Majlis Winter Edition 2019-2020

MAJLIS WINTER EDITION 2019-2020

Poetry Evening

of the Walt Disney Company

CONTENTS Internal Battle of the Bands

pg. 4-5

A New Age of Excellence Dawns

pg. 6

The Doha College Support System

pg. 7

How We Can Help the Eco Commitee

pg. 8-9

Poetry Evening

pg. 10-11

External Mankind’s Deadline for Climate Change

pg. 12-13

Cloning: Right or Wrong?

pg. 14-15

Venezuela Crisis

pg. 16-17

History of Kashmir

pg. 18-19

Greta Thunderberg

pg. 20

Sport The Rise of Netball

pg. 21

Arts and Features Naomi Scott: Our Princess Jasmine

pg. 22

Was ‘IT’ Worth the Wait?

pg. 23

Yusra’s ‘Must Listen’ to Albums of 2019

pg. 24-25

Maggie’s Top 9 ‘Must Watch’ YouTubers of 2019

pg. 26-27

The Life of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson

pg. 28

The Development of the Walt Disney Company

pg. 29

Top Ten TV Shows of 2019

pg. 30-31

Xbox Vs. PS4

pg. 32-33

At the start of this school year, I decided to help the young writers of this magazine by urging them to write on only three topics: what they know, what they want to know and what needs to be known. This advice is based on the importance of student voice in our school, an aspect of our academic lives that I have tried to grow in every extracurricular endeavor I have undertaken from Year 7 to Year 13: my final year here. Our voice as students doesn’t only serve to build upon the education we gain at Doha College, it allows us to find our own passions and create our own responsibilities to the world. It urges self-reflection, even before we start the process of writing, and a sense of self-assurance upon the completion of this process.

I would love it if all of the articles in the magazine were read by every student of the school, every teacher of the school, and everyone that the topic is relevant or addressed to. But that’s not the reality. However, while our voice is important in its impact on those around us, it is just as significant in our own understanding and improvement of ourselves. After all, every great piece of writing is created from a writer who was motivated by the process of writing being therapeutic and beneficial to themselves first and foremost. As we journey through the 40th anniversary year of Doha College, we must recognise this expression of the student body within this school as the true essence of the ‘excellence from all’ we hope to achieve.

While we mourn the loss of a cherished member of our community – Lenny Heidel - we must remember to truly appreciate our own lives and their possibilities, and remember to treasure the loved ones around us. I cannot stress how vital it is to reflect in times like this, to express ourselves honestly and vulnerably through our written and spoken word. I urge every reader and every writer to do so, whether it be in this magazine, on a piece of scrap paper, or in a text to a trusted friend. While the value of art and artistic expression is often hugely underappreciated, it remains the greatest cure to the troubles of our mind.

That is why I am proud of all the writers within this issue, thankful to all designers of this issue and grateful to all readers of any article contained within this issue’s pages. There is nothing within my academic life spanning the past six years at Doha College that has given me greater pleasure than enabling such an outlet of passion and expression for the students of this school.

Amin Arabo Head Editor of Majlis

Doha College batt W

hispers filled with excitement and restlessness, cheers filled with joy and passion, claps synchronised with the contestants performing all emphasised the unity of our community through music. This year, the nine bands that performed at our annual Battle of the Bands brought talent, entertainment and excitement to the Doha College music scene.

From Sia to Jimmy Hendricks’ classics, this magical afternoon united us more than ever.

Immediately after the school day ended, a pink crowd was ready to begin the weekend with one of Doha College’s most anticipated annual events. The Year 7 duo The Tridents opened the competition with a classic - Titanium by Sia - with their awesome combined talent leading Mr Henley to comment that it was “a great start to the event” and that it was “impressive” for this duo to be so fearless and perform first, though it was obvious that with their

“really beautiful” performance, it was effortless. “Wow, wow, wow,” was all Mrs. Rodgers could respond with!

The Year 8 duo up next, The Hendrix Mix, shocked the audience with their performance with the bass guitarist and drummer significantly demonstrating unity through music as they played flawlessly together. With audience members’ jaws dropping simultaneously as soon as the beat dropped, it was beautiful to witness. As the drummer sang a Jimi Hendrix classic, the performance truly raised the audience’s anticipation levels for what was to come.

Next, the band ‘New Puffle’, with five members, took to the stage.

Their aura immediately impacted the audience, letting them know what the group’s main goal was: to have fun. Their infectious energy infiltrated the rest of the room and we began clapping along to the catchy tune. Ms. Williams

commented on the “lovely energy in the group” while the awestruck Mr Henley said, “Your band started with a text message; we would send you a firefly message to keep it up!”

The Year 8 band, iKing, came third in the competition, and here’s why: the first words to leave the singer’s mouth were “ Hola Amigos” and it was refreshing to witness such confident interaction with the audience, which kept the audience participation high.

With their amazing musicianship and vocals at such a young age, it was extraordinary to enjoy.

Their choice of their song really produced an aura of nostalgia amongst the crowd, as we gently swayed along to the song.

Up next, the Year 10 band, Area 52, performed this year’s pop hit ‘Sucker’ by the Jonas Brothers.

With seven members of the band, including two singers, the judges loved the members’ “stage presence” throughout the

tle of the bands

performance, as they jumped, leaped and sprinted to the judging panel and back. The manipulation of the song with the trumpet was an innovative touch, allowing them to successfully make the song their own.

The other Year 10 band, Public Inconvenience, performed ‘The Neighborhood’ by Sweater Weather: a true classic that resonated through the audience.

With such a nostalgic tune, the crowd happily sang along, bringing together a diverse group of people with one song that was common amongst all of us. However, as they made their way to the stage, they were faced with some technical issues but, fortunately, the singers took this chance to communicate with the audience, keeping us all entertained during the small break. All of the judges believed that the group demonstrated “excellent musicianship” and presented “unity as a group”: a key factor to be assessed on.

Later on, the five piece Year 11 band, Collabor8, kicked off literally - to a great start. They presented power through their hair flicks and leg kicks, and also danced along to the song while performing: if that isn’t talent, I don’t know what is! With such high energy levels, the audience was moved to stand up and cheer, making “our hearts sing,” as Ms. Williams said. “Every single member is a showman,” and the group created “absolutely amazing percussion”. The group truly earned their position of second place.

However, the Year 13 band, Puffle, deserved their number one spot with their “legendary” performance of the Arctic Monkey’s ‘Brainstorm’. With their hair flicks and their breathtaking talent, they shook the crowd once more. A nice touch added to the performance was the two crew members acting out drinking tea, contrasting with the powerful song.

Overall, this was one of the best afternoons of the school year so far, bringing the spirit of competition and fun to us all.

The entry money truly was well spent (and it goes to chairty), and all audience members left the auditorium laughing and excitedly commenting on the different performances. It was inspiring to witness the members of the different bands congratulating and complimenting each other, embodying their integrity as musicians.

Words By: Yafiah Ali

A NEW AGE OF EXCELLENCE DAWNS The end of the Al Waab campus, the educational ‘home’ for many of us, has almost arrived. Will it be missed? Yes. Will we be sad to walk out of its doors for the final time. Of course. Will it be better in the new Al Wajba campus? Oh yes! September 2020 should be clearly marked in all of our calendars; don’t come back to Al Waab next year or you’ll be greeted with the Al Bustan bridge - a part of the Qatar expressway programme!

The nearly completed Al Wajba campus is a common topic of discussion... and rightfully so. With 90,000m2 of 63 primary rooms, 89 secondary rooms, functioning air conditioning, indoor netball courts, covered pools and toilets - the new campus is most definitely the upgrade we need! Doha College’s exceptional academic results, high standard of teaching and learning, and excellent support systems has caused a demand for places that our current campus can no longer accommodate.

Our 40 year old campus can’t contain us anymore.

Even with the West Bay primary campus, it is time for our school community to

comfortably expand and grow to accommodate well over 2000 students. And our poor ceilings simply can’t hold the weight of our cats anymore!

However, we have many exciting aspects to look forward to. Last year’s Senior Prefect, Sakshi Mani, shared with us that there’s “double of everything”. Whether it’s the pools, basketball courts or science labs, there will be no shortage of any facility.

Qurratu Hashim, last year’s Deputy Head Girl, strongly believes that you will be “able to culture your academic and extracurricular passions” through the spacious sports halls, multiple science laboratories and a larger library. But, most importantly, we will have what every student actually desires the most - more indoor eating areas!

Nevertheless, a large segment of our childhood in Al Waab will remain in our memories: the library courtyard during break times, the water fans cooling us down in fifty degrees celsius heat while our ipads overheat in our bags, the annual pink day bake sale rush in the foyer - we’ll never experience these things in the same way anymore.

However, Doha College is an ever expanding school and this new campus is exactly what is needed to allow us to provide our own brand of education and support to even more hard working students within Qatar. Al Wajba will be the perfect fresh start for our current students as well as for the new ones joining us; with your and their help, we can retain our reputation for providing a world-class education, in a world-class campus to match.

Doha College’s outstanding grades will now be reflected by the futuristic campus. Last Words By: Yafiah Ali and Safa year’s best (I)GCSE results Siddique ever achieved were attained just in time for the upgrade, with future generations of students better prepared to maintain this record with access to numerous reading rooms to work in, a new common room to relax in, and a larger library to study in.

The Doha College Support System Since 1980, Doha College has been a leading school in Qatar and throughout its lifetime, it has provided many students with a high standard of education, consistently leading to high grades and academic success.

Although this is a fantastic achievement for the school, it can also lead to pressure and levels of stress that can be harmful for the mental wellbeing of students. To help with these issues, the school provides many services and programs to maintain a high academic standard, while also looking after the wellbeing of its students.

Throughout the year, the most important thing to focus on is your own mental health.

Despite the pressure of grades and upcoming tests or exams, it is important to remember that having a healthy mindset is the key to living a happy life.

Your form tutors, Heads of Year and Heads of Key Stage are all there to provide you with support and guidance for issues and concerns that you may have. Some year groups (such as Year 7s) even have buddy systems, where you are paired up with an older student who can act as a shoulder to lean on when needed. In addition, Doha College provides a counselling

service where you can talk to a qualified school counsellor, Lucy Charvonia, about any issues happening in or outside of school, providing a key way to let out emotions such as stress or anxiety. To obtain these sessions, students in KS3 will need parental consent before going to her room to book an appointment. The same applies for students in Year 10 and above, but they are able to request a session without the consent of their families.

Your mental health is the most important thing for you to look after, and once you’re sure it is the best it can be, it’s smart to take the opportunity to enrol in some programs that’ll help your schoolwork. The language and

maths mentoring programs are services that you can sign up to in which older students will give you guidance and support with aspects of the subject you are struggling with.

These programs are highly recommended for revision purposes and for when you don’t understand certain topics – just ask your maths or language teachers for more information. If you are in Year 10 or above, you can also sign up to be a tutor in these programs by talking to your teacher: it’s a great way to consolidate areas of the subject and it also looks great on personal statements for sixth form and university.

There are also services such as careers counselling, where you can discuss subject choices and university options with Claire Cecil, and the student council, where you can voice your opinions about improvements within the school.

These services were all introduced by the school for our benefit and it is hoped that they are taken full advantage of, especially during the coming term and examination season.

Words By: Sabah Imran

How we can help t

H

aving been awarded its second Green Flag, Doha College and the Eco Committee are now working hard to secure its third. We have worked incredibly hard to achieve this, both on the individual pupil scale and on the larger, overall school scale. So, what are we doing well, and what can we still improve on?

Are we focusing equally on each of the three R’s - reduce, reuse and recycle?

to students who cannot afford one.’’ Despite this, the significant reduction of paper used shows that this step was certainly one in the right direction.

primary school gates and this has helped us to ensure that the paper being recycled actually goes to the right place, and not to landfill. Every classroom now has a paper recycling box, which Another significant step has been students empty out every week to remove all of the plastic cups into the facility. Paper that is in by the water coolers, encouraging the boxes can be used in lessons everyone - students and staff - to as scrap paper, until such time bring in their own reusable water as it is collected. Although this bottles, significantly reducing our initiative is great, sometimes these plastic intake as a school. The eco boxes can be left within the classes committee are also aiming to stop for prolonged periods, meaning The sciences, Physics in particular, single use water plastic bottles being that they get full and paper is have done well with enforcing a sold in the canteens. then, potentially, thrown into the ‘paper ban’ with their teaching. This normal rubbish - this is an area means that most of the students’ The school has promoted the idea of where further improvements can work has predominantly been reusing by hosting many initiatives be made. Over the last couple of completed on iPads, reducing the for the collection of clothes, toys years, recycling bins have been amount of paper we use drastically. and books. The money made from introduced throughout the school However, many students complain these events goes towards various campus, which have given students that working on iPads can be charities and the act of reusing the opportunity to make good use tedious and hard, has many environmental benefits of their rubbish. especially without the itself, as the more we can reuse overpriced Apple these items, the more useful the We’ve also had an annual bottle cap Pencil. One items themselves become. However, collecting competition, where each student told us: “I recycling is where we really shine as of the six houses actively competed feel like it’s almost a requirement a school. to see who could collect the most to own an Apple Pencil in bottle caps over the course of a year. this school and I think Doha College now has a paper However, this was much more than that it’s inconsiderate recycling facility outside of the simply a competitive house activity,

the Eco Committee as all the plastic collected was reused to make prosthetic limbs for people in need.

Doha College is clearly a school that cares very much about the carbon footprint it leaves. We host a beach cleanup event every year, where a group of students volunteer to go down to the beach and collect trash. We have also worked to reduce the total amount of litter found around the school, with litter picking programs that have proven to be quite effective as the campus remains clean. Although this shows our passion for the community, the question remains - how can we improve? As a high-performance learning school, we should always be looking towards self regulation not just in our education, but in our environmental impact as well - i.e. what more could we improve on?

Doha College works hard to keep its environmentally

friendly status, but our use of plastic continues in the tuck shop, where plastic utensils, water bottles, salad bowls and coffee cup lids are still sold. This plastic all adds up and could, potentially, negate the amount of work we have done to reduce plastic in our school.

If we banned plastic cups, why shouldn’t we also ban plastic forks?

We could do this by charging extra for students who did not bring their own Tupperware, as that creates an incentive for students.

Or we could devise a system where you get ‘Eco Points’ if you do something sustainable. Introducing a system wherein students feel motivated to care more about the environment and the consequences of their actions could be extremely beneficial in the long run, and

could help them continue to be eco citizens outside of school life. Since we are moving to a new campus, this could be an opportunity to introduce more eco-friendly alternatives and to move forward as a community.

As Dr Sommer says, Doha College is not the building that we are learning in; Doha College is us: it’s the students and the staff. For that reason, we need to be environmentally conscious not just as a school, but fundamentally as people.

If we can continue to be environmentally conscious people, we can better the community and the learning environment that we are in. wherever that may be.

Words By: Maryam Imam and Leena Mohamed

Poetry evening

P

oetry Evening is an annual Doha College event in which students from all years in secondary take to the stage and recite poems based on the year’s theme, supported by musical and dramatic performances. On 6th November 2019, DC’s talented students did just that, beginning with a beautiful rendition of Beethoven’s first movement

by Xiantong Liu, followed by an incredibly well-rehearsed performance of ‘New Beginnings’ by a group of Year 7 students.

This year’s event was an incredibly special one, not only because of the amazing talent that was on display, but because it was the last one to be held in the Al Waab campus and so it had a very fitting theme: ‘Every Ending is A New Beginning’.

have felt as they walked onto the stage, with what always seemed like a million eyes staring straight at them and the blinding stage lights highlighting every movement they made, but in true Doha College fashion, all the performers seemed flawless, even as they used various props and body movements to convey the messages of their poems.

The Last Lesson’, it was an enjoyable evening and the audience was truly moved by an emotional and original poem written and performed

by Year 13 student Mahek Dalvi called ‘Bacteria’, which left both the performer and much of the audience holding back tears because of the pure emotion with which it was recited.

It was an entertaining night as students put on jaw-dropping performances either as groups or individuals and, this year, the spotlight wasn’t only reserved for students. Mr O’Halloran accompanied Year 11 student Hashim Kraishan in his recital of the prologue from ‘Romeo and Juliet’, and he also performed ‘Sad Joke On A Marae’ by Apirana Taylor, putting on a great show.

Doha College’s final poetry evening at its Al Waab campus was nothing short of a beautiful success. It has always been a night that showcases the amazing talent of the students in the school, and remains a platform for all members of the school’s community to come together for an enjoyable night. As we move to the Al Wajba campus, we can be sure that it will continue to get better because, after all, with every ending, there is always a new beginning.

From serious poems such as ‘Do Having been part of Poetry Evening Not Go Gentle Into That Good for the past few years, I was well Night’ to funny and light hearted aware of how the students must ones such as ‘Afternoon In School;

Words By: Comail Rizvi

Mankind ’s Deadli Chan Climate change is caused by humans.

By us. By YOU.

It occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2), other air pollutants and greenhouse gasses collect in the earth’s atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have bounced off the earth’s surface. Usually, the pollutants would pass through the atmosphere and into space, but now they actually trap heat and make the world warmer which is known as global warming which, in turn, causes climate change. The heat trapping gasses are known as

greenhouse gasses and they are the main cause of climate change.

There are several impacts of global warming on earth, some more serious than others. Glaciers are beginning to melt and, hence, shrink due to the heat, leading to the destruction of many habitats and ecosystems. In other parts of the world, droughts have a huge impact on people. In Sudan for example, droughts are a frequent hazard and cause life threatening events such as food and water shortages. Since over 80% of the 32 million of Sudan’s population lives in rural areas of the country, they depend on agriculture and livestock and are, therefore, severely negatively affected due to droughts.

Mankind’s deadline to stop global warming was actually not initially

ine for Climate nge 2020. According to scientists, we needed to cut down global emissions by nearly half by 2030.

To be able to limit warming to 1.5 degrees this century, we need to cut global emissions by a whopping 45% from 2010 levels by 2030. But if you think that’s a short amount of time to change, policy makers have now made one even sooner: 2020! “If we do not change course by 2020,” António Guterres (Secretary of the ‘United Nations) said last year, “we risk missing the point where we can avoid runaway climate change with disastrous consequences for people and all the natural systems that sustain us.”

There are already so many problems occurring that are caused by global warming, what will happen if we don’t succeed?

Well, the impacts mentioned previously would be only the beginning...

The Amazon rainforest is currently burning, and that in itself will bring about a whole new set of problems; the Amazon clears up to two billion tonnes of CO2 from the earth’s atmosphere every year and so without it, the earth will warm up even faster than it already is. If the rainfall

in the Amazon reduces, most of the rainforest will become a dry savannah which, as said before, will cause the earth to warm up even more. Carlos Nobre a senior researcher at the University of Sao Paulo, states: “A tropical forest cools the atmosphere because most of the solar energy reaching the forest is used to evapotranspire water. If you reduce the forest, more of the solar energy is used to heat up the air. So, the air is warmer, by 2-3 degrees centigrade.” This will affect Brazil as the heat will travel south and seeing how Brazil is already hot, even if it gets just two degrees higher, farmers will struggle tremendously since rain patterns are changing, which will lead to longer dry periods. However, these are definitely not the only after effects which will be seen.

There’ll be many more. But only if we don’t succeed in stopping global warming, and that is up to YOU. So, what can we do?

Even if it’s doing just a simple gesture like turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, it will definitely help. Seeing as how cars create a lot of greenhouse gasses, it would make a massive difference if you used public transport like the Metro or even car shared with friends when going places; doing this just once a week would be tremendous. Purchasing water

from a firm that recycle their bottles would also be a big help.

As a country, Qatar is helping reduce climate change in many ways: they are making energy by compressing natural gasses which reduces greenhouse gas emissions, launching solar power stations for the country’s electricity, and they have introduced the new Metro project which was created to reduce air pollutants emitted from transport.

There are several famous people now leading by example, and all we have to do is follow! Cate Blanchett (Australian Actress) has campaigned for ACF (Australian Conservation Foundation) and visited politicians and people in Queensland to raise awareness; Leonardo deCaprio has his own foundation which has funded over 200 environmental projects awarding $100 million to 132 organizations across 50 countries; David Attenborough (who I’m sure everyone has heard of) has spoken in parliament, has his own TV show to raise awareness and looks for potential solutions.There are so many more people trying to do something, to bring about change, and maybe YOU can be one of them.

If every person in the world did their bit to save the world, it really would change the world.

Words By: Zahra Sanoj

CLONING: RIGH

Origin of Cloning

born. Before these regulations were in place, you may have heard of a cloned sheep named Dolly. While you may think that she was the first-ever clone, in fact, the first cloned animal was a sea urchin back in 1885.

The idea of cloning has been around for centuries. In 1866, Gorge Mender published an article known as “Experiments in Plant Hybridization” which established the basic laws of inheritance, and the first proper genetic So what is Cloning? modification was carried out by farmers who only planted Cloning is to copy and seeds which had the best yield. recreate DNA, including creating new organisms, on a Over time, as our technology large scale, and cloned organs, has developed, clones have on a smaller scale. There are become more frequent. In two primary techniques used fact, we have even been able for cloning, the simplest of to make pig-human hybrids. which is embryo twinning However, due to regulations which is similar to the way by the government, these twins are created in nature. creations are not allowed to be This method is easier as the

cells are undifferentiated, meaning they don’t have different characteristics and are capable of becoming all of the necessary cells for the clone. The second method is known as nuclear transfer and this is the one that was used to clone Dolly the sheep. There is also another approach to cloning that could be used to overcome health problems such as when people require organ transplants. With this process, stem cells are used to grow replacement tissue or organs. Stem cells can also be used to grow neurons and help cure those who suffer from Alzheimer’s.

HT OR WRONG? Pro’s and Con’s of Cloning cloned and replaced. We could economic problems around While there are no federal laws against cloning in the US, seven states prohibit it and ten only allow it for biomedical research. In Japan, you would have to serve ten years in prison if you were caught cloning. There are, however, several pros to cloning, the biggest one of which is helping people with infertility to have children by having clones made with their DNA. Cloning could also be used to modify and create better, almost super humans.

Or people who have damaged organs can have the organs

even overcome the loss felt when a pet dies by having him/her cloned.

As with every good thing that happens though there are usually always cons and cloning is no different. When organs are cloned, there is a method in which hybrids are made to have human organs grown in. However, to harvest these organs, the hybrid animals have to be killed, which is viewed by many as immoral. Furthermore, if people resorted to cloning their loved ones, the world population would skyrocket causing many social and

the globe. The workforce could be replaced by clones or modified clones could be used to make a superhuman army but, again, morality comes into play.

All in all, I believe that although some aspects of cloning are clearly bad, there are obvious medical benefits in terms of cloning organs and tissue needed by people with serious illnesses and so because of that, rules need to be clearly established on what, how and when cloning should be allowed in the future.

Words By: Shashwat Jaguri

V

venezuela crisis

enezuela has hit a breaking point. Nine out of ten Venezuelans live in poverty. Roughly one in ten have fled the country. The crisis has spiralled out of control. It can be said to have started decades ago, but more specifically in 2013 when Nicolás Maduro was narrowly elected president of Venezuela, after the death of long-serving socialist leader Hugo Chavez, in an election marred by claims of fraud by the opposition. Little has changed in that respect, with the subsequent 2018 election besmirched by similar allegations from the two main opposition parties and declared “unfair and undemocratic” by the United States and other powers.

So how did it all begin?

Venezuela, home to the world’s largest oil reserves, is extremely reliant on its oil exports. Oil accounts for approximately 50% of Venezuela’s gross domestic product

(GDP) and 98% of Venezuela’s export earnings. The plunge in global oil prices in mid-2014, therefore, caused the economy to collapse. The Venezuelan government’s response to this was to print more money, which resulted in rapid inflation. A new cryptocurrency, the Petro, was created by the Maduro regime in 2018 to circumvent U.S. and EU sanctions and boost the economy.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), however, has predicted that Venezuela’s hyperinflation may amount to ten million per cent.

Furthermore, as turmoil broke out all over the country, Maduro further strengthened his power through political repression, censorship, and electoral manipulation - pushing the nation toward authoritarianism. In 2017, the government announced an indefinite ban on all protests, imprisoned political opposers, and declared the opposition-led National Assembly illegitimate -

replacing it with the creation of a new legislature - the Constituent National Assembly (CNA), where all seats are currently held by proMaduro parties. As Maduro does not possess the Constitutional power to wholly disband the National Assembly, both houses have operated alongside each other since 2017, with the CNA granted the power to overrule legislation passed by the National Assembly.

The economic collapse of the country has resulted in an increase in poverty across Venezuela and a significant reduction in social services. Venezuelans have limited access to healthcare as hospitals are unable to provide basic services exacerbated by the lack of trained medical staff - and there is a shortage of approximately 85% of all medicines. This has resulted in people becoming more vulnerable to diseases like yellow fever and malaria. According to the UN Refugee Agency and International Organization for Migration, “more than three million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2015 and this number may increase to 5.3 million by the end of 2019.” Of those who remain in Venezuela, nearly 90% live below the poverty line and more than half of families run the risk of malnutrition.

Fast-forward to 2019. Venezuela has been embroiled in a political deadlock since Jan. 23 when the newly-elected leader of the National Assembly, Juan Guaidó, said as the Head of Congress, it was

his constitutional duty “to formally assume the national executive powers as acting president,” calling Maduro a “usurper”. Minutes after this speech to hopeful crowds, US President Donald Trump recognised the 35-year-old as the country’s interim president. He has since been joined by the European Union, Canada, Colombia, Brazil and others in recognizing Guaidó as the sole head of state. However, influential allies such as China and Russia have stood with Maduro who says he has the right to run Venezuela until 2025.

Amid almost daily protests, the number of dead, detained and persecuted has drastically increased. Since anti-government demonstrations actively began on Jan. 21, at least 28 people have died, almost 1,000 people have been detained, and about 755 remain in jail, according to human rights groups, with Maduro warning that things could deteriorate if Washington and other foreign powers continue “meddling.” The crisis then somewhat shifted to the borders.

Guaidó, having coordinated the collection of hundreds of tonnes of foreign aid at the country’s borders, gave the government a deadline of Feb. 23 to allow the aid to be brought into Venezuela or vowed to have volunteers march it in themselves. Citing threats to security and sovereignty, Maduro partially closed the borders with Brazil and Colombia. On the day of the deadline, Venezuelan civilians attempted to cross to get to the aid, which included food and medicine, but found crossing points all over the country guarded by security forces leading to deadly border clashes. Just one aid truck made it through that day with reports of several others being burned - which Guaidó claimed was a violation of

the Geneva Convention. This lack of success in obtaining essential supplies, coupled with massive power cuts that have plagued Venezuela throughout the year, has further crippled the country.

Action must be taken.

So how can this political deadlock be broken?

The support of the security forces is seen as vital for Mr Maduro to maintain power. Until now, they have remained loyal to him but Mr Guaidó has made repeated appeals to them to break with Maduro (offering them amnesty if they do so), including a video he published on Twitter on 30 April in which he is seen surrounded by men in uniforms claiming that he has the support of the military and is beginning the “final phase” of his takeover of power. However,

Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino quickly responded to these claims by asserting that “all military bases remain under government control and are operating normally.”

Although there have been some talks between the opposition and the government on how to solve this crisis, after the US enforced sweeping sanctions on Venezuela in August, Maduro has refused to negotiate further with the opposition, who he accused of backing the sanctions.

While this lack of cooperation may be disheartening for the opposition, the problems in Venezuela cannot wait any longer to be rectified.

Although the next step for the opposition is uncertain, one thing is sure: the ordinary Venezuelan is bearing the brunt of this crisis and for that, something must be done.

Words By: Annika Coutinho

history of kashmir Kashmir A state in the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent, Kashmir is renowned for its food, music, art, and architecture, as well as its exceptional natural beauty and resources such as its snowy mountains, scenic valleys, scintillating deserts, alluring orchards and the beautiful lakes.

However, Kashmir has political problems too. It has been a major issue in the subcontinent’s politics, including being the subject of violent disputes between India and Pakistan, since the partition in 1947.

A major part of Kashmir, called ‘Jammu and Kashmir’, became a separate state in 1954 whereby India granted it the power to have a separate constitution, a state flag and autonomy of internal administration. This was removed on October 31 2019

when legislation came into force that downgraded the region from statehood to union territory and made all the orders of the Indian constitution applicable to the territory. Several court cases affecting the status of this region remain pending.

Will these actions help peace prevail or will violence return?

A History of the Region Going back in time, the British ruled India for a significant period before 1947. And that all began with trade. The English East India Company was established in the 1600s and ran for around 270 years, until it folded in 1873.

The company was established to take advantage of the East Indian spice trade and other items such as cotton and silk. As a vigorous organisation, during its heyday, it was responsible for much of the

British dominance in the region.

But then native peoples of the subcontinent started to notice the injustices that were served on them by imperialist Britain.

Land rights had been snatched from the itinerant tribes and they then turned to banditry and crime as they were impoverished and left with nothing. Also, land designated for temples was used for churches. As resentment grew, many native tribes started to protest. The discontent led to many deaths. In one case, a young Sepoy (an Indian soldier) called Mangal Pandey was executed for attempting to kill British officers.

Indian Independence In 1915, the renowned lawyer Mahatma Gandhi (who had Kashmiri connections), changed the independence movement. He organised people to protest against

oppressive colonial laws. In 1922, Gandhi, who was against violence of any sort, suspended the Indian ‘Non-Cooperation Movement’ because of the ‘Chauri Chaura’ incident: protestors from the Movement (who protested for self governance and full independence from Britain) clashed with police who shot at them. In retaliation, the demonstrators set fire to the police station. The incident led to the deaths of 25 people, including over 20 policemen.

were formed. With the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan, Kashmir was split as well, with a lot of the land going to India and a smaller part to Pakistan. Muslims rebelled. India repressed them.

War broke out.

Non-violent, and some violent, protests continued for years. In August 1942, Gandhi asked for the British to withdraw from India.

Immersed in World War II, despite not wanting to leave India, the British did not have the resources nor the strength to overcome the Indian request. Not all the British views were based on imperialistic tendencies though; they were also disinclined to leave India because they thought India might erupt into a war between Hindus and Muslims.

Accession and the introduction of Article 370

Finally, independence from Britain was granted in August 1947, and the Indian and Pakistani borders

A ceasefire was brokered through the UN in 1949 which included a resolution that called for a referendum to allow Kashmiris to decide on their own future. India never implemented this resolution.

The Instrument of Accession is a legal document which was signed

by Maharaja Hari Singh, the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, on 26 October 1947. The signing of this document meant that Jammu and Kashmir agreed to accede to the Dominion of India. At that time the Government of India offered to conduct a referendum to decide the future status of Kashmir.

This resulted in further disputes between India and Pakistan.

Article 370 of the Indian constitution gave special status to

the disputed territory, Kashmir, with the power of a separate constitution and significant autonomy. The Parliament needed Jammu and Kashmir’s approval for adding laws and orders into the state. This special status is what the Indian government removed on 31 October 2019.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019 was preceded that year by the annexation of Kashmir, with thousands of Indian troops deployed to the region, phones and internet shut down and politicians and public figures placed under arrest (according to The Guardian newspaper, 31 Oct 2019). International response has also been worrying as China said that India’s decision to unilaterally change its domestic laws and administrative divisions is void and illegal.

So, can peace prevail, or are we about to see violence wreak havoc once again in this area of outstanding natural beauty?

Words By: Hossein Ahmed and Moumin Laraib

Greta Thunberg Greta Thunberg was born on January 3rd 2003 in Stockholm, Sweden, where she was brought up as a member of a family which includes her parents Malena Ernman (an opera singer) and Svante Thunberg; her sister, Beata Thunberg; and her grandparents Mona Andersson and Olof Thunberg.

Greta is an environmental activist who is very big news today for attending a large number of debates and making a significant amount of high profile speeches.

Due to this, she has met some famous and influential people like Donald Trump, the president of the USA, and Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Prime Minister.

Greta first became known for her activism in August 2018 when, at the age of 15, she began spending her school days outside the Swedish parliament, calling for stronger action on global warming by carrying a sign saying (in Swedish) “School strike for climate”. Soon, other students engaged in similar protests in their own communities.

Together, they organised a school climate strike movement under the name ‘Fridays for Future’.

After Greta addressed the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference, student strikes took place every week somewhere in the world. In 2019, there were at least two coordinated multicity protests involving over one million students each.

Greta is known for her blunt, straightforward speaking manner, both in public and to political leaders and assemblies, in which she urges immediate action to

address what she describes as ‘the climate crisis’. At home, she has convinced her parents to make several lifestyle choices to reduce their own carbon footprint, including giving up air travel and not eating meat.

Greta’s sudden rise to fame has made her a leader on environmental issues. In May 2019, she was featured on the cover of Time magazine, which named her a “next generation leader” and noted that many see her as a role model. She and the school strike movement were also featured in a 30-minute Vice documentary titled ‘Make the World Greta Again’. Some of the world’s media have described her impact as the “Greta Thunberg effect”. She has been the recipient of numerous honours and awards, and has been named as one of the 100 most influential people of 2019 by Time magazine. She has also been

nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and in 2019, she addressed the UN Climate Action Summit in New York.

In response to her outspoken stance, various global politicians have also acknowledged the need to focus on climate change, showing that even though she is young, she has the power to make a difference to the future, to our future. And so do you.

Words By: Bareeah Adnan

The rise of NETball One useful tip: don’t ever compare a netball player to a basketball player; they will attack you, and so will I.

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etball is, however, closely related to that other widely-played sport known as basketball. Soon after it was invented in 1981, by a man named James Naismith in the US, a modified version of the game was developed a year later by a woman named Senda Berenson. This was due to the increased number of women playing the sport in the country and the rules were adjusted with the intention to make it more suitable for women; thus, it was called ‘women’s basketball’ for a while. After many alterations to the rules, Martina Bergman-Osterberg introduced another version of the game to her female students in 1983, at the Physical Training College in Hampstead, London. The adjustments included moving the game outdoors, playing on grass, replacing the baskets with nets and removing the backboards. Over the years, netball has become a worldwide-played sport.

Since the beginning, it has been deemed appropriate for women to play netball as the sport has

restricted movements and specific rules. Undoubtedly, netball became a popular sport in countries where it was introduced and it spread like wildfire through the school system. During the first half of the 20th century, school leagues and domestic competitions began to emerge. On the 20th of August 1938, Australia hosted New Zealand for the first ever international game of netball in Melbourne with a result of 40-11 to Australia, hence making it their victory. Today, netball has been played by more than 20 million people in 80 different countries.

restricted to certain areas of the court.

These different roles include ‘GK’ (goalkeeper), ‘GD’ (goal defence), ‘WD’ (wing defence), ‘C’ (centre), ‘WA’ (wing attack), ‘GA’ (goal attack) and ‘GS’ (goal shoot). During the game, if a player is able to get a hold of the ball, they have three seconds in total to either make the next pass to their teammates or to shoot the ball into the hoop. Netball games are generally 60 minutes long (broken down into quarters with 15 minutes in each) and whoever scores the most points by the end of that 60 minutes is victorious.

Netball, is usually played within a rectangular court with raised goal hoops at each end and the courts are always split into thirds. The aim of the game is for each team to attempt to score goals by shooting the ball into the hoop designated to their team at the start of the game. To do that, they have to pass the ball down the court to get into the ‘shooting circle’. Each team consists of seven players who each have their own specific roles and are

Fun fact: men’s netball teams do also exist. However, these are less well known or talked about as they attract less attention from both sponsors and spectators. Men’s netball started to become popular in Australia in the 1980s and soon after that, the first men’s championship was held in 1985. However, as of 2006, IFNA (International Federation of Netball Associations) only recognises women’s netball as an official sport.

Words By: Hanna Abdullah

Naomi Scott Our Princess Jasmine P

rincess Jasmine or best known as Naomi Grace Scott is an English actress and singer, born on May 6th, 1993 in Hounslow, London. Naomi is a devout Christian and takes pride in her missionary work. Her parents are Usha Joshi and Christopher Scott - both of whom are pastors at the Bridge Church in North-East London. She was educated at the Davenant Foundation School and began her singing career quite early on, where she performed regularly in school musicals and drama productions. Naomi never did go to an acting school but her passion never gave up on her.

What are some of her major acting roles?

Her first major acting role was for Disney Channel’s Life Bites. She followed onto playing Mo Bangaree in Lemonade Mouth, her first American Production. Later on, she played Kyoto in The Martian.

She also portrayed the Pink Power Ranger (Kimberly Hart), which earned her first Teen Choice Award.

Naomi’s biggest acting role was landing the role of Princess Jasmine in Aladdin. The Indian-British actress stunned everyone with her incredible voice and remarkable acting skills. She brought Princess Jasmine to life and Aladdin felt real again!

Kelle Bryan from the girl group Eternal discovered that Naomi had a voice, enabling her to work with songwriters and producers.

The Youtube channel Reload uploaded two videos featuring her, increasing her exposure in the music industry. Previously, in the 1992 animated version of Aladdin, the singing voice of Princess Jasmine was provided

by Lea Salonga and Liz Callaway.

However, Scott sings by herself as Jasmine in the 2019 version and blew everyone away.

What songs had she sung?

She sang Speechless, Whole New World and Desert Moon, which was unfortunately deleted from Aladdin: the live action remake.

Songs such as Determinate, More than a Band, Break Through and Turn Up the Music were all sung by her in her first American production, Lemonade Mouth, which produced the majority of her most famous songs.

What is she most known for?

She is best known for her role as Princess Jasmine in Aladdin.

As Aladdin was a well loved box office smash it boosted her profile significantly. Scott became an inspiration for all and she clearly shows that there is more to life than fame and marrying a prince!

How did she start her singing Words By: Ruth George career?

Her singing career started with the Bridge Church Youth Band. She also performed regularly in school productions - musicals and dramas.

Was ‘IT’ Worth the Wait ‘IT: Chapter 2’ is the 2019 American horror film and much awaited sequel to the 2017 film ‘IT’,with both films being based on the 1986 novel by Stephen King. The film was directed

by Andy Muschietti from a screenplay by Gary Dauberman, and produced by Warner Bros Pictures.

Plot summary: Just as the ending of the first film foreshadowed, the kids who escaped the villainous grasp of the evil clown Pennywise during the summer of 1989 have found themselves back in Derry, Maine, many years later, to fight him again. They’d all gone their separate ways and carved out vastly different lives, and, in introducing us to these characters as adults, Muschietti makes some gorgeous transitions from child to adult that are smooth and inventive. However, returning to their seemingly homely smalltown instantly revives their old, gruesome, relationships.

What I admired regarding the film: I really liked how the characters reunited in their small hometown, not just to spend time with each other, but to actually defeat IT. The thing that made the most impact, though it wasn’t shown in the movie, was the impression that they had kept their minds on IT, and were unable to totally forget about the events of 27 years ago as the memories all came flooding back once they returned home.

I also really enjoyed the special effects and, even though this might sound a little gruesome, I liked how Pennywise decomposed and turned into a small man (Bill Skarsgård) when defeated.

It gave me a sense of relief and reassurance that Pennywise was finally gone for good.

What I didn’t like about the film: Some of the scenes, such as the one where Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott) was screaming ‘IF I DIE, THEN I WILL DIE!’, and the one where Beverly (Jessica Chastain) was in the bathroom while blood dripped down from

the shower head, could have been better acted for more dramatic effect, but overall the actors gave very good performances.

The cast: - Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise - James McAvoy as Bill Denbrough - Jessica Chastain as Beverly Mash - Bill Hader as Richie Tozer - Isaiah Mustafa as Mike Handlon - Jay Ryan as Ben Hanscom - James Ransone as Eddie Kaspbrak Words By: Zainab Shahabuddin

Yusra’s ‘Must Listen To’ Albums of 2019 Words By: Yusra Ali

No. 6 Collaboration Project- Ed Sheeran Best track: I Don’t Care No.6 Collaborations Project is an album by Ed Sheeran, featuring many artists such as Justin Bieber, Khalid and Cardi B. Debuting at No.1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart, this album consists of 15 songs and is Ed Sheeran’s fourth studio album. The most popular song from the album, ‘I Don’t Care’ ft. Justin Bieber, was streamed 10.977 million times on its first day on Spotify. The album is an overall masterpiece: perfect.

WHEN WE FALL ASLEEP WHERE DO WE GO? Billie Eilish Best track: Bad Guy While still at the young age of 17, Billie Eilish has managed to top the charts with her debut studio album which has been referred to as pop, avant-pop, art pop and electro pop. Billie Eilish was congratulated on this album by many approving peers, due to its subject matter, songwriting and cohesion. The main message of this album is to expose and uncover the hard truths of life, death, and everything in between. Her title track, Bad Guy, topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week - a groundbreaking achievement considering her age.

Lover - Taylor Swift Best track: Me! Lover, Taylor Swift’s seventh studio album, topped the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart and sold over 450,000 copies on its first day of release. Described by Taylor Swift as a “love letter to love itself ’’, the album reflects the highs and lows of love. In contrast to Swift’s previous album, Reputation, Lover incorporates more of the cheerful, upbeat tones which many associate with the singer. One of the album’s most memorable tracks for her longtime fans was Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince. In referencing one of her older music videos, You Belong With Me, it added a touch of bitter nostalgia to the album, while creating an optimistic sense of reflection on the past.

Map of the Soul: Persona - BTS Best track: Boy With Luv The South Korean boy band BTS released their 6th EP in April 2019. The lead single, Boy With Luv, broke the record for most viewed YouTube video in 24 hours, amassing 78 million views on the day of release. The band boasted a total of 2.68 million EP copies sold within the first five days of the preorder period.

It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, making BTS the first band since The Beatles to have three number-one albums in less than a year. The album contains many different sounds, including a strong hip hop track named after the Greek god Dionysus, with noticeable inspiration from rock music. The Map of the Soul series is a new era for the band, after concluding their Love Yourself series.

7 - Lil Nas X Best track: Old Town Road Old Town Road was identified as ‘the song of the summer’ by multiple sources, due to its multiple remixes, internet popularity, and memorable sound. Many would agree that the song brought some much needed positivity to internet culture in 2019. Old Town Road reigned at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a record 19 weeks, taking the crown from Despacito by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee. The album’s upbeat aura complements the lyrics its songs. thank u, next - Ariana Grande Best track: thank u, next Released at the beginning of this year, Ariana Grande’s fifth studio album, thank u, next, became an icon in itself. With its memorable catchphrases and references to Grande’s personal life at the time of its release, the album’s sound differs from the ones before it. Whilst Grande is known for her sky-high notes and classic bops, thank u, next shows a more mature, intellectual side of the singer.

Shawn Mendes (deluxe) - Shawn Mendes Best track: In My Blood Shawn Mendes’ self-titled album contains the lead single In My Blood, which peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Significantly, the song is acoustic - a trademark of Mendes’ since the early stages of his career. The song contains lyrics about struggling with anxiety, a step Mendes took in an attempt to connect with his fans and to help the listener collect their thoughts.

The album was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. The deluxe version of the album includes two hits: If I Can’t Have You and Séniorita. On the album as a whole, Mendes’ lyrics speak of his gradual maturity into self acceptance, and of his road to becoming a man.

Maggie’s Top 9 ‘Must Watch’ YouTubers Of 2019 1: David Dobrik With over 11 million subscribers on his channel, David Dobrik is one of the most popular vloggers on YouTube. He first started making videos on Vine, but then transitioned to YouTube, starting his channel in 2016. In just three years, David Dobrik has become one of the biggest and funniest vloggers on YouTube. He films and posts videos every week starring his friends, known as the Vlog Squad, sometimes including famous celebrities like Howie Mandel and the Jenner sisters.

2: Shane Dawson YouTube personality, Shane Dawson, has accumulated more than 22 million subscribers in his more than 10 years on the platform. He is a well known writer, comedian, actor, director and musician. Shane Dawson is known for his documentary-length YouTube series exploring conspiracy theories and the lives of other famous YouTubers.

3: Dude Perfect Dude Perfect is a sports entertainment group which uploads videos to YouTube. Their members are twins Cory and Coby Cotton, Garrett Hilbert, Cody Jones, and Tyler Toney, who hold many Guinness World Records between them. Their YouTube channel has over 46 million subscribers and is the 2nd most subscribed sports channel on YouTube, as well as the 9th most subscribed channel overall. The most watched content created by Dude Perfect are videos showing various cool trick shots and stunts. The group also regularly uploads videos of ‘battles’, where the members of Dude Perfect compete against each other in different sports.

4: Mr Beast At number 4 on this list is Mr Beast, whose videos typically feature attention-grabbing stunts. Mr Beast often makes videos in which he donates thousands of dollars to Twitch streamers, and is famous for 24 hour challenges which usually end in large cash prizes for his friends. He is also known for endurance tests, which include reading and repeating long words, or doing a specific task for hours or even days on end. With unrelenting passion and devotion to finishing arduous, yet creative, challenges, Jimmy has become an extremely popular YouTuber in recent years.

5: Liza Koshy Liza Koshy is a YouTube personality and former Vine star. Liza is one of the most popular social media personalities and also has one of the fastestgrowing YouTube channels to date, gaining nearly 12 million subscribers over the course of 2016 and 2017 - at times, gaining more subscribers than any other YouTube channel. As a part of YouTube Red, Liza starred in her own short film called ‘Jingle Ballin’’ about the struggles of life as a YouTuber. In 2017, she was a member of Joey Graceffa’s Escape The Night season 2 cast.

6: Jeffree Star Jeffree Star is an American Internet celebrity, beauty YouTuber, makeup artist, model, entrepreneur, and singer-songwriter. He is the founder and owner of Jeffree Star Cosmetics. By 2006, Star had become the most followed person on MySpace. He frequently used the platform to promote his music career. His YouTube videos are usually about reviewing beauty products, collaborating with other YouTubers like the Dolan twins, and promoting his cosmetic line.

7: Pewdiepie Pewdiepie is a Swedish YouTuber, comedian, musician, and gamer known for his YouTube video content, which mainly consists of ‘Let’s Play’ videos and comedy shows. On 15 August 2013, he became the most-subscribed user on YouTube. Pewdiepie’s most notable YouTube content takes the form of video game commentaries, traditionally of horror games and, more recently, Minecraft.

8: SSSniperwolf SSSniperwolf originally started her YouTube career with a gaming channel, notably with her Call of Duty: Black Ops II videos. Since 2017, most of the content on her channel has been her funny reaction videos. Alia is one of the biggest female gamers and maintains a large following on social media and YouTube, even though her channel is no longer centered around gaming. She used to live stream on Twitch, but now live streams gaming on YouTube occasionally.

9: Joana Ceddia Joana Ceddia is a Canadian YouTuber, formerly from Brazil. She is mostly known for uploading beauty-related content on her YouTube channel which currently has over 2.4 million subscribers. In 2018, she gained popularity after posting a viral video where she did a DIY video on another YouTuber, Emma Chamberlain’s, clothing line. She is funny and talented.

Gaining over 100,000 subscribers almost immediately after publishing her first video and surpassing 1 million subscribers in just over 4 months, she has grown in popularity based on her talent and comedy. The most viewed video on her channel has over 11 million views.

Words By: Margaret Needham

The Life of Dwayne THE ROCK Johnson

Dwayne Johnson is an extremely talented actor, producer, and former professional wrestler.

He stands alongside Hollywood sensations like Robert Downey Jr., Jennifer Lawrence, and Johnny Depp. With audiences mainly knowing him for his billion dollar smile, which he uses to rid the world of evil, his story of rising from a troubled teen to a football player, to a wrestler and then a Hollywood star, is a lot to take in.

Johnson felt bad about what he did and came back the next day to apologize. They shook hands “I’ll never forget that shake.” After that, Johnson agreed to go and play football for him, not thinking much about it. Johnson quickly forgot his past full of arrests and flourished on the football field and improved other areas of his life as well. His grades got better and he received offers from many colleges across the country. His thought process started to change.

He started thinking about his goals and the things he wanted to accomplish. To this day, Dwayne Johnson credits much of his success to that teacher.

After a successful high school career, he accepted a scholarship to play for the University of Miami.

Johnson appeared in 39 games with a total of 77 tackles, but this all ended when he was moved to the defensive line despite his fine form. Who made this happen?

Warren Sap. At this point in his life, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson also found himself wrestling with depression.

He was born on May 2nd 1972 in Hayward, California. Johnson was born into a family of wrestlers, and his grandparents, Lia and Peter Maivia, were responsible for creating The Polynesian Pacific Pro Wrestling Championship.

Johnson graduated from Miami in 1995 with a degree in criminology By the time Dwayne Johnson and physiology but wasn’t quite was 16, he was already 6 feet tall ready to give up on his football and had a moustache which he dreams, despite his lack of described to be ‘very bad’. One interest in the NFL. Only a year day, he walked into the teacher’s later, Johnson made his WWF bathroom due to him despising the debut fighting under his father’s smelly and dirty boys bathroom. nickname: ‘The Rock’. He joined As he reports, the teacher said, WWE, but they did not know “Tough guy! Hey! You can’t be in that he had never actually had a here!” but Johnson’s height and real match in his life. They also maturity intimidated the teacher didn’t know that Johnson was into letting him finish washing his broke and he didn’t actually own hands. any wrestling gear- no boots, knee

pads, or wrestling trunks.

Despite this, he did find success in the ring, notably grabbing the intercontinental title from The Triple H while wrestling on Monday Night Raw. But Dwayne Johnson wanted more - a chance at Hollywood stardom. He got that chance during his debut, acting in 2001 in ‘The Mummy Returns’.

The great thing about the Rock is he doesn’t always want to be the tough hero in every movie. He opted to play a bounty hunter who doesn’t like guns in ‘The Rundown’, and a very comedic character in ‘Be Cool’. He has also acted in family movies such as ‘The Tooth Fairy’, ‘Game Plan’, ‘Race to Witch Mountain’, ‘Jumanji 2’ and many others.

It is Johnson’s own words which summarise his true point of view: “regardless of what we achieve in life, we always gotta keep striving for more, staying hungrier than the rest and being grateful around every corner.”

Words By: Rhea Solomon

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The Development Of The Walt Disney Company

Every one of Disney’s movies has been a huge success ever since they were first screened way back in 1937. Their movies have attracted billions of people from around the world and are truly landmarks of the movie industry. In a change from the animated films that Disney has become famous for, many of the new Disney movies are LIVE-ACTION movies, using photography instead of animation.

The new movies that have already been released or about to be released include: Avengers Endgame (May 4 2019) Aladdin (May 24 2019) The Lion King (July 19 2019) Mulan (March 21 2020) Boba Fett: Star Wars (N/A) Avengers: Secret Wars (N/A) Star Wars: The Last Jedi (N/A)

had a keen interest in art and was constantly lectured by his teachers for doodling, drawing and daydreaming in class. When he was 16, he dropped out of high school to try and join the United States Army, but he was rejected for being too young, so he then he joined the Red Cross as an ambulance driver. Despite suffering from bloody bruises, Walt Disney kept drawing quirky cartoons on the side of his ambulance and for the army newspaper. At the age of 18, Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks started the Walt Disney company together.

Soon, Ub Iwerks came up with a character: Mortimer Mouse. Walt Disney’s wife disliked the name and convinced him to change the name to ‘Mickey Mouse’.

After Mickey Mouse, the pair went on to create new characters like Minnie Mouse, and Walt Disney released hundreds of cartoon You may have seen the animated strips involving Mickey Mouse and version of some of these films, but others. In 1928, ‘Mickey Mouse in you will probably enjoy the liveaction versions of them a lot more. Giantland’ was the first-ever film Try to watch at least one of these so to be made with sound. Everyone that you experience the wonders of started to love Disney’s creations and reviews were going up fast, live-action! which meant that the company began to prosper. That prompted Walt Disney the Walt Disney company to make their first full-length film: Snow I have always wondered: how did Disney even begin? Who created it? White and the Seven Dwarfs, in How did Disney join up with Pixar? 1937. On December 15, 1966, Walt Disney tragically passed away from Well, all the answers are in this lung cancer and was buried in Los biography of Walt Disney.

Angeles. However, this didn’t stop the company from continuing to Walt Disney was born on 5 thrive.

December 1901 and spent most of his childhood in the American In 1995, Walt Disney Pictures state of Missouri, selling pictures collaborated with Pixar Animation and paintings to the locals. He

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Studios to create Toy Story - the first full-length computer animated film. This blockbuster comedy first premiered in El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles, California, USA and was a staggering achievement at the time. However, when Toy Story 4 premiered in June 2019, the animation looked realistic - as if it had actually been filmed. If you see the film for yourselves, you’ll know what I mean.

As of today, Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios have produced hundreds of full-length films and continue to be a source of innovation in the industry.

Words By: Kamil Rasul

Words By: Hanna Abdullah

Six years since the release of the Xbox One and PS4, we are at the verge of the next generation of gaming - the Xbox Project Scarlett and PS5.

So which one would be most suitable for you? Both variants of the console system provide cutting edge technology, with stunning graphics and other features. So, let’s get down to it and see what each console has to offer.

play games at 60 frames per second.

This would mean that if you already own a 4K HDR TV, then the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X are the natural choice to get the best visuals in gaming. However, if you are using a 1080p TV, then the Xbox One S or PS4 Slim will be the best fit for you.

But what about price? Which

One S and X both use HDMI ports. In addition, you have two USB port outputs, optical audio out, ethernet ports and the power cable, which is compatible with both versions of the Xbox. However, to use the 360’s Kinect with the current generation consoles, you would need to use an adapter.

The PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim have similar ports, but there

XBOX Currently, Sony has their two separate versions of the PS4: the standard slim version, which is capable of HDR playback, and the more expensive 4K-capable PS4 Pro. On the other side, we have the Xbox One, which is available as the HDR-ready Xbox One S or as the Xbox One X – a console that does 4K HDR gameplay but can also

one is cheaper? These are the current prices: PS4 Pro- $360 PS4 Slim- $300 Xbox One X- $400 Xbox One S- $280 Each console offers different connectivity, allowing you to choose how you organize your gaming setup. The Xbox

VS

are slight differences between them. Each one has a single HDMI out, a single USB port in the back, an Ethernet port, and a power cable. The only difference between them is that the Pro has an Optical Audio out, while the Slim does not. Both versions allow the user to swap out the internal hard drive in order to increase the capacity of their console, an option not available to

Xbox users.

In terms of graphics, both the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro provide similar graphics even with different specs, so both are reliable options. However certain games, such as Middle Earth: Shadow of War, would run better on the Xbox due to its slightly higher resolution.

Therefore, the console you choose depends on the games you want to play.

S Finally, let’s talk about the console exclusives and the impact they have on your choice. For Xbox, there is Halo Infinite, which is sure to be one of the best games on the Xbox One. There is also: Gears 5, Sea of Thieves, Forza Motorsport 7, Forza Horizon 4, and Sunset Overdrive. However, these pale in comparison to Sony’s exclusives: God of War, Horizon, Zero Dawn,

Bloodborne, Marvel’s SpiderMan and The Last of Us - all of which are considered fan favourites and amazing games.

So what about the PS5 and Xbox project Scarlett? Firstly, rumours originating from people who claim they have been in contact with Sony state that the new PlayStation 5 will feature a powerful graphics card as well as features that are far superior to any of

and the opportunity they need to bring their creative vision for games to life. Many games across four console generations will look and play best on Project Scarlett.

In conclusion, the console you choose depends largely on your own personal opinions of the consoles and their features, connectivity, graphics, exclusive games, and community. For the future

PS4 the previous gen consoles.

However, these rumours may prove to be untrue. The release of the Project Scarlett has been confirmed and it will raise the bar for console power, speed and performance, arriving later in 2020 alongside Halo Infinite. With a customdesigned AMD processor, high bandwidth GDDR6 memory, and a next gen solid state drive, the Project Scarlett will give developers the time

of the next gen consoles, we do not know enough about them yet to determine which console will be superior; therefore, we shall wait and see to determine the better console.

Anyways, why fight over which console is superior, when we all know Atari to be the best!

Words By: Sebastian Inestroza Turcios

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hen I started writing for the Majlis magazine, I was a small, scared kid in Year 9 who wanted to fit in at his new school; someone who wanted to find friends in a place that was 2000 km away from the place he called home. The thought of being comfortable in a school that was twenty times larger than the one I was previously at - with kids from all over the world and of all ages - seemed like a dream, like the green light at the other end of the water.

Five years later, as I sit here writing this editorial, that dream has become a reality. In these five years, I have not only found friends, but have become part of a massive community, a massive family that is not tied by blood, but connected by their values and compassion for one another. While our aim as the school magazine is to allow the students a platform to explore their creative side and to have a voice, we have also become a tight-knit community of writers, designers and faculty members who are willing to support each other, pushing each other towards excellence.

Majlis is an integral part of Doha College, and it is truly representative of the community of DC: a community that is constantly striving for greatness. As a community, a great deal already has, and will continue to, changed for us this year: we mark our 40th anniversary as a school and will be moving to a new campus in September, and even though we’ve been through many changes already this year - whether they be physical setbacks, or the loss of some of the best people we’ve known - we remain strong as a community, helping each other out during our hardest times and celebrating one another in our best times.

This community, this family, that I have become a part of has allowed me to grow in unprecedented ways and I am confident that the ethos of the DC community will transfer to the new campus, and that we, as a community, will continue to be supportive and loving towards one another - no matter where in the world we’re from or how old we are.

Comail Deputy Head Editor of Majlis

CREDITS Head Editor Writers

Amin Arabo Safah Siddique, Maryam Imam, Leena Mohamed, Zahra Sanoj, Shashwat Jaguri, Hossein Ahmed, Moumin Laraib, Bareeah Adnan, Hanna Abdullah, Ruth George, Zainab Shahabuddin, Yusrah Ali, Margaret Needham, Rhea Solomon, Kamil Rasul, Sebastian Inestroza Turcios

Deputy Head Editor Head of Design Comail Rizvi Matthieu Heynes

Internal Editors Designers

Yafiah Ali & Sabah Imran Shaurya Singh Abeer Imtiaz Jade Mathias Shahd Ashawesh

External Editors Teachers

Muskan Budhraja & Zaina Khalil Mr. Jadeja Mrs. Fairley Ms. Haddon Mrs. Calvert Mrs. Ali

Arts and Features Editors Sports Editor Annika Coutinho & Jack Dillon Harun Gunes