Apple fined £1.5bn for breaking EU law over music streaming
Apple has been fined by regulators in Europe for not allowing music streaming apps to tell customers they can subscribe to cheaper alternatives outside the App Store.
Swedish music giant Spotify filed a complaint to the EU in 2019 which claimed that Apple limits choice and competition by charging a 30% fee on purchases made through the App Store.
The European Commission said that the global tech giant, who offers Apple Music to its customers, had "abused its dominant position in the market for distributing music streaming apps, and had broken EU antitrust rules in the process."
Ongoing sewage dumps and chemical pollution lead to “poor” health grade for River Don
A new report on UK rivers has found Sheffield's River Don is in “poor” health, with ongoing pollution from sewage discharge and urban runoff the main concerns.
The pollution poses an urgent threat to wildlife, particularly aquatic plants such as algae.
“It’s disappointing," said Geoff Guy, Manager of Riverlution, which restores River Don habitats. "If the system that exists for sewage isn’t putting the right thing in the right place, it’ll end up in the river.”
Yorkshire Water, which manages sewage in South Yorkshire, resorts to discharging sewage overflow during times of heavy rain and flooding. In 2022, a storm sewer managed by Yorkshire Water next to the Sheffield Wednesday football stadium in Hillsborough overflowed 100 times for a total of 665 hours. That sewer overflow went straight into the River Don.
Last autumn, Yorkshire Water announced they would raise water bills in South Yorkshire by £150 a year until 2030 to pay for the sewer network improvements needed to reduce discharge.
A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said: “We’re investing £180m in overflow improvements in the next two years, some of which operate in South Yorkshire.”
The company also plans to spend £1.4bn between 2025 and 2030, including some of the revenue from increased water fees, to reduce sewage overflows by 35%.
In addition to sewage, pollutants in the Don include high levels of flame-retardant chemicals, fabric stain protectors, mercury, ammonia, and pesticides. This is largely caused by urban runoff, such as chemicals and oil from cars washing from the roads into the river.
Ed Shaw, Managing Director of Don Catchments Rivers Trust, warned about the pollution caused by flea treatments people give to their pets. He said: “We’re particularly worried that dogs love jumping in rivers, and as a result that insecticide washes into the streams and the rivers and has a powerful effect.”
The State of Our Rivers report, published annually by The Rivers Trust, exposed that only 15% if Britain’s rivers are in good health. According to the report, none of the Sheffield’s five rivers are in good health.
Despite the Don’s overall poor health, one bright spot is the river’s fish. Brown trout are doing well in the river. Though the river’s weirs, built during Sheffield’s industrial past, are a barrier for fish traveling upstream to breed, restoration groups have been building fish passes into them that allow them to migrate.
“There’s no reason why salmon can’t live in the River Don,” said Mr Guy.
One advocacy group, the River Don Project, is even campaigning to have the river granted legal personhood, in the hopes it can help legally protect the river from pollution.
Alban Krashi, a rights of nature advocate who co-founded the project, said: “It doesn’t have to be this way. We have the understanding to support the River Don not only to survive, but to thrive.”
Sheffield student beats Chaser in dramatic showdown
Among the team of three that beat the Chaser last Friday was a student who used the money to pay for his rent and utilities.
The team faced The Dark Destroyer in the final chase with a score of only 14 and won a whopping £17,000 between them, meaning they left the studio with £5,666 each.
University of Sheffield student Tom Burton was part of the team and he used his winnings to return to university to study for his Masters in Journalism.
He said: "I told Bradley Walsh I would use it for university, and that's what I've done."
Although he saved most of his money to pay for his rent and bills while he was studying, Tom said he did treat himself to a new shirt and trousers.
On Friday, Tom gathered with his university friends to watch the episode as it aired.
The 28-year-old from Oswestry in Shropshire has previously applied to be on Pointless and Bargain Hunt.
He said: “It’s always been a bit of a dream of mine to get on daytime TV.
"I never saw myself as being an amazing contestant, but I always averaged about five or six thousand in my cash builder so I figured I wouldn’t embarrass myself too badly.”
Tom said he applied online and had to pass both a phone and online audition before being put into a casting pool for the TV show.
He said one of his teammates waited in the casting pool for three years before being called to go on the show, but he only had to wait for seven months.
Tom played it safe by taking the middle offer of the £7,000 he earned from his cash builder, he said he had practiced taking the higher offer at home but often lost.
He said: “I could feel my pulse in my throat.
“I barely slept a wink the night before, I was up all night with anxiety and palpitations and when I got into the studio my whole body was just shaking."
Chippenham to get new rail factory
The Victorian era rail factory in Wiltshire is set to be closed and a new facility opened after Siemens announced plans for a £100m replacement.
The factory, which designs and manufactures railway signalling and control systems, employs over 800 people, all of which will be transferred to the new building which is expected to be open by 2026.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, who was in Wiltshire, said: "This new commitment from Siemens is a big boost for Britain’s world-class manufacturing sector and shows our plan for the UK to be the best place to invest and grow a business is working."
Why do we celebrate World Book Day?
This Thursday marks the 27th World Book Day in the UK, an annual celebration of books and reading.
For many children, the event is a chance to wear costumes to replicate their favourite book characters, but for others, it’s the only chance they have to own a book.
According to the National Literacy Trust, one in five children aged between five and eight don’t have a book of their own at home. The cost-of-living crisis has caused a 1.9 percent increase in the number of children in the same age bracket who don’t own a book - the highest it has been since 2019.
Cassie Chadderton, CEO of World Book Day, says: “With fewer children and their families enjoying reading, it is vital we reach more children than ever, so that every child can benefit from the improved life chances that reading for pleasure brings. Our aim for World Book Day 2024 is to bring the fun of reading to more children, to celebrate their choices and encourage everyone to Read Their Way. Encouraging children to love reading for pleasure is our charity’s mission."
World Book Day aims to help children, particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds, to form a life-long habit of reading for pleasure. Each year, school children receive a £1/€1.50 book token to exchange for a book, eliminating financial barriers to reading, and this year, there are 15 books to choose from, catering to all reading levels.
Caryl Hart, a Sheffield-based children’s author, says: “World Book Day is not just about dressing up. It's about having fun with books and establishing a love of reading. Studies show that children who read for pleasure do better at school and have more career choices as adults - so showing our children how much we value books is vital."
The books on offer this year include Creepy Creations by Jennifer Killick, Can You Get Jellyfish in Space? by Dr Sheila Kanani and Dinosaur Club: On the Trail of the T.rex by Jane Clarke.
Children's author, Jane Clarke, who's latest collection of books are based on a dinosaur club, spoke of what it means to be selected to write a World Book Day book.
Cathy Cassidy, a best-selling children’s author of titles such as Cherry Crush and Summer’s Dream, spoke about why World Book Day matters to her. “I didn't own a book of my own until I was twelve - my family just didn't have the money.
“World Book Day is a chance to celebrate the awesomeness of books and reading. Of course, those things are awesome every day of the year, but having one day where schools and families across the UK celebrate is pretty cool."
Cathy has previously been asked to write one of the little World Book Day books, and for several years took part in the Biggest Book Show on Earth. She says: “These were roadshow events organised by the World Book Day organisation where hundreds of schools would bring students along to a big venue to see five or six authors talk about books. It brought the fun, magic, and drama of books to just about every corner of the country and it was fun to perform to such big audiences. I've just had an email from a reader who is dressing up as me for World Book Day!"
How is Sheffield celebrating World Book Day?
World Book Day celebrations across Sheffield have already begun, with retailers across the city stocking their shelves with £1 books, including independent bookshops Rhyme & Reason on Ecclesall Road, and La Biblioteka, which is located on Eyre Street near the city centre.
Kat Mills, a Sheffield parent, says: “World Book Day is fantastic for my children. It’s about more than just a book, it’s a day that allows them to express themselves through costume.”
The University of Sheffield Residence Life are marking World Book Day with a free book exchange to encourage sustainability within the book industry. Greg Hewitt, Student Engagement & Development Coordinator, says: “If we can encourage staff and students to swap and exchange books, we can help to do our bit to address issues such as unread books in landfill.”
Schools across South Yorkshire are also preparing for their World Book Day Celebrations.
One parent of a child at Archdale Specialist school says: “This year, the school is having a sea themed day, followed by a mad hatter’s tea party. My boys love it because they have their favourite story read and they get to have cake at the coffee morning.”
Steph Fogg, an English teacher at Doncaster School for the Deaf, says: “World book day is really important as it helps to foster a love of reading. For many of our students, reading can be challenging but World Book Day helps to bring the fun and pleasure back into it.
“It is wonderful to have dedicated time devoted to the enjoyment of reading and it is a great opportunity for adults to share some of their favourite books with our students in the hope that we can broaden their reading horizons."
Mr Richard Pease, principal at Maltby Lilly Hall Academy, says: “World Book Day is an integral part of raising the profile of reading engagement with children. Not only does it bring new texts and authors to light, but it brings to life the joy of reading and how the imagination can inspire new worlds and possibilities.
“The day often involves engagement with authors, discussing how they create characters and where their inspiration comes from, this ignites a passion for writing and reading in children, both in schools and encouraging reading for pleasure at home. World Book Day is crucial in not just raising the importance of reading as a lifelong skill, but also highlighting the enjoyment and empowerment it brings.”
Daisy Johnson, English Lead at Athelstan Primary School, says: “As a school, we go for costumes and a day off timetable to celebrate reading. Our children will tune into some of the live lesson resources provided by the BBC and Scholastic, as well as having down-time to read and talk about their books, or even create books of their own.
“However, World Book Day isn't a stand-alone event. Reading for Pleasure is already a big focus in our school; we have dedicated Reading for Pleasure sessions weekly where we share new reading with children, work on our reading aloud or memorising poems, and generally celebrate books of all kinds. World Book Day is amazing, but a costume doesn't make a reader.”
Visit the World Book Day website for more information about World Book Day and to see the full list of £1 books and stockists.
Peak District festival organisers talk plans to grow after being “so close to success” in previous years
As the start-up drum and bass festival enters its fifth year, the organisers discuss plans to grow its grass rooted success.
Rosa Festival was set up during lockdown by its seven core organisers who saw a gap for an electronic music festival in the Peak District.
Organisers of the festival, based near Middleton-by-Youlgrave, explained the major jumps the festival has experienced each year.
Joe Meehan, 27, Co-director of Rosa, said: “We went from one tent in a field to two stages with 500 people and then had to move off our site because we’d outgrown it.”
The festival, which takes place on the 7th to the 10th of June, has since grown to accommodate 650 people in its fourth year.
Thomas O’Keeffe, 24, Co-director of Rosa Festival, said: “If we had funding, the first thing we would start to do is booking out proper bands with a proper set up and really invest in advertising.
“At the minute it is pretty much all organic. It is something that I’m proud of that we have done it all organically.”
Despite the appearance of financial success, the organisers explained that their aim has been to break even each year.
Mr O’Keeffe said: “We are so close to success. We’ve got 600 people there but the extra 400 people would make the event.
"Once you get 1000 people there the event isn’t expensive to run anymore and it goes straight into the production.”
The organisers explained plans to incorporate unique things and places to relax in order to create more of a maze and detail to the site.
Mr Meehan, coordinator for logistics and infrastructure said: “Our ultimate goal is to have a bit of theatre to it. The festivals like Boomtown have full production scale theatre which is something that we definitely take inspiration from. We hope to grow that aspect.
“The core component will always be what can be considered underground music.”
Deadbeat UK, from Sheffield, has been a DJ for over 10 years, he closed the festival on Friday night at the Vibes Marquee Stage last year.
He said: “It seems like a good bunch of people running it and I can see the potential for it to grow and evolve as a festival as they do more. I would love to come and play there again in the future.”
The organisers have created a launch event for Rosa 2024 on March 16th at Dryad Works showcasing some of their DJs.
Ameya Khan-Forbes, 19, has attended Rosa two years running and will be attending the launch event.
She said: “My experience of volunteering was amazing, everyone was really welcoming and I still had loads of time to enjoy Rosa, so it was definitely worth it.”
The production and marketing co-ordinator for Rosa, said: “Our ethos is to make something which stands the test of time.
“We want people go because it is a cultural happening that runs every year, getting to that point is what we want to create.”
For tickets to Rosa Festival visit the site.
Brixton Academy to reopen following deaths
The O2 venue in North London is set to reopen its doors on 19 April after it a deadly crush killed two people in December 2022.
Gaby Hutchinson, 23, and Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, were killed at the venue when fans without tickets attempted to force their way in to a Asake concert.
The venue will host a host of tribute acts upon its reopening, including Nirvana UK, The Smyths and Definitely Mightbe.
“It’s done me the world of good” – Sheffield’s over-60s football team on the benefits of the beautiful game
Most professional footballers will retire around their mid-30s, but Mosborough’s Silver Foxes, an over-60s football team, are proving that love of the game has no expiration date.
Over a hundred men have joined the Foxes’ ranks since the team’s formation in 2019, and it’s been transformative for its members' mental health.
Organiser Dave York said: “I think it’s been a massive influence on a lot of people’s lives.
"We’ve got people with serious illnesses, people who have suffered bereavements and so forth, and when we speak to them they always say how helpful this group has been to them."
Playing with the Silver Foxes has had plenty of benefits for its members' physical health, too: player Tony Cronshaw told us: “I was about six stone heavier when I first started, and if I fell down it would take about six of them to pick me up!
"But coming here three times a week - I was getting lighter, I was getting a bit faster, and it’s done me the world of good."
As well as playing amongst themselves, the group have played friendly matches against teams from as far away as Plymouth, and have even competed in other countries, once playing in a spring tournament in Portugal.
There are even some international footballers in their ranks, with 5 players being capped for England at over-60s level.
Despite this, chairman Glen Kay was quick to stress that not all members need to be world-beaters: “It’s as easy or as competitive as you want it to be. Some guys are quite happy to come along and just play for the enjoyment of playing, but some of the guys have got a competitive nature.”
To make the club as inclusive as possible, the group is divided into three subgroups, based on ability and fitness level - walking, strolling, and standard 11-a-side football.
Plant-based options promoted during Sheffield Student Union’s ‘Plant Made March’ scheme
Vegan food and drink options will be promoted throughout March in the Sheffield Student Union building, in a bid to encourage more people to buy plant-based options.
As part of the move to advertise more sustainable choices on its premises, Sheffield's Student Union has introduced discounts on the vegan options being sold within its food outlets.
Discounts will apply for the duration of the month in union outlets such as, Coffee Revolution, Bar One, and Interval, where a 20 percent discount will apply to the plant-based options on the menu. A 10 percent discount will also apply to vegan bubble tea options at Pearls.
The new initiative, 'Plant Made March,' has been implemented by Welfare and Sustainability Officer, Jo Campling, as part of her role in representing student's thoughts on issues of environmental sustainability.
Emphasising the importance of sustainable food options, Miss Campling said: "The reasons for advocating for plant-based options in the Union is largely because of the huge environmental impact of these choices.
"The idea of the scheme is to encourage people to make one plant-based choice, and then hopefully they'll also get it the next time."
Through promoting more individual choice towards plant-based food options, Sheffield Student Union hopes to create more widespread, environmental change throughout the student community in Sheffield.
While Miss Campling suggests that individuals should not be viewed as culpable for the climate crisis, she proposed that the large scale of Sheffield Student Union may make the organisation somewhat responsible if attempts are not made to prioritise sustainability.
This discount scheme therefore acts as the Student Union's next step towards environmental sustainability, after beef was removed from the building's food outlets last year.
Alongside these discounts, sustainability will also be promoted during March through posters and table talkers, shown throughout the Student Union, giving information on the environmental benefits of plant-based diets.
Piotr Zieba, a student at the University of Sheffield, supported the discount scheme for promoting vegan options.
He said: "People potentially feel that if they're not paying for meat then they're getting ripped off, so maybe if they're paying less then they're more likely to try vegan options."
While the promotion of sustainable food options is a main aim of the project, prioritising the affordability of food for students is also a key aim of the project, particularly during the nationwide cost of living crisis.
Miss Campling said: "The project is making food more affordable as well as promoting plant-based food, because of course with the cost of living crisis it is quite nice to have cheaper food."
Students at the University of Sheffield also supported the discount scheme both as a way to promote environmental sustainability, and to make food more affordable.
Elouise Garland, a student at the University of Sheffield, said: "Discounts are definitely an incentive for people who aren't vegan to at least try vegan options."
It is expected that the scheme will be built upon in future months, in the aim of making more sustainable food choices available throughout Sheffield's Student Union.
Update on Sheffield stabbing
Part of Shirecliffe Road, between Longley Avenue West and Musgrave Road remains cordoned off, but police expect it to be opened in a few hours.
The stabbing, which saw a 17-year old hospitalised with serious injuries. took place around 6am today.
Our reporter, Chloe Boden, said: "The police refused to comment, and the road is still closed, but they [the police] expect it could open up in a few hours."
More updates to follow.
“It’s just so frustrating”: Sheffield residents unable to shift excess recycling
Across Sheffield, blue recycling bins are "overflowing" as residents are forced to stamp down, fold and even leave recycling in the rain to fit it in the bin.
Blue bins, which hold plastic and cardboard, are currently collected by Sheffield City Council on a monthly basis, but many believe this is nowhere near often enough.
Paul Fores, 38, a salesforce product owner from Woodhouse, described his annoyance with the irregularity of bin collection.
Mr Fores said: "It's just so frustrating. You see people stacking up paper boxes down alleyways and in front of their house, just hoping that they can get it removed.
"I'm expecting a baby in a few weeks and we've got boxes and boxes of stuff. Trying to find somewhere to put all the empty boxes in nigh on impossible."
3.6 billion parcels were shipped in the UK in 2022/23, according to Statista, almost double the 1.7 billion that were shipped in 2013-2014, this constantly rising figure leads to an ever increasing demand for recycling.
Mr Fores continued: "We have to end up stacking a load of cardboard in the corner of the kitchen because there's nowhere else to put it and it ends up making your house look a mess.
"Just let me recycle more. That is all I want."
Sheffield's policy of monthly collection is far less often than other cities across Yorkshire; in Leeds and Bradford, for example, recycling bins are collected on a fortnightly basis.
Only 29% of household waste between January and March 2023 was recycled in Sheffield, whereas in Leeds the figure sat at 39%.
Mick Rooney, councillor for Woodhouse, said: "In an ideal world we would do it [collect bins] more often, but the problem is we do not have the money.
"The more often you take out the bins, the more it costs."
Fly-tipping is one of the biggest issues when there is insufficient space for recycling, and Councillor Rooney mentioned that it had increased across the city.
He said: "It makes the place look horrible, it puts wildlife in danger and if it's left long enough it will deteriorate and possibly poison the ground and watercourses as well."
The labour councillor suggested people should got to supermarkets or use on-street bins, rather than resorting to fly-tipping.
According to a survey conducted by Recycle Now in 2020, 93% of UK households believe "everyone has a responsibility to help towards cleaning up the environment."
Matt Bates, 21, a student who lives with seven other students in Broomhill, said: "It's always overflowing: we've always got recycling and it's piling up. When we try and take it out all the bins are full.
"Its not nice when your kitchen is a tip.
"If we want a clean kitchen we'd have to throw it in the general waste, but we're young people so we want to recycle. We don't really get the opportunity to because the bins are always full."
Veolia, a recycling company who have been partnered with Sheffield City Council since 2001, were contacted but declined to make a statement.
Neepsend and Furnace Hill: £67m funding boost throws up mixed feelings for residents
A £67m funding package, which promises to provide 1,300 new homes in Sheffield city centre, has been met with ambivalence from residents, who warned “we’re not getting the facilities” to accompany it.
Announced last Friday by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove at the Convention of the North conference in Leeds, the funding from Homes England promised to “kickstart the transformation” of former industrial areas Neepsend and Furnace Hill.
But residents of the adjacent Kelham Island neighbourhood, which encompasses the newly acquired Neepsend Brownfield plot, said that the neighbourhood’s current lack of amenities needs to be addressed.
“We don’t have a park, we don’t have shops, we don’t have a pharmacy, we don’t have a post office,” said 65-year-old Ben McGarry, who chairs Kelham Island & Neepsend Community Alliance (KINCA).
“We don’t have the things that you would normally find when a community is set up. So we’re going to add more people but we’re not getting the facilities to go with that.”
Sheffield City Council said that the new Neepsend neighbourhood would provide a range of housing, local facilities and green spaces – something residents flagged as sorely lacking.
According to council leader, Tom Hunt, the nearby Furnace Hill neighbourhood would incorporate a mix of residential homes alongside new local facilities, commercial and leisure premises.
“I think having more residents where they're planning to have them is ideal because it's a rundown, abandoned area,” added Mr McGarry.
“But from our point of view, they've got to make sure that it's not just one beds and that there are some garden spaces.”
The council said that minimum 20% of the new homes would be “truly affordable accommodation” and that a network of new public spaces and streets would be built to improve Kelham Island’s connection to the city centre.
Ward councillor Douglas Johnson told the Sheffield Wire that the project “is the result of the last three years of work”.
He said: “I am glad that Homes England recognises the need for place-building – this means green space, schools and doctors, not just numbers of dwelling-units. Housing needs to be the right mix, to provide for long-term residents and families.”
The Neepsend plans sought to attract more young families to the area, which residents said is largely populated by students, young professionals and retirees owing to a lack of a school and the dominance of flats.
Beth Maples, a 32-year-old financial manager who moved into the area seven years ago with her partner, said this resulted in a high turnover.
She said: “We’ve had maybe six neighbours in the time we’ve been here.”
Her partner Calin Lapugean, 38, who owns tech repair company iRepairStop, added that he was frustrated by the lack of input Kelham residents have in the area’s redevelopment.
He said: “I think the main problem is that they don't actually ask anybody that lives in the area what they think they should do.
“You’d think they’d want to develop some parks or outdoor space or something. There’s nothing.”
This absence of input from residents isn’t for lack of trying on the part of KINCA. While Kelham Island used to have an area forum that met with the council, McGarry said they gave up “because it was a complete waste of time”.
“Council planning departments – certainly Sheffield ones – are being cut back and cut back,” he said. “So developers get away with whatever they want, really.”
For 32-year-old flood risk engineer, Edward Hill, his own experience with developers is a cautionary tale.
He said: “I’ve lived in my flat for seven years and it’s been an absolute disgrace from start to finish and it’s just getting more expensive.
“I'm actually trying to sell at the minute at a massive loss just to try and get out.”
Bought with the government’s Help to Buy scheme, Edwards said he was struggling to afford his building’s £2,000 annual service charge alongside a rising mortgage and £250 per year in ground rent.
Though the council promised that the homes would be "within the reach of everyone", Kelham and Neepsend residents are sceptical.
“Who knows what affordable housing looks like these days?” said 63-year-old Simon Wigglesworth-Baker, a founding member of Kelham Island Arts Collective.
“It’s gotten a bit silly,” echoed Dave Shaw, 66, who has been living in the area since 2007. “If you’re trying to get into the area it’s ridiculously expensive.”
For businesses, though, more residents means more footfall.
“You don’t tend to get footfall as much in this area,” explained Laura Taff, 29, supervisor at Neepsend Social Club & Canteen. “It’s not somewhere people travel to unless they’re coming for a certain thing.”
McGarry lamented the number of empty retail units in the area. He said: “The retail space that the builders or the developers put in is too expensive for independent shop owners.”
Kelham Island was made one of the UK’s first industrial conservation areas back in 1985, with subsequent extensions made to the boundary in 1999 and 2008. It was named by The Sunday Times as one of the best places to live in 2023.
Cllr Johnson added: “The actual building will depend on private developers being accepted to work with local and central government. At the same time, it is vital that regeneration builds and supports the successes of the Kelham Island community and does not overwhelm the neighbourhood that is already there.”