The Menton Times - Volume II, No. 4

VOLUME II, NO. 4

DECEMBER 2022

Women of Iran Named Time Magazine’s “Heroes of the Year.”

OPINION

NEWS

Who and what makes a hero? Could it be a superpower that allows you to jump over buildings as if they’re pebbles or shoot webs from your hands? Is it a quality that distinguishes you from the average person and makes you the “chosen” one, bringing peace to the whole population? Or is it an achievement, saving a

By Saoirse Aherne, Staff Writer

life, helping those in need, and standing up against injustice? At some point in our lives, each of us has appointed someone as a hero, whether a parental figure, someone influential, or maybe a fictional character that embodies characteristics we admire. These different “heroes” change over time and embody var-

ying features that we look up to, making the unifying factor of what constitutes a hero contestable. However, I define a hero as a community, or someone, who brings positive change to our society and personifies inspiring bravery.

SEE PAGE 6

Menton Enters Business With Company Involved in Flint Michigan’s Water Crisis As reported by Press Agence, on Nov. 14, the Mayor of Menton and president of the French Riviera Community (CARF), Yves Juhel, along with several senior executives at the Veolia company, signed a three-year memorandum called the “Experimental Territory on Climate Change.” This protocol designates CARF as an experimental territory and is the first agreement of this nature to be signed between a local authority and the Veolia group.

SEE PAGE 2

CULTURE

Sciences Po: An Artist’s Perspective

By Isabella Hehl Dalla Zuanna, Staff Writer In an environment where we are all united by our fervent interest in politics, international relations and heated discussions, discreet yet extraordinary artists walk among us almost unnoticed.

SEE PAGE 16

FEATURE

SPORTS

COP 27 ou Déception n°27

By Tituan Huber, Guest Writer for Environnementon « Les COP sont un peu des machines à décevoir » déclarait François Gemenne scientifique, chercheur, membre du GIEC et professeur dans notre cher institut, à l’issue de la vingt-septième Conference Of Parties le 20 novembre. Une fois de plus, les 197 parties signataires

de la CCNUCC se sont réunies dans l‘objectif de renforcer leurs engagements afin de lutter contre le réchauffement climatique.Ils se sont contentées, une fois de plus, du minimum demandé.

Certes, un accord « historique » a été signé.

Gemenne le souligne luimême. Certes, la mise en place d’un fond pour compenser les « pertes et préjudices », soit les

December Sports Recap dégâts irréversibles causés par les pays du Nord, est une victoire indéniable pour les pays les plus vulnérables.

Certes, les pays industrialisés, les pollueurs historiques, reconnaissent enfin leur responsabilité et leur devoir d’indemnisation des dégâts.

SEE PAGE 20

By Hugo Lagergren, Staff Writer World Cup, Boxing and Rugby England Rugby sacked coach Eddie Jones only three months before the beginning of the Six Nations tournament. England will be looking to improve their record in the tournament, which has seen them finish fifth and third in the past two years.

SEE PAGE 16

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The Menton Times

DECEMBER 2022

Menton Enters Business With Company Involved in Flint Michigan’s Water Crisis

By Saoirse Aherne, Staff Writer As reported by Press Agence, on Nov. 14, the Mayor of Menton and president of the French Riviera Community (CARF), Yves Juhel, along with several senior executives at the Veolia company, signed a three-year memorandum called the “Experimental Territory on Climate Change.”

This protocol designates CARF as an experimental territory and is the first agreement of this nature to be signed between a local authority and the Veolia group.

The agreement identifies three areas of concern— water, energy and waste — and pledges to mobilize 120,000 euros over the next three years to develop sustainable solutions to these issues. Mayor Juhel noted that the initiative is consistent with the city’s commitment to “fight against climate change.”

Juhel was elected to mayor’s office on a campaign promise to implement 24 of the 32 measures proposed in the “Pact for Transition,” a national agreement signed last January by Menton mayoral candidates. In doing so, each

What is Veolia?

Veolia is a significant actor in this agreement, especially considering the company’s recent engagement in a number of sustainable initiatives across the Côte d’Azur.

candidate pledged to pursue sustainable solutions to issues of resource scarcity, affordable energy and environmental preservation in the region. Nice-Matin reported at the beginning of November that a group of concerned citizens had requested an appointment with the mayor to assess the extent to which his campaign promises for sustainable transition had been implemented.

Menton has indeed been making some efforts to implement changes for the ecological transition, such as installing chickadee boxes and bat lodges between February and May of this year. The city also began work on a bike path in August. However, Juhel’s campaign promised much

more radical action, like installing anti-macro waste nets at the exit of valleys, planting more than 3,000 trees by 2026 and creating a municipal service dedicated to the environment.

Thus, the agreement with Veolia could be a more concrete step by Mayor Juhel to fulfill the “Pact for Transition” objectives and uphold his environmental platform. Unfortunately, the exact terms of the “experimental territory” designation remain unclear.

There is no public information on specific projects that will emerge from this agreement, nor is there a clear explanation of where the 120,000 pledged euros will come from.

Veolia is a private, for-profit French enterprise involved in water management, waste management and energy services. It aims to be “the benchmark company for ecological transformation” by providing sustainable access to scarce resources. Currently, the company operates across five continents, with 5,000 wastewater treatment and drinking water plants in France alone.

On Nov. 26, Var Martin reported that the company had announced a new project at its Almanarre treatment plant to transform wastewater into hydrogen. Hydrogen can be used as an energy source and is particularly well suited to electric transportation. According to the Var-Provence Mediterranee Territory director, this innovation is “a world first.” The technology at the plant can produce up to 10 kilograms of hydrogen per day; for context, one kilogram of hydrogen alone could power a small vehicle for 100 kilometers. If this project were

News

DECEMBER 2022 to be applied at an industrial scale, it could produce several hundred kilograms of hydrogen per day. However, making this transformation on an industrial scale would cost a hefty sum of three million euros.

Only days before this announcement, on Nov. 22, Nice Matin reported the launch of Veolia’s Arianeo project in Nice, which it claims will serve the energy needs of 25,000 inhabitants by 2026.

Similarly, in September of this year, Veolia unveiled a project in the Arenas district of Nice to create a renewable energy network using wastewater. Representatives of the company expressed the need to lift the “regulatory lock,” allowing them to “go beyond experiments, as (they) were able to do in Sainte-Maxime.” Veolia is involved with wastewater reclamation solutions to water green spaces in Sainte-Maxime. Notably, Veolia is also one of eight companies competing to receive a five-month support program to develop and test a solu-

tion to the City of Marseille’s “Smart Port Challenge.”

Veolia’s interest in developing sustainable infrastructure along the Côte d’Azur reflects the increasingly evident impact of climate change in the region, especially in the Alpes Maritimes, which was hard hit by drought this summer.

In this context, Veolia’s interest in this region is no surprise: the Cote d’Azur needs innovative solutions to face the growing threat of climate change, especially regarding water management. Yet, the impact of this private company’s rapid involvement in a number of communities across this region deserves careful attention, especially in light of Veolia’s controversial past.

A History of Scandal Veolia has long been involved in traditionally publicly managed services such as water, energy and waste management; however, their focus on sustainable transition is a recent development in the

company’s evolution. In fact, a couple of years back, the Veolia group attracted attention over quite a different matter: In 2016, Michigan brought Veolia before the American justice system over the Flint drinking water scandal. Flint and Veolia entered a contract in February of 2015, the terms of which entailed Veolia checking the water quality over claims made by residents that it was polluted. Veolia assured the city twice that the water “met federal criteria.”

In 2019, the Guardian reported that Veolia executives knew that the residents of Flint, Michigan were at risk of being poisoned by lead in their tap water “months before the city publicly admitted the problem.” Email exchanges in February of 2015 show that senior employees at Veolia were aware of the potential for lead from city pipes to leach into the drinking water.

Yet, the company never made a public recommendation or declaration to this effect. Notably, Veolia was exploring

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“lucrative contracts with the city” at this time.

Veolia remains adamant that the government alone is to blame for the events in Flint.

To see the “facts” of the, pay a visit to the website they made specifically to address this matter.

What to make of CARF-Veolia deal Though Veolia’s involvement in the Flint crisis has rightly been subject to heavy criticism, it is not a case of mismanagement on the part of the company, but rather the prioritization of private interest to the detriment of public wellbeing — an expected risk when for-profit companies are involved in the management of public services.

Veolia’s regional projects indeed appear to offer some truly innovative solutions to issues of resource management, especially their work converting waste into hydrogen power. However, private companies should remain under scrutiny to ensure they do not act against popular interests. Nonetheless, considering the increasing severity of climate change in the region, perhaps any projects concerning sustainable solutions are welcome developments. Though the terms and implications of this recent deal between CARF and Veolia remain disappointingly vague, the promise to mobilize substantial funds toward sustainable action is hopeful.

With sustained pressure from citizens — as has already been witnessed — the Experimental Territory on Climate Change agreement has the potential to contribute to tangible change in Menton and the surrounding municipalities.

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The Menton Times

DECEMBER 2022

Frontex : The EU Agency That Has Been Accused of Covering up Illegal Migrant Pushbacks

By Viola Luraschi, Staff Writer What is Frontex?

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency, also known as Frontex, was es-

ion-designated role is to combat illegal activities. The inquiry found the agency guilty of “harassment” and “misconduct.” Frontex was accused of playing a role in violating the fundamental rights of refugees in Greece by forcing the

“European borders have witnessed an unprecedented rise in asylumseeking migrants and refugees in recent years ” tablished in 2004 under the European Union to help members and Schengen-associated countries manage their external frontiers. European borders have witnessed an unprecedented rise in asylum-seeking migrants and refugees in recent years.

Thus, Warsaw-based Frontex, tasked with coordinating maritime operations and external land borders, has served as a prominent presence at several international union-country airports.

return of migrants. The Frontex reporting system has concealed numerous pushbacks in the Aegean sea, and in the words of Giorgios Christides, “between March 2020 and September 2021 (the agency) was involved in 222 incidents in the Aegean, resulting in the summary expulsion of at least 957 and potentially 8,355 asylum seekers.” The OLAF reports include 20 witnesses and over 120 pages of research conducted over 16 months.

The accusations against Frontex

A pushback case that underlines the illegal actions of Frontex dates back to August 2020. On the morning of Aug. 5, the Greek Coast Guard dragged an inflatable raft with around 30 migrants back toward Turkey instead of taking them to Greek shores where they were headed. In one of many similar cases, an air-

On April 29, 2022, the resignation of Fabrice Leggeri, former Director General of Frontex, was approved. The resignation followed an indepth investigation by OLAF, the European Anti-Fraud Office, whose European Un-

craft operated by Frontex was streaming the pushback live.

A handwritten note on Nov. 16, 2020, by Frontex employees states that they had “withdrawn [their] FSA (Frontex Surveillance Aircraft) some time ago so as not to witness” the human rights violations.

This statement clearly shows that the European Union agency was aware of the violations but instead decided to ignore the situation that it was established to prevent.

Furthermore, the report included evidence that taxpayer money was used to fund the pushbacks. The Aug. 5 incident was led by the vessel “CPB 137,” which was coowned by the agency. Leggeri was also accused of obstructing previous investigations regarding his agency’s illegal

ple left the Libyan shore in a small rubber boat. Out of the 63 people who set off on the journey, only 51 were alive by the end. Abraham recounted, “the plane circled over our heads again and again, but no one helped us.” This plane was operated by Frontex, who witnessed the perilous situation below but refused to act. Moreover, he said that during their five days at sea, a cargo ship appeared; however, no help was offered, and the three people who jumped from the boat in attempts to reach the vessel failed and drowned.

The secrecy behind the content of OLAF’s report Regulation 1049 of 2001 outlines the fundamental right of both residents and citizens

“during their five days at sea, a cargo ship appeared; however, no help was offered, and the three people who jumped from the boat in attempts to reach the vessel failed and drowned. ” activity. Furthermore, his private messages revealed his conservative beliefs about the refugee crisis.

Samuel Abraham: a personal account On Apr. 10, 2021, Samuel Abraham and 62 other peo-

of the European Union to access documents of and held by its institutions. While this regulation aims at promoting transparency and ensuring accessibility to all citizens, Article 4 (of Regulation 1049) identifies exceptions that can deny total or partial access to documents. It is under this

News

DECEMBER 2022

article that Frontex continues to keep the OLAF report classified. However, some investigative journalists (Der Spiegel and Lighthouse Reports) have been able to leak parts of its contents. Resentment in response to the agency’s secrecy is widespread, especially considering the report’s allegations of misuse of union funds and international law breaches. The inaccessibility of the documents has meant that the agency’s victims have been unable to exercise their right to an effective remedy. Therefore, their right to a fair trial has been obstructed. However, it must also be noted that hindering investigations is not inherently illegal and, depending on circumstances, may even be deemed appro-

priate. Yet, when considering the far-reaching implications of the report, it is only normal to question the inconsistency between the findings of the report and the actions that will be taken against Frontex.

The aftermath OLAF report

of

the

“recent changes within the agency,” among which the suspension of operations in the Aegean sea was unmentioned. Article 46 of the Frontex Regulation states that the Executive Director should “suspend or terminate activity by the agency, in whole or in part, if he or she

“The European Parliament has continuously refused the approval of the agency’s budget. ” Only one resignation has occurred as a consequence of the OLAF report: that of Fabrice Leggeri. The European Parliament has continuously refused the approval of the agency’s budget. In September, Frontex announced

considers that there are violations of fundamental rights or international protection obligations related to the activity concerned that are of a serious nature or are likely to persist.” However, there is still a lack of Serious Incident Reporting on the island

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of Samos in Greece, where it was flagged that authorities were using intimidation tactics that discouraged incident reporting. The European Commission has continued to be reluctant to take a stance on the matter.

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The Menton Times

DECEMBER 2022

Women of Iran Named Time Magazine’s “Heroes of the Year.”

By Anonymous

Who and what makes a hero? Could it be a superpower that allows you to jump over buildings as if they’re pebbles or shoot webs from your hands?

Is it a quality that distinguishes you from the average person and makes you the “chosen” one, bringing peace to the whole population? Or is it an achievement, saving a life, helping those in need, and standing up against injustice?

At some point in our lives, each of us has appointed someone as a hero, whether a parental figure, someone influential, or maybe a fictional character that embodies characteristics we admire. These different “heroes” change over time and embody varying features that we look up to, making the unifying factor of what constitutes a hero contestable. However, I define a hero as a community, or someone, who brings positive change to our society and personifies inspiring bravery.

On Dec. 7, 2022, Time Magazine named Iranian women “Heroes of the Year.” This

passed, the repression of the protests increased. Anger built up amongst Iranians — recalling the injustice they have faced for the past 43 years under the Islamic Republic, the continuous human rights violations, the oppression of women and the lack of freedom –– the movement progressed into what some may call an “uprising” and others a “revolution.” The underlying sentiment, however, is clear: the people want a change in the regime. Their wants? Women, Life, Freedom.

accolade represents a significant step forward in how Western media and society depict Iranian women, and it has increasingly positive

“This accolade represents a significant step forward in how Western media and society depict Iranian women. ”

influences than one may imagine. To understand this choice, one must first recall the current women-led movement in Iran. Upon the brutal murder of Zhina Mahsa Amini by Iran’s morality police, protests broke out around the country, demanding the abolishment of the mandatory hijab and corrupt morality police. As time

Iranian women have been the face of bravery since the dawn of time. When one lives in a country that suppresses one’s fundamental rights, tries to diminish one’s happiness and extinguish one’s light, that person quickly learns how to rebel and live the way one wishes, even if it does not adhere to the regime’s rules. For instance, in the context of the intense dress code imposed by the Islamic Republic, Iranian women rebelled by wearing more make-up, changing fashion trends that “softened” the dress code and even protesting.

From the first time Vida Movahed took off her hijab, placed it on the stick and expressed her disapproval of this misogynistic law to the movement of the “Girls of the

Opinion

DECEMBER 2022 Revolution Street” and to it taking a larger form in today’s protests, allowing girls to start taking off their hijab in daily life while being fully aware of the risks and dangers, Iranian women showed they were never people to conform to injustice. In everyday life, they rebel by asserting themselves in society and proving their capability, intelligence, tal-

missing them or the West orientalizing them, which is incredibly inspiring, notably for other young Iranian girls who face the same challenges.

During these protests, we have witnessed incredible bravery — Iranian women sacrificing their lives and safety to fight for what they believe in and for freedom —

“the bravery, inspiration and change-making latent in the current Iranian movement render the country’s women deserving of the title “Heroes of The Year. ” ents, and strength. They start controversial debates about the patriarchy, the effects and wrongdoings of traditions enforced by older generations towards women and the unfair marriage laws. Through their persistence, Iranian women changed modern Iranian society and its mindset. They allowed their male counterparts to understand their struggles, stand by them and even fight with them, as seen in this movement. Their efforts are inspirational, and they do not go unnoticed. It is not an easy job to change the mindset of a population, and Iranian women’s work every single day for the past years has been crucial to allow this movement to take off and have the impact and momentum it has today. It is precisely their refusal to fit into a mold of what society told them they should be, whether it is the Islamic Republic dis-

not only for themselves but also for other Iranian women and the next generation.

They refuse to admit regret even when the regime abuses them, and they refuse to stay silent despite repression. I believe that the bravery, inspiration and change-making latent in the current Iranian movement render the coun-

try’s women deserving of the title “Heroes of The Year.”

Time Magazine’s decision is highly significant. With propaganda determining the media image of Iranian women in the past, it is an astonishing relief that they are finally being seen as their true selves. It humanizes Iranian women in the eyes of those who were fed lies, giving them credibility and allowing a larger sympathy to the cause. International support is crucial to keep this movement alive, and this amazing act of Time Magazine sends a political message highlighting that they are on the side of the people and Iranian women. It terrifies the regime and empowers Iranians, making it all the more noteworthy. To support this movement, the international media must change the hegemonic narratives and align themselves with reality, as did Time Magazine. The international community must

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keep listening and spreading the words of the Iranian people and, most importantly, Iranian women.

Growing up, I constantly pondered over what a hero meant to me. I would have varying heroes ranging from fictional characters to influential figures. I always thought that they were out of reach, yet today, I can look back and realize that I was surrounded by them. I feel immense pride for Iranian women, their efforts and how far they have come, and I believe they are such inspirational figures.

Iranian women are more than deserving of this title.

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The Menton Times

DECEMBER 2022

Is Crypto the Future of Currency After All?

By Noor Ahmad, Staff Writer Cryptocurrency is the most recent craze among today’s youth. However, the recent collapse of the cryptocurrency trading platform, Futures Exchange (FTX Trading Ltd.), once valued at $32 billion, and other recent crypto failures like BlockFI, Voyager Digital and Three Arrows Capital, makes it seem as though cryptocurrencies and their underlying blockchain technology were mainly a gimmick. This is only corroborated by the fall in the market capitalization of the crypto sector from a peak of almost $3 trillion to less than one trillion dollars today. Many attribute the speculative excesses seen in the crypto space as caused by loose monetary policy,

and further exacerbated by government handouts during the COVID-19 pandemic; this was a case of too much money chasing a supposedly scarce amount of digital assets. For example, Bitcoin, the benchmark standard in cryptocurrencies, has a limit of 21 million units that can be “mined,” against the current existing supply of about 19.2 million; this limit was put in place to keep Bitcoin scarce in order to maintain its value, much like real gold. For the last several years, many proponents have made the case that Bitcoin was the new gold, which would hold its value in an inflationary environment; and these supporters have advocated allocating a certain percentage of investment portfolios to cryptocurrencies. Furthermore, the valua-

tions of cryptocurrencies have been promoted further by celebrities like Kim Kardashian, who recently agreed to pay a $1.26 million penalty to the Securities and Exchange Commission for promoting a cryptocurrency for which she was paid a promotion fee without disclosing it publicly.

Each cryptocurrency is associated with a particular blockchain. The blockchain is a decentralized ledger system created to keep track of

transactions using an ecosystem which has many unrelated validators (“miners”) who are paid for this work in the native currency of the blockchain, like cryptocurrency. Each time a validator competes and wins in validating a transaction, a certain number of Bitcoins are created (“mined”) and paid to the validator. Cryptocurrencies are not difficult to create, and many new ones have been started by merely copying the code of a pre-existing

“The blockchain is a decentralized ledger system created to keep track of transactions using an ecosystem which has many unrelated validators (“miners”) who are paid for this work in the native currency of the blockchain, like cryptocurrency.”

Opinion

DECEMBER 2022 one. New cryptocurrencies are usually launched using a method known as an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) whereby founders of the unique blockchain seek to raise funds to build a new blockchain platform. The ease with which cryptocurrencies can be created and launched in an ICO has attracted both entrepreneurs seeking to build on this technology, but as with any unregulated system where raising money is easy, it has also attracted a legion of bad actors seeking to turn a quick profit. By some estimates there are over 10,000 different cryptocurrencies in existence.

The recent scandal with FTX, seems to be, at best, a case of poor risk management, and, at worst, outright fraud.

Only an in-depth investigation into the actions and accounts of those involved will clarify this. Its founder Sam Bankman-Fried claims there was no fraud. The collapse of FTX is important to the discussion of the future of crypto given its high-profile nature, and because of some of the notable investors who were involved. Sequoia Capital, the legendary venture capital firm, and Temasek, the Singaporean Government-owned investment company, both invested substantial amounts in FTX. Many are asking how such respected investors were duped and whether the whole ecosystem that surrounds the cryptocurrency world is built on a house of cards.

Blockchains and their cryptocurrencies are a solution in search of a problem. So far, the best-known application to cryptocurrencies has been in money transfer. Many have derided the current state of

traditional banking for its slow and time-consuming methods of moving money both within countries and internationally; beyond this, banks charge large fees for international transactions.

However, the technology available even with one of the fastest and best known blockchains, Solana, is still less than 4,000 transactions a second. This compares unfavorably with a traditional processor like Visa, a credit card company, which claims to be able to process 24,000 transactions per second. And while newer blockchains will no doubt emerge with faster processing speeds, having 10,000 different cryptocurrencies, without wider usage, suggests that many of them will fail.

The creation of cryptocurrencies and blockchains is reminiscent of the early years of the technology boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Then, as now, many new start-ups (“Dotcoms”) were able to raise funds despite having poor business plans; in addition, technology for the internet was still in its infancy, with connectivity defined in kilobits per second versus the speeds available today which are measured in megabits per second – a

Web3.0 and the Metaverse; and while both concepts are vaguely defined and, in some ways, differentiated, they are interlinked. Web3.0 is the third generation of the internet; the first was the building of the infrastructure and companies which hosted content; the second was the social media revolution and user led content; and the third, or Web3.0, is likely to be built off the blockchain and will involve decentralized hosting

The world of blockchains and cryptocurrencies is going through a difficult birth, and it seems like an unregulated and new field has been overtaken by speculation, greed and fraud. But the underlying technology is continuing to be developed, and new applications will eventually be realized. The Metaverse and finance offer two avenues for development. Beyond this, many major financial institutions and technology

“the underlying technology is continuing to be developed, and new applications will eventually be realized. ” of applications and content as opposed to the ring-fenced version we see today with the likes of Meta (Facebook), Twitter, and other social media companies. In Web3.0 each of us will own our own profiles and content, and will be able to control these, rather than having them held disparately by various technology companies. The Metaverse is the immersive and virtual world of the internet, which can be accessed by using headsets like the Meta Quest Pro or through applications produced by gaming companies like Roblox. While these two concepts seem to be

“The creation of cryptocurrencies and blockchains is reminiscent of the early years of the technology boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s. ” magnitude of several thousand times faster today than 20 years ago. And while many of the early companies failed, a handful dominate our daily lives today like Alphabet (Google) and Amazon. Today, entrepreneurs are building

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developing in parallel, some see that the two will become interdependent. For example, companies like Decentraland and The Sandbox offer a Metaverse experience but are built on blockchain technology.

companies are investing on blockchain networks and the ecosystems that surround them. Twenty years from now it is likely a handful will become established as the bases for new applications, and no doubt many of the existing cryptocurrencies will fade into history like many of the Dotcom start-ups of the early internet age. For young and inexperienced investors, recent events are no doubt a warning to tread with caution in this new field; it will take insight to find the winners out of the 10,000 cryptocurrencies, and to avoid the majority which are likely to fail. So one should think twice before opening an account with brokerage companies.

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The Menton Times

DECEMBER 2022

Sweet, Sweet Love: Desserts to Prepare During This Holiday Season

By Angela Saab Saade, Staff Writer Fellow Sciences Pistes, in the spirit of festivities, love and joy, allow me to share with you a cherished moment, dear to my heart, that I experienced just this month. As I was procrastinating revising for my final exams by aimlessly scrolling through social media, my lovely roommate knocked on my door and replenished my taste buds with the delicious scent of apple crumble, escorted into my room with a side of vanilla ice cream.

Kindly take the time to place yourselves in my shoes to be properly immersed in the experience. The degree of warmth and love I felt in that particular moment is one I cannot describe in words.

Though, I could assume that “heavenly” was the closest description of my experience devouring my plate of apple crumble. Although you may unfortunately not have incredibly sweet and supportive roommates as I thankfully do, I hope to indirectly shower you with warmth and love through equipping you with the recipe of the apple crumble that made this entire heart-warming story, amid a cold and rainy night, possible.

Given that I was not the one to bake or come up with the

recipe of the hour, the apple crumble recipe provided to you today will be taken from multiple online sources, and tailored to replicate exactly the plate prepared by my roommate, which involved

“The degree of warmth and love I felt in that particular moment is one I cannot describe in words.” some of her creativity and choice of recipe modifications. Further, to make up for this circumstantial exception, which is alien to the regular character of my articles — usually based on my personal knowledge and experiences — I will also supply you with my personal holiday gift: the recipe of my own Bomb Dessert.

This holiday season make sure to prepare these sweet, sweet treats with a bucket-load of love for those you appreciate, which of course, means first and foremost, yourself!

Apple Crumble Heaven This recipe includes three parts: the filling, the crumble and the topping.

1. Begin by preheating your oven at one hundred and eighty degrees Celsius.

For the filling:

2. Chop seven medium-sized apples into small cubes and toss them in a bowl.

3. Add two tablespoons of white sugar, one tablespoon of all-purpose flour and half a tablespoon of ground cinnamon.Mix everything together well.

4. Butter a baking pan and add the mixture, making sure to flatten it using your hands or a spoon, to create a flat base for your crumble.

For the crumble: 5. Sift two cups of flour into a bowl.

6. Add a cup of brown or white sugar, a pinch of salt and half a teaspoon of baking powder.

7. Add half a cup (or one hundred and ten to one hundred and twenty five grams) of melted unsalted butter onto your dry ingredients and mix them all together using your hands to make sure you break any big pieces and reach a “moist bread crumbs-like” consistency.

8. Pour your crumb mix over your apples in the pan.

For the topping: 9. Sprinkle a cup of rolled oats and your choice of nuts onto the crumble.

10. Lastly, place your pan in the oven for thirty to forty minutes. To know when to take the pan out, insert a small knife into your apple crumble. You should look for soft apples and a golden top as your queues.

11. Serve with vanilla ice cream and bon appetit!

Bomb Dessert With no more than forty-five seconds of preparation and forty-five seconds in the microwave, this Bomb Dessert will satisfy any sweet craving.

It involves two base ingredients: marshmallows and chocolate. The recommended toppings are whipped cream and ice cream. You could also add anything from walnuts and almonds to oatmeal, and, for an ultimate bomb experience, Oreos, M & M’s, and — my personal favorite — peanut butter and chocolate chips. You do you.

“You do you” Place a handful of marshmallows into a bowl. Top them with pieces of chocolate, choosing the chocolate-marshmallow ratio that satisfies your taste. Place the bowl in the microwave, set the timer for forty-five seconds, et voilà! Take the bowl out and add whatever toppings you like. You can thank me later.

Culture

DECEMBER 2022

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Arab Intellectuals That Every Sciences Piste Should Know: Taha Abdurrahman

By Emilia Staff Writer

Kohlmeyer.,

Taha Abdurrahman is a Moroccan philosopher who was born in 1944. Most of his studies were conducted in Morocco; however, he earned his PHD at the Sorbonne University in Paris focusing on the role of language in philosophy.

Abdurrahman’s work centers around the hegemony of Western philosophical traditions, stressing the need for Islamic and Arab scholars to engage with their own particularism.

He emphasizes the need for scholarship to free itself of secularist thinking, which has created a universalist view of what constitutes modernity. Moreover, he criticizes the unitary nature of Western philosophy which aims to standardize other philosophies and marginalize other perspectives, methodologies, and practices.

He furthers that this tradition is in direct conflict with academic freedom, in the sense that true academic liberty can flourish if there is discourse between varying viewpoints, which is effectively prevented by Western dominance.

For Abdurrahman, the tendency to seek consensus rather than highlighting particularities results in two forms of violence: a “greater” and a “lesser” violence. Greater

violence is characterized by “physical” violence, with which the dominant position subjugates the dominated one. This violence is exercised through material support and influence which seeks to uphold the hegemon, and otherize its weaker counterpart. Greater violence also has an “epistemic” — the dominant position delegitimizes that of the dominated and removes it, almost entirely, from public discourse.

“Lesser” violence occurs when the two positions reach a compromise, as it still denies the particularized to either position.

However, Abdurrahman also criticizes Arab and Muslim scholars for blindly adhering to Western principles within their philosophical explorations. He underlines that a major issue is that they are not asking their own questions, but rather seeking to answer those posed by others. Moreover, Western thought often employs reason to arrive at ethics, whereas Abdurrahman advocates for a strong ethical basis to reach reason, a process that he views

as increasingly lost amongst Islamic philosophers.

He draws this thought from his view of religion in which statements are never separated from moral precepts. In Western philosophy, conversely, “knowledge” has been rendered scientific — philosophers have attempted to separate value from knowledge.

Values are indispensable to our understanding and rather than negating them they should be included in the discourse and regarded as a starting point for any exploration.

Abdurrahman underscores the importance of religion in creating ethics, something which is neglected by Western secularists who have attempted to create global comprehensive systems of ethics, while completely overlooking that the vast majority draw their ethics from religion.

In his view the most complete ethical system is provided

by Islam and proposes a reinterpretation of the Holy Qur’an which he believes to be humanistic above all.

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Once Again, the Palestinian Story at Risk of Being Silenced: Netflix’s Farha

By Ghazal Khalife, Staff Writer Rarely is there a movie about Palestine that does not receive political backlash. The Israeli state has been trying to dominate the narrative of the country since the Nakba, especially in the Western world. The Israeli perspective on the Palestinian conflict has often been singled out as the true one, and while many question the state’s ongoing aggression (nowhere near as loudly), rarely do they question the state’s legitimacy and origins. This is where the movie Farha comes in, using the perspective of a 14-year-old girl to describe the horrors of the Nakba and the atrocities committed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Farha is a movie based on true events that is set in a small Palestinian village prior to the Nakba. Nakba in Arabic translates to “catastrophe”, and no movie has been able to exude such a strong connotation of the word disaster. The movie shocks us through its raw illustration of the trauma faced by Palestinians as their villages were destroyed, their families killed and their lives upturned completely. The

film is written and directed

by Darin J. Sallam, a Jordanian award-winning director and writer who chose to spotlight Palestinian suffering through the perspective of a young girl seeing her dreams crushed and witnessing the destruction of her people.

In this film we witness the upheaval created by the battles for Israel’s creation; the director transports us from an ambiance of hope with a looming danger to that of absolute tragedy; and since we know how history plays out, we already dismiss the prospect of a happy ending. Sallam enriches the film with symbolism of afig tree, gold earrings, and most importantly, a school registration paper.

It makes us ache for what

could have been: what Farha’s future could have been and, on a grander scale, what Palestine could have been. It overcomes any filters and showcases the sheer violence and ut-

ter dehumanization of the other, as the IDF soldiers raid villages, burning all that stands in their way.

Hence, it was predictable that when a film like this was streamed on Netflix,

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it was received with strong condemnation from the Israeli state. For Israel, this film threatens its legitimacy and version of history and dismantles the power of having a single story. As a result, the film has been subject to immense criticism which has manifested itself as calls to ban it and boycott its streaming network.

“The dangers of a single story” To explain why Farha has been met by such hostility and why some have called on Netflix users to cancel

their subscriptions, I will use a quote by the novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: “Stories matter. Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign, but stories can also be used to empower and to humanize.

Stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity….When we reject the single story, when we realize that there is never a single story about any place, we regain a kind of paradise.”

“The movie shocks us through its raw illustration of the trauma faced by Palestinians as their villages were destroyed”

To establish one’s story in stone, it is sometimes necessary to neglect or silence alternative ones. Farha

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raeli influencer rushed to denounce the movie, calling it “blatantly anti-semitic,” and a distortion of

“One might not agree with the film’s brutalist portrayal of IDF soldiers, but it remains crucial to allow it a chance, to remain willing to hear another perspective, one of pain.” being streamed on a global platform, risks deconstructing the story propped up by the Israeli state for so long. For the first time, a marginalized narrative reaches : the trauma of a people often misunderstood and misrepresented.

The film’s subject matter can be compared to other stories of oppression — many have compared Farha to Anne Frank with both little girls witnessing extreme and life-altering aggression. A popular Is-

history. These claims have no ground in reality, but all they do is serve the Israeli narrative, preventing people, most importantly Israelis themselves, from breaking the barriers of the single story and approaching the other side. Boycotting the movie is boycotting the other, limiting them to a box of prejudice and stereotyping.

One might not agree with the film’s brutalist portrayal of IDF soldiers, but it remains crucial to allow it a chance, to remain willing to hear another perspective, one of pain. It is impossible to deny that the 1948 Nakba was a time when massive breaches of human rights were committed, where people refused to listen to one another, where one nation was annihilated for the other to survive.

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DECEMBER 2022

The United States Border Crisis is Still a Human Rights Emergency

By Peyton Dashiell, Staff Writer for Amnesty Sciences Po Menton For decades, migrants have used the United States’ vast border with Mexico as a crossing point to enter the United States and seek asylum. While most migrants originate from Mexico or Central America, thousands of migrants from Russia, China, India and Turkey seeking U.S. residence have flown to Mexico and crossed the frontier to potentially evade border patrol when

crossing by land. The migrants and asylum seekers arriving at the border have a variety of motivations, from fleeing violence to wanting to join family members or seeking better economic opportunities.

While anybody with a legitimate fear of persecution can apply for asylum, most asylum applications in the United States are rejected due to a cap on refugee admissions and specific requirements for asylum

“While anybody with a legiti-

mate fear of persecution can apply for asylum, most asylum applications in the United States are rejected due to a cap on refugee admissions and specific requirements for asylum seekers”

seekers, such as not having been convicted of a serious crime or felony. As a result, many migrants crossing the border aim to do so illegally and evade immigration controls so they can start their lives in the United States without having to undergo the long and arduous process of obtaining asylum.

In 2014, the Obama administration declared a crisis at the border due to a sharp increase in unaccompanied minors and women illegally crossing. Illegal

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immigration has long been used as a right-wing scapegoat for the issues the United States faces, including high unemployment and increasing violent crime rates. This rhetoric featured prominently in the presidential campaign of Donald Trump, in which he mobilized supporters with calls to build a border wall and made inflammatory statements about the character of migrants, notably stating that “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”

In January 2017, Trump began his term by signing Executive Order 13767, which directed the U.S. government to start the construction of the border wall. Throughout his term, a wall was constructed along 455 miles of the border, 49 miles of which previously had no barrier.

By 2020, much of this construction was in danger of collapsing due to erosion.

Several officials, including Trump advisor Steve Bannon, were indicted for defrauding investors and using wall funds for personal gain.

Additionally, Trump sparked controversy with policies designed to separate migrant children from their families, detain migrants in overcrowded detention centers in dangerous and unhealthy conditions, and end the practice of allowing asylum seekers to live in the U.S. while awaiting court proceedings. In 2018, the conditions of migrant de-

tention centers run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were exposed in the media.

Journalists and human rights monitors who visited the centers discovered egregious human rights violations, including sexual abuse, a lack of food and clean drinking water and insufficient medical care. Many members of Congress visited the detention centers to observe

cy returned at least 70,000 asylum seekers to Mexico, many of whom were trying to escape threats and persecution experienced in the country.

While President Biden pledged a sharp turnaround from Trump’s cruel immigration policies while on the campaign trail, his leadership has demonstrated outright hypocrisy and little progress on bor-

“Journalists and human rights monitors who visited the centers discovered egregious human rights violations, including sexual abuse, a lack of food and clean drinking water and insufficient medical care.” the poor conditions firsthand in what Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielson labeled a “Hill stunt.”

The international community quickly condemned the detention centers.

Amnesty International released a report detailing the poor conditions on both sides of the border. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said she was “deeply shocked” at the treatment of children and expressed concern for their development and wellbeing.

In 2019, Trump implemented the Migrant Protection Protocol, or “Remain in Mexico” policy, which forced asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while their immigration papers were processed. This poli-

der matters. He vowed to reunite migrant families separated by the Trump administration, close ICE-operated detention centers, end construction of the border wall and raise the annual cap for refugee admissions. However, none of these promises have been delivered during his two years in office, and there is little evidence that conditions for migrants at the border have improved from the standard set by the Trump administration.

Despite his mantra of “not another foot” of border wall development, in July 2022, Biden’s administration quietly began construction to fill four major gaps in the border wall near Yuma, Arizona — one of the busiest locations for illegal border crossings.

Additionally, while Biden

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ran on a promise of ending the Migrant Protection Policy, it remains in place after the two years he has spent in office, although he did exempt LGBTQ asylum seekers and people with certain medical and mental health conditions, recognizing their vulnerability in Mexico.

Furthermore, President Biden has controversially used Title 42, a COVID-19 control policy, to increase expulsions of migrants at the border. Title 42 was first enacted by Trump in 2020 to rapidly expel asylum seekers to control COVID-19 and has been used 2.4 million times since its establishment. Title 42 was ruled unconstitutional by a federal court in Nov. 2022 in response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Still, the Biden administration appealed the ruling on Dec. 8 to continue expulsions under the guise of public health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reportedly working with Biden to formalize this policy as a permanent health measure, despite lifting most other COVID policies.

The United States border crisis is a human rights emergency — there is no room for bipartisan hatred and broken promises in our immigration system.

American leaders must protect the legal right to seek asylum and ensure that migrants are treated humanely and fairly at all steps of the immigration process.

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The Menton Times

Sciences Po: An Artist’s Perspective

Pain is (expressed) more… than happiness in music or visual arts. I use visual art for identity, pain and personal growth.”

By Isabella Hehl Dalla Zuanna, Staff Writer In an environment where we are all united by our fervent interest in politics, international relations and heated discussions, discreet yet extraordinary artists walk among us almost unnoticed. After discovering a fellow student with such talents, I was amazed by her gift of composing original music, writing psychological short stories and creating beautiful visual art. Her discretion concerning her abilities first went overlooked; however, once I was exposed to them, I suddenly saw a different side of her: her quiet observation of others, her unique perspective on the conditions of existence, and especially: her view on Sciences Po and Sciences Pistes, which was so different from mine, and so much more beautiful.

This Sciences Piste, Quiyi He, is a Chinese exchange student from the London School of Economics (LSE). Over a month ago, I decided that I needed to interview her — she deserved attention for her sharp and original mind, and Sciences Pistes should know of her. To her, “music is like my bed, where I can sneak in when I feel depressed, and art is the sample of my time. Writing to me is like blood.” Using art to show her true self — the side both known to the

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Art can have a beautiful and even reviving impact on others’ lives: “If I had no art, I would have been dead a hundred times. Art is saving me from those emotions like floods. Art is giving me fresh air to breathe from reality. I always say reading and composing art is sort of like escaping... By extracting two hours from your day and just concentrating on one thing, peacefully, without any disturbance, it’s a kind of way to live with yourself, truly.”

public and the side she keeps private — I understood that, to her, the world is art, and her perspective on the university I have become accustomed to for the last semester would radically change mine. I also hoped to share with other Sciences Pistes the advice she gave me: in an era of transition, where my opportunities are endless and my future is completely unknown, finding what I want in life and solidifying my sense of identity can be eased through artistic methods.

Many of her written pieces twirl around questions of identity. When I asked about those, she responded, “I consider art an exit for emotions…that you don’t usually show in front of people. It’s an exit to leave these things out and (evoke) something in other people. I really love the word ‘resonance’ because for those creative works, not just visual art, but writing, music, you find something identical when you listen to it, when you see it, so it’s like something that links you with others.

According to Quiyi, although “everybody is crazy about political science” at Sciences Po, we may not notice how important of a role art plays in connecting us, as she believes that “everybody is born an artist.”

Even in simple activities such as the stone painting of the Bureau Des Élèves, just several paint brush strokes can cause art to emerge. The beauty of art perhaps lies in its duality: everyone creates something unique, yet which can be seen and felt by all; it can also express such pain and tragedy, yet the process of its creation is reviving and uplifting.

Perhaps the most interesting thing I learned from Quiyi was when she told

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me, “I cannot imagine what Sciences Po would be like without the piano room. The piano room is the only purely artistic place on campus, physically. Firstly, it’s open to the public, so everybody can enter. Most of the time, you can see that someone, or a group, is playing inside, and people would hear something like the piano, or singing from outside, so it’s kind of connecting the person inside and outside. And secondly, I knew a lot of people while I was playing the piano — they entered, and we talked and sort of got to know each other. I feel like it’s a socializing place, but more importantly, a place for people with common interests.”

Lastly, Quiyi gave me some advice which can be applied to all young adults: “For myself, the most anxiety comes from being too realistic, so I think art is an important tool for us to shift from realistic to idealistic. A person is always balanced between these two states, and I feel like art is one major component of the idealistic part. I think Sciences Po is, to some extent, quite like LSE where most people would be considered utilitarian, but when they do art, you’ll see them as quite different.”

Furthermore, Quiyi shared, “Our age is a key stage for finding your true self. I know a lot of people getting mental health advice from professionals and you know that art is like a tool that they give you a lot

when they do the consultation. Art is an expressive tool for a lot of things that you can’t express. If you don’t know what you’re going to do in the future, just take some time in front of

in the world that can actually play a role of spreading everything to reach a vast population. If you are interested in music and art you can go to the cinema, to see movies, or to listen

the desk and do one or two hours of meditation and just randomly draw something, even if you’re not a professional artist, or haven’t learned to systematically draw, this is perfect quality time for you to be with yourself and actually be producing something solid. That can be helpful. I think art is a medium for everything in the world. Even for politics, you have exhibitions, you have lectures, you have powerpoints, so art is like a carrier of a lot of things

to orchestras or musicals, operas and art exhibitions, museums. For 0.1 seconds, you notice, ‘hey, there really is something I want to do my whole life.’ It’s not necessarily art but what art carries: those themes or even a page of introduction on the brochure of the artistic event you attend. It can be inspiring for people to walk out of their own comfort zone and look at other worlds as well, and suddenly you’ll find what you want to do for your future.”

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The therapeutic impacts of art cannot be expressed in words: we can help our understanding of our own identity and that of others. As an artist, Quiyi has learned that “identity is not something someone can give you; it’s not about defining yourself, but to construct an image of yourself. So this music, this art, all the things I did, are not to define myself but to describe myself and to record. Art is like a piece of my time. So when I look back, I want to still see a vivid picture of myself right now, right here with this person. What was I like in the past? I want to keep this fresh, just like you do your food with a container in the fridge. I want to keep that feeling for as long as possible, and that’s why I keep writing diaries and recording my dreams.

Concerning identity, you’ll see that you treat other people differently. All you know about a person is your own perspective.

And I myself don’t know how to describe myself.

It’s an interesting thing to do when you explore yourself because there’s always something that you haven’t noticed yet. People say their whole life is a journey that you negotiate with yourself, that you live with yourself, that you adapt yourself to. I feel as though that’s quite true because no one can accompany us forever, it’s just us with us. All I have is me and my art.”

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The Menton Times

DECEMBER 2022

Reflections On SPMUN 2022

By Georgia McKerracher, Guest Writer for MEDMUN Sciences Pistes Model United Nations (SPMUN) has come and gone — but that won’t stop us from reflecting upon the unique experiences that were had by those 170 Sciences Pistes who partook in the first intercampus event of the 2022-23 academic year.

The conference focus on “Reconstruction and Redirection” proved to be a popular one — with three language committees, highlighting the true diversity of Menton as a site sandwiched between a variety of Mediterranean states and bringing together aspiring policymakers, diplomats, leaders and

journalists from across the world.

The opening ceremony kicked off with an address from the Permanent

Observer of the International Chamber of Commerce in Geneva and former Australian Ambassador to Nepal and Chile,

Mr. Crispin Conroy.

Not only did he manage to diplomatically ingratiate himself to the community through remarks about the beauty of our campus, but he also spoke about his experiences as a gender parity champion and reflected on the roots of the ICC, League of Nations and the Paris Climate Agreement. According to Conroy, the multilateralism of our increasingly globalized world is today threatened by the politics of fear we are witnessing engulf the world’s democracies; therefore, he positioned his audience to reflect on their duty to rethink the

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multilateral approaches they can employ to further the global common good.

Secondly, Sciences Po Refugee Help’s representatives Cameron Sterling and Ferida Altun delivered a moving speech to the audience, condemning the militarization of the Italian-Franco border and the human rights abuses which occur right next to our campus daily. They informed the community of the systemic police brutality and migrant mistreatment that occurs daily, with Sterling extending this theme to her SPMUN position as Chair of the UNHCR English-speaking committee alongside second-year Sienna Bertamini.

Crisis also had many intriguing happenings — from day one, when we saw a peasant revolt, followed by a bout of dancing to Cotton-Eyed Joe, to Melania Trump assassinating Marjorie Taylor Greene in the Bahamas. As usual, Crisis directors Riwa Hassan and David Ederberg did a

marvelous job ensuring the committee’s activities were punctuated by random but stimulating ebbs and flows of chaos.

At the ceremony’s closing, MEDMUN organizers, chairs and delegates all came together to reminisce on all that had taken place throughout the weekend.

Second-years Sami Omaish

and Vinciane Rosenzweig gave an opening address to the fatigued yet good-spirited crowds, followed by Pauline Da Cunha and Lucie Taïeb from the Paris MUN as well as Madeline Crepin Calarnou from the Poitiers MUN. Paraphrasing the resonant words of Menton Campus

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Director Yasmina Touaibia’s opening ceremony speech, for this weekend, we didn’t only see the well-known “Ummah Mentoniyya’ – but we had the good fortune to see the collectivity and unity of the wider ‘Ummah Sciences Po.”

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DECEMBER 2022

COP 27 ou Déception n°27

By Tituan Huber, Guest Writer for Environnementon « Les COP sont un peu des machines à décevoir » déclarait François Gemenne scientifique, chercheur, membre du GIEC et professeur dans notre cher institut, à l’issue de la vingt-septième Conference Of Parties le 20 novembre.

Une fois de plus, les 197 parties signataires de la CCNUCC se sont réunies dans l‘objectif de renforcer leurs engagements afin de lutter contre le réchauffement climatique.Ils se sont contentées, une fois de plus, du minimum demandé.

Certes, un accord « historique » a été signé. Gemenne le souligne luimême. Certes, la mise en place d’un fond pour compenser les « pertes et préjudices », soit les dégâts irréversibles causés par les pays du Nord, est une victoire indéniable pour les pays les plus vulnérables.

Certes, les pays industrialisés, les pollueurs historiques, reconnaissent enfin leur responsabilité et leur devoir d’indemnisation des dégâts. Certes.

Des années de revendications de la part des pays les moins industrialisés sont ainsi actées sur papier et, bien que seul le contenant en soit établi, cet accord est historique : une justice cli-

matique ressort de Sharm El-Sheikh. Pour rappel, les zones les plus exposées au changement climatique sont également les moins responsables de ce même changement, à l’image du continent africain, responsable de moins de 4% des émissions mondiales de GES et continent le plus à risque selon le GIEC. Mais, et il est nécessaire de le préciser, cet accord n’est qu’un contenant. Laurent Fabius, président du Conseil constitutionnel et président de la COP 21, nuance ainsi la réussite de Sharm El-Sheikh : « Si on est honnêtes, on doit remarquer qu’on ne connaît ni le montant, ni les bénéficiaires, ni ceux qui vont payer ». Le

texte de l’accord n’apporte donc pas de précisions sur ces sujets, qui devront attendre d’être déterminés par un comité spécial d’ici à la COP 28.

Cela constitue tout du moins une avancée. L’échec qui ressort de Sharm ElSheikh ne vient pas de là.

Notre déception découle de l’incapacité à produire une avancée véritable sur la question de la réduction de gaz à effet de serre, principal danger auquel l’humanité doit faire face et supposé objectif de ces conférences. Depuis 2015 et l’accord de Paris, avec son aspiration à parvenir à un monde climatiquement neutre d’ici le milieu du siècle, aucune avancée

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concrète ne s’opère. Le refus de reprendre la discussion sur la sortie des énergies fossiles, apparue à Glasgow en 2021, témoigne une nouvelle fois du poids des lobbies des entreprises fossiles. Le présent que ces derniers défendent est, de fait, plus attractif que les efforts colossaux qu’il faudra déployer en vue de garantir un futur stable. L’objectif de 1,5°C de Paris, quasiment impossible à l’heure actuelle pour Gemenne, s’éloigne davantage à chaque COP, présentée chaque année comme celle de la dernière chance. L’absence de référence à la COP 15 biodiversité tenue à la mi-décembre, quelques semaines après Sharm ElSheikh, constitue un autre signal désastreux. La question de la biodiversité, pourtant étroitement liée à celle du climat, a été, une nouvelle fois, malencontreusement « oubliée ».

Les déceptions sont ainsi nombreuses à l’issue

de cette COP, notamment de la part des hauts dirigeants. Contrairement au président de la conférence, Sameh Choukri, qui déclare « nous avons finale-

“La COP 28 de Dubaï, censée tirer un premier bilan mondial de l’action climatique, n’en sera que plus décevante et alarmante tant l’absence de ces mêmes actions est frappante.” ment rempli notre mission », déclaration déroutante au vu du manque de progrès, l’UE, le secrétaire général de l’ONU, Antonio Guterres, ou encore la France se disent déçus de cette COP et de son manque d’ambition. L’accord final qui en ressort n’appelle ainsi qu’à une réduction « rapide » des émissions, sans grande

précision sur cette rapidité et sans nouvelles mesures pour aller en ce sens.

La COP 28 de Dubaï, censée tirer un premier bilan mondial de l’action clima-

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tique, n’en sera que plus décevante et alarmante tant l’absence de ces mêmes actions est frappante.

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Are Iran Sanctions an Ethical Alternative to War?

By Peyton Dashiell, Staff Writer Since the rise of recent Iran protests after the killing of Mahsa Amini and subsequent violent crackdowns at the hands of Iranian officials, the international community has employed a range of responses. The United States stalled highly-anticipated nuclear negotiations, the United Nations Human Rights Council held a special session on the situation in Iran, and new economic sanctions, travel bans, and asset freezes were applied to many individuals and companies with ties to the Iranian government.

These actions are not new developments —–since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the international community, with efforts largely spearheaded by the United States, has applied a variety of economic, trade, and military sanctions against Iran.

Reasons cited for sanctions include Iran’s nuclear program, backing of the Houthis in the Yemeni Civil War, and support for designated terrorist groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

As a result of sanctions, Iran has experienced a drastic reduction in oil revenue, billions of dollars of frozen foreign assets, and almost complete exclusion from the global financial system due to sanctions on banks. Economic sanctions against Iran from the United States can be divided into two categories: primary sanctions, which prevent U.S. citizens and entities from engaging in economic activity with Iran, and secondary sanctions, which bar non-AmericanUS entities from engaging in business with Iran if they want a presence in the United States. Due to secondary sanctions, multinational corporations do

not operate in Iran due to the risk of being banned from the American market.

The European Union and International Atomic Energy Agency have imposed their

in 2010, they joined the U.S. policy of banning all transactions with Iranian financial institutions. However, the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action lifted some sanctions against Iran in ex-

“Since 2018, Iranian currency has lost 50 percent of its value against the U.S. dollar, prompting inflation and higher costs of living for citizens.” own sanctions on the Iranian regime due to unauthorized nuclear activity. In 2007, the European Union froze all assets of individuals with ties to Iran’s nuclear program, and,

change for limits on their nuclear program. Originally a party to the deal, the United States withdrew in 2018 citing national security concerns.

These sanctions have resulted in broad economic and humanitarian consequences.

Since 2018, Iranian currency has lost 50 percent of its value against the U.S. dollar, prompting inflation and higher costs of living for citizens. And while AmericanUS sanctions theoretically exempt humanitarian imports, many medical companies over-comply with these sanctions out

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of fear of retaliation and penalties from the U.S. government, resulting in severe shortages of medications and raw materials for medical production.

concern in the international community as any act of war.

These negative humanitarian effects are not an unprecedented consequence. After

“people also die but from lack of food and medicine, rather than from explosive devices.”

In the words of Idriss Jazairy, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Effects of Sanctions on Human Rights, under economic sanctions, “people also die but from lack of food and medicine, rather than from explosive devices.” Unfortunately, this has been true in practice. After the United Nations Security Council imposed economic sanctions and a complete trade embargo on Iraq in 1990 due to Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, an estimated 1.2 million Iraqis were killed due to malnutrition and disease —–- 500,000 of whom were children. Jazairy has also argued that sanctions deserve the same recognition and

new U.S. sanctions were imposed in 2019, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo admitted that “things are much worse for the Iranian people, and we are convinced that will lead the Iranian people to rise up and change the behavior of the regime.” This lends credence to the idea that economic sanctions are a form of collective punishment —–- punishments imposed on a group for the actions of individuals. This practice is regarded as a violation of international human rights law and illegal under the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Secondary sanctions imposed by the United States have

been especially controversial in the field of international law due to their extraterritorial jurisdiction, and other major global powers have tried to mitigate their economic effects. After the 2018 JCPOA withdrawal, the European Commission issued a Blocking Statute, declaring U.S. Iran sanctions against Iran illegal. Businesses based in Europe became explicitly prohibited from complying with the U.S. sanctions and could recover damages arising from U.S. restrictions on legitimate business with Iran.

Finally, sanctions as a foreign policy tool evoke broader questions regarding the morality of international intervention. Since the end of World War II and the advent

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of sanctions eliciting their desired political response.

Sanctions failed to make Saddam Hussein withdraw from Kuwait, unseat Fidel Castro, convince Haiti’s junta to honor democratic election results, or prevent India and Pakistan from testing nuclear weapons. And despite mounting more and more sanctions against Iran, the violent suppression of protests has not abated —–- Iranian courts have begun to issue death sentences for those with links to the protests.

As history has demonstrated, economic sanctions are an ineffective political measure that comes at an extreme civilian cost. While carefully calculated sanctions against specific industries or govern-

“Despite their prominent role in modern foreign policy, there are few examples of sanctions eliciting their desired political response.” of a new, post-Westphalian world order, the international community has taken on the responsibility of monitoring and upholding human rights through military intervention, sanctions, and prosecution in international courts.

But to what degree should this responsibility be applied —–- and are sanctions that worsen civilian conditions in the name of human rights hypocritical?

Despite their prominent role in modern foreign policy, there are few examples

ment officials may be a useful foreign policy tool, utilizing sanctions in the fashion of the United States —–- as an economic blockade spanning decades and forcing civilians to bear the effects —–- is an undeniable human rights infringement. Sanctions are not a flippant, inconsequential measure to respond to issues seen as not important enough to justify military operations —–- in some cases, they are more impactful than any act of war.

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The Menton Times

DECEMBER 2022

Radical Panaceas: Netanyahu Shamelessly Promises to Annex Designated Palestinian Territories

By Lara-Nour Walton, Editor-In-Chief Palestine continues to dissolve like an Alka-Seltzer on global maps. Newly sworn-in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to enforce this in a Dec. 28 tweet: “The Jewish people have an exclusive and unquestionable right to all areas of the land of Israel.”

Such a statement comes as an affront to United States’. regional efforts, which effectively prioritized “peace over the sovereignty movement” since Aug. 2020.

Netanyahu’s predicted course of action would, conversely, “formulate and promote policies within whose framework sovereignty will be applied to Judea and Samaria.”

Such an approach would remove distinctions between Israel and designated Palestinian Territories like Gaza and the occupied West Bank, thus paving the way for further settlement and strife under the Netanyahu admin-

istration. West Bank settler and Religious Zionism champion Bezalel Smotrich will be finance minister, overseeing essential aspects of Palestinian life in occupied territories.

Similarly, West Bank settler and Otzma Yehudit (Jewish

spokesperson for Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas laments that the new Netanyahu coalition will “constitute a dangerous escalation and will have repercussions for the region.”

a breach of international law and directly contributes to the displacement and subjugation of the indigenous Palestinian demographic, though Israel disputes these claims.

Power) leader, Itamar BenGvir, will manage the state police per his national security minister position. BenGvir is a particularly contentious pick considering his public expressions of racism and ardent support for Meir Kahane’s ultranationalist and anti-Arab Kach party. A

Yet, Palestinian resistance has historically had little bearing on Israeli national vision — an estimated 600,000 Jewish Israelis reside in the 140 settlements that pockmark the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel’s 1967 occupation of the aforementioned regions is widely considered

Palestinian self-determination within Israeli borders has been minimized to such an extent that Netanyahu’s coalition partners dismiss the two-state solution altogether. However, such a development has been a long time coming, with both Israelis and Palestinians increasingly scrapping the two-state compromise in favor of more radical panaceas. A 2014 Washington Institute for Near East Policy survey disclosed that most Palestinians hope to see the wholesale reclamation of historical Palestine “from the river to the sea,” while a mere 27 percent endorse a twostate solution.

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Declining support for moderate policies, like the two-state agreement, only extends the protracted regional quagmire, with neither side willing to relinquish land for fear of international erasure. However, one Palestinian Twitter user, @Jennineak, acknowledged the Israeli-Palestinian power imbalance by denouncing Netanyahu’s recent remarks as inciting “ethnic cleansing.”

Anti-Netanyahu animus is not confined to Palestinian populations. He is serving a record sixth term as Israeli Prime Minister, and his return was not smooth sailing.

Only last year, eight opposition parties united to oust him from office after four deadlocked elections and a corruption scandal. The Yesh Atid coalition, led by the outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid, is one such party determined to regain state control. Netanyahu was sworn in without decorum — no ceremonial power handover took place and a note scrawled

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in Lapid’s handwriting “Lapid – 2024” awaited him on the Prime Minister’s desk.

Furthermore, the Israeli public and international community fear that discrimination may surface with the ascendance of newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Avi Maoz and his anti-LGBTQ Noam party.

Maoz has already called for the ban of Jerusalem’s Gay Pride Parade and opposes women’s military participation and non-Jewish immigration to the country. His strict observance of Jewish law has the potential to be institutionalized — Israel’s anti-discrimination law may be amended to allow businesses to refuse services on religious grounds.

Despite Netanyahu’s move to include the openly gay Parliamentary Speaker Amir Ohana in his coalition, growing agitation is latent among certain Israelis. Queer activist Daniel Johnas expressed that, for the first time, he is afraid to fly the rainbow flag in his country’s streets. Other critics are apprehensive in the face of coalition resolve to pass legislation that would vest a parliamentary majority with the power to override Supreme Court decisions.

Netanyahu remains unfazed by domestic and international disenchantment. He informed the Knesset that, alongside his annexation plans, his new administration aims to expand Israel’s arsenal of Arab regional allies and hinder Iran from acquiring nuclear weap-

onry. The Prime Minister was sworn in on Dec. 29, 2022, yet, his term has already proven to be turbulent. Only time will tell how the most right-wing government in Israeli history will fare.

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The Menton Times

DECEMBER 2022

December Sports Recap

By Hugo Lagergren, Staff Writer World Cup Argentina defeated France on penalties in a thrilling World Cup Final to win its third title and its first since 1986.

The match ended 3-3 after 120 minutes and saw Kylian Mbappé, France’s star boy, spearhead two late comebacks by scoring a hattrick.

Despite this, Argentina were comfortably in control of much of the game after two early goals from Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria. The French team, who appeared overwhelmed by the whole occasion, struggled to get into the game during the first half and seemed dazed by an assertive Argentinian performance, a phenomenon which spilled over into the penalty shootout.

Millions of Argentines piled onto the streets of Buenos Aires on Monday to celebrate their country’s victory. The Plaza de la Repúblic was a sea of light blue and white euphoria, with people hanging from bus stops and buildings, chanting songs, and generally rejoicing about their national team’s success.

Lionel Messi, the most decorated football player in world history, added to his locker the one major trophy that has forever eluded him. After he confirmed before the tourna-

ment that the Qatar World Cup would be his final World Cup, much of the world’s attention has been focused on him. Therefore, this feels like a fitting end to his journey with the national team, even though he has since said that he will continue playing for the national team.

After the match, President Emmanuel Macron attempted to comfort the French players, who were trying to win back-to-back World Cups for the first time since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. Fans quick-

to stay in France, at least until this World Cup. Fans and journalists were reminded of this and criticized Macron for instrumentalizing his relationship with Mbappé and the French national team.

However, as the World Cup has now come to a close, the world has begun to digest what has undoubtedly been one of the most controversial World Cups since the tournament’s conception in 1930.

The controversy started in 2010 when Sepp Blatter, the

Increasingly, people accused FIFA of operating with a lack of transparency. In 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed many people’s suspicions by indicting 14 top football officials, seven of which worked for FIFA. The accusations, ranging from bribery and fraud to money laundering, stated that these officials were involved in several deals to influence media and marketing rights for FIFA games and the bidding processes concerning international tournaments, such as the World Cup. This triggered a cascade of criminal investigations into FIFA, notably into FIFA’s then-president, Sepp Blatter, and his relationship with Michel Platini, a favorite to replace him. Both resigned and have been involved in criminal proceedings until recently.

ly noticed a tense interaction between President Macron and Mbappé, who looked inconsolable.

President Macron, a passionate football fan, who rarely misses an opportunity to support the national team, phoned Kylian Mbappé in 2021 when he wanted to leave PSG and helped persuade him

then-president of FIFA, announced to the world that Qatar had won the right to host the 2022 World Cup. The football world was shellshocked by this. How could Qatar, one of the smallest sovereign nations in the world, host football’s biggest tournament successfully?

Many pointed to the lack of infrastructure and an absence of any footballing culture.

Perhaps more importantly, Qatar has been the subject of much criticism regarding its human rights record. As the tournament approached, public attention shifted away from FIFA’s corruption issues, instead focusing on the treatment of migrant workers in Qatar, most of whom have been working on World Cup-related projects since 2010.

Qatari officials have largely denied accusations of mistreatment. However, in an

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interview with Piers Morgan last month, the secretary-general of Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, Hassan al-Thawadi, admitted that the number of migrant worker deaths relating to World Cup projects is “between 400 and 500”.

Qatar has since disputed this figure.

Notwithstanding this higher-than-usual estimate from a Qatari official, the truth appears even more damning. In February of 2021, The Guardian revealed that around 6,500 migrant workers have died since Qatar was awarded the World Cup in 2010. Thousands of families of the deceased migrant workers await compensation from FIFA and Qatar to no avail.

The World Cup in Qatar has also been the costliest in terms of its carbon footprint.

Despite the tournament being played in the winter, Qatar fitted each open-air stadium with industrial-scale air conditioning.

Many concerns were also raised regarding Qatar’s criminalization of homosexuality. Initially, the England team said they would wear the rainbow ‘One Love’ armband in support of the LGBTQ+ community. FIFA, arguing that it disrespected local customs, strong-armed the England squad, among others, into dropping any forms of public support.

Football has always prided itself on being a game of equality and inclusion. Together, FIFA and Qatar have obliterated this. And yet, not only are they walking away relatively unscathed, they appear all the richer for it. Qatar got its time in the spotlight, highlighting its desire to be considered a major global player and FIFA raked in over $7bn in revenue since the previous World Cup. Argentina may have won the football, but the real winners of the 2022 World Cup are

Qatar and FIFA. While Qatar 2022 may have been the costliest, most bloodstained and environmentally unfriendly World Cup in history, there is no sign that change is on the horizon. It is part of a worrying trend of sports washing, which fans are becoming increasingly numb to. Countries such as China and Saudi Arabia, where authoritarianism runs unchecked and human rights are neglected, are being considered candidates for future World Cups.

Is there a point where fans and politicians finally decide that enough is enough and FIFA cannot be allowed to parade itself above the moral duties of all citizens to stand for human rights? After all, no amount of lives lost is justified by the thrill of watching Lionel Messi’s Argentina take on Mbappé’s France, however spectacular they might be. Or is the twisted money-making spectacle that is FIFA destined to continue flouting questions of morality and decency in the name of football?

Regardless of what the future looks like for football’s governing body, there is no doubt that despite the gripping nature of the football, which saw an unlikely Moroccan success story unfold and highlighted the dwindling presence of heavyweights Belgium and

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Germany in world football, Qatar 2022 leaves a bitter taste in one’s mouth when we consider the cost of this World Cup. Boxing Tyson Fury, 34, retained his WBC world heavyweight title by stopping Derek Chisora, 38, in the 10th round of their fight via TKO. Despite Fury coming out of retirement to fight Chisora, there was little doubt among pundits and enthusiasts that Fury would prove too difficult a challenge for Chisora, who has lost four of his last five fights.

Indeed, the mismatch was clear from the outset as Fury dominated his opponent until the referee stopped the fight, as Chisora was visibly hurt.

Fury’s victory sets up a potential undisputed heavyweight bout against undefeated Ukrainian fighter Oleksandr Usyk, the current WBA, IBF, WBO & IBO champion.

Rugby Union England Rugby sacked coach Eddie Jones only three months before the beginning of the Six Nations tournament. England will be looking to improve their record in the tournament, which has seen them finish fifth and third in the past two years.

France has continued to put on a solid display with wins over Japan and South Africa, seeing them finish 2022 unbeaten. In February of 2023, they will be looking to defend their Six Nations title.

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The Menton Times

DECEMBER 2022

Analyzing the Morality of the World Cup: Boycotts, Forced Labor and Human Rights

By Catarina Writer

Vita, Staff

Every four years, not only do football fans from all around the globe gather to watch the sport but so does most of the world’s population. FIFA, the International Federation of Football Association, is responsible for the World Cup and decided to host the 2022 games in Qatar. Appalled by the workers’ rights violations and the imminent climate crisis in Qatar, a portion of the World Cup audience considered boycotting the tournament. However, counterarguments arose: the consideration of a boycott only popularized when the World Cup was located in the Middle East, and Qatar’s longstanding history of poor labor rights makes the timing of the boycott hypocritical.

With increased international knowledge of Qatar’s recently abolished kafala system,

alongside continued worker maltreatment in the country, potential World Cup spectators considered not watching the tournament at all. The kafala system, by definition, is a labor system connecting foreign workers to a local employer with no relation to labor ministries. As a result, workers have no rights, and many complain about a lack of breaks and overwhelmingly long working hours. Despite the Qatari government’s 2016 termination of the system, Amnesty International reports that the reform was “inadequate” and still allowed foreign workers to be exploited by their bosses. Furthermore, it is also argued that Qatar did not have the proper infrastructure for the World Cup. The high mortality rate among immigrants was due to the fast-paced manual labor of building stadiums.

The climate crisis in Qatar also made the choice of coun-

try subject to criticism. Due to the ever-rising temperature in the country, even during the fall season in November and December, the government installed air conditioners inside seven of eight football stadiums. The total Qatar World Cup carbon emissions predicted were upwards of 3.6 million tons, while the tournament in Brazil and Russia had an estimated two million tons emitted.

Some perceive the boycott to be either ineffective or contradictory. Although FIFA was involved in an extensive corruption scandal throughout the 2010s, the other World Cups were still watched and appreciated. Moreover, human rights violations in other World Cup host countries, such as massive corruption and torture in Brazil and anti-LGBTQIA+ stances in Russia, did not incur such international resistance. Qatar was the first Middle Eastern

nation to host a World Cup, and the fact that only then did boycott ideas surface raises questions about the general perceptions of Middle Eastern countries.

Although the human rights violations in Qatar and threats to the environment are alarming, it is of the utmost importance that one approaches the situation holistically. Forced labor and the kafala system gained attention due to boycott conversations. While the World Cup has already occurred, it is paramount not to discard these issues in future discourse. The worsening climate crisis and human rights violations are not limited to one country in the Global South; as these conversations arose because of the World Cup, it is vital to research and raise awareness about them on a global scale.