MONTREAL — Irwin Cotler arrived at a restaurant in this city's Mile End neighborhood in a mini motorcade of six vehicles, all of them holding Canadian security agents. The protective force that has been assigned to him for 14 months accompanied him to his table, stood around with guns bulging in their frock coats and finally sat down to lunch themselves. But that was nothing compared to the dinner, a few weeks later, to commemorate his life's work, which included helping to release Nelson Mandela from South African imprisonment and to free Anatoly Borisovich Shcharansky from imprisonment in the old Soviet Union. That evening, agents with machine guns stood at every door, guests went through airport-style magnetic screening and 10 giant Suburban vans sat idling outside, each with an armed security agent in the driver's seat. I wandered outside to count them. The agents inside the vans did not welcome my presence on Metcalfe Street. This is how Mr. Cotler has lived since Iran named the Canadian human rights crusader one of its principal enemies and, according to Canadian security personnel, planned his assassination. The security cordon remains in place even if some putative assassins have been caught, for more may be dispatched. Mr. Cotler's movements remain constrained. "This shows the dangers of transnational terrorism and assassinations," he said over the telephone the other night, "because Iran sees no reason not to continue its international criminality." Indeed, the regime in Tehran is not the forgiving sort, nor big on forgetting. Then again, nor were the regimes in the many countries that have arrested him, or in Syria, Saudi Arabia and the Soviet Union, which, among many others, have expelled him. In his line of work, being expelled is a sign of excellence. "Irwin changed the moral compass of an entire society and changed the lives of millions," said David Cohen, the American ambassador to Canada. "He has stood up against hate — loudly, unequivocally — as part of his effort to change the world. He has always chosen the relentless pursuit of justice. He always did what he must and stood up for what is right with unwavering moral courage." Our lunch that day may have been a pleasant diversion for Mr. Cotler, but the conversation at Estiatorio Milos wasn't about the Canadiens hockey team or the current contretemps about the Quebec government's effort to suppress the use of the English language on the streets of Montreal. Of course it wasn't. Mr. Cotler remains focused on human rights, and between bites of lightly fried paper-thin zucchini and eggplant with saganaki cheese and tzatziki ("Don't tell my wife"), he held forth on the Israel-Gaza war, Venezuela and the Iranian political prisoners whose release he has been advocating, a campaign that followed his pressure on the Canadian government to declare Iran a terrorist state. He is 84 years old with miles to go — and dictatorships to assail — before he sleeps. "There is no way to compete with Irwin as a human-rights advocate," said Natan Sharansky, as the onetime refusenik, who served nine years in a Soviet prison with the name Anatoly Borisovich Shcharansky, now is known. Always Mr. Cotler's talk is about work undone, though he already has done much — including carrying a handwritten note from Egyptian President Anwar Sadat to Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin that opened the door to their peace treaty. An accomplished multitasker, he used the mission to meet the woman who became Ariela Cotler. The two married the day after the accord was signed. They have sparred, mostly about his diet and sometimes about Israeli politics, over the kitchen table for nearly a half-century. Mr. Cotler is international chair of the Raul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights. As a boy, he took to heart a mere five words from the Book of Deuteronomy: "Justice, justice shall you pursue." "This has been Cotler's guiding principle throughout his life," said Iddo Moed, Israel's ambassador to Canada, who spoke of "some of the trouble Irwin has caused along the way." It was what the late Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, a legendary figure in the American Civil Rights Movement, once called "good trouble." Last month, the Canadian Parliament put aside its differences, unanimously condemned Iran and stated that the House of Commons "salutes Mr. Irwin Cotler's contribution to the defence of human rights and the fight against racism and antisemitism." No matter — or maybe it's a matter of great significance, demonstrating the range of support Mr. Cotler has across the spectrum of Canadian politics — that the resolution came from the nationalist Bloc Quebecois party, which advocates the secession of Quebec from Canada, a position Mr. Cotler deplores. And for those with an eye to political nuance, the tiny type listing the sponsors of the commemorative dinner with all the security agents included former Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin and his successor, the Conservative Stephen Harper. Otherwise, they agree on almost nothing. Mr. Martin appointed Mr. Cotler attorney general and minister of justice. Mr. Cotler then appointed Rosalie Silberman Abella to Canada's Supreme Court, where as the first Jewish woman and first refugee to serve on the bench, she fought for employment equity and worked for same-sex marriage. The two have been a tag team of high purpose and deep conscience for decades. For her part, Justice Abella refers to Mr. Cotler as "Canada's greatest gift to the world" and characterizes him as "a cross between Louis Brandeis and Mother Teresa." But she's clear-eyed about her co-conspirator. "Irwin has no sense of work-life balance," she said. "It doesn't appear in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights." Some of his human rights work was performed at home, in his native country, where he appointed Harry LaForme the first indigenous person on an appellate court in Canada. At the time, Mr. LaForme asked Mr. Cotler why he had been selected. Mr. Cotler's answer was as eloquent as it was brief: "Who is better to deal with justice than someone who lived in injustice?" Two decades ago, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation undertook an effort to determine the greatest Canadian of all time. Some 10,000 names were submitted. The winner was Tommy Douglas, the father of the Canadian single-payer universal health care system. I've studied Mr. Douglas' life, which included being the head of the New Democratic Party and the leader of the Saskatchewan Co-operative Commonwealth Federation. He was a great man. Even so, with Mr. Cotler as my choice, I'm calling for a recount. ••• David M. Shribman is the former executive editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
West Virginia’s newly launched iLottery platform, also known as iPlay, is already celebrating its first major win with a $100,000 Powerball prize. This milestone highlights the growing success of the state’s digital lottery system, which provides a more convenient way for residents to play and win from home. The winning ticket was confirmed for the Saturday, December 14 drawing after matching four numbers plus the Powerball. The winning numbers were 12, 17, 23, 52, 67, and the Powerball was 1. While not a subscription purchase, this win marks a significant moment for the platform since its launch on October 31, 2024. Players are encouraged to check their tickets, as Powerball offers nine prize tiers ranging from $4 to the multi-million-dollar jackpot. The iPlay platform allows West Virginians to: This digital option offers a solution for players who may forget to purchase a ticket at retail locations, especially during large jackpots. Now, users can simply use their mobile devices or computers to buy tickets from the comfort of their homes. The winner of the $100,000 ticket must complete the online claim process through their iPlay account. However, West Virginia Lottery rules require winners of prizes exceeding $600 to claim their winnings in person at the main office or designated satellite locations. Winners need to provide the following: West Virginia Lottery Director John Myers expressed optimism about the platform’s potential. Since its launch, the iLottery platform has seen a steady increase in registrations and play activity. The digital system is expected to grow as more residents take advantage of its convenience and benefits. By embracing modern technology, the West Virginia Lottery is making its games more accessible to a new generation of players while continuing to deliver exciting opportunities for significant prizes. For more information or to get started, visit the official West Virginia iLottery platform or download the app.
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New Delhi: As BJP-led MahaYuti swept Maharashtra elections with a colossal victory over Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), an old photo symbolising Prime Minister Narendra Modi as 'Janata Raja' surfaced on social media. ‘Modi Archive’, a highly popular X handle, shared the photo and captioned, “The year 2006: CM Modi participating in the real-life based play of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with the name of 'Janata Raja' at Karnavati Club.” Janata Raja [Year 2006: CM Modi participating in real life based play of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with the name of 'Janata Raja' at Karnavati Club] pic.twitter.com/Y9Y7HnGv5S What Is 'Janata Raja'? Notably, ‘Janata Raja’ was a popular play, enacted in 2006, to recreate the life and accomplishments of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The play, held in Ahmedabad’s Karnavati Club also saw then Chief Minister Narendra Modi participating in the play, based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji. The image of PM Modi in ‘Janata Raja’ avatar left the netizens curious as well as excited as this came on the back of BJP’s stupendous performance in Maharashtra. The state BJP unit has already credited PM Modi for sharpening the party's poll pitch with his ‘ek hain toh safe hain’ slogan. The picture seems to reinforce PM Modi’s poll blitzkrieg as the reason behind BJP’s grand victory in the state. Shivaji Maharaja's Ideals & Legacy Take Centre Stage In Assembly Elections The fight for championing Shivaji’s ideals and legacy also took centre stage in Maharashtra polls as both MahaYuti and MVA centred their campaign on his heroic exploits, in a bid to outdo each other. Both SS (UBT) and BJP-SS engaged in a bitter war of words over their pledge to champion the Marathi pride, in the run-up to Assembly elections. The war of words also saw two factions of Shiv Sena fighting over the ‘legitimate successor of Balasaheb Thackeray’ and MVA firing barbs at the MahaYuti government over the collapse of a colossal statue of Maratha warrior king, alleging that it insulted Maratha pride by ‘facilitating’ corruption in the statue of state’s biggest icon. Now, that the election results have decisively settled the battle, with people reposing faith in incumbent Eknath Shinde-led government, this is being projected as people’s endorsement of BJP and SS as the ‘saviour’ of Maratha pride. (Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)Binghamton, N.Y., Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new agreement between Binghamton University and The Guthrie Clinic will pave the way for enhanced collaboration on future research initiatives with the goal to benefit the outcomes and wellness of the local community. The new Collaborative Research Agreement (CRA) establishes standardized guidelines for each research project undertaken by The Guthrie Clinic and Binghamton University. These guidelines eliminate the need for repetitive contract reviews, expediting the process of launching research projects and fostering seamless collaboration. By focusing on compliance and cybersecurity, the agreement also ensures the proper safeguards are in place to protect shared data. Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger and Guthrie Clinic President and CEO Edmund Sabanegh signed the agreement into effect during a press conference on Friday, Dec.13. “I’m excited for this new understanding, both as a way for our researchers to advance their work and to accentuate the care that Guthrie provides to its patients,” said Stenger. Guthrie Clinic President and CEO Dr. Edmund Sabanegh emphasized the organization’s commitment to high-quality patient care and research efforts. “This partnership represents the best of what two respected organizations can achieve when they work together,” said Sabanegh. “This agreement allows us to collaborate more effectively, opening the door for greater innovation. It creates a solid framework to focus on meaningful research that can make a real difference in people’s lives.” The scope of the partnership extends beyond health care research. With both institutions’ diverse expertise, collaborative projects can span areas such as engineering, process improvement, and more. “Today’s announcement marks an incredible milestone in fostering innovation and addressing health challenges through the partnership between Binghamton University and Guthrie,” said State Senator Lea Webb. “As a member of the NYS Senate Health and Higher Education Committees, I am thrilled to see how this collaboration will connect cutting-edge research with clinical expertise to improve healthcare access and outcomes in our community. By bringing together Binghamton researchers and Guthrie's healthcare professionals, we are building a bridge between academic discovery and practical solutions for our collective health and wellness.” Beyond the advancement of research, this agreement is poised to benefit the broader community. By joining forces, The Guthrie Clinic and Binghamton University aim to conduct essential research that could lead to new discoveries and improvements in healthcare practices, technology and other fields. Guthrie’s recent expansion into Broome County, through its acquisition of Lourdes Hospital, further solidifies this relationship. The agreement allows Binghamton University direct access to Guthrie’s entire network of specialists and clinical expertise, creating even more opportunities for collaboration. “The collaboration between Binghamton University’s groundbreaking research and Guthrie’s clinical practice is welcome news,” said Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo. “The goal is to improve patient outcomes, while also inspiring a new generation of researchers interested in solving a myriad of health care delivery challenges. We can look forward to seeing advances in medical practice, including improvements in the way care is delivered across a variety of medical settings. I’d like to thank both of these institutions for today’s announcement.” Stenger said that there is tremendous opportunity for collaboration between the two organizations. “Our university has a large group of faculty across disciplines doing significant work in furthering our understanding of healthcare and health outcomes,” said Stenger. “Guthrie is putting that theory into practice by providing care to people in need. By combining innovative research capabilities from the University and the practical healthcare experience of the hospital, we can improve outcomes on both ends.” ### The Guthrie Clinic is a non-profit multispecialty health system integrating clinical and hospital care along with research and education. Headquartered in Sayre, Pennsylvania, The Guthrie Clinic stands as one of the nation’s longest established group practices, founded in 1910 by the visionary Dr. Donald Guthrie. The organization’s patient-centered approach revolves around a clinically integrated network of employed providers. Among The Guthrie Clinic’s more than 9,000 caregivers are close to 1,000 highly skilled physicians and advanced practice providers representing the spectrum of medical Specialties and sub-specialties. Situated across 10,000 square miles in northeastern Pennsylvania and upstate New York, The Guthrie Clinic’s comprehensive six hospital campuses also encompass an expansive network of outpatient facilities across 13 counties. Post-acute care includes acute rehabilitation, skilled nursing, personal care home, home care and hospice services, completing the continuum of care. With a commitment to shaping the future of health care, the organization offers eleven residencies and five fellowships, serving as a training ground for the next generation of leaders in the field. Visit us at www.Guthrie.org . Follow us at Twitter.com/GuthrieClinic, Facebook.com/TheGuthrieClinic, Linkedin.com/company/TheGuthrieClinic, and Instagram.com/TheGuthrieClinic.
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