We are a group of non-governmental organizations that advocate for human rights, civil rights, and government accountability. We are writing to share our serious concerns about PresidentTrump’s nomination of Marshall Billingslea to be Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights at the Department of State, given Mr. Billingslea’s well- documented history of advocating for the use of torture and other unlawful interrogation practices.
The Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights is the senior-most executive branch official directly responsible for forming and implementing U.S. government policy on promoting universal human rights, preventing mass atrocities, aiding refugees and victims of conflict, fighting corruption, combatting human trafficking, and countering terrorism, among other tasks. He or she routinely and directly engages with foreign governments, civil society, media, and victims of human rights violations on these topics and is expected to explain to these audiences why the U.S. government rejects torture and other forms of ill-treatment as a matter of law and policy. He or she also maintains oversight of many hundreds of millions ofdollars’ worth of foreign assistance aimed at aiding refugees, protecting human rights defenders, supporting torture survivors, assisting survivors of human trafficking, and otherwise helping civilians exposed to the ravages of war and government abuse. Accordingly, he or she must be a strong advocate for policies and assistance accounts that seek to protect and promote human rights within the interagency policy and budgetary formulation processes.
Mr. Billingslea lacks relevant background and experience concerning the vast majority of tasks that fall under the purview of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, a position into which recent Democratic and Republican administrations have appointed senior officials with extensive backgrounds in human rights, development, and refugee policy. Moreover, and most importantly, we are deeply troubled at the possibility that someone with arecord of endorsing torture and other ill-treatment will be the face of American efforts to advance justice and human rights abroad.
According to a bi-partisan report on detainee treatment unanimously adopted by the Senate Armed Services Committee (“SASC Report”), Mr. Billingslea encouraged the use of interrogation methods that amounted to torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment while he served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict Under Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld during the administration of President George W. Bush.
To support their use, Billingslea falsely claimed, in a memo addressed to the Secretary of Defense, that a defense department working group, of which he was a member, “endorsed” the use of a number of techniques amounting to torture or other ill-treatment. In fact, the working group report included senior civilian and military lawyers who opposed torture, and the final report had been completed without the knowledge of the working group’s dissenting members.
Mr. Billingslea also pushed for additional torture techniques to be used on a specific detainee, Mohamedou Ould Slahi. Slahi was a Mauritanian man detained at the Guantánamo Bay detention camp without charge from 2002 until his release on October 17, 2016. According to the SASC report, Mr. Billingslea forwarded a memo notifying Secretary Rumsfeld that JTF- GTMO intended to isolate Slahi and recommending that he approve the use of "sleep deprivation" and "sound modulation at decibel levels not harmful to hearing,” both of which amount to a breach of the absolute prohibition on torture and other ill-treatment. Secretary Rumsfeld approved the techniques, which were subsequently used on Slahi. In 2004, the Marine officer charged with prosecuting Slahi in a military commission determined that statements elicited from Slahi were obtained under torture and resigned his position so as not to participate in the proceedings.
All the undersigned organizations have serious concerns about Mr. Billingslea’s record, his possible involvement in violations of U.S. and international law, and how this will affect his ability to perform the duties he would be tasked with in this position. Before holding a confirmation hearing on his nomination, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee should insist that the Trump administration declassify and release publicly all memos, e-mails, notes, and other documents, including those Mr. Billingslea authored or approved, that could provide additional information regarding his involvement in the approval, authorization, or use of torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
Even if such documents are not released publicly in full, the Senate’s own public report, as highlighted above, does in and of itself raise significant and compelling concerns. We urge you to take these particularly troubling elements into account during the confirmation process.


Don't Get Dizzy While You're Busy Every answer today is a rhyming two-word phrase in which each word has two syllables and the first word ends with a doubled consonant plus the letter Y.
This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Rachel Martin. And no, Kim Kardashian's back side did not break the Internet, but what's about to happen now is likely to blow up your radio. It's time to puzzle. Joining me now is Will Shortz. He is the puzzle editor of The New York Times and WEEKEND EDITION's puzzle master. Good morning, Will.
WILL SHORTZ, BYLINE: Good morning, Rachel.
MARTIN: So what was last week's challenge?
SHORTZ: Yes. It came from listener Steve Baggish of Arlington, Massachusetts. I said name a well-known clothing company, move each of its letters three spaces earlier in the alphabet and rearrange the result. You'll name something you don't want in an article of clothing. What is it? Well, the clothing company is Izod - I-Z-O-D. And do that letter thing, and you get flaw - F-L-A-W - which is definitely something you don't want in your clothing.
MARTIN: OK. And I understand their might have been an alternative answer you would've accepted.
SHORTZ: Well, I'm not sure we accepted it, but I thought it was pretty clever. It's Luvs - L-U-V-S - as in the diapers. And you move the letters like I said and you get rips - R-I-P-S.
SHORTZ: So you definitely don't want rips in your diaper.
MARTIN: No, definitely not. So you don't win, but points for creativity with that answer. Nearly 400 of you, though, did submit the correct answer. And our randomly selected winner is Chris Matthews of Ridgecrest, California. He joins us now on the line. Hey, Chris. Congratulations.
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Hey, this is quite an honor.
MARTIN: Well, it's really great to have you with us. Was this an easy thing for you to figure out?
MATTHEWS: It was in a way. It took me about half an hour. I was going to bed, and I just submitted. And I never thought you guys would call.
MARTIN: And we did. You know what's funny, Will? I notice a lot of people - the answers come to them right before they go to bed. There's something about that moment.
SHORTZ: Absolutely. And I get a lot of my best puzzle ideas right before I go to sleep.
MARTIN: There you go. You're in good company.
SHORTZ: And then I try and - then I think, do I want to get up and write this down or can I commit it to memory?
MARTIN: And what do you do?
SHORTZ: I'm usually enough just to lie in bed and hope I remember in the morning.
MARTIN: OK, Chris, are you ready to play the puzzle?
MATTHEWS: I'm as ready as I'll ever be.
MARTIN: OK, let's do it, Will.
SHORTZ: All right, Chris and Rachel, every answer today is a rhyming two-word phrase in which each word has two syllables, and the first word ends with a doubled consonant plus the letter Y. For example, if I said a good-looking metropolis, you would say pretty city.
SHORTZ: Two syllables, they always rhyme. And here's number one, a hilarious rabbit.
SHORTZ: A funny money is it. Numbered two, a taxi driver who complains a lot.
SHORTZ: That's it. An odorous sandwich shop.
MATTHEWS: Oh, a smelly deli.
SHORTZ: A smelly deli, yes. A stylish and sophisticated Scottish girl.
SHORTZ: I'll give you that. I was going for a classy lassie, but we'll go for sassy too. Speaking of sassy, an impudent woman who's hard to please.
MARTIN: Am I going to be offended by this one?
SHORTZ: And I've written the clue as most inoffensively as I can.
SHORTZ: But it might still offend. Yeah. I'm just going to tell you. It's a fussy hussy.
MATTHEWS: Oh, I wasn't going to say hussy.
MARTIN: Fussy hussy. All right.
SHORTZ: OK. Moving right along. A haughty London policeman.
MATTHEWS: Hobby. Oh - a snobby bobby.
SHORTZ: A snobby bobby is it. A stupid '60s guy with long hair and a tie-dye shirt.
SHORTZ: That's it. How about wifey's overweight spouse.
SHORTZ: That's it. And embalmed body in a pyramid that is in poor condition.
SHORTZ: Oh, OK. Or a crummy mommy. And here's your last one. An addled person whose looks rate a 10.
MATTHEWS: Got to think of a Y.
SHORTZ: So if someone is really good-looking, what would you call them?
SHORTZ: A hottie. Yes. An addled person.
MATTHEWS: Oh, hang on, hang on. An addled person.
SHORTZ: The rhyme starts with a D.
SHORTZ: A dotty hottie is it. You've got it.
MATTHEWS: I've got to use that in my vocabulary.
MARTIN: Tricky, tricky, Will. Very tricky.
MARTIN: OK, Chris, good job. Very well done.
MARTIN: And for playing the puzzle today, you get a WEEKEND EDITION lapel pin and all kinds of puzzle books and games. If you want to read about those prizes, you can do so at our website, npr.org/puzzle. And before we let you go, tell us where you hear us, Chris. What's your public radio station?
MATTHEWS: I have two. It's split between usually KCRW out of Santa Monica or KVCR in San Bernardino.
MARTIN: Great. Chris Matthews of Ridgecrest, California. Thanks so much for playing the puzzle, Chris.
MATTHEWS: This has been great. It was a lot of fun.
MARTIN: OK, Will. What's up for next week?
SHORTZ: Yes. Name a country, drop one of its letters and rearrange the remaining letters to name this country's money. What is it? So again, name a country, drop one of its letters, rearrange the remaining letters to name this country's money. What country is it, and what's the money?
MARTIN: All right. You know what to do. When you've got the answer, go to our website, npr.org/puzzle, click on the submit your answer link. Just one entry per person please. And our deadline for those entries is Thursday, November 20 at 3 p.m. Eastern time. Don't forget to include a phone number where we can reach you at about that time. And if you're the winner, we give you a call. And then you get to play on the air with the puzzle editor of The New York Times and WEEKEND EDITION's puzzle master, Will Shortz. Thanks so much, Will.


Held at Headquarters, New York, on Monday, 29 October 2001, at 10 a.m.
1.	Mr. Hansen (Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)), introducing his report for the period from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001 (A/56/13 and Add.1), said that the tragic events of 11 September in the United States had shocked people all over the Middle East and that the staff of UNRWA were at one with the Secretary-General of the United Nations in condemning terrorist acts and supporting the United Nations in its efforts to counter them.
2.	The past year had been a time of great tension in the occupied Palestinian territory, which had seriously affected the Palestinian economy. The majority of Palestinian households and refugee families were living below the poverty line. Although the political developments in the region were beyond UNRWA’s mandate, the Agency could not escape their impact, since they affected its day-to-day operations. For decades, UNRWA had been considered a force for stability in the refugee community, and therefore also in the region. However, the events of 11 September, the conflict against terrorism in Afghanistan and the general sense of crisis and uncertainty had also impacted on the situation of refugees. It was very important for the refugees to feel assured that the international community would continue to be committed to their welfare and UNRWA had a central role in that task.
3.	It was therefore imperative that UNRWA plan its activities beyond the short term, and to do that it needed sound financial foundations for its plans. Because of the structural budget deficit that had persisted in the past few years, the quality and extent of UNRWA’s activities were under serious threat. The Agency’s expenditure per refugee had declined from $200 in 1973 to less than $68 in 1999. Yet the demand for its services was growing at a rapid pace: in Gaza alone, the Agency had to provide more than 11,000 new school places every year. Some 93 per cent of Agency schools in Jordan ran on double shifts, and it was a struggle to avoid the introduction of triple shifts. In health centres each doctor had to see more than 100 patients a day.
4.	At a meeting in Amman in September 2001, the major donor countries had been informed that, if the cash shortfall was not made up urgently, the Agency would not be able to meet its obligations, including the payment of wages for the month. In order to place UNRWA’s finances on a stable footing, meetings had been organized with the Foreign Ministers of the European Union countries and with senior officials in the United States Department of State. Notably, the European Commission had decided to increase its contribution by 45 per cent in the coming year. It was to be hoped that that decision would serve as an example to all the other donors.
5.	The continuing debt owed by the Palestinian Authority on account of the non-reimbursement of value added tax (VAT) payments had serious financial implications for the Agency. The debt amounted to about $25 million including accumulated interest. UNRWA supported the Palestinian Authority’s proposal that Israel should transfer directly to the Agency $15 million of the VAT and customs duties it had collected, and $6 million of port charges levied. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs had rejected the proposed method of resolving the situation; it was to be hoped that the rejection was temporary. A quick settlement of those issues would contribute greatly towards the reduction of the Agency’s budget deficit in the current year. It was gratifying that the Agency’s budget proposals had been positively received in the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ).
6.	Not only the shortage of resources but also the various restrictions on the movement of people and goods were a serious obstacle to the Agency’s humanitarian work. That issue was continuously being brought to the attention of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs at all possible levels, but no progress had yet been made. The Israeli authorities searched Agency vehicles driven by staff holding diplomatic visas and red laissez-passers. Those procedures were inconsistent with the provisions of the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, which stipulated that United Nations property was exempt from search.
7.	Despite all the difficulties mentioned, the Agency had made significant progress. Education levels among the refugees were the highest in the region. UNRWA’s Rehabilitation Centre for the Visually Impaired in Gaza City and its job placement scheme had received a prestigious award. The Agency was implementing a management reform programme, which was already producing results in various areas.
8.	In conclusion, he thanked all the donors who had supported UNRWA with their contributions and called on them to maintain their support in the future and, if possible, to increase the size of their contributions.
9.	Mr. Brattskar (Norway), Rapporteur of the Working Group on the Financing of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, introducing the Working Group’s report (A/56/430), said that, during the past year, the Working Group had followed with concern the difficulties experienced by the Agency and, in particular, its serious financial situation. In 2000, UNRWA’s cash deficit had amounted to $24.4 million. In previous years deficits in the cash budget had been covered out of working capital. However, that reserve had been fully depleted in 1999. Since income for 2000 had fallen far short of the regular budget, the Agency had been forced to continue the austerity measures introduced in previous years and to reduce expenditure to match income. It had not been possible to allocate any funds towards building up the working capital or salary reserve.
10.	By the middle of 2001, the Agency had been facing the prospect of a $66 million deficit by the end of the year in its regular budget for the year. Income for the year had been expected to amount to $280 million, against a budget of $311 million. At the informal meeting of the Working Group in New York on 14 September 2001, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA had said that the Agency faced not only the problem of a budget deficit but also a cash shortage which threatened its ability to meet its commitments in the remaining quarter of 2001.
11.	The Commissioner-General had made every effort to keep donors informed of the Agency’s financial situation. Many donors had once again in the current year responded generously to the special appeals for funding for UNRWA’s regular and project budgets. To ensure a reliable income, UNRWA had appealed to donors to pay their pledged contributions earlier or at least on time. The budget format adopted by the Agency for the biennium 2002-2003 had been well received by ACABQ, which had recommended that the General Assembly should approve it.
12.	The Working Group was pleased to note that UNRWA had made significant progress towards eliminating the structural deficit problem, in particular through the introduction of the 1999 Area Staff Rules. The Group welcomed the tireless efforts of the Commissioner-General and his staff to maintain the Agency’s basic operations despite the shortage of resources, and also the Commissioner-General’s efforts to raise funds and keep donors and host authorities informed about the actual situation with a view to opening new avenues of support and funding.
13.	The Group was gravely concerned at the impact of austerity measures on the lives of Palestinian refugees, particularly in the areas of education and health. Additional austerity measures could only aggravate the already disastrous socio-economic situation of the refugees and increase the burden on the authorities in host countries.
14.	The Group agreed that the problem of the refugees was rooted in the political problem which had originated more than half a century before and that it remained essential to resolve that problem once and for all in accordance with all relevant United Nations resolutions. However, the problems which the refugees faced every day were of a humanitarian nature and needed to be resolved by the entire international community. The services provided by UNRWA were the minimum required to enable the refugees to lead decent human lives. Any cuts in the level of assistance would not only deprive the refugees of vital services but would also have a destabilizing effect on the entire region. In order to provide UNRWA with a secure financial basis, the Working Group strongly urged all Governments to contribute to UNRWA’s budget, increase the size of their contributions and pay them on time, and also urged them to consider making special contributions to cover the deficit and build up working capital so that the Agency could restore services cut as a result of austerity measures, and to ensure that donor support for emergency-related and special programmes or capital projects did not under any circumstances lead to a reduction in contributions to the Agency’s regular programmes or the diversion of funds from them.
15.	Mr. Jilani (Observer for Palestine) thanked the Commissioner-General of UNRWA for introducing the report on the Agency’s work and expressed gratitude to him and his staff for the efforts they were making in a very complex socio-economic and political situation.
16.	The policy of a total blockade imposed by the Israeli occupying forces on people, goods and humanitarian aid was further aggravating the situation of Palestinian refugees and leading to an increase in extreme poverty, a sharp increase in unemployment and a deterioration in education and health care.
17.	The persistence of such a tragic situation and the escalation of the bloody Israeli campaign against the Palestinian people had given rise to a number of complex problems. Among them, mention should be made of the occupying Power’s attitude to UNRWA and its staff and the obstacles which Israel put in the way of UNRWA’s efforts to provide basic services and assistance to the population. Similar actions were the scandalous violation of obligations entered into by Israel before the United Nations and its obligations as an occupying Power, which were laid down in international legal instruments and international humanitarian law.
18.	He paid a tribute to the work done by UNRWA in the current difficult circumstances, despite the obstacles created by Israel. UNRWA had acted in an efficient and responsible manner, providing emergency assistance to refugee victims, and had also issued a number of urgent appeals which had met with a positive response in the international community. Support should be provided at a level which would meet the Agency’s requirements for its regular budget and emergency appeals.
19.	In 1948, the General Assembly, in paragraph 11 of resolution 194 (III), had emphasized the right of the Palestinian people to return to their homes or to receive compensation. Since then, that right had been reaffirmed year after year. Yet Israel continued to deny Palestine refugees their rights, including the right to property and a home. At the same time, Israel continued to deny its responsibility for the grievous situation of the refugees.
20.	The existing general norms in relation to refugees should also apply, in their entirety, to Palestine refugees. The fact that the situation in which they found themselves had arisen 50 years earlier did not in any way deprive them of the right to return to their homes and to have their property returned to them, particularly taking into account that the main cause of Palestine refugees’ continuing distress was the position of Israel, which refused to recognize the rights of Palestine refugees, and its stubborn refusal to agree to any just settlement based on the principles of international law.
21.	He underscored the need to guarantee the right of the displaced Palestinian population to return to the Territories that had been occupied by Israel since 1967, in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations, particularly Security Council resolution 237 (1967) of 14 June 1967. It had been intended that they would return during the transitional period, in accordance with the agreements concluded, but that had not happened because of procrastination on the part of Israel. That had become yet another factor undermining the Middle East peace process and casting doubt on the sincerity of the Israeli side. In his view, a just solution to the problem of Palestine refugees, guaranteeing their rights in the context of a definitive and comprehensive settlement, was an indispensable condition for the establishment of general peace and stability in the region.
22.	UNRWA, with the experience it had acquired, could play an important role in solving the problem of Palestine refugees and alleviating their suffering. That role was acquiring ever greater significance in the current dangerous socio-economic situation. As the Commissioner-General of UNRWA had noted time and again, Palestine refugees were the most vulnerable section of the Palestinian population in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including Jerusalem, whether it was a question of the number killed and injured as a result of the bloody Israeli campaign or of the increase in extreme poverty as a result of the closure policy.
23.	He also emphasized the important role of UNRWA in providing basic services and meeting the basic needs of refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic. He greatly appreciated the humanitarian services provided by UNRWA and its staff, notwithstanding all the difficulties and risks, and their steadfastness and devotion to duty, and called on all donor countries to lend assistance and support to the Agency so that it could continue to provide basic services to all refugees and to ease their difficult situation. Lastly, he called on his colleagues to work together to ensure the approval in the Fifth Committee of the recommendations set out in the report of ACABQ on the budget of UNRWA.
24.	Mr. Hadidi (Jordan) said that Jordan wished to assure the Commissioner-General of UNRWA of its commitment to cooperation with the Agency and its support for the Agency’s humanitarian endeavours for the welfare of Palestine refugees. Among the United Nations agencies engaged in providing aid, UNRWA had shown itself to be one of the most effective: despite the reduction of its resources, the Agency had organized competent services responsible for education, vocational training, health care and social security.
25.	The Palestinian question lay at the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and a solution to the problem of Palestine refugees constituted the basis for a comprehensive and peaceful settlement based on international resolutions, particularly resolution 194 (III), which emphasized the right of refugees to return to their homes and to receive compensation. The Peace Treaty between Israel and Jordan stressed that the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people were one aspect of a comprehensive settlement.
26.	The fact that UNRWA continued to be operational represented an acknowledgement on the part of the international community of its responsibilities in the face of the tragedy of Palestine refugees. The need for the Agency’s existence would continue for as long as the reasons for its establishment persisted.
27.	For half a century, the burden of caring for the refugees had weighed more heavily on Jordan than on anyone else. The Jordanian Government’s expenditure on refugees was 5.47 times greater than the Agency’s expenditure in the entire region, and any reduction in the services provided by the Agency would increase the burden on Jordan. In that connection, his delegation called on the international community not to allow contraction of the role and programmes of UNRWA until the question of Palestine refugees had been solved. It called on donor countries to continue to provide assistance to UNRWA and to ensure that the Agency received the US$ 26 million it needed in order to continue its work for the remainder of 2001.
28.	During the period under review, the disparity between the volume of expenditure of the Agency and its income had increased. That was adversely affecting the level and quality of the services provided to Palestine refugees. Helping the Agency meant supporting the peace process itself, while reducing UNRWA services would have a negative effect on the peace process. The calls heard from time to time for a change in the Agency’s priorities as a way out of the financial crisis were unacceptable since the needs in the areas of health care and education and the necessity of meeting basic human needs would not go away, particularly as the number of refugees was growing.
29.	His delegation appreciated the sincere efforts of the Commissioner-General of UNRWA to increase the number of donors, the support of donor countries and the work of the Agency’s staff.
30.	Mr. Cockx (Belgium), speaking on behalf of the European Union, the associated countries of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey, said that the Union highly valued the important work done by UNRWA and thanked the Governments of the host countries — Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic — for their constant support for the Palestinian refugees over more than five decades. The Governments of those countries, particularly Lebanon, had often paid a very high price for taking in and meeting the needs of those refugees.
31.	The number of refugees whom the Agency was assisting continued to grow, and in 2001 had reached 4 million. At the same time the financial resources from which that assistance was provided were decreasing annually, and the political situation and security environment, particularly in the occupied Territories, were creating additional difficulties. The Agency’s difficult financial situation was compromising its ability to assist the refugees. The volume of contributions pledged by the international community to the third emergency appeal was still insufficient, and the contributions to the regular budget were still too low.
32.	The European Union was extremely concerned to note that the Agency was having to exist from hand to mouth without having even the minimum funds to cover its essential expenditure, despite efforts to increase the effectiveness of its management and its control over expenditure. The Union shared the concern of the Commissioner-General regarding UNRWA’s critical financial situation, and considered that it was essential to strive to broaden the number of donors to the Agency. The European Union itself was the principal donor to UNRWA: the extent of its contribution to the regular budget, as well as to emergency appeals, had amounted in the past year to US$ 200 million.
33.	The European Union could only express regret at the obstacles faced by the Agency in its daily activities in the occupied Palestinian Territories. The Union had frequently approached the Israeli authorities with appeals to lift the closures in the occupied Territories and not to impede the development of socio-economic activities among the Palestinian population. It was high time that the freedom of movement of persons and goods in and between the occupied Territories was restored.
34.	The European Union also deplored the fact that the Israeli authorities were making the task of UNRWA staff difficult, if not impossible, by blocking the access of humanitarian and medical convoys and causing damage to UNRWA infrastructures by their military actions. The Union also called on the Israeli authorities to transfer the amount of value added tax and harbour duties owed to the Palestinian Authority.
35.	The closures of the occupied Territories were having serious economic, humanitarian and administrative repercussions on the Palestinian population. The fall in economic indicators showed how serious the situation was. In that connection, the European Union urged the parties to seek, together with the Commissioner-General, the speedy, practical and satisfactory solutions which would enable UNRWA to fulfil its mission.
36. The European Union congratulated UNRWA on the quality of services it had provided to the Palestinian refugees in spite of the difficulties hindering its work. The results achieved in the areas of health and education were particularly impressive.
37.	Until such time as a comprehensive, just and lasting peace was achieved on the basis of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967 and 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973, UNRWA must continue to fulfil its mandate, for which it must have the necessary resources at its disposal. The European Union would continue to support UNRWA both politically and financially.
38.	Mr. Zaki (Egypt) said that the General Assembly was embarking on its discussion of the first item pertaining to the Middle East on the agenda of its current session at a time when the tanks of the Israeli army were patrolling the streets of Palestinian towns and the bullets of the Israeli army were killing dozens of Palestinians. The delegation of Egypt was angered and saddened by those circumstances, and its feelings were deepened by the fact that in the corridors of the United Nations there was much talk of human rights, the rights of refugees and what States should and should not do to protect the right of the individual to a dignified life. However, all those sentiments lost their meaning when the issue related to the rights of Palestinians and Palestinian refugees. States which lectured every day on the need to defend human rights were turning a blind eye to the injustice and blatant violation of those rights by Israel — the occupying Power.
39.	As for the report of the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, the delegation of Egypt, firstly, condemned strongly the continuing violation by Israel of its legal obligations under international humanitarian law and under the agreements that the Israeli authorities had signed with the Agency, especially the agreement of 1967. Egypt implored the international community to stand unified in demanding Israel’s commitment to its obligations, specifically relating to the freedom of movement of UNRWA personnel and their vehicles transporting humanitarian assistance.
40.	Secondly, Egypt welcomed the steps taken by UNRWA to address the situation resulting from the total blockade imposed by the occupying Power in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Egypt requested the international community, and especially those States that had the financial capacity to contribute, to assist in the alleviation of the effects of that inhuman blockade by contributing to the Agency’s implementation of programmes and responding to its emergency appeals.
41.	Thirdly, Egypt supported the proposed budget for 2002-2003 and welcomed the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) regarding its adoption. Egypt also supported the request to establish five new international posts for the Agency to be financed under the regular budget.
42.	Finally, Egypt requested the Secretariat immediately to pay the sum of US$ 5.1 million which it owed to UNRWA in connection with the transfer of the Agency’s headquarters to Gaza. The payment of that sum as soon as possible would be of great importance in light of the Agency’s difficult financial situation at the present critical stage of its existence.
43.	The Palestinian refugees had certain inalienable rights, in particular the right to return to their homes and the right to compensation, which were laid down in many General Assembly resolutions, starting with resolution 194 (III). A just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question had to be based on that resolution. However, any discussion of a settlement and of peace currently seemed hopeless, given Israel’s continuing occupation of Palestinian Territories, and it was therefore vital to remember that the services provided by the Agency to the Palestinian people in all fields were important and necessary. That fact obliged all donors to continue making voluntary contributions to the Agency’s activities.
44.	Egypt supported UNRWA’s work and urged all donors and other members of the international community concerned about establishing peace in the Middle East to make efforts to ensure that the occupying Power refrained from its expansionist policies and chose the path towards peace.
45.	Mr. Ahsan (Bangladesh) said that his delegation attached special importance to the activities of UNRWA, which should be highly commended, and welcomed the report of the Commissioner-General, which presented a comprehensive picture of the Agency’s activities over the past year.
46.	The reporting period had been marked by a high degree of violence in the Palestinian Territories and an increased burden on the inhabitants, and also strangulation of the Palestinian economy as a result of the restrictions imposed on movement. All those factors had led to an increase in the number of refugees being cared for by UNRWA. In that situation, the Agency had a special responsibility to boost the morale of the Palestinian people.
47.	The delegation of Bangladesh was deeply concerned about Israel’s interference in UNRWA activities, particularly the imposition of restrictions on the movement of its staff. In addition, Agency staff had been detained and subjected to attacks and harassment, and even the Commissioner-General had not escaped such treatment. Bangladesh strongly condemned those acts, which violated international law and the agreement between UNRWA and Israel, and urged Israel to lift all restrictions on the movement of Agency staff and not to interfere in their work.
48.	Bangladesh welcomed the institutional reform undertaken by the Agency to enable it to respond more efficiently and effectively to the needs of the Palestinians. It also welcomed the expansion of microfinance and microcredit facilities in the West Bank after their successful introduction in Gaza, and would be happy to share its own experience in that field.
49.	His delegation was alarmed to note that the Agency’s financial situation had deteriorated as the Middle East crisis deepened. It therefore urged donors to respond to the needs of the Agency and provide it with financial assistance beyond their pledged contributions. Mindful of the needs of the Palestinians, Bangladesh recommended extending the Agency’s mandate for another three years, and until a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian problem was achieved.
50.	Mr. Assaf (Lebanon) said that, although UNRWA had originally been created as a temporary agency to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees, 50 years later the General Assembly was forced to renew the Agency’s mandate once again, chiefly because of Israel’s refusal to uphold the refugees’ right to return to their homes.
51.	The refugee problem was one of the major aspects of the Palestinian question, particularly for Lebanon, in whose territory 383,000 Palestinians lived, making up 10 per cent of the country’s population. In that connection, he thanked the representative of Belgium, who had mentioned in his statement the difficulties faced by Lebanon as a result of its taking in such a large number of refugees.
52.	Recalling Lebanon’s position on the problem of Palestinian refugees, he said that, first of all, it was necessary to guarantee the refugees’ right to return to their homes, which had been affirmed repeatedly in General Assembly resolutions. Secondly, Lebanon rejected the idea of permanently settling the refugees in its territory, since that would in principle violate the Lebanese Constitution because the actual number of Palestinian refugees exceeded Lebanon’s capacity to receive them and also because the refugees themselves did not want to live in camps permanently, but rather stood by their right of return and their right to create an independent State.
53.	The current situation was also exacerbated by the fact that Israel was impeding UNRWA and harassing its staff in every way possible. The Agency’s report mentioned cases of detention of UNRWA staff in violation of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, cases of shooting at Agency schools and damage to other Agency sites, the imposition of restrictions on movement between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which had affected even the Commissioner-General himself, and the non-payment by Israel of the sums it owed the Agency. Consequently, Lebanon urged the international community to put pressure on Israel to refrain from such violations in the future and to abide by the international conventions.
54.	Lebanon greatly appreciated the services provided by the Agency to Palestinian refugees, particularly in the areas of education, health care and social assistance, and emphasized that it was important for the Agency to continue its work of registering the refugees and issuing them with identity papers which allowed them to retain their status as refugees and Palestinian citizens and to exercise their right to return to their homes in due course.
55. Turning to the Agency’s critical financial situation, he noted that the current level of contributions was insufficient in view of the natural increase in the number of refugees. He therefore urged donors to increase their contributions to the Agency’s budget.
56.	In conclusion, Lebanon reiterated that the only way to solve the refugee problem was for them to return to their homes in accordance with General Assembly resolutions and international law, and reaffirmed its commitment to the establishment of a just and lasting peace, pursuant to Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). That process had to presuppose an Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Golan and the implementation of the right of all the refugees to self-determination and the creation of their own State.
57.	Mr. Alatas (Indonesia) said that his country had been observing with deepening concern the progressive deterioration of the situation in the occupied Territories, which had drastically affected the lives of Palestinian refugees. It behove the international community to put an end to the inhuman carnage of innocent civilians and immediately to call on Israel to lift the restrictions on the movement of staff and goods in line with the agreements concluded between UNRWA and Israel and the norms of international law. It was Indonesia’s steadfast conviction that there could be no settlement of the refugee problem unless there was a just and comprehensive settlement of the whole question of Palestine.
58.	It was heartening to note that, in the conditions of a serious worsening of the economic situation in the occupied Palestinian Territories, the international community had acknowledged the urgency of the situation and had responded to UNRWA’s appeals for emergency assistance to the refugees. UNRWA was to be commended for the fact that in conditions of dire budget deficit it was seeking non-traditional ways of minimizing its costs and striving to improve the efficiency and quality of its services, where there were clear achievements in the fields of education and health care, and the successful income-generation programmes.
59.	If UNRWA’s financial situation was not remedied, it would profoundly affect not only the humanitarian services provided to the Palestinian people but also stability throughout the region. Thus, it was of the utmost importance that UNRWA programmes be placed on a sound financial footing.
60.	UNRWA served as a symbol of the commitment of the international community to the provision of assistance to the Palestinian people in its aspiration to realize its hopes and expectations. Indonesia remained convinced that the Palestinian people, thanks to the efforts of UNRWA, would be able to secure lasting peace, stability and development in its own homeland.
61.	Mr. Rani Ismail Hadi (Malaysia) said that his delegation was greatly concerned at the deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestinian Territory, which was adversely affecting the Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the West Bank. The almost uninterrupted violence since September 2000 had taken a heavy toll in human lives and injuries.
62.	The measures taken by the Israeli Government in the name of security had reached dangerous and untenable proportions. Protracted blockades and other measures to which the Israeli authorities in the occupied Palestinian Territories resorted often prevented the movement of UNRWA staff and the delivery of emergency relief. His delegation noted with concern that during the reporting period restrictions on the movement of Agency staff and goods had continued. It called on the Israeli authorities to remove those restrictions and to respect the agreements signed between Israel and UNRWA. It further called on Israel to desist from taking further military actions and to seek a political settlement.
63.	His delegation placed the very highest value on UNRWA’s service to the international community over the past 50 years. It also commended the Governments of Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic, as well as the Palestinian Authority, for their assistance to the refugees.
64.	His delegation was seriously concerned at the precarious financial situation of the Agency. In that regard, it firmly supported the proposal made in his statement by the Commissioner-General of UNRWA that Israel should transfer to the Agency US$ 15 million collected in value added tax and customs duties and US$ 6 million as harbour dues.
65.	The delegation of Malaysia commended the serious efforts undertaken by the Commissioner-General in seeking increased contributions from traditional donors, as well as seeking to expand the Agency’s donor base. In making its own modest annual contribution to the UNRWA budget, Malaysia urged Member States, particularly the developed countries, to continue or to increase their contributions to enable the Agency to fulfil its noble mission of alleviating the plight of the Palestinian refugees. It was to be hoped that the financial situation of UNRWA would improve in the months ahead.
66.	Mr. Maitland (South Africa) said that his delegation commended the efforts of UNRWA to provide much-needed assistance to Palestinian refugees under difficult conditions. The services of UNRWA were all the more crucial as the economic and social hardship suffered by the Palestinian people was aggravated by the Israeli policies of closures and restrictions on free movement. His delegation was concerned at the negative effects of those policies on the Agency’s work and called on the Government of Israel to make every effort to ensure the free movement of Agency staff and goods in accordance with the relevant agreements and international law.
67.	His delegation believed that, in those circumstances, the international community should exert every effort to ensure adequate funding for the work of UNRWA.
68.	His delegation unequivocally supported the struggle of the Palestinian people to attain their inalienable rights, including the right to return to their homeland and to have their own independent State with East Jerusalem as its capital. The right of Palestinian refugees to return to their original homes, enshrined in, inter alia, General Assembly resolutions, was of fundamental significance in the search for a just and durable settlement of the refugee question. That right had been reaffirmed at the recent World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.
69.	Lastly, Israel’s policy of closures and restrictions on the movement of goods, persons and resources constituted collective punishment of a civilian population, which was expressly prohibited in the Fourth Geneva Convention. It was therefore incumbent on the international community to take steps to ensure respect for international humanitarian law in the occupied Palestinian Territory in order to protect civilians.
70.	Archbishop Martino (Observer for the Holy See) said that although both UNRWA and the Pontifical Mission for Palestine had been founded as temporary agencies, for over 50 years they had been labouring to assist Palestinian refugees. Unfortunately, violence in Israel and the occupied Territories continued to take innocent lives. During his recent pilgrimage to the Syrian Arab Republic, Pope John Paul II had declared that real peace could be achieved only through mutual understanding and respect among the peoples of the region and among the followers of the three Abrahamic religions.
71.	During the recent incidents in the Christian towns of Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and Beit Jala, Catholic institutions and numerous houses had suffered shell damage. The Pontifical Mission for Palestine was making emergency grants to help residents with repairs or relocation. In that connection, Pope John Paul II had declared that violence was a path of death and destruction which dishonoured the holiness of God and the dignity of man.
72.	Meanwhile, the students of the Pontifical University of Bethlehem had been able to complete the school year, the Pontifical Mission for Palestine had built and opened “Brotherhood park” in Gaza City, and a children’s park had been opened in Bethlehem. With the assistance of European philanthropic agencies, the Pontifical Mission had been able to develop and fund programmes to put the unemployed to work.
73.	His delegation hoped that, beyond addressing humanitarian needs, a solution would be found for the various multifaceted problems of the region, including the question of the Holy City of Jerusalem. His delegation reaffirmed the need for “internationally guaranteed provisions to ensure the freedom of religion and of conscience of its inhabitants, as well as permanent, free and unhindered access to the Holy Places by the faithful of all religions and nationalities” (General Assembly resolution ES-10/2). It called for greater international solidarity and political will to overcome violence in a region awash in weapons and appealed to the international community to help bring about a just resolution of the differences between the peoples of the Holy Land, who were all cousins in the Abrahamic faith. As Pope John Paul II had declared during his pilgrimage, the world looked to the Middle East with hope and concern, expectantly awaiting every sign of constructive dialogue.
The meeting rose at 12.15 p.m.


Shannon Wyatt (left) and MaryJo Taira were two of 438 living organ donors who gathered April 21 at Millennium Park in Chicago.
Oak Parker Shannon Wyatt, 36, and River Forest resident MaryJo Taira, 52, were two of 438 living organ donors who gathered April 21 at Millennium Park in Chicago for the Guinness World Record Attempt: Living Donor Rally. Both women spoke to the Oak Leaves on April 27 about their experience.
Q: What was the event like?
MJT: The event was amazing. Just being there with so many people for the same amazing topic. It was mostly kidney donors. There were over 400 donors, and they had us all go to The Bean. There were so many people pulled together for this one purpose. I’ve never been part of a Guinness record of any sort.
SW: There were so many different people of all different walks of life, and they did the same thing I did. I was pretty blown away by the amount of people who came from different places; some people came from Canada or came from Texas. It was cool to hear from a liver donor.
Q: How did the opportunity to donate a kidney come about, and what does it mean to you?
SW: When I was 12, I was told you could donate a kidney because you can get by with one. That was probably my spark for the idea. My recipient was in the hospital with kidney failure. I knew his first and last name and saw him about once a year. The fact that we were the same blood type, I couldn’t go on with my life knowing this man was super sick. In November 2007, I got the call to be tested; four months later, the surgery happened. He was able to get five years with it. That was hard for me to accept. He’s been on dialysis for five years now. I would still do it all over again.
Q: What do you wish people knew about this topic?
SW: I work for Gift of Hope, an organ and tissue donation network for Illinois and northwest Indiana. It’s so important to register yourself as an organ donor. So many people think it’s a great idea, but don’t register. The worst thing is seeing family struggle with the decision after someone has died. Speak to your family about your intentions and register.


The fundamentals of robotic process automation combined with machine learning capabilities to robotize the mundane tasks, plus learning to do a job even better, is what intelligent process automation all about.
We have evolved from room-sized mainframes to laptops, from using stick shifts to autonomous vehicles, from personal assistants to virtual assistants, and to so much more in just the blink of an eye. The fast-paced technology-driven world has made our lives extremely convenient now. We see breakthroughs happening in our lives with technological applications doing the heavy lifting most of the time. This level of sophistication and ease is only possible because of industries becoming digitized. The ultimate aim - to have increased efficiency, enhanced accuracy, improved customer satisfaction and optimized workflows - has engaged organizations to invest in automation and operating tools. One such automation tool that is widely used today is robotic process automation.
Designed to take up low-quality jobs, robotic process automation has helped organizations reduce human errors significantly. Low to no manual errors have led to increased productivity, ultimately profiting the industries in business and revenue growth. Hence, organizations across the world are largely deploying robotic process automation, which is why its market size is expected to hit 3.11 billion dollars by 2025. Despite the revolutionary benefits, robotic process automation lacks certain features. Due to this downside, organizations are augmenting technological capabilities to rule-based robotic process automation, giving rise to a new automation tool - intelligent process automation.
Robotic process automation tools are applications that run predetermined codes to carry out a specific set of tasks. For the tool to provide accurate results, it should be fed with the right inputs. Inputs should be in an understandable manner, which means the data should be in a structured format. If the tool is fed with unstructured data, the tool will not understand how to analyze the data in the first place. To add to the complexity, most of the data that organizations collect is in an unstructured format. Hence, to make the most out of all the data gathered, organizations are opting to make automation tools capable of not only handling workflows smartly but also making decisions.
How is it different from robotic process automation?
ML/ big data analytics - With ML, robotic process automation will move beyond basic automation, thereby increasing productivity significantly. By analyzing and learning from historical data actions, ML-powered robotic process automation tools will detect patterns to deal with sentimental, perceptual, and conceptual inputs and predict better.
Smart workflow management tool - Smart workflow software is a tool that takes care of the end-to-end processes executed by both employees and automated systems. Such a management tool enhances visibility in the process.
Natural language generation - These AI-powered engines are capable of creating narratives from the collected data. RPA, when coupled with NLG, cannot only replace manual jobs but also can present a better story for analysts to make decisions.
What are the possibilities of intelligent process automation?
Emails - The intelligent process automation senses the incoming emails using NLP capabilities. After comprehending the context of the email the system carries out the required follow up actions. Finally, with the help of ML the system collects the data to learn from past events to make better and faster decisions. Alternatively, the system will automatically draft ‘thank you’ emails for potential customers after the concerned service desk authority gets in touch with them.
Invoices - Determine payments due. Accordingly send invoices to clients, vendors and business partners reminding them about the payments due.
Event promotion- Intelligent process automation tracks the location of clients, analyzes their chances of attending an event and sends them invitations.
Documentation - In an insurance firm, every customer will have a different document, depending on the claim selected, including age, gender and perhaps financial status. The firms, once upon a time, had to spend a lot of time doing this tedious task. Today, the ML components in intelligent process automation help the system to analyze the different requirements of customers, extract meaning out of the inserted data and generate documents.
Talent management - The new age HRs are not confined to just searching for skillful candidates who will best match vacant profiles. Instead, they are supposed to do more difficult jobs such as creating strategies to achieve business growth, focusing on offering high-level employee satisfaction and tracking competitor moves. IPA, however, reduces the stress of recruiters. By enabling recruiters to focus on business growth, IPA does the heavy lifting of talent management. IPA traces incoming emails from candidates, reads and comprehends the email, scans the resume and gets back to recruiters if the candidate matches the profile.
How to become a leader with IPA transformation?
With an evolved version of robotic process automation, organizations can gain double-digit returns, slash out the processing time, and enhance customer satisfaction. So, why use something good when there exists something better? The real winners in this era of globalization are the ones who find what’s more profitable for them and leverage those identified models as soon as possible. Organizations that only scratch the surface of technological capabilities and stay stagnant in their developmental phase will be left behind in the digitization race, for sure.


PERFECTLY BALANCED Expect an even spread of ingredients with every pizza.
Despite the dozens of pizza orders it handles a day, Matchbox is not a pizzeria. Rather, the restaurant considers itself a bistro that just so happens to have a brick oven perfect for baking up blistered and crispy pizzas with fresh ingredients.
Located not far from Verizon Center on H Street, the original Matchbox is housed on three floors of a former Chinese grocery store. There are also sites in the Capitol Hill neighborhood and in Rockville, Md. All three restaurants offer the same menu, which combines elegant bistro fare with more down-home, simple dishes.
In the Chinatown restaurant, diners can sit at the bar and choose from a wide beer selection, ranging from local to Belgian drafts, or they can elect to eat at one of the tables. The smell from the burning oven permeates the restaurant, luring patrons’ eyes towards the pizza section almost immediately after receiving the menu.
Though tempted on a recent visit to ask for a vegetarian version of the prosciutto and Mission Black fig pizza with gorgonzola, roasted garlic and honey, I decided on the oven-dried tomato and fresh mozzarella pizza. Unlike a traditional pizza sauce, the pie came with a chunky tomato base with a zesty bite. Hints of red pepper, garlic and sea salt infused the sauce, a nice complement to the creamy puddles of mozzarella that dotted the pie. Since sliced mozzarella has high moisture content, cheese often weighs down a pizza. Matchbox avoids this problem by using just the right amount of cheese to retain the crust’s crisp texture.
Matchbox knows what it’s doing in the crust department. Baked in a 900-degree brick oven, all of Matchbox’s pizzas are based on a thinly spread dough. The high temperatures bake the pies in a matter of minutes, giving them a crispy texture. Although the heat can produce black spots on the bottom and edges of the crust, the char is not a spot to avoid but rather a bite that elevates the pizza’s smoky flavors.
As I enjoyed the oven-roasted twist on a classic Margherita pizza, my friends also devoured their selections. The chicken pesto pizza arrived at the table a beauty in green, composed of homemade pesto sauce, mozzarella and herb-roasted chicken. While pesto is traditionally an oil-based sauce, making it feel lighter than a cream-based sauce, its combination with the cheese made for a rather rich topping. However, like my pizza, the cheese did not overwhelm and allowed the flavors of the herbs in both the chicken and the pesto to shine through.
Spicy homemade meatballs topped the third pizza served at our table. Echoing the flavors in the tomato sauce, notes of oregano and red pepper elevated the rich taste of the meatballs, while the garlic puree added sweetness. Once again, it beautifully concluded with the perfect amount of mozzarella. Since most things are better with bacon, the only thing that could have made the pie better was more of the crispy bacon.
In addition to pizza, Matchbox is known for its sliders. Diners can order three, six or nine, and no visit to the restaurant is complete without eating at least one handcrafted angus beef slider. The mini burgers come on a toasted brioche roll with a mountain of crispy onion straws. Gouda, mozzarella or gorgonzola can be melted onto the burgers, but the cheese almost distracts.
Matchbox’s pizzas and sliders might be what it’s best known for, but other dishes are worth trying. The salmon is seared and served on a creamy bed of cheddar grits with bacon-wrapped green beans, and the beef short ribs are braised to accompany wasabi mashed potatoes, fried brussel sprouts and a jus reduction. Even the fish and chips becomes fancy with panko-crusted haddock and Yukon gold potato wedges.
The spacious dining room, comfortable atmosphere and reasonable prices make the food at Matchbox worthy of a taste.


Many online advertising firms are struggling in the wake of falling stock prices, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, even though global spending on online ads is expected to climb 25 percent this year, according to eMarketer, and will represent 39 percent of total ad spending in the U.S.
Some of the young, publicly traded companies that are not reaping the benefits of that growth are Rocket Fuel, down 73 percent since January; YuMe, down 38 percent; Tremor Video, 46 percent; and Millennial Media, 66 percent, the Journal reported. Even Rubicon Project, a company in which Journal owner News Corp. owns a 13.7 percent stake, is down 27 percent from its $15 initial-public-offering price in April.
Some of the companies attribute the loss to the significant expense for automated solutions, among other investments. "Research-and-development [costs] increased 65 percent year over year as we accelerated our investments in existing product and emerging programmatic initiatives," according to YuMe CEO Jayant Kadambi.
Some industry experts have suggested that the investors funding these companies don't fully understand the complexity or expense of the online ad market, specifically the programming required to automate the ads. Each of the struggling ad companies plays its own role in improving and innovating the programmatic elements.
"It's a confusing market," Frank Addante, founder and CEO of Rubicon Project, told the Journal. "I liken it to the early days of Silicon Valley. If you were an investor back then, you didn't know what was going to be valuable."
Another factor is the fierce market competition. Smaller, younger companies are finding it difficult to keep up with the larger conglomerates, such as Google. In fact, some of the big online players, including AOL, Adobe, Oracle and Salesforce, are purchasing online advertising products—and sometimes even acquiring the smaller companies themselves—with the goal of building fully automated solutions.


Former Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for president Sunday, describing the Illinois senator as a "transformational figure."
Powell said both Obama and Republican John McCain are qualified to be commander in chief. But he said Obama is better suited to handle the nation's economic problems as well as help improve its standing in the world.
It was an endorsement which also included a blistering critique of the Republican campaign tactics and specifically John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate, reports CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds. And in his statement, Powell said Obama presented a more positive choice for the country.
"It isn't easy for me to disappoint Sen. McCain in the way that I have this morning, and I regret that," Powell said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
"But I firmly believe that at this point in America's history, we need a president that will not just continue, even with a new face and with the changes and with some maverick aspects, who will not just continue basically the policies that we have been following in recent years," Powell said.
"I think we need a transformational figure. I think we need a president who is a generational change and that's why I'm supporting Barack Obama, not out of any lack of respect or admiration for Sen. John McCain."
"I have been honored to have the benefit of his wisdom and counsel from time to time over the last few years, but today, I am beyond honored and deeply humbled to have the support of Gen. Colin Powell," Obama said.
It's just the kind of high profile pat on the back that Obama will use to fight off Republican charges that he lacks the experience and the ability to be President, Reynolds reports.
McCain, appearing on "Fox News Sunday." responded to the endorsement.
"I've always admired and respected General Powell," McCain said. "We're longtime friends. This doesn't come as a surprise, but I'm also very pleased to have the endorsement of four former Secretaries of State - Secretaries Kissinger, Baker, Eagleburger and Haig. And I'm proud to have the endorsement of well over 200 retired Army generals and admirals, but I respect and continue to respect and admire Secretary Powell."
Obama called Powell to thank him for the endorsement, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
"I am beyond honored and deeply humbled to have the support of Gen. Colin Powell," Obama said in remarks prepared for a rally in Fayetteville, N.C. "Gen. Powell has defended this nation bravely, and he has embodied our highest ideals through his long and distinguished public service. ...And he knows, as we do, that this is a moment where we all need to come together as one nation young and old, rich and poor, black and white, Republican and Democrat."
Powell's endorsement has been much anticipated because he is a Republican with impressive foreign policy credentials. At the same time, he is a black man and Obama would be the nation's first black president.
Powell said he was cognizant of the racial aspect of his endorsement, but said that was not the dominant factor in his decision. If it was, he said, he would have made the endorsement months ago.
Powell served as secretary of state in President Bush's first term, and helped make the case before the United Nations for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003. A retired general, Powell also was the nation's top military commander, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during the first Gulf war under President George H.W. Bush.
McCain said he disagreed that Obama is qualified to be president.
"We have a respectful disagreement," McCain, interviewed on "Fox News Sunday," said of Powell.
Powell said McCain has been a good friend for 25 years. But Powell expressed disappointment in the negative tone of McCain's campaign, as well as in his choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as the Republican vice presidential nominee.
"I don't believe she's ready to be president of the United States," Powell said.
Powell said he does not plan to campaign for Obama.
On CBS' Face The Nation, supporters of both campaigns reacted to the endorsement.
Republicans Gov. Matt Blunt of Missouri and former Rep. Rob Portman of Ohio both said they don't think the endorsement would affect the race in their states, both battlegrounds.
"I don't know that it will make a difference in Missouri. You know, Missourians admire Colin Powell for his many years of service to our country, but in the end they're going to evaluate where the candidates on issues that are important to them," Blunt told host Bob Schieffer.
"I don't think it makes a big difference," added Portman. "Endorsements are typically overrated I think. But Colin Powell is well respected. I was interested to see that he said this morning that he thought either man would be a good president. It didn't surprise me a lot because I've heard General Powell talk about both candidates. He says he respects both men but he's always had a special admiration for Senator Obama."
But Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia had a different view, saying he thought the endorsement would make a difference in favor of his candidate and calling it "very important" in his state.
"General Powell is not seen as a dividing figure but a uniting figure. And so him vouching for Senator Obama convinces those of us who want to see a greater unification of the nation that he's the right guy," he said. "Second, General Powell is not an ideological figure. He's a pragmatic person. And so those of us who are, you know, pragmatists first who worry about results and just trying to do the right thing and manage government well, I think they'll see the endorsement by General Powell very positively. Finally it vouches for the senator in terms of that critical issue. We know he has plans to make a change in direction of national security policy. To have the confidence of General Powell in this election is very important. Virginians care about this. We're a state that loves the military. A lot of installations, a lot of folks in service or veterans. So General Powell's endorsement will mean a lot to Virginians, especially the undecideds and Independents."
Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida said she also thought the endorsement would "resonate" there.
"We have thousands of military retirees in the state of Florida," she said. "And I think what Colin Powell's endorsement does say is it shows that Barack Obama can build bridges across party lines. He's going to be able to reach out and bring in and embrace different ideas and, you know, isn't necessarily, you know, cut from one particular cloth."


The 2018-2019 High School Basketball season is officially upon us!
And with a new season at the Jersey Shore, the Asbury Park Press has revealed its girls and boys basketball previews for the season.
What you'll find below is the very convenient list of all the links to our preseason high school basketball coverage.
Remember to follow girls basketball beat reporter Danny LoGiudice on Twitter (@danny_logiudice) and boys basketball beat reporter Sherlon Christie on Twitter (@sherlonapp) as they chronicle the high school basketball scene this season.
Without further ado, enjoy the links!
TEAM-BY-TEAM CAPSULES: Need to know how your team is shaping up? Here's a look at what each team is bringing to the floor.
PRESEASON TOP 10: Who's ranked ahead of who in the Shore Conference? Find out here.
TEN PLAYERS TO WATCH: With a wealth of talent at the Shore, here's a few players that will impress.
FEATURE STORY: Manchester is poised for greatness this season with a superstar transfer.
TEAM-BY-TEAM CAPSULES: All 47 teams are accounted for in this year's preview. Want to know who's back on your favorite team?
10+ PLAYERS TO WATCH: With a wealth of talent at the Shore, here's a few players that will impress you.
10+ GAMES TO WATCH: Check out some key regular season matchups here.
FEATURE STORIES: The Ranney School is the team to beat in the Shore Conference this season. Can the Panthers sweep all the championships this season? Are the team's two superstars Bryan Antoine and Scottie Lewis poised for big seasons?
OPENING WEEKEND SCHEDULE: Trying to figure what games to catch on opening weekend? We've got you covered.


Mr Macron (second from left) welcoming Mr Juncker, Mrs Merkel and Mr Xi before a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Tuesday.
CHINESE President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday that China and Europe were "advancing together" but that the two trading blocs needed to overcome "suspicions".
"Of course there are differences and competition, but it's positive competition," Mr Xi told a press conference in Paris with the leaders of France, Germany and the European Commission. "We are advancing together. We shouldn't let suspicions lead us to be constantly looking backwards."
Mr Xi was speaking on the third day of a France visit dominated by concerns over China's massive investments on the continent, which are being built up through a series of bilateral deals.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged his Chinese counterpart to "respect the unity of the European Union (EU)" and called for an "exemplary relationship" between Europe and China during the joint press conference.
"No one is naive but we respect China," Mr Macron said, while adding that EU leaders "naturally expect our major partners to respect the unity of the European Union and the values that it has and carries in the world".
Mr Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker all labelled China a "rival", and Mrs Merkel and Mr Juncker urged the Asian giant to give the EU the same market access as it afforded Chinese companies.
Referring to China's vast "New Silk Road" infrastructure project connecting the country with Europe, which has sparked unease in the EU, Mrs Merkel said: "We Europeans want to play a role." But, she added, "there has to be a bit of reciprocity on either side and we have a bit of difficulty in finding it."
Mr Juncker said that labelling China a rival was meant as a "compliment" to the country. Speaking ahead of a EU-China summit on April 12, he also called for a more balanced relationship. "European businesses must see the openness in China" that Chinese companies enjoyed on the continent, he noted.
The EU has struck a more cautious stance recently toward China, releasing a report this month underscoring the need to recognise that the Asian nation is an "economic competitor" and "systemic rival" that should no longer be considered a developing country. That position hasn't precluded member states from pursuing investment opportunities with Beijing.
On Monday, the Chinese announced a US$35 billion order for jets from Airbus SE, the joint European planemaker.
Mr Macron accepted that the opening of Europe's market to China has created tensions in society. "We saw the imbalances in terms of production, the economic and social changes, deep tensions that legitimately push toward demands for protection," Mr Macron said. "Our desire is for these tensions not to fracture the global trade order or to create new conflicts, isolation or withdrawal," he pointed out.
Mr Macron and Mr Xi also issued an unprecedented call for a "global push" to halt biodiversity loss, which threatens species and habitats across the planet. In a joint statement following trade talks between EU leaders and the Chinese president in Paris, France and China promised to work together "against environmental crimes, especially poaching and trafficking of species threatened with extinction".
The statement contained a series of environmental pledges alongside security and economic declarations, including unspecified commitments to support actions to reduce plastic pollution and protect marine ecosystems in Antarctica.


Intel investors were a bit "spooked" by the company's lower-than-expected data center numbers, which dragged its stock down 3% Wednesday afternoon.
Intel's betting its future on the growth of its data center business, but it only saw 5% growth year-over-year in the second quarter, well below its 15% growth forecast for the full year.
But Intel CEO Brian Krzanich downplayed any concerns about the slowdown during a call with investors, saying that all signs point to a bounce back during the second half of the year.
Krzanich said the enterprise market is "stabilizing," while the price point for server chips will go up in the second half of the year. He also pointed out that customer signals are indicating the "seasonal buying pattern" kicking back in during the rest of the year.
But more than anything, Krzanich circled back to the staggering amount of data that will be created by all the internet users and connected devices in the long term, which will have to be stored and processed in data centers mostly powered by Intel chips. Intel currently owns over 90% of the data center chip market.
"These guys don't build out their data centers in a linear fashion. They grow, they build out a big chunk of over capacity...then they don't build for a while. These trends in data tell me, no, it's not slowing down over the long term, and what you're really going to see is just the buying patterns and the build outs of various structures that will go up."
Intel stock remained down 3% even after Krzanich tried to ease any concerns around its data center growth. But Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst of Moorhead Insights & Strategy, tells us those concerns may be "overblown" and Intel likely has everything under control.
"I was pretty surprised that shares were down. When it comes to the enterprise markets, and the public cloud, Intel knows deal by deal how to manage them, they're micromanaged at Intel, so they have a very good idea how those are going to come in," he said.


Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday told lawmakers that he was among the 87 million or so Facebook Inc users whose data was improperly shared with political consultancy Cambridge Analytica.
But he pushed back on Congress members' suggestions that users do not have enough control of their data on Facebook in the wake of the privacy scandal at the world's largest social media network.
"Every time that someone chooses to share something on Facebook ... there is a control. Right there. Not buried in the settings somewhere but right there," the 33-year-old internet magnate told the US House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee.
Zuckerberg faced questions and concerns from members of Congress about what it was doing to give users more flexibility to opt in to sharing their personal data with Facebook or third parties.
"How can consumers have control over their data when Facebook does not have control over the data?" asked Representative Frank Pallone of New Jersey, the ranking Democrat on the Energy and Commerce committee, at the beginning of the hearing.
Zuckerberg repeatedly defended the company's privacy practices, saying that users have control over their own data and decide what to share. But when asked if his data had been improperly used he replied: "Yes." He gave no further details.
Once again wearing a dark suit instead of his usual grey T-shirt, the hearing was Zuckerberg's second in two days. On Tuesday, he took questions for nearly five hours in a US Senate hearing without making any further promises to support new legislation or change how the social network does business.
Facebook has been consumed by turmoil for nearly a month, since it came to light that millions of users' personal information was wrongly harvested from the website by Cambridge Analytica, a political consultancy that has counted US President Donald Trump's election campaign among its clients.
The latest estimate of affected users is up to 87 million.
Facebook shares turned positive after earlier falls on Wednesday. They posted their biggest daily gain in nearly two years on Tuesday as Zuckerberg managed to deter any specific discussion about new regulations that might hamper Facebook's ability to sell ads tailored to users' profiles.
"It is inevitable that there will need to be some regulation" of internet firms, Zuckerberg said on Wednesday, but he again steered away from any specifics.
Some lawmakers grew frustrated at their limit of four minutes each to press Zuckerberg on specifics, and chastised the billionaire at times for offering up rehearsed platitudes about valuing user privacy.
"I can't let you filibuster right now," Republican Representative Marsha Blackburn said at one point. She cut Zuckerberg off a number of times.
Bobby Rush, an Illinois Democratic congressman, was in the process of asking Zuckerberg when he learned that Facebook allowed advertisers to prevent ads from being shown to certain minority groups, a possible violation of civil rights laws. He was cut off.


Following the cancellation of next week's planned release of 'The Interview', multiple theatres in the United States vowed to show matinee screens of 'Team America: World Police' including the Alamo Drafthouse in Texas, the Capitol Theater in Cleveland, and the Plaza Atlanta in Atlanta as a replacement, but according to 'The Daily Beast', the studio asked them to stop their plans.
The 2004 marionette comedy 'Team America: World Police', co-directed by "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone courted controversy by it's depictions of Kim Jong Il and some of Hollywood's biggest stars, although it was a financial disappointment which grossed less than $20 million more than it's production budget. The film was released on Blu-ray in the United Kingdom and Australia last year, but not in the United States.


Measure 66, raising the tax on income above $125,000 for individuals and $250,000 for households, passed 54 percent to 46 percent statewide.
Measure 67, establishing a $150 minimum tax for most businesses, passed 53 percent to 47 percent.
The measures failed in rural Umatilla County, where Measure 66 received 7,977 yes votes, or 48 percent, and 8,677 no votes, or 52 percent. Measure 67 had 7,739 yes votes, or 46 percent, and 8,927 no votes, or 54 percent.
There has been speculation Washington lawmakers -- faced with a $2.6 billion budget shortfall through June 2011 -- were looking to Oregon to gauge what kind of mood Northwest voters are in when it comes to taxes.
But with the tax measures having passed, they're still uncertain those results will translate to Washington.
"It is not changing our direction," said Washington's House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle. "It is heartening to know other people have gone through it."
But while Oregon and Washington as neighboring states hold many similarities, Chopp noted their tax structures are different. For example, Oregon has an income tax and Washington does not.
Some Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, have said creating an income tax for high earners would be one way to balance out a system they perceive as unfair.
But they've acknowledge that voters likely won't agree this year.
"I still believe in having a discussion about tax reform," Brown said in response to the Oregon vote. "I think it's a discussion Washington needs to have, both on the business side and the personal finances side of the equation. But I also think it's a multi-year discussion, and the success of any reform proposal will require a strong grass-roots element."
Majority Democrats in the Washington Legislature have said they're looking to close tax loopholes, and a possible infusion of federal cash, to balance the supplemental budget they're writing during the 60-day legislative session that ends in March.
But taxes in some form also are on the table.
"We've thought all along in the Senate that we can't take an all-cuts approach to the budget shortfall, but we can't take an all-revenue approach either," Brown said. "We're looking at a balance between the two, and the results from Oregon don't change strategy."
Republican leaders said they weren't using Oregon's vote as a bellwether for how Washington voters might react to tax proposals.
"I didn't read too much into the Massachusetts wind either because we're nine months from the election," said House Minority Leader Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis. "Oregon is a very different state than we are."


Speaking at the Hudson Institute in Washington, former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon startled Israel by declaring publicly: 'The IDF has the military capability to destroy Iran's nuclear installations and setting back Tehran's quest to acquire the bomb for years'. The subject of the lecture was Halting Iran's Nuclear Program, Is there any Israeli Option? Reacting in Jerusalem, Israeli officials severely reprimanded the general for just about detailing how it could be done. However, speaking shortly before Yaalon's briefing, Acting PM Ehud Olmert also declared that 'Israel will not tolerate Iran's acquiring nuclear weapons'.
'Israel has the military capability to deal a severe blow to Iran's nuclear installations and set back its nuclear weapons program for several years' - that revelation comes from none other than the IDF's former Chief of Staff General Moshe Yaalon.
General Yaalon noted that an Israeli air strike on Iraq's nuclear reactor in 1981 had succeeded, preventing Saddam Hussein from acquiring nuclear weapons. But Israel's former top soldier also stressed two points: Iranian nuclear weapons were a headache for the entire West and not just Israel; secondly, the current diplomatic effort to isolate Tehran politically and economically should first be exhausted. The retired general noted that more than one strike would be required to knock out the several dozen Iranian nuclear sites. He had no doubt the combined air forces of Europe, the U.S. and Israel could carry out such a mission. Israel was also capable of 'disrupting Iran's air defenses'. General Yaalon added that Israel had several options at its disposal and not just an air strike. He did not elaborate but the Israel Navy operates a small number of highly sophisticated submarines. Moreover, an Israeli operation could be as accurate as a targeted killing of a terrorist in the Palestinian areas. In fact, Yaalon said it could even be easier that taking out a solitary terrorist in the middle of the Gaza Strip. The target was not mobile and there would be no collateral damage.
Iranian Reaction: Iran would likely respond by launching its Shihab missiles at Israel. Hezbollah in south Lebanon could also be counted on firing its Katyusha and Scud missiles into Galilee while the Palestinians would step up their Qassam rocketing of Israel. Yaalon said Israel has an answer. Its Arrow anti-missile missile system was now fully operational and could cope with incoming Iranian rockets. (During Israel's Defensive Shield Operation in the West Bank, I asked the then Israel Air Force Commander Dan Halutz if he had an answer for the more than ten-thousand rockets that Iran and Syria have supplied Hezbollah in south Lebanon. Halutz said yes).
Iran's Nuclear Time-line: Yaalon, Chief of Staff until last summer, estimated that if not stopped, the Iranians would acquire the nuclear know-how for building the bomb within six to eight months. The road would then be open for them to produce nuclear weapons within three to five years. Israel hoped that others would do the job but could not rule out a military operation if Iranian President Ahmadinejad wanted to wipe the Jewish state off the map'.Israeli Reaction: On learning of Yaalon's expose, one Israeli official was flabbergasted. He snapped: 'Has Yaalon gone crazy, he should keep his mouth shut!' The more formal reaction was that Israel must stay focused on the international community's diplomatic effort to block Iran and not shift attention to a preemptive Israeli air strike. In addition, the Americans obviously had a military option but they didn't go talking about it in public. In an interview before Yaalon's lecture, Acting PM Ehud Olmert said: 'Under no circumstances can Israel agree to Iran's acquiring nuclear weapons. Israel has joined in the effort to bring the issue before the U.N. Security Council for action'. Olmert refused to discuss possible scenarios adding: 'There are things that cannot be said and we must work a lot and talk a little'.
Bottom Line: Well in Yaalon's case, the Israeli position has been made very forcefully and publicly. For the first time, an Israeli spokesman in the know has put the life and death issue on the line by discussing the nuts and bolts of an Israeli preemptive strike if all else fails. It may serve to present some Security Council members with the stark alternative if they get cold feet about imposing sanctions on the Ayatollahs when push comes to shove. Actually, despite apparently rapping Yaalon's knuckles, isn't Olmert saying the same thing with a different emphasis? Moreover, when Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was once asked if Israel had a military option for Iran, Sharon replied 'Yes'.


Reader's comment: After reading 'The Autobiography of Malcolm X' I am left in awe. This book is essential reading for the black activist and any socialist. Never have I read words more radicalising, or that have changed my perception of the world around me so much.


A father of three who had been attacked by a swarm of rock bees died on Tuesday.
The victim; Abdul Rahuman Mohamed of Nambuluwa, Pasyala; was pronounced dead on arrival at the Watupitiwala Hospital.
He was attacked when he had attempted to move a fallen coconut frond in his garden.


Champion competitive eater Molly Schuyler scarfed down 27 burgers in 10 minutes in D.C. on Tuesday, winning Z-Burger’s 9th annual Independence Burger Eating Championship. She's a mother of four who weighs just 125 pounds. Here's a look at the contest.


As the game begins, you have to choose what kind of creatures you want composing your unit. Six portraits are lined up, you can click on one, and then click on another to swap places, or click on the "?" icon to randomize that creature's type. Mousing over each portrait shows a list of stats, and directional arrows show the way that creature can attack. Some creatures can only attack from two spaces away, while some can attack multiple times and some can smash against enemies in multiple directions. The assortment you choose goes a long way toward the ease of combat. In battle, simply by clicking on one of your animals causes it to attack. Each turn that passes fills up your magic meter, which allows you to perform a few special moves during your turn. You can also order creatures who haven't yet attacked to swap places. Every battle you win levels up your surviving units, but they also lose a level every time they are knocked out. Between battles, you'll be able to heal and revive units, and then move around a overworld map containing shops and special treasures. The goal is to conquer all 7 castles on each map segment, and then proceed to a final destination.


Car-sharing networks like Zipcar — the largest in the U.S. — often earn environmental points for helping to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. And as we’ve written on GigaOM Pro (subscription only) and on Earth2Tech, these services — hooked up to communications networks and often used by eco-minded and urban consumers — may offer a prime testing ground for early generations of plug-in vehicles. Already, many car-sharing networks have hybrids in their fleets (it makes sense, given that the companies and nonprofits running the networks generally pay for fuel). But not all networks are created equal when it comes to deploying ultra-efficient, hybrid and plug-in models. We’ve put together a cheat sheet showing how they compare on green cars, price and scale.
Ulm, German and Austin, TX. 200 vehicles in Ulm, 200 planned for Austin, starting with city employees. Launch: October 2008, Ulm. Fall 2009, Austin. Smart Fortwo micro-hybrid (automatic start-stop) in Austin; Fortwo cdi (diesel) in Ulm. Plug-in Cars? No. Hybrids? No. German automaker Daimler’s (s DAI) first foray into car sharing. No registration fee. Rates: 19+ euro cents/minute, 9.90+ euros/hour, 49 euros/day in Ulm. TBA for Austin.
Boulder-Denver metro area. Launch: 2001 (formerly called Boulder CarShare) Toyota Prius Hybrid, along with the Honda Fit, forms “the foundation” of the fleet. Plug-in Cars? No. Hybrids? Yes. Nonprofit. Application Fee: $25 Rates: With a $10 monthly fee – $2.50-$4.50/hour + $0.30/mile, $49-$65/day. With no monthly fee – $4.50-$6.50/hour + $0.30/mile, $59-$75/day.
Chicago, IL Entire fleet made up of “low emission vehicles,” including Toyota Prius hybrids and plug-in hybrids, Honda Insight hybrid, Honda Civic hybrid. Plug-in Cars? Yes. Hybrids? Yes. Nonprofit. Rates: $0-30 monthly fee, $6.75-8.50/hour + $0-$0.40/mile, $65-70/day depending on plan.
New York, NY Launch: 2008 Plug-in Cars? No. Hybrids? No. Run by a New York parking operator. Application Fee: $25/driver. Rates: $40/year after first year, $5+/hour, $69+/day, depending on model, day of the week and time of day. Business customers get a 10 percent discount on weekdays.
Philadelphia, PA. Launch: November 2002 Fleet includes Camry, Civic and Prius hybrids, priced on the low-middle end. Plug-in Cars? No. Hybrids? Yes. Nonprofit that seeks partnerships with property managers, developers and universities. Revenue from car sharing covers all operating costs. Rates: $3.45-$8.45/hour + $0.25/mile, or $39-$99/day, depending on model and weekday vs. weekend.
275K members in 25+ states and provinces across North America, 6,500+ vehicles. Launch: 2000 First “EV Pod” launched in July, starting with a fleet of 20 hybrids and two plug-ins (an all-electric Citroen c1 and a plug-in hybrid Prius) in London, and plans for it to grow to some 400 vehicles by 2012, with 30 percent of them being hybrid. Prius hybrids throughout the fleet, including some plug-ins. Plug-in Cars? Some. Hybrids? Yes. Hoping to achieve profitability next year and eventually go public, Zipcar (the country’s largest car sharing network) launched an enterprise version of its fleet management system earlier this year. Membership + Application Fee: $50/year + $25 Rates: $7+/hour or $69+/day, depending on model, plan and weekday vs. weekend. Lowest rates offered for hybrids.
You receive an e-mail stating there was a damage to the car after you left it.
I am being charged 860 pounds for a significant damage which was not on the car when I left it. Customer Services Team is useless, you can never speak to a Manager, they never call you back when you ask them to. They don’t care anyway as they just take the money from your credit card !
Many more customers have suffered unjustified charges! be careful for 860 pounds you can buy a second hand car.
Do not subscribe ! it could become the most expensive trip ever !!
Kudos to you for pointing out that there are differences in car-types among car share providers. As a City CarShare representative, I’d like to point out that the differences are notable. For example, a third party study by UC Berkeley was done on usage behavior among City CarShare members in the Bay Area. One of the factors determining the results of this study focused on fuel economy and emissions.
Based on this study, we have calculated that 80,000 fewer miles are driven each day, saving 1.8 million gallons of gasoline this year. Collectively, 35 million fewer pounds of CO2 are emitted this year as well. All of our cars are fuel efficient with low emissions ratings because we care about the impact of our members’ usage (and yes, it saves us money.) Thirty-three percent of City CarShare’s fleet is comprised of hybrids and we have 2 plug-in electric hybrid vehicles, one in San Francisco and one in Berkeley.
the key is that if you use these services rather than owning a car you will drive less and think twice before driving rather than taking your bike or transit.
Fuel economy of the cars is somewhat irrelavent.
@whatup â€“ I agree with your first point that one of the big environmental gains with car-sharing is that people tend to drive less when they use these services. And sure, fuel economy is one of several factors in the overall impact of these fleets, but itâ€™s not irrelevant.


Talks between the ousted and interim governments of Honduras have ended, with no solution in sight.
Representatives of toppled President Manuel Zelaya and interim President Roberto Micheletti failed to reach an agreement Friday during their second day of talks in Costa Rica.
Costa Rican President Oscar Arias is mediating the negotiations. He said the two sides have agreed to meet again.
Friday's talks took place one day after President Arias met separately at his home with Mr. Zelaya and Mr. Micheletti, who have refused to talk together.
The Costa Rican leader has been quoted as saying that resolving the crisis "could possibly take longer than one might have imagined." After the talks Thursday, the two rivals continued to maintain their unconditional right to lead Honduras.
The United States supports Mr. Zelaya and has refused to recognize the interim government, but is supporting the Costa Rica negotiations.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has criticized the talks and the Costa Rican president's decision to meet with Mr. Micheletti, referring to him as a "usurper."
Mr. Chavez' close socialist ally, former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, also has made his views known. In an article published late Friday, Mr. Castro warned that Mr. Zelaya must be returned to power or Latin America could be swept by a wave of military coups. He attributed the threat to right-wing military leaders trained by the United States.
Mr. Zelaya is one of several leftist leaders in Latin America who have become allies of President Chavez and Mr. Castro.
The caretaker government has accused Mr. Zelaya of illegally trying to change the constitution in order to extend his term. The issue has deeply divided the country, where supporters of both sides have held competing demonstrations.


LONDON — The BBC’s director general Mark Thompson is expected to leave at the end of the year or early 2013 at the latest.
Authoritative sources suggest that Thompson has told friends that he is “psychologically ready” to exit.
On Monday, BBC chairman Chris Patten announced that headhunters had been hired to find a successor to Thompson, who was appointed in 2004 (Daily Variety, Jan. 24).
At the Oxford Media Conference on Wednesday, Patten spoke publicly about his strategy for finding the BBC’s next director general.
He explained that he and Thompson had agreed before Christmas to appoint headhunters because he wanted the transition between Thompson and whoever is selected to take over to be as smooth as possible.
He will leave the BBC in good health following upheaval as he oversaw a hefty cost saving program leading to the loss of some 2,000 jobs.
Speculation over his successor is already intense.
Many believe that Patten will want to bolster his legacy by appointing the first female director general.
The leading femme contenders are the BBC’s chief operating office Caroline Thomson and head of news Helen Boaden.
Sophie Turner Laing, the BSkyB topper who used to run BBC acquisitions, is also being talked of as a possible contender for the most important job in British media.
But the favorite to succeed Thompson is BBC head of vision George Entwistle.
Entwistle’s supporters say he has the kind of strategic abilities needed to redefine the pubcaster’s role in a rapidly converging digital landscape.