Environment

Russia has given away free hectares of land to three families in the country’s Amur region. In an initiative to develop the country’s remote Far East the Russian government has approved the first applications under the country’s free land scheme. The region’s Arkharinsky district which borders China was chosen as the pilot area for the scheme where any Russian citizen could apply for a free tract of land. RT reports: “The first three applications were received from residents in the area, which for many years engaged in beekeeping.

Carl Icahn appears to be a big fan of Brent Saunders. After Icahn was instrumental in placing his favorite CEO at the top of Forest Labs before it was acquired by Actavis several years ago - a deal which made then Forest Labs investor Carl Icahn hundreds of millions in profit - the billionaire investor is now doubling down on Saunders, and moments ago the billionaire investor announced that he has acquired a "large position" in Allergan, and confirms he is "very supportive of CEO Brent Saunders."

Submitted by Michael Snyder via The End of The American Dream blog,

A group of doctors are challenging the theory that the Zika virus is responsible for birth defects in babies in Brazil, saying that Monsanto are responsible for microcephaly among newborns. A report from the Argentine doctors’ organisation, Physicians in the Crop-Sprayed Towns, says that a chemical larvicide that produces malformations in mosquitoes was introduced into the public drinking water supply in 2014. Healthynaturalcures.org reports: This poison, Pyriproxyfen, is used in a State-controlled programme aimed at eradicating disease-carrying mosquitoes.

An elephant calf has been rescued after getting trapped in an uncovered drain in Sri Lanka. Local residents in the port of Hambantota joined forces with rescue workers and wildlife officials to free the stuck animal. BBC YouTube video: The baby elephant was taken for treatment with a suspected broken leg, according to the BBC. Officials used basic tools like hammers and chisels to free the animal.