22 12 2014

Obesity is disability

DZIQ 990 AMLondon Mayor Boris Johnson said, “A European Union ruling that overweight people can be classed as disabled is totally and utterly ridiculous and insults those with genuine disabilities”. It comes after Europe’s highest court has ruled obesity “can constitute a disability” for the purposes of European Union equality at work legislation. The judgment means British companies will be required to treat obese workers as “disabled”, providing them with larger seats, special parking spaces and other facilities. According to an extensive survey conducted by the US National Centre for Health Statistics, being a bit overweight is good but of course it all depends on one’s definition of overweight. Nigel Farage, the UK Independence Party leader, also criticised the ruling, saying: “It’s difficult to argue overweight people should be classed as disabled. There are occasions, but obesity in general isn’t a disability.” More and more Britons are publicly attacking the controversial EU decision.

Meanwhile, a driver shouted “Allahu Akbar” (”God is greatest”) as he ploughed into groups of people in the eastern French city of Dijon on Sunday injuring 11 people, two seriously. The man, born in 1974 is apparently imbalanced and had been in a psychiatric hospital adding that “for now his motives are still unclear”. The attack came the day after a French convert to Islam was shot dead after attacking three police officers with a knife while also reportedly crying “Allahu Akbar” in the central town of Joue-les-Tours. The driver in Dijon was arrested by police after targeting passersby at five different places in the city on Sunday evening, a police source said. Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve told French television station TF1 on Sunday that the man who was shot dead the day before attacking a police station in Joue-Les-Tours was “very unstable”. The anti-terror branch of the Paris prosecutor’s office has opened a probe, with the line of inquiry focusing on an attack motivated by radical Islam.

Sir Elton John has married his long-term civil partner David Furnish and invited everyone to his wedding. Sharing for the first time on Saturday his maiden post in Instagram was a rose-printed wedding invitation. It said: “Sir Elton John and David Furnish request the pleasure of your company to celebrate their wedding on Sunday the 21st of December.” He is one of a host of celebrities to take advantage of new laws which came into force earlier this month and allowed gay couples to convert their civil partnerships into marriages. Sir John, who joined in a civil partnership with Mr Furnish in 20005, spoke earlier this year of his joy after same-sex weddings were legalised in Britain. After the ceremony, the couple have posted a number of pictures including one suggesting the marriage is now official. Around 50 guests, including David and Victoria Beckham, Elizabeth Hurley, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have been invited to celebrate with the couple that took place at their Windsor home.

Case on hand: The lost Balikbayan boxes of Mrs. Romelisa Gacutan of Ilocos Sur, Philippines have been delivered today. Sadly, boxes for Tarlac destination are still undelivered. Broker Frank Santos told me that they were already on the way but clients didn’t get anything as of this writing.

Mrs. Grace Botor-Stanley of Mississauga, Toronto, Canada is asking help from our program to find her sister Myra Botor she hasn’t seen or talk with for 20 years. Myra have been last heard working as overseas contract worker in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We will do everything to find Myra for her sister Grace’s request.

Lastly, Filipina-Belgian candidate for Miss Belgium 2015 Victoria Humblet is asking our support by casting a vote in her favor through SMS MB 24 to 6665 (€1/sms). With our support, who knows, she’ll be the first Filipina-Belgian to win the title.          +++END+++

About The Author

Arlene Andes

Public & Press Relations Officer / Journalist / Radio & TV Personality Belgium