The official newspaper of Leeds University
Leeds Climate Commission presents roadmap to net-zero
www.thegryphon.co.uk Twitter: @TheGryphonLeeds Instagram: @thegr yphon Issue 3 27/01/21
Hidden political landscape
(Page 12)
A call for compensation
(Page 17)
Molly Tudor
Our exit from Erasmus
(Page 20)
How green are meat substitutes?
(Page 24)
In the Middle Music and Clubs, Fashion, Arts and Culture, Blogs and Lifestyle
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Editor’s letter Credits Editor-In-Chief Newspaper Associates
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Contents: 4-7 8-15 16 17-20 21-22 23-24 25-26
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Student Exec columns: Izzy Walter
New year, new plans:
with
Lotti
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Carolina HallRodriguez One
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to ongoing
Franks Feng (Jian)
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Sophia Hartley
Lotti Morton
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LUU FB Community page
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Lucy Murphy
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Campus Watch
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University of Exeter
Students urged to take two COVID-19 tests upon arrival
In a pledge to create a safe campus University of Exeter has provided students with the following advice: students should isolate for at least three days, having received a negative test result. After three days, students
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they are clear of COVID-19. After receiving two negative tests results, students will be able to attend any face-to-face teaching, study spaces and communal areas on campus.” The University aims to conduct 50,000 tests this January. This amount of testing will mean that all 22,540
students at the university should be able to gain access to at least two tests. However, not all students are enthusiastic about Exeter’s pledge. One student told the Gryphon, “I don’t think many people will bother given that study spaces remain limited and the majority of teaching at the university will remain online.” Teaching began on the 11th of January for all UoE students and access to testing will be available between the 4th of January and the 5th of February. Madeleine Williams
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University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent sustainable universities
Both the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University have made universities in the world. Run by the University of Indonesia, the UI Green Metric rankings judge universities based on their commitment to improving sustainability. With over 900 universities participating in the rankings worldwide,
sustainability continue to be recognised. in 2010, the University of Nottingham has consistently been placed in the top four. One of the university’s greatest achievements is its yearly reduction in carbon emissions, which in total has decreased by 36%, as well as its global research programme that has invested millions into investigating how worldwide sustainability can be increased. Nottingham Trent has also made huge contributions towards sustainability, most sustainable universities for the four consecutive years. This year, Nottingham Trent was the only UK university to score full marks in the education section, which looked into factors including university events and societies that relate to sustainability. Madeline Williams
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University of Edinburgh
Students feel “tricked” into paying for accomodation
Students at the University of Edinburgh have spoken out on their frustration at paying for expensive accommodation whilst undertaking online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Universities across the UK are facing challenges from all angles as they respond to fast-changing developments in testing, government guidelines and now complaints from students who feel that they have been lied to. One student, Bailey-Lee Robb, 18, is a student at Edinburgh University and made the decision to move into halls costing almost £800 per month after he was told his university course would consist of a mixture of online and inperson learning. He and other students across the country have been “tricked.” Bailey-Lee has joined the many students across the UK calling for and Edinburgh has since agreed to waive the rent payment for the period that students are prohibited from returning to campus by government guidelines. This follows similar actions by private accommodation companies. Other universities which will not require rent to be paid while students aren’t living in halls. Isabelle Thom News Editor
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University of Oxford University given £100m to launch antibiotics institute
The University of Oxford has received one of its largest-ever donations of £100 million to fund the development of new drugs to combat antibioticresistant ‘superbugs’. Ineos, one of the world’s largest chemical producers, has made the donation to Oxford University so that an institute dedicated to antimicrobial research can begin work on drugs for both animals and humans. These new drugs will tackle the issues presented by an emergence of ‘superbugs’ which have developed resistance to typical antibiotics. Scientists and medical professionals have become increasingly concerned about the ability of new strains of common illnesses and infections to withstand most antibiotics, prompting the investment into research to combat the problem. Professor Louise Richardson, ViceChancellor at the University of Oxford, said: “I think that the pandemic has shown us just the extraordinarily high costs if you ignore a problem that is potentially headed your way. “We know that human antibiotics are, with every passing year, becoming fewer and fewer because of the growth of resistance so it’s absolutely imperative that we act.” Isabelle Thom News Editor
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Keele University
Introduction of new foundation courses
Keele University has just revealed that it will be introducing brand new foundation courses for January 2021. Prospective students can opt in for a wide range of courses in science, humanities, business and social sciences. These options provide a gateway for those who desire a career change and also to mature students who have chosen to study later in life. Spokesperson Robbie Pickles commented: “This new entry route is a natural extension of Keele’s prospective students to progress into higher education.
ensure as many people as possible, in from the opportunities Keele provides.” Hopefully, these degrees will provide an entry into higher education for many. Kerisa Carlin News Editor
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Online learning: A pandemic of exam cheating? Ada Dajani The University of Calgary found that in the past year, the number of students cheating had increased by over 200%.
are expected to place the mirror in a position that allows their entire room to be observed by the camera. When questioned, Chancellor Abdullah Atalar said: “For
In Texas, a student at the A&M University resorted to begging for forgiveness in an open letter after he used a site providing academic aid that he allegedly was unaware was prohibited.
such a thing, two cameras are needed. But with a mirror, there is no need for another camera. Also, we sent the mirrors to the students for free.” He continued, “The number of cheating students in our university is low. But even
Following reports that the University of Waterloo had recorded 1,340 incidents of
if one cheats, he or she can take one step ahead of another.”
cheating in the past year, Amanda Mckenzie, Director of Academic Quality Assurance, argued that the rise in cheating could be attributed to the shift to online learning causing confusion for students. She stated that this could lead to an increase in integrity”, arguing that reforms to improve the education system overall should be introduced instead. Online monitoring tools have been branded as invasive by some. Systems range activity. A student at the University of New South Wales detailed their experience with online monitoring software Examity. “You must turn on your webcam, show your desk space, your hands and where you have your phone on at all times.”
surrounding such programmes and Examity notes that students should hand over data “at their own risk”. One student at another Australian university described this as “creepy and unacceptable.”
versions of the same test and allowing tests to only be taken once.
Image: Maariyah Fulat Bilkent University Image: Unsplash. Image Credit: Ed Barnes in Turkey’s capital Ankara has taken a unique approach,
sending mirrors to over 11,000 students for use in videoed online exams. Students
Image: Unsplash
chambers. Meanwhile, Vice-President Pence was evacuated from
F.B.I and Homeland Security agents made their way to Washington in the afternoon, reported Barnes and
the Capitol, whilst House and Senate representatives
Mazzetti of the NYT.
our way out,” said Democratic Representative Crow.
Soon after, the rioters had made their way to the Black
“This is wrong,” wrote South California Representative
Lives Matter Plaza, where they were met by anti-
Nancy Mace in a tweet after being evacuated from her
Trump groups. Fighting between the two parties was
As the 6pm curfew neared, crowds began to disperse.
tackled by D.C. police. nation.”
Image: Michael Reynolds/ EPA
On the 6th January, Pro-Trump mobs stormed the
the Capitol grounds. “These f------ are lucky we’re
called for Trump to demand that his supporters end
not here with our AR-15s,” one man said in protest.
the siege on national television. “I call on this mob
Not long after 6pm, hundreds of rioters made their way
to pull back and allow the work of democracy to go
away from the site under arrest. Reportedly, shouts of
forward,” Biden urged. Soon after Biden’s demands for
“We’ll be back, traitors,” and “United States civil war!”
peace, President Trump tweeted a video in which urged
could be heard on loudspeaker.
his followers to go home. “We had an election that was stolen,” he claimed, reiterating his unsubstantiated
President-elect Biden’s presidential victory.
Meanwhile, police began to push back protesters on
Former Vice President and President-elect Biden
Trump incited the violence at the Capitol, and have
“This is
claims of widespread voter fraud. “We love you. You are
what the president has caused today, this insurrection,”
very special.” Vice President Pence also called for an
impeached for a second time. He will face a trial in the
Republican Senator Mitt Romney said as he was being
end to the violence. The results of the riot were deadly,
Senate after he leaves the White House on charges of
hurried away to a safe location.
‘inciting insurrection’, a move which could potentially
Earlier that day, Trump could be heard encouraging his supporters to attend rallies as he repeated his
The New York Times later reported a pipe bomb found
International leaders have also spoken out. NATO
false claim of a fraudulent Presidential race. Shortly
at the Republican National Committee’s headquarters
Secretary Jens Stoltenberg described the Washington
afterwards, Trump supporters surged into the building,
and an unknown package at the D.N.C. Whilst this was
scenes as “shocking”, while Prime Minister Boris
many stating a “stolen” election as motivation, causing
ongoing, talks of the National Guard being deployed
Johnson declared them “disgraceful.”
chaos and damage as they approached the legislative
were surging across social media.
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Brexit: What changed on the 1st of January? Molly Tudor
Trade: Travel rules:
Erasmus Scheme:
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The end of free movement:
Nicola Sturgeon criticised the decision as “cultural vandalism by the UK government”
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Investigations continue into Indonesian plane crash © Geert Vanden Wijngaert/
Sarah Garraway On the 9th of January, Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 crashed
Fortunately, a breakthrough in the search has since
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then saw the big wave, about two meters high, hitting
before the incident and Sriwijaya Air has not had any
Indonesian navy, police, coast guard and Transportation Ministry are all taking part in the search.
crash but that they could smell fuel and saw debris in
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The aircraft reportedly had a good safety record before the incident and Sriwajaya Air has not had any crashes since its opening in 2003. Investigations have revealed that the aircraft’s engines were still operating during the crash.
the plane crashed in the waters near the Thousand Islands, about 35km
the crew’s conversation, any radio transmissions and
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Boeing has issued a statement on the matter: “Our thoughts are with the crew, passengers, and their families. We are in contact with our airline customers and stand ready to support
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Disinformation and January 6th: Who could have seen this coming? Alice Spall A faction of the ‘ultimate patriots’ took up the callings to arms earlier this month, storming the Capitol building to ‘protect their country’ and ‘defend their president’. After months of watching their president declare a rigged election, demanding them as a shock for most of America and the rest of the world, but was it really a surprise? More than 100 arrests taken place are connected to the riot, but let’s be clear: deered it and allowed disinformation to spread online. Using all the tricks in been building this anger and unrest for years, using social media to spread fake was not enough, and he was banned from all mainstream social media sites.
tion, as conspiracy theories began to spiral suggesting Democrats had supporters that this was not a rigged election, but instead, the courts’ actions simply reinforced the belief that the liberal elite was against them. the dark forces of the deep state. Conspiracy theories such as QAnon and Pizzagate, which were once secluded to dark corners of the internet, are now -
tioning by the UK parliament and the US Congress to discuss what chang-
But this year, the pressure was well and truly on as there was so much ing the Capitol and executing the ‘treasonous’ members of congress online. ers started to spread the message online. By the time the results rolled
ments, encouraged by fake news and conspiracy theories, harnessing the power of social media.
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Victim narratives: Not a black/ white issue
A doctor with patients as part of the Tuskegee syphilis study Image: The New York Times
Last month, Oxford University announced that it was looking into proposals to ban ‘inappropriate contact’ between its academics and students Isabel Ralphs In a nod to similar regulations already in place at a number of Ivy League universities and, more recently, UCL in the UK, the new plans pus for having any kind of intimate relationship with someone they are teaching or supervising. On the one hand, the additional protections are long overdue. Alongside its regular position at the top of the university league tables, in 2017 Oxford found itself in the number 1 spot of another set of rankings when it reported the highest number of any British university. Enforcing the existing advice against sexual relations with real sanctions and punishment could be a welcomed antidote to the issue. However, on the other, by their very nature, the new rules serve to restrict individual liberties – whether for better or for worse. Sexual assault, harassment and rape are already illegal. What telling young female students who they can and cannot sleep with might risk, is feeding into a victim narrative that paints women as vulnerable, defenceless and in need of protecting from their own personal decisions. Arguably, the true mark of an equal society is one where women have the freedom to make their own decisions and live with any of the fallout that comes from them. A hidden implication in Oxford’s proposal to enforce what has previously been only advisory, is that it does not believe that its female students are capable of doing this. It is worth noting that the proposals do not make explicit reference to female victims, however (telling in itself) all of the coverage around the topic has painted it as a gendered issue. Victim narratives are essentially accounts of groups that focus on their experience of injury, injustice and misfortune. The term - long a buzzword of 21st century woke culture - is a complicated one. As with many such buzzwords, it is also marred by division and controversy, making important conWhilst feeding into these narratives excessively can risk becoming counterproductive, ignoring the victim-status of historically marginalised groups can be problematic too. Sadly, historical power imbalances between genders are not yet entirely a thing themselves in toxic relationships and afraid that their
could arguably still be a necessary precaution to take. The tenuous line between protecting victims and cently at another higher education institute, this time across the pond at Cornell University. As part of its COVID-19 response, the Ivy League college required turning to its New York campus. However, students identifying as a person of colour could seek an exemption to the otherwise college-wide mandate because of “historical injustices and current events.” Citing the history of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) groups being ‘ “mistreated and used by people in power, sometimes ment goes on to say that it is “understandable that the… requirements may feel suspect or even exploitative to some BIPOC members of the Cornell community.”
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Are they providing marginalised groups with a necessary boost up the ladder where oppressive forces would
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they actually a patronising handout?
The logic is loosely based in the oft-cited critical race theory which argues that legal institutions and law are inherently racist and that race itself is socially constructed by white people to wield power over people of colour. During a recent expression of advocacy for the COVID-19 vaccine, former President Barack Obama addressed historical precedent which could contribute to the scepticism of some African Americans; citing the famous Tuskegee Syphilis Study in the 1900s, where Black men infected with syphilis were tricked into thinking they were being treated when they were actually being given a placebo drug. Whilst people of colour in America have every right to still be angry at their historical and continued mistreatment on the grounds of race, whether this means they should be given special exemption from vaccine mandates is another (arguably not entirely related) matter. In fact, singling them out in this way could actually risk furthering their exclusion and infantilization. Again, whilst their victim status cannot be
denied, drawing special attention to it might not always result in the positive consequences intended. It is these same kinds of issues that feature in debates tion policies. Are they providing marginalised groups with a necessary boost up the ladder where oppressive actually a patronising hand-out? Worse, could they be giving fuel to the idea that women and POCs only get to where they are as a result of generous policy favours? Wary of exerting my white cis-female opinion too heavily on the subject, I turned to a piece by Shifter magazine co-founder Joe Mebrahtu for inspiration. Mebrahtu admits that even as a Black man he ments, including BLM. He suggests that focusing too heavily on the pains of the past can risk nurturing further discord and fear, and overlooking the fact that “true emancipation starts in the mind.” As interesting as his take is, the real insight actually comes from the comments section – where opinions are starkly split between passionate advocacy for Mebrahtu’s article and vehement opposiillustration of the kind of black and white thinking (pun unintended) that plagues our current political discourse, where opinions that can be summarised by a neat 280-character tweet are king. The reality of the issue is much more complex than that. On the one hand, Mebrahtu is right to encourage personal responsibility and forgiveness. On the other, people can only be 100% responsible for their circumstances if they have 100% control over them. qualities, this is something that many do not have. help and hindrance when it comes to expressand advance the interests of marginalised groups are to be applauded, when this puts too much emphasis on the status of such groups as ‘victims’, the results can risk becoming counterproductive. Sometimes special treatment of minority groups ment. Sometimes, they are a necessary means to an end. That end is unequivocally equal treatment –
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Features
WhatsApp-Facebook Integration: Towards Monopolisation of Information “If you are an existing user, you can choose not to have your WhatsApp account information shared with Facebook to improve your Facebook ads and products experiences.” WhatsApp, a messaging app launched in 2009, was bought by Facebook in 2014.
What has changed and why it matters
dangerous.
Facebook bandwagon, or be kicked out of the platform on 9th February. This put the platform under the spotlight. Many were quick to point out that the tagline,
ensures that WhatsApp or any third party cannot read the messages that are sharing of metadata with Facebook. Metadata is simply other kinds of data that
‘Respect for your privacy is coded in our DNA’
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Among the unending stream of terms and conditions one accepts daily, why
either of two things: that WhatsApp was already sharing metadata with Facebook
because it concerns Facebook and a further concentration of power.
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The argument of ‘ease for the user’ seems to be paraded as a blanket
gain
collection. This is quite in contrast to the Facebook model, which monetises on
WhatsApp-Facebook merge thickens
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becoming real.
is that it would enable people to easily switch from one platform to another.
be able to accumulate users from all the other platforms, which were intense
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sharing, it collects location details using your IP address.
Another point to be noted is to do with third-party information sharing. If you connect to WhatsApp via Facebook or any third-party app (by clicking on WhatsApp share button), that data would be collected. Giving an example, the platform says that “if you use the WhatsApp share button on a news service to share a news article with your WhatsApp contacts”, it will be recorded. So, a user’s sharing patterns, in terms of the particular articles they chose to share, with whom and when, can be very easily found out. This just goes to show that metadata can be very revealing and should be protected too. Such information can be used not just for commercial ad-targeting but also political ad-targeting. The list above is simply overwhelming, and I have still not mentioned all the data that is being collected. While the company does list these, they do not explain why they collect this information – except for stating that it is for safety and security reasons (in a rather ambiguous write-up under ‘How We Use Information’).
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Challenging this monopolisation, Facebook was slammed with antitrust lawsuits by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in early December last year, for But this seems to have come relatively late given it was allowed to buy the would be some respite for users (in terms of concentration of data and power). But that in itself does not guarantee data protection as well as fair data use. At the moment, given WhatsApp’s pushy move, several users are considering switching to alternative texting privacy protections, but that is no permanent solution to our data collection, protection and usage issues. If the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica Scandal has to teach us one thing, it is that we need robust mechanisms
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Cathcart’s continued statements on building WhatsApp’s business capabilities and Zuckerberg’s keenness on integration, adtargeting and revenue generation could only mean that this data is collected to be exploited for commercial gains
The ‘why’ question is important because when we take a look at other messaging services like Telegram and Signal, they collect a lot less data on their users need so much user data to run the platforms. Cathcart’s continued statements on building WhatsApp’s business capabilities and Zuckerberg’s keenness on integration, ad-targeting and revenue generation could only mean that this data is collected to be exploited for commercial gains. At this point, there is also confusion over what these policies mean in the EU (and the UK) as opposed to other parts of the world. While Facebook has come (given EU’s General Data Protection Regulation), the actual policy statement that WhatsApp has laid down for its EU users says the contrary - that their data could be used by Facebook services.
A dangerous info-communication monopoly in the making The move is not only worrying in terms of its implication for user privacy – that has been compromised for quite some time now. It is especially worrisome because of the monopoly powers it gives Facebook in the informationcommunication space. The integration measures could give Facebook unlimited access to users and their data from all three platforms. Facebook already has a lot of power in controlling the communication channels. This would mean that its power would become even more gigantic.
Image: Business Insider
Manasa Narayanan
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The hidden political landscape of our National Parks Those who pursue the ‘Outdoors’ have no doubt formed a distinctive community; one that is atypical and
This identity has, on the one hand, been instrumental in forging environmental stewardship and, on the other, fostered resilience in youths and young adults. Often the physicality and challenge of enduring ‘wild’ landscapes outside can be a means of managing the ongoing battle with mental health so many of us face when we look inwards. Yet, there is an emergent perception that this ‘community’ and ‘identity’ has, and continues to be, an exclusive one. Given that only “2% of the 100
barriers have socio-historically limited – and continue to limit- participation. In doing so, they aimed to envision what might “make it easier for people of all colour to discover and enjoy the outdoors.”
feeling that the pursuit of authentic adventure in the ‘Outdoors’ has become an anachronistic cliché which lacks diversity and inclusivity.
outside. More healthy, more creative, more in touch with the natural world and each other. Our connection to nature is part of being human.” Statistically,
United Kingdom. If it is not a matter of distance or travel which has led the pocketed spheres of white elitism – recently coined by The Sun newspaper as the ‘Flake Districts’ - what is it that still limits participation in these spaces?
may need to be levelled for all.
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legacy of slavery; they were reliant on the capital from slave
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It was this rise in transport
to leave urban spaces at the weekend in pursuit of the ‘wild’.
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themselves. To “be more outside”, then, is perhaps not merely a question of participation or choice, and requires a more socio-political inquest. If “our
The ‘Outdoors’, if it is to be more accessible, more inclusive, more attractive to a divergent and diverse demographic, needs to promote an experience that is not about endurance.
Vicky Gosling’s suggestion that inclusivity can be fostered, top-down, through from accessing these spaces or traditional mountain sports, was met with an indignant objection from all participants in the debate. Carmen condemned the narrative which we see time and time again, in which sporting governing bodies through medal-driven participation, which ultimately burns both the athlete and the idea of inclusivity, out.
interrogative discussions that are being held online as part of Kendal Mountain Festival’s 2020 Virtual Tour. The event saw a myriad of critical voices from
a
pioneering economically sound,
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who have never set foot in the ‘Outdoors’. Phil drew attention to an overlooked but material reality, which is that the ‘whiteness’ of the ‘Outdoors’ is more deeply socio-historically embedded than this – that is- in the legacies of colonialism. Britain’s railway exists as a legacy of slavery; they were reliant on the capital and it was this rise in transport technology and resulting extension of railway
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Perhaps one of the few positives to have arisen from this pandemic is that COVID-19 has radically shifted the demographic of park users beyond urban population that has been picked up and dropped in the middle of the Lake District” stated Robert. The “old” romanticised ideals of outdoor leisure are therefore becoming reconstructed through the demands of a changing and diversifying consumer market. Richard gave the example of Asian families arriving at 5pm over lockdown once everything had closed. “The outdoors
weekend in pursuit of the ‘wild’. “Mountain sport,” therefore, “is curated on the back of imperialism” stated Phil, whose Outsiders Project looks to address the disparities that exist between minority communities and outdoors culture. “We need to understand that the whole system has come from a certain place […] no wonder Black and brown people don’t feel comfortable there […] how many other countries and cultures
The ‘Outdoors’, if it is to be more accessible, more inclusive, more attractive to a divergent and diverse demographic, needs to promote an experience that is not about endurance. It would be a deeply problematic and disturbing oversight to
13 years, the Lake District Authorities have now shifted the opening times of boat trips, shops and cafes to account for newly timed visitors.
the partnership with and participation of those who have already successfully organised and promoted “BAME” collectivism and participation in the ‘Outdoors’, such as the increasingly popular London-based initiatives Black Girl Hike, Flock Together and Black Trail Runners. Carmen Mcllveen reminds us, however, that simply sharing and using the ideas of Black and brown people, as opposed to creating structural change in which Black people can actively participate from a position of leadership within the institution, would be to exploit the ideas and work of Black people whilst simultaneously perpetuating negative representation.
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moving forward, it is “the enjoyment factor” that needs to be sold.
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There is now a new and increasing pressure being placed on the National Park governing bodies to reimagine a future for these parks in which BAME visitors are not merely accommodated but guided, welcomed and supported.
The demographic of those who are experiencing the “enjoyment factor” of the outdoors is diversifying. Richard’s experience this summer as Chief Exec of visitor behaviour, from Asian communities in particular.
are elected from local, predominantly white councils, still proves to be an inherent barrier when it comes to broadening the demographic of those in a
Parks, these spaces fundamentally belong to everyone. There is now a new reimagine a future for these parks in which Black and brown visitors are not merely accommodated but guided, welcomed and supported. It is easy to think Parks are huge and so is the scope to accommodate new people.
Geeta Wedderburn /
#ROOTED
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Extremism at our doorstep: The revival of the anti-Semitism tale Content warning: discussions of anti-semitism
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Lina Abraham
Antisemitism is used as an excuse for economic hardships and made socially acceptable by those bearing political responsibility
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are more attractive to people, the more a feeling of uncertainty, anxiety and powerlessness prevails. According to the Washington Post, people have always turned to alternative facts in order to impose structure on an unpredictable situation. As the Covid-19 pandemic resembles the perfect storm in terms of uncertainty, this growing anti-Semitic development in society can be well observed. Especially in Germany, concerns are rising regarding the leading anti-corona protest group “Querdenken” (Outside-the-box-thinkers). In contrast to protests in the past, the organization is represented by right-wing groups and a mix of anti-vaxxers, old-school hippies and skin-headed Nazis.
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As the Covid-19 pandemic resembles the perfect storm in terms of uncertainty, this growing anti-Semitic development in society can be well observed
According to Felix Klein, Germany’s anti-Semitism commissioner, the antiSemitic narrative acts as a binder uniting groups that would typically have nothing to do with each other. He states that in times of a crisis, “it is often the case that culprits are sought and often these are minority groups such as Jews”. Protestors commonly believe that they are living in an unjust state that arbitrarily violates their fundamental rights. Under German constitutional law,
Protests against anti-semitism in the UK. Image: The Jewish Times
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wearing yellow stars during “Querdenken” protests similar to those Jews were forced to wear during the Third Reich. Instead of bearing the word “Jude” (Jew), they had the word “ungeimpft” (unvaccinated) written on them. Others have worn striped clothing mimicking the uniform of concentration camp inmates. Whilst seeing themselves as victims of a dictatorship, prominent “Querdenken” participants like celebrity TV chef Attila Hildmann are praising Hitler and describing chancellor Angela Merkel as a communist dictator. Attila Hildmann alone has more than 100,000 followers on the messenger app Telegram and posts daily to keep his community updated. According to the German state prosecutor it is been investigated whether charges can be pressed against him. The German Government has previously stated that they believe that the conspiracy theories in Germany are being spread by the “Reichsbürger” movement, consisting of far-right anti-Semitic groups and individuals such as Attila Hildmann. They are seizing the opportunity to deny the German state’s legitimacy, instrumentalizing the anxiety Covid-19 creates for their purpose. As conspiracy theories are mainly sustained by anxiety, Klein suggests that they can only be combated by the Government taking peoples threats seriously can reduce the feeling of uncertainty, they can prevent people from turning Similarly, the European Jewish Congress addressed the world leaders and called for immediate action: this growing extremism is “already at our door”.
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Red Cross resurrection: “I’m really hoping to make it a place for students to support students” Image: Red Cross Society
It’s no mean feat to restart a society practically from scratch, never mind in the middle of a pandemic, but this didn’t deter Hannah Jones from rising to the
happens in their house or the street before an ambulance gets there” Jones tell me. With new
became the president of the recently resurrected British Red Cross on Campus Society after a search for ways to get involved in the charity herself.
an emergency situation, it’s understandable that the
“I was looking for volunteering opportunities in general. On the Red Cross website, they advertised an on-campus volunteer position and I applied for that and got an email back saying that they liked my application but that the society wasn’t currently
a disaster preparedness scheme where volunteers make maps for remote areas of the world that currently do not have them, and by getting involved with raising awareness of the refugee crisis. Living in Leeds, a designated City of Sanctuary for asylum seekers, piqued Jones’ interest on the issue, as did her studies.
they seemed to be quite active but at the end of the Yet, despite a slow start (Jones initially applied to run the society in October) a new committee has
representatives on future employment opportunities at one of the biggest humanitarian networks in
more, the society is also aiming to broaden its
“I’m doing my dissertation on the portrayal of asylum seekers and refugees in British and I think a lot of my interest in that has come from studying
for this semester are mental health workshops, going on around the world at the moment.” Nevertheless, the Red Cross on Campus Society and its members are also looking to make positive network called Safemates is in the pipeline for this term as well as a daytime equivalent to LUU’s listening and information phone service Nightline. “I’m really hoping to make it a place for students to support students as well because we are all going through a really hard time at the moment and there is a lot we can do as a society to support each other,” and make it a really collaborative society; we want specialist guest speakers and socials such as online
becoming a member of the society in the here and now. “Especially with 2020 being that year that it was, with all of the amazing human rights movements that we saw across the world, I think this is a really good opportunity for students to get involved in seems like quite a dark place at the moment.” She smiles: “Hopefully we can make some really good change.”
in what goes on as we do on the committee.” the tip of the iceberg. sector, the society is planning on running skills
More information can be found on the British Red Cross webpage on LUU’s website or on the University of Leeds British Red Cross on Campus Society 2020/21 Facebook group.
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Now is the time for students to be heard and compensated
Séamus O’Hanlon
and the NHS.
enables workers to claim a £6 weekly allowance to
University students across the nation have been seriously
compensate for incurred living costs should be expanded
impacted, disappointed and politically shafted over the
situation, but they are struggling. To go without the
to encourage staying at home. The government needs to
past year. At the start of the academic year, many were
necessary downtime means we have become run down;
stop omitting the discussion on university students and
told that, on a case-by-case basis, students whose quality
to continue for so long with an intense, and sometimes
must address the matter directly.
of learning had proven to be inadequate could perhaps be
gruelling academic workload has left them exhausted.
compensated - but only after going through a complaint
Rent, living fees and a constantly increasing debt are
are being currently charged. Reducing fees by half would
procedure with unsure guidance.
some of the expenditures students are facing, which
be more than symbolic, as it would mean adjusting to the
reality of this unfair situation. Students have welcomed
fenced in their accommodation, leaving them vulnerable
the University of Leeds’ one-week blanket coursework
“
“
and isolated with no in-person learning whatsoever. The
to support students with their mental health, and one
third lockdown only means that the remaining months
issue which should be lifted from students’ minds is the
of university life will feel unrecognisable and incomplete.
pressure of keeping up with rent while the government advises everyone to stay at home.
by the pandemic and all students therefore deserve and
“
“
During the second lockdown, students in some areas were
All universities in the UK have
understandable at the time for people and universities to have been optimistic during the summer months, believing that blended learning was going to be a viable
assignment extension this January, but this again reveals
the unprecedented amount of disruption faced by students
lot of better decisions could have been made, impossible to
this past year. Rent refunds, academic assistance and
see back then, but that does not mean we can’t have better
mental health issues need to be tackled this year. Pro-
policies and procedures now. Universities have shown
student policies help everyone, and the public should join
resourcefulness and determination with their attempt
in on this pledge in the same way that it has supported
the goodness of their hearts. Understandably, the media
think criticism, dismay and outrage at this lousy situation
Having further education has never been more important
has drawn attention to the few illegal parties and rule-
should not be bottled up: for many students, online
breakers who threaten this hopefully
learning has not been acceptable or to a high enough
Students have turned down many opportunities out of
universities need to understand that young people who incurred high debts but with a huge lack of personalised
are qualities that students have been tirelessly displaying
teaching. Even younger people who are currently studying learning from home.
their A-Levels will face changes, which means all students
do this, students have had to give up on their university
Attending university from home is not the same as
have seen their education negatively impacted. This really
experience twice already, and now for the foreseeable
working from home. Working from home to prevent
could be the required impetus for a much-needed reform
future, to protect the most vulnerable members of society
of the tuition system.
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How Lewis Hamilton is racing against racism in F1 Rishi Shah
“
Sir Lewis Hamilton is by far the standout name on the
t-shirts drawing attention to police brutality and the
displaying this awkwardly detached sense of social
recently published New Year’s Honours list. Following
unjust murder of Breonna Taylor highlights his refusal
awareness is not only damaging to its reputation, but
his recent Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY)
to simply be an F1 driver, alongside his active decision
also a sign of where the genuine problems lie. With
award, the accolades are stacking up for the British F1
to take a knee and show solidarity with the oppressed
an entirely male driver line-up, including many who
before each race.
have family connections in the F1 hierarchy, there are
driver. The SPOTY award has long eluded a curiously unpopular Hamilton, despite the fact that before his record-equalling Formula One World Championship title in 2020, he already had six to his name. His recent dominance within the sport has become somewhat of a routine, so one might ask: what was
against racism, striving for equality and diversity, in
“
the sport and beyond.
“
“
these two glorious honours? The answer lies in an all
Wearing masks and t-shirts drawing attention to police brutality highlights his refusal to simply be an F1 driver
The individuality of his actions has only exacerbated the sport’s clear lack of unity behind such an important cause
Hamilton’s motives are deep-rooted, with Mercedes
in
previous
years,
starting
conversations
about
surrounding the shortage of minority mechanics
already enough reasons why the sport is inherently restrictive - and its failure to stand with its champion in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter cause only worsens its image. Within the context of social issues, perhaps unsurprisingly, F1’s infamous partnership hierarchy turning the blind eye to its dismal human rights violations. As F1 welcomes a new CEO in 2021, Stefano Domenicali, the man must surely look into these issues to reshape the sport into an inclusive, diverse environment in which anyone can succeed.
employed by the team. Hamilton’s world domination
Whilst there are many rumours that Hamilton’s
in the context of being the sport’s only black driver
retirement is on the horizon, it is perhaps more
has no doubt motivated him to inspire other young
important than ever that he remains in the sport and
fans into believing that anything is possible, no matter your background, as he emotionally re-iterated on the team’s radio following his World Championship
of his unerring desire to utilise his platform for good.
So often leading races from the front (quite literally),
victory in Turkey. However, the individuality of his
These feelings no doubt leave him hungrier than ever
Hamilton knew that it would be the most impactful
actions has only exacerbated the sport’s clear lack of
to pursue his goal and ensure anyone can enter the
if it was him who picked up the mantle that needed
unity behind such an important cause.
sport - regardless of race or background - in any
Whilst Premier League football has normalised the
25th May 2020 had invoked a Black Lives Matter
gesture of taking a knee, seven F1 drives - which
in 2020 have sealed Lewis Hamilton’s legacy, not only
movement with momentum unheard of for decades,
equates to 35% - have refused to join Hamilton in
in his records and titles but as a role model who leads
his pre-race demonstrations. Such a global sport,
by example by tackling systemic issues in a sport that
which involves personnel from over six continents,
needs it more than ever.
F1 driver as directly as possible. Wearing masks and
Image: El Nacional
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Impeachment at the door for Trump, again With 232 votes in favour (including 10 Republicans voting yes), US President Donald Trump was impeached in the House of Representatives on 13th January for having “engaged in insurrection”. The move to impeach comes as a reaction to the breaching of and attack on the Capitol building by a mob of Trump supporters on 6th January. As a result of the lives. Trump, who had given a speech that day prior to the riots, has been accused of inciting his supporters to march to and attack the Capitol. Many believe his speech, along with his continued denial of the 2020 US election results, is directly responsible for the assault that took place. This has led Democrats to quickly make the move to impeach him, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the helm. This is Trump’s second impeachment. He was previously impeached in the House in December 2019, being accused of “abuse of power” and “obstruction of Congress”. At the time, while the vote was in favour of impeachment in the House, it did not get through in the Senate. This time, the results in the Senate
voted in support of it in the House last Wednesday. If the views remain, enough votes might be secured to impeach him this time. Republican congressman Dan Newhouse voted for the impeachment, explaining that, “there was a domestic threat at the door of the capitol and he [Trump] did nothing to stop it”. The odd part of these proceedings is that the Senate trial itself would happen after Trump’s presidency of impeachment at this point; given that the damage is already done and Trump will be leaving anyway. Democrats have still insisted on the impeachment, stating two major reasons: one, that it sets an example to any future leader who tries to jeopardise democratic processes and side with violence, and, two, that they
“
have switched sides. While no Republican member supported Trump’s impeachment in 2019, 10 of them
and “armed protests” being planned in various cities with that, Trump has been barred and banned from various social media platforms in the last few weeks – by the suspension of his YouTube channel. This, along with the far-right platform Parler going down, has upset his supporters further. While some discussions and communication can be curbed by such measures, it is in no way a solution to Trumpism. In fact, this approach could lead to further dissatisfaction among the pro-Trump populace, making any reconciliation
“
Manasa Narayana
Representatives will not achieve anything if they manage to impeach Trump but fail to bridge the divide that exists among US citizens.
While these are legitimate reasons, the larger picture should also be considered here, as there is a huge possibility that these proceedings might further incite as well as isolate Americans who side with Trump. There is already news of possible demonstrations
While it is important to condemn the violence and attack, and the people involved in it, reconciliation must be prioritised. In these circumstances, it is vital to reassure the public, instil trust among them and maintain calm. Representatives will not achieve anything if they manage to impeach Trump but fail to bridge the divide that exists among US citizens. While the consequences of the impeachment for the larger public can be debated, this is again only a short-term solution. The US simultaneously needs to consider the long-term too. It would be a mistake to think that issues of misinformation, polarisation and extremism start and end with Trump. The issues are bigger, need a rethinking of the political space and
The UK reveals breakthrough cancer developments amidst COVID-19 Grace Mortley
types of cancer is due to be piloted across England next year. The trial is being conducted on 165,000 patients by the NHS in a bid to increase the rates of early-stage diagnosis. The Galleri blood test that looks for molecular changes was developed by US company GRAIL. Research on patients has already found that the test can identify even the hardest cancers to diagnose early. These include cancers in the head and neck and ovarian, pancreatic, oesophageal and some blood cancers. With one in two people likely to get cancer, it is projected to soon become the world’s leading cause of death. Lord David Prior, Chairman of NHS England stated: “every year, nearly 200,000 people in the UK die from cancer. Many of these people are diagnosed too late
higher chance of surviving, compared to those found at stage four. This test really does have the potential to save many lives and could help thousands more get successful and less expensive treatment. it should become routinely available for people without symptoms. The results of these studies are expected by 2023, and if the outcomes are positive the studies will
be expanded to involve about one million participants around 2024 and 2025. Cancer cells are known to be very unstable and quite often break, spilling their DNA in the blood. The Galleri blood test looks to detect the characteristics of this DNA
very best chance of survival, demonstrating how the UK continues to lead the way in using the latest innovative treatments to help patients.” This comes not long after Cancer Research UK awarded a £1 million grant to doctors and scientists at The Christie
As positive as this all seems, we do not yet have proof that the test works on real-world, healthy people with no symptoms or if it is sensitive enough to pick up really early cancers. Dr David Crosby, head of Early Detection research at Cancer Research UK is calling on the government to support the NHS in making this early detection become a reality. He says, “we need to invest in the NHS and a health system which is ready to accommodate these new tests and change the way we think about the disease”. So far, the NHS are trained to treat symptomatic disease, so this is going to change their whole model. The Government needs to invest in
Institute. The simple blood test can see if treatments are working in cancer patients. At the moment, the typical cancer patient would have to undergo CT scans
innovation of this new test. This test hopes to meet the NHS Long Term Plan goal of increasing the proportion of cancers caught early, which can be the key to reducing cancer mortality. Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock said: “We are building a world-leading diagnostics industry in the UK – not just for COVID-19 but for other diseases too. This exciting and ground-breaking new blood test from GRAIL will give us another tool to give more people the
alternative that scientists have been looking for. The discovery comes after two decades of research by a team at The Christie, led by Professor Gordon Jayson and Professor Caroline Dive. The simple blood test looks vessel drugs by examining if a protein in the blood, Tie2, has increased or decreased. If reduced, it will prove the anti-blood vessel drugs are starving tumours of blood and nutrients. If Tie2 levels were to return to their original state, the medical team will be able to see the treatment is not working for that particular individual. The test is currently in its second phase for the blood test will be adopted by the NHS. However, this will be several years before it becomes a routine measure in cancer patients.
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Our exit from Erasmus: A small loss for the EU, a major setback for the UK I was fourteen years old when the Brexit referendum took place. Like other pro-Europeans around the country, the result left me speechless. I admit that I was barely politically educated at the time and knew next to nothing about what the European Union actually was, but I was wised up enough to know that our country had chosen to leave an incredibly special community.
mentality that our little island has now chosen to pursue.
started this Liebesgeschichte with the Schland. What a sad loss of European exchange and opportunity”. It is hugely upsetting, then, that the government actively chose to leave
“
Katie McCarthy
to continue participating, and the Conservatives’ excuse
whilst many were rejoicing on 24th December in response
not good enough. Since when did life become solely about money and trade deals? The Erasmus scheme made up for
student at the University of Leeds. The EU means so much more to me now than it did in 2016 and, unfortunately, Brexit has now made my future more uncertain than I could have ever imagined. This is partly due to the government’s decision to leave the beloved Erasmus Programme, which enables the free movement of students across the EU to study and work. The EU-funded scheme began in 1987 and has since allowed hundreds of thousands of students to participate in a valuable cultural exchange, improving their language skills and contributing to both personal and professional development. Under the latest version of the scheme, around 200,000 people have participated, including around 15,000 British university students. Most importantly, the programme highlights the communal values that the EU is all about. To strive to support and understand your neighbours, to be respectful towards other cultures and to appreciate the spiritual bonds that hold all Europeans together. Essentially,
students who took part in it.
“
Erasmus is the furthest thing from
that our little island has now chosen to pursue.
Is this really so surprising? The government have proven time and again in a never-ending cycle of embarrassing U-turns that young people’s futures mean nothing to them. Whether it was the government’s decision to open pubs before schools or to put their faith in a defunct algorithmic system in determining pupils’ grades, young people have
that Brexit would keep at least some of my degree intact and that my year abroad would go ahead relatively hassle-free. But now everything is uncertain. Thousands of Languages year abroad will now work. The government’s Turing Scheme, replacing Erasmus with a more global outlook, seems promising. Yet, it is still tragic to consider what has been lost in leaving the Erasmus scheme and what this will mean for a generation whose future has been played with like gaming chips in a casino. If the government wishes to win even the smallest amount of respect back from students,
students. When we joined the European Economic Community (that would later become the EU) in 1972, the Prime Minister are joining is far more than a common market. It is a community in the true sense of that term”. As a generation, we should not be focusing on the fact that this community has been taken from us, but rather on the power we have to learning new languages and making international friends. Do everything you can to remind all those Brexiters out
the Erasmus Programme, despite Boris Johnson promising scheme”, is yet another example to add to a long list of lies and disappointment.
as the saying goes, you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.
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Investment portfolios: What to one
Ollie Rees Why Do I Need to Invest? The “Only Free Lunch in Finance”
What To Remember? How Long Do You Have?
Always Have a Back-Up Pot
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Image: Quartz
Image: Hypebeast
The global battle with COVID-19 has forced governments around the world to borrow more to keep their economies moving. The United States alone has increased its net debt as a percentage of GDP from 84% in 2019 to 107% as of October 2020 according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In the UK we have seen our net debt to GDP ratio soar from 75% to 98% as the government has rolled out extensive furlough schemes to subsidise worker’s wages during both lockdowns. Amongst economists, high public debt levels have always been concerning as common wisdom dictates that increasing debt levels lead to more absorbed, and so with more money chasing the same number of products, prices tend to rise. However, new thinking from economists seems to be saying that elevated debt levels may not be as bad as we previously thought. In 2019, the former Chief Economist of the IMF, Olivier Blanchard, gave a speech to the American Economic Association in which he outlined a simple, yet novel approach to public debt. He noticed that, at least over the past 70 years, the rate of interest that developed nations pay on their debt has been lower than their economy’s growth rate, and so if these governments were to keep all future borrowing in
little negative impact to citizen welfare. Blanchard was quick to point out, however, that if historically low interest rates were to rise again and overtake the growth rate, then of course, a country would need to take other measures to keep their debt under control. However, if the future is like the past then these new higher levels of public debt may be more sustainable than we currently think. This new style of thinking seems to be good news for indebted governments, but we must recognise Blanchard’s conclusions. Developing nations are also seeing their net debt spike – Chile’s net debt to GDP ratio has nearly doubled in one year and Mexico has seen a 26% jump – however these countries do not have such a long track record of successful borrowing and so aren’t trusted by investors as much as developed nations. Because of this, most developing nations are forced to pay much higher interest rates on their debt to nations aren’t so lucky as to be able to simply grow their way out of debt. As is obvious, with more debt comes a higher burden of interest payments. Couple this with the interest rate disparities between countries and it’s not hard pandemic to hurt developing nations more than their developed counterparts.
With both public and academic consensus shifting towards a sulphurous attitude towards austerity, all
All of this, as Blanchard points out, only holds if interest rates stay low. Rates tend to stay low when there is demand to save, since bank accounts and bonds don’t need high interest rates to convince people to use them. We still don’t know why interest rates are so low, but one can imagine that should interest rates begin to rise again – either because of some unknown factor or because developed nations, who have a better handle on their debt, decide that their economies are strong enough to manage a rate rise from their central banks. Then the interest burden on all governments, but especially those of poorer countries, would intensify. General sovereign default rates, according to the Bank of England and the Bank of Canada, have been pleasingly low in recent years, this is good news as a better credit history for these developing nations can only help them secure less onerous debt in the future. Let us hope that COVID-19 hasn’t hindered that progress.
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Veganuary vs. Regenuary: Why there is only one winner
Image: steemit.com
The facts behind why locally sourced meat and dairy produce can’t be considered more sustainable than veganism
and the internet – which I wouldn’t blame you for in the current climate – you’ll have heard of Veganuary. It is a movement that originated in 2014 to encourage people to try veganism for the pledged to give up meat and dairy for 31 days. Since then, popularity has snowballed year on year, with over 500,000 people signing up for Veganuary 2021; quite a staggering increase. According to the Vegan Society, the number of self-declared vegans has increased from 150,000 (0.25% of the population) in 2014 to 600,000 (1.16% of the population) The increase in popularity of veganism has caused meat and dairy farmers to feel targeted. Now I’m not talking about factory farming, where animals
than simply choosing not to eat well raised animals”. This claims that importing avocados and almonds, apparently “vegan staples”, from South America and California is worse than locally sourced meat. A 2017 study conducted an extensive literature review and found that, per kg, UK beef and UK pork produce 20 and 5 times the emissions of avocados, respectively. It’s also worth mentioning that avocados and nuts aren’t solely reserved for vegans. One key point the Ethical Butcher makes is that Regenuary can be for both vegans and omnivores. What they fail to recognise is that an omnivore can take part in Veganuary for one month and then
“
as a commodity. Instead, I’m talking about local, smaller scale farms, where animals are arguably treated well throughout their lives, even if the end result is them being killed for meat. Some would argue this is acceptable and this article is not here to pass judgement on that. It will instead fact-check some common misconceptions about buying local vs. buying vegan. A post by Ethical Butcher has made a few waves in recent weeks. This post stated that Veganuary should be replaced by Regenuary, where the most important criteria is where produce comes from. In this post, multiple bold and baseless claims were made. Let’s start with “swapping out beef and pork for nuts and avocado is worse for the environment
“
Katherine Graves
Even the lowest impact meat, organic pork, was responsible for more than 8 times the climate cost than the highest impact plants
return to eating meat and dairy products. It could be argued that Veganuary is more accessible than Regenuary, as veganism comes at a much lower cost – meat and cheese substitutes aside. Buying local meat and cheese produce, however, tends to be more expensive, with butchers and delis generally having higher prices than supermarkets. On to the next claim: “if all foods eaten for a month, … are not imported, and the animals are farmed using regenerative agriculture, now that could save the world.” As lovely as this sounds, it is just not the case. An analysis of the highly renowned Global Emission Model for Integrated Systems (GEMIS)
database concluded that organic meat is not better for the environment. Even the lowest impact meat; organic pork, was responsible for more than 8 times the climate cost than the highest impact plants. This further shows that organic and local doesn’t necessarily equate to the most environmentally friendly option. Another claim the post makes is that “soya deforestation of South America”. This is not untrue; a lot of deforestation occurs so that soya can be grown. However, if you look at what the soy is used for then the Ethical Butcher’s point is somewhat moot. Globally, only 6% of soya is grown directly for humans, whereas 75-80% (up to 96% in the Amazon) is for farmed animals. The excessive deforestation to grow soya plants is caused by the demand for meat and really can’t be blamed on vegans. From a sustainability point of view, there is no competition: Veganuary wins against Regenuary shop local and vegan, which ultimately is the most sustainable option. However, the demonisation of meat and dairy farmers is very toxic. Yes, we should move towards reducing our meat and dairy intake, whether for our own health, the environment, or the welfare of animals, but meat and dairy farmers, who make up a large proportion of rural communities, should also be given support to make this transition as they are currently left by the wayside. This breeds movements like #regenuary, which spreads misinformation about the true environmental impacts of meat and dairy, and further increases the divide between meat eaters and vegans.
Barking mad: Dogs may be smarter than you think words. The dogs could not distinguish between
Indi Lacey Man’s best friends are capable of learning simple commands, some breeds with greater ease than others, and can quickly learn where treats are stored in a house or even the way home from regular walking routes. Their intelligence has allowed for the existence of guide and service dogs, and even to help in therapy. They have the ability to deceive other dogs and humans alike, and some can even count up to 5 and solve simple arithmetic. These abilities place dogs at a similar mental capacity as a 2-year-old child. However, a question which has puzzled animal behaviour researchers is why dogs cannot seem to
comparison the average human knows 20,000 to 35,000. Only a select few dogs, in particular one more well studied Border Collie called Rico, are able to achieve “fast track learning” which is the way humans learn words. This enables these dogs to distinguish and respond to between 200 and 250 words. Still, this of 2, are able to add between 10 and 20 words to their vocabulary each week. A recent study in Hungary tested the ability of 44 example “sit” from similar sounding words such as “sip” and “set”, and non-similar sounding nonsense
them by only one sound, but could readily distinguish between the nonsense words and words they did know. This is similar to the processing skills of a 1-year-old human, who would tend to group similar sounding words into instructional based categories rather than focus on small changes between words. However, humans go on to expand their vocabulary after this stage while dogs do not. The reasoning for this is still uncertain as the researchers seem sure that it is not for lack of ability, and certainly some dogs have shown a high ability to expand and advance their vocabulary.
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How green are meat substitutes? Image: livekindly.co
Catherine Upex
Animal Ethics and Deforestation: One of the main reasons people are choosing to turn to a vegan diet is the treatment and slaughter of animals in the farming industry. On top of animals that are slaughtered for the consumption of meat, every year around 95,000 male dairy calves are shot as simply a by-product of production. Yet some have pointed out that the production of soya (a key component of many vegan alternatives) outside of the farm. The WWF found that soya bean production is one of the largest agricultural drivers of deforestation, second only to beef, and the majority of cultivation takes place in and around the Amazon Rainforest. Surely this suggests that we should be avoiding
yes. But quick delve into what exactly all this soya soya produced is directly consumed by humans, in products like soya milk and tofu. The rest is used to support the meat and dairy industry. So, in fact it is the meat and dairy industry that is responsible for the majority of deforestation caused by soya production. When you remove this factor,
“
“
This time last year, over 350,000 people partook in Veganuary. They gave up all animal products for the duration of January (yes, that includes cheese). It has been widely accepted that an animal free diet can greatly reduce an individual’s carbon footprint. However, others have argued that vegan alternatives are just as environmentally damaging as their meat counterparts. What is the true impact of soya milk and coconuts, and more importantly, how does it compare to dairy milk and beef?
another reason to move away from meat and dairy,
Only 6% of all soya produced is directly consumed by humans... The rest is used to support the meat and dairy industry
helping slow the continued destruction of a habitat so important to biodiversity.
Emissions: Everything we buy and consume has a carbon footprint. This includes the CO2 released during the production and transportation of products. Some worry that the growing demand for vegan staples, the components of which are grown predominantly in sub-tropical regions such as South America, will
What is herd immunity and why is everyone talking about it? Rachel Murray Herd immunity is a form of indirect protection created to prevent the spread of infectious disease, by creating high proportions of immunity. The spread of disease through a population can be reduced through vaccination, or high rates of infection where immune as a result. This means that the disease cannot infect as many people, which thus reduces its transmissibility and diminishes the likelihood of infection in individuals who do not have immunity.
Once the disease threshold has been reached, the infection becomes progressively less prevalent within the population and eventually disappears. This is herd immunity, and it is a crucial form of protection for individuals who cannot acquire immunity for medical reasons - for example immunosuppression - although the concept only applies to contagious diseases transmitted personto-person.
lead into an increase in greenhouse gas emissions from aeroplanes, trucks, and lorries. University of Oxford researcher, Joseph Poore, warned that what we consume can have unexpected impacts, stating that “air-transported fruit and veg can create more greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram than poultry meat.” However, in a 2021 list compiled by healable.com, 9 out of the 10 foods with the highest carbon footprints in the UK market were animal products. In fact, Poore described meat and dairy products as being “in a league of their own in the level of damage they typically do to the environment.” It was found that the amount of CO2 released in the production of 1kg of beef was the equivalent of driving a car 158 miles. Soybean oil on the other hand had a “relatively low carbon footprint,” only releasing the equivalent of 4.25 miles. Tofu was even less, at 1.75 miles. So, do claims that vegan diets damage the environment really hold water? It would seem not. In fact, the impact of products like soya and tofu seems negligible when compared to that of meat and dairy. It seems that every dietary choice comes with its own set of advantages and drawbacks but if you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, a reduction in beef, lamb and dairy is a good place to start.
protect vulnerable people who have not had a vaccine, and help to reduce the circulation of the virus within the population. For herd immunity to be achieved it is estimated that between 70% and 85% of the population would need to be infected to provide substantial protection. However, it is uncertain whether herd immunity to one strain of the virus will create immunity to new viral strains since the antigens vary. A vaccine is therefore required to provide immunity to multiple strains. immunity as a mechanism to eliminate COVID-19, since exposure of a large proportion of the low-risk population would also increase the likelihood of contraction amongst high-risk individuals.
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A wild ‘wildcard weekend’ in the NFL Will Heaver
Callum Pinches
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Pace & power: Racial bias in football punditry Ewan Craven
technical abilities as their white counterparts, and so the discussion of physical abilities dominates the
“
“
that are not in tune with the technical niches of their
Racial bias in sports commentary is
players, but this report has been able to quantify
often reduced to his physical abilities, when in fact
around his pace and physique, yet it is clear that
subconscious racial biases which are then projected onto the sport. The false narrative of ‘pace and power’ in regard to Black footballers arises as a result of harmful stereotypes
there needs to be more representation in elite level
discrepancies within football can only be corrected
equally, if not more so important attributes to his the more pronounced the improvement in football
F1’s transfer window of opportunity Rishi Shah years
of
Mercedes
dominance,
has since reached new levels, most notably with surprise race winners and podiums from ever-
“
Since the hybrid era, Ferrari and McLaren have largely been sleeping giants. They could well be awoken by the arrival of the in-form Sainz and Ricciardo
the anticipation for new teams, drivers and an old
switch to Ferrari, accompanied by Daniel Ricciardo
Sainz and Ricciardo, who have demonstrated their
destination available if he were to stay in the sport:
them to a level where they are able to attract a can be deceptively crucial in the sport, and with the
“
Alonso - like Vettel - gains the opportunitiy to light up the world once again in a fresh, transformed team under a new identity
Yet in a reversal of roles from when Vettel was at
Ricciardo and Lando Norris is destined to be a fan favourite, with the enthusiasm and charisma of the McLaren who clinched third place in the Constructors’
par teammates, but it also allows Red Bull to
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few
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a
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After
When the season commences at Bahrain in March 2021, one should be
wave of talent that must surely be set to take the season right to the wire
