The Ukraine anti-protest law also abolishes fair trials and imposes arbitrary censorship.

It also bans collecting information about thugs, which I presume includes photos or videos of what they do. In the US, that's not illegal, but the thugs wish it were, so they fabricate accusations against those who take photos.

Thugs have been fighting with protesters in Kiev, and the protesters have been fighting back.

Subsequently a truce was agreed, for talks between the president and the opposition. However, no deal was reached.

This report claims that the violence was started by right-wing infiltrators. I have no way to evaluate this claim.

Assad has cut off polio vaccination in rebel-controlled areas, as well as other supplies necessary for public health such as preventing water-borne disease.

The Australian government says it can't afford the welfare system. Meanwhile it proposes to offer amnesty to rich tax-evaders.

It's just a matter of priorities: the rich or the poor.

The Gates Foundation's investments, compared with its stated principles.

The article presents the information annoyingly via images, which help the companies by presenting their logos. I see no reason to do that. Here's what the text in those images says.

Gates Foundation says: "Our nutrition efforts focus on delivering proven interventions and developing better tools and strategies for providing pregnant women and young children with the foods and nutrients they need"

The foundation's trust invested in:

• Coca-Cola
• MacDonalds
• Pepsico
• Burger King
• Yum! (parent company of KFC, Taco Bell, & Pizza Hut)

Bill Gates says: "As a businessman, I believe the free market fuels growth. Unfortunately, the market often fails to address the needs of the poorest".

The Gates foundation trust invested in Walmart.

Gates Foundation says: Bill and Melinda Gates "Have defined areas in which the endowment will not invest, such as companies whose profit model is centrally tied to corporate activity that they find egregious".

The Foundation's trust invested in:

• Geo (The Geo Group) (Private prison company)
• G4S (UK Based private security company & operator of 19 juvenile detention facilities in the US)
• DynCorp International (Military contractor)

Gates Foundation says: "The foundation believes that climate change is a major issue facing all of us, particularly poor people in developing countries …"

The foundation's trust invested in:

• ExxonMobil
• BP
• Shell
• ArchCoal
• ConocoPhillips
• Devon (oil & gas company)
• FirstEnergy (electric company)
• Energy Future Holdings (electric company)
• Schlumberger (engineering firm) (oilfield services)
• BakerHughes (Texas engineering firm) (oilfield services)
• Duke Energy (electric company)
• Cenovus (Canadian oil sands developer)
• Coal India (Indian coal producer)
• Chevron
• Total (French oil company)
• Peabody Energy (Coal producer)

California is in drought, perhaps the worst ever recorded. Little snow has fallen in the US west this winter — it has all gone to the center and east.

Global heating is expected to make the US southwest more arid, so this is just a foretaste.