Gair Rhydd 1182 - 23 May 2022 by Cardiff Student Media

gair rhydd

Cardiff University’s student paper | Established 1972

Inside: Gair Rhydd speaks with societies about what they have been up to over the last year (Page 4-5)

What comes next for Russia after the conflict in Ukraine is resolved?

Alex

Hughes News Editor

With Russia’s attack on western Donbas now in full swing and NATO’s military aid scaling up, a key question on the minds of Western strategists is whether or not Putin is likely to accept a dramatically smaller objective than the one he initially risked the sanctions over – political control of most or all of Ukraine.

It’s now clear that Russia’s original invasion plans hinged on the success of a lightning decapitation strike against the seat of government. Early on February 24, the radars of Ukraine’s air defence network in the north suffered intense electronic jamming and a sudden wave of missile attacks. This cleared the way for the air assault on Hostomel airport, just north of Kyiv.

Around a thousand Russian troops were deployed in several dozen helicopters. Once they’d secured the airstrip, eighteen cargo planes were supposed to land and offload a strike force of around seven thousand personnel in combat vehicles. They were to drive straight into central Kyiv, seize the Presidential Office and the main TV stations, declare Zelenskyy’s government dissolved, and then hope that – with the government decapitated and ground forces pushing into the country from four directions – Ukraine’s regional military commanders would order their troops to lay down their arms. In a secondary action, Russian special forces operators are reported to have parachuted into Kyiv before sunrise on the first day.

But the only Russian cargo plane to touch down that day was the one Ukrainian forces shot down – with hundreds of Russian troops onboard – assisted by real-time US intelligence. A determined Ukrainian counterattack managed to overwhelm the Russian troops on the airfield, and the other planes had to hastily withdraw back across the border. The parachutists made two attempts to storm the Presidential compound in central Kyiv, but were repulsed by Zelenskyy’s security forces.

Although the airport fell the next day when a much larger detachment in around two hundred helicopters moved

in, Ukrainian forces had bought time to organise a serious defence of the capital, and to set in motion a long-planned-for defence of the country on all fronts.

In the weeks that followed, tens of thousands of Russian troops attempted to encircle Kyiv from the north, but never came close to succeeding.

The core problem arose in the planning stage: units had been organised in formations optimised for speed rather than combat effectiveness, to create a sense of panic that would push Ukraine’s army to stand down, once the decapitation was complete. The plan was devised not by military strategists, but by Russia’s main intelligence agency, the FSB. The chief of its operations in Ukraine has since been blamed for its catastrophic failure, and he’s now being held in one of Moscow’s most notorious prisons.

When Plan A failed, Russian military commanders attempted to reorient their forces onto a firmer footing and advance more methodically, but by then, the units north of Kyiv were concentrated along a single highway, much of it flanked by mud plains and forests that were impassable to armour and that made for easy ambush points.

This meant that vital supplies couldn’t get through to the forward units, and as these came under intense Ukrainian artillery fire, much of Russia’s own artillery was stuck in the traffic jams to the north, out of range of the frontline. This artillery imbalance became a decisive factor in the battle for Kyiv.

Severe problems with logistics, morale, a lack of close air support, and a marked lack of infantry – as well as tenacious fighting by the city’s defenders, who were bolstered by accurate and continuous US intelligence provided by high-altitude surveillance aircraft operating above neighbouring Poland – eventually meant that the northern force had to withdraw back into Belarus. In their wake they left widespread destruction and, according to officials from the European Union, the United Nations and the International Criminal Court, apparent evidence of serious war crimes.

To read Alex's article looking at the possible future impacts of Russia's military action in Ukraine, turn to page 6

Allegations of sexism: Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has urged that there is a long way to go to make the world of politics more inclusive and equal. Source: Number 10 (via Flickr)

UK Government faces accusations of sexism

Katherine Seymour Politics Editor

Popular culture adaptations of parliamentary proceedings have focussed on sleaze, sex scandals and affairs and throughout this week the realities of this have come to the forefront again.

First with Angela Rayner being accused of trying to ‘charm’ the Prime Minister through PMQs and then

Conservative MP Nick Parish being found to have watched pornography in the House of Commons chamber as well as an alleged 56 MPs including 2 from the shadow cabinet and 3 from the cabinet under investigation over sexual harrasment and misconduct in parliament.

The story around Angela Rayner came out in the Mail on Sunday on the 24th of April and drew much contraversy for the journalist who wrote

Ogmore Castle - a "beautiful

hidden gem"

Alexa Price Golygydd Taf-od

Adyna ni. Mae cyfyngiadau annifyr y ddwy flynedd diwethaf wedi dod i ben. I ni fel myfyrwyr, dwi’n siŵr fe deimlon ni i gyd ar ryw bwynt y byddai’r diwrnodau yma byth yn cyrraedd, ond dyma ni!

Mae yna wir deimlad o ryddhad wedi cwympo drosta i, gan feddwl bod dim angen poeni dros sawl masg oedd gennai yn y bag (wastad un neu ddau yn llawn colur ac angen cael eu golchi, wps!), neu pwy oedd yn iawn i eistedd ar bwys ar y trên adref.

I ddarllen erthygl Alexa ynghylch a allwn roi COVID-19 y tu ôl i ni, trowch i dudalen 10

Atreya Mukerjee Review Editor

I’ve often looked for articles about the best day trips from Cardiff, and can’t believe that none of them ever mentioned this beautiful hidden gem, just an hour away from the city.

A little tired of my mundane schedule, I was zooming into places that Google Maps showed me on my phone, and that’s when I read ‘Ogmore Castle’. Intrigued, I looked it up and was on a train to Bridgend from Cardiff Central the very next day.Apart from figuring out the route and seeing a couple of photographs online, I didn’t quite know what to expect out of this site.

To read about Atreya's trip out to Ogmore Castle near Ogmore-on-Sea, turn to page 30

the piece.

The piece alleged that an unnamed Conservative MP had said that Angela Rayner crossed her legs in certain ways throughout Prime Minister’s Questions and chose her outfits in strategic ways to try to distract Boris Johnson.

To read Katherine's full article about the accusations raised against the UK government around sexism, turn to page 14

Attenborough named 'Champion of Earth'

Georgia King Contributor

Sir David Attenborough has been named “Champion of the Earth” by the UN’s Environment Programme. This makes the veteran broadcaster, writer, and naturalist just the fifth person to receive this award for lifetime achievement.

To read Georgia's article on Sir David Attenborough's commendation, turn to page 35

23 gall 2022 23 may 2022 rhifyn 1182 issue 1182

Check out Gair Rhydd online

A allwn ni nawr roi COVID-19 y tu ôl i ni?

10 30 35 14 6

Gair Rhydd 2021/22

Coordinator

Elaine Morgan

Editor-in-Chief

Jack Robert Stacey

Deputy Editors

Anurag Hegde

Vicky Witts

Zoe Kramer News

Zoe Kramer

Alex Hughes

Beth Williams

George Symonds

Shivika Singh Features

Eva Rodericks

Jasmine Edge

Sophie Revell

Taf-od

Nel Richards

Alexa Price

Gracie Richards

Nansi Eccott

Politics

Luthien Evans

Darcy Arnold

Ella Lloyd

Katherine Seymour Manal Ahmed Comment

Vicky Witts

Catarina Pinto Vicente

Eirian Jones

Katherine Wheeler Advice

Harriet Lowbridge

Megan Shinner

Ruth Hoey Review

Iris Knapman

Atreya Mukerjee

Caz Love

Science and Technology

Mia Becker-Hansen

Anna Thomas

Elie Gould

Jemma Powell

Theodore Tadros Sport

Anurag Hegde

Adam Brown

Joe Edgar-Smith

Tom Hawkins

Sam Joseph

Head of Digital Media

Sophia Grace

Social Media Manager

Ella Lloyd

Digital Media Editors

Cinzia Appetecchia

Emily Smith

Joseph Liu

Copy Editors

Beca Fflur Williams

Bonnie Wileman

Emily Bryant

Jess Henderson

Libby Griffiths

Lois Campbell

Maisie Granger

Sam Joseph

Write to the editor

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 and opinion pieces 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.

A note from the Editor Nodyn gan y Golygydd

The problematic nature of ‘dichotomous thinking’ Natur

broblematig ‘meddwl deuoliaethol’

‘Black’ and ‘White’: For some, the world may seem like a simple place, but this is far from the truth. Source: 652234 (via Pixabay)

Jack Robert Stacey

Editor-in-Chief

From childhood, many of us would likely be familiar with the idea of thinking in terms of ‘good’ and ‘bad’.

This simple binary follows us through to adulthood and, in most cases, persists through the rest of our lives, informing the way that we behave and percieve the world around us.

In the modern world, however, this tendency to see only in extremes and believe that certain things are inherently ‘bad’ or ‘good’ can have potentially disasterous consequences.

As defined by the American Psychological Association, this pattern of thought (referred to as ‘dichotomous thinking’) can prevent people from seeing the world in the complex, often nuanced shades of grey that is actually exists in and, instead, causes them to define it in more extreme terms.

Take social media, for example. This technology has provided us with near unprecedented levels of interaction with people from around the world. It has broken down the physical barriers between countries and allowed people to come together like never before.

With this, however, comes a number of other, secondary issues including online grooming, exploitative celebrity practices and, more recently following Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, heated conversations around free speech.

This is essentially the concept behind dichotomous thinking, the idea that some people may choose to neglect that there are indeed both positives and negatives to almost everything in society at large. Placing social media aside for a moment, there are a wide variety of topics commonly associated with ‘black’ and ‘white’ thinking; namely, immigration, corporate culture and almost every aspect of modern politics. With this in mind, it is perhaps important for us to consider that whilst certain things or indeed people may seem to be inherently ‘good’ or ‘bad’, this is often not the case. There are always more sides or more factors to consider than it may first appear, so we should all continue to be mindful and considerate of that when debating such topics with others.

Whether we choose to accept it or not the world and the people living in it are not simply black and white, but a variety of shades of grey. This therefore raises the importance of opening dialogues up and exploring different viewpoints for yourself. After all, the best way to to better understand someone who holds a different opinion to you, is to try and see things from their perspective. By doing this, you can gain a more valuable insight into their position and, interestingly, often your own.

As the American Journalist Lisa Ling, proposes: “there’s so much grey to every story - nothing is so black and white.”

‘Du’ a ‘Gwyn’: I rai, gall y byd ymddangos fel lle syml, ond mae hyn ymhell o fod yn wir. Tarddiad: 652234 (via Pixabay)

Jack Robert Stacey Prif Olygydd

O’n plentyndod, mae’n debygol y byddai llawer ohonom yn gyfarwydd â’r syniad o feddwl yn nhermau ‘da’ a ‘drwg’. Mae’r deuaidd syml hwn yn ein dilyn drwodd i fod yn oedolyn ac, yn y rhan fwyaf o achosion, yn parhau trwy weddill ein bywydau, gan hysbysu’r ffordd yr ydym yn ymddwyn ac yn canfod y byd o’n cwmpas.

Yn y byd modern, fodd bynnag, mae’r duedd hon i weld mewn eithafion yn unig a chredu bod rhai pethau yn eu hanfod yn ‘ddrwg’ neu’n ‘dda’ yn gallu arwain at ganlyniadau trychinebus.

Fel y’i diffinnir gan Gymdeithas Seicolegol America, gall y patrwm meddwl hwn (y cyfeirir ato fel ‘meddwl deuol’) atal pobl rhag gweld y byd yn yr arlliwiau llwyd cymhleth sy’n aml yn gynnil sy’n bodoli mewn gwirionedd ac, yn lle hynny, yn achosi iddynt ddiffinio mewn termau mwy eithafol. Cymerwch gyfryngau cymdeithasol, er enghraifft. Mae’r dechnoleg hon wedi rhoi lefelau digyffelyb o ryngweithio i ni gyda phobl o bob rhan o’r byd. Mae wedi chwalu’r rhwystrau ffisegol rhwng gwledydd ac wedi caniatáu i bobl ddod at ei gilydd fel erioed o’r blaen. Gyda hyn, fodd bynnag, daw nifer o faterion eilaidd eraill gan gynnwys meithrin perthynas amhriodol ar-lein, arferion ecsbloetio enwogion ac, yn fwy diweddar ar ôl i

Elon Musk gymryd drosodd Twitter, sgyrsiau ynghylch lleferydd rhydd. Yn y bôn, dyma’r cysyniad y tu ôl i feddwl deuol, y syniad y gallai rhai pobl ddewis esgeuluso bod yna wir bethau cadarnhaol a negyddol i bron popeth yn y gymdeithas yn gyffredinol. Gan roi’r cyfryngau cymdeithasol o’r neilltu am eiliad, mae amrywiaeth eang o bynciau sy’n gysylltiedig yn aml â meddwl ‘du’ a ‘gwyn’; sef, mewnfudo, diwylliant corfforaethol a bron pob agwedd ar wleidyddiaeth fodern.

Gyda hyn mewn golwg, efallai ei bod yn bwysig i ni ystyried, er y gall rhai pethau neu yn wir bobl ymddangos yn gynhenid yn ‘dda’ neu’n ‘ddrwg’, yn aml nid yw hyn yn wir. Mae bob amser fwy o ochrau neu fwy o ffactorau i’w hystyried nag y mae’n ymddangos yn gyntaf, felly dylem i gyd barhau i fod yn ystyriol ac ystyriol o hynny wrth drafod pynciau o’r fath ag eraill.

P’un a ydym yn dewis ei dderbyn ai peidio nid du a gwyn yn unig yw’r byd a’r bobl sy’n byw ynddo, ond amrywiaeth o arlliwiau o lwyd. Mae hyn felly yn codi pwysigrwydd agor deialogau ac archwilio gwahanol safbwyntiau i chi’ch hun. Wedi’r cyfan, y ffordd orau o ddeall yn well rhywun sydd â barn wahanol i chi yw ceisio gweld pethau o’u safbwynt nhw.

Fel y mae’r Newyddiadurwr Americanaidd Lisa Ling yn ei gynnig: “mae cymaint o lwyd i bob stori - does dim byd mor ddu a gwyn.”

2 EDITORIAL

If the SU could do one thing to help improve your wellbeing, what would that be? Petai’r UM yn gallu gwneud un peth i helpu i wella eich lles, beth fyddai hynny? cardiffstudents.com/wellbeing

FEATURES

Feature: Societies 2021/22—

Sophie Revell

features@gairrhydd.com

if anybody is looking to get involved, just give it a go. It could be the making of your uni/life experience."

Jasmine Reeve Foster Healthcare Drama Society

[It was] such a relief [to finally hear audiences laughing again and the performance was the] accumilation of a lot of hardwork and a lot of waiting."

Eddy Hughes and Jasmine Reeve Foster, Healthcare Drama Society

Back and Better Than Ever!

Gair Rhydd sat down with a number of societies to see what they have been up to this year after being able to shake off the remainder of COVID-19 restrictions.

The Features Team 2021/2022

For the most part, the last academic year has felt like we are starting to return back to normality.

The majority of in person teaching has resumed; YOLO and Juice are back with full force; and so are our beloved societies!

Cardiff University is blessed with a plethora of societies, student led services, and charities – which, for many, are the making of their university experience.

So, when the pandemic threw

student life into disarray, students scrambled to keep rehearsals and meetings going, even if that meant singing and dancing in Bute Park or moving debates and panels onto Zoom.

Now they’re back on and the academic calendar has been jam packed with shows and events so successful, it’s as if the pandemic has had no effect at all. If anything, how societies have thrived since their return is a testament to the passion and resilience of those who run them.

Gair Rhydd investigates the societies who have bounced back, and how their members feel about their triumphant revivals.

The Healthcare Drama Society - Eddie and Jasmine

With restrictions easing across the UK, drama and performance is set to reach new heights

One event which was hot on everybody's calendars this semester was Healthcare Drama Society’s Cathays Anatomy, which has been nominated for Event of the Year at the Cardiff Societies and Volunteering Awards 2022. From March 10th to 12th, the cast of Cathays Anatomy graced the Atrium, USW with an all singing, all dancing original musical based on the experiences of healthcare students.

It was their second show of the year, after The Observatory (another original) and the society’s second original musical to date.

Gair Rhydd spoke to writer-director duo Eddy Hughes and Jasmine Reeve Foster, and President Adam Evans about their achievements this year and how it felt returning to the stage.

Cathays Anatomy was written collaboratively between five members, some of which had no previous writing experience. Eddy and Jasmine, who had been back and forth workshopping the script between themselves over Zoom, said it was "such a

relief" to finally hear audiences laughing at their jokes. It was "so special" to have the first read through in person as it was the "accumulation of a lot of hard work and a lot of waiting" due to government restrictions. The hard work paid off as Cathays Anatomy sold more tickets than any other show – adding forty extra tickets per night to keep up with audience demand.

When Healthcare Drama Society went into lockdown, they had twelve members. Currently, they now have 32, all willing to "muck in" from volunteering as front of house to running each other’s errands when rehearsals get too busy.

The pandemic hasn’t been without its setbacks, however, with their regular venue closing down and the society having to move to a larger one; a risk due to the uncertainty that ticket sales would make up for increased costs.

President Adam Evans said the society’s success was down to a "strong backbone" of a big committee and good production team and that they are surprisingly "low drama" for a

A Capella Society - Chole Trickey

drama society.

Next year, Healthcare Drama Society have two shows pencilled in, which students both with and without a background in healthcare are

welcome to get involved in. Director Jasmine says, "if anybody is looking to get involved, just give it a go. It could be the making of your uni/life experience."

After the last year, Trickey were confident that the society would be able to end things on a 'high note'

Another performance society working hard to get back on track is the A Cappella Society.

Comprised of three individual groups, The DeciBelles, A Cappellads, and Vox, the society has faced what President Chloe Trickey has called ‘the most difficult it has ever faced – I’d say even more challenging than last year when Covid was more prevalent.’

However, despite setbacks, they have "achieved so much this year through adjusting to coming back to in-person rehearsals and getting used to how the society runs again."

All three groups competed in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) Quarterfinals in February, with The DeciBelles placing Third and Vox placing second and winning Outstanding Arrangement and Outstanding Solo for their

performance of I Wonder If You’re Happy by Rothwell.

As well as competing in the ICCA’s, Vox and A Cappellads represented the society at The Best of Southwest Showcase and the Open A Cappella Competition in March. The DeciBelles also participated in the first ever London UK A Cappella Showcase (LUKAS) hosted by Kings College London at their Greenwood Theatre in April.

The concept of the LUKAS was borne out of frustration at the lack of opportunity to maintain and strengthen the A Cappella community during the lockdowns, and a love of performing onstage, which of course was stolen from performing societies whilst government restrictions were in place.

For President Chloe, her "favourite experience from this year has

definitely been being able to socialise with A Cappella groups from other universities at the competitions and watching them perform."

She said, "A Capella society has changed my life, and it is definitely something everyone should get involved in even if you are not the best singer!"

"Singing with people creates a different kind of bond, and when you’re making all the sound with your voices, it’s the best feeling in the world."

Next year, the A Cappella Society are planning to revive their non-audition group Interchorus to welcome more students into the society regardless of performing ability, and to spend another year performing and competing onstage.

They are also shortlisted for Society of the Year at the

and

it is definitely something everyone should get involved in even if you are not the best singer! Singing with people creates a different kind of bond, and when you’re making all the sound with your voices, it’s the best feeling in the world."

[My] favourite experience from this year has definitely been being able to socialise with A Capella groups from other universities."

4 FEATURES

Societies Volunteering Awards 2022. Eva Rodericks Jasmine Edge Cardiff Students' Union: Credit: Jack Robert Stacey Healthcare Drama Society: Source: ulma93 (via Pixabay) Chloe Trickey, A Capella Society Chloe Trickey, A Capella Society A Capella Society: Lvazquez101 (via Pixabay)

Cardiff Student Action for Refugees - Albert Davies-Smith

This year 'STAR' have bounced back in a big way, raising over £400 to support refugees around the world

£425.52 raised to support refugees living in crisis

Solidaritee

provides grants to support asylum seekers

Ukraine supported directly through the Disasters Emergency Fund

6 Societies

came together to run the Food for Thought Festival

Performing societies aren’t the only ones that are making a comeback this year, as Cardiff Student Action for Refugees (STAR) have bounced back to campaigning in person.

Their Food Festival, which was held at the Welcome Centre of the Students Union on the 25th of March, has been nominated for Fundraiser of the Year in the Societies and Volunteering Awards 2022. Featuring donations from six of Cardiff University’s cultural societies, the festival was a celebration of cultural diversity at the university, and an effective fundraiser – raising £425.52 to support refugees in crisis.

[The Food for Thought Festival was an example of the] willingness of students to roll up their sleeves [for important refugees causes around the world]."

Albert Davies-Smith, Cardiff Student Action for Refugees

Half of the funds were distributed to Solidaritee, a charity who provides grants to non-governmental organisations which offer legal aid and support to asylum seekers; and the other half were given to the Disasters Emergency Fund to support those fleeing from war-torn Ukraine.

President Albert Davies-Smith said it was an example of the "willingness of students to roll up their sleeves" for important refugee causes.

During lockdown, STAR held their weekly conversation classes with refugees online, along with panel events and used their social media presence to show support for campaigns –something they still do.

However, lack of access to technology or internet connection meant that maintaining the society’s community spirit was "definitely a challenge."

Making up for lost time, STAR have another community event coming up before the end of the academic year: Refugee Rhythms on the 14th of May at Oasis. The day of Live Music, games, food, conversation, and market stalls is set to "bring people together."

In conversation with Gair Rhydd, Albert spoke of the "extraordinary generosity" of students "compared to the hostility of the Government."

Cardiff STAR are a "vehicle to help rather than isolate" and is a society to get involved in "if you’re worried" about the current refugee crisis and want to do something "hands on" to help.

Despite the tests and trials that have been sent their way during the pandemic, it is clear our beloved societies have bounced back and are doing better than ever.

2022/23 looks like it will bring with it more exciting events organised by these societies and more.

[Cardiff STAR are a] vehicle to help rather than isolate [and is a society to get involved in] if you're worried [about the current refugee crisis]."

Albert Davies-Smith, Cardiff Student Action for Refugees

Rhydd - Getting involved with Cardiff Student Media!

Support for Ukraine: Donations_are_appreciated (via Pixabay)

This academic year is coming to a close and that means some of our lovely team here at the newspaper will be leaving us to go on and do some amazing things. It also means that editorial roles will soon be re-advertised to look for the team that is going to run the Gair Rhydd in 2022/23.

Why should you join the team either as a member of the editorial team, or as one of our amazing contributors?

Libbi Mullin - Contributor

Libbi Mullin, a contributor who wrote a comment piece on cyberflashing, is in her second year of studying Journalism. She recalls that, “I initially decided to contribute to the newspaper as it was a great learning curve on how to present work in a journalistic manner. I decided that gaining experience is vital for future careers and I thought the newspaper was a great steppingstone to do so”.

Explaining that it was too difficult for her to choose a favourite piece this year, she did give a special shout out to the review section for the content they have produced.

Her advice for people thinking of contributing to the paper:

“If you’re struggling with anything there is so much support in the Gair Rhydd community, rest assured you will be looked after and supported whilst writing your piece.

It’s been an exciting experience for me so far, I find myself updating Facebook notifications regularly just to see which pitches are available! My advice—go for it.”

Joseph Liu — Digital Editor.

One of our Digital Editors, Joseph Liu, joined the paper because he wanted to develop his media skills, but notes how it also opened up other exciting opportunities, such as free entry into

find myself

Cardiff Anime and Gaming Con 2022 to interview participants.

Eva Rodericks – Head of Features

Eva Roderick’s Head of the Features section here at the newspaper this year “became a features editor because I love to write in-depth and give a piece colour.

Features are unique as they delve deep into important issues, but can cover such an array topics.”.

She explains how rewarding it was to write an article on child poverty in Wales, “I got to speak to some really knowledgeable people who I learned a lot from. Poverty and economic inequality is really important to me so it was great to explore a topic I’m passionate about.”

It is a big responsibility but gives you the skills you may not gain on your course and allows you to meet great

Features are unique as they delve into important issues, but can cover such an array of topics"

Eva Rodericks, Head of Features

people. You can explore your passions and it could help you see if journalism could be a career you’re interested in”. Ella Lloyd – Social Media Manager and Political editor

Ella Lloyd, gives her perspective as someone who has both written for the paper and worked as Social media manager: “I’ve gained so much more confidence in my writing through working with Gair Rhydd - the experience definitely helped me when applying for a master’s next year, as well as meeting some great people! I was unsure about joining at first- I thought they’d be looking for someone with way more experience than me, but I was totally wrong- this is exactly the place to start building your portfolio and making your mistakes in a really supportive and friendly atmosphere!”

Jack Robert Stacey "is incredibly proud of everything that Gair Rhydd has achieved this year and is looking forward to seeing what the team next year get up to!"

As someone who started off as a contributor back in his first year, Jack said that "Gair Rhydd is such a positive place and we're always looking for new people to join the team, so why not you!"

this is exacly the place to start building your portfolio and making your mistakes in a really supportive and friendly atmosphere!"

Ella Lloyd,

editor@gairrhydd.com

NODEWEDDION 5

Jack Robert Stacey – Editor-inChief

Interested in getting involved with Gair Rhydd, Cardiff University's Student Paper? Here are Gair Rhydd, Cardiff University's Student Paper, there are plenty of ways that you can get involved with student-led journalism and gain lot of vital work experience while you do so. At our newspaper, there is a huge variety of roles avaliable if you are interested in getting some hands-on experience with journalism or even just want to meet some new people! There are lots of roles involved in keeping the newspaper running smoothly, whether as one of our editors, writers, or even as one of our fantastic copy or digital editors. If you want to find out more about us, check out our page on the Student Union website. If you’re interested in the work the Gair Rhydd has produced so far, head over to our website.

always, feel free to send any ques-

ideas over

Jack Robert Sta-

our dedicated

email:

tions or

cey,

Editor-in-Chief at his

Gair

Cardiff Student Media 2021/2022 Gair Rhydd Editorial Team 2021/2022

avaliable!"

updating Facebook notifications regularly just to see which pitches are

Libbi Mullin, Gair Rhydd Contributor

NEWS

Parents

Russia on the global stage: what comes next?

Alex Hughes considers what impacts the conflict could have on Putin and Russia as a whole

of its operations in Ukraine has since been blamed for its catastrophic failure, and he’s now being held in one of Moscow’s most notorious prisons.

Around a thousand Russian troops were deployed in several dozen helicopters. Once they’d secured the airstrip, eighteen cargo planes were supposed to land and offload a strike force of around seven thousand personnel in combat vehicles. They were to drive straight into central Kyiv, seize the Presidential Office and the main TV stations, declare Zelenskyy’s government dissolved, and then hope that –with the government decapitated and ground forces pushing into the country from four directions – Ukraine’s regional military commanders would order their troops to lay down their arms. In a secondary action, Russian special forces operators are reported to have parachuted into Kyiv before sunrise on the first day.

Although the airport fell the next day when a much larger detachment in around two hundred helicopters moved in, Ukrainian forces had bought time to organise a serious defence of the capital, and to set in motion a longplanned-for defence of the country on all fronts.

Many experts now see a long war ahead. But this could unfold in two very different ways: Ukraine – unwilling to cede any territory – might be faced with a large-scale version of the stalemate that’s ebbed and flowed in the Donbas since 2014, with low-level skirmishes along several fronts, and with Putin attempting to paint this as a victory at home. Or, whether or not Russia successfully gains control over the Donbas, Ukraine could once again see its capital city threatened.

If Moscow was planning for a stalemate, one would expect to see the narrative of Russia’s state media narrowing to the plight of the separatist areas of the Donbas, and to Putin’s role as their saviour from ‘genocide’.

to its own people. So far, it hasn’t made much progress.

Second, to wage a war of this magnitude, Putin needs to know that his regime’s control remains firmly in place. There has been a lot of speculation about the mood and cohesion of Russia’s economic and security elite since the war began. Unlike the Chinese one-party state, Putin’s regime is difficult to characterise, resting crucially on a web of informal understandings between those in key private sector positions, held in place by a tribute system of large rewards for loyalty, and severe retaliation – often lethal retaliation –for disloyalty. As in all autocracies, this elite has the collective ability to topple its figurehead.

But to truly tip the balance Putin would have to go much further, and take the plunge into total war with Ukraine by announcing a state of general mobilisation. The Russian army remains in a peacetime state of mobilisation. It does not have the manpower to defeat a country of forty-four million that began to fully mobilise on the first day. Put simply, Ukraine has a much smaller population, but has that entire population to draw upon, while Russia has only a small fraction of its own to work with.

Second, because Russia pushed its elite units into hostile territory without support during the opening phase of the invasion, they’re disproportionately represented among the killed and injured.

Third, as the RUSI report notes, “Almost all of Russia’s modern military hardware is dependent upon complex electronics imported from the US, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, Israel, China and further afield.” NATO governments have completely blocked direct exports of these technologies, and while some can still be sourced from Chinese manufacturers, many cannot. The Russian Academy of Sciences has concluded that its own tech sector is unable to fill most of the gap. That’s especially true now that tens of thousands of tech workers have fled the country.

In the weeks that followed, tens of thousands of Russian troops attempted to encircle Kyiv from the north, but never came close to succeeding. The core problem arose in the planning stage: units had been organised in formations optimised for speed rather than combat effectiveness, to create a sense of panic that would push Ukraine’s army to stand down, once the decapitation was complete. The plan was devised not by military strategists, but by Russia’s main intelligence agency, the FSB. The chief

Instead, their narrative is widening. Increasingly, the conflict is being presented not as a campaign against Ukrainian ‘drug addicts and neo-Nazis’, as Putin famously called them, but as a proxy war against NATO; one node in a global struggle between traditional Eurasian civilization, and a globalist Transatlantic empire hell-bent on imposing its universalising vision onto the rest of the world. It is being presented, in other words, as an existential confrontation. Some Russian officials are now openly comparing this fight to the ‘Great Patriotic War’ against Nazi Germany, and the ‘Z’ symbol painted on Russian armoured vehicles and now prominently displayed in Russian cities is said to represent two stacked 7s, one upside down, denoting the 77th anniversary of Russia’s victory in 1945.

If Putin was to opt for unrestrained escalation, three elements would be crucial.

First of all, Russia can’t pretend to represent the Rest against the West, nor recover from its ejection from the Western financial system, alone. It needs partners to transact with, and to be able to highlight those partnerships

Given the widespread public support for his ‘special military operation’, Putin’s reluctance to do so probably lies with the fact that a general mobilisation must be preceded by a formal declaration of war. This has great legal significance – classifying the campaign as a special operation allows him to define his own victory conditions.

However, a declaration of war would put Russian society on a collision course with Ukraine, necessitating an all-out conflict that would have devastating consequences for both countries.

A recent report from the Royal United Services Institute argues that this is what Putin’s military planners are gearing up for.

Now, if Russia was to cross that line, it would still take months to alter the situation on the ground in Ukraine, for three reasons.

First, new conscripts take many months to train. Casualty reports vary, but the Russian force deployed in Ukraine appears to be incurring losses far too quickly to be able to hold out for that long without temporarily disengaging, especially given reports that low morale has already caused the command structure in a few units to buckle. Russian law prohibits the deployment of conscripts with less than four months’ combat training. The rule could of course be overridden by the Kremlin, but it’s in place for a reason.

So, Russia faces a very serious dilemma. With large quantities of advanced hardware being regularly brought into Ukraine by NATO countries, the economic and human costs of achieving the initial war aims are now enormous, and growing by the day. Whatever the outcome of the battle for Donbas, its existing forces will be in no position to launch any major offensive in Ukraine in the near future. But again, the Russian government has yet to show any sign of backing down. With few other options, a major escalation remains a distinct possibility.

The story Putin often likes to tell, of having chased a rat through an apartment building as a young boy in Leningrad, only to have it turn and lunge at him once cornered, illustrates the profound danger of exerting maximum pressure on an economically weak but nuclear-armed state. It’s impossible to predict how this conflict will develop, but right now some of the most important indicators are pointing squarely towards further escalation.

“Almost all of Russia’s modern military hardware is dependent upon complex electronics imported from the US, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, Israel, China and further afield ”

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Alex Hughes News Editor Uncertainty: NATO countries will play a crucial role in the future of this conflict. Source: Alketti (via Wikimedia Commons) Alex Hughes Zoe Kramer

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urged to read children more diverse books

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radars of Ukraine’s air defence network in the north suffered intense electronic jamming and a sudden wave of missile attacks "

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the

Johnson and Sunak face fines over lockdown breaches

Both figures and several others have recieved fines over the recent ‘partygate’ scandal

Annabelle Martin Contributor

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have both received and paid fines from the Metropolitan Police over a party held in Downing Street when coronavirus restrictions were in place. The prime minister’s wife, Carrie Johnson, has also paid a penalty. Further parties at No. 10 and across Whitehall are being investigated by the Met.

This comes two months after the Met began examining material from the Whitehall inquiry carried out by senior civil servant Sue Gray into multiple alleged breaches of Covid rules. However, Mr Johnson has refused to admit when pressed by MPs that the issuing of fines meant that criminality had taken place in Downing Street, although two of his cabinet ministers, Dominic Raab and Anne-Marie Trevelyan, have conceded that rules were breached.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said: “The police have now completely shredded Johnson’s claims that no laws were broken.

He cannot be trusted and cannot continue as Prime Minister. No other leader in any other organisation would be allowed to continue after law-break-

ing on this scale. If Boris Johnson won’t resign, Conservative MPs must show him the door.”

The Met sent questionnaires to more than 100 members of staff and aides, including Boris Johnson and his wife, Carrie; the head of the Civil Service, Simon Case; and the Prime Minister’s former Principal Private Secretary, Martin Reynolds.

In total, police are investigating 12 separate events in 2020 and 2021, six of which Johnson is said to have attended.

Scotland Yard said it had obtained more than 300 photographs and 500 pages of documents showing what Gray’s inquiries believe to be potential rule breaking.

The controversial Downing Street gatherings included a summer drinks party where attendees were invited to “bring your own booze”, leaving events for civil servants and an alleged gathering in Johnson’s flat.

Images include photos taken at parties and those taken from security system cameras showing when people entered and exited buildings.

The scandal over alleged Covid law breaches has repeatedly threatened Johnson’s premiership and led to a number of MPs calling for a vote of no confidence.

What Happens now? Scotland Yard had previously said: “Once the penalty is paid, the matter is considered closed. Alternatively, individuals may decide to dispute the notice. In these circumstances officers will consider whether to pursue the matter in a Magistrates’ Court.”

Keir Starmer has defended Labour’s determination to keep pressing the prime minister over parties in Downing Street during Covid lockdowns, saying that even Conservative MPs were “sick of defending the indefensible”.

Challenged about whether he had focused too much on Partygate, the Labour leader insisted his party could not just “pass over” the fact that Johnson

UK announces controversial immigration plans

Shivika Singh News Editor

Phad been issued with a fixed-penalty notice (FPN), along with Rishi Sunak and scores of officials.

Johnson’s leadership has come under intense pressure in recent days, with senior MPs including Mark Harper and Steve Baker calling for him to go.

Johnson was forced into a retreat last week after it became clear he would not succeed in whipping his own MPs to delay an inquiry by the House of Commons’ Privileges Committee into whether he misled Parliament.

The Prime Minister appeared to blame opposition critics for his continued travels, saying on a visit to India: “If the opposition want to focus on this and talk about it a lot more, that’s fine”.

Logan Mwangi’s Murder: Welsh social care system to blame?

Beth Williams News Editor

Calls have been made for the Welsh social care system to face a serious review following the murder of 5 year-old Logan Mwangi by his mother and stepfather. While a child practice review of the incident has been launched, Wales is the only country in the UK not to have faced a recent, national review of its social care system.

Weeks after being taken off the child’s protection register, Logan Mwangi’s body was found in a river near his home in Bridgend. His mother, Angharad Williamson, stepfather, John Cole and an unnamed 14 year-old boy have since been found guilty of his murder at Car-

diff Crown Court. The court heard that Logan had over 50 injuries, which were consistent with injuries seen after road accidents or a fall from height, when he was found on 31 July 2021. For months before his death, Logan was subjected to abuse in his own home during lockdown periods.

Professor Donald Forrester, a senior social worker, says that the case of Logan draws attention to the issues facing children’s social services in Wales, such as staff shortages and social worker capacity. He said “We really should be taking a step back and saying: ‘is this [the current system] working. Or could we do it better?’. While Forester says that there is “no simple solution” to prevent child deaths of this nature, the case signifies the need for a Wales-wide re-

view of the under pressure care system.

Cwm Taf Morganwg safeguarding board will be responsible for the child practice review into Logan’s case. It will examine weather Logan could’ve been saved, after it emerged local authorities had missed a series of clues and reports that Logan was at risk. It will also look at Cole’s past, who was known to be violent, as well as why death threats made by the unnamed 14 year-old were not acted upon. Just months before his death, a Welsh care watchdog found that care teams managed by Bridgend County Council, where Logan lived, were already struggling to provide safe and comprehensive care with the pandemic increasing demand.

Because of the pandemic, the number of serious incidents involving

children reported to the authorities rose by a fifth in 2021. An average of at least one child is killed every week due to abuse, neglect or undetermined causes, according to the NSPCC. With lockdown meaning that virtual teaching was implemented, at-risk children were isolated from teachers and other care workers who were meant to protect them.

Following the verdict, Logan’s father Ben Mwangi spoke outside the court. He said; “Logan was the sweetest and most beautiful boy. The world is a colder and darker place without his warm smile and the happy energy. I loved him so much and I have to live my life knowing that I will never get to see him grow up to be the wonderful man he would have been.”

£1.7 billion “Blue Eden” scheme announced for Swansea Bay

Ryan Harris Jewell Contributor

An international consortium led by Bridgend based DST Innovations have announced a proposed £1.7 Billion renewable energy project for Swansea bay set to be completed over a twelve year period.

The scheme aims to create over 16,000 jobs in the nearby bay region. And is set to begin in 2023, subject to approval.

The first stage of the project will involve the construction of a battery production factory, which is set to be built on land owned by Swansea City Council. With over 1,000 jobs expected to be created in the production of the hightech batteries that are used in storing of renewable energy, called Batri.

The second stage of the project will see the creation of a floating solar panel farm, as well as an eco-friendly powered data centre. And the heat generated from the farm is also expected to heat 5,000 new eco-homes, constructed

along the waterfront.

The third and final stage of the project will involve the building of an oceanic and climate change research centre. Alongside 150 floating homes, built in a similar fashion to the ones present in the Netherlands.

Speaking about the potential benefits of the scheme, Council leader Robert Stewart described the Blue Eden project as having the potential to “put Swansea and Wales at the cutting-edge of global renewable energy innovation.”

Mr Stewart went on to explain, stating that by “helping (to) create thousands of well-paid jobs, significantly cut our carbon footprint and further raise Swansea’s profile across the world as a place to invest.”

However, the scheme is still awaiting approval from the relevant authorities.

Permission to build in and around the bay is required from the Crown Estate, the local council, and a special license is also required from Natural Resources Wales. Whilst permission is also required from The Welsh Government in

order to generate electricity.

However as the project is set to be privately funded through DST innovations and its business partners, there is no requirement for permission from the UK government. Who rejected a similar proposal to build a tidal lagoon in the bay area back in 2018.

The £1.3 billion scheme was rejected over cost concerns surrounding the requirements for public funding. Whilst the scheme itself also raised concerns from local environmental groups around the potential impact on local

wildlife.

When asked about the scheme’s potential impact back In 2016. Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Angling Trust and Fish Legal, described the proposal as having the potential to “have a very big environmental impact with a lot of unknown consequences.”

Mr Lloyd went on to state that “You shouldn’t carry out a giant experiment like this using public money in such a sensitive environment, which is so delicate and with so many threatened species in it.”

rime Minister Boris Johnson announced on April 14th that the United Kingdom has struck a deal with Rwanda to ship people seeking asylum in the UK to the East African Nation.

This deal involving multi million pounds is a part of the crackdown on unauthorized asylum seekers who cross the English Channel in small boats as they would now be flown 4500 miles for processing to Rwanda. If they are granted asylum, they will be encouraged to remain in Rwanda for at least five years.

Announcing his Rwanda plans, Boris Johnson described the UK to be a beacon of openness and generosity, while soon after outlined how he intends to curb migrants from entering this country. Johnson stated that British compassion may be infinite but its capacity to help people is not,” he said. “We can’t ask the British taxpayer to write a blank cheque to cover the costs of anyone who might want to come and live here.”

Religious, international and human rights organisations are questioning the legality of this process. The practice of an economically and politically powerful country such as the UK to send its unwanted arrivals to a low-income country is a form of 21st century imperialism. Sending asylum seekers to another country strips them of their right, as afforded by the International Refugee Convention, to have their cases considered in the country in which they have chosen to seek refuge and denies them agency. It further doubles their displacement and exposes them to prolonged uncertainty and further risk.

The UK government has declared that the key aim of this policy is to tackle human smuggling. However, the research by UN refugee agency has shown that most undocumented migrants are fleeing areas affected by conflict, poverty and environmental crises, among other problems. Opening the borders to the Ukrainian refugees by the West and taking in millions of refugees within a matter of weeks while describing the 2015 migrant arrivals in Europe as a refugee crisis, points to bias and hypocrisy in the treatment of refugees based on their race, religion and region.

Research shows that plans like these are a strategy of empowerment for already powerful nations. They allow them to offload, back to poorer countries, unwanted migrants, especially those who come from outside of Europe. At the same, they give those richer nations a political and economic foothold in regions of interest.

Evidence shows that, in the long term, the surplus from such investments inevitably flows back to the richer countries. This perpetuates global structural inequalities. Although the UK’s 120 million offer at the moment seems attractive to Rwanda, it brings back echoes of UK’s troubling imperial past where its colonies have been stopped of their resources in the disguise of a ‘trade partnership’.

NEWYDDION 7

Partygate: PM Johnson under pressure following investigation. Source: Number 10 (via Flickr) Swansea Bay: The new scheme will integrate renewable energy. Source: Jonathan Billinger (via Geograph)

‘Unprece-

dented’ levels of faeces on

Snowdonia

Jack Darlington Contributor

Human faeces have been sighted on Wales’ most popular mountains and has been found to be a danger to health, commented by the Mountain Rescue’s senior executive.

This issue has been outlined due to increasing amounts of traffic in the areas, being said to be ‘unprecedented’.

Those of which are most affected are listed as; Tryfan, Snowdonia and Pen-ydan, in the Brecon Beacons.

Members of the public had said to be ‘totally disgusted” with ‘stools in paper cups and under stones’. People have been told to use the toilets before going on their hike, at the bottom of the park.

Gemma Davies “caught a guy going to the toilet on the railway line” with this issue occurring throughout the UK.

The highest spots highlighted, of which human faeces were found have been named to be Snowden (Wales), Scafell Pike (England) and Ben Nevis (Scotland). These spots have become more and more increasingly popular due to covid and staycations.

Mr Park claimed that “we’re not educating society on how to do this in the most environmental way” and that “people are just working it out for themselves”.

In order to protect our water sources, the faeces must be buried away, so that people in the area won’t have contaminated drinking water.

We must find “what the most environmentally effective way” is to do our business safely and humanely.

75-year-old, Clive Busson found the ‘problem in the Beacons too” with lots of used toilet paper being left by people on their hikes.

Those who would normally camp in the Brecon Beacons, such as “the Beacon society, don’t want overnight camping mainly because of the human waste factor”.

Husband and wife, Barry and Claire McDarlane, had found that dog poo and poo bags had also been left, as well as dirty toilet paper.

Barry had said “it’s a sad reflection on our society that people can’t maintain a beautiful part of the world that they have visited”

Snowdonia National Park Authority had suggested those going on long hikes, should use the toilets at the bottom of the main paths.

However, there have been calls to provide more toilet facilities but there are environmental concerns, that they will turn nature into “urban environments”, said Chris Lloyd, from Owgen Valley Mountain Rescue.

Meirwen Davies, from Bala, said that “it is obvious the current facilities such as toilets and parking areas do not meet the needs of the growth that has increased in recent years.”

Bran Devey, of Ramblers Cymru, has advised using toilet kids: “You can stick it in your bag, and dispose of it when you get to the bottom” Clearly, there’s a need for people to have more respect for the environment. Devey said “we just want people to enjoy themselves and stay safe.”

How the ‘Queen of Hearts’ is influencing in 2022

George Symonds News Editor

The Invictus Games commenced on the 16th of April the usual criticism was upon the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. However, after the two years of pandemic pandemonium the watchful eye of the press has lessened; instead shing a warm and bright light on Harry and Meghan.

After arriving in The Hague for the international sporting event, Harry, who is the Patron for the games, held an interview with NBC and explained his understandable excitement that lied ahead and surprisingly explained that he had felt the presence of his mother “more than ever.” Following up with this he described the chaos that COVID-19 had caused and that the spirit of Diana was guiding him through- “Definitely more so in the last two years than ever before. So, she’s watching over us,” he told interviewer Hoda Kotb (NBC). This pondered the question that the spirit of Diana was still effervescing 25 years after her tragic death?

Many of us have understood the

important work that the former princess had done for minority groups and the banning of landmine use but this was two decades ago, her charitable work had been made redundant now in 2022. Martin Phipps entitled a book and consequently a documentary ‘The Diana Effect’ going on to explain that before ‘The Queen of Hearts’ the British monarchy were archaic, exclusive and unattainable to the everyday folk. When Diana married Prince Charles in 1981, she quickly transformed the image and ideology of what was meant by a Princess and future Queen. She soon took it upon herself to use her esteemed privilege to help the less fortunate and the discriminated. By famously shaking the hand of an AIDS positive patient without gloves she changed the illusion that the degenerative disease could be passed by touch and shifted the harmful stereotype circulating in the eighties. famously quoting that HIV positive people deserve respect and love- “Heaven knows they need it”. This warmth and love became Diana’s brand, she was truly a ‘Princess of the People.’

Her humanitarian work with the AIDS crisis paired with over 110

World’s first online safety bill fails

Beth Williams News Editor

The Houses of Commons has had its second reading of the world’s first online safety bill as the government aims to create a safer digital environment for internet users. However, the bill has come under scrutiny for not naming violence against women as a harm that must be addressed.

The landmark bill hopes to bestow a duty of care upon tech companies, such as social media sites, to regulate content more heavily. Sites will be required to protect users from harmful content, while also protecting their freedom of speech. OFCOM will have the power to fine companies up to 10% of their annual global turnover if they do not comply with the new regulations. However, the 225 page bill does not mention women, girls or gender a single time. This means that companies are

under no explicit obligation to address various forms of misogynist abuse on its sites. Over 60,000 people have now signed a petition for the online safety bill to address violence against women and girls online. This follows a recent report that exposed an “epidemic of misogyny” on social media.

The report, released by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, has recognized a “systemic” failure to protect women in the public eye from misogynistic harassment online. After analysing thousands of messages received by five famous women on Instagram, including actress Amber Heard and TV presenter Rachel Riley, the investigation found 1 in 15 of them violate the sites’ rules of harassment. 90% of those violations were not acted upon by Instagram. Because of such behaviors, one in five girls have said they’ve left or have dramatically reduced the amount of time they spend online.

The first draft of the legislation was

charities naming her their trustee allowed the British Royal Family to be seen in a new light, they weren’t so different then us after all. Now, in 2022, the public can see her pioneering efforts in her children; Harry with the Invictus Games as an example.

Following a controversial interview with Martin Bashir in 1995 the public were enlightened of Diana’s struggles with mental health issues due to the hounding of the press and a toxic family dynamic. Her complete honesty permitted the normalisation of mental health struggles; in turn allowing a boost of resources to help those in need.

The information on eating disorders and depression went into a huge boost, benefiting everyone still well into the twenty first century.

The worldwide press was infatuated with the life of Diana due to her tumultuous marriage and consequent divorce as well as her consistently delightful personality. On the other hand, to this, there was a constant pressure onto Diana to remain beautiful and joyful despite her internal struggles. Her death in Paris was and still is remarked as a cause of bulldozing journalists desperate to catch her in

to

another scandal. The public turned on the paparazzi causing a huge decrease of sales for tabloids; celebrity privacy was not a concern of the press before her death. Soon after The Protection from Harassment Act (PHA) came into action, defending the personal lives of Diana’s children from nosy journalists unless they had consent. The tabloid reporting style had changed after the PHA, celebrities were permitted to be human again and the public understood that celebrities needed respect despite their privilege.

In 2022, Diana may remain a guiding figure to Harry, but she also changed the perception of AIDS patients, the use of landmines in warfare and switched the way tabloid newspapers can report on celebrities. The ‘Princess of the People’ still remains “a presence in almost everything” (Duke of Sussex 2022) even after twenty-five years of her death.

The ‘Princess of the People’ still remains “a presence in almost everything” (Duke of Sussex 2022) even after twenty-five years of her death."

tackle “epidemic of misogyny”

introduced in May 2021, but has been significantly amended in the past year.

Under the revised online safety bill, rape threats and cyber-flashing have been made into criminal offences.

Cyber-flashing involves offenders sending unsolicited sexual images to people via social media, dating apps and even data sharing services such as airdrop. Research shows that 76% of girls between 12-18 years old have been victims of “cyber-flashing”.

Perpetrators can now be punished by a maximum prison sentence of two years, as well as be added to the sex offenders register. Harsher penalties will also be imposed on offenders for sharing content already considered illegal, such as revenge porn.

However, the End Violence Against Women coalition have accused the government of a “piecemeal response” to the threats faced by women online.

Andrea Simon, the coalition’s director said; “Tech companies continue to profit from women’s abuse –

whether that is so-called ‘revengeporn’ uploaded to porn sites, or from advertising revenue gained through users’ time spent on their platform abusing women and girls, and much more.” There have also been questions raised surrounding the enforceability of these new laws. Victims of cyberflashing, for example, will need to prove that the perpetrators’ intent was to cause harm, rather than if the image was unsolicited.

During the bill’s second reading in parliament, a number of MP’s raised the concern that the bill does not adequately protect women and girls from misogynistic abuse. Labour’s shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell called it a “serious oversight”, while Alex Davies-Jones MP said the bill needed “significant strengthening” in order to protect women and girls. The legislation has now been sent to the public bill committee to be scrutinized further, before their final findings are reported to the house in June.

Love Island star faces criticism for purchasing holiday homes

Lowri Davies Contributor

Dr Alex George, an A&E doctor who found fame on the hit ITV reality show, is facing the ire of residents in Tenby after revealing his intention to convert turn four long-term rental properties into holiday cottages.

The star took to Instagram to share his Pembrokeshire project, inviting his followers to follow his “renovation journey”. However, he did not receive the support he hoped for.

Originally, he’s planned to renovate them all into holiday homes, but announced he now plans on using one of them to home a Ukraine family. “With all of the current devastation in Ukraine,

I have decided I would love one of the cottages to be home to a Ukrainian family for as long as they need. My plan is to start the renovations and get the properties into a good state to house a family as soon as possible.”

Although the influencer has been praised for helping individuals and refugees in Ukraine, many locals of the area have criticised him for intending to turn the cottages into holiday homes.

In Wales, Pembrokeshire has the second highest number of second homes - making up more than 16% of the housing stock.

Many took to Twitter and Instagram to share their frustration and anger over Dr Alex George’s decision.

In Welsh, Jason Morgan, said: “You can’t claim to be a mental health

ambassador, in a cost-living crisis that destroys people’s lives in their millions, and then boast about your wealth by buying 4 houses. People with mental health problems are not the audience.

The rich are the audience”.

One contributor described how “my generation is getting pushed out because we can’t afford to live here”. Another said: “I am one of hundreds of families facing homelessness as there are so few properties left in the area to rent.”

Valerie Morris, 79, has lived in Pembrokeshire her whole life but with house prices so high, she lives in a static caravan in her daughter’s garden. “You see a house that should be lived in with a family and it’s locked up and people pop down at the weekend,” she shared.

The love island star, addressed

the backlash he faced on Instagram, addressing people’s concerns and said: “For clarification because it seems to have caused quite a lot of confusion... These ‘cottages’ are a singular converted farm put house. I appreciate those who have tried to respectfully share concerns about housing in the area. Sadly, I have received a number of threats of violence which is never acceptable. Let alone abuse.”

“You see a house that should be lived in with a family and it’s locked up and people pop down at the weekend.” Valerie Morris, Pembrokeshire Resident

8 NEWS

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Yn fyw ac yn cicio:

‘Minty’s Gig Guide’

Mae Gracie Richards yn cynnig cipolwg ar waith y canllaw lleol hwn i fandiau A allwn ni nawr roi

Alexa Price Golygydd Taf-od

Adyna ni. Mae cyfyngiadau annifyr y ddwy flynedd diwethaf wedi dod i ben. I ni fel myfyrwyr, dwi’n siŵr fe deimlon ni i gyd ar ryw bwynt y byddai’r diwrnodau yma byth yn cyrraedd, ond dyma ni!

Mae’r haul wedi codi unwaith eto, ac mae’n bryd i ni ddechrau byw bywyd heb gyfyngiadau, neu ydy hi? Yn dilyn newidiadau diweddar Boris Johnson, dewisodd Mark Drakeford y byddai’r cyfyngiadau yn cael eu clirio o Ddydd

ar ryw bwynt y byddai’r diwrnodau yma byth yn cyrraedd, ond dyma ni!”

Am bum mlynedd mae Minty’s gig Guide wedi bod yn hysbysu’r gymuned am y gigiau diweddara yng Nghaerdydd. Nawr, maen nhw wedi cymryd y cam nesaf a’i sefydlu ei hunain fel cwmni buddiant cymunedol.

Pwy yw Minty a pham bod ganddo

‘Gig Guide?’

Y dyn tu ôl i ‘Minty’s Gig Guide’ ydy

Daniel Minty, ffanatig cerddoriaeth o Blackwood, De Cymru. Dechreuodd Minty ei ‘Gig Guide’ ar slot bach i Radio Cardiff.

Dros y bum mlynedd diwethaf mae’r

‘Gig Guide’ wedi gweithio yn ddielw

Millie Stacey Cyfrannydd

O‘Yma o Hyd’ i enw Gareth Bale yn cael ei weiddi yn stadiwm dinas Caerdydd dros y misoedd a’r blynyddoedd diwethaf, gallwn weld ymroddiad cefnogwyr Cymru i’w tîm, ei hiaith a’i gwlad. Gyda chwaraewyr profiadol fel Gareth Bale ar eu hochr i chwaraewyr iau fel Rubin Colwill, mae gan Gymru ystod mor eang o chwaraewyr dawnus sydd wedi ac yn parhau i syfrdanu cefnogwyr gyda buddugoliaethau a phêl-droed da.

Fe wnes i fynd ati i edrych ar y tim dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf. Y peth cyntaf sydd werth dweud yw bod pêl-droed rhyngwladol Cymru wedi dod yn bell ers iddo gael ei chwarae am y tro cyntaf ar ddiwedd y 1800au. Mae wedi bod yn daith gyda llawer iawn o uchafbwyntiau a llawer o bwyntiau isel, yn ôl y disgwyl. Fel yr ydym yn gwybod

er mwyn dod o hyd i ddigwyddiadau ac ymgyrchoedd dros leoliadau yng Nghaerdydd a De Cymru, a hyrwyddwr a chefnogwr i artistiaid lleol.

Wedi ei gyhoeddi’n gyntaf yn 2017, mae’r ‘Gig Guide’ wedi bod yn hyrwyddo’r sîn gerddoriaeth ar draws Caerdydd, o leoliadau bach i rai mawr.

“Wedi ei arwain gan y gymuned; wedi ei fwydo gan y gymuned.”

Yn Hydref 2021 trodd y prosiect yn gwmni buddiant cymunedol (CICCommunity interest Company). Mae’r prosiect hefyd erbyn hyn wedi’i arwain gan fwrdd o gyfarwyddwyr gyda chenhadaeth i arddangos gwybodaeth am ddigwyddiadau creadigol.

Gweithio gyda Gŵyl gerddoriaeth BBC6

Ar yr unfed ar hugain o Fawrth 2022 yn Tiny Rebel, Caerdydd, ryddhaodd Minty’s gig guide ei map rhyngweithiol newydd o Gaerdydd.

un isafbwynt eithafol i Gymru fel gwlad a Chymru fel tîm pêl-droed oedd marwolaeth sydyn Gary Speed. Fe oedd rheolwr tîm Cymru ar y pryd ac fe ddaeth cysgod tywyll ar draws Cymru yn dilyn ei farwolaeth. Fe gafodd Chris Coleman ei benodi fel rheolwr newydd Cymru, rhywun a oedd yn agos iawn at Speed ac felly roedd hyn yn beth anodd iddo i wneud. Dechreuodd gydag ychydig o golledion yn y gemau cyntaf gan gynnwys ei gêm gyntaf wrth y llyw; colled 2-0 yn erbyn Mecsico. Fe gollodd y tîm 6-1 yn erbyn Serbia ac fe ystyriodd Chris Coleman efallai nad ef oedd y person gorau ar gyfer y swydd. Ond ar ôl iddo dderbyn y teitl am y rheolwr Cymreig cyntaf i golli ei bum gêm gyntaf, cafodd Coleman ei fuddugoliaeth gyntaf ar 12 Hydref 2012, buddugoliaeth 2-1 yn erbyn yr Alban. Wedi i Coleman adael y swydd yn 2017 fe welsom Ryan Giggs yn camu i’r adwy cyn i Rob Page gael ei benodi’n hyfforddwr cynorthwyol i gar-

Roedd y cyhoeddiad yn gydweithrediad gyda gŵyl BBC 6 a chymrodd le ym mis Ebrill (1af-3ydd) a’r ŵyl Fringe (28ain o Fawrth- 3ydd Ebrill). Yn ystod yr ŵyl roedd y map newydd wedi ei ddefnyddio i arddangos pwy oedd yn chwarae yn ystod yr ŵyl.

Roedd y map a welir ledled Caerdydd wedi ei ddarlunio gan Alex Waeland, ac mi roedd ar gael yn rhyngweithiol ac ar bapur. Mae’r canllaw digidol wedi’i ddylunio gan y cwmni technoleg ‘Big Lemon.’

Gwelwyd lleoliadau cerddorol hanesyddol Caerdydd yn cael eu defnyddio fel llwyfannau i berfformiadau gan nifer o gerddorion poblogaidd gan gynnwys IDLES, Pixies, Wet leg, Ibibio Sound Machine a Manic Street Preachers.

Yn ôl gwefan yr wŷl, roedd Manic Street Preachers wedi chwarae yng Nghlwb Ifor bach am y tro cyntaf ers

fan hŷn Cymru yn ystod mis Awst 2019. Am nifer o flynyddoedd, nid yw Cymru wedi bod yn llwyddiannus iawn mewn twrnameintiau mawr, ond maent wedi trawsnewid hynny yn bennaf ers ewros 2016. Maent wedi trawsnewid yn llwyr y ffordd y maent yn chwarae gyda sgiliau trefniadol Page, sy’n cael ei ganmol am wella amddiffyniad tîm Cymru. Cadarnhawyd y byddai Page yn rheoli Cymru yn rowndiau terfynol Ewro 2020 UEFA a oedd wedi’u gohirio. Fe ddaeth Cymru yn ail allan o Grŵp A gyda gêm gyfartal 1-1 gyda’r Swistir, buddugoliaeth 2-0 dros Dwrci a cholli 1-0 i’r Eidal. Yn anffodus, cafodd Cymru eu dileu yn y rownd o 16 mewn colled o 4-0 i Ddenmarc. Yn enwedig yn ddiweddar mae Cymru wedi cynyddu safon ei chwarae, cafodd hyn ei weld yn y gêm ddiweddar yn erbyn Awstria gyda chanu dros 30,000 o gefnogwyr yn llenwi’r stadiwm. Felly, beth sydd nesaf i dîm Cymru? Mae nifer o bêl-droedwyr Cymreig mw-

Yn ystod yr ŵyl roedd y map newydd wedi ei ddefnyddio i arddangos pwy oedd yn chwarae yn ystod yr ŵyl.”

iddyn nhw ohirio eu perfformiad 32 blynedd ynghynt er mwyn llofnodi ei ‘record deal’ cyntaf. Dyfodol y ‘Gig Guide’ Mewn cyfweliad â Minty, eglurodd sut yr oedd yn gobeithio y byddai’r‘Gig Guide’ yn ehangu y tu hwnt i Gaerdydd. Meddai: “Rwyf am fynd i’r afael â’r hyn sy’n digwydd yn lleol ac yn ôr-leol. Rydw i eisiau denu pobl i lefydd tu fas i Gaerdydd. Mae Caerdydd yn gwasanaethu mwy na phobl Caerdydd. Rwyf am ddangos i bobl beth sydd ar garreg eu drwsgwthio pobl i fynd i drefi a phentrefi gyda thalent leol. Dod a phobl o Gaerdydd i leoliadau eraill yng Nghymru.”

yaf addawol y genhedlaeth nesaf eisoes wedi cyrraedd y brig, gyda Daniel James wedi gwneud symudiadau mawr i Manchester United a Leeds, David Brooks yn destun sylw gan nifer o chwaraewyr yr Uwch Gynghrair ar ôl arddangosiadau disglair i Bournemouth, Ethan Ampadu a Neco Williams yn torri trwyddo gyda dau o dimau mwyaf y wlad, a Harry Wilson a Joe Rodon wedi gwneud trosglwyddiadau sylweddol i Lundain. Dylid croesawu dyfodol Cymru ag ymdeimlad o optimistiaeth – ni fu erioed cenhedlaeth fwy medrus na thoreithiog o chwaraewyr yn hanes y wlad na’r rhai sy’n dringo i’r brig ar hyn o bryd. A dylai cefnogwyr Cymru barhau i ganu nerth

A dylai cefnogwyr Cymru barhau i ganu nerth eu pennau i ddangos ein bod yn falch o’n tîm, rydym yn falch o’n hiaith ac rydym yn falch o fod yn Gymry.”

Llun yr 28ain o Fawrth, er y cynnydd sydyn yn y niferoedd sydd yn dal Coronafeirws. Ydy hi wir yn saff eto?

Gyda’r niferoedd sydd yn dal y feirws eto, pam nawr? Er y brechiadau mae’r rhan fwyaf ohonom ni wedi eu derbyn yn barod, rydym ni i gyd dal yn wynebu’r risg o ddal yr afiechyd yma. Beth oedd Drakeford wir yn meddwl wrth wneud y dewis yma?

Mae’n debyg mai ceisio arbed arian oedd wrth wraidd y penderfyniad.

Gyda chostau byw cyffredinol yn codi, mae Drakeford wedi dewis gwario arian ar fesurau i helpu’r wlad, megis cynnig prydau bwyd am ddim i bob plentyn mewn ysgol gynradd.

Erbyn heddiw mae pasiau COVID-19 wedi hen fynd, does dim angen gwisgo mygydau mewn mannau cyhoeddus, dim ond mewn adeiladau meddygol.

Dros y misoedd diwethaf, rydym ni wedi bod yn croesawu digwyddiadau mawr fel gwyliau cerddoriaeth, lle mae cannoedd a miloedd yn bobl yn dod at ei gilydd i ddathlu diddordebau o fewn y celfyddydau.

Efallai

y pandemig drosodd, ond nid yw’n cael ei anghofio. Tarddiad: TheOtherKev (via Pixabay)

Yn fy marn i, un o’r pethau mwyaf gwobrwyol am ddod allan o’r cyfnodau clo oedd gweld pawb yn dod yn ôl at ei gilydd unwaith eto - teimlais fy mod i wir wedi cymryd bywyd cymdeithasol yn ganiataol!

Mae’r blynyddoedd diwethaf wedi bod yn rhai hir iawn. O ddechrau gyda’r pellhau cymdeithasol, i gyfnodau clo hir, i’r orfodaeth i wisgo mygydau mewn mannau cyhoeddus, cafodd y pandemig effaith ar bob cornel cymdeithas. Mae hi bron yn anodd cofio bywyd cyn y ddwy flynedd diwethaf! O hyn ymlaen, mae hi lan i’r unigolyn os ydynt am ddewis i hunan-ynysu os yw eu canlyniad prawf Covid-19 yn

bositif. Ydy hyn yn iawn? Er bod hi’n bryd i ni ddod allan o’r cwmwl sydd wedi ein gorchuddio ni dros y ddwy flynedd diwethaf, ydy pawb wir yn hapus i ddechrau byw eto? Does dim ots os yw cyfyngiadau’r pandemig wedi dod i ben, mae amgylchiadau unigolion o fewn cymdeithas heb newid o gwbl. Mae angen i ni gofio bod afiechydon anweledig dal yn bodoli, a’u bod nhw yn effeithio ar unigolion trwy gydol eu bywydau bob dydd, pandemig neu beidio.

Ond ar y llaw arall, gallwn ni ddadlau ein bod ni - yn syml - yn mynd yn ôl i fyw ein bywydau yn union fel yr oedden ni cyn y pandemig, felly pam y byddai hyn yn eu heffeithio nhw yn fawr? Beth allwn ni ei wneud i sicrhau bod cymdeithas mor ddiogel ag sy’n bosib?

Mae angen i ni gofio bod afiechydon anweledig dal yn bodoli, a’u bod nhw yn effeithio ar unigolion trwy gydol eu bywydau bob dydd, pandemig neu beidio.”

10 TAF-OD

COVID-19 y tu ôl i ni? Mae Alexa Price yn gofyn a allwn ffarwelio â’r pandemig ar ôl dwy flynedd anodd

ni fel myfyrwyr, dwi’n siŵr fe deimlon ni i gyd

TAF-OD

COVID-19: bod

Nel Richards Alexa Price Gracie Richards

Sut mae pêl-droed Cymru wedi newid yn ddiweddar?

Gracie Richards Golygydd Taf-od Nawr, maen nhw wedi cymryd y cam nesaf a’i sefydlu ei hunain fel cwmni buddiant cymunedol.”

Gwasanaeth Tân o dan bwysau trwy’r ‘tymor tân’

Lowri Powell yn edrych i mewn i’r pwysau cynyddol ar y Cymry Gwasanaeth Tân

Lowri Powell

Mae mwy na 200 o dân glaswellt a thannoedd gorfodol wedi achosi i adnoddau tân bod yn brin, yn ôl Gwasanaeth Tân Cymru.

Defnyddiwyd tân dan reolaeth ar gyfer rheolaeth tir. Mae haenau o redyn ar lethrau Cymru yn danwydd perffaith ar gyfer tanau, yn ôl Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru. Bu’n cael ei wneud yn fwriadol ond yn gyfreithlon os yw’n cael ei reoli’n gywir. Os nad ydy’r Gwasanaeth Tân yn ymwybodol o’r tân, mae nhw’n gallu gwastraffu adnoddau ac amser y Gwasanaeth Tân wrth iddynt fynychu. Mae Gwasanaeth Tân

Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru wedi ceisio taclo tân ym Mrynaman,

Os nad ydy’r Gwasanaeth

Tân yn ymwybodol o’r tân, mae nhw’n gallu gwastraffu adnoddau ac amser y Gwasanaeth Tân wrth iddynt fynychu”

Rhydaman, Caerfyrddin, Sir Benfro a Crucywel. Wrth i Wasanaeth Tân

Gogledd Cymru geisio taclo tân yng

Ngwynedd a Phant Glas. Mae Neil Evans, o Wasanaeth Tân

Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru, yn poeni ei fod yn “broblem arwyddocaol”. Dywed “mae pobl yn bod yn anghyfrifol wrth gynnu’r tân a ddim yn ei rheoli’n gywir”. Mae’r ‘tymor tân’ yn parhau nes ddiwedd mis Mawrth.

Mynychodd wyth injan dân a hofrennydd tân yn Rhyd Uchaf, Gwynedd, yn yr wythnos ddiwethaf. Achosodd y tân “niwed arwyddocaol i’r tir” ar draws 180 acer, er ei fod o dan reolaeth. Hofrennydd sydd wedi bod yn casglu dŵr o gronfa dwr lleol ac yn ei gollwng ar y tân.

Dywedodd Paul Scott, uwchreolwr Gwasanaeth Tân ac Achub Gogledd Cymru “Diolch yn fawr i’r cyhoedd am eu galwadau ynglŷn â’r tan yn ddiweddar, er bod adnoddau’n brin, mae criwiau’n gwneud ei gorau”. Anogodd ef “Nid yw llosgiadau rheoledig bob amser yn angenrheidiol, felly ddylai pawb feddwl dwywaith cyn tanio”.

Tân Tylorstown yn siomi’r gymdeithas

I ychwanegu at y pwysau sydd gan Wasanaeth Tân Cymru i reoli’r tannau, cafodd pedwar person ifanc eu harestio am ddrwgdybiaeth o losgi o glwb gweithwyr yn Nhylorstown, Rhondda Cynon Taf. Taclodd 40 diffoddwr tân y tân yn y clwb wythnos diwethaf. Yn ôl Heddlu De Cymru, arweiniodd y tân at “ddifrod enfawr” ac ei fod wedi’i “achosi ar bwrpas”. Bu’n rhaid i rai sy’n byw gerllaw adael eu cartrefi oherwydd risg y gallai’r adeilad ddymchwel. Mae’r awdurdod wedi cynnig tai dros dro i’r rhai ag effeithiwyd nes fydd yr ardal yn ddiogel.

Yn ogystal, cafodd ysgol Gynradd Tylorstown ei gau o ganlyniad i’r risg yn yr ardal.

Dywedodd arolygydd Mark Saunders “Mae popeth yn cael ei wneud i sicrhau bod yr ardal yn ddiogel er mwyn i drigolion dychwelyd i’w cartrefi cyn gynted â phosib”.

Niwed torcalonnus i’r gymuned yw’r digwyddiad yma gan ran o hanes yr ardal.

Dywedodd y Comisiynydd Bren -

Pryd o Dafod Matthaus Bridge

Fe wnaeth penwythnos Gŵyl Radio 6 ddod ag amrywiaeth o gerddoriaeth i Gaerdydd. Fe wnes i ddechrau ar ddydd Sadwrn gyda gŵyl Fringe yng Nghlwb Ifor Bach, ble chwaraeodd nifer o artistiaid a bandiau lleol Cymru. Fy uchafbwynt i oedd gwylio Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard. Mae Buzzard yn gwella bob tro dwi’n eu gweld nhw. Yn sicr, mae’r bois o Gaerdydd yn gwybod sut i chwarae sioe roc llawn egni gyda chaneuon melodaidd sy’n eich denu chi i ymuno a dawnsio. Ar ôl y sioe, cefais i’r pleser i gwrdd â Steve Lamaque, ble ofynnais i am ei brofiadau o’r penwythnos.

“I’ve been to Cardiff before and it’s always great. You guys certainly love your music.”

“I’ve been to Cardiff before and it’s always great. You guys certainly love your music. ”

Roedd Gwenno yn disgwyl i gloi’r Plas ar Ddydd Sadwrn, ond yn anffodus fe wnaeth hi ddal Covid ar y funud olaf. Cymerodd Panick Shack, band o Gaerdydd, ei lle. Er bod y rhan fwyaf o’r gynulleidfa yna i weld Gwenno, fe wnaeth eu caneuon cyflym punk rock gadarnhau y byddai’u caneuon fel ‘Mannequin Man’ yn aros yn y cof am amser hir.

Dechreuodd Dydd Sul gyda band o Ynys Wyth, Wet Leg. Mae’r band ar fin rhyddhau ei albwm cyntaf ‘Wet Leg’ sy’n cynnwys caneuon anhygoel fel ‘Wet Dream’ a ‘Chaise Longue.’

Mi roedd hi’n dipyn o sialens iddyn nhw i chwarae eu caneuon newydd, ond mae’r band yn swnio’n arbennig a does ddim amheuaeth y bydd ei albwm cyntaf yn llwyddiannus.

Mae rhaid i mi roi clod i Rebecca Lucy Taylor neu ‘Self Esteem’, sef ei henw llwyfan. Roedd yn amlwg fod

1. Pwy wyt ti a beth wyt ti’n astudio?

Marged Jones ac yn astudio Bydwreigiaeth.

2. Beth yw dy hoff albwm? ‘An evening with silk sonic’ gan Bruno Mars.

3. Hoff albwm?

Sweet dreamer - Will Joseph Cook!

4. Hoff gaffi yng Ngaherdydd Uncommon ground.

5. Arwr? Nicola Sturgeon.

6. Cadw’n effro yn y nos? Y ddinas.

7. Cadw’n effro yn y nos? Cegin budur.

Hyd yn oed os does dim diddordeb gyda chi yn y digwyddiadau yma, defnyddiwch yr amser sydd i ddod i edrych ar beth sydd o’ch cwmpas yng Nghaerdydd!”

hinol o Gofgolofnau Hanesyddol Cymru fod yr adeilad bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg yn “fath arbennig o adeilad oedd yn ganolbwynt i löwyr yr ardal.”

Mae’r awdurdod yn gwneud popeth maent yn gallu i helpu cymunedau Cymru yn ystod y cynnydd yn y tannau diweddar.

Mae Gwasanaeth Tân Cymru yn gofyn i bawb rhoi gwybod am unrhyw dân yn yr ardal ac yn annog i bawb fod yn synhwyrol.

Mae’r awdurdod yn gwneud popeth maent yn gallu i helpu cymunedau Cymru yn ystod y cynnydd yn y tannau diweddar.”

y rhan fwyaf o’r gynulleidfa yna i weld Johnny Marr ac yn anffodus fe ddechreuodd grŵp bach o bobl ymyrryd yn ystod eu perfformiad. Ond, gan ddangos proffesiynoliaeth gref fe wnaeth hi barhau i berfformio a rhoi stop ar yr ymyrraeth. Yn sicr yr uchafbwynt oedd ‘Prioritise Pleasure’ ble deithiodd ei llais anhygoel o amgylch y ‘Great Hall’. Cerddor chwedlonol indie roc yw Johnny Marr ac fe wnaeth gloi’r penwythnos ar Ddydd Sul gyda set yn llawn o ganeuon o’i yrfa unigol ac o ddyddiau The Smiths ac Electronic gan gynnwys ‘This Charming Man’ a ‘Getting Away With It’. Mi roedd yn arbennig i weld amrywiaeth o oedrannau o fewn y gynulleidfa, yn cyd-ganu gyda’r caneuon newydd a hen. Mae’n dangos y gwir effaith mae cerddoriaeth Marr wedi ei gael ar wahanol genedlaethau, cefais i brofiad anhygoel. Fe wnaeth ei gitâr eiconig ‘Fender Jazzmaster’

ein llifo ni o gân i gân. Mae’n hawdd gweld pa mor dda a phrofiadol yw’r Mancunian. Yn fy marn i, mae steil Marr yn amhosib dynwared. Er ei fod yn benwythnos prysur, mae’n un fe wna i fyth anghofio. Os nad oeddech chi wedi cael y cyfle i fynd, rydw i’n eich annog chi i naill ai gwylio neu wrando ar y perfformiadau dros BBC Iplayer neu BBC Sounds. Mae yna nifer o artistiaid gwahanol i ddewis, o berfformiad arbennig Manic Street Preachers yng Nghlwb Ifor Bach i’r triawd o Texas ‘Khruangbin’ a’u perfformiad cyntaf nhw yng Nghymru. Mae’n wir werth gwrando arnynt!

Mi roedd hi’n dipyn o sialens iddyn nhw i chwarae eu caneuon newydd, ond mae’r band yn swnio’n arbennig a does ddim amheuaeth y bydd ei albwm cyntaf yn llwyddiannus.”

8. 3 gair i ddisgrifio dy hun? Prysur. Swnllyd. Siaradus.

9. Pam dewis Caerdydd? Dewis caerdydd oherwydd bod hin ddinas fywiog a hwyl.

10. Hoff bryd o fwyd? Swper llawn caws, coctêls a carioci.

Dathlu’r gwanwyn yng Nghaerdydd a Chymru

Alexa Price Golygydd Taf-od

Mae byw ym mhrifddinas y wlad yn dod efo manteision diddiwedd, yndi? Yn ddiweddar, gwelom ni’r diwedd ar gyfyngiadau Covid-19 yng Nghymru ac mae’n braf yw gweld y byd yn codi eto ar ôl misoedd hir, hir y gaeaf - mae popeth yn teimlo’n haws wrth i’r haul ddod mas! Dwi’n siŵr rydym ni i gyd yn edrych ymlaen at y tinnies efo ein cyd-fyfyrwyr ym mharc Bute yn fuan ar ôl i ni gyd dychwelyd o’r gwyliau Pasg, ond ogystal â rhain mae gennym ni lot i edrych ymlaen tymor yma. Dwi’n addo bod ‘na fwy i’r fisoedd sydd i ddod na jyst arholiadau afiach a thraethodau hir!

Rhywbeth i sicrhau gwên ar bawb yn dilyn y gwyliau Pasg ydy’r llwybr Dog’s Trust sydd yng Nghaerdydd, Porthcawl, a Chaerffili ar hyn o bryd. I ddathlu agor ei canolfan newydd yng Nghaerdydd, mae Dog’s Trust wedi lansio A Dog’s Trail, sef llwybr llawn cerfluniau’r cymeriad Snoopy sydd wedi ei addurno a’u dylunio gan fusnesau lleol, ysgolion, ac artistiaid. Maent yn arddangos a phwysleisio’r holl dalent sydd o’n cwmpas ni ym mhrifddinas Cymru! Braf yw gweld pobl yn cymryd y llwybr yma ac yn ceisio darganfod yr holl cerfluniau i gyd. Mae gennynt app lle rydych yn medru sganio barcodes a chadw cofnod ar y cerfluniau rydych chi wedi darganfod yn barod!

11. Hoff lyfr? Ffydd gobaith cariad gan llwyd owen.

12. Hoff glwb? Clwb Ifor Bach ond live lounge yn ail agos.

Er bod gŵyl cerddoriaeth BBC 6 wedi dod i ben, mae yna dal sawl enw mawr yn dod i Gaerdydd dros y misoedd nesaf. O fandiau eiconig fel Blondie yn y Motorpoint ar ddiwedd mis Ebrill, i artistiaid mwy mainstream fel Rag’N’Bone Man y bydd yn y Castell, mae yna ddigonedd i ni weld yma yn y ddinas. Yn ogystal â hyn, cynhelir Tafwyl yng Nghastell Caerdydd ym mis Mehefin! Ein Tafwyl cyntaf ers i gyfyngiadau’r pandemig ddod i ben. Gŵyl Cymraeg blynyddol ydy Tafwyl, sydd yn dathlu popeth Cymraeg: o gerddoriaeth, i fwydydd a busnesau lleol, i gelfyddydau ein gwlad fach ni. Yn ffodus i ni, does dim cost i’r ŵyl yma ac mae’n agored i bawb! Blwyddyn yma bydd artistiaid poblogaidd Cymraeg fel Yws Gwynedd a Swnami yn cymryd y brif lwyfan, ac rydym ni yn edrych ymlaen yn fawr! Nawr bod tymor y rygbi wedi dod i ben, mae tymor y criced yn dechrau! Yng Nghaerdydd mae’r criced yn gyson, yn enwedig draw yng Ngerddi Sophia! Er fy mod i ddim yn hoff iawn o’r criced, (does dim byd dwi’n joio’n fwy na diwrnodau rygbi yng Nghaerdydd yn anffodus!) fedrwn i ddim meddwl am ddiwrnod gwell nac eistedd gydag eich ffrindiau efo peint o gwrw yn eich llaw! Ym mis Mehefin, mae yna gemau criced tîm Glanmorgan yn chwarae bron pob wythnos. Ffordd neis i ymlacio ar ôl arholiadau caled, yndi? Hyd yn oed os does dim diddordeb gyda chi yn y digwyddiadau yma, defnyddiwch yr amser sydd i ddod i edrych ar beth sydd o’ch cwmpas yng Nghaerdydd! Nawr ydy’r amser i greu’r bucket list, dwi’n addo y bydd rhywbeth yno a fydd yn apelio atoch chi.

Hyd yn oed os does dim diddordeb gyda chi yn y digwyddiadau yma, defnyddiwch yr amser sydd i ddod i edrych ar beth sydd o’ch cwmpas yng Nghaerdydd!”

CHWARAEON 11

Trafod gyda’r Taf-od Betsan Angell

Cyfrannydd

CARDIFFSTUDENTS.COM/REVISIONAID FIND US AT THESE LIBRARIES FFEINDIWCH NI YN LLYFRGELLOEDD 12 MAY/MAI Trevithick 13 MAY/MAI JOMEC 18 MAY/MAI ABACWS 20 MAY/MAI Health/Iechyd 24 MAY/MAI ASSL 26 MAY/MAI Bute 30 MAY/MAI ASSL 31 MAY/MAI Main/Prif Adeilad 9-10 JUNE/MEHEFIN Health/Iechyd 12 MAY/MAI - 10 JUNE/MEHEFIN

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Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe released from Iran

After over six years of detention, the British-Iranian moth has returned back the UK

George Gourlay Contributor

On 17th March, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe disembarked a plane at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

It was the first time in almost six years the British-Iranian mother had stepped onto UK soil following her arrest and detention in Iran. She was released from Iranian detention on the 16th, alongside fellow detainee Anoosheh Ashoori, who was also returning to the UK on the same flight. Waiting for them at the air base was Nazanin’s husband, Richard, and six-year-old daughter, Gabriella, joined by Ashoori’s family, including daughter Elika. The families tearily reunited in the early hours, marking the end of a harrowing ordeal.

After four years in prison, Zaghari-Ratcliffe spent the final year of her term on parole at her parent’s house until, in September 2020, she was charged with spreading antigovernment propaganda and sentenced to a further year in prison in April 2021. Throughout her imprisonment, Zaghari-Ratcliffe appealed twice for her release in April 2017 and October 2021, both appeals were rejected by the Iranian supreme court.

Back home in the UK, her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, had been living without his wife and daughter. Gabriella, who had been staying in Tehran with her grandparents, was secured a return to the UK so that she could start school – she and her father were finally reunited three years after Nazanin’s initial detention. Richard continued to campaign for his wife’s release. Camped outside the Foreign Office, his 21-day hunger strike garnered media attention and brought pressure on the government to act on Nazanin’s case.

Ex-Minister reports that Parliment may burn down any day

According to the report, repairs to the building would cost between £7 and £13 billion

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, now 43, was detained in 2016 while visiting her parents in Tehran on charges of spying with the intent to topple the Iranian government. After months of interrogation and solitary confinement, she was sentenced to five years in prison in September 2016. Her employer, Thomson Reuters, for who she worked as a project manager, issued a statement confirming that Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her daughter were on holiday at the time of her arrest.

[Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been released] in full compliance with UK and international sanctions and all legal obligations.”

Liz Truss MP, UK Foreign Secretary

What remained to secure Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s release was payment of a £400 million debt owed by the UK to Iran. The debt dated from the 1970s following the UK’s refusal to deliver 250 tanks ordered by the Shah of Iran. The UK had delivered 185 tanks when the Shah was overthrown and replaced by a theocratic regime, after which it withheld the rest of the order which was challenged in 1990 when Iran took the case to international arbitration in The Hague, who rejected the UK’s appeal and reinforced the debt.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss announced at Nazanin’s release that the debt had been settled “in full

compliance with UK and international sanctions and all legal obligations.”

Now back in the UK, ZaghariRatcliffe has taken aim at what she considers inaction by the UK government, including Secretary Truss. Speaking in a press conference days after her return, Zaghari-Ratcliffe made clear her displeasure with the actions of the British government, stating that her release “should have happened years ago.” Following her husband’s statement of thanks to Ms Truss, Nazanin negated the appreciation, saying “Richard said to thank the foreign secretary. I do not really agree with him on that level.”

Making the point that it had taken five foreign secretaries over six years to secure her release, she continued: “That is unprecedented given the politics of the UK. I love

you Richard, respect whatever you believe, but I was told many, many times that ‘Oh we’re going to get you home.’ That never happened.”

While Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori are safely home, another British national, Morad Tahbaz, who has been kept in Iran for the past four years, was missing from the release deal. The family of Tahbaz are now appealing to the public and the government, hoping for a similar outcome to the Ratcliffes.

While Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori are safely home, another British national, Morad Tahbaz, who has been kept in Iran for the past four years, was missing from the release deal.”

UK Government faces allegations of sexism in parliment

Following a number of recent controversial events, MPs are being called to act against sexism

Katherine Seymour Politics Editor

Popular culture adaptations of parliamentary proceedings have focussed on sleaze, sex scandals and affairs and throughout this week the realities of this have come to the forefront again.

First with Angela Rayner being accused of trying to ‘charm’ the Prime Minister through PMQs and then Conservative MP Nick Parish being found to have watched pornography in the House of Commons chamber as well as an alleged 56 MPs including 2 from the shadow cabinet and 3 from the cabinet under investigation over sexual harrasment and misconduct in parliament.

The story around Angela Rayner came out in the Mail on Sunday on the 24th of April and drew much contraversy for the journalist who wrote the piece. The piece alleged that an unnamed Conservative MP had said that Angela Rayner crossed her legs in certain ways throughout Prime Minister’s Questions and chose her outfits in strategic ways to try to distract Boris Johnson. Following the publishing of the piece some MPs called for Glen Owen,

The story around Angela Rayner came out in the Mail on Sunday on the 24th of April and drew much contraversy for the journalist who wrote the piece.”

who wrote the piece, to have his Commons pass removed. However, Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said that this would be undemocratic and put freedom of the press at risk.

The fall out from the piece was huge with Angela Rayner admitting during an interview on the Lorraine programme that she had worn trousers following the release of the piece. It is unknown which MP made the statement or whether this was a statement that was made in this way but Boris Johnson had condemned the comment stating that he exchanged texts with Angela Rayner to make clear that he did not agree with the statements made in the piece.

Following this, the next story was that of Nick Parish, a Conservative MP watching porn in the House of Commons chamber. The allegations came out following a Tuesday (26th April) meeting of Conservative MPs where a discussion was being had about encouraging more women to become MPs. A female MP had raised an occasion in which he had been watching porn whilst sitting next to her in the chamber and following this a few others expressed that they had also experienced something similar.

For much of the week, Mr Parish was kept annonymous but on Friday (29th April) afternoon it was briefed to the press that Nick Parish, MP for

It is clear that a complete overhaul of the cultures in Westminster is needed to address these issues.”

Tiverton and Honiton, had the Conservative whip removed as a result of the scandal.

Following this, it also came about that 56 MPs are under investigation for sexual harrasment and misconduct in the Commons including 3 members of the cabinet and 2 members of the shadow cabinet. It has been suggested that this is a cumulation of investigations which have not been looked into over a number of years suggesting that these kinds of allegations may not have been taken seriously when they were first brought to the authoritative bodies within parliament.

Stories such as these have brought back the spotlight on sexism and sexual harrasment in parliament which has been on a cycle of sorts for the past few years but seemingly nothing has changed despite numerous outrages around the topic. However, there is a long way to go in tackling this as Defence Secretary Ben Wallace raised whilst talking about the incidents chose to raise a culture of: long hours, hard-working, late bars as a seeming defence rather than making an apology for the scandals. It is clear that a complete overhaul of the cultures in Westminster is needed to address these issues.

14 POLITICS ELSEWHERE IN POLITICS

politics@gairrhydd.com

POLITICS

Darcy Arnold Ella Lloyd Katherine Seymour Luthien Evans Manal Ahmed Nazanin Raghari-Ratcliffe: The British-Iranian mother has now returned to the UK. Source: Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street (via Flickr) UK Government: Boris Johnson has faced calls to move against sexism within his government. Source: Number 10 (via Flickr)

Boris Johnson meets with Modi over free trade deal

Prime Ministers from both countries met to discuss the possibility of a post-Brexit trade deal

Jasmine Jones Contributor

As the Downing Street lockdown party investigation into Boris and Carrie Johnson, and the Chancellor Rishi Sunak continues to build, the PM has met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week in New Delhi.

After avoiding weeks of political tensions at home, Johnson set off to India in hopes of striking a trade deal that focused on boosting UK exports. Cars, alcohol, and professional services were just three of the British exports focused on in the meeting as the UK Government turns to countries outside of Europe to trade with.

A deal with India is crucial, not only to strengthen Britain’s trading position in the world, but also as a part of the post-Brexit policy to build relations with democracies in Asia as concerns over China’s relations with Russia grow.

The UK currently buys much more produce and goods from India than it sells due to the high tariffs on UK exports which has led to Johnson’s proposal to “streamline” the trading process between the nations. For example, foreign cars currently have tariffs of up to 100% when exported to India.

Johnson and Modi: The Prime Ministers met to discuss the possibility of a post-Brexit free trade deal. Source: Number 10 (via Flickr)

Taking place at Hyderabad House, the talks were not so simple for Johnson. In exchange for the UK’s trade deal Modi suggested that Johnson had to give more by creating a ‘living bridge between the two countries. Opening Britain up to more Indian workers and allowing for looser immigration rules for Indians was put on the table by Modi who wanted to see a greater cultural exchange between its citizens.

Johnson and his advisors agreed

alongside the Indian government representatives that there should be a “strengthening” of cultural and economic ties provided through any trade Agreement. Johnson also suggested himself that the UK would welcome any Indian people wishing to come to the UK.

The Prime Minister went on to say that the UK is short of “hundreds of thousands” of skilled workers especially in the IT and technology industries. Speaking to the press a while later he announced, “there is

no question Indian skills can make a difference”.

Other pressing topics were brought up by both parties, including vaccines, defence technologies and equipment, and renewable energy. India is a large producer of hydrogen power and is seen as a key partner to be part of the “green” renewable energy plan in the UK.

Amidst controversy however, the PM avoided the topic of Ukraine during discussions in the hope for greater cooperation. Johnson criticising India’s decision not to condemn the Russian invasion was met with mixed reactions, with the PM’s aids claiming it was not worth jeopardising their “special relationship”.

Despite productive talks the full agreement of any deal isn’t likely to be signed until the end of the year.

Mr Johnson stated his intention to PM Modi to get the “job done by Diwali” which takes place on October 24 th reiterating amid controversy that he expected to be the Prime Minister signing the deal.

Despite productive talks the full agreement of any deal isn’t likely to be signed until the end of the year.”

UK court rules Julian Assange to be extradited to the US

The WikiLeaks founder currently faces 175 years in prison on charges from

Manal Ahmed Politics Editor

On the 20th of April, it was revealed that a U.K. court had formally approved the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States on espionage charges. The final decision rests with Home Secretary, Priti Patel.

Assange faces 175 years in prison on charges from the US government ranging from aiding the whistleblower to crack a password allowing her to access sensitive information, to publishing classified documents with WikiLeaks.

As the Westminster Magistrates’ court in London issued the order to extradite Assange to the US more than 10 years after the Australian had published classified information obtained from government computers, supporters outside were dismayed with the decision. Among the sensitive material released by Assange and WikiLeaks were US military logs from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, supplied by the informant Chelsea Manning, a US Army Intelligence Analyst.

In 2011, Manning had been accused of violating the Espionage Act in the US and charged with 22 offences, including aiding the enemy, which had the potential to result in the death penalty. However, she was ordered to serve a 35-year sentence which had been reduced in the weeks before former President Obama left office.

Assange faces 175 years in prison on charges from the US government ranging from aiding the whistleblower to crack a password allowing her to access sensitive information.”

NHS England to ban use of PPE from China over labour concerns

Ryan Harris Jewell Contributor

The NHS have been banned from purchasing PPE equipment made in China due to concerns raised by human rights groups over the treatment of internees at labour camps in the country. Following an amendment to the Health and Social Care Act last week.

The ban will see the NHS restricted from buying any medical equipment or supplies from the East Asian country. Whilst the amendment will also see a series of regulations created to ensure that the Health Service will be able to better assess the risks associated with individual suppliers, and whether they need to be excluded from any possible deals.

The amendment to the Health and Social Care Act will also see the creation of a blacklist. Containing the names of companies banned from providing goods and services to the NHS, due to concerns over links to forced labour camps.

A senior Government spokesperson has said that the change will ensure that the NHS is free from any associations with slave labour.

the US Government

The organisation and its founder became a household name after a 39-minute video titled ‘Collateral Murder’ had been released in 2010, showing two US military helicopters fatally shooting 18 individuals in Iraq on 12 July 2007, including Reuters journalists Namir Noor-Eldeen and Saeed Chmagh.

After their death, the US military statement had attributed their death to a “firefight” when “Coalition Forces were clearly engaged in combat operations against a hostile force”. Reuters had previously attempted to obtain the true nature of their killings from the US government under the Freedom of Information Act, but these attempts were unsuccessful.

The “37-page US indictment” against Assange has not mentioned the Collateral Murder video despite its significant impact on the perception of US and foreign involvement in the Middle East.

In August 2010, the Swedish Prosecutor’s Office had issued a European Arrest Warrant (EAW)

for Assange on allegations of sexual assault, requiring him to attend extradition hearings. Following the second extradition hearing at the end of the year, Assange had been granted bail after supporters had paid the full amount of £240,000. However, the following year the High Court of Justice had ruled that Assange should be extradited to Sweden. Following the decision, Assange had applied for political asylum in Ecuador and remained at the Embassy in London until 11 April 2019, when after a series of disputes with the Ecuadorian authorities his asylum had been revoked.

Support for Julian Assange’s case ranges from political figures such as Jeremy Corbyn, Sarah Palin and Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez to journalists such as Jemima Goldsmith and John Pilger and filmmaker Ken Loach. Other support comes in the form of various rights groups including Human Rights Watch, Reporters without Borders,

Amnesty International and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Additionally, his partner and lawyer Stella Moris has set up a crowdfunding campaign to support his defence as they continue to fight the order of extradition and intend to appeal the Home Secretary’s decision should Patel rule in favour of the order.

For many, Assange’s case is expected to set a precedent on the treatment of whistleblowers and journalists, particularly in regions where freedom of speech and access to information regarding the activities of governing bodies are regarded as central tenants for a healthy democracy. Additional concerns are the expected treatment Assange may face in prison as Manning’s attempted suicide attempt in 2019 has been used as an example of the difficult conditions of imprisonment in the US and was an argument against the decision to extradite Assange by UK Judge Vanessa Baraitser.

“It’s absolutely right that we use the NHS - a huge procurer of all sorts of goods and services - to help eradicate modern slavery around the world.”

The amendment comes following a wave of criticism from opposition parties and human rights groups over the Health Services recent involvements with businesses associated with forced labour camps in the Xinjiang province. Where members of the Uyghur Muslim community, a minority group within China, are reportedly being held by Chinese authorities in labour camps.

During the course of the Coronavirus pandemic it was revealed by Tussell research group that the NHS had purchased a considerable amount of medical supplies from companies associated with these camps. As part of a combined series of contracts worth over £30 billion awarded by the NHS over the course of 2020-2021.

Speaking about the UK Governments response to this issue, the Liberal Democrat’s foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Morgan described the amendment as “Long Overdue.”

“It should not have taken a pandemic to shine a light on the hugely concerning links between supply chains involving forced labour - including those in Xinjiang - and PPE and other items used in our healthcare sector.”

China has been accused of violating the rights of the Uyghur Muslim population located in the Xinjiang province. Where labour camps have been set up to detain up to a million people, despite Beijing’s claims that the camps exist as a way to ‘re-educate’ supposed extremists.

The Chinese authorities have also been accused of committing a ‘cultural genocide’ against the Uyghur people. With reports coming from the Western provinces of China detailing how the Chinese Communist Party are conducting cultural suppression through the destruction of Mosques, and the restricting of religious practices.

Back in January 2021, the Human Rights Watch released their annual report which condemned the Chinese Authorities for their treatment of the Uyghur ethnic group.

GWLEIDYDDIAETH 15

Julian Assange: The WikiLeaks founder currently faces 175 years in prison on charges from the US Government. Source: Xavier Granja Cedeño/Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (via Flickr)

16 POLITICS

MPs call for 40 year deadline for the removal of asbestos

Katherine Seymour Politics Editor

MPs have called for a 40-year deadline for all asbestos to be removed from public and commercial buildings.

The Work and Pensions Select Committee said asbestos remained the biggest cause of work-related deaths in the UK, with more than 5,000 such fatalities recorded in 2019. Many of these deaths will relate to exposures from 35 or more years ago.

The available evidence indicates that cumulative exposures are much lower now for younger age groups, but more data is needed to understand the current picture.

Asbestos is classified as being carcinogenic, which means it can cause cancer and other dangerous lung conditions when fibres are inhaled. Asbestos is not considered harmful when in large pieces and undamaged; but when it is damaged, it can release smaller fibres that are breathed in or swallowed.

Drilling into asbestos-containing materials in houses built or modified in the 1960s and 1970s can lead to exposure. Before it was banned, it featured in many everyday products, including insulation materials for buildings, boilers and pipes, car brakes, and roof and floor tiles. The use of any type of the substance was banned in the UK in 1999.

There is currently no target date for the eradication of the material in public buildings, or private homes, in the UK.

A report calls for the Government and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to back up their stated goal of removing all asbestos by committing to a clear timeframe and strategy. The plan should strengthen the evidence base on safe and effective asbestos removal in the first instance before prioritising removal from the highest risk settings, including schools.

While both the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the government have said they believe it should be removed, the committee said neither had put forward a “clear and comprehensive strategy” for achieving this.

“Simple reliance on a set of regulations which devolve asbestos management to individual duty holders - the building owners or managers responsible for maintenance - will not be good enough,” the committee said.

“We need a pan-government and ‘system-wide’ strategy for the longterm removal of asbestos, founded on strong evidence of what is best from a scientific, epidemiological, and behavioural point of view.”

The government has been approached for comment.

The Health and Safety Executive board (HSE)

Gair Rhydd speaks to the Ullapool Sea Savers Manal Ahmed sat down with

Manal Ahmed Politics Editor

The Ullapool Sea Savers is an organisation with the aim of promoting environmental awareness and marine conservation in their tiny village of a few thousand people, around their local area in the highlands of Scotland and around the world. Janis describes the ethos of the group as ‘run by kids for kids’, but her aid is incredibly necessary for the function of the charity.

Previously a child-minder she finds herself answering emails, operating the organisation’s facebook page, responsible for the coordination and facilitation and conducting a majority of the background work that has helped to establish the Ullapool Sea Savers charitable status in April 2019.

Ms. Patterson has been involved with the organisation since its inception as her daughter. Her assistance was key due to her knowledge of risk assessments, insurance information, etc.

In 2015, the Scottish government designated Ullapool’s local loch a ‘marine-protected area’. Following that, the Scottish Wildlife Trust [SWT] set up the Living Seas project, an organisation Janis Patterson describes as being mostly run by Noel Hawkins.

Hawkins was incredibly influential in the development of the USS by going around schools in the area and discussing marine planning and conservation. Hawkins, along with many of the P7 kids, was responsible for making Ullapool the first village in Europe (“we think”, Janis says) to be plastic straw free.

This victory was a significant milestone for the founders of the USS, however they struggled in matching the progress and achievements when operating through the school. Janis’s daughter Caillin and a few of her friends approached Janis to get their idea off the ground.

The organisation is in no way affiliated with a school group or a big-

the organisation to talk about their ecological mission

ger charity and it is not the subsidiary of a parent organisation. The Ullapool Sea Savers truly is “a charity for kids, by kids” (with the exception of a few adults to oversee the “boring stuff”) meaning that people give so much to the charity, confident and safe in the knowledge that this is an organisation true to its word, according to Janis.

The original Sea Savers found themselves at a real amalgamation of moments where Blue Planet [by David Attenborough] landed at the same time as Noel Hawkins visiting schools in and around the village, and the Greta Thunberg effect really mobalised young people. However, Noel Hawkins was a “leading light in all things marine conservation”, encouraging “widespread enthusiasm and passion”. Due to his influence, the older Sea Savers are now inspiring each other and running smaller pods of younger and younger Sea Savers, signalling that the influence of this organisation is building all the time.

The children’s local school has been incredibly supportive of whatever campaigns the USS is championing, whee the headteachers of primary and high are “right there”.

I asked if the children’s local school had done anything to foster the growing interest and passion for environmental activism and Janis informed me that they had been incredibly supportive of whatever campaigns they had been championing or involved with.

Whenever she is filling in a grant application and really needs a letter of support, “they’re right there”. The headteachers of both primary and high are regular features in the supporting crowd for the organisation’s success, “the high school will talk and write at great length about how amazing it is; the employability options that these children are getting”.

Last year, Prince William launched a documentary entitled A Planet for Us All, and in the process, showcased some of the brilliant minds the Ullapool Sea Savers are fostering. The organisation is quite careful to establish that they do not work in schools but operate

in a “division of labour” scenario. The USS still works with schools and regularly gives presentations to schools, but she finds that anytime the organisation goes near a school, the speed and work flow have stopped, “and I’m a very impatient person as well,” only in the sense of “organising the logistics of it”. Therefore, while the schools they work with are fantastic, not much is being done in them with regards to the organisation’s operations.

I ask Janis how this organisation affects the Sea Savers interests in the future, and whether marine and environmental conservation is something they are looking at continuing long-term, and she states that a lot of them want to “go on and be marine biologists”. The organisation recently took a trip to the Scottish Association for Marine Science [SAMS] in Oban. The trip was a big source of inspiration for the children, combined with the experiences they’re gaining and what they’re seeing in the day-to-day running of the charity. Her daughter, 15 year-old Caillin, and one of the founders of the USS completed an online marine biology qualification and gained a diploma. An extraordinary achievement supplemented by her incredible intellect in this endeavour she is passionate about. Occasionally that passion may wane and the desire to try something new comes about but it strikes Janis as simply a temporary interest.

Interestingly, some of the Sea Savers are approaching future prospects and planning for the organisation through different means. Another founder, Poppy, intends to pursue environmental law, having found her interest in the “representation, the protection, the affecting legislation” for marine life.

A significant factor in why the Sea Savers would continue to pursue marine conservation is the responsibility and respect they have been given in that role. The organisation has a species champion scheme, where each child is an ambassador for a species. They then go and research the species they are representing and compile a fact file,

There’s something about being told you’re an expert in something that really brings up your confidence and then you’re qualified to talk about it.”

Janis Patterson, Ullapool Sea Savers

which is checked over and formatted with the help of the organisation and then sent to “an expert in that species”, for them to add any important information that may have been missed. What happens then is that the species ambassadors become experts in that particular animal and then, irrespective of age or pod, anyone can approach a species ambassador for questions regarding that particular species.

“There’s something about being told you’re an expert in something that really brings up your confidence and then you’re qualified to talk about it.”

“In the species champion scheme, the ambassadors are also partnered with an MSP down at Holyrood in Edinburgh. Janis explains that while the scheme is not as well known as it should be, it’s a great source of pride for the group.”

“So, Poppy identified that otters weirdly did’nt have an MSP champion and came and sort of spoke to me and said, ‘How do we get the otters one of those?’ And we got Kate Forbes, who was the Finance Minister who is also the MSP for that area and she came and took on that role and then otters are that much better represented. So, they’ve got these channels right into the highest levels of the Scottish parliament. So, if they take notice of ropeless fishing technology, they can then write a letter and it’s not just some kid writing a letter. It’s in their interest to listen to them [the sea savers] because they make the politicians look fab!”

To read Manal’s full interview with the Ullapool Sea Savers, go to the Gair Rhydd Website: cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/gairrhydd/politics

The ‘powerful’ role social media is playing in Ukraine

For

many of those affected by the conflict, social media has helped to get the message out

Katherine Seymour Politics Editor

Throughout the awakening of the invasion of Ukraine from Russia, social media told a story of hope from those in the centre. Volodymyr Zelenskiy has used social media to appeal for help and make people aware, Ukrainian people have used platforms to tell their stories and Russian people have also appealed to the fact that they don’t want war.

This week, it feels as though people have taken to their phones in disbelief at the events unfolding in Ukraine, the situation has been so fast moving and people have become engrossed in the stories told by witnesses. Social media has acted as a bridge to bring people closer to conflict and humanise the victims of war. Money has been raised for those who have been suffering and awareness of what people are going

Social media has acted as a bridge to bring people closer to conflict and humanise the victims of war.”

through has grown through the intimacy of social media.

Initially, videos such as the woman handing sunflower seeds to Russian soldiers so that something nice could grow from their bodies warmed people’s hearts in the most morbid way but to some it felt like hope for Ukraine that the Russian army wasn’t as strong as initially thought. Another story of hope which came out early on was the man offering broken down Russian tanks a tow to where they needed to go. Though much has changed since these early videos, people still look to videos with hope.

In recent times, Russian bots have controlled some social media spaces with some people becoming victims to this presence. However, it seems as though the tide is changing in favour of Ukrianian content on social media which is being pushed by algorithms.

The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has also been using social media to appeal to people on the issue. For example, following the targeting of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, he appealed on social media for world leaders to take the threat seriously as an initial action. This, as an outlet which is

public, then works to drum up support from the public abroad to lobby their politicians to do more, which does work in favour of Zelenskiy if he continues to use this ‘tactic’ as such.

The constant coverage of the war in Ukraine on social media is allowing the public to sympathise more with the conflict as well as encouraging support for those having to flee their homes. It has provided a place for the stories of hope which

are often missed out in the press when the story is particularly serious. Coverage is encouraging people to feel closer to the story and that is a particularly powerful effect of this.

Coverage is encouraging people to feel closer to the story and that is a particularly powerful effect of this.”

Ukraine: Social media has given people around the world a glimpse into the conflict. Source: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda (via Flickr)

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FEATURES

Sophie Revell features@gairrhydd.com

97% of men said that expectations for males have changed recently

27% of men are uncomfortable with those same changes

Feature: Issues with the term 'Toxic Masculnity'

Gair Rhydd investigates how failing to acknowledge that men share differently to women may be holding back discussions about modern-day masculinity

Jasmine Edge Features Editor

Nabil El Bark is in his second year of studying French and Japanese. He’s standing outside the arts and social studies library with his friend, Sam Brown. It’s raining, but both happily talk to me. “I think there are a lot of negative connotations toward being a man” he says, but recognises that this notion of men has not appeared out of nowhere, “[it’s] representative of the actions of a lot of men”.

The term toxic masculinity is thrown around a lot nowadays, particularly in feminist spheres. It is a term that lacks a clear definition,

think there are a lot of negative connotations toward being a man [in modern-day society]."

Nabil El Bark, Languages Student

but at its core refers to the stereotypical idea of a man who must be strong, refrain from sharing his feelings and work through things on his own; this idea has been held up as a standard that all men must meet. Consequently, it has caused men to adopt behaviours that are harmful to themselves—and by extension, the rest of society.

However, the problem with the popular term is, because it is underdefined, when it is used to flag toxic behaviour people (men) can feel that the whole of masculinity is being villainised.

Nabil says, “when I hear some people say, “oh I hate men”, they’ll actually be referring to a specific type of man”.

The image that springs to mind when he says this is one of a hypermasculine, straight, white, middleaged man that lives at the gym and gets handsy around women. The problem with this caricature of a toxic man is that it fails to recognise the nuances of toxic masculinity.

“[I]f you are going to talk about the negative aspects of it, you have

'Men want to talk, just not like this'

Mason Mason, a second year Chemistry student, pauses whilst trying to find the right words to talk about the challenges facing masculinity in the modern-day.

The hum of the music fills the student union, which looks empty with most students’ home for easter break.

He recalls, “I remember when I had my first girlfriend, that was the first time I really talked about how I was really feeling and stuff”.

“I remember when I had my first girlfriend, that was the first time I really talked about how I was really feeling and stuff.” Mason, Chemistry Student

to talk about the positive aspects of masculinity” says Mason.

Sometimes toxic traits are not blaringly obvious, so having a dominant idea of what a toxic man is can lead to a failure to recognise other subtler forms of misogynistic behaviour that, if unchecked, may manifest into more serious problems in the future e.g. violence, or sexual assault.

Sam, who is a third year Politics and Philosophy student, adds that this extreme image of a toxic man can cause men, who don’t fit into this stereotype, to not take responsibility for their actions towards women providing the example of gay misogyny which has recently come under scrutiny in the media, “[it] goes back to gay men sometimes being misogynistic and not really thinking it’s an

[I]f you are going to talk about the negative aspects of it, you have to talk about the positive aspects of masculinity”.”

Mason, Chemistry Student

[it] goes back to gay men sometimes being misogynistic and not really thinking it’s an issue because they are not interested in women in that way.”

issue because they are not interested in women in that way […] it is important for gay men to remember those things [male privilege] and not go on the defensive in the same way some straight men do”.

Grayson Perry writes in his book

The Descent of Man, “most men are nice, reasonable fellows. But most violent people, rapists, criminals, killers, tax avoiders, corrupt politicians, planet despoilers, sex abusers and dinner-party bores do tend to be, well…men.”.

The term ‘toxic masculinity’ is not leading to effective discussions about the crisis currently facing men. Rather, two major misinterpretations exist about toxic masculinity: masculinity and toxic masculinity are the same thing; the toxic man is a fixed idea.

Gair Rhydd spoke to some Cardiff University students about the challenges facing modern-day masculinity Source:

“I’m just someone who keeps to myself, like I usually…when I talk about this it’s usually [with] people who are really close to me.”

João Santos, Journalism Student

He explains that the one thing often overlooked is how lonely some guys feel.

He shares that personally, “I feel like I’ve quite a mixed bag of friends that I can talk to about anything” but adds that he wouldn’t want to open up to people he doesn’t really know.

João Santos João Santos, a third-year Journalism student expresses a similar view: “I’m just someone who keeps to myself, like I usually…when I talk

about this it’s usually [with] people who are really close to me.”

It seems to be a shared feeling that men don’t like to open up to people they don’t have a close relationship with.

“[W]omen talk face to face quite easily […] they’ll talk and share, and look at each other in the eye whilst they’re talking."

Men seem to be better at talking shoulder to shoulder” says Robert Visintainer, the project manager at Men’s Sheds Cymru.

“[W]omen talk face to face quite easily […] they’ll talk and share, and look at each other in the eye whilst they’re talking."

João Santos, Journalism Student

Eva Rodericks Jasmine Edge

magnumlifestylemedia (via ixabay)

Modern-day masculinity: Source: terg (via Pixabay) Societal pressures: Source: Schäferle (via Pixabay) Sam Brown, Politics Student

Is it time for a new movement created by men, for men?

The

TMen's Sheds Movement is hoping to be just that, providing more support for the wellbeing of men

he Men’s Sheds Movement started in Australia in the early 2000s as a response to the absence of support for men’s wellbeing. Since then, the movement has spread worldwide. A men’s shed is a space for men to enjoy “banter” and have a “laugh”, whilst working on a project with other men says Robert.

What tends to happen in these spaces is after a while men realise it’s also a “relaxed safe space where it is okay to talk…when you want to, and when you feel like it” explains Robert. He calls it “health by stealth”.

‘Health by stealth’ has become the unofficial motto of Men’s Sheds Cymru, Robert enthuses. The movement recognises that men don’t tend to take part in groups that invite people to come and discuss a particular topic:

“The important thing for me about men’s shed is that the men created it for themselves, by themselves and they’re running it."

Robert Visintainer, Men's Sheds Cymru

“I honestly do believe, you know, you ask 20 guys to come and sit round a table and talk about mental health, perhaps 2 will turn up."

Robert Visintainer, Men's Sheds Cymru

“I honestly do believe, you know, you ask 20 guys to come and sit round a table and talk about mental health, perhaps 2 will turn up” he explains. If you ask guys to come together and work on a project that might involve fixing something “then maybe 18 have turned up and inevitably they will all be talking”.

When the group feel safe and see each other talking, “It’s okay, they realise—it’s okay. And you don’t have to put on this big brave face and I’m a man, and I’m tough, and I’m strong, and I’m not going to talk about my problems—it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. You know, you lose out at the end.”.

In the past a shed has been seen as space a man might go to fix something, or like for Martin from Friday Night Dinner, a place to escape from the stresses of everyday family life.

Men’s shed Cymru website states

that, “The Men’s Sheds movement is based on the understanding that men are more likely to help themselves and attend something they have set up or have some control over.”

The Men’s Sheds Movement has tended to attract older members who may be retired or widowed and have a lot of free time on their

hands. However, the young men I spoke to voiced the need for a similar kind of space that would give male students the opportunity to open up in a way that works for them.

Robert says that to his knowledge, Men’s Sheds Cymru have not done any work specifically with young men to date, but, after our

Why do men need a space designed for them?

conversation, he seemed eager to in the future.

The chair of Cardiff Blue Brothers, Matthew Farrell got in touch with Men’s Sheds Cymru at the start of lockdown to set up a shed for men in a private room on matchdays.

Robert says that Matthew highlighted that, Cardiff being a student city, young people may come to university and not have a group of friends but might come along to the rugby. They thought they could form a social group for men based on a shared interest of rugby. However, the project was stalled due to the Cardiff Arms Park being used as a field hospital during the pandemic.

A shed can look like anything: a group project, a sports club, a society, or a travel group. What defines a shed is the group of people.

“The Men’s Sheds movement is based on the understanding that men are more likely to help themselves and attend something they have set up or have some control over."

Statement, Men's Sheds Cymru Website

Don’t men have enough spaces that are designed for them? Well…Short answer, yes. Long answer, no.

Common places that men gather outside of work is the pub or sporting events. Robert says that men often feel they must “Put on a brave face” in these spaces. They might believe that it’s not the right time and place to share that they might be struggling.

Men’s Sheds is an alternative space for men to socialise, it’s also a space for guys to gather who might not drink or take an interest in sport.

Robert explains that in this space, eventually, men’s walls start to come down and they begin to share and talk about their experiences.

Men need these spaces more than ever in western society, that has undergone much change over the last 100 years and has made the idea that ‘men must be strong’, irrelevant.

If you Google “books on masculinity”, very few pieces of non-academic literature come up. Yet, after doing a bit of digging I found, what does exist, are biographies and autobiographies about men, which naturally provide an insight into masculinity.

Once again, men seem to respond better to covert conversations about masculinity.

Perry suggests in his aforementioned book, The Descent of Man,

if the dominant idea of masculinity changes, the world could become a better place for everybody, including men.

He claims that masculinity is designed to benefit a very small number of men who tend to be straight, white, and wealthy. When the idea they are promised doesn’t match up to their reality, it can leave men feeling angry and frustrated which is when toxic behaviours can form.

Being a man is undoubtably a privilege, yet it’s apparent that current notions of masculinity are holding back men from being the happiest and healthiest versions of themselves.

A voice to enact a new movement for men at Cardiff University

There are currently ten campaign officer roles at Cardiff Students’ Union; each “represent students and campaign on any relevant issues whether local or international to support furthering equality of these groups.” Says a Students’ Union spokesperson.

After asking the Union to comment on the lack of a male campaigns officer a spokesper-

son said, “The Students’ Union campaign officers have been created through democratic processes by students and can be created by submission of policy to AGM [Annual General meeting] and student senate."

"Should the student body feel that certain groups of students require specific and more tailored representation then they can use these processes to create

a campaign officer."

Based on this response, and after speaking to male students about issues that matter to them, perhaps a Men’s Campaign officer could be something students feel is necessary to introduce in the future to ensure male students have support navigating masculinity in the modern day.

This could look like setting up a men’s shed at the university,

Is there a future for masculinity?

promwoting autobiographies by men—and ultimately raising awareness of issues that affect men.

Whilst, again, all of these efforts may seem small in comparison, it is perhaps important to remember that the best way to promote a healthy and open dialogue is to provide the opportunity for men to talk about their own experiences.

Yes! There’s just not room in modern society for the harmful parts of masculinity. Though pockets of resistance opposing the toxic parts of masculinity exist, a united mainstream movement created for men, by men is still

yet to emerge. Ahmed Ahani, a first-year student studying Pharmacy, tells me what he would like conversations about masculinity to look like in the future, “people don’t really talk about what it is to be a man […] it

doesn’t come up in articles, conversations…anything like that”. He observes that women tend to speak up more about masculinity and says, “I’d like to see more men sticking up for masculinity”. The conclusion that he reaches

is perhaps not a surprise for many people: Men, he asserts, need to take responsibility for their actions. The role they play in a society that ‘others’ anyone who may not be a cis, straight, white man—but as a society, we need to change expec-

tations of how we might reach this new age of masculinity. Wether this will change in the near future is hard to say, but it is nevertheless important to create an open dialogue to talk about such issues together

NODEWEDDION 19

Support for men: Source: truthseeker08 (via Pixabay) An example of a 'shed': Source: stocksnap (via Pixabay) Changing masculinity: Source: geralt (via Pixabay)

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Is the UK doing enough to help Ukrainian refugees?

In this time of crisis, Jade Heath questions if more can be done to support those

in Ukraine

According to a YouGov poll conducted in early March, only 10% of Britons believe that the West is doing enough to help Ukraine. However, Britain, more specifically, has received condemnation for their supposed lack of action in aiding Ukrainian refugees, including from French president Emmanuel Macron, who critiqued the British government at an EU Summit in Versailles.

Much of the criticism of Boris Johnson’s government is directed towards the bureaucratic nature of their schemes. While the schemes the UK have introduced centre around visa application, the EU has stated that they will allow Ukrainian refugees into any EU country without a visa for up to three years, with Poland already taking in over 2 million refugees.

The first scheme the UK has introduced is the family visa scheme, wherein those fleeing Ukraine are considered eligible for a visa if they have a family member who is either a British national or permanently residing in the UK - thus needing an immediate connection to the country. As of the 29th of March, 22,800 visas had been issued under this scheme, while over 4 million Ukrainians have been displaced.

On the 14th of March the government issued another scheme named the “Homes for Ukraine” scheme, wherein British residents can offer up a rent-free room or separate

According to a YouGov poll in early March, only 10% of Britons believe that the West is doing enough to help Ukraine.”

residence for fleeing refugees, thus allowing them to stay in the UK via a sponsorship visa. Both the host and the applicant will have security checks, and those households hosting a refugee will receive a tax-free £350 a month from the governmentthough they are not expected to cover living and food expenses. Despite the government receiving 28,300 applications, just 2,700 sponsorship visas have been issued, and families applying to host refugees have complained about the system being complicated.

Refugee charities have further stated that given the time the British government is taking to process paperwork, they should scrap visa requirements altogether. The Conservatives have also received criticism from within their party, with a councillor recently resigning under claims that the government’s approach is both “xenophobic” and “hostile” towards refugees. Despite

the abundance of criticism they have received, the government continues to defend their schemes on the grounds of national security. Home Secretary Priti Patel has ruled out any ideas of emergency visas or lifting visa requirements, as their top priority is ensuring the ‘safety of British citizens’.

They have defended this by stating that people in Calais are presenting fake documents pretending to be Ukrainian refugees.

This hard-line approach reflects the Conservative party’s Brexit narrative of ‘taking back control’ of one’s borders. Furthermore, it has raised questions regarding the nation’s approach to refugees in general.

Last summer around 16,000 Afghan refugees were evacuated to the UK when the Taliban took over the nation. At the time they were issued six-month long visas, with a later goal of permanent settlement. There are now growing concerns that due

Despite the Government receiving 28,300 applications, just 2,700 sponsorship visas have been issued.”

to not receiving updated papers, they will be treated as illegal immigrants. This is due to the fact that a valid visa must be shown in order to access most services in the UK, such as renting a home, opening a bank account, and claiming benefits - it is not yet clear how many evacuees have been granted permanent status. The housing crisis in the UK only adds to this concern - 12,000 Afghan refugees still remain in temporary accommodation such as hotels.

Across Britain acts of solidarity, namely displays of the Ukrainian flag, have been demonstrated, and yet, there is still much protest about the fact that more needs to be done by the Government and the people of Britain to help Ukraine.

Tinnitus: life with the anything-but-silent condition

Katherine Wheeler discusses her experiences living with the constant effects of Tinnitus

Katherine Wheeler Comment Editor

People talk about silent conditions. Ones that seem to rule your life but won’t show up on scans. If you called tinnitus a silent condition, I’d tell you you’re not cut out for comedy.

Tinnitus is a condition where sufferers hear a sound in their ears, often a high-pitched whistle, that no-one else can hear. For most, it’s constant, a noise that follows them everywhere they go.

My tinnitus is self-inflicted. After years of slipping on headphones to distract myself from anxiety, it was inevitable that the high volume was eventually going to betray me. The straw that finally broke the camel’s

Tinnitus is a condition where sufferers hear a sound in their ears, often a high-pitched whistle, that no-one else can hear.”

back was Lithium by Nirvana. I’m semi grateful it wasn’t something like Hatsune Miku, so I have a cool backstory to tell everyone.

I used to attend a support group for those living with tinnitus. On my first meeting, I was one of two newbies. The other attendee was a man in his 50s, accompanied by his wife. He was silent during the meeting itself but at the very end he told me his story.

He had got Tinnitus a few months earlier. One day he had gone to bed with nothing in his ears and the next morning, woken to the loudest noise he had ever heard in his life- “like a jet engine taking off right next to me”. His wife held his hand as he told the story. He’d pace around the house all day, he couldn’t work, couldn’t sleep. Doctors had no answers and when people tried to ask him what was wrong, he couldn’t hear a thing. It had been a few days when his wife finally said “it can’t be that bad, can it?”. The man screamed in her ear. I think of the man at the support

group a lot. Especially when, after telling people I have tinnitus, they say things like “I get tinnitus too, I think we all do sometimes”. If they had tinnitus, they would know exactly how it feels to be the man,

screaming at the top of his lungs. According to a 2012 study, people suffering from tinnitus suffer greatly more with major psychological and depressive disorders including hysteria, insomnia and chronic despair.

According to a 2012 study, people suffering from tinnitus suffer greatly more with major psychological and depressive disorders including hysteria, and insomnia.”

There’s no known cure either hence why many tinnitus sufferers turn to homeopathy and therapy.

Sufferers with quieter tinnitus will often use YouTube videos of white noise and sound compositions to mask the noise. The highest watched tinnitus therapy video is by Yellow Brick Cinema. In the comments you’ll find frequent visitors have formed a mini support group, logging their entries and leaving reviews of their day.

Never being able to sit in silence is huge. Times when all you want to hear is absolutely nothing accompanied by a slow deterioration of hearing where sufferers are left with only the same constant, high pitched screech.

Jade Heath Contributor Britain’s support: Thousands of British citizens have shown that they are willing to help Ukraine by submitting sponsorship applications and showing solidarity online Source: Number 10 (via Flickr) Overwhelming whistling: There are major psychological effects which are often a consequence of having Tinnitus. Source: Travis Isaacs (via Flickr) Vicky Witts Catarina Pinto Vicente Eirian Jones Wheeler

Social media influencers and the lies of ‘eating clean’

Why ‘clean eating’ trends are a damaging new fad diet and unhealthy online mindset

Angharad Roberts Contributor

Trigger warning: Mentions of disordered eating, eating disorders.

Despite social media presenting itself as a utopia of positive interactions and influences, diet culture has seeped enormously throughout it. Shadowed by aesthetic smoothie bowls and green juices, the phenomenon of ‘clean eating’ has proved to be yet another problematic fad diet and even a state of mind.

Influencers encourage the impressionable public to partake in behaviours such as removing processed foods from their diet and only consuming whole foods. For many, the goal of this diet is weight management, but studies and examples show that this can lead to considerably dangerous effects.

At the University of Glasgow, a team discovered that only one in nine leading UK bloggers with content focusing on weight management provides correct information. One of the lead authors of the study, Christina Sabbagh, states: “We found that the majority of the blogs could not be considered credible sources of weight management information, as they often presented opinion as fact and failed to meet UK nutritional criteria.” This alarming statement emphasises the reality of the dangers of spreading what ultimately is false information

According to the University of Glasgow, only one in nine leading UK bloggers with content focusing on weight management provides correct information. ”

and looking through the lens of stylish vegan recipes and Pinterest boards; it is challenging to uncover what is true and what is false. Especially when clean eating has become such an astounding craze, despite studies exposing its risks, it still engulfs every corner of the internet, feeding into people’s algorithms. The perils of a clean eating diet have negatively affected many bloggers who have been avid figures in this trend. In 2014 Jordan Younger began to notice the harmful effects of a clean eating diet; after being on a restrictive raw vegan diet for a period, her hair was starting to fall out in clumps, and her periods had stopped. Even her skin began to develop an orange tinge due to eating so many sweet potatoes and carrots. After getting psychological help, it was evident that Young was suffering from ortho-

rexia, only allowing herself to eat certain foods. During her recovery, she wrote a blog post titled ‘Why I’m Transitioning Away from Veganism.’ After being a clean eating blogger for an extended amount of time, gaining over 70,000 followers and selling 40,000 copies of her very own $25, five-day “cleanse” programme; Young wanted to be honest with her many followers but received many disgruntled messages and even death threats after her explanation. Another blogger, Pixie Turner, who was as young as 20 years old, also developed orthorexia after beginning a clean eating diet after being told by a doctor her cholesterol was too high. Now a registered nutritionist, Turner felt that she was heavily influenced by social media to begin her diet, leading her to also become a health influencer. Turn-

The perils of a clean eating diet have negatively affected many bloggers who have been avid figures in the trend.”

er states: “The goal was peak physical health, at the complete expense of my mental health and my social life.” As she began to study for a degree in nutrition, Turner realised that there needed to be a change. Gradually replacing her clean eating content with evidence of nutrition claims; she wanted to correct her previous statements, even writing a blog post titled ‘I was wrong, and that’s ok.’

It’s always so easy to believe that what we see on social media is the truth. Again we are given examples that we never know the whole story behind closed doors and that many social media influencers are not trained nutritionists. They are sometimes presenting opinions as truth.

Ultimately, it is important to always look for professional advice with matters concerning your overall health and wellbeing.

If you believe you are struggling with thoughts concerning food or an eating disorder, please contact: Beat Helpline for Wales- 0808 801 0433 Beat Email for WalesWaleshelp@beateatingdisorders.org.uk

The majority of [food] blogs could not be considered credible sources of weight management information, as they often presented opinion as fact and failed to meet criteria.”

How the Scottish ‘not proven’ verdict impacts sexual assult survivors

Scotland has three possible verdicts within their legal system: guilty, not guilty and not proven. A ‘Not Proven’ verdict will apply when a jury is not convinced that there is enough evidence to convict yet believe that there is proof the defendant is not completely innocent. This essentially means that there are two possible ways an accused party can walk free, compared to one option to convict guilty. Rape Crisis Scotland states this third verdict as ‘having the same impact’ [as a not guilty verdict].

Almost a quarter of rape cases in Scotland are given this verdict and is believed to directly contribute to the lower prosecution and conviction rates of rape cases. According to Rape Crisis Scotland, who are campaigning for an end to the Not Proven verdict, in 2016/17 only 39% of rape and attempted rape cases resulted in convictions, the lowest type for any crime – 30% of acquittals were not proven. This verdict has been known to cause enormous distress for survivor of rape,

who feel like they have been severely let down, that their experience and trauma was diminished and left without any protection. Miss M, was a student at St Andrew’s University, and alleges she was raped when she was too drunk to consent during fresher’s week, in 2013. She received the ‘Not Proven’ verdict and her alleged attacker was released and cleared of all charges. She has since won a civil court case for damages against him in 2018. Miss M fears that a ‘not proven verdict means that those who

are raped are left without justice and those who rape face no consequence, no sanction for their actions’ and believes the Scottish Government should scrap not proven for good. ‘J’, another survivor of rape, states that ‘it takes months, possibly years to digest and understand’ such an outcome. Many victims believe that they would not have put their selves through the anxiety and strain of the courtroom and reporting process had they known that this would’ve been the outcome. There are many more ac-

The problem with extreme anti-male feminism

Vicky Witts Head of Comment

According to the Young Women’s Trust charity, more than two thirds (67%) of women aged between 18 and 24 in the UK identified themselves as feminist as of 2019. This is a 60% increase from the reports of 2018, showing that feminism and the goal of gender equality is quickly on the rise in the UK.

However, as this new wave of feminism is encouraging passionate feelings towards gender equality and female empowerment, and uncommon yet damaging side-effect has been growing hostility towards men without any reason or purpose.

By its definition, feminism is a movement to reach equality for all genders, but this meaning is occassionally being overshadowed by just pure anger, and a suggestion that feminism is a movement towards the superiority of women, rather than its true meaning of equality.

Whilst perhaps it seems almost damaging and counterproductive to bring the concerns of men into talks of feminism and the rights of women, anti-male feminism is having damaging affects on those who are wrongly accused or attacked by people drawing the wrong meaning of feminism.

counts from rape survivors campaigning for the end of this verdict on Rape Crisis Scotland’s website. Rape Crisis Scotland isn’t the only big organisation calling to end this outcome; Scottish Women’s Aid believe that ‘not proven is not justice’, Zero Tolerance states that ‘the verdict is deeply frustrating… and does not provide closure’ and Egender feels that this limits rape victims access to justice and that ‘Scotland needs a justice system rape survivors can have confidence in’. William McIntyre, a Scottish defence lawyer, has stated that the main reason the verdict remains a viable option is because of a ‘rule of evidence which says that evidence of a crime must be corroborated’. Imagine how it would feel to know that the majority of the jury believed you were raped, but there wasn’t enough evidence? If the third verdict is to remain an option, shouldn’t there be a fourth verdict added describing the idea that the fact that they think he is guilty should be recognised and has some weight added to it?

If you have been affected by any of the issues featured, please contact: https://rapecrisis.org.uk/ https://www.south-wales.police.uk/

Most recently, this has become highlighted within the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp trial currently bombarding the internet. Regardless of the truth behind the allegations of the case, people have been quick to take sides, as is frequently the case in domestic trials with celebrities. However, it was a recent Vogue article on the matter which brings attention to the issue of anti-male, or rather, extremely pro-female feminism. In her opinion piece on the case, Raven Smith condemns those who have been quick to side with Johnny Depp, stating that “It’s time to draw a line. It’s time to believe women- all women”. In its sentiment, this statement is not neccessarily shocking, as there has been a push within feminism to put an end to victim blaming and sexism within cases of domestic abuse and violence. However, the concept of believing “all women” not only acts to highten the unjust aggression towards men for simply existing, but it also subverts everything that feminism is supposed to be about. By encouraging the view that women are the only ones to be believed, feminism is slowly losing its meaning, and becoming an excuse to attack men.

As highlighted in a Morning Consult poll, 57% of US adults are as concerned for young women and harrassment as they are for false accusations towards men. Anti-male feminism can have damaging consequences, and it is thus important that feminism does not simply become an anti-male movement.

57% of US adults are as concerned for young women and harrassment as they are for false accusations towards men.”

Trigger warning: mentions of sexual assult and violence

SYLWADAU 23

Damaging opinions: Much the dieting ‘advice’ found online lacks factual support. Source: Marco Verch Professional Photographer (via Flickr) Not proven verdict: Society initiation rituals have gotten so extreme that some have ended in tragic incidents. Source: wp paarz (via flickr) Eirian Jones Comment Editor

24 COMMENT

How YouTube removing dislikes affects users

Helen Davies Contributor

In November 2021, YouTube, known as the second most-used platform online announced that the dislike button would remain, but the number count would be private. The platform says it’s made the change to protect users from “dislike bombing” and to reduce “stress and embarrassment” for creators.

The company announced this move through a blog post, stating “To ensure that YouTube promotes respectful interactions between viewers and creators, we introduced several features and policies to improve their experience”.

Creators will still be able to find their exact dislike counts in YouTube Studio, along with other existing metrics, if they would like to understand how their content is performing.

According to rapper Kenzo Jae, this change “Will discourage a lot of trolling and a lot of mean-spirited people on the internet that want to try to put down other people’s creative work”.

Kenzo Jae, the 18-year-old uni student, promotes his music on YouTube to his 200 subscribers. He strongly believes that removing the dislike button will not only discourage trolls but improve creators’ mental health “You might put your heart and soul into something and then it doesn’t come out the way you want it to with likes or dislikes - that can be disheartening,” he shares.

YouTube tested out hiding the dislike total from users earlier this year and says it’s been shown to reduce coordinated attacks by online trolls who work together to rack up huge dislike tallies on people’s content. However, many users have said they’ll miss the dislike totals including Chris Burton. He said he’ll miss the totals as they “can be really helpful for users to avoid clickbait. A lot of the time, you can’t trust the title or thumbnail. If you see a tutorial video and it’s got almost all dislikes, you know it’s not going to help you.”

Chris says it “certainly gets rid of the bullying aspect” of “dislike bombing”, but adds: “I don’t think that’s the way 99% of people use the dislike button.” YouTube added it heard from small creators that they felt unfairly targeted to increase the number of dislikes. Creators of the videos will still have access to view their exact dislike count, which will allow creators to determine how they perform and improve. However, whether this new move will be beneficial is yet to be seen.

The platform says it’s made the change to protect users from ‘dislike bombing’ and to reduce ‘stress and embarrassment for creators.”

The inaccessibility of the theatre industry

Why is the theatre still considered to be a limited pastime for the wealthy?

Catarina Pinto Vicente Comment Editor

Nowadays, the stereotype that theater and musicals are pastimes for the wealthy upper-class remains – and many aspects of the industry keep it this way. Considering how popular theater, specifically musicals, are, it is shocking that it remains inaccessible in so many ways – and worrying when considering the future of the industry.

The one aspect most discussed is theater’s financial inaccessibility. On average, musical tickets in the UK range from £1,500 to £13 – much higher in more popular or new productions. The cheaper options come with serious downgrades, such as uncomfortable or awkward placement of seating, which can altogether ruin the experience. Even the new, luck-based methods of getting tickets – such as the Rush or the Lottery – end up being stressful and time-consuming. For theatergoers without the financial means, or the time for queues and lotteries, this means either shelling out for uncomfortable seats in more frequent performances or saving up for better seating but fewer shows.

There’s also inaccessibility based on location; as the UK epicenter of theater, London airs the latest and most popular plays – at the highest prices. The added expenses of transportation make it impossible for

Experts in the industry theorize that a cut in ticket prices could make musicals a more common part of average people’s lives’”.

Inaccessible enjoyment: The theatre has been accused of failing to cater for people with disabilities and lower financial statuses. Source: Jimmy Baikovicius (via Flickr)

many to attend.

Another aspect that has been gathering more attention is accessibility for disabled theatergoers. As most theaters are quite old, their architecture does not accommodate deaf and disabled people. The ones that do have these provisions are quite restricted, with limited or more expensive seating for wheelchairs or reduced number of headsets for deaf attendees (that tend to require a deposit). Many of these accessible facilities are being constructed in London, which adds to the financial cost for theater lovers that live further from the capital. There has been a surge in disabled performers and performances surrounding disabled

experience – so why isn’t the same care being shown for disabled members of the audience?

Theater is an unusual economy, catering to a greater range of people than most industries, with performances that are costly to support. But the reason for rising ticket prices and lack of accessible facilities isn’t the costs, but rather the chance of gain or loss in profit for shareholders.

But this inaccessibility has already shown its impact within audiences – the average theatergoer is white, middle-aged, and college-educated. Theater has ceased to be a regular part of everyday life, the way it used to be like the cinema.

Experts in the industry theorize that a cut in ticket prices could make musicals a more common part of average people’s lives. But to truly make theater a more common pastime, we need to look at the different ways it is excluding other groups, not just financially. Theater, once considered one of the most democratic and common forms of public art, is nowadays only associated with privilege and wealth. Public art is considered a right, with most museums and exhibitions creating free days to drive up turnout and allow free public access of culture. So why is theater the exception?

Do falling subscriber figures spell the end for Netflix?

Pui Kuan Cheah Contributor

Hot off the press comes news of Netflix’s falling subscriber counts and shares. However, to many who have kept a watchful eye on the conglomeration of Netflix as a streaming powerhouse over the past decade, this news may not be all that surprising. With constant reports of increasing subscription prices, addition of ads to the platform, and complaints from subscribers of lackluster content, is the streaming reign of Netflix coming to an end?

Market research firm Kantar, as reported by the BBC, found that in Q1 2022 over 500,000 cancellations –or 38% of households studied – were made for subscription services in the UK. Branching out of the UK, Netflix themselves expect to lose approximately 2.2 million subscribers in the first half of 2022 worldwide. These worrying figures generated uncertainty in Netflix’s future, resulting in a tumble in shares this April. Relying almost entirely on subscription fees for revenue, they are approaching dangerous territory.

Falling subscribers: Many are concerned that membership cancellations are indicating Netflix’s end. Source: amrothman (via Pixabay)

Netflix’s unique selling point was once simply being a streaming service; a onestop for all things film and TV. However, with the saturation of the streaming sector, Netflix’s impact has become watered down. This forces them to do everything they can to attract new customers, or convince the older ones to stay. While spoilt for choice, it is unlikely the majority of consumers will subscribe to all streaming platforms, leading them to pick and choose.

The most stark approach to this would be focusing on content, given its critical role in consumers subscribing to certain platforms and not others. Indeed, Netflix decided to push content quantity in 2021, publicising new original films released every week in the year. However, as we sit with these discouraging reports now, this may not have been the best strategy. While increasing the amount may mean people tune in more often, it’s

not guaranteed to make them stay –especially if they aren’t continuously invested in the new releases. Content longevity is of grave importance too. Disney+ attracts customers due to its famed Disney catalogue of films and shows that people have grown to love. Netflix somewhat achieves this with their crowd favourites, in the past this was House of Cards (6 seasons) and Orange Is the New Black (7 seasons), and now we have the likes of Bridgerton and Stranger Things. Nonetheless, it is now almost unheard of for a Netflix series to go on for nearly as many seasons as the first two mentioned did. Seasons have also gotten shorter. With Netflix’s binge-watching model, audiences tune in for hours at a time and quickly finish shows, and may then be deincentivised from keeping their subscriptions for the long run. However, Netflix needs to carefully consider their next steps.

Netflix’s unique selling point was once simply being a streaming service; a onestop for all things film and TV.”

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26 ADVICE

ADVICE

How to keep on top of your final assignments

With the end of the year fast approaching, its important to maintain your productivity

The Easter holidays have come to an end and exam season is finally upon us. We find ourselves on the final stretch of the academic year before we get to enjoy our well-deserved Summer. However, it’s beyond vital to keep up the morale in these last few weeks.

Whether it’s revising for exams or finishing off those end-of-year assignments, it’s important to maintain the same level of productivity and output that we’ve been achieving all year; this final push of effort may be the difference between a 2:1 and a 1st.

This article details how you can stay on top of your assignments this semester, without burning yourself out.

The most important piece of advice to take with you into exam season is simple: plan your work. Start by finding your exam timetable or the due dates for your final assignments, and put them in your calendar. You now have key time points in which to plan your working week around.

Split your work into however many sections you see fit. For instance, you could dedicate a whole day each week to one module, or you could split your day up into dif -

We find ourselves on the final stretch of the academic year before we get to enjoy our well-deserved Summer."

ferent sections of content to keep some variety. Whichever you decide, write it down.

Plan your weeks in advance on paper to know exactly what you’re doing every day. This way, you stay on task, and you’re much less tempted to take a day off to sunbathe in Butealthough that isn’t an entirely bad use of your time.

Now you’ve formed a timetable for your work, it’s time to actually do it (which is unfortunate for most).

Personalised revision methods are beyond important in achieving the desired outcome of your exam season. Flashcards and sticky notes are your best friends when it comes

to remembering quick facts like dates, names and theories. For digital learners, applications like Quizlet work in the same way. Remember: repetition is key!

If your degree is piled high with essay work, or you have a dissertation to finish off, the Pomodoro Technique helps you to manage the time you have. Breaking your workday into 25-minute chunks with 5-minute breaks helps to lighten your load and lower your stress, thus changing your attitude toward your coursework.

There are countless other revision methods out there, so take some time to find what works for you and

There are countless other revision methods out there, so take some time to find what works for you and it will help you out in the long-run."

it will help you out in the long-run.

A final thing to remember as we step into exam season is the importance of taking breaks and rewarding your achievements.

Without these, academic burnout is very likely, and this will throw you off your game even after all of those hours spent working.

Block out an afternoon every week to chill out and spend quality time with friends. Whether its going for a chatty coffee date or getting ready for a night out at YOLO, this time is yours to spend however you wish, without needing to think about your degree.

Celebratory events should also be factored into your timetable to reward your hard work and provide a goal to work toward.

Exam season is such a stressful time for all students, and we deserve to get some recognition for what we do. That being said, the key thing to keep in mind is that if you get timetablin and keep your head down, and there is no doubt that you will reap the rewards later on.

That being said, the key thing to keep in mind is that if you get timetablin and keep your head down, and there is no doubt that you will reap the rewards later on."

Living with adult acne: a common challenge to mental wellbeing

For many, the persistence of acne after puberty can be an understandably isolating and frustrating experience

Ruth Hoey Adivce Editor

Living with adult acne is something which is rarely talked about in the Uni student community. But the fact is, it is something which many students find themselves facing, and commonly even, fearing.

It is safe to say that the majority of us have experienced the perils of acne at some point or other throughout our lives.

Most commonly it occurs during puberty, reflecting the hormonal imbalances which come part and parcel. However, whilst desperately hoping that your acne will disappear as soon as you turn 18, you may find that it continues to follow you into adulthood.

Research suggests that around 25% of men and 50% of women experience adult acne at some point in their adult lives. So it’s more common than you might initially think.

But then why does adult acne feel so isolating and frustrating?

body image. This may help you get everything off your chest and allow you to connect with someone about your feelings.

You are beautiful

Acne has no bearing on beauty. You are your own biggest critic and a lot harsher on yourself than others are criticising you.

Practising daily affirmations and reminding yourself of your worth and value daily can help you overcome negative feelings surrounding how your acne looks.

Research suggests that around 25% of men and 50% of women experience adult acne at some point in their adult lives. So it’s more common than you might initially think."

It can also be embarrassing when it feels like you are stuck dealing with something so closely associated with puberty and teenage years.

It can feel like you are waiting for your skin to move out of this stage only for it to keep going on and on.

Some people are blessed with glowing, acne free skin no matter what they do. They swear that their skin-care routine simply involves splashing water at their face with a bar of Tesco’s finest soap. This can be infuriating when you compare it to the 33-step, twice daily, routine you have been following to no avail.

The common 'trap'

It’s tempting to splash out on product after product which claims to be the magical cure to all acne. And we are bombarded with these everywhere we turn.

From adverts promising miracle serums to influencer skin-care rou -

tines which involve £100 moisturizers which they swear by.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure some of these products are very beneficial, but it may be hurting your bank account a little too much to be experimenting with all the different skincare brands!

What can you do?

I recommend that you consult with a dermatologist. They can help you discover how to manage your acne or even just to learn how to best look after your skin. Alongside this, I would recommend that you speak to your GP about any concerns you have.

Adult acne is completely normal

Whilst acne can sometimes be linked to underlying health conditions (which you should rule out by visiting your doctor) it can also just be normal hormonal imbalances. Keep this in mind to help you deal with negative thoughts towards your body image. You are not alone

The stats alone demonstrate that there are so many people out there experiencing what you are going through. Reach out to a family member or friend. Talk to someone if you are feeling down or experiencing negative emotions linked to your

Living with adult acne can be challenging. However alone you may feel, however, it is important to remember that you are not. Far from it in fact! As a common experience facing many people, it is not something that you should be embarrassed about!

Additionally, as new medical research continues to be published, we are learning more and more about how we can treat adult acne. With this in mind, there is hope that, in the future, new and effective treatments will become avaliable to deal with adult acne.

Additionally, as new medical research continues to be published, we are learning more and more about how we can treat adult acne."

Alice Moore Contributor Harriet Lowbridge Megan Shinner Ruth Hoey advice@gairrhydd.com 'Crunchtime': With the pressure that this upcoming period can bring, it is critical to keep yourself motivated. Source: JESHOOTS-com (via Pixabay) Adult Acne: Despite how it may feel, living with adult acne is a far more common than most people think and, as such, you are not alone in your experiences. Source: ILO Asia-Pacific (via Flickr) The stats alone demonstrate that there are so many people out there experiencing what you are going through."

Musings with Megan Advice Column

Making the most of the summertime

A

few ways to rest, relax and recouperate over the next few months

This will not only be a huge reward after you’ve finished all your work – but it’ll keep you motivated to get through it.

It’s finally happened! The clocks have moved forward, and your days no longer end at 5 pm when the streetlights come on so much earlier than you anticipated. You no longer have to make the morning lecture walk in the dark, and you can finally start leaving your raincoat at home.

The summer season is upon us, and every day is inching closer to those stress-free and warm evenings sat in Bute Park where time simply stops ticking. Whether you’ll be returning to university in September or heading out into the world of work at some point in the next few months, you’ll hopefully have a few weeks to take a break from studying this summertime. Whether you’re clueless and have no plans for your weeks off or you’ve got a few trips scheduled already, here are a few ways in which you can make the most of your Summertime.

Planning something exciting

Especially whilst trying to survive exam season and coursework deadlines, it is really important to have something to look forward to in order to keep you motivated. This doesn’t have to be a holiday abroad, although this may be just what you need after you’ve sent your dissertation off! You could book a weekend staycation somewhere, theatre or concert tickets, or simply an evening down the beach with your friends from home.

If you’ve planned one thing and you enjoy it, you’re more likely to start scheduling other things on top of this too. If you need to push out of your comfort zone – starting small with one event is a great way to go.

Try something new

There is never a better time to try something new than now! University covers a strange middle ground between childhood and adulthood where you get all the responsibility of an adult, but you still have lots of free time as you did in your childhood. In this free time, it's best to try something you’ve always wanted to do or something that you will never get the chance to do again.

Lots of work-abroad opportunities are restricted to university students or recent graduates too, so the chance to jump straight out of your comfort zone is running out. Also, your current friends are most likely to change when you start working or move back to different ends of the country or all around the world. Make most of the people you have around you now, and make as many memories with them as possible.

Embrace schedule-free life

This may seem like an obvious one – but most of you will be living a structure-free life for the next few months. Enjoy some extra long lieins and super late nights. Be spontaneous and see where the day may take you. The education system is one of the best systems out there in terms of lengthy periods of time off. I would definitely recommend making the most of it while you can.

Arrange some downtime

Sometimes we feel obligated to have some sort of awesome story of something you did abroad over the summer to tell our friends back at Uni. However, this is not true. Whether you want to go traveling for two months or stay in your hometown and save up for next year – both options are completely valid. However, one thing we all need to maintain is our well-being. Make sure you take some downtime for yourself and prioritise the little things like cleaning, reading, journaling, and quite simply maintaining those meaningful conversations with our loved ones.

If all you need this summer is to relax in your back garden with a good book you’ve been wanting to read for the longest time or binging that Netflix series you’ve been so excited to see – then that sounds like a great summer to me.

Make the most of a quiet Cardiff

Particularly if you are a master's or Ph.D. student, you’ll be facing your third semester during the summer months. However, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Take advantage of the fact that there will be minimal students around Cardiff.

You’ll have a lot more library and café study spaces, shorter wait times for books you’d like to loan, and the town centre in the evening will be relatively quieter.

Some of the best times to be in Cardiff are early July and early September as they are the few weeks before the holidays arrive or the term starts again for another academic year. Cardiff seems a lot more personal at these times, and I would definitely recommend making the most of your favourite places before they begin to fill up again.

Successfully managing your 'Work-Life' balance

Yashaswi Kochar Contributor

Work Life Balance are three words with increasing importance and understanding each day. Having a work life balance means having limited work related stress and finding healthy ways to work that support health and well being.

There is no rule that a work life balance has to be 50-50, it could be 6040, 70-30 or even 90-10 as long as you know when your work life balance is healthy or unhealthy.

There has been a work life balance that was earlier maintained when people were regularly going to work. However, now with online meetings and work from home the very thread of work life balance is flimsy at best. It is important to have a healthy work life balance where you are feeling content in both work and leisure activities. It is definitely easy and sometimes unconscious that we are constantly engaged in work so much that we forget to have clear boundaries. It is of utmost importance to remain fulfilled and productive which can be achieved easily by a healthy work life balance.

You might think as to how to exactly achieve this balance?. Well fret not I have a few tips for you:

The first and biggest tip that helps is to unplug yourself after a long day of work. Turn off your email notifications, try to stay away from your work laptop. This will also equip you to better enjoy ‘the moment’.

Particularly if you are a master's or Ph.D. student, you’ll be facing your third semester during the summer months."

Reflect and plan ahead

We all know too well that all great things must come to an end. You’ll be having so much fun in your freedom and the next year will creep up on you before you know it. However, this may not be seen as a bad thing for you.

Having this break will give us a chance to reflect on our achievements this year and what mistakes we made that we want to avoid if the opportunity would ever present itself again. Maybe you have a dissertation topic that could do with some attention or a summer reading task ready for the new term?

The last thing we want is to allow the stress of next term to start accumulating before we’ve even had a chance to relax. It may be a good idea to start planning some time to focus on some important tasks that we need to get done before September. Although, remember to not let this fact distract from your time off. Make sure you’re only planning an hour a week or give a day per month to get some tasks out of the way.

I hope this gives you a few ideas on what you can fill your summer with. This is the first summer where we’ll have a real sense of normality back and I bet you can’t wait to get stuck back into your pre-pandemic lifestyles. It’s time for a well-earned break! No matter what you do – I hope you get the downtime and adventures you needed to mark the end of another academic year.

Alongside this, it is also important to connect with nature. Simplifying going out for a walk, sitting in the garden, or even getting some fresh air with an outdoor workout can be extremely beneficial for your mental health. Many people neglect this, but an hour or so every day can go a long way for you.

This leads into another key thing to remember; breaking the monotony of everyday life with fun activities that push you outside of your comfort zone. Sticking to a routine all the time may feel like a positive and reassuring experience, but this lack of flexibility can potentially be damaging to your mental health.

Whatever you choose to do, it is important to remember that asking for help is always okay.

We all like to think of ourselves as superheroes and believe that we always need to have everything together but that does not always have to be the case. If you feel overwhelmed by work, ask a colleague or friend for help or advice. It is also crucial to know your own limits to avoid facing easily avoidable challenges.

You can also achieve a better work life balance by working smart. Make sure to allocate specific time to each task, take regular breaks and regularly review your workload to better organise and be aware of deadlines.

I hope that these tips will help you to re-evaluate your work-life balance, making you more aware of the ways that this balance is central to your mental health.

We all like to think of ourselves as superheroes and believe that we always need to have everything together but that does not always have to be the case."

CYNGOR 27

Megan Shinner Advice Editor The Summertime: As your time at university slowly draws to a close, the upcoming summer holidays are the perfect time to relax and even get back to nature with some help from close friends and family members. Source: petig (via Pixabay) The summer season is upon us, and every day is inching closer to those stress-free and warm evenings sat in Bute Park where time simply stops

28 ADVICE

How to make the most of the 2022 summer holidays

Francesca Ionescu Contributor

The University year always seems to end a lot sooner than any other stage of education, leaving every summer endlessly long if you have nothing planned. With exam season around the corner, and graduation getting nearer for many of us, the question is how will you fill the next three months before the next academic year?

Of course, if this year is your final year in higher education there is no pressure to end your summer plans in September- you have no deadline for starting the rest of your life!

This summer can be a time for the things you haven’t been able to do while studying, most notoriously travel, seeing different places, especially if you are not yet sure where you would like to settle and work for a while.

Budgeting

Even in the UK there are plenty of places that you might never have thought of seeing, which you can easily get to on a budget. Talking about budgeting, while it is tempting to use these months for rest only, summers are the best time to start looking for experience, or just doing side jobs.

Finding work or internships

Getting an internship in your chosen field is amazing and a good career move, but there is nothing wrong with being a barista or a chef for a while, supporting yourself while you still figure it out.

Most internships will provide helpful experience, but it is impossible to ignore the elephant in the room: they are often unpaid, and unless back home is a big city, might even require you to commute or work remotely. So “normal” jobs will suffice and might even teach you skills that you never thought would help you in a professional field.

You can use the next few months to network, get involved with local branches relating to your career plans, attend events and volunteer!

Almost every path will have a way to get involved without throwing yourself fully in, such as doing surveys in the field, attending talks and seminars, as well as taking extra courses.

Rest and relaxation

It seems taboo to mention it, but for some, moving back home is not a time of rest and peace, and that is something to work around when making the most of being home. Don’t compare your way of living with others: your friends might be working and travelling, but that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong by just making sure you leave as soon as you can. It can be tough to return, to be in your childhood bedroom while trying to figure out your adulthood and how to navigate it, but everyone will be in similar boats, if not the same boat.

Life is unpredictable, so make every plan knowing that you might change and grow around it, find out things that now might seem terrifying but will naturally shape you.

Most importantly, don’t get swept up in having to commit fully to one type of summer, let yourself rest, and work and travel, because your life is just beginning, you’re allowed a break before it!

Preparing for and dealing with difficult decisions Megan Shinner offers up some helpful advice on dealing with tough choices ‘head on’

Megan Shinner Advice Editor

There are many occasions in our lives when we must make decisions. Whether that be small things like deciding on your ice-cream flavour, or the much bigger decisions like picking which university you want to go to. When it comes to these bigger decisions, it can take a long time to settle on a decision that you think suits you best or which option would benefit your future the most. Here are some tips for what is most important for you to consider when making significant choices in your life.

Will you regret it?

This is probably one of the immediate questions you’ll ask yourself once you’ve felt any sort of doubt about an opportunity you’ve been offered. Will I regret going? Will I regret NOT going? Will I regret spending the money that I could put towards something that right now seems more important? The truth is, we’ll never really know if we’ll truly regret something or not as we, unfortunately, don’t have the ability to look into the future. However, you can focus on the facts and feelings around you and decide based on your definite circumstances. Maybe you’re really excited about this opportunity, it’s not going to have a detrimental financial impact and you have the time to go – then maybe it’s the best thing for you right now. Or, if you’re going to sacrifice too many other things that will make you regret going, then maybe it’s best to give it a miss.

When it comes to these bigger decisions, it can take a long time to settle on a decision that you think suits you best.”

Does it fit with your current plan?

When a decision regarding career changes, developments, or financial fluctuations arises, it can be particularly difficult when deciding what is best.

The job may have a better title, but the salary isn’t great. You may have been offered a position you’ve been working towards for a while, but it’s just too far away to move to. Sometimes new opportunities aren’t always a good thing and can present more interferences than conveniences. Just because you are presented with an opportunity, it does not mean you have to take it. Remember you always have a choice.

Someone giving you an opportunity won’t often be able to consider all the external factors that change. No mat-

ter what side of the decision you lie on – never feel guilty for it. As long as you’ve acted in your best interest, then there is nothing more you can do. Is it best for your wellbeing?

At the end of the day, we must do what is best for our well-being. If you don’t believe your mental capacity can take this opportunity right now –that’s perfectly okay, and no justification is needed beyond this point. You are the only person who will be able to fully understand what’s going on in your head. Therefore, it’s essential that you listen. Maybe there will be a time in the future when you will be ready to make a certain change in your life, or maybe there won’t be. If you are prioritising your well-being and acting in your best interest – you have made a good decision. Not a selfish, silly, or

unthoughtful one. But the one perfect for you.

If you are still conflicted, just remember that every situation in life and every decision you’ll have to make will have pros and cons. You will never fully settle on a decision, but you can do what’s best for you at that moment. The best piece of advice I was ever given was; “whatever decision you make in this moment will always be the right one”. Everything happens for a reason, and your decision, whatever that may be, will always be the right one.

Everything happens for a reason, and your decision, whatever that may be, will always be the right one.”

‘Extroverts vs Introverts’: a battle of personality types

Ruth Hoey considers if the binary between ‘Introverts’ and ‘Extroverts’ is inaccurate

Ruth Hoey Advice Editor

We hear a lot about extroversion vs introversion. From Myers-Briggs to enneagram, there are a multitude of tests out there to tell you if you are an extrovert or introvert.By definition, an extrovert is, “an energetic person who enjoys being with other people”. By contrast, an introvert is, “someone who is shy, quiet and prefers to spend time alone”. These definitions show the main difference in these personalities. Extroverts get their energy from being around other people. Introverts need time to recharge by themselves.

Most people will fall into one of these categories. Most likely you have done all the online tests to find out which one you are. Another likely scenario is that you just know which one applies to you based on how you feel when you are by yourself vs with other people.

Both of these personality types are valid and very normal. The first study carried out on these personality types in 1988 concluded that in the USA

50.7% of people were introverts and 49.3% were extroverts. So it’s pretty evenly balanced.

Most people will fall into one of these categories. Most likely you have done all the online tests to find out which one you are.”

However, there is a predominant cultural opinion that one of these personality types is superior to the other:

Extroversion

Extroversion is seen as the “better” personality type to have. This is for a number of reasons: They are seen to be ‘more fun’ at parties. They tend to be more outgoing. Extroverts can be easier to talk to in the beginning as they are often more comfortable around strangers. They can be more likely to want to

spend more time hanging out with other people.

They are good at expressing themselves.The list goes on.

This has come at a great cost for the reputation of introversion. There are numerous articles trying to teach introverts how to “be more extroverted”. Introverts are commonly called “too quiet” or too “boring”.

I would argue that this is not the case. There are many typical ‘introverted’ qualities which give them a strong position in the personality battle.

there is a predominant cultural opinion that one of these personality types is superior to the other.”

Introversion

Introverts, in contrast to extroverts, tend to be:

Better at reflecting internally on themselves and their surroundings. More adept at listening and understanding others.

Find it easier to form deep, personal relationships.

This list, again, could go on and on. However, what if there didn’t have to be this hierarchy? What if we were able to see that there are strengths and weaknesses to both personality types. In fact, the two types balance each other quite well.And just to add more confusion, the binary assumption that everyone is an introvert or an extrovert is quite dubious in itself. Most people sit on a scale of finding energy from spending time alone and being around friends and other people. Most people also have a range of qualities from reflectiveness to being outgoing. Everyone’s personality is unique. Therefore, personalities cannot be contained into these incredibly broad categories.

Personally, I think we need to shift our attention away from this perpetual and impossible “battle” of the personality types and focus on finding balance and learning to be as welcoming and accepting to all personalities; introverted or extroverted.

Difficult decisions: Throughout our lives, we are often confronted with tough choices, so it is important to remember to take your time and consider your approach to dealing with them. Source: FlitsArt (via Pixabay) A battle of personalities: There is a lot of focus on the binary between these two personality types. Source: stevepb (via Pixabay)

Iris Knapman

Caz Love review@gairrhydd.com

Atreya Mukerjee Review

Editor

I’ve often looked for articles about the best day trips from Cardiff, and can’t believe that none of them ever mentioned this beautiful hidden gem, just an hour away from the city.

A little tired of my mundane schedule, I was zooming into places that Google Maps showed me on my phone, and that’s when I read ‘Ogmore Castle’. Intrigued, I looked it up and was on a train to Bridgend from Cardiff Central the very next day. Apart from figuring out the route and seeing a couple of photographs online, I didn’t quite know what to expect out of this site, but I was excited.

‘Boiling Point’ - “the chaotic reality of life in hospitality”

Caz Love offers her thoughts on Phillip Barantini’s critically-acclaimed ‘one-shot’ drama

Caz Love Review Editor

Within 92 minutes, Boiling Point encapsulates the chaotic reality of life in hospitality. The one-shot take immerses the viewer into the harsh experience of a stressful shift in a busy London restaurant.

In the opening minutes, the head chef Andy Jones, played by Stephen Graham, is shown to be on the verge of buckling from home life pressures mixed with financial troubles. The director, Philip Barantini, having worked in the industry himself, allows the audience to see first-hand what goes on behind the scenes from the staff’s point of view.

The film depicts the head chef, Andy Jones, tackling a busy Friday night approaching Christmas. It starts relatively slowly but there is a looming sense of unease that continues to build throughout. Multiple crises start to boil, the surprise visit from a smug health and safety inspector belittles Andy, he nit-picks the minor infractions and reduces his rating.

After the meeting the disagreements between the staff start to unravel, rude customers begin to emerge, and they are told that a famous food critic will be attending

The one-shot take immerses the viewer into the harsh experience of a stressful shift in a busy London restaurant. ”

adding stress to an already challenging evening.

Throughout the film Andy’s ability to maintain his professionalism worsens. This results in the tasks of the head chef often falling on the sous chef Carly, played by Vinette Robinson. She is depicted as being overburdened by constantly having to make up for Andy’s wrongdoings whilst continuing to manage her own role.

There is an interesting disjointedness between the energy of the kitchen versus that of the front

of house. Everyone in the kitchen is seen to be busy and stressed whereas the staff out front are often shown joking around, chatting, and having fun.

The manager, despite the hectic nature of the night, is seen sitting and having drinks with customers and giving Andy ridiculous additional demands. The tension in the kitchen builds due to this disorganisation, depicting a conflict that is common within restaurants.

Stephen Graham’s performance is utterly compelling, his acting is so

There is an interesting disjointedness between the energy of the kitchen versus that of the front of house.”

convincing that at times it felt more like a documentary than a film. He fulfils the role of an absent father who is battling with alcoholism and addiction, which we discover with his incessant clutching of his water bottle. Interestingly, Barantini himself struggled with addiction and uses Andy’s character to depict the internal and external implications of it.

The cinematographer, Matthew Lewis, does an outstanding job at creating the seemingly effortless one-shot take. The camera weaves around the restaurant and picks up trails of different characters with immense fluidity.

Barantini directs an outstanding gritty British drama depicting a nightmare shift filled with the reallife pressures of hospitality work. The film has a barrelling momentum of tension that is felt by the viewer, allowing them to experience the harsh truths of such a world.

Overall, I would strongly recommend taking a look at ‘Boiling Point’ and immersing yourself in this chaotic and simultaneously exhilarating spectacle.

Barantini directs an outstanding gritty British drama depicting a nightmare shift filled with the real-life pressures of hospitality work.”

Ogmore-on-Sea - a “beautiful hidden gem”

The train journey lasts for roughly about 30-35 minutes, and the way to Ogmore Castle from there is via a direct bus that departs from the Bridgend bus station every hour.

It’s a mere six-seven-minute walk, which takes you through the heart of the town. It was just about noon, and the vibe all around was quite cheerful. If you’ve got some time in hand, I suggest some window shopping through the cobbled alleys.

The bus ride lasted for about 15 minutes, the best part being it drops you right outside the castle ruins! At first sight, the complex looks a little scanty, with just the structure of the castle ruins in the middle of a green patch, but as I walked closer, I realized I’d underestimated the place.

Dating back to the 12th century, the castle ruins are located next to

At first sight, the complex looks a little scanty, with just the structure of the castle ruins in the middle of a green patch, but as I walked closer, I realized I’d underestimated the place.”

a little stream of water, and all you see around you are flocks of sheep, horses, and an abundance of natural green beauty! I gave myself a pat on my back for having carried my camera, because this place is a photographer’s paradise and makes for a great site if you’re into photo walks. Another bonus, it doesn’t have too many visitors!

After you’re done exploring the castle, I suggest walking over to the stream and taking on the challenge to cross over to the other side by stepping on the stone-pathway. I managed to go half-way, but sheepishly ended up taking help from my friend to cross the latter half. It felt so thrilling, even though it was just a little stream.

I spent the rest of the time exploring around the green fields, befriending the beautiful horses, and taking lots of pictures. If you’re looking for something to eat or drink, you can stop by at The Pelican Inn, which is located opposite to the castle. The inn was shut during my visit, but I was okay without it, and would suggest you can probably

If you’re looking for something to eat or drink, you can stop by at The Pelican Inn, which is located opposite to the castle.”

“Dating back to the 12th century, the castle ruinds are located next to a little stream of water”: Credit:

bring some nibbles with you. Even better, carry your own picnic basket from home! However, make sure to carry trash bags with you, as you won’t find bins in the vicinity. I spent close to three hours here, and to put my experience into words, visiting Ogmore Castle was a much-needed breather and change from the hustle of Cardiff, especially for someone like me who lives in town.

The easy public transport accessibility is another reason why you should put this place on your bucket list. If you’ve got some more time, I recommend crossing the stream and walking for about four miles to the local beach, whilst passing through another ruin on the route.

Ogmore Castle has all the potential to become your sweet little nook every time you need to get away from the city and spend some time out in the countryside. As a scenic ‘escape’ that is only a few minutes from Cardiff city centre via train, I would thoroughly recommend taking the time to get handon with Welsh history by making your way down to this historic, 12th century landmark. Its a great chance of pace from city life!

Ogmore Castle has all the potential to become your sweet little nook every time you need to get away from the city and spend time in the calm.”

30 REVIEW

Atreya Mukerjee takes a trip our of Cardiff to explore the historic castle ruins south of Bridgend Ogmore

Castle,

REVIEW

“The cinematographer, Matthew Lewis, does an outstanding job at creating the seemingly effortless one-shot take”: Source: Tumisu (via Pixabay) “Apart from figuring out the route and seeing a few photographs online, I didn’t quite know what to expect”: Credit: Atreya Mukerjee Atreya Mukerjee

ADOLYGIAD 31

‘Inspirational Women in Business’ - “empowering”

Megan Shinner reads the second installment in the ‘Inspirational Women of the World’ series

Megan Shinner Advice Editor

Inspirational Women in Business is the second book in the Inspirational Women of the World series and is one huge success to come out of a global pandemic.

Released on 8th March 2022, care to note that being International Women’s Day, it reached the top spot for the best-selling book on Amazon in five categories: Small Business, Entrepreneurship, Business Consulting, Occupational Psychology, and Psychology Interactions. Even if one of these categories doesn’t strike an interest, there is a lot you can learn from this group of nineteen women that can be applied to your everyday life. It is definitely worth the read!

Dawn Evans and Tracey Smolinski assembled a community of severalthousand women via Facebook during the pandemic. All these women

here is a lot you can learn from this group of nineteen women that can be applied to your everyday life.”

have since revealed incredible life stories that they felt the world needed to hear. Following this discovery, the first book of the series, Inspirational Women of the World was released and also became a best-seller on release in November 2020. Upon the success of the first book, they have now produced a business-specific edition in collaboration with seventeen other fantastic women who have the chance to share their stories and inspire others around the world in their entrepreneurial journeys.

The standout and consistent element of this book that I really admired was the fact that it was real, and not in the sense that it is a non-fictional book. Nothing was sugar-coated and the hard-hitting elements of the journeys these women had been through were not excluded.

It was real in the sense that it was honest, and you can really understand what it takes to become successful. Sometimes, the little elements that come together to make the bigger picture what it is aren’t always pretty, easy, or straightforward for that matter!

Secondly, it’s encouraging to see that no matter what life throws at you, nothing is stopping you from achieving your dream as long as you have the right experience, mindset, and determination. Whether that be starting all over again in your mid40s or never properly fitting into the education system.

Some of the women in this book have experienced financial hardships, redundancy, family issues, and battles with physical and mental health conditions. However, one thing these women had in common was a dream and the right amount of motivation to get there, regardless of their multiple obstacles.

In a world where we have access to social media to constantly compare ourselves to others, it’s easy to be distracted and discouraged by our own goals.

One key piece of advice that I’d want anyone to take away from this book would be ‘If you want to be taken seriously you have to be serious about yourself’, (Kelly Monroe, Chapter 12).

No matter what you go through or who tries to get in your way, come back from it and prioritise yourself

Unlike other dance forms where men are expected to lead, Lindy is gender neutral, which means anyone can lead.”

and your goals. These women are proof that even when we all have different external circumstances, if you have a clear focus and take your dream and yourself seriously – there is no doubt that you will get there.

Any inspiring businessmen or women, entrepreneurs, or anyone looking to reading something empowering and motivational from any discipline – this is something you will want to read.

The women in this book, alongside their stories and advice, have something very valuable to share with the world.

I for one simply can’t wait to see what this group, the ‘Inspirational Women of the World community’, produces next.

The women in this book, alongside their stories and advice, have something very valuable to share with the world.”

Bo Burnham ‘Inside’ - “a modern masterpiece” Jack Robert Stacey gives his take on Bo Burnham’s experimental, lockdown comedy special

Jack Robert Stacey Editor-in-Chief

As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to force the film industry into new, inventive directions, it is perhaps more apparent than ever before that “the enemy of art”, as Orson Welles once stated, “is the absence of limitations”. The “limitations” that we’ve all faced as a result of COVID-19 are, in more ways than one, the key driving force behind ‘Bo Burnham: Inside’, a new Netflix special that I recently happened to stumble across. The film features a sporadic, almost random collection of songs, off-beat comedy segments and monologues written, performed, filmed and edited solely by the American comedian.

With its unorthodox narrative style and admittedly jarring tonal shifts, it would be difficult for me to label Inside as a conventional

With its unorthodox narrative style and admittedly jarring tonal shifts, it would be difficult for me to label Inside as a conventional ‘comedy special’ .”

‘comedy special’ because, as Burnham himself highlights, “there’s no audience and there’s no crew. It’s just, uh, me and my camera, and you and your screen”. Instead of this, Inside centres on Burnham’s experience turning 30 whilst alone during lockdown, following the impact of his isolated day-to-day life on his rapidly deteriorating mental health.

Inside is filmed entirely from within one room of Burnham’s cluttered, claustrophobic LA home and was created, Burnham admits, in the hopes that “this special can maybe do for you what it’s done for me these last couple months, which is, uh, to distract me from wanting to put a bullet into my head with a gun”.

Over its one hour and twenty-seven minute runtime, Inside engages with a variety of controversial and serious themes, including depression, climate change, the internet, the dominance of tech giants, and our loss of real, human relationships.

As a comedian who stopped performing live shows back in 2015 due to “severe panic attacks”, Burnham, as many critics have highlighted, is the perfect messenger for this bleak, deeply intimate message about the current state of the world and the inescapable power of the internet.

Credit: Netflix

‘Nerd

Varsity’ at Cardiff SU -

“a rollercoaster of

emotions”

Joseph Liu Contributor

The idea behind Cardiff Students’ Union’s Nerd Varsity is to raise money for charity, showcase a range of ‘geeky’ activities and encourage students to make friends with people from different societies.

This year was like any other, all of the contestants went through uphill battles and a rollercoaster of emotions. After last year, where the contest was held virtually, the organisers made every effort to bring the event back in a big way with virtual and in-person competitions.

There were three virtual challenges this year:

The first was a film submission where contestants were encouraged to pick a prompt and create a film based around that prompt. This gave everyone the chance to get creative and work together as actors, directors and even producers.

The next was a ‘dub submission’ where contestants were given three muted anime clips and were challenged to transform the scene with new, funny dialogue. Whilst it was very cheesy, everyone seemed to really enjoy the jokes that came from this challenge.

The last virtual challenge was a classic; a Minecraft Hunger games match. Contestants battled it out across a huge map where they had to scavenge the world to collect supplies and, more importantly, survive the other players! Alongside these virtual challenges, this year also featured ten in-person challenges:

Of these challenges, the highlight for me was the ‘Movie Fight’ challenge. Contestants were presented with a random, popular film franchise and had to summarise the plot in no more than 60 seconds. This was a close second to the Super Smash Brothers Ultimate tournament, a classic event that was familiar for those who came to ‘Nerd Varsity’ last year.

That’s not to say that it isn’t funny though, because it is. Inside masterfully balances its grounded, unorthodox style with a satirical and offbeat critique of modern life.

Burnham’s signature style of mixing social commentary with upbeat, expertly-produced songs shines through here. This is especially true in ‘Welcome to the Internet’ where Burnham assumes the role of ‘The Internet’, a vaudeville-esque villain set on enticing us with the “mountains of content” available online. Initially drawing us in on the “million different ways to engage”, the song takes a dark and sudden twist with Burnham presenting “a tip for straining pasta” alongside “a nineyear-old who died”.

Even the confession that “it was always the plan to put the world in your hand”, strikes an all-too-familiar chord for all of us (myself included) who consistently fallen down the “insatiable” content consuming ‘rabbit-hole’ that the internet presents.

My only criticism of Inside is that, as a result of the film’s rather sudden changes in tone, a few of Burnham’s comedy segments occasionally feel like throwaway gags meant to padout the film’s runtime. These short

as a result of the film’s rather sudden changes in tone, a few of Burnham’s comedy segments occasionally feel like throwaway gags.”

interjections were the probably weakest part of the film for me, but considering how consistently Burnham’s social commentary held my attention throughout every other section, this was only a relatively minor issue.

All in all though, Inside is by far one of the best pieces of ‘lockdown art’ that I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing so far and, to his testament, is undoubtedly Burnham’s most rewatchable comedy special to-date – Bo Burnham’s other specials include, ‘Words, Words, Words’ (2010 – Paramount+ and Prime Video), ‘What.’ (2013 – Netflix), and ‘Make Happy’ (2016 – Netflix).

All in all though, Inside is by far one of the best pieces of ‘lockdown art’ that I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing so far.”

There were a few other events which were particularly memorable, including a lightsaber tournament and quidditch tournament. Both of these events were a little more active than the last few, giving everyone the chance to get a little more competitive with one another. Whilst there were a few injuries along the way, these events were very different from the others and added some more variety to the overall experience - something that I imagine everyone really appreciated.

As ‘Nerd Varsity’ drew to a close, there were a few final events that caught my attention. One of which was a Harry Potter-inspired potion making competition. Teams had access to a range of pre-bought ingredients like fruit juices and sweets, but also had to include some other ingredients like Marmite and even (to my horror) baked beans! Overall, the event was a memorable and fun experience that helped to bring people from lots of different societies together and celebrate with some light-hearted challenges. With this, I am personally looking forward to seeing what new challenges will be coming to ‘Nerd Varsity’ next year!

After last year, where the contest was held virtually, the organisers made every effort to bring the event back in a big way with virtual and in-person competitions.”

“Burnham’s signiture style of mixing social commentary with upbeat, expertly-produced songs shines through here.” “Inside is filmed entirely from within one room of Burnham’s cluttered, claustrophobic LA home”: Credit: Netflix

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SCIENCE

Research aims to bring the Dodo back from extinction

With recent advancements in gene-editing, can we expect to see this species make a return?

Hansen Head of Science and Technology

Dodo’s were a flightless 1m tall bird that existed solely on the island of Mauritius, located in the Indian Ocean. The first recorded mention of the dodo was by Dutch sailors in 1598. They were soon labelled an ‘invasive species’, and were hunted and its habitat destroyed. The species had lived in isolation on the island for hundreds of years without any predators, making it fearless and therefore very easy prey. In fact, the name dodo is even from the Portuguese word for ‘fool’.

The last known sighting of a dodo was in 1662, they remain extinct to this day. The extinction of the dodo in less than a century of its discovery called attention to the previously unrecognised problem of human involvement in the disappearance of entire species.

Scientists have managed to sequence the bird’s entire genome for the first time, raising hopes that the dodo could be brought back from extinction. Years

pathways,’” she continued, “so there needs to be another approach for birds and this is one really fundamental technological hurdle in de-extinction.”. Shapiro has ‘little doubt’ that the feat will eventually become successful, but this hurdle may provide a lot of problems.There has also been similar hopes for the woolly mammoth, whose genome has also been fully sequenced thanks to well-preserved specimens found in permafrost in Siberia. This would involve splicing woolly mammoth DNA with that of a modern Asian elephant and creating an embryo which could then be grown in an artificial womb or a surrogate elephant.

Entrepreneur Ben Lamm and Harvard geneticist George Church have created a new gene-editing company called Colossal, which is planning to bring the woolly mammoth back to life. Perhaps they may also take on the project of the dodo, which appears to be not as dead as a dodo as it seemed.

All the evidence shows that in any situation, it is going to be at least marginally safer to go with a mask than without.”

were spent struggling to find a well enough preserved DNA sample, until they were able to form a ‘fantastic specimen’ located in Denmark (specimens had been brought to Europe in the early 17th century).

Professor Beth Shapiro from the University of California, Santa Cruz, said that her team will soon publish the complete DNA of the dodo specimen in

the Natural History Museum in Copenhagen. She warned that it will be difficult to bring the bird back to life.

“Mammals are simpler” she said. Clones are usually made by editing cells in a lab to include the wanted DNA.

“[It’s] the same approach that was used to create Dolly the Sheep, but we don’t know how to do that with birds because of the intricacies of their reproductive

“[It’s] the same approach that was used to create Dolly the Sheep, but we don’t know how to do that with birds because of the intricacies of their repro-

Professor Beth Shapiro, UCLA, Santa Cruz

Human faeces on Snowdonia is ‘a danger to health’

‘Unprecedented’ levels of faeces are having a significant impact on the local environment

Jack Darlington Contributor

Human faeces have been sighted on Wales’ most popular mountains and has been found to be a danger to health, commented by the Mountain Rescue’s senior executive. This issue has been outlined due to increasing amounts of traffic in the areas, being said to be ‘unprecedented’.

Those of which are most affected are listed as; Tryfan, Snowdonia and Pen-y-dan, in the Brecon Beacons.

In the Easter period, a guide in Snowdon has reported a path to be “covered in human stools”

This issue has been outlined due to increasing amounts of traffic in the areas, being said to be ‘unprecedented’.”

Members of the public had said to be “totally disgusted” with ‘stools in paper cups and under stones’. People have been told to use the toilets before going on their hike, at the bottom of the park.

Gemma Davies “caught a guy going to the toilet on the railway line” with this issue occurring throughout the UK.

The highest spots highlighted, of which human faeces were found, have been named to be Snowden (Wales), Scafell Pike (England) and Ben Nevis (Scotland). These spots have become more and more increasingly popular due to covid and staycations.

Mr Park claimed that “we’re not educating society on how to do this in the most environmental way” and that “people are just working it out for themselves”.

In order to protect our water sources, the faeces must be buried away, so that people in the area won’t

have contaminated drinking water.

We must find “what the most environmentally effective way” is to do our business safely and humanely.

75-year-old Clive Busson found the “problem in the Beacons too” with lots of used toilet paper being left by people on their hikes.

Those who would normally camp in the Brecon Beacons, such as “the Beacon society, don’t want overnight camping mainly because of the human waste factor”.

Husband and wife, Barry and Claire McDarlane, had found that dog poo and poo bags had also been left, as well as dirty toilet paper.

Barry had said “it’s a sad reflection on our society that people can’t maintain a beautiful part of the world that they have visited”

Snowdonia National Park Authority had suggested those going on long hikes should use the toilets at the bottom of the main paths.

However, there have been calls to provide more toilet facilities but there are environmental concerns that they will turn nature into “urban environments”, said Chris Lloyd, from Owgen Valley Mountain Rescue.

Meirwen Davies, from Bala, said that “it is obvious the current facilities such as toilets and parking areas do not meet the needs of the growth that has increased in recent years.”

Bran Devey, of Ramblers Cymru, has advised using toilet kids: “You can stick it in your bag, and dispose of it when you get to the bottom” In 2021, a seven-year-old boy had visited Snowdon with his grandfather, finding beer bottles, overflowing bins and dog poo bags, hanging from trees as well as on the floor. Clearly, there’s a need for people to have more respect for the environment. Devey said “we just want people to enjoy themselves and stay safe.”

Supplements may reduce inmate aggression in prisons

Anna Thomas Science Editor

Research suggests that providing prisoners with vitamin and mineral supplements may reduce serious rule breaking by 39% in US prisons.

By preserving skin cells, they hope to resurrect these extinct

Published in the Crime and Delinquency Journal in 2021, this study involved 402 men between the ages of 17 and 24 across two California Youth Authority (CYA) institutions.

The researchers investigated the frequency of serious misbehaviours across three groups: a low dose of dietary supplements, a higher dose of dietary supplements and a sugar pill (placebo). The prisoners involved were required to take the supplement once a day for 15 weeks and were not informed which group they were a part of.

The researchers postulated that a deficiency in key nutrients may have adverse psychological effects such as difficulty with self-control leading to rule breaking behaviours. The supplements contained a range of vitamins and minerals which aim to allow individuals to function optimally.

The study found that in the low dose supplement group, the number of serious rule violations such as violence directed towards other inmates, there were 72 rule violations compared with 127 in the placebo group. This represents 39% fewer incidences.

However, the research did not suggest that increasing the dose of supplements reduced rule violations further as the higher dose group had more incidents, 112, than the low dose group. The number of rule violations in the high dose group was

too high for the researchers to consider it to have made a notable difference compared to the placebo.

Ideally, prisoners would ascertain all their required nutrients from their meals. However, one survey of 250 formerly incarcerated people across the USA found that 62.2% of individuals reported rarely or never being provided with fresh vegetables. Additionally, there is no guarantee that incarcerated individuals will eat the food provided, meaning nutritional supplements may be beneficial in ensuring prisoners are suitably well nourished going forward.

Furthermore, the US prison system costs upward of $88.5 billion to operate annually. Serious misconduct contributes to this cost through damages, hospitalisations, implementation of more expensive safety precautions and the impact they may have on parole decisions. In CYA, se-

rious rule breaking delays parole for an average of 4 months. Given the cost of incarcerating an individual for this time would be approximately $9,168, the 49 fewer incidents attributed to the low dose supplements can be assumed to have saved the prison up to $449,232.

Whilst this study was limited to two facilities in California, it demonstrates considerable potential to both improve prisoner quality of life and save the prison system money. As such, implementation of nutritional supplements is an interesting area for research and development going forward.

As such, implementation of nutritional supplements is an interesting area for research and development going forward.”

SCIENCE

AND TECHNOLOGY

ELSEWHERE IN SCIENCE science@gairrhydd.com

Mia Becker The Dodo: The species was last sighted back in 1622, but this new research hopes to bring the Dodo back. Source: bergslay (via Pixabay) Scientists to freeze threatened species in ‘biobanks’ species in the future Anna Thomas Elie Gould Jemma Powell Mia Becker-Hansen Theo Tadros

GWYDDONIAETH A THECHNOLEG 35

David Attenborough named as ‘Champion of the Earth’

The veteran broadcaster, writer, and naturalist is now the fifth person to recieve this award

Georgia King Contributor

The 95-year-old was given the “most distinguished environment award” for his devotion to telling stories about the natural world and informing people about the climate crisis. After accepting the award, Sir David continued to advocate for the planet, urging the world to take action at once to protect both the natural world and the future of humanity. David then reflected on environmental success stories, giving us hope that change is possible.

He said that “fifty years ago, whales were on the very edge of extinction worldwide. Then people got together and now there are more whales in the sea than any living human being has ever seen”. Attenborough continued, maintaining that “we know what the problems are and we know how to solve them. All we lack is unified action.”

The natural history icon has worked on nature documentaries for decades, with some of his most famous works including, Planet Earth, Blue Planet, Life on Earth, and Our Planet. He is also the only person to be awarded a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in black and white, colour, high definition, 3D and 4K. Comparably to his earlier work, though, Attenborough is now making his warnings about the harms of climate change more clear-cut.

“we know what the problems are and we know how to solve them. All we lack is unified action.”

Sir David Attenborough, Champion of the Earth

UNEP executive director Inger Anderson praised Sir David, stating that he “has devoted his life to documenting the love story between humans and nature, and broadcasting it to the world”. Further, expressing that “if we stand a chance of averting climate and biodiversity breakdowns and cleaning up polluted ecosystems, it’s because millions of us fell in love with the planet that he showed us on television.”

Sir David has famously championed the environment, talking about

issues such as climate change, plastic pollution, and overfishing as well as being a driving force towards climate action and renewable energy. He is considered a significant influence on many scientists and conservationists and has given passionate speeches to world leaders. In fact, at the COP26 summit in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021, Sir David asked them:

“Is this how our story is due to end? A tale of the smartest species doomed by that all-too-human characteristic of failing to see the bigger picture in pursuit of short-term goals?”

Even though many world leaders are failing to address the environmental degradation occurring from climate change, Attenborough continues to

urge the importance of collaboration. When collecting his award, he stated that “the world has to get together. These problems cannot be solved by one nation, no matter how big that single nation is”. Explaining that “we know what the problems are and we know how to solve them. All we lack is unified action”.

“the world has to get together. These problems cannot be solved by one nation, no matter how big that single nation is”

Sir David Attenborough, Champion of the Earth

When will it be safe to not wear face masks anymore?

Theo Tadros

considers if face masks will

continue to be a part of life even after the pandemic

New Study into maternity leave raises a number of concerns

Anna Thomas Science Editor

Published in March 2022, new research from the Institute for Fiscal studies explores the return-to-work patterns of health care professionals following maternity leave.

More than three quarters of the NHS’s 1.3 million employees are women including almost half of doctors and 90% of midwives and nurses.

Over the course of their careers, many of these women choose to have children, a large proportion of whom then alter their work patterns following the cessation of their maternity leave.

In their analysis, the Institute for Fiscal Studies observed 66,000 nurses/midwives and 16,000 doctors/dentists who went on maternity leave between January 2014 and March 2020.

The findings demonstrated that only around a quarter of nurses/ midwives and fewer than two fifths of doctors/dentists returned to fulltime work in the two years following maternity leave. The researchers noted that these patterns are not dissimilar to the patterns seen across other occupations within the public sector.

However, the report also found that women’s return to work is contingent on their area of speciality within the NHS. Various areas of employment, such as orthopaedic and trauma surgery and cardiothoracic surgery, are male dominated with women contributing only 18% of the work force. Conversely, women make up 83% those working in community and sexual and reproductive health.

Theo Tadros Science Editor

With the Welsh government’s recent decision to lift the law making it compulsory to wear masks in shops and other public spaces, many have been left wondering whether or not it is truly safe to go about their day to day lives without the added protection of a mask.

Many, on the other hand have taken the recent news with open arms, as since the beginning there were many who were apprehensive of the benefit of masks to begin with.

since the beginning there were many who were apprehensive of the benefit of masks to begin with.

All the evidence shows that in any situation, it is going to be at least marginally safer to go with a mask than without; masks being reasonably effective at preventing moisture droplets being expunged from people’s mouths, being potential COVID carriers.

The question at hand is now down to how much of a benefit are they giving against the current COVID climate (which is nowhere near as bad as it has been over the past two years.

Many mask skeptics argued from the beginning that the actual benefit of wearing masks, in a very limited number of public spaces, was very small when you consider the spread rate and overall size of the British population.

Others, including a large portion of the medical field and the World Health Organization have always at-

tested to their efficacy against the Coronavirus.

Many have said that it is too soon to be lifting the restrictions with masks, with deaths still sitting in the low hundreds on certain days; showing that the Virus is still very much in play in Britain.

Mark Drakeford has specifically mentioned that there is an onus on individuals to balance out the risk and make their own decisions as to when and where they may want to wear masks, if ever.

Many countries in Europe have chosen to still mandate the wearing of masks in certain indoor and public spaces, including France and Germany. This bodes the question of whether or not we are rushing with regards to restrictions in the uk.

Undoubtedly we will most likely see masks around for a long time,

Word of the week: ‘Greenwashing’

All the evidence shows that in any situation, it is going to be at least marginally safer to go with a mask than without ”

as many have taken comfort in the apparent health benefits of wearing them.

The decision to lift the restrictions across countries in the United Kingdom surely represents a step towards normality in the midst of the worst pandemic in over a century.

Undoubtedly we will most likely see masks around for a long time, as many have taken comfort in the apparent health benefits of wearing them ”

• ‘Greenwashing’ refers to the practice of promoting a company for being more environmentally friendly than it really is.

• This is commonly achieved through broad, often unsubstantiated claims that work to deceive customers.

• Although the term was first used in reference to the hotel industry of the 1960s, in recent years the practice has been used by some of the world’s biggest carbon emitters to present a more climate concious brand image.

In fields dominated by men, new mothers were far more likely to come back to full-time work than those in female dominated fields. For instance, on average women in orthopaedic surgery worked 100% of their contracted hours post maternity leave, whilst women in public health – a majority female domain - worked only 72% of their full-time working equivalent.

The causative effect of this relationship was not explored in the study and as such it is not clear whether the discrepancies are a result of personal choice, availability of part-time contracts within different fields or alternative confounding factors.

Regardless, so long as women continue to have children, maternity leave will remain a factor in the trajectory of their careers.

Consequently, we can theorise that should we wish to encourage more women within male dominated areas of the health care sector then it is essential that consideration should be given to how these specialities provide for women and their return-to-work following childbirth.

on average women in orthopaedic surgery worked 100% of their contracted hours post maternity leave, whilst women in public health – a majority female domainworked only 72% of their fulltime working equivalent.”

‘Champion of the Earth’: The natural history icon is perhaps best known for his work on nature documentaries like Blue Planet and Life on Planet Earth. Source: Karwai Tang/ UK Government (via Flickr)

36 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Elon Musk makes an offer to buy Twitter for $44 billion

Elie Gould Technology Editor

On the last Monday of April Elon Musk offered up $44 billion (£34.5bn) in exchange for the social media giant, Twitter.

This acquisition will now shift the platform from a publicly traded corporation to a privately owned one. However, this is not what is on everyone’s mind. Many liberal learning users have come out against Musk’s acquisition of the company. Many see his push for ‘free speech’ to mean an increase in antisocial behaviour on the site. As users will use this as camouflage for homophobic, racist, and sexist remarks.

Despite these concerns, Musk was successful in his buyout. In the official US Securities and Exchange Commission filing Musk cites the purpose of buying out the platform as a necessity for championing free speech. He is quoted in writing, “I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative [free speech] in its current form. Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company”. While eventually seeking to unlock Twitter’s “extraordinary potential.”

The response to Musk’s success was met with various sentiments. Some rejoiced at the new and improved trajectory of the site. Many of these people belong to the right of American politics and who had been apparently silenced for so many years.

One of the more contentious figures who has had their ban lifted is Fox News Anchor Tucker Carlson. Since his return, Carlson’s account has Tweeted numerous paragraphs on the return of free speech. While retweeting one in particular that read: “Now, that @elonmusk has bought Twitter I can finally write down what we DO believe in: God, Family, Country; and what we DON’T believe in: World government, Illegal migration, Gender politics.”

On the other side of the political aisle, there have been many who have come out against Musk, even going as far as to threaten to leave the site.

Civil Rights activist Shaun King originally panned on deleting his account citing his fears of what is at the root of Musk’s takeover.

While others have pledged to remain on the site and fight for equality and a place safe from harassment and blind hate.

Twitter has always been slightly chaotic, as with many social media sites the rules and regulations have seemed distant and obscure for the regular user. So instead of relying on individuals who have their own opinions and biases, hopefully, institutional regulations will be able to step up to the mark. For example, the EU’s Digital Services Act, that prohibits hate speech, harassment, and revenge porn, regardless of the site’s owner.

“I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative [free speech] in its current form. Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company”.

Elon Musk , CEO of Tesla Motors

Greenwashing and infrastructure development Jemma Powell considers how corruption and failure have led to an environmental crisis

Jemma Powell Science Editor

Humans have been building roads, houses and bridges for thousands of years. Over the last century however, our developments are encroaching more and more into nature. Sadly, many projects prioritise minimising cost over conservation, leading to worldwide environmental destruction. Growth oriented economies, short term thinking, and lack of expert input is speeding us towards a concrete-coloured catastrophe- is there any way to avoid it?

William Laurance investigated this in a special feature article published in Ecological Citizen (Laurance 2019).

Using his own experience and a literature meta-analysis, he uncovers why so many obviously flawed infrastructure proposals are approved, as well as examining any recurrence between projects. In doing this, he identifies key areas where regulation needs to be tightened (both physical locations and within the approval process itself), and offers solutions to combat the main issues in infrastructure development. ‘Bad’ infrastructure

Inconsiderate infrastructure as a topic remains as relevant as ever, as the issues it causes are as prevalent as ever. ‘Bad’ projects are continually allowed to proceed with little thought for habitat degradation, but commonly the projects themselves are also wasteful, inefficient, and financially risky. An example includes China’s international Belt & Road project, which uses over US$8 trillion to fund 7000+ developments around the world. A Malaysian branch of this was forced to cancel after the US$40 billion could not cover the cost of inefficient planning and corruption to such a high level, even Malaysia’s former Prime Minister (Najib Razak) was among the arrested. Though this project was scrapped- thus prevent-

‘Bad’ projects are continually allowed to proceed with little thought for habitat degradation, but commonly the projects themselves are also wasteful, inefficient, and financially risky.

ing an inconceivable amount of habitat degradation- many similar schemes go ahead.

Plans for new developments span every habitat, and often interact synergistically. Currently, mining and fossil fuel extraction worldwide threatens over 1 million km2 of intact tropical forests (Grantham and Tibaldeschi, 2018), and the amount of terrestrial surface covered by roads is expected to increase by an extra 25 million km2 by 2050 (Laurance et al. 2014). Biodiversity loss has already been linked with decreased resilience of ecosystems, increased sensitivity to climate change, and long-term huge financial burdens (Bräuer 2003). Yet we still allow the almost unchecked destruction of habitats on a daily basis.

Laurances findings

Laurance uncovered several key reasons why flawed infrastructure developments are approved. Firstly, he found there was a general failure of scientists and other experts to “provide coherent views” on bad projects. This is as a result of well intentioned (but detrimental) political appropriateness, harmful optimism/ naivety around current systems, or even valid personal safety concerns. Every year around 200 environmental advocates and park guards are murdered, many as a result of legal

disputes (Global Witness 2018). Those who do protest proposals are often also ‘bought-out’, leading to Laurance’s second finding on why flawed infrastructure is permitted; Corruption. Whether this be as a result of leaders purposefully hiring compliant experts, or by funding the necessary research themselves, infrastructure assessments are “systematically biased toward project approval”. Once the official endorsement has been sealed, the project is often hidden from the public. In China for example, the public has never seen a critical report of the Belt and Road project. High up officials often turn a blind eye as they stand to gain financially, meaning not only is there a lack of legislative regulation, but also an absence of self-regulation. Laurance also found that certain geographical locations were more likely to have flawed developments, and/or are more sensitive to their impacts. These areas include steep environments, places with high rainfall, remote localities, and geopolitically sensitive areas. These areas can often overlap. Another finding was, if projects are put under pressure to be greener, strategies of “uncertain benefits” are included. This is done primarily to greenwash public opinion on projects rather than genuinely improve them (Alamgir et al. 2017), such as making one or two green bridges for

hundreds of miles of road (Corlatti et al. 2009).

The implications of this research are far reaching, and solutions are critical for environmental preservation. Laurance offers several potential solutions, the most crucial of which is the need for a more rigorous and transparent infrastructure approval system. He outlines the need for impartial expert input at all stages, in order to provide adequate safeguards against “foolhardy” projects, and for those experts to have protection against bribery and threat.

What to do now

The real benefits of smart infrastructure also need to be understood by the public and planners, so less flawed projects are proposed in the first place. The most time-critical step however is to first halt projects that have “the greatest cost for nature and marginal benefits for humanity”. Focusing on the key areas outlined above is a good start for filtering the thousands of plans in the pipeline, but there also needs to be more proactive approaches for environmental planning in order to identify other high-danger zones (Laurance et al. 2014).

The wider implications of this study are unnerving; if this is happening in infrastructure, what other industries are also affected, leading to unnecessary environmental destruction? As humanity enters the critical decade in relation to mitigating climate change, revealing and dismantling these damaging systems will play a crucial role.

Can we change infrastructure development?

As with the majority of conservation projects, the best time to enforce these mitigating measures would have been 40 years ago. The second-best time is now. I hope that Laurence’s article is spread widely enough through the scientific community to raise awareness of the dangers of flawed infrastructure development, and that those reading are inspired to change the system.

As humanity enters the critical decade in relation to mitigating climate change, revealing and dismantling these damaging systems will play a crucial role.”

Humble bundle raises £15 million for Stand with Ukraine

Elie Gould Technology Editor

Humble bundle has been a necessity for any and every gamer since its launch in 2010. It’s best known for the numerous gaming and software bundles that offer gamers hundreds of games for discounted prices.

Personally, it’s where I have gotten the vast majority of my steam games, and most likely why my library is too full. With partners like Capcom, Sega, TellTale, and gearbox it’s no wonder why they continuously get so much traffic and praise on their site. So when a friend of mine texted me to say that they had a new great bundle I was hardly surprised. But when I logged on to the site, I was lost for words. The bundle I’m talking about is the now closed Stand with Ukraine bundle.

It’s best known for the numerous gaming and software bundles that offer gamers hundreds of games for discounted prices.”

Stand with Ukraine was a charity initiative aimed at helping the people of Ukraine. They donated to numerous charities, including Direct Relief and the International Medical Corps.

The bundle ran from mid to the end of March, and sold 473,899 copies over the period. But even more impressive than this was the amount raised for the numerous charities. The end total was £15,715,379.

People who chose to donate to the charity, anything upwards of £30 got their hands on games, classes, and software valued to £2,500.

Some of the games included were, Back 4 Blood, Superhot, Satisfactory, Metro Exodus, and 911 operator. This is just to name a few.

I have spent days cycling through the games, especially with other friends. Games like Back 4 Blood which are usually worth £50 are much better for value in this bundle. While it isn’t the most groundbreaking the gameplay was surprisingly fun and definitely worth it considering it came in the bundle. While there were also classes on Unity and UE5 aimed at helping people get into game engineering and music use within various games. It was a

Stand with Ukraine: The bundle of games raised over £15 million for the charity. Source: David

nice change to the usual stock of video games on offer. It was a great cause, a great bundle, and an amazing initiative set up by Humble Bundle. Who are not strangers

to charitable bundles. So far they have raised a total of £200,000,000 for various charities and organisations. So it is always worth a look on their website every now and again.

‘Bad’ infrastructure: These projects can have a significant impact on the environment in a number of ways. Source: Life-Of-Pix (via Pixabay) Rebd (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Ben Stokes takes helm as England Cricket Captain

The ace all-rounder has stepped up to take over following Joe Root’s recent resignation

Anurag Hegde Head of Sport

Ace England all-rounder Ben Stokes has been named as the new Test captain following former captain Joe Root’s resignation. A string of resignations and contract expirations saw England’s men team without a Test captain, a head coach, a selector and a managing director.

Joe Root’s resignation as Test captain came in the wake of England winning just 1 of their last 17 games. Following a 1-0 series defeat to the West Indies, Root announced that he would be stepping down with immediate effect.

Root’s announcement was followed by an outpouring of support, including from Stokes who said “I want to thank Joe [Root] for everything he has done for English cricket and for always being a great ambassador for the sport all across the world. He has been a massive part of my development as a leader in the dressing room, and he will continue to be a key ally for me in this role.”

Joe Root’s resignation as Test captain came in the wake of England winning just 1 of their last 17 games.”

Rob Key, who took over as the new managing director of men’s cricket at the ECB said that he had “no hesitation” in offering the role to Stokes.

“He epitomises the mentality and approach we want to take this team forward into the next era of red-ball cricket. I am delighted that he has accepted, and he is ready for the added responsibility and the honour. He thoroughly deserves the opportunity” Key added.

Stokes had previously captained England once back in 2020 when Joe Root was on paternity leave. “I am honoured to be given the chance to lead the England Test team. This is a real privilege, and I’m excited about getting started this summer,” said Stokes.

Stokes, now 30, is a key player for England across formats and concerns have been raised regarding his workload. Earlier in 2021, Stokes took a four-month break from all cricket to prioritise his mental wellbeing.

Addressing the issue, Key said “We’ve got to manage that load. We’ve got to prioritise at times where we think he needs to be playing - obviously at the moment that is going to be Test cricket.”

“I don’t think we need to overthink this. We’ve just got to make sure that

he’s in a good frame of mind, his body is in good shape and then plan accordingly. We don’t need to be planning six months in advance for when Stokes is going to play or not, we’ve just got to make sure we’re on top of it all the time,” he added.

England have a packed calendar this summer that starts with them taking on New Zealand in a 3-match Test series starting June 2. They will then face India in a one-off Test fol-

lowed by another 3-match Test series against South Africa.

“I want to thank Joe [Root] for everything he has done for English cricket and for always being a great ambassador for the sport all across the world.”

Ben Stokes, England Cricket Captain

Wales’ Women’s Football Team edge close to World Cup

Despite suffering a 2-1 defeat against France, the England squad are confident about their chances

Eloise Martin Contributor

Sophie Ingle’s late strike in the 71’ minute was not enough on Friday 8th April for Wales who suffered a 2-1 defeat to 3rd in the world France despite a performance to be proud off.

A gap of 28 places in world ranking separated the two sides yesterday at Parc y Scarlets stadium in Llanelli. Before the fixture France had scored 37 goals in previous World Cup Qualifiers and would be sure to capitalise on any errors the Wales side made.

France kicked off the game with high intensity and pressure as expected. It was not long before Delphine Cascarino found a near header following a cross from Kididiatou Dian. Wales’s Rhiannon Roberts did well to defend and clear the ball. Moments later Wales showed their own quality on the counterattack when Carrie Jones’s cross was narrowly missed by Jess Fishlock with Ceri Holland’s effort at a follow-up shot also denied.

France did not leave it long before striking again with Kididiatou Dian proving her threat down the right wing as she fired across the goal at Laura O’Sullivan who did well to deny her. Wales were able to cause France more problems at the back than perhaps expected as France failed to clear Tash Harding’s cross, Jess Fishlock attempted to connect with the loose ball but ended up volleying it way over the bar.

It was 30 minutes into the half when France secured their first goal following a set piece. Six-foot-two Wendie Renard did well to find her-

self unmarked just as Sandie Tolleti delivered her ball from the corner into the box. Renard headed the ball down before it bounced up and straight into the back of Wales’s goal. Wales did well to see out the half at 1-0.

Youngster Carrie Jones made sure to cause France problems defensively. Jones won a free kick in the right-hand corner which Angharad James took, she picked out Jess Fishlock’s feet but she sent the ball over the bar colliding with the French defence.

France punished Laura O’Sullivan in the 56th minute. O’Sullivan attempted to clear the ball following Hayley Ladd’s pass but was intercepted by the French NO.9 Marie Antoinette Katoto who calmly tapped the ball into an empty goal.

Moments after Jess Fishlock was

fouled in the box but was denied the penalty as the referee settled for a free kick robbing Wales of their chance to get back into the game. It seemed the 2-0 goal difference had France packing to go home but with 20 minutes to go Sophie Ingle fired Wales back into the game. France failed to fully clear Angharad James’s corner meaning the ball fell to Tash Harding who tried to find Ceri Holland, but she was being tightly marked. Sophie Ingle was hanging on the edge of the box and picked up the loose ball and shot through the French defence into the goal!

Gemma Evans found the net not long after but was ruled offside. Wales continued to show their attacking quality in the French half and were unfortunate not to find that second goal.

The 90th minute saw Helen Ward enter the pitch on her 100th Cap appearance for the club. A committed player whose milestone is a reminder of just how far this Wales team have come having made her debut in 2008.

Wales’s disappointment was clear but at the same time the score line was reflective of two well matched competitive teams only separated by small margins.

The Welsh side proved that they can be a competitor in next year’s World Cup and while currently sitting third place in their group behind Slovenia, the second-place spot is still very much in their hands.

There is a buzz of something special around this side right now whose manager Gemma Grainger is only one year into the role.

After the game Grainger told the press how pleased she was with her squad:

“To go 2-0 down against the third best team in the world and push them to the end shows how incredibly resilient this group is,” she said

With tonight’s performance a bonus, the eyes of the Welsh team are still set on the second spot.

A confident Grainger said: “I don’t think we’d look out of place in this tournament.”

“To go 2-0 down against the third best team in the world and push them to the end shows how incredibly resilient this group is,”

Gemma Grainger, Wales’ Women’s FC Manager

Parc y Scarlets: The Welsh Women’s squad side suffered a 2-1 against France.

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Sam Joseph

CHWARAEON 39

Anurag Hegde Ben Stokes: The ace all-rounder has stepped up to fill in the position folloring Joe Root’s recent resignation. Source: Ben Sutherland (via Flickr)

Wimbledon announces historic ban on Russian and Belarusian players

Following the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the WTA has barred such athletes from competing in the tournament

Sam Joseph Sport Editor

There will be no Russian or Belarusian representation at the Wimbledon tennis tournament this summer after the All England Club controversially announced that players from these countries will not be permitted to take part in The Championships.

This is the latest in a series of sporting sanctions against Russia and Belarus in response to the invasion of Ukraine ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, a military campaign that is supported by Belarus.

In an official statement, the All England Club said: “We share in the universal condemnation of Russia’s illegal actions and have carefully considered the situation in the context of our duties to the players, to our community and to the broader UK public as a British sporting institution.”

“In the circumstances of such unjustified and unprecedented military aggression, it would be unacceptable for the Russian regime to derive any benefits from the involvement of Russian or Belarusian players with The Championships.

“It is therefore our intention, with deep regret, to decline entries from

“We share in the universal condemnation of Russia’s illegal actions. ”

All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club

Russian and Belarusian players to The Championships 2022.”

The statement did also make clear that the decision was not totally inflexible, adding: “If circumstances change materially between now and June, we will consider and respond accordingly.”

This ruling would see players such as men’s world number two Daniil Medvedev and number eight Andrey Rublev banned from competing at Wimbledon, while on the women’s side of things Aryna Sabalenka and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, ranked fourth and fifteenth in the world respectively, would also be absent, alongside two-time Grand Slam

The decision has been welcomed by the UK’s Sports Minister, Nigel Huddleston, who asserted that “President Putin must not be able to use sport to legitimise Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine”, but it has been met with heavy criticism by tennis organisations and players alike. Up until this point, tennis’ governing bodies the ATP, the WTA and the ITF had allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to continue competing in tournaments licensed by these organisations as long as they played under a neutral flag and no national anthem was played. However, Wimbledon have actively

gone against this agreement in a move that was described by the ATP as “discrimination based on nationality”.

The ATP went on to say in a statement: “We believe that today’s unilateral decision by Wimbledon and the LTA to exclude players from Russia and Belarus from this year’s British grass-court swing is unfair and has the potential to set a damaging precedent for the game.”

Andrey Rublev, one of the most high-profile players who will miss the competition, described the decision as “not logical” and “complete discrimination”.

“What is happening now is complete discrimination against

“President Putin must not be able to use sport to legitimise Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine. ”

Nigel Huddleston MP, UK Sports Minister

us. The reasons they gave us had no sense, they were not logical,” said Rublev. “Banning Russian or Belarusian players... will not change anything.

“To give all the prize money would have a more positive effect to humanitarian help, to the families who are suffering, to the kids who are suffering,” he added. “I think that would do something.”

World number one Novak Djokovic was equally critical in his response to this announcement, describing it as “crazy” and stating: “When politics interferes with sport, the result is not good.”

While the situation in Ukraine continues to develop, only time will tell whether the All England Club will be pressured into reversing its decision to prohibit Russians and Belarusians from competing in SW19.

“What is happening now is complete discrimination against us. The reasons they gave us had no sense, they were not logical. ”

Andrey Rublev, Russian Tennis Player

Ronaldo extends thanks for ‘respect’ over the death of his baby boy

The Portugese professional footballer praised fans for their compassion following this recent and tragic loss

Jasmine Jones Contributor

Cristiano Ronaldo shared an emotional post last week of his newborn daughter, after tragically losing their twin boy. The message said that Ronaldo and his wife, Georgina Rodriguez had both felt “all the love” from fans around the world since the news broke. This came after it was announced on Monday 21st that the stars “angel” baby passed during birth.

Addressing his 430 million followers on Instagram, the star

said that “now was the time to be grateful” for the beautiful life the pair had brought into the world and thanked everyone for their condolences over the heartbreak of losing their son.

This was accompanied by an emotional photo of the family who had returned home. Ronaldo already shares a 4 year old daughter with Georgina Rodriguez as well 3 children who arrived via surrogate mothers.

In particular, the footballing sensation thanked Manchester United and Liverpool fans alike, who played their highly anticipated

premier league clash at Anfield just days after. Amidst the Manchester United striker’s absence, fans only felt right to send a message of love and togetherness to him and his family.

The gesture, which was prompted by Liverpool supporters, provided a moment of solidarity between the football rivals, applauding for Ronaldo and his family on the seventh minute of the game.

Ronaldo reposted a heart-warming video on Instagram of the crowd the following day, with the text “thank you all”.

Some fans held up shirts with Ronaldo’s name on, some made banners with heartfelt messages, whilst the Liverpool supporters along with both managers sang ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. Players also wore black armbands for the match as a mark of respect.

Ronaldo returned to the pitch for the following game against Arsenal, where fans once again paid their respects by holding a minute’s applause on the seventh

the footballing sensation thanked Manchester United and Liverpool fans alike, who played their highly anticipated premier league clash at Anfield just days after.”

Cristiano Ronaldo: The professional footballer his expressed thanks to fans for their ‘respect’. Source: Oleg Dubyna (via Wikimedia Commons)

minute of the game.

Despite scoring a goal in which he dedicated to his son and his family, it wasn’t enough to secure victory for the team.

Many others publicly sent their condolences to Cristiano and Georgina, including Ronaldo’s sister who penned the message:

““I love you and my heart is with you over there. May God take care of you and strengthen your path more and more”.

The official account of Manchester United also shared a post that sent love to the whole

Ronaldo family and suggested that the whole club “shares your pain”. Ronaldo responded the following day saying that he would: “never forget this moment of respect and compassion” and stated that the football community should be proud of candour following the tragic event.

“I will never forget this moment of respect and compassion. ”

Cristiano Ronaldo, Professional football player

Winner Victoria Azarenka.

SPORT

The WTA: With the recent ruling, players from Russia and Belarus will be banned from competing. Source: Wally Gobetzs (via Flickr) ‘Respect’: Football fans from around the world have offered the player their support and kind words following the tragic event. Source: bici (via Pixabay)