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Reviews

Initial Review of the AirPods Max

Apple announced the release of their new over ear AirPods Max on the 8th of December 2020. Having purchased the headphones only yesterday, this review will include my initial impressions of the product, and a more in-depth review will follow in the weeks to come. Apple price the AirPods Max at £549, offering five different […]
Editorials

What I’ve Learned in 21 Years

In case the headline isn’t clear, let’s just say it: I’m 21 today. That’s 7,665 days, or 183,960 hours, alive on this random planet in the Milky Way. When you put it like that, 21 years seemingly doesn’t equate to much at all. But, as every person who has lived to this point will testify: […]
Politics

Mastering Politics: David Cameron and Greensill scandal

You might have heard a lot about David Cameron in the news recently but not quite know the details of why, and what has happened. Worry not – that’s why Mastering Politics is here today. Let’s get into it. What has David Cameron done? Greensill Capital, a now insolvent financial services company, is at the […]
Books

Book Review: Triple Cross by Tom Bradby

Well, the first thing I have to say about this book is that it is an absolute cracker. Tom Bradby returns on top form for the final instalment of his spy thriller with Triple Cross and I was, in no uncertain terms, hooked from the off. Triple Cross picks up where Double Agent left off. MI6 […]
Editorials

Are single-sex schools the safest prevention of sexual harassment?

There is a timely, outdated belief that has parents wanting their sons to go to mixed-sex schools to benefit from the civilising influence of girls, and for their daughters to go to single-sex schools, to protect them from the corrupting influence of boys. Or, as reported now, to protect them from sexual harassment. Of course, […]
Music

Album Review: Fearless (Taylor’s Version)

Taylor Swift’s second album, Fearless, released in 2008, received critical acclaim and established Swift as one to watch. Now, almost 13 years later, Swift has become one of the most successful artists of the 21st century, and her re-recordings have stood the test of time – Fearless (Taylor’s Version) showcases Swift at her best, with […]
Environment

Capitalism and the Climate: Who Will Win Out?

A recent Sky News report has detailed that a wealthy minority of people are responsible for the majority of global air travel, with frequent leisure flights rather than the average family holiday. In the last few years, there appears to have been a surge in climate change activism: figures such as Greta Thunberg and organisations […]
Reviews

Documentary Review: Dancing with the Devil

The highly anticipated release of Demi Lovato’s Youtube original documentary Dancing with the Devil has allowed fans a candid, unfiltered look at drug use and other traumatic experiences the star has faced throughout her life. When originally writing about my expectations for the documentary, I couldn’t have ever foreseen how brutally honest Demi would be […]
Books

Book Review: Three Women by Lisa Taddeo

Well, here I am at ten to one in the morning having completed Three Women. Before I proceed, this book – and so this review – is not suitable for a younger audience. Three Women is at its core, a reportage-novel hybrid about sex and power, which manifests itself in the following trigger warnings: rape, […]
News

Labour opposes vaccine passports

Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth has said that vaccine passports are essentially “a digital ID card” and that Labour cannot support them in their current form. Boris Johnson announced yesterday that vaccine passports – or ‘Covid status certificates’ – will be trialled this month at upcoming events, including the FA Cup final and a range […]
Editorials

Is Keir Starmer doing a good job as Labour leader?

Following the Corbyn era, the position of Labour leader was going to be difficult to fill. Low and behold Sir Keir Starmer. Starmer has noticeably reached out to former Labour voters who turned their backs on the party in 2019 by wrapping himself in a union jack. When making a speech, he will often emphasise […]
Environment

Netflix’s ‘Seaspiracy’ reveals dark secrets of the fishing industry

The problem of climate change is out of control, and Netflix’s new documentary Seaspiracy explains why. Having watched my fair share of animal-agriculture related documentaries, it is Seaspiracy which has truly shocked me to the core. I have avoided eating meat and fish for several years now, and have always been aware of how damaging […]
News

George Floyd murder trial so far

Many need little reminder about the death of George Floyd last May. It sparked a worldwide anti-racism movement when police officer Derek Chauvin was videoed by onlookers kneeling on Mr Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes as he pleaded with the officer, telling him, “I can’t breathe”. Now the man accused of George Floyd’s murder, […]
Editorials

Netflix vs Disney+

Following Netflix’s recent announcement that there will be limitations set on device sharing between households, a huge question has been posed in my mind as to whether or not my Netflix subscription is actually worth it. Other services, such as Disney+, Apple TV and Amazon Prime TV have been gaining a lot of traction recently. […]
health

The reality of young people’s mental healthcare today

Roughly three children in every classroom have a diagnosable mental health condition. In 2017, suicide was the most common cause of death for young people, both male and female, aged between five and 19. But what is it like for young people who are trying to access support from the NHS? The picture, tragically, is […]
News

North East domestic abuse reports rise in lockdown

Domestic abuse reports in the Northumbria Police region have risen by over 1,000 (5%) in lockdown, according to a Freedom of Information request filed to the force by Beep. 33,118 reports of domestic abuse were made during the period of 30th March 2020 to 30th January 2021, compared to 31,524 during the same period in […]
Editorials

Should the Royal Family be abolished?

It comes as no surprise that the Royal Family is a controversial topic. Drama from every drop of the bloodline. Prince Andrew’s involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s exit — and crucially, the couple’s allegations that their son was subjected to racism from within the royal household— begs the question […]
Editorials

Netflix cracking down on password sharing

Netflix has begun to test a feature that asks viewers whether or not they live in the same household as a Netflix account holder. This feature is intended to crack down on those who share passwords between family and friends. It is reported that some users of the streaming service have encountered a message asking […]
Environment

Should the climate change crisis be taught in schools?

In short: yes. Climate change should absolutely be taught in schools. This should not be up for debate, but sadly here I am writing an article regarding the continued discussion surrounding climate change and the curriculum. Education is an essential element of the global response to climate change. It helps young people understand and address […]
News

Myanmar: seven-year-old Khin Myo Chit shot dead

On Tuesday in Myanmar’s second-largest city Mandalay, seven-year-old Khin Myo Chit was shot and killed by the military, who staged a coup to overthrow the country’s elected government in February. Khin’s family told Sky News how the military junta broke down the doors to their house and began shooting inside. U Maung Ko Hashin Bai, […]
Music

Review: Chemtrails over the Country Club by Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey has recently released her highly anticipated seventh studio album, titled Chemtrails over the Country Club, which continues to explore the Americana aesthetic she has carefully crafted throughout her career. At first, I’ll admit, I felt almost let down by the album as it felt so similar to her previous work, but as […]
Editorials

Easing into life after Covid

I can guarantee that we have something in common. Regardless of background, age or interests. We’re all sick of Covid. This Tuesday marked the one year anniversary of the UK lockdown and, honestly, it was nice to have some new way to keep track of time. We’ve all gone through so much in the past […]
Editorials

National Day of Reflection: An Avoidable Disaster

Today marks one year since Prime Minister Boris Johnson took the decision to put the UK into its first lockdown. Since then, we’ve had a tiered system, a summer free-for-all which likely contributed to the increase in cases throughout August and September, and another full-force lockdown. But as we pause today to remember the 146,487 […]
Editorials

Why is there still no law against street harassment?

Sarah Everard’s tragic story has sparked such a valuable conversation, with many women sharing their experiences surrounding sexual harassment and discussing how vulnerable they feel walking the streets alone. According to a survey from UN Women UK, 97% of women between the ages of 18-24 said they had been sexually harassed, with 80% of women […]
Books

Book Review: Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín

I don’t think I have visited the delights of New York City in a novel since Breakfast at Tiffany’s, so Brooklyn has been a lovely, warming return to the one location that literature never fails to personify. In other words, I’ve been in a tiny village hardly seeing anyone for a year and I read […]
Politics

Mastering Politics: The Police Bill

This week the government’s new Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill was passed in Parliament. It’s referred to sometimes as just the ‘Police Bill’, and has caused some controversy around the country due to its impact on the right to protest. Currently, the bill is delayed until later in the year, but it has not […]
Editorials

How Coronavirus favours the wealthy

This week, a study was released by Sheffield council suggesting that the working poor has been the worst hit by Coronavirus. The study shows people in low-paid jobs, with insecure contracts and thus unable to afford to take time off work to isolate, have been hardest hit by the disease in the city. The council […]
News

Selena Gomez felt ‘violated’ by paparazzi as a teen

Selena Gomez, an American singer and former child actress, has recently spoken about her experience with the paparazzi as a teen, explaining how she felt “violated” by the men who took photographs of her in a bikini on the beach when she was only 15 years old. Speaking to Vogue, Gomez talked about how she […]
Editorials

Reflecting on Durham’s vigil for Sarah Everard

This past week has seen an outpouring of grief for so many victims of sexual harassment and assault. The kidnapping and murder of Sarah Everard, a woman who was just trying to walk home, and who did everything that she could to keep herself safe, has incited such anguish in response to her treatment. Her […]
Editorials

Could the school day be changing?

Earlier this month, Gavin Williamson called for a “transformative” reform to the school’s system following the pandemic. What this can be assumed to mean is lengthening the school day and altering holidays to make room for catch up lessons and the missed hours of in-person teaching that has come as a result of the pandemic. […]
Music

Song Review: Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak – Leave The Door Open

One thing I’ve been noticing recently is how artists are taking us back to the musical years of the 70s, 80s and 90s. In 2020 we had the likes of The Weeknd, Dua Lipa and Lady Gaga who were all reintroducing sounds to our ears that were modern but vintage. The overlying word here is […]
Editorials

The Interview and The Aftermath

As the country reels after the Oprah interview on Monday night with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Nicholas offers up his opinion on what effect the interview has had on him. My views Before having seen the interview, I believed the media narrative that Meghan was the sole reason for Harry abandoning his royal […]
Editorials

‘If I were PM, I’d fire all men’ – does Amber Rudd have a point?

Former Conservative MP Amber Rudd has recently stated in an interview with ITV’s Acting Prime Minister Podcast that she would “fire all men” if she was Prime Minister, and instead put in place an all-female Cabinet. This recent comment is part of a plethora of comments Rudd has made regarding the blatant inequality of the […]
Editorials

Stories of Endometriosis: Persistence and Pain

Endometriosis is a condition affecting one in ten females of reproductive age in the UK, and 176 million worldwide. It has the potential to devastate the lives of sufferers and their families, not least because this chronic, intensely painful condition takes on average eight years to be diagnosed. As March is endometriosis awareness month, Beep […]
Editorials

Dealing with Lockdown: Annie’s Story

As part of Beep’s ‘Dealing with Lockdown’ series, Annie shares her experience as a student at the University of Manchester – from rent striking to starting a brand new university in a pandemic. September 2020. The beginning of a new academic year, which meant for many students a reunion with people actually in their age […]
Editorials

International Women’s Day 2021

It’s International Women’s Day and here at Beep, as we do every year, we’re celebrating women around the world, past and present. This year’s theme is ‘Choose to Challenge’, meaning that it’s up to every one of us to call out gender bias and inequality. Wherever we see it – be it in the workplace, […]
Reviews

TV Review: WandaVision

When it comes to a character with depth and a fresh take on the classic Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jac Schaeffer’s WandaVision makes for the best show of the year. Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Katheryn Hayne, Teyonah Parris, Evan Peters star in a Disney Plus original series that follows on from Avengers: Endgame. It starts as […]
Editorials

NHS workers’ 1% pay rise is a national disgrace

It’s not difficult to believe I’m sitting here writing this, given that it is Boris Johnson’s government we’re talking about. What have they done this time? Proposed that NHS workers should get a 1% pay rise. That’s right: 1%. Considering the government’s arms had to be bent to give doctors and nurses free parking at […]
Editorials

Harry and Meghan: The definition of doing what you want

Around 99% of all people in the world have no idea what it is like to be famous. Obviously there are benefits to the situation, such as a platform to speak, virtually no worries concerning money, and a constant, special treatment wherever you go. However, the ability to escape the limelight and maintain some level […]
Editorials

What to expect from new Demi Lovato documentary

The recent announcement from Demi Lovato of a new documentary, Dancing with the Devil, has definitely left fans speculating. Just how will the YouTube original differ from her 2017 documentary Simply Complicated? What to expect In the new documentary, we expect to hear more information about Demi’s 2018 drug relapse, and its impact on her […]
News

Disadvantage gap: poorer students three grades behind

Poorer A-level students in England are up to three grades behind their more affluent peers, research from the Education Policy Institute (EPI) has found. In some areas, including the North, the “disadvantage gap” meant poorer students were up to five grades behind. The research specifically found that lower GCSE grades, then fewer and lower level […]
News

Vaccine bus launched in Newcastle

Go North East has converted one of its buses into a new mobile Covid-19 vaccine unit. The bus will travel around Newcastle, visiting communities who are unable to get to a vaccination centre, or where uptake has proven low. For its first few rounds, the bus will visit hostels in Newcastle to vaccinate the homeless, […]
News

At least 10 killed by police in Myanmar protests

Police at Myanmar protests have killed at least 10 demonstrators, medics have said, making Sunday 28 Februrary the deadliest day of rallies since the military removed the nation’s elected government. The killings occurred as social media footage showed protesters running away from police charging at them, using live bullets, rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear […]
Editorials

Rent refunds for students are needed

As a student myself, this subject really hits home, as I’m sure it will do for a lot of people my age. Due to the pandemic, there are student houses all over the country that are empty as a result of the travel restrictions. As if isolation wasn’t enough stress being induced, students are being […]
News

Uber drivers recognised as workers, Supreme Court rules

A Supreme Court ruling on February 19th has stated that Uber drivers must now be treated as workers – but what does this mean in terms of Uber’s success, which has been steadily growing since its launch in 2009? Well, this means that Uber drivers must now be treated like all British workers, instead of […]
News

Gavin Williamson reveals exam changes

On the 24th of February 2021, the government finally revealed their plans on how GCSE and A Level students will be graded this year. This announcement came a whole seven weeks after the initial reveal that no formal examinations would take place this summer. Many students remain outraged at how long they have had to […]
Environment

Six million at risk of air pollution lung damage

A recent study conducted by the British Lung Foundation and Asthma UK has found that six million over-65s are at risk of developing lung damage and asthma attacks due to polluted air. The report found that British life expectancy is cut short by six months, on average, due to the effects of toxic air on […]
Editorials

Priti Patel refusing to take the knee is dangerous

It is a dangerous time for England. With the Home Secretary publicly refusing to take the knee for the Black Lives Matter movement, she is also refusing to support the numerous lives who have saved so many in the COVID-19 pandemic. Patel is also not supporting the mental health professionals, or the Black lives that […]