Hello Delegates!
A fundamental part of being a representative at the United Nations (and, thus, at a MUN Conference) is an awareness of global events. Given that the theme of OG’s 2025 Home Conference is ‘The Spirit of Inquiry’, we think it is important to stay inquisitive about international news. From September, we will discuss three articles, with related questions to allow you to inquire about what is going on worldwide.
Gen Z’s protests in Nepal
On September 4, Nepal blocked access to various social media platforms due to the companies failing to register locally and designate representatives within the given time period. This sparked outrage and was seen as the government attempting to silence dissent. Protests were mainly organised by Gen Z citizens, and they quickly escalated due to years of anger over corruption, nepotism, and economic stagnation. These protests were carried out between September 8th and September 12th, during which prime minister KP Sharma Oli resigned, the social media ban was lifted, and Sushila Karki was appointed as the interim prime minister through an informal online poll.
Some questions to think about: How can leaders fix the problem of corruption and lack of jobs for young people? How did the Nepal protests compare to other recent youth movements in Asia (like in Indonesia or Bangladesh)?
Read more here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c179qne0zw0o
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c741n80ndlxt
2025 London Anti-Immigration Protest
On September 13, a rally organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, dubbed “Unite the Kingdom”, drew over 100,000 people to gather in central London. The main focus of the rally was free speech, as well as opposition to illegal immigration and concerns over national identity. The event also included a digital appearance from Elon Musk, who called for a change of government in the UK. There were some violent clashes during the rally as supporters tried to breach police lines, injuring 26 police officers.
Some questions to think about: Where is the line between free speech and hate speech at a large protest? How much did international far-right figures (like Elon Musk) affect the size and message of this protest?
Read more here: https://www.politico.eu/article/musk-dissolve-uk-parliament-violence-far-rigth-rally-robinson-yaxley-lennon/
Typhoon Ragasa
Super Typhoon Ragasa, the strongest storm of 2025, made landfall in the Philippines on September 22 and caused extensive flooding, power outages, and landslides. The torrential rains in Taiwan caused a barrier lake in Hualien County to burst, resulting in a flash flood that killed at least 17 people. In Hong Kong, authorities raised its highest warning signal and shut down public transport, schools, and businesses. Hurricane-force winds (around 195 kph) caused flooding and damage, as well as injuring 90 people. Before the typhoon made landfall in mainland China, Guangdong province evacuated over 2 million people and though the typhoon had weakened it still caused widespread damage in the region.
Some questions to think about: How can economically developing countries afford to prepare for stronger typhoons caused by climate change? What are the long-term problems that come after a storm like this?
Read more here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyd580lx3mo