Bizarre Science: The Misleading Mistletoe
Awarded Best Science Article
Written by Melody Chan
Edited by Mariam Jallow
As Christmas Day closes in, festive lights, glittering ornaments, and a variety of decorations fill your home. However, did you know the mistletoe hanging above your front door or by your fireplace is far from merriment — and is indeed a hemiparasite?
There are a total of 1,300 mistletoe species worldwide, originating from plant families of Loranthaceae, Misodendraceae, and Santalaceae. In the 18th and 19th centuries, druidic ideals formed the kissing tradition with the mistletoe. These ideals took inspiration from Norse Mythology, where it illustrates the disputes between gods: the mischievous Loki weaponised mistletoe to kill Balder the Beautiful, whenceforth the plant later served as a reminder of the importance of peace and prosperity. Meanwhile, its evergreen stems are a symbol of fertility, endurance, and continuance in life.
We are often blinded by the romantic customs associated with its white berries and counterparts, however, these customs actually originate from mistletoe’s bizarre breeding! By breeding on branches and depending on the life of host trees, they become one with them. This picture of persisting unity paints a romantic scene. Since mistletoes are inseparable from their hosts, some of their seeds are transported by fruit-eating birds who consume the berries and excrete seeds on other available hosts such as timber. Sometimes the berries burst and blast seeds up to 15 metres away at 50 kilometres per hour and grow on suitable grounds. The mistletoe does not die unless the host does, which makes the pair seem straight out of the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet!
Yet don’t be fooled by cupid’s arrow. Mistletoes are hemiparasites! Although they generate resources from photosynthesis, they depend largely on host vegetation to survive. During the process of breeding, they take nutrients and water out of their hosts, deforming them and lowering their life productivity to keep their leaves thriving and green during winters. Mistletoes are also poisonous– both humans and animals can get poisoned by touching the plant and consuming its berries.
A bubbling pot of joys and nightmares: a casserole of mythologies, traditions, beliefs, and science — the mistletoe is as misleading as it sounds!
The White-Washing of Dark Academia
Written by Melody Chan
Edited by Ally Fowler
Recently, the Dark Academia aesthetic has resurfaced and has become popularised in the reading lists of many. It seems the global pandemic has urged people into feeling a sense of nostalgia, driving them to romanticise and imagine a world free from COVID-19. However, Dark Academia seems to prioritise literary works that manifest non-realistic representations, often expressing idealism and white privilege. In some ways, they “implicitly [fetishize] whiteness, assimilation, and rigid gender norms”, says Amy Gentry.
The danger in consuming Dark Academia falls in its elitist forum, which features works from the literature canon including the ‘Harry Potter’ series, ‘Little Women’, and even Shakespeare. These pieces are led by white characters and often exclude people of colour. The Eurocentrism apparent in Dark Academia makes it problematic in the context of the contemporary. In this time for equality, where Black Lives Matter and Asian Hate Crimes are at the forefront of our consciousness, Dark Academia fails to compromise these changes and express diversity.
This issue is exacerbated by film castings of Dark Academia books. For example, the ‘Harry Potter’ film adaptation cast Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson as its main characters, who are all white. The only person of colour was Alfred Enoch cast as Dean Thomas, who is a side character. Perhaps Warner Brothers did not intentionally exclude people of colour but tried to cast people who fit closely with the book characters’ descriptions. However, this should not be the case, because directors can improvise and cast members based on the likeness in personality rather than race.
In one of Shakespeare’s plays that fit the Dark Academia description, ‘Hamlet’, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre cast Paapa Essiedu as Hamlet, a Black male figure to play the Danish prince. The Guardian critic, Michael Billington, wrote “Paapa Essiedu leads a predominantly black ensemble”, making the play “spiritually refreshing”. This could be the start in reforming the old Dark Academia and make it anew.
With the increase of digital usage and technological consumerism, virtual spaces provided by social media like TikTok have combated the white-washed nature of Dark Academia. By breaking conventional stereotypes, TikTok users implement the Dark Academia hashtag to pronounce individualistic representations. These digital platforms have created potential debates about the appropriation in decolonising the aesthetic and reducing its Eurocentric content.
It is also important to realise that Dark Academia lovers are able to reform Dark Academia and create new discourse around it. Summaiya, a writer and Instagram blogger believes “there is potential for Dark Academia lovers like myself to insert our own cultural contexts. That’s why it’s a great subculture; anyone can contribute.”
UN Human Rights Chief calls for a Stop to Racism
Global
Written by Melody Chan
Edited by Dolly Carter
The United Nations Human Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet has called for equality in her recent report regarding racism. By advocating human rights on the behalf people from African descent, she argued states should “stop denying – and start dismantling”. This report was based on findings across 60 countries and concluded discrimination against those of African descent was evident. The report intends to “make amends” and provide reparations for racism. It also urges for the promotion of educational and societal reform. Discussions were held between 300 experts hoping to unify voices and end the escalation of racial violence.
After George Floyd’s death last May and Chauvin’s sentence to 22.5 years of prison on 25 June, the global report wanted to echo the excessive police force in North America, Europe, and Latin America. Bachelet claimed 190 Africans deaths were “rarely held accountable” worldwide, and only 7 of them were considered “emblematic cases”, including Floyd’s case.
As the former President of Chile, Bachelet believes reparations need to be both financial and societal. States would need to show their political will in battling injustices and commit to addressing inequality. US President Joe Biden also participated in this reform and brought in an initiative which promised to meet the specific needs of different racial groups.
Treva Lindsey, a scholar for Ohio’s Black Lives Matter Movement, noted the importance of understanding the “legacy of slavery, colonialism, and other forms of global white supremacy”. However, she noted small steps often bring big results and was encouraged by this direct address to systemic racism.
Gulf of Mexico ocean Bursts Into Flames
Breaking News, Global
Written by Melody Chan
Edited by Dolly Carter
At 17:15 on Friday, Pemex reported a gas leak at a submarine pipeline in close proximity to Ku Maloob Zaap’s satellite platform, located in Campeche Sound. The company decided to extinguish the fire with nitrogen and control the leak five hours later.
Ku Maloob Zaap is one of Pemex’s largest crude production facilities, accounting for more than 40% of the company’s 1.7 million barrels of daily production. Pemex is known for its major industrial accidents, such as the Mexico City’s headquarters gas explosion that happened in 2013. There were no injuries or evacuations for the Ku Maloob Zaap’s leak, yet there are concerns about marine life after footage of the fire went viral.
The footage, captured by a local reporter Manuel Lopez San Martin, shows the fire burning 150 yards off Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. Climate advocates such as Fridays For Future suggest that the gas leak is a reminder to “leave the fossil fuels on the ground and kick [polluters out]”.
Pemex has investigated the incident and claims the turbomachinery of Ku Maloob Zaap’s production facility was affected by bad weather. The head of ASEA, Mexico’s oil safety regulator, Angel Carrizales has also responded to the incident and stated it “did not generate the spill”. However, explanations have yet to be provided for the burning ocean.
This is not the first time the Gulf has burst in flames. The 2010 BP Spill which occurred at the site leaked over 130 million gallons of oil into the ocean. 82,000 birds, 6,165 turtles, and 25,900 marine mammals were harmed from this spill. In 2015, an explosion at Pemex’s Abkatun resulted in a large number of casualties. At the time, four workers were killed, 16 injured, and over 300 were evacuated.
Russian Plane Crash Kills 28
Breaking News, News
Written by Melody Chan
Edited by Emily Kelly
A plane has crashed in the east of Russia, potentially killing everyone on board. Out of 22 passengers and 6 crew members, there are believed to be no survivors from the plane crash near the Kamchatka Peninsula. After losing connection on the journey from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to the village of Palana, local emergency and transport officials reported the disappearance of the Russian aircraft. Russia’s aviation agency later reported that the wreckage had been found 4 to 5 kilometres from the Palana airport runway.
Local officials believe the plane crashed because of poor visibility. Interfax and the Russian state media, TASS, agreed with this, pointing out that the plane was travelling through cloudy weather. The debris of the plane was located at both land and sea and a search party was sent out around the Palana airport and the Okhotsk Sea. “The area has been roughly determined within 15-25 kilometres from the airport, along the coastline,” said an emergency ministry source. A further government statement said that “The aircraft’s malfunctioning equipment or a piloting error are currently investigated as possible causes”.
From the evidence of the crash site, a seashore rock named Pyatibratka (Of Five Brothers) is also a potential cause of the crash. It is a notoriously dangerous area for landing planes, with an Antonov An-28 plane colliding with the rock in 2012, resulting in 10 casualties.
The plane, a Russian-built Antonov An-26 twin-engined turboprop, belonged to Kamchatka Aviation Enterprise and has been in service since 1982. The director of the company, Alexei Khabarov, addressed the incident and claimed the plane was technically sound. It “has a valid certificate of airworthiness. The crew has passed [the] pre-flight examination.”
The investigation is still ongoing and an aviation security analyst, Vitali Shelkovnikov, regarded the incident as inconclusive. “It’s too early to say what happened,” he said as the investigation was halted due to nightfall. The Kamchatka’s governor asserted the death toll would be confirmed on Wednesday.
Getaway: Home or Abroad
Lifestyle, Travel Writing
Written by Melody Chan
Edited by Rosa Chrystie-Lowe
Abroad
The moment of excitement when I looked down from the aircraft to the Lego-sized Hong Kong was hard to forget. Up in the wisps of clouds and pivoting above familiar landscapes, I was buzzing with anticipation. 10 months – it had been 10 months since I’d stepped foot in Hong Kong. I’d made it back home.
With Covid-19 restrictions in place, the journey was not easy. A list of necessary documents was required to get away, including a negative Covid-19 test qualification and a hotel confirmation for my quarantine in Hong Kong. When I landed, I was tested again and had to wait for my results. It was an exhausting wait, especially after a 12-hour flight, but I knew all this hassle would be worth it – I would reunite with my family and friends soon. I couldn’t wait to eat out, taste Asian cuisines, and go to theme parks. However, these rendezvouses would need to linger in my dreams for a while. After the wait, a group of blue men in protective gear transported me to Four Points by Sheraton where I stayed for the next 21 days.
The hotel assigned me a twin bedroom with a sea view. Beyond the giant glass wall separating me from the outside, the sea was limitless. Broad waves rolled out, dancing freely on the surface of the sea, and refracting glimpses of light and joy. I felt confined, though the view suggested otherwise. I didn’t have a twin to share the room with, either, so one bed always remained empty, calling out my loneliness. That loneliness was further exacerbated by being cut off from the world, only able to reach anyone through a MacBook screen. Although today’s technology has made communication possible for those in isolation, I felt undeniably distant. I was alone.
Despite this, I refused to let negativity cloud me. I spent most of my time keeping myself busy, resisting the urge to count down the days, and swore not to be miserable. From dancing, to writing, to gaming, hours went by and, slowly, weeks went by too. Now, looking back, my time in quarantine was a blur. I couldn’t pinpoint the difference between days and nights – it was as if time didn’t exist for those three weeks and I was living by my own rules.
In that little room, the vastness of my universe replaced its interiors. I invented new boundaries and reimagined time. Unfortunately, the fantasising had to stop, and I had to make it back to earth.
The day of freedom arrived sooner than expected. I was so used to being desolated that it’d numbed my senses. I’d forgotten what true freedom was. I’d been so lost in my own imagination that I’d set myself free in it. When I stepped out of the room, I was scared to experience what this foreign freedom was. That step marked my transversal journey from the fantasised to the real world, where I was finally given autonomy. There were no police alerts or eyes watching my every move, no blue men forcefully sticking cotton bulbs up my nose or down my throat. I no longer needed to imagine possibilities, because now, I could make them happen.
At the entrance of the hotel, my father greeted me with a mask on. I couldn’t see his smile, but from his eyes, I could tell he was relieved I’d safely returned. We went to Dragon Inn Seafood Restaurant, where traditional Chinese food was served, because he knew I was yearning to have dim sum again. We ordered my favourite steamed vermicelli roll, dressed deliciously in soy sauce, stuffed with spring onion and Chinese barbeque pork. Then he poured two cups of tea and said, “A toast for you being back safe and sound.” The edges of our china cups clanged together with a crisp clink. Cheers to this perfect abroad getaway – two months at home.
China Upholds The Death Sentence For Robert Lloyd Schellenberg
Breaking News, Global, Main Stories
Written by Melody Chan
Edited by Emily Kelly
On Tuesday, the Liaoning High People’s Court decided to uphold the death sentence handed down to Canadian smuggler Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, refusing to fulfil his appeal. The court described how “the first trial was clear, the evidence was true and sufficient.”
Schellenberg’s death sentence was first issued in 2019 after he smuggled over 222 kilograms of methamphetamine from the Chinese port, Dalian, to Australia in 2014. The prosecution states Schellenberg and his accomplice brought tools to help repackage the drugs before they got shipped in containers. Schellenberg fled Dalian and was arrested in Southern China on 1 December 2014. In March 2016, he was first tried and later convicted in November 2018. Schellenberg was sentenced to 15 years in prison, however, in December 2018, new evidence proved his prime role in the smuggling. This resulted in a death sentence for him.
The Chinese court emphasized that “the conviction was accurate [and] the sentence was appropriate.” Despite this, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs stated Canada “strongly condemns” the court’s behaviour and believed the sentence to be “arbitrary.” The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, also criticised the court’s ruling back in 2019, claiming the situation was “of extreme concern.”
Schellenberg’s sentence is believed to be a demonstration of the diplomatic rift between Ottawa and Beijing. The Canadian ambassador, Dominic Barton, has “expressed [Canada’s] strong opposition to this cruel and inhumane punishment to China repeatedly” but to no avail. The political tension continues to rise following the arrest of Meng Wanzhou in Canada in December 2018. Wanzhou was a top executive of Chinese telecoms and was put on a US warrant. China arrested two Canadians on spying charges in return, further deteriorating Canadian-Chinese relations.
Global Investigates: Hong Kong Under The National Security Law
Global, Global Investigates
Written by Melody Chan
Edited by Aislinn Wright
The National Security Law, passed on 30 June 2020, was issued by China to ensure Hong Kong has a legal framework for future stability. Any challenges to authority would be criminalised, such as terroristic damage to public transport, subverting the central government, and colluding with foreign forces. These crimes are punishable with a maximum sentence of lifetime imprisonment . With this new law, Beijing can establish a security office in Hong Kong and its enforcement personnel. A Beijing advisor is also appointed to enforce laws in Hong Kong, and Beijing has the power to interpret them.
Ever since the National Security Law came into effect, Hong Kong’s press media has been strictly monitored. Newspaper content seen as promoting secession or subversion would be deemed punishable. On 17 June 2021, 500 police officers entered Apple Daily’s newsroom, claiming the pro-democratic tabloid breached the National Security Law. The officers also accused the tabloid of publishing more than 30 articles calling countries to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China. Three of the tabloid’s assets worth £1.66m were frozen and the tabloid was later forced out of business on 23 June 2021. Hans Tse Tsz-Fung, a Chinese University’s master student, claims the publication is controversial. It used sensational headlines that often dramatised reporting. Apple Daily’s “practice lies in the gray area of social and media ethics. It uses a different and controversial way to enter the public’s view.”
Apply Daily’s workers have been arrested and removed, including the founder of the newspaper, Jimmy Lai, and the managing editor and chief opinion writer, Fung Wai-Kong. The former Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) chairman, Chris Yeung, points out press freedom in Hong Kong is now in “free fall”. HKJA’s chairman, Ronson Chan, agrees with Yeung’s statement about the bleakness of Hong Kong’s journalism. Chan, who was once a deputy assignment editor for Stand News, an online news service, claims articles are being deleted to avoid arrests. The political tension around the law and media is escalating, affecting ways of reporting by Hong Kong journalists.
The European Union responded to the closing of Apple Daily, stating it “clearly shows how the national security law imposed by Beijing is being used to stifle freedom of the press and the free expression of opinions.” Sharron Fast, a lecturer from the University of Hong Kong, also responds to the closure as a threat to freedom of speech. She states, “when the result of your writing can lead to lifetime imprisonment – you are being censored. Apple will not be the last – just the latest.”
“Every journalist in Hong Kong now has a metaphorical gun pointed at their heads.”
This metaphorical gun not only points to journalists but also Hong Kong dissidents. The Guardian records “more than 10,000 people have been arrested in relation to the protests, and at least 128, including journalists and politicians, in relation to new national security offences.” With fears of arrest and lack of freedom, pro-democrat activists scramble to leave. In 2020, the UK has offered Hong Kong residents who hold British National Overseas passports to enter Britain. They can also gain citizenship after six years of work or study. The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, stated the security law has “violated Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy and threatens the freedoms and rights protected by the joint declaration” made in 1985.
On 12 June 2021, Hong Kongers who work or fled to the UK united to protest in London. They marched from Marble Arch to Trafalgar Square, waving opinionated slogans that would have violated the security law at home. Members of Parliament, Iain Duncan Smith and Stephen Kinnock, spoke for the protest, showing their support to the “Global Campaign for Hong Kong” and standing with the protestors.
However, dissidents who did not leave Hong Kong were put on trial. Recently Leon Tong Ying Kit was found guilty of terrorism and secession. Last July, he drove his motorcycle through a group of policemen and injured three of them. He was also detained for waving a flag that read “liberate Hong Kong; revolution of our times.” The judge claimed Tong had picked 1 July to perform this crime, which is the anniversary date of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty. This shows he was bearing secessionist motives and deliberately challenged the security law. Tong has since been sentenced to nine years imprisonment.
On 2 July 2021, the UN Rights Official and special rapporteur, Clement Voule, requested a fact-check on Hong Kong. From censored journalist articles to arrests of dissidents, Voule inquired about the local press freedom, believing the rights to freedom need to be safeguarded. He raised concerns about the security law, which was used to arrest activists with “flags or signs or symbols related to the pro-independence movements.”
Voule expressed “the only way to move forward is for the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities to let us [visit Hong Kong]” to assess the impact of the law on Hong Kong a year after its implementation. The UN Human Rights Chief, Michelle Bachelet, also stated the law on Hong Kong had a “chilling impact” on democratic space and the journalism media industry. Yet, a senior Beijing diplomat responded to Voule’s request and clarified the request would not be taken into account. The diplomat also claimed the national security legislation prevents any foreign powers from stepping foot on China’s affairs.
As Beijing’s control over Hong Kong grows, social media apps and tech companies are finding their way to retreat Hong Kong’s territories. They are concerned the law would give China the authority to control media sharing, and feared semi-autonomous activities online would be deemed criminal. With over 315 million downloaders, the popular social media app Tik Tok halted its operations in Hong Kong. It banned Hong Kong’s access due to privacy concerns, fearing that the law gave China the power to oversee users’ information.
A year later, in 2021, Facebook, Twitter, and Google also threatened to quit Hong Kong after newly proposed data laws under the security law were announced. These apps believed the morals of social platforms were violated. The Asia Internet Coalition warned these data laws, targeting individuals for commiting doxing, are “severe sanctions” and do not align with global trends.
There has been a rise in doxing cases in Hong Kong since 2019. Several digital forums, such as The Telegram and LIHKG, have caused personal information to be leaked online. Those who support the Hong Kong government have doxed masked protestors, meanwhile, protestors doxed policemen and their families. These actions can target specific people and invade their privacy. Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, said the proposed data laws would target only illegal doxing, saying “the privacy commissioner is empowered to take action and carry out investigation – that’s it.” According to the Hong Kong Free Press, approximately 1,000 cases were referred for criminal investigation and eight people were arrested for doxing police officers.
AIC is not against the measures taken to tackle doxing, but Hong Kong’s legislation should be “built upon principles of necessity and proportionality” without curtailing free expression. Under the National Security Law, journalistic and technological platforms face restrictions in reporting and sharing. Hong Kong dissidents voice their worries on freedom of speech and expression at Beijing’s upcoming seizure of Hong Kong. The law has been “slandered and defamed” stated Carrie Lam, but its unpopularity does not determine the effectiveness of the law – it brings prosperity and stability to the city.
Eunice Yung, a lawmaker in Hong Kong since 2016, asserted the security law has been effective in restoring the safety of Hong Kong. “It has had a deterrent effect as residents know that national security offences are serious, and the punishment will be harsh.” There would not be “meaningless filibustering”, or destroying legislative chambers, and disparaging the chief executive and senior officials. From the 2019 anti-government protests, protestors have vandalised and tampered with government facilities such as security cameras, brick roads, and metal railings. In the end, the government spent around £6 million to repair these damaged facilities, with at least 740 sets of traffic lights being repaired. To Yung, the law sustains order and lowers the chances of chaos.
Kate Lee, a single mother and owner of a Lei Yue Mun cafe is content with the law, believing it has settled political unrest from 2019. She is an activist for Hong Kong policemen and hence faced constant threats from pro-democrats. Named as a ‘traitor’, dissidents bombarded her cafe with all sorts of complaints. She also had a drop in business during the 2019 protests, when dissidents boycotted the cafe, and regular patrons refused to eat there because they were afraid they would be filmed. Now the tension is gone from the streets, she expresses her relief.
Alice Wu, an opinion writer for the South China Morning Post, proposed the Olympics as a getaway from political tension. “Can’t we rise above our political polarisation, even though we recognise the deep social wounds left by our divisive politics?” This polarisation is exacerbated by Hongkongers who identify themselves as either camp blue (pro-government) or yellow (pro-democracy). Rather than doing so, “we could begin by realising how twisted and defeatist it is to get so worked up over the colour of a shirt or even a surgical mask.” Wu encourages Hongkongers to unite and not let colours draw lines between them.
U.S. Agencies Prepare to Offer Booster Shots
Breaking News, Global, Main Stories
Written by Melody Chan
Edited by Emily Kelly
From the week beginning 20th September 2021, all eligible Americans will be offered booster shots of the Coronavirus vaccine to combat the Delta variant. Those who have taken the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines eight months ago are deemed eligible to take the shot. With fears of increasing Covid-19 cases and declining immunity, booster shots are believed to be the solution, with President Joe Biden saying these shots “will increase your protection from Covid-19” in a White House Covid press briefing on Wednesday.
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy also expressed a positive attitude towards booster shots, explaining that offering them at the “eight-month mark would be the prudent thing to do to stay ahead of this virus.” Numbers have shown that protection has dropped to 64% for vaccines, compared to its effectiveness of 92% before the Delta variant. Other supporting data from Israel demonstrates a reduction in vaccine effectiveness against the ill aged 65 or older, even if they were fully vaccinated in January.
However, booster shots have provoked skepticism and people are criticizing the need for these add-ons. Health advocates argued the President should focus on rolling out vaccines for countries that are facing shortages, rather than promoting the use of booster shots. The director of the WHO’s Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law, Lawrence Gostin, calls the U.S. booster shot plan “a slap in the face” to the world-renowned health agency. The WHO’s chief scientist, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan also condemns the President and claims “the data to date does not indicate that boosters are needed.” However, Press Secretary Jen Psaki responds to criticism and says the U.S. will “do both”, echoing the President’s statement on his will to “take care of America and help the world at the same time.”
Booster shots appear to be safe since no recipients developed severe adverse effects or side effects from it. After these shots are approved, healthcare providers and the elderly will be encouraged to take extra ones in December. More vaccination records and data from around the world may be required to prioritize and determine which groups of people could need to take the booster.
Getaway Abroad to Hong Kong
Travel & Lifestyle
Three months ago, I landed home. However, I spent almost one month in quarantine. After multiple hurdles at border control and regular health checkups to bypass, I realised freedom was a luxury.
This freedom cost me a great amount. From expensive Covid-19 testing services in the United Kingdom to my 21-day hotel fees in Hong Kong, this getaway was indeed lavish. After buying my freedom, I was determined to make this trip worth millions. I scheduled meetings with family and friends, racing against time and making the most of it. I was fixated on creating memories, memories with a price that could never satisfy.
These memories were fruitful pieces of my summer holiday, assembling the perfect getaway I’d wished for. As I reflected upon them, they scattered in my mind like golden butterflies. Some fluttered and shone brighter than others, while some sat at the depths of my brain and were overshadowed by the beam. The blazing ones brought me to moments of light which I shared with my family.
We toured Hong Kong and discovered food places we had never been to. These places were like hidden gems waiting to be picked up. The first gem we found was the Nam Dae Mun Seafood Restaurant. Located close to the seashore, the restaurant was accompanied by the best view. Next to breaking waves and the sunset beckoning us, we enjoyed our hotpot dinner. The sunlight swept gently across the sashimi at the table, embracing us with warmth. This warmth from the orange and blue gradient colours in the sky complemented the warmth of the gas stove and the bubbling broth at the pot. This same warmth swelled at my heart, showering and filling it with immense delight. Just like the old times, my family and I shared stories. We laughed at an occasional joke and talked about interesting figures at the table. It was as if I’d never left home.
In a blink of an eye, the last few days of this getaway closed in and more memories were awakened. There had been happy and sad days, but nonetheless, they were priceless memories I would cherish for the longest time. As Søren Kierkegaard has said, “life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards”. The bittersweet recalling of this getaway calls me to live in the present and treasure the limited time I have at home.
Rare Embryo Laid By a Dinosaur Age Turtle
Science
The embryo egg was first found by a Chinese farmer at a riverside in the Henan province of China. It had a 0.07-inch shell and was almost the size of a tennis ball. Most fossil eggs are not identifiable to a specific species, however, this egg was different. “This is actually the first time that [fossil] turtle eggs or a nest really could be attributed to a particular turtle,” stated Darla Zelenitsky, an Associate Professor of Paleontology at the University of Calgary. The egg was ascribed to the Nanhsiungchelyid turtle which existed during the late Cretaceous period.
The egg was a “really cool specimen” according to Daniel Lawver, a researcher at Stony Brook University’s School of Medicine. Unlike other turtle fossil eggs with thin casings, this egg had a thick and water-retaining shell and was therefore hardened enough to fossilise. Paleontologist Jordan Mallon, from the Canadian Museum of Nature, believed this evidence concluded the Nanhsiungchelyid turtle was land-dwelling.
This was further supported by a study in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, titled “A Large and Unusually Thick-shelled Turtle Egg with Embryonic Remains from the Upper Cretaceous of China”. Here, the species was classified as terrestrial. The egg also helped trace the history of a dinosaur age species and pinpointed the number of eggs Nanhsiungchelyid female turtles normally laid (about 15 to 30). Additionally, further research into the embryo fossil found the prehistoric turtles were most likely 1.6 metres long in order to lay eggs－ almost the size of a human! They also lived in arid areas but laid eggs in moist soil.
A micro-CT scan conducted on the embryo showed it to be 85% developed, having tried to hatch, but unfortunately failed. However, the additional information obtained from this rare find has advanced science to the next level and unravelled more discoveries about the dinosaur age.
Rabbits Mistreated At Fur And Meat Company, According To Report.
Breaking News
TW: animal cruelty
A leading meat and fur company has been reportedly selling rabbit products, including at four sites in Lincolnshire, Leicestershire [omitted comma] and Derbyshire. These include cushions, body warmers and handbags made from rabbit fur, sold at a price up to £600. Meanwhile, a rabbit carcass was traded to restaurants.
T&S Rabbits, a fur and meat company in the UK, breeds dozens of rabbits for business. In 2003, the UK banned fur farming, however, the meat industry can still legally sell fur as a by-product.
Yet activists are concerned with how the company treats rabbits. Witnesses claim rabbits in the Nottinghamshire site suffered from severe ear and brain problems, resulting in ear mites and tilt. Pictures show white rabbits covered in urine and living in undesirable environments. The Animal and Plant Health Agency inspected the surroundings of the site and found it “non-compliant” with animal welfare laws. A burnt rabbit was also found at a bonfire.
Ayrton Cooper of Rabbit Farm Resistance UK was relieved two rabbits were “legally surrendered to us by workers.” The rabbits were brought to specialist veterinarians, with one of them staying in critical care for a week. The cost of the rescue arrived at approximately £1,800.
The company wished to expand its headquarters and skinning areas to Derbyshire, Cornwall and Buckinghamshire, claiming the rabbits were “free-range” and not mistreated. The T&S proprietor, Phil Kerry, insisted 280 rabbits in Nottinghamshire were healthy.
He claimed activists have “exaggerated and skewed” the reality of his farms. He also explained the rabbits were covered with urine because “some of the bucks had been sprayed with urine from other bucks”. By raising this with a Defra vet, Kerry suggested the spraying as a standard practice and “occurs within the wild”.
The Derby Telegraph reported the council’s decision in rejecting the company’s expansion plans, proposing they can be an “unwarranted and inherently unsustainable type of construction within the open nation-state”. A report on European wild rabbits affirmed them as “keystone species” in sustaining other species, in the context of a declining wild rabbit population.
The University of East Anglia claimed wild rabbits are classed as endangered in their native Iberian Peninsula.
North and South Korea Test Missiles
Global
On the 22nd of September, North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles into its east ocean. It was North Korea’s first time launching missiles since March. South Korea’s Joint Chief of Staff said they flew 800 km at an altitude of 60 km. This display of military assets was a response to the nuclear diplomacy between Pyongyang and Washington.
Kim Jong-un’s government has rejected the US demand to give up nuclear programs in exchange for sanction relief. The missile test aimed to leverage negotiations between the two countries, they were a “strategic weapon of great significance” as noted by the North Korean state media.
The missiles have posed threats to America, as well as neighbouring Japan and South Korea. The US decried the launch as being a violation of UN Security Council resolutions. The Japanese Prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, also condemned the launch and described it as “outrageous”. The missiles landed at Japan’s exclusive economic zone, which threatened the region’s safety and peace. Meanwhile, South Korea launched a ballistic missile from a 3,000-tonne submarine only hours after North Korea’s launch of missiles. The coincidence in the missile launchings of the two Koreas was seen as “an arms race” by Professor John Delury from Yonsei University. Yet, Moon Jae-IN’s government claimed the launch was pre-planned to exercise South Korea’s military capability in deterring North Korea.
Kim’s sister, Kim Yo-Jong, spoke about South Korea’s submarine missile, claiming it was an “illogical and foolish attitude” towards North Korea’s provocations. North Korea’s missiles were marked as a threat to the world whilst South Korea’s missile was portrayed as legitimate support for peace.
The UN Security Council resolutions banned North Korea’s ballistic missile systems. World leaders from France and Estonia held talks on North Korea’s tests. South Korea and China also addressed the missile launches and conducted discussions on denuclearisation. The Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi believes it is a global responsibility to work and sustain peace on the Korean peninsula.
Bizzare Landscapes You Would Never Believe
Travel
The pandemic has engulfed us with emotional turmoil for the past two years. However, after multiple vaccine rollouts, things have gotten better. I decided to revise the memory of visiting a bizarre underground landscape and plan my next trip to other unimaginable landscapes on earth.
My mom and I loved to travel to Europe every summer, and so five years ago, we embarked on a twelve-hour flight to Slovenia. With no particular purpose except our passion for exploring new destinations, we would stroll along shops selling traditional pottery and admire the traditional architecture. However, we did not know we would discover one of the most bizarre Adriatic Sea caves in the world.
The Postojna Cave Park is in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, and close to Predjama Castle. We were escorted to a train at the beginning of our journey in the caves. The yellow and red paint on the train sprinkled it with child-like innocence. As the train carried us forward, our existence shrunk in size. We were like dolls looking up at a big and bizarre dollhouse with droplet-shaped rocks hanging from the ceiling. Our vision was immediately captivated by the remarkable geology that existed in the caves. Those rocks are known as Murano-glass chandeliers, they were opaque and narrow at the tip, filling the top of the cave with texture and patterns, painting the cave sky with wonder.
As we stepped out of the train, the instant chillness got to me. I was so deeply immersed in looking at the rocks I did not realize the drop in temperature. I hugged onto my coat and exalted a smoke. In the underground, things are different here. Without the sun, these rocks thrived in the cold. Rocks grew up on the cave floor as the ceiling rocks melted, every melted drop of water built up a pointy rock at the bottom of our feet. They named these ceiling rocks stalactites and grounded ones’ stalagmites. As bizarre as they looked like, throughout time, some stalactites connected with the stalagmites, forming thin stripes of standing rock.
The famous stalagmite in the park, ‘Brilliant’, was iconic and required creative imagination. On the outside, it looked like a collision of two gigantic stalagmites, one taller than the other. Nothing special. But once you exercise your imagination, you would think of the impossible. I thought the ‘Brilliant’ looked like a huge vanilla ice cream in front of the leaning tower of Pisa, except that it was not leaning. How bizarre!
After this nostalgic run through of the Postojna Cave Park, I want to travel again and uncover other bizarre landscapes. Mountain Vinicunca, also known as the Rainbow Mountain in Peru, is a new spot on my travel bucket list. From a documentary aerial video of the mountain, I fell in love with the stretching of mauve and turquoise colours across the mountain’s exteriors. It is hard to believe this bizarre landscape was only discovered seven years ago, and now it has become a national treasure and a hiking destination.
By visiting the astonishing geology in Mountain Vinicunca, I can experience nature at its finest on the ground but also challenge myself in snapping a photo at an altitude of 5,200 meters. A rainbow on a mountain is a bizarre phenomenon worth capturing.
13 Games Coming to Xbox Game Pass
Gaming, Venue
Hooray Xbox Game Pass subscribers, 13 games are waiting for you to pick up and play!
The new games include 5 existing games and 8 new releases that were scheduled to launch from the 15th of September. Whether you are looking for an adventurous story or a battlefield, there is something for you.
These 13 games rolled out between the 15th of September and the 1st of October. The first on the list being Flynn: Son of Crimson, an action and fantasy-packed game that invites players to devour and discover Crimson energy. Its 2D platform game mode mirrors the next coming release of an oldie, Lost Worlds: Beyond the Page.
A variety of games became available towards the end of September such as Lemnis Gate, a first-person shooting game that requires combat strategy. Debuting on Xbox for the very first time, the Lemnis Gate game director James Anderson hopes the ‘mix [of] some strategic gameplay with something a bit more pugilistic’ will resonate with players. Moreover, another game called Astria Ascending made its debut on the 30th of September. In the fantastical world of Orcanon, you play as a hero to restore peace. The Xbox Game Pass satisfies both FPS and RPG fans alike. As exciting as it sounds, Phoenix Point wraps up the collection of releases. A thrilling title similar to XCOM, operates with new mechanics and a distinctive manual aiming system. In its futuristic and sci-fi setting, players fight against alien invasions and formulate their own tactics in battle.
Of course, saying hello to new games meant saying goodbye to old games. The previous releases on Xbox Game Pass including Drake Hollow and Ikenfell announced their exit. On the 31st of September, these games were no longer available to the pass’ subscribers. Drake Hollow initially released in August 2020, is favoured by those who enjoy survival and management games. It can take up to 25 hours to complete its 50 achievements. Likewise, Ikenfell, popular among RPG enthusiasts, requires approximately 20 hours to unlock all its achievements. A review critic, Heidi Nicholas explains the charms of the game, ‘the strength of Ikenfell’s story and characters, the wonderful music, all come together in a wash of cutesy pastels, magic, and a gentle sense of humour’.
The new additions did bring excitement for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, yet the halt on other great games was a tragic loss.
Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov Awarded The Nobel Peace Prize
Breaking News
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has announced the winners of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize: Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov.
Both journalists have “safeguarded the freedom of expression” and represent “all journalists who stand up to this ideal”. The chair of the Nobel Committee, Berit Reiss-Andersen, recognised “their courageous fight for freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia”, claiming the efforts made by Ressa and Muratov during adverse times for democracy and press freedom were notable.
The pair have produced investigative journalism which angered their country’s rulers. Ressa exposed authoritarians’ abuse of power and use of violence in the Philippines, while Muratov reported on the violation of freedom of speech in Russia in the past decades. Out of 329 candidates, Ressa and Muratov were chosen to be awarded the prize.
These journalists strive for face-based journalism. Reiss-Andersen states it is important for newspapers to be free, independent, and fact-based. This is because the press “protect against abuse of power, lies and war propaganda”, also “promote fraternity between nations, disarmament and a better world order”.
Journalist Ressa, a Filipino-American and the CEO of Rappler, has investigated “[President Rodrigo] Duterte regime’s controversial, murderous anti-drug campaign” in 2012, and unravelled the social media’s role to “spread fake news, harass opponents and manipulate public discourse”. Ressa was then convicted of cyber libel in 2020 under Philippine law, Rappler was also called a “fake news outlet” after the Duterte and drug story. Ressa spoke out about this accusation, saying her team has always been “fighting for facts”. She believes “a world without facts means a world without truth and trust.”
The professional integrity of Rappler is also demonstrated in Novaya Gazeta, the newspaper which Dmitry Muratov has been working for 24 years. Novaya Gazeta is known for defying the corruption of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin, as well as documenting the on-going conflict in Ukraine. The Nobel Committee describes the newspaper as “truly critical” and claims it to be a “national influence in Russia today”. Muratov was responsible for editing the newspaper between 1995 and 2017, he then won a CPJ international press freedom award in 2017. Like Ressa, Muratov was faced with threats and imprisonment. Yet he refuses to be suppressed, he said his team “will try to help people who are now labelled as ‘foreign agents’, who are being attacked and expelled from the country”.
The Panel: Are We Heading For Extinction? Humanity and the Climate Crisis
Science
As I walked through the hallway of limestone and pillars, I felt a sense of excitement in attending the panel: Are We Heading for Extinction? Humanity and the Climate Crisis. The panel was held on the 12th of October in the Norwich Cathedral. I refused to let my eyes drop from the illuminated interiors of the church on my way to the venue. The lights shone on the architecture and made it magnificent at night. This grandeur was carried forward into the panel space, where I sat by the structure of Dippy the dinosaur and rising cathedral walls. It was as if I was wrapped in multiple time dimensions, experiencing the merge of different historical periods- the modern Diplodocus cast of Dippy, the medieval cathedral, and contemporary me.
The panel was a space where the past and the present coexisted. I was put into a test to reconnect with history, then reflect and act upon the climate change challenge. Professor Jeff Price opened the panel by introducing the 5 previous mass extinctions and the loss of genetic diversity. He stressed the negative effects of rising temperatures, stating this would lead to a higher percentage of biodiversity loss. He urged us to live with nature and exercise stewardship.
Professor Robert J. Nicholls, a researcher on flood and erosion management, introduced the audience to another factor of climate change: rising sea levels. On average, sea levels rise by a centimetre every year and predictions suggest deep uncertainty in the future. Here, Robert reminded us of a 1953 flood in Sheerness, Thames Estuary, and expressed the need to mitigate coastal hazards.
Dr Rachel Carmenta carried on the panel by raising the importance of distinguishing between good and bad fire. As an environmental social scientist and ecologist, she specialised in the Amazon burning crisis and believed marginalised populations’ needs were as significant as stakeholders. We need to acknowledge fire can bring benefits to agricultural farming, yet some people misuse fire for profit.
On the last note, Dr Rupert Read ended the list of presentations with philosophy. He encouraged the audience to practice cathedral thinking- to think about long-term sustainability for the future’s sake. We need to act collectively and look beyond the obsessions placed on ourselves. We need to take the initiative to gaze at these challenges, face them, and be woke.
The panel provoked me to think about the intimacy between civilisation and nature. The two intertwined more than I thought they would. I believe by writing about this I can be part of the “we” who can evoke change. Writing could be a creative and didactical practice to probe climate thinking, and further, provoke questions on our inevitable future.
A Conversation with Twitch Streamer HoHoHoney
Gaming
At Autumn’s beckoning, I took a weekend off and went to London. I met up with my best friend, Honey, who I have known for six years. Together we competed in NUEL’s Women Tournaments on League of Legends in 2021, she was also the first person who got me into gaming. Honey is currently a student at King’s College London and the Designer Officer of KCL Gaming and Esports Society. She opened a twitch account (HoHoHoney) and started streaming. In the short span of only 3 months, she has reached 1.4K followers.
Under the soft light of a fine October morning, I asked when she discovered her interest in streaming.
“I have always been a big fan of streamers since I was a kid.” She looks up to Offline TV but also female streamers including Lilypichu, 39 Daph, Tokibbi, and Ploo. “It was a long-term drive, but the immediate spark was when my sister bought me streaming equipment on my birthday.”
Her silver mic sat on her desk and next to it laid her Razer laptop. She said she was getting a PC to complete the setup because it would be better for her to look at twitch chats on her laptop while she plays more graphically demanding games. Her first stream was on the 6th of July, 2021. She streams Valorant and League of Legends. It was during summer she decided to commit to twitch streaming, how does she stream and game on top of her studies now?
“It’s my first week in university,” she chuckled, “It’s been fine. But I stream on days without classes, so I treat it like a part-time job and try to find a balance between work and study. It’s nothing too difficult.”
On average she streams 3 to 4 times a week, which is a decent schedule for her to complete her weekly university work and continue her passion for streaming. She could have streamed on Youtube but she chose to stream on Twitch because she thinks it is the biggest and the most consistent platform for gamers. The platform does not discriminate against her because of her gender, and she is treated fairly among male streamers. However, she has encountered inappropriate comments from people, and she often has to time out and ban those who leave misogynistic and “simp” remarks.
“There are quite a lot of girl streamers and it’s a good thing we are getting recognition, but the level of harassment didn’t decrease just because there’s more of us.” She does not feel targeted herself, saying “lucky for me, this [people leaving uncomfortable comments] happens only once every five or six streams.”
According to a study conducted by Reach3, 59% of women in gaming hide their gender when they play games due to reasons such as gender harassment. In spite of this, Honey believes female gamers are more represented in the gaming community nowadays. “In general, there’s a big improvement in games like Valorant where they include all women teams.” The esports community are gradually accepting women into tournaments, Honey states it is a “work in progress”. There are more media casters, journalists, and writers reporting on female esports, hence helping to eliminate the stigma of women being part of the workforce.
After we talked about how female gamers are being represented in esports, I asked what her thoughts were of gaming companies representing women in games. “Women characters usually show a lot of skin, while male counterparts wear armor.” She considers this a dangerous image for young girls and women.
The gaming society needs to change, and “treat women better.”
Mass Casualty Incident At Astroworld
Breaking
8 people were killed at an Astroworld festival with more than 50,000 people attending yesterday (6th November). Over 300 people were treated at a set-up field hospital. 17 patients were transferred to nearby hospitals and 11 of them suffered from cardiac arrest. The festival was founded by Travis Scott and the 29-year-old spoke about the tragedy, saying he is “just devastated” and “could never just imagine the severity of this situation.”
Investigations are still ongoing for the death of the 8, ranging from ages 14 to 27. Judge Hidalgo believes the “plans were inadequate” at the festival, because there were unblocked exits yet the audience struggled to escape from the crowd stampede. She expressed grief about this incident, saying “When we read the ages [of the victims]…it just breaks your heart.” They went to have fun “off to a concert by a world-renowned artist” but did not go home safely.
The concert event did not stop after the stampede. The Mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner, claimed it took 40 minutes for responses to take place. The first report was 9:30pm local time. A witness to the surge, Anita Amper, described the horror when Scott went on stage: “People just went berserk. I realised that people were dying.” Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena explained how “the crowd began to compress toward the front of the stage, and people began to panic”, but the concert did not halt until 10:10pm.
Travis Scott is working with Houston Police Department, hoping “to get to the bottom” of the incident. He sent his prayers to those lost.
Latin American Countries Form A Vast Marine Protected Area
Climate, Global
Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, and Costa Rica are the four Latin American countries that decided to join and expand their reserves. They want to interconnect their respective marine protected areas to create a large MPA (Marine Protected Area), this proposed project aims to present ocean diversity in a space of 200,000 sq miles. It also follows the 30×30 campaign to protect 30% of the planet’s oceans by 2030. Max Bello, an ocean policy advisor, claims that “a new era – to provide protection to species which know no frontiers – has been born.”
By joining the existing reserves, the birth of a ‘mega-MPA’ will protect migratory turtles, whales, and sharks from foreign fishing fleets. This fishing practice has been deemed unethical and has exploited marine life. “A slaughterhouse […] going on on a massive scale in international waters and nobody is witnessing it,” said Jonathan Green, the co-founder and director of the Galapagos Whale Shark Project.
To limit illegal and under-reported fishing, Ecuador’s president, Guillermo Lasso, announced plans to expand its 133,000 sq km Galapagos marine reserve to 60,000 sq km. A day after, Ivan Duque, Colombia’s president, added 160,000 sq km of marine protected areas. President Lasso said countries ‘have called for action, not words.’
Despite Latin American countries being underdeveloped, they have continued to reduce fishing efforts. Ecuador’s environment minister, Gustavo Manrique, calls this joining force between nations “a new language of global conservation, […] connecting maritime borders […] to create a public policy.” Since 2019, Latin American countries are in the lead with MPAs, with Argentina counting 73 MPAs, Chile 25, and Uruguay 8. These MPAs amount to an MPA coverage of 23.02%.
Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, recognises Latin America’s joint efforts and names it a “bold and ambitious new initiative,” encouraging other nations to act collectively and to “do more to protect our world’s most precious resource.”
Asian Representations In Films
Film
The summer release, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has brought a Marvel frenzy around the world. With the appearance of Wong from Doctor Strange, the increasing amount of Asian representation in Marvel Studios has reformed perspectives on Hollywood.
Shang-Chi is directed by the Asian-American filmmaker, Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed The Glass Castle and Just Mercy. With the film’s East-Asian dominated cast, the film narrates an ancient tale of a Chinese warlord named Xu Wenwu, also known as the Mandarin. He inherits ten magical rings and the protagonist, Shang-Chi who is Wenwu’s son, fights against this legacy.
The dynamics of a father and son relationship is demonstrated with multiple martial arts scenes, presenting and enriching Asian culture. The hip-hop soundtrack is infused with traditional Chinese folklore, immersing the audience into a crossover realm of the Western and the Asian.
A sense of nostalgia and familiarity found its way through my experience of watching the film. This is because of the inclusion of over-dramatic special effects, which reminds me of other Asian films such as Ip Man and Stephen Chow’s series of comedies. Another familiar factor is the narrative, where the beginning of Shang-Chi is fully narrated in Mandarin. This was unexpected because Marvel Studios usually directs towards a Western audience. Shang-Chi has finally represented the Asian community and its culture, “it does well and I hope that it opens the door for the future,” said Dr Nancy Wang Yuen, the sociologist and author of Reel Inequality: Hollywood Actors and Racism.
Before Shang-Chi, other Asian films have tried to re-establish Hollywood stereotypes. Including Crazy Rich Asians, the first Hollywood story featuring an all-Asian cast and an Asian-American lead in 25 years. Based on Kevin Kwan’s comedy novel, he says the level of interest in his work was a global phenomenon, it “just speaks to the universality of the story.”
Another film is Parasite, the first foreign film to win the Best Pictures Oscar award. A notable achievement since Asian actors only made up to 1% of the Oscar nominations in 89 years. Choi Woo Shik, the Korean actor who plays Ki-woo in Parasite, hopes more foreign legends will make it to the Oscars and so “we can see more foreign-language films and Asian films.”
The upcoming Marvel film Eternals is directed by Chloe Zhao, a Chinese filmmaker with an Oscar on Nomadland. The film includes foreign cast members namely Kumail Nanjiani, a Pakistani-American actor, who is the first South Asian hero in the Marvel Series. As well as Gemma Chan, a British-Asian actress who previously starred as Astrid in Crazy Rich Asians.
The Asian inclusivity in films mirrors the need for acceptance in the world today, especially when reports on anti-Asian hate crimes skyrocketed by 70% in America in 2020. These Asian directors, actresses and actors would be representatives and role models for Asian kids to look up to. Grace Han, journalist and Asian Movie Pulse reviewer, claims Eternals would need to “[define] what exactly is ‘Asian’ and when it comes to representation who exactly [does Hollywood] want to represent.” This is because the right definition can change perspectives, forever.
Bizarre Science: Do You Need A Brain To Sleep?
Science
Human sleep is defined by polysomnography: the movement of brain activity, eye movement, and muscle tone. However, as science progresses, varied research of sleep in other species has provided new definitions. When scientists began to inquire whether we needed a brain to sleep, they started investigating sleep schedules of creatures such as Hydra vulgaris – a tubular body less than half an inch in length, without a nervous system, and brainless. Ketema Paul, a neuroscientist at the University of California Los Angeles said he “is one of those people who thought sleep was all about the brain” but with time, has considered this to be an “erroneous viewpoint.”
Carolyn Smiths, a neuroscientist at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke who has studied placozoans for more than 10 years, proposes sleep is not only for those who have brains. This notion has been exemplified via UV-light experiments on jellyfish and Hydra species. Taichi Itoh, a chronobiologist at Kyushu University, along with his colleagues observed how sensitive these species were to light, and found Hydras were less responsive in the dark, thus pointing toward their sleep states. Moreover, Michael Abrams and two other California Institute of Technology graduate students obtained sleeping activities from the Cassiopea jellyfish, claiming its motion declined from 60 pulses per minute to just 39 in the night.
Scientists have also tried to monitor the amount of contractions species perform. The rhythmic contractions indicate their rest cycles, and in 2017, the genes in the sponge Amphimedon queenslandica were navigated. They were found to be responsible for carrying out circadian rhythms which turn on and off in the duration of 24 hours. This was enough evidence for Davide Poli, a graduate student, to prove these species’ have “behaviour[s] that can be approximated to sleep.”
These research results have allowed scientists to discover profound sleeping functions, beyond letting the brain rest. Having a deeper understanding of the brain and cells controlling sleep is hoped to help people who suffer from illnesses such as insomnia, apnea and other sleeping disorders.
Man Charged With Homicide After Killing Five At Waukesha Christmas Parade
Breaking News
On the 21st of November, 39 year old Darrell E Brooks drove through Waukesha Christmas Parade with a vehicle, killing 5 and injuring 48. Daniel Thompson, police chief of Waukesha, said the suspect was charged with five counts of intentional first-degree homicide.
Whilst there were initial concerns that the incident was terror related, this was proven not to be the case. Brooks acted alone when he ‘intentionally drove his maroon SUV through barricades’ and into a marching band, groups of ‘Dancing Grannies’ and girls at 4:39 pm local time. Shots were fired by an officer in an attempt to stop the vehicle from crashing into the Parade crowds.
Thompson announced deaths of individuals ranging from ages 52 to 82. 18 children were treated at Children’s Wisconsin located in Milwaukee. These children range from ages three to 16. Dr. Amy Drendel said most of them experienced head and facial injuries, as well as broken bones. Ten children remained in intensive care.
Waukesha eyewitnesses spoke about the incident, including Angelito Tenorio, a candidate for Wisconsin state treasurer. He described the scene, saying ‘people [were] running away […], leaving their belongings behind, looking for their kids, families, friends.’ Thomas Kluka, an annual visitor to the Parade also shared his experience of the incident, saying the SUV was within 2 feet of him when he brought his daughter out of its path. ‘I could’ve touched [it] going by.’ Corey Montiho, a Waukesha school board member, described Brooks as being ‘calm and composed’. ‘There were poms-poms and shoes and spilled hot chocolate everywhere,’ and he ‘saw bodies and kids and dads not breathing.’
President Joe Biden sent his condolences to those affected by the incident. Waukesha gathered to ‘celebrate the season of hope and togetherness and Thanksgiving,’ yet ‘this morning […] five families in Waukesha are facing fresh grief of a life without a loved one.’ Tony Evers, the Government of Wisconsin ordered flags to be at half-mast in respect of the lost ones. Shawn Reilly, Mayor of Waukesha, grieved at the incident and proposed a community fund to set up. Waukesha residents attended a candle-lit vigil on the 22nd of November, paying tribute and remembering the victims.
Brooks has a record of 16 crimes before 1999, including obstructing an officer and bail jumping. Thompson also claimed Brooks was involved in a domestic trauma before the Parade incident.
Norwegian Journalists Reporting On World Cup Workers Arrested in Qatar
Global
Two Norwegian Journalists, Halvor Ekeland and Lokman Ghorbani, were held in custody for 32 hours and arrested after reporting on the 2021 Fifa World Cup. They were released on 23 November and arrived in Norway the following day. The Government Communications Office of the State of Qatar said the pair trespassed “on private property and [filmed] without a permit.” However, Thor Gjermund Eriksen, the director-general of Norwegian Broadcasting Co., condemned the temporary detainment of the journalists stating, “It threatens free and independent journalism and creates a serious chilling effect for all journalists visiting Qatar.”
Qatar’s government communications office claimed the journalists were given access to filming but these freedoms should not override the Qatari law. This detainment stretched to diplomatic issues, when Norwegian Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Stoere, asserted “a free press is crucial to a functioning democracy.” Anniken Huitkeldt agreed with Stoere, emphasising the violation of the freedom of expression threatens the fulfillment of human rights.
Ekeland, the Sports journalist, and Ghorbani, the cameraman, both covered information on migrant working conditions at the Fifa Cup. They were not the first journalists arrested for reporting on migrant workers. In 2015, the BBC’s Middle East business correspondent Mark Lobel was labelled a trespasser when he conducted a report on Qatar labourers’ conditions. Despite his team “engaged in a perfectly proper piece of journalism,” an explanation was required and their equipment confiscated. Damian Collins, the Member of Parliament stated “[it’s] not acceptable for people to turn a blind eye. FIFA has blood on its hands, as do these sponsors, for as long as they turn a blind eye to what’s going on there.”
In a Sportsrevyen news broadcast, Ekeland said his encounter with the workers struck him the most. “When I asked them for an interview, you see the fear in their eyes.” The pair were also due to interview Abdullah Ibhais, a former worker at the Fifa World Cup who criticised the migrant working conditions in Qatar. But Ibhais was arrested before the interview with charges of bribery and corruption.
50 of Qatar’s workers died in 2020, according to a report from the International Labour Organisation. There has been criticism around the inadequate investigation of workplace deaths, yet Qatar’s Ministry of Labor responded to the claim and said the statistics of migrant fatalities were “wildly misleading.” An article written by Håvard Melnæs published at Josimar, a sports magazine, illustrates the trial of Abdullah Ibhais and his conviction in favor of protecting Qatar’s reputation.
Women Tennis Association Suspends Tournaments In China
Breaking News
The sexual assault scandal involving a former world doubles number one tennis player, has led to WTA’s decision to suspend tournaments taking place in Hong Kong and mainland China. After Peng Shuai’s allegations were directed towards China vice-premier Zhang Gaoli and his involvement in the scandal, her disappearance caused widespread concerns over her safety. The CEO of WTA, Steve Simon, stated China did not ‘[address] this very serious issue in any credible way,’ expressing ‘serious doubts that she is free, safe and not subject to censorship, coercion and intimidation.’ He added his hope the suspension of tournaments would not be influenced by money or politics.
WTA is concerned with authorial oppression and safe spaces for women tennis players. Simon said he would not allow ‘powerful people [to] suppress the voices of women and sweep allegations of sexual assault under the rug,’ because that would cause a setback on what the ‘WTA was founded – equality for women.’
The allegations come after Peng attended the opening ceremony of a Beijing tennis match on November 21st. Media evidence from the editor of Global Times, Hu Xijin, appeared to show 35 year old eating dinner with her coach and friends. However, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office claimed this was not verifiable evidence, and was still ‘extremely concerned’ about Peng. The International Olympic Committee will video call Peng on the 8th of December and meet her in person in January to follow up the case.
Former Conservative Party leader, Sir Iain Ducan Smith, suggested the UK ought to boycott the Winter Olympics in order to show how China’s human rights abuses are unacceptable. The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, responded by considering a diplomatic boycott next year.
Fellow tennis players including Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, and Novak Djokovic, spoke up for Peng. Federer ‘[hopes] she is safe’, and believes the ‘tennis family sticks together,’ while Djokovic believes the ‘community needs to back her up and her family.’
Country Spotlight: Japan
Travel
Japan is a vibrant country that encapsulates the hustle and bustle, a futuristic getaway of shimmering skyscrapers and neon lights, yet you would be surprised at the rich history the place holds.
If you are looking for a modern experience of Japan, the Tokyo Skytree is where you want to head to. At 2,080 feet in height, the tower is the tallest in the world! It is one of the main tourist attractions in Tokyo and is a notable sightseeing destination. An appalling spot where you overlook a sea of buildings, intersections, and mini men. There are transparent floors where you are able to experience the fright of height. I remember looking between my shoes and finding a fog of whiteness beneath. It was a daring experience but it was a challenge worth taking up.
The Nezu Shrine, a hidden gem in the city, is located in Shitamachi, an underrated Tokyo town that explores the nostalgic aspects of the city. Similar to Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Shrine, the Nezu Shrine stands majestically in the woods, overgrowing trees hug its body, and distinct shades of green are met with its red pillars painted in golden calligraphy. Located next to a picturesque hillside, the architecture transposes you into a realm of tradition and away from the modern. When I was there, I thought the concrete and nature seemed to merge into a single entity. There was nothing abnormal about it, it was as if the urban was speaking with the rural, and the dialogue echoed between the gray, red, gold, and green.
Beyond the casting shadow of the shrine, torii gates shine through in vermilion hues. These gates were built one after another, forming a domino deck that stretches in endless bright red and orange. Each gate is decorated with ink letters, marking sacred symbols and religious significance. Once you step into these gates, each torii complements and connects another, and its beautiful historical structure embraces your existence. The contemporary Tokyo Skytree and the ancient shrines are symbols of Japanese cultural development. Japan is more than a place of modernity ⸺ it is a place of history and time, only if you really look for it.