rhifyn 1126 issue 1126
gair rhydd
26 Tachwedd 2018 26 november 2018
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SU President reflects harshly on the AGM
Sustainablity of Student Union finances questioned at AGM
by Sam Tilley & Matt Tomlin
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n Thursday, November 22, Cardiff University Students’ Union held their Annual General Meeting (AGM), where students debated six motions, and listened to updates from the Union regarding their annual spending between the academic year of 2017 and 2018 alongside other important announcements. Students in the audience also had the opportunity to ask questions to trustees about the spending and operations of the Union. Trustees were under scrutiny about how the SU would be funded in a sustainable manner following revelations in the 2017/2018 financial report that it had been operating at a loss of almost £2 million in 2016/2017. This was followed by a profit of a
mere £262,000 in 2017/2018. Trustees stated more than once that the Union had faced financial obstacles in recent years. No exact solutions were made clear. Within the Student Union budget, it was predicted that they will soon also face income cuts, as the University need to make £20 million in expenditure cuts, a move that will likely affect the Union. Daniel Palmer, Chief Executive of the Union stated: “When the University catches a cold, we start sneezing” in reference to the potential economic consequences this will have on the Union finances. Followed up by Fadhila Al Dhahouri, SU President: “We can’t predict the cuts or savings [within the Union] until March when we hear from the University.”
Rugby BUCS victories by Reece Chambers
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oth of the University’s rugby teams gained victories in their last BUCS fixtures. The men finally earned their first win in the BUCS Super League with a 22-14 over Northumbria. Meanwhile, the ladies team continued their impressive form with an emphatic 49-5 win over Surrey in the Cup. 31
Hands Up: Cardiff University Students’ Union AGM saw a range of motions fail and pass. Photo Credit: Cardiff University Students’ Union by Jess Warren
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n Friday, 23 November, the day after AGM, Fadhila Al Dhahouri, SU President made some controversial reflections about the evening through a post on her private Facebook account. When questioned about her Facebook post being attributed to a particular motion in the evening, Fadhila responded with a statement saying: “these were general reflections so should not be attributed to any specific motions of AGM”. Her Facebook post stated: “people who preach hope and better future... always find it difficult to convince people of their message, especially if these people don’t have a moral compass to guide them”. When asked to clarify what she meant about a moral compass, she responded saying: “Having a moral compass is having a set of values that guide your decision making. For me personally it is about standing up for justice for everyone, for me this is the core value of my living, which stems from my religion Islam.” Fadhila also stated in her post that:
“people who prey on other people’s fear to make them take action are the most cowards of all on earth.” When questioned over this, she responded saying: “For me day to day life is about giving messages of hope, that empowers people for a better future – not scaring people with messages of fear.” This comes after an interesting set of motions were debated at the AGM, with one of the motions Fadhila was seconding, failing to pass. The motion titled “Protecting our Palestinian and Jewish Students” also faced much controversy on the night, with members of the audience who were Jewish Students standing up to claim they weren’t consulted on the motion. President of the Jewish Society, Guy Oberlander tweeted stating that: “I had absolutely no idea about [the motion] until I read the AGM Schedule”. When Fadhila was questioned over the lack of input and knowledge, Guy Oberlander had over the motion, she responded by saying: “a number of students were consulted in the formation of the motion, including Jewish
students. “After the motion was submitted, the amendments were then produced after consultation with some members of the Jewish Society committee and members of the society. “The intention of the motion was to listen to all students voices, moving forward I want to ensure that everyone is heard and that we do the best by our student body.” In a statement made to The Jewish Chronicle, The Union of Jewish Students and the Cardiff Jsoc condemned the motion: “It is clear that this motion’s skindeep mention of combating antisemitism is being used as an attempt to ‘kosher’ BDS, a movement that the vast majority of Jewish students oppose and see as an attack on our identity. “Anyone who believes that they can erase Jewish experience and define antisemitism better than Jewish people cannot claim to be ‘protecting Jewish students’. “We will not accept our oppression being used to further the politics of division and hatred.”
Fire Safety risk over building cladding in Cardiff
by Hefin Rees Edwards
H
oping to avoid another ‘Grenfell’ type disaster, the Senedd’s Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee has published a report that contains several concerns regarding Welsh fire safety practices. A number of recommendations have been made to the Welsh Government in the hope 18 that a new law be passed to replace the Fire Safety Law of 2005.
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EDITORIAL
Gair Rhydd 2018/19 Coordinator Elaine Morgan
Editor-in-Chief Jess Warren
Deputy Editors Silvia Martelli Reece Chambers Michael Ash
Head of Digital Media Michael Ash
News
Gee Harland Klaudia Jazwinska Emma Ogao Matt Tomlin
Campus Life Ashley Boyle Cerian Jones
Taf-od
Llion Carbis Tomos Evans
For more content, head to gairrhydd.com
word
the free
A letter from the editor
Protest for change
by Jess Warren
The importance of standing up for what you believe in
Comment
Alys Hewitt Hannah Newberry Emma Videan
Column Road Karis Pearson
Politics
Charlotte King Silvia Martelli Rhys Thomas Sam Tilley
Advice
Ashavari Baral Katie Lewis
Saunders’ Corner
Sam Saunders
Science
Daniel Brown Jonathan Learmont
Sport
Reece Chambers Rosie Foley John Jones Jack Vavasour George Willoughby
Social Media Editors Indigo Jones Giovanna Coi
Digital Media Editors Maisie Marston Jordan Parker Cadi Thomas
Cartoonist
Louis Mertens
Copy Editors
Sofia Brizio Ilona Cabral Chris Colbourn Abi Dudbridge Elen Fflur Davies Gemma Hopley
Write to the editor editor@gairrhydd.com
At Gair Rhydd we take seriously our responsibility to maintain the highest possible standards. We may occasionally make mistakes, however if you believe we have fallen below the standards we seek to uphold, please email editor@gairrhydd.com. You can view our Ethical Policy Statement and Complaints Procedure at cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/complaints. Opinions expressed in editorials are not reflective of Cardiff Student Media, who act as the publisher of Gair Rhydd in legal terms, and should not be considered official communications or the organisation’s stance. Gair Rhydd is a Post Office registered newspaper.
Standing up: The significance of direct action is becoming more apparent. Source: Warren Wong (via unsplash)
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ow do you make change happen? It’s a question that has been around for thousands of years, pretty much since people existed and they found themselves dissatisfied, or worse, angered by something. Of course, mutiny is always an option if you’re a pirate, otherwise your options include civil resistance, a coup, and guerilla warfare to name a few. However undertaking any of these acts doesn’t always seem appropriate in the UK, especially considering you’re likely to be locked up for attempted terrorism with most of the above suggestions. So how do you go about making change, and influencing The Man and the Government? In this last week, three significant protests have been taking place. In Saudi Arabia, women have began protesting the abaya, and the fact they still feel pressured to wear the garment. A traditional abaya covers the wearer leaving only the feet, hands and head visible. In an act of silent protest, feminists
in Saudi Arabia are turning the clothing inside-out, prompting the hashtag ‘inside-out abaya’. By then posting pictures with them wearing this reversed abaya, it’s growing solidarity among women who still feel required or pressured to wear the covering. Discussing the silent protest this week are our Politics Section, who focus on the measures that some Saudi women are taking to gain autonomy over their clothing. In another protest over clothing, people across the UK have been demonstrating over the outcome of the rape case in Cork, Ireland. Elizabeth O’Connell, the lawyer defending the man accused of rape argued that the complainant, aged 17 was “open to meeting someone” due to the way she was dressed: “She was wearing a thong with a lace front.” Following on from the trial, public outcry has been huge, with thousands of women joining the online protest, using hashtags ‘ThisIsNotConsent’ and ‘IBelieveHer’. Public protests have ensued in Belfast, with women
holding placards with underwear pinned to it, as well as hundreds of thongs being laid out in front of the courthouse in Cork following from the trial. This week our Comment Section discuss the #ThisIsNotConsent campaign and the issue over female representation within rape trials. Last week also saw a large protest from the group Extinction Rebellion, who occupied roads in London with an aim to force governments to treat the threat of climate change and species extinction as a crisis, instead of leaving it on the backburner. The protest involved sitting down in busy road junctions when the lights turned red, staying there for seven minutes, and then letting angry drivers through. As soon as the lights turned red again, the process would repeat. With 6,000 people showing up to occupy busy bridges and junctions in London, this protest was aimed to cause economic disruption by slowing traffic down and bringing it to grid-lock. It was hoped that
strategically impacting the economy would have a greater impact on the government. So how do we make change? How do we go about influencing people’s opinions, or holding our justice system to account, and placing pressure on the government? Protest for it. By standing up for your beliefs and adding another voice to the crowd, or another number in a growing social media campaign, you’re recognising that something isn’t right, and you want to do something about it. Whilst direct action and protests are always more exciting that clicking the ‘share’ button on your laptop, I’m a firm believer that online engagement also promotes further discussion in the public sphere. After all, the more shares and retweets something has, the more people know about it, and the further it is pushed into our everyday conversations. So start standing up for what you believe in, goodness knows students have taken hold of their placards in the past.
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by Emma Ogao
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May Street: A car had its window smashed on May Street. Source: Shannon Clarke accommodation, she recalls seeing “a man with a tool trying to cut the locks to steal them”. Cardiff has seen 1517 recorded bike thefts between October 2017, and September 2018 - a number which is currently on the incline. South Wales Police have issued a
warning, asking students to take precautions - “We would ask the public to ensure all items, particularly those that might be of value, are removed from their vehicles and to invest in a good quality lock for their bikes” Please report any suspicious activity to 101 or 999 in an emergency.
Prisoners give new life to bikes
Prisoners at HMP Cardiff are refurbishing bikes that were previously stolen or abandoned
by Mutaskim Hasnath
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he Bernardo’s Cymru charity shop has been chosen to sell bikes refurbished by prisoners. They are acquiring new skills as part of their rehabilitation in the ‘Recycle Your Cycle’ scheme. The profits raised by the charity, support Bernando’s services for vulnerable children, young people and families. In a statement, a charity spokesperson said: “It looks like it’s going to be a great success after the store sold five bikes in the first three days”. Bethany Picton, manager of the North Road store added: “If the first three days are anything to go by the bikes are going to sell really well” The bikes refurbished by prisoners are firstly recovered by the police. They are found abandoned on University campuses and from trade-ins from Evans cycle shops. They are then refurbished to an
almost-new condition and sold to customers for bargain prices. CEO of Recycle Your Cycle, Mark Abrahams, hopes the increased demand for bicycles will enable the scheme to “open more workshops both within the prison service and also outside of the prison environment to help disadvantaged groups learn a useful skill”. The scheme’s workshops are currently located in other HMPs including Nottingham, Liverpool and Wandsworth and since it began, in 2015, has successfully sold and refurbished over 5500 bikes. It has raised £160,000 for charities across the UK, such as The Bernado’s Cymru. The North Road store is opposite the Maindy Centre, where the Maindy Flyers meet and Geraint Thomas MBE first trained as a professional racing cyclist, adding great sentiment to the cause and its potential.
To contact our news desk, drop us an email at news@gairrhydd.com
it’s meant to be a lot safer than living on a street” says Shannon. Another Cathays resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, reiterates similar concern. “After this week I worry constantly about my car, which I use to commute daily. The area feels much less safe than before, and as a broke university student the last thing I want to be worried about is car repairs. It’s really worrying to think my car could be targeted next” Following the series of break-ins, the neighbourhood has curated a group chat known as “neighbourhood watch” to keep each other alert of any strange noises, or any people in the area who seem suspicious. PC Paul Donoghue, a neighbourhood officer for Cathays, tells Gair Rhydd they have had meetings with Cardiff University recently about the numerous incidents that have occurred around Cathays. “We are aware of the increase in thefts recently, and we are hoping to work together on this by what we call target hardening, [as well as] other initiatives” Target hardening involves strengthening security and surveillance in order to protect an area and reduce the chances of thefts occurring in the future. Students living in the city centre have also fell victim to a wave of bike thefts, with many bikes being reported stolen. Chloe Lenehan, a resident at Liberty Bridge, witnessed an attempted bike theft this past weekend. On returning to the student
NEWS
lmost a dozen cars have been broken into, and several bikes have been stolen following a wave of theft that has hit the student dominated areas of Cardiff over the last three weeks. The reported incidents have occurred in Cathays and Roath, as well as in the City Centre. Shannon Clarke, a resident in Cathays, fell victim to a car break in 2 weeks ago. Speaking to Gair Rhydd, she recalls being home in that evening, when they heard a car alarm going off and spotted the thieves making a run from the car which was parked outside. In attempt to catch them, one of her housemates ran out but to no avail. On assessing the damage, Shannon and her housemates found the rear window of the car shattered, and several belongings which were in the vehicle at the time including a gym bag, beats wireless headphones, and make-up were taken. Similar break-ins have also been reported on multiple streets in Cathays including Woodville Road, Llanishen Street, Coburn Street, and Harriet Street. All vehicles involved show signs of being forcibly entered through either the drivers or passenger side or the rear. However there were no similarities in the type of car that was targeted. This has left many students worried about the safety of their vehicles “We feel far less safe than we did before, especially as we live in private flats with a private car park so
NEWYDDION
Police issue a warning as a spike in bike thefts and car break-ins have been seen across the local area
For more content, head to gairrhydd.com/news
Cardiff sees wave of thefts and break-ins across the city
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Your news desk (Re)new(ed) wheels: Bethany Picton outside North Road shop (Photo Credit: Barnardo’s Cymru)
Gee Harland Klaudia Jazwinska Emma Ogao Matt Tomlin
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NEWS
Welsh councils pocket £10m profit from parking charges and fines
Alcohol-related deaths cost NHS £3.5 billion per year Local authorities spark criticism after making a net profit of £1,402,927 by Taylor Willis
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esearchers are seeing figures rise to reveal the extortionate amount the NHS is paying to patch up the nation’s unhealthy relationship with alcohol. These can be incidents from nights out or the steady increase of alcohol-related diseases. The drinking culture in the UK is rapidly increasing, with students going to university and becoming immersed in the binge drinking culture entrenched in student life.. In 2015 and 2016, the NHS saw an estimated 1.1 million alcohol related hospital admissions. Binge drinking has become a prevalent part of society and the need for action is clear. Many people label themselves as ‘casual or occasional’ drinkers. This label tends to be reassuring as it suggests they will not suffer any longterm effects. However, new research suggests that even drinking within the national guideline amounts could have a significant effect on our brains. New research states that consuming more than just one unit a day may have cognitive effects. This risk is heightened for the middle-aged population. This new research clearly affirms the need for change in the nations attitude and relationship towards alcohol. Currently, alcohol is commoditized as a bottle of fun, which is resulting in unnecessary bills and strains on the NHS.
by Leia Reid
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freedom of information request, submitted by the Welsh Conservatives, has revealed Welsh councils banked a £10,065,347 surplus from parking charges and fines across 2017 and 2018. This sparked criticism about how authorities manage parking. In total, local authorities made a net profit of £1,402,927. Cardiff declared returns of £3.9m, and Swansea £2.7m, both up from the previous financial year. Likewise, Wrexham and Caerphilly increased their surplus by 245% and 436% respectively. Whereas, Bridgend, Newport, Flintshire and Pembrokeshire reported deficits, costing taxpayers £1,525,605. These councils are spending more money implementing their policies than they are creating. This has raised concerns over NonDomestic Rates (NDR); money local authorities have to pay into a centralised Welsh fund for their car parks.
Survey respondents expressed mixed opinons about the state of universities and their role in British society
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Financial difficulties: Cardiff council declared returns of £3.9m for parking charges and fines between 2017 and 2018 (Photo credit: Charleston’s The Digitel via Flickr)
Public opinions on universities hinted at by new poll results by Matt Tomlin
Dangers of drinking: New research states that consuming more than just one unit a day may have cognitive effects. Source: Zaheer Baksh (via Flickr)
But as the fund is redistributed, local authorities don’t aleays get out what they put in, Seven councils received less NDR revenue than they contributed for half of the 16 financial years between 2000, 2001 and 2015, 2016. Only 10 of 22 local authorities in wales received back as much as they paid in. Welsh Conservative and Shadow Local Government Secretary Mark Isherwood AM, said: “Although it is right money raised this way is reinvested in public services, the burden of revenue raising should not be placed on drivers who already have to pay considerable and recurring costs towards something that is a necessity, not a luxury. “The story here is that the Welsh Labour Government’s local authority settlements are starting to bite, forcing councils to squeeze more and more money from the workers and shoppers that are powering local economies.”
Universities UK survey of 2,000 people has recently highlighted that less than half of the British public (48% to be exact) felt ‘positive’ about the state of universities. 9 percent were outright ‘negative’ in their feelings towards universities and 13% were uncertain of their opinion and answered ‘don’t know’ in the poll. 31% were neutral. Despite the consensus being of a lack of enthusiasm for higher education’s role in society, two thirds of respondents claimed they would encourage their children to go to university. However, 61% of respondents also believed the only justification for getting a degree would be if it offered graduates good job prospects. In answer to a separate question, 58% were of the opinion that the current teaching in universities did not prepare students properly for tasks in the workplace. In addition, 46% saw the expenses of university life as making university courses not worth doing. As an overall contribution to modern British society, people rated universities highly, with 70% responding that British universities were some of the best in the world. However, there are doubts about the justification of this view, as many polled did not go into much detail about research universities have done to better society.
Oxford and Cambridge were the universities talked about the most by those who did go into this level of detail.
These statistics come following many issues experienced in the higher education sector in recent weeks. Many British Universities are
struggling financially and the National Union of Students (NUS) has also been reported to be near bankruptcy.
University perceptions: Cambridge and Oxford were the universities most likely to be mentioned as significant contributors to modern society according to a recent poll. (Source: Vadim via GoodFreePhotos)
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BYWYD CAMPWS
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CAMPUS LIFE
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Your campus life desk Ashley Boyle Cerian Jones
Stand Tall with Sexual Abuse Victims Student Volunteers can make a difference in preventing sexual assault at universities
by Eve Lewis
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ast week, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – the latest film in the Harry Potter franchise – was released in cinemas with an expected $250 million box office grossing for that weekend alone. In the same week, two women statistically fell victim to domestic homicide in the UK, and a further 23,000 women experienced some form of domestic abuse by a partner or family member. Somehow though, GQ magazine was still able to run their November issue with a cover of the Fantastic Beasts star Johnny Depp, and an interview in which his domestic abuse allegations constructed him as a romanticised “outlaw.” Time and time again we can see this pattern; actors with allegations of abuse against them (and actors who have even admitted to assaulting women, such as Louis CK) continue to work within their industry unhindered. For them, the abuse that they have committed (allegedly or in actuality) becomes the punchline to a joke, or a talking point in an interview; it does not become their entire public persona or fix the way in which they are viewed on the whole. Moreover, we only have to look back a month to the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh as Supreme Court Justice to see that men continuing with their careers and lives following ac-
cusations of being violent towards women is not just limited to Hollywood. In fact many victims of sexual assult are students, 1 in 3 female students are recorded to be victims. A new online disclosure form run by Cardiff University which has seen 101 students report incidents since October 2017, a significant proportion were cases of abuse within relationships, the others consisted of 30 cases of rape and 40 sexual assaults. For these men the consequences
of abuse are not real. The unfortunate result of public figures such as these continuing on as if nothing happened is that domestic abuse continues to rise because abusers are taught that they have nothing to fear. In fact, domestic violence in London increased threefold in the past year alone, and it is now predicted that one quarter of all women in the UK will experience some form of domestic abuse in their lifetimes. However, with the rise of violence
sTandTall: Eve Lewis tells us how we can take action against Sexual Abuse on campus. Source: Eve Lewis.
The Host with the Most
against women, we have also seen the emergence of incredible organisations attempting to combat this epidemic. Although the sheer number of these organisations is a sobering reminder of their necessity, the fact that so many people care about the wellbeing of women who have experienced abuse is heartening and should provide us with hope. One such organisation is ‘sTandTall’ – an amazing charity which aims to help women and girls who have experienced abuse get back on their feet and achieve their full potential. Over the past two months, I have been lucky enough to help sTandTall with their mission to build a directory of abuse and bullying resources, and to speak to dozens of people from UK charities who are passionate about eradicating violence against women and girls. Going through many websites for services and charities to add to the directory, it has become apparent to me that the first step in combatting domestic abuse is education – education on what different forms domestic abuse can take, how to spot it, and then on what to do and who to turn to if you find yourself or someone you know in an abusive situation. So I encourage everyone reading this to educate yourselves. Go to standtall.org and give it a browse; look at the websites of the different charities on the directory and do some research; maybe even consider volunteering for one of them. Domestic abuse is no longer an issue we can remain ignorant of, or silent on. It is an issue which permeates every part of our society, and one which requires us to take action.
An insight to Xpress Radio’s show, The Global View by Cerian Jones
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had the wonderful opportunity to talk to a few of Xpress Radio’s fantastic hosts recently, enquiring about the in’s and out’s of being a Radio show Host at Cardiff University. With the rise of podcasts and live streams, talk show radio is making a comeback. I spoke to Milo Moran, one of the hosts of Global View, who won Best Male Presenter at the Cardiff Student Media Awards Ball last year! Global View is a world-wide news section where the hosts discuss unconventional news from all over the world, he says that: “As a student radio we are able to talk about news that slips under the radar, we cover things that mainstream media tend not to” Being a part of Cardiff University’s Student Media is a huge responsibility, being able to produce new content every week for a massive audience of students with different, ever-changing views and
opinions as well as backgrounds and cultures. Meeting the demands of such a large community is challenging but Global View tailors towards a wider audience with its foreign hosts, who stream over into the radio studio to discuss matters with the hosts here in Cardiff from all across the world. Moran exclaims that it’s incredibly exciting to bring something new to Xpress Radio that hadn’t been explored before. The songs between topics also cater to a wider audience in the multilingual choice with songs from Welsh singers to Japanese pop-bands the show spans a wide variety of content. Milo has been hosting for a year now but recalls that starting was: “Challenging, because it’s a brand new skill. Most students won’t have had an opportunity like this before. We get trained but really you learn as you go, and of course you make mistakes, but that’s life”.
He also tells me that being a part of the student media, and hence such a large, growing, student community, is “rewarding because it’s part of something bigger than yourself, you meet people from all different walks of life and I think, especially on a global news show anyway. I suppose it depends on what sort of show you host, but you meet so many new and interesting people being part of student media.” As part of student media I can relate, and agree. It’s amazing to have an outlet that allows you to express yourself to fellow students. Milo enjoys the opportunity to “Engage with the student community” through his radio show. Global View is a year old, and was founded by Milo Moran, Llion Carbis, and Agathe Dijoud in October 2017; and still going strong. You can listen to them at https://cardiffstudentmedia. co.uk/xpress/ every Thursday, it’s Global View from 12 til 2!
The Global View: Tune in on Thursday 12:0014:00
BYWYD CAMPWS
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Your Guide to Cardiff this week Jingle Bells, Give It A Go Trips to You Me at Six by Ashley Boyle
You Me this week: The English rock band from Surrey are at the Cardiff Student’s Union on the 1st of December. Source: CUSU
Image Source: Stan Zurek via Wikimedia Commons
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s we move ever closer to the end of the Autumn Semester, all of the hard work and rehersals for some societies finally pay off in their end of year shows. Act One will be performing their Christmas pantomime next week, but this week we have the A Capella Society and the Dance Society’s Winter Showcases held on campus in the Student’s Union. The English Literature Society are also showcasing their talent at the Big Moose Coffee Co. once again at their Open Mic Night. There’s also the opportunity to watch Saturday Night Fever at the WMC with the Broadway Society. They have bought a selection of tickets to the performance, starring Richard Winsor of Casualty, which promises to be even
better than the film starring John Travolta. There are also several trips organised by various societies and the GIAG team to keep you busy throughout the week. Off campus, there are several festive treats already on the calendar. Brød are hosting a gingerbread house decorating workshop at The Danish Bakery on Wyndham Crescent. The ticket price of £27.24 includes a house and a hot drink. At the Cardiff Pottery Workshop you have the opportunity to create your own unique Christmas decorations, the perfect alternative gift idea. The Motorpoint Arena is full of great music this week, including acts Florence + The Machine, Mumford and Sons, Jess Glynne and The Human League.
Image Source: Kevinquickle via Flickr
Jingle Bells, Jingle all 5K by Ashley Boyle
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n the city centre this week, you may have noticed one of the Cardiff Sightseeing buses was taken over by a group of rather jolly (and rather early) characters. The top deck of a double decker bus was filled with Santa Clauses all happily bopping to Mariah whilst waving at passers by. No, Santa didn’t get the dates wrong, this was in fact a jolly reminder of The Admiral Cardiff Santa and Elf Dash which will be held at Cardiff Bay on the 9 th of December. The biggest festive run in Wales is 5km and starts at the Roald Dahl Plas at Cardiff Bay, just outside the grand Wales’ Millennium Centre building. At 10am there will be some festive activities as well as the opportunity to check-in, which is followed by what promises to be the biggest Santa and Elf Zumba-style warm up of the year. If you’re thinking about participating, the entry fee is £10, and you’re encouraged to collect sponsors also. All the money raised will go to Welsh Hearts, a charity that focuses on keeping Welsh hearts healthy. The money will fund heart screenings, defibrillators and CPR and defibrillator training within Wales. So far, the charity have managed to supply 1365 defibrillators, screen 2075 hearts and CPR train nearly 50,000 people across Wales. So why not take part? You don’t have to run! You can jog or walk the length of the course, or if you’re still not keen on the exercise, show some support to all the Santas and elves, jingle a few bells and learn more about how to look out for heart related problems from the Welsh Hearts team. For more information on both the fun run and the charity and what they do, visit https://welshhearts.org.
Santa Mania: A photograph from the last Santa and Elf Dash at the Bay. Source: Welsh Hearts
Student Wins ‘We introduced a Student Voice Coordinator for the College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, so we can give your Academic Reps specialist support to help effectively represent your academic interests!’ - Your Student Voice team
Deaf Havana
The Vaccines The Specials
December/Rhagfyr You Me at Six
01/12/18 - SOLD OUT/ WEDI GWERTHU ALLAN
Steve ‘n’ Seagulls 07/12/18, £15 ADV
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April/Ebrill The Specials
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Cornel CMCC
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leni mae Cyfryngau Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd yn profi eu blwyddyn lawn gyntaf gydag adran Gymraeg ym mhob rhan o Gyfryngau Myfyrwyr Caerdydd sef Clebar yn Quench a CUTV ynghyd â Xpress Radio a’r Taf-od o fewn Gair Rhydd. Dyma rai o’r pethau cyffrous sydd ar y gweill gyda CMCC dros yr wythnos nesaf. Xpress Radio Eleni, mae gan Xpress fwy o raglenni Cymraeg nad erioed o’r blaen. Dyma beth sydd gan wrandawyr ffyddlon Xpress i edrych ymlaen ato yr wythnos hon. Dydd Llun, 20:00-21:00 Gwyneb Radio Dydd Mawrth, 19:00-20:00 Cicio Sodle’ Dydd Mercher, 7:30-10:00 Crac y Wawr Dydd Iau, 19:00-20:00 Gwylio Gwleidyddiaeth Dydd Gwener, 18:00-19:00 Y Tri Gŵr Ffôl Dydd Sadwrn, 18:00-19:00 Malu ar yr Awyr Dydd Sul, 20:00-21:00 Lawr yn y Ddinas Rhagflas: Podcast ‘Y Chwiban Olaf ’ Yn fuan, mi fydd criw’r ‘Awr Fawr’ yn dychwelyd i donfeddau Xpress Radio wrth i Iestyn Harries a Llion Carbis gychwyn podlediad misol dwy awr o hyd yn trin a thrafod chwaraeon Cymru, serch y newid yn yr enw. Dywedodd Llion wrth Taf-od, “Os ydych yn edrych am raglen radio sy’n cwmpasu holl uchafbwyntiau chwaraeon Cymru yn fisol, yna gwrandewch ar ‘Y Chwiban Olaf ’. edrychwn ymlaen at eich cwmni!” Am holl newyddion diweddaraf CMCC, dilynwch @CMCC ar Drydar neu ‘Cyfryngau Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd - CMCC’ ar Facebook.
Eich unig gyhoeddiad myfyrwyr wythnosol trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Sefydlwyd: 2003 I gysylltu â ni, e-bostiwch tafod@gairrhydd.com Am fwy o gynnwys, ewch i gairrhydd.com/tafod
BYWYD Y BRIFYSGOL
Cyfarfod Blynyddol UMC:
Cam yn nes at sefydlu Swyddog y Gymraeg llawn amser
gan Tomos Evans
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os Iau 22, Tachwedd, yng Nghyfarfod Blynyddol Cyffredinol Undeb Myfyrwyr Caerdydd, gwnaeth fyfyrwyr gymeradwyo dechrau’r broses o greu Swyddog Cymraeg llawn amser. Roedd angen dau dreian o’r myfyrwyr a oedd yn bresennol i gefnogi’r cynnig er mwyn ei basio gan ei fod yn sbarduno newid yn erthyglau memorandwm yr Undeb. Llywydd Undeb Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd, Wiliam Rees, oedd yn siarad
o blaid y cynnig. Dywedodd Wil yn ei araith mai “prif nod y cynnig yma yw i sicrhau cynrychiolaeth lawn” i fyfyrwyr Cymraeg Prifysgol Caerdydd. Ychwanegodd Wil fod “dros 3,000 o fyfyrwyr Cymraeg yng Nghaerdyddd” ac y byddai’r Swyddog llawn amser yn cynrychioli eu buddiannau mewn nifer o ffyrdd gan gyfeirio at waith dyddiol Swyddog Llawn Amser Prifysgol Bangor. Dywedodd hefyd y byddai sefydlu Swyddog llawn amser ym Mhrifysgol
Caerdydd yn “llawer mwy apelgar i fyfyrwyr Cymraeg ar draws Cymru”. Wrth ymateb i gwestiynau o’r llawr, dywedodd Wil y byddai’r rôl rhan amser yn cael ei gyfuno gyda rôl Llywydd UMCC er mwyn creu’r swydd lawn amser newydd. Cyfaddefodd mai dim ond dechreuad oedd y bleidlais hon gan fod y rôl yn “anhebygol o fod mewn lle erbyn yr etholiad nesaf”. Y gobaith ydy y bydd y rôl wedi’i sefydlu erbyn etholiadau 2020. Ym mlwyddyn gyntaf y rôl, £40,000
fyddai’r gost, ond mi fyddai hyn yn lleihau i £25,000, sef cost cyflog yn unig, yn y blynyddoedd canlynol. Yn dilyn y bleidlais, dywedodd Wil wrth Taf-od: “Rwy’n hapus iawn i weld fod y cynnig wedi’i basio gyda mwyafrif helaeth. Rwy’n ddiolchgar i bawb sydd wedi cefnogi’r ymgyrch yma. Edrychaf ymlaen nawr at gyd-weithio gyda’r Undeb a chwblhau’r broses o sicrhau cynrychiolaeth lawn i fyfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd.”
Pryd o Daf-od Ellis Jones
Ellis Jones, myfyriwr Cymraeg yn y flwyddyn gyntaf, sy’n rhannu ei brofiadau fel aelod o’r gymuned LHDT+ yng Nghymru. Fel aelod o’r LHDT+ rydw i’n ymwybodol o’r hawliau sy’ gen i. Mae gan y gymuned LHDT+ yr un hawliau a rhywun sydd ddim yn rhan o’r
LHDT+. Mae gennym ni’r un hawliau i bleidleisio, i fagu plant, i weithio yn y lluoedd arfog a hefyd i briodi (heb law mewn capel neu eglwys). Nid oes hawl gan bobl i wahaniaethu yn erbyn y gymuned LHDT+, neu i beidio cyflogi rhywun achos ei rywiaeth neu ei hunaniaeth rhyw. Trwy gydol fy mywyd, rydw i wedi cael fy meirniadu achos fy mod i’n hoyw, hyd yn oed pryd doeddwn i ddim yn adnabod fy hun yn hoyw. Roedd yna wastad arwyddion a hints fy mod i’n hoyw achos yr oeddwn i’n berson eithaf camp. Nid yw fy mhrofiad i o fod yn hoyw wedi bod yn hawdd, cefais i fy mwlio yn yr ysgol hyd at y pwynt lle roeddwn i eisiau newid ysgol
a symud i ffwrdd o le oeddwn i’n byw. Pan ddes i allan yn hoyw yn 2016, gymerodd amser imi ddeall pwy oeddwn i a hefyd sut i ddelio efo beth fyddai pobl yn meddwl neu yn dweud amdana i. Hefyd, roedd rhaid i fy nheulu ddod i arfer gyda’r ffaith fy mod i’n hoyw. Mae fy rhieni wastad wedi bod yn gefnogol ohonof i efo popeth rydw i wedi ‘neud a dewis yn fy mywyd. Maen nhw’n dweud eu bod nhw’n falch ohonof i beth bynnag neu pwy bynnag dwi moen bod. Ac i ddweud y gwir, dw i erioed wedi bod mor agos efo fy nhad na dw i yn nawr. Ers symud i Gaerdydd rydw i’n teimlo bach yn ofnus, oherwydd, pan dw i yn mynd ar noson allan efo fy
ffrindiau, fel arfer dw i’n gwisgo bach o golur. Lawr yn y Rhondda dwi erioed ‘di cael fy meirniadu am wisgo colur, ond pan dw i’n mynd tu allan i’r cwm mae pobl yn dechrau dweud pethau fel ‘girls, toilets are that way’ a fy ngalw i’n ‘tranny’. Felly, rydw i yn ofni fy niogelwch yng Nghaerdydd ond nid yw unrhyw beth wedi digwydd hyd yn hyn. Yn ddiweddar, gwnaeth rywun ymosod ar y cyn-chwaraewr rygbi Gareth Thomas achos ei rywioldeb. Mae hyn wedi fy ofni, achos os mae cyn-chwaraewr rygbi enwog, sy’n ddyn mawr efo cyhyrau, yn cael ei ymosod ar, beth yw’r siawns fod hynny’n digwydd i fachgen bach syn gwisgo full face o golur?
Barn y bobl: Ydy hi’n rhy gynnar i ddathlu’r Nadolig?
Gyda hysbysebion yn cael eu rhyddhau, a choed yn dechrau ymddangos, Taf-od sy’n gofyn i fyfyrwyr Caerdydd os ei bod hi’n rhy gynnar i ddathlu’r Nadolig?
Indigo Jones
Daniel O’Callaghan
Wrth i noson Galan Gaeaf orffen a mis Tachwedd ddechrau, mae dathliadau’r Nadolig yn cychwyn hefyd. Mae’r gerddoriaeth yn dechrau chwarae o gwmpas y siopau, mae hysbysebion fel rhai John Lewis a Coca Cola yn cael eu cyhoeddi, ac mae’r bwyd blasus yn dechrau cael ei hysbysebu. Felly, mae cyffro’r Nadolig yn dechrau. Gadewch i ni addurno ein coed, agorwch y bocs o ‘Celebrations’ a rhowch bach o Mariah Carey arno, a dathlwch y Nadolig trwy weddill mis Tachwedd!
Byddai rhai yn dadlau mai ar ddechrau Rhagfyr yw’r amser delfrydol i gychwyn ar ddathliadau’r Nadolig. Ond cychwynna siopau’r stryd fawr â’r dathliadau ac addurniadau wedi i noson Tân Gwyllt ddirwyn i ben. Bodlon iawn fyddai rhai i floeddio canu’r clasuron Nadolig ar unrhyw adeg o’r flwyddyn. Gyda rhai yn pryderu am yr ofergoel o ddathlu’r Ŵyl yn rhy gynnar, daw i’r amlwg fod rhai yn gor-feddwl. Cychwynnwch ar y dathlu nawr, daw’r Nadolig ond unwaith y flwyddyn!
Myfyrwraig ail flwyddyn Newyddiaduraeth
Myfyriwr blwyddyn gyntaf Cymraeg a Cherddoriaeth
Pheobe Lewis
Myfyrwraig
blwyddyn Cymraeg
gyntaf
Mae rhaid i fi gyfadde’ fod fy nghoeden i wedi bod lan ers y dydd Llun ar ôl ‘Sul y Cofio’. I fi, dyna’r amser perffaith. Mae Calan Gaeaf, Noson Tan Wyllt a Sul y cofio yn atgof pell felly ymlaen at y Nadolig. Mae’r siopau yn dechrau gwerthu anrhegion yng nghanol mis Tachwedd felly dw i’n dechrau teimlo’n Nadoligaidd, wrth gerdded drwy Gaerdydd. Mae fy holl siopa ‘Dolig wedi gorffen ac wedi ei osod o dan y goeden yn barod i Sion Corn i alw draw. Felly, dim ond eira sydd eisiau nawr!
CHWARAEON
gan Llion Carbis
M
TAF-OD
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Tristwch i Gymru yn dilyn canlyniadau gofidus
ae tîm pêl-droed Cymru wedi chwarae ei gêm ryngwladol olaf o 2018, ac yn anffodus i garfan Ryan Giggs, gorffennodd y flwyddyn yn siomedig yn sgil colledion olynol i Ddenmarc yng Nghynghrair y Cenhedloedd, ac yna yn erbyn Albania mewn gêm gyfeillgar. Cyn y cyfnod diweddara o bêl-droed rhyngwladol roedd crin optimistiaeth yn cymeriadu agwedd y Cymry, yn enwedig ar ôl cofnodi buddugoliaeth hollbwysig yn erbyn Gweriniaeth yr Iwerddon, ein buddugoliaeth gyntaf ar dir Gwyddelig ers dros dau ddegawd. Serch yr optimistiaeth, a’r ymagwedd gadarnhaol, nid oes gan y tîm cenedlaethol y record gorau o sicrhau canlyniadau mewn gemau hollbwysig. Wrth edrych ar y gemau yn erbyn Rwmania yn 1993, Rwsia yn 2003, neu Weriniaeth Iwerddon yn 2017, nid ydym wedi maestroli’r ddawn o ennill gemau tyngedfennol. Yn anffodus, parhaodd y tueddiad yn ein gêm ddiweddar yn erbyn Denmarc. Hyd yma, un o’r prif wendidau sydd wedi ymgodi o dan arweiniad Ryan Giggs yw anallu’r tîm i weithredu ei syniadau a gweledigaeth (yn gyson) yn erbyn gwledydd uchel eu parch. Ni lwyddodd y tîm i sgorio yn erbyn Uruguay, Mecsico, neu Denmarc oddi cartre’, a nawr mae Albania yn cael ei ychwanegu at y rhestr. Yn y gemau yma, roedd Cymru yn trafferthu i reoli’r gêm, ac anaml iawn oedd gallu creadigol y garfan yn cael eu hamlygu. Er tegwch i ymdrechion Giggs a’i dîm, gwelwyd gwelliant sylweddol yn y gêm gartref yn erbyn Den-
YN Y LLUN: Cymru yn colli yn erbyn Denmarc (Tarddiad: Llion Carbis) marc, a gyda rhagor o gywirdeb o flaen gol, mae’n debygol byddai’r canlyniad wedi bod yn dra gwahanol. Methodd James Chester a Gareth Bale sgorio o gyfleoedd euraidd, ac roedd cic-rydd nerthol Bale wedi mynnu arbediad gwyrthiol gan Kasper Schemichel. Ond, unwaith yn rhagor (o dan arweiniad Giggs) cafodd breuder yr amddiffyn ei ddatguddio’n glir, yn enwedig gyda gôl agoriadol yr ornest. Ar ôl i Yussuf Poulsen adennill meddiant ar ymyl cwrt cosbi Denmarc, cafwyd cyfres o bedwar pas cyn i Jorgensen sgorio ar ben arall y cae. Camgymeriadau elfennol oedd yn tanseilio gallu’r garfan, ac
ymdrechion y tîm ar y noson. Rhaid canmol Martin Braithwaite am gôl rhyfeddol a enillodd y grŵp – a dyrchafiad i gynghrair A – i Ddenmarc, a daeth gôl Bale yn rhy hwyr i beri gofid gwirioneddol i’r gwrthwynebwyr. Yn dilyn y tristwch a ddaeth o golli’r gêm dyngedfennol yn erbyn Denmarc, cafodd y ffocws ei droi yn unfryd at y gêm gyfeillgar yn erbyn Albania – ennyd arwyddocaol yn hanes pêl-droed Cymru, wrth i Chris Gunter torri’r record am yr uchafswm o gapiau dros ei wlad. Cafodd Gunter ei gyflwyno fel eilydd yn erbyn Denmarc i ddod yn gyfartal a Neville Southall ar 92 o ga-
piau i Gymru, ond aeth amddiffynnwr Reading un ymhellach na’r golgeidwad arwrol. Hyfryd ydoedd i weld y ganmoliaeth a rhoddwyd i Gunter yn y paratoadau cyn y gêm, unigolyn sydd wedi arwain ei wlad yn ganmoladwy, ac wedi gosod esiampl ddelfrydol i eraill yn y garfan. Ond, siom ydoedd fod Cymru wedi anghofio i goroni diwrnod yr amddiffynnwr gyda pherfformiad a oedd yn adlewyrchol o gryfder y garfan. Mae rhaid cydnabod roedd sawl penderfyniad dadleuol gan y dyfarnwr, megis y penderfyniad i beidio dangos y garden goch i Xhaka, a’r penderfyniad i roi cic-cosb i Albania. Yn
ogystal, anwybyddodd y dyfarnwr tacl ofnadwy gan Migjen Basha ar Harry Wilson yn y cwrt cosbi. Er gwaethaf y penderfyniadau amheus, nad oeddent yn esgusodi ymddangosiad gwarthus gan dîm Ryan Giggs. Roedd Cymru yn wastraffus o flaen y gôl, ac ar ôl i Albania sgorio, edrychodd fel petai fod y tîm yn amddifad o ddychymyg a dawn greadigol. Diweddglo hynod siomedig ydoedd i’r flwyddyn a oedd yn cynnig gymaint o obaith am ddyfodol y tîm cenedlaethol. Bellach, mae’r pwyslais oll ar sicrhau ein lle yn Ewro 2020 trwy’r gemau rhagbrofol.
Yn Trafod yr wythnos hon... Ruth Erin Roberts 1. Pwy wyt ti a beth wyt ti’n astudio? Fy enw i yw Ruth a dwi’n astudio ‘Human Geography’ ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd. 2. Fel glasfyfyriwr, beth oeddet ti’n edrych ymlaen ato fwya’ cyn dod i’r brifysgol? Roeddwn i’n edrych ‘mlaen i gael y profiad o fyw mewn dinas yn annibynnol i ffwrdd o adre, a chael cwrdd a ffrindie newydd. 3. Beth yw dy hoff le yng Nghaerdydd? Siopau. 4. Beth oedd dy air cyntaf? Mam.
5. Pa seleb(s) fyddet ti’n gwahodd i dy dŷ am goffi? Sam a Billie Faiers. 6. Beth yw dy bryd bwyd delfrydol? Cinio dydd Sul. 7. Pwy oeddet ti’n ffansïo pan oeddet ti’n iau? Zac Efron 8. Beth yw dy hoff raglen deledu? Rownd a Rownd 9. Socks a crocks neu sanau a sandalau? Pam? ‘Run o nhw.
10. Beth yw dy hoff ddiwrnod o’r flwyddyn a pham? Nadolig, cael gweld teulu a byta gormod. 11. Oes gennyt unrhyw arferion drwg? Gallu napio yn unrhywle ar unrhyw adeg o’r dydd. 12. Beth fyddai dy leoliad gwyliau delfrydol? Maldives.
14. Disgrifia dy hun mewn tri gair. Hapus, bywiog, cymdeithasol. 15. Pwy fydd yn ‘Trafod gyda’r Taf-od’ wythnos nesaf? Elin Lloyd
13. Pe taset yn gallu bod yn rhywun arall am ddiwrnod, pwy fyddet ti’n dewis? Beyoncé.
Eich adran taf-od Llion Carbis Tomos Evans tafod@gairrhydd.com
A
Are we just waiting for another hashtag? (Source: Emma Videan) en) have been sharing their thoughts on shaming, sexual violence and the hypocrisy of rape culture widely online and offline. We know that sexual violence is about power, violence, and exploitation: not about the clothes that somebody is wearing. The argument is that unless he had not allegedly raped her, he would not have known what underwear she was wearing.
The publicity in this case acts as a double-edged sword. In one way, it articulates a wider discourse now more prevalent on discussing consent and its structural implications. We have to talk to each other, and raise awareness when gendered violence and sexual violence is so deeply prevalent in our society. In another way, we’re reminded of the deeply institutionalised system
Potential customers are being targetted from every angle, but we’re becoming numb to this constant marketing
by Emma Videan
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rands are constantly on the attack, trying to get the most visibility for the lowest price. They’re coming in from all angles to be at the forefront of consumers’ minds and to be the one in 5,000 daily adverts that we actually remember. Nowadays, it’s pretty much common knowledge that celebrities are paid to promote brands and products. More recently, we’re also coming to terms with how the oncehumble YouTubers are being sent thousands of pounds worth of products with the hope of featuring in a vlog. Therefore, it was only a matter of time before the ordinary citizen with follower counts as low as 1,000 began being courted for their influence. These nano-influencers are used for the reason that they are not famous and therefore the hope is that the consumers will trust them, as they are more relatable than celebrities. It makes sense for the brands that don’t have to pay these people, but just send them a few free products as a subsidy for promotion. For the nano-influencer, I can also see the appeal. They get sent free products that they simply post about in return and the more that they do this, the more products other brands will send them. It seems like a mutually beneficial relationship.
However, the problem with saturating social media with more advertisements from people that probably wouldn’t have used the product unless they were sent it, is that social media looses its initial appeal. It’s not long before they turn almost entirely into advertising platforms, particu-
It was only a matter of time before ordinary citizens began being courted for their influence larly on YouTube and on Instagram where ‘influencers’ are most prominent. Marketing is seeping into all aspects of digital life and in a digital age this is damaging to the real and genuine users of social media, that want to actually use it to socialise. From an economic perspective the issue with an excess of marketing is that the adverts become less effective. The rise of the influencer market means that fewer of these ‘influencers’ actually become well known and, as a consumer, I am almost completely numb to people that I
knew at college promoting a makeup brand or piece of clothing. Arguably, brands such as PrettyLittleThing or MotelRocks advertising using nano-influencers, the brand image is cheapened as, from my point of view, they have to resort to ordinary citizens to promote their goods. On the other hand, brands such as GymShark employ ambassadors from Instagram and while these people are often not hugely well known, the brands image has been very well known within the sports-
wear industry. To combat the over-saturation issue brands should be more selective in what they choose to advertise and with whom they choose as their influencers. However, it’s ultimately up to the platforms to monitor how they are being used and to give users the ability to filter out promotional posts. The further I am forced to consume advertising, the further I am pushed away from actually acting upon a brand, and I hope that I’m not the only one.
To contact our comment desk, drop us an email at comment@gairrhydd.com
The nano-influencers are here to stay
COMMENT
recent trial in Ireland saw a 27-year-old man on accused of the rape of a 17-year-old young woman. She was forced to hold up her thong in court, evidence that was later used to blame her. This pair of underwear (according to the jury) points to the teenager’s consent as it was a “thong with a lace front”. Following the case, the young woman said that she had been “raped all over again” and felt degraded. The man was acquitted, and the girl later went on to end her own life. According to the World Health Organisation, one in three women are a survivor of rape or sexual violence in the world. Gendered violence, sexual violence and violence against women and girls is a huge, huge issue all across the world. In the wake of this news, demonstrations have happened all over the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. People have taken to the street with #ThisIsNotConsent written on their bodies. A new hashtag began on social media, #ThisIsNotConsent and was born out of the radical demonstrations. The hashtag directly addresses recent movements of shaming of victims of sexual assault, supposing that their actions led to their horrific experiences. People (and especially wom-
that places the state as an arbiter of justice while committing so much violence historically in terms of colonialism. Most rapes aren’t reported, and when they are reported they don’t end in trial. Then when they do go to trial they do not necessarily end in a conviction. There’s a deeply embedded reason as to why people have not historically reported rape to the police. Others argue that we are just waiting for another victim before we end up eventually making changes to the law. The mother of the 17-yearold girl has come out and publicly backed the #ThisIsNotConsent campaign. To quote the radical scholar, philosopher and activist Angela Davis, ‘we have to win both hearts and minds’. The person is political, and these conversations are increasingly important to raise awareness of topics such as rape, violence, consent and questioning why it is that such horrific things like this can happen. This movement has arrived in Ireland following the recent referendum on abortion after a series of high profile cases. Despite that referendum, not all women in the country can access abortion, with women from Northern Ireland forced to travel to the mainland for abortion. Women’s rights are human rights and the justice system should reflect that.
SYLWADAU
by Yasmin Begum
For more content, head to gairrhydd.com/comment
Should we still have to march about consent?
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Your comment desk Is using nano-influencers damaging to marketing and the digital society? Source: Dhe Haivan (via Unsplash)
Alys Hewitt Hannah Newberry Emma Videan Columnist Karis Pearson
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COMMENT
The UN’s poverty report: a scathing attack on relentless austerity
A UN envoy has revealed the harsh impact of poverty in Britain - but the government still isn’t listening to its message By Alys Hewitt
I
n a week where headlines were awash with the chaos of Brexit, 16 November saw the release of a scathing report by the UN revealing the harsh realities of acute poverty in Britain, which condemns the ‘punitive, mean-spirited, and often callous’ policies of successive governments that have allowed it to happen. Inflammatory language this may be, but the report exposes the blatant absence of compassion in our politics, painting a bleak portrait of a Britain ravaged by austerity, where homelessness and reliance on food banks is soaring. It highlights a social problem of vast proportions, which our government has consistently ignored in favour of their own interests. In the report Phillip Alston, the UN rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, uses his experiences of travelling around Britain to draw attention to the ‘great misery’ experienced by ordinary people under a decade of austerity. He cites the fact that 14 million people (around a fifth of the population) are living in poverty, with 1.5 million of those being in a position where they are unable to afford basic essentials such as food, clothing, housing or heating. This poverty disproportionately falls upon women, children, disabled people and ethnic minorities. Predictably, its publication has been met with denial and defensiveness from those in government; on Monday, new Work and Pensions secretary Amber
Rudd criticised the report on the basis of its ‘extraordinary political’ and ‘wholly inappropriate’ language. But poverty is political – especially when its proliferation is made possible with decisions made by those in power. There is little point to covering up these revelations with neutral and detached language, as this is something that profoundly affects the lives of ordinary people. Politicians are so far removed from the reality of what is happening across the UK, from the consequences of their calculated decisions – that sometimes emotive language is the only way to have an impact and generate real understanding and sympathy. In this case, it is almost impossible to separate emotion from the experiences of those who have suffered most at the hands of government cuts. This preoccupation with the language of the report, rather than the actual questions it poses about the nature of austerity, speaks volumes, and highlights precisely why we need this type of investigation in the first place. Ministers should listen – both to the report and the people they govern. The fact that it took the UN to engage with and give a platform to those in poverty is symbolic of the continuous neglect and feeling that the government are letting down those who need state help the most. The report may be for now be buried under the avalanche of news surrounding Brexit, but it arguably could not have come at a more poignant time - with ministers fleeing the mess they
Rising homelessness demonstrates Britain’s poverty problem. Source: Garry Knight (via Flickr) have created and an increasingly divided, disordered Cabinet, it is clear that we are living in the age of self-interest. Brexit is, and has always been, more about individual egos than what’s actually best for the UK’s worse-off. There therefore needs to be sustained pres-
sure on the government after we leave the EU to prioritise the welfare of its citizens; Alston points out that during this uncertain period it is Britain’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged that will ‘take the biggest hit’. We can only hope that Alston’s words
have set a warning and a precedent for change in British society. Now more than ever we need a more compassionate and considerate kind of politics, which acts on rather than ignores the plights of the country’s poorest. The curent policy of austerity is failing, and
Communism: a dire fashion statement 27 Members of the European Parliament recently urged Amazon to stop selling Soviet-themed merchandise. They were right to do so - the hammer and sickle is just as offensive as the swastika.
By Hallum Cowell
R
ecently, there has been a surge in Soviet Union themed clothing, which is facing a backlash from consumers and political bodies. To put it into perspective, if a person were to walk down the street with a swastika on their tshirt, they would be shouted down and ostracised; yet the hammer and sickle can be bought from Amazon. Both regimes killed millions of innocent people. So why do we view these symbols differently when they are both the product of totalitarian dictatorships? There are two main reasons; firstly, the West was never friendly with Nazi Germany and WWII saw us fighting them. As such, the swastika is seen as a symbol of propaganda against an equal society and shows support of Nazi, authoritarian views. The Soviet Union, however, was an ally British propaganda, referring to Stalin as “Uncle Stalin”, therefore the hammer and sickle is not as associated with negativity in our culture. It could be argued that the Cold War’s propaganda would
have the same affect upon the Communist imagery however the crimes of Stalin were revealed only post-Soviet. Secondly, the hammer and sickle are not as unacceptable because of the rise of anti-capitalist ideology. Some of those who follow these ideologies are not aware of the atrocities of the Soviet Union or see it as the terrible past of a generally good nation. Not to say I
Both regimes killed millions of people. So why do we view these symbols differently? agree. But unfortunately, there is clearly a market for this kind of product. Therefore, we should see the commercialisation of the hammer and sickle as alike to the placing of McDonald’s in Moscow:
I feel we should treat the hammer and sickle the same way we treat the Swastika the final victory of capitalism. I feel that we should treat the hammer and sickle the same way that we treat the Swastika. It is a symbol of oppression and violence and therefore using it as a fashion choice is morally wrong. Not to mention the inherent irony of wearing a communist shirt that is likely produced by underpaid third-world employees of a large corporation. Yet, we wear Nike, which has been proven to use sweatshops to manufacture our sportswear, as well as many other companies with distasteful practices. Maybe we should really be taking a look at all of our logos, not just the overtly offensive.
Capitalism has truly won, once we start wearing symbols of war as fashion (Source: Adam Jones via Flickr)
Keep it green
by Matt Tomlin
The future of energy production and what it means for the UK
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e are living in a time where problems are being pushed to the backs of people’s minds with little time to solve them. Some reading this may have heard about recent reports on global warming, which have explained that the human race may only have until 2030 to prevent a 2C warmer world and the catastrophic consequences which can come with this, as has been revealed by IPCC. In a time of concerns about disparities in wealth and opportunity in the UK, with incomes being vastly lower in Scotland and Wales, than in South East England and London, let’s take a glance at how the environmentally necessary development of renewable energy production could also help people’s job prospects and opportunities in this country.
Renewable energy production could help people’s job prospects and opportunities Currently, renewable energy sources produce around 20-30% of the UK’s energy throughout the year. Wind power is the biggest contributor of all the renewable sources available, followed by biomass, solar and hydropower respectively. Nuclear energy, although not renewable (the
S
most optimistic of them all. Solar panels can be located anywhere, usually provided that they face south to absorb the most sunlight for energy production, but the further south they are in the UK, the more sunlight they absorb. So, despite Scotland and Northern Ireland being viable for solar energy production, they are not as effective as southern parts of the UK for the construction of solar power plants. However, this is good news for Wales, South Wales in particular, as it is one of the better locations in the UK for solar panels.
Investing in renewable energy could create jobs and bring prosperity to the UK regions that need it most. Source: Wikipedia waste is t toxic for centuries) makes up 24.4% of UK energy production compared to fossil fuels, which make up 45.6% of production. In a world where we are told our days are numbered, the UK is still pretty reliant on a system which pollutes heavily. Some parts of the UK are more ideal for locating renewable energy production than others, and this is where discussion about creating better job prospects around the whole of the United Kingdom can begin. We all know that Scotland is unhappy with the funding and the opportunities available to it as a country and
there is similar sentiment in both Wales and Northern Ireland. Fortunately, opportunities have arisen for green energy development in these sectors and can continue to do so to a large extent. Wind turbines ideally need 8mph wind speeds to operate effectively and the parts of the UK where these wind speeds are most common are Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, areas of relatively high altitudes. Solar has a slightly different story to wind power, although this involves both optimism and flaws for it as a sector. Solar power perhaps is the
The UK is still pretty reliant on a system which pollutes heavily Although this article has only touched upon this topic briefly, it has been worth mentioning that the growing renewable energy sector provides a chance to settle some of the disdain and inequality felt within the UK. Green energy and the need for it to be produced swiftly, as has been shown by the recent IPCC report, provides jobs, more so than both coal and nuclear combined in some countries. These jobs are needed to give people prosperity in all four regions of the UK.
Two year degrees - educational evolution?
by Samuel Capper
o here’s my main problem with three year degrees as they currently stand - the first year is largely redundant. Now I know that they’re good for ‘breaking in’ Freshers and providing a framework for the university experience, but that’s about it. They increase your student debt whilst providing no meaningful contribution towards your final degree. Exams and coursework are treated like the real thing, and therefore first year remains stressful to many students. Moreover, many topics covered in first year are seldom used afterwards once students can pick their modules. If students can pick their chosen modules straight away, it would negate the ‘cramming’ argument against two year courses – seeing as there is less to cover, there is no need to cram information. Plus, you save money, and let’s be honest, what student doesn’t want that? The idea that we spend our lives paying back endless debt is enough to stop some of us from going to university in the first place. The only downside I can see of normalising two year courses is there is no ‘trial’ period. The first year of university has always been renowned for the carefree attitude
COLOFN 15 I’m (Not) A Vegan Get Me Out of Here!
it evokes in Freshers. A year of drinking and partying, needing only to make the 40% pass rate. Perhaps this could still be included, however. I would suggest having a Freshers term, which doesn’t count, but then the next term of your first year does, where you pick your modules. This gives us an opportunity
to make friends, find ourselves and get a taste of university life before we spend all our time in the library, and then an opportunity to actually settle down. Combined with the ever-growing student mentoring scheme, I can envisage this providing everything students need to get started, whilst both saving money
and time. Whilst I would always recommend picking the course that’s right for you, whether it be two or three, or even four years long, I definitely think that there should be two year courses, and I would have seriously considered taking one, if given the opportunity.
Is two-thirds of your original debt worth an additional workload? Source: Wikimedia Commons
A proven publicity stunt
Vegan contestants would struggle in eating challenges where previous campmates have eaten live witchetty grubs (Source: CameliaTWU via Flickr) by Maya El-Moussaoui
T
he I’m A Celebrity issue started when contestants Fleur East, James McVey and Sair Khan were reported to be vegans before the airing of the show, but were seen eating dairy or meat throughout the show. Fleur East made a statement, after the episode of her eating Emu aired, clarifying that she is not vegan and has eaten plant based in the past for health reasons. James McVey has also clarified that he is a strict vegetarian and was never seen eating meat during the show. The fact that these contenders were deliberately type cast as vegan was definitely used for media excitement. Linking anything controversial with the word vegan inevitably gets more attention. The intrest in veganism has quadrupled in the past five years, according to Google Trend, and has even surpassed searches for vegetarianism and gluten free. The addition of celebrities labelled as vegans could have been a clever decision to tailor to new audiences, but instead was used just for the publicity. These celebrities all never knew that they were being labelled as vegans and have had to clarify themselves due to the media frenzy. There have been contestants in the past that identified as vegetarian, like DJ Tony Blackburn and Uri Geller in 2002. The public voted Geller to eat maggots one week, but Blackburn said that he would lose all respect for himself if he followed through. However, while Blackburn refused to eat bugs yet won the season. This year’s contestants gave up their diets in the first 48 hours, so it was obviously used for the hype, as they did not show any hesitation in doing so. The premise of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here as a whole does not align with vegan ideologies anyway. The show has been criticised for its use and exploitation of animals. Therefore any true vegan joining the show would potentially be trivialising the movement by profiting from an unethical show.
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COLUMN
Karis Pearson
COLUMNROAD Planet Earth vs 50% off: the modern dilemma
Unsustainable consumer holidays are polluting our society and our planet. Source: John Henderson (via Flickr) Never mind the planet, it’s Cyber Monday!
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ith Black Friday having reared its usual manic head last week, Cyber Monday is the next battle to contend with. It’s no secret that students love a bargain and I’m no exception to that, however, despite bargains galore, there are some crucial reasons why I will not be taking part in the biggest shopping holidays this year. It is during shopping holidays that people show their ugliest side. The environmental catastrophe is pushed aside for a couple of days to allow our natural capitalist instinct to take over while the yearly shopping binge commences. Waste not want not campaign agendas like ‘No Straw Please’ and ‘Love Your Clothes’ are replaced with a more aggressive mantra: Everything Must Go. Meanwhile, the effects of this extreme capitalism are killing our planet. In anticipation of the online shopping binge, there has been much excitement and speculation over what the best deals will be. According to The Telegraph, Amazon’s TV Firestick and Echo Dot – a convenience gadget for the home slowly reducing sophistication of the human brain – will be slashed from ninety-nine pounds to forty-nine. If we can truly put a price on the planet, could it be a fifty-pound saving on a gadget that nobody really needs? All I know is witnessing humanity react to consumer events like Black Friday makes
me question whether the survival of our species is really in the best interest of planet earth. Last year, Greenpeace launched “MAKE SMTHNG” week, encouraging people around the world to ditch shopping for making something
We need to curb our unsistainable culture of mass consumerism to help the planet themselves, or upcycling old things. The fast fashion industry is a hideous affair, and anyone who saw Stacey Dooley’s recent documentary will understand where I’m coming from. Before you decide to order a new dress for a special occasion, or a pair of jeans in the Cyber Monday sale, ask yourself, do you have something old you could breathe some new life into? The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) offer an online carbon footprint calculator where you’re able to see the impact you have on the planet. Among the ‘food’, ‘travel’ and ‘home’ sections, there is a section for ‘stuff ’. This is because the quantity of stuff we’re buying produces tonnes of carbon, both in manufacturing and in disposing of it as waste. This has
a disastrous impact on our planet. Avoiding buying new by getting creative can be just how to help save your own pocket and reduce your carbon footprint, doing both yourself and the planet a big favour. Household waste increases by 25% during Black Friday (and surprise surprise, Christmas). As it stands the UK lags behind our Scandinavian neighbours in recycling our waste and in fact, it recently surfaced that UK waste sent abroad for recycling has been ending up in landfills on the other side of the world. The amount of unrecyclable plastic that so many products are packaged in is obscene, and shopping holidays only sell more of these highly packaged consumer products. Remember Nintendo DS games? It was a genuine achievement how much plastic was ‘required’ for a game that was no bigger than a ravioli. Of course, many items bought online come delivered in cardboard or plastic packaging that is recyclable, but the amount of energy and water consumed in the recycling process is unnecessarily and excessively higher during shopping holidays like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This only exaggerates the need for us to curb our unsustainable culture of mass consumerism. Whilst saving the planet isn’t on everyone’s to do list, saving money usually is. The hype surrounding Black Friday and Cyber Monday is in large part due to people’s desire to save some cash, but, what if I told you that quite often, these deals which
sound too good to be true, well… they actually are. Many Black Friday price reductions are printed to sound like an unmissable bargain, but what a lot of people don’t know is that the ‘was’ figure printed on price tags is often inflated to make deals look better. Consumer group “Which?” investigated this and uncovered instances where companies including “AO” and “Currys” were among those guilty of doing this, in some cases totally misleading consumers to push their sales agenda. So, think twice before buying that half price TV, because deal or no deal, do you really need it? You may shout your vendetta against plastic drinking straws loud and proud but what use is that when
Think twice before buying that half price TV, because deal or no deal, do you need it? you’re stocking up on products wrapped dutifully in non-recyclable plastic. You want to save the turtle? Good, but think bigger, don’t focus all your energies on limiting your use of cups and straws forgetting about the impact your weekly trip to Primark is having. Think about that jacket you bought for half price on Black Friday,
You’re trapped in your lovely nest and the things you used to own, now they own you. or the shiny new gadget you ordered in just one click in the Cyber Monday sale. Never mind the necessity of it, at a price like that a Bluetooth toaster was a must-have, surely? In actuality, most of us don’t need any of these products to live comfortably and lead fulfilled lives, and in consuming them, we make the lives of others less so. When consuming is a necessity, we should be doing so in smarter, less wasteful ways, but most importantly, we should be consuming less. Avoiding deeply advertised spectacles of human indecencies like Black Friday and Cyber Monday is the way forward. In the words of Chuck Palahniuk, the author of Fight Club (yes, it’s a book too): “You buy furniture. You tell yourself, this is the last sofa I will ever need in my life. Buy the sofa, then for a couple years you’re satisfied that no matter what goes wrong, at least you’ve got your sofa issue handled. Then the right set of dishes. Then the perfect bed. The drapes. The rug. Then you’re trapped in your lovely nest, and the things you. used to own, now they own you.”
POLITICS
GWLEIDYDDIAETH
18
Assembly Members urge action over fire safety in high-rise buildings
by Hefin Rees Edwards
F
ollowing the Grenfell disaster that occured in June 2017, the Senedd’s Equality, Local Govenment and Communities Committee has recieved communications regarding fire safety in privately owned, high-rise buildings in Wales. The Committee has since published a report concerning general aspects of Welsh fire safety such as planning and construction, fire doors and fire risk assessments, which they believe are currently unsatisfactory. The report also expressed concerns over the continued use of Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding, such as that used on the Grenfell tower. The Committee recommended that a new law be passed to replace the current Fire Safety Law in Wales enacted in 2005. The new law would include introducing minimum standards, which would have to be met when undertaking fire risk assessments. In addition, these assessments would have to be taken at least once a year in high-rise buildings. Thirteen other recommendations were also made to the Welsh government, including that owners of private high-rise buildings should be encouraged or incentivised to install sprinkler systems; all fire doors should provide at least 30 minutes of protection in the event of a fire;
Cardiff high-rise buildings: Wales fears fire safety issues. Source: Wikimedia and fire and rescue services should be involved early in the planning and building of high-rise buildings. Assembly Members want to see action taken by the Welsh Government to reinforce fire safety, in an attempt to prevent another Grenfell-style fire. The chairman of the Committee, John Griffiths AM, has stated the committee “want to see further urgent action from the Welsh Gov-
ernment”, insisting that “legislation should be brought forward as soon as possible” to improve fire safety standards in Wales. Last March it was discovered that six high-rise blocks of flats in Cardiff had failed fire safety tests. It was discovered that the cladding, which was first installed in the 1990s, failed combustibility standards. (although not the same as the ACM cladding
used on Grenfell). However, Andy Fry, the Chief Fire, Rescue Advisor and Inspector for Wales, said that interim work had been enacted on those buildings to increase fire safety. The Committee has also reported hearing that on some high-rise properties in Wales, the materials used in construction were not approved during the planning phase. In order to rectify this, they also recommended to the Senedd that more on-site inspections should occur during construction to prevent malpractice. The Welsh Government responded to the Committee’s report by stating it has established an expert group to consider how to improve its approach to building safety. A spokesperson for the government also said: “We continue to work closely with our partners including landlords, owners and managing agents, the Welsh Fire and Rescue Services and local authorities to ensure specific issues are addressed”. The Committee’s report only covers privately owned high-rise buildings, as buildings owned by Councils and housing associations fall under different laws and regulations. With the tragedy at Grenfell still fresh in the Welsh public’s mind, AMs know that a failure to act by the Welsh Government could risk a similar incident occurring here in Wales.
Has Labour’s anti-Semitic wave come to Wales?
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Jenny Rathbone, Cardiff Central AM, has been suspended pending an investigation into alleged anti-Semitism
Your politics desk Charlotte King Silvia Martelli Rhys Thomas Sam Tilley
by Charlotte King
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he Labour Party has repeatedly made headlines over the past two years, gracing the front pages of newspapers because of incidences of supposed anti-Semitism. It seems that the anti-Semitic tsunami has now made its way to Cardiff, as Jenny Rathbone, Cardiff Central’s Assembly Member (AM), has recently found herself in the firing line after anti-Semitic comments she made in November 2017 have emerged. Last Tuesday, she was suspended from the Senedd. The comments were made at a question and answer event in her Cardiff Central constituency. When asked about increasing security measures at Cyncoed Synagogue in Cardiff, Rathbone responded: “How much of [antiSemitism] is real and how much of it is in their own heads? I think siege mentalities are also a part of it”. She then added: “I think [...] the failure to come to a peace settlement around Palestine and Israel” and the Israeli Government “behaving like a conqueror [...] drives people to be hostile to the Jewish community in this country”. She finally stressed that it was the Jewish community’s “responsibility to try and promote peace”.
A recording of these comments was recently received by The Jewish Chronicle and since then Rathbone has been inundated with criticism for her “intolerance” to the plight of the Jewish community within the country. There is a strong consensus among Jewish leaders in Wales that Rathbone’s behaviour was “inexcusable”, with some arguing her lack of understanding of the community reflects her incapability of representing Cardiff Central constituency in the Welsh Assembly. Carwyn Jones, Wales’ First Minister and current leader of Welsh Labour, has seconded that Rathbone’s behaviour was “totally unacceptable”. After receiving a number of complaints, he has passed the issue on to the General Secretary of the Labour Party who is now conducting an investigation into the AM’s comments. The Welsh Conservative faith spokesman, Mohammed Asghar, has commented that “anti-Semitism has come to Wales and is no longer just Jeremy Corbyn’s problem – but Carwyn Jones and his successor’s too”. In the face of this backlash, the Cardiff Central AM has apologised profusely, stating: “I accept that comments I made last year were insensitive and
have laid me open to accusations of intolerance. I apologise for any upset that my remarks may have caused to individual constituents and the wider Jewish community”. She then added: “No one can or should downplay the fears and concerns that many Jewish people are experiencing […] and it is also not acceptable to suggest that the Jewish community are responsible for the actions of the Israeli Government”. Jenny Rathbone recently met with her local Rabbi, Michoel Rose, who commented that the AM did not seem to truly consider “the reality of what the Jewish community in this country is facing” and that her comments were “extremely offensive”. He added however that she had seemed “very apologetic”. Labour Against Anti-Semitism has made its position clear on the incident, stating “we call on First Minister Carwyn Jones to make an example of Ms Rathbone and lead efforts to expel her from the Labour Party”. The main source of upset among the Jewish community is that Rathbone suggested that claims about anti-Semitic hate crimes being on the rise are rooted in paranoia within the Jewish community. This is however proved false by the figures recently published
Suspended: Cardiff Central AM Source: Wikimedia by the Home Office, which show that Jews are twice as likely to be attacked compared to any other religious groups in the UK. Rathbone has recently referred herself for equality training in response to the criticisms made against her. There will be no insight into whether she can return to represent Cardiff Central in the Senedd until the Labour Party has conducted its investigation. All we can be sure of is that it appears the row over anti-Semitism in the Labour Party is not over yet.
GWLEIDYDDIAETH 19
“Social calamity and an economic disaster” A UN report has delivered scathing feedback to the government over claims of low poverty in the UK
by Giovanna Coi
A
new report by Professor Philip Ashton, UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human rights, offers damning evidence on the effects of prolonged austerity in the UK. The report was commissioned by the Human Rights Council in Geneva and is the result of a two-week fact-finding mission in the UK. Professor Ashton argues that poverty is the result of a “political choice” carried out by successive governments since 2010. According to him, austerity has been driven by a commitment to “radical social re-engineering”, underpinned by a value system which emphasises individual responsibility and looks at employment as the key to end poverty. Advocates of austerity cite positive results. This approach, however, has also caused considerable damage to poorer households with vulnerable groups, such as ethnic minorities or people with disabilities, being disproportionately affected. As a result of extensive cuts to the welfare system, social support and local authorities, 14 million people live in poverty in the UK, and 1.5 million are destitute (meaning that they live on less than £70 per week). The figures come from the Social Metrics Commission. Currently, no official measures of poverty exist for the UK as a whole. Universal Credit claimants may wait
up to 12 weeks to receive the benefit and are increasingly resorting to food banks and charities, due to a social security system dubbed as “punitive, mean-spirited and often callous”. Since 2010, homelessness has grown by 60% and rough sleeping is up to 134%. Faced with dwindling resources and increasing social demands, local authorities lack support from central government. Local welfare assistance schemes – which cover emergency needs – have been slashed by 72.5%. Cuts to public services disrupt the social fabric and deprive local communities of essential services, such as access to computers or support in filing online claims to Universal Credit. Devolved administrations have been trying to shelter people from the adverse effects of government policies. Whereas Scotland and Northern Ireland have been able to provide emergency hardship funding, the Welsh government has struggled to devise adequate protection measures, as the power over social security benefits is not devolved. With one in four people living in relative poverty, Wales is particularly vulnerable to the effects of austerity. The government has rejected the allegations put forward by the UN report. Amber Rudd, the newly appointed Work and Pensions Secretary, stated she was “disappointed”
Poverty: The report argues such high levels of poverty are inexcusable. Source: Howard Lake (via Flickr) by the “political” language of the inquiry, despite conceding there are ongoing issues with Universal Credit. Under growing pressure from critics, the cabinet has increased funding for work allowances by £1.7 billion in the 2018 Budget. Around 2.4 million households could benefit from this measure. It has also extended the transition period to July 2023, as more categories will be brought under Uni-
versal Credit. If austerity is really coming to an end, the question is: will that be enough? Critics argue the current system is unsustainable and would be severely strained in the event of an economic downturn. Less well-off households would take the brunt of a new recession, and many of them, the UN report warns, are just one crisis away from destitution.
Saudi Arabian women protest for more freedoms Women across the country are wearing traditional clothing inside out in protest against restrictive laws
by Hannah Priest
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audi Arabian women have staged a rare protest against restrictive clothing laws, which state that women must completely cover up in public, by posting pictures on social media of them wearing the traditional abaya inside out. An abaya is an ordinarily black robe which covers the entire body, leaving only the head, feet and hands visible. Some women in Saudi Arabia in joined forces in a protest they are calling #InsideOutAbaya to reject and demonstrate their frustration against the strict rules that dictate the way they have to appear in public. Strict female dress codes have been around for decades in Saudi Arabia, meaning that they tend to have to wear clothing such as the abaya and the niqab in public for modesty reasons. Despite this, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman claimed earlier this year that there are no obligations for women to wear abayas and that “the decision is entirely left for women to decide what type of decent and respectful attire she chooses to wear”. This comment appears to follow on from other liberal steps the Prince has recently taken, including allowing
Saudi women to learn to drive and attend sporting events. Despite the Saudi Crown Prince’s push towards a more relaxed representation of Saudi Arabia to the rest of the world however, some women in Saudi Arabia claim that they have not seen any change enacted in the way clothing rules are enforced. This is what has prompted a number of activists to begin wearing the abaya inside
out as a protest against the authorities. Online activists have announced that they will continue to wear their abayas inside out until they achieve freedom over their dress code in public. One women stated that, “[protestors] are posting pictures of [them] selves wearing their abayas inside out in public as a silent objection to being pressured to wear it.” Malak al-Shehri, a women’s rights activist who was ar-
The abaya: Women in Saudi Arabia are wearing the traditional clothing inside out. Source: Georgie Pauwels (via Flickr)
rested in 2016 after posting images of herself removing her niqab on Twitter, also joined the online protest, explaining how powerful the feeling of protesting truly is following years of discrimination and unequal treatment of Saudi women. Many see the abaya as a form of dehumanisation as it does not allow women to show any sort of individuality. Even though the current Saudi Crown Prince is taking a more liberal approach to social policy compared to his more conservative predecessors, women in Saudi Arabia argue there is still a long way to go before they achieve equality. There are still numerous things that Saudi women are unable to do without permission from a male guardian, including basic activities such as setting up a bank account, travelling abroad and getting married. Over the past few years, there has been a significant rise in Saudi Arabian female activists matched by a crackdown on women’s rights activism across the country. With activists continuously arrested for campaigning against the socially conservative laws, it is undoubtedly still a fearful time for women in Saudi Arabia.
Universal Credit to be reassessed by Rudd
by Hallum Cowell
A
mber Rudd has been appointed as the new Work and Pensions Secretary after the political chaos that has engulfed the Conservative Party over the past few weeks. Despite Rudd’s previous cabinet position ending with her allegedly lying to a parliamentary committee over the immigration-based Windrush scandal, she has been granted a second chance to serve in Theresa May’s cabinet after she resigned as Home Secretary in April. The Conservative Party’s recent approach to Universal Credit has caused a huge amount of backlash with numerous charities and experts decrying the roll-out as unfair and opening a gateway to poverty. Rudd has stated that the system of Universal Credit “could be better” and that she will seek “expert guidance” to improve the current system.
What they have said...
“The new Secretary of State wields significant power, more than any of her five predecessors have done in the last three years by virtue of the fact of the Prime Minister’s precarious position. Will she use that power now to listen to those expert charities and halt Universal Credit until it it is fixed?” Neil Gray 19/11/18 The SNP spokesman for Work and Pensions calls on Amber Rudd to listen to the growing number of criticisms that have been levied against Universal Credit.
“Thus far, the Government has been determined to press ahead with the next phase of the roll-out despite clear warnings from over 80 organisations working with disabled people who’ll be affected. Many people will fall out of the social security system altogether and be at risk of destitution.” Margaret Greenwood 19/11/18 The Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary puts forward the claims that the Universal Credit roll-out will leave some of the most vunerable in society at great risk of poverty.
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22
How to give yourself a digital detox Stand up to your smartphone
by Serena Khemaney
F
rom smartphones to SatNavs, to televisions and iPads, we are constantly surrounded by screens. We wake up to them, we return home to them and we carry them around in our pockets the entire day. Some of us are addicted to checking our phones. We check them in our lectures, at the cinemas, when we’re with others. No wonder this increasing influence can be detrimental to our health, both physical and mental. Yes, technology is super useful to us in our day-to-day lives but there comes a time when we just need a detox. I am a huge advocate of taking a digital detox from time to time. It has an extremely grounding and calming influence on me – it’s like relaxing at a spa,reading your favourite book or doing whatever you feel is therapeutic. Read the following tips to avoid becoming enslaved to your smartphone. Firstly, make a list of all the gadgets you own, set a daily allowance for each of them. Make sure you stick to your allowance by ensuring your targets are achievable and realistic. If you gradually decrease the time you spend checking your email, notifications, Instagram and snapchat stories, and involve yourself in other activities, you’ll soon notice that you don’t feel the urges to check as strongly. Try reading a book, going for a run, gardening, or meeting friends for a coffee. These activities are an excellent way to distract yourself from
O
Ashavari Baral Katie Lewis Columnist Sam Saunders
your phone. Going to the gym is one of the best ways I distract myself from social media, it’s the perfect way to kill time. Plus, it makes you healthier, releases endorphins which makes you feel good about yourself. It’s a winwin situation. Also, once I wake up I refrain from checking my phone for at least 30 mins while I meditate, make breakfast and get ready for my day. Sometimes I’ll be old-school and read the newspaper instead of checking the BBC news app. It’s the little things
that make a difference. Secondly, remove any distractions when you’re with friends and family. Just enjoy their company, give them undivided attention, without worrying about what your friends are doing. Moreover, not everything needs to be insta-storied or known. Social media clearly destroys the element of mystery, as it’s made our lives so public. Anybody can know where you are on holiday or what you’re having for dinner. It’s intriguing to be secretive and mysterious for a while; let people
wonder what you’re doing rather than watching it on your story. It will make for an enjoyable conversation later, trust me. Always ask ‘why’ when you pull out your phone. Sometimes we use our phone to distract, avoid, or ignore whatever is happening right in front of us. Understand this is rude, and is impolite for who you’re with as they might presume you don’t enjoy their company. If you’re finding your detox difficult, try it with a buddy, it makes it so much easier.
Friends and Money Management
By Rebecca Hodson
Your advice desk
People just living in the moment: no phones in sight. Source: Simon Maage (via: Unsplash)
ne of the wonderful aspects of university is the endless amount of social activities you can participate in. Yet, along with fun, comes costs, and at times we all struggle to afford our ideal student life. As students we have to not just think about our time table and assignment schedules, but also consider how much we can actually justify spending at Juice this weekend. Now, that is a challenge in itself, but then add the fabulous addition of friendship. We’ve all been there when we didn’t bring enough cash to pay for a taxi back as well as a cheeky stop at Family Fish so your friends spot you so can have the carbs needed to make your 9am. Yet, what should we do when we have lent our mate a tenner three weeks ago and we begin to get closer and closer to our overdraft? Why do we feel rude asking for our own money back? The fear of putting our pals into their overdraft causes far more fear than the thought of calling the bank and seeing if you can have a loan. This is why we normally end up in a ‘oh you brought me food, so I’ll get the
taxi’ cycle. Not that this is a bad system, this is one that suits my housemates and I well, but it definitely doesn’t suit everyone. Some people prefer getting there £6.77 back so they are fully on top of their finances, the same as some people hate owning their friends money so you know you’ll get your money back within 24 hours. Either way, whether you prefer doing bank transfers or getting the first round of drinks in, it is important to see what you friends prefer first. Money is a difficult subject, but it’s the same as all difficult subjects, the more openly you discuss it the more normal it becomes. If your friend owes you money, sit them down and tell them, and expect them to do the same to you. It is important for us to all help prepare each other for the real world. Discuss your budgets as you catch up over a cuppa, talk about your student loan when your walking to the shops, normalise the student discussion of money. This is new to all of us, whether we get funded by our parents or work 40 hours a week, the majority of us have never given managing finances much thought. And obviously, don’t judge your friends if they are financially funded
Don’t feel awkward to pester friends and stay on top of your finances. Source : Michael Longmire (via Unsplash) a completely different way to you, but do talk about how you can help each other. While it’s never enjoyable to ask for money from our friends, or confessing we can’t afford to join our housemates down the pub, it’ll get easier each time you do.
So, go tell your friend you need that fiver back by the weekend, or ask them if they are coping this week after they went a bit overboard at the SU. Just make sure you talk about it, normalise it, and enjoy it (albeit sensibly).
CYNGOR
Why you should do the Cardiff Award Enhance your confidence and your CV by Katie Lewis
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can meet up with the team and talk to students who have completed the award already. I went to a meet up recently and spoke to Lauren Thornell, who has
I
hadn’t heard of the Cardiff Award until my second year. And when I did, I thought it sounded like a lot of work- and it is, but you’ll reep all the rewards. I chose to start the Cardiff Award in my second year, mainly because I had done very poorly in my first-year modules and I thought “Well, if I do the award at least I’ll have something to look good on my CV”. Luckily, I improved academically in my second year, and I credit this partially to the Cardiff Award. The Cardiff Award invites students to identify their weaknesses and improve not only their employability prospects but also their personal skills. I’d advise anyone who wants to better their job prospects after university to take this opportunity. If you’re currently in your final year and fear it’s too late- don’t fret, the award can be done at any time during your degree up to the April before you graduate if you have the dedication. Beginning with some self-awareness
‘It’s a fantastic opportunity to develop and recognise key employability skills and gain expert advice on your career journey’.
Take this opportunity: It’ll be SO worth it! Source: Cardiff Award (via: www.blogs.cardiff.ac.uk)
exercises, you gain an insight into how you operate or handle certain situations. These will help to identify areas where you can improve, with the help of the award’s further activities. One of the sections of the award requires you to complete sessions all relating to employability. This is a good opportunity to refine skills such as LinkedIn, interview techniques and perfecting your CV.
For those of you who might already do volunteering, work experience, or any other extra-curricular activities- it’s so worthwhile to take part in the Cardiff Award. A key portion of the award is the essential 70 hours of extra-curricular activities, which can be made up of various undertakings. I would advise participants to choose a varied selection of activities because when it
comes to reflecting- you’ll have lots of evidence of your hard work and dedication. If it seems like a lot of work, you’ll be glad to know there are multiple opportunities to get help and support. There is a Cardiff Award Facebook page, where you can post any questions or message the page direct. There are also various events like the coffee and cake afternoons where you
completed the Cardiff Award with a Distinction and since been appointed Cardiff Award Student of the Year 2018. Lauren said: ‘I would wholeheartedly recommend the Cardiff Award to other students as it’s a fantastic opportunity to develop and recognise key employability skills and gain expert advice on your career journey. Through the Cardiff Award, you can reflect on workshops and extra-curricular activities, learning how to identify personal strengths and areas for further development’. To top it off, at the end you get a certificate and the Cardiff Award appears on your Higher Education Achievement record when you graduate. If you have any queries about the Cardiff Award there is a designated page on the Students Union website under the ‘Jobs and Skills’ section with more information.
Not sure if your course is right for you? Look at other options if you are not feeling your course
By Joanna Cunningham
U
niversity is hard; not only do you have the pressure of moving away from home, cooking for yourself, managing your money, and maintaining a social life, you also have to start your course, undoubtedly the most important part of your university journey. If you’ve never studied the subject before, or even if you have, it’s always a leap of faith, and with this, comes uncertainty. You may be wondering, “did I pick the right course?” - if you have that little niggle in your brain wondering so, whether that be 3 months or 2 years down the line, here are some ideas to tackle this problem for someone who has been there. Firstly, figure out whether your course is for you. Most importantly, do you enjoy your course? I always loved maths but, after joining the Cardiff University maths program in 2015, I wound up hating it. I envied my friends who loved their subjects, and wondered whether I would ever feel that way about mine.
I never did and, come summer exams, I did terribly; the mixture of hating my course, thus feeling unmotivated, meant my grades plummeted, alongside my mental health. For me, my mental health was most important, so I changed course, and the moment I stepped into my first history lecture I knew I’d made the right decision. I was genuinely interested in the information, and I wanted to learn more every day. Next, look at your grades so far; if you can’t seem to grasp the mounting information piling up, this is another big hint. Your grades really do reflect your enjoyment and understanding of a subject - don’t ignore them. Thirdly, will your course benefit your future career prospects? University is a time of discovery and self-realisation, and many people go to figure out their future. If you feel your course won’t benefit your career, change it. Then, seek the relevant advice. Speak to your personal tutor or, if you don’t click with them, organise a meeting with a member of staff you
Don’t just grin and bear it: There are people who can help you figure it out. Source: Marcos Luiz Photography (via: Unsplash)
can confide in. Look on the Students Union website for more information regarding changing or dropping a course. In the ‘help and advice section’ there is a dedicated page to academic issues, this is a great place to start. Don’t forget to speak to your family and friends about your struggle, especially if your mental health is deteriorating - this will hopefully lighten the load. Finally, If you have decided you want to change course, check the university website to see whether you meet their requirements. If you do, speak to the school office of the course you wish to change to, on the phone or in person, to register with the course. Figuring all this out can be a daunting task but, from someone who spent an entire year doing a subject I hated, I can tell you that you’re not alone, and any hardship you face in changing course or dropping out will be worth it. At the end of the day, you wont regret it.
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COLUMN
Saunders’ Corner Sam Saunders
Why you should, and shouldn’t do a postgraduate degree
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’ve opted for something a little bit different this week, as this column will be more of a discussion about whether to do a postgraduate degree, prompted mostly by the open day that took place last Wednesday. It’s a decision I’ve been thinking about a lot this year, having never really considered it previously, but having looked at the courses offered here at Cardiff, it actually seems like an attractive option for next year. With this article I want to offer some insight into my decisions and how they’ve been affected by my course and the options available, as well as some of the main reasons to avoid, or choose, a postgraduate degree. Let’s start with the positives, why you (or I) should choose to study for another year. Firstly, in certain fields it will definitely give you more experience and lead to more opportunities in later life. A case that will be relevant to many of the people who are part of student media are the journalism postgraduate courses, such as magazine journalism. Which would be incredibly valuable to anyone who wanted to write for or edit such publications. JOMEC is a good example for another reason, as any postgraduate students will be able to make full use of the facilities in the new building in the city centre. There will also be the possibility of some sort of collaboration with BBC Cymru, as their new building will be opened and operational from next year. Given the journalism school’s very good reputation, I’m sure this would be valuable to anyone wanting to pursue a career in this field. Similar things can be said of going into more special-
ised fields; translation or academia for example. The old adage that modern languages students can only be teachers, translators or interpreters is hopelessly out of date, but translation does represent a viable career path for language graduates, and it could be worth exploring this course. Academia, another example, is a field where qualifications and academic work are clearly very important, think about how many of your lecturers (who deliver researchled teaching at this Russell Group university) are doctors of their par-
In certain fields it will definitely give you more experience and lead to more opportunities in later life.
ticular field. In history, almost all of the lecturers are, therefore any sort of academic role is going to require at least a Masters, which you would probably need to qualify for a PhD programme. In terms of what it can open up for your future prospects then, a postgraduate degree can be extremely beneficial, with the caveat that you do have to be sure you want to narrow your focus into a specific field, as many of the courses on offer are very specialised. Choosing a postgrad in Cardiff has the obvious benefit of staying in this wonderful city,
Image sources: Jeremy Segrott (left) and Cardiff University International Office (above) via Flickr staying in touch with friends, and enjoying the student experience for one more year. There’s also the option of studying either full-time or part-time, which could help you balance you studies with other commitments; a job to pay your way through the course for example. As with undergraduate courses, and arguably even more so, there shouldn’t really be any financial barriers to continuing your education, as UK students have access to a generous amount of funding. It’s currently just over £10,000 for English students and around £13,000 for Welsh students, however, this has to cover your tuition fee and any living costs, but at least it’s not means tested. In addition to this, Welsh and EU students were eligible for a £3,400 bursary or tuition fee reduction if they started a postgraduate course in 2018/19. Now, this hasn’t been confirmed for next year yet (thanks Brexit), but there could be an incentive to stay if you would be eligible for this. There are also several bursary schemes offered by Cardiff University, which I’m sure would be worth an application. On the other hand, I can think of a multitude of reasons why I shouldn’t study for an extra year, even if it’s a subject that I am deeply passionate about. Firstly, it’s another year of my life that I’ll have to spend studying, when my university course has already taken up four due to my year abroad, which was an incredibly valuable experience. It’s probably not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, hopefully I have at least 60 years of life left at this point, but I don’t think you can put a value on your time,
and a year is a big commitment, so it is a serious consideration. It’s interesting to wonder whether this year would be better spent doing something else, like seeing other parts of the world, or gaining experience in the field you’d like to go into after university. Alternatively, it could give you the opportunity to explore a few different avenues (through internships and such) so you can make more of an informed decision about your future career. If you’ve already decided, it might be the case that this year could be spent on a graduate scheme, so that your foot is already in the door of a large company, so to speak. I also
Firstly, it’s another year of my life that I’ll have to spend studying, when my university course has already taken up four due to my year abroad feel that choosing to study for an extra year just to prolong student life and avoid the big choices in your life is quite futile, as you’ll have to leave Cathays and wrestle with these huge decisions at some point, so what is the point in prolonging the inevitable? Whilst I’ve just gone to great lengths to explain the various advantageous financial options available
for further study, there’s no overstating the fact that I would be adding at least £10,000 to my already rather sizeable student loan pile. The notion of repaying it all hasn’t even crossed my mind, as I doubt that will happen, but it’s still something that weighs quite heavily on my mind, and will take money away from my paycheque when I do get a job. My other concern is the question of value, as I’ve always wondered what sort of opportunities would be opened up for me in particular, if I chose to do an MA in history or translation, as I’m not too interested in academia or a translation role. People might suggest that a Masters would offer me the opportunity to choose a completely different topic of study that also interests me, international relations, for example. This poses one large problem for me, as whilst I think I would find that extremely interesting, trying to catch up with people who have already studied the various IR theories and schools of thought isn’t terribly appealing to me. I hope you weren’t expecting some sort of satisfying resolution to all of this, as this article was supposed to be more of an insight into my thoughts and feelings around the opportunity for further study. In a word, conflicted. I’m leaning more towards a ‘no’ at the moment for a postgrad, but I wanted to write this to show that my thinking has been influenced by many things and isn’t as simple as a one-word answer. I’m a huge supporter of postgraduate study, as I think it adds a lot and offers the chance to specialise, I just don’t think it’ll be for me, at least, not next year.
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GWYDDONIAETH
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SCIENCE
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Your science desk Danny Brown Jonathan Learmont
Giant meteor crater found in Greenland
A 1km iron meteorite is thought to have landed 3 million years ago
by Lucy Bull
T
he discovery of the aftermath of a meteorite crashing into earth around three million years ago has been reported below one of Earths continental ice sheets. Researchers predicted that the giant crater was the result of the impact of a meteorite falling to Earth, that has been revealed a great distance below the ice sheets in northwest Greenland. This is an exciting revelation in science, as a crater from the crash of a meteorite on Earth has never been found before in this location. Members from the Centre for Geo-
A meteorite crater has never been found in this location Genetics at the University of Copenhagen were responsible for the finding of the enormous crater over two years ago, while analysing an unfound ‘circular depression’ at the base of the Hiawatha Glacier The uncovering of the collision between the meteorite and earth was then disclosed when examining an advanced map of the topography underneath the ice sheets of Greenland. With the use of new state of the art technology, a plane was flown over the glacier to document the measurements of the crater, revealing the extraordi-
by Danny Brown
O
n the November 16 2018, the definition of the kilogram changed. This has had more impact on the universe around us than most might realize. The kilogram isn’t the only base unit that will change; the unit of temperature (the kelvin), the unit for the amount of a substance (the mole), and the unit for electric current (the ampere) will also change. These four SI units (International System of Units) are the last of the 7 to be defined by physical objects. Since the November 16, all the SI units will be based on fundamental constants of nature. The kilogram has been defined by the cylinder of pure platinum, also known as Le Grand K, locked inside an underground vault in Paris. This cylinder mass has been the official one kilogram since 1889. However, scientists from around the globe have recently compared their national standard kilogram masses, which were originally as near to exact replicas as they could be, and found that the weights of these masses were diverging from Le Grand K. The idea behind the SI units was
Uncovered: The vast meteor crater was discovered beneath Greenland’s ice sheets. Source: Wikimedia Commons nary size of the crater from the events of the kilometre-wide iron meteorite colliding into Earth. Dr Iain McDonald, Reader at the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences at Cardiff University, played an imperative role as co-author of the research into the exploration of the colossal crater left behind. A comprehensive chemical analysis was accomplished at Cardiff Universi-
ty, enabling researchers to understand how the crater and resulting obliteration underneath the ice sheets came about. Signs of various metals within the analysis indicated it was in fact the consequence of a meteorite. This was the evidence the scientists needed to confirm their predictions. A large meteorite had been previously discovered in Cape York, that is in close location to the Hiawatha site in
northern Greenland. This suggested it was an impact in this region that could explain the finding below the Hiawatha Glacier. However, Dr McDonald stated how the signature found at the Hiawatha site was not the same as that found in Cape York and played a vital role in further research to explain the findings of the crater revealed beneath Greenland’s ice sheets.
New kilogram defined in Paris to standardise the basic units of trade and scientific measurements. In 1875, The Treaty of the Meter was signed in the Palace of Versailles by 17 nations. The treaty set the international standard for the metre and the kilogram. The metre was defined as the distance between two scratches on a hollowed platinum-iridium bar. And the kilogram was defined as previously mentioned. Copies of the official meter and kilogram were sent to various countries so that they wouldn’t have to make the trip to France every time they wanted a precise measurement. At the time, the scientists behind the treaty knew that these physical definitions wouldn’t be good enough. The objects could be damaged, or worse, destroyed. They envisioned the possibility that all units with which we measure and define the world around us would be set by arbitrary universal constants. In order for the kilogram to have a definition accessible to everyone everywhere, Planck’s constant, ‘h’, will be given a definitive value. ‘h’ has been estimated since Max Planck came up with it to connect the wavelength of light to the ener-
gy of individual photons. There has never been an exact value for h, as there has always been a significant amount of uncertainty surrounding it. By giving Planck’s constant an exact value, the kilogram mass in Paris is no longer exactly a kilogram, it’s still more or less a kilogram, but it now has a level of uncertainty. Fixing Planck’s constant has been the endeavour for scientists around the world for the past few years. By using different methods, comparing results and combining their findings, Planck’s constant was found to many decimal places. The exact value of Planck’s constant was voted on in Paris to forever be 6.62607015×1034 JS-1. Additionally, the definition of the
Fixing Planck’s constant has been the endeavour of scientists around the globe, and has finally been achieved
mole is directly related to Planck’s constant. As a result, the definition of the mole has also been changed. The mole is defined as the amount of substance that contains the same number of atoms as there are in 12 grams of carbon-12, also known as Avogadro’s constant. So, when fixing Planck’s Constant, Avogadro’s constant is now set at exactly 6.0221076mol-1. Similarly, the definition of the ampere will no longer be dependant on the kilogram, instead it will be based on the newly defined value for charge on an electron. And the kelvin will be based on the newly fixed value of the Boltzmann constant, which relates the average kinetic energy of a gas to its temperature. Although these changes may seem dramatic, it’s extremely unlikely that they will affect your day to day life, or anyone’s for that matter. Scales and thermometers are all going to work the same way, everything will still run as it has. Which is exactly the point. Nothing was supposed to change or be shaken up, these definitions were put in place so that all the fundamental units will stay reliable and consistent forever.
GWYDDONIAETH 27
Glass formed by exploding stars by Milo Moran
Supernovae observation teaches us about the origins of silica on Earth
G
lass is one of the oldest human created materials, dating back at least 4000 years, and it has stuck around for so long because of how useful it is.
When ordinary sand is heated to 1700°C it becomes easy to shape, and when it cools it is transparent, chemically inert, and can be recycled repeatedly. We use it for win-
dows, to store food and drink, and many of us depend on lenses to be able to see clearly. However, we have had no clear idea as to where sand comes from.
Many of the materials that make the Earth up originate in supernovae, huge explosions that happen when a star reaches the end of its life. The star runs out of fuel to burn and collapses in on itself before exploding outwards. During the time it is visible to the naked eye, a supernova releases more energy than our sun will in its whole lifetime. On average, in a galaxy like ours, a supernova happens once every 50 years. Because of how large and old these stars are, the explosion scatters heavier elements like iron, sulphur, uranium, and gold throughout the galaxy.
We have had no clear idea as to where sand comes from
From Afar: Silica was detected when observing the Cassiopeia A supernova. Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ STScI/CXC/SAO
A recent paper has shed light on the origins of silica, combining data from the European Space Agency’s Herschel Observatory with findings at the SETI Institute in California. Using NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope, they detected unusual emissions from two supernovae. A spectroscope is a scientific instrument which can identify the chemicals in
Many materials that make up Earth originate in supernovae distant objects, but the wavelengths found from Cassiopeia A did not appear to match any chemical element. The paper’s lead author, Jeonghee Rho, assumed that silica grains are shaped like rugby balls rather than perfect spheres, and the mathematical model he produced gave “the same spectral feature we see in the Spitzer data.” The Earth’s crust is 60% silica, and the large clouds of dust that fill the universe are mostly silica. Up until now, we have had no idea where it was formed. The paper’s co-author, Professor Haley Gomez of Cardiff University’s School of Physics and Astronomy, said: “the silica produced by the supernovae was significant enough to contribute to the dust […] that ultimately came together to form our home planet.” It’s almost poetic to think that when we build sandcastles, those materials were created by a star exploding millions of years ago.
Heatwaves sharply reduce insect fertility by Jonathan Learmont
Male beetles almost sterilised by exposure to higher temperatures
A
t this point it’s no secret that human induced climate change and its associated rising global temperatures have harmed biodiversity. A report last year including data from nature reserves across Germany proclaimed that there had been a 75% reduction in the population of flying insects over the past 25 years.
They discovered a three quarters reduction in sperm production More recently, insect numbers in Puerto Rico’s Luquillo rainforest have been found to have dropped by 10 to 60 times since the mid-1970s. In the UK moth, bee and butterfly populations have all significantly declined over a similar time period. These findings are fuelling fears of a global ecosystem collapse caused by plants not being pollinated, insectivores starving as food chains break down, and other ecological functions carried out by flying insects ceasing.
Habitat destruction for urban spaces and pesticide use are thought to be major contributing factors to these figures. However scientists have sought to isolate the temperature effect on this worrying decline, curious about why local extinctions happened when a significant increase occurred. This was done by putting red flour beetles in a five day heatwave, about 5 to 7 degrees above their optimum living conditions, in the laboratory. What they discovered was a three quarters reduction in sperm production in male beetles, while female beetles were unaffected. Professor Matt Gage from the University of East Anglia, who led the research, said “We’ve shown in this work that sperm function is an especially sensitive trait when the environment heats up, and in a model system representing a huge amount of global biodiversity. Since sperm function is essential for reproduction and population viability, these findings could provide one explanation for why biodiversity is suffering under climate change.” Subsequent tests on the heatwave exposed male beetles found that higher temperatures had lingering effects on their fertility, as well as reducing the life expectancy of their offspring by a couple of months. Kira
Feeling the heat: Red flour beetles saw significant fertility reduction in the laboratory. Source: Wikimedia Commons
Sales, a postgraduate co-researcher, said “When males were exposed to two heatwave events 10 days apart, their offspring production was less than 1 per cent of the control group. Insects in nature are likely to experience multiple heatwave events, which could become a problem for population productivity if male reproduction cannot adapt or recover.”
Beetles are thought to make up a quarter of biodiversity, and their global presence makes this study ominous; in locations where heatwaves last for weeks rather than days as is becoming more common, insect population declines may hasten. Prior research has shown heat damages male fertility in mammals including mice, sheep and cows.
This link could also be relevant to humans. Fertility in men has been declining, with a 2017 study reporting a 50% reduction in collective sperm count sampling from Western countries. In addition to the environmental considerations, we may yet realise the implications of not controlling global temperatures are very personal indeed.
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SPORT
Opinion: VAR in the Premier League? It's about time...
by Sam Saunders
L
ast week’s announcement that Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will be used in the Premier League from next season is welcome, and frankly, it’s long overdue. It seems that the decision has been influenced in no small part by the disallowed goal during Southampton’s 1-1 draw with Fulham on November 10, which prompted Saints striker Charlie Austin to advocate the positives of VAR. The Raheem Sterling penalty decision (in which it was clear the winger had tripped over his own foot) has also clearly had an impact, as it was announced that the knockout rounds of this season’s European competitions will also use VAR. The Premier League is marketed as one of the best leagues in the world, and the fact that mistakes like this can be made every week is bordering on ludicrous. The effectiveness of VAR was proven at the World Cup in the summer, contributing to the cleanest tournament since 1986. Aside from a couple of contentious calls in the final, the system lived up to the billing and made the competition a fairer and more exciting specta-
cle. What this decision represents is an admittance that match officials need help. They’re expected to make hundreds of decisions during a match, and to be almost omnipresent and all-seeing, which is impossible. At some point, human error is going to take over, whether that’s in the form of a marginal offside call, or not seeing an incident because the referee is in the wrong position.
This system needs to be used to help referees and linesmen, as their jobs are already hard enough as it is. Another positive is that VAR will eliminate the largely useless ‘fifth officials’ in the Champions League, which as far as I can tell sit behind the goal twiddling their thumbs rather than watching what’s going on in the penalty area. Yes, VAR has its issues, no-one is claiming otherwise. Fears that the system would be too slow or disrupt the flow of games turned out to be
largely unfounded, but there are still issues with bridging the gap between fans and officials during a match. Showing the images the referee is seeing on the big screens is a must, as well as giving supporters access to the communications between the referee and the watching official, similar to the TMO in rugby, which would help the decision-making process to be more transparent and understandable.
What constituted ‘a clear and obvious error’ was a massively contentious issue in Russia, and it seems probable that it will be again once VAR is more widely implemented. This decision should be seen, however, as a step forward. After all, there’s no better way to improve a technology than by using it, and if it, as VAR should, leads to fewer mistakes and fairer games, then it is definitely worth a few years of struggle.
VAR: In action at the World Cup this summer (Source: Wikimedia commons)
European Super League: Promoting an elitist sector in football?
Clubs such as Barcelona and Liverpool were allegedly part of the proposed plans by Emily Salley
A
European Super League could be in future plans for Europe’s most elite clubs after German news publication Der Spiegel, leaked reports from Football Leaks, a whistleblowing platform, of an email sent to La Liga giants Real Madrid. The email, sent on 22 October, reportedly included a “binding term sheet”, consisting of 11 ‘founding’ clubs: Barcelona and Real Madrid; Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United; Juventus and AC Milan; Paris Saint-Germain; and Bayern Munich. A 20-year membership, with no possibility of relegation or promotion. The proposed competition is supposedly set to be established in 2021, with plans for five other clubs to be welcomed to the League as guests. This would include clubs Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Marseille and Roma.
So would a Super League be a good thing or spell an end to the football we know and love? Essentially, it would be a purified form of football, an opportunity to see the world’s best players playing against each other every week. Imagine the wonders of Messi, Ronaldo and Mbappe playing the UK’s finest teams on a more regular and domestic basis. It’s hard not to marvel at the prospect. But with a safety net granted with the impossibility of relegation, the novelty is sure to
wear out. The last days of a season are what tiered league systems are all about – clubs fighting for survival. To beat the best, you have to be the best, and to be the best, well you must have a considerable amount of financial backing, something these 16 teams are not short of. Because of this, a European Super League would unquestionably cause the quality of football to progress at a faster rate, causing the beautiful game to evolve even closer to perfection as more money is invested to be the world’s best. But there’s something deeply worrying about this capitalist approach to European football. With a Super League for the continent’s topflight sides, what’s left for the clubs who aren’t in the top positions of their league table. Without the possibility of promotion into this old boy’s league, polarisation between the elite and not so-elite is destined to be exacerbated. The Super League is perfect for teams such as Juventus, Bayern Munich and PSG, who are experiencing immense domination within each of their leagues. Serie A has seen Juventus crowned champions for the past 7 years whilst Bayern have picked up 6 consecutive Bundesliga wins. Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have shared the glory for the past decade in La Liga. These sides are ironically playing in a league of their own, whilst other teams are left with little chance of success. The Premier League helps to offer a little more pluralism, with any league-winning club failing to retain their title in a consecutive year. Leicester City’s infamous win in the 20152016 season was reason enough to fall in love with football, a team coming from nowhere to beat the odds and win one of Europe’s toptiered leagues. Yet there is an increasing threat that this
is about to change as Man City continue to heighten their economic power. By buying world class players in each transfer window and promoting their global brand; their documentary ‘All or Nothing’, which was subject to considerable criticism as a propaganda campaign, is an obvious attempt at doing just that. A European Super League would essentially, by naming the top clubs in the world, be assisting eleven of the world’s biggest brands to become even greater, whilst also ensuring footballing progress in countries such as Turkey, Greece and Croatia is hindered, by failing to include them. The fan’s who give each club an authenticity and tradition, who live to see their team in historic derbies, a characteristic of football which
would be wiped out by the proposed European Super League. No North London derby or Derby della Capitale. The cost to travel abroad would be too much for many fans who have travelled the length and breadth of their country to support their team. A European Super League is a capitalist attempt to make the rich richer, with little thought of how it would impact football as a whole. By removing the historic traditions of clubs and preventing supporters from following their side, the Champions League is a superior version of the proposed Super League, allowing fluidity and including all of Europe’s top teams.
UEFA: Elite European clubs look to be tightening their control (Source: Wikipedia)
CHWARAEON
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November a bumpy ride for Devils
After suffering three straight defeats, the Devils are starting to turn things around in the Elite League
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ith October ending with victories over Glasgow Clan and Coventry Blaze, the Cardiff Devils would have surely been confident in continuing this form into November’s jam-packed fixture list. However, unfortunately for Andrew Lord’s team, this month has not always gone according to plan. Things got off to a bumpy start for the Devils when they were again pitched against their Challenge Cup opponents Coventry at home in the league, having thrashed them 4-0 a week earlier. After a goalless opening 20 minutes, the Devils broke the deadlock early on in the second period through Bryce Reddick. However, a flurry of goals shortly followed, with the visitors scoring twice in 40 seconds to take a 2-1 lead, before extending this to 4-2 with half an hour played. Gleason Fournier did well to reduce the deficit to one minutes later, but, as frustration set in, the Devils found themselves two men down, and Coventry ultimately ran out as 6-4 victors, with two more scores coming either side of a Charles Linglet consolation goal. This loss was only Cardiff ’s second in the league this season and, to make matters worse, they faced Nottingham Panthers - the team that they suffered their first loss to - a day later.
This game could have gone either way for the Devils, but they ultimately found themselves on the losing side again
Despite being badly outshot by the hosts throughout, the Devils fought back to draw level on two occasions through Stephen Dixon and Josh Batch, before Justin Kovacs made it 3-2 inside the final period with a spectacular solo effort, winning the match for his side. A miserable five days was compounded for the Devils as they lost out again in their midweek home clash against Fife Flyers. Once again, Cardiff went behind early on, and scored twice to equalise in the second period, before having to repeat this feat after Fife moved 4-2 ahead through Mike Cazzola and Danick Gauthier. With the scores still tied at 4-4 at the end of regulation time, Flyers’ Brett Bulmer struck a devastating blow less than two minutes into the overtime period, to grant his team a 5-4 victory, and hand the Devils their third Elite League loss on the bounce. The following weekend, however, there was finally something for Devils fans to celebrate, as their team got back to winning ways with victory over the Lightning in Milton Keynes. Whilst the Devils may have thought their losing streak was alarming, their hosts were in far worse shape, losing seven in a row before facing Andrew Lord’s men, to whom they had lost 9-1 and 5-4 earlier in the season. The contest got off to an electric start, with Lightning goaltender Patrick Killeen being forced into making the first of what would be his 52 saves for the night, before Linglet slotted home his fifth league goal of the season seconds later. After allowing the home side back into the game with two well-taken goals, the Devils ambushed Killeen’s net with 30 shots in the second period, with two finding their way in to reclaim the lead for the Cardiff side.
Fournier took full advantage of a late second period powerplay to make it 4-2, with his side managing to see out a cagey final 20 minutes to win the game. This win gave the Devils some badly needed confidence ahead of their clash against the high-flying Belfast Giants, in what was their 1,000th game in the Elite League. However, the visitors, with 14 league victories already under their belt this season, spoiled the party in devastating fashion, with Kyle Baun scoring four goals in what was a humiliating 8-1 drubbing.
With momentum lost, last weekend's fixtures were crucial for the Devils in their ambition to defend their league title In Saturday’s game, they once again faced Nottingham Panthers, and, this time, reversed the 3-2 score line that they had been on the wrong side of two weeks earlier. After falling behind early on, goals from Joey Haddad and a first for rookie Sam Duggan saw the Devils head into the second period with a 2-1 lead, before Dylan Olsen grabbed his second to tie the game for the Panthers. The scores stayed level and, as the game went to overtime, Joey Martin scooped the ball over Michael Garnett to seal the win for the Devils. The following day, the Devils were granted some more favourable opposition, as they took on the Dundee Stars, who lie at the foot of the current Elite League standings, with two victories all season. Charles Linglet, playing in his
Promoted to the Premier League 900th professional regular season game, scored the opener before Dundee took the lead with two smartly-taken goals. More goals were exchanged between the two sides in an exciting second period, with Stephen Dixon, Joey Martin and Layne Ulmer all netting to give the Devils a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes. In the closing period, the Devils edged further away from their tired opposition, with Dixon grabbing his second before Jake Morrisette closed the game out for a 6-3 victory.
After a tricky month, these results will be encouraging for the Devils, ahead of a huge week of clashes This week will see them take on Fife, Manchester, MK Lightning and Glasgow, all of which sit below the Devils in the league table. If they want to get their hands on the Elite League trophy again, it is crucial that the Devils secure maximum points from these games, to gain much needed momentum.
This week, Cardiff-born Tanni Grey-Thompson features in Sporting Greats
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he Paralympics, compared to its sister event, is relatively new having had its first competition in 1960. When it began it only had 57 events across 8 sports. 28 years later of its greatest athletes would make her debut. Tanni Grey-Thompson first competed in the Paralympics at the age of 19 in 1988 at the Seoul Paralympics. Having been born with Spina Bifida, Grey-Thompson had to use a wheelchair for her whole life and in doing so she also developed her love of sport and racing. At Seoul she would win her first medal, a Bronze in the 400 metres wheelchair racing. She would go on to compete at four more games and become one of Britain's most successful Paralympians to date. It would be at her next games, in
Barcelona, that she would win the first four of her eleven Gold medals. She dominated the track, winning both short and middle distance races. The 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres and 800 metres were all hers as she raced her way to becoming a legend. She also won a silver in the 4x100 metre relay. Grey-Thompson would go onto have a less successful run of things in the following Paralympics, where she only managed one Gold medal, in the 800 metres, and 3 silver medals. It was this year that GreyThompson would also come third in Sports Personality of the year due to her fantastic performance at the Paralympics. She would also win the Helen Rollason award, again for her efforts that summer but her career as a whole.
Grey-Thompson would close her Paralympic account in her fifth games in Athens, where she would once again claim the 100 metres and the 400 metres.
She would return to her best in Sydney in 2000, again winning four Gold medals in the same events. When she retired, Grey-Thompson had 11 Gold medals, 4 silvers and a bronze. This made her the second most successful British Paralympian at the time, she has since been taken over by Sarah Storey. Not only did Grey-Thompson exceed at the Paralympics, on the
Cardiff’s sporting year Cardiff City
Sporting Greats: Tanni Grey-Thompson
by Jack Vavasour
2018
biggest stage in the World, but also found success in the longer forms of athletics. Grey-Thompson won the London Marathon 6 times throughout her career. The reason why Grey-Thompson should be considered as one of the greatest British athletes of all time is due to her all round ability and how she not only dominated the Paralympics in sprints and middle distance but also her conquering of the London Marathon. To have such a wide variety of skill is something that few athletes possess. Ultimately, Grey-Thompson is one of Britain’s greatest ever athletes, as she always performed on the biggest stage. Ironically, she only won two World Championship Gold medals, yet when it came to the Paralympics, this Cardiff born great was unbeatable.
Cardiff Blues European Challenge Cup Winners
Cardiff Devils Elite League and Playoff Champions
Geraint Thomas
Tour de France Winner 2018
SPORT
by John Jones
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Your sport desk Reece Chambers Rosie Foley John Jones Jack Vavasour George Willoughby sport@gairrhydd.com
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SPORT
An international boost? by Reece Chambers
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fter an international break that has broken up momentum since Cardiff City’s much needed win against Brighton, Neil Warnock’s side will be looking to continue with positive performances. This season, more so than any I can remember in Premier League history, there certainly seems to be a real gulf in quality between the top six teams in the Premier League and everyone else. Manchester City are reaching spellbounding performance levels that are blowing away their opposition. Liverpool and Chelsea are not too far behind City’s standards and Spurs, Arsenal and Manchester United are continuing to stay just behind the impressive pace set by the current top three. Combined with that, the unprecedented spending in the summer transfer window leading up to this Premier League season has seen teams such as Cardiff struggle to keep up with such dramatic spending. Therefore, a profound lack of quality and strength in depth compared to other sides in the league means that Cardiff have to carve out any small opportunity they have to find an advantage. One such advantage, after an international break, is that most of Warnock’s players have not had to contend with going away on international duty. Of the whole squad, Callum Paterson, Neil Etheridge and Aron Gunnarsson are moderately recognised as international players for their respective countries. As a result, whilst it is difficult for Warnock and his coaching staff to implement their tactics and ideas on the team whilst the squad isn’t at full strength, the international break gave Cardiff’s players some much needed time to reflect on the season so far. As well as that, and perhaps more importantly, the international break has given Warnock and his players the chance to prepare for the chaotic set of fixtures that is to come. With the festive period not too far away, Cardiff’s squad will be tested to the maximum. Playing a chunk of games over a short period of time will test the Bluebirds with a relatively small squad to choose from. As a result, the international break was the perfect opportunity for Warnock’s side to prepare for such a busy schedule. Moreover, it could perhaps place emphasis on the next string of games where they face Everton, Wolves, West Ham, Southampton and Watford before the festive period. As a consequence, in games that look like Cardiff could get something from will be incredibly important in their bid to stay in the Premier League. Wins against a couple of those sides would give Warnock’s men the morale boosts they may need before a period over Christmas and New Year which includes Manchester United and Spurs. Whilst placing emphasis on particular fixtures can lead to severe disappointment, it is certainly crucial for the Bluebirds to manufacture some momentum in the coming weeks to avoid an uphill battle over what is – in the words of Andy Williams - meant to the most wonderful time of the year.
For more content, head to gairrhydd.com/sport
The 'Iceman' is flying the flag for Wales Wales' own Gerwyn Price was the winner of 2018's Grand Slam of Darts
by George Willoughby
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erwyn Price secured the first of Wales’ televised Professional Darts Corporation Major events after coming out victorious over Gary Anderson at the 2018 Grand Slam of Darts final. In a thrilling match with the ‘Flying Scotsman’, Price, also known as the ‘Iceman’, prevailed 16-13 and it’s fair to say that his jubilant reaction rather frustrated his opponent. The pair were seen to clash in several heated exchanges with Gerywn Price expressing his passion much to the distaste of Gary Anderson. Price’s reaction was unsurprising given he trailed for the majority of the match, but a fabulous turnaround saw the 33-year old from Markham bring home the first televised PDC Major for Wales. The story of Gerwyn Price really is quite the spectacle. Prior to his 2018 Grand Slam ti-
tle, Price had previously finished runner-up in last year’s UK Open narrowly missing out to Peter Wright, and he also was defeated alongside his Welsh partner Mark Webster in the 2017 PDC Team Finals for Wales. What’s even more impressive is that before darts, Price played Rugby Union for Welsh Premier Side Neath and Cross Keys as well
He turned his attention to becoming a full-time darts player in 2014 and it hasn't taken him long to make a name for himself on the world darting stage
as Ruby League with a stint at the South Wales Scorpions. He put his career focus on darts after fellow Welshman, and darts player Barrier Bates encouraged him to gain qualification and subsequently enter the PDC. It’s been success after success for the ‘Iceman’ who has certainly made a big impression in his short time in the PDC. To get a sense of his success, in the years 2014/15, he only made the quarter-finals once out of six competitions. Since then, over a two-year period he has reached four quarterfinals and recently won himself a Grand Slam title. Furthermore, although his 10th placed finish in the most recent Premier League of Darts wasn’t spectacular, it was Price’s debut in the competition which only contains the very best so just reaching
The sky seems the limit for Gerwyn Price if he continues playing the excellent darts he currently is it, I’m sure would have been a great honour for the man from Markham. His victory over Gary Anderson showed that Price can be more than just competitive against the best darts has to offer. Price is still very early into his darting career, but he has shown limited signs of inexperience. He has been rapidly rising through the PDC ranks shown by his current position of sixth in the 'Order of Merit'.
Nations League a surpring success UEFA's inaugural competition lived up to expectations they had set
by Reece Chambers
W
hen After a full campaign of UEFA Nations League matches, the competition has provided us with everything that it was designed to give. Earlier this year, it was announced that the inaugural UEFA Nations League would commence in September, with each nation in Europe being placed in a group of three based on their UEFA rankings. Whilst the competition looked to be a positive progression away from the laborious international friendly system, there was – as is the case when anything new is introduced in football – a sense of scepticism. Such scepticism can be attributed to UEFA’s uncanny knack to make yet another simple concept the most confusing and disorientated tournament in football. With an abundance of questions asked by fans from all around Europe, the format – at first – appeared as if it would alienate a strong contingent of fans who either didn’t have the ability to comprehend such concept or just quite frankly couldn’t be bothered. When asked in a press conference about the new international tournament, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp labelled it as the ‘most senseless competition in the world.’ The argument for club football managers is that it tires their players and increases their chances of injury and exhaustion. However, whilst Klopp’s claims may bear some significance from a physical well-being point of view, the tournament has proved to be the success that UEFA, European clubs and fans had hoped for amidst previous confusion of the mind-boggling format. From a Welsh point of view, the Na-
tions League has provided Ryan Giggs’ young and fairly inexperienced side with the opportunity to progress on the international scene with valuable time on the pitch. Ethan Ampadu, for example, has now come up against Tottenham maestro Christian Eriksen on two occasions in a midfield battle that would not have been likely in the previous format of international football. Wales’ form in the Nations League had fluctuated with two wins against the Republic of Ireland and two defeats against Denmark. Nevertheless, they had the chance to win the group in the final game of the campaign when Denmark visited the Cardiff City Stadium. With an impressive 4-1 win against the Republic of Ireland back in September, hopes of winning the group were more than plausible. Despite that, Wales’ promotion bid was abruptly diminished with Danish goals either side of half time. Gareth Bale’s late consolation goal gave Giggs’ side some hope but the game proved to be a learning curve for a relatively newlook side. Even before taking charge of his first competitive match in the Nations
League, Wales gaffer Ryan Giggs had outlined that, for a team with new faces and inexperience on the international scene, performances would always be more important than results. Such a long-term outlook on the squad’s overall performance proves that Giggs is one of the best suited candidates to lead the current Wales squad. His faith in younger players such as Ampadu, Brooks and Mepham shows just how quickly this set of young players could progress over the next few years. Moreover, the Nations League looks like one of the best formats to continue such progress. It provides Wales with the chance to compete against similar ranking sides in a competitive environment without the added pressures of European Championships or World Cup tournaments. Having said that, the atmosphere at the Cardiff City Stadium before and during the Denmark clash was one of anticipation and excitement. Perhaps something that would not have been created for a tie against a lower ranking team in a meaningless friendly. Therefore, in that sense, the Nations League has provided nations with the chance to play against teams that have been performing at a similar level to
themselves in recent years. In addition, it creates a sense of connection between players and fans when games become to bear more meaning. A feeling of collectiveness and passion in international football seems to be stemming from the Nations League and that can only be a positive thing. The chance to see your nation compete against a similar ranking side allows fans to not only see their country’s players play at their highest level, but it also allows them to go and experience an environment just short of major competitions. From a team’s perspective, the Nations League offers the chance to reach a level of pressure and competition that can nearly emulate that of the knockout stages of the Euros or World Cup. Too many times in the past have teams such as Wales and England come up short towards the end of competitions because of the lack of experience at dealing with such pressure. Therefore, the UEFA Nations League places teams in a pressure environment that is bound to have a positive impact on how teams deal with the added pressures of major competitions. For Wales, this will only be a positive as Giggs looks to continue the good progress that has already been made with his young squad. The likes of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey will not be able to perform at a world class level forever and it is up to Giggs to ensure that the next generation of Welsh talent is ready to perform at the highest level. In sum, the Nations League could be the first step in the right direction for international football as it looks to ensure that teams are constantly progressing intheir performances on the international stage.
To contact our sport desk, drop us an email at sport@gairrhydd.c
BUCS Highlights
CHWARAEON
31
Best of Social Media
A round-up of Cardiff University’s sporting action from the latest BUCS Wednesday of the season
by Reece Chambers
C
ardiff University men's rugby team finally got their first win in their maiden BUCS Super Rugby campaign. Cardiff hosted Northumbria at Llanrumney who had gained victories against the likes of Cardiff Met and Bath who have both impressed in the league this season. However, whilst the visitors have had success in the league, Cardiff had taken the initiative and finally got over the line for their first win of the season. Tries from Marcus Ramage, Cam Lewis and Owen Williams gave the home side a 17-0 lead. A fight back in the second half from Northumbria saw the game end closer that Cardiff would have expected at half time. Nevertheless, the home side got over the line with the game ending 22-14. After the game, co-captain Owen Davies was delighted with the 'outstanding' victory. "The boys were outstanding, everything we worked on in the week,
Best of the Rest
especially defensively," said Davies. "The boys didn't stop making tackles all game and we always felt in control of their dangerous back line." "It was an unbelievable feeling to finally get a win in this league. It's been a long time coming." Fellow co-captain Tom Wilson also commented after the victory and attributed the team's 'pure commitment' as the deciding factor in victory. Next week, Cardiff go up against Durham who sit 5th in the Super Rugby standings whilst Cardiff sit bottom.
Men's hockey
Cardiff 3-2 Bath 2s
This is your opportunity to kick start your sports journalism career. Gair Rhydd will be producing exclusive coverage of Cardiff University's mens rugby team in their first season in the BUCS Super Rugby league. As a Gair Rhydd rugby reporter, you'll be at the forefront of this coverage, covering games live, interviewing players and coaches and building your experience and skills. It is also a great opportunity to work within one of the UK's leading student sports journalism desks, where previous editors and reporters have gone on to jobs within sports journalism, PR and communications. If you have any questions about the role or this application, please contact sport@gairrhydd.com
Men's football
Cardiff 2-0 UCL
Women's netball
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Best of luck @heulwenhillwho is representing Wales at the Commonwealth Senior Fencing Championships @CardiffUniSport
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Welcome to Cardiff @bokrugby. Serious S&C session this morning ahead of the weekend fixture against Wales @CardiffUniSport
Cardiff 3s 33-30 Cardiff Met 3s
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Men's rugby
Rugby Reporting Opportunity
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Cardiff 22-14 UON
GB women's basketball win hopes to inspire
CUBLC President Holly Merchant believes there is more to come from GB women's Basketball
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reat Britain’s women’s teams were joint at the top of their pool with seven points. They needed a three-point win to secure their place. The top team in the eight qualifying pools automatically get a place in the finals, with the best six second-placed teams qualifying too. The Belle Vue venue, has seen GB fight to comeback and win against Montenegro and Israel in past years, a sign that is it becoming GB’s fortress. In a tantalising qualification game, GB managed to beat Greece, 79-77. With top scorer being Johannah Leedham with 21 points, closely followed by Georgia Jones with 16, and Chantelle Handy and Karlie Samuelson with 14. The first quarter went by with GB igniting an 8-0 lead. This lead continued into the second quarter with GB edging Greece by 14 points, 3117. However, Greece brought it back after half time and kept the pressure on GB, diminishing GB’s lead to only
three points, 61-58. The final quarter was very tense, with both teams being level on 71-71, and only 2:42 left to play. Jones and Samuelson managed to both hit threes making it, 77-
Jones and Samuelson managed to create a lead of 3 points 74. A steal from Leedham gave GB a further 5-point lead, but Leedham then fouled Greek captain Evanthia Maltsi, who scored all three of her free throws. However, that was nothing to worry about for GB as they managed to beat Greece 79-77. With GB women’s Basketball reaching the EuroBasket finals, Holly Merchant, President of Cardiff
University Ladies Basketball Club, hopes that it will show how far the sport has come but she believes there is more to come. ‘Basketball is a worldwide sport and yet there is so much room for growth concerning women’s basketball in the UK’. Holly is happy that having GB women’s basketball excelling in the EuroBaskets will encourage and inspire others to join the sport. ‘It’s amazing to see so many amazing British female players on the European stage which younger and less experienced players can look up to’. This growth in the female sector of basketball is evident in CULBC. This year they have a large first team squad and very keen second team. Which is something Holly never thought she’d see. ‘It’s worlds away from my first year’. ‘We were struggling to get more than six people to a game’. ‘It’s a really positive sign of how
the sport is continuing to grow year after year’. CULBC have had a fluctuating season this year, but they are aiming to finish in the top three in their league table. They hope to build on
It's a really positive sign of how the sport is growing year after year last years cup success, where they reached the quarter finals last years and are hoping to follow in team GB’s footsteps and qualify that one step further. There next game is on the 28th November, at home against Bourneouth.
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Another BP win for the boys in Purple yesterday. A 7 try, 45-0 win over Bio-Sci. @phystory_rugby
Your sport desk Reece Chambers Rosie Foley John Jones Jack Vavasour George Willoughby sport@gairrhydd.com
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by Rosie Foley
sport
SPORT
chwaraeon
Cardiff Devils looking to end poor form - Page 29
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Rugby reporter opportunity Page 31
Winning Feeling: Cardiff ’s Karolina Thomas in action against the University of South Wales
Unbeaten start for ladies rugby team
We spoke to ladies rugby captain Molly Danks about her side’s excellent start to the season EXCLUSIVE
by George Willoughby
C
ardiff finished a very promising third in last season’s BUCS 2017-18 campaign and Danks was pleased with how they performed across the stretch of the season. “I think we did okay, we had a decent team with some strong players, but we were lacking consistency. We also had a fair few injuries which sort of threw us out a little bit.” said Danks. Rivals Swansea topped the group, but it could have been very different if Cardiff didn’t endure the significant amount of injuries that they did. One of the biggest challenges that all university sides face whatever the sport is the inevitability that each year you will lose players. The number of first year players is something that Danks regards as paramount for consistent success.
“We lost quite a few key players last year, so we were hoping for the new season that we would get a good intake and step up as a team if we didn’t get the intake we needed.”
Players will develop but because people are leaving and joining every year it’s tough if you don’t have experienced players coming up The women’s team have made a terrific start to the season with sixstraight league wins and also a cup victory. Cardiff are currently top and are closely followed by Cardiff Met who
look to be the most dangerous team in preventing Cardiff ’s pursuit of claiming the Western 1A division title. Danks is proud of the start her squad has made and was quick to point out the team effort involved in their success. “I am very, very pleased, they have done outstanding. All the new girls that have come in have fit straight into the team and everybody has stepped up when required.” With a healthy points differential of 210, Cardiff have been on the winning end of some impressive scorelines. But for Danks, each result stands out in its own way. “I think defensively it would have to be the Cardiff Met game. We didn’t have the ball for a lot of it but defensively everyone stood out and really held their own.” Attacking wise, the Gloucestershire game was the first time we
played properly for 80 minutes and that was a cracking start to the season.” said Danks on the 63-0 win. As it stands, Cardiff are in a commanding position to finish as league winners, especially if they can maintain their electric form. This is the fourth year of BUCS rugby for Danks, so without looking too far ahead, promotion would be a fantastic achievement. “It would just be incredible, Swansea went up last year and they didn’t have a complete win streak so to win every game this year would be amazing and what a way to finish personally.” A date for the calendar is December 12 with Cardiff travelling to neighbours Cardiff Metropolitan. The two Cardiff teams have made great starts to the season and already have pulled away from the chasing pack. A win for either side will undoubtedly have an influence on who will be crowned champions.
Nations League a surprising success
by Reece Chambers
A
fter a full campaign of UEFA Nations League matches, the competition has provided us with everything that it was designed to give. Earlier this year, it was announced that the inaugural UEFA Nations League would commence in September, with each nation in Europe being placed in a group of three based on their UEFA rankings. Whilst the competition looked to be a positive progression away from the laborious international friendly system, there was – as is the case when anything new is introduced in football – a sense of scepticism. Read: Page 30