The Courier 1421 by The Courier Online

Issue 1421 Monday 21st Feb 2022

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Supporting the UCU strikes?

Brockhampton

For their final (?) gig, Elena Corcobado gives us the verdict Music | page 20-21

Deputy Editor Muslim Taseer weighs in....

Simp-le Minds

Campus Comment | page 7

Relationships | page 12

With Valentine’s over, Peter Bath reflects on the dangers of ‘simp’

Sexual assault victims failed by Uni complaints system Ruby Story Dartford - News sub-editor Renzo Szkwarok - News sub-editor

Shocking statistics corroborate mounting evidence of the failure

ess than 20% of all sexual assault allegations have resulted in serious consequences over the past four years at Newcastle University. Findings obtained by The Courier detail that only 22 people have reported incidents of sexual assault to Newcastle University over four years, from 2017 to 2021. Furthermore, less than 5 people were permanently excluded as a result of sexual misconduct - a specific number cannot be given as ‘this would create a risk of some individuals being identifiable’. The data was released after Freedom of Information requests were submitted in an attempt to discover how the University deals with such allegations. What has been found is a “worryingly” low number of sexual harassment allegations that were officially reported to the University over the four years. This has led to questions being asked about the effectiveness of the University’s complaints system. As well as data The Courier uncovered, data from a recent survey conducted by

Newcastle’s ‘It Happens Here’ society revealed that of 41 participants, just 18% have reported incidents of sexual violence to the institution’s wellbeing service. The multi-award-winning society supports and campaigns for survivors of sexual violence, holding the University and wider society accountable to which their website states they ‘provide the support that the University fails to provide for survivors’. The president of Newcastle’s It Happens Here society, Madeline, said “it is absolutely abysmal because our survey shows that whilst still a low number, more people have reported sexual violence.” Going on to add “Either something isn’t quite right adding up, or the uni has completely failed to register these reports, and these systematic failures may be much larger than we realise”. This survey from It Happens Here and The Courier’s investigation follows another blow to the University. Facing backlash as a result of data gathering as part of a survey conducted by the society’s ‘DoBetterNCLUni’ campaign. Part of their campaign saw a whiteboard with a tally chart placed on campus last month enabling students to fill out whether they personally or someone they know had experienced sexual violence during their period of study. This was followed by a question as to whether they had reported it to Newcastle University or police. The aim of this campaign is to improve the institution’s policies and procedures around sexual violence. However, this is not the first time that

Work with Student Media!

doubts over the University’s complaints system have been raised. In 2021, the national group ‘Our Streets Now’, which advocates for an end to Public Sexual Harassment in the UK, discovered that 77% of Newcastle students were unsure or unaware of how to report sexual assault or harassment to the University. In 2019 the University came under pressure to change its policy after a student who was convicted of stalking his ex-girlfriend, Jefferson Young, was allowed to return to campus, and enrol on a postgraduate course. Even for people who do know where to report complaints, it is still not as easy as it could be. One student who chose to remain anonymous disclosed to The Courier that she refused to report an incident of sexual assault given identity fears as she said, “I thought if I reported him, I’d get hate from his friends”. These figures and personal accounts make the words of Madeline even more relevant. It is clear that there is some level of institutional failure when people feel they can not report to the University for whatever reason, and even if they do, they may not be handled in the correct manner. A Newcastle University student, who chose to remain anonymous, said “It’s incredibly disappointing to see results like these highlighting failings within the University. Why would people report incidences of sexual violence when less than 20% result in serious consequences? It’s degrading for those seeking justice.” This investigation comes after many universities faced backlash over their use of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)

Attend Student Media Afternoons at 1:30pm during term time for guest speakers, content sign-ups and more!

as part of their response to dealing with claims of sexual misconduct allegations. This is a practice that Newcastle University’s Vice Chancellor, Chris Day, has denied was ever employed at the University. The practice had been used to silence the complaints of victims of sexual harassment and abuse, effectively placing a gagging order over them. Day was a signatory on a recent

government-backed pledge to end their use nationally. It is hoped that the University will take seriously the findings of the ‘It Happens Here’ survey which is still ongoing, and commit to improving the process by which they deal with sexual assault allegations. Newcastle University was approached for comment but did not respond.

Image: flickr

Find out more here!

Inside 21st February 2022 Current Affairs | News Jimmy Carr recieves backlash after insensitive 'joke' at Whitley Bay gig Carr fails to apologise for offesnive Holocasut material. Page 5

Current Affairs | Science Hope for people living with HIV The first woman cured of HIV sheds lights on a new stem cell transplant method and the future of the HIV virus. Page 11

Life & Style | Lifestyle Bad plant parent? Fear no more! A list of difficult-to-kill houseplants for those of us who always forget to water! Page 15

Life & Style | Fashion & Beauty Euphoria: a fashion & beauty sensation A deep dive into the hype surrounding the iconic outfits and makeup looks in Euphoria Page 16

Life & Style | Travel 24 hours in the city of Sorrento A wonder throught the gorgeous Italian coastline, with only 24 hours to explore... Page 18

Culture | TV Review: The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window The chaotic title really highlights the chaotic nature of the show! Page 22

Culture | Film Review: Death on the Nile With enough champagne to fill the Nile, how did Poirot manage to solve the muder? Page 24

Why was Putin taking so long to build a house? Because he needed Ukraine - George Bell, Courier Jester and Film sub-editor

A note from the Editor

elcome to our second edition of 2022! I’m sure that the recent UCU strike action has affected all of you to some degree. I’m also aware that it’s a particularly divisive issue, with many students torn on whether to support academic staff. While the Students’ Union is indeed supporting the strikes following a ballot on student opinion that fell the same way, the editorial team and our writers hold their own views.

While entering most University facilities is seen as ‘crossing the picket line’, the UCU considers NUSU to be a neutral zone. As a result, our entire team has been able to work and continue to express their views on the strike - positive or negative - in this paper without worrying about contradicting their views by entering the Students’ Union. This has also meant that our weekly Student Media Afternoons could go ahead too! Our first guest speaker of the year, David Cornock, presenter and producer on BBC Radio 4’s Today in Parliament, gave us a great presentation about radio

and his career. Many thanks to David for engaging with the event with such generosity and enthusiasm. Looking to get involved in Student Media? Join us this Wednesday in the History Room at 1:30pm for our next SMA! Missed your copy of the first edition due to strikes? Knock on the door of the Courier office on the first floor of NUSU to get yourself a copy! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this issue! George, Editor-in-Chief & Student Media Officer

THE COURIER

SECTIONS Editor

Deputy Editor

George Boatfield -- editor.union@newcastle.ac.uk

Current Affairs

Senior editor: Elizabeth Meade -- e.a.meade1@newcastle.ac.uk

News

-- courier.news@ncl.ac.uk Ruby Story-Dartford Alexander James Becca Alexander Renzo Szkwarok Daniel Wales Harry Jones

Campus Comment

-- courier.comment@ncl.ac.uk Kayleigh Fraser Tiyanna Mistry Amana Khan

Comment

-- courier.comment@ncl.ac.uk Humphrey Jordan Rosie Norman Emily Kelso

Science

-- c2.science@ncl.ac.uk Erika Armanino Jon Deery

Sport

Muslim Taseer -- m.taseer1@newcastle.ac.uk

Life & Style

Senior editor: Meg Howe --m.j.howe1@ncl.ac.uk

Relationships & Blind Date

Annabel Hogg Gabbi de Boer Imogen Mole

Lifestyle

-- c2.lifestyle@ncl.ac.uk Leanna Thomson Faye Navesey Molly Taylor

Fashion & Beauty

-- c2.fashion@ncl.ac.uk Imogen Clarke Lizzie Yockney Sophia Ayub

Travel

-- courier.travel@ncl.ac.uk Lenka Minarovicova Alice Holmes

Food & Drink

Marcel Shamshoum Scarlett Welch

Senior Editor: Peter Bath -- p.l.bath@ncl.ac.uk -- courier.sport@ncl.ac.uk Lucy Rimmer Mitchell Hall Katie Siddall Castor Chan Ethan Todd

Social Media

Social Media: Sarah Lahiri -- s.a.n.lahiri1@newcastle.ac.uk Meagan Screen Rahul Binov

Culture

Senior editors: Maud Webster --m.webster4@ncl.ac.uk Hattie Metcalfe -- h.metcalfe1@ncl.ac.uk

Music

-- c2.music@ncl.ac.uk Rowan Christina Driver Oren Brown Lucy Bower

-- c2.TV@ncl.ac.uk Rachael McCreanor Rebecca Sykes Carly Horne

Film

-- c2.film@ncl.ac.uk Jess Bradbury Autumn Keil George Bell

Gaming

-- courier.gaming@ncl.ac.uk Michael Duckworth Joseph Caddick Haaris Qureshi Peter Lennon

Arts

-- c2.arts@ncl.ac.uk Ruby Taylor Maja Mazur Tom Wrath

Puzzles

Joseph Caddick

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Monday 21st February 2022

Sub-editors:

Becca Alexander, Renzo Szkwarok, Ruby Story-Dartford, Harry Jones, Alexander James & Daniel Wales

News

Newcastle University finds women 'brushed off ' by healthcare system Hattie Metcalfe -Head of Culture

esearchers from Newcastle, York and Manchester have found that many women feel they are not being listened to about their health needs, with a lack of empathy around issues such as menstruation and menopause. The report commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care, and entitled Women's Priorities for women's health, is built up of conversations with more than 70 women aged 18 to 76.

"It's as if you're being dramatic if there is a problem" Co-author and leader of focus groups for women aged 65 and over, Dr Gemma Spiers (Newcastle University) said: “Even though women live longer and experience more disability than men in later life, older women told us that they feel 'written off ' and struggle to access the support they need". One 23 year old participant said that “contraception and periods, it gets brushed off like it's not a big thing because everyone has to do it … it's as if you're being dramatic if there is a problem". Inadequate services, therapies,

follow-up and support for those experiencing mental health problems was also raised repeatedly as an issue with the healthcare system. One comment stated that “I think mental health … just being a woman in general and having kids and working. There's a lot, just basic stuff that we could be going through that we end up suffering in silence".

address women’s own health concerns as well as those of their babies". "Enhance access to mental

health services especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic". The full report can be read on

the

Newcastle

University

website.

Image: Jill Tate

"There's a lot that we go through that we end up suffering in silence" Concerns were also raised about the reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine potentially causing blood clots, compared to the risk many women are at whilst taking the contraceptive pill: "Then there was that thing… with the COVID vaccine, they like pulled it because of the blood clots … but then with the pill there's more health risks than with the vaccine and that was pulled, but then they don't change it with the pill" (participant aged 20). The conclusion of the 97 page report makes multiple suggestions for improvement, such as: "Improve health support for young women in schools, e.g. providing comprehensive advice on issue such as menstruation, contraception and sexual health". "Enhance postnatal care follow-up to

City Centre set to be revamped Kayleigh Fraser -Campus Comment sub-editor

Plans have been proposed to make sweeping changes to the city's most iconic places

tanding at over 15 metres high, pillars could soon be covering two iconic Newcastle Streets. Planning permission has been granted for the structures, which will be street

Images: Newcastle City Council

art by day and lights by night.

The sculptural lighting masts symbolise safe passage, journey and direction The council has revealed that the project is a part of a £50 million city rejuvenation.

The project is based upon the wooden guide poles across Holy Island. A council spokesperson said in an interview with the BBC that "Northumberland Street and Pilgrim Street formed part of the route through medieval Britain for Pilgrims and travellers journeying to Lindisfarne". "The sculptural lighting masts are a reference to those amber pies, symbolising safe passage, journey and direction". The transformation to Ridley Place seems extensive. Of course, these intentions are well inspired, but what does the general

public think? To gauge public opinion, I asked a few students and locals what they thought of the idea. One said "Why? Honestly why?" they laughed. "Is that needed? 11 'iconic' pillars?" Another said "I don't see the point in it. If there's a function for it then, yeah,

"Why? Honestly why? Is that needed? 11 'iconic' pillars?" but spending money on some pillars for aesthetic is stupid".

One student said, "Have we learned nothing from the Clasp?" Plans from the £50 million pounds city revamp include transformations to Old Eldon Square, Blackett Street, Grainger Market, Ridley Place, Saville Row, Pilgrim Street and Grey Street. Writing on the plans, Newcastle Council stated "the city needs to be ready for the future. We want to create a series of enduring places and spaces to serve the people of the city with a legacy focused on resilience and pride."

Sub-editors: Becca Alexander, Renzo Szkwarok, Ruby Story-Dartford, Harry Jones, Alexander James & Daniel Wales

Monday 21st February 2022

News

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Keir Starmer tours Labour heartlands to regain voter trust Alexander James -News Sub-editor

eir Starmer has spent this parliaments recess in Sunderland, Burnley and Erdington as part of Labours ‘Security, Prosperity, Respect’ tour. One of his key focal points was the failings of the Conservative levelling-up agenda.

Starmer suggested his priority was winning back voters in Burnley and other ex ‘red wall’ seats Starmer began his tour on Valentine’s Day, visiting a Sunderland based charity, Foundation of Light, with Northumbria Police Commissioner, Kim Mcguinness, to see the work being done to reduce crime and keep young people safe. Starmer used Monday's visit as an opportunity to address issues surrounding social care, community safety and youth violent crime. He accused the Tories of creating a ‘perfect storm’ that has resulted in unsafe communities - by being soft on crime and underfunding preventative measures. According to Labour analysis of government

figures, the cost of youth violent crime since the Conservatives took office in 2010 totals £11bn. Starmer has placed the fight against crime at the centre of labours local election campaign, stating, “As director of public prosecutions, I saw the difference preventative services and early intervention can make to give security, choices, to turn young peoples lives around”. Ahead of his visit to a tech firm, What More UK, in Burnley on Tuesday, Starmer addressed the ‘neglect’ of British manufacturing under the Conservative government. Labour party research showed the number of jobs in manufacturing has dropped by 93,000 between 2009 –and the end of 2021. Starmer blamed the fall on low investment, a failure to improve productivity, and cuts to skills budgets. At a meeting with 60 uncertain voters at Burnley college on Tuesday, Starmer suggested his priority was winning back voters in Burnley and other ex ‘red wall’ seats, at the expense of the party’s more left-wing activists and MPs. Burnley has been a hostile environment for Labour politicians recently – it fell to the Tories for the first time in 100 years in 2019. Addressing how he would regain support, Starmer said a radical overhaul of his party was needed, including removing schismatic policies at party conferences, reinstating many Labour party members side-lined in the Corbyn years, tough stances on antisemitism and an indisputable backing of NATO. Lisa Nandy, the Shadow LevellingUp Secretary, accompanied Starmer on this week's tour. In an article written for Birmingham Mail, she

addressed the need for Labour to define itself better and summarised Labour's levelling-up agenda in five key areas of focus. Jobs, particularly in the clean energy sector, support for local high street business, better transport links, digital infrastructure and affordable housing, greater power to local government and better funding for local neighbourhood policing.

Image: Twitter (@Keir Starmer)

This tour follows false accusations that Starmer failed to prosecute Jimmy Saville This tour has followed weeks of rows over the Prime Minister's false accusations that Starmer failed to prosecute the paedophile Jimmy Savile during his time at the Crown Prosecution Service. These accusations, along with potential police action against Johnson and Downing Street staff over repeated lockdown breaches, have led to top aide resignations and dozens of Conservative MPs expressing distaste with the PM, according to Starmer on Monday. Labour has held a robust lead in the polls since mid-November, perhaps spurred on by the ‘party gate’ scandal. This tour suggests they are hoping to capitalise on these gains and better define themselves before the upcoming local elections in May.

Boris Johnson's key advisers resign Arthur Brown

A rundown of the most recent developments at No. 10

midst anticipation for Sue Gray’s full report and ongoing investigations by the Met Police into ‘party gate’, last week saw further pressure put on Boris Johnson as five top Downing Street aides quit in the space of two days. On Friday 4, Elena Narozanski became the fifth aide to resign from Downing Street following resignations from Johnson’s chief secretary Martin Reynolds. Among those resigning included, chief of staff Dan Rosenfield, communications chief Jack Doyle, and head of policy Munira Mirza.

A political saga that has no clear ending in sight

Image: Flickr

Some of these resignations come as no surprise. It was Reynolds who sent the now infamous email in May 2020 inviting around 100 staff to a drinks party, and both Doyle and Rosenfield have been involved in speculation about attendance at such parties. These resignations seem to be one of the many consequences of being personally tied to any of the eighteen events which Sue Gray and the Met police are

investigating. It is of little surprise that Johnson, has allowed these government figures to withdraw from the day-today operations of Downing Street. The resignations of Narozanski and Mirza prompt more discussion though. Mirza has directly attributed her resignation to the false claims made by the PM regarding Keir Starmer’s failure to prosecute sex offender Jimmy Saville. Her resignation letter, published by The Spectator, accused Johnson of making “scurrilous” claims. Encouraging the PM to apologise, she wrote, “It is not too late for you but, I’m sorry to say, it is too late for me”. Having worked with Johnson for 14 years, sticking by him through numerous scandals and various factional fights within Downing Street, her insistence on resignation being due solely to the PM’s claim about Starmer does not ring true. What it signifies is another small step indicating the possible breakdown of Johnson’s authority and leadership, one that his former chief aide Dominic Cummings concurs with, who responded to the news of Mirza’s resignation as “an unmistakeable signal the bunker is collapsing and this PM is finished”. Whilst Johnson awaits the full reports from both Sue Gray and the Met Police, these resignations, regardless of their political significance, are only a small part of a political saga that has no clear ending in sight, nor a clear conclusion.

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Monday 21st February 2022

Sub-editors: Becca Alexander, Renzo Szkwarok, Ruby Story-Dartford, Harry Jones, Alexander James & Daniel Wales

News

Living Cost Crisis: How will rising costs of living affect students? Maud Webster - Head of Culture

Rising financial costs set to threaten economic security of students and graduates around the UK

he UK is heading towards a cost of living crisis, with increased individual and household costs, including a rise in National Insurance payments and Energy Bills. These measures are set to impact all demographics, but students and graduates are likely to be one of the most affected groups. Energy bills are set to rise to the highest levels since 1970, as Europe enters an energy crisis. UK homeowners can expect bills to go up to a £2000 yearly average when the price cap rises in April. Information obtained by the Guardian suggests that from the 1st April, unit prices for gas and electricity will be double the unit price charged at the start of 2021. The Government has introduced a repayable energy bill discount, where all households will receive £200 off their energy bills, with the expectation that this loan will be returned at the rate of £40 a year (2023 until 2028). As reported by Newcastle’s Chronicle, students who will have

moved out by the time it comes to paying the loan back, the £40 loan repayment will still be applied to every energy bill, even if the household didn't receive the £200. Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis highlighted an example in which students may suffer a financial loss under this scheme: "Five people share a house in Oct then separate. They get 1 x £200 discount off their bill. They then all move out and live alone. From the following April all five of them will have bills £40/yr higher". Another financial increase set to disproportionately affect young people is the freezes on income tax brackets and the student loan repayment threshold, coupled with the rise in national insurance payments scheduled for April. Researchers suggest that a graduate on a £27k salary will see deductions rise from 18% to 22% of their pay - predicting that disposable income will drop by nearly thirty percent. Energy bills increase and the changes to National Insurance payments, along with rising food prices and the housing crisis, may place many students and graduates in precarious financial positions in coming years. One Newcastle University student said, "they sell uni as the best years of your life but if we can't afford to enjoy them, where does that leave us? The idea that it's only going to get worse is a very miserable prospect".

Image: Becca Alexander

Jimmy Carr forced to address insensitive Holocaust comment at Whitley Bay gig Rhys James

Jimmy Carr, 49, has recieved backlash for his failure to apologise for offensive Holocaust material Content warning: racism, genocide, the Holocaust, Nazism

n his Netflix special ‘His Dark Materials’, Carr stirred controversy by referencing the Holocaust. In the 59-minute special, Carr remarks on the death of thousands of Romani people at the hands of the Nazis, suggesting it was a “positive” of the Holocaust.

Critics felt that the joke crossed the line of acceptable humour To some, these remarks may seem offensive, although they are intended to be satirical. Regardless of Carr’s reasoning, critics felt that the joke crossed the line of acceptable humour.

Since the release of ‘His Dark Materials’, Carr has found himself facing widespread criticism, with calls for the special to be removed from the streaming platform. The Traveller Movement a charity supporting the Romani and Traveller community in the UK, launched a petition calling for the “removal of the segments of His Dark Material which celebrates the Romani genocide”. This petition has now reached almost 19,000 signatures.

Carr failed to apologise for his offensive joke In response to the controversy, on Saturday 5 February, Carr addressed his remarks when performing at Whitley Bay’s Playhouse. During his show, he admitted that he was going to be ‘cancelled’. Carr failed to apologise for his offensive joke during the performance. One audience member asked if he regretted his joke, to which the comedian remained silent with a straight-face. Newcastle student, Peter Bath said,'This supposed joke is in terrible taste and perpetuates deep-rooted racism within western society, particularly against Romani people, which is all too common'.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Sub-editors: Kayleigh Fraser, Tiyanna Mistry & Amana Khan

Monday 21st February 2022

Campus Comment

Cambridge's lack of pride Killian Duvivier

A writer comments on the news that a Cambridge college will not fly a pride flag.

aius, one of Cambridge University’s colleges, has decided it will only fly its own flag, instead of the progress pride one, flown on campus a few days before as part of celebrations for LGBTQ History Month. The college suffered backlash from students feeling ‘betrayed’ by that decision. The move was justified by the college as in furtherance of ‘political neutrality’, which hasn’t been received well either. Indeed, a college spokesman also claimed that flying their own flag, avoided “the difficulty of the choosing between the plurality of good cause for which a flag could be flown”. On paper, that argument holds up. Why fly the pride flag and not the one of other marginalised communities? However, as a queer person, I can understand why other LGBTQ Caian students would feel upset at this d e c i s i o n . It's not a b o u t

the flag, but about what it represents. Especially as it is flown to commemorate queer history. To be contrarian and give the college administration the benefit of the doubt, from what has been said, the flag hasn’t just been removed to put aside the oncampus LGBTQ community. It has been replaced for the Caius flag, to represent every single students, no matter their upbringing, philosophy, religion or race.

It's not about the flag, but about what it represents. If this happened on the Newcastle University campus, as an LGBT student, I would possibly question that decision, try to understand the motives behind. However, it isn’t a ban on queer association on campus or any related activities. The flag itself is a strong symbol and a reminder of a long struggle that is still going in many parts of the world. Yet, LGBT related activities or history events educating on the fight for freedom i n our

community are more impactful to spread awareness than just flying a flag. Something already occurring at the Gonville & Caius college, with LGBT+ representatives and officers at the student union, “organising activities and events for the college’s LGBT + community”. The flag is here as a statement, but the college hasn’t announced wanting to ban LGBT+ activities or representation on campus, which would not be in their interest at all. Equally, University itself is a place for education, in which impartiality is important and should be respected. Though, it is also a place where young people learn about each other, and being educated on the question of difference is also essential to live in society. Just flying the pride flag for the LGBT History Month and Pride Month in June, isn’t a bad idea. Ultimately, the college could fly their own flag plus the progressive flag at the same time for celebration. Will this action have effect on the long term? Probably not. It is essential to remind ourselves that the UK law is on our side, and LGBTQ+ individuals can turn to the law if discriminated or assaulted for being themselves.

Image: iStock

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NCL nightlife: canny or crap? Amana Khan - Campus Comment sub-editor

rom Market Shaker, Soho, to Flares, the streets of Newcastle seem to be full of people, both university students and Geordies. Throughout the week, they're searching for their next treble, jager or compulsory Big Market Chippy at the end of the night. The timely old saying of going out for ‘just a few’, normally ends up with waking up the next morning with no recollection of the night before and having to look through your Snapchat stories, hoping that you have not embarrassed yourself too much and they have preserved your memories from the previous night. A night out in Newcastle normally consists of journey juice, falling down the club stairs multiple times, drinking your body weight in blue trebs, and seeing a random society too drunk to be let into the next club. Not only are the drinks and the clubs at the top of their game but the people seem to be too, with girls supporting girls, whether that is through talking through their recent situationship or fixing their makeup, the people you meet on a night out are always ones to add to your fun. There is no doubt that all signs point to a good night, but the question remains as to whether it is as good as it is made out to be or whether it just a convenient night out. From someone who is from just outside London, the nightlife there is too expensive and overhyped, with more money coming out of your bank account than the amount of alcohol being consumed. Moreover, friends that I have in other universities claim

Image: Pixabay

that their city has a lack of clubs or nightlife or that they are too expensive or too over-crowded. In comparison, the Newcastle nightlife allows students to keep their loan intact whilst having a great night, whether that is going to Kandi Island or Oops on a Monday, Swingers on a Thursday, or Feral Fridays. The variety of the nightlife opportunities provided allows everyone to experience something to their taste, which is something that London and its surrounding areas do not offer. Yes, a night-out in Newcastle may be convenient for the students, but this does not mean that it is not as good as it is made out to be. For someone who has been to multiple nights-out, I can confirm that there never is a dull moment, embarrassing definitely, but never boring, which is what makes the nightlife in Newcastle as significant and hyped up as it is.

Comparison frameworks are destroying higher education Maud Webster - Head of Culture

A writer comments on the negative consequences of comparison frameworks

ast month UK Universities announced a concerning new framework to "categorise low value degrees”, promising to assess the “value” of degrees at different institutions based on student satisfaction, graduate employment, contribution to economic growth, and other similar metrics. This is a move we need to try and obstruct, and is an alarming decision which has the intention of further monetising higher education. Metric comparisons of courses are nothing new, with the National Students Survey (NSS) and university leagues having been around for years. There’s been extensive objections to these forms of ranking

in the last few years, particularly the NSS, with both the NUS and UCU having supported boycotts of the finalyear survey, highlighting how the results of the NSS will be used to justify future tuition fee increases and decisions to cut courses, departments and staff.

Students are being treated as customers which institutions are fighting for Similarly, the introduction of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) by the Tories in 2017, which categorises universities as Gold, Silver and Bronze was heavily criticised by the higher education industry. As Jess Patison wrote for Novara Media many years ago, this framework is an incredibly “simplistic” way to view education, and ignores existing class inequality. She argued the TEF “represents a ridiculously simplistic measure of success which wilfully ignores the stacks of research demonstrating that people with higher-earning parents will go into

higher-paying graduate jobs, in a system that has nothing to do with teaching and everything to do with class”. All these rankings and frameworks compound into one objective: creating an internal market within higher education and making universities compete in the interests of profit. Ultimately, students are being treated as customers which institutions are fighting for, rather than learners. Lecturers are already at breaking point. We’re in the midst of strikes, with lecturers hoping to achieve fair working environments and protected pensions. The introduction of more frameworks only serve to increase pressure placed on lecturers to perform better under increasingly stressful workloads. Beyond having basic compassion for a group of workers trying to salvage a fracturing and hostile industry, having overworked lecturers on volatile contracts will negatively affect you as a student. And the “low value” framework will only accentuate that. There’s always been jokes like “you’ll never get

a job with X degree”, which further contributes to the idea that you go to university as a long-term investment to financially ‘better yourself ’ rather than to enjoy the student experience and learn about something you're interested in. But the introduction of the “low value degrees” framework is a sinister move. It’s

not as simple as “do this course, you’ll be promised this job” and these metric frameworks do not have the capability to consider the complex nuances of the higher education system.

Image: Pixabay

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Monday 21st February 2022

Sub-editors: Kayleigh Fraser, Tiyanna Mistry & Amana Khan

Campus Comment

Why you should be supporting the UCU strikes Muslim Taseer - Deputy Editor

o, the UCU is back on strike. Unless this is your first year on campus, you'll be all too familiar with what that means for you. Chunks of content left uncovered, papers left unmarked, early mornings wasted trying to figure out whether you need to go in for a lecture. Your lecturers going on strike can feel like a waste of your time and money, and a general damper on your university experience. But, in all the frustration and inconvenience, we need to remember who is really at fault here. It is not the people working day in, day out on your lecture content. It is not the people marking your essays, or pouring over vast, Babel-ian expanses of research and literature looking for the best material they can list, only for it to go unread. No, no, no. It is the people denying our teachers fair and reasonable compensation and respectable contracts. It is the labor of our lecturers that the university functions on, not the administration in King’s Gate. When our lectur-

ers are cheated out of their pensions, faced with increasing casualisation and forced to work on zero hour contracts in a time of drastically increasing living costs, it is not just them that suffers. Overworked and underpaid lecturers mean a drop in the quality of our education. An education that we are already paying an incredible amount of money for.

We should be outraged at the treatment of our lecturers

Regardless, just the disrespect and devaluation our lecturers have faced should be enough to have us outraged, out on the picket lines standing in solidarity with them. At the end of the day, they are fighting for more than pensions and the closing of the gender pay gap. They are fighting against the commercialization of education that has overtaken the sector, turning Universities into places of commerce

focused on padding the ever-growing bottom line, instead of on the spirit of knowledge and free expression that our educational institutes are founded on.

It is the labour of our lecturers our university functions on

Strikes are disruptive, yes, but that is the point. The rights of workers throughout history have never been and clearly will never be won and kept by simply rolling over and shunning disruption. When the current order is unjust, disruption is the only legitimate response. Not to men-

tion; the disruption is entirely avoidable. As Joe Grady said on the first day of strikes, February 14, "These strikes over pension cuts were totally avoidable, but university employers have so far failed to accept compromise proposals put forward by UCU which would have protected pensions and avoided disruptive industrial action." Our lecturers don't enjoy striking. They don't get paid for the days they are on strike, and contrary to popular sentiment they care deeply about the course content students miss out on due to strikes. But as workers, striking is their right and their last line of defence against an employer utterly unconcerned with their wellbeing. Late last month, the UCU provided employers with an alternative USS proposal in an attempt to avert strike action while still protecting their pension benefits. In a letter to Jo Grady, the head of Universities UK promised that "should the USS trustee validate your proposal as an implementable solution to the 2020 valuation, we will formally consult employers on it." The proposal was deemed by the USS trustee on the 10th to have no impediment to implementation. This puts the ball firmly in Universities UK's court. In the words of Jo Grady, 'The action that begins today and will eventually hit 68 universities is down to vice-chancellors who have failed staff and students. They have pushed through

brutal pension cuts and done nothing to address falling pay, pay inequality, the rampant use of insecure contracts and unmanageable workloads.’ It is the University administration that is at fault here, and they are more than capable of compensating workers fairly, evidenced by the fact that UK universities hold over £40b in reserves.

"University employers have so far failed to accept compromise proposals put forward by UCU " For the dignity of our teachers, for the integrity of our education system, and for the future of the entire education industry, it is imperative that we, as students, stand side by side with the people that make all this possible.

Image: @UCU on Twitter

Are maintenance loans fit for purpose? Sam Norman

CAS describes maintenance loans as helping to pay for things such as rent, food, books, travel and other basic expenses. But when many student’s loans cannot get past item one, rent, are maintenance loans functioning anywhere near practical anymore? A fundamental failure in the foundations of student loans is the misleading nature of ‘student debt’. Money man Martin Lewis calls the debt you rack up a “meaningless figure. What counts is how much you’ll repay". Martin Lewis then goes on to explore how due to the 20-year (for undergraduates) forgiveness period, and £27,000 a year margin to repay, the loan becomes a “no win, no fee” form of agreement. These words are vital to students,

shown by London-based news outlet ‘The Conversation’ in their survey of over 1,000 17–21-yearolds, that concluded debt aversion has increased in both working-class and middle-class students, with a third of students in 2015 strongly agreeing with the statement: “I would worry a lot if I ever got into debt”. This research led to the terrifying point that due to misconceptions around loan debt, working-class young people are far less likely than students from other social classes to apply to university. Whilst it has been shown the repayment system is futile, it is the survival on such a limited budget that complicates a student’s lifestyle. In

my application for university, the first place I was drawn to was King’s College London, however despite additional maintenance loan support for living in London, not only would I be vastly short of any accommodation expenses, but I also would simply not be able to afford the lifestyle of living in London.

This led me to Newcastle, where I am short of rent, but luckily with my parents’ subsidies can live comfortably. However, for a working-class 19-year-old, raised in a place where I received a ‘deprived area offer’ this should not be the case. Living in student accommodation with 9 other first years, 8/10 of us have a maintenance loan that does not cover rent, leaving us reliant on parent subsidies or a burden of part-time work — where the money earned from working should be providing more comfortable luxuries and not necessities. Even more fascinating, the two in my flat who do receive a sufficient loan have done so by tactical means, involving putting the address of the lesser earning parent rather than the one who

Image: Pixabay

would have given a lesser loan. It begs the question why are students jumping through hoops for their maintenance loan to meet its criteria? My stance on maintenance loans is rather clear, they are no longer fit for purpose, and that is shown by only the mire cracks in the surface. A radical transformation of the student loan system is desperately overdue, making the repayment system worthwhile and maintenance loans an actual root of support for those who need it. Should we be optimistic about change? In September 2021 it began circulating of the government’s plans to lower the repayment threshold from £27,000 to £23,000 meaning students would be paying back their loans sooner, so students shouldn’t hold their breath.

Sub-editors: Emily Kelso, Humphrey Jordan & Rosie Norman

Monday 21st February 2022

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Comment Section 28 and the struggle for LGBT+ Rights 8

Hannah Ross

Section 28 banned so-called 'promotion' of homosexuality— waves of fierce and memorable activism arose in response...

ection 28 was one of the most controversial clauses of legislation passed by the UK government as part of the 1988 Local Government Act, which the subjected homosexual community to fifteen years of legally enforced marginalisation. The Act, brought in by the Thatcher government, banned the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality and the publishing of material which promoted this. It also prohibited the promotion of ‘teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship’. So why did the government feel it was appropriate to pass Section 28?

Section 28 prompted activism in extensive and sometimes very innovative ways The period of the 1980s saw the emerging HIV epidemic that had spread from the USA. As this disease

was found predominantly in gay men, fear of HIV led to fear of the patients, who the media portrayed as solely gay people. Also within this time frame, the book Jenny Lives with Eric and Martin had been brought to Britain from Sweden; a story of girl living with her father, Eric, and his lover, Martin, and was aimed at educating children, and normalising homosexuality and different family styles. This prompted protests from parents about exposing children to such topics, claiming it to be ‘propaganda’.

LGBT people and relationships was wiped out, as well as LGBT clubs and support groups disbanded, and LGBT literature being removed from shelves. Homophobia in schools increased with teachers feeling they should not challenge this behaviour, leaving young people feeling vulnerable with

Members even chained themselves to the camera and the news desk The government took advantage of these events when forming an excuse for the clause, suggesting said clause was not about banning homosexuality, but about stopping the ‘thrusting’ of homosexual materials upon children at such a young age. Only a quick glance at the kind of homophobic abuse and behaviour it provoked, that the government sat by and watched, is enough to see that what they were saying was a blatant lie. Any teaching ofImage: Wikimedia Commons, Rawpixel

their suffering falling on deaf ears. Many children were left with no clue about a key part of their identity or safe ways to embrace it as they grew up. Section 28 prompted activism in extensive and sometimes very innovative ways. Booan Temple and Sally Francis were part of an all-lesbian team that actively fought for LGBT rights and orchestrated some creative protests against Section 28. Temple helped storm a live streaming of the BBC six o’clock news in which women marched in wearing t-shirts saying: ‘Stop the Clause'. Members even chained themselves to the camera and the news desk. Temple claimed that if protests were not getting on the news ‘we’ll just be the news.’ Francis took it to a new level when her and others abseiled into the chamber of The House of Lords after peers voted in favour of the bill. Given the impressiveness of this event, the story of the build-up becomes amusing as she explained that they bought a washing line on the way into town to act as a rope and smuggled it into the balcony under a jacket. It was only when the vote passed that they realised the action they had to take, hoping that the bill would not have been passed. Despite this effort, the women were held for only a brief time and

journalists they talked to as they left did not believe the story!

Repealed in 2003, Section 28 had a lasting impact on a generation of youth Another prominent campaigner was Paul Fairweather, a Mancunian working in the city council. He spread the word in an age without social media, about a protest organised for 20 February 1988 against the bill. On the council he had helped set up the North West Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Equality – the group who orchestrated the demonstration – and spent time speaking at gay clubs and bars around the city to raise awareness of the march. In the end, 20,000 people attended and it was one of the largest LGBT demonstrations ever in the UK. The list of activists is endless, with women chaining themselves to Buckingham Palace and even Sir Ian McKellen coming out as gay and joining the equality group Stonewall. Despite all this effort, Section 28 was not repealed until 2003 and has had a lasting impact on young LGBT people of that generation. It must be held as a reminder of a time that we do not want to slip back into and as encouragement to keep moving forward in the fight for equality and an end to discrimination.

The Dignified Branch: a defence of constitutional monarchy Elliot Kirkpatrick

In the midst of rising concerns about the British Monarchy, a passionate defence for the Crown's symbolic importance is made

s we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II, the time is appropriate to reflect upon the many benefits of our constitutional monarchy. The year is 1649, and the strike of an axe ends five centuries of monarchy in the Kingdom of England. The execution of Charles I heralded in the establishment of a republic, or Commonwealth, throughout the British Isles and brought with it all the usual mantra of republicanism: regular and freely elected parliaments; equality for all the citizenry; sovereignty deriving from the people, not the despot; etc. etc. etc.

Britain’s experiment in republicanism was a complete and utter failure What followed was the true eleven years of tyranny in the form of Oliver Cromwell and his cronies. Forcible dispersals of Parliament, genocide in Ireland, religious persecution; all

culminating in Cromwell’s installation as a military dictator. Britain’s experiment in republicanism was a complete and utter failure. However, there is no need to despair, fellow Britons. The collapse of the republic did not mark the end of democratic ideals on our islands. On the contrary, this was only the beginning. What followed was the birth of the genius that is the Westminster system of government, with its characteristic fusing of constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy. The democratic ideals of republicanism were achieved and surpassed with a monarch as head of state.

Presidents come and go but the Crown is eternal, its stability providing a focal point for the nation Indeed, democracy has been proven to best flourish when there is an apolitical monarch to act as a constitutional watchdog. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s annual rankings of democracies, ten of the twenty most democratic countries in the world as of 2021 are constitutional monarchies, including the top two (Norway and New Zealand), with the United Kingdom itself ranking at number eighteen. This is over twice what one would expect given that only 22% of the world’s sovereign states have a monarchical head of state. But monarchy in this great nation goes well beyond the heavy drivel of our constitutional arrangements. It is

the lifeblood of the nation – we are after all the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The monarchy as an institution unites us as a people far greater than any republican leader could. Presidents come and go but the Crown is eternal, with its stability providing a focal point for the nation. According to YouGov, the Queen is ‘liked’ by 76% of the public, with only a tiny 7% ‘disliking’ her. This is a level of popularity that Joe Biden could only dream of. Crucially though, if we were to remove this i n s t itut i on , w h a t would be left to fill the void? We would need a new constitution, a new head of state, a new national anthem, a new design of currency, even a new name! At what point do we stop being Britain at all?! In a time of increasing divisions across all aspects of our society, it is imperative that we cherish those few that continue to rise above these divisions. And so, in this the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year, I urge all my fellow citizens to use the upcoming celebrations to do just that. Focus more on what unites than divides us as we celebrate as one nation, one people, one United Kingdom.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

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Monday 21st February 2022

Sub-editors: Emily Kelso, Humphrey Jordan & Rosie Norman

Comment 9 Is America falling out of love with Trump? John Heycock

Amidst faltering establishment support for Trump, is America's Trumpian love affair over?

t has now been over a year since the Trump administration handed over the keys to the White House to its new Democratic incumbent Joe Biden. This came after one of the most brutal election cycles in American electoral history. With tensions running high between supporters of the two major parties, a record number of Americans turned out at the ballot box to give their say over which of the drastically different visions of America they wanted their country to embark on. Victory went to Biden and the efforts of Trump's team turned towards overturning the result. With all methods failing, Trump's last ditch effort was to persuade his Vice President, Mike Pence, to overturn the result of the election when the electoral college met on January 6th 2021. With many including Pence himself stating the role was largely ceremonial, Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol building before Biden's victory was confirmed. Now, over a year later, Pence has come out with his strongest rebuke yet of Trump's tactics - stating his former boss was "wrong" to insist

Image: Wikimedia Commons

he could overturn the election result. Pence continued by saying "frankly, there is no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American President”. This latest intervention shows tensions between the former Vice-President and his boss have certainly not subsided. Pence's decision to strongly rebuke the former President could be Pence assuming a future Trump-Pence electoral ticket is out of the question and as a result voicing his true feelings on Trump. Alternatively, Pence may be laying the groundwork for his own Presidential bid, knowing he is now unlikely to be popular with the most

ardent Trump supporters, and therefore needs to forge his own voter base.

Pence may be laying the groundwork for his own Presidential bid Perhaps, however, there is something larger at play here: a potential shift in America's opinions about Trump. Before the pandemic struck, Trump seemed to be cruising towards a second term. Pandemic mismanagement

seemed to sour his relationship with a large proportion of voters, encouraging many to actively vote against him at the polls. The now-former President's tactics to overturn election results and refusal to concede likely alienated even more voters, with many believing he was now a spent political force. Latest polls would back up this idea, indicating a net unfavorability rating for Trump by an average margin of around 10 percentage points (41% favourable to 55% unfavourable according to fivethirtyeight's poll tracker on the 8th of February 2022). This isn't just a oneoff either: these polling numbers have been fairly consistent since April 2021.

The picture isn't just looking bleak for the former President on a national level - within his own party, there are signs that some voters are shifting their loyalties. An NBC poll in at the start of this year showed 56% of Republicans show more support for the party than Trump, with 36% showing more support for Trump than the party as a whole. This is a near exact reversal on the result at the end of October 2020, just before the presidential election. Interestingly, of the Republicans in the House of Representatives who voted to impeach Trump, all seven are out-raising their primary opponents according to analysis by the New York Times of candidates’ reports to the Federal Election Commission. This is showing that loyalty to Trump is not proving to be a big factor in the party, and the strength of these candidates' fundraising efforts could even be argued to suggest that there is a large segment of Republican voters who want a break from Trump and are willing to actively pursue a nonTrump direction for the party. But none of this means Trump is going anywhere soon - and with a 25 point lead over fellow right-winger Ron DeSantis in the polls, Trump may well still have the political strength to comfortably take the Republican nomination and run again for the Presidency. Knowing another loss could be damaging both financially and personally, whether he does may well come down to the political weather at the time.

It's debatable: PMQs effectiveness in scrutinising the Prime Minister Amana Khan - Campus Comment sub-editor

Recent rambuctious PMQs raises the question as to whether PMQs are truly effective or do we need a new way to hold the Prime Minister to account?

oris Johnson has been subject to multiple accusations throughout December 2021 and January 2022 of breaking COVID-19 restrictions by attending parties. Plural. As a direct result, MPs have c a l l e d for his

resignation from both sides of the House and the Right Honourable MP for Bury South Christian Wakeford even defected to Labour. This drama has unfolded itself and taken centre stage at the past few Prime Minister Question's (PMQs), with the opposition criticising and quizzing the Prime Minster about this scandal. This has proven to increase tensions between politicians, and this has presented itself within PMQs. The 19th of January saw the defection of Conservative MP Wakeford to Labour during PMQs, but the drama did not stop there. As his role requires him to maintain order, the Speaker of the House Sir Lindsay Hoyle had to intervene 17 times in that particular PMQs session. The Speaker's reason for halting proceedings that many times

was to address the rowdy nature of the MPs present from both sides of the House, who booed and cheered at Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer's criticisms of Johnson.

Hoyle had to intervene 17 times... to address rowdy MPs present on both sides of the house

Lindsay's interventions did not prevent the same style of politics to occur the following week PMQs on the 26th of January, however. The Speaker was forced to consistently interrupt speeches and questions made by Starmer due to the heckling Starmer received from backbenchers when questioning the Prime Minister’s involvement in the lockdown p a r t i e s . Despite the Speaker intervening and demanding Starmer’s questions to be heard out of respect for constituents, the jibes towards the Labour leader did not settle and this meant that more

interventions had to come about in this particular session. This has ushered in questions about the effectiveness of PMQs as the past two have shown to be drama-fuelled. Neither side listens to what each other has to say and the responses from both sides of the House have been rather performative. This is not what PMQs is intended for. PMQs are meant to hold the government to account and question their actions. Our current iteration of PMQs has more dramatics and interruptions than genuine scrutiny of the executive, unfortunately. Though PMQs is effective in bringing public attention to key political issues and the acts of politicians through its media coverage, in recent weeks it has not been fulfilling its criteria of being a place for democratic political debates. Considering the recent PMQs, the question arises on whether Parliament should use a new system of questioning the government. I would argue that the need f o r

ensuring accountability and legitimacy is crucial in a democratic system, but PMQs has encouraged a place of performative politics and childlike behaviour, especially in recent weeks. Thus, a new system needs to be put in place to negate this and guarantee that any government can be appropriately challenged for their failures. Implementing a new system with genuine scrutiny of the executive could also help constituents gain a better understanding of the actions of the government, which would be a massive boon in an era of increasing political apathy. Would such a system ever be introduced? It's up for debate.

Images: Wikimedia Commons

Your life. Your student home. Voted by students as Best Student Halls Provider 2021. Just a short walk from the university and city centre, Roman House offers student living that’s perfect for your new adventure.

Roman House, Newcastle Where you belong.

Book your new room now for September! thisisfresh.com

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Monday 21st February 2022

Sub-editors: Erika Armanino & Jon Deery

Science

Umbilical cord blood PLATO Space Project: don't look key to new HIV cure up, the problems are down here! Molly Taylor - Lifestyle Sub-Editor

that she’s a woman, that is really important scientifically and really important in terms of community impact”.

ew scientific research suggests that there is hope for treatment in the future for people living with HIV, after researchers appear to have cured a third person living with the virus using a new stem cell transplant method. The patient, who was treated in New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center, is the first woman and person of mixedrace heritage to be cured of the virus. She was treated with a method that involved umbilical cord blood, which doesn’t need to be matched as closely to the recipient as, for example, bone marrow cells do, which opens up more possibilities in the future for other patients living with the virus. One of the doctors involved in the procedure, Dr. Koen van Besien, stated that “the ability to use partially matched umbilical cord blood grafts greatly increases the likelihood of finding suitable donors for such patients”. Dr. Besien also stated, “We estimate that there are approximately 50 patients per year in the US who could benefit from this procedure”. The female patient was diagnosed with HIV in 2013, and then leukaemia four years later. Treatment of her leukaemia took precedence, but after three years of cancer remission, she was re-treated for HIV and has not experienced a resurgence of the virus in over fourteen months. Dr. Steven Deeks, an AIDS expert at the University of California stated that “The fact that she’s mixed race, and

This news story comes days after a report was published, which stated that “HIV now infects more heterosexual people than gay or bisexual men”. HIV has often been labelled a ‘homosexual’ virus; and this association has even impacted laws on blood donation, which, up until June 2021, stated that gay and bisexual men in the UK could not donate blood unless they waited a certain period of time (provided they are monogamous) and practised safe sex. In the US, the law still states that sexually active gay or bisexual men must abstain from sex for at least three months before they are able to donate blood. This rule also applies to gay and bisexual men who are in monogamous relationships and who have tested HIV negative and practice safe sex. These laws reinforce archaic stereotypes about gay men, as well as the idea that HIV only affects members of the LGBTQ+ community. This new scientific breakthrough in New York provides hope for treatment for people living with the virus and also opens up new and further research into the uses of umbilical cord blood and stem cell Image: Free SVG transplants.

Blood donation laws reinforce archaic stereotypes about gay men

CC Lee

The PLATO Project (Planetary Transits and Oscillations of Stars) is actively looking for planets similar to Earth

any planets have already been found and deemed unsuitable for human life. However, with the new technologies viable today, the PLATO Project has been approved which will be able to go further out into the universe in order to find better planets that can sustain human life or that already have life on them. Whilst this is an astonishing breakthrough in technologies, it provides an idea that our only viable option as a species is to keep destroying our planet until a new one has been found, to which we can migrate.

are incredibly advanced and should be treated and respected as such, but does this pose a threat to life on Earth continuing down the road of extinction? Yes, yes it does. With this new research being uploaded visibly to the government web page, it suggests that the situation at hand (i.e. climate change) is too great to be solved, fixed or undone. But this is not the case. Rather than funding twenty-five millions pounds into a potential new location for human life, why can’t we fund that money into schemes to reverse or offset climate change? Not only is the government doing a monetary disservice, but it could also cause mass hysteria that perhaps human life doesn’t have long left on Earth and that a solution needs to be found quickly. Which is true, and something climate activists have been saying for years. Nevertheless, moving to another planet and potentially ruining all of its

resources shouldn’t be a viable option. Let alone the only option. Whilst this technology is a breakthrough, the renewable energy options have been around for years and should have been put in place a long time ago so that we didn’t have to look for another planet to move too. Additionally this doesn’t seem like a productive use of scientists' time – when we’re currently in the sixth mass extinction period. Instead, what would seem better, is how can we utilise all the resources we have now – without extracting more – and provide safer and better communities free of carbon and emissions of greenhouse gases. To summarise then, whilst the new technologies are impressive and successful, perhaps a more productive way to utilise scientists time would be to find and fund solutions rather than exit plans.

Rather than looking for a potential new location for human life, why can't we combat climate change here on Earth? Is this a direct result of climate change? Perhaps not, science is always advancing and the new discoveries

Image: Source (Sergioht87 via Pixabay)

The best new technology that is taking over the world Elizabeth Meade - Head of Current Affairs

With hundreds of new technologies being invented every year, which ones will take over the world?

very year in our society, there is a broad discussion about the science and tech that shape our seeminglymeaningless lives. But only some tech has what it takes to rise to the top. The rest is forgotten: Tamagotchis, inflatable furniture, VHS tapes. Whatever those weighted bean toys with which you could have WWE matches were supposed to be. This leaves me with the question: what is the best new technology that will take over the world? The question of quality is just as important as that of popularity, you see. After all, plenty of people have bought AirPods that are far from the best thing on the market. They’re the most famous because they are made by Apple, but they aren’t the greatest thing that’s been invented and they aren’t even the best headphones. Ultimately, ten years from now, most who bought them will consider them to be pretentious and overpriced. The best new technology that

will take over the world, for the purpose of this article, is the most useful new tech that is also bound to become popular and commonly-used across a great portion of society. To find this, we must take a strange and wonderful journey through the world of discovery and innovation. Join me.

We must take a strange and wonderful journey through the world of discovery and innovation

McGill University researchers have worked to develop hydrogels that function as artificial tissue. These are injected into areas such as the heart and vocal cords to act as tough, permeable substitutes while the tissue heals. I predict this technology will catch on due to its unique nature and the urgent need for tools to heal these sensitive parts of the body. An mRNA-based HIV vaccine has shown potential, which suggests that, as long as it works in humans, it will be very effective. If people can be vac-

cinated for HIV, that will be a huge asset to the world of medicine. A new state of matter, known as a time crystal, has been discovered. The implications of this are not quite clear but something like this is going to change our knowledge of matter and energy significantly, and that’s pretty important, don’t you think? It’s not actually a crystal made of time, it just has a pattern that re-

peats over time rather than space. Hence a time crystal. Not to be confused with the Time Stone from the MCU, or the Tesseract, with that in matter. Although a real-life tesseract is j u s t a cube with a fourth dimension, and if you accept the line of thought that says time is the fourth dimension, maybe we could have a tesseract. Technically. But if it actually can take you anywhere via teleportation, forget it—my cousins and I are totally taking advantage of that at

Images (left to right): Flickr, PxHere, Pixabay, Wikimedia Commons

Christmas so we can all get to Grandma’s house from far away. Most humans won’t get one. Sorry. There are plenty of more things I could write about, but it’s impossible to be aware of all the technology in the world right now so I’m not even going to try. It is important to know one’s limitations in order to avoid offering or promising too much and failing to deliver. I also limited the scope of this to things I found on ScienceDaily, but frankly small-name things in overlyspecific industries are unlikely to take over the world. Technologies that don’t make it into prominent publications may have a large impact overall, but are unlikely to take over in terms of popularity (especially with the general public) if nobody has heard of them. This isn’t to say we shouldn’t dig into those lesser-known things and write about them, but this article is about ‘the best of the most popular,’ not ‘the best overall’. Only time will tell us whether these technologies will truly take over the world, and if they will be the best of those that take over the world if they do. I hope this article has pleased you and maybe taught you something, and thank you for reading.

Sub-editors: Gabbi de Boer, Annabel Hogg & Imogen Mole

Relationships

Monday 21st February 2022

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Simp-le Minds: is the term 'simp' damaging? Peter Bath - Head of Sport

Why we should rethink using the term 'simp'

pending too much time online can be dangerous. It can change your vocabulary, which in turn changes the way you think. Words originate in obscure, shady corners of the internet and can quickly spread ‘memetically’, infecting all online discourse and, in some cases, your every waking thought. You might start using them ironically, but it’s a slippery slope. Before you know it your worldview is shaped by words like redpilled, beta, chad, cuck… and simp. A ‘simp’, in the strictest sense, is someone, usually a man, who goes a little too far for their romantic interest. It’s a relatively recent term, but arguably describes an age-old attitude. After all, does a knight not ‘simp’ for his lady? Was the Immortal Bard not a ‘simp’ when he wrote his sonnets? In the best sense, it can be reclaimed as a positive - some people proudly admit to ‘simping’ for their partner in a perfectly healthy way. At its worst though, it’s associated with the misogynistic culture of obsession/hatred towards women at the heart of incel-dom. In this context, ‘simping’ will often be an unrequited fixation - a ‘down bad’ incel might ‘simp’ for their favourite ‘Twitch streamer’. The other side of this, of course, is the shame they simultaneously associate with the word; it is seen as degrading to be this powerless, especially for a woman of all people. And the word ‘simp’ is central to this. It frames the way one thinks about relationships.

‘Simping’ is transactional. The ‘simp’ goes to unreasonable lengths for someone, with the expectation deep down that they deserve to have their acts reciprocated. Of course, they rarely are, and the ‘simp’ might well know this to be the case. One Urban Dictionary definition describes it as “when a male is overly submissive to a female and gains nothing from it.” The inclusion of the latter clause reveals that to “gain nothing” from any relationship with a woman is seen as an aberration, and though 'simping' may be a selfpunishing denial of it, at some point the repressed feeling of being owed affection is bound to return in troubling ways.

It is seen as degrading to be this powerless, especially for a woman of all people

Acting out of love means a kindness that isn’t caught up in egotism but comes from a genuine desire to make others happy. On the other hand, the ‘simp’ becomes trapped in a destructive cycle of shame, vanity, obsession and repulsion, all validated by the word ‘simp’. Log off Reddit. Reject 'simp'.

Image (Reddit): Pixabay (Man): pxhere

How to cope with 'ghosting' from friends People's actions are based on them, not you

Kayleigh Fraser - Campus Comment sub-editor

We always talk about 'ghosting' from a potential partner but what about when it's a friend?

should reach out to family and other friends for some emotional support.

3. Distract yourself

One of the things I did was throw myself into university work and assessments. That, combined with a lot of Netflix and long walks cleared my mind and helped me forget what happened.

t's always hard when friends leave your lives. Sometimes its unexplained, sometimes it's best to let go. But what happens when they leave you on read? Here's how to cope with it. Unfortunately I can say that I've been in this position before. A couple years back I fell out with some people who I considered to be friends at the time. I'll be honest, it hit me pretty hard and I didn't have any kind of way to cope. Having now lived through it, I'm going to give you my top tips on how to make yourself feel better if this happens to you.

4. Stay off socials

There's nothing worse than seeing former friends on social media having a good time when you wish you were there yourself. FOMO is never a good thing, and it never makes you feel better.

5. Wait it out You never know, with the magic of the universe you might end up being friends again. In my case, I'm happy to report that I made up with the friends I lost and couldn't be happier.

1. Remember it's probably not your fault

One thing that plagued my mind is how I blamed myself for all of it. I was upset for weeks, thinking that I'd never have another friend again. However, when I was feeling like this, my dad told me his mantra 'People's actions are based on them, not you.' I now live by this quote, and whenever I overthink about friends it calms me down.

6. Accept your healing

2. Reach out

This doesn't mean reach out to your friends. Whatever the case, they decided to ghost you for a reason. Don't stoke the fire. My tip is that you

Image (Woman): pixabay _sasint (Read reciept ) Gabbi de Boer

When things like this happen, it's inevitable that you're going to feel wounded for a pretty long time. Don't feel bad for being sad! Those are the best tips I can give for being ghosted. If you're going through it or it's just happened to you, I know how you feel. It's a rough thing to go through but I promise there is light at the end of the tunnel.

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Monday 21st February 2022

Sub-editors: Gabbi de Boer, Annabel Hogg & Imogen Mole

Relationships

Is it discrimination or fetishization? Neve Watson

With 'lesbian' being the third most searched for on Pornhub in 2021, it's time to talk about the misogynistic roots of lesbian fetishization.

esbian history is often erased when discussing LGBTQ+ history because it was never outlawed in England, as though this suggests that their struggles are not as significant as others within the community. Truthfully, whilst lesbianism is legal within England, this does not mean there isn’t an issue and thin line between discrimination and fetishization. Pornhub’s Year in Review recorded ‘lesbian’ being the most searched for term in 2017, with it falling only slightly to the third most searched for in 2021. Also in 2017, 64% of the LGBTQ+ community in England experienced hate crimes, rising by 19% between March 2019 and March 2020. These simultaneous occurrences are baffling to me; how hate crimes can increase whilst porn searches continue to climb. I genuinely believe this is a power dynamic: you can publicly denounce a certain group of people and yet profit sexually. Whilst Pornhub didn’t disclose the viewer demographics, I have no doubt that men who watch and have pleasure in lesbian porn have roots in misogyny, whether this is a conscious awareness or not. Although legislation has been passed through government, it cannot be denied that there is still very far to go. I’m aware of how lucky I am in growing up and identifying as a lesbian throughout the late 2010s when most of the legislation had already been passed to decriminalise LGBTQ+ relationships, but people like to believe it’s further

I had already left high school by the time it was legal to incorporate LGBTQ+ teachings in education.

gay relationships. There was a risk in acting like a couple when walking the streets, in a town where everybody knows everybody, and your business is never just your own. It was only in September 2020 that all secondary schools have been required by law to teach about LGBTQ+ relationships and sexual education. Again, this is insane

to me. In an age where we seem to pride ourselves on being accepting, I had already left high school by the time it was legal to incorporate LGBTQ+ teachings in education.

in the past than it is. My mum was eight years old when Section 28 was passed through Thatcher’s Government, banning the discussion and ‘promotion’ of LGBTQ+ teaching in schools, and was only repealed when I was turning two. That is insane in my eyes: that this anti-gay legislation was around both when my mum was growing up in the 90s and after she’d given birth to me. I cannot deny that I am lucky to be growing up in the years that I am. People are more accepting, but we still have a long way to go. In a world where Florida is considering passing a ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill which shares similarities with Section 28, we need to tackle institutionalised prejudices and fetishization of the LGBTQ+ community. My first relationship began when I was sixteen. Although my friends never made me feel excluded or different, I do think that there was added pressure with this being one of the few - if only - gay female relationships in my year group. I come from a small town, and I’d still argue that it suffers from a smalltown mentality. I remember our hesitance in revealing our relationship. Of course, other factors impacted our choice too, and I was lucky that I had access to media that showed and normalised

Battle of the dating apps: Tinder vs. Hinge Maud Webster - Head of Culture

’ll caveat this by admitting whilst I find dating apps often entertaining, I’m not a huge fan and have never approached them as a genuine way (for me) of finding anything more than something casual. Perhaps this is part of the reason why Hinge - the “relationship” app, “designed to be deleted” - has never appealed. I've downloaded it a couple of times… just to be hindered by probably the key issue I have with Hinge: I don’t think I’ve ever got to the stage of having a completed profile on the app. You want basically all my personal information?! And six photos of me? And you’re getting me to answer some prompts! I need to somehow workshop three captions! Responses which show I’m light hearted, yet clever, yet funny, yet nice and oh my God I just cannot be bothered with that. Don’t discount me for this failure to engage with the platform I so critique! I think even if I could be bothered to get onto the platform I find the whole you-can-message-me-evenif-I-haven’t-swiped-on-you thing very much not up my street. I like mutual swiping. It sets boundaries. And I suppose it depends somewhat on what you’re looking for. Maybe if you’re solely looking for that one special friend, the love of your life, blah blah blah

then okay Hinge could yield you better success. But in my eyes you can’t compete with a) the simplicity, b) the wider pool of profiles and c) the casual nature of Tinder.

Image ( Tinder): Twitter (@Tinder) (Hinge): Twitter (@hinge)(Woman): pixabay _ hamiltonjch

Anthony Welsh

inge is billed as the dating app designed to be deleted, but let’s be clear - it’s Tinder that you should be deleting. Unless you enjoy matching with someone who thinks drinking gin, IPAs or liking dogs is a personality trait, or enjoy the thrill of receiving a waving-hand emoji as a first message,

read on and I’ll tell you why Hinge is the superior app for unsingling yourself. Comparing Tinder and Hinge is like comparing a pound-saver cheeseburger to a sirloin steak (or a vegan sausage roll to a Linda McCartney, if you will). You can get more for your money, but the quality is just not the same. Hinge specifically matches you with

people using its ‘most compatible’ feature. From personal experience, these tend to be people you actually share something in common with other than the fact you both breathe oxygen and have genitalia. Tinder turns dating into a numbers game. You get way more likes (unless you pay a premium) and chances of matching, but you have to dig through a lot more people with Snapchat filters plastered over their actual face before you find your dreamboat. Tinder and Hinge both employ an algorithm to get you paired up. There are claims that Tinder employs (or did employ) the ELO rating system, originally developed in the 1960s for ranking chess players, while Hinge boasts the use of a Nobel-prize winning GaleShapley algorithm. Neither of these is sexy enough for me to explain in great detail, but it's worth noting Gale-Shapley was invented to specifically solve ‘The Stable Marriage Problem’, while ELO rating is based on calculating the skill level of a player in games such as chess. Hinge makes messaging first easy. Rather than expecting you to come up with a witty line about yourself out of the ether like Tinder, Hinge uses prompts that essentially do the work for you. On Tinder people seem to like pointing out the fact they own shit, like having a house, a car or a dog makes you somehow makes you more f*ckable. There’s just a greater level of superficiality to Tinder. People mostly swipe based on pics, which lends itself to some pretty interesting results. With Hinge, you get a feel for a person’s sense of humour, music taste, things they care about, the stuff you’d hope the special person you’re trying to bag has beyond looks alone. To conclude, Tinder sucks, Hinge rules. If you need any more proof, check out the new voice note feature on Hinge and tell me you aren’t amused.

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Monday 21st February 2022

How to overcome seminar nerves Poppy Sullivan

hen it comes to university, I find one of the most daunting parts of being a student has to be going to seminars. After a year and a half of learning online, it is no surprise that the idea of having such a close-knit, in-person, interaction with some of your peers, some of whom you may have never even met before, is slightly anxiety triggering. I have certainly found the introduction to this year very nerve-racking, as anxiety seems to come hand in hand with almost every seminar I attend. However, as the term has gone on, I have found each week gets easier and easier. Seminars are arguably the most important part of your academic life at university. They give you a chance to clear up any confusion in the material being discussed in lectures and allow you to get to know your lecturer better, making it easier to approach that dreaded essay submission period with confidence. But in order to make the most out of these seminars, you have to get involved, despite the nerves.

The more times you decide to miss out on a seminar the more your nerves will worsen, as you aren’t proving your anxiety wrong

My first piece of advice when wanting to settle your nerves in seminars is to go. The more times you decide to miss out on a seminar the more your nerves will worsen, as you aren’t proving your anxiety wrong. This first little hurdle is the most important because if you never go to a seminar, you will never get a taste of what you’re missing and slowly but surely, it becomes a cycle of never attending. With each seminar your confidence will increase from simply attending, to speaking up and getting involved. Secondly, read the material and be prepared. If you have entered any situation unprepared, you have almost set yourself up to fail, especially in regard to feeling anxious. Go to the lecture, do the readings, go over the possible seminar questions. If you go into a seminar knowing you have done everything expected of you, you have no reason to worry, as you can be confident that you deserve to be heard just as much as the others. Lastly, don’t wait to be asked a question. If you have something to say that you think is relevant to the seminar, say it. Everyone is much more comfortable talking about something on their own terms, rather than being asked a question out of the blue which forces you to think on your feet. Get control of the situation and involve yourself in the way you want to be involved. In addition to this, once you have put yourself out there, you may be less likely to be asked upon in a seminar as you have already spoken up, which will ease your anxiety.

Sub-editors: Faye Navesey, Molly Taylor & Leanna Thomson

Lifestyle

A spotlight on pansexuality Hannah Ross

Pansexuality is often misunderstood. It's time we shone a spotlight on pansexuality and its validity as an identity

oogle defines pansexuality as "not limited in sexual choice with regard to biological sex, gender, or gender identity". Whilst a good baseline definition, it is important to understand the nuances associated with pansexual identity for those who use it to describe themselves. The word pansexual has different meanings for different people and for some is interchangeable with bisexuality. So why is this? Originally, the term bisexual referred specifically to two genders, male and female, and so pansexual was a way of describing that one was not limited to the dominant binary logic of gender. Since then, bisexuality has incorporated the use of all genders, but for some, it still has binary connotations. Therefore, it depends

on one’s preference and what the word means to them.

It's about emphasis on an individual’s personality and soul and takes focus off particular performances of gender and sexuality A pansexual interviewee described that for them it's not about physical attraction, but about a person’s aura and having a connection through mind and soul to form a romantic attraction. This does not discount sexual attraction, but for them encapsulates a way of labelling themselves without confining themselves. For them, it's about emphasis on an individual’s personality and soul and takes focus off particular performances of gender and sexuality. The way they best described it was as "not liking everybody, but liking anybody", and found this as a good way to dispel what they found was the biggest misconception of their identity that they are attracted to everybody they see.

Image: Pixabay

Do we romanticise the University experience? Maja Mazur - Arts sub-editor

can’t count how many times in my childhood I heard from my family and the media that “university will be the best time of my life.” I’ve always been sceptical about this saying. A constant downhill after a wonderful sugar-coated 3-4 years at a

Image: Pixabay

university seemed quite a daunting perspective to me. Nevertheless, I’ve been feeling somewhat pressured to have fun at university, because if I don’t enjoy something which is supposed to be “the best time of my life”, what about the rest of it? To tell the truth, the 1.5 years spent at the university so far have been amazing: I met wonderful people, I fell in love, and I’m studying something I genuinely enjoy (for the most part). But it’s also the most difficult time of my life. As a person who is constantly worried about something, university is really stressful. Sometimes when I’m stressed about the workload and grades, I catch myself thinking that I can’t wait to finally graduate, even though I want to have fun. Moreover, as an international student, I almost constantly miss something about home. I’ve never regretted the decision to move here, but it doesn’t mean it’s easy. And I’m saying that from a perspective of a privileged person who can count on family’s support and doesn’t struggle financially. With 30% of students having just enough money to get by, romanticising the

university experience seems inappropriate. I don’t want to demonise university by any means - as I said, I really enjoy my time here, and anyway, according to a study from 2015, almost two-thirds of adults actually do rate it as the best time of their lives so far. Rather than complaining about the university then, I want to point out that this overgeneralisation can be harmful to those struggling. I wish there was more discussion and more representation in the media of students who don’t always have a fun time, so no one feels alone in their experience. I remember that amongst many books romanticising the university experience, I was struck by the descriptions of Connell’s initial problems at the university in Sally Rooney’s Normal People. Reading about a perspective similar to mine made me feel seen. University can be a wonderful time, but it doesn’t have to. And it’s not students’ fault if they’re struggling. I keep seeing posts and articles about how to make the most of your university experience, but the sad truth is that you can’t control everything even if you really try.

Kalanchoe

Easy houseplants for bad plant parents! Hannah Ross

Snake Plant

hese bad boys are a superfun plant to keep and don’t require excessive amounts of sunlight which is, let's face it, great when living in Newcastle! Just be prepared to upgrade its living space every year because they get BIG. Again, another plant that doesn't require too much watering – I tend to find once a week keeps them happy and healthy but they will also be okay if left for a couple of weeks during the holidays when you're wanting to travel home. They are constantly growing new sword-like leaves and enjoy having a little flower in the Summer when they get older. Eventually, these can become floor-standing plants and so can be nurtured into a lovely decoration for each new house you move into. Image: Pixabay

Tradescantia Zebrina onestly if anyone manages to kill this plant, they will have my respect because that is impressive – believe me, I've tried! These guys are a great starter plant for anybody as they tend to live off their own accord, swirling into whatever space you can give them, no matter how cramped. They are very happy either to chill in very wet soil for those who love them a little too much or spend their days in the arid desert that is their pot that you haven't watered for two weeks! They can be as viny or bushy as you like: either let them grow continuously or cut a good 20-30cm off them and stick it in a glass of water for a few weeks – the roots will develop rapidly, and you can replant them, or they make a great economic birthday pressie for anyone on a tight budget (as we all are with our student debt) due to their unique appearance with purple and green stripy leaves! Image: Pixabay

f you're someone who likes a little colour to brighten up the place, look no further than the kalanchoe family. I tend to find that most flowering plants tend to be a little fussy and therefore difficult to look after when you can't think about them every day. A kalanchoe is a great solution to this as they are classed as succulents so prefer a much drier environment and indirect sunlight. They also come in a wide variety of colours, so it is easy to find one that fits the colour scheme of your room! Again, these plants are fine taking a little regret and can be left for a few weeks at a time, if necessary, though they may look a little sad after so make sure to give it plenty of water after such a period. Regarding general tips for care, keep plants in a well-lit area and away from radiators if possible. If you have a south-facing window, even better as this gets plenty of sunlight! Feeling the soil tends to be a good indicator of if they need watering. The most important point to stress is never repot a plant in winter as this stresses them out and can be an ultimate downfall in plant care!

Sub-editors: Sophia Ayub, Imogen Clarke & Lizzie Yockney

Monday 21st February 2022

Fashion & Beauty

Euphoria: a fashion & beauty phenomenon Imogen Smillie Lizzie Yockney - Fashion & Beauty sub-editors

hether you love it or hate it, it is hard to deny the influence that Euphoria has over pop-culture today. It is also undeniable to recognise just how influential Euphoria has been, and continues to be, in the worlds of fashion and beauty in its representation of Gen Z, and it will be interesting to see how far-reaching this influence will be. Other than the intense and often traumatic plotlines, one of the most significant elements of Euphoria is its aesthetics. Though probably unrealistic for most highschoolers, the characters’ style and makeup looks, as well as the cinematography, craft meaning into every scene. Unlike most real-life high school students, Euphoria’s teens aren’t stuck in a stiff uniform, and they are not subject to strict no-makeup policies. Instead, they wear designer clothes and bold eyeliner. It is refreshing to watch something so visually rich, as you can almost see the trends emerging as soon as they appear on-screen. Here is a round-up of our favourite scenes, outfits and beauty looks from the series so far, and why we think they are so significant. A gut-wrenching motif throughout the show is the use of the burgundy hoodie. Quite a juxtaposed piece of clothing in comparison to the other character’s style, its significance is massively highlighted. In Rue’s introductory scene, we see her father wearing an identical plain burgundy hoodie. After his passing, it is a staple piece that Rue wears, alongside her baggy t-shirts and bike shorts. Throughout her struggles with drug use and her complicated platonic and romantic relationships, the colour burgundy can be seen, showing poignant moments in

Rue’s life. Perhaps this colour will continue to be a source of comfort for Rue in remembering her father and also in reminding the audience of the moments where Rue is at her lowest in life, as the drama around her unfolds.

Not only are the aesthetics entertaining to watch, but they also offer a deeper understanding of the show’s characters Inspiring my 2020 Halloween costume, Rue becomes a detective in Season One - well not actually. In this scene, Rue wears checked trousers, a white vest top, brown suspenders, a police badge, and a gun with her hair tied up in a messy topknot. Smoking an excessive number of cigarettes, the style perfectly represents that of a 1970’s cop show, once again highlighting the quirky nature of the show as a whole. Another beauty-centric character is Cassie. She has a thrilling beauty routine and transforms herself through her clothes, wearing a cropped lilac jumper and jeans in one scene and an ensemble that causes much confusion as to whether she is auditioning for Oklahoma or not, in another – as Euphoria makeup artist Doniella Davy wrote in her Instagram post after the episode aired, ‘she’s giving country music star’. She is finally noticed by Nate when she is wearing a matching Y2Kinspired turquoise cropped cardigan and flares that makes her look uncannily like Maddy. Indeed, Maddy joins Cassie in the hallway wearing a very similar ensemble. In another Instagram post, Davy showed sketches of the makeup look she did on Sydney Sweeney for this particular outfit, dubbing the look ‘Cassie trying to be Maddy’. Davy also adds how Cassie’s eyeliner, a bold wing with rhinestones, is a direct reference to Maddy’s makeup at the carnival in episode four of Season One. This mirroring of Maddy’s style and the echoing of her previous looks is intentional, as it is a visual representation of Cassie’s insecurities and her desire to be anything other than herself in order to impress others, or more specifically, to catch the attention of Nate. Speaking of Cassie, the relationship

Image: Instagram @euphoria

between her and her sister, Lexi, is communicated visually through their individual styles. As theorised by oldloserinbrooklyn on TikTok, the styling choices are ingenious, as Cassie is often styled in Prada and Lexi in Miu Miu. It is often said that Miu Miu is the ‘little sister’ of Prada, as it was created in 1993 by Miuccia Prada, 80 years after her grandfather founded Prada, and Miu Miu is viewed by some as having a much more naïve aesthetic. My favourite outfit of Lexi’s is not by Miu Miu, but the custom Batsheva look that she wears to the New Year’s Eve party. Her mustard milkmaid corset top, paired with red ruffled-hem trousers, are reminiscent of Lexi’s style in Season One, but are more elevated, which is symbolic of the character coming out of her shell in the current series.

Criticisms have emerged that the show is prioritising style over substance

It would be impossible to talk about every single significant fashion, makeup, and scene in Euphoria, as there are so many. To be honest, we could talk about this series forever and ever. The aesthetics of this show are so strong and so instantly recognisable and have enticed many people to watch. It is such a phenomenon that it is hard to miss. However, especially with the release of Season Two, criticisms have emerged that the show is prioritising style over substance – the element that made Euphoria so popular in the first place is potentially its downfall. Whether you love it or hate it, it is clear that Euphoria has definitely created a lot of noise within pop-culture and the fashion and beauty communities!

Image: Instagram @sydney_sweeney

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Cultural attire: is West really the best? Sophia Ayub - Fashion & Beauty sub-editor

A dive into the difficulties of accepting ones culture and the beauty of embracing herritage

y individual journey regarding my own expression of cultural attire is somewhat a rocky road. Growing up a brown girl in a Western world was an adjustment in my own selfdiscovery of how I grew to embrace my culture. I grew up British born in a Pakistani household, both my parents coming from a Pakistani heritage. However, I’ve always maintained this lingering insecurity that I was never culturally influenced enough, never ‘Pakistani’ enough. Yet this battled with my self-identity as I was also never British enough.I sat in this conflcting limbo when navigating my identity In my earlier years of childhood, I would deem these beautiful heavily embodied pieces of South Asian attire as itchy, heavy, uncomfortable – I was never comfortable wearing them. This is despite the countless admiration these pieces would attract from those surrounding me. I don’t think it was until I hit the age of 17 that I began taking an active interest in how I would navigate my own style and appreciation for South Asian attire, but when I did, everything changed. It was only then I began to embrace the true intricate magnificence which existed in my South Asian wardrobe. It represents the parts of myself I used to hide away and be ashamed of. I actively grew interested in discovering pieces that encapsulated all the beautifully foreign, unexplored parts of me. The dazzle of the embroidery to the vibrant fabric palette. That’s me. All’s I can say now is that I am just grateful that I was able to find the parts of me again, and I will never settle with hiding who I am. I was made to be authentically me, we all are.

Image: Sophia Ayub

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Monday 21st February 2022

Sub-editors: Sophia Ayub, Imogen Clarke & Lizzie Yockney

Fashion & Beauty

Let's see some skin on our screnes! Erin Fox

In an industry becoming more and more inclusive, why aren't we seeing skin imperfection in entertainment?

ithin the film and television industry, there has been a significant stride towards establishing inclusivity for the previously unrepresented communities. Producers are incorporating a multitude of ethnicities and a bountiful array of body types into the industry. And feel-food films

Image: Instagram

about finding yourself are being represented onscreen, boosting our self-positivity. However, the notion of acne and imperfect skin is still unrepresented within the entertainment industry. So the question we really need to ask is: why is there this remaining stigma around the notion of acne and imperfect skin, and why is it rarely represented in visual entertainment? As someone who has suffered from cystic acne for years, there is a real sense of shame and embarrassment surrounding the topic, particularly as it is something a vast amount of people suffer with. Yet there is an incessant desire to conceal the condition (literally). In fact, according to the Global Burden of Disease Project, acne affects 9.4% of the global population. This makes me question: why is there so little

representation of acne onscreen when so many of us feel scrutinised and mentally affected by it 24/7. If there was the chance to empower people with supposedly "imperfect" skin, wouldn’t you take the chance to do so through the power of onscreen entertainment?

It is possible to include a character with acne prone skin!

The highly anticipated HBO show Euphoria, known for its inclusivity and eccentricity in terms of both makeup and fashion, has recently made its return to our lives (trust me, it’s addicting). Centralised around mainly teenagers and the harrowing events they experience daily, there should be a high possibility that at least a couple of characters would suffer from acne. Is that the case? Sorry to disappoint, but the only thing in sight is the gorgeous rhinestone glam and technicoloured powders and liners. Instead we witness an intense, intemperate 4am beauty routine from Cassie where she incessantly scrubs, shaves and smooths her skin before completing her image with a full face of makeup – not for herself, but in pursuit of catching Nate’s attention. This particular scene depicted the process of hiding the skin imperfections rather than embracing them, reinforcing

Image: Instagram @saorseronan

the stigma surrounding imperfect skin and acne, and stating that someone’s worth is dependent on how they look. Let me state this – it’s not! Perhaps the lack of delineation of acne within Euphoria is because it is deemed unimportant when compared to the dark underbelly of sex, drugs and violence present in the show – the shock factor immediately captures your attention. However, acne is a struggle within everyday life for a considerable amount of people. I believe that if a show can dedicate time and effort towards the extreme makeup looks, then it is possible to include a character with acne-prone skin to de-stigmatise, and portray it as natural across the global medium of television.

Image: Instagram @euphoria

Pretty Little Thing at London Fashion Week

Alex Bailey

PrettyLittleThing to walk London Fashion Week. Alex explores the sustainability implications of PLT among "high fashion" brands.

olly-Mae Hague, the creative director of fast fashion giant PrettyLittleThing, announced that the brand would have their very own catwalk show at London Fashion Week. In the now edited post, Hague has clarified that whilst PLT will be holding an event during London Fashion Week, it will not be on the official LFW schedule. So, does PrettyLittleThing have a place at the "high fashion" event?

Does PrettyLittleThing have a place at the "high fashion" event?

LFW is hosted by the British Fashion Council, which led British fashion houses during COP26, calling on companies to slash their carbon emissions by half before 2030. The industry had a previous target of reducing emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, but as estimates suggest that the clothing industry is responsible for around 8% of all greenhouse emissions, pressure to reduce the

Image: Instagram @prettylittlething

impact on the environment is mounting. PLT appears to be a thorn in the side of any pledge for better climate practices. The $3.54 billion company operates on a ‘fast-fashion’ business model, encouraging its consumers to buy high quantities of clothing for low prices, which has been repeatedly criticized for its negative environmental impact. PLT has a sustainability page on their website, with claims including their desire to ‘make a positive change’ and ‘create a more sustainable future’. With no measurable or time-bound aims to achieve this, or any evidence of PLT changing their practices, this seems like an empty green-washing tactic.

PLT appears to be a thorn in the side of any pledge for better climate practises

The absence of any concern for sustainability by PLT is only one half of the reason for pushback towards the show. LFW prides itself on showcasing the best of British ‘creativity and culture’. Fashion brand Anciela, making its virtual debut at LFW, combines inspiration from Latin folklore with the experience of living in London to embody the premise of LFW. Contrast this with PLT, who have a history of stolen designs and poor quality products, and produce garments with profit in

Image: Instagram @mollymae

mind above all else. The PLT catwalk is clearly a mere marketing tool and cash-grab, and to many, is insulting to the designers who create with passion and purpose.

It is insulting to the designers who create with passion and purpose However, many have been quick to criticise PLT’s presence at LFW on environmental grounds, whilst failing to recognise that many brands that show during LFW have similarly damaging practices. Louis Vuitton for example, are notorious for burning unsold stock to maintain the brands position as exclusive and ‘aspirational’. Whilst not an excuse for PLT, the blindeye turned to practices of luxury brands is an interesting lesson in the role that brand identity plays in environmental scrutiny. Perhaps hosting the catwalk show is an attempt by PLT to alter their brand imagine and drive attention away from criticism of their sustainability, or lack thereof. The PLT catwalk is a starting point for a wider conversation regarding the bad practices among the fashion industry. PLT’s lack of sustainability initiatives, and an absence of any creativity or culture, run directly against everything the British Fashion Council stands for. Perhaps the council were right to make it clear that PrettyLittleThing was not a part of the official LFW schedule.

Image: Instagra, @anciela_london

Sub-editors: Alice Holmes & Lenka Minarovicova

Monday 21st February 2022

Travel

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Snow-close to home: skiing in our backyard unusually high amount of members, mainly due to travelling restrictions and skiers choosing local holidays instead of making their way to the Alps. Although, according to BBC weather forecasts it is unlikely that we will get any more snow this winter, if you're interesting in skiing, keeping the name saved will come in handy sooner or later and the Ski-Allenheads slopes are a treat for anyone at least mildly interested in winter sports. Rather than waiting for those occasional snowy days or flying out to the European ski resorts, you can always visit an indoor arena – there is a range of them over the UK and there are few just few hours away from Newcastle. The longest indoor ski slope is in the Chill Factore arena in Manchester, the largest slope is in the Snozone arena right next to Leeds and the closest one, located in the neighboring Sunderland – Silksworths Sports Complex.

Elžbieta Voverytė

Over winter, a ski slope opened in Northumberland enabling ski enthusiastics to enjoy the sport without leaving the country.

he beginning of the year served the North several frosty, winter-like days, negative temperatures and even some snow. During those 6 days in early January, ski-enthusiasts took to the slopes in Northumberland, the Telegraph

Image: Ski-Allemheads via Facebook

Image: Pixabay

reports. Although Newcastle only saw a glimpse of snowfall, there was as much as 4 cm of snow in the higher areas of North England. Ski-Allenheads, a volunteer-run ski club in the North Pennines Area of Natural Beauty, invited North Easterners to enjoy the snow activities and spend those days skiing or snowboarding, depending on their preferences. The slope is opened on snowy days only, therefore you will not always have time to prepare for the short break to the stunning landscapes of North

Pennines. Usually it will be either the same or few upcoming days – to help, Ski-Allenheads always keep their Facebook and Twitter pages updated. Alternatively, you should just follow the forecast and look out for snowy weathers. The slope is available for members only but the membership is quite easy to get. For students, it costs £20 or £15 if you buy it before December 1st. The membership is valid for the full length of the year from November 1st to October 30th. In the past year, the facilities have attracted an

Image: Pixabay

24 hours in Sorrento Year Abroad Diaries: Athenian Getaway Jude Parkinson

This instalment of our popular 24 hours in a city series explores the Italian coastline of the Amalfi Coast

orrento is located along the southwest coast of Italy, known for its sprawling lemon and orange groves, views of Mount Vesuvius and its cliff edges that dive through the heart of the elegant city it’s an unmissable holiday destination. Sorrento’s relaxed feel makes wandering the city a tranquil and breath-taking venture and with most attractions within walking distance there’s so much on offer. The Cloister of San Francesco is an early eighth century monastery, in the summer art exhibitions and concerts are held at the vine draped monastery, a unique way of indulging in the city’s rich history.

Trying limoncello is an absolute must! Made using the country's finest lemons While in Sorrento, trying limoncello (a lemon vodka) is an absolute must! Made using the country’s finest lemons, the Sorrento peninsular are the torchbearers for making the perfect limoncello. Served chilled usually before or after a meal it’s the idea drink for any occasion when

Image: Jude Parkinson

Elana Shapiro

Image: Jude Parkinson

in Italy. The Sorrento Marina has a beautiful waterfront lined with bars, seafood restaurants and swimming piers with beaches and fishing villages close by. From the marina you can catch many boat trips to Naples, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast. I recommend a boat trip from Sorrento to Capri, then finally stopping at Positano as the best way to spend a day in Italy. Capri is one of the chicest and most popular charter destinations in the world, situated south of the gulf of Naples, the island has a Hollywood allure about it attracting many every year. I suggest going on a boat trip around the island, discovering the unique blue grotto’s, the Faraglioni rocks, and stunning coastline. For the best views in Capri, head to the island's highest point, Monte Solaro. To get to the viewpoint, there is a hiking trail or a gentle single-seat chairlift taking you to the top of the island. Once at the top you will enjoy the best views of the region including Naples Bay Faraglioni, and Sorrento’s mainland. Positano, the colourful, iconic village on the infamous Amalfi Coast overlooking the turquoise blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea, is a destination like no other. Known for its cliff side, pink and terracotta terraced houses it’s worth the steep walk for the photo of a lifetime. The best way to spend a short afternoon in Positano is wandering the winding streets, exploring local business and restaurants before retiring to the pebble beaches below for amazing panoramic views while basking in the Italian sun.

here are many things to enjoy about living in Germany – Burgermeister, the S-Bahn, beer, and its very central European location. This meant that when myself and my friends, Zoe and Ben, had some time off, we were spoilt for choice for a short getaway. We decided on Athens – return flights only cost us about 40 euros and it was an option which pleased everyone. Zoe was determined to go somewhere she could eat an entire octopus, Ben wanted something which offered a complete change to Berlin, and the Acropolis really appealed to my love of the ancient world. As we disembarked the plane, I was immediately happy – it was warm. The sun was shining. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust following the weeks of Berlin clouds and grey. Even the walk from the train station to our AirBnB was enthralling. On one corner there was an ancient ruin from the 5th century BC, on the other there was a mural protesting borders. The mix of the contemporary and classical was captivating, there was so much to see on every street. Once we had dropped our bags we went to eat lunch in Plaka, close to where we were staying, and a really cool neighbourhood (although a little touristy) that sits in the shadow of the Acropolis – Zoe ate her first octopus of the trip, I ordered Moussaka, and Ben tried Greek meatballs. Of the historical sites, we visited the Acropolis, the Archaeological museum, and the Ancient Olympic stadium. We also walked up what felt like a thousand steps to a small church which faced out over the entire city. Going in February meant that we didn’t get the intense sunshine of the summer, but it also meant that there weren’t too many tourists so we could see each wonder and spend our time leisurely, without any rush or busyness. Whilst the weather wasn’t perfect, it was warm enough to sit on the beach for a few hours and go for a swim. Whilst at the beach, we met a Greek named Alex, who had lived in Boston previously, before missing the Mediterranean too much and returning home

to Athens. It was clear to see why it had managed to draw him back – the water was as clear as a spring, and the beaches clean and well-looked after. He recommended to us a day trip to Hydra and although the ferry there ended up being too long and out of budget, we did take a trip to Aegina. Only an hour ferry, it was one of my favourite days we spent in Greece. The island itself is only small, and not renowned as one of the most beautiful, yet all three of us were charmed by the small boats in the harbour which greeted us as we arrived. We decided to rent a car, fortunately Ben volunteered to drive so I didn’t have to, and explore more of Aegina. In the centre was a beautiful monastery, we were able to look around inside and see more of the remarkable architecture and extravagant art and sculptures that it housed. Then we drove on further, up some winding roads until we reached the temple of Aphea. Whilst at that point we had become unfazed by the ancient temples, this was stunning. It overlooked the island, and you could see the whole coast – as Ben aptly wondered, “I’m not sure which side is more beautiful to look out over”. We ended the day at an inlet, with water as blue as I have ever seen, enclosed by mountains. Of everything which I loved about Athens, the thing that surprised me most was the vibrancy of the centre. Teeming with young people who swarmed the multitude of quirky cafes and cheap bars, it held an exciting aura of an up and coming city – not yet totally gentrified, it holds an authentic charm that left me desperate to return soon.

Image: Wikimedia

THE

COURIER

Monday 21st February 2022

Sub-editors: Scarlett Welch & Marcel Shamshoum

Food & Drink

Recipe of the week: Gordon Ramsay retaurant: A Kitchen Nightmare? Sourdough focaccia Marcel Shamshoum - Food & Drinks sub-editor

Casey Duignan

hroughout the pandemic, many of us finally gave sourdough a go. As most student kitchens don’t have a stand mixer, we learnt that kneading the notoriously sticky dough would often turn into an unexpected arm workout! This ‘stretch and fold’ focaccia recipe keeps sourdough’s amazing taste and bubbles, but loses the arm ache!

You will need: For the dough: -100g of active sourdough starter. (If your starter floats in water, it is active enough to use) -400ml of tepid water -500g strong white bread flour -15g dried rosemary -15g sea salt -3tbsp olive oil *Optional 5g dried yeast (less authentic, but there is no harm in a little extra help!) For the topping: -2 cloves of garlic - crushed -5-10g fresh rosemary leaves -5g on sea salt -3tbsp olive oil

temperature for 1 hour. 6. Uncover your dough. Grab the dough from one side and stretch it over itself. Do this a few times - it should be very elastic. Flip the dough over then cover and leave for 30 mins. 7. Repeat step 6 two more times then cover and leave to prove in a warm place for 3-4 hours. 8. When the dough has almost doubled in size, tip out into a deep tray (roughly 25cm x 15cm). Gently stretch the dough to the corners of the tray. This may take a little bit of time as the dough springs back. Be patient- it will get there. 9. Cover the tray and prove for 4-6 hours in a warm place or up to 18 hours in the fridge. 10. For the topping add 3tbsp of olive oil, crushed garlic and fresh rosemary to pan. 11. Heat on a very low temperature for 15-20 minutes. When the oil infused and the garlic is softened, set aside to cool. 12. Preheat the oven to 200•C 13. Uncover your dough- it should be very bubbly! Wet your hands and push your finger tips gently into the dough to create some dimples. Poor the cooled oil over the dough so that it collects on the dimples. Scatter sea salt over the dough. 14. Bake your focaccia for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. (The bottom will be springy and spongy) 15. Leave to cool for at least half an hour before cutting in and enjoying.

Method: 1. Add starter and water into a bowl. Stir until you have a cloudy liquid with no lumps. 2. Gradually stir in the strong white bread flour with a wooden spoon until the dough has ‘loosely’ come together. 3. Add the dried rosemary and sea salt and stir. 4. Add olive oil (and yeast if using). Stir until combined. Don’t worry if some oil stays on the surface. 5. Cover the dough and leave at room

Image: Casey Duignan

The rise of the mocktail! Scarlett Welch - Food and Drink sub-editor

Non-drinkers are on the rise in the UK, so are mocktails a good alternative?

These drinks have become a lot more sophisticated... But are they a good alternative for non-drinkers?

alternative for non-drinkers? It is certainly more enjoyable when you’re not drinking to still have the experience of a cocktail, ince the pandemic, the UK has seen a which are generally largely about the presentation. huge rise in the sales of non-alcoholic It also helps to normalise not drinking, as it does drinks - often known as ‘mocktails’. not make it painfully obvious that you aren’t There are several reasons why non- drinking as your drink looks the same as your alcoholic drinks have become more friends’. Additionally, the flavours in a mocktail popular. Many people don’t drink for their can be much more interesting than a traditional health, their religion or a variety of other soft drink. personal reasons. Whatever the reason, it’s However, bars often seem to overcharge for important that non-drinkers have a variety mocktails. Cocktails are renowned for their price, of options when out for a drink, and ones that and it appears that companies are using this aren’t just fruit juice. excuse to charge a similar price for non-alcoholic These drinks versions, which will be have become costing them far less a lot more to produce. Whilst it is s oph ist i c ate d great that non-alcoholic over the past drinks are becoming few years, with more popular, any many bars trendy drink tends to offering alcoholbe overpriced. free versions of Despite this, it seems classic cocktails, that mocktails are a great such as flavoured alternative for non-drinkers. mojitos and pornstar They’re fun and full of martinis. Particularly flavour, and they make not with movements such as drinking less of a big deal. ‘Dry January’, it seems Looking forward, it would that bars are certainly be great to see an increasing starting to see the value variety of options at affordable of mocktails. prices, as they become ever Image: Negative space But are they a good more popular.

s a kid I remember going back home from school to my grandma’s house, finish my homework and sit on the teli, especially Wednesdays when Hell’s kitchen was on. I was around 10 years old when I first got introduced to Gordon Ramsay, and I’ve got to admit Hell’s Kitchen isn’t the best show for a 10 year old to watch, but certainly the best show to introduce Gordon to anyone who has never seen him. Anyways, since then I’ve never missed a show he had, even the bad ones like ‘Hotel Hell’ honestly what was that about? Nevertheless, I grew up admiring Ramsay’s cooking and still do to this day, and dining at one of his restaurants was always a dream that I thought would never come true; but it did and here is how it went… Before I begin though let me point out that I wasn’t supposed to go there, I was looking for a different restaurant but unfortunately couldn’t find it. But what I found was Heddon street kitchen, one of Ramsay’s most famous restaurants, so I thought I’ll cease the moment and fulfil my childhood dream. As I entered the restaurant, I was welcomed in a dim, empty dining room, some would say ‘modern’, but I found it mediocre. As we passed the reception area and the shelf stacked with Gordon’s cookbooks, we were taken to our table and were given the menus straight away – so far so good. However, what shocked me was the emptiness of the restaurant. You’d assume that any Gordon Ramsay restaurant would require booking weeks in advance, let alone on a weekend. It wasn’t the case when I went! A quick glimpse at the menu and I knew I was buying the Gordon Ramsay brand, it’s like going to a Channel buying a rubbish looking bag but paying thousands of pound because - well its Channel! Nevertheless, I remained seated eager to taste some of the renowned chef ’s dishes. So we started our Ramsay experience with a spicy tuna tartare with wonton crisps, crème fraiche and avocado. Now as a spice lover myself I can vouch that the tuna was nowhere near spicy, in fact overwhelmed with what I assume was soya sauce. The crème fraiche was room temperature,

which made it taste a bit off, even though I’m sure it wasn’t (cause let’s face it, Gordon’s got standards) – but it did taste weird though. The wontons were fine, crispy and salty as they should be. Put all that aside, the avocado was nowhere to be found!

A quick glimpse at the menu and I knew I was buying the Gordon Ramsay Our next starter was a Prawn cocktail salad with cucumber, pink grape fruit, and avocado. This time the avocado was there, and I’ll admit that it was light, refreshing and good. However, the last time prawn cocktails were found on a menu in a restaurant would probably be in the late 70’s; I think Gordon could do better than prawn cocktails. On to our mains; I got the slow roasted Cumbrian saddleback pork belly, Braeburn apples with apple pure served with a classic jus. At first sight the dish looked majestic, the pork belly succulent and well cooked with a very crispy looking crackling. I dove into the dish as an Olympian fighting for a gold medal, but as I took my first stroke I hit the edge of the pool; the jus was slightly bitter, it tasted a bit burnt. On the other hand the apple pieces and pure managed to lift up the dish with the sweet and sour kick, they refreshed my pallet and made the dish reach the finish line, it didn’t win a medal though. We often think that celerity chef ’s restaurants are worthy a trip, the experience there will be out of this world, exceptional and unique - and I’d agree to some extent. However, Heddon street kitchen is one out of 30 plus restaurants by Gordon Ramsay, I believe after two, such restaurants become generic and lose their authenticity. This in no way means that Gordon is just another celebrity chef, his restaurant Petrus for example has been retaining its Michelin starts for over 20 years, this shows high standards and exceptional quality cooking; that doesn’t mean all of his restaurant have the same standards. So, the end message is will I ever return to Heddon street Kitchen? No, I don’t think so. But look at the bright side, now I can officially say that I dined at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant and my childhood dream came true (more like a kitchen nightmare).

The Grainger Market grub guide!

Leah Graham

rainger Market offers almost twenty food stalls with various options, all under one roof. Fancy mac and cheese, then Greek food, then fried chicken? They’re all just steps away! Whilst I can’t cover every stall in this article (no matter how much I may want to), here’s my best shot of a few.

1. Redheads Mac and Cheese Redheads is Newcastle’s first restaurant dedicated to mac and cheese, with a variety of toppings ranging from sticky ribs, to Caprese, to Mexican; if you’re a mac and cheese fan, this is the place to be.

2. Dumpling & Bun Dumpling & Bun offers the best gyozas, dumplings, bao buns, miso soup and green teas. You can mix and match your flavours. Some favourites include the whitefish & prawn, chilli beef and pork & cabbage! They also offer free dumpling-making classes to Newcastle students!

3. Fed's Fried Chicken Fed’s offers some of the tastiest fried chicken in Newcastle, including sandwiches, wings and tenders. There’s a spicy presence in this stall, so be prepared

to smother your chicken in Nashville Hot, Scotch Bonnet, or other spicy sauces. Portion sizes are large and definitely value for money!

4. Acropolis Greek Street Food Acropolis is perfect for those looking for a healthier option (but also not!). Vegan options are available across their gyros, platters and wraps. Most options come in either chicken, grilled vegetables or halloumi. If you’re feeling particularly hungry, try the Dirty Greek,; fried chicken Gyros smothered with Acropolis Signature Sauce, tzatziki and chilli sauce with dirty fries.

5. Snackwallah Snackwallah is always really busy, but also really worth it! Authentic vegan Indian street food, there isn’t much else to say! The stall offers a curry of the day and Samoas, Chat dishes, and Puris.

6. Slice Looking for good pizza? Slice offers all the traditional pizza toppings and also some non-traditional. Be prepared, though slices aren’t exactly small!

7. Coffee & Sandwiches Grainger Market hosts many coffee shops, cafes and sandwich stalls, all with their own identities. I highly recommend cupcakes (or brownies) from Pet Lamb Patisserie, homemade grub Image: from One 2 One, or sandwiches Instagram (@acropolisstreet- from Grainger Delicatessen.

Sub-editors: Oren Brown, Lucy Bower & Rowan Christina Driver

Monday 21st February 2022

Music

Good Morning Gorgeous Garvit Hora

Blige rides the instrumental wonderfully, with harmonies that I contagiously attempted myself Love Will Never sees Blige grieving and coming to a twisted acceptance of a romantic loneliness. Being backed with more strings, Blige rides the instrumental wonderfully, giving my favourite chorus on the entire album and harmonies that I contagiously attempted myself. The third track in the listing Here With Me warmly welcomes the first of a handful of upcoming features on the rest of Good Morning Gorgeous. Anderson. Paak and Blige meld well on the chorus, and their verses work beautifully in tandem with one another, with direct lyrical responses. All this considered, however, the track is too short to feel full and developed, and. Paak’s verse is painfully average, coming together to make a disappointing overall song, with fairly raised expectations from his and Blige’s collaboration. The title track is a smooth, slow ballad, which has sentiments and a performance I can respect, but for a track defining the album, the chorus is incredibly weak. This plasticity and, dare I say, over-commercialisation – especially with knowledge of the existence of a ‘Target Exclusive’ version of the album – is prevalent in waves across the rest of the project’s runtime.

There were shambles that not even Fivio Foreign nor Usher could save on their respective tracks The repetitive production, bog-standard lyricism, and oftentimes forgettable melodies leave much to be desired. A shambles not even Fivio Foreign nor Usher could save on their respective tracks. Working in competition with R’n’B artists of her generation such as Jazmine Sullivan, who had a phenomenal 2021 with her project Heaux Tales, Mary J. Blige crumbles. Despite the promising opening tracks, which I will continue spinning, I left the project with my spirit crushed, feeling not so gorgeous.

COURIER

Live Review: Brockha

Elena Corcobado

ary J. Blige returns with a fulllength project after a fiveyear hiatus, with her 2017 release Strength of a Woman. Although across this time she has been involved with soundtrack songs, and a few singles and features, Good Morning Gorgeous is a long-awaited cohesive effort from R’n’B legend Blige. Opening powerfully with the grandly produced No Idea, Blige puts on display a beautiful mix of fresh and old-school flows in the rap-sung verses and pre-choruses. The vocal layering, though questionable, is permissible considering the impact and groove of the rest of the song. Thematically, introducing the LP with a sense of confusion despite great volumes of experience is clever, and leads into the next track Love Will Never very well.

THE

rockhampton’s concert felt equally exciting and bittersweet. The gig was held at the O2 Brixton Academy, a venue many artists aspire to perform in. A few weeks ago the band officially announced their break-up (phrased by them as an indefinite hiatus) and entire tour cancellation, with the exception of their two London dates, February 7th and 8th, and Coachella. I was lucky to have bought tickets for London’s second night back in 2019 when the tour was first announced. After two years of postponed dates due to Covid-19, and after finding out I’d be attending their last gig as a group, I can say I was excited. Olivia and I travelled down to London on the day by train, had dinner in Brixton, and headed straight to the venue. The first thing that caught my attention was the amount of young people queuing up around the O2 — and when I say around, I mean the queue went all the way around the block (it was sold out, and 5000 people had to enter the venue). Once we made our way inside, my first thoughts were confirmed: the demographic was very young — 99% of people were between 20 and 25. Only after the gig did I see one man who looked to be in his 30s. In terms of the gender split, the audience was predominantly male, but with a considerable amount of women as well. It was a diverse crowd, at least to my eyes — I come from a predominantly white middle-sized city in Spain, and it was London after all. As soon as we entered the venue, we bumped into a heavily crowded merch stall selling t-shirts, hoodies and caps from £35 to £70. Spenny, but the merch was pretty rad. For the first hour (doors opened at 7pm), most people spent their time buying merch, making use of the cloakroom, getting drinks and going to the toilet. I thought the venue worked really efficiently — queues moved fast, there were plenty of staff and security, and it was highly organised. Those most passionate about being at the front were, well, claiming their spot as close as possible to the stage.

FTHC Frank Turner Calvin Breakwell

s a huge Frank Turner fan (I even have a tattoo with his lyrics), I was so excited for the new album and its new direction and I wasn’t at all disappointed and I think it’s one of his best yet! The album starts with an explosion of punk rock energy in a new, yet, familiar direction in Frank’s solo career in what will turn out to be his most raw and emotional album yet. In this fourteen track, forty-two minutes and thirty second long album, he explores being depressed and suffering from anxiety.

"The only thing I hadn't accounted for was love" references his binging and addiction problems On top of this, Turner comes to terms with his father’s transition to becoming Miranda and their fractured relationship healing and the process towards feeling great after undergoing Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (previously explored in the song “Little Changes”). Leaving his home in

Once we got all our things sorted, Olivia and I headed into the main venue. We were roughly around the middle, near the mixing desk. People were pretty spaced out at this point, and some people came to make conversation with us, asking about the band, how long had we been fans for, and whatnot. We quickly noticed people smoking weed in the venue. As a short girl, my favourite thing about the venue was that it’s tilted, so we could still get a pretty decent view. The architecture of the upper area of the venue had some sort of Roman colosseum design, something we were slightly confused about. Around 8pm the opener act came out. It was Christian Alexander, a young boy I had never heard of before. As a first impression from a few songs, the guy seemed pretty bland and novice, playing songs with a singer-songwriter style to it, switching between playing chords on an acoustic and electric guitar, or just singing. He was backed by a drummer, and a keyboard player on one song, from what I got from my view. I assumed everything else was played as a backing track. I have to give him the fact that the sound was quite shit — the guitar and voice sounded flat and the drums overtook them. I was surprised he was the opening act to a hip-hop group. By the end of his set, I was pretty sleepy. We had to wait until a bit after 9pm for Brockhampton to come out; that was standard timing. I was worried I wouldn’t feel hyped enough as I felt pretty tired. But then the guys came out, and oh boy, did my energy take a 180 turn as soon as they did. ‘BUZZCUT’, from their last album Roadrunner, started playing and the energy in the room instantly went up immensely — the crowd got packed, it was hot, people cheered and sang at the top of their lungs, and everyone was very engaged in the performance. The energy kept on going up and as soon as ‘STAR’, the second track, came on, the crowd went so mad Olivia and I were pushed

London after getting married and ready to settle down is also discussed by Turner. One of the stand out lines on the album which follows such a great series of “Break up albums” is the line in ‘Untainted Love’, “The only thing I hadn’t accounted for was love” in reference to his binging and addiction problems which feature a lot on this album. He credits his wife Jess with helping him bring to an end by encouraging him to go to therapy. He deals with growing up without a father figure and being “shipped” off to Eton aged 8 in 'Fatherless'. This has one of the best lines on the album for me, about meeting Jesus, having a whitey, and talking about judgemental fathers. The latter half of the album includes some of FT’s best work, this includes “Punches” which has a punchy (sic) riff and great lyrics about that one day when everything goes to plan and you feel absolutely awesome. The last few songs are about his leaving London and starting a new quiet life in Essex with his wife. These make it seem like this album is the start of a new chapter in Frank’s career and life.In summary, I think this is one of Frank’s best albums and signals a new and positive direction in his music and life and I really look forward to the future! Best song: Punches Image: IMDb

around and lost each other, and I got beer spilled over my head. While surrendering to the mercy of the crowd, we were able to miraculously spot each other and reunite. The setlist was pretty spread between all their discography — covering 7 albums on a 90-minute performance is no easy task. In their harder songs, like ‘GUMMY’ and ‘JUNKY’, the crowd was hyped (as expected in a hiph o p gig),

Image: YouTube

The sounds of t Johnathan Lee

We take a look at the scores nominated for this year's Oscars

resh off the heels of what was a muted, socially distanced award ceremony that was held at Los Angeles’s Union Station last year, the Oscars will be back this year on the 27th of March. I usually turn to a category of the awards that some consider niche, the Best Original Score category, and this year’s nominees were quite the treat. Power of the Dog, Jane Campion’s western which swept up twelve nominations, made an appearance in this category. Composed by Radiohead’s guitarist Jonny Greenwood, the track evokes a disturbed introversion, mirroring that of the film’s main character. Traces of Western can be heard everywhere; from the opening track 25 Years where the picking of guitar strings takes centre stage to Detuned Mechanical Piano that sounds like a piano player running amok in a saloon, it certainly is a strong contender. Less impressive, however, is the soundtrack to Don’t Look Up. There are two main motifs to the soundtrack, which became repetitive over the listening of the album. What stood out to me, however, was its main title theme which featured blaring trumpets that felt vibrant and fun. What many may remember from the movie would probably

THE

COURIER

Monday 21st February 2022

Sub-editors: Oren Brown, Lucy Bower & Rowan Christina Driver

Music

ampton at 02 Brixton jumping, cheering, singing, and forming the classic mosh pits, often encouraged by the band themselves, asking to ‘open it up’. Several times, the show was stopped due to someone p assing out or some s or t o f

the 94th Oscars be Ariana Grande’s “Just Look Up” featuring Kid Cudi which, while displaying Ariana’s powerful vocals, was nothing particularly innovative. On the topic of songs, how could we not talk about Bruno? Encanto’s soundtrack was a real delight to listen to. While it may be remembered for its Latin American beats and witty lyrics, it was also a roller-coaster of emotions notably from Luisa’s cry for help to Abuela Alma’s anguish at the loss of her husband, the soundtrack to Encanto truly elevated the film. It truly is another feather in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s cap. Also making an appearance among the nominations is Spanish composer Alberto Iglesias orchestral score for Parallel Mothers. Strings feature prominently in this score, switching between melancholy and rage and thus creating a juxtaposition of sounds. For what it is, however, it isn’t a particularly memorable soundtrack. Last but not least, we have Dune, composed by the maestro Hans Zimmer. Among the nominees, props have to be given to Dune's soundtrack for being the most innovative. It weaves seamlessly in the epicness of the film, but when listened to on its own what you will find is a collection of motifs and sounds. Atmosphere takes forefront in this score where recurring devices like drums, pipes and choir instantly transports you to the harsh planet of Arrakis. In conclusion, Zimmer has truly achieved epic world-building with his soundtrack. In the end it all comes down to who is the favorite to win, I would have to go with Zimmer’s Dune. Is it due to my bias for Zimmer’s music? Probably, but Dune’s score is a testament to experimental musical invention and displays his knack to create evocative pieces of music. If anything else, its sheer creativity deserves the highest accolade possible in film music.

other misfortune. No one was surprised, due to the nature of the crowd, and the band handled this really well, prioritising the well-being of their fans. The setlist also contained some more laid-back tracks like ‘FACE’ and ‘GOLD’. At these points the crowd was more relaxed, but equally engaged — dancing, listening, singing, myself included. The energy in the crowd throughout the gig was what absolutely made the experience for me. The energy, the engagement, and the overall vibe — a group of tall guys in front of me showed concern about whether I could see, and offered to let me go in front of them. I made occasional eye contact with people, and there was a general sense of fandom and community. The setlist also covered their most popular songs, such as ‘SWEET’, ‘SUGAR’, ‘NO HALO’. I was buzzing when I heard ‘DON’T SHOOT UP THE PARTY’ start playing. Brockhampton’s live set consisted of their main artists — Joba, Kevin, Dom, Matt, Bearface, Merlyn, and Jabari — singing and rapping on stage, wearing their own merch. Their interaction seemed mostly unchoreographed, which gave them a more relaxed and ‘less staged’ presentation than a traditional boyband. Joba, Merlyn and Matt stood out to me from their energy and performance, but I must give it to Joba especially - he was incredible. Bearface seemed to take a more ‘background’ role, as we didn’t hear him and didn’t seem to want the attention on him. I was concerned about there being a bad vibe on stage as we don’t

The Dream alt-J Elena Corcobado

he alternative rock trio alt-J are due to release their fourth album, The Dream, on February 11th. We got an early copy of the record at The Courier, and had the chance to give it an early listen. Overall, the record embodies an art-rock sound that characterizes the band. The instrumentation is slightly more minimal and traditional than in their previous records, especially their debut An Awesome Wave. Perhaps there is a slight return to a more alternative rock sound and departure from such present electronic influences.

'Hard Drive Gold' is a satire of hustle culture that has convinced 15 year-olds to get into crypto Thematically, nostalgia and a return to childhood events, and navigating faith and relationships stand out, all expressed through abstract and post-modern lyrics.‘Bane’ opens the record with a repeating guitar line that initially reminded me of their debut, but that quickly departed from it. We can hear delicate voices juxtaposed to occasional bursts of energy, and an incorporation of flutes

know the reason for their break. Fortunately, I didn’t sense a particularly bad vibe, but they also didn’t seem to feel fully together. They had some stalls and chairs on centre stage to give them some levels to perform, and the lighting consisted mainly of a back screen that matched their visual abstract and modern style and changed slightly with every song. Their interaction with the audience was quite limited, occasionally hyping the crowd up and showing concern for people being crushed at the front. The sound quality was still pretty shit throughout the whole set, with the mix feeling pretty muddy and the highs and vocals getting often lost, which made it hard at times to recognize the song that was playing. This happened with ‘THE LIGHT’, which is one of my favourites. They closed the gig with ‘SUMMER’, followed by a big ovation from the crowd. As soon as they went off stage, the crowd started to cheer for the encore non-stop. The guys gave us some form of speech in which they thanked their fans for their support, expressed their love, and thanked Kevin for changing their lives. They did this while offstage, and I wish they would have done it on stage. I supposed they were setting up their encore — ‘BOOGIE’, which ended the gig on a high note. After the gig was done, everyone was highly sweaty and out of breath. People started slowly walking out of the venue, and the general feeling was of bittersweetness (I even overheard a guy saying this to his mates). It was a great gig — with some faults from the band and venue, it still was a pleasure to experience their last ‘exclusive’ performance, especially with a crowd as passionate about them that absolutely made the experience for me. I wish for every gig I attend to have an audience like this. Over a period of roughly 5-6 years, Brockhampton have given us 7 records with a DIY approach that I absolutely adore. And it just isn’t me – despite the bittersweet goodbye, they leave a great trajectory and discography behind that’ll make them unforgettable, and this was proved to me last night.

and electronically manipulated sounds (one of the few times this occurs throughout the record). ‘U&ME’, the first single, picks up a more traditional indie rock sound, and ‘Hard Drive Gold’ is a satire of hustle entrepreneurial culture that has convinced 15-year olds to get into crypto unaware of what neoliberalism means. ‘Happier When You’re Gone’ introduces strings, and achieves a melancholic sound by layering simple instrumental lines that make a textured whole. The chorus of the track is delivered with sadness in the voice, sadness from having to accept the reality of the title. ‘The Actor’ narrates the story of an

'Get Better' feels intimate and raw aspiring actor in LA who is hooked on cocaine. ‘Get Better’ is the most personal moment of the album – the acoustic instrumentation lets the voice and lyrics shine, feeling intimate and raw, expressing the fear of losing a loved one to an accident. ‘Chicago’ takes a different direction, adapting more of a hip-hop production in the use of a heavier kick drum and sharper hi-hats. ‘Walk A Mile’ touches on religious existentialism through spaced out guitars and organs, and ‘Losing My Mind’ and ‘Powers’ look back at childhood trauma, with the latter including a minimalistic and clean Blues-inspired guitar solo. The record takes on a minimal and alternative sound to explore different issues through often abstract, sometimes detailed lyrics, and through a simple and textured ambience. At some points I wanted more from the tracks, but I can appreciate the band trying different sounds and pushing their music forward without falling into the same formulas.

Night Call Years and Years Elena Corcobado

ight Call pursues the dance pop sound Years and Years is loved for. The 15 tracks of Disc 1 are pure pop escapism, made of fun and playful songs with a heavy focus on production. The theme of the album seems to focus on the beginning stages of a casual relationship, moving between finding love, physical attraction, and acceptance of heartbreak. Despite the sonic and thematic cohesiveness of the record, it feels slightly underdeveloped, and it lacks the subversion and overall vision of their previous albums such as Palo Santo. The vocals are heavily processed and often artificially manipulated. In addition, multiple songs fell under the 3-minute mark, which made them feel unpurposeful and lazy.

The record still fulfills Years and Years' promise of fun and danceable music These faults make the record feel like the singer’s attempt to fully push him into mainstream stardom. Despite this, the record still fulfills Years and Years' promise of fun and danceable music with slick production and beautiful vocals. 'Consequences’ opens the album with upbeat dance pop and funky backing vocals, which make a strong introduction. ‘Starstruck’, ‘Nightcall’ and ‘Sooner or Later’ all use busy and layered synths, leaving space for the vocals to stand out. ‘Intimacy’ and ‘Make It Out Alive’ follow a ballad style, but still keeping consistency in their sound by using softer synths, minimalistic production, and falsetto vocals. ‘Sweet Talker’, a collaboration with Galantis, is the lowest point of the record – building a predictable sound that breaks into an instrumental electronic chorus. ‘Crave’ has a darker tone and addictive chorus; ‘Strange And Unusual’ is led by a textured bass synth on the background that softly builds the sound; and ‘Immaculate’ has a dancehall-inspired beat. ‘A Second To Midnight’ is a collaboration with Kylie Minogue, a feature that perfectly suits Olly’s aesthetic. The song is fun, disco, and catchy.

Disc 2 could be a recollection of the band's greatest hits, or a cheap effort to scratch more streams In Disc 2 we can find a compilation of Years and Years previous hits, such as the classics ‘King’, ‘Shine’ and ‘Desire’, as well as Olly’s collaborations with Elton John on ‘It’s A Sin’ and Jax Jones on ‘Play’. Disc 2 could be a recollection of the band’s greatest hits, or a cheap effort for Olly to scratch more streams on this record, perhaps to balance out the lack of effort in promotion and construction of a more welldeveloped vision for this new era. Overall, despite the record falling short and feeling underdeveloped and lazy at times, Years and Years put out another fun record that will make people want to get up and dance.

Sub-editors: Carly Horne, Rachael McCreanor & Rebecca Sykes

Review: The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window

Imogen Smillie o spoilers on this one, I am just hoping to try and make sense of all the seemingly organised chaos in Netflix's The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window. In this series, we see casserole-loving artist, Anna (Kristen Bell), fall in love with the handsome neighbour across the street. As the show goes on, more and more is revealed about her tortured past, filled with loss and mourning, leaving her to isolate herself and become the nosey neighbour on the classic suburban street in the US. One night she is busy checking in on her new crush when she witnesses a brutal murder...or does she? Now you might be thinking, you either witness or murder or you don’t - it’s pretty clear cut! Well, Anna is on medication for her mental health and indulges in more alcohol than she ought to. This combination casts doubt on her reliability, so it's no wonder both she and the audience can't be truly sure. From there, the story unfolds, revealing more about the woman in the house across the street from the girl in the window - get it now? Now the title does fittingly represent the chaotic nature of the show. But don't let this put you off watching! This thriller-come-murder mystery, crossed with a very dry sense of humour, gives a little something for everyone, mainly a huge amount of intrigue. It has been suggested that the title is a spoof of other titles such as The Woman in the Window, The Girl on the Train, and The House Across the Lake, but this may just be the confusion of it all trying to be

explained. And just when you think everything has been explained, we are left on a cliff-hanger at the end of series 1. Another series has yet to be confirmed, but fingers crossed for more cringeworthy scripts partnered strangely with a detailed murder mystery.

Monday 21st February 2022

Immy Brown

A deep dive into why Stay Close resonated so well with viewers.

fter being added to Netflix’s most watched list a mere 24 hours after its release, it is no surprise that Harlan Coben’s Stay Close (2021) has soared to success. What on first look seems like just another middle - class suburban crime series, in reality possesses a haunting intensity which lingers in the minds of viewers long after the final credits have been played. The story begins as we are introduced to Megan (Cush Jumbo), a seemingly ordinary, mother of three about to marry her long-term partner. However, when it is revealed a man from her past who she understands to be dead has returned after almost two decades, she repeatedly places her new life and this new identity in danger, in order to find the truth.

As Megan becomes more involved in uncovering her past, the story of her old life becomes deeply intertwined with a police investigation. A link is formed with the disappearance of men each year at an event hosted at Viper’s nightclub; Megan’s previous workplace. Through this connection, her daughter attempts to understand exactly what her mother’s involvement is, but, as a direct result of Megan’s lies, her daughter becomes a target and is kidnapped. Through a seemingly selfish desire to reconnect to her colourful past, Megan carelessly leaves her new family exposed and vulnerable,

TV Couples: who were meant to be and who are still in marriage therapy? Cc. Lee

TV is full of questionable couples, but which would make it in the real world?

veryone knows that what really makes a gripping TV show is one that is filled with sensational romance, and spewing with drama. Here, we consider which TV couples were ride or dies, and which who, well, weren’t so lucky. Blair and Chuck - Gossip Girl. Ah yes, the extremely toxic power couple. Married and with a child at the end of the season finale. There’s no doubt that now, they would have their very own “Chair” Empire. Probably just like the Beckhams, they already had their eldest son, with two more to follow and a lovely little girl. They are most definitely doing well for themselves. Dan and Serena on the other hand, divorced then eloped in Vegas, now they’re divorcing again. Jane and Rafael - Jane The Virgin. I imagine that they are living life happily with each other. Their son has probably grown up and provided a few grandchildren for them. Jane is still writing and Rafael is probably volunteering somewhere – as he retired at an early age. Oh, and Jane's half sister always visits and spends time with the pair. It’s all very wholesome, indeed. Ezra Fitz and Aria Montgomery - Pretty Little Liars. This somewhat unsettling pair probably weren’t “end game", like Caleb and Hannah. Without a

shadow of a doubt, five years into their marriage, Ezra cheats on Aria breaking her heart. But, like the strong woman she is, she files for divorce and finally gets her old school teacher out of her life Ezra is miserable and received virtually

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What makes Stay Close so haun

It is haunting that as viewers, we feel more sympathy for a serial killer than for Megan

Image: IMDb

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nothing in the court case. Um yea, a bit of a sticky one.This isn’t an exhaustive list, but if I went on any longer then it would very much start to feel like the awfully written reboot of the Gilmore Girls series. (And nobody deserved that).

challenging our first impression of Megan’s loyalty to her family. What is so specifically haunting about Stay Close, is that as viewers we finish the series feeling more sympathy for a serial killer, than we do for Megan. As one repeatedly and successfully protects, the other fails to, and instead places those close to

Is this woman really an "Angel of Revenge"? them in even more danger. As the identity of the killer of these men is revealed, I found myself feeling a pitying warmth towards the perpetrator as she explains her history of domestic abuse. Rather than acting out of malicious intent, she describes her desire to protect young women at the club from abusive men set to manipulate. This creates a sense that O’ Hara’s direction specifically wants us to justify these deaths as the killer is not presented as a murderer, but rather a victim in her own right whose past trauma demands her to use this opportunity to heal. To further emotively connect viewers to her character, we learn she is terminally ill and therefore this process of healing in order to achieve peace has a fading

Review: Suspend y Rebecca Sykes -TV sub-editor

The likes of Sharon Stone, Annie Murphy and Kumail Nanjiani improvise their way through murder.

ill Arnett (Arrested Development) stars as eccentric detective Terry Seattle in this exciting and unexpected murder-mystery that doesn't take itself seriously at all. In fact, nobody is qualified, the detective hasn't read the script and the murder really is solved in a 30-minute episode. Seems like a bizarre concept, right? A murdermystery where the murder isn't too important. But, wait… it's an improvisational crime comedy that has a wide range of celebrities acting as 'detectives-in-training'. Murder is so unimportant, even the people portraying the corpses, well, corpse (in the episode with Sharon Stone the corpse is laughing/smiling). Many of the celebrities, such as Conan O'Brien, actually do deduct the murderer despite Terry Seattle being a very ineffective detective and having no idea what is going on. It's truly bizarre to describe, but, trust me, just give it a go and you'll be entertained. Although, it's had very mixed reviews so it’s very much not loved by all, yet, I love it- it's exactly what it says it is. If you're not obsessed, well, it's only 6 episodes of 30 minutes each. For me, the several stand-out episodes were with Conan O'Brien (The Tonight show with Conan O'Brien) and Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick). Though, all of it is really good (plus a good distraction from university work)! Sharon Stone (Basic Instinct) Images: IMDb, Pixabay

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Monday 21st February 2022

Sub-editors: Carly Horne, Rachael McCreanor & Rebecca Sykes

ntingly intimate? Where you lead, I will follow: Gilmore Girls time frame. We are therefore encouraged to empathise with the killer as she describes her role as an “Angel of Revenge”, portraying murder as a form of justice. As well as this, it also introduces an intricate moral debate as we are forced to answer the ethical question that remains present even after we turn off Netflix. Is this woman really an "Angel of Revenge", justifiably protecting women who are unable to defend themselves? Or is this concept merely deemed acceptable to us through its fictional existence?

Annabel Hogg - Relationships sub-editor

After over two decades on our screens, why does Gilmore Girls maintain such a dedicated fanbase?

ver 20 years since its premiere, Gilmore Girls is a show that remains in the hearts of so many. With its notoriously fast dialogue, abundance of pop-culture references and quirky characters - the show is irreplaceable (though arguably, shows like Ginny and Georgia have tried). For all superfans of the show, it’s something to return to when happy, sad, or in-between. Passed down from my sister and then eventually shared with my mum, Stars Hollow is my home away from home, and after seven years of watching and rewatching continuously, I’m yet to tire of it.

The show reminds me so much of my own mum that I now struggle to watch it without her

Image: IMDb

saying goodbye to her mum and grandparents, she’s leaving behind a whole town of people love her like she’s their own. Of course, the duo of Rory and Lorelai is crucial to the show’s success. Their relationship is so beautiful that I think everyone’s hearts were broken when they didn’t speak for half a season. Their witty discussions, arguments, movie nights and post-breakup wallowing is enough to remind anyone of their own mum or mother-figure. In fact, the show reminds me so much of my own mum now that I do struggle to watch it without her, though when I do, it feels a lot like a hug.

It's talented at character development, presenting characters who are flawed but loveable Rory’s grandparents, Richard and Emily, are also incredibly loved by fans of the show. I think there’s something very clever about how one minute you can hate them and the

The thing that, for me, makes Gilmore Girls so special, is its background characters. The residents of Stars Hollow pop up in every single episode and you are made to know and love them just like the titular duo. When the series finishes, we, like Rory, have to say goodbye to the wacky townsfolk and it is this which makes the show’s ending so bittersweet. Rory isn’t just

next minute be reminded of your own proud grandparents, something that also applies to Rory’s frenemy, Paris. Ultimately, the show is talented at character development and presents us with figures who, much like the people that watch them, are flawed but still lovable. I’ll conclude my reasoning with a controversial confession: I am a Rory Gilmore defender. I always saw myself in Rory - I looked up to her studious behaviour and tended to match her taste in men (Jess Mariano, I’m looking at you). That being said, when she started to make questionable decisions, I was one of those people who turned against her. However, now I’m older, I’m a firm believer that we and the other characters in the show put Rory on a pedestal – her family are constantly telling her she’s the best so it’s completely realistic that when out in the real world, she takes a bit of a tumble. Rory is flawed, and unlike the male or older characters in the show, people branded her flaws as something that made her irredeemable. But for me, the fact that she falls and comes back stronger, eventually reporting on Obama’s campaign trail, is something that makes her just as inspirational to me as she was when I was 13 I don’t think I can truly do justice to Gilmore Girls, and I think in order to find out how special it is, you’d have to watch it yourself. But I can tell you that, for me, it’s a home I can go to wherever I am and a family that I can have ‘Friday night dinner’ with when I’m too far away from my own.

Image: IMDb

your disbelief and watch Murderville Guilty and Annie Murphy's (Schitt's Creek) episodes are also a great watch. O'Brien, an American television host and comedian, is Arnett's first guest and perfectly sets the tone for the series. There's something about that moment when O’Brien is very seriouslydescribing the concept of death to a little girl, whilst a dismembered body (a magician's trick gone disastrously wrong) sits in the background- hilarious. Not to be outdone, a few scenes later Murderville plays on the police interview. In contrast to intense interview scenes in police procedurals Murderville has O’Brien improvising 'weren't you frisked before you came in here?!' as their suspect, a magician, brandishes all of his tricks and props from his sleeves. O’Brien’s looks of amazement, confusion, astonishment,

and trying not to break character are brilliant when contrasted with Arnett breaking character (and almost falling out of his chair). I absolutely have to mention Kumail Nanjiani's stellar episode. Having previously seen him in Marvel's Eternals (2021), I was surprised by how well he meshed and clashed with Detective Seattle. The two corpsed a little throughout the episode to entertaining results. The part where Nanjiani tries to force Arnett into performing a Pakistani accent whilst, as he says, ‘don't make it racist' has to be seen and not spoiled. I recommend watching Murderville. It's something new (even though it's the American adaptation of the BBC Three comedy Murder in Successville) and it'll make you laugh.

Image: IMDb

Pleasure Show: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist Carly Horne - TV sub-editor

oey Clarke (Jane Levy) is a computer programmer based in San Francisco, California. She is clever, a little awkward and up for promotion in her job, pending the approval of her hard-to-please manager, Joan Bennett (Lauren Graham). Coming to terms with her father’s impending death, Zoey believes she is losing her mind when she discovers her ability to hear everyone’s innermost thoughts. In the grand scheme of things, not really that weird. Thanks to the awardwinning choreographer Mandy Moore, this story is brought to life by the concept of Zoey’s family and friends, as well as her colleagues and complete strangers, expressing their troubles and deepest desires through extravagant dance numbers. Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist attracted an all-star cast: from Gilmore Girls’ Lauren Graham to Peter Gallagher who once played Chief Dodds on Law and Order: SVU. It takes a special kind of show to attract and retain such highly trained and decorated actors. Though major themes in the show were grief and loss - Austin Winsberg’s characters find the balance in exploring both heavy and difficult themes, as well as being relatable in ways viewers can relate to. From Zoey’s overworked mother

(Mary Steenburgen) who is struggling to find time for herself, to her competitive and aggressive colleague, Leif (Michael Thomas Grant), who is living in his siblings’ shadows – there truly is something for everyone. And as for the tunes, the show finds a way to incorporate everything from The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, to Ke$ha and Miley Cyrus. While one scene finds Zoey singing to her colleagues in an important business meeting, another finds Joan throwing bread across the office following h e r bragging a b o u t being “fully in ketosis”.

Image: IMDb

Sub-editors: George Bell, Jess Bradbury & Autumn Keil

Monday 21st February 2022

Film

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Fear or Funny: which deserves more award recognition? Consistently ignored, these two genres deserve a bit more love. But which deserves it more?

Horror Rebecca Sykes - TV sub-editor

orror, like comedies, are looked down on as ‘genre’ movies. They’re regularly seen as predictable, not insightful, and not justifying Best Movie. Yet, it’s not

Images IMDB

rare for horror movies to be nominated for visual effects or sound editing; they’re often just excluded in the acting, directing, and screenwriting categories. The exception is, of course, Silence of the Lambs (1991), which achieved all five major awards at the Oscars. So, horror doesn’t always miss out, but it only gets a look-in if it’s thrilling, psychological, and insightful rather than full of jump-scares and gore. Those nominated are, usually, ‘elevated horror’ – think Jordan Peele and Ari Aster rather than Wes Craven. At least some horror movies are getting nominated, certainly Peele’s Get Out (2017) was well-deserved. However, we’re (sadly) very unlikely to see Neve Campbell nominated for portraying Sidney Prescott in the Scream franchise. But, what’s wrong with Scream (1996, 1997, 2000, 2011, 2022), I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997, 1999), and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984-)? What makes these well-loved slasher-horror flicks not Oscar-worthy? Scream became the highest-grossing slasher in the world until 2018’s Halloween and it was credited with revitalising the horror genre in the 90s. Neve Campbell won Best Actress in the Saturn Awards, from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, in 1996. All the audiences (and critics!) love for meta-horror and slasher flicks shows horror-movie acting is just as good as acting in dramas. Therefore, the lack of love for ‘genre’ movies in the acting and directing categories at award ceremonies shows the ceremony is too prestigious and exclusionary. Scream simply wouldn’t be as effective without Campbell’s version of Sidney. Viewers have told her that Sidney represents survival to them- that’s a powerful thing for any movie to do and unexpected for a slasher. I believe horror should be nominated over comedy (although there should be room for both!), as a comedy struggles

to have their characters leave a feeling with the audience that resonates long after the finale.

Comedy Maja Mazur - Arts sub-editor

performance in Crazy, Stupid, Love is as remarkable as in Oscar-winning La La Land (2016), and in some ways more challenging. Of course, there are plenty of comedies where the actor’s performance didn’t live up to the expectations, but it only proves how difficult it is to create a convincing role in a comedy. On the other hand, as much as I appreciate that horrors can be very good films, I don’t think they’re as problematic to make as comedies. It’s relatively easy to build a scary atmosphere and make the audience afraid by the use of creepy music, makeup and special effects. Moreover, my problem with horrors is that monsters and supernatural events are way less scary for me than, for example, war films depicting real tragedies.

omedies are generally ignored by major awards, especially Oscars. While this year Adam McKay’s comedy Don’t look Up is nominated for Best Film, less than 10 comedies have won this award since the first ceremony. The Golden Globes, with their category “Best Picture – Musical/Comedy” are slightly more inclusive. However, winners such as Green Book (2018) or Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019) are not necessarily pure comedies but rather belong to a hybrid genre. At the same time, truly hilarious comedies such as Bridesmaids (2011) or Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011) which make the whole audience laugh out loud, continue to be unfairly ignored by any prestigious awards. The categories I would like to see more comedies being honoured in are especially best actor/actress and screenplay. To come up with an idea and write a film that is truly funny without being cringy and repetitive is a difficult task, and therefore, deserves recognition. Glenda Jackson, an acknowledged English actress, said: “Comedy is much harder to do than drama. It's not true that laugh and the world laughs with you. It's very hard to make a group of people laugh at the same thing; much easier to make them cry at the same thing. That's why great comic acting is probably the greatest acting there is.” I genuinely think that Emma Stone’s Images: IMDB

Enough blood, bodies and champagne to fill the Nile Ashna Mathur

Delayed and disrupted, is this film as cursed as its cast or does it ride the Nile with style? *Content warning: brief mention of sexual assault and cannibalism*

enneth Branagh returns with another Agatha Christie whodunnit as a sequel to his Murder on the Orient Express (2017).

After several postponements due to the pandemic, Death on the Nile was finally released on 11 February 2022. The film captures the luxuries of vacationing on the S. S. Karnak steamer, with the well-dressed ensemble cast dancing amidst countless balloons and drinking “enough champagne to fill the Nile.”

Branagh gives a stellar performance as the infamous Belgian detective The infamous Belgian detective is an intriguing character- his frustrating obsession with symmetry doesn’t allow him to have an odd number of desserts on his table, and Branagh delivers a stellar performance as Poirot, capturing his essential

wits and quirks. We also see the addition of Poirot’s backstory as a farmer fighting in the trenches of World War I, and tracing the existence of his iconic moustache. The inclusion of young Poirot’s black and white segment may just be the highlight of this film, and it was also refreshing to see Poirot show some vulnerability. After this prelude, Death on the Nile is off to a slow start, with the first murder taking place well into the film - but then the bodies start to pile up in the ham freezer. The thriller picks up its pace, and everyone’s a suspect. Gal Gadot plays the rich celebrity Linnet Ridgeway, later Mrs Doyle who is married to Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer). Unfortunately, the two A-list stars have no chemistry, and they both deliver stiff performances. Hammer is unconvincing as the charming Simon, and his not-so-recent controversy makes it hard to enjoy his presence onscreen. Although the movie was shot before his rape allegations and cannibalism scandal took place, its refusal to address and take any concrete steps towards these issues

as Salome Ottorbourne, Letitia Wright as Salome’s niece Rosalie and Bollywood actor Ali Fazal as Linnet’s cousin and lawyer Andrew Katchadourian - all of whom outshine the performances by Mr and Mrs Doyle. Russell Brand is almost unrecognisable as Linnet’s exfiancé, the reserved Dr Windlesham, and Tom Bateman (Da Vinci’s Demons) is entertaining to watch as Poirot’s friend Bouc.

A hint of LGBTQ+ representation that should have been explored further There is a hint of LGBTQ+ representation, something I appreciate but would have liked to see explored further - and it is enough to make Agatha Christie roll in her grave. The big reveal towards the end is my favourite part of any Poirot novel, as it was for this movie. Death on the Nile is glamourous and tense at the same time and will leave you guessing till the end.

Death on the Nile is glamourous and tense

Image: IMDB

left a sour taste in my mouth. Central to the plot is Simon’s ex-fiancée and Linnet’s close friend Jacqueline De Bellefort, played by Emma Mackey (Sex Education). Mackey does a good job of portraying the jealous and vengeful Jackie. Another performance I particularly enjoyed was that of Rose Leslie (Downton Abbey; Game of Thrones) as Louise Bourget, Linnet’s maid. She captures the essence of a polite maid who is unfairly treated by her socialite employer. The film also features some diversity within the cast, including Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda)

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Monday 21st February 2022

Sub-editors: George Bell, Jess Bradbury & Autumn Keil

Film

Flee Review: A moving animated refugee experience George Bell -Film sub-ed

A documentary exploring one man's escape from Afghanistan and embracing his sexuality through animation.

he animation genre is unjustifiably categorised too often as being exclusively for children and incapable of portraying serious and thoughtprovoking topics. But this couldn’t be further from the truth with the numerous brilliant animated films released over the years, and the latest to oppose this idea is Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s Flee. Nominated for Best Animated Film, Best Documentary and Best Foreign Language Film at the upcoming Academy Awards (the first film to ever be nominated for all three) alongside numerous other accolades, Flee is taking the world by storm. And no wonder why, it is bloody good!

Flee never lets up with its eye-opening depiction This animated docudrama follows Amin Nawabi as he juggles marrying his long time

Image: IMDB

boyfriend and his hidden past, fleeing his home country of Afghanistan as a refugee. Detailing his struggles in heartbreaking detail, Flee never lets up with its eye-opening depiction of what life as a

refugee is really like. Despite an art style that many would consider simplistic, the voice performances, audio and imagery successfully portray not just the intensity

and anxiety of Amin’s situation, but the beautifully intimate moments of his life. You grow attached to these animated faces over Flee’s 90-minute run-time meeting a range of diverse characters both in terms of demeanour and appearance. The documentary is never lessened by its animated format, but rather, elevated to whole new levels making it very special, avoiding the risk of coming across as fiction. Interweaving real-world imagery to further reinforce the real story behind this film, Flee never loses sight of what it is. While the majority of the film shows Amin’s struggles as a refugee leaving Afghanistan and arriving in Denmark, it also acts as a heart-warming depiction of a gay man learning to love himself and his sexuality. It is an aspect of this film that was not expected but much welcome, especially when it feels like animated films are behind the already inadequate representation of the LGBTQ+ of live-action films. Jumping between a young Amin’s heartbreaking struggles to understand and accept his sexuality and a proud gay man ready to marry the man he loves. This transition is perfectly done throughout the film, but most of all in one of the most wholesome scenes I’ve seen on screen in a while. But sadly it isn’t all joy as Amin’s refugee makes for a hard to watch, but necessary, viewing that will keep you thinking for a long while afterwards. Flee is a must-watch for anyone wanting to educate themselves and experience one of the most important films put to screen.

At long last, are we done with disaster films? Kayleigh Fraser - Campus Comment sub-editor

Is disaster still the master of the Hollywood box office?

ince the dawn of cinema, we've seen Earth destroyed in more ways than we can count. From 2012 (2009) to Don't Look Up (2021), the trope of 'everyone is going to die' has worked quite well for many years. But, why in 2022 is the disaster film genre just not hitting the same? We've all seen a disaster film. Some that come to mind for me are World War Z (2013), Interstellar (2014) and San Andreas (2015). The world crumbles, things get blown up/away and everything falls apart. The most recent example of the genre is Don't Look Up. Based on the premise of a meteor hitting earth and wiping out humanity, the film gathers a group of scientists and average people as they attempt to convince humanity that there is a meteor and they must listen to the facts. Unsurprisingly, the blockbuster did remarkably well on Netflix, and is nominated for Best Picture at the 2022 Oscars. But, why did it do so well?

My consensus is that because people related to it. They drew parallels to the real world and the pandemic, saying that this is a more exaggerated version of real life. But, is the point of a disaster film to be relatable? The case of Don't Look Up is questionable as it was arguably made to satirise and display what the world would be like if a meteor was really going to hit Earth. I don't think I could say the same for 2022's Moonfall. The past two years have transformed and shaped the future forever. We've had a pandemic, a presidential election, and now we're on the brink of war. It was inevitable that this would translate to the world of film. For many, film is an escape. People don't want to pay to see the world destroyed when they can go outside and watch it for free.

The stats don't lie, either. Costing $150 million dollars to make, Moonfall only took $10 million dollars in its opening weekend. Meanwhile, Licorice Pizza (released only two months before Moonfall) smashed the box office. Variety reported that 'From only four theatres in the country — two in New York and two in Los Angeles — “Licorice Pizza” brought in $335,000 in total and $83,852 per location, more than any other speciality film in nearly two years.' What you have there are two very different films, on two polar opposite ends of audience response. One is set in the sunny and slick '70s, whilst another is from the bleak present day. Could these debuts overwhelmingly illustrate the end of disaster films? Cinema-goers want to escape. After the past two years of non-stop news and harsh reality, viewers

want a new world to escape to without waiting for something bad to happen. Take the Marvel franchise for example. Spiderman: No Way Home (2021) raked in an impressive $260 million dollars on its opening weekend (in the United States alone!). This ability to escape is what made the film so successful. Viewers can sit back and relax knowing it's set in a fantasy world with characters they adore. Yes, bad things may happen, but nothing that compares to the real world. So, where do we go from here? Will Hollywood always churn out disaster films and expect success at the box office? Or, will the genre dissipate with cinema-goers simply looking outside and getting a free trip to the epic cinematic disaster that is our current lives? I guess we'll have to watch and see. Image: IMDB

Sub-editors: Michael Duckworth, Haaris Qureshi, Peter Lennon & Joseph Caddick

Monday 21st February 2022

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Gaming Review: does Uncharted leave fans stranded? 26

Adam Tibke

tuck in development hell for years, Uncharted’s journey to the big screen has been just as perilous and treacherous as the best of Nathan Drake’s videogame adventures. Finally arriving in cinemas with Tom Holland wearing the iconic Henley and Mark Wahlberg as a disappointingly ‘tache-less Sully, Uncharted delivers a surprisingly enjoyable, if somewhat light, action-adventure romp. Borrowing the flash-forward opening from the second game, Uncharted begins with our hero dangling out of the back of a cargo plane as he desperately tries to clamber back inside before a flashback sets up the film’s two central mysteries. Eventually settling in the present day, Nathan Drake (Holland) is now a light-fingered bartender when he is approached by raffish treasure hunter, Victor ‘Sully’ Sullivan (Wahlberg), promising not only a share of $5 billion worth of lost gold but answers about Nate’s long-lost brother Sam.

Uncharted doesn’t quite live up to the legacy of its breath-takingly cinematic games Fresh off the success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Tom Holland shines as the street-savvy adventurer. Whilst he lacks the wise-cracking quips of his videogame counterpart, Holland’s Nathan Drake is equally enduring. In contrast to a more noble Nathan Drake, Mark Wahlberg brings his trademark swagger and charisma to a slightly sleazier Sully than fans of the games are used to. It’s both interesting and a pleasant surprise to see this new dynamic play out onscreen as while Sully’s true intentions and unclear, Wahlberg’s chemistry with Holland is wonderfully transparent. Their bickering and bantering are entertaining and mercifully not as cringey as some of the trailers

Image: Sony Pictures

made me fear; however, the wit of Amy Hennig (the writer of the games) is sorely absent. Relentlessly pursuing Nate and Sully throughout the film is the sinister Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas) and his righthand woman Braddock (a wonderful Tati Gabrielle). Despite Banderas’ ominous performance, he’s little more than a cookiecutter oligarchical antagonist. Undeniably stealing the show is Tati Gabrielle’s Braddock; her ruthlessness is striking and her connection

Fresh off the success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Tom Holland shines as the street-savvy adventurer to Sully provides a captivating wrinkle to both her relationship with our heroes and their relationship with each other. Like the games, Uncharted spotlights a famous long-lost colonial explorer as the foundation of its central mystery. Unfortunately, the somewhat bland search for gold is a tad uninspired, especially when the games often had you tracking down grandiose mythical cities. Despite the differences, Uncharted is evidently made with a real affinity for the videogames. Whether it’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Naughty Dog logo or a delightful cameo from one of the games’ stars, the filmmakers’ reverence for their source material is refreshing. As a videogame series renowned for its breath-takingly cinematic quality, Uncharted doesn’t quite live up to the legacy of the games. Nevertheless, the film is still remarkably fun; Holland and Wahlberg are entertaining and the set pieces are captivating. While it’s no Raiders of the Lost Ark, Uncharted certainly does scratch the itch for a globe-trotting action-adventure. experience.

Playing more for less: 5 top-tier tips for gaming on a budget

Kefan Chen

ith £70 becoming the standard price for new games, the expense of the hobby has me worried. Fortunately, I can still buy the games I want, but I'll have to watch my spending. Here are some suggestions and reasons why I think budget players may still enjoy next-generation gaming. Organize ahead of time Be prepared for a boring start. If you're deciding between buying a game and waiting for another to come out, don't spend money you can't afford. If you're unsure which game is superior, wait until you've read reviews or the price has dropped. Determine your annual or monthly budget and must-have games before you go buying. It's even worth looking ahead to next year to choose between buying them now and waiting for a price drop. Do you want a new phone or a new gaming console? I got a Nintendo Switch when it came out in 2017. A year later, no prospective titles aroused my interest. I swapped it in for a PS4 to play God of War. Unfortunately, Super Mario Party, Luigi's Mansion 3, and Zelda: Link's Awakening came out not too long after. I couldn't afford and didn't want to replace my PS4 for a Nintendo Switch. Luckily, I got a Switch for free when I renewed my mobile phone contract. It's just me with a £25 monthly Switch on EE with enough minutes and data. If you want the latest phone, this isn't the best choice, but if it's something to consider if you're content with less expensive models.

Consider subscription services My PS5 purchase in November came with a year of PS Plus. Online multiplayer is something I seldom do, if ever. But I've used the free games provided. I've lately played Bugsnax and Hollow Knight. Control: Ultimate Edition for PS4/5 makes this month's offer particularly spectacular. Considering that I would have paid £35 at full price for this well respected AAA game, my PS Plus subscription has paid for itself this month. It's also worth buying PS Plus subscription cards from third party sites, such as CDKeys or ShopTo. Both sites have more competitive offers than PlayStation's own RRP. Trade-in is your bestie Buying and selling games is a great way to experience new games without breaking the bank. This is a wonderful approach for gamers that prefer to move quickly. If you buy a game and trade it in for store credit inside the first 30 days, you can usually get a nice refund. Is extra storage required? Many gamers have complained about the lack of storage on the next generation of consoles, especially the PlayStation 5. I agree, and more storage would have been great. But it's not the end of the world. My hard disc has plenty of capacity even with multiple games installed. Adding SSD storage capacity is unknown to me, but I expect it to be costly. So, ask yourself: do you truly need it? There are many games to play, and reinstalling them may be a hassle. Is a quicker internet connection the key? Thanks to my fast connection, most games are available to play within an hour.

Images: Nintendo & PlayStation

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COURIER

Monday 21st February 2022

Sub-editors: Michael Duckworth, Haaris Qureshi, Peter Lennon & Joseph Caddick

Gaming

Google looks towards selling Hardly a chip off the old block: Stadia tech to third parties why I'm not buying a PS5 Maud Webster - Senior Culture Editor

Google keeps its head in the clouds as it moves forward with Stadia technology

oogle launched Stadia, a platform to stream games through Google Chrome as well as Chromecast and Android TV, in 2019. This allowed Google to enter the competitive gaming market, with a service they hoped would offer a “console-quality experience without clunky, space-consuming hardware”. However, a mere two years later Google has quietly “demoted” the project, deciding to shift focus from video games to playable experiences and online demos.

A key problem for the service has been user retention An exclusive report from Business Insider, which was published earlier this month, suggests the company is attempting to strike deals with brands such as Peloton under the brand ‘Google Stream’ which will reportedly be the new band name for

the Stadia technology. This follows the Stadia service encountering “disappointing sales” and generally performing much worse than Google had anticipated. The report suggested that a key problem for the service has been user retention, missing the target of one million monthly active users by 25% (by the end of 2020). These deals with brands including Capcom and Peloton will see Google strip the branding from Stadia and essentially offer buying companies the opportunity to rebrand it. For example, if a deal with Peloton was reached then they could integrate Google’s Stadia technology into Peloton’s equipment, allowing users to play games whilst exercising. Stadia tweeted the day after the report went out: Stadia tweeted the day after the report went out: “If you hear one thing, hear this: The Stadia team is working really hard on a great future for Stadia and cloud gaming.” The Tweet was made alongside another thread pointing out the 100 games added to the service last year and vaguely implying new features coming soon. Zwiezen for Kotaku calls the commercially-focused move “probably a smart idea”, allowing Google to “salvage” the resources which have gone into the project. However, Zwiezen cynically concludes that he would "recommend not buying any games on Stadia as that particular Google service now seems more destined for the graveyard than ever before”. Many tech journalists have also shared this opinion on Stadia, making it more of a matter of when than if the service will cease supporting gaming for its users. Image: Marco Verch (CC BY 2.0)

is the console itself expensive, but so are the games. It is normal to expect games around £50 at release (and even then, that's just for the basic edition without any bells and whistles), but Sony announced PS5 games would be more he PS5 has been available since expensive when released too. 2020, but its journey to the Similarly, because the PS5 is such a new everyday home has been far console, there aren’t that many games out and from smooth. Issues have been even then, some of these releases are remastered abound recently with the chip collections of games made for prior PlayStations. shortages resulting in reduced stock. What Take Uncharted for example. First released on even is the chip shortage? Will it be resolved PS3, the first three games were rereleased and soon and do I even want a PS5 at this point? remastered for PS4 in advance of Uncharted 4. Honestly? No. The PS4 was then graced with Uncharted 4 and Ever since its release, the PS5 has been The Lost Legacy (which is more a spin-off than amusingly difficult to obtain, it's essentially a follow-up in the Uncharted series, let’s be fair, a video game in its own right. But what's in terms of gameplay and characters). stopped the PS enthusiast from completing Despite Uncharted 4 and Legacy being of the level and getting a PS5? Well. The incredible quality, they are being rereleased Covid-19 pandemic resulted in and remastered for the PS5. Is there a a demand for laptops as need? Aside from these remastered people started working versions, which personally from home, which doesn't seem necessary, there included some of the aren’t many games to choose same components used from. Even then, the only in PS5s. Manufacturers game that looks inviting can hardly prioritise laptops for me is A Plague Tale. over PS5s hence why stock has Waiting ages after an incredibly been consistently low since the expensive console for one game e r e Xh PS5's release. Sony's CEO admitted and remastered versions of games I P : age back in July 2021 that PS5s would already own? It’s a no-brainer. Im not be able to meet demand for some time I accept that I am a more casual gamer, so the thanks to chip shortages, and he sure was right. desire to get the latest in console gaming is less Even if PS5s suddenly became as abundant important for me. That should not undermine as flared pants in Castle Leazes, I doubt I'd my points however - it’s an expensive console be rushing out to my nearest Game to buy with reduced choice in games that you’ll end one. The first reason is pretty simple: money. up waiting ages for. My tactic when it comes to At new, PS5s are selling for £450, and quite this sort of stuff is to wait a few years when the frankly, that is a lot. Such an extravagant console and games are half the price and much purchase seems unnecessary at the moment, more abundant in choice. So will I accept this especially considering food prices are on the mission of buying a new PS5? I think I’ll save rise and have not stopped just yet. Not only and exit instead for now, thank you. Emily Kelso - Campus Comment sub-editor

Kirby and the Forgotten Land drives by Nintendo Direct Joseph Caddick - Puzzle and Gaming sub-editor

espite being around for 30 years, Kirby is finally getting his first 3D platformer, Kirby and the Forgotten Land. Initially teased at E3, the latest Nintendo Direct showed off more gameplay features. A huge change to the usual Kirby formula is the introduction of power-ups for your powerups; traditional copy abilities like Fire and Cutter can be upgraded to deal more damage and have bigger areas of effect. Whether or not these will be necessary to progress remains to be seen, but visually they look really cool. The main gimmick of this game seems to be Mouthful Mode, where Kirby inhales large

Kirby has heaps of options for getting through levels here objects and can use them for a number of platforming purposes; swallowing a lightbulb to illuminate dark areas, a vending machine to attack with juice cans and even a car for speeding through levels. Between copy abilities and inhaling large objects, Kirby has heaps of options for getting through levels here. The story, as you’d expect of a Kirby game, is simple; the Beast Pack have imprisoned the Waddle Dees, and it’s Kirby’s job to free them. Whether or not we’ll see King Dedede, who rules the Waddle Dees, remains to be seen. Similar to Super Mario 3D World, this game

appears to have individual levels, but also a world map that you can move around. Some levels appear to have a similar design philosophy as well, with geometric paths, though some look larger and more free, akin to the levels seen in Bowser’s Fury. Where this game differs from the Mario series is its hub world, Waddle Dee Town. The more Waddle Dees you save, the more this town begins to thrive. Kirby and the Forgotten Land releases on the 25th of March exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.

Images: Nintendo

Sub-editors: Tom Wrath, Maja Mazur & Ruby Taylor

Monday 21st February 2022

Arts

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Born Lippy: spoken word How does Bookstagram bringing people together affect reading habits?

Kate Benson

orn Lippy is an eclectic spoken word event with poetry slam, comedy and hip hop, hosted by Donald Jenkins in Cobalt Studios on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. Last week, I went for the first time. The pre-event poetry workshop was the first writing workshop I had attended, and I loved it. Don was a great teacher, giving us exercises to help us put together poems. Many of the class had more experience than me, but it was for any level, and I came out of it with 2 poems, one about my favourite food – potato waffles! Not very good ones, but a lot better than I expected I could do. The atmosphere in Cobalt was great, the pink lighting and inclusive nature set the mood for the night. The event had political commentary Image: Facebook throughout, starting with Don’s intro about Nick Forbes, Labour’s Newcastle City Council leader who has just been deselected prior to local elections. Victoria Morley was the first act, her letters from Queen Victoria were captivating and funny, and her poem A symphony of connections illustrated perfectly how we move through the world, and how we can be ourselves. The poetry slam came up next, with four poets coming on stage competing for a paid slot at the next Born Lippy event and three judges from the audience rated them out of 10 for content, performance and crowd response. The poets were all amazing, doing 3-minute poetry slam performances which all got high scores. Two of the performers, Nathan and James, tied and had to come back on at the end, with James winning

in the end with his beautiful and lyrical poetry. Jeff Price came on next reading poems from his book Infinite Threads where he explained how photos taken by Chris Collister led him to write each poem – as a dialogue between both forms of art. He had humour intertwined throughout and was clearly a poet with a lot of experience, and his next show will be with Kate Fox at Northern Stage on 3rd March. Donald Jenkins then performed his hip hop, with a song about him having started it late in life with some audience participation which was great. Sophie Sparham was excellent on stage, reading a selection of poems from her most recent book The Man Who Ate 50,000 Weetabix. She has written for Radio 4 and the People’s History Museum, focusing on social and political subjects, such as depression and LGBTQ+ issues. She talked about finding joy in the small, mundane and the weird which I love and think is how we get through life. Her poem Ode to Ode was magical and I would highly recommend watching her live and buying her book. Shakk closed the night, a hip hop artist from Middlesbrough whose words were raw and honest. His performance captivated us with his humour throughout and amazing stage presence. All in all, definitely get down to the next Born Lippy at Cobalt Studios – it was an amazing night and I will definitely be going back, maybe I will even give the poetry slam a go one day.

Emma Leask

he growth of bookish social media can be positive for reading habits. Seeing people reading online can motivate you to pick up a book, especially if you see a glowing review for a certain one. Bookish content creators actively promote a diverse range of voices too, sharing books from authors of colour, LGBTQIA+ authors, and disabled authors. It gives those authors a platform for their books to be shared in a way which has

Bookish content creators actively promote a diverse range of voices... including LGBTQIA+ and disabled authors. never existed in the past. This helps to encourage readers to try books from authors with different experiences to their own. Seeing people talking about books in certain ways, and maybe even sharing your own thoughts about books online, can also make you a more present and sensitive reader, allowing you to absorb the book in a new way. There are certain books which rise to immediate popularity on social media, and it’s likely that you’ll want to understand the hype and try it yourself. The trends in popularity are reflected in publishers’ marketing tools with ‘A TikTok favourite’ on the cover, and even booksellers like Waterstones featuring TikTok’s most popular reads. This is a positive for those authors and

publishers, and whilst it does encourage reading, it does mean that everyone is reading the same thing. When we go into bookshops, we instantly find those titles and authors we recognise because of their popularity, rather than discovering books the ‘old-fashioned’ way by choosing them based on their interesting premise. Bookish content creators actively promote a diverse range of voices too, sharing books from authors of colour, LGBTQIA+ authors, and disabled authors. It also results in a pressure to read the popular books, perhaps not allowing us to discover authentically the types of books we individually like. These trends do tend to be confined to young adult novels, where the readers are those most present on social media, so the true influence of Bookstagram and Booktok may not be as significant w h e n considering variety of readers across the country.

Image: flicker and Twitter @ instagram

Neon art tours anti-abortion US states Sarah Tunstall

How can Art respond to anti-liberal politics?

rtist, Alicia Eggert, and Planned Parenthood have collaborated in creating a month-long tour of roving neon installations across the United States to pressure lawmakers in raising awareness of efforts to restrict abortion rights. Created by Alicia Eggert’s, neon text work “OURs” was organised by Planned Parenthood to exhibit across states whose lawmakers are challenging abortion rights. Flashing between the phrases “OUR ABORTIONS”, “OUR BODIES” and, “OUR FUTURES”, this month-long installation tour of the US first arrived in front of The Supreme Court in Washington DC on the 22nd of January, the 49th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade case briefing (“a constitution of the United States that protects pregnant woman’s liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction”). Alexis McGill Johnson, president and chief of Planned Parenthood, commented on the installation being a “beacon of light in the darkness of this moment” adding that they “will never stop calling for freedom to decide (their) own futures, whether it’s at the supreme court or in the states across the country”. An estimate of nearly 25 million unsafe abortions take place annually in the world, and with the increase of abortion restrictions in several states, rumouring that the current Roe v. Wade constitution will be overturned, Eggert and Planned Parenthood’s neon installation is becoming even more significant

today. Though sites are not announced prior to the installation, states are chosen on the pretence of their lawmakers challenging abortion rights. We do know however that the installation is headed to Ohio in the next upcoming weeks. These roving exhibitions will serve as a gathering place for supporters and, in some states, will be

placed strategically in front of the state lawmakers as means of a more visible protest. The real question here is, what can artists and supporters do to raise awareness on the travelling installation as well as the change in US law as lawmakers move to decimate abortion rights? To begin with, it’s important to educate

yourself on the movement overall by following Alicia Eggert on social platforms (@aplaceintheuniverse) as well as the official Planned Parenthood account (@ plannedparenthood) to see where the installation will be travelling and why, as well as updates on the laws decided over abortion rights and the effect of these on women in the states. There are also hashtags on social media, #bansoffourbodies as well as #RoevWade that serve as major hubs in educating audiences on abortion rights and the changes in the US as well as the installation’s movement around the states.

"A person's control over their own body determines how much control they have over their future" Though we may not be able to physically see this installation as it circles the US, it’s still important to share and involve ourselves in the cause to voice the struggles of these abortion laws and their changes as well as the effect on the women themselves. “A person’s control over their own body determines how much control they have over their future, and how access to abortions is an essential part of that control” - Alicia Eggert, creator of "OURs" neon installation.

Image: Twitter @PPact

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Monday 21st February 2022

Spring in February by Caitlin Blackburn spring sleeps under the slick-sweet canopy we’ve fashioned to wrap ourselves in like Sunday’s newspaper. Her eyes are mired now, with sticky gunk; the heady viscosity of many month’s rest, soon to be sponged away with warm water and cotton, smeared lovingly in the early morning rays, watery, dew-drop smiling. Her air is stiff, and the wind has a bite but as golden heat seeps, making tie-dyed swirls on the insides of my eyelids, I sincerely hope that I may see her again soon.

Sub-editors: Tom Wrath, Maja Mazur & Ruby Taylor

Review: 'Tree' at Alphabetti Theatre

Jake Watson

theatre review is normally written in the early days of a production. It’s to tell you whether it’s worth your while to go and see the show – whether you should spend your pennies or save them for something else. This review doesn’t do that. Tree has now finished its run at Alphabetti. I saw it on its final night, but I am writing this review because I feel compelled to make sure it makes it onto the public record and into the Courier archive with the hope that, maybe, in 25 years’ time someone might dig this up and come across this absolute marvel of a play. Alphabetti Theatre’s Tree is a beautifully touching reflection on our relationship with the earth and the friendships that we create with both nature and place. With sharp and eloquent writing from Gary Kitching and Steve Byron, the play explores the blossoming relationship between Jacqueline Phillips’ proud and boasting Rowan as she pays regular visits to Judi Earl’s stoic and allseeing Hazel. As the action unfolds, the nature of their relationship unravels and we discover the insecurities that exist in the life of Rowan, rooted in a relationship with Hazel from a very young age. What touched me most about this play was seeing two older women on stage; a section of actors that are so often little represented but have so much to tell. Phillips and Earl perform their roles with cutting accuracy and dedication to what is a

Arts

beautifully written script. Their on-stage rapport is sharp, witty, and evidence of two actors who clearly know what they’re doing.

A touching reflection on our relationship with the earth The staging is sparse. There is little on stage but a bench and a chair – save for a whole load of rubbish that overspills from Rowan’s bag. A metaphor for the hyperspeed capitalism that sees us care more for the logos on our carrier bags than the leaves on our trees. But the sparsity of Rachel Glover’s set fits the space and the mood of the piece perfectly – drawing on the intimacy of Alphabetti’s space for what is truly an intimate play. Tree is a play we can all relate to. It reminded me of the spot by a pond I always go to when I’m at home when I need to think; or the bench in Exhibition Park that my friend always takes herself to when she needs a little calm; or how my Grandma told me, aged 5, that she cries when she sees a tree being cut down. Tree is universal, not just for its themes, but because we all live on a planet that is full of abundant greenery. If you are to take anything from this play: take off your shoes, run through the grass, look at the trees, marvel at the flowers, and breathe. It's time we started loving the place we live.

Image: Ellie Denton

Review: 'Abigail's Party' Review: Bat Out of Hell at at People's Theatre Stockton Globe Carly Horne - TV Sub-Editor

bigail's Party is, at its core, a production of uncomfortable silences and displays of aggressive hospitality. Moreso does Mike Leigh's classic depict a satirical glance at Britain's emerging middle-classes in the 1970s, a label which begins to peel away throughout the evening (after one too many gin and tonics). Despite what the title says, we do not find ourselves witness to Abigail's party. Instead, we are a few doors down with the over-bearing hostess, Beverly (Anna Dobson) and her extremely stressed-out husband, Laurence (Sean Burnside). Joining the chaotic evening are new neighbours Angela (Emma Robson) and Tony (Mark Burden), the former who seems to yearn to please Beverley and the latter who would rather be anywhere else. Lastly is mild-mannered and genuinely middleclass Sue (Alison Carr), whose daughter, Abigail, is hosting the titular party. Abigail's Party is evidently a play of the 1970s. From the obnoxious retro wallpaper adorning the set and the music of Demis Roussos adding ambience to the awkward evening and Beverley's offering of cheese and pineapple on a stick. It was Angela's boast of acquiring her home for £21,000 that filled my heart with the most sadness - if only this generation should be so lucky. In a play centred around social aspirations and class pretension, it makes sense that no one is particularly happy with their lot. While Sue is repeatedly reminded of her status as a divorced woman, Beverly seems to want more than her nice house and her safe husband. Though patronising Sue and

making moves on Angela's husband throughout the play, it becomes clear towards the end how much Beverly actually values those things which she has taken for granted. Abigail's Party is far from a plot-driven drama, relying more on the comedy of painful exchanges than the typical style of storytelling one might be used to. And while the cast and crew put on a wonderful show, I feel like this was a play I was just too young to appreciate. Mike Leigh's original production was unusual in that the actors were responsible for much of the development of the characters - leaving big shoes to be filled in any future production. In this particular revival, Anna Dobson's portrayal as Beverly was particularly strong. Annoying and socially oblivious as Beverly, Dobson helped to add to the chaos unfolding throughout the evening. Equally, Emma Robson as Angela added a gooseberry to the evening's mix, awkward and subdued against Beverly's loud and selfish persona. All-in-all, Beverly's party truly was a party from hell. From drunken vomiting and inappropriate dancing to screaming over erotic art and a panicked call to the ambulance service - it's safe to say that this party would be more awkward as an attendee than as an audience member.

Tom Wrath - Arts Sub-Editor, NUTV Comms Manager

ith a lacklustre, overcomplicated narrative, over eccentric characterisation and melodramatic antagonists, Bat Out of Hell follows the precedent of previous jukebox musicals ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘Rock of Ages’ in its operatic celebration of individual artistry and orchestral rock; although given the recent passing of its founder Meat Loaf, to far greater emotive impact. A quick look over the musicals’ lengthy Wikipedia entry confirms the extent of narrative nonsensicality, although whether this enriches or unnecessarily conflates the viewing experience is at the individual’s discretion. Admittedly, making sense of the dystopian Neverland, wherein lead character Strat leads a group of eighteen-year-olds known as The Lost in their survival, personally took until the soulful and romantic ‘Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad’. However, combined with the beautifully designed set, Meat’s music provided welcome distance from the plot, even if certain tracks (notably ‘Dead Ringer for Love’ and ‘Paradise by the Dashboard Light’) felt forced and offered little plot advancement.

Titular track 'Bat Out of Hell' is a climatic highlight, with stunning visuals to match

Image: People's Theatre

With its rambunctious, unrestrained instrumentation and poetic lyricism on such infamous tracks as ‘I’d Do Anything for Love’ and ‘Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through’, Jim Steinman’s theatrical adaptation suits the choral vocals of an overtly enthusiastic supporting cast featuring the likes of James Chisholm (Book of Mormon, West End) and Laura Johnson (Hair,

Hope Mill Theatre). Yet it is lead Glenn Adamson who eclipses the other outstanding performers with a portrayal of Strat that fully embodies the epic melodrama and gothic wit of the eponymous album, possessed with a distinct moral certainty and emotional fragility. Titular track ‘Bat Out of Hell’ is a climatic highlight, with stunning visuals to match high energy dance and Adamson’s rasping tenor vocal, whilst the stripped ballad ‘Making Love Out of Nothing At All’ is gloriously campy, if not slightly Disneyfied. If Meat’s music is the opera, Strat is the classical protagonist, romantically Machiavellian and vivaciously Shakespearian in an unwavering commitment to those he loves. However, I cannot neglect to mention the stellar performances of Martha Kirby and Killian Lefevre; who shone as Raven, an angsty teen desperate to break-free from the privilege and expectations of the family home; and Tink, heartbreakingly trapped in unrequited love, respectively. Although more than a little stereotypical in characterisation, their strength in performance supports Adamson and utilises all aspects of Jon Bausor’s unique staging. Distinctively capturing both location and mood through technological innovation, Bat’s production team encapsulate exactly how contemporary set design can utilise multimedia to great effect; West End producers take note. Special mention to the newly renovated Stockton Globe for providing the arena-esque lighting and sweeping panoramic back seat views to immerse the senses. And herein lies Bat Out of Hell’s bona fide strength. Whilst verging on a tribute act, the staging and performance is unexclusive to the Meat Loaf fans and casual theatre goers who simply want to enjoy his music. As a posthumous celebration of Meats extensive back catalogue, it delivers; but crucially also provides a fastpaced visual assault with gritty aesthetics and grittier performances to transcend the typical boundaries of the jukebox musical. Just don’t expect too much from the plot. Rating: 2/3 (ain’t bad)

Sub-editor: Joseph Caddick

30 Across

Monday 21st February 2022

Puzzles

1. Harry ___, Current England captain. (4) 3. Released Like a Virgin in 1984. (7) 7. Coffee-flavoured desert. (8) 8. Joint connecting the femur to the tibia. (4) 11. Spanish island famous for its nightlife. (5) 12. 2013 sci-fi film starring Matt Damon. (7) 15. Slow and calm tempo. (6) 17. Punctuation, three dots. (8) 20. Egyptian god of death. (6) 22. Region in central Italy famous for its art. (7) 24. Scam. (3) 26. The ___, Band that released I Believe in a Thing Called Love. (8) 27. Netflix wrestling comedy-drama. (4)

Down

1. Lord who featured on WWI recruitment posters. (9) 2. Fifth Roman emperor. (4) 3. A follower of Islam. (6) 4. A large tree which bears acorns. (3) 5. The highest point. (4) 6. A small cartoon image used in texting. (5) 9. American group that advocates the right to bear arms. (1,1,1) 10. To cover something thinly with gold. (4) 13. First Ivy league university to offer PhDs in America. (4) 14. Side dish consisting of shredded cabbage and mayonnaise. (8) 15. The largest continent. (4) 16. Greta ___, iconic Swedish-American actress. (5) 18. Slang for a sandwich. (6) 19. Comics company behind Batman and Superman. (1,1) 21. Protagonist of The Matrix. (3) 22. Father ___, comedy about priests. (3) 23. Title appointed to men who've been knighted. (3) 24. Chemical symbol for Caesium. (1,1) 25. Initialism for a phrase meaning bad. (1,1)

Wordsearch - Gaming

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Crossword

Last 's Answers

Word Wheel: Whimsical

Agumon Cuphead Kratos Megaman Ratchet Snake Spyro

Cloud Inkling Link Pacman Ryu Sonic Subzero

Crash Kirby Mario Pikachu Samus Sora

WIN A PRIZE!

Upload your puzzle solutions to Instagram and tag @thecourieronline to enter the prize draw!

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Monday 21st February 2022

COURIER

Sub-editor: Joseph Caddick

Puzzles

Nonogram 4 3

4 3

1 1

5 1

1 2 1

2 5 1 2 3 17 1 16 2 17 1

5 2 1

1 3 1

9 1

7 1 4

3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 5 4 4 2 3 4 4 3 1

Word Wheel Difficulty: Hard

1 1

1 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 3 2 5 1 1 1 1

2 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1

Instructions

Sudoku 13 December 2021

1 1

1 1 1 1

1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Create as many words as you can of 3 letters or more from the wheel. Each letter can only be used once and you must use the one in the middle of the wheel. Try to find the 9 letter word that uses all the letters. Goal: 30 words

Colour in the cells in the grid according to the numbers on the sides of the grid to reveal a picture. The individual numbers in each row/column are separated by spaces of 1 or more squares.

Notes

Sub-editors: Castor Chan, Katie Siddall, Ethan Todd, Lucy Rimmer & Mitchell Hall

Monday 21st February 2022

Sport

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Foxes cup loss marred Terrific Trippier lifts Magpies by pitch invader attack

out of the relegation zone Lewis Thompson

Newcastle's hopes are looking up after successful signings

n electric night under the lights at St James' Park ended in triumph for Eddie Howe after a Kieran Trippier free kick helped his side earn a 3-1 win against Everton in the Premier League. Many felt this was one of the best atmospheres St James had seen in a long time, from the first whistle the Toon Army fans were out in full force with not a minute of silence throughout the entire 90 minutes. It didn’t start well for the Magpies after a Lascelles own goal meant the Toffees took the lead in the 36th minute of play in Frank Lampard’s first Premier League game as Everton manager. However, it didn’t take long for Newcastle to get back into the game, only 108 seconds later a Mason Holgate own goal lead to the

3-1 to Newcastle United with only 10 minutes left to play. Then the substitution of Brazilian new signing Bruno Guimaraes was met with great applause and lifted the crowd The Toon Army fans to help Newcastle push on through were out in full force the last stages of the game. The Toon Army were able to Newcastle went on to create hang on for the remainder of the 90 numerous chances during the end of minutes to earn their first Premier the first half, however, it finished 1-1 League home win since the start of December. All three points at halftime with the three points still meant Newcastle were available for both teams. elevated out of the With 56 minutes on the clock, relegation zone a brilliant piece of work from and it seemed Allan Saint-Maximin forced that there was a a Jordan Pickford save which huge sigh of relief led to Newcastle’s second around St James Park in goal of the game. The goal what was a huge turning scorer Ryan Fraser was point in their season and the first to react as the battle to stay in the he poked home his Premier League. second goal in black This was an emotional and white as St James Park match for Newcastle fans grew louder and louder. as the home side got the New signing Kieran win they thoroughly Trippier put the icing on deserved. the cake as his right-footed free kick bent around the Man of the match – right side of the wall past Allan Saint-Maximin. Image: Twitter Jordan Pickford to make it (@trippier2) eruption of thousands of fans around St James Park to make the scoreline all square after 37 minutes of play.

Mitchell Hall - Sports sub-editor

Invader attacks Nottingham's forward

ottingham Forest put Premier League side Leicester City to the sword in the FA cup last week with a 4-1 thrashing at the City Ground, but the event was marred by unsavoury scenes. The Championship side stunned Leicester early on with 2 goals in as many minutes, Zinckernagel scoring in the 23rd minute before 20-yearold Brennan Johnson capitalised on a failed back pass in order to bag in the 24th. The Foxes saw themselves pegged back yet again by Joe Worral’s stooping header from a corner. It was after his incensed celebration in front of the away section that the game took a turn for the worse. As the Forest players wheeled away to react to the goal, a pitch invader from the visiting Leicester fans chased them down, catching them as they stood and huddled and proceeding to launch a flurry of punches upon the players. Most impacted by the assault was Forest forward Keinan Davis, on loan

from Premier League side Aston Villa, who caught a punch from the invader square on the chin. The invader was quickly restrained, and Davis continued to play on. The Leicester fans, who hold a strong rivalry with Nottingham Forest, likely turned up expecting a comfortable victory, and clearly some could not handle the upset. The fan surely faces a lifetime ban and would be lucky to avoid criminal charges, with every camera in the stadium providing solid evidence for assault. The game soon continued with Leicester attacker Kelechi Iheanacho igniting a chance of a comeback after an impressive finish from range after getting past the Forest keeper. The momentum felt as though it may be shifting following this goal, however its timing, the 40th minute, allowed Forest to hold out and regain some composure during the half time break. This allowed a renewed Nottingham side to crush the heart of Leicester, with Middlesbrough loanee Djed Spence contributing in the 61st minute to all but confirm the result. The result marked an emphatic upset victory over rivals and will surely bring confidence to Forest going into the next round, in which they will play fellow Championship side Huddersfield at home.

Mitchell Hall - Sports sub-editor

Salah snubbed of penalty chance in final as Mane wins it for Senegal

enegal beat Egypt in the final of Africa’s biggest international football competition this week, the first time the nation has won the trophy. The tense affair resulted in a brutal penalty shootout in which the Egypt players could not hold their

nerve. Senegal’s golden generation of players, featuring stars such as Sadio Mane, Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy, were tipped for big things before the tournament and went unbeaten in both the group and knockout stages. This was in part thanks to the player of the tournament performances of Mane at the front, and the goalkeeper of the tournament performances of Mendy between the sticks. Their favourable knockout run to the final saw them trump Burkina Faso in the semifinals, with Cape Verde and Equitorial Guinea making up

Image: Twitter (@CAF_Online)

Senegal team triumphs in AFCON Final the rest of their journey. Egypt however faced a tougher run, knocking out Ivory Coast on penalties in the Round of 16, then going through Morocco and Cameroon in order to book their place in the finals. The game captivated fans of the African game, and drew extra British attention due to the story of the Liverpool teammates Salah and Mane facing off in the final, but disappointed in 90 minutes with both teams' relatively cagey playstyles, appearing to be wary of losing more than hungry to win. When chances did come they fell largely on Senegal’s side, but Egyptian keeper Mohamed Abou Gabal,

or Gabaski as he is known, produced a masterclass including a penalty save to deny Mane in normal time. This display led to the score remaining blank within 90 minutes, necessitating a goalless period of extra time, and eventually penalties.

Gabaski produced a masterclass including a penalty save to deny Mane

to his position in the order, and handed Mane the golden penalty which he dispatched confidently to put an end to the tournament. AFCON 2022 saw refereeing controversy, football upsets, tragedy in the stadiums and excitement across the continent and football world, and the emergence of young talent representing at the tournament would suggest the future of African football is bright.

The penalties, which resulted in a 4-2 scoreline in favour of Senegal, saw Salah denied the chance to take a penalty due

Gateshead FC : The North East’s rising non-league club Tom Barlow

A look at where Gateshead FC sits among the NorthEast's clubs

urrently sat top of the National League North table, are the Tynesiders set for a return to the final step of non-league football? The northeast of England is renowned for its rich history of proud football clubs. Newcastle United lead the pack currently as they sit in England’s topflight division with rejuvenated hope running through their veins amidst the new takeover. Middlesbrough are running high off their FA Cup victory against Manchester United, with the likes of Sunderland and

Hartlepool United striving to progress through the leagues. A journey down the football pyramid will take us to Gateshead FC. The club across the bridge from Newcastle are currently sitting in the National League North, where other north-eastern clubs are packed together, with the likes of Blyth Spartans, Spennymoor and Darlington all huddled together. Gateshead currently sit pretty at the top of the National League North tied on points with Brackley Town, as they bid to return to the final step of the nonleague system. Consistent mid-table finishes in the National League saw the Tynesiders lack that final push to get into the promotion spots. However, although finishing ninth in the 2018/19 season, they were relegated to the National League North due to financial irregularities: an alltoo-common affair in English football at the moment. Hope is perhaps being restored for the club on the Tyne though,

due to their promotion prospects for a return to the National League, aided by Macaulay Langstaff and Cedwyn Scott who both have 16 goals each and sit joint second in the top scorer's table. A leaky defence compared to the other promotion hopefuls is counteracted by their impressive goal tally of 57 goals in 26 games, with a win percentage of 69%.

An attendance of just shy of 1000 a game will be vital in helping their aspirations Although talks of a new stadium were squashed along with England’s bid to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, Gateshead play at the fantastic International Stadium, hosting great

facilities, landing them in good stead in their goal of rising up the leagues. An average attendance of just shy of 1000 people a game will be vital in helping their promotion aspirations, as the strong 12th voice of the Gateshead crowd cannot be underestimated. A date for the diaries will most certainly be on April 2nd, as Gateshead take on Brackley Town in what could be a championship decider. The Meets will also have to play third-place Kidderminster Harriers, who recently impressed in their FA Cup run before tragically losing out to West Ham United in extra time. It’s safe to say that the conclusion of this season will be a fascinating one, with a few teams having the footing to take a hold of the league. As Spennymoor, Darlington and Blyth all sit in the bottom half of the table, it is Gateshead who will have to hold the beacon for non-league clubs in the northeast of England.

Image: Instagram (@gfc_official)

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Monday 21st February 2022

Sub-editors: Castor Chan, Katie Siddall, Ethan Todd, Lucy Rimmer & Mitchell Hall

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Super Bowl LVI - Rams butt Bengals in tight clash Sam Slater

he 56th showpiece game in the NFL calendar was one worthy of the hype – not even a Larry David crypto ad could ruin it. The solitary Super Bowl win between the Rams and the Bengals was the lowest number of previous titles between franchises in the Super Bowl since 2000, when coincidentally the Rams defeated the still title-less Titans. The Rams have found a resurgence since moving back to Los Angeles from St. Louis in 2016. Hiring Sean McVey, who at the time became the youngest NFL head coach in history proved a master stroke, the faith being repaid swiftly with an appearance at Super Bowl LIII in 2019. A bright start to the season, the Rams were 7-1 before three consecutive losses in November. However, key trades mid-season trades bolstered the team with Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller and Odell Beckham Jr. signing. With Cooper Kupp already having one of the best NFL seasons on record and Aaron Donald excellent as ever the Rams offence was formidable, the defence seemingly impenetrable. The Rams finished 12-5, narrowly defeating the Buccaneers and 49ers to claim their second NFC Championship in four seasons. The Bengals have not had such recent

fortune. Their victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in their Wild Card game was their first playoff victory in 31 years, a draught worthy of being the longest in NFL history. A modest 10-7 record was enough to clinch the AFC North title, their first winning season since 2015. Echoing the grit and determination of the 2007 Giants, the Bengals seemed to relish in their underdog status on their playoff run with second year QB Joe Burrow effectively linking up with Cincinnati’s first round draft pick Ja’Marr Chase as they dispatched the Titans and the Chiefs. The mouthwatering tie between the star-studded Rams and the youthful Bengals carrying momentum and popular support was a promising match-up. The teams were introduced at the SoFi stadium in Inglewood, California by Dwayne Johnson, an early reminder that this game is as much about the event as it is the sport. The sense of event was made much larger during the half time show, with a west coast living legends display delivered by Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, and Kendrick Lamar as a fully masked Kanye West watched on. The first quarter saw a tight contest, before Kupp caught a key 20-yard pass from Stafford to get close to the red zone before Beckham Jr. made a 17yard reception to open the scoring. The Bengals responded with a sensational

Tennis' Juan Martin Del Potro eyes retirement Tom Barlow

t the age of 33, the ‘Gentle Giant’ perhaps retired on the clay courts of Buenos Aires after an emotional display, with the Argentine recognising it would most probably be his last ever match on the circuit. In his bid to return to full match fitness, Del Potro slipped at the net in the Fever-Tree Championships at Queens against the now world number 12, Dennis Shapovalov, in June 2019. Although going on to win the match 7-5, 6-4, the Argentine had to withdraw from the tournament and did not return from his right-knee injury until now, at the Argentine Open. His straight sets loss to fellow Argentine Federico Delbonis was deemed by Juan to be more of a ‘farewell,’ rather than a comeback and this was signalled by the ‘Gentle Giant’ breaking down before his final service game of the match. A twominute pause saw the emotions of Juan supplemented by the crowd chanting ‘Delpo’ in support of their hero, as they recognised the finality of the occasion. A clearly difficult on-court interview after the match saw Juan explain how it would be ‘very hard’ for him to continue and this has been seen through his withdrawal of the Rio Open, as a final decision on his retirement is still yet to be announced, a l t h o u g h s e e m i n g l y inevitable. The man from the Tandil region explained how he has had to sleep with discomfort in his knee for the past two years,

as viewers could visibly see through his interview the pain and suffering he had been going through. A career plagued by wrist injures, before his knee injury, has not stopped the tennis world from recognising the successes of ‘Delpo.’ A Grand Slam US Open title in five sets against Roger Federer in 2009 would be the pinnacle of Del Potro’s career, along with a career high ranking of number three in 2018 on the back of a consistently impressive year on the circuit. In a sport known for its outspoken, even arrogant individuals in some cases, ‘Delpo’ was a shining light. He was always the neutral’s favourite for his temperament on and off the court and his slam-dunk forehand, with a fluorescent technique, was ironically pleasing on the eye for someone dubbed as a ‘giant.’ I speak for myself and the whole of the tennis world when I say that we will truly miss Del Potro gracing the courts on the circuit and we wish him a healthy and happy retirement, as his announcement seems inevitable.

Image: Wikimedia Commons (sirobi)

46-yard pass from Burrow to Chase, yet a failure to capitalise and only coming with more than a field goal served a reminder the Rams defence would not be beaten easily. The Rams started the second quarter brightly, continuing their drive and marching towards the endzone where Kupp made an 11-yard reception. However, mishandling the snap meant they failed to convert the extra point – a potentially devastating mistake to make at any time, never mind in the Super Bowl. The Bengals seemed emboldened by this error, Burrow leading a march down the field with a well-rehearsed halfback pass from Joe Mixon caught for a touchdown, narrowing the Rams lead to just three points heading into half time. Late drama in the first half saw Beckham Jr. injuring his knee by twisting awkwardly on the artificial turf – suddenly the Rams no longer looked comfortable. Seconds into the second half, Burrow found Higgins with a deep pass resulting in a touchdown and the Bengals taking the lead for the first time in the game, setting the score at 17-13. However, replays showed Higgins grabbing Ramsey’s facemask before making the catch, though no penalty flag was thrown. An interception seconds after the restart meant things went from bad to worse for the Rams, with an Evan McPherson field goal stretching Cincinnati’s lead to seven points. Matt

Gay was able to respond with a 41-yard attempt, before the tight contest in the first half resumed as the quarter ended 20-16. The tight contest continued into the fourth quarter, with the Bengals defence trying valiantly to defend their lead. A flurry of penalty flags would be their undoing, giving the Rams several attempts to get the touchdown they needed to retake the lead. The time eaten up by the Rams drive meant following Kupp’s 1-yard touchdown reception the Bengals were left with only 1:25 on the clock to score a field goal to equalise. Swift receptions saw the Bengals break into the Rams half, yet the Rams defence held firm, pushing the Bengals to a fourth down. With only one yard required for a new set of downs with a timeout and 43 seconds on the clock, Donald broke through the Bengals offensive line and tackled Burrow, keeping the score at 23-

20 to give the Rams their second Super Bowl title with Kupp named MVP.

Peng Shuai retracts prior sexual assault allegations Jess Bradbury - Film sub-editor rand Slam tennis champion, Peng Shuai, has said that a “huge misunderstanding” has arisen over her post claiming that she was sexually assaulted by a former Chinese party leader. The post, which was originally shared in November 2021, was swiftly deleted and Peng went missing from public life for weeks. After global concern was sparked, the tennis star recently spoke to French newspaper L’Equipe and denied that she had ever made any allegations of sexual assault. The interview was said to be conducted in highly controlled circumstances, with questions from the newspaper having to be submitted in advance. Peng was also accompanied to the interview by the Chinese Olympic Committee’s chief of staff, who acted as a translator according to the report. Another condition of the interview was that her comments had to be published verbatim in a question-and-answer format. She thanked those who had spoken out in caution over her wellbeing, but also questioned why the situation had been “exaggerated”. Peng also told the outlet that she was living a normal life and had never disappeared, something which had previously been used by Chinese state officials to dismiss concerns. The tennis player also stated that she deleted

her Weibo post herself and did so of her own accord because she “wanted to”. The 36-year-old also hinted to the outlet that she may be retiring from professional tennis, stating: “Considering my age, my multiple surgeries and the pandemic that forced me to stop for so long, I believe it will be very difficult to regain my physical level.” In response to the interview, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has admitted that concerns over Peng’s wellbeing have still not been alleviated. In a statement, they said: “It’s always good to see Peng Shuai, whether in an interview or attending the Olympic Games. However, her recent in-person interview does not alleviate any of our concerns about her initial post from 2nd November”. They reiterated their view that the tennis player took a “bold step in publicly coming forth with the accusations that she was sexually assaulted by a senior Chinese government leader”.

The WTA is still calling for a formal investigation into Peng’s allegations through appropriate authorities, and for the chance to meet with her privately to discuss the situation. They finally re-emphasised in their statement that “we continue to hold firm on our position and our thoughts remain with Peng Shuai”. Human rights lawyer, Teng Biao, stated on Twitter that “the simple truth is Peng Shuai is forced to say what the Chinese authorities want her to say”. His comments echo many of the concerns from people and organisations outside of China, with further suspicions arising from the interview. Marc Ventouillac, one of the two journalists for L’Equipe who spoke to Peng, says that he is still unsure if she is free. China’s intentions, the writer states, were clear from the beginning: by granting the interview during Beijing’s time hosting the Winter Olympics, Chinese officials hope to put the controversy to rest so that the event is not overshadowed. He also said that one of L’Equipe’s aims for the interview was to show Peng the worldwide concern for her, and that she is “not alone”.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Sub-editors: Castor Chan, Katie Siddall, Ethan Todd, Lucy Rimmer & Mitchell Hall

Monday 21st February 2022

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Sport A mess of Olympic proportions: Beijing 2022 34

Castor Chan - Sport sub-editor

The Winter Olympics have been marred throughout with controversy and distrust

he 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is the latest event in a long chain of sports news that has faced struggles in regards to coronavirus handling and human rights controversies. The Australian Open garnered unprecedented worldwide attention when Djokovic was ultimately barred from competing due to his vaccination status, and the English football sphere has been rocked by gender violence allegations against multiple players. The Winter Olympics - usually a little less spotlighted than its summer

equivalent even previously - has gone largely forgotten this year. It started on the 4th of February, yet more people have focused on its problems rather than its sporting schedule. Firstly, many wonder why Beijing is the host city in the first place. Considering that the snow on the slopes is entirely fake due to the lack of humidity in Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, the contrast between the stark white and brown of the mountains is almost comical. Jessie Diggins, a member of the US Nordic ski team and Olympic gold winner, commented on the slicker, denser fake ice, citing its increased speed and danger as opposed to the fluffier, natural snow. Yet this exact speed will be very tempting to athletes, who are used to pushing themselves to the brink for their sport. The reliability of artificial is also a big advantage, especially with global warming. The International Ski Federation has claimed that “it creates a standard surface from the top to the bottom of course, creating stable

conditions.” Beijing isn’t the first Olympics to use fake snow - the technology was also present in Pyeongchang, Sochi, all the way back to Lake Placid in 1980 even - but it will be the first to rely on it entirely. An estimated 49 million gallons will be used over the course of the justover-two-week long event to ensure tracks for skiers and snowboarders in the pinnacle of winter sport. Water is scarce in Northern China, and the artificial ice crystals are the work of an elaborate system of pumps and reservoirs. However, China insists that this, and the Games in general, are in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. This brings us to the next question: is this sports greenwashing on one of the largest ever scales? As Eileen Gu launched into her gold medal-winning jump, she was framed by the “dystopian” backdrop of Big Air Shougang. Formerly known as the Shougang steel mill, the titanic smokestacks

Image: Twitter (@BullandBaird)

pumped dark clouds over Shijingshang District. It closed for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and has since been repurposed into yards, a museum, and now a ski jump. There are even plans to add a wedding venue.

A series of waterconserving and recycling designs have been put into place to optimise water usage

Considering China’s history with fossil fuels, it is baffling to see a country known as one of the biggest creators of warming emissions need to use fake snow because of a lack of rainfall. They claim to be using renewable energy for the duration of the Games, but not many have faith in seeing these practices continued afterwards. The IOC said, “locations for Winter Games depend on a number of considerations, not just snowfall. A series of water-conserving and recycling designs have been put into place to optimise water usage.” Then we have the political and social storm around China. Even though they were literally the epicentre of the coronavirus disaster, their ambition for status meant that the government was willing to tackle complicated containment and isolation strategies to hopefully ensure the safety of the thousands involved in the Olympics (Almost 3000 athletes and countless coaches, judges and staff members). There is a closed-loop system in play, joining together accommodation and venues in a bus network prompting images reminiscent of the Escher-style staircase from Squid Game. Furthermore, the Peng Shuai sexual assault scandal rocked the tennis world, prompting heightened scrutiny against the Beijing government and distrust of the Olympic committee. The IOC has claimed to have successfully contacted Peng over both video calls and face-to-

face dinners. China has not spoken out explicitly about the case, yet people fear behind-the-scenes coercion hinted at through media details and her abrupt insistence and interviews stating that it was just a “misunderstanding”. Lastly, that leads to the integrity of the Games themselves. Faith in the Olympics is wavering, especially now that Kamila Valieva has been allowed to continue competing. Many will compare her to Sha’Carri Richardson, who was unable to participate in the Summer Olympics after testing positive for marijuana. She was only given a one month ban that ended prior to the Games, but she was left off the women’s relay team despite being the favourite to win the gold for the 100m sprint. Valieva tested positive for three drugs, only one of which is banned (trimetazidine used to treat angina). But combined with the other two, they are also said to improve sports performance by reducing fatigue and were referenced as “a lot of red flags” by Travis Tygart, the US antidoping chief. Valieva has claimed that the flagged test sample was due to contamination from her grandfather’s medicine, and she has the right to ask for a retest using a B sample under the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency. It is a shame that this has clouded her Olympic experience, especially as this could be her only Games. Her coach, Eteri Tuterberidze, is infamous for bringing a new generation group every Olympics - note the absence of her former stars Alina Zagitova and Evgenia Medvedeva (15 and 18 respectively when they claimed their medals). But, in order to keep the Olympics fair, someone must be punished for this transgression. Unfortunately, it will be Valieva at one of the most important competitions of her career, and there are still people calling out for a more severe punishment despite the lack of control the 15-yearold has in this situation. All of that combined has made this one of the most controversial Games in history, and if the IOC cannot regain authority and trust from the public, the Olympics will lose its prominent status in the sporting world.

Doping scandal puts Russian skater on thin ice Hannah Ross

The IOC is pulled into a hard case of deciding if Valieva will be allowed to compete in the womens individual discipline

ifteen year old Kamila Valieva wowed both judges and spectators on Tuesday, landing the first quad ever to be performed by a female figure skater in the Winter Olympics and winning team figure skating gold medal for the Russian Olympic Committee. Despite her senior debut being less than six months ago, Valieva successfully landed a phenomenal quad salchow in her routine followed by a flawless quad toe loop. Although tumbling a third quad, there are only three females to ever attempt a single

quadruple at the Winter Olympics, proving her exceptional skill. In the end, she scored a total of 178.92 – 30 points more than second place Japanese Kaori Sakamoto, making coach Eteri Tutberidze proud. Quads consist of four complete rotations of the body in mid-air and are an impressive feat for any figure skater and are a rare sight, but Valieva has been performing them regularly in competition this season. The young skater is a consistent record setter in her short time on the scene. Even in her debut at the CS Finlandia Trophy she set a world record. She has followed this by breaking records in free skate and combined total as well as becoming the first woman to score over 90 points in the short program at the Europeans last month, setting another world record of 90.45. Since these incredible achievements, Kamila now finds herself at the centre of a doping controversy. It came to light after her performance on Tuesday that she had tested positive in a drug test for trimetazidine – a drug that helps prevent angina attack but has also

shown evidence of improving physical endurance and has been on the list of prohibited drugs in the Olympics since 2014. Valieva was immediately suspended but has since requested an appeal that they await the results of and will determine whether she is permitted to compete in the individuals event this Tuesday Interestingly, the test was taken several weeks ago back in December, yet the results were only divulged after she had won the ROC the gold medal. This has raised questions as to why Russian officials allowed her to compete after performing this drug test. It comes after Russia’s ban from the previous Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang in 2018, in which an investigation had ruled there had been state-sponsored doping whilst hosting the game in Sochi in 2014. Russia had been given permission to enter the Olympics this year under the Russian Olympic Committee, provided there was no connection involved to the previous doping scandals. Now, their reputation hangs in the balance. Regardless of the ongoing investigation, Valieva continued her

training along with her teammates, whilst they and Russian officials have refused to comment on the situation. The world awaited the Court of Arbitration for Sport's results with anticipation and suspense. Update written 14th February: The CAS have allowed Valieva to skate in the ladies' singles event. This decision was met with heavy criticism from the public, especially with how US runner Sha'Carri Richardson's marijuana case was handled. Richardson, favourite to win the 100m track, tested positive for THC. The sprinter explained that it was for personal use to cope with the passing of her mother. Despite not being officially barred from the Games, she was left off the relay team. This sparks the debate of why Valieva's case is any different. As she is under sixteen, she is a 'protected person', someone less likely to be severely punished for doping. The public has called out against the actions of her coaches, but unfortunately the only person that can be punished in this scenario will be the athlete herself. Valieva will continue her bid for a

second g o l d medal, but if she successfully claims a step on the podium, there will be no medal ceremony, even for the other two, and an alternative will be arranged.

Image: Twitter (@Olympics)

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Monday 21st February 2022

Sub-editors: Castor Chan, Katie Siddall, Ethan Todd, Lucy Rimmer & Mitchell Hall

Sport

Euro 2028: giving up the world cup bid Gabbi de Boer - Relationships sub-editor

A Euro 2028 bid has been deemed better value by the associations

ngland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and The Republic of Ireland have agreed to drop aims to bid for the World Cup in 2030, and instead bid to host the Euros in 2028. The decision came following a

‘feasibility study’, with the government humiliation. originally pledging £2.8 million to In a statement released by the the study in anticipation of the five associations, the decision bid. Hosting the World Cup is to only bid to host Euro something the government has 2028 is due to the fact that been keen to do for years, with the European tournament Boris Johnson describing the UK would carry “a similar turn as “the home of football” and that it on investment” as hosting the would be “an absolutely wonderful World Cup would have, but thing for the country”. Previously, there would be “a far lower England failed a bid in 2018, with delivery cost”. The collaboration the last major men’s tournament of the associations also offers played in the UK being the 1996 a “unique five-way hosting European Championship. It is also collaboration” across the UK, as partly because of this previously well as hoping to create a positive failed bid that the decision has been legacy of football across the UK. made to withdraw – with people After torrents of online racial questioning if it is worth bidding abuse towards England’s for following this previous Image: Pixabay players, there were many

calls to ban fans from future tournaments, as well as banning England from hosting tournaments after fan troubles. Although this hasn’t come to fruition, new laws have been formed to ban online racist trolls from attending football matches in England and Wales. Currently, football banning orders can be imposed on those convicted of violence, disorder, and racist or homophobic chanting, however, this is set to extend to online hate offenses. Those found guilty could be banned for 3 to 10 years. Despite no longer bidding for the 2030 World Cup, there is still a lot of desire to eventually bring the tournament to the UK.

West Ham remembers young fan Isla Caton with applause After seven-year-old Isla Caton passed away, West Ham remembers her during their first home match

est Ham United dedicated a tribute to her during their game against Watford Football Club on the 8th of January. Kickoff was preceded by a message from mum Nicola Caton, where she thanked everyone for the “love and support” the family had received in the last five years. Players and supporters from Watford joined West Ham in a minute of applause during both the pre-match and 7th minute, with Isla’s photo shown on the screens in London Stadium. Pink armbands also stood stark against the blue and yellow sleeves of the Hammers and Hornets and the match programme was specially designed for the night. Statements from West Ham said, “Rest in peace brave, beautiful Isla, you were an inspiration to us all.” The team also created a special Book of Condolence, a compilation of tributes submitted by the public. For those unfamiliar, Isla Caton was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, at the age of 2. A fundraiser to get her specialist treatment was contributed to by football fans around the country, allowing Isla to receive years more of time with her family. Despite her fight and multiple rounds of surgeries and therapy, doctors declared treatment ineffective last December. Seven-year-old Isla passed away on the 25th of January, and thousands were either present at her funeral service or online via a video link shared by Nicola. Her story touched many over the years, and it extended beyond West Ham supporters. Football clubs around the country held their own special tributes for her memory. Long-time rivals Millwall Football Club also sent their sympathies as Isla’s

story brought about an unprecedented harmony between the clubs. Despite decades of deep-seated bitterness, they set aside their differences and came together to contribute to Isla’s healthcare. Millwall fan Jamie Pearce ran the Brighton Marathon in Isla’s name, saying “...when I saw Isla’s story I felt compelled to do something. If a family like theirs comes to Millwall looking for help then all jokes aside we have to do what we can… I’ve had a great reception and it really shows rivalry doesn’t exist where real matters, especially children, are concerned.” Pearce cited Tony Munday as his inspiration, who raised more than £20,000 running between the two football club’s stadiums in the Hammers’ claret and blue. In the description of his fundraiser page, he said, “Anyone who knows me will know that I’m a Millwall supporter to the core and that West Ham are the team I love to hate. But when it comes to children and cancer, rivalries and colours become insignificant and we all pull together as one.”

treatment beyond the NHS, and Isla’s fundraiser was set up in conjunction with the foundation. Nikki Caton has been continuously active on social media about increasing awareness and resources to hopefully solve childhood cancer. In her video message for West Ham, she that she will be taking a little break, but expressed her determination to “go on

Image: Gamepeida

Castor Chan - Sports sub-editor Katie Siddall - Sports sub-editor

a fight in Isla’s name and … make a difference against childhood cancer and neuroblastoma.” The loss of Isla and Bradley is heartwrenching both in and outside of the football sphere, but the hope is that the attention they brought to the disease will spark a legacy that helps many more young children in need all over the country. Unfortunately, this story has been overshadowed by Kurt Zouma. Zouma is a West Ham player from France who has been reported for animal abuse, due to an incident where he has been filmed kicking his cat. Zouma has been on the front page of most newspapers; therefore, Isla’s story has not had the coverage it deserves. The decision by David Moyes to play Zouma despite the knowledge of the media frenzy it would create made an already out of touch decision even more tone deaf. One West Ham fan is appaulded by Isla Caton not having her story shared, as he says: “The actions of Zouma and Moyes were disgraceful as a West Ham supporter; however, for the time being they shouldn’t be allowed to overshadow t h e fantastically courageous lives and actions of Isla Caton and her family.”

BUCS RESULTS AMERICAN FOOTBALL 1 V Northumbria 1

BADMINTON

W1 V Bristol 1 W2 V Durham 2 M2 V York 1

BASKETBALL

W1 V East London 1

DANCE

Inter Tap Inter Jazz Advanced Ballet Inter Street Inter Contemporary Advanced Contemporary Lyrical

FENCING

W1 V Kent 1

FOOTBALL

W2 V Northumbria 3 W1 V Leeds Beckett 2 M2 V Sheffield 1 M1 V USW 1 M3 V Sunderland 3

FUTSAL

M1 V Leeds 1 M2 V York St John 2

HOCKEY

W6 V Cumbria 1 W4 V Leeds 3 M4 V York 2 M1 V Nottingham 4 M3 V Leeds 3 W5 V Durham 6

LACROSSE

W1 V Cambridge 1

NETBALL

W3 V York 2 W5 V Sheff' Hallam 6 W4 V Sheff' Hallam 3 W2 V Leeds 4

RUGBY LEAGUE

M1 V Nott'ham Trent 1

5-3 5-3 0-8 93-62 1st 1st 2nd 3rd 3rd 3rd 3rd 0-0 16-0 7-1 1-1 3-2 8-1 6-1 5-4 16-1 2-2 0-2 1-1 2-6 3-3 3-23 45-41 43-16 35-19 40-54 54-0

W1 V Swansea 1 0-0 M1 V Leeds 1 29-10 M3 V M4 29-12 M5 V Durham 5 16-7 M2 V Loughborough 2 22-19

SQUASH

W1 V Glasgow 1 M1 V Surrey 1 W2 V Hull 1 M4 V Durham 5

M2 V Durham 2 M1 V UCL 1

TENNIS

W2 V Durham 5

WATER POLO

W2 V Leeds Beckett 1 M1 V York 1 W1 V Bath 1 W2 V Liverpool 1

Image: Twitter (@WatfordFC)

37-0

RUGBY UNION

TABLE TENNIS

Isla’s legacy promises to go unforgotten as condolences poured in from people everywhere Isla’s story comes only a few years after Bradley Lowery’s. He - like Isla - was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, and passed away in 2017. He is still fondly remembered, and last year a street was named after him in his home of County Durham. The Bradley Lowery Foundation was created in his honour in hopes of assisting families who need

4-1 3-2 3-1 3-0 8-9 9-8 5-1 12-6 21-11 19-5 1-24

THE

Monday 21st February 2022

COURIER

Sub-editors: Castor Chan, Katie Siddall, Ethan Todd, Lucy Rimmer & Mitchell Hall

Sport

Newcastle University Athletics & Cross Country team race in Brunel, London Toby Loveday

NUAXC achieve a top 100 finish

ast Saturday (5th February), athletes from Newcastle University’s Athletics and CrossCountry club travelled to Brunel University to compete in the annual BUCS XC championships. Travelling up on Friday, we stayed in Slough, famous for being the location of The Office and having Europe’s biggest trading estate, amongst many other things. Fuelled

from a hearty Travelodge breakfast the next morning, the team headed to Horsenden Hill for the beginning of proceedings. With the sun shining and anticipation and excitement effervescent, the day was set to be a good ‘un. First off was the Women’s Short Race (6km), with over 400 competing. A team of 7 took on the muddy, twisting course and showed great resilience with a top 300 placings for Isabel Wherritt (170), Stephy Puxty (235), Katie Atkinson (252), Laura Havis (279), and Emily Bickerstaff (299), a fantastic achievement against exceptionally strong competition. The Men’s Short Race (8km) quickly followed, which witnessed an equally impressive turnout

of nearly 500 athletes. Edward Pettitt smashed his run, with an exceptional 33rd. Through increasingly difficult conditions, a tightly packed Newcastle team followed, with Jamie Styles (246), Michael Burgess (266), Christian Lim (398) and Daniel Sarkissan (399) all managing to secure a place in the top 400. Next up was the Women’s Long Race (8km). At this point, the mud at certain parts of the course was becoming almost impossible to run through. Once again NUAXC showed that they were more than capable at matching some of the nation’s best runners, with an outstanding top 100 placing from Shona Haston (91), closely followed by Emily Fern Jones (108), Hannah

Image: @NUAXC

Thom (124) and Natasha Schmidt (133). The final race of the day was the Men’s Long Race (10km). The race started at a furious pace, and Toby Loveday could not resist the temptation of achieving ‘BUCS 100m’ glory, posing to the crowds after an incredible sub 10 second effort. James Puxty led the lads home (115), followed by Sean Barry (134), Will Brockman (161), Toby Loveday (201), Alex Stokes (202), and Chris Robinson (218). Silent disco and DJ action followed at the Brunel Uni SU, at which only a few hardy souls survived to the end. Overall, the weekend was a huge success, many thanks to those involved with organising it.

Image: @NUAXC

NU women's frisbee Nationals comeback

Rosie McCallum

fter tough competition at Women’s Indoor Regionals in November 2021, the Women’s Frisbee Team earned their place at Women’s Indoor Nationals which took place last weekend. On Friday night, the team set off down to Hertfordshire, led by Captain Izzy Retout, to compete in a twoday competition against the Top 19 University Women’s Frisbee teams in the country. Heading into the weekend, our team were seeded 19th; we had nothing to lose. With that in mind, we were determined to prove them wrong because who doesn’t love an underdog. The battle to break seed was on. On the Saturday morning, we arrived at the venue at 9:00am to warm-up and open the tournament. With little expectation, we began our game against Strathclyde at 9:20am. As it was our first game of the tournament, it took us time to familiarise ourselves with the disc. We lost our game 7-5 to Strathclyde. Spirits remained high as we picked ourselves up and powered through to the next.

Into our second game, we knew the competition was tough. At Regionals, we saw the strength of the UCL Frisbee Team so we knew it would be a difficult game. Determined to show them our strength, we set out all guns blazing. After putting up a strong force, we lost to UCL 5-7. At this point, the Pies needed a pick me up, if we wanted to break seed. We had to win our next two games. The stakes were rising as pressure was building up. We had more to show. Southampton were our next opponents, and we weren’t going to let them win. With strong defensive and offensive from both ends, the game ran tight. However, at the last moment the Pies managed to score a crucial point ending the game 5-4. One game remained against Loughborough. The team rallied together to put up a convincing battle. The result paid off, consequently finishing 5-3 to Newcastle. After a tough day of well-fought competition, the Pies celebrated, we were no longer 19th. We had broken seed. Coming 2nd in our pool left us in the top 8. The second day, the stakes had skyrocketed. Though we were ecstatic from the jump from 19th to 8th, nothing

was set in stone. Intensity increased as went to Maddy Huffer who scored some our first game of the day had the power brilliant discs in the end zone whilst to change all. If we beat Glasgow, who displaying her renowned defensive were 9th, we could remain in the top 8. skills. Though we lost our final 3 games, However, if defeated, the drastic drop it’s safe to say that we made it into the was a potential 16th. Everything was top 8 best university women’s teams in on the line. With a minute a half left, it the country and that’s something to be was 4-4. All tensions were rising as the proud of. buzzer stopped and the last point remained. Whilst I paced up and down the side-line, Lily Gray threw a spicy overhead which met the hands of Hannah Quirk and excitement erupted. We were top 8 in the country. Any higher than 8 was now a treat. Our expectations had already been exceeded so for our final 3 games we gave our all, though just Image: Newcastle University missed out. Women's Frisbee Team Our MVP of the weekend

View from the AU Fergus Mainland - Athletic Union Officer ver the past couple of weeks, we’ve all been gripped by the Winter Olympics. For me, watching the Games is a very humbling experience. As Brits, we’re used to a constant medal rush and being one of the dominant sporting hegemonies, but the contrast couldn’t be starker when temperatures drop. As a nation that has come to expect success, some of the most frustrating performances to watch were our sliders. Funding is everything is sport and those who have cutting edge equipment have more than just gravity on their side. The ability to rely on luck, passion and the ‘Plucky Brit’ mentality is wearing thin. GB have underperformed at these Games. However, they have also been underfunded. Britain’s £126,000 to cover Bobsleigh and Luge is a drop in the ocean compared to the millions the Germany pumps into development and research. As I said, there is a limit as to how far determination and passion will get you in the world of elite sport. Particularly when it has become its own economy with KPIs and targets that must be met. The best part about sport is its unpredictability and the opportunity for a script to be flipped and there’s something about playing sport on ice that adds that extra dimension of unpredictability. There was a time at the Summer Games that Britain returned with one medal provide by Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Matthew Pinsent. The whole Olympic performance by team GB send shudders and shockwaves through the government and the public. Radical change in funding was implemented and the impact this has had needs no introduction. We need to stop viewing the Winter Olympics as something we just participate in, hoping for a wee taste of victory to satisfy our palates. We have provided, Rowing, Cycling, Triathlon and other summer sports with the tools to excel and they’ve gone above and beyond in recent games. Our Winter sports deserve a shot to see what their ceiling is when adequate funding is put in place to create an environment that nurtures talents and creates medal opportunities.

INSIDE SPORT TODAY

Newcastle update

Lewis Thompson reports on Newcastle’s crucial win over Everton Page 36

Image: @trippier2 via Twitter

Uni sports reports

Winter Olympics

All the drama of the Beijing games, from political controversy to teenage doping scandals Page 38

Find out how Newcastle Uni Cross Country and Frisbee clubs are fairing Page 39

Image: @olympics via Twitter

And much more...

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