Category Archives: MISC

Melania Trump would like to remind everyone that Christmas is “not about gifts” or material things

Melania Trump would like to remind everyone that Christmas is “not about gifts” or material things
“It is my hope that during this holiday season, people will remember it is not about gifts,” the first lady said while surrounded by wrapped holiday presents.

www.queerty.com/melania-trump-like-remind-everyone-christmas-not-gifts-material-things-20171213?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Theresa May Urged To Appoint Advisory Panel On Grenfell Inquiry By MP David Lammy

Theresa May Urged To Appoint Advisory Panel On Grenfell Inquiry By MP David Lammy

An MP has urged Theresa May to stop the Grenfell inquiry from “distant and unresponsive” by appointing a panel of people from the community to help its chair.

Ahead a memorial to mark six months since the tragedy, Labour MP David Lammy added his voice to calls for the inquiry to be assisted by a panel of people from the community, after lawyers spent two days this week arguing over how survivors and families of those who died in the June 14 blaze, which killed 71 people, be heard.

Lammy’s intervention comes as the council leader Elizabeth Campbell revealed she had never met the prime minister and a campaign group called for the prime minister to stay away from a memorial service at St Paul’s Cathedral on Thursday.

Theresa May called the Grenfell Inquiry and is there responsible for whether and whom to appoint to any panel on it

Lawyers argued for a panel to be appointed during two days of procedural hearings earlier this week, the inquiry’s first, and its chair Sir Martin Moore-Bick is now reflecting on what was said to respond.

But it is ultimately the prime minister’s decision whether to appoint a panel, as she herself called the inquiry.

“It has been made clear to me that the state has failed to regain the trust of the survivors, the families of the victims and the wider community,” Lammy wrote to May.

“The Public Inquiry has yet to gain the confidence of these individuals, who believe that it is being carried out in a manner that feels distant, unresponsive to and detached from their concerns.” 

David Lammy said the inquiry seemed 'distant and unresponsive' to survivors and the bereaved

Lammy also called for the inquiry to be “human and empathetic” by following the model of the Hillsborough Inquiry, which saw those bereaved by the 1989 stadium disaster come to give evidence about their loved ones.

He added: “I have experienced first-hand the grief, anger and frustration of the Grenfell survivors, victims’ families and the wider community in North Kensington over the course of the last six months.

“The inquiry must leave no stone unturned and pull no punches in getting to the truth and holding those responsible to account for this tragedy in the pursuit of the justice that these people need and must receive.”

Human rights lawyer Michael Mansfield, who is representing survivors and relatives of those who died in the blaze, told the inquiry that two or four panellists should be appointed alongside Moore-Bick to form a decision-making panel.

He said at least one panellist should have “an expertise or a reflection of the community”.

Mansfield called this a “watershed opportunity” to repair the “process which has become disengaged”.

Protestors demonstrate just before a two-day hearing as part of the inquiry earlier this week

He added: “Whether it is by oversight or any other reason, there is a distinct feeling, today, that they have not – that is those people most affected – been included.

“So the restoration of public confidence generally and the restoration of confidence by those most affected, as claimed by the Prime Minister, are yet to be fully engaged.”

But Moore-Bick raised the possibility of a panel that merely advised the chair.

He said at the end of Tuesday’s hearing he would respond in writing to the arguments he heard. No date is yet set for the next hearing.

'The restoration of public confidence generally and the restoration of confidence by those most affected, as claimed by the Prime Minister, are yet to be fully engaged,' lawyer Michael Mansfield told the inquiry

Meanwhile, Jody Bolton, a director of Justice4Grenfell, said May would be an unwelcome presence at tomorrow’s service.

She told The Telegraph: “We should be prepared that she will not be a welcome face because of the contempt  with which her and her Cabinet have treated the survivors of Grenfell.”

Conservative councillors, including Kensington & Chelsea Borough Council leader Elizabeth Campbell, have been asked by families not to attend the service at St Paul’s, amid questions over the council’s role in failing to prevent the blaze.

Campbell, who took over after her predecessor resign amid the council’s heavily-criticised response to the fire, said she had not ever actually met May.

She told LBC: “I haven’t met Theresa May, no not at all. But she’s called me.

“I suspect Theresa May has also got other things on her plate.

“She meets with survivors and victims and I know she has a regular line to them, they come and see her in Downing Street.”

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/grenfell-lammy_uk_5a313be6e4b091ca26848bdd

EU Withdrawal Bill: The 12 Tories Who Voted Against Theresa May On Brexit

EU Withdrawal Bill: The 12 Tories Who Voted Against Theresa May On Brexit

Twelve Tory MPs have received plaudits from across the political divide for voting against the Government in order to put into law that MPs would get a meaningful vote on the Brexit deal agreed with Brussels.

Parliament has taken back control. The final Brexit deal will have to be approved by Parliament. Hats off to the Tory rebels who held firm and stuck to their principles. #EUWithdrawalBill#Amendment7

— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) December 13, 2017

Just 305 MPs sided with the Government, giving the rebels victory and with it, Theresa May’s first Parliamentary defeat as Prime Minister.

Some 12 MPs from her party voted for the amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill – only 11 are technically rebels as John Stevenson voted both ‘aye’ and no’. 

And as soon as the result was announced, the recriminations began – Stephen Hammond was sacked as vice chair of the Conservative Party.

Tonight I put country and constituency before party and voted with my principles to give Parliament a meaningful vote.

— Stephen Hammond MP (@S_Hammond) December 13, 2017

Very disappointed to no longer be Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party for London. It was a huge honour and I’ll continue to campaign across our capital in the run up to the Borough elections next year.

— Stephen Hammond MP (@S_Hammond) December 13, 2017

The 12 Tories Who Voted Against Theresa May To Give MPs A Meaningful Vote On Brexit 

Dominic Grieve


Ken Clarke


Nicky Morgan


John Stevenson


Bob Neill


Stephen Hammond

n.

Oliver Heald


Anna Soubry


Sarah Wollaston


Jonathan Djanogly


Antoinette Sandbach


Heidi Allen

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/tories-vote-brexit-eu-withdrawal-bil_uk_5a3183a0e4b091ca2684f96b

The World Generated 4,500 Eiffel Towers’ Worth Of Electronic Waste Last Year

The World Generated 4,500 Eiffel Towers’ Worth Of Electronic Waste Last Year

The world produced 44.7 million metric tons of electronic waste in 2016, according to a new United Nations report. To put that in perspective, that’s equivalent to the weight of 4,500 Eiffel Towers. Laid out in a line, the waste would stretch from New York to Bangkok and back ―28,160km.

Global e-waste ― discarded electronic and electrical goods such as mobile phones, laptops, televisions, refrigerators and electrical toys – rose 8 percent from 2014 to 2016, according to the Global E-waste Monitor 2017 report, published on Wednesday. 

“One of the key findings is the amount of electronic waste is growing, and that’s both in terms of absolute value as well as per inhabitant”, said Vanessa Grey of the UN’s International Telecommunication Union and co-author of the report.

The falling cost of electrical items is one of the reasons for the increase, according to the UN, as it means devices are more affordable around the world. There are now more mobile phone subscriptions than people in the world and around half of the world population (3.6 billion) uses the internet.  

The biggest e-waste culprits per capita were Australia and New Zealand, according to the report, where 17.3kg of waste was produced per person and only 6% was formally collected and recycled. Europe is the second largest producer, generating 16.6kg per inhabitant, although it had the highest collection rate (35%).

E-waste is the world’s fastest growing waste stream and the bad news is its growth shows no sign of abating. The report predicted e-waste would increase a further 17% by 2021, reaching 52.2 million metric tons.

Despite these quantities, very little is recycled. Just 20% was reported as being collected and recycled in 2016. The report estimates that 4% is thrown into normal waste. But there is much less clarity on where remaining 76% ends up.