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No Writer
Feb 16
New weather warnings for snow and ice issued for large swathes of UK

A yellow warning for snow and ice is in place in Scotland from 3pm on Monday until 10am on Tuesday. A separate yellow warning for ice has been issued for huge swathes of England and Scotland from 6pm on Monday until 10am on Tuesday, covering cities such as Aberdeen, Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham and Norwich. Northern Ireland also has a yellow warning for ice in place from 8pm on Monday until 10am on Tuesday. The Met Office said: "Areas of rain, sleet, and hill snow will move southeastwards through Monday evening and night before clearing to the North Sea. "Whilst some patchy accumulations of snow will be possible, more especially on ground above 150-200m elevation, ice will be a greater hazard as temperatures fall fairly quickly once showers clear away. "In addition, a period of strong northwesterly winds are also likely along some North Sea coasts later in the night and into Tuesday morning." It warned of the risk of "injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces" as well as "probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths". Meanwhile, the Environment Agency urged the public to stay vigilant amid the continuing risk of floods. There are 71 flood warnings - where flooding is expected - already in place across England. The Environment Agency has also issued a further 195 flood alerts, where flooding is described as possible. Jonathan Day, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said more than 24,000 homes and businesses have been protected, but around 330 have been flooded. Read more from Sky News:'Mutinous' mood at UK's foreign officeTeam GB enjoy record-breaking day at Winter Olympics Met Office operational meteorologist Dan Stroud said there is the possibility of some black ice and slippery surfaces, adding people should take extra care. He said: "Monday really is a day of sunny spells and blustery showers. "Overnight Monday into Tuesday we will see a frosty start. It's going to be a largely dry day, some decent amounts of winter sunshine. "But it does start to go downhill later in the day, from the south and the west we've got a broad area of cloud and rain pushing in south-west England and South Wales late on Tuesday, during the course of Wednesday this will bring a mix of rain, sleet and hill snow." Mr Stroud added: "We do need to keep an eye on this system, there's the potential for snow warnings to be issued. "Thursday into Friday will be largely dry with some clear skies, turning milder towards the end of the week."

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No Writer
Feb 16
Tehran producer Dana Eden found dead in Athens hotel room while filming new season

Dana Eden was in Greece filming the fourth season of the show, Israeli state broadcaster Kan reported. Police said she was found dead on Sunday in a hotel room and an investigation had been launched. The 52-year-old Israeli was found after a relative made several failed attempts to reach her. The cause of death has not been confirmed but police said it was being treated as suicide based on evidence and testimonies. International production company Donna and Shula Productions released a statement dismissing any "unfounded" rumours about the death. "This is a moment of great sorrow for the family, friends, and colleagues," it said. "The production company wishes to clarify that rumours regarding a criminal or nationalistic-related death are not true and are unfounded." Read more from Sky News:Starmer announces social media crackdownNew weather warnings for snow and ice It also urged the media and the public to refrain from publishing unverified claims. Tehran has been a huge hit for Apple TV and stars Niv Sultan, Hugh Laurie and Shaun Toub. Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK

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Ali Fortescue, political correspondent
Feb 15
Keir Starmer has steadied himself, but his authority is still being questioned

Those blunt verdicts frame Sir Keir Starmer's march into recess: a leader who has steadied himself enough to stave off immediate crisis, but whose authority and judgement are still being openly questioned as the party looks ahead to a decisive spring. Sir Keir has been on something of a charm offensive, hosting Scottish and Welsh colleagues at Chequers in a bid to reknit frayed loyalties. "My God, he's actually got a sense of humour - why don't we ever see that side?" one backbencher remarked afterwards. MPs I speak to are, broadly, in a better mood than they were 10 days ago. Even so, ministers concede the road ahead remains uncertain. "I don't know," one says eventually when I ask whether the prime minister will survive beyond May. The "only way" of replacing him "without too much pain", another minister suggests, would be if Starmer chose to stand down himself. "At some point there's only so much one man can take." The minister would not say whether that would be their preferred outcome. One backbencher, not a usual critic, puts Starmer's chances of surviving past May at 50 per cent. For now, the short-term outcome is continuity rather than catastrophe. One MP describes Monday's events as a "remarkable" turnaround: "Shockingly, it seems like we've turned a corner." But, as one minister warns, "the troublemakers will be happy for a few weeks and then find something else to complain about." And there are several flashpoints looming. The Gorton and Denton by-election is just two weeks away. Privately, Labour sources say the outlook on the ground is better than expected. Read more:Mandelson asked to testify in Epstein investigationForeign secretary denies the PM is 'rattled' Others argue the loudest voices are being heard, while the number of quietly loyal Labour MPs is being underestimated. "I only got my seat because people around the leadership backed me," one MP tells me. "So I'll stay loyal to Keir until the end." A pause. "But that end may be fairly near." Those close to the prime minister say he can be at his best when his back is against the wall. His main line of defence to colleagues has been that he remains the best person for the job, and that there is no obvious alternative. It is that question of what comes next that may have saved him this week. The contest over potential successors is, for now, fragmented. Angela Rayner looms large. "Ange won't go for it unless someone else moves first," says an ally. Even some who do not support her believe she could cut through on the doorstep. As one Red Wall MP puts it: "It would give me something to say. There's a personality. There's a product." Any prospect of a Wes Streeting leadership bid appears, for now, to be on ice. His critics continue to brief openly against him; one described to me his pre-interview "breath work" as evidence he is not ready to lead the party. Defence Secretary John Healey has been floated by some as a steady, unity candidate. But a senior figure who has worked closely with him says: "He's not ambitious like that." Another suggests he could act as a stalking horse, clearing the path for someone else. One scenario put to me is that Starmer serves a full first term but stands aside before the next general election, allowing another figure to lead the party into the contest, echoing the decision of former French president Francois Hollande not to seek re-election, with another candidate campaigning as would-be president. Of course, that election saw the Socialist Party vote collapse and Emmanuel Macron's new movement sweep to power. Sir Keir is being pulled in multiple directions. One minister argues he needs a more strategic view, particularly on Europe. Another frontbencher warns that a reset reshuffle designed to appease the soft left would "pretty much finish him". With so many MPs holding slim majorities, there is a degree of self-preservation. We are often "fighting geography rather than ideology," one backbencher tells me. "I understand people wanting to protect their own back yards." A Downing Street spokesperson stressed that Sir Keir, one of only four Labour leaders to have won an election outright, has a five-year mandate to "deliver change, and that is what he will do". For now, "Keir's hobbling on," as a senior Labour figure puts it. "Everyone's going to let him muddle through until May." "He's got nine lives," they add. He may need all of them come May.

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No Writer
Feb 14
Igor Tudor: Tottenham reach agreement with former Juventus boss to become interim head coach for rest of season

Tudor is expected to be in place to take Spurs training at the start of the week with his first game in charge the north London derby against Arsenal next Sunday, live on Sky Sports. The Croatian's priority will be keeping Spurs in the Premier League after Thomas Frank was sacked with the club 16th in the table and just five points above the relegation zone. There is a verbal agreement for Tudor to take over until the end of the season and only the final contractual details need to be sorted. He will fly back to his homeland from London before starting work. Transfer Centre LIVE!Tottenham news & transfers⚪ | Spurs fixtures & scoresGot Sky? Watch Tottenham games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺 Spurs will look to name a permanent successor to Frank in the summer after the Dane was sacked on Wednesday following Tuesday's home defeat to Newcastle. Tudor, who usually deploys a three-at-the-back formation, will take over a Spurs side who have won just two of their last 17 league games. The 47-year-old has been out of work since October after being sacked by Juve, having also previously managed Lazio, Marseille, Galatasaray and Udinese. He comes with a reputation for stabilising struggling sides in the short term. Why Spurs have chosen Tudor... Spurs are looking to appoint an experienced head coach who has a track record of going into clubs and making an immediate impact, and Tudor fits that bill. He was appointed at Juventus and Lazio in March of each of the last two seasons and stabilised results in the short term. At Juventus, he inherited a team from Thiago Motta that sat fifth in Serie A, outside the Champions League places, after back-to-back defeats that capped a disastrous February in which the club were knocked out of the Champions League and the Coppa Italia. Tudor guided Juve to fourth in Serie A and sealed Champions League qualification after losing just one of his 11 games in charge. This earned the Croatian a two-year contract, although Juventus sacked him just four months later after results deteriorated. At Lazio, Tudor took over from Marizio Sarri in March 2024 on an 18-month contract. The former Chelsea boss had resigned after a fifth defeat in six games with Lazio in ninth.Tudor won five of his nine games as Lazio boss, losing just once, to secure a seventh-placed finish and Europa League qualification. He resigned at the end of the season after three months in charge. Tottenham's next six games February 22: Arsenal (h), Premier League - kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports March 1: Fulham (a), Premier League - kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports March 5: Crystal Palace (h), Premier League - kick-off 8pm March 15: Liverpool (a), Premier League - kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports March 17/18: Champions League last 16, first leg (opponent TBC) March 22: Nott'm Forest (h), Premier League, kick-off 2.15pm, live on Sky Sports

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Claire Gilbody-Dickerson, news reporter
Feb 16
Trump administration accused of 'purposefully muddying waters' with list of hundreds of names in Epstein files

A six-page letter sent to Congress by Attorney General Pam Bondi over the weekend included a list of high-ranking politicians, including the likes of President Donald Trump, Barack Obama and former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Also named was Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, whose royal and military titles were removed in light of his links to the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, and Peter Mandelson, who recently quit the Labour Party and resigned from the House of Lords following more revelations about his relationship with Epstein. The list also included celebrities including Mick Jagger, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, George Clooney, Beyonce, Cher and Janis Joplin. Both Andrew and Mr Mandelson have denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. Being named in the files does not suggest wrongdoing and some of those names featured in the list may not have had any correspondence or interaction with Epstein. The attorney general claimed the list of names included all those who "are or were a government official or politically exposed person", as well as people whose name has appeared in the files released under the act at least once. The letter stated the DoJ has released all "records, documents, communications and investigative materials in the possession of the Department" as required under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. It added: "No records were withheld or redacted 'on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary'." It comes after more than three million more documents related to disgraced financier Epstein, including email exchanges, more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, were released on 30 January. Read more:Survivors' diaries reveal how Jeffrey Epstein preyed on girls and womenWhat do the Epstein files say about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor? Democrat Ro Khanna, who wrote the Epstein Files Transparency Act alongside Republican Thomas Massie, criticised the list, saying: "The DOJ is once again purposefully muddying the waters on who was a predator and who was mentioned in an email. "To have Janis Joplin, who died when Epstein was 17, in the same list as Larry Nassar, who went to prison for the sexual abuse of hundreds of young women and child pornography, with no clarification of how either was mentioned in the files is absurd. "Release the full files. Stop protecting predators. Redact only the survivor's names." Mr Massie also criticised the DoJ's approach to the Epstein files' release, telling ABC's This Week On Sunday: "They're citing deliberative process privilege in order not to release some of the documents. "The problem with that is the bill that Ro Khanna and I wrote says that they must release internal memos and notes and emails about their decisions on whether to prosecute or not prosecute, whether to investigate or not investigate." He added: "I know the DOJ wants to say they're done with this document production. "The problem is they've taken down documents before we were able to go over to the DOJ and look at the unredacted versions. They took down some of the most significant documents." The names of both Mr Khanna and Mr Massie also appeared on the list. Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in August 2019 shortly after he was arrested on sex trafficking charges. Sky News has contacted the Department of Justice for comment.

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No Writer
Feb 16
Chadwick Boseman's brothers say late star's play will help 'preserve his memory'

Deep Azure, a play based around the death of Prince Jones, a black student who was killed by a police officer in Virginia in 2000, is premiering in the UK at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London. Boseman, who died in 2020, four years after being diagnosed with colon cancer, attended the same university, Howard, in Washington DC, and was inspired to write by the true events. Best known for his starring role in Black Panther, the Oscar nominee also spent a lot of time writing outside of his acting work. The star's brothers Kevin and Derek say director Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu "fell in love" with Deep Azure after coming across it a few years ago, and pitched the idea to Shakespeare's Globe. "It preserves his memory," Derek told presenters Anna Jones and Kamali Melbourne on Mornings on Sky News. He said it had taken him years to come to terms with his brother's death. "This play is absolutely about grief," said Kevin. "It's about love, it's about faith. So, yeah, all of that definitely connects to what we've been through." Paying tribute to his brother, Kevin said his happiest memories are of the time they lived together in New York after college. "My fondest memories really are of us living together, and him experiencing New York City and becoming an artist." Deep Azure is inspired by Shakespeare and the poetry of hip-hop, as well as jazz. Boseman's brothers say he always had a passion for theatre and that it is one of several plays he wrote before he died. It follows Azure, whose world spirals out of control after her fiancé Deep is killed by the police. Read more:Sinners cinematographer Hollywood's boys' clubWagner Moura on The Secret Agent "Writing was his number one thing," Derek said. "He actually initially was a directing major and took an acting class to better understand as a director how to communicate with actors, and then studied at Oxford, the British Academy of Dramatic Arts summer programme," Kevin continued. "And then became a great actor." "He was always writing," said Derek. "If we were on a vacation or sitting in the living room watching television, he always had a notebook or a laptop, and he was always writing." Deep Azure is now showing at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare's Globe.

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No Writer
Feb 16
Investigation launched into claims Labour campaign group hired lobbyists to probe journalists

The prime minister said the Cabinet Office will investigate Labour Together after the Sunday Times reported it paid £36,000 to a US public affairs firm, Apco, to examine the "backgrounds and motivations" of reporters behind a story ahead of the 2024 general election. The paper had reported that the campaign group, which was essential to getting Sir Keir elected as Labour leader, had failed to declare more than £700,000 in donations. Politics latest: Starmer announces social media crackdown The Sunday Times said Apco produced "deeply personal and false claims" about Gabriel Pogrund, its Whitehall editor. Harry Yorke, the deputy political editor, was named alongside him and the pair were deemed "persons of significant interest". They suggested the journalists might be part of a Russian conspiracy or had relied on emails hacked by the Kremlin, according to The Sunday Times. Josh Simons, now a Cabinet Office minister, was head of Labour Together at the time Apco was paid to look into the journalists, The Sunday Times says. Confirming the investigation into Labour Together on Monday, Sir Keir said: "There will be a Cabinet Office investigation into the allegations. "And quite right to - so, that is already in place." He added that he "didn't know anything" about the Apco investigation. "It absolutely needs to be looked into. So, the Cabinet Office will be establishing the facts," he said. Number 10 later said Sir Keir has confidence in Mr Simons. When the story that Apco had made claims against the journalists emerged in early February, Mr Simons posted on X: "This is nonsense. "APCO were asked to look into a suspected illegal hack, which had nothing to do with UK journalists at Sunday Times, Guardian or any other brilliant UK newspaper. "APCO's investigation never fully got to the bottom of this. "Those who know me know I think the work of journalists is vital to our democracy." Sky News has contacted Mr Simons for a comment about the government investigation being launched. Read more:Watchdog will not reopen donations probe at group led by Starmer's top aideKeir Starmer's charm offensive may not be enough to save him Editors said the accusations against the journalists were "profoundly concerning" and warned of a potential "chilling effect" across the industry. "Journalists asking questions about funding, influence or public life are not adversaries to be investigated; they are carrying out a fundamental democratic duty," Dawn Alford, chief executive of the Society of Editors, said. "The idea that reporters could themselves become the subject of intelligence-style inquiries simply for doing their jobs is profoundly troubling and sets a dangerous precedent, regardless of which political party or organisation is involved." Labour Together was fined £14,250 in September 2021 for late reporting of donations, totally £730,000 between 2017 and 2020, after referring itself to the Electoral Commission. Sky News has contact Apco for a comment.

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No Writer
Feb 13
Man City and Arsenal locked in compelling Premier League title battle - is the Gunners' grip beginning to slip?

Successive victories for Man City have altered the complexion and momentum of the Premier League title race. What was a provisional nine-point gap to Arsenal on Saturday evening has suddenly dwindled to four. This week's results feel like a turning point; City are closing in. More than the obvious value of back-to-back wins, though, was how those wins were earned. After investing "so much emotionally and physically", as Pep Guardiola put it, to come from behind at Anfield on Sunday, City made victory over Fulham look like a stroll in the park. To thrill as they did in the first half, scoring three times in 15 minutes, signifies the confidence of a team who know they are edging closer to the summit. "I say 'guys, we have to do it again', and they did it," summarised Guardiola, as if there were no real jeopardy at all. The rhythm of this Manchester City machine is surely now Arsenal's greatest enemy. Are Arsenal bowing to scoreboard pressure?Live Premier League table | Watch FREE PL highlightsGot Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺 Guardiola is daring to go toe to toe with the best team in the Premier League, which of course has so often been his own. But now the Gunners supposedly have the most complete squad with the greatest depth - attributes comparable to champions. The best squad in the division should win the title, shouldn't they? Except of course this is not a game of should haves. Arsenal should have won the title in 2023/24 and didn't. They led from the front for the vast majority of 2022/23 too. And so here we are again, strapped in for another fascinating instalment of a repetitive saga: 'Can Arsenal actually get over the line this time?' Meanwhile, Guardiola is poised to take advantage. He is not without problems of his own, that point is important. Erling Haaland has only scored once from open play in eight games and is clearly suffering from fatigue, withdrawn at half-time against Fulham, albeit with the game already won. The over-reliance on Haaland has meant he has racked up more playing time than any team-mate (2,148 minutes in the league) - which accounts for his drop-off in effectiveness. And yet he scored the winner from the penalty spot at Liverpool and a sharp third to dispatch Fulham three days later. Chances are he will be given the upcoming FA Cup weekend off to rest. Bernardo Silva and Nico O'Reilly are the other two who would benefit from a break. Both are instrumental to City's structure, whereby Rodri no longer plays the lone role from deep but is aided by the industry of Silva and O'Reilly to help balance in and out of possession demands. It's a pragmatic move from Pep and an acceptance of one of last season's major flaws, that City were too easy to play through. Especially true in transition. The maturing of O'Reilly in particular has been key to the success of this new setup, but City still have problems maintaining control in the second halves of games. The drift is stark. City have lost nine second halves of football in the league, just one fewer than Burnley. If the table were measured by second 45s only Arsenal would still be top and City would sit sixth. Such is City's strong start to games, though, it hasn't much mattered - yet. Thirty first-half goals have been scored in the league, at least nine more than any other side, while demonstrating equally impressive strength from open play even when Haaland is not contributing. City have scored a league-high 42 times from active play compared to Arsenal's 27. In a season of such subjectivities that fact feels important. The diversity of goal threat is one of City's best weapons as long as it remains reliable and not solely attributed to Haaland. The arrival of Antoine Semenyo, scorer of five goals already, has and will continue to lighten the load on the Norwegian. The compelling additions of Semenyo and Marc Guehi in January have already had a stabilising impact. That is how you instigate the change needed to properly ignite a season. It shows intent and ambition. They are marquee signings and have the potential to push City in line with the kind of depth Arsenal have lauded over the league since the summer. Between now and the end of May the need to be perfect is immense. Anxiety over how that is achieved has cost Arsenal in games where City have played first and put points on the board, such as was the case this week. The Gunners have bowed to scoreboard pressure more often than not since the turn of the year, dropping points in four of seven games. That has cost nine points in total. It's not bottle or nerve they are lacking, it's efficiency when it matters. Gabriel Martinelli's miss in stoppage time at Brentford is exactly the kind of chance a championship-winning team scores. Those moments become the marginal difference in the end. Guardiola's side face just one top-half team (Newcastle) in their next five league outings, while Arsenal must negotiate the north London derby and a meeting with Chelsea in between trips to Wolves and Brighton - before the top two clash at the Etihad in April. This is where momentum takes on a whole new meaning. And for the first time this season, it seems like City's pull is greater.

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