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Matthew Parkes

I am a journalist with a keen interest in international affairs.

The Mackayan •

PROXY ANGLING WARS.

As the world’s population and consumption increases, skirmishes for natural resources become ever critical. At the heart of these conflicts is a struggle for sovereign rights fuelled by the deeply human need to provide oneself with a livelihood.

Following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, the fishing industry has been struck hard by the increased red tape needed to export to the trading bloc. Fishermen in Scotland have reported that tonnes of shellfish have been rotting in port following an EU b
Pi Media •

Students 'Die-In' raises awareness for 'Divestment' campaign —

AFTER A YEAR OF LOBBYING STAFF AND THE COUNCIL AT UCL, THE FOSSIL FUEL DIVESTMENT CAMPAIGN HAVE ADOPTED A DIFFERENT APPROACH: THEY’RE ATTEMPTING TO RAISE STUDENT AWARENESS THROUGH PROTEST AND DEBATE.

This new tactic was started in a theatrical style, in which dozens of students staged a ‘die-in’ outside the Provost’s office on Monday lunchtime. It was accompanied by chants, informational videos and members of the campaign on hand to give information about the campaign. It even ended with a reci
Pi Media •

Jacob Rees-Mogg Answers Students' Questions —

UCL STUDENTS INTERROGATE JACOB REES-MOGG ON BREXIT, MAINTENANCE GRANTS AND TRUMP AT AN EVENT ORGANISED BY THE UCLU CONSERVATIVE SOCIETY.

On Tuesday evening, hundreds of students attended the eagerly anticipated talk starring the backbench ‘filibustering’ conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg.

The MP, known for being a prominent Eurosceptic, started his talk with a commentary on the Supreme Court’s Brexit Ruling that had only occurred several hours prior. He stated that this was the “least bad defeat
Pi Media •

Hen Mazzig on UCL Protest Investigation: UCL Don't Have a Firm Stance on Anti-Semitism —

A REPORT PUBLISHED BY UCL CONCLUDES THAT THE PROTEST ON THE 27TH OCTOBER CREATED ‘A HOSTILE AND AGGRESSIVE ATMOSPHERE’ THAT INHIBITED THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH OF UCL STUDENTS. WHILST THE UCL FRIENDS OF ISRAEL SOCIETY ACCEPT THE FINDINGS, HEN MAZZIG, THE SPEAKER AT THE EVENT, DENOUNCES THE UNIVERSITY, STATING THAT ‘WHEN IT COMES TO ANTI-SEMITISM THEY DON’T TAKE A FIRM STAND’.

On the 31st of January, UCL published a report on the three-month investigation headed by Professor Geraint Rees, which look
Pi Media •

UCL seeks to further expand by raising £600M —

POST-BREXIT UCL SEEKS TO RAISE £600 MILLION IN FUNDING TO SUPPORT UCL EAST AND MAINTAIN UCL’S “GLOBAL VISION”.

UCL has launched an ambitious £600m fundraising project that aims to revamp the university, pouring capital into development and research.

Launched on September 15, UCL “It’s All Academic — The Campaign for UCL” project had already raised £253m before going public, and now seeks a further £350m that would then be invested into “UCL East [a campus in the Olympic Park], funding for crit
Pi Media •

Police called as Pro-Palestinian Protest Gets 'Out of Hand' —

DOZENS OF POLICE OFFICERS WERE CALLED TO UCL LAST NIGHT TO CONTROL A PROTEST ORGANISED BY A PRO-PALESTINIAN STUDENT GROUP. ACCUSATIONS OF VIOLENCE, RACISM, AND ANTI-SEMITISM HAVE BEEN MADE BY BOTH THE PROTESTERS, AND UCLU FRIENDS OF ISRAEL – WHO ORGANISED A TALK HOSTED BY HEN MAZZIG, A FORMER ISRAELI DEFENCE FORCE LIEUTENANT.

I found myself being pushed by a UCL security guard and pulled out by a dozen police officers, accompanied by passionate chants such as “from the river to the sea, Palesti
Pi Media •

Banned Nietzsche Club to Return to UCL —

REPORTS OF POSTERS AROUND THE UCL CAMPUS WITH THE PHRASE ‘EQUALITY IS A FALSE GOD’ SUGGEST AN INCOMING RESURGENCE OF THE INFAMOUS NIETZSCHE CLUB.

Back in 2014, an uproar ignited after UCLU decided to ban the Nietzsche society from campus, which prompted many to claim that it was an infringement on freedom of speech. This played into the persistent narrative that student unions were damaging critical debate in exchange for creating ‘safe spaces’.

Whilst on the outside it seemed that the club wa
The Mackayan •

CLIMATE CHANGES CREATES NEW GEOPOLITICAL ARCTIC FRONTIER

By the year 2040, scientists believe that the Arctic will be completely free of ice in summer months.

For environmentalists this is an alarming prediction, but for northern and global powers it is the firing of a starting pistol. The race is on.

The Arctic is an incredible source of resources, it is estimated to contain 22% of the world’s untapped oil and natural gas reserves and other high-value goods such as Uranium. This has made the sovereignty of the North Pole highly contentious. Russia,
The Mackayan •

DO THE WELSH WANT INDEPENDENCE?

As Scotland and Northern Ireland edge closer to independence from the United Kingdom, you may find yourself pondering the fate of the fourth member of the union; Wales.

An increase in membership of pro-independence organisation, YesCymru, from 2000 in February 2020 to 17,500 in March 2021 suggests that the desire for an independent Wales is taking hold in the country of 3.1 million people.

Polling figures don’t necessarily suggest that this increased political fervour for independence is wides