Concrete 379

Est. 1992 The official student newspaper of the University of East Anglia | Striving For Truth | Issue 379 | 24 November 2020

The Nagorno-Karabakh My nursing conflict: death, traitors, placement on a and a generation lost COVID ward

pgs. 6-7

pg. 18

The key to Jon Jones' success?

Staying Positive

pg. 24

UEA cancels January enrolment for 5 Masters courses Sam Hewitson

Editor-in-Chief

UEA have cancelled the January 2021 enrolment for select Masters programmes. The decision is mainly a result of low demand for the intake window.

A total of four Master of Science programmes and one Master of Arts programme have had the January intake cancelled. These courses include MA Media, Culture and Society, MSc Global Media Economics, MSc International Business Finance and Economics, MSc International Business Economics and MSc Marketing and Management.

Postgraduate courses have taken a hit to enrolment with a first round of cancellations taking place prior to the academic year.

16 courses from a wide variety of departments and subjects were cancelled in May with the choice to defer to 2021 or enrol for another course. In addition, many courses were postponed to a January and February 2021 start date in the summer also. Those courses included MA Broadcast and Digital Journalism, LLM General Law, MA International Development, MSc Business Management, MSc Data Science, MA Film, Television and Creative Practice and MSc Finance and Management.

A University spokesperson said “UEA has had to close five masters courses that had been offered with a January 2021 enrolment date, mainly due to low demand. These courses had been offered with the extra enrolment date due to the pandemic and out of consideration for prospective students who may have wished to delay their travel until January.

We have written to those prospective students affected to offer them the opportunity to select either an alternative course which will begin in January 2021 or to defer until September 2021” The very short notice and

sudden change has been critiqued by many who have been affected by the decisions.

Dorothy Reddin, a prospective Postgraduate student before her course, MA Broadcast and Digital Journalism, was postponed in July describes the implications of such decisions by the university, commenting that it “was such a shock to the system and sent waves of panic through me, because I had already secured my housing arrangements for my MA course,

paid the deposit, and even my first month of rent. Universities really need to consider the devastation decisions like this can cause, and give extreme lengths of notice before making such distressing decisions.”

The implications of a course cancellation or postponement creates problems beyond academics for most, with money, work, accommodation and travel also being affected. Tom Floodgate, choosing to change courses

and stay at UEA after a similar situation, highlights “it must be remembered that students have often been planning for a Masters for several months and have been planning jobs, internships and accommodation around the apparent certainty. To have all this uncertainty about my course and my future during my final exam was stressful to say the least. The contact details that were provided were inadequate. There was no phone number to discuss my options, only

an email address that took them (UEA) three weeks to reply to. The stress that such a decision causes a student is unprecedented” It is unknown at this point how September 2021 intake will be, with Postgraduate applications seemingly continuing as normal for now.

Due to cancellations and postponements largely being a result of low demand, it is possible more courses will be affected in the future.

24th November 2020

2

Editorial

Another lockdown, another issue

A thanks to the people behind Concrete Matt Branston Deputy Editor

Photo: @redheadpouring (IG)

Sam Hewitson Editor-in-Chief

We are back in lockdown, people.

Not ideal.

I hope everyone is surviving as well as can be expected, and if you are bored with the hunt for something to do getting you nowhere, then you have another issue of Concrete to sink your teeth into!

My lockdown has been interesting so far, and I am stuck in it a little bit longer than the rest.

To be with my family I travelled to Scotland just before the english lockdown, only to then find out last week that my county in Scotland is also going into ‘Tier 4’ (essentially, lockdown again) for even longer. In short, I played myself.

As for what I have been doing in lockdown, we have a mixed bag here.

I finally got back into creating art for the first time in a long time which makes me so happy, and I have recently rediscovered my love

of gaming. Take note of how there is no mention of university work here, which should reflect how that is all going.

My Masters has stepped up, essay deadlines are getting closer, and it doesn’t really bear thinking about.

Another thing I am dodging like the plague (or COVID) is Christmas shopping.

I am so stuck for ideas for my family and friends but time is starting to run out, and I am using all my other responsibilities as an excuse to keep putting it off.

I don’t even know what I want for myself either, and it honestly just seems weird that we have reached this time of year. It’s gone quickly and at a snail’s pace at the same time. 2020 truly has felt both like a century and a few weeks.

Anyway, enough about me, let’s talk about Concrete! Again, some amazing content in this issue for you all.

Venue is looking as strong as ever as per usual, and I would particularly like to highlight Global

as a strong section in this issue.

Marco has managed to put together a great variation of content in a time when the stories keep on coming, and so much is happening right now.

I love this section as a way to learn more, both by reading the pieces and writing them, and for me this time I learnt about the situation in Peru surrounding the Presidential impeachment.

Aside from this, we have coverage of the events in Ethiopia and Mozambique, and Will Warnes has conducted another strong Global Investigates piece about Armenia and Azerbaijan.

However, to shine a spotlight on the other sections too, they are all really great.

The editors have done a fantastic job despite the lockdown and heightened pressure of academics, so I am super proud of them all.

I do really hope you enjoy this penultimate issue for the semester, and I hope you continue to stay safe and well. Stick to the rules, everyone, that’s the only way this ends.

The end of a dark road?

William Warnes Deputy Editor

At last, there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel.

These last few weeks have brought positive news of an effective vaccine to combat the Covid-19 virus.

December looks to be the month in which the programme takes

effect.

Could this be the beginning of the end to the pandemic which has affected all of us since the end of last year? So, a return to normality is in our sights, but there is still a long way to go.

The Concrete and Venue teams have managed to persevere through these troubling times to bring you this latest issue. Though, for the foreseeable future, the publication

looks set to be purely online, the standards set at the beginning of term are still maintained.

A special thank you should be given to our editors, writers, and other members of the team who have overcome adversity in such uncertain and unpredictable times to ensure the publication remains strong and engaging.

We hope you enjoy the latest issue. Stay safe.

I normally try to write something a bit out of the box and funny for the editorials, something to mix up the stale formula of just thanking people for excellent work and their effort. But to be honest, I think our editors are doing a fantastic job considering the circumstances. I think they've had to battle htrough some pretty difficult challenges in their roles. I would have loved to get to know them in the SU Bar rather than during the most awkward Zoom calls possible (carried those like Gareth Bale carries Wales). I would have loved for them to be able to learn indesign properly (though their first two layups were fantastic). I would have loved for them to use the Media Centre like the meeting place it was last year, not the intensely monitored point of pure labour it is now.

I guess that's the point of this editorial then. To applaud the hard work of the section editors.

And just like when the nation clapped for the NHS, they will see no tangible reward for their hard work, and the people in charge will take all the credit down the line. If anyone finds issues with this paper then please keep in mind, Concrete was laid up entirely by myself and Sam, and Venue entirely by Leia, Roo, and Jake. However, that's somewhat irrelevant. Concrete, as always, is the collective work of over 30 staff and a great deal more writers.

Look to be honest, if you've gotten through this, then you need to realise, I'm 24 hours deep, I've not slept, I've been editing Concrete literally all night long and I'm genuinely tired. I don't really know what else to say at this point. I'm going to go to Morrisons and grab some pasta and eat it all in one go like a fiend.

I advise you all try and find similar ways to get through the days. Life is terrible, but your friends and family dying of a deadly disease is arguably worse. I don't know if you like your family. Could hate them. Don't want to presume.

concrete-online.co.uk

The University of East Anglia’s Official Student Newspaper since 1992 Tuesday 24th November 2020 Issue 379 Union House University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ 01603 593466 www.concrete-online.co.uk Editor-in-Chief Sam Hewitson concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk Deputy Editors Matt Branston & William Warnes concrete.deputy@uea.ac.uk Online Editors James Gell & Henry Webb concrete.online@uea.ac.uk News Samuel Woolford Senior Reporter: Jamie Hose concrete.news@uea.ac.uk Global Marco Rizzo Senior Writer: Henry Webb concrete.global@uea.ac.uk Features Samuel Gordon-Webb Senior Writer: Freyja Elwood concrete.features@uea.ac.uk Comment Dolly Carter concrete.comment@uea.ac.uk Science Olivia Johnson concrete.science@uea.ac.uk Travel & Lifestyle Erica Thajeb concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk Sport Luke Saward Senior Writer: Callum McWilliams concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk Chief Copy-Editors Sophie Rose-Land & Alex Viney concrete.copy@uea.ac.uk Social Media Lauren Bramwell & Eleanor Holmes

ConcreteUEA Lead Photographer Harry Chapman

ConcreteUEA Front page main photo: Matt Branston, cutouts: needpix (left), wikimedia commons (centre & right)

Editorial Enquiries, Complaints & Corrections concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk

No part of this newspaper may be reproduced by any means without the permission of the Editor-in-Chief, Sam Hewitson Published by the Union of UEA Students on behalf of Concrete.

Concrete is a UUEAS society, but retains editorial independence as regards to any content. Opinions expressed herein are those of individual writers, not of Concrete or its editorial team.

N ews Dominic Cummings leaves Downing Street 3

24th November 2020

concrete-online.co.uk/news/ | @ConcreteUEA

Photo: Pixabay

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Jamie Hose

Senior News Reporter

Dominic Cummings left Number 10 on Friday the 13th, widely reported to be the latest manifestation of weeks of unrest within Downing Street.

The announcement that he would be let go was released shortly before his departure, but it was expected that he would see the year out at least until Christmas.

BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg said there could be little doubt his removal was “accelerated by turmoil in No 10 in recent days.”

Mr Cummings rejected the notion that he had threatened to

resign over the exit of Lee Cain, who resigned the day before.

It is believed Mr Cain’s departure was the result of pushback from Carrie Symonds, the former party press adviser and Boris Johnson’s fiancée, and Munira Mirza, head of the No 10 policy unit, amongst others, all of whom objected to Mr Johnson offering Mr Cain the role of chief of staff.

Mr Cain and Mr Cummings worked together closely on the Vote Leave campaign.

But Mr Cummings insisted his departure from office was the natural culmination of his target to make himself “largely redundant” by the end of 2020, a statement written on his blog in January.

“Rumours of me threatening to resign are invented,” he told the BBC. Whereas Mr Cain is reported to have left No 10 discreetly, Mr Cummings exited through the front door, carrying a cardboard box, and was later seen arriving home with a bottle of champagne.

When asked, he said the decision to make a more public exit was “entirely deliberate” and he wanted to create an “image.”

A controversial figure, the departure of the Prime Minister’s senior adviser has left many MPs hopeful of a change of direction on the part of the government.

Former Brexit Secretary David Davis said Mr Cummings had a

“very confrontational style” and that a lot of MPs were now hoping for a new relationship “with more openness and interaction with Parliament.”

He added, “And I am told the cabinet is going to get more say, as it were, in events.”

Since taking up his position, Mr Cummings alienated himself even from many in Boris Johnson’s own camp by referring to Brexiteer MPs as “useful idiots.”

Former Conservative party leader Sir Ian Duncan Smith pronounced Mr Cummings’ influence as leading to a “ramshackle operation at the hands of one man,” in an article for the Daily Telegraph.

Bronwen Maddox, director

of the Institute for Government, expressed the belief that Mr Cummings’ departure had been coming for a long time, citing his widely criticised trip to County Durham over the summer, which she claimed gave “a battering” to public trust in the government.

Mr Cummings made the 260mile trip during the height of the UK’s first lockdown with his family to see relatives.

At the time, he alleged the decision was made to provide care for his children, as he was experiencing coronavirus symptoms.

He also defended a second trip out from Durham to Barnard Castle was meant only to test his eyesight.

4

24th November 2020

News

Anglia Square's £271m refurbishment refused by government official

Photo: Geograph

Alice Pritchard News Reporter

The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick, has ruled that plans for Anglia Square’s controversial redevelopment cannot go ahead.

The £271m refurbishment plans involved building a 20-storey tower block, shops, a hotel and a cinema.

Over 1,200 homes would have been added to the area.

Norwich city council approved the plans in 2018, and the planning inspectorate recommended that the scheme should be permitted following a 15-day inquiry that took place earlier this year.

Despite this, local government secretary Robert Jenrick said the tower was of “excessive size in relation to its context” and that the plans “did not protect and enhance the heritage assets of the city”.

The proposal received 700 objections, with many expressing concerns that the tower block could

have a negative effect on the skyline and could potentially pave the way for other development in Norwich of the same nature.

Marcus Binney of SAVE Britain’s Heritage, who campaigned against the scheme, said it was “the most monstrous carbuncle that ever threatened to deface an English cathedral city”.

The government inquiry was called for by Historic England, who said “while we recognise Anglia Square is in need of redevelopment, this scheme with its 20-storey

tower is certainly not the answer".

They expressed worries about the damaging impacts that the plans would have on Norwich’s character.

Threadneedle Development and Weston Homes, the developers who submitted the proposal, were extremely disappointed by the ruling.

Chairman and CEO of Weston Homes, Bob Weston, said the secretary of state “has gone against local democracy” and has “chosen to refuse a massive investment opportunity for the city” during

a time of “extreme economic hardship”.

He added that Weston Homes are seeking to get Jenrick’s ruling overturned in the High Court.

Norwich city council leader Alan Waters also said he was “very disappointed” at the secretary’s decision to reject the plans.

While the ‘brutalist’, concrete architecture currently found in Anglia square might seem outdated to some, it definitely wouldn’t seem too unfamiliar to the students here at UEA.

Nation holds Remembrance Day Service Laurence Scott News Reporter

London’s March Past the Cenotaph did not take place. This due to the second national COVID-19 ‘lockdown’ in England.

It normally sees 100,000 people take part.

The remembrance service led by the Government took place as usual. It was on television on BBC One. Representatives from the Royal Family, the Government and the armed forces laid wreaths at the Cenotaph.

There was a service at Westminster Abbey in London which marked the 100 years since the body of the unknown soldier was buried.

The United Kingdom still took part in two minutes of silence at 11am.

It is to remember those who passed away fighting for the country.

This is including but not limited to the Second World War right up to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Poppies were still worn to

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

remember the sacrifices of current and former generations.

This is because the poppies are the flowers that grew on the battlefields after the First World War. It is to raise money for those whose lives have been changed by war.

Remembrance day is always on the Sunday nearest November 11th.

The British Legion encouraged people: ”to ensure Remembrance Sunday is still marked appropriately by taking part in [a] remote and

socially distanced Remembrance activity”.

Defence minister, Johnny Mercer, said: "There will be guidance given out by local authorities” about COVID safe events.

The Prime Minister's official spokesperson said: "It's important that the country can continue to come together to remember the sacrifice of those who have died in the service of their country”.

There was a scaled back service at Norwich’s war memorial, outside City Hall, which was recorded and uploaded online.

5

24th November 2020

concrete-online.co.uk/news/ | @ConcreteUEA

Coronavirus update in Norfolk: ER xe tbi en lc lt ii oo nn climbs fines, schools, and lockdown protestor crane in Norwich

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Samuel Woolford News Editor

Jamie Hose

Senior News Reporter

The country-wide coronavirus death toll stands at 52,745 people as of 17th November. There have been close to 1.5 million cases and 196,559 hospital admissions.

Though the number of new cases daily remains high, there has been a decrease over the last few days, bringing it down to just over 20,000.

The daily death toll has risen to 598, of which 518 occurred within England.

During the week of 14th November, Norfolk has experienced 290 new cases per 100,000 people.

Most of these cases have been recorded in the southern part of the county.

The John Grant School in Caister-on-Sea, close to Great

Yarmouth, has been forced to shut because of the virus. The school is for children and young people with learning difficulties, including ages from four to 19, and consists of 149 pupils in total.

A total of six cases at the school left only three classes open and one class partially open, said a recent newsletter.

There are hopes the school will reopen later this month.

“All the teachers have been preparing work for pupils to try and continue at home in case this situation arose,” said head teacher Ms Pam Ashworth.

Closures have also affected the coronavirus testing site at the Postwick Park and Ride. The site is run by security firm G4S, who released a statement on the 15th confirming four positive cases amongst members of staff.

They also offered reassurances

the drive through site was being deep cleaned and should be back up and running “as soon as possible.”

People with tests booked at the site have been redirected elsewhere.

The testing centre runs a staff of 43 workers per shift.

An outbreak in facilities such as this is declared at the minimum of two positive tests amongst staff members. G4S has said that all PHE, Department of Health and NHS risk management protocols are being observed.

As well as health services, the Norfolk police have been struggling to collect fines issued on the grounds of social distancing violations.

Figures collected recently by the Associated Press under Freedom of Information Act requests reveal that over 58% of the fines issued by Norfolk police from 27th March to 21st September were not paid within the allotted 28-day time frame.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons Photo: Pixhere

A total of 410 fines were issued, but 238 of them remained unpaid at the end of the given time period.

The amount of £10,000 is the fixed compensation for hosting more than 30 people on your property.

Such penalties have come to be called “super-fines.”

The figures were released following the police being instructed to return to handing out these super-fines less than a week after they were suspended.

When Norfolk finally emerges from the second lockdown, there are suggestions the county could be split into different tiers.

Parts of Wymondham currently sit in the top 200 areas for infection rates, whereas places such as Sheringham and Swaffham have had two cases or below.

The decision will be discussed in a council meeting on the 19th November.

A protestor for Extinction Rebellion scaled a 100ft crane on Saturday 7th of November.

The 17 year old man known as Alex Sidney ascended the crane and placed banners in support of the XR movement onto the side of the crane.

Sidney, from Dereham, spent two nights atop the crane as a form of ‘direct action’ which the Extinction Rebellion organisation encourages in order to ‘combat the climate crisis’.

3 others were arrested in connection with the event when police initially arrived on the scene.

Sidney made comments to the Eastern Daily Press on his intention behind the protest: “The message has not changed at all. I just want the government to get off their backside and do something. We’re in a climate and ecological emergency.”

The protestor vowed to stay atop the crane until he was forced away ‘by lack of food, water, or warmth’ This comes after an extinction rebellion protest was cancelled in the wake of the recent Lockdown in East Anglia. Sidney Descended from the crane prior to 12:00 on Monday the 9th and was taken into custody by police.

He was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, aggravated trespass, breaching Covid-19 regulations and a public order offence. He was held for questioning in Wyndham Investigation centre.

Members of Extinction Rebellion Norwich have been particularly prevalent in the past few months as evidenced by the arrest of prominent member Rupert Read over the summer.

Read is a lecturer in Philosophy at UEA and a member of the Green Party.

Global investigates 6

24th November 2020

Deputy Editor William Warnes Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: what “When I look at the list of the fallen, I realise we have lost an entire generation”. Homes are left in ruin, the dead litter the roadsides, villagers begin to torch their houses. The region of Nagorno-Karabakh is in turmoil.

The Russian-brokered peace deal went into effect on November 10th. The military conflict is over, but unrest continues. “Nikol is a traitor”, rings out from demonstrators in the Armenian capital of Yerevan.

They are outraged at the Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, and want

him to resign. They see the deal as a

“The military conflict is over, but unrest continues”

surrender and ultimate betrayal to Armenia. “My youngest son, he is 18”, says one unidentified protester, “he called me this morning and he cried, asking me, ‘mum why? So many boys died in my hands, for what? Forty days of this and then they sell us out?’”

The peace deal was struck after six weeks of bloody fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Though internationally recognised as Azerbaijani, the territory has been controlled by ethnic Armenians since 1994.

Under the terms of the treaty, Azerbaijan will keep territory it has won from the conflict, while Armenia must withdraw from several other territories over the next few weeks.

“I still think we haven’t lost, we were betrayed”, says another demonstrator.

The latest outbreak of fighting over the disputed enclave represents not just a battle for land and territory, but a struggle for national identity and pride. In 1988, fighting officially erupted in Nagorno-Karabakh in February of 1988 before a ceasefire was agreed in

May 1994. From the end of the conflict and up until two weeks ago, Armenia had full control over the enclave.

“The number of fatalities is higher than 4,000, with tens of thousands being displaced”

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

7

24th November 2020

concrete-online.co.uk/category/global/ | @ConcreteUEA

investigates the ongoing is happening in the region?

Prime Minister Pashinyan has defended the “painful” decision to agree to a peace deal, claiming there was a risk of “total collapse” had he not done so. With the loss of the major city of Shusha (Shushi in Armenian), the Karabakh capital of Stepanakert was “left defenceless” – a situation the Prime Minister claims would lead to even greater losses. Already, the death toll is staggering, with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week claiming the number of fatalities is higher than 4,000, with tens of thousands of people being displaced as a result of the conflict. “When I look at the list of the fallen, I realise we have lost an entire generation”, cries an Armenian resident.

Smoke now billows from villages across the enclave: dozens of ethnic Armenians are fleeing NagornoKarabakh, burning their homes and properties as they leave. “This is my

“The United Nations has also announced an investigation into potential war crimes”

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

house, I can’t leave it to the Turks” (a term often used

by Armenians to describe Azerbaijanis), says one resident. “Everybody is going to burn down their house today… we were given until midnight to leave”, he says, “we also moved our parents’ graves; the Azerbaijanis will take great pleasure in desecrating our graves. It’s unbearable”.

A mass exodus is now taking shape as residents of the Kalbajar district flee to Armenia. Many fear a refugee crisis as both Azerbaijan and Armenia claim some 40,000 and 90,000 people respectively have been displaced as a result of the fighting.

The United Nations has also announced an investigation into potential war crimes committed by both sides. Shocking footage emerged of what appears to be cluster bombs being dropped on civilian populations.

Such weapons are designed to open up mid-air before releasing vast amounts of submunitions. Neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan have banned the use of cluster bombs, despite over 100 states doing dropped on civilian populations, the likelihood of survival is slim to none.

The deadliest attack took place in the city of Barda as Azerbaijan accused Armenia of using cluster munitions on a neighbourhood in which at least 25 people were killed. The latter denies

this accusation, claiming Azerbaijan has launched a number of rocket strikes on Armenian civilian populations.

In a statement, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, expressed deep concern over such incidents: “Amid deeply troubling reports that cluster munitions have been used by both parties, I call once again on Armenia and Azerbaijan to stop using them, and to join the more than 100 States that ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions which comprehensively bans their use”. Bachelet also called upon both sides to: “distinguish civilians from combatants, and civilian

“Shocking footage emerged of what appears to be cluster bombs being dropped” objects from military objectives”.

Furthermore, a deeply disturbing video was circulated on social media of what appears to be Azerbaijani soldiers executing two

captured Armenians in military uniforms.

Under international humanitarian law, such an act would constitute a war crime.

The United Nations Working Group has also expressed deep concerns that the government of Azerbaijan, with Turkey’s assistance, had hired private Syrian fighters in the battle for the enclave. “It is… worrisome that the Syrian fighters deployed to Azerbaijan are allegedly affiliated with armed groups and individuals that, in some cases, have been accused of war crimes and serious human rights abuses during the conflict in Syria”.

The violence officially ceased on November 10th as Russian President Vladimir Putin monitored peace talks. It is now expected some 1,960 Russian peacekeepers will be sent to patrol the front line in a bid to prevent further outbreaks of violence.

Moscow’s involvement in the conflict should come as no surprise, with the Kremlin controlling a military base in Armenia and being part of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The Moscowled agreement states Russia must provide military support should Armenia be attacked, but this does not include Nagorno-Karabakh or surrounding Azerbaijani regions.

However, the Kremlin also has close ties to the latter, with NATO member Turkey openly backing Azerbaijan.

Coincidentally, Russia also sells

“A risk of a serious humanitarian crisis is evident” weapons to both sides of the conflict.

The treaty has been met with widespread jubilation in Azerbaijan as a mood of national celebration sweeps the capital city of Baku. President Ilham Aliyev said the agreement was of “historic importance”, and amounted to a “capitulation” by Armenia. Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan, on the other hand, claimed: “This is not a victory but there is not defeat until you consider yourself defeated”.

Armenian leader of NagornoKarabakh Arayik Harutyunyan – who also signed the treaty – said a ceasefire was unavoidable after the loss of Shusha. However, a strong

mood of defiance grips the city of Yerevan. Chants of “We will not give it up” echo throughout Armenia’s capital as protesters defy martial law to gather in their masses.

Pashinyan, accused of breaching the constitution by not consulting the people before agreeing a deal, had taken office in 2018 after leading a peaceful revolution in the post-Soviet state.

He is now facing growing calls to resign. The peace treaty between both Armenia and Azerbaijan will see the ceasing of hostilities between two states that have been in violent opposition for decades.

However, with growing unrest sweeping Armenia due to a sense of betrayal on the part of their leader, an end to the story is unlikely. With the violence erupting during the Covid-19 pandemic alongside a subsequent exodus of refugees, a risk of a serious humanitarian crisis is evident.

With hostilities high on both sides and tension building within Armenia itself, the NagornoKarabakh crisis appears to have no clear end in sight. Only time will tell as to the effectiveness of the latest peace deal, but one thing is certain: the region will remain one to keep an eye on for many years to come.

8

Global

24th November 2020

Brutal beheadings in latest attack in Mozambique insurgency William Warnes Deputy Editor

Over 50 people have been beheaded in a mass execution in northern Mozambique.

It is believed the killings were carried out by so-called Islamic State militants. State media has reported the beheadings were committed on a football pitch, a makeshift “execution ground”.

Reports have also emerged of numerous other beheadings in the nearby village of Nanjaba.

The attacks are the latest in a series of brutal killings carried out

by Islamic State insurgents. Such incidents have been centralised in the gas rich province of Cabo Delgado, a mainly-Muslim area, since 2017.

Fears are widespread of an IS foothold in southern Africa as an estimated 2,000 people have been killed in the area.

The militants are thought to be taking advantage of vast poverty and unemployment to recruit youth in the fight to establish Islamic rule.

The state-owned Mozambique News Agency reports gunmen

stormed the Nanjaba village on November 6th while chanting “Allahu Akbar” (“God is the Greatest” in English). Two people were beheaded in the attack before several women were abducted.

A separate group of IS militants also carried out a brutal attack on the Muatide village. From Friday to Sunday, villagers who attempted to flee the attacks were taken to a nearby football pitch before being beheaded and chopped to pieces.

“Fears are widespread of an IS foothold in southern Africa” It is believed women and children were among the dead.

Though the coastal region of

Conflict Tigray Source: Wikipedia Commons

Dolly Carter Global Writer

Ethiopian government forces have launched a military offensive on the local rulers of the north-west region Tigray for defying Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali’s authority.

On 4th November, Abiy accused Tigray authorities of attacking and looting a military camp. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have denied the attack, claiming Abiy has fabricated the story in order to justify the offensive.

Cabo Delgado has seen the majority of violence so far, the insurgency is believed to be expanding i n w a r d l y.

Jaime Neto, the Nyusi and Mozambican Defence Minister s u g g e s t e d militants are being armed from external sources. He said: “In

this terror threat, we have signs of involvement of foreigners who are recruiting and training local youth, and also equipping them, because we don’t know how they get their equipment”.

The group carrying out the attacks are known by locals as al-Shabab, the Mozambican wing of Islamic S t a t e ’s Central A f r i c a n Province (though they share the same name, the group has no affiliation to the Somali group).

Alarm over al-Shabab’s g r o w i n g presence has increased s i n c e the group carried out an incursion into southern Tanzania in October.

T h e Photo: Wikimedia group, once Commons believed to

be a local insurgency, has shown clear intention of ideologically and tactically aligning itself with the main branch of Islamic State.

Newly appointed U.S. special envoy to the global coalition against the Islamic State, Nathan Sales,

“The insurgency is believed to be expanding inwardly” said: “It is a significant threat from a terrorism point of view, whatever its origins… It is now a committed ISIS enterprise that is using violence to gain – and in some cases maintain control over – territory”.

The latest attacks serve as a brutal reminder of the growing Islamic State presence in southern Africa.

The Mozambique government has pleaded to the international community for assistance in fighting the insurgency.

grips Ethiopia as uprising continues

Thousands of refugees have crossed into neighbouring Sudan in order to flee the fighting.

Ignoring international pleas for a truce, Abiy posted to Facebook: “the three-day ultimatum given to Tigray Special Forces and the militia to surrender to the national defence… ended today”, opening the way for a “final and crucial” push on the capital Mekelle.

After claims emerged from TPLF surrounding Ethiopian forces using a neighbouring airport in Eritrea to attack, Tigrayan forced fired rockets across the border. They have also

made accusations surrounding Eritrean forces backing the federal forces of Ethiopia, which was fiercely denied by Aby who said Ethiopia was “more than capable of attaining the objectives of the operation by itself”.

The TPLF arose from a long battle to overthrow the military junta known as the Derg, which came into power after the previous Emperor Haile Selassie was ousted in the 1974 revolution. After the “Red Terror”, throughout which tens of thousands of young people were murdered in a civil war, a

coalition led by the TPLF defeated them in 1991.

A group called the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) ruled for 27 years, putting an end to large-scale civil war and lowering child mortality rates from one in five to one in 20. However, Abiy describes their time in power as the “27 years of darkness”, arguing a domination of politics, economy, and the army made for the death of democracy.

After being elected as party leader, Abiy liberalised politics, setting up a new party named the

Prosperity Party. Making peace with Eritrea and ending a two-year war in 2000 won Abiy a Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, but the Nobel body has since passed comments on the recent events in Ethiopia: “The Norwegian Nobel Committee follows the developments in Ethiopia closely, and is deeply concerned”.

Sudan is currently in the midst of a democratic transition and it is believed they will support Abiy, but there are more dangerous implications suggesting the conflict could turn Ethiopia into a “Libya in east Africa”.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

9

24th November 2020

concrete-online.co.uk/global/ | @ConcreteUEA

Unrest in Peru following Presidential impeachment Sam Hewitson Editor-in-Chief

Unrest and clashes have taken place recently in the capital of Peru, Lima, as a result of the impeachment of President Martin Vizcarra and the ascendancy of Manuel Merino as the interim President. Clashes have been between mostly young civilian protestors and local security forces, in which two protestors, both students, have been killed.

Many people have been injured over the course of the week in demonstrations as security forces have been seen using riot shields and gear, as well as tear gas, shotgun pellets and water jets to disperse crowds in the streets of Lima. The protests started and have remained peaceful until the attempts by armed forces to disperse the gatherings.

Demonstrations were localised around the Congress Building, notably during the time in which Speaker of Congress Manuel Merino was being sworn in as the interim President until a new leader is found in the upcoming April elections Congress failed to appoint

a new leader in a meeting the same weekend.

Vizcarra’s impeachment was voted upon on Monday 9th November, off the back of accusations of distributing government contracts in exchange for bribes. President Vizcarra has denied these allegations.

As an independent leader, Vizcarra has fought with Congress on numerous occasions, including a prior attempt

by Congress to remove the leader in S e p t e m b e r, which fell flat due to only a small number of officials voting in favour of his removal.

Congress’ domination by other parties has led to a tumultuous term in office for Vizcarra since his

election in 2018, who argued the opposition in Congress to his leadership was a threat to his anticorruption standards and agenda, leading to the dissolution of Congress before a new Congress was elected in January of this year.

Vizcarra’s supporters, in light of the structure of Congress and the manner in which the President was removed, have labelled his ousting as a coup and strongly opposed

the decision. Many voters greatly support Vizcarra because of his anticorruption values and continued attempts at reform. Anger amongst the voters also comes from a place of worry given the current economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, which is likely to lead to a political crisis due to the coinciding political instability as a result of the demonstrations and the impeachment.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Aung San Suu Kyi’s party wins majority in controversial Myanmar election Aislinn Wright Global Writer

Aung San Suu Kyi’s ruling party, National League for Democracy (NLD), has so far won 346 seats, surpassing the 322 required for victory.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The election has been surrounded by controversy over disenfranchisement of ethnic minorities and accusations of fraud by the opposition.

The 2020 election is only the second held following the end of 49 years of military rule in 2011.

The military still holds significant power in the country, reserving a quarter of seats in parliament and control of the ministries of border affairs, defence, and home affairs, as outlined in the controversial 2008 constitution written under military rule.

The Military also supports the main opposition to the NLD, the Union Solidarity Party (USDP).

The USDP has announced they do not recognise the election results, alleging early voting showed “errors of neglect” in voter lists and “widespread violation of laws and procedures”.

The USDP has called on the country’s Union Election Commission (UEC) to step down or rerun the election, despite having yet to provide evidence of fraud.

Observers of the election have supported the election as fair, with the UEC announcing the election

“The election has been surrounded by controversy” was done “fairly and freely” and confirmed there would “not be an election re-run”.

The results have been acknowledged internationally including by Japan, India, and Singapore congratulating Ms Suu Kyi on her victory.

The election has been criticised by human rights groups following the mass disenfranchisement of Muslim and Buddhist Ethnic minorities and mass regional cancellation of voting, including in Shan and Kachin.

The Rohingya Muslims were stripped of voting rights ahead of the 2015 election. In October, the UEC cancelled voting in large areas of the Rakhine state where the military and the Arakan Army are

currently fighting, killing dozens and displacing tens of thousands of the regions Rohingya Muslims and Buddhist Rakhine ethnic minorities.

The UEC has claimed the regions were “not in a position to hold a free and fair election”.

Many critics have suggested the UEC deliberately excluded these areas from voting as it was highly likely they would elect members of parties that are hostile to the government.

Six Rohingya Muslims have also been prevented from running in the election.

In September, the UN human

“Nearly two million have been excluded from the thirtyseven million registered voters”

rights investigator to Myanmar said the election could not be fair due to the disenfranchisement of ethnic minorities.

In total, nearly two million have been excluded from the thirty-seven million registered voters.

Hungarian government to introduce new antiLGBTQ+ legislation Henry Webb Global Senior Writer

The Hungarian government has proposed new constitutional amendments that would further restrict the rights of their LGBTQ+ community.

The changes would prevent same-sex couples from adopting children, something only possible currently if only one parent applies for adoption.

The amended constitution would require a married man and a woman to apply for child adoption together.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s far-right government has defended the proposals, saying they are in defence of “Christian values”.

This decision was announced just before the country began their second lockdown, following a rise in COVID-19 cases.

Human rights groups have criticised the amendment, with the Hatter rights group calling the timing “not accidental”.

“(the change) sets a worrying trend of hostility towards the LGBTQ+ community” They pointed out that the proposals are “severely restrictive, contrary to international and European human rights principles,” and “at a time when the means of expressing citizens’ views, such as demonstrations, were not allowed.”

Hungary stopped legally recognising gender changes back in May which, alongside the new amendment, sets a worrying trend of hostility towards the LGBTQ+ community for the already antiimmigration party.

Many activists are concerned that the country under Orban’s control is on track to follow Poland, who now have “LGBT free zones”.

The Hatter rights group said of the amendment: “Restricting the possibility of adoption to married couples reduces the number of potential adopters, thus preventing children left without parents from finding a family.”

“We refuse to allow the government to use LGBT people as a political toy.”

Features

10

24th November 2020

I hate deadlines, but I also need them Thomas Manning Features Writer

Throughout my life so far, I have had a clear arch nemesis: The deadline.

It haunts my dreams through the notification of an email, a glance to the calendar or a message from my friend. The deadline is ever present.

But do deadlines hinder the quality of what we produce or do they help to keep us organised and away from procrastination?

From what I’ve discovered during my degree, there are two different people when it comes to deadlines: Those who organise their work and ensure they have completed their submission long before the deadline.

There are also those like myself who end up in a blind panic 48 hours before a deadline having to squeeze inspiration and creativity out of my tired mind. But are they good or bad? Let’s have a look at some of the arguments for and against deadlines.

On the one hand, they can fuel creativity. This is because knowing you have a specific time to hand in an essay, submit a presentation or complete work can help you stay focused and avoid procrastinations, certainly the case in external deadlines rather than ones you set

for yourself. I often find if someone has set me a deadline then I’ll feel indebted to them to ensure the work is submitted on time and to the best of my ability.

However when it comes to myself, I tend to grant far too much flexibility. Let’s just say the first draft of a novel I’d planned to complete

by Christmas is somewhat behind schedule - I mean I’ve barely started.

So, deadlines aren’t all that bad, right? Well, it’s not as simple as that.

Furthermore, there’s the issue of mental health. A little bit of stress and anxiety can help us when it comes to our work, helping to ensure we’re organised and mapping out what we need to do.

However, what happens if one misses a deadline? Or worse still, procrastinates for days - maybe even

weeks - until the deadline looms and we have to write a 2500-word essay in well under 24 hours.

This can lead to a negative spiral that could cause feelings of anxiety or depression, detrimental to our mental health.

In short, only one conclusion can be drawn from this question : it

depends on the person as well as the type of deadline. They can be great for some people and damaging for others.

And for me, they are something of an anti-hero.

I hate them with a passion, and yet wouldn’t survive without them.

Who would?

“I tend to grant myself far too much flexibility” As I was looking into the matter, I came across a quote from Professor Richard Boyatzis on the website, Fast Company. He suggests “you show me somebody who says ‘I’m an adrenaline junkie, I perform my best under stress’, and I’ll show you an idiot.”

For me, this rings true. If I want to produce something of quality, I tend to take my time with it, rather than trying to rush it to the extent that it hinders my overall writing.

Photo: Bronwen Brown

Photo: Unsplash

How to stay connected to university during lockdown Sam Gordon Webb Features Editor

The impact of Covid-19 on our lives has been epic. The increasingly consequential lack of social interactions - key to developing and moulding change - has become ever more apparent in the age of limited socialising as a result of enforced restrictions.

Whilst university education remains possible, campus life has changed immeasurably since the pandemic wreaked havoc. Plenty of questions have emerged in response to the G o v er n ment’s most recent

“You are encouraged to book a study space in advance”

lockdown measure. For students, how to stay connected to university at a time of virtualized learning? For teachers, how to stay connected and support students?

Universities around the world

“Campus life has changed immeasurably since the pandemic” are looking for answers, but few have them. Students at the University of York recently suggested creating a routine, going on runs, and making

a daily to do list.

But the impression of most is the problem is deeper and relates ever more acutely to the problem of mental health.

Feelings of loneliness caused by isolation have given rise to increasing cases of depression and anxiety amongst student communities. whilst reduced activity can intensify procrastination and feelings of worthlessness.

The ability of successful education stems from an ability to adapt. This is why students at Bethune-Cookman University, a small historically black college and university (HBCU) in Daytona Beach, Florida, recently harnessed student engagement technology provided by Upswing, to stay avidly connected to their students.

According to Dr. Arletha McSwain, President-elect of the United States Distance Learning Association, “Upswing has helped us realize that

communication does not have to be burdensome or overwhelming.

Upswing’s virtual tutoring offers our students the convenience of availability, accessibility, and valuable one-on-one sessions” she recently told PR Underground.

Upswing uses a virtual assistant known as Ana - to communicate directly with students who are “more likely to respond to a text message as opposed to an email.”

“The problem is deeper and relates more acutely to ... mental health” The University of East Anglia is also adapting in the context of new guidelines.

Online teaching will

continue until the end of term, with access to “Prepare to learn” and “Software Skills Hub’’ courses via Blackboard, both providing information on how to optimise your remote learning experience.

Meanwhile, several new challenges have been devised by UEA + Sport to help keep campus active.

This includes the launch of a themed GPS challenge as well as daily posts “aimed to help staff and students achieve something, even a small task, every day of lockdown.”

Dr Neil Ward - Deputy Vice Chancellor - told students that “UEA is here to support you, and if you have any questions about your course or would like support, there are a range of options - you can speak to your advisor, contact student services or speak to our Covid Response Team by email or live chat”.

Clearly, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Photo: Concrete/ Roo Piit Photo: Roo Pitt

11

24th November 2020

concrete-online.co.uk/category/features/ | @ConcreteUEA

Roo Pitt reports on the BLM movement in Norwich: the struggle continues Nearly six months since the death of George Floyd, we have seen a resurgence in the Black Lives Matter Movement in the UK. Even closer was the rise of the movement within Norwich, which started with a protest on 7 June 2020.

The first BLM protest in Norwich was huge, with an estimated 2000 people turning out to demonstrate.

But despite the necessity for action, the event was marred in controversy at a time of a national lockdown.

Measures were made to keep in line with the government’s restrictions, ensuring social distancing measures were adequately maintained whilst distributing face masks as well as hand sanitizers to all protestors.

In the wake of a global pandemic, organisers knew they were taking a risk. Nonetheless, they continued to operate in the safest and most appropriate manner possible after the BLM movement began to take shape across the city.

Protesters knelt on one knee for

8 minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time it was alleged the officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck. The intention was clear : to demonstrate how the actions taken by one police officer were shared and replicated by far too many others.

The movement within Norwich saw the rise of the Black Community Rising - a female led group set up in order to combat inequality. The final two protests were filled with music, dancing, and singing.

After 10 weeks of direct action in the area, local organisers dropped ties with BLM, becoming ‘The Norwich Movement’, with the aim to focus on education and positive change rather than protests and the celebration of Black culture.

Alongside the grass roots movements, businesses in the local area also stepped forward to offer ongoing support. The cosmetics store, Lush, created a display each week of placards from the protest whilst providing a safe space to wash hands and fill up water bottles

before and after the event.

Having attended and covered protests in the UK for the last eight

“This was by far the most emotive and passionate movement I have seen” years in different capacities, this was by far the most emotive and passionate movement I have seen.

Running protests across multiple weeks and being able to maintain momentum was no easy feat.

The reaction shows how the message of the movement - equal treatment regardless of skin colour as well as the complete destruction of systemic racism - bears significance for the local community.

Protests don’t always lead to immediate change, seen through the lack of legislative arrangements

made in response to anti university fees and NHS payrise protests.

However in this case, direct action worked and headway has already been made. Many have put this down to the hard work and dedication of local activists, realising the need for actions that educated and informed people and reorganising accordingly.

This includes a much greater focus on Black culture, running education workshops for people to engage with its rich ethnnic history.

What’s more, it seems the only way forward is through educating people to develop a clearer understanding of the historical struggle faced by the Black community, encouraging greater dialogue over what can still be changed to improve the movement.

To have a look at the rest of Roo’s photos of the Norwich Movement, visit Roo’s profile on Flickr.com

need some help settling in? link up with a buddy today at uea.su/buddy

Photo: Unsplash

Photo: Unsplash

Photo: Roo Pitt

Interview

12

24th November 2020

‘Academia is traditionally lonely, Science Editor Olivia Johnson speaks to Callum Elson, mental health while researching, and networking At some point in our academic careers, the vast majority of us will have suffered with feeling isolated or imposter syndrome.

These are all common worries, yet worries that few have posited suggestions as to how to overcome these problems individually or how to combat them as a community.

I spoke to Callum Elson about the prevalence of loneliness and isolation in academia following the launch of his networking platform, Scientistt.

Please can you say a little on your academic and career background and how it relates to your efforts to combat isolation and loneliness in research?

I graduated from my undergraduate degree in History from Durham University this year, before enrolling in an MBA programme at American International College in Massachusetts, on a full athletic scholarship.

Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 - I’m currently studying remotely in the UK. A huge positive of this however is the opportunity to focus more time working on Scientistt, something I’m hugely passionate about.

It is less my own academic experiences, but more of my cofounder Hassan, that helped us identify a loneliness problem in academia.

Academia is traditionally lonely, especially when undertaking a PhD. Long working hours and the lab environment make it difficult for students to network in the traditional ways and thus harder to create a support network of people that can understand their situation.

“Long working hours ... make it difficult for students to network in the traditional ways”

Many of us in academia have, at some point in time, noticed how isolated we’ve become with deadlines to adhere to and work to keep on top of.

How have you attempted to combat loneliness and isolation in research as a career path?

“This personal network helps to counteract complex issues such as Imposter Syndrome” At Scientistt we have three broad aims; personal, academic and career development.

By creating a communityplatform that can provide research students with genuine connections, they are not only exposed to more career opportunities (as they would be, say on LinkedIn), but also build a personal network that can understand and relate to their situation.

Whilst it may seem insignificant to those outside of the profession, this personal network helps to counteract complex issues such as Imposter Syndrome, that are known to have severe effects on student mental health.

What is it about academia that makes it such an isolating profession for some?

In your opinion, will this always be the case or is the environment starting to change?

A study published in 2017 revealed that the “prevalence of mental health problems is higher in PhD students than in the highly educated general population, highly educated employees and higher education students”.

This, rather alarming, statistic implies that, on the whole, those working in academic research struggle far more than those in equally qualified professional jobs.

Another graduate survey found that more than 25% of PhD students stated that their mental health was an area of concern, and 12% of total

respondents had sought out help for anxiety or depression related to their studies.

The nature of academic research can render it an extremely lonely journey.

The acute focus of studies into a specific niche can make it difficult to find others that are working in a similar field, so opportunities for collaboration or discussion can be somewhat limited.

Furthermore, the practicalities of lab-based work means that many researchers are not only restricted to interacting with members of their own institutions, but in some cases only their specific research group.

“The nature of academic research can render it an extremely lonely journey” Do you think the imposed isolation on the majority of the population has helped those working in academia develop better strategies to cope with the isolation that research brings?

The COVID-19 pandemic started with some reactive behaviour, such as Zoom quizzes and virtual coffeemornings that have taken place between members of the research community.

Adjusting to the virtual world is going well in general I think, and the amount of conferences and events going digital is great to see.

In spite of this, as time goes on the pandemic has magnified the impact of possible risk-factors associated with poor mental health in researchers.

The nature of social media and a virtual-world is that you only ever hear or see content from those that wish to publish it.

So it does make me worry for those that are not as active online.

The majority of the social aspects of working academia have

Photo: Unsplash

come to a temporary halt, along with most collaborative work, and research talks and symposiums unless they’ve been translated to an online platform.

Do you see the research community changing the way it functions, for the long-run?

“You only ever hear or see content from those that wish to publish it” Yes, 100%. I think in comparison to other industries, academia will still keep a high percentage of physical events in a post-Covid world, because institutions are grounded in very traditional practices.

However, the accessibility and inclusivity that virtual events have brought is something that everyone will start to embrace.

For example, we recently partnered with the North East Postgraduate Conference, who normally only receive attendees from the local area.

However this year they were joined by people across Europe. This is an element that I think is here to

stay i n some capacity.

What are some ways of connecting with others in the research community and wider community you recommend?

Have you any tips for those of us new to networking?

Ph

Here is an infographic I created!

25% of PhD students stated that their mental health was an area of conce 12% had sought out help for anxiety or depression related to their studies

13

24th November 2020

concrete-online.co.uk/category/features/ | @ConcreteUEA

especially when undertaking a PhD’ founder of Scientistt, about loneliness in academia, in the middle of a global pandemic “I think I was literally like, I’m free. Now let’s make music”

“You just have to literally not be afraid of failure anymore”

hoto: Callum Elson

ern s P

Graphic: Callum Elson Photo: James Bannister

24th November 2020

14

HOME OF THE WONDERFUL

What’s coming up for PART OF A SOCIETY OR CLUB Egg Box Publishing? AND WANT TO FEATURE ON Emma Seager

Egg Box Publishing President

Egg Box Publishing is a society centred around publishing and selling zines and anthologies, with a dedicated focus on giving you the tools to publish independently.

As is tradition, we create a communal zine in the first semester, centred around one theme, this year’s being ‘Fanning the Flames’ which anyone who is a member can contribute their art, poetry, prose and script to. Submissions for writing and illustrations closes on the 5th of November, however submissions for the cover art close on the 15th. These zines are then sold online and at literary events, our last zine ‘Rebellion’ selling out!

In the second semester things get even more exciting as we create and publish this year’s UEA Official Undergraduate Creative Writing Anthology which anyone who is a Creative Writing Undergraduate at UEA can submit to. Our society is not exclusive to

Creative Writing or LDC students, though - all of our members have the opportunity to contribute to the anthology by applying to help market, shortlist, and edit in our respective publishing teams.

As we move from seminars to zoom calls and working from our student houses, the process of creation, editing and publishing is threatening to become quite impersonal.

However at Egg Box, we aim to provide you with a platform in which you can share your creative process.

We have the RGB zine’s creator and Master’s student Adam Hussain hosting a creative writing workshop for us; and a Christmas workshop and InDesign workshop with the Publishing module in the works.

Currently, our Vice President Dylan Davies and Treasurer Oliver Shrouder coordinate an Independent Zine Membership program, in which two members of our society are being mentored in the creation and publication of their very own zine.

Although we have now found our two mentees and are in the

process of making the zine, we are open to commissioning your illustrations and cover designs if this is something our mentees desire.

Additionally, we are always open to giving you the resources and help needed if you are making a zine yourself; and are open to subsidising the printing costs of these if you wish to publish them through Egg Box. As I’ve said, this year we are using Covid as an opportunity to be creative with the way we approach publishing - and in this we offer you a unique experience in publishing. Our Facebook group, UEA Publishers - Egg Box ‘20-’21, and our Twitter and Instagram @theeggbox are engineered to be a hub for content calls and publishing opportunities.

As President I’m super excited to work alongside our committee to provide you with this platform.

You can apply to be a member as a UEA student through the SU website by typing ‘Egg Box’, and choosing a standard membership.

I hope to see you join this year. If I can’t see you in person: I can’t wait to see your work,

THIS PAGE? Email Sam (Editor-in-Chief) at concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk or Bronwen Brown at bronwen.brown@uea.ac.uk

Fancy a walk?

Would you like to see more of Norfolk? Or how about spot some incredible wildlife whilst strolling through amazing national heritage sights?

Or maybe just get out into the beautiful countryside for some fresh air?

Day walks run amazing walks all over the county from the stunning grounds of Blickling estate to the cliffs of Cromer, as well as exploring a variety of terrains including forests, beaches, marshland, and more!

Our walks tend to last all day leaving from the centre of Norwich in the morning and returning in the evening with a quick break for lunch halfway, occasionally stopping at a café or pub. Our walks tend to be between 7 to 10 miles

Photo: Unsplash

long but done at a good pace so you can socialise, sightsee and have a bit of fun.

All abilities and are welcome and we hope to provide an amazing experience to everyone who comes along with us.

Why not swap out your books for walking boots and get away from the hustle and bustle of university life, meet new people and visit idyllic locations across Norfolk.

We have some fantastic trips planned so make sure to search for ‘ueadaywalks’ on Facebook or Instagram for more information on the society, our community and days out.

We hope to see you all on our next walk!

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

‘If in doubt, get it checked out!’

This year at the UEA Uni Boob Team we are continuing Coppafeel’s mission to raise awareness of breast cancer in young people.

Our mission is to encourage guys, gals and non-binary pals across campus to check their boobs in order to eradicate late detection for breast cancer.

On the 21st September the boob girls attended a Boobette Webinar with Sarah Gooderham all about how “The Boobettes are Power Rangers of the boob world, driving awareness and spreading the boob wisdom far and wide!”

We learnt all about effective lifestyles, fake news when it comes to boobs, and gained a more in depth insight into checking yourself and the technicalities of Mammograms.

All members of the society were able to access this online session, and we hope to hold more of the same in the upcoming year.

October brought us Breast

Cancer Awareness month and as a society we encouraged other societies and sports teams to get involved by dressing in pink at their sessions.

We headed down to Colney with some free goodies to chat to Women’s Rugby to educate, encourage and empower everyone to talk about everything boobs!

This was a great session that we hope to replicate again to spread even more awareness and raise more money for this critical cause.

At the moment the girls have been busy gathering prizes for their boobie bingo raffle which will launch on December 1st. Prizes include a Lush hamper and a selection of chocolates from Montezuma’s, so this is definitely something you won’t want to miss out on.

Our DMs are always open, so if you want to find out more or have any other questions, feel free to Photo: UEA Catholic Society send a message – and make sure to

COPPAFEEL and if in doubt, get it checked out!

Be sure to follow our Instagram page - @ ueauniboobteam for more updates where we talk about everything from our favourite names for our boobs, to education and awareness.

Text “UEA UBT” to 70500 to get a FREE monthly text reminder to check your boobs! Our Just Giving page is linked in our Instagram bio if you would like to donate.

Ribbon Graphic: Wikimedia Commons

Photo: UEA Uni Boob Team

24th Novemeber 2020

15

Shining the spotlight on and Musical Theatre Charlie Bench

DMTS Publicity Officer

From productions to workshops, straight plays to musicals, ‘Pants’ to ‘Socks’, Drama and Musical Theatre Society is one of UEA’s biggest societies and we’re open to anyone who wants to get involved in anything dramatic, onstage or off!

Each semester we put on two to three productions- yes, even with social distancing in place this semester!

Our first play of the year was Doctor Faustus directed by Alexander Curry, an audio play about a doctor who sells her soul in exchange for the powers of the devil.

Earlier this month Sarah Campbell directed The Last Five Years, a film version of the Jason Robert Brown musical performed

by Rosie Hastings and Lucas Fox, with musical direction and sound design by Matthew Rhodes.

Last up (for productions) this semester is a double bill of winter audio plays by Daniel Thomas,

called Cold and From Out Of The Mist- keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram for audition/ interview details which will be coming out soon!

Next semester sees the return of our everpopular Spotlights, a short plays festival showcasing all new student writing.

Submissions will open early in the second semester, so get writing now for the chance to have your short play produced and performed!

This semester has seen the start of our new monthly workshops, curated by our incredible Workshop Officer Lexine Lee. The West End’s Alice Fearn (Wicked, Come From Away) ran an amazing Acting Through Song masterclass in October, working with singers on their chosen musical theatre song.

Photo: Sarah Campbell

Earlier in November, we hosted an online conversation and Q&A with the Artistic Director

of New Earth Theatre, Kumiko Mendl discussing arts leadership, building a theatre company, touring and how race plays a part in what they do. New Earth Theatre, previously Yellow Earth Theatre, is a leading British East and Southeast Asian theatre company going into their 25th year.

As always with our workshops, subsidised places and two free BIPOC places are offered.

Workshops are an amazing place to develop your skills without having to c o m m i t too much, and places are open primarily to DMTS m e m b e r s Logo: UEA Drama and Musical Theatre Society

Drama Society

however we often have non-member tickets available so keep an eye out for more exciting opportunities!

We have also launched a few new things this year for our members to sink their teeth into!

Play Group is a monthly social opportunity to read, watch or listen to and discuss a diverse variety of unique works by playwrights you might not have come across before but definitely should have!

PANTS, or Performance and New Theatre Skills, are informal musical theatre performance opportunities that will be happening monthly from January (COVID allowing).

These evenings are a great chance to socialise within DMTS and play around with fun, new material.

For anyone who just can’t wait to get back onstage, our first PANTS evening’s theme is Dream Roles- get practising!

Interested in joining? We can be found on Facebook at UEA Drama and Musical Theatre Society, and on Instagram and Twitter @ueadramamtsoc Drop us a DM or find us on the SU website!

need some help settling in? link up with a buddy today at uea.su/buddy

Comment

16

24th November 2020

There’s nothing wrong with prioritising Christmas over Eid Jim Gell

Comment Writer

It’s Christmas Eve 2020: A glistening tree decorated with tinsel and fully working lights (miracle!) stands tall and bushy, hiding carefully wrapped gifts underneath and filling the living room with festive joy where countless Christmas movies will soon be watched with family. Arrangements have been made to visit grandparents and other family members you haven’t seen since Coronavirus seemed as negligible as swine flu.

It’s 9pm. You check the news and the Christmas candles blow out all at once: the government has announced a lockdown effective immediately. The excited look on the faces of loved ones opening gifts you’d bought weeks in advance has been replaced by unopened presents gathering dust, hugs replaced by static video calls, delicious food prepared the night before with a food waste bin.

Luckily enough, it doesn’t look like this will be the case.

Boris Johnson, in an interview with ITV News Anglia, said he’ll do everything he can “to make Christmas as normal as possible”, this including a 4-week circuit

breaker lockdown planned well in advance to minimize the risk of transmitting Covid as a bonus Christmas present.

For Muslims celebrating Eid however, this was their reality.

Health secretary Matt Hancock, just three hours before the festivities of Eid Al-Adha were due to begin, had reimposed restrictions in West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and East Lancashire – all regions with dense Muslim populations.

Following a streak of insensitive comments from the Prime Minister comparing Muslim women to “letterboxes” and Conservative MP Craig Whittaker blaming BAME and Muslim communities for not “taking this pandemic seriously enough”, British Muslims would be right to feel disappointed by this government who has failed them yet again.

Matt Hancock defended his decision, saying it was “important to move fast”, but why was he incapable of giving even 24 hours notice, knowing the rise in cases and the importance of Eid? This decision was either incompetent or negligent. British Muslims should be commended for adhering so compliantly with the lockdown and proving Whittaker so wrong.

Realistically, how many people do you think would abide by the restrictions if Christmas was cancelled?

However, I do not believe a double standard has been made for Christians. Easter, arguably the most important Christian festival, was not given any exemption from lockdown restrictions. Mosques were given exceptional permission to open during the festival if social distancing measures were followed, meaning Muslims could pray and celebrate Eid in their communities to some extent of normality. Christians were not given this exception and churches remained closed.

I also do not believe Christians have been given special treatment because it is wrong to think of Christmas solely as a religious festival. Celebrated also by atheists and members of other religious affiliations, Christmas serves many as a traditional and secular holiday which has been integral to UK culture for as long as I can remember.

And, after all, it is not only Christians who need jollification after the year we’ve had.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

17

24th November 2020

concrete-online.co.uk/category/comment/ | @ConcreteUEA

Uni students need to be able to go home Matthew Stothard Comment Writer

I am not normally one to praise our current government, which is why it somewhat pains me to admit when Universities Minister Michelle Donelan was making TV appearances to discuss the government’s plan to get students home for Christmas, I was impressed.

While I did not agree with everything she said, here was someone who was finally expressing what I had felt when so many people seemed to want universities to lock their doors again during the second lockdown, or even to not return in the first place.

The government undeniably must get students home for Christmas.

Were they not to, the public outcry would be unprecedented.

The impact of being separated from their families during the festive season on students’ mental health would be extortionate and, aside from that, would it even be feasible to lock up students when the rest of the nation will likely be free to go out as they choose?

It makes sense then that the government has chosen to take control of the situation, allocating a window for students to travel home immediately following the national lockdown, when the risks

of transmission across the nation from this mass movement should be greatly reduced.

This is not to say the plans are perfect.

The testing which is being offered by the government appears to be limited, in that it will be targeted to areas which pose the greatest risk.

This will still leave a void for students where testing is not available who may feel they are taking a greater risk in travelling home without knowing if they carry the disease.

However, given the situation the government finds themselves in at this moment, they are delivering on their promise to get students home to their families for Christmas in as safe a way as possible.

On the wider issue of the government’s treatment of universities during the second lockdown, I again largely agreed with Ms. Donelan’s position.

In my experience, neither online nor in-person seminars are perfect in the current situation.

In the online environment, if the students are nervous or unwilling to contribute, the experience can be an uncomfortable one.

Equally, in-person teaching can be challenging due to the social distancing required.

However, while much of the online content is of a very high quality, to completely lose the inperson aspect of courses would

diminish the university experience, which ultimately relies on the ability to effectively exchange ideas.

It would also, as the government frequently points out, increase the isolation of students who already have few reasons to leave their accommodation. Perhaps in regions with very high levels of coronavirus, going fully online could be the correct

approach.

However, in areas with low case numbers, this would be to the detriment of students.

Undeniably, this semester has been a hard one for many of us and it was comforting to finally hear another voice defending students who want to continue their studies as normally as possible.

Photo: Geograph

Questions of dependency: government or charity?

Freyja Elwood Comment Writer

The UK has never faced a major natural disaster. Unlike countries around the ring of fire, nature does not play a huge part in our town planning, government budget, or psyche. What we have discovered with Covid-19 is we are out of our depth.

Let me use the example of a tsunami. Tsunamis are caused by plate displacement. In this instance, the plate displacement is Covid-19.

It has impacted our lifestyles, shopping habits, and mental health. But what is significantly more pressing is the ‘wave’ now crashing over British shores.

The ‘wave’ is bringing questions, realisations, and conversations and they are all focusing on one word.

Dependency. Who do we depend on? What do we depend on?

Where do we depend on it from?

How do we depend on it? And why do we depend on it?

Of course, if I were to truly dissect these questions, we would be here for hours. I will, instead, focus on the question of ‘where’ with three main ideas: the

government, charity, and how they overlap.

Regardless of your political beliefs, you will, at some point, have depended on government run services. This increase has been reflected in the ONS July report which stated the “annually managed expenditure” (AME) for the quarter had increased by double: £10.4 billion to £23.3 billion in 2019-20. Following this, on Thursday an IMF report revealed the UK’s “aggressive” spending policy in response to COVID-19 resulted in “one of the best examples of coordinated action globally”.

But where does the state stop spending? According to HMRC, at the peak of the first lockdown a whopping 30% (8.9 million) of the working population, equivalent to the size of the capital, accessed the furlough scheme. Has it shown the population for the first time in a long time that, if it chooses to, government expenditure can have a widespread positive impact?

But where does government dependency stop and charity come in, when it may seem charity is

stepping in where the government should? With the recent debacle about children’s access to food during school holidays and Jerome Mayhew, a Norfolk MP, saying “I don’t believe schools turning into branches of the welfare state during holidays is the right way to do this”, it is certainly no straightforward question.

In my opinion, this question should have been asked a lot earlier. At nine years old, I had to protest the closure of my library due to local government

Photo: Geograph

spending cuts. Has the coronavirus prompted us to confront questions about dependency which ultimately should have been asked during austerity?

Also on charity, Children in Need took place this year on November 13th. It supports around 20 charities in Norwich, one of which is located in Clover Hill.

The Henderson Trust provides counselling sessions to young people who are at risk of exploitation. One could argue this is an example of how underfunded mental health services are - we rely on charity to provide them.

James Smith, Research Director of the Resolution Foundation, this week predicted tax raises will need to equivalent a £40 billion bill for Covid-19.

If people have not yet reflected on dependency on the state during this time, they certainly will when the budget rolls round.

While I am aware this article has, in theory, only raised questions, it will be the question of dependency which will decide the outcome of the next election.

Harmless fun or bang out of order?

Laura Gooding Comment Writer

With lockdown’s cancellation of organised public displays over Halloween and Bonfire Night bringing a rise in home use, concerns over the government’s unwillingness to reform the current legal regulations for purchasing pyrotechnics have manifested into a parliamentary e-petition with over 200,000 signatures to date.

As the law stands, anyone over 18 can purchase fireworks through general sale without a license.

Fireworks can also be lawfully set off from 7am-11pm, with amended times for recognised holidays.

Westminster’s refusal to impose tougher measures has been justified on the basis of negatively impacting businesses and “local fundraising efforts”. From a human rights perspective, I strongly believe this argument can be easily flawed as a clear economic prioritisation at the cost of blatantly sweeping the safety of communities under the rug.

“the government must act decisively to stop putting further lives at risk” Undoubtedly, a blanket ban risks encouraging the illegal firework trade to soar, bringing greater safety risks. However, in my opinion tighter restrictions on timings and a need for licensing from local authorities is urgently required to combat their distressing effects on vulnerable groups including those with disabilities, those suffering from PTSD, and young children.

Furthermore, evidence indicating the disastrous environmental damage of fireworks resulting from noise pollution cannot be understated, with the RSPCA’s antifirework campaign ‘Bang out of order’ firmly supporting a need for licenced firework displays.

Recent attacks of fireworks thrown outside an RSPCA hospital in North London, the death of a horse in Bridgnorth after bolting, and the death of a cat in Rotherham due to lit fireworks being attached to its back all profoundly illustrate the realities which a lack of government restrictions on firework use brings.

As lockdown boredom resurfaces in the lead up to Christmas, I wholeheartedly believe the government must act decisively to prevent placing further lives at risk, whether they be animal or human.

Science

24th November 2020

18

My nursing placement on a COVID ward

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Jessica Marshall Science Writer

My placement was never supposed to be on a COVID ward. However, when a second peak started to become a reality, teams in the hospital had to be re-shuffled to make preparations for the possibility of an influx of patients, and my team were called on to run the new COVID positive ward.

I was told by the university and the hospital that occupational health had cleared me to work with coronavirus and I should follow the staff to the COVID ward to maintain assessor consistency.

I was a little taken aback. In the summer, student nurses had a choice of whether to opt in to a paid placement and were kept on ‘green wards’ where positive patients were

very unlikely to be. This was a stark contrast to the situation I found myself in: being given less choice, no pay and working directly with positive patients.

Thoughts of refusing the placement and shouldering the repercussions crossed my mind, but my mentors urged me to go with them and relish this unique learning opportunity.

I tried to look at the bigger picture. When I’m old and my grandkids ask about the ‘virus that stopped the world’, I want to be able to say I’d been there and worked on the frontline. I want to tell them I looked the disease in the eye and was part of the team nursing people back from the brink of it. That romantic vision sold me, so with some trepidation I followed my team.

Before stepping onto the ward

I had no idea what coronavirus in the hospital would look like. Over lockdown, gloomy news reports described equipment shortages, packed intensive care units and healthcare workers enveloped in PPE, straining under the intensity of their mission. Was this what I was walking into?

On my first day we had just 4 patients, all women and placed in the same bay. After handover, I remember vividly turning the corner and seeing them for the first time.

The doors to the bay were closed and signs had been put up to remind staff to don appropriate PPE before entering. The lights hadn’t been turned on yet, and combined with the eerie silence of the empty ward, I felt like I was looking through the glass into a scene from a museum exhibition rather than a bay of patients. Upon closer inspection, I

noticed some were dozing in their beds with oxygen masks fixed to their faces, their eyes fluttering as the dawn light slithered through the window, urging them to wake.

Others were already up, sat out in their chairs waiting for breakfast to arrive.

Yes, it was clear they were sick but it also struck me that they also looked just like any other patients.

So, this is what COVID looks like, I thought.

This is the face of the disease that has turned the world upside down for the last nine months. I didn’t feel as intimidated by it anymore.

Once I finished that first shift, friends and family messaged me to ask what it was like. I found it hard to describe.

On the one hand, the PPE and safety precautions were somewhat extraordinary, but on the other, it

boils down to the same routines of any other ward: washes, drug rounds, observations, blood tests, IVs and hospital food.

These routines never allow you to dwell too long on the unusual situation you find yourself in and by the end of the shift my new ‘normal’ felt like just that, normal.

The number of patients on the COVID ward has sadly increased since then, but I remain optimistic as I see healthcare workers rising to the challenge doing the seen and unseen tasks needed to maximise the chances of a patient being discharged and returned to their families.

My lasting impression of my time on the COVID ward is that for healthcare workers this is an ongoing battle of endurance, but one we are more prepared for this time.

Blue whales return Genetic studies Man’s oldest best Newly discovered Shellebrations as to South Georgia and the hidden friend forever, as primate is already record number Olivia Johnson secrets of birds proven by DNA e n d a n g e r e d of turtles born Science Editor The resurgence of the blue whale populations around South Georgia has been suggested by a sighting of 58 individuals at the former epicentre of commercial whaling and was described by scientists as ‘astonishing’. At its peak, the industry in South Georgia was hunting 3’000 blue whales a year.

The global blue whale population has yet to return to historic numbers.

A global DNA study containing the genomes of 363 bird species, accounting for more than 92% of bird families, has been undertaken.

So far, the list contains species from almost every branch of the bird family tree.

The study has already revealed the genes for many major features of birds including bright feathers, body sizes and flight speeds.

A study into dog DNA has shown that the domestication of dogs can be traced back around 11,000 years, to the end of the last Ice Age. This study has confirmed that dogs were the first animal to be domesticated as companions by humans.

Traces of ancient indigenous dog breeds persist all over the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania.

The Popa langur is a newly discovered monkey, named after its home on Mount Popa in the remote forests of Myanmar. Scientists have long suspected that there has been a new species in Myanmar based on DNA, but other evidence of the monkeys was hard to find. However, it has been confirmed that there are only around 200 individuals left in the wild.

Record numbers of olive ridley sea turtles have been born on a beach in northern Mexico. The indigenous Seri community in the Sonora province of Mexico have reported releasing 2,250 turtles into the ocean this year. Compared to the usual 500 released every year, these numbers are s-turtling. It is believed that this is due to reduced human activity due to the coronavirus pandemic.

19

24th November 2020

concrete-online.co.uk/category/science/ | @ConcreteUEA

This is our planet now Amazing adaptations Meg Watts Science Writer

‘A Life On Our Planet’ documents the beloved naturalist’s, Sir David Attenborough, 94 years on our planet.

From playing in the woods as a child, to exploring untouched wildernesses as a young man and, later, communicating the wonders of nature to millions of viewers.

Although this may sound like a celebration, ‘A Life On Our Planet’ is anything but that. It’s shot with a profound sense of sadness, and grief at the destruction of the wildernesses Attenborough used to explore.

This is Attenborough’s ‘witness statement’, contrasting dazzling footage of his earlier animal encounters with a countdown clock to extinction.

The stats flash up throughout the documentary, each more terrifying than the last - they chart the biodiversity loss of the last 100 years in a damning portrayal of our ecocide.

However, Attenborough does pose solutions; displaying his political w o r k as an

environmental advocate and envisaging a future of renewable energy and plant-based eating.

10/10. Get your reusable hankies out.

‘Extinction: The Facts’ provides a brutally honest account of our planet’s condition, following centuries of human industrialisation, capitalist consumption and environmental destruction. The documentary states our reality plainly.

We are entering a sixth mass extinction event, with one eighth of species at risk of total extinction.

‘Extinction: The Facts’ draws heavily on interviews with experts, from a

sombre conversation with James Mwenda, keeper of the last two northern white rhinos, to footage of environmentalist activist Severn Suzuki confronting politicians at the UN 1992 Earth Summit, an eerie parallel to Greta Thunberg’s recent speech to the UN. Attenborough illustrates how little has changed in our bids to prevent climate change.

He also clearly presents that consumption in wealthy countries is a key cause of environmental destruction.

The documentary urges viewers to live simpler lives; flying less, buying less, reusing more, eating more plant-based diets and lessening the strain we place on our planet.

10/10.

Why not head to your local mending cafe after watching?

Ally Fowler Science Writer

Kangaroo rats are small, nocturnal rodents native to North American deserts. Their adaptations help them immensely with desert life. For example, kangaroo rats can live their whole lives without ever consuming water. Instead, they get their liquid from their seed-based diet, foraging seeds at night, and storing them in their cheek pouches. They also do not sweat or pant, so that they can retain the water inside their bodies. Kangaroo rats can jump up to 9 feet at once - coupled with their excellent hearing, this ensures they can escape from predators, such as owls, snakes, and coyotes.

Wood frogs, on the other hand, have adapted to the colder climates of Alaskan forests. They are the only frogs that can survive in the Arctic Circle, and in the winter they can freeze their bodies. Although they don’t freeze entirely, about 60%

of their body stops functioning, including their heart, blood, and lungs. Their bodies produce an ‘antifreeze’ substance that prevents ice forming inside their cells, although it does form between cells - this is achieved through high builtup concentrations of glucose in their tissues and organs. The glucose sugar prevents their cells from drying out, so the frogs can easily de-thaw in the spring.

Fish-hook ants are a rare species of ant that live in countries such as Cambodia and the Philippines.

Found often in dead tree trunks, their name comes from the three sets of protruding hooks emerging from their backs. Individually, the hooks are incredibly sharp; not only will they pierce skin, but they will also anchor into a wound so that the ant is latched on to whatever it is attacking. To defend themselves against predators, thousands of ants will hook onto each other to form massive bundles, making them near-impossible targets.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Should it be this hot? Hurricanes: stronger for longer Meg Watts Science Writer

It’s looking up for youth climate activism.

Activists across the world gear up for a year of mobilisation, protest, and disruption in the lead up to the UN COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow.

According to the BBC, the ‘COP26 event is a global summit about climate change and what nations are planning to do to tackle it’ and is likely to draw at least 200 world leaders, massive press crews and a so-far inestimable wave of protesters.

Climate activists will be protesting their governments’ failure to meet the carbon dioxide reduction targets agreed in the Paris agreement of COP21 in 2015.

This being the treaty the US formally withdrew from on the 4th of November, potentially reaffirming our current trajectory towards + 3-4 degrees warming globally.

This would have a catastrophic

impact on our climate and would cause total ecological and civilizational collapse.

It’s all going downhill for air pollution levels.

Guy Fawkes night prompted a spike in chemical pollutants across the UK. Particle pollutants hit the maximum UK index value of 10 across the Midlands, whilst London, Yorkshire and some parts of Eastern England hit an index value of 9.

Chemical analysis recorded high levels of many chemicals, notably aluminium, copper, chloride, potassium, strontium and sulphur.

Fireworks are notoriously dangerous for our health, for air quality and for animals. It’s up to us as individuals to decide if we are going to use fireworks.

Though there are concerns about how to prevent animals from being scared, minimising the impact of fallen fireworks from choking livestock and polluting waterways, and all the while reducing hedgehog and invertebrate deaths in bonfires is even more vital.

Mariam Jallow Science Writer

Hurricanes are giant spiralled storms formed in the Atlantic Ocean with windspeeds up to 119 kph or more and are associated with exorbitant amounts of rainfall and thunderstorms.

Over the past few years the Atlantic Hurricane Season (between June and November) sees increasing tropical storm formations, followed by more destructive and recordbreaking hurricanes.

In 2017, Hurricane Irma was documented as the most powerful hurricane on record, only to be surpassed two years later by Hurricane Dorian.

More recently, Nicaragua and Honduras have suffered both human and infrastructural losses as a result of the recent Category Four storm Eta and just two weeks later are bracing themselves for another Category Four, Hurricane Iota.

Evidence shows that these weather patterns are not only

becoming more frequent but also more destructive. Why? One paper recently published in Nature suggests that climate change may be the answer. Usually, as a hurricane hits land, much of the energy it carries is dissipated; thus, restricting much of its damage to coastal areas.

However, as sea surface temperatures increase, the amount of energy and moisture available as fuel for these catastrophic storms also increases. As such, these hurricanes decay at a much slower rate and can make their way further inland. The Nature paper continues to exemplify this trend by observing that in the late 1960s a typical hurricane lost about 75 per cent of its intensity in the first day past landfall. Now, the corresponding decay is only about 50 per cent. The authors of this paper, Dr Lin Li and Dr Chakraborty go on to conclude with a foreboding observation, as the global temperatures keep on rising, the destruction caused by hurricanes will only increase further inland.

Growing up in the north-east Caribbean, most of my life I had been free from the experience of living through catastrophic weather events that took place every hurricane season.

However, as the summers in my country got hotter, unfortunately, so did our waters and the likelihood of being affected by a Category 4 Hurricane or above increased. After surviving Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, it became difficult not to notice how the calm, sunny summers of my childhood had evolved into constantly being on guard for the now expected storm and floods brought on by this new hurricane trend. As the number of Atlantic storms reaches its highest ever at 30 named hurricanes and tropical storms this year alone, one can only think of the devastating impacts these natural weather phenomena have had on the lives of those impacted. With a yearly trend of increasing power and stay of storms, therein lies the risk of increasing loss of life, property and safety of those in the Americas.

Travel & Lifestyle

20

24th November 2020

The Lake District's Amberside: an unexpected hidden treasure Phoebe Lucas Travel Writer

It’s not the most exotic or tropical location in the world, yet it radiates an overwhelming sense of natural beauty.

I was lucky enough to visit Ambleside at the end of last October, just before the second lockdown was announced on Halloween.

I was only there for four days, but with the amount we pact in it felt like much longer. Day one was initially spent casually walking into the town centre looking for the waterfalls this area was known for.

Little did we know that a couple of hours later we would be climbing a hill that showed no warning for drastic temperature changes or the result in wobbly legs.

Before we were met with the height of Wansfell peak, we came across the waterfalls hidden in what looked like the dictionary definition of autumn.

Oranges, reds, and yellows drenched the woodland floor, as well as clinging to the branches before they dropped. The faintness of the pouring water grew louder and louder before it ran away down the stream and through the centre of town. We had to cross running streams, and walk over dainty wooden bridges as well as climbing over huge tree roots and rocks that sprouted out of nowhere.

We eventually emerged from the woodland clearing onto a back road that revealed a stile into a field.

With a why not attitude, we decided to climb over and begin the ascend, that turned out to be Wansfell peak.

It started in a very civilised, meandering way, taking pictures here and there stopping to look at the vast viewsthis soon changed. It Photo: LibreShot became clear this wasn’t something you did half-heartedly as people passed with hiking sticks and

waterproofs. Nevertheless, we all persevered and once we could see the top the drive to continue became dominant.

However, to my great disappointment what we thought was the top was in fact just perception playing with our minds.

At that point I decided to call it a day, satisfied with my own achievement, myself and a few others in my group began the descent down.

(The thought of a hot chocolate and a sausage roll at the end of the climb down was good encouragement.)

You wouldn’t usually associate the Lake District with its cuisine, but it’s definitely worth mentioning The Apple

Pie Cafe and Bakery, because yum!

With a choice of spiced apple pie or classic, you then choose what it’s served with: cream, custard, or ice cream. Et Voila, your perfect apple pie.

Then, about a 15 min drive down the road, the village Grasmere is home to a gingerbread shop that has been making gingerbread everyday since 1854! It’s impossible to miss with a constant queue of customers and the smell of butter surrounding the building.

There seemed to be pathways and lanes dotted around everywhere, that would eventually lead to a field with grazing cattle, a running stream, and a vast view of lake Windermere that somehow shocked me every time I saw it.

I think the most surprising element to the trip was the friendliness o f

the people. I knew before going that there was some scepticism about people travelling to the Lake district to escape coronavirus, evidently bringing it with them in some cases. However, they couldn’t have been more welcoming. One of the small retail owners in particular showed genuine interest in whether I was having a good trip and if I’d be likely to come visit Ambleside and the lakes again- I assured him that I definitely would!

Photo: Phoebe Lucas

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Why comfort food is comforting Alice Williamson Lifestyle Writer

The phrase ‘comfort food’ immediately brings to mind feelings, memories and tastes.

Whether it’s your mum’s shepherd’s pie on a cold day, chocolate when you’re feeling sad, or chicken soup when you’re ill, we all have those foods that bring us comfort.

For me, it’s a roast dinner on a Sunday, a veggie lasagne, or a homemade minestrone soup: these heart-warming foods transport me back to childhood, to that feeling of having been on a long, muddy walk with my dog, and coming in from the bitter cold to a hot meal.

Taste, like smell, is one of those senses that can instantly bring us back to a particular moment in time.

Comfort food, however, is about much more than the food itself, it’s about the feelings that are conjured up because of it - of safety, of

happiness, and that feeling of being surrounded by the people you love.

While at university, I think it’s important to have things around you that remind you of home.

Cooking your comfort foods is a great way of reconnecting, creating a sense of belonging and reliving memories of shared meals with family and friends.

In a study of Filipino migrants living in Hong Kong, home cooking was cited as one of the main ways of connecting.

Migrant women would gather on a Sunday and share food from their country, this gathering becoming a way of re-inventing home.

Food means more to people than just taste, it’s also associated with

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

identity, belonging and culture.

Shira Gabriel, a psychology professor, defines ‘comfort food’ as ‘any food that a person uses to feel better’.

This notion of ‘comfort eating’ is engrained in us through the media that we consume: think Bridget Jones getting over a break-up by crying into an ice-cream tub alone at night.

A study from the Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science also shows that we often eat comfort foods to improve our mood and rid ourselves of feelings of loneliness and isolation.

In this way comfort food is often equated to emotional eating, but are they the same thing? If comfort food is simply a way out of what

you’re feeling, this could arguably be replaced by anything else that gives you that same dopamine hit: watching a TV show or listening to a certain album that reminds you of a happy(ier) time.

For me, though, comfort food is not simply a ‘way out’, it’s a way of reconnecting.

Comfort food doesn’t have to be unhealthy, it can be a nutritious, warming meal packed full of veggies that makes you feel full and looked after, a hearty soup with homemade bread, a bowl of chilli.

Particularly in winter, when our dopamine levels naturally decline from lack of sunlight, food can play a positive role in combating this and alleviating these negative feelings, reminding us of happy memories and of being together.

I think that we should remove the food-guilt and listen to what our bodies are telling us during these cold months and confusing times.

It can be a powerful tool for shifting your emotional state.

21

24th November 2020

concrete-online.co.uk/travel/ | @ConcreteUEA

Luxury vs. budget travel: both flawed?

Sam Gordon Webb Travel Writer

Newsflash: Once upon a time, travelling for pleasure was something people actually did. As we reminisce during a pandemic, our holiday plans have either been totally destroyed or at least, delayed.

I refuse to beat around the bush.

Covid-19 has seismically affected travel providers. Not only are travellers spending less on exotic getaways to faraway lands, but our realigned health consciousness has profoundly affected how, when and where we travel.

At a turbulent time of layoffs and furloughs, travellers are looking to spend on experiences that are safe, closer to home and reasonably priced. Covid-19 has thus helped to reaffirm the trend for budget travelling, whilst seemingly making us feel better about ourselves.

Fair enough, but not always.

Yes, travelling first class to the most

expensive resort on the planet is out of the price range for most folks. And yet does that make it completely outrageous?

Surely the odd treat now and then - opening the champagne cork mid flight for example - is perfectly permissible, especially after months of an enforced lockdown.

Economy class quite evidently lacks the luxury of first. For those able and willing to pay a little more - ok, a lot more - one avoids the dry bricks of bread, crying toddlers and only enough leg room to wiggle your toes. Instead, you get your own motorized mini-bar stocked with water and soft drinks, a pop-up vanity mirror stocked with trendy skincare products, the best in flight entertainment and pretty much unlimited cabin crew services. And the food is served a la carte, code for we guarantee the bread isn't stale.

I can hear your mind screaming: who needs that? My answer? No one. And not even the Queen.

First class is inaccessible to most people, the experience itself filled with bizarre add-ons and constant pampering that are plainly annoying and far from blissful.

Strangely enough, the simple things in life can often bring far more happiness than a 3 course meal on a flight to Barbados. Gasp.

Budget traveling benefits those looking to save money. Issues surrounding the accessibility of travel is also worth noting here, both monetarily as well as physically.

In 2005, this reality motivated businessman GR Gopinath to announce he would enable Indians to fly at one rupee or less than a pence, thus revolutionising flying in India by breaking class and economic barriers.

Authenticity matters too. The pervading idea suggests splashing the cash on pricey hotels and extravagant meals -

kills away the supposed cultural truthness of a given location, leaving a barrage of fancy fakeness in its lieu. However expensive treats can be rather authentic.

For example, guests staying at the Ka’ana Resort in Belize can learn to prepare classic Maya dishes using an authentic Maya stove, known as the forgon.

Holiday makers at the Hotel St Petersbourg in Tallinn can enjoy Estonian cuisine in the hotel’s restaurant, The Golden Piglet Inn, with recipes that have been passed down through generations. Impressive stuff, right?

And arguably more ‘authentic’ than cheaper options on the touristy streets.

Cheaper things are by no means inferior. In fact, cheaper options are often extremely authentic.

Greek taverns - or other family run establishments in a

similar mould - are locally run and the food tends to be sourced locally.

The best part is one meets local people, the very people providing the goods and making the culture what it is.

Travelling on a budget means visiting local markets, buying souvenirs made by the sellers themselves.

In this way, the benefits are mutually felt by both locals and tourists, helping to foster much clearer understanding of different cultures as well as building a layer of trust between natives and visitors.

With this in mind, neither luxury nor budget travelling is clearly definable as better or worse than the other.

Bluntly speaking, the ability to travel luxury is something we cannot and must not take for granted. And yet even in this world of tighter budgets and ongoing safety concerns, travelling can still be a whole lotta fun. And soon, even possible.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

How to be miserable in lockdown Ted Tuthill-Jones Lifestyle Writer

Lockdown 2, while less alien than the first, is still a wonderful opportunity to descend into misery and despair. It’s easier than you might think, so easy that you might be doing it already.

If you’re serious about getting miserable, the first thing to consider is your sleep schedule.

You should endeavour to wake up and go to bed at wildly varying times each day, sometimes late, sometimes early, sometimes not at all. This will keep your brain nice and confused and your circadian rhythm dysfunctional. This is the best way to avoid feeling anything close to refreshed when you wake up. Once you are awake, you should reach for your phone without delay.

Personally, I like to check Twitter for an early morning cocktail of rage, anxiety and disappointment.

Speaking of Twitter, you should check social media as often as you can. This will keep you both

perennially anxious and wholly unable to concentrate. Fortunately for us, social media platforms are designed for the explicit purpose of getting and keeping our attention.

Although, many phones now come with features to limit the time you spend on a given app, so be sure to avoid that.

Once you’re up and anxious, it’s time for breakfast. But first, don’t under any circumstances make your bed.

When fetching breakfast, you should take the utmost care to avoid any housemates or relatives, as even mundane conversation is likely to lift your mood or otherwise help you cling to sanity. Eat breakfast, and in fact all meals, in your room.

You should do everything, eating, sleeping, working and relaxing, in the same place.

This way your subconscious won’t ever be quite sure what

you’re supposed to be doing, making concentration and productivity a pipedream. After a few hours spent in the anxiety riddled abyss somewhere between working and relaxing, it’ll be time for lunch.

You may at this point find yourself tempted to go outside, but you shouldn’t let a sunny day, or a friend tempt you out. Exercise and social interaction are certain

Photo: Pixabay

to stimulate the release of reward chemicals in your brain, bringing contentment. No one wants that.

Instead I’d recommend taking this time to get embroiled in some pressing political or social issue. Although, be careful to avoid engaging with it in any meaningful way.

Remember, what you’re looking for here isn’t change, but something beyond your control to get angry and anxious about.

After lunch and with very little achieved you might find yourself beset by a powerful sense of imminent crisis and a need to work.

Don’t let yourself break your work into small and manageable tasks.

Instead let it stay as one great monolithic block in your mind, discouraging you from even starting.

If you do feel an overwhelming urge to work, ensure failure by setting your goals impossibly high

or making them so vague that you can never be sure if you’ve achieved them. Think “I will read this entire book right now” rather than “I will read this chapter today,” or “I will get better at X today,” rather than “I will practice X for 30 minutes.”

This’ll mire any progress in a sense of failure when you inevitably don’t achieve everything all at once.

Eventually it’ll be bedtime.

Here, you should spend at least an hour browsing social media. If you’re doing it right, you should find yourself never actually enjoying the experience but nevertheless unwilling to stop.

Importantly, the brightness of your phone screen will stimulate the release of chemicals that tell your brain it’s still daytime.

When you do eventually fall asleep, you’ll be prepared for another miserable day.

Helpfully, the sadder you become the easier it will be to stay that way.

But beware, this works both ways.

Even a few small but consistent changes from this formula can leave you a happier and more productive person, and we can’t have that.

Sport

24th November 2020

22

Are blue skies ahead for the sky blues?

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Sebastian Lajos Sport Writer

Depicting Pep Guardiola’s teams as underachieving has become something of a trend.

Indeed, a near decade-long lack of Champions League success ostensibly supports Dietmar Hamann’s description of Guardiola’s coaching style as outdated.

There is no denying that, on paper, his spells in Munich and

Manchester have left a lot to be desired on the continental stage.

City’s underwhelming start to the 2020/21 campaign on the back of mixed performances last season did little to alter this picture.

However, before we write Guardiola’s methods off, a trip down memory lane is well-worth taking.

Just like Rinus Michels’ Ajax, Arrigo Sacchi’s Milan and Johan Cruyff’s Barça Dream Team, Guardiola’s sides have always been able to win whilst playing an

entertaining style of football that generates a lot of goals.

Of course, we should not forget that Guardiola was nurtured by Cruyff, a prominent endorser of ‘total football’. Guardiola’s outstanding skill, vision and tactical awareness on the pitch, have certainly invigorated his coaching concepts. Crucially, he has shown the ability to bring life to such concepts.

Signed by the Spaniard for Bayern back in 2014, goal-scoring

ace Robert Lewandowski describes his former boss as ‘demanding, dedicated and purposeful’. This might naturally have a varied impact on player and squad alike. Still, with players like Ederson, Walker, De Bruyne and Sterling, Guardiola has been able to re-enact his play of offensive-minded possession.

However, in my opinion, the ingredient the Citizens lack is selfconfidence in crucial moments.

Arguably, throughout the Guardiola years, City have incurred

unnecessary defeats against the likes of Lyon, Tottenham and even Liverpool, because they have departed from their tried and tested approach when they have encountered adversity in key stages of these games.

If someone were able to give the Sky Blue players this confidence, you could think of no one better than Pep to do so. With well over twenty trophies in top-flight football, Guardiola still seems capable of turning City’s fortunes around.

Football’s governing bodies must do more to support minority groups Luke Saward Sport Editor

Recently, a Concrete article was produced on the brave display of solidarity shown by San Diego Loyal SC. They walked off and forfeited a game in protest against a homophobic comment made against their midfielder, Collin Martin, by a member of the opposition.

Since then, the accused player, Junior Flemmings – a forward for Phoenix Rising FC – was banned for six games by the United Soccer League. Flemmings has denied the claims on Twitter.

In addition, Phoenix have asked to be allowed to give up their hosting rights for the Championship final, should they reach it, in a gesture towards the LGBTQ+ community.

Granted, these appear steps in the right direction.

However, it seems quite

frankly unacceptable that, with the investigation into the incident now complete, San Diego’s forfeit of the game still stands.

What sort of message does that send to young fans?

Yes, Flemmings will not be available for Phoenix’s future fixtures and may face retrospective punishment from the club also, but Phoenix’s season continues, whereas San Diego – who were winning the game at the time – have had their campaign brought to an abrupt halt.

Manager Landon Donovan talked of the guilt Martin subsequently felt when he knew of the ramifications the protest would have on San Diego’s season.

Guilt. Felt by the player who was abused.

The footballing environment is not welcoming enough to the LGBTQ+ community, which is clear through how few players currently playing have openly come out as

gay.

When incidents like these are identified, more action must be taken to show that they will no longer be tolerated in the modern game.

This is vital in order for us to progress to becoming a more inclusive society as a whole.

This extends beyond homophobia.

In 2011, Luis Suarez received an 8-match ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra.

2 years later he received a 10-match ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic.

Surely these punishments are not proportional to the infringements committed.

Governing bodies for far too long have treated incidents of racism and homophobia much like they treat diving, fouling and other minor mid-game indiscretions. This has to stop.

Fans will be issued lifetime bans

for similar incidents.

For years, football has been searching for ways to expand the opportunities present for minority groups within the game.

However, at the same time, those high up the footballing food chain have been complacent by not holding the players we idolise to the same moral standards as everyone else.

It is these individuals that young generations will look up to and if we do not ensure that they are leading by example, future football fans and players may also be led astray.

Social media has been awash with support for Donovan, Martin and the other Loyal’s players.

It is time that football’s governing bodies stood up and showed their support too.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

23

24th November 2020

concrete-online.co.uk/sport/ | @Concrete_UEA

Another step on the road towards parity for the trans community Luke Saward Sport Editor

To honour Trans Awareness Week, which has just passed, I thought I would write a piece on an inspirational transgender athlete.

From Canadian world champion cyclist Rachel McKinnon to Harvard University swimmer Schuyler Bailar, there were many role models for the trans community to choose from, illustrating just how far we have come as a society in such a short space of time recently. As awareness of the success of transgender people grows, hopefully acceptance of them will grow too.

In the end I decided to write about Maxine Blythin, who is a cricketer for Kent Women. After being publicly outed as transgender by the media, Blythin suffered mass abuse both online and offline, receiving numerous threats of violence.

The hate being directed against her was amplified by individuals such as so-called celebrity Katie Hopkins.

Hopkins used her influence on social media platforms to criticise the fact that Blythin was

Photo: Wikimedia Commons able to play competitive women’s cricket.

Her more than 1 million Twitter followers would only be able to read her tweet temporarily though, as it was soon removed under the platform’s hateful conduct policy.

Far-right commentator Hopkins has since been banned from Twitter for further violations of this same policy.

Hopkins alleged that Blythin’s physique, as a result of her biological makeup, gave her an unfair advantage over other women.

This has been a pattern throughout Blythin’s career, with people keen to stick an asterisk next to every achievement that she has made. As a result, she has not received the praise that she is due

Thanking our lucky stars the Premier League didn’t say ‘why aye’ to the Middle-Eastern Magpies

for being Kent’s third-highest run scorer in her debut season at the club, on the team’s way to winning the Women’s County Championship.

This is a monumental achievement, but is it the focus of the media attention surrounding her? Far from it.

However, despite all of this hatred, there are signs that times

are perhaps changing, as Tammy Beaumont, the club captain at Kent quickly leapt to Blythin’s defence when Hopkins spoke out against her and she also received support from many other members of the cricketing community.

Mass misgendering in sport is now far less likely to go unnoticed.

This progress is not just limited to the minds of players and fans alike, but is too shown in the actions of cricket’s organisations.

The inclusive policies of the ECB enable transgender women who have only undergone a social transition and not had any form of medical intervention to be eligible to play women’s domestic cricket.

Blythin has yet to be medically diagnosed as intersex and it is not something that she has sought after, nor should she have to.

Blythin herself actually has abnormally low levels of testosterone, so could one day play internationally under ICC regulations, which are stricter.

An England call-up is something that Blythin would relish and if her current form continues, there is no reason as to why her dream cannot one day become a reality.

Why the Premier League’s new handball rule risks serious ‘arm to players

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Luke Saward Sport Editor

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Callum McWilliams Senior Sport Writer

The takeover of Newcastle United Football Club led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund was one of the most bizarre ‘nearly’ stories of 2020.

Despite numbers being agreed between NUFC owner Mike Ashley and the PIF, the deal never came to be.

In late July, official statements from both revealed that a deal was no longer possible, with it now fully off the table.

Given that so many fans in the North-East feel that Ashley has done

irreparable harm to Newcastle over his 13 years at the club, it is perhaps unsurprising that Newcastle fans were able to look past the politics on this deal.

Fans have been protesting his ownership for years. For locals, any possibility of him being gone and money coming into the city was largely welcomed.

Outside the region however, the deal was met with a lot more fear and resistance.

From public petitions, to human rights groups and even several MPs, protests were largely centralised around Saudi Arabia’s recent record of human rights abuse.

Ultimately though, it was not

this human rights record that scuppered this takeover. In fact, it was seemingly called off because the WTO ruled that representatives of the Saudi state facilitated illegal broadcasts of sport, including some Premier League fixtures.

Although the state denies this, many will see the failed takeover as the right result but for the wrong reasons.

Magpies fans on the other hand will still be thinking ‘what could have been’ with the unlimited finances that seemed so close.

One thing is certain, we were incredibly close to witnessing the most contentious takeover in Premier League history.

What was ever wrong with the ‘intentional’ handball rule? Anyone?

Regularly mocked by Premier League players, managers and pundits alike, the new handball rule has left defenders unsure on how to act when in their own box, unable to move freely, for fear of giving away a penalty. Who can blame them?

If the penalty conceded by Eric Dier recently against Newcastle is anything to go by, basically every time a ball comes into contact with the hand of a player, a penalty will be given.

Andy Carroll powered a header against Dier’s hand from less than a metre away, with Dier’s hand only partly outstretched, for he was using his arms to gain elevation when jumping at the time. What makes this even worse? Dier was

not even facing Carroll or the ball when it hit his arm.

This sets a dangerous precedent, for if players are unable to use their arms when jumping in the air or sliding to the ground, they will begin to use unsafe motions to avoid the risk of being brought up for infringements in the area.

Such techniques will expose more vulnerable parts of a player’s anatomy, such as their neck, to the risk of significant harm from an illtimed landing.

The highest average number of penalties per game in a Premier League season prior to this year was 0.29. Currently, there has been an average of more than one every two games this season. Clearly, something needs to be done.

If this is not resolved by the Premier League, defenders may ironically take matters into their own hands, which may come with some very serious repercussions.

24

24rd November 2020

Sport

The secret to Jon Jones’ success: staying positive

Photo: UEA Hockey Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Matt Branston Deputy Editor

There’s something magical about watching an athlete dominate.

Like when Lionel Messi strides up the pitch like there are no defenders there and slots it in the top right corner. When LeBron James jumps over and through 5 guys to destroy a basket. When Usain Bolt literally seemed to dance his way to the finishing line as he set THE world record.

For me, one of those athletes has always been Jon Jones.

I’ve been a Jones fan for as long as I’ve been an MMA fan. When he was coming up, he was incredible.

I remember when he mercilessly knocked out Shogun Rua, one of the icons of early MMA. When Jones was hitting those last few shots, he looked like a horror movie villain; unrelenting, vicious, a predator going after his prey, knowing that he

couldn’t lose. He was unstoppable.

I think this last decade of the UFC will always be defined by two things: Conor McGregor (obviously) and Jones vs. DC. DC, Daniel Cormier, is, was, and always will be a hero of mixed martial arts. After intense childhood trauma, he became one of the best wrestlers in the NCAA, only coming second to arguably one of the greatest wrestlers ever, Cael Sanderson.

He was dominant before joining the UFC, winning belts in every promotion, he was an amazing fighter.

When Jones beat him the first time – a five-round decision in Jones’ favour – it seemed like what we all knew was confirmed: Jonny ‘Bones’ Jones was probably the greatest fighter in the history of the UFC. At the rematch, it seemed to be confirmed again. DC, an absolute master of the sport, was knocked

down and fumbled around as Jones finished him off. Undeniably, Jones was the best.

Then Jones tested positive for anabolic steroids.

He’d had some tenuous calls in the past, testing positive for cocaine use at UFC 182, his first fight with DC. He tested positive for various banned substances prior to his first scheduled rematch with DC, leading to it being cancelled and him suspended for a year, but this was found to not be an intentional usage of steroids. Finally, at UFC 214, when he knocked DC out, he was found to have genuinely been on steroids and the fight result was overturned and ruled a no-contest.

This becomes the dilemma of all drugs cheats in professional sports. We know he beat DC one time without steroids. So why did he need them the second time? In all likelihood, Jones probably beats DC without them. But he used them.

He needed them enough to risk his entire professional respectability.

It’s a difficult question. Because Jones is possibly the most uniquely brilliant fighter ever to walk into the octagon. He is more than likely the single greatest fighter on the planet.

So why did he need steroids? Was it just emotional weakness? Did he think the future heavyweight champion DC was too strong for him? We’ll never know.

This all comes about because Mike Tyson recently admitted to using a fake penis and his wife and his child’s urine to avoid detection for drugs. He said it was because of cocaine and marijuana use.

But how do we know? How can we compare him to Muhammad Ali or George Foreman when he could have been using steroids?

At the end of the day, sport is a pretty simple endeavour. It’s a person, or a group of people, agreeing to do generally quite stupid things. The only reason it’s

worth watching is because everyone agrees to do the same stupid things.

Otherwise, it’s just pointless.

MMA, more than any other sport, is a competition based wholly on respect.

It’s two people literally attacking each other. And when Jones went in there with drugs in his system, he eliminated any point to the whole endeavour.

It spat in the face of every boxer who has ever been knocked out, every NFL player who’s been concussed, every athlete to ever break a bone or tear a muscle. It’s a disgrace. It was disgraceful. It’s a horror film and he was the villain.

It’s a shame. It’s a real shame. But it’s undeniable. He is the greatest fighter ever in the history of the UFC. But he’s not. He’s just another cheater. And it’ll always be how he’s remembered.

Also, he hit a pregnant woman with his car while high on cocaine, so that’s not great.