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Month: February 2020

marrybettiniblank@Needpix

The myth of the good old days: why the world is better than it seems

Written by susannaheley on . Posted in Opinion.

A favourite clichéd observation among the older generations is that things just aren’t what they used to be. It’s a line usually delivered with a melancholic shake of the head at the loss of what is, in reality, a deeply romanticised youth. In many ways, this is entirely true. Things have changed extraordinarily over the last century. But contrary to the popular mindset and pervasive feeling of nostalgia, they have in most cases changed for the better, and it’s all too easy to forget that.

This is not to say that all aspects of our world have improved. We should not let go of concerns about global crises, or suggest that they don’t in fact exist, because they do. Global temperatures continue to rise, ice is melting, forests are burning, and the lists of endangered and extinct species grow ever longer. There is a lot changing across the world that threatens to obscure life as we know it. But thanks to a combination of the selective reporting by journalists, and negativity bias – a phenomena by which humans give more psychological weight to bad than good news – it is easy to allow these stories to overwhelm our sense of the state of the world, and lose sight of the many staggering progressions that have been made in recent years.

Take, for instance, girls’ education. Undoubtedly there is still progress to be made. Yet the changes we have seen in recent years are monumental, and the numbers continue to rise. In 1970 the share of girls of primary school age enrolled in education globally was 65 percent. Now, it is 90 percent, while for boys it is 92. The gender gap is closing and the results of this are far-reaching.

Not only has educating girls been shown to increase economic growth, but also positively influence mothers, who are then able to make better decisions about their own children’s health and education. It follows therefore, that with more children being educated today than ever before, there are also fewer children being made to work full time in bad conditions. Indeed, in 1950 this was the reality for almost 30 percent of children aged 5-14 across the world. Now it is less than 10 percent.

On top of this, there has been an astounding improvement to the number of families with access to modern healthcare in recent decades. According to the World Health Organisation, the share of one year olds who have been given at least one vaccination has increased from 22 percent in 1980 to 88 percent in 2016. This is an incredible achievement, in a relatively short space of time, and one we should be celebrating. Child mortality rates as a result are at the lowest they have ever been. In fact, thanks to medical advancements and increasingly available treatments, we are able to live for twice as long as our great great great great grandparents. And we only get one life, so that’s a pretty big deal.

Climate change might the biggest issue facing our society in the modern world. Yet, as with so many things in life, there is a dangerous tendency to catastrophise the problem. While it is undoubtedly necessary to keep raising awareness of the threats of global warming, the continual reminders of how bad it could get make us wonder whether our efforts are making any difference at all.

Well, they are. Thanks to the recent growth of the Green movement, the UK now recycles around half of its household waste, which has cut CO2 emissions by around 60 percent and created the growth of an entire market in recycling products which employs more than 30,000 people. On a bigger scale, roughly 36 percent of all the energy used worldwide today comes from modern renewable sources such as hydropower, solar and wind, representing a five-fold increase from the 1960s. What this means is that for twenty years now, our global consumption of traditionally used biofuels has been in decline.

Somehow, these positive statistics always get lost among the seemingly endless tide of unhappy news stories. It’s important to remind yourself every now and again that things are, in fact, not quite as bad as they seem.

Photo: Dr. Fred Murphy @ Wikimedia Commons

Why we shouldn’t be complacent about coronavirus

Written by Joe Mason on . Posted in Opinion.

Amidst the ongoing outbreak of the novel coronavirus – or COVID-19 as the World Health Organisation has named it – rather than concerns about public health, many people’s attention has instead turned to comparisons with the flu, in what often appears to be an attempt to downplay the severity of the coronavirus. For many, concerns about xenophobic attitudes towards the Chinese community have also played their part in overshadowing the global threat of this virus, however unwarranted such attitudes may be.

Having originated in China in December last year, this novel coronavirus is now rapidly spreading in South Korea, Japan, Iran and Italy (the total number of countries and territories which have confirmed cases stands at 86 as of the 5th of March). The number of cases outside China is now growing exponentially and it would be reasonable at this point to conclude that we are witnessing the opening stages of a pandemic. For those unfamiliar with the term, a pandemic is the global spread of a disease. The last pandemic the world suffered was swine flu in 2009-10.

The death rate for the coronavirus appears to be about 3% which doesn’t seem like much on the surface, but this is where comparisons with the flu should cast the coronavirus in a much more serious light. Common influenza has a case fatality rate of only about 0.1%. This coronavirus’ case fatality rate (CFR) of 3% means that this virus is at least 30 times deadlier than the flu. With 14% of coronavirus cases developing into severe illnesses according to the World Health Organisation and about 5% requiring intensive care, this is also many times higher than the flu.

Asymptomatic spread of the virus is possible, and is not uncommon, which on top of an average incubation period (the time between being infected and showing symptoms) of 5-7 days (in some cases more than three weeks) makes containment extremely difficult, and virtually impossible for countries with less cohesive healthcare systems. Iranian authorities were not even aware that there was spread of the virus within their country until there were already two deaths. This does not bode well for other countries with less developed health infrastructures than Iran.

In Britain, our time to prepare is running out. This country has confirmed 116 cases so far, 12 of which have recovered. The first death in this country has now been confirmed. With several countries now experiencing rapidly growing outbreaks, it is not likely that we will be able to stave off a major outbreak of our own for very long.

At the start of February, the British government launched a public health awareness campaign about the coronavirus which has seen adverts broadcast on the radio and social media as well as the display of posters. It’s vitally important that we are all aware of good hygiene practices such as properly washing our hands, sneezing into our elbows and for the time being trying as much as possible to avoid touching our face in public.

The worst effects of the virus do generally target those who are older and those with underlying health problems, so it is easy to be complacent about this virus for those of us who are young and healthy. However, most of us do have older relatives and other loved ones with ongoing health issues, and undoubtedly it’s important to consider and protect them.

Gage Skidmore@flickr

Believing in Bernie is believing in the planet

Written by tallulahbrennan2 on . Posted in Opinion.

This month Senator Bernie Sanders won the Democratic caucus in Iowa and primary in New Hampshire. Anyone interested in the preservation of life on earth should be delighted with this result. Not all climate policies were made equal. This couldn’t be more evident in Bernie Sanders’ support for a radical Green New Deal, an attempt to fundamentally transform the economy to sustainable energy sources, with justice for working-class and disempowered communities at the forefront.

What makes Bernie’s Green New Deal different? The GND calls for decarbonising energy and transit by 2030, and full decarbonisation by 2050, to achieve this, Sanders has pledged $200 billion to the Green Climate Fund. It will bring the renewables and fuel industries under public control, creating twenty million new jobs across the Green Industry. It will ban imports and exports of oil and gas, making it harder for the fossil fuel industry to profit from climate destruction. Not only this, but Bernie’s Green New Deal will go after the companies who have driven us to climate breakdown. It will fight destruction of life on this planet with a people-powered movement, one that pursues political change with a moral fury we so desperately need.

The Green New Deal promises a dignified life to the thousands of Americans denied it, whether that is the coal miners denied their pensions or the indigenous people fighting to protect their water. There is no greater force to bring together the working class and the marginalised populations of America. The Green New Deal promises fulfilment that the decaying capitalist world could never bring.

It is naïve to think that electing Bernie Sanders to the White House will halt climate breakdown overnight. It is naïve to think that the United States Congress will rush to pass such a radical, left-wing project. However, the IPPC report that declared we have twelve years to make change has in fact, done little. Climate breakdown is happening, and history will condemn every politician and every activist that did not have it at the top of their priority list. Similarly, though most candidates have at least toyed with environmental policy, many Democratic candidates still welcome billionaire donors. A candidate that has welcomed hatred from the fossil fuel industry, and returned the check of the only billionaire to donate to his campaign, is the only candidate we can accept.

The United States is the largest carbon emitter in world history, it is also the world’s largest economy. We can refuse to go to school, refuse to work and show up in our masses, but the fact is that we have to make radical political change. To see a democratic socialist in the White House, and a Green New Deal that works for everyone, rolled out in the United States, would truly be revolutionary. Revolution is what we need, “from the Oval Office, to the street marches”.

If we even want to begin that revolution, first, Bernie must win the Democratic nomination and then, he must defeat Trump. After all, life on earth depends on it.

Police ramp up security for Manchester train stations

Written by livimalone on . Posted in News.

Railway stations in Manchester are set to receive an increase in security in response to growths in new patterns of crime such as violent offences, terror offences and Country Lines exploitation.

Dog units and firearms officers are being introduced to Manchester Piccadilly, Oxford Road and Victoria as part of Operation Sentinel, a project which aims to crack down on serious crimes across the UK.

The new measures of security are being introduced at the three city stations to catch criminals at what officials have described as crucial ‘pinch points’ where police have the opportunity to intervene before any serious crime is committed.

Inspector Anthony Swallow told the Manchester Evening News that Operation Sentinel is already seeing successful results, with a 33% reduction in weapons-based offences in 2019 as to the number of incidents in 2018. He emphasised that the public should not be alarmed by the rise in policing in major stations.

Alongside dogs and firearms officers, the operation has also introduced Behavioural Detection Officers (BDOs), plain-clothed officers who work day and night to “identify indicators that might suggest there’s something more that we can explore in terms of behaviour”.

Based on their observations, the BDOs are able to carry out a stop and search or an arrest of a member of the public.  Station visitors may also be asked to go through a ‘knife-arch’ before entering the city to ensure they are not carrying a potentially lethal weapon.

Inspector Swallow told the MEN that the operation represented a distinctively new style of policing in Manchester, saying: “Good policing is good customer service, if we’re operating in our areas of control, like the stations, being polite and professional, I think it’s what people would expect. It’s a little less reactive and more pro-active. It’s how it should be. It’s not just big hats and yellow jackets any more.”

He added: “BTP has moved with the times, we’ve become a very specialised police force. Our officers receive extra training to arm themselves with the skills required.  Even in my time on the force, I’ve been here 12 years, it’s really changed.”

 

 

Greater Manchester photography competition challenges ageism within the media

Written by Jess Walmsley on . Posted in News.

The Greater Manchester Older People’s Network (GMOPN) has taken their first steps into launching a new photography competition which aims to challenge the stereotypes of the elderly. 

The network was established in 2015 and has regular discussions about how Greater Manchester could be improved to cater for their demographic of people, this ranges from future housing and transport infrastructure. The photography competition is aiming to tackle the issues of inclusivity and the media as many in the group feel that they are underrepresented and often dehumanised by ageist sentiments. 

The competition will be divided into six themes – New Beginnings, Passing it On, Journeys, Making a Difference, Together and Being Yourself. These themes are broad enough to entice people of all ages, professions, and abilities to submit their entries.

The deadline is April 2nd, 2020 and you can submit your photographs online. Prizes for the best photograph range from a photography master class with Simon Buckley to a £250 voucher for photographic equipment, the winner will be judged by a panel of professionals and also members of the GMOPN.

One member, Pauline Smith stated that “We can show younger people that we still have a lot to contribute to society as we become an increasing percentage of the population.”

Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, launched the competition and urged Mancunians to get on board with the campaign, with a view of making Manchester “one of the best places to grow older.”

Cllr Brenda Warrington, the lead member of the GMOPN,  said “We are all getting older, and rightly we all want to be represented in an accurate and positive was …This competition not only gives older people a chance to address, head-on, some of the prejudices older people face on a day to day basis but also to get creative while they are doing it.”

 

NarendraModiofficial@flickr

The BJP and its controversial Citizenship Law

Written by krishkakar on . Posted in Opinion.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of India, has pushed Hindu nationalism to the forefront of its agenda. This has polarised much of the country, due to the discriminatory policies they have proposed, specifically targeting their Muslim population.

The BJP have proposed a Citizenship Law, which purposely creates a legal loophole for persecuted religious minorities from neighbouring Muslim majority countries, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. These minorities include those of the Hindu, Christian and Sikh faiths, and specifically exclude those who belong to Islam. The law would award persecuted faiths from these countries automatic Indian citizenship, so long as they aren’t Muslim.

This law directly contradicts India’s constitution and secular values, because use of religion in determining citizenship is strictly prohibited. The BJP’s erosion of the Indian constitution sets a dangerous precedent for society as a whole, due to the weakening of religious freedoms. This is something that needs to be closely followed, because the sanctity of Indian democracy is under threat, due to the discriminatory policies proposed by the BJP.

What is particularly worrisome about the proposed Citizenship Law is the National Register for Citizens (NRC) which will come in combination with the Citizenship Law. The NRC is an official record of legal citizens in India, and will undoubtedly marginalise the current Muslim population of India.

For example, in the state of Assam, 1.9 million people were stripped of their citizenship, many of whom were Hindu’s, however, the Hindu population were allowed to reapply for citizenship, and did so with ease. Whereas, their Muslim counterparts were not- and ultimately stripped of their Indian citizenship, because of loose reasons such as a lack of documentation.

When announcing the register the Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said that the bill will help ‘throw out all the infiltrators’ (Muslims). The apparent intent of the BJP government to divide the country along religious lines creates a precarious and unsettling situation for the Muslim minority within the country, due to the biased policies implemented against them and the very real possibility of revocation of their citizenship.

These policies have led to large scale protests all across the country, most prominently in Uttar Pradesh – India’s most populous state – where Indian authorities have taken a hard-line approach, putting the state in lockdown, banning all public gatherings, and suspending the internet, thus preventing the spread of information. Moreover, around 1,200 have been arrested since protests began in December.

The BJP’s approach has only aggravated the situation. There needs to be a dialogue between all parties involved, in order to bridge differences and come to appropriate solutions. This hard- line approach is unjustified and makes many lose faith in the democratic process, which will therefore lead to more resentment and anger, causing the situation to spiral out of control. This is why the concerns of the Muslim minorities need to be addressed in order to appease hostilities.

Ultimately, the BJP is creating stark religious divides in the country in order to energise their core base, and they need to be checked by the Indian courts, citizens and opposition parties, in order to preserve secularism within the country, which is under consistent threat from the BJP.

Opinion: The AU need to take swift measures against SKUM

Written by dinuratnasinghe on . Posted in Opinion.

The conclusions of The Mancunion’s four-month investigation into SKUM evoked an unexpectedly visceral reaction within me. The suggestion that members of the society had “discussed ‘preying on freshers'” in their group chat and offered “points” to anybody who sexually assaulted a prominent British skier left me deflated. I was, in particular, disillusioned by the University culture that I had worked hard to throw myself into for the past two and a half years.

Fortunately, the sense of having been personally victimised by the same kinds of sexual violence acted against women which appear to be present within SKUM soon subsided. In its place, I found something I was able to better understand: a fervent sense of rage against the misogynistic culture that is prevalent to our society.

The SU statement about the investigation demonstrated a clear understanding of the wider issues. SKUM’s actions, they stated, are symptoms of “the vast, institutionalised and normalised ways in which racism and sexism manifest and fester in our society”. Alongside this, the Exec team also recognised the importance of addressing the “little things (the ‘nothings’) that snowball”.

While I could not agree more with the importance of addressing the culture that allowed the discriminatory offences against women in SKUM to occur, my understanding of this incident is not that this was merely a ‘little thing’. Nor, in fact, was it merely a symptom of the culture in which the objectification and verbal violation of women are normalised.

To me, it seems SKUM’s behaviour is the sexually predatory actions that marginalise women in the indisputably patriarchal society we find ourselves in. Without swift and appropriately severe punitive action, the position (and possibly the safety) of women within our university’s space will remain in question. In fact, while the lad culture that seems to permeate sports societies at our university does not always go hand in hand with the discrimination, verbal assault and objectification of women, it is the AU’s responsibility to ensure that, in the incidents that they evidently do, they will not turn a blind eye. To not do so firmly and swiftly would be to publicly communicate a blatant disregard for the wellbeing of the women who partake in our University’s sports societies.

The University of Manchester’s statement regarding the allegations made against SKUM (as posted in an earlier article by The Mancunion) claimed that: ‘if any breach of the Athletic Union’s or the University’s own Codes of Conduct is found, swift and appropriate measures will be taken’. Of course, the “unacceptable behaviour” uncovered by The Mancunion’s comprehensive investigation of the matter must be validated by an official inquiry carried out by the University.

When this has been completed, and if The Mancunion’s findings are further supported by the University’s own investigation, the responsibility will then lie with the Athletics Union (AU). The AU would then have a unique opportunity to bring to life the University’s otherwise meaningless commitment made to ‘promoting equality and providing an environment where all members of its community are treated with respect and dignity’ (Article 1.1.1) in their ‘Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy’.

Until then, the SU’s statement seems like a positive first step towards providing closure to those directly or indirectly affected by the “troubling” culture within SKUM. The SU Executive Team’s “call on the University to restrict access of individually identifiable perpetrators of racist and sexist violence to campus spaces and resources, to remove them from halls, and to remove them from the university’ seems highly appropriate.

In an effort to preserve the freedom of spaces to which every member of the University should have unadulterated access to, those who create a space in which it is unsafe to merely have a female body should, without question, be removed from that space. It is my understanding that the University’s expectation that ‘members of the University community… consider their own behaviour and the impact it can have on others’ (Article 5, Dignity at Work and Study Policy) is based on this fundamental reasoning.

Bearing this in mind,  To what extent the AU eventually does decide to exclude or not exclude SKUM committee members from the University community is their decision, but the SU Exec Officers’ call to “revoke the Students’ Union memberships of individually identifiable perpetrators of [the] racist and sexist violence” is one I, as a student at this University, would fully support.

It seems to me that in their ‘Statement from the University of Manchester Ski and Snowboard Society’, SKUM demonstrate a shocking degree of naivety. The importance of “work[ing] collaboratively with the SU, AU and the University” is a rudimentary expectation considering the severity of the allegations that they are now facing. As SKUM outline clearly in their statement: “changes don’t take effect overnight” and it was, according to The Mancunion’s initial article, only in ‘September 2019 [that] a committee member suggested he would use his leadership position to “prey” on freshers’.

When considering the disciplinary measures that could follow the ongoing investigation, the AU should ask themselves: is it worth risking the further discrimination of women to find out just how long positive changes will take? Perhaps more drastic action needed to overhaul the system and the culture that it has, until now, allowed to exist unchecked.

Photo: Phil Hearing @ Unsplash

One in three people do not have confidence in Greater Manchester Police, survey finds

Written by Bec Oakes on . Posted in News.

A recent survey, taken by over 3,000 residents of Greater Manchester, has found that one in three people were not confident that Greater Manchester Police (GMP) could help them in an emergency.

The survey, which was commissioned by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, asked the question: “How confident are you that you could get help from Greater Manchester Police if you needed it in an emergency?”

Only 22 percent of respondents said they were “very confident.” A further 37 percent were “fairly confident” in the capability of the GMP. However, 21 and 12 percent responded “not very confident” and “not at all confident” respectively. The remaining 8 percent said they did not know.

Alongside this, 49 percent said they were not confident in the GMP’s ability to help in a non-emergency situation.

The main reason listed for their lack of faith was limited police resources, with low police presence and no local stations also given as key reasons, as well as low confidence in the police force in general.

A final-year English Language student told The Mancunion: “I think students, in particular, don’t have much faith in the police because crime in Fallowfield is so high but we don’t really see anything being done about it.”

Paul Savill, Chief Superintendent of GMP’s Neighbourhoods, Confidence and Equality branch, responded to the survey by telling Manchester Evening News: “I understand the concerns and frustrations that communities may feel when they have been a victim of crime and they don’t necessarily get the response they expect.

“Police demand is becoming increasingly more complex with officers facing everything from burglary and robbery through to digital crime and human trafficking. This means we are spending more time at each incident with a reduced capacity to attend non-emergency incidents.

“We are constantly developing the way we communicate with and update our communities, such as better use of social media, as often the general public are unaware of the hard work taking place every day.”

Brexit puts UK’s future participation in Horizon and Erasmus+ under serious threat

Written by Sam Honey on . Posted in News.

Ongoing negotiations over the UK’s future relationship with the EU27, in addition to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s firm refusal to accept any extension to the transition period, have left future participation in Erasmus+, Horizon and related research programmes in jeopardy.

The government have insisted that they are working hard to maintain the UK’s place within the Erasmus+ scheme, despite the rejection of an amendment in January that would have compelled them to negotiate continued participation.

Karel De Gucht, who served as EU commissioner for trade between 2010 and 2014, has argued that the complexity of free trade negotiations seriously risks the reaching of an agreement by the end of December, meaning that the UK will likely not be ready to enrol in programmes starting in early 2021.

There are a number of issues that undermine the possible participation of the UK in such schemes, including disputes over freedom of movement. It is likely that the EU will request this privilege for all students and staff participating in Erasmus+, a condition that the government may refuse to agree to.

Membership of the programmes also depends on how the EU judges the ‘level playing-field’ of the UK, to prevent imbalances between the EU27 and association members. The ‘automatic correction’ principle will be used to rectify any asymmetrical gains made by the UK through partaking in the schemes.

The loose term ‘level-playing field’ covers a range of areas, from economic competitiveness to the competency of the European Court of Justice in legal disputes involving the European Court of Justice.

Speaking to Times Higher Education, De Gucht stressed these concerns, emphasising that the UK may not be able to take part in such higher education schemes at this rate, he said, “If we want to do something with Horizon, with Erasmus, that will have to be on the basis of an extension of the present situation.

“Horizon…Erasmus and others – I can’t see you do it by the end of the year. But if you don’t do it by the end of the year, what’s then the status [on UK membership of the programmes] by the end of the year? Will you and the EU agree on a transition period or not?”

Thousands of UK students take part in Erasmus each year and even more come to this country from Europe through the same scheme, a failure to come to agreement would mean far fewer would be able to live and study abroad in the future.

 

Photo: garryknight @ Wikimedia Commons

Homeless crisis far from over in Manchester

Written by jamesshepherd on . Posted in News.

Despite attempts by Greater Manchester authorities to tackle the problem, the number of people sleeping rough on the streets of Manchester continues to grow in 2020.  

The charity Shelter found in December last year that there were 280,000 homeless people in the UK, with Manchester having the highest number of rough sleepers outside of London. The Mayor for Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, set up A Bed Every Night scheme in 2018, a programme which seeks to provide a bed for all rough sleepers in the region. It currently assists 500 people a month but the problem is far from over.  

Between March and December last year, the number of families and people who require temporary accommodation rose from 1,491 to 1,628 and has subsequently grown by a further 100 since the new year.  

These figures come as no surprise to Risha and Hendrix Lancaster, a couple who run the homeless charity Coffee 4 Craig. The service is open seven days a week and provides food, drink, showers, and advice to those who need it.  

Hendrix praised the work being done by schemes like A Bed Every Night but claimed that there was still far more to be done for the homeless and those in poverty in the region.

Hendrix said: “People are getting more and more frustrated with the system, they are getting angrier. They get wound up and then they come to us and that’s what we do. They’re the people that we work with, the ones that are really difficult to reach.”

Coffee 4 Craig serves around 80 people per night and helps hundreds more find accommodation through the A Bed Every Night scheme.

Despite the inflating figures indicating a worsening of an already serious problem, Hendrix commented on the changing attitudes toward the homeless in Manchester: “We’re hearing more and more that public places are getting more homeless friendly,” said Hendrix.

“Places like the airport and the train stations are starting to let people sleep there as long as they are polite and don’t cause any trouble.

“But for us, we’re always going to be the last place open, everyone who’s been out using substances all day, the really hard to reach.”

Coffee 4 Craig is currently raising funds to support a move to their own premises on Great Dulcie Street in North Manchester. To find out more about donating or volunteering visit their website.

Photo: Shalom Tesciuba @ Pexels

7 out of 10 high-rise residents in Greater Manchester live in fear of fire in their building

Written by jamesshepherd on . Posted in News.

A combination of fears of fire and growing costs of living has contributed to a growth in mental health problems in high-rise residents in Greater Manchester.

A report published by the Greater Manchester High-Rise task force found that financial pressures and fears over fire safety in the wake of the deadly blaze at Grenfell Tower in June 2017 were having a detrimental impact on the wellbeing of high-rise residents in the region.

The task force was set up after the Grenfell fire and produced the report based on surveys of residents in high-rise buildings to quantify and report on the experiences of high-rise residents in Greater Manchester. 

Many residents claimed that their stresses were being caused by the bills being added to service charges in order to improve the safety of properties, with some reporting as much as £30,000 being demanded alongside large increases to service charges. One owner-occupier saw their service charge increase from £90 to £480 per month to pay for cladding improvements.

The precise payable changes differ from building to building, with some implementing fire safety changes to the building while others fund waking-watch services where teams of officers patrol corridors at night.

Many residents have found themselves unable to move from their current homes as lenders are refusing to offer mortgages to new buyers without first obtaining a building’s fire safety certificate.  

One resident said, “I have been trying to sell my apartment for the past 15 months. Two buyers have backed out of the sale as there was no cladding report. I’m still finding it hard to sell my apartment and move on.”

Commenting on the findings of the report Mayor for Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham said: “In Greater Manchester, we are doing all we can to support our residents living in high-rise buildings. We are the first city-region to complete a survey of this kind documenting the perspective of residents living in high-rise buildings. This report provides new insights into the fire safety concerns and financial worries faced by residents every day.

“This survey demonstrates why we are bringing together residents on the 25 February for a lobby of Parliament. We will be using this survey as further evidence to demonstrate why the Government needs to take action in the forthcoming Budget to support these residents. Leaseholders are living a nightmare at the moment and should not be left in this limbo a moment longer.”

Photo: Kiana Kabiri

Art in Mancunia: Kiana Kabiri

Written by daisyculver on . Posted in Arts.

Kiana Kabiri is an Iranian born, Manchester-based DJ playing sets which span the genres of techno, experimental and breaks and bass. Since starting her career upon moving to Manchester, she’s played in venues all over the city including Soup Kitchen, Deaf Institute and Partisan Collective. In fact, if you’re into the Manchester music scene, there’s a high chance you’ve already danced to a Kiana set. It’s the love of getting people dancing that really fuelled Kiana’s passion in the first place.

Photo courtesy of Kiana

When she first started playing events in Manchester, Kiana “experienced the buzz of making people dance and sharing my favourite music with friends and strangers”, igniting a passion that has taken her to countless events across Manchester and elsewhere. For Kiana, her reference points and inspiration come from an infinite number of sources. The UK rave scene, particularly the one she’s experienced since moving to Manchester, has had an undeniable effect on her music, as well as the heavy metal she loved when she was growing up, which she feels translated into a passion for heavier electronic music.

Another major source of inspiration for Kiana is Iranian culture. Outside of DJing at some of Manchester’s best party spots, Kiana also hosts an NTS radio show called Tehran Amplified, showcasing contemporary sounds from the underground scene in Iran. So why is her Iranian background so important, and what influence has it had on the music she makes? For Kiana, growing up in post-revolution Iran means that there’s “always a hint of rebellion” behind the music she makes, one which has only served to solidify her love for the scene. Furthermore, she adds, being Iranian means a love of partying, which translates into Kiana’s endlessly danceable beats.

Kiana’s music has a way of bringing people together and making everyone move their feet. She feels like this is vital to being a DJ: “the message is to have fun and appreciate what a truly magical thing music really is.” Kiana conveys this in every set. It is clear how her love for music stems from its unique capacity for creating unity and joy, something she constantly strives for and succeeds in.

Photo: Dylan James

Art in Mancunia: Dylan James and ‘The A4 Project’

Written by harrythorfinn on . Posted in Arts.

The paper and written word share a long, mutually beneficial relationship. Dylan James, a third-year English Literature & American Studies student, has dedicated aptly named The A4 Project to this relationship in its most basic form: one story on one piece of A4 paper.

The concept behind the A4 Project is simple and egalitarian. The aim is to make art accessible to both creators and viewers by taking an everyday object and making it into a vessel for art.

The publication has been in print since September 2019, each month publishing a short story on one side of the paper and a visual work on the other. Both sides tell a story, but it’s up to the reader to interpret how these stories interact- or if they do at all. It is based on submissions sent to [email protected] and is printed via risograph.

Photo credit: Dylan James

Word about the project has spread through reading groups, writers’ Facebook pages, and Dylan has even sought submissions by handing out leaflets in the street. It has clearly worked, as Dylan tells me there’s a “steady stream of submissions.” Limitation often enhances creativity, which is showcased in the range of stories submitted. One week, there’s a sombre piece about a truck driver spotting a former lover at a gas station, the next there’s a mermaid at an awkward job interview.

Dylan acts as curator, editor and distributor. However, The A4 Project is published by Snitch Publishing, a DIY publisher run by Rory Spencer, Eva Gerretsen and Jack Rietnoul. Snitch also publishes Penny Thoughts, based on the same ethos but instead publishes small poems and doodles. These mini-zines can be spotted across Manchester and though small in size, make an important statement: “art should be for everyone, not just for a select few.”

Dylan makes it clear that Snitch, himself and the contributors only make up part of the project. “For the project to fulfil its artistic intentions, the reader must consume the work, for it is they who actualise the narrative potential of these zines.”

Make sure to be on the lookout for these around Manchester. If you spot a loose A4 on the dance floor at White Hotel on March 26th, make sure to grab it and have a read when you get home.

Photo: Jaimie Wilson @ Flickr

Italy cancels sporting fixtures as Coronovirus spreads

Written by James Owen on . Posted in Sport.

Four Series A football fixtures were cancelled on February 23rd by Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte due to a sudden surge in cases of the Coronavirus in the Lombardy region.

Sampdoria’s trip to the San Siro was affected, while high flying Atalanta also saw their game postponed. The other fixtures impacted included Hellas Verona – Cagliari, and Torino – Parma.

Series B and C each had a match postponed whilst youth and amateur games in the region were also affected.

These cancellations come amidst fears over the possibility of spreading the coronavirus, a virus that has already infected over 82,000 worldwide.

Italy is tackling the worst outbreak of Coronavirus in Europe thus far with over 400 confirmed cases as of February 27th. This has risen from the 130 cases that were announced on the day of fixture cancellations. 12 deaths have been recorded and 11 towns in Northern Italy are in lockdown.

Schools, universities and cinemas have been closed with several public events cancelled.

The virus has also affected the wider sporting world with Ireland’s Men’s and Women’s Six Nations games against Italy postponed despite the fixture taking place in Dublin.

Five Series A matches will be played behind closed doors this coming weekend – including Juventus’ match against fellow title contenders Inter Milan.

The outbreak will also have an influence on European fixtures with Inter’s Europa League tie against Ludogorets on February 27th being played behind closed doors.

Undoubtedly, the would-be travelling fans of Inter’s Bulgarian opponents will be disappointed that their trip to one of football’s most iconic stadiums has been called off, although they will also most likely be appreciative of their host’s preventative measures.

With Formula One being the first to react, cancelling the Chinese Grand Prix on February 12th, and many more events such as the World Athletics Indoor Championships being postponed since, worries are beginning to circulate surrounding the upcoming Olympics and European Championships.

With International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound telling BBC Radio 5 Live “everything is on the table”, and Uefa executive committee member, Michele Uva, informing the RAI that “we are at the waiting stage”, the initiation of these two events looks finely balanced.

youth football

School children banned from heading football in training

Written by Kate Jackson on . Posted in Sport.

Children in primary school have been banned from heading footballs in training in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The new guidelines mean that under-11s will no longer be taught to head footballs in training sessions, but youth matches will be unaffected. The FA claim that the infrequency of headers in these games means that they are unlikely to cause lasting damage.

The respective FA’s of each country announced the new guidelines in a joint statement which also outlined restrictions to those in the under-12 to under-16 age range.

Those in the “graduated phase” (12-16 year-olds) can be trained to head the ball but it should be a “low priority” for coaches, the FA said. There are restrictions on how much and how often this age range are allowed to head the ball in training.

The Welsh FA did not join England, Scotland and Northern Ireland in adopting these guidelines but they did say they were reviewing this issue and will release their findings later this year.

Chief executive of the English FA, Mark Bullingham, said: “This updated heading guidance is an evolution of our current guidelines and will help coaches and teachers to reduce and remove repetitive and unnecessary heading from youth football.”

The rule change follows research published by the University of Glasgow which concluded that professional footballers are more likely to die of degenerative brain diseases and five times more likely to die of Parkinson’s disease.

While there are no direct links between the findings and heading the ball specifically, the FA said the guidelines are there to “mitigate against any potential risks.”

The news was welcomed by campaigner Dawn Astle who has pushed for the football authorities to restrict the heading of footballs at all levels of the game.

Dawn believes the guidelines are “really sensible” as these early steps are vital if we are to avoid exposing children’s brains to trauma.

Jeff Astle, Dawn’s father, was a professional footballer who died of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in 2002. A coroner ruled that his condition had been caused by the repeated heading of a football.

Professor Willie Stewart, the lead academic on the FIELD study into neurodegenerative disease, also welcomed the move but said ultimately the game’s governing bodies must go further.

“A lot more research is needed to understand the factors contributing to increased risk of neurodegenerative disease in footballers,” he said.

“Meanwhile, it is sensible to act to reduce exposure to the only recognised risk factor so far. As such, measures to reduce exposure to unnecessary head impacts and risk of head injury in sport are a logical step.”

Dr Carol Routledge, director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, also said: “limiting unnecessary heading in children’s football is a practical step that minimises possible risks, ensuring that football remains as safe as possible in all forms.”

Image: Paul Hudson @Flickr

Electric T20 final in South Africa

Written by Will Stonier on . Posted in Sport.

It was a T20 series that saw 1207 runs across its entirety— more than any other three-match series in the history of T20 internationals. It was a scintillating series from the off, with spectators revelling in the grassy banks and festival atmosphere that South Africa’s bustling cricketing arenas provided. 

The first match of the series was played at Buffalo Park where, having won the toss and elected to bowl, England were stopped short by South Africa. The Proteas, in their yellow and green strip, went on to pinch the victory by a single run. England’s best efforts to catch the South African total were thwarted by Player of The Match, Lungi Ngidi. 

The second match in the series at Kingsmead saw roles reversed. Both innings went the distance and the match concluded in England winning by a mere two runs. Though South Africa’s Quinton de Kock put in another fantastic display — scoring a knock of 65 — it was not enough to stop the attack of England’s pace bowlers, with Tom Curran, Chris Jordan and, Mark Wood taking two wickets apiece.

However, the talking point of the match revolved around PoTM Moeen Ali, who scored 39 runs from merely eleven balls.

All eyes now turned to the showdown at the Centurion.

England captain, Eoin Morgan’s team selection seemed to favour experience, with Dawid Malan coming in for an injured Joe Denly. As South Africa won the toss and decided to bat, England looked to be in trouble. Bavuma scored 49 and Heinrick Klaasen 66, easily dispatching anything that England threw at them. To be quite honest, England’s bowlers looked out of their depth.

As the bat went to England, Jos Buttler — a character that many pundits have questioned as of late — and Johnny Bairstow combined to make a partnership of 91.

Despite this, England had to look to their captain Morgan as something of a life raft. He hit 57* from 22 balls, seven of which were for six, ensuring that England ended their tour of South Africa without losing a single trophy.

In addition to the victory, Morgan equalled his own record for England’s fastest T20 half-century. 

After the series, speaking to the BBC’s Test Match Special, Morgan said:

“We started pretty slow, we still managed to stay in the first game, the chase actually turned out pretty well and we should have won but we capitulated at the end.

“That is a big learning curve for us going forward – how we start a series and how we might start a World Cup.”

Morgan’s eyes appear to be fully set on conquering the white ball game at the T20 World Cup in Australia this October but, despite entertaining the masses, England look far from being a cricketing outfit without flaws: revision will be required.

Food Waste. Photo: US Department of Agriculture @ Flickr

A third of all food is wasted and you’re responsible

Written by milodiduca on . Posted in Food & Drink.

Food waste is becoming an increasing problem, particularly in developed countries. However, the main culprit is perhaps not who you’d think.

In richer countries like the UK, over half of all food thrown away is from households compared to just 2% from retail (the rest coming from supermarkets and elsewhere in the supply chain).

As someone who’s worked in commercial kitchens, it’s easy to see that an explanation for this could be how profit-driven most restaurants are.

Their ruthless cost-cutting means they work around the food they have in, only order enough of what they need, plan ahead etc. We can all learn from their waste minimizing ideas. Implementing a meal plan and writing down list of what you’ll need is a great way to prevent over-consuming when doing your ‘big shop’. If there are any leftovers get creative and fit them into your meal plan for next week instead of throwing them away.

The most common things I see thrown away are big bags of salad leaves, like spinach, bread, and leftover vegetables from big bags. The supermarkets are partly to blame by only offering things in huge quantities, but this can be overcome by buying loose fruit and veg so you can choose exactly how much you’ll need. This also reduces unnecessary plastic. Bread can also be eaten up until its mouldy; it just needs to be toasted, or you could look up one of the many techniques to revive stale bread.

There’s also been a recent shift from “use by” dates to “best before” in order to reduce the amount thrown away. Lots of fruits and vegetables are safe to eat long after their “best before”. Ignoring the date on the packet and actually checking the state of your food is the best way to decide whether it needs throwing or not.

It is also worth downloading food waste apps such as Olio. They work like GumTree for left over food that households (and some restaurants) won’t use. You don’t need to pay for the food you collect and it helps build a greater sense of community, sharing food with your neighbourhood. The more people who get involved, the more effective these schemes will be at reducing waste.

As effective as these tools can be, we also need a cultural shift in our attitudes towards food. In wealthy counties, where food is in abundance, its true value is hidden.

A lot of time, money, and effort has been put into the foods we eat and yet it is seen as disposable. As a collective, we need to stop treating food as an entitlement and start seeing it for the luxury it is. Vandana Shiva, environmental activist has claimed: “Whenever we engage in consumption or production patterns which take more than what we need, we are engaging in violence.”

Our food habits are violent. The upshot is that by being 50% of the problem, we are also 50% of the solution. If we all change our attitudes and habits, we can stop the violence resulting from food waste and make a change.

Photo: Ryan Gear

Art in Mancunia: Ryan Gear

Written by rosieplunkett on . Posted in Arts.

Amid the mass of digital image production within the modern age, it is now, more than ever,  difficult to create meaningful relationships with images. We are constantly bombarded with visual stimuli, from social media to advertisements. Ryan Gear, a third-year undergraduate student, is attempting to address our changing relationship with photography. Fearing that we may have lost a connection to meaningful images through our constant exposure to them, Ryan works to produce a platform for his audience to create an independent narrative and interpretation of his images. 

Photo: Ryan Gear

Gear describes his work as a process of “re-engaging people with photographs and the viewing experience they can offer by creating images which exist to provoke, resisting people’s almost unconscious search for rationality when viewing images to allow room for contemplation to thrive.” There is not a correct way to view Ryan’s work, as the images offer a welcome break from the need to understand and interpret the correct meaning within images we come across. Often, the fear of being wrong can block us from thinking freely about photography and independently interpreting a piece. 

Photo: Ryan Gear

These images allow us a glimpse into how Ryan views the world, where colours and creation take center stage. Images of street corners or simple shadows demonstrate his keen eye, inventive imagination, and ability to see the potential within the mundane. He uses photography to repurpose the ordinary as art; you are free to interpret each work. The ball, as Ryan stresses, is completely within your court. The baton of creative freedom is passed as the work is given from the artist to the consumer, allowing us to roam and interpret within a world Ryan has created. He has provided us with the visuals; all we must do now is let our imagination run free to create a narrative.  Our engagement is essential to the work as we must search for our own meanings and put the time into contemplating the scenes before us. Ryan’s work is of the active kind: passive viewing has no place within the experience. 

Photo: Ryan Gear
Photo: Ryan Gear

After becoming used to being spoonfed images and their meanings in our day to day life, Ryan’s work is a refreshing experience and an opportunity to engage with photography. You can find more of Ryan’s work on his website or Instagram: @ryanjgear.vision

Photo: Rachel Lynette French @ Unsplash

Remnants of rave culture in Manchester: should we welcome squat raves?

Written by sophiepitches on . Posted in Lifestyle.

While nightlife in Manchester today isn’t exactly as rave culture was in the nineties, the remains of the city’s industrial past are still the ideal landscape for a restored phenomenon – squat raves.

Certain losses to the club industry have led to a desire for a greater variety of events, resulting in a move in a more authentic direction. Contrasting this with the violent behaviour that can surround club culture, perhaps it is time club venues learn some lessons from today’s squat raves.

In 2018, tragedy struck when the infamous Antwerp Mansion, a converted Victorian residence in Rusholme that was once iconic for its grimy club nights, was issued with a permanent closure notice by Manchester City Council. It did not follow regulations and received numerous noise complaints, causing the closure. The history of the venue was disregarded, with icons like Craig Charles and Goldie having performed there in the past – the rowdy reputation once encouraged to appeal to many, especially students, was now its downfall. In fact, its reputation was so ingrained into Manchester student culture that I’m sure many among you will still have a pair of ‘Antwerp shoes’ – the grotty atmosphere being so well renowned that busted up trainers were speciallydevoted to any filthy endeavour there.

Back in 2018, bosses saw the closure of the venue as part of a targeted attack to kill nightlife outside the city centre, consequently leading to an “inevitable rise in illegal house parties and raves” according to a Facebook status. But would a fate such as this be so terrible?

“It’s generally a much friendlier atmosphere,” responded one student when asked to compare their experience of squat parties with the vibe of a more traditional nightclub in Manchester. “It feels much more that people go there to listen to the music and have a good time.” In this student’s experience, squat raves are welcoming spaces which lack the “trouble” often expected with the absence of bouncers. “Trouble” that is actually more commonly associated with clubs.

But if you don’t delight in the dirt – don’t be put off, the venue depends entirely on the building that has been squatted, ranging from warehouses to taking place outdoors.

As far as music is concerned, is this ‘killing-off of clubs,’ as envisaged by Antwerp bosses two years ago, responsible for the move away from the classic club environment? This student was adamant that the closures of venues like Sankeys and Antwerp meant that “the places you can go to listen to a certain kind of music are becoming fewer and fewer.”

Nevertheless, there is still one other aspect of squat parties which never loses its appeal. Popular predominantly among students and a younger crowd (not to mention “the random fucking dog” that’s always there), squat raves are still illegal – but of course that just adds to the spontaneous charm of an event.

“It’s always quite exciting not knowing what it’s going to be like and there’s definitely that feeling of being a bit naughty.”

The warm description presented to me here clashed distinctly with anything I’d previously imagined as an outsider, with the final image seeming quite wholesome. An invitation is regarded as a gift due to its exclusivity, with news spreading by word of mouth or through an event on Facebook.

But don’t mistake the intention of this article to be a promotion of squat raves. More so a call for a re-evaluation of the culture surrounding nightclubs, particularly in Manchester. If the Manchester nightlife scene prioritised the trust and community created when people are connected through music, their desire to be involved and not just “show-off or go on the pull”, it would be an infinitely more attractive option – if only it were offered legally today.

Photo: David Dixon @ Geograph

‘Boombox Barry’: a Manchester treasure named and praised

Written by Jess Walmsley on . Posted in News.

In a feature interview by Manchester Evening News, the identity of a local student favourite has been revealed. The title, ‘Boombox Barrington’ has been given to the man often seen cycling through the streets of Manchester playing his favourite tunes for all to hear.

Boombox Barry is a well-known figure on the streets of Manchester. He is often spotted cycling across the city playing loud and eclectic music through a boombox. Pedestrians can hear and recognise his music through the distorted sound that echoes down the cycle lanes. His image is iconic, a classic Mancunian style bucket hat and a tattered IKEA bag swinging from the handlebars holding the speaker.

We don’t know how long Barry has been riding through the city, but he disclosed to Manchester Evening News how he finds joy sharing his music with others, especially the new tunes he discovers weekly; 

“I am a person who likes diversity of music. I’ve got various collections of music. Every week I’m finding new music on the internet.”

Barry also spoke of his personal life in the interview. Despite being seen and spoken of so much on social media by tourists and students alike, it was previously unknown as to where or what Barry was doing on his bike. His response is that he is visiting his mother who has been unwell for several years. 

“I like music and going from A to B.”

Barrington is a figure loved by the students of Manchester – a post that shared the original article to Fallowfield Student’s Group got over one thousand likes and over 180 comments.

One student stated: “He makes my day when he cycles by, always happy, always smiling – he represents the spirit of Manchester.” 

Barry still feels lonely in the public sphere having only one other friend in the city and is on the lookout for more people to engage with him and get to know him as a friendly figure in Manchester. Some have called for petitions to be started to help raise funds for Barry whilst others to state that they would love to have him as a friend. 

Barry is going to continue riding through Manchester, playing new genres of music, rain or shine. “I can’t leave my mum. But I wanna do something. If I can’t leave my mum, [I’ll] do something that I can love.

“I just love my music, that’s it. Simple innit.”