Black History Month Edition 2021 (Issue 1172 - Monday, 18th September

Check out Gair Rhydd online

rhifyn 1172 issue 1172

18 hydref 2021 18 october 2021

gair rhydd Cardiff University’s student paper | Established 1972

Inside: Celebrating Black History Month this October Inside: Dathlu Mis Hanes Pobl Dduon ym mis Hydref

Gair Rhydd speaks to Jeff Wayne, American Composer and Musician Jack Robert Stacey Editor-in-Chief

G

air Rhydd sat down with Jeff Wayne, the American musician and composer behind ‘Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds’, to talk over his almost 50-year history building a performance around the iconic science-fiction story.

Looking back at his earlier career, Wayne said that his relationship with H. G. Wells’ ‘The War of The Worlds’ began back in the 1970s, a point in his career when he remembers “composing quite a lot of media music.” Around this time, Wayne said that he was often preoccupied with “producing and arranging for certain artists in the pop field”, including the English singer-songwriter David Essex.

Although he enjoyed this kind of work, Wayne confessed that he was always determined to find his own inspiration as an artist and composer - An aspect he remembers often speaking to his father, the actor and performer Jerry Wayne, about: “My dad kept reminding me that, as a composer, he knew that I was hoping at some point in time to find a story that I would sort of fall in love with and commit to trying to create something around that story.”

Around this time, Wayne said that he and his father were looking for inspiration in a variety of places and had started by “reading quite a number of books” together. One night before going out on a tour, Wayne specifically remembers his father wishing him well and then handing him a book, a book that would go on to shape his career for the next fortyyears.

“It was H. G. Wells’ The War of The Worlds”; a book that Wayne admits that he “really wasn’t all that familiar with” at the time.

As one of the first science-fiction stories to centre on a conflict between humankind and a race of hyper-advanced extra-terrestrial beings from outer-space (the ‘Martians’), H. G. Wells’ nineteenthcentury novel is considered by many to be one of the most iconic science-fiction stories of all time and has never been out

of print in its 123-year-long lifespan.

“When I read it in that period,” Wayne said, “of course there was no internet, no Google or anything electronic, so having a book was a good companion at times.

I read it quite quickly and, on one read, I was hooked by it to tell the truth.”

Wayne explained that, after reading the book, he and his father were both captivated by the story and shared a determination to compose music around The War of The Worlds. Following the death of H. G. Wells several years before, Wayne and his father reached out to Wells’ son Frank to discuss the opportunity to create a musical version of the novel.

“We presented ourselves and it wasn’t very complicated as it turned out. I guess that the points that communicated most to Frank was that, A: we were a sort of father and son team that had hooked up to produce a musical work around his dad’s story, and that I, on the creative side, wanted to interpret it exactly as his father had created it - A dark Victorian tale set in England, in Surrey specifically - but also to keep the themes so that it wasn’t just an alien shoot-em-up type of science-fiction story, but that it had a much greater depth to it.”

Their proposal, Wayne recalled, must have “really impressed Frank Wells immensely” as they would eventually acquire all of the rights they needed to create a musical version of the story.

Reflecting back on the meeting, Wayne said that he was “very fortunate” to have received the rights from the Wells’ family and quickly began to compose what would later become his 1978 double album: ‘Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds’.

“As it was coming together from that point, it started to feel real. Even before I hit the studio, it just had that feeling that we were on to something that was special, so we made that recording, the double album as it turned out to be and from there it went on and on. It hit the media and the public with great satisfaction, so I guess that’s why I’m talking to you so many years later about Martians [laughs].”

To read Jack's full interview with Jeff Wayne on the American composer's upcoming UK tour, turn to page 3 3

A new curriculum: Wales is expected to focus content around key figures through BAME history including Betty Campbell, Wales' first black headteacher. Credit: Jack Robert Stacey

Wales to impliment new BAME curriculum

Svenja Schindler Contributor

F

rom September 2022, teaching about the histories and experiences of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people, as well as their contributions to British history and culture, will be a mandatory part of the curriculum in Welsh schools.

A petition, which received nearly

35,000 signatures, was launched last year in order to achieve this change in the curriculum.

The respective petition page on the website of the Senedd Cymru states, that “Britain -including Wales- benefited from colonialism and slavery for centuries. […] The legacies of slavery and colonialism have very real impacts on BAME communities across Britain today, and the Welsh education system needs to recognise

Dadorchuddio Cerflun Is 31 days enough for Black History Month?

Betty Campbell Nel Richards

Vicky Witts

Pennaeth Taf-od

Head of Comment

D

yma’r gerflun awyr agored cyntaf o fenyw yng Nghymru.

Cafwyd arolwg o gerfluniau ledled y DU ei chynnal yn 2018, a darganfyddwyd mai dim ond un o bob pum cerflun ym Mhrydain oedd o ferched, gyda’r mwyafrif ohonynt yn gymeriadau ffuglen neu ffigurau dienw. Y llynedd, mewn archwiliad, a gomisiynwyd yn sgil protestiadau Black Lives Matter, sylwodd pobl nad oedd cerfluniau o unrhyw unigolyn o dreftadaeth ddu mewn mannau cyhoeddus awyr agored yng Nghymru, gyda dim ond “grŵp cerfluniau anhysbys ym Mae Caerdydd”.

TI ddarllen erthygl Nel am y cerflun newydd yng Nghaerdydd, trowch i dudalen 8.

8

B

lack history month was first celebrated in the UK in 1987, and since then it has annually motivated people to educate and be educated about monumental events, achievements, and people in black history.

More recently, the month has also been used as an opportunity to raise awareness about the discrimination faced in recent years by ethnic minority groups, both in the UK and globally.

This clearly introduces an important question. Is focusing on black history for only one month of the year really enough?

To read Vicky's article on whether 31 days is enough to fully celebrate black history, turn to page 14. 14

this.” According to the petition, the British Empire is often glamorised, while at the same time the worldwide impact of Britain’s colonialism is overlooked.

The petition was now considered and completed by the Petitions Committee on 20th September 2021.

To read Svenja's article on the introduction of Wales' new BAMEhistory based curriculum, turn 4 to page 4.

Celebrating Black Scientists in History Mia Becker-Hansen

Head of Science and Technology

S

cientists, engineers, and inventors find the solutions to our problems.

From numbers released by the Royal Society in 2018-19, 1.8% of science, technology, engineering, and maths academic staff aged 34 and below are black. In physics and chemistry, the proportion of black researchers stands at zero percent (rounded down). Further to this, no black scientist has ever won a Nobel Prize.

In honour of Black History Month, this article will highlight on the achievements of a number of notable black scientists throughout history.

To read Mia's full article on the achievements of black scientists, turn to page 20.

20

2

EDITORIAL Gair Rhydd 2021/22 Coordinator Elaine Morgan

Editor-in-Chief Jack Robert Stacey

Deputy Editors Tom Kingsbury Vicky Witts Zoe Kramer

News

Zoe Kramer Alex Hughes Beth Williams Shivika Singh

Features

Sarah Anne Griffiths Eva Rodericks

A note from the Editor Nodyn gan y Golygydd Celebrating the ‘hidden figures’ of Black History

Dathlu ‘ffigurau cudd’ Hanes Pobl Dduon

Black History Month: We need to recognise the impact of both high profile and ‘hidden figures’. Source: GPA Photo Archive (via Flickr)

Mis Hanes Pobl Dduon: Mae angen i ni gydnabod effaith ffigurau proffil uchel a ‘ffigurau cudd’. Tarddiad: GPA Photo Archive (via Flickr)

Taf-od

Nel Richards Gracie Richards Nansi Eccott Steffan Alun Leonard

Politics

Tom Kingsbury Ella Lloyd Luthien Evans Manal Ahmed

Comment

Vicky Witts Catarina Pinto Vicente Katherine Wheeler Megan Evans

Advice

Harriet Lowbridge Megan Shinner Ruth Hoey

Review

Iris Knapman Jessica Clifford-Jones

Science and Technology Mia Becker-Hansen Jemma Powell Theodore Tadros

Sport

Anurag Hegde Harvey Palmer Oscar Lucas Tom Hawkins

Head of Digital Media Sophia Grace

Social Media Manager Ella Lloyd

Digital Media Editors Cinzia Appetecchia Emily Smith Joseph Liu

Copy Editors

Beca Fflur Williams Bonnie Wileman Emily Bryant Jess Henderson Libby Griffiths Lois Campbell Maisie Granger Sam Joseph

Write to the editor editor@gairrhydd.com

At Gair Rhydd we take seriously our responsibility to maintain the highest possible standards. We may occasionally make mistakes, however if you believe we have fallen below the standards we seek to uphold, please email editor@gairrhydd.com.

You can view our Ethical Policy Statement and Complaints Procedure at cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/complaints.

Opinions expressed in editorials and opinion pieces are not reflective of Cardiff Student Media, who act as the publisher of Gair Rhydd in legal terms, and should not be considered official communications or the organisation’s stance.

Gair Rhydd is a Post Office registered newspaper.

Jack Robert Stacey Editor-in-Chief

T

his October, celebrations of Black History have been taking place across the world to acknowledge the historic achievements and sacrifices made by people from African and Caribbean backgrounds throughout history - Aspects of history that, for a number of reasons, can be overlooked when engaging with discussions of history.

Whilst these discussions of black history can often (understandably) focus on the lives of black leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Medgar Evans, and Rosa Parks, it’s also critical for us to recognise all of the ‘hidden’ stories and pioneers who lie behind some of history’s greatest achievements and inventions.

Lewis Howard Latimer, for instance, was a self-taught African-American inventor in the 1870s who is responsible for greatly improving the lifespan of carbon filaments used in light bulbs.

Although Thomas Edison is often solely credited for inventing the light bulb, Latimer’s work made it possible for an average person to afford indoor lighting and for cities like New York, Montreal and London to introduce street lighting on a large-scale.

In several ways, Latimer’s invention would eventually go on to aid the work of Katherine Johnson, a research math-

ematician working at NASA (then known as NACA) during the ‘Space Race’.

As a mathematician who specialized in geometry, Johnson became a “computer” at the Space Agency. She was tasked with calculating the complex trajectories needed to send astronauts into Earth’s orbit and later the trajectories to safely land the Apollo 11 craft on the Moon.

Her calculations proved to be an integral part of NASA’s success in space and, following her untimely death last year at the age of 101-years-old, Katherine Johnson was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and was described by NASA as “an American hero” who left a “pioneering legacy”.

Although they may not be as wellknown as other black leaders, the achievements of individuals like Lewis Howard Latimer and Katherine Johnson, cannot be overstated.

When celebrating Black History Month this October, therefore, it’s critical that we challenge ourselves to really engage with history and recognise the significance behind the work of both high-profile and ‘hidden figures.’

This is perhaps best summed up

by Carter G. Woodson, known as the ‘Father of Black History’, who declared that, “we have a wonderful history behind us… and it is going to inspire us to greater achievements”.

Jack Robert Stacey Prif Olygydd

Y

m mis Hydref eleni, mae dathliadau Hanes Pobl Dduon wedi bod yn digwydd ledled y byd i gydnabod cyflawniadau ac aberth hanesyddol pobl o gefndiroedd Affricanaidd a Caribïaidd drwy gydol hanes – Agweddau ar hanes pobl dduon y gellir eu hanwybyddu wrth ymgysylltu â thrafodaethau ar hanes.

Er y gall y trafodaethau hyn ar hanes pobl ddu yn aml (yn ddealladwy) ganolbwyntio ar fywydau arweinwyr du fel Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Medgar Evans, a Rosa Parks, mae hefyd yn hanfodol i ni gydnabod yr holl straeon ac arloeswyr ‘cudd’ sydd y tu ôl i rai o gyflawniadau a dyfeisiadau mwyaf hanes.

Roedd Lewis Howard Latimer, er enghraifft, yn ddyfeisiwr AffricanaiddAmericanaidd hunan-addysgedig yn y 1870au sy’n gyfrifol am wella hyd oes y ffilament carbon a ddefnyddir mewn bylbiau golau.

Er bod Thomas Edison yn aml yn cael ei gredydu’n llwyr am ddyfeisio’r bwlb golau, roedd gwaith Latimer yn ei gwneud yn bosibl i berson cyffredin fforddio goleuadau dan do ac i ddinasoedd megis Efrog Newydd, Montreal a Llundain gyflwyno goleuadau stryd ar raddfa fawr.

Mewn sawl ffordd, byddai dyfais Latimer yn mynd ymlaen yn y pen draw i gynorthwyo gwaith Katherine Johnson,

mathemategydd ymchwil sy’n gweithio yn NASA (a elwyd wedyn yn NACA) yn ystod y ‘Ras Ofod’ rhwng Unol Daleithiau America a’r Undeb Sofietaidd.

Fel mathemategydd a oedd yn arbenigo mewn geometreg, daeth Johnson yn “gyfrifiadur” yn yr Asiantaeth Gofod. Cafodd hi’r dasg o gyfrifo’r llwybrau cymhleth sydd eu hangen i anfon gofodwyr i orbit y Ddaear ac yn ddiweddarach y llwybrau i lanio Apollo 11 yn ddiogel ar y Lleuad.

Profodd ei chyfrifiadau’n rhan annatod o lwyddiant NASA yn y gofod, yn dilyn ei marwolaeth annhymig y llynedd yn 101 mlwydd oed, cafodd Katherine Johnson ei hanwytho yn Oriel Genedlaethol y Merched ac fe’i disgrifiwyd gan NASA fel “arwr Americanaidd” a adawodd “etifeddiaeth arloesol” Er efallai nad ydyn nhw mor adnabyddus ag arweinwyr duon eraill, ni ellir gorbwysleisio cyflawniadau unigolion fel Lewis Howard Latimer a Katherine Johnson.

Felly, wrth ddathlu Mis Hanes Pobl Dduon ym mis Hydref eleni, mae’n hanfodol ein bod yn herio ein hunain i ymgysylltu’n wirioneddol â hanes a chydnabod arwyddocâd y tu ôl i waith ffigurau proffil uchel a ‘ffigurau cudd’.

Efallai caiff hyn ei grynhoi orau gan Carter G.Woodson a adnabyddir fel ‘Tad Hanes Pobl Dduon’, a ddatganodd, “mae gennym hanes gwych y tu ôl i ni... ac mae am ein hysbrydoli ni at gyflawni hyd yn oed mwy”.

GOLYGYDDOL

3

Gair Rhydd speaks to Jeff Wayne, American Composer Gair Rhydd sat down with the composer behind ‘Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds’ to talk over his almost 50-year history with the iconic science-fiction story

Jack Robert Stacey Editor-in-Chief

N

ow that COVID-19 restrictions are easing across the UK and in-person musical performances are beginning to return, Gair Rhydd sat down with Jeff Wayne, the American musician and composer behind ‘Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds’, to talk over his almost 50-year history building a performance around the iconic science-fiction story.

Looking back at his earlier career, Wayne said that his relationship with H. G. Wells’ ‘The War of The Worlds’ began back in the 1970s, a point in his career when he remembers “composing quite a lot of media music.”

Around this time, Wayne said that he was often preoccupied with “producing and arranging for certain artists in the pop field”, including the English singer-songwriter David Essex.

Although he enjoyed this kind of work, Wayne confessed that he was always determined to find his own inspiration as an artist and composer - An aspect he remembers often speaking to his father, the actor and performer Jerry Wayne, about: “My dad kept reminding me that, as a composer, he knew that I was hoping at some point in time to find a story that I would sort of fall in love with and commit to trying to create something around that story.”

Around this time, Wayne said that he and his father were looking for inspiration in a variety of places and had started by “reading quite a number of I was hoping at some point in time to find a story that I would sort of fall in love with and commit to trying to create something around that story.”

books” together. One night before going out on a tour, Wayne specifically remembers his father wishing him well and then handing him a book, a book that would go on to shape his career for the next forty-years.

“It was H. G. Wells’ The War of The Worlds”; a book that Wayne admits that he “really wasn’t all that familiar with” at the time.

As one of the first science-fiction stories to centre on a conflict between humankind and a race of hyper-advanced extra-terrestrial beings from outer-space (the ‘Martians’), H. G. Wells’ nineteenth-century novel is considered by many to be one of the most iconic science-fiction stories of all time and has never been out of print in its 123-year-long lifespan.

“When I read it in that period,” Wayne said, “of course there was no internet, no Google or anything electronic, so having a book was a good companion at times. I read it quite quickly and, on one read, I was hooked by it to tell the truth.”

Wayne explained that, after reading the book, he and his father were both captivated by the story and shared a determination to compose music around The War of The Worlds. Following the death of H. G. Wells several years before, Wayne and his father reached out to Wells’ son Frank to discuss the opportunity to create a musical version of the novel.

“We presented ourselves and it wasn’t very complicated as it turned out. I guess that the points that communicated most to Frank was that, A: we were a sort of father and son team that had hooked up to produce a musical work around his dad’s story, and that I, on the creative side, wanted to interpret it exactly as his father had created it - A dark Victorian tale set in England, in Surrey specifically but also to keep the themes so that it wasn’t just an alien shoot-em-up type

Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds: Wayne’s iconic double album was released back in 1978. Source: Leo Renolds (via Flickr)

Jeff Wayne: The composer remembers being given ‘The War of The Worlds’, a book that would spark his almost 50-year long history with the iconic science-fiction story. Source: MartianMFM (via Wikimedia Commons)

of science-fiction story, but that it had a much greater depth to it.”

Their proposal, Wayne recalled, must have “really impressed Frank Wells immensely” as they would eventually acquire all of the rights they needed to create a musical version of the story.

Reflecting back on the meeting, Wayne said that he was “very fortunate” to have received the rights from the Wells’ family and quickly began to compose what would later become his 1978 double album: ‘Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds’.

“As it was coming together from that point, it started to feel real. Even before I hit the studio, it just had that feeling that we were on to something that was special, so we made that recording, the double album as it turned out to be and from there it went on and on. It hit the media and the public with great satisfaction, so I guess that’s why I’m talking to you so many years later about Martians [laughs].”

The impact of COVID-19 and the Jeff Wayne’s ‘Life Begins Again Tour’ Now, over 40 years since releasing his original double album, Jeff Wayne is set to begin performing again as part of his new ‘Life Begins Again Tour’ in the UK. Speaking about this upcoming tour, Wayne outlined that one of his key focuses is to immerse audiences in the musical experience and offer them a sense of escapism from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially, he says, moving them away from “the devastation that it’s done to so many millions of people around the world.”

[The 1978 double album] hit the media and the public with great satisfaction, so I guess that’s why I’m talking to you so many years later about Martians [laughs].”

In this way, Wayne said that H. G. Wells’ The War of The Worlds shares a lot of attributes with “the world we’ve been living in for the past year and a half ” due to the impact of COVID-19. Although he acknowledged that the pandemic had a significant impact on many other people working in the world of music and live performance, he also said that he remains optimistic that life is returning again - An aspect he wanted to reflect in the name of his ‘Life Begins Again Tour’.

“Creatively, in a way, it’s given us extra time to add maybe a few things that would not have come to our thoughts if we were doing it a year ago, but it’s still a very exciting moment to know that (unless something unexpected happens once again) that we’ll be performing and in a show that’s as different, I think, as any previous productions that we’ve done” Moving on from the events of the last year, now that in-person concerts and experiences are beginning to resume across the UK, Wayne maintained that having the ability “to perform again, I think is, of course, the starting point” for a lot of people who are working in the creative industry.

To him, Wayne said that the upcoming ‘Life Begins Again Tour’ represents a key chance for him to keep challenging himself as a composer and, as with all of his previous live performances, gives him the opportunity to build on his original vision of his Musical Version of The War of The Worlds with new music and technological elements.

“I’ve never liked, and never would have liked, just taking it ‘out of the box’ and doing it the same way every time. That’s just not me. I love the challenge of it being a living work and still never losing sight of the story and my original score, but it’s important for me that it moves on”

I’ve never liked, and never would have liked, just taking it ‘out of the box’ and doing it the same way every time.”

“To learn that we’ve had so many people return time and time again, I would never have dreamed that.

Maybe it’s because the show evolves continually in every respect, so it’s familiar to what they were first introduced to, but it keeps evolving The technology alone makes things change and gives you the opportunity to challenge yourself to try and do something on another level.”

As someone who has previously collaborated with a large number of high-profile actors and performers in his time, Wayne said that he was deeply humbled to have been able to perform with the likes of Gary Barlow, Liam Neeson, Richard Burton and the English musician, Justin Hayward - Hayward specifically, Wayne added, is an artist that he worked closely with on the original 1978 double album, so the two of them are now essentially looking “at the same work with the same eyes, but slightly greyer hair [laughs].”

Taking a step away from the ‘Life Begins Again Tour’ and reflecting back on his past career, Wayne maintained that he was “blessed” to be able to compose music around H. G. Well’s original vision and continue evolving his performances over time.

“Looking back after some 15 years of touring the arenas and we’ve played in the west-end, that we now see in the audiences 3 generations of people - I guess that it’s been handed down from one to the other and it continues” “It’s one of those things that I never could have predicted - I’m thrilled, I’m proud, but it’s just interesting the path that it’s taken”

4

NEWS

NEWS

Wales implements new BAME History curriculum for students Svenja Schindler Contributor

Zoe Kramer

Alex Hughes

F

rom September 2022, teaching about the histories and experiences of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people, as well as their contributions to British history and culture, will be a mandatory part of the curriculum in Welsh schools.

A petition, which received nearly 35,000 signatures, was launched last year in order to achieve this change in the curriculum. The respective petition page on the website of the Senedd Cymru states, that “Britain -including Wales- benefited from colonialism and slavery for centuries. […]

The legacies of slavery and colonialism have very real impacts on BAME communities across Britain today, and

News Editor

Shivika Singh news@gairrhydd.com

tablished that aims to improve the teaching on BAME communities, develop new teaching materials and train teachers in this regard. The Welsh Government supported the working group and its aims with £500,000. It is led by Charlotte Williams OBE, who is a professor at the School of History, Philosophy and Social Sciences at Bangor University.

There she researches and publishes on issues of race, migration as well as multiculturalism. According to her, it is crucial to revise and enrich the curriculum “by revealing the diversity of perspectives and contributions made by the ethnic minority communities to the development of Wales across its history and in the present.” In an education report, the working group had pointed out that the current Welsh

school curriculum deals with slavery, colonialism and the British Empire disproportionately. According to them, the materials available on these topics are limited and lack the inclusion of the histories and experiences of BAME communities. The new curriculum will now consist of six different learning areas and is intended to fulfil the following four main purposes: To produce children who are “ambitious, capable learners”, “healthy, confident individuals”, “enterprising, creative contributors”, and “ethical, informed citizens”. Final approval by the Senedd will be given next month, but the announcement already coincided with the start of Black History Month which is dedicated to black heritage and culture and aims to understand and celebrate its impact.

technical difficulties that allegedly left him disconnected from the chamber.

Davies, who was at the Conservative party conference, was planning to vote against the measure. In a statement surrounding the incident on Twitter, Davies commented “I’m deeply upset, frustrated and angry at last night’s events and my inability to cast a vote against vaccine passports”. However, members who were present in the Senedd report that Gareth Davies was given ample time to rectify his I.T struggles. He was also given the personal phone number of Llywydd Elin Jones, meaning he had the opportunity to place a legitimate vote verbally. In a statement, Jones said “For members to vote in the Senedd, they must be present, either in the chamber or on Zoom. It is a member’s responsibility

to give themselves sufficient time to secure their Zoom connection in time for voting, just as it is for any member travelling to the Senedd to vote.” If the vote had been a tie, the preceding officer would have the final say and would be obliged not to allow the motion to pass.

The measure has been slammed by those in the hospitality sector. A spokesperson for nightclub operators Rekom UK voiced the company’s anger at the pass only placing restrictions on certain hospitality establishments. The statement read; “Once again, nightclubs have been singled out from the rest of hospitality in Wales as it’s deemed the least politically damaging, despite our venues being in an extremely fragile state of recovery and many hundreds of jobs at risk across

the sector. In response to criticism, First Minister Mark Drakeford said “If we don’t have this defence and coronavirus numbers rise over the autumn and the winter, then these are the venues which will be the first to be closed.

So, the purpose of it is not to penalise any business, it’s to give that business an extra defence to allow it to continue to operate.”

In order to access the COVID pass, those eligible will need to visit the NHS website in order to register for a log in.

After uploading a photo of a form of ID, such as a passport or driver’s licence, the website will confirm their vaccination status. The pass will be provided in the form of a digital barcode. Despite an expiry date for the pass, this will not apply to an individual’s vaccination status.

COVID pass goes into effect in Wales

Beth Williams

Beth Williams

the Welsh education system needs to recognise this.” According to the petition, the British Empire is often glamorised, while at the same time the worldwide impact of Britain’s colonialism is overlooked. The petition was now considered and completed by the Petitions Committee on 20th September 2021. Education and Welsh Language Minister Jeremy Miles said that “[i]t is vitally important that our education system equips our young people to understand and respect their own and each other’s histories, cultures and traditions.” Therefore, a new curriculum will be introduced in September 2022 for nurseries to Year 7 and between 2023 and 2026 also for Year 8 to 11.

In order to develop this new curriculum, a working group was es-

W

ales has introduced a COVID pass after the new legislation passed by one vote at the beginning of the month. The passes, which came into effect on October 11, are available to anyone over 16 years old who are double jabbed or have tested negative for the virus within the previous 48 hours. However, the passes are only mandatory for over 18s who wish to enter nightclubs, indoor events of over 500 people, outdoor events of more than 4,000 and any major event with more than 10,000 people.

The government had faced growing calls to re-run the vote following Conservative MS Gareth Davies failing to vote remotely. This is due to him facing

The state of female safety in The UK: six months after the Sarah Everard murder case Shivika Singh News Editor

T

he murder of 33 year old Sarah Everard on the streets of London on 3rd March 2021 caused an uproar for women’s safety in the United Kingdom. This case gained more severity as a serving Met police officer, Wayne Cauzens, was accused and charged with rape and murder.

Women across the country held vigils, with many relating to Everard’s case and resonating with the struggles of walking through the streets at night. Soon streets across the country were occupied by protesters with women participating in huge numbers to demand justice for Everard and a safer environment for women. While many claim this case gained attention mainly because Everard was a white woman, the heavy backlash and anger received reactions from the government and

Six months later: Protestors demanded change in memory of Sarah Everard, but the future is uncertain. Source: Tim Dennell (via Flickr) politicians. Many promises were made but more than six months to this case, women’s safety in the UK is still in question.

According to Counting Dead Women, a project that tracks femicide in the UK, at least 52 women

have been killed within the time period from March to July following Sarah Everard’s murder case, under similar circumstances where a man was the principal suspect. At least 83 women are suspected to have been killed by males since the start of the

year, says Karen Ingala Smith, who runs the project.

There are hundreds of other resources that point to the concerning state of female safety in the United Kingdom. One of the most recent examples could be the increase in sexual assault cases in Cardiff during the Freshers fortnight. According to BTP data, September is the highest month reporting cases of sexual assaults. Instances like that are more common during events and night outs and have been fairly normalised within the student community. Lack of trust in the police system and tiresome processes involved in reporting such crimes is one of the reasons why victims choose to remain silent.

A report released by The Guardian in March 2021 exposed how deeply rooted the issue of female assault is.

It was found in the report that 97% of young women aged 18-24 have experienced sexual harassment, with 80% of women of all ages noting they

had been sexually harassed in a public space.

While the promises for women’s safety were still being made following Sarah Everard’s case, another act of femicide reached headlines, with the murder of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa, and the outpouring of anger and frustration was visible once more. Nessa’s murder also reinvigorated discussion in the U.K. about so-called “Missing White Woman Syndrome.” This term refers to the repeated cases involving women of colour which generally do not receive as much attention and does not ring the ‘alarm bells’ for the policing and justice system.

It is often difficult to navigate beyond the question- “What can we do to make women feel safe”. One of the most important steps towards ensuring female safety is to bring about a change in emphasis in the way police deal with gender-based crimes against women and girls.

NEWYDDION

5

Energy prices on the rise in the UK

Bones of a prehistoric Wholesale gas prices have more than tripled since the beginning of the year ‘Chief Alex Hughes Dragon’ News Editor found in South Wales

U

K wholesale gas prices have more than tripled since the start of the year, because of a perfect storm in global energy markets. Europe’s gas supplies had been steadily depleted due to last year’s unusually cold winter, and strong Asian demand for liquefied gas has led to fewer shipments.

Unlike in the textbook description of firm behaviour, Gazprom – Russia’s mostly state-owned gas corporation, and the single largest supplier to the euro area – hasn’t increased supply in response to the rise in prices. It’s still not clear if this shows that Gazprom is already operating at close to full capacity, or if it’s actually because Putin’s team has seized an opportunity to pressure EU regulators into quickly approving the Nord Stream 2 deal, a major planned gas pipeline running from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea. Natural gas has become all the more important in recent months, as calm

Rising prices: Household energy costs are expected to increase as winter approaches. Source: byrev (via Pixabay) weather conditions have compromised wind-power generation. To make matters worse, a fire at a National Grid installation in Kent in mid-September damaged an important undersea cable that links the British and French electrical grids.

This has all occurred against a backdrop of broad surges in global energy demand, as economies emerge from their induced slumber on the back

of successful mass-vaccination programs.

The result is a substantial spike in household energy costs. Last month, Compare the Market suspended its cheap tariffs finder tool, while six small and medium-sized energy companies collapsed, with several others expected to fail in the coming weeks.

The UK’s energy market is subject to strict price ceilings – and so sup-

pliers bear the initial brunt of rising wholesale prices – but these measures can only postpone an inevitable feedthrough to households. And on October 1st, the energy regulator Ofgem raised its price-cap, adding £139 or 12% per year to the average direct debit customer’s yearly bill, and £153 or 13% for those families using more expensive pre-payment meter services.

Of course, the squeeze will be felt particularly strongly by those receiving Universal Credit, many of whom use pre-payment energy plans and have recently seen their yearly income fall by around £1000, as the government withdrew the top-up measure that it enacted during the first lockdown. Petrol and diesel prices have also spiked, generating chaos at fuel pumps.

Overall, the post-pandemic economic recovery is now clearly losing pace, with the IMF on Tuesday downgrading its 2021 growth projections for all of the major economies, apart from Russia, the state benefiting the most from energy exports. The stage appears to be set for another difficult winter.

Wales hit by petrol and food shortages leading up to Christmas

Shivika Singh News Editor

W

ales at present is encountering shortages as many other places in the UK face a similar crisis. The country is short 100000 drivers as well as 10,000 warehouse operatives. As a result, the shelves in the supermarkets can be seen empty and long queues at the petrol stations were also witnessed over the past few weeks.

In an update over the current situation, Prime Minister Boris Johnson conceded that supermarket shelves could be empty for months due to a huge lack of HGV drivers and soaring global gas demands. The Prime Minister also stated that these shortages have occurred as a result of the global pandemic and we are suffering just as the rest of the world.

However it is noteworthy that Britain’s supply chains were brought to a standstill by the exodus of European

truckers, leading to fuel shortages and empty shelves in supermarkets, as a result of Boris Johnson’s government’s Brexit plan.

Some of the food items that are running short include meat, fruit and vegetables, beer and soft drinks, pasta and bottled water. Shops have been running out of meat for weeks already and the situation has been worsened by the increase in energy prices. Industry leaders have warned there could be a shortage of meat in the run-up to Christmas - including turkeys.

Petrol shortages received a massive share of media coverage over the past weeks however, there is no issue with the amount of fuel going through refineries. The problem is getting it to the pumps amidst the HGV driver shortages and reacting to the latest surge in demand, caused by panic buying.

Among other goods affected by the shortages are computers and gaming consoles, cars, bikes, furniture, toys

Food shortages: A lack of lorry drivers might be the cause of empty shelves. Source: Philafrenzy (via Wikimedia Commons) and building supplies. These shortages are occurring mostly due to shipping delays, disrupted production due to Covid-19 pandemic and labour shortages.

The main reason for the shortages on UK supermarket shelves is the shortage of lorry drivers in the UK. The shortfall is estimated at around

90,000. As the firms can no longer recruit drivers from the European Union, this problem is expected to take long before it is fully solved. According to Ian Wright, chief executive of the Food and Drink Federation, these shortages are permanent shortages and they are not likely to go away anytime soon.

ing repainted and patched up from being kicked in.

Bird hides are designed as camouflage so that ornithologists and birdwatchers can observe various bird species without disturbing them in their natural habitats, since birds often perceive humans standing out in the open as a threat. Forest Farm is particularly known for being home to kingfishers, which can often be spotted by visitors.

Forest Farm isn’t the only green space to be met with such attacks, however. In September, Bute Park was the subject of an attack wherein

fires were started, trees cut, as well as bins, planters and cabling destroyed. Oak trees which had taken decades to grow were sawed down.

The park’s manager, Julia Sas, said it will take decades for the arboretum to return to how it was prior to the attack.

This destructive trend has had a significant impact on Cardiff ’s natural areas. Fundraisers have been conducted to fund damage repair, but until the issue is addressed at its root causes, local parks and nature reserves will likely continue to be targeted.

Forest Farm targeted with suspected arson attack Zoe Kramer

Head of News

A

bird hide at a Cardiff nature park has been the subject of an arson attack.

The attack occurred at Forest Farm in Whitchurch on the morning of October 3rd, entirely destroying the bird hide, which was the only one remaining following a previous attack in June. South Wales Police are investigating the incident.

Cardiff Conservation Volunteers reported the incident on social media, stating: “I’m lost for words. For-

est Farm’s bird hide has yet again suffered from another fire. The arson going on is getting completely out of hand.”

In the earlier attack in June, a different bird hide as well as a shed were targeted. Tools, memorabilia and documents belonging to the charity Cardiff Conservation Volunteers were lost. Damages totaled in the thousands of pounds.

Forest Farm has a history of being the subject of vandalism. The location was also targeted back in 2019, with yet another bird hide being burned beyond repair, just after be-

George Symonds Contributor

A

n entirely new species of dinosaur has been named after the late scientist Angela Milner who passed away in August 2021.

The ‘chief dragon’,lived over 200 million years ago, was discovered back in 1952 within a fissure fill in a quarry in Pant-y-ffynnon, southern Wales. After the back, leg and hip bones were discovered, the late-Triassic dinosaur was originally placed into the Syntarus species due to its light, and slender frame somewhat similar to a carnivorous chicken. But more recently the dinosaur has been placed into a new species; when a fellow scientist and friend of Milner, Dr Stephan Spiekman, decided to look at the bones once more. Speaking to the Natural History Musuem, Spiekman entailed that the theropod ‘has a certain combination of several characters that are unique amongst its group, which showed to us it was clearly a new species.’

After 50 years of research and studying of the ‘dragon’ we have to wonder why only now have they been diagnosed as a new species?

When the fossils were discovered in 1952 they were quickly researched and specified as a Syntarus species and a Coelophysid genus but in the late 1990’s Syntarus was decided to be closer to another genus and reassigned; so further study was needed to categorise the bones. However the bones could not be found in the Natural History Museum so palaeontologist and dinosaur expert Dr Angela Milner was tasked with hunting down the small theropod. The Museum stated that within just a few hours Milner had found the tiny bones wrapped in crocodile material deep within a draw in some distant part of the dinosaur archives. This allowed Dr Susannah Maidment to study the bones and discover not only the date but the new species.

This breakthrough in prehistoric history dates the newly named ‘Pendraig milnerae’ (after Milner herself ) around 214 million years old, close to the emergence of the dinosaurs, far from when dinosaurs like T-Rex and Stegosaurus would’ve lived. The dates of these fossilised bones puts Pendraig milnerae or ‘chief dragon’ in Middle Welsh to be ‘the oldest meat-eating dinosaur ever discovered in the UK’ (Natural History Museum) pushing the small Welsh mining town of Cowbridge into the forefront of prehistoric archaeology.

This breakthrough in dinosaur studies was arguably down to Milner’s savvy knowledge of the museum, hence the reason to give thanks by naming the dinosaur after her. A huge breakthrough in British history.

6

FEATURES

FEATURES

Living with OCD during the Pandemic

Jasmine Edge breaks down the fears and challenges faced by people living with ‘Obsessive Compulsive Disorder’ during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic Jasmine Edge Contributor

Sarah Anne Griffiths

Eva Rodericks features@gairrhydd.com

O

bsessive Compulsive Disorder (often abbreviated as ‘OCD’) is more than feeling an in-suppressible urge to clean. Only 26.5% of people living with it carry out rituals that entail cleaning.

The International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) declares that OCD “occurs when a person gets caught in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions.”

“Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that trigger intensely distressing feelings.

Compulsions are behaviours an individual engages in to attempt to get rid of the obsessions and/or decrease [their] distress.”

OCD is a diagnosis that covers a whole range of challenging thoughts and behaviours, which can be cat-

egorized into numerous subtypes.

Although symptoms may overlap within and between subtypes, how they impact a person’s day-to-day life can vary from mildly to severely.

Common subtypes include: Contamination OCD, Harm OCD and Pure Obsessional OCD (also known as ‘Pure O’, it describes someone who may not carry out any visible compulsions, but instead have hidden mental rituals).

With all of this in mind, it’s important to broaden our understanding by speaking to people living with OCD about their experiences.

In this feature, I will offer my own experiences living with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and speak to a range of different Cardiff University students to get a broader, more in-depth understanding. Moving on from this, I will touch on some of the support avaliable through the University and via other online sources.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Source: The People Speak (via Flickr)

What is ‘Obsessive Compulsive Disorder’ really like?

M

edha Palav, a student at Cardiff University, opens up to me about having OCD, “I have pure obsessional OCD with intrusive thoughts that cause compulsive behaviour.” Palav says “[I] received a formal diagnosis for anxiety disorder and OCD last year. That trip to the therapist explained a lot of my behaviour. My life started making more sense.”

Carys Williams (also a Cardiff University student) tells me how her diagnosis of mild OCD, too falling under the pure O subtype, affects her dayto-day life: “I try not to let it have a big negative impact, but I do get anxious over things and it does put strain on some of my relationships.”

When asked if the pandemic has affected her OCD in any way Palav explains that “my obsessions and compulsions are mostly restricted to my home. And staying at home for such prolonged periods only made them

worse. I felt trapped in an endless cycle of them. I also developed a slight obsession with washing/sanitizing my hands.”

On the other hand however, Williams describes her experience in the pandemic as a “surprisingly calm” one, but it wasn’t without a conscious effort. “Although obviously I was being hygienic, I didn’t become obsessive over sanitising and wiping etc. as I know that if I think about things too deeply, I will become obsessed so I didn’t let it get into my head. […] so I managed to keep everything under control and actually sort of became one of the most relaxed in society with regards to over cleaning”.

Emily (who for this article preferred to keep her last name private) explains how the progress she made in managing her OCD, which is characterised by “intrusive thoughts and compulsions”, was disrupted due to the change the pandemic caused to

her routine, “since going into lockdown I found I was spending a lot more time on my own, even though I was with my family, I wasn’t doing normal day to day activities and my OCD got a lot worse.”

She also reveals some of the ways OCD had affected her everyday life pre-pandemic, “it [OCD] makes simple decisions extremely hard to make. Completing my A-levels was hard as I had to keep re-reading lines of books and revision guides and when typing something on the computer felt the compulsion to retype it. Therefore, completing my work took double the time it should’ve taken me.”

The IOCDF sets out that, “In order for a diagnosis of obsessive compulsive disorder to be made, this cycle of obsessions and compulsions becomes so extreme that it consumes a lot of time and gets in the way of important activities”.

The term ‘OCD’ is often used as an adjective. Its misuse has trivialized what the acronym truly stands for.

The phrase “a bit OCD”, for example, is a misuse of the term and imposes the title on the rituals of people who do not live with OCD on a day-today basis - As a result of this misuse, this phrase can be harmful to people who do live with OCD. It has been estimated that three quarters of a million people (750,000) are living with OCD in the UK, yet having it can feel extremely lonely because of the misunderstanding of what OCD is.

As Palav poignantly puts it, “OCD is not just wanting things to be arranged neatly or being clean and organized. It takes one to a very dark place which is oftentimes difficult to get out of. It hinders daily activities.

It is definitely not a quirk. People should stop romanticising this very serious mental illness.”

1 in 100

people are currently estimated to suffer from OCD

19-years-old

on average, most people are diagnosed with OCD at this age

Anxiety

is one of the most common causes of OCD

2.3%

will suffer from OCD at some point during their lifetime

Explaining what living with OCD is like to others

Even as someone living with OCD, explaining your “inner-conflict” can often be challenging

T

rying to help people understand the inner-conflict you, and others living with OCD, face on a daily basis is often difficult, because of false notions generated by the misuse of terminology.

Palav tells me, “I have always been ashamed of admitting to my OCD, although my family knew for a while before I was diagnosed. I find it difficult to share my feelings and experiences around OCD with my friends and my partner.”

Reassuringly, she states further, “My family and friends are very accommodating to my needs and are constantly looking out for my wellbeing. And I can’t stress enough how

I find it difficult to share my feelings and experiences around OCD with my friends and my partner.” me.”

Supporting those with OCD: Source:Anna Sunny (via Pixabay)

Medha Palav, Student at Cardiff University

a lot more acceptance and understanding is needed.”

Carys Williams, Student at Cardiff University grateful I am for them.”

Williams adds that she finds it easier to share with people; however, the amount of understanding she receives is “very much dependent on the person and situation”. She says, “a lot more acceptance and understanding is needed.”

Opening up about the concerns she’s had about divulging this part of her life, Emily says, “One thing I was always worried about telling people about having OCD was the label.

I didn’t want to be diagnosed with OCD and have it be on my records for everyone to see. However, it’s not like that at all you can keep it completely confidential and only have to tell people you are comfortable with telling.”

Personally, the increase in chal-

lenges I’ve faced this year has made it harder to mask my anxiety and compulsive behaviour. Something which has encouraged me to set boundaries and not shy away from distancing myself from people who weaken, rather than strengthen, my mental health.

“I didn’t realise it [my anxiety and OCD] was this bad”, is something that someone once said to me.

Statements like these reinforce the idea that people should hide their disabilities to avoid facing judgement from others which (due to a number of external factors) is a common way that most people living with OCD attempt to deal with it, often internalising their thoughts.

I have always been ashamed of admitting to my OCD although my family knew for a while before I was diagnosed.”

Medha Palav, Student at Cardiff University

Understanding OCD: Source: Free-Photos (via Pixabay)

NODEWEDDION

My struggle with OCD Jasmine Edge I ’ve had OCD since around the age of 11, but I didn’t fully address it until recent years. My obsessive and compulsive behaviours fall into the pure O, contamination, health and harm OCD subtypes.

For a long time I’ve been living with intrusive thoughts that appear in the form of “What if?” questions; followed by compulsions, for example tapping, to prevent a thought from coming true.

All of a sudden last March, the whole world felt contaminated— every inch of it, causing my cleaning compulsions to become more severe. Obsessions that were once slightly inconvenient started to

the pandemic brought with it a boat load of uncertainty, which left me feeling completely overwhelmed by my surroundings.”

overtake my life to such an extreme extent that I decided it was easier to avoid leaving the house altogether.

Feeling unable to control things in my life is what drives my compulsions; the pandemic brought with it a boat load of uncertainty, which left me feeling completely overwhelmed by my surroundings.

As with most mental health conditions, OCD can be entirely invisible to onlookers. So when I meet up with friends or walk past a stranger in a shop they’re unaware of the fact I may feel like one exposed nerve.

I had a bad experience last August. After months of rarely leaving the house I plucked up the courage to go out to visit a local supermarket.

Although I was on complete high alert of everything and everyone around me, the trip had been somewhat of a success. However, down the final aisle of the shop a man, without a mask, boorishly knocked

past me.

Without looking back he carried on, leaving me standing there—frozen.

This rudeness that we have all experienced at one time or another caused me to go into complete panic mode.

I left my mom in the shop and made a hasty escape to the car where I broke down and cried. I already knew sitting there that I desperately wanted to wash my hands, get my clothes off, put them in the wash and jump in the shower—once home, that’s exactly what I did.

To another person my reaction may seem irrational. However, for me an obsession, in this case the fear of catching COVID-19, is like an itch. I might decide not to scratch it to avoid making it worse, but, resisting only causes it to demand more of my attention. No matter how hard I try all I can feel is an incessant need to scratch. A scratch,

7

‘Common’ OCD is classed as a ‘common’ medical disorder As with most mental health conditions, OCD can be entirely invisible to onlookers.” in this case getting clean, is like a compulsion—it provides relief.

It’s low moments like these that encouraged me to finally seek help; for too long I thought my anxieties would simply go away.

I found an online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) course which was perfect for me at the time. I didn’t have to worry about leaving the house in the height of a pandemic, and I got to choose how much or how little I did with the added encouragement from a mentor when I needed it. I finally gained techniques to help me manage my mental health. Tasks that I couldn’t have imagined myself doing a year ago now feel effortless.

Triggers traumatic events have been linked to OCD symptoms

Treatments

are avaliable to treat certain cases of OCD

Full Life

it is possible to live a “full and productive life” with OCD

Making progress and a few words of encouragment

As the result of increased inventment and understanding of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, siginificant strides have been made recently to offer support to people living with OCD

T

he stereotypes attached to having a mental health diagnosis are also affected by overlapping identity related stereotypes, e.g. sexuality, gender and race. The addition of such, makes it even harder for people to disclose their struggle because of the extra layer of judgement they may face.

All three interviewees expressed a desire to have had the opportunities to learn more about mental health and wellbeing from a younger age.

Palav writes, “My obsessive behaviour began when I was 14 and I was very hard on myself and even put myself down for it. Little did I know that it was a mental health issue that I could get help for. When I was diagnosed, almost 6 years later, everything fell into place. [...] If I had more opportunities to learn about OCD from a younger age, I wouldn’t feel so much shame around my obsessions and would probably get help much sooner.”

Emily also expresses the reluctance she felt about telling people and notes how her anxieties caused

by OCD made it even harder. “I have had OCD since I was younger, about 8 years old. I never understood what OCD was but deep down I knew I had it. It was going to be a secret I

The stereotypes attached to having a mental health diagnosis are also affected by overlapping identity related stereotypes.”

C

I have come to realise that I may not be able to control the thoughts that pop into my head, but I can control how I react to them.”

Significant Strides for Mental Health?: There are still remaining barriers that are stopping people from seeking support. Source: Wokandapix (via Wikimedia Commons) kept with me my whole life but when it got really bad during lockdown I knew I had to reach out for help. I was so scared of telling people from fear of judgement, OCD can make you feel extremely ashamed and even scared.”

The English government’s mental health recovery plan, backed by £500 million may bring with it some good news in regards to accessibility of mental health services; however,

it’s clear that there’s still a certain level of judgment and shame felt by those living with mental health conditions that’s stopping them from utilising the support on offer.

Around 792 million people live with a mental health disorder globally; whilst talking about mental health may no longer be taboo, the current level of teaching of related topics in schools and in the wider community doesn’t seem sufficient

enough to move past this initial point.

Although it may appear that in recent years, with more investment in mental health services, we have reached a breakthrough for mental wellbeing across the UK, in reality there are still remaining barriers that are stopping people from seeking support. These can only be broken down by increasing people’s awareness of a wide range of mental

health conditions, and the fathomable ways they can affect people. Instead of individuals feeling isolated in their experiences, they will be encouraged to speak out.

A few words of encouragement With all of this in mind, siginificant steps have been made in recent years to help those with OCD. A mantra I always say to myself is “thoughts are not facts”, which is actually something I learnt doing CBT. I have come to realise that I may not be able to control the thoughts that pop into my head, but I can control how I react to them.

Emily also passes on some helpful words. She wants people to understand that they’re not alone, “reaching out for help could change their life for the better! [...] there is nothing a counsellor or therapist hasn’t heard before! Whatever you are experiencing someone else has gone through too. I am fortunate enough now to have the knowledge about OCD and techniques to help me move forward in my life, and I no longer feel alone.”

Lastly, Palav neatly affirms that, “Your obsessions don’t have to become you. You are valid despite your thoughts. You are safe and heard.

You matter.”

Support avaliable for people living with OCD at Cardiff University and elsewhere

ardiff University’s mental health team offers a wide range of support for people whose lives are impacted by mental health conditions.

A Cardiff University spokesperson wrote to me saying, “[Their] role is to support students with

a long term mental health condition, to look at ways to reduce the impact on study. This will typically include making recommendations and adjustments such as extra time for exams.”

“There are three trained mental health professionals that work in

the team (A Mental Health Nurse, Psychotherapist and Occupational Therapist), and as a result we have a good understanding of the nature of OCD and the types of adjustments that could be useful when trying to reduce that impact on study.”

They also strongly encouraged

anyone with a mental health condition to have a look at their website page where you can find their contact details and more information about how to access the right support.

Young Minds also has a helpful page full of tips for coping with

OCD during a pandemic here.

If you are struggling with or think you may have OCD or another mental health condition, get in touch with your GP or a trained mental health professional in order to receive the right help and support for you.

8

TAF-OD

TAF-OD

Dadorchuddio Cerflun Betty Campbell yng Nghaerdydd

Nel Richards

Pennaeth Taf-od

Nel Richards

Gracie Richards

Nansi Eccott

Steffan Alun Leonard taf-od@gairrhydd.com

Nansi Eccott

D

yma’r gerflun awyr agored cyntaf o fenyw yng Nghymru.

Cafwyd arolwg o gerfluniau ledled y DU ei chynnal yn 2018, a darganfyddwyd mai dim ond un o bob pum cerflun ym Mhrydain oedd o ferched, gyda’r mwyafrif ohonynt yn gymeriadau ffuglen neu ffigurau dienw. Y llynedd, mewn archwiliad, a gomisiynwyd yn sgil protestiadau Black Lives Matter, sylwodd pobl nad oedd cerfluniau o unrhyw unigolyn o dreftadaeth ddu mewn mannau cyhoeddus awyr agored yng Nghymru, gyda dim ond “grŵp cerfluniau anhysbys ym Mae Caerdydd”.

Dadorchuddiwyd cerflun Rachel Elizabeth Campbell - o’r enw Betty - yn y Sgwâr Canolog, yng nghanol Caerdydd ar ddydd Mercher 29ain o Fedi.

Roedd hwn fod i ddigwydd yn 2020, ond cafodd ei ohirio oherwydd y pandemig. Pleidleisiodd miloedd dros gerflun o Ms. Campbell oddi wrth restr fer o bum menyw o Gymru. Fe’u rhestrwyd ar ôl i banel o arbenigwyr wneud rhestr o 50 o ferched hanesyddol Cymru, ar ôl darganfod nad oedd cerfluniau’n dathlu arwresau yng Nghymru.

Dywedodd Helen Molyneux, sylfaenydd Monumental Welsh Women, ei bod yn gobeithio y byddai’r cerflun yn “ysbrydoli’r genhedlaeth nesaf o ferched yng Nghymru”.

“Roedd effaith Betty yn ystod fy mywyd yn anhygoel, ond, gyda chymaint o fenywod trwy gydol hanes, yn cael eu hanghofio neu eu hanwybyddu gan genedlaethau’r dyfodol oni bai bod rhywbeth wedi’i wneud i ddod â hi i sylw pobl,” meddai Ms Molyneux.

“Bydd y cerflun a grëwyd gan Eve Shepherd yn sicr o gyflawni hynny.

Mae’n ddarn wirioneddol eiconig, hardd a fydd yn denu sylw’r byd i Gaerdydd.”

Betty Campbell yn Sgwar Canolog: Tarddiad: Nel Richards Betty Campbell oedd y fenyw ddu gyntaf i ddod yn bennaeth ar ysgol yng Nghymru. O dan ei harweiniad, daeth ysgol gynradd Mount Stuart yn Butetown, Caerdydd, yn fodel ar gyfer arfer cydraddoldeb ac addysg amlddiwylliannol ledled y wlad.

Ond roedd y dadorchuddio hefyd yn bwysig oherwydd dyma’r cerflun gyntaf o fenyw mewn man cyhoeddus awyr agored yng Nghymru. Dywedodd merch Campbell, Elaine Clarke, y byddai ei mam, a fu farw yn 2017 yn 82 oed, wedi bod yn falch o’r cerflun. Roedd hi’n cofio rhywun yn dweud wrthi fel plentyn yn tyfu i fyny yn ardal Tiger Bay yng Nghaerdydd, y na allai menyw dosbarth gweithiol ddu fyth gyrraedd yr uchelfannau academaidd yr oedd hi’n dyheu amdani - ond roedd hi wedi eu profi’n anghywir.

“Mae’r cerflun hwn yn crynhoi etifeddiaeth Betty o benderfyniad, dyhead ac

ysbrydoliaeth,” meddai.

Dywedodd ei hwyres Rachel Clarke, wrth y Guardian, fod Campbell wedi “ysgwyd cymdeithas”, gan ychwanegu: “Roedd hi o flaen ei hamser.” Dywedodd fod Campbell wedi gwylio Mount Stuart yn cael ei adeiladu o’r cychwyn cyntaf a’i bod yn sicr mai hi oedd y person i’w harwain.

Yn ystod ei chyfnod ym Mount Stuart, cafodd Campbell ei ysbrydoli gan fudiad hawliau sifil yr Unol Daleithiau a dysgodd ei disgyblion am gaethwasiaeth a hanes pobl ddu. Yn ddiweddarach, daeth yn aelod o bwyllgor cynghori hiliol y Swyddfa Gartref, gweithiodd i’r Comisiwn Cydraddoldeb Hiliol a hepodd i sefydlu Mis Hanes Pobl Ddu - sef y mis yma.

Comisiynwyd y cerflun yn dilyn ymgyrch “Hidden Heroines” a drefnwyd gan Monumental Welsh Women, a ddarlledwyd ar BBC Cymru. Llwyddodd Campbell i ennill pleidlais gyhoeddus i

benderfynu pwy ddylai fod yn destun y cerflun cyntaf o fenyw.

Roedd hi wedi creu hanes. Ac yn awr roedd hi eisiau i’w disgyblion wybod eu hanes.

Wedi’i hysbrydoli gan daith i America, lle dysgodd stori’r cyn-gaethwas a diddymwr Harriet Tubman ac actifyddion hawliau sifil eraill, rhoddodd Betty ddiwylliant du ar ei chwricwlwm yng Nghaerdydd.

Mewn araith a wnaeth yn ddiweddarach yn y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol, eglurodd: “Roeddwn yn benderfynol fy mod yn mynd i ddod yn un o’r bobl hynny a gwella’r ysbryd du, diwylliant du gymaint ag y gallwn.”

Fel yr esboniodd unwaith: “Edrychais ar hanes pobl ddu, y Caribî, Affrica a chaethwasiaeth a’r effeithiau. Roedd yna bobl a ddywedodd: ‘Ni ddylech fod yn dysgu hynny.’ Pam lai? Roedd y pethau yma wedi digwydd. Dylai plant gael eu gwneud yn ymwybodol. ” Ymledodd enwogrwydd Betty y tu hwnt i Gymru wrth i’w hysgol ddod yn dempled ar gyfer addysg amlddiwylliannol. Tyfodd ei dylanwad ar fywyd cyhoeddus pan ddaeth yn aelod o bwyllgor cynghori hiliol y Swyddfa Gartref ac yn aelod o’r Comisiwn Cydraddoldeb Hiliol.

Profodd hefyd yn eiriolwr angerddol dros bobl Butetown fel cynghorydd, wrth i’r gymuned wynebu newid sylweddol trwy ddatblygiad Bae Caerdydd.

Parhaodd fod yn ymrwymedig i dreftadaeth Butetown a phwysigrwydd ei amlddiwylliannedd trwy gydol ei hoes: “Yn ein ffordd unigryw ein hunain roeddem yn sefydlu ardal lle nad oedd crefydd, na lliw o bwys - roeddem i gyd yn parchu ein gilydd fel pobl.”

Ni frwydrodd neb yn galetach i ddathlu amrywiaeth Cymru na Betty.

Diwrnod Shwmae su’mae: Beth yw pwysigrwydd dathlu iaith?

Golygydd Taf-od

Y

n flynyddol ar y 15fed o Hydref, ceir dathliad o ddiwrnod Shwmae Su’mae yng Nghymru. Dyma ddiwrnod sy’n hybu Cymreictod a’r syniad o ddechrau pob sgwrs yn Gymraeg.

Beth yw’r diwrnod a phwy sy’n ei ddathlu?

Mae’r digwyddiad yn annog pobl Cymru (a thu hwnt) i geisio ymdrechi i ddefnyddio’r Gymraeg ym mhob agwedd o fywyd – boed yn y gweithle, yn y byd lletygarwch, addysg neu’n gymdeithasol. Bydd eleni’n nodi’r 9fed dathliad yn Dyma ddiwrnod i bawb dathlu, sgwrsio a rhannu’r iaith Gymraeg. ”

olynol, gyda’r diwrnod yn cael ei gynnal am y tro cyntaf yn 2013.

Dyma ddiwrnod i bawb dathlu, sgwrsio a rhannu’r iaith Gymraeg.

Gwelwyd dathliadau’r gorffennol yn cael eu cynnal dros hyd a lled Cymru yn ogystal â Lloegr a’r Ariannin. Pwysig yw nodi amcan sylfaenol y diwrnod sef atgyfnerthu’r syniad bod y Gymraeg yn perthyn i bawb- siaradwyr rhugl, a dysgwyr o bob gallu. Rhaid cael yr awydd i ddysgu a cheisio rhywbeth newydd gyda’r bwriad yn eu tro bydd hyder unigolion a’r defnydd eang o’r Gymraeg ar gynnydd. Y gobaith yw gallu dechrau pob sgwrs yn y Gymraeg bob dydd.

Y trefnwyr Cydlynwyr y diwrnod yw Dathlu’r Gymraeg – grŵp ymbarél o 26 o fudiadau a chymdeithasau Cymraeg sy’n cydweithio i hyrwyddo gweithgareddau a dathliadau Diwrnod Shwmae Su’mae yn flynyddol. Mae’r rhwydwaith yn

gweithio i ddathlu Cymreictod a sicrhau ffyniant yr iaith am flynyddoedd i ddod. Rhai o’r mudiadau sydd yn hybu’r dathliadau ledled y wlad unwaith eto eleni yw’r Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, Urdd Gobaith Cymru a Mentrau Iaith Cymru. Yn ôl eu gwefan, mae Mudiad Dathlu’r Gymraeg yn galw am “Sicrhau bod pawb yng Nghymru yn cael defnyddio’r Gymraeg ym mhob rhan o’u bywydau; Diogelu’r Gymraeg fel iaith gymunedol a neilltuo adnoddau ychwanegol i sicrhau ffyniant yr iaith Gymraeg.”

Cymryd rhan Defnyddio’r Gymraeg sy’n hanfodol, gyda’r gobaith o annog a chodi hyder eraill i ddefnyddio’r iaith o ddydd i ddydd. Mae llu o adnoddau ar wefan Diwrnod Shwmae Su’mae i ddysgwyr, rhai sydd am wella geirfa Cymraeg neu’r rheiny sydd am gynnal gweithgareddau neu ddigwyddiadau eu hunain. Fe fydd syniadau pellach ar sut i gym-

ryd rhan ar dudalennau Facebook a Twitter @ShwmaeSumae a sicrhewch i ddefnyddio #SHWMAESUMAE21 i ailgysylltu gyda’r Gymraeg.

Disgrifia Anni Davies, pennaeth Cyfryngau Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd, Diwrnod Shwmae Su’mae fel “cyfle i ni ddod at ein gilydd fel siaradwyr Cymraeg a hefyd i annog dysgwyr newydd. Mae’n dangos bod yr iaith yn perthyn i ni gyd, dysgwyr, siaradwyr rhugl neu rheini sydd angen bach mwy o hyder. Mae’n ymarfer da i bobl sy’n dysgu’r iaith ond yn bwysicach yn gyfle i ni fwynhau ei ddefnyddio gyda’n gilydd.” Cadwch lygad ar Gyfryngau Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Caerdydd a sianel deledu y brifysgol - CUTV am gynnwys i ddathlu’r diwrnod.

Yr her i ni felly yw dechrau pob sgwrs gyda shwmae neu su’mae a hybu ein defnydd ni ac eraill o’r iaith Gymraeg. Ewch amdani!

Defnyddio’r Gymraeg sy’n hanfodol, gyda’r gobaith o annog a chodi hyder eraill i ddefnyddio’r iaith o ddydd i ddydd.”

Defnyddiwch yr iaith: Tarddiad: OpenClipart (via free-svg)

CHWARAEON

Dathlu hanes pobl dduon yng Nghymru

Beth y mae Cymru’n gwneud i ymuno yn y dathliad pwysig yma?

Gracie Richards Golygydd Taf-od

D

yma fis i ddathlu Hanes a Threftadaeth trwy ddigwyddiadau fel darlithoedd, cynadleddau, cyngherddau a rhaglenni arbenigol mewn amryw o ganolfannau cymunedol, ysgolion ac amgueddfeydd.

Mae’r fis yn bwysig i bwysleisio unigolion a chymunedau Affricanaidd a Charabiaidd y Deyrnas Unedig (DU) sydd wedi bod yn sylfaenol i ddiwylliant Prydain am ddegawdau.

Mae ei bwysigrwydd fel dathliad mis o hyd hefyd yn tynnu sylw at symudiadau fel ‘Black Lives Matter,’ mudiad a sefydlwyd i ddileu goruchafiaeth wen yn dilyn rhyddfarn llofrudd Trayvon Martin. Mae’r symudiad yn dod a phobl o bob cefndir at ei gilydd i adeiladu pŵer

yn erbyn trais hiliol.

Mae hefyd yn dod a sylw tuag at y Genhedlaeth Windrush, Unigolion o wledydd Carabiaidd a theithiodd i’r Deirnas Unedig rhwng 19481971.

Yng Nghymru Ar draws Cymru mae yna amrywiaeth o ddigwyddiadau sy’n dathlu Mis Hanes Pobl Ddu. Mi fydd rhain yn para tu hwnt i ddiwedd y mis.

Am fwy o wybodaeth ewch i wefan ‘Mis Hanes Pobl Ddu.’ Betty Campbell Mae cofeb o Betty Campbell, y pennaeth ddu cyntaf yng Nghymru wedi’i godi yng Nghaerdydd.

Dyma’r gofeb gyntaf, ffeithiol o Gymraes i’w gael ei godi i gymharu gyda’r nifer gwrywaidd a welir ardraws y ddinas. Daeth hyn yn bosib gan ymdrechion oddi wrth grŵp o fenywod Cymraeg ag ymgyrchwyd dros gael heneb fenywaidd.

Mae’r gofeb yn atgoffeb parhaol

o’i gwaith i wella bywydau nifer o bobl a hyrwyddo cydraddoldeb yng Nghymru. Wynebwyd Campbell gwahaniaethau ar sail hil yn ifanc iawn. Dywedir ei hathro iddi hi - ni fyddir yn cyflawni ei dyheadau fel merch ifanc du.

Erbyn hyn cydnbwyd ei gwaith yn fyd-eang wrth iddi gwrdda Nelson Mandela yn 1998 ar ei unig daith i Gymru. Derbynodd MBE am ei gwasanaethau i addysg a bywyd cymundeol yn 2003.

Amgueddfeydd Cymru Yn ystod y mis mae Arddangosfa Windrush Cymru yn teithio o gwmpas Amgueddfeydd Cymru. Dengys yr arddangosfa hanesion y genhedlaeth Windrush a’r marc maent wedi gwneud ar Gymru trwy eu swyddi a’u gyrfaoedd, trwy fagu plant, a thrwy gyfrannu at ein cymunedau a’n diwylliant.

Maent yn cynnwys streuon o dros 40 genhedlaeth yn geiriau eu hu-

nain.

Bydd yr arddangosfa yn teithio i’r lleoliadau yma: Sain Ffagan Amgueddfa Werin Cymru – 2 Hydref i 31 Hydref 2021 Amgueddfa Genedlaethol y Glannau – 4 Tachwedd 2021 i 2 Ionawr 2022 Amgueddfa Lechi Cymru – 8 Ionawr i 23 Ionawr 2022 Amgueddfa Wlan Cymru – 28 Ionawr i 14 Chwefror 2022 Big Pit Amgueddfa Loafol Cymru – 19 Chwefror i 6 Mawrth 2022.

Mae’r fis yn bwysig i bwysleisio unigolion a chymunedau Affricanaidd a Charabiaidd y Deyrnas Unedig (DU) sydd wedi bod yn sylfaenol i ddiwylliant Prydain am ddegawdau.”

Pryd o Daf-od

Barn y Bobl: Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ Iwan Kellett Cyfrannydd

Ail flwyddyn Cwrs: Cemeg: oies i wylio Squid Games yn fawr iawn ac fel dipyn o bobl eraill fe wyliais i’r gyfres mewn un diwrnod. Mae’n gyfres llawn cwestiynau a dirgelion sydd yn eich cadw chi’n styc i’r sgrin. Mae’r syniad yn un mor arallfydol. Gem efo un enillydd a phawb arall yn marw. Mae mor syreal ond fe welais i debygrwydd i fywyd go iawn hefyd. Yn syml stori o’r dosbarth uwch yn cymryd mantais ar ddosbarth is yw hi, ydi hyn mor wahanol i’r byd cyfalafol rydym ni’n byw ynddi, yn cymryd mantais o waith caled y dosbarth gweithiol?

Y drydydd flwyddyn

J

Mae’r syniad yn un mor arallfydol. Gem efo un enillydd a phawb arall yn marw.”

Sara Dylan: Hir Oes i’r Finyl Sara Dylan Cyfrannydd

Y

n dilyn astudio modiwl ‘Popular Music, Media & Culture’ yn fy nhrydedd flwyddyn yma yn astudio ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd, d’oeddwn erioed wedi amgyffred yr hanes a’r arwyddocâd tu ôl i’r finyl, a’i effaith ar ddiwydiant cerddoriaeth boblogaidd ar draws y byd.

Rydym yn byw mewn cyfnod o gyfleustra digidol; rydym yn gallu gwrando ar ein hoff fandiau mewn mater o eiliadau, lle bynnag, pryd bynnag y mynnwn.

Yn yr oes ohoni, mae gwasanaethau ffrydio fel Spotify a Apple Music yn dominyddu’r ffordd rydym yn gwrando ar gerddoriaeth – ac eto, er bod gwerthiant cerddoriaeth gorfforol megis y CD yn dirywio, mae un fformat sydd yn parhau i fod yn boblogaidd; y finyl.

Trwy ffrydio ein cerddoriaeth ar ein ffonau symudol, rydym yn colli’r ymdeimlad o fod yn ‘berchen’ ar ein

cerddoriaeth ein hunain, â’r profiad awthentig o edrych ar ôl cyflwr y finyl, Yn hytrach, rydym yn lawrlwytho ein hoff ganeuon gan ein hoff fandiau ac artistiaid drwy glicio botwm ar ein ffonau symudol, ac yna bydd yr albwm wedi’w lawrlwytho yn chyfanrwydd yn syth. Yn sicr, mae’r profiad o wrando ar finyl yn un unigryw o werthfawrogi cerddoriaeth, ac yn brofiad arbennig i wrandawyr na ellir ei brofi drwy ffrydio ar-lein.

Mae gwrando ar gerddoriaeth oddi ar finyl yn apelio tuag at sawl synnwyr – golwg, sain a chyffyrddiad, o’i gymharu â ffrydio yn ddigidol sydd dim ond yn apelio at un synnwyr yn unig.

Gallwch afael mewn finyl, mae’n brofiad gweledol a chlywedol ble rydych yn gallu ei ddal yn eich dwylo eich hun. Chi sydd yn berchen a’r gwrthrych yma.

Siopau Recordio Annibynnol.

Mae siopau recordiau annibynnol

hefyd yn llefydd awthentig sydd yn eich galluogi i ddarganfod a phrynu cerddoriaeth newydd; drwy dderbyn awgrymiadau gan weithiwr neu gwsmer yn y siop. Yn sicr, nid yw prynu gan adwerthwyr ar lein yn cynnig yr un fath o brofiad o brynu cerddoriaeth.

Ers 2008, cynhaliwyd diwrnod rhyngwladol ‘Record Store Day’ er mwyn gobeithio y bydd recordiau yn parhau i gael eu gwerthu. Mae’n ddigwyddiad blynyddol a gynhelir ar ddydd Sadwrn ym mis Ebrill, ac ar ddydd Gwener ‘Black Friday’ ym mis Tachwedd ar gyfer dathlu diwylliant siopau recordiau annibynnol.

Heb os, mae’r diwrnod yn dod ag artistiaid, bandiau, gwrandawyr a siopau annibynnol ledled y byd at ei gilydd er mwyn dathlu’r llwyddiant y bandiau, artistiaid a’r recordiau.

Wedi’r cwbl, fe ddarganfuwyd Brian Epstein (rheolwr y Beatles) y Beatles yn dilyn darganfod eu halbwm mewn siop label recordio annibyn-

nol yn Lerpwl (The Beatles Story, 2020).

A yw’r finyl yma i aros?

Fel rhywun sydd yn gwrando ar gerddoriaeth yn aml, teimlaf fy mod yn eithriadol o lwcus fy mod gyda thechnoleg sy’n caniatáu imi ffrydio cerddoriaeth lle bynnag neu bryd bynnag rydw i eisiau. Er hynny, mi fydd yna wastad ryw ymdeimlad sbesial mewn prynu record gan un o fy hoff fandiau neu artist, a fy mod wedyn yn berchen ar y record am byth.

Yn wir, mae’r finyl yn parhau cael ei gofleidio gan gynulleidfaoedd eang a bydd technoleg newydd yn mynd a dod, ond credaf fod y finyl yma i aros.

nid yw prynu gan adwerthwyr ar lein yn cynnig yr un fath o brofiad o brynu cerddoriaeth.”

perfformio yn BBC Big Weekend yn Abertawe ac roedd hi’n anhygoel.

4. Oes hoff ddiod feddwol gyda ti?

Dwi methu dewis, naill â’i Passoa a lemonêd neu coctêl Pornstar Martini.

5. Pwy yw dy arwr?

Fy mam – dwi’n gallu troi ati am unrhyw beth.

6. Beth yw dy hoff brofiad?

Wythnos y Glas yng Nghaerdydd, wrth i mi fwynhau ymysg ffrindiau hen a newydd - er fy

mod i’n talu’r pris wythnos yn ddiweddarach.

7. Prosecco neu champagne?

Prosecco!

8. Beth sy’n cadw ti’n effro gyda’r nos?

Gor-feddwl am unrhyw beth dan haul.

9. Disgrifia dy hun mewn 3 gair.

Trefnus, dibynadwy a hapus.

10. Pam dewis Caerdydd?

Dwi wastad wedi dwli ar y ddinas, sy’n ddigon pell ond dal yn agos at adref. Mae’n llawn cy-

Siwan Mason Cyfrannydd

Cwrs: Cymraeg a Newyddiaduraeth: yddwch yn barod i weld nifer o wisgoedd cymeriadau Squid Game ar noson Calan Gaeaf flwyddyn yma! Dyma gyfres sydd wedi saethu fyny i siartiau gwylio Netflix dros y mis ddiwethaf.

Fel un oedd wedi mwynhau cyfresi poblogaidd Black Mirror a Hunger Games, roeddwn yn gweld y tebygrwydd yn syth, gan fynd mewn i fyd dystopaidd llawn gwefr am y frwydr i oroesi. Gyda negeseuon dadleuol, gwleidyddol a chymleth yn cael eu treiddio drwy gemau caiff eu chwarae ar yr iard ysgol, mae Squid Game yn sicr yn un i edrych allan amdano.

B

Gwenllian Quirke Cyfrannydd

Trydydd flwyddyn Cwrs: Cymraeg proffesiynol: rth feddwl am yr ‘hype’ o gwmpas y gyfres hon - dydw i ddim yn cytuno gyda phawb arall. Ond mae’r actorion yn wych ac yn creu darlun real iawn.

Rwy’n argymell i bawb wylio fe gydag isdeitlau a ddim yn ‘dubbed’ gan eich bod yn clywed yr iaith naturiol ac wir yn dod i nabod y cymeriadau, ac hefyd y diwylliant drwy wneud hyn.

Rwy’n agrymell i bobl wylio’r gyfres gyda phen agored.

Dw i’n ffyddiog bydd y flwyddyn ola’ hon yn un arbennig.

W

Trafod gyda’r Taf-od Beca Dalis-Williams 1. ​​P wy wyt ti a beth wyt ti’n astudio?

Fy enw i yw Beca Dalis Williams, a dwi’n astudio Cymraeg a Newyddiaduraeth.

2. Beth yw’r digwyddiad sy’n codi’r mwyaf o embaras arnat?

Pan roeddwn i’n iau, mi wnaeth fy mamgu dorri fy fringe yn llawer rhy fyr ac ro’ ni’n edrych mor ddwl.

3. Beth yw dy hoff albwm?

Heb os nac oni bai, ‘High as Hope’ gan Florence + The Machine. Mi wnes i ei gwylio hi’n

9

fleoedd, profiadau a diasporau gwahanol sy’n galluogi i gwrdd â phob math o bobl o gefndiroedd a diwylliannau amrywiol.

11. Beth fyddet ti’n gwneud yn ystod dy noson ddelfrydol?

Mynd i glwb nos mewn gwlad tramor gyda fy ffrindiau a chanu (neu gweiddi) wrth wrando ar ein hoff ganeuon a dawnsio’n wyllt.

13. Hoff glwb nos?

Pryzm dwi’n meddwl, ond dwi’n mwynhau Clwb Ifor Bach hefyd.

Mae’n gyfres llawn cwestiynau a dirgelion sydd yn eich cadw chi’n styc i’r sgrin. Mae’r syniad yn un mor arallfydol.”

10

POLITICS

POLITICS Financial secrets of global elites exposed in the Pandora papers Tom Kingsbury Head of Politics

B Tom Kingsbury

Ella Lloyd

Luthien Evans

Manal Ahmed politics@gairrhydd.com

eginning on October 3, international journalists began to report on a massive data leak, exposing a range of secretive financial practices by global elites.

Named the Pandora papers, the leak comprises 11.9 million files, coming from 14 different sources around the world. It is the latest in a series of data leaks in the last decade that includes the 2016 Panama papers, the 2017 Paradise papers and the 2019 FinCEN files, amongst others.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalism (ICIJ) received the files, and worked with 140 different media organisations around the globe to analyse the data. In the UK, this effort was led by the BBC and the Guardian.

Much of the activity exposed in this leak is not illegal, but it has drawn scrutiny to a number of issues surrounding the activity, as many world leaders, politicians and other influential figures have been shown as participating in various secretive financial acts, including tax avoidance, the hiding of money using offshore companies and the hidden posession of overseas assets.

Among the revelations is the identities of secret owners of billions of pounds worth of UK property, many of whom have ties to foreign governments.

The Crown Estate - the Queen’s property management company - appears to have bought a £66m London property from the ruling family of Azerbaijan, the Aliyev family, which has received repeated accusations of being highly corrupt. The papers reveal that the Aliyev family had bought 17 properties in the UK. Farner & Co, the law firm of the Queen throughout her 70-year reign, has been shown to have worked with a Nigerian politician, Abubakar Bagudu, who the US Department of Justice alleges was instrumental in a scheme that stole billions of dollars from Nigeria.

Uhuru Kenyatta, the president of

Kenya, and his family are owners of $30m in offshore assets, which includes property in London, according to the papers. Kenyatta campaigned as an anti-corruption candidate, at one point suggesting that all politicians should have to make their assets known to the public.

The Guardian reports that around 600 individuals have been identified as owning British property whilst using offshore companies to hide this fact.

The property amounts to around £4bn, though this is only a small portion of the estimated £170bn of UK property believed to be owned by overseas figures, often covertly.

Among these figures are Thani Abdulla TJ al-Thani, a member of Qatar’s ruling family, and the family of Russian oligarch Mikhail Gutseriev, who the UK, EU and UN sanctioned for his links to Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, known as ‘Europe’s last dictator’.

These revelations, whilst not evidence of wrongdoing, will add further fuel to the ongoing discussion over the amount of influence wealthy foreign investors have in the British capital, as well as concerns that London acts as a ‘laundromat’ for money with dubious sources to be transformed into legitimate assets, a concern stressed by a recent inquiry into Russian influence in the UK. Also discovered in the Pandora papers were the questionable connections of two Conservative Party donors. One of the donors, Mohamed Amersi, was found to have acted as an advisor on a deal that was later revealed to be a £162m bribe to the daughter of the president of Uzbekistan. Amersi’s lawyers have said he was not aware the deal would be a bribe.

Amersi has close ties to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, having donated to his party leadership campaign and later to the Tory party ahead of the 2019 General Election. He has also had high levels of access to leading Conservative politicians, due to his generous party donations.

Another donor, Lubov Chernuchin, has been shown to have received mon-

International financial secrets: The Pandora papers revealed the often secretive financial activity of figures from all over the globe, many of them former or current world leaders. Source: Images Money (via. Flickr) ey through the corporate structures of her husband, who was a finance minister under Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as a former Russian state banker. Chernuchin has donated £2.1m to the party since 2012.

Putin himself was named in the Pandora papers, with suggestions that he hid hundreds of millions of pounds by putting it in the hands of a childhood friend and an supposed former lover of his, whom he is alleged to have had a daughter with.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who won a campaign that included anti-corruption pledges, has been shown by the papers to have had a stake in an offshore company, a stake he seemingly transferred to a friend just before his presidential victory.

Zelenskiy ran for president after appearing in a television series where he played a teacher that ran for the office after being frustrated with the amount of corruption in Ukraine.

A British art dealer alleged to have made millions of pounds by knowingly selling looted Cambodian sculptures of great cultural value, Douglad Latchford, was shown to have passed on his assets to his daughter without facing inheritance tax by using trusts and offshore tax havens. Among the assets were more stolen items of immense value to Cambodia due to their link to the country’s cultural history before it was ravaged by French colonialism,

war and genocide.

A further revalation of the papers was that the US state of South Dakota has become a tax haven on the level of Switzerland, Panama, and the Cayman Islands, due to its lax laws that allow trusts to be set up that protect what amounts to hundreds of billions of dollars from taxation and the public eye.

Australia, Brazil, the Czech Republic, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Panama, Spain and Sri Lanka have all announced investigations into the financial activity of citizens named in the Pandora papers.

The Conservative Party is facing calls to return the money it received from donors involved in the leak, and a petition calling for the UK to ‘close tax loopholes for the rich and powerful’ has received more than 70,000 signatures.

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said Her Majestey’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will investigate the leak.

Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy stated: “The Pandora Papers are a reminder that there is a magic money tree. It’s called tax avoidance and the City of London is a forest”.

Calls for reform following the Pandora papers are strong, but following a decade of revealing leaks, whether this one will gather enough momentum to lead to change is uncertain.

Young Communists a new threat to Putin’s grip on power Ka Long Tung Contributor

R

ussia’s Communist Party showed a growth of 15 seats last month in the State Duma - the lower house of parliament while President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia lost 19 seats. Young communists and leftists such as Mikhail Lobanov have contributed to a change in the Russian political atmosphere.

Lobanov, 37, is a math-lecturerturned-politician, and a self-described democratic socialist. He ran for the Communist Party in September’s Russian parliamentary elections, despite not being a member of the party.

We know that the left agenda is in demand” Mikhail Lobanov, Communist Party candidate

“We know that the left agenda is in demand,” he told the Washington Post. “We showed even though we had no resources and basically nothing at the beginning, we can unite and inspire people and create a huge campaign.”

The Communist Party, a longserving opposition party in Russia, has been led by the same politician, Gennady Zyuganov, since it was founded. The last time Zyuganov created a real threat to United Russia was by winning the parliamentary elections in 1998. He has participated in four of the last six presidential elections without winning one.

Besides participating in elections, young people have demonstrated their anti-authority determination on the streets nationwide. On January 31, over 5,600 people were detained by the police at pro-Navalny protests across the country, according to OVD-Info, a group that monitors political arrests. Yevgeny Stupin, a 38-year-old member of the Moscow city council, was one of the detainees.

Another popular communist figure is Nikolai Bondarenko, a video

blogger who has amassed more than 1.66 million followers. He was arrested last winter for attending proNavalny demonstrations.

In September’s parliamentary elections, Lobanov recorded the best opposition result in Moscow.

In paper balloting, he was around 11,000 votes ahead of pro-Kremlin state television anchor Yevgeny Popov, though he failed to win a seat.

Electoral districts in Moscow count not only paper ballots, but also online votes. Lobanov lost the seat, among other anti-Kremlin challengers in Moscow, by nearly 20,000 votes after the delayed release of the online ballots. The delay prompted the Communists to accuse the online balloting of being rigged.

In spite of the surge of 15 seats in parliament, from 42 to 57, the Communist Party is still outnumbered

by Putin’s United Russia, which occupies a major majority, holding 324 of the 450 seats.

On September 28, police arrested a lawyer of the Communist Party to serve 10 days in jail, minutes before the party planned to file lawsuits

challenging the election results.

Amid the chaos, the party managed to file the actions later in the day.

Following the election, United Russia will control the State Duma

for another 5 years, signaling there is a long way to go to change the country’s political environment, despite gains for some young Communists.

A spark point: Avid Putin critic Alexei Navalny was arrested after returning to Russia having just recovering from being poisoned by Novichok nerve agent. The arrest motivated thousands of Russians to take the streets in protest. Source: Michał Siergiejevicz (via. Wikimedia Commons)

GWLEIDYDDIAETH

11

UK Government issues reponse to misogyny

French diplomatic relations Boris Johnson announces his lack of support against making under strain

misogyny a hate crime under UK law

Luthien Evans

F

I think, to be perfectly frank, if you simply widen the scope of what you ask the police to do you’ll just increase the problem.”

Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister

Contributor where we stop expecting women to fix these problems, and put the full glare where it belongs, a man who behaves in a deeply unacceptable way?”

Politics Editor

ollowing public outcry, a nationwide debate has been sparked regarding misogyny.

This is due to the Sarah Everard’s murder trial, as well as Sabina Nessa, a teacher killed on her way home from meeting a friend.

However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has stated that he does not support the calls to make misogyny a hate crime. He states in conjecture with the BBC, that there is “abundant existing legislation” to tackle violence against women. He furthered comments by suggesting that women’s safety walking home at night was a number one priority. Many campaigners arguethat the root cause of the majority of violence against women is misogyny, and thus are asking for this to be classified as a hate crime within England and Wales.

Current hate crime legislation applies to crimes regarding race, religion, sexual orientation, disability

Haris Hussnain

Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland

Boris Johnson: The Prime Minister has maintained his stance against making misogyny a hate crime under UK law. Source: Number 10 (via Flickr) and transgender identity. However it is of note that 11 out of 43 police forces in England and Wales classify misogyny as a hate crime.

Johnson’s addition to the conversation included: “I think, to be perfectly frank, if you simply widen the scope of what you ask the police to do you’ll just increase the problem.”

This point has been raised by many campaigners due to the fact

that within the Sarah Everard case, police integrity was questioned due to the case matter. He furthered with: “What you need to do is get the police to focus on the very real crimes, the very real feeling of injustice and betrayal that many people feel.”

Despite Johnson’s words, cross party support to add misogyny legislation has been backed. Within the

Conservative party, taking charge of the cause is Helen Newlove, Conservative peer and former victims’ commissioner. She is leading the way for an amendment to the police, crime, sentencing and courts bill, which is in the committee stage in the House of Lords. In the Commons, Labour MP Stella Creasy is championing the amendment. It has been said that it is “likely to be supported” by Bob Neil, the Chair of the Justice select committee.

The conversation in Scotland is being broadly supported by many in Holyrood. Nicola Sturgeon has stated that the past few weeks of violence against women has marked a ‘turning point’, “where we stop expecting women to fix these problems, and put the full glare where it belongs, a man who behaves in a deeply unacceptable way.”

Some campaigners have supported the idea that during the prosecution process of cases of violence against women judges would be allowed to examine phone conversations as evidence to see if misogyny played a role in the crime.

Gerrymandering continues in Ohio Elie Gould Contributor

D

istricting lines are being redrawn across the US. Many states have come out with districts that greatly benefit Republican representatives, due to the Republican Party gaining control of many states’ redistricting processes in the 2020 US election.

One of the states where this impact has been most felt is Ohio. The Ohio Redistricting Committee approved the new state district map with a vote of 5-2; the two Democratic members of the commission, Representative Sykes and Senator Sykes, dissenting.

The new districts will make a massive impact in determining which party will win districts and seats in the House of Representatives for at least the next six years. Since the Republican party needs to win back a mere five seats to secure a majority from the Democrats, this could have significant impact in the 2022 midterm elections.

America has a history of gerrymandering its districts, a process where district borders are shaped so as to benefit a particular party.

From the first district to be gerrymandered, ‘the salamander’ to the bizarrely shaped ear-muff district, it has long been an undemocratic tool used by major political parties to create less democratic results for political gain.

The impact of an undemocratic voting system is ultimately disen-

franchising the voter base; as people feel like their voices and concerns are heard less and less, they may begin to lose interest in exercising their democratic right.

Voting turnout in midterm elections has seen a slight overall decrease over the past ten years. The 2018 Midterms was the first election with a 50% turnout rate since 1914.

However, many could argue that this has less to do with the system becoming more democratic than with a vote of party allegiance or defiance against the then President Donald Trump.

In order to buck voter disenfranchisement and gerrymandering, many Ohioans have taken to their local Political Action Committees to campaign for a fairer system of redistricting. Change managed to come, with two amendments to the redistricting system being passed.

The first ammendment came in 2015, reducing the duration of redistricting from ten to four years. It also created the Ohio Redistricting Commission (ORC), the seven members of which would seek to encourage bipartisanship while drawing up new district maps.

The second was voted on in 2018.

This gave the Ohio General Assembly further access to mapping congressional districts. Through this amendment, a proposed map would need at least 60% of legislators to support it, with a minimum of half the minority party supporting it as well. A failure to achieve this would then relay the decision over to the ORC in hopes of

Gerrymandering: The US State of Ohio is set to introduce a new district map.

Source: GPA Photo Archive (via Flickr) achieving a bipartisan outcome.

Despite the best efforts and hopes of the voting public of Ohio, attempts to make the process of redistricting bipartisan have fallen upon deaf ears. The Republican dominated ORC passed these latest redistricting maps despite objections from the commission’s two Democrat Party members.

This process may set a worrying precedent for the future. Despite the Republican vote being approximately 54% in favour of Republicans, the new benchmarks are set so high in favour of the GOP as they have won

13 of 16 legislative seats in the recent elections. By this logic, New York could see fit to redistrict their state so that Democrats are favoured in 100% of districts, as no Republican has won a statewide race since 2002.

This kind of redistricting process has been critised as undemocratic for all sides of the political section.

In a system already called undemocratic by some for its voting system and the Electoral College, districting victories for the political party in power further undermine democracy for the general electorate in America.

T

he AUKUS pact - a security pact made between the UK, US and Australia that enables Australia to acquire nuclear technology from the US - has left France’s $65bn (£48bn) submarine deal with Australia in tatters, angering French diplomats. The deal has meant Australia would instead acquire nuclear-powered submarines, courtesy of the UK and US. The main aim of the pact is to counter China’s influence in the South China Sea. The pact has significantly strained Australia-France relations since Australia reneged on a deal brokered in 2016 that would have supplied Australia with a fleet of diesel-powered submarines commissioned by French company Naval Group, earning billions for France. Instead, Australia chose to pursue a security alliance with the UK and US, discussed via video conferencing involving President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

All this was done without the French knowing, creating further outrage in Paris.

French foreign secretary Jean-Yves Le Drian described the whole incident as “a stab in the back”, and many French officials have stated that they were blindsided by Australia striking up an alternative deal whilst talks about the French deal were still ongoing. While France has been a long-standing ally of the UK and US, the government was only made aware of the pact when it was publicly announced.

The AUKUS situation has also increased tensions with the UK - in response to the deal the French defense minister Florence Parlay canceled a talk with her British counterpart, Ben Wallace. The French Government went on to recall their ambassadors back from America and Australia in protest of the new deal. However over the past week, France confirmed they would send their Australian ambassador back to secure French interests in the IndoPacific.

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson in turn stated that France was overreacting, and needed to “prenez un grip (get a grip)”.

Though he and President Emmanuel Macron sought to mend relations by discussing shared concerns, the strain on Anglo-French relations have instead deepened, with rows over fishing licenses and issues with the English channel.

The UK has refused to grant a number of French fishermen fishing licenses, an aspect of the post-Brexit trade deal the UK had previously agreed to. The UK stated that it will give 12 out of the 47 licenses agreed upon to EU fishermen, angering French officials and further weakening relations, leading to France putting pressure on the UK government to comply with the full Brexit agreement.

France’s minister for European affairs, Clément Beaune, stated that they may cut off the energy supply to Jersey and the UK if the post-Brexit agreement is not “implemented fully”.

The AUKUS deal is not the only case of fraught French relations in a short span; relations with Mali worsened after Macron made blunt statements to French media about the country’s military authorities, and many Algerians took offence at comments he made that seemed to overlook the brutal French colonisation of Algeria and subsequent conflict between France and Algerian independence fighters.

12

POLITICS

A look at the 2021 Conservative Party conference Manal Ahmed Political Editor

T

he Conservative Party conference began in Manchester on Monday 3rd October and featured many new ministers following a recent reshuffle of the cabinet.

The Conservative party’s recently announced flagship policy of “levelling up” has left many sceptical over what the policy entails. The purpose of the Levelling Up White Paper, announced during the Queen’s Speech earlier this year, was to decentralise power by “empower[ing] local leaders and communities” and increase productivity outside of London.

In Manchester, Michael Gove and Neil O’Brien – the Secretary of State and the under-Secretary for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, respectively – announced their commitment to “raise living standards” by “growing the private sector”, “improve public services”, and increase “pride” within communities and the areas they live in.

The government’s intention to “raise living standards”, especially in cities and areas that have high economic output but significant levels of income deprivation, is expected to be financed through a £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund. Furthermore, a £2.5 billion National Skill Fund will be allocated to aid adults have an easier access to training wherever they live in the country.

However, this is likely to be impacted by rising unemployment now that the furlough scheme has ended. Chancellor Rishi Sunak stat-

women are often unsafe in places where other people feel safe, and it’s really important that we start to take that much more seriously as a society.”

Clementine Cowton, Octopus Energy Group

Key Points: Liz Truss, the new foreign secetary, asserted that the UK’s relationship with the US is “special but not exclusive”. Source: Conservatives (via Flickr) ed that it would not be possible for him “or quite frankly any chancellor, to save every single person’s job”, but for those that have lost jobs Sunak wanted to assure them that they are “throwing literally the kitchen sink at helping them” acquire new opportunities.

The new foreign secretary Liz Truss addressed the ‘special relationship’ between the UK and the US, stating that the U.K. should not be “worried like some teenage girl at a party” if the US seeks to strengthen ties with other allies. Describing the relationship as “special but not exclusive”, Truss sought to reduce speculation of strain between the close allies brought on by the Western withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the conflict over the Northern Ireland protocol.

During his visit to the United States a few weeks ago, Prime Minister Boris Johnson indicated that he was no longer as hopeful of the UK being “first in line” for a trade agreement with their long-time ally.

Instead, the government is aiming to make “incremental steps” in improving trade with the US, while also exploring trade deals with allies such as Australia and India.

Truss’s view that US hesitancy to pursue a trade deal with the UK came from a “reaction against trade”, where both 2016 US Presidential candidates advocated against it. Despite Truss describing it as an “issue with trade” rather than an issue with the UK specifically, President Biden stated that should the conflict between the UK and EU over the Northern Ireland protocol end in a

closed border, then there would be no US-UK deal.

The Foreign Secretary also addressed the AUKUS pact, describing it as an opportunity to make “the world safer” and aid in preventing conflict.

The Home Secretary, Priti Patel, announced at the conference that an independent inquiry would be established to determine how Sarah Everard’s killer, Metropolitan police officer Wayne Couzens, was allowed to stay on despite multiple infractions of indecent exposure.

Patel said the murder “exposed unimaginable failures in policing” and the inquiry was necessary to “ensure something like this can never happen again.”

The inquiry was announced the day after a woman attending the

Conservative Party conference had been assaulted. Clementine Cowton, director of external affairs at Octopus Energy Group informed the occupants of a fringe event that she had been “violently assaulted” at the Midland Hotel in the early hours of the day. She said, “I do want to just take the opportunity to say, women are often unsafe in places where other people feel safe, and it’s really important that we start to take that much more seriously as a society, and starting with the police.”

The new Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab, announced his desire to increase the use of electronic tagging to monitor alcohol and drug consumption as well as turning the guidance in the Victims’ Code into law to make sure victims “see justice done”, after the horrific killings of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa.

Raab also came under fire from civil rights groups and fellow MPs after he vowed to overhaul the Human Rights Act to end the “elastic interpretations of rights” that allegedly allowed abuse of the Act which enshrined the European Convention on Human Rights [ECHR] into domestic legislation. Critics, such as Amnesty International UK’s CEO Sacha Deshmukh argue that this is “the complete opposite of justice”.

Boris Johnson delivered his keynote speech, closing the conference with a display of humour, a positive outlook and very little information provided regarding policies. Many businesses and think tanks remain skeptical of the promise of a “high wage, high skill” future given the current labour shortage. The expected rise in National Insurance to finance the NHS and social care was also a significant cause of anxiety for the party of low taxes, but Johnson sought to ease attendees by expressing how former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher would have done exactly the same in the face a “meteorite” such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

A look at the 2021 Labour Party conference Ella Lloyd

Political Editor

G

air Rhydd takes a look at the 2021 Labour Party conference, which took place in Brighton from September 25 to 29.

Labour’s Party conference saw some of their long-awaited policies announced, as well-being Sir Keir Starmer’s first conference as Labour leader.

The Conference culminated in a speech from Starmer, which lasted for around double the time of his counterpart Boris Johnson’s at the Conservative Party conference. However, Starmer arguably had more work to do; unlike Johnson, Starmer was speaking to a party which has been in opposition for over a decade, suffered a heavy defeat at the last general election, and is plagued by divisions. Labour’s election defeat was acknowledged by Starmer, who after criticizing the failures of the Conservative Government asked ‘If they are so bad, what does that say about us? Because after all in 2019 we lost to them, and we lost badly’.

As he delivered his speech, he rebuffed heckles from far-left critics, many of whom remain loyal to former leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is suspended from the party.

Starmer attempted to use his family background to explain the basis of his philosophy, drawing on his father’s toolmaker occupation in his metaphor of ‘re-tooling- Britain’, and his mother’s service in the NHS as well as her longterm illness in promises to fund the NHS ‘properly’.

Starmer criticized the Prime Minister’s response to COVID-19 as a failure of care 11 years in the making, whilst also calling upon his legal background to condemn breaches of COVID-19 restrictions by Dominic Cummings and Matt Hancock which went unpunished.

Starmer said Johnson’s ‘assumption that the rules don’t apply to him’ offended ‘everything I stand for’.

He also nodded to his legal background - particularly his relationship with John and Penny Clough - as he pledged to tackle violence against women and girls by fast-tracking rape and sexual assault cases, and introducing tougher sentences for rape, stalking, and domestic abuse. Promises for more police, however, were criticized as inappropriate in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder.

His philosophy for work was evident in his pledges for education: re-instating compulsory work experience and guaranteeing every child sees a careers advisor. He also committed to a cur-

riculum highlighting arts, sport, and digital skills so that children will leave school ‘ready for work’.

Ambitions for a technologically advanced Britain was seen in the plan to ‘Make Brexit Work’ with technology, investing in people and places, and affordable housing, as well as discussion on climate change.

Both a Green New Deal and Clean Air Act were promised to combat climate change.

The labour leader said that Tax policy would not let the burden fall on working people, and would guarantee value for money.

There was controversy elsewhere as shadow cabinet member Andy McDonald quit in protest of Starmer breaking pledges made to MPs, particularly a promise to introduce a £15 per hour minimum wage. A motion supporting the increase was passed by party members the day after McDonald’s resignation.

Deputy Leader Angela Rayner criticized the awarding of coronavirus contracts to companies connected to ministers and promised to ‘stop the dodgy deals handing public money to ministers’ mates’.

Reactions to Starmer’s speech were mixed, with some praising ‘clear vision’, whilst others called it ‘uninspiring’.

Starmer told the BBC during the conference that winning elections was more important than party unity. As

rows continue, it’s clear the latter hasn’t been achieved, but whether Labour can win an election remains to be seen.

A mixed reception: Responses to the agenda laid out by Labour leader Keir Starmer varied, with some praising Starmer whilst others were less impressed with him. Source: Rwendland (via Wikimedia Commons)

D E D N E T !

X 0 E 0 .

E 2 1 N I , L R D E A B E O D T C N O O I H T T A 5 N I 2 M Y NO ONDA M O T

I want to see my values represented at the Students’ Union.

DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOU? NOMINATE YOURSELF NOW FOR THE AUTUMN ELECTIONS

CARDIFFSTUDENTS.COM/ELECTIONS

14

COMMENT

COMMENT Is the NextBike scheme a Cardiff success?

Katherine Wheeler reviews the NextBike scheme in 2021

Katherine Wheeler Comment Editor

I

Vicky Witts

Catarina Pinto Vicente

Katherine Wheeler

Megan Evans

n this article I will boldly go where few residents of the ‘Diff have gone before: ride a NextBike from the top of Cardiff to the bottom.

The Cardiff NextBike scheme officially launched in May 2018 in order to ‘normalise cycling for the masses’ and encourage a safer cycling environment in the city. Cardiff University’s partnership with the company means that rides under thirty minutes are free for registered students and rates beyond that come at a discount. Since all University owned halls are five minutes or less away from a NextBike station, it’s easy to take advantage.

It was a Saturday morning and I had planned my route from Rhydypenau to the Bay. To make my investigation more conclusive, I planned to switch bikes every twenty minutes so I could get a better idea of the range on offer. The sun was shining, I had successfully got myself out of bed… What could go wrong?

On my way up to the start of my journey, I passed a handful of NextBike stations that, on my map, had shown at least one rentable bike.

When I got to each of them, however, not one of the several bikes docked was showing as ‘Available’.

After a few unsuccessful attempts, I started just above Roath Park on Rhyd-Y-Penau Road where I had no choice but to take the one bike docked at the station. The bike I rented first was, putting it mildly, a death trap. After rolling down

NextBike is a good solution for getting somewhere fast.”

comment@gairrhydd.com

Cycle Lanes and Docking Stations: With the introduction of more stations and new electric bikes, is the NextBike scheme living up to its promises? Source: 16850449 (via Pixabay) a small hill I gripped tight at the brakes. A few long seconds later and my bike had only slowed down a fraction. Not only that, but any time I tried to steer, it felt like somebody had attached a weight to my handlebars. Even after adjusting my bike’s seat, my knees were dangerously close to the front as I cycled. I managed forty-six minutes, half on, half off the roads as I tried my best to cycle into the centre.

After a journey of stopping and starting, I found a station I wanted to stop at just outside Cartwright Court and cycled around to get docked in. Only what my app was showing me was incorrect. Though the icon I was looking at had a ‘1’ attached, there was no sign of a bike

anywhere. The street was silent and the station empty. If I had been on my way to an appointment or, worse, an interview, my chances of getting there on time would have been scuppered. I turned around and cycled almost ten minutes more before I was able to stop safely and find a station with an available bike. From then on, most of my route followed busy roads. Many of the cars I saw left no room for cyclists so I’d find myself in traffic jam after traffic jam.

My new bike was better but I still found myself hyperaware of just how heavy the steering was.

By the time I reached the bay, I was exhausted. Though I’d swapped my bike around three times, each new frame felt heavy and clumsy and the

extra caution had taken its toll on my energy levels. Many of the bikes I encountered were listed on my app as available but on closer inspection were completely locked off. Though I had no problem locking everything up when I arrived, I was nearly out of phone battery. Since the bikes are phone reliant, had I run out there would have been no shot at renting another. This would have been a massive problem had I gone further out to somewhere like Penarth.

NextBike is a good solution for getting somewhere fast if you’re not a driver, but it’s extremely hit and miss. If you’re strapped for time, a broken and heavy bike might just get you there but with some major added anxiety!

Black History Month: is 31 days enough to be educated on years of history?

Vicky Witts Head of Comment

O

ctober brings with it connotations of colder weather, Halloween, and more importantly, Black history.

Black history month was first celebrated in the UK in 1987, and since then it has annually motivated people to educate and be educated about monumental events, achievements, and people in black history.

More recently, with movements such as Black Lives Matter, the month has also been used as an opportunity to raise awareness about the discrimination faced in recent years by ethnic

Regardless of what the ‘correct’ approach is for black history education, it is clear that it is vital for a more inclusive future ”.

minority groups, both in the UK and globally.

Although the month has only been celebrated in the UK since the 1980s, black history is not new, and has had thousands of milestones that are not commonly discussed in the school curriculum or on news outlets.

This clearly introduces an important question. Is focusing on black history for only one month of the year really enough, or should there be more of a push to encourage education within all aspects of our society?

On one hand, an increased drive for education on black history every October specifically, does mean that the information being supplied on the news and online outlets are in high concentration, and so more easily accessible.

News outlets such as the BBC, as well as individual companies and influencers on social media platforms like Instagram, typically compile throughout the month, many different resources, fact files, and recom-

mendations for books and films, with the hopes of better educating their audiences around topics of black history.

For those looking to better educate themselves on the matter easily, a month solely based on black history is clearly particularly useful.

However, the argument against condensing black history education down to just one month is equally as compelling.

Focusing all efforts of black history education into one month may ignore the wider issue: that we as a society are not doing enough to make black history common knowledge.

Some have argued that perhaps, alongside black history month, there should be a push to include more black history as part of primary and secondary school curriculum, so that children are being educated on racial issues of the past and present in more detail, and at a younger age.

The Black Curriculum, a social enterprise created in 2019, is just one of

many groups looking to improve the amount of Black British history being taught within the UK curriculum, by running workshops, offering teacher training, and providing online re-

sources to schools.

Regardless of what the ‘correct’ approach is for black history education, it is clear that it is vital for a more inclusive future.

Proper education: There is debate as to if one month is enough to tell all of black history. Source: guillom (via Wikimedia Commons)

SYLWADAU

What the recent Facebook blackout tells us about the current state of social media

Catarina Pinto Vicente

Comment Editor

O

n October 4th, 2021, at around 15:40 GMT, Facebook users started noticing something wrong with the app: persistent error messages and crashing pages, which everyone collectively shrugged off as a common error. That is, until other users reported malfunctions on their own devices, not only on Facebook, but WhatsApp and Instagram.

Quickly, it was understood that these errors were happening on a global scale.

This crash went on for around 6 hours, a blunder that cost the company 65 million dollars.

However short this incident, the outage affected Facebook’s 3.5 billion users, and is, as of yet, the most impactful internet outage of our time.

But this outage has given us a chance to reflect on the state of social media.

This crash went on for around 6 hours, a blunder that cost the company 65 million dollars.”

There is no denying that Facebook is a monopoly – with a dark history, as the recent ‘Facebook files’, leaked internal documents revealing the company’s knowledge of their app’s greater social harms, show– but with this incident, its expanse and power are highlighted. In countries where Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp are primary sources of communication, it’s hard not to think of Facebook’s control over our lives.

This doesn’t stop at social endeavours – what about the content and ads we see?

Furthermore, this also highlights Facebook’s farce of invincibility. With a huge profit loss, they remain at the forefront, and even a huge scandal has not brought them down.

Perhaps most worryingly of all is the public’s impassiveness towards what this incident has shown us.

Some memes and think-pieces came out of this, but in the end, everything returned to normal – Facebook at the forefront of a social media empire, and the majority of the public using it as a main social media. For the common users who watched this fall down, there’s not much to do about the invincible monopoly Facebook has created – es-

S

Blackout: The outage left billions of users without access to their Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp accounts. Source: Stock Catalog (via Flickr) pecially when it’s the main source of communication with others – simply not using it is not always possible, and even then, would lead to no actual change. For a company that values only profit, and a government that fails to hold companies accountable, the fu-

ture of social media does not seem very bright.

With all this, we can only wonder – will the Facebook empire ever fall?

And what does it mean for the future of social media, with Facebook becoming more powerful than ever?

Is enough being done to address the ongoing issue of violence against women?

Megan Evans Comment Editor

T

One woman is killed by a male attacker every three days in the UK, according to the Femicide Census ”

Violence against women: Protestors reclaim the streets over the murder of Sabina Nessa. Source: ILAM66 (via Pixabay) what more we should do to ensure women’s protection. Every name that is reported missing and every name that perpetuates this fear of safety, is vital.

And whilst the police force are trying to reassure the public that they are doing what they can to protect women from these offences, every new headline with a similar story makes us wonder if this is an issue that we sadyly just have to accept as an ongoing reality. ‘#ReclaimtheStreets as a collective has helped bring attention to these issues, and speaks up against claims that suggest that women need to behave differently, rather than solving the heart

Panic buying in the UK: what are the unseen impacts?

Katherine Seymour Contributor

Sabina Nessa: the conversation that shouldn’t be forgotten

he discussion about violence against women is far from over.

On September 17th, the horrific discovery of the primary school teacher Sabina Nessa, who was brutally murdered in Kidbrooke, South East London, reached the headlines. This sparked echoes of the horrors from March’s case of Sarah Everard, who’s killer, a Metropolitan Police Officer, has recently been sentenced to a whole-life prison term for a similar charge.

Sabina, alongside many other names of women who have been flagged up across news outlets as victims of an apparent ongoing crime wave against lone women, is getting more and more frustrating.

A statistic via the Femicide Census reveals that one woman is killed by a male attacker every three days in the UK. The Census itself lends its purpose of drawing the necessary attention to femicide, and how threats towards women are continuing to increase.

With a global pandemic still at the forefront of our minds and livelihoods, there has never been a more serious time to reconcile and deliberate on

15

of the problem. They aim to help recognise these issues, and educate people to take more of an active role in solving the problems arising for women and girls.

Cases such as Sabina Nessa, and the Killamarsh tragedy where Terri Harris and her children John Paul, Lacey, and her friend Connie were killed during a sleepover, proves that more violence is occuring both on the streets, and in the places that were once called ‘home’ to these victims.

Cardiff Women’s Aid are still actively engaging and running their organisations to eradicate the violence against

women and girls, and to provide crisis support 24/7 to reclaim their lives and reach their full potential.

Cardiff Women’s Aid offers helplines and support groups, as well as workshops for those who have experienced harassment and violence.

The city of Cardiff, particularly during the most recent ‘Freshers’ weeks, have had campaigns that have aimed to keep young women safer on the streets.

There have been 35 digital billboards erected around the city centre and surrounding student areas with QR codes, linking to a list of designated ‘safe places’ via some local businesses - where those who feel scared or vulnerable can seek immediate help.

The executive director of FOR Cardiff has also stated in an ITV article that “Our ambition is to make Cardiff a city where women feel confident and welcome when walking through the capital, night or day.’

Clearly this shows that there are groups, both independent and within the Government, which are trying to address ongoing crimes against women. However, with names of women like those of Sabina Nessa and Sarah Everard constantly persisting as news headlines, surely more needs to be done to keep our streets and homes safer on a national scale.

If you are experiencing any effects of any form of violence against women, domestic violence or sexual violence/abuse, visit: cardiffwomensaid.org.uk.

ince the beginning of the pandemic, panic buying has become a core part of our vocabulary. It started with toilet paper and pasta and has now escalated to fuel.

A Coventry university psychology expert suggested that the reason for this is that people want to feel in control of what has proven to be a hugely unpredictable crisis.

In Wales, at least half of petrol stations had been forced to close by the end of September and many garages had to impose limits on the amount of fuel people could buy.

The immediate effects of panic buying were the inability to restock the shelves as they emptied too quickly, and in the case of fuel, made it harder for the deliveries to come, in an environment where there had already been a struggle for staff.

The knock-on effect of the panic buying of fuel has impacted other sectors. For example, critical sectors such as the NHS had fears over fuel for ambulances, as well as for nurses and others to get to work.

The possibility of further worker shortages should be considered by all of those rushing to the petrol pumps.

Furthermore, those who cannot afford to panic buy to “keep up” could find themselves isolated and unable to go to work.

This may be especially harmful to those considered to be vulnerable, as they could be fearful of entering shops which have become frantic with panic buyers, and also may not have the resources to be able to purchase products online either.

The wider effects of panic buying in terms of food in particular, tends to be the cause of what people are afraid of in the first place. The idea that there may be a shortage of something, which leads to panic buying, tends to be the root of shortages in regards to what the consumer sees.

People buying food and fuel at much faster rates than retailers are used to means that there is understaffing in regards to the volume of work which is created by people buying much more than usual. In the first wave of the pandemic, retailers saw more bought than on Christmas Eve, a time when extra staff are often brought in to help with demand.

Contemporary panic buying, which has been a result of the lack of control felt by the public during the coronavirus pandemic, is creating ongoing financial strain on many industries. and therefore has been completely unproductive in terms of economic recovery in the UK.

In Wales, at least half of petrol stations had been forced to close by the end of September.”

16

ADVICE

ADVICE

How to be an ally during Black History Month

All the ways that you can educate yourself and celebrate black history this October Harriet Lowbridge

Your engagement with Black History Month doesn’t just have to be through purely academic sources.”

Head of Advice

T Harriet Lowbridge

Megan Shinner

Ruth Hoey

he question you’ve probably considered every time the topic of Black History Month or discrimination comes up in the news is; What can I do to help?

According to a study published by the YMCA in 2020, “95% of young Black people have heard and witnessed racist language at school” and, as a result of this, most black children will grow up “expecting to experience racism because of the colour of their skin.”

So where to begin?

Do your homework.

Educating yourself is one of the best ways to become an ally. Knowledge is power and with this knowledge we can begin to understand and help prevent many of the issues that the black community face.

This can be as simple as making use of the student library and if you can afford to, buy books to support black authors. Keep up to date with current issues and debates going on within your community.

Learn why Black History Month is important - Our Comment section has a great article on the importance of Black History Month.

You can find articles in both Sports and Science for influential

Educating yourself is one of the best ways to become an ally.”

advice@gairrhydd.com

Black History Month: There are a huge variety of ways that you can get involved with October’s celebration of black history. Source: ArtsyBee (via Pixabay) black icons, as well as some of the You can promote black history historical black figures that get left with your time and discussions if you out of mainstream appreciation. can’t support with your purchases.

Engage with the black creators By keeping the discourse alive and within your community. Your en- engaging with your peers and within gagement with Black History Month your community, others can then foldoesn’t just have to be through pure- low in your footsteps and begin their ly academic sources. own process towards becoming an There are films, podcasts, art, ally. shops, companies, and theatre proStand up against discrimination, ductions which you can engage with. racism and hate crimes.

There are even book subscription If you see or hear discrimination boxes which can help support small there are multiple support groups set businesses as well. up to help you report it.

This will also push your support If you don’t feel comfortable or further than just within one month safe to speak out directly there are out of the year, so you can engage websites such as True Vision availand be an ally all year around. able for you to use.

True Vision, is ‘a police-funded web site designed to provide you with information about Hate Crime[s]’ and provides a safe space to report hate crimes without directly speaking to the police. It also provides resources to keep you informed on what constitutes as a hate crime and discrimination. Local schools and universities will also have departments available for you to engage with if you need to speak out about local peers and/or tutors.

Attend rallies and protests. Try to keep an eye out for petitions that you can sign up to. Sometimes a signature or physical presence is all you need to show your support.

Stay self-aware of how you speak and engage with others. If you allow macro/microaggressions and stereotypes in your own discussions, you’re preventing our society from moving forward. Criticise how you talk about others and call your peers out when they promote racist stereotypes.

Citizen’s Advice also has a variety of information on racism and hate crime to help keep our communities informed on your rights, as well as the different forms of racism. It also provides personal and legal advice on the actions you can take if discrimination has affected your life.

Student-friendly swaps to be more environmentally sustainable Ruth Hoey

Advice Editor

W

hat are some swaps to be more environmentally friendly? Is it even possible?

Does it cost too much for a student to be environmentally friendly? Is it practical in the already hectic lives of students to try to factor in care for the planet?

In the current climate crisis, it can be overwhelming for us students to try to come to terms with the damage our planet is facing. It can leave us feeling helpless, thinking that our already stretched student loans cannot make more environmentally friendly choices.

However, it does not have to feel this way. There are so many little environmentally friendly swaps, which in many cases can add ease to your student lifestyle.

Reusable Cups Firstly, it is a good idea to invest in a reusable water bottle and coffee cup.

These are staples for every student and in some coffee shops, bringing in a reusable cup will get you a discounted drink!

Toiletries Next, skincare products and toiletries can be a major expense for many students. Nevertheless, they are an unavoidable cost. Whether you follow a rudimentary or seventeen step personal grooming routine, there are some swaps which will be beneficial for all.

Bamboo toothbrushes can now be found in most drugstores and retail shops. Major dental retailer Colgate states that they are great for reducing plastic waste and have a much smaller ecological footprint as bamboo plants regrow very quickly.

For shampoos, conditioners and

soaps it is easy to swap to bars instead of plastic bottles. According to Our World in Data “The world now produces more than 380 million tonnes of plastic every year”, so this is a great switch to reduce your plastic consumption.

For those who wear makeup, one of the most ground-breaking discoveries I came across was reusable cotton pads for make-up removal. You can reuse these over and over, you just remember to rinse under cold water first and then throw them in with your washing load.

For those who menstruate, there are so many options from the menstrual cup, to reusable pads and even reusable tampon applicators. When sanitised and looked after correctly these are immensely cost effective. The Guardian claims that “200,000 tonnes of period products end up in UK landfill each year”. Reusable products can astronomically affect this figure as some, such as the cup can last up to ten years.

Fashion One other way that you can look after the planet as a student is how you interact with the fast fashion industry.

This industry is having devastating effects on our planet.

Choosing to buy second-hand clothes is a much cheaper option and with the explosion of platforms such as Depop and Vinted it is easy to find both branded and fashionable clothes and shoes.

Even within Cardiff it is possible to find second-hand clothes. The Facebook group Cathays clothes swap offers super cheap second-hand clothes without the hassle of paying for postage.

Some things, however, just cannot be bought second hand. However, hunting for sustainable brands can be difficult and time consuming.

The app Good on You saves you time

Student-friendly swaps: By swapping out and making small changes to your lifestyle, you can make a big impact on the environment around you Source: photoshopper24 (via Pixabay) and effort by compiling information about most brands, rating them on their efforts for the environment and workers rights.

This helps you avoid the “Greenwashing” brands which pretend to offer sustainable fashion, but in reality, is just a façade. The app also posts articles listing sustainable brands of all price ranges and style. The best thing is that it does all of this for free!

Subscriptions Environmentally friendly subscription-based services also lend ease to student life. They can regulate how often you are buying these products. For example, the shaving brand Estrid offers cost effective shaving products and also considers its effects on the planet.

Estrid offers a starter razor handle made from durable steel. Subsequent razor heads are sent to you in minimal, 100% recyclable packaging. It is also climate compensated, following the UN-certifies Gold standard.

Another example is the cleaning products brand, Smol. This brand is dedicated to finding environmentally friendly solutions to cleaning products.

Their website illustrates their ethos and gives live updates on how many tonnes of plastic/carbon they have saved since their launch.

Food Finally, meal planning is a cost-effective way to reduce the food waste you produce in a week. By planning out all of your meals before your weekly food

shop, you can go in knowing exactly the right quantities of each item that you need.

Another food related tip is freezing your leftovers in reusable containers.

Cooking for one, as students often do, can lead to lots of food waste. Instead, consider bulk cooking four portions in one and freezing each portion individually which will save you both money and time. Reheating is a much quicker process than cooking from scratch every night!

These are just a few swaps to be environmentally friendly to help you get started. There are so many more ways which you can be kind to the planet.

It’s so important that we all do what we can, in whatever capacity that may be!

CYNGOR 17 The importance of being your real self at university

Musings with Megan Advice Column

Angharad Roberts Contributor

C

The most important relationship: Whilst at university this year, it’s critical that we develop our relationship with ourselves and make small changes in order to keep everything in-balance. Source: Dana Tentis (via Pixabay)

Developing our relationship with ourselves

Achieving fulfillment by taking control of our mental and physical actions Megan Shinner Advice Editor

T

he start of the new semester in the new university year always seems to brings a kind of academic honeymoon phase.

Returning or moving to a new city, meeting new people and reminiscing with the old; there is a familiar and welcoming buzz of prosperity. ‘This is my year! I’m going to go to bed early, start my essays two weeks before the deadline, put myself first and I DEFINTELY won’t make the same mistakes as last year!’.

Okay, who’s honestly been here and said that? Even I’m guilty!

Once we settle into this new term on a high, there always seems to be a low that follows a few weeks later. Deadlines are set, introductory talks are long gone, freshers’ flu is still lingering and it’s no longer socially acceptable to pass off clubbing 6 nights a week as ‘reclaiming the freshers experience’. Instead of you controlling your year, the year starts to control you, and this is not at all what we signed up for.

Even though we may not be able to control the 9am lectures, hundreds of deadlines, or any personal curveballs that get thrown in our paths, we can control how we respond and cope with these situations. Life is consistent with its pleasant, or in some cases, its very unpleasant surprises. When all seems out-of-control and a little overwhelming or confusion, it’s always good to remember what we can take control of – ourselves. We can choose to either be our own best friend or our worst enemy in the way we treat our minds and bodies. By looking after our physical and mental health and swapping bad habits for good, we can learn how to start listening to the limitations and flexibilities

within our ability to cope with the stresses, pleasures, and normalities of everyday life.

Attitudes and Self-belief I am a firm believer in that our attitude to life is what has the most significant impact on our ability to deal with any situation that creeps up on us, particularly the stressful and unpleasant experiences.

Trying to be as positive as possible is always the remedy to having a good day, week, month, you name it!

Seeing the good and aiming for it is like a subtle process of manifestation in which we can then start to expect good things to happen for us.

Applying a good attitude to everything we do will slowly spill a positive energy into every aspect of your daily life.

You felt good about that presentation you just did? That’s because you believed in yourself, and you told yourself you knew your facts inside and out! You just made a new P.B. on your daily jogging route? That’s because you trusted the process and your ability to gain strength in your sport.

Heading into absolutely anything with the smallest amount of belief in yourself can seriously go a long way.

Attitude changes outcomes and future experiences, generating a new, optimistic approach to daily practices.

Just to be clear, I do mean applying this principle on a realistic scale for yourself. Don’t go crazy and expect yourself to fit in a 2-hour workout, write 3 essays, meal prep for the next month and finish off the book you’ve been reading all in the space of one afternoon.

Sometimes simply maintaining a positive mindset is enough for one

day. Take the thought, action, and outcome process one activity at a time.

Even the little things, they’re super important too!

Your daily schedule will flourish into a portfolio of victories and daunting tasks no longer seem so terrifying with your newly developed instinctive positivity.

Swapping bad habits for good ones The key to a productive day is having some idea of a schedule. This doesn’t have to be cemented into specific time slots – just an idea of a few things you’d like to get done.

Most of us, however, have these little things called ‘bad habits’ that somehow manage to creep into our lives.

Bad habits lead to bad practices which are likely to upset a daily structure quite significantly. You may not even realise some of the things you do have more of a damaging effect than good.

One thing that we can mutually complain about as students is a poor sleep schedule. Staying up until 2am is never really THAT beneficial, is it?

You’re tired, you can’t concentrate properly, and the work would be done so much faster and efficiently if you just woke up an hour earlier in the morning.

Further to that point, you probably then don’t wake up at the time you wanted to, and the following day is pushed back by a few hours which has completely messed up the routine you so beautifully planned.

The day was supposed to start on a high, but it’s now on a low. Your motivation is already deteriorating from the second you woke up. Can you see the knock-on effect of a sin-

gle bad habit here? Who knew right!

Skipping meals and refusing study breaks simply because you “don’t have enough time” are other examples of bad practice.

Hopefully from the above scenarios you can see that both of our academic and social life and physical and mental health are all effected by some things that are so simple and sometimes so easily changed. Again, try taking this in small steps and don’t expect yourself to be able to adapt to everything all at the same time. Try going to bed 15 minutes earlier every day for a week until you find a bedtime that works for you. Dedicate 45 minutes per mealtime so you have a designated slot to eat with no pressure against the packed schedule you may have. There are enough hours in the day to do everything you want to do; we just need to work smarter, not harder, whilst also looking after ourselves by not pushing our limits.

A few reflections Reflect on the little changes you’ve made throughout the week and see if they are aiding or hindering your personal development. This doesn’t need to be anything too serious, perhaps a conversation with yourself, a close friend or simply jotting down a few bullet points in your journal.

Reflection allows us to select and maintain the good things we have practiced and to get rid of anything that didn’t really benefit our personal growth.

Just focus on the little things and take it one day at a time. You will be okay, trust yourself and trust the process. Always, always remember that you are in control of your own life.

It is essential that we take the time to listen to ourselves and work to our strengths.

oming to University for the first time is a shock to the system for anyone. Suddenly, you’re in an entirely new city, surrounded by completely new people and new cultures.

The reality is, it can be nervewracking, and you’ll instantly have the unconscious need to fit in. This is completely natural, that’s what University is all about, trying new things, making new friends and constantly expanding your social circle through societies and coursemates.

University is a brand new start and is an excellent way to explore who you are and who you want to be. It’s very likely that you’ve just left school/college and you’re eager to start this amazing new chapter of your life.

Going head first into university life is definitely encouraged.

Although, arguably it’s very easy to get caught up in all this newness, and maybe you might find yourself simply following the crowd or hiding parts of yourself to fit in. That’s normal and you’re not alone, we’re humans, we all want to fit in and feel at home somewhere.

If you’ve come to university wanting to be the best version of yourself, now is the time to become that person; but it’s incredibly important to be your real authentic self in this environment.

If you want to fit in, you will.

No matter who you are or where you come from, there will be a group of people you will get along with. So why not be your real authentic self?

Then you’ll find the people that will suit you the most. Also university life is more than just drinking, if that’s not your thing then take time to explore your hobbies and interests, immerse yourself in the things YOU enjoy.

Most of all, being your most authentic self at university, especially from the beginning, is how you’re going to become the best version of yourself when you graduate.

No one leaves university as the same person that arrived, but there is a very large difference between a healthy, natural personal development and forcefully trying to become something you’re not.

Throughout your life at university you sometimes may have to adjust to different social settings, that’s a part of life, we’ll all have to do it at some point when we leave and begin the next chapters of our lives.

Ultimately, you know more than anyone else who you are and who you want to become, and embracing that is very important.

Being your real authentic self will allow you to be happy and will open the right doors for you as you go through university life.

Ultimately, you know more than anyone else who you are and who you want to become, and embracing that is very important.”

18

REVIEW

REVIEW

No Time To Die - “an absolute sensation”

Alexa Price takes a look at Daniel Craig’s final appearance as the iconic ‘James Bond’ Alexa Price Contributor

N Iris Knapman

Jess Clifford-Jones review@gairrhydd.com

FForest Fawr “a glimpse into Wales’ past”

o Time To Die saw the gutwrenching finale of Daniel Craig’s iconic portrayal of James Bond, and certainly it did not disappoint.

With its release date evidently switching multiple times due to the global pandemic, my anticipation to see this movie was significantly heightened and I knew I had to see it right away. I understand that there was many a concern about the length of the film that runs for a whopping 2 hours and 40 minutes, though in my opinion it couldn’t run for long enough.

Going to see this film felt like an event; it was exciting and long-awaited.

I had no doubt that Daniel Craig’s performance would be as breathtaking as ever, and it goes without saying that this movie was the perfect send-off. No Time To Die is a story of love, betrayal, secrets, and of course attempted world destruction. Right from the opening scene I was completely taken aback, it was an emotional rollercoaster for sure!

As are the rest of the movies, No Time To Die is a cinematic masterpiece. Despite the global pandemic, James Bond’s world remains the same and I loved it. Welcoming back 007 to the big screens post-restrictions had a warm and hearty feel to it. Returning actors like Ralph Fiennes (M), Ben Whishaw (Q), and Naomie Harris (Miss Moneypenny) all reminded me of why the movies are timeless. Like Craig, the dedication they show to their characters and their return tothe screen was just as anticipated as his.

Audiences are presented with the typical James Bond tropes - loud gunshots, wild action, and attractive actors and actresses - but I found that No Time To Die depicted a much more sensitive James Bond than before.

I’m sure by now that audiences are used to Bond’s complicated character who is of course famous for his disastrous, unhappy endings, and so the ending of Spectre was too good to be true, right? Of course it was. Peace and happiness is always short-lived for James Bond, except this time his pain feels longer-lasting and almost incurable. Many believe that one of the Bond

No Time to Die: “Bond’s emotional and paternal side is what makes him feel much more human and relatable.” Source: Tim White (via Flickr) franchise’s defining characteristics is the headlights. It’s that relatability and the far-fetched, incredible the situa- the realness of Daniel Craig’s 007 that tions that 007 finds himself in, and the will always keep audiences coming fact that more often than not he man- back to watch the Bond movies, and ages to survive them without a visible to face that painful end sequence. scrape.

While it’s uncertain where the franIn No Time To Die, Bond’s emo- chise is to go following Craig’s epic detional and paternal side is what makes parture, No Time To Die remains an him feel much more human and re- absolute sensation - I cannot wait to latable, even in a world where Aston see what’s next to come for the franMartin DB5’s have machine guns in chise.

Netflix’s Squid Game - a “local nature site for

Jess Clifford-Jones takes a look at Daniel Craig’s final appearance as the iconic ‘James The characters in Netflix’s Squid Game are easy to root for and always in danger.”

Iris Knapman Review Editor

A

week ago, a friend and I decided to take a trip to Fforest Fawr to kill a couple hours on a drizzly Sunday. While not the ideal weather for a hike, it made for some pretty fantastic views when we stopped to take in the rainclouds over the mountains.

This destination is a nature site situated in Tongwynlais, a quaint village about a fourteen minute car drive out of Cardiff. Its closeness to the city makes it the perfect place if you’re looking to get away for a few hours.

It consists of four trails that exhibit both the natural and man-made features of the land. The popular Sculpture Trail takes you around numerous carved pieces ranging from giant owls to Gandalf-esque wizards. Meanwhile, the Three Bears Cave Walk takes you close to the caves that once housed ironmining operations. Each of the trails are rated in terms of the time required to complete and their difficulty. For example, the Sculpture Trail is the shortest and easiest of the four (one hour to complete) - Don’t worry if you’re not super athletic; none of the trails have a difficulty rating above moderate.

Not only does Fforest Fawr represents all that is great about the Welsh countryside, (trees, grass, wildlife, etc.) but also provided the backdrop for the BBC serial dramas Merlin and Sherlock. If you consider yourself a fan you might like to take a trip to visit the filming locations of these favourite shows.

Discovering this fact actually has me watching Merlin for the first time!

The castle is one of two possible places to begin your trek through this beautiful woodland.

This Welsh castle is renown for its reddish hue, hence “Coch” (the Welsh word for red.) The first castle to occupy the land was over 940 years ago, however the castle we see today dates back to 1875. To further enrichen your trip, you can book tickets online to tour around this historic landmark and take a glimpse into Wales’ past, while you enjoy some bara brith (a traditional Welsh tea bread) from the tearoom.

Squid Game: “Within a week of its release, [Squid Game] became one of Netflix’s most watched shows globally.” Credit: Youngkyu Park/Netflix

Jess Clifford-Jones Review Editor

S

ince its debut on Netflix last month, dark Korean survival drama Squid Game has taken the world by storm.

Within a week of its release, it became one of Netflix’s most watched shows globally. It broke records in being the first Korean show to top Netflix’s top ten chart and eventually came to reach number one in 90 countries.

Squid Game broke records in being the first Korean show to top Netflix’s top ten chart and eventually came to reach number one in 90 countries.

In the nine-part series, 456 people, all in debt, play a series of children’s games in hopes of winning 45.6 billion Korean won (about £28m). Unbeknownst to them, the

The suffocating atmosphere of anticipation makes it thrilling to watch.”

penalty for losing is death, but upon finding out (in a chilling and gruesome scene set to Frank Sinatra’s ‘Fly Me to The Moon’) and disbanding the game, all return soon after, aware of the consequences and too desperate to care.

Squid Game is aesthetically gorgeous, using candy-coloured, playground-like set pieces as the backdrop to brutal violence and terror.

The chilling score, peppered with child-like motifs, adds to the uncomfortable tension that only increases with each episode.

While the violence in Squid Game is graphic and sometimes gory (though not, in my opinion, gratuitous), it’s the suffocating atmosphere of anticipation and anxiety that makes it so thrilling to watch.

Ultimately though, the heart of Squid Game is its characters. With a story like this, it would be easy for cynicism to take over, but it avoids a misanthropic tone through its empathy for its own characters.

The players aren’t driven by greed or selfishness, but desperation, and the show never condemns them for the lengths they go to survive, but instead blames the system that has

driven them to it.

Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), the main character, is deeply flawed, but still lovable. While a terrible father and son with a gambling addiction and a massive debt, his kindness and beaming friendliness make him easy to root for and Lee’s performance exudes a warmth and vulnerability that prevents the show from feeling too bleak.

The show also touches on relevant issues in South Korea with its characters, such as a North Korean defector trying to get her mother into the country and a migrant worker from Pakistan supporting his family.

Sae-byeok (Jung Ho-yeon) and Ali (Anupam Tripathi) are, for me, the most sympathetic and enjoyable characters in the cast. Jung shines in her debut role as tough girl with a heart of gold Sae-byeok and Tripathi is undeniably loveable as sunny and innocent Ali. The show builds the audience’s understanding and love for the characters along with tension, which raises the stakes even more; the characters are easy to root for and always in danger, a combination that lends itself to drama and tragedy.

However, I’ll admit that not every character in Squid Game won me over.

A combination of unnatural dialogue and strange acting choices make the villainous VIPs, rich men (mostly Westerns) who bet on the players “like horses”, the least enjoyable characters. They’re so cartoonishly evil that when they appear onscreen it’s jarring, taking away the drama and horror of the games by how obnoxious they are.

While their presence gives the audience context for the games, I found them unnecessary and distracting, especially compared to the other, more compelling villains.

The plot and pacing of Squid Game is, for the most part, great, hitting a necessary lull in the second episode (ironically named ‘Hell’) to explore the player’s lives outside the games and give context to why they would return.

The height of the show, for me, was the sixth episode ‘Gganbu’, which makes up for its relative lack of action by being the most emotionally gripping episode of the show.

The show unfortunately drags in the second part of the final episode; while it starts off as a thrilling and tense conclusion, the ending drags on unnecessarily and dulls the impact of its ending.

Nonetheless, its not enough to take away from the rest of the show.

Squid Game has yet to be renewed for a second season, but, given the first season’s rousing success, it feels exceptionally likely.

I can only hope that it lives up to the standard that it has set for itself.

while [Squid Game] starts off as a thrilling and tense conclusion, the ending drags on unnecessarily”

FEEL UNSAFE AND HAVEN’T GOT THE CASH TO GET HOME? Call Dragon Taxis on 029 20 333 333 quoting ‘Cardiff University Safe Taxi Scheme’, giving your name and student number.

cardiffstudents.com/safetaxi

20

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

SCIENCE

Celebrating black scientists throughout history Mia Becker-Hansen

Head of Science and Technology

S Mia Becker-Hansen

Jemma Powell

Theodore Tadros science@gairrhydd.com

cientists, engineers, and inventors find the solutions to the world’s problems and help us evolve as a species. From numbers released by the Royal Society in 2018-19, 1.8% of science, technology, engineering, and maths academic staff aged 34 and below are black. In physics and chemistry, the proportion of black researchers stands at zero percent, rounded down.

Further to this, no black scientist has ever won a Nobel Prize. In honour of black history month, this article will highlight on the achievements of some of the black scientists throughout history and today.

We begin with George Washington Carver (1864-1943), who was an American agricultural scientist and inventor, considered the most prominent black scientist of the early 20th century.

Born into slavery a year before it was outlawed, Carver left home at a young age to pursue education and eventually earned a master’s degree in agricultural science. His best-known invention was that of crop rotation, which was an alternative to single-crop farming.

It involved planting alternative crops to cotton to prevent soil depletion. He taught people how to live off of these other crops, as well as many methods to restore soil in order to increase their quality of life. He also had an excess of discoveries about the uses of peanuts.

Charles Henry Turner (1867-1923) was a biologist, neurologist, and psychologist. He made ground-breaking discoveries in the field of animal behaviour that went completely against what was thought at the time, suggest-

ing that animals were capable of complex cognition. Among his discoveries, he was able to prove that insects have the capacity to hear and that they can learn by trial and error. Sadly, his pioneering research was forgotten due to racial issues, resulting in many white scientists ‘re-discovering’ his findings years later. He was one of the first African-Americans to earn a PhD from the University of Chicago, and the first black scientist to be published in Science, a prestigious science journal. Due to racial barriers, he couldn’t find work as a researcher or academic despite his achievements, ending up teaching at a high school.

Despite her short life, Alice Ball (1892-1916) developed the first effective treatment for leprosy, a bacterial infection that has affected humans for thousands of years. While studying for her masters degree in Hawaii she studied the oil from a chaulmoogra tree, which was used as a topical treatment for leprosy with mixed results.

Ball figured out how to isolate the fatty acid components of the oil and make it injectable so it would dissolve in the bloodstream. This became the first effective method to alleviate leprosy symptoms, allowing current leprosy patients to be able to avoid spreading the disease. They previously had to be living in isolation. A year later, the president of the University of Hawaii claimed her discovery for himself and published the findings without giving her credit. It wasn’t until 1922 when her colleagues published her findings that she was given the recognition she deserved.

Katherine Johnson (1918-2020) was an American mathematician whose calculations calculated and analysed

Neil deGrasse Tyson: There are numerous examples of famous black scientists. Source: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (via Flickr) the flight paths of many spacecraft missions for over 30 years at NASA. This included the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights, including the first American in space, the first American in orbit, and flight paths for landings on the Moon. Her calculations were essential to the beginning of the Space Shuttle Program. Her achievements were recognised in the film Hidden Figures.

Mae C. Jemison (1956-) is an engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut. After receiving two un-

dergraduate degrees and a medical degree, Jemison served two years as a Peace Corps medical officer in West Africa, before being selected to join the NASA astronaut training program.

She served as mission specialist aboard the space shuttle Endeavour, orbiting the Earth for nearly eight days, making her the first black woman to travel to space. Jemison left NASA so found her own technology research company, as well as an educational foundation to encourage minority students to pursue sciences.

Does sexism represent a problem in the sciences?

Based on its history within the sector, is modern science is suffering from industry-wide sexism?

Theo Tadros

When looking at the issue of sexisim within the modern sciences, it’s important to recognise that there is an overarching history of sexism throughout history.”

Science Editor

I

f you ask someone to name some famous women in Science, the names Marie Curie and Rosalind Franklin will most likely come up.

They’re the favourite token women of choice and are often used to claim how ‘far’ we have come, and even more often the only ones that men can name.

Ask someone the same question regarding male scientists and you will no doubt get a very different response. It’s easy enough to think of over a dozen off the top of your head.

There is a massively apparent gender inequality between male and female students in the sciences; with only 35% of STEM students being women.

This disparity between the sexes transcends undergraduate degrees as well. Women in research jobs are less likely to be published and more likely to be given administrative roles.

Is sexism the cause of this disparity?

Women are much more prevalent within literature and arts subjects.

This bodes the question is sexism

There is a massively apparent gender inequality between male and female students in the sciences; with only 35% of STEM students being women.”

‘Irreparable failures’: The future viability andati. Source: Yakuzakorat (via Wikimedia Commons) really the cause of this gender difference, and if not, what is?

The proposed neurological differences between men and women is something that has been heavily researched. However misinformation and pseudoscience plagues this area and leads to ambiguity.

Simon Baron Cohen, a Cambridge educated doctor and expert in the field of autism; has published some of the limited reputable research on disparities between the minds of men and women.

He came up with the EmpathisingSystemising theory of brain types.

The premise details that there are two modes of thinking: Empathising brains have much greater cognitive and affective empathy, whilst Systemising brains tend to have greater mechanical reasoning and more natural intuition to systems.

The relevance of this is that women tend to score highly on the empathising quotient, and men tend to score highly on the systemising quotient, with Cohen himself saying this is a better indicator than gender for success in STEM subjects than gender alone.

When looking at the issue of sexi-

sim within the modern sciences, it’s important to recognise that there is an overarching history of sexism throughout history.

Many scientific scholars have labelled Erwin Schrodinger, the Austrian-Irish scientist, as a ‘womaniser’. Critics of the scientist often highlight that he famously took one of his many mistresses to a ski resort for several weeks while he solved his equation on wave functions.

His infidelities, however, did not end there.

Schrodinger’s career at Oxford ended when he was in a relationship

with the wife of a colleague whilst being married himself.

With this in mind, many historians have questioned whether Schrodinger’s academic brilliance justifies this attitude towards women?

The issue of sexism isn’t limited to early 20th century scientists either.

In 2015, Nobel Prize winning biochemist Tim Hunt came under scrutiny for several sexist remarks he made and had to remove himself from public affairs, only to be back at full work within two years.

The presence of sexism within the sciences (as with several other aspects of society) has existed and been normalised throughout history.

Science is an industry structured around asking fundemental questions about life and making siginificant advancements - Is it not therefore important for the sciences to better represent women, truely showing how far the industry has come?

Science is an industry structured around asking fundemental questions about life and making siginificant advancements.”

GWYDDONIAETH A THECHNOLEG

21

Why ‘All-Nighters’ don’t make you more productive Battery-free Jemma Powell Science Editor

I

t’s obvious to us that sleep is important (as evidenced by how awful it feels to not get enough), but the biological effects of sleep deprivation - even if just by a few hours a night - are staggering.

What is ‘good sleep’ and why is it so important?

According to the National Sleep Foundation, an adult human needs on average between 7-9 hours of sleep per night. During these hours we cycle through a series of different sleep stages, fluctuating naturally between light sleep, deep sleep, and rapid eye movement (REM).

Successfully cycling between the stages throughout the night uninterrupted is vital for whole body health, particularly as a result of the large and powerful brainwaves that happen during the deepest stages of sleep.

These waves are charged with bursts of electrical activity known as sleep spindles, and act as a deep clean to the brain.

Without this nightly cleanse, your body and brain simply cannot func-

tion in the same way.

What happens if you don’t get enough sleep?

There are a multitude of effects caused by lack of sleep. Complete deprivation (1 night without sleep) essentially shuts down the section of your hippocampus associated with memory, resulting in a 40% deficit in the brains ability to form memories.

That means it’s no wonder if you can’t remember what you were cramming last night- your brain can’t even absorb let alone process memories without a full 8 hours!

Sleep is also vital for your immune system, with a study published in Psychosomatic Medicine finding that a single night of four hours sleep results in a 70% drop in natural killer cell activity. These cells are essential in the immune response system, and are responsible for the link between short sleep duration and risk of multiple forms of cancer.

Most staggeringly perhaps is the link between cardiovascular diseases and sleep. A 2014 American Study found that just a one-hour change in sleep had significant physiological effects. Looking at the records of cardiac arrest reported the day after

daylight savings, they found a 24% increase in heart attacks after the spring savings (loose an hour of sleep). They also found the day after winter savings - where you gain an hour of sleep - there was a 21% reduction in heart attacks reported.

It’s also been found that men who sleep just four-five hours a night with have the same testosterone level of someone 10 years their senior - Lack of sleep can, scientifically speaking, age you by a decade.

The benefits of speech?

Thankfully, while these findings mainly focus on the negative impact of sleep deprivation, the flip side is also true, and just as important. Having good quality, uninterrupted sleep for just 8 hours a night is like drinking a healing potion in a video game.

Your immune system is stronger, your brain more alert and receptive, your heart and lungs healthier, and even your genetics more resilient to diseases.

Let’s face it, it’s nice to not be tired.

How can you improve the quality of your sleep?

The good news is there is improving sleep is relatively easy, and according to researchers at Harvard University,

there are plenty of ways to do it.

They recommend avoiding or lessening intake of stimulating chemicals such as caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol, especially before you go to bed.

Avoiding naps is another key technique as “sleep isn’t a debt you can repay”, more but lower quality sleep does not have the same impacts as less, higher quality sleep.

Regularity is also key, with going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time each day becoming critical in forming a routine, it also helps if this aligns with your natural circadian rhythms (e.g. wake up in the morning and sleep at night).

They also discovered however that trying to fall asleep when you’re not tired can actually be detrimental. The more you train your brain that the bed is a place of sleep, and not a place of watching Netflix, the better you will be at drifting off.

The real cost of ‘all-nighters’ There are a multitude of potentially disastrous consequences of not getting enough sleep, and a plethora of health benefits of when you do. With all this considered, maybe starting your assignment a bit earlier than the night before is a good idea after all…

A blog post from Cloudflare explained that there are two key aspects which organise the structure of the internet: Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) and Domain Name Systems (DNS). Whilst the DNS provides the location of the website you want to visit, the BGP provides the best route to get there.

During Monday’s outage a command issued by Facebook engineers disrupted the BGP. Therefore, whilst Facebook’s pages still existed, there was no route which users could take to access these sites.

Facebook issued a further statement saying, “this outage also impacted many of the internal tools and systems [they] use in [their] day-to-day operations”.

In short, Facebook rely on their own platform for vast amounts of their in-

ternal employee coordination. Not only were staff left unable to access their internal communication channels in order to synchronise a response, some were also physically locked out of their office buildings as the key cards were rendered obsolete in the outage.

To date, no official explanation of how the issues were resolved has been released by the company, but The Guardian reported that it is thought that technical teams were sent to the California servers to do a manual reset in a bid to bring the site back online. Apparently even tech giants must resort to ‘turning it off and on again’ to resolve technological mishaps!

The timing couldn’t have been worse for Facebook as it immediately succeeded whilstleblower Frances Haugen’s divisive senate address on 3 October.

She cited a litany of incidences where Facebook has caused harm to the public claiming that they “won’t make the necessary changes because they have put their astronomical profits before people.”

The outage, in conjunction with Haugen’s claims, has sent the company into financial free fall with shares plummeting in value overnight. It has been estimated that CEO Mark Zuckerberg lost $6 billion in personal wealth following the crash.

Services were reinstated at around 10pm GMT on Monday and the CEO issued the following apology to all those impacted in previous hours: “Sorry for the disruption today -- I know how much you rely on our services to stay connected with the people you care about”.

It served as a great tool on our server and was lovingly named many times.

With this kind of large-scale success, it may have only been a matter of time until Google caught on to this lucrative business model. After being served a cease and desist legal statement from YouTube Rhythm shut down on September 15th. The creators released the following statement on their website concerning the notice: “We have received a notice from YouTube asking us to shut down our service. Since we use YouTube as our main source of music, that means our current service has shut down entirely.”

Google is seemingly getting on top of bots like Rhythm, as this news came just after they sought to shut down a similar creation named Groovy. However, none of this comes as much of a surprise. Much of the YouTube community are all too familiar with copyright strikes and takedowns on the site.

The platform seems to cater to companies rather than the community. Discord and its free music services were only a recent victim in a string of legal actions.

Yoav even admitted in an interview about the bots foreclosure that, “one way or another, we knew this was due to happen eventually.”

The only reason Rhythm was able to fly under the radar for all these years was due to its smaller user base and its connection to Discord. This connection being unofficial and tenuous enough for the platform to feign ignorance in the face of YouTube and Google, allowing the bot to carry on relatively unchecked. This being said, as Discord can dodge these legal claims, it also leaves the creators of bots like Rhythm at a high risk of legal repercussions.

There is even some speculation that the closure of Rhythm comes at a point

in which Discord and YouTube have come to a private agreement. Rumours of an expansion to the facilities of Discord have risen, pointing towards a new ‘YouTube Together watch party’ bot. However, this feature is currently limited to a few selected servers so isn’t open to the general public just yet. Regardless of the fact that this could be an interesting feature for the Discord community, I can’t help but feel as if this is going to be a monetised incentive down the road.

Luckily this may not be the end for the creators of Rhythm. Again, in a statement released on the website Yoav hinted at a new project that is in the works: “We can’t tell you too much yet, but we’re working on something awesome in the music space.”

Even with a lack of information about the new project, it’s good to know there’s something to look forward to in the future.

Facebook suffers 6-hour outage - What happened?

Anna Thomas Contributor

F

acebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has apologised to users following disruption to multiple social media platforms in the worst outage since 2008.

On Monday 4 October, social media sites Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram went down for around six hours, leaving an estimated 3.5 billion users unable to access the platforms.

Following the blackout, Facebook issued a statement claiming that routine maintenance of the “backbone” of the company’s networks interrupted the connection to servers, effectively disconnecting Facebook’s data centres from the rest of the world.

Can we copyright strike Discord’s ‘Rhythm bots’?

Elie Gould

Technology Editor

M

usic bots on Discord servers, whether populated by communities or close friends have played a pretty big role in the experience of the platform.

The most popular and recognisable being the so-called ‘Rhythm bot’ created by Yoav back in 2016 as a small project for his close friends. Over the last five years, Rhythm expanded beyond anyone’s anticipations connecting 20 million Discord servers with over 560 million individual users, roughly 20% of Discord’s userbase. Along with holding the admirable title of first Discord bot to reach 1 million servers.

Rhythm was always an integral part of many of my servers on Discord, using YouTube to play music in chat with gameplay or just for background noise.

Word of the week: E-waste • • •

‘E-waste’ (also known as Electronic Waste) refers to discarded electrical or electronic devices.

Back in 2019, it was reported that the world produced a record 5.36 million tonnes of E-waste.

Due to a number of factors including financial cost and toxic by-products, it is estimated that only around 17% of all E-waste is properly recycled (the remaining waste is usually stored in landfill sites).

electronics could reduce e-waste Aditi Girish Kallangoudar Contributor

I

n today’s world of rapid digitalization where we’re increasingly integrating technology into various spheres of our everyday lives, this question has inevitably crossed all of our minds. We then immediately look it up on the internet, as we do when faced with any dilemma, only to be flooded by endless tips and tricks and yet no concrete answers.

But what if we’ve been asking the wrong question all this while?

Instead of looking for ways to improve upon the durability of unsustainable batteries we should have been looking for ways to do away with them entirely and replacing them with more sustainable ways to generate energy.

Computer engineers from Northwestern University and Delft University of Technology have developed an energy harvesting system that allows electronic devices to run without batteries for an “infinite lifetime” with only intermittent energy input.

The system, Bfree, smoothly pauses calculations without losing memory when power is interrupted and resumes instantly without having to run through a long list of operations when the power returns, thus allowing devices to function anytime energy is available. This system is an evolution of the ‘ENGAGE’ technology, which is a battery free Game Boy powered solely by the kinetic energy of button presses that the team developed last year.

Josiah Hester, co-leader of the research. said that: “The goal, which may be a ways off, is for battery-free technologies like BFree to replace the battery-powered versions, for reasons like sustainability, but also for convenience and reducing maintenance costs.”

These new systems were created to combat the increasing “e-waste” problem, which has been one of the harmful byproducts of mankind’s overwhelming advancements in science and technology over the last century.

Dead batteries, which contribute to a large component of the e-waste we generate, are rarely recycled and generally dumped into landfills where they leak harmful toxins into the soil and air which can cause various hepatic, cardiovascular and reproductive diseases if ingested or inhaled by humans and is a major threat to our wellbeing and safety.

Apart from this, the system also aims to “democratize’’ sustainable batteryfree hardware for the Maker Movement. This movement, which is the technology-oriented extension of DIY culture, has spawned countless DIY electronic Internet of Things (IoT) devices which have been massive contributors to the e-waste problem in the past few years.

BFree has a simple design and any novice Python programmer can immediately use it. This will encourage the programmer to explore and experiment with energy harvesting and battery-free tech and teach them about energy, energy harvesting, and the energy costs of a program they write.

The research, which will be presented at the UbiComp 2021 conference on 22 September not only spares the environment from the grave ecological impact of e-waste but is also a significant advancement in the field of technology and paves the way for more breakthroughs.

COVID-19 SAFETY

Look after each other and stay safe

Heading to Yolo, Juice or a gig in The Great Hall next week? You will need an NHS COVID pass to gain entry to these events! For all the information you need to help you access the passes visit nhs.uk Please email the SU Customer Services Team if you have any further questions sucustomerservices@cardiff.ac.uk

CHWARAEON

Formula One: Max Verstappen vs Lewis Hamilton Anurag Hegde

back to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix where Verstappen’s tyre blow-out cost him a well-deserved victory. At the British Grand Prix, the 2 rivals touched, causing Verstappen to crash out and again lose out on more points.

The Dutch driver has had his fair share of DNFs this season but seems to be hanging on as the Mercedes team seem to lose their cutthroat, killer instinct which has seen them dominate the Hybrid era of F1. Both drivers will

be able to look back at this year’s battle as one for the ages but where does it rank between title battles?

If we think back to the great title fights, we have Senna and Prost, Hunt and Lauda, Schumacher and Hill, and Hamilton and Massa. There are many more but these championships both had great races, incredibly talented drivers with huge personalities but can we compare them to this year’s battle?

These title battles will probably end

up finishing much closer than this year’s title due to the fact there were less races and less points on offer but in my opinion, this year is one of the great fights. The see-saw, swinging from one to another and the close on track racing seems to be at a new high. Never have we seen 2 drivers dominate from even their own teammates in such a way. Hamilton and Verstappen are in a league of their own and this has increased the tension to the championship.

With 6 races to go, where we will visit 2 new tracks, this title fight will go down to the wire. Verstappen holds a 6-point advantage going into the final few races and it will be a fascinating end to watch.

To both teams, the championship will mean so much, to end the current era as champions is something both egos of the team will want to hold.

To Red Bull it will be their first title since 2013, it will be Verstappen’s first and with Honda leaving the team behind it will be a romantic end to their partnership.

For Lewis and Mercedes it will end their period of dominance with a win, it will make Hamilton arguably the greatest of all time with 8 titles and It will signify the constructors’ intent as we head into the new era.

Cardiff University provides students with the chance to explore a variety of different sports, from lacrosse, to athletics, to ultimate frisbee.

The aim of the research was “to help prospective students find the right place of study for them”, as many university-aged athletes reach a stage where they are able to compete at higher levels and will use such research to guide them to the universities who are able to offer what they need in order to achieve their sporting goals.

After a tough year for sport, in

which the COVID-19 pandemic shut down events and competitions, as well as many training facilities, 2021/22 provides optimism for athletes across all disciplines that this year can be more successful and, at the very least, more enjoyable.

Gair Rhydd previously spoke to Maddie Elliott, president of the Cardiff University Athletics Club, who echoed this thought, stating that they “want to make it a year to remember” as a lot of people “have missed that full year or year and a half.”

Cardiff University has produced some top-level sportspeople over the years, including former WBO and WBA light heavyweight boxing world champion Nathan Cleverly, and Olympic 1500m runner Jake Heyward.

With this new ranking by PureGym as the sixth sportiest university in the UK, Cardiff University will be hoping to continue adding to its list of sporting achievements - A list of achievements that already boasts a number of famous sportspeople.

Head of Sport

T

he Formula 1 (F1) season of 2021 has been a difficult year for all.

The continuing pandemic has affected the original calendar and more recently, due to UK government travel restrictions, races like Japan - a certain fan favourite, have had to be cancelled.

However, there has been a brighter light than all of this for F1 fans.

They have been treated to a stellar season with classic tracks like Imola and Portimao keeping their place on the calendar, but the title fight between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton has made all the news. The championship lead has swung back and forth in favour of both drivers several times and since the British Grand Prix in July, neither drivers have led by more than 8 points in the title battle. It has been a fight for the ages, particularly as if Hamilton wins this year, it will take him past the 7 world titles of Schumacher.

The title battle started back in the pre-season where Red Bull seemed to be leaps and bounds ahead of Mercedes but by the first race the German team had caught up.

Throughout the 17 races there have been some defining moments, we look

Lewis Hamilton: This year, Formula One has seen a heated competition between these two drivers. Source: Jen Ross (via Flickr)

23

SPORT

Anurag Hegde

Harvey Palmer

Cardiff University named 6th sportiest in the UK Harvey Palmer Sport Editor

C

ardiff University has been ranked as the 6th sportiest university in the United Kingdom, according to research by PureGym. The research ranks UK universities by the number of sports clubs offered to students, with Cardiff offering 73 different opportunities, just eight less than top-ranking Lancaster and Oxford.

ECB confirms Ashes Tour and announces squad Anurag Hegde Head of Sport

I

n what came as a massive relief to apprehensive cricket fans, the England and Wales Cricket board (ECB) announced earlier this week that the decorated Ashes series scheduled to take place in Australia later this year will indeed go ahead.

The historic series was shrouded in uncertainty due to the stringent Covid-19 protocols in Australia.

However, the ECB stated that “excellent progress” had been made post talks and that the men’s cricket team will travel to Australia “subject to several critical conditions being met”.

Earlier, a few players, including wicket-keeper batter Jos Buttler, had expressed their concerns over the tour. After also pulling out of the second leg of the IPL, Buttler stated that: “You have to be open to saying no. It would be incredibly disappointing if some players feel like

they can’t do it, but we’re in a world at the moment where that is a possibility.”

However, after a series of negotiations, the ECB and Cricket Australia (CA) have reached an agreement and the tour is set to go ahead.

The ECB’s confirmation will come as a great relief to CA as well with AU$200,000 in broadcast revenue at stake.

With the series being given the green signal, all eyes were on the ECB as they announced a 17-member squad that will travel to Australia. After committing to the tour, wicket-keeper batter Jos Buttler was named captain Joe Root’s deputy for the series in the absence of Ben Stokes.

Other notable misses include Moeen Ali, who recently retired from Test cricket, and Sam Curran who wasn’t considered after it was discovered that he had suffered a stress fracture in his back.

Concerningly, as has been for England all summer long, their batting department looks rather fragile with only three of them - Joe Root,

Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan, having experience of batting on Australian shores before.

Opener Dom Sibley, who was dropped after the second Test against India earlier in the summer, found no place in the squad despite his involvement in Warwickshire’s double trophy haul with them winning both the County Championship and the Bob Willis Trophy.

Haseeb Hameed and Rory Burns retained their spots at the top of the order after a decent show against India along with youngsters Ollie Pope and Dan Lawrence in the middle order.

The bowling department is once again set to be spearheaded by veteran James Anderson who will return to Australia for a fifth Ashes tour. He’ll be accompanied by Stuart Broad, who is set to return to competitive cricket after a calf-injury ruled him out of the series against India earlier this year. Ollie Robinson, Craig Overton, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood will make up the rest of England’s pace attack while Jack Leach and Dom Bess have been

Oscar Lucas

Tom Hawkins sport@gairrhydd.com

Cricket: The England Cricket team is expecting to make a big impact at the Ashes Series. Source: LoggaWiggler (via Pixabay) included as spin options.

With all of England’s players committing to the tour, head-coach Chris Silverwood had this to say: “A tour of Australia is the pinnacle as an England Test cricketer.

I am delighted that all of our available players have committed to the tour. We are looking forward to touring and enjoying the experience

of this historic series.”

England men’s squad for Ashes tour: Joe Root (C), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

CHWARAEON

Newcastle United Takeover

PIF led consortium successfully completes its acquisition of the major Premier League club Anurag Hegde Head of Sport

I

n what was seen as a historic move, the takeover of Newcastle United was completed with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) taking over a controlling 80% stake. The entire deal is estimated to be worth nearly £300 million ($400 million).

In what some fans would consider a positive, the takeover spells the end of Mike Ashely’s ‘trophy-less’ 14-year tenure as owner of the club.

While some fans have been quick to criticise the move by suggesting that the “Magpies will serve as nothing more than a sportswashing project for the Saudi Arabian regime”, a Newcastle United Supporters’ Trust survey revealed that 93.8% of fans were in favour of the deal.

Although the chairman of PIF is listed as Mohammad Bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, the Premier League confirmed that it was satisfied that the state would have no dealings with the club

the takeover spells the end of Mike Ashely’s ‘trophy-less’ 14-year tenure as owner of the club.”

after it received “legally binding assurances”.

The club has already seen some changes in personnel after the consortium consisting of the PIF, PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media completed the acquisition of the club.

The broker behind the deal, Amanda Staveley, will receive a 10% stake in the club and will also serve as a director of the club. Jamie Rueben will represent RB Sports & Media and will also serve as a director.

Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of PIF, will serve as non-executive chairman of the club.

The deal, however, has had its fair share of controversy. Although the Premier League saw the PIF as an entity independent of the Saudi Crown, the takeover sparked widespread criticism due to the Middle East country’s poor human rights record.

Amnesty International U.K.’s CEO, Sacha Deshmukh had this to say: “Ever since this deal was first talked about we said it represented a clear attempt by the Saudi authorities to sportswash their appalling human rights record with the glamour of top-flight football.

Saudi ownership of St. James’ Park was always as much about image management for Crown

Sport Editor

O

Takeover: Newcastle United has successfully changed hands.

Source: Ardfern (via Wikimedia Commons) Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his government, as it was about football.”

Newcastle United, however, are set to benefit massively from a financial standpoint after becoming the third major European Club to

be purchased by a Middle Eastern owner. The takeover puts Newcastle on par with other elite European football clubs with Middle Eastern owners such as Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in terms of purchasing power.

How did Wales fare in their most recent World Cup Qualifiers?

Harvey Palmer

Wales do have a game in hand, and so are in a stronger position to overtake their rivals and claim the second spot in Group E.”

Sport Editor

W

The emergence of stars such as Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey have spurred the side on in recent years.”

Gareth Bale: Wales are now in a strong position to claim a spot at the upcoming World Cup in Qatar. Source: Jon Candy (via Flickr) Before the first match of the international break against Czech Republic, Wales were level on points with their opponents, languishing nine points behind Belgium, who were the expected group winners from the start. This match was crucial to both sides as they looked to break away from one another in the group.

The match ended in a 2-2 draw and was never short of action, with Aaron Ramsey and Dan James scoring the goals in a strong display from Wales, which set them up well for their next

England vs Hungary Where did it go wrong for Southgate?

Oscar Lucas

Football: No Bale for Wales

ales have endured a lot of success in recent years from a footballing perspective, reaching the Euro 2016 semi-finals against all odds, and also reaching the round of 16 at Euro 2020 this year, and so it may come as a surprise that they have not qualified for a World Cup Finals since 1958.

The emergence of stars such as Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey have spurred the side on in recent years.

However with Bale, as well as key figures such as Ben Davies and David Brooks, unavailable due to injury, it was uncertain how well Wales would fare in two crucial qualifying matches against Estonia and Czech Republic in their search for a spot at the 2022 World Cup.

24

match against Estonia, who sat one place above bottom in Group E. Estonia proved fierce opposition for Wales, as they struggled to assert their dominance and superior quality, however a Kieffer Moore tapin was enough to seal a 1-0 victory and three important points for the Welshmen.

These results left Wales third in the group, level on points with Czech Republic, who secured a 2-0 win over Belarus, with the Czechs currently having superior goal difference.

However, Wales do have a game in hand, and so are in a stronger position to overtake their rivals and claim the second spot in Group E. In November, they will face bottom of the group Belarus and top of the group Belgium with their final chance of securing a first World Cup Finals place since 1958, with manager Robert Page describing the next two matches as ‘cup finals’ due to their significance.

Regardless of the disappointing performance in Tallinn, and the draw with the Czechs, Wales fans may find reassurance in the fact that they were able to take 4 of a possible 6 points while missing the firepower of Gareth Bale and the reliability of Ben Davies and David Brooks.

If these players are able to return in time for the November fixtures, Wales find themselves in a strong position to claim the second Group E qualifying spot and get to the Qatar World Cup next December.

n Tuesday Evening, England and Hungary played out a 1-1 draw at Wembley Stadium.

Not only was it disappointing to see England draw to a team who had lost to Albania the week before but it was even worse to see a lacklustre performance from them.

Southgate gave the fans the attacking line-up they were praying for. The team couldn’t give the fans the attacking and entertaining game that you’d expect from one of the top teams in the world against a much lower-ranked team.

Without disrespecting Hungary, who played well and played doggedly to earn a well-deserved point, England needs to be beating these teams to be considered as a favourite going into the world cup next year.

Southgate was left miffed by the lack of creativity from a team with so much potential and threat on paper. The squad felt like it was a mix-matched jigsaw puzzle thrown together at Christmas by a child, with a lack of tactical approach, which ended up with a performance that looked like a League 1 style of football.

You must think with the talent England had on show, they should have been able to beat a minnow in modern-day football like Hungary.

Picking Mount, Foden and Grealish in the same starting XI has only happened once before under Southgate - in a Nations League game Vs Iceland.

The 3 players are all individually star quality but unfortunately, they do not show the same promise as a potential MSN (Messi, Suárez, Neymar.)

I do understand that they play very different positions to that former Barcelona trio but they have the potential to have the same impact on England. Mount has had a sluggish start to the season, but he does interrupt the other team play with his hard-hitting tackles and high work rate.

Foden hasn’t yet hit his heights of last season this year but still looked threatening, but never threatened the net, he needed some fight to prove himself on the pitch more.

With Grealish, you could see the torn relationship Southgate has with the player after the substitution.

Southgate has had doubts in the past about Grealish and seems to be picking him more due to public outcry. England almost certainly looked more dangerous with Grealish on the pitch but there seems to be a lack of faith for the player from the manager.

This English midfield has so much potential and matches winning ability but now it has left the sails a bit limp.