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>> A night with Nightline
10th October 2017 Issue 341
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>> Travel takes you to fairytale Bavaria
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>> Global looks at strife in Spain
The official student newspaper of the University of East Anglia | concrete-online.co.uk
Anti-social behaviour reports up 74% increase in noise complaints to Security
Emily Hawkins Editor-in-Chief UEA has seen an increase in the number of reports of anti-social behaviour, with a greater amount of security and welfare related issues reported to both senior residents and UEA Security. A document shown to this newspaper revealed the number of cases dealt with by the university’s Disciplinary Officer process has increased. Cases are only referred to the Disciplinary Officer when there
is sufficient evidence an individual has breached accommodation or general student regulations.
"Whilst some want a ‘party’ lifestyle, many others need a quieter experience" Senior Resident reports from the last four academic years show an increase in students claiming they are the victim of a noise disturbance.
400 incidents of this nature were recorded in 2016, an 80 percent increase on the previous year. UEA Security reports show 2016 had an increase of 74 percent for the number of noise complaints made, compared to 2015. There was also a 65 percent increase on the number of ‘misbehaviour’ incidents and a 38 percent rise on anti social behaviour incidents recorded. The number of anti-social, misbehaviour, or noise disturbance related incidents dealt with by the Disciplinary Officer has seen a dramatic increase in the last three
UEA blames pre-drinking culture
academic years. In 2014, 61 incidents of this nature were dealt with by the university, with 131 and 168 in 2015 and 2016 respectively. The university blamed the increase of anti-social behaviour reports on a national student ‘predrinking’ culture. Dr Jon Sharp, Director of Student Services, said: “Much of the upward trend in anti-social incidents (most of which include alcohol as a factor) reflect the increasing nationwide trend of “predrinking” cheap alcohol purchased
from supermarkets at home prior to going out to either the LCR or into the city. We also saw an increase in the number of ‘post-drinks’ – students returning from a night out and continuing the party. “We also saw an increase in the number of parties and ‘pre-drinks’ in residences where it appeared that new students (who make up the bulk of resident students) had been pressured into hosting by older peers in sports clubs and societies. The University agreed with the Continued on page 4
UEA's Ishiguro wins Nobel literature prize
Matt Nixon News editor
Author Kazuo Ishiguro, alumni of UEA’s school of Literature, Drama, and Creative Writing (LDC), has been awarded the 2017 Nobel prize in literature for his “novels of great emotional force.” The author is the first LDC graduate to be awarded the prize. Ishiguro, who was born in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1954, moved
to the UK when he was five and joined UEA’s MA course in Creative Writing in 1979, graduating the following year. Since leaving UEA, he has published seven novels including the critically acclaimed works ‘The Remains of Day’ and ‘Never Let Me Go’.
Ishiguro has also written a range of screenplays and short stories. The Nobel prize awarding institutions explained their motivation for giving Ishiguro the prize is that he is a writer “who, in novels of great emotional force, has uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world.” Commenting on the prize, Ishiguro said: “This
is amazing and totally unexpected news. It comes at a time when the world is uncertain about its values, its leadership and its safety. “I just hope that my receiving this huge honour will, even in a small way, encourage the forces for goodwill and peace at this time.” Speaking to the BBC the newly announced Nobel laureate added: “I thought that in this age of false news, I thought it was perhaps a mistake. [sic] I only started to believe
this was true when the BBC rang me.” Professor Christopher Bigsby, the director of UEA’s Autumn Literary Festival – which Kazuo Ishiguro is due to speak at tomorrow (Wednesday 11 October) – said Mr. Ishiguro’s work is “characterised by a tightly controlled prose and concerned people, on the fringes of major events, who committed Continued on page 3
10th October 2017
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Editorial Forget big issues, I want to talk about the small ones Sophie Bunce Deputy Editor
It’s that time of year Editor-in-Chief Emily Hawkins talks germs and the October term Emily Hawkins Editor-in-Chief It’s that time of year. Sometimes there are fortnights where a certain phrase ends up appearing in almost every article. This issue, it’s that one. The toll of adjusting into new housing, dealing with the germs of the new term, and returning to the academic-ish world doesn’t hit until about now, when the joy and horror of freshers’ week have disappeared. But whilst freshers’ week (fortnight) is truly over, freshers’ flu has arrived, left, and then come back for round two on UEA’s campus. The Media Office is full of people with colds and complaints and even, for us unlucky third years, coursework deadlines casting a gloomy shadow. Venue editor Kate and I made an emergency trip to the Pets as Therapy dogs session in the LCR last week - it’s that time of year. For advice on how to treat freshers’ flu, you can read Roo Pitt’s tips on page 18. Unsurprisingly, they involve eating vegetables and sleeping enough - something not very student-y but important. If the present combination of rain and brutalist architecture really isn’t for you, you can enjoy an escapist read of Megan Furr’s travels to Bavaria and the history of the region’s magical-looking castles on page 20. Sometimes though, it’s not enough to eat fruit or stroke a dog. Features have turned their focus on mental health this issue, with our publication day corresponding with World Mental Health Day. Deputy Editor Sophie spent a night learning what an average night on the job involves for volunteers on UEA’s student-led listening service (hint: it’s a lot) in their new space.
Features editor Hattie Griffiths gets you clued up on one of the nation’s largest mental health charities and how they can help students on page 12. It’s also assuring to see the university and union work together to improve student welfare and safety, by introducing a joint antisexual harassment scheme. With a recent report showing 3 in 4 young people have witnessed sexual harassment on a night out in the East of England, this scheme appears sorely needed and will be warmly welcomed. The scheme builds on the union’s previous zero tolerance Never Ok campaign with multiple venues in the city committed.
"The toll of adjusting into new housing, dealing with the germs of the new term, and returning to the academic-ish world doesn’t hit until about now, when the glitz, mania and horror of freshers’ week have disappeared." Our front page story reports that there has been an increase in students reporting they are unhappy with noise levels in their accommodation, showing there’s still a way to go with ensuring students feel comfortable on campus.
Our front page story reports that there has been an increase in students reporting they are unhappy with noise levels in their accommodation, showing there’s still a way to go with ensuring students feel comfortable on campus. If that all seems too serious, it’s worth saying that the first few weeks of term have also been full of lots of excitement. Societies’ fairs, big meets, and panic stickerordering out the way, Concrete managed to sign up a record number of new members in the first fortnight of term - so if you’re a new member, hello! October is also Black History Month, something Features have discussed this issue. Danielle Pennant explains the perspective that “as positive in application as it is to dedicate space and time to the achievements of those of the African diaspora, for tangible and sustainable change to be evident in our attitudes and practices, you canít just dedicate months and weeks to people and decide that that's enough”, which is well worth a read.
This issue deals with Black History Month, mental health and all the news has to throw at us. These are all a big deal and deserve attention. However, I will let Emily deal with them. I want to talk about the small ones. I needed something to distract myself from all seriousness of second year. What better than the pizza debate on page 16 that pits Domino’s against Pizza Hut. If you’re new to UEA you need to understand that last year it was all about Domino’s. Blue boxes littered the Zigs because no one could quite shove them into the recycling. Hungry? Domino’s. Locked out? Domino’s. Student? Domino’s. However, this year Pizza Hut are back and wielding voucher codes with vengeance. I don’t know how I feel about either and we could spend hours talking pros and cons. But really I have no loyalty to a brand, only my bank account, so I think I’ll buy pizza from Tesco instead. To help with my bank balance I’m using Finance Editor Jodie Bailey’s tips on page 15 to get a student job. Cross your fingers for me. I focused on these little things because I’ve had my fair share of serious to think about: second year housing. I moved into my first house off campus and it came with more than the Lolita poster the ex-tenants so kindly left behind. Our house has a damp issue. Not a really bad one but it’s not great. Elvyn Forsyth-Morris's article on page 14 ‘The good tenant guide to renting’ helped me understand tenants’ rights and landlord wrongs I’m allowed to point out while holding our rental agreement above my head. So that’s helped. Big or small, issues are issues and I’d like to think Concrete might help, or at least distract. Either that, or use it as disposable plates to put your Domino's/Pizza Hut on. No washing up that way, you’re welcome.
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Pictured: Tee the PAT dog!
Boxes: David Wei, momentmal, Pixabay, Wiper Mexico, Panaromio, Wikimedia, Supermac1961. Second: Mariusz Kubik.
The University of East Anglia’s Official Student newspaper since 1992 Tuesday 10th October 2017 Issue 341 Union House University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ
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01603 593466 www.concrete-online.co.uk Editor-in-Chief Emily Hawkins concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk Deputy Editor Sophie Bunce concrete.deputy@uea.ac.uk Online Jacob Chamberlain Nathan Price Natalie Cotterill concrete.online@uea.ac.uk News News Editor: Matt Nixon Senior Reporter: Shannon McDonagh concrete.news@uea.ac.uk concrete.seniornews@uea.ac.uk
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Global Eddie Booth concrete.global@uea.ac.uk Features Hattie Griffiths Tony Allen concrete.features@uea.ac.uk Comment Jack Ashton concrete.comment@uea.ac.uk Finance Finance Editor: Jodie Bailey Senior Reporter: Will Richardson concrete.finance@uea.ac.uk Science Science Editor: Beth Papworth Senior Reporter: Alex Millard concrete.scienv@uea.ac.uk Travel Beverly Devakishen concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk Sport Daniel Cook Sophie Christian concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk Chief Copy-Editors Hannah Brown Sophie Clayton concrete.copy@uea.ac.uk Marketing and Events Amelia Rentell Social Media Coordinator Emily Latimer concrete.socialmedia@uea.ac.uk Art and Design Yaiza Canopoli Emily Mildren concrete.artdesign@uea.ac.uk Editorial Enquiries Complaints & Corrections concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk
No part of this newspaper may be reproduced by any means without the permission of the Editor-in-Chief, Emily Hawkins. Published by the Union of UEA Students on behalf of Concrete. Concrete is a UUEAS society, but retains editorial independence as regards to any content. Opinions expressed herein are those of individual writers, not of Concrete or its editorial team.
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Joint anti-sexual harrassment campaign The university and students' union have partnered to raise awareness on campus crimes. The programme is being developed to 'help students and staff best respond to instances of abuse', and it will work with specialist partners such as Norfolk Police, Leeway, and the Habour Centre. UEA SU’s Welfare, Community and Diversity officer India Edwards has suggested there are also plans to extend this campaign beyond campus. In a blog post she said: “We’re particularly excited to see this roll out across the city, extending outrGood Night Out programme to other universities, colleges, night clubs and transport providers.” Currently, UEA SU's Good Night Out scheme is used in seven Norwich city venues including Frank's bar, The Playhouse, and The Waterfront.
Cat Leyland News Reporter The university and SU have joined forces to create a new campaign focused on creating a zero-tolerance attitude towards sexual harassment, violence, and hate crimes, building on the SU’s already established ‘Never OK’ campaign. The new campaign comes in response to a report into sexual harassment published by Universities UK (UUK) earlier this year. The report, entitled ‘Changing the Culture’, focused on the need to challenge behaviours and attitudes that underpin sexual harassment.
"We’re particularly excited to see this roll out across the city" It recommended a universitywide approach to tackling these problems, which can be seen in the partnership between the university and the SU. Professor David Richardson, the Vice-Chancellor of UEA, was
80% a member of the UUK taskforce responsible for the decision. Prof Richardson said he “was proud to represent the university and UEA students,” and added: “These issues are vital to helping ensure that our campus is as safe as it can be for everyone.” The current Never OK campaign, led by the SU, utilises
specialist training for student staff and campus-wide posters, aiming to establish a culture of zero tolerance across campus. Provoked by the UUK report, additions to the campaign include temporary graffiti across campus which highlights key statistics found in the report in order to raise awareness and establish a platform
3 in 4 young people witness sexual harassment on a night out in region Jack Ashton News Reporter A study has found almost three quarters of young people have witnessed sexual harassment when out drinking in the East of England. The survey, conducted by YouGov and Drinkaware with over 2000 adults, aimed to judge attitudes to sexual harassment on a night out. It found that 72 percent of 18-24 year olds had witnessed a form of sexual harassment when out drinking. Additionally, 68 percent of the respondents say they expect women to be on the receiving end of inappropriate comments or gestures on a night out, with an added 38 percent saying they had experienced this first hand. This figure makes the East of England the second safest, in that respect, second only to the South East. Figures rise to as much as 52 percent in the North East. Drinkaware have used this study to back up their campaign against sexual harassment. Their aim is to encourage people to be
more comfortable in calling out and stopping sexual harassment on nights out. Janet MacKechnie, a representative from Drinkaware, said that “It can be difficult to know exactly what to do which is why Drinkaware are giving young people this information and advice in the hope that next time they feel more confident to offer support to
"Unwanted comments, touching and behaviour are a feature of nights out for so many students" someone". She added: “If people see someone being sexually harassed, asking them if they are ok can make
a big difference - whether they’re a friend or a stranger.” The campaign gives three pieces of advice: Spot it. Check it. Speak out. It encourages people to step in if they see something suspicious happening. People are encouraged to talk to the person targeted to check if they are okay, but only if they feel safe doing so. Failing that, the next step would be to go to security. SU Welfare, Community, and Diversity Officer, India Edwards, told Concrete: "Whilst the comments are shocking, for most of us they're not surprising. "Unwanted comments, touching and behaviour are a feature of nights out for so many students. "At the SU we're working to change these norms - sexual harassment is never OK - and we're working with partners in the community to roll out our 'Good Night Out' initiative into the City so that reporting harassment to venue staff becomes something you can do across Norwich, not just the LCR."
for debate. Students are also encouraged to take part in ‘Consent Matters’ training on the Blackboard site. The university also intends to implement ‘bystander intervention’ programmes across campus, which will further cement the zero tolerance attitude towards sexual harassment, violence and hate
Continued from front page themselves to the wrong cause. “A theme which runs through all his novels has to do with characters trying to make sense of their lives, that and a concern with memory. The question is whether recalling the past is necessary or whether there are dangers.” The Nobel prize is Kazuo Ishiguro’s tenth award for his literary work. The author was previously awarded the Booker Prize in 1989 for his novel The Remains of Day, and also the Costa Book of the Year for An Artist of the Floating World.
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The number of awards won by the writer, including the Booker Prize.
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The year Ishiguro started his Creative Writing Masters at UEA.
In fact, all of Ishiguro’s larger literary works have been shortlisted for major awards excluding A Pale View of Hills and The Buried Giant.
of trans students feel unsafe on UK campuses
Ms Edwards added: "It's great that UEA has embraced the Never OK campaign, which we are so passionate about. By working together, each and every person on campus can understand that they have the right to feel safe."
Vice-Chancellor Prof David Richardson said : “Norwich is England’s first UNESCO City of Literature and this is in no small part due to UEA’s creative writing courses.
"Nothing could make us prouder at UEA than a Nobel Prize winning alumnus" "Nothing could make us prouder at UEA than a Nobel Prize winning alumnus and I’m absolutely delighted for Kazuo Ishiguro.” Alison Donnell, Head of UEA’s school of LDC, called the award “a tremendous honour and welldeserved for a writer whose writings have touched readers globally, with their intricate renderings of human experiences and the particular hold of memory. “The literary magnificence of his fiction is captured in Kazuo Ishiguro’s capacity to transport readers effortlessly and powerfully across the time and place and urge them to reflect on what matters most.”
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News
Local Syrian dentist crowdfunding Masters
Daniel Peters News Reporter Over the past six years, the Syrian civil war hasn’t strayed from news healines. From war crimes in Aleppo to the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean, the plight of the Syrian people has been observed worldwide. But there is a side to the story which often goes untold. Refugees like 29-year-old Anas Shoydab
stand testimony to the unwavering defiance and perserverance of the human spirit.
"I am keen to get back to my profession as soon as possible" After practicing dentistry for
four years just outside of Syria’s capital city Damascus, Anas was forced to flee the country in 2015 due to daily bombings and fears for his family’s safety. Keen to establish a life for his family in Norwich, Anas is currently seeking donations to be able to practice dentistry in the UK. An online fundraising page has been set up to help him fund a Masters Course at Queen Mary University, in London, which would convert his existing qualifications
into English equivalents. Anas described his desire to repay his debt to Britain by “contributing to the National Health Service”. On his JustGiving page, Mr. Shoydab has said: "I know that my skills as a dentist are in demand here in the UK. I am keen to get back to my profession as soon as possible, not just to support my young family and the people I have left behind in Syria, but also to give back to the country."
At the time of writing, eight percent of Anas' goal has been raised of the £22,300 needed to fund these
22.3
thousand pounds is Anas' goal on Just Giving.
qualifications. To read more or support Anas’ efforts, search 'Anas Shoydab' on JustGiving.
Trade union membership for students' union staff Roo Pitt News Reporter
Photo: Megan Baynes
Continued from front page Students’ Union a robust process in response to such incidents whereby sanctions will be taken against both the individual concerned and the sports clubs and societies if they hold any type of social event in University residences." Senior Resident reports show a 300 percent increase in the number of students reporting they are a victim of sexual assault in 2016 on 2015. SU Welfare Community and Diversity Officer India Edwards said: “Although many types of incident in accommodation are down, there’s been a big rise in reports of sexual harassment/assault and anti social behaviour. We are pleased that far more students now feel they can raise these sorts of issues with SRs as our ‘Never OK’ research suggested students tended to experience, but not report. “There’s also been a major rise in anti social behaviour/noise
reports. Our research suggests that students now hold a highly diverse set of expectations about student living– and whilst some want a ‘party’ lifestyle, many others need a quieter experience. We’re calling on UEA to explore options in use at other Universities that seek to group students appropriately.
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Students said they were victims of noise disturbance last academic year.
The officer expressed concern with the Security service’s resources. “Also of significant concern to us is the increase in security related incidents over the past couple of years. Like with so many UEA expansion issues, campus security is a vital service that is being pushed to the absolute limit by extra studentsbut the attitude seems to be ‘until there’s a tragedy, keep stretching them thinner’. UEA needs to invest now.”
Dr Sharp said the university could not be sure of why the statistics had increased. He said: “Speculating on the cause of an upward trend in certain social behaviours is always difficult due to the complexity of the influencing factors. It may be that the upward trend reflects more effective use of the Senior Resident and Security teams. The upward trend may also indicate that more recent cohorts of students are less likely to tolerate the kinds of behaviours that former cohorts of students have previously tolerated; this generational shift in the ‘student culture’ might be attributed to the increase in student fees.” Dr Sharp added: “A large number of disciplinary sanctions arise from an initial complaint being made by a fellow student. A proactive approach is adopted to ensure that any student raising concerns or being affected adversely is assured that the University will support them in pursuing such complaints."
The students' union has announced all students employed by Students’ Union will now be entitled to free membership of one of the country’s largest trade unions. A new partnership has been formed between the SU and GMB to provide this benefit which will see an unprecedented level of protection provided free of charge to those who choose to opt in. This, the SU say, is in addition to the living wage and other working arrangements already in place for the students they employ. In light of the scheme, Jack Robinson, Campaigns and Democracy SU, Officer said: “Our research suggests that not nearly enough students are aware of their rights at work, and with the steady emergence of the gig economy it’s more important than ever that students are members of a union like GMB that can defend and
extend those rights at work. "That’s why we’re both offering free Trade Union Membership to our student staff, and working in partnership on student rights at work, campaigning for all students at UEA.” Becoming a member of GMB will give students full access to all of the services on offer from the union, which would usually cost the average worker £13 per year, like representation in professional disputes, the opportunity to train as a workplace rep and a seat on UEA SU’s employment consultative committee. Over the next few weeks students who work for the LCR, bars, Unio and SU shop will have the chance to opt in, through either the GMB or SU website. Elections will then be held in order to form the GMB branch, which provides members with the opportunity to develop their representation skills and knowledge of employment law.
£2m programme for dementia research Shannon McDonagh News Reporter Researchers at UEA’s Norwich Medical School have been awarded more than £760,000 as part of an initiative to investigate dementia risk reduction. The funding is part of a £2 million investment from Alzheimer’s Research UK in four cutting edge projects, and will be the largest charity based funding of its kind. The project will be headed by Prof. Anne Marie Minihane, and will centre around exploring the relationships between increased physical activity, the ‘Mediterranean Diet’ and how these lifestyles may link to the prevention of the disease. The project will also involve the analysis of medical data from over 9,000 adults to establish links between physical health and brain health. Speaking on the current project, Prof. Minihane said: “We are grateful to Alzheimer’s Research
UK for this opportunity to identify effective strategies to improve brain function and mitigate the predicted doubling of dementia cases in the UK by 2050.” A recent report by the charity stated that with enough intervention into the causes of dementia the number of people affected, and their informal carers, could be cut by over a third by 2030. They have estimated that this would save the UK economy £14 billion. This proves to be a welcome addition from the work UEA has contributed to dementia research including Prof. Michael Hornberger’s co-development of spatial awareness app Sea Hero Quest and Prof. Chris Fox’s work in researching the relationship between the immune system and susceptibility to Alzheimer’s. Earlier this year, UEA pledged to partake in Age UK Norwich’s Dementia Friendly Norwich campaign, which had an increased emphasis on research.
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Loan repayments to start at £25k Conservatives determined to win youth vote with changes to loan system Currently graduates pay off fees once they earn more than £21,000 pa
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Seàn Bennett News Reporter Speaking at the start of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester earlier this month, Prime Minister Theresa May has unveiled plans to raise the earning threshold at which university graduates have to begin repaying their student debts to £25,000 per year. Currently, graduates begin to pay back their student loans once they earn more than £21,000 per year. The policy is set to benefit lowearning graduates who struggle to pay off their student loan as it is. The change will only apply to graduates who took out the higher rate of student loans which were introduced in 2012. But current students will not be the only ones to benefit from the policy, as recent graduates who have already started paying off their student loan might find themselves with more money in their pockets, even if they earn above the £25,000 threshold. This is due to the fact that the student loan repayments
are calculated as a percentage of a graduate’s earning over the threshold, not of their total income.
"The policy is set to benefit low-earning graduates who struggle to pay off their student loan as is"
to triple tuition fees in 2012 and recently increase them to £9,250. The leader of the Labour Party said: “Promising not to raise [tuition fees] again is meaningless.” O t h e r opponents of the government have suggested that the move is simply an attempt to put a positive spin on what is essentially political
backtracking - a sin which Mrs May has been accused of in the past. The changes to tuition fees came as a surprise to many, particularly as they follow the results of the Government’s ‘Teaching Excellence Framework’, which was intended to allow the highest performing institutions to raise their tuition fees as a form of financial incentive. Photo: Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Gov.uk Office
Alongside adjusting the repayment threshold, May has promised a general review of the student funding system and claimed that tuition fees are set to freeze the maximum cap of undergraduate tuition fees at £9,250, which was recently awarded to top performing universities including UEA. Leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, has since criticised the Conservative Party on Twitter, noting that it was their decision
Conservatives to cut ties with "risky" student groups Emily Hawkins Editor-in-Chief The Conservative Party may try to sever links with universities’ societies, the Huffington Post has reported. A document leaked to the news site appears to propose changing the party structure so that “risky student politics” are taken “outside the remit of the Party”.
"The UEA Conservative Association condemns any inappropriate action" The recommendations state they wish to bring “the youth wing firmly into the mainstream Party” so they are “able to award and discipline youth groups”. A representative for the UEA Conservative Association said they felt the document’s legitimacy was not yet confirmed. They said: “The UEA Conservative Association would like to make clear that it condemns any inappropriate action or rhetoric
Photo: Andrew Dunn, Wikimedia towards both members of the public and students. “In time, the validity of this statement will be verified. “However, as far, we hope that such practices by the aforementioned groups cease, and a meaningful dialogue between the party and its local representatives can be had."
The party’s organisation for under-30s faced immense criticism after a young member killed himself following claims of bullying during the 2015 general election. The organisation, Conservative Future, has now been disbanded. In February, it was reported a member of Cambridge University's Conservative society burnt a £20
note in front of a homeless man. In the summary of the report, it is claimed that young Tories “have been used as campaign resource [sic] without adequate training, oversight or communication”. The party have been lambasted in recent weeks for a failure to muster a strong youth support base.
News COMMENT
Jack Ashton argues this a step in the right direction
Tuition fees are a good policy. Let me just open off the bat with that so we can get any nuance out of the way. They enable the richest in society to pay for something that would otherwise be paid for by taxpayers of all incomes. When Jeremy Corbyn promises “free” university, he means that you, the taxpayer, will pay for it. However, this doesn’t mean that the current system of fees is great. Several problems, including the interests on loans, are often far too high. Hopefully this will be addressed in the review Theresa May announced. Another one of these problems is the rate at which you start paying your fees back. The most recent figures released by the DWP in 2014 stated the average UK income to be £23,500. A £21,000 repayment rate would mean those that fall below the average income are still repaying, increasing the threshold too £25,000 alleviates this, but doesn’t go far enough. Increasing it to £30,000 would mean that those who started repaying would be those who are more than comfortable. For once, this is a step in the right direction by the Tories. Sadly, it won’t make a dent in the “I don’t want to pay for anything” hysteria.
UEA subjects make the grade in world rankings UEA performed well in the to the 2018 Times Higher Education World University Rankings. The university came 85th for Life Sciences, as well as making top 150 for Social Sciences and Business and Economics. The news comes on top of the UEA's inclusion in THE's world’s best 200 universities. All three subject areas scored well on international matters, with Business & Economics scoring 13th for international outlook and Social Sciences and Life Sciences doing moderately well with a rank of 31st and 35th respectively. UEA’s social sciences were noted for their research influence at 38th. In response, the ViceChancellor, David Richardson, said: “It’s a reflection of the great effort put in by our teaching staff and students at a time when we’re facing increasing international competition, particularly from Asian universities.” He said the rankings “strengthen our worldwide reputation as a great place for students to study". The rankings have been warmly welcomed and follow UEA's success in being the only university to upgrade its Teaching Excellence Framework ranking. Imogen Barton
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Students' utopian works awarded Emily Hawkins Editor-in-Chief Students were praised for their creativity at an awards ceremony for the arts school’s annual prize. The 2017 Dean’s prize for the Arts and Humanities Faculty asked students to address the theme of utopia in whatever form they preferred. The prize was open to secondyear students and 20 entered this year. Prof Sarah Barrow, ProVice-Chancellor for Arts and Humanities said that LDC students submitted to this year’s prize “in their droves,” owing to enthusiastic encouragement from the school. Shannon Lewis, who won the top prize of £500, produced a bleak story about an attempt to create a utopia which turns dystopian and apocalyptic. She read aloud her piece, called “The world according to K”, at the ceremony. They said: “I thought it was an interesting premise, it’s 1,000-2,000 words which isn’t even that much, and it’s a fun thing to have a premise for and a good creative exercise.” Gabriel Flynn, one of the runners up, said: “I think it’s [the Dean’s Prize] a good idea and I think anyone should definitely snap it up and students especially from outside of LDC should have a go. I think most the entries are written
News in brief Local health centre branded inadaqeuate
Photo: Daniel Salliss entries but it’s open to all humanities students.” This year, different formats were encouraged with the winner submitting a creative writing piece and runner ups submitting
thoughtful pieces of prose. Prof Sarah Barrow announced this year’s question would be: “Truth or Trust – is the real problem not so much that we live in post-truth societies, but post-trust ones?” She
@Concrete_UEA
said the question was “the right one for the moment”. The deadline is Friday 16 March 2018 and the winners will be announced in May.
Health regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), has recently downgraded the rating of West Earlham Medical Practice from ‘Requires Improvement’ to ‘Inadequate’, the lowest possible classification the regulator can give. Of the five main areas that the CQC uses to rate healthcare providers, the surgery was found to be ‘Inadequate’ in the domains of ‘Safety’ and ‘Well-Lead’, whilst ‘Requiring Improvement’ in the remaining areas. The regulator also put Wensum Valley Medical Practices, which manages three sites across Norwich (including the West Earlham Practice), into ‘special measures’ following the visit. Since the inspection a new Practice Manager, Jan Hardinge, has been appointed and is due to start imminently. Talking to the Eastern Daily Press, she said: “I believe we have three good surgeries in Wensum Valley with staff who are totally committed to making continuous improvements, beyond satisfying the important requirements of the CQC, to ensure our patients receive good healthcare.” Roo Pitt
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YOUR SU AND LOADS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AGREE. AND FROM THE 1ST OCT ‘17 IT’S FREE FOR POSTGRADUATES WHO TEACH TO JOIN UCU. JOIN NOW: UEA.SU/UCU
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10th October 2017
Las Vegas shooting renews gun control debate Wilson Hui, Flickr
Emily Hawkins Editor-in-Chief A shooting spree killed 58 and injured more than 500 people in Las Vegas, Nevada, renewing questions about gun laws in the US. The massacre is said to be the largest mass shooting in modern US history.
“The massacre is said to be the largest mass shooting in modern US history” Stephen Paddock, a 64-yearold former accountant, attacked hundreds of concert-goers at a hotel. Paddock shot himself as the police worked to track him down. Donald Trump, President of the United States, made a statement to the nation the morning after the mass shooting. He called the shooting “an act of pure evil”. He praised the state’s first responders and police, moving on to say his prayers were with the families of the victims and those injured in the attack.
“In moments of tragedy and horror, [the nation] comes together as one. Our unity cannot be shattered by evil; our bonds cannot be broken by violence.” Later that day, Trump held a moment of silence on one of the White House lawns with his wife and a handful of his staffers. During a visit to the hospital,
where hundreds of victims received treatment, the president said he was with victims and their caregivers “100 percent”. He added later: “Words cannot describe the bravery that the whole world witnessed on Sunday night.” When a reporter covering Trump and the first lady’s visit to the medical centre raised the question
of the nation having a gun violence epidemic, Trump said he was not “going to talk about that”. The three mass gun incidents with the highest number of victims have occurred in the last ten years. Many commentators have remarked that renewed calls for regulation of firearms echo decades and decades of reaction to mass
shootings, a familiar yet ineffective pattern. There’s no doubt the latest incident has shocked the nation, but whether it will be enough for lawmakers to rethink their stance on gun control is ambiguous. The National Rifle Association (NRA) is a formidable opponent for the pro-regulation campaign, with the support of five million members and an enthusiastic lobbying effort on politicians to maintain the status quo. Politicians themselves also tilt in support of unregulated gun ownership, with a Republican majority in the House of Representatives. Despite a number of states passing legislation to restrict gun purchase and use, the Supreme Court has twice ruled the right to own personal weapons in recent years. These rulings came even after a school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012, which pushed lawmakers in the states of Connecticut, Maryland and New York to implement assault weapon bans. The US constitution states in its Second Amendment: “a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
Examined: Kurdish independence in Iraq Pictured: Sulamani Kurdistan. Myararat83, Wikimedia
A referendum saw a majority vote for independence, Ollie Ryan-Tucker reports In a controversial referendum, 92 percent of voters in the Kurdish region of Northern Iraq chose independence, angering neighbouring countries and the federal Iraqi government. In July 2014, with the Islamic State expanding, Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) President Massoud Barzani announced plans to hold an independence referendum without approval from the Iraqi parliament. Negotiations between the KRG and national government resulted in the referendum being delayed until this September. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi called on the region to engage in dialogue rather than go ahead with the vote and declared it an illegal breach of the Iraqi constitution. The KRG has declared the referendum as legally binding, leading to a mixed and cautious response from the international community. The Kurds are an ethnic
minority in a number of Middle Eastern countries, including Iraq, Turkey, Iran, and Syria. Most Kurds are Sunni Muslims, though Iraqi Kurdistan is religiously and ethnically diverse. Since 2005, Iraqi Kurdistan has been an autonomous region as part of the Iraqi state, yet the recent and ongoing conflict with the Islamic State has simultaneously increased Kurdish autonomy and decreased confidence in the national government and geographic integrity of the Iraqi state. With the retreat of the Iraqi Army in the face of the Islamic State’s rapid expansion, many areas previously run by the federal government became de-facto controlled by the Kurdish military force, the Peshmerga, one of the key players in the anti-ISIS coalition. Tensions are particularly high in these areas which are claimed by both the KRG and the national government. Many of these areas
are ethnically and religiously mixed, with Iraqi Christians, Chaldeans, Assyrians and Yazidis living among Arab Muslims, both Shia and Sunni. The Ninevah Plain region has been a flashpoint, with the Assyrian Confederation of Europe accusing the KRG of a catalogue of abuses including land theft, forced resettlement, political repression and a “divide and conquer” patronage scheme which has seen the removal of independently elected mayors. Meanwhile, Kurdish forces in other areas have been accused of carrying out a “concerted campaign” to displace Arabs, actions which could constitute war crimes according to Amnesty International. There is also controversy over Massoud Barzani’s role as president, with his mandate having expired in 2015. It was extended in a move that opposition groups and activists have claimed was illegal. Despite this, the overwhelmingly majority of Kurds
are in support of independence. Neighbouring countries have been unusually united on the issue, with Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria all condemning the referendum, fearing that their own Kurdish minorities may follow the KRG’s lead. Turkey and Iraq have conducted joint military drills on their border, and Iran has mobilised soldiers and tanks on its own. Turkey warned the KRG it would “pay dearly” if they continued with the referendum. The United States has been another voice against the referendum with Secretary of State announcing that they do not recognise the “unilateral referendum,” with both the vote and results “lacking legitimacy,” despite being a key military ally of the KRG. Israel has been a sole voice in the international community supporting the referendum and as a result many in the region have seen it as an Israeli plot to divide Iraq and
it’s neighbours. A senior Iranian official commented that, “Barzani... seek[s] to implement [Zionist] plans for the division of Muslim states.” Prime Minister Al-Abadi initially dismissed fears of military action against the KRG, however the Iraqi government authorised him to send troops into disputed areas. With the war against ISIS still raging in the country, Iraq has focused on diplomatic and economic effects, closing its airspace to all flights into Kurdistan and demanding oil revenues. Al-Abadi has accused Barzani of running an oligarchic state, with oil revenues allegedly siphoned away from government control and into private accounts. With the KRG refusing to back down, it is likely that the situation will escalate, and two sides who have fought together against the Islamic State may find themselves facing each other.
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10th October 2017
Spain: Catalonia causes chaos Beverly Devakishen Global Writer The push for Catalonian independance has been gaining momentum in recent years, and the region finally held a referendum of secession on 1st October, in defiance of the Spanish Supreme Court. Catalan president Carles Puidgemont reported that out of the 2.3 million votes cast, 90 percent had backed independence. While he claims that this gives Catalonia the right to be free from Spain, the Spanish government had declared the referendum illegal in light of the supreme court ruling, and took harsh measures in an attempt to prevent Catalans from voting.
“The Spanish police force was seen violently beating voters” Historically, Catalan as a region has had a separate cultural identity from Spain. The region has its own language, a thousand years worth of history, and a vast population of 7.5 million. Catalonia is also one of the wealthiest regions in Spain and contributes heavily to the economy of the country, with taxes collected in Catalonia often funding other parts of the Spain, causing resentment in Barcalona. Catalan separatists
Liz Castro, Wikimedia also claims that local culture has been repressed by the state, as the Spanish government aims to make the region more ‘Spanish’. The desire for independence has been building up in Catalan for at least the last decade. In 2010, the Spanish Constitutional Court made the decision to restrict Catalonian autonomy and tightened control on region, angering the Catalans. Fuelled by regional and nationalistic dissent, Catalonia voted a separatist party into power in 2015, members of which began making plans to
hold a referendum of secession. According to the Spanish constitution however, Spain cannot be divided and no part of Spain is allowed to become its own political entity. Hence, the Spanish government tried to ensure that the vote in Catalan did not go through. During the voting process, media outlets reported on the cruel way Spanish police force were dealing with the Catalan situation. The Spanish police force was seen violently beating voters who were trying to get to polling stations,
and an estimated 844 people were injured as a result. The violence by the Spanish police is likely to fuel Catalonia’s inclination to declare independence, especially with the illegal referendum being in favour of secession. Puidgement has also called for the EU to intervene. However, the European Union has maintained that it is an internal matter, but has expressed its disapproval of the use of violence.
back throughout the campaign by unemployment rates, and any attempt to criticise Merkel’s immigration policy from the left seemed fruitless. Their early momentum was stunted towards the end of the campaign, especially in the head-to-head debates in which the major 2 parties largely agreed with each other. The CDU and SPD
and is the first time since 1945 that a far right party has had seats in the Bundestag. The rising influence of the AFD is largely down to their response to Merkel’s immigration policy. Merkel’s decision to open Germany’s borders has been met with fierce hostility, but this is the first time it’s had major political repercussions inside Germany. Alexander Gauland, the AFD’s top candidate said that his party will “hunt” Merkel over her policy, maintaining his commitment to a parliamentary investigation into the legality of Merkel’s immigration policy. In the meantime, however, Merkel will be focusing less on the sudden threat of the AFD, and more on managing to form a working coalition. Most speculation suggests she will pursue the “Jamaica coalition” ( n a m e d b e c a u s e
of the black red and green party colours) with the Greens and the FDP. This is largely because the other remaining parties have either ruled out a coalition (SDP) or would be too controversial to enter a coalition with (AFD). Controversy over the AFD’s rise has already begun, with, Albrecht Glaser, their nomination for Vice President of the Bundestag, being widely criticised by the Greens, SPD and FDP on his views of religious freedom. The CDU have yet to comment, but the schism is indicative of an increasingly fragmented Germany. As for Merkel, she may have held on to power but her era of invincibilty is most certainly at an end.
Germany: Establishment in tatters Jack Ashton Global Writer Angela Merkel secured her fourth term as Chancellor of Germany with her centre right coalition, taking 246 seats in the Bundestag. Merkel’s victory will bring her total years in power to 12, presumably to rise to 16 at the end of the new term when she will become Europe’s longest ever serving female political leader. With this victory, Merkel also becomes Europe’s second longest leader, bested only by Putin. However, while Merkel managed to cling onto her position in power, losing 63 seats in the process, the German establishment crumbled as the Social Democratic Party (SPD) achieved their worst result since 1945, with only 153 seats, 40 less than their 2013 total. As a result the SPD leader, Martin Schulz, announced he would not be reforming the “grand coalition” and instead leading the SPD as opposition. The SPD’s disappointing result comes as a result of them failing to gain traction on key issues. Shulz’s plea about Germany’s inequalities was consistently beaten
63 20
The number of seats that Markel’s ruling CDU party lost this election. The percentage of the popular vote that the centre left SDP party achieved, a historically low result.
haemorrhaging such a large amount of seats was largely due to the rise of the populist far-right party Alternative for Germany (AFD). The party gained their first ever seats in the Bundestag, reaching a grand total of 94. This shift follows the rise in far right parties across Europe,
Pascal Kirchmair ,Wikimedia
Global Editor Eddie Booth examines the Brexit deadlock The latest round of Brexit talks ended in stalemate yet again, as the divide between the EU and Britain over the three key issues rights for citizens post-Brexit, the UK’s finiacial settlement, and the Irish border - continues to prove unbridgeable. The EU’s lead negotiator, Michel Barnier, has said that sufficient progress on these issues has not been made, and consequently the EU is unwilling to move on to talk about trade and the future relationship between the two sides post Brexit. Britain, for it’s part, is loath to agree a fixed sum of money over it’s obligations without a public signal from the EU that they will sign a free trade agreement or at the very least agree to a transitional arrangement. The EU argue that a future relationship cannot be discussed until it has seen proof that the UK will honour it’s financial obligations, guarantee the rights of EU citizens living in the UK post-Brexit, and produce a fair solution to the land border with Ireland. The UK objects to the EU proposals to involve the European Court of Justice in disputes brought within the UK by EU citizens post-Brexit, violating one of the Prime Minister’s socalled red lines. Further, the UK argues that discussion of a future relationship is mutually beneficial, and have accused the EU of seeking revenge on Britain for its vote to leave in June 2016. A deal must be reached by the end of next year in order for it to be ratified by national parliaments prior to the expiration of Article 50 in April 2019. The EU parliament, headed by Brexit critic-in-chief Guy Verhofstadt, voted this week in a non-binding poll against moving on to the next round of negotiations. Whilst the European Parliament is not directly involved in the negotiations , its members are influential and the body is able to veto an exit deal agreed on by the EU commision. The Prime Minister Theresa May attempted to relaunch the Brexit talks with a speech in Florence last week, trying to break the deadlock between the two sides. However, following on from a difficult conference that has further sapped her authority, and with domestic rivals circling, her capability to lead these negotiations is more in question than ever. If this Brexit impasse continues, the possiblty of no deal being agreed grows stronger.
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10th October 2017
Features
Black History Month October marks Black History Month to commemorate the past and ongoing achievements of black people in the UK
The history of Black History Month
Elizabeth Ediale Features Writer For as long as we can remember, Black History Month has always existed – in countries like the UK, US, Canada, Mexico and the Netherlands just to name a few, but the advent of the month is something that is worth delving into. Let’s go back in time to where it all began in the early 20th century. Carter G. Woodson, also known as the father figure of BHM, had a desire to showcase
the accomplishments of AfricanAmericans, as many historians left them out of the crux of American history. With Woodson’s creation of Negro History Week in 1926, he hoped it would strengthen the relationship between black and white people in the US. This gave rise to the advent of Black History Month in 1976. The idea of Black History Month aligns with the famous quote from Dr Martin Luther King Jr.: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where
“Carter G. Woodson, also known as the father figure of BHM, had a desire to showcase the accomplishments of African-Americans”
they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.” In the US, commemoration takes place in February, with the Black Lives Matter movement which has stemmed from the overflow of BHM. In the UK it is celebrated in October with events taking place to ensure we remember those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of black people. We are truly standing on the shoulders of giants. Credit: Pixabay, egurski
Danielle S. Pennant from Womanist Society on the month’s importance It’s
that time of year again. The time of year that has us all finding our feet, settling (back) into university life, wondering how exactly 10 months of the year have gone by already. It’s the time of year that has most of us wishing for summer again, as the temperature outside becomes a little less forgiving; and the time of year, of course, to discuss the designated month the UK has to talk about Black History.
“There needs to be a conscious decision to change and diversify the narrative” Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, with the aid of the London Strategic Policy Unit, first established UK Black History Month in 1987, in the midst of the socio-political dynamism of Thatcherite Britain. Addai-Sebo and others who contributed to Black History Month’s founding, sought to not only raise the visibility of the achievements of the Black African diaspora, but to instil a greater sense of pride and self-esteem in the children of the decade; and subsequent decades that followed, who struggled to see themselves
reflected positively, or at all, in the education system and, by extension, within wider British society. “Self pride is the catalyst for achievement and there is no greater “truth” than knowing yourself” said Akyaaba Addai-Sebo My personal experience with Black History Month throughout my time in the British education system has been varied and, at times, problematic. Although I love history and, to a certain extent, was privileged enough to have been raised in a home where every month was black history month, every October without fail I have been privy to everything: solely Americanised images of Black achievement despite Britain’s lengthy and significant relationship to those of the African diaspora within Britain, to less than educated arguments that ‘Black History Month is racist’. Currently, I’m of the opinion that, as positive in application as it is to dedicate space and time to the achievements of those of the African diaspora, for tangible and sustainable change to be evident in our attitudes and practices, you can’t just dedicate months and weeks to people and decide that that’s enough. There needs to be a conscious choice to change and diversify the narrative.
This is precisely why it’s important to not only raise and discuss important questions of representation and diversity within our key institutions, but challenge them too.
“Black history month is positive and powerful in practice but for tangible and sustainable change ... you can’t just dedicate months ” Is it really enough to simply mention the prevalence of ‘dead white males’ in our curriculum and not take an active role in ensuring our education is de-colonised? Arguably, that’s another matter entirely. Whilst we’re on the right track, we’re not there yet nor should we pretend we are, and we shouldn’t spend one month or a week unpacking these issues, only to put them back in a box after it’s time is over and leave them there until the following year. Credit:
Womanist
Society
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10th October 2017
Features
Black history: A timeline of firsts
1837 1895 1914 1983 1985 1988 2001 2002 2005 2008
Robert Branford became the first black officer in the Metropolitan Police. Arthur Wharton was the first black professional footballer to play in the English top flight. Walter Tull became the first black British Army Officer in 1914. Guion Bluford Jr. was the first African-American in space. Wilfred Wood was made the Church of England’s first black bishop for Croydon. Dr John Anthony Roberts became the first black QC after a distinguished legal career. Colin Powell became the first African American U.S. Secretary of State. Halle Berry was the first African American woman to win the Best Actress Oscar. Condoleezza Rice was the first black female U.S. Secretary of State. Barack Obama won the election and became the first African-American president.
Photo: From top to bottom. Public domain, Sheikh_tuhin .Pixabay, willypomares, openclipartvectors, succo. Wikimedia, Rayukk. Pixabay, chrystalizabeth.
R b P h H u S
10th October 2017
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Features
World Mental Health Day To mark World Mental Health Day on the 10th October, Features focuses on mental wellbeing
A night with Nightline On her mock shift with Nightline Deputy Editor Sophie Bunce learnt the real reason for anonymity
The first rule of Nightline is: you do not talk about Nightline. The organisation, above everything, values anonymity. This allows them to protect their callers and volunteers alike. They won’t tell you to get therapy, they won’t offer you advice, so what do they do? I spent a night with Nightline to find out.
she can catch them pretty quickly and her experience has helped. But hers is an optimistic view that I struggled to share. I couldn’t believe that volunteers are regularly treated that way. Luckily the Nightline team is like a family and they “all work together to support each other through the contacts.” This means that they “are never really taking them alone, from collaborating on an IM to just having everyone on shift wake up with you at 3am when a call comes in.”
“The first rule of Nightline is: you do not talk about Nightline” I walked into the Nightline mock shift blissfully unaware. I knew I was there to learn, but thought I’d be taught in a removed PowerPoint presentation sort of way. From the moment External and Internal Coordinators Dave and Alyssa began, it became clear that we’d act like real volunteers on a real shift; we would answer the phones. They made the mock shift as authentic as possible with calls reenacted by committee members. Alyssa said that they could “never truly replicate what a real Nightline shift is like” as their volunteers “go through much more training and logistics before they even think about picking up the phone.” We were underqualified and I’m glad she said so. I certainly felt it. Picking up the phone seems simple. I answer calls every day and get
“Answering the phone calls, fake as they may have been, was much harder than hello” Photo: Matt Nixon it right 9 times out of 10. The only difference was I had to start with “Hello, Nightline.” But that wasn’t strictly true. Answering the phone calls, fake as they may have been, was much harder than hello. We had callers at all times of the night with all kinds of problems, from bereavement to university struggles; we had to follow Nightline’s rules with everyone. As a volunteer, you can’t give advice and Alyssa noticed my confusion. She said, “those involved in the shift were genuinely surprised at
their lack of understanding of what Nightline did every night.” It was hard to listen to a caller feeling overwhelmed with their studies in silence. I couldn’t suggest a diary, colour coded notes, and folders for each of their modules. That’s not what Nightline do. Dave said that often callers have all that advice, what they need is someone to talk to. They need someone to listen, judgement free. The service offers calls via phone, IM, text, Skype, drop in and email. Though as phone and IM are their
most popular methods, that’s what we used. Director of Student Services Jon Sharpe found the shift harder than expected. He had imagined “calls of 20 minutes or so and it turns out that some contacts can last for hours, especially the text chats.” He was surprised to learn about the way some people abuse the service. Alyssa’s first 3 calls were obscene. That doesn’t mean shouting. It doesn’t mean upsetting. It means callers using Nightline as sex line. She said with a smile that
My night with Nightline was enlightening. Jon Sharpe suggested that night be repeated annually and it was an opinion we all shared. So I was surprised to learn that despite being involved in health and social care some university departments turned down the opportunity to learn more about Nightline. When is more understanding a bad thing? If you are thinking about joining; do. It’s hard but important and the Nightline family seems like a good one to be part of. But whatever you do, remember the first rule. It’s to protect everyone.
Charity spotlight: Features Editor Hattie Griffiths looks at minding our mental health at university What is Mind? Mind is the UK’s leading independent health charity. According to Mind, one in four people in Britain experience mental health problems at some point in their lives. The charity aims to improve upon the existing mental health services available in the country through methods such as collaboration with national and local government, ensuring more support for people with existing mental health problems, and enabling people suffering to gain more independence and choice in their day-to-day lives. What help can the charity provide? Mind offers a range of different
forms of help for students, including bereavement support, crisis services, housing support, and LGBTQ+ mental health assistance. Their website also contains helpful advice for people seeking to support someone close to them suffering from a mental illness; their tips vary from where you can find help on behalf of a friend or family member, to what action to take if you encounter someone suffering from a panic or anxiety attack. Their now-famous mental health A-Z, all accessible on the charity’s website, details different mental health problems that people can encounter, and popular treatments for these. What are Mind’s latest campaigns? Perhaps the most widely
publicised ongoing campaign curated by Mind and the organisation ‘Rethink Mental Illness’ is the ‘Time to Change’ movement, which has enjoyed considerable success. Mind has reported an overall 8.3 percent improvement in overall public attitude towards mental health since the campaign began in 2007. The anti-stigma campaign has in the past worked with young people and youth centres, African and Caribbean communities, and within high-profile organisations. Another valuable campaign curated by the charity is the ‘Blue Light’ programme, aiming to reach out and support workers in the emergency services, especially after large-scale human disasters. According to the charity, thousands
of paid workers and volunteers have used this campaign to actively challenge mental health stigma in the workplace, and have taken advantage of the services that Mind offers How can you support Mind? Becoming a member of the charity is easily done through their website. The membership fee for one year is £6 for full-time students, and ensures that you receive a newsletter on a regular basis detailing all of Mind’s latest campaigns and research, as well as the ability to vote for the charity’s trustees, giving members a direct influence over who directs the charity forward. An additional way of voicing support for Mind and against
mental health stigma is through a ‘Mental Health Selfie’, a way of telling your own mental health story to the world while giving people the chance to benefit from your experiences via a video. The content of the video can include how you live your everyday life, and the types of treatment you’ve found helpful. Perhaps the most familiar way to support a charity is through fundraising. Organising events such as cake sales, sponsored silences or swims and even flash mobs can directly contribute towards Mind’s pioneering research and support for anyone affected by mental illness in the UK. Photo: openclipartvectors, Pixabay, Mind
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10th October 2017
Foodie Features
Five ways, one pub
Earlham’s Fiveways pub has suffered something of a chequered reputation among locals
Photo: Fiveways website
Under new ownership, Features editors Hattie Griffiths and Tony Allen went to see what’s changed… “You know, The Fiveways isn’t named Fiveways because of the five-point roundabout we’re on,” the barman says conspiratorially as he leans against the bar opposite us. Landlord Claire finishes what he begins; the story goes that the Fiveways pub is supposedly named after the five different methods of transport – cycling, walking, driving, flying, and sailing. While chatting to the owners, featuring friendly interjections from the regulars, some of whom had been frequenting the pub for over fifteen years, it was confirmed to us that before the current landlords took over just a few months ago, the pub’s reputation was less than welcoming for students. Drugs, fights and a students vs locals divide made the Fiveways the last place you’d go for a drink. Stories of students being turned away by owners and frequent calls to the police forced young people away.
Despite this hostile track record, Claire and her husband Nigel have worked tirelessly over the last few months to bar the troublesome elements of the pub’s clientele and welcome a more diverse range of visitors – in particular, they emphasise, students.
“Our first impressions upon walking into the building were ones of pleasant surprise” Our first impressions upon walking into the building were ones of pleasant surprise. The interior of the pub is very spacious, with plenty of room at one end for a pool table, a large performance area slap bang in the middle and a seating area and dart board at the other end of the large bar. The performance area is used
for regular karaoke nights and live music events, with upcoming performances from local band Uprising on the 14th, and artist Neil Francis in mid-November. Everyone emphasised when chatting with us that they plan to hold many events in the future, including an open-mic night and more live music, with student artists and bands welcome to perform. The pub shows a range of sporting events on its three separate TV screens, and is also dog-friendly. And the student angle is one promoted constantly by staff and regulars at the pub. We were told that the draught Strongbow Dark Fruits and Jagerbombs are two of the most popular offerings. All emphasised the willingness for a dialogue with students about what they are looking for in a pub. It was even suggested that the pub could become part of the Pimp My Barrow route. They also want to take some issues of Concrete – so
far, so good… The Fiveways also serves traditional pub grub. Unfortunately, food isn’t yet served on Tuesday’s student night when we visited, but we were handed menus an for idea of the food served.
“All emphasised the willingness for a dialogue with students about what they are looking for in a pub” Don’t expect a Sunday roast, but plenty of choice is to be had with different hot dogs, burgers and baguettes, and a range of sides. Despite our visit on an unfortunately foodless Tuesday, we were told of the menu’s availability from Wednesday to Saturday from 12-7pm, and 126pm on Sundays.
Like many older pubs, the Fiveways can trace its history back through the decades and its previous landlords. We discussed the demise of many other watering holes both locally and nationally, and the good location that has seen the Fiveways endure. The Fiveways presents itself now as a welcoming place for bands to play, society socials to be hosted, and catch-ups to be had just a fiveminute walk from campus. Where once it appeared hostile to students, the new owners and band of staff and regulars who have survived their new “zero-tolerance” policy on drugs and violence make it a far more welcoming environment than its previous reputation suggests. The Fiveways has become pretty decent now, in a roundabout sort of way. Photos: www.FivewaysNorwich. co.uk
FINANCE
10th October 2017
The good tenant guide to renting Elvyn Forsyth-Muris teaches us tenants’ rights and landlords’ wrongs
“Even if you have already signed your agreement, go back and read it" If you are concerned about this, there is advice available at the SU. Some contracts might stipulate specific or unconventional responsibilities for the tenant. This
could be you being responsible for the white goods (so if your washing machine breaks down its your job to fix it) or something relevant to a quirk of the house you are living in. Other key responsibilities are bills which ones are you responsible for, and are you required to stay with a specific company? Your landlord will have responsibilities too, such as repairs. If possible, try to have it set out in the contract how quickly your landlord is expected to deal with issues so you are not stuck waiting weeks for your oven to be fixed. Reporting issues promptly to your landlord should mean things are fixed quicker, and your landlord will appreciate it as repairs are often cheaper if dealt with before they become bigger problems or an emergency. There are some responsibilities that exist regardless of what your contract says for both you and your landlord. These are set out in the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Housing Act 1988. Your landlord cannot just turn up and demand access to the property unless it is an emergency. They must give you at least 24 hours’ notice, and they must organise a visit for a reasonable time of the day so you can be present for the inspection if
you want. They are also responsible for keeping the property safe and free from health hazards, following fire safety regulations, and ensuring all gas and electrical equipment is safely installed and maintained, as well as conducting necessary repairs to the exterior and structure of the property.
“Reporting issues promptly to your landlord should mean things are fixed quicker"
problems, stick to your agreement, and as much as it might pain you, be honest when you have damaged the property. However, sometimes things do go wrong and you might find yourself in a difficult position, such as your landlord refusing to carry out repairs, or at the end of the tenancy they may unfairly withhold your deposit. It is best to seek advice from someone with experience. The student union provides free housing advice and you can make an appointment to speak to someone, they can be found upstairs in the hive. There is also support and information on the Citizens Advice website.
The law entitles you to know who your landlord is; to receive a copy of the “how to rent guide”; to live undisturbed; be protected from unfair eviction and unfair rent; and live in a property that is safe and in a good state of repair. But you must take good care of the property; pay the rent even if repairs are needed or you’re in dispute with your landlord; and repair or pay for damage caused by you or anyone you let into the property. To have a good relationship with your landlord you should report
challenge legally. It is very possible that Uber’s flouting of regulations could lead to legal action against TfL from other operators if it fails to enforce existing regulation against all firms. Yet, a settlement may be preferable for TfL who are at risk of criticism for targeting migrants who comprise a disproportionally large portion of the drivers who use Uber’s platform. Especially with criticism of black taxis often revolving around services being denied to ethnic minorities. In the meantime while Uber’s licence has officially lapsed, commuters, tourists and drivers can continue to utilise Uber’s platform until any appeal processes have been exhausted under the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998; a process which some legal professionals estimate could take over a year.
Netflix subscription costs increase in the US, UK and parts of Europe. It’s the first time that the streaming giant has increased its prices in two years. although basic subscriptions in the UK will remain unchanged. Standard UK plans will increase from £7.49 to £7.99 per month whilst a premium subscription will cost £9.99 per month.
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Image: Wikimedia, Firefox OS
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licence as they and TfL held ‘constructive’ talks this week. Indeed, Uber is well practiced at negotiating similar disputes previously in London and across the globe. When in 2015 TfL attempted to increase regulation in the private hire taxi industry Uber successfully organised a petition to lobby central government to prevent regulatory tightening. Uber has launched a similar petition to save its licence: gaining over 850,000 signatures since the decision two weeks ago. With a mixed track record in defending their right to operate, Uber must be careful and in unlike similar disputes it has successfully settled before in other countries TfL has a far larger budget than Uber and therefore won’t be as easy to
Merlin Entertainments in talks with SeaWorld. After shares rising by nearly three percent, it seems that Merlin may be in talks to take over parts of the marine theme park in the US. SeaWorld’s share values have been decreasing, losing a quarter of their value this year alone, as controversies regarding their treatment of their animals have come to light.
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In a press release on the 22nd of September London’s transit authority, Transport for London (TfL), announced it will not be renewing Uber’s operating licence. This is reportedly due to “A lack of corporate responsibility in relation to a number of issues which have potential public safety and security implications”. Uber with the help of TfL won an operating license when it first arrived in London in 2012. It has since proven a worthy competitor to incumbent black taxi cabs and public transport as it now provides a platform for 40,000 licensed drivers and 3.5 million users in London. However, vocal lobbyists in the black cab industry have been among those who have cried foul at Uber’s practices which they consider to have broken strict regulations. TfL cited several issues in their press release where they announced that Uber would not receive a further extension of their operations licence. Among the concerns TfL voiced included how Uber reported serious crimes in its cabs, how it allowed drivers who used its platform to get background and medical checks and its use of ‘Greyball’ software which could be used to evade
regulators. Uber’s CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, has admitted that the company has made “mistakes” in London, however he also has offered a defense of Uber’s behaviour and has suggested that TfL is overstating the extent to which Uber has bent the rules. He suggests that Uber’s drivers receive their medical and background checks legitimately through third parties and that Uber has a dedicated team to reporting criminal incidents to police. Yet, while London Mayor, Sadiq Kahn, has sided with TfL’s others believe it is a step backward for London which has been host to an array of innovations in the private taxi industry since Uber’s arrival. The use of apps; to hail down taxis, to record journey’s routes and to use cashless payment systems are among popular innovations which incumbents have been slow to adopt. Many Uber supporters have suggested that TfL’s decision reflects its protectionist stance in favour of vocal taxi unions who call for Uber’s permanent suspension. However, early signs suggest it is likely that Uber will succeed in regaining its operating
Royal Mail workers to strike? An 89.1 percent vote in favour of striking could see Royal Mail workers walk out for 48 hours from the 19th October due to disagreements over pensions, pay and jobs. However, Royal Mail said it would do all it could legally to prevent the strike. Concern brewing over decline in car sales. September saw new car sales decline sharply by just over nine percent. Usually a strong month in the year for the sale of new cars, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) suggested that political and economic uncertainty, as well as ambiguity regarding air quality plans may have led to the decline in consumers’ spending.
Bye, bye Uber? Driving firm in TfL row Will Richardson Senior Finance Reporter
Catalonia independence fears causing businesses to relocate. After the uncertain result of the Catalonian independence referendum, banks such as Sabadell and CaixaBank, and other businesses, have begun to consider relocating out of the region in order to protect their operations and to continue working in Spain and the EU.
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Maybe you have just moved into your new student house for this year, or you have signed onto the same house for another year, but do you know what you are actually responsible for? The first place to look for what you and your landlord are responsible for is your tenancy agreement or contract. Ideally you (and someone else) should read it before you sign it, then discuss and possibly make changes to things you are unhappy with before it’s finalised. Even if you have already signed it go back, read it, and make sure you know what it sets out. Your agreement must be fair and comply with the law.
The Finance Roundup
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10th October 2017
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Ryanair navigates legal turbulence Sophie Christian Finance Writer Ryanair has dodged possible legal action by emailing customers affected by more than 20,000 flight cancellations. The company announced 21,000 cancellations in the middle of September when it was required to adhere to new aviation rules that changed how the pilots’ flying hours are logged.
“The company cancelled approximately 50 flights a day” Initially, Ryanair offered passengers a £40 voucher per cancellation as an apology. This failed to meet European rules of governing flight cancellations and passenger rights, forcing the airline to comply with regulator demands and fully explain all options to affected passengers.
Wikimedia, Adrian Pingstone Civil Aviation boss, Andrew Haines, stated that he was “furious” that Ryanair failed to follow the law by not offering passengers to be rerouted onto other airlines. The airline was forced by the CAA to explain that passengers affected who may have before “chosen an option that was not
suitable for them as a result of any misunderstanding of their EU261 rights” could change their mind. Affected passengers are entitled to choose similar flight tickets on another rival airline; alternatively, they can request a full refund. Customers can opt for comparable flights on EasyJet,
Landing a perfect student job Jodie Bailey Finance Editor A 2015 survey by Endsleigh suggested that eight out of every ten students works part-time to support their studies and supplement their maintenance loan. On the one hand, this is great news, as more students are gaining valuable workplace skills that they would otherwise miss out on if they only studied during their time at university. On the other hand though, most student jobs are lowpaid positions with casual – and often insecure – working hours.
“Eight out of every ten students work part-time to support their studies" Flexible hours can be ideal for some – you have more choice regarding what hours you work and they can fit well around your studies. Yet for those who really depend upon their jobs to make ends meet, this uncertainty can have a detrimental effect upon their finances and general wellbeing. That’s why when you’re hunting for a part-time job to work in alongside your degree, it’s so important to find one that’s a perfect fit for you. And if you do find the perfect job, it’s all the more
crucial that you do everything you can to stand out from the crowd and ace that interview. The types of jobs that tend to suit students well often include retail, waitering and bar work. Also, many of these positions are advertised in shop windows and traditional job websites, so vacancies are easy enough to find. The hours are mostly part-time, and the high turnover of staff in these positions often mean that more jobs are available. Furthermore, this time of the year is a particularly good time to look for seasonal work during the Christmas period However, do be mindful that most employers will expect you to work on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day, so be prepared if you’re planning to go home during the holidays. Another great place to look for local jobs during term-time is UEA’s CareerCentral, which advertises vacancies that suit students. Some of the best employers may be the SU or UEA itself. As employers, they both undertsand the commitments that students have towards their subjects, so flexibility should not be an issue. So, hopefuly you’ve found a position you really want? Well now you need to secure an interview and demonstrate that you’re the perfect candidate. CVs are one of the trickiest things to get right. However, if you keep your CV simple and classic, without being overly full of clichés, there should be no reason as to why you can’t sell yourself in the best light. Remember that when applying for jobs, there’s no time to express false modesty, so you must
always make the most out of all of your experience – highlighting any skills that you have gained and how they could be transferable to your new position.
“When applying for jobs, there’s no time to express false modesty," The last hurdle between you and the perfect student job is the interview stage. The most nervewracking aspect of job-hunting, interviews are often awkward affairs and the increasing number of group interviews makes planning and preparing ahead all the more difficult. Group interviews are often designed to test your ability to work well in a team, so as difficult as it is, try to view your rival candidates as teammates. In all interviews, presentation is key and it’s important to dress appropiately for the position you’ve applied for. The general rule is go for smart casual, but asking the interviewer in advance shows your consideration and intitiative. Whatever you do - see the interview as an opportunity to be the best version of yourself. Prepare if you can, and feel free to ask the interviewer questions as well. Stay calm and prepare well, and you should ace the interview and nail that job.
Jet2, Cityjet, Vueling, Aer Lingus, Norwegian, or Eurowings, Ryanair confirmed. Ryanair’s Kenny Jacobs commented: “We are committed to processing all such claims within 21 days of receipt and hope to have all such claims settled before the end of October.”
The company cancelled approximately 50 flights a day spanning until the end of October, affecting 315,000 passengers. A further 18,000 flights between November and March were cancelled, disrupting the travel plans of another 400,000 customers. The disruption was caused by an error with pilot holiday rotas and Ryanair said cancelling flights would “eliminate all risk of further flight cancellations.” Mr Haines confirmed that the airline contacted the aviation watchdog on Friday afternoon and commented: “Our job is to protect passengers’ rights and ensure that all airlines operating in the UK are fully compliant with important consumer laws. “Where we find that an airline is systematically flouting these rules, we will not hesitate to take action to minimise the harm and detriment caused to passengers, as we have done with Ryanair in recent days. It appears Ryanair has now capitulated. “We will review their position in detail and monitor this situation to ensure that passengers get what they are entitled to in practice.”
Top tips for interviews Prepare questions with a pal Whether it’s your mum or your best friend, preparing ideas in advance can put your worries at ease, and those who know you best can help remind you of your best qualities. Research, research, research Having some knowledge of a potential workplace will demonstrate your proactive nature and genuine enthusiasm for a position. Be punctual Set your alarm, plan your travel route, and prepare for anything that could hold you up. In short: don’t be late. Be positive Always try to find the positives in any experinces or past jobs, even if you didn’t enjoy them. Smile! It’s your time to shine and get hired.
Comment 16
10th October 2017
Concrete does conference
Ben Gadsen defends Corbynist politcs
It seems to be a rule of British Corbyn’s policies, and the role of politics today that people will the state in markets. Neo-Keynesian underestimate Jeremy Corbyn. economists have pointed out that He appears unimpressive, as I the state has the ability to be flexible discovered meeting him last year, in creating market opportunities yet here is a man who defied all with tools not available to private odds to be elected leader on a vote enterprise , and invest based on share larger than that of Tony Blair what Britain needs, which is often in 1994 , be re-elected the following different from what businesses can year on an even larger share , and gain from in the short term. then provide Often it is not appreciated how Labour’s largest increase in much state investment went into popular vote share since 1945. The producing companies like Apple textbook mistake is to underestimate , and how state investment banks him. It’s a mistake his opponents (which Corbyn supports) like the have made time and time again, and German KfW managed to generate it’s cost them dearly. a $3billion profit in 2012 while most Despite undergoing obtuse other banks were still “in the red character assassination by zone.” Remarkably efficient. the media, which has led to a Austerity will fail because division in popularity between you don’t run an economy like a Corbyn and his policies, it household budget- you have to would only be right to say that invest to grow, and when even Corbyn’s politics are right for Cameron’s director of strategy Britain. begins criticising Britain needs May’s cuts you have to delicate and subtle question a policy strategy negotiators as it deals which, by contrast to with Brexit, which Corbyn’s, is heavily the Conservatives unpopular. seem unable to Support for an provide. increase in minimum It is far easier wage (80 percent to picture Barnier support), rent working with Corbyn caps (74 percent), than Theresa May, and nationalising because Corbyn is railways (60 percent) simply much more and Royal Mail (65 mainstream on the percent) are hugely continent. popular with This mainstream British voters and left is exactly what we attainable, if only need; the best of Britain they can realise is built on a Keynesian that Corbyn is right economic model, for Britain. Right for our not a free market one. future. Economically speaking, there is sound reason behind Chris McAndrew,
Eddie Booth defends the free market
Theresa May surprised us all this week when she launched a fierce defence of the free market, something notable missing from her disastrous general election campaign. Though eyebrows were understandably raised, I welcomed the Prime Ministers speech, purely because what she said was correct. The free market is the most effective way of reducing poverty the world has ever known. The capitalist system that is so decried today has had a stunning effect on absolute poverty. From the year 1970, when communism began its rough and ready tumble into decline, to the year 2006, there was an 80% reduction in the worldwide poverty rate. China began it’s period of economic liberalisation and saw affluence and prosperity grow. India did similarly, with similar results. These countries, alas, followed a crony capitalist system but still saw significant increases in human progress compared to their previous, socialist systems. The free market comes as naturally to us as breathing. It sets prices, it allows voluntary exchange, and it has opened up the world’s luxuries to greater numbers of people. The rich have gotten richer and so have the poor. Child morality rates have been slashed, education and literacy rates have risen, access to the arts is higher than ever. As economic a n d human freedom has Aron
continued to increase, by almost every measure, the world is better off. There are stark problems that have led to the disillusionment with capitalism but since when did this negate all we have achieved together? It is our challenge to improve that which must be improved, perfect what can be perfected, but above all appreciate how we got here. Make no mistake about it, those ideas are under threat. Socialism surges back from the brink, appealing to the disillusioned, and the free market, with all of the freedom it has guaranteed, is more vulnerable than ever before, undefended for too long. Theresa May is not the ideal candidate to lead this desperately needed revival, but who else is there? With Corbyn on the brink of power, I was heartened to see a leader, even a weak one, be bold enough to defend the system that brought prosperity to millions, slashed poverty, and liberated the former communist world. The key is to understand why citizens feel dissatisfied, but then to show an imperfection with capitalism is reason to focus on correction, not replacement. The Prime Minister was brave enough to say what we know to be true: The invisible hand of the market always moves faster and lighter than the heavy hand of Urb government.
NFL players have the right to protest Tom Gymer Comment Writer
There’s been controversy in the USA over NFL players kneeling during the national anthem. The players argue that it is a form of protest against some of the problems in America today such as the police’s treatment of ethnic minorities. Others, such as President Trump, argue that it is insulting to the US, to the flag, and to the soldiers who have fought to protect America. He’s easy to dismiss, but just because Trump says something doesn’t mean it’s wrong, so let’s See Li, Flickr consider whether kneeling for the national anthem is really offensive to military veterans. Firstly, different people within any group will always have different views, what’s offensive to one may be fine for another. People traditionally stand for the national anthem, but kneeling doesn’t seem like an inherently disrespectful act, especially in contrast to other ways
these players could have protested. It has been made clear by many veterans that even if taking a knee is disrespectful and offensive, they’d still support it as the right to protest is one of the very things they fought to protect. Even up to the highest levels of the military there are those who support the NFL players over President Trump, such as retired General Michael Hayden, and Colin Kaepernick, the player that started this string of protests, decided on kneeling as a form of protest after talking with a former Green Beret. It’s clear that Trump and others’ use of veterans and the military as a way to criticise these protests is unfair and overly aggressive. It seems to me that insulting the flag and the anthem stand for is the exact point of a protest? That the ideals of America are not being lived up to. Considering the USA has the second highest incarceration rate (disproportionally made up of BAME people) it would seem there is plenty to protest about.
Photo: Mike Worbeck, Wikmedia
Domino’s vs Pizza Hut
Harvey Perkin on Pizza Hut’s superiority So you want pizza, and lets be fair there is only two real choices hereDominos or Pizza Hut- unless you want food poisoning from Abra Kebabra. On the one hand, Dominos is the favourite of students from Hickling who can’t afford a real pizza at Pizza Hut because they spend £6 million on rent. At Pizza Hut, the price may be a bit more you pay for quality and consistency. At Dominos its a lucky dip as to whether the pizza is cooked properly or not. Even if it is cooked, the drivers guarantee to be at least 20 minutes late due to their lack of directional skills. It’s just too much of a risk- which isn’t what you want with pizza. There’s no room for error in such an important decision that could make or break your day. So you have a choice between cold, potentially uncooked pizza, or a Pizza Hut-tough call.
Emma Balmer on the beauty of Domino’s It’s thick and plump yet crisp and sturdy, it’s the most pleasurable experience of student life: Domino’s. Whether you’re under your covers hiding from shame from the night before or you’re relaxing with your your friends, Domino’s is the one. You’ll probably be too hungover to think about your choice but that’s not a problem because you can go half and half and have the best of both worlds. Thats the beauty of it, half the work has been done for you, its all the pizza with less of the thought. Meanwhile, you’ve got to weigh up your options- starvation or plunging ever deeper into your over draft. Thankfully, neither of which need to happen with Domino’s because of the student discount. Why would you possibly go for a pizza made in a hut over a forever pleasing Domino’s pizza? Image: Wikimedia, Clker-FreeVector-Images
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10th October 2017
“Labour have betrayed Uber drivers” Comment Editor Jack Ashton discusses comfort vs workers rights
A Corbyn backed Labour mayor, who supposedly represents the party of the working people, just threatened the livelihoods of 40,000 Londoners at the stroke of a pen. Sadiq Khan’s decision as chair of Transport for London is the first time the ideological inconsistencies that many Corbyn voters face has come to light. It’s the conflict between comfort and workers’ rightsbetween the gig economy and personal convenience, between the innovative free market or ethical business, and for the first time the convictions of the young Corbynites will be tested.
“Not enough blame is being paced on Uber” But not enough blame is being paced on Uber, who have gone unchecked for far too long. Repeatedly have they gone to court to stress how those who drive for them are not employees, and thus shouldn’t be guaranteed the rights that unions have fought for over the years, including a minimum wage or paid holiday leave. They have had 32 drivers investigated on sexual
harassment claims, and on multiple occasions they have chosen to exclude the police from investigations. On one notable instance, a driver who was investigated for sexual harassment was allowed to drive again, and went on to commit the same offence- their lax attitude towards medical and criminal checks for their drivers has put the population of London at considerable risk. But Labour’s response cannot be an immediate revocation of their licence- that is betrayal of Uber drivers. 40,000 people cannot be sacrificed at the altar of an ideological battle. It is rightful of the Labour Party to combat rogue business. Traditionally, the ideological faultlines in British politics have seen Labour take the side of working people, while the Conservatives have supported unregulated business under the banner of the free market. Uber is the exact outcome of that unregulated market- business that doesn’t respect people, but purely respects profit. But while the Labour way is to tackle dodgy capitalism, it is not to deliberately catch working people in the crossfire- business’s like Uber won’t defend them, they cannot f a c e threat from
Labour too. Becaue of this, steps should have been taken beforehand to ensure the safety of the passengers, prior to banning the entire company, it is an unfair response to years of Lassez-faire regulation to suddenly crack a previously none existent whip. Khan could have fined Uber, he could have imposed tougher regulations and he could have done it all over a longer period of time to help regulate the industry, not destroy it. But credit where it’s dueSadiq Khan’s initial strong-arming of Uber seems to have worked. The organisation has publically apologised for their actions and their treatment of workers, and constructive talks are underway with Transport for London in order to ensure Uber can continue to practice in London in a safe manner. It’s important that these talks progress well, and that Khan’s hand isn’t forced too heavily by the antiUber unions. If this is the case, then Labour voters should throw their full support behind the Mayor’s actionsrogue business cannot be allowed to thrive because it is convenient, it’s the thin end of a long wedge of crony capitalism and with a bit more nuance, Labour should oppose it.
Photo: Katy Blackwood, Wikimedia,
Amy Newbery on “it might distract the boys” and sexist dress codes “It might distract the boys.” I remember that comment well. It happened in the last two years of high-school, after Spanish class. The teacher had asked me to stay behind. That day, I wearing a white crop-top with the word ‘love’ written across it in black cursive. I’ll admit it, I was breaking the dresscode but a simple, ‘you are breaking the dress-code’ would have sufficed. Instead, she told me that I shouldn’t wear clothes like that because, ‘it might distract the boys.’I regret it now but I just nodded and accepted what she was telling me. Partly, I was scared of arguing back, but I also didn’t think about the implication of her words until later. I’m sorry, my stomach will distract men, will it? It’s my fault if they have inappropriate thoughts about me, is it? How could a teacher, someone who is suppose to guide and support you, say that? In a way, I guess it’s a good thing her words didn’t affect me immediately because it would’ve knocked my self-esteem. But was my teacher just referring to the male
students, or the teachers as well? If she was including the teachers, then that’s just disturbing. If men who are old enough to be my father find my stomach ‘distracting’, then there should be a stronger focus on raising people to respect women, not view them as objects. After starting at UEA, I felt liberated because there was no dress code, no rules, no condescending teacher telling me that my skin would ‘distract’ boys. It’s a sad reality; so many girls are defined by their bodies, and at such a young age at that. Ironically, I’ve only ever been scolded by a female teacher so that’s saying something, isn’t it? You would expect women to have each other’s backs, especially in this kind of situation. I find it astounding that in this day and age, this kind of stuff is still happening. It’s not just sexism, but racism, homophobia, and so many other issues that shouldn’t even exist. As someone who was raised to be open-minded, I find it frustrating.
But UEA does feel like a safe space and I commend their intolerance for discrimination and bullying. It’s been a couple of years since the incident but it pops up in my mind occasionally. Ultimately, I’m glad it happened because hadn’t it, I probably wouldn’t be writing this article.
“I felt liberated because there was no dress code, no rules, no condescending teacher”
I wouldn’t have thought so heavily about how women are viewed, and how it needs to change. You take whatever situation you’re shoved into, and you make the best out of it. Photo credit: Wikipedia
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10th October 2017
Science
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UEA Marrow supports stem cell research breakthrough Beth Papworth Science Editor UEA Marrow society has raised awareness about blood cancer and disorders to support the Anthony Nolan charity. In 1974, the trust was established when three year old Anthony was in need of a bone marrow transplant.
“Approximately 2,000 people a year need a stem cell transplant in the UK” Shirley Nolan set up the charity to match donor’s with people in desperate need. The charity has conducted world-class research into stem cell matching and transplants, to ensure that each patient receives the best possible treatment. Since 1974, they have used third-generation sequencing technology (TGS) as a new way of saving lives. Communications Officer, Helen Billam said: “Third Generation Sequencing allows us to tissuetype patients and donors at a much higher resolution than ever before. Anthony Nolan was the world’s first donor register to start using TGS and we hope it will allow us to make
more accurate matches and increase the likelihood of a successful transplant.” In 2015, Anthony Nolan facilitated more than 1,200 transplants. The chances of finding a matching donor for a particular patient depends in part on their ethnicity. Patients from a Northern European background have a 90 percent chance of finding a permissible match, and a 69 percent chance of finding the best match. Patients from a black, Asian, or minority ethnic background that is underrepresented on the register donor have 60 percent chance of finding a permissible match and a 20 percent chance of finding the best match. This is why the charity is focused on building a diverse register of donors, to reduce inequality in access to transplants. Anthony Nolan charity has continued to campaign on behalf of transplant recipients. Since the launch of Who Cares, there is better support for patients’ post-transplant as they adjust to life outside hospital and the longterm health effects that are often associated with transplant. UEA Marrow have recruited 166 people to the register in the last two years. For people in need of a transplant, that is 166 more chances of a match. Helan Billam added: “UEA Marrow are really integral to making our lifesaving work possible.”
Tsunami species cross Pacific Alex Millard Senior Reporter for Science Many of us will remember the Japanese tsunami of March 2011, triggered by a massive earthquake, registering at a 9.0 magnitude of the Richter scale, and causing more than £200 billion worth of damage. The wave towered 125 feet over the Japanese coast, along with a vast amount of debris. From 2012 to 2017 this debris has been found washing up on the coasts of North America and the Hawaiian Islands. Along with the rubbish being washed up, scientists have found nearly 300 living species attached to the debris having used the items as rafts to cross the Pacific. Nearly two thirds of these organisms had never been seen off the US coast and included species from various groups including mussels, worms, crustaceans and jellyfish relatives called hydroids. The researchers predict that the slow movement of the debris, compared to fast movement of commercial vehicles, may be the reason these organisms have survived the journey. This sluggish pace may also have contributed to the organisms being able to reproduce and
allowed them to adjust to the new environment. The debris floating around, potentially polluting our oceans, allowed these organisms to stay alive for so long. The slow degradation of hard plastic and fibreglass materials meant that they were sturdy enough to last for over six years at sea, that enabled them to transport the new species across the Pacific.
“The wave towered 125 feet over the Japanese coast, along with a vast amount of debris” Professor of Fisheries at Oregon State University, John Chapman, has stated this as ‘‘the biggest, unplanned, natural experiment in marine biology,’’ and though none of the species have yet colonised the West Coast, they will be closely observed. Invasive species can be a massive detriment to new environments and so, if nothing else, this has taught us that our plastic waste in the ocean could be transporting a lot more than pollutants.
Photo: UEA Marrow
Fighting freshers’ flu
Concrete’s tips to stay healthy in halls... It is of course that dreaded time of year again where Freshers Flu is taking its toll on students’ health. The term ‘Freshers Flu’ is used to refer to a range of different illnesses, but is commonly referred to as a cold that encompasses a myriad of symptoms. The ONS suggest that 27.5 million working days are lost each year to coughs and colds, allowing Freshers Flu to greatly impact students’ studies. Every autumn the UK sees the mass-migration of around 1.8 million young people, often living in concentrated areas, suffering from an outbreak of respiratory diseases. Although there is no singular cause, a combination of a poor diet and exhaustion contribute to the outbreak of the cold. For this reason, health professionals recommend drinking lots of water, resting, and eating plenty of fruit and vegetables. To prevent more serious illnesses from developing, there are vaccinations offered to some new students at the Medical Centre, including Meningitis ACWY and Influenza. Roo Pitt Images: Pixabay
“I’ve escaped the feared freshers’ flu but am now scared to go near my friends who may have contracted it.” Alice Stenner
“Pain... Suffering... 11 nights out in a row... Worth it!” Ivo Garnham
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10th October 2017
Dirty laundry causes bed bug infestation Renah Dikki Science Writer As if dirty laundry was not already a problem for students, it’s now possible that your unwashed underwear could attract some unwelcome pests.
“Bed bugs are a huge problem... particuarly in the world’s biggest and busiest cities” The University of Sheffield recently released a study addressing the global issue of bed bug resurgence. Professor Hentley, head of the University’s Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, led a study that showed soiled clothing has attracted active bed bugs and elevated CO2 levels, which has consequently
simulated human occupancy. Professor Hentley said that for hotel and homeowners, “bed bugs are a huge problem…particularly in the world’s biggest and busiest cities.” Therefore, it is not surprising that these parasites have been able to spread globally. It may not be the case that simply having stinky clothes in your bedroom is going to cause a bed bug infestation. However, when you travel there is a risk of bringing back bed bugs from an infested room. It is possible for the bugs to find their way into your clothes or luggage, so knowing how to reduce the risk is important as infestations are not easily cleared. Professor Hentley has advised people to “keep dirty laundry in a sealed bag, especially in hotels, as this could help reduce the chances of people taking the bugs home with them.” He also added that it is best to keep your suitcase on a smooth metal rack as bed bugs struggle to walk on smooth surfaces.
Chimpanzees’ intelligence exceeds expectations Orla Knox-Macaulay Science Writer
Photo: USAID Adrica Bureau, Flickr
After new observations, researchers have discovered that, when provided with them, chimpanzees can use tools spontaneously and correctly to solve problems. As a race, we often deliberate over Darwin’s theory of evolution and our biological history with apes.
“Chimpanzees’ intelligence has surpassed the worlds expectations” Partnered with the University of Tuibigen, Germany, observations were conducted to track the use of tool-like behaviours with the Chimpanzees at Twycross Zoo, UK. In the experiment, the subjects were given a bowl of water with food inside. The aim was to see whether they would use sticks to help them fish out the food. Psychology Professor, Elisa Bandini has said that the idea
behaviour is passed down via interactions and copying (like human culture) has been put into disrepute. What was so interesting about this was that it has challenged the belief that chimpanzees have to learn from each other.Essentially, their epistemology was based on their own social interactions in their groups.
Professor Claudior Tennis said: “Given these results, the longheld assumption that apes must observe one another to show these behaviours may have been due to an illusion of cultural transmission.” With leading research continuing in this field, it is safe to say that chimpanzees are more intelligent than we initially thought. Photo: Harlequeen, Wikimedia
Hey Buddy Tilos 2020, Flickr
it’s not too late to get a buddy to help you settle in to life at uea. for more details head to uea.su/heybuddy
Yaiza Canopoli
Travel
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10th October 2017
L-R: Wiper Mexico, Panaromio; Taxiarchos228.Wikimedia; Megan Furr.
The fairytale castles of Bavaria Megan Furr Travel Writer
Hidden amongst the Bavarian landscape lie some of Europe's most spectacular castles and palaces; a myriad of masterpieces built, adapted, and envisioned by King of Bavaria, Ludwig II. Growing up in the beautiful Hohenschwangau Castle, Ludwig indulged in childhood fantasies, which remained with him through the increasing reclusiveness during his short reign. The romanticism and grandeur of his architecture suggests a level of artistic vision which can be easily seen as the German equivalent of Versailles. The fairytale castle of
Neuschwanstein and private palace of Linderhoff are only two examples of Ludwig's extraordinary legacy.
"A picturesque fairytale castle complete with archetypal torrents and archways" The paradox remains however; Ludwig’s palaces were built so he could live out his life as a recluse, and now they are widely popular tourist attractions.
Built in 1868, Neuschwanstein is a picturesque fairytale castle complete with archetypal torrents and archways. It is recognisable in modern culture through its use in the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and as inspiration for the iconic castle in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. The medieval style opulence Ludwig intended is felt throughout the castle’s interior, with murals referencing knights and chivalry. It is easy to imagine Ludwig using the castle as a backdrop to his elaborate pretence of being a mystical and theatrical King. Logistically, the sheer quantity of visitors means it is advisable to make reservations to enter the castle through a compulsory guided tour before your visit to
avoid disappointment. The castle of Neuschwanstein is situated near Ludwig’s childhood home of Hohenschwangau Castle and the Museum of Bavarian Kings which are also worth a visit. The village of Hohenschwangau itself provides a perfect base point from which to explore. The ‘golden palace’ of Linderhoff was built and completed by Ludwig during his lifetime; the palace became a haven where he spent the last years of his life. Although not as structurally magnificent as Neuschwanstein, the breathtaking palace is situated in beautiful gardens and is intrinsically decorated with opulent designs. The compact nature of the building makes it clear the palace
was created for Ludwig's personal use where he lived as a 'royal hermit'. In addition to the building, also lies an underground manmade constructed cave, intended for performances of Ludwig's favorite Wagner play Tannhauser, where he was usually the only member Jack Leik of the audience. The play featured artificial lakes, one of the first uses of electricity in Bavaria. Ludwig was a monarch enshrouded in mystery; the nature of his death is still debated. His castles and palaces are still some of the most visited attractions in Germany, and have many times paid over their costly expenses. Ultimately, this architectural project which Ludwig dedicated his life to provides an unique travel experience.
The culture of a communist country Travel writer Evlyn Forsyth-Muris tells us how the new generation live
Over the summer my family and I flew over 4700 miles to the beautiful and revolutionary Caribbean island of Cuba. The 35 degree heat and 90 percent humidity makes the two year rebellion seem all the more impressive as we struggled to wander around without stopping for cold drinks every half hour. Despite the rebellion being 58 years ago, the revolution still feels very alive in the people of Cuba. Whilst we were in Cienfuegos they were throwing a carnival in celebration of Fidel Castro’s birthday, and the love for Che Guevara is seen everywhere you look. Despite having very little, Cubans always appear as being very happy and untroubled, the rum and the music endlessly flowing. But it’s not all romantic - the embargo imposed by America means Cuba’s government has a lot of difficulty importing and exporting goods. A trip to the shops is a massively different experience than here. Imagine going into your local shop to find only rum, bottled water, overpriced dried pasta, and a few jars. Food supply and cost is a
massive problem for Cubans, with the government still providing rations of subsidised basics like bread, rice, and sugar.
"Food supply and cost is a massive problem for Cubans" One morning my parents went to queue at the bakery to try and buy some bread for breakfast and discovered they couldn’t buy any as they didn’t have a ration card! The subsided food is just one example of how paternalistic the government is. There is good and free education (including university), decent, mostly free, healthcare, with one doctor to every 170 Cubans (2nd highest in the world), free housing (sort of), and care for the elderly where families can’t provide. The overwhelming feeling you get is that there is a very strong baseline of quality of life and we saw
little begging on our trip. One of the most difficult thing for us to understand (aside from the Spanish) was that almost everything is government owned - the shop chains, some restaurants, all of the hotels and many other public facilities are at least 51 percent owned by the government. Almost everyone works for the government, but the salaries are low. A university professor we met was earning just $42 a month and she told us it was difficult not to run out of money in the first week. With the gradual opening of the private sector, the Cubans have found ways to supplement their income, often through ‘casa particulars’, where tourists stay in a room in their house. A typical night in one of these with an en-suite is $25, equal to a Cuban monthly salary (before tax). While a 'casa' is an easy way to tap into the lucrative tourist market, it’s not so easy for others. A catamaran instructor from our hotel in Varadero was telling us how he wants to start his own catamaran school for tourists but he can’t get a licence for it, and thus doesn’t see a
future for himself in Cuba. The tourist market, despite propping up the national economy, is creating a two tiered system and is breeding discontent from those without.
"Almost everyone works for the government, but the salaries are low." But the reality is that even if you do have the money there isn’t that much to spend it on. I wonder how things will change in the next 20 years with the balance of communism and private enterprise shifting; a generation growing up with the internet; and a new leader that wasn’t part of the revolution.
Photo: Mark Scott Johnson, Wikimeda
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10th October 2017
Imogen Barton: Oh, fair Verona
Photo: The Illustrated Shakespeare, Wikimedia
During my summer holiday travelling across Italy, I visited Verona for a few days with my family. During our last night there, we went to see a theatrical production of Romeo and Juliet. Not having done any research beforehand, I had expected a generic theatrical experience where you take in the performance and feel numb by the end of it from sitting still for so long. Needless to say, I was surprised to find that we had actually booked tickets to see a travelling show, so the rendition of Romeo and Juliet was more interactive than expected. Given that Verona is home to the courtyard of Juliet, it is not surprising that it was used to full effect. You start off in the aforementioned courtyard, where tourists flock to visit and take pictures of them placing their hand on Juliet’s breast, and then move around the city before ending up at the Teatro Nuovo for the finale. The performance managed to skilfully mix the classic
appeal of Shakespeare’s play with street theatre, and was far more interactive than I expected. That’s because you were invited to partake in dancing and bear witness to the intrigue that develops over their secret marriage or the friar’s plot. If walking isn’t your thing, fear not, as you only explore the modest-sized city centre. If you go to see this production in the late afternoon, you’ll find that the streets are still very lively as you walk around; Italians are fond of evening strolls (or 'la passeggiata') where they dress up in nice clothes, walk on the streets and socialise with each other or do some window-shopping. It also doesn’t hurt that you get to see the many restaurants and shops around Verona. If you think that you can settle down after a performance to a nice dinner, however, think again. Most of the best places close relatively early compared to the UK so it is advisable to eat out before visiting the theatre. The narrator did a splendid job
at entertaining the theatre-goers throughout the night. This was only amplified (no pun intended) by the theatre acoustics during the last few acts, which contributed to an emotive, tense atmosphere as the play reached the climax. I believe that the audience participation and involvement beforehand contributed to this and the realistic performances of the actors meant you could fully immerse yourself in the experience. Since Verona is otherwise a sedate city, going to the theatre provided a nice change of pace from exploring the Italian architecture, indulging in the many varieties of ice-cream and bathing in the sun. Overall, I would recommend this experience to anyone passing through Verona over the summer; the show does not run at other times of the year. If nothing else, the fact that tickets are typically less than twenty euros per person should make it worth a degree of consideration.
Milan and Venice: a dream come true Swathi Senthil Kumar Travel Writer Abby dreamed of going to Venice. We shared the same dream until December 2015, when our dream became reality. I recently found ultra-cheap tickets to Milan and back, and we proceeded to plan a long weekend in the fashion capital of the world and the famous floating city. Abby said it looked like Czechia, and it did; old architecture and trams. However, the traffic was chaos, and it resembled Indian driving! Our first stop was Sforza Castle. It was a lot larger than I expected! To our delight, the tickets were free. The only reason we came to the castle was to see the Rondanini Pietà, Michelangelo's last unfinished sculpture. Our next stop was the Duomo, the largest gothic cathedral in the world. It was also the last ever gothic cathedral to be built and took over 700 years to reach completion. It was certainly the most beautiful sight in Milan. Then we tried to walk to the Quadrilatero d'Oro (Rectangle of Gold), but found ourselves on a street branching off the Duomo containing highstreet fashion brands instead. It was now sunset and the Duomo had turned a soft pink under the rays. While we admired it, we spotted the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which was the actual Golden Rectangle! The next morning, we joined a free walking tour starting at the Duomo. We stopped at nine attractions, but three of them stood out in particular. Ossario Chapel had a room decorated with the
Photo: Swathi Kumar
skulls and bones of people. Trivulzio Chapel had a family emblem engraved above the entrance. The guide made us guess what it was, before delicately stating that it was three pairs of scrotums. Finally, the Milan State University, considered one of the oldest hospitals in the world. It was so impressive at the time that it earned a visit from Martin Luther himself! Being the science students that we are, Abby and I wanted to see scientific work. We were awestruck when we saw the original pages of Leonardo Da Vinci's Codex Atlanticus in The
Pinacoteca Ambrosiana. The man was a genius, let me tell you. By evening, our feet were hurting in ways they'd never hurt before. Yet, we marched on to the final area of Milan we wanted to see; the Navigli Grande Canal. We sat outdoors in a restaurant with a view of the canal. Summer time meant that the sun didn't set before 9pm, so the sunset lit up the opposite side of the canal while I enjoyed eating Milanese style risotto. The next day, we arrived in Venice at 4.30am by bus. Abby couldn't believe she was finally in Venice and was totally absorbed.
I began noticing a few differences between Venice in the summer and Venice in the winter. For example, the distinct fishy, ocean smell was definitely absent in the winter. After walking for a good 2030 minutes, we finally arrived and marvelled at Venice's largest and most famous bridge — Rialto Bridge. The black windows of the shops were all closed but we still enjoyed the picturesque view. We then took a vaporetto to San Marco (St. Mark's Square). The 25 minute journey took us down the Grande Canal which we immensely enjoyed as the vaporettos
were empty and it wasn't too hot. At San Marco, we saw St. Mark's Basilica and a couple getting their wedding photos shot in the centre of the relatively empty square (maybe they will find a small Indian girl in the background of one of their pictures). Through this trip, I had the pleasure of seeing my seventh Italian city and Abby visited a new country. Despite all the madness with the Flixbuses and the lethargy, the trip was ray of sunshine on our bleak, research-orientated lifestyles. I must thank Abby for putting up with my grumpy attitude and for being such a lively travel partner!
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10th October 2017
Hamilton in pole position for Malaysian Grand Prix Andrew Mackenzie Sports Writer As Malaysia prepared to host their final Grand Prix, the focus was very much on the two title protagonists; Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. Last weekend, Hamilton took the lead in the championship while Vettel failed to score. Moreover, Mercedes were expected to have an advantage here over Ferrari. However, with Mercedes down on pace to the Ferraris and the Red bulls, the pendulum looked to have swung back in favour of Ferrari. Despite the deficit, Hamilton was still able to take his seventieth pole position ahead of Kimi Raikkonen. Sebastian Vettel did not set a time as his car let him down. Hamilton, it seemed, had luck on his side. Hamilton was handed further good fortune as Raikkonen was unable to take the start due to an issue that looked suspiciously like the one that befell teammate Vettel. As the race got underway it was clear that Lewis would not have it all his own way; as Max Verstappen spent the opening laps glued to the gearbox of the Mercedes, until
eventually getting past him into the first corner on lap four. Daniel Ricciardo also exploited the pace of the Red Bull and overtook Bottas who was struggling for pace in the opening laps. Sebastian Vettel was also making progress. He stormed up the order in the first lap, and proceeded to carry the momentum through the field. Old rival Fernando Alonso slowed his progress, but once the cars around him stopped for fresh tyres, Vettel was up to fifth. He was then able to pass Bottas at the pit stops, crowning an abysmal day for the Finnish driver.
“Hamilton extends his lead in the Championship to thirty points” Vettel caught Ricciardo and tried a move into turn one, but he couldn’t find his way past. Up front Max Verstappen cruised to his second career win, a day after turning twenty. Vettel’s bizarre accident after the race with Lance Stroll summed up Ferrari’s weekend, one
wheel had certainly come off their wagon in Malaysia. Hamilton congratulated Verstappen, saying: “I didn’t really know how close he was in that first corner, as I was having problems with the engine de-rating and battery power at the beginning of the race. I went to defend but I didn’t really want to risk it. At the end of the day Max had more pace than me and it would have been a struggle and he would probably have got past somewhere else.” “Definitely, it was a much better weekend that we had anticipated after struggling so much on Friday, so considering the issues we had this is a good result, albeit still disappointing because winning is the ultimate goal. But Max did a fantastic race.” The result means that Hamilton extends his lead in the Championship to thirty four points. However, it must be known that Vettel has won two championships with a larger deficit. Ferrari will be hoping that the Red Bulls can factor in the remaining races like they did here to ensure that the championship deficit may be overcome, but Ferrari know that their luck must change.
Photo: emperornie, Wikimedia
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Comment: Sampson left shaved of position Alice Vickery Sports Writer After several years of investigations, accusations and bullet-point reports, Mark Sampson has eventually been fired as the manager of England Women’s Football. The Football Association made the decision only a couple of weeks ago, but after a variety of inappropriate incidents, his removal from management has been a long time coming.
“Why has it taken so long for these fireable offences to come to light?” Despite this, in August Sampson led the Lionesses to the semi-finals of the Women’s Euro 2017. They lost to the Netherlands, who were the hosts of the event. When we go back to the very beginning of the investigations behind Sampson, I feel that it’s
Photo: James Boyce important to point out that this all started in 2013, four years ago. In that time, he’s been excused, promoted and praised despite the
continuity of complaints against his behaviour. It all kicked off when, just as he was starting as the head
coach of England, his treatment of the ladies at Bristol Academy, his previous team, was brought into question. Now I have really
burrowed into this and searched all over the internet, even hoping for a loaded question from some inconspicuous reporter. But nowhere can I find what this man was accused of, who or how many accused him, and how he responded. All I know was that he was cleared: that’s it. The FA saw fit to keep him as head coach because there was no longer a ‘safeguarding’ problem. Yet in the last three years, there have been racist comments, questionable remarks and, finally, the release of the full report from Bristol Academy to the FA. Question: why has it taken so long for these fireable offences to come to light? How would the FA define safeguarding? As a female rugby player, if I’m working with a male coach who makes me feel uncomfortable, who’s in charge of my whole career, and who clearly feels he has the freedom to comment on my team mates and I, ‘safe’ is not the word I would use to describe my situation.
Norfolk’s young golf stars Canary corner: what’s up at Carrow Road?
Photo: Moneyfool, Pixabay Sophie Bunce Deputy Editor The Norfolk junior team reached the finals of the South East Group Under-18 League. The team went to Hampshire for the finals where they were commended for their performance at the Hockley Golf Club. This is the second consecutive year that the Norfolk team have qualified a match early for the finals. The competition is a great place for the best young golfers
to showcase their talents and the Norfolk team struggled to match the skills of the opposition. The Berkshire teams presented a strong line up to counter Norfolk’s efforts. However, this offered valuable experience for the team. For many of the members the competition was their first experience of junior golf and all maintained a professional conduct. In the competition, Buckinghamshire, Oxon and Surrey finished third, with all but two of the matches reaching the 18th.
The team will see a significant change, as from 2018 eight of its players will surpass the age limits of the under 18s. The players leaving who represented Norfolk include James Lambert, Finley Heywood, Josh Emery, Warren Bates, and Jack Cullington. They have been thanked by the county officials for representing Norfolk juniors and wished luck in their future endeavors, sporting or otherwise.
After a rocky start to the season, Norwich City clinched a 2-1 victory over last year’s play-off finalists, Reading. This victory saw the Canaries pass through September undefeated, gaining an impressive 14 points from 6 games. This impressive run of form sees Norwich finish the month in 9th place with 18 points, just 6 behind league leaders Cardiff. But Reading experienced their 4th loss in 6 games, and now lie just one point above the relegation zone. The game got off to a flying start when James Maddison’s well placed free-kick gave Norwich the early lead just inside 10 minutes, but the away end of the Madjeski wasn’t rocking for long as the hosts wasted no time with the equaliser- Liam Moore’s back post header saw the end to Norwich’s clean sheet record and posted some defensive questions for the club. Luckily for the Canaries, Cameron Jerome opened his league goal count for the season with a free header at the back post just after half time. Jerome had an effort strike the post earlier in the half, and the strikers hunger paid off when he shrugged off his marker and gained the reward. The game slowed in the second half, with Reading coming
desperately close and rattling the crossbar. Norwich City fans will be disappointed with the ending of the game. After only being on the field for half an hour, new signing Marley Watkins saw red for a rash tackle on Reading’s Chris Gunter. Another solid result for Norwich led to manager, Daniel Farke saying “It was a game with a really high level and I think both teams wanted to control it through possession.” Norwich now have 2 weeks rest for the international break, after which they’ll be hosting a struggling Hull side at Carrow Road. Farke and the rest of the team will be eyeing three points against a side that have struggled to find their feet this season- but no doubt they’ll have an eye on the week ahead when they face local rivals Ipswich in what will no doubt prove to be an exciting game. Farke will be keen to rotate his squad in the coming weeks, with the Canaries facing a daunting 4 games in 10 days towards the end of October- the likes of which include a precarious trip away to Arsenal in the EFL Cup. Jack Ashton
Photo: Optiknv, Wikimedia
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10th October 2017
Sport
Cricketers clash
Ben Stokes and Alex Hales receive suspensions following a brawl outside a Bristol nightclub after defeating the West Indies
Tony Allen Sport Reporter England cricketers Ben Stokes and Alex Hales have been indefinitely suspended from international duty and placed under police and ECB investigations after a fracas on a night out following an ODI victory over the West Indies in Bristol on Sunday 24th September. Unverified footage released by The Sun shows a man, believed to be Stokes, repeatedly aiming punches at two others, knocking both to the ground, as trouble spilled from a pavement onto the road. All appear to be intoxicated.
“Stokes and Hales are not the first England cricketers to be criticised for their off-field antics” It is not clear whether Hales, who had been out with Stokes in Bristol, appears in the footage or was present when the incident occurred, but he is thought to have assisted local police with their enquiries. Stokes was arrested in the early hours of the Monday morning under suspicion of causing actual bodily harm and neither player featured in the two remaining ODIs against the West Indies in which England wrapped up a 4-0 series whitewash. A man’s facial injuries from the scuffle required hospital treatment
while Stokes suffered a fractured right-hand in the brawl which is not thought to be serious. Stokes’ injury, coupled with his ECB suspension, casts doubts over his involvement in the upcoming Ashes series which begins next month in Australia. The all-rounder faces an anxious wait to see whether the police investigation will be concluded and his internal ban lifted before the first test starts on the 23rd November. The incident has reignited a long-running debate about the level of freedom which should be given to sportspeople in their private lives. In the modern era of paparazzi journalism, social media and good-quality mobile phone recordings, it is easier than ever for sportspersons’ misdemeanours to be captured and spread quickly. In December 2015, thenNorwich goalkeeper John Ruddy made tabloid headlines after The Sun obtained footage of him involved in an altercation at a taxi rank in the Tombland area of the city. The England international was not arrested and regained his place in the Canaries’ starting lineup later that season, but came under fire from fans for the timing of the incident which occurred after the stopper had lost his spot in the team to Declan Rudd following a dip in form. Stokes and Hales are not the first England cricketers to be criticised for their off-field antics. In August 2013, Monty Panesar was arrested for allegedly urinating on bouncers after being ejected from a Brighton nightclub, which led to his release by Sussex.
However, he went on to continue his county career after a struggle with mental illness. Ruddy and Panesar are just two of a number of high-profile sporting figures who have seen their reputations damaged by private scandal. However, like most sportspeople disgraced in this way, their misdemeanours alone have not spelled the end of their careers. While some fans argue that players under contract to their club, or in the case of Stokes and Hales, their national association, have an obligation to respect their fans and represent their team with utmost professionalism even when not on duty, others argue that what players do outside of the stadium and training ground should be of little concern to those who pay their wages.
“A man’s injuries from the scuffle required hospital treatment while Stokes suffered a fractured hand” Twenty-six-year-old Stokes, who is England’s test vice-captain, and twenty-eight-year-old Hales have seen their central contracts renewed despite remaining out of contention for their country until investigations into the incident are concluded. Both players have been offered new England contracts, despite their suspension.
Photos: Amal316, Wikimedia and Dan Heap, Wikimedia.
Cyclists club together in Norfolk rugby tour Imogen Barton Sports Writer Several well-known rugby stars gathered together to wish participants of the Club Together event good luck, before the threeday charity cycling event. The participants’ quest was to cycle to every rugby club in Norfolk, from Thetford to Great Yarmouth. Despite less-thanideal weather conditions, over 80 cyclists partook in the event, riders camping on pitches before setting out again, riding for approximately 100 miles a day. Among those who
congratulated the team for their efforts were rugby players Joe Launchbury and Adam Jones, who play for the Wasps and the Harlequins respectively, as well as Good Morning Britain presenters Eamonn Holmes and Lucy Verasamy. The event was considerably more successful than anticipated, with the total raised currently standing at over £120,000 compared to the initial target which stood at £100,000. Half the funds were raised for Wooden Spoon, the self-proclaimed “children’s charity of rugby,” which was founded in 1983 and focuses on supporting children
with disabilities. To date, they have helped over one million children through
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The year children’s charity Wooden Spoon was founded.
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The number of cyclists who took part in the event.
projects such as specialised playgrounds and sports activity
areas. Additionally, the rugby clubs that chose to take part in Club Together had the opportunity to nominate their own charities in an effort to support communitybased initiatives. The list of charities that were supported in this manner included Norfolk Special Olympics, Red Balloon, Restart Rugby and MIND. The Club Together’ organisers will hope that as well as raising a significant amount of funds for the nominated charities, the event will also raise awareness. In the UK approximately one in every hundred children born have some form of life-long disability, which has considerable impact on their
quality of life. According to the Papworth Trust, 84 percent of working-age, non-disabled people in 2016 had some form of employment while only 46.5 percent of disabled people under this category could say the same. Additionally, it is estimated that 40 percent of disabled children live in poverty.
Photo: Clker-Free-Vector Images, Pixabay.