National News

British ice championship underway

The week-long British Figure Skating Championship 2017 is being held at Ice Sheffield and will see top performers compete for UK titles and to stake their claim for a place at the Winter Olympics 2018 in PyeongChang. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to technical controller Ann Findley.

Anti-slavery protest held outside Libyan embassy

Sheffield campaigners joined hundreds in a protest outside the Libyan embassy in London at the weekend to condemn torture and enslavement of African migrants attempting to transit through the country to enter Europe. The demonstration was held after a CNN investigation exposed the sale of Black African migrants at slave auctions in markets accross Libya. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!

Sheffield ranked second in city stress index

Sheffield has been ranked as the second most stressed out city in the UK, according to a new survey released by insurance group AXA. According to the report 86 per cent of people who live in Sheffield say they are stressed at least some of the time during a typical week, the second highest score in the UK behind Cardiff. The research which forms part of AXA’s Stress Index, is based on a survey of 4000 adults in the UK. The report also found seven per cent of Sheffield residents feel stressed constantly, 41 per cent say their personal finances are the main cause of their stress, 37 per cent are worried about their health and 36 per cent are concerned about the health of their friends and family. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to stress expert Eugene Farrel.

Unions call for end to public sector pay cap

Trade unions and public sector workers held a rally at Sheffield Peace Gardens to demand an end to the public sector pay cap as part of a TUC national day of action. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to Martin Mayer, general secretary of the Sheffield Trades Union Council.

Awareness week puts hate crime in the spotlight

An information stall on all forms of hate crime has been set up in the Moor Markets as part of National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2017. Hate crime reports have soared over the last eighteen months with peaks after the Brexit referendum and following terror attacks in London and Manchester. Reporting of disability hate crime has doubled in the last two years. Azz Mohammed spoke to Saskia Peat, coordinator of Sheffield Safe Spaces.

Sheffield MP criticises government Brexit strategy

Shadow Brexit Secretary and Sheffield Central MP Paul Blomfield has accused the government of handling the Brexit negotiations “extremely badly”. The criticism comes as the Prime Minister travels to Brussels for a dinner with European Union leaders in a bid to end the stalemate over arrangements for Britain’s exit from the EU. The meeting, with chief negotiator Michel Barnier and Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, comes days after the pair said talks were in “deadlock”. Later this week the Prime Minister and Brexit Secretary David Davis, will be meeting their EU counterparts to continue the Brexit negotiation.

Car insurance hikes hit Sheffield drivers

Drivers in Sheffield are facing a 15 per cent increase in car insurance compared to last year, with an average vehicle insurance cost of £952, according to a new report. The figures have been published by price comparision website, Confused.com, and are similar to trends across the country. Sheffield Live reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Amanda Stretton, motoring editor for Confused.com.

Hundreds enjoy bank holiday weekend at Oktoberfest

Hundreds of people have been enjoying the August bank holiday weekend at Sheffield’s Oktoberfest on Devonshire Green. The three day festival is into its secoind year and aims to bring people together to have fun and celebrate traditional German food, beer and music. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!