The Gaudie 26th October 2022

Vol 89 No 3 - Wed 26 Oct 2022 iV magazine inside Say her name: University community protests death of Zhina Amini Kurdish woman murdered by Iranian 'morality police' after improperly wearing hijab. Editor's note: Due to the sensitive nature of this article, the author has asked to remain anonymous for their own safety. The Editors have ensured the accuracy and validity of this report. For Muslim women, be it in the East or West, the freedom to wear a hijab (or not) has been under threat. On the 7th of October, students and members of the Irani community gathered at Elphinstone Lawn for a freedom rally to protest violations of this freedom. The freedom rally was not only held to protest the death of Zhina Amini, killed by Iran's morality police in early September, but also to stand in solidarity with the men and women in Iran who are fighting to be free of dictatorship. These protests broke out on 16 September in Iran when Zhina Amini, a Kurdish woman also known as Mahsa Amini, was murdered at the hands of the ‘morality’ police after she was arrested for not donning her hijab properly. She and her brother begged the police to pardon them, but they didn’t. Zhina was subsequently taken to a 'Guidance Patrol' police station to be educated about the laws in Iran. The police insisted that they had reason to take her. According to her cousin, Erfan Mortezaei, Zhina was reportedly 'tortured and insulted' on the way to the ‘education centre' where she later collapsed, dying in hospital due to injuries two days later. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 in Iran, women have been forced into wearing the hijab with the morality police allegedly using the law to abuse, rape and kill women. Human rights groups and international governments alike allege that Iran’s enforcement of this law, under religious basis, allows an excuse for a violation of human rights. And since 1979, the people of Iran have filled the streets more than once to protest, they’ve always been met with aggressive opposition. Since 16 September, protests have broken out not only in Iran, but worldwide in support of Iran and its people. And on the 7th of October, the freedom rally at the University echoed their cry for help. The freedom rally began with talks given by fellow Iranian students, local Iranis and AUSA representatives. A local Irani began by saying, “Your support will help them to continue [the] fight against brutality and discrimination and injustice in all sectors of Iranian people. And gives them reliance to stay in line and fight until freedom.” AUSA VP for Communities Camilo Torres Barragán spoke next, praising the Iranian community for their bravery and power as well as swiftness to action as the rally was organised in mere days to get their voices heard. Parand, an Iranian student, told the crowd about the government’s brutal and violent response to the anti-government protests which has led to more deaths that are increasing daily. Due to an internet blackout imposed by the regime, the exact situation is unclear. However, according to statistics released by the NGO Amnesty International in early October, at least 144 people, including 23 children, have been killed by the government; with reports emerging that police fired on protestors with live ammunition. Parand went on to say, “What is happening in Iran is [that] tenacious young women [are] starting the biggest feminist revolution we have ever seen, and the world needs to get behind this. So, we urge you all, Iranian and non-Iranian, to come forward to come together in solidarity with innocent people dying in the streets every day and don't let this flame die. Go out, join demonstrations, learn more, inform yourself, and amplify their voices so we can all live in the free world. Say her name.” Nirvan, one of the organisers of the freedom rally, came up last to speak, “This is not the first time the people have stood up to fight against tyranny, and I can promise you, it won’t be the last time either.” And with his lead, crowd marched the university grounds with chants like “Zhin, Zhiyan, Azadi” & “Women, life, freedom” & “Mahsa Amini” & “Zhina Amini” & “Say her name”. Nirvan also added, “I would like to thank everyone who came today to stand in solidarity with the people of Iran in these tragic times. I believe it is very important to show our support for this brave movement and be the voice of those who are putting their lives in line in the hope that one day they would live in a democratic Iran. I also encourage everybody who is concerned about this situation to sign the UK Gov petition to maintain the sanctions and introduce a visa ban on people linked to the Iranian regime.” Say her name. Loyle Carner Hugo album review Loyle Carner’s hugo could have easily fallen into a worn-out pattern of confessional rap. Yet, it manages to forge new paths through its exploration of identity and history. While I have heard Loyle Carner’s music before—and was a fan of his collaborations with Tom Misch and Jordan Rakei—his upcoming album has encouraged me to rediscover the 28-year-old South London rapper. Carner’s 10-track album combines rap with jazz and gospel instrumentals. It begins with a story about a boy who grows up amidst confusion and grief and finishes with the man who emerged on the other side. The first track, ‘Hate’, starts strong, balancing a snare-heavy garage beat with a gentle piano riff. Carner starts the song with a near-aggressive delivery, but listeners come to understand that it isn’t hate being discussed, it's fear. ...Continued in IV by Anonymous by Isabelle Hampton-Zabotti Interview with The Muppets Vegitarian Wellington Recipe Satire Newspaper p.12 Life and Style IV p.8 Boyband Conscription shows flaws in broken system International Newspaper p.8 Women and nonbinary spaces are not the inclusionary revolution you think they are. Features Newspaper p.6 Photo courtesy of Sophie Hoffmann Go out, join demonstrations, learn more, inform yourself, and amplify their voices so we can all live in the free world. Say her name. Photo courtesy of Jack Davison

p.2 30.10.19 The historic St Machar Bar, located on the High Street in Old Aberdeen since 1904, which emerged from the struggles of the COVID pandemic with a renewed focus on whisky, will play host to the inaugural Old Aberdeen Whisky Festival on Saturday, 29 October. Darren Murray, owner of The Machar for the last several years, told The Gaudie, ‘The St Machar Bar is a hidden gem these days, we are really pushing our whisky selection but we also have real ales, craft beer, gins and rums on offer. We do monthly whisky tastings and have a great relationship with a few societies but especially with the whisky and beer ones.’ On Saturday, the pub will host the Old Aberdeen Whisky Festival, which features a number of local and international distillers, including Big Peat, Singleton, and the New York Distilling Company. The festival, to be located inside Elphinstone Hall on campus, will also feature a cooperage (or barrel-making) demonstration and talks from whisky experts. Additionally, the University of Aberdeen Malt Whisky Society told The Gaudie that they ‘are going to be participating at the festival and are very much looking forward to it.’ Murray sees the Machar as an essential part of the University and Old Aberdeen community. He told The Gaudie, ‘It's definitely a place that should always be here. We routinely get customers either visiting for the first time in 40 years and reliving their time here or even people whose parents met here at the bar. It's a place that stays with people for a long time if you're a regular here.’ The Machar faces stiff competition from The Bobbin, the popular student bar on King Street run by the Stonegate Group, a conglomerate of 4000 pubs across the UK. In contrast to The Bobbin, which features a bevy of society deals and cheap eats geared toward students, The Machar focuses more on its selection of spirits and other liquor, currently featuring over 300 varieties of whisky. Despite this, Murray is confident in the community he has fostered at The Machar, commenting, ‘... we have a great community and people all know each other. There are some pubs that you go into with friends and you just stick with those friends. Here you can come in alone and leave with new friends. It's a place where business deals are made, dissertations are written, big life choices happen, people meet and fall in love. The Machar is one of the few true local bars left and as long as you are sound you can come in and have a great night with total strangers.’ p.2 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF ([email protected]) Holly Ferguson Matthew Sheppard NEWS ([email protected]) EDITOR: Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco FEATURES ([email protected]) EDITOR: Maeve Topliff DEPUTY EDITOR: Fi Hennicken INTERNATIONAL ([email protected]) CO-EDITOR: Gemma Mcleod CO-EDITOR: Eddie Nicholls SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT ([email protected]) EDITOR: Straun Donachie SPORTS ([email protected]) EDITOR: Ewan Knox OPINE ([email protected]) EDITOR: Caterina Fumero DEPUTY EDITOR: Tiina Heikkinen SATIRE ([email protected]) EDITOR: Maggie Johnson PUZZLES EDITOR: Bārbala Ostrovska Editorial Team HEAD OF PRODUCTION ([email protected]) Theodore Williamson PRODUCTION DESIGNERS Georgia Kartsagkouli Isabelle Hampton-Zabotti Dorian Stoyanov Annie Lennam Julie Toft Carlsen COPY EDITORS Ava Bratejka Lindberg Arianna Ferioli Judit Garab Paula Becka SOCIAL MEDIA Leah Flint Alex Lawson Charlotte Hill SOCIAL SECRETARY Cathy Steven PHOTOGRAPHER Aedan Brennan Leah Flint PODCAST HOST Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco Production Team We voluntarily adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (www.ipso.co.uk) and aim to provide fair and balanced reporting. The Hub Elphinstone Road Old Aberdeen AB24 3TU Tel: 01224 272980 The Gaudie is printed on 100% recycled paper. Note from the Editor: Hiya everyone, Hope you’re all well and settled into this semester, it has been pretty busy here at the Gaudie. We have had some new additions to the Arts Team, a joint social with the Law Society and the Golf Society, and of course new writers submitting pieces to the paper. This edition includes articles from Features; /Women and non-binary spaces are not the inclusionary revolution you think they are,/ Opine; /Serial killers under the Spotlight,/ Science and Environment; / What do neanderthal genes mean to us?/ which is a follow up article from last edition which highlighted Sventy Paabo’s work on palaeogenomics. As we are almost at the end of October it seems the year is running away with itself, with most courses having deadlines over the past two weeks (Matt currently sitting next to me, drinking an irn bru energy drink, typing up 2,500 words). During the winter months, it is common for stress to build over and the shorter, colder days make it increasingly hard to motivate yourself. There is nothing worse than being in the library all day to return home to a freezing cold flat. I especially am lacking any motivation at all at the moment, but aside from that autumn turning into winter is my favourite time of the year. The abundance of pumpkin flavoured lattes, pine tree scented candles and Uggs makes it very hard to beat. Halloween is also round the corner, which I’m sure most of you will have plans for. This year I am dressing up as a witch and Matt is going as a mime; both really original and creative ideas. Although most of you will not be trick or treating this year, here is my best joke that I actually might try use over the week: Why did the vampire read the newspaper? He heard it had great circulation ‘A real classic Scottish pub’: St Machar Bar to host local whisky festival University watering hole ‘one of the few true local bars left’ by Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco Photo courtesy of Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco Here you can come in alone and leave with new friends. It's a place where business deals are made, dissertations are written, big life choices happen, people meet and fall in love.

30.10.19 p.3 'We are the Independence Generation': SNP Gathers in Aberdeen for annual conference On Saturday the 8th of October, Aberdeen had the honour of hosting the 88th annual Scottish National Party conference. The conference was held at The Event Complex Aberdeen and spanned three consecutive days during which resolutions were discussed, addresses were given, and issues of importance were debated at length. MSP and Deputy Leader Keith Brown kicked off the weekend by welcoming delegates and visitors to the first in person conference since COVID began. Debate began with the first resolution, Rerailing Northeast Scotland, as soon as Brown concluded his speech. Supporters of improved rail links argued that the devastating cuts to the Northeast rail system (begun in the 1960s and 70s) cut off towns like Peterhead and Fraserburgh from the rest of Scotland. This has affected many in these communities, including commuters and students alike. “The region has generated billions, it’s time to invest some back,” Karen Adam MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast stated as she told the audience on how rerailing can connect Scotland back to Europe, an issue the SNP is passionate about as a party. Adam and her Head of Office, Josh Mennie, dove further into the economic standpoint of a town like Peterhead, Europe’s largest fishing port. They asked how it is possible that the rail links of such an important element of the Scottish economy have been cut off, concluding ‘‘We have abandoned the Northeast.’ This resolution was ultimately passed. Another resolution of interest to the Muslim community at the University was Resolution 5: Adoption of the definition of Islamophobia in the Scottish Government. The first speaker on this resolution, Kaukab Stewart MSP, first discussed recent reports of Islamophobia in Scottish news; going on to state that this is not what Scotland stands for, that the nation should strive to be welcoming and outgoing. Councillor Dinash Ashraf spoke on the movement’s imitative and stated how the movement is not about Islam or religion or faith. He stated that the resolution is about combatting the increase in hate crimes and prejudice against the Muslim lifestyle. MP Anim Qaisar also spoke on the racism present in politics, especially in the House of Commons. Scottish born and raised, Qaiser commented that the viewpoint the ex-prime minister and Conservative Party have towards Islamophobia should not be accepted anywhere, especially not in Scotland. She further highlighted the negligence that reports of Islamophobia often receive, commenting that even the reports that are investigated are not often considered serious. A remit to the resolution was raised by SNP veteran member Gerry Fisher, yet after a brief debate, the resolution was quickly passed. The passing of Resolution 12: Transition to Renewable Energy, was a win for environmentally-concerned students, especially with the recent protest that occurred at the Sir Duncan Rice Library. The SNP believes that this transition, just like the industrial transition, will result in the creation of new jobs as well as lower electricity and gas costs, as well as encouraging businesses to expand, and aiding in the aim to tackle global warming. The discussion was focussed on the statement: “Scotland has the energy; we just need the power.” This movement towards a net zero Scotland was further supported and discussed during the address given by MSP and Deputy First Minister John Swinney. Swinney went on to announce that £500 million had been invested in Aberdeen alone to aid the transition from oil & gas. Swinney argued that Scotland has the energy capacity and security, but with Westminster in charge, the future is held back; with the UK having the highest cost of gas in Europe. Swinney stated, ‘Tories really are reckless hypocrites,’ commenting that the Conservative party are threatening the financial security of citizens for their own benefits while the SNP’s financial resources would be used to fund public services. As SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said, “This is Scotland’s energy and should serve Scottish people.” Topical resolutions regarding the war in Ukraine and the continuous support from Scotland were met with praise as Ukrainian politician Lesia Vasylenko spoke eloquently on the need for the elimination of Putinism, asking the UK to continue making Russia weaker. MP Alyn Smith said in support, “Ukraine’s fight is our fight.” The anti-government protests in Iran, sparked by the murder of Zhina Amini, were also brought up in the last session of the conference. Attendees asked for the UK government to acknowledge and condemn Iran’s actions towards innocent women and men simply trying to be free of the Irainian regime. Councillor Roza Salih, a Kurd herself, repeated the chant ‘Zhin, Zhian, Azadi’ that translates to ‘Women, Life, Freedom.’ The highlight of the conference occurred when the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, addressed the conference on the final day. Sturgeon touched on many notable matters such as the fight for Scottish independence, which has a court hearing happening soon on the subject and a referendum by next year if all goes well, stating, “We are the independence generation.” She also went on to express her support for the many significant tragedies happening internationally, ‘To women in Iran fighting for basic human rights. We stand with you. To girls in Afghanistan demanding the right to go to school. We stand with you. To men and women risking their lives in opposition to Putin in Russia, or his sidekick in Belarus. We stand with you. And to the people of Ukraine – fighting for your very existence. We stand with you.’ During her speech, she announced funding for 22 projects in support of green hydrogen, development of tidal and wave technology, and more, all aimed towards making the North-East a net zero capital of the world. She touched on conflicts with the UK government,and her distaste towards Lizz Truss creating a growth in inequality between the rich and poor. The Scottish government has increased funds to tackle child poverty by raising the Scottish child payment again as well as extending the age limit to 16; Sturgeon also announced the doubling of the December Bridging Payment to £260 in time for Christmas this year. It is estimated that over 145,000 children will benefit from this payment, made possible by a 19 million pound investment by the Scottish government. Sturgeon concluded her speech by urging the conference to never stop fighting for independence, proclaiming,‘With optimism, confidence, and determination. We can now finish the job. And we will.’ Similar addresses given by SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford and SNP president Michael Russell further scrutinised the UK Government's decision making. They boosted morale by reminding the conference of the SNP’s electoral victories and assuring them there is a better future in the hands of the SNP through Scottish independence. Russell commented, ‘It can be better than this. It has to be better than this.’ Deputy Leader Keith Brown also addressed the crowd at various times, with one talk highlighting the issue of international students studying in Scotland. When asked how Scottish independence would aid international students arriving in the country, Brown commented, ‘What we’ve seen is the barriers have been put up as a result of Brexit and I would very much hope that both the fact of independence and subsequent joining of the EU would open up opportunities for international students.’ When pressed about the various issues faced by international students in Scotland, he went on to say, 'It is completely selfdefeating, it is the same thing the United States a few years ago then they realised the fallout of it because they were cutting the tap of themselves as well.’ ‘People are [going to] come to your institution to broaden the horizons of people and vice versa. And I want the best and brightest to come to Scotland, so I very much hope that the fact of independence and rejoining the EU will get more international students here to Scotland.’ Sturgeon address highlights weekend; bevy of resolutions passed by Kani Barzani The SNP believes that this transition, just like the industrial transition, will result in the creation of new jobs as well as lower electricity and gas costs ‘To women in Iran fighting for basic human rights. We stand with you. To girls in Afghanistan demanding the right to go to school. We stand with you. Photo courtesy of Nicola Sturgeon via Twitter

p.4 30.10.19 The University has announced plans to spend four million pounds on twenty new research positions during the next five years. The posts, which will be initially funded by the University’s Development Trust, focus on five areas: Energy Transition; Environment and Biodiversity; Health, Nutrition, and Wellbeing; Social Inclusion and Cultural Diversity; and Data and AI. The positions are geared towards the University’s Aberdeen 2040 goals, which seek to guide the institution to be more Inclusive, Interdisciplinary, International, and Sustainable, among other aims. Salaries will range from £43,000 – £51,000 per year, with each post lasting five years. A press release from the University stated, ‘The campaign message - ‘Where great minds come together’ - reflects the University’s focus on interdisciplinary teaching and research, a key strand of University Principal Professor George Boyne’s ambitions to promote collaboration across disciplines to lead the research agenda of the future’ The University’s Vice-Principal for Research Professor Marion Campbell commented, ‘This significant investment in 20 academic posts is indicative of our ambitions to bring a highly motivated group of top researchers to Aberdeen to work collectively and individually to solve major global challenges, from energy transition and climate change to the global food crisis and devastating healthcare inequalities.’ ‘At the University of Aberdeen, we’re dedicated to creating a brighter future for all and harnessing the power of our collaborative research to answer the most important questions that will bring benefits to our world both locally and internationally.’ University Principal George Boyne stated, ‘While the challenges we face today are greater than ever, I am confident that our research output, backed by the investment in these new positions, will make a huge difference to the quality of people’s lives in the North East and in other regions around the world. I very much look forward to welcoming and working with a new cohort of academics who will help us as we continue to enhance our research output which in turn improves the quality of our teaching, helping our staff and students to realise their full potential.’ Information on how to apply for the posts can be found on the University website. University to invest four million pounds on new research Researchers will help to ‘enhance… research output’ by Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco Photo courtesy of Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco Student Radio has returned to the Granite City. After several years of uncertainty surrounding the future of Aberdeen Student Radio, the University's student-run radio station, The Gaudie has learned that the internet radio station is returning for the 2022-2023 academic year. The station, which broadcasts from studios in the Student Union Building, had closed down this summer after several years of declining membership due to the COVID19 pandemic. The Gaudie spoke to Tomás PizarroEscuti, the new Director for Content at the station, who confirmed that ASR would return, perhaps in a matter of weeks. He also told The Gaudie that plans for several student-run programmes were already in progress. He commented, ‘We are very happy to be able to bring ASR back to life. University radio has always played an important role in Aberdeen, not only for its entertainment role, but also for its cultural, social and informational role.’ ‘At the moment we are planning several programmes and have been in contact with several societies interested in collaborating with us. For example, "The Law Codex Society" will have a legal talk show. For now we will certainly have a programme about news; a programme about international analysis called "The International Voice"; a programme about psychology called "The Hidden Brain" and various other music shows. However, ASR is nothing without the students. The pandemic has hit us hard and we need the support of students who are interested in cooperating with us. We have several open positions in our committee so you are all invited to join us.’ ‘It is important for students to take an active role in radio because it is a great opportunity to contribute to our community. In fact, it is a real privilege to have a radio station at the university. Students can develop many skills in ASR, technical, communication, creative and even commercial skills.’ Camilo Torres Barragán, Vice President for Communities said: ‘We are supporting a group of students that are currently working on bringing ASR back. They have plans to offer radio space to all student activities to promote their events and campaigns. Additionally, we have just created a Media Fund Grant to support any student media projects and it’s open for any society, sports club, forum, or student group. We would encourage interested activities to apply before 9am on 31st of October. Contact [email protected] for more information.’ Students are invited to join the ASR team by emailing Tomás at u02tp22@abdn. ac.uk. Aberdeen Student Radio Returns AUSA announces support for new venture by Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco Photo courtesy of Tomás Pizarro-Escuti At the University of Aberdeen, we’re dedicated to creating a brighter future for all

30.10.19 p.5 The process of confronting the National Socialist past in Austria has been long and perplexing. Since the Moscow Declaration of 1943, Austria was deemed to be the first ‘victim’ of the Third Reich following the Anschluss of March 1938, seen to have been annexed by the Nazi regime entirely unwillingly. What is often forgotten about however, is the cheering crowds of everyday individuals as Adolf Hitler took centre stage at Heldenplatz in Vienna, and the widespread desire to be an active part in the regime. This article poses the questions; Can Austria truly be considered a ‘victim’ of the Third Reich? And how much can Austria be said to have played a role in National Socialism and the Holocaust? What has contemporary Austrian society learned of its past, and how can the nation continue to develop its consciousness while being a lesson for the rest of the world? Hopefully while exploring Austria's past readers will begin to reflect upon the history of their own countries, subsequently introducing the reader to a brief history of the complex case of Austria. It was decades after the Second World War that the widespread support of the Austrian people for Austro-fascism and National Socialism gradually came to light, alongside the extent to which Austrians had played an active role in the Holocaust. It is tough to say for certain, but it is estimated that Austrians made up 8% of the Third Reich’s population, with an estimated 950,000 Austrians fighting for Nazi Germany’s armed forces. Many Austrians were not on the front, however, but rather taking part in the ‘administrative’ elements of the regime. These include death camp personnel and bureaucrats. It can be said that the antisemitism against Austrian Jews has had a long pre-existing history in the country, but the experiences of antisemitism and antisemitic violence grew with the influence of Nazi Germany. After the war in 1945, many Austrians found comfort in being deemed the first ‘victims’ of the regime, able to escape their own offences, but a closer case study would find that the nation was anything but a victim of the Third Reich. If anything, it was one of the regime’s biggest assets. Nevertheless, from the very outset, highly broadcasted events and controversies thwarted initial attempts to repress the past. Confronting the wrongdoings of its past began with Kurt Waldheim (1918-2007), a former Austrian diplomate and statesman who launched a presidential campaign in 1986. During his campaign, questions about his involvement in the German army and the role he played in war crimes arose. Waldheim published an autobiography in 1985, claiming that after being injured on the Eastern Front, he returned to Vienna and spent the rest of the War in recovery. However, upon further analysis by several overseas governments, it was found that Waldheim had been involved in the transportation of civilian prisoners to the SS for exploitation, together with the mass deportation of civilians (mainly Jews) from Greek islands to Banja Luka in Yugoslavia. Despite the masses of evidence coming to light, Kurt Waldheim won the election, denying any involvement and merely claiming that he was carrying out his duty as a soldier. Nonetheless, according to Professor Ruth Wodak, his ‘duty’ was not what shocked and startled the nation, but rather his evident covering up of his actions and involvements in the war. He remained in office until 1992. This period of Austria’s contemporary history is referred to as the ‘Waldheim Affair’. The affair became a symbol of how Austria confronted its own past and acted as a symbol of the latent anti-Semitism that remained in society. Responses to the National Socialist past and the Holocaust in contemporary Austria have been mixed. Although, it must be said that the general shift from being viewed as ‘victims’ of the Third Reich to complicit partakers of the regime has taken place. Writers and artists lead the way in confronting the dark past and the protest largely came from those belonging to the generation of Austrians whose parents were in some way associated with the crimes carried out by the Nazis. Those growing up in a post-war Austria knew very little of the nation’s history, struggling to identify a sense of ‘self’ due to a lack of history and education. Generally speaking, the topic of the Holocaust was an unwelcomed discussion amongst Austrians, but during the scandals of the 1980s, the conversation could no longer be avoided. After all, the collective history that Austrians were victims had at this point been proven false. Writers such as Ingeborg Bachmann, Elisabeth Reichart and Thomas Bernhard shook standard societal discourse on the past by openly depicting the Austrian wrongdoing in the Holocaust, detailing the trauma that the war caused, and the distinct lack of ‘self’ that they had due to their histories being significantly blurred. Austrian editors and publishers could no longer steer clear of manuscripts apt to cause controversy. The cataclysmic effect of learning about the hidden past after having been raised with the myth of victimisation is evident in the works of Thomas Bernhard and Ingeborg Bachmann. In the case of Bachmann, her father was an early member of the Austrian National Socialist Party, and this became a predominant image in Bachmann’s novel, Malina. In an attempt to distance herself from her own country, prior to her death, she moved to Italy. A recent documentary film by Ruth Beckermann investigated the erasure of Austria’s Nazi-era past by the likes of Kurt Waldheim, previously serving in the Wehrmacht. The documentary film has since been viewed around the globe. It establishes a point that by not learning of the past, one is merely deemed to repeat it, establishing more borders and segregation amongst ourselves. While the process of confronting the National Socialist past in Austria has been difficult, it must be noted that Austria’s gradual acknowledgment of its wrongdoings has largely stemmed from the arts (most predominantly literature post 1945, as well as film). Those leading the protest of the denial of the past are largely female writers and filmmakers who have grown up in generations with a distinct lack of history or identity. It can also be concluded that a grave importance must be placed on learning of the past, especially in dark times of division and corrupt government. We learn that those who led the Third Reich regime were not born with the power that they held, but rather were ordinary people with ordinary lives who bought into an idea. History and literature invoke the capability to better avoid repeated mistakes, as well as create a positive path ahead within one’s respective society. Protesting the Denial of the National Socialist Past in Contemporary Austria. An Overview. by Lee Morrow It is tough to say for certain, but it is estimated that Austrians made up 8% of the Third Reich’s population, with an estimated 950,000 Austrians fighting for Nazi Germany’s armed forces. Photo courtesy of the Austrian National Library via Unsplash Responses to the National Socialist past and the Holocaust in contemporary Austria have been mixed. It establishes a point that by not learning of the past, one is merely deemed to repeat it, establishing more borders and segregation amongst ourselves.

p.6 30.10.19 Women and non-binary spaces are not the inclusionary revolution you think they are Who is invited into what spaces, who may use what terms and call themselves by what names. Now that gender is becoming more fluid these labels and groups we assign each other to are becoming obsolete. The issue here arises when those who are in no box gender wise, such as myself, are still pressured to assign themselves a group. As an AFAB gender queer person, (AFAB meaning assigned female at birth) I am privy to ‘women and non-binary safe spaces’. As someone who has thought of themselves as both of these things at some point in their life, my relationship to these spaces has been drastically different at each of these points. What I have found about these spaces is that they actually have very little relevance for non-binary people. We are not a subsection of womanhood, we have no more affiliation to women than we do men. What we were assigned at birth has no relevance to what spaces we may join, as this is just another way to enforce gender roles that we have clearly denounced. Furthermore, once actually inside these spaces, I find that they are tailored more to women and it begins to feel like either your gender is being ignored and you are forced into pseudo-womanhood, or that you are simply excluded entirely. Much of the time the language is not inclusive and your input as a gender queer participant is not valued. They are created with kind intent, but it is ultimately ignorant good will. I would like to pose a scenario to you: It is a women and non-binary people event at a bar. Most people imagine this to be AFAB people all round, women laughing with their friends, feminine looking people gossiping and drinking etc… A 6’’2 tattooed person who has masculine presentation walks into the bar. (Imagine a Dwayne Johnson type beat.) They go by they/them pronouns. Would they be accepted with open arms? Does this space actually cater to their needs? Are others who present similarly to them also going to feel welcomed and hence will they feel included here? I can tell you that the answer is almost definitely no. Because what people mean when they say ‘women and non-binary spaces/groups’ is a space without a ‘masculine threat’. Women and people who are targets of the patriarchy deserve safe spaces, there is no question about that. I understand the need to have spaces in which we can gain solace from the patriarchy; what I propose here is a proper intersectionality implemented in these spaces. Clumping women and non-binary people together in this scenario completely invalidates a whole group of people! Not to mention it completely misses the point of non-binary identities. We belong to no side, we may have our own perceptions of how closely we identify to certain binaries, but each and every non-binary person, nay each and every person, experiences their gender differently. It is societies obsession with trying to categorise gender and enforce gender roles that make the concept of gender queer identities so hard for cis people to swallow. There is a severe lack of AMAB (assigned male at birth) and masculine non-binary presenting representation in the media. Part of this is the constrictions that the patriarchy puts on men to squash feelings and perform in a masculine way that often prohibits them from questioning things like their gender. To denounce being a man and create your own path, which may involve embracing the feminine parts of yourself, and creating entirely new parts, flies in the face of everything that the patriarchy hammers into men from the second they are conscious of their existence. For anyone transitioning genders is rough! You have to really get to know yourself, you have to let parts of yourself go and reshape how you view yourself. Now imagine doing all that work, coming to terms with who you are, and still fighting like a salmon jumping upstream to stop people from trying to enforce on youwhat they think you should be. It’s exhausting. I do not wish to write as though I fully know the experience of AMAB and masculine non-binary people as due to my feminine presentation when I transitioned I did not lose access to many spaces I had previously occupied. Now this is an issue in itself concerning how I am still perceived as a woman to most. Because there is such an idea of what non-binary people look like, those who do not conform (which is most of us by the way!) get erased. Which is why when I hear ‘women’ and ‘non-binary’ used side by side it frustrates me because what they mean is AFAB people. People still view me as a woman, I come out every single day, multiple times, to varied reactions. But nine out of the ten people I tell my pronouns to will never use them because I wear a skirt, and have long hair. And if I didn’t, if my gender expression was a masculine one, I would have probably lost access to these spaces with my transition. So while my inclusion in these spaces is a cause of discomfort for me, AMAB and masculine non-binary people often do not even receive this. When AMAB people transition, suddenly male spaces are not as welcoming, and when they turn to nonbinary ones they are again, left out. In these scenarios no one wins. Essentially, what we must grow to understand is that non-binary identities have no look, no sex, no societal constrictions. They are simply what we wish them to be. That is an uncomfortable truth, it is not how we are raised to understand gender. But it is, nonetheless, the truth. We can learn, and listen, and respect it, or we can continue to ‘other’ an ever growing group of people who just need a space to be themselves. by Maeve Topliff Gender is a complicated topic, we created it but seemingly are constantly tortured by it. We belong to no side, we may have our own perceptions of how closely we identify to certain binaries, but each and every non-binary person, nay each and every person, experiences their gender differently. Essentially, what we must grow to understand is that non-binary identities have no look, no sex, no societal constrictions. They are simply what we wish them to be. Photo courtesy of Mathew Schwartz via Unsplash

arts culture fashion lifestyle food gaming technology Arts p.2-3 Arts p.5 Vegetarian Wellington Recipe Life and Style p.12 iV Professor Tim Baker about new Memoir Smile — Mental Health in Horror

p. 2 Editors Holly Ferguson Matthew Sheppard IV Editors ARTS ([email protected]) Head Editor - Isabelle Hampton-Zabotti Deputy EditorsXandra Button Zac Bakella Emma Chen LIFE AND STYLE ([email protected]) Co-Editor - Kendra Clark Co-Editor - Kathryn Ritchie Production Theodore Williamson Georgia Kartsagkouli Isabelle Hampton-Zabotti Annie Lennam Dorian Stoyanov Julie Toft Carlsen Copy Editors Ava Bratejka Lindberg Arianna Ferioli Judit Garab Paula Becka Front page Nova Khan Long live the rose that grew from concrete With love, Team iV iV I f you have never been in Timothy Baker’s small office in the Taylor building, allow me to set the scene. Upon entry, there is the distinct scent of books—the kind you would find in a used book store—and it is immediately evident why. There are shelves of books on either side of the narrow office (just wide enough to fit the professor’s desk in between) and in front of those shelves, there are piles. At first glance, it may seem unorganised, but I quickly realise that not only are the books in alphabetical order, but Baker seems to know exactly where each book he wants to show me is. This is the office of not just an academic whose discipline requires him to read, but of a reader. Baker specialises in environmental literature and animal studies. He has previously published academic writings, making Reading My Mother Back his first non-academic published text. When I sit down on the chair across from him, it is not with a desk in between us; the desk is propped against the window at the back of the office. We feel like equals. Two academics, two people, just chatting. I may be alone in this, but when I started university in 2019, I had the idea that our lecturers and teachers were all above us in some sense. I am incredibly honoured that professor Baker has proven this wrong. As I ask my prepared questions, he is twisting his hands nervously in a matter I have seen students replicate exactly. He may seem anxious, but once I get him talking about his new book, there is no hesitation in his voice. Timothy Baker’s memoir Reading My Mother Back: A Memoir in Childhood Animal Stories is an emotional and honest work that takes the reader through the professor’s relationship and life with his mother through the animal stories that defined his childhood. From The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to Watership Down, Baker manages to connect with the reader, his mother, and himself all at once. I ask him about his process in writing this book and he tells me that this is a book he has been intending to write for a long time. He also tells me that it all started with the Reading My Mother Back: Interview with Professor Tby Ava Bratejka Lindberg

p. 3 arts| theatre ending and the last book: The Man Who Was Magic. More than anything, it was the texts that were key to telling this story, and making sure that the order of the books made sense with the stories he was telling. That is to say that this book is not a reading journal, Baker clarifies, since he himself put restrictions on which texts were to be referenced: for one, the books could not have been discovered by Baker later than childhood. Childhood classics such as Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle In Time didn’t make the cut simply because it doesn’t feature animals. Others, such as The Velveteen Rabbit, were forgotten and only remembered three weeks before our interview. Finally, some books simply did not tell the story that Baker wanted to tell, and therefore weren’t useful. The books that were chosen were also under quite a big restriction in the sense that Baker grew up what he calls ‘a library kid’—ie., he got his books from the library rather than the bookshops—and that his local library had (with Baker’s maths) last been restocked in the mid 1960s. This meant that the books were a generation out of date. At the WayWord event, Baker spoke about taking an academic approach to writing, and when I bring this up, the professor iterates that this was the most honest way for him to write the book. It was not a way of him distancing himself from the story, but rather, a way for him to be closer to it. At a basic level, Professor Baker is an academic, and that had to reflect in his book. Thus, he confesses, the academic writing was an autobiographical move for him. Another reason for the academic nature of the book was to encourage nonacademics to read literary criticism. To, in a way, prove that this can be accessible and important. Baker humbly mentions that he thinks that what he does, what he writes, is something people should be able to read. It is clear to me that he is incredibly proud of his work and his profession. Baker brings up that people have critiqued him for not talking to other people about the happenings of the book; why he did not ask people like his mother’s family, his father, extended family, and friends about the aspects of the book he does not have a clear memory or knowledge of. To this, the professor says that he simply did not want to do that—that that was not the book he wanted to write. Instead, his research was in what he could do: sit in the office and read a lot of books. Professor Baker takes quite a personal approach to teaching. He mentions that he’s always thought that if he is not honest with his students about why he reads books, he is not doing his job as an educator. So, when I ask him if he was concerned about students reading this quite personal book, he makes it clear that there is content his students already know more about than anyone else in his life. He trusts his students to understand that this book’s intention is not to make them feel sorry for Tim Baker. The responses to the book have taught Baker a very valuable lesson: everyone reads a different book. Some people read it as a book on trauma, some as a book on children’s books, or something else entirely—and none are wrong. He laughs as he tells me that he likes when people tell him why they didn’t like the book because it means people are reacting to the book personally, which was exactly the aim; Baker wants this book to be about getting to know yourself. Finally, I ask him what our readers should read next – after they’ve picked up Reading My Mother Back, of course. He thinks for a bit, looking around his tower of books, then says: ‘In Memory of Memory by Maria Stepanova. She does what I do, but she does it better.’ A Memoir in Childhood Animal Stories Tim Baker About New Memoir Images courtesy of dgim-studio, VecMes and ilonita, FreePik

p. 4 arts | film The Woman King is the historical epic film that you would not expect. Set at the beginning of the 19th century, it follows the adventures of the Agoje—the powerful, all-female warrior unit of the kingdom of Dahomey in West Africa. The army is led by general Nanisca (Viola Davis), who fiercely leads the conflict against their neighbour reign Oyo, who have become stronger and richer by selling prisoners as slaves to Portuguese white men. Eventually, we acknowledge that the war is not between the two African reigns—even though a good part of the film consists of battles between them—but that the real enemy to fight is the slave trade itself and the men who pursue it. However, the film is not only about battles. What differentiates it from other classical epic films is the underlying story of female empowerment, friendship, and motherhood. Next to Nanisca, we see well-rounded female characters like Nawi (Thuso Mbedu), a young and brave girl offered to the army by her father after her constant refusal of marriage; Izogie (Lashan Lynch), the strong and funny warrior who takes Nawi under her wing and makes her a soldier; and Amenza (Sheila Atim), Nanisca’s confidante and second-in-command. The film explores the relationships between them, their past and unspoken fragilities and how Agoje united them as a family. We gradually empathise with their struggles and watch with bated breath during the violent fights against Oyo. All the actresses do a good job in developing relatable and realistic characters, but Viola Davis is especially magnificent in her role. She brings a level of depth and regality to it that is a testament to the behind-the-scenes work done by the actress to embody the general Nanisca— the great warrior, but also the mother, and the woman. I don’t need to explain the importance of a film written by two women (Dana Stevens and Maria Bello) and directed by a woman (Gina Prince-Bytherwood) whose cast mainly consists of black women. However, in honour of Black History Month, I want to emphasise the excellent representation that The Woman King is for black people, especially black girls. While portraying a history of the slave trade and tribe conflicts, it focuses on the power that the community of Agoje holds, from their physical strength to their bravery, without making it feel forced or fake. All these women have suffered and have turned their pain into an ancestral force that guides them to victory against enemies; it is truly inspiring to watch them do that. In a story that screams woman empowerment, I found superfluous the ‘love story’ between Nawi and Malik, a half-Dahomey half-Portuguese man whose family made a fortune through the slave trade. The scenes involving the two are neither romantic nor thematically important enough to be justified. Instead, they just shift the attention from Nawi’s courage and abilities to the ‘man who helps her’, which I found unnecessary and a bit irritating at times. The Woman King (2022) The Woman King (2022) by Emma Chen Photo Courtesy of IMDb

p. 5 arts | film I ’m not sure what to think of 2022’s latest horror movie, Smile. On the surface, Smile is the perfect scary movie. It has amazing jumpscares, haunting storylines, and made me afraid to go to sleep after seeing it. In fact, it was one of the most unsettling horror movies I’ve ever watched. Looking only at the soundtrack, atmosphere, and acting, Smile would be worthy of being a new Halloween classic. So what is it that makes me so hesitant to recommend this movie? Simply put, I cannot recommend Smile because the plot mishandles its portrayals of mental illness, making the movie inaccessible and possibly offensive. Smile follows Dr Rose Cotter, who works at a therapy clinic. When one of Rose’s patients begins describing disturbing visions, visions of people grotesquely smiling at her, Rose begins seeing the same thing. As Rose delves deeper into the mystery surrounding these smiles, her visions get more horrific. If you watch Smile only expecting a horror movie, you may be surprised by what you get. When analyzing this movie, it becomes less about a demonic, smiling creature and more about Rose’s inability to cope with the horrible traumas she has experienced in her life. In fact, the demonic entity tells Rose that it has attached itself to her because she has been traumatized. Later, Rose discovers that she can rid herself of the smiling curse if she passes her trauma onto another person. It is not hard from here to see how Smile works as a metaphor: the smiling creature is not just a horror movie gimmick but a representation of how trauma can be passed from one person to another, and how, if you don’t seek help dealing with these traumatic memories, your life can begin to unravel. Thinking of the movie this way, Rose becomes not just a victim of a disturbing curse but a symbol of what can happen if you do not seek help during a psychotic episode. As Rose sees more smiling visions, she becomes more visually dishevelled and less mentally coherent. Many times throughout the movie, Rose is offered help in the form of therapy, which she refuses. Rose becomes so engrossed in her visions that she is willing to destroy her relationships with anyone who doesn’t believe her. Eventually, Rose isolates herself from everyone in her life, convinced that it is other people who are making the smiles worse. Smile clearly wants the audience to see the connection between Rose’s curse and mental illness. Throughout the movie, characters use therapy buzzwords and often suggest that Rose’s mental state is a result of her genetics and past trauma. While Smile may have had good intentions in trying to depict a taboo topic, the execution of this idea is poor. The movie equates mental illness with an inescapable monster. This is problematic because, while someone who suffers from psychosis or paranoia may always be mentally ill, that does not mean they must always live in fear or isolation, as Rose does. It is harmful of Smile to suggest that mental illness is something that only gets worse over time, from which there is no escape. Mental Health in Horror by Xandra Button Photo Courtesy of IMDb

p. 6 arts | music Loyle Carner hugo (2022) Loyle Carner’s hugo could have easily fallen into a worn-out pattern of confessional rap. Yet, it manages to forge new paths through its exploration of identity and history. While I have heard Loyle Carner’s music before—and was a fan of his collaborations with Tom Misch and Jordan Rakei—his upcoming album has encouraged me to rediscover the 28-year-old South London rapper. Carner’s 10-track album combines rap with jazz and gospel instrumentals. It begins with a story about a boy who grows up amidst confusion and grief and finishes with the man who emerged on the other side. The first track, ‘Hate’, starts strong, balancing a snare-heavy garage beat with a gentle piano riff. Carner starts the song with a near-aggressive delivery, but listeners come to understand that it isn’t hate being discussed, it’s fear. Carner exposes his insecurities, stating ‘I fear the colour of my skin, I fear the colour of my kin.’ Along with hate, he talks about love too, not shying away from dichotomies that he fails to resolve. The following track, ‘Nobody Knows (Ladas Road)’, is also interesting: Carner explains that it is ‘about fatherhood, forgiveness and the gaps between. The space between absolutes.’ With an absent biological father and a stepfather who passed away when he was twenty, Carner’s experience of fatherhood is expressed in ‘Nobody knows’ with heavy emotions: ‘you can’t hate the roots of the tree, and not hate the tree. So how can I hate my father without hating me?’ The space that hugo explores isn’t just between emotions alone, but also the nebulous space between black and white, which is your constant state of being when you are mixed race. In ‘Nobody Knows (Ladas Road)’, he says, ‘I told the black man he didn’t understand, I reached the white man he wouldn’t take my hand’. Carner’s experiences taught him that, while he can’t be fully understood by the Black community, he knows that he is also fully excluded from Whiteness. This is an experience that, being mixed race who grew up in a predominately white area, I know too well. Whereas many rappers align themselves fully with the Black community, hugo shows that Carner isn’t afraid to express this discontinuity; he finds himself being both and neither, and not being able to neatly tie these threads together. ‘Georgetown’ likewise traverses identity, and is rich in its intertextuality. Under three minutes long, the song features John Agard, an Afro-Guyanese poet born in Georgetown (hence the song’s name). He begins with a commentary on the term ‘half-caste’, then, Carner’s hook rises above a sumptuous bass: ‘I’m black like the key on the piano, white like the key on the piano’. Carner is both—and he is neither. Despite this, musically, Carner does not shy away from following the precedents of Black artists. Using a recurring sample from Pastor T.L.Barrett & the Youth for Christ Choir’s ‘Nobody Knows’, he borrows connotations from Gospel music. The song acknowledges Gospel music’s significance in the historical development of African-American music, but also falls in line with current usage of Gospel in hip-hop. For example, another Pastor T.L. Barrett song, ‘Father I Stretch My Hands’, was an iconic hook sampled on Kanye’s track, ‘Father Stretch My Hands, Pt.1’. However, hugo’s other tracks, such as ‘HGU’ and ‘A Lasting Place’, feature piano melodies and lo-fi style beats which are closer to Carner’s previous style of easy-listening hip-hop. This could be considered a weakness of this album, as many songs are too alike in sound to be entirely distinct and memorable from each other. However, what is arguably repetitive is still done well. In hugo, there is a gamble: vulnerability does not guarantee authenticity, but I believe that this risk pays off. While Carner risks distance from the Black community, he also explores the reality of the mixedrace lived experience in the UK, which is not often examined. While it’s a harsh reality, it’s also beautiful—an impression achieved by the delicate piano melodies that offset the darker tones of the lyrics. As ‘Nobody Knows (Ladas Road)’ has already over a million listens on Spotify, I expect fans of Loyle Carner to flock to the album on its release date, but whether it will gain awards is yet to be seen. Nonetheless, I think it will be a stronger contender for the 2023 Brit Awards hip-hop category. Loyle Carner’s hugo will be released on the 21st of October. by Isabelle Hampton-Zabotti Photo Courtesy of Jack Davidson An ambition album that breaks new ground for Loyle Carner

p. 7 arts |writers W a n t t o b u i l d a p r o t f o l i o f o r w r i t i n g ? L o v e t o t a l k a b o u t y o u r f a v o u r i t e m u s i c , f i l m , or book? Want to see and review events by Aberdeen Performing Arts for free? Gaudie Arts is looking for writers who have a keen interest in anything arts-related. All experience levels welcome. To get involved email: [email protected] with your idea, or join our Facebook group: Gaudie Arts 22/23 for updates Photo Courtesy of Macrovector, Freepik

p. 8 life and style | recipe Vegetarian Wellington Recipe PREP: 30 MIN COOKING: 1.5 HOUR SERVES: 4+ A cosy autumn recipe, from my Mum by Kendra Clark This vegetarian wellington recipe is the perfect dish to make for a dinner party or if you really want to impress someone! Although it does take a few ingredients and requires a little bit more effort than a pot noodle, it is definitely worth it in the end. Plus this recipe usually makes enough for filling two logs so you can freeze one for another occasion, or you can separate it into smaller portions and have it for yourself! You will, however, need to make the mushroom puree again, but this dish can also be a really good thing to meal prep as it will last you a week, is very healthy, and it will put you off that pot noodle that is looking at you from the cupboard! INGREDIENTS • 1 Small Butternut squash • 1 Red chilli (or chilli flakes) • 1/2 Teaspoon of ground cinnamon • 1/2 Teaspoon of ground coriander • 3 Sprigs of rosemary leaves • 1 Large red onion • 1 Small bunch of save leaves • 100g of Chestnuts • 3 Garlic cloves (or garlic granules) • 1 lemon (or lemon juice) • 1/4 Stick of butter • 250g of Chestnut mushrooms • 100g of Spinach • 100g of Pinenuts • 200g of Seed mix • 100g of Mix dried fruit • Roll of Puff pastry • 1 Egg • Olive oil • Salt and pepper to taste METHODS 1. There are a lot of things to chop, so the first step is to get this part out the way! Remove the seeds of the butternut squash and chop them into cubes. If you’re using a real chili, chop that up too, along with the Rosemary leaves, sage leaves, onion, and mushrooms. 2. Drizzle some olive oil over the butternut squash, chili, cinnamon, coriander, and rosemary, and roast in the oven at 45C for 45 minutes. 3. Add some olive oil to a frying pan, along with the butter, garlic, and mushrooms. Season with some salt and pepper and cook until it becomes golden. 4. Transfer this to a food processor and bled till it becomes a puree. Once cooled, this will be the mushroom puree of the wellington. 5. Using the same pan for flavour (and who am I kidding, to save dishes), fry the onions, and sage in olive oil with some salt and pepper. Once caramelised, add the chestnuts, pine nuts, 4-seed mix, and dried fruit, and heat through. 6. Tear the toast into chunks and add to a pan with the lemon juice, mix together. Add spinach and continue mixing. 7. In a large bowl, add the roasted vegetables and the vegetables from the frying pan and mix them together. Allow this to cool before moving on to the next step. 8. Spread the mushroom mix all over the puff pastry. Add the vegetable filling down the middle and roll it into a log. Beat the egg and brush the pastry with it, then bake in the oven for 45 minutes! This dish is best served with some vegetarian onion gravy and roast potatoes or chips! Photo Courtesy of Kendra Clark

p. 9 life and style | recipe Super Easy Sweet Potato Chili Perfect for the upcoming winter months! by Kathryn Ritchie INGREDIENTS • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 onion, diced • 2 garlic cloves • ½ tsp smoked paprika • ½ tsp ground cinnamon • 1 tsp ground cumin • 400 g of kidney beans, drained and rinsed • 400 g of chopped tomatoes • Salt & pepper, to taste METHODS 1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and add in your onion and garlic. Let this cook on a low heat for 2 minutes and then add in your chunks of sweet potato. Once the sweet potato is added increase the heat and let the sweet potato cook for 5 minutes, or until it has softened slighty. 2. Add in your spices and cook for another 5 minutes. 3. Next, add in your chopped tomatoes and kidney beans. Give everything a good stir and let this simmer for 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it and top up with some water if needed. 4. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! Photo Courtesy of EatingWell

p. 10

30.10.19 p.7 One of the defining characteristics of the human experience is our endless devotion to establishing who we are and where we came from. As discussed last week, the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Svante Pääbo for his work in sequencing Neanderthal genes. With a career spanning over 30 years, he is considered to be one of the founders of palaeogenetics – the practice of using genetics to answer questions about origins and evolution. But why should Neanderthal genes matter to us? How could studying their genomes warrant a Nobel Prize? What is the point of this research other than to satiate the curiosity of a few scientists? This follow up article from last week’s edition will provide a more in-depth look into who the Neanderthals were and underlying biology surrounding Palaeogenetics. Neanderthals along with the newly discovered Denisovans are our closest living ancestor, living approximately 150,000 years ago. Modern human and Neanderthals although share a common ancestor are two distinct species. Whilst humans derive from the Homo Sapiens lineage, Neanderthals are their species termed Homo Neanderthalenis. So how different did the Neanderthals look compared to us? The natural history museum cites Neanderthals as having had “A long, low skull (compared to the more globular skull of modern humans) with a characteristic prominent brow ridge above their eyes. Their face was also distinctive. The central part of the face protruded forward and was dominated by a long protruding nose. Their front teeth were large, and scratch-marks show they were regularly used like a third hand when preparing food and other materials. Unlike modern humans, Neanderthals didn't have much of a chin.” While Western science saw an eruption of interest and discoveries surrounding Neanderthals in the 19th century, its domination by white men has resulted in harmful lasting effects on how the public perceives their outputs. The first Neanderthal fossils were discovered during this century, and colonial ideology saw to their use as a symbol of us versus them: an idea rooted in and which promoted the tolerance of racism. For decades Neanderthals were painted as grunting, clumsy, quintessential cavemen – meanwhile ancient Homo sapiens, our ancestors, were sophisticated, technologically advanced, and much more intelligent. While there were those who argued in favour of Neanderthal intelligence and similarity to early modern humans, ultimately it was 21st century palaeogenetics which liberated Neanderthals from the stereotypes imposed on them. In 2010, Pääbo and his team published the first draft of the complete Neanderthal genome. Using Neanderthal bones found in Croatia, Spain, Germany and Russia, their analysis indicated that approximately 1-4% of non-African modern human genomes originated in Neanderthals. The implications of this discovery completely shifted the narrative of our ancestry and supposed superiority to other hominins. Genetic contribution from one sexually reproducing species to another can only be the result of interspecific breeding. This means that Neanderthals were not our inferior, doomed cousins – for some of us they were also our ancestors. This discovery implies that the stereotypes about Neanderthals were incorrect: it confirmed that they were not as different to us as previously imagined and could not as easily be considered inferior to our H. sapiens ancestors. The work of Pääbo and other palaeogenetics has not merely been to satisfy individual trivial interests. The work of these scientists (Pääbo in particular – hence the Nobel Prize) has enhanced and fine-tuned the field of ancient DNA research, making genomics studies of prehistoric remains ever more viable, and augmenting the range of questions we can ask about our origins. In addition to revealing contributors to modern human ancestry, palaeogenetics has developed our understanding of hominin dispersal, attempting to locate not just who we came from but where. Traditionally it was believed that our ancestors migrated out of Africa in a single event and never interbred again (another scenario which to me bolsters us versus them beliefs), however sequencing of modern human genomes has suggested a much more complex story. Palaeogenetics has provided evidence that when some ancestors of modern humans made for Eurasia in multiple migration events, genetic flow between them and their African relatives was maintained, albeit much restricted by geography. This paints a picture not of total separation, but of continued social interaction and therefore movement between southern Eurasians and Africans, and a closer genetic resemblance between spatially distant hominins than previously imagined. The emerging complex truth of who we are and how we came to be is the result of decades of combined efforts by archaeologists and biologists. While still a relatively young area of science, palaeogenetics has already revealed nuances and specifics to our evolution that traditional skeletal and material archaeology could never achieve, as well as allowing us to expand our catalogue of questions about how we came to be. Svante Pääbo’s Nobel Prize acknowledges the profound potential this research has, and that insatiable human curiosity which drives us to understand who our ancestors were. Pathology is the perfect amalgamation of science and medicine. A Discipline that relies on ‘hard’ statistics and facts, exploring the relationship between cause and cure. However, is a consciousness necessary? It has become a talking point in this ever-evolving world of innovation and technology weather robots and forms of artificial intelligence (AI) could eventually replace the jobs done by doctors. Done by those who dedicated their lives and countless years of training, know-how and experience the discipline. With pathologists being at the forefront of this ‘robotic revolution’ that is quickly enveloping the medical profession could it lead to diminishing roles and responsibilities governed by todays pathologists? In 2018 it was announced that the University of Leeds had completely digitised their histopathology department. This ‘leap’ into a new era of medicine has now allowed the lab to scan thousands of slides a day, making them one of the largest pathology departments in the country. They achieved IOS15189 accreditation allowing digital pathology to become their principle diagnostic tool making them the first NHS laboratory of its kind. By having the slides on a digital format, it allows the department to overcome many of the issues faced by the more ‘traditional’ pathology units such as the transportation and storage of slides. These processes are labour-intensive and can often cause delays in other laboratories receiving the physical slides, with possibility of the specimens getting lost or miscategorised. Using AI to govern this form of online communication- where the slides can be sent within seconds, allowing consulting pathologists to analyse a clear image without the actual specimen, can build for a quicker, more efficient structure of discussion between hospitals and laboratory’s allowing them to provide a quicker diagnosis. The Royal Collage of Pathologists states that histology slides and smears are to be preserved for ten year and propose that all specimen blocks are kept indefinitely. This poses a challenge as to how to store the number of slides being processed on a daily basis. Creating digital versions of these slides could mean that hundreds of thousands can be kept in the one secure place with back-ups created in case the image went missing. This system would also allow pathologists to have instant access to patients’ information at the click of a button. Advances in Whole Slide Imaging (WSI) technology has immensely improved the accuracy of a patients’ diagnosis by giving a much more detailed image of the specimen. WSI can be used to form diagnostic tests for various cancers and infectious diseases. This is due to the fact that pathologists are now able to observe changes in the molecular expression found in different biopsies. The information found is then used to create automatic tissue classifications and disease gradings, using aspects of the tissue that are visually undetectable by a manual pathologist. However, this method of processing slides is minimising the physical contact between pathologist and specimen, creating a more mundane and repetitive work environment, slowly phasing out the uniqueness of each case. So, will pathologists be replaced by robots? Whilst it certainly appears that AI can provide more efficient and accurate procedures, humans work in a non-linear fashion meaning they are able to attribute experience and empathy to situations that can often provide solutions to difficult cases and specimens. Powerful AI is often accompanied by competent operators and therefore will always rely on pathologists to maintain the software and machinery. Independently both humans and AI are capable of performing the jobs required but together they could reach their maximum potential in producing highly accurate and timely results that will ultimately not only help the pathologist but the other physicians, the patients and the hospital as a whole. A quote by Professor Curtis Langlotz’s of Stanford University perfectly sums up the relationship and future of pathology; “AI won’t replace pathologists, but pathologists who use AI will replace pathologists who don’t.” What Neanderthal Genes Mean to Us Could Pathologists be replaced by AI? A Follow-up… by Niamh Bowie by Struan Donachie New technology threatens the jobs of pathologists Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock

p.8 30.10.19 Photo courtesy of Unsplash On the morning of the 17th of October a darkness fell across the planet, a shadow which will remain for years to come, bringing sadness and gloom wherever it goes. BTS went on Hiatus. The world famous boyband, known for their equally enthusiastic and terrifying fanbase, announced that they will be placing the K-Pop project on hold while they complete their mandatory military service, with a plan to resume the band in 2025. Males in South Korea have to complete around two years of military service from the ages of 18-28, and despite a deferral given to the band allowing them to delay their service until the age of 30, the “Bangtan Boys” are no exception. Fans of BTS, also known as the real army, have reacted with support for the decision, saying they will wait for them to return. Athletes who win medals in international competitions are allowed an exemption, as well as classical musicians and ballet dancers who win in certain competitions. If these disciplines are allowed to be exempt, then why are BTS, who have added 2.8 billion pounds every year to the South Korean economy, and promoted the country worldwide not been allowed an exemption? Defence Minister Lee Jong-Sup, states that it would be desirable in the interest of fairness for the popstars to complete their service. Some BTS fans have taken aim at the South Korean government, with one twitter user saying “I still can't wrap my head around how badly the sk gov fumbled the bag”. The subject of conscription has been featured in the news this year several times. In February President Zelensky of Ukraine declared martial law and enacted conscription, preventing men from even leaving the country in response to the Russian invasion. Russia itself has also had conscription issues, in response to the announcement of a partial mobilisation of 300 thousand reservists, there were protests and scores of young Russian men leaving the country, lest they be sent into the front lines. The experiences of conscripted Russians in the war also demonstrate the failures of a mandatory military service. It has been reported that some Russian conscripts are refusing to fight due to how poorly the war is going. It appears that people who do not want to fight, make poor soldiers. Conversations that have been happening in regard to BTS should arguably be happening for all people who have to face conscription. It is incredible that a state has the power to force all of its young people, who should be the driving force behind a nation, to place their lives on hold in pursuit of war games. Of course in a situation such as Ukraine’s-facing invasion from a power with a seemingly far greater army than your own, drastic measures may have to be taken. However, the assault on freedom which is mandatory conscription, and the disposability which these young men's lives are treated with, like tools to be used until they break, is not something we should be encouraging in the modern age. Russia launches waves of Iranian ‘Kamikaze Drones’ towards Ukrainian cities Ukrainian cities are now being bombarded with “Kamikaze Drones” in an escalation not seen since the beginning of the war in February. Boyband conscription shows flaws in broken system As the war between Russia and Ukraine reaches the seven-month mark, Russia have begun using “Kamikaze Drones” as a new means of attacking Ukrainian cities. On Monday the 17th of October, Russia launched 28 drones attached with explosive devices towards Kyiv with even more targeting the Dnipro and Sumy regions. Due to Kyiv’s anti-aircraft batteries, only five of the twenty-eight drones reached their intended targets, however, at least eight people have been killed with dozens more appearing to be injured. These drones, launched by Russia, have hit critical pieces of infrastructure throughout these cities, including the offices of Ukraine’s energy company, leaving hundreds of cities, towns and villages without working electricity. It is believed that Russia obtained these kamikaze drones from Iran and calls are mounting from across the world for sanctions to be taken against the Middle Eastern nation. The Iranian government is denying any involvement in supplying these drones to the Russian military. The Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kanani claims that his country has neither sided with or supplied either party during the war in Ukraine. Despite their claims of innocence, a Ukrainian presidential aide, Mykhaylo Podalyak accused Iran of being “responsible for the murders of Ukrainians”. The Mayor of Kyiv, Vitaliy Klitscko has spoken out against these attacks, describing them as a “genocide of the Ukrainian people”. This is the second time during the war that the centre of Kyiv has been directly targeted by explosives. Last week, Vladimir Putin ordered the heaviest bombardment of Ukraine since the war began back in February 2022. Dozens of innocent people were killed with hundreds being injured in the strikes, causing extreme damage to infrastructure. President Putin claimed shortly afterwards that most designated targets had been hit, however, it was not his objective to destroy Ukraine. President Putin announced that these waves of strikes across Ukraine were in retaliation for a blast which significantly damaged a bridge between Russia and Crimea. Ukraine, however, denied any involvement in the explosion of the bridge. Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky today reaffirmed his message of Ukrainian resolve to the world. He said, “the enemy can attack our cities, but it won’t be able to break us. We must restore peace, secure historic victory for our state, and we will do it”. by Eddie Nicholls by Kieran Walker BTS are being forced to join the military, is mandatory service moral? Photo courtesy of Matt Winkelmeyer Monday the 17th of October, Russia launched 28 drones attached with explosive devices towards Kyiv with even more targeting the Dnipro and Sumy regions. Photo courtesy of New York Post Fans of BTS, also known as the real army, have reacted with support for the decision, saying they will wait for them to return Last week, Vladimir Putin ordered the heaviest bombardment of Ukraine since the war began back in February 2022. one twitter user saying “I still can't wrap my head around how badly the sk gov fumbled the bag”.

30.10.19 p.9 On the 7th of October shortly after 3 p.m. local time the residents of the village of Creeslough in county Donegal were left reeling from the news that 10 people had died in a petrol station explosion. Three of the casualties were school age, the youngest casualty being a local primary school girl of five years old, and all were local to the area. As reported by The Guardian, one was a talented rugby player for Letterkenny rugby club in the U14’s squad. Many took to social media to express shock and condolences, and the rugby club made a statement on Facebook to say that “There are no words that feel strong enough at a moment of deep sorrow such as this.” As well as the ten casualties, eight other people were taken to hospital, one of whom was in critical condition. There had been a search initiated, and at one point on Friday night, all the machinery was turned off and volunteers were told to remain completely silent as rescue services endeavoured to recover any survivors trapped underneath the rubble. The emergency services called off the search on Saturday morning saying that they did not expect to find any more survivors or bodies, creating poignant reminders of the Aberfan disaster in Wales which drew all members of not only the UK but Ireland together in a similar show of unity. The Taoiseach, Micheál Martin went to the site of the disaster on Saturday evening, saying “The entire nation is mourning and deeply saddened”, as he spoke to both emergency services and a flood of volunteers who had arrived to assist in any way that they could. The President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins when talking about the “great loss that the community has suffered” commented that “it has resonated not just throughout Ireland but through the Irish people abroad”. The explosion has of course left many families and the community of Creeslough grieving the loss of life and searching for answers. The village shop has been destroyed and the apartments above the petrol station were severely compromised, with the debris covering the forecourt, all of which has caused further distress to a mourning community. Micheál Martin said, “People across this island will be numbed by the same sense of shock and utter devastation as the people of Creeslough at this tragic loss of life”. The explosion heightened the sense of unity in an island that has often been defined by its division, as residents from both the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland joined together to assist the community of only a few hundred, putting aside historic rifts in order to offer aid at a time of profound national tragedy. Emergency services from the north were dispatched to the town off of Ireland's famous Atlantic coast which is normally abuzz with tourists from across the globe. Despite this, it is clear that neither part of the island of Ireland are willing to forget the pain of The Troubles and the division it created. Currently the Northern Irish Assembly still sits empty. This is after the recent election, where for the first time in the Assembly’s history the party with overall majority stood on a pro-unity mandate. They are refusing to take up their seats until the Northern Irish protocol is resolved. Divisions between the Irish government and the UK government are growing, but it is clear is that the people across Ireland refuse to let political disagreements come in the way of aid when disaster strikes. Whilst the UK’s Conversative Government have been criticised for not doing enough to resolve issues with Ireland as a result of Brexit, the UK Prime Minister Liz Truss stated that “My deepest sympathies go out to the families and friends who have lost loved ones, and to the entire community of Creeslough as they come together in their moment of grief ” again showing that people from all different political backgrounds are showing support for this small town. From even further afield, a fundraiser started by Gerard McFadden, a Brisbane resident, has raised over €400,000 highlighting the global impact of this disaster, as the support comes from as far afield as Australia. The tragedy that has befallen the people of Creeslough is not one that will soon be forgotten, the lives of 10 families, and an entire community have changed forever. Petrol explosion in Donegal devastates the world Ten locals of Creeslough have died following a petrol explosion creating a unified response across Ireland by Theodore A Williamson The Taoiseach, Micheál Martin went to the site of the disaster on Saturday evening, saying “The entire nation is mourning and deeply saddened” The explosion heightened the sense of unity in an island that has often been defined by its division, as residents from both the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland joined together to assist the community of only a few hundred, putting aside historic rifts in order to offer aid at a time of profound national tragedy Photo courtesy of Clare Keogh Photo courtesy of Tony Webster The tragedy that has befallen the people of Creeslough is not one that will soon be forgotten, the lives of 10 families, and an entire community have changed forever.

p.10 30.10.19 After 25th September’s General Elections, the centre-right coalition (the Conservatives) has won for the first time in Italy since 2008; they did not only win, but they dominated the polls by reaching nearly 44% of preferences. The coalition was able to achieve this immense result mainly thanks to the far right party Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) and its leader Giorgia Meloni, who is now set to become the first woman Prime Minister in the country’s history. Despite having to give Meloni and her party credits for winning - as they have been consistent and firm throughout their years in the opposition and they have set up a nearly perfect campaign - a great amount of responsibility rests on the shoulders of the entire political establishment. Throughout the years, it has failed to deliver promises and programs and, through history, it has been full of scandals, corruption, investigations, and in most cases it has shown an impressive unsuitability to take on Government posts. While Meloni’s allies Salvini and former Prime Minister Berlusconi are getting on the Winners’ wagon, they are reluctant to admit that in these results they were defeated too. They have both reached just above 8% of consensus which sets them as 4th and 5th party overall. On one hand, Salvini might have reached the final stop of his political career, as Italians and the members of his party have finally understood the his opportunistic nature, as he has often been a disgusting example of modern politics. The other, Berlusconi, is still running for Parliament despite all the scandals and trials that have seen him involved. His only final battle is to try and clear his name with what he proposes as a reform of the justice system. While Meloni was doing an immense job in reaching her result, the left-wing parties have single-handedly given the election away to their opponents. Divided into two main coalitions, and without a clear language to get their ideas through to the core of the electorate, what members of the public expected after years of false promises, unmet expectations, and government failures, was a leader who would represent a new wave for the nearly dead Italian left. Nobody really answered the call, and they now find themselves as a minority in both Houses of Parliament The question that a reader might ask now is: are Italians fascists? No, Italians are not fascists. Italy is a conservative country, but it has left fascism in the past without dealing with it. The truth is that despite Fratelli d’Italia’s symbol containing the tricolour flame (symbol of the neo-fascist movements), all the episodes of fascist symbolism by some members of the party, and despite the clear far-right ideology behind some points of their program, Meloni was the only candidate who presented herself as a standout leader with a clear program. During an energy crisis, after years of looking for somebody to drag the country out of its perpetual sleep, Italians have once again put their trust on a new leader. Will she be able to manage the expectations? Will she be able to navigate through the madness of Italian politics and govern for a full term? First dropped on Netflix on the 21st September, ’Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’ sent a ripple through our society. On the day after its release, ’Jeffrey Dahmer’ was the most searched term on the entirety of Google for that day, also, it became Netflix’s second most-watched English-language series of all time with over 792 million hours of streaming! To say the least, the Dahmer show has made somewhat of an impact, it felt like it was everywhere. Now, imagine what it must be like to see the man who brutally murdered your son all over the internet, he’s getting his own movie, and people love it? Once serial killer, now a movie star, the world has lost the plot. It is vital to note that the victim’s families were not consulted before the making of Dahmer. Eric Perry, the cousin of Dahmer’s victim Errol Lindsey, spoke to Insider about how his family were not made aware of the production of the show. He told them ‘My family found out when everyone else did’. Errol’s sister, Rita Isbell even said how watching the show was like ‘reliving it all over again.’ It is disgusting that Netflix is able to capitalise off of people’s trauma’s like this, not only because they are exploiting their suffering but because they are forcing them to relive their trauma over and over again. Netflix only succeeds in perpetuating a narrative when it is not necessary; let the victims choose when they want their story told instead of throwing it needlessly out for the consumption of millions! One of the main defences of the show is that it was curated to give a voice to the victims and their families. Evan Peters, who plays Dahmer and creator Ryan Murphy have both insisted that the show strived to put the victim’s stories and their families’ trauma at the heart of the production. Peters himself states in a recent interview that, ‘you need to have certain plot points…but you don’t need to embellish them… we don't need to see it over and over again.’ In context, Peters is talking about the show’s choice not to place focus on graphic murder scenes, yet the creation of the show is absolutely contributing to this regurgitative traumatic cycle and is a slap in the face for Rita Isbell and those like her. In hindsight it was only five years ago that the movie, My Friend Dahmer, starring another heartthrob, Ross Lynch, was released; Netflix just saw an opportunity. Furthermore, the victim’s stories fall secondary to that of Dahmer’s. I mean, the show is literally called ’Dahmer - The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’; on the Netflix homepage a large banner for Dahmer can be seen, his villainous face glowing in yellow ambience. Unarguably, the spotlight is on him. The victim’s stories are only told when it is seen fit to capitalise off of Dahmer again. Healing must feel impossible enough without being force-fed your traumatic memories. Maybe it is time to take the focus off serial killers and leave the families in peace. The Left-wing in Italy is responsible for the election of a fascist party Serial Killers Under the Spotlight How the failures of an entire political establishment and the ability of a woman have brought the first far right government since World War II in Italy by Youssef Salem by Jodie Mackay Photo courtesy of Giorgia Meloni via Wikimedia Commons How Netflix’s dramatization of serial killers renders the victim’s families invisible the entire political establishment. [....] has failed to deliver promises and programs and, through history, it has been full of scandals, corruption, investigations Photo courtesy Brandon Anderson via Flickr

30.10.19 p.11 One only needs to look at many of the issues in the world such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Palestine-Israel conflict, global starvation and the dire covid situation to realise that the UN is a half-hearted organisation. That said, the idea of a global enforcer of justice and peace sounds romantic to any reasonable empathic human; I strongly believe that the UN could be a force for good, but what needs to change? The first issue within the UN is the veto power held by all of the five permanent members of the UN (Russia, China, France, US and UK). Essentially, the veto allows these nations to have unlimited power, if 99% of the UN believes that there is an infringement on the justice of people but one nation practices veto, the whole resolution would not be passed. A great example of such a failure is the situation of Uighur Muslims in China. It has been welldocumented that Uighurs have been put in concentration camp circumstances not too dissimilar to Nazi Germany. But the unlimited power held by these 5 countries in this case China has resulted in China being able to stop all talk regarding a resolution on Uighurs and furthering it by using veto if anything does happen. Veto has allowed the UN to become a wishywashy organisation that bends over for any global superpower. Any organisation that promotes international peace yet lets national interests and sovereignty reign supreme is no better than the country which carries out the crimes. Secondly, one can question the effectiveness of the UN. The 17 sustainable goals was an initiative made by the UN to build on the idea of millennium goals and take it one step further. Though utopian in principle, its actual success has been alarmingly shocking: around 71 million people have been pushed back into extreme poverty, school attendances have decreased considerably and unemployment has sky rocketed. The UN will probably like to hide behind the fact that they have had the covid crisis, but in all honesty covid has killed less people than die from hunger per year. So, the UN is clearly failing to ensure the end of poverty, education and food for all program, but maybe understandably as it is a huge challenge. However, one pressing issue is the response that UN has to conflict. When looking at the situation in Ukraine, in which a totalitarian tyrant, Putin, has single-handedly waged the biggest conflict in Europe since World War 2, where was the UN? Okay, yes the UN were against and drew up a resolution to solve it but this wishy washy organisation got outplayed by Russia simply using veto against the resolution. Which begs the question: if the UN can allow Russia to behave this way, then simply what is the point in this NGO which tries to be friends with everyone including the bully? Finally, you may ask why I am attacking an NGO which strive for a better world. The reason is that I don’t think they are that saintly; the UN has been repeatedly accused of corruption. In 2004, the UN faced accusations regarding its recently ended Oil-for-Food Programme, in which Iraq had been allowed to trade oil for basic needs to relieve the pressure of sanctions. To further add to the corruption scandals, a more recent example is the United Nations Development Programme, which is facing several allegations of fraud and corruption linked to the multibilliondollar Global Environment Facility. An investigation by Foreign Policy in 2019 published whistle-blower accounts alleging the misappropriation of millions of dollars at a UNDP-run GEF project in Russia. So, the corruption of the UN is not a rare occurrence, nor is it a mafia led organization but questions can be asked about how transparent and how well the funds are used. It is crucial that the UN do what they say, otherwise, what’s the point? In conclusion, the UN can be a force for good but there are some serious questions to be asked about the veto powers held by the five permanent states, the effectiveness of the UN in dealing with global issues and also dealing with corruption. The answers may come from within, but the world cannot simply glorify this NGO without knowing what its flaws are. The UN needs change and I think incidents like in Ukraine only show the need for it to reform. Is the UN weak and useless? by Sebastian Vanhoonacker Issues of corruption, permanent members’ veto and failure to comply with its goals must be addressed when talking about the UN Photo courtesy of UN picture via Flickr the UN has been repeatedly accused of corruption Veto has allowed the UN to become a wishy-washy organisation that bends over for any global superpower. Any organisation that promotes international peace yet lets national interests and sovereignty reign supreme is no better than the country which carries out the crimes. the UN can be a force for good but there are some serious questions to be asked about the veto powers held by the five permanent states, the effectiveness of the UN in dealing with global issues and also dealing with corruption. the world cannot simply glorify this NGO without knowing what its flaws are

p.12 30.10.19 DISCLAIMER All opinions expressed in the satire section are written primarily for the sake of comic value and therefore do not necessarily represent the honest views held by the author, The Gaudie, AUSA, or any company which advertises in The Gaudie. The long-awaited Men’s Rugby League World Cup kicked off on Saturday 15th October after pandemic-related delays. In front of the 40,000 plus strong crowds, the tournament started with rock band Kaiser Chiefs opening the show. However, it wasn’t without issues. Technical problems plagued the band's performance in the opening ceremony in what seemed like an unfortunate analogy for the run-up to the tournament in general. Ricky Wilson, the bands lead singer, was left to run up and down the side lines at St James’ Park to lift the spirits of the crowd after only completing one song. Former English international Joe Wilkin said that, ”you can say it’s funny, but it’s not.” He continued on to say, “I wonder, at the Olympics, would you chuck the opening ceremony before the 100m final?” The tournament which was originally meant to take place in 2021, suffered delays as a result of two of the biggest competitors, Australia and New Zealand, pulling out citing player welfare concerns as a result of the pandemic. The ARLC and NZRL today informed the International Rugby League (IRL) and Rugby League World Cup (RLWC) organisers that Australia and New Zealand will not compete in a 2021 World Cup because of player welfare and safety concerns," a joint-statement from the two organisations read. This left organisers scrambling to find a date that suited domestic leagues around the world and ensured that the tournament didn’t fall behind the spotlight of events such as the football World cup in Qatar. However, a date of 15th October 2022 was set, 7 days earlier than originally planned. A tough pool A fixture between hosts England and Polynesian island nation Samoa headed the bill. With a host of Super League and NRL starts split between the two teams it was tipped to be a showcase of the best of what the sport had to offer. While there were plenty of tries to be had, it was the hosts who made the most of their chances running in a resounding 60-6 win. This was a strong start to their campaign following on from the heartbreak of the previous World Cup in 2017 where England finished runners-up in a 6-0 loss to Rugby League powerhouse Australia. Up next were the defending champions Australia who began their title defence against South-pacific nation Fiji. Fiji were wary coming into the tournament with their captain and three-time World Cup veteran Keven Naiqama saying that they needed to prepare well for the difficult contests. “It’s a very tough group. You’ll be kidding yourself if you think there are going to be any easy matches in this World Cup. For me, this is my third World Cup and I feel like it’s the strongest.” He was right. Though there was an early scare for the Kangaroos, Australia were the dominant side in a 42-8 win. As to be expected, the game was filled with big collisions, hard running and trick plays. Australia’s coach Mal Meninga in a postmatch interview said,” I’m happy with that.” This neatly summarises Australia’s performance with plenty more game time to come. The action doesn’t stop there. Across the 7 week tournament there will be 61 games and keep an eye out for the Women’s tournament which kicks off on 1st November. The Men’s final, which takes place on 19th November, will conclude the tournament which will be shown in its entirety on the BBC. MJ: Hi guys, thanks so much for being here! It’s been a while since you were all together, with Covid and all. How have you been spending the pandemic? Kermit: Well hiya, thanks so much for having us! I’ve just been playing a lot of songs on my banjo, mostly songs about rainbows in fact. Miss Piggy: Oh Kermie, you’re such a good banjo player. MJ: What about everyone else? Has anyone found a good post-pandemic travel destination yet? Beaker: Mi mi mi mi mi mi mi mi, mi-mi, mi mi, mi-miiii! MJ: I couldn’t agree more. Swedish Chef: A-boom-da-shoopen, I have-a beenda visiting de U.S.A! Bork, bork, bork! MJ: Oh wow, I guess travel has opened up there now! Sam Eagle: That is absolutely correct. And there is in fact no better time than to visit the great U.S. of A.! Fozzie Bear: Could you be quiet about the U.S. for one second? Anyway, I’ve been having a grand old time just getting back to hanging out with the gang. Isn’t that right guys? Animal: AAAAAAAAH!!!!! MJ: How is everyone feeling about recent political changes? Miss Piggy: Ooh well, I’ve always thought that Kermie here would make a great Prime Minister! And then I could be the glamorous, beautiful, brilliant Prime Ministress! Kermit: Ah shucks Piggy, that’s too nice. I’d do my best, but I think someone smarter, like Dr. Honeydew here would do splendidly. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew: I seem to have misplaced my glasses, but maybe if I could find them… *Note: at this point in the interview there was a sudden loud bang, a flash of smoke, and Beaker briefly disappeared. This was not explained or acknowledged by any of the interviewees* MJ: How has everyone been feeling about the economy? It’s been fairly confusing. Gonzo: Well, I’ve actually been working on a performance art piece that tackles the economy, climate change, and gender – Statler (suddenly): If that covered any more issues I’d have to climate CHANGE the channel! Waldorf: If I was the economy I’d be a mess too, having to listen to you drone on about this performance! Statler and Waldorf: OH HOHOHOHO! MJ: Well, thank you everyone for their opinions. Any parting words? Kermit: Thank you so much for having us! Miss Piggy: Where should I submit my headshot for the article heading? And will you need candids? Beaker: Mi mi mi, mi-mi-mi mi miii!! The Post-Pandemic Rugby League World Cup Finally Kicks Off An Interview with the Muppets About Recent World Events After a year of delays, we are finally treated to the spectacle that is the Rugby League World Cup by Ewan Knox by Maggie Johnson Photo courtesy of Pixlebay The gang catches up about current goings-on The ARLC and NZRL today informed the International Rugby League (IRL) and Rugby League World Cup (RLWC) organisers that Australia and New Zealand will not compete in a 2021 World Cup because of player welfare and safety concerns Photo courtesy of Joe Penniston via CreativeCommons

30.10.19 p.13 On Wednesday 19th of October, the Gaudie joined the Law and Golf Societies for a joint Oktoberfest themed social. The collaboration was to get members of all three societies to mingle and create new partnerships within the wider university community. Organised by the Law Society Social Secretary, Georgia Coull and Gaudie Social Secretary, Cathy Steven, the event kicked off at Siberia. At Siberia, Oktoberfest and beer themed games began such as the classic beer pong, a Stein holding competition and the passing of the slippery sausage! Attendees seemed to thoroughly enjoy the activities as laughter and cheering took over the lower section of the venue. Members were able to socialise between the societies as well as support their own teams. We would like to thank Siberia for providing winners of the activities with a free pint and additionally for the Stein and pretzel deal that was made available to attendees. After Siberia, we moved to Motif which only led to more fun. Attendees were able to continue meeting members of the other societies as well as explore the newly renovated venue. The games provided by Motif caused some friendly competition as well as a boat race led by the Social Secretaries. We would also like to say thank you to Motif for allowing us to host the social at the venue. We then took the party to Atik, a sponsor of all three societies, where members could end their Wednesday evening. Dressed in lederhosen and dirndl, all attendees danced their night away. Another big thank you to Atik for discounted club entry to society members and supporting our societies. The night was held a great success by all that attended and we are so glad to have hosted a collaboration with two great societies. We look forward to many more times like this ahead. Thank you to the Law Society, Golf Society and all that attended. “One of the best nights I’ve ever experienced!!!” Cathy Steven, Social Secretary for the Gaudie. “The social was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended from the golf club. It brought together 3 groups of students that you would never ordinarily see on a night out together, this allowing everyone to meet new people, socialise and all in all have a great night. My thanks must be extended to both the Law Society and the Gaudie for making the social such a success.” George Hilton-Rhind, Golf Club Captain. “The whole night was so much fun and it was amazing to do a collaboration with non-legal groups to showcase to our members other areas they can get involved in while at University! We are so grateful to the Gaudie and Golf Club for joining us on Wednesday and we hope to collaborate with many more societies throughout the year!” Ailsa Gardyne, President of the Law Society. Oktoberfest Law Society x Gaudie x Golf Society Joint Social by Holly Ferguson Do you want to get involved with The Gaudie? Scotland's oldest independently run student newspaper are currently looking for writers for all departments and production members for this year. If you think this could be you and want to know more please email: [email protected] What's On

p.14 30.10.19 Simple Sudoku Crossword