Fishing system leads to massive killed and discarded fish.
Ministers across the European Union convening on Tuesday, March 1 called for the first-ever reform in 40 years of a fisheries policy that has resulted in an estimated 1 million tons of fish caught in the North Sea alone being thrown back into the sea each year. This is due to an imposed quota system, which was originally specified by the European Union to protect the fish stock.

However, in part due to fishing methods where giant nets are dragged across the ocean floor, capturing all marine life they encounter, up to two-thirds of the fish caught in some areas are now being discarded, most of them already perished.

In addition, unintentionally caught species which do not have quota regulations must also be discarded. In discussing with delegates from European Union member states, Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki said she hopes to introduce a discard ban by 2013. Meanwhile, more than 650,000 signatures have been gathered by advocates in the United Kingdom hoping to stop the practice.

Thank you Commissioner Damanaki, European Union ministers and all advocates for your efforts to save precious marine lives. May the day soon come when our friends of the sea can roam the ocean waters freely and safely as we cherish their existence as we would our own.

Supreme Master Ching Hai has often addressed the devastating consequences of fishing practices, as during a May 2009 videoconference in Togo.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/mar/01/eu-ban-fish-discards
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/mar/01/government-attacks-eu-fishing-rules
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12598660
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7635668.stm

Rolls-Royce introduces electric car.
Unveiled by the prominent British automaker at the Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday, March 1, the new 102EX Phantom is the company's first ever electric car and the world's first electric battery vehicle for the ultra-luxury market.

The 102EX Phantom, also called the Phantom Experimental Electric, is currently being tested as an alternative to the original Phantom model's 6.75-liter V12 engine. The new green Phantom contains a 71-kilowatt- hour lithium-ion battery, the largest of its kind in the world, along with twin 145-kilowatt motors that together extend travel to a range of about 125 miles on one charge.

With a top speed of 100 miles-per-hour, the electric Phantom can also accelerate from a stopped position to 60 miles-per-hour in less than eight seconds. Unique touches on the interior and exterior distinguish the ultra- luxurious electric vehicle from its original petrol-run counterpart, including subtle blue lighting for the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot.

Bravo, Rolls-Royce, for advancing the luxury automobile market with this forward thinking green concept. We look forward to the day that such eco-friendly versions of the classic Phantom and other vehicles are enjoyed on motorways across the globe.
http://english.cntv.cn/20110221/107450.shtml
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/03/rolls-royce-electric.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/motor-shows/geneva-motor-show/8352947/Geneva-Motor-Show-2011-
Rolls-Royce-reveals-full-electric-Phantom-details-and-pictures.html

Extra News
Australia's western city Perth reports a record number of hot summer nights, with 15 consecutive evenings where the minimum temperature stayed above 22 degrees Celsius, while the number of summer days above 30 degrees increased to 60.
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/weather-records-smashed-as-perth-continues-to-suffer-in-heat-
20110228-1bb1w.html
http://topnews.us/content/235794-perth-reels-under-heat-wave

A Canadian researcher's recent review of the medical literature finds that ingestion of the drug marijuana is linked to insufficient response of the male reproductive system, with the drug's active ingredient Cannabis found to have an antagonizing effect on the receptors that govern proper function.
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2011/02/22/Pot-linked-to-male-erectile-dysfunction/UPI-72161298411822/
http://topnews.us/content/235482-cannabis-causes-problem-sexual-functionality