Some pleasant news arises from the American political sphere amidst all the Trump-related drama that dominates the mainstream media,
Headlines about a partial government shutdown are eclipsing this good news, but late Friday the president signed an important piece of legislation, the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act of 2017.
Congress has passed a bill that helps to reduce maternal deaths, titled the “Preventing Maternal Deaths Act 2017, which was led by the Preeclampsia Foundation. The bill was unanimously approved by the House of Representatives on Tuesday 11th December 2018, before going on to be unanimously approved in the Senate on Thursday following.
"We all worked together—consistently and tirelessly—on this bipartisan legislation to ensure that no more mothers die from preventable causes before, during, or after pregnancy…but by no means is it the last step."-ACOG Pres. Dr. Hollier (@TXmommydoc). https://t.co/vtjEl2np1D
According to a report published by National Public Radio, “more women in the U.S. die from complications related to pregnancy than in any other developed country” – this is the overall aim of the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act is to enable states to build up or enhance their maternal mortality review committees (MMRCs) – interdisciplinary factions of specialists in maternal, child, and general wellbeing – to inspect maternal death instances and distinguish locally-significant approaches to forestall future deaths.
“The bill authorizes an unprecedented $12 million a year for five years to prevent mothers’ deaths during and after childbirth, which happen at alarming rates in America.”
In addition, the bill “authorises $12 million in federal funds a year for states to create committees to investigate and track the deaths of expectant and new mothers, then come up with policy changes to prevent such trends from continuing”, according to preeclampsia.org.
Kira Johnson, 39, died hours after giving birth to her son, Langston, in what her husband, Charles Johnson IV, describes as a death that hospital staff could have prevented. “This was not just a medical tragedy” he said. “This was a medical catastrophe.”Courtesy of Charles Johnson IV
“A tiny band-aid on a broken wall”
Though the bill has received overwhelming support by many congress members, including Republican Senate Majority leader, Mitch McConnell, who stated that “preventing maternal mortality is not a partisan issue”, the bill is still not enough to solve the bigger issue at hand – the overall structure of the American healthcare system, as it fails to obligate states to examine whether flawed medical care plays a role in maternal deaths.
In 2015, Yolanda Mention died after giving birth despite several warning signs showing that she was at high risk of a stroke from high blood pressure. Yolanda waited for hours in the emergency room of the hospital where she delivered her child without having received any treatment at all. This case was one of many instances used in an investigation into maternal deaths by USA TODAY.
In a 2007 pregnancy, YoLanda Mention’s preeclampsia was treated without incident
The investigation also uncovered that state maternal death review committees across the nation regularly abstain from investigating medical care days and hours prior to the mothers’ death. Instead, many state reports have concentrated on moms’ way of life decisions or bigger societal issues, for example, smoking and weight.
According to a special report by ProPublica, more than 700 women have died annually from child-birth related issues, “with black women 3-4 times more likely to suffer maternal mortality than white women”, 60% of these deaths being avoidable. It’s facts like these that reveal that the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act 2017, alongside other bills that focus on a small section of the American healthcare system, is merely a tiny band-aid on a broken wall.
Stephen H. Hanson stated: “there is no other nation that relies so heavily on ‘fee-for-service’ payments as the US”, before going on further state that the medical system is more focussed on maximising revenue than maximising outcomes.How effective can these bills truly be in an overall broken healthcare system? It safe to say that as long as American medical care system remains to be faulty, these bills will only be a step in the right direction without getting to the destination.
With only weeks before they control of the House of Representatives, the Democrats planned to launch a multifaceted investigation into Trump’s finances and spending.
The wide raging investigation would focus his tax returns and properties, as well as violations of a constitutional clause stating that president cannot accept gifts from any foreign government unless consented to by Congress.
This investigation of financial corruption and misuse of funds has already resulted in the dissolution of the Trump Foundation. The money is to be distributed to approved New York attorney general’s approved charities.
Trump did not take too kindly to his foundation being shut down, he responded to the dissolution, claiming that he has “done great work and given away lots of money,” calling it a “total double standard of ‘justice.’”
The Trump Foundation has done great work and given away lots of money, both mine and others, to great charities over the years – with me taking NO fees, rent, salaries etc. Now, as usual, I am getting slammed by Cuomo and the Dems in a long running civil lawsuit started by…..
…sleazebag AG Eric Schneiderman, who has since resigned over horrific women abuse, when I wanted to close the Foundation so as not to be in conflict with politics. Shady Eric was head of New Yorkers for Clinton, and refused to even look at the corrupt Clinton Foundation……
….In any event, it goes on and on & the new AG, who is now being replaced by yet another AG (who openly campaigned on a GET TRUMP agenda), does little else but rant, rave & politic against me. Will never be treated fairly by these people – a total double standard of “justice.”
However, it appears that this is not an isolated incident, as Trump has effectively leveraged his political power and publicity to embellish his personal business since announcing his presidential candidacy. Here is a brief overview of some of the interaction between Trump’s political and business finances since 2015.
Spending at Trump-owned Businesses
A report of Federal Election Commission data states that
Trump-owned businesses have gained over $15 million in revenue from
politics-related spending, including political groups, federal agencies and
taxpayer spending. Out of this $15.1 million, $13.2 Million (90%) was sourced
from Trump’s presidential campaign, which was unsurprisingly launched in the
Trump Tower in New York. The second largest contributor was the Republican
National Committee at $717,000, followed by $595,000 from Trump Victory and
$160,000 from conservative political groups and Republican candidates.
Trump has also used taxpayer revenue to fund travel and dining at his own resorts and restaurants. He has been reported to have stayed in or visited a Trump-owned property nearly once every three days since being president. There was also considerable spending at Trump-owned properties by other political members; the Secret Service was estimated to spend around $63,000 at Trump’s Mar a Lago Golf Club and over $137,000 at Trump-owned clubs in other locations. American business officials have also been encouraged to spend money at Trump companies.
Overseas Ties
Trump’s financial ties with Saudi Arabia have also been held in question. Rachel Maddow reported in 2015 that, before becoming president and after announcing his candidacy, “Donald Trump registered eight shell companies that all included the word ‘Jeddah’ in the company name…Jeddah is the second largest city in Saudi Arabia.” Maddow then went on to say that it “seem[s] to indicate that the president was planning to build a hotel in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.”
The hotel was never built. However, eyebrows were raised
again when, three days after Trump’s inauguration, Saudi Arabian lobbyists made
sure that it was reported in the American press that they had spent $300,000 to
establish a Saudi entourage in Trump’s Washington hotel. This begs to question
whether or not the Trump administration’s foreign policy has been affected by
financial ties with certain countries.
Charlotte Davis is an American who currently lives in London. She has recently graduated with an MA in the Reception of the Classical World. She also writes for an art history website and her interests are in art, art history, culture and politics.
A no-deal Brexit would mean disruption for the economy and citizens, said Commission vice president. The European Commission says it has started to implement its preparations for a no-deal Brexit – in case the UK leaves the EU without a plan.
It has announced minimal temporary measures to try to reduce the impact, but also says it cannot counter all the problems it expects. As May’s proposed exit plan struggled to garner support in Parliament, both sides are preparing for the worst-case situation.
The UK has allocated £2bn ($2.5bn) in funding to government departments.
A no-deal Brexit will be no picnic — especially for Britain’s lucrative financial services industry.
That was the warning from the European Commission Wednesday, laid out in its emergency contingency plans for a no-deal scenario, 100 days before the U.K. is due to leave the EU.
epa07194741 Valdis Dombrovskis, vice president of the European commission for the Euro and Social Dialogue gives a press conference on the progress in risk reduction in the Banking Union and on the Capital Markets Union at the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, 28 November 2018. The commission calls for faster progress on Capital Markets Union ahead of EU Leaders’ meetings. EPA-EFE/STEPHANIE LECOCQ
The European Commission’s measures are designed to limit disruption in certain key areas, such as finance and transport, if Brexit goes ahead in March without a deal.
“These measures will not – and cannot – mitigate the overall impact of a ‘no-deal’ scenario,” it said in a statement.
“This is an exercise in damage limitation,” added commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis in a news conference, saying a contingency plan was necessary “given the continued uncertainty in the UK”.
What is the plan?
The EU’s contingency measures, covering 14 policy areas, illustrate that there are indeed ways to mitigate some of the potentially disastrous effects of the U.K. crashing out without a Withdrawal Treaty on March 29. But Commission officials stressed that they could not prevent all of the negative fallout and they warned against any suggestions — already circulating among some hardline Brexiters — that simply walking away would be better than the deal negotiated by Prime Minister Theresa May.
“We are mitigating against no deal,” Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said at a news conference. “But in terms of disruption to the economy, disruption to the citizens, I think it’s clear what the order of preference is — and clearly remain is better than leave and deal is better than no-deal.”
Dombrovskis also warned that a no-deal scenario could present obstacles to the U.K. achieving the optimum future economic relationship with the EU. “Should it come to no deal, yes there are certain mitigating measures,” he said. “But they are still not allowing the advantages of a proper Brexit with a deal and then, of course, moving to the proper work on our future economic relations.”
Latvian EU Commission vice-president in charge the Euro, Social Dialogue, Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union Valdis Dombrovskis speaks during a press conference at The European Commission headquarters in Brussels, on December 19, 2018. – Latvian EU Commission vice-president in charge the Euro, Social Dialogue, Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union Valdis Dombrovskis (Photo by Aris OIKONOMOU / AFP) (Photo credit should read ARIS OIKONOMOU/AFP/Getty Images)
However, officials who described the no-deal package notably declined to address the politically sensitive question of what would happen along the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Commission punted that question to Dublin, warning that all EU countries would be obligated to reinstate customs regimes with the U.K. in the event of a no-deal departure.
“Ensuring Continuity”
The commission’s 14 measures cover legislation that will aim to ensure some continuity. They address eight sectors, taking in issues such as transport and customs, data protection, animal health and plants, climate policy and key financial products.
Flights from the UK into and overflying the EU to be allowed for 12 months to ensure “basic connectivity”
Hauliers to carry freight by road into the EU for a nine-month period without having to apply for permits
UK financial services regulations – in a limited number of areas such as derivatives trading – to be recognised as equivalent to the EU’s for one or two years.
The commission has also urged its 27 remaining member states to take a “generous” approach to the residency rights of UK citizens in the EU following a no-deal Brexit, “provided that this approach is reciprocated by the UK”. Brussels says the arrangements will be strictly time-limited, and will be ended without any consultation with the UK.
Transport of goods delays because of the need for checks on all UK livestock exports, and the application of customs duties and taxes on goods moving between the UK and EU;
End of the guarantee of the continuation of all existing air transport links under the same terms as they are supplied today;
Financial services operators in the UK lose the right to provide their services in the 27 EU member states under the EU financial services passports scheme;
EU pet passports issued to owners in the UK will no longer be valid
Why could this mean for you?
Visas will not be required for UK citizens to spend short periods in EU countries, the commission said. For stays of over 90 days, a residence permit or a long-stay visa will be required.
Member states have been told to take all necessary legislative and administrative measures so that temporary residence documents can be issued by the withdrawal date. UK citizens who have lived in an EU state for a period of more than five years must be granted, subject to certain conditions, long-term resident status, the commission said.
Stay connected to @tcsnetwork_ on twitter for Brexit Updates
In a time where crime in our capital is at an all-time high, the narrative we often see in the mainstream media is that black men are using violence to channel their pain.
This is only part of the story. There is a growing group of BAME men and women, using their experiences to inform their art.
In our 10 part feature, we meet some of these artists. These artists are swimming against the tide, creating a lane for themselves. They talk to us about the Cost of Artistry
2/10 Meet Michael Personne
I find it frustrating when reading profiles of artists how little attention is paid to discussion of their practice. I have found there is a tendency to encourage artists to pontificate on current affairs, sensationalising their experiences of craft and work. I frequently cringe at lengthy descriptions of what an artist is wearing, or how they are sitting.
With this feature, I want to give our readers an insight into those whose work I greatly admire the opportunity to have a serious discussion about poetry/rap, free from the usual angling of “page vs stage” or “new young star brings poetry out of the dusty library”.
We sat down with Michael Personne and asked him
When did you discover you had a “talent” for music and creativity?
I’d say around the age of 15. I’d been writing bits and pieces for a while but it wasn’t until I heard a mixtape by an artist called Franklyn that I was inspired to put my lyrics to beats. I listened to the way he structured his lyrics, tried it myself and realised ‘hey I can actually do this!’ Thinking back to the stuff I wrote around that time, I now realise that I wasn’t very good haha! But, at the time I believed I was. And that belief pushed me to practice more until the point that I actually did become good. The fact that I wasn’t good at first doesn’t mean that the talent wasn’t there, it just needed to be nurtured over time.
What have you had to sacrifice to nurture your talent?
Although time, money and people pleasing are major ones, I’d say the biggest sacrifice has been my comfort zone. In order to grow as an artist, I’ve often had to write when I don’t feel like it, practice when I don’t feel like it, perform when I don’t feel like it etc. As enjoyable as (some of) these things are, there’s a point where they become inconveniences. But in order to nurture my talent, I’ve had to sacrifice the comfort that comes from doing things based of my feelings or mood. In practice, it’s challenging but the growth produced from it is more than worth it!
Who inspires your artistry?
My relationship with God is the first and foremost inspiration behind my artistry. This is because as much as I’m inspired by people, I’m also inspired by ‘things’ as in objects, sights, experiences etc. My relationship with God forms the lens by which I view and interpret the world and therefore acts as the ultimate source of my inspiration. If we’re talking specifically about people, then I’d say Timothy Brindle for his lyrical content, JGivens for his quirkiness and Sean C Johnson for his relatability.
What is the biggest misconception people have about rappers?
I think the biggest misconception is that our entire artistry is driven and defined by an agenda to ‘blow up’. I think this misconception is related to the ‘Hey listen to my mixtape!’ stereotype that used to be prevalent. Don’t get me wrong, everyone wants their music to be heard by the masses. However, overnight success through a ‘banger’ is not the route that every rapper necessarily takes. For me, there’s something beautiful about an organic emergence that doesn’t necessarily come from one track that blew, but is built on a foundation of a whole catalogue of good music. In the words of one of my favourite rappers, ‘I wanna leave a legacy of classics, not a bunch of wack hits’ – Stephen The Levite
In an age where digital echo chambers are growing wider, what role do you think poetry can play in this?
The beautiful thing about the arts is that there are no rules. In a world where political correctness is restricting the diversity of viewpoints, the arts presents a place where you’re a bit more free to express your beliefs. Although you’re still not 100% free to express your views without the risk of backlash, the fact that art is open to interpretation means it’s easier to spread potentially controversial messages in a more covert fashion than it would be in a non-creative context. In addition to this, the admiration produced by good art can cause those who would otherwise be dismissive of your message to acknowledge and consider your viewpoint even if they disagree with it. In this way, poetry and the arts exist as a ‘safe space’ remaining somewhat un-colonized by the invading forces of political correctness.
Has a song ever humbled or frightened you?
Yes, a song entitled ‘Hell’ by Timothy Brindle had me rethinking my whole life haha! Here’s an excerpt from it:
You’ll experience permanent suffocation, Your eyes will melt and your lungs will suck your face in, It’s breathtaking, cause you’ll never breathe again, But bleed your phlegm and hear screams of evil men
Need I say more?
I was around 16 at the time of first hearing the track and started praying for forgiveness (for the 1000th time) immediately after I listened
Some rappers claim that a song is like a living creature: once it’s out there is not much you can do to ‘correct’ or ‘improve’ it, while others edit meticulously, not leaving much from the original, draft form. What’s your take on it?
Well, once it’s out in the public, there is nothing you can do. But prior to release, I’d say editing is one of the most important aspects of the writing process. Editing is the difference between an average song and a masterpiece. Not all songs/genres require a massive deal of editing but if the main focus of your artistry is on lyricism, as mine is, then editing is a must. It takes up a lot of time but is well worth it in my opinion.
How do you define success?
For me, success looks like completing that which I’ve been sent to do. It sounds cliché but to be more specific, I’ve been sent to pour out every talent that God has put inside of me, executing with excellence with the effect being that people are encouraged, inspired and edified.
Do you ever regret sharing your work publicly?
There’s an old song (I won’t reveal which one haha) that I regretted releasing due to doubts regarding its quality. Nowadays it doesn’t bother me too much.
And no I generally don’t trust the consumer. Many (including myself at times) don’t exercise the patience and analysis that is required to appreciate art in its entirety. In this world of instant communication, we’re constantly being bombarded with new things which makes it difficult to focus on digesting one thing at a time.
As an artist, you have to accept that nobody cares about your music as much as you do. It’s a humbling pill to swallow. The only thing we as artists can do is make good content and do our best to promote it with the hope that someone out there will take the time to listen and appreciate it.
In a time where crime in our capital is at an all-time high, the narrative we often see in the mainstream media is that black men are using violence to channel their pain.
This is only part of the story. There is a growing group of BAME men and women, using their experiences to inform their art.
In our 10 part feature, we meet some of these artists. These artists are swimming against the tide, creating a lane for themselves. They talk to us about the Cost of Artistry
1/10 Meet davecreates
I find it frustrating when reading profiles of artists how little attention is paid to discussion of their practice. I have found there is a tendency to encourage artists to pontificate on current affairs, sensationalising their experiences of craft and work. I frequently cringe at lengthy descriptions of what an artist is wearing, or how they are sitting.
With this feature, I want to give our readers an insight into those whose work I greatly admire the opportunity to have a serious discussion about poetry/rap, free from the usual angling of “page vs stage” or “new young star brings poetry out of the dusty library”.
We sat down with davecreatesand asked him
When did you discover you had a “talent” for music and creativity?
I was introduced to music at an early age. I started playing drums before I hit the age of 10, and then picked up the keys in my teens. I also started writing around then too. It was probably around the year that I started university when I realised I had “talent”. My writing was improving and people around me were taking notice. That’s when I started to take creating music more seriously.
What have you had to sacrifice to nurture your talent?
I’ve had to sacrifice many things, but mainly my fear of what I feel others may think of me. And this is a daily sacrifice! Choosing the creative path hasn’t always been the norm, so in that regard, my comfort zone has been challenged and stretched. To grow requires stepping out. Often that means stepping out of the idea people may hold of you. This can be tough and cause friction, but it’s a necessary part of change and must be handled wisely. I always try to honestly expresses myself as best as I can. So, letting go of ego has been an ongoing learning curve.
Who inspires your artistry?
There are many people! Artists such as Hawk House and Kendrick Lamar because of their high artistic IQ and musicality, but even masters of other crafts such as Thierry Henry and Lionel Messi. Their ability to mesmerise, perform and deliver at the highest level is hugely inspiring for me.
What is the biggest misconception people have about rappers?
That I’ve come across? Probably that you have to have blown up or be famous to be able to have a sustained music career. This is certainly a misconception I myself have believed before. I’m learning that there are many ways to have a successful music career, such as building a strong fan base and having multiple streams of income. Having a hit song is one way but it’s not the only path.
As a Christian who creates, sometimes I also feel there’s a misconception towards honesty and truly expressing what you’re going through. I’ve seen Christian artists receive criticism for things like this, for being open about certain struggles they’re facing. And while wisdom is certainly needed in these situations, I often feel that listeners should show more grace.
In an age where digital echo chambers are getting bigger, what role do you think poetry and music can play in this?
In an interview with NPR, musician Philip Glass was asked about the role of art in society and he replied saying that “when things get out of balance, the arts come in and bring the human side back.” I agree with this in that no matter how much the digital realm evolves, the arts, poetry, music etc, will grow with it, and express what it means to be human in the midst of it all.
Has a song ever humbled or frightened you?
Listening back to my song “Breaking News” recently (several months after I released it) humbled me! I was going through a time of doubt, telling myself I wasn’t really talented and comparing myself to others. I needed to listen back to my work and when I heard the song, it lifted my confidence. It helped me to remember that I’ve come a long way, and more importantly how God is working through me, equipping me with the bars, flow, ideas and cadence to create excellent art. With this mindset I pressed on and continued to create.
Some rappers claim that a song is like a living creature: once it’s out there is not much you can do to ‘correct’ or ‘improve’ it, while others edit meticulously, not leaving much from the original, draft form. What’s your take on it?
We are ever changing beings therefore any piece of art that we create, at times, will also grow and change. Overall it comes down to what the artists’ original purpose for a particular piece was. Live arrangements of songs are typically evolved versions of the recorded track, so in that case, the growth is there. While the essence of the piece may not have changed greatly, it’s expression might.
How do you define success?
Living the life you were called to live, enjoying your journey and becoming someone who emulates the character of Jesus Christ.
Do you ever regret sharing your work publicly?
I haven’t really regretted sharing anything to be honest. I believe that anything I’ve shared in the past was for a reason, and that I shared it with good intentions at the time.
With regards to trusting the listener, over the years I’ve learnt to create and let go, understanding that the listener will experience my art from their own perspective, opinions and preconceptions. The beauty of art is that even with these factors, the artist and listener can still connect to something in a song. And if they don’t connect, perhaps it wasn’t for them at that particular time.
Attention spans do seem to be lessening though, and with this brings temptation to be less of who I am as a lyrical artist and water down my content, but I know that my art is for a specific group of people, so it’s in my best interests, and theirs, to be 100% me. This isn’t easy, but it’s part of the journey.
Today, many Democrats celebrate as it seems the walls may finally be caving in on President of the United States, Donald Trump. An anonymous source told The Common Sense Network “a major chess piece has fallen”
US President Donald Trump’s troubled charity foundation has agreed to close down amid allegations that he and others illegally misused its funds. All of the Foundation’s money will be distributed to charities approved by the New York attorney general’s office after an agreement was made amid corruption claims levied against the president’s personal foundation.
A statement issued by New York attorney general Barbara Underwood said the Trump Foundation had signed a “stipulation agreeing to dissolve under judicial supervision” after a judge ruled in favour of Ms Underwood’s office as a part of an ongoing lawsuit alleging the charity was used by Mr Trump and his three adult children for personal and political gain.
New York on September 26, 2016. / AFP / Paul J. Richards (Photo credit should read PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)
“Chequebook for business and political interests”
“Our petition detailed a shocking pattern of illegality involving the Trump Foundation – including unlawful coordination with the Trump presidential campaign, repeated and willful self-dealing, and much more,” Ms Underwood said in a statement. “This amounted to the Trump Foundation functioning as little more than a chequebook to serve Mr Trump’s business and political interests.”
In the agreement, it was agreed that the Trump Foundation will be dissolved with oversight from the judiciary, and that all of the remaining assets will be redistributed to “reputable organisations” approved by Ms Underwood’s office.
The lawsuit against the charity was filed in June, and Ms Underwood’s office is seeking to bar Mr Trump and his three eldest children – Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr, and Eric Trump – from serving on the boards of other New York charities. The attorney general is also seeking $2.8m (£2.2m) in restitution.
Fighting Back
An attorney for the Trump Foundation said in a statement that the attorney general’s characterisation of the agreement, and that it is an attempt to “further politicise this matter”.
Alan Futerfas, an attorney, said that the agreement came two years after the Trump Foundation initially attempted to dissolve and disburse the remaining funds to other charities. The attorney general investigation followed after The Washington Post reported on apparent discrepancies at the charity, including documents that indicated Trump had used charity money to pay bills from his private businesses, buy art for Trump properties, and to make illegal campaign donations.
Trump has repeatedly denied using his foundation for personal or political gains and had indicated in late 2016 that he would like to shut down the entire operation. That attempt to shut down the charity was blocked by the New York attorney general citing the investigation, and the Tuesday agreement represents a rare concession of culpability amid the fervent claims that nothing untoward had been done.
Donald Trump, right, sits with, from left, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Ivanka Trump during a ground breaking ceremony for the Trump International Hotel on the site of the Old Post Office, on Wednesday, July 23, 2014, in Washington. (AP Photo)
Investigations into the charity uncovered frequent use of the foundation – which was set up as an independent entity – by Mr Trump for the benefit of his family. Among those benefits included a $264,231 (£208,000) gift to the Central Park Conservancy in 1989 that went to refurbish a fountain just outside of the Trump Plaza Hotel, and a $7 payment to the Boy Scouts of America that would amount to the enrolment fee to join the group when his son Eric was 11-years-old.
The attorney general’s investigation discovered further that the three adult children Trump had tasked with running the foundation had never held a board meeting, and that the most recent board meeting for the charity occurred in 1999.
The heartbreaking news of Grace Millane being murdered while she was travelling in New Zealand has affected all of us. Those of us who travel alone, particularly so. All she wanted was to travel because she wanted to travel the world by herself, anyone should be entitled to do so.
Grace Millane, from Essex, went missing a day before her 22nd birthday and was last spotted at 9.41pm on December 1st, at the Citylife Hotel, where she was seen with a “male companion”.
A week later, on December 8, police said they were treating the case as a homicide investigation and a day later a body was found in the Waitakere Ranges. After the CCTV footage was reviewed by the police, l a shovel was found “in the central West Auckland area”. A 26-year-old man, who’s identity cannot be revealed has been charged with Miss Millane’s murder. He will appear in court next month.
Whatever happened to teaching people to be responsible!? You don't go traveling alone. You don't go out with someone you don't know, without at the very least, telling somebody else where you will be going. Come on people. It's common sense. #GraceMillane
This case has probed people to talk about their experiences of travelling alone and how they’ve managed to not let negative situations stop them from pursuing their passion of travel.
Winnie M Li has been exploring the world and when she was 19 she backpacked around Germany and wrote about it for a travel guide series. Ten years later at the age of 29 she was hiking in a park near Belfast, she was later approach by a teenage boy and had a brief chat with him. She later found herself in a remote area and the 15-year-old boy had followed her and approached more aggressively. Winnie was completely helpless, she was choked, beaten and raped. She suffered 39 separate injuries.
Her perpetrator was sentenced to eight years in jail but only served four.
At 19, I started backpacking solo. Incredible adventures. At 29, I was followed by a stranger, beaten & raped. I don’t blame myself for traveling solo. I blame my rapist for raping me. 1 year later, I returned to solo travel. #GraceMillane I know you cannot. Thinking of you ?
She said “Yes of course there are dangers if you are a woman travelling alone. But there are also dangers to men travelling alone, and probably just as many dangers to women when they’re in their hometowns, going about their everyday lives. I could have encounters a perpetrator at any given point in my life – in my workplace, at a bar, at university, on my street. In my case I just happened to meet a perpetrator when I was out hiking.”
Winnie suffered from PTSD from the attack and while she is now perfectly comfortable with travelling on her own, she takes more precautions.
In the US quite recently a woman from South Florida, who visited Costa Rica never boarded her flight back to the US. Soon after her family notified the Police that she was missing. Carla Stefaniak went to Costa Rica to celebrate her 36th birthday with her sister-in-law. Carla spent an extra night in Costa Rica before catching her flight the next day, she left messages to her friends saying that the resort she was staying it was “sketchy”. Her body was found half naked and covered in plastic bags near the Airbnb rental she checked into. It’s alleged that she was murdered fending off a sexual assault.
The point is every person who wants to travel should have the freedom to do so without question. However, being extra careful of your surrounding when travelling alone and doing your research goes without saying.
But it seems that women are the subject of abuse and more likely to go missing wherever they are, not just abroad. Is it because women are more vulnerable alone?
We shouldn’t be questioning a woman’s choice when we look at these cases, we shouldn’t be asking ‘should women travel alone’, rather ‘why is it so difficult for women to travel alone’. We should question the people that act heinously against women.
She is never asking for it.
As much as we emphasise that young girls should be safe by learning how to protect themselves, we should also teach young men to not just be aware of themselves, but also what the circumstances around sexual assault are and how to make sure never to coerce or force a woman.
Ms Millane didn’t do anything wrong except have a desire to see the world and travel. Women don’t go looking to be harassed or put themselves in dangerous situations.
Carla, Winnie and Grace aren’t the first and unfortunately won’t be the last. Unfortunately, this is becoming a narrative that’s becoming more common.
At 22 I was raped by my tour guide on a solo backpacking trip in Australia. Two months later I boarded a plane to New Zealand alone and did it all again. What has happened to #GraceMillane is unforgivable and terrifying, but women cannot let fear stand in the way of living ❤️ https://t.co/hbLJltpv7U
Dolline Mukui is a traveller, journalist and blogger who has palate to try new things. She is a very spontaneous person; you might find her skydiving over the Kenyan coast to kayaking in the Lake District. She can be an over thinker who thinks of every outcome but if she doesn’t she welcomes the change that wasn’t planned. However, she is a very simple person who is up for a good laugh or a book and enjoys living the moment. Dolline also writes for her small personal blog called ‘Swatches of Beauty’ and is currently a production journalist trainee at ITV Border.
As Fortnite continues its reign as a pop culture juggernaut, hip-hop artists like 2 Milly and Chance the Rapper are wondering why creators haven’t been credited or compensated for the signature dance moves used in the game.
2018 has been a big one for video games. Major releases included God of War, Spider-Man, Red Dead Redemption 2. Smaller, indie games like Florence, Dead Cells and Celeste also came to the forefront. All good video games which garnered large audiences and critical acclaim. However, it was a video game released last year that dominated in terms of revenue and cultural impact. 2018 was about one game and one game only, and that game is, of course, Fortnite.
2018 was the year Fortnite went stratospheric, and it’s difficult to pinpoint precisely when this happened. Was it the time Drake played live and online alongside Twitch superstar Ninja and broke all sorts of online viewing records, or was it the moment Antoine Griezmann, with 900 million people watching worldwide, scored a penalty in the World Cup final and celebrated with Fortnite’s “Do The L” emote dance? Whichever one it was, Fortnite owes much of its success to staying cultural relevant by adding dance moves which the players can purchase for their online avatars.
— T̷R̷O̷Y̷ ̷H̷U̷G̷H̷E̷S̷ (@TommySledge) July 15, 2018
GOAL FRANCE! Griezmann doesn't miss those! Bring on the Fortnite style celebration and #FRA go into the lead again via a VAR assist. #WorldCupfinalhttps://t.co/YLBAygBSk0
— Belfast Telegraph Sport (@BelTel_Sport) July 15, 2018
These are called emotes.
Several of Fortnite’s emotes are based on moves created by hip-hop artists – ‘Tidy’ is a move Snoop Dogg used in his 2004 number one hit “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” and ‘Swipe It’ is pretty clearly 2 Milly’s ‘Milly Rock.’
The dance moves in question have all become viral sensations in their own right, and they’ve spread among hip-hop artists and through pop culture writ large. Fellow hip-hop artists have used them in their own videos or even during Super Bowl performances.
Since its launch a year ago, Fortnite has made an estimated $1.2 billion USD in profits. In August, Fortnite broke its own record. 8.3 million people were playing Fortnite concurrently. At the exact same time. For perspective, that was more than the number of people playing every other video game on Steam at that time.
The scale is unprecedented and, quite frankly, mind-boggling. Over the course of August 2018, almost 80 million people played Fortnite. In its first 200 days on iOS as a mobile app, analysts estimated Fortnite was making $1.5 million per day. Across all its platforms Fortnite made over $300 million in April 2018, a single calendar month.
Who gets the credit?
Such high recorded profits have led people to ask whether Fortnite is crediting those responsible for the popular dance moves that have added greatly to its success.
Within the community, the dances’ viral spread is usually understood as fandom or, in the case of fellow artists, as nods to the moves’ creators. Fortnite’s use of the dance moves is a bit different because the game is making money by selling them to players. This move has also recorded because of the racial element at play. Some have labelled Fortnite’s action as cultural appropriation because it features a large, white organisation profiting on the hard work of black creatives, without giving due credit.
Popular rapper Chance The Rapper weighed in saying
Fortnite should put the actual rap songs behind the dances that make so much money as Emotes. Black creatives created and popularized these dances but never monetized them. Imagine the money people are spending on these Emotes being shared with the artists that made them
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) July 13, 2018
Can dancers copyright their dance moves?
According to American intellectual property law, the U.S. Copyright Office doesn’t grant copyright for individual dance moves. They are treated more like words or phrases, and copyrighting them could infringe on other choreographers’ creative expression.
That means it’s probably a tough proposition if 2 Milly or other hip-hop artists try to sue Epic Games for using their dances in Fortnite.
However, the ethical question remains: is it right for Epic to re-appropriate and monetize popular hip-hop steps, using them for profit and to gain cultural relevance?
Holding another referendum on the EU would “break faith with the British people”, Theresa May will warn MPs.
Theresa May will move to dampen calls for a new Brexit referendum by warning a fresh vote would do “irreparable damage” to the integrity of British politics.
After reports at the weekend that Downing Street was preparing for another poll to break the deadlock over her deal with Brussels, the Prime Minister will tell MPs on today that the move would send a message to millions of voters that “democracy does not deliver”.
Last week she called off a Commons vote on her Brexit deal, admitting it was likely to be heavily rejected.
Mr Blair said last week that while he admired Mrs May’s determination to get her deal through, with so many MPs opposed to it there was “literally no point in carrying on digging”.
He said after 30 months of negotiation, and with the government in “a mess”, giving the final say to the people would become the “logical” outcome if every other option were to be exhausted.
Nigel Farage at a Leave Means Leave rally on Friday – PA READY NEWS UK
But Mrs May will tell MPs on Monday: “Let us not break faith with the British people by trying to stage another referendum.
“Another vote which would do irreparable damage to the integrity of our politics, because it would say to millions who trusted in democracy, that our democracy does not deliver.
“Another vote which would likely leave us no further forward than the last.
“And another vote which would further divide our country at the very moment we should be working to unite it.”
May is set to address MPs after a bruising EU summit in Brussels last week during which European leaders largely rebuffed the PM’s calls for reassurances on her Withdrawal Agreement.
The statement to Parliament will follow days of speculation that some Cabinet Ministers and key aides to the PM are manoeuvring for a fresh Brexit poll.
May’s de facto deputy, Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington, and the PM’s chief of staff, Gavin Barwell, both dismissed reports they are planning for a new referendum.
The Prime Minister also became embroiled in a highly personalised war of words with one of her predecessors, Tony Blair, over his calls for a fresh Brexit vote.
May accused the ex-Labour PM of insulting the British people, and undermining Brexit negotiations, with calls for a new referendum. Blair then called May’s stance was “irresponsible.
Labour former foreign secretary, and prominent People’s Vote campaign supporter, Dame Margaret Beckett, said the case for a new Brexit poll was “becoming overwhelming”.
Dame Margaret said: “It is highly significant that Downing Street felt it had to issue these advance extracts of her statement to the House of Commons on Sunday night because officials know the prospect of a People’s Vote is being discussed not just in Westminster but in the corridors of Whitehall too.
“The case for the public being given the final say is becoming so overwhelming that people from all parties and of none now recognise that this is the best way forward for our country. A new public vote would be different from the referendum in 2016 because we now know more about what Brexit means.”
It’s finished.
Mrs May said on Friday that her talks with EU leaders had shown that “further clarification and discussion” was possible and that the UK would be “working expeditiously over the coming days to seek those further assurances I believe MPs will need”.
But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said her deal was now “dead in the water” and the prime minister had “utterly failed in her attempts to deliver any meaningful changes”.
Labour says it will put pressure on her to hold the vote on it this week. The government says the vote will now be held before 21 January.
The last few months of UK politics have been objectively and absolutely s shit-storm.
NOW IT’S WAR! screams the web front-page of the Daily Mail this morning – although they’re a bit late to catch on, aren’t they?
So what’s really changed in the last few days? Despite all the noise, precious little, perhaps. May won’t be leaving (yet), today has seen consecutive EU leaders state that the deal May made will not be re-opened or changed, Labour continue to flail along producing absolutely nothing of significance – and the Lib Dems cannot be heard unless you happen to be following them on Twitter.
May won her vote of no confidence last night 200 votes to 117. Over a third of her party voted for her to leave. Why would she even want to stay?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucJ6RPez06s
To get her grubby hands on ‘my-y-y-y-y Brexit’, as this grim Gollumy-May suggests?
Originally a vicar’s daughter, with a renowned reputation for stubbornness, perhaps May really does feel a sense of duty compelling her to get her deal through.
If Brexiters who no-confidenced her were to claim that 33% ‘no’ vote should bring their opinion into consideration, provoke an intense disparity in their willingness to discard the 48% of Remain votes from June 2016 ! Jacob Rees-Mogg suggested May had lost her ‘moral and political authority’ after gaining just 60% of the vote.
‘War is a state of armed conflict between states, governments, societies and informal paramilitary groups, such as mercenaries, insurgents and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, aggression, destruction, and mortality, using regular or irregular military forces’ says Wikipedia.
This Brexit mess i.e. May’s deal, no deal, a people’s vote – involves everyone and is clear-cut for no-one, except possibly the Lib Dems (they’re anti-Brexit, pro second referendum) but (tear-jerkingly) no-one really cares about them.
I'm in Brussels today meeting heads of other European liberal parties to discuss the recent Brexit developments – here's my update on how things have gone today pic.twitter.com/ZBf40dYRcu
There is no obvious policy that parliament would support. The Labour party frankly lack a clear position. Remoaners don’t all back a people’s vote. And what do the ‘general public’ want? What would a second referendum ballot paper ask the public? Would the people turn out to vote?
Would people really just like to stumble backwards out of this mess?
A Dancing Queen?
Yougov told us May would have been backed by the public 40% to 34%. There is, according to the well-informed and British public, no better alternative leader. This isn’t that surprising considering the crew May resides amongst – Rees-Mogg, BoJo, Dominic Raab, Michael Gove…
Even the unreliable British public can recognise May’s advantages in amongst a crowd such as that.
Jacob Rees-Mogg told the Todayprogramme that, ‘nobody was tougher than Mrs Thatcher and the next day she resigned. So, it’s not impossible’. As it was radio, the listener wasn’t able to see him rubbing his hands together with glee whilst anticipating his party’s potential to dismantle the leadership of their second female leader.
The targeted online abuse of women in public life is simply unacceptable. https://t.co/iPC7TefFgT
There is something to lament in the treatment of Theresa May throughout this Brexit shambles. I think the public generally feel a certain amount of empathy for her. It’s been uncomfortable to watch her struggle through the toxic oils of legislation, ‘ready to compromise’, self-promoting as a ‘bloody difficult woman’ in the lengthy and painful compromises that yielded in a deal she couldn’t bear to even pose to parliament in the end.
Most of this sympathy lies in the fact that May appears very alone, and surrounded by a pack of wolves – sorry, men – trying to undo her.
How long she survives is the question many are asking – but for now she rages on whilst Britain slowly burns in the backdrop.
An eerie calm hangs over today’s unfruitful conversations with the EU after yesterday’s high-drama. She’s trying though, that much is certain
A model of the new Emmeline Pankhurt Statue in Manchester
Incidentally, the Emmeline Pankhurst statue is finally being unveiled tomorrow in Manchester – a chance to increase public recognition of women’s pursuit of suffrage. If you’re in the area, you can join the march at 10:30am outside the Whitworth Art Gallery.
Lucy Kenningham is a recent graduate of the University of Manchester with a BA degree in English Literature. Originally from South London, she now lives and works in (South) Manchester. Her interests include philosophy, gender and international affairs. She co-founded and -edited the young person’s political and cultural magazine, Scuffle, from 2014-16.
In modern times, it almost feels natural to find yourself opening the comments section of a post on Facebook. Or tapping, to read the replies to a tweet. The same goes for a long list of platforms: Reddit, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and so on. If you’re particularly curious, you might even look up the comments section of an article on its original news website. It is a natural human instinct to be curious about what others think. Whether this curiosity is fueled by a desire to understand other opinions, a need for affirmation or a search for conflict is immaterial. Modern social media aims to cater to all the above.
“Trump”, is all you have to see in a post to predictthe comments. Polarising on both sides, and both equally forceful in their conviction. As a detached bystander, you’d be justifiably confused in your assessment. Is Trump our saviour or is he to blame for all that is wrong in the world? Such is his depiction on these platforms.
This example sits as a metaphor for all social media commentary. What was first built as a well-intentioned outlet mechanism for users has developed into an arena of bitter and polarising talking points, no matter the context. Comments are used as joustings to contradict, antagonise and embarrass one another, all in the hope for likes. You might be left wondering if these commenters even believe what they are saying, or if they are just ruthlessly vying to become the top comment.
As a result of this regression, every political issue seems to find itself minimised into a left vs right battle. Football posts become a blind loyalty game to prove who can defend their own team the most senselessly. Tech discussions are Apple vs Android, and the list goes on.
No longer can users with public facing profiles in a public facing forum, converse naturally; free of bias and prejudgment without feeling as though they have given away ground to the opposition.
To begin to tackle this issue, we must first identify the contributing factors. In the comments sections or timelines found on social media platforms, users are craving for attention and affirmation from their fellow users through likes/retweets/upvotes. Whether this is for the right or wrong reasons, for the purpose of this debate, I argue that it does not really matter. These forms of interaction lay the foundation for polarisation. To begin with, in order to get likes, one must write something that you know will be supported.
To achieve this you find yourself using a commonly used talking point, or playing up to stereotypes, as opposed to expressing your honest and genuine view. In turn, getting likes and retweets gets you more visibility because of the way that the algorithms function. This increased visibility invites replies… and so the cycle continues. In this environment where attention can almost be compared to real money by the way it is sought after, it becomes a question as to whether this format of commenting can ever wield more positive results.
This construct does not allow for the vulnerability often required to have a conversation. Algorithmically, however, it goes so far as to punish attempts by downgrading these comments to the depths of your feed. This is not to say that social media platforms are at fault, so much as to say that it is simply the nature of the beast that we have created over time.
Social affirmation is something that we will never free ourselves of because of its truly engrained nature. It is also what allows social media to thrive to a certain extent. However, the mechanism of the ‘comments section’ can be adapted into something that does allow for more free thought, conversation, debate and banter, without fear of judgement. At present, most users will find themselves reading comments and replies but would never actually write one themselves. This is somewhat due to the construct of the comments sections as mentioned above. It is partly due to the time inconvenience of writing a comment and then being attached to it for the rest of the day while you wait for replies.
However, it is more so to do with the exposure and commitment that it takes to write a comment or reply. Reacting should not take courage, it should be second nature. And asking for people to engage, in public, with a constant audience is simply not to everyone’s liking and limits the accessibility of social media commentary to the minority, rather than the majority. Incidentally, this is also why you find that on Twitter users tweet an average of 4.4 times per day, while Facebook users only post 0.6 times per day. Twitter gives the illusion of a less public, more intimate setting with less exposure compared to Facebook, which in turn allows users to feel more comfortable in sharing their opinions.
In terms of alternatives, live streams have recently been proposed as a more exciting and real-time option for users to engage. However, part of me can not help but question the scalability of it. By design, live streams can only work for a handful of people at any one time. If you doubt this statement, I invite you to try and read or even reply to a user in a busy live stream.
What’s left? Whatsapp.
The only remaining option for users excited to chat about something that they have seen or read is to share directly with their friends or groups on Whatsapp. You can understand why – it’s private and comfortable, and they already know whether or not their friends will be interested. No need for a leap of faith. The social media landscape has evolved into a place where the majority do not feel comfortable airing out their thoughts to the public and their “friends” (most of whom they don’t really know). So it is no real surprise that messenger applications have become the primary outlet for these users. The regular, every day, social media users.
The only issue with this phenomena is that you are restricted to your closest pool of friends. What if your friends are not as interested as you are about the latest tech product launch? What if you’re bored with their same old opinions that never change? What if they don’t share your sense of humour? What if they take forever to reply? Finally, what if you just want to talk to someone who knows a little bit more about the topic?
We are talking about platforms that were not built for purpose. You might say that these are problems that you are always going to have but perhaps we could think about what an alternative solution would look like.
To begin with, we want to consume and react to news in the same place. We want to talk about something while we’re excited and in the moment, without having it drag out. We want to chat in a protected environment that’s detached from our profiles, real-life friends and of course, the general public. We want to chat in small groups in real time just like a normal conversation. We want to chat with people who are just as excited to talk about what we want to talk about.
The ideas described above would require an outlet that is time sensitive and instant to cater to a user’s immediate reaction when reading or discovering something for the first time. This would also solve the issue of a comments section debate that drags on and on to consume hours of your time; hours that most cannot afford to spend. The outlet would also have to be limited by the number of participants to avoid the overcrowding that causes users to vie for attention and instead allow users the space to actually engage with one another in a back and forth dialogue. Finally, users would have to be anonymous. Anonymity is too often oversimplified and only associated with negative and irresponsible behaviour. However, applied to a focused and intimate group, it could prove to be the catalyst for honest and free-flowing conversation to thrive.
Together, I think that these elements would form an ideal framework for having an engaging and free-flowing conversation between strangers brought together by a common interest. And whether it be a quick chat about a trending topic to see how others view a situation or the most niche of subjects where you suddenly find yourself embroiled in a fierce debate about a topic that you’ve never been able to talk to your friends about. You would finally have a place to go and talk about the things that matter to you.
As the founder of Springchat, Khalid is on a mission to offer users a new way to chat online about the things that matter most to them. As a graduate software engineer, Khalid enjoys tackling tech-related issues and reads anything that’s tech related. This is actually where his concept stemmed from. Khalid would read articles from the tech world but didn’t have many friends who were as passionate about the subject to allow for a good discussion…and so it began. Khalid finished off his studies with a business masters from University of Manchester Business School. Aside from sitting behind his computer, you may find Khalid practising Taekwondo or watching Manchester United (as hard as that is these days).
This week, the Brexit saga descended into future chaos, a move few thought was possible. The country watched in shock as we saw major developments in the Brexit Withdrawal Bills’ journey to parliamentary ratification
The Lady is for turning
Prime Minister Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement was scheduled to face the vote of Parliament today. However, yesterday in parliament she called off the vote. She called it off so that she could go back to Brussels and ask for changes to it.
As it stands the deal “would be rejected by a significant margin” if MPs voted on it, she admitted. But she said she was confident of getting “reassurances” from the EU on the Northern Ireland border plan.
In response to the developments in the UK, European Council President Donald Tusk said the remaining 27 EU countries would not “renegotiate” the deal.
I have decided to call #EUCO on #Brexit (Art. 50) on Thursday. We will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop, but we are ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification. As time is running out, we will also discuss our preparedness for a no-deal scenario.
While EU leaders would be willing to “discuss how to facilitate UK ratification” of the withdrawal agreement at Thursday’s summit in Brussels, he suggested the controversial Northern Irish backstop, which the DUP and many Tories want removed, would remain in place.
Whats the next step?
May and her team made the decision to call off the vote because the option of a horrendous defeat was more grim than the humiliation of delay. Cabinet ministers were arguing that even in these strange political times, some of the traditional political rules do still apply, one should never call a vote that one cannot win.
The act of postponing the vote further weakens trust in Theresa May and her leadership, it is another knock to the Prime Minister’s credibility. Anyone listening to even a fraction of Monday’s debate, while the PM stood there taking question after question after question, could not help but conclude that.
Will Corbyn capture the moment?
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn must call a vote of no confidence in Theresa May “as soon as possible”, the cross-party People’s Vote campaign has said.
Mr Corbyn has ruled out such a move, which could trigger a general election until he can be sure of winning it. He is similar to May in this move, he is unwilling to subject the country to another vote until he is sure he can win.
The People’s Vote group (those campaigning for another referendum) want him to get on with it so he can fulfil his pledge to back a further referendum if he can’t get an election. The group is also urging the government and the EU to plan for a referendum.
Asked in the Commons by the SNP’s Pete Wishart if he would “do the right thing” and table a no-confidence vote to get rid of “this shambles” of a government, Mr Corbyn said: “We have no confidence in this government. “We need to do the appropriate thing at the appropriate time to have a motion of no confidence in order to get rid of this government.”
Leading figures from the SNP, the Lib Dems, the Green Party and Plaid Cymru – all parties that back a further referendum – set out their demands at a press conference in London earlier. They were joined by Labour’s Dame Margaret Beckett and Conservative MP Anna Soubry, leading figures from the pro-referendum wings of their parties. The MPs argued that a referendum was the only way out of the “chaos” caused by Theresa May’s failure to get her MPs to back her Brexit deal – but they also argue that Brexit will harm the people that voted for it in the 2016 referendum.
Whats May’s big idea?
Today, Theresa May is meeting European leaders and EU officials on Tuesday for talks aimed at rescuing her Brexit deal. She has held talks with Dutch PM Mark Rutte and Germany’s Angela Merkel after postponing a Commons vote on the deal.
The UK PM has said she needs “further assurances” about the Northern Ireland border plan to get backing from MPs. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU would not “renegotiate” the deal but there was room for “further clarifications”.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn labelled Mrs May the “runaway prime minister” and said the trip was a “waste of time and public money”. The prime minister is understood to be seeking legal guarantees that the UK will not be trapped in the Northern Ireland backstop plan indefinitely.
Coming up next
Commons leader Andrea Leadsom said Mrs May was seeking to give the UK Parliament a vote on whether to enter the backstop – and an annual vote on whether the country should remain in it.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this could be done in an “addendum” to the withdrawal agreement, without changing the main text of it.
Downing Street has said a Commons vote will be held on the deal before 21 January and Brexit minister Robin Walker told MPs he hoped it “would be sooner than that”. Mrs Leadsom earlier suggested talks with the EU could go right down to the wire, saying: “The EU is always in a position where it negotiates at the last possible moment.”
Jean-Claude Juncker, who is holding talks with Mrs May in Brussels, said: “The deal that we have achieved is the best deal possible, it is the only deal possible.”
But he said there was “room enough to give further clarifications and further interpretations”.
It is not clear if that would be enough to win over Conservative Brexiteers and the Democratic Unionist Party, whose votes Mrs May relies on to win key votes in the Commons, who have called for the entire backstop plan to be dropped.
Since Saturday 17 November 2018, a protest movement with demonstrations began in France and has subsequently spread to neighbouring countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium. According to Business Insider “Diesel went from an average €1.24 ($1.41) per litre to €1.48 ($1.69,) according to UFIP, France’s oil industry federation, cited by CNN.” This new tax elevated prices by an enormous 16%. As a result of this, the French protest group “Gilets Jaunes,” or the “Yellow Vests,” have lowered Paris to its knees by rioting in the streets, burning vehicles, vandalizing stores, damaging national symbols, and conflicting with police officers.
Why The Yellow Vests?
The members of the Gilet Jaunes protest group wear high-visibility yellow vests ironically in reference to a French law enforced in 2008, requiring all drivers and motorists to have vests in their vehicles when on the road.
Karl Lagerfeld modelling the new vest. Image caption translation: “it’s yellow, it’s ugly, it doesn’t go with anything, but it could save your life”.
Why The Rise In Fuel?
President Emmanuel Macron’s government justified this increase in fuel prices as a go-green initiative – arguing that it is an environmental strategy necessary to help make the country a low-emission economy. However, protestors argue that he is out of touch and are now calling for his resignation.
The Riots
According to BBC News, these are the worst riots in Paris since 1968. The cost of the rioting could possibly go up to hundreds of millions of euros. The hostilities sent French politics and media into turmoil. The French government later scrapped the initiative, however, the protesters were still not appeased. The movement has issued more than 40 demands to the French government, a few of which involve pensions, reduced retirement age and numerous changes to the tax system.
Slate.com stated that many people, including the French, are confused about how three weeks of peaceful protests over a gas price increase turned into the worst riot in decades, beginning and a vehicle focused, rural working-class protest evolving into a “Hydra-headed autumn of discontent, with many objectives, no leaders”. It’s clear that the outrage comes from the fact that the environmental strategies implemented by Macron are an extension of his predecessor, former President François Hollande.
The US response
President Donald Trump responded to the French protests calling them a result of the alleged failure of the Paris climate change agreement, inadvertently supporting the yellow-vested protestors.
Trump tweet on the Paris Protests.
Vox.com claimed that Trump has used the riots in Paris as “an attempt to twist a major political crisis of ongoing riots which have led to hundreds of arrests, thousands of dollars in property damage, and multiple deaths, to his own advantage”.
President Emmanuel Macron has only been in office for less than two years and has had France on lockdown with French citizens calling for his resignation. He has relented on his environmental policies and citizens are still dissatisfied, demanding more change. It is unclear how this situation will come to an end, however, one this is clear, Macron has lost considerable respect from his citizens.
On the 10thDecember 1948 The United Nations adopted a historical document which enshrined into a piece of paper our fundamental freedoms, liberties and rights- the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 70 years on, it is something to appreciate and commemorate.
It has vouched for our everyday rights, which we unconsciously practice in our daily life. For instance, as a Muslim I am able to practice my faith freely around the world. I am able to think freely and express myself via the Common Sense Network giving me a platform to contribute. I know that I am able to live a free and happy life without being tortured or inhumanely or degrading treatment. I can participate in elections and cast a vote.
This year also marks 100 years since some women in the UK got the vote
These are just a few to mention which the majority enjoy around the world. But let’s not be hypocrites and suggest that we are living happily. Ignorance of what is happening around us can be dangerous, as humans we need to uphold the rights of everyone. We need everyone to enjoy the rights you and I do, too.
I always remind myself of a simple quote presented by His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad at Capitol Hill in 2012, he said ‘the truth is that peace and justice are inseparable- you cannot have one without the other’. Simple yet important to highlight that for us to enjoy these freedoms, we cannot expect one mechanism to work without the other.
Nevertheless, let’s establish some of the worlds problem which are infringing the rights gifted to us.
Burma’s, Aung San Sun Kyi, who was once described by Amnesty International as a ‘symbol of hope, courage and the undying defence of human rights’ for resisting house arrest against a military regime, has not spoken out in favour of the Rohingya Muslims. This genocide has affected 700,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee from destruction and ethnic cleansing to neighbouring Bangladesh. ‘Entire villages were burned to the ground, families were separated and killed, and woman and girls were gang raped’. The world is watching and pleading for peace, whereas the country’s leaders including Aung San Sun Kyi are in denial.
Close to my heart, the Ahmadis in Pakistan constitutionally have been outlawed as non-Muslim and cannot practice the basic tenants of the Islamic teachings, such as calling their mosques a mosque, calling the call to pray or even saying the Islamic greeting of ‘Salam’. The constant threat they face every day due to a lack of safeguards by the law is demonising their existence by state sponsored persecution and hate-inciting clerics. One current example to use is an old gentleman named Abdul Shakoor is in prison for selling books. Pakistan was created on the foundation of religious freedom, but it is failing one of their own.
We perceive the Middle East as having a lot of problems culturally and religiously because people have taken it too far. But the ongoing problems do not look to fade away in sand. Peace has been shattered. Constant catastrophic conflict, invasions and bombing. The latest has come from Yemen. A humanitarian crisis. Saudi Arabia infiltrating and depriving the Yemenis people to hunger and death. Approximately 22.2 million require assistance with over 8 million thought to be at risk of starvation. “The worst man-made humanitarian crisis of our time” the UN called it, and the West stand still.
(Source: Amnesty) A Yemeni City after an attack
Women have historically struggled to gain any rights, classed as 2ndclass back in the day but even in 2018, this is the case in some countries. But now they are facing new and growing challenges which are slowly getting the limelight. For instance, getting sexually harassed, forced to get female genital mutilation (FGM) or married without choice nor at legal age, not getting education because they are girls, the gender pay gap. The list goes on.
Mentioning all this has continued to flick fire inside me to uphold the fundamental human rights which were scribed 70 years ago. Therefore, to conclude, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad at the British Parliament in 2008, summarised everyone’s duty towards the establishment of peace and upholding the rights of others. ‘In this day and age when the world has literally shrunk to a global village in a way that could not have been imagined previously, we must realise our responsibilities as human beings and should try to pay attention to solving those issues of human rights that can help to establish peace in the world.Clearly, this attempt must be based on fair play and on fulfilling all the requirements of justice’.
Umar Zeshan Bhatti is currently studying Law and is interested in Human Rights. He is trying to challenge the negative perception of Muslims in the media and he is a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association. Follow him on Twitter @UmarZBhatti97
