Issue 743 - 8 March 2023

Turnout in Guild Elections drops to 12 per cent

ONLY 12 per cent of the student body voted in the recent Students’ Guild elections, a turnout below half of the 26 per cent turnout experienced in 2019. This decrease in voter turnout continues a downward trend in election participation over the last five years.

3923 students voted in the 2023 elections, compared to 5609 in 2019. This is despite overall increases in student numbers at the University.

The Students’ Guild election results were recently announced on the 24th March. The results followed a 31-hour voting period in which University of Exeter students had the opportunity to vote for the candidates that they wanted to see as their Guild officers for the next academic year.

The vote was conducted using a single transferable voting system, meaning that voters used ranked-choice voting, with each voter casting a single ballot, ranking the candidates in order of preference.

The Guild officer positions up for election were Guild President, AU President, Education Officer, Communities and Equality Officer, Societies and Employability Officer and Student Living Officer. Six candidates ran for the position of Guild President: Emma de Saram, Jack Liversedge, Tejas Nagpal, Mathias La Pira, Manan Shah and Captain ‘Trey’ Hook Tallon. Gee Burnett and Brianna Cummins ran for the posi -

tion of AU president while Alex Stanley was the sole candidate for Education Officer. Mia Robillard-Day and Khurram Usman competed for the position of Communities and Equality Officer. Rhys Wallis and Honey Bharat Somaya ran for the position of Societies and Employability Officer while Pip Shaw and Cavanagh Davis-Holmes contended for the position of Student Living Officer.

The Guild election results night kicked off with a speech from the Guild’s Emily de Ritter stating “elections are an important part of the university ex-

perience. Your elected officers play a vital role in holding the University to account and campaigning on your behalf.” 3923 students cast their vote over the voting period, a turnout of 12.3 per cent of the student body. The Guild also announced they would be planting 4000 trees for each student who voted.

In the first win of the night, Pip Shaw was elected as Student Living Officer. The vote quota was 1205 votes. In stage one, Cavanagh Davis-Holmes received 385 votes and Pip Shaw received 1850 votes.

The next results that were announced were for the position of Education Officer, with Alex Stanley enjoying an easy win as the sole candidate. In the first stage of voting, the vote quota was 1338.5 votes and Alex Stanley received 2359. Rhys Wallis went on to win the race for Societies and Employability Officer. In the first stage of voting, the vote quota was 1260.5 votes. Rhys Wallis received 1592 votes, Honey Bharat Somaya received 750.

Continued on page 4

Livvy Mason-Myhill and Pollyanna Roberts Deputy Editors

Images (top to bottom): Rachel Cunningham, Jack Fitzsimmons Flickr, Pollyanna Roberts

Image: Exeter Students’ Guild

Editors

Print: Megan Ballantyne & Joshua Hughes

Online: Ana Anajuba & Clemence Smith

Print Deputies: Oliver Lamb, Livvy Mason-Myhill, Pollyanna Roberts

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Chief Photographers Rachel Cunningham Kieran Moore

News Editors Print: Charlie Gershinson & Amy Rushton

Online: Megan Haynes & Amelie Thompson news@exepose.com

Features Editors

Print: Austin Taylor & Benedict Thompson

Online: Catherine Stone & Maggie John features@exepose.com

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AND in a flash, we’re in week eight already. We don’t know about you, but this term has flown by and we’re already on our penultimate edition of the term! For those that had one, we hope you had a good reading week and for those that didn’t — there’s only four more weeks (it’s a short term!). But as always, Exeposé are back (once again) to bring you another edition full of stories, reports, interviews and reviews.

In News this edition we conclude our coverage of the Guild Elections, reporting on the process, winning candidates and more (pages 1 and 4). We also look at the rising postgraduate accommodation prices and cover the Council’s decision to vote down student housing plans for a second time (page 3). To show our solidarity with the people of Ukraine, we also cover one year on in the war in Ukraine, looking at the recent vigil in Exeter and also speak to the Exeter Ukrainian Society (page 5).

In Features , we sit down with Aimee Courtney, Director of Foundation for Uyghur Freedom, about the current situation in Xinjiang and the persecution of Uyghur Muslims (page 9). In International , we look at travelling lifehacks and also discuss the role of dialects in society (page 10). Elsewhere, in Comment , writers debate whether Chat GPT spells the end for coursework (page 13) and also discuss the University’s recent

intervention in the UCU strikes (page 12). Satire compares the cost of home ownership with a ski trip ticket and also looks at the potential nutrient deficiency crisis in the wake of Pret scrapping their range of smoothies (page 14).

In Lifestyle we look at Fashion week and its fight for diversity (page 16) and also discuss the pressing issue of combating hangovers (page 17). Arts + Lit writers reveal who they’d invite to a literary soirée and also look at the recent return of Banksy (page 18). In Music , we feature a live review of Wallows’ recent show in London (page 20) and also provide a report of the 2023 Grammys (page 21). In Screen , we look at the highs and lows of the recent BAFTAS (page 22) and also look at Irish landscapes in Sally Rooney’s novel adaptations (page 23). In Tech we consider how we should remember Apple founder Steve Jobs (page 24) and in Science , we look at fusion energy (page 28) and also discuss the link between IBS and gravity (page 29).

Finally, in Sport we cover the start to the 2023 Formula 1 season and also look at the recent passing of John Motson (page 30). We also cover the Six Nations so far (page 31) and Exeter City’s recent dip in form (page 32). We hope you enjoy reading this edition and as always from everyone at Exeposé , have a great few weeks!

Josh and Megan

Chinese students turned away from Australian universities

AUSTRALIA'S top universities risk a drop in research standards after visa delays caused Chinese universities to turn to the US and Europe.

Postgraduate STEM students from China, India, Pakistan and Iran are facing rigorous security and background checks as the Australian Department of Home Affairs deems them a "high security risk". Curremtly, one in ten visas are taking longer than twelve months to process, with students waiting up to three years for an outcome

Melody Zhao, a PhD candidate, feels the visa processing policy is "harsh and unjust", and students risk losing opportunities. China is now advising students to apply at home or to countries with more lenient visa policies, meaning Australia may now miss out on high-achieving students in lucrative STEM subjects.

A spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs says it understands visa delays were causing concerns for students, and "will continue to advocate for a transparent and smooth system which [...] supports our national security"

Image, Benoît Prieur, Wikimedia

90,000 students to sue their universities over Covid disruption

ALEGAL claim involving over 90,000 students has arisen in response to the disruption of university education due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This large group of students includes not only those who enrolled between the years of 2020 to 2022 but those who were impacted by the previous strike action from 2018.

As home students continue to pay annual fees of £9,250 and international up to almost £40,000 in some cases, they are hoping that the claim suc cessfully acknowledges and pays retribution for the differing style of education received in relation to what was expected.

Though the restrictions of the pandemic prohibited in-person learning, students continued to pay the same fee, and many feel a mixture of anger and frustration as a result of this. Many students were left with an ‘online learning course effectively on zoom and the equipment of YouTube’ with standards between institutions also differing greatly.

Fashion week: The fight for diversity

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Banksy strikes again PAGE 18

Live review: Wallows

PAGE 20

LIFESTYLE SCIENCE

PAGE 29

Proofers: Proofers: Livvy Mason-Myhill, Oliver Lamb, Pollyanna Roberts, Lauren Walsh, Harry Craig, Henry Parker, Anabel CostaFerreira, Joshua Hughes and Megan Ballantyne

University news home and abroad

American Professor accuses university of right wing collusion

Student debt crisis worsens in South Africa

FS

TUDENT debt in South Africa continues to climb and has now surpassed 16.5 billion rand ($1bn). Effective government intervention is needed to solve an issue that has plagued the country for years.South African students are struggling to pay back their loans, due to simultaneous increases in student fees and costs of living. As a result, universities are having difficulty funding their academic programmes. A lack of support from the Department of Higher Education has exacerbated the issue.

120,000 students are currently stuck in educational limbo — unable to graduate due to the money they owe. Wary of entering this debt trap, many young people are now reluctant to enter higher education, resulting in long-run skill shortages and youth unemployment. Since the explosion of the #FeesMustFall movement back in 2015, students have been protesting for affordable, accessible higher education. However, despite years of government initiatives and promises, the situation is worse than ever.

By Ellie Whitcombe, Anabel Costa-Ferreira, Elizabeth Barber and Callum Martin.

Postgraduate accommodation prices rise 13.5 per cent in four years

Megan Ballantyne and Amy Rushton Editor and News Editor

THE University of Exeter's postgraduate accommodation prices are set to rise 13.5 per cent over a four year period, between the 2019/20 and 2023/24 academic year. This constitutes an increase from an average weekly price of £161 in 2019/20 to £183 in 2023/24, with weekly postgraduate rents therefore rising approximately £22.

The number of university postgraduate bedspaces, however, will have only risen by 12 per cent in this four year peiod, despite a 25 per cent rise in postgraduate student numbers at Exeter in the last three years between 2019/20 and 2022/23. 830 beds were available to postgraduate students in 2019/20, a number which has only risen by 112 to 942 in 2023/24. This is despite postgraduate student numbers increasing from 5499 in 2019/20 to 7281 in 2022/23 according to University figures.

[The number of] postgraduate bedspaces has only increased 12 per cent... despite a 25 percent increase in postgraduate student numbers

Exeposé have previously reported that average annual undergraduate accommodation prices are rising 8.8 per cent for undergraduates between the 2022/23 academic year and 2023/24 academic

year, in stark contract with the increase in average annual weekly rents for postgraduates next year, which is only 3.4 per cent.

Particular halls have experienced dramatic spikes their rent prices while others have only experienced minimal changes. One of the most affordable options for postgraduates, a single standard room in Rowancroft, which houses both undergraduate and postgraduate students, has increased in price approximately 37 per cent over the last four years, from approximately £91 per week in 2019/20 to £124 a week in 2023/24. Meanwhile Spreytonway, a hall designed exclusively for postgraduate students has had its approximate weekly rent rise by only 5.4 per cent since 2020/21, when it was first available for students to live in.

The average weekly price for postgraduate accommodation in 2023/24 continues to be higher than the average weekly price of selfcatered university undergraduate accommodation, which is on average approximately £179 per week compared to £183 per week for postgraduate accommodation. This figure however does not necessarily reflect the increase in annual rents in postgraduate halls, as these typically have longer contracts than undergraduate halls, with the majority of undergraduate accommodation offering contracts of either 40 or 42 weeks in length. This is while the majority of postgraduate halls offer contracts of between 44 and 51 weeks, which therefore makes the typical annual rents of postgraduate students significantly higher than that of their undergraduate counterparts living

in similar styles of accommodation. This is despite many postgraduate students receiving less government financial assistance than undergraduates. Masters students receive a ‘Masters Loan’ rather than the tuition fees loan and meanstested maintenance loan which undergraduates receive. This loan was £11,836 in the 2022/23 academic year, and is intended to cover tuition costs and some living costs.

One postgraduate student spoke to Exeposé about how this insufficient financial support left them struggling with rent costs, stating “The government loan I receive covers my tuition fees and leaves me with minimal funds for rent and food, etc. I therefore have to work 15 hours a week, despite the University's discouragement of part-time work for postgrads.”

A spokesperson for the Students' Guild said: "Lily Margaroli, Guild President, has been closely working

with the University to review their ‘affordability principles’ for accommodation, as well as bursaries for students living in university accommodation. Lily regularly sits in discussions about the estate strategies, and the University are planning to increase the number of bedrooms on campus in the upcoming years. The Guild Advice team support all students with both accommodation and financial issues, they can help with contracts, identifying where to live, and ensuring moving in and out goes smoothly."

A spokesperson for the University of Exeter said: "The University has maintained a range of accommodation at various contract lengths, types and prices for postgraduate students, located both on and off campus. This includes making more standard rooms available to PG students than in previous years."

Exeter launches new partnership with National Trust

Manon Martini Online Arts & Lit Editor

THE University of Exeter is currently working alongside the National Trust to manage national landscapes and their declining biodiversity. In the face of climate change and environmental anxiety, the collaboration will allow for university experts to have their environmental research put to practice beyond the confines of the academic sphere. Current projects include the five-year RENEW program which adopts a ‘people-in-nature’ approach towards major environmental challenges.

Exploring the interconnected dynamic between people and nature, the program will support biodiversity renewal through a reshaping of individual environmental understanding with the hopes that an intimate commitment to education will positively impact wider communities and national institutions. Another project currently taking place under the collaborative program is the ‘Landscape Histories for Landscape Futures’ project.

This historical and archeological exhortation will pioneer humanitarian approaches towards nature recovery and restoration. Ultimately, the program’s achievements will reflect the heart of the collaboration between the University and the National Trust — a public and personal engagement with people concerning issues of biodiversity towards an improved notion of land management and conservation.

Exeter City Council votes down housing plans for second time

EXETER City Council has voted down plans for new student housing and co-living facilities opposite St. Luke’s Campus for the second time.

The plans submitted by the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office would have seen the former police station and magistrates’ office on Heavitree Road replaced with 646 student flats and 318 co-living apartments. The plans had been voted down once before in late 2022 on the advice of council officers but since then

the plans had been adjusted by reducing the number of total beds by 80; reducing the height of the buildings and setting the site further back from the road.

Despite the support of council officers on the second application, Exeter City Council once again chose to vote down the proposal. Recommending the proposal, planning officers said: “The design of the development in terms of its height, scale and massing is acceptable and provides the right balance between making the most of this brownfield site in a highly sustainable location and achieving a design that is appropriate for its context.”

Ian Collinson, Exeter’s

director of city development also defended the proposal saying: “There’s nearly a thousand being proposed here and every single one of those homes has been designed specifically for students and for young professionals by experienced people who’ve done this in many other towns and cities.”

A cross-party coalition opposed the plans, however. Labour councillor Matthew Vizard said: “Once again, it is a great pity that what is still proposed are two monolithic blocks. Monotonous in design, out of all proportion and scale and massing; little outside amenity for residents. Residents understand

the need for housing and that this site will be developed. But, believe me, they are desperately worried about this.” Conservative group leader Anne Jobson agreed, commenting on the lack of direct sunlight which would go into some of the rooms.

New plans for student housing have been proposed in Exeter, most prominently one on Summerland Street which would replace the Yonk Asian foods, Sai Kung Supermarket and a central unit previously used as a windscreen repair business, which closed in Summer 2022 and is now vacant. The proposed plans would see 164 selfcontained studios being built.

Charlie Gershinson and Oliver Lamb News Editor and Deputy Editor

Image: Megan Ballantyne

Image: Franzfoto, Wikicommons

“

I preferred the longer voting period last year”

Continued from front page...

The position of Communities and Equality Officer went to Mia Robillard-Day, who received 1236 votes in the first stage of voting while Khurram Usman received 517 votes, Mia Robillard-Day received 1768 votes and RON received 185 votes.

In the closest race of the night, between the candidates for AU President, Gee Burnett came out on top. She received 1363 votes in the first stage, while Brianna Cummins received 1259 votes. Thus, at stage one, no candidates reached the vote quota of 1397.5 votes, with Gee going on to win at the second stage of voting.

The final results announced were for the position of Guild President, a position for which

Emma de Saram, current VP Liberation and Equality enjoyed a comfortable win, receiving 1679 votes in the first stage and 1734 votes in the third and final stage when she met the vote quota. Trey 'Captain Hook' Tallon came second in the presidential race.

In Emma’s winning speech, she described that, as Guild President, she wants to continue “fighting for climate justice and campaigning for affordable food on campus” as well as “empowering students to make the change that we all need. We have so much power as students and I really think we need radical leaders and I hope I can be that leader for you”.

Exeposé asked the Guild candidates about their experience

during the elections process. Candidates felt that the support from the Guild had been good during the election period, with a shout out to the Vote Goat. However, questions of whether the Guild engaged enough with the process have arisen. Candidates have stated that the election was not as well advertised as it could have been, and that it ran at the wrong time. For many students, the voting week ran alongside their reading week, meaning in-person voting would have fallen considerably, potentially contributing to the decline in voter turnout. One anonymous student disliked the 31-hour voting period as it was not “conducive to proper engagement” and went on to state that it was “no wonder we saw a lower turnout this year than last year.” This is evident when comparing it to last year’s statistics.

of the presidential candidates."

Another anonymous student stated: “I preferred the longer voting period last year, it meant I actually knew what was going on and that there was more time to get to know the different candidates. There was a bigger build up leading to the voting period, which drew more awareness to the election.” While the length of the voting period was one reason which impacted whether or not students voted, some respondents also said that they didn’t vote because they didn’t think the elections impacted them. One student said: “I don’t feel that the Guild has a huge impact on me.”

A spokesperson from the

Students' Guild told Exeposé: "This year we introduced in-person voting stations in the Forum, the Sports Park and on St Luke’s, with free pick and mix for voters, to boost participation and engagement. There was also the incentive of a prize draw with new prizes “unlocked” when a certain number of votes were reached, and a tree planted for every vote we received. Candidates were provided with breakfasts and lunches throughout the main week of campaigning, as well as Guild staff on standby to provide support. There were written guides and training sessions provided to candidates including how to campaign, how to brand your campaign and on public speaking."

The student attitudes toward the voting process were incredibly varied. Of the respondents to Exeposé’s survey 65.2 per cent voted in the recent Guild election. Of those respondents who did not vote, many expressed that they did not know when voting opened and closed, highlighting the limitations of the 31-hour voting period and the effectiveness of publicity around this voting period. One student claimed that they "didn’t know much about the candidates, especially outside

Exeter’s solar farm now powering recycling facility and electric fleet

Megan Haynes

Online News Editor

EXETER'S new solar farm now powers the city’s electric vehicles fleet, recycling centre and offices with the green energy it produces.

The Water Lane Solar Park at Marsh Barton cost £3.5 million to introduce and is now able to produce 1.2MW of clean renewable energy from its 3,700 solar panels. Additionally, the battery facility can store 2MW.

This energy storage will help to provide flexibility between peak generation and peak usage, whilst overall, the site is a crucial

step in Exeter City Council’s plan to be net zero by 2030.

The energy produced by the site feeds directly to the Council’s Materials Reclamation Facility and to chargers for the Council’s fleet of electric vehicles (three of which are refuse vehicles).

Although this was an expensive project, the cost savings are expected to be £256,000 per year, and the carbon savings to be 580 tonnes a year (equivalent to the yearly CO2 emissions of 268 home’s energy use). Cllr Duncan Wood, Lead Councillor for Climate Change, commented: “It’s fantastic that we are now generating green energy and using new storage technology to power our fleet as

well as the recycling processes at the Material Reclamation Facility and our nearby offices.

“Having our own supply means we can now guarantee that our electric vehicles going around Exeter are running on green electricity. We have also got a lot of electric vans and cars that the Council runs, and we want to ensure that they are charged on green energy.”

He added: “Switching to an electric fleet of vehicles and generating the electricity to power them, is a big step towards the Council being carbon net zero by 2030. This project is leading to a significant reduction in our carbon emissions.”

Questions of whether the Guild engaged enough with the process have arisen

Image: Exeter Students’ Guild Image: Exeter Students’ Guild

The war in Ukraine: One year on Exeter marks one year since the invasion of Ukraine

Harry Craig Music Editor

EXETER has continued to show their solidarity with the people of Ukraine, as the world marked the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24th February. The Devon Ukrainian Association, in partnership with cultural charity Maketank, held a vigil in Princesshay’s Bedford Square on the evening of Friday 24th February.

Over 100 people were in attendance to express their support for Ukraine and the 1600 Ukrainians who call Devon home. Prior to the vigil, attendees were given candles to hold, and Ukrainian flags were distributed, whilst many also came with their own banners, flags and signs.

The vigil began with some words from Exeter City Council leader Phil Bialyk, himself of Ukrainian heritage, who remarked

how he was “saddened” that his ancestral homeland had been put in the global spotlight in this way. He appealed for Ukrainians to be allowed to live independently and peacefully, and expressed his desire that it would not be necessary to gather again in the same way in a year’s time.

Bialyk’s speech was followed by a traditional Ukrainian prayer and a minute’s silence. This was interrupted by an abusive heckler, but the crowds remained vigilant in continuing the silence in solidarity with Ukraine. Other passers-by were joined in with the shout of “Slava Ukraini!”, a battle cry that has become emblematic of Ukraine’s resistance in the past year.

There was also an opportunity for students from the University’s Ukrainian Society to participate, with a speech given by Vice-President Oleg Girnyk, who has also worked with charities to help Ukrainian refugees. He gave a personal account of how his own family had been affected by

the war. His godfather living in Bucha, the site of some of the war’s worst massacres, when the invasion began. The Ukrainian Society marked the anniversary earlier in the day at Streatham Campus, with a display in the Forum and a joint photo to show their solidarity with Ukraine. This was followed by a rendition of the Ukrainian national anthem from the crowds that had gathered, as the sun set over Exeter High Street. Although many of the non-Ukrainian members of the crowd were unable to join in, all showed their support, and the Head of the Devon Ukrainian Association and others were visibly moved. The Head of the Devon Ukrainian Association then thanked those who had shown their support to Ukraine in the past twelve months, and invited Exeter’s residents to visit the exhibition “With [Y] our Own Eyes”, featuring photography of the frontline and of everyday life in

Ukraine, at Maketank. She concluded by emulating the words of President Zelenskyy that “this will be the year of victory”.

Following the vigil, Exeposé spoke to Phil Bialyk, who reiterated that this was “a day of remembering, not celebrating” and appealed for the killing to end. He

A message from the Exeter Ukrainian Society

1169, continues in the 21st century...

As a result, some Ukrainians, fleeing the war, settled down in Great Britain and became students at this educational institution.

HAVE you ever had goosebumps from sirens wailing, explosions in cities, and just sitting in the hallway with your family praying for a drone or missile to fly by? Have you ever sat in a room and put up with the thought that you could die at any moment? Have you ever felt the fear that you might be killed, raped, or tortured simply because you are protecting your home and national values? Unfortunately, many of us went through it, and all other citizens of Ukraine still live in this fear...

24/02/2022 changed the lives of many Ukrainians, including some Ukrainian students at the University of Exeter.

The genocide of the Ukrainian people, which has been going on since

Some of us were already studying here before the full-scale invasion, some arrived after the 24th. However, it is difficult for all Ukrainians, without exception. Almost all of us have parents, relatives, or friends still in Ukraine, witnessing this war every single day...

We live every day waiting to hear from our loved ones on the phone that they will say: “We are alive. Don’t worry. Everything is fine”, after another missile attack...

On February 24, 2023, as a sign of the indomitability of our people and an informative campaign, we organized an event

Councillor Philip Bialyk on the war in Ukraine

at the Forum at Streatham Campus as support to Ukrainians: We placed a huge map of Ukraine on the stands, so that anyone who wants to support us, could write their wishes for Ukrainians on this map. You could also see photos of terrible war crimes committed by Russia, which we put on the stand and tables nearby as well. Everyone who had the opportunity

reiterated that this could only come with Russia taking responsibility and leaving, to facilitate the start of peace talks. He concluded that he “would like to thank the people of Exeter on behalf of the Ukrainian community” for the support they have shown, and continue to show.

I am very proud of the way Exeter has responded over the last year to the refugee crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The city has welcomed those forced to escape the crisis with open arms, and the support shown to all of our guests in the city has been fantastic. We have supported the Devon Ukrainian Association to continue their fantastic work in supporting Ukrainian guests through the Conversation Café in Paris Street, supported by Home Office funding. Under the Homes For Ukraine scheme, the Council has distributed just over £43,000 in guest payments to Ukrainian refugees since the scheme started, helping 213 individuals. So far we have made 133 payments to hosts, totalling £268,650, including £54,100 in discretionary payments, which top up the £350 per host payment from the Government to £500. We’ve also given £39,492 towards rent, deposits and moving costs which has helped 13 Ukrainian households to move into their own private rented accommodation in the city. Many people talk to me about the situation in Ukraine, and the levels of support for the Ukrainian people and what they are going through has not fallen throughout the last 12 months. I really hope that 2023 will bring a satisfactory resolution, one that will bring peace and will allow people to carry on living their lives.

could also donate funds to help Ukrainians in this difficult time by scanning a QR code with a link to a page with a verified source where it could be done.

In the evening of the same day, a demonstration to support Ukraine was organized in the center of Exeter (17:30-18:30 on Bedford Street, Princesshay), where everyone who wanted to be with us could come. This reminds one more time that in order to support Ukraine, you have to be just a human...

Also, an exhibition of photos taken during the war on the front line by two previously wedding Ukrainian photographers was opened, where everyone was invited after the demonstration. You can access it until the end of this week at Maketank (Paris Street).

24/02/2023 was a very emotional day. Full

of tears, pain, and memories... But we are staying strong because we have to work for our faster victory in this war.

We want to thank the University of Exeter for giving us the opportunity to make our voices louder and to be heard by more people.

After all, not everything people can read in the news or hear on the radio, but we are the ones who saw the war, live in it every day, have information and stories that you are unlikely to hear anywhere else...

Some of us had the opportunity to visit our relatives in Ukraine and experience all this again...

The war continues, people are dying, and we need support. Stand with Ukraine, donate money if you can, and pray. We will win.

Glory to Ukraine!

MP for Exeter Ben Bradshaw on the war in Ukraine

Following Putin’s illegal and barbaric invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, my office dealt with countless visa applications for Ukrainians fleeing the terror in their home country under both the Ukrainian family scheme and the Homes for Ukraine scheme. I believe that since the outbreak of the war over 1,800 Ukrainians have been welcomed to Devon and the generosity the people of Devon and Exeter have shown to the people of Ukraine has been heart-warming. I have had the privilege of meeting some of the Ukrainian families who have settled in Exeter, hearing their first-hand experiences of the war and the difficulties they and their friends and family had in leaving Ukraine. Without the generosity and kindness of those in Exeter who opened their homes to Ukrainians fleeing Putin’s violence, along with the hard work of Exeter City Council, Devon County Council, the Ukraine conversation café in Exeter, my staff members and countless other organisations and charities in Exeter and across the country we wouldn’t have been able to support Ukraine as we have done.

Image: Harry Craig

Image: Jorge Franganillo, Flickr

Image: UP9, Wikimedia Commons

Image: University of Exeter Ukranian Society

The views expressed in this article are those of the Ukrainian Society. Any allegations of war crime or genocide are unverified and Russia has disputed these claims.

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Features

FEATURES EDITORS: Benedict Thompson and Austin Taylor

Nicola Sturgeon resigns as Scottish First Minister

Henry Parker looks back at the career of Nicola Sturgeon, her resignation, and the legacy she leaves behind

NICOLA Sturgeon’s political career has been, and largely will be, defined by one thing: the pursuit of Scotland’s independence from the United Kingdom. And yet it is paradoxically true that the thing that launched her to the forefront of British politics was the defeat at the 2014 Scottish Independence referendum. This prompted the departure of then leader, and her mentor, Alex Salmond, after which she became the new First Minster of Scotland, and as the first woman in the role she would go on to become the longest serving First Minister in the country’s history.

After over eight years in charge, she announced her intentions to step down to a mostly shocked British public. This comes only eight months after her most recent bid for another independence referendum, which was blocked by the Supreme Court in November 2022. The result meant that Sturgeon would have to look to the next general election, currently slated for the end of 2024, which

she planned to campaign for as a de facto referendum, where a vote for the SNP would be regarded as a vote for Scottish independence, a strategy that is not wholly loved within her own party.

For many, this change in lead ership will only strengthen the union, as Sturgeon’s winning record in Scotland since their landslide in 2015 caused her to be one of the most powerful politicians in Scottish, as well UK, history, especially given her longevity during times where leaders have lasted anywhere between six years and six weeks.

Whilst independence has always been her focal point, over the years other is sues have caused internal and external strife. Like the rest of the world the pandem ic was difficult for Scotland, with over 16,000 recorded dead from a to tal of over 2,000,000 positive cases.

Scrub the replies of tweets announcing the resignation and you’ll find

various accounts celebrating not just a damaging blow to the cause of separating the un -

in reference to her use of Covid lockdowns. This reaction is not unlike what was seen after Jacinda Arden stepped down in January following her similar admissions of fatigue for the job.

Another party that Sturgeon has had to deal with of late are those who regard her as having turned her back on women in favour of the promotion of ‘gender ideology’ with the passing of the Gender Recognition Reform Bill that allows 16-yearolds to obtain a gender recognition certificate (GRC).

Figures on the right of British politics largely take the view that this is what ultimately led to Sturgeon finding her position as leader ultimately untenable, with even Alex Salmond calling it a “major misstep”.

opinions people increasingly have about me…are being used as barriers to reasoned debate in our country.”

ion, but also what is regarded as the toppling of a power-hungry tyrant,

It is perhaps in light of this issue that it is worth looking at what I find to be most insightful remark in her resignation speech. Sturgeon: “fixed

The wheels on the bus have stopped

An insight that you can maybe only come to after spending so much time within the belly of beast, yet so few politicians would acknowledge this. She demonstrates a belief that her own reputation has caused issues that are already emotionally charged to become unbearably partisan to a toxic degree. We can’t yet say what the final legacy of Nicola Sturgeon will be, not when we have still yet to find a replacement for her in the weeks following her resignation. One day there may be be another referendum vote –— two years from now, or a whole generation away. The future of Scotland is not certain. The certainty lies only in that when that story is written, the words and actions of Nicola Sturgeon and her fight for Scottish independence will be looked backed on as key in whatever result that comes to pass.

Charlie Gershinson, News Editor, examines the state of bus services in Devon and the wider UK

FOR many who, particularly those living in rural areas without access to a car, easy and cheap bus travel is a key indicator of their quality of life: their ability to get to work, to get to the shops and to access their community. However, a mix of the lingering aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic and funding cuts has meant that this crucial lifeline has been cut off for many in Devon and nationwide.

Travel by bus has been in decline for some years but the stay-at-home order from March 2020 led to plummeting demand for bus services, which has still not fully recovered. According to the latest figures from everywhere in the UK, apart from London, buses are used 20 per cent less than before the pandemic. Buses are still a necessary factor of everyday life for many people, with under half of all public transport journeys being made by bus. Journeys are made disproportionately by those from older and lower-income households.

There have been significant cuts to

bus services around the country, such as in Stoke-on-Trent where services have been cut in half since 2013-2014 and cut by 37 per cent over the past five years. A similar story is heard in Bristol where pensioners complain of being “cut off” from their community. According to Bristol Live, many bus passengers — including older passengers — have to resort to bus hopping and taking massive detours in their journey to get around their neighbourhood due to the cancellation of numerous bus routes.

be living on a desert island, it really is bad, we are cut off and can’t make any arrangements. We get all these promises but no-one follows through.”

Doreen Reay, who has been forced to take inconvenience from limited bus services into her daily life, has said:

“We are desperate, we really are and there are people less able to walk to the doctor than I am. We may as well

Campaigners have led the charge in protesting against nationwide declines in bus accessibility, most prominently through the Campaign for Better Transport. Their spokesperson, Silviya Barrett, has condemned both the outright cancellation of bus services and the limits put on other existing bus routes, saying: “Even if a bus route is not completely withdrawn, just making it so infrequent that it is impractical has the same impact.” She also noted that an increase in bus use will aid in the government’s aim to achieve net zero carbon emissions. Similar campaign groups have also been founded, such as the Better Buses for Bristol Campaign.

The government has been responding to calls to intervene in the privately-dominated bus transport industry. Largely targeted at the costof-living crisis, the Department for

Transport’s new fares initiative through the Government’s Help for Households campaign has capped the cost of a single journey to just £2. This program, which has been extended until the end of March, will allow passengers in Devon to save up to 74 per cent on their bus tickets depending on which bus route they take.

New Stagecoach South West Managing Director Peter Knight has said:

“Our absolute focus remains in delivering a service our passengers can rely

upon. We are pleased to be involved in this new initiative launched by the Department for Transport, which will help so many people at a time where money needs to stretch further and at the same time aims to reduce car use and encourage people onto more sustainable public transport.” However, these interventions by the government, while welcome, do little to help those who are affected by the cancellation and limitations of bus routes in Devon and across the country.

There have been significant cuts to bus services around the country

She would go on to become the longest serving First Minister

Fixed opinions people increasingly have about me...are being used as barriers to reasoned debate

Image: Scottish Government, Flickr

Image: Grassrootsgroundswell, Flickr

In Conversation with Foundation For Uyghur Freedom

Director of Foundation for Uyghur Freedom,

of Uyghur Muslims

tion is not enough to cease genocide. Instead, this manifests as fraudulent pageantry in an inadequate attempt to right wrongs. This is evident through the lack of effort in boycotting the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing or imposing broader economic sanctions on China. In reality, China’s growing economic and geopolitical influence has made Western countries significantly cautious in their approach to the Uyghur genocide. China is a crucial trading partner for many Western countries, and many governments are reluctant to take actions that could harm economic relations.

any first-hand accounts from Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang? Please feel free to share them.

AC: In June 2022, we interviewed Jewher Ilham, daughter of Ilham Tohti. Ilham Tohti is an economics professor at Minzu University and was sentenced to life in prison by the Chinese government. She detailed her father’s imprisonment under the CCP as well as the several instances of discrimination and hardships that they have both gone through, including the troubling experiences she has been through since her father’s release. Jewher Ilham has been tirelessly campaigning for her father’s release and we wanted to help to spread her campaign. The whole live stream can be found on our Instagram page.

be wide international condemnation and sustained economic pressure. The CCP must know that their Uyghur genocide will have substantial economic and reputational consequences.

É: What would you want to say to university students who read this interview and may not know much about the current situation but want to get involved in the cause?

AIMEE Courtney is the Director of the Foundation for Uyghur Freedom, a non-profit charity organisation which aims to raise awareness about the persecution of Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region. There are many accounts of people who have had their relatives disappear in the camps and no one really knows what is happening to them. But one thing for certain is that they are being held against their will and are being persecuted. Detailed satellite analysis has revealed dozens of supsected camps across Xinjiang. The Chinese government has described them as “re-education camps”, yet former camp detainees have described them as de facto prisons implementing persecution. Benedict Thompson, Features Editor, talks to Aimee Courtney about the current situation in Xinjiang as well as the Foundation for Uyghur Freedom’s campaign efforts.

É: Please explain a bit about how you became involved in campaigning on human rights in China?

AC: I first read about the Uyghur genocide as a case study in school and was astounded by the lack of coverage there was about it on Western media platforms. The more I discussed it with others, the more I recognised how little my peers knew about the subject, which is indicative of the extent to which Uyghur voices have been silenced, information has been censored, and protesters suppressed worldwide. .

É: What is the goal of your campaign?

AC: We are a non-profit charity organisation and the Foundation’s aims are two-fold: raising awareness of the Uyghur genocide amongst the British public and lobbying the UK govern-

ment to take greater action on this issue.

É: Based on your knowledge and experience, what should people know about how the Uyghurs are being treated in Xinjiang?

AC: Uyghurs have faced mass incarceration and internment, intimidation, the destruction of cultural sites and symbols, displacement, family separation, and forced assimilation. The Xinjiang province is dominated by concentration camps. It is estimated that up to 1.8 million Uyghurs have been detained in internment camps in Xinjiang. The aim of the camps, as outlined in a 2017 report, from the Xinjiang Ministry of Justice is to “wash brains, cleanse hearts, support the right, remove the wrong.”

These camps involve brutal measures such as forced sterilisation, organ donation, systemic rape, torture, and indoctrination by CCP instructed guards, all while both the province and the camps are ruled by an Orwellian-type, extensive surveillance. In recent years, the CCP has invested billions in building new infrastructure and industry in Xinjiang, attracting more Han migrants to the region. The CCP’s actions against the Uyghurs are much like the genocides carried out by other settler colonial powers throughout history. Beijing hopes to forcibly remove Uyghurs from Xinjiang, to crush the ethnic solidarity of the Uyghur people, and to turn their homeland into a Chinese commercial hub.

É: What is on your mind about the approach which Western governments have taken towards the situation?

AC: Western approaches, such as imposing small sanctions on Chinese officials and entities linked to human rights abuses, and calling for an independent investigation into the situa-

É: How do you think western governments should approach China’s treatment of Uyghur’s Muslims in the future?

AC: Recently, several countries have declared that China’s actions against the Uyghurs constitute genocide. One potential approach that Western governments could take is to increase their efforts to raise awareness of the situation and bring attention to the issue on the global stage. This could involve continued public condemnation of China’s treatment of Uyghurs, as well as efforts to coordinate international responses to the issue. Western governments could explore further targeted economic sanctions and trade restrictions on goods produced in the Xinjiang region that are believed to be produced using forced labour. This could help to exert pressure on China to improve its treatment of Uyghurs while avoiding broader economic consequences that could harm both China and the global economy. There has been some effort with political and economic sanctions, but they have led to a huge backlash from China. Furthermore, Western governments could work to support Uyghur refugees and asylum seekers who have fled China to escape persecution. This could involve providing funding for humanitarian aid programs, offering resettlement opportunities, and supporting advocacy efforts on behalf of Uyghur communities. Overall, addressing China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims will require a multifaceted approach that involves a range of diplomatic, economic, and humanitarian efforts.

É: Have you been told about

É: When you see the satellite images and videos of people kneeling, blindfolded and being led to trains, and hear the Chinese ambassador to the UK denying them, what goes through your mind?

AC: The Chinese government has denied that these facilities are internment camps and has characterised them as training centres aimed at combating extremism and terrorism. However, the evidence and testimony from witnesses suggest that these facilities are used to detain Uyghurs and other minorities without trial or legal process, subjecting them to forced labour, political indoctrination, and other forms of abuse. It is simply the realities of China’s power in the Western world. It is horrifying and arguably the largest atrocity to take place in the modern world, whilst simultaneously silenced in Western popular culture and media.

É: What is something people aren’t aware of from watching the media coverage about the situation?

AC: There is a large majority of people that are completely uninformed of the Uyghur genocide. People are uniformed that an extraordinary number of government officials are aware and have acknowledged that such atrocities are happening in Xinjiang, however the motion does not compel the UK government to act upon it. The CCP claims the camps to be ‘re-education camps’ and ‘vocational’ centres. However, they conceal the brainwashing, sexual abuse and torture that occurs within them.

É: Do you have hope that the situation will one day eventually be resolved? What is needed to enable this?

AC: For the CCP to change their policy of Uyghur genocide, there must

AC: It is not unrealistic to believe you can make a difference even by simply staying informed, culturally aware, and to continue to educate yourself and others. Additionally, pressure world governments by signing petitions, and writing to your local MP to call into question their stance on the situation. According to Anti-Slavery International, “virtually the entire global apparel industry is tainted by forced Uyghur labour.” Therefore, we must shop ethically, and boycott ‘Made in China’. The only way to be certain that companies are not using Uyghur forced labour (or that you may be implicit) is to boycott any retailers selling products made in China. This is a large part of the Foundation’s goals as fast fashion has greatly inhibited Uyghur freedom, and has instead exacerbated the genocide. We run a ‘Boycott Made in China’ section of our website. Our BMIC division takes you to websites where retailers linked have confirmed that their products are not assembled in China, do not use parts made in China, and do not contain materials sourced from China. In turn, shop sustainably with smaller businesses that provide evidence for ethical clothing or thrift your wardrobe! Most importantly, encourage others to get involved and spread knowledge of the ever-increasing yet silenced Uyghur genocide.

Benedict Thompson, Features Editor, talks to Aimee Courtney,

about the current situation in Xinjiang and the persecution

Chinese officials have committed “fraudulent pageantry in an inadequate attempt to right wrongs”

Western governments could explore further targeted economic sanc-

The CCP... conceal the brainwashing, sexual abuse and tortue

Image: Foundation for Uyghur Freedom

Travelling lifehacks

Georgia Balmer, Events Executive, shares her

AS deadlines stack up, the longing to be lazy with Aperols in hand along the Med is becoming a near constant daydream. After one too many nights out in TP, however, I don’t think I’m the only one looking at funds more appropriate for a day trip to Dawlish Warren than Lake Como. Here are some useful tips for budget-saving travel. Lower your standards. Whilst your friends are probably telling you the opposite, travelling on a budget means making a few compromises. The screaming toddler oozing an unknowable goop in the row behind you may not seem worth it in the moment, but you are only ever a few hours away from a spritz and

lifehacks for saving money when planning a holiday abroad

the beach when travelling in Europe; I promise you can survive even a turbulent RyanAir flight for that.

As for location, be creative. If you have dreams of Mykonos this summer, look to smaller and less trodden Greek islands for cheaper rooms and hostels, switch Croatia for lesser known and more affordable Montenegro, and always check public transport links as a priority. You may end up sweaty and nearly ruining a friendship two hours

Travelling on a budget means making a few compromises Switch Croatia for lesser known and more affordable Montenegro

into an un-airconditioned bus journey along Lake Garda, but the scramble down to a secluded beach with a makeshift picnic of now-boiling local wine and suspicious-looking deli meats is a money can’t buy memory, trust me. Have friends in high places. If you haven’t made any international friends yet, it is important that you reach out to different people. Who knows, maybe you will end up planning a trip together? Their friendship is valuable enough, but international friends also

The celebration of St Patrick’s Day

mean free accommodation and who are we to refuse that in this economy.

Laze it up. Packing your holiday itinerary with activities may seem a good idea, but the best memories when travelling are often unexpected. The perfect bench in the sun after a day of sightseeing or reading a book on a slightly uncomfortable public beach: moments like these are free and so far removed from the stress of uni. Don’t miss them by overbooking. Plan now. Not only does booking in your trip early give you something to look forward to as deadlines move ever closer, but flights, hotels and experiences are far cheaper booked in advance. Embrace spontaneity, but don’t let it cost you! Bon voyage!

Agata Koralewska, International Editor, writes about the importance of the celebration of St Patrick’s Day

THE upcoming celebration of St Patrick’s Day, that is held on the 17th March, is an opportunity to join together and remember the Irish heritage. It involves a range of cultural activities, such as cheerful street parades, dressing up in green or even dyeing some drinks. The origin story of the day comes from the name of St Patrick, a legendary character that converted Ireland to Christianity, after being captured as a slave. There are many myths about him, for example that he got rid of all the snakes of the country by preaching a sermon from the top of a mountain. One thing about him that has directly translated into the ways in which the festivity is performed

is the symbol of the shamrock. The saint used it to explain the concept of Trinity to the masses. The common use of the colour green during the day can be linked to the 18th century when it was used by the supporters of the independence of Ireland.

St Patrick’s Day is held on the 17th of March

In some places, such as Chicago, the long-awaited day is commemorated by dyeing the river green to acknowledge the Irish immigrants who helped to settle the city. It serves a purpose of remembering their history and has roots in parades organised in

the United States when they settled in. Probably the most recognisable and popular symbol, other than the shamrock, is the folk creature named Leprechaun. It is a small, bearded, ginger man that is inspired by Celtic beliefs and possesses magical powers. A rule says that if one catches a Leprechaun, he might even gift you with a pot of gold or grant your three wishes!

In some places, such as Chicago, the day is commemorated by dyeing the river green

There are many ways that you can experience St Patrick’s Day in Exeter.

There are parades organised that will march through the town, and you can try some Irish food in some restaurants if you reserve beforehand. There are also some club or bingo nights that you can go to if you feel like partying after a couple of Guinnesses. Overall, the most important thing about St Patrick’s Day is spending some time together with your family or friends and remembering the importance of Irish culture around the world.

The role of dialects in society

Ewan Edwards, Tech Editor, examines the significance of dialects in the UK

GREAT Britain is famous for having such a variety of regional accents within such a small space of land; a Liverpudlian sounds distinctively different from a Mancunian despite only being 35 miles apart, and a Glaswegian sounds like they’re from another planet compared to an Exonian. What is more fascinating is how dialects we know so well in society, can die so easily.

The cockney accent which is so familiar to Britons is believed to be ‘dying out’. We may be left to being reminded of it in Guy Ritchie films or, God forbid, EastEnders . It is an accent that is synonymous with London, often glamourised or satirised; either way, as London becomes a larger melting pot of cultures, the accent is dying a death. It is rooted in the working class of the East End which since the 1950s has seen a huge change in demographics, particularly due to immigration from Bangladesh and West India. What we have seen is a sharp rise of a hybrid between these dia-

lects along with Carribean, which has come to be informally known as Jafaican or Multicultural London English. Another British dialect that has drastically changed in the last 50 years is Scouse. If you listen to recordings or interviews with the Beatles, or even modern-day interviews with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, they speak in a softer tone with a lower register than the screeching Scousers do today. Rather than saying ‘lad’ in every sentence the Scouse accent of 50 years ago was pleasant to listen to… It is thought that TV has had an influence on dialect change, especially with the Americanisation of words, as

well as the demography of Liverpool changing from predominantly Irish immigration to global immigration.

Another British dialect that has drastically changed in the last 50 years is Scouse

Dialect is a funny thing, but it gives people identity and a sense of community. It is now, rightfully, more acceptable than ever to wear your accent proudly and not be forced into elocution lessons.

Image: Garry Knight, Wikimedia Commons

Image: Montenegro, Daniya Mostovaya, Wikimedia Commons

Dialects we know so well in society, can die so easily.

Image: Maunus, Wikimedia Commons

Comment

Magdalena Kanecka discusses the BRIT Awards’ recent failed attempt at inclusion

AFTER claiming to make their awards genderneutral in 2021 — therefore, to balance out the genders of their nominees to create an even ground for those identifying as male, female, along with other gender identities — the BRIT Awards has come under fire for having only men included in their Artist of the Year award nominations. With Harry Styles eventually claiming the statuette in the category. This

Niamh

TO all students, this twoweek lapse in strikes has been welcome.

As a third year, losing valuable contact time in my final year has been a huge source of stress, and made me question where my £9,250 is going. But it is not the absent staff I am angry about — speaking to several of my lecturers has confirmed one thing; that they are simply employees being mistreated by an organisation much larger than themselves. In his most recent email, the Deputy ViceChancellor says, “We are grateful to all parties for their commitment to the ongoing discussions, and we are pleased that the strike action planned for the next two weeks has been paused to allow talks to continue”. This sounds good, with continuous discussion and progress being made. But why should this commitment be to ongoing discussions? Why should the University not have ongoing commitment to its staff and students?

has consequently brought to attention many questions regarding the levels of inclusivity within award shows; how little is too little in terms of genderneutrality, and how much is too much? More importantly — is there such a thing as too much inclusivity?

Back in 2021 when the BRITs first claimed to introduce more gender-neutrality within their nominations, they successfully followed through with their claim for the first year, with both

Sam Smith, a non-binary artist, and Will Young, who openly campaigns for gender inclusivity within award shows, receiving nominations. This brings the question — did the BRITs simply preach gender-neutrality to appear more inclusive, with no real long-term regard for all genders of their nominees, and further leaving women behind in 2023?

They successfully followed through with their claim for the first year

Whereas on one hand, one may argue that any attempts to increase the gender inclusivity of award shows are admittedly a good thing — because not having it risks creating just another male-dominated field of entertainment. Arguably, award shows have increasingly gotten better at this over the years, for example, the non-binary artist

Sam Smith’s recent Grammy win (Pop Duo/ Group Performance) for their song ‘Unholy’ with Kim Petras, suggesting some partial progress with regards to gender inclusivity.

To summarise: if the Grammys can do it, why can’t the BRITs, as well as other award shows?

On the other hand, others might suggest that award shows should instead be an opportunity to celebrate the greatest successes of entertainment such as music or acting, and that the gender of nominees as well as voting committees should not play a part in this simply because that’s all it is — an award show, a celebration, and ultimately a statuette — nothing else.

An opportunity to celebrate the greatest successes of entertainment

Yet still, it is important to note that award shows, like most areas of our lives and the media

BRITs fail to include women! University gets involved in UCU strikes

we consume, remain increasingly political — the messages they send, whether they are directly or indirectly implied, represent sections of society. Putting men and women in the same category is simply the bare minimum award shows can do to increase inclusivity, before we even begin to talk about other identities and other means of equality, such as race. If inclusivity is not present to a credible extent, we must reconsider what this tells us about society as a whole. Award shows are more than just a competition or a celebration, and again, just like most areas of our lives, they require positivity and inclusivity — but evidently, as the BRIT awards have recently proven, it seems that there is still a lot for the mass media to work on with regards to eliminating possible gender bias.

Cherrett gives her take on the University’s recent intervention in the pay and pension dispute

We are all living through the postCovid recession, with the cost-of-living crisis devastating the majority of people. But as an organisation pocketing an annual nine grand per student, surely our university has the funds to have prevented this. Had the University prioritised its staff and students surely they could have allocated some of this profit towards assisting staff with the crisis we’re all experiencing. Yet instead, the NUS have affirmed, “the failed marketisation of the sector which has put profit above staff and student well-being”, and our lecturers have been forced to strike. Why this has only been realised following two weeks of strikes is absurd, as indisputably it could have been prevented several months ago.

emerging, Exeter was in the 18-month process of rebranding, changing the colour of our website and the University logo. A University spokesperson eagerly promoted the “exciting opportunity to create a brand that represents our values, allows us to grow as an institution and reach new audiences worldwide”. In the face of lecturers failing to pay their bills and paying students losing out on valuable teaching hours, however, this seems rather trivial. Building a successful university is undeniably crucial — Exeter’s marketing has helped to establish us as a prestigious institution — but why has this then been privileged above current student and staff wellbeing? Students do not want a fancier logo; they want teaching unaffected by strikes.

become businesses, which isn’t necessarily bad; but good businesses should support their employees in order to anticipate and prevent necessary striking, and should also value their clients — us students. I hope that a resolution

can be quickly made, and that we will no longer be paying extortionate amounts for no teaching. But I also hope that on a wider scale, university institutions can learn what they owe to their staff and students.

Instead, the university sector has seen a fall to commercialism.

Whilst the recession was

I appreciate that progress is being made between the UCU and the University, but I can also not comprehend why these strikes have been allowed to occur in the first place. Universities have

The University has the funds to prevent this

Image: Adrianmartinezuwu, Wikimedia Commons

ChatGPT— does it spell the end for coursework?

Comment writers debate what new AI technology means for non-exam based assessments

The end of coursework

IS this the end of coursework?Yes

AI technology has in recent years, been developing at an alarming rate. And it was inevitable that at some point it would begin to affect the way that we learn and are assessed. Coursework has for many years been the thing that a lot of people have fallen back on, but in the wake of ChatGPT and how easily it can produce adequate-quality essays, many academic experts have said that this advanced form of a cheat sheet now means that we should give up on coursework. In my own experience at school, my teachers were very vocal about the fact that there are a lot of teachers who abuse the coursework system in helping students to get a much better mark than they would have without intervention.

Although the prospect of Artificial Intelligence playing a part in our lives is a frightening thought for many people, myself included, we are now at a point where we cannot stop the technological advances that are on the rise. I’m no tech expert, but we already use software like Turnitin that helps to detect plagiarism, so surely it is more effective to try and understand ChatGPT and use it to help detect when students have tried to use it for their own advantage. One thing that ChatGPT cannot affect is practical coursework, things like speaking presentations or maybe practical experiments if you study a more scientific degree. I’m someone who is terrified at the thought of public speaking, especially when I was younger, but although intimidating it is an important part of adult life. Perhaps introducing more of these types of assessments will help to improve young people’s confidence and speaking abilities in an age where we’re all increasingly glued to our phones.

Of course, there are some people who really don’t like coursework and who work much better under exam conditions, who will of course be very happy with the prospect of no coursework. Furthermore, I have also heard a lot of headteachers in the media say that they are looking to use AI software to help mark students’ exams to take the workload off teachers. An example of how AI software might, in the future, be able to give teachers some time to relax and improve efficiency and quickness when it comes to mark ing and returning exams. There is justifiably a lot of concern that AI technology is going to create a lot of job losses, therefore it’s really important that we adapt our curriculum to this new world and make sure that we encourage young people to take more computer-related subjects and ensure that they are better equipped to deal with problems concerning things like AI, coding and other complicated subjects that a lot of people my age are not well-versed in.

Connor

A useful tool — but not the end of coursework

THE introduction of ChatGPT to the essay-writing arena has caused a stir in recent weeks, after students (myself included) finding out that you can get a convincingly accurate explanation of a topic that you’ve been spending the past 11 weeks studying.

Similar to when paid-for essay writing services were introduced, they do at first create a supposed risk to the decades-old university assessment system. What was believed to be the set system of carefully researching essays before then submitting it is now challenged, but like with essay writing services, they have not risen to take over a student writing their own individual academic piece.

ChatGPT sources its information from what is available from the internet: there is, of course, a vast amount of information that is accessible, and texts which might take hours to read can be summarised within seconds. This is also, however, where the software can fall short. The AI-generated phrases can pull the information from scholarly articles and texts but don’t have the experience that a student gains from listening to a world-leading lecturer provide their balanced view on a topic, informed by their long-lasting career.

ChatGPT can tell you about philosophers who have spoken on a particular topic, but it can’t form a strong academic voice on it. A quality writing style for an essay is informed by the experience of a topic being explained, and forming your own critical judgements based on it.

That isn’t to say that what ChatGPT produces isn’t good. Academic institutions are having to change the way that their plagiarism detectors work, and a lecturer from a Russell Group university recently awarded a 2:2 to an essay entirely written by the software. This shows that ChatGPT can, at least, provide good ideas to students on what they could potentially cover in their assignments. When trying to see which responses I could get myself, it was possible to get several paragraphs worth of academic content; it did however lack any analysis. It does show that avenues such as these do create a credible threat to academic research and writing. Potentially a risk of ChatGPT is that it is used as a base for essay ideas, before carrying out further research on what is brought up — but this risks writing lacking originality and risk-taking in research. At a wider level, it means that fewer contributions are made to wider criticisms and understanding of the academic study at university. In this light, it makes it unlikely any academic institution would ditch individual critical thought that is different in every essay from students.

That avenues such as these do create a credible threat to academic research and writing

Part of the academic experience at university is to develop a framework of academic writing style. Whilst ChatGPT is, and will further itself to be, a strong ‘writer’, something it can’t offer is a personality or strong argument in conveying an opinion one way or another. Studying a subject at university provides the opportunity to understand the research and debate around the specifics of a diverse range of topics. When you are writing on a topic that you have a strong opinion on, the depth and grounding of your argument is going to be extremely strong — which will always beat a computer generated one.

Tom Langley

Goddard, Comment Editor

It was inevitable that at some point it would begin to affect the way that we learn

These types of assessments will help to improve young people’s confidence

Government to put future referenda on Overheard

AS Rishi Sunak struggles to live up to his lofty ambitions of successful governance, he’s been forced to make full use of an earlier idea to better communicate with the masses: the Overheard at Uni of Exeter Facebook page.

While most consider ‘Overheard’ as a humble marketplace for last-minute TP tickets, (slightly dodgy) offers for accommodation, and even more exotic offers and requests like eyelash, brow and nail models, many are not aware that it is to be the site of future political referenda and censuses on account of its wide reach.

Overheard has learnt from the behaviour and habits of University of Exeter students through the similar countless surveys and polls that have been posted on there, and can now transcend to its true purpose: accommodating data-collecting nationwide. In a press conference held yesterday, Sunak decreed that all future direct public votes and events of public information collection will be put on Overheard, with the ability to tag your mates in order to make sure they vote.

An anonymous government spokesperson has said: “We hope that the new use of Overheard will lead to a new era of governance: between crippling strike action, a crumbling NHS and struggles to “get Brexit done”, Mark Zuckerberg can’t do much worse than us.”

Charlie Gershinson, News Editor & Cleo Gravett, Satire Editor

Pret scraps smoothies, leaving Exeter students nutrient deficient

WELLBEING concerns have arisen over a new policy announced by one of the University’s most frequented spots. Pret A Manger in the Forum, which was recently voted ‘Most Popular Place To Stand Outside On Campus’, stated in a press release that it would no longer be serving any smoothies in its shops across the country, leaving many Exeter students frightened, worried and angry.

Commenting on the coffee chain’s decision, Exeter student Newt Rhyent said that they had developed deep anxiety about how they were going to be able to make sure they got enough vitamins in their diet. They told Exeposé “it’s already hard enough to make sure I eat healthily, when so much of my day is taken up by waiting in line.”

Another student said that the decision came too soon after the cancellation of the subscription from the Forum Pret, which many students are still struggling to get over. Others expressed worry that the decision would leave many students with too much spare time on their hands, leading to the possibility that some might go to the library instead, making it harder to get a space for those actually working and not socialising.

Toby Brisley, Sport Editor

No Room At The Bodm-inn

Cleo Gravett Satire Editor

LAST week’s announcement of the University of Exeter 2023 summer graduation dates has left both families of students, and employees of Booking. com, reeling. Hotels, bed and breakfasts, and slightly-fancy-but-reasonably-priced restaurants over the city are reported to be fully booked for the entirety of July, leaving families hopeful to attend the events with

devastatingly limited options, with many having to stay at their holiday homes in Cornwall and commute to Devon exclusively for the occasion. Ironically, parents of students will be unable to stay in the Family Centre on Streatham campus, due to its scheduled demolition (further information elsewhere on this page).

Homeownership

Anabel Costa-Ferreira Comment Editor

WHILE Exeter students continue to see the extortionately priced commerce of TP Wednesday tickets, Overheard has welcomed a new common post: the desperate plea to sell a ski ticket. The most upper middle-class issue faced in this cost-of-living crisis, said students are calling to swap the slopes for ways to fund their post-club cheesy chip habit.

This year’s infamous trip offers around 1100 students the opportunity to gracelessly fall down the ski runs of Les Deux Alpes, a resort in Vénosc, France. Priced at a base of £419 (equivalent to approximately 46.55 venoms at time of writing), this includes self-catered accommodation for seven nights, as well as full area lift pass and a trip tee that will soon be sported around campus. As students repeat their trusted pesto pasta meal to save money until then, the Easter holidays cannot come around fast enough.

Exeposé interviewed one disgruntled parent, who wished to remain anonymous, but insisted that, as the daughter of a Baron, her title ‘The Honourable’ be acknowledged. “It’s atrocious really,” The Honourable said. “There’s nowhere for us to stay in Exeter, all of the options have been removed, there’s not even a room going spare. The decision to have to stay at our holiday let in St Agnes and commute for the best part of two hours was a devastating one to make. We’re losing a week of prime holiday rental income, and the English Riviera summer traffic will be absolutely dire —

we’ll have to forgo our morning surf if we want to make the ceremony”. Many permanent Cornish residents are generally opposed to the increasing number of second homes that sit vacant for 50 weeks of the year, while thousands of locals remain on the council housing register. In spite of this, it is expected that many Cornish people will feel proud that their county is offering refuge to those suddenly in need of a roof over their head, and the relaxing water of a heated indoor swimming pool under their feet.

Further investigation from Exeposé discovered pleas from students on Overheard for people to pity their overdrafts and even as far as to take their entire Snowsports membership. In a refreshing sense of honesty, one post simply stated, “I need money for alcohol,”— it is clear that scrambling to find cups at TP is proving an ever-tricky business endeavour. Certain Overheard entrepreneurs have discovered another moneysaving hack by attempting to swap their Upgraded rooms back to a Standard.

The ski trip ticket economy has

so disrupted the UK economy that it has had a direct impact on the price of home ownership. Already a novel daydream for many young people, the Housing Commission has now announced that the average mortgage cost has risen to “three slices of avocado toast and a ski ticket”. For most students, their next trip to the Alps will be whenever Windows decide to change the desktop display to a snowy mountain. For this year at least, an Après-ski themed social will have to suffice.

Family Centre to become postgraduate care home

Gravett Satire Editor

THE University of Exeter has quietly announced the demolition of the Family Centre on Mardon Hill, with works that began on the 20th February, and will continue for two weeks.

Nestled between the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies and the illustrious Holland Hall student ac-

commodation block, the Family Centre will be replaced with a luxurious, state-of-the-art care home, in accordance with existing government initiatives to build care homes wherever a spare patch of land becomes available, in order to accommodate the rapidly ageing population.

Earlygreys Care Home will cater exclusively to exhausted and prematurely aged PhD students, who have gone grey and developed wrinkles due to stress arising from overwork

and poor pay. It will provide private, non-mouldy rooms for residents, fitted with orthopaedic chairs to accommodate and correct years of bad posture developed from slouching in front of computers, and boasts a state of the art academic library complete with That Specific Niche Book You’ve Been Looking For Everywhere. The canteen offers a nutritious and varied menu, with a different type of easy-to-wolf-downand-get-back-to-reading filled pasta

dish for every day of the week, and the Earlygreys-Exeter Partnership will see residents using their leisure time to give back to the community, with classes such as knitting taught to provide a steady supply of warm blankets for shivering undergraduates facing the current cost-of-living crisis.

The fees for residency at Earlygreys are yet to be officially confirmed, but are projected to begin at approximately four times the average PhD stipend. Sorry.

Cleo

now costs three slices of avocado toast and a ski trip ticket

With many having to stay at their holiday homes in Cornwall and commute to Devon

lifestyle

Fashion week: The fight for diversity

Amy Rushton, News Editor, uncovers the current toxicity of the fashion industry

FASHION weeks around the world have kicked off and the most prominent and exciting brands are showcasing their work. Whilst trends are ever-changing, there seems to be a constant in the season’s shows so far — despite publishing reports, involving itself in international debates and promising to be better — the fashion industry is not practising what it preaches; there is an astonishing lack of diversity on the runway.

Diversity and inclusion in fashion has long been an issue. In fact, the very concept of high fashion in itself is exclusionary: movements like haute couture were founded on the principal of appealing to wealthy white women. However, fashion has since widened its scope. It should, and needs to, adapt to accommodate people of different races, genders, sizes, financial means and physical disabilities.

There has been some headway made in increasing racial diversity in fashion, with an increasing number of models from BAME backgrounds. Many designers too, are incorporating different cultures into their designs, shifting focus from the Eurocentricity that has so far dominated the industry. However, diversity on

the surface doesn’t always translate to change behind the scenes. As a 2021 report by the Black in Fashion Council demonstrated, if companies don’t employ non-discrimination policies, and seek to actively recruit people from BAME backgrounds at all levels, the industry as a whole won’t change.

The most worry ing trend in fashion shows this year, has been the lack of size diversity. Despite labels claiming to embrace body positivity, diversity has actually fallen. Last year for instance, New York Fashion Week boasted its highest levels of body diversity yet, with 49 plus-sized models out of around 4000 (still nowhere near representative of the population). This year, the figure stands at just 31. London Fashion Week was even worse — just one per cent of the 327 designers on show offered

sizes above 20. Only 27 per cent even reached 14. This kind of representation matters immensely. Fashion carries intense influence, determining what’s ‘trendy’ and desirable. When fashion fails to include an accurate range of diverse bodies, it risks making those bodies themselves trendy. We see the consequences of toxic diet culture and body shaming every day.

Apart from the fact that it's simply not healthy for the models — the industry has been plagued by reports of starvation diets and body image abuse, with one model even fainting backstage at a 2020 show — it translates too into popular fashion, with harmful effects. We’ve seen recently the re-emergence of Y2K aesthetics, a period which placed an emphasis on being thin. Cutting plus-size voices out of that conversation not only fails to celebrate different body types, but risks re-

Girl power!

invigorating a deadly obsession with skinniness. That’s not to say there haven’t been some outstanding contributions in recent shows. Victoria Jenkins’ Unhidden brand debuted at London Fashion Week this year with clothes tailored for those with disabilities. Not only did this spotlight different models, it raised awareness of the need for fashion to be affordable and practical, helping real life patients. It’s a move which is influencing brands outside of high fashion too: ASDA’s George range for instance recently unveiled a collection for children with disabilities. This kind of progress is vital, and it's something the industry as a whole needs to catch on to. Making the fashion industry more inclusive is essential. The rise of fast fashion means if brands can’t democratise, meeting the demand to showcase a range of sizes and voices, they risk losing relevancy altogether. Above all, fashion is how we express ourselves to the world, make statements and rebel — if it’s not inclusive and celebratory of diversity, it fails to accomplish that essential aim. Fashion shouldn’t just be for the few anymore, so if the industry wants to keep up, it needs to be part of the change.

To celebrate Women's Day, Lifestyle writers share their favourite female icons within pop culture

IN light of International Women’s Day, a particular celebrity that has given me inspiration to be more confident in myself is Florence Pugh. She is being recognised by people as the ‘It’ girl of this generation. Having recently starred in films like Don’t Worry Dar ling, which gained popularity for her role as Alice, more people are beginning to discover the amazing woman that is Ms Flo.

Florence is not afraid to change her hair or wear clothes that are expressive of her style.

Pugh is also inspiring in how she takes a stance against body shamers. In July 2022 for example, Florence shocked masses when she ap peared in a completely sheer Valentino dress, yet she presented herself as completely confident. She stated that she “was comfortable with my small breasts and showing them like that — it aggravated [people] that I was comfortable. It was just alarming, how perturbed they were”. To be outspoken about being at ease, she added that it has always been her goal to mock anyone who demands that she alter her appearance to fit their ideal of beauty. Therefore, Florence teaches people to wear what they want and be proud

of their bodies, encouraging people that confidence is one of the best things people can wear.

Florence is also known for playing femaleempowered roles throughout her career. Starring as Yelena Belova in Black Widow, she acted as a Ukrainian spy whose power lies in her fighting abilities. She takes a different direction in 2019’s Little Women where she plays the iconic role of Amy March, which is my favourite of her roles. She made many audience members grow to love the character of Amy; a character who had been over hated for many years previous. Amy’s monologue to Laurie in particular is inspiring to many women, enlightening Laurie about the realities of what being a woman was like in the 1860s, famously protesting: “I’m not a poet, I’m just a woman”.

Florence Pugh is a great inspiration for many women as she is proud and unafraid of who she is. I cannot wait to see her in upcoming films of the future, and I always highly anticipate her 'Cooking with Flo' Instagram stories.

Livvy

Deputy Editor

THE word feminism is often thrown around, but if looking for a definition, you’ll definitely find one in Emma Watson. From a young age, Watson played the young witch Hermione Granger in Harry Potter , and certainly went against ste reotypes for women in her careful performance of Granger. She was outspoken, and markedly more intelligent and inquisitive than the rest of the characters, something which is still surprising for a woman. Like her character, Watson had already been criticised for being bossy and speaking her mind, at a young age, and this criticism lead to her becoming the women’s rights activist that we all know and love.

Her main advocacy is being a UN Goodwill Ambassador, and she has spoken about the gender pay gap many times, expressing that she thinks she should be “paid the same as her male counterparts” and that she believes that as a woman she should be able to “make decisions about my own body”, thus presenting herself as a role model for young women to grow up in a more equal world. Due to her being in the public eye at such a young age, Wat-

son found herself being sexualised, and upon speaking out about this, found that most other women experience this as the norm, something which really shouldn’t be. Watson has used her media platform to speak about the issues and gaps in the modern world, to reach girls and young women around the world, and assure them that they are not alone in their struggles. She has visited lower income countries such as Bangladesh and Zambia, to educate women who otherwise wouldn’t get the education that they are entitled to. However, her work doesn’t just concern women, as she claims that gender inequality is everyone’s issue, broadening her audience once more. Though her various accolades are truly inspiring, it is her courageous words, and her genuine care for others, especially those less fortunate, that crafts her as a role model for girls and young women to look up to.

Amberly Wright

Mason-Myhill,

PREMIUM PARIS, The Advoate

Raph_PH, Wikimedia Commons Paul Kagame, Flickr

Hangover aftercare

Charlie Oldroyd, Online Tech Editor, offers their advice on looking after our bodies after a night out

AS a student, if you choose to indulge in alcohol on a night out, the chances are you have experienced a killer hangover at least once. From my personal experiences and the expertise of the internet, I have compiled easy steps to recover from a night out.

It may seem self-explanatory, but a good night’s sleep (or afternoon nap) can help counteract the negative symptoms of a hangover. Healthy sleep before and after drinking makes it easier to bounce back to normal life.

When nursing a hangover you may experience high blood pressure, dizziness, nausea as well as ‘hangxiety’ which can negatively impact your wellbeing. Eight hours of deep REM sleep starts to repair the body so you can wake up feeling refreshed and healthy whilst maintaining your psychological wellbeing.

Sometimes you might feel too nauseous to rest, so replacing sleep with acts of meditation and mindfulness might help to stop the room spinning and leave you with a sense of peace. I’d recommend putting on your favourite play-

list and unwinding, or delta waves and brown noise to quiet your mind and allow you to relax.

Another cardinal rule of hangover care is to rehydrate! To avoid nausea take small sips of water, and as you start to recover consider a wealth of beverages designed to help you recharge. Drink caffeine (sparingly) for a burst of energy to fight grogginess. My favourite hangover cure is a cup of green tea! I love the way it tastes, and the antioxidants leave me feeling refreshed and ready to combat an early seminar. If you don’t like hot drinks but still want a caffeine boost, the Japanese method of Koridashi allows you to brew tea leaves over ice cubes for a sweeter and more refreshing morning cuppa. Other choices include isotonic energy drinks or Smartwater, which contains electrolytes for expedited hydration.

Even though you might not feel up to a big breakfast, eating a carbohydrate dense meal is important to feel healthy and energetic during the day. You might choose something simple like toast, but my favourite is

The season of new hope

Lucy Rawlings talks you through the upcoming spring trends

NATURE is slowly awakening, the evenings are holding onto that extra glow of sunlight, and flowers are beginning to blossom: we have made it to the brighter days of spring. The world is flourishing into a new season which symbolises a fresh start, and it is only right that our trends adapt to match this warmer and rejuvenating time of year.

With plants beginning to recover from the harshness of winter and blooming in their graceful delicacy, it has been tulips and daffodils which capture the ambience of spring. There is nothing more emblematic of spring than the wild treasure of the daffodil: their presence creates the bright yellow of the sun within a flower, and they are a reminder for us to maintain hope that better days are coming. Tulips are also a beautiful option to add freshness to a room, for they come in an array of colours that represent how the world is thriving in a rebirth of nature. Treating yourself to a bouquet of these vibrant flowers will bring a

colourful and positive aura within your home.

When thinking about refreshing our homes and wardrobes, earthy tones for our interiors are predicted to be a popular colour palette this spring, with the warmer and natural tones complementing the sunlight which will only grow as the months continue. Whilst winter has had a focus on the neutral tones, it is predicted that magenta and yellow are going to be fashionable colours for our wardrobe this spring. These pops of brightness remind us that warmer days are on the way, which boosts both our serotonin and our style. Whilst colour trends are one thing, we can also be expected to ditch jeans and boots for the comeback of maxi skirts and ballet flats, which are set to hit the shops this season.

Whether it is upgrading the warmth of your room with some earthy-toned paint, or purchasing some daffodils to brighten your day, the arrival of spring is a season we all welcome with open arms.

a banana sandwich with honey which has a bounty of benefits for the hungover body.

Attending the gym or an afternoon yoga session to get your blood circulating can be beneficial. Yoga is known to boost energy levels, stretch and relax the body leaving you feeling reinvigorated. Another low-effort solution to a restless hangover is to go for a gentle walk. Exercise is great to boost endorphins and experience better overall wellbeing but only if you feel healthy enough to do so! Over straining a tired and dehydrated body can cause more harm than good.

My favourite step in nursing a hangover is that I get a reason to practice self-care. The five principles of self-care include looking after your social, mental, emotional and spiritual selves.

After a night out, my Dad is always on my speed dial to share stories and offer emotional support if I am experiencing heightened anxiety symptoms. Alternatively, a technology detox can be beneficial to practice mindfulness and recover from a

rough night. Remember, putting your phone on to ‘Do Not Disturb’ is a form of self-care! My absolute favourite thing to do is look after my face and body. A night of drinking is the perfect excuse to use a moisturising face mask to rehydrate the skin and ease puffiness. Removing traces of makeup from last night is essential to prevent break outs. Micellar water works excellently to clean makeup and ink from the face and body (a pro-tip for Batty Bingo). Another idea might be to use a facial roller/Gua Sha to drain toxins from the face and neck, maintaining a healthy lymphatic system. These effects can be recreated throughout the whole body, if you have a friend willing to give you a back rub, or simply book an appointment with a professional for a luxurious form of hangover aftercare.

Remember, there are endless forms of self-care so do whatever works best for you! Look after yourself and make sure to be kind to your body as you recover.

The rise of the pollen

Ella Minty, Arts and Lit Editor, offers her advice on beating the sneeze this spring

PICTURE the scene: 16-year-old me is taking one of her GCSE History exams in May 2018. Stressful enough, right? But during a three-hour exam, my eyes started streaming, my nose started running, and I had an obstinate itching everywhere, with the 100 per cent polyester school uniform polo shirt not helping the situation. When I came out of the exam, one of my friends assumed I’d been crying because of how red my eyes were; alas, at the most inconvient time, it was my first experience of hay fever

Since this pivotal moment, five years have passed, and although I have suffered from debilitating hay fever in previous summers, I have also amassed tips and tricks that have made the summertime slightly more bearable. Although it is only February, I have already felt my eyes start to itch and have been sneezing more than usual, but to combat this I have been taking the world’s best hay fever medication, Aldi’s version of Loratadine. Ditching the Piriteze, this is a student friendly version that

actually works for me at a fraction of the price. In a similar vein, in addition to medication, hay fever wet wipes work wonders — they wipe away pollen from around the eyes and nose and serve as a gentle way to combat itchiness in particular.

A slightly more expensive route, a preventative measure instead of medication is simply just going away; foreign countries often have lower pollen levels than the UK. I usually escape to Cornwall for a couple of weeks in the summer, the pollen-abundant fields of my Somerset hometown abandoned for the beaches and beautiful grassfree scenes, where I can walk around tear-stream free. In all seriousness, though, the Student Health Centre at the University has been good in the past couple of years, recommending Avamys nose spray (which you can take in addition to over-the-counter medication) which seems to have sorted me out. Stock up on medication early, and you will survive the summer months which are so anxiety inducing for hayfever sufferers — just don’t pay the ridiculous prices for on-brand medication when the off-brand treatments work just as well.

Claudio_Scott, Pixabay

Frans Schouwenburg, Flickr Joadl, Wikimedia Commons SweetBrook MassageSpa, Wikimedia Commons

Alan Cleaver, Wikimedia Commons Petr Kratochvil, publicdomainpictures.net

arts + lit

A literary dinner party

Arts and Lit writers discuss who they’d invite to a literary soirée

Margaret

Atwood

IF I were to invite anyone for a literary-themed soirée, I would love for Margaret Atwood to be in attendance. An award-winning and prolific Canadian writer, best known for the distinguished and popular novel The Handmaid’s Tale, which has now been made into a successful Channel 4 adaptation, Margaret Atwood asks the questions in her fiction which most authors are afraid to ask. Usually concerned with state power, she explores the consequences of anxieties in our contemporary world, whether that is to do with technology (Oryx and Crake) or feminist retellings (The Penelopiad, Hag-Seed). I would love to know how she writes; her worlds are so sprawling, complicated and well-formed, but must be a nightmare to try and conceptualise in early stages of writing. I would also like to know why she chose to re-write The Tempest in her book Hag-Seed; what about this play captivated her enough to write a modern re-telling of the story? Atwood is one of my favourite writers and I’d encourage anyone to read her fiction; it is eye-opening and capivating.

Ella Minty, Arts and Lit Editor

Oscar Wilde

IF given the opportunity to host a society soirée with any literary figure, I would certainly invite the late Victorian writer, Oscar Wilde. The reason I would choose to invite Oscar Wilde to a dinner party would probably be due to the fact that I absolutely loved reading his most famous novel The Picture of Dorian Gray for my A-Level in English. I would be particularly excited to ask about his inspirations for his novel alongside discussing his other works such as The Importance of Being Earnest. Not only is Oscar Wilde an incredible literary figure, but he was also well-known for his decadence during the period of fin-de-siecle and aestheticism. His style was iconic for the period, and I would love to talk about his style choices and even how he might find modern day fashion trends. He was unfortunately a figure surrounded by scandal, after being tried for homosexuality in 1895, meaning that he would never be able to clear his name. It would be fascinating to find out from his own perspective how the trials affected him as well as me being able to bring him comfort that in the modern day, he would be much more accepted for his sexuality.

Banksy strikes again

Livvy Mason-Myhill, Deputy Editor

Manon Martini, Online Arts and Lit Editor, explores the recent artwork by Banksy

YOU might have heard about a new Banksy piece that appeared in Margate on Valentine’s Day. The artwork depicted a battered 1950s housewife throwing her murdered husband into a real-life chest freezer. Less than 24 hours after its appearance, workers were called on site to remove the freezer as it was deemed ‘unsafe’ by Thanet council. As ever with high profile installations, it seems that the real art commences after the painting has taken place. Like a wellrehearsed performance piece, an appearance of Banksy’s work will undoubtably be followed first and foremost by a box, or perhaps some

UV stabilised polycarbonate to ensure preservation. Next comes the unironic production of hundreds of thousands of Banksy mugs, coasters and tea towels — sometimes the piece will even get excavated and sent to a gallery if the council is feeling extra elitist. The unfailing corporate activity and capitalist corruption that ensures no work of Banksy’s can ever be left alone would be highly entertaining if it wasn’t so awfully sad.

“But it’s good for community tourism!” I

hear you shout, “It inscribes an important message about domestic abuse’” you type angrily. “No!”, I say — it won’t, and it doesn’t. The piece will no longer represent what it once did, it will become a hashtag opportunity and a money-making scheme until it is entirely shorn of any meaning or morality. £100,000 is being spent on engineers to remove the mural and put it in a gallery, perhaps with the original freezer, which seems to have disappeared altogether, and

maybe even with some pretend rubbish to bring a real sense of poverty to the exhibition. The irony of minimum wage contractors hauling the freezer away at their boss’s command becomes ever more apparent anytime someone argues for the ‘preservation’ of a nuanced comment on class.

Often, the ‘point’ of art is to distill someone else’s world. To offer insight into something that we would have otherwise never known about. Perhaps in this case — we could have learnt about the feminine experience of domestic violence. But alas — here we are again. Banksy’s in a box, the freezer is in a gallery warehouse — and we’ve all learnt nothing.

Should books be re-written?

Arts and Lit writers discuss the recent proposed changes to Roald Dahl’s books

WHAT is considered acceptable to say and the language we use changes with the times constantly, therefore it is necessary to alter our media to fit the everchanging standards of what is considered ‘politically correct’. We can see these alterations in the changes being made to Roald Dahl’s books by Puffin Publishers. The publishing company has rightly hired ‘sensitivity readers’ who are combing through books, looking for language which is derogatory/offensive to certain communities. For example, Roald Dahl’s descriptions of his ‘bad’ characters are always described as “fat” or “ugly” in books such as The Twits and James and the Giant Peach. These descriptions paired with the illustrations included in his books are shaping what physical features children will consider to be bad in their adult life. A further instance we see physical descriptions being an issue, is the description of the witches being bald in The Witches. After the recent 2020 film adaptation caused controversy as it was considered ‘insensitive’ to communities that struggle with alopecia, it is best to alter the language used in the original text as well, to prevent a similar scandal reoccurring and its backlash. Editing the content of books is not a new concept that the ‘woke’ community has created to establish an overly politically correct world. There have been many edits and alterations done by publishers to remove harmful comments by authors. Throughout the decades since their publication, publishing companies have removed antisemitic comments and harmful representations made by Roald Dahl before his death in 1990. The sensitivity readers of Inclusive Minds that have been combing through Roald Dahl’s novels only wish for communities to not feel targeted and instead help communities feel included in magical stories that have helped children learn to love reading for decades.

Josie Sharp

WITH the recent re-writings of Roald Dahl’s books by publisher Puffin through the hiring of ‘sensitivity readers’ (for example, all uses of “fat” or “ugly” have been cut, and Oompa Loompas are now “small people” instead of “small men”) questions have arisen surrounding the removal of offensive language in books.

While I can see the appeal, especially for children’s books, to change the language so that children don’t learn prejudiced or offensive language, in general I would argue against removing offensive language from books, as it provides a good learning opportunity.

Books are (as any English student can tell you) products of their times. To look at the language used allows you to understand the values and attitudes held by the author and the society in which it was published. It is more important that we, and children in particular, read the original language in order to understand old societal stereotypes and prejudices, and so we can learn from past mistakes and think more carefully about the language used in the future.

One example that shows this is Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which is set in Missouri in roughly the 1830s, and frequently uses the n-word, so is often dismissed as racist. In the 90s it was the fifth most frequently challenged book in the US, according to the American Library Association. However, anyone who has read the book can tell you it is about a boy unlearning the racism that pervades his culture, through his friendship with the slave Jim (although it must also be admitted that the book isn’t without faults in terms of racial stereotyping). Attempts have been made to‘sanitise’the book, for example, by using the word “slave”, as the original apparently made students uncomfortable, but arguably, we need to feel uncomfortable and confront this aspect of history and society in order to learn from it. I would argue for keeping the original language but including trigger warnings to prepare readers for the contents of the book.

Lauren Walsh, Admin Executive

A woman’s prize for non-fiction

Charlotte Zeyssolff discusses the introduction of a women’s prize for non-ficton in 2024

AS of 2024, a new literary prize will celebrate female non-fiction writers “regardless of their background”, the Women’s Prize Trust pledged, after research undertaken by the Charlotte Aitken Trust concluded that only 35.5 per cent of the books that were awarded non-fiction prizes in the last ten years were written by women. The Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction will reward writing about history, science, biography and philosophy among other subjects, written, and published by women in English. But will an award solely dedicated to the enhancement of female literary genius break down stereotypes, or will it segregate women into their own category of literature?

Competing with the Baillie Gifford Prize, which rewards all authors of non-fiction, one might question the need for a separate award.

The reality is that female authors battle a lack of publicity for their work, compared to their male counterparts.

Data compiled by Nielsen BookScan revealed that only a quarter of all nonfiction reviews in national newspapers concerned books by female authors.

The dilemma of how to celebrate female literary merit has been constant since the launch of the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 1996, in reaction to the absence of female nominees for the 1991 Booker Prize,

despite 60 per cent of all published books for that year having female authors. Winner of the 1990 Booker Prize, A. S. Byatt, refused to have her writing considered for the new award, declaring that it assumed the existence of “a feminine subject matter’.” The similar confinement of women to nonfiction critically regarded as ‘sappy’ or less academic, particularly memoirs, has been criticised by Hallie Rubenhold, author of the highly acclaimed The Five. She suggests that while men have been

encouraged to write “big, important works” about more “academically challenging” subjects like economics or warfare, women have had greater difficulty asserting themselves as “experts in a field”. As most non-fiction writers come from an academic background, the underrepresentation of female opinions in history, economics, and politics, arguably boils down to a lack of female academics in those subjects. In an ideal world, separation of genders within literary recompense would not be necessary to adequately recognise literary merit. It also begs the consideration of awards dedicated to non-binary and genderqueer people. In the meantime, honours like the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction are crucial to inspire future female writers and to rectify the sequestration of non-fiction to a male-dominated sphere.

The ‘Year It All Started To Go Wrong’

UNTIL

the infamous ‘Year It All Started

To Go Wrong’, time used to jog merrily along at a steady enough pace, good-naturedly complying to its usual cycle of days, months, seasons and so on without any rebellious attitudes to confuse our poor little human minds. Then somehow, in 2020, the usually well-behaved Time gave up its linear structure, only to become a tangled mess that nobody has yet been able to smooth out. Regular life was brought to a complete standstill with little to no warning — desperately hiding from the menacing hands of Covid-19 — leaving us floundering in an eternal stage of waiting.

“It’s only for a few weeks” became “it’ll be over by next month”, which then turned into “we’ll be clear of this in a year’s time”, constantly pushing back the date for our return to freedom and normality. Sitting at

home, confined to a repetitive reality made us realise just how fragile time is, and while monotonous silence replaced the familiar ticking of the time flux, we may have been reminded of how the slippery tricks of time have been handled in literature. Stopped clocks feature in both poetry and prose, reminding us that time stops for noone, no matter how hard we try to stunt its progress; Dickens’

eerie Miss Havisham stagnates in her existence, surrounded by frozen clocks marking the moment her heart was broken, whereas the silent and

immobile cuckoo clock in Dickinson’s A Clock

Stopped serves as a reminder that everything moves slowly towards death, regardless of clockmakers’ apparent power over time. Faced with this bleak prospect, it can be hard to retain hope, but Camus’ The Plague seems to offer some more comforting answers. Although this book was written in the 1940s, the uncanny familiarity of a quarantined city in the midst of a pandemic may have been a comfort to readers struggling in lockdown; we are (perhaps naively) shown that friends and family anchor

us in times of crisis, and that hope lives on in patient, everyday habits and routines. Now that we’ve (mostly) escaped from the restraints that Covid demanded, time seems to have caught up with us all too fast. Nobody can quite say what happened, yet we all find ourselves three years older, but with nothing to show for it. Does society still place the same value on time as it always has? If we qualify our time based on our experiences, then the period of time which confined us to our homes is just a big blank page in our yearbooks, an empty memory, a temporal void. Can we really pretend to go back to a normal experience of time, pretending 2020 was just a momentary pause in our timestream, or will we constantly be looking over our shoulders for evidence of those forgotten years, in a Proustian struggle against reality, endlessly in search of lost time?

Jake Avery, Music Editor, writes a short prose piece on childhood and memory Stig

THERE Stig lay at the centre of his nest; I gradually uncovered the newspapers that had concealed him for the last 14 years, and gently picked him up. Placing him in my hand and observing him brought back a cascade of memories; the countless days that I’d spent crawling amongst the undergrowth, peering through the branches into the wilderness of my garden, searching for him as he hid between the moss-covered stones and damp soil. The scratches over his surfaces warped as I inspected him, the flashlight beam moving across his spines projecting a hypnotic parade of shadows onto the attic wall. Many years spent in the dense foliage of the backyard had toughened his exterior and faded his once-luscious lime-green hide; nonetheless, here he was, still the same

reptilian companion that I’d grown up with.

I delicately wrapped him in cloth and began to crawl across the floor, feeling the occasional bite of fibreglass lining gnawing away at my legs. The material glistened over the floor in a fine coating; every box had formed a layer of uncorrupted dust. The air sat with a stillness, existing only as a cavity unaffected by the passage of time. Every breath I cast sent clouds of the silver silk pouring over the room.

As I reached the window and began to apply force, the panel released and swung open with a jarring creak. Pink light poured in through the porthole, flickers of the dying sun passing through in strokes.

My silhouette looked unrecognizable in comparison to the last time we’d sat

together; his hadn’t changed at all. He had been frozen in the jaws of stasis, the attic a vessel unaffected by the erosion of time.

The rooftops decorated the horizon and glinted in the hazy afterglow of the day. I lay my scaly friend on top of the tiles of the roof, and we gazed together out towards the horizon. I pondered over what he might see. Those rounded black eyes like marbles soaked in the view of the distance after years of hiding inside of a box of old sports certificates, outgrown shirts and yellowing milk teeth. What thoughts were shooting through his mind? I wondered. Did he even recognise me?

Tracing my finger around the edges of his beak, I was brought back to the beach trips and forest walks that we’d shared together. He was always there; waking up from a nap

on car journeys and immediately reaching for the grasp of his reassuring tail brought the most satisfying of comforts. It was instinct. Yet I couldn’t remember the day when I cast him up into the attic, condemned to an existence consisting of cardboard walls. I’d always relied on him for joy. He’d also been useless to me for most of my life.

I climbed down from the ledge and stole a final look at the sun as it departed behind the urban expanse. I also captured a final stare at Stig the Stegosaurus. I liked to imagine that he would be grinning were it not for the fact that he was made of plastic. I left him basking in the sun, and as I climbed down from the attic ladder, I reminded myself that I’d moved on so far in life since I’d last seen him; and now, so had he.

Emily Sara Rizzo reflects on time, the pandemic, and literature

Image: Flickr

Image: UnSplash

MUSIC

Celebrating women in music

To celebrate International Women's Day, Music writers discuss the music industry's greatest female icons

Florence Welch

WITH last year’s album Dance Fever gaining widespread acclaim and a tour currently underway, there’s no better time to celebrate Florence and the Machine’s frontwoman, Florence Welch. One of the most interesting and inspirational women working in the British music industry, part of the reason Florence is so brilliant is because she’s completely unique. From vocals which border on ethereal, to haunting lyricism — there’s nobody quite like Florence Welch on the music scene at the moment. In part, it’s her otherworldly imagery which makes Florence so appealing, embracing an aesthetic which is somewhere between pre-Raphaelite painting and medieval witch. There has been so much written about why women and girls in particular are drawn to the figure of the witch, and it's epitomised by Florence — she has a powerful voice, both literally and metaphorically, in a world where women are often denied power. Her music and poetry are dark and achingly honest, touching on topics as varied as love, addiction and even Virginia Woolf. In short, she offers escapism at the same time as relatability, exhibiting female rage, mystique and power in a way women aren’t always allowed to express. When I first listened to Florence, as a young teenager who hadn’t yet discovered many of my favourite artists, she was a revelation. From classics like ‘Dog Days are Over’ to the hauntingly sad such as ‘St. Jude’, her songs made me who I am. Florence and the Machine was not only my gateway into music, but Florence herself became a kind of personal icon; she made me feel powerful. She still does.

Amy Rushton, News Editor

Hayley Williams

WITH a career spanning almost 20 years, Paramore’s return with This Is Why last month has erased any doubt that the band are one of the biggest names in rock. It is almost impossible to extricate the band’s success from that of frontwoman Hayley Williams, best known for her iconic orange hair and powerful vocals.

In spite of periods of uncertainty concerning the band’s line-up, she has been unafraid to experiment with musical style and to pursue new possibilities, including founding hair dye company Good Dye Young and releasing two solo albums. Williams’ recent career is characterised by a community ethos, evident in how the singer has spoken against political injustice and has been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. This is reflected by the band’s loyal fanbase and the trademark chant of “We are Paramore” which is part of every live performance.

Williams’ openness about her struggles with mental health, both in interviews and in her music, clearly resonates with listeners. You only have to look to artists like Olivia Rodrigo, Willow or Billie Eilish to see Paramore’s influence. She is unapologetic about the band’s changing sonic direction, which has developed from pop-punk to bouncy 80s-influenced bops with lyrics that are no less hard-hitting. Their sixth album This Is Why is a further iteration of this style which partially returns to Paramore’s guitar-driven roots. It navigates personal, emotional turmoil set against an unstable post-pandemic world, never losing the undercurrent of angst that originally drew fans to the band’s music.

Lucy Facer

Live review: Wallows

Amelia Heasley reviews Wallows' recent show in London

ON Wednesday 18th of January, a couple of fans snuck away from uni to see Wallows perform live in London. Midweek?! Yes, scandalous. But necessary.

Wallows? You know them? They wrote ‘Scrawny’, ‘Remember When’ and ‘Are You Bored Yet?’ — and they were absolutely marvellous.

I was privileged to experience this with my close friend whose love for the band exceeds her love for all else. Even me, her family, her boyfriend and her cats. She knows the words to every song and their history inside out; you wouldn’t want to be against her on Mastermind.

The band was incredible, with a stage presence unrivalled in their genre. They played perfectly, and we had the pleasure of meeting the boys that create this music. Their characters shone through in their singing, playing, and appreciative and excitable interactions with their wild and loyal fans. Braeden’s smile alone is an instant crowd pleaser.

As suggested by my friend, their music feels positive and inspires a cheerful, bubbly attitude despite the lyrics talking of heartbreak, complex interpersonal relationships and a range of emotions, often encapsulating adolescent uncertainty and angst.

LYRICS... ENCAPSULATING ADOLESCENT UNCERTAINTY AND ANGST

Perhaps Wallows have masterly created a unique safe space for listeners to feel connected through the lyrics, yet not experience the residual hurt that comes with listening to despondent music. A comfortable bubble for people to get lost in. I suppose they don’t let you ‘wallow’; the music is too good. Their upbeat synth beats are nostalgic and give today’s youth an

Nina Simone

THE indefinable music of Nina Simone, or rather Eunice Kathleen Waymon, is recognisable to all ears, even if you don’t quite realise it. Much of her music echoed sounds from the blues with the zest of jazz and a touch of class that we often link to the music of a Bond movie — ‘I Put A Spell On You’ is perhaps the best Bond song that we never had. It is monumental that a woman of colour rose to the level of success Simone did in a period of American history where the words woman and black did you no favours.

From a humble beginning in North Carolina, Simone funded her own classical music studies as a young woman, then gained widespread acclaim in Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London in the 1980s. This was, by all accounts, the best place to witness her stature and prowess as a performer.

When Simone was asked how she became interested in music, she replied, “I was born into music. The decision was how to make the best use of it.” Performers and musicians of her ilk do not exist anymore, or they are wrongly no longer held on the pedestal they once were. The media and access of the modern day ruins the air of notoriety and grandeur. Irrespective of the performer, activist and personality Simone was, her music speaks for itself. It speaks to the struggle of oppression she faced in life, but still encapsulates a level of class and buoyancy that can make anyone feel like a movie-star. Her music leaves everyone ‘Feeling Good’.

Ewan Edwards, Tech Editor

ON THIS DAY

'Caution' — The Killers

12 March 2020

opportunity to experience the musical atmosphere of the 70s and 80s. The band offers the music, but if you’re looking for the full 70s experience, it is not entirely lost; people leave their homes with absurd hair styles, over-funded American TV shows are still unfunny, and the political upheavals never quite settled down.

We all want our lives to look just like a movie, so here is my recommendation: go to a Wallows concert, sing your heart out, and dance. Can you find all the Wallows song references in the article? There are six.

March 2020 is not a month any of us will ever forget. As we were all looking forward to the year ahead, the world was plunged into lockdown. We all had our own coping mechanisms at this time, and mine was music. Thankfully, just a week before lockdown, The Killers released the lead single, 'Caution', from their latest album, Imploding The Mirage

Although that album would be delayed for months, and its respective world tour for years, 'Caution' epitomised months of Covid-induced boredom for me. The line "if I don't get out of this town, I just might be the one who finally burns it down" is certainly one we all related to during lockdown.

Every time March has rolled around since, bringing better weather (and of course my birthday), this song has transported me back in time to turning 17, when the whole world was throwing caution.

Harry Craig, Music Editor

Image: Rachel Kiki @rachelkeeks

Images: Pollyanna Roberts

Image: Ron Kroon, Wikimedia Commons

Image: Sven-Sebastian Sajak, Wikimedia Commons

Image: Justin Higuchi, Wikimedia Commons

Image: Thornton Drury, Wikimedia Commons

Harry Craig and Jake Avery

2023 Grammys Report

Lucy Facer breaks down this year's winners, newcomers and returning stars

THE 65th Grammy Awards on 5th February made history in many ways, and reflected how the music industry and the way we consume music has evolved. The night saw Beyoncé break the record for most Grammys won by a single artist, when she won Best Dance/Electronic Album, her 32nd award, for her latest album Renaissance , a landmark achievement despite never having won the coveted Album of the Year. Instead, this went to Harry Styles, who was nominated for an impressive six awards, of which he won two.

Other notable winners in cluded Lizzo, who took home Record of the Year for ‘About Damn Time’, and Adele, who won Best Pop Solo Performance for ‘Easy On Me’. Newcomers Wet Leg expressed sheer disbelief at winning two awards in the Alternative category, whilst former Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne triumphed in the Rock category, his first win since 1994.

Not only did this year’s awards indicate a rapidly diversifying musical landscape, but they also suggested progress in recognising the variety of voices that have contributed to music historically. Kim Petras became the first transgender woman

to win a Grammy, with ‘Unholy’ winning the award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, though not without controversy. The pair’s performance of the song at the ceremony received backlash online for supposedly promoting devil worship, but were defended by Madonna, who said, “if they call you shocking, scandalous, troublesome, problematic, provocative or dangerous, you are definitely onto something”.

Similarly, Beyoncé thanked her queer fans by acknowledging the LGBTQ+ community’s contribution to dance and electronic music. Another milestone moment was the celebration of 50 years of hip-hop in a collaborative mashup performed by iconic artists such as Nelly, Queen Latifah, Missy Elliott and Salt-N-Pepa. This shows the Recording Academy’s growing willingness to platform artists and genres that have previously been overlooked, by honouring their roles in past and present music.

It’s impossible to ignore how instrumental the internet, particularly TikTok, has become in our listening habits. This has led to doubts about whether the Recording Academy could keep up with the fast pace of streaming and the

shortened cycle of songs becoming viral online. However, the Grammys remain an authoritative voice in mainstream music, reflecting the popularity of artists who emerged on these platforms.

One example of this is Gayle, whose song ‘ABCDEFU’ was conceived as a response to a TikTok comment. However, this was later revealed to be a marketing ploy set up by her record label, which calls into question the place of viral hits in the awards. Perhaps this is something for the Academy to consider in future years, as online marketing of music becomes the norm. If there are categories for soundtracks, audiobooks and music films, would having a category for music popularised online really be so far-fetched?

Regardless, online ex posure arguably was one of the biggest factors in many artists’ success at this year’s Grammys, such as Steve Lacy, who won Best Progressive R&B album and

performed his chart-topping single ‘Bad Habit’. Lacy’s years of experience as a guitarist for the band The Internet and producing for influential artists like Kendrick Lamar suggests that online success and artistic merit are not mutually exclusive. Despite the achievement of some, the usual claims of artists being snubbed persist. Some surprising losses were Diana Ross, who lost to Michael Bublé for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, and Björk, who was beaten by Wet Leg for Best Alternative Album. Personally, I think that Florence + The Machine and Big Thief were strong contenders in the Alternative category as talented female-fronted bands, yet it is inevitable for fans to be disappointed. The appeal of these awards seems to be the discussion that they generate about personal taste and, though most of us hesitate to admit this, they satisfy our appetite for celebrity glamour and gossip. Ultimately, the awards fulfilled their purpose by providing a night of entertainment that highlighted the defining musical trends of the past year.

THE musical comeback phenomenon is one that has been executed in an abundance of ways, throughout the music industry and its umbrella genres. From the likes of MAGIC! Attempting, and ultimately failing, to return to the charts after their one-hit-wonder ‘Rude’ in 2014, to the recent resurgence of Rihanna, rebounding from a hiatus seems to go one of two ways in the music industry.

Despite some already popular artists like Beyoncé returning and immediately regaining their popularity due to the significance of their name, it is incredibly easy to disappoint fans. If the music doesn’t sound the same or, alternatively, if nothing new and authentic has been added to the sound, the comeback tends to be unsuccessful. In recent years, it seems that 2010s pop music icons have been making their comebacks, and everyone is completely ready for it.

Rising to fame with her father’s name and a Disney Channel show, Miley Cyrus has created her own music since the days of Hannah Montana and ‘Party in the U.S.A'. However, her post-Disney hiatus and return in 2013 with the album Bangerz left many original fans shocked at her newfound image. Though this new Mi-

ley was given the nickname 'twerk addict', without the limitations of the Disney channel sweetheart persona, it allowed Cyrus to reveal who she really was, and within this album, she released a range of break-up ballads including the renowned ‘Wrecking Ball’. Cyrus now possessed a new image, rocking a shorter hairstyle and a new wardrobe, free from the elaborate layering and colours of the Disney stylists. She also changed how her music sounded — instead of her softer, fulfilling-your-teens tunes, Cyrus let all of her emotions out, depicting her heartbreak over Liam Hemsworth.

Similarly, at the beginning of this year, Cyrus released ‘Flowers’, another comeback song targeted towards Hemsworth. The song encapsulates his betrayal, and her manipulation of the lyrics to Bruno Mars’ ‘When I Was Your Man’, a song played at their wedding, is so intricately clever. Once again, her sound has changed and become more rock-like and powerful, steering further away from the 'pop princess' image. Overall, though Cyrus has had a sequence of musical comebacks, each time her sound and image has changed, aimed towards the stage of her life

she is currently in. Cyrus is so successful in each of her comebacks because her original Disney channel fans have grown up listening to her and followed her throughout each of these stages, relating to some themselves. Whilst one pop icon has recently re-emerged into the spotlight after a hiatus, another has too. Best known for her hits in the early 2010s, Rihanna is reportedly preparing for a comeback tour, ignited by her performance at the Super Bowl last month. Her performance was a reminder of her powerful voice and through a medley of her iconic hits, she was exhilarating. Though she may be played on repeat in clubs, Rihanna hasn’t released any new music since her 2016 album Anti, aside from appearing on the ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ soundtrack. While Rihanna didn’t completely disappear from the spotlight and maintained her acting career, including starring in Ocean’s 8 in 2018, this recent musical comeback will definitely be one to look forward to. Whether she changes stylistically or maintains her iconic sound of the 2010s, Rihanna’s comeback will see her travelling the world and hopefully performing in the U.K. for the first time since 2016.

EDITORS:

IT IS INCREDIBLY EASY TO DISAPPOINT FANS

'Long time, no sound' Lisette Reed dives into the career-comeback phenomenon

THE GRAMMYS REMAIN AN AUTHORITATIVE VOICE IN MAINSTREAM MUSIC

Images: Ted Eytan, Paul Hudson, Flickr

screen

Sharing is caring?

Carden Cappi discusses the controversy of Netflix’s password sharing crackdown

FOR a long time, it was just a rumour, some background noise about how sharing your Netflix password with a person outside your household was illegal. Most people ignored it. But Netflix seemingly has had enough and announced that it would be ending password sharing, with the UK being affected from the end of March 2023 after it has already been introduced in places like South America, Canada, and Spain. Now, people have the option to either pay for their own account or pay an extra fee if they are sharing an account with people outside their household. According to some tech-savvy pages on the internet, Netflix will try to achieve this by accessing location information, meaning that it will track things like IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity to determine whether all users live in the same household or not.

And yes, on one level it does make sense. The Netflix terms state that sharing passwords outside households is forbidden, and with inflation raging whilst the demand for better productions that cost more money rises, it makes sense that Netflix needs as much profit as possible, especially after the streaming boom of the Covid-19 era is over.

But viewers are hit just as bad, maybe even worse by the current climate, especially university students like me. And while it might be easy to tell people to just cancel

their subscription, Netflix is something a lot of us use for escapism, to relax after a long day, or to connect with friends if you all watch the same show and talk about it for hours on end. So while some might decide to pull the plug on their Netflix subscription due to financial reasons, a lot of people will probably stay on Netflix.

Another issue is that most people share their accounts with family members, who techni cally live — or have lived — in the same household. Students, however, live away from home for vast stretches of the year. Is it fair that if you are a household but have to travel or move for specific times of the year you cannot share your Netflix account anymore? And if so, can Netflix expect us to start a new account every year and lose your watchlist if you move houses or have a change in housemates, just so you can share the cost with the people you are living with?

Streaming services are already multiplying faster than one can keep track of,

and more and more companies are splitting off from the streaming giants to create their own service, requiring a separate subscription that most people just cannot afford. What if they follow in Netflix’s footsteps? Will there be resistance? Perhaps a massive drop in subscriptions and ultimately the end of some services?

It is impossible to tell. What one can say is that this action will probably lead to an increase in illegal streaming because people don’t want to abstain from streaming, but simply cannot afford to pay for their own accounts.

Arguably, this poses not only a security risk to streamers as a lot of sites might not be safe, but may ultimately cost the companies even more money than they are losing with shared passwords. The future of streaming right now is very hard to assess. On the one hand, people want to be entertained, especially in the horrible current state of the world, but how far can streaming services go with their rules and regulations on sharing accounts?

On the BAFTAs

Lisette Reed discusses the highs and lows of the BAFTAs

THE EE BAFTA Film Awards fell in mid-February this year and though many of the winners are well-deserved, there have also been countless criticisms and complaints over some of the winners, with many upset viewers stating that a range of films have been ‘snubbed’ for the number one spot, as well as a general lack of diversity within the winners.

To begin this discussion, it’s best to start with the winner of Best Film, All Quiet on the Western Front. The film won five awards in major categories, however, when discussing the films with fellow students, it appears that no one particularly knew of the film’s existence. Though it was released on UK Netflix in late October, there was a lack of advertisement for the film, and this could be a reason why it wasn’t as well known. Moreover, the film itself faces many issues. Despite it not romanticising war, like many of its counterparts in the genre, it is a remake of both a 1930 and 1979 film, as well as an adaptation of the original 1929 book. The constant recycling of this story and creating a new rendition of the same movie just emphasises the recycling of ideas in the film industry; there is a constant complaint that there are ‘no new ideas and movies nowadays’, and with remakes like this frequently being retold in a just slightly different manner, it’s no wonder that comments like this are made in the media. Furthermore, the original All Quiet on the Western Front from 1930,

used many German military veterans as extras in the film, many of whom likely suffered with war-related mental health issues. Therefore, is it really necessary to reproduce a film which played and relied on the trauma of others for its background characters? Of course, the concept of the film is one of anti-war, a message which is still relevant today, and its lack of glorification is certainly powerful, but these messages could’ve been portrayed in a new way, rather than recycling the same story. In comparison to its other nominees, including Everything Everywhere All At Once and The Banshees of Inisherin, in terms of originality, there were much stronger contenders for this category.

still qualified for the BAFTAs but at what cost? Tar was nominated for an abundance of awards, with Cate Blanchett winning Best Actress for it but is it something that should be celebrated? The film follows a female lesbian conductor, who is accused of sexual abuse and her entire career is shattered. Despite the soundtrack of this film being impressive, its overall premise is not. Throughout the industry, there is a lack of lesbian and sapphic representations and to have a film like this be the current depiction of a queer woman in the mainstream media is incredibly harmful and quite frankly idiotic. By presenting the mainstream with a predatory lesbian character, it plays into harmful and offensive stereotypes of LGBTQ+ individuals being dangerous and exploitative. Additionally, by portraying a more masculine lesbian as abusive and threatening, towards not only her wife but also her peers, it further accentuates these stereotypes. The film was marketed strongly as one about a powerful queer woman and her successful career to attract young LGBTQ+ individuals and the trailer never mentions anything about the accusations or Tar’s completely stereotypical and abusive demeanour. Yes, Cate Blanchett’s performance was impressive at times but, once again, in comparison to her fellow nominees, she shouldn’t have won the award.

In this year’s BAFTAs, there was an overwhelming whiteness and no nominees of col-

Only time will tell. Hopefully, solutions can be found for this situation so I can enjoy watching shows and films without having to consider whether to cancel my subscription because I cannot afford my own account.

BUT HOW FAR CAN STREAMING SERVICES GO WITH THEIR RULES AND REGULATIONS

our won the award for their proposed category. Unlike the Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globes, where Everything Everywhere All At Once won several awards and broke the record most wins for a single film, the movie only won a single award at the BAFTAs, despite being nominated for a range of them. However, its win for the Editing category was completely deserved, the film’s dynamic and intriguing style is part of what makes it so entertaining to watch. Its powerful “metaphor for the immigrant Asian American experience” is intensely impressive, as well as wonderfully weird with the entire film centring around a bagel. It was most definitely snubbed for most awards, including Best Actress for Michelle Yeoh, Director for Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert and many more.

Though there were many disappointing outcomes of the 2023 BAFTAs, there were a range of well-deserved awards. Aftersun’s Charlotte Wells won Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer, a film which encapsulated the nostalgia of a British summer holiday and the passionate and supportive relationship between a father and his daughter. With ‘Under Pressure’ by Queen as its prime soundtrack and a range of nostalgic aspects of a holiday abroad, including having thread plaited into hair in the town, drinking mocktails pretending they were alcohol and karaoke nights on a resort, Aftersun was destined to have this award.

Another film which shouldn’t have been included within the nominees is Tar. Whilst the film was not even released until the 13th January, it

Image: Ghaith Baazaoui, Wikimedia Commons

Image: Aaron Escobar, Wikimedia Commons

Image: Store Norske Leksikon, Creative Commons

EDITORS: Annabelle Law and Madison Sohngen

Rooney’s Irish landscapes

Manon Martini, Online Arts + Lit Editor, analyses Irish landscapes in Sally Rooney’s novel adaptations

IN much Anglo-American reception of its film and literature, Irish heritage and its artistic reflections are ignored. Such can be said for Sally Rooney’s novels and their respective screen adaptations directed by Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald. The Irish landscape depicted in these series has been largely characterised as a mere passive backdrop as opposed to a complex political and social setting with intrinsic ties to the central narrative of the show.

In Rooney’s most recent novel, Beautiful World, Where Are You (2021), Alice writes an email to her friend Eileen which reads “One of the problems is that Dublin is, and I mean literally and topographically, flat — so that everything has to take place on a single plane. Other cities have metro systems, which add depth, and steep hills or skyscrapers for height, but Dublin has only short squat grey buildings and trams that run along the street.” Alice’s Marxist analysis of Ireland’s topography as intrinsi -

cally capitalist and totalising is translated beautifully onto the screen in Normal People (2020) through wide panning shots of Ireland that extenuate this ‘flatness’. The melancholy beauty of the setting on screen, however, evokes an uncertain ambiguity for a viewer as to whether to accept Alice’s perception of Ireland or consider a Marxist nuance of equal footing that negates a spatial position of dominance in Ireland. Further engagement with setting can be observed as Connell takes Marianne to the abandoned Mountain View housing estate known by locals as ‘The Ghost’. These ‘ghost estates’ remain a common feature across Ireland today as a result of the 2008 crash which meant that building contractors were forced to abandon the estates midway through construction. Shots of huge bare concrete facades accompanied by the sound of whipping plastic sheets covering the window holes serve as an audio-visual urban palimpsest in which various layers of history, culture and politics stack on top of one another through setting. The shot of Marianne and Connell standing in front of these vast and barren buildings evokes a sense of the economic instability and unrest of the past that they represent. The hostility of the whipping sheets and the sense of abandonment within the estate reflects the politi -

cal abandonment of the working class by the state during the 2008 crash. A more intimate engagement with this traumatic past is presented as Connell and Marianne exchange careful dialogue evoked by their setting. Connell comments that the estate “is probably three times the size of [his] house” and goes on to express his disdain at the fact that the estate is “just lying empty, no one living in it”. Marianne’s reply remains emotionally impartial, making a insensitive comment for which she “immediately feels foolish for not realising what he was thinking about.” Their direct interaction with the landscape evokes their present dynamic as well as the social politics of the country’s past. It is in these small pockets of dialogue and their accompanying emotions that we experience the true significance of the Irish landscape in our viewing of the Normal People series.

IN

It is clear that an acknowledgement and appreciation of Ireland and its associated memoryscape is fundamental in an effective analysis of Rooney’s work. In acknowledging setting not as a mere backdrop but as an integral intertwined part of literary and filmic structure we are able to uphold a much deeper understanding of not only the setting itself, but of character, dialogue, history and the wider social issues that they represent. As Sean O’Neil summarises most perfectly: “Rooney’s books happen in a particular place. Her study of relationships is all the more rewarding when you give that place a name. Its name is Ireland: Sally Rooney is Irish.”

Madison Sohngen, Screen Editor, discusses BAFTA controversy surrounding the win of the Banshees of Inisherin

MARTIN McDonagh’s heartfelt Banshees of Inisherin received its rightful accolade at the BAFTAs this year, securing both Best Actor and Actress in a supporting role for Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon while also bringing home the award for Best Original Screenplay. However, the final BAFTA of Outstanding British Film was greeted by the cast with an air of awkwardness. This was expressed by director Martin McDonagh as he accepted the award, explaining how “every Irish person in the cast and crew are kinda going best what award?”.

The film is set during the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921), and the characters are situated in an idyllic fictitious island off the coast of mainland Ireland. Unexpectedly, the sheer vastness of the landscapes, featuring luscious greenery and immense cliffs, seem to only accentuate the characters and their seemingly petty grievances. We are constantly submerged in the intricate details of their complicated relationships. What makes the film so special is how the simple issue of Colm wishing to end his friendship with Padraic mutates into such a complex social conundrum. These factors, along with the inclusion of elements of Irish folklore and the all-Irish cast accumulates to create a quintessential Irishness in which its national identity is inter-

woven into the very essence of the film. So why then, did this undoubtedly Irish film fall into this BAFTA category?

In his speech, McDonagh continues to thank “the wonderful Film4 [who] were a major part in the financing for this” before proceeding to thank the British crew who helped make the film what it is. In this way he answers his own question: the funding which made the film possi ble to exist in the first place originated from British production company Film4 as well as other financial assistance from a US production company. Therefore, the category choice

is simply a matter of financial technicality. However, it still leads to the question of whether this award in any way diminishes part of the movie’s appeal? Does it partially strip it of its core identity? Considering the history of hostility between the two nations is it an insensitive choice?

Personally, I don’t think so, in my opinion it is possible to show appreciation for the names who fundamentally created the film, while also celebrating the film’s strong national identity.

Notably, in his acceptance speech for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Barry Keoghan dedicates the film to “the kids

that are dreaming to be something from the area that I came from”. To Keoghan, his experience growing up in inner city Dublin and spending his formative years being passed around from foster family to foster family is embedded in the sense of Irish solidarity that permeates through every aspect of the film. Additionally, I believe this is reaffirmed by the level of intimacy achieved by the film. The film is primarily dominated by two people, Padraic and Colm and the demise of their friendship instigated by Colm simply deciding he doesn’t like Padraic anymore. Something at first so trivial (and frankly boring) expands exponentially to become the most important thing in the world for the characters (and the audience). Additionally, the very fact that there are few characters on the periphery means the audience gets well acquainted with each and every one, transporting them into this community.

SOMETHING AT FIRST SO TRIVIAL...EXPANDSEXPONENTIALLY TO BECOME THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE WORLD

Therefore, with no true ill will intended from the BAFTAs, Banshees of Inisherin should revel in all the love and buzz that comes its way.

“The best what award?”

THESE SMALL POCKETS OF DIALOGUE ... WE EXPERIENCE

Image: uli@berens.cc, Flickr

Image: Wendy, Flickr

Steve Jobs — to be revered or abhorred?

Mark Waddington considers how we should remember the co-founder of Apple

ON 9th January 2007, Steve Jobs took to the stage at Macworld Conference in San Francisco to announce the future. “Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone”. The Apple logo has become ingrained in our minds, emblazoned upon our preconceptions and understandings of technology. However, behind the logo and behind every laptop carried around by preppy blonde girls on campus, was Steve Jobs. It has been 11 years since his passing and yet Jobs remains a somewhat mythical figure — a larger than life, bespecta cled, turtleneck wearing entrepre neur. While his influence on the development and progression of technology cannot be understated, is his legacy an untarnished story of genius and innovation or was he rather more controversial than we perhaps remember?

THE APPLE LOGO HAS BECOME INGRAINED IN OUR MINDS

In 1976, in Jobs’ parents’ garage, Jobs cofounded Apple with school friend, Steve Wozniak. While Wozniak is largely credited with the technology behind the original Apple I and II computers, Jobs was responsible for these devices hitting the consumer market. Apple II, which was Apple’s first mass-produced computer, sold

4.8 million units, making Apple a force to be reckoned with in the early era of personal computing. It was around this time that Jobs’ relationship with another schoolmate, Chrisann Brennan, was rekindled.

As Apple continued to grow, Brennan fell pregnant with Jobs as the father, a fact he would refute continuously for years to come. Despite this, Brennan and Jobs worked on a name for the baby, settling on Lisa. While Jobs would continue to deny that Lisa was his, he was obviously very taken with her and

in 1983, Apple would release the first personal computer with a graphical user interface (in layman’s terms, where the user could interact with the computer using symbols and images, not just typing in commands); this machine would be called the Apple Lisa.

Jobs eventually could no longer deny paternity with a DNA test concluding he was Lisa’s father. Jobs would pay only $500 per month in child support, despite being a multi-millionaire from Apple’s continually increas ing commercial success. Jobs’ shortcomings as a father would lead him to miss out on being named Time’s Per son of the Year, when Brennan gave an interview for Time Magazine, detailing her relationship with Steve. The Personal Computer would instead be named ‘Machine of the Year’ in 1983 in place of Jobs.

Following disagree ments with senior Apple board members about company restructuring, Jobs resigned from Apple in 1985, starting NeXT as a rival computing company.

Susan Wojcicki steps down

JOBS RESIGNED FROM APPLE IN 1985, STARTING NEXT AS A RIVAL COMPUTING COMPANY

While NeXT wasn’t as successful as Jobs’ previous endeavour, Apple would purchase NeXT for $400 million in 1997, bringing Jobs back to Apple. It was in this era of Jobs’ time at NeXT that he also funded the emergence of the Graphics Group, later known as Pixar. Jobs was instrumental to the early success of Pixar, for instance being named as Executive Producer on Pixar’s Toy Story (1995). As we all know, Pixar has gone on to redefine animation as a creative artform and medium and it is remarkable to realise Jobs recognised Pixar’s potential as early as 1986, given it is now up there with the most recognisable brands in the world.

as YouTube CEO

Catherine Stone, Online Features Editor, looks at Wojcicki’s legacy

SUSAN Wojcicki is not an immediately recognisable name to many — she is one of the more understated tech giants, who has nevertheless been a huge influence in shaping YouTube as its CEO. Wojcicki is stepping down after nine years in the role, to be succeeded by Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan. The user base of the platform has skyrocketed from 1 billion in 2014 to 2.5 billion today and her tenure has seen the increasing professionalisation of video content creation as a career and expanding diversity of content available.

THE USER BASE OF THE PLATFORM HAS SKYROCKETED TO 2.5 BILLION TODAY

She will go on to take on an advisory role across Google and Alphabet to impart diverse experience from her time as head of YouTube and involvement with Google from the very beginning. Wojcicki was the 16th ever Google

employee, and founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page operated out of her garage in Silicon Valley in 1998, making her a tech veteran, one of the cadre that captured the ‘moment’ of the technology boom in the late 1990s.

YouTube made a profit of $29 billion from ad revenue last year, but it has recently slumped, and the stock value of Alphabet, the corporate parent company of Google, has fallen by 11 per cent. YouTube dominated the video market for a decade but recently has been challenged by the short form video site TikTok, which overtook YouTube in viewing time in late 2022. In response, initiatives such as YouTube Shorts have gained trac-

tion to widen the platform’s appeal, with the feature now averaging 50 billion daily views.

Shorts, as well as YouTube TV, Premium and Music were largely developed by Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan, with Wojcicki crediting his influence in her blog after it was announced he would be succeeding her as CEO.

Controversies

YouTube has faced over the years include the spread of misinformation, with the company’s policies of fact-checking and content moderation considered inadequate by many. Fears of hate speech, incitement of violence, and radicalisation

have led leadership to ban some users, including former US President Donald Trump. She is one of the many long-standing tech bosses to step down from leadership roles in recent years, alongside Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg and Twitter’s Parag Agrawal. It has raised concerns about the decreasing number of women in tech’s top jobs, with the pioneering businesswomen Sheryl Sandberg, Meg Whitman, Ginni Rometty, Marissa Mayer all departing high-ranking and prominent roles at tech juggernauts in the last few years.

There has also been a minority of women in seedling business, with a Silicon Valley Bank report finding that more than half of American start-ups in 2020 contained no women in leadership.

Wojcicki’s legacy will resonate in her ability to move through different spaces of engineering, data science and business in order to smoothly operate a multifaceted company like YouTube, overseeing the biggest period of the platform’s growth and success.

Image: TechCrunch, Wikimedia Commons

Image: Maurizio Pesce, Wikimedia Commons

Image: Matthew Yohe, Wikimedia Commons

Meta unveils paid verification

Anabel Costa-Ferreira, Comment Editor, reviews Meta's new proposed plans

AMONEY-MAKING scheme that knows no bounds? Meta has recently announced that users will be able to pay for a verified blue tick, and this leads to the question how many users this new paid feature will attract. After adding a shopping hub and marketplace to their respective apps Instagram and Facebook, Zuckerberg follows Musk in questioning just how much of a price tag we place on our social presence.

subscription which has now complicated into a range of grey, gold and blue ticks in an attempt to differentiate individuals against business and government accounts.

Meta’s recent decision to follow suit will enable individuals to pay for verification,

ing us to consider whether the current rollout stage is being utilised as a trial run of sorts. As Zuckerberg continues to stress this move will heighten security, this raises serious concerns about identity theft online and how it is being made increasingly easy, as made evi -

tive monitoring for account impersonation". While historically the blue tick has been used to signify authenticity, is it perhaps contradictory that anyone can soon pay for this?

Often described as the ‘parent company’, the term Meta reaches back only to October 2021 when a rebranding of Facebook occurred, bringing in new partnerships with tech giants such as Microsoft. Familiar to most of us, the blue tick verification is a symbol of both authenticity and a notable figure or brand. It was first introduced by Twitter back in 2009, and other social media shortly followed, with YouTube enabling channels to submit requests once obtaining more than 100k subscribers. Since November 2022, Twitter began a premium blue

Ellie

ON 4th February 2023, an alleged Chinese spy balloon was shot down off the coast of South Carolina after traversing across the United States, including over key nuclear weapons bases in Montana and North Dakota. The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, makes clear this is a “violation of international law” — so should we be concerned about the advancement of surveillance balloons? Spy balloons are not cutting-edge spyware; first used in the French revolutionary wars, they went on to be used extensively to monitor US and Soviet militaries during the Cold War. Rendered inferior by modern surveillance satellite technology, spy balloons entered hibernation, but a renaissance has been seen in recent years. New Scientist reports that the US Pentagon intends to spend $27 million on surveillance balloon projects in 2023, seven times more than previous years, and the UK’s Ministry of Defence has funded Project Aether, which aims to develop uncrewed surveillance balloon systems for global use. Additionally, the New York Times reports that Chinese military scientists are working to make spy balloons “more durable” and “harder to detect and track”.

however, it has not been designed for use by businesses. The new feature is set to cost a user a monthly fee of $11.99 for web and $14.99 for an iPhone user. This subscription bundle has already been made available in Australia and New Zealand, though we are yet to see a timeline set for other countries, lead -

dent in many impersonating accounts starting to arise when Twitter moved to this. As well as the financial commitment, users will be required to upload an ID document and a profile that has visibility of their face. The Meta website even goes a step further as to ensure those who sign up will have "proac -

Meta continues to claim this shift is crucial to help creators "focus on building their communities", implying that there will inevitably be a positive impact for smaller users who will now become verified as a result of this change. From an outside perspective, the benefits of verification seem simple, providing increased visibility, increased clientele and subsequently increased business. However, like most social media restrictions there will be people who find their way around the rules and may use this tool to spread misinformation in a variety of forms from scams to online hate.

As we await these changes here in the UK, it begs the question where will this end? Is our growing inability to cope without a metaverse becoming our greatest weakness? And could we one-day end up paying to access even the application itself?

wake of Chinese 'weather balloons' War

of the future?

many advantages over surveillance satellites. According to Brynn Tannehill, RAND Corporation, balloons can capture images with the “same resolution as more expensive satellites” and can monitor the same area for “much longer periods”.

Military analysts have also argued the high altitudes spy balloons can reach, up to 20km, allows them to record over a larger area and in more detail than orbiting satellites.

Spy balloons can house cameras, radars, radio devices and sensors, as well as solar panels to power these devices.

They do not need to be manned and can remain active for weeks for longer assessment of ground activity. Aerostar has developed high-altitude balloons for NASA and the US Navy since the 1950s and offers some of

the most advanced surveillance balloons available today. They use artificial intelligence and weather prediction models to help the balloons use stratospheric winds to navigate, steer or continuously hover over an area of interest. Russ Van Der Werff, President of Stratospheric Solutions at Aerostar, also claims that their newest balloons can operate for 150 days at a time.

Surveillance balloons appear to offer financial and technological advantages, providing an inexpensive alternative to satellites that yields more detailed results. However, the threat posed by the easy concealment of spy balloons cannot be ignored. Spy balloons are hard to spot with traditional antisurveillance radar equipment. This evasive property can only be

expected to progress and could cause major international security incidents if it was utilised to gather intelligence for malicious purposes as seen in the Cold War; critical information could be gathered before a government realised a surveillance balloon had entered its airspace. New detection devices could also be incorporated to the balloons as they enter the market.

China maintains that the incident on the 4th February was an accident caused by high winds, and that the balloon’s purpose was purely for meteorological research. However, it is evident that such incidents, unintentional or premeditated, have the potential to deepen tensions between the world’s largest economic powers. Indeed, the recent spy balloon incident has already had a diplomatic impact, with the US Secretary of State’s upcoming two-day trip to China cancelled amid already strained relations between the two superpowers. It is clear the effects of such spyware seeps beyond gathering intelligence into a political weapon.

CHINA MAINTAINS THAT THE INCIDENT ON THE 4TH OF FEBRUARY WAS AN ACCIDENT CAUSED BY HIGH WINDS

Not all military projects come to fruition, but there is an evident international interest in spy balloons. With their advancing surveillance capabilities and potential to become political ammunition, it seems spy balloons are having a renaissance that simply cannot be ignored.

Modern spy balloons purportedly offer

Whitcombe details advancement in spy technology in the

Image: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, US Forest Service, Wikimedia Commons

LIFESTYLE ARTS + LIT

TECH

MUSIC STUDY BREAK SCREEN

STUDY BREAK

CROSSWORD study break | 8 M ar 2023 exhibit | 27

Across

1 Appearance (4)

4 Just — single (4)

8 Space traveller (9)

9 Be in debt (3)

11 Victim (of a scam, say) (4)

12 Attractive (8)

14 Outcome (6)

16 Touch affectionately (6)

18 Belgian capital city (8)

20 Couple (4)

23 Lout — boor — dolt (3)

24 Upper hand (9)

25 Quite (4)

26 Level (4)

2 Readily available (2,3)

3 Unit of nautical distance (4)

4 Not compulsory (8)

5 Hero-worship — elision (anagram) (7)

6 Roam (6)

7 Create (4)

10 Ovum (3)

13 Wordbook of technical terms (8)

15 Disorderly fight (7)

17 Set of (TV) episodes (6)

18 Jeer (3)

19 No score (tennis) (4)

21 Stun (5)

22 Leg joint (4)

Across: 1 Look, 4 Only, 8 Astronaut, 9 Owe, 11 Dupe, 12 Becoming, 14 Result, 16 Caress, 18 Brussels, 20 Pair, 23 Oaf, 24 Advantage, 25 Very, 26 Even. Down: 2 On tap, 3 Knot, 4 Optional, 5 Lionise, 6 Wander, 7 Make, 10 Egg, 13 Glossary, 15 Scuffle, 17 Series, 18 Boo, 19 Love, 21 Amaze, 22 Knee.

Trivia: 1. The Time Warp 2. 17th March 3. Welsh cakes 4. Prunes 5. Prince William 6. Any height

TRIVIA CORNER

1. What is the name of the anthemic dance in The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the beginning?

2. What day does St Patrick’s Day fall on?

3. What is traditionally eaten on St David’s Day?

4. What dried fruit were people told to say before “cheese” when told to smile in a photo?

5. Who is taller, Prince William or Prince Harry?

6. How far can a squirrel fall without dying?

Science Fusion energy with lasers

SCIENCE EDITORS: Daniel Pain and Hayley Power

Oliver Lamb, Deputy Editor, explains how the next source of green energy could have been created

IN December, scientists at the National Ignition Facility in California took another small step towards nuclear fusion power by achieving an energy gain for the first time.

Fusion works by fusing smaller isotopes — usually deuterium and tritium, which are isotopes of hydrogen — to form larger ones — usually helium. (Isotopes are variations of chemical elements: The number of neutrons in an atom’s nucleus may vary without substantially changing the element’s chemical properties). Nuclear fission, where an isotope is split, is the basis of existing forms of nuclear power.

Whereas most fusion research focuses on magnetic confinement fusion, the NIF breakthrough involved inertial confinement fusion. A laser pulse consisting of 192 beams was fired at a gold cylinder containing a capsule of hydrogen isotopes. The cylinder converted the laser light into x–rays, which caused the fuel to implode, and thence react. 3.15

megajoules of energy were produced from a 2.05MJ laser shot. Never before had a fusion reaction generated more energy than was put in.

A laser pulse was fired at a gold cylinder containing a capsule of hydrogen

Fusion’s potential rewards are colossal. Like fission, it produces no greenhouse gas; unlike fission, it produces only low-level, short–lived nuclear waste. Furthermore, the conditions required for a fusion reaction are so extreme, so hard to maintain, that a disastrous chain reaction cannot occur. Yet fusion produces four times more energy per kilogram of fuel than fission, and nearly four million times more than burning oil or coal. What’s more, deuterium can be extracted from seawater

at low cost, and tritium, though rare in nature, can be produced by reacting the lithium-6 isotope with neutrons from fission reactors. Theoretically, a few grams of these isotopes could gen erate a terajoule

Yet fusion produces four times more energy per kilogram of fuel than fission

Stars run on fusion, and it is for the stars that scientists are metaphorically reaching as they pursue this near–utopian vision. Fusion reactions in the heart of the Sun take place at ten million degrees Celsius — that, combined with the immense pressure, is required to persuade the isotopes to fuse. On Earth, because of the lower pressure, the threshold is 100 million degrees.

Longview Fusion hopes within five years to begin building a power plant that meets the ten–per–second target. They are just one start–up in a field that is buzzing with excitement and working to identify the best design and components. Focused Energy are pioneering a two–laser variant of ICF known as fast ignition. The Omega Laser Facility at the University of Rochester advocates getting rid of the cylinder. First Light Fusion is experimenting with projectiles instead of lasers.

for 60 years. In short, nuclear fusion promises clean, safe, practically limitless power.

Further challenges relate specifically to ICF. Generating the laser pulse itself requires hundreds of megajoules, so a viable ICF system would have to produce much more energy per shot. Moreover, the NIF can currently produce one shot a day; an ICF power plant may need to fire ten every seconds.

Magnetic confinement fusion, which uses magnetic fields to confine hot plasma, is still the primary subject of fusion research and the likeliest future basis for fusion power, at least commercially, given its superior ability to sustain reactions. But its little sibling is a dark horse to end the decades–long pursuit of energy production’s holy grail.

Scientists cover a robot finger in 'slightly sweaty' human skin

Sophia Mykhaylyuk notes how the next transformation in robotics is transforming the android world

IN an impressive technical feat, scientists at the University of Tokyo have successfully built a robotic finger covered in living human skin. Though not quite on par with the Bicentennial Man just yet, we are

temperature of around 36 degrees. On top of that, scientists have also confirmed that the finger (unlike the heart of a Newcastle fan this league) is able to heal itself, although it does take a week for the skin’s fibroblast cells to merge a collagen bandage with the rest of the skin.

Following these results, MIT engineer Ritu Raman has said that she can see a future version of the robot human bedded with nerve cells where robots can be more aware of their surroundings,

tions with humans may

be seamless enough to interact with people in medical care and the service industry. Although the skin is currently enjoying an enviable lifestyle, being submerged in sugary water for the majority of its lifespan, scientists predict that with the introduction of blood vessel replicas, they are on the way to making the skin both self–moisturising and self–replenishing. Thus, they anticipate a day when robots can be fully covered in robot skin.

This experiment is more than just a sci–fi nerd’s dream come true — scientists in the field have called it an ‘important step’ in redefining the relationship between humans and robots, blurring the line between the natural and artificial. The goal is to one day make robots resemble real people, though hopefully with more wholesome intentions than Arnold Schwarzeneg -

ger’s titular cyborg assassin.

Blurring the line between natural and artificial

Some concerns have been raised over how the combination of the lifelike and mechanical can trigger a sense of disgust and revulsion, known as the ‘uncanny valley effect’, with Dr Buru Urgen of the Bilkent Univeristy warning that the robots ‘maybe found eerie or creepy’. However, judging by the complexity of the robotic fingers' current skin care routine, and the fact that it is able to perform only marginal movements without ripping, it is safe to say that a future where Terminator reigns is still far from reality.

For the time being, the finger remains a, ‘slightly sweaty’, fantastic technical innovation with exciting potential.

Image:Pixabay, Seanbatty

Image: Pixabary, Clker-Free-Vector-Images

Image: Pixabay, rocheva

Interactions may be seamless enough to interact with humans

Artificial sweeteners to help in the fight against drug resistance

Daisy Scott, Online Deputy Editor, reports on the recent discovery that three artificial sweeteeners have been seen to de -

RECENT findings, published by the European Molecular Biology Organisation’s journal, Molecular Medicine, indicate that three artificial sweeteners rapidly decrease the growth rate of multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens. Not only do they disable bacteria which are the cause of serious infections, they reduce the level of the bacteria’s resistance to the most common antibiotics, meaning that less of them are needed. Since first discovered, antibiotics have revolutionised the treatment of bacterial infections and saved millions of lives. However, because of bacteria’s

ability to survive and adapt, as soon as a new antibiotic is put into use, a resistant “superbug” appears. There has since been a significant increase in the number of “superbugs” due to overuse of antibiotics and people not finishing the prescription. Dr Ronan McCarthy from Brunel University’s Centre of Inflammation Research and Translational Medicine has said, “It has created a dangerous situation where a “postantibiotic era” is becoming a reality. It threatens all aspects of healthcare.” The research found that the sweeteners saccharin, cyclamate and acesulfame-K (Ace-K) curb the two “priority

pathogens” which the World Health Organisation says need the most urgent new antibiotic treatment. They can completely stop the growth of both priority pathogens, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aerugionosa. These two bacteria are particularly dangerous for people who have a compromised immune system. Focusing specifically on Ace-K, the team found that it stops pathogens forming protective biofilms, which usually help them stick and cause chronic infections. Now working on further preclinical testing, the team say that all three of the sweeteners could of -

pathogens

fer potential new treatments for multi-drug resistant infections and could potentially be developed to replace antibiotics in some situations.

The team say that all three sweeteners could offer potential new treatments

Dr McCarthy has said “we have found a potential weapon that can be used in the war against superbugs”. This is a particularly exciting discovery since

IBS and gravity: What’s the connection?

antibiotics usually take billions of dollars invested over decades to develop.

Gracie Moore, Lifestyle Editor, discusses the theory that IBS may be linked to the body’s inability to cope with gravity

IRRITABLE Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects around one in five people in the UK at some point in their lives. It can be debilitating and often is put down to eating too much starchy food, an oversenstive gut, or simply stress.

However, Brennan Spiegel, Director of Health Services Research at Cedars-Sinai has suggested that the stomach and intestines have not evolved to be well adapted to gravity in the way the heart, lungs, the nervous system and spine have. He goes on to explain that “our body systems are constantly pulled downwards and if these systems cannot

manage the drag of gravity, then it can cause issues like pain, cramping, lightheadedness, sweating, rapid heartbeat and back issues”. Interestingly, these are all common symptoms of IBS.

The body is destined to carry heavy organs around in our abdomens from the day we’re born until the day we die, and if the support systems holding them against gravity should fail, this is where the compressed stomach and intestines begin to cause pain and poor digestion issues.

Serotonin, a neurotransmitter in our bodies that usually regulates body tem-

perature, attention and moods, has also evolved well against gravity and without it, we wouldn’t be able to pump intestinal goods against gravity. Have you ever been extremely sad or stressed and this has manifested into a stomach ache or simply poor digestion? Now you may have the answer as to why. Low serotonin (and subsequently low moods) hinders the digestion process. Therefore, this can often be demonstrated in digestive issues such as IBS or through sleep problems like chronic fatigue. Partially, they are due to a gravity intolerance that differs from per-

son to person. Dr Spiegel suggests that more research and experiments need to be carried out in order to

prove this, but this is a step in the right direction for IBS sufferers in terms of treating the root causes.

Almudena Visser Velez sheds light on the cause for the green smudge that ’s recently been visible in the sky

SOME readers may have seen photos in news articles recently of what appears to be a green smudge on a dark background. Or perhaps even seen a bright object in the sky but what was it?

Comets are frozen objects composed of dust and ice that orbit the Sun, or a less flattering description would be an enormous, dirty snowball. Their orbits are usually elliptical and they may come from very far away, outside of our own solar system, melting and burning up if they come too close to the Sun.

Comets travel at thousands of kilometres per hour, with speeds exceeding 100,000km/h as they approach the Sun and get pulled in by its gravity. Comets with shorter orbital periods may orbit the Sun several times, while those with longer orbits may only ever come around a single time, so seeing one may truly be a once in a lifetime experience. They consist of a frozen core, called the nucleus, which can be around 10 km wide. As the comet approaches the Sun, it heats up and the ice sublimates to a gas, causing a fuzzy cloud to

envelope the nucleus, called a coma. As the dusty gas streams off the nucleus, solar wind pushes the gas into a line behind the core, causing the famous bright trails that can run for millions of kilometres.

The comet that has hit the headlines recently is called C/2022 E3 ZTF, which swept through the sky in January and was closest to Earth on February 1st (coincidentally this author’s birthday).

The comet that hit headlines recently is C/2022 E3 ZTF

In long exposure telescopic photos, it came up as a bright green haze and could be seen through binoculars and potentially sharp eyes away from light pollution. As the comet is now receding from Earth, it will become harder to see and will soon disappear from view.

The bright green colour of

the main body, not unique to this comet, is thought to be caused by sunlight interacting with diatomic carbon, an unstable gaseous form of carbon with paired atoms. The dicarbon molecules are broken down by extreme ultraviolet radiation from the Sun, releasing energy in the form of light and causing a green glow, after which they split into single carbon atoms which form the coma.

This comet comes near Earth every 50,000 years, so was last visible in the Stone Age, meaning you might have wit nessed the same spectacle as your

very distant ancestors from a long bygone era, which is an extraordinary thought.

This comet comes near Earth every 50,000 years, so was last visible in the stone age

We will never have the privilege of seeing this specific comet again, but who knows what we’ll see next!

crease the growth rate of multi-drug resistant

Image: 148LENIN, Wikimedia Commons

Image: Darko Djurin, Wikimedia Commons

Image: Almudena Visser Velez

Image: Almudena Visser Velez

Lights out and away we go

Harry Craig, Music Editor, looks ahead at the upcoming season of Formula 1

BY the time this goes to press, the opening race of the 2023 F1 season in Bahrain will be in the books, and will have given us a fairly good idea of how this season may go. Of course, that is not a given — the winner of the first round has not gone on to win the championship since 2016!

Either way, this season looks set to give us an epic championship battle, and hopefully will not see a repeat of the Verstappen and Red Bull dominance of 2022. Last season ended with a resurgent Mercedes following their early season troubles, and hopes are high at Maranello that Ferrari could bring home its first drivers’ championship since 2007.

Indeed, it is the latter that has dominated discussion over the winter break. Team Principal Mattia Binotto was sacked last November after a series of failures in 2022, replaced by former Alfa Romeo Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur, who has worked extensively with Ferrari’s lead driver Charles Leclerc in the past. This has seen a wider shakeup within Ferrari, which came to the opening race of 2022 with the fastest car but failed to challenge for the championship after a series of mechanical, strategic and development errors.

This revitalised Ferrari team are cautiously optimistic that the reliability issues they suffered last season, in which Leclerc was twice forced to retire from the lead of a race, have been solved. They also need to fix the repeated strategy errors that have haunted the team in recent years and arguably cost Leclerc at least three wins last year. This assumes even greater importance with Leclerc’s contract ending in 2024 and a potential offer from Mercedes on the horizon — it is paramount that Ferrari deliver him the package needed to compete for a world title.

For Mercedes, 2022 delivered a new, albeit unpleasant experience: After eight consecutive constructors’ championship titles, they found themselves unable to fight. Nonetheless, the season ended with an unexpected win in Brazil, and the team claims to have made progress over the winter break. If so, there is certain to be a fascinating in-

tra-team dynamic between teammates George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton, seeking a record-breaking eighth world title, was unexpectedly outscored by his young teammate last season, albeit partly due to his bad luck.

However, pre-season testing has suggested 2022 may be more than just a blip for Mercedes, and that their struggles may become endemic. The car looked to struggle with both reliability and pace, and was a world away from their dominant 2020 challengers. Some even believe Mercedes will start the season behind customer team Aston Martin.

It is this Aston Martin team, which up until now has been confined to the midfield, that was the centre of attention at pre-season testing. New recruit and seasoned F1 veteran Fernando Alonso always brings plenty of hype, but following a successful pre-season test some believe Aston Martin could deliver a car that finally breaks through to the top teams. It would be a shock to see the team that finished sixth last season competing for wins, but perhaps not completely unexpected.

In contrast to their rivals, Red Bull have been relatively quiet over the winter break. After a dominant 2022 campaign, in which he broke the record for most wins in a season with 15, Max Verstappen will be the favourite to take a third world title that would draw him level with legends like Ayrton Senna and Niki Lauda.

Red Bull, however, are not overly confident, facing restrictions on aerodynamic testing due to their violation of cost cap regulations. However, pre-season testing suggested their 2023 car may be even faster than last year’s — a scary prospect for the rest of the grid, and it may be down to Ferrari for any hope of a challenge to Red Bull's domination.

As with any new F1 season, the rookie drivers are subject to much attention. There are three new faces on the 2023 grid: McLaren’s 2021 Formula 2 champion Oscar Piastri, AlphaTauri’s 2019 Formula 2 champion Nyck de Vries, and Williams’ Logan Sargeant, as well as the returning Nico Hülkenberg, who hasn’t had a full-

time F1 seat since 2019. Each of these come with very differing expectations.

Piastri has been subject to the most hype and expectation, perhaps more so than any rookie since Charles Leclerc in 2018. Even getting his seat has seen controversy; as an Alpine young driver, he was originally announced for the French team after Alonso’s departure to Aston Martin last summer, but then shocked the F1 world by announcing he had signed a contract with McLaren to replace fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo.

This, combined with his stellar racing record that has included F2 and F3 championship wins in his rookie seasons, means Piastri is under plenty of pressure to perform. His teammate Lando Norris is considered one of F1’s best talents; Piastri will do well to simply match, never mind beat, him. McLaren are also prepared for a tricky start to the season; Team Principal Andrea Stella has been pessimistic about McLaren’s chances, and pre-season testing appeared to confirm this. This may help take some of the pressure away for Piastri.

The other two rookies enter with significantly less expectation. Nyck de Vries’ hopes of an F1 seat appeared to be over, despite his championship wins in F2 and Formula E, until he was called in to replace a sick Alex Albon for Williams at last year’s Italian Grand Prix, and finished eighth. This caught the eye of Red Bull’s Helmut Marko, who recruited him to their sister team at AlphaTauri. Some in the paddock even believe he could be being lined up as a successor to Sergio Pérez,

who has been under increasing pressure to perform at the senior team.

Meanwhile, Logan Sargeant at Williams will be the first full-time American driver on the grid since Scott Speed in 2007 — something Formula 1 are very excited about, as they continue to break new ground in the American market. This will be a major talking point throughout the 2023 season, as F1 will break new ground in the States with a race in Las Vegas. The new street circuit will feature drivers racing down the iconic Strip in the penultimate race of the season, something that will catch the attention of even the most hardened F1 sceptics.

This is one of two new races on the 2023 calendar, alongside the returning Qatar Grand Prix, that takes F1 to a record-breaking 23-race calendar, in spite of the COVID-induced cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix. Six of these races will feature the sprint format, with qualifying on Friday, a sprint race on Saturday, and the main Grand Prix on Sunday, as F1 continues to tinker with its qualifying format.

Although we hope for plenty of on-track battles, there will be plenty off the track too. A story that has dominated the winter break has been the FIA’s ban on drivers making political gestures, which has been met with near-unanimous criticism from the drivers and beyond. It will be interesting to see if any drivers flout these new rules, as is widely anticipated.

In spite of these issues, the 2023 Formula 1 season promises to be a classic. Now we hope that it can live up to the hype.

Christian Atsu passes away in earthquake

FORMER Premier League footballer Christian Atsu has recently been found dead in Southern Turkey, after the country was struck by deadly earthquakes earlier this month.

Global tributes have poured in for the Ghanaian winger, who’s likely remembered in the UK for his 2017-2021 spell at Newcastle United and the 121 appearances he made for the club. Joining the Magpies on loan from Chelsea in 2016, he went on to play a crucial role in securing the club a Championship title that season. This earned him a permanent transfer, and he was later pivotal in helping to re-establish Newcastle’s position in the Premier League.

Impressing for not only club but country, he also made 65 appearances for Ghana, leading them to the African Cup of Nations final in 2015 — something of a career highlight. In his sensational AFCON performance that year, he won both Player and Goal of the Tournament, the latter thanks to an audacious strike against Guinea in the quarter final.

In his final game for Turkish club Hatayspor, played just hours before the disaster, Atsu scored the winner with a well-placed free kick in the 95th minute. The footballing world mourns a true talent.

Callum Martin

John Motson: 1945-2023

Toby Brisley, Sport Editor, reflects on his life in football

LAST month, the renowned football commentator John Motson passed away at the age of 77. Motson, or Motty, as he was more commonly known, had a career lasting 50 years with the BBC. He commentated on various competitions, including league games,

World Cups and European Championships. However, he was perhaps most famously associated with the FA Cup, reporting on 29 FA Cup finals over the course of his career.

Motty was synonymous with wearing a sheepskin jacket during games over the winter, and his voice was one of the

most recognisable in English football — with him commentating on over 2,000 games over the course of his career.

Tributes poured in the week after his passing, with minute silences being held before league matches as well as FA Cup games in his honour. Some consider him to have been

the voice for a generation of people who grew up around football. Whether it was listening to him live on the radio, or watching Match of the Day on Saturday nights, his voice was everywhere. It is clear that English football has lost one of its most knowledgable football commentators.

Image: GordonFlood

Image: Alex Prins

WE'RE at the halfway point of the Six Nations in 2023. So far, it would be fair to say a lot has happened. Scotland who finished the first weekend as apparent grand slam contenders have (yet again) had their hopes dashed by a re-energised French side. Italy have been daring and plucky in what should have arguably been one of their toughest starts to a championship for many years. England have gone back to basics and although the fruits of their labour are far from apparent, it looks like they are heading in the right direction. France have been as chaotic as they’ve been brilliant, losing to Ireland, beating Scotland and edging Italy. Wales have… the less said the better.

But how do things stand? How will everything end? Who will win the world cup? What is Wales’ attack actually trying to achieve? I will attempt to answer these and many more questions throughout this article in what will hopefully be a state of play of the midway point in the 2023 Six Nations.

The place I want to begin is in Rome. The year is 1998 and arguably the most passionate Italian man ever to walk the earth has just been born. Michele Lama-

The Six Nations so far

Joshua Hughes, Editor, reviews the opening rounds of Six Nations action

ro is not a name that many would have thought would be at the forefront of my mind when writing this article, but his passion, dedication and raw emotion has defined Italy’s start to the 2023 Six Nations. While they haven’t won anything, neither have Wales so that is negated. With the way Italy are playing right now, Wales are set for a nasty surprise in Rome in round four. The team that was once the cannon fodder for the home nations and France to test young blood against are now fierce in defence and dangerous in attack. A feisty display against France, a tight encounter at Twickenham and a spirited performance against Ireland will make Wales and Scotland wary of the threat the Azzurri pose.

England are currently a bit of an enigma. A team that was generally pretty flat footed in 2022 have now emerged as a physical yet attacking side. We saw flashes of this against Wales in Cardiff. The 20-10 score line was flattering to Wales but also tells of England’s current progress. Despite a strong scrum and maul, England have by no means been repaired by Steve Borthwick and the red rose rebuild will be a long-term project which will continue

beyond the World Cup later this year. Ireland and France are truly at the top of the table (not literally at the moment) but each have settled team sheets, clear attacking mindsets and well organised defences. France are at times their own worst enemy, over 80 minutes Ireland brought them right back down to reality as they were fully outplayed (despite strong individual performances). The red card against Scotland at home was similarly a potential championship defining moment. Although France went on to win that game, attempting to dismantle the English scrum with your first and second choice props banned for acts of foul play will not be an easy task. If France are at their attacking best against England at Twickenham, it is likely that they will be set for their first win in the English capital since 2007. Ireland similarly will look to close out the championship with wins over Scotland and England. Despite being on track for a grand slam, the prospect of beating Scotland at home is no longer the sure thing it was in the past. Scotland have only been beaten at home in two of their last five fixtures. Ireland’s hopes of a slam ultimately

depend on how Scotland will respond to their chaotic loss against France.

For Scotland, they need to work out what they want to be. Yes, they are an attacking machine — launching daring moves from deep inside their own 22. However, when teams dismantle them, they are made to look extremely average. Facing Ireland at home is a good test of where they are and a good indicator of whether Gregor Townsend’s long term plan will bear fruit in time for the World Cup.

Wales have been pretty awful. It’s not fun talking about a Welsh side who have faced so many issues off the pitch because it’s clear that if they don’t change course from the direction they are heading, they could be leaving France later this year earlier than expected. The return of Warren Gatland promised to be a call-back to the early 2010s where Wales went about their work without fear and worry. The reality is, however, that for Wales to succeed in the long-term, they are going to have to make key changes to the structure of their regional and national system, neither of which will happen before the end of the 2023 Six Nations.

England bringing back the fun to test cricket

Joseph Terry assesses the recent success of the England test cricket team

TEST cricket has been seen as the sick man of cricket for the majority of the 21st century. Less profitable, less exciting, less mainstream. In the era of T10 cricket and tournaments that award 12 runs for a six — the resurgence of test cricket via the swashbuckling English test team is welcome.

Thank you, Brendon McCullum, Ben Stokes and Rob Key, for saving the most prestigious format from extinction. And, for however hyperbolic that may sound, I think that this recent period has saved test cricket from extinction. Let me explain.

Brendon McCullum’s time as head coach has solved three main problems that blighted the English test team. These problems were as follows:

Firstly, no English test team since 2005 has been this confident. Gone are the days that English fans expect a batting collapse, gone are the days that a draw is good enough, gone are the days of the conservative declaration. McCullum and Stokes understand that confidence has been the biggest barrier to a successful English team for years. A lack of confidence leading to uncertainty over the ever-rotating spots at the top of the batting scorecard ever since the exit of Sir Alistair Cook, a lack of confidence leading to a roulette over the wicketkeeper gloves, and lack of confidence leading to a lack of respect for specialist spin bowlers.

Exeter University and Chiefs star banned

OLLIE Leatherbarrow, star of both the EURFC 1st XV and the Exeter Chiefs, has been handed an 8-week suspension by the RFU.

The no. 8 was caught up in an incident in early February representing the university at Cardiff.

Leatherbarrow, 19, is said to have "ran from behind the opposition rugby posts, towards the home team, a distance of approximately 20m."

The RFU report continues "He then proceeded to violently strike a player from the home team (Cardiff) to the face on two separate occasions which resulted in the assaulted player falling to the ground."

"The injured player received reddening to the right side of his face and was obviously shaken up by the incident."

Leatherbarrow also put forward his interpretation of the events in defence of his actions.

The forward suggested indecent language was used towards him by the assaulted Cardiff player and that he simply “walked towards the victim with the sole intention of him to repeat the words and to seek an apology.”

Finishing day one of the first test 506 runs to the good at nearly seven runs an over at Rawalpindi is a prime example that this team wants to change how test cricket is played, and their confidence is key to this. Given a mandate by Rob Key, Bazball is vibrant as ever.

Secondly, a strict culture of humility and enjoyment that has been spread by Ben Stokes I believe is crucial to their success. Probably driven by the riches and everything in-between a run in the countless number of franchise tournaments today — international teams battle increasing egoism. Take the spat between Cricket West Indies and Shimron Hetmyer, which included a bizarre report that criticised Hetmyer for missing a flight. Or growing apathy by South African internationals electing to play in the SA20 competition ahead of the one-day series with England.

How have Stokes and co responded? With humility and respect. Speaking after the batting collapse at Lords against South Africa last August that led to a day-three innings defeat — Stokes replied, “This isn’t a wake-up call for us (…) South Africa were better than us.” Previous English teams responded less constructively. Previous English teams would spin the media. But not this team led by Stokes.

More so this culture has bred a new crop of young test players that feel comfortable at this level. There are two ma-

jor examples of this mentality welcoming younger players, being Rehan Ahmed and Harry Brooks. Rehan Ahmed, the 18-year-old leg-spinner awaiting his fifth cap in the County Championship, getting a start in the Pakistan series and picking up 7-137 in his debut (including 5-48 off 15 overs), was a moment when I genuinely felt optimism for red-ball spinners when reliance on part-timers or sometimes starters like Joe Root and Moeen Ali has been overused. Furthermore, Harry Brooks stands on the point of being recorded as the best debutant in test cricket — scoring 800 runs in his first nine matches. I raise these examples as I don’t believe that Ahmed or Brooks would have ever felt confident in an English team from 2013, 2018 or 2021.

Image: Airwolfhound

Eyes focus on a home Ashes series now. And for once I am coming into this series confident that England will regain the urn as the two best test teams in the world face off. England fans shouldn’t write off Australia however — that despite recent batting struggles in India, given the conditions afforded to them by Indian groundsmen I don’t take the Australian losses too seriously.

This English team looks fierce on paper. Anderson, Broad, Archer, Robinson the electric guitarist; Ahmed and Leach the bass guitarists; Brooks, Root and Pope the drummers; McCullum and Stokes lead singers. The question is whether they can find harmony against an off-tempo Australian team during the Ashes.

Leatherbarrow revealed he acted violently because he felt “threatened and in danger by the presence of other Cardiff University players and squad members.”

However, the Exeter University student admitted he “regretted the altercation and accepts that he should have ignored the victim’s actions.”

Leatherbarrow has since missed out on chances to represent his national team, Scotland, at under-20 level at the under-20 Six Nations.

Rob Worthington, Sport Editor

Image: Kieran Moore

SPORT EDITOR: Rob Worthington Toby Brisley

Panic at St. James Park

IT has been almost a year since Exeter City’s striker and former captain Matt Jay clattered the ball into the back of the net at the St. James Road away end during a decisive fixture against Barrow, sending the ECFC faithful into ecstasy and the club into League One, avoiding the dreaded playoffs. As Exeter managed to return to the third tier of English football after a decade of confinement to League Two, there was only one target for the new season — survival.

The start of Exeter’s new campaign was promising. From the opening fixtures Exeter revealed themselves in the new league as a force to be reckoned with and the mid-table position that was quickly secured and maintained appeared to be a highly deserved intermediate outcome.

The departure of manager Matt Taylor to Rotherham came as an unpleasant surprise to the Grecians. However, Exeter’s satisfactory form was initially maintained by Kevin Nicholson and later Gary Caldwell. Going into 2023, Exeter left the relegation threat far behind and was by no means threatened by the drop.

Things changed for the worse in the new calendar year and Exeter City’s momentum was lost. While opening the year with a hard-fought victory over Oxford United, the Grecians achieved only five points in the next seven fixtures. February came as the climax of Exeter’s poor run of form as the Grecians drew a blank in 347 minutes of football, highlighting the lack of confidence up top.

Moreover, Exeter’s home form became the biggest concern among the Exeter City supporters. St. James Park is no longer a fortress, and this was clearly highlighted as Gary Caldwell’s men failed to register a win at home for over three months. The streak finally ended with a comprehensive victory over Cambridge United last week. Nevertheless, issues are present on and off the pitch and are impacted by a range of factors.

Exeter’s confidence up front is declining as they struggle to score goals in League One. The partnership of Sam Nombe and Jay Stansfield is not as effective anymore. Both strikers excelled under Taylor and Nicholson but have failed to maintain it under Caldwell. Incredibly enough, the latter still hasn’t found the back of the net since Caldwell’s arrival.

In addition, the team’s potential up front has certainly not been aided by the

absence of their top scorer Jevani Brown, who was recently charged with assault. The former Jamaican youth international will most likely miss out on the remainder of the campaign and with him being the main source of goals this will not make pleasant reading for City fans.

It is worth noting that the injury worries that were present throughout the season became more prominent in 2023.

With Diabate out with a recurring foot injury, Blackman nursing hip problems and Key also out for a while, the squad was forced to rotate. Gary Caldwell’s team was also impacted by the outgoing January transfers of Matt Jay, Sam Stubbs and Timothee Dieng.

Nevertheless, the Grecians made great use of the transfer window. The arrivals of exciting Demetrius Mitchell and the experienced Kevin McDonald, as well as several other excellent players, allowed Exeter to re-establish squad depth.

Other incomings included Joe White, Will Aimson, Gary Woods, James Scott and briefly Jokul Anderssen. Unfortunately, not every signing has performed at the expected level, at least not recently.

White and Scott certainly hoped for a better start at SJP. Neither have yet scored and with Archie Collins be-

ing pushed higher up the pitch, their game time has become highly limited. McDonald, Mitchell and certainly Aimson have started better, but did not help Exeter gain more points in February. From here, questions must be asked of Gary Caldwell.

It seemed Caldwell was placing square pegs in round holes, while fixing what doesn’t need to be fixed. Some of the latest decisions regarding the squad appeared to be highly controversial, receiving a negative response from the fans — for example, Harry Kite, a central midfielder, playing at right wing back with Key dropped to the bench, or Mitchell and Stansfield switching between the attacking midfield and striker roles. Questionable decisions to say the least.

However, most criticism came with the change of captaincy in the team. Pierce Sweeney was dropped as captain and the armband was claimed by new arrival Will Aimson — a rather bizarre decision by Gary Caldwell that acts almost as an insult to a player who was there in the promotion-winning season and deservedly received the armband from Matt Jay.

The game against Port Vale came as the lowest point in Exeter’s run of

bad form as City failed to register a shot on target against a fellow promoted side. The away defeat extended Exeter’s winless streak to four and caused serious concern around the club. For the first time this season, the club was threatened by relegation.

The win against Cambridge United was the lifeline City needed. Gary Caldwell’s men finally earned a victory at SJP, with Archie Collins ending Exeter’s goal drought with a bullet header. More importantly, the crowd finally saw the desired squad and formation as players returned to their usual positions. The victory allowed the team to maintain the mid-table position, although no complacency should be present in the upcoming games.

April will be a tough test for Caldwell and his players, with consecutive fixtures against teams from the promotion positions. Therefore, points must be earned now to ensure some sort of buffer zone from relegation.

Overall, Exeter possess the talent and experience that should keep them up. With players in natural positions and the correct mentality the Grecians should successfully finish this campaign and stay in League One for another season.

Mikhail Shklover

Image: Sam Parks