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There's hope in the global fight against malaria. Infants given the RTS-S vaccine in a clinical trial in Africa had fifty per cent less chance of getting the disease.

There are 800,000 deaths because of malaria every year. Most of them are among African children. The vaccine is one of two being tested around the world.

The cost for the vaccine has not yet been determined.

Read by Joel Balsam

Stories by Joel Balsam, Lindsay Briscoe, Jacqueline Di Bartolomeo, Sarah Moore

Produced by Michael Lemieux

After a by-election that named two much-needed executives and one new independent councillor for ASFA, it is possible that students will return to the polls.

Last year’s Chief Electoral Officer Nick Cuillerier filed a complaint to ASFA’s Judicial Committee this week that blames current CEO Marvin Cidamon for “gross negligence” with the by-laws that outline how ASFA elections are to be carried out.

According to Cuillerier, the current CEO made at least 15 administrative errors that violate clauses in Annex A. He has asked the Judicial Committee to review if the elections remain valid considering these violations and to consider if Cidamon is still eligible to hold the position.

One of the violations he highlights is the hiring of former ASFA VP Internal Nicole Devlin as a polling clerk. This is in breach of section 20 of Annex A that lists that polling clerks cannot be a current/former executive, CEO, Vice Electoral Officer or anyone involved in administration of the elections.

“Annex A is a 10 page document,” said Cuillerier. “If you're going to be paid hundreds of dollars you should read the document you’re supposed to be enforcing.”

“As far as I know, I did not do anything wrong,” said Cidamon. He added that at least one Judicial Committee member knew of Devlin’s hiring and it was not kept a secret. In fact, Devlin was seen at a polling station in the Hall building sporting her red ASFA executive hoodie.

VP Internal Schubert Laforest who helped hire and train the new CEO said that he presented Annex A to Cidamon with the impression that it was completely understood. However, Laforest admitted that hiring Devlin was illegal and has filed his own complaint.

Cidamon said Cuillerier’s allegations are “baseless” and will be thrown out by council.

“I feel like he feels a little insulted that I didn’t do the election his way,” he continued. The CEO is confident that the “minor” violations will not be grounds to redo an election. “There won’t be another election,” he said boldly.

Laforest said firing Cidamon is not only unnecessary, but a violation of labour laws. “I don’t believe its legal to not pay someone once you’ve agreed to a contract,” he said.

Cuillerier also blames Cidamon for not giving candidates a document called Sanctions and Violations. “[Candidates] need to know what kinds of rules they can break and the penalties associated with them,” he said. The CEO denies any malpractice by not distributing the rules to candidates and said that he “intentionally gave them free range.”

Candidate Katie Brioux said that she left the first candidates meeting with Cidamon confused and unclear of what constituted a violation. “He was very blazé about the whole thing,” she said. Brioux ran for VP Communications and Promotions and lost to Alexis Suzuki by just 12 votes.

No one has suggested any violations with the elections that also saw Paul Jerajian win VP External Affairs and Sustainability and Yasmeen Zahar win the vacant Independent Councillor seat.

Cuillerier suggested that Cidamon and the current ASFA executive may not have been aware of the most recent by-laws due to an older version being posted on the website. He said no less than five clauses were left out of this document including some of the violations overlooked in the by-election. Even without a VP Communications, Cuillerier said there were many reasonable avenues and tools that ASFA could have used to update the site.

Cuillerier plans to be at the Special Council Meeting on Thursday to steer Council in the right direction. “They might want to go to the guy who did it well last year,” he said.

The Judicial Committee will discuss and make its recommendations on Wednesday before the Special Council Meeting at 7pm on the 7^th floor of the Hall building. 

Former Buffalo Sabres captain Craig Rivet continues to play hockey. After finishing his NHL contract last year he signed with the East Coast Hockey League’s Elmira Jackals for a fraction of his previous salary.

Rivet plays for under $850 a week now but the love of the game is what keeps him going he says. He has already declined AHL offers but wishes to return to the NHL if a team will take him. After that, Rivet see’s coaching in his future.

Sidney Crosby may be returning to the game soon. He has been cleared for full contact and has been participating in Penguin’s practice. The star player has been out since a concussion benched him since January 5 2011.  Many people consider him the best current player in the game and his return is greatly anticipated.

The Oilers are letting Devin Dubnyk and Nikolai Khabibulin’s performance determine who the main goalie for the team becomes. Khabibulin was signed in 2009 for a 4 year deal worth $15 million but has been consistently disappointing. He was also charged with a DUI last year.