EU drops plans to make toasters more energy

efficient over 'intrusion' fears

Proposal to cut emissions controversially omits several appliances on the grounds that
economic benefits would not be worth the negative publicity

The EU has defended its decision by saying toasters are not on the list as they
are not high in terms of energy yields. Photograph: Cultura/REX/Shutterstock
Arthur Neslen in Brussels
Tuesday 8 November 2016 16.26 GMTLast modified on Tuesday 8 November
2016 17.26 GMT

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The EU has dropped plans to force toaster-makers to improve the energy
efficiency of their products over fears of the political costs of being seen to be
intruding in peoples daily lives, it has emerged.
But while a new EU plan to cut emissions controversially emits several
appliances, the manufacturers of electric kettles, refrigerators and hand driers
will have to make their future products consume less energy.
Solar panels and building automation systems are among the six product ranges
set to benefit from the Ecodesign package, which should help Europe meet its
obligations under the Paris climate agreement.

For many voters with foreign

backgrounds, Donald Trump is a
lightning rod
Donald Trumps anti-Hispanic and anti-Muslim rhetoric may backfire as Americans
finally cast their vote in the bitterly fought presidential election race. Michael Knigge
reports from Arlington in Virginia.

Donald Trump built his entire unorthodox campaign on his staunch opposition to immigration
by promising in his announcement speech bid to erect a "great wall along the US-Mexican
border in order to keep "rapists supposedly sent by Mexico out of the country. He later
repeatedly doubled down on his anti-immigrant stance by suggesting banning all Muslims from
entering the United States.
But while energizing his base, Trump's hard-line approach against immigrants of all different
stripes could cost him at the polls as Hispanics and Muslim voters may turn out in large
numbers to oppose the Republican presidential candidate.

At a polling station in Claremont Elementary School in Arlington, a city just outside of

Washington with one of the largest Hispanic populations in the state of Virginia, voters of
various foreign backgrounds expressed their discontent with Donald Trump.

No choice but Clinton

"I came only for one reason, said Johnny Maldonado, "to vote for Hillary. We don't have any
other choice. I don't like Trump. He doesn't help the Hispanic people.
His wife Maria was also planning to cast her ballot for Clinton because she said she is a woman
and her husband was a good president. "I am so glad that 90 percent of Hispanics are voting for
her.
The Maldonados have lived in the US for decades, but originally hail from Latin America as do
the Dapaixaos, another couple voting for the Democratic president candidate today. For all four
of them voting for Donald Trump was never an option as he would not only be bad for America,
but also for the world, they say.
While they are voting for the Democratic presidential candidate today, they might consider
supporting the right Republican candidate as well, said Johnny Maldonado who praised Ronald
Reagan as a great president. "I liked him, I liked his policies and how we worked with the
people.

Voters cast their ballots at a polling station in Arlington, Virginia

First-time voter mobilized by Trump

Assetkena, a Jordanian-born American woman, belongs to a voter segment that has received a
lot of media attention since Trump's rise. She is a first-time voter who has decided to cast her
ballot on this crisp and sunny fall morning in Arlington simply to try to block Trump's path to
the presidency.
She supports Hillary Clinton, she offered, but what really drives her vote today is Donald
Trump. "Not that Hillary is not awesome, Assetkena said, "but I don't want Trump to be my
president. I would vote for anyone who is against Trump.
Other voters today are more conflicted about their vote. Carroll Dexter, a 78-year-old, selfdescribed Independent from Arlington had still not decided whom to vote for even as he was
ready to enter the building to cast his ballot. "I don't have a very good choice, he said. "It's a
sad day for the country when you don't have choice.

Conflicted Independents

Neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump has convinced Dexter enough to earn their vote even
though he has read everything he can about both candidates and their positions.
"They both dislike the press, they won't be transparent and there is a trust gap, Dexter said.
"And there is a leadership question in my mind for both of them.
As a result, he added, he may not even vote for a presidential candidate at all, but instead just a
cast a vote for other political offices on the ballot today.
Another self-described Independent deeply unsatisfied with both candidates has taken a
different route to escape the dilemma of voting for either Clinton or Trump.
"I voted for Evan McMullin because I can't imagine either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton as
the president of this country, said David, a 34-year old from Arlington. His vote for McMullin,
a conservative-leaning third party candidate with little chance of becoming president, shows
just how conflicted many traditional Conservatives are in this unusual presidential election.
"I think Hillary Clinton is a scary proposition as a candidate, said David who views his vote for
McMullin as a message to the Republican Party. "I hope that Republicans find out that running
Donald Trump as a president was a bad choice. But, he added, "I still hope he wins.

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