Issue 778

Honorary degree sparks controversy over Dame Fiona’s com- ments on Israel/Gaza War

Deputy Editor

DURING the University of Exeter’s most recent winter graduation ceremony, Dame Fiona Murray CBE DCMG was awarded an honorary degree of science “for her contribution to public service.”

Following this event, much concern has been expressed by the student body surrounding Murray’s appearance and comments at the DefenseTech Summit hosted last December by the Israel Ministry of Defence and Tel Aviv University.

At the Summit, which focused on technological innovation in the context of the war in Gaza, Murray openly praised the innovations in technologies for defense and security that have been developed by Israel. She was cited by IMOD in their post on X, saying that “In Israel, innovation is vital. Defense Ministries around the world try to follow suit, but without the existential threat, the spirit is there but the execution falls short.”

Professor Murray, an Oxford alum herself, is the William Porter (1967) Professor of Entrepreneurship at the MIT School of Management. She was also elected to the Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology in 2014, and has since been appointed Vice-Chair of the NATO Innovation Fund.

At the Summit in Tel Aviv, Murray shared that when teaching about innovation, she frequently uses Israel as a case study, saying “there are real events of self-defence here, not just internal security matters”. Murray is likely referring to Israel’s repeated military campaigns in Gaza over the last 20 years, as well as Israel’s close defense partnership with the US, intelligence-sharing agreements with NATO members and regular airstrikes in Syria and Lebanon. Thus, focussing on the Israeli State’s position as a country that has been “forced” to develop their defence systems leads to a dangerous redirection of attention off the effects of said defence technologies particularly on the Palestinian people, and onto a justification of the heavy armament of Israel.

Murray went on to lament how other countries have struggled to achieve the same level of success as Israel when integrating startup technologies into their military arsenals.

She also left attendees, which included former UK Chief of De-

fense staff General Sir Nick Carter and several officials from the US Department of Defense, with this advice – “We must industrialise at a scale. It’s no good making one of something. We need many solutions. We need many missiles, many drones, many interceptors”.

We need many missiles, many drones, many interceptors”.

Murray’s remarks emphasise the rapid scaling and mass production of military technologies as well as a further militarisation of the technology sector. In Gaza, mass produced weapons that utilise startup technologies have enabled sustained military action at scale and distance, minimising exposure to those deploying it. While this is strategically effective, it raises several humanitarian concerns. Human Rights Watch has warned that the IDF’s use of surveillance technologies, artificial intelligence and other digital tools “may be increasing the risk of civilian harm”. Similarly, Amnesty International has highlighted the IDF’s use of precision weaponry to target and kill civilians, which is widely considered illegal in international law. It is currently estimated by the Gaza Health Ministry that over 72,400 Palestinians have been killed by the IDF since the onset of the war.

Her participation at the De-

fenseTech Summit took place in the first two days of December — only a week and a half before the Winter Graduation Ceremony at the University of Exeter. Given this quick turnaround, some students have suggested that the University selected Murray many months previous to the award ceremony, and were unable to take recent events into account.

In Gaza, mass produced weapons that utilise startup technologies have enabled sustained military action at scale and distance, minimising exposure to those deploying it.

In a statement provided by the student-led group Friends of Palestine, they said “We understand that the honorary graduate selection process begins around 18 months before the ceremony, which may explain why recent developments were not considered. It’s likely that the University chose Dame Fiona Murray based on her long academic career, her senior role at MIT, and her work on innovation and entrepreneurship. These are contributions that, in a different context, universities often want to highlight.

Editors

Print: Kayleigh Swart and Emily Sara Rizzo

Online: Harry Morrison and Zandie Howells

Print Deputies: Amberly Wright, Lauren Walsh and Nina Exton

Online Deputies: Michelle Chung and Daniel Grayshon editors@exepose.com

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Print: Isabella Brooks and Daisy Newbury

Online: Zandie Howells news@exepose.com

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Online: Freddy Purcell climate@exepose.com

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Print: Tom Richardson and Lucas Eley

Online: Orlando McKillop and Lucy Parsons comment@exepose.com

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Editorial

HAPPY New Year! We all hope you've had a restful holiday season and are ready to get back to it. To get you started on the right foot, we've put together a brand new issue.

We hope the rainy weather hasn't damped your mood, but feel free to use this issue as an umbrella once you're done reading it.

If there's an important issue at the University or in Exeter that we've missed, please email us at editors@exepose.com.

In this issue, News discusses the changes to the upcoming Guild elections, and the recent expansion of the Ram bar. Features talks about AIx data centers while Comment looks if the privately educated are really facing discrimination, and Satire shares how Greenland is about to be renamed to Wokeland. In Exhibit, the theme of the week is new year. In Music we look at the return of Bruno Mars, Screen reviews some recent shows and films, while Excetera Excetera talks about imposter syndrome. In International we look at some winter holiday destinations and finally in Sport, we spotlight some of our societies

If you can't get enough of Exeposé, you can check out our podcast and website which is updated on a weekly basis!

Once again, thank you so much to all our editors, interviewees, and general helpers who work so hard to make this paper possible! If you're looking for something new to do this term, you

can find info about joining on page 25 or on our instagram.We can't wait to get stuck into a brand new term!

Emily and Kayleigh

University news home and abroad

China’s foreign talent visa remains stalled months after launch

CHINA'S ambitious new visa scheme for foreign STEM talent remains absent from application portals despite its official launch three months ago. According to the Chinese government, the scheme is set to target “young science and tech nology talent” to sup posedly allow nonChinese students abroad to enter without Chinese host or employer sponsorship. Legal experts have attributed the delay in the visa’s commencement to the complexity of launching China’s first employer-independent visa, which will require coordination across varying ministries. Many have criticised the move, citing high youth unemployment within national borders and fear of competition for local graduates entering the job market. The Chinese government responded by calling concerns 'overstated', arguing that attracting global talent is in China's best interest.

UK’s new international strategy lacks muscle, say experts

THE current labour government has recently published their newest International Education Strategy (otherwise known as the IES). This strategy lays out how the government plans to address international students, and UK relations with foreign universities. In this plan, the government have laid out three key ambitions that they will try to achieve. The first being to increase the UK’s international standing through education and make the UK the ‘global partner of choice’. The second being to recruit ‘high-quality international higher education students’ from a vast range of countries. Finally, to grow education exports to £40 billion per year by 2030. The UK government state that this strategy falls under the Department for Education; Business and Trade and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development. However, University World News is reporting that experts seemed underwhelmed by this new strategy. They state that this strategy does not contain any clear plans or routes to achieve these goals.

Swiss army seeks more academic involvement in arms research

THE Swiss army is seeking to massively boost their arms research, with university research set to play a pivotal role. Last summer, the Swiss government approved an arms strategy that included raising arms research spending to two percent of the nation’s federal army budget by 2030. The Swiss Army is primarily seeking more funding in the face of growing concerns over regional instability and cyber warfare following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Thomas Rothacher, Switzerland’s deputy national armaments director, has emphasised that their army needs “a drone ecosystem of their own”. While arms research has seen a raise in funding, education and research are facing cuts of up to $580 million annually. However, attempts are being made to increase higher education research into arms tenfold. The key institutions set to spearhead this research are the two federal institutes of technology, ETH Zürich and EPFL.

INew rules aim to tackle campus-based caste discrimination

NDIA'S University Grants Commission (UCG) has set new regulations for its higher education institutions in order to promote inclusivity across its universities and colleges, and deal with ongoing complaints of discrimination. Following the Supreme Court’s edicts, each higher education institution is mandated to establish an Equal Opportunity Centre (EOC) in charge of supervising policies aimed at supporting disadvantaged groups across their psychological, financial, social and academic needs. Each EOC acts through an equity committee, and smaller “equity squads” which will work to tackle the dominant caste ideologies, and hostility towards marginalised groups. This action follows concerning trends in caste-motivated harassment, which led to the suicide of Rohit Vemula and Payal Tadvi, after both complained of institutional discrimination.

“The University’s image has been negatively impacted”.

Continued from front

However, this highlights a flaw in the selection process, as it does not allow for reassessment when circumstances change or when a nominee becomes associated with work that could cause harm or distress to parts of the student body. In this case, her recent participation at the DefenceTech Summit and her public comments about scaling up military technologies were not taken into account, even though these statements were widely circulated and highly concerning to many students. Furthermore, most students seem unaware about the details of the process, and we believe it should be more transparent and that student feedback should be taken into more consideration. We believe that the University needs to review this process to ensure that future decisions align with its values and do not undermine student trust.”

“We believe that the University needs to review this process to ensure that future decisions align with its values”

They also argued that the University’s decision to honour Murray “may make [students from Palestinian backgrounds] feel less welcome and less valued at the University,” fundamentally going against the University of Exeter’s claim of being “radically inclusive,” and “platforming someone who has made comments which we consider deeply dismissive of Palestinian suffering,” thus “undermin[ing] that commitment.”

A University of Exeter spokesperson said: “University of Exeter honorary degrees

are awarded to people in recognition of their outstanding achievements in a particular field. Decisions about new honorary graduates are carefully made by Senate and Council, based on a shortlist of nominations agreed by a panel of members from the University’s Executive Board. This process takes around 18 months.”

Decisions about honorary graduates are carefully made by Senate and Council

Honorary degrees are awarded in recognition of exceptional individuals for their significant contributions to various sectors. Previous recipients of the prestigious award include Edward Said (the Palestinian-American academic, and political literary critic and activist) in 2001, the Baroness Warsi (Britain’s first Muslim Cabinet Minister) in July of 2025, and Sir Alan Bates, (leading campaigner for victims of the British Post Office scandal), awarded that same summer.

At the graduation ceremony this past Winter, Professor Lisa Roberts, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Exeter, said she hoped that the graduating class would use their knowledge and skills acquired at Exeter “to create a lasting, positive difference in the world”. The ceremony saw students from 98 different countries graduate from 109 different courses, in a celebratory setting which some students have argued was overshadowed by the knowledge of Murray’s previous comments that month. Friends of Palestine once again honed in on this, stating that “graduation should be a safe and celebratory space

for all students, not one that causes harm or discomfort.”

Exeter’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Stuart Brocklehurst, took to LinkedIn to congratulate Murray on the honour, writing that “nationally the UK has long benefited from her advice on science policy” and calling the award “richly deserved”. The UK has long-standing military and research partnerships with Israel, which raises questions over its commitment to international humanitarian law, as well as throwing into relief how academia and innovation in this country are increasingly aligning with military objectives.

Exeter’s Friends of Palestine Society took to their Instagram page in December to express their disappointment in the University awarding Murray the prestigious doctorate. When Exeposé asked them how they think this decision will affect the student community at Exeter, they explained: “The University’s image has been negatively impacted. Our statement received over 17,000 views and over 500 likes on Instagram, and we know that many students have emailed the University to express their concerns. This shows that the decision has caused serious reputational harm.”

ment a transparent review process for honorary graduates that includes student representation and considers the ethical implications of these awards,” proving the University’s actions are aligned with its values, supportive of their vulnerable communities, and “encouraging more student participation in the honorary graduate selection process.”

“At the very least,” they stated, “we expect an apology and a review of the process.”

ates is reviewed, so we’ve started by requesting clarification on the current selection criteria to understand why this was not able to be raised sooner.”

“The University’s image has been negatively impacted”.

With reference to their efforts as a pro-Palestinian student group, they added that, for them, “this decision makes it harder to advocate for Palestinian rights because it signals that the University is willing to celebrate individuals associated with technological innovations that are used in ongoing genocide.” When asked how the University could better cater to their diverse community in such cases, Friends of Palestine underscored the need “for systemic changes to the process, ensuring that honorary graduates are held to the same ethical standards as research partnerships and business collaborations.”

In the wake of the situation, they hope the University will take the steps “to imple-

A spokesperson for Exeter Students’ Guild said, “We hear your concerns about who was chosen to receive an Honorary Degree, and we completely understand why this decision felt so disappointing. Graduation is a huge milestone, and the people platformed during that ceremony matter. They reflect the values the University chooses to highlight, and we agree that those choices should be made with care and consideration.

We want to reassure students that we’re taking this seriously. We’ve shared concerns directly with the University, especially around requests for both a public apology and for the reconsideration of Fiona Murray’s honorary degree, which are clearly communicated as part of our discussions.

“We want to reassure students that we’re taking this seriously. ”

We believe decisions like this should reflect the diversity, lived experiences and values of the student body and when that doesn’t happen, it’s our role to speak up and push for change. Looking ahead, we believe it’s vital that the process for selecting Honorary Gradu -

However, this is not the first time Exeter has come under fire for its alleged links to Israel. In the past, Friends of Palestine Society amongst others have criticised the University’s involvement with Israel, including partnerships with Israeli higher education institutions with well-documented links to Israeli security and arms. Friends of Palestine have also previously accused the University of a lack of transparency when disclosing investments in the defense industry. However, this is not a sentiment felt by all students at the University. In February 2025, Exeposé conducted research into the experiences of Palestinian and Israeli students at this University since the onset of the war. One Israeli student told us this –“The University is under so much fire already for association with anything Israeli (they literally don’t have any Israeli associations anyway)”.

Exeter is not the first UK university to draw controversy over their connections to Israel, especially since the onset of the war in 2023. For the past two years, universities have seen protests, encampments and queries into their financial investments and research collaborations. SOAS, King’s College London and the University of Manchester have all been subject of student-led campaigns to demand greater transparency and more solidarity with Palestine.

Exeposé reached out to Dame Fiona Murray for comment, but received no reply.

UK to rejoin Erasmus+ scheme for 2027-28 school year

Daisy Newbury Print News Editor

THE UK will rejoin the Erasmus+ programme in 2027, allowing UK students to study abroad at European universities

as part of their degree course.

Launched in 2021, Erasmus+ is the most recent iteration of the EU's Erasmus programme, which began in 1987 to connect universities across Europe. Currently, Erasmus+ offers individuals financial support and opportunities abroad to pursue

education, professional training, and sports outside of their home countries. For students, this means the additional costs of studying or training abroad, such as living costs, are subsidized or covered completely.

Currently, Erasmus+ offers individuals financial support and opportunities abroad to pursue education, professional training, and sports outside of their home countries.

Erasmus+ opportunities are available not only to EU citizens, but also citizens of associated third countries such as Norway and Turkey. Following Brexit in 2020, the UK opted out of participating as an associated third country in the Erasmus+ programme. Since Brexit, Erasmus+ nearly doubled its

budget to an estimated €26.2 billion.

The UK government announced in a 17 December 2025 press release that the UK would be rejoining the programme, after discussions began at the May 2025 EU-UK Summit. According to the government, the UK will contribute £570M to the program, a 30 percent discount compared to the default terms. The current agreement exclusively covers the 2027-28 academic year.

For UK university students, Erasmus+ opportunities include study and work abroad, job shadowing, and training courses, while UK university professors can get involved in Erasmus+ initiatives such as teaching exchanges. The programme will also provide opportunities for British school pupils, apprentices, adult learners, youth workers, sports sector professionals, and more.

In its press release, the government

emphasized its commitment to providing equal opportunities among students, “We will work closely with institutions and our young people to maximise take-up – particularly among disadvantaged groups – and provide c ertainty on complementary UK schemes so providers can plan confidently”, it stated.

“We will work closely with institutions and our young people to maximise takeup – particularly among disadvantaged groups”.

“This is about more than just travel”, EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said, “it’s about future skills, academic success, and giving the next generation access to the best possible opportunities”.

Devon County Council to reduce library opening hours

DEVON County Council's recent funding cuts to library services are anticipated to reduce its core staffed opening hours by nearly 30 percent, from 1300 hours each week to approximately 915 hours. The budget cuts are expected to impact 43 Devon libraries, four of which are in Exeter. In addition to reducing opening hours, these cuts will also increase the libraries’ reliance on volunteers to perform regular services. Since 2016, the Council has

outsourced its library services to the independent charity Libraries Unlimited. In a statement given on December 2nd, Libraries Unlimited Chair Marie Chadwick explained that the charity has been utilising their financial reserves to minimise the budget cuts for the last few years, but they currently lack the capacity to do it anymore.

Since 2016, the Council has outsourced its library services to the independant charity Libraries Unlimited.

“We have been calling on Devon County Council to consider the restoration of funding for the library service over many years, but this has not been forthcoming and the situation is unsustainable moving forward”, Chadwick wrote. “Unless funding can be restored, we support a consultation to establish a sustainable way forward at a cost that [the Council] can afford to fund in full”.

The Council also proposed the use of Library Unlimited’s Open Plus technology, which allows those with a library card to access buildings outside of the reduced standard hours.

“The library service budget has

been reduced year on year, and all realistic efficiency savings have already been made. The current model is no longer sustainable”, the Council wrote. In a further dent to library users, the Council opened a public consultation in December to consider the possibility of closing library branches altogether, despite its previous assurance to library staff that no libraries would close.

City Council tentatively approves student housing near St Luke’s

Daisy Newbury Print News Editor

ON 8 December, the Exeter City Council tentatively approved the construction of approximately 800 rooms near the University of Exeter St. Luke’s Campus. Approval relies on NCO (Seven) Limited and Nixon Homes amending the proposal within the next six months to ensure that the public access route through the site remains open 24 hours a day. First proposed in 2021, plans to construct student accommodation and co-living spaces at the site of the for -

mer police station on Heavitree Road have been revised multiple times leading up to its current iteration. After a 2023 refusal from the Council, the site’s

architects appealed and revised their application to address the Council’s concerns, such as building scale and possible reduced public greenspace.

architects appealed and revised their application to address the Council’s concerns, such as building scale and possible reduced public greenspace.

The current proposal would construct residences at the site of the old police station and magistrates office on Heavitree Road, across from the intersection at College Road. Construction would include 399 purposebuilt student accommodation units and 414 co-living studios, spanning seven blocks and reaching up to six stories high. The site would also in -

clude 448 bicycle spaces and four disabled parking bays. Of the 414 units, an estimated 82 are to be designated as affordable, meaning that people determined eligible by the Council could be offered discounted rent.

Construction would include 399 purpose-built student accommodation units and 414 co-living studios

If NCO (Seven) Limited and Nixon Homes promptly implement the Council’s public ac -

The Ram bar now offering more space and pool tables

Kayleigh Swart Print Editor-in-Chief

THE Ram bar on campus recently expanded its footprint to offer students and other customers an area to play games like pool. This expansion was done over the winter holidays, the bar took over the unused space next door. Previously, the space was used by the smaller market place store to sell University of Exeter merchandise. However, the location closed earlier this the academic year, allowing the Ram to take over that space.

Because the Ram is popular among students, it often gets rather crowded, especially in the evenings. The extra space from the expansion offers more student comfort, especially in the winter months when students may not want

to sit outside. In addition, the space opened up more classic ‘bar’ games and activities for students, such as pool.

Both American and English pool

The extra space from the expansion offers more student comfort, especially in the winter months when students may not want to sit outside.

tables were put in for students to use. There are three tables in total and various pool cues available for games.

However, there are a few concerns from students about the prices of these games. Students can book each table for either 30 or 55 minutes, with the English pool table costing 10 pounds for the hour and the American table costing

12. In an interview with the Exeposé, one student expressed concern over the prices, saying: “It’s supposed to be a student bar, and spending a tenner on

pool is too much for a lot of students”.

Despite these concerns, the extra space the Ram is now offering allows the bar to accommodate more students.

Teaching union urges government to ban social media for teens

Antoni Kaldunski Print International Editor

NThe debate intensified this month following reports of Elon Musk’s Grok AI digitally removing clothing from images of women and children.

ASUWT, one of Britain’s teaching unions, called for the UK government to introduce a statutory ban on social media use for under-16s, citing concerns about the impact of excessive online exposure on young people’s mental health and attention spans. The debate intensified this month following reports of Elon Musk’s Grok AI digitally removing clothing from images of women and children. The union argued that unregulated access to violent and sexually explicit content is increasingly harming pupils’ wellbeing. In a 11 January press release, NASUWT General Secretary Matt Wrack stated that if the government is serious about safeguarding children, protecting mental health, and addressing behavioural

issues in schools, urgent action is required. Research conducted by NASUWT supports these concerns. In their April 2025 Behaviour in Schools survey, 81 percent reported an increase in violent behaviour among pupils over the past year. According to NASUWT’s press release, a more recent survey found that 59 percent of surveyees agreed social media drove the rise in deteriorating behavior.

In response, a government spokesperson said that most schools already restrict mobile phone use during the school day to minimise disruption and support learning.

Since the writing of this article, the UK government has launched a consultation on banning social media for people under 16. According to the announcement, all state schools are now expected to be phone-free by default. Immediate next steps involve Ofsted inspections to assess school mobile phone policies. The consultation will seek views from parents and young people to determine the efficacy of a ban. The UK government plans to respond to the upcoming consultation in the summer.

Exeter College merges into Exeter and North Devon Colleges

Nina Exton Print Deputy Editor

EXETER College and Petroc College have announced that as of January 5th, they have officially merged to form the Exeter and North Devon Colleges Group.

The finalisation of the merger comes after a year-long process that included public consultation of 300 Devoners, where two-thirds supported the merger and 11 percent did not.

This merger makes the group one of the largest place-based college groups in the country. It is set to offer education opportunities to over 16,000 learners, employ nearly 2,000 staff members and generate an expected

annual turnover exceeding £100 million.

[The merger] is set to offer education opportunities to over 16,000 leareners, employee nearly 2,000 staff members and generate an expected annual turnover exceeding £100 million.

Petroc College’s Barnstaple campus is now officially North Devon College, while Exeter College retains its original name.

Petroc College’s Tiverton campus, on the other hand, is a specialist centre. It is to be renamed the Centre for Progression.

John Laramy, CEO of Exeter and North Devon Colleges Group, called this “an exciting moment for

everyone at Exeter College, Petroc College and the whole of Devon”.

The merger should also come at a relief to North Devon students travelling upwards of two hours to school, especially considering public transport issues like flooding or snowfall as well as the financial strain of long-term commuting.

A 2022 Ofsted report judged Exeter College to be outstanding, while a 2024 Ofsted report judged Petroc as requiring improvement. In a statement on Exeter College website, the group has called the merger the creation of “a regional powerhouse for young people and skills”.

Hundreds in Exeter counter third anti-immigration march

Daisy Newbury Print News Editor

ON 17 January, at least 850 people marched through High Street in a “Unite Against the Far Right” rally to counter another British Unity March. The British Unity March, sponsored by UKIP, marked the third anti-immigration protest in Exeter within the past four months.

Groups like Stand Up to Racism

Exeter and Exeter is for Everyone have been collaborating to counterprotest anti-immigration events since October, when they organized a counter march against the initial British Unity March — the first far-right demonstration in Exeter since 2013. Before countering the British Unity March last weekend, Exeter is for Everyone counterprotested another British Unity event in November. At each event, counterprotestors have outnumbered anti-immigration protestors.

Saturday’s British Unity March featured UKIP Leader Nick Tenconi, who attempted to lead British Unity March participants in chats calling for deportation. However, these attempts were broadly drowned out by the singing, drumming, and chanting of counterprotestors, who outnumbered British Unity protestors by an estimated 14:1 according to the

Exeter Observer. A spokesperson from Exeter Students’ Guild said, “Exeter is your home, and no matter your background, identity or country of origin – you deserve to feel safe, supported and like you belong. That’s why we’re supporting the ‘Exeter for Everyone’ event hosted by Stand Up To Racism Exeter. We care deeply about protecting and amplifying the voices of all students. Our

role isn’t just about policy and meetings; it’s about standing alongside you to amplify your voice. It’s great to see so many students come together to live out our values - radical inclusivity, empowerment, and collaboration, not just in words, but through action.

To find out how to get involved visit - go.exeterguild. com/exeter-for-everyone.”

Students awarded grant funding at annual ELEVATE competition

THIS past November, 67 students participated in the University of Exeter’s annual ELEVATE Engineering Pitch Competition. Established in 2019, ELEVATE encourages Sciences and Engineering students to pitch their ideas for a chance at winning part of the competition’s £6,000 of prize funding, which allows winners to fur-

ther develop the ideas they pitched. The competition took place over the course of two days, culminating in a final, six-minute pitch to an audience that included four specialist judges. This year’s winners will go on to compete nationally this summer, for a share of the £17,000 offered at the Engineering and Sciences in Business Fellowship Champion of Champions Competition stage in London. In a statement from the University of Exeter, Head of Student Entre -

preneurship Emily Davies reflected on the event’s success. “The entries for this year’s ELEVATE pitching competition were outstanding and highlight the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of our university’s student community”, Davies said. First place in the Engineering category was awarded to Engineering and Management students David Cooper and Thomas Malins, who won £1,200 for their pre-flight safety and readiness verification platform,

ClearedToGo. MEng Mechanical Engineering students Jeremiah Elliot and Tyler Monk placed second, winning £700 for their innovation, Monks Mobile Autocare, which provides on-demand mobile car servicing and repairs. Third place went to Engineering and Management students Toby Brockway, Jake Bridgman, and Joe Hole, for Tact — their Social Enterprise focused on fidget toys made of durable and sustainable materials.

First place in the Engineering category was awarded to Engineering and Management students David Cooper and Thomas Malins

In the Sciences category, Ana-Maria Toth, PhD Biomedical Sciences, took first place for her Hypnotherapy for Post-Surgery Delirium, winning £1,500. Lefty Armelinos — who stud-

ies Biological and Medicinal Chemistry with Industrial Placement — won £700 for his second place innovation, Biofilm Cleaning Technology, which combines two technologies for biofilm removal. Third place was awarded to Liam Boot-Handford, PhD Biological Sciences, for PhageLink Therapeutics — cost-effective targeted phage therapy to treat anti-biotic resistance.

In the Sciences category, Ana-Maria Toth, PhD Biomedical Sciences, took first place for her Hypnotherapy for PostSurgery Delirium

In both categories, cash prizes were also awarded for fourth and fifth place winners. A full list of award recipients can be found on the University of Exeter website.

University of Exeter ranks globally in Psychology and Humanities

THE University of Exeter now ranks 87th in Psychology and 95th in Arts and Humanities, according to the Times Higher Education (THE) Life Sciences World University Rankings.

As of 2026, the University sits among the top 200 universities across the world in eight subjects. Aside from these two newest additions, Exeter’s ranking subjects include Business and Economics, Education Studies, and Life Sciences, as well as Medicine and Health, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences. In a 21 January statement from the University of Exeter, Head of

As of 2026, the University of Exeter sits among the top 200 universities across the world in eight subjects

Department for Psychology Joanne Smith commented on the ranking. “Being ranked top 100 for Psychology is a tremendous achievement for the department”, Smith stated. “It reflects the quality, ambition, and real- world impact of the research and teaching taking place here at Exeter, as well as the dedication and hard work of

our academic and professional staff”. In 2026, THE World University Rankings assessed 1,211 universities — including the University of Exeter — across 98 countries and territories. Overall, the University of Exeter placed at 170, tying with two universities: the Sapienza University of Rome in Italy and the

Kayleigh Swart Editor-in-Chief

THE yearly Guild elections are almost here, and major changes have been made since last year. The Guild have recently revealed the new election structure that they will adopt for this election, and the elections to come. This change has come after the Guild ran their ‘Representation Review’, in which they aimed to address the ways students are represented within the Guild, after concerns were brought up in previous years. Exeposé previously covered the Representation Re -

Upcoming Guild Elections

view, which can be read online.

As a result of this the Guild announced major changes to the ways in which they will be handling elections moving forward. In a statement, the Guild said: “Students helped shape our brandnew representation model, one that’s more inclusive, opens up more student voices, and creates more ways to get involved. Now it’s time to meet the students who want to lead it”.

One of the biggest changes is the move from five full time Guild officers to two. Currently the Guild officer roles are as follows: Guild President; Education Officer;

The move from five full time Guild Officers to two

Communities and Equality Officer; Societies and Employability Officer and Student Living Officer. However, the new election model has moved into just two roles: Education and Employability Officer and Student Life and Communities Officer. In addition to this, the Guild have announced they are creating more than thirty part time jobs for current students to work alongside these officers. These part-time roles

will open later in the term. The elections for these roles are now upon us, and the nomination period for the 26/27 has just closed. On February 2nd, the Guild will be announcing the candidates for these elections who, in their words, are the students that are ready to “step up, represent their communities, and make real change to the student experience. They’re passionate, full of ideas, and committed to making sure student voices are heard where it matters most and students get to decide who takes those roles on”.

Voting for these elections will begin on Monday the 9th

of February and close on the 12th. The results will be announced the next night on the 13th. The Guild have also highlighted the importance of these elections and stated that: “Under the Education Act 1994, student unions are legally required to run elections. These elections are a vital part of making sure everything we

‘They’re passionate, full of ideas, and committed to making sure student voices are heard’

do is fair, democratic, and led by students. The full time Officers elected also become Trustees of the Guild, giving them real responsibility and influence over how we’re run”.

Voting will begin on Monday the 9th of February

To find out more about the candidates, look out for the Exeposé Guild election special which will give more information about all the candidates.

Features

US and Denmark: The conflict over Greenland

Sam Hanlon discusses the ongoing dispute between the US and Denmark

Donald Trump remains on the f ront page of headlines following the USA’s recent military strike in Venezuela. The president has now also claimed that possession of Greenland is needed to ensure US national security. Why?

Greenland is the world’s largest island, situated in the Arctic Circle, and is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Its economy is primarily based on fishing and tourism, and it is believed to hold substantial reserves of rare minerals, although exploitation is made difficult

by weather conditions. Its location in the North Atlantic Ocean, positioned between Europe and North America, gives it substantial geopolitical importance for the United States. During the Second World War and the Cold War, the USA established military bases in Greenland and sought to maintain its presence in the Arctic. Trump, therefore, argues that holding Greenland is key to national security, as it could be used as a base for the proposed ‘Golden Dome’ missile defence system, gaining a strategic advantage over China and Russia in both the Arctic and the Atlantic.

TRUMP HAS STATED THAT HE WILL OBTAIN GREENLAND THE ‘EASY WAY’ OR THE ‘HARD WAY’.

Trump hasn’t been shy about how the USA would acquire Greenland. He first mentioned potentially buying the island in 2019, which was firmly rejected by the Danish government. In early 2025, Vice President JD Vance claimed that China was seeking to build influence in Greenland, argued that Denmark

had been underinvesting in the territory, and suggested that Greenland would be better protected under American control. Now, Trump has stated that he will obtain Greenland the ‘easy way’ or the ‘hard way’, hinting at the possibility of using military force.

In response, Denmark and several NATO allies, including the UK and France, have organised a joint military exercise to take place, showcasing NATO solidarity and unity in the face of American coercive acts. However, this situation severely undermines the integrity of NATO and its effectiveness, considering the USA and Denmark are both members. Danish PM Mette Frederiksen has warned that any attack on a fellow NATO member would effectively spell the end of the organisation. European nations’ decision to show solidarity for Greenland has come with consequences. Trump recently announced that tariffs of 10% on all goods exported to the US would become effective in February for those countries opposing his decision to annex Greenland. In what the Danish PM has called ‘blackmail’, it has become glaringly obvious that transatlantic relations have become very strained. Whilst a bipartisan congressional delegation is currently meeting with Greenlandic and Danish politicians, it seems unlikely that a diplo -

matic breakthrough will be achieved, especially considering Greenlandic opinions. Despite many Greenlanders wanting independence from Denmark, it seems they would rather belong to Denmark than the USA, as recent polls suggest that almost the totality of the population would be opposed to a US takeover. Protesting locals have been brandishing banners highlighting that Greenland is ‘not for sale’, hitting back at the American president and his belief that Greenland is fair game real estate. The situation raises questions about the safety of international sovereignty and the aggressive nature of the Trump administration’s acts of US imperialism. In such a rapidly developing situation, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to forecast future developments in international affairs.

METTE FREDERIKSEN HAS WARNED THAT ANY ATTACK ON A FELLOW NATO MEMBER WOULD EFFITIVELY SPELL THE END OF THE ORGANISATION.

AIx Data Centres: The fight back against Environmental Injustice

Ria Brown-Aryee, Features Editor, looks into the black community fight against Environmental Racism

Elon Musk’s company AIx, which powers the AI chatbot Grok 4.0, has rapidly emerged as a leader in AI technology. In 2025, Business of Apps reported that about 30 million people use Grok each month, nearly doubling its user base since early 2025. This surge in popularity has prompted Musk to invest $20 billion in data centres located in Southaven, Mississippi, and Memphis, Tennessee, both intended to support Grok’s operations. Behind these data centres lie Black communities facing increasingly hazardous environmental conditions due to the pollution emitted from them. The methane gas turbines utilised to power these facilities produce harmful emissions, including nitrogen oxides and formaldehyde. Boxtown, Memphis, situated just a few miles from the data centres, is just one of the many communities that are adversely affected by pollution. Alexis Humphreys, a Boxtown resident, shared her experience of suffering her first asthma attack in 15 years, attributed to the emissions that have infiltrated her neighbourhood. At the request of Time, researchers at

the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, conducted an air quality analysis in South Memphis over recent years. They discovered that nitrogen dioxide concentration levels surged by 79 percent in areas surrounding the data centre compared to pre-xAI levels, with a nine percent increase noted in nearby Boxtown. A study by The Washington Post highlighted alarming figures in Boxtown, revealing that the community already has an abnormally high lifetime cancer risk and a life expectancy of only 67 years in the community, significantly below the state average of 75 years.

NITROGEN DIOXIDE CONCENTRATION LEVELS SURGED BY 79% IN AREAS SURROUNDING THE DATA CENTRE

These affected communities have been let down by their elected officials, including Memphis Mayor Paul Young. He described the data centres as an “opportunity for us to take our economy to the next level” during an NBC Nightly News interview. In re-

sponse, the Mississippi governor’s office released a fact sheet reiterating xAI’s “core commitment” to environmental sustainability. AIx responded to inquiries from NBC News by claiming that they “work collaboratively with County and City officials, EPA personnel, and community leaders regarding all matters affecting Memphis.” However, the minimal governmental action has left the communities with no choice but to advocate for themselves.

The Safe and Sound Coalition, a group in Southaven demanding the shutdown of xAI’s data centres, garnered over 900 signatures in support of their cause. Protests have been documented since June 2025, with recent demonstrations in September 2025, primarily organised by Tigers Against Pollution, a student-led advocacy group. Their campaign emphasises that “it is about more than a data centre or environmental pollution; it is about demanding that our public officials uphold their duty to serve their community.”

The environmental injustices faced by these communities are not recent phenomena; hey have persisted for years. This

time, residents are demanding accountability and protection from what can only be described as environmental racism.

IT IS ABOUT DEMANDING THAT OUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS UPHOLD THEIR DUTY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY

The Frugal Chic Guide

Charlotte Isbell, Screen Editor, shares how you can spend intentionally in 2026

EARLIER this month, British Vogue spoke to TikToker Mia McGrath about the internet trend she’s copyrighted “Frugal Chic”. McGrath describes the aesthetic as “The popularity of the frugal chic aesthetic is a sign of how we are moving away from rampant consumption and consumerism. By speaking to McGrath, the internet champion of the frugal chic aesthetic, British Vogue’s article ‘Unpacking The “Frugal Chic” Aesthetic’ unearthed our collective desire to move away from overspending and waste.

MCGRATH, THE INTERNET CHAMPION OF THE FRUGAL CHIC AESTHETIC

The frugal chic aesthetic taps into a wider cultural movement towards authenticity. We saw this spark with Charli XCX’s groundbreaking album BRAT and the cultural phenomenon of Brat Summer that followed. The movement drew from a 2010s grime culture — think of grungy series like Skins and alternative fashion looks with heavy eyeliner and ripped tights — that all came soaring back into fashion in 2024. What I think underpinned this shift is a desire to reuse fashion and makeup and have fun in a way that doesn’t squeeze the bank account in a cost-of-living crisis. Although the frugal chic aesthetic is visually opposite to Brat summer, they share values of minimal spending and self-expression through fashion. Relatedly comes the rise of Vinted and the second-hand clothing market. It’s cooler now to have an original, second-hand piece that is just your own rather than a mass-produced piece that you’ve seen worn by 100 other people. High fashion has adopted this sustainable approach too; British Vogue often includes links to pieces from Ebay alongside more luxury brands in its seasonal trend predictions. I see this sustainable effort too at university. Living in a house of eight girls means circulating going-out tops and sharing makeup. For us, fashion has become a community affair. We have unintentionally shifted our mindset on clothing from ownership to sharing and multi-use. Contribut-

ing editor at Vogue Business, Amy Francombe, echoes this frugal mindset in Udemezeu’s piece: “An outfit is instantly cooler if you paid less than you were supposed to for it”. The frugal chic aesthetic offers an opportunity to indulge in self-expression without breaking the bank. However, this isn’t to say that fast fashion is not normalised at uni — because it definitely is. Sustainability and the second-hand market can still be expensive. And with saving money being a priority for students, sustain -

THE FRUGAL CHIC AESTHETIC TAPS INTO A WIDER CULTURAL MOVEMENT TOWARDS AUTHENTICITY

able fashion efforts just often aren’trealistic.

But the frugal chic aesthetic can take many other forms besides from just fashion. Mia McGrath explains that meal prepping and taking your own packed lunch to work or

FOR US, FASHION HAS BECOME A COMMUNITY AFFAIR

class is far chicer than “buying a Tesco meal deal”. I would say that food is the biggest way students look to save money. Some of my housemates are certainly budget warriors; they are always reommending the latest Student Beans discount or any restaurant offers available throughout the week. Another housemate stresses the importance of making a shopping list before shopping so you can decide ahead of time how much you want to spend and how much food you realistically need for a week. I have also become a huge fan of planning most of my meals a week ahead. Not only does this save time throughout the week, but it has also saved me a tonne of money as I no longer pick up random bits for extra meals as I go. I am also part of the University’s survey superhero group, where I complete a survey every month for a five pound voucher to spend in a load of

different shops and supermarkets. Batch cooking is also very popular in my house; although I find it a little monotonous eating the same meal throughout the week, I completely see the benefit in saving time by cooking multiple meals at once and making the most of ingredients.

Although Mia McGrath’s frugal chic aesthetic doesn’t permeate all aspects of uni culture, it certainly taps into a broad effort to save money whilst still enjoying life as a student. McGrath’s emphasis on intentional spending is something genuinely helpful for students living on a budget. Whilst the frugal chic aesthetic really stresses the importance of buying second-hand clothing and creating a sustainable and intentionally chosen wardrobe, this is less valuable to many of my friends at uni who simply don’t see Vinted and similar platforms as a viable financial alternative to fast fashion. But students can take on board McGrath’s tips and tricks surrounding pack lunches and intentional food spending – saving them money and time. British Vogue’s piece tapped into the reality of a cultural climate balancing a cost-of-living crisis with an enduring desire for authentic self-expression.

Climate

CLIMATE EDITOR: Poppy Fellows

What does the Takeover of Venezuela mean for the Climate?

Wilf Smith discusses the climate dangers of President Trump’s Venezeula Takeover

AS has dominated global headlines at the start of this calendar year, the United States captured President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, claiming dominion over the nation and its oil reserves. In turn, Trump declared that US oil companies will “spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure … and start making money for the country”.

Venezuela has the largest global deposit of crude oil, with an estimated equivalent of around 300 billion barrels. Trump’s plans to tap these reserves, while an economic opportunity, reveals a host of dangerous environmental implications. For one, these vast stores consist of ‘dirty’ oil — heavy sour-grade crude with a high sulphur content. This not

only requires intensive energy processes to extract and refine, but a study by S&P Global Platts Analytics found that when compared to oil from Norway’s Johan Sverdrup field, Venezuela’s Orinoco Belt is over 1000 times higher in carbon intensity. If the entire reserves were fully tapped, they would immediately exhaust the entire global carbon budget allowed to achieve global warming at 1.5°C.

Fortunately, this is extremely unlikely due to the struggling nature of Venezuela’s existing infrastructure following the economic crisis under President Maduro. Venezuela’s environment has been decimated by corruption and mismanagement. Last year it released more than 46 per cent of its gas from flaring, and the country

Talso struggled with undisclosed oil spills, illegal gold mining, and widespread deforestation. If the United States were to stabilise industry and eradicate these malpractices, there could be some environmental benefits of regulating Venezuela’s oil. However, this would be undermined at a global level, for just a 50 per cent increase in oil production — up to 1.5m barrels a day — would annually emit more pollution than the total economies of Brazil and the United Kingdom. Analysists at ClimatePartner have predicted that if Trumps $100bn investment plans see production return to historic levels, it would consume 13 percent of the total remaining carbon budget.

The increased supply would also cause oil

prices to drop and incentivise global consumption. In a world already suffering from the severity of extreme weather events, ecosystem imbalances, and warming sea temperature, the executive director of Greenpeace International has called the move for Venezuelan oil “both reckless and dangerous”. Ultimately, ‘the only safe path forward is a just transition away from fossil fuels, one that protects health, safeguards ecosystems, and supports communities’.

THE ONLY SAFE PATH FORWARD IS A JUST TRANSITION AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS

Veganuary: Climate-Friendly Diets this January

Ella Clark outlines the climate benefits of adopting a plant-based diet this new year.

HIS January 2026 is set to bring on a vast number of new resolutions — going to the gym, stop drinking for the month and going vegan. Veganuary is by far one of the most popular ways that people introduce a healthy eating style in the new year, as well as acting as a more humanitarian member of the planet — but does its impact go beyond just animal welfare?

DOES VEGANUARY’S IMPACT GO BEYOND JUST ANIMAL WELFARE?

Swapping out meats for vegan substitutes for the majority of meals can dramatically im -

prove health. It is consumption of an excess of red meat (which is a popular habit across the population, which increases health risks, raising cholesterol and heart disease. Even after just a month, going vegan can have lots of shortterm health benefits, which may encourage people to take better care of themselves moving forward. However, this can be a small change in balance of veg to meat — rather than going full steam vegan. A large-scale transition to veganism would reduce meat production, impacting the lives of livestock farmers globally.

However, cows are some of the biggest emission contributors, occupying almost 100 times the land required to grow vegetable alternatives, such as kale. If everyone began using vegan alternatives for at least two meals a day, food related green-house emissions would

Areduce by 60 percent. “No one likes how we treat animals in the farms but everyone likes meat,”, Jaap Korteweg, a vegetarian butcher — who demonstrates that it’s far easier to switch to meat-free alternatives than vegan opposers may like to admit. He also argues that creating vegetarian meat should be the next step in farming development. There is a cost and time stamp on this idea — however, it will reduce the global warming fears surrounding farming, allowing people to make a clear choice in their diets.

Whilst there is indefinitely a need to eat greener and more sustainably, going vegan for January does not have to be the only way to get in more nutrition. It should be a trend that teaches people to want to choose a greener future, before disregarding the vegan diet as another internet fad.

Record Low Ozone Hole in Antarctica

Poppy Fellows, Climate Editor, discusses landmark shrinking of the Ozone Hole above Antarctica

CCORDING to scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica has shrunk to its smallest size since 2019 — the 5th smallest since 1992. In 1987, the Montreal Protocol was signed — an agreement which began the phasing out of ozone-depleting chemicals. The ozone layer absorbs ultraviolet light from the sun in the stratosphere. UV light leads to damage in plant DNA and animals, resulting in sunburn and skin cancer. Scientists realised the danger of ozone-depleting chemicals, as the layer dramatically became thinner over the south pole. Ozone concentrations should not fall below 220 Dobson Units (DU). The maximum depth in 1979 was 194 DU; in 1985 it was 124 DU; in 1991, the threshold of

100 DU was passed. It was not uncommon throughout the 90s for the DU to fall below 100, with the lowest ever recorded 73 DU in September of 1994. Currently, the DU of the Antarctic ozone layer is sitting around 230.

The landmark Montreal Protocol was passed in 1987, with changes made in 1992, achieving universal ratification. This agreement regulates approximately 100 man-made chemicals known as ozone depleting substances (ODS). 98 per cent of ODS globally have been phased out since 1990. Additionally, the agreement has had incredibly considerable impact on the reduction of greenhouse gas levels also with a decrease of 135 gigatons of CO2.

This year marks the second year of smaller holes in the ozone layer, despite larger and long-term periods between 2020 and 2023. Furthermore, scientists find that the earlier closure of the hole in the layer this winter is reassuring in its recovery process. In 2022, the eruption of Hunga Tonga, a submarine volcano in the south pacific region, is suspected to

have contributed considerably to the immensely large 2023 ozone hole, due to the displacement of ten cubic kilometres of sediment. This eruption generated the largest atmospheric explosion recorded by modern instruments, rated a six on the volcanic explosivity index. Large volcanic eruptions inject sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, which can cool the climate acting as an aerosol layer, but this was overrode by the vast quantities of greenhouse gases, evident of why the Antarctic ozone hole was one of the largest on record in 2023. Despite the big win this year for the Antarctic ozone layer, the scientists working at NASA and the NOAA believe we still have a long way to go to recover the ozone layer to pre-1980s conditions.

Comment

EDITOR’S COLUMN

Tom Richardson, Comment Editor

IS Reform a real threat? Not really, at least not in the long-term. Whilst the defection of Robert Jenrick, and even more critical defections of Nadine Dorries and Nadhim Zahawi, may grab headlines and stoke speculation, you would be forgiven for thinking that this is a very serious party that will be successful for many years to come. However, Farage has spent much of his efforts in winning over Conservative politicians rather than Conservative voters, arguably missing the mark where it matters most.

The reality is that Reform has not yet managed to capture the sustained enthusiasm of the wider electorate. Defections secured for Reform, such as the great former Chancellor and tax dodger Nadhim Zahawi, mean nothing electorally positive for Reform; they alienate many of his antiestablishment voters, therefore can only be viewed as satisfying Farage’s desire for personal validation.

Additionally, do not pay much attention to the clickbait claims of a Reform ‘super-majority’, these constituency predictions are notoriously unreliable, especially when there are five parties polling at double-digits, and three parties above twenty percent. Some seats will have five parties fighting for them and are completely unpredictable; therefore, it is entirely probable that there will be no party with a majority, which, according to Electoral Calculus predictions, is a 74 per cent chance, and that the party with the most votes will not necessarily translate into the most seats.

Tactical voting also becomes more of a factor closer to the General Election, when people are most aware. We saw this in 2017, when UKIP lost over 80 per cent of its support after the election was called, amid perceived threats of a Corbyn government. It is not out of the question that who is perceived as the biggest threat to Starmer or Farage could drastically affect the election’s outcome. So shake off your dread of eternal damnation, and prepare for a coalition of chaos!

WHAT on earth is going on within the Government? One aspect with which many of us concurred with the Labour Party in the run-up to the election was its competency to govern. When Starmer should be using his abilities to showcase how populist, rhetoric-based parties such as the Greens and Reform are unable to govern, he has instead fuelled them through his government’s incompetence. You would be justified in believing that the sheer amount of policy incoherence and U-turns is a result of some sort of self-sabotage. The government’s teams of special advisers are more than capable of foreseeing that controversy would arise on any form of tax-raising policy. Four different tax increases and three welfare spending cuts were announced, then U-turned. Even to the average person, it is clear that there is no such thing as a seventh time lucky. If you face so much criticism from hiking National Insurance, you will face the same on increasing Income Tax. Labour’s political aptitude can be summed up as turning the computer on and off again until a spending cut or tax increase gets consent from the electorate.

Tom Richardson

Lucas Eley

Discrimination against the privately educated?

Lauren Walsh, Deputy Editor, denounces Trinity

TRINITY Hall College at the University of Cambridge has recently received controversy over a newly approved admissions policy, which proposes targeting a small group of top private schools, in order to improve the “quality” of their students. It was cited that “reverse discrimination” against students who were privately educated was a concern. Among the list of the private schools named in the policy were Eton College, St Paul’s School, Winchester College, and Cheltenham Ladies’ College, names you may recognise as being among the most elite — and expensive — private schools in the country.

“REVERSE DISCRIMINATION” IS QUITE FRANKLY ABSURD

The idea that privately educated students face “reverse discrimination” is quite frankly absurd, when these students are still massively over-represented in universities across the country.

Despite only making up about seven percent of the population, the percentage of private school students at Cambridge is 27 percent. Our own University of Exeter follows closely behind with the student population being made up of 28 percent privately educated students, and the University of Oxford has an even higher amount of private school students at 31 percent. Durham University has the highest number of private school students in the country, at a whopping 39 percent, which is nowhere near representative of the general population.

SEEMS LIKE A STEP BACKWARD FOR WIDENING PARTICIPATION INITIATIVES

Therefore, Trinity Hall’s new policy seems like a step backward for widening participation initiatives, as the current make up of state vs independent school students at the university does not accurately reflect the percentage of state school students in the

Hall’s new private school outreach policy

country, so why on earth are they trying to decrease this number even further? It is already much harder for state educated students to get into an elite university like Cambridge, especially if you don’t have the parental or pastoral support of family members or teachers who went to university and know how the application process works. A study from The Sutton Trust from 2018 found that “Independent school pupils are seven times more likely to gain a place at Oxford or Cambridge compared to those in non-selective state schools, and over twice as likely to take a place at Russell Group institutions”.

Furthermore, the policy suggested approaching these private schools for students specifically looking to study languages, music and classics. These are already subjects that private schools generally have better provision for, and therefore students’ whose parents can afford to send them to a school that offers classics, or can pay for an instrument and music lessons, are already at a clear advantage over state school students. The new admissions

policy seems to be punishing state school students for their lack of opportunity, something entirely out of their control. Targeting private school students for these subjects shamelessly promotes classism and elitism and seems like a blatant action taken to keep these subjects exclusionary from those who can’t afford it. Higher education, and access to certain institutions and subjects, should not be exclusive to those who can afford to send their students to expensive private schools, and the idea that these private schools provide more “quality” students is a damning indictment of the classism that is still rampant in this country, and, if anything, demonstrates the need for students from a more diverse schooling background at these institutions, not less.

TARGETING PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS... SHAMELESSLY PROMOTES CLASSISM AND ELITISM

Justice or Just-U.S.

Nina Exton, Deputy Editor, discusses how the failings of International Law push international cooperation out of reach.

TRUMP’S

kidnapped Nicolás Maduro, Israel’s knocked down UN buildings in Palestine and North Korea’s testing their nukes. It feels like there should be something in place to stop this from happening, and there is. But how come it never really feels like it’s working? In times of conflict or crises, when it feels like the world could end or everything we know is crumbling around us, we feel temporary solace in the announcement that treaties or ceasefires have been drawn up, only to find out days later that they’ve been violated.

WE FEEL TEMPORARY SOLACE IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT TREATIES OR CEASFIRES HAVE BEEN DRAWN UP

If you were still unsure on

whether international cooperation actually works, Canada’s Mark Carney confirmed it himself at the World Economic Forum in Davos on the 20th. According to Carney, as a global community we are leaving behind us the “rules-based international order”, and entering a fragmented era defined by power politics and selective respect for international norms where everyone plays by their own rules. His speech has sent ripples through the international community for its bravely cynical take

on the death of the West’s beloved liberal international order. There are countless reasons it’s come to this. International law itself, the glue of global cooperation has a multitude of inherent failings. For one, unlike the national laws us ordinary folk are subject to, international law functions through consent of states. Countries must sign and ratify treaties, making formal commitments to uphold and comply with rules, like the UN Charter’s prohibition on use of force. There -

fore, if it’s not in a state’s best interest to sign on, they simply won’t. Granted, there are some exceptions – the ICC can compel members to arrest non-member for war crimes – but for the most part international law is optional.

FOR THE MOST PART INTERNATIONAL LAW IS OPTIONAL

For signatory states, the mere existence of non-signatory states – especially when they’re powerful ones like the US and China – sort of chucks incentive to comply out the window. If not everyone has to practice the same restraint, why expose yourself to limits others avoid?

Speaking of the ICC, it is one of a vast number of international law agencies with various rules, many of which overlap and contradict – creating gray area galore and further enabling states to be selective with what applies.

Especially recently, many leaders in the Global South have opted towards regional organisations over international ones to escape per-

Bring back nuance

ceived Western-centric legal frameworks, further adding to the mix.

Even when a state actually consents and submits to international law and its proceedings, justice takes time. Due process and procedural requirements draws the process out. War crimes tribunals and international investigations, like the one just launched into the war in Gaza, can span decades before reaching judgements

However, the flaws with international law perhaps lie not in how it’s practiced, but in the concept itself. Regardless of superpowers like the US, we live in an anarchy with no omnipotent force to govern us all. International law is designed to preserve state sovereignty, but it’s this same state sovereignty that gives states the right to defy global norms and rules. While scholarship on the matter has largely shifted away from seeing the actions of countries as a result of the behaviour of its leaders, we must consider how human nature – dominated by fear, self-interest and competition – outweigh legal commitments.

Lucas Eley, Comment Editor, argues against America’s ‘Black and White’ politics becoming global

With the growing trend of extreme political division in the western world, there is no better example of the loss of nuance in the modern discourse than the extensive United States interventionism and the discussion around it. The two-party system within the US promotes a divisive “us and them”

style of politics wherein every issue devolves to pundits being forced into strict party line backing of opposite sides of any given issue.

This black and white style politics is perfectly exemplified in political discourse surrounding Iran and the current violence against and by the Islamic Republic of

Iran as led by Ali Khamenei, at the time of writing. The division surrounding this was largely sparked by the Trump administration’s threat of military intervention in the situation. The “us and them” mentality has forced US pundits into uncomfortable ideological positions around the conflict and ultimately failing to recognise the larger international view that while it is true that the authoritarian, theocratic regime is oppressive and violent, it is also true that US intervention very rarely benefits or is intended to benefit the country.

EVERY

ISSUE DEVOLVES TO PUNDITS BEING FORCED INTO STRICT PARTY LINE BACKING OF... ANY GIVEN ISSUE

However, the broader point that needs to be made is that this style of politics cannot be allowed to spread beyond the boundaries of

the United States, a trend we have already began to see in European countries political environments, especially the United Kingdom. In a system of international relations in which the understanding of nuance is very much so life and death, the spread of divisive United States style politics could easily lead to the growth of conflict both in contested regions and between set powers. Even at the time of writing there has been a significant growth of tension internationally between the European powers and the United States both over the actions of the US in relation to Greenland and also due to the inconsistent policies surrounding Ukraine and the Middle East.

US REACTION TO THE DOMESTIC SITUATION IN IRAN IS EMBLEMATIC OF A DEEPLY FLAWED MEDIA AND POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT

Historically, when considering this style of politics and its effects on international conflict the best thing to look at are going to be periods of delicate diplomacy.

For example, how would divisive US administrations have dealt with nuanced situations like the Cuban Missile Crisis?

What kind of world would we live in if domestic politics had forced the US two-party system had pushed congress to delay or fail to join in conflicts like World War Two?

Ultimately, the US reaction to the domestic situation in Iran is emblematic of a deeply flawed media and political environment having a corrupting influence on the broader system of international relations due to the political cultural hegemony held by the United States.

When nations are locked in domestic political struggles, it becomes largely impossible for real cooperation internationally and for sensible diplomacy to prevail.

Christopher Lyndsay

ICE heroically neutralise rampant baby stroller

Chloe Burrows

DURING a routine immigration enforcement operation in the overrun and once great state of Vermont, a bold ICE agent, who has chosen to remain anonymous for his own safety and dignity, was seriously wounded, suffering life threatening bruising to both body and ego in an attempt to halt an onrushing baby stroller. The stroller in question was violently launched by a deranged attacker — later identified to be a US citizen and struggling single mother — at 3:33pm last Friday.

The incident occurred after six ICE agents approached the suspect believing that she and her child were illegal migrants using the stroller to smuggle

large quantities of fentanyl in order to harm good, God-fearing, American citizens.

One agent ordered the suspect to empty the stroller, while the primary victim, now laying in a private hospital ward, requested the suspect to stop moving and show him her hands. She disobeyed and took her six-month-old baby from the stroller, kicking the lethal weapon with her foot as she did so. She claims that this was an “accident” because she lost her footing, but witnesses describe the attack as “forceful” and a “sign of in-

sanity”. The stroller rapidly picked up speed as it descended the hill, with in-depth analysis indicating it reached a record-breaking speed of just over four miles per hour. Experts are shocked by the suspect’s evident violence. As it barrelled towards the ICE team’s unmarked van, the heroic victim immediately realised the danger that the improvised weapon posed, and acted decisively to ensure that it would not damage their means of transport. He immediately fired defensive shots into the stroller before valiantly throwing himself in front

Hof it in an effort to stop the threat in its tracks. He was rescued by his team, who did their best to treat his grievous wounds and detain the vicious attacker. He was declared to be in serious but stable condition after receiving one graze to the knee and a record-breaking seven minor bruises. Reports say it took more than two wet paper towels to soothe his pain. He remains in hospital now.

As you read this now he remains in hospital, and his GoFundMe page, launched 14 minutes after the incident to pay for his psychological recovery, has already surpassed $800,000. The suspect and her baby — now being treated as an accomplice — are being held awaiting trial for the brutal assault of such a brave, noble officer and suspicion of smuggling illegal substances.

All history declared to be AI generated

EY Grok! Make various gods do a big bang, create the earth in a couple of days and snap Pangea into China and America. Put the continents in bikinis while you’re at it, too. That’s right reader, history is now subjective and fluid. But don’t despair; fluid is good! If we just think about our drifting perception of reality as a creamy Guinness, slowly slipping away as we try to split the G(PT), nothing could be better. Regardless, we at Exeposé will explore history through the guise of our wise, artificial friends. Firstly, dinosaurs were never real. That’s right, they’re fake news. Apparently, they’re just

a bunch of chicken bones and cow hips. Crocodiles and alligators are also false, by association of course. In fact, old people are fake too. Anything with bones for that matter. Bones are just propaganda to make you drink milk. Secondly, Dinosaurs are real. Incredibly real. Yes, instead of just one, we have input two prompts to provide a more accurate depiction of history. We even have an image of one! It has no legs, eyes, or teeth but we must assume that’s what it was like for whatever dinosaur this is. Wait, no that’s just the new version of the Spinosaurus. Sadly, AI might be right on this one.

Thirdly and finally, before all sense of reality falls away Genghis Khan not only had a fighter jet, but his horde consisted of Disney Pix-

Lar characters. No arguing with that, but it does seem to go against the moral code of Buzz and Woody. It is arguable that AI here is doing some cultural poaching, but, with Mongolian history as difficult as it already is, who are we to argue?

DINOSAURS WERE NEVER REAL

No matter its content, listening to AI is ultimately easier than checking your facts. And that’s what matters. For what is the point of life, if not to make everything as easy and effortless as possible?

Greenland renames to Wokeland to avert US invasion

EGEND has it, the icy nation of Greenland got its name as a tactic to preserve their ice from the Vikings, who already had green in abundance. The crafty country turned to their old playbook in the face of a potential United States invasion. Officials changed the country’s name to “Wokeland”, a title they assumed US definitely-not-a-dictator Donald Trump would be as averse to as the Vikings were to green.

AMERICANS WILL AT LEAST BE ABLE TO NAME ONE MORE COUNTRY

Unfortunately, the Department of War only realised this after they seized the nation, and have since released puzzling statements. Trump’s response was, “I love woke like I love island parties”. Republican official Jimothy Johnson (not real name) claims that “wokeness” has always

been integral to the Republican party, stating that “A Wepublican party without wokeneth ith pwepotherous!” A quote he attributed to President Reagan, but after a quick fact check revealed its originator to be popular cartoon character “Daffy Duck”. Doobert Doodleheimer (not real name), a political analyst, argues that MAGA’s embrace of wokeness will be their “greatest left turn… at least until next week”. This writer urges readers to remain hopeful as by the year’s end, Americans will at least be able to name one more country.

THE best thing about a new year is the feeling of starting afresh, leaving the past failures of missed lectures, assessment deadlines and fumbled situationships behind. It is a time to begin bettering yourself with New Year’s Resolutions. Even when failed, it’s the thought that counts. But that’s only if the thought is worthwhile. Recent studies have shown that student aspirations are even lower than

Vaults. Finish all core readings? No, too outlandish. Just half of one will do (depending on the typography size). Go to every lecture? Don’t be ridiculous! The thought alone is more than hard enough. What about quitting TikTok, Shorts, or Reels? No, entire days lost to them are not that much of a problem… limiting it to just three hours a day is far more conceivable.

Though they will certainly be achieved, there will be no sense of accomplishment with these “resolutions”. It would be more impressive to fail them, and in that sense, many students are very impressive.

STUDENT ASPIRATIONS ARE EVEN LOWER THAN VAULTS

The truth is, it’s not just students. Everyone needs to think bigger. What about solving world hunger? Achieving world peace? Curing cancer? You could even be more ambitious what if your New Years Resolution was to spend less time in TP, and more time sleeping? But, alas, some things will always be unachievable.

New Year's

Resolutions

Amber Platel, Arts and Lit Editor, shares a wholesome approach to her 2026 resolutions

PEOPLE often start the new year claiming that they want to be kinder to themselves. This feels like a lovely idea in theory, but in practice, it's very abstract, and such a huge and ongoing journey that it seems almost impossible to actualise. Still, it’s an undeniably wonderful goal, and something we could all benefit from. That’s why my New Year's resolution is to smile at myself as often as I can. Catch your reflection in a car window? Smile! Your friend takes a photo of you, and you

don’t really love the way you look in it? Smile at it anyway. About to get in the shower at the end of an exhausting day? Give your naked reflection a big old grin. The key is to give a natural smile, an automatic response of happiness, to create a positive association between your brain and your reflection. No pouting or mewing or posing, smile the same smile you would have if no one ever taught you that there was a right or wrong way to do so. If it doesn’t come naturally at first and you feel silly or awkward, just keep

doing it, every time, and classical conditioning will soon run its course, and smiling will become the natural reaction to seeing your own face.

GIVE YOUR NAKED REFLECTION A BIG OLD GRIN. THE KEY ISTO GIVE A NATURAL SMILE, AN AUTOMATIC RESPONSE OF HAPPINESS

Exeposing the influencer: Jessica Turner

From debunking fitness myths to revealing the behind-the-scenes of content creation, Yasmine Al-Saket, Lifestyle Editor, sits down with Jessica Turner to get the lowdown

AS we all know far too well, it's the New Year, and often the word resolution comes next. In my conversation with Jessica Turner, she epitomises those resolutions achieved, being healthier and happier. Jessica is a law finalist with 61.6K followers combined on Instagram and TikTok, under the handle @jessicaaafit__. I had the opportunity to speak with her about her incredible fitness transformation and her university life. We started the discussion at the start of her fitness journey, where we looked back to 15-year-old Jessica, being diagnosed with anxiety and depression. Her spark of getting healthier began after a conversation with her therapist, who suggested that getting out of the house and being more active might improve her well-being. Jessica took this advice to heart, and amidst this, the quarantine from COVID-19 began. Which prompted her to start home workouts from Chloe Ting, as she felt that this might be the only time when she had lots of time to truly commit to herself and her future. She shared earnestly that starting was no easy feat, recalling a story of her first time at the gym, where she ran out of the gym due to gym anxiety. The home workouts helped her build up her confidence in herself and in her abilities, which was paired with a healthier diet. This led her to lose almost half of her weight, from 16 stones to half of that. She opened up about how getting into fitness also helped with her mental health, feeling more secure in herself and having confidence to socialise and go out. Jessica’s influencing journey started with seeing one of those “your sign to start posting” reels, which prompted her to start an Instagram focused on fitness in July 2024. Here she had some downtime over the summer holidays. At the beginning of the page, it started slowly but with a few encouraging comments from a largely women-only community. It motivated her to keep posting and now posting up to five times a day on both platforms. She conveys how running her social media account is a way for her to be creative in her pragmatic law degree, from researching current market trends, trending TikToks and sounds

to adapting that for a fitness-focused audience.

A standout moment was when she went viral for a video reaching 15.4 million views overnight, just two days before a legal assessment centre. Jessica has received overwhelmingly positive responses with comments from other girls sharing their fitness journey. Her account primarily focuses on fitness, but she has also been trying to reach other avenues, such as motivation and fashion content, building a community of supportive girls holding each other accountable in their fitness goals. Jessica revealed how, a year later, she began her TikTok account in November of 2025. Here she received her dream sponsorships with MyProtein and Dyfne, sharing how she exclusively wears Dyfne even though she doesn't have an exclusivity clause, encompassing her enjoyment of working with them. Jessica shares how her partnership with both of them was a match made in heaven, with her having the same mission statement and ideals as they do. However, she honestly discloses how content creation, despite being somewhat lucrative and glamourised, is an unstable career, as it is reliant on the algorithm, which is out of one's control. For her, this uncertainty and the business side of social media can lead to a headache, worrying over numbers for her business deliverables. Despite this, Jessica shares keenly how it’s the community that she built that keeps her going, being transparent about her “bad body image” days to her followers, and how social media is just the highlight.

A STANDOUT MOMENT WAS WHEN SHE WENT VIRAL FOR A VIDEO REACHING 15.4 MILLION VIEWS OVERNIGHT

Jessica

some stories of her experience with the press, such as a brief discussion with journalists from The Daily Mail, The Sun and Devon Live, humorously. She was approached

unexpectedly for an article, which ended up being for the Daily Mail. She explored how some of the stories were taken out of context and found it rather funny at times. Especially when she woke up to her friends telling her how she was in the press while being on holiday in Ibiza. Recounting a funny incident of being written about by the Economic Times India and Australia, without being contacted. Which, of course, Exeposé has her full consent for this article. While we were chatting about her fitness transformation, she highlighted how it was as much of a physical change as it was a mental one, too, changing her lifestyle dramatically to feel more confident in speaking up in class and being out of her comfort zone. She impressively has been studying for a law degree and undertaking a Level Two gym instructing qualification. This led her to work at the Sports Park running her own Legs, Bums and Tums (LBT), high-intensity workout class. She shared wholesome stories of having a series of regulars, from students to mums who attend her classes. Alongside this, she explored how she broke through the legal recruitment process, receiving a training contract, by honing her skillset of being disciplined and resilient in her fitness journey. Along with the commercial considerations of influencing and running her LBT class. Jessica highlights how she is keen to have a long-standing legal career, which she aims to pace her content creation as she navigates a new city, workplace and colleagues.

On worklife balance, Jessica is one of those GCal warriors, I previously

wrote about. Time blocking and planning out her day as she balances contractual agreements for her content, a law degree, committee position, part-time work and a social life. Often having an early morning and prioritising her health, as the quote goes, “wealth means nothing if you’re dead”. She exposes the secret of using the Eisenhower Matrix to truly maintain productivity in her demanding degree, which I’m sure we can all use to help ours. Approaching life in a way where you can have it all by being organised! As we wrapped up our conversation, Jessica dropped some nuggets of wisdom to those who are trying to get healthier for the new year. First, starting slowly rather than committing to a complete clean diet immediately and going cold turkey. Getting healthier, like most things, takes time. Starting with only a few sessions a week and easing into a fitness schedule will go a long way. She highlights how once you start seeing results, the gym days start to get easier. Sometimes, this is easier said than done but having some belief and starting small. Those small things will gradually amount to something monumental, whether this is in your fitness journey, career, academics, or simply just in life.

2025 Pop Culture Wrapped

Phoebe Andrews gives her take on the trends that need to stay in 2025 or remain this year

THE end of 2025 brings both joy and sadness with some of our favourite trends being left behind. To commemorate these fallen icons, I am going to evaluate seven of the most popular moments of the year and decide whether they deserve to remain in 2025 or be brought through into 2026.

The Labubu

These multicoloured beasts once ruled the blind bag industry and the hearts of the performative male with the inhumane price points driven by the uncharacteristic demand. However, with a decline in sales these creatures have made their inevitable descent from celebrities' bags to the landfill.

VERDICT : remain in 2025

Charlie Kirk

With the sheer amount of Charlie Kirk memes, not to mention the music (We are Charlie Kirk phonk remix I’m looking at you) it seems unlikely that he will be left behind so

quickly. Especially with his grieving widow going on tour and getting cosy with J.D Vance.

VERDICT : Straight to 2026

The revival of messy, fun and whimsical makeup

With Zara Larsson’s bright and beautiful tour looks created by Sophia Sinot going viral, a new era for makeup experimentation is among us. While I’m not advocating for the ‘Clean Girl Coma’, I think freedom of makeup expression is definitely going to make 2026 more colourful and exciting.

VERDICT : Straight to 2026

The infamous American Eagle ad campaign

Having only a blonde and blue-eyed actress in an ad campaign for good jeans (or genes) was certainly an interesting message for the brand to push with the current rise in conservatism and a resurgence in beliefs aligned with eugenicist policies. Katseye’s GAP ad

IF you’ve opened social media, you’ve probably heard that ‘2026 is the new 2016’. Back then, the majority of us, we were somewhere in between 9-12 years old and experiencing cheesy school discos, last days of junior school, and first-ever sleepovers. This is a part of childhood that sticks with us; core, fond, lasting memories from early schooldays are what shape us as we grow up. It is no wonder that the year 2016 is so clear in our minds. It was the year of Pokemon Go, the revival of Gilmore Girls, the feud between Taylor Swift and Kanye West, and (far more boringly) Brexit. 2016 was filled with enough iconic pop culture moments that will make it go down in history. For example, whilst the rise of fidget spinners may have seemed like a meaningless fad at the time, they constantly resurrected themselves as a trend for years after and popularised other fidg -

2was certainly a breath of fresh air after that.

VERDICT : Good genes can stay in 2025

The Coldplay Kiss Cam

While the moment of the Astronomer CEO shamefully ducking the kiss cam after being caught in his affair was short, the event inspired hundreds of parodies and caused the breakdown of his reputation, leading to the resignations of the guilty parties. Moral of the story: don’t bring your mistress to a concert full of cameras.

VERDICT : leave the cheating in 2025

MORAL OF THE STORY: DON'T BRING YOUR MISTRESS TO A CONCERT FULL OF CAMERAS

Dubai chocolate

This decadent chocolate bar was popularised for its pistachio flavour and the shredded pastry interior, sending its price point through the roof. Nowadays you can buy slightly cheaper

Chloe Burrows details social-media's decade nostalgia

ets too. We may have started with indescribably shaped spinning toys, but fidget spinners paved the way for pop-its, pop-tubes, putty, and nee doh cubes. Who else’s younger sibling is obsessed?

THE YEAR OF POKEMON

GO, THE REVIVAL OF GILMORE GIRLS, THE FEUD BETWEEN TAYLOR SWIFT AND KANYE WEST

The whole character of 2016 was carved out by its popularisation of music so bright it’s now on every summer playlist. There can be significant parallels drawn between charttoppers in 2016 and current trends of 2026. Whilst Rihanna was known for Work in 2016, her 2007 song entitled Breaking Dishes is com-

ing back into popularity via its use as a backing track in viral Instagram Reels and TikToks. Even more notably, Zara Larson’s 'Lush Life' has sprung straight out of 2016 and onto everyone’s feed due to its new dance trend that is slowly becoming muscle memory. What will be next? I’m sure the Swifties out there will be hoping for Reputation (Taylor’s Version) as the original album was supposedly written in 2016. I think it is fair to predict that the summery, colourful, and bold aesthetics of 2016 will continue to seep into 2026. Whilst 2025 favoured natural, softer thematics across our online presences, both the duotone and dog filters are making a sudden reappearance after having been called cringe for many years. With such bright imagery jumping off of our screens, it won’t be long before everyone has ditched their Exetah quarter zips for a galaxy-print jumper

Did 2025 invent yearning?

variants from the supermarket and despite my initial misgivings (due to the trending nature of the product which always sets me up for disappointment), I in fact enjoyed it.

VERDICT : The trend will be staying in 2025, but I would like them to remain available anyway

The Wicked Press Tour Now this series of events technically began in 2024, but as the saga came to a close in 2025 it feels unfair if I don't mention it. The sheer amount of content that the clinginess between the stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande inspired was legendary for a press tour and while the second tour was arguably more restrained, it remained in the public consciousness until its close.

VERDICT : I have been changed for good but as there is no new content this drama will remain in 2025

Last year was arguably one of the most chaotic yet in terms of iconic moments and I can't wait to see what 2026 has to offer.

and a Smiggle backpack. You know the ones. At the end of the day, whilst 2026 is clearly drawing on the trends of 2016, it will be an impossible year to replicate. I mean, in what world is Leicester City winning the Premier League?

From Conrad Fisher to 'party 4 u', Cristina Ferrin Pereda, explores the year of yearning

025 was defined by the rise of the performative male — matcha, feminist literature, wired headphones and tote bags was all they needed to take over the internet. But what formed the blueprint for this phenomenon? In the past year men were defined by a brand-new form of suffering in the form of yearning. This longing is subtle and usually punctuated by a longing look from across the room, making the recipient of this affection both confused and maddened. The classic Conrad Fisher “I thought you knew!” effect, in which men would rather yearn than act on their emotions due to the fear of unrequited love and rejection. This was fuelled by British Vogue’s controversial ‘Is Having a Boyfriend Embar-

rassing Now?’ article which claimed that having a boyfriend “takes hits on a woman’s aura.”

It seemed like yearning in the media was never ending in 2025, and we can expect a lot more this year with the release of Wuthering Heights, People We Meet on Vacation , and the fourth season of Bridgerton . However, last year we saw the release of the final season of The Summer I Turned Pretty , which brought audiences an unrivalled new form of yearning with Conrad Fisher suffering from across the world. Additionally, the popularity of Charli XCX’s ‘party 4 u’ fuelled the making of thousands of TikTok edits to an immense variety of media, from La La Land to The Perks of Being a Wallflower to Stranger Things, people found a variety of meanings within this

song. The resurgence of Jeff Buckley’s songs was also a marked shift as his work has always symbolised the epitome of the yearning man, even being featured on shows like One Day , and with the songs ‘Everybody Here Wants You’ and ‘Lover, You Should’ve Come Over’ going viral on social media for the raw emotion they capture.

'LOVER, YOU SHOULD'VE COME OVER', GOING VIRAL FOR THERE RAW EMOTION

What is ironic about the rapid rise of this form of ‘yearning’ is that this has been a staple of romantic culture for centuries, for ex -

ample in the early works of Austen and the Brontë sisters. Despite this, I think that the rapid evolution of hyper technology and new scary forms of AI has fuelled this generation’s longing for a sense of nostalgia for a time before this digital age. This is something Threds website pointed out: yearning is a way to keep intimacy and connection on a pedestal at a time when everything is so easily accessible. However, yearning is not purely romantic, and the romanticisation of life has been trending for years now. Maybe in 2026 yearning will take a new form through journaling, vision boards, and reading as people yearn for a better version of themselves.

arts & lit

Libraries as a site of resistance in Gaza

Nina Exton, Deputy Editor,

reports on the building of Gaza’s first public library since Israel’s genocide began

AS Israel’s genocide in Palestine enters the new year, two men in Gaza are gathering donations to open the city’s first public library. In an ultimate act of rebellion, Omar and Ibrahim have spent the last three months working to return knowledge, imagination and dissent to a nation under siege.

On their donations page, the two men share their stories. Omar’s passion for literature began in childhood, sparked by a desire to explore worlds beyond the Israeli-monitored school curricula. “My library was like a paradise I would travel and sail through its books to seize wisdom and the self I had forgotten since the first day I was forced to abandon reading.” He has a soft spot for Russian literature, one of his favourites being Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment Ibrahims’s love for books began later in life while studying English Language Teaching

at Al-Aqsa University, where displaced Gazans have since sought shelter. He notes a particular love for Mahmoud Darwish, widely regarded as Palestine’s national poet. who wrote the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988.

In 2023, Omar and Ibrahim, alongside thousands of residents of Beit Hanoun, were forced to evacuate their homes. Both carried their personal libraries with them through months of displacement before eventually returning to Gaza. Since then, countless libraries have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli forces, including a 700 year-old institution once home to thousands of rare books. For Gaza, where roughly two million Palestinians remain there are now no accessible libraries to be found.

Omar and Ibrahim’s effort to return literature to Gaza cannot be overlooked. Libraries have borne silent witness to the darkest corners of human history — acting as sites of both education and resistance.

Their power is most evident in how often they are targeted in times of oppression, and perhaps second most evident in the libraries built in the aftermath. When the Nazis burnt books, the Vilna Ghetto Library lent thousands to exiled Jews. More recently, when Assad’s regime reduced the Syrian suburb Darayya to rubble, a small group of revolutionaries built a secret library in an abandoned basement.

Books have long served as a means of processing trauma for those living through war and oppression. But it is not only fantastical tales like Harry Potter, one of Ibrahim’s favourites that provide catharsis. Stories of other conflicts can transcend time and space, offering frameworks through which Palestinians can understand their own experiences and find comfort in knowing they are not alone or beyond survival.

According to UNICEF, more than 658,000 children in Gaza have gone without schooling

for nearly two years. With no clear end in sight, Palestine’s youngest generations require urgent education and literacy. The passion for literature Omar and Ibrahim’s library seeks to evoke is crucial not only for education, but for preserving memory and documenting lived experience through the stories of those who endured it.

As of January 22nd, Omar and Ibrahim are $80,013 into their $100,000 goal.

“LIBRARIES HAVE BORNE SILENT WITNESS TO THE DARKEST CORNERS OF HUMAN HISTORY ACTING AS SITES OF BOTH RESISTANCE AND EDUCATION”

Try not to get angry: Oxford awards ‘ragebait’ word of the year

OXFORD Dictionary’s 2025 ‘Word of the Year’ has lived up to its meaning, with language lovers online decrying what ‘ragebait’ even means, seeing it as another of the Internet’s ‘nothing words’, futile and infuriating. The joke that these critics miss, however, is that they have been successfully ‘ragebaited’: defined as “content deliberately designed to provoke anger”.

Reluctance to adopt new words is not a noble stand against the casual degeneration of civilised language, but instead a short-sighted lack of understanding of what civilisation is.

The view of the English language as a “crumbling castle” (Aitchison) heritage which must be preserved to retain its original glory -— tends to refer to the Late Modern English of

Susie Hughes covers the rise of slang in the English Language

Dickens and Austen. Before that, though, there was even more linguistic controversy than nowadays: standardisation, Bible reprints, the Great Vowel Shift, dictionary discrepancies; ‘English’ is not one thing, nor has it ever been, and nor should it ever be.

Oxford Dictionary escapes a presciptivist reputation with its disputed Word of the Year releases, usually words for new inventions (see: ‘selfie’, 2013) or topical pre-existing things (‘vax’, 2020). They face more criticism than the myriad of others who release their own version of this 21st century prize:.

The choice words becoming more bizarre and hypermodern contain theoretical context; the amelioration of ‘brainrot’ (2024) or pejoration of ‘rizz’ (2023) 14-year-olds and male podcaster’s shortening of ‘charisma’ hold valuable insights

AROUND seven years ago, both of my younger sisters had memorised the fifty states of America song. It was a really annoying song sung by what sounded like a classroom of American children in a cheerful upbeat manner. They would burst out into this song at the most random times, in public or at home. I remember one time they had sung it in the airport. They were young enough then for the people around us to smile and think it was cute despite them drowning out the sound of the announcements. In the song, all the states were in alphabetical order. If someone mentioned one of the states in conversation, I knew that the singing would begin from that point onwards. I never managed to memorise the song, “Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas” and I’d loop it again so I could remember what came next. “Well it’s obviously California, there aren’t states that begin with B” my friend had told me, it was obvious and I knew she’d know that. We were in

into society. Commonality of neologisms as ‘Word of the Year’ shows reclamation of language.

“ ENGLISH IS NOT ONE THING, NOR HAS IT EVER BEEN, AND NOR SHOULD IT EVER BE ”

Language is power to the people; change from below rather than above gives society more freedom than ever in our global climate of instability and polarisation. Most ‘Words of the Year’ are coming from teenagers, unsurprisingly, considering they exist in the bold No man’s land of development, free from expectations.

California, Colorado, Connecticut

People are quick to criticise initialisations as a maker of how lazy modern youth are but do they know that ‘IOU’ dates back to 1611? Or that a letter to Winston Churchill from a Navy General in 1917 explicitly wrote “OMG”? Eckert proposed our ‘social age’ to depend on life events rather than chronology I believe that our social age is collectively younger now that we’re all coddled by the comforts of modern technology, with AI and iPhones to parent us. Society is now more susceptible to what was previously just ‘youthspeak’. David Crystal said, “languages have no existemce apart from the people that use them”, so English is what we make it this year, not who made it years ago.

Lani Elatta, covers imposter syndrome at a Russell Group university

the same course and had met on the first day of lectures. We’d often introduce ourselves together (Name, City, Course) and we’d often receive a “you must be so smart” at the latter. This, initially, for my ego was good. I had only just started uni and I was feeling positive. My lecturers liked to remind us of this too, if none of us would answer a question in seminars we’d be reminded that we’re really bright, able, we’re here - we must be.

At the beginning of my third year, I had sleepily half-watched a documentary. I only remembered that I had watched them heat up sand. I woke up the next day and googled what that was for - it was to make glass, of course, glass was made out of sand, we learn that in primary school. Around this time, I had begun researching for a big assignment. I had to keep a post-it note of definitions on my desk, I got sick of turning my head to look at them while I typed. I watched others on the course present their projects as a pre-submission formative, they

seemed so sure and they seemed like scientists. I had gone home that evening and considered turning my post-it into flashcards so I could memorise them. I didn’t really need to but if I was so bright and able shouldn’t I have known already? How could I apply for internships and put the name of my institution if I didn’t do the minimum to deserve it?

Imposter syndrome is defined as “a feeling of inadequacy despite evidence of success” according to the British Medical Association. And it had been part of my academic career for as long as I could remember. The night I uploaded my project, I had still not memorised any definitions. I had complained to my friend about this as I explained what it was about, I drew diagrams for clarity. “It seems like you do know, you’re just not authoring a text book” I replied that it didn’t matter because scientists were meant to sound like that. “No, scientists are supposed to sound knowledgeable and you know, so.”

In my next presentation, I drew a diagram, I

explained mechanisms as I pointed at various anatomical structures. It was longer than I wanted, more metaphorical than I wanted and so different from my peers. When I got my feedback, it said I sounded sure, confident with my knowledge. Sometimes, perfectionistic tendencies can keep us away from progressing and imposter syndrome can make us feel less deserving if we don’t meet the “perfect standards” we’ve set. The truth is we all deserve to be in so many different rooms, so how could it be possible to be good in all of them all the time? Over time, I came to view the pursuit of knowledge as its own reward and the true mark of a “good student.” This outlook welcomed failure, since the lessons I remember most are the ones I corrected myself. In university, I don’t think any of us are ever really certain we’re doing “it” whatever it may be right. I think we should find comfort in the shared reality that we’re all trying, and that the effort is enough.

EDITORS: Amber Platel and Isabel Bratt

Has Productivity Ruined Reading?

Two writers debate: are reading goals destructive or a necessity?

THE recent explosion of ‘BookTok’, trends and tropes has pushed reading further into mainstream culture than it ever was before. But have we gone too far?

Reading, thought by many to be an intellectual activity, is also a hobby for escapism or fun. Designed to expand our horizons, it can similarly trace existing ones, serving us the comfort and familiarity of what we know we love. I often break up heavy fantasy with ‘easy’ romance novels to cool off, but both will still count towards my Goodreads reading challenge for the year.

For some, a fiction book is something untouched since primary school, and the desire to read more is a common resolution. For this, the notion of reading goals is a healthy one. However, like all social media trends, these challenges have inflated to the point of implausibility. According to a study by Pew Research Center, the average individual will read 12 books in a year, understandably making the 100-200 stats of influencers feel unreachable.

Reading habits are also profoundly influenced by circumstances, time, money, etc. The idea of a one-goal-fits-all (e.g. if you didn’t read 50+ books last year, are you even a real reader?) is an unhealthy ideal that will only discourage new readers from sticking with it. The same occurs in the modern gym stigma around ‘January Rookies’. These attitudes make it unnecessarily difficult for people to stay on track. Reading goals and tracking challenges can be incredibly effective and fun, if used in a non-stressful, calm way. Any goal that you must announce to the world around you, or use as comparison to others, immediately becomes competitive and stressful. A quiet reading goal that lets you improve on wherever you are in your reading journey — whether that’s three books a year or 30 — is the only statistic you need.

Beth Casey, Screen Editor

AT the start of the new year, one of many people’s New Year’s resolutions is reading more. The way that people go about this is is up to individual, with many using Goodreads or other book tracking apps to do so, or just tracking their reads in a good old-fashioned written list. Now, while that’s a fantastic way to read more, keeping track and staying on task to aim for those 30 books a year goal, or the recent trend of ‘reading your height’ — stacking your reads until the pile of books is taller than you. However, reading without setting strict expectation for yourself can be a lot better. There is a lot of pressure surrounding reading lists, with many individuals sharing every book they finish on Instagram. Whilst this can seem like an achievement, ending the year with a large stack of books you can say you read, it can result in reading being no longer

Winter 1914 – Peder Mørk Mønsted

Kaylee Moore shares her favourite winter artwork

IN capturing the essence of Winter, for me nobody tops Peder Mørk Mønsted’s stunning depictions of snowy landscapes. Born 1859, the Danish painter is notable for his realist style, often focusing on natural landscapes. This particular painting stands out for not only the tangibly realistic snow, but also the way it depicts the winter sunshine, creating a piece of art that almost glitters with its lightness. Mønsted had a talent for capturing the brightness of winter, rather than focusing on the darkness we all associate it with, indulging in the luminescent quality of snowy landscapes.

MØNSTED HAD A TALENT FOR CAPTURING THE BRIGHTNESS OF WINTER, RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON THE DARKNESS WE ALL ASSOCIATE IT WITH.

Looking further at this painting, the water in particular stands out for the way it provides colour to the landscape, blending nicely with the amber haziness at the back where the trees come together. I particularly like the two houses in the background as they convey a certain peaceful-

ness with the idea of living so secluded amongst all this nature. Living in a city in the wintertime might seem more difficult to bear, as when we think about the good parts of winter, I think we tend to associate these more with the countryside. Cities, after all, can at times seem isolating, but unfortunately without the picturesque surroundings to make it peaceful. The sense of isolation in this painting does not come across as melancholy at all, but warm and inviting. This is likely owing to the colours used, as the choice to depict this scene at sunset is one of best parts of it. Mønsted has a plethora of other wintery

Poetry Recommendations

Arts and Lit writers shares their favourite pieces of poetry

WHEN I was first introduced to Hanif Abdurraqib’s work through the poem ‘It Is Maybe Time to Admit That Michael Jordan Definitely Pushed Off’, I was immediately struck by how refreshing the colloquial tone and form of his work was compared to the poetry I was studying at school. Hanif Abdurraqib is an American poet, essayist and recipient of the MacArthur Genius Grant whose writing covers numerous themes including grief, sports, music and his experiences growing up Black and Muslim in Ohio.

I WAS IMMEDIATELY STRUCK BY HOW REFRESHING THE COLLOQUIAL TONE AND FORM OF HIS WORK WAS COMPARED TO THE POETYRY I WAS STUDYING

Abdurraqib’s work is an excellent glimpse into the innovative and unique forms of 21st century poetry that are often missing

about enjoying the books themselves but ticking off the next achievement. It creates the hazard that you will have an extensive list of reviews on your Goodreads but not be able to remember much about what you have read. By making your New Year’s resolution all about enjoying reading rather than reaching a certain number of books, you are more open to what you can gain from reading, how you can learn, how it can make you feel things you have never felt before. If you don’t have a number in the back of your mind to work on, it allows the experience of reading to be about more than just reaching a number, instead of holding yourself to expectations that eventually make you feel disappointed because you only got to 27 out of 30 by next New Year’s Eve.

Molly Panagi-Williams

paintings, such as ‘Winter Splendour’ 1920, or ‘Winter Landscape with Children Sledding’ 1927, all of which I would too recommend looking at. Considering that these paintings all were created around wartime, I think nobody has a way of creating warmth in the cold better than Mønsted and his winter landscapes.

READING poetry alongside my degree has truly shaped the way I write, and is something with far fewer time constraints. I am of the belief that poetry should be read languidly and dipped in and out of, instead of being consumed in one sitting. A poetry collection is perfect to keep beside your bed, in your bag, or on your desk, and picked up when the time feels right.

from our curriculum. His poems strongly appeal to the human condition and experiences. I often find myself re-reading a line multiple times to fully encapsulate all the emotions his writing appeals to. He has released two excellent and impactful poetry collections, as well as multiple essay collections filled with thoughts on basketball, Carly Rae Jepson and other similarly existential musings. I’d recommend delving into his work by reading the poem ‘I Was Told The Sunlight Was A Cure’, if, like many of us, you’re waiting for the long, dark winter nights to be over.

The poetry by Thom Gunn has truly clung to me since I first discovered it about five years ago. He was an English poet who lived mainly in San Francisco and wrote about homosexuality, drugs, and the harsher realities of urban life. Though his early works were more ridged in form and structure, he favoured a free verse style in the latter half of his career. My favourite of his works has to be The Man With Night Sweats published in 1992. The collection primarily focuses on how men suffering from HIV AIDs face death in a society so sceptical and uncompas -

sionate towards them. My top picks would be the eponymous poem as well as ‘The J Car’ and ‘Lament’. These pieces moved me in their tender yet obliterating depictions of corporeal and emotional decay as one approaches an inevitable, feverish, and difficult death.

As an advocate for paired reading, Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green is a great book to read alongside this poetry collection. This 2025 non-fiction text to me was so rich and informative while remaining accessible and even humorous at times. This book helps dismantle the stigma surrounding tuberculosis, dispelling incorrect assertions that it is the result of male-onmale sex. The book also argues the disease could be eradicated with sufficient research and funding from governments, as well as a cultural shift away from stigmatisation.

MUSIC

The Death of MTV

Eve Buckley reports on the end of MTV and how this will impact the music industry as a whole

FIRST launched in the US on the first of August 1981 at 12:01 am, Music Television, MTV, impacted pop culture and music like never seen before. Although promotional videos had existed for some time, a dedicated channel for story telling and creative videos had not yet appeared until this moment. It is difficult to encapsulate all that MTV revolutionised, however it is clear that MTV was able to push fashion trends, shape behaviours and outlooks, as well as introducing new genres like hip-hop and rap to mainstream audiences. The channel also gave significant exposure to grassroots bands, pushing metal, grunge and rap into the global scene. As well as this, it also carried major British acts across the transatlantic, to name the most influential: Duran Duran, Soft Cell and Adam Ant. Its first

track was a UK number one which had barely broken into the US Top 40. However, its title alone, ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ — a track by The Buggles, was a symbolic mission statement. This track launched the entire franchise, and in a dramatic fashion, ended it too. On the 1st of January 2026 at 12:01 the poignant lyrics from ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ rang out for the last time before the screen cut to black. It is hard to believe that this beloved 24/7 streaming service, which introduced many to the music they love, would ever be axed. But to hypothesise, over the 1990s more and more channels were rolled out, specific to genre, decade and even comedy and reality channels. It seemed that the expansion of MTV meant it lost its core values of music exposure. Following this in the 21st century platforms such as Youtube, Spotify and TikTok were created, making streaming free, easy and fast. With these platforms you are no longer forced to sit through anything you dislike but instead can find your favourite tracks instantly. Although this is

Lorde’s Ultrasound Tour:

Mperhaps beneficial overall, it does take the purpose and art out of the mix. With on demand streaming., it's possible you may never discover different genres, artists or tracks that you would have when watching a dedicated channel.

WITH ON DEMAND STREAMING, IT'S POSSIBLE YOU MAY NEVER DISCOVER DIFFERENT GENRES, ARTISTS OR TRACKS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE WHEN WATCHING A DEDICATED CHANNEL

Looking into the future it is hard to predict what will become of music videos. Although they are still made, viewership continues to decrease. This then has a knock on effect on the quality of videos, for example, the rise in AI music videos is something particularly concerning even from artists such as Fatboy Slim and The Rolling Stones, people supposedly dedicat -

ed to their art using AI in their new music video for ‘Satisfaction Skank’. Overall, MTV will go down in history as a culture shifting phenomenon, full of beautiful intricate art and emotion. The Buggles said it best; ‘Rewritten by machine and new technology’ MTV simply couldn’t keep up with the demands of the future.

I’m Nineteen and I’m on Fire

Mia Passingham shares her favourite concert retrospective from 2025

Y favourite concert of 2025 has no competition — it could only be my saviour, Lorde. She is currently on her Ultrasound tour for her fourth studio album Virgin . The album is a beautiful and explosive exploration of gender identity, body politics and rebirth. I attended London night one and my friend and I managed to get access to the O2 Priority lounge and were within the first 100 people in the venue. The stage was set out like a ‘T’, and we were three rows back from the tip, after deciding on being closer to the stage rather than joining the line of fans along the tape marking Lorde’s later walk through the crowd during ‘David’. Lorde made an electric entrance from underneath the stage to ‘Hammer’, the opening track of Virgin , a mere breath away from my position within the sea of people pushing forward to reach her. This was perhaps the first time I have felt truly starstruck at a concert — this is an artist I have listened to in all

stages of my life, and there she was. The setlist included tracks from all her albums, featuring Pure Heroine classics ‘Royals’ and ‘Team’, Melodrama ’s introspective ‘Liability’, and the hazy magic of Solar Power ’s ‘Big Star’. The themes of

THE wait is finally over people! Bruno Mars is back this year with his first solo album in over a decade. Does this confirm that 2016 is making a comeback?

Throughout recent years, Mars has been prominent in his collaboration with other artists, making incredible tracks such as ‘Die With A Smile’ with Lady Gaga, and ‘APT.’ with Rosé.

That’s not to say he hasn’t had plenty of hit singles since his 2016 album 24K Magic , with ‘Please Me’, ‘Uptown

Virgin were raw and unashamedly depicted on stage, with the use of dancers, unconventional camera angles and storytelling through costuming. Throughout the concert, Lorde moved from jeans to boxers to a duct taped chest for ‘Man of the Year’. This increasingly revealing outfit change took the crowd through her own journey of the revelation of self, central to Virgin . Alongside the emotional wreck I became during these more intimate moments, I also had the most fun I have ever had and was more out of breath than I have ever been during the driven beats of her pop hits such as ‘Supercut’, ‘400 Lux’ and ‘Green Light’. During the latter, Lorde surprised everyone by bringing out Sadie Sink, of Stran -

ger Things and (more relevant to me) Taylor Swift’s 'All Too Well' (10-minute version) music video fame. For her final encore, after walking through the crowd, Lorde arrived at the B-stage for perhaps her most iconic song: ‘Ribs’. If the crowd had been alive for Sadie Sink, it now shared one consciousness, everyone dancing and laughing ‘til their ribs got tough for the entire four minutes and eighteen seconds of the track.

IT NOW SHARED ONE CONSCIOUSNESS, EVERYONE DANCING AND LAUGHING 'TIL THEIR RIBS GOT TOUGH

The Return of Bruno Mars

Sarah Gould, Music Editor, discusses Bruno Mars' 2026 comeback

Funk’ and ‘Love’s Train’. But he’s back with a bang, releasing his new album The Romantic on the 27th February 2026. Now, I do think he has missed releasing it on the 14th, as it is Valentines, and the name of the album fits perfectly. However, this may be part of a bigger plan, so I’m intrigued to see if the album points to this in any way when it is released. Mars has already teased fans with the release of the track ‘I Just Might’, an upbeat track that reminds me

of his early works on Doo-Wope & Hooligans. The lyrics are assuring that this album may lean more towards the positive and (not to hit the nail on the head) romantic vibe. Mars’ repetition, a feature of many of his hits, is not lacking in this new tune. It’s nice to see when an artist enjoys their sound and style, a comfort that is truly sometimes needed. Mars also announced that he will be on tour this year, originally planning to play 40 shows across North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom in 2026. The tour begins on April 10 in Las Vegas, NV and wraps up on October 14th in Vancouver. However, due to so much demand, Mars has added further shows to the lineup.

The Romantic tour quickly broke records by achieving the biggest single-day ticket sales

THE ROMANTIC TOUR QUICKLY BROKE RECORDS BY ACHIEVING THE BIGGEST SINGLE-DAY TICKET SALES IN LIVE NATION NORTH AMERICAN TOUR HISTORY

in Live Nation North American tour history. Tickets are still on sale, although at a very limited availability, so grab yours now if you want to catch him! It’s exciting to have Bruno Mars back on the music scene as a solo artist, and it’ll be interesting to see how well the rest of the album performs, with a further eight tracks expected to be dropped. Will they stay close to the fun of ‘I Just Might’? Or is there sure to be a

EDITORS: Sarah Gould and Katie Roberts

Music Goals and Changes 2026

Antoni Kaldunski, International Editor, tells us of his music goals for this year, and what he hopes for the music scene

AS with most things in life, tastes change, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Over the past couple of months, when it comes to my music taste and preferences, I would say the former applies. After finding a few of my father’s old VHS tapes over the summer, I came to realise that songs from the late 80s and early 90s carried far more meaning and, in many respects, greater substance than much of what dominates the charts today.After listening to Depeche Mode’s 'Policy of Truth' and 'People Are People', I felt that, despite being widely known singles, they are not appreciated today as much as they should be. 'People Are People', from the album Some Great Reward , released in 1984, feels more relevant now than ever, despite being over four decades old. Such simple lyrics, yet so powerful. This year, I aim to revisit and broaden my understanding of the 80s music scene.

As someone who enjoys writing and occasionally tests my luck with poetry, I want to draw inspiration from these oldies. Even when we look at hits like 'West End Girls' by the Pet Shop Boys, they have clearly stood the test of time. Yet when compared to today’s leading hits, such as Sabrina Carpenter’s 'Manchild' or 'Tit for Tat' by Tate McRae, the likelihood of these modern songs being listened to with the same intensity 40 years from now remains ques-

tionable. This year, I want music to be more than just sung words over a beat to dance to. I want it to carry constructive messages, rather than centre on resentment and toxicity.

THIS YEAR, I WANT MUSIC TO BE MORE THAN JUST SUNG WORDS OVER A BEAT TO DANCE TO

These qualities were also present in the 80s and 90s, but they were neither as prevalent nor expressed on the same scale as they often are today. That said, one genre I discovered last year and want to continue exploring in 2026 is Slavic folk music, particularly Polish folk. Songs such as 'Autumn Dance' by L.U.C. and Rebel Babel Film Orchestra and 'Smagły' by Guzowianki

have become some of my most played tracks on Spotify, and ones I would definitely recommend if you are looking for a something different, yet equally valuable. With its fast-paced tempo, this music can be challenging to dance to, especially when dancing with others, but that only adds to its charm. This year, I would love to learn how to dance to it properly, as well as memorise the lyrics in full. The year ahead has a lot in store, and I cannot wait to expand my lyricism through golden oldies and the beauty of Slavic folk.

WITH ITS FAST-PACED TEMPO, THIS MUSIC CAN BE CHALLENGING TO DANCE TO, ESPECIALLY WHEN DANCING WITH OTHERS, BUT THAT ONLY ADDS TO ITS CHARM

David Bowie: Remembering a Legend

Emily S Rizzo, Editor-in-Chief, discusses Bowie's influence, both in his life, and the decade since his death

THIS month marks ten years since the death of David Robert Jones, better known as the eclectic singer, songwriter and actor, Bowie. Throughout his life, and even after his death, Bowie has been praised as one of the most influential public figures on a global stage, creating ripples in the worlds of music production and fashion in particular, and paving the way for many of today’s pop culture and music

symbols and styles. With 26 albums to his name, Bowie — also known as the “chameleon of rock” — dipped in and out of various genres from the late ‘60s to the end of his life in the 2010s, often creating personas and narratives for each album, and experimenting with the newly emerging sounds of art and glam rock, pop, plastic soul and electronic genres. After his first single 'Space Oddity,' his image reinvention led him to the creation of Ziggy Stardust, an androgynous alien alter-ego inspiring his fifth studio album ( The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars ), and an emblem of the gender-bending, flamboyant glam rock movement of the 70s. After this, he ventured into plastic soul sounds, expanding to a U.S. audience, and his popularity only grew worldwide as he took on acting roles in films like The Man Who Fell to Earth , Labyrinth , and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me . Many albums later, his final studio production — Blackstar — hit the market only two days before his death,

and was followed by global mourning at the loss of such a musical icon. Since then, he has been a fundamental point of reference for many artists and actors, especially thanks to his open bisexuality, and gender-non-conforming style.

HE HAS BEEN A FUNDAMENTAL POINT OF REFERENCE FOR MANY ARTISTS AND ACTORS

He has repeatedly been credited with initiating the glam rock genre, as well as inspiring punk rock, grunge and alternative rock before their broader popularity. With biopics and documentaries being churned out at a regular pace, David Bowie’s legacy remains an intense point of cultural interest and inspiration, and he can always be found just around the corner of any

the 2020 Vogue

The immensity of his life and legacy can hardly be covered at a glance, but I can’t recommend him enough. Whether you’re yet to experience his dulcet tones, or you’re returning to your all-time favourite tracks, a deep-dive into Bowie is never a bad idea.

Streaming Music Vs Vinyl Listening

Music writers go head to head to argue what listening experience is superior

Pro - Streaming

THE process of removing a vinyl record from its carefully designed sleeve and album cover, and placing it gently on a record player before listening to it on both sides is a remarkably intimate experience that also provides an arguably superior listening experience. It is as much about this process as the final result, although that final result itself is also remarkable.

As someone raised in the ‘streaming-first’ generation, it took a strong musical influence from my father to be persuaded of the virtues of physical media and particularly vinyl for both the novelty of the product and the sound quality.

Several David Bowie and Arcade Fire albums later, I am a full convert to the vinyl side of mu-

sic. I am not alone either: vinyl LP sales in the UK grew from 210,000 in 2008 to 6.7 million in 2024, a 3,090.48 percent increase. Of these figures, Gen-Z are now the 'driving force' leading the surge in vinyl sales, with a survey finding that 76 percent of Gen-Z vinyl fans purchase records at least once a month. This surge in popularity is quite remarkable given the corresponding increase in popularity of streaming platforms such as Spotify and their increasingly unique features, although major releases and tour announcements from artists like Oasis and Taylor Swift have helped bolster increasing volumes. Whether you're into the Sex Pistols or Sabrina Carpenter, there’s plenty to be found in such a timeless and classic format.

By Felix Massey

ONE of the greatest inventions of the 21st Century is being able to stream music. Whenever. Wherever. It’s never been easier to listen to. At a click of a button, you’re at your own concert, a string of artists and songs that you can pick depend ing on your mood. There’s no need to get up and change anything, no risk of a jumping record or a bent stylus. The only issue that could occur is your phone dying or forgetting to download an album. You’re also able to listen to new music as and when it drops. Queuing up to buy a fresh album? That’s all in the past now! Fancy listening to a song again? Just hit repeat. Another great feature is being able to make playlists depending on moods, style, season, genre, or anything else that the listener fancies. Now, of course I can absolutely see the appeal of Vinyl, I have a vast collection

myself. But for ease, streaming is just something I will keep coming back to, and is something that I can share with my friends and family in a way that you lack with Vinyl. Finally, streaming music is a great way to branch out and listen to new things. A lot of platforms have the ability to recommend music you may like based on what you have been listening to. Without this, I know it would be a bigger struggle find new tunes to listen to. Without a doubt, streaming will never go out of style, and I’m excited to see where it goes in the future.

By Sarah Gould,

New Year, New You

What to watch to motivate a locked-in year

Yasmine Al-Saket, Lifestyle Editor, tells you the best films and TV to watch to make this year your best yet

AS the saying goes, “New year, New me,” and what better way than to adopt a new personality by embracing a character from a movie? For a truly productive, locked-in year, you must watch my personal recommendations as a chronic workaholic finalist. First, The Pursuit of Happyness, nothing gets you more motivated than seeing someone who’s been down on their luck, losing their life earnings, his wife leaving him, and being left with the custody of his son, to making it big on Wall Street with everything to gain. The movie is based on the memoir of the businessman Chris Gardner. He is the epitome of what a locked-in year means; his journey does not sugarcoat the struggles of the grind,

with times when Gardner almost gave up and being homeless. Moments where we might feel the same in our degree, watching The Pursuit of Happyness reminds me that it might all just work out!

ADOPT A NEW PERSONALITY

BY EMBRACING A CHARACTER FROM A MOVIE

There’s no one more determined, driven, and eager than Harper Stern from HBO’s Industry, a non-target graduate who wrangles her way into a top investment bank. As the series develops,

we follow five other graduates trying to navigate office politics, proving themselves, and of course, some debauchery amidst it all. Industry is a show that is more than meets the eye; it not only explores the corporate scene in London but also probes the complexities of the economic and political landscape. Watching an episode of Industry will make you feel like an investment banker at Pierpoint, trying to maximise shareholder value.

TFor those who need to be as locked in as if they were in a jail cell, you can always try some almost toxic motivational movies, such as Black Swan, pushing yourself to your limits, or the corporate greed of Wall Street and The Wolf of Wall Street; they are bound to make you finally treat your degree and life seriously. Pushing you to new heights and changing your personality. Though success, discipline, power, and influence should never really come at a cost, here are some wholesome motivational movies you can go for, such as Yes Man, Legally Blonde, and Tick, Tick... Boom! which highlights another side of ambition and success, one without the cost of yourself.

Film Review: Hamnet

Emily S Rizzo, Editor-in-Chief, offers her thoughts on this devastating adaptation

HE word on everyone’s mouth this awards season is Hamnet, and rightly so. The buzz surrounding the film is enormous, and yet hardly does justice to Chloé Zhao’s cinematic masterpiece.

THE BUZZ SURROUNDING THIS FILM IS ENORMOUS

I must admit I was a little nervous at the thought of one of my all-time favourite books getting a film adaptation, especially seeing as much of my love and appreciation came from the poetic writing style, and the inner worlds created within the

characters’ minds. But performance, cinematography, script and score moulded the world of Hamnet to perfectly convey Maggie O’Farrell’s novel.

Flickr

Against the backdrop of a forest canopy, and weaving through moments of the central characters’ lives, the film captures the slow everyday reality of the time, following the trajectory of Will and Agnes’ relationship in all its magical simplicity. The story cleverly de-centres the figure of Shakespeare (not even mentioning his name until one of the final scenes) in order to shed light on the realities of his family life which are usually overshadowed by his literary reputation.

With massively impactful leading performances from Jessie Buckley — tipped for the Oscar win — and Paul Mescal — who always delivers on the role of depressed father — the tale of grief, mother-

hood, marriage and art is told beautifully, and distilled to such an intense, pure state of emotion that there was no dry eye in the house once the credits rolled.

Of course, this is also thanks to the incredible portrayal of Hamlet and Hamnet, played by real-life brothers Noah and Jacobi Jupe respectively, who elevated a well-known Shakespearean tragedy to an astoundingly complex story of love and loss which clearly defied the boundaries of time and place.

Undoubtedly one of the landmark films of the century, Hamnet is a film I recommend everyone sees, especially on the big screen — with the caveat that you take many a tissue with you, and prepare yourself to be in for an emotional rollercoaster.

Newest TV Reviews

The Stranger Things Finale

AFTER nearly a decade, Stranger Things has released its highly anticipated finale, a conclusion which brought many fans to disappointment. What was meant to be an emotional and fitting ending instead sparked much frustration over social media. Many fans began creating theories based on the ‘hints’ left within the last episode and Netflix’s instagram posts that supposedly counted down the days until January 7th to reveal an additional ending called ‘The Conformity Gate’. Come January 7th and nothing happened, further disappointment led to criticism of the Duffer brother’s writing. Fans ultimately determined the finale was filled with plot holes. As one viewer noted “its about the frustration of a generation that grew up with these characters and refuses to believe the story can just end on a normal note”.

Stranger Things did however release a behind the scenes documentary which highlighted the immense work that went into the show. From the depth behind the set design to the camera work and the countless retakes. The documentary shone a light on all the talent of cast and crew

that helped create the series that fans fell in love with. Despite this documentary confirming the end, many fans noted that throughout the documentary the script for the finale was still being written, creating more controversy online about the show being rushed. A factor that many fans blamed for the ending not meeting their expectations. As a result, despite the Duffers confirming it, fans are still waiting for another episode.

LRed Eye

Season 2

ONG awaited after its first season won 29 million streams on ITVX over a year and a half ago, Red Eye Season 2 released January 1st – new year, same sucker for a good limited drama series. Despite watching and loving the first series, I initially worried I’d find this one too confusing, as someone with very little knowledge of embassies and the like. But that was not the case, and instead I loved the excitement of working a high stakes job through the series’ central characters. By its final episode, my flatmate’s concern after hearing gasps and ‘No. Way.’ from the flat kitchen says it all.

EVERY PUZZLE IS QUITE LITERALLY LIFE OR DEATH

Such jaw dropping moments are perfectly intervalled by enormous suspense and mind-bending puzzles to solve – and every puzzle is quite literally life or death. With the combination of an active in-air bomb, a killer loose in the U.S. Embassy and an intense un-

dercurrent of corruption and lies, the show induces equal parts anxiety and enthrallment. Alongside British TV favourite Richard Armitage briefly reprising his role, the cast throw their hearts into their passionate portrayals, convincingly bringing the audience into a world that feels far from the mundane every day. Though somewhat shrouded amidst the fastpaced action and high-pressure moments, writer Peter A. Dowling poignantly threads themes of family, trust and loyalty through the quieter scenes of the series. The rare moments of vulnerability shared between DS Hana Li (Jing Lusi) and RSO Clay Brody (Martin Compston) highlight friendship as vital in surviving a job that many of us would deem traumatising in every way. Despite clearly charged by a complex history, their relationship develops into a supportive camaraderie and becomes a grounded articulation of the humanity that lies beneath security officers’ hard exteriors. If you’re looking for a bingeable drama to get utterly hooked on this January, look no further.

Review: People We Meet On Vacation

Lauren

Walsh, Deputy Editor, discusses the fun and yearning in Netflix’s new Emily Henry adaptation

ROM-COMS are so back, and their triumphant return is heralded by Netflix’s film People We Meet on Vacation , which released on the platform on the 9th of January.

A film adaptation of the 2021 book of the same name by New York Times bestselling romance author Emily Henry, People follows Poppy and Alex, best friends who take an annual holiday together. The story is told through a series of flashbacks to the trips ‘eight summers ago’ (and then seven, then six, and so on) showing the development of Poppy and Alex’s close bond, interspersed with the present, when the two have fallen out of touch.

Complete with a cheesy dance sequence, fun banter, angry confessions in the pour-

ing rain, and the climactic and compulsory ‘running through the streets to tell the object of your affection that you do in fact love them’ scene, this is a film that leans into its genre conventions, but I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t exactly what I wanted out of it.

COMPLETE WITH A CHEESY DANCE SEQUENCE, FUN BANTER, ANGRY CONFESSIONS IN THE POURING RAIN

People really felt like a classic romantic comedy, and the lead actors Emily Bader ( My Lady Jane ) and Tom Blyth ( The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes ) have amazing chem -

istry. They are incredible at personifying these characters, it really feels like they’ve stepped right out of the book. Poppy’s character is for the girls who worry they are too much, and Alex shows the endless appeal of a man who yearns.

film does do well is capture the essence of the book, and how the relationship between Poppy and Alex unfolds, and I enjoyed it immensely. SPOILERS AHEAD

POPPY’S CHARACTER IS FOR THE GIRLS WHO WORRY THEY ARE TOO MUCH

Online, some book fans seem to be slightly disappointed that the film is not 100 percent faithful to the novel, and it is true that some of the events of the book have had to be changed or condensed in order to fit the plot into a two-hour film. However, what the

Spotlight: Heated Rivalry

Screen writers and editors offer their thoughts on Crave’s racy hockey romance series influential status

OFF SCREEN, ONTO THE ICE

Beth Casey discusses the wider impacts outside the show

HEATED Rivalry , the low-budget Canadian adaptation of Rachel Reid’s novel, has created an explosive frenzy on social media and the online world, and became HBO’s “toprated live-action acquisition ever.” Yet the trend of adapting popular romance novels is not a new phenomenon. In the recent past, Amazon Prime stands as the big hitter for these investments, such as the success of shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty or the academia-based Maxton Hall. However, where Amazon has piles of cash to throw at these kinds of reusable and well-received stories, Jacob Tierney – working for Crave – filmed Heated Rivalry in around 35 days, with relatively unknown actors and on an incredibly low budget for its polish and smoothness. Not only is ice hockey a relatively unexplored sport in film and tv (other than classics like The Mighty Ducks or The Cutting Edge ), but the queer storyline is the real unique element. Plenty can be analysed with the characters, aesthetics and narrative within the episodes, however perhaps the most engaging impact is the intense effects of this story for real people off and on the ice.

pact, however, has been on the conversation it incites about queerness and the LGBTQ+ community. Institutionalized homophobia in sport has been and still is a big enemy to defeat, but the comfort this show has brought to the queer community cannot be understated. Hudson William has reportedly received ‘so many messages’ from closeted individuals, while Jesse Kortuem, a major league hockey player for Minnesota spoke to Out magazine and credited his coming out as gay to the show: “Never in my life did I think something so positive and loving could come from such a masculine sport.”

INTERNALISED HOMOPHOBIA IN SPORT HAS BEEN AND STILL IS A BIG ENEMY TO DEFEAT

Halftime jumbotrons for the NHL display fan-favourite scenes, while social media feeds are enriched with images, opinions and discussions on the show. With two more seasons possibly lined up, the wider effects of this series are looking like they will be immensely positive for the future of both entertainment media and the transformation of the sports industry into an inclusive space. THE QUEER STORYLINE IS THE REAL UNIQUE ELEMENT

It received an overwhelmingly positive reception from women, an occureance many journalists attributed this to the escape from problematic heterosexual relationships and the inherent misogyny within those stories that the slow-burn gay romance offers. Its most distinct im -

MORE THAN JUST STEAM Cristina Ferrin Pereda, outlines the show’s standouts and strengths

SPOILERS AHEAD

HEATED Rivalry is much more than an ‘enemies to lovers’ romance – it has gained widespread recognition for its unique representation of queer romance as nuanced and multifaceted but also fun and sexy. With a hilarious press tour, chemistryridden photoshoots, iconic Golden Globe presentations, and a record-winning episode, Heated Rivalry has undoubtedly invaded everyone’s lives in multiple ways, even inspiring real hockey players, such as Jesse Kortuem, to come out.

The show was renewed for a second season rapidly after the finale due to its record-breaking episodes. Episode 5 ‘I’ll Believe in Anything’ was initially rated a perfect 10/10 on IMDb, rivalling Breaking Bad’s legendary ‘Ozymandias’ episode, and has since steadily remained at 9.9 due to its emotional impact and the build up to one of the most intense scenes in the show.

What makes this show stand out is the unique queer romance dynamic it portrays. Significantly, the women in the show are relentlessly supportive and true allies rather than adding to the drama of the show.

THE WOMEN IN THE SHOW ARE RELENTLESSLY SUPPORTIVE AND TRUE

Whereas gay couples in TV are usually presented alongside a truckload of trauma and drama, it’s eye-opening to be able to see two guys who don’t have a fragile masculinity showing love to each other, especially in such a traditionally

masculine sport. Their love is the perfect blend of realistic and idealistic – no one is the object and no one is the audience because their love is simply theirs. They are equal in it and it shows what is possible when gender stops interfering.

THEIR LOVE IS THE PERFECT BLEND OF REALISTIC AND IDEALISTIC

Excetera Excetera... but

 Student 

 Stars 

CAPRICORN (22 DEC — 19 JAN)

That thing that brings you joy? Hold onto it, it lights up your soul.

AQUARIUS (20 JAN — 18 FEB)

Remember that a partner isn’t a reason to ignore your friends.

PISCES (19 FEB — 20 MAR)

Clean slate for Term

Two — just in time for the first TP outing of 2026!

ARIES (21 MAR — 19 APR)

Dry Jan doesn’t have to just be January. Just saying.

TAURUS (20 APR — 20 MAY)

To enter the hoe era or to focus on yourself — that is the question.

GEMINI (21 MAY — 20 JUNE)

Remember, resolutions are for the whole year, not just the first two weeks.

CANCER (21 JUN — 22 JUL)

Remember that taking care of others isn’t taking care of yourself.

LEO (23 JUL — 22 AUG)

How are you still hungover from the break?

It’s getting embarrassing.

VIRGO (23 AUG — 22 SEP)

No, it’s not “cringe” to do your uni work — it’s literally why you’re here.

LIBRA (23 SEP — 22 OCT)

Your hard work is finally paying off treat yourself to a rest, queen.

SCORPIO (23 OCT — 21 NOV)

This is your divine sign to start attending lectures this term! Please!

SAGITTARIUS (22 NOV — 21 DEC)

Stop pretending you know what’s going on and settle into the chaos at least then you’ll have fun.

Let’s Talk About It...

Emily S Rizzo, Editor-in-Chief, discusses Imposter Syndrome

at university

THERE’S a feeling which often accompanies me to all my lectures, contributes to every seminar, and always peeps over my shoulder whenever I’m writing an essay, but never seems to actually lend a helping hand. It’s this thing, this figure, this omen, called Imposter Syndrome.

I’m not sure everybody goes through it, but I’ve spoken with enough friends to know that the gifted child to burned out uni student pipeline is a very real and common phenomenon. Navigating studies and social groups is heard enough once you’ve left home and moved to an entirely new place, without the burden of a voice in your head constantly telling you that you’re not meant to be there, or convincing you that everyone around you is thinking the same thing. The feeling of constantly comparing yourself to others, measuring up to academic, or popular standards that seem to govern uni, is something that feels inescapable, and so unbelievably heavy. But maybe this is where the issue lies. The projection of your feelings onto others, and the perception that everyone is judging you in the same way that you’re judging yourself. But of course, nobody knows what’s going on in another person’s head, and what’s more, have you ever stopped

Recipe: Grilled tomato and feta aubergines Contains

SOMETHING for those days when you want a healthy, tasty meal, but can’t be bothered to put the work in. You’ll be in and out of the kitchen in no time!

Makes 2 servings

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

· 1 aubergine

· 2 cloves of garlic

· 1/2 tin of chopped tomatoes

· feta to taste

· Italian-style spices (oregano, basil, etc...)

· rice or couscous to accompany

to ask if you yourself judge others by the same standards you believe them to be judging you? Unless you’re a fundamentally horrible person, I’m guessing the answer is that you don’t. So why all the pressure on yourself?

Living your everyday reality within a high pressure environment such as uni has a myriad of effects on everyone, and Imposter Syndrome is not as uncommon as you think. There is absolutely no reason why one person should be more or less worhty of the uni experience, regardless of their grades, hobbies, looks, or any other marker of worth. Your belonging to a space is dependent on you, and as long as you can find a reason to be interested, passionate, and excited about the opportunities that uni offers you, you have earned your place walking these halls, sitting in these lecture theatres, and browsing these shelves. And if you decide it’s not your cup of tea, there will be a place out there for you, where a feeling of belonging isn’t so hard to come by. But it’s always worth remembering that the values by which you judge others also apply to yourself, and there’s value to more than just your academic or social achievements, even just in the fact theat you persevere despite that voice in your head.

1. Wash and slice your aubergine in half from the top to the bottom, and score the flesh diagonally to make a criss-cross pattern. Slice the garlic into small enough pieces to fit into the scored lines, and rub olive oil onto it.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degres celsius. Then, heat a pan with some more oil in it, and pan-fry the aubergines flesh-down until they are browned on the surface.

3. Prepare a baking tray with paper or foil, and put the aubergines in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the flesh is soft.

4. Take out the aubergines (they should be almost completely cooked through by now), and top them with chopped tomatoes, and cover this with feta, and salt, pepper and any other spices (I recommend oregano) to your taste.

5. Back in the oven for another ten minutes, or until the feta has browned and crsiped on top.

6. Serve alongside rice, couscous, or any other carb of your choosing. This dish is also great to have as leftovers, so don’t waste anything you can’t finish in one sitting! Emily S Rizzo Editor-in-Chief

CROSSWORD

Across

1 Taxi (3)

3 Port in Kent (8)

8 Weary (5)

9 Yearned (anagram) - the residence of a cathedral chapter’s head (7)

10 Venators - the runs (anagram) (7)

11 Prompt to respond (to) (5)

12 Underhand actions (6)

14 Colony of rabbits (6)

18 Small group of trees (5)

20 More childlike (7)

22 Rice, stock (and tomato) dish (7)

23 Dental structure (5)

24 Sequestered - decreets (anagram) (8)

25 Nothing (3)

ANSWERS

Down

1 Be scolded (informal) (5,2)

2 Non-metallic solid element - atomic number 5 (5)

3 Reactionary person (North American informal) (7)

4 Gorgon (Greek myth) - amused (anagram) (6)

5 Vitreous substance (5)

6 Smaller - tinier (informal) (7)

7 Toey (anagram) - (river) islet (dialect) (4)

13 Stalemate (7)

15 Touched - bordered (7)

16 Long-tusked Arctic whale (7)

17 Expression of disbelief (2,4)

18 Find fault (4)

3

2

SUDOKU

Trivia Corner

WHEN WAS THE FIRST IPHONE RELEASED?

WHAT IS THE LARGEST DESERT IN THE WORLD?

WHO WAS ELTON JOHN’S “CANDLE IN THE WIND” WRITTEN FOR?

WHICH WRITER HAS THE GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR THE MOST TRANSLATED WORKS?

WHICH OF THE SIX MAIN CHARACTERS ON THE SHOW “FRIENDS” NEVER GOT MARRIED?

All you need to do is scan the QR code here in order to purchase your society membership from the Student’s Guild. After that you can join our Exeposé Members 25/26 facebook group in which you’ll find content calls from section editors on pretty much any topic you can imagine! We’ll have a link to this page on our instagram! If you see a content call that takes your fancy, simply comment under the facebook post, write your article and send it to the editor. Whilst they may send you some feedback or ask you to make a

couple of changes, no articles will ever be rejected and we encourage writers to get involved regardless of previous experience. If financial hardship prevents you from gettng involved, the Guild offers a Society Hardship Fund, aimed at any student awarded the University Hardship and Retention Fund or who is unable to take part in societies due to financial barriers. We can’t wait to see all the amazing writing you guys get up to!

International

Protests break-out through Iran

Michael Mammadov covers the recent political unrest throughout Iran

IRAN’S Islamic Republic emerged in 1979, deposing the Iranian monarchy and establishing a theocratic framework that fuses elected institutions and clerical supremacy. While the system does include a presidency and parliament elected by popular vote, ultimate power resides in the Supreme Leader and the Guardian Council. Most of all, however, the IRGC retains a huge amount of power, both economically and militarily, as they act as the Supreme Leader’s private Praetorian Guard.

Recently, huge protests have erupted, triggered by a dramatic currency collapse in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, where the rial’s precipitous devaluation and inflation surging between 40 to 50 percent prompted living standards to drop dramatically and merchants to shutter their stalls. Exacerbated by international sanctions by the United States, fiscal mismanagement by the Iranian state itself and corruption, the demonstrations have swiftly come about, encompassing every aspect of Iranian society, but particularly present were students, labourers and ethnic minorities within Iranian border regions (such as the Kurdish minority within the country).

Initial demonstrations that focused on the economic collapse have escalated into sweeping demands for the dismantlement of the current Iranian state and the Supreme Leader’s removal. Protestors decry not only economic deprivation but also the lack of democratic consent within the system, curtailed

liberties and the regime’s chronic failure to deliver on its founding pledge of equality and prosperity. This ferment echoes previous demonstrations, notably the 2022 ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ movement, which arose from the death of Mahsa Amini.

The backlash from the authorities have been uncompromising and draconian. Mobilising the IRGC contingents, they have resorted to using live ammunition and army assaults on their own citizens, leading to death tolls estimated at between 2,0002,600 and thousands being incarcerated. To stop the protests, a comprehensive internet blackout was also enacted on January 8th, obstructing the ability of the protestors to organise. Mr Khamenei has characterised the agitators as externally instigated insurgents acting on behalf of the United States.

Internationally, the crushing of protests has elicited huge international condemnation and measures. Alongside the United Nations Security Council convening, the United States has repositioned a carrier strike group, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln, into the Middle East, hinting at American airstrikes against Iran.

Whilst there have been multiple periods of protest, the current demonstrations seem to be the largest since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. However, without structural opposition from the IRGC, the Iranian state will likely be able to quell the dissent.

Trump’s Venezuela Strategy

Jasmine Wilson assesses the recent capture of Maduro and the reasons behind it

AT two am on Saturday 3rd January 2026

‘Operation Absolute Resolve’ sent US forces into Venezuela to capture President Nicolas Maduro on suspicion of leading a drug cartel. Explosives struck the capital Caracas and Fuerte Tiuna military base, Maduro’s suspected location. The CIA and a source in the Venezuelan government had been following him for months for this information. 40 people were killed including soldiers and civilians as the attack wasn’t declared. Congress wasn’t informed ahead of time and Secretary of State, Marco Rubio only notified lawmakers after the attack began despite this being the most intervention seen from the US since the Cold War. In terms of international law, Trump’s actions were illegal, surpassing the bounds of presidential power. ‘Launching military action without congressional approval... is reckless’ stated leader of the Senate Chuck Schumer after Trump stated the US are in a state of war despite no congressional approval. If we step back into the history of the US and Venezuela and the importance of the country for Trump, then more questions about his motives for the invasion begin to come up with critics. In the early 20th century, Venezuela was the world’s leading oil exporter and in 2014 their oil price crash caused Maduro to enforce a more authoritarian government, prompting deeper US policy escalation and

sanctions. Because of this, the Trump administration no longer recognised Maduro as the legitimate leader of Venezuela, and this was the basis for his capture.

Because Venezuela only makes up a small number of narcotics crossing into the US, it became clearer that the historically important crude oil under Venezuela was a factor in Trump’s invasion. Very quickly, Trump announced heavy US involvement with the oil meaning the US could have more leverage over Canada and Mexico who were reliant on the US for refinement of it. They would also be able to prevent Venezuela from providing oil to China, Russia and Cuba preventing their oil supplies causing a geopolitical shift in trade in oil.

This deal with Venezuela suggests the Trump administration is in it for the money rather than the liberation of the Venezuelan people as they have also stated they are “going to run the country until such a time as we can do a safe... transition” and members of Trumps own cabinet including Rubio and defence secretary Hegseth are running the country with interim president Delcy Rodriguez who has oversight from the US.

It is still unclear how long the US will oversee Venezuela but with the economic and geopolitical step up they can achieve from the oil deal, Trump is likely to occupy the country for as long as possible.

EDITORS:

Jed H. Gibbins Antoni Kałduński

Amsterdam aiport chaos

Jed H. Gibbins, International Editor, lays out how recent weather left hundreds stranded

AS we were all celebrating the start of the New Year, the Netherlands main airport, Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS), was bracing for a winter storm of a severity which the Netherlands had not seen in a decade. The storm brought with it high wind speeds, lots of snow and ice.

Over the five days from Monday January 5th, to Friday January 9th, over thousands of flights were cancelled with it peaking on Wednesday January 7th with 800 flights cancelled. Schiphol airport is a major European connecting hub, which connects multiple regional European airports to international and long haul flights. This left thousands of people stranded in Amsterdam as KLM, the Dutch national airline carrier, and many other airlines such as British Airways an EasyJet, left passengers without carriage. This led to the overwhelming of local hotels with 1,000 passengers having to sleep in the airport.

Schiphol was ill prepared for this storm, and ran out of deicing fluid for planes, causing KLM to take matters into their own hands sending Lorrie’s to Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Germany to collect deicing fluid to help get planes flying again. When KLM could get planes in the air, they sent larger

planes on short haul routes, such as a Boeing 787-10 to London Heathrow (LHR), a route usually operated with smaller aircraft like the Airbus A320/21 and smaller Embraer aircraft, to drop off and collect hundreds of stranded passengers. With ground handlers being so preoccupied with clearing snowy runways and deicing aircrafts, this greatly reduced operating ca -

WITH GROUND HANDLERS BEING SO PREOCCUPIED WITH CLEARING SNOWY RUNWAYS AND DEICING AIRCRAFTS

pacity on top of the delays and cancellations. Exeter Airport (EXT) in particular was effected, as one of the eighteen UK airports flown to by KLM (more airports than the UKs national carrier, British Airways, flys to the UK) with cancelled flights nearly everyday from January 2nd to January 7th, with January 3rd flight being delayed by two-three hours arrival and departure.

Trump’s interest in Greenland

Charlotte Haswell discusses the US’ more agressive approach to Greenland

US interest in Greenland has been apparent for many years due to its strategic geographic position and a wealth of natural resources; namely, oil. Being between mainland Europe and the US makes Greenland unique in its role in both security and maritime trade. Up until this point, relations between the US and Greenland have been relatively favourable, both are NATO members which should ensure some level of collaboration. US military presence has also been established in Greenland since 1951 with

the first US military bases built there for the purpose of the mutual protection of Greenland. Recently, however, the US has taken a much more aggressive approach. In 2019 Trump first attempted to gain control of Greenland in what he called a “large real estate deal”, of course the Danish government made it clear that Greenland was not for sale and that it is an established part of Danish territory. One would think that such a firm response would deter Trump, but of course when has Trump ever taken ‘no’ for an answer. His second term has been even bolder in his pursuit of Greenland, saying he “has to have it” regardless of whether the Danish Government wants to hand it over or not. Trump argues that the US requires Greenland for the purposes of security, particularly when it comes to Russia and China, he argues that if the US doesn’t take hold first, that one of them will.

The effect of Trump’s rhetoric of course is that Denmark and other NATO countries are now preparing for the possibility of a US invasion. On the 15th news broke that European troops have been stationed in Greenland for this exact reason. While it is tempting to dismiss Trump’s words as overexaggerated, a US invasion is appearing to be more and more likely.

Winter Holiday Destinations

Ria Brown-Aryee, Print Features Editor, explores Ghana as an alternative winter holiday destination.

HAVING spent most of my life in Ghana, it’s no surprise that the cold and I don’t get along, not even my British genes can help. That’s why every December, I skip the UK and return to Ghana. “Detty December” is a popular term for the end-of-year party season in Nigeria and Ghana, but in my opinion, no place does it better than Ghana. That’s what makes Ghana such a popular tourist destination during the winter.

“DETTY DECEMBER” IS A POPULAR TERM FOR THE END-OF-YEAR PARTY SEASON

The main reason Ghana is the place to be in winter is simple: there’s no winter. December is one of the hottest months in Ghana. While you might need to carry a fan around all day, it’s worth it to be able to swim in the pool or sea without freezing. Despite the heat, December is the best time to visit; summer is our rainy season, which brings cloudy skies for days on end. Ghana’s Christmas spirit is truly unmatched. Every roundabout, hotel, mall, and office is decorated in Christmas lights. Nightlife thrives, with clubs open from midnight until 8 a.m., and restaurants opening as early as 5 a.m. to accommodate the festivities.

Ghana also boasts some of the best West African cuisine, especially Jollof rice, and December is the perfect time to explore the many new restaurants that pop up for the season. On Christmas Day, everything remains open from restaurants to shops, and by the even -

ing, you can watch fireworks light up the sky from every direction. Visiting in the summer simply doesn’t compare to when people are at work, there are no major events like concerts or fairs, no decorations, and schools and universities remain in session.

VISITING IN THE SUMMER SIMPLY DOESN’T COMPARE ... THERE ARE NO MAJOR EVENTS LIKE CONCERTS OR FAIRS

Ghana is closest to the city that never sleeps, and December is by far the best time to experience this.

MULTILINGUAL ARTICLE

Welsh Culture

Isaac Pierce delves into Welsh culture, and the love he has for his country

GROWING up in Bannau Brycheiniog, I have experienced a fair share of Welsh culture. One ever-present, and perhaps the most significant, cultural influence for me was a love for rugby and how, through song and shouting at the English, it unified everyone wearing a Prince of Wales emblem on their top. Additionally, an appreciation of how beautiful Wales’ nature is has definitely shaped what being Welsh means to me. I grew up with the mountains on my doorstep, which is more or less a reality for many Welsh people; even the population of Cardiff and its surrounding areas is less than an hour’s drive from some of the most stunning scenery in the UK. Although I live in South Wales, I have spent many weekends away in North Wales exploring Snowdonia and developing an understanding of the cultural differences between North and South Wales. For instance, as the North is far more rural and lacks major cities, there is a stronger focus on certain Welsh traditions, such as parents bringing up their children as first-language Welsh speakers.

I GREW UP WITH THE MOUNTAINS ON MY DOORSTEP.

A real passion for Welsh independence and a strong sense of patriotism also appear to be more pronounced in the North. My parents both attended Bangor University. My dad is Welsh; however, my mum is English, and in

certain pubs there was occasionally subtle hostility towards people speaking English or simply having an English accent from some North Wales locals. Personally, I have never experienced this myself, and I am sure it is rare, but it does show that there are small cultural pockets that are not particularly fond of the English. The good news is that Welsh is still taught in most Welsh schools, and Welsh-medium schools remain prevalent across the country. Therefore, I have faith that the language, which is a huge part of our culture, is still deeply cared for. As a proud supporter of all things Welsh—not just sport, but music too (Stereophonics, Tom Jones, and Catfish and the Bottlemen, to name a few)—I will always have Wales in my heart. Even if the rugby is rubbish right now, I always remember that we have the best anthem and the best fans. Cymru am byth!

WELSH IS STILL TAUGHT IN MOST WELSH SCHOOLS.

Diwylliant Cymreig

Issac Pierce yn ymchwilio i ddiwylliant Cymru, a’r cariad sydd ganddo at ei

WRTH dyfu i fyny ym Mannau Brycheiniog, rwyf wedi profi digon o ddiwylliant Cymreig. Dylanwad diwylliannol cyson, a’r mwyaf arwyddocaol i mi, oedd y cariad at rygbi a sut, drwy gân yn ogystal â gweiddi ar y Saeson, roedd hyn yn uno pawb oedd yn gwisgo arwydd Tywysog Cymru ar eu crys. Yn ogystal, mae’r gwerthfawrogiad o harddwch natur Cymru yn bendant wedi llywio’r hyn y mae bod yn Gymreig yn ei olygu i mi. Cefais fy magu gyda’r mynyddoedd ar garreg fy nrws, sy’n wir, fwy neu lai, am lawer o bobl Cymru. Mae hyd yn oed poblogaeth Caerdydd a’r ardaloedd cyfagos lai nag awr o yrru i ffwrdd o rai o’r golygfeydd mwyaf ysblennydd yn y DU. Er fy mod yn byw yng Nghymru’r De, rwyf wedi treulio nifer o benwythnosau i ffwrdd yng Ngogledd Cymru yn archwilio Eryri ac yn datblygu dealltwriaeth o’r gwahaniaethau diwylliannol rhwng Gogledd a De Cymru. Er enghraifft, gan fod y Gogledd yn llawer mwy gwledig ac heb ddinasoedd mawr, mae’n sicr bod mwy o ffocws ar rai traddodiadau

CEFAIS FY MAGU GYDA’R MYNYDDOEDD AR GARREG FY NRWS.

Cymreig, megis rhieni’n magu eu plant i siarad Cymraeg fel eu hiaith gyntaf. Hefyd, mae gwir angerdd dros annibyniaeth i Gymru a gwladgarwch cryf iawn yn fwy amlwg yn

wlad

y Gogledd. Aeth fy rhieni ill dau i Brifysgol Bangor; mae fy nhad yn Gymro, ond mae fy mam yn Saesnes. Mewn rhai tafarndai, roedd gelyniaeth gynnil weithiau tuag at bobl oedd yn siarad Saesneg neu oedd â’r acen. Yn bersonol, nid wyf erioed wedi dod ar draws hyn, ac rwy’n siŵr ei fod yn brin, ond mae’n dangos bod yna is-ddiwylliant bach nad yw’n hoff iawn o’r Saeson o gwbl. Y newyddion da yw bod Cymraeg yn dal i gael ei dysgu yn y rhan fwyaf o ysgolion, ac mae ysgolion Cymraeg yn dal i fod yn amlwg ar draws y wlad. Felly, mae gen i ffydd bod yr iaith, sy’n rhan enfawr o’n diwylliant, yn dal i gael ei gwerthfawrogi’n fawr. Fel cefnogwr balch o bopeth Cymreig — nid chwaraeon yn unig, ond pethau fel y gerddoriaeth hefyd (Stereophonics, Tom Jones, Catfish and the Bottlemen, i enwi ond ychydig) — bydd Cymru bob amser yn fy nghalon, hyd yn oed os yw’r

rygbi’n sothach ar hyn o bryd. Rwyf bob amser yn cofio bod gennym y gân genedlaethol a’r cefnogwyr gorau. Cymru am byth!

Sci-Tech

ASCI-TECH EDITOR: Julia Szewczyk

How to Build New Habits (and Stick to Them)

Amberly Wright, Deputy Editor, shares how to make your new year's resolutions last beyond January

H, New Year’s Eve, the time where we dance and drink the night away, knowing that when the clock strikes 12am, the grind begins. To make the new year better than the last, many of us create health, wealth, and lifestyle-related resolutions. However, the odds of success are not in our favour, as it is estimated that of the 44 per cent of people in the US who make resolutions, nearly half fail.

OF THE 44 PER CENT OF PEOPLE IN THE US WHO MAKE RESOLUTIONS,

backed tips to help you stick to your habits. Sometimes, it’s all in the mindset. Research found that people who made small changes in behaviour were most successful in sticking to habits — perhaps an emotional support water bottle is more than a dopamine purchase, but the key to reaching your hydration goals. Clear and structured plans were found to be essential for making lasting change, with research finding that those who choose their own habits are often more successful in sticking to them, which is why it is so important that habits are your own, and not a social media trend.

BPS estimates that habit formation takes an average of 55-66 days, with some, such as daily stretching, taking over 100 days. Researcher Ben Sign suggests that research on health-related habit formation indicates that while habits can start forming within about two months, the time required varies significantly across individuals. With these timelines in mind, it can be daunting to create habits, and resolutions and failure can sometimes feel inevitable. But fear not, there are plenty of research-

James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, suggests starting small, making it easier to fit into a daily routine. Once it becomes repetitive, increase your ambition. Repetition reinforces good habits and leads to them becoming second nature, leading to them being effortless daily activities. Another option for making habits effortless is to create a menu of possible options. If you’re bored and sitting doing nothing, having a list of activities and habits to complete can help to integrate them into a routine. Performing habits at a similar time each day was shown to strengthen them, with

morning habits proving more resilient to evening ones. BBC Science Focus suggests a technique called ‘piggybacking’, where you add the desired habit onto an existing one. If you drink coffee in the morning and want to learn a language, try drinking your coffee while learning your French verb endings. TIME suggests a method of ‘chunking’, which consists of clustering multiple actions into one option. Each thought requires many muscle movements and neuron firing, so breaking habits up into sub-habits makes a lot of sense. Your brain makes plans in a hierarchical way, with goals made up of sub-goals, which will string together and eventually form a habit. But what exactly happens inside your brain? The process is called self-directed neuroplasticity. Self-directed neuroplasticity is when you intentionally rewire your brain through active reflection to build habits. Your nervous system is always monitoring for actions that will seek out pleasure, delivering a hit of dopamine, which is why you feel good after completing something on your to-do list. When your brain recognizes a pattern, it files information away into an area called the basal ganglia, which is where emotions and memo -

The Verdict on Veganuary

WITH growing environmental consciousness, rising health awareness, and increased accessibility to various food alternatives, plant-based diets are becoming more and more popular. Veganism in particular has been embraced by millions worldwide, popularised in recent years by social media and celebrity endorsement. But what effect can making the switch actually have?

In general, there are conflicting opinions on whether the vegan diet is better for your overall health. Studies suggest that vegans tend to have a lower risk of developing high blood pressure and heart disease due to lower cholesterol levels, a reduced risk of certain cancers, as well as fewer diabetes complications. Increased fibre intake from fruits and vegetables also promotes gut health, aids digestion, and supports microbiome diversity. However, if not planned and supplemented properly, a plant-based diet

NEARLY HALF FAIL IF NOT PROPERLY PLANNED AND SUPPLEMENTED A PLANT-BASED DIET CAN LEAD TO KEY NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES

ries are developed. The conscious decisions to stick to habits aren’t made in the basal ganglia, however, those are made in the prefrontal cortex, making the intention of a habit easy to form, but the behaviour to change it hard to carry out. This makes good habits hard to form, and bad habits hard to break. Sticking to habits that remove bad behaviour, such as doom-scrolling, can prove more problematic. Notifications act as habitual cues, especially involving social media — try using social media and emails in specific windows. To further your success, psychiatrists suggest saying habits out loud or swapping old habits for new ones.

Julia Szewczyk, Sci-Tech Editor, discusses the pros and cons of a plant-based diet and the potential impacts of Veganuary on your health and the environment

Furthermore, vegan alternatives aren’t necessarily always the healthier option, particularly ultra-processed meat-free and dairy-free “convenience” options sold in supermarkets. Certain nut milks, for example, have added sugars, oils, and thickening agents, which reduce their nutritional value. For a successful transition to a healthy vegan diet the NHS suggests basing meals on starchy carbohydrates (like potatoes and rice), choosing foods fortified with nutrients to reduce risk of deficien cies, and including beans and pulses to in crease protein content which would usually come from meat.

emissions from food production would drop by 68 per cent within 15 years. Although this isn’t a feasible goal, it shows that making climateconscious food choices is a great place to start for decreasing your personal carbon footprint, thereby contributing to the collective effort of reducing our environmental impact. While for many a plant-based diet is a life-long commitment, others decide to challenge themselves to just a month of veganism at the start of the year.

25.8 MILLION PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN VEGANUARY ACROSS THE GLOBE IN 2025

can lead to key nutrient deficiencies, particularly in Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Calcium, and Iron.

One of the major reasons many turn to plant-based diets is environmental impact. Livestock production accounts for a significant percentage of greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane gas from cattle. According to a study published in Climate, if everyone (hypothetically) switched to a vegan diet, global CO2

Inspired by the success of Movember, Matthew Glover and Jane Land founded ‘Veganuary’ in 2013 with the aim of promoting and supporting veganism and “breaking down misconceptions by presenting information in a fresh, friendly, and non-judgemental manner”. The movement has grown significantly over the years, with 25.8 million people across the globe participating in 2025, according to a YouGov survey. But can a single month have a significant impact

on your health or the environment? — research suggests it can! Reducing your intake of saturated fats found in animal products can help lower your blood cholesterol in as little as four weeks. Significant weight loss may also be observed as plant-based foods often contain fewer calories. In terms of environmental impact, even small steps towards lowering your carbon footprint from food is a step in the right direction. Moreover, what starts as a temporary challenge often inspires long-term changes, prompting continued reflection on the food choices you make. Though it might be a bit late to participate in Veganuary this year, it is still a great idea to try to incorporate some vegan recipes into your weekly rotation. Switching out a couple of ingredients from a beloved dish to make it plantbased can be a great place to start. Why not replace a chicken curry with a delicious sweet potato and chickpea alternative, try a lentil instead of mince bolognaise, or choose tofu as a source of protein? If you’re up for a bigger challenge, there are plenty of vegan recipes online — there's truly something for everyone!

Defying gravity

Julia Szewczyk, Sci-Tech Editor, explores the physics behind figure skating jumps ahead of the Winter Olympics next month

THE Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are coming up next month, and though the more niche assortment of sports makes it less popular than the Summer Games, it certainly showcases some extraordinary feats of athletes attempting to break records and surpass the limits of what is thought to be humanly possible. One sport in particular that is always pushing the boundaries of physics (and my personal favourite sport) is figure skating. Where science meets art, athletes perform incredible jumps on no more than some metal blades gliding over frozen water, using fundamental laws of physics to seemingly effortlessly project themselves across the ice. In this article, I’ll dive into the science behind what enables athletes to momentarily defy gravity, and explore the point at which the line is drawn for adding further rotations.

The most important part of a figure skating jump is the take-off. Skaters push against the ice to generate vertical velocity for height, following Newton’s Third Law of Motion, which states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The greater the force the skater applies to the ice, the greater the force the ice applies back and thus the higher the resulting jump. They must also simultaneously generate angular momentum for rotation by pushing off the ice with a sideways force and powerfully swinging their arms and free leg upwards, creating a twisting force known

as torque. Once airborne, the skater rotates in the air, pulling their arms and free leg tightly in to reduce their moment of inertia (how mass is distributed around the axis of rota -

SKATERS MUST GENERATE VERTICAL VELOCITY FOR HEIGHT AND ANGULAR MOMENTUM FOR ROTATION

tion) and thus increase the speed of their spin.

Today’s best figure skaters are performing triple and quadruple jumps, requiring three and four rotations in the air, respectively. This demands incredibly fast rotational speeds, significant height, and carefully optimised airtime. Finally, the skater lands back on one leg, spreading out their arms for balance. It is estimated that, upon landing, forces five to eight times the skater’s body weight are exerted on them due to rapid deceleration from high speeds in rigid boots that limit ankle flexibility. Landing on a bent and soft knee allows for the absorption and dissipation of this energy over a longer period of time, helping reduce impact on joints and preventing injury.

There are many variables that factor into the height and number of rotations an athlete is able to achieve. Adult male skaters are generally able to reach a greater height, distance, and number

of rotations due to physiological advantages in muscle mass and post-puberty weight distribution. Quadruple jumps, requiring four rotations in the air, are therefore much more prevalent in the men’s field. This gap is closing, however, with skater Elizabet Tursynbaeva at age 19 landing the first quad jump in ladies’ competition in 2019, and Alexandra Trusova landing five during her free programme at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. The question is, at what point is it physically impossible to add more rotations? Will we ever see quint jumps, which require five rotations in the air, be landed? Theoretically, yes — with immense vertical and angular forces, as well as incredibly fast rotational speed, many experts believe five rotations are possible. In fact, this feat may be closer than you may think. In 2022, skater Ilia Malinin from Team USA landed the first fully rotated quad axel (four and a half rotations) in

IN 2022, SKATER ILIA MALININ LANDED THE FIRST QUAD AXEL (FOUR AND A HALF ROTATIONS)

competition and has consistently landed it since. This was a jump many previously considered impossible. Reports also suggest he has landed quint jumps in practice, though we have yet to see an attempt in competition. Five ro -

tations, however, is likely the limit as there is only so much muscle power someone can generate to increase their vertical and angular forces, and only so small they can make themselves in the air to reduce their moment of inertia, thus increasing their rotational speed. But who knows? Athletes today are showcasing skills that were once thought to be physically impossible, and with new talent always on the rise, we may one day see someone push the boundaries of the sport even further.

Dr ChatGPT will see you shortly

Kayleigh

Swart,

Editor in Chief, and Lani Elatta explores OpenAI’s new feature which analyses medical records to give personalised health advice

RECENTLY, ChatGPT has announced a new platform dedicated to health.

ChatGPT Health is set to roll out in the usa and may possibly come out in the UK. ChatGPT have described it as “a dedicated space for health” within ChatGPT. They emphasise that it’s conversations will be stored separately to the rest of ChatGPT and they won’t be used to train their AI tools. They repeatedly state on their website that conversations are encrypted and they recognise the sensitivity of health data but is this genuinely beneficial? Have we thought of the wider picture?

Currently ChatGPT says it is being massively used for health related questions and queries, with 40 million people a day asking ChatGPT for health related queries as reported by Medical Economics. It states the aim of creating a “dedicated health experience” as it calls it is that all kinds of different health information we have about ourselves (think; apple watch/fitbit data, calorie counting apps, sleep apps, real-life medical records) can be in one combined space. You will be able to connect your health data with ChatGPT to help create personalised advice and care based on what you have given it. However, using AI in the health and medical field is a hotly debated subject. While the UK is not being offered chatgpt health, the UK

government has put out an open call for evidence surrounding the use of AI in relation to health and medicine. On the UK government website, they state that: “AI has the potential to make healthcare safer, faster, and more personalised. It could help NHS staff work more efficiently and support the growth of health technology companies in the UK. However, AI also brings new challenges for how we regulate and oversee these technologies”. As this call for evidence is still open, this shows that the UK is only just starting to use AI in the medical and health field, and the ways in which it is going to be used is still being developed.

This may be helpful when you consider the notorious difficulty of getting a GP appointment in the UK and even more so when having to wait to see a specialist which the NHS aims to be within 18 weeks for non urgent care. On top of this, the time of medical appointments are often limited, chat gpt recognises this and aims to help patients come to their appointments ready with understanding of what is going on and with the most efficient questions. However, how necessary is this really?

We experimented with “normal” ChatGPT. One of us had a tender shoulder from the gym for a couple of days. For the purpose of the experiment before using ChatGPT we first used

a very powerful tool, our minds. We made a list of things chat gpt may suggest to help including; applying heat, doing stretches, taking paracetamol. We’d then decided we could look at gym creators on tik Tok to see if they could offer us any advice (there was plenty to find!).

We then asked ChatGPT, it had said everything we’d already listed but helpfully included a “what’s not normal/when to seek medical advice” section but again it was nothing we could not have thought of. This made us feel that ChatGPT was not particularly necessary although we do recognise a tender shoulder is fairly uncomplicated compared to interpreting a blood test, understanding the causes of an autoimmune disease or identifying whether or not certain gynaecological issues are “normal”. But isn’t that the job of our health professionals and won’t the reliance on AI cause people to feel less listened to? Because you know, they can just “ChatGPT it”.

In conclusion, is this a breach of personal data? In our eyes, probably. Could this also help a lot of people? Also probably. However we’re not sure the benefits (which are already widely available online) outweigh the risks of privacy and data leaks. While ChatGPT health is not currently rolled out in the uk it seems very possible that it will be available in the near future.

THE 2026 Formula One season is soon to be underway at the beginning of March, with the potential to be one for the ages. With a brand new set of technical regulation changes creating a level playing field, the season is expected to be one that reshapes the sport.

Teams like McLaren and Red Bull, the established front-runners of last year, will be looking to build on their previous success. With McLaren being the one to win the constructor’s championship in 2025, while their driver Lando Norris took home the driver’s championship, it is clear going into 2026 that they are the team to beat. In the case of Ferrari, they’ll undoubtedly be seeking redemption after a more than underwhelming 2025 season. With internal team member changes, including a change of race engineer for Lewis Hamilton, 2026

Formula 1 2026 Driver Lineup

is set to be a crucial year for the team.

Madison McNair, reviews the 2026 drivers and Formula 1 teams Alex Beale, assesses whether on-field progress can outweigh the Chiefs' off-field financial insability

TMCLAREN AND RED BULL, THE ESTABLISHED FRONT RUMMERS OF LAST YEAR

Meanwhile, Mercedes will be aiming to re-establish itself under the new regulations as a championship threat early on in the season, with driver George Russell expected to be a serious contender for the driver’s championship.

MERCEDES WILL BE AIMING TO REESTABLISH ITSELF UNDER THE NEW REGULATIONS

Among the midfield teams, Williams seem to be the fiercest competitor going into 2026. Having scored two podiums in 2025, they will be hoping to build on that momentum and capitalise on the opportunities offered by the technical changes.

Having never stepped foot in Formula One before, the introduction of Audi and Cadillac offer fresh narratives and excitement towards how they will manage to develop as the season progresses. At any rate, if there’s anything we can expect from the 2026 season, it’s to expect the unexpected.

Exeter Chiefs' record low season amid debt crisis

HE 2024/25 Premiership season saw Exeter Chiefs finish a record-lowest, ninth in the topflight of English rugby. Additionally, this season was a performance that left fans asking questions, regarding the recent publishing of financial reports for the same year show Exeter Rugby Group posting an after-tax loss of £10.3 million. Significantly adding to the losses was a £6.2 million loan that the business was forced to write off.

EXETER CHIEFS FINISH A RECORDLOWEST

The group still have building debts on a number of loans taken out during the Covid-19 pandemic, which prevented fans from watching the matches in person. Whilst the income from business and conference events at Sandy Park provided a steady income at just over £2.5 million, the season’s rugby performance led to a drop in match attendance and a £1.5 million deficit

on the previous year in ticketing sales. This comes at a time where all clubs in the top tier of English rugby posted financial losses for the third consecutive year. It poses the question of whether a top tier Rugby club can be financially sustainable without having to rely on major investment like that of Newcastle Falcons being taken

Dover by Red Bull at the start of this season.

POSTED FINANCIAL LOSSES FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR

However, it’s not all bad news for Exeter Chiefs, with a busy transfer period bringing in a number of international-level stars, the team has yet to lose a game at Sandy Park this season, along with an improvement to third-place on the Premiership table, now looking to a far more positive year for the Devon-based side.

Australia claims victory in the Ashes Series

Connor Myers, Online Sport Editor, covers a commanding 4-1 series win for Australia

ESPITE a nervy final day, it was never really in doubt that a total of 160 was going to be chaseable for Australia. Anchored by 37 and 34 runs from Marnus Labuschagne and Jake Weatherald respectively, the hosts eased towards their total on the final day of the series to claim a 4-1 Ashes victory.

CONTINUED THEME OR ENGLAND AND 'BAZBALL' REGIME

It sealed what can only be summed up as a disappointing winter for the tourists and continued the theme of England and the ‘Bazball’ regime, a movement defined to this point by moments as opposed to victories, leaving series with little in the wins column and only a handful of moments of brilliance to herald. Joe Root finally has the century-on-Australian-soil-monkey off his back (with both a pink ball and a red ball), Jacob Bethell finally introduced himself at the level it was promised he would as-

cend to with his century in Sydney, and England won their first test down under for the first time since 2011. And yet, the aftermath has been marked by eulogies and postmortems for

SUMMED UP AS A DISAPPOINTING WINTER FOR TOURISTS

this particular era of the England test match team. Discourse around the teams drinking culture after stories of visibly drunk players on the streets of Noosa emerged has dominated discussion. This will in no doubt be worsened by the reveal of Harry Brook, England’s white ball captain, being involved in an altercation with a bouncer in Wellington the night before an ODI against New Zealand, one of the team’s three Ashes preparation matches. The faith kept in Ollie Pope,

DISCOURSE AROUND THE TEAMS DRINKING CULTURE

Jamie Smith, and Zak Crawley even in the face of disappointing results will also come into question. Brendan McCullum and Ben Stokes’ persistence in picking Shoaib Bashir for almost two years in preparation for this series, only for the 22-year-old to not get a sniff of the team will require answers too. And yet, there is little indication much will change on the part of England. Stokes and McCullum have said they are keen to continue in their positions. Much Australian conversation has been around enjoying this victory before they travel to England in 2027, where their already-aging squad will only be older. Whether or not England utilise this defeat as a watershed moment to adapt their approach to a more measured, less one-note version of test cricket to take advantage of this remains to be seen.

Australian Open to offer record prize money

Annabel Gowling, Sport Editor, discusses the record £55m prize pot for the Australian Open 2026

THE Australian Open has announced it will offer record prize money at the 2026 tournament, continuing the rapid financial growth of tennis’s first Grand Slam of the season. The total prize pot will rise to £55 million, with singles champions set to receive more than £2 million each, alongside a 10 per cent pay increase for players across all rounds.

SINGLES CHAMPIONS SET TO RECIEVE MORE THAN £2 MILLION EACH

Tournament organisers say the increase reflects the Australian Open’s commercial success and a commitment to rewarding players at every level of the draw. The across-theboard rise is designed to benefit not only headline champions but also early-round competitors, for whom

travel and coaching costs continue to rise sharply. However, the announcement arrives amid wider debate about player compensation in professional tennis. Leading figures in the sport have repeatedly called for a greater share of revenues, arguing that prize money has failed to keep pace with the sport’s global growth. While the Australian Open’s increase is significant, prize money still accounts for only around 16 per cent of tournament revenue, a figure that continues to draw criticism.

THE INCREASE REFLECTS THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN'S SUCCESS

Several top players have suggested that Grand Slams, which generate hundreds of

millions through broadcasting, sponsorship and ticket sales, should redistribute a larger proportion of income to players. Comparisons are frequently drawn with other major sports, where athletes typically receive a far higher share of overall revenue. From the organisers’ perspective, rising operational costs, infrastructure investment and commitments to grassroots tennis are often cited as reasons why revenue distribution remains limited. The Australian Open, in particular, has invested heavily in facilities, fan experiences and expanded scheduling, all of which come with significant expense. While the 2026 prize money increase will be welcomed by players, it is unlikely to quiet calls for structural reform. Instead, it highlights the tension between tennis’s financial success and ongoing questions about fairness, sustainability and how the sport’s wealth should ultimately be shared.

Exeter City call for a fairer FA Cup revenue split

Alex Beale addresses the Supporters' Trust appeals for greater gate receipts after FA Cup tie

EXETER City has recently faced Premier League side Manchester City in the third round of the FA Cup. However, it wasn’t the scoreline making the headlines over last weekend, but rather the request from Exeter City Supporters Trust for a greater share of the ticketing income.

BBC Sport estimates have suggested that the League One side may have walked away with an amount between £250,00 and £400,000 from last Saturday’s clash, which was held at Manchester City’s Etihad stadium. FA regulations state that once hosting costs are subtract-

EXETER CITY SUPPORTERS TRUST FOR A GREATER SHARE

ed, the income from the match should be split equally. However, without the wealthy backing of major in vestors which seem to be increasingly common in the modern football climate, Exeter City Supporters Trust – who own the club – had written to the Premier League side asking for their portion of the gate receipts to be gifted to Exeter. Following overspend ing in the previous season and a fire at Exeter’s stadium,

the Devon-based side has repeatedly appealed for more funding in order to increase the security of the club going forward. It’s recorded that this season so far, the trust has loaned the club over £600,000 to keep the club afloat, but with significant debts from previous seasons and a £100,000 bill to repair the stadium following the fire, Exeter seem to be in a tricky situation. To make matters worse, the

IT BECAME WIDELY ADOPTED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

reluctance of Manchester City to honour the Trust’s request means that Exeter walk away from their loss in the north with only half the income they had hoped for. It poses the question for the continuity of the football pyramid: should Manchester City have handed over their fairly earned portion of the ticket income as a nod of respect to the lower league team, or were they right to take what is rightfully theirs?

IT POSES THE QUESTION FOR THE CONTINUITY OF THE FOOTBALL PYRAMID

Women's Indoor Golf League Launches 2026

Chloe Burrows explores the first ever indoor golf tournament for women set in Florida

CLAIMING that they ‘want to take golf into the 21st century’, the founders of Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL) - Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy - are developing the first ever Women’s TGL (WTGL), which will take place at the end of 2026. For the first time, female golfers will be able to participate in an indoor golf tournament, show -

ing leaps of progress for women in a sporting landscape that is so dominated by men.

LEAPS OF PROGRESS FOR WOMEN IN A SPORTING LANDSCAPE THAT IS SO DOMINATED BY MEN

WTGL will follow the same principles as its predecessor, using the same simulator screens and fully rotating greens that are provided for the male golfers, which truly illustrates a modern, glamourised version of a traditionally ‘dull’ sport. The excitement of new technologies within golf, especially placing the WTGL in the famous SoFi Centre in Florida, subtly demonstrates an aim to draw in fans and boost interest in golf. This innovation is expected to reach new fans.

AN AIM TO DRAW IN FANS AND BOOST INTEREST IN GOLF

The tournament will include the best female golfers playing in teams, creating a highquality, exciting competition. The global stage on which it will be played is due to create highvisibility, drawing maximum attention to women’s golf. Bringing the sport to the attention of fans is set to increase respect for women’s

golf and help connect female golfers with audiences by bringing them into the spotlight.

The WTGL, much like the TGL, will be designed for media and entertainment purposes, elevating fan engagement. One can only hope that this increases the popularity of women’s golf, making it a huge step in the right direction for the appreciation of female athletes.

Sport

Society Spotlights: What does Term 2 have to offer?

Pole Fitness Society

WITH winter fully underway, and the January blues seriously hitting, I know there’s one thing I can count on to cheer me up. I’m a part of Pole Fitness Society, and have been throughout my entire degree. I fell in love with it during my first Freshers week, and haven’t looked back since. I’m incredibly lucky to be able to exercise in such a lovely atmosphere, with such inspiring people! Championing the logo ‘Every Body Welcome’, Pole Fitness Society is a welcoming and inclusive space to improve your strength, grow your confidence, learn to dance, or even try out some yoga! The society runs an impressive array of classes every week, ranging from Beginners, Flow Classes, Stretching, to Returners (advanced classes). There are even seasonal classes to watch out for - this term, keep an eye out for Valentine’s Doubles Classes, which you can take with a friend or partner! At the ends of Term One and Term Two, the society runs their Winter and Spring Showcases. This is a chance for members to perform routines they created, often performing to a theme. Money from the night goes toward a chosen charity, with last year’s Winter Showcase raising over £500 for the breast cancer charity Coppafeel. Keep an eye on Pole Fitness Society’s Instagram page (@uepolefitness) for more details about the upcoming Spring Showcase!

GExeter Snowsports: Chill Hill EURFC Varsity

ET ready, Chill Hill is back! On 31 January 2026, Snowsports Exeter will transform Forum Hill into a winter wonderland, bringing the slopes to campus with 70 tonnes of real snow. Following the success of Chill Hill 2024, this year promises to be bigger, better, and even more exhilarating, with activities and entertainment for students of all abilities.

T he day will feature freestyle competitions, an adaptive skiing exhibition, and plenty of sledging fun, all set against a vibrant festival atmosphere. Live DJs will provide the soundtrack, while food and drink stalls and a marketplace showcasing snow sports gear from major brands complete the experience. Whether you’re here to ski, snowboard, or simply soak up the electric energy, Chill Hill has something for everyone. The event also highlights Snowsports Exeter’s commitment to community and inclusivity.

With over 1,200 members, the society blends competitive success in BUCS competitions with pioneering initiatives like the adaptive ski team, weekly training sessions, and social events that bring students together. Donations help cover essential costs, from transporting snow from Milton Keynes to hiring Jibworx and Event Exeter, and any extra funds support future inclusive snow sports projects. Beyond the slopes, Snowsports Exeter champions causes close to their hearts, including Disability Snowsports UK, Protect Our Winters, and Movember, ensuring the club’s impact extends beyond the campus.

So mark your calendars for 31st January 2026, Chill Hill promises a day of snow, adrenaline, and community like no other. Grab your mittens, gather your friends, and prepare to experience one of Exeter’s most exciting winter events, turning Forum Hill into the ultimate snow playground for the day.

THIS February, Exeter University face Bath at Sandy Park Stadium in what promises to be a standout evening in the university sporting calendar. On Wednesday 4th February 2026, alumni, supporters and current members are invited to an unforgettable rugby alumni reunion hosted at the iconic home of the Exeter Chiefs. Doors open at 18:00, with a complimentary pre-match buffet served from 18:45, ahead of a 19:45 kick-off. Set against the backdrop of a packed Sandy Park, with crowds of over 4,000 expected, the atmosphere is guaranteed to be electric. This annual fixture is widely regarded as the pinnacle event for Exeter Rugby Club. It offers the perfect chance to reconnect with former teammates, catch up with friends, and celebrate shared experiences both on and off the pitch. Whether you wore the shirt years ago or simply love supporting university sport, this event welcomes all members of the Exeter rugby family. Tickets include access to exclusive pre-match hospitality, featuring a complimentary buffet and VIP seating directly outside the hospitality suite. The bar will also be open throughout the evening, allowing guests to soak up the excitement with a drink in hand before taking their seats.

By Isabel Bratt, Arts and Lit Editor

By Annabel Gowling, Sport Editor

By Annabel Gowling, Sport Editor