The News Canon

Monday 6th March 2023 Edition

THE NEWS CANON

Covid 19 – where did it come from? Was it from a lab leak or due to animal transmission?

Go to page 2 to find out!

Brexit is back (in the news) and there is now a ‘new way forward’: The Windsor Framework.

Read on to page 11 to find out more

Ever wondered if and what instruments your teachers play? Well, read on to page 15 to find out more!

The 2023 Nigerian Election has just taken place. Read on to page 5 to find out about Bola Tinubu winning the election.

Covid-19: Lab Leak or Animal Transmission?

By Zahra H

The FBI Director has confirmed that the bureau believes that the origins of Covid-19 were from a government-controlled lab in China. “The FBI has for quite some time now assessed that the origins of the pandemic are most likely a potential lab incident,” he told Fox News. However, many scientists have pointed out that there is no evidence of a leak from a lab, with other US government agencies drawing different conclusions.

Many have suggested that the virus was due to a transmission from animals to humans. After a joint investigation by WHO (World Health Organisation) and China in 2021, the lab leak theory was deemed extremely unlikely. However, this investigation received a lot of criticism with director-general calling for a new inquiry.

Sources: BBC NEWS

The FBI Director’s comments have come a day after there were calls by the US to be more honest about the source of the virus. In the controversial interview on Tuesday, Mr Wray stated that China “had been doing its best to try to thwart and obfuscate” efforts to identify the origins of the virus. In response, the US was accused of “political manipulation” by Beijing.

Other studies have suggested that the virus began in Wuhan’s live seafood and wildlife market, making the leap from animal to human. This marker is within close proximity of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which conducted research into coronaviruses. This has considerably contributed to already high tensions in bilateral ties between the US and China in the wake of the recent spy balloon saga.

By Abigail S

The Disappearance of Nicola Bulley

What happened?

› Nicola Bulley, aged 45, was last seen on Friday 27th January after dropping her children at school at around 8:40.

› She then walked along the river Wyre with her dog named Willow and at 9:01 she logged into a teams conference call.

› At approximately 9:10 a witness, who knows Bulley, saw her walking her dog.

› At 9:20 Bulley’s phone was linked to the area of a bench by the river

› 9:30 the conference call ends but Bulley stayed logged in.

› At 9:35 Nicolas phone was found on a bench along the riverside, the dog was found alone near the bench and Nicola was nowhere to be seen.

› At 11am Bulley is reported missing by the police.

› From 9:20 -9:30 there is a 10-minute window where something happened to Nicola that caused her to go missing.

Where is Nicola?

An investigation began by the police but also local residents who set off on their own search for Bulley. The main focus for the police was to search the river and a specialist underwater search team were brought in to do the job. However, by the 8th February the team looking for Bulley reported that that they believe she is not in the section of the river where detectives believe she fell in.

At this point the investigation gained even more attention, especially online, as people began to create new theories about what happened and where she is now. She couldn’t have just disappeared into thin air! New conspiracies began to appear around their being a thirdparty involvement and theories that she could have been kidnapped began to form.

In a press conference on the 15th the police stated that the users of social media platforms such as TikTok had been visiting the river and this could negatively impact the results of the case. Police warned the public to stop visiting the crime scene as it was making the chance of finding her decrease and also to show respect to Nicola and her family. Later on, further information was released by the police outlining that Bulley was at high risk because of a vulnerability due to issues associated with alcohol and menopause. This classification increased the priority and recourses assigned to the investigation as the police began to look into the fact Nicola could have been drunk when dropping her children at school.

Tragically, on the 19th February Nicola Bulley’s body was discovered in the river about one mile away from where she was last seen. The family released a statement soon after in which they commented on the fact that Nicola, ‘was the centre of our world,’ and ‘she was the one who made our lives so special, and nothing will cast a shadow over that.’ The body was confirmed to be Bulley’s on the 20th .

The police have received huge backlash from how they handled this investigation. The fact that they did not shut of the river to the public, which lead to people visiting the site and destroying evidence. Speculations also rose, as if Nicola was in the river all along, to why it took the police 3 weeks to find her. Perhaps she was placed back there by someone or maybe she was hidden from view?

The cause for death has not been released yet. The positive side is that the body has been found and the family and Nicola can get closure.

#Twitterdown - Top Site's Fifth Outage This Year

By Hope H

After Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter this October, things haven’t been going well for the platform. This Wednesday, they were hit by another outage, with thousands of people worldwide unable to use the site. This outage marks one of a series for the platform, but what happened, and why? Read on to find out!

Troubles ahead

The problems started at 10:00 GMT, with thousands of reports on sites such as Downdetector indicating that the site was facing severe problems. Many tweeters received a ‘welcome to twitter’ message upon opening the app, with others receiving error messages or were unable to refresh their feeds. Twitter’s ‘for you’ feed, a collection of tweets collated by an algorithm to suit your possible interests, appeared to be reinstated shortly after the issue was detected; however, the ‘following’ feed took longer to be fixed, with many users still reporting errors hours later.

Welcome to Twitter!

Outages are nothing new to Twitter, particularly since Musk’s website takeover. However, during this outage, users were reportedly able to tweet messages and view the ‘trending topics’ tab, leading to trends such as ‘#twitterdown’, ‘MyTwitter’ and ‘Welcome to twitter’ registering as top trends across the platform.

Staff cuts; are Elon’s layoffs the root cause?

The reliability of Twitter has deteriorated since Musk’s takeover, with four outages this February alone, compared to nine outages seen by the platform in the entirety of 2022. The cause of the latest outage is still unclear; however, many had speculated that it comes after Musk’s latest staff cutdown, which left Twitter with only 2000 employees, less than a third of the 7500 it had when Musk took over in October. The latest layoffs reportedly affected dozens of engineers responsible for keeping the site online, which many have cited as the probable reason behind this week’s outage.

Though the company is unlikely to collapse entirely, the recent outages, described by internet outage tracker Netblock’s director as ‘avoidable’, seem to be on the rise, and twitters future appears to be more precarious than ever.

Bola Tinubu Wins Nigeria's Presidential Election

By Yasmine A

Bola Tinubu, 70, was declared the winner of Nigeria’s presidential election after gaining 37% of the vote, which translates to almost 8.8 million votes. Atiku Abubakar stood as his main rival, polling at 29%, followed by Labour’s Peter Obi at 25%.

However, their parties have urged a rerun, with the Labour Party’s presidential campaign spokesperson stating: “We are defiant. The elections were rigged.” They are joined by the south-eastern Anambra state of which Mr Obi was once governor, where many feel bitter towards what they view as a fraudulent election.

When Mr Tinubu was governor, he focused his campaign on rebuilding the country's largest city, Lagos. Despite being beaten in the city by Peter Obi, he still managed to win in most of the other states in the southwest, where many see him as a ‘political godfather’.

Celebrations have taken place in these southwestern states with drummers lining the streets, alongside marches to a live band. In places such as the capital, where people did not support Mr Tinubu, life has reportedly returned to normal. Despite feelings of disappointment in the north-eastern Adamawa state following Mr Abubakar’s loss, there has been a general consensus that it is time for him to move on.

Mr Tinubu ran for president under the motto “Emi lo kan,” which translates to “It’s my turn” in Yoruba. In making his acceptance speech, Mr Tinubu said "I take this opportunity to appeal to my fellow contestants to let us team up together. It is the only nation we have. It is one country, and we must build it together."

Mr Obi made clear that Labour’s lawyers were in the process of putting documents together in order to contest Mr Tinubu’s win. Official figures record voter turnout at 27%, the lowest seen since 1999 when military control ended.

Mr Tinubu’s 8.8 million ballots accounted for less than 10% of the 93 million Nigerians who registered to vote in the election. This may have been due to issues with the voting system that day because voting did not take place due to a late start. Southern states such as Lagos and Delta also saw cases of voter intimidation and ballotbox snatching.

Mr Tinubu will now focus on uniting a nation that is fragmented due to regional and religious reasons. While he received 25% of the vote in two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states, the nature of his victory suggests there is a lack of a genuinely national party.

Mr Tinubu must now resolve issues such as economic decline and instability around the country following Islamic conflict, as well as the national crisis of abduction for ransom and assaults in the southeast.

Image (above) sourced from International Crisis Group – from the 23rd December 2022

Image (left) sourced from the Premium Times Nigeria

Ukraine: Claims That War is Fake Gone Viral

By Finn D

THE WAR IS NOT FAKE

One year ago, almost to the day, Russian military forces invaded Ukrainian territory, starting a war that has proliferated terror and vast damage across the nation.

The first anniversary of the invasion has provoked many right-winged influencers in the US with vast numbers of followers to spread baseless and unjustified claims that the war is fake. These people have suggested that the war is just a hoax, a twisted lie spun by Western governments to create a case against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Many of these false claims have argued that there is a ‘lack of war footage’ (commentator) and that there were ‘no detailed updates’ (Twitter influencer) about the conflict. However, these claims can easily be dismissed as false due to the evidence and footage of global broadcasts, foreign governments and news updates that are accessible.

At the beginning of the invasion, video footage of an apartment building in Kiev which had been hit by a missile was shared across the world, and images of this same building have recently been shared again on social media. However, in the recent images, the building had been repaired

and partially reconstructed, leading to claims that the building was never hit, as it would not be possible for them to repair it during the war.

Over the past few days, a video showing a reporter in Ukraine standing in front of many corpses with one of these corpses supposedly ‘moving’ has gone viral. Tweets claiming that this is ‘proof’ of actors who are being specifically hired to be these dead bodies in order to support the Western side of the conflict have been viewed by millions.

Photos and a video shared through social media in the past couple of days claim to show the revealing of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s body double. This claim has been disproven and the man is Zelensky’s personal bodyguard.

The war in Ukraine has not only led to devastation and death across the country, but has also given rise to large numbers of right-wing influencers sharing their baseless claims with millions of followers on social media.

!! The tweets below are fake !! Images sourced from The BBC

A Game of Hide and Seek

Warning: This article may contain distressing information

By Rhiya K

The Freedom of Information requests by BBC News to forty-five police forces have revealed that 729 sex offenders had gone missing or were wanted for arrest from 2019-2021. Where are they hiding? Read on to find out about the situation.

Where have they gone?

The Home Office says it has ‘some of the toughest powers in the world to deal with sex offenders”. Yet hundreds of sex offenders across the UK have seemed to magically disappear from the system. Survivors of sexual abuse have urged the government to introduce new law which will ban sex offenders from changing their names. Many perpetrators change their names to escape authorities and their past. MP Sarah Champion raised this situation in parliament, highlighting that when perpetrators change their names, they can now apply for new identity documents, allowing them to possible secure jobs working with children.

At least 1,400 children were the victims of abuse between 1997 and 2013.

How does it happen?

What exacerbates this problem further, is the ease at which a perpetrator can change their name. The costs to change your name as on offender vary. £42.44 for an enrolled deed poll, where the applicant’s new name was added to public records. Some change their names in prison by paying an administrative fee of £15 for an unenrolled deed poll which required two witnesses, Ms Champion previously told Parliament.

£15.

What is the current law?

When someone is added to the Sex Offenders Register, they are obligated to provide personal details to the police such as their name and any aliases they may have been known by. Annually, they must visit the police station to notify the police of any changes to these details. Chief Constable Michelle Skeer said, ‘Whilst anybody could change their name these additional legislative obligations were monitored closely’.

Continue reading on the next page

Della Wright

Della Wright has called the government to get sex offenders banned from changing their names once they are added to the register. She was abused at the age of six by Terry Price who was sentenced in 2017 to 22 years in prison, along with a 5-year extension after being found guilty of sex offences involving children. However, now he, aged 60, changed his name before proceeding to offend again, changing his name between court hearings to Mister Mac. She says that the system is ‘far too simplistic’ and ‘open to abuse.’

‘Since the court case, my whole world has become very small. I used to like music and festivals, but I don’t go anywhere. I can’t travel by myself’.

Although some say that perpetrators change their name for a better life and protect their family, the number of offenders who use this flaw in the system to their advantage is horrific.

There had been more than 5,500 offences committed by sex offenders of failing to comply

with notification requirements such as not telling police they were living in a household with a child.

Tighter and well-regulated legislation and laws are needed to monitor the behaviour and nature of these perpetrators, so they don’t reoffend. Change is needed to ensure that people in our society today can freely carry out their day-to-day routine without worrying about these hundreds of offenders playing their games of hide and seek.

Teacher Strikes

By Kishana

Many upon thousands of schools across the UK are facing interruptions as teachers go on strike again over pay. In England (excluding London), the rough minimum amount per year for teachers is £28,000. For independent schools, the rough minimum for teachers is £50,000. (These are all estimations). The government is proposing a 3% pay raise for most teachers in 2024, however the NEU (National Education Union) says this is not enough. Therefore, the NEU are holding strikes scheduled on the 15th and 16th of march in schools in England and Wales. So, are other unions striking? Yes, this is the case across the UK. In Scotland, the EIS (Educational Institute of Scotland) held strikes on 28th February and 1st March and in Northern Ireland, most teachers walked out of schools for half a day on 21st February.

With the current situation ongoing and unresolved, it is hard to predict what will happen. Only time will tell.

House Prices See Biggest Annual Fall in the Last Decade

By Samhita

The UK house prices fell by 1.1% from February 2022 to February 2023, as higher mortgage rates and living costs made houses less affordable. Apart from a small drop at the start of the pandemic, this is the first annual fall in property values since 2012.

“Economicheadwindslooksettoremain relativelystrong,withthelabourmarketwidely expectedtoweakenastheeconomyshrinksin thequartersahead,”saiditschiefeconomist, RobertGardner.Hepredictedpropertyprices wouldfallby5-6%fromtheirpeakinAugust 2022.

The price of an average property has decreased by almost £1,000 since January 2023 and 3.7% lower than its peak in August 2022. This can be tied to rising mortgage rates last year as the Bank of England put up interest rates to tackle the high cost of living. After Liz Truss’s mini-Budget in September, the mortgage rates through financial markets into chaos. UK approved 39,637 mortgages for house purchases in January, the lowest number since 2009.

People were holding off buying new homes since they expected house prices to drop further. Pantheon Macroeconomics reckons house prices will fall over the next few months to about 8% below their peak

Capital Economics said that “even if buyer volumes have recovered, the amount they can spend on a new home has been reduced by higher mortgage rates”.

Continue reading to find out about:

The endangered cheetah cub ‘Pirouz’ who sadly died in captivity - pg. 13

Carbon Capture – the new way to fight climate change - pg. 15

Glastonbury festival: what names have been confirmed for this year’s festival – celeb news pg. 15

Constance Marten and Mark Gordon Arrest: Baby’s Body Found

Warning this article may contain distressing information

By Tara E

The Arrest:

Constance Marten and Mark Gordon – a convicted rapist and registered sex offender –were arrested on Monday in Brighton after a member of the public recognised them and called the police. Initially they were held on suspicion of child neglect but were later arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. They could face up to 18 years in prison for these criminal offences.

They remained in custody but gave no information about the baby. They would not even provide the gender of the baby.

They had been missing for 53 days. The search began when their car was found on fire near Bolton. They fled the scene and travelled to Liverpool, Essex, London, and East Sussex. They travelled in public at night and by covering their faces to avoid being spotted.

The Baby:

Police say Marten had given birth recently and the baby was said to have been born in the back of the car without any medical attention. On Tuesday as statement was released by the police urging the public to help with the search for the baby and report any potential sightings in Brighton or Newhaven.

There was a possibility that the child was being looked after by someone but the police knew that this was highly unlikely. It was predicted that the child would be about two months old now and due to cold weather, it was unlikely the child survived. The baby was alive at the time of the sighting of the couple in Newhaven, but it is unknown what happened in between that time until now.

Update – Baby Found:

On the afternoon on March 1st, the remains of a baby’s body were found in a wooded area by police officers. The search covered 90-square miles of the woods involving sniffer dogs, drones, and thermal cameras. The body was found near to where Constance Marten and Mark Gordon were arrested on the evening of Monday 27th February. Police have not confirmed whether the baby was theirs, but this will be confirmed in the post-mortem.

Hundreds of police officers and volunteers searched for the missing child in a huge 48-hour search. The babies age and gender have not yet been determined but the police were granted an extra 36 hours to question the couple.

Sunak’s NEW Windsor Framework

By Vanya D

A brief overview:

The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has signed a new deal with the European Union over post- Brexit trading agreements for Northern Ireland (NI) on the 27th February. This agreement between Rishi Sunak and Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, comes after months of discussion over the previous controversial agreement for the region. The Windsor Framework is an improved deal, aiming to substantively ease how the protocol will work for businesses as well as individuals, by establishing a “sea border” instead of a “hard border”.

What is the Northern Ireland Protocol and why was it opposed?

The Northern Ireland Protocol is a protocol to the Brexit-withdrawal agreement that governed the customs, immigration and trade between Northern Ireland, the rest of the UK and the EU. It was ratified in January 2020 by Boris Johnson, alongside the withdrawal agreement. The protocol prevented a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland from being created and established free flow of goods throughout Ireland. However, it created barriers between NI and the rest of the UK. Furthermore, it kept NI in the EU market, thus subjecting them to certain rules of the EU like customs checks and trade controls.

This was met by strong opposition from unionist parties in NI, like the DUP. They argued that this agreement was effectively creating a border by generating trade barriers between NI and the rest of the UK, thus making them second-class citizens in comparison to those of England, Wales, and Scotland. Businesses claimed that checks on goods entering NI from GB were disrupting trade, creating additional paperwork, increasing prices, and bankrupting businesses. Legal experts said NI could be “symbolically separated” from the rest of Britain.

How does the Windsor Framework amend this Protocol?

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak moved from a confrontational approach of trying to rewrite the entire protocol to genuine resolution of amending the existing one. The new agreement contains 3 substantive changes on how the protocol will operate:

1. Checks on goods moving from Great Britain into Northern Ireland

Previously, all products moving across the Irish Sea would require the same regulations including customs declarations and certificates. Now, under the new arrangements, 2 lanes will be created - red and green.

Green lanes: To use the green lanes, businesses will have to register under the new United Kingdom Market Scheme (UKIMS) which will then face minimal paperwork and no routine physical checks.

Red lanes: Goods moving on to the Republic of Ireland and the rest of the EU will face the usual third country checks.

- It also adds that pets can be moved between GB and NI without an additional passport (good news!) and personal parcels can be sent without additional costs or paperwork (cheaper shipping!)

- This clause also means drugs approved for use by UK’s medicines regulators will be automatically available in NI.

2. Issue of NI VAT and state-aid status

Under the new deal, the rules on the structure of excise duties have been loosened thus bringing NI’s VAT status into conformity with GB’s and allowing a lower VAT rate than is compatible with EU law.

3. How the protocol is governed and who enforces it

It has been agreed that the Northern Ireland Protocol, like any other EU law, will remain under direct jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice (ECJ). This is good outcome for businesses as if their rights are infringed, they are guaranteed remedies by EU courts.

What has the response to the Windsor Framework been like?

The proposed agreement does not need parliamentary approval. However, the PM has promised that MPs in London will have an opportunity to vote on it. Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer has indicated that Labour will vote in favour of the Windsor Framework as it is in ‘national interest’. Brexit hardliners are yet to respond to the news but are unlikely to incite a significant rebellion.

However, the DUP still insists that NI should not be subject to any EU involvement and is boycotting the devolved assembly in Stormont over the issue. The PM’s aides have said they hope the greater say over EU rules will be enough to win over the Unionists, but it is unlikely to have their backing for the deal immediately. While Sunak’s government doesn’t need DUP votes to pass the deal, their support is crucial in resuming power sharing in Northern Ireland. Despite DUP’s disagreement, Northern Irish businesses have reacted positively to the news, with an end to the uncertainty and challenge of trade. Northern Irish Minister Steve Baker has said the deal was a “triumph”.

Overall, the response to the new Windsor Framework has been positive as almost everybody agrees it is better than the status quo, which only fuelled political and economic instability. In its editorial comment, the Daily Telegraph said this was “arguably [Sunak’s] best day yet as prime minister” adding that “time will tell if he has pulled off a political triumph”. The Dublin- based Irish Times sees it as a “route to stability and progress” and adds that the very nature of Brexit means that no agreement will give everybody what they want.

In conclusion, this new agreement brings about legal certainty for businesses and investors, political stability in Northern Ireland and resolves the most practical problems to ordinary people caused by Brexit. This deal has bettered UK-EU relations which will unlock progress into many frozen issues with the EU. This includes the UK’s membership of the Horizon Project which would bolster security and foreign policy cooperation and could effectively deepen cooperation on other mutual interests like the energy crisis. The deal also portrays Sunak as a more credible character to the US Biden administration, who care deeply about peace in Northern Ireland. Thus, this deal should be supported by all parties when the time comes for MPs to vote on it.

Endangered Asiatic Cheetah Cub ‘Pirouz’ Dies in Captivity

By Tara A

Of the three endangered Asiatic cheetah cubs born in Iran on 1st May 2022, Pirouz was the only survivor. The three cubs were born in the Touran Wildlife Refuge by caesarean section, the first birth of an Asiatic cheetah in captivity.

On 28th February 2023, it was announced that Pirouz died due to kidney failure after undergoing dialysis. The cub, Pirouz, meaning “victorious” in Farsi, had brought national pride to Iran upon his birth.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Asiatic cheetah, biologically named Acinonyx jubatus venaticus, is highly endangered and is categorized as a threat of “dangerous ongoing decline.” Iran’s department of environment had hoped that with the birth of the cubs in captivity and their health being looked after, the cheetah

population would increase again and that this species would come out of its critical condition of endangerment.

Amir Moradi, head of the hospital, spoke out to Iran and apologized to the people for their inability to “keep Pirouz alive” in a video message.

Pirouz was one of the leading icons of the protests against the dictatorship regime in Iran. Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Shervin Hajipour mentioned Pirouz and his possible extinction in the revolution anthem song ‘Baraye.’

Photo (taken by Alireza Masoumi) of Pirouz playing with his main caretaker Alireza Shardari

War in Ukraine Enters Second Year: What Zelensky Says:

By Anya B

President Zelensky has addressed the ongoing situation in the city of Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. For over six months now, Russian forces have attempted to take over this Ukrainian city which has seen the brunt of the fighting since the war began last February. It is currently under Russian control, with “practically all roads … under [Russian] fire control”, as said by Denis Pushilin, who has been the acting Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic since Russia annexed the DPR in 2022.

Russian military has imposed “the most prepared assault units” into Bakhmut, however there is currently no sign of Ukraine’s forces withdrawing from the area. President Zelensky gave an address on Monday, remarking that the attempts to defend the city are being challenged by the Russian forces’ new advancements.

The US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen paid a visit to Kyiv last Monday and announced that $1.25bn will be transferred as economic aid to Ukraine given the circumstances; she also noted that despite Russia’s economy maintaining its strength even with the numerous sanctions from Ukrainian allies, the decline of the economy is imminent and to be expected. Her words act as

the small beacon of hope in the seemingly dark future for the war in Ukraine.

While Ukraine is being supported financially by numerous countries around the world, including many of the Western powers such as the UK, USA, Canada and Germany, recently the Chinese government has shown signs of considering the supply of ammunitions for the Russian forces. While this has been denied by the Chinese government, diplomat Wang Yi and Vladimir Putin met in Russia’s capital city of Moscow last week, which many have taken to mean a potential collaboration between the two countries.

While the nature of the war in Ukraine in the near future is unforeseeable, the Press Secretary of the Kremlin Dmitry Peskov has stated that Ukraine must acknowledge and accept Putin’s annexations of Ukrainian regions, such as Donetsk, in order for negotiations to be made between the two countries. Zelensky has refused to recognise Russian control of these areas. As the war in Ukraine enters its second year, the Ukrainian President joins the sorrows of many people around the world in agreeing that the situation appears to be ongoing and expresses his gratitude for “each and every person who is heroically holding” the country together.

Above image sourced from The Financial Times

Left: A source published in the South China Morning Post regarding the perceived collaboration between Russia and China (quotes from BBC)

Carbon capture: what is it and how does it fight climate change?

By Aryn L

The UK government is ready to announce where it will be built soon- there are three proposals under debate: one at Keadby in north Lincolnshire and two near Redcar on Teesside. The carbon capture plant is designed to stop most of the carbon dioxide it produces being released into the atmosphere.

How does it work?

Burning fossil fuels in order to generate electricity emits CO2- the main driver of climate change. The carbon capture process stops most of the CO2 produced from being released by either re-using it or storing it underground. In this new power station, the CO2 would be captured and stored under the North Sea- either in old oil and gas reservoirs or permeable rocks.

“Thesepowerstationslooklikeanotherexcuse forthegovernmenttoshowpreferencetotheir friendsintheoilandgasindustry,making energymoreexpensivetoeveryoneelse’s disadvantage,”saysGreenpeacecampaignerDr DougParr.

How much CO2 will it remove?

In 2021 the UK emitted 425 million tonnes of CO2. By comparison, none of the three proposed carbon capture plants claims to capture more than 2 million tonnes a year. The government has set a target to capture between 20 and 30 million tonnes of CO2 a year by 2030.

How much will carbon capture cost?

Carbon capture technology has been mainly used so far in industries where captured CO2 can be reused, e.g. to force out oil and gas from underground reserves. There aren’t plans to use the CO2 from the new proposed power stations. In comparison to a new gas power station in Keadby that costed £350 million, building a similar sized gas power station with carbon capture would be roughly double the cost. There are some who see carbon capture as too expensive and think the money would be better spent on renewables and power storage, like batteries.

Why is carbon capture needed?

These power plants are part of the government’s commitment to remove carbon from UK electricity production by 2035, along with increased use of nuclear energy and other technologies. The government hope to build at least one power plant by the mid-2020showever, that deadline now looks improbable.

Do other countries have carbon capture?

In September 2022 there were only 30 carbon capture facilities in the world. Once built, it’s hoped other industries would use the UK power station’s pipeline to store CO2 under the North Sea.

Heading image sourced from The BBC

Celebrity News:

While announcing his upcoming new album - (Subtract), Ed Sheeran revealed to the public that his wife, Cherry Seaborn, has been diagnosed with a tumour while pregnant with their second birth. During this time, the singer was being faced with a copyright trial, and was in court every day. While the couple welcomed their second daughter last May, Sheeran has not provided an update on his wife’s health. The album is set for release on the 5th of May 2023, with Sheeran playing a handful of shows around the UK and Paris

Justin Bieber has cancelled all of the remaining shows for the rest of his world tour following health issues. He had postponed the tour several times, informing fans last summer that he was suffering from facial paralysis after a diagnosis of Ramsay Hunt Syndrome (RHS). Fans have not been refunded yet, however are understanding that Bieber’s health comes as a priority.

Glastonbury festival 2023 sold out in record speed this year after major headliners were released a couple of days ago. The names confirmed include Sr Elton John, Artic Monkey, Guna N’ Roses. The first wave of names included Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Lana Del Ray and Lewis Capaldi!

Teacher Interviews:

Do you play any instruments?

When asked if he played any instruments, Mr Waddington reported that he had played the recorder until Grade 2 before sadly quitting to follow his passion for the drums!

Miss Glover used to play the guitar! But unfortunately, she does not currently play it. However, she stated that she would love to play the drums because it “looks cool” and she would be able to “make a lot of noise”, which she aspires to do.

Interestingly, for secondary school, Mr Dave attended a school that specialised in music. He grew up playing the violin and piano, while participating in many orchestras, even giving up his Saturdays to practise!

Mr Adams has never played an instrument. He would like to play piano as it is so versatile and can ‘be turned into anything’. He would play anything but the violin as he does not like the sound of violins.

The Team:

Executive editor and layout editor: Zarah

Head editor: Ai Yi

Head reporter: Dakshka

Head re-searcher: Lana L

Sub editors: Alana, Amber, Antara, Aryn, Dakshka, Dara, Fran, Imani, Karina, Lina, Mahi, Sania, Sophia M, Sophia P

Journalists: Vanya, Abigail, Zahra, Tara A, Samhita, Hope, Yasmine, Finn, Rhiya, Anya, Kishana, Tara E

Source: all news articles are written based on the BBC’s articles unless specified otherwise