Could you live on £5 a day?

A protest at St. Paul’s church in Covent Garden was held by refugee rights group STAR on Thursday. Political activists used posters, speakers, music and camped in St. Paul’s church to draw the attention of Londoners.
Campaign manager of ‘still human, still here’ and speaker, Michael Kay 44 from London, said the aim of the protest group was to: ‘end destitution for asylum seekers being made to live in poverty or on the streets’.

Amongst the curious public, political activists and students taking part was asylum Seeker Gladys Mabvira, 32 from Zimbabwe who spoke at the protest of her experiences as a detainee and refugee in the UK, claiming most refugees are ‘professionals who just want to work’.
Brandishing banners that read: ‘could you live on £5 a day’, referring to the daily benefit the government currently offers asylum seekers, the protest was peaceful, with some activists approaching people in the square to talk and raise awareness of the campaign.
There are 34 ‘STAR’ (student action for refugees) groups nationally and more events at London Universities and other places across the UK planned this week, for more information please visit: http://www.star-network.org.uk/.

Is London Ready For the Olympics?

152 days until the Olympics, the still-in construction aquatics centre in Stratford is hosting the diving world cup this February.
But just across the river from the aquatics centre, diving spectators could clearly see temporary storage containers, porta-loos and helmeted builders surrounding the adjacent Olympic arena, the spectator tower in-cased in scaffolding and the media centre all but a crane-attended skeleton of an Olympic worthy structure. As bags are searched in airport style security, the meet and greet gazebos to the Olympic swimming pools are constructed before sports fans. For a country which is holding the ‘greatest games on earth’ in less than 4 months, it’s a worrying portrayal.

Inside the affectionately named ‘pringle’ however, the atmosphere is every millimeter Olympian. The blue tinted water and lottery logoed diving platforms with flags and press and of course – Olympians. Despite the squeamish scenes outside, inside the venue is more than ready to host the world’s best athletes. Whilst waiting for the diving world cup men's 3m springboard, the crowd is entertained with an omnipresent voice telling facts about the building – how some of the spectator halls are surprisingly temporary structures and a video is played of the aquatic centre being built in super speed. In just three years the pringle has been made into an echoing, chlorine aroma filled international sports centre. The tiles are multi-coloured and the water reflecting sparkling newness and anticipation all around, perfect for Great Britain's Olympic hopefuls, divers Jack Laugh and Christopher Mears as they qualify for the semi-finals of the world cup.

Best of all, when the grand games are all gone, the temporary spectator stalls are taken away and the entrance downsized, it will make one heck of a local leisure centre.

Political Upset at Writers Event

The ‘Write now’ event at Stratford Circus’ atmosphere turned, after writers were questioned on politics this Thursday. Upon being asked by UEL’s performing arts field leader, Mark Hunter: ‘is creativity the realm of the left?’ China Miéville, three-time winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award answered: ‘Novels portray racism and fascism, and grotesque corporate art like in Westfields - here in Stratford! It’s not of the left, whether I want it to or not.’ Referring to the new shopping mall that will be the gateway for many to the Olympics, the remark was met with cheering from the audience. Fellow writer Olumide Popoola, a Nigerian-German author and performer also said: ‘anything you put into the world becomes political.’ And playwright Bonnie Greer summarised: ‘I don’t know if these are questions for writers.’ Beforehand the event had gone smoothly with extracts from various writers and a full audience made up of students and lecturers. The event is held annually, more information about Thursday’s evening can be found here: http://www.stratford-circus.com/events/literature/writenow.htm

Outsiders Cannot Change Afghanistan

‘Only Afghans can change their own society’, the Guardian foreign correspondent, Jonathan Steele told a public meeting. The author of ‘Ghosts in Afghanistan’, said to a room full of listeners at City University that it’s ‘hopeless for foreigners to intervene’ in Afghanistan. Having reported for over 30 years in the war-ridden country Steele called for foreign money to go towards aid and not warfare. He said ‘people are unaware, of the revolution and the new government’ giving insight to the impoverished country.

Steele also gave advice on journalism and read extracts from his revealing new book: ‘Ghosts in Afghanistan’ named after the ‘uncounted dead Afghans’ Women’s rights, child labour and Russia’s war in Afghanistan were also discussed and visitors were able to ask questions.

Veolia Upsets Human Rights Activists

Campaigners for human rights gathered outside the Natural History Museum to protest against Veolia on Saturday.Protesters have accused Veolia of breaching the Human Rights Act. As Veolia sponsors the wildlife photographer of the year award exhibition at the Natural History Museum, protesters informed visitors with leaflets and a puppet. Middle aged London protesters Salim Alam and Sue Wood said:'It’s a great museum, the photography is fantastic, we’re not against the museum, but they should have been more careful picking a sponsor.' When asked about their conflict with Veolia they clarified: 'They helped build the Jerusalem railway and illegal settlements. Veolia takes waste and dumps it on stolen Palestinian land, runs bus services were Palestinians not allowed to travel on – not at all. We want to take action just with the apartheid in South Africa. We want to isolate Israel till it complies with international law.'In regards to their protest outside the museum, and not directly outside a Veolia building, Salim said:'We have been protesting outside the NHM because the museum chose Veolia as the sponsor and we are keen to let museum-goers know about the company and to ask the public to complain to the museum. We know that hundreds of people have complained to the museum through its facebook pages.'
When asked to comment on these claims Veolia replied:'Veolia's Environment position on the Jerusalem Light Rail Project information, is at this link to the Veolia Environnement (JLRT) project overview and Q&A website:http://www.veolia.com/en/medias/focus-on/jlrt.htm' To which the protesters replied:'Veolia's comments on its website are hugely misleading. We are in the process of writing to Veolia to spell out why we believe this is so.'