, are at mortal risk.
"Signs of new coral bleaching in February, plus the likelihood of extensive severe bleaching and even mortality in the next four weeks, is extremely concerning," said Imogen Zethoven of AMCS.
"Last year we witnessed the worst bleaching event on record for our reef. Over the entire reef, 22 per cent of corals are dead."
Around 1.9 million people visit the Great Barrier Reef annually, contributing A$5.6 billion (£2.7billion) to the local economy and supporting 69,000 jobs. However, Australia's biggest tourism asset appears to be in grave danger due to climate change, which campaigners claim is being exacerbated by the Australian coal industry.
"The government must stop special treatment for the coal industry," warned Zethoven. "Climate change will be catastrophic for our reef unless we urgently move to cut pollution. We cannot afford to risk such a valuable national treasure."
In 2016, Telegraph Travel reported how many of the sites used to film the series, Great Barrier Reef, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, had succumbed to coral bleaching.
"We actually went out to the same locations where we filmed a lot of David Attenborough's Great Barrier Reef series and found significant bleaching over many, many species," said cameraman and marine biologist, Richard Fitzpatrick. "It was pretty shocking."
In the hit BBC series, Sir David forewarned about the threats facing the Great Barrier Reef, which in 2015 was spared a place on Unesco's list of endangered heritage sites.
"The Great Barrier Reef is in grave danger," said the television naturalist. "The twin perils brought by climate change – an increase in the temperature of the ocean and its acidity – threaten its very existence. If they continue to rise at the present rate, the reef will be gone in decades and that would be a global catastrophe."
Should I cancel my dive holiday?
Despite the bleak outlook, some dive sites are holding up well.
"A lot of the live-aboard sites are on the edge of the reef, and are flushed by oceanic currents, so they are actually probably the most resilient parts of the reef," said Fitzpatrick.
Rather than abandoning trips to the Great Barrier Reef, according to reef naturalist, Paul O'Dowd, tourists should consider visiting sooner rather than later.
"My advice to anyone wishing to see the reef is that they get over in the near future not the far," he said. "It is still spectacular, in many ways, and any reputable operator will have a few relatively unscathed sites on their mooring portfolio.
"You will still see scores of brilliantly coloured fish. However, the issue of whether we have anything to show in a decade, after potentially more bleaching events, is less positive."
labels bleaching-events, global, marine, reefs
Impacts of mass coral die-off on Indian Ocean reefs revealed
University of Exeter ScienceDaily 20 Feb 17;
Warming seawaters, caused by climate change and extreme climatic events, threaten the stability of tropical coral reefs, with potentially devastating implications for many reef species and the human communities that reefs support.
New research by the University of Exeter shows that increased surface ocean temperatures during the strong 2016 El Niño led to a major coral die-off event in the Maldives, and that this has caused reef growth rates to collapse. They also found that the rates at which some reefs species, in particular parrotfish, are eroding the reefs had increased following this coral die-off event.
Similar magnitudes of coral death have been reported on many other reefs in the region, including on the northern Great Barrier Reef, suggesting similar impacts may be very widespread.
Professor Chris Perry and Dr Kyle Morgan, of the University of Exeter's Geography department, studied the impact of the 2016 El Niño event at sites in the southern Maldives and found that the event had not only caused widespread coral bleaching, a phenomenon whereby corals expel their photosynthesising algae when stressed by high temperatures, but that this had also led to extensive coral death in all shallow water reef habitats examined.
"A very major concern now is how quickly these reefs might recover. Recovery from similar past disturbances in the Maldives have taken 10-15 years, but major bleaching events are predicted to become far more frequent than this. If this is the case it could lead to long-term loss of reef growth and so limit the coastal protection and habitat services these reefs presently provide," Professor Perry said.
"The most alarming aspect of this coral die-off event is that it has led to a rapid and very large decline in the growth rate of the reefs. This in turn has major implications not only for the capacity of these reefs to match any increases in sea-level, but is also likely to lead to a loss of the surface structure of the reefs that is so critical for supporting fish species diversity and abundance."
Coral reefs are formed by the accumulation of coral skeletons (made of calcium carbonate) that builds up over 100's to 1000's of years, forming the complex structures that support a huge diversity of marine life. The so-called 'carbonate budget' of a reef, which represents the balance between the rate at which this carbonate is produced by corals and the rate at which it is removed (by biological or physical erosion or chemical dissolution), influences the development of these structures and how fast a reef can grow.
The effect these combined factors was a major decline in the carbonate budgets of these reefs, with an average reduction of 157%. Before the warming event, the reefs had been in a period of rapid growth, but after the period of higher sea temperatures a negative carbonate budget was recorded at all sites. Put simply, the structure of these reefs is now eroding at a faster rate that it is growing. Based on past studies the researchers suggest that given the severity of the bleaching impacts it may take 10 to 15 years for full recovery to occur.
The extent of the 2016 bleaching, which also affected reefs in other parts of the Indian Ocean and Pacific, was so severe that it was subsequently named the 'Third Global Coral Bleaching Event'.
Dr Kyle Morgan said: "Coral reefs provide a wealth of benefits. They are vital habitats, essential for a vast number of species and they are also important for tourism and food provision. The reduction in carbonate budget threatens these benefits and may well also lead to the structural collapse of reefs. The key issue to consider now is whether, and when, these reefs will recover, both ecologically and in terms of their growth. Based on past trajectories, we predict recovery will take at least a decade, however it all depends on the extent of future warming events and climate change."
University of Exeter scientists warned there could be further rises in sea temperatures owing to global warming with potentially devastating effects on coral reefs.
Professor Mat Collins, an expert in climate modelling at the University of Exeter, said:
"We expect El Niño variability to continue into the future which, when combined with rising temperatures due to global warming, means we will see unprecedented sea temperatures and increasing incidence of coral bleaching."
Bleaching drives collapse in reef carbonate budgets and reef growth potential on southern Maldives reefs is published in Scientific Reports.
C. T. Perry, K. M. Morgan. Bleaching drives collapse in reef carbonate budgets and reef growth potential on southern Maldives reefs. Scientific Reports, 2017; 7: 40581 DOI: 10.1038/srep40581
Tiny plastic particles from clothing, tyres clogging oceans: Report
Channel NewsAsia 22 Feb 17;
GENEVA: Invisible particles washed off products like synthetic clothing and car tyres account for up to a third of the plastic polluting oceans, impacting eco-systems and human health, a top conservationist body warned on Wednesday (Feb 22).
Unlike the shocking images of country-sized garbage patches floating in the oceans, the microplastic particles that wash off textiles and roadways leave the waterways looking pristine.
But they constitute a significant part of the "plastic soup" clogging our waters - accounting for between 15 and 31 per cent of the estimated 9.5 million tonnes of plastic released into the oceans each year, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
In its report "Primary Microplastics in the Oceans", IUCN found that in many developed countries in North America and Europe, which have effective waste management, tiny plastic particles are in fact a bigger source of marine plastic pollution than plastic waste.
In addition to car tyres and synthetic textiles, such particles stem from everything from marine coatings and road markings, to city dust and the microbeads in cosmetics.
"Plastic waste is not all there is to ocean plastics," IUCN chief Inger Andersen said in a statement, insisting that "we must look far beyond waste management if we are to address ocean pollution in its entirety."
"Our daily activities, such as washing clothes and driving, significantly contribute to the pollution choking our oceans, with potentially disastrous effects on the rich diversity of life within them, and on human health," she warned.
'CONSIDERABLE IMPACT'
While microplastics are hard to spot, they can seriously harm marine wildlife and as they enter the global food and water supplies they are believed to pose a significant risk to human health.
Karl Gustaf Lundin, who heads IUCN's Global Marine and Polar Programme, acknowledged that few studies have been done so far on the impact of tiny plastic particles on human health.
But he pointed out to AFP that such particles are small enough to actually move through our membranes, "so we have to assume that there probably will be considerable impact."
IUCN is calling on the makers of tyres and clothing especially to shift their production methods and make products that pollute less.
Lundin pointed out that tyre makers could for instance revert back to using mainly rubber, while textile makers could stop using plastic coatings on clothes.
Washing machine makers could also install filters that could catch micro and even nano plastic particles, he said.
Such steps are vital to limit the damage, he said, warning that the situation is particularly worrying in the Arctic - the biggest source of sea food in Europe and North America.
"It seems the microplastic is freezing into the sea ice, and since you actually lower the melting point of ice when you have small particles in it, you have a quicker disappearance of sea ice," he said.
Lundin pointed out that when the ice melts, it releases plankton that attracts fish, allowing the plastic particles to "go straight into our food chain."
- AFP/ec
labels global, marine, marine-litter, marine-plastic, plastic-bags
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Christian? "Encouragement" Writing for Children Competition -Deadline 5th MAy
They're looking for a short story of no more than 1000 words, aimed at those in primary school years 3-6. The theme is 'encouragement' and can be interpreted in whatever way you see fit.
Stories do not need to be explicitly Christian, but should reflect a Christian worldview.
The judges for this competition will be Janet Wilson of Dernier Publishing (www.dernierpublishing.com) and Vicki Howie, children's writer and storyteller (www.vickihowie.co.uk).
First prize: £50
Second prize: £25
Third prize: £10
You may enter up to three entries.
Entry fees: Non ACW members: £3 for first entry, £2 for each subsequent entry.
ACW Members: £2 for first entry, £1 for each subsequent entry.
This competition is open to UK residents only.
Entries should be unpublished in any form (in print or online) and be the original work of the entrant.
Postal entries should include a separate cover sheet with name, address, phone number and, where possible, email address of entrant. Include the title of the entry/entries on the cover sheet. Please do not put your name on the entries themselves.
Entries must be typed. Please print clearly on A4 paper, using black ink and using only one side of each sheet of paper. Double spacing is preferred.
Maximum three entries per person. Only one prize awarded per person. In the event the judges pick two entries by the same winner, the highest of the two prizes will be awarded and another entrant will be selected for the other prize. The judges' decision is final.
Send postal entries and cheques to: Writing for Children competition, ACW, Bethany, 7 Eversley Walk, Nottingham, NG5 5NL. Cheques should be made payable to the Association of Christian Writers.
Email entries should be sent to competitions@christianwriters.org.uk Please write your name, address, phone number and title of story in the body of the email but not in the document itself. If sending by email, please send in DOC or RTF format. Send cheques as above with attached note bearing your name and name of entry.
If you wish to pay by Paypal, please send the relevant fee from your Paypal account to competitions@christianwriters.org.uk. Please note in your email or cover page that you are paying by Paypal.
Please note the discounted entry fee for ACW members. Membership of ACW will be verified by our Competitions' Manager, in conjunction with our Membership Secretary.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Roll-ups, pop-up displays and banner stands for event marketing and trade shows. expand is the world leading manufacturer of outdoor displays , flag stands , roll ups , retractable banner stands , non-retractable banner stands , banner displays, pop up displays , brochure stands , presentation podiums , transport boxes , fabric pop ups , accessories and much more.
Roll-ups, pop-up displays and banner stands for event marketing and trade shows. expand is the world leading manufacturer of outdoor displays, flag stands, roll ups, retractable banner stands, non-retractable banner stands, banner displays, pop up displays, brochure stands, presentation podiums, transport boxes, fabric pop ups, accessories and much more.


Sexual health clinics provide essential services, but these spaces can sometimes present accessibility challenges to trans and gender variant people. There are many things that can impact how trans and gender diverse clients experience clinic spaces.
Trans and gender diverse clients may experience significant discomfort, humiliation or trauma when interfacing with a system that doesn't consider their bodies and needs. Fortunately, much can be done to make clinic spaces safer and accessible to people of all genders.
In this three-part series, we will explore a number of ways in which the entire clinical experience can be improved for trans and gender variant clients.
In Part 1, we will consider the barriers faced by trans clients when accessing clinical services and how clinic spaces can physically be made more welcoming. In Part 2, we will look at how clinical systems and procedures can be modified to create a more inclusive space. In Part 3, we will examine how accessibility may be improved for trans clients that face additional accessibility barriers.
May have a different gender than listed on their Care Card.
May have a different name than listed on their Care Card.
May be read as the wrong gender by other people, including front line staff.
May have a gender identity that is not widely known or understood. They may not identify at all with a binary male/female gender. Some examples of non-binary gender identities include genderqueer, nongender and gender fluid.
May not be 'out' as trans, and may experience repercussions if outed in the waiting room or another public space.
May face regular discrimination navigating medical systems and public spaces, and be understandably cautious or fearful of accessing these places.
May have avoided accessing medical spaces for years, even decades, or may never have accessed sexual health services before.
May have intersectional accessibility needs, such as being trans and using a wheelchair.
The physical spaces that clinicians work in, as well as the procedures and systems they use, can have a huge impact on client experiences.
Creating a welcoming physical space, updating operational procedures and investing in comprehensive staff education all play a part in reducing barriers for all clients who have been historically marginalized by health systems.
Posters, signs and images of trans and gender diverse people are scarce in public spaces. Adding trans-friendly posters and signage to clinic spaces increases recognition and visibility of trans people, and can help create a more welcoming and inclusive environment.
Some organizations have created posters that are available for distribution.
Our City of Colours: 16 multilingual posters in Chinese, Punjabi, Farsi, Spanish, Russian, French, Filipino, and Vietnamese to increase visibility for LGBTQ people in diverse linguistic and cultural communities.
Prism: Vancouver Coastal Health's clinical, education, information and referral service for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and Two Spirit (LGBTQ2S) communities.
Rainbow Health Ontario: Positive space posters and stickers.
Ontario Counsel of Agencies Serving Immigrants: Free, downloadable Positive Spaces multi-language kits.
Gendered washrooms can present a major barrier to trans clients. In one study, 57% of trans people reported avoiding using washrooms due to fear of harassment.
Non-gendered washrooms are one way to reduce the stress of accessing washrooms. Converting gendered washrooms to non-gendered can be as simple as a new sign on a washroom door saying "all genders welcome," or an icon indicating toilets and/or urinals.
If gendered washrooms can't be converted into non-gendered washrooms, consider adding a "trans people welcome" sign on all washrooms.
For shared spaces where building managers are not accommodating of permanent changes, create temporary signs that can be taped over washroom doors during the time the clinic is in use.


Olive Browser is a malicious program which has the ability to get into your system without asking for any permission. The pesky program will disguise as a legit browser add-on but display tons of nasty ads. The adware will immediately drop boot-up registry keys and new browser extensions after its successful installation. After then, Olive Browser activates along with the Windows. Besides, it affects IE, Firefox and Chrome with numerous annoyances. In particular, when you browse shopping sites, numerous ads appear to attract you. Like SalePlus adware and Dealspace adware, Olive Browser can record your online history and collect browsing habits.
It's wise not to click any pop-up link. Or you could be led to commercial pages which may contain dangerous PC threats. Olive Browser would ask you to download free media or players. Also these messages can lead you to additional chaos or dangers. On the other hand, the pest adds new registry keys secretly so as to run along with the system. Meanwhile it occupies great system resources, which slows down the whole PC performance. Your Internet connection could be shut down suddenly. That is, Olive Browser will disrupt your work on the computer. The earlier you remove it, the better it will be.
Note: To get rid of the annoying ads and protect both your computer and personal information, you have to remove Olive Browser from the computer as soon as possible. Have trouble uninstalling the unwanted software from your Windows manually? Download and install a powerful third-party removal tool to clear the program quickly.
Olive Browser may install some browser add-ons or toolbars to inject advertisements into the web pages. You need to check the browser extensions and remove any suspicious one.
Select the Extensions on the left side of the page. All the installed Firefox add-ons will be displayed on the right. Find Olive Browser or other suspicious add-ons and click the Remove button to uninstall them.
In the Extensions page, search for any extension strange to you that is related to Olive Browser and remove it from the browser.
Sometimes potentially unwanted programs like Olive Browser may change the homepage, search engine and other browser settings. If the settings can't reverse successfully after you manually changed the default homepage and settings, you can try resetting the browser settings to defaults. Please note that this will also erase all your installed add-ons and your customizations on browsers.
If you want to quickly uninstall the program as well as its other components, use a third-party removal tool to remove them. SpyHunter is able to find and remove malware like Trojans, worms rookits and other harmful threats completely. In addition, it is also good at detecting and clearing browser hijackers, adware, spyware and other potentially unwanted programs. Follow the steps below to use SpyHunter to get rid of Olive Browser from your computer easily.
Olive Browser is malicious because it is a hidden program that controls your computer in order to steal your important information. It is a malignant infection that makes use of system vulnerabilities in target system and encourages remote attacking. With the help of it, cyber criminals can easily access to the infected system and take evil action on the infected computer.
Avoid downloading files or software from unknown sites. If you want to install a program, please go to its official website or reliable sites to download it. It's not suggested that you download it from some websites with bad reputations, for their products often contain software bundlers. Some confusing download icons on those sites can link you to other irrelevant sites and download unwanted apps.
Be cautious about clickable advertisements. Many web pages you visit may show you some clickable ads like "Play Now" or "Scan Now" which you don't know which game or product will be downloaded. When you see those clickable ads and don't know anything about it, for the sake of your PC security, you'd better note click on them. Otherwise, some unwanted programs like Your Interests Now will be downloaded and installed on your PC.


We Scaled Down Everything..Except the Power!
E-Revo Innovation, Precision, and Performance—Now in 1/16 Scale!
Traxxas sets the standard for power, performance and innovation. Now, for the first time, all the speed, quality and capability you expect from Traxxas is available in 1/16 scale with the new 1/16 E-Revo VXL. At 14 inches long, E-Revo VXL is about half the size of the 1/10-scale E-Revo. But don't call it a mini—this is a whole new category of R/C performance and fun that no mere mini-model can match. Beneath the factory-finished polycarbonate shell, you'll find the winning suspension technology of the seven-time National Champion Traxxas Revo, screaming Velineon brushless-motor power, and the convention-busting innovation of the E-Revo.
The 1/16 E-Revo VXL is just plain fast. At 30+mph with the included 6-cell NiMH battery, E-Revo VXL is nearly twice as fast as most mini models, and faster than most electric RTR trucks of any scale. Install a second 6-cell battery to unleash the Velineon Brushless Power System's full fury, and E-Revo VXL jumps to over 50mph—all with proven-safe NiMH packs. No other RTR truck, regardless of scale, makes it so easy and affordable to experience this level of high speed and wheelie-popping power.
Velineon Brushless Power - The VXL-3m speed control and Velineon® 380 motor represent the latest in brushless technology. Fully LiPo compatible with low-voltage detection for 2S and 3S packs and rated for 6-12 NiMH cells, this potent, powerful combo gives E-Revo VXL precise throttle control and blistering top speed. Patented Training Mode™ lets new drivers hone their skills at 50% throttle. When drivers' ed is through, full power and 50+mph is unleashed with a touch of the EZ-Set® button.
Precision 2.4GHz Control Radio System - With the TQi 2.4GHz radio system, you just switch on a drive. There are no channels or frequencies to manage, so the focus is on having fun.
Waterproof Electronics - Now a hallmark of Traxxas vehicles, E-Revo VXL is the latest model to be equipped with fully waterproof electronics to keep the fun rolling in water, mud and snow.
100% Ready-To-Race - The 1/16 E-Revo VXL is fully assembled with TQ radio system, Velineon brushless power system, painted and decaled body, pre-glued tires, and detailed instructions. A Traxxas Power Cell NiMH battery and charger are also included, making the E-Revo VXL truly Ready-To-Race.
Traxxas Stability Management (TSM) allows you to experience all the extreme power, speed, and acceleration that was engineered into the 1/16 E-Revo VXL by making it much easier to control on common slippery surfaces such as loose dirt, smooth concrete, and even ice and snow. Punch it off the line and TSM goes to work sensing the vehicle's direction and making steering corrections to provide straight-ahead full-throttle acceleration without fishtailing, spinouts, and loss of control. TSM also works during cornering, first making intuitive corrections to maintain your line, and then allowing you to hammer the throttle earlier in the turn for much faster exit speeds. Braking is dramatically improved as TSM works to keep you arrow straight until you come to a complete stop. TSM acts as your on-board co-pilot in the vehicle that "feels" what the vehicle is doing and makes corrections for vehicle movements that you cannot even detect, well before the vehicle gets out of control.


The St George Illawarra Dragons have received a double membership boost having proudly passed 10,000 Red V Members as well as welcoming Brydens Lawyers as the official Red V Membership Partner for the 2017 season.
Brydens Lawyers is an industry leader with over forty years' experience providing expert legal advice and representation that is regarded as one of the largest and leading law firms in New South Wales.
Brydens Lawyers service the greater Sydney metropolitan and regional NSW area with an outstanding knowledge of the law, professionalism and the highest level of client service at an affordable price.
As Red V Membership Partner, Brydens Lawyers will provide free consultation and legal advice four times a year to all Red V Members and Dragons fans both on site at St George Leagues Club and the Steelers Club.
"Brydens Lawyers is excited by the opportunity of partnering with the St George Illawarra Dragons as the Official Red V Partner for the 2017 season," said Hagipantelis.
"In its capacity as Red V Membership partner Brydens Lawyers is able to provide expert legal advice and representation to all Red V Members and fans.
Dragons CEO Peter Doust has welcomed Brydens Lawyers as the official Red V Membership Partner and the opportunities that will benefit all Red V Members in 2017.
"Brydens Lawyers is a well-respected leader within the legal sphere who pride themselves on offering the highest level of client service across a number of specialist areas," said Doust.
"As our official Red V Membership Partner, our valued Red V Members will be provided with access and knowledge on a range of services and products across the legal sector.


"The self-pacing of the material was perfect and I felt I could concentrate on the things I didn't understand whilst not having to wait on things I did get easily."
"Individuals were able to work at their own pace, so useful for all - did not feel as though I was either rushed or having to wait for others to catchup."
"The most enjoyable, informative, and rewarding course I have been on."
"Excellent quality notes. It's great that the notes, examples and projects are all combined and can be used as a point of reference even after the course."


text:
psucourses
Studying in Russia? Learn History, Meet Friends, Build Collaborations!
13.01.2022 13.01.2022 / psucourses, psugrants, psuhistory, psupartners
Are you a foreign student studying in Russia? Looking for new friends or research collaborations? Interested in Russian culture and history? Students from Perm State University, as elsewhere across Russia are welcome to take part in 2nd International Winter School of History '2022.
The Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Russian Historical Society, the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Tula Region and the Tula State University invite Russian and foreign students to participate in the 2nd International Winter School of History '2022.
Students of all undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate courses may take part. The School will be held from 21 to 25 March, 2022. Applications are due to 25 January, 2022.
The School will cover the following theme tracks:
history of Russian economy and industry;
history of Russian literature;
history of Ancient Russia and the Moscow kingdom;
history of the Great Patriotic War (WWII);
history of the Russian Empire.
The School Committee covers costs of travel, accommodation and meals for the School participants. A prerequisite for participation are: certificate of vaccination against coronavirus infection; certificate of contraindications to vaccination, or a previous illness. Applications are accepted in two categories: international students studying at Russian universities, and Russian students.
Applicants must fill out an electronic form, and send a motivation letter indicating personal information and preferred track (no more than 2,000 characters). For international students, required is a letter in Russian, for the Russian students the one in English.
Please, see related links in the comments below:
2nd International Winter School of History '2022: https://tsu.tula.ru/winter-history-school-2
Application form: http://tsu.tula.ru/download/Formazayvky.pdf
Information Letter: http://www.psu.ru/files/docs/news/!2022/01-11_3/infopismo_Tula.pdf
Further contacts: Olga E. Shumilova, hs-tula@mail.ru, tel: +7-910-940-76-24.
PSU International Students Receive Diplomas in Modern Pedagogics
14.12.2021 15.12.2021 / psucourses, psupedagogics, psurino, psuteachers, psuteaching, psuturkmenistan, psuturkmens, psuupgrade
Eight international students from Turkmenistan, Faculty of Biology, PSU, graduated from the professional retraining program in Modern Pedagogy, obtaining a qualification "Teacher of Basic and Secondary General Education".
Overcoming language and cultural barriers, using modern technologies and new methods, the Faculty of Education at the Regional Institute for Continuing Education, PSU, did its best to help international students become an effective teacher.
All the Course students had their final theses defended, receiving excellent marks and graduation certificates. The knowledge and skills acquired during the Course will enhance their professional performance in practice, at school.
The diplomas were presented by Mikhail Mukhin, Acting Head of the Institute, Valery Zhuk, Deputy Dean for Extracurricular Activities, and Tatyana Kuznetsova, Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs, Faculty of Biology, PSU. The Regional Institute for Continuing Education, established in 2004, remains one of the largest centers for additional education and professional orientation in the Perm territory – providing courses for all kinds of audiences, from college and university students to civil servants and practicing professionals.
Join our Broad International Community, Study Russian for Free!
14.12.2021 14.12.2021 / psucourses, psufriends, psulib, psulibrary, psurussian
PSU Academic Library invites international students to join the DigitalUni Russian Club for free online courses in Russian as a foreign language.
The DigitalUni Russian Club is a project by IPR MEDIA with a grant from the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation. Having joined the Club, you will:
participate in free conversation clubs run by teaching professors from Russian universities;
get access to free educational literature on Russian as a foreign language, for different levels;
use broad education material, including videos;
pass the test for knowledge of Russian as a foreign language (TORFL);
get a personal certificate;
will see presentations of Russian universities.
Note: If you are not yet a part of international studentship, the links in below the newst will help you to join us. If you are an international student already, and Perm-based, here is more to you:
PSU Academic Library invites all those interested to use its sites and facilities for a comprehensive free online courses in Russian as a foreign language along the academic year, until 1 September, 2022, using:
1). any device with Internet access, anytime and anywhere, using a registered PSU username and password, indicated in the student's personal account;
2) any device with Internet access, anytime and anywhere, using a n individual username and password, with an assistance by PSU Academic Library or IPR Media (support@ros-edu.ru). "Our service is addressed to those already studying at Perm State University," says Svetlana Solaryova, Head of PSU Academic Library. "Complementing the above opportunities, PSU International Department assists our students in their access to the source. Actually, any Russian student and teaching staff studying or researching Russian language, culture, traditions and history is welcome to use it, as well."
Get more news about PSU Academic Library.
E-Sources at the Library.
PSU Academic Library Facebook.
DigitalUni Russian Club.
Russian as a Foreign Language.
Learn New Profession with No Studies Sacrificed
14.09.2021 14.09.2021 / psucourses, psulanguages, psulittera, psurino
Seeking for an extra advantage for your CV? Curious about studying in abroad, yet longing to upgrade your language? Looking for additional income, now?
Should you be positive about any of these questions, then the "Manager for Intercultural Communication" course at the Littera Language Center, PSU is likely for you!
Based on a credit-modular training system, the course combines core disciplines with a personal plan by the students: the English language and translation classes are accompanied by electives (business and academic communication, oral interpretation, and running city tours), plus optional modules (preparation for IELTS, mediation, second foreign language, pronunciation, intercultural communication, etc.). Both online and offline modes are available.
After completing the program, the student gets a certified diploma by Perm State University, stating the qualification of a Manager in Intercultural Communication. The diploma allows to officially perform as a specialist in international relations, a translator, a mediator, or a tour guide.
To remind, the Littera Language Centre is a part of the Regional Institute of Continuing Education, a division of Perm State University. It owns an exclusive license to run official IELTS and TOEFL international exams, regionally. The Center provides English language courses for adults and children on a constant basis. The teaching process involves communication techniques and CELTA international standards, as well as multimedia equipment, English native speakers and interactive formats. Since 2004, the Center has trained more than 5,000 specialists in the field of communication, translation and extended use of foreign language.
Learn more about the Program here (Russian source).
Sep 14 2021 14.09.2021
Study IT at PSU, for Free!
10.09.2021 10.09.2021 / psucourses, psuit, psuprogrammers, psyprogramming
Which international languages do you know? English, French, Spanish? No, we mean, truly international which make us equally share it?
PSU is opening admissions to IT Networking University in nine programs, including web development, basics in programming, and 3D modeling. In other words, you will learn a language that is in demand all over the world and, moreover, allows to make money. The faculties of Geography, Geology, Mechanics and Mathematics, and Physics, PSU, are launching free courses at the IT Network University.
How do I develop an Android app? What are the ways to create a 3D model of an object in Blender? How much time will it take to learn Python and automate working processes in QGIS? Perm State University is going to help students from other study fields to learn this, and much more. Technical background is not necessary, since the programs are divided into 3 levels: Junior, Middle and Senior.
"This year, we are planning to renew several popular modules, such as the "Basics of Frontend", "Programming in Python", "Basics of 3D Modeling in Blender", as well as launch a new course on developing apps for mobile devices,"
comments Konstantin Gavrilov, Dean of the Faculty of Physics, PSU.
To learn more about the content of the programs and register, please, follow the link.
Although many course terms are in English, some basic Russian will also be required. The IT Network University is an implementation of the local Perm project "Human Resources for Digital Economy", as a part of the national program "Digital Economy of the Russian Federation" with the support of the Ministry of Information Development and Communications, and the Ministry of Education and Science of Perm krai.


The London Business School in UK has provided its £15,000 Sloan Philip Langsdale Scholarships which is currently open for international postgraduate students to study for Masters degree in the field of Leadership and Strategy offered by the institution for the year 2019.
The London Business School (LBS), founded in 1964, is an international business school and a constituent college of the federal University of London. LBS is one of the most prestigious business schools in the world; the school is ranked 1st in Europe (2015 Rankings) by the Financial Times and 2nd in the world (for Business and Management Studies; 2016) by the QS ranking.
The admission process is extremely competitive and the number of places are limited due to the small size of the campus. LBS had the most wanted MBAs in the world by recruiters, comparable to those of Harvard, Stanford and Insead.
Please be inform that the successful applicants for the London Business School – Sloan Philip Langsdale Scholarships in UK, 2019 will receive £15,000 towards tuition fee.
Applicants for Sloan Philip Langsdale Scholarship should be enrolled as international applicants.
The Candidates applying should have applied and received an admit from the University in Sloan MSc in Leadership and Strategy.
The students are selected on the basis of academics and merit.
Short essay (300 to 500 words).
Video clip titled "Who am I?" (5 minutes long).
Please note that the last date to apply for London Business School – Sloan Philip Langsdale Scholarships in UK, 2019 is 24th July 2019.


MANILA — To provide quality police service to the public, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Monday launched its official website as part of its initiative for quality service in timely dissemination of factual data and promoting public engagement of the police in Metro Manila with the aid of technology.
NCRPO Director, Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, said through www.ncrpo.pnp.gov.ph, they will be able to attain the main objective of providing the public the zeal of transparency, good governance and community partnership.
He said the NCRPO website has undergone improvements and developments that aimed to have a more user-friendly site that the public and the media can easily access.
"The NCRPO is committed to provide quality police services. Gaya ng inaasahan, dito mas mabilis ang aksyon at impormasyon para sa lahat (Just as expected, this will help us act quickly and provide reliable information to everyone). Also, we stake our reputation of reliability as we promote public participation and encourage collaboration with the PNP through our NCRPO hotline services, texts or emails and in our social media sites — meaning we must respond accordingly for every single query, request for police assistance, tips or reports of suspicious persons and untoward incident," Eleazar said during the website's launching in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig.
The Metro Manila's top cop also assured that through this website, the people can expect a better quality of service from the police force.


text:
Q: How to call routing helper inside a module? i have a module like this, where "partners_url" is a routing helper method
module A
    def B
    ....partners_url
    end
end

but i get this

NoMethodError - undefined method

How can i call that url helper in side a module?, thanks.

A: Put this line under your module declaration
include Rails.application.routes.url_helpers

Read about other options here

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Install New Windows – Older styles of windows usually have bulky, too big frames that can block out the sun. Also, old window glass can dramatically lower the amount of natural light that gets into your home. One great way to boost your home's natural light is to install replacement windows. Choose models with slim frames and clear glass to bring in more light. You can even make your windows bigger with a window replacement.
Add Mirrors – Mirrors reflect light, so if you add more mirrors around your home, the sunlight coming in from your windows will be reflected and magnified, making your home look brighter and feel more comfortable. Place a big mirror over your couch to brighten up your living room, or install mirrors down a hallway to make the space feel bigger, brighter and more welcoming.
Change the Window Coverings – Even if you have brand new, big windows with clear glass, your window treatments might still be blocking the sunshine. Heavy drapes block parts of your windows, dramatically reducing the natural light that gets in. If you want the privacy of heavy drapes, but don't want to miss out on the light, try installing shutters you can close at night, or only Ion the bottom. You could also install sheers to let the light in but block outside view.
There may be one downside to maximizing your home's natural light, and that's energy efficiency. While the warm Colorado sun feels great when it enters your home, it can make your home hotter and your energy bills way higher. However, you can easily fix this problem by installing low-E glass in your replacement windows. Low-E glass has a special coating that blocks UV rays, and therefore extra heat, from entering your home. Low-E glass can also help protect your rugs and furniture from fading in the sun. Get more natural light with replacement windows without higher energy bills by installing them with low-E glass.
Millennium Windows & Siding, located at 12090 W 50th Pl Unit B Wheat Ridge, CO 80033, has years of experience in the Denver, CO replacement window business. We would be happy to use our expertise to get you more information about replacement windows, natural light, and energy efficiency. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. You can also give us a call at (720) 508-4385 to schedule a consultation.


text:
Order of Friars Minor Conventuals
Conventuals, ORDER OF FRIARS MINOR.—This is one of the three separate bodies, forming with the Friars Minor and the Capuchins what is commonly called the First Order of St. Francis. All three bodies today follow the rule of the Friars Minor, but whereas the Friars Minor and the Capuchins profess this rule pure and simple, differing only accidentally in their particular constitutions, the Conventuals observe it with certain dispensations lawfully accorded.
There has been some difference of opinion as to the origin of the name "Conventual". Innocent IV decreed (Bull "Cum tamquam veri", April 5, 1250) that Franciscan churches where convents existed might be called Conventual churches, and some have maintained that the name "Conventual" was first given to the religious residing in such convents. Others, however, assert that the word Conventualis was used to distinguish the inmates of large convents from those who lived more after the manner of hermits. In any event it seems safe to assert that the term Conventual was not used to signify a distinct section of the Order of Friars Minor in any official document prior to 1431. Since that time, and more especially since 1517, this term has been employed to designate that branch of the Franciscan Order which has accepted dispensations from the substantial observance of the rule in regard to poverty. It may be noted, however, that the name "Conventual" has not been restricted to the Franciscan Order. Thus the statutes of the Cainaldolese approved by Leo X distinguish between the Conventuals and the Observants in that order, and St. Pius V (Bull "Superioribus mensibus", April 16, 1567) says: "That which we have decreed for the Conventuals of the Order of St. Francis we decree likewise for the Conventuals of other orders".
Although all the religious professing the rule of the Friars Minor continued to form one body under the same head for over three hundred years (1209-10 to 1517), it is well known that even during the lifetime of St. Francis a division had shown itself in the ranks of the friars, some favoring a relaxation in the rigour of the rule, especially as regards the observance of poverty, and others desiring to adhere to its literal strictness. The tendency towards relaxation became more marked after the death of the Seraphic founder (1226), and was encouraged by his successor, Brother Elias. The latter, a man of great ability, but whose religious ideals differed vastly from those of St. Fran-cis, even oppressed such as opposed his views. The long and deplorable controversy which followed—a controversy which called forth a mass of remarkable writings and even affected imperial politics—resulted in two parties being formed within the order, the Zelanti, who were zealous for the strict observance of the rule and who were afterwards named Observants, and the f ratres de communitate who had adopted certain mitigations and who gradually came to be called Conventuals. In spite of the fact that a cleavage had been gradually developing between these two branches from at least the middle of the fourteenth century, it was only in 1415 at the Council of Constance that the Church authoritatively recognized this division in the order. Hence the Holy See decreed that all the friars who died before that council may not be termed either Observants or Conventuals, but simply Friars Minor (see Decrees of September 25, 1723; December 11, 1723; and February 26, 1737). Notwithstanding this division of the order formally sanctioned in 1415 by the Council of Constance, both Observants and Conventuals continued to form one body under the same head until 1517.
In the latter year Leo X called a general chapter of the whole order at Rome, with a view to effecting a complete reunion between the Observants and Conventuals. The former acceded to the wish of the sovereign pontiff but req uested permission to observe the rule without any dispensation; the latter declared they did not wish for the union if it entailed their renouncing the dispensations they had received from the Holy See. Leo X thereupon incorporated with the Observants (Bull "Ite et vos in vineam meam", May 29, 1517) all the Franciscan friars who wished to observe the rule without dispensation, abolishing the different denominations of Clareni, Colletani, etc.; he decreed that the members of the great family thus united should be called simply Friars Minor of St. Francis, or Friars Minor of the Regular Observance, and should have precedence over the Conventuals; he moreover conferred upon them the right of electing the minister general, who was to bear the title of Minister General of the Whole Order of Friars Minor, and to have the exclusive use of the ancient seal of the order as the legitimate successor of St. Francis. On the other hand, those who continued to live under dispensations were constituted a separate body with the name of Conventuals (Bulls "Omnipotens Deus", June 12, 1517, and "Licet Alias", December 6, 1517) and given the right to elect a master general of their own, whose election, however, had to be confirmed by the Minister General of the Friars Minor. The latter appears never to have availed himself of this right, and the Conventuals may be regarded as an entirely independent order from 1517, but it was not until 1580 that they obtained a special cardinal protector of their own. Some years later the masters general of the order began to call themselves "Ministers General". Father Evangelist Pelleo, elected fifteenth master general in 1587, was the first to take this title, which has been generally accorded to his forty-nine successors even in Apostolic letters, though the ordinance of Leo X was never formally revoked. Under Sixtus V (1587) the Conventuals attempted to dispute the right of the Minister General of the Friars Minor to the title "Minister General of the Whole Order", but were unsuccessful. They renewed their efforts under Clement VIII (1593 and 1602) but with no greater success. In 1625 they again reopened the question, which was discussed for nearly six years. On March 22, 1631, the right of the Minister General of the Friars Minor to the title in dispute was solemnly confirmed by the Sacred Congregation of Rules, and Benedict XIII by a Bull of July 21, 1728, imposed perpetual silence upon the contestants.
In 1565 the Conventuals accepted the Tridentine indult allowing mendicant orders to own property corporately, and their chapter held at Florence in that year drew up statutes containing several important reforms which Pius IV subsequently approved (Bull "Sedis Apostolicae", September 17, 1565). Three years later St. Pius V (Bull "Ad Extirpandos", 8June, 1568) sought to enforce a stricter observance of the vow of poverty and of the community life among the Conventuals, and the superiors of the order immediately enacted statutes conformable to his desires, which the pope approved (Bull "Ilia nos cura", July 23, 1568). In 1625 new constitutions were adopted by the Conventuals which superseded all preceding ones. These constitutions, which were subsequently promulgated by Urban VIII (Bull "Militantes Ecclesiae", 5 May, 1628), are known as the "Constitutiones Urbansa" and are of primary importance, since at their profession the Conventuals vow to observe the Rule of St. Francis in accordance with them, that is to say, by admitting the duly authorized dispensations therein set forth (see "Constitutiones Urbanae ordinis fratrum Minorum Sti. Francisci Conventualium, Assisi, 1803). It would therefore be no less false than unjust to regard the Conventuals as less observant of the obligations contracted by their profession than the Friars Minor and Capuchins, since they are not bound by all the obligations assumed by either of the latter. The institution of several communities and even provinces of Reformed Conventuals, more especially between 1562 and 1668 (see "Constituzioni generali de' frati riformati de' Minori Conventuali da osservarsi per tutta la riforma, fatte per ordine del Capitulo generale de' Minori Conventuali celebrato in Orvieto l'anno 1611"), affords interesting proof of the vitality of the order, which for the rest has possessed many men of eminent virtue and has rendered important services to the Church.
St. Joseph of Cupertino (d. 1663), one of the greatest saints of the seventeenth century, and Bl. Bonaventure of Potenza (d. 1711) were both Conventuals, and the beatification of several other members of the order is now under way. The Conventuals have, moreover, given three popes to the Church: Sixtus IV (1471-84), Sixtus V (1585-90), and Clement XIV (1769-74), besides a number of cardinals and other distinguished prelates. Among the eminent theologians and scholars the order has produced, the names of Mastrius, Pagi, Brancati, Papini, Sbaralea, and Euhel are perhaps most familiar. The Conventuals enjoy the privilege of guarding the tomb of St. Francis at Assisi and that of St. Anthony at Padua, and they furnish the penitentiaries to the Vatican Basilica and to the sanctuary at Loreto. At Rome they possess the famous church and convent of the Twelve Apostles, and it is here that their general resides. The habit of the Conventuals which was formerly gray is now black—whence they are sometimes called by the people the "Black Franciscans", in contrast to the Friars Minor and Capuchins, whose habit is brown; it consists of a serge tunic fastened around the waist with a thin white cord with three knots; to the large cape, which is round in front and pointed behind, a small hood is attached. Unlike the Friars Minor and the Capuchins, the Conventuals wear birettas and shoes.
In 1517 the Conventuals formed only about a sixth part of the order. After their separation from the Friars Minor, the number of Conventuals diminished considerably. In Spain Cardinal Ximenes was instrumental in depriving them of their convents, which were given to the Friars Minor. Clement VII, June 22, 1524, ordered the Provincial of the Friars Minor at Burgos to bring back to the Regular Observance all the Conventuals in the Kingdom of Navarre, and St. Pius V, April 16, 1567, commanded all the Conventuals in Spain to embrace the Regular Observance. Like measures were adopted, October 30, 1567, in regard to Portugal, where as in Flanders and in Denmark all the Conventuals gradually passed over to the Friars Minor. In France all their provinces save three joined the main branch of the order. Nevertheless the Conventuals continued to prosper in other countries. In Italy and Germany they suffered fewer losses than elsewhere. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries they increased very much, for in 1770 they possessed some 31 provinces with 966 convents. In France alone they had 48 convents and numbered 330 religious. In 1771, 8 convents in France including the great convent in Paris, which had since 1517 been subject to the Minister General of the Friars Minor, passed over to the Conventuals, giving them a total of 2620 religious in France alone, but twenty years later their number there had fallen to 1544. Since the revolutionary epoch the order lost more than 1000 houses, principally in France, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany. At present (1907) it is divided into 26 provinces. Of these 12 are in Italy, the others being those of Malta; Galicia; Russia and Lithuania; Strasburg, comprising Bavaria and Switzerland; Liege, comprising Belgium and Holland; Austria and Styria; Bohemia, with Moravia and Silesia; Hungary and Transylvania; Spain; the United States; Rumania, with the mission of Moldavia; and the Orient, with the mission of Constantinople. The mission of Moldavia, which is one of the oldest in the Seraphic Order, comprises 10 convents with parishes, in which there are 28 missionaries governed by an archbishop belonging to the order. There are also 10 convents and 28 missionaries connected with the mission at Constantinople, where the Apostolic delegate is a Conventual. The order has recently made new foundations in England and Den-mark. According to the latest available official statistics (1899), the Conventuals numbered in all some 1500 religious.
At least two Conventual missionaries were laboring in the United States in the early forties, but the establishment of the order there may be said to date from 1850. In 1907 there were two flourishing provinces of the order in the United States, the province of the Immaculate Conception which numbers thirteen convents and houses, those at Syracuse, Louisville, Trenton, Camden, Hoboken, Albany, and Terre Haute being the most important; and the province of St. Anthony of Padua, the members of which are Poles, and which has ten convents and houses in the Dioceses of Baltimore, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Detroit, Harrisburg, Hartford, and Springfield.
The Conventuals were not affected by the Apostolic Constitution "Felicitate quadam" of Leo XIII (October 4, 1897) by which the different special reforms into which the Observants had become divided since 1517 were reunited under the name of Friars Minor, but like the Capuchins (who were constituted a separate body in 1619) they still remain an independent order. Leo XIII, however, expressly confirmed the right of precedence accorded to the Friars Minor by Leo X.
PASCHAL ROBINSON


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The Pays des Impressionnistes is a certification mark created by the Syndicat intercommunal à vocations multiples des Coteaux de Seine in 2001 to promote the cultural heritage of this touristic area. Nine municipalities in the Yvelines department of France bordering the loop of the Seine River, where, during the nineteenth century, impressionist painters exercised their art, are associated with this creation: Bougival, Carrières-sur-Seine, Chatou, Croissy-sur-Seine, Le Pecq, Le Port-Marly, Louveciennes, Marly-le-Roi and Noisy-le-Roi. There is the Path of the Impressionists, four hiking trails dotted with reproductions of paintings, reflecting the still remarkable character of this landscape of Impressionist sites which has been proposed for inclusion in the World Heritage Site since 2009. Rueil-Malmaison, in the Hauts-de-Seine department, joined them in 2010, when eight of these municipalities have entrusted development task of the Pays des Impressionnistes to the visitor center of Marly-le-Roi, which organises Impressionist cruises along the banks of the Seine, as well as visits of ateliers of contemporary painters.

History

The Path of the Impressionists

There are four Impressionists' Trail paths with more than 30 reproductions of Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro and Alfred Sisley paintings on the spot of their creation.

The Sisley Path is a trail of 3.15 km, from Le Pecq-sur-Seine to Port-Marly. There are 6 reproductions : Vue du château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1832) by William Turner, La Seine et le Pecq (1906) by Maurice de Vlaminck ; 2 versions of L'Inondation à Port-Marly (1876), Une rue à Marly ou place de marché (1876) by Alfred Sisley et Port-Marly, le lavoir (1872) by Camille Pissarro.
 The Pissarro Path is a trail of 6.6 km, from Louveciennes, going through Marly-le-Roi and arriving at Bougival. There are about 15 reproductions : in Louveciennes, La route de Versailles (1895) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir; Place du Chenil à Marly, effet de neige and L'abreuvoir de Marly, gelée blanche, (1876) by Alfred Sisley, Vue de Marly-le-Roi (1870) by Camille Pissarro; Chemin de la Machine, Louveciennes (1873) by Alfred Sisley and Le Village de Voisins (1872) by Camille Pissarro. Then, there is Hauteurs de Marly, ferme de mi-côte (1870) by Alfred Sisley, and Une rue de village, Louveciennes (1871) by Pissarro. Then, L'aqueduc de Marly (1874) by Sisley and Entrée du village de Voisins (1872) by Pissarro. Then comes Le Château du Pont (1948) by Jeanne Baudot, a student of Renoir from Louveciennes. Then, Printemps à Louveciennes (1870) by Pissarro. Finally, in Bougival, there are Restaurant à Bougival (vers 1905) by Maurice de Vlaminck, Route de Saint-Germain à Marly-le-Roi (1872) and Barrage de la Machine de Marly (1876) by Alfred Sisley.
 The Monet is a trail of 4.25 km, from Chatou, going through Croissy-sur-Seine et and arriving at Bougival. There are 5 reproductions : Le pont du chemin de fer à Chatou (1881) and La Grenouillère (1869) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Bain à la Grenouillère (1869) and Le pont de Bougival (1869-1870) by Claude Monet, and Bords de Seine (1883) par Berthe Morisot.
 The Renoir is a trail of 3.6 km, from Chatou arriving at Carrières-sur-Seine. There are 5 reproductions : Le Déjeuner des Canotiers (1880-1881) and Les canotiers à Chatou (vers 1879) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Le pont de Chatou (1906-1907) by Maurice de Vlaminck, Carrières-Saint-Denis (1878) by Claude Monet and Le Village (1905) by Maurice de Vlaminck.

Visitor center
From 2011, the visitor center of Marly-le-Roy became that of Pays des Impressionnistes, gathering Carrières-sur-Seine, Chatou, Croissy-sur-Seine, Le Pecq, Le Port-Marly, Louveciennes, Marly-le-Roi and Rueil-Malmaison.

It organizes Impressionist's cruises from April to October along the shores and islands of the loop of the Seine.

It also organizes visits of contemporary painters ateliers, such as those of Catherine Vaes in Croissy in 2012, and Claude-Max Lochu in Carrières-sur-Seine in January 2014.

References

External links

  Visitor center of the Pays des Impressionnistes
  Site Facebook de Office de Tourisme du Pays des Impressionnistes

Arts organizations established in 2001
Impressionism
Visitor centers
Tourist attractions in Hauts-de-Seine
Tourist attractions in Yvelines
Hiking trails in France
J. M. W. Turner
Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Claude Monet
Alfred Sisley
Camille Pissarro

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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In a milestone discovery for addiction research, a team of scientists from the Salk Institute have discovered a brain biomarker that could help predict compulsive drinking. During mice trials, the team isolated a brain circuit linked to excessive alcohol consumption and the potential development of disorders or addiction. Until now, little was known about the physiological markers associated with drinking problems. While stress and trauma are obvious "nurture" factors, the influence of "nature" and genetics has been largely unexplored.
Bridging the gap between brain circuit analysis and compulsive drinking
The findings were published in the journal Science, with the researchers asserting the study could have major implications for understanding more about the mechanics and drivers of alcoholism. While previous studies have focused on examining the brain after an alcohol addiction has already developed, Salk Institute researcher Kay Tye and her team wanted to explore whether brain circuits can influence a predisposition for excessive drinking.
"I hope this will be a landmark study, as we've found (for the first time) a brain circuit that can accurately predict which mice will develop compulsive alcohol drinking weeks before the behaviour starts," says Tye, a professor in the Systems Neurobiology Laboratory. "This research bridges the gap between circuit analysis and alcohol/addiction research, and provides a first glimpse at how representations of compulsive alcohol drinking develop across time in the brain."
Neural activity used to predict alcoholism
Cody Siciliano, first author of the study explains, "We initially sought to understand how the brain is altered by binge drinking to drive compulsive alcohol consumption. In the process, we stumbled across a surprising finding where we were actually able to predict which animals would become compulsive based on neural activity during the very first time they drank."
To test the theory, the team created a binge-induced compulsion task (BICT) test designed to analyse how predisposition for heavy alcohol consumption can facilitate compulsive drinking in mice. As well as observing behaviours towards regular alcohol, the team observed reactions to negative consequences such as the addition of a bitter taste. After analysing drinking habits, the mice were sorted into three groups – low drinkers, heavy drinkers and compulsive drinkers. Unlike low and heavy drinkers, the compulsive mice were not put off by negative consequences.
A proactive approach to preventing addiction
An advanced technique called microendoscopic single-cell resolution calcium imaging was used to map the brain regions and at neuron activity of the mice prior, during and after alcohol consumption. The team found that mice with neural communication between the medial prefrontal cortex and the periaqueductal grey matter regions of the brain were more prone to compulsive alcohol drinking.
"Now, we can look into the brain and find activity patterns that predict if mice will become compulsive drinkers in the future, before the compulsion develops," explains Tye. "We do not know if this brain circuit is specific to alcohol or if the same circuit is involved in multiple different compulsive behaviors such as those related to other substances of abuse or natural rewards, so that is something we need to investigate."
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In order to preserve and protest the green treasure, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar has directed forest officers to initiate stern action against the lawbreakers.
Addressing the high-level review meeting of police and forest officials at Pragathi Bhavan to discuss the issues related to forest protection and afforestation, Rao issued a stern warning saying that all the state government will take all necessary steps will be taken to curb the smuggling of timber/wood.
Rao asked district collector, superintendent of Police and District Forst Officers to prepare a joint action plan in a bid to trace the links of illegal activities across the state. The Chief Minister instructed forest officials to form joint flying squads comprising of armed police and police officials. He mentioned that existing forest act of Telangana should be relooked and reviewed in order to have a better legal framework against the forest encroachers and smugglers.
The Chief Minister informed that the state intelligence wing has been continuously keeping a close track on those who illegally fell the forests and smuggle timber/wood. Rao also expressed that strong check posts are required to restrict the forest smuggling and instructed concern official to look into the matter of wood smuggling. Rao informed that under the title of "Green Fund", a dedicated fundraising campaign involving from MPs, MLAs, MLCs and other stakeholders to ensure the hassle-free implementation of the programme.
The Chief Minister clearly indicated that concern officials should not entertain any kind of political interference or pressure tactics. He went on saying that officers should not hesitate to initiate severe action against individuals having a direct-indirect association with the ruling party.