Issue 1453

| page 6 Lifestyle | page 13

Make your mark in

Missed the candidate manifestios? Find them on pages 17-20 Voting open Mon 4th - Wed 6th March 2024

Under the spotlight: prospective officers questioned on student issues

The Courier attended each of the Candidate Spotlights, providing insight on every night’s events.

Charlotte Lee - Blind Date Co-Ordinatior

Last week, student media hosted candidate spotlights for this year’s student officer elections.

Candidates were offered the chance to discuss their manifestos, answer submitted questions, and partake in a debate topic. The Courier attended each night of the spotlights to cover all the information you’ll need for the upcoming elections.

Education Officer

On Monday evening, the candidates for Education Officer kicked off the first of the Candidate Spotlights.

The first question asked the candidates to expand upon their views regarding inconsistencies within assessment feedback. Jonathan Lee started the discussion off by reiterating one of his key manifesto points: the standardisation of feedback; Lee told the audience that to tackle these inconsistencies, he would standardise how feedback is delivered to all students. Jasmine Banks expanded further on this point by reiterating why it is also necessary to streamline how assessments are conducted to encourage better progress - this point was picked up on by Jonathan Lee later in the debate where Banks clarified that

this standardisation would be within schools and degree programmes.

During the debate part of the evening candidates were asked “How would you promote students to get involved with the Student Voice and School Rep system within the Union”. Devika Bhave affirmed that she would like to reassure course reps that by taking up a position of responsibility you will not receive negative attention from lecturers.

Candidate Alina Ghazal conclusively agreed with her point. She stated that: “speaking to students in person gets a lot more visibility from what they want and they open up to you rather than surveys”. Overall, the spotlight was a proactive evening where all candidates equally challenged each other’s manifestos and strongly put forward their own.

Postgraduate Officer

The evening then promptly shifted towards the candidates for the Postgraduate Officer where only two out of five candidates took their spots: Akash ‘Sky’ Bandal and Saier Huang. One of the most relevant questions of the evening asked what ideas each candidate had to improve the employability of postgraduate students. Saier Huang explored how she would like to liaise with the careers services to create a graduate careers program where workshops can be held to relay professional industry advice. Sky Bandal then detailed a similar approach, stating that he would like to bring students together to help form connections later in their careers, particularly within the UK business industry.

Notably, the debate part of the evening, covered how the candidates would accommodate and understand

the needs of postgraduate research students. Sky reflected upon his experience within the business and reiterated that “there needs to be more resources for both research and teaching students” and the experience they need to get jobs after their degrees. Similarly, Saier expressed how she believes that in the second year of a PGR student, we should be encouraging them to publish some more essays and do some more experiments as well as hold activities to improve their mental health.

“The debate covered how candidates understand the needs of research students.”

Student Media Officer

Tuesday night’s debates started strong with the candidates for Student Media Officer taking the stage, with candidate Harshvardhan Rathore absent.

In a congenial and friendly manner, the debate travelled through manifestos, editorial integrity and the ‘Courier Centric’ narrative of student media.

Sam Norman, Lucy Bower and Jess McKeown took to the debate sofas with the main topic of conversation being the digitalisation of print media and the expanding of the student media community, all neatly wrapped into a

cool 45 minutes.

Noticeable moments for each candidate included Sam Norman’s manifesto pledge of ‘cyclical media’ in order to “share skills around all branches of student media” in an attempt at digital expansion and putting Student Media in line with other professional media businesses. Lucy Bower’s joint pledges to expand the society spotlight into other branches (NSR, NUTV) to complete her “open door opportunity” pledge was also a topic of the debate. Jess McKeown discussed her pledge looking to expand volunteers “skills development with social media editing/ digital workshops” in another attempt to address the digitisation of print media.

Continued on Page 3

A note from your Editor...

What's up my beautiful readers! Welcome to the wonderful world of The Courier -Issue 1453. I'm so incredibly proud to once again have produced this paper, with the excellent work of our writers, contributors and editorial team, and that's landed in your hands. Lukcy you!

With NUSU elections under way, it's been a busy few weeks here at the Union. Our Student Media volunteers have helped host the 2024 Candidates' Spotlight, with NUTV live streaming and our own editors providing coverage here in case you missed it.

I can't quite believe it's March already; I feel like the year is really

slipping away from me, and we're now more than halfway through the academic year. It's strange, knowing I'm counting down to the end of my time as Editor-in-Chief, and the uncertainty is mildly eating me alive. I worry about the wonderful community we've made this year, those I've gotten closer to, and the friends I've made in the other Sabbs who were almost strangers this time last year. Everyone is on the home stretch now..not just me, but all those students running in elections, those in Student Media, those who are writing dissertations, and those clingning on for the taste of summer.

I recently watched Netflix's One Day, and whilst I know the main premise of the series is the bond of platonic and romantic love, it also hit me how

Inside 4th March 2024

Current Affairs | Campus Comment

RAG Week: Raising and Giving

From Guide Dogs to Latin and Ballroom, the newly returned Raising and Giving throws a week's worth of events | Page 7

Life & Style | Fashion & Beauty

Tattoo or no tattoo?

Tackling indecisiveness over tattoos, this writer examines the pros and cons behind making the link to body ink| Page 15

Life & Style | Food & Drink

International Women's Day: Celebrating Female Chefs

Film sub-editor Jessica McKeown takes a look at the often underapprecaited array of talented female chefs in the culinary world | Page 21

Culture | Arts

World Book Day 2024! Read your way

A blast from the past, looking at what we loved about Wold Book day in the past| Page 28

Sports| Features

Former NUSU AU officer preparing for 500 mile charity Bike Ride

Former Newcastle University Student Union's Athletic Union Officer Fergus Mainland taking on 500 mile bike ride to combat Motor Neuron

Disease | Page 34

Want to get involved?

finite and brief our time is in any one place. My last four years on this campus shaped who I am, and I hold so many fond memories that when I return in 15 years time, are sure to hit me like a tonne of bricks. It's been weird, hard, but at times (mostly) wonderful, and I will never forget that.

No matter how hard these next few months will be, at least I'll have these papers to look back on - a beautiful and tangible reminder that I did something worthwhile in my time here.

On that slighly nostalgic note, I shall love you and leave you to your reading.

Hi everyone! My name is Gabbi, and I have the absolute pleasure of being your Student media Officer and Editor-In-Chief this year. Over the summer, I’ve been working hard behind the scenes alongside the Editorial team and NUSU to bring you this Freshers’ issue. Not only will you find loads of incredible articles written by our fantastic sub-editors, you’ll also find a one-stop guide to Freshers’ week, including an introduction to the Freshers’ week assistants who have put together an amazing programme of daytime activities for you all. Freshers’ week is a time to get to know more about

Turrah! Gabbi

If you're interested in getting involved in student media, come along to our weekly Student Media Afternoons (SMAs)!

You'll be able to meet the team, hear from our SMO, attend workshops and pick up as many articles as you'd like!

We alternate between article SMAs, and Workshops, where you'll have learn new skills and

become an even better writer.

Our SMAs are open to all, regardless of previous experience, and we would love to have you.

If you can't make the SMAs, left over articles will be posted to the sections' facebook groups, so keep an eye out! Up-to-date information will be posted to our Instagram.

OUR NEXT SMA

Wednesday 6th March 1:30pm The Bamburgh, NUSU

THE COURIER SECTIONS

Editor

Gabbi de Boer mediaofficer.union@newcastle.ac.uk

Social Media

Heads of Social Media: Paige Rutter and Jess Bradbury P.E.Rutter1@ncl.ac.uk / J.L.Bradbury2@ncl.ac.uk

Current Affairs

Senior editor:

Sam Norman S.Norman3@ncl.ac.uk

News

Amana Khan

Izabela Kirschnerova

Tommy Atkinson

Rhys James

Jude Ventress

Campus Comment

Libby Griffiths

Grace Boyle

Mia Dale

Opinion

Adelaide Dodson

Rosie Brennan

Margaux Martinez

Science

Elisabeth Gores

Matthew Barratt

Sport

Senior editor: Arthur Ferridge A.Ferridge2@ncl.ac.uk

Mitchell Hall

Castor Chan

Sophie McMillan

Dan Balliston

Adam Tibke

Deputy Editors

Rachael McCreanor and Ross Bennett R.Mccreanor2@ncl.ac.uk / R.Bennett3@ncl.ac.uk

Website

Heads of Online: Anthony Welsh

A.J.Welsh2@ncl.ac.uk

Life & Style

Senior editors:

Daisy Harrison

D.M.Harrison3@ncl.ac.uk

Samantha Seidu B.S.Seidu2@ncl.ac.uk

Relationships

Adriana Newbury

Charlotte Burnley-Hnat

Blind date and Agony Aunt:

Charlotte Lee

Lifestyle

Zahra Hanif

Jay Barber

Marina Snyder

Fashion & Beauty

Lana Free Ivy French

Travel

Charlie Reid

Ollie Withers

Avika Sharma

Food & Drink

Roseanna Leconte

Anna Nix

Culture

Senior editors:

Imogen Smillie I.C.Smillie1@ncl.ac.uk

Lucy Bower L.A.Bower2@ncl.ac.uk

Music

Poppy Bedford

Madeha Ali

TV

Ella Townson

Jenica Davis

Film

Jess McKeown

Olivia Carter

Ned Carter-Owen

Gaming

Adam Lovegrove

James Kellett

Arts

Sarah Tunstall

Laura Kasongo

Puzzles

Katie Siddall

K.E.Siddall1@ncl.ac.uk

Sub-Editors: Amana Khan , Izabela Kirschnerova, Rhys James, Jude

Devolution reaches Parliament International students renew fight against May's Government

Ellen Robbins Wilkinson

Over 3600 have won appeals against the Home Office following accusations of cheating.

Ten years after over 35,000 international students were accused of cheating in English-language tests, new evidence has been presented to the court in the push to clear their names.

In a case which has been compared to the Post Office Horizon scandal, thousands of international students have spent years protesting accusations of cheating, which led to the cancellation of visas and termination of study. Over 3600 have won appeals against the Home Office.

A 2014 BBC Panorama investigation uncovered widespread cheating in English-language test centres, prompting Home Secretary Theresa May to ask the test provider, Educational Testing Service (ETS) to investigate.

ETS found 97% of tests taken between 2011 and 2014 to be suspicious. The visas of around 58% of test takers were immediately cancelled, and a further 39% were asked to resit. Ultimately, only 2222 tests emerged as valid, according to the Home Office. As a result, 2500 students were deported after immigration enforcement raids on student accommodations, and 7200 left the country after warnings of arrest and deportation. The financial and psychological toll of the accusations has been high. There was no immediate way to appeal the decision, and the process

of attempting to get immigration courts to renew the visa cancellations has taken years and significant expense. Many students have faced depression, suicidal thoughts, poverty and even homelessness during their long fight to clear their names.

Advocates for the accused students have highlighted the implausibility that 97% of students were cheating. The Panorama investigation did provide legitimate evidence of cheating in two of around 90 test centres. However, new evidence from an expert witness has indicated the possibility of staff in test centres replacing all student tests with those taken by substitutes, invalidating all tests, including those of students

who were unaware of the fraud. In an interview with The Guardian, Labour MP Stephen Timms links the mismanagement of the tests, and scepticism towards students claiming their innocence, to the aim of Theresa May’s Home Office to drastically reduce net migration. In 2019, Home Secretary Sajid Javid proposed the development of a possible solution that would provide internal reviews for those who believed their visas had been wrongly cancelled. However, in July 2019, the proposal did not achieve Downing Street approval after the government reshuffle following Theresa May’s replacement by Boris Johnson as Prime Minister.

Legislation that will create a mayor for the North-East has been put before parliament. There are currently mayors for Northumberland, City of Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Gateshead, City of Sunderland, and County Durham.

Once the legislation is formally passed, there will be devolved powers to Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and County Durham.

The new Mayor of the NorthEast, who will represent two million people across the region, is set to be elected on May 2. The devolution deal will see the North-East Mayoral Combined Authority (NEMCA) replace the current North of Tyne Combined Authority (NTCA). The 30-year devolution deal will also see more than £6bn of funding for the region, including a £1.4bn mayoral investment fund and more than £2bn for improving transport infrastructure.

From an article in the BBC, Levelling Up minister Jacob Young said the deal was an "important milestone for communities across the North East".

There are currently six candidates standing in the mayoral election: Sitting independent North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll; Labour’s Kim McGuinness; Conservative Guy Renner-Thompson; Liberal Democrat Aidan King; The Green Party’s Andrew Gray; and Reform

UK’s Paul DonaghyOn Kim McGuinness’ candidate website, McGuiness says “As North East Mayor I will lead the fight to end child poverty, create good jobs and ensure we lead the UK once again in arts, culture and sport.”

Jamie Driscoll writes that he wants to see a stronger democracy, a fully public NHS, wealth tax, common ownership of utilities, universal basic income, proportional representation, repeal of oppressive anti-freedom laws, free tuition, and regulation of the media.

Guy Renner-Thompson said that his focus would be on a regional transport strategy and a small business grant scheme.

Aidan King, a lecturer at Newcastle University, vowed to create thousands of jobs by building the UK's largest on-shore wind farm, promised to "kickstart a housebuilding renaissance" and added his "common-sense transport plan" would provide seamless travel across Metro, bus, car and bike journeys.

Andrew Gray has said that with the new North East Mayoral Combined Authority due to receive billions in government funding, money should be spent "directly within the neighbourhoods" rather than "trickling down from big regional projects". Gray said his top priority would be to retrofit houses to make them warmer and cheaper to heat.

Paul Donaghy said if elected he would "promote economic growth, improve infrastructure, enhance community development, invest in youth provisions and represent the interests of the people, not those of any political party or unions".

The overview of Candidates' Spotlight

Continued from front page

Poppy Bedford - Music Sub-Editor

President

In Tuesdays second fixture, the potential Presidents took to the debating stage and discussed everything from financial constraints, snakes and, a key theme for the night, how to raise awareness.

Leo David and Atika Bawari started the evening with questions on the cost of living crisis, disability, inclusivity and diversity in the Students' Union. Both candidates answered with thoughtfulness and tact, making similar points but with Atika taking a stance that focused more on international students.

The conversation then moved to academic barriers and the integration of AI into university settings with ideas from both candidates including using “AI as a support system” and addressing the re-cap system.

A question from the audience was asked about students affected by foreign conflict with Leo emphasising the importance of the issue, acknowledging improvements to being "reactive and adaptive." Atika affirmed her agreement following Leo's response.

The candidates moved to the debate portion of the evening, discussing balancing working with stakeholders and for the student body. It was a unanimous answer from both candidates regarding ‘student led work’ and “demystifying” the processes by which the university (and Students' Union) works.

Zahra Hanif - Lifestyle Sub-Editor

Activities Officer

The 28th of February saw the third night of debates between prospective candidates for the 202425 Sabbatical Officer roles at Newcastle University Students’ Union. The first debate of the night was for the role of Activities Officer, attended by sole candidate Swati Subramaniam. Through her answers to a series of student submitted questions, Subramaniam affirmed her goals, consistent with the promises of her manifesto: increasing awareness of the Students’ Union within the student population, implementing inperson EDI and Bystander training, and running events that celebrate the diversity of our student body. She also went on to detail her experience as committee member, across multiple societies, and as a Communications student, that makes her well-equipped

for an Activities Officer role.

Subramaniam also took the opportunity to address concerns about the affordability of societies in light of the cost of living crisis, and stated that she will work to ensure that activities remain affordable, and that aid such as the Participation Bursary is well advertised.

Athletic Union Officer

In the second half of the evening, the debates for the role of Athletic Union Officer ensued.

The two candidates for the role, Alex Duggan, President of Newcastle University’s Women’s Rugby Club, and Jack Schofield, President of Newcastle University’s Wheelchair Basketball Club answered questions from the student body and partook in a lively debate following this.

Schofield stressed the importance of implementing recruitment videos for students wishing to join sports clubs, in order to alleviate the uncertainty of joining an unknown community. He also asserted the importance of collaboration, in consulting other clubs for their input in what needs improving. He also validated his manifesto points regarding the gym when they were brought into question, stating that the gym was an essential element in improving athletes’ performances.

Duggan re-affirmed her key manifesto points through her answers, of establishing a more positive and

inclusive sporting environment for all, but particularly under-represented groups, and fostering transparency in the Athletic Union Officer’s decisionmaking processes, all while creating a community for sporting committee members. She also spoke on increasing visibility for sports both through monthly flagship events and effective utilisation of the AU Officer’s social media accounts.

Imogen Smillie - Head of Culture

Liberation Officers

Thursday night brought us the fourth and final Candidate Spotlight. First up we met some of the candidates running for the Liberation Officer and Union Chair roles.

Three out eight candidates running for these roles attended, including Rhys Elson for Disability Officer, and Bee Balfourth and Jadenn Sivakumar for Ethnic Diversity Officer. Elson spoke mainly about their plan to implement stronger communication between students with disabilities and their lecturers to improve accessibility for their overall learning experience.

Balfourth expressed their dedication to promote inclusivity, hoping to host events in Venue at the SU for students to learn about other cultures.

Sivakumar also suggested events, as

well as social media sites to create “a cobweb” of different ethnic groups and promote inclusivity.

All candidates expressed the need to communicate with all other Liberation Officers, Union Chairs and Sabbatical Officers to create the best opportunities to help students and improve inclusivity for everyone, from all backgrounds.

Welfare and Equality Officer

Our final Candidates’ Spotlight was for the Welfare and Equality Officer role. The candidates here are Hisham Salamathullah, Srushti Shimoga Jayaswamy and Smile Vij, who all attended the event.

Salamathullah focussed his attention on the responsibility of this officer role in supporting all students, given his past experience in seeking welfare and equality needs.

Jayaswamy spoke about the education of welfare, and the more students know, the more accessible this role and system will be.

Vij aims to support all students whether they have visible disabilities or otherwise.

All candidates agreed that their main focus is that the student body is a family, and they will be a friend to anyone who seeks welfare or equality support.

Rhys James - News Sub-Editor

Image: Arno Mikkor on Flickr

Child poverty report contains "shocking truth"

Ellen Robbins Wilkinson

Report shows high child poverty rate in the North East.

Anew report from the North East Child Poverty Commission (NECPC) has found that over one-third (35%) of babies, children and young people in the North East are living in poverty, with one in five living below the ‘deep poverty’ line.

The North East currently has the second highest child poverty rate in the country. 18% of children live in ‘food insecure’ households, and 69% of families are estimated to have zero or limited savings.

“The report also draws attention to striking inequalities within the region.”

NECPC estimates that 63% of children living in poverty are in families who face at least one significant barrier to working or taking on extra work. However, the number of children living in poverty from working households has also sharply increased. In households where all parents work, the proportion of children living in poverty has doubled to 21.5%. A working mother, whose partner is also in work, is quoted in the report:

“I feel like I have an alright job […] why do I have my head in my hands every month worrying about how I’m going to manage the costs of everything?”

The report also draws attention to striking inequalities within the region.

In the North East Mayoral Combined Authority area, Elswick and North

Jesmond – both in Newcastle – have the highest and lowest respective child poverty rates, with a 55% difference. Even starker, in the Tees Valley Combined Authority area, the difference in rates between Newport and Mowden is 62%.

The report, titled ‘No Time To Wait,’ emphasises the urgency of the commission’s findings, compiled with research from cross-sector organisations, parents, carers, and young people, Whilst acknowledging the central role of national government in reducing child poverty, the report calls upon local government to pursue a ‘public health approach’ to the problem. The report’s main priority is therefore ‘securing a region-wide antipoverty commitment.’

"Further steps include expansion of free school meals and increased Living Wage provision."

Actionable recommendations include work to maximise family incomes, based on findings that unclaimed benefits and social tariffs amount to £1.33 billion across the North East. Further steps include the expansion of free school meals and increased Living Wage provision.

Chair of the NECPC project advisory group Baroness Hilary Armstrong said that the report “contained some shocking truths,” and emphasised the collective responsibility to move beyond this shock and “ensure we all take action.”

Burglar jailed after breaking into student home and stealing car.

Gary Hearn, a burglar who stole a car from a student house in Jesmond has been jailed for over three years.

The serial burglar had stolen a VW Up from a student house on Bayswater Road in Jesmond after he took the keys from the kitchen counter. Shortly after, Hearn crashed the car on Osborne Road.

Hearn previously had dozens of convictions of burglary, the very first one being from 1998, and primarily targeted student houses. Before the crime in Jesmond, Hearn stole a Playstation 5 and a passport from a student house in Heaton. Later he was found passed out in a bush and taken to the hospital.

Hearn pleaded guilty to two burglaries and aggravated vehicle theft. His jail sentence is three years and four months and he has been banned from driving for a year.

Hearn expressed remorse for his actions. The defending, Shaun Routledge, described Hearn’s behaviour as an obvious pattern tied to his drug problems. Hearn has been addicted to cocaine and valium and commits crimes following this.

The removal of Jesmond bollards begin

Sarah Myles

One of our writers discusses the context of removal of bollards in Jesmond.

The low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) scheme bollards are currently undergoing removal in Jesmond.

After a 10-month trial period, Newcastle City Council have confirmed that the bollards have provoked mixed reviews and will therefore be removed.

The bollards were installed on several streets between Osborne Road and Cradlewell in March 2023 and the scheme was planned to run until September.

The decision to remove them was based on feedback regarding longer journey times, increased congestion and negative impacts on businesses, shares the council.

They also shared that the aim of the scheme was to make "residential areas safer and less polluted for pedestrians and cyclists” but the result of a meeting on whether the LTN should be permanent concluded with 77% against and a petition of 5,000 signatures called to have them removed.

Janet Stansfield, a 52 year old who has lived in Jesmond since 1976, said

that the scheme had been “horrendous and divisive” and that “all it did was increase traffic on the arterial routes. It affected the swimming pool, it affected businesses.”

Labour councillor Marion Williams has also said: "The streets involved in the scheme have seen significant reductions in traffic and have achieved many of the objectives of the project", "however, anything we introduce needs to work for the local people and it is clear that some aspects of this scheme have failed to do that."

"A former Labour Councillor... claimed that the removal of the bollards demonstrated a lack of leadership."

The owner of Batch bakery on Clayton Road, Fran Eadon-Walker, said that she was “so happy I could cry” when told about the removal of the bollards.

However, David Hardman, a former Labour councillor and a resident of Akenside Terrace, claimed that the removal of the bollards demonstrated a “complete lack of leadership” from the council which he believes has “destroyed its credibility”. He said that “they have decided that a small increase in the time it takes to drive down Jesmond Road is justification for running all of that extra traffic through residential streets."

Barbora Pacherova

Image: Source Drug Addiction Clinic Vita

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Free public transport for young carers

Jess McKeown - Film sub-Editor

Newcastle City Council and transport companies work together to offer young carers free

public transport.

Newcastle City Council has announced a free travel card for young adult carers in the Tyne and Wear area, the first of its kind nationally. The card will give young carers between the ages of 16 and 25 a season ticket to travel on all public transport. The pass will expire March 2026 or on the user's 26th birthday whichever is first.

“The travel card is one of the initiatives as part of the Evry plan aimed at supporting the city's young people.”

The travel card is one of the initiatives as part of the Evry plan aimed at supporting the city's young people in response to young carers highlighting the impact travel costs had on their wellbeing and opportunities to access education and socialise.

A 2021 ONS survey identified around 120,000 young carers between the ages of 5 and 18 in England. Data from the 2021 census also identified the North East as having the highest percentage of carers at 10.1%. In Newcastle specifically, 1 in 12 young adults have a caring role and no support according to Newcastle Carers, who are running this scheme with the city council.

Councillor Nick Kemp, leader of Newcastle City Council, said: “Listening to and addressing the needs of our children and young people is a key priority for us. Our young carers and young adult carers do an amazing job, and we are proud to support this latest project which will give them the opportunity to access education, training, and employment as well as socialise with their friends and family.”

The Chief Executive Officer of Newcastle Carers, Luke Bramhall said in response to the scheme: “We are delighted that young carers and young adult carers will be able to access free travel. Caring for someone can be incredibly demanding and often restricts young people's ability to get out and about, including access to vital education and employment.

We wholeheartedly support the Travel Card scheme, and at Newcastle Carers, we will support young people with caring responsibilities to access it so they can thrive in Newcastle.”

If eligible, there is more information and you can apply through https://www. newcastlecarers.org.uk/young-adultcarers-free-travel-card/.

What on Earth is going on in the House of Commons?

Erin Gilhespie

Chaos in the House of Commons during Gaza cease-fire debate

Parliament erupted over calls for ceasefire in Gaza as Sir Lindsey Hoyle was accused of "playing party politics" to allow a Labour motion for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza.

What actually happened?

An ‘Opposition Day’ is a chance for non-governing parties to present issues to other MPs in the Commons. Currently, there are twenty annual days of opposition, seventeen of which are given to the official Leader of the Opposition, and three are allocated to the leader of the second largest party - who shares the time with other smaller parties in the commons.

Wednesday the 21st of February was therefore one of three annual opposition days allocated to the Scottish National Party (SNP), with the other seventeen being allocated to Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Party. The SNP tabled a motion that called for ‘immediate ceasefire‘ in Gaza, which sparked debate.

“The SNP tabled a motion that called for ‘immediate ceasefire‘ in Gaza, which sparked debate”

On Opposition Day, only the government proposes amendments to the proposition, as received by the speaker who would then call for a vote. This protocol is a vital part of functioning democracy, allowing for the SNP to exercise their mandate without interference from other opposition.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, caused commotion by selecting both the Conservative government and the Labour Party’s proposed amendments to be voted on. Precedent was therefore broken, as one opposition party is not expected to alter another’s motion.

"Conservative Party pulled out of proceedings, and so did not formally vote on the issue."

Disruption broke out amongst MPs, who jeered at the breaking of precedent. The Conservative Party pulled out of proceedings, and so did not formally vote on the issue. The Speaker allowed Labour’s amendment to be verbally approved amongst the disorder, and so there was no record of individual voting as would be expected - there were both SNP and Conservative lawmakers that left the house.

There has been speculation around the meeting between Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Sir Keir Starmer prior to proceedings in the Commons, with Labour MPs being accused of filibustering in the chamber to allow Starmer ample time with the speaker. Starmer denies the allegations that he was wrongfully controlling the proceedings of Parliament, stating he ‘simply urged’ the speaker to allow a

broad debate.

Opposition Days provide smaller parties with a legitimate voice that should not be imposed upon by more powerful parties. It is the role of the Speaker to follow precedent in order to protect the rights of our democracy.

It has been alluded to that the SNP tried to use their day as political leverage over the Labour party, who have been criticised for not giving a definitive position on the issues in

Gaza. We cannot forget that on their day of Opposition, the SNP are well within their right to do this.

"Critics have argued that this is a slippery slope for Starmer."

The Labour Party may simply be

retaliating against this; but critics have argued that it is a slippery slope for Starmer to take advantage of his relationship with the Speaker, also a member of the Labour Party.

The aftermath of the chaos that took place in the Commons has led to Prime Minister Rishi Sunk claims this event is 'concerning', as well as more than 60 MPs calling for Hoyle to resign.

Image Source: WikiMedia Commons

Battle of the Robinsons: the Philip Robinson vs Marjorie Robinson

Jack Evans - Head of NSR Specialist Programming

One student constructs a debate between Newcastle University's two most popular libraries.

Two important figures, Philip and Marjorie Robinson. Both immortalised by university libraries full of confused and stressed students. Only one can win, but who will triumph? Phil or Marj?

Firstly, location is a key factor. One closer to Jesmond, the other Sandyford. Depending on where you live, you’ll probably go to the closest option. If like me you live in Sandyford, Marj is the closer of the two. Since Newcastle likes to be either rainy or windy 99% of the time, the closest option is always going to win for me. 1-0 to Marj.

"Since Newcastle likes to be rainy or windy 99% of the time, the closest option is always going to win for me."

Size is also a factor in the battle between Newcastle University’s two most popular libraries. Phil is significantly bigger and has far

Living in a productivity obsessed society

Scarlet Davies

Why do we feel the need to be productive to impress people?

It has always been imperative that humans have a purpose, and it seems as though we have turned increasingly career-focused. School pupils are forced to think about what job they want long before they graduate and even adults hunger after promotions and workplace recognition. But should we be as fixated as we are on what is essentially material wealth, or should society place worth on something less mentally taxing?

It’s a very superficial way of trying to outdo others and gain recognition in the modern world.

Grade-based achievements have also become more prevalent, and even hobbies and extracurricular activities are often catered towards how they would look on a resume. Students tend to struggle with the balance of work and their lives at university because there is a massive social pressure to go out whilst also maintaining a high standard of work; a task that is impossible to achieve long-term.

As a result, mental health in young adults often focuses on school and the fear of failure. Schools are putting more pressure on students than ever before to stick to rigorous revision schemes in order to achieve high results, and this means that students are struggling to live up to the unrealistic expectations that they set for

To some extent, not being ‘productive’ all the time and following your own pursuits is simply refusing to conform to society’s ideal structure. Social media and modernday restraints often force us to believe that our purpose in life is to always be pushing to the next milestone, but sometimes it can be more fulfilling to just

more resources, and room for scrolling TikTok and staring blankly at Canvas. So, if you’re there during exam season, there’s more likely to be a space to sit. 1-1. However, the Marj just feels a bit less clustered and more organised to me, making it an appealing option if you don’t want to be overwhelmed by places to sit. I reckon that pushes the scales, making it 2-1 to Marj. All these factors aside, vibes are an equally important component to any library-based debate. Phil has always been associated with chaos for me. Having spent many days (and nights) there in second year, I can’t recall a fun memory there, mainly just stress and confusion.

"Having spent many days (and nights) there in second year, I can't recall a fun memory there, mainly just stress and confusion."

However, the Marj feels more chilled out. Normally a lot quieter, and I find myself being much more productive there. 3-1 to Marj, she’s running away with it. However, the Marj can’t get too comfortable with her current position, Phil still has a few tricks, or should I say books, up his sleeve. In his human

form Phil was a bookseller, giving off traditional library vibes and aura. I always felt like a naff version of Harry Potter scrolling the shelves for a nonexistent book for some reason. I would suggest it to J.K. as the next book, but ‘Harry Potter and the 2:1' doesn’t really have a ring to it. Put this together with a smoking area, 24-hour access and a little sign telling you how many people are in the library at any given time (my favourite feature) and Phil wins for quirkiness. 3-2 now, it's evening out. I reckon that’s full time (I’ve exceeded the word count for this article). Final score: Marj wins 3-2. So that technically

makes Marj the better library, right? Well, it’s all down to opinion, but give me Marj any day.

"In his human form Phil was a bookseller, giving off traditional library vibes and aura."

Put it this way, whenever I hear Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘Mrs Robinson’, I like to pretend they’re singing about how good Marj is.

Tackling the graduation anxiety on the horizon

Rhys James - News Sub-Editor

With graduation dates on the horizon, it's time to reflect upon what is next.

The day that I finally leave education and must fend for myself in the real world is here: July 18. When I found out about this date, I had mixed emotions. Initially I was filled with joy, because I am a person who likes to know exactly when everything is happening. It is nice to finally have a date to look forward to. However, dread quickly followed. In only five short months I am going to leave Newcastle University, my home for the past three years.

"what am I going to do with my life?', or 'what point should I have a job lined up for after graduation?"

I am sure many students planning to graduate this summer are experiencing the same stresses as I am. Such as ‘what am I going to do with my life?’, or ‘at what point should I have a job lined up for after graduation?’, or ‘am I going to

have to move back home?’. For many, I am sure the latter of those thoughts is probably the most topical one. For the past several months I have battled with an internal debate as to whether I want to move home. There are many benefits, yet for me so many drawbacks. I have become accustomed to living with friends and having my own space to live my life how I want to. As much as I love my home, I think I would struggle adjusting back into my parents’ routine.

"it is such a joy to journey back through the memories and remind yourself of how far you've come."

Instead of focusing on postgraduation, I am deciding to enjoy the time that I have left at Newcastle and not waste it being stressed about things that haven’t even happened yet, and focus on the incredible three years that I have had at university. Whenever any major life event comes to an end, it is such a joy to journey

back through the memories and remind yourself how far you have come. For me, some of the milestones from the past three years include moving away from home in first year, meeting so many people who will hopefully be in my life for a very long time, writing my first article in The Courier, travelling over the UK to visit friends at different universities, starting a society, travelling with friends, and so many more.

On graduation day, I’m sure I will be filled with so many emotions I will probably feel unwell, but until July 18, I am going to treasure every moment I have left at Newcastle

Image Source: Flickr, Simon Cotterill

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons, Andrew Curtis

Dissertation diaries: choosing your topic RAG Week

Smith’s ‘dear white America’, from which I received my highest mark in my degree up until this point. From this, I realised that systemic racism and state control within contemporary literature was something that I wanted to pursue further within my dissertation.

Dissertation has become a dirty word that no one wants to hear – we don’t want you to ask how much we have written or how much reading we’ve done. Don’t mention it. Hence why I’m procrastinating by writing about my dissertation instead of actually writing it. However, I know how daunting it can be when deciding what to write your dissertation on, so here is how I chose my topic.

I personally felt a lot of pressure when deciding what to write my dissertation on as I wanted this to be my best piece of work I produce during my undergraduate degree. I study English Literature, so the wealth of options available really threw me off, but my process of deciding began by reflecting on previous modules that I had encountered. My secondyear module ‘Contemporary Cultures’ hugely inspired me – this has been my favourite module throughout my whole degree, so I knew that I needed to start there. My final essay for this module was on the concept of waste in Claudia Rankine’s Citizen and Danez

"systemic racism and state control within contemporary literature was something I wanted to pursue further."

American poet that would make a strong comparison. If you get to this point, don’t hesitate to ask your supervisor for recommendations - mine sent me a few suggestions and led to me finding my second text: American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin by Terrance Hayes.

"I've cried, I've procrastinated, and said 'I give up' too many times already."

commit to one thing and see where your ideas take you. As an extremely indecisive person, I just had to bite the bullet and stick with what I had, otherwise I would have risked losing valuable research time.

I’ve cried, I’ve procrastinated, and said “I give up” too many times already. But there’s only a few months left until it will all be over. My main advice is:

1) Choose a topic you are interested in

If you’re not interested, you won’t want to research anything. This is

Is assessment feedback useful?

A student reflects on her previous assessment feedback, and gives advice on how to utilise it.

Assessment feedback.

The thing that we sometimes have to wait months for. But is it helpful at all? Is it really worth the wait?

As an English Literature and Spanish student, I have definitely had my fair share of frustrations when it comes to assessment feedback, both for exams and for essays. Feedback such as ‘well actually, this word would have been better than this word for this very specific sentence’ does not exactly offer much improvement beyond the realms of that one essay.

If feedback can’t be applied to help guide future assignments, then I do find myself wondering how I’m meant to learn from it. And, even worse, for some of my Spanish exams, we aren’t actually provided with any feedback at all, despite having to sit the same exams, at different levels, every year. So yes frustration is an emotion I often associate with assessment feedback - or

Dissertation topics can be hard to choosebut here's some ideas. Image:

the lack of it - but frustration doesn’t help me get any better. Although some feedback can be undeniably awfully unhelpful, verging on the edge of pointlessness, it is all we have to help us 'improve' our work in some ways. So how can we make the most of what we get?

Pester your lecturers! Their office hours are there for a reason. If there is one thing that I wish I had learnt earlier in my degree, it would be this: to make the most of your lecturers. If the feedback appears arbitrary, inapplicable and ultimately fails to teach you how to improve, then challenge the markers - ask for an explanation.

Our lecturers have to mark an unending stream of assignments every year, their written feedback is often limited by time and word count, so if some of their comments are found lacking or you don’t quite understand the point they are making, all you need to do is ask. Whilst that can be daunting, they are there to help us, and, if anything, they would be grateful for the chance to expand on their points face to face. Don’t get discouraged by the comments of ‘???’ on your work - chase up your lecturers. After all, assessment feedback is whatever you decide to make of it.

2)Think about what kind of themes or genres you are interested in

Narrow down your specific areas of

3)What do you want to ask/ contribute by the end of your

What is the ultimate conclusion of

4)Speak to teaching staff. Discussions may bring up a new idea, and lecturers will have a wealth of knowledge to aid the development of your project.

STEM superiority sweeping universities

Cory Gourley

STEM can save lives. The Arts and Humanities enrich lives. All of us taking a humanities degree have had that moment. That moment of fear when we get asked what degree we are studying. Whether it be your new flatmates during the dreaded Fresher’s week or whether it be a member of your extended family you have conveniently avoided since the days of UCAS begun, the fear is real. The reason for it: we don’t want to be asked questions like, ‘So, what is Sociology?’, ‘Is Art History actually a degree?’, ‘In English don’t you just read books?’

"Often people do these disciplines a disservice by falling into a trap of discussing career prospects."

However, it’s time for those of us who work in and study the arts and humanities to change the way we defend them. Often people do these disciplines a disservice by falling into a trap of discussing the career prospects these degrees can lead to, the fact that they make us more articulate for Job interviews etc. People are not going to buy that - of course an arts degree is not going to have the same direct impact as a Medicine or Pharmacy degree and we all know that. So, instead, what people should really be focussing on is not how they improve employment, but how they improve lives.

Of course, we need medical professionals and researchers - thank goodness for them - but we can’t all be Oncologists or Psychiatrists and nor would we want to be. That is because as humans we want to be enriched, we have a desire to be stimulated, we want to judge ourselves against others, we want to investigate Alien worlds and appreciate the values and talents of other humans and the arts has a unique ability to do that. Every we film or documentary we watch, article we read has got a team of creatives, from the world of the arts and humanities behind it.

I love nothing more than to quote a Miss Blanche Dubois who said ‘I

On February 15, Raising and Giving (RAG) hosted an event for students to meet the guide dogs, their owners, and learn more about the charity. Four furry friends and their owners shared information on their dogs, stories, and experiences from the Guide Dogs Charity.

I sat down in conversation with John, and his furry friend Hayleya friendly, eight year old Labrador. When she retired from being a guide dog at six years old, during COVID-19, John rehomed her.

John revealed the Guide Dogs Charity has over 4,900 partnerships, with a nationwide waiting list of 1,000. The demand is high, but the cost is even higher.

As John stated: "These days, from time of birth to death, [guide dog costs] are £57,000 - John, Guide Dogs Charity

For raising, breeding, and training, with no government help whatsoever, the charity relies on donations and the 60% of volunteer work to provide their muchneeded services. Surprisingly, many of the donations come from deceased guide dog owners' last will and testaments. Therefore, a lot of guide dogs are named after previous handlers.

"The charity relies on donations and the 60% of volunteer work to provide their muchneeded services."

For example, one handler left £50,000 to the charity in his will for the next litter of guide dog puppies beginning with the letter

Amelie Baker

Libby

Image: Source: Unsplash _Anastasia Zhenina

The issue with transphobia in Parliament

Content Warning: Transphobia

Rosie Brennan - Opinion Sub-Editor

Are Sunak's recent comments using the trans community as scapegoats?

Over the many years of Tory parliamentary rule, we have witnessed the use of scapegoats as a distraction from broken promises and incompetence. Personally, it comes as absolutely no surprise that these scapegoats are often less powerful groups within society, like immigrants, queer people and most recently, the trans community.

Sunak's (quite frankly, random) comments from October concerning the discourse surrounding identity politics in primary schools was somewhat concerning, and his recent statements are becoming increasingly shamelessly transphobic.

The Prime Minister's Thatcheresque comments of "it shouldn't be controversial for parents to know what children are being taught in school about relationships" and that "patients should now when hospitals are talking about men or women" were

quite honestly baffling. I'd like to just remind everyone in Britain that it is quite literally illegal for schools to not disclose what they are teaching children in primary schools, particularly about sex and relationships, so whatever controversy Sunak was discussing here just doesn't make any sense. If he needs it spelling out, no, drag queens are not teaching your local primary schools that biological sex does not exist. I hope that is simple enough for the PM to wrap his head around. Furthermore, patients do know when hospitals are talking about men and women, because there is a difference between sex and gender, a concept Sunak seems to be conveniently failing to understand.

"Sunak joked that the leader of the Labour Party could not define what a woman is."

The most recent instance of this transphobia occurred when Sunak joked that the leader of the opposition Labour Party could not define what a woman is, during a parliamentary exchange that the mother of Brianna Ghey (a 16-yearold transgender girl who was murdered in an attack last year) had been invited to watch. The two teenagers responsible for her death had been jailed the week prior to this, and a Labour lawmaker had invited Ghey's mother to watch

the PM's weekly question-and-answer session in parliament. Sunak said, with Brianna's mother watching, that Kier Stamer had "defining a woman" on his list of broken promises, joking that it had been "only 99% of a U-turn".

"Nobody asked him to bring the human experience of transgender people into the conversation."

Since this, Sunak has (shockingly) refused to apologise for the remark, despite Brianna's father Peter Spooner urging the Prime Minister to acknowledge the pain caused by his comments and apologise. Rather than taking responsibility for his actions, Sunak has described the situation as "the worst of politics", arguing that linking his comments about Starmer's U-turns to Brianna's tragic death is "sad and wrong".

Perhaps if the Prime Minister does not wish to be criticised for hurting the trans community, he should not use their existence to mock others, whatever you think about Starmer's policies. If Sunak wishes to disparage the Labour leader's U-turns, he should simply point our the U-turns themselves. Nobody asked him to bring the human experience of transgender people into the conversation, he made that decision

himself, and should take responsibility for doing so.

"Trans people are people, not a humorous anecdote for you to mock others with."

The fact that we even have to use the phrase "trans rights are human rights"

just highlights the problem in this country with gender identity discourse. Trans people are people, not a humorous anecdote for you to mock others with. If Sunak wishes to point out the hypocrisy of Starmer's actions, I'd suggest just doing that, rather than using marginalised groups in society as a tool for mockery.

Image: Flickr, Foreign,Commonw ealth&DevelopmentOffice

Is Sunak the captain of a sinking ship?

Jess McKeown - Film Sub-Editor

Reflections on the current stability of the Conservative party.

After fourteen years in power, the Conservative Party has managed to run it's reputation, the economy, the country's infrastructure and social mobility into the ground. The UK has been crying out for an election since the pandemic and the results of the recent by-elections indicate the scale of the potential electoral wipe-out coming later this year. But beyond the election, is the party itself on the brink of implosion?

The recent by-elections in Wellingborough and Kingswood continue the trend of Conservative to Labour swings. With Wellingborough marking the second largest swing since World War Two and YouGov predicting in January that the Conservatives will retain just 169 seats against a Labour win of a predicted 385 seats, some political commentators are predicting a 1997 Blair-level wipe-out at the election. In response to the by-elections, Sunak insisted that "mid-term elections are always difficult" for incumbent governments. His critics have pointed out that these are not mid-terms with years to turn the results around but that he has mere months.

These results hit the headlines along with the UK slipping into a technical recession.

"Sunak's competence is being questioned in light of this."

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that GDP fell

0.3% in the final quarter of 2023. Sunak's competence is being questioned in light of this as one of his five priority pledges was to grow the economy.

Internally, the Conservative Party is suffering from the increased number of factions emerging and are losing the right of the party with their voter base to Reform who won over 10% of the vote in the recent by-elections.

The One Nation faction of the party has warned Sunak that it would be "politically disastrous" if they moved

any further right.

Former prime minister Liz Truss recently launched PopCon, short for Popular Conservatives, which argue that every single institution must have brainwashed woke leftists in charge because god forbid the party that's been in power for nearly a decade and a half take any accountability for the state of the country. There have been constant rumblings of MPs calling for the prime minister's resignation under Sunak and his two predecessors. Currently Simon Clarke and Andrea Jenkyns are the only two MPs that have publicly called for his resignation but political commentators suspect that many MPs are waiting for the May by-election results. Some of the internal strife can be traced back to the leadership contest when Boris Johnson resigned. Limited to Conservative Party members, Truss won 57.4% of the vote against Sunak who then won the seat from her when she resigned because nobody else ran for leadership. The fatigue from a series of unelected prime ministers and the fact that Sunak wasn't the majority's first choice has resulted in a divided party that doesn't fully back their leader. It seems extremely likely that when the party loses the election, Sunak is forced out as leader.

"The fatigue from a series of unelected Prime Ministers... has resulted in a divided party."

Sunak has been plagued with bad headlines recently thanks to bad policy decisions and poor tasting comments such as the so-called joke he aimed at

Keir Starmer in PMQs about trans people when the mother of murdered trans teen Brianna Ghey was present just mere days after her daughter's murderers were sentenced. The Tory focus on culture wars and non-issues such as banning mobile phones in school, which were already banned by most, make them fundamentally look weak at crafting policy. Forget about your dreams of owning a home in the future but it's fine because now your children's teachers can confiscate their phone and not be liable for any damage.

"Unwillingness to listen to public opinion or their own MPs have them in an echo chamber."

You have to hand it to the Tories though. They don't give up trying to get extremely flawed policies passed from Brexit to Rwanda. Obviously, I am not arguing the merits of these policies - the determination to abandon the ECHR is abhorrent - but their determination will be their downfall. Their unwillingness to listen to public opinion or their own MPs have kept them in an echo chamber of the right wing of the party.

Though the date of the general election remains unconfirmed, 2024 is already shaping up to be an interesting year for UK politics and democracy. Pressure is mounting on the Conservatives but will they crack?

Junior doctor strikes: are the government doing enough?

Adelaide Dodson - Opinion Sub-Editor

A writer discusses whether the government can be blamed for junior doctor strikes.

To me it seems simple, pay doctors, nurses, teachers, - anyone really - enough to get by and move on. Of course the reality is not that simple. And in February this lead to the longest Junior Doctor strike to date.

"The government have failed to solve many peoples real problems."

The Junior doctors committee cochairs Dr Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi said they're working hard to make a fair deal whilst avoiding strike action but this has obviously not panned out. The

government have failed to solve many peoples real problems and I feel we can only see the resulting strain put on nurses, senior doctors and the NHS as a whole is the governments fault.

"The NHS needs more staff, more money and more support from the government."

The British Medical Association said the government failed to meet the deadline they set for an improved pay offer. Striking seems inevitable when there is no agreement.

Care will be affected and has been over the last year, since March there has been over ten strikes. The NHS has stated that people will have to wait for appointments or treatments they've already been waiting months for. The average wait time for a non-emergency appointment in hospital is eighteen weeks. The NHS needs more staff, more money and more support from the government or it it simply going to run itself into the ground. Surely it's

"It feels like the government needs to step up."

time to give a little and allow junior doctors the finances they so clearly need. Junior doctors earn, on average, £34,790 a year (which admittedly to a

consider their insanely long hours, the constant mental and physical toll and the cost of living crisis (to mention a few things) and you end up with quite a bleak picture. All in all it feels like the government needs to step up, take responsibility and support the national institution that is the NHS or see it crumble under its own weight.

Balancing the private and public knowledge of societal figures

Erin Gilhepsie

Some thoughts on British public figures' media transparency.

When understanding the UK as a country, our public figures are vital. Our government and our Monarchy are important as institutions. They are the foundations of this country’s image. What we must consider, however, is the personal connections between the public and the people in these institutions. Politicians, members of the royal family, not only do they make decisions on our behalf, but they also represent us as a nation. If public figures are to serve us effectively, a certain level of transparency is expected.

"We feel entited to know them, to understand them - but how much do we actually get to see."

We feel entitled to know them, to understand them - but how much do we actually get to see, and how much does the public want to see… Traditionally, our access to public figures has been through neutral sources like the BBC. We are given unbiased access in order to sufficiently hold public figures like the royal family to account - especially as support for the

Monarchy still remains relatively high. According to the Reuters Institute, 30% of adults access the news multiple times a day, with an extreme interest in current affairs. However, there is only a certain level of detail given to us by news outlets like the BBC, and, in an age of social media and its familiarity, the public wants to know more. With current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak boasting an incredible 3.2 million followers on Instagram, we see social media becoming increasingly politicized. Public figures are able to control their own narrative, engaging on a more personal level with huge audiences. We’ve seen some examples of public figures going one step further, with

households. Other television programmes like ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here’ have allowed politicians Matt Hancock and Nigel Farage to construct their personal image outside of politics, with the latter earning a whopping £1.5 million for doing so.

"It is only natural for the public to have such curiousities and it certainly reamins heavily debated."

Third year Newcastle student

That being said, it is only natural for the public to have such curiosities, and it certainly remains heavily debated as to how much we should know about these public figures. Greater transparency may create better understanding and greater trust, it may even encourage modernization from more traditional institutions.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, for example, often engage with younger audiences through their 15.1 million followers on Instagram. Nevertheless, it is essential that public figures use this familiarity to aid them in creating good, rather than coming at a cost to public service.

With another U-turn, we reflect on Labour's current stance on enviormental matters.

Two months into 2024 and we still have no concrete date for the general elections. All we know is that they are supposed to happen before January of next year (2025). This election marks an important step for the Labour party as they expect to win it and be able to appoint the next Prime Minister which hasn’t happened since 2010. But they keep messing up.

In 2021, Rachel Reeves – shadow chancellor – announced a £28bn a year green investment pledge to be used for green jobs and energy as well as an enormous home insulation plan. Up until February 6th, Keir Starmer assured that they still intended to deliver on their promise if elected. Two days later, Labour announced their scaling back to £15bn a year, most of the cuts being on the home insulation scheme.

"Labour announced their scaling back to £15bn a year... cuts being on the home insulation scheme."

Labour explained their decision with the fact that it was no longer realistic in the current economic climate, ruined by the Conservatives and that they needed to be responsible.

Although I agree with the idea that the economy has been damaged a lot by the past few governments, passing the entire blame on someone else is a weak move in my opinion.

The problem is not recognising that it is no longer doable. The issue lies in empty promises and false hope. So many households which were eagerly expecting the home insulation plan to lower their energy bill are left disappointed once again.

I am not an economic nor a politics expert but I know that a party’s promises mean a lot to the electorate.

Failing to meet them, even if it is the better choice for the country’s economy, is a move which will make them lose a lot of credibility. Citizens expect to be able to rely on their government and the Labour party has lost that trust by backing down from their promise.

If they want to win, they need to step up their game.

Margaux Martinez - Opinion Sub-Editor

Image: Wikimedia Commons, Rathfektor

The beginning of a new volcanic era for Iceland? Feburary 29th: Why do we have an extra day?

Joe Keeble

A curious Icelandic pattern of relative volcanic calm followed by centuries of high volcanic activity...

This is the third eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula since December 2023, and the sixth since 2021. Scientists believe this is the start of a new period of volcanic activity that could last for decades or centuries Iceland is one of the most volcanically active regions around the world, being home to more than over 30 currently active volcanoes, making it one of the most active volcanic sites in the world despite its relatively small size. This is due to its position above a geological hotspot, where hot magma plumes from below cause volcanic activity.

"Iceland is one of the most volcanically active regions around the world."

The effect of this globally is well known, recalling the headlines from the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, with its smoke clouds causing major disruption across northern Europe and beyond. This activity is present across the island and its many peninsulas, one of those being the Reykjanes peninsulas.

This week, a volcanic eruption affected the town of Grindavik and cut off a road to the tourist attraction known as ‘The Blue Lagoon’.

"The primary concern is anticipating the scale and location of these new erruptions."

This is due to Iceland’s position on a boundary between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, large subterranean structures that underpin the globes' surface. These plates move apart very slowly year-on-year but go through periods of quicker and slower movement, and scientists believe this period of quick movement is happening

now and causing the eruptions.

Geologists believe that based on the rocks in the region, a pattern of thousands of years of inactivity followed by centuries of activity exists and could continue.

The primary concern is anticipating the scale and location of these new eruptions to see if the activity is expected to move from Grindavik to nearby less populated areas. It’s in the most densely populated region of Iceland, with 70% of the population existing within a roughly 40km radius of the eruption site, with key infrastructure sites such as airports and power stations nearby.

Policymakers and Scientists are collaborating to prevent as much damage as possible to the Icelandic people, but can only wait on data from future eruptions to see if a new volcanic age is dawning.

Stone Age gum: Ancient oral hygiene

Matthew Barratt - Sceince Sub-Editor

DNA extracted from an ancient resin has broadened knowledge of mesolithic oral health, according to a study published in Scientific Reports.

Pieces of the prehistoric gum were discovered in Sweden. The gum is made by chewing a black gooey resin from birch bark pitch.

The pitch samples are estimated to be between 9,890-9,540 years old. This falls in line with pre-existing knowledge of human presence in the Scandinavian Peninsula, as the earliest recovered human DNA is slightly just under 10,000 years old. This makes the gum one of the oldest known pieces of genomic evidence of humans residing in Scandinavia.

The use of pre-chewed pitch samples ptovided researchers with a wider understanding of Stone

Age diets and the state of oral health during the period of transition from hunter-gatherer ways of living to livestock and farming.

The pre-chewed pitch samples contain cellular data from the oral cavity including bacteria and traces of eaten food.

When analyzed alongside datasets relating to dental hygiene diseases, an abundance of oral bacteria such were found in the masticated resin.

Researchers concluded that the consumer of this resin suffered from a severe case of periodontitis, traces of red deer, wolf, hazelnut, mallard, crab apples and were found in the chewing gum, giving an insight into the diet of Mesolithic peoples in the Scandinavian Peninsula.

While population density of Scandinavia during the Mesolithic period was low, meaning that the passing of oral bacteria was minimal, the prevalence of gum disease in these samples is indicative of the overuse of the teeth as tools. Used to tear, cut and chew things down, the teeth were open to injuries, infections and became a breeding ground for oral bacteria.

The archaeological discovery of this resin and the preserved bacteria has provided a unique insight into the state of oral health in a time where toothbrushing, flossing and dental appointments – if affordable – are all commonplace within modern day human routine.

Marina Snyder - Lifestyle Sub-Editor

Taking a look at the Gregorian calendar we have today.

Every four years, it gets to that time in February, and you get that little surprise… an extra day! Having a leap year is one of these things you learn about in school; however, how much do we understand about leap years? Why do we have them?

And what’s the history behind them?

A leap year is defined as the extra day we have every four years, where the 28th of February is suddenly followed by the ‘29th’. These leap years are essential because they ensure our calendar matches our solar year

People often think a solar year is 365 days; however, that’s a rounded number. A solar year is 365.25 days, so to make up for the missing, partial day, one day is added to the Calander approximately every four years.

But why are leap years so crucial?

The earth completes one orbit around the sun in approximately 365 days and 6 hours whilst rotating on its axis in about 24 hours (constituting a day). Because we round down to 365 days, we remove approximately ¼ (6 hours) of a day.

Artifical

However, if we kept subtracting 6 hours every year and didn’t have a leap year, all those missing hours would eventually add to days, weeks, and months. This means that our seasons would be different; August would be freezing cold in a couple of hundred years.

"People often think a solar year is 365 days, however this is a rounded number from 365.25."

Leap years have arguably been a process of trial and error. For instance, the Roman system was initially going to have 445 days instead of 365, known as the ‘Year of Confusion’. Julius Caesar then made a 365.25-day year, having a leap day every fourth year.

But even this system was not entirely accurate, as years were still 11 minutes shorter than our current calendar, which meant that eventually, an entire day would be short every 128 years.

The Gregorian calendar we have today is thus crucial to keep our calendars and seasons in sync. That is not to say it’s an entirely perfect system; there’s still a 30-second drift each year. Even with these imperfections, though, the calendar won’t be off for more than a day for another 3,300 years – who knew leap years were so important?

Intelligence

and

the fear of human redundancy

Scarlet Davies

Fears grow of companies gradually phasing out disposable jobs and occupations by the end of the decade.

As long as AI is kept as a secondary source in an educational setting, it can be an extremely practical tool to help expand our horizons and lessen our workload.

Despite obvious trepidation, AI has actually been incredibly useful for society. Knowledge in a structured form is now more accessible than it has ever been before, allowing for easy access to information that might otherwise have been overlooked.

"The other obvious danger about AI is the potential lack of oppurtunity it will have for humans."

says it is: artificial intelligence. It can only replicate information, rather than generating original ideas of its own. While a human would cater their writing towards a specific audience, AI writes in the same generic, accessible register no matter the subject and often alienates the intended reader.

with concepts that humans would have no problem finding solutions for and therefore cannot create anything substantial within a workplace or advanced educational setting.

The main concern with AI is the lack of creativity it generates. At this point in time, AI is exactly what it

through in order to improve. Although it can complete simple, fact-based tasks efficiently it struggles

The other obvious danger about AI is the lack of opportunity it creates for humans. Although AI tends to make more mundane jobs easier, this can- and has already started to increase unemployment rates for office jobs. AI software is cheaper than workers. In prioritizing work finance, there are fears of companies gradually phasing out disposable jobs and occupations by the end of the decade. Society may be developing a dependence on artificial intelligence and can could be detrimental to the opportunities, ambition and fulfillment of the average person if their efforts to succeed or advance are impeded by the artificial intelligence that is able to render them redundant and disposable.

Image: Pixabay: GDJ

Image: Pixabay: JuliusH

Image: WikiMediaCommons: Klev_ Verner_Alexandersen

Sub-Editors:

A guide to dating each astrological sign

Sophie Psaila

Whether you’re a seasoned zodiac enthusiast or just stumbled upon the world of horoscopes, the puzzle of astrological dating is familiar.

Let’s delve into what awaits you when dating each of the astrological star signs. Because let’s face it, love can be as unpredictable as Mercury in retrograde.

Aries (March 21st – April 19th)

Known for their fiery energy and outgoing nature, Aries’ tend to fall hard and fast and make for passionate partners. Their enthusiasm for adventure brings out the dynamic and funloving side of a relationship.

Aries is blessed with an ego the size of Saturn – meaning romantically speaking, they’re always punching above their weight. So, if you find yourself being hit on by an Aries, take it as a compliment, because they only shoot for the stars in their partners.

Ideal first date with an Aries: Aries are adrenaline junkies, and they live for the chase. Lean into this as literally as you can:

• Get tickets to ITV’s ‘The Chase’

• Enter a local hide-and-seek competition

Taurus (April 20th – May 20th)

Taurus is the dependable backbone of the star sign, craving stability and loyalty in their love life. Never taking a decision lightly, you’ll know if a Taurus is interested in you after they’ve carried out endless background checks – stalking your social media until they’re sure you’re void of any red flags.

However, the Taurus should have recognition for their inherent patience with their partners. They are reliable and only want the best for you, so no need to fake it and simply enjoy the ride.

any impromptu plans with a Taurus, you’ll need to give their old souls time to process having to stray from usual habits. The way to their heart is comfort snacks and cosy dates, so make sure you’re savvy in the kitchen!

Gemini (May 21st – June 20th)

Signified by the twins, dating a Gemini spells double trouble. It doesn’t take a lot for their heads to turn and are often the biggest gossipers of the zodiacs. However, their interest in everything and everyone means that Gemini won’t settle for the dull, spotting something in you that no one else sees.

A Gemini brings endless curiosity and adventure to relationships, bringing great company to those they surround themselves with.

Ideal first date with a Gemini: their chaotic nature and lack of attention span means anything that stimulates a Gemini will be a great first date. Get tickets for a show or go out for a meal –anything out of the ordinary will be appreciated.

Cancer (June 21st – July 22nd)

Cancer is the most emotional of the zodiacs, making for a rollercoaster of a relationship. Despite seeming complex, Cancer’s just want love and laughter and to build a happy life with their partner. But be warned, a Cancer can hold a grudge lasting an eternity, so try not to step too far out of line!

Ideal first date with a Cancer: the success of a date heavily depends on what mood they’re in –sometimes staying at home for a nice meal in is exactly what they want.

Ideal first date with a Taurus: don’t expect

Leo (July 23rd – August 22nd)

If Aries has an ego the size of the sun, Leo is blessed with one the size of Jupiter. They are used to being the centre of attention and crave the audience’s applause which can be seen in their love for grand gestures – you can look forward to many a firework display if you’re dating a Leo. Ideal first date with a Leo: anywhere with a colourful atmosphere will have a Leo rising to the occasion. Shower a Leo with romantic gestures and thoughtful gifts and you’ll soon have

Boundaries: why it's important to set them with everyone in your life

Jessica Mckeown - Film Sub-Editor

Although intimidating to implement at first, setting boundaries is key in every aspect of student life.

Iam stating the obvious here, but university is undoubtedly a challenge. A challenge for your attention, your time and your mental health. University is also the prime time for you to establish healthy habits to carry you through life. One such habit is setting boundaries with the people in your life. But why are boundaries important?

Papyrus, a charity for the prevention of young suicide, promotes the establishing of boundaries as "they help us establish and maintain healthy relationships, prevent burnout and resentment, and protect our mental health and wellbeing". Stanford University adds that "they help us to build trust, safety, and respect in relationships". Boundaries, therefore, have two major functions - to create and maintain healthy relationships and to protect mental health and wellbeing. Boundaries can be applied across all your relationships - family, friends, romantic partners, and work relationships. At its heart, boundaries allow you to express what you are comfortable with.

To be able to say no and draw a clear line of what is acceptable is crucial to a healthy worklife balance. Popular work boundaries include not having your work email on your mobile phone and telling your boss or co-workers not to

them ready to put a ring on it!

Virgo (August 23rd – September 22nd)

Virgos are the perfectionists of the zodiacs, with nothing going under their radar. This often means they’re quick to see the worst in everyone – making for quite a dull love life (hence being symbolised by the Virgin…).

However, spend some time with a Virgo and you’ll soon see their ability to love unconditionally and put the needs of their loved ones above their own. They’re often their own harshest critic, so make sure to compliment them and laugh at their jokes (please, laugh)!

Ideal first date with a Virgo: Virgos appreciate the value of a date, so will be easily wooed by a simple walk or star gazing in the park.

Libra (September 23rd –October 22nd)

Libra signs are the keepers of peace. They seek justice and look for partners who will bring balance to their lives. They’re social creatures, always making friends and turning heads – including yours.

to walk away from a new experience.

Ideal first date with a Sagittarius: with a great love for spontaneous adventure, the way to a Sagittarius’ heart is through outdoor escapades and new experiences for both of you.

Capricorn (December 22nd – January 19th)

Capricorn is the most grounded sign, they’re keen to respect tradition and will treat relationships with utmost seriousness. While this may seem tedious, Capricorns know what they want, and if that’s you then you’ll receive unwavering love from them.

Ideal first date with a Libra: Libra’s optimistic nature means they are often hopeful in love. They’ll be easily pleased on a first date – a little flirting and a good laugh will keep them happy!

Scorpio (October 23rd – November 21st)

With an inescapable charm and impulse for fun, Scorpio is one of the most addictive partners. They have an unfaltering ability to coax you into spilling your darkest secrets to them in a matter of moments, so watch out for their cunning way with words.

Ideal first date with a Scorpio: don’t even bother planning your first date with a Scorpio, trust me they already have it all sorted… Sagittarius (November 22nd – December 21st) Sagittarius’ are a ball of energy and excitement, making them great company. They’re prone to a harmless flirt, attracting a variety of suitors – very few of which are turned away as they’re never one

Celebrity

contact you outside of work hours. Even the quiet quitting movement shows work boundaries by not going beyond their existing job responsibilities. As a result, the LendingTree found that 57% of quiet quitters found that their work-life balance improved after setting work boundaries.

“If they don't respect basic boundaries, consider whether you want them in your life.”

Boundaries in your relationships with family, friends and romantic partners can be intimidating to implement at first out of fear of offending them. If they don't respect basic boundaries, consider whether you want them in your life. Healthy boundaries in relationships can include material boundaries, emotional boundaries, and physical boundaries. Material boundaries may include not lending friends money who have failed to pay you back previously.

Ideal first date with a Capricorn: Capricorns are fans of the finer things in life. An evening in a fancy bar or VIP tickets to a social event will have them head over heels.

Aquarius (January 20th –February 18th)

Aquarius is a fierce advocate in what they believe – you won’t see them changing pace for anyone but themselves. This makes pinning an Aquarius down a difficult task, but if you find yourself in their orbit, then you’ve struck gold.

Ideal first date with an Aquarius: whether it be a quirky art exhibit or an eccentric city, Aquarius’ love anywhere they can be their authentic selves without worrying about how others will perceive them.

Pisces (February 19th – March 20th)

Pisces is fighting a battle between their head and their heart in love. Their idealistic nature means they’re always assuming better options are waiting to be explored. Despite this, Pisces are a catch – they’re the dreamers who bring a sensitive and whimsical side to love.

Ideal first date with a Pisces: Their creativity means that a simple trip to the pub won’t cut it with a Pisces. Think outside the box, and you’ll have them coming back for more each time.

worship syndrome: is it time we focus on ourselves?

Trinity Eadie

It’s time to stop investing energy into society’s obsession with celebrities and start focusing on the connections we already have.

Sand your loved ones first to foster meaningful relationships beyond the confines of celebrity worship.

Physical boundaries may include having time to yourself and not feeling obligated to hug or kiss family. Emotional boundaries may include telling your friend you aren't in the right headspace for emotional topics.

Entering young adulthood, this is the time to navigate relationships and boundaries, for peace of mind and healthy habits. Be open about your boundaries and people should respect them.

ocial media has led to the normalisation of obsessing over celebrities – from declaring TikTok’s latest heartthrob as your ‘white boy of the month’ to claiming a ‘hall pass’ for your favourite star, fixating on celebrities may seem harmless at first glance.

However, celebrity worship syndrome, characterised by an unhealthy fascination with public figures, has the potential to inflict detrimental harm to public self-esteem and mental well-being and, as Valentine’s Day has recently reminded us, the implications may extend beyond individual harm and impact those close to us as well.

Parasocial relationships are formed when individuals invest a significant amount of their time and energy into one-sided relationships with celebrities who are completely unaware of their existence. These can appear to fulfil certain needs but often come at the expense of real-world relationships and can leave people with feelings of isolation and discontentment with their own lives. It's perfectly normal to admire and appreciate celebrities, but it is easy for the line between fantasy and reality to become blurred, so make sure you put yourself

Although some may view the trend of declaring ‘hall passes’ for celebrities as nothing more than a playful fantasy, it has the potential to plant feelings of doubt, jealousy, and even insecurity within our loved ones. Celebrity crushes might come and go, but a partner is a longstanding commitment and although discussing celebrity infatuations can be healthy to establish boundaries and strong communication, it also poses the risk of overshadowing the connections we have with those closest to us. At the end of the day, real-life relationships enrich our lives in ways that worshipping celebrities will never be able to, so is your ‘hall pass’ really worth the risk of imposing feelings of inadequacy on your loved ones?

In a world where we are constantly bombarded with images of celebrities, both online and offline, celebrity idolisation is inevitable – however, prioritising these over our own well-being and achievements poses a significant danger. Ultimately, it is time to reevaluate our priorities – instead of perpetuating society’s obsession with celebrities, we should redirect our focus inward, nurturing the meaningful connections we already have and prioritising our own mental and emotional health.

Image: Pixabay, Open Clipart

Image: Pixabay, Open Clipart Vectors

Image: Pixabay, George Johnson

Image: Pixabay, bigblockbobber

Rise and shine: top tips to become a morning person

Caroline Hodgson

Are you a night owl, tired of getting the morning blues?

Here's some tips to change that!

Do you dread getting out of bed? Are you wanting to greet the day with positivity and energy?

Starting a new routine can be difficult but anyone can become a morning person and have a productive routine to start the day. Here are some top tips to help you become a morning person:

Establish a consistent sleep schedule:

If you are someone who goes to sleep late, slowly try and go to bed earlier to make sure you get a

Pixabay@SayDung89

good number of hours of sleep.

Have a relaxing night-time routine:

This will help to get a better quality of sleep. Examples of this could be dimming the lights, be in a quieter environment, create a better night skincare routine and avoid use technology like your phone. Other alternatives could be to take a shower or bath (if you have that option), journal the day, read a book, or even meditate.

Let light in:

Let some natural light come in your room to help regulate your circadian rhythm as it signals your body to start waking up. This can be done by opening your curtain or blinds just a bit to let the morning light in.

“Studies have shown that caffeine can stay in your body for up to 6 hours."

DON’T have much caffeine before bed:

Caffeine is a stimulant and studies have shown that it can stay in your body for up to 6 hours, which can therefore disrupt your sleep. Be aware! Find other ways to improve your energy levels, like regular exercise and eating a balanced diet.

Romanticise your morning routine:

Everyone’s morning routine is different. Some inspirations to romanticize your morning could

be journalising, having a morning playlist, lighting a candle, practicing gratitude or go for a morning walk.

“Anyone can become a morning person and have a productive routine.”

Starting a new morning routine can be difficult

What's on?

Check out what lifestyle events are happening around in Newcastle:

International Women's Day at Beamish Museum

Activities will be running at the Beamish museum that will explore the roles of women in the 1820s, 1900s, 1940s and 1950s

Where: Beamish Museum

When: 11th and 12th of March

Craft And Flea

A indoor market involving independent stalls featuring unique handcrafted products

Where: Boiler House

When: Sunday 24th March

80s Silent disco

A silent disco will be held in the science life centre involving 80s pop music, glow sticks and a bar! So go get your groove on

Where: Life science Centre

When: 2nd May

Low maintenance habits to practise more sustainable self-care for yourself

Rebecca

Wright

Little ways to make yourself feel better when you can't give it your all...

It can sometimes feel as though the only people prioritising self-care are the people who can afford to –both in terms of financial ability and having the spare time for it. But how do you prioritise something that you just can’t find time for in your schedule?

If self-care just feels like an elaborate plot from businesses for you to spend money on expensive products that will change your life (spoiler: they won’t) then you’ve come to the right place. Here are some self-care tips that, unlike a mid-week shopping spree at the metro centre, won’t break the bank or make you feel guilty afterwards - even if those Boux Avenue pyjamas are really cute...

"Your future self with thank you, and so will your skin."

1. Water

In this economy, having a carafe of water at your bedside table is a simple luxury, and a godsend if like me you wake up at 4am dying of thirst. Pre-empt that nightly need for a gallon of water by keeping some close by your bed – your future self will thank you, and so will your skin! Bonus points for carrying some water around with you throughout the day too.

2. See your friends

When you’re really busy, it can be easy to tell yourself you don’t have time to see your friends, when that’s not really true at all! Given that we’re all at uni, most of the time we’ve got more on our plate than we’d like to. Meeting up with a friend for a chat between lectures or even doing work together can make the workload feel much lighter, and you can socialise at the same time. Win-win.

"Even doing work together can make the workload feel much lighter."

3. Do nothing

My third and final tip is to do nothing at all. If you don’t take breaks for yourself, your body will just take them anyway, so you might as well. Try and do something that makes you feel relaxed - whether that’s a nap, a bath, some vodka (although I can almost guarantee that your body is not asking you for vodka). Whilst it’s great to be productive, you’re not a productivity machine. Being a functioning person is much more important, and sometimes this means doing nothing at all! So drink some water, see your friends and get some trebs in. You’re welcome.

On ‘Third Spaces’ and the epidemic of loneliness

Safia Adia

What are Third Spaces and why do we need them in an increasingly lonely world?

Picture this. You’ve just come out of a lecture, with four hours to go until the next. What do you do? Do you go home and do the dishes that have been piling up for three days? Or do you go to the library to try (but of course ultimately fail) to get some work done? Work or home? The sinking feeling at your lack of options isn’t just disappointment at your boring life, it’s longing for something sociologists Oldenburg and Brissett coined as ‘The Third Space’ forty years ago. Third spaces can include public libraries, community centres, cafes and public footpaths. Despite this variety, they share two basic requirements: they are not workplaces or homes, and their main purpose is to allow free socialising. True third spaces are dwindling, yet they remain as necessary as ever for two main reasons.

“If it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a community to nurture an adult.”

Firstly, they improve our mental health. In this

era of individuality, where most are concerned only with themselves, their career, their nuclear family, and in turn are only cared for by this small group of people, it is no wonder that good mental health seems unattainable. Instead of crumbling under deadline or domestic induced pressures, third spaces allow interaction with a range of different people. If it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes a community to nurture an adult.

“Third spaces are inherently revolutionary.”

Secondly, third spaces are inherently revolutionary. In true third spaces people are free to talk to whoever they want, regardless of social class thereby dismissing any existing social hierarchy. Therefore third spaces, although more common historically, have always been villainised. For example, coffee houses in the 1600’s were shut down by Charles II due to the free discussion of dissent and revolt within them. Charles II recognised that coffee houses, like all third spaces were vital to social progress, progress that if left unchecked, might have led to the absolution of the

throne he sat on.

Despite their necessity to the wellbeing of the individual and wider society, due to the lack of money made by third spaces their numbers have recently declined, and thus finding a third place to thrive and form connections in is a chore. It’s no surprise then that we all spend hours rotting in bed or being unproductive in the library. The world we live in offers us no alternative. The only solution is to make an alternative. But sandwiched between relentless rounds of laundry and essays that always seem to be due in four hours it is doubtful that new third places will suddenly spring from the ground

Just how real is BeReal?

Sam Norman - Head of Current Affairs

Is the app sticking to its roots?

As an original BeReal hater, I’m very much present for the downfall of the app.

When the app first arrived, it was praised widely for its authenticity. Now, it seems BeReal has followed other social medias in diluting its original message, for a more aesthetic centred approach – and the people using the app demonstrate this.

"We see celebrities pulling the

‘they’re

just like us!’ act."

The week beginning February 6, BeReal announced celebrities and brands will be joining users on the app. I find it hard to question the need for this, beyond profit and downloaded increases. Whilst Instagram centres around this aestheticism – for better or for worse – this was never the goal of BeReal.

But the writing was on the wall for a long time.

How many users can say they take a singular photo, upload and continue with their day? Or how many users plan a coordinated effort, delay posting til they have the interesting opportunity and retake their photos?

Maybe I’m just bitter the first week I had BeReal I had tonsillitis, so all my photos were me in bed, but BeReal never stuck for me. And now the introduction of verified accounts seems utterly contradictory for a platform meant to be about you and

your friends

The BeReal’s Chief Operating Officer Romain Salzman said: “you’re going to discover what the biggest celebrities are doing behind the scenes at the exact same time as you.” Again, I refuse to believe this will not be pure planned theatrics. When we see celebrities pulling the ‘they’re just like us!’ act, I will not be here for it. And when they begin to pull out the most random acts to force any shred of attraction, I refuse to watch Twitter blow up in laughter. You’re not quirky because BeReal caught you on the toilet, Robbie Williams!

The celebrity obsession

Amala Parry

Why do we feel the need to keep up with the lives of our favourite artists?

Celebrities existed long before the Kardashians dominated social media or Marylin Monroe graced the silver screen. In fact, the first use of the word ‘celebrity’, a derivative of the Latin word ‘celeber’, can be traced back to the 15th century.

Celebrities, as we know them today, are much more common than they were hundreds of years ago, with anyone possessing the power to become one if they truly desire. Today, you, your neighbour, your cousin’s dog or even your high school P.E. teacher can become a celebrity overnight through social media. All it takes is one viral post and you’ve made it- you're famous.

But why are we so enthralled with ‘The Celebrity’? What causes this obsession we all seem to have with them and how has this changed since the expansion of technology?

Many influential and psychological factors potentially explain our obsession with the famous, from our desire for escapism and entertainment, idolisation of wealth and fame, or simply just plain fascination with these individuals who seem wholly superior to us in every way.

"Our desire for escapism and entertainment."

However much we may occasionally resent them, for their lack of knowledge about the real world or their damaging air miles, we still have their posters plastered all over our bedroom walls.

I personally believe that our obsession with 'the Celebrity' derives from our desire to distract ourselves from everyday boredom. We keep up with celebrity gossip and drama because it's fickle and entertaining. And perhaps on a deeper level, we crave parasocial relationships with our favourite celebs; we know that when they tell us they 'love us' they really have no idea that we exist, but we still feel a sense of validation. Due to the rise of technology and social media, we've come far from the days of Pharaoh worship or the craze of the Beatlemania. We've now reached the point where celebrities are no longer rare and unattainable, but living amongst us all.

Image: Source Pixabay @dimhou

Image credit: BeReal: Marina Snyder, @sashapieterse, @ avani, @bretmanrock, @michaeljaroh, @jakebongiovi

Bertie, 21 Computer Science

Rate the Date

Hosted by Fat Hippo

What were your first impressions?

She arrived a few seconds before me. She seemed a little nervous and quiet, but quickly made me feel at ease and soon the weirdness of a blind date was mostly forgotten.

What sort of topics did guys talk about? And what did yiu have in common

We both enjoy reading (I have aspire to have Kasashi's ability to read so many books) and also music - I enjoyed hearing about Kasashi's experiences at a Beyonce concert and the time she saw Lana Del Rey when the artist turned up late. Like me, Kasashi has also recently taken up running. We talked about the books we've been reading recently and our shared love of Olivia Rodrigo.

Describe your date as a burger topping and why? Coleslaw - interesting, humble and good for the soul.

Do you think you will see each other again?

Probably not. I enjoyed our evening and I could see us being friends, but I think we both agreed there wasn't a romantic spark.

Rate the Date

What made you sign up for blind date?

I had never been on a blind date before, and I thought it would be a fun experience.

What did you talk about? And what did you have in common

We have similar music tastes. We're both Taylor swift and Olivia Rodrigo fans. We talked about our hobbies, upcoming concerts, favorite movies and shows, and places we've traveled to

How was Fat Hippo and what meal did you have?

I liked it but I don't think it's a first date kind of restaurant. It's the type of place you'd go to with a group of friends.

Describe your date as burger topping and why? Pickles. I didn't think I would like the date when I first signed up but it turned out pretty well. Just like pickles.

Do you think you will see each other again? Maybe. I think we could actually become good friends.

Kasashi, 18 Engineering

Your dilemma of the week

Charlotte Lee - Blind Date and Agony Aunt Co-ordinator

Flatmate getting on your nerves? Want some advice on how to handle uni life? Our Agony Aunt is here to help!

Dear Agony Aunt, My friend has become a different person since getting into a relationship, and it's hard to watch. The friend has been dating her boyfriend for about 9 months, it started off really well and he seemed really nice, my friends and I liked him and he got on with her housemates. However it started to go downhill when they became very attached to each other, he would go to her house most days/nights and they became inseparable. She doesn't spend much time with her friends anymore, and if she does it is difficult because her boyfriend is always there - which is ok sometimes, but sometimes you just want to see your mate. Since

he is spending so much time at her house, he has somewhat neglected his previous friendships and has become closer with her flatmates instead, causing him to hang around even more. Although everyone is kind of over him now because he has become incessantly annoying and is a know-it-all. My friend now skips all her lectures and important uni sessions because she is asleep with him in the mornings. When she asks him not to come round, he starts acting cold to guilt her into eventually letting him. When he is round, they are very 'pookie' and have horrifying displays of public affection: nuzzling and stroking each other in communal areas like the living room. It is also clear that my friend is not herself anymore, she used to be very self assured and confident, now she is more down on herself and the shell of who she used to be, as it is clear the relationship is becoming too much for her.

They are both under the impression that they are in love, and this makes it hard for them to see the suffocating aspect of their relationship. We just can't get through to her How can we help her return to her normal self when she is so sure he's right for her?

From: A Reader

Dear Reader,

Firstly, I would say that you want to approach the subject in a calm and non confrontational manner. Despite her recent hesitations towards her relationship she will still most likely not take external criticism well. Likewise, I would pick an environment that is not her house or uni; possibly even a place that’s meaningful to your friendship or group of friends.

You should reassure her that you’re not vying for her to break up with her boyfriend but merely reminding her that there is life beyond her relationship and that taking care of her own well-being and education will actually make their relationship stronger and less codependent, as they re-learn to be individuals.

Nonetheless, this is easier said than done as she may not instantly take this information on board or once again be defensive about the relationship. If so, taking a less direct approach may be more beneficial - you could organise a ‘girls’ night or a cocktail evening and without explicitly bringing the topic of her relationship up; try and remind her that her friendships can be just as fulfilling.

However, in regards to the abrupt PDA and the "being pookie”, a definite conversation needs to be had. If your friend does not want to change her relationship or behaviour then that is up to her; but you are well within your rights to ask her to tone down the PDA in communal areas. It is your house too and you’re paying to live there as well, you deserve to feel comfortable in your own home. As such, I would suggest having a friendly yet firm conversation about it. Overall, while this kind of situation is never ideal for anyone involved, I can assure you that eventually your friend knows that you’re all there for her and want what is best for her. But she most likely is struggling to come to terms herself what needs to be done to either fix or end her relationship.

When a person gets into a routine or a certain set of behaviours it is hard for them to break out of it but it is not impossible, and with your support I am certain that your friend will return to her person she was before

From: Your Agony Aunt

Fashion show review: are plastic garments the next big thing?

Anna Nix - Food & Drink Sub-Editor

Manako Maddison's fashion show with pieces made from plastic bags starts a discussion on sustainability in fashion.

Manako Maddison, final year Fine Art student at Newcastle University, has taken it on themselves to battle fast fashion industry. They created clothes out of plastic bags and presented them in a fashion show on the 7th of February.

“The show ... was a success and hopefully it sparks a debate around the fashion industry.”

Manako has put on a show that introduced their art practice of reusing old plastic bags into something new, exciting and most of allsustainable. The show, which was a collaboration of students was a success and hopefully it sparks a debate around the fashion industry.

The show itself consisted of many parts and surprised me through its original concept. First, we saw the designer, Manako Maddison, centre stage, standing behind their plastic garments that were showcased hanging on a string along the gallery.

The models act followed, with them walking along the garments, picking out which ones they might fancy wearing, essentially playing shop, with Manako the shopkeeper. Followed by an act expected from a fashion show, models walking the runway and presenting the garments.

The next act, subjectively my favourite, saw

pairs of models meet and exchange their plastic garments and pose with each other’s clothes. A rather clever play on the fact that sustainability is not only in the materials we use, but also the way we treat them, and one of the best ways to be more sustainable is to share clothes and love what was once loved by others.

“Sustainability is not only in the materials we use, but also the way we treat them.”

The show was also accompanied by posters which showed the results of a survey on sustainable fashion, previously organised by Manako. The survey, amongst many results, also showed that one of the main factors for people when buying clothes is the price. And since fast fashion industry is often cheaper than buying second-hand, buyers are then left with cheap and low-quality options that aren’t very good for the environment.

Manako further explained that sustainability is a choice, but it is not always one that is easily made for everyone, and often comes at a price.

Manako themselves tries to incorporate sustainable pathways into their practice as much as they can. Using vintage shopping to hunt for materials or reusing things like plastic bags.

When they started thinking about sustainability, they often though about fast fashion industry and shared that they chose plastic as a way to comment on the problem of fast fashion.

Manako added, ‘I was thinking about how plastic packaging is a metaphor of the fashion industry, of its cheapness and tackiness’.

Manako has shared that this fashion show is by no means a final run for them, as they plan on continuing with their plastic fashion

practice into the future. The idea is to make it even bigger and better for future shows. In the meantime, they plan to focus on their degree as well as their cosplaying practice.

They hope this starts a discussion of people making their own clothes and through that contributing to a more sustainable fashion industry. Manako is self-taught and has talked to audience members of the show, explaining that making one’s own clothes is quite accessible.

However intriguing the plastic garments are, Manako has shared they don’t fully believe the garments could be every day clothes. They see it more as a costume or a decorative piece, as the material is not very breathable for regular use.

Kasashi, a fashion society model, has commented

Farewell Edward Enninful

Paige Rutter - Head of Social Media

How Edward Enninful's diversity-driven designs made history at British Vogue.

After six and a half years at the fashion powerhouse, Editor-inChief Edward Enninful is stepping back from this role – not before blessing his final issue with 40 legendary women.

Appointed in 2017, Enninful made history being the first male and black gay editor of the magazine. When taking on the role he set out with hopes to increase diversity and equality across the publication – something which former editor Alexandra Shulman was criticised for lacking. The fashion industry has never been the most diverse arena, something which it is still battling, and this was an area that the new editor did not shy away from. During his time as Editorin-Chief, more than half of the women included on his covers have been women of colour.

“Enninful made history being the first male and black gay editor of the magazine.”

153 cover stars later, Enninful made sure women were at the forefront of his final cover –which consisted of 40 women who had graced the cover during his reign, whom he referred to as legends. Some of the stars included Serena Williams, Gigi Hadid, Oprah Winfrey and Dua Lipa. The question on everyone’s mind was how

did they manage to get these 40 women all available on the same day and time to organise this shoot.

It also included model Adwoa Aboah, who was the first woman to grace one of his covers. Touching upon this cover and history he stated, “Women have shaped British Vogue for 108 years now, and have certainly informed every moment of my six and a half year tenure here”.

Many covers by Enninful have stemmed from the desire for inclusivity within the magazine. Laverne Cox, who stars on this legendary cover, made her first appearance on a 2019 issue as the first transgender person to appear on British Vogue.

“Many covers by Enninful have stemmed from the desire for inclusivity within the magazine.”

In 2023, an edition titled ‘Reframing Fashion’ centred around 19 individuals with disabilities from various backgrounds. This included Aaron Rose Philip who was the first black and transgender woman who had a physical disability to gain a modelling contract. He told the BBC “people forget how hard it is for the disabled community”, as it was revealed advertisements from fashion brands were turned down as they did not align with the inclusivity standards which were set.

The 2020 July pandemic issues also featured three key workers including a supermarket worker. Enninful projected the importance of having three women who were making sacrifices in the middle of the pandemic, with “The New Front Line” being a heading.

This was followed by an activism focused September issue which featured multiple activists and was fronted by Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford and Adwoa Aboah. Enninful referred to this issue, saying the voices of those fighting

Tattoo or not tattoo...

Barbora Pacherova

Tackling indecisiveness and tattoos.

Are you thinking of getting that tattoo? But what if you don’t like it? What if you grow old, your skin sags, ink blurs and you are suddenly a 50-year-old with a serious job and a few kids, cursing the day you decided to get a tattoo because they ‘looked nice’.

Sometimes, you outgrow your tattoo. What you thought looked nice no longer does, and it doesn’t fit your style. It happens. However, getting a tattoo doesn’t automatically mean regretting it in a few years. So, what if you want a tattoo, but fear you won’t like it in a few years? Realistically, just thinking and worrying about it so much would mean the tattoo you will end up with will not be regretted, as you have put so much thought into it and carefully made your decision.

Still, there are options available, if you really want to get a tattoo but are intimidated by the thought of having it on your skin forever – tattoo removal being the last and most expensive choice, but there are various ways to get temporary tattoos that would help you decide.

And if you do end up with something you wish you didn’t have, it’s not the end of the world. My very first tattoo was also not the best decision I ever made, and if I could undo it, I would. Every time I look at it, I think about how it looks silly and kind of bad, but it is a memory that brings an amused smile to my face. It’s regret, but it’s also something to remember. It can be covered, removed or hidden, and most of the time, I forget I have it. It became a part of me.

for “systemic racism, disability discrimination and domestic abuse, gender inequality and the climate crisis” needed to be amplified in the weeks following the murder of George Floyd.

One of his most popular covers was in collaboration with Megan Markle, for the September 2019 issue the two collaborated to bring a “Forces for Change” issue featuring 15 women. The issue which became widely popular reportedly sold out within two weeks.

There is no doubt that Enninful brought fresh energy and creativity when it came to British Vogue and amplified the diversity across the publication. This is something in which he hopes continues and will implement the same mindset in his new role as he becomes the global creative and cultural advisor of Vogue.

Chioma Nnadi is set to take over the editor role, as the first black woman to edit the magazine.

The walk of shame

Sam Norman - Head of Current Affairs

How to own the walk home after a one night stand.

The infamous walk of shame – run from it, hide from it, fear it, it will get you one way or another. With that in mind, do we really need to be all that conscious of how we look the morning after?

The truth is, no, but when you’re feeling what you’re feeling it’s hard to switch that off. There’s one way of thinking of it though: if your biggest concern the next morning is the outfit you’re walking home in, then you can’t have made that much of a regrettable decision!

Though, with that in mind, when you’re dressed for your best (even if not exactly feeling it) the sting of the morning sun, and the passive aggressive look of morning joggers is the last thing you want to see. There’s no way about it, when you’re feeling your lowest in that harsh morning, it does feel like the whole world is judging you –for your antics or outfit, who knows, but they’re definitely inter-related.

If you’re attempting to hide, sure, you can try use a hat, put a hood up, get some sunglasses on, but does that not ruin the fun? There’s only one option, and it’s to embrace the chaos. However, it might be wise to consider the route you’re taking if walking. If you’re nursing a hangover and contemplating life decisions, I assure you Acorn Road is not the one for you.

Image Source: Pratyush Joshi

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons, Vogue Polska

Oversaturation in Travel TikTok

Sophie Jarvis

Is TikTok the true culprit behind overtourism in the travel industry?

Cheap flights, good food recommendations, must-see hidden gems— if you type any travel-related word into the TikTok search engine, an entire catalogue of content scrolls before you, whether it be for the specific destination of your choice or a general map of suggestions. Is it dangerous?

10 years ago, influencing was still a niche— you’d see the general public gawking in the background at a YouTuber daily vlogging their day through a city centre, sponsored Instagram posts were a rare occasion, and influencers building their own businesses and rubbing shoulders with A-listers at events seemed to be impossible feats. But now, influencing is a recognisable booming economy, with the market reaching 21.1 billion dollars globally in 2023.

“The overtourism industry is not directly due to the travel content across social media, but is merely a contributing factor.”

With TikTok’s adept algorithm allowing any user to go viral and craft a platform, the emergence of the app and its accessibility has been a major catalyst in the soaring of the influencer economy— and one of the app’s most nurtured hashtags? Travel,

boasting over 40.3 million posts under its main hashtag, with the collective views growing by over 140% in just the last 2 years. It’s the epicentre for both national and international recommendations and tips and tricks when it comes to travelling, whether you’re a young solo traveller or looking to work abroad or a family unsure where to go next. The influencers fuelling the hashtag split into infinite directions when sharing their opinions on where is underrated and overrated, often times even clashing, so you always have your next trip’s itinerary well-informed.

And it’s excellent. I find myself resorting to TikTok more than I do travel blogs or books nowadays, as a specific search and a short and snappy video answering my question means I can get more done quicker, not to mention the added bonus of a discourse in the comment sections— a few of the places I have on my travel bucket list have been recommendations from a carousel under the Travel hashtag. It’s ignorant to immediately shrug off the perks of having travel influencers and guides in the name of rejecting its popularity or rejecting the influencer lifestyle as a whole, however, the content comes with its downfalls and dangers, as with any content sharing on the internet.

Everybody knows that social media is fakepeople are not and will never be designed to be perceived in 2D - so directly basing your next trip based off of travel content from an algorithm is bound to lead to some disappointment, as seen after Albania’s beaches grew viral after previously being a niche holiday spot. This has led to a 26% increase in foreign visitors, and a surge of new visitors expressed let-down after their trip, uttering that it just wasn’t as ‘idyllic’ as they’d seen on TikTok, not to mention the influx of ‘Instagram vs Reality’ videos after tourists visit holiday spots like Santorini and sights like the Rua Nova do Carvalho (or the ‘pink street’) in Lisbon. These clashing

Budget Travelling: my absolute necessities

Poppy Bedford - Music Sub-Editor

A run down of the things our writer refuses to skimp out on, even when trying to save while travelling.

Whether it’s travelling at home or abroad, we all know the struggles of travelling on a budget. Here’s my top 5 list that I couldn’t live without:

1. Leg Room: We all know the struggle; you’ve caught a last minute bus to a festival somewhere and couldn’t get seats so now you're sat sandwiched between two total strangers, one of which will definitely get off before you, with no space to put your feet and no way to get comfortable. Leg room will forever be one of the things I will try and secure while travelling - I recognise it’s not that important for some but my 6ft self needs all the floor space that can be spared.

2. Sun Tan Lotion:

I know, a controversial take, but sun tan lotion is a must have on any trip. Whether it’s the beaches of East Yorkshire or the Fjords of Norway, I will always be taking sun tan lotion with me on my travels, mainly because I burn so easily but also because any bad trip can be made worse with a bad sun burn.

3. Headphones:

I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. Everyone needs their space while travelling, and headphones help provide a safe space even when surrounded by people. They make any boring stretch more exciting and provide a backing track to the whole trip.

4. Wi-Fi/A place to charge your phone:

Though it is very Gen Z of me, having a place to charge your phone and decent enough Wi-Fi can save you on a budget trip. Whether that’s long hours travelling or trying to find directions in a foreign city, your phone really is a life saver when it gets down to it. It also helps to stay in touch with reality and the outside world.

5. Good Shoes: Budget travelling often leads to a lot of walking to try and alleviate costs. This is fine if you have good shoes and don’t mind the distance, but it’s awful if your shoes break or start rubbing on the first day. I’m not saying you need to buy new shoes for a budget trip, just that you should have a pair of shoes you can trust when you're off gallivanting.

expressions are why travel content on TikTok can be baffling and therefore lead to avalanches of response videos being made with differing opinions, leaving an audience unsure on where is actually worth seeing.

"I find myself resorting to TikTok more than I do travel blogs or books nowadays."

With TikTok’s algorithm being designed to popularise posts based on user interactions tourism industry has seen huge waves in holiday destinations like Cinque Terre, Albania, and Bali from videos going viral— and for certain spots, this overtourism is difficult to tackle (especially in small towns unsuitable for large crowds), both for local communities, traffic, and of course the planet itself with pollution and increased greenhouse gases.

Most notably, a TikTok video of an enclave in Hainan’s Jianfengling National Park reached 65,000 likes and the park saw a visitor increase from 50 per day to 600 per day, drawing a correlation between the social media app and overtourism, with cities such as Amsterdam and Paris tackling this overcrowding with tighter tourist taxes, and Athens’ Acropolis currently navigating a trial run capping the daily visitors to 2,000 per day, a significant decrease from the sights average of 23,000 visitors per day.

It’s important to note that the overtourism industry is not directly due to the travel content across social media, but is merely a contributing factor, and it’s important to note that viewing travel content as oversaturated is subjective; any avenue

of content can be a victim of oversaturation, and any avenue of content also has room for fresh storytelling and engaging content. Besides, having a For You Page crammed with glorious videos of the Italian countryside and Thai beaches surely

Capturing travel memories abroad

shopping.

Four ways to preserve your favourite travel moments and make your trip unforgetable.

Memories are fleeting, making it crucial to document your trip to ensure you don't forget it. Here are four effective ways to leave a lasting impression on your journey: take photos, collect souvenirs in a consistent style, sketch the landscape, and jot down your thoughts. The optimal way to share your experience is by posting on social media. Capturing photos is an excellent method to freeze a moment, but it's essential not to let it consume too much time. Whether the photo is outstanding or not, it still serves the purpose of preserving the essence of a place. Even lessthan-perfect pictures can become conversation starters. The most efficient way to capture images or videos is by observing the crowd and checking others' angles. Alternatively, you can explore social media to see where previous travelers took photos, helping you find the best views. After capturing the photo, take the opportunity to immerse yourself in the breathtaking landscape. Collecting souvenirs in a consistent style is a simple yet effective approach. Allen, a 24-yearold from Hong Kong, shares that she collects refrigerator magnets, creating a tangible connection to her travel memories. She prefers magnets associated with landmarks, like her Prague Astronomical Clock magnet, which not only replicates the appearance but also functions as an astrolabe. This practice enhances the experience of both browsing and

Sketching the landscape is a creative and immersive way to preserve trip memories. It allows you to draw whatever catches your fancy and provides an enjoyable process of selecting comfortable spots to sketch. This activity encourages a deeper observation of architecture, scenery, and local lifestyle. Instead of rushing to every attraction, take the time to appreciate what resonates with you.

The last method involves writing unrestricted thoughts, requiring only a pen or digital device. Dedicate just 30 minutes at the trip's end to record your most memorable experiences. This could include savouring local cuisine or recalling the adventure of finding your hotel. Be sure to note the date, duration of your stay, and your budget. In the years to come, this written record can serve as a meaningful comparison to your present life and inspire

Szuyi Lu

Image credit: Pxabay JebBuchman

Image credit: Unsplash - SvetlozarHristov

Image credit: Unsplash, @Abraham Garcia

President

Leo David

My main aims as president would be: Improving access and inclusion; Develop further resources promoting access and inclusion; Raise student engagement with NUSU; Mandate access and inclusion training for staff and societies/clubs.

Tackling sexual violence and discrimination: Address gaps in the survivor support system; Enhance sexual violence training; Expand changing the culture work.

Developing cost-of-living support: Expand free, affordable, and inclusive food options; Lobby university for increased bursary funding; Address hidden course costs.

Promoting sustainability: Lobby university for cheaper and more varied plant-based food; Campaign for more water coolers on campus/ in the SU; Increase NUSU’s engagement with sustainability.

I’ve been heavily involved in multiple aspects of student life, including: 100+ hours as 2023/2024 Disability Officer, including delivering awareness training, writing a disability policy, and lobbying key university staff; Collaborator to the University’s 2025 Access and Participation Plan; Active member of multiple society committees; Member of 2023/2024 Societies Executive Committee; 2022/2023 NSR Head of Tech; Wellbeing Ambassador working closely with Support and Advice Hub.

Welfare & Equality

Atika Bawari

Ibelieve nominating myself for the president position at Newcastle University is an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the student community. As a dedicated student, I am committed to fostering a positive and inclusive environment for all. My experiences in various student organizations have equipped me with leadership skills, allowing me to effectively represent the diverse interests and concerns of our student body.

Moreover, I am passionate about advocating for student needs, whether it be improved facilities, enhanced academic support, or fostering a vibrant extracurricular scene. I aim to bridge the gap between students and the administration, ensuring that their voices are heard and acted upon. By actively engaging with fellow students, I seek to implement initiatives that promote academic excellence, mental well-being, and a sense of belonging.

In a rapidly changing educational landscape, I am dedicated to fostering innovation and adaptability within the student union, creating a platform that prepares students for the challenges beyond academia. My vision for Newcastle University is one of collaboration, empowerment, and continuous improvement, and I am eager to lead the student body toward a brighter and more united future.

Liberation & Chair Roles

The liberation and chair roles are voluntary positions, designed to advocate for underrepresented voices in our community and champion student voice.

All students running for liberation roles do so alongside their degrees, and all identify with the communities they are representing.

Chair roles uphold democracy and advocate for the student voice within the Union, ensuring Sabbatical Officers are held to account as well as following the constitution.

As a student from a workingclass background, I aim to support others in similar situations, ensuring they can achieve their fullest potential without feeling hindered by their educational journey due to their background.

If I’m elected I aim to:

Conduct presentations in schools located in working-class areas to boost confidence and inspire students to believe in their potential for university education. Deliver workshops on financial literacy, employment skills, and assistance for students from working-class backgrounds. Extend travel support for commuting students from working-class families.

Establish a secure environment for working-class students to express their concerns, exchange experiences, and provide mutual support. Advocate for equal opportunities and address socioeconomic issues. Develop mentorships to connect working class students with successful alumni.

Hisham Salamathullah Smile Vij

As your Welfare and Equality Officer, I will be a compassionate voice speaking up for student wellbeing and fairness. My priorities are:

Mental Health Support:

“Even the strongest minds need support sometimes.”. I will lobby the University for more counselors and launch peer support groups. No student battling anxiety or depression should feel alone.

Financial Hardship Fund:

During my course duration, I witnessed many struggling with costs of living and tuition. I will work with the existing teams to increase awareness of the hardship funds provided by university and streamline the application process to get students help faster. My goal is ensuring no student has to choose between books or food or housing.

Reporting Systems:

There must be no ROOM for sexual assault and discrimination.

If elected, I will evaluate usage rates of current Student Health & Wellbeing Service and lobby for increased staffing and promotion. My mission is that all students feel safe and supported on campus. This ROLE is more than a TITLE, it's a RESPONSIBILITY. Your input is crucial – let's work together to eradicate inequalities at Newcastle, fostering a campus that embraces inclusivity, equality,

As your marginalized gender officer, I would be committed to ensuring our campus is a safe space. My platform centres on three key goals: Making the University a safe space for students to go to to get information on services specific to marginalised genders, including having an inclusive and in-depth resource pool on medical and social transitioning services and advice for trans and non-binary students.

Taking a holistic approach by holding events to spread awareness of issues that affect marginalised genders in particular, including informational services that collaborate with student organizations and University faculty to spread awareness/ understanding of issues affecting gender non-conforming students. Advocate for the University to provide more support for students undergoing transition. As a transgender man I have an up-close understanding where improvements could be made. Read more of Paolo's manifesto on www.nusu.co.uk

Given my experience as the well-being and community representative at the School of Computing, I aim to extend my impact by standing for welfare and equality officer role in NUSU. Building on my existing dedication to student well-being, I aspire to broaden the scope of support and advocacy across the entire university community.

Having engaged closely with the needs of students within the School of Computing, I've recognized broader challenges that demand a holistic approach. I am committed to leveraging this experience to address systemic issues concerning equality, diversity, and mental health at a university-wide level.

My tenure as a well-being representative has equipped me with insights into the specific challenges students face, enabling me to formulate more targeted and effective solutions. I understand the nuances of fostering a supportive environment and recognize the gaps that need to be bridged. With a focus on collaboration, empathy, and proactive measures, I aim to elevate the welfare and equality standards for every student, ensuring that no one feels left behind.

By standing for this position, I aim to merge my existing experience with a broader vision for a more inclusive and supportive university experience for all students, irrespective of fields of study.

Iwould like to be able to increase the voice of members of different ethnic backgrounds within our University while also trying to open up more opportunities for scholarships and other activities to improve their time on campus. I also aim to increase the different activities and celebrations on campus and raise awareness to different events and festivals. Additionally I would like to help students who may have issues on campus or would like to suggest improvements so that they may be able to better enjoy their university life without hinderance when there does not need to be any, and so that they feel more comfortable in a possibly new environment. I would like to be an approachable volunteer as the officer and someone who can make some decent enough improvements to the University before I head off back to my home after I get my degree.

Srushti Shimoga Jayaswamy

We believe that an inclusive culture at all times by respect, Provides the foundation for a diversity & Vibrant organisation. We should also understand that diversity requires deliberate action when it comes to the way we work. Whether through Embracing the power or by taking the clear & consistent action .

Neurodiversity inclusion-We recognise that everyone has personal strengths & things they struggle with.

Working towards the gender balance -We want everyone to feel themself at work, without any fear of Discrimination and feel confident in being who they are and empowered to thrive.

Supporting Mental health-I Strongly believe that supporting the mental health is critical aspect of inclusion & is working to address the Stigma that still too often exists whether society on this topic. We need to recognizes the importance of student knowing where & how to seek support when they are suffering from mental health challenges.

Supporting people with DisabilitiesWe are building an Environment where people with both visible & invisible disabilities actively & fully participate & demonstrate their abilities in the college & Society.

Promoting allyship - Our shared values are very important as it states take care of each other which means visibly & vocally standing up.

As a student from a mixed background, I am dedicated to inclusivity to others like me. Having moved here from London, an incredibly diverse city, to Newcastle, a city which is much less diverse, I struggled to find my place.

Now that I have established myself and found communities and friends who make me comfortable, I am dedicated to doing the same for others.

Charlie-Ann Ditchburn Working Class

Paolo Grasini Marginalized Genders

Jadenn Sivakumar Ethnic Diversity

Bee Balfourth Ethnic Diversity

Education

AU

Iam vying for the role of Education Officer. Committed to enhancing the academic experience for every student at our University.

I acknowledge our shared responsibility as Sabbatical Officers to understand students' diverse needs, enhance Union democracy, and influence the University at a senior level through active engagement.

I'll oversee statements, manage budgets responsibly, and contribute to strategic plans. Regular engagement with senior University staff, committee participation, and reaching out to students both publicly and in personalized settings will be integral to our success. Transparency and accountability will be at the forefront of my actions, ensuring tangible improvements in our academic experience.

I'll negotiate for students on education matters, lead projects, and align with national strategies. Focus areas include assessment design, feedback processes, teaching practices, inclusive design, and educational welfare.

I promise to openly advocate, use social media, collaborate, & prioritise student wellbeing in global events.

I'll collaborate with leaders, promote teacher growth, encourage innovation, and address challenges in higher education. Vote for a future where education is not just a process but a profound journey. Together, let's empower education and enrich futures!

While I have been at university most of my actions and choices have been influenced by my disabilities and I have been unable to communicate well what I have needed directly to those of whom I needed to discuss, for this reason my primary aim will be to increase understanding of various aspects of varying disabilities within the University.

My second aim is to increase communication of issues and requirements for accessibility between the student union and the university.

I want to help enable as much engagement as possible for all students, thus I hope you might consider me as your next disability officer.

Empowering Student Voice: Spotlight School Reps, promote visibility across campus physically and via social media; Training for Class and Course Reps to collect student feedback; Streamline the School Rep system across schools.

Improving Assessment Feedback: Propose standardised feedback format that will be mandated; System for students to appeal for better assessment feedback.

Diversity and Inclusion and Decolonisation: Adding authors from ethnic minority groups to reading lists; Lobby for recruitment of staff from underrepresented populations.

Empowering EDI representatives: Spotlight EDI representatives in every school; Provide comprehensive EDI training.

Sense of belonging: Create and support an international buddy system; Ensure all Schools are consistent in how they cater to students with disabilities.

Student Welfare: Lobby School buildings to have a “depressurising” space for neurodivergent students and minority groups; Lobby for recruitment of wellbeing advisors from underrepresented populations; Anonymous student inbox to submit welfare feedback.

Experience: Student Advisory Board, Narrowing the Awarding Gap - provide recommendations to foster better inclusion for Black Engineering students; School Rep, Engineering, 2022/23; Ethnic Diversity Officer 2023/24, NUSU; Access and Participation Plan Student Collaborative Team.

Honesty. Accountability.

Integrity. The Student's Union is our advocate, designed to protect, support and represent us throughout our time at Newcastle University.

I pledge not only to hold the Sabbatical Officers and constitutional changes to account, but to fight on behalf of the students for things that actually matter, including, but not limited to, inclusivity, diversity and the cost of living. Through chairing the 1st and 2nd year MBBS Student Voice Committees, I have developed my skills in mediating, communicating and advocating for students. I have also held Treasurer roles on two committees which demonstrates my own integrity and decision-making skills. Studying medicine means I have had experience representing my profession and peers in the hospitals, as well as being held to high levels of probity, honesty and trust.

Read more of Thomas' manifesto on www.nusu.co.uk

Alina Ghazal Jonathan Lee Jasmine Banks

Iam thrilled at the prospect of applying my enthusiasm to the role of Education Officer.

If elected, I will advocate for more consistent and fair assessment protocols within schools.

If elected, I will advocate for more consistent and fair assessment protocols within schools.

For those writing dissertations, I will demand clear, comprehensive, dedicated support and resources across all faculties.

Finally, I will encourage all schools to implement more flexible teaching models which are open to adapt to student feedback. My aim is to develop a learning environment that Newcastle’s present and future students have confidence in.

During my time as a Student Representative and Digital Representative for the SML, I have had direct experience raising prominent matters such as assessment processes, teaching, and exploring the future of technology in the university.

In these roles, I have demonstrated a passion for improving the education of my peers, and I will embrace the opportunity to speak on behalf of all students. My experience has given me the confidence to communicate student feedback to leadership and initiate changes.

I am committed to making real improvements to your learning, and I am certain that my skills and commitment are perfectly suited for the role of Education Officer. Your voice is valuable. I will make it heard!

As the prospective nominee for the role of Chair of Council, I am dedicated to upholding the values and principles of our Students' Union. With a clear understanding of the responsibilities associated with this position, I am committed to ensuring that Student Council is conducted democratically, fairly, and in accordance with our Union's constitution.

As Chair, I will lead with integrity to maintain order, while fostering an inclusive environment where every voice is heard and respected. I will promote awareness of the Student Council and empower student voices, recognising their role in shaping our Union.

Furthermore, I recognise the importance of accountability and transparency within our organisation.

If elected, I will lead the Council with a focus on accountability, ensuring that decisions are made in the best interests of our diverse student body.

Read more of Seoyeon's manifesto on www.nusu.co.uk

Devika Bhave

In my pursuit of the Education Officer position at the Student Union of our university, I bring forth a steadfast commitment to advancing the academic experience of every student.

PRIORITIES AND INITIATIVES:

Curriculum Diversity- I will work to ensure that the university curriculum reflects diverse perspectives and experiences, promoting a more inclusive and enriching academic environment. Student Support- I will establish mentorship programs and academic support initiatives to assist students in achieving their full potential.

Feedback Mechanisms- I will develop effective feedback mechanisms to gather student input on educational experiences, and work with faculty to address concerns and implement positive changes.

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMMITMENT:

With my experience in student leadership and a deep understanding of academic issues, I am wellequipped to represent the interests of the student body effectively. I am committed to being a vocal advocate for student concerns and will work tirelessly to ensure that the educational experience at our university is of the highest quality.

In essence, I am not just vying for a position; I am seeking to be a catalyst for positive change. As the Education Officer, I am poised in instilling a culture of academic achievement, collaboration, and lifelong learning

As a candidate for Chair of Council in the student election at Newcastle University, my manifesto focuses on enhancing the student experience, promoting diversity, and fostering a sustainable and inclusive campus community. I am dedicated to amplifying student voices, ensuring that every student has access to quality education and support services. Financial transparency and responsiblity is paramount, guaranteeing funds are allocated effectively to benefit the entire student body. Embracing diversity and inclusivity, I will work to create a welcoming environment where all students feel valued and respected. Strengthening partnerships with local organizations and advocating for student interests will be central to addressing student need.s Moreover, I am committed to promoting sustainability initiatives on campus, including reducing waste and promoting eco-friendly practices. Read more of Vignesh's manifesto on www.nusu.co.uk

Alex Duggan

Hi, I’m Alex Duggan –a final year Zoology student and Women’s Rugby Union President, and I am running to be your next AU Officer. I have been involved in the sporting life at Newcastle University for almost 4 years, with experience as Social Secretary (21/22), and on the AU Executive Committee for 2 years (21/22 and 23/24). I’m very hardworking, organized and approachable, and would love to work as your AU officer to make positive changes for all students, staff and sport clubs. If elected I would aim to:

- Reshape sporting culture at Newcastle.

- Improve mental health support in clubs and the AU.

- Foster inter-club connections and collaborations.

My primary goal as AU Officer is to ensure that every student experiences the fulfilment of university sports, enhancing their university journey and bolstering our collective spirit as Team Newcastle. Sport has played a pivotal role in shaping my university experience, providing me with invaluable opportunities for personal growth, leadership development, and lasting friendships. I hope to expand opportunities for others to experience the same or even greater fulfilment.

Jack Schofield

I’m the founder and president of NU Wheelchair Basketball Club and avid university gym goer. From my experience with starting a club there seems to be a want to start at the gym yet a lack of knowledge on how to begin. Therefore, my first proposal is a two-part campaign to make lifting make sense. This means I would: Develop an online library of student made videos of different exercises to be used at the gym. I would then like to improve the knowledge base of members at the university who go to gym but don’t understand the principles behind it: Organise outside speakers, societies, and lecturers to give talks on how to train optimally.

Whilst running my club we often get questions about who’s a good candidate to join. I propose: Generating recruitment videos for each club to specify their desired kind of person. With the updated system of tracking the number of people per booked session being a staff member counting attendees I would lobby for: The installation of student card scanners at the entrance to each of the rooms allowing accurate representation of club numbers and utilisation of the room.

Rhys Elson

Disability Officer

Thomas Adamson Chair of Scrutiny

Seoyeon Choi Chair of Council

Vignesh Venkatraman Chair of Council

Student Media

Activities

Sam Norman

Ihave been involved in Student Media my entire university experience, as a writer, subeditor, to now the Head of Current Affairs, as well as hosting my radio show! I'm on Media Executive Committee and attend Student Councils as a reporter for The Courier. I believe my experience and passion position me as the best candidate to lead Student Media the next academic year. My manifesto consists of three main points:

A DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION:

Including the expansion of The Courier's website to give our volunteers more training in listicle and other styles of online writing whilst growing portfolios. I would build on all branches' social media including shorts and video journalism to increase activity, whilst still maintaining current traditions.

CREATIVE CYCLICAL MEDIA:

More collaboration between branches! Interviews for The Courier filmed by NUTV, innovative NUTV shows reviewed on NSR, Courier editors giving run-downs on NSR.

COLLABORATION & REPRESENTATION:

Collaborate with societies for workshops and work alongside Liberation Officers and Sports Clubs to make sure EVERYONE's voice and actions are being highlighted.

Akash "Sky"

ILucy Bower Jess McKeown

My experience at The Courier, running my own music blog, and hosting a radio show make me a great choice for SMO.

Sometimes the words ‘newspaper’ and ‘student’ can feel incompatible as the increasing digital world gives young people multiple options to gain information. Despite this, there's a place for a newspaper.

I plan to expand the community feel by introducing a Society Spotlight, where readers can find out more about our societies.

I will introduce talks from industry based professionals. This will be a unique opportunity for students to gain an insight into future careers and to network with media professionals.

I want as many students as possible to be involved in media, but I recognise that sharing ideas in a large forum can be intimidating. I'll offer regular open door opportunities for anyone to discuss their ideas with me.

I have plenty of experience at The Courier too. In my first and second year I was Music Sub-editor and I'm now Head of Culture. This experience ensures I have the skills to be a great SMO.

If I were to be elected your next student media officer, I would focus on: Opportunities: More chances to get involved with NUTV productions such as covering society and sports events.

Following the success of NSR and NUTV’s charity stream, I would aim for student media to get involved with more charity events.

Community:

Creation of a ‘What’s on’ page in The Courier to keep students informed of events on campus.

Regular opportunities for writers and sub-editors to feedback to senior team.

Relevancy:

Creation of a ‘Breaking News’ subeditor role – particularly important given the upcoming general election.

Student media has been the highlight of my university experience and I have been involved across all three branches of student media. I have been a film subeditor for two years, currently host a radio show for Film-Soc and have helped out with NUTV’s Fresher’s Week and Fight Night coverage. My student media experience and my wider volunteering experiences have taught me the skills needed to continue to grow Newcastle’s thriving student media community

Harshvardhan Rathore

If elected, I will strengthen our student voice by growing our media presence across platforms. I will launch new social media campaigns highlighting underrepresented groups on campus and work closely with student organizations to amplify their messages.

Drawing on my background in digital marketing, I will pursue sponsorships with ethical, student-focused companies to increase funding for student publications and media groups.

As a former contributor to a student newspaper, I understand the importance of editorial independence. I will safeguard this by establishing a student advisory board to guide the officer role. My goal is to make student media more inclusive, representative and engaging. I know the power of storytelling to drive change. Help me shape narratives on campus by voting for me as your Student Media Officer. Together we will build a student media that informs, inspires and empowers.

Postgraduate

Bandal Linming Sun

f elected I will leverage my background in business management and student advocacy to amplify the voice of postgraduate students at Newcastle University. My first objective is to launch small discussion groups that bring together postgrads from different programs and backgrounds. These will tackle isolation by facilitating connection and idea exchange in an informal setting. I also aim to enhance academic support for postgrads through research collaboration mixers, and a peer mentoring program. My goal is to foster a culture of learning through partnership during the intellectually demanding postgrad journey. Additionally, I aim to expand professional development and career support programming to help postgrads gain an edge in the job market after graduation. This includes networking events, skills workshops, and access to alumni mentorship programs. Through my industry relationships, I will coordinate student shadowing days, secure global guest speaker events focused on thriving post-study, and negotiate discounts for skills building workshops. With a passion for uplifting the postgrad community,

1) For employment: I will be creating a community of similar majors, including students from similar majors, to increase employment options and break down barriers between majors.

2) Activities: I will plan a cultural table for the new semester, where students from different countries will select representatives to analyse interesting issues, make friends and learn about different cultures.

3) Academics, I will organise regular problem feedback tea parties to understand the problems in a more in-depth way.

4) For international students, I will hold an information class on how to study under the British education system at the beginning of the new semester to solve the problem of international postgraduates who are unfamiliar with the teaching mode and have difficulty in learning.

5) I have nearly two years of experience working with students as an undergraduate. In addition, with over 30,000 followers on social media, I am comfortable with a variety of filming assignments. As an ENFP+ helpful personality, helping you guys makes me feel happy.

ASwati Subramaniam

If I am elected as Activities Officer, I will work towards ensuring a wide variety of activities that cater to a diverse range of student interests, and expand student activities beyond what is available today. My key focal points are: Engaging and enabling students to form societies and groups centred on underrepresented identities and interests.

Providing quality training and support to newly created societies, and helping them build a solid foundation to gain momentum and grow throughout the academic year.

Work with establishments across Newcastle to host student activities and events, particularly during freshers week.

Work with the University and relevant individuals to address cost of living concerns or any potential bottlenecks that impact student participation in activities.

I am a pragmatic, approachable person with experience in leadership and event planning through my roles in University and High School. In addition, as an international student, I understand the struggles that come with settling into a new city far from home. I am keen to give back to the student community by enabling a rich and improved student societies experience.

s a public-speaker, Comparative-Linguist and Historian - studying as an Archaeologist at NCL-Univ., and a PostgraduateStudent-Staff-Committee, am keenly aware of divers-disciplines.

I am also a Deacon (Priesthood) in the ancient-Aethiopian-OrthodoxTewahdo-Church, and from the Caribbean (Latin-America), lived in Holland, Germany, besides England. These attributes give unique perspectives on facets of academic-anddaily-life, ancient-and-contemporary, east-and-west. As Postgraduate-Officer, I aim to improve-Modules to studentneeds/requests, so that Module-names reflect the modules taken; so Modulechanges by students are less-necessary. Postgraduate-students are also unnecessarily-'Less-privileged' than Undergraduates. Whereas, Undergraduates have more-time at the Univ. for opportunities-in-general. These include trips and field-work; e.g. in Archaeology there are no ‘Archaeological-digs’ for Postgraduates, especially impacting foreignstudents experience and biographies, if in England only-one-year., Read more of Vignesh's manifesto on www.nusu.co.uk

As a student representative for the Media and Public Relations postgraduate program at Newcastle University, I have decided to run for the position of Postgraduate Officer. This decision is driven by my sense of responsibility and a strong desire to improve our campus environment. Serving as a student representative has provided me with a deep understanding of the needs of my peers, motivating me to actively contribute to their well-being. My first aim is to ensure that every postgraduate student's voice is fully heard, fostering more opportunities for participation. My second goal is to create a more open and inclusive platform, encouraging the exchange of experiences and ideas, ultimately blending academic and social aspects. Through my experience as a student representative, I have cultivated effective communication and organisational skills, providing a solid foundation for the role of the Postgraduate Officer. I am committed to promoting diverse postgraduate activities through clear communication and advocating for a more cohesive campus community. I am eager to use this role to provide my fellow students with a richer and more meaningful university experience.

Rev. Deacon Gabra Agziaabhir Jr. Saier Huang Shruti Sharma

Assistance for Postgraduate Wellbeing: My goal is to enhance mental health and wellness programs that are especially designed to meet the special needs of postgraduate students, who must balance their personal lives, careers, and research.

Career Development and Employability: I will collaborate with the Careers Service to create courses and programs specifically designed to help postgraduates improve their employability and abilities.

Building Community and Networking: I will plan activities and events to help postgraduate students feel more connected to one another by offering them chances to socialize, network, and collaborate.

Food & Drink

International Women's Day: Celebrating Female Chefs

Jessica McKeown - Film Sub-Editor

This International Women's

Day, we're spotlightin excellent female chefs.

The theme for this year's International Women's Day is 'Inspire Inclusion', so here are six women who have entered the professional culinary space.

Julie Lin

Beginning her culinary career by reaching the quarterfinals of Masterchef in 2014, Julie Lin is a half Scottish, half Malaysian chef who brought Malaysian street food to the streets of Glasgow when she opened her first restaurant, Julie's Kopitiam, in 2017. Following the success of this first venture, Julie teamed up with the owners of The Thornwood pub to open GaGa, which serves a broader menu of south-eastern Asian dishes.

Erchen Chang

Growing up in Taiwan, Erchen Chang frequented the night markets. When she attended UCL, her path crossed with Shing Tat Chung whose parents ran a Cantonese restaurant in Nottingham.

Alongside Tat Chung's sister, they opened Bao, a street food stand, in 2012 under KERB which was a London based street food collective. The success led to a semi-permanent fixture in Hackney's Netil Market then a permanent location in Soho. Chang went on to open a second permanent Bao location in Fitzrovia and her own restaurant Xu, named after her grandfather.

Cherish Finden

Born in Singapore, Cherish Finden is an accomplished pastry chef who serves as a judge on Bake Off: The Professionals. At age sixteen, Finden joined Shatec Institutes and enrolled on a pastry-making course. In 2000, she won, leading a team, the IKA Culinary Olympics. Her long tenure as executive pastry chef at the Langham Hotel won her many awards including "Dessert of the Year" in her first year. She was appointed creative development chef at Godiva, a luxury chocolatier, and made the world's most expensive easter egg priced at £10,000.

Ifeyinwa Frederick

Partnered with her brother, Ifeyinwa Frederick co-founded Chuku's in 2016, the world's first Nigerian tapas restaurant. Her first venture into entrepreneurship was at 16 starting her own dance school. Frederick has gone on to win the 2019 Young British Foodie Awards and feature as one of Forbes' top 100 female founders in Europe and one of Elle's star female entrepreneurs under

20. On her website, Frederick lists her mission as "to positively rewrite the narrative surrounding Nigerian culture in the UK and build a community centred around good food and good vibes".

Minal Patel

Born in Gujarat, Minal Patel always knew that cooking would be core part of her life, roleplaying as Head Chef with friends as a child. Coming to England in 2004 with her husband Bobby, Minal had to learn a new language and culture while working in her family business which was a traditional Indian mithai shop. Since working at Prashad, Minal has attained two rossettes and Michelin Bib.

Nina Matsunaga

Born to Japanese parents in Germany, Nina Matsunaga studied Culinary Arts Management in London at 18. At 21, Nina was helping in a friend's bakery back in Germany and heading up a cookery school. When visiting Manchester, Nina discovered the street food scene and met her husband to be. Moving to Manchester permanently,

she set up a street food and event catering business called The Moocher with her husband. In 2014 they moved to Sedbergh and opened The Three Hares where they won many accolades and featured in the Good Food Guide. They later moved to the Black Bull where they have a simple food ethos to use "only the best seasonal ingredients available from what they refer to as the neck of Britain" - Yorkshire, Cumbria, Northumberland, Durham, Lancashire, Derbyshire and Cheshire.

Thrifty Chef: sustainable and healthy ways to navigate cooking

Eliška Janská

Saving money and food: Nutrition students set up 'Thrifty Chef' initiative on campus.

Have you ever struggled with budgeting, cooking, or just wanted to do something beneficial for the environment?

Let me introduce you to a new project on campus - Thrifty Chef, run by two nutrition students.

A meal kit service for students that uses surplus foodW to reduce food waste alongside providing cheap and simple meals for students. This means that students can afford to eat in a healthy and nutritious way.

One of the problems is that there are a lot of students who often get some sort of takeaway or ready meal, but Thrifty Chef offers a cheaper way of eating, which also has health benefits. As well as this, it teaches people valuable cooking skills. It comes in a recyclable box or bag with a recipe card and all the ingredients necessary for 2 portions of the actual meal, for just

£3. The main aim is to reduce food waste, since the UK produces over 10 million tonnes of food waste every year, which is around 22% of all food sold. Households have the largest representation with 6.6 million tonnes, making it 69% of the total amount of food waste, according to the BioteCH4.

Edward Wilkinson, one of the main organisers, said: “I think one of the most important things that we centre around is reducing food waste because it is such a big problem, and so much energy is going to waste by producing the food and then it literally getting chucked into bins.

"I think another big thing for it is to increase awareness of food waste because almost 70% of food waste is in the household, so by increasing the awareness of food waste people will become more conscious of reducing the waste on a personal level, so it’ll help in that way.”

Every Monday morning, they get all the vegetables that would be wasted

from a grocery store in Heaton and Hector Hall in Granger Market, and with stock of dry goods before Nil Living shuts down, they start making a recipe out of it.

"A meal kit service for students that uses surplus food to reduce waste."

what ingredients we’ll get on the day. So we have to either put them into Google and find some recipes, but usually what happens is we just sort of see a recipe come together as we are both nutrition students so we have quite a lot of experience with cooking. We mainly come up with the ideas ourselves." So, don’t be shy and come along in front of NUSU, every Monday from 3 until 6, and do something nice for both your body and the environment.

Meal Deal -breaker

Rosie Brennan - Opinion Sub-Editor

Option one - the perfect deal.

Main- a BLT

Drink- Some form of overpriced coffee/smoothie

Snack- Thai sweet chilli sensations

If this is your choice, you are simply an absolute legend, highly experienced in the meal deal game. You know how to create the perfect combo and get your money's worth. Keep up the good work.

Option two - the utter sociopath

Main- Tuna & Cucumber sandwich

Drink- Coconut water

Snack- eggs. just eggs.

I feel no need to elaborate. A person eating eggs as a snack in broad daylight should be sent to Alcatraz.

Option three - the superiority complex

Main- some form of sushi

Drink- Plain water

Snack- protein bar

We get it, you go to the gym. Ordering a bottle of water in a meal deal doesn't make you a health king/ queen, it makes you a complete idiot. If you're not buying the most expensive drink, you're a fool. Sorry. The meal deal is in the eye of the beholder, but I will still intensely judge you for buying a bottle of water.

Asian stores

Lu

Let's discover some authentic flavours!

HiYuo: 108 Newgate St, NE1 5RQ

HiYou Supermarket have fresh produce, meat, and kitchen gadgets. They offer lots of choices – different noodles, pans, and even niche products from India, Thailand, Japan, and Korea. What's special? They've got a Chinese bakery. People say their bread and cakes are authentic, softer, and less sweet than Western pastries.

JK: 10A Northumberland Rd

It's clean and tidy, not like the typical Asian market. They sell BTS and Japanese cartoon stuff – perfect for a friend who loves Asian culture. The cool thing? They've got a delicatessen with a noodle cooking machine. Pick your ramen, set it up, push a button, and it cooks instantly. They even have 10 seats if you want to eat there.

Senfeng: 45-51 Stowell St

The newest is Senfeng Supermarket, open since the second week of February. A good time to get Chinese seasonings or snacks. They have their own bakery with lots of bread and cakes. Also, a delicatessen for Hong Kong meals, like beef brisket rice and homemade meatballs.

Szuyi

Image Credit: Flickr, Ben Chen

Image: Source: Eliška Jansk á

Introducing: Lei Hope

Amy Mescus

Based in Manchester, a city with rich music history, Lei Hope is a completely self-produced artist who takes his inspiration from many great musicians of the past and present. If you enjoy acts such as Steve Lacy, Phoebe Bridgers, Japanese Breakfast, and more, keep reading.

Hope released his first EP, Autonomous Affection, back in 2021. Consisting of four tracks, each one just as creative as the next, Hope discusses relatable topics such as love, heartbreak, and finding yourself.

With heartfelt instrumentals and clear passion rooted in every single song, the listener easily develops a sentimental connection with the soulful sounding melodies.

My personal favourite from this project is drivemecrazy with its magnificent jazz-style chords, layered with funky bass riffs, not forgetting

Hope’s alluring vocals.

In 2022 came a sad song, Hope’s first single release. No words can better describe this song than simply beautiful. The acoustic guitar paired with the elegancy of the violin runs produce an authentic, nostalgic sound, which takes such an artistic approach towards indie alternative music of implementing classical instruments to bring the song together. If you need a song to help you through your most recent breakup, here it is. Let the wise lyrics of this track help you learn to love yourself. Just listen and you’ll understand.

Hope’s most recent release arrived just this year in January, titled Boyfriend. Returning with the unique-sounding bass, soft vocals, and groovy guitar riffs.

I am pleasantly reminded of the band Mild High Club. The lyrics are graceful and romantic as Hope sings about expressing your love to the one you admire and appreciate, asking them if he can be their boyfriend. I believe this single is a great

telling of the future of Lei Hope’s career, and only music of the highest standard will continue down the line.

Lei Hope currently has around 4,500 monthly Spotify listeners, so if you love discovering underrated artists and watching them flourish into charming acts with a growing fanbase, I recommend you start listening now! After having the pleasure of meeting Hope in Manchester in 2022, I can proudly say he is an incredibly genuine person and musician, who deserves all the love in 2024. We will excitedly anticipate what the coming years will bring him.

Prelude to Ecstasy Review

The Last Dinner Party. Biblical, ravenous, mysterious and fiercely feminine. There’s no need for debate, their presence is already undeniably iconic.

The Last Dinner Party have been a growing name in the London music scene way before the release of their highly anticipated debut album, Prelude to Ecstasy. Throughout the last year, they have been building some serious buzz on social media and recently through the release of singles such as ‘Caesar on a TV Screen’ as well as touring with big names like Florence and the Machine and Hozier, giving us a taste of what was on the horizon, and they have not left us disappointed. With their flare for drama and occasion paired with their sky-high ambition, the 5 piece have known exactly who they are from conception and it is palpable throughout each song they release.

Their first single, ‘Nothing Matters’, featured on the album, arrived early 2024 amid a storm of anticipation and made an unapologetic swipe at the contemporary music scene, mixing fantasy and mystery with a grandeur of epic melody’s.

Amidst the inevitable backlash of toxicity, misogyny, and grumpiness, The Last Dinner Party charted number 13 in the UK Independent Single charts and established themselves as a new and rare gem amongst the music industry.

They solidified this impression as the gothic London band laid it all on the dinner table in their first album. Prelude to Ecstasy spills with 12 songs richly upholstered by ribboning woodwinds, massive guitar solos and passionate and evocative lyricism. The five piece delivered a banquet overflowing with opulence and there is certainly no sense of scavenging through pop culture’s leftovers here. It romances and breaks the heart all at once.

Even with the high expectations set by their rabid fan base, this debut album has been nothing short of a spectacular listen. Its theatrical, its baroque, its sentimental and it flows from cover to cover like a storybook. Musically, the album wavers between chamber pop, dark wave and glam rock.

It opens with the title track “Prelude to Ecstasy”, an orchestral instrumental that eases you into the spectacle that will follow and makes way for the later instrumentals that swirl throughout each and every track.

The vast collection of accredited instruments form a lush backdrop for Abigale Morris’s jaw dropping vocal performances that bewitch you into the storybook of each track. Each note is enchanted with blood,

sin and, suffering as she takes us along stories of waltzing lakes, swashbuckling pirates, and tragedy.

Every moment of listening to this album is captivating. The Last Dinner Party have produced a beautiful melting pot of creative influences smashed together in a really novel way that is authentic to them. Both they and this album are truly things we have never before seen within the industry.

Megan VS Nicki... fight!

Dan Finch

After two decades of selling over 100 million records, accumulating countless prestigious awards, and being universally hailed as the frontrunner of female rap, little room is left for insecurity in the face of industry peers. And yet, just one implicit diss was all it took to light Nicki Minaj’s fuse this January.

Hiss was released by Megan Thee Stallion on 26 January 2024, the latest solo single from the recent rap sensation, which seemed to address several targets including Minaj and her husband, Kenneth Petty. “These h**s don’t be mad at Megan, these h**s mad at Megan’s Law,” listeners heard Megan proclaim. “I don’t really know what the problem is, but I guarantee y’all don’t want me to start.”

Park View switch on the Lights A

Poppy Bedford - Music Sub-Editor

new offering from Park View comes our way in the form of Lights, the bands new single out on the 1st of March. The single combines the band’s sound with something a little heavier, as always with great vocals and on-point instrumental that supports their alternative rock feel.

Josh, Louis, Tom, Alex and Alfie have brought us another certified banger, this time with some alternative flare and right in time for the build up to summer and the big push of the university year. The drums take a center stage in this one with the slow break downs and fast pace blending seamlessly with the upbeat guitar and story driven vocals that really take you with them on a journey. This track takes you on a rollercoaster and allows you to scream your heart out with a backing track to match, the blend of instruments mixed with the more traditional rock roots that the band are leaning into really makes ‘lights’ something special to look out for.

“Great vocals and on point instrumental.”

Park View’s new single Lights is to release on the 1st of March and is set to be another banger from the upcoming band; It’s no exaggeration to say that this will most definitely be added to my playlist as soon as it’s released. If you are looking for a Newcastle based band to follow and support, I cannot recommend Park View enough.

requirement that law enforcement agencies disseminate information regarding registered sex offenders. Upon dissecting these lyrics, the internet promptly connected the dots, interpreting the lyrics as a veiled dig towards Minaj’s husband, who is a convicted sex offender; Nicki has publicly defended his past actions for years, and therefore it came as no surprise when the rapper swung into battle for him, albeit via Instagram Live.

Swiftly announcing her 11th album is...?

OFor those not in the loop, Megan’s Law refers to the legal

What followed became very messy, very quick. Amidst an endless series of posts on X, Minaj announced the drop of her own diss track, dubbed Big Foot. As the title suggests, the 41-year-old rapper pokes fun at Megan’s highly-publicised trial alongside Tory Lanez, who was sentenced for shooting her in the foot. In case that was not brutal enough, Nicki additionally uses Megan’s mother, who passed in 2019, and her competitor’s supposed inability to rap comfortably over a beat as the groundwork for her clapbacks. Regrettably, very few of the petty lines manage to rise beyond any level of maturity.

Megan’s response has been more than satisfying, given that it is yet to actually occur. Besides promotion of her relevant single and upcoming tour, she has issued no direct response. Meanwhile, Nicki appears not to have a single toy left in her pram.

I, for one, am sighing on behalf of all the Barbz.

n 5th February 2024, Taylor Swift took to the GRAMMY’s stage after winning an award to announce that she was releasing a new album titled The Tortured Poets Department. The 34-year-old singer announced the album whilst accepting her 13th Grammy for best pop vocal album for her previous release, Midnights She began teasing the album when she stated “I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I have been keeping from you for the last two years,” the singer said, before announcing The Tortured Poets Department The album, which will be released on 19th April, was a complete surprise after speculation that she would use an acceptance speech to announce the re-recording of reputation, one of the few remaining albums which are yet to be owned by Swift entirely after her masters were sold a few years back.

The announcement for Swift’s 11th studio album mirrors that of Midnights, which occurred at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards after she won the top honour from the ceremony. Swift then uploaded the cover to X after leaving the Grammy’s stage, with a photo of some lyrics which read “And so I enter into evidence / My tarnished coat of arms / My muses, acquired like bruises / My talismans and charms / The tick, / tick, / tick, / of love bombs, / my veins of pitch black ink.” The image was signed by ‘The

Jess Mooney

Chairman of the Tortured Poets Department’. With tracks featuring Post Malone as well as Florence and the Machine, Swift has stated that the album proved the integral role of songwriting in her life.

Jess Bradbury

Image: Storm Walker

Image: Peter O'Sullivan

One Day (2024) Review

Amana Khan - News Sub-Editor

Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall brought friendship, hatred, romance, and grief to life in Netflix’s newest adaptation of One Day

Spoilers ahead!

The 14-part series first sees Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew meeting after graduation and after a failed onenight stand becoming best friends in the following 20 years. The series explores the development of their friendship, from anger to jealousy to love to heartache, and the exploration of this relationship has resonated with most viewers.

Both Emma and Dexter explore their adult life, both with and without each other. The two begin their adult lives in completely different directions to each other, with Emma struggling with her writing, whilst Dexter’s life is consumed with drugs, fame, women, and alcohol, causing tension within their friendship.

But as they get older, viewers’ persistent screaming at the tv, begging for them to fall in love, get married and move in together comes to fruition. All the angst wondering will they or won’t they fall away, and they have their fairytale ending.

At least this is what I, alongside other viewers, thought. After a tragic accident, Emma Morley dies. And Dexter Mayhew was never the same again.

The last two episodes see Emma die and Dexter’s life afterwards. These two episodes induced tears, heartbreak, and anger from myself and multiple other viewers as Dexter tries to wrestle with his emotions and try and survive a life without Emma. By the end of the last episode, Dexter celebrates his life with Emma, remembering the first time they met at Edinburgh University and their first day together where Emma turned from a “footnote” to the main character in the story of his life.

Emma and Dexter had been in love with each other for 20 years, but they waited to tell each other, whether that was because they weren’t ready, too immature or too scared, they both waited and by the time they ended up together they only had a few years of intimate love together, but Dexter was left with a lifetime of regrets, heartbreaks and what-ifs.

This series may seem from the outside like a typical chick flick or friends to lovers trope that we have all seen a hundred of times before, but the writing and the acting portrayed something much more exciting, heartbreaking, scary and upsetting. The story of One Day portrayed grief, sadness, and loneliness but most importantly it portrayed the rawest form of love and emotion through their relationship and then Emma’s death, as well depicting the power of time: how much time is wasted and how little time that life has to offer.

Image: Source: IMDB

Cory Gourley

Do you agree?

Friends

Are these TV shows overrated? Time to pull the trigger on Trigger Point?

I’m convinced people confuse nostalgia with genuinely witty and funny sitcoms. Friends is the perfect example of this. Nobody loves Friends. Nobody sits and laughs hysterically when Friends is on a never-ending loop on E4. It was the chicken nugget of sitcoms, mass produced, easyto-consume and cheap to make. So, you may love the theme tune but let’s be honest with ourselves that’s about the best bit of the programme. It was lukewarm, it never evolved and you can only tell what episode is from what year based on whether Jennifer Anniston was in her pre-Brad Pitt era or not.

“Nobody loves Friends. Nobody sits and laughs hysterically when Friends is on a never-ending loop.”

The Sopranos

To be fair, 2007 was not the best year for Television here in the UK. We had The X Factor Camp high-budget Karaoke on a Saturday night and we had Soap Operas for a mid-week pallet cleanser. So, the final season of The Sopranos probably added some spice to the schedules. However, this show is unoriginal: what show on HBO isn’t about gangsters? It was a bit like Friends in the sense that it went on far too long. As Livia Soprano would say ‘you don’t call, you don’t ring’ and you certainly shouldn’t waste your time watching this.

I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

The minute this penis eating C-List celeb jamboree began is when reality television officially exploded, so it has that to answer for. This is just not an appealing show, who really wants to see the

likes of Nigel Farage and Stacey Solomon eat live bugs and drink camel sick? Let’s not forget they also get paid a fortune to go to Australia for four weeks, it’s just a bit unjust if you ask me. Does anyone actually finish the whole series or does everyone just give up after the eliminations begin?

Normal People

This show in short is just about privileged people, doing privileged things, in privileged places. It lacks any real substance or back bone. The characters are one dimensional, selfabsorbed and the sex scenes are not genuine, they are over-romanticised and cringe. If I were to call it anything it would be EastEnders for a handful of moaning millennials. Finally, a side note for the casting directors could you find someone who doesn’t look 35 to play a 19-year-old, many thanks.

The Voice UK

Bless this show, honestly. It has done its best but it is time for it to go. Even during it’s hey day when they could bag the likes of Kylie Minogue as a coach, it was still quite simply dull. It never quite had the same level of impact on the music industry as it’s rival, The X Factor and never epitomised Saturday night viewing like Strictly. One final note, just because something

A novelty on screen: Best and worst TV adaptations

Marina Snyder - Lifestyle Sub-Editor

Though we are only at the start of 2024, we have already seen various new TV adaptations this year. From the new Percy Jackson show to the hit One Day series. TV adaptations are swooping in and taking over the industry. With the introduction of demand platforms such as Netflix and Disney+, accompanied by a generation of TikTok-induced short attention spans, the popularity of TV series means that TV adaptations have begun to take the stage, replacing the often hit-and-miss popularity of films.

Starting on a high note, several series have encountered positive responses from audiences. For instance, one of the most highly rated adaptations is Game of Thrones, which not only brought fans over from the book series but also created fandom on a much larger scale, making it one of the most popular television series of all time.

Another book-to-TV show adaptation that can't go without a mention is Normal People. Where the book has occasionally received criticism, the TV series has been noted for its brilliant chemistry between the actors and its tear-jerking portrayal of the story. Normal People's similarly with the new captures the book's actual character development and heartache in a way that, often, the film adaptation failed to.

On the other hand, book to TV adaptations aren't always received with open arms, and sometimes there is

uncertainty on whether these adaptations give the books the justice they deserve. Although, at first, Disney's new Percy Jackson series announcement received a buzz of excitement and anticipation from the Percy Jackson fanbase, there have been mixed messages since its release. On the one hand, the series is a vast improvement from its predecessor films, which faced backlash for its inaccuracies and poor adaptation of the beloved books; however, much like the films, the TV show felt too fast-paced and unfocused at times.

13 Reasons Why is another adaptation that can often cause mixed feelings. Though the characterization was layered and complex, the show needed help with what most adaptations do: striking a balance in how many seasons to make. Straying away from book plots and making too many seasons often leads to messiness and losing audiences' interest. This was also exemplified with The Handmaid's Tale, which, though a fantastic award-nominated show for the first few seasons, lost its' organic essence as the show progressed. Most of the time, book-to-TV adaptations are an overall success; many times, people watch series without even realizing our beloved authors originally wrote them. TV shows do what films always fail to; they take the time to learn and explore the plot and characters, which is why they work so well. As long as scriptwriters keep the spirit of the books in mind and don't stray too far, then witnessing your favourite characters and stories come to life before you is, and will always, be a pleasure.

Paige Rutter - Head of Social Media

Let’s just say there is always something happening in this show. Filled with explosives, surprises and shocks, it is a show which will suck you in.

Vicky McClure has moved on from Line of Duty for this one and has opted to become Lana Washington, a London based explosives officer. McClure was not the only one to jump ship from BBC to ITV, Jed Mercurio also takes the role of executive producer for the show.

There is not one dull episode of Trigger Point as it always seems the bomb disposal team are trying to stop a different tragedy happening. Most episodes conclude on a cliff hanger with a bomb having just exploded, been newly discovered or amid being diffused; this leaves you guessing the answers to questions such as who is surviving?

Series one was action-filled with bombs being discovered in various places such as vans, cars, homes, and mosques. The team were ordered to various locations where it was predicted bombs had been planted, with the responsibility of diffusing them quickly and safely – which often was not the case. We see Lana get thrown into action, with a total of three bombs in the first episode which ultimately brings co-worker Joel’s fatal end. Series one focused on the rise of a white supremacist group ‘The Crusaders’, who were planting bombs in places including mosques and LGBTQ+ areas. With this unravelling, as if Lana doesn’t have enough trauma already, her brother gets wrapped up with this group. As you may have guessed he is in a life-ordeath situation with a bomb being planted in his vehicle.

Lana reaches him in time and provides clear instructions through the car window, but ultimately the bomb explodes after he fails to listen. Washington is then reeling after the loss of her brother, but in true trigger point style the writers just want to give her a cherry on top of all this.

In comes Karl, the man who she found herself falling into the arms of despite being close with co-worker DI Youngblood. We see the concluding episode of series one featuring Karl wearing explosives on a stage. I know what you are thinking – but no he did not set the explosives off - he was shot instead. Series two has begun, and Lana is back doing what she does best. There seems to be a new threat circling this time, it seems as though this force can never catch a breaksimilar to the audience of the show who are left in suspense each episode.

Ultimately this show encapsulates what it is all about, suspense, action and emotion. McClure captures her character well, displaying the trauma she has faced yet not releasing the emotion to show it. If you are looking to be on the edge of your seat this is definitely the route to go down, and you may also find yourself critiquing the expo’s doing their job even

Sub-Editors: Jessica McKeown, Olivia Carter and Ned Carter-Owen

Film 24

Madame Web: A laughably weak and cynical hero film

Alex Paine

Sony continues spinning their web of mediocre SpiderMan villain films.

Madame Web should be the textbook example that we all talk about to prove that just because studios can make movies out of minor comic book characters, doesn’t mean they should.

It’s no surprise that it’s been a rocky couple of years for the superhero genre. Apart from a couple of triumphs such as Spiderman: No Way Home, The Batman and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, there’s been a lot of duds and failed experiments. However, no Phase 4 or 5 Marvel project reeks of being made for a paycheck as much as Sony’s tiein Spiderman movies, and with Madame Web they have plummeted to a new low.

I didn’t think it was possible to limbo under the bar set by 2022’s Morbius, but somehow Dakota Johnson is a less likeable lead than one played by the astronomically arrogant Jared Leto. Johnson is trying her best, but she’s way out of her depth here

and the script is just giving her nothing to work with. At least Matt Smith was able to make Morbius somewhat entertaining at points. Here there’s nothing, especially when it comes to the villain.

“The film was clearly a mess from start to finish."

Not only is Ezekial Sims a poor excuse for an antagonist, but he’s also the victim of the most glaringly bad ADR work I think I’ve seen in a bigbudget film, where half of his dialogue doesn’t even match his mouth movements. It’s actually inexcusable.

The film was clearly a mess from start to finish. There’s been many behind-the-scenes stories of extensive reshoots and often whole ideas and scenes being scrapped, and they are blatantly obvious here, with a really rough edit job as well as a confused sense of time and place. The film is said to take place in 2003, but there’s so many needle drops of 1990s rock songs that it makes me think the film was supposed to take place in that decade. The script is also inexcusably weak. It’s becoming trademark for screenwriters Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless (the writers of Morbius as well

as other cinematic masterpieces such as Gods of Egypt) to have unintentionally hilarious lines of dialogue, but at least the plot of Morbius was somewhat coherent. Madame Web by contrast is almost incomprehensible. The backstories are vague and clunky, the characterisation is amateurish and paper-thin, and the pacing is non-existent, making a fairly average 1 hour 55 minute runtime feel a lot longer than it is. Oh, and the film seemingly can't go five minutes without referencing Spiderman.

I don’t want to seem completely down on this film, but honestly I’m struggling to find any positives. I do feel really sorry for everyone involved, who I imagine and hope are better than this material, but this is a failure in just about every single sense. There’s the occasional funny moment, and some of the action scenes are reasonably well-filmed, but that’s nowhere near enough to make it even remotely worth watching.

Madame Web also proves that Sony has learned absolutely nothing in the last twenty years. Ever since

Spiderman 3 in 2007, they’ve had a nasty habit of messing about with directors’ visions and mandating unnecessary changes that turn the project into something completely different from what it was supposed to be. Even with that said though, they normally don’t turn out this bad. I’ve never liked the Andrew Garfield Spiderman movies, but at least the actors are usually able to make the film bearable. It seems now the films are just being churned out on a conveyor belt without any respect for ideas the directors or actors might have.

I’d say that the critical drubbing Madame Web is receiving will hopefully be a wake-up call for Sony, but given their track record of not learning from any of their mistakes, I’m not exactly hopeful.

OK, rant over.

Deadpool & Wolverine trailer debuts at Superbowl

Adam Lovegrove - Gaming Sub-Editor

Two X-Men icons make the multiversal jump to the MCU.

In the midst of Marvel’s recent multiversal mania, the Superbowl has delivered us a preview of the next adventure for our favourite wisecracking hero, Wade Wilson. As someone who has fallen out of love with the Marvel Cinematic Universe in recent years, Deadpool and Wolverine seems to hold the potential to inject some much-needed life into the franchise, while also addressing Deadpool 2’s somewhat unsatisfying ending.

The trailer opens as Wade celebrates his birthday, now accompanied by a freakish toupee. Everyone is here, from X-Men members Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead, to taxi driver Dopinper, to his recently resurrected girlfriend Vanessa. This brief moment of peace is cut short by a knock at the door, where Deadpool is confronted by members of the

Time Variance Authority: an organisation fans of the Loki series will immediately recognise. After Wade’s time-hopping hijinks of the last film’s finale, it’s clear why these guardians of time would have taken an interest in him.

“Holds the potential to inject some much-needed life into the franchise."

After a brief interaction with seemingly new TVA manager, played by Matthew McFayden, we are shown what our hero’s future in film may look like: an entry into the MCU. The film’s focus on the TVA seems to suggest they will address Wade’s use of time travel to bring back his wife, an element of the second film I felt to be a disservice to the character growth Wade went through in coming to terms with her death. And considering we see Deadpool fighting members of the TVA later in the trailer, it’s safe to assume him messing with the timeline will be a major plot-point of the film.

The movie looks to match the style and tone of its predecessors perfectly, especially in the action department, with the fights looking as ridiculous

and gruesome as ever. Just within this snippet we see Deadpool catch pistol mags into their frames in mid-air, crash through the rear of a car and break his arm before immediately snapping it back into place, and pull off a series acrobatic attacks on his enemies. The same can be said for the humour, with Ryan Reynolds delivering some great-one liners throughout the trailer and even hilariously dubbing himself “Marvel Jesus” at one point, met by a look of pure perplexion from McFayden.

The most exciting element of the trailer though – the return of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine – is the one we are left most in the dark on. We see the back of his head for two brief moments: first at the table of a casino, and again in the last shot of the trailer, as Deadpool asks him to “gimme a hand” and is greeted by that iconic “snikt” as we receive our first shot of the iconic yellow and blue suit. It hopefully won’t be long before we get to see more of their dynamic, as well as a greater understanding of just what this story will be all about when it releases on July 25th.

The Zone of Interest: a sensory chiller

James Kellett - Gaming Sub-Editor

Nominated for the Oscars, one of our writers reviews

Jonathan Glazer's latest film set at Autschwitz.

Coming into this film I had only seen one trailer, I expected to see a recount of the atrocities committed by the Nazi’s and Auschwitz commandant, Rudolf Höss.

I am no stranger to films revolving around the Nazi’s, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and The Pianist are all gripping films that had an emotional impact, and the same can be said for Zone of Interest. A trend that is apparent within myself is the primary emotion that drives through me is one of sadness and sympathy, however Zone of Interest quite simply provided a watch through of disgust and horror.

With the film centering around Rudolf Hoess, we are shown the Nazi commandant’s home; located next to the concentration camp, Auschwitz

Birkenau. On the surface, the film portrays an ‘idyllic’ family life with Hoess living in the home with his wife and five children. Certain scenes depict Höss swimming with his children, his wife caring for the garden, and enjoying family parties.

However, director Jonathan Glazer makes use of this imagery effectively to further intensify the wickedness of the Nazi’s. The film on the whole possesses somewhat of a contrapuntal theme, whilst being shown such idyllic imagery, simultaneously the scene would be subverted with sounds of gunshots, screaming and aggressive shouting originating from the neighbouring concentration camp. The major conflict between sight and sound is what makes this production so chilling, adding to the uncomfortable nature of the sounds used, it epitomises the evil nature of the Nazi’s and more specifically Rudolf Höss.

Once more focusing on the sound aspect, composer Mica Levi offered an unnerving soundtrack and that personally shook me to my core. From the first minute I became overwhelmed with an uncomfortable yet absorbing cacophony of sounds that simply glued myself to the screen.

The eerie soundtrack was perfectly complimented by the performances of Christian Friedel as Rudolf Hoess, and Sandra Hüller as the commandant’s

wife, Hedwig Höss. Whilst Friedel effectively maintained a stern and frighteningly calculated manner, Hüller’s performance in my opinion was the more chilling of the two. Throughout the film she would drastically switch between the role of a caring mother and a quick-tempered threatening wife of a Nazi officer.

Although I would describe this viewing as an

uncomfortable one, I would implore anyone to go and watch this film. There are plenty of films that can quite simply show the actions of history, however this production having the ability to target the senses and instil the uneasiness that many would have experienced under the Nazi regime, makes Zone of Interest one of 2024’s most important creations.

Image Source: IMDb

The Conjuring: A legacy of loathing and empire of exorcism

Megan Grimston

After its profound impact on the modern horror genre, how will The Conjuring end in a way that satisfies its immense legacy?

World famous preachers of the paranormal are set to hit cinema screens in 2025 with one final instalment of James Wan's staple franchise, becoming a quartet of hit modern horror. With the fruitful franchise coming to an end, there's plenty of questions being asked - which of the Warren's escapades is a legacy upholding story to tell? Can Conjuring virtuoso Michael Chaves satisfy the curious minds of millions?

2021 saw the release of the third instalment - The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It - in which Lorraine and Ed Warren take the Devil to court in their supernatural mystery with Lorraine at the reigns as Ed recovers from the films opening heartattack. With Ed's potential life threatening scare, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It perhaps had fans wondering where the final instalment would pick up on Ed and Lorraine's domestic life outside of being Paranormal Investigators. Alongside Ed's struggles throughout the film we see Lorraine battle with the consequences of her clairvoyance, taking a significant toll on her motivation to continue working with the

supernatural. With the next instalment being the last, it is possible that Wan et all may decide to end the franchise on a similar path.

With a franchise as iconic as that of The Conjuring, seeing the end on the horizon begs the question of which story is the right one to tell? The life of the Warrens was and is famed for the plethora of Demons, Ghosts, Cults, and Poltergeists they encountered all as

exit. It would not be the cases first appearance in the film, having an opening segment in the franchises second movie yet to be further elaborated on. Michael Chaves has officially been confirmed as the man for the job, returning to direct after the previous instalment. Chaves is a strong choice to end the franchise off with success, a veteran of Wan's work by 2025 (having previously worked on The Nun II in 2023 and The Curse of La Llorona in 2019 also). Similarly, the franchises original screenwriter David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick is reportedly returning along side the director. This roster can be seen as comforting knowledge that the franchise will have a strong exit from cinema As the Warrens main storyline comes to an end, their legacy in the horror genre will not go unmissed. The Conjuring franchise has set a standard for modern horror films that so many desire to live up to, basking in bone-chilling beasts. It's without question that The Conjuring has a

Image Source: IMDB

The Iron Claw: An elegant tale that will pile drive your heart

Sophie Austen

How does this adaptation of true events do the tragic tale of the Von Erichs justice?

The Iron Claw, written and directed by Sean Durkin, is a biographical drama based on the true story of the Von Erich family and the many tragedies that befell them in the early 80s and 90s. Despite the film being based on real events, which have even been ‘watereddown’ for cinematic purposes, it is almost incomprehensible how devastating Von Erich’s story truly is.

As someone who knew little to nothing about the Von Erichs, I was most certainly not prepared for the emotional turmoil I was about to endure. Despite my lack of interest in wrestling and lack of knowledge about the family, I couldn’t help but find myself becoming completely invested in the lives of these brothers. There is a complex balance that must be found when dealing with a story as tragic as this one, but much of Claw’s success can be attributed to the confidence with which it challenges the cage of toxic masculinity. These men are at their physical peak and seemingly invincible yet are concurrently tender and vulnerable.

Kevin Von Erich is played by the almost unrecognisable Zac Efron who delivers an outstanding, careerdefining performance, conveying so much raw emotion and pain with a simple look. With this role, he is demanding to be taken seriously as a dramatic actor and now, almost

certainly will. The only request made by the real Kevin Von Erich during the making of the film was that he wanted the audience to know how much the brothers loved one another. This unconditional love is made clear in a scene towards the start of the film during Pam and Kevin’s first date. When asked by Pam what his life dream is, Kevin reveals that it is to simply “just be” with his brothers.

“I was most certainly not prepared for the emotional turmoil I was about to endure."

Despite the film being a biopic inspired by the true story of this wrestling family, their immense loss isn’t merely being shown to you – you are feeling it with them. The first third of the film focuses heavily on constructing a sense of profound brotherly love between the siblings as they are shown to be fiercely loyal and protective of one another. Therefore, going into the rest of the film, you really feel how every

surviving brothers with them and further fractures this ‘cursed’ family.

Fritz Von Erich, played by Holt McCallany, is the textbook case of the father with broken dreams living vicariously through the lives and successes of his sons, working them down to the bone day after day. The beatings the brothers endure in the ring seem to pale in comparison to the emotional beatings they suffer at the hands of the family patriarch. The Iron Claw is not only the title of Fritz Von Erich’s signature cranial-crushing finishing move in the ring, but it also encapsulates the irontight grip Fritz and the profession have over the family. They are trapped within his legacy; his iron claw.

The Iron Claw offers an extraordinary cinematic experience in all regards, and the film’s score, composed by Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Parry, and soundtrack are no exception. With a carefully crafted sound design and inspired needle drops, featuring songs such as Blue Oyster Cult’s ‘(Don’t) Fear The Reaper’ and Rush’s ‘Tom Sawyer’, the film’s music and audio components take you on a captivating journey in their own capacity. My only gripe with the film is the omission of the sixth Von Erich brother, Chris. I discovered this only after watching the film and my heart broke for him. Sean Durkin told Vulture that removing Chris from the film was "the hardest decision [he] made”, but eventually concluded that “the movie just couldn’t withstand another brother’s death.” Cinematically speaking, I can understand Durkin’s reasoning behind this choice, but with the film’s focus on brotherhood, Chris’ erasure leaves a bitter taste.

Ultimately, The Iron Claw is an incredibly tender and heart-shattering film that never feels like pain for the sake of pain. It is not merely a film about wrestling, but rather it is a story of loss, masculinity, and brotherhood, and its emotional weight will stick with you long after you leave the cinema.

American Fiction: a tale of authorship and family

Louis George

Funny, poignant and tender: a quick look at this directorial debut, American Fiction.

American Fiction is Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut, tackling the issue of black literature and the liberal elite’s complicity in the stereotypes that pervade the world today.

It presents us with the story of one Thelonious Ellison (played by Jeffry Wright); a well-respected, if niche, author and lecturer. After being placed on indefinite leave from his job (after a hilarious outburst surrounding the ethics of the N-word), Thelonious returns home to spend time with his family. When faced with the mounting financial pressure of his mother’s care, he must decide whether to sell out or stick to his guns, trading the health of his family for ideological purity.

“You’ll spend most of the film with a smile on your face.”

It’s a bittersweet film, showcasing the struggles of an upper-class black family taking one gut punch after another as well as being a biting satire about the state of modern literature and the true value of a best-seller. Its also very funny; from our protagonist’s brother’s coke-fuelled gay antics to Wright’s masterful portrayal of a comically distant and awkward character, you’ll spend most of the film with a smile on your face.

The soundtrack is mellow and groovy, a perfect complement to the author’s journey as well as the many dramatic moments within the film. Though the satire can be somewhat ham-fisted at times (although I suppose this could be intentional) American Fiction really does have heart, and I’d definitely recommend it.

James Kellett - Gaming Sub-Editor

Disney seeks to dominate the gaming industry...

The beginning of February saw a historical announcement for the Walt Disney Company as they confirmed their collaboration with Epic Games, creators of hit video game, Fortnite. Disney stated that they invested a total of $1.5 Billion which in turn acquires them an equity stake in Epic Games.

The collaboration between the two large scale companies ensures a blending of their most treasured creative properties. Disney have made it clear that fans will be able to engage with characters from Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and more, whilst Epic Games will be tying such popular franchises with their most popular video game, Fortnite.

CEO of the Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger said: “Our exciting new relationship with Epic Games will bring together Disney’s beloved brands and franchises with the hugely popular Fortnite in a transformational new games and entertainment universe.”

Over the past decade, there has

been an apparent trend of Disney quite simply demolishing competitors with their financial power, as viewed with their acquisitions of Marvel and Star Wars.

Disney have become a brute force in the film industry with such acquisitions and it is clear they are making use of their business to further dominate the video game industry.

"The collaboration between the two large scale companies ensures a blending of their most treasured creative properties."

Source: Wikimedia Commons

According to Statista, as of 2023 Fortnite has a registered 500 million players registered on their serves, meaning Disney are tapping into a mammoth portion of the video game industry consumer base.

As with many of their acquisitions,

their collaboration with Epic Games will almost certainly spell further success for the multi-billiondollar company.

"As with many of their acquisitions their collaboration with Epic Games will almost certainly spell success for the multi-billion-dollar company."

This huge investment by Disney seeks to further consolidate their previous work in the video game industry. Since their subsidiary, Disney Interactive Studios went defunct, Disney opted to shift to a licensing model meaning they would make agreements with video game developers to use their intellectual property to produce video games, as viewed through Marvel’s Spider-Man, Kingdom Hearts 3, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and more.

Founder and CEO of Epic Games, Tim Sweeney detailed on the collaborating explaining: “we’re collaborating on something entirely new to build a persistent, open and interoperable ecosystem that will bring together the Disney and Fortnite communities.”

The synergy between Disney and Fortnite can viewed as a guaranteed ‘banker’ for the Walt Disney Company,

their recent history of acquiring entertainment companies in the film industry has solidified their Hollywood dominance, and this experience in turn will expand their influence into the video

Walt Disney Company announce $1.5 Billion partnership with Epic Games Memory Card: Sonic Heroes

Adam Lovegrove - Gaming Sub-Editor

A supersonic trip down memory lane...

Although I don’t quite remember my very first experience with the series, Sonic The Hedgehog has always held a special place in my heart. From playing the classic 2D games on my family’s old SEGA Genesis to watching YouTube AMVs and Newgrounds animations for hours as a kid, I had always been engrossed in anything Sonic-related I could get my hands on. But Sonic Heroes is the game that I’ve always had the fondest memories of, and the one I hold closest to my heart.

The game is an absolute blast from the moment you boot it up, hitting you with a colourfully animated opening that I can just never bring myself to skip. It’s 90 seconds of pure action that let you know exactly what you’re in for, accompanied by the most unapologetically early 2000s rock song you’ll ever hear.

Following up on Sonic Adventure 2, in which the player would switch between different characters on a level-by-level basis – an idea which intended to improve on Adventure 1’s idea of giving each character their own story – Heroes condenses this concept down even further by introducing character switching within levels. It boasts a robust cast of twelve heroes, broken down into four teams of three, each with a Speed, Flight and Power type.

With the simple press of a button, the player can seamlessly swap from one teammate to another, letting them utilise the right ability for the situation they’re in. Speed characters like Sonic are best for quick traversal and chaining homing attacks on enemies; flight types like Tails form a totem-pole structure with their teammates to carry them across pits and chasms, and power types are the big hitters of the team, such as Knuckles, who wears Sonic and Tails as boxing gloves on his fists and throws them at enemies to deal damage. The core gameplay is centred around using all three characters effectively to traverse the levels, and learning to do so can be very rewarding. When combined, the types provide a wealthy range of options in both movement and combat, and reaching that flow state by using your trio in perfect harmony can feel amazing.

“Reaching that flow state by using all three characters in perfect harmony can feel amazing."

In contrast to the more intense plots of the Adventure games, Heroes is much more lighthearted, consisting of four stories that all converge for a final showdown at the end. Sonic, Tails and Knuckles are on a mission to stop Eggman’s latest world-conquering weapon, while Amy helps Big and Cream search for their friends, chasing Sonic in the process. Treasure-hunter Rouge is reunited with an amnesic Shadow, who sets out on a mission to recover his memory accompanied by her and Omega, an ex-Eggman robot hellbent on killing his creator. Finally, Espio, Vector and Charmy return to the series as Team Chaotix, accepting a job from a

mysterious contractor in an attempt to collect some cash.

Heroes consists of seven different locations, each with two levels and a boss battle to cap off the zone. Every single area is brimming with life and colour, giving every location a distinct vibe and atmosphere. From the bright greens and blues of Grand Metropolis, to the dark browns and oranges of Rail Canyon, to the multicoloured neon maze of Casino Park, Heroes provides players with a rainbow of playgrounds to dash their way through.

Every location also comes with its own variety of gimmicks that are in equal parts ridiculous and awesome. For example, Frog Forest features giant frogs that can cause rain when interacted with, which can have a variety of effects on the stage, from blossoming giant fruit for you to bounce on, to growing giant vines for you to grind down, to sprouting trees that can be climbed. Hang Castle is another favourite of mine, which features a gravity switching mechanic, allowing you to explore the underside of sections you’ve already visited, reach inaccessible areas, and even run down the side of a tower in the stage’s finale. The stages also feature some incredible set-pieces, like blowing up Eggman’s airships in Egg Fleet; climbing to the top of a rising energy tank in Power Plant, and being shot out of giant cannons in Bullet Station. These not only add some high-octane excitement to break up the stages, but all contribute to the theme of their respective levels.

The game’s biggest weakpoint, in my opinion, is it’s bossfights. The Egg Hawk, Albatross and Emperor get increasingly cheap with each one you fight, featuring some ridiculous attack hitboxes and infrequent damage phases that make the battles

Source: Flickr, @imagesd man

Source: Wikimedia Commons

drag on far too long. The encounters against the other playable characters suffer from the opposite issues, being far too easy to defeat and making them feel incredibly half-baked. The only bosses that I felt worked personally were the robot gauntlets, in which you fight waves of Eggman robots in an arena. These encounters make the most of the game’s fast-paced combat system and encourage frequent character switching, and as a result are far more fun to play.

And, of course, the secret Super Sonic showdown is a superb finale, complemented by Crush 40’s "What I’m Made Of", one of my favourite vocal themes in the franchise.

“Heroes provides players with a rainbow of playgrounds to dash their way through."

Every time I boot up Sonic Heroes I can’t help but smile. Some of my fondest memories as a kid come from playing video games with my little brothers, and this game gave me so many of them, like the moment we finally beat Final Fortress on Sonic’s story, or the countless battles and races we had in the game’s multiplayer mode. To this day I still find myself returning to this game for more. I’ve played through Team Sonic’s story more times than I can count, and I don’t think I’ll be stopping any time soon.

Best Video Game adaptations

Multiple Writers

Our favourite pieces of video game and TV/film synergy...

The submersion of our most cherished video games into the universe of film and television is one that quite simply grips the masses. There have been many cases of our favourite characters being transcended into a new medium and these are some of our favourites.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

George Brownless

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is something I had looked forward to for a while, and I was glad to see when I watched it that it more than met my expectations. Faithful is the word that comes to mind, every time a new concept or character is introduced it matches up beautifully with the games. Charlie Day in particular shone as Luigi, hitting the cowardly vibes from the Luigi's Mansion games, though I hope any sequels give him more prominence in the story.

Brian Tyler also nailed the soundtrack, bringing to life a whole host of tunes from across the franchise. I just wished they used “Driving me Bananas”, a track which was replaced by Aha’s “Take on

Me”.

Arcane

Adam Lovegrove

As someone who went into Arcane with very little experience of the League of Legends franchise, I found its ability to transform such a vast and complicated world into a captivating story for both long-term fans and newcomers to the series very impressive.

Its art style is a beautiful meld of 2D and 3D animation, giving every location a one-of-a-kind look, from the bustling, hi-tech city of Piltover to the derelict district of Zaun that lies beneath it. I became quickly engrossed in the relationship between sisters Jinx and Vi, and their final encounter in the first season resulting in that bombastic cliffhanger of an ending has left me desperate more ever since.

Pixels

James Kellett

In comparison to the other features in this list, Pixels incorporates a vast number of games from the golden age of arcade gaming, the 1980s.

The film includes some of the most iconic characters of the generation, ranging from Centipede to Q*Bert and even Pac-Man as a villain, Pixels provides a satisfying nostalgia blended into the modernity of our world.The characters surmount an alien invasion of Earth and it is the job of gaming enthusiasts

Sam (Adam Sandler), Will (Kevin James), Violet (Michelle Monaghan), Eddie (Peter Dinklage)

Source: Youtube, @Nerd Clips HD

and Ludlow (Josh Gad) to defend earth from their childhood heroes.

The Last of Us

Mitchell Hall

Arguably the most successful TV adaptation of a video game in recent years, the The Last of Us walked a refreshing line between retelling a beloved story and filling out the world of the game

"The Last of Us walked a refreshing line between retelling a beloved story and filling out the world of the game with new characters and storyline."

with new characters and storylines. Whether it be pre-apocalypse flashbacks, expansions upon the DLCs or a breath-taking fleshing out of a side character’s backstory, TLOU manages to tell the same story without re-treading old ground.

Actors from the games appear in cameos that make watching the show a joy for die hard fans and complete newcomers alike, in fact it might be the first video game adaptation that my dad watched without me having to suggest it to him. With more to come from the show with a whole sequel to explore, it will be interesting if it can avoid the controversy and decline that the second game suffered, but I have hope.

Source: IMDB

Dredge (2023): a supernatural spin on fishing simulators

Arthur Ferridge - Head of Sport

My first impression of Dredge, released in March 2023 by Black Salt Games, came on one of those dreaded nights of boredom when I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself and nothing in my games library looked worth playing. With a few quid of store credit, I blindly approached the Steam store, not looking for anything in particular. What I stumbled on, however, in a moment of serendipity, was Dredge, filling that often-overlooked spot at the generic intersection of fishing simulation, fantasy, and horror. On any other day, I probably wouldn’t have touched such a game with a barge pole, but something about Dredge drew me in, like a sailor to a siren’s song.

In Dredge, the player takes the role of a fisherman serving the remote island village of Greater Marrow, with its opening missions appearing to be little more than a fishing simulator. The story quickly reveals its darker elements, as the player begins to pull mutated fish and possessed relics from the waters, both signifiers of the island’s dark past, the ships wrecked on its treacherous coastlines, and a foreboding supernatural presence. The player is warned away from the island by a hunchbacked lighthouse keeper, who describes in as little detail as possible, the dangers of the waters surrounding Marrow and the archipelago.

Following the opening sequence, missions start to pile up, at a rate quick enough to give the player a choice between storylines but not so fast that it becomes overwhelming. Tasks naturally centre around the core gameplay mechanic, sailing and fishing, but achieve an impressive variety of function, whether that be doing favours for townspeople, working to uncover the story’s lore,

The Gaming History of China

Poppy Bedford - Music Sub-Editor

As we begin the Chinese new year, here's a whistlestop tour of its gaming history...

The video gaming industry in China has often been a fraught one, with very different tastes to their western counterparts and different laws around gaming and video games.

When video games started becoming popular in the 1970’s, China was in the middle of a cultural revolution, very few people had access to the early devices and games struggled to become popular as a consequence. China was not hooked on video games as quickly as the western world seemed to be.

When the 2000’s rolled around and video games became more diverse with brands like PlayStation and Xbox entering the market, China had undergone major economic and political reforms which had improved peoples lives, however, PC’s and most games where still banned from being sold and imported into China with the government claiming to worry about their young people having a ‘video-game addiction’. This did not stop video games from growing in popularity by the mid to late 2000’s.

or simply fishing for money.

Outside of story missions, the player is free to explore Dredge’s many waterways, fish to their heart’s content, saving money which can be used to expand the functionality and speed of their ship.

“The story quickly reveals its darker elements, as the player begins to pull mutated fish and possessed relics from the waters.”

Dredge, on the whole, is a game that does just about everything right. The story carries a healthy mix of rational and mystical elements, and is neither obscure nor spoon-fed to the player. The pacing is largely down to the player as missions have no set timeframe. Mechanics are intuitive and are neither overly unnecessarily nor simple enough to get repetitive. It is worth noting as well that new mechanics, creatures and storylines are introduced with each of the game’s five primary areas. The various minigames that come with different types of fishing also help to keep the gameplay fresh and interesting. I would be remiss not to mention Dredge’s award-winning art, a simple yet incredibly effective low-poly design, complemented by a gorgeous colour palette which helps to elevate elements as integral as oceanwater, lightning, and underwater elements such as fish and shipwrecks. After having spent five hours with Dredge, I am beyond captivated and desperate to work through the rest of the story. Still selling for just £21.99, you’d be hard pressed to find better value for money in gaming right now.

However, video games, at this point, where still nowhere near as popular in China as they where in the west and this, while not solely the reason, was largely due to the inaccessibility of different games to the Chinese market where you could find a console but not different games to play, the market for video games never took off. Instead, China’s gaming boom came from the introduction of free-to-play online games that have saturated the market. Where people may not have had money to buy a video game they do have a few free hours to play online. This rise in online gaming was also benefited by China’s internet café’s where people can go and play out in public rather than stuck at home. This had flourished into a huge market in China with tournaments and gameplay being extremely popular.

Image: Source: Arthur Ferridge

Arts Council England: Not so 'ace' after all?

Imogen Smillie - Head of Culture

Arts Council England announces shocking new guidelines regarding the funding of organisations.

In recent weeks, Arts Council England (ACE) have announced updates to its guidelines, shocking the artistic community. ACE told arts organisations that “overtly political or activist” statements made by their artists, or those they work closely with, could see funding cuts.

“Due to the new regulations in England, some organisations may have their fundings withdrawn.”

For those who are unaware, ACE are the main funding body for arts and culture in England and therefore have the power to make these funding cuts, if and when they feel it necessary.Understandably, this news has sent shockwaves through the artistic community, with anger and confusion from those who use their art as a way to communicate their feelings. Particularly in recent years, with all the horror seen across the world, art may be the only medium some can use to

express their anger with the world. However, now due to the new regulations in England, some organisations may have their funding withdrawn if pieces are to include such political statements, leaving artists nowhere to present their work. Due to this backlash from the country’s creative types, ACE have assured that this new regulation is due to a matter of miscommunication, and promise to update the language of the new guidelines soon. Laura Dyer, their deputy executive, said that that ACE still believe “in the freedom of expression of all artists”. Retracting such a statement may seem

“ACE still believe 'in the freedom of expression of all artists'.”

contradictory for such a large organisation. But, we have to trust in their word that they are to change the language of such an important document. However, this type of incident, perhaps, appears to have occurred before with ACE, as well as other cultural institutions – including the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).Such creative institutions have taken a knock with budgets, therefore begging the question, where is the money going? In the current cost of living crisis, there is no need to argue that money is tight. We all need to budget, whether that be for the weekly shop or the next set of acrylic paints. Either way, when funding is drawn due to freedom of expression, there may be (and should be) cause for such outrage.

On a personal level, I am currently studying a creative based masters, mainly for my love of writing, and with that, all other creative art forms.

“There is a need for art as a way of expression, whether that be emotional or political.”

Therefore, I understand the need for art as a way of expression, whether that be emotional or political, through writing, painting or any other creative means (but I still prefer writing!). For myself, and other creative types, it feels disheartening that the main funding body for arts and culture, appear to be clamping down on the guidelines of how we express ourselves through the medium we love!

And as Senior Editor for Culture here at The Courier, I only hope that our writers and editors feel they can express themselves creatively –we wouldn’t want it any other way!

Image Source: (both) Pixabay

World Book Day 2024 : Read your way

Sarah Tunstall and Laura Kasongo - Arts Sub-Editors

Your Arts sub-eds reminisce on World Book Day and why this year's theme is still relevant in our later lives.

UNESCO’s World Book Day has been taking young readers by storm since 1995. The day is celebrated by over 100 countries around the world and has been a statement day in the UK and Ireland since 1997. Their mission promotes reading for pleasure and encouraging young people to start their journey through the world of literature.

“Reading is fun, relevant, accessible, exciting, and has the power to transform lives.”

Creators of the mission state that reading for pleasure is the basis of a child’s future success, encouraging young students aside from any family circumstances, educational background, or parental income. As founder, Baroness Gail Rebuck recalls “we wanted to do something to reposition reading and our message is the same today as it was then – that reading is fun, relevant, accessible, exciting, and has the power to transform lives”.

For us Arts sub-editors, who grew up in quintessential British Primary schools, World Book Day was a staple

of the Spring term. World Book Day as younger students was filled with book activities, dressing up, fundraisers and the infamous National Book Tokens for a £1 book!

Most notably, it was the dressing up part that we loved the most. As a special treat

Laura’s… certainly nailed the eyebrows though. We both found it profoundly disheartening to learn that dressing up was suddenly ‘uncool’ by the time secondary school came along (Laura still decided Sherlock Holmes was appropriate in year 9) since that was where most of the magic about World Book Day came from. Resonating with a character, perhaps not one wishing to murder 101 dalmatians, is what made literature special and a world we could be a part of. We often wonder whether or not university students would want to dress up for it nowadays; whether or not sitting in lectures as ‘Where’s Wally?’ would be symbolic or just immature. Yet, albeit not a scientific correlation, both of us are studying English Literature at degree level so it does beg the question – how influential is World Book Day?

“Capitalist constructs of 'Time' rarely value reading for pleasure”

This year’s theme for World Book Day 2024 is “Read Your Way”. Though inclined to younger students, strategies such as: setting time aside to read regularly, having a book accessible where you go, having a choice in what you read and receiving recommendations for books as a “strategy” seems fitting to us as students today. During university commitments, perhaps stripping back those reading strategies is how we should continue on. Capitalist constructs of 'Time' rarely, if at all, value reading for pleasure and as Anne Boyer once put it - "Reading - even literacycan always be...a minor rebellion." We, of all students, get that this is easier said than done when your degree already keeps you occupied with pages upon pages but there's always some room for something light, even if its just before bed. If DEAR time still existed (Drop Everything And Read) we'd be willing to bet you'd get through at least one short novel a

month outside of academic reading. To "Read Your Way" as an adult is to give yourself freedom to any book without judgement. You don't have to read Crime & Punishment to feel better about yourself or impress anyone (try Camus instead for shorter existential crisis if that's your prerogative). Whether "your way" is Frankenstein or It Ends With Us (judgement free but arguably which is the bigger monster...) reading should be something enjoyable. An act to let your imagination loose and free that inner-child who's still willing to play dress-up for World Book Day.

Image credit: Laura Kasongo, Pixabay

Arts

eavesdrop

Libby Griffiths - Campus Comment Sub-Editor

i walk into a coffee shop and order an americano with a side of three different converstions.

two sisters discuss which flowers would compliment their bridesmaid dresses the best. They argue between periwinkle and sage.

an old man holds an iphone an inch away from his face, speaking in giggles with a much younger voice. He is just as young at heart.

gentle taps and clenched hands come from a very nervous job interview in the corner. i smile at the interviewee, they smile back.

as i leave the coffee shop, i silently pray the sisters choose sage, the man continues to giggle, and the worker gets the job.

What's gannin' on...

11-15 MAR.

11 - NUTS production of Shakespeare's 'Romeo & Juliet' @ Alphabetti

11 -12 - NUTS 'DARTMAN' @ The Cluny

12 - Yellow Lines Poetry @ The Ticket Office

13-14 - NUTS 'The Girl on the Train' @ The Cluny

15-16 - NUTS 'Be My Baby'

Archival photography: Past stories & future anecdotes

Anna Nix - Food and Drink Sub-Editor

From cave paintings, which described hunting, to renaissance portraits, all the way to the modern era of digital photographs, pictures have always told us stories. Each one is its own and the photos from years gone-by tell the stories of our past. We are nothing without our past, as she makes us who we are. If we were to forget her, we would be deemed to repeat her. Were we not to learn from our mistakes, and the mistakes of our forebears, we would end up in an infinite cycle; always going in circles, repeating that which we have so foolishly forgotten. Objects from our history all tell our stories, and whilst books can spell out a story word by word, it is the photographs that often tell the most impactful stories. Through old pictures, we not only get to witness a story, but we also see the instigators of them. Yet still, photographs hold much more than just a story. Be it an old photograph of your city - you get to see a glimpse of what your grandparents saw every day, even if it is a quick glance, you get to partially understand, the way they used to live

“I would have never met people whose blood still runs with my own.”

their lives. Take a photo that depicts the war of past generations - it is one thing to read about the implications of such conflicts and another to see those consequences through your own eyes.Were it not for my grandma saving all the photos from her life in a neat box, tucked away in an old cupboard, I would have never met people whose blood still runs with my own. Her photos, along with her commentary, told a hundred stories, which would never have been heard if those photos were left forgotten. And that is only one box filled with a handful of photographs from one grandmother. There are about millions of others like her, keeping old photos in cupboards, or at galleries, or, in this day and age, in their phones. Each photo telling a story, only waiting for someone, like you, to listen.

Image credit: Laura

Kasongo

16-23 MAR.

16 - Baltic Open Submission 2024 @Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art

17 - Art Club @ Star & Shadow

20 - Open Mic Night @Station East

22 - DIY Ceilidh @ The Lubberfiend

24-30 MAR.

24 - Art Club @ Star & Shadow

27 - Edward Scissorhands starts @ Theatre Royal

L.A.D.S + Production Workshop (Ladies & Decks) @ Cobalt Studios

30 - Newcastle Puppetry Festival @ Northern Stage

1-6 APR.

1 - The Cooking Pot (Open Mic)

@Baba Yagas Whitley Bay

2 - Speed Dreamers @ The NewBridge Project

6 - Friend (The One With Gunther) @ Northern Stage

Ed Gamble 'Hot Diggity' Tour @ Tyne Theatre & Opera House

Image: Sources all from Pixabay

Crossword

Down

1. The Sabbatical Officer who writes a column for the back page every issue (8)

2. What NUSU staff will be counting after March 6th (5)

3. A Sabbatical role geared to helping academic studies (9)

4. A Sabbatical role (9)

7. The initialism of a Liberation Officer role that currently has no candidates (3)

8. Something that happens six times within the academic year to find out about Sabbatical and Liberation happenings (7)

10. Campaign propaganda (6)

14. The initialism for a place you can talk in the Support and Advice Hub (3)

15. The elected Sabbs and Libs will ___ on their manifesto points (3)

16. The initialism for the person who is in charge of The Courier, NSR and NUTV (3)

Across

1. What you will find on the second floor of NUSU – the [blank] corridor, also a Sabbatical Officer role (10)

5. We ran out of ideas to do with elections, so what does a ghost do to a house (6)

6. The building all the Sabbaticals work in (4)

9. We ran out of ideas to do with elections, so what do horses do (4)

10. The Sabbatical Officer who supports students undertaking a Masters or PhD (8)

11. What candidates will be doing by the arches during election season to gain votes (6)

12. The initialism for the ‘person’ you can vote for in all of the roles (3)

13. The candidates’ manifesto points are: “__ in stone” (3)

14. The first word of the longest Sabbatical title (7)

16. Somewhere you can gain advice on housing, academic and finance (3)

17. A title that covers several of the voluntary roles that you can vote for (10)

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Getting back to her best: can Emma Raducanu fulfill her potential and become a legend?

Jess Bradbury - Head of Social Media

The British star is struggling to find her feet since her shock US Open win in 2021.

First bounding into the professional tennis courts in 2021, Emma Raducanu has made her mark in the sporting world, but a number of setbacks and lack of consistency in her coaching has led to a dwindling in her career - can the former British number 1 find her feet on the court again or will she trip chasing grand slam titles?

“Performance at this level requires much more consistency than she is giving at the moment.”

There’s no doubt that Raducanu’s first appearance catapulted her into stardom, not only in the world of tennis, but also outside of the sporting world. The now 21-year-old first made her Grand Slam main-draw debut on a wildcard to Wimbledon back in

2021, advancing to the third round with initial victories over Vitalia Diatchenko and Markéta Vondroušová. Her progress in the tournament meant she was the youngest British woman to reach the Wimbledon third round since Elena Baltacha in 2002. However, in her fourth round match against Ajla Tomljanović, Raducanu had to retire after experiencing breathing difficulties and sickness, though it should be noted that the timing of this exit meant she was still the youngest British woman to reach the last 16 in the Open Era.

Though the sickness she experienced did point to the other health issues that would follow for the tennis player, Raducanu’s big win then came at the US Open that year. Her talent was on clear display here, as, despite being ranked 150th in the world, she advanced to the semi-finals without dropping a set and became the fifth player to reach a grand slam semi-final as a qualifier. In the final, she beat Leylah Fernandez by two sets in a broadcast wacthed by an estimated 9.2 million people.

Clearly the talent of Raducanu is immense, and the start of her professional career demonstrates this. But there is no doubt that the player has suffered a number of setbacks since her historic win at the US Open, namely because of hand and foot injuries that forced her to take a hiatus from the sport.

Indeed, another setback for the player

“Raducanu still has the potential to become one of the greats of tennis.”

includes a lack of consistency with her coaching team, with the player coming under scrutiny for her unorthodox strategy of rapidly hiring and dismissing coaches. In fact, her new partnership with Nick Cavaday will hopefully mean that Raducanu abandons this approach to coaching and this will provide more consistent results during matches. After suffering a second round defeat to second seed and eventual finalist Elina Svitolina at the 2024 Auckland Open, Raducanu would then go on to be defeated again in the first round of the Qatar Open to Anhelina Kalinina, the world number 30. This most recent match was a mixture of highs and lows, with Raducanu’s performance in the first set, quite frankly, being

atrocious. However, the player showed that she still has the ability to play an aggressive form of tennis and fought back hard in the second set to have some potent strokes. However, this level of sport does require so much more consistency than she is giving at this moment, meaning that the 48 errors she struck in this match shows how volatile this kind of play can be.

There’s clearly a difficulty in finding your rhythm as a player when a long hiatus has setback progress, but Raducanu still has it in her to become one of the greats of tennis. With more consistency in her coaching and form, Radacunu can refine the raw talent she has and play a long career in tennis with many accolades - after all, it is going to take time for her to settle into the Grand Slam circuit, but there is no doubt that she must become more consistent in this competitive era.

Six Nations: England start strong despite pessimist pundits and poached players

Kiara Wilson

With the 2024 Six Nations Championship starting earlier this month, the men’s national teams of England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France, and Italy are all fighting hard to secure the winning title on the 16th of March. With reigning champions Ireland determined to claim their trophy once again, it is up to the 5 other nations to clinch this from them.

The England national team have received a storm of criticism about their ability to do this. Their first tournament

match against Italy on 3rd February sparked major alarm for England fans. The Red Roses narrowly beat the Italian side by just 3 points, trailing behind for the majority of the game.

Just 5 minutes in, Italy gained a 3 point lead, as England’s Maro Itoje offside position was penalised with a penalty kick for the Italian team. The mistakes didn’t just stop there. Confusion within England's defence line allowed a superb try to be scored by Italian scrum-half Alessandro Garbisi, putting the Italians 8-0 ahead. Despite a successful penalty kick from England’s George Ford, followed by a skilful try from centre Elliot Daly, Italy led 17-14 at half time.

As shock circulated the arena, England commenced the second half

with passion. Scrum-half Alex Mitchell scored an incredible individual try which pushed the Red Roses to lead 19-17. A quick conversion from George Ford put England further ahead, leading 24-17. Italy did not give up however; with just 5 minutes to go and England on track to win by 10 points, Italy’s Monty Ioane’s rapid sprint down the right wing clinched Italy another try, followed by a successful conversion from Paolo Garbisi. At full-time, England won 27-24, but it was not cheer and celebration that the England team took home with them that night.

Following their narrowingly tight win against Italy, many have doubted England’s ability as a team, questioning their game-play, communication,

Marathon record holder dies in Kenya car accident

Arthur Ferridge - Head of Sport

Kelvin Kiptum, the world marathon record holder, has passed away at age 24 following a car accident near his home in Kenya. The accident also claimed the life of his Rwandan coach, Gervais Hakizimana. The pair were killed after Kiptum’s car veered off the road on the evening of February 11. A third passenger, Sharon Kosgei, survived the accident and was hospitalised with minor injuries, later claiming that Kiptum had accelerated rather than braking after leaving the road, with police suspecting that he may have fallen asleep at the wheel.

coaching and players. This has come about particularly amidst Ireland’s soaring victory against the Italians, defeating them 36-0 just a week later. Despite heavy criticism towards the English national team, their latest match against Wales has proven they are still determined to win.

Playing at their home arena in Twickenham, England beat Wales 16-14 in a nail-biting performance between both teams. The first half was slow for England. As Ollie Chessum and Ethan Roots both received yellow cards, the Welsh led 14-5 at half time.

The England team did not let critics win however, entering the second half with grit and skill. A Welsh offside in the 47th minute gave England’s flyhalf George Ford a clear penalty kick, gaining England an extra 3 points. They did not stop there. Fraser Dingwall went on to score an incredible try, narrowing the score 13-14 to Wales with only 20 minutes to go. A missed conversion from England’s George Ford sent panic across the arena as England remained 1 point down. But a yellow card to Welsh centre Mason Grady gave England one last chance to lead. A successful penalty kick pushed England to victory and they led 16-14. Despite a determined final push from Wales, England took the victory at full time, winning 16-14 against the Welsh side.

As England gets ready to play Scotland this Saturday, they have proven they are still on track to win the Championship. Despite a narrow win over Italy and Scotland, they fought passionately and clinched the win both times. A slow start does not mean defeat. We need to have faith in the squad as they fight for their first title since 2020!

Kiptum was widely regarded as a soon-to-be superstar and was a hands-down favourite to take gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. His world record marathon was set just months ago at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, just the third elite marathon entrance of his career, where he clocked a blistering time of 2 hours and 35 seconds, maintaining an average speed of 13.04 miles per hour. He had also been first over the line at the 2023 London and 2022 Valencia Marathons, setting course records in both races. Just the third man to ever finish a marathon in under two hours and two minutes after Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele, Kiptum had the world of athletics at his feet.

The Kenyan government has posthumously awarded him the Order of the Grand Warrior, the Kenyan equivalent of an OBE. Kiptum has received condolences from all corners of the sporting world and beyond. In a statement made on X, Kenyan President William Ruto wrote that “Kelvin Kiptum was a star… An extraordinary sportsman has left an extraordinary mark in the globe.”

Sebastian Coe, President of

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons, Katie Chan

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons, Lucian Nuta

Former NUSU AU Officer Fergus Mainland preparing for 500 mile charity bike ride

Jack Evans -Head of Specialist Programming

The ride from Nice to Rome will raise money for Motor Neuron Disease.

In the first week of March, bike teams from across Europe cycle to Rome for Scotland’s Six Nations match against Italy, all to raise money for motor neuron disease (MND).

One such rider will be Fergus Mainland, an ex-student and athletics officer at Newcastle University. He took the time this week to tell us about the charity ride.

“We’re doing it to raise money for the My Name’5 Doddie foundation” he told us. “It was set up by former Scottish Rugby player Doddie Weir”.

“Doddie Weir was diagnosed with MND in 2017, and rather than accepting it he helped raise millions for MND”.

MND currently has no cure and is a disease that has had many groups, including the rugby community, raise large amounts of money in hope of finding one.

“It’s also something the whole rugby community has got behind, with people such as Doddie and also people like Rob Burrow”.

“What Doddie’s been able to do is inspire anyone involved with rugby across the UK to get involved with it”.

Doddie Aid was set up by the foundation and fellow former Scottish rugby player Rob Wainwright, to run across the month of January each year, and is a mass participation event which encourages people to exercise throughout the month to raise funds for the foundation.

“What Doddie has been able to do is inspire anyone involved wih rugby to take part.”

“Doddie Aid is a big fundraiser, and bike rides as well have become one of the real staples of the foundations to help raise money”, Fergus told us.

Doddie Aid was the start of these bike rides, with both virtual ones and reallife ones. Some of the bike rides started by Rob Wainwright included rides from Twickenham in London to Murrayfield in Edinburgh and Murrayfield to Cardiff ahead of Six Nations matches.

However, this year sees the bike rides turn to central Europe. “The foundation has come up with the concept that all roads lead to Rome,” said Fergus. “Rob’s feeling was for this to be the next step for the foundation”.

There will be cycling teams from

across the UK and Europe descending on Rome ahead of Scotland’s Six Nations tie with Italy.

“The team I’m joining up with is riding 500 miles from Nice in France to Rome,” Fergus told us. “We fly out to Nice on March 1st, then cycle for seven days through places like Monaco and Genoa and then down to Rome itself”.

“There’s also the idea that all the teams will meet up at Piazza Navona in Rome, for a beer on the final day at four o’clock.” There should be around 20-25 teams from across Europe descending on Italy which is pretty awesome”.

The teams will ride wearing Doddie’s own tartan, a vibrant mix of yellow and blue which is the symbol of the foundation. “It’s quite striking,” Fergus told us, “So when everyone arrives in Rome in their Doddie tartan jerseys it should be quite a sight”.

There is a way that you can get involved as well, even if you don’t want to go cycling. “There’s always stuff on during the year, so the best way to do it is to go to the foundation’s website and get stuck in”.

“The best part is you don’t even have to get active to contribute, if you wanted to buy a bottle of alcohol or even a dog lead, they’ve got all sorts of products with Doddie’s tartan on them”.

If you want to visit the Doddie Weir foundations’ website and potentially help to find a cure for MND, you can find it at: https://www.myname5doddie. co.uk/

Cote d’Ivoire bounce back from shaky start to claim dramatic AFCON title

Ciaran Myers

The host side failed to convince before sacking their manager and mounting a heroic comeback.

Cote D’Ivoire’s route to its third African Cup of Nations title was hardly conventional and may go down as the greatest tournament turnaround in international football history.

Staying true to their tournament form, ‘the Elephants’ made hard work of the final, William TroostEkong rose the highest to give Nigeria the lead in the first half. After levelling the score on the 62nd minute, Sebastian Haller converted a Simon Adingra cross to send Ivorians into raptures.

“True to form, the Elephants made hard work of the final."

The winning goal coming from Haller felt as though it was meant to be. The Borussia Dortmund striker made his comeback from testicular cancer only 13 months ago after doubt whether he would ever return to the top of the game.

“Sébastien Haller came up with the goods to send his side to the final."

Cote D’Ivoire made heads turn even before winning the tournament. After sacking manager Jean-Louis Gasset following a 4-0 capitulation against Equatorial Guinea in their last group game, most presumed that it was to be the end of the road for ‘the Elephants’ run. No one predicted that Ghana would concede two goals in extra-time to Mozambique, and Morocco would fall to a defeat against Zambia, allowing Cote D’Ivoire to sneak into the round of 16 managerless. Former Reading manager Emerson Faé was promoted from assistant manager to take the reins in his first managerial role. After a tumultuous group stage, the Ivorians continued to walk on a tightrope, narrowly avoiding elimination. It took an 86th-minute penalty from Franck Kessie to salvage a 1-1 draw against Senegal, going on to win this round of 16 tie on penalties. A 90th-minute equaliser in their quarterfinal against Mali preceded a 122ndminute winner courtesy of Oumar Diakité, setting up a semi-final against DR Congo. Sebastien Haller came up with the goods to send his side to the final, and give their supporters’ hearts a much needed rest.

The pure madness of this tournament can not be understated, Hollywood scriptwriters would surely be taking

notes. To put it in perspective cast your mind back to Euro 2021, England have just beaten Croatia thanks to Raheem Sterling and now face Scotland. Instead of the goalless draw that occurred, John McGinn converts a penalty to give the Scots three points. The Three Lions are then destroyed 4-0 by the Czech Republic and Gareth Southgate is subsequently sacked. England are thought to be out, however, in a last-minute turn of events, they qualify, and Stewart Downing gets the nod to step in and kickstart his managerial career. England squeeze past Germany, produce a memorable comeback against the Ukraine before reaching the final after edging past Denmark. They go on to win the European Championship in the 81st minute. Almost unimaginable right?

“Cote d'Ivoire's triumph reflects football's beauty."

AFCON and Cote D’Ivoire’s triumph once again reflects the beauty that football gives us, its ups, its downs. This tournament and team gave us a spectacle that only the most creative of scriptwriters could come up with.

Images: Wikimedia Commons; African Football Federation

Image: Fergus Mainland

Sub-Editors:

AlphaTauri becomes FIA's first official clothing partner

Sophie McMillan - Sport Sub-Editor

It seems AlphaTauri have made a quick return to the paddock, but not to race.

Red Bull affiliated brand AlphaTauri will become the “official of clothing partner” of the FIA, Formula One's governing body. The decision will see FIA officials wearing branded uniforms for the next three years.

Formula One Management have partnered with Alpha Tauri for employee clothing for a few years already, supplying uniforms to all F1 personnel at circuits, including senior staff and presenters - however this new announcement will have their logo on all staff uniforms, including those managing and decision-making from within the FIA. The clothing brand will now also be the official partner of the FIA Prize Giving Ceremony.

Fan response to the news has been varied, with many wondering whether this collaboration between

the non-profit, ruling association and a Red Bull owned brand can truly be without influence - however the two organisations were proud to announce the news, with the official FIA website stating that they welcome the partnership and that this “strategic collaboration aligns two organisations that are deeply committed to innovation.” Not all responses are negative though, with a selection of fans defending the announcement, pointing out that the official alternating Safety Cars are supplied by Mercedes and Aston Martin, two teams currently on the Formula One grid.

Despite the two conflicting sides, there is little denying that the optics of this public collaboration do not seem well thought out, particularly regarding the ongoing suspicions of Red Bull and Visa Cash App RB (previously AlphaTauri) potentially sharing information between them, and creating a conflict of interest, due to them both being under the same ownership. This collaboration announcement has further rehashed accusations of bias and corruption within the FIA, and it seems the group is not doing a stellar job at challenging these accusations throughout the Formula One fan community.

To review or not to review: what can VAR learn from cricket?

Marcus Williamson

With the recent announcement from IFAB that blue cards are to be trialled in next year’s FA cup, it gives an opportunity to look at other possible rule changes that could make football better.

It’s no secret that many are disillusioned by VAR. Since its inception in the Premier League in the 2019-20 season, it has been synonymous with fan anger. However, the idea of cutting our losses and removing VAR seems impossible. This has prompted many to suggest new ways of handling VAR, such as the use of former players in the position and clearer rules surrounding many of the issues it deals with. Yet both suggestions

In cricket, however, the use of video footage in umpiring decisions has been considerably less controversial. DRS (Decision Review System) was implemented in test cricket in 2008, with it being extended to ODI and T20I in 2011 and 2017 respectively. While there have been some criticisms of the reliability of DRS, such as Ben Stokes’ comments on Zak Crawley’s dismissal in the second test against India in February 2024, they are noticeably less frequent.

DRS uses an on-field review system, making captains responsible for requesting its use, for which they have three opportunities per inning. While cricket is a much slower game than football, the use of a review-based system would at least put a limit on the number of interruptions in the match. This would also return the focus to onfield decisions making VAR an addition rather than one of the primary features of a game. This would allow VAR more time to make their decisions as they wouldn’t have been responsible for the interruption to the game, and thus feel pressured to limit the time frame of their involvement.

Image: Unsplash, Thalia Karr

While this system might have its flaws, it would at least prevent us from trying to make an imperfect game perfect by making VAR a feature rather than a centre-point of football.

Carbon fibre, the new world champion

Megan Grimston

What have we learned from the 2024 Formula One car launches?

The 2024 Formula One season is on the horizon and the world has seen a busy month full of car launches. As Red Bull Racing rounds off the period on 15th February, discussion has begun on what is to be learnt about the season ahead. In traditional Formula One fashion, there has been controversy, rebranding, repetition, and most dominantly... carbon fibre.

As the world got excited to see what liveries could be expected around the paddock in 2024, one common trait began to emerge. Where did all this carbon fibre come from? It seems that carbon fibre is in for the 2024 season and paint is out. After Red Bull's dominance in the 2023 season, teams are striving to build the best challenger possible like no season before, making elements lighter, stronger and faster than previously. This is where carbon fibre became so popular. The thing about carbon fibre is how little density it has, making it lighter than aluminium, and in Formula One the key to speed is making sure your car is light. Another appealing aspect carbon fibre has to Formula One engineers is its lack

of heat conductivity considering how much heat Formula One cars produce during race weekends. The lack of heat conductivity ensures that no part of the car will weaken as the race goes on.

“Red Bull seemed to have a perfect formula in 2024."

Valentine's Day could be spent at the Mercedes garage this year as they revealed their challenger for the season. The W15 adorned a livery of black and silver, an homage to Hamilton's time in the team. While the challenger seemed reminiscent of the Silver Arrow's prime, this was not the centre of discussion for people.

Claims of Mercedes' illegality hit the internet after fans saw the new front wing design created by James Allison for the W15. The team's new design consists of the wings' upper flap being connected to the car's nose with a small chord of carbon fibre, bordering on sistering the vortex front wings the 2022 regulations tried to avoid. While the carbon fibre chord makes the

design choices legal based on the regulations, the similarities may change the decision as testing begins in Bahrain.

2023's most dominant team, Red Bull Racing, seemingly had the formula to a successful car perfected, making them the standard for the 2024 season. When the team unveiled their challenger for this year, the similarities to the previous RB19 were obvious, as standard, the livery for the team was virtually identical with slight changes in shades of paint. It could be expected that Red Bull would do their best to replicate the victor they previously produced in hopes of a similar outcome. Just before its February launch, clips emerged of Verstappen testing the RB20 out on a wet track, confirming the beliefs that the RB20 is going to be a tough

the grid with sounds likened to a "jet rocket" by the masses. Over at Red Bull's sister team, a major rebrand occurred before their challenger was released, the newly named Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One team (V-CARB), brought in a plethora of new sponsors. As they unleashed their challenger, the VCARB01, a lifetime of Formula One history seemed apparent as the car resembled that of old fan favourite Toro Rosso. Perhaps the rebrand aims to have a similar philosophy to the past team, which currently has more success than the more modern teams.

1 (A) 62-30

W4 V Leeds 5 (A) 48-54

W5 V Durham 6 (A) 49-33

RUGBY LEAGUE

M2 V Huddersfield 1 (A) 70-6

RUGBY UNION

M1 V Bristol 1 (H) 46-5

M2 V UCDon 1 (H) 26-19

W2 V Bangor 1 (H) 10-49

M3 V Northumbria 2 (A) 39-18

M5 V Sheffield 3 (A) 12-17

(A) 4-1

M2 V Leeds 1 (A) 4-1

W2 V Northumbria 1 (A) 1-3

W2 V York 1 (A) 1-3

M3 V Durham 3 (A) 1-3

M4 V York 1 (A) 3-0

TABLE TENNIS

W1 V Nottingham 2 (H) 0-3

W1 V Edinburgh 2 (A) 0-3

M2 V Liverpool 1 (H) 14-3

M3 V Leeds 1 (H) 8-9

W3 V Sheffield 1 (H) 0-5

W3 V Durham 3 (A) 5-0

W3 V York 1 (A) 5-0

TENNIS

W1 V Leeds 1 (A) 0-6

M2 V Leeds Beckett 4 (A) 4-2

W2 V Liverpool JM 1 (H) 1-5

M3 V Durham 5 (A) 3-3

ULTIMATE

M2 V Durham 3 (H) 9-10

M2 V Northumbria 1 (H) 12-5

M2 V Hull 1 (H) 14-5

VOLLEYBALL

M1 V Strathclyde 1 (A) 0-3

WATER POLO

W1 V Durham 1 (A) 33-1

Game, set, gherkin: How pickleball is creating space for unconventional sport at Newcastle

Ciaran Ayre

One of the nation’s fastest growing sports is taking Tyneside by storm...

Isay sport and people think I’m about to go on a tangent about the latest football news, the next up-and-coming cricket player or how to properly shoot a three-pointer in basketball. In fact, people assume that these sports must be the best to engage in only because they are given the most media coverage but what does this mean for the multitude of other sports that can be played?

At Universities across the country, it is these top contenders that make up the sports culture, are given the most funding and play competitively between the university teams. What differentiates the sports culture here at Newcastle University is their commitment to shedding light on sports that usually do not get a fighting chance.

“The sport has grown in its potential to create both positive competition and community.”

Pickleball, a unique sport which combines rules from tennis, badminton and ping-pong, has found its home in sports culture here in Newcastle. Since its ratification in the first semester, the sport has grown its potential to create both positive community and competition. I took the liberty of attending a training session and to say it is intense is an understatement!

I quickly assumed that the sport was eerily like tennis, but that was a lapse of judgement on my half as my opponent was only tapping the ball to get it over the court – I thought it quite comical, almost like they were going easy on me.

After speaking to the coach, Riah Harris about how pickleball came about, she explained that ‘basically the sport is a larger version of table tennis’ which made a lot of sense when considering that my opponent was reassuring me that the ball should bounce once on their side of the court.

I think the more ‘unconventional’ a sport is, the more engaging it is because they enable you to throw out everything you thought you knew about playing sport – pickleball is no different.

It is a very social sport, which was unexpected as I’d only ever really seen sports taking place in a competitive setting. The session worked in intervals where your court partner would be switched so you could get to learn more about them, as well as different playing styles.

Suffice to say, I learned a lot about everyone and how they were much further ahead of me regarding their ability. I felt included in the discussions and the sport itself, which is quite difficult to establish after only one 2-hour session.

The club has seen a lot of progression since being established at the University, securing around 20 members since its formation in September.

The unique features of the sport have proven its allure and success, not to mention the passion that the committee have for it – I could feel this emanating across the courts.

I spoke with the club president, Aleks Frost, to gain more insight into why he decided to fight for Pickleball to be included as part of the roster of sports offered at the university.

‘It’s very accessible and open for anyone’ he told me, going on to say that ‘[pickleball] is less known than other sports and so it’s nice to change people’s views and show that the sport plays by its own rules’.

He continued: ‘My parents played pickleball back home’ in response to what had sparked his interest in getting the club set up at university.

Where sports like Football, Rugby and Volleyball tend to be competitive in nature, sessions for Pickleball tend to promote both recreational play as well as offering competitions should people be that way inclined which I think can be a lot better for keeping people motivated and having a good morale.

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The committee have been organizing tournaments for the latter group of people however, being the only University-affiliated club of its kind in England, this has proven difficult.

On top of this, the sport is easy enough to pick up assuming that you have some sense of hand eye coordination (side note: I do not), you quickly become familiar with the techniques that put pressure on your opponent when serving or hitting back with the ball.

One which I thought was most intriguing was that you can make your court partner second guess where they should be positioned by hitting from the volley line, which is approximately 3 meters away from the middle net.

“The more unconventional a sport, the more engaging it can be.”

Because you are so close to the net, you can play more effectively on defence and offense alike.

A lot of the club’s members were deploying this strategy to rack up the points to win their inning – that is, to earn the eleven points that renders you victorious in a match.

It was so interesting to find out that there are several members who already play a sport, which accounts for about 15 percent of Pickleball members.

Several of the members also come

Kimiko Cheng - Athletic Union Officer from a tennis background, which coincidentally is the practiced sport of the pickleball captain.

On this matter, Harris mentioned that she has had to adapt to the ‘unconventional’ rules that come with the sport.

‘Tactics that work for tennis do not work for pickleball and so the approach [to coaching] has been altered accordingly’ to best serve members while she is coaching.

To put this in perspective, the current captain has played tennis for upwards of 14 years which only proves the commitment invested in keeping Pickleball alive at Newcastle University.

In conclusion, it was thoroughly enjoyable to see such high spirits within the club and to learn how inclusive a club it is.

The club is a testament to minority sports and monumental in proving that sports of this kind are just as important as the typical sports usually included across the university sports zeitgeist.

Time for a major comeback...

Varsity is finally here!

Happy March! It’s finally time for the most important event of the year.

Yes it’s more important than your dissertation and graduation: it’s Varsity. Finally a chance for Newcastle to assert total dominance over Northumbria and cement our place as best university in the city. The finale takes place on Friday 22nd March, but up until then you can catch some high quality matches across the month.

This is the third year of Varsity in it’s current form. Newcastle and Northumbria will go head-to-head in all the sports we can. For 25 years until 2018, the Stan Calvert Cup took place on a greater scale than now, but the students lost interest and it was cancelled.

As this new era gains momentum, over 60 teams will take part in venues across the city like Climb Newcastle and Spot White, as well as our beloved Cochrane Park. For me, the excitement lies within enemy territory. There is an abundant choice of sport starting at 5pm at Sport Central, including my own water polo match. If you prefer fresh air we’ve got the usual team sports but also the lesser known events like equestrian in Ouseburn.

Varsity has crept up on us and two games have already taken place. Our American football team, the Raiders, faced the Northumbria Mustangs on Sunday and semi-pro Basketball M1 took on Northumbria in February due to high demand in their schedule and both won, hopefully an indicator of what’s to come.

There’s a range of talent on display from novices to future professional athletes, maybe attending will inspire you to join a sport. You can check out the sport you’ve always been curious to understand like ultimate frisbee or judo.

The event showcases a year’s worth of dedication from over 900 athletes, it’s a brilliant opportunity to come together and support Team Newcastle. Fixtures are completely free to watch and maybe we’ll throw in a temporary tattoo, so there’s no excuse not to come.

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Images:

Image credit: Riah Harris

Image credit: Ciaran Ayre

Image: Flickr, Jon Large