The Nova Effect

On the 25th of October, Durham saw the launch of new club night Nova- attracting music connoisseurs in their droves to the much-loved Fabio’s for a fresh house music experience. The night was a triumph, and due to popular demand Nova has since been forced to move to the larger venue of Loft (aka Rifts- above Studio) with an increased capacity of over five hundred.

Nova all started with three friends who were fed up with the lack of music diversity in Durham. Yousef Al-Qatami (Trevelyan), Ollie Scott (Hild Bede) and Omar Ismail (also Hild Bede) put their heads together and decided it was high time to bring house to the mainstream masses of Durham. As is usually the case, with exciting new music came exciting new fashion trends that are usually left at home for the ritual Wednesday night Loveshack.  Gone were the shirts, ties and chino’s and in came the top buttons, flat caps and crop tops.

To date, Nova has had four events and there are three more planned for later this term. Despite its relatively recent birth, the night has already started to see to some definitive trends occurring among its partygoers. Adventurous t-shirts sported by the boys have proved particularly popular- ranging from intricate Ganesh prints to Nova originals worn by Jack Breton and designed by Nova’s very own Ed Little. Greg Morrison also sported a distinctive electric Pegasus design.

The girls also pioneered some exciting trends, and there wasn’t a heel in sight as Reebok Classics, Nike Airmax and animal print creepers dominated the dance floor. Top to toe, the look was chilled and often finished with a knitted beanie (definitely a must in this weather). Laura Milone caught our eye with her silk poker dot harem pants; as did Juliette Monnet in her blue knitted crop top. However, our favourite look from the girls was a quirky combination of preppy and cool: for example a cable knit jumper, buttoned shirt, patterned tights and creepers, finished off with dark lipstick.

As the night grew in popularity with those wanting a break from the norm at Durham, the shirts got wilder and the patterns got bolder. Nova founder Yousef Al-Qatami set the tone with his psychedelic fluorescent jumper while Oxford guest Tunji Adenyi-Jones was spotted in a flamboyant patterned shirt. Ed Little also scored points by teaming his tribal shirt with a Looney Toons ‘Bugs Bunny’ Flat cap.

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For the second time in less than two weeks, the Greek government invoked rarely used emergency laws to order strikers back to work Tuesday - in a move designed to end a seamen's walkout that has left islands without ferry services and supplies for six days.

The decision by conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras to declare ferry crews under civil mobilization came after their unions voted to extend the strike until early Friday. Seamen who refuse to comply risk arrest and jail time of up to five years - although a union leader said workers would try to defy the order.

Samaras' three-party coalition government is facing a strong backlash from unions over new austerity policies forced upon it by international creditors, whose bailout loans are shielding debt-heavy Greece from bankruptcy.

The country's main unions have called a general strike for Feb. 20.

Merchant Marine Minister Costas Mousouroulis said the government did what it could to address seamen's demands for payment of salaries more than six months in arrears and the signing of collective work contracts with ferry companies.

"Unfortunately, arteriosclerotic and petty political views prevailed, not allowing (the end of the strike) so that our islands could regain their only means of communication with each other and the mainland," Mousouroulis said.

Samaras' government had previously hinted heavily that it would mobilize the seamen unless they stopped the strike. The rarely-invoked order was also issued last month to end a protracted walkout by Athens underground rail workers.

The Merchant Marine Ministry said ferry schedules could resume later Tuesday, depending on how fast strikers are served their mobilization papers.

But seamen's union leader Yiannis Halas urged ferry crews to resist.

"(The mobilization) will solve none of our problems," he told a protest gathering of about 1,500 seamen and supporters in the capital's port of Piraeus, Greece's largest. "We ask the crews to stay away from their ships and stay here. Courage and strength to all of us."

The strike has already had an impact on islanders, many of whom rely on the mainland for basic everyday supplies. An island trade and commerce association warned that the seamen's walkout poses a substantial threat to small businesses in the archipelago, which already face severe pressure due to Greece's three-year financial crisis.