UK to act with ‘urgency’ over Syrian refugees says Prime Minister. Change of heart concerning Syrian Refugees.

The Syrian Civil War, which has lasted for three years this March, forced refugee status onto masses of Syrian civilians. Prime Minister, David Cameron, told Members of Parliament, on the 29.01.2014 during the PMQ’s: “I think we are fulfilling our moral obligations to the people of Syria…I don’t believe that you can solve a refugee crisis of this scale when you’ve got almost half of the nine million population of Syria displaced or at risk of displacement with a quota system where countries are taking a few hundred refugees…Britain always plays the right role in these desperate humanitarian crises.”

In recent weeks the UK government has been reluctant to admit Syrian refugees into the UK. Currently, the government has administered humanitarian aid directly to refugees in the affected areas rather than offer asylum within the UK.

But with the upcoming elections next May, Conservative PM David Cameron is beginning to show a change of heart in terms of British acceptance of refugees. During the PMQ’s, Cameron stated that ‘I don’t believe that you can solve a refugee crisis of this scale when you’ve got almost half of the nine million population of Syria displaced or at risk of displacement with a quota system where countries are taking a few hundred refugees.’

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg stated that Britain had a moral responsibility to help Syrian refugees, supported Cameron. The most underprivileged refugees including particularly the disabled and victims of sexual violence would be permitted asylum within the UK. However, the bracket definitions were left ambiguous. The “yardstick” by which “neediness” of Syrian refugees is to be measured was not clarified beyond those two categories. Additionally, there was no classification of length of stay either. 

The government is sticking to its guns with the refusal to partake in a resettlement scheme run by the UN High Commissioner for refugees. This agency welcomed the government’s offer to provide asylum to a few hundred refugees, stated they would cooperate with them helping to identify the most vulnerable Syrian refugees.

As much as Cameron’s new resolution will be beneficial to Syrian refugees it seems to be a classic political “spin doctor” initiative. It appears to be a typical positive public relations stunt which seems to have been decided upon in order to gain public support for the Conservative party. But, perhaps that is too biased?

And yet, later in the week Cameron proclaimed that it is his priority to resolve the new threat of chemical weapons in Syria because he believes that is a much more pressing issue. It is perfectly understandable that chemical weapons are a major social threat. BUT, is it really more significant than the human beings put at risk for long political talks to commence especially, when they never actually reach any real resolution…?

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Following the death of Nelson Mandela on the 5th of December 2013, this chronicle of his life's journey is a very topical subject, and effectively provides a great desire from the public. The film illustrates his maturation from his childhood rural village to his inauguration as the first democratically elected president of South Africa whilst maintaining a firm ethos of non-violence throughout. 

Idris Elba who plays Nelson Mandela acts against Naomie Harris, playing his second wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. Each performs spectacularly in their roles: effectively drawing the viewer into the intensity of the hardships they individually, and as a racially-segregated group, faced. 

The film manages to depict a number of important moments throughout Nelson Mandela's life, however, because Mandela did so many important things, there is a sense in which the film is attempting to capture too much within its binding. However, the film is an earnest and ambitious attempt and is a truly captivating demonstration of a life's chronology for a truly influential political figure. William Nicholson, the scriptwriter for the film, commendably depicts the milestone moments of Mandela's life in a brisk fashion so as to ensure that Mandela's greatest achievements are all illustrated. 

In light of his recent death, the film manages to dispel the typical biased "gloss" which is shown to those departed. The film effectively recounts the events of Mandela's existence with clarity and honestly depicts both his right and wrong behaviour. For example, during his first marriage to Evelyn Mase, Mandela is shown to be unfaithful and at times negligent towards her and his first two sons. This realistic depiction of a human male who did not proclaim to be perfect heightens the authenticity of his cinematic depiction. 

It is a definite 'must-see' film, if only to comprehend the immensity of his impact to the dissolution of apartheid; I would 100% recommend this movie to all. 

Disney's New Winter Wonder: Frozen

Disney's latest release Frozen depicts the stories of two sisters, Elsa and Anna. Elsa has the magical ability to produce ice from her fingertips. When they are both very young, whilst playing with her supernatural abilities Elsa is hurt and from that point forward, her gifts are seen as a dangerous burden and she shuts herself in her bedroom until that point when she can truly control them. Anna, whose mind is erased of the near fatal tragedy which befell her is mystified as to why their relationship suddenly becomes estranged and distant. The movie places the eternal optimist Anna on a journey with the unusual and yet heart-warming Kristoff in an epic journey to discover Elsa whose icy powers have frozen the Arendelle kingdom. Along with the introduction of Olaf, a hilarious and loveable snowman whose only desire is to experience summer, Frozen becomes a thoroughly amusing cinematic performance.  His song 'In Summer' is below:

Casting Kristen Bell as Anna, Idina Menzel as Elsa, Jonathan Groff as Kristoff and Josh Glad as Olaf; this team create a miraculous and fundamentally enjoyable performance throughout. It appeals to all ages through the plot, characters, music and laughter. The veiled witticisms ensure that both children and adults will be laughing out loud at this one. 

The music throughout is carefully executed and enriching. As soon as I returned home, I downloaded the Frozen soundtrack and I have been listening to it in excess since that point...two weeks ago. Frozen is fun for all the family and like all of the Disney films, it leaves you with a warm happy glow and an irrepressible smile upon your face. Definitely a must see. 

The Wolf of Wall Street: AKA: A Mosh Pit for The Lupine Class.

The Wolf of Wall Street released in the United States on Christmas Day last year, directed by Martin Scorsese is an adaptation of the book with the same title written by the central protagonist Jordan Belfort. The story involves the development of a New York stockbroker whom builds his own dynastic firm which is fundamentally based upon peddling low-cost "Pink Sheet" stocks at inflated prices in order to reap maximal profits for the individual brokering the deal. 

The protagonist and managing director for the scheme is Jordan Belfort played by Leonardo DiCaprio. The film chronicles Belfort's rise to a wealthy stockbroker living the high life of the stockbroking Rock and Roll superstar (sex, lies, drugs and rock and roll), to his decline when he becomes the object of Agent Patrick Denham's criminal investigation into his economic empire. 

This three-hour American Black comedy depicts the hedonistic "devil may care" attitude of the successive stockbroker in the opening sequence. Throughout the course of the film, the viewer is situated in a position where they disapprove of Belfort's behaviour, but they are simultaneously impressed by his propensity to simply "not care" about any of his responsibilities. This ability to entirely dispel himself of his moral conscience permits the audience to condemn and yet experience "elite" hedonism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2npc7CdJ4A

Leonardo DiCaprio effectively captures the true hedonist completely and alongside his main co-stars, Jonah Hill and Margot Robbie, the film becomes a dark comedic adventure in which the viewer is drawn into the world presented from beginning to end. 

Furthermore, for the British viewer, Joanna Lumley makes an appearance as Aunt Emma to Jordan Belfort's beautiful model wife Naomi Lapaglia, played by Margot Robbie. With her authentic British vernacular, Lumley presents the typical British demeanour perfectly capturing the quintessential British wit and satire wrapped in the stereotypical demure noble package. 

However, having said all of this, the film does evocatively embellish scenes of nudity and drug use in excess. The abundance of naked bodies and sex scenes was too frequent and unfaltering for my personal taste. The film could have easily made the same impact, carried the identical impact of the hedonist culture it portrays without the unnecessary displays of nakedness.  I would definitely recommend this film for viewing, just watch out for all the nudity and full-frontal sex scenes. 

An Acre of Barren Ground by Jeremy Gavron

A fascinating fictionalised history of the East End which, in a very Love Actually or Crash, manner sporadically features the stories of different groups of people across many walks of life. This novel attempts to negotiate between fiction and history, creating a historical fiction in which the reader is able to emotional divest, which is denied when reading a simple history which by nature remains detached and factual. 

The multiplicity of cultural unity is expressed through the induction of migrant culture and ethnographic spread demonstrating throughout the course of the text. Gavron effectively invokes the vernaculars of an international community through the vibrancy of the global voices present within the East End location. Historical roots from the period of the Romans are juxtaposed with the contemporary notion of the graphic novel and the dot.com boom. This fusion of old and new effectively 

The text walks through the East End area effectively simultaneously navigating the history of East End in as yet untold perspectives such as that of a bear and an elephant. There are a number of links between the different groups and peoples which effectively indicate the delicate spider web of society with each part related by some manner, effectively demonstrating the infallibility of human interaction and connection. 

The Great Debate: 'Should the state send foreign/humanitarian aid in times of austerity?'...The YES Side.

Britain has an established reputation as an economic power. Although in recent years the British economy has experienced an economic downturn. In light of this, some UK nationals believe Britain ought to withdraw foreign aid and redirect it to the domestic economy. The G8 Accountability Report, compiled earlier in 2013, demonstrated that the UK achieved all Official Development Assistance (ODA) goals for the past decade and that the UK spends more money on foreign aid, as a percentage of Gross National Income (GNI), than any other G8 country.

The UK press is saturated in devastating reports and images of Syrian refugees and Typhoon Haiyan victims making it difficult to distance oneself from the basic human instinct to help those less fortunate. Economic disparity between Britain and these distressed nations heightens the importance of basics, such as healthcare, emergency manpower and technology, food stores, housing, and evacuation centres which can save millions of lives.

             

Foreign aid statistics indicate that aid expenditure per the average household is 16 pence for every £10 spent. A relatively insignificant amount at home, 16 pence actually makes immensely impacts the world’s poorest, consequently assisting those in need of humanitarian aid.

Critics against foreign aid declare it to be misdirected and, particularly during austere times at home. They imply that aid is administered to corrupt governmental bodies instead of directly to the victims of these criminal institutions. But in September, David Cameron stated that: “We’ll help lead the world…and make sure vital aid gets through”. The government and the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI), a body responsible for scrutiny of UK aid, focusing upon maximizing the impact and effectiveness of the UK aid budget-intended beneficiaries and delivering value for money for the UK taxpayer, attempt to direct aid appropriately, but aid is not always perfect.

Syria is a classic case study for the effectiveness of British foreign aid. Despite international conferences, an effective resolution for the abominable situation, resulting in millions of refugee displacement, cannot be settled. In the meantime, aid workers and capital provided by wealthier nations, has abetted refugees with food, shelter and medical care.

International economic development increases has united the global community more than ever before. Suffering abroad affects Britain. The inundation of Syrian refugees into its neighbouring countries requires British intervention. Withdrawing aid at present would mean British nationals face the probability of aiding them at home in the future. Aid funding provides increased employment opportunities, tax collection and maintains a sustainable public sector. Aid dependency is extant; contribution enables a resolution, but without, the problem will flourish.

           

It is our human nature to help those less fortunate. Events like Comic Relief and Children in Need are popular for just that reason. Cutting aid would result in other nations viewing Britain negatively, degrading Britain’s reputation. Lives are transformed by aid; those lives would be at risk without Britain. This generation could abolish extreme poverty but that will never be achieved without British aid.

Game of Thrones: Season 1, Episode 1: Winter is Coming....(***Spoiler Alert***)

Game of Thrones truly begins how it wishes to continue: with the introduction of White Walkers in the cold open and a beheading soon following, the themes of bloodshed, magic and realism, death and fear are alluded to. 

After rather extensive opening credits which move across the map of the Seven Kingdoms. The scene jumps from the wintery wooded scene to Winterfell, which is the seat of House Stark. The Winterfell castle is the largest castle in the centre of the north. Eddard Stark and his sons Robb, Bran and his bastard son Jon Snow, travel with other knights to speak to the deserter informant whom saw the White Walkers and beheading, Eddard kills him and subsequently questions Bran as to why he did so. He states that the person who delivers the sentence ought to carry out the punishment. Upon their return to Winterfell, they come across a dead stag, the sigil of House Baratheon, later finding a dead direwolf and her surviving pups. The direwolf has part of the stag's rack in her side. Each of the direwolf pups are given to each of the Stark children as companions.

The scene changes to King's Landing, which is the capital of the Seven Kingdoms. Queen Cersei and her twin brother, Jaime Lannister, watch over the dead body of Jon Arryn, The Hand of The King. They discuss whether or not Arryn revealed any dangerous information about the both of them before his death. Jaime assures his sister that had any information about them been revealed, they would have been executed by this time.

The King, Robert Baratheon, visits Winterfell along with a small royal congregation including his wife, the Queen, their three children, Jaime Lannister and the other Lannister sibling, the dwarf Tyrion Lannister.  Robert visits the vigil of his late fiancee and Ned Stark's sister, and tells Ned that he does not trust anyone around him, offering him the post of The Hand of The King. He also offers to make an alliance between them by marrying his eldest son Joffrey and Ned's eldest daughter Sansa.

Across the Narrow Sea, the exiled prince Viserys Targaryen plots to overthrow the King and reclaim his father's throne. To accomplish this, he intends to broker a marriage between his sister Daenerys and the powerful warlord Khal Drogo who is the leader of a nomadic horde of Dothraki.

That night, Ned Stark's wife, Catelyn receives a message from her sister, Lord Arryn's widow stating that her husband was murdered by the Lannisters. Although, Ned does not wish to leave Winterfell and his family, he accepts the job as The Hand of The King to protect his good friend the King, Robert Baratheon. 

During the wedding ceremony between Daenerys and Khal Drogo, displays of seemingly inhumane and savage acts are displayed. Throughout, Daenerys receives wedding gifts: first is a collection of books from the Seven Kingdoms, given by Ser Jorah Mormont, an exiled knight loyal to the Taygaryens. The second gift is three petrified dragon eggs, given by Magister Illyrio Mopatis, the man who helped to arrange the union. She also receives a white horse from her husband, Khal Drogo.

Bran, an avid climber, witnesses incest between the Lannister twins once he climbs part of the castle to look over the Winterfell lands. After seeing Bran watching them, Jaime Lannister pushes Bran from the window and he falls, possibly to his death, from a great height.