Leeds United was once ‘the most exciting team in Europe’ according to the Observer Sport Monthly, but their sporting and financial performance has left the team in crisis. Professor Bill Gerrard from Leeds University business school spotted the problems in Leeds’ balance sheets more than a year ago, reported Brian Cathcart in his in-depth analysis of the team’s situation for the Observer. The team has one possible financial saviour in the Krasner consortium, but as Dr Gerrard pointed out in the Sun and Daily Telegraph ‘there is huge hostility from Elland Road fans to what is known about this other consortium, unless they can make it clear they have the best interests of Leeds at heart.’

Ted Hughes scholar Dr Terry Gifford, from the school of performance and cultural industries, joined BBC Two programme Ted and Sylvia: love and loss. Dr Gifford was interviewed by Barnsley poet Ian McMillan on a windy day at the Bretton campus.

Professor of sociology and gender studies Sasha Roseneil’s book “Common women, uncommon practices: the queer feminisms of Greenham” was the basis for a BBC Two documentary. Professor Roseneil was a consultant on the programme Greenham Common changed my life, part of the Time Shift series.

A trial of new ‘less-stressful’ tests for seven-year-olds will be evaluated by Leeds researchers, reported the Guardian. The project is led by Professor Diane Shorrocks-Taylor and will look at the tests in 34 education authorities. The new tests will be introduced across the country if the Leeds team recommend them, explained the Independent.

‘Keeping out the floods may still sink York’s historic streets,’ led the Yorkshire Post, covering research by Dr Joe Holden into the impact of flood defences in the city (Reporter 496). ‘Britain’s most flooded city’ faces ‘drying out underground, with the risk of subsidence, gas leaks and irreparable effects on 2,000 years of archaeological remains’, reported the Guardian. The National Environment Research Council and English Heritage funded survey also identified broken sewers and road subsidence as potential problems in parts of York.

The Yorkshire Post picked up work by Professor Arun Holden on a virtual womb (Reporter 496). The computer-generated three-dimensional model will help medics understand why some women go into labour earlier than others, potentially helping to prevent premature births.

Biogeochemist Dr Liane Benning is the only European scientist to be helping NASA prepare for an unmanned mission to Mars in 2013 (Reporter 496). Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, Dr Benning said: “A combination of scientific credentials, networking and good fortune has brought about this fantastic opportunity.”

Students from both Leeds universities joined forces for Universities United week, reported the Yorkshire Evening Post. The students ran a series of projects benefiting local residents including improving the interior of the Grove Resource Centre in Little London and organising a 1940s lunch for people attending Bethel Day Care Centre.