Tuskan Times Volume 9 Issue 2

December 2020 Issue

International School of Florence

Volume 9, Issue 2

WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE? THE STATE OF THE UNION. ELECTIONS IN THE USA, 3 FALSE VOTER FRAUD CREATES VOTER SUPPRESSION, 5 MEET THE VP AND PRESIDENT CANDIDATES, 10 THE EXIT STRATEGY: THE PROGRESS IN FINDING A VACCINE, AND LIFE AFTER COVID, 12 EDUCATION FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEGED DURING COVID-19, 13 THE LIBRARY IN ISF, 15 PREDICTIONS, 16 WHY DOGS ARE BETTER THAN CATS, 18 THE BOLIVIAN ELECTORAL TRIUMPH, 19 SEVENTEEN AND OWNDER OF A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS, 21 SINGLE’S DAY, 24 NEW ERA, 25 HOW HAVE PLANT-BASED NUTRITIONIST MOVEMENTS AFFECTED THE FOOD, 26 SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES OF 2020, 28 A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE, 30

Co-Editors Omid Sheikh Peter Wood Layout Editor Greta Fischer

Artists Eva Goulder and Matteo Mastrangelo Advisor John Pitonzo Front cover by Eva Goulder Back cover by Matteo Mastrangelo

THE STATE OF THE UNION: ELECTIONS IN THE USA

By Thomas Accattatis

Election Week in Summary We have just witnessed arguably the most nerve-wracking election in recent history. As the world tuned in on Tuesday, November 3rd, or November 4th for those who pulled an all-nighter hoping to witness the action of election night, it seemed like this could become a possible doomsday scenario. As the day came to a close we still didn’t have a clear winner, the nail-biting continued. As a result of the pandemic, this election saw a surge in mail-in ballots which, because of technicalities in the counting process, caused delays in the election results. Election night turned into election week. In the meantime, Trump, beholding as battleground states turned from red to blue and the ballots rose in Biden's favour, progressed in his campaign to invalidate the election results. A major part of Trump's campaigning strategy was to foment distrust in the election process, filing lawsuits in various states in an attempt to hinder the counting of ballots.

Fortunately for American democracy, by the end of the weekend, it was safe to say that Joe Biden would be the president-elect of the United States.

Millions heaved a sigh of relief. Four years of the Trump administration wrecked the norms and pillars of US democracy, left them more divided than ever, harmed their international image and relationships, and left the country in a state of staggering inequality. Knowing this, it is worrying to think that more than 74 million people cast their ballots in favour of such a candidate. So what will Trump's legacy be? What is the country that Biden will be inheriting?

The State of the Union Trump's victory in 2016 could be seen as shocking for many, but he is a symptom of an ongoing issue of partisan polarisation. Both the Democratic and Republican parties, and their supporters, have been growing more extreme in the past decades. Despite there being polarisation on both sides, the Republican party has become an increasingly uncooperative party that refuses to recognize the legitimacy of its opposition and resorts to aggressive means of political hardball that only serve to stymie any form of discourse or consensus. Trump has clearly accelerated this trend and may make it difficult for Biden to bring about significant change through Congress. One branch of government where Trump has certainly left his mark is the judiciary. Trump has appointed almost a quarter of all active federal judges and has introduced three justices to the Supreme Court —the highest judicial authority in the land that has the power to influence environmental and civil rights legislation for years to come.

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Trump's presidency has also seen many great steps… backwards, that is. Trump introduced vast tax cuts, which have benefited the rich for the most part, thereby fueling the US's growing problem of social inequality. Not to mention that the Trump administration has failed to produce any sustainable plan for the US healthcare system which is in need of great reform. And probably one of Trump's biggest executive crackdowns was on environmental policy. Trump has reversed major legislation limiting greenhouse gas emissions, regulating mining and industrial practices, and protecting wildlife and ecosystems. Fossil fuel industries have revelled in Trump's denial of climate science, at the expense of our planet's future. Trump has even extended his climate change denial mania on an international scale by pulling out of the Paris Agreement, setting a dangerous precedent for the international community.

Fast-forward to 2020: Trump's rejection of scientific authority has cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans. The COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged communities all over the world, plunging the global economy into a recession, and the US has certainly not fared well. Communication between the administration and the public has been nothing short of inconsistent and has resulted in widespread misinformation and paranoia. The pandemic has exacerbated levels of inequality, stress, and political unrest.

What’s Next?

In the midst of the COVID-19 fiasco, the US has witnessed the Black Lives Matter movement, brought to the foregeround of American politics following the murder of George Floyd. A movement born out of the frustrations of African Americans and other minorities who have suffered from the brutality and oppression of a system that is still highly unjust, and who have suffered the consequences of Trump's divisive rhetoric and passive acceptance of racial violence.

Trump, knowing the current state of affairs, it's now up to Biden to reestablish stability and trust in a government that has lost its credibility.

A victory for Biden already holds promise and optimism for the future of the United States.

With Biden we can hope to see progress in social equality, healthcare, climate change, and government competence. With Biden we can hope to heal and reform a flawed system, and reverse the damages brought by Trump’s Republican administration. However, a lot still remains uncertain, will Biden, in fact, be able to lead and govern a deeply divided country? The Trump era of populism and authoritarianism should be taken as a warning: that democracy, especially the American kind, is not infallible.

The question is: Will the American people heed to this warning?

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FALSE VOTER FRAUD CREATES VOTER SUPPRESSION

By Nelson Matos

By the end of the 2016 U.S presidential election, vice president Mike Pence claimed that Indiana had suffered a case of voter fraud that consisted of over 45,000 votes using fake names, stating: “Voter fraud, Dana, is real...We’re dealing with it in the state of Indiana right now. We have literally thousands of instances of fraudulent voter registration.”Like many claims made by the Trump administration, this comment was made with no evidence provided and the aforementioned voter fraud case in Indiana, along with other states, were false.

Despite this, the next few years saw a descent into voter suppression under the guise that voter fraud is “something we’re going to be looking at very seriously.”

During this period of the pandemic, the wariness of citizens rose as the fabricated threat of voter fraud, allowing the government to intervene in the voting process more often. This has culminated into thousands of votes being rejected.

Of course, with the United States as the subject of voter suppression, it’s difficult to not mention the discrimination that has been observed in these cases of rejected votes. 2018’s midterm elections saw a great deal of vote rejection from people of colour, most prominently seen with 20,000 absentee ballots being rejected in Florida. Beyond this, there is voter suppression seen with difficulties in being able to place a vote in the first place.

The spontaneous rulings by states that invalidate the voting of citizens doesn’t end there.

The Supreme Court suddenly ruled that in states such as Pennsylvania that ballots without a “secrecy envelope” would be invalid, which citizens would likely not have enough time to react to given that the ruling was made right as voting season started. In addition, some states may also require a witness to sign someone’s ballot to prove that it is valid. Since some locations are under lockdown and people living alone may not be able to have a witness come into close proximity to sign as a witness, this can make valid voting impossible.

With the recent changes to voting done to keep results under a tight grip, along with the continued existence of the electoral college, it is clear that the Trump administration wants to gain as much of an advantage as they can despite the negative image they have spurred up over the last four years. If anything, this continues to show that U.S politics is as underhanded as politics usually are.

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MEET THE VP AND PRESIDENT CANDIDATES

By Maria Leal Get an insight on the campaign of both Vice President candidates: Pieter Verbanck and Peyton Harris, and the Presidential candidates: Giuseppina Lopez and Ardalan Tayebi.

This article includes individual interviews with the vice president and president student council candidates. Matteo Mastrangelo, our previous president, has done an exceptional job the past year, thus this article invites you to choose your next representative wisely for the future of our school.

MEET PIETER VERBANCK (VP) Which aspect is most essential to be student council president?

“I think that an active vice president should be very open-minded, honest, and especially very approachable since they are the representative of the student’s voice. I think that I am very approachable, I would say I’m an honest person, and I think I’m open to new ideas: I like listening to other people’s ideas and proposals. I enjoy working with other people to make these ideas come true and to make the school community a better place.”

Could you give a recap of your current plan as president? ““My plan consists of nine goals that I want to achieve. The main goals that I want to introduce are more opportunities for charity work in the Florentine community. This way we can give back to the community and give students more opportunities to help in the form of charity work, fundraisers, and those things.

I would also like to reintroduce a structured homework schedule, which would help students prepare for their assigned work. So they don’t have one day with no homework and the next day a ton of homework thrown at them.

I want to improve the RSS curriculum: add the introduction of TOK and CAS to the curriculum.

Further, I’d want to expand the IB preparation for students, so they are well prepared for the IB. I would also like to introduce a sustainability agenda for the school, this way we can be more sustainable as a community. I want to reintroduce a system to check your grades- maybe even progress reports throughout the year to see your performance.”

One of your goals is to make donations, why is it important to get involved with local charities and organizations?

“Well, I think that charity work is giving back to your community. Since we are in Florence, and we have a lot of people from Florence in our school as well, I think if we get involved with more charities and places like food banks, we’re doing something good for the community.

Besides, it would be an opportunity for students to take part in the community, get involved, and meet new people. These can be provided by the school, we can organize these things so it can be much easier for our school to get involved with the Florentine community.”

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What are you most looking forward to if you win the position as vice president?

“If I do become vice president, I would be looking forward to allowing the student voice to be heard more. As well as have student ideas go straight to the student council to put them on the plan for things to complete. For example, my list of goals, I would love to be able to complete them during my first year as vice president. I’d also love to have other students- not necessarily in the student council- to come to a meeting and present their ideas to have a more aware community about student concerns. We could have a student come in to express what they feel needs improvement in the school, and from there we work towards building a better community.”

Do you think you have a good chance of winning? Why? “Well, I think that Peyton and I, who are the two candidates for VP, both have great plans and we’ve done a lot of work: we’ve done our debates, finished our speeches… I’m not sure, I think it’s pretty even. I would be truly happy if I won, and even if Peyton won, I’d be really happy for him. I think that I do have a chance, but I’d say that it’s currently even between Peyton and me.”

MEET PEYTON HARRIS (VP) What qualities should an active vice president have? That being said, why do you think you suit this position?

“The qualities of a vice president are the qualities of a leader. If you’re going to have a high position like that, you need to be a strong leader and spread positivity around the student council and the rest of the school.

So, the big thing is being a positive person and being an approachable person too, if someone has an idea you have to be approachable: they shouldn’t be nervous about having an idea. You definitely have to be passionate about the student council, like I am. I’ve been in student council for over three years now, so definitely being passionate about your job.

The reason I would suit this position is that with those 3 points, I believe that I’m great in all those areas. I’m an approachable and positive person.

I’m also a strong leader; down-to-earth; I get stuff done but at the same time I want people to be excited about going to a student council meeting. I don’t want people thinking, ‘this is something I have to do during lunch.’ I just really want to spread positivity, that’s the reason I’m running for vice president. I’m eager to serve every student in high school.”

Could you give a recap of your current plan as vice president?

“My plan is to implement student ID cards.

This idea has been around for a while now, but we need to introduce them when we get back to school. You can take attendance by swiping or scanning your card, check out books within the library, pay for school lunch, get students discounts at some stores, so they’re great to have inside and outside of school.

We need to have better preparation for the IB diploma programme. There has certainly been a lot of change in regards to this, but I believe we need more change. We need to implement the IB diploma into our own subjects. We need to be more prepared for school subjects. For example, in Mathematics, we need to implement the two types of maths.

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The school needs to explain TOK, personally, I don’t even know what it means: we could have a trial class to have an overview of the subject.

Reintroducing Pre-CAS would help students prepare and understand how CAS works. This is like running a marathon, you have to train for it, you can’t just go into it.

I want to improve the Wellbeing programme.

We need a life-skills curriculum: paying bills, filing tax returns, managing a budget. Discussing current events would bring students’ perspectives of the world and tie it with our own lives.

On your campaign Instagram account, you said, “I don’t want to focus on what I can do, but what we can do.” Can you elaborate on the importance of your statement?

“The reason I put that in there is that I feel like before, the student council didn’t talk to students often. We need to work as a team, we’re all in this together! We need to get everybody involved.

Whether you’re in the student council or not, we need to have more ideas and listen to the student’s voice. We need to make student council a part of their lives too. We need to work together as a team and that’s how we can be the best we could be.”

What would be the first thing you’d focus on, given the opportunity to win the position as vice president?

“The first thing that I would do is try to introduce student IDs. It might be a long process, but we need to get that done. It’s been in the making for a while now- it’s one of the things I’ve been campaigning for, especially in the debates and on my Instagram. We can become more united as a school with a student ID. It’s probably the first thing I’ll do because it would be super simple- have one thing for everything.”

Do you think you have a good chance of winning? Why? “I believe I do because I’m a very experienced person in the student council. I’ve been in the student council for 3 years. As soon as I was able to join, I did. I really care about the student body, about what all students have to say.”

MEET GIUSEPPINA LOPEZ (PRESIDENT) Which aspect is most essential to be student council president?

“I feel that the most important aspect is definitely being friendly. It’s difficult to talk to somebody who seems scary or intimidating. So, certainly having that friendly aspect to take in information and have everybody be involved.”

Could you give a recap of your current plan as president?

“My plan as president is working on getting a school counsellor because that’s a big issue I’ve seen. I want to work on the college application process for students to be more aware of how it works. Wellbeing is definitely one of my higher items that I want to do. I want to pick up where the last president left off, so take whatever plans he had and see how we can continue growing those. Also, I want to work on mental health in general, bringing awareness to it.”

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One of your focuses is to add optional study periods, can you elaborate?

“That idea came from being an IB student, I’ve realized with all the work I have it’s hard to do everything at home, especially when you easily get distracted. At school, you’re in that environment where you have to do your schoolwork. If you’re in that environment, where you see other students working or you can work with people in your class, you can be more effective in the work you can accomplish. It allows you to have two separate lives: you have your social life and then you have your school life.

Adding those study periods would allow students to not feel as worn out when they go home.”

On your campaign Instagram account you stated that you wanted to incorporate more activities amongst students and their classes, can you describe what this would look like?

“At my old school, for students who loved science, they did a Science Olympiad. Not only did it involve projects or experiments, but also different ‘discoveries.’ It allowed you to be creative in science, so it wasn’t as boring as just going to class. It was also the same for people who loved history: there was a Quiz Bowl, where students in different grades would make a team.

The history department would come together and create questions to have a fun activity with the students.”

Student IDs have gained popularity during the debates with great response. Are you in agreement with their implementation?

“Definitely. Student IDs are so nice to have with you. You don't have to keep pulling up an app on your phone to pay for something, especially when the wi-fi is down. It’s really convenient if you have to go to the store you can get a discount for something.”

At the presidential debate, you offered outsideof-school activities for college prep and career paths. What would be the benefits of this idea?

The benefits of this idea would be to show students their options. Clearly, if you don’t have a college prep course you don’t really know what to expect or see. You don’t know what questions to ask college advisors when you visit them. It’s hard to do that last-minute, have all these questions and not know how to approach them. To have someone come in and talk about the process or introduce you to different colleges would be beneficial. I know ISF works internationally with the UK and the US. Getting students used to the structure and seeing how different colleges do the application process, having that experience of being able to do it you learn a lot rather than trying to remember everything.”

Why are you willing to fight for this position?

“I’m willing to fight for this position because I feel that it would be great for the school if they had a fresh set of eyes observing what goes on. It’s really easy for somebody who’s been in that environment for so long to get used to the things around them. I feel that being new, I have a fresh set of eyes and I’m able to see things that we could change and improve at the school.”

During the debate, Career Day seemed to stimulate you. Why do you think it’s an important event for college prep?

“I think it’s super important. Since we’re so young many of us don’t really know what we want to do when we’re older. Having something like Career Day can really help us see what other people do in their jobs and give us a glimpse into their daily lives. That can help us narrow our focus and figure out what we want to do.

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For example, if you see a doctor at Career Day, you get to talk to them and you realize that being a doctor could be really interesting. If that’s something that you might wanna do in life then, you can go on to look and see what it takes to get into university, what majors you’d have to take. It can really help students narrow down their focus and help them choose what they want to do later in life.”

Why are you willing to fight for this position?

“I think I have a lot of experience, I’ve been to around eight or nine different schools in many different environments. So, I feel like I have a really good grasp of what works and what doesn’t for learning environments. I think I have a unique view on the process as a whole and I think I’d be a good representative of the student body. I think I’d be able to communicate the ideas and wishes of the students very well. I’m excited to see what I can do to help make ISF more of an enjoyable learning environment. Unfortunately, IB is stressful, just school as a whole can be really stressful, and I want to do my part to ensure that as students, we can do well in school but also make sure that we’re happy, physically healthy, and mentally healthy.”

MEET ARDALAN (PRESIDENT) Which aspect is most essential to be student council president?

“Having the ability to collaborate with people and the ability to hear students because being president of the student body is basically being a representative of students. Therefore, I think that being able to listen to my peers and being able to represent them in an integral way is something that’s really important and necessary to be a good president.”

Could you give a recap of your current plan as president?

“The first thing I want to do once I become president is to identify what is working and what is not. I want to see what I can do to fix these problems. One thing that people have been telling me is that they don’t understand the function of tutor groups. I would like to identify what is not working in tutor groups, why are students feeling this way, by hearing from students themselves, as well as teachers. I want to find a way to modify the tutor group system or maybe even eliminate it entirely. Just having the plan of establishing what isn’t working and finding ways to resolve them.

That’s the main focus I’d have once I’m elected.”

What’s the key to a functioning student council?

“As I said before, I think collaboration is super important. Each person should be able to contribute their ideas, their own opinions, and everyone should be able to work together. Because ISF is such a small school, to an extent we’re a family and I think that’s really amazing. I think every member of the student council should be able to contribute their own ideas and work with each other and that unity will make student council amazing.”

Student IDs have gained popularity during the debates with great response. Are you in agreement with their implementation?

“I think they’re amazing because there are so many different reasons for their convenience. As we know, there’s a lot of places offering student discounts; having a student ID really helps with things like that. Also, having a way to identify yourself at the school in case we need to know where everyone is. In specific regards to lunches, some people could lose or forget their IDs. However, their use at school should definitely be considered and talked about because I think they’re great.”

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At the presidential debate, you stated that you want to be connected with students to represent them properly. Would you consider being active on social media to facilitate communication?

“Definitely. Whether it’s good or bad, social media is an integral and huge part of our lives because it keeps so many people connected.

Therefore, being able to have social media would be a big thing that any president or any member of the student council should have. Social media is used to connect with people and we use it to communicate. As I said before, communication is really important so it would definitely be necessary.

During the debate, Career Day seemed to stimulate you. Why do you think it’s an important event for college prep?

“I think it’s super important. Since we’re so young many of us don’t really know what we want to do when we’re older. Having something like Career Day can really help us see what other people do in their jobs and give us a glimpse into their daily lives. That can help us narrow our focus and figure out what we want to do. For example, if you see a doctor at Career Day, you get to talk to them and you realize that being a doctor could be really interesting. If that’s something that you might wanna do in life then, you can go on to look and see what it takes to get into university, what majors you’d have to take. It can really help students narrow down their focus and help them choose what they want to do later in life.”

Why are you willing to fight for this position? agreement with their implementation?

“I think I have a lot of experience, I’ve been to around eight or nine different schools in many different environments. So, I feel like I have a really good grasp of what works and what doesn’t for learning environments. I think I have a unique view on the process as a whole and I think I’d be a good representative of the student body. I think I’d be able to communicate the ideas and wishes of the students very well. I’m excited to see what I can do to help make ISF more of an enjoyable learning environment. Unfortunately, IB is stressful, just school as a whole can be really stressful, and I want to do my part to ensure that as students, we can do well in school but also make sure that we’re happy, physically healthy, and mentally healthy.”

We thank all candidates for attending and going out of their way to partake in the interview. This is an opportunity for students to further understand the plans of the candidates. It’s also a chance for those who didn’t go to the debates, to make an educated vote.

Make sure to check out the candidates’ Instagrams, which are stated below their names, as well as the student council Instagram (@isfstudentcouncil). On the student council Instagram you’ll also be able to find each candidates’ speeches, which provide more information on their campaigns.

Ensure you vote on the google form you received, via email, the 15th of December.

Good luck to all candidates.

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THE EXIT STRATEGY: THE PROGRESS IN FINDING A VACCINE, AND LIFE AFTER COVID

By Louise Gutbrod

The coronavirus infections peaked, once again, in a second wave, and various countries in Europe are in lockdown right now – only in Italy, we currently have over 1 million cases. The only thing keeping the death rates low, currently, are the restrictions countries have taken, which are resulting in large negative effects on the economy, education, and mental health of many people. The solution would be a vaccine against Covid-19, that would improve the recovery of our immune systems against the infection and make it less deadly so that we finally can return to our normal lives. Labs all over the world are working on discovering a vaccine for this infection; although vaccines typically require years of research and testing before reaching the clinic, scientists are racing to become the first to produce a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine. (New York Times) Already in the last couple of months, there have been some considerable breakthroughs: we will still need to show some patience until the final vaccines are approved; however, groups, like Moderna, Pfizer/BioNtech, Oxford University/ AstraZeneca, and the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, are the closest to having their vaccines approved and mass-produced. For example, Moderna announced that their corona vaccine was 94.5% effective in a preliminary analysis of a large latestage clinical trial. The difficulty of the vaccines will be mass production and distribution. (BBC) What will the world look like when vaccines are on the market? The first people which will receive the vaccine will be hospital employees and doctors. Second in priority will be people in a vulnerable age group, who are at a higher risk of dying.

These two groups of people seem pretty obvious, but who will get the vaccine next? So far, governments have not explained their vaccine strategies, hopefully, by the summer of 2021, most people will be vaccinated so that we can return to normality. It will not only take some time for the vaccine to reach everyone but also for communities to get used to their previous lifestyles – without masks or social distancing.

There's no denying that our world has been turned upside-down, including everything and everyone: students, teachers, businesses, etc…

When the coronavirus entered our lives, each one of us had to change their way of doing things: teachers had to learn how to teach students from home; students, now alone, had to organise themself without the teachers constantly checking on them; and businessmen and businesswomen had to start working from home, communicating with their clients and colleagues through their computers. A lot of businesses suffered from quarantine, but what were its positive results?

We encountered so many obstacles: children interrupting meetings, students not showing up to online classes, bad wifi connections, and so much more. I’m sure the majority of people are happy to hear about the vaccine, which will hopefully make life go back to normal; however, we should keep some of our newly acquired traits and skills, and integrate them in our post-pandemic lives. During this pandemic, we had a chance to learn new things and view life from a different perspective, let's use this to our advantage.

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EDUCATION FOR THE UNDERPIVILEDGE DURING COVID-19

By Alisiya Ermolenko The current pandemic has affected around 91% of students worldwide which is equal to 1.6 billion young adults and children. In 188 countries, education had to be transferred to online learning for safety reasons. Unfortunately, at least 463 million schoolchildren can't access remote learning and many had to disrupt their education because their parents can't afford them to continue. “Families on the cusp of escaping poverty have been pulled back in, while others are experiencing levels of deprivation they have never seen before. Most concerningly, we are closer to the beginning of this crisis than its end", says Henrietta Fore, a UNICEF Executive Director.

Roughly 150 million children have been pushed into poverty since the beginning of COVID-19 and there are currently nearly 1.2 billion living in multidimensional poverty. Multidimensional poverty encompasses the lack of access to education, healthcare, nutrition, housing, water and sanitation, and 45% of families already couldn't access at least one of these before the start of the pandemic. Another 45% of the families that were interviewed couldn't pay for the medical supplies throughout the pandemic and about 37% couldn't pay for the necessary school supplies.

To adapt to this hapless situation, schools worldwide have found different methods to continue with education. Students in Ukraine are one of the first to use the Microsoft and UNICEF launched an online global learning platform known as the Learning Passport to help them follow their school curriculum. Meanwhile in England, according to Wayne Norrie, head of an academy trust with schools in disadvantaged areas, 60% to 70% of children don't have access to computers.

Norrie says that in many cases there's only one mobile phone for the whole family to share, making it almost impossible for students to study.

Hence after taking bids from academy trusts and local authorities, the Department of Education was able to hand out an unspecified number of laptops to underprivileged teenagers. While that is a good first step, the issue of the lack of internet or data in low-paid families remains unresolved. In Rwanda, more than 3 million children are obliged to use radios, the most accessible medium, to learn.

Around 100 literacy and numeracy scripts were found and are being adjusted for the use of the Rwanda school curriculum. Then there is North Macedonia whose schools' use the idea of a TVclassroom to engage with its audience. Volunteer teachers provide the students with a variety of activities in five languages taught in schools around the country and even bring forth exercise routines. Last but not least - the Self-Learning Programme books were given out to children in Syria. These books enable students who either had to stop their education or who eventually will have to, to learn English and Arabic, science, and math.

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The problem is that millions of children face greater problems. The Institute of Fiscal Studies in England found that children from more sophisticated families did at least one more hour of learning than the poorer children. A headteacher commented that for a poor student to get back to their correct attainment level it could take up to two years. In April of 2020, UNICEF gave an estimated amount of 36 million children who will go hungry in 2020 and 370 million who will miss out on nutritious meals. UNICEF says that possibly life-saving vaccines won't be accessible to about 80 million kids who are under the age of one. It has been reported that the domestic abuse rates have doubled and gone up to 17% while they were at 8% when the children were still able to go to school.

In Zambia, 63% of the girls reported that they had to do more chores during the lockdown and 52% said they had to take care of their siblings more often. On the contrary, it was 43% and 42% for boys. 10% of the boys said they couldn't focus on their studies because of the number of chores whilst for girls it was 20%. Sadly, the children who are falling behind in their school curriculum are more likely to drop out and face the consequence of child marriage, child labour, underage recruitment into the armed forces, death, exploitation or illness. With 9.7 million children not returning to school this year, it is estimated by Save the Children that Covid 19 is the cause for the biggest school emergency in history.

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THE LIBRARY IN ISF

By Stella Franceschi

When was the last time you went to the school library? Was it yesterday because you forgot to print one of Ms Van Forst’s assignments? Was it last week when you were doing a project so your teacher forced your whole class to go because it would be a great research opportunity but you spent the whole time chatting with your friends on the couches upstairs? Was it because you were taking your MAP tests there? Or was it because you desperately needed a book for your next Scheda

Libro with Mr Tufariello due in a week and the easiest thing to do was pick a random novel from the Italian section? I know how it works, I am a student too, and I am sad to say I don't go there too often. Unfortunately, ISF’s students don’t fully take advantage of the great resource that our school has built for us. It has a collection of just under 12 thousand to choose from in all subjects and a variety of languages at any level. Mr Puente is working on expanding the collection especially when it comes to world literature in multiple languages.

If you are very stuck writing a paper and you need that extra reliable source just pass by the library.

Not only will you probably find very interesting books on the subject, but you can ask Mr Puente, our new librarian, to help you access various online resources that the school kindly offers. He is working on getting even more digital subscriptions to magazines and on scientific and artistic subjects. Mr Puente has also been very active in the school community by supervising two book clubs for grade 11 and 12, and also by organizing the 500 Words Competition.

Not only is the library a great place to find an interesting new book to read, but also an amazing area for studying, so if you ever have a free period and desperately need to concentrate for once, you can enjoy some good silence there. Not to mention that soon it will be getting renovated, which will make your experience even more pleasurable. The central oval shape will be removed and new smaller desks will be added as well as couches and better lighting.

Even the book collection is getting an upgrade as the outdated books are being removed and donated, while the fiction section will be moved downstairs to make it more accessible. This is all to make the library more of a student section.

Even though it is one of the most overlooked areas of our beautiful campus, I strongly urge all of you to stop every once in a while to go get a good book or magazine to read instead of visiting the library only when you most need it.

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PREDICTIONS

By Katherine Dick

2020 has been an unpredictable year; the world has changed so much in the past ten months. This month in Italy, COVID cases have been rapidly increasing, and the rules are constantly changing. In the United States, the presidential elections are taking place, and by the time this article is released, there will be a new president-elect. On October 18th, we asked members of the school community what they thought would happen within the next month.

Below you will see the predictions of students from grades 6-12, along with hypotheses of two teachers.

Dafne Casaglia (Grade 7) What I predict will happen in the next month is a new lock-down. New cases have been showing up and on the news, they are talking about what may happen, maybe not at the beginning of November, but around the end/ beginning of December, they will probably announce a new lock-down. I hope not and I have faith in our generation to be careful about this pandemic because students learn much better at school so for education it's better to stay in school, and for the wealth and economics of our community it is much better to stay open.

23rd of October, 2020 Allegra Di Florio (Grade 6) With the US presidential election coming up and worldwide covid cases increasing, there are a lot of things bound to happen next month! On November 3rd, the election will happen and I do believe that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris can win. Having a female vice-president is very progressive and it seems as though the Joe Biden Kamala Harris team has a slight advantage. Unfortunately, with many students travelling over break, I think that one or even two students will come back with COVID, leading to us going back to online learning (although I hope not). And my last prediction is that in American Football, the Seattle Seahawks (starting an undefeated season with an impressive 5-0) will make it to the Superbowl!!

Whether or not my predictions are correct, it is very important to stay optimistic and resilient through it all!

Leela Menon (Grade 8) My predictions for the next month are that in terms of COVID, considering a lot of people have started going out more often and stopped taking the social distancing and mask rules seriously, I think the cases will probably go up unless people start to realize the consequences of their stupidity. In terms of the US elections, I really don’t know. Everything going on in that whole country is so unpredictable at this point, including the citizens’ actions and choices.

Liliana Halmai (Grade 9) In the past few weeks, we have been watching the COVID cases rise in number and we should all stay optimistic about the future through these hard times but my predictions reflect the opposite. I am afraid that the following month will come with more severe restrictions and maybe even the beginning of the second lockdown.

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We all want to go back to our lives as they were prior to the virus, but instead, we should all learn how to live with the situation and take precautions to benefit the health of our surrounding community.

I believe people in the US have learned their lesson from the situation of the virus and how the current president is treating it and my prediction would be that Biden will surprise us with the number of votes he will receive in the coming election.

Peyton Harris (Grade 10) I think that for the next month Italy’s rules will become more strict. I believe that they will create a curfew to prevent people from spreading COVID after a certain time. I believe that a curfew would drastically solve the situation since many people hang out in large groups later in the evening. I also expect middle and high schools to go online to prevent a spread in schools, but I think that elementary schools won’t close because they need to be physically in school whereas high schoolers have an easier time being in online school.

Avery Fernie (Grade 11) Due to the recent decisions made by the government, I anticipate that this month will hold a lot of changes. As we already know, school will be partially online, if not fully. I believe that throughout the next month we will slowly transition into full online school and later on, a second lockdown. As horrible as it sounds, I think that this will last longer than a month.

Camilla Ruini (Grade 12) What I think is going to happen in the next month is that COVID cases will start reaching a new high and we will be in lockdown once again, and as far as the US elections I think that Trump will still not recover from his positive COVID test and hopefully that elections will carry on as the usual deadline.

Ms Zulkey I don't know what the next month has in store for us. I think we have learned this year that nothing is certain. I predict that whatever happens next month, we will get through it together with compassion and understanding.

Mr Koevoet My predictions about the COVID situation in November and the upcoming election in the USA? They're so drenched in uncertainty they're hardly more than speculation. Will we see schools close and move to distant learning again? Will we see a new president of the USA and a safe transfer of power? Will we be able to travel for Christmas?

More important, however, is what I can predict: next month, we will have ample opportunity to do what matters most in life: to love, to protect, to stand for what we believe in, to (re)connect, to empathize, to forgive, to apologize, to extend a helping (gloved) hand, to strive, to serve, to rejoice, to explore new ways of thinking - the list is endless. Despite restrictions that might come your way, the opportunities to express your core identity will by far outweigh your limitations!

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WHY DOGS ARE BETTER THAN CATS

By Filipa Gameiro A study held recently found that felines can spread COVID-19 between one another. The study also found that, on the contrary, canines did not show symptoms. Despite these recent discoveries, there is still no certain proof to suggest that pets can transmit Coronavirus to people. The report emphasizes that felines and canines can be contaminated by COVID-19.

Furthermore, felines have shown to build up a vigorous defensive response against the virus, which can make them worth contemplating when discussing human antibodies.

In one new trial work, researchers embedded pipettes inside the nasal cavities of both felines and canines to infect them. The creatures got anaesthetized before the doing. Afterwards, different felines were placed into close contact with the tainted felines, who were circulating the infection.

Does this relate to and occur in everyday scenarios? There is some evidence of road felines in Wuhan, China, having been presented to the virus itself; in any case, the fact that numerous felines are domesticated and kept inside lessens the transmissions. Felines may furthermore spread the infection to untamed life.

Another investigation is indicating how COVID-19 may affect the remainder of the animals of the world collectively.

“We verified that, alongside felines, various distinctive cat species — cheetahs, panthers, tigers and lions — are anticipated to be vulnerable to the infection,” says Saby Mathavarajah, lead creator on the investigation and a PhD understudy at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Ferrets are additionally vulnerable to Covid, however canines, bears, pigs, chickens and ducks are not.

“For reasons unknown, a solitary amino corrosive [in the protein], which is the thing that includes a receptor, adds to the defenselessness.

That solitary change, or that solitary transformation, is the thing that gave opposition for canines, for instance, however not felines,” Mathavarajah said.

It was emphasized that zoos should pay close attention to these discoveries: there was evidence of a tiger in a zoo in New York City testing positive for the coronavirus. Felines can carry COVID-19, although it has not yet been entirely analysed how big of a factor they play in spreading it. Tigers also became ill from COVID-19, however, homegrown felines don't show any manifestations. Both can show infections to Covid, which is found in respiratory beads. It was mentioned that in zoos, considering the facts explored in research and studies, the possible testing of the creatures within the establishment, testing the individuals who work with there, and limiting the public’s access could ensure the creatures, employees, and visitors enough safety. It was also said that feline owners shouldn't stress over getting COVID-19 from their pets, although distancing themselves from other felines and individuals would help protect everybody.

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THE BOLIVIAN ELECTORAL TRIUMPH

By Peter Wood

On the 18th of October, 2020, Bolivia finally had its long-awaited elections. These took place after last year’s political crisis, which resulted in a coup against the democratically elected president Evo Morales, of the MAS-IPSP party (the left-wing Bolivarian/socialist party), and his subsequent exile from the country. The coup was mainly caused by the 2019 general election, which saw Evo Morales win 47.08% of the vote; the opposition retaliated by taking control of the armed forces, effectively forcing Evo to resign and flee the country. Furthermore, he also fled because the opposition and prevalent western media outlets accused him of electoral fraud and going against the Bolivian constitution – these claims arise from a referendum that was taken before the election, which would allow Evo to run for his 3rd term, despite only being allowed two by the constitution. The referendum was lost, however, the Supreme Court in Bolivia overruled it and allowed him to run anyway and, while I cannot assess why they did so, it appears Evo was in some kind of scandal at the time of the referendum, which greatly impacted his votes, despite the claims being proven wrong.

His absence saw Jeanine Añez take the presidency as an interim until another election was possible. Añez is part of the Democratic social movement, which, despite the name, has nothing to do with social democracy, opting instead for more right-wing and federalist views. The problems Añez’s ascension to power caused were countless, especially for the indigenous population (which Evo was a member of), and workers in Lithium mines and other industries.

Añez reversed some of the social reforms that were made under Evo Morales, and her Christian fundamentalism only served to further demonize indigenous people and enrich the largely white upper class. Furthermore, Añez repressed any kind of opposition, especially coming from Morales’ party, including any journalists or media which opposed her party. The Washington Post reported that: "Since being sworn in, the fiercely antisocialist Áñez has presided over the detention of hundreds of opponents, the muzzling of journalists, and a 'national pacification' campaign that has left at least 31 people dead, according to the national ombudsman and human rights groups.”

One of the most damaging economic policies Añez has decided to instate was the privatisation of several Lithium mines across Bolivia – this was an extremely controversial move because it not only subjected miners to exploitation from foreign companies, but it also meant that Bolivia made much less money from the largest lithium deposit in the world.

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“Definitely. The main candidates for the presidency were: Luis Acre, of MAS-IPSP; Carlos Mesa, of the FRI party (Revolutionary Left Front), a social-democratic and progressivist party; and Luis Fernando Camacho of the party Creemos, a very far-right and nationalistic party (which supported and aided Añez’s seizure of power). The results are as follows:

This move only seemed to benefit her and her shareholders in Wall Street, especially benefitting billionaire Elon Musk and his company, Tesla, which could now buy lithium from Bolivia at extremely cheap prices to produce their electric cars and satisfy the demand and market. The day the election results came in and showed the overwhelming majority voting for Luis Acre and the MASIPSP party, Tesla’s stocks dropped pretty severely – not enough to hurt Musk’s ever-growing business, nonetheless a win for Bolivia. This suspicious decline in stocks, and this tweet from Musk earlier this year, suggest that the Añez government was the direct result of a US-backed coup to keep South America under Uncle Sam’s boot of liberty and freedom.

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Luis Acre with 55.10% Carlos Mesa with 28.83% Luis Fernando Camacho with 14.00% The victory of Luis Acre means Evo will finally be able to return to his country, and the people of Bolivia will finally be able to take their country back from foreign imperialist corporations, like Tesla. This victory in Bolivia is also a victory for the socialist movement in South America and brings hope for the rest of the global south that maybe, one day, they too will be free of western imperialism. I give my best wishes to Luis Acre, and I hope that, for the good of Bolivia, the US steers clear of these election results.

SEVENTEEN AND OWNER OF A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS

By Maria Leal

Renee Deandrea is 17 years old, student at ISF. However, this isn’t stopping her from taking on the challenge that is, starting a business. Her passion for Renaissance ‘triggered’ her decision to create K(c)Rave. In this interview, Renee speaks of challenges, objectives, and her business overall.

What’s the story behind your brand’s name?

“Crave in English means to desire something, so I wanted people to desire my t-shirts; so I called it crave with a “c.” Then, krave with a k, in Danish; is this part of the t-shirt [points at her collar]; the collar of the t-shirt, which is the most important part of my t-shirts. It’s like the symbol of my t-shirts. So I put both the “c” and the “k” and then the “r” it’s capitalised because of Renee.”

When did you start your business and why?

“I started around 2017 because both of my parents work in the fashion industry, so I’ve always been surrounded by fabrics and clothes in general. My mom works with fabrics, particularly, so she always brought home little pieces of fabric.

So, my home was a mess of fabrics and to do something with them, I thought of creating my brand. Since I have a passion for Renaissance I always went to Gli Uffizi to visit the paintings and I liked this part of the shirts that the paintings had, which is called gorget; So, I tried to make the tshirts with my mom’s fabrics that resembled the gorget from the paintings. So that’s how I came up with the idea.”

Is there someone who helped you through the process?

“Yes. Also because when you’re not 18, in Italy it’s difficult to request for a Partita IVA [VAT identification number] and sign contracts with shops. So, my dad; he works in this field of fashion- selling stuff to stores; helped me a lot by recommending me places to sell my t-shirts. So, maybe my dad is the one who helped me the mostand my mom provided me with fabrics.”

In fact, where do you sell your products?

“Initially, it was to friends. But then, as I saw that people liked them, I started selling them in; I don’t know if you know Privé, in Florence; I sell them there. They had the shop in Florence, a shop in Rome, and they had another shop in Punta Ala; on the seaside, then there’s also one in Castiglione. My dad also has a kind of outlet and he also sells them there. And I also sell online I still sell a lot at Flairs, I went to a Lucca Flair 2 weeks ago.

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What do you do at Flairs?

“At the Flair, I had my own stand and I decorated it with fabrics. Then I exposed my merchandise for 2 or 3 days. Some people come and visit, and buy stuff; both for personal interest and if they have shops, they buy it for their shops.”

But I also started making bags, and bandanas, so it didn’t make sense anymore. So, I thought of changing the name and maybe adding new things to the collection.”

What were you going to change your brand name to?

“I was going to change it to my full name: Renee Deandrea. But it’s a whole long process.

My brand is registered, so it’s not going to happen, but if people copy my designs then I can involve the law. That’s why it’s a long process, so I’m not sure yet.”

Would you consider your business successful?

“Yes, because at 17, I try to combine a lot: studying, my business, and my friendships. So it’s a little bit complicated to succeed as a brand like Zara. I don’t succeed to that level but just the fact that I don’t lose money and I arrive at the point where I start earning money, it’s something that I appreciate a lot. So yes, I would consider it quite successful.”

Now that you’ve gone through the process, at any point did you feel like giving up?

“Giving up, no. Changing my business, yes.

For example, 2 months ago I had this idea of changing everything, even the name of the brand; because as I explained, krave really describes the t-shirts.

Being part of a generation aware of climate change, have you considered sustainability when manufacturing your products?

“Yes, it’s one of the things I focus on a lot. I use purely recycled cotton in t-shirts and in the beginning, I used to make the t-shirts by myself, but then when my business was at its peak I also had to employ some help.

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I try to choose Italian people, Italian fabricswhich is not really sustainable, but it’s something that promotes ‘Made in Italy.’ I try to buy fabrics that I know are not a result of child labour.”

Do you have any other plans for the future?

“I would like to carry on with expanding the brand, although I see that, because the business is growing and because the amount of schoolwork is growing as well, I have less time to dedicate to both. So, I would like to go on, but I’ll have to see if the circumstances allow me.”

Do you have any advice for someone looking to start a business/brand?

“First of all, you have to find ways to not let yourself down. One thing that stops me the most, is when I get discouraged because I see bad results. So, firstly, I would see if the brand works with your friends, and ask them what they think.

Based on their feedback, change your idea for the business. And when starting, also make your products customizable and take requests. If you have a large number of t-shirts and nobody wants them; apart from losing money; you’ll feel upset and sad. Start slowly, one step at a time, don’t go from 0 to 100. Pace yourself and you’ll be fine.”

Would you wear your products?

“I do a lot, this year not so much, but last year I used to come to school with different bandanas each day, also to promote my products. But I also like it, so sometimes I just wear it.”

How would you describe the style of the brand?

“One problem that I encountered is that it’s mostly for the summer. Especially the t-shirts, which yes, they’re cool under a huge sweatshirt; but also the fabrics, they are mostly for the summertime. When I thought of changing the business I also thought of changing the business more towards a winter-targeted direction; so that it could be wearable all 4 seasons instead of just in the summer, because of course, that would boost my profit. Apart from that, they’re simple and for young girls.”

It’s very important to have role models, Renee Deandrea is most definitely an example.

Hopefully, this article was inspiring to any person interested in business. To those who have a dream of creating a brand, take this as encouragement!

The Tuskan Times appreciates Renee’s eagerness to participate in this interview, and we wish her the best for her business and future.

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SINGLE’S DAY

By Camilla Ruini

Single’s Day is a holiday celebrated by single people in China on Nov. 11th, the purpose of the holiday is to commemorate single people across China by being given the opportunity to treat themselves, for this reason Single’s Day is one of the largest online shopping days in China.

Originally the special holiday was called “Bachelor’s Day” and the celebration began among the students of China’s Nanjing University around 1993, as it was sort of an anti-Valentine’s Day. Interestingly, the holiday serves as the occasion for single people to meet,participate in parties and other social gatherings;despite the celebration being for single people, it is also the perfect time to get married or plan a wedding. On Nov. 11, the Chinese media discusses and covers loverelated issues and relationship topics.

When it comes to the date of the event 11:11, there is a special meaning behind it as Singles' Day often falls on the 11th of November, since the 11th of November represents four, or four singles standing together. The name translates literally as "single sticks holiday."

As said in the name ‘Single’s day’ it seems nice to celebrate a day that is based on not having a significant other. However, in China there is a deeper meaning of why ‘Single’s Day’ was created. “In 2018, there are about 200 million single adults residing in China and more than a third of them live alone” says Lai Lin Thomala on Statista.com. Being single in China is normal and is usually unexpected, "Singledom doesn't necessarily mean being alone forever. In fact, many single people now delay tying the knot. In other words, the percentage of people who stay single at a traditional marrying age is increasing," said Du Peng, Vice President of Renmin University of China, and an expert on aging and population studies. Being happy in a marriage is becoming more of a priority, despite having divorcees being a taboo in traditional Chinese culture, nowadays a growing number of people are choosing to cut ties if their marriage doesn’t workout . However, the reason why staying single is normal can be a benefit, when talking about different factors. Economic and social development has provided women with sufficient funding to live a better life separately, so that they are not in a rush to find financial help by marriage.

The Population Studies expert added “ that in the future, as Chinese society and customs grow, it is very likely that marriages and having children when unmarried will become more appropriate”

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NEW ERA

By Louise Gutord

Covid-19 has been present in our lives for quite some time now, during lockdown and after; however, considering the current conditions, we are still trying to live our lives as normally as possible. Masks, social distancing, and zoom calls – we have gotten used to these things and integrated them in our everyday life.

Of course, we all hope that the coronavirus pandemic will end soon, but that's not realistic.

There have been many discussions on a pragmatic timeline for the approval of an efficient and safe vaccine – maybe it will come early next year, maybe not. However, experience indicates that it will take much longer than politicians wish.

Maybe the solution is to start thinking about how to enjoy events, like concerts, without the guilt of putting others, or ourselves, at risk.

Some, like the band ‘The Flaming Lips,’ already thought about this. The Flaming Lips had their first social distancing ‘bubble concert’ on the 12th of October, 2020: the band and audience were all placed inside individual plastic spheres, throughout the performance, to avoid the spread of the disease.

What might appear unusual right now could very well become the future of all concerts. The band has a long history with these ‘space bubbles', and thus proved that it is possible to experience social gatherings while remaining responsible during a global pandemic. The coronavirus cases decrease and increase in waves, and, if we don’t find a way to completely eliminate Covid-19, methods like this one will soon be the only way to experience social events. At the start of 2020, nobody thought

that Covid would still be affecting our lives by now, but it is. So, going forward, we need to get creative and attempt to normalize life as much as possible. We can’t forever miss out on the adventures of social events, but does that mean we have to give up our pre-pandemic society and accept this virus as a fundamental part of our life?

Let's find creative ways to cope with this problem!

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HOW HAVE PLANT-BASED NUTRITIONIST MOVEMENTS AFFECTED THE FOOD

By Edoardo Cariati

Veganism is an old diet that is said to have been founded in 1944 when Donald Watson declared himself to be vegan, inventing the term vegan to define a vegetarian who does not eat either eggs or dairy products. Since its official creation, more than seventy years ago, veganism has not only vastly grown in the world but it has also changed in different ways.

Veganism is by many considered to be not only a diet but a lifestyle aimed at leaving a minute not only carbon but ecological footprint on our planet. Therefore refusing to buy anything that uses animal products has become a core principle in veganism.

Currently, it is estimated that 1% of the world’s population, 80 million people, are vegan, with 25% of vegans living in the US. This large growth in numbers has been accelerated by activists such as Earthling Ed, Lewis Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jackie Chan supporting the cause, and widely influential films such as The Game Changers and Cowspiracy portraying, respectively, the health benefits and the positive ethical aspect of being vegan. But did this growth in numbers have any change on any market or society more broadly? Working on a system of supply and demand, the economy and businesses had to adapt to the needs of an increasing number of vegans across the globe.

This shift towards plant-based menus was mainly due to three reasons. Firstly, the increasing number of vegans, particularly in the US, where they make up approximately 7% of the population, demanded an option.

But, foremost, these fast-food restaurants have taken this approach to answer many nutritionists’ complaints that fast food is not healthy. Therefore, although introducing the most unhealthy vegan products, they seek to answer the question of health by following the idea that any plant-based product is healthier. Lastly, these corporations want to answer people’s natural curiosity to try new things out.

Even though the phenomenon of adding a plant-based option to their menus is most common in US franchises, the latest news in the intertwined world of veganism and foodindustry came from the largest and most famous fast food in the world: Mcdonald’s. Since the introduction of the veggie chicken nuggets in Europe in 2015, the company has thoughtfully worked to provide an entirely vegan menu suited for non-meat consumers. It was only after five years from their first plant-based release that this year Mcdonald’s has announced to drop a full vegan menu in Europe in January 2020.

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Veganism is not a need companies have to answer but a profitable market where they can increase their affairs. The global vegan food market size was valued at USD 12.69 billion in 2018 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 9.6% from 2019 to 2025. Besides, the fact that one in three people in the US, and a half Chinese and Australian people define themselves as flexitarian (meaning continuously substituting plant-based food for their meat and dairy dishes) shows a great margin for profit in the future years. Nonetheless offering a wider variety just answers man’s desire to choose over a greater range of foods.

Overall, the vegan movement is growing rapidly, but will there ever be a limit to the growing numbers, or are we all going to be vegan?

Some people say that it is the fastest-growing movement in the world, and they might be right.

The 400 million vegetarians that inhabit our world would likely turn vegan in the next few years, resulting in an even greater impact on industries at all levels. Not only the food industry but even brands like Adidas will have to increase their vegan-friendly shoe models instead of sticking to just three. Who knows, but we must prepare for the vegan revolution.

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SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES OF 2020

By Alisiya Ermolenko

The year 2020 has been eventful and chaotic, a year that will be impossible to forget judging by the innumerable lives it impacted and turned upside down. The beginning of the year was marked by the Australian bushfires, followed by the Covid-19 quarantine which caused a huge mess with education worldwide, and later on the tragic death of George Floyd leading to the numerous Black Lives Matter Protests. Not to mention the U.S. Elections held in November and the large fires and hurricanes that ran through North America. With all the commotion and the life-changing events occupying the newspaper headlines, many scientific discoveries could have slipped through the cracks 1. A material, older than our solar system, was uncovered on Earth. This material is a 4.6 to 7 million-year-old, around 1 micron in length stardust particle composed from microscopic presolar grains. (Weisberger) These dust particles derived from a dying star billions of years before the sun even existed. They landed on Earth after they travelled inside what became later known as the Murchison meteorite that struck our planet. In September of 1966, the skies over Australia were brightened up by the approaching meteorite which plummeted in an area nearby Murchison, Victoria. The most fascinating thing is that almost only five per cent of meteorites contain these stardust particles. (Nasa

2. Researchers at the University of Central Lancashire were able to find out that millions of 500 km thick magnetic threads infused with exceedingly hot plasma make up the sun's outer layer using the pictures that were taken during NASA's solar sounding rocket mission. NASA's High-Resolution Coronal Imager or also called a "unique astronomical telescope”(Leary), can picture the sun's atmosphere structures that are "as small as 70km, or about 0.01% of its total size." "This is a fascinating discovery that could better inform our understanding of the flow of energy through the layers of the sun and eventually down to Earth itself. This is so important if we are to model and predict the behaviour of our life-giving star," says Dr Tom Williams from the University of Central Lancashire.

3. One of the other groundbreaking discoveries is that the Covid-19 lockdown that led to the temporary closure of many communities around the globe affected the movement of the Earth. Geoscientists who study the Earth's movement, have spotted that there was a decrease in the seismic noise which could be the aftermath of the many human activities that have ceased such as transport during the quarantine. (Gibney)

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Although the long-term effects are uncertain, this is a benefit for seismologists because since the Earth's activity noise has been reduced, their detectors became more precise about the underground movement. This "could allow detectors to spot smaller earthquakes and boost efforts to monitor volcanic activity." a seismologist explained at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels. (Leary) 4. Illinois Institute of Technology researchers were able to find a way that can bring back sight to the blind. This implant or also called the Intracortical Visual Prosthesis is attached to the visual cortex of the brain enabling blind people to see ill-defined. The Intracortical Visual Prosthesis was developed by Philip Troyk, the director of neuro-engineering at the University of Miguel Hernandez in Spain, whose main motivation was for the 36 million blind people to experience sight once again. (Leary) Troyk hopes this "wireless visual prosthesis system" will work because the visual cortex is the only part of the brain that works in blind patients since they lack optic nerves or intact retinas. “This is an incredibly exciting moment, not just for the field of biomedical science, but more importantly for people with blindness and their loved ones around the world,” stated Troyk. (Rego)

Work cited Weisberger, Mindy. “7 Billion-Year-Old Stardust Is Oldest Material Found on Earth.”

Space.com, Space, 13 Jan. 2020, www.space.com/ stardust-oldest-material-on-earth.html NASA, Image by, et al. “10 Awesome Science Discoveries You May Have Missed in 2020.”

Science, 14 Dec. 2020, w w w. n a t i o n a l g e o g r a p h i c . c o m / s c i e n c e / 2020/12/10-awesome-science-discoveries-youmay-have-missed-in-2020/ Leary, Sammy. “The Greatest Scientific Breakthroughs Of 2020.” Ranker, 14 Sept. 2020, www.ranker.com/list/scientific-breakthroughsof-2020/sammy-leary Sky. “Scientists Reveal Highest-Ever Resolution Images of the Sun.” Sky News, Sky, 9 Apr. 2020, https://news.sky.com/story/scientistsreveal-highest-ever-resolution-images-of-thesun-11970892 Gibney, Elizabeth. “Coronavirus Lockdowns Have Changed the Way Earth Moves.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 31 Mar. 2020, www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00965-x Régo, Nelson. “Tech Researchers Develop Brain Implant That Could Help the Blind See.” COOL BLIND TECH, 15 Sept. 2020, https:// coolblindtech.com/tech-researchers-developbrain-implant-that-could-help-the-blind-see/

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A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

By Muskan Böninger

It is during the darkest times that we have to look for the ray of light. The ray of light radiates from friends and family at all times, but it's the Christmas mood that pours its jolliness into our hearts and it reminds us that Christmas isn't just about eating till we get fat and bragging about our rich gifts. It is the celebration that makes us forget about ourselves and think about others. It's about putting their wishes at the top of the list. It's about opening your hearts and giving joy and hope to your loved ones, but also to strangers. I remember, exactly one year ago, at the very beginning of December, we went to an MUN event in Milan.

It was a freezing night, and we decided to have dinner at a fast food. Some of us didn't want our food anymore, it was too much, so, instead of throwing it away, because it was practically untouched, we gave it to the homeless we came across in the streets. The food was still hot and their gratitude was rewarding. We didn't give them a thousand dollars, but it looked as if we just had. Some of them didn't know how to thank us, but their smiles said it all. It made me, and I guess also my friends, feel so special! We, small, insignificant teenagers provided dinner for them. It might seem like nothing to many, but it was very important to them. Some days later, a week or two, my family decided to go to Morocco and celebrate Christmas there.

On the 25th of December we were wandering in the old city of Fez with our tourist guide, when I saw two girls half my age. They were both without shoes, with ratty clothes and a bit dirty. I took a closer look at them and noticed that even though they had nothing, they were the happiest little girls I had ever seen. They were smiling and laughing while holding each other's tiny hands.

When they noticed our tourist guide they came to say hello to him. In that city everyone knew each other. Weird, but beautiful. He presented the two girls, and I don't know why, they came up to me and started speaking in Arabic! God, I wished I knew that language at that moment. But I didn't, so I just smiled. They seemed to ask questions, so I just nodded my head like an idiot. They took my wrist and looked at the bracelet, and their eyes seemed to glow. When the girls were about to leave, I stopped one of them and took my bracelet off. She looked surprised. The bracelet had the words ``Merry Christmas'' on it. It was a gift I received, but I felt like she liked it more than I did.

She couldn't read what was on it, because she didn't speak English, but she seemed so happy to have it! She started crying with joy and I felt tears in my own eyes as well. Every Christmas reminds me of the girl and the bracelet. Her eyes spoke, without words and her smile had a welcoming vibe. I thank this girl for making me feel so special.

Please take my small and insignificant actions as an example and give your love to people you think deserve it, even to strangers, for one small action might mean nothing to you, but the world to someone else.

LOCAL AND CULTURE 30