diff --git a/lib/Default/council.inc b/lib/Default/council.inc
index 2526c99b1..d472230c8 100644
--- a/lib/Default/council.inc
+++ b/lib/Default/council.inc
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class Council {
 	public static function &getPresident($gameID,$raceID) {
 		self::getRaceCouncil($gameID,$raceID);
 		if(isset(self::$RACE_PRESIDENTS[$gameID][$raceID])&&self::$RACE_PRESIDENTS[$gameID][$raceID]!==false&&is_numeric(self::$RACE_PRESIDENTS[$gameID][$raceID])) {
-			self::$RACE_PRESIDENTS[$gameID][$raceID] =& SmrPlayer::getPlayer(self::$RACE_PRESIDENTS[$gameID][$raceID],$gameID);
+			self::$RACE_PRESIDENTS[$gameID][$raceID] = SmrPlayer::getPlayer(self::$RACE_PRESIDENTS[$gameID][$raceID],$gameID);
 		}
 		return self::$RACE_PRESIDENTS[$gameID][$raceID];
 	}
@@ -146,11 +146,11 @@ function checkPacts($race_id_1) {
 										$race_id_1 => SmrSector::getLocationSectors($player->getGameID(), LOCATION_GROUP_RACIAL_BEACONS + $race_id_1),
 										$race_id_2 => SmrSector::getLocationSectors($player->getGameID(), LOCATION_GROUP_RACIAL_BEACONS + $race_id_2)
 									);
-				foreach($raceFedSectors as $raceID => &$fedSectors) {
+				foreach($raceFedSectors as $raceID => $fedSectors) {
 					$otherRaceID = $raceID == $race_id_1 ? $race_id_2 : $race_id_1;
-					foreach($fedSectors as &$fedSector) {
-						$sectorPlayers =& $fedSector->getPlayers();
-						foreach($sectorPlayers as &$sectorPlayer) {
+					foreach($fedSectors as $fedSector) {
+						$sectorPlayers = $fedSector->getPlayers();
+						foreach($sectorPlayers as $sectorPlayer) {
 							if($sectorPlayer->getRaceID() == $otherRaceID && $sectorPlayer->canBeProtectedByRace($raceID)) {
 								$currentlyParkedAccountIDs[$raceID][] = $sectorPlayer->getAccountID();
 							}
@@ -161,13 +161,13 @@ function checkPacts($race_id_1) {
 				if( count($currentlyParkedAccountIDs[$race_id_1]) + count($currentlyParkedAccountIDs[$race_id_2]) > 0 ) {
 					$expireTime = TIME + TIME_FOR_WAR_VOTE_FED_SAFETY;
 					$query = 'REPLACE INTO player_can_fed (account_id, game_id, race_id, expiry, allowed) VALUES ';
-					foreach($currentlyParkedAccountIDs as $raceID => &$accountIDs) {
+					foreach($currentlyParkedAccountIDs as $raceID => $accountIDs) {
 						if($raceID == $race_id_1)
 							$message = 'We have declared war upon your race';
 						else
 							$message = 'Your race has declared war upon us';
 						$message .= ', you have '.format_time(TIME_FOR_WAR_VOTE_FED_SAFETY).' to vacate our federal space, after that time you will no longer be protected (unless you have strong personal relations).';
-						foreach($accountIDs as &$accountID) {
+						foreach($accountIDs as $accountID) {
 							$query .= '('.$db2->escapeNumber($accountID).','.$db2->escapeNumber($player->getGameID()).','.$db2->escapeNumber($raceID).','.$db2->escapeNumber($expireTime).','.$db2->escapeBoolean(true).'),';
 							SmrPlayer::sendMessageFromRace($raceID, $player->getGameID(), $accountID, $message, $expireTime);
 						}