| LOCAL AREAS MISS OUT ON EU FLOOD CASH
Local areas that were set for a share of European compensation funding, have
learned that they will now get far less than was originally expected. Floods in summer 2007 affected many
areas of the country including South Yorkshire which was particularly badly affected. As a result, the EU
tagged £110 million to provide compensation. Now, it has been learned that only £31 million will
be distributed.
The reason is down to complicated calculations of how much the UK donates to the EU
compared to how much it receives in return. The UK is a net benefitter of EU funding at the moment so it
will get less compensation.
SCIENTISTS HONOURED
FOR CANCER BREAKTHROUGH
Sheffield University medics have scooped a major
national award for their research into breast cancer. The accolade for
the university's Institute for Cancer Studies has come from the Breast
Cancer Campaign, which named them Research Team of the Year. The team
is lead by Dr. Cox in collabtoration with a large international consortium
of research groups, has identified a common gene associated with breast
cancer, Caspase 8. Everyone has this gene but different people have
different variants. Around 25% or Europeans carry a variant that reduces
the risk of breast cancer by around 10%. The study found that women
with the Caspase 8 variant have a lower risk of developing the disease
where the risk chances from 1 in 9 to 1 in 10. This discovery will help
scientists further underatand the role fo the gene and the genetic pathways
invovled in the development of breast cancer. It is hoped that treatments
will be designed that are targetted at these pathways.
LIBERALS TAKE CONTROL OF SHEFFIELD
The Liberal Democrats gained a victory in Sheffield
in the recent local elections. They gained six seats to seize outright
control. Previously, control was split with a minority Labour administration.
The Liberals made four gains from Labour, one from an independent candidate
and one from the Conservatives (their only seat). They now hold 45 of
the 84 seats, Labour hold 36 and the Green Party have 3. Jan Wilson,
the outgoing Labour leader, said the result was "extremely disappointing"
and that it would send a strong message to the party nationally.
SCHOOL IN THE SUMMER?
Ground-breaking reforms to be introduced by a
Sheffield secondary school next year will see the academic school year
start in June instead of the traditional September. It is hoped the
changes at Firth Park Community Arts College will make it easier for
primary pupils to make the move up and also to boost standards and test
results. Primary pupils at Beck, Hadfield, Hartley Brook and Hucklow
will all be part of the shake-up. The move comes following consultation
with parents, staff and the primary schools involved. The thinking behind
the move is that students have a long break between the end of their
exams and the start of the next school term and it takes time for them
to acclimatise. There are sometimes seven weeks between the end of the
SAT tests and the end of term. After that there is the six-week holidays.
Plans are in place for the new Year 7's to start in the second week
in June, once the Year 11's have gone on Study Leave. Feedback so far
has been mostly positive.
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BBC Radio Sheffield - streaming broadcast.
BBC
National News - Live Feed.
BBC
South Yorkshire News - Live Feed.
Live Feeds From Rotherham Today:
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BBC LOOK NORTH FLOOD DVD
BBC Look North have produced a DVD
with the best of Look North's coverage of the floods. It is introduced
by weatherman Paul Hudson. The DVD costs £6.00 (including
postage and packing) and all proceeds will go to the flood appeal. If
you'd like a copy, send a cheque for £6.00 payable to SYCF to:
BBC Radio Sheffield
54 Shoreham Street
Sheffield
S1 4RS
Your money will go to the South
Yorkshire Community Foundation (SYCF),
a charity which is co-ordinating the flood relief across South Yorkshire.
World TV & Radio broadcasts including the BBC & ITN.
Select your channel and click 'GO'. Watch in Real Audio.
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WEATHER FORECAST:-
4 Day Weather Forecast - from Online Weather
Latest
Infra Red satellite pictures of the UK & Europe.
Wendywindblows
- live weather reports - Sheffield, Bradwell Edge & Hope Valley.
Sheffield
Weather (From Yahoo Weather & The Weather Channel)
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SPORT
The
Star: Sports Section - Live Feed.
Rotherham
Sport - Live Feed.
04/05/08 - A 4-1 home win coupled with results elsewhere
mean that Wednesday will continue to play Championship football next
season. Deon Burton netted twice (1 penalty) along with Ben Sahar and
Leon Clarke. Burton ghosted in to head home Tommy Spurr's fine cross
to give the Owls a two-goal advantage with 15 minutes remaining. Burton
had earlier held his nerve to convert a 21st minute penalty after Huckerby
had given Norwich the lead in the 8th minute.
Understandably, the Owls looked nervous in the opening exchanges as
they knew they needed a win.
Wednesday looked much more assured after the break and after Ben Sahar
had eased fraying home nerves with a close-range second, Burton's second
rendered results elsewhere on a nerve-jangling final day irrelevant.
Substitute Leon Clarke added a fourth for the home side in the 87th
minute, bustling in on Bartosz Slusarski's pass and somehow keeping
both his balance and the ball to poke home a fourth.
The largest crowd of the Championship season (36,208) were on hand to
see the victory.
The club's survival is all the more alluring considering their were
pointless after the opening 6 games.
30/04/08 - Wednesday's take-over has moved a step closer with a bid
of £5M being accepted for the shares held by Dave Allen, Geoff
Hulley and Keith Addy. Geoff Sheard has appointed accountants Grant
Thornton to administer the purchase of the shares.
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08/05/08 - Another day, another signing as Dave Matsos confirms that
Doug Sheppard will be back with the Steelers next year in his
duel role as player/assistant coach. He signs a 1-year deal.
David Matsos couldn’t be happier with his re-signing, saying "Shep
was a major reason we won last year, firstly a quality person, secondly
a quality hockey player. Doug has the respect of every player, not only
in our room but probably in the league. We work very well together,
we like the game played in the same way and we bounce ideas around well.
For us to win we all have to be focussed in the same direction and Doug
Sheppard and I are certainly doing that".
06/05/08 - 24 Year old defenceman Mark Thomas has signed a new
1-year contract with the Sheffield Steelers. It will be Thomas' 4th
season with the club after joining from the London Racers back in 2005.
Head Coach David Matsos said “Mark is an integral part of our
hockey club, one of the livewires around the place, he is a valued and
trusted member of the group of guys we have here. Depth is something
that is important to me” continued Matsos “Mark Thomas is
a major part of that depth, I trust him out on the ice in all situations,
he kills penalties well, we is responsible and he has a physical edge
to his game.
”For me it was a no brainer, I looked around at my options and
couldn’t see a guy fitting in to his job better than him, he loves
it in Sheffield, he feels a real part of what we are doing here and
it was a quick and easy negotiation”.
The Steelers are to make another player announcement on Thursday.
05/05/08 - Sheffield Steelers Season Tickets for Season 2008-09 are
selling well and numbers are up on last year's sales. To qualify for
the early bird discounts you must renew your season ticket by the end
on May. You can pay by cash, cheques, credit card or debit cards.
30/04/08 - The Steelers have confirmed that Randy Dagenais, Steve
Munn and Ashley Tait will be back for the 2nd year of their
two year contracts.
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04/05/08 - United missed out on a playoff play following a last-day
loss to Southampton, 3-2. The result also meant survival from relegation
for the Saints. Stern John cracked a second-half double and Marek Saganowski's
header shortly before the interval ensured the Saints avoided the drop
to League One. Stephen Quinn had given the Blades the lead and at one
stage they occupied 6th place before Saganowski equalised and John fired
Saints ahead at the start of a nerve-shredding second half. United substitute
Jon Stead dragged his side level.
John's 19th goal of the season was enough to seal the victory. The striker's
afternoon ended prematurely as he was sent off for a second yellow card
10 minutes from time, but the 10 men held out.
04/05/08 - Kevin Blackwell has signed a 3-year contract to stay with
the club.
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OTHER SPORTS
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Latest
Barnsley News 
Barnsley
FC News - feed from Football.co.uk
Latest
Rotherham United News
05/05/08 - Ronnie O'Sullivan won the World Snooker Championships at
the Crucible, beating Ali Carter 18-8. He becomes only the third player,
alongside Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry, to lift the trophy three times
at the Crucible.
04/05/08 - Barnsley ended their season with a 3-0 defeat to cup-finalists
Cardiff City. The Bluebirds dominated throughout and were well worth
the victory over their FA Cup semi-final victims.
Parry netted the opener before McNaughton and Ledley struck in the second
half to secure City the points. Barnsley had nothing to play for as
they had avoided the threat of relegation the week before.
Cardiff could have had more than the three they scored as they hit the
woodwork and Barnsley had to make some last-ditch tackles.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had an effort from the dge of the area go narrowly
wide.
Whittingham thought he had put City into the lead but his stinging volley
crashed back off the crossbar, but the Tykes' reprieve didn't last long
as Parry latched onto the end of Ledley's pass to fire home a minute
before half time.
It took just three minutes after the break for City to double their
lead and it was a shot from McNaughton which forced Luke Steele into
an awkward catch, the Reds stopper managing only to push the ball into
his own net.
Ledley came back to haunt Barnsley with a neat finish into the bottom
corner to cap off a fine Cardiff performance.
03/05/08 - Doncaster Rovers had to settle for a play-off place after
going down 2-1 at Cheltneham. The result also saved them from relegation.
A goal 5 minutes from time by Paul Connor was enough to deny Doncaster
an automatic promotion place.
An even first period saw the Robins start well and take the lead after
24 minutes when Steven Gillespie held off his marker and squeezed the
ball between keeper Neil Sullivan and his far post.
The goal lifted the visitors and they almost drew level before the break,
with Sam Hird being denied by a good save from Shane Higgs, while Gareth
Taylor had an effort cleared off the line.
Doncaster kept up the pressure in the second half, but Higgs denied
them with a string of fine saves.
Doncaster finally levelled after 76 minutes through a Paul Green shot,
but Cheltenham put any fears of the drop behind them when Connor scrambled
home the winner nine minutes later.
03/05/08 - Rotherham could have played their last game at Millmoor unless
an agreement can be reached between the new owners and the landlords,
the Booth family. At the moment, the Booths receive £16,000/month
for ground rent (including the training ground and suites) and as part
repayment of the £600,000 loan that the Booths made to the club
to ensure they finished the 2006 season. It is known that Tony Stewart
is interested in establishing the club at a new stadium as soon as possible.
Their aim is shared by Rotherham Council. If negotiations don't prove
satisfactory then Rotherham will play elsewhere from the start of next
season. Other venues include the Don Valley Stadium.
Rotherham may be docked points at the start of next season due to the
way they exited admnistration, without completing a CVA.
03/05/08 - The Sheffied Sharks and Peter Scantlebury have parted company
by mutual consent after the club failed to qualify for the final four
weekend. It brings to an end Scantlebury's five years in charge after
he took over from Chris Finch. He has ben at the club for 9 years.
Sheffield lifted the BBL Cup and the play-off title in 2004, and finished
as league runners-up last year. He also coached England to the bronze
medal at the Commonwealth games in Melbourne in 2006.
Sheffield have failed to win a major trophy since 2004, the longest
they have gone without landing some silverware since the club joined
the BBL in 1994.
Sheffield finished outside the top four for the first time in their
history.
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