Single-use plastics: Commission welcomes ambitious agreement on new rules to reduce marine litter

The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have reached a provisional political agreement on the ambitious new measures proposed by the Commission to tackle marine litter at its source, targeting the 10 plastic products most often found on our beaches as well as abandoned fishing gear.

Today's agreement is based on the Single-use plastics proposal presented in May by the Commission as part of the world's first comprehensive Plastics Strategy, adopted earlier this year, to protect citizens and the environment from plastic pollution whilst fostering growth and innovation. The new rules contribute to a broader effort of turning Europe into a more sustainable, circular economy, reflected in the Circular Economy Action Plan adopted in December 2015. They will place Europe's businesses and consumers ahead as a world leader in producing and using sustainable alternatives that avoid marine litter and oceans pollution, tackling a problem with global implications.

First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, responsible for sustainable development said: "I warmly welcome today's ambitious agreement reached on our Commission proposal to reduce single use plastics. This agreement truly helps protect our people and our planet. Europeans are conscious that plastic waste is an enormous problem and the EU as a whole has shown true courage in addressing it, making us the global leader in tackling plastic marine litter. Equally important is, that with the solutions agreed upon today, we are also driving a new circular business model and showing the way forward to putting our economy on a more sustainable path."

Vice-President Jyrki Katainen, responsible for jobs, growth, investment and competitiveness, added: "Tackling the plastics problem is a must. At the same time it brings new opportunities for innovation, competitiveness and job creation. We will discuss those thoroughly with industry within the Circular Plastics Alliance. With the agreement reached today we are showing that Europe is doing a smart economic and environmental choice and is advancing towards a new truly circular plastics economy." 

Commissioner for environment, maritime affairs and fisheries, Karmenu Vella said: "When we have a situation where one year you can bring your fish home in a plastic bag, and the next year you are bringing that bag home in a fish, we have to work hard and work fast. So I am happy that with the agreement of today between Parliament and Council. We have taken a big stride towards reducing the amount of single-use plastic items in our economy, our ocean and ultimately our bodies."

Different measures for different products

The new EU directive on Single-Use Plastics will be the most ambitious legal instrument at global level addressing marine litter. It envisages different measures to apply to different product categories. Where alternatives are easily available and affordable, single-use plastic products will be banned from the market, such as plastic cotton buds, cutlery, plates, straws, drink stirrers, sticks for balloons, products made of oxo-degradable plastic and food and beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene For other products, the focus is on limiting their use through a national reduction in consumption; on design and labelling requirements; and waste management/clean-up obligations for producers.

Next Steps

The provisional agreement reached today must now be formally approved by the European Parliament and the Council. Following its approval, the new Directive will be published in the EU's Official Journal and the Member States will have to transpose it after two years.

EC

#GiletsJaunes, the 99% gaining shape

We have reached a time when acts of violence seem to be the only effective way for the 99% to be heard. It's wrong to vandalise but it's even worse to repeatedly f*** the taxpayer when we know the pervasive way of conduct of our fraudulent banking system. #YellowJackets #GiletsJaunes

The French economist Etienne Chouard analyses the current situation in France, namely the stance from President Emmanuel Macron who vowed to speed up tax cuts and raise wages after the protests. 

Russia statement on the UN Migration Pact, Hillary Clinton's remarks & Libya after Gadaffi

Statement of the Russian Federation on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, Marrakesh, December 11, 2018:

Despite the current Russophobia out there, does anyone read this statement as an illogical, unreasonable piece of raw diplomacy? Anyone?

Meanwhile, some Twitter reactions to the ironic remarks made by Hillary Clinton about the European crisis on migration:

...and a reminder of what Libya looked like before Western meddling in the country:

The Ignored Legacy of George H.W. Bush: War Crimes, Racism, and Obstruction of Justice (The Intercept)

Thanks, Jeremy. That's quite a piece of work.

38 years ago today...

God is a concept

By which we measure

Our pain

I'll say it again

God is a concept

By which we measure

Our pain

I don't believe in magic

I don't believe in I-Ching

I don't believe in Bible

I don't believe in tarot

I don't believe in Hitler

I don't believe in Jesus

I don't believe in Kennedy

I don't believe in Buddha

I don't believe in mantra

I don't believe in Gita

I don't believe in yoga

I don't believe in kings

I don't believe in Elvis

I don't believe in Zimmerman

I don't believe in Beatles

I just believe in me

Yoko and me

And that's reality

The dream is over

What can I say?

The dream is over

Yesterday

I was the dream weaver

But now I'm reborn

I was the Walrus

But now I'm John

And so dear friends

You just have to carry on

The dream is over

The Persecution of Julian Assange: Wikileaks Editor says Media is giving the US Cover to extradite him | Opinion (newsweek)

Shame on the @guardian & @KathViner who are promoting & propagating a massive misinformation using the man who exposed inconvenient truths as a scape goat in the USA-Russian affair.

"Last week, The Guardian published a "bombshell" front-page story asserting, without producing any evidence, that Julian Assange had secretly met the recently convicted former Donald Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort in 2013, 2015 and 2016. The Guardian's attack on Assange came only days after it was confirmed that he has been indicted some time ago,under seal, and that the U.S. will seek his extradition from the U.K. The story was published just hours before a hearing brought by media groups trying to stop the U.S. government from keeping its attempts to extradite Assange secret.

The story went viral, repeated uncritically by many media outlets around the world, including Newsweek. This falsely cast Assange into the center of a conspiracy between Putin and Trump.The Guardian even had the gall to post a call to its readers to donate to protect "independent journalism when factual, trustworthy reporting is under threat."

These three meetings with Manafort did not happen.

As The Guardian admitted, the Embassy's visitor logs show no such visits. The Guardian claims they saw a separate internal document written by Ecuador's Senain intelligence agency that lists "Paul Manaford [sic]" as one of several well-known guests.'

Manafort, through his spokesman, has stated: “This story is totally false and deliberately libelous. I have never met Julian Assange or anyone connected to him.”

It appears The Guardian editors tried to backpedal from the original story with post-publication stealth edits, but they have not issued a correction or apology.

The journalists who wrote this story must surely know that guests who enter the embassy must be registered in logs, as pointed out by the former first secretary at the Ecuadorian Embassy from 2010 to July 2018.

Ecuadorian intelligence has spent millions of dollars on setting up security cameras inside its embassy in London to monitor Julian Assange and his visitors. The Guardian has previously published still shots from those cameras. However, in the case of the claimed Manafort visit, they apparently demanded no such verification.

They also overlooked the simple fact that millions of pounds have been spent over the years by the Metropolitan police and secret services on monitoring the entrances of the embassy 24/7.

This is part of a series of stories from The Guardian, such as its recent claim of a "Russia escape plot" to enable Assange to flee the embassy, which is not true.

What do these stories have in common? They all give the U.K. and Ecuador political cover to arrest Assange and for the U.S. to extradite him. Any journalists worth their salt should be investigating who is involved in these plots.

Mike Pompeo, when he was CIA director, said the U.S. was "working to take down" WikiLeaks. This was months after WikiLeaks released thousands of files on the CIA, the "largest leak of CIA documents in history," called Vault 7. The Guardian seems determined to link Assange to Russia, in full knowledge that such claims are prejudicial in the context of Mueller's probe in the U.S. and the Democratic National Committee lawsuit against WikiLeaks.

Numerous commentators have criticized The Guardian for its coverage of Assange. Glenn Greenwald, former columnist for The Guardian, writes that the paper has "...such a pervasive and unprofessionally personal hatred for Julian Assange that it has frequently dispensed with all journalistic standards in order to malign him." Another former Guardian journalist, Jonathan Cook, writes: "The propaganda function of the piece is patent. It is intended to provide evidence for long-standing allegations that Assange conspired with Trump, and Trump's supposed backers in the Kremlin, to damage Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential race."

Hours before The Guardian published its article, WikiLeaks received knowledge of the story and "outed" it, with a denial, to its 5.4 million Twitter followers. The story then made the front page, and The Guardian asserted they had not received a denial prior to publication—as they had failed to contact the correct person.

A simple retraction and apology will not be enough. This persecution of Assange is one of the most serious attacks on journalism in recent times."

Article published in Newsweek on 7 December 2018 by Kristinn Hrafnsson 

Exchange of health data across borders gets a boost from the Commission

The European Commission has announced the publication of a roadmap where it presents a Recommendation to establish a Format for a European Electronic Health Record (EHR) Exchange. 

This Recommendation follows a 2017 public consultation which revealed that all stakeholders believe that the lack of interoperability between the Electronic Health records is a great obstacle to seamless access to health data. Civil society, professional groups, trade bodies and researchers are welcome to give their input to the Commission’s roadmap until December 20.

According to the document, the Recommendation which may come into force early next year, will most likely cover aspects such as:

• Inviting Member States to put in place strategies and where needed adapt their legislative framework to promote secure access, including cross-border, to their Electronic Health Records;

• Recommendations to Member States regarding the adoption and further evolution of common technical specifications (including established protocols and data formats) for a European Electronic Health Record exchange format enabling cross-border access to health data;

• Proposing a way of working between Member States, relevant stakeholders and the European Commission to continuously improve and develop specifications and standards, implement the exchange format for Electronic Health Record and monitor uptake across the EU.

ECDC attributed 33000 deaths per year due to infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria

A study published by the Lancet with data from the European Center for Disease Control (ECDC) has reached the conclusion that infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria were responsible for 33.110 deaths in the European Union and European Economic Area in 2015. These estimates are based on data from the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net) data from 2015.

The worst performing countries when it comes to the burden of infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria are Italy, Greece, Romania, Portugal and Cyprus. The countries scoring higher on this matter are Iceland, Estonia, Norway, Finland and Sweden.

Antimicrobial resistance is a serious threat to public health and preventive action is paramount to tackle this major issue. Moreover, the increasing incidence of infections is yet another hazard for the many impaired healthcare systems across the EU. Moreover, the study assesses that the estimated deaths are a direct consequence of an infection due to bacteria resistant to antibiotics and that the burden of these infections is comparable to that of influenza, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS combined. It also describes that 75% of the burden of disease is due to healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and other healthcare settings. Possible solutions suggested by the study range from reducing infectious-diseases through adequate infection prevention and control measures as well as antibiotic stewardship.

The authors said: “the estimated burden of infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the EU/EEA is substantial compared to that of other infectious diseases, and increased since 2007. Strategies to prevent and control antibiotic-resistant bacteria require coordination at EU/EEA and global level. However, our study showed that the contribution of various antibiotic-resistant bacteria to the overall burden varies greatly between countries, thus highlighting the need for prevention and control strategies tailored to the need of each EU/EEA country”.

Finally, the study reveals that 39% of the burden is caused by infections with bacteria resistant to last-line antibiotics such as carbapenems and colistin. This represents an increase from 2007 and is alarming because there are no more antibiotics available besides these that seem to start being ineffective.

The results of this study are also used by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to estimate the economic burden of antibiotic resistance.

The Connected Universe (2016)

Apollo 18

Parliament gives green light on Health Technology Assessment

On the 3rd of October, the European Parliament voted on the report on Health Technology Assessment (HTA), under the leadership of S&D MEP Soledad Cabézon Ruiz, with a majority of MEPs approving the European Commission’s proposal (576 in favour, 56 against) which vows to introduce a joint clinical assessment of health technologies at EU level. The plenary backed an amendment from the European People’s Party that would change the threshold for decisions in the Coordination Group from a two-thirds majority to a qualified majority.

The proposal covers new medicines and certain medical devices, and would provide the basis for permanent EU-level cooperation in four areas: joint clinical assessments; joint scientific consultations; identification of emerging health technologies; and voluntary cooperation on other aspects of HTA.

All in one, HTA is a research-based tool that focuses specifically on the added therapeutic value of a health technology in comparison with other health technologies. Yet, there are challenges to tackle. Due to the large heterogeneity of the methodologies used across practices and Member States, it is very difficult to obtain a consolidated opinion from a HTA. On the other hand, a number of advantages is unparalleled, such as faster and more efficient drug development, tackling rare diseases and allowing to answer multiple research questions in parallel.

How does the Commission envisage HTA implementation?

Overall, the cooperation would be Member State driven, with the Commission hosting a secretariat to provide administrative, scientific and IT support. Participation in the joint clinical assessments and use of the joint clinical assessment reports at Member State level would become mandatory after six years: following the regulation’s entry into force, the Commission proposes a three-year period for adopting tertiary legislation and another three year (transitional) period to allow Member States to fully adapt to the new system.

Next steps?

We now wish to call upon EU policymakers to initiate trilogue inter-institutional negotiations without delay, in view of reaching a final agreement ahead of the European elections in 2019. In the case of no position adopted before the upcoming elections, next May, a new parliamentary position may have to be developed and adopted.

Additionally, the reluctance of a number of Member States may come as a hurdle too. Countries like Germany, France, Poland and Czech Republic can block the proposal in the Council of the EU, compromising reached amendments.

MUST WATCH: A strong and valid critic to our traditional education system

The traditional education system is failing our children. Not to dismiss the motivation of some teachers who are real treasures as they are the ones who can surely make the difference in a children's life, but, how can we fix a system that is broken from its core? Poor infrastructures and unmotivated teachers often result in uninterested students, rather than curious and eager to learn pupils. For some, homeschooling is the solution, but is that an easy solution with successful results when it comes to the independence and confidence of a future college student? 

Nakba Day: Remembering Palestine's 1948 Humanitarian Disaster

Check out some interesting reading on the matter here and here.

Palestinian protestor uses tennis racket to smack back tear gas canister fired by Israeli troops (Reuters)

May 14, 2018: US inaugurates its newest embassy in Jerusalem while IDF shot dead over 50 unarmed Palestinians protesters and injured more than 2400, on the Gaza border.

Photo by Reuters

Historic moment when North Korea's and South Korea's leaders shake hands

Photo by AP

The unexpected happened when North Korea's president Kim Jong Un announced peace talks with South Korea. Moon Jae In, the South Korean president was invited to step foot on the North side of the Korean peninsula on April 26, opening up an unprecedented historic event of face-to-face talks between North and South Korea.

MSM wants the spotlight on Iran

Documentary: IRAN (Is Not The Problem)

Ten years later and it still makes sense....

"We have heard that Iran is a nuclear menace in defiance of the international community, bent on "wiping Israel off the map", supporting terrorism, and unwilling to negotiate. This documentary disputes these claims as they are presented to us and puts them in the context of present and historical US imperialism and hypocrisy with respect to Iran. It looks at the struggle for democracy inside Iran, the consequences of the current escalation and the potential US and/or Israeli attack, and suggests some alternatives to consider."

RIP White Rhino

BBC's biased stance on Jeremy Corbyn

When Israel Meets Opposition

From the left to the right: MEP Ana Gomes, MEPNeokilis Sylikiotis and Omar Barghouti, European Parliament, February 2018.

The Portuguese MEP Ana Gomes is at odds with Israeli organisations that accused her of being “anti-Semitic”, following an event at the European Parliament, in Brussels, on February 28.

The accusations sprung up in a conference co-hosted by the S&D Ana Gomes, with MEP Neokilis Sylikiotis, entitled “The Israeli Settlements in Palestine and the European Union”. During her speech, Gomes condemned the organisations as a "very perverse lobby that tries to intimidate people."

Gomes claimed the Israeli delegations in Brussels attempted to block her from hosting Palestinian human rights campaigner Omar Barghouti for a debate at the European Parliament.

The panel that caused jitters

Before the conference took place, the Jewish organisations opposed to Ana Gomes’ host Omar Barghouti, co-founder of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (DBS), a movement working “to end international support for Israel’s oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law”.

On February 14, ahead of the conference, the Jewish communities of Lisbon and Belgium, the European Jewish Congress, ELNET, AJC Transatlantic Institute, the European Union of Jewish Students and the B’nai B’rith International penned a letter to the president of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani expressing “deep concern and opposition” over Barghouti’s invitation.

Barghouti is a fierce defender of the Palestinian state and his presence at the Parliament sparked waves. Often caractherised as an eloquent speaker, Barghouti has authored two books - Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions: The Global Struggle for Palestinian Rights and The Case for Sanctions Against Israel - being the latter of evident disagreement with Israeli policy. 

Gomes denounces smear campaign

It seems there’s more to add to this political clash. On March 7, Ana Gomes presented a letter to the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, the High representative Federica Mogherini and to the EU watchdog Emily O’Reily demanding an investigation to the Commission’s officer Katharina Schnurbein and the EU delegation to Israel.

On her letter, Gomes declared being victim of a smear campaign: “I later learnt that this campaign had an instrumental promoter in Ms Katharina Schnurbein, appointed in December 2015 as the European Coordinator on combating anti-Semitism at the European Commission. Ms Schnurbein helped spread accusations misconstruing my legitimate denunciation of ‘a very perverse lobby that tells lies and uses intimidation tactics’ to prevent discussion on Israel illegal occupation and settlements in Palestine.”

Back in June 2016, the Electronic Intifada, an independent online news publication focusing on Palestine, accused Schnurbein of “smearing the Palestine solidarity movement”. At stake were, according to the author David Cronin, unfounded declarations stating: “Reports show that anti-Semitic incidents rise after BDS activities on campuses.” According to Cronin, such evidence was never found.  

Recently on April 25, the same publication denounced “B’nai B’rith expends much of its efforts attacking people who defend Palestinian rights against Israel’s abuses and war crimes, and promoting the Israeli government’s positions.”

Jewish organisations in uproar 

The Brussels-based EU office of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) reacted in fury calling on the European Parliament to “discipline” Gomes. On March 19, the European Jewish Congress released a joint statement on behalf of Jewish organisations urging the European Commission to publicly condemn the S&D MEP. Nonetheless, the umbrella of Jewish organisations was not so prompt to reply to online criticism on the social media network Twitter.

How is Israel’s criticism defined?

The words proffered by MEP Ana Gomes have been subject to open criticism and countless interpretations, thereby bringing to light what exactly is considered criticism of Israel.

Firstly, it is of imperative importance that one does not confound the Israeli people with Israeli organisations or the Israeli state. This is a very dangerous generalisation that must be demystified. For that purpose, the British historian and author Alison Weir wrote a piece for Global Research, a Canadian-based independent research media organisation, where she debunks the semantics around the definition of anti-Semitism. On her 2017 May article entitled “International Campaign is Criminalising Criticism of Israel as  ‘Anti-Semitism’”, Weir claims that:

“Where most people would consider “anti-Semitism” to mean bigotry against Jewish people (and rightly consider it abhorrent), for two decades a campaign has been underway to replace that definition with an Israel-centric definition.” Weir argues that the definition acts as an instrument of censorship saying that it  “can then be used to block speech and activism in support of Palestinian human rights as ‘hate.’”

Originally, the definition of this new concept was associated to a man named Natan Sharansky, who was Israel’s Minister for Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs and chair of the Jewish Agency for Israel. Sharansky founded a Global Forum against Anti-Semitism in 2003, stating: “The State of Israel has decided to take the gloves off and implement a coordinated counteroffensive against anti-Semitism.”

On the fall of 2004, Sharansky wrote a position paper claiming, “Whereas classical anti-Semitism is aimed at the Jewish people or the Jewish religion, ‘new anti-Semitism’ is aimed at the Jewish state.”

Such claims establish a very narrow window to Israel’s criticism, almost suggesting that any sort of disapproval or denunciation of actions coming from Israel is a blasphemy.

Final remarks

The concept of free speech is hailed in the European Union as an elementary pillar of the block. Article 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union expresses: “1. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers; 2. The freedom and pluralism of the media shall be respected.”

Ana Gomes’ case and specific words - "a very perverse lobby that tries to intimidate people" – where nothing but her viewpoint and opinion. Anyone is allowed to agree or disagree, however, accusing the S&D MEP of anti-Semitism is a serious accusation that goes a step further.

If the Israeli organisations are to openly attack every individual who speaks up against the conduct of Israel, a fair discussion ought to be hailed where a full picture should be considered when accusing someone’s actions and behavior.

Film: Spotlight

The film depicts The Boston Globe's "Spotlight" team, the oldest continuously operating newspaper investigative journalist unit in the United States, and its investigation into cases of widespread and systemic child sex abuse in the Boston area by numerous Roman Catholic priests. It is based on a series of stories by the "Spotlight" team that earned The Globe the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.