• Editorials Black History Month – Modern Icons
    This Black History Month, the focus is on bringing about meaningful change. Action, not words, is needed to bring about real systemic change in Britain to create an equal society for Black Britons. Here are four people working to bring about change in Britain in various sectors of life: Kwajo Tweneboa As a 23-year-old student, […]
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  • Editorials Sexism and Football – It Is Still A Problem
    England’s Women’s football team succeeded where the men had failed for fifty-six years. They took home a major international trophy at the Euros 2022 tournament. There has been widespread praise for the Lionesses, but it has also opened up a conversation about the inequality and double standards for male and female footballers. The pay gap […]
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  • Music Album Review: Renaissance Act I
    Beyoncé needs no introduction. Her very name inspires sheer inspiration amongst everyone. And just when we needed her the most, she returned and shook the whole world to its core. Act One of Renaissance certainly sets the tone for the album – a revival and rebirth of ballroom music of the 70s and 80s combined […]
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  • Reviews Book Review: Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola
    Bolu Babalola had me hooked with Love in Colour in 2020, a beautiful anthology of love stories and she came back in 2022 with a fun romantic novel that I pre-ordered the first chance I could get. Honey & Spice revolves around Kiki and Malakai, two students at Whitehall university, a fictional British university. Kiki […]
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  • News Roe V. Wade Explained
    This week, you have most likely read that in the United States, the right to abortion was overturned by the Supreme Court. So let’s break down what exactly Roe v. Wade was about and what it means for abortion rights in America. In 1969, Norma Corvey – known under the pseudonym Jane Roe – became […]
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  • News Book Review: A Thousand Ships
    Natalie Haynes’ retelling of the Trojan War was attractive to me based on the description – a retelling from the view of the women.  After reading her book, Pandora’s Jar, I was more than excited to read and she did not disappoint. We all have heard of the Trojan War – Paris steals Helen of […]
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  • Reviews Book Review: Daisy Jones and The Six
    Daisy Jones and The Six is the story of fictional musicians in the seventies. And I very much recommend this book to anyone in a slump or wanting to procrastinate before exams (like me!) Written in interview snippets we, learn the ups and downs, the good and bad of how the band was formed. There […]
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  • Editorials The Maternity Death Gap Explained
    Pregnancy and Childbirth are considered among the most precious times in a person’s life. But for some women, it can be a scary occasion. In the UK, compared to white women, black women are four times as likely to die in childbirth and during the post-partum period. Asian women are twice as likely. For years, […]
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  • Editorials The Sidelining of Women of Colour in the Labour Party
    The Labour Party has always prided itself on its diversity and its commitment to liberalism and social justice. But recently, I have noticed that women of colour within the Party – many of whom are the reason for Labour’s popularity – have been sidelined. And the issues pertaining to ethnic minority women are all but […]
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  • Editorials The Tour That Went Wrong
    Royal Tours are usually done to show the monarchy in their element – shaking hands, doing fun little stunts so we can see they are human and giving speeches to uplift a cause. But the Caribbean Tour, to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee was, to put it lightly, a disaster. It was already known that […]
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  • Editorials Representation in Period Dramas
    Bridgerton season two is here and the period drama has received wide praise yet again. But what really excited many about this season is the introduction of the Sharmas – Kathani ‘Kate’ Sharma, her younger sister Edwina Sharma and Mary Sharma. It was exciting for many to see the details of Indian culture – from […]
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  • Books Book Review: If I Never Met You
    Mhairi McFarlane’s 2020 novel If I Never Met You has been on my ‘to be read‘ list for a while – and I am so happy that I finally got around to it. The story revolves around thirty-six-year-old Laurie. She’s a lawyer, one of the best at her firm. Her partner, Dan, dumps her after […]
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  • Editorials TERFs are the Final Bosses of White Feminism
    Another day, another J.K Rowling tweet. Yay. The highly successful children’s author has criticised Labour leader Keir Starmer for saying trans women are women, under the Equalities Act. Starmer also added in this interview that a “more considered, respectful, tolerant debate about these issues” is needed. I’m guessing Rowling saw that part and also objected […]
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  • Editorials Breaking the Bias
    This year’s International Women’s Day was focussed on breaking the gender bias. The organisers called on us all to imagine a world free of prejudice. A world that is free of biases, stereotypes and discrimination against women. The UN’s theme is gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow, focusing on advancing gender equality in the […]
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  • Editorials The Ukraine Invasion and Racism in Europe
    We are six days into the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. While a lot of effort is being made to help Ukraine – from economic sanctions to aid – some efforts have been rather unhelpful. The British Home Office is not waiving visa requirements for all Ukrainians fleeing the conflict, which isn’t surprising. But they […]
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  • Reviews TV Review: The Tinder Swindler
    I love a good Netflix documentary – true crime is a guilty pleasure and this one will have you yelling at the screen. The Tinder Swindler tells the story of Shimon Hayut, who used the name, Simon Leviev, a conman who seduced women on Tinder and conned them out of hundreds of thousands of pounds. […]
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  • Editorials University and Sexual Harassment
    This week in the beautiful town of Cambridge, Massachusetts, an ugly yet familiar tale of abuse in universities emerged. Three Harvard graduates are suing the university for allegedly ignoring the sexual harassment of students by a professor who they said threatened their academic careers if they reported him. The professor, John Comaroff, was sanctioned by […]
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  • Editorials The Burden of Proof and Abuse Allegations
    Manchester United football player Mason Greenwood has been arrested on suspicion of rape, with further investigations into sexual assault and threats to kill ongoing. It came after footage was posted on social media alleging incidents of violence. There is a focus on how Mason Greenwood’s career has been ruined by these allegations. It looks at how […]
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  • Editorials The Truth Behind BrewDog
    One of the most loveable beer brands, BrewDog, is facing fresh scrutiny after BBC’s Disclosure documentary revealed many shocking things about the company. It seems a revolutionary Scottish beer brand that has posed itself as the rockstars of craft beer and an amazing place for many young people to work, is nothing more than a […]
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  • Editorials “She Was Just…”: The Problem with the Phrase
    Yet another young woman has been murdered. Ashling Murphy was a 22-year-old school teacher and strangled to death last week on the banks of the Grand Canal, Tullamore, County Offaly. The phrase “she was just…” has been a notable slogan used in response to the murders of women. “She was just walking home,” echoed after […]
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  • News Novak Djokovic v. The Australian Government
    It has been an interesting few weeks for tennis’ world No1, Novak Djokovic. Usually, we would be discussing the odds of him winning the Australian Open. But now we’re discussing if he will be even allowed to compete. Bear with me, it’s a long story with a lot of twists and turns. Last week, he […]
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  • Editorials Ghislaine Maxwell: Privilege and the Press
    Last week, Ghislaine Maxwell was found guilty of trafficking and grooming multiple young women, assisting the notorious paedophile and child trafficker Jeffery Epstein. This trial was the culmination of her dodging the police and FBI after Epstein’s death and accusations that she had been his right-hand woman in his trafficking of young, vulnerable girls. But […]
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  • Editorials The South College incident was never about free speech
    As you have all heard by now, at the South College, Durham University, Christmas Formal, principal Tim Luckhurst invited columnist Rod Liddle to speak, with little warning to students. In his speech, Liddle is reported to have made a number of statements that were transphobic, racist and classist. Very festive. In response to student concerns, […]
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  • Movies 12 Lists of Christmas: Top Ten Films of 2021
    2021 has been a year of fantastic films. After the lockdown of last year, the cinema has been a pleasing place to go. So has my Netflix queue (I haven’t changed that much). Here are the top ten films that I watched in 2021. 10. No Time to Die The highly anticipated Bond film that […]
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  • Editorials 12 Lists of Christmas: Top Ten Mistakes of 2021
    2021 wasn’t without its viral mistakes, gaffes and scandals. There are so many to choose from, but here are the top ten of the year. 10. The Suez Canal blockage A ship called the Ever Given got itself stuck in the narrow space of the Suez Canal, disrupting the global supply chain for six days. […]
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  • News Barbados is now a republic
    It is a historic moment in world history this week as Barbados has finally become a republic. They are the first Commonwealth nation to break ties with the monarchy. It seems the sun has really set on the British Empire. In a beautiful and colourful ceremony, Barbados counted down the hours until midnight, 30 November […]
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  • Editorials How the ‘Rough Sex’ Defence Fails Women
    Sophie Moss was killed during sexual intercourse with her partner, Sam Prybus, in February. He told the police and the court that she had asked him to strangle her during sex. The sentencing judge then said because Prybus seemed “remorseful”, he was charged with manslaughter, and will only serve four years and eight months in […]
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  • Editorials The Durham Uni Sex Work ‘Scandal’ Explained
    Durham University is back in the news – this time, for something they didn’t even do. On Friday, The Times published an article titled: “Durham University trains its students to be sex workers”. This was a surprise to me, as a student, because I missed those classes on my timetable. Recommended Reading: Racism: What more […]
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  • Politics The Conservative Party’s Sleaze Problem
    Another week, another government scandal. Only the Conservative Party may not be able to sweep this one under the rug. MP Owen Paterson was found guilty two years ago to have broken lobbying rules, having been paid at least £500,000 from two companies to lobby his fellow MPs on their behalf. So, how did the […]
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  • Books Book Review: The Love Hypothesis
    The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood is the latest read from my to-be-read list that has been interrupted by my studies, but we all need a break from Plato every now and then. I didn’t know what to expect from the book. I don’t read many romantic books, but this was recommended by friends, Twitter, […]
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  • Editorials The Royals and Climate Change
    The recent weeks have seen an influx of the Royal Family emphasising their concern over the dire state of climate change and the lack of effort in fighting it. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge launched the Earthshot Prize, which awarded money to initiatives helping to create a greener planet. Prince Charles expressed his support […]
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  • Editorials Build Back Better… but for who?
    Conservative MP Johnathan Gullis is in hot water after a recording of him discussing white privilege at a fringe meeting during the Conservative Party conference was published. The Independent obtained a recording of the MP for Stoke on Trent, saying that teachers who use the term ‘white privilege’ should be reported to the Prevent programme, […]
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  • Editorials University Spiking: How Not to Tackle It
    The start of a new university year is always exciting. Academia! Learning! Meeting new people! Unfortunately, around this time we also see a rise in drink spiking at the parties, clubs and bars attended by students. The act of ‘spiking’ occurs when someone slips alcohol or drugs into someone’s drink without their knowledge or permission. […]
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  • News Wales’ New History Curriculum
    Wales is set to become the first nation in the United Kingdom to make teaching the histories of Black, Asian and Ethnic Minorities compulsory on the school curriculum. The guidance, which is set the be signed off by the Senedd next month, has been developed for a number of years and will be introduced in […]
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  • Editorials Blackfishing, Bullying and Little Mix
    Last Friday, Jesy Nelson, formerly of Little Mix, dropped her first solo single Bad Boyz. In the song, she sings about how she likes her boys “so hood, so good, so damn taboo”, like her exes aren’t Coleen Nolan’s son and a guy from Love Island. The video wasn’t groundbreaking. It pushed the usual negative […]
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  • Editorials Five British Black Women Who Made History
    Black women have been shaping Britain for years, but have often been overlooked and ignored due to racism and sexism. Here are five black women who have made history and tried to change Britain for the better. Diane Abbott (1953-) A true trailblazer of British politics. Abbott was the first black female MP, elected in […]
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  • Books Book Review: Such a Fun Age
    Such A Fun Age is Kiley Reid’s debut novel and she comes out swinging with this fantastic piece of writing. The story focuses on Emira, a nanny for a wealthy family. She’s a young black woman whose life is turned upside down when she is accosted by a security guard in a grocery shop, assuming […]
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  • Editorials Why we need intersectional feminism
    In the Observer, an opinion piece by Sonia Sodha, White feminists’ are under attack from other women, has stirred up an important conversation about feminism in the UK. Sodha argues that the discussion and critique of white feminism, whilst sometimes valid, is futile. The infighting among women ultimately weakens the feminist movement as a whole. […]
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  • Editorials The Police’s Problem with Violence Against Women
    After the murder of Sarah Everard, the police are attempting to step up how they deal with sexual violence and domestic abuse. The domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales has written to Home Secretary Priti Patel, calling for changes to the government’s flagship Policing Bill to help protect victims of domestic abuse. The proposed legislation […]
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  • Politics TV is the new Tory battleground
    The Secretary of State for Media and Data John Whittingdale has thrown out another dog whistle in the Conservative Party’s culture war. He is helping draw up plans which will see the UK’s public service broadcasters have a legal requirement to produce “distinctively British” programmes. Mr Whittingdale admitted that Britishness is a “difficult concept to […]
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  • News Dutch city allows removal of slave names
    In the Netherlands, one city has taken a step in addressing its colonial legacy and the effects on its black citizens today. Utrecht’s city council has decided to remove cost and bureaucracy to help people remove their ‘slave names’ and have the option to adopt one that recognises their African ancestry. In the Netherlands, if […]
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  • Politics Scotland and the Fight for Independence
    In Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is continuing her push for an independence referendum. This has come after the Green Party and the SNP have solidified their partnership, meaning the Scottish Parliament has a strong independence majority. The First Minister has set out a plan and timeline for the vote, as well as many good […]
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  • Editorials Reading won’t stop right-wing terrorism
    Usually, when terrorists are caught, they are sentenced to long periods in prison with the aim of punishing them for their crimes. A judge, however, decided on a different sentence for a particular terrorist. A neo-Nazi, Ben John, former Leicester De Monfort student, was found guilty of possessing information likely to be useful for preparing […]
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  • Movies Top Five James McAvoy Performances
    James McAvoy is a brilliant Scottish actor who has appeared in numerous movies, TV shows, and theatre productions. He does great accents and has shown impressive range as an actor. He is also very nice to look at. This combination means that I have paid extensive attention to his work and have listed five of […]
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  • Editorials What’s happening with Prince Charles’ aide?
    On  Sunday morning, news broke in The Times that Prince Charles’ longtime aide and former valet Michael Fawcett has had to temporarily step down regarding a cash-for-honours scandal. So, what did he actually do? Allegedly, Fawcett offered to help a wealthy Saudi businessman secure an honour from the Queen. Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz received […]
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  • Editorials The hypocritical anti-abortion movement
    In Texas, abortion has effectively been banned as the so-called Heartbeat Bill criminalises abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. Multiple groups, including Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), requested that the Supreme Court block the legislation when it was first proposed in May. However, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to uphold the […]
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  • News Claudia Lawrence breakthrough explained
    Fresh information in the case of missing person Claudia Lawrence has been discovered as North Yorkshire Police are searching a popular fishing spot. The case of Ms Lawrence has been widely reported for the twelve years she has been missing. But what exactly are the circumstances in which she disappeared? We take a look in […]
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  • News Afghanistan: Women and LGBTQ people in fear
    The Taliban have returned to power in Afghanistan after 20 years of war and bloodshed. For them, it is a cause of celebration. However, to many, the beginning of an era of fear. During the past 20 years of Western occupation, women and LGBTQ+ people have enjoyed relative freedom. Women have been able to go […]
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