CONTENTS & EDITORS NOTES
Cover design
Jakob Morrissey
Horror-scopes
Emily Walker
Meet the Press Team Part 2
More press team
General assembly
Jamie McDowall
Kashmir region debate report
Jamie McDowall
Phillipines - China & US Relations
Hitachi First
Phillipines - Customs
Hitachi First
Japanese Politics & SDGs
Hitachi First
Japanese culture & food
Hitachi First
Basque country culture and food
Izan Meabe
Book Review
Tarika Costillo Abad
Donald Trump
Jakob Morrissey
Money laundering
Elspeth Gardiner
Disco
Dress to impress
Celebrating your success
Good news
Elena Buckingham + Elspeth Gardiner
The editors would like to apologize for a small slip on the back of the Delegate’s 1st 2024 issue. We did not intend to crop out some of Elena’s hard beaver-related work -- her words will be missed. We also congratulate everyone who soldiered through general assembly, where we had to exit swiftly for the good of our sanity.
Everyone follow bayanator on tiktok! He has a child’s kahoot name, go take the mick.
“We’re so professional we bark with our feet and not our mouths” - Elena Buckingham
- Katja Windle & Elspeth Gardiner
Aries:
On the Eve,
HORROR-SCOPES
Of This Halloween, Please do expect: A finger upon your doorstep.
Taurus:
What more could you want, Than an unsuspecting taunt? What’s coming your way? Nothing, but a dark grey day.
Gemini:
Witches, witches, flying around, Slowly but surely, they surround your town. With limited choice, You must rejoice
Cancer:
Frankenstein and his creation, There is no need for hesitation. When your think you are by yourself, Just imagine, there is an elf.
Leo:
Lions, tigers, and bears, There’s no need for pairs. Find yourself alone, With nothing but your phone
Virgo:
Feel that on your back? A light, midday snack. Crispy, crispy spider, To go nicely with a cider.
Libra:
Pumpkin heads, cut them out Cut them out, before they sprout. Behead! Behead! Now, leave them dead.
Scorpio:
Is your birthday coming up, And you want a pet pup? You’ll get nothing more, Than an ear on your floor.
Sagittarius:
Thinking of the talent show, And expecting minds to blow? You’re wrong! You’re wrong! You aren’t that strong.
Capricorn:
Corpses, skeletons, death. This will be your last breath. The night of the 25th, Don’t go near a kiss.
Aquarius:
You’d think you’re full of air, When really, you’re just the spare. Alone in life, And without a wife.
Pisces:
Fishes will swim, Up to the brim. With nowhere to go, Eaten by crow
MEET MORE PRESS TEAM
Saki Yamaguchi
I’m Saki Yamaguchi. I like watching TV dramas and playing basketball.
Nanaka Omori
I’m Nanaka Omori,please call me ‘MoriMori’.
I belong to the Japanese archery club.
Yuzu Suzuki
I’m Yuzu Suzuki. I like K-POP idols,especially TWICE.
Marin Kuroiwa
I’m Marin Kuroiwa. I like playing sports. I especially like playing volleyball.
Minori Nishimoto
I’m Minori Nishimoto. I like reading books, both novels and comics.
Emily Walker
Hey! I’m Emily Walker and I am a part of the press team. A solid 3 pigeons would need to be in my house to suspect foul play. This being said, I would happily feed and look after said pigeons.
Hidehisa Ebihara
I’m Hidehisa Ebihara. I like watching football and rugby games.
Tarika Castillo Abad
Hi, my name is Tarika Castillo Abad and this year I am participating in the Royal Russell Press Team. I am currently attending the St George’s School of Bilbao in the north of Spain. I am 15 years old and I have lived for 13 years in Cologne (Köln), Germany. In my free time I play hockey and I like hanging out with my school friends.
Izan Meabe
We couldnt get a comment due to technical issues.
Ryo Otani
I’m Ryo Otani. I like swimming and watching sports
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Yesterday evening, representatives of all countries gathered in the sports hall for the General and opening ceremonies.
The ceremony began with a speech from the Director of MUN Miss Calvet who thanked everyone for being here, making sure to recognise the serious issues of the world, highlighting the need for the United Nations to show support for those struggling with the impacts of war, world hunger and women’s world. Miss Calvet told us to let our courage and passion shine during the conference and how this year’s conference will be paper free to support sustainability.
Mr Hutchinson the headmaster was next to take the floor as he recognised how everyone is welcome at the conference with the opportunity to work together. Mr Hutchinson highlighted the diverse history of the school. Mr Hutchinson quoted the poem democracy by Langston Hughes ‘freedom is a strong seed planted in a great need.’ Which represented the values held close to the United Nations.
Next to take the floor were the ambassadors of countries in the security council. Highlights include the ambassador was the Democratic Republic of Algeria hoping to ‘strike a positive change within this changing world.’
The People’s Republic of China highlighted the current threats to the earth including the sad thought of nuclear weapons and the importance of the United Nations in helping to support the growth of the world.
The ambassador of Ecuador spoke about their passion to come up with a solution to the Israel-Gaza war highlighting the removal of their Israeli ambassador.
Japan highlighted their wish to ‘preserve human dignity diplomatically’ as well as facilitating the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip as well as encouraging the UN to push against the breach of international law such as the committing of War Crimes.
The Slovenian ambassador emphasised the importance of ‘every person’s right to take part in fair elections’
The Swiss ambassador mentioned the importance of the values of peace and freedom saying, ‘without freedom and peace we cannot prosper’
Jamaica and Cyprus had opinions on speeches, questioning Russia’s rights for the media. Cyprus responded to freedom of the press, talking about the attack on democracy, corruption and dictatorship against its people.
The Belarusian ambassador highlighted their support for the Russia-Ukraine war to come to a peaceful and diplomatic end, however, they made sure to emphasise their close allied relationship with Russia. With this the ambassador urged the West to withdraw their support for Ukraine.
- Jamie McDowell
KASHMIR REGION DEBATE REPORT
India and Pakistan have shared a tense geopolitical border since 1947, when the UK dissolved the colony of British India into both nations. Despite each country having diplomatic ties with the other, the effects of the partition have led to territorial disputes over certain states, most notably Jammu and Kashmir. India and Pakistan have since fought three large-scale wars and one undeclared war as well as armed conflicts and military standoffs. Right now, Kashmir is Indian-administrated.
Belarusian Response: The delegation spoke and said that they want India and Pakistan not to concentrate effort on peace but rather concentrate on providing a safe space for residents of the Kashmir Region.
Syrian Response: The delegation of Syria called the conflict disgraceful and focuses blame on the West as the cause, as it was the British Empire’s partition from the region and further lack of involvement that led to the beginning of the conflict.
Slovenia: The Slovenian delegation brought up the need for providing realistic solutions to the people of the Kashmir Region as well as replying to the Syrian delegation by bringing up that a previous disarmament bill was not passed and therefore may not be passed again.
UAE response: The delegation of The United Arab Emirates began by agreeing with all points brought up by Slovenia before mentioning their beliefs in fixing the tensions by bringing together the cultures and religions of the two countries peacefully.
THE PHILLIPINES - CHINA AND US RELATIONS
Diplomatic relations of the Philippines
The Japanese press team would like to introduce the diplomatic relations of the Philippines because we represent the Philippines in MUN.
The relationship between the Philippines and China Economy
Despite territorial disputes, no economic barriers will be imposed because China and investment into China will be actively encouraged. There is also the reason that China is the biggest trading country.
Territorial issue
The Philippines maintains deterrence by increasing the South China Sea. The Philippines maintains deterrence by increasing the number of US military bases on its mainland. Issues involving the Chinese Coast Guard have been in the news recently.
The relationship between the Philippines and America
The Philippines were controlled by the U.S. for about 50 years. Even now the relationship between the two countries has continued.
The United States has taken a stance of “defending the Philippines”. The Philippines, the U.S. and Japan are planning “trilateral defence cooperation,” which is the U.S. would significantly increase the budget for bases jointly used by U.S. and Philippine forces thereby expanding support for the Philippine military.
But on the other hand, many Filipinos oppose the establishment of American military bases. They consistently participate in protest movements. Two factors are related to their objections. First, the U.S. has extraterritorial and extrajudicial rights both within and outside its military bases. Second, the American military is complicit in environmental pollution. The impact of the American military is immense.
THE PHILLIPINES - CUSTOMS
The Philippines Traditional clothes
Filipinos wear traditional clothing called “Barong Tagalog”. The natives used their own materials and techniques to create Barong Tagalog.
Filipino’s wear “Baro at saya”. This is usually worn in four sets: a blouse, a long skirt, a shawl, and a cloth wrapped over a skirt. “Baro at saya” have colourful embroidery, and they wear them on special occasions. It is a clothing that combines the ancient characteristics of the Philippines and the influence of the West due to the colonial period.
The culture of the Philippines is festive and happy. They love a party or get-together, and they have many of them, for whatever occasion they can think of. People sing and dance from childhood. Karaoke has become a timeless way of bringing people together through music, connecting us through the joyous activity of singing our favourite songs together, loudly.
K-pop idol
Sophia is a member of Katseye, a girl group active in Korea. Katseye debuted in 2024. They are famous for the song “Touch”. She is the first Filipino to become a Korean idol. She is the leader of the group. She is from Manila, Philippines. She is an amazing idol. She wants to perform in her hometown of the Philippines and do a world tour.
Greeting
The Philippines have a culture called “Mano Po”. This is a greeting to show respect. The Philippines has a culture of honouring the elderly. “Mano Po” is a way of taking the elderly person’s hand with the right hand and lightly applying the back of the hand to the forehead.
Karaoke
JAPANESE POLITICS & SDGS
Japanese Politics
In Japan, there was the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election on September 27th. The largest number of people ran for office in the election to date. In this election, the prime minister was decided. The new prime minister is Shigeru Ishiba. He has developed his policy “Ishiba vision”. He focused on regional revitalization. Through this policy, he will solve Japanese problems such as depopulation and the economy. We believe that he makes Japan better.
Japanese attempt of SDGs
Below is the progress of SDGs in Japan. Today, I’ll focus on the SDGs 13” CLIMATE ACTION”.
For this, I’d like to introduce one company. It’s SEVEN&i HOLDINGS. This is a large company with many subsidiaries and has many stores nationwide. To utilise this, the company is implementing various measures to address climate change.
I’ll introduce some of them:
Reflecting changes in weather and temperature in product development and product lineups.
Opening next-generation stores that incorporate energy storage systems.
Installation of electric vehicle chargers at commercial facilities.
JAPANESE CULTURE & FOOD
Japanese food
This is Sushi, that everyone knows. Japanese people like Sushi very much, so they go to Sushi restaurants with their family and friends. This is Wagashi, which is a traditional Japanese sweet. Wagashi changes with each season. Its shapes look like Japanese flowers, landscapes, and animals.
Japanese manga and animations
These are Japanese manga. Many manga are popular all over the world, so there is even English versions being made. Please read on! These are Japanese animations. Japanese animation technology is amazing! In Japan, they are now popular such as Oshi no Ko, Blue Lock and Your Name. These animations are popular abroad too!
These are Japanese manga. Many manga are popular all over the world, so there is even English versions being made. Please read on! These are Japanese animations. Japanese animation technology is amazing! In Japan, they are now popular such as Oshi no Ko, Blue Lock and Your Name. These animations are popular abroad too!
Japanese manga and animations
BASQUE COUNTRY CULTURE AND FOOD
History of Language and culture
- Origins to middle ages:only language survivor of indo-european languages of western europe. Historical knowledge starts with first arrival of romans.
Fortune of language and nationalism
- Closure of basque universities
- Occupation by armed force of social and cultural associations
- Mass burning of books in euskera
- Elimination of euskera in schools, radio, public gatherings and in publications.If the law was broken it could lead to execution or to incarceration.
- The removal of inscriptions in euskera from all tombstones and funeral markers.
Food
The basque food is considered some of the best food in all spain.
There are two types of different foods, the traditional one, that’s what we eat at home, and the other one was invented by Arzak, that’s a very modern dish with traditional roots.
The basque people have a custom of eating a lot, especially during lunch or dinner.
In the morning, we normally drink milk with cereal and or biscuits, and some people drink orange juice. We eat three dishes, first plate, second plate and dessert.
Bacalao al pil pil
Angulas
Marmitako
Alubias de Tolosa
Basque cake
BOOK REVIEWS
Today we will be interviewing teachers from royal russell and from other schools on what books they would recommend to students or teachers and what it is about
Firstly we interviewed Mr Steve Whiteley:
- Hello, what is a book you recommend to the students,teachers and visitors of the Royal Russell MUN conference?
- The book is called ‘Why can’t we just print more money?’
- And what is it about?
- It talks about everything to do with economics.
- Do you remember when you first read it?
- I first finished reading it this summer
- Lastly, what group of people would you recommend it to?
- Students who are planning on studying economics
Ms Rebecca Abbott also recommended a book to us:
- What is the name of a book that you would recommend to the students or teachers attending the Royal Russell MUN conference?
- It is called a short history of the world in 50 lies by Natasha Tidd
- Could you give us a short summary on what it’s about?
- It gives the reader a short interpretation of the truth behind what was happening in each of the 50 events of the book, which the author firmly believes that they have been lied to about.
- Who would you recommend this to?
I think anyone that is interested in history would enjoy reading this book, I haven’t finished yet but I am very interested in it.
Mr Alex Gaunt also participated in our interview:
- Hi, what is a book that you are reading or that you have read that you would recommend to students or teachers of the Royal Russell MUN conference?
- The book I am reading at the moment is called white privilege and its mostly based on the UK but as well the US. It’s subheading is “The myth of a post racial society”, and it talks about the idea that we believe that we have moved on from racial stereotypes and that we have a truly equal society that does not judge based on heritage, but that isn’t actually true. There is a lot of statistical evidence in the book proving so actually!
- So would you recommend this book to students and teachers more focused on History or do you believe anyone can enjoy this book as much as you did?
- I would recommend this book to teachers that are interested in equality, inclusion and diversity.
Last but not least Ms Gray also hopped onto the interview:
- Hi what is a book that you would recommend to the students or teachers of the RSS MUN conference?
- It’s called ”Purple Hibiscus” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a nigerian author
- Would you be able to summarise the content of the book?
- It is about a teenager who is 14 who lives in a very strict catholic household, where her father is very violent with her. It’s about how she and her brother grew up there and how they managed to overcome the situation they are living in.
- Who would you reccomend this book to?
- I would recommend this to students 15 and older because it has some quite mature things in it, but besides that it is very beautifully written and will be very enjoyable to the readers.
DONALD TRUMP
How competent is Donald Trump for the role of President?
As he falls behind in the election polls, and faces disastrous TV presences, many have come to question how fit the former President is to run again.
On Tuesday, 10th September, Donald Trump once again came under criticism after he proclaimed ‘They’re eating dogs, they’re eating the cats, they’re eating the pets of the people who live there. That’s a shame.’ during the presidential debate. He was talking about the city of Springfield, Ohio, where there is a large number of Haitian immigrants. The majority of these people are legal asylum seekers. Officials quickly factchecked him, telling him that there have been no reports of such activity. Not long after the debate, vice-presidential candidate JD Vance went on record to admit that the claim was indeed false.
That’s what happens when you have a reality TV star as a presidential candidate, I suppose.
When questioned about January 6th at an event in Miami, Florida, Trump described it as ‘a day of love’. The day when Trump hosted a rally outside of the White House, before thousands of his supporters stormed the Capitol claiming the result was rigged. Since then, Trump and his supporters have stubbornly denied his loss – JD Vance repeatedly dodged the question during his VP debate with Tim Waltz. In the debate, Waltz asked if Trump had in fact lost the 2020 election and described his avoidance as a ‘damning non-answer’. This attack had 174 officers injured, with 15 being hospitalised. 6 people died within 36 hours of the attack. His delusions have continued for nearly five years, as he adamantly insists on his innocence on 6th January, and his loss in 2020.
And that isn’t even mentioning the fact that Trump is a convicted criminal. While he was given partial immunity over his crazed attempt to overthrow the 2020 election and a Florida judge dismissed a case surrounding his questionable handling of classified documents, he was still found guilty on 2 felony accounts through his actions surrounding the election. He and his advisors spread false information about voter fraud, calling for Republican state officials to undermine the results. Trump was charged with four federal crimes as a result. In May, he was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in his attempt to pay adult film star Stormy Daniels hush money. Because of this, he is a convicted felon.
If convicted felons can’t vote, why vote for convicted felons?
His actions and his stuttered and staggered manner of speech, which usually involves unrelated and winding tangents, are often compared to the early signs of dementia. Not to mention, he is 78. A convicted felon, a past in reality TV, and an old man: how competent is Donald Trump? - Jakob Morrissey
MONEY LAUNDERING: THE ART OF MAKING CRIME SPARKLE
Why laundering money, which can seem like a victimless crime, is facilitating crime, harming society, and creating greater economic inequality.
Money laundering is the process of concealing illegally acquired money in the financial system in order to make it appear like it has come from a legitimate source. Here is a helpful step-by-step guide on how to launder money:
Placement
This where the money is put into the economy by investing in assets and depositing it into banks.
Layering
Here the origin of the money is camouflaged by moving it around various transactions, making it elaborate and difficult to track.
Integration
Lastly the money is reestablished back into the financial system as if it were earned legally so that the person behind all of it can use it without raising suspicion.
Money laundering at surface level may look like a victimless crime because the money’s movement through banking system does not directly harm individuals in quite the same way that violent crimes do. However, it has many larger consequences such as:
Facilitating crime
The money that is laundered is from Illegal sources. For example, drug and human trafficking, arms dealing, fraud and organised crime. These crimes that fund the ‘dirty’ money create victims that face violence, devastation and are taken advantage of. The fact that these large organisations can profit from their crimes, means that they are rewarded for their unjust behaviour. This not only facilitates but promotes and encourages crime.
Harms society
The income that is generated from money laundering for these criminal organisations prohibits growth which can endanger neighbourhoods by perpetuating crime, violence and corruption. This harms the social fabric and destabilises communities. Impacts the economy
Money laundering can distort the competition by undermining legitimate businesses. Companies solely funded by money that has come from legal sources are put at a disadvantage. This can cause loss of jobs and economic unreliability. Furthermore, in the case study of Banco de Crédito y Comercio (BCCI), an example of large-scale money laundering, where a bank was secretly involved in a massive money laundering operation that aided criminals and corrupt government officials from all over the world to hide their dirty cash. At BCCI’s height, it had assets of over $20 billion spread across 78 countries. When the bank met its demise in a joint US and British regulators investigation, BCCI was forcibly closed. This meant that many depositors lost their savings when the bank collapsed, meaning that in this case, like many others, money laundering created secondary victims.
Corruption in governments
Funds that have been laundered are often used to bribe government officials, destroying the integrity of public institutions. This drives social inequality and allows individual needs to be overlooked. To summarise, laundering money is a big worldwide problem today, It is not easy to shut down because these organisations are clever and can easily conceal large amounts of money. So, if you were every considering laundering money, don’t.
DISCO
Interview with someone at the scene
EG: So, you were at the disco last night. Tell us all about it.
Anon: It was great, everyone was in pyjamas, except for some…
EG: Some people weren’t in pyjamas??
[Disappointment noises from press team]
EG: Name and shame!
Anon: Literally…But unfortunately, I do not know their names, so I cannot shame. It was good, but they didn’t play Fein. It was extremely upsetting for all members.
EG: They didn’t play Fein? Speaking of which, how was the music?
Anon: They didn’t play Fein!
[Visible distress]
EG: Was it pyjama party appropriate? Were they playing lullabies?
Anon: It was not lullabies. I think they should’ve hit the twinkle twinkle little star. They had some good songs, which I don’t remember, some nobody could dance to so we all just bounced around. Name and shame: Maanik was bouncing around like a bunny at some point.
[Cackling ensues from both press and Anon]
CELEBRATING YOUR SUCCESS
Uliana Tolkolova
EG: What’s something you’ve done recently which you’re proud of?
UT: I didn’t fall of the stage in Chapel, in heels. [Cheering from press]
Bayan and Hamish
EG: What is something you have done recently that you’re proud of?
B: So, I run a business - Bayan Limited.
KW + EG: Plug! Plug! Plug!
B: I just bought a car, and I’m selling my car now so it’s ok.
EW: How many cars do you have?
B: I have two cars.
EW: Why do you have two cars?
B: I’m learning to drive in one, and one of them is for a car flipping business.
H: I also have a car that I’m trying to fix and get running with my dad.
EG: Ok but do you have a business?
H: No
EG: Do better Hamish.
KW: How many pigeons would you have to find in your house before you thought someone was putting them there?
B: Maybe three.
H: One. I don’t leave any windows open.
EG: Any closing statements?
B: Follow Bayaninator on TikTok.
KW: That sounds like a Kahoot name in year 7.
EG: What is something you’ve done recently that you are proud of?
AN: I chaired for the general assembly even though i have a terrible cold.
Romy and Krystal
EG: So, what are your names?
R: Romy
K: Krystal
EG: What is something you’ve done recently that you’re proud of?
R: I booked Dizzee Rascal tickets last minute and it was the best time I’ve ever had, and I also have received a Jack Petchey award in trampolining.
K: I did well in my psychology mocks, and I got my predicted grade to go up.
Aman
GOOD NEWS
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the mundane events of everyday life or feel as though time is slipping through your fingers? Maybe its time to bring some awe into your life! In a recent study lead by George Mason University in the US, 100 participants were shown pictures of vast landscapes and small cluttered spaces, such as cupboards and drawers. Researchers found that people were more likely to think they had been looking at routine scenes for a shorter period than they had been, whereas the opposite was true for larger scenes. This representation of time dilation in various scenarios may be a result of our brains working harder to gather information about scenes which we depict as memorable. Experiencing awe also has physical benefits, such as an improved mood, greater kindness and decreased stress. So maybe it’s time to add awe into your life!
Doggy bags packed with seeds to help rewild nature reserve in England
Accompanied with backpacks stuffed with wildflower seeds, dogs are currently being let loose on a municipal nature reserve in East Sussex. The concept behind the project is that dogs can mimic the ecological role previously left behind by wolves. Ecologist and project manager, Dylan Walker, has stated that so far, the project has been a huge success through encouraging engagement with the local community, as well as boosting awareness of the vast range of nature within the reserve. Walker also estimates that dogs cover approximately four times more ground than their owners, further encouraging an increase in wildlife variation and biodiversity which may soon be extended into global projects!
new bombshells have entered the villa
The villa being Australia’s Stuart national park and the bombshelss being 20 western quolls, 20 bettongs and 100 bilbies (pictured). These marsupials have been reintroduced back into this Australian national park after 100 years when the European settler’s cats and foxes drove them out. These iconic species are already at work to creating ‘safe havens’. A special mention to the western quol which have particularly excited local conservatinists with their title of being a top predator and ambitions to ‘restore the desert ecosystem’.
The awe of awe
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