#DHAP2017

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Historical Crisis Committee, The New York Times - Looking back: The Lulls of the American Civil War

GUO JIALU BENJAMIN, THE NEW YORK TIMES

The American Civil War undoubtedly shaped the America that we live in today, but as with all wars, there were times of great military action and there were extended periods of inactivity. There was a long period of military inactivity right after the bloody assassination of then Union President Abraham Lincoln by extremists rumoured to have been influenced by the Confederates. These reports were never confirmed. Military action appeared to have stalled when news of the assassination was released, with both sides entering a defensive phrase of operations.

The Union, shocked at the sudden and bloody assassination, were seemingly unready to continue combat operations against the Confederates and appeared to have been severely shaken by the attack. Union meeting logs suggest that Union leaders were much more preoccupied with their own safety, especially the safety of Secretary of Navy Gideon Welles, revealing the continued emphasis the Union had put on the navy throughout the course of the war. However, despite the lack of combat operations, the Union still held a distinct advantage in the war as they retained control of several forts, notably Fort Sumter, that had been a key point of contention between the two forces.

The Confederates, on the other hand, were still lagging behind due to a bad decision to purchase large volumes of weaponry, resulting in heavy fiscal damages that haunted the Confederates throughout the war. After the Lincoln assassination, the Confederates turned to address their growing morale problems, a result of the lack of Confederate success on the battlefield. Troop and public morale were at the lowest since the commencement of the war, and the Confederate Government was struggling to keep afloat. This was revealed in Conservative meeting logs, where government members appeared to argue unnecessarily among themselves, losing focus of the war at hand.

Analysis of the war as a whole would suggest that the Union were winning the war up till and after the assassination of Lincoln, not because of their strategic prowess, but rather the ineffectiveness of the Confederate Government in organising any sort of opposition, militarily or otherwise, to the Union Government. The Confederates were undoubtedly causing their own downfall.

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International Olympic Committee, Bangkok Post - Hurray: Gold Medal for the International Olympic Committee!

ISABEL TEO JING LIN, BANGKOK POST

“For good ideas and true innovation, you need human interaction, conflict, argument, and debate.” - Margaret Heffernan

After three days of rigorous debate, the International Olympic Committee is on the verge of passing their resolution for the final topic – “The Violation of Human Rights in Host Countries”.  Delegates from various countries brainstormed accessible solutions that were grounded in reality. In particular, the council proposed the following measures to target worker or civilian rights violations:

Among these measures, the IOC’s bid for inclusivity impressed many transgender rights activists across the globe as the IOC proposed the establishment of unisex toilets in consideration for such athletes. Additionally, the IOC had specially taken note to resolve any discrimination along fault lines of race. The work of the IOC has provided the sporting community and fans at large with a hopeful glimpse into a well-regulated 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In light of this and in order to congratulate delegates for completing the conference, journalists at Bangkok Post have crafted an acrostic poem.

Gone are the days of directives and resolutions, over are the horrors of continuous verbal contributions,

over are the funny notes, smiles, laughter and unmoderated shouting,

decorum is finally broken with bouts of free, gleeful chattering.

Just hope that you will appreciate the time left

of being the dopest and

best council.

Introducing a new motion,

On everyone’s discretion,

Clapping is now in order.

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Historical Crisis Committee, The New York Times - Betrayal!

GUO JIALU BENJAMIN, THE NEW YORK TIMES

The Confederate Rebels have sold our freedom to the vicious British and French! In their desperate attempts to win, the Confederates have called upon a large group of European soldiers to aid them in their attempt to achieve victory. A massive armada had been sighted off the coast the United States. Massive Brigades of joint British French troops had been sighted throughout Confederate States. Who would have known that in their desperation, the Confederate Rebels had forgotten the sufferings of the American people at the hands of the tyrannical British!

Brothers and Sisters, stand up to the foreign occupation of our sweet lands! These people are slavers. We should never consider our black brethren as any lesser than the rest of us, as these people proclaim to be. They should not be slaves, as the rebels want them to remain. It is time we freed all Americans.

In light of this sudden foreign interference in our domestic issue, the Union have been forced to hold back and consolidate forces for other assaults. Therefore, we send this call out to the people held hostage in Rebel lands. Do not tolerate this tyranny. You have not called to be oppressed by the wicked Europeans once again. Remember the hard-fought wars of the Revolutionary War, the surrender of the British at Yorktown. The Union needs your support in this war. America needs your support in this war. Stand up to your oppressors, revolt against them! Convince your Governors to re-join the Union. Fight for America!

Brothers and Sisters, there is no telling of the true reasons of European interference and assistance to the Confederate rebels. Taking a wider look of issues, the Europeans can pincer America from both the North and the South, consolidating control of our lands. We must not let this happen. The hard work of our forefathers will be nought, join the Union, join America!

God bless us all

New York Daily Times

10 June 1963

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United Nations General Assembly Special Political and Decolonization Committee, The Straits Times - Council Tackles The Palestinian Refugee Crisis

WONG XIN YU, THE STRAITS TIMES

The Straits Times has managed to get an exclusive insight into the protracted issue of the Palestinian Refugee Crisis, and the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL)’s current state of affairs and take on this complex crisis. 

With the influx of Palestinian refugees into the ASEAN region, delegates were diligently focused on drafting out a resolution that would help improve the lives of many and grant the refugees a brighter future. 

Council session started off strong with India and China’s commendable efforts in ensuring that the rights of refugees be prioritized. Suggestions to get the United Nations to enter and play a part in absolving and finding solutions were also bounced around throughout the session, which the Straits Times believes could be a plausible and effective solution for all. 

Whilst this issue has affected many individuals and established its reputation as a plague to the global community for decades, it is imperative that we should instead, choose to fill up the air with lovely and jovial feelings to negate and nullify any negative sentiments stemming from this issue.

In case you are unsure of how to carry this out, the delegate of the United States (US) has kindly provided us with an exclusive list of examples (pick-up lines) in which you can opt to use as inspiration or model after:

“Is your face Macdonalds? Cause I’m loving it!”

“Are you Russia? Cause you’re russia-ing into my heart tonight!”

“Are you meth? Cause I want to add you into my life”

The plight of the Palestinian Refugees has been a pertinent issue that has plagued the global community for decades. The Straits Times would like to make use of this opportunity to express our heartfelt sympathy to all individuals affected by this and urges for readers to contribute in any way they can to help improve the lives of these refugees currently struggling and fighting for a better future.

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International Olympic Committee, Xinhua - Whose deep, dark ,dirty secret involves a toxic green gas meant to handicap athletes at the Olympics?

ANG YU CHIEN CONSTANCE, XINHUA

It is year 2064, and North Korea has finally seized the opportunity to host the Olympics. Good on them. But alas, things were perhaps not destined to go their way, for disaster struck on DPRK’s soil.

A toxic green gas, a nerve agent, was released into the stadium which held back all athletes from participating countries. The gas hindered the physical ability of athletes and put games on indefinite hiatus. This crisis has evidently extended beyond ASEAN nations, and entangled international players like Russia and DPRK. The moment council session began, the delegate of Russia openly accused the United States and the United Kingdom of being the masterminds behind the gas leak. The delegate from the UK immediately rebutted this claim, citing that they had obtained “no medals whatsoever”, and therefore had no reason to sabotage the games. He also mentioned that “[they] were victims too” and that council should not be blaming either US or UK for the gas leak. He called out the DPRK and mentioned that releasing the toxic gas was a “deep, dark, dirty secret” that they were trying to keep buried. The delegate from the Czech Republic subtly turned his own words against him and mentioned that it could be precisely because they had not won any medals that they wanted to wreck havoc on the entire Olympics.

The council was divided into two opposing camps. One believed the best thing to do would be to extract athletes from North Korea as soon as possible, even if it required brute force. They believed that this would remove any leverage North Korea had over nations involved. The other group of delegates believed that the best course of action would be to send aid and resources to North Korea to compensate for the subpar facilities that they had there and enable doctors to cure the athletes as soon as possible. The one thing both groups agreed upon was that the safety of the athletes were of utmost importance, it was just a matter of how to ensure this safety.

The council engaged circular debate for a long duration, arguing for their own stances without directly addressing those of others. The chairs, seemingly frustrated at the council’s inability to pass a directive despite the fact that the clock was ticking, provided a crucial piece of information that should have ended the circular debate on the spot: that the gas was a nerve agent, and was therefore not contagious or infectious. This strengthened the opinion of the group that believed the athletes should be taken out of North Korea’s custody, seeing as it would pose no harm to anyone if they were removed.

When the council was forced to come to a compromise and pass a directive, they still seemed to be unable to agree. Many were still assigning blame subtly, even though they had all agreed that blaming others was definitely not the ideal thing to do. Referring to the second crisis update, many delegates jumped the gun and pointed fingers at China and the DPRK for causing the gas leak. Their only evidence was that the athletes of both China and the DPRK were completely unaffected by the gas. Rumours were flying, saying that they had genetically modified their athletes to enhance their performance at the games, and this somehow made them immune to the gas as well. The delegate from China dismissed this as “wild speculation”, and indeed, the logic link between the evidence and the conclusion was lost.

Though their active participation in the council impressed the journalist from Xinhua, it was a pity that a consensus could not be arrived at between the various nations regarding the crisis at hand.

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ASEAN Transnational Security Council, The Straits Times - Did you know, South China Sea belongs to China because it contains “China” in its name?

WONG XIN YU, THE STRAITS TIMES

When China decided to carry out the provocative act of militarizing the South China Sea, she also galvanised the entire Transnational Security Council (TNSC) into gathering and discussing the controversial topic of militarization.

Below contains a compilation of noteworthy outcomes from the council session:

1. The South China Sea belongs to China because it contains “China” in its name

 Written in capital letters, bolded and underlined in the working paper, this statement reinforced the claim that China holds complete territorial control over the South China Sea. With this in mind, we believe that China can finally heave a sigh of relief after relentless engagement in fierce disputes to secure and mark the South China Sea as their own territory. It definitely helped that this statement was also recognized and approved by the other delegates present during the drafting of the paper.

2. China and Thailand may no longer be on cordial terms due to the latter’s finger-pointing at the former for militarization

Breaking the council’s silence on the focal point of China’s militarization in the South China Sea, the delegate of Thailand’s assertion resulted in the creation of a ripple effect where countries started to play the blame game with China. In an exclusive statement expressed by the delegate of the United States (US), it was evident that China will be in the bad books of other countries’ after being labeled as “belligerent”.

3. TNSC is in urgent need of a dictionary (Maybe even more than 1)

The delegate of Singapore’s initial push for a definition of militarization to be established before any discussion began gave him an edge above the rest of the delegates during the start of the council session. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the rest of the delegates as they scrambled and panicked over the selection of words to define what militarization truly stood for and would be treated as.

A further unmoderated caucus also amplified and magnified their struggle as they managed to establish (you’ve guessed it) absolutely nothing throughout the course of their discussion. Looks like there is an urgent need for a dictionary to be delivered to their doorstep at this juncture to save them from the peril they are in for inefficiency seems to be taking its toll on the council. 

At this interval, the Straits Times would like to wish TNSC the best of luck in passing a resolution soon.

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United Nations General Assembly Special Political and Decolonization Committee, Bangkok Post - Feeling Quiz-y?: Palestinian Refugee Crisis

ISABEL TEO JING LIN, BANGKOK POST

Are you a current affairs connoisseur? Or perhaps you would like to just gain a basic understanding of this complex crisis? If you are curious about the protracted issue of the Palestinian refugee crisis, the Bangkok Post has summarised the most recent updates from the Special Political and Decolonization Committee at the United Nations into this short interactive section.

Background

1. Which was the first event by which the Palestinian Refugee Crisis sprouted from?

a. Arab-Israeli War of 1948

b. Arab Spring in 2010

c. UN resolution 181 of 1947 which split Palestine into Arab and Jewish states 

2. What is the two-state solution?

a. An independent Israel and Palestine

b. Israel merges with Gaza and the West Bank

c. Israel annexation of West Bank

Answer: A, A

Now that we are done with the basics, what are your opinions on the proposed solutions?

1. An international index to record and trace the identity of refugees

a. Yes

b. No

2. Setting up permanent facilities

a. Yes

b. No

3. Having regional countries absorb the refugees

a. Yes

b. No

Conclusion

The plight of the Palestinian Refugees has plagued the global community for decades. Cornered by the indiscriminate impacts of conflict, many innocent families, children, and the elderly have been forced into delipidated refugee camps. Many are still suffering from destitution, penury and insecurity. Now that you are armed with this knowledge towards the crisis, Bangkok Post urges all readers to contribute financially, if possible, towards improving the living standards of these refugees who are still valiantly fighting for a brighter future.

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Historical Crisis Committee, The New York Times - Union Victory in Sight?

GUO JIALU BENJAMIN, THE NEW YORK TIMES

In a masterful stroke of military genius, the mighty Union looks set to crush the weak, unorganised rebel Confederates. The intelligent minds behind the Union offensive had cracked the weaknesses of the Confederates, and in one fell swoop, taken over the Eastern Front of the war. The consolidated Union attack managed to push Confederate troops from the Eastern front all the way to South Carolina, and the mighty Union is now in control of the Confederate “capital”.

The rebels were so weak they appeared to leave their capitol and heads of state completely defenceless as the gallant Union push went through the state. This must be the breaking point for the Confederate rebels. With their capital lost, the Confederates appeared to be in a full state of retreat, a telling sign of a rout. Confederate morale and nationalism are both at an all-time low. Let this be a watershed moment in the war, as Union now undoubtedly have a victory at hand.

It is at this moment that the American people have to be united to retain this advantage that we have. Union leaders plead to our great citizens that to be accepting of the freed slaves. There is a much greater need for our societies to integrate these members of our brethren, and take the fight to the Confederate rebels. Let this be a call to all citizens of our glorious nation, that we need to be at peace with one another, any quarrels or qualms can be discussed after the war, but for now, we have a great need to focus on the ultimate destruction of the Confederate rebels.

Hence, the Union leaves the glorious future of our nation in you, the great American public. Let us stand united and press home this victory, together. God save the Union, God save America.

New York Daily Times

20 February 1863

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International Olympics Council (Crisis), The Straits Times - Finger-Pointing in Council: Countries Play The Blame Game

WONG XIN YU, THE STRAITS TIMES

With the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) holding their first ever Olympics, one might expect it to be a joyous and jubilant occasion. However it was the exact opposite for delegates of the International Olympics Council (IOC) as they were dragged into a crisis situation.

A suspicious green gas had started to leak through the gas vents into the stadium in the middle of the fanfare and celebration. This then resulted in the situation taking a turn for the worse as 1400 athletes hailing from different nations have been admitted into the hospital. Further updates have also confirmed that the gas had taken a toll on the athletes and hindered their physical abilities and induced fatigue. 

Wasting no time at all, the delegate of Russia jumped the gun immediately in his speech, pointing fingers at the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK) for being the main culprits behind the gas attack. China soon followed up on this rash move, stressing on how “the UK and the US are trying to sabotage DPRK”.

These moves perhaps are neither the most tactful nor the most appropriate to make at the beginning of a council, for such impulsive accusations only resulted in tensions mounting to an all time high. Russia and China might have just shot themselves in the foot by burning down any bridges they previously had with these superpowers and severed all ties with them due to their rash words.

“How can you accuse us for being at fault? We are victims as well. DPRK has some deep dark dirty secret and it is definitely DPRK’s fault.” – Delegate of UK

With the limelight drawing in on him, the delegate of the UK then resorted to dragging DPRK through the mud, another foolish move on his part that exacerbated the tensions in the room even further. Thankfully, the delegate of Czech Republic stepped in as the saving grace for the issue, redirecting the countries back on track to address the safety of their athletes, who should have been the utmost priority of the council. Her sensibility and response to the childish behavior of the former speakers certainly garnered her praise from the Straits Times and subsequent speaking countries.

In spite of her commendable efforts, the council soon fell back into the perpetuating cycle of playing the blame game with each other once again when another update on China and DPRK’s athletes being immune to the effects of the gas was received. Feelings of suspicion and anxiety then swept over the delegates as they made the hasty decision for an unmoderated caucus in hopes of getting a directive started.

The Straits Times was then subjected to a clear view of the chaos and disorder that was rampant throughout the duration of the discussion as delegates continued to shout and point fingers at each other, clearly not learning from the incident prior. The din and commotion in the room was so painful and unbearable to the point where even the chairs had to step in to express their frustrations at the matter.

At this stage, the Straits Times can only urge readers to pray and hope that the council manages to get themselves together for a resolution seems to only be possible with a miracle.

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ASEAN Social and Humanitarian Council (Crisis), The Straits Times - Council successfully addresses H8N1 threat

WONG XIN YU, THE STRAITS TIMES

Delegates of the ASEAN Social and Humanitarian Council were embroiled deeply into a crisis situation. The insurgence of hackers hailing from the countries of Brunei, Ethiopia, Laos and Myanmar have resulted in these countries being cut adrift from any trade ties or international relations that was once forged between them and superpowers around the world. As such, various nations were gathered to brainstorm ways to deal with the outbreak of the virus, H8N1, believed to have originated from people scavenging on the streets due to famine. 

“Delegates, we had previously failed to pass the directive in time and this has already resulted in the spreading of famine.” – Delegate of Thailand

Coupled with the awareness that time was of the essence, delegates were fuelled by their desire to make amends after their previous failure to pass a directive in time to curb the spread of famine. The stark heightening of determination and focus throughout the course of the council session is commendable. Delegates showcasing utmost responsibility and efficiency in responding to each update and cooperating with one another during unmoderated caucuses, also denote a drastic positive shift in behavior from their earlier council sessions. 

Following up on this, the key stakeholders of the directive, namely Singapore, China, Thailand, and India, urged various countries to vote for the directive. Hoping that the council makes a wise and informed choice, the delegate of Singapore reminded delegates of how the council was being pitted in a race against time and that it was imperative for a directive to be passed at once. 

“No nation within the room is immune to the threat!” – Delegate of China

The impactful and persuasive speeches given by the four respective stakeholders proved to be extremely effective as reflected by the directive garnering a huge majority of the votes. With that, delegates managed to successfully and efficiently pass the directive that managed to successfully contain the virus and alleviate famine. 

Despite that, relief soon proved short-lived as another pertinent issue surfaced. With the issue of Rohingya refugees at stake, delegates then settled down once again to discuss methods to solve and counter this looming issue. 

With their strong and commendable performance in council today, the light at the end of the tunnel for the delegates might be closer than they think if they maintain closely cooperative and work in tandem with one another.

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ASEAN Social and Humanitarian Council, The Straits Times - Council Practices the Art of Circular Debate

WONG XIN YU, THE STRAITS TIMES

“Should we really eradicate Female Genital Mutilation?” – Delegate of Brunei 

The third council meeting of the ASEAN Social and Humanitarian Council (SOCHUM) started off with the focal point of amassing adequate funds for healthcare and education, a wise move brought forward from yesterday’s discussion. However, despite calling for an unmoderated caucus’ to better consolidate their thoughts on the matter, delegates were still unable to narrow down on specific courses of action.

The majority of delegates focused simply on skimming the surface of the issue without providing critical insights and going in depth on which varieties of education and healthcare would be beneficial in the aspect of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). 

Throughout the first half of the session, most, if not all focus was merely placed on how psychological support and education should be disseminated throughout the region as a means to counter FGM. Points regarding but not specifying what type of healthcare and education were merely bounced around the council session by a majority of the delegates, The delegate of Bangladesh also pushed for non-governmental organizations such as Amnesty International to step up to the platter and be recognized as key stakeholders in reaching out to victims of rural areas that governments have limited access to.

On the other hand, the delegate of China offered a refreshing outlook on how international cooperation between countries is the most critical factor that will determine success of the former proposed solutions. Other countries such as the United States and China subsequently selflessly offered to channel their funds into proposed solutions.

Additionally, things started to heat up during the second half of the session as tensions built up between the delegates of Vietnam and Brunei. Brunei’s interrogation of whether FGM should really be eradicated was fiercely countered by Vietnam, calling it out for being absolutely “ridiculous”. Invariably, a tedious circular debate ensued as the council became increasingly divided. They pitted against one other, both trying to get their viewpoints across on whether the practice of FGM should continue being permitted.

“Culture is not static and it is constantly changing. Thus, it is ok to put a complete ban” – Delegate of Vietnam 

The delegate of Vietnam reverted back to justification, reminding other countries how their duty to “protect these women and girls” trump everything else. Another sense of déjà vu then washed over the council as countries were torn between siding with either Brunei or Vietnam.

This feud then launched the council into another intensive round of painful circular debate, revisiting the former day’s topic of whether FGM should be defined as a religious or cultural issue. Delegates then continued to beat around the bush, failing to even reach a basic consensus as they focused on going back and forth on the exact same topic.

One cannot help but identify with the Chair of SOCHUM’s frustration at this interval, calling delegates out for their practice of the art of circular debate. At this juncture, it is crucial for delegates to step up and be more decisive in their actions for any glimpse of a cohesive resolution seems bleak at the moment.

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ASEAN Social and Humanitarian Council, The Straits Times - Partial Ban or Full Ban? Council deliberates as education also comes into play

WONG XIN YU, THE STRAITS TIMES

In the second council meeting of the ASEAN Social and Humanitarian Council (SOCHUM), delegates have moved on from previous heated discussion on delineating the various types of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) that should be imposed with a ban. As they advanced towards the topic of imposing either partial bans or full bans, it is evident that two schools of opinions have emerged once again and delegates have refused to see eye to eye in the midst of the intense discourse.

The Delegate of Indonesia, being an avid proponent of the implementation of a full ban, had articulated how the concept of partial ban might not prove as effective in stopping FGM in its tracks. Other parties such as Mexico, the Human Rights Watch and the United Kingdom also echoed the former’s stance on this, with the delegate of the Mexico chiming in on how a partial ban simply provides individuals with the wrong ideas – that some types of FGM are still acceptable and legal.

However, delegates might be jumping the gun at this juncture as a rash decision for the sudden execution of a full ban may inevitably lead to angry masses of people across nations. As FGM has held such cultural and religious significance for such a significant period of time, placing a complete embargo on it will definitely give rise to more entangling problems. The Delegate of Singapore had also supported this, expressing how Singapore believes that the notion of imposing a full ban is simply out of reach and not feasible given the current situation surrounding the ASEAN region.

With time trickling away slowly, the delegates looked towards a unmoderated caucus (which was extend hastily) in hopes of establishing common ground with one another. However their efforts proved to be in vain as inefficiency plagued the discussion, while not a single concrete achievement was in light, as noted by the dreary summary by the Delegate of Japan. 

In the second half of the council session, things heated up quickly as a mother of a  daughter who had just undergone FGM, along with her family, stumbled into the council room, providing delegates with the golden opportunity to interview and gain insight into the turbulent emotional rollercoasters FGM patients go through. 

In wake of their discussion with the young FGM patient, delegates were quick to get back on their feet and showcased heightened efficiency in driving the discussion towards utilizing education as a solution to combat FGM. The joy was sadly only short lived as delegates continued to beat around the bush as the duration of council session elapsed, not managing to clamp down on a definitive and clear educational framework to tackle and educate target audiences on the severity and cruelty of FGM.

It is without a doubt that education can act as a pivotal tool in countering the issue of FGM throughout the ASEAN region. However, what good is education really in its actual implementation into society? Ultimately, delegates should aim to hasten up the pace of fruitful discussion and prioritize reaching a consensus in the remaining council sessions, for the situation at hand seems bleak at the moment.

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Historical Crisis Committee, The New York Times - Sacrilege! Sweet Sacrilege

GUO JIALU BENJAMIN, THE NEW YORK TIMES

It is with great pride and honour that we report the utter confusion and internal conflict within the rebel Confederate Government. There have been reports suggesting unilateral action by some members of the renegade Confederate Government in purchasing large amounts of military supplies and ammunition without a hint of thought for the impeccably weak treasury they possess. This is a huge economic victory for the great Union forces. Union now possess a great economic and military technological edge over the rebel Confederate forces, and will undoubtedly lead us to, as President Lincoln called for, a “swift victory”.

A further update from our correspondent in the frontline reveals that a Union force had been able to sneak past overwhelming enemy opposition in Confederate territory to support our valiant forces holding on in Fort Sumter. This surely means that the vastly superior force in Fort Sumter will be able to repel the unorganised, flustered, weak Confederate force. Fort Sumter is situated an extremely strategic location, that could determine the fate of the rest of the war. Our glorious leaders in Washington have correctly identified this, and successfully executed their plan to repel the tireless rebels, may their great judgement be long lived!

In other reports, a terrible attack had been carried out at the West Virginia Railway Station, murdering 62 innocent civilians, with many more grievously injured. The attacks were reportedly carried out by cavalry in blue uniforms. Some members of the audience may incorrectly assume that these men were sent by Union command to attack innocent civilians, but these assumptions are severely unfounded. The Union leaders see no inherent value in attacking a civilian target, while resources could be better used to attack the nearby supply line. Citizens, this is all a ruse and a dark piece of propaganda put forward by the Confederate rebels! In their desperation to portray our great Union Government in a negative light, these pathetic rebels have fallen to such low extremes to murder their own people! Let it be known that our great Union is fighting this war for the wellbeing and liberation of our people, and has no reason whatsoever to commit such horrible acts of atrocities.

Friends, citizens, countrymen! You have witnessed the brilliance of our great Union leaders in action, and their strategic genius to outwit the hopeless Confederate opposition. The time has come for us all to support our country! God bless the Union! God bless America!

New York Daily Times

15 June 1861

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International Olympics Committee, Al Jazeera - Third Party Involvement is the Optimal Solution

JOYCE LIM QIAN HUI, AL JAZEERA

The commencement of the first council session saw a flurry of ideas and solutions being proposed by the delegates within the International Olympics Committee (IOC). Most, if not all, the delegates chose to use the time allocated for the Opening Speeches to reiterate their stances against doping and mention several initiatives taken by their country to strengthen anti-doping measures set in place in their respective homeland.

The countries started the session by setting the standards for preventing the act of doping in all forms. This included a discussion of state-sponsored doping and the bias of local authorities, a discussion that was surprisingly led by Russia and China, given the history of state-sponsored doping in these two nations. Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) became one of the key topics in the conversation, as the delegates challenged the validity of TUEs in the council, entertaining the notion that TUEs may be a form of legal doping. This can be attributed to the fact that TUEs can be obtained by the presentation of a medical certificate that may be issued inappropriately due to pressure on the state authority’s part.

Several countries, mostly notably China, proposed the solution of international collusion of effort to regulate and enforce preventive measures. Others, such as Japan and Jamaica, preferred to emphasise on the revision of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Prohibited List and the allowance of TUEs. The issue of whether to focus on framework or enforcement was a recurrent theme in the discussion, as China continuously pushed for the regulation of enforcement.

Third-party involvement was a particularly popular solution amongst the delegates. First proposed by Jamaica, this idea was later backed by several other countries including Russia and China. Al Jazeera is a supporter of this idea as well, having made a similar proposal in our pre-event press release. As of present, third-party involvement indeed seems to be the best solution to deal with the problem of interference by local authorities and corrupt National Anti-Doping Agencies (NADAs).

It was also mentioned that a third party already existed in the sporting world; the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), an international quasi-judicial body established to settle disputes in the sporting world through arbitration. However, it must be mentioned that due to the CAS’s status as a quasi-judicial body, the CAS serves no operational role in the procedure of checking for doping as of current. The delegates must find another way to establish a non-biased, legitimate third party that actively oversees the regulation of check-ups for the athletes, if they are to continue in this vein.

The line drawn by the delegates between what should and should not be considered doping still seems to be blurry as of present. It is recommended that the delegates set a clearer definition of what doping is for a productive discussion on this issue to continue.

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Historical Crisis Committee, The New York Times - Abraham Lincoln: “The Union will never align with that of the Confederates”

GUO JIALU BENJAMIN, THE NEW YORK TIMES

It appears that war will be inevitable. On this day the 12th of April 1861, it shall be known that the irreconcilable differences between the mighty Union and the treacherous Confederate South can only be resolved by means of war.

The rebels had assembled an army that had been reported to be on a march for Washington. There is no more time to waste. The Union Government is preparing a call for conscription to take this fight to the rebels. This call goes to all Races, black or white. It is time for us to fight for the freedom of our brethren. The Union Generals appear united in calling for victory “at any costs”, to bring a “swift end to the war”.

Our sole elected President Abraham Lincoln calls for unity in this time of crisis. “We must not be divided”, he pleads to the assembled ranks of leaders. The President calls on the public to be united in this time of adversity, and to assemble a sizeable force to put an end to this rebellion.

The Slavish South consider it a right to own slaves, to continue the tyrannical rule of fellow human beings. The Union Government will not tolerate such tyrannical rule. They fight for the freedom of our people, the American people. Let it be known that the Union Government will stop at nothing to liberate our brothers trapped in the South, yet the government cannot do this alone. This is a call to all young individuals. Take up arms, fight for your country, for the freedom of our people!

Due to security issues, The New York Daily Times have not been given sensitive information critical to army planning and execution.

New York Daily Times

12 April 1861

[dhappresscorps2017-blog]

ASEAN Social and Humanitarian Council, The Straits Times - Issue of Female Genital Mutilation Looms Over the ASEAN Region

WONG XIN YU, THE STRAITS TIMES

With its drastic effect on a vast number of girls and women worldwide, the pressing issue of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has emerged as a prevalent cause for concern throughout the ASEAN region. 

However, despite being recognized by the United Nations as a violation of the human rights of girls and women, its traditional, cultural, and religious significance to many hailing from countries like Malaysia and Africa have impeded the enforcement of laws to inhibit and abolish such practices there.

There is no doubt that a majority of delegates present during the council session have expressed their views on FGM being a severe violation of human rights of girls and women alike. Strong opinions on the issue have also emerged during the course of the council session, with the Delegate of the United States even chipping in on how such practices will be eradicated and strictly curbed in the United States. However, total abolishment of FGM still seems to be light years away for delegates due to differing stances of preserving FGM as basic respect opposing that of eliminating it for human rights.

Despite countries such as the United Kingdom, India and Vietnam objecting strongly against FGM with strong beliefs that girls and women are entitled to the rights of making their own decisions in life, Malaysia still stood by her firm intentions of preserving it as a form of respect for their traditions, factoring in the idea of how it also acts as a safety precaution to protect females against being subjected to rape and sexual advancements.

Additionally, delegates from Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch have also pushed for the implementation of education as a means to counter this unrelenting issue, in line with the delegate of France claiming how girls and women are thrown and caught in the “vicious cycle of oppression” without it. 

Further into the course of the council, things also seemed to be progressing at a steadier rate for the delegates as they moved on from their rocky start with the delegate of Singapore stepping up to the platter, strategically motioning for the discussion to be directed down the route of establishing clear definitions for the type of FGM that imperative action should be taken against. This then launched delegates into a promising and fruitful debate, with progress finally making an appearance due to it.

Delegates also engaged themselves in deeper discussion for consensus and agreement under the delegate of Singapore’s proposition, continuing at a steady pace throughout the second half of council.

With the situation taking a turn for the better and delegates cooperating with one another, eager to hear and accept each other’s stance and opinions on the matter, one can expect to hear good news prevailing from the council session soon.