Our week in the News
The Worst Films of 2025
In a year of great films, 2025 also had some truly awful releases. Here are the worst of the worst.
Bus strikes and billionaires: How drivers stood up for Manchester
Are poor pay, working conditions and privatisation posing a threat to the network that keeps Manchester alive? Why you should care about the recent bus strikes.
The Mancunion’s ultimate Freshers’ pub crawl
From post-lecture treats to big nights out, pubs are social glue at university and a great way to see more of a city. Here’s our student-friendly crawl, featuring ten of the most integral to student life in Manchester
AI firm Anthropic’s scanning initiative is covert book burning for the modern age
Under the guise of ‘Project Panama’, AI company Anthropic is pirating and physically destroying books with hydraulic presses and shredders to feed its large language model, Claude. On the internet, users are drawing on dystopian literature and history to hold them to account.
Vietnam is still attempting to restructure its economy
Exploring hidden marine species with Steve Vernon
Most Popular
Politics
The New Mayor: is Bev Craig already sinking in Burnham’s footsteps?
Only time will tell if Bev Craig will erase the legacy left behind by her predecessor, current PM Andy Burnham, and create a new pathway to expose Manchester’s greatness.
Dr. Jason Arday’s death: how plagiarism allegations got us here
A timeline of the events that lead up to Jason Arday’s death, explained
Manchester Local Election Results 2026
The results of the 2026 Manchester by-elections; a summary, their meaning and implications.
Study visa ban: ‘Misleading’ data used by Home Office
The Home Office have justified a blanket ban on student visas issued to nationals of Sudan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Afghanistan based on misleading statistics. What can a close look at the data reveal?
Dr. Jason Arday’s death: how plagiarism allegations got us here
A timeline of the events that lead up to Jason Arday’s death, explained
Manchester Local Election Results 2026
The results of the 2026 Manchester by-elections; a summary, their meaning and implications.
Study visa ban: ‘Misleading’ data used by Home Office
The Home Office have justified a blanket ban on student visas issued to nationals of Sudan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Afghanistan based on misleading statistics. What can a close look at the data reveal?
Brain Food: The importance of nutrition for academic study
A good diet is essential for a students pathway to success. Whether it be legumes, berries or oily fish, here’s your guide to a diet that maximises productivity and general well-being
Data colonialism and monopoly: The dark side of the economy in the age of AI
Recent technological achievements in AI seem to bring about huge opportunities for human race
The seven stages of grief: Scientific or social?
Grief is a complex thing: but does it really follow a scientifically supported model or is it just psychologically induced?
All-nighters are killing your ability to learn
Studying all night feels productive, but your brain shuts down long before you stop: here’s the science behind why
Artemis: Why are we returning to the Moon?
Artemis will be humans long-awaited return to the Moon, opening a new era of lunar science
I don’t drink: here’s how to survive Freshers’ sober
From pub crawls to Freshers’ events, drinking can feel unavoidable, and sobriety can feel isolating. Here’s how to miss out on the hangovers, not the fun
Dear 20-year-old me
Your twenties aren’t a race. Stop measuring your progress against everyone else’s highlight reel. Live in the moment. Embrace the messy, ordinary moments that shape you.
Alley Cats and the fourth-year’s fear of becoming unc
Ricky Gervais’ latest sitcom may prove that becoming an unc is inevitable – but there’s still life in this old cat yet
How the destructive obsession with free speech preceded the death of Jason Arday
The death of Jason Arday reveals questions about the inconsistency by which freedom of speech is defended
Is Neurodivergence becoming a trend?
With the recent upsurge in diagnoses, there has also been an increase in personal use of the seemingly ‘trendy’ or ‘quirky’ aspects of neurodivergence
Videos
Rusholme’s finest sandwich is the Kurdish shawarma at Al-Zain
This Curry Mile favourite serves shawarma and beautifully fresh salad in freshly baked bread, and its affordable food is some of Manchester’s best
Freshers’ guide to Manchester’s art scene
Moving to Manchester this September? Here’s a list of galleries, activities, and venues that students deem as best for experiencing art in the city.
Your semester one cheat sheet to Manchester’s art scene
Your first semester at uni is an incredibly exciting few months, but it can also feel a touch overwhelming, filled with lots of new information, new places and new people to meet. If you’re not sure what to do on a rainy day off with your new flatmates, looking for a solo weekend activity or […]
The Layers Beneath Un-Fair-Ground Exhibit at Whitworth Gallery: A Review
In the epicenter of homegrown talent, the Un-Fair-Ground exhibit provides visitors with a range of artworks whose familiarity and curiosity demand attention
All that went down in the art world, so far: Art market round-up
Five art-market stories, five minutes. A beginner-friendly snapshot of January—from auctions to geopolitics—breaking down where the art world stands now. How has this January’s market shaken the post-holiday lull?