Clara Elisabeth of Manderscheid-Blankenheim (1631 – 7 April 1688) was canoness at Thorn Abbey and Essen Abbey and deaness at Elten Abbey. In Thorn, she is known today as "the sick lady" and she is better known than her sister Anna Salome, although the latter presided over Thorn Abbey for more than 40 years as abbess. In 1673, Clara Elizabeth donated a Loreto Chapel. A magnificent epitaph in the St. Michael Church, the former Abbey Church, in Thorn, commemorates her.

Life
Clara Elisabeth of Manderscheid-Blankenheim suffered from disease most of her life. At times, she suffered from paralysis, convulsions and fevers. She would faint, or lose the ability to speak. For long periods, she did not tolerate any food other than milk.  Nevertheless, she would care for other sick people.  She would treat minor injuries herself, or give away medicine from her own pharmacy. Sometimes, as many as 50 people seeking help were waiting outside her house.

She experienced an improvement in her health on 13 July 1681, when she was blessed by the miracle healer Marco d'Aviano. He blessed her from Liege and healed her to the point that she could get up and walk a few steps and even attend mass in the abbey church. She could also participate in the procession to celebrate the consecration of the Lorate Chapel she had donated (the chapel had been consecrated on the day she had been miraculously cured). On 24 July, she travelled to nearby Roermond, where she visited Marco d'Aviano.

Her life story was published in 1693, in a booklet entitled  ("Seraphic star-laden sky, that is: short life story of the saints, blessed and other members of the third order of St. Francis of Assisi with various Holy callings").

References
 Ute Küppers-Braun: Ein Wunder in Thorn? Clara Elisabeth von Manderscheid-Blankenheim und Markus von Aviano, MaH, 2007, pp. 63–86

German untitled nobility
1631 births
1688 deaths
17th-century German people


St Dunstan's College is a co-educational private day school in Catford, south-east London, England. It is a registered charity, and a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and the Independent Association of Prep School Heads. The college is made up of a junior school for 3-10 year olds, a senior school for 11-16 year olds and a sixth form for 16-18 year olds.

History

A grammar school has been associated with the parish of St Dunstan-in-the-East since 1446. The original school operated until the early 16th century, providing education for boys aged 7–11 in the City of London. In the late 19th century, the opportunities of the Industrial Revolution spurred the parishioners of St Dunstan-in-the-East to re-establish the school on lands owned by the church.

The present site in Catford was chosen in 1854. The architect Edward Middleton Barry designed the college's main building, which is a late extant example of the Gothic revival in London. The college officially opened in 1888 as a day and boarding public school.

During the First World War, 977 former and current St Dunstan's pupils enlisted, of whom 233 died during the conflict. Frederick Henry Johnson, a former pupil when he joined up, was awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry at the Battle of Loos.

The college's war dead are memorialised at St George's Church in Ypres, the battlefield at Loos, and on the dais of the Great Hall at St Dunstan's.

The college's memorial reads Albam Exornarunt  ("they adorned the white"), an ergo post facto modification of the instructive Albam Exorna motto.

Growth and Change
From the late 1950s, development at the Catford site accelerated. A swimming pool was added in 1955 and cricket pavilion and nets in 1958. The college's famous glass-walled dining hall was built in 1961. The hyperbolic paraboloid roof requires no internal supports, and at the time was one of only four hyperbolic paraboloid structures in the world.

In 1994, the college expanded to include a pre-prep school for ages four and above. That same year, St Dunstan's became a co-educational school, with the gradual integration of girls at all ages.

In 2018, the college opened its pupil wellness centre, which offers a dedicated facility for pupil wellbeing. The centre houses the school nurse, chaplain and counselling services. In the same year, the college developed two new multi-use games areas (MUGAs) for its sports department, and the wider community, located at the college's Jubilee Grounds.

In January 2020, the most significant developments started on the school site since its foundation in 1888. A new Junior School building, STEM block and Sixth Form Centre was added to the grounds.
At the time, Head Nick Hewlett said 'As one of the first schools in the world to have invested in science and technology laboratories, it seems fitting that, 130 years on, we are creating state-of-the-art STEM facilities for the next generation of Dunstonians.'

Following the opening of the STEM Block, the old science block and design engineering workshops were transformed into a performing arts centre.

In January 2023, the school announced a merger with Rosemead Preparatory School in Dulwich. Speaking about the merger, St Dunstan's Head, Nick Hewlett, said: 'We are delighted to be bringing our schools together, which will strengthen and enrich both our communities. The two schools have a long and deep commitment to a values-driven education, preparing our young students for the world of tomorrow.'

Awards
In recent years, St Dunstan's has been recognised in several industry awards. In 2020, the school won Co-educational School of the Year at the Independent Schools of the Year Awards. In June 2022, the school was named Independent Senior School of the year at the Tes Awards in London. The College film 'Albam Exorna' also won two awards at the 28th annual Communicator Awards in New York in May 2022. In 2023, St Dunstan's was named Most Progressive School in London at the Private Education Awards.

House System
The first house system was introduced in 1914 to help improve the school's morale and organise sport teams. The houses were named after places near to the school (e.g. Catford, Forest Hill, Hither Green) and pupils were allocated to them based on where they lived.

After the first World War, where hundreds of boys from the school had lost their lives, the houses were renamed after some of the most decorated pupils that served in the war. The new house names were as follows: Bennett (pink), Goosey (dark blue), Griffiths (green), Johnson (purple), Lane (white), Ross (yellow), Thomas (red) and Wilson (light blue).

Before September 2023, the houses are named after the first four headmasters of the college. They were called Usherwood (Yellow), Forder (Red), Stuart (Blue) and Hecker (Green).

Currently, the house system contains 6 houses, Canterbury, Glastonbury, Ghent, Stepney, Mendip and Worcester, that are named after significant places St. Dunstan lived in.

The Forder Programme
The Forder Programme is the name given to St Dunstan's co-curriculum. The programme is named after the second headmaster of the college, the Revd Forder, who believed passionately that schools should offer more to the education of young people than classroom learning. Revd Forder's education philosophy was to put the health and character of a pupil above the acquisition of knowledge, which led to the introduction of a pioneering programme of 'outside activities'. The first programme which ran at the end of the school day on three afternoons each week included 'wireless telegraphy, dramatic works, French reading, the production of an honest newspaper, map modelling or lecturettes on industries or photography'.

Today, the college describes the Forder Programme as an 'ambitious, forward-thinking programme that gives each individual the freedom to create their own journey'. The programme is categorised into five areas, which are based on the college values: curiosity, compassion, courage, creativity, and confidence.

The Forder Programme now has more than 90 activities for pupils to choose from, including the college's Combined Cadet Force and the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

St Dunstan's Festival
The St Dunstan's Festival originated in the 1990s under the stewardship of Anthony Seldon, who was deputy head of the college at that time. It was originally named 'The Catford Arts Festival' and ran over two and a half days at the very start of July.

The festival was quickly dubbed 'The Edinburgh Festival of South London' and comprised over twenty main events and 'a rich and enterprising fringe'. The 1994 college Chronicle describes the festival as 'catering for the souls' and it contained an array of eclectic events including the St Dunstan's jazz group, lectures given by writers Brian Masters and Gwendoline Butler, and a Shakespeare play with a twist, entitled 'A Pocket of Midsummer Night's Dream'.

The festival was short-lived, only lasting a few years. The current headmaster, Nick Hewlett, reignited the festival on his arrival at the college, with its relaunch occurring in the summer of 2015. The now two-week event is a firmly established highlight at the end of the academic year, enabling pupils to engage with a huge variety of activities and performances, involving not only the college, but also the broader Lewisham community. In 2019 Doreen Lawrence and LGBT author Shaun Dellenty were special guests at the festival's evening on diversity and inclusion.

Archives at St Dunstan's
The college's archives contain a rich collection of artefacts relating to the history of the school as well as of the local area. The college works closely with Lewisham Historical Society and in 2018 the college's timeline corridor was opened showcasing original items dating back to 1888. To name but a few rare items, the school has an original lacrosse stick which dates back to the 1930's (the school was the first in the country to promote the game to boys), and the Victoria Cross belonging to Frederick Henry Johnson. The college also operates a dedicated site with digitalised archives which have been of fascinating interest for pupils, alumni and members of the local community.

School publications
The college publishes a termly magazine, The Shield, formerly known as Moment by Moment. The magazine features the latest school news and events from each term, with input from staff and pupils. At the end of each academic year, The Chronicle is also published which highlights the year's achievements.

Heads

 Charles M. Stuart, 1888-1922
 Frank G. Forder, 1922-1930
 John F. Usherwood, 1930-1938
 William R. Hecker, 1938-1967
 Richard R. Pedley, 1967-1973
 Brian D. Dance, 1973-1994
 David Moore, 1994-1998
 Ian Davies, 1998-2004
 Jane Davies, 2005-2014
 Nick Hewlett, 2014–present

The Dunstonian Association

The Dunstonian Association, formerly known as the Old Dunstonian Association, is the alumni organisation for former pupils and staff at the college.
Each year, the association sponsors a number of events for its members and sports clubs which members can join. The association also supports senior pupils with career advice and work experience placements.

Notable Dunstonians

 Matthew d'Ancona, former editor of The Spectator and columnist for the Sunday Telegraph.
 Edward Neville da Costa Andrade, physicist, poet, and writer, Andrade was also a broadcaster, coming to fame during the Second World War on BBC radio's The Brains Trust.
 William Boon, chemist.
 A. C. Bouquet (1884-1976), theologian, academic and writer
 Brian Brolly, show business entrepreneur, and co-founder of the radio stations Jazz FM and Classic FM.
 Sir William Castell, chairman of the Wellcome Trust and a director of General Electric and BP.
 Henry Davies, cricketer.
 Paul Drayson, Baron Drayson, businessman, entrepreneur and former defence minister for procurement.
 Martin Evans, Nobel Prize winner for his work in the field of genetics.
 Dave Gelly, musician, journalist, critic and author.
 Michael Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth, executive chairman of ITV.
 Hubert Gregg, broadcaster, writer, stage actor.
 John Robert Hall, dean of Westminster.
 Walter Hamilton, former headmaster of Westminster School, Rugby School and Magdalene College, Cambridge.
 David Edward Jenkins, former bishop of Durham.
 Frederick Henry Johnson, recipient of the Victoria Cross in the First World War.
 Paul Judge, businessman.
 Stephen Laws, former First Parliamentary Counsel.
 Eric Marsh, cricketer.
 Ivan Neill, chaplain general of the British Army and provost of Sheffield.
 Steve Nieve, (né Steve Nason), musician, Elvis Costello and the Attractions.
 Martin Rutty, courier entrepreneur and helicopter adventurer.
 Matt Salter, former captain of Bristol Rugby.
 Robert Stanford Tuck, fighter pilot and test pilot.
 Chuka Umunna, former Liberal Democrat MP for Streatham.
 Clifford Wilcock, engineer and politician.
Roger Cardinal, art scholar and professor
Wilfrid Sanderson, composer and organist
Geoffrey Nice, lawyer, lead prosecutor at the trial of Slobodan Milošević and chair of Uyghur Tribunal.
John Shone, dean of the Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane
Peter Snowdon, historian and journalist.
Richard Watson, cricketer.
William Dawnay-Mould, Australian politician.
Philip Conisbee, art historian and curator for the National Gallery of Art.
Geoffrey Caston, former Registrar of the University of Oxford.
Philip Jones, Historian of Medieval Italy.
Lumsden Hare, film and theatre director.

References

External links

 Independent Schools Inspectorate report
 Profile on the ISC website

15th-century establishments in England
Catford
Educational institutions established in the 15th century
Private co-educational schools in London
Private schools in the London Borough of Lewisham
Member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference

Edward Middleton Barry buildings

St Dunstan's College


The Foreign Military Sales Act of 1968, , was supplemental legislation to the Arms Control and Disarmament Act of 1961 and the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. The Act discloses the United States commitment and sustainment to a world free from the dangers of armaments and the scourge of war.

The Foreign Military Sales Act supported the policy of regional arms control, disarmament agreements, and the discouragement of arm races. The H.R. 15681 bill authorized the sales of military equipment by the United States government. The United States law explicitly declares the sales of defense services and military articles to benevolent countries with the economic means to maintain and support a military force of adequate strength.

The H.R. 15681 legislation was passed by the 90th U.S. Congressional session and endorsed by the 36th President of the United States Lyndon Johnson on October 22, 1968.

Provisions of the Act
The Foreign Military Sales Act established governance for United States foreign military sales authorizations and military export controls.

Foreign military sales authorizations specifies transaction criteria as;
 Cash sales from stock – The United States may sell defense articles from the stocks of the Department of Defense and defense services of the Department of Defense to any friendly country or international organization if such country or international organization agrees to pay not less than the value thereof in United States dollars.
 Procurement for cash sales – The United States may without requirement for charge to any appropriation or contract authorization otherwise provided, enter into contracts for the procurement of defense articles or defense services for sale for United States dollars to any friendly country or international organization if such country or international organization provides the United States government with a dependable undertaking.
 Credit sales – The United States is authorized to finance procurements of defense articles and defense services by friendly countries and international organizations on terms of repayment to the United States government of not less than the value thereof in United States dollars within a period not to exceed ten years after the delivery of the defense articles or the rendering of the defense services.
 Guaranties – The United States may guarantee any individual, corporation, partnership, or other juridical entity doing business in the United States (excluding United States government agencies) against political and credit risks of nonpayment arising out of their financing of credit sales of defense articles and defense services to friendly countries and international organizations. Fees shall be charged for such guaranties.

Military export controls specifies transaction criteria as;
 Authorization and aggregate ceiling on foreign military sales credits – There is authorized to be appropriated to the United States to carry out this Act not to exceed $296,000,000 for the fiscal year 1969. Unobligated balances of funds made available pursuant to this section are authorized to be continued available by appropriations legislation to carry out this Act. The aggregate total of credits or participation in credits, extended pursuant to this Act (excluding credits covered by guaranties), not exceed $296,000,000 for the fiscal year 1969.
 Prohibition against certain military export financing by export-import bank – Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no funds or borrowing authority available to the Export-Import Bank of the United States shall be used by such Bank to participate in any extension of credit in connection with any agreement to sell defense articles and defense services entered into with any economically less developed country after June 30, 1968.
 Regional ceilings on foreign military sales – The aggregate of the total amount of military assistance pursuant to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, of cash sales shall not exceed $75,000,000 in the fiscal year 1969 for Latin American countries and not exceed $40,000,000 in the fiscal year 1969 for African countries.
 Foreign military sales credit standards – The United States shall establish standards and criteria for credit and guaranty transactions in accordance with the foreign, national security, and financial policies of the United States.
 Foreign military sales to less developed countries – If the United States finds that any economically less developed country is diverting development assistance to military expenditures, or is diverting its own resources to unnecessary military expenditures, to a degree which materially interferes with its development, such country shall be immediately ineligible for further sales and guarantees until the United States is assured that such diversion will no longer take place.
 Reports on commercial and governmental military exports – The Secretary of State shall transmit to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations semiannual reports of all exports during the preceding six months of significant defense articles on the United States munitions list to any foreign government, international organization, or other foreign recipient or purchaser, by the United States under this Act or any other authority, or by any individual, corporation, partnership, or other association doing business in the United States.
 Fiscal provisions relating to foreign military sales credits – Cash payments received shall be available solely for payments to suppliers (including the military departments) and refunds to purchasers and shall not be available for financing credits and guaranties. Amounts received from foreign governments and international organizations as repayments for credits, extended amounts received from the disposition of instruments evidencing indebtedness, and other collections (including fees and interest) shall be transferred to the miscellaneous receipts of the Treasury.

See also
 Arms Export Control Act of 1976
 Defense Security Cooperation Agency
 Foreign Military Financing
 Foreign Military Sales
 Military–industrial complex

References

External links

1968 in American law
1968 in international relations
United States foreign relations legislation
Arms control
Foreign Military Sales
90th United States Congress

Foreign Military Sales Act of 1968


The Flemish Giant rabbit is one of the largest breeds of domestic rabbits, earning the name, "King of Rabbits." Originally, these rabbits were bred for their fur and meat. It's origins are quite vague. It is believed that these rabbits are descended from the Patagonia Rabbit, possibly crossed with another rabbit. Also, no one is sure as to what region these rabbits are from.

The difference in does (females) and bucks (males) can be told by looking at their head. Bucks have a broader head while does' are dainty and have a dewlap, a fold of skin under their chin, used to keep kits (baby rabbits) warm.

The Flemish Giant rabbit has other nicknames besides "King of Rabbits." The name "Gentle Giants" was earned because unlike the smaller domestic rabbit, Flemish Giants are known for being much more calm and gentle. They are also called the "Universal Rabbit" mainly for being great pets and show animals, although, it could also be because of their use as a resource for food and material.

Size
"Giant" obviously comes from their large size. "Flemish" was the language spoken in the region where they were being bred. Their large size does mean a bit more of food and maintenance but these rabbits can be taken care of the same way the normal domestic sized rabbits would be taken care of.

Fur
Their glossy fur is short and dense. Their coats come in seven different colors; light gray, steel gray, black, fawn, sandy, white, and blue.

Growth
Mature Flemish Giants weigh 13-14 lbs on average but they can weigh up to 20 pounds, even a bit more. They can grow to be bigger than some dogs. On average, the Flemish Giant can grow to 2 1/2 in length. The longest Flemish Giant recorded is 4 ft. 3 in. The typical ear length for them is 8 inches.

References

Domesticated animals
Lagomorphs

Flemish Giant rabbit


Health in Ethiopia has improved markedly since the early 2000s, with government leadership playing a key role in mobilizing resources and ensuring that they are used effectively. A central feature of the sector is the priority given to the Health Extension Programme, which delivers cost-effective basic services that enhance equity and provide care to millions of women, men and children. The development and delivery of the Health Extension Program, and its lasting success, is an example of how a low-income country can still improve access to health services with creativity and dedication.

The Human Rights Measurement Initiative finds that Ethiopia is fulfilling 83.3% of what it should be fulfilling for the right to health based on its level of income. When looking at the right to health with respect to children, Ethiopia achieves 94.5% of what is expected based on its current income. In regards to the right to health amongst the adult population, the country achieves only 90.6% of what is expected based on the nation's level of income. Ethiopia falls into the "very bad" category when evaluating the right to reproductive health because the nation is fulfilling only 64.8% of what the nation is expected to achieve based on the resources (income) it has available.

Overview
Ethiopia is the second most populous country in sub-Saharan Africa, with a population of over 120 million people.  As of the end of 2003, the United Nations (UN) reported that 4.4% of adults were infected with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS); other estimates of the rate of infection ranged from a low of 7% to a high of 18%. Whatever the actual rate, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS contributed to falling life expectancy since the early 1990s. According to the Ministry of Health Ethiopia, one-third of current young adult deaths are AIDS-related. Malnutrition is widespread, especially among children, as is food insecurity. Because of growing population pressure on agricultural and pastoral land, soil degradation, and severe droughts that have occurred each decade since the 1970s, per capita food production is declining. According to the UN and the World Bank, Ethiopia in 2005 suffered from a structural food deficit such that even in the most productive years, at least 5 million Ethiopians require food relief.

The fact that the country achieved MDG 4, reducing the child mortality and the decline of HIV mortality has helped life expectancy to increase to 65.2 years in 2015 from 46.6 years in 1990. The Under 5 mortality rate and Infant mortality rate dropped from 203 and 122 in 1990 to 61.3 and 41.4 in 2015. The ministry of health has achieved this through the Health Extension Program by using a special implementation platform called Women Development Army.

Ethiopia experiences a triple burden of disease mainly attributed to communicable infectious diseases and nutritional deficiencies, NCD and traffic accident. Shortage and high turnover of human resource and inadequacy of essential drugs and supplies have also contributed to the burden. However, there has been encouraging improvements in the coverage and utilization of the health service over the periods of implementation of Health Sector Development Plan, the health chapter of the national poverty reduction strategy, which aims to increase immunization coverage and decrease under-five mortality at large. The health service currently reaches about 72% of the population and The Federal Ministry of Health aims to reach 85% of the population by 2009 through the Health Extension Program (HEP) [1]. The HEP is designed to deliver health promotion, immunization and other disease prevention measures along with a limited number of high-impact curative interventions.

Life expectancy

A new measure of expected human capital calculated for 195 countries from 1990 to 2016 and defined for each birth cohort as the expected years lived from age 20 to 64 years and adjusted for educational attainment, learning or education quality, and functional health status was published by the Lancet in September 2018. Ethiopia had the lowest level of expected human capital among the 20 largest countries with less than 5 health, education, and learning-adjusted expected years lived between age 20 and 64 years. This put it in 175th place, an improvement over its position in 1990 when it was 189th.

Life expectancy is better in cities compared to rural areas, but there have been significant improvements witnessed throughout the country as of 2016, the average Ethiopian living to be 62.2 years old, according to a UNDP report.

Disease

Cardiovascular disease
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates diabetes prevalence among adults at 3.39% in Ethiopia. A study in Addis Ababa has reported diabetes prevalence rates of 6.5% and in a recent survey from Gondar the prevalence of diabetes mellitus among adults aged 35 years and above was 5.1% for urban and 2.1% for rural dwellers. Hypertension is also increasing at frightening rates with prevalence rates of 19 to 30% reported in Addis Ababa,28% in Gondar and 13% in Jimma.

HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia stood at 1.1% in 2014, a dramatic decrease from 4.5% 15 years ago. The most affected are poor communities and women, due to lack of health education, empowerment, awareness and lack of social well-being. The government of Ethiopia and many international organizations like World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations, are launching campaigns and are working aggressively to improve Ethiopia's health conditions and promote health awareness on AIDS and other communicable diseases.

Malaria
Though its prevalence in Ethiopia is relatively low compared to other African nations, malaria remains the leading cause of outpatient morbidity and is among the leading causes of inpatient morbidity. Nearly 60 percent of the population lives in areas at risk of malaria, generally at elevations below 2,000 meters above sea level. Recently, many densely populated highland areas, including the city of Addis Ababa, were classified as malaria-free. Because peak transmission coincides with the planting and harvesting season, malaria places a heavy economic burden on the country. Sixty percent of malaria infections are due to the Plasmodium falciparum parasite, though the Plasmodium vivax parasite is also present. Insecticide resistance among vectors and antimalarial drug resistance have been documented in the country.

The Carter Center conducted research in Ethiopia in the mid-2000s where they analyzed how malaria affects the Ethiopian population among various factors. The factors considered included living situations and housing conditions, as well as Ethiopian age and gender demographics. This study found that one's socio-economic position directly correlates to their chance of contracting malaria. Researchers concluded that a key method of reducing the prevalence of malaria in Ethiopia is by improving the quality of housing and living conditions. They found an effective disease countermeasure to be the use of anti-malarial spray, as households that had been sprayed had lower rates of infection. This research also concluded that while the poorest households are more likely to face these poor conditions, they are also the ones less likely to take steps towards malaria prevention, thus continuing transmission of the disease.

The Carter Center chose three specific areas in Ethiopia to assess the impact of the use of insecticide treated mosquito nets on malaria prevalence. During the course of the study, malaria prevalence fell to 0.4% from a starting 4.1%. This study concluded sleeping under these mosquito nets is an effective tactic for mitigating malaria in regions of concern. This study has revealed the importance and effectiveness of malaria prevention in Ethiopia, and thus has led to health workers promoting the use of these long lasting insecticidal nets in areas where use is still limited and disease prevalence is highest.

A research study done by the Ethiopian Public Health Institute revealed flaws with Ethiopia's laboratories and their workers as it pertains to malaria diagnosis. The study found 26.7% of the 106 Ethiopian laboratories assessed lacked adequate supplies needed for proper diagnosis. Researchers attributed this to multiple factors, such as insufficient lab funding and supporting third parties not providing supplies in a timely manner. The study also noted a lack of job competency in the microscopists who look for malaria in blood cells in these labs. The Ethiopian Public Health Institute found that, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and local health providers, they should be working to better educate, supply and monitor these labs and their workers in order to prevent further obstacles in malaria mitigation in Ethiopia.

Although much of Ethiopia remains at risk of malaria, routine surveillance data from the last decade have noted declines in malaria outpatient morbidity and inpatient mortality trends. Prompt access to malaria case management, including laboratory-based diagnosis in remote rural areas, has improved dramatically over the last decade together with surveillance systems that capture malaria morbidity and mortality.

Neglected tropical diseases
Neglected tropical diseases are group of chronic parasitic tropical diseases of the bottom billion peoples living under US$2/day. Ethiopia is the third following Nigeria and Democratic Congo, having the greatest burden of NTD as public health problem.
In Ethiopia most of the NTDs listed by WHO are present; having trachoma, podoconiosis and cutaneous leishmaniasis being the highest burden in Sub-Saharan Africa followed by second highest burden of ascariasis, leprosy and visceral leishmaniasis and the third highest burden of hookworm. Other infections like schistosomiasis, trichuriasis, rabies and lymphatic filariasis are also common problems in Ethiopia.

Non-communicable disease

Due to major life stay change and urbanisation, in the recent two decades in Ethiopia there is significant epidemiological change. Having the problem of the communicable disease as the major burden, the country is suffering from triple burden of equally significant non-communicable disease burden and emerging Injury problems.

The Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) 2016 shows that 52% of the mortality and 46% of total disease burden (as measured by Disability-Adjusted Life Years) were attributable to NCDs and injuries in Ethiopia. The 2015/16 National STEPS Survey on NCDs and risk factors showed the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes is 15.6% and 3.2% respectively among the adult population. More than 95% of adults have more than one risk factor for NCDs among the selected 5 major risk factors identified in the survey, namely current daily smoking, BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, low consumption of fruits and vegetables, physical inactivity and raised blood pressure.
The prevalence of alcohol and Khat consumption is very high (41% & 16% respectively), and average daily salt intake of the population is 8.3 g which is much higher than the WHO recommended intake of less than 5 grams per day.

TB and Leprosy Control Program
Tuberculosis has been identified as one of the major public health problems in Ethiopia for the past five decades.  The effort to control tuberculosis began in the early 60s with the establishment of TB centers and sanatoria in three major urban areas in the country.  The Central Office (CO) of the National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTCP) was established in 1976. From the very beginning the CO had serious problems in securing sufficient budget and skilled human resource.  In 1992, a well-organized TB program incorporating standardized directly observed short course treatment (DOTS) was implemented in a few pilot areas of the country.

An organized leprosy control program was established within the Ministry of Health in 1956, with a detailed policy in 1969.  In the following decades, leprosy control was strongly supported by the All African Leprosy and Rehabilitation Training Institute (ALERT) and the German Leprosy Relief Association (GLRA). This vertical program was well funded and has scored notable achievements in reducing the prevalence of leprosy, especially after the introduction of Multiple Drug Therapy (MDT) in 1983. This has encouraged Ethiopia to consider integration of the vertical leprosy control program with in the general health services. The two programs were merged to being the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control program (NTLCP), and coordinated under the technical leadership of the CO from 1994.

The most recent WHO global report classifies Ethiopia as one of the top 30 high burden countries for TB, TB/HIV and MDR-TB. The TB prevalence estimates in Ethiopia shows a steady decline since 1995 with an average rate of 4% per year, which is accentuated in the last five years (annual decline of 5.4%). Likewise, the estimates for TB incidence reached a peak value of 431/100,000 population in 1997, and has been declining at an average rate of 3.9% per year since 1998, with annual decline of 6% within the last five years. The incidence estimate for all forms of TB in 2015 is 192/100,000 population.  TB mortality rate has also been declining steadily since 1990 and reached 26/100,000 population in 2015. The decline in prevalence rate for all forms of TB has declined from 426/100,100 in 1990 to 200/100,000 population in 2014 (53% reduction).  Similarly, the TB incidence rate has dropped from 369 in 1990 to 192/100,000 population in 2015 (48% reduction), after a peak of 421/100,000 in 2000.  Furthermore, TB related mortality rate has been declining steadily over the last decade from 89/100,000 in 1990 to 26/100,000 in 2015 (70% reduction from 1990 level).

In 2011, the first population based national survey shows a prevalence rate of 108/100,000 population smear positive TB among adults, and 277/100,000 population bacteriologically confirmed TB cases. The prevalence of TB for all groups in Ethiopia was 240/100,000 populations in the same year.  This finding indicates that the actual TB prevalence and incidence rates in Ethiopia are lower than the WHO estimates.   Additionally, the survey showed a higher prevalence rates for smear positive and bacteriologically confirmed TB in pastoralist communities.  However, pertaining to its methodology, the survey did not produce further disaggregated sub-national estimates.

Maternal and child health

Only a minority of Ethiopians are born in hospitals, while most are born in rural households. Those who are expected to give birth at home have elderly women serve as midwives who assist with the delivery.

Maternal health
Maternal and child health program is a priority agenda of the government of Ethiopia and this has been clearly indicated on the currently being implemented strategic plan of the FDRE Ministry of health. Though Maternal and child health program is still one of the target area which needs much organized, systematic and focused effort, clear progress has been witnessed over years as per the Demographic health survey report of the country. The 2016 DHS  shows these steady changes. Other recent studies show notable variation across the country as well as progress at both the national and subnational level. Ethiopia has seen a 67% decrease in child mortality and a 71% decrease in maternal mortality over the last two and a half decades.

Maternal health status could be assessed with many indicators of which Modern contraceptive use, skilled delivery and maternal mortality are some of the majors. Modern contraceptive use by currently married Ethiopian women has increased over 15 years prior to the 2016 DHS. Jumping from 6% in 2000 to 27% and 35% in 2011 and 2016 respectively. The skilled delivery has increased from 10% in 2011 to 27.7% in 2016. The total fertility is declining but the changes are not that significant. The pregnancy related mortality has also dropped over the last three surveys and this could be attributed to the improvement on skilled delivery and family planning. The maternal mortality (if it could be used interchangeably with pregnancy related disease (with all the limitations)) is more than double the SDG target set for maternal mortality reduction (70/100,000 live birth)

Nowadays children are getting vaccinated better compared to the past two decades. The fact that Ethiopia is on the verge of eradicating polio could be a good evidence for that. The percentage of age 12 – 23 months who are fully vaccinated increased by 15% from 24% in 2011 to 39% in 2016. Childhood mortality has declined substantially since 2000. However, the change in neonatal mortality is not significant compared to post neonatal and child mortality. Reducing child mortality (MDG 3) has been achieved previously and if the effort is maintained the 2030 target of decreasing the under-five mortality to 25 could be met by the end of the target.

The "WHO estimates that a majority of maternal fatalities and disabilities could be prevented if deliveries were to take place at well-equipped health centres, with adequately trained staff".

Infant mortality
 the WHO reported that Ethiopia had 119 hospitals (12 in Addis Ababa) and 412 health centres. Infant mortality rates are relatively high, as 41 infants die per 1,000 live births. Ethiopia succeeded in reducing its under-five mortality rate by two-thirds (one of the Millennium Development Goals) between 1990 and 2012. Although this is a dramatic decrease, birth-related complications such as obstetric fistula affect many of the nation's women.

Birth rates, infant mortality rates, and death rates are lower in cities than in rural areas due to better access to education, medicines, and hospitals.

Injury

In Ethiopia, injury is significantly increasing partly due to urbanisation & motorisation and mainly due to poor safety measures such as road safety. Despite the alarmingly increasing of the public burden, the attention given to the problem is very minimal.
Unintended injury is the commonest injury accounting for 60% of all injury. Road traffic injury is the leading cause of unintentional injury (39% of all injury) followed by fall (16%), machine injury (5.9%), burn (5.3%), animal bite (1.3%) and poising (1%). Trauma from interpersonal violence or homicide is the leading cause of intentional injury accounting for 24.4% all injury followed by firearm 5% and self-harm injuries of 2.1%.
In Ethiopia, the burden of road traffic accident is disproportionally high compared to the rest of the world having road traffic burden and case fatality rate of 946 and 80 per 10000 vehicles respectively.

Circumcision
One common cultural practice, irrespective of religion or economic status, is female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting (FGC), a procedure that involves partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. The practice was made illegal in Ethiopia in 2004. FGM is a pre-marital custom mainly endemic to Northeast Africa and parts of the Near East that has its ultimate origins in Ancient Egypt. Encouraged by women in the community, it is primarily intended to deter promiscuity and to offer protection from assault.

Ethiopia has a high prevalence of FGM, but prevalence is lower among young girls. Ethiopia's 2005 Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) noted that the national prevalence rate is 74% among women ages 15–49. The practice is almost universal in the regions of Dire Dawa, Somali, and Afar. In the Oromo and Harari regions, more than 80% of girls and women undergo the procedure. FGC is least prevalent in the regions of Tigray and Gambela, where 29% and 27% of girls and women, respectively, are affected. According to a 2010 study performed by the Population Reference Bureau, Ethiopia has a prevalence rate of 81% among women ages 35 to 39 and 62% among women ages 15–19. A 2014 UNICEF report found that only 24% of girls under 14 had undergone FGM.

Male circumcision is also practised in the country, and about 76% of Ethiopia's male population is reportedly circumcised.

Mental health
The National Mental Health Strategy, published in 2012, introduced the development of policy designed to improve mental health care in Ethiopia. This strategy mandated that mental health be integrated into the primary health care system. However, the success of the National Mental Health Strategy has been limited. For example, the burden of depression is estimated to have increased 34.2% from 2007 to 2017. Furthermore, the prevalence of stigmatizing attitudes, inadequate leadership and co-ordination of efforts, as well as a lack of mental health awareness in the general population, all remain as obstacles to successful mental health care.

Traditional medicine
The low availability of health care professionals with modern medical training, together with lack of funds for medical services, leads to the preponderancy of less reliable traditional healers that use home-based therapies to heal common ailments. High rates of unemployment leave many Ethiopian citizens unable to support their families. In Ethiopia an increasing number of "false healers" using home-based medicines have grown with the rising population. The differences between real and false healers are almost impossible to distinguish. However, only about ten percent of practicing healers are true Ethiopian healers. Much of the false practice can be attributed to commercialization of medicine and the high demand for healing. Both men and women are known to practice medicine from their homes. It is most commonly the men that dispense herbal medicine similar to an out of home pharmacy.

Ethiopian healers are more commonly known as traditional medical practitioners. Before the onset of Christian missionaries and Medical Revolution sciences, traditional medicine was the only form of treatment available. Traditional healers extract healing ingredients from wild plants, animals and rare minerals. AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and dysentery are the leading causes of disease-related death. Largely because of the costs, traditional medicine continues to be the most common form of medicine practiced. Many Ethiopians are unemployed which makes it difficult to pay for most medicinal treatments. Ethiopian medicine is heavily reliant on magical and supernatural beliefs that have little or no relation to the actual disease itself. Many physical ailments are believed to be caused by the spiritual realm which is the reason healers are most likely to integrate spiritual and magical healing techniques. Traditional medicinal practice is strongly related to the rich cultural beliefs of Ethiopia, which explains the emphasis of its use.

In Ethiopian culture there are two main theories of the cause of disease. The first is attributed to God or other supernatural forces, while the other is attributed to external factors such as unclean drinking water and unsanitary food. Most genetic diseases or deaths are viewed as the will of God.  Miscarriages are thought to be the result of demonic spirits.

It was not until Christian missionaries traveled to Ethiopia bringing new religious beliefs and education that modern medicine was infused into Ethiopian medicine. Today there are three medical schools in Ethiopia that began training students in 1965 two of which are linked to Addis Ababa University. There is only one psychiatric treatment facility in the whole country because Ethiopian culture is resistant to psychiatric treatment. Although there have been huge leaps and bounds in medical technology there is still a large problem in the distribution of medicine and doctors in Ethiopia.

Tobacco use in Ethiopia

Tobacco use is the major single known risk factor for non-communicable diseases from the four listed main risk factors (diet, physical activity, and harmful use of alcohol). NCDs are the leading cause of premature death and disability in Ethiopia accounts for about 42% of deaths, of which 27% are premature deaths before 70 years of age. NCDs are estimated to account for 39% of all deaths in Ethiopia, while 71% in the world. Recently, the burden of these diseases is rising rapidly among populations in the low-income countries.

The effect of using tobacco, like cardiovascular diseases (heart attack and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and lung diseases. The proportional mortality of cardiovascular diseases and stroke is about 16%, 2% of chronic respiratory diseases, 7% cancers, 2% diabetes and 12% other non-communicable diseases from 39% total mortality.  Although, smoking during the pregnancy period increased risk for complication pregnancy, increased risk for tuberculosis, eye diseases and problem of immune system. The use of tobacco has been complex condition, which influenced by a range of individual, affect social interaction, economic factors, our perceptions and causes for behavioral changes of smokers, including the contamination of weather condition.

From the Table above, Tobacco relatively used in rural 4.3% than urban 3.9% for both sexes current smokers. The percentage of male's current smokers among 45-59 age group 10.4%, 1% Female's and both sexes' current smokers are 6.5% and the use of tobacco among this age group shows increasing when compared to others age group in 2015. The overall tobacco use among adults age (15+) were 4.2% in 2015 and declined to 4% in 2016. Smoking prevalence of males were high according to both residences and among all age group when compared to females.

Ethiopia ratified the WHO tobacco Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2014  and detailed directives have been developed by Ethiopian Food Medicine and Health care Administration and Control Authority.
Some of the key directives that need to be implemented include:
 Protection from exposure to tobacco smoke;
 Regulation of the contents of tobacco products and tobacco product disclosures;
 Packaging and labeling of tobacco products;
 Prohibition of sales of tobacco products to minors.

Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI) in Ethiopia

According to the WHO, CBHI is a non-profit health insurance scheme that targets the low-income portion of the population. As implied in the name, it is community based where funds(premiums) are usually pooled at a flat rate from members of the community on voluntary basis.In Ethiopia, where health care is largely financed by donors and out-of-pocket payments, a health insurance agency was established to give some financial risk protection against health care expenditures. The agency mainly works in implementing two forms of health insurance schemes: Social Health Insurance (SHI) for the population in the formal sector of the economy and CBHI for the population engaged in the informal sector.

CBHI was launched in 2011 at 13 selected rural districts. It was later expanded starting from 2015 and got incorporated in the second health sector transformation plan (HSTP-II). Currently there are over 800 Woredas where CBHI is launched, covering the majority area of the country.Experts have observed that CBHI can only play a limited role in achieving universal health coverage for various reasons. Some of the identified barriers in the implementation of CBHI in sub-Saharan Africa include lack of awareness about the value of health insurance, socio-economic status, health beliefs, and lack of trust.

CBHI protects households from catastrophic health expenditure.Studies show that there is a high level of willingness to enroll in the CBHI scheme and that the premiums are affordable by most households.All of these show that in the future the coverage of CBHI will be much more expanded, but other financial schemes need to be implemented to ensure universal health coverage in Ethiopia.

See also
Healthcare in Ethiopia
Famines in Ethiopia
HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia
Water supply and sanitation in Ethiopia
COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia

References

Further reading
 Richard Pankhurst, An Introduction to the Medical History of Ethiopia. Trenton: Red Sea Press, 1990.

External links
 The State of the World's Midwifery - Ethiopia Country Profile
 Legislation by country Ethiopia
 World Health Organization - Noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors

Health in Ethiopia


Live And More Encore is a live album released by Donna Summer in 1999, an edited version of a televised concert of the same name. Released on Sony Music's sublabel Epic, it featured a live concert which had been filmed especially for the VH-1 channel, and also two new dance tracks, including a re-working of "Time To Say Goodbye", a semi-classical song previously made popular by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman. Summer's dance version of the song was entitled "I Will Go with You (Con te partirò)". Both of the album's two studio recordings, the other being "Love Is the Healer", reached #1 on the US dance charts, with "I Will Go With You" nominated for a Grammy as Best Dance Recording.

In the concert Summer performs some of her biggest hits both from the 1970s disco era through to the 1980s. The song "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)", originally a duet with Barbra Streisand, is performed with Australian singer Tina Arena. The song was one of the concert's highlights, earning enthusiastic applause from the audience. Another notable moment is when Summer tells how she wrote "Dim All the Lights" for Rod Stewart, but at the last minute decided to keep it for herself. She then performs the first half of the song the way she imagines Stewart might have sung it, and finishes it in the style she originally recorded it.

in 2013, the album was re-released without the studio tracks as Playlist: The Very Best of Donna Summer, including bonus songs only previously available on the accompanying video release.

Track listing

Live & More Encore
"MacArthur Park" (Webb) – 6:38
"This Time I Know It's for Real"  (Aitken, Stock, Summer, Waterman) – 3:12
"I Feel Love" (Bellotte, Moroder, Summer) – 3:50
"On the Radio" (Moroder, Summer) – 4:29
"No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" – duet with Tina Arena (Jabara, Roberts) – 4:21
"Dim All the Lights"  (Summer) – 6:03
"She Works Hard for the Money" (Omartian, Summer) – 4:31
"Bad Girls" (Esposito, Hokenson, Sudano, Summer) – 3:06
"Hot Stuff"  (Bellotte, Faltermeyer, Forsey) – 4:19
"My Life"  (Barry, Miller, Summer, Waterman) – 5:58
"Last Dance" (Jabara) – 7:08
"Love Is the Healer" (DiGesare, Summer) – 3:23
"I Will Go with You (Con te partirò)"  (Quarantotto, Sartori, Summer) – 4:10

Playlist: The Very Best of Donna Summer
"MacArthur Park" (Webb) – 6:38
"This Time I Know It's for Real"  (Aitken, Stock, Summer, Waterman) – 3:11
"I Feel Love" (Bellotte, Moroder, Summer) – 3:31
"On the Radio" (Moroder, Summer) – 3:59
"No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" – duet with Tina Arena (Jabara, Roberts) – 5:04
"If There Is Music There" – 5:34
"Riding Through The Storm" – 6:15
"Don't Wanna Work" – 4:44
"Nobody" – 5:41
"Dim All the Lights"  (Summer) – 6:07
"She Works Hard for the Money" (Omartian, Summer) – 4:31
"Bad Girls" (Esposito, Hokenson, Sudano, Summer) – 2:51
"Hot Stuff"  (Bellotte, Faltermeyer, Forsey) – 4:32
"Last Dance" (Jabara) – 7:01

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Singles

Certifications and sales

References

1999 live albums
Donna Summer live albums
Epic Records live albums
Albums recorded at the Hammerstein Ballroom

Live & More Encore


Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS) are the largest animal testing company in Europe. They were founded in 1951 and are based in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom. They also have a laboratory in New Jersey, United States. Huntingdon Life Sciences is an international contract research organisation offering a comprehensive range of non-clinical development services. The UK lab carries out medical and product research for many organisations.

Many people feel strongly against HLS. The Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) campaign group are the main opposition group. SHAC were set up in 1999. The opposition to HLS has had many forms. While most animal rights people have used legal means of protest, some people have become extremists and done very bad things. Thus the opposition to HLS has become an example to many people of a good cause gone wrong.

1951 establishments in the United Kingdom
Cambridgeshire
Companies of the United Kingdom

Huntingdon Life Sciences


The kingdom of Mutapa was a state that existed in Africa. It was made of parts of modern-day Zimbabwe, and the middle part of Mozambique. Probably it was most successful in the 13th to the 15th century. The Portugese were th e first to come to the southern parts of Africa. When they did, the kingdom had alreadysplit into smaller parts. As the people didn't use writing, most of what is known is from ruins, and archeological sites. Great Zimbabwe is probably the best known of these. Other than that, there are many oral traditions about its rulers.

How the kingdom was organized in detail is unclear. The oral traditions that are there, tell that there was a great focus on the king, as a person. This points to some king of absolutism. Likely, the king was sacred, and seen as god. This is typical for early African states, and can also be observed elsewhere in the region.

They used canals for irrigation. These canals are open ditches alongside the mountain hills. There's a lot of engineering which keeps the water flowing. Both of these point to a society which  was higlhly organised, and able recruit many workers, in a short time.

The kingdom likely had two periods: in the first, Great Zimbabwe was built, and was the center of economic activity. In a second period, there were other centers as well.

History of Zimbabwe
Former monarchies of Africa

Kingdom of Mutapa


Heroes for Life (in Hebrew: לוחמים ללא גבולות) is a non-governmental organization founded in 2013 by three officers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) who had served in the Duvdevan unit for eight years. They started a trip after performing military service together, a trip that the IDF soldiers normally perform after completing the military service.

History of the group
On the day of the Jewish New Year (Rosh HaShanah), Gili, one of the three friends, stayed in a house that belonged to the Chabad Lubavitch Chassidic movement, which was located on the island of Ko Samui, in the Kingdom of Thailand, together with more than 1,500 Israeli tourists. Gili was amazed to see the tremendous number of Israeli backpackers who traveled to poor countries every year, and that was when the idea was born of using this valuable human resource to make the world a better place.

Heroes for Life was founded in 2013 by three officers from the Duvdevan unit who, while traveling through the Far East, encountered that many Israelis visited third world countries, and they realized the potential to use that human resource to present the nation of Israel. in a positive way through the volunteer work. The organization is chaired by the former commander of the Air Force General Eliezer Shkedi. The only condition to join a delegation of Heroes for Life is to volunteer first with the organization in a youth village in Israel for three days. The team is called "Danielle" in honor of Danielle Sonnenfeld, a national service volunteer who worked with children with cancer at the Schneider Medical Center, and who died in a traffic accident three years ago. The founder of the organization is named Gili Cohen. In addition to Brazil, there are delegations that go every year to countries such as: India, Nepal, South Africa, Guatemala, Mexico, Argentina and Ethiopia.

Activities of the group by country

Africa

Ethiopia
In March 2017, Heroes for life expanded its voluntary activity to the nation of Ethiopia. The first delegation went there in March, and stayed in the country two weeks. In that expedition, the volunteers worked with kids. The activities included the teaching of English, mathematics, dental health, and music. They also participate in the renovation of a shelter that was located near the city of Gondar, in the northern region of Ethiopia. Besides the program of the volunteers, the delegation also counted with a dentist that provided dental care for the children of the shelter, that needed medical assistance. The expedition counted with the cooperation of a local Ethiopian NGO, and also the collaboration of the Israeli NGO Eden.

South Africa
In March 2018, the backpackers arrived in South Africa and stayed there two weeks to perform humanitarian work and educational activities with the poor children of the city. The volunteers taught them arithmetic, music and English. The backpackers contributed to the renovation and improvement of the living conditions of the children, collaborating in agricultural projects and painting residential buildings. In addition to working with the children of the neighborhood, the weekends are dedicated to volunteer work with the South African Jewish community.

America

Argentina
Every year in December, the backpacker volunteers organize an expedition to the neighborhood of San Fernando in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The mission of the volunteers last two weeks, and during that period of time they are concentrated in performing several educational activities with the kids of the neighbourhood. Every expedition is formed by a group that has between 20 and 25 volunteers. The work of the volunteers is divided in to teams, the shift of the morning is dedicated mainly to carry out several projects of painting and restoration, that are designed and executed by the backpacker volunteers (for instance: the delegation of the year 2015 built a dining room for the children of the neighbourhood) in second place, the shift of the afternoon is dedicated to teach the kids several themes like: English, mathematics, music, personal values, and dental care. One of the principles of the group is the continuity of work made by every delegation, each expedition works with the same kids than the previous delegations, creating a beautiful and valuable link with the local population. The volunteer missions in the Argentinian Republic, started in the year 2015, with the coming into the country of the team Oz, and in 2017 it was the third time that the project had place in the quarter. Besides the activities performed with the kids of the neighbourhood during the week, the weekends are dedicated to strengthen the bons with the local Jewish community in Argentina. This activity has place together with the Maccabi movement in Argentina, and is directed to the youth of the Jewish community of Buenos Aires. The name of the team Oz, is dedicated to the memory of the sergeant Oz Mendelovic, who died in the Gaza strip during the military operation, Protective Edge.

Brazil
25 Israeli backpackers on their trip after the army, most of them veterans of the IDF combat units, decided to volunteer in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and teach local children English and mathematics and renovate the community institutions as part of the Heroes for Life program. One of the volunteers, Lior Tabib, is a former Israeli Air Force officer who lost his friend, the captain Tal Nachman in 2014 in Gaza. The two had planned to travel together through South America, and Lior decided to join the delegation in memory of his friend. Captain Nachman was killed in a fire during operations at the Gaza border four years ago, when a soldier from the Givati reconnaissance battalion accidentally shot him after mistaking him for a terrorist. At the beginning, Lior and his colleagues worked in the favela of Cantagalo, and recently moved to another location in a community center in the neighborhood of Pavuna, which is on the outskirts of the city and surrounded by favelas. Every day, Lior and his friends teach classes in different subjects for local children with the help of members of the Jewish community in the city, who serve as interpreters. The volunteers are also helping to renovate the community center in the neighborhood.

Guatemala
In September 2018, the NGO will expand its volunteer activity to the nation of Guatemala. The first delegation will travel there in September 2018 and the mission will last two weeks. In this expedition, the volunteers will work with children. The activities will include the teaching of English and mathematics, dental health and music. They will also participate in the renovation of a shelter that is located near Guatemala City.

Mexico
In September 2018, the organization will expand its voluntary activity to the nation of Mexico. The first delegation will go to Mexico in September 2018, and the mission will last two weeks. In this expedition, the volunteers will work with children. The activities will include teaching English and mathematics, personal hygiene, and music. They will also participate in the renovation of a shelter located near Mexico City.

Asia

India
Every year in September, the expedition of the Israeli backpackers travels to Mumbai, in India. The work of the volunteers lasts two weeks and is dedicated to several activities such as teaching English, mathematics, music and dental care. In second place, the activities are carried out to renew and improve the living conditions of the children, as well as various agricultural projects, buildings and residential structures are painted. The expeditions of the volunteers to India began in 2014. One of the principles of the organization is the continuity, for that reason each delegation works with the same children as the previous expeditions. In addition to the activities with the children in the suburbs of the neighborhood during the week, the weekends are dedicated to volunteer work with the local Jewish community. The purpose of these activities is to strengthen the connection with these communities through cultural exchange, in this way the volunteers learn about the way of life of the community and enjoy the flavors and colors of India. The name of the expedition is Danielle, in memory of the IDF sergeant Danielle Pomerantz, who died during the military operation "protective edge", which took place in the Gaza Strip.

Nepal
In October 2017, the organization expanded its volunteer activities to the nation of Nepal. The first delegation departed there in October and remained two weeks in the country. On that expedition, the volunteers worked with the children. The activities included teaching the kids; English, mathematics, dental care, and music. They also participated in the renovation of the residential shelter, located near the city of Kathmandu.

References

External links
Heroes for life

Non-profit organizations based in Israel
Jewish organizations based in Israel
Zionist organizations

Heroes for life


The coastal giant salamander (Dicamptodon tenebrosus) is a species of salamander in the family Dicamptodontidae (Pacific giant salamanders).  It is endemic to the Pacific Northwest of North America. There are three closely related species to this taxon: D. ensatus (California giant salamander), D. copei (Cope's giant salamander), and D. aterrimus (Idaho giant salamander).

Description
The coastal giant salamander can reach up to 34 cm (13 inches) in total length, making it the largest terrestrial salamander in North America. The coastal giant salamander has stout limbs with four toes on the front feet and five toes on the back feet. The species tail is around 40 percent of the total length of the salamander and is laterally compressed. The head, back, and sides have a marbled or reticulate pattern of dark blotches on a light brown or brassy-colored background. The head is broad with a shovel-like snout and a fold of skin across the throat called the gular fold. The eyes are medium in size and have a brass-flecked iris and a large black pupil. This species is one of the few salamanders capable of vocalizing.

Life history
A female coastal giant salamander will lay her eggs in moderate to slow flowing mountain streams under rocks and crevasses, hatching in early to mid spring. The coastal giant salamander, being a member of the genus Dicamptodon, exhibits two distinctive phases within its life; an aquatic larval stage with filamentous gills and an elongated tail with a caudal fin (similar to that of a tadpole), and a  terrestrial adult form losing their caudal fin and filamentous gills, and instead developing robust legs and a pair of internal lungs.

Neoteny
Some coastal giant salamander larvae continue to grow into adults and become sexually mature without losing their external gills.  This process is called neoteny.  Neoteny is particularly common in the British Columbia populations.  Adult-sized neotenes have a uniform brown coloring on their heads, sides, and backs.

Behavior

Activity level
Terrestrial adult coastal giant salamanders spend most of their time underground in burrows, emerging to reproduce and forage on rainy and humid nights.

Foraging and diet
Adult coastal giant salamanders, like most of the genus Dicamptodon, are opportunistic feeders feeding on anything they can fit in their mouth.  This may include, but is not limited to; slugs, insects, worms and other invertebrates as well as small vertebrates such as small rodents, snakes, and other giant salamanders.  In the larval stage, coastal giant salamanders will feed on small macroinvertebrates such as insect larvae as well as small fish and mollusks.  Both adult and larval coastal salamanders have been recorded consuming other individuals of the same species.

Defense
When threatened an adult coastal giant salamander will arch its back and lash its tail forward.  Coastal giant salamanders excrete toxins through their skin which will cause nausea if consumed.  Adult coastal giant salamanders can produce a painful bite.

Range
The coastal giant salamander is endemic to the Pacific Northwest, found in Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and southern British Columbia.

Habitat
Aquatic stages are found in clear, cool or cold, well-oxygenated streams, and sometimes also in mountain lakes and ponds. Metamorphosed adults are found in humid forests (under rocks and logs, etc.), near mountain streams, or rocky shores of mountain lakes.

Conservation
Pacific giant salamanders are protected from being killed or collected under the Wildlife Act in British Columbia.

References

Dicamptodon
Amphibians of Canada
Amphibians of the United States
Fauna of California
Natural history of Oregon
Natural history of Washington (state)
Amphibians described in 1852
Taxa named by Spencer Fullerton Baird
Taxa named by Charles Frédéric Girard

Coastal giant salamander


Anderson Henderson White is a New York City-based trio featuring Reverend Vince Anderson, Paula Henderson of Burnt Sugar and Melvin Van Peebles wid Laxative, and Jim White of the Dirty Three. Formed in June 2013, their debut performance was described as "an electrifying, psychedelic debut". They described their music as 'free country'. They have performed at shows with Burnt Sugar.

References

External links

Musical groups from New York City

Anderson Henderson White


Melvin Anthony Hoderlein (June 24, 1923 – May 21, 2001) was a utility infielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1951 through 1954 for the Boston Red Sox (1951) and Washington Senators (1952–54). Listed at , 185 lb., Hoderlein was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed. He was born in Mount Carmel, Ohio.

A steady infielder with good instincts, Hoderlein is better known as a player who was part of seven major league franchises but only played for two of them. At age 28, it was a long way for Hoderlein, who spent four years of active military service and six seasons in the minors playing for the Reds, Cubs, Yankees and Red Sox systems (1941, 1946–50).

Hoderlein joined the U.S. Air Force during World War II (1942–45). After being discharged, he was part of several transactions before debuting in the majors in August 1951 with the Red Sox, while hitting .357 (5-for-14) in nine games. Before the 1952 season, he was traded by Boston with Chuck Stobbs to the White Sox in the same transaction that brought Randy Gumpert to Boston. But Hoderlein did not appear in a game for the White Sox. He was sent immediately along with Jim Busby to the Senators in exchange for Sam Mele.

Hoderlein gave three years of good services for Washington, coming out of the bench as a defensive replacement and for pinch-hitting duties. In the 1954 midseason he was dealt to the Tigers for Johnny Pesky, but he decided to finally hang his spikes.

In a four-season career, Hoderlein was a .252 hitter (74-for-294) with 22 runs and 24 RBI in 118 games, including 10 doubles, three triples, two stolen bases, and a .327 on-base percentage. He did not hit a home run. He made 88 infield appearances at second base (77), shortstop (8) and third base (3), committing 14 errors in 423 chances for a collective .967 fielding percentage.

Hoderlein died in his hometown of Mount Carmel, Ohio at age 77.

References
Historic Baseball
 Baseball in Wartime
Baseball Library
Baseball Reference
Retrosheet

1923 births
2001 deaths
United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II
Anniston Rams players
Baseball players from Ohio
Birmingham Barons players
Boston Red Sox players
Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players
Columbia Reds players
Cordele Reds players
Louisville Colonels (minor league) players
Macon Peaches players
Major League Baseball infielders
Major League Baseball second basemen
Sportspeople from Clermont County, Ohio
Washington Senators (1901–1960) players

Mel Hoderlein


An Indochinite is a type of tektite. Tektites were ejected into the Earth's upper atmosphere by a meteorite impact and subsequently cooled to form the distinctive glass-like structure. Indochinites are distinctly dark black in contrast to the green of European moldavite tektites. It is estimated that these bodies of solidified magma are 700,000 years old. Indochinite tektites, as the name suggests, are found in the Indochinese peninsula, from Australia and the Pacific islands of Micronesia in the east and south, to China and Indonesia in the north and west. The largest indochinite is a Muong-Nong type tektite (which are layered tektites), which had a mass of 29.0 kg.

See also
Australasian strewnfield

References

External links
Origin of Indochinite Tektites, by Virgil E. Barnes and Kaset Pitakpaivan. University of Texas, 1962

Impact event minerals

Indochinite


Hovhannavank () is a medieval monastery located in the village of Ohanavan in the Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The monastery stands on the edge of the Kasagh River canyon, and its territory is adjacent to the village of Ohanavan. The deep gorge is carved by the Kasagh River.

History and architecture
The oldest part of the monastery is the single nave basilica of St. Karapet (i.e. Holy Forerunner, John the Baptist) that was founded at the beginning of the fourth century by St. Gregory the Enlightener, who baptized Armenia into the world's first Christian nation. The wooden roof of the early church was replaced in 554 AD with a thatch cover, and the basilica itself underwent profound renovation between 1652 and 1734.

The centerpiece of the monastery is the Cathedral built between 1216 and 1221 through the donation of Prince Vache I Vachutian Amberdtsi (Վաչե Ա). The Cathedral has a cruciform floor plan, with two storey sacristies in each of the four extensions of the church. The dome has an umbrella-shaped roof, which is unique to Armenian churches. The Cathedral's important decorations include carved scenes from the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13).

In 1250, Vache I's son, Kurt I Vachutian, built a narthex (gavit) next to the western wall of the Cathedral. The narthex is supported by four base pillars and features a central rotunda (added in 1274) that rests on twelve columns. Between the 12th and 17th centuries, Hovhannavank was known as an important educational and theological center of Eastern Armenia that had a scriptorium where manuscripts were written and illuminated. The monastery was described in details in 1686 by the historian Zakaria Kanakertsi who spent his entire life at Hovhannavank.

The monastery walls are covered with rich lapidary inscriptions. One large engraved text high on the northern wall of one of the monastery's auxiliary structures reads:

"...By the grace of merciful God, during the reign of Queen Tamar, daughter of the great Gevorg, in the year 642 (1200 AD) of the race of Torgom, we—brothers Zakaria and Ivane — sons of Sargis the Great, son of Avag Zakarian, when the light of God's grace rose and entered Armenia and raised us from weakness in the battle against the enemies of Christ and destroyed their power and quenched their violence, with the country of Ararat delivered from the heavy yoke of their servitude, wished to make offering and gave the tribute of the grace to the Holy Forerunner of Hovhannavank ..."

Another key inscription was left by Konstandin I, Katholicos of Armenia.

Hovhannavank's Cathedral belongs to the category of "Gandzasar-style" ecclesiastical edifices that were built approximately at the same time in different parts of Armenia, and were endowed with similar compositional and decorative characteristics (another example—Cathedral of the Haritchavank Monastery).
Those include umbrella-shaped dome, cruciform floor plan, narthex (often with stalactite-ornamented ceiling), and high-relief of a large cross on one of church's walls.  In 1918, the dome and the southern wall were destroyed by a powerful earthquake; both were reconstructed in the 1990s.

Archaeological Data
Research history

Zakaria Kanakertsi (historian of the 17th century), H. Shahkhatuniants (topographer, mid-19th century), K.G. Ghafadaryan (archaeologist-historian, first half of the 20th century), H. Khalpakkhyan (architect, last quarter of the 20th century), A. Zhamkochian, N. Hakobyan (archaeologists, 2015)

Archaeological description

Stratigraphy. The monastery is one of the famous spiritual centers of medieval Armenia, which was the center of the diocese of Aragatsotn province. The main buildings of the monastery were built on the site of the monastery founded here by Gregory the Illuminator in the 13th century; only the early medieval basilica church and the monument dated back to 7th century remained half-ruined. According to the legend, the relics of Hovhannes the Baptist are gathered here.

The prospering period of Hovhannavank is connected with the Vachutian princely house; during their reign St. Garabed Kathoghike Church, the courtyard, the other buildings of the monastery were built, it was enclosed, the congregation was expanded, a school and a library were established.

The monastery's next prospering phase is the 17th century associated with Zakaria Vagharshapatsi's name who was appointed an abbot in 1637. Due to his efforts the churches are repaired, the cloisters attached to the enclosure, and other economic structures are built. He regulates the library of the monastery, expands the school inherited by Etchmiadzin - the highest in the Ararat province.

As a result of the 1679 earthquake, the structures of the monastery collapsed which caused the monastery to gradually decline and eventually get desolated at the beginning of the 19th century.

The vestibule was renovated by the monument protection committee in 1938, and St. Garabed Kathoghike - in the 1990s (architector H. Gasparyan).

Architecture. The complex consists of an early medieval single-nave basilica, St. Garabed main church adjacent to it from the south, a large vestibule, and an annex (tomb) with an irregular plan between the vestibule and basilica. The complex is enclosed. A guest house, a rectory, and a high-class school functioned in the monastery.

The single-nave basilica church founded by Gregory the Illuminator in the 4th century, was originally covered with wood. Being renovated for many times the structure preserved up to date dates back to the half of the V century / beginning of the VI century. Renovations were made in 1652 and 1734, as a result of which the original entrance remained in the southern double wall, and the new southwestern entrance was opened from the vestibule after the construction of the cathedral. On the south side of the basilica church there was a wood-covered vestibule, which was demolished at the beginning of the 13th century during the construction of the Kathoghike. The sculpture representing the Vachutian clan emblem was installed on the eastern facade of the basilica church in the XIII century.

St. Garabed Kathoghike Church was built in 1216-1221 by Vache Vachutyan. It is adjacent to the basilica church from the south. On the outside it is rectangular, while on the inside it is cruciform with two-story vaults at the four corners and stone cantilever steps leading to the second floor of the western vaults. The transition from the domed square to the polygonal drum was made by means of sails (the dome was destroyed in 1918). The eastern and southern walls are externally highlighted between the pair of triangular niches. The entrance to the Kathoghike Church opening into the vestibule, has a luxurious decoration. The parapet is decorated with a row of octagonal medallions with crocheted floral decorations, the fields between them are filled with small sculptures. A unique iconography of the evangelical parable of the "Wise and Foolish Virgins" is carved on the back of the façade completely decorated with plants, where the newly married young congregants are represented instead of girls.

Gavit (the vestibule) is adjacent to the Kathoghike and Basilica churches on the west side. The construction was completed in 1250 by Kurd Vachutian. It is a large four-columned central hall, the central opening of which is crowned by a pillared rotunda. The vestibule stands out for its rich interior decoration. The bust of Christ is depicted on one of the ceiling tiles. The rows of three and five arches connecting the columns, externally enliven the west facade of the vestibule. The entrance frame is decorated with sculptures of diagonally shaped crosses. Above the entrance there is a wide mullioned window with a frame decorated with ornamental stones.

The monastery is enclosed on three sides reinforced with semi-circular and rectangular towers. The arched entrance is on the west side. Cloisters adjacent to the enclosure, wells and wine vats on the north side of the basilica church were revealed due to the excavations in 2015. The enclosure was built by Nana (Vaneni), the wife of Kyurikian King Abbas at the end of the 12th century and was thoroughly repaired in the 17th century by Zakaria Vagharshapattsi's efforts.

Findings

Fragments of cross-stones and architectural details, pottery

Significance

It was the center of the episcopal diocese of Amberd province in the High and Late Middle Ages.

Traditional legends

According to the legend, the monastery was founded by Gregory the Illuminator with pious King Tiridates burying the relics of St. John the Baptist here. Hearing from Z. Kanakertsi A. Davrizhetsi, reports: "When St Illuminator built this, he appointed an overseer named Syughos, and the monastery was named after him, and in translators' days Gh. Parpetsi was the leader and was writing his own history. He appointed someone named Hovan as an inspector, so it was called Hovannavank. In the days of Nerses the Great lepers and scabies, exhausted by hunger, gathered there, so it was called the Monastery of Hunger."

Sources

- Arakel Davrizhetsi 1988, History (translated and annotated by V. Arakelyan), Yerevan, "Soviet Writer", 592 pages.

- Zakaria Kanakertsi 2013, Historiography (translated and annotated by V. Arakelyan), Yerevan, "Hayastan", 272 pages.

- Zhamkochian A., Hakobyan N. 2016, Results of the western wall excavations of the Hovhannavank, Etchmiadzin, B, 110-126.

- Ghafadaryan K. 1948, Hovhannavank and its inscriptions, Yerevan, Academy of Sciences USSR ed., 123 pages.

Gallery

References

Bibliography
 Zakaria Kanakertsi (1627-1699). Chronicle. Moscow, 1969
 Armenia: 1700 years of Christian Architecture. Moughni Publishers, Yerevan, 2001
 Tom Masters and Richard Plunkett. Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan, Lonely Planet Publications; 2 edition (July 2004)
 Nicholas Holding. Armenia with Nagorno Karabagh, Bradt Travel Guides; Second edition (October, 2006)

See also

Gandzasar, an architecturally similar monastery in Artsakh
Saghmosavank, a nearby monastery

Christian monasteries in Armenia
Tourist attractions in Aragatsotn Province
Medieval Armenia
Christian monasteries established in the 13th century
Oriental Orthodox congregations established in the 13th century
Buildings and structures in Aragatsotn Province

Hovhannavank


In planetary science, planetary differentiation is the process of separating out different parts of a planetary body where the planetary body develops into distinct layers. The denser materials of a planet sink to the center, while less dense materials rise to the surface. Such a process usually creates a core and mantle. Sometimes a crust forms on top of the mantle. The process of planetary differentiation has happened on planets, dwarf planets, the asteroid 4 Vesta, and natural satellites (such as the Moon).

Planets

Planetary differentiation


Mozart's Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, K. 478, is scored for violin, viola, cello, and pianoforte. It was composed in 1785.

Composition and reception
Mozart received a commission for three quartets in 1785 from the publisher Franz Anton Hoffmeister. Hoffmeister thought this quartet was too difficult and that the public would not buy it, so he released Mozart from the obligation of completing the set. (Nine months later, Mozart composed a second quartet anyway, in E-flat major, K. 493).

Hoffmeister's fear that the work was too difficult for amateurs was borne out by an article in the Journal des Luxus und der Moden published in Weimar in June 1788. The article highly praised Mozart and his work, but expressed dismay over attempts by amateurs to perform it:

[as performed by amateurs] it  not please: everybody yawned with boredom over the incomprehensible tintamarre of 4 instruments which did not keep together for four bars on end, and whose senseless concentus never allowed any unity of feeling; but it  please, it  to be praised! ... what a difference when this much-advertised work of art is performed with the highest degree of accuracy by four skilled musicians who have studied it carefully.

The assessment accords with a view widely held of Mozart in his own lifetime, that of a greatly talented composer who wrote very difficult music.

At the time the piece was written, the harpsichord was still widely used. Although the piece was originally published with the title "Quatuor pour le Clavecin ou Forte Piano, Violon, Tallie [sic] et Basse," stylistic evidence suggests Mozart intended the piano part for "the 'Viennese' fortepiano of the period" and that, according to Basil Smallman, our modern piano is "a perfectly acceptable alternative."

Movements

The work is in three movements:
 Allegro, in G minor
 Andante, in B-flat major
 Rondo (Allegro), in G major

Editions and versions

The C. F. Peters Edition set of parts has rehearsal letters throughout the whole work; the Eulenburg Edition study score has measure numbers but no rehearsal letters, the same goes for Bärenreiter.

The quartet is also available in an arrangement for string quintet.

Notes

References

External links

 Performance of Piano Quartet No. 1 by the Nash Ensemble from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in MP3 format

Chamber music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart 1
Compositions in G minor
1785 compositions

Piano Quartet No. 1 (Mozart)