Gair Rhydd - Issue 1106 - 20th of November 2017 by Cardiff Student Media

gair rhydd

gair rhydd | free word Cardiff’s student weekly newspaper Papur wythnosol myfyrwyr Caerdydd Issue 1106 | Rhifyn 1106 20th November 2017 | 20fed o Dachwedd 2017

Cardiff Uni’s student paper | est . 1972

Total eclipse of the Star Senate upholds ban on The Sun and Daily Star

The situation of homelessness in Cardiff in 2017 p.6

Australia votes for marriage equality p.13 How to deal with looming deadlines p.21 George Watkins

n a controversial move, Student Senate has turned down a motion surrounding the sale of The Sun and the Daily Star newspapers in the Union’s branch of WHSmith. Currently the Student Union lobbies the newsagent’s manager to end the sale of the papers, after a senate motion from three years previously, deeming the outlets as promoting hate speech, but this was challenged in the first meeting of the Senate for the academic year. A fierce debate amongst Senators, Campaign Officers and Sabbatical Officers ensued, with only the proposer and the seconder opting to defend the position verbally. 5 people voted in favour of the motion, but the arguments were nowhere near as pervasive as they had hoped, as 21 people opposed, whilst 2 abstained. In the motion itself, the proposer advised that students ‘can make their own decisions’.

They also noted that “This starts by allowing them access to all forms of information, as opposed to restricting them to a vetted selection of sources.” This is not the first time a students’ union has banned papers in this way. In 2016, City University of London chose to ban The Sun, Daily Mail and Express from its campus, in a motion entitled “opposing fascism and social divisiveness in the UK media”. They cited stories with Islamophobic overtones, and argued that they “all actively scapegoat the working classes they so proudly claim to represent”. Senate saw controversy surrounding its section motion too, entitled ‘Eliminating Economic restrictions on Societies to uphold Freedom of Speech’. This was proposed in light of an upcoming speech by Dr Yaron Brook discussing whether capitalism can ‘cure’ poverty. The speech has previously been received hesitantly in other universities, due to the sensitive nature of the topic. The motion cited an “Orwellian Code of

Practice’ from the University surrounding free speech, seeing “not being offended’”as being a “higher virtue”, frustrated with booking arrangements, and security costs. None of thisappeared to strike a chord with those in attendance, however, as the vote was resoundingly defeated by 24 votes against the 2 in favour, with 2 absataining. The proposer, Prashant Garg, received criticism from some in attendance in producing a motion to further his personal agenda, but was keen to defend his position, arguing: “The University and the SU are using economic means to effectively ban the speaker. They suggested applying for a grant for the event, but there was no response even the day before the event. The committee is most likely going to pay for the speaker out of their own pocket for security which is not needed at all.” The alleged ‘ban’ on the speaker refers to the demand of the motion for the Students’ Union to cover the cost of hiring the security company Showsec for a society-run event, due to a

lack of funding by the society itself. Currently, the Union is not obliged to cover the costs of hosting a society-run event, hence giving socieites a budget for the year. After both motions proposed had been soundly defeated. Mr Garg opted to leave the Senate chamber half an hour early, missing the remainder of the meeting. As the event came to a close, a vote of no confidence was called for the Vice-Chair of the meeting, who had taken charge after the absence of the Chair. The new Womens’ Officer was concerned that she had not been given sufficient time for her opinions to be given, being seconded by previous presenters of motions. However, this failed to gain any traction, and was defeated.

Continued inside

The View: Do universities need to protect free speech? Page 4

EDITORIAL Gair Rhydd Coordinator Elaine Morgan Editor-in-Chief Liam Ketcher Deputy Editors Gareth Axenderrie Tanya Harrington

the free word

News George Watkins Emma Videan Rimante Bivainyte

Is all journalism real journalism? We’re not keeping tabs

Comment George Cook Jessica Warren Silvia Martelli Unsafe Space Harry Heath Politics Gareth Axenderrie Tanya Harrington Conor Holohan Hannah Woodward Science Louange Lubangu Stephanie Ma Advice Alice Dent Sarah Harris Campus Life Laura Price Charlie Knights Taf-od Elen Davies Osian Wyn Morgan Aled Huw Russell Sport Rich Jones Mark Wyatt Molly Ambler Rhys Thomas Digital Media Editors Alice Dent Reece Chambers Cartoonist Louis Mertens Copy Editors Molly Patrick Lydia Caunce Eva Kwatek Alys Hewitt Isabel Ellis Aditi Gupta Write to the editor editor@gairrhydd.com

At Gair Rhydd we take seriously our responsibility to maintain the highest possible standards. Sometimes, because of deadline pressures, we may make some mistakes. If you believe we have fallen below the standards we seek to uphold, please email editor@gairrhydd.com. You can view our Ethical Policy Statement and Complaints Procedure at cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/complaints Opinions expressed in editorials are not reflective of Cardiff Student Media, who act as the publisher of Gair Rhydd in legal terms, and should not be considered official communications or the organisation’s stance. Gair Rhydd is a Post Office registered newspaper.

Liam Ketcher

ust over a week ago the SPARCs (Student Publication Association Regional Conference) was held in the Lodge in the Students Union. This was a day for editors and contributors to meet people from the industry and hear them talk about all manner of topics to do with journalism and publishing work. Such talks included sports journalism, freelancing, sensitivity and ‘how to get a job in journalism’. It was a very successful day and I would like to thank all that came, and also a huge thank you to our Welsh Regional Officer Hannah Butler for

arranging the day. To top it all off, there were also regional awards held at the end of the day. Gair Rhydd were lucky enough to win the award for ‘Best Impact’ for the story on the Varsity Trophy being destroyed last year, congratulations to Maria Mellor and Toby Holloway. Additionally, Taf-od won the award for ‘Best Welsh language journalism’. Hoffwn ddiolch i bawb sydd yn ymwneud a CMCC am eu cyfraniad ac i’r olygyddion am eu holl waith caled hyd yn hyn. I would also like to congratulate our friends at Quench, on winning ‘Best Publication’, and Molly Wyatt on winning ‘Best Journalist’. Well done guys! The idea of what is ‘Real Journal-

ism’ is something we’ve been thinking about in the student media office lately. We as student journalists want to cover the most important topics to you, we want to hold those in power accountable for anything that has an affect on student life. Already this year we as a student newspaper have been proactive in finding the stories that you want to see, from the union’s alcohol sales to behaviour during SU club nights. Gair Rhydd Sport Editor Rich Jones also was the first to cover the Wallabies training in the University’s Strength and Conditioning Centre. We’ve brought you the important stuff that you need to know. There are other student media out-

lets, whose aim is different to ours. Their effort and hard work doesn’t go missed, but we work hard as well. Views are great - but they aren’t the only measure of success and we value journalistic integrity the same amount. Of course, I’m not saying that we’re professional journalists. If anything we’re far from it, but I’d like to think that the content we are creating is something that our audience want to read. The hope from now is that we continue to produce good journalistic content that is the truth, that our news is comprehensive and proportional and that it is significant and interesting.

Welsh Government support for minimum alcohol prices. Fun.

GOLYGYDDOL

20th-26th November 2017

cAMPUS

What’s On?

Make your voice heard! The Union’s AGM is on Thursday 23rd November. This is an important event where students can see the finances and strategies of the SU and debate any motions that are put forward.

Tiger Bay - The Musical Wales Millennium Centre 14th - 25th November 2017

A new musical about romance, survival and atonement in Cardiff Bay. The production is by Wales Millennium Centre in association with Cape Town Opera. “This brand new show takes us back to the dawn of the twentieth century at the height of South Wales’ coal trader.”

Wales

Deaf Havana Y Plas

A grateful owner has been reunited with his cat, two years after she went missing. Molly, a black cat, was found abandoned in a box near Ebbw Vale next to a local school. Mark Evans, Molly’s owner, is thrilled to have her back home and hopes she settles in well. They are once again the purrfect family!

24th November 7-11pm The rock band from Norfolk are coming to Cardiff ahead of the release of their new album ‘All These Countless Nights’. Lead singer James Veck-Gilodi says the band’s fourth album needs to ‘take them to a new level’. The sell-out UK tour sees the band as headliners, supported by Black Foxxes and Decade.

#MeToo Wales: Stories from the creative industries Sherman Theatre 25th November 7pm

Actors share the confidential stories of victims who have experienced sexual harassment from those in power in the media and creative industries. This is a bilingual event, and it will be the first time stories about this issue have been told in Wales. It will be followed by a discussion on how to change attitudes in the industry.

Cardiff University Women’s Football 1st Team vs University of Chichester Llanrumney 3G, Mendip Road 22nd November 3pm

Get behind Cardiff Women’s Football as they face second in the table Chichester University.

Legally Blonde New Theatre

20th November-25th November The hit musical from the West End and Broadway is here in Cardiff. Starring Rita Simons, who played Roxy Mitchell in Eastenders, it is a show that is sure to be fun, glamorous and full of pink!

Gregg’s have caused a stir this week after replacing the Baby Jesus in the Nativity scene with a sausage roll. Mary and Joseph were seen lovingly gazing at their ‘new-born’ baked pastry. However much we all love Gregg’s, this may be a step too far!

World

We’ve all heard of Boaty McBoatface...well now Australia have given us Ferry McFerryface! The Transport Minister, Andrew Constance, said ‘it’s one for the kids’.

NEWS

news

#GRNews news@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/news

Quality of papers isn’t the issue; principle is

On Campus

George Cook

T Source: Cardiff Students’ Union

Continued from front page

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Another motion was raised, concerning amendments to the bye laws of student media, to remove references to the previous Head of Media sabbatical position, and to produce an advisory board to make the paper accountable. Previously, the sabbatical officer in office would be respon-

This raised concerns... of a form of censorship.

sible for preventing any potential harm to the Students’ Union, but due to its removal in difficult circumstances three years ago, it was argued that this accountability of output was absent. The reforms will aim to give support to those involved with student media as volunteers,

but this raised concerns for members of media present, considering the phrasing as alluding to a form of censorship, despite this being raised and denied. The motion passed by 25, with 2 rejections and 2 abstainees, passing it to the Board of Trustees for approval.

he idea of what constitutes freedom of speech without infringing on the democratic liberties of others is an issue that is hotly contested. Whilst many support the proposed restrictions and even blanket bans on certain publications, it is important to recognise the different viewpoints that others may have to our own, no matter how profusely you may disagree. The rhetoric of newspapers like The Sun is very distinct from my own opinions. There is no agreement on my part with stories that make troubling assertions about immigrants or those who rely on benefits. Yet, The Sun and similar publications are among the most popular in the world, let alone in Britain. And however surprised and aggrieved students may be at this fact, we all need to be more understanding of others’ views and the freedom within which the British Press can operate.

So rather than restricting their sales or banning them altogether, the free market capitalist model of our society enables you to do the thing that will force media organisation to take notice; simply not buy such publications. The reduction in readership and revenue will send the message of change that will reverberate around the offices of the The Sun, The Daily Mail and any newspaper that sees falling sales as a result of dissenting public opinion. Ensuring the values of all are respected is obviously of significant importance. One of the great aspects of university life is that debate and the opportunity to engage with a range of perspectives increases everyone’s awareness of the dynamic society that we inhabit. However, recent developments show that we run risk of restricting such opinions to a narrow field effectively alienating those who fall outside of this remit.

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In the City

“Crush” faces fans entering Wales rugby match

Gareth Axenderrie

Pictured: The queus left many missing kickoff (Source: WalesOnline)

Concerns were raised around security

housands of fans have missed kick off in Wales’ two autumn internationals so far this month due to increased security around the Principality Stadium. As 60,000 fans emptied the city centre’s pubs and funnelled into the Principality Stadium in anticipation of Wales kicking off their Autumn International campaign against Australia last Saturday, they were met with extraordinary queues. Stadium management had advised fans to get to the venue early, in the light of a decision taken to search every individual fan for the first time ever. Upon arrival, supporters experienced full body checks, and large bags and umbrellas were banned from the stadium. Cardiff is no stranger to hosting major international sporting events, from Rugby World Cups, to Champions League Finals, to annual Six Nations and Autumn International matches. The city has always been regarded as extremely visitorfriendly for fans, with the national stadium located in the city centre, just a short stroll from its surplus bars and pubs. These alterations to safety procedure risk tarnishing this fan-friendly reputation however. As Dylan, a Cardiff University student, explained, the experience in the Australia

match is not sustainable for fan satisfaction. “The security was thorough, but it has to be organised better if it’s going to be repeated in the future. “After queuing for around fifty minutes, we finally got into the stadium twenty-five minutes after kick off. Some guys queuing with us actually decided to go back and watch it in a pub. If I had to queue for that long again, I would have to consider not bothering.” There were also severe concerns about safety within the crowd as fans became impatient at the prospect of missing kick off.

Upon arrival, supporters experienced fullbody checks, and large bags and umbrellas were banned from the stadium One fan spoke of how he felt a ‘crush’ as fans jostled toward the security barrier. Such reports will be concerning to authorities whose whole intention is to make events like this as safe as they can be.

Following terror attacks in the UK earlier this year, security has been stepped up accordingly, however not to the stage seen at the Champions League Final in June where checkpoints and security fences were installed. There will however be concern that in backing-up thousands

of members of the public into a single space, security operations are in fact creating further health, safety and security issues. That being said, officials have stayed resolute in the face of criticism, saying that the measures are here to stay, despite concerns.

NEWYDDION

National

Carl Sargeant’s death leads to claims of ‘bullying and toxicity’ in Welsh Government Silvia Martelli

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Steve Jones... made claims of bullying, “fear and loathing” within the Welsh Labour Party

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Pictured: Right: Carwyn Jones has come under scrutiny after the event (Source: Wojtek Gurak via Flickr/ National Assembly for Wales

arl Sargeant, Assembly Member for Alyn and Deeside, was found dead at his home in Connah’s Quay, Flintshire. His death occurred four days after he had lost his job as cabinet secretary for communities and children in the Welsh Parliament. Mr Sargeant had also been suspended by the Labour party following complaints of personal misconduct, which involved “inappropriate attention, touching or groping” a number of women. A post-mortem examination was carried out by Dr Andrew Dalton, and the provisional cause of death was identified as hanging. The dreadful news left Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in “deep shock”, while Prime Minister Theresa May said her “heart goes out to Carl Sargeant’s friends and family”. John Gittins, coroner for North Wales East and Central, clarified the inquest would not consider the veracity of the allegations made against Mr Sargeant, nor would he be “looking to the Welsh Assembly or the Labour Party and making adjudications as to who is right and wrong.” He added that the trial would be one by “press, politics or personality”. As part of the investigation, however, Mr. Gittins will be required to gather evidence to reach a conclusion on whether it was Mr Sargeant’s intention to end his life at that time, considering the steps taken by the Assembly to “have regard to Mr Sargeant’s mental welfare”. Following the death of Mr Sargeant, Steve Jones, former media adviser for the first minister, made claims of bullying, “fear and loathing” within the Welsh Labour Party. “Ministers were undermined by senior advisers playing power games and seeking to exert unreasonable control over government. It went way beyond any ‘office politics’ or personality clashes,” he said. Some ministers, including Mr Sargeant, “would have their diaries unreasonably monitored and questioned, their policy proposals shelved and direct access to the first min-

ister blocked”. “Things improved for a few months, then the poison returned and it began to engulf others - advisers and ministers alike. It was clear that all this was getting Carl down,” he continued. “It also became increasingly obvious that Carwyn [Jones, Welsh first minister] was either unwilling or unable to address the culture that existed within his office.” Former cabinet minister Leighton Andrews agreed there was a ‘toxic’ atmosphere at the top of the administration, and that

In the City

Tami and Ian Lucas, former local government minister Leighton Andrews, opposition parties, and Mr Sargeant’s family’s request for a probe to start “immediately”, he eventually ordered an independent inquiry into his handling of Mr Sargeant’s dismissal. Wales’ health secretary Vaughan Gething said he did not believe Mr Jones would resign, while Bernie Attridge, deputy leader of Flintshire council and lifelong friend of Mr Sargeant, has called on the first minister to step aside. Mr. Sargeant leaves behind a wife and two children.

In the City

Alcohol buyers breathalysed in Cardiff shops

wo branches of Spar in Cardiff city centre are breathalysing customers wanting to purchase alcohol, in a scheme designed to limit the sale of it to anyone already drunk. The shops, which sit on Queen Street and St Mary Street, are using the procedure as part of a wider crackdown on public drunkenness and anti-social behaviour in the city centre, part of the larger Operation Purple Ash. The locations of the stores are key, both sitting near the Castle and the main shopping areas, where thousands of tourists pass on a daily basis. It has received criticism from a number of areas, with members of staff complaining about abuse from customers when refused their sale. South Wales Police’s divisional commander for Cardiff, chief superintendent Belinda Davies, noted that there has been a rise in “complaints from visitors, residents and businesses” about anti-social behaviour associated with alcohol in the area. 18 people have been arrested since

some behaviours were ‘pure poison’. The Welsh Government did not recognise such claims. Mr Jones, who had sacked Mr Sargeant from his frontbench after learning of a number of alleged incidents, said he was “shocked and deeply saddened” and paid tribute to “a friend as well as a colleague”. On Thursday, he faced harsh criticism following his claim that an inquiry should only be held if it was not possible for the AM’s family to get answers through an inquest. Pressured by Wales Labour MPs Mark

the operation started, with some of some being from drunk and disorderly behaviour.

Source: South Wales Police

Cardiff ranked as the UK capital of stress

new report has named Cardiff the stress capital of Britain. The epidemic has been caused by the daily pressures from work, financial worries and health concerns. The report was based on a survey of 4,000 people by insurance company, Axa and one in ten people categorise themselves as being constantly stressed and one in five feeling stressed at least one point during the week. Two out of three were worried about their salary, and nearly the same amount were worried about paying household bills. This stress has been linked to the ‘always on’ culture of society with people constantly taking phone calls or checking their emails, even outside of working hours. Cardiff was ranked the most stressed city, with Belfast, Sheffield, London and Leeds also having high levels of stressed. On the other hand, the least stressed cities were Brighton, Newcastle, Liverpool, Cambridge, Birmingham and Leicester. The people surveyed said that they choose to

lower their stress levels by watching television, listening to music, reading, exercising or drinking alcohol. Dr Mark Winwood, of AXA, commented that: “Physical activity is proven to have a positive impact on mental health, even if it is just a walk around the block instead of a trip to the gym.”

Source: Firesam! via Flickr

6 COMMENT

comment

#GRComment comment@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/comment

Homelessness: Where do we stand now? report by the Statistics for Wales then handed out. There are limited bed (2017) show that in 2016, there spaces in Cardiff - only 240 are available were 53 rough sleepers in Car- for rough sleepers in the shelters, but diff on a typical night. This was compa- these are not always filled. A mixture of rable to other areas with high numbers, emergency and long term provision are such as Birmingham and Bedford with available to all those struggling. 55 and 59, respectively, however it is still According to Cardiff Council a third not as high as those in lead such as Bris- of those on the streets are not from Cartol (74) or Manchester (78). According diff. This has an increasing effect on the to homelessness charity, The Wallich, number of homeless people in Cardiff, there has been an 18% increase of rough with the average night count varying sleeping in Cardiff within the last year. between 30 - 50 people on the streets. Out of the 560 people the charity has Due to the variety of services available helped this year, a staggering 66%(368) in the city, Cardiff has seen an increase of them were aged between 36 - 50. Fur- of 40% rough sleepers that come from thermore, 67%(371) of the total people outside of Cardiff. These people come helped were men. from across all of South Wales, such Within the city there’s a whole host as Swansea, Bridgend, Ebbw Vale and of services available to people sleeping Barry. Some rough sleepers even come rough. For example, The Wallich holds from Bristol. a breakfast run throughout the week Research carried out by Heriot-Watt which starts around 6:30 in the morning University for homelessness charity during which, the volunteers deliver a Crisis, has found that the number of bacon roll and a tea or coffee to those on homeless people in Britain is expected to the streets. Also, the Salvation Army’s double by 2041. It is clear that the issue bus parks front of the city’sthreatened mu- surrounding homelessness in Cardiff Maps 1 and night 2 below show theinrate of households with homelessness and the rate of thoseis in the evenings, offering soup still despite the many policies successfullyseum prevented from homelessness at hot an individual localprevailing authority level. and shelter for a few hours each night. and drives the Government has put in People are able to donate clothes and place to combat it. The Wallich and The blankets to the charity’s bus, which are Big Issue are just two of the many ser-

Liam Ketcher

Infographic: Homelessness in Wales 2016-17 Source: Welsh Government

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Geoff Edwards... spent time living on the streets... He has now won a place to study at the University of Cambridge.

Pictured: There are approximatley 2,000 vendors in the U.K. selling The Big Issue. Source: Michaela Harcegova (Via Instagram)

vices providing support to those in poverty and on the streets to make a change. Launched in 1991, due to the rising numbers of rough sleepers in London, The Big Issue offers the people on the streets the opportunity to earn money by selling the magazine to passers-by. The sellers, known as vendors, become mini-entrepreneurs who, by working rather than begging, earn their money. They first buy copies of The Big Issue for £1.25 each, and then sell them to the public for £2.50. Now, after more than 25 years the magazine has sold over 200 million copies and helped change the lives of many of the poorest within our societies. Geoff Edwards, 52, from Liverpool, endured long periods of time without a job and even spent time living on the streets. After leaving school with two O-Levels, and with no ambition to continue his studies, he went on to work on farms across the entire country. From Kent, Gloucestershire, to Scotland and Cambridge, he would find work and move on when there was no longer work available for him. With the help and support of other homelessness charities, Geoff was able to save up £20 to travel to London on a Monday to pick up the magazines which he would then sell on the streets of the city like so many others. After a few years he then was placed into accommodation, but he began to feel depressed and isolated and decided that he needed to make a change. Therefore, he enrolled at his local college to get back into education. Now he has earned a place to study English Literature at the University of Cambridge. Speaking to The Guardian he said “I can’t say it’s what I always dreamed of because I didn’t really ever

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Average age The increase in the Money earned of male client number of rough by The Big Issue  During 2016-17, of households assessed as threatened with vendors over the supported bySwansea The reported the highest number sleepers in Cardiff homelessness within 56 days at 1,143 households. However, into account the number of Wallich in Cardiff. since thetaking last year. past 25 years.

18%

£115m

households in each area, the highest rate was seen in Torfaen at 109.8 per 10,000 households4. 

Methyr Tydfil reported the lowest number of households assessed as threatened with homelessness at 102 households but the lowest rate was in Powys at 29.3 per 10,000 households. In Wales as a

8,300

think of the university, but to have lived in this town for a while, and to get the chance to finally go behind those doors, is a privilege.” “The essay writing is a big step up from the access course. I knew that when I started. It’s pretty intense. It’s like a 40-hour week of reading and writing. It does feel a bit weird. It’s still like … Cambridge! They are trying to encourage people from more different backgrounds to study at Cambridge, and good on them.” Homelessness and rough sleeping is something that can affect us all. Llamau is Wales’ leading charity for young people and vulnerable women facing homelessness. Their new campaign aims to raise money for their first outof-hours freephone helpline. This will provide advice and support for young people in Wales facing rough sleeping and homelessness. With the nights getting colder and darker as we head closer and closer to the Christmas period, it’s important that we remember those on the streets. Even a smile as you pass by may make a difference to a homeless person’s day. If you can spare a few minutes, stop and have a chat; you can be sure they will truly appreciate it, as most passers-by rarely bother stopping. The stigmatisation of those who find themselves homeless on our streets shouldn’t be a feature of the society we should aspire to inhabit. By continuing to embody degrading stereotypes of the homeless, we are far less likely to offer them the help they desperately need to change their lives. If given this opportunity, they will prove to us all that their lives are not as meaningless as our treatment and attitudes towards them may often imply. Houses on the waiting list for social housing, according to Statistics for Wales 2017.

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By continuing to embody degrading stereotypes of the homeless, we are far less likely to offer them the help they desperately need to change their lives...

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Services offer hope to those who sleep rough

Number of young homeless people in Wales.

SYLWADAU

2022 Gay Games: competing for equality Rachael Hutchings

eating Guadalajara and the ambitious Washington D.C in the bidding process, Hong Kong will be the hosts for the 2022 Gay Games - a series of sporting and cultural events that promote inclusion and tolerance of LGBTQ+ athletes and artists who wish to compete. This will mark the first time in history of the event taking place in Asia. Similarly to the traditional structure of the Olympics which many are more familiar with, the Gay Games take place every four years and begin with an extravagant opening ceremo-

ny and the lighting of a flame. However, what makes this celebration of diversity so special and concomitant is the notion that there aren’t any qualifying standards. The competitions are open to anyone who wishes to partake and, more importantly, competitors are invited from countries all over the world, some of which still live by laws that make homosexuality illegal and encouraged to be kept hidden. Many will definitely welcome the choice to host the games in Hong Kong with effervescent excitement,

as it is a monumental step forward for Asian countries in regards to equality, expression and inclusion to an image that is understood and widely accepted in most Western countries. The rights for members of the LGBTQ+ community in Asia are currently far from what we experience here in the United Kingdom, for example; with same-sex activity being legal in only 27 out of 48 states, and gender expression and military service for LGBTQ+ people being legal in only 19. In countries such as Afghanistan,

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The competitions are open to anyone who wishes to partake and... competitors are invited from countries all over the world

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Jessica Warren

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Offshoring... has spiraled into an organised system to benefit the already wealthy, where the rest of us suffer

Saudi Arabia and Yemen, homosexuality is still, distressingly, punishable by death penalty. Hong Kong itself is still shy of legalising same-sex marriage, and despite small victories for the community over the past decade, what one might consider a basic human right (such as protection from domestic abuse) have been the matter-in-hand of many a complex legal battle. The games being held in Hong Kong offers so much potential positive publicity for the community and its abilities, as well as a promise of $1 billion towards an economy that can benefit everyone, could perhaps giving governments and lawmakers a distinct shove in a different direction. In 1994, the Gay Games held in New York coincided with the 25th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. This was considered the time of the ‘modern start of the LGBTQ+ movement’ and its fortuitous timing saw the games overtake the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in terms of size, with 10,864 athletes taking part that year in comparison to Barcelona’s 9,356. It is milestones such as this which demonstrate simply and effectively how much of a political, economic and social buzz can be created off the back of unity and embracing a serious issue through a gratifying format. This would not be the first time that the LGBTQ+ community have had to demonstrate their worth, despite the beauty and solidarity of their community.

Pictured: The Gay Games celebrate diversity and achievement. Source: Jessica Warren

Offshoring and tax evasion: the sinister culture of self-interestw

ax. A word that isn’t too hugely associated with students, but a word that has recently been circulating the news for its avoidance, or more specifically, its loop-holes. The Paradise Papers have lately hit the news with a shocking list of high-profile figures involved, including the Queen, who funds a part of BrightHouse - a household goods store criticised for exploiting its customers. These revelations bring into question just how widespread the use of taxloopholes are. The Paradise Papers stem from a global leak of 13.4m files from two offshore service providers and 19 tax havens’ company registries, and are currently being investigated by over 95 different media partners. Yet their revelation isn’t that of criminality, but instead, a culture of self-interest in the UK. Importantly, this is not the first time that papers of this kind have been leaked, with the Panama Papers hitting the tabloids last year. Clearly, very little has been achieved to crack down on this behavior in a year. Many of us aren’t clued into the ins and outs of offshore tax, mostly because we don’t have the funds to engage in it our-

selves, but for the world’s elite, these schemes operate in a world free from scrutiny, until now. Former PM, Gordon Brown has not withheld his opinion, stating that “they have got to outlaw these tax havens… they have got to punish them with, potentially, arrest warrants in some cases where people are breaking the law”. Where Brown’s viewpoint could be deemed idealistic, it pushes for a drastic change in the behavior of the rich elite across the country. Where offshoring began in the 70s as a method of hiding money from a corrupt and greedy government, it has spiraled into an organised system to benefit the already wealthy, where the rest of us suffer. Economist and Nobel prize winner Sir Angus Deaton has argued that “the existence of tax havens does not add to overall global wealth or wellbeing; they serve no useful economic purpose.” This industrial-scale tax dodging should also concern students, who often face huge mountains of debt, and as such, ought not allow this gluttonous tax avoidance to continue. The Paradise Papers further revealed that near half of all Oxford colleges had

investments offshore, including in fossil fuels. We must recognize that the wealthiest members of society hoarding their treasure like an evil dragon is not by accident, but through an engineered system. This system fails to contribute to the funding of already overstrained public services; by standing by, and allowing this to continue as we did after the release of the Panama Papers, we become complicit in the vast inequality we face every day.

Where many MP’s recognize that the NHS and other public services are struggling, they fail to address a key factor in this issue. These services are funded by the taxpayer, yet the money to effectively run these services is not available due to this large-scale tax avoidance. Evidently, we cannot allow ourselves to be complicit in this culture of self-interest and greed anymore. The elite should be punished for their immoral use of tax havens and offshoring.

Pictured: Protests against tax evasion Source: iDJ Photography (Via Flickr)

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COMMENT

The ‘alt-right’: Sadly, the flame of hatred still burns

merica has found itself caught up in a series of rather unfortunate events as a result of the proliferating impact of the so called ‘alt-right’. The embodiment of its position within mainstream American society has led to the term and its ideas penetrating vast corners of the globe. Credited with forming the intellectual basis for the unforeseen election of Donald Trump as President of the United States, people are now beginning question the ideological underpinnings of one of the most dangerous ideals in the 21st century. Those who have studied this phenomenon have argued that the corroboration of the ‘alt-right’ in America has been abetted because of the struggles of white, working class Americans. The stagnation of wages, reduction in living standards and an ignorance by the liberal and ‘Fake News’ purporting elite has culminated in a situation whereby white Americans feel a sense of solitary isolation from the rest of society. However, it is not just white, working class Americans who have found themselves caught up in the increasing conformity with the ‘alt-right’. Through the propositions to ban Muslims from entering the United States and the derogatory terms to describe immigrants, the ‘America First’ notion has achieved an admir-

ing declaration from Trump himself.

Whilst its leaders try to distinguish themselves from the ideas of fascism, the reality is that the similarities between them are truly frightening. Bound up in a tangle of delusion and hypocrisy, it appears this Administration fails to comprehend that the great office they occupy was in fact constructed through the gruelling and harrowing efforts of enslaved African Americans.

As such, the ideas of the ‘alt-right’ have seen a surge in unsuspecting sympathisers who are unaware of what it truly epitomises. The founders of the ‘alt-right’ embody everything that would lead most to accuse them of being nothing but fascists, who possess some characteristics no different from those donned from head to toe in a white gown clutching a flame of abhorrence and animosity. In their pursuit for the ‘white homeland’, Richard Spencer and other leading figures in the movement give no credence nor an ounce of dignity to anyone who has a different ethnic origin or speaks a different tongue to themselves. Such obliviousness to

the diversity of respective national cultures runs the risk of an assimilation of similarity, failing to recognise that a successful America is unlikely to exist when whites live with whites and vice-versa. However, I sadly suspect this is what the ‘alt-right’ desire. Whilst its leaders try to distinguish themselves from the ideas of fascism, the reality is that the similarities between them are truly frightening. The prospect of fear fuels the rhetoric of the ‘alt-right’ resulting in its increasing support. Even though many of its sympathisers do not share beliefs that are as extreme and dangerous as those like Spencer, the ‘alt-right’ exploits the vulnerabilities of people to advance its own treacherous and gravely perturbing ideology. The Bible states ‘beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves’, and that is how the ‘alt-right’ manifests itself. It clearly has some appeal to a substantial proportion of the American population. Despite this veil of allure, the real materialisation is full of deception and repugnance. If society is to overcome the perils of the ‘altright’, it needs to be faced with the utmost condemnation and denunciation. That needs to start at the very top, in the rather aptly named White House.

Pictured: Richard Spencer at a rally. Source: Blinkofanaye (Via Flickr)

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The ideas of the ‘alt-right’ have seen a surge in unrespecting sympathisers, who are unaware of what it truly epitomises.

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George Cook

Diversity of Vogue: “Beauty is where you find it”

ogue has always been a staple for many people all over the UK. As a young girl, I remember religiously sifting through the magazine, despite not being able to afford a single item of the haute couture that was so elegantly sprawled across the pages. Yet, having moved to the UK from Pakistan, a developing country, it was a dream of mine to see a wider range of people exhibited in the fashion bible. The fashion industry has been heavily criticised over the years due to its lack of diversity. This is why the news of Edward Enninful replacing the long-standing Alexandra Shulman as editor-in-chief of British Vogue came with high praise. Enninful, who has recently released his first issue for the magazine, emerged into the fashion industry at the age of 16 when he was spotted by a modelling agency scout. With his short-lived modelling career being his “baptism into fashion,” Enninful then went on to become fashion director of the publication i-D, where he turned heads for being the youngest fashion director for a large-scale magazine. Since then, Enninful has gone on to work for numerous fashion houses and publications - from Christian Dior to W Magazine. Just months ago, British Vogue sparked controversy after they tweeted a staff picture: it was quickly point-

ed out by Twitter users, that the staff seemed to lack ethnic diversity and featured those from a predominantly Caucasian heritage.

Not only is Enninful changing the magazine to be more representative of different heritages, but also those from different classes with their Snapchat stories often including articles aimed at students from Primary up to University.

With the magazine being an icon for females all over the UK, readers found it disheartening to see it failed to represent those from all backgrounds. Having only placed two models of colour on the cover of the magazine, Alexandra Schulman has been condemned several times for failing to produce a magazine that was more realistic of contemporary British society. Being from African descent, it was important to Enninful to make sure that the magazine changed its ways and become more inclusive. Thus, New Vogue was born. The December issue was released just days ago and

has already had a remarkable impact on the fashion world. With a British African actress known for her feminist activism now gracing the cover of the recently released issue, it’s clear Enninful’s intent is to make sure all ethnicities and backgrounds are represented. Not only is Enninful changing the magazine to be more representative of different heritages, but also those from different classes with their Snapchat stories often including articles aimed at students from Primary up to University. It’s clear that New Vogue is moving in the right direction and with features by Zayn Malik, Sadiq Khan, Liv Little, all paying homage to Britain, Enninful’s first issue as editor-in-chief is bound to be an interesting and relevant read. This iconic and heartfelt move by Enninful could not have come at a better time, with fashion being more diverse than ever. Since Caitlyn Jenner’s bold move to share her personal story on the cover of Vanity Fair and the rise of models and designers such as Halima Aden, the fashion industry is increasing its pace to keep up with the ever-advancing society. It’s important for fashion to remain a flexible and open-space for everyone, especially considering its importance as a landmark for many young people. It will be interesting to see the future of Enninful’s Vogue.

Pictured: What’s next for Vogue? Source: Marina Burity (via Flickr).

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The staff seemed to lack diversity and featured those froma predominantly Caucasian heritage.

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Sarah Harris

SYLWADAU

Sarah Harris

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It’s clear wider action needs to be taken by Universities, and the Government, in raising awareness on student suicides

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CharlotteGehrke

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Therefore, this issue goes right to the very heart of a community, the very community that is the basis for both CPS’ and Hogwurst’s business model.

The unspoken struggles of University life

veryone talks about how University is a chance for you to explore your new-found independence and let loose. However, no one really tells you that you’re likely to spend a countless number of days surviving on less than 2 hours of sleep due to the fact that you have a dozen deadlines that all fall on the same day. We’ve all jokingly said at some point that we ‘feel like killing ourselves’, but how do we know when to take the sarcastic statements our friends so flippantly declare to us seriously? ‘Death on Campus,’ a recently released BBC documentary, told the stories of three UK students all of whom sadly, over the last few years, have taken their own lives. The documentary made it clear that the academic pressure and social burdens, faced by hundreds of students all over the world, were a contributing factor in to the reason why these students struggled with life. Andrew Korkman, an Oxford University student, unfortunately took his life in 2013, in his second year of a Politics and Philosophy Undergraduate degree. Andrew’s friends and family disclosed that he was struggling to cope with his degree, and as a result, was neglecting his physical and mental health. Although Andrew shared his struggles with close ones, this was not enough for him and ultimately, he felt the only way to fix things was to end his life. Statistics found that in 2015 alone, a record number of 134 students killed themselves. It’s clear that a growing number of students are struggling with mental health problems and choosing not to report them, but the question is;

In the City

Pictured: Mental health. Source: simmons. kevin4208. (Via Flickr)

what is the reason students are choosing to take such drastic measures? With deadline season and exam week just around the corner, there’s no doubt that University life can bring an overwhelming amount of stress, which is undoubtedly bound to have an impact on both your physical and mental health. Despite measures such as free counselling services, support groups and workshops being put in place for students who are struggling to cope with their courses, suicide rates are continu-

ing to rise; something isn’t being done right. It’s unfair to put the blame solely on academic pressures. With the looming thought of having to pay off an obscenely large amount of debt pretty much the minute we set out in to the adult world and also trying to maintain a somewhat normal social life, there’s no doubt that the average University student will struggle to cope with everyday life.So how can we change this? Unfortunately, there is no concrete way we can make the overall education pro-

cess any easier; maybe there are measures we can put in place to relieve the tension. It’s clear wider action needs to be taken by Universities, and the Government, in raising awareness on student suicides. Even then, is it guaranteed to make a change? With talks about tuition fees being lowered, and more money going towards combating mental health problems faced by students, it could be said that we’re taking a step in the right direction. However, a lot more needs to be done.

Hogwurst victim to ‘insensitive marketing ploy’

entences such as “small businesses are at the heart of every community” have a familiar sound to them. They imply a mutually exclusive relationship between the establishments and their local customers. But what happens if this trust is betrayed? Hogwurst, a small independent café specialising in ‘gourmet hotdogs’, has unfortunately experienced this. It all began about one and a half years ago, when the Cardiff based letting agency CPS Homes decided to step up its marketing game by mounting a seasonal promotional booth on North Road. The stand blends perfectly into the company’s quirky student-targeted marketing campaign, with an old VW-van in the company’s customary turquoise colour and two cheerful young attendants eager to attract new tenants. Yet, the marketing scheme’s playful and innocent look has not convinced everyone in its proximity; being located next to two gastronomic establishments, the stand has caused some controversy. One of these businesses is the Blackweir Tavern, a well-known pub that is popular amongst students. Its manager Adam Roach stated that the

CPS booth has in fact benefitted the tavern sending people their way. In addition, the pub does not rely on coffee sales in the first place, mostly operating at night, therefore not directly competing with the stand. The opposite, however, is true of Hogwurst, which is located right opposite of CPS’ booth. The coffee house’s owner, Hoa Dieu, says his three-year-old small business heavily relies on its student customer base. Dieu states “We have no problem with CPS Homes wanting to reach out to the students, but there are more considerate and less selfish

ways about it. We have spoken to CPS Homes and have pointed out to them how insensitive their marketing ploy is, but they are unconcerned and have continually arranged for their van to directly conflict with us.”, He further adds that “We have called upon students [to] boycott the coffee van”. CPS has failed to reply to a request to comment. According to one source, the advertising campaign stopped last Monday. So, with the booth temporarily disappearing the controversy appears to be on hold until the booth’s next appearance. All in all, it is understandable that

students constantly living on a budget don’t think twice when being offered a free coffee. However, it is essential to remember that small independent businesses rely on their customers’ loyalty. Therefore, this issue goes right to the very heart of a community, the very community that is the basis for both CPS’ and Hogwurst’s business model. CPS’ unreflective behaviour is thereby rendered unacceptable as it violates the unspoken contract of this community. Yet, legally speaking, the letting agency’s ad campaign is complying with the governmental guidelines. Thus, it is up to the community, to students and locals, to the businesses customers, to shape the latter by choosing to stand up for their ideals or prioritise one’s financial situation. I would argue that a university environment might be one of the most conducive environments to idealism that there are. We might live in times where practices such as common decency and the social contract are easily dismissed or discarded as ideals of the past, but they should not be. Plus, what better excuse is there to treat yourself to a cup of coffee or some comfort food than to stand up for your beliefs?

Pictured: Hogwurst. Credit: Hogwurst (Via Facebook)

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10 UNSAFE SPACE

column

@harryheath__ | #UnsafeSpace gairrhydd.com/category/column

Myanmar crisis shows we shouldn’t choose a path of isolationism post-Brexit Pictured: Myanmar, the home of the latest humanitarian crisis. Source: Magdalena Roeseler (Via Flickr)

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The relative silence of world leaders is to the shame of the international community, who appear to be acting with indifference to the plight of the Rohingya Muslims.

n the early hours of last week, Sky News revealed that they had witnessed abysmal scenes of suffering in Myanmar, Southeast Asia, where thousands of Rohingya Muslims are stranded, starving, and fearing that help may never come. The Rohingya population was greater than one million at the start of the year but this number is in rapid decline as the Myanmar government is employing barbaric methods to rid their nation of the group. The authorities insist that this is fake news, and that they are merely enforcing their anti-terrorism policy. The shocking footage so valiantly recorded by Sky’s journalism presents the truly unimaginable results of what the United Nations have described as “a textbook example of ethnic cleansing”. At its most shocking, the video evidence of this growing humanitarian crisis comes in the form of absolute suffering and malnourishment. Babies, in their rows, laying on beaches where they have been born, women so emaciated that they can barely stand and cannot swallow when they are given biscuits. As totally distressing as it is, I urge that you watch this footage online, for the levels of pain cannot be articulated with words alone. The relative silence of world leaders on this matter is to the shame of the international community, who appear to be acting with indifference to the plight of the Rohingya Muslims. That or they are just too busy with conflict of their own: Donald Trump seems to only be concerned with a war against

North Korea that he is intent on fighting via Twitter; Britain meanwhile is preoccupied with squabbles over sovereignty with its new enemy, Brussels. The paucity of response to such suffering does pose questions regarding the effectiveness of the so-called ‘great powers’ of the world, and not for the first time. Nations are reluctant to describe these mass-killings, sexual-assaults and house-burnings as official genocide even though it clearly meets all the characteristics as defined by the UN. This is because they would then be obliged to act against it, by force if necessary. Such cowardice on the part of today’s world leaders should not come as a surprise, this merely adds to the depressing political landscape across the globe. While we could never expect anti-democrats such as President Putin to act in support of human rights, it is sadly true that the US and Britain’s political establishment has decided to turn inwards when the pressing issues of today demand a pooling of sovereignty. However their supporters may wish to define them, both the election of Donald Trump and the Brexit vote are in reality a retreat from globalism. The indecisiveness alone of the West in recent years has allowed Putin and Syria’s President Assad to flex their muscles in the Middle-East, but with the Trump administration showing little enthusiasm for NATO, and with ourselves selecting a path of disintegration from our closest friends on the continent, maybe it is time we ceased to regard the US and Britain

as global players at all. Humanitarian crises such as the one ongoing in Myanmar, along with climate change and global terrorism, do not recognise national borders; therefore, there is no chance of an effective response to them without western powers acting in unison. We have already witnessed the scale of chaos that can occur when a western state acts unilaterally: the admirably compassionate though ill-conceived opening of the borders of Europe by Angela Merkel springs to mind. There was much argument over what the proper response was during the height of the refugee crisis, often between those who claimed a monopoly on what was either rational or humane, as if the two were mutually exclusive. What was evident was the attitudinal shift in debate and media coverage since the photograph of Alan Kurdi was published, the threeyear-old boy lying face-down dead in the sand. One wonders what it will take this time, what more must be revealed about the crisis in Myanmar to elicit a real response from our leaders. The creators of Channel 4’s 90s sitcom Drop the Dead Donkey, set in a fictional newsroom, originally considered the title of Dead Belgians Don’t Count, an ironic but cutting jibe at the cynicism in news reporting that often does not give deserving stories due coverage for commercial reasons. Highlighting abuses of power such as in the case of Myanmar at present is where the fourth estate is at its best, raising awareness and influencing

public opinion. We should demand at least the same level of courage from our politicians as that showed by Sky News’ journalists, who made the dangerous trip across the water at night to support the cause of those fleeing persecution. I sincerely hope that I have spoken too soon, and that in the days and weeks to come the leaders of the liberal democracies of the world act not with merely hard rhetoric, but with decisive and coordinated action, showing that dead Rohingyas do count. Britain’s ability to be a force for good in the world and export the liberal values we enjoy are far greater reasons to be proud than Christianity, the Monarchy, the Empire and good heavens, Brexit. I agree with the late, great Christopher Hitchens that ‘internationalism is the highest form of patriotism’. While our recent military involvement has been hugely divisive, we must not learn the wrong lesson: that it is never right to intervene. Britain has punched well above its weight on the world stage; liberal interventions in Sierra Leone and Kosovo have proved that we can help bring freedom and peace to countries ridden with tyranny and bloodshed. We now cut a slight figure however, one of introverted irrelevance to many of our allies in Europe and America. This latest crisis in Myanmar proves that even if we cover our ears and argue amongst ourselves, the world’s problems do not vanish. Only time will tell as to whether we are walking away, just as some depend on us most.

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Britain has punched well above its weight in the world; liberal interventions in Sierra Leone and Kosovo have proved that we can help bring freedom and peace to countries ridden with tyranny and bloodshed.

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Harry Heath

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POLITICS

politics

#GRPolitics politics@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/poltics

WALES

Carwyn Jones reshuffles the pack with an eye to the future, but is it his to control?

Ioan Phillips

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Mr Jones claimed the reshuffle would provide “new drive and energy”.

arwyn Jones reshuffles the pack with an eye to the future, but is it his to control? Any discussion of Carwyn Jones’ Cabinet reshuffle in the current political climate will inevitably focus on the circumstances surrounding the dismissal, and subsequent death of Communities Secretary, Carl Sargeant. Were it not for Mr Sargeant’s tragic suicide, the column inches would instead be analysing what was a comprehensive reshuffle. Five AMs received promotions – among them the Independent AM and ex-Plaid Cymru leader, Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas. The Culture, Tourism and Sport role is his first ministerial position in a career that has spanned nearly half a century. The absorption of a former Plaid “big beast” into government serves as the

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Dafydd Elis-Thomas

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport

ideal counter to Plaid’s decision last month to terminate its Compact with Labour. Taken against Kirsty Williams’ enduring Cabinet presence, it allows Mr Jones to plausibly maintain the strapline “Working Together for Wales”. Another big talking point is Neath AM Jeremy Miles replacing Pontypridd’s Mick Antoniw as Counsel General – the post Mr Jones held before becoming First Minister in 2009. A staunch Corbynista, Antoniw’s removal has been interpretted by Welsh Labour insiders as an attempt by Mr Jones to try to ensure the leadership does not go to a figure from the left by promoting moderates. This perspective is underscored by the return to Cabinet of former tobacco lobbyist and Iraq war supporter, Alun Davies. Sacked from the environment brief in 2014 for pressuring civil serv-

Huw Iranca-Davies

Minister for Children and Social Care

ants into providing private information about opposition AMs, Mr Davies will be hoping it is second time lucky as Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services. The new Cabinet will be the first without Leader of the House and Chief Whip Jane Hutt. Her departure after 18 years at the top leaves the government shorn of its canniest negotiator. Hutt led coalition talks with the Liberal Democrats in 2000, and Plaid Cymru in 2007. Three AMs from Labour’s 2016 intake – Hannah Blythyn, Eluned Morgan, and Huw Irranca-Davies have been given junior ministerial positions. Mr Jones claimed the reshuffle would provide “new drive and energy”, but the two main opposition parties have been scathing. “New names and new faces count

Hannah Blythyn

Minister for Environment

Eluned Morgan

for very little - positive outcomes are all that matter to the people of Wales. We need a change in ideology,” said Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies. Meanwhile, Plaid Cymru Group Chair Dai Lloyd AM said: “Wales still does not have a government that will lift the country up the league tables and inspires people with its agenda”. Welsh Labour’s record in power is subject to much debate. What no-one is debating is how this reshuffle has been done with a clear eye to a future – one without Mr Jones. The First Minister has previously stated that leaders have a natural expiry date of a decade. Confidants of Mr Jones seem to believe 2019 is his preferred departure date. However, it remains to be seen whether the arrival of the post-Jones era will be hastened by Mr Sargeant’s death.

Minister for Welsh Language and Lifelong Learning

Pictured: Who’s new in Carwyn Jones’ Cabinet reshuffle? Dafydd ElisThomas, Huw Iranca-Davies, Hannah Blythyn, Eluned Morgan, Jeremy Mills. Source: All gov.wales

Jeremy Mills

Counsel General Designate

MPs to vote on final Brexit deal

U.K. Conor Holohan

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There is a genuine possibility that Parliament will reject the Bill or amend it out of recognition

UK Members of Parliament and peers are to have their say on the final Brexit deal in an Act of Parliament, the Brexit Secretary David Davis announced this week. The Act will legislate the new arrangements reached in negotiations with Brussels into UK law. This means that if MPs wish, they can strike down the agreements that Davis makes with Michel Barniel between now and 2019. If the Act is voted down, Britain will have a no-deal Brexit situation. There is a genuine possibility that Parliament will reject the Bill or amend it out of recognition. In a Press Association study of MPs carried out before the referendum on June 23rd 2016, 480 of our 650 Members of Parliament planned to vote remain. Of course there are many remainbacking Members of Parliament who represent leave-voting consituencies. Along with the remain backing Conservative MPs who plan to vote with the government in favour of the Bill and the 20 or so leave-voting Labour MPs, the

Parliamentary arithmatic is much more favourable to the government. However, there are many Conservative rebels, such as Anna Soubry MP, who regularly vote against the government on legislation concerned with Brexit. These MPs will be the most powerful entities in the leaving process, and although they may not vote the Act down outright, many have made clear that they plan to help the Labour Party to ammend the Act to ‘soften’ Brexit. Meanwhile, the government’s new Chief Whip Julian Smith was reported to have had a ‘stormy’ meeting with a group of Conservative rebels this week. Smith, who has taken up the position from the newly promoted Gavin Williamson, does not posess the same influence over MPs. Williamson, who has taken up the position of Defence Secetary following the resignation of Sir Michael Fallon, is regarded as one of the most important Members due to his personal knowledge of Conservative MPs and even

their private lives. To many, Williamson’s promotion weakens the Prime Minister, whom Williamson has been historially loyal to. Without Williamson in the Whip’s Office, May might find it more difficult to persuade Tory rebels to support the backbone of the planned Act of Parliament. This Act is not to be confused with the Great Repeal Bill, which will transfer the bulk of EU regulation into UK law when we leave.

The Bill allows the government to unpick EU-originated regulations once we have left, as the sheer volume of legislation from Europe would take years to consider and would make the Brexit process nearly impossible and could open up the possibility of a future Parliament reversing or diluting Brexit. Though different to the proposed Act of Parliament, the Parliamentary arithmatic concerning the Great Repeal Bill is likely to be causing May a similar level of headachery.

Pictured: MPs will have the final say on a Brexit Deal Source: UK Parliament (via Flickr).

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GWLEIDYDDIAETH 13 WORLD George Cook

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After the ‘yes’ vote, Australia has mirrored the decision of America and 14 other European nations to provide marriage equality.

EQUAL MARRIAGE AUSTRALIA

ustralia’s LGBTQ+ community are celebrating the country’s decision to follow in the footsteps of other progressive and liberal western nations by voting in favour of same-sex marriage. When the results were announced at 10am in Canberra, it was revealed 61.6% (7,817,247) voted ‘yes’ in the groundbreaking national postal survey. Of 150 Federal Electoral Divisions, only 17 recorded a majority ‘no’ vote, whilst over 70% of the populations of Corangamite and Ballarat voted in their droves in favour. Emotional and joyous scenes ensued after 79.5% participated in the survey, almost guaranteeing that the landmark decision will be immune to any significant political or social challenges in the near future. Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has fully recognised the ‘unequivocal’ vote, stating that the country’s parliament has an obligation to legally enshrine marriage equality by Christmas. “Australians have spoken in their millions and they have voted overwhelmingly yes for marriage equality. They have voted yes for fairness, yes for commitment, yes for love,” Turnbull said. Such monumental support has heralded another advancement in Australian society, vindicating the belief in the country’s values of social justice.

Kylie Minogue was played as thousands gathered in towns and cities across Australia proudly waving their rainbow flags in elation. “Today we celebrate, tomorrow we legislate”, were the poignant words of opposition leader, Bill Shorten, echoing the beliefs of millions of Australians. In accordance with this declaration, several people have also already taken advantage of their long overdue parity of marriage by proposing to their partners, many of whom have waited decades for such rights to be achieved. It is important to remember the struggles prior to this historic day. Apathetic beliefs by politicians have previously resulted in a failure to recognise the liberal attitudes of the majority of the Australian electorate. Furthermore, prior to this survey, there have been 22 unsuccessful attempts in Parliament to legalise same-sex marriage. It was prohibited by the Howard Government in 2004, and opposed by former Prime Minister Tony Abbot as recently as last year. Thankfully, the political establishment are beginning to recognise the more tolerant nature of Australian society. And despite religious and conservative objections to the vote, there is enough support in Parliament to honour the wishes of Malcolm Turnbull so that same-sex mar-

riage can be legalised by Christmas. After the ‘yes’ vote, Australia has mirrored the decision of America and 14 other European nations to provide marriage equality. As such, many have described same-sex marriage as a cultural norm across the western world. After Germany voted in favour of marriage-equality in the summer of this year, it is true to assert that there is increasing conformity in the West surrounding the issue. Cultural transformations have arisen in the face of an increasing level of political youth engagement across Europe

alongside the pervasiveness of globalisation. In modern society it is now mostly in deeply religious countries where marriage equality is enduring sustained opposition, such as Northern Ireland and Italy where the latter only offers civil unions. Despite this, Australia has adopted the attitudes of other Western nations summarised by Bill Shorten who stated ‘LGBTQI Australians are 100% loved and valued’.

Pictured: Yes to Equality Source: @AMEquality via Twitter

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60,000 join far-right march in Poland calling for ethnic purity T ens of thousands of people marched in Warsaw on Saturday 11 November to celebrate Polish Independence Day. Although the demonstration marks the day Poland gained its sovereignty after World War I, in recent years it has become an opportunity for radical nationalist groups to take to the streets to call for a ‘White Europe’ and ‘Clean Blood’. The images coming from the demonstration were shocking: a crowd of 60,000 people, including neo-

fascists in balaclavas, marching in a haze of red smoke from firecrackers. The rally’s images are dramatic if you think that they are coming from a country where millions of people died in concentration camps in World War II. However, many of the demonstrators told the local and international media that they don’t identify themselves with the nationalist groups, and that they were only attending the event to celebrate the national day. Independence

Day marks Poland regaining its sovereignty at the end of World War I after being divided and ruled since the late 18th century by Russia, Prussia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Beyond the big march in Warsaw, many events took place during the day and saw participation by the big political figures. Both President Andrzej Duda and European Union president Donald Tusk, a former Polish prime minister, officiated state ceremonies. The march was overshadowed by all other events, however the streets were full of flags, red smoke and people chanting far-right slogans as “White Europe of Brotherly Nations,” “Europe will be white or uninhabited,” “Clear blood, sober mind,” and “No to Islam.” All three main sponsors of the march belong to the Polish far-right movement: the All Poland Youth, National Movement and National Radical Camp. They all embrace catholic-nationalist philosophy, Neo-Nazi ideas, anti-globalization sentiments and Euroscepticism. But politicians and Polish media failed to acknowledge the extremist messages carried out at the march. Interior Minister Mariusz Błaszczak refused to admit that there were racist slogans at the march, saying to a reporter present at the demonstration that “It’s only your opinion,

because you behave like a political activist.” Even the state broadcaster TVP, which reflects the conservative government’s line, attempted to downplay the controversial chants, saying that the demonstration was a “great march of patriots”. Its programmerss portrayed the event as one that showed many regular Poles expressing their love of Poland, not extremists. The march has gained large support across Europe, and far-right leaders from elsewhere in Europe, among them Tommy Robinson from Britain and Roberto Fiore from Italy, who gathered in Warsaw to join the demonstration. Even the US white supremacist Richard Spencer intended to join the day and deliver a speech, but the Polish Government said he wasn’t welcomed in the country. What many commentators have highlighted is that the far-right rise in many countries is poorly correlated with economic reasons as Europe’s economy is growing faster than at any time since the 2008 crisis. Poland itself has an employment rate of 4.6%, a record low. What worries people instead seems to be social change, and in the case of Poland the affirmation of a Christian supremacist ideology is the way many people are trying to fight these changes.

Pictured: Polish Independence Day march in Warsaw Source: Maja Ruszpel (via Flickr).

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In the case of Poland, the affirmation of a Christian supremacist ideology is the way many people are trying to fight these changes.

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Luca Peluzzi

POLITICS

The Five ‘Stans’

Lifting the cloak enshrouding some of the world’s most secretive lands

Matt Tomlin

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Aside from the general incompetence of authoritarian leaders in providing stable societies for their citizens, social equality in the region is highly questionable.

eard of the Five Stans? If you read tabloid newspapers, then you may have heard something about one of them in the last week or so. An unnatural, although unthreatening, amount of radioactive material has been reported by French scientists to have drifted over Europe from either Russia or Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan may often be ignored by the average reader, and understandably so, considering outside news and information is almost sparce in comparison to its neighbour, Russia. However, Kazakhstan and the other former Soviet “Stan” countries, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, would have more world potential and significance if they didn’t have so many political, social and economic flaws. The current position of the ‘Five Stans’ is what many in the West could easily label as uninteresting, as the countries are not focused on social progression or diverse world trade. Kazakhstan’s economy for example relies almost completely on oil exports. The cities of Ashgabat and Astana, capitals of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan respectively, are ‘elaborate’ to say the least, and the extortionate money spent on massive constructions can be estimated from just looking at photographs of these two cities. Despite their elaborate facades, The Guardian reported that public activity on the streets was scarce. The autocratic Turkmen leader, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, has put lots of effort into replacing Soviet architecture with modern marble buildings. Many of the marble houses built lack residents, and because the country is highly reluctant to give out visas, his large airport has a consistently low capacity. This is an obvious example of an uneconomic farce which gives the country no form of return and is typical of the region. Other questionable construction

work can be found in Tajikistan, where there is also a major focus on aesthetic projects, with a 165-metre tall flagpole being erected in the centre of the capital, Dushanbe. Authorities have replaced the bulldozed former Soviet architecture with features like this that contribute nothing to the lives of the masses other than the supposed aura of authority. Unlike neighbouring Kazakhstan, this authority lacks the strong ties with the west and the oil industry like to go about such projects securely.

Kyrgyzstan, the only democracy of the Five Stans, is incredibly poor and a sharp contrast from the egotistical city projects of the other Stan countries. Subsequently, it does a poor job at maintaining a good impression of democracy in comparison to the other four countries. Its capital, Bishek, reflects the plight of its ordinary people as it is suffering from severe underfunding. Aside from the general incompetence of authoritarian leaders in providing stable societies for their citizens, social equality in the region is highly questionable. Last month, the Tajikistan authorities reportedly drew up a list of all of its known gay and lesbian citizens. Response plans are said to involve compulsory testing of labelled LGBT+ citizens for STIs with the words ‘morality’ and ‘purge’ also circulating among reports of this. In Uzbekistan meanwhile, homosexuality is illegal. The secular state approaches of these primarily Muslim countries also raises questions of social fairness and equality, with open worship seriously discouraged. Some critics have said that apart from this being op-

pressive, it encourages radicalisation. An Uzbek man has been involved in a recent New York terrorist attack, and many have reportedly been linked with ISIS. Despite the problems these countries have, there are some signs of progression. Such positive moves aren’t just away from the legacy of the Soviet Union, but are also away from totalitarian oppression and the lack of development for the non-elites. City officials in the former capital of Kazakhstan, Almaty, have been consulting international investors about city development projects which focus on the inspiration of the people rather than just oil funded aesthetics. Bishek is attempting to take this further with more emphasis being placed on twoway feedback from citizens about what future community developments should be like. Economically, there is some promise in the recent energy deal struck between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, although whether or not any gain made from this will go towards ordinary peo-

ple is unlikely in the short term given the fanciful attitudes of the current leaders toward development. In terms of environmental issues, Kazakhstan President, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has seemed very eager to promote widespread use of green energy. In 2016,

Greenpeace reported that Kazakhstan had backed a nuclear-free world by 2045. It would appear that minor incremental steps are being taken in the right direction. For the meantime however, the Five Stans are torn between oppression and progression and have a long way to go in building more equal and progressive societies for their people.

Pictured: Map of the ‘Stans’. Source: Gareth Axenderrie (original). Map of Eurasia Source: wikimedia

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SCIENCE

science RESEARCH

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Daydreaming all the time? It’s just your inner genius

Kawser Abdulahi

Pictured: Top left: Daydreaming sourced via Unsplash by Guillaume Bolduc Infographic: by Louange Lubangu

ver found yourself drifting into dreamland during lectures or trying to focus but just can’t, well it may just mean that your mind is more efficient than others. A recent study by scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT) shows that there is a link between daydreaming and higher levels of intelligence and creativity, debunking the assumption that all daydreamers suffer from low attention spans. So, whenever you’re spacing out in your lectures next, don’t be too hard on yourself- it’s just your inner genius showing. Researchers at GIT measured the brain patterns of more than 100 participants in a fMRI scanner. Participants were instructed to focus on a stationary fixation point for five minutes. They also measured creativity, executive function and fluid intelligence via several tests conducted in the fMRI scanner. The GIT team used this data to identify which parts of the brain worked in unison during resting and wake states. Participants were then asked to complete a Mind Wandering Questionnaire, to measure daydreaming. The study found the default mode network (DMN), a region that is most active when people are not engaged with their surroundings, at rest, or when doing a self-involved task, showed increased connectivity with the frontoparietal control network (FPCN), the region turned on by active tasks. This connectivity between the DMN and FPCN suggests that active thought processing occurs even in a passive state. It also discovered that participants who reported daydreaming scored higher more frequently on in-

tellectual and creative ability and had more efficient brain systems based on MRI scan measurements. People tend to view daydreaming as a ‘bad’ habit and often characterise being lost in your thoughts as a negative trait, especially in learning environments. However, the study indicates that daydreamers have more efficient brains. This higher efficiency means there’s a larger capacity for thought, resulting in the brain wandering when performing easy tasks. Professor Eric Schumacher, GIT School of Psychology and co-author of the study, told Science Daily “People with efficient brains may have too much brain capacity to stop their minds from wandering,”. “Our findings remind me of the absent-minded professor -- someone who’s brilliant, but off in his or her own world, sometimes oblivious to their own surroundings,” said Schumacher. “Or school children who are too intellectually advanced for their classes. While it may take five minutes for their friends to learn something new, they figure it out in a minute, then check out and start daydreaming.” But that doesn’t mean all daydreamers are hidden geniuses. Individual differences also have to be considered, as well as personal motivation to stay focused on a specific task. More research is therefore required to better understand when daydreaming is harmful and when it’s not. For the time being, to all my fellow daydreamers, next time you’re trying to pay attention but can’t, just remember, you’re a genius.

GWYDDONIAETH

CLIMATE

Out of sight, out of mind? Climate change is not a hoax Trump’s climate change denial challenged by latest federal report

Hannah Newberry

n Friday, a federal report was released in the eye of the public that acknowledged climate change as a ‘grave threat’. To the US, this has come at a particularly controversial time when those in government don’t necessarily advocate for a resolution regarding such a consistent global problem. Trump’s denial of climate change has often been a worrying contention for the media and debates – surrounding himself with several well-known deniers and rejecting many international alliances such as the Paris Agreement has left little confidence from those who feel strongly about the part the environment has to play in world politics. Rising sea levels are a huge concern when land is already being auctioned off to the highest bidder due to the surplus of human demand, and temperatures increasing at a drastic rate also provides worldwide concerns as to how this will affect weather patterns and human habitation. This has placed huge stresses on the administration to act instead of shield themselves from the consequences of climate change – as well as being an embarrassing ordeal for many politi-

cians who prefer the approach of inaction. ‘The National Climate Assessment’ mainly addresses how long many prestigious researchers feel we have before climate change starts to incrementally affect our everyday lives. An eight feet increase in sea levels will only take little over a century; which could engulf much important and industrialised land we rely on. Also, temperatures across the globe will continue to rise in a consistent pattern to be overseen annually. This impacts several elements of life as we know it – such as the increase of forest fires (leading to lack of habitation for wild animals), and will also affect rain patterns, the severity of natural disasters and the regions of dense human populations where temperature becomes a significant problem. There is no immediate solution towards these changes and has been deemed a pre-emptive ‘super wicked problem’ by Richard J Lazarus due to the fact that the very authorities with resources to combat these problems are responsible for condoning or ignoring such dilemmas. The situation that we are dealing with in the present day is unprecedent-

ed and so now is the best time to act if we want to ensure a future rid of worries about climate change. The huge environmental and social concern when the electorate opted for a figure who is nothing short of apathetic towards the immediate problems was staggering. In all modern society, our planet has never been warmer than it is today and the crisis continues. The White House has unsurprisingly not placed this report on an immediate social platform to be addressed. While it is one of the most significant reports of this year and thoroughly well developed in addressing global crises, most appointed officials are inherently antienvironmentalist due to the administration and so seek to suppress the document to avoid controversy. In the twenty-first century, it comes at a great cost when we turn our heads away from the effect this may have on future generations. While greater education, restrictions and decisions are needed, the President of the United States still deems climate change a ‘hoax’ after irrefutable proof. International attempts to reconcile and introduce the US as a strong power in the fight for climate regulations have flumped as Trump aims to

disregard all prior commitments and instead endure the opinions of likeminded officials. Efforts like Britain, China and Australia can only be so optimistic when huge contributors refuse to participate in a potential historic milestone for environmental precedent. No solutions were given in the report to address the problems of climate change, nor any forthright recommendations, but the main focus was implied to be lowering greenhouse gas emissions. This accelerates global temperatures at an alarming rate, and in less than 90 years, a 5-degree rise from greenhouse gases alone could make living catastrophic in many vulnerable regions. It’s a huge loss for the environment that politics has failed to protect the world around us, and burying heads in the sand becomes easier than to admit that we as a population are complicit in these problems. In order to combat climate change, we need unanimity, fervour and a huge push for social awareness. A drastic failure of our current political inclinations is that any public body with these hopeful aims must do so without a leader.

Pictured: Melting iceberg sourced via Pixabay by Pexels

18 SCIENCE NEWS

Giant void discovered inside the the Great Pyramid of Giz Pictured: Pyramids sourced via Pixabay by The Digital Artist

NFC) void. After that their mission became well known, resulting in collaborations with research teams from Nagoya University in Japan. Muons emulsion films were positioned inside the descending corridor and Al-Mamun’s tunnel to confirm SP-NFC’s finding. After all previous findings have been affirmed, it was revealed that this void that looks like a corridor has been hidden behind the chevrons of the North face for centuries. Later in March 2017, another anomaly has been revealed under the efforts of Nagoya University’s research teams. Positing muons emulsion films inside the Queen’s Chamber, a big void was found right above the Grand Gallery.

Another muography technique from KEK-Japan also took position in the Queen’s Chamber, resulting in identical conclusion drawn by both discovery teams. The muons travel at close to the speed of light and behave much like x-rays when they meet objects. But while it lets scientists to look inside the pyramid without drilling holes or causing other damage it produces low resolution images. Fortunately, the void is so massive that it has also been detected by the CEA’s muons telescopes from outside. All of the used techniques confirmed the void area above the Grand Gallery, officially revealing the ScanPyramids Big Void minimum length to be 30 m with localization between 50 m

and 70 m from the ground. “We don’t know whether this big void is horizontal or inclined; we don’t know if this void is made by one structure or several successive structures,” explained Mehdi Tayoubi from the HIP Institute, Paris. ScanPyramid team claims that its cross-section is similar to that of the Grand Gallery. This is the biggest founding in the pyramid since the nineteenth century. But not only did scientists pay attention to this discovery. Game developers took huge interest in these mysterious chambers, creating such as the like of Ubisoft’s latest Assassin’s Creed Origins game, where players can visit, or at least its digital representation, the mysterious chambers of Giz.

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The pyramid was the tallest man-made structure for over 3,800 years and is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Sheep’s facial recognition is as good as ours Louange Lubangu

Pictured: Sheep by 12019 via pixabay

esearch conducted at the University of Cambridge has shown that sheep can recognise the faces of celebrities, after being trained. The results recorded proves that sheep are actually smarter than one would think as they had successfully selected the right image 8/10 times. The star-studded list included Emma Wat-

Not baad if you ask me

son, Barak Obama and Jake Gyllenhaal. The woolly creatures would choose the most familiar faces in each round, and when images of their handlers were shown, they would almost confidently choose who they recognised, after spending so much time with them. Though this may seem like a humous experiment to conduct, it does have

a purpose, which is to help scientists understand human behaviours when it comes to diseases such as Parkinson’s, Huntingtons’s and Alzheimer’s. The experiment consisted of eight welsh mountain sheep being shown two people on a screen; one of which showed an image of a celebrity. The sheep would then select their option by passing through an infrared beam. If their answer was correct, they would receive a reward, if they were incorrect, there would be no reward, and a buzzer would sound. When presented with the task of choosing the celebrity portrayed in different angles, the percentage of correct responses decreased, which is a great indication of the struggles that a human being may encounter when suffering from certain neurodegenerative diseases. Neurodegenerative diseases affect the neurons in the brain and can lead to memory loss, affecting the growth and usage of major muscles in the body. “Sheep are capable of sophisticated decision making,” says Professor Jenny Morton, leader of the study and neurobiologist at the University of Cambridge, “we’ve shown that sheep have

advanced face-recognition abilities, comparable with those of humans and monkeys,”. Like humans, sheep can recognise humans by face, and this may actually be a more difficult process than one might think, as those suffering from Hutington’s disease struggle to recognise facial expressions and hence read emotions. By studying the ability of humans to recognise other people, scientists will be able to track the symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases. The group of sheep used in this experiment directly help with research on the Huntington’s disease as they are genetically modified to have the mutation that leads to the disease, in order to monitor its progression. Morton describes this research as “another way to monitor how these abilities change, particularly in sheep who carry the gene mutation that causes Huntington’s disease,”. Speaking to The Guardian, Morton said: “We’re hoping that with treatments that improve Huntington’s pathology we’ll see the reversal of some of the cognitive changes. We wanted to understand how the disease starts so we can start thinking about preventing it.”

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Sheep have advanced facerecognition abilities, comparable with those of humans and monkeys

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rcheologists have discovered a giant void inside one of the Pyramids of Giz - Khufu’s Pyramid. This structure is thought to have been constructed during the reign of Pharaoh Khufu between 2509 and 2483 BC. The pyramid was the tallest manmade structure in the world for over 3,800 years and is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Launched in October 2015, the ScanPyramids mission has been looking through the stones with noninvasive technologies such as infrared thermography, muography and 3D simulations to detect unknown inner structures. First in October 2016, they discovered the North Face Corridor (SP-

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Agata Tylki

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From Victim to Survivor

How one students change of outlook helped her move on from her past Anonymous & Sarah Harris

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Everywhere I turned there was some form of reminder

survey undertaken by The Telegraph found that 1 in 3 female students in the UK have been a victim of sexual assault or misconduct. For those who have had to battle with this, it can often be hard to face everyday reality, especially with stories emerging on a daily basis of those who have been through a similar ordeal. Having such news scattered through social media and the internet, can cause victims to be triggered and reminded of their own difficult experiences. In my first year of University, I was sexually assaulted. For months, I chose to keep this to myself, in fear that I wouldn’t be believed or that it was my ‘fault.’ When I finally chose to speak to someone about it, they assured me that it wasn’t and urged me to speak to a counsellor about my situation, which I was slightly adherent to do. The thing I struggled with most was being raised in a culture and society were people thought it was okay to make ‘jokes’ about rape and mental illness. Everywhere I turned, there was some form of

reminder, from being asked about it every week by my counsellor or seeing posters about raising awareness in the SU. Although by this point, I had spoken to my friends and family, it was difficult for them to understand how the smallest things could trigger me. It’s now been over 3 years since I became another victim of sexual assault and although I never talk about, the thought of the past never leaves my head.

I knew if I wanted to carry on living my life to the fullest, I had to cleanse myself of social media Personally, I knew that I couldn’t allow this to devour my everyday thoughts and emotions and something had to be done about it. There was no way I could stop news channels from reporting on similar cases or go through my Facebook feed without someone posting a status about their experiences. It was hard but I knew that if I

wanted to carry on living my life to the fullest, I had to cleanse myself of social media and the internet. Those hours I would usually spend sifting through my Twitter feed, were now spent having coffee with my friends, binging on TV shows and catching up on the lectures I missed. It made a surprisingly huge change to my everyday outlook on life and instead of seeing myself as a victim, I started to see myself as a survivor. It’s not to say what happened still doesn’t affect me. I’ve recently been diagnosed with clinical depression and PTSD, as a result of my experiences, according to my GP. Despite this, the change in my attitude allowed me to make the most of my situation and spread awareness about sexual assault by joining charities and organisations that aimed to combat the issue. I spend more time with the people I love, I devote my time to things that I enjoy and for the first time in a long time, I feel happy. Even though I occasionally find my mind wandering, I know that I can’t let what happened to me define my life.

Everyone’s experience is different and I know that for a lot of people, this method may not work, but for me, it’s made a huge impact. It’s great to see so many people being brave and vocal about their experiences. It’s also important to remember that if you have been through something similar, you’re not alone and there’s a whole network of people around you who are willing to help. If you do however, struggle to speak to someone close to you, the Student Support and Wellbeing Centre do offer free and confidential support and talking to someone about your experience can lift a huge weight of your shoulder. Student Support and Wellbeing have a Disclosure Response Team in place, who support students affected by all types of violence and abuse, including sexual violence, harassment, hate-crime, relationship abuse and any other form of inappropriate behaviour. They can be contacted on 029 2087 4844 or disclosureresponseteam@cardiff.ac.uk.

Pictured: Loneliness Source: Tom Woodward (via Flickr)

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CYNGOR

How to deal with looming deadlines Sophie King

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Working for 20 minutes solidly and then taking a five-minute break is good for you.

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Nicole Garcia Merida

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Unless you’re moving in together from halls, you haven’t really been exposed to whatever bad habits a person is hiding

tudents are one of the main age groups that suffer with anxiety and stress. The pressure of work and deadlines comes around fast, and we are forever in an endless cycle of hand-in dates. There are many different ways that people deal with stress and anxiety, but here are a few ways to start. First up, exercise. This is one of the most important things you can do in order to combat stress. Whether it be an hour walk or a 20-minute run, exercise can help get the blood going and release endorphins. Starting a diary about your day can also help you to relax. Write down what you are stressed about, but also write down something that you are grateful for. If you can, try and reduce your caffeine intake. Although many of us love our coffee in the morning and throughout the day, high doses of caffeine can increase anxiety. As silly as it might sound, consider lighting a candle. Burning the right essential oils or scent can help reduce feelings of stress. Find a candle that relaxes you and burn it in the evening. Don’t underestimate the importance of having a break. Whilst get-

ting work done is important, it is vital that you take time off so that you can focus when you come back to working. Laughter is so healthy for you, and can help keep you in a good state of mind. Find something that makes you laugh, or surround yourself with people that make you happy. A negative environment can often impact your mental health. As a student, deadlines for coursework and exams are imperative, and finding a way to stay on top of things can be daunting. So, how do you ensure you stay on track? Make a list- this can create order, as well as being therapeutic once you can start ticking everything off. Include everything you want to get done in the day and tick them off as you go along. Try and do the thing you hate the most first: If it’s a hard piece of coursework, revising for the longest exam or doing a job you hate, do it first. That way you can get it out the way and then move on to the not so daunting jobs. Be careful how you organise your time. If you have a lot of deadlines coming up at once, then make sure you have enough time to prepare

Pictured: Studying Source: Hitomi (Flickr)

for them all. Create a revision timetable, and keep active throughout the day so that you can get as much done as possible. Additionally to this, I understand that some people are night owls and prefer working late, but this is not good for your body and wellbeing. Try and get as much done in the day as you can, so you can relax in the evening. If you have an exam the next day, stop revising by about nine o’clock to ensure you have some time off. When revising, have short breaks

frequently. It is said that working for 20 minutes solidly and then taking a five-minute break is good for you. Work for short bursts of time and then go and get a drink, go for a walk or have a snack. If you do, you are more likely to take in information more efficiently and therefore feel less stressed as you are moving about. Remember that as well as these tips, there are people at university who can help if you feel you need some professional advice. Don’t ever be afraid to ask for help!

Househunting Guide

oving out of halls, for me, was bliss. I was one of the unlucky ones and would spend most of my days standing outside the SU, in the rain, waiting for the blue bus that would take me up that dreaded hill, back to University Halls. Needless to say, moving to Cathays and closer to the University felt like a dream, and while it was certainly better than trekking up that ‘mountain’ in pouring rain. I guess some things you learn the hard way. I would definitely advise people to start looking early. But don’t put down a deposit for the first house you see. Call different agencies and look at as many as you can, even if it takes you in to February. Cardiff is a student city and there will always be houses. It’s better to take your time and choose a house you enjoy, rather than making a rash decision and regretting it the second you step out of the letting agency. Find out who your landlord is! I

cannot be stressed enough. Do not underestimate the importance of a good landlord and if possible, ask the tenants while house viewing. The first knock at my door last year was by a previous tenant to warn us about the landlord and his conniving ways. He’d charged them twice their deposit in fees and fines at the end of the year and they’d had to go to court. We got two more visits like this one with similar stories of an overcharging, unresponsive, unsupportive man who was concerned with making money at the expense of students. Do yourself a favor and make sure you do some research on your landlord beforehand. As for picking who to live with, it tends to be hit or miss. Knowing someone is not the same as living with them. Unless you’re moving in together from halls, you haven’t really been exposed to whatever bad habits a person is hiding. The best way to make sure you’re going to be

comfortable living with this person is to spend as much time as possible at theirs. Make a sleepover out of it and note the things that are important to you, whether this be cleanliness, noise, or mood swings. While big houses might seem like a hoot and nostalgia might fool you into thinking you want to live with everyone in your halls, think about it well. If you’re one of those people that’s always fine with a crowd and the unavoidable mess that comes with it, by all means move into a small hostel. However, don’t let past experiences fool you — dreams are made of whatever makes you comfortable. Finally, there’s the little things. These tend to go unnoticed in the thrill of looking for a house. Focus on bathrooms in particular. Look at the shower, particularly if you’re tall. Sink size is something I never thought I’d prioritize, but I spent the last year trying to wash my face in

what looked like a small bowl. Consider how many toilets there are per person and whether or not it’s viable. Find the room you like the least and think about whether you’d be fine living in it for a year if it came down to it. If you suffer from allergies, think about whether or not you want to spend a large portion of your time hoovering your dust covered carpet. There is an endless number of things to consider. Go in with a clear picture of what you want and do not let the letting agent sway you or pressure you into signing prematurely. Overall, the most consistent thing is to think of your home and what you love about it. While doubtful that anything will come close, try to look for the things you love in the houses you see. And if all else fails? Fairy lights make everything look better.

Pictured: Cathays Source: Walt Jabsco (via Flickr)

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ADVICE

Badvice: How to wind up your housemates Pictured: Pranked bedroom Source: R. Crap Mariner (via Flickr)

t’s almost coming to the end of the first term and by now, most of you could say that you know your flatmates pretty well. Of course, you don’t just know the good, but also the bad and along with that, you’ve probably figured out by now, how to get on their nerves. You’re guaranteed to have the clean freak who almost every week, undoubtedly, will send a somewhat passive aggressive message on the group chat complaining that the pile of dirty dishes by the sink had been there for far too long. On the other hand, you’ll also have that super gross housemate who ran out of clean dishes in the first week and instead of cleaning them, has been

sneakily ‘borrowing’ everyone else’s in the middle of the night. My housemates once hid in my room whilst a letting agency was showing people around our house and decided to use all my stationary and candles to make the satanic symbol on the floor. It’s fair to say I was not amused. It’s important to note that when trying to annoy your housemates, you should probably maintain your boundaries in order to avoid some major house drama. Throwing a mouldy banana at your housemate’s door (yes, I have done this) is all fun and games until you have to clean it up.It’s usually easier to try to piss off the housemates who are always up

Ask Alice: Alice Dent

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Very often, time is the biggest healer, and will allow you to assess your own situation more accurately

e’ve all been there - your housemate breaks up with her shitty boyfriend, so you throw her a celebration night out and divulge to her the detailed reasons why you never truly liked him in the first place. You confess that you think he has a shit taste in shoes, and the fact that you just can’t bear his preoccupation for referring to every decision he makes as “so jokes”. Sometimes, however, your friend will go against your wise advice. After your confessional outburst, she’ll decide to get back with him… great! Cue many awkward meetings with him while you’re waiting for the shower, and some even more awkward pre-drinks with the rest of his cronies. But, is getting back with an ex as outrageous as it may seem? The general consensus seems to be: yes, it is. “An ex is an ex for a reason” is a phrase that is often bandied about. If you’re in this predicament yourself with a former boyfriend or girlfriend, you should ask yourself a few crucial questions. Firstly, why was it that you broke up in the first place? Are you wearing rose tinted spectacles? It’s always easier to retrospectively isolate the good as-

for banter. Twitter is swarming with tweets by angry students who’ve come home to all their furniture stuck to their ceiling or woken up from a night out with inappropriate drawings scribbled all over their face in permanent marker. It’s not that hard to be creative thanks to inspiration from social media and can always call for some fun bonding with the rest of your housemates. Not only that but it’s always a good form of procrastination. I once bought a leek from Tesco’s, placed it in the middle of the kitchen and sent a message on the group chat saying there was a ‘huge leak’ in the flat that they should be aware of. They all came frantically running to

the kitchen, only to discover that I, once again, was being a moron. From deciding to try and set my washing tablets on fire (and then going on to play cricket with the remaining few) to spending hours throwing absolutely anything we could find at one another, my housemates and I are definitely experts when it comes to annoying one another. Trying to piss people off is always fun, but for some reason, it’s usually a lot more fun when it’s the people you’re living with. So, stop writing the essays you have due in for next month and start scheming for your next mission to ruin someone’s day.

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Twitter is swarming with tweets by angry students who’ve come home to their furniture stuck to their ceiling

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Sarah Harris

“Is it ever a good idea to get back with an ex?”

pects of your previous relationship, but make sure you consider the reasons that caused you to part ways in the first place. Did your ex fail to recognise how brilliant you are? If so, do not think about going back there. A relationship should bring the best out of both parties, and should allow you to be the best possible version of yourself that you can be. If that’s not the case, seriously consider whether it’s worth reconciling. As awfully cliché as it sounds, there is someone out there for everyone! Don’t stop searching until you find someone who treats you like the God(dess) that you are. Secondly, are you tempted to go back there because it is comfortable? Once the excitement of your first “single night out” wears off and the hangover kicks in, it will undeniably be tempting to reach out to them. Stay strong, and have space. Very often, time is the biggest healer, and will allow you to assess your own situation more accurately. Despite this, there is no one-sizefits-all answer to this question. I do believe there are some exceptions to the rule that exes are bad news. Ask yourself, did you both want to make things

work, but the circumstances didn’t allow it? Sometimes, two people can both be so preoccupied with their own separate endeavours that they don’t spend enough time working on the relationship, and so things fizzle out. Finally, if in doubt, ask your friends, housemates, and those closest around you. They will truly know what is best for you, as they are often the ones consoling you when things go wrong. Does the phrase “we weren’t really sure if they were great for you anyway” sound familiar? If so, abort mission. Your friends and family have your best interests at heart, and will often be brutally honest in their evaluation. There is no doubt that there are success stories when it comes to rekindling things with your ex-lover. Did you know that Chrissy Teigan and John Legend had a break early on in their relationship?

It’s virtually impossible to imagine, now that they’re married and the most goals couple in the business. Miley’s 2012 album Bangerz (the soundtrack to my sixth form experience) was an anthem for moving on up from your rubbish ex. Now she’s reportedly tied the knot with Liam Hemsworth… stranger things do happen! And where do I even start with the Selena Gomez, The Weeknd and Justin Bieber love triangle? The jury is still out on that one- watch this space.

Pictured: Alice Dent, giving you the advice you need (Photographer Charlie Knights)

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CAMPUS LIFE

campus life Sam Saunders

Pictured: Pack your bags! (Image source: Christine Und Hagen Graf via Flickr)

campuslife@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/campuslife

Why study abroad?

i all, I’m Sam and I’m in the middle of my third month living in France. More specifically, Grenoble which, for those of you who don’t know, is located in the French Alps, near the border with Italy. It’s been a really interesting and wholesome experience so far, but the few months haven’t been without their ups and downs and I’ll try and give you my opinion on the value of a year abroad and my thoughts so far. Now, first things first, I can’t really explain my decision to go on my year abroad, because I never had to make it. As I study BA History and French, I have to spend my third university year here, as is the case with all language students. However, whilst my participation was always obligatory, I was never dreading this year, or resenting the fact that it was forced upon me. Sure, I was nervous before I left, and it was a bit difficult sorting out accommodation and leaving my friends and housemates in Cardiff, but I am very happy to be here and be studying in Grenoble. Obviously, the main advantage for me is that living in France and interacting with French students will improve my French and hopefully give me a useful skill that I’ll have for the rest of my life. While I would

always encourage language learning at any time in your life, it must be stressed that this shouldn’t be a barrier for students from Cardiff, as in most French universities there are classes in English, though of course I’d check before you go! There are other opportunities in English speaking countries, mainly Canada, the USA and Australia, and I’ve only heard good things from students I know who studied there. I suppose the main reason that I would recommend a year abroad is the depth and variety of experiences you can gain from doing so. Even living in France, which is the closest country to the UK that speaks a different language, the cultural differences are profound and there’s so much you don’t pick up on from simply visiting a place. Whether it’s studying at a French university, trying to open a bank account or simply wading through an awful lot of paperwork, a year (or semester) abroad helps you to think on your feet and be more self-sufficient, which is what university is about after all. Also, the amount of people you meet can only be a positive, especially as there’s always things to talk about, from cultural differences to French and British politics. There’s variety too; as well as meeting more British people, I’ve met Irish, Ger-

We combine all of your household bills into one monthly payment and send each housemate an even bill every month. No more arguments. No more chasing different providers. Fancy £100 worth of Amazon gift vouchers? Visit glide.co.uk/cardiffuni for a chance to win! facebook.com/Glideutilities

#GRCampusLife

@GlideUK

man, Australian, Canadian, Slovakian, American and Spanish students, to name just a few. In essence, I’d liken my opinion here on being a welcome companion to university back home, i.e. the opportunity to meet people that you wouldn’t have before and to gain insight into the lives of people from countries other than your own. It’s necessary to mention future work in all of this, and whilst I know a lot of students don’t like to think about their future, it’s something that we’ll all have to do at some stage. Gaining language skills on a year abroad is obviously something that could attract future employers, particularly as you can continue studying them at Cardiff afterwards. Furthermore, it shows potential employers that you are outgoing, willing to try new things and can adapt to new situations and scenarios. Look at me go, I sound like I’m in Global Opportunities or something! In all seriousness though, just as students like to travel before, during and after their degree, a year abroad can really enrich you as a person before you enter the workplace. I suppose I’ll end with a few pieces of advice I wish that I’d had before I left for France. Firstly, and most importantly, the start of your year will be tough, particularly if you’ve moved to a country where

English isn’t the native language, as it’s likely you won’t know that many people and it can be easy to be overwhelmed. My advice is to talk to the people who you know will support you, and keep as busy as possible. Joining sports or other societies is a great way to get to know more people, just like in Cardiff. Secondly, if you’re worried about finances, don’t be. Any student going to study in an EU country (and a few others) can get an Erasmus grant from the EU, which covers costs you wouldn’t normally incur if you’d stayed at home, and Cardiff ’s global opportunities centre offers some grants for those who wish to study abroad, as well as your loan from the UK government. Thirdly and lastly, if you’re thinking of doing a year abroad, make sure you do, or at least find out about opportunities within your degree course. It’s an old saying, but the world really is your oyster, it’s better to take the opportunity of working or studying in a foreign country when you might never have the chance again and it really will give you experiences and skills you’ll never forget. I have, however, before I get back to Cardiff, got to stop pressing ‘q’ on my keyboard when I wqnt an ‘a’ ….

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A year abroad can really enrich you as a person before you enter the workplace.

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BYWYD CAMPWS

Jumpin’ for ‘Diff

This week we caught up with Cardiff University’s Trampolining Club’s Communications Secretary to find out more about who they are and what they do... Stephanie Rowe

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If you’re interested, hop on down to the Talybont Sports Hall

ardiff University’s Trampolining society is ideal for keen bouncers who want to take up the sport seriously, or even for those of us who haven’t stepped on a trampoline since we went round our friends house and used the one in their back garden! The club is full of beginners and longtime tramps alike who all encourage each other during training to reach the height of their bouncing abilities. With training sessions on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Friday evenings (5.30- 7.30), squad training on a Sunday evening with conditioning sessions afterwards (78), the club meets up regularly enough so that even the busiest of students should be able to make at least one session of their choice. A great source of exercise, trampolining is also

great fun and its an unbelievably rewarding feeling to finally complete a trampolining move you’ve been practicing for weeks. How cool would you sound telling your friends ‘yeah, I can summersault, its no biggie!!’ With the clubs dedicated and hard-working group of coaches, even if you have never set foot on a trampoline, it wont be long until you’re summersaulting and jumping higher than the ceiling! The club’s captain, Emma Chard has proposed that this year each member writes down and keeps tabs on the moves and routines they successfully complete each week, and which ones need work in order to track individuals’ progress and to ensure that each member gets the most out of their training sessions. Each member of the team is encouraged to push to the best of their abilities, while also supporting and learning from others. The club also regularly takes part in SUTL competitions against other universities, and often does very well! Each member who wishes to compete will learn a routine, which is a set of 10 moves, and will perform this routine and be judged on it. There are 6 levels, with 6 being the easiest and level 1 and the elite lev-

els being the hardest. These competitions are a great way to feel involved with the club and represent your university without there being too much pressure. Last weekend (the 11th November), the club competed in Bristol and came back with great results. Being the first competition of the year, it was a lot of the newer members’ first time competing and they did brilliantly. We also received a 3rd place medal for the ladies SUTL 2, won by Gemma Burgess (head coach) and a 2nd place for men’s SUTL 2, won by Michael Bridgeman (captain). The next competition is in Bath on December 9th, and we hope to have just as much fun at that one! The club regularly organises socials, as well as attending the ones that occur after each competition that are hosted by the universities. The socials are great ways to not only make great friends, but also offer the opportunity to explore the other universities and cities around the country. Give it a go events are organised throughout the year, so if you’re interested in having a bounce, hop on down to the Talybont sports hall! Keep an eye on the cardiff_tramp instagram and the society’s facebook page to find out when the events are.

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TAF-OD

taf-od

@cmccaerdydd | #GRTafod tafod@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/tafod

Diffyg buddugoliaeth, ond digonedd o gyffro am ddyfodol Cymru Yn y llun: Hyfforddwr Cymru, Chris Coleman Tarddiad: Jon Candy (o Flickr)

ae pêl-droed, fel rheol, yn gêm sy’n cael ei feirniadu yn unol â chanlyniadau. Gall tîm gynhyrchu perfformiad o’r radd flaenaf, ond heb gipio buddugoliaeth, yn anaml iawn mae’r dangosiad yn ennyn sylw difrifol. Serch hynny, nid oedd hyn yn wir yn achos gemau rhyngwladol diweddar Gymru, gemau a oedd yn cael eu hyrwyddo fel pennod newydd i’r tîm cenedlaethol gyda dechreuad esgyniad sêr ifanc y garfan. Roedd ein gemau yn erbyn Ffrainc a Panama yn dynodi cyfle i nifer o chwaraewyr addawol y garfan i feddu ar brofiad anhepgor – sef y profiad o gynrychioli’r wlad ar y maes rhyngwladol. Gwers hynod o fuddiol oedd ein gêm yn erbyn Ffrainc, gwlad sy’n manteisio ar ddyfnder helaeth ar sail chwaraewyr safonol – dyfnder yr

ydym yn breuddwydio i’w efelychu yma yng Nghymru. Roedd y Gleision wedi perfformio’n bwrpasol, gyda phwyslais canfyddadwy ar y gwaith ymosodol. Mewn gwirionedd, nid oeddem yn medru ymdopi a chyflymder a llyfnder y chwarae. Yn ogystal, roedden ni’n ffodus ond i ildio dau gol – gyda’r Ffrancod yn creu sawl cyfle ystyrlon i sgorio. Fodd bynnag, uchafbwynt y gêm oedd cael gweld Ben Woodburn, David Brooks ac Ethan Ampadu yn ymddangos i’r Dreigiau yn erbyn un o’r timau fwyaf talentog a medrus yn y byd. Er gwaethaf y diffyg profiad, er gwaethaf eu hoedrannau, dangosodd y triawd y cymhwysedd a’r hyder i gystadlu â rhai o chwaraewyr fwyaf galluog yn y byd. Yn wir, anffodus oedd Joe Ledley i beidio derbyn cic o’r smotyn a

ddaeth Cymru yn andros o agos at sgorio, ond grym amddiffynnol helaeth tîm Didier Deschamps oedd yn ddigonol i gipio’r fuddugoliaeth gyda Greizmann a Giroud yn sgorio i’r Ffrancod. Gem dra gwahanol oedd ymweliad Panama i stadiwm ddinas Caerdydd, cyfle ydoedd i weld cenhedlaeth nesaf y tîm cenedlaethol yn chwarae rôl fwy gweithgar trwy ddechrau’r gêm. Nid y canlyniad oedd agwedd fwyaf arwyddocaol y noson, ond prawf o allu’r chwaraewyr ifanc i addasu ac i gyfarwyddo ei hunain gyda’r gofynion sy’n deillio o chwarae ar y maes rhyngwladol. Cafodd yr ymdeimlad hwn o ddechreuad newydd ei grynhoi gan benderfyniadau’r hyfforddwr, Chris Coleman, yn yr ail hanner. Cafodd pedwar aelod o’r garfan (sef Tom Loycker, Lee Evans, Marley Watkins

a Ryan Hedges) eu capiau gyntaf dros Gymru, dangosydd gweladwy o’r pwyslais sy’n cael ei osod ar y dyfodol. Ennyd o ysbrydoliaeth a rhagoriaeth pur gan Tom Lawrence oedd yn gyfrifol am sgorio gôl agoriadol y gêm. Gwibiodd ymosodwr Derby yn ddidrafferth heibio amddiffyn Panama cyn ergydio’r bel i gefn y rhwyd. Ni lwyddodd Cymru i rwystro Panama rhag sgorio, gyda’r gwrthwynebwyr yn manteisio a’r esgeulustod amddiffynnol i sgorio’r gôl a oedd yn cyfartalu’r gêm. Er hynny, perfformiad canmoladwy ydoedd sy’n ysgogi hyder am ddyfodol Cymru. Mae sefyllfa gytundebol Chris Coleman yn un hynod o ansicr, ond, mae modd ddweud gyda hyder a ffyddiogwrydd bod y dyfodol yn un arbennig o addawol i’r tîm cenedlaethol. Ymlaen!

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Dangosodd y triawd y cymhwysedd a’r hyder i gystadlu â rhai o chwaraewyr fwyaf galluog yn y byd

‘‘

Llion Carbis

Dysgu Cymraeg gyda Taf-od | Learn Welsh with Taf-od Journalism | Newyddiaduraeth Nehw-ith-ya-dir-aeth

Broadcasting | Darlledu Dahr-llead-e

Reading | Darllen Dahr-llehn

News | Newyddion Nehw-yth-eon

Fake news | Newyddion ffug Nehw-yth-eon Ffeeg

Newspaper | Papur newyddion Pap-ir nehw-yth-eon

TAF-OD

Cyflwyno Swyddog y Gymraeg 2017/18 Jacob Morris

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Rhan o’m weledigaeth i yw i waredu’r diffyg dealltwriaeth drwy addysgu’r digymraeg am bwysigrwydd yr iaith

raint o’r mwyaf yw cael fy ethol yn Swyddog y Gymraeg eleni. Bellach fel rhan o beirianwaith Undeb y Myfyrwyr addawaf i frwydro hyd eithaf fy ngallu i sicrhau ein bod ni fel Myfyrwyr Cymraeg ein hiaith yn derbyn pob tegwch. Yn ogystal, fe allwch ymddiried ynnof y bydd safonau ieithyddol yn cael eu cynnal a’u parchu drwy’r brifysgol dros y flwyddyn sydd i ddod. Er ystyrir y Gymraeg bellach yn ddwfn yng ngrweiddiau’r brifysgol, y mae rhagfarn ac annwybodaeth rhai o’n cydmyfyrwyr am fodolaeth y Gymraeg yn haerllug o amlwg. A rhan o’m weledigaeth i, yw i waredu’r diffyg dealltwriaeth hyn drwy addysgu’r digymraeg am bwysigrwydd yr iaith i ni ei siaradwyr. Hynny yw, datgan yn glir nad yw sylwadau sarhaus yn erbyn y Gymraeg yn dderbyniol. Drwy gyfrwng ymgyrch bwriadaf ledu’r neges lled y brifysgol a fyddai’n egluro’n glir beth yw’r Gymraeg a pham ei bod mor bwysig i’w siaradwyr, ynghyd â hyrwyddo’r cyfleodd sydd i ddysgu’r iaith. Er mai dull gymharol syml yw hwn, hyderaf y medrwn droi’r trau a lleihau ar amlygrwydd yr annwybodaeth hyn a fydd y gymuned Cymraeg mor amlwg a chydradd ymysg cymunedau

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1.Pwy wyt ti, pa flwyddyn prifysgol a beth wyt ti’n astudio? Meleri Williams, yn fy mlwyddyn gyntaf yn astudio Cymraeg a Newyddiaduraeth. 2. Pam dewis Prifysgol Caerdydd i astudio? Pa le well i astudio, cymdeithasu a dod i adnabod pob math o bobl newydd nag yng nghanol bwrlwm prifddinas Cymru?! ‘Dwi wrth fy modd yma! 3. Fel Glasfyfyriwr, ble yw dy hoff le/ dy hoff beth am Gaerdydd hyd yn hyn? Heb os, fflat H6. 4. Beth wyt ti’n hoffi gwneud yn dy amser hamdden? Chwarae’r piano a gwylio’r Scarlets fel arfer, ond bellach, dwi’n treulio mwyafrif o’m hamser yn colli oriau o gwsg yn cymdeithasu. 5. Wrth fyw yn senghennydd, beth yw arferion drwg gweddill y fflat? Dibynnu arna’i i goginio bwyd iddyn nhw’n rhy aml! 6. Beth yw dy hoff ddiod?

eraill y brifysgol. Ymhellach, credaf fod ein hawl i siarad iaith yn unol â’r hawl i dderbyn ein haddysg drwy gyfrwng yr iaith honno hefyd. Fy mwriad yw i annog mwy o fyfyrwyr i ymgymryd ar y cyfleodd o gyflwyno gwaith ac i sefyll eu harholiadau yn Gymraeg. Mae’r drefn bresennol o ambell adran sy’n gofyn i chi gofrestru flaenllaw yn lleihau’r apêl i fyfyrwyr ymgymryd â’i astudiaethau yn Gymraeg, yn ogystal ag yn rhwystr i normaleiddio’r iaith fel iaith academnaidd. Cynnigaf fod yr hawl i gyflwyno gwaith yn Gymraeg yn agored i’w wneud drwy’r flwyddyn gyfan, yn lle gorfod cofrestru i’w gwneud ar ddechrau’r flwyddyn. Ar ben hynny, rwy’n llwyr genfogol o’r ymgais i Gymreigio’r Undeb ymhellach, a hynny’n fwy nag enwau sefydliadau fel ‘Y Taf ’ neu’r ‘Y Plas’. Hoffwn weld gwefan yr Undeb yn gwbl ddwyieithog er mwyn i fyfyrwyr Cymraeg ei hiaith teimlo’n rhan gyflawn o’r undeb ymhob agwedd. Dros y saith wythnos ddiwethaf rwyf wrth fy modd yn profi’r arlwy o ddigwyddiadau y mae cymuned Cymraeg y brifysgol yn ei chynnig megis Y Gym Gym, Cyfryngau Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd (CMCC), Cymdeithas Iolo ac Undeb Myfyr-

Yn y llun: Swyddog y Gymraeg Newydd Prifysgol Caerdydd, Jacob Morris (Tarddiad: Jacob Morris)

wyr Cymraeg Caerdydd (UMCC). Braf yw derbyn cymaint o gefnogaeth a brwdfrydedd gan lywyddion y cymdeithasau hyn sy’n brawf gwirioneddol o’r awch sydd i gynnal cymuned Cymraeg yng Nghaerdydd. Yn ganolog i’m haddewidion, yw i hybu’r cydweithio rhwng y cymdeithasau hyn yn y gobaith y byddwn oll yn cyrchu at yr un nod – sef i fagu balchder ac ymhyfrydedd yn y Gymraeg a’n Cymreictod. Yn dilyn gwaith ddiflino Osian Morgan ac eraill sefydlwyd UMCC sy’n cynnig undeb unigryw i ni sy’n medru’r iaith, a braint

fydd hi weithio’n agos gydag UMCC fel y ddolen gyswllt rhyngddynt hwy ag Undeb Myfyrwyr y brifysgol. Ymgymraf â’r dyletswydd a difrifwch llwyr ac edrychaf ymlaen I’r flwyddyn sydd i ddod gyda’r eiddgarwch o sefyll cornel myfyrwyr Cymraeg ei hiaith y brifysgol. Pwysaf ar unrhyw un i gysylltu â mi ynghylch unrhyw bryder drwy fy ebost neu wal Facebook (a fydd yn gweithio cyn hir). Diolchaf i’m olynyddion am eu gwaith clodwiw a’i cyflawniadau, ac addawaf i weithio’n ddiwyd i gynnal enw da y swydd hon.

Yn Trafod yr wythnos hon... Meleri Williams Prosecco. 7. Pwy fyddet ti’n ei wahodd i dy bryd bwyd delfrydol? Cast ‘Pobol y Cwm’, tîm rygbi’r Scarlets a phawb o Senghennydd – byddai hi’n fwy o wledd… 8. Petaet ti’n ennill y loteri, beth fyddai’r peth cyntaf i ti brynu? Grand piano. 9. Pa air wyt ti’n ei ddefnyddio amlaf? “Lyysh”. 10. Beth hoffet ti wneud ar ôl graddio? Dim syniad – rhywbeth ym myd newyddiaduraeth gobeithio. Hoffwn gael y cyfle i deithio rhywbryd hefyd. 11. Pa ddigwyddiad gododd y fwyaf o embaras arnot ti erioed? Fy arholiadau gradd 8 telyn a piano – embaras llwyr o’r dechrau i’r diwedd. Diolch byth eu bod nhw drosodd. 12. Pwy oeddet ti’n ffansio pan yn iau? Dwayne Peel o dim rygbi’r Scarlets.

13. Gwin neu gin? Gwin gwyn bob tro. 14. Person trefnus neu funud ola? Trefnus. 15. Petaet ti ar ynys ac yn cael mynd a thri pheth yn unig, beth fydden nhw? Epi pen, piano a fy nghariad. 16. Petaset yn gallu bod yn rhywun arall am ddiwrnod, pwy fyddai ef/hi? Elen Jones, ond dim ond ar ddydd Mercher gan ei bod yn cael mynediad am ddim i ‘Retro’s’ gyda’i gwallt coch. 17. Cwrs cyntaf, prif gwrs a pwdin - beth fyddai’r dewis? Tapas, Cinio Dydd Sul ac unrhyw beth gyda siocled ynddo/arno i bwdin. 18. Beth yw’r noson orau i ti ei chael erioed? Cyngerdd Coldplay yn Stadiwm y Mileniwm eleni, noson fythgofiadwy! 19. Beth sy’n mynd dan dy groen di? “May contain nuts”.

20. Dyweda rywbeth amdanat ti dy hun nad oes yna lawer o bobl yn ei wybod. Mae gen i alergedd tuag at sawl gwahanol beth, yn cynnwys pomegranate… trueni bo’ fi ‘di dihuno i ffrwydriad pomegranate yn y gegin ar ôl Crôl Calan Gaeaf y Gym Gym... 21.Beth yw dy hoff gân a pham? Cwestiwn anodd… ond dwi’n siwr mai ‘Dal i Gredu’ fyddai ar waelod y rhestr diolch i ferched y fflat am or-ganu’r gân a dihuno hanner Senghennydd am 2 o’r gloch y bore. 22. Ar dy ddiwrnod olaf ar y blaned, beth fyddet ti’n ei wneud? Parti ar draeth yn yr haul yn Sir Benfro gyda theulu a ffrindiau! 23. Beth yw dy hoff lyfr? Ar hyn o bryd, Blasu gan Manon Steffan Ros. 24. Hoff ddilledyn? Fy sgert ddenim. 25. Pwy fydd yn Trafod gyda Tafod Wythnos nesaf? Elen Lois Jones

Yswiriant dyfeisiau. Ar eich cyfer chi.

Rydyn ni gyd yn caru’n ffonau, ein tabledi a’n consolau. Gyda’n hyswiriant hyblyg a fforddiadwy ar gyfer dyfeisiau, gallwch chi sicrhau eich bod chi’n gwarchod yr hyn sy’n bwysig i chi. Gyda’n proses newid eich dyfais am un newydd o fewn un diwrnod gwaith ar ôl cymeradwyo’ch hawliad, hyd yn oed os digwydd y gwaethaf, fydd byth rhaid i chi aros yn hir am y pethau sydd pwysicaf i chi.

Mae ein hyswiriant dyfeisiau’n cynnwys: 9 Yswiriant ar gyfer lladrad, colled, niwed damweiniol a hylifol 9 Dyfais newydd i gymryd lle’r hen un 9 Gwasanaeth newid dyfais 24 awr, ar ôl cymeradwyo’ch hawliad Eithriadau allweddol: • Rhaid i’r dyfeisiau fod yn iau na thair blwydd oed o ddyddiad dechrau’r polisi • Ceir tâl atodol i’r polisi

Crëwch eich yswiriant ar endsleigh.co.uk/university

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Caiff Gwasanaethau Cyfyngedig Yswiriant Endsleigh ei awdurdodi a’i reoleiddio gan yr Awdurdod Ymddygiad Ariannol.Gellir gwirio hyn ar gofrestr Gwasanaethau Ariannol. Cofrestrwch ar eu gwefan ar https://register.fca.org.uk/Gwasanaethau Cyfyngedig Yswiriant Endsleigh. Cwmni rhif 856706 a gofrestrwyd yn Lloegr yn Shurdington Road, Cheltenham Spa, Sir Gaerloyw GL51 4UE

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19/09/2017 12:54:49

CHWARAEON

Cardiff Crackers: Adam Coleman kick-starts Wallabies career in memorable Wales showdown

Rich Jones speaks to a range of sports stars about the golden moments in their careers which took place in the Welsh capital. Rich Jones

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Experiencing the Millennium Stadium, the crowd and the atmosphere, was a great occasion. Adam Coleman

e has now cemented his reputation as one of the top second rows in world rugby. Yet when Adam Coleman strolled out onto the famous Principality Stadium turf for the first time 12 months ago it was a very different story. The towering lock was making just his eighth appearance for Australia and possessed a degree of anonymity on his first tour of the Northern Hemisphere. Fast-forward to the end of the 80 minutes and a bruising performance featuring 14 carries and 14 tackles had truly signalled his arrival on the big stage. Since then Coleman has established himself as a leader of the Wallabies’ pack, something he showcased with a fine performance and well-taken try in last weekend’s 2921 win over Wales in Cardiff. And Coleman has recalled how his experiences on last year’s tour helped set him up to become a star man for Michael Cheika’s reinvigorated side.

“For me personally, it was my first time on a Spring tour which was exciting in itself,” Coleman said. “Experiencing the Millennium Stadium, the crowd and the atmosphere, was a great occasion. It’s a stadium you hear a lot about, so it was great to be a part of it for the first time. “It was nice to come away from the win, and it set us up nicely for the rest of the tour. I learnt a lot from it, and it made me a better player for sure. “For me, it was mainly just the set piece. It’s in their DNA with the Northern Hemisphere teams, and the first two games they really tried to take it to us in our set piece. “Unfortunately I picked up an injury and had to come home early, but the win in Cardiff and just being in a Spring tour was a great experience for me. “I’ve got a year more experience under my belt now, but there’s still a lot of senior guys within the squad that I’m learning off. “I’m still really enjoying my time

with the Wallabies. I suppose I’ve got more responsibility with the set piece which I’m enjoying, and I’m lucky to have some great players around me

to learn off and to feed off. “I’m grateful to my team-mates who I play with, and I’m just focused on the rest of this Spring tour.”

Pictured: The Principality Stadium. (via Flickr )

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Opinion: International Friendlies are much more important than you may think Reece Chambers

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Coleman would have learnt a lot about his side in defeat. Yet again proving the value of friendly matches

fter a week of International friendlies, many football fans will be eager to get back to watching their local clubs. From the Premier League to League Two, club football is much more popular than the International game. But, as the latest International fixtures proved, it must be appreciated that they are of much more importance than some fans realise. Indeed, International friendlies can provide rather laborious watching at times. England, for example, drew 0-0 in both of their recent friendlies with Germany and Brazil. It is certainly no secret that International friendlies do not provide the thrill and excitement of the Premier League. It’s hard to exactly pinpoint why the fixtures are limited in action. Whether it is players preventing injury or just a lack of passion, friendlies will never live up to the hype of club football. However, friendlies are not meant to entertain like club football. Instead, they are used as experimentations of new players, new formations and a chance to improve as a team. You only have to look as far as Wales and England to see that the latest set of friendlies were used as a trialling system for new and emerging talent. True, travelling over 400 miles from Cardiff to Paris to watch a 2-0 defeat to France wasn’t on the top of most Welsh fans’ list. Nevertheless, the match showed that Wales, despite much pressure, could compete with one of the world’s best teams. With both a weak-

ened side and multiple young players, Chris Coleman would have learnt a lot about his side in defeat. Yet again, proving the value of friendly matches. Wales’ home fixture against Panama probably wasn’t the most engaging encounter on paper, but it did at least give Chris Coleman the time to experiment with younger players. The likes of Ethan Ampadu, David Brooks and Ben Woodburn, with an average age of just over 18, all featured during Wales’ two friendly matches. With first team players such as Gareth Bale and Hal Robson-Kanu ruled out through injury, it was the perfect time for the youngsters to showcase their talent. Most notably, David Brooks of Sheffield United impressed with a man of the match performance versus Panama. In a team that showed an array of young talent, Brooks was the shining light with some impressive dribbling on the right of midfield. Without friendlies, Brooks’ opportunities in the Welsh side would have been scarce. Therefore, showing that in order to promote young talent, friendlies are the only way forward. Just across the bridge, International friendlies proved of even more worth for Gareth Southgate’s England. With a World Cup on the horizon, Southgate faces many selection issues and so a time of experimentation was important for his new England side. Injuries to first team players such as Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Adam Lallana meant that both of England’s starting line ups versus Germany and Brazil

were different to usual. Impressive debuts from Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Tammy Abraham and Joe Gomez, though, suggests that injuries to other players may have been a blessing in disguise. Moreover, it not only provided different players with an opportunity to prove their value. But, also, allowed Southgate to trial different formations and styles of play. Versus Germany, Ruben LoftusCheek provided food for thought with a commanding game as an attacking midfielder. With the shackles of competitive football taken off his shoulders, he was able to fully express his creativity and ambition - something that would not have been possible without friendly

matches. The extent to which Loftus-Cheek impressed may have been overstated by Chris Sutton on BBC 5 Live in saying that the Englishman is better than Cesc Fabregas. However, it must be realised that in order to breed young talent into the first team, nations must take full opportunity of friendly matches. Yes, they can be arduous viewing at times. But, be patient. Talent can not be fully developed overnight. Instead, International friendlies must be used in order to provide both Wales and England with a chance to nurture their young and promising talent into fullyfledged International players.

Pictured: For some, international friendlies are the only chance to see the national team (via Jon Candy on Flickr)

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30 SPORT

BUCS Highlights

CU Tae Kwon-Do return UK Champions

Daniel Martin

ast weekend saw the return of the UK Tae Kwon-Do Open Championships to Guildford. With over 400 competitors, this is the biggest national tournament of the year, so it was going to be a tough competition for the 12 members of Cardiff University Tae Kwon-Do club that competed. The weekend started with the black belt’s competing on the Saturday, the two representatives from Cardiff University left early in the morning to compete in 2nd Dan patterns and sparring. When they arrived, they found that the categories for 1st and 2nd Dan patterns (which are normally separate) had been merged; meaning that a class size of four had increased to a class size of 14. Despite this, the two Cardiff competitors carried on where Daniel was unfortunately knocked out in the quarter finals, but Jamie managed to secure the Gold medal, beating a member of our

instructor’s club to the top spot. In the afternoon came the sparring and despite some nerves, both Daniel and Jamie fought well and they each managed to secure Bronze medals for their weight categories. On the Sunday, eight colour belt competitors made the trip down to compete in patterns, sparring and power. Once again, the day started with patterns. Kai (Blue belt) Matthew (Blue stripe) and Jaafar (Green belt) all came away with Bronze medals, and Dávid (Red belt) and Nasser (Yellow belt) both came away with Gold medals, making them UK champions for their categories. Following this, there was a break in the competition for the 4 Nations Championship (though Ireland didn’t enter a team, so it was actually only 3 Nations). Despite a very good performance from Wales, they unfortunately came

3rd, losing out on 2nd place in the final round by one board break. After the excitement of the 4 nations, the UK championships continued with the colour belt sparring. There was some very tough competition on the day, but we managed to come away with 6 medals, consisting of 4 Bronze medals for Jaafar, Luke (Green belt), Matthew and Nasser, a Silver medal for Kennedy (Blue belt) and a Gold medal for Kai (retaining her title of UK champion). The last event of the day was the power test, where competitors try to break wooden boards using certain techniques. This event is especially challenging; only one competitor managed to achieve a break – a non-Cardiff university member on this occasion. By the end of the event, every competitor representing Cardiff University walked away with a medal.

CULRFC have mixed fortunes against Swansea and Cardiff Met Molly Ambler

Pictured (clockwise from top): CULHC released a charity calendar (via Facebook and Lauren Arnott) Cobras in action last season (via Tallboy Images) CULRFC prematch preparation (via Anna Mawhinney)

n the 8th November, Cardiff and Swansea’s Ladies Rugby teams met for the first time this season at Swansea University in a much-awaited clash. It was Cardiff who drew first blood, scoring through Gen Harvey with an excellent attacking play from the backs. The game was tough, with Swansea putting in some big hits. There were excellent carries by all of the forwards, making the hard yards and gaining some much needed territory. Swansea had a couple of lucky line breaks resulting in their scores, but the Cardiff team came back strongly to the few breaks in defence and did not let this dampen their spirits throughout the game. Further scores came from Maeve Liston and Anna Mawhinney and two conversions slotted over by Jess Coxon. With minutes left on the clock the score was level at 17-17 when Rosie Foley muscled her way over the line giving the Cardiff team the winning score. The game ended 24-17 to Cardiff. This goes some way into repairing the heartache of Varsity and gives Swansea a taste of what Cardiff can bring to a game. Cardiff demonstrated real grit and determination against a strong Swansea side but the team kept playing until the last whistle and as a result gained the victory. However, on the 15th November, Cardiff faced Cardiff Met, an equally

Kieran ManettaJones Cardiff Blues Columnist

tough game which saw Cardiff lose by only five points, the score being 22-17 to Cardiff Met. Met brought a real physicality to the game, putting up a real contest in the breakdown area, but Cardiff were able to hold them off for the most part. Scores from Cardiff came from Molly Danks, Alana Borthwick and Claire Morgan, with Claire also slotting over a conversion. The game was physical throughout with both Cardiff and Met putting in some big hits. The forwards carried well but there were a few breaks in defence which led to Cardiff Met’s scores. There was real grit shown by the Cardiff team who kept playing until the last

ith Danny Wilson stepping down as head coach of Cardiff Blues at the end of the domestic season, the search for his replacement has already created huge speculation. Cardiff Blues management have narrowed down a list of 28 applicants to a shortlist of just three for final discussions before deciding on the next main man at The Arms Park. The final few are not being revealed until the decision is made, so you can only speculate who these potential new faces are. Everyone from Sean Holley to Gethin Jenkins have been cited as possible re-

minute but couldn’t find a way through their defence. Cardiff demonstrated a strong scrum and were physical in the tackle area. There were some weaknesses in the breakdown, but the team gave their all. There are plenty of areas to improve on in training, but overall a good performance was put in by the team. The next game is a friendly against Whitchurch RFC on 19th November, a development fixture allowing members of the club who are new to the sport to give it a go. The next BUCS fixture is on the 29th November against Bath. Previously in the season, Cardiff have beaten Bath 53-0 and the team are hoping for a repeat performance

placements and can definitely employ their own structure and tactics on the region. However, Sean Holley is currently a fan favourite analyst and radio presenter at the BBC, and Gethin Jenkins is showing no signs of slowing down as a player. I would have thought it’s more likely to see a current member of the coaching setup promoted to fill this void. Matt Sherratt is the current backs coach who was brought in by Danny Wilson, he has definitely been developing a solid, fluid attacking backline in the Blues and I would be happy to see him given the reigns to revamp the cur-

CULHC release 2018 charity calendar

ardiff University Ladies Hockey Club have released a charity calendar for 2018. The team have decided to donate all proceeds that they make to Breast Cancer Care. The charity works to support families and individuals that have been affected by breast cancer. The girls hope that they can raise awareness of the importance of catching the early symptoms of breast cancer. Inside every calendar the club have placed a ‘self-examination guide’ in order to bolster efforts for people to fully understand what they are looking for. The calendar is on sale via the Students Union and can be found by searching for CULHC on the site.

Cobras earn first win

ardiff Cobras claimed their first win of the season with a hard-fought 14-8 win against newly promoted Plymouth last weekend. Sean Cook’s side suffered last-gasp heartache in an 8-6 defeat at Exeter in their opening fixture of the campaign. And they looked at risk of slipping to an 0-2 start when they trailed the Blitz by eight points at half-time. Yet they dug deep and demonstrated plenty of character, with Quarterback Max Milburn demonstrating magnificent pocket presence to evade a sack and find Wide Receiver Max McNeil for a 35-yard touchdown in the third quarter. They were still two-points behind entering the fourth quarter when they took over on offense with the ball on their own five-yard line. But a stunning, 95-yard drive ate up plenty of clock before Ross Ludlow powered in for the game-winning score. Ludlow, who started at both Linebacker and Running Back, rushed for 162 yards with a stunning display behind a physical Cobras offensive line. With Ed Woolcott’s revamped defence again impressing, there is plenty of optimism within the camp as they prepare to host the Solent Redhawks next Sunday, December 3 (1pm) at Llanrumney.

rent structure and hopefully establish himself as a head coach. It’s been a very good few weeks for many players in the Blues squad, with four players initially called up to the Wales squad. Flanker Josh Navidi earned his start at openside in the first match against Australia, he performed admirably with 17 tackles and zero missed and was one of the stand out welsh players in the match. 13 times Wales-capped prop Scott Andrews has also had a great week, as he earned a call up to the Wales squad as injury cover for the struggling Sam-

son Lee. Andrews is currently on a onemonth loan with Bath but will return to the Blues when it has finished. There are also big names returning from injury as Gethin Jenkins played his first game back from a six-month injury period. Currently 36, Jenkins showed he is still a world class player providing the Blues with a masterclass at loose head for the bonus point win against Zebre. Gareth Anscombe is also eying up a comeback, not playing since Wales’ summer tour. Hopefully, these internationals can provide more positives for the capital region as the Pro14 returns with a home game against Connacht.

CHWARAEON

Kenens cont: “I hope i’ll keep being involved for a few years to come”

Rich Jones

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The flights are covered, but that’s the only thing that is paid - there’s no money involved, and we just do it for fun. Maxim Kenens

“I joined when I was fed up of playing football. There’s three clubs and numbers are getting better, but we have a lot of problems retaining players. “When people turn 19 they either stop playing or move abroad to work or study so they aren’t actually playing in Luxembourg, a bit like myself. “But our national team is relatively good because we have a lot of people who can play under the three-year residency rule. “There are more and more people coming through the youth network, I think about six of us in the squad came through that way now, so although it’s still a minority sport it’s getting better. “Below the Six Nations you have the European Championships with Georgia, Romania, Spain and the pretty good teams like that. “Then below that it’s split into north and south and we’re in Division 2 North, so there’s a few above and a couple below us. “Last year we were in the league above against some good teams like Czech Republic and Lithuania, but we got relegated. “We’re back in the division below and we’re trying to go up again. We play four games a year, “We played Denmark four weeks ago, who are probably the strongest team, so that was the must-win game.

“We won our two games now and we plan to win against Finland and Norway so we can hopefully play against the bigger teams next year and try to punch above our weight again. “The level is hard to compare because you get some good players, but I’d say there’s a bigger gap between the abilities of individual players compared to games over here. “But to be able to play internationally for my country is pretty cool, and I hope I’ll keep being involved for a few years to come.” Born and raised in Luxembourg, Kenens rose through the youth ranks before making his way to Cardiff University to further his studies. He now plies his trade for Llandaff North RFC in the city – and he has revealed how a player-led log of his activities is what Luxembourg bosses use to decide their squad. He stated: “Every player who is available for selection has a little log book they need to fill in every week. “You say if you’ve trained three times a week with your rugby club, if you’ve been to the gym three times, if you’ve played on the weekend, how many minutes and any tries and things like that. “That’s basically what we do and then selection is based on that from the coaches. The flights are covered, but that’s the only thing that is paid – there’s no money involved, and we

Pictured: Backpage and Top : Luxembourg in action during their 64-0 win over Estonia. (via Facebook/ Rugy Roude Leiw - David Virot Photographie)

just do it for fun.” It has certainly been a hectic few days for Kenens and team-mate Rhys Williams, a fellow Cardiff University student who also plays for Luxembourg.

But after their adventures on foreign soil they are now back in lectures and focused on work before they prepare to go jet-setting again for their next fixture in early 2018.

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Gatland confident in countdown to World Cup

Rich Jones

Daniel Gibson Cardiff City Columnist

ales head coach Warren Gatland admits all eyes are on the 2019 Rugby World Cup after ushering in a new era with a narrow defeat at the hands of Australia. Gatland’s revamped side featured three new caps and a further three players making their first appearances for the national side at the Principality Stadium. Despite slipping to a 29-21 defeat, there were plenty of positives for Wales as they seek to transition to a new style of play. Gatland was keen to focus on the positives – and he insists they will head into Pool D of the showpiece competition in Japan in two years with plenty of confidence they can defeat Australia

to top the group. Said Gatland: “Our whole focus now in the planning, and it’s the same for a lot of teams, is the countdown to the World Cup. “Picking and exposing some young players and giving them some experience and opportunities, then developing the game we can play from different styles. “If we want to be more direct we can do that, if we want to play front line or from the back we can do that. “We don’t look at it in terms of those defects, the nice thing is we’ve got Australia in our group and with that time together in terms of the next two years and preparing together, we’ll go into that group with a lot of confidence that we’re capable of winning that group.

t’s the international break once again – that rare weekend when flicking on BBC One late on a Saturday will see you greeted by Mrs Brown’s Boys and not the clipped tones of Mr. Lineker. For many, it’s a chance to sit back, have a breath and take stock of the season so far. At Cardiff this is especially true, as the international playoffs could not have come at a better time. It’s no secret that the Bluebirds have been struggling for consistency in recent weeks without Kenneth Zohore, Aron Gunnarsson and the criminally underrated left-back Joe Bennett. Gunnarsson’s absence has been

“On the whole I thought there were some real positives from an attacking perspective (against Australia). “We were much better in the second half and as the game went on I thought we got stronger and stronger. “I kind of felt from the box that if Kurtley Beale hadn’t have scored that sort of freakish try we could’ve gone on and won the game. “But against a side of that quality, you’ve just got to be a bit more clinical and from an exit strategy and just trying to hold onto the ball, we probably tried to force a few too many passes and offloads. “That’s what we’ve been asking the players to do, and with a bit of time together that decision making will hopefully improve after the next few weeks.

felt particularly keenly, as his ability to simultaneously regain possession and kick-start attacks is unmatched within the squad. Sol Bamba has made an adequate replacement in the role, yet he lacks Gunnarsson’s uncanny ability to carve defences open with a single wellplaced ball. The return of the injured trio is sure to give Neil Warnock selection headaches at both ends of the park, albeit welcome ones. In defence, Cardiff are comfortably at their best with a four-man back line, but when you have three stellar centrebacks, and a pair of excellent wingers in Bennett and Paterson, it becomes ap-

“We were disappointed in terms of the result, but we talked about putting some new faces out there. “There were three new caps, three guys getting their first game at home and some younger faces out there. “I think they’ll get better from that experience, and as a team we tend to get stronger as it goes on. “That’s Australia’s ninth game together in the last few months, and if you look at where they started in terms of the Rugby Championship, they played the All Blacks, who’d come out of a tough Lions’ series, and the All Blacks put 50 points on them. “By game seven they’d turned that result around and were able to beat the All Blacks, so we’ll definitely get better from spending that time together.”

parent that the numbers don’t work out. Having to pick two starters from captain Morrison, player of the month nominee Ecuele Manga and the irrepressible Bamba is a perfect example of how football management is not for the faint of heart. The reunion of Cardiff ’s lethal attacking trio is another case where Warnock has a dilemma rather than a problem. Between them, Kenneth Zohore, MendezLaing and Junior Hoilett have pilfered eleven goals already this season, and the thought of Zohore spearheading the attack once again is a mouth-watering prospect. Cardiff ’s temperamental summer signing, Lee Tomlin, could also have

some part to play in the revamped front line. The former Bristol City man demonstrated his considerable talent against Ipswich, but has been restricted to substitute appearances thus far. Positioning him as a link between Gunnarsson and the front trio could yet be the answer to breaching some of the Championship’s thornier back lines. The past month has been a tricky one for the Bluebirds, now sitting four points behind the league leaders. But with a freshly restored starting eleven and some appetising fixtures to come, there’s real hope that Cardiff can renew their assault on the top of the league this November.

SPORT

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@gairrhyddsport | #GRSport sport@gairrhydd.com gairrhydd.com/category/sport

Cardiff Uni student makes mark on international stage for Luxembourg Rich Jones

ll eyes were on international rugby last week – and Cardiff University student Maxim Kenens was in the thick of the

action. But whilst most were focused on Wales’ showdown with Australia at the Principality Stadium or England’s clash with Argentina, Kenens was making his first start for Luxembourg. The Politics and Economics student made his debut as a late substitute in last month’s win over Denmark but was this time handed a big-

ger role. He looked set to enjoy a dream start to his international career as Luxembourg cruised to a 64-0 win over Estonia. Yet a broken elbow suffered in the second half added a sour note to an otherwise memorable occasion for the 21-year-old winger. “I was happy to be starting, it was pretty cool,” Kenens said. “We had a good game and a big win, so it was all very good until I got injured! “We had a double tackle which went wrong, and my elbow over-extended so I broke the small part of my elbow.

BUCS: Highlights from exciting week of Uni sport P38 >>

“Fortunately it’s not too bad, I’ll probably be out for six weeks or so, and I thought I did OK until then. “I suppose that’s for the coach to judge rather than me, but I think I did a pretty good job for my first start.” After getting relegated from the Rugby Europe International Championship Conference 1 North last season, the Lions are seeking to launch a promotion push to regain their spot. There have been plenty of strides off the field with their youth network in recent years to leave them in a positive place moving forwards.

And with his injury only expected to keep him out of action for around six weeks, Kenens wants to play a big role in their quest to bounce back. He commented: “Rugby is obviously not very big on Luxembourg, but it’s definitely growing. “We’ve had a couple of coaches from New Zealand who have done very good youth work, so the numbers are continuing to increase.

Continued on p31

Opinion: Internatioanl friendlies in football good or bad? P36>>