For the purposes of this debate, we live in a world, Mohitarsh, where people possess different abilities, ranging from flight and invisibility to telepathy and superhuman strength. The usefulness and desirability of these abilities differ considerably but all powers are useful and good. Superheroes receive varying degrees of public attention and social recognition.Society expects superheroes to use their abilities to benefit others, and they are legally required to respond to situations of distress

Highly sensitive people (HSP) experience emotions, sensory stimuli and their surroundings more intensely than others. This may contribute to greater empathy, emotional depth and appreciation of experiences, but can also make stress, overstimulation and emotional distress more difficult to manage. Coined by psychologists Elaine and Arthur Aron in the 1990s, this is a personality trait, and is not a mental illness, disorder, or medical diagnosis. For this debate "Behind a veil of ignorance" means we do not know our future circumstances or what kind of life we will lead. For the purpose of this debate you are Mohitarsh.

You are a single man Mohitarsh in a country which retains democratic institutions, but its political system is becoming less representative of religious minorities, and the government favours the majority religion. You sincerely believe in your current religion, which is a minority religion in this country. Your faith strongly matters to you, although it is not the central focus of your everyday life. You are offered a pill. If you take it, your religious beliefs will permanently change to those of the majority religion. Your physical appearance and any visible religious markers will also change accordingly. You will retain your ordinary memories, including memories of your former religious beliefs and of choosing to take the pill, but you will genuinely and sincerely hold your new religious beliefs. This is irreversible.

Joseph Kabila was the President of DRC from 2001-2019 before being replaced by Felix Tshisekedi. On 30 September 2025, the High Military Court in Kinshasa sentenced Kabila to death for treason, and also found him responsible for war crimes. Similarly, he was sanctioned by the United States earlier this year. On 12 October 2026, Joseph Kabila founded the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), a rebel group incorporating the Congo River Alliance and the M23 Movement (The March 23 Movement (M23) is a predominantly Tutsi-led, Rwandanbacked rebel paramilitary group operating in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), primarily in the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces).

Ethiopia has been landlocked since 1993 when Eritrea broke away from it, and it relies on Djibouti’s port to facilitate trade, which costs them upwards of $1.6 Billion a year. Assab located in Eritrea was once Ethiopia's main port and sits about 70km from the border. Abiy Ahmed, the President of Ethiopia has vowed to secure a Red Sea port on a “give and take” basis. TPLF is the Tigrayan Nationalist Party and armed movement in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region. In September 2026 a TPLF-led offensive reignited the Tigray war, and Abiy Ahmed accuses Eritrea of backing the rebels, which Eritrea denies. Abiy has also closed Ethiopian embassy in Eritrea on 1 October and ties were severed. Federal forces have since taken Mekelle, and Abiy installed a caretaker Tigray government on 16 October.

Truth and reconciliation commission refers to a temporary, officially mandated, non-judicial body that investigates patterns of past abuses, hears testimony from victims (and often perpetrators), and publishes a public report with findings (e.g. Guatemala’s Memory of Silence, El Salvador’s from Madness to Hope), usually with recommendations such as reparations, advice to create monuments, etc. TRCs trade amnesty for information offering immunity to perpetrators to secure their cooperation, for example soldiers will reveal the locations of unmarked mass graves, generals will give detailed accounts of torture, and their motivations. 

Whimsical nihilism is a philosophical idea that blends nihilism, the idea that life has no purpose in the end, with a carefree or fun attitude. People who embrace this view often use humour, absurdity, or irony to deal with the idea that life doesn't have any inherent meaning.

Psychologisation of friendships refers to the increasing use of therapeutic language and psychological concepts to navigate everyday friendships and conflicts. This includes setting boundaries around emotional availability, frequency of communication, personal space and emotional support. Friends increasingly use phrases like "I need space," "I don't have the emotional capacity for this," You're triggering me," or label behaviour as toxic, avoidant or emotionally draining. It also involves distancing oneself from your friends for selfcare, healing and protecting one's peace.

Voluntary exit packages are arrangements in which employers offer employees financial compensation and potentially other benefits in exchange for voluntarily leaving their jobs. Companies may use them to reduce staffing costs, restructure their workforce or adapt to changing business needs. Unlike compulsory layoffs, employees can choose whether to accept the offer, although uncertainty about future job security may influence their decision. Recently, companies such as Microsoft have expanded these programmes. 

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) is a short-term financing option that lets you purchase items immediately and pay for them over time in smaller installments or a future lump sum. Examples of this include Afterpay, Zip, Laybuy, and Klarna.

Total Peace policies adopted by Pedro Gustavo in Colombia instead refer to a set of policies aimed at reducing crime by implementing policies such as “Young People in Peace” which provided monthly stipends to Youth highly prone to gangs, legal benefits such as Reduced Sentences, and Engaging in Demobilisation/Peace Talks with gangs such as the ELN.

Mano Dura (Iron Fist) policies adopted by Nayib Bukele refer to tough on crime policies such as Militarised Policing of Neighborhoods, Mass Incarceration, Reduced Burden of Proof for Arrests, Expanding definition of “Criminal Behaviour”, etc.

Staggered elections are elections held for the same political body where legislator terms last across more than one election cycle, such that all members of that body are not elected simultaneously, but over multiple election cycles. Prominent examples include the Australian Senate (6 year senate terms with elections for half of the Senate every 3 years) and US Senate (6 year senate terms, elections for 1/3 of the Senate every 2 years).

Special legal immunities are special priviledges given to public officials. For example, prosecuting certain Indian public servants for acts connected to their official duties requires prior government sanction. Prosecution is permissible post the end of their tenrue.

In 2026, jewellery brand GIVA withdrew a Raksha Bandhan advertisement featuring actor Kriti Sanon after backlash over her Indo-Western outfit and the portrayal of the festival, including her tying a rakhi to her pet dog. Critics argued that her attire was inappropriate for a traditional religious occasion.