It follows months ‌of uncertainty surrounding one of Europe's biggest low-cost airlines as the industry struggles against surging costs from the Iran war. The airline is the latest in a string of London-listed companies that have been taken private by private equity firms and largely US companies in recent years as the FTSE 100 share index has traded at a discount to its US counterpart. Both easyJet and Apollo Global announced the deal on Thursday, after rival to the takeover, Castlelake, dropped out of the running. "Having ​carefully reviewed the proposal by Apollo, my family members and I have decided to support the recommended acquisition announced by the easyJet board," ​easyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou said in a separate statement after speculation of his approval. EasyJet's board, advised by Evercore, unanimously ⁠recommended the cash offer, adding that it considered the terms fair and reasonable. "While we remain confident in the strength of our business and the ​opportunities ahead, we believe this offer appropriately recognises the quality of the business we have built and delivers immediate, certain and attractive value for shareholders," easyJet ​non-executive chair, Stephen Hester, said. Investment firm, Apollo, which manages about $1.05trn in assets and has previously invested in Sun Country Airlines, Aeromexico and Atlas Air, said it plans to accelerate easyJet's commercial ambitions - including broadening its fast-growing holidays business - under private ownership. Earlier on Thursday, Castlelake withdrew from the takeover battle, but did not state a reason. Read more from Sky News:Female officer 'bitten' during violenceReality star jailed over restraining order The firm had tabled five bids ​for easyJet before Apollo entered the race in July, topping Castlelake's £5.5bn proposal and securing the backing of the airline's board. Questions have been raised by investors and regulators about how Apollo will comply with European Union rules on airline ownership, given easyJet's bases across the bloc. EasyJet's flying rights within the bloc depend on the ‌airline staying ⁠majority-owned and controlled by EU interests. Following the deal, Apollo expects Mr Haji-Ioannou's family and other shareholders that remain invested to hold between 45.1% and 49.9% of the ordinary capital of the purchasing vehicle. An EU management trust will hold up to 5%, and Apollo's funds will hold the rest - up to a maximum of 49.9%. EasyJet's main base is in Britain and the Civil Aviation Authority said it has contacted the parties involved in the deal. EasyJet shares, which ​have rallied more than 65% since the ​initial takeover interest was disclosed, ⁠were still trading below Apollo's offer price at 670p by 4.08pm on the day of the announcement.

UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said in June she was "minded" to intervene in Paramount Skydance's $110bn (£81.4bn) acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) over public interest concerns. But a statement from her department on Thursday said she would not due to the legally binding commitments provided to her by Paramount. Money blog: HMRC repays £50m to thousands of pension savers The media and entertainment conglomerate said it would invest £80m in the UK and ensure the news brands it acquired would remain editorially separate, as would the children's TV channels. It has promised that Channel 5 will continue to operate as a public service broadcaster and be separate to the US news brands it owns: CNN and CBS. It added that CNN International will continue to be available in the UK. A letter from the company to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said it had "no intention to change Channel 5's commissioning strategy, scheduling approach, news provision, UK origination levels, children's content". Paramount has agreed to make the assurances legally binding. The deal is now effectively green lit by the UK as competition watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority, decided there are no aspects necessitating its intervention. Ms Nandy said, however, she will be meeting with Paramount in the coming weeks seeking assurances about the impact of the deal on wider creative industries. Why does it matter? Ms Nandy had expressed concern over media plurality and the shrinking number of news media owners. Fears for streaming service concentration had also been voiced. A merger of WBD and Paramount Skydance is one of the biggest media deals in history, with significant impacts on TV, filmmaking, and the possible future of the cinema. Other entities that would be owned by Paramount Skydance and WBD in the event of a deal include TNT Sports, Cartoon Network, and Nickelodeon, as well as the Paramount+ and HBO Max streaming services. TV channels will remain distinct from the streaming services, the UK government was assured. The joining of two of Hollywood's five legacy studios could prompt cinema operators' concerns over possible reductions in jobs and the ​number ⁠of films released in theatres. The company is also headed by David Ellison, the son of Trump-ally Larry Ellison, who put up tens of billions of dollars to satisfy funding guarantees for the WBD bid. While the EU has approved the takeover, regulatory approval is still required in the US, where state attorneys general led by California have sought to block the deal on antitrust grounds.

Mr Polanski said that "people of colour... can sometimes be held by higher standards" in society - and claimed the University of Cambridge had already carried out investigations. Professor Jason Arday quit his high-profile role at the university on Wednesday after it launched an investigation into his "academic qualifications and honorary appointments". In his open resignation letter, the professor of sociology of education, who became Cambridge's youngest black professor in 2023, said the "only way to bring this chapter to an end is to step away". His decision to step down comes after a series of media reports, including a story in The Daily Telegraph, alleging he plagiarised his PhD thesis and other research. Questions were also raised about the truth of other claims he made, including that he ran 600 miles in six days and that he had raised £5.5m for charity. He said his resignation should not be "mistaken for an acceptance of the narratives that have surrounded me" or "interpreted as a loss of faith in scholarship". He added that he had "reached the limits of what any person should reasonably be expected to endure". Speaking on LBC, Mr Polanski sought to defend his decision to sign a letter which criticised the "sustained and malicious attacks" on the academic's integrity. He said: "I think the whole affair sounds pretty sad. "I think it would be good, actually, if the (university) investigation still was carried out, because I think it would be good to know the truth. "And ultimately, I think these things should be about fair process and transparency rather than trial by media." He added: "(The university) had already done, I think, two investigations and found there was no problem here or that the allegations were unfounded, and so (the letter) was about essentially saying that people of colour, particularly in society, can sometimes be held by higher standards." The letter was also signed by a number of other prominent left-wing figures. Read more from Sky News:Boxer accused of killing UK aid worker back in courtExplosive German drone 'attack' carried out 'professionally' On Wednesday evening, the University of Cambridge announced it had launched an investigation - which Mr Polanski urged them to continue. In a statement, it said: "Separately, there remains a number of ongoing complaints regarding academic misconduct, which are being handled in line with our misconduct in research policy." Jesus College said in a statement that it was launching its own process in relation to the allegation. Prof Arday's memoir, Great And Unfortunate Things, is due to be published by Simon & Schuster later this month.

The Spain World Cup winner is wanted by both Spanish giants and has entered the final year of his contract at City. As reported by Sky Sports News, Real have been in talks with City since last week and indicated they would be prepared to pay £50m. Barcelona are believed to have received encouragement they stand a good chance of signing the midfielder should Rodri move in this window. Their interest has stepped up in the past 24 hours. However, City do not want to sell their key player. They are hoping he will agree to a new long-term contract at the Etihad and lead the team into a new era under Enzo Maresca. Transfer Centre LIVE! | Man City news & transfers🔵Man City fixtures & scores | FREE Man City highlights▶️Got Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Latest Sky Sports deals or stream PL games with no contract📺 Rodri had successful back surgery after the World Cup and is currently recovering. He is expected to miss the Community Shield game against Arsenal and the opening Premier League fixture of the season as a result. Upon his re-election as Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez was criticised because the club had too few players representing Spain at this summer's World Cup. They signed Marc Cucurella from Chelsea as the tournament got under way, and everyone at the club are believed to be on board with a move for Rodri next. Madrid are considering their next move which includes whether or not to raise the amount they are willing to pay. Carra: Don't sell Rodri for £40-50m! Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher: "£40-50m? If you're Manchester City, what's the point in selling them? You might as well just keep them for the extra year. "He's as good as anybody in that position in the Premier League, probably the best. Seeing what he was like in the World Cup, it was like he was back to his best. "I thought the second half of the season him and Bernardo Silva were fantastic and almost took Manchester City to the title. "So, if I was the manager of Manchester City, I'd be keeping Rodri at that price. It'd have to be something really special to want me to lose arguably the best midfield player in world football. "I think it'd be really tough for them to win the Premier League without Rodri, even though they've got a lot of midfielders. He's the best, even though they've brought Elliot Anderson, who is one who I'm sure will learn off Rodri. "And for me, I'd see those two as a pair. I see Elliot Anderson as almost the replacement for Bernardo Silva, who's gone to Real Madrid. So, I think that'd be a big hole. It'd be really difficult to fill. "When Liverpool won the title under Arne Slot, Rodri got an injury in that season very early on, which helped Liverpool and was to the detriment of Manchester City. So if I was Manchester City, I'd be keeping him and letting him go on a free. "City paid £60m for him. If they're getting £40m back now, what can they do with that type of money? Not a lot, really. So, I'd rather keep him." How much of a loss would Rodri be to Man City? Sky Sports' Laura Hunter: Massive. Despite his age, and recent injury record, Rodri remains the most complete central midfielder to have operated in the Premier League over the past five years. "The best midfielder in the world by far," maintains Pep Guardiola. Under Guardiola, City's in-play strategy revolved entirely around him, always impressing with his use of the ball and ability to receive in tight situations. He set the tempo for his team and controlled games as a result, doing the same for triumphant Spain this summer. There is no current player who can condition a game like Rodri, and it is no coincidence City failed to retain their Premier League crown in the two seasons he was injury-plagued. So, how is he replaced? In short, he isn't. But in Anderson City have got a surrogate of sorts. The England international might not yet be the dictator Rodri is but he can evolve to become something close. As a box-to-box midfielder, the 23-year-old is putting up numbers that at least mean he is comparable.

The Celebrity Big Brother 2016 winner had been placed on the sex offenders register, handed a five-year restraining order and given a 21-month jail sentence in 2023 for sharing a private sex tape of his ex-girlfriend, former The Only Way Is Essex star Georgia Harrison, on his OnlyFans website. The tape was posted without Ms Harrison's knowledge or consent. The 36-year-old was then charged with harassment for posting on social media between March and July last year about the case, in which sentenced in June. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said he made degrading comments about Ms Harrison and encouraged others to comment about her in repeated posts on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X and YouTube, despite a restraining order banning him from doing so. Ms Harrison, 31, gave police screenshots and screen recordings which showed Bear made a series of accusations and degrading comments about her. At Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday, he was sentenced to 16 months in prison and handed a new restraining order banning him from contacting Ms Harrison indefinitely. Speaking after his sentence was handed down, Ms Harrison, who was appointed MBE in 2025, praised the police for their handling of the case, saying: "Essex Police took me seriously when so many women in my position are overlooked. "They treated this as the serious crime it is - not a celebrity story. It is a real offence against a real person. "They built the case properly, they stayed with it, and when the order was breached, they acted instead of shrugging. From the messages I get every day, I know how rare that still is. "If every force treated this the way Essex Police did, thousands of women would feel safer today." Read more:Oasis granted Knebworth licenceFemale officer 'bitten' during violence Ms Harrison, who has previously waived her anonymity in this case, has starred in reality TV shows including The Only Way Is Essex and Love Island. After becoming a victim of revenge porn, Ms Harrison has actively campaigned against violence against women and girls. Bear's behaviour shouldn't be 'normalised or accepted' Detective Constable Swarv Stafin, who led the investigation into the breach of the restraining order, said: "Stephen Bear's behaviour is not okay and it should not be normalised or accepted. "The impacts of being harassed are very real. It causes a great deal of stress and anxiety - it is something no-one should have to experience." Mr Stafin also paid tribute to Ms Harrison's "courage and dignity," adding, "I would urge anyone that is experiencing any sort of harassing behaviour to the police, no matter how small or big it is, it will be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly." Bear was taken into immediate custody and must serve at least half before release.

The Celebrity Big Brother 2016 winner had been placed on the sex offenders register, handed a five-year restraining order and given a 21-month jail sentence in 2023 for sharing a private sex tape of his ex-girlfriend, former The Only Way Is Essex star Georgia Harrison, on his OnlyFans website. The tape was posted without Ms Harrison's knowledge or consent. The 36-year-old was then charged with harassment for posting on social media between March and July last year about the case, in which sentenced in June. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said he made degrading comments about Ms Harrison and encouraged others to comment about her in repeated posts on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X and YouTube, despite a restraining order banning him from doing so. Ms Harrison, 31, gave police screenshots and screen recordings which showed Bear made a series of accusations and degrading comments about her. At Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday, he was sentenced to 16 months in prison and handed a new restraining order banning him from contacting Ms Harrison indefinitely. Speaking after his sentence was handed down, Ms Harrison, who was appointed MBE in 2025, praised the police for their handling of the case, saying: "Essex Police took me seriously when so many women in my position are overlooked. "They treated this as the serious crime it is - not a celebrity story. It is a real offence against a real person. "They built the case properly, they stayed with it, and when the order was breached, they acted instead of shrugging. From the messages I get every day, I know how rare that still is. "If every force treated this the way Essex Police did, thousands of women would feel safer today." Read more:Oasis granted Knebworth licenceFemale officer 'bitten' during violence Ms Harrison, who has previously waived her anonymity in this case, has starred in reality TV shows including The Only Way Is Essex and Love Island. After becoming a victim of revenge porn, Ms Harrison has actively campaigned against violence against women and girls. Bear's behaviour shouldn't be 'normalised or accepted' Detective Constable Swarv Stafin, who led the investigation into the breach of the restraining order, said: "Stephen Bear's behaviour is not okay and it should not be normalised or accepted. "The impacts of being harassed are very real. It causes a great deal of stress and anxiety - it is something no-one should have to experience." Mr Stafin also paid tribute to Ms Harrison's "courage and dignity," adding, "I would urge anyone that is experiencing any sort of harassing behaviour to the police, no matter how small or big it is, it will be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly." Bear was taken into immediate custody and must serve at least half before release.

Its balance sheet, published on Thursday by the Electoral Commission, shows the value of the £100,000 vehicle has been removed from its books. Murrell, the estranged husband of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, pleaded guilty to embezzling £400,310.65 from the SNP earlier this year and was sentenced to five years and three months in prison. During Police Scotland's long-running Operation Branchform investigation which snared Murrell, the Niesmann and Bischoff Smove 7.4E, which was parked at his mother's home in Fife, became an object of both scorn and ridicule. While it was initially claimed the vehicle would be used to campaign for the SNP during the pandemic, court records showed Murrell purchased a number of guides for motorhome holidays around the same time. When it was seized by police in April 2023, it was found only to have travelled four miles. Read more:Operation Branchform: The downfall of Peter Murrell It also emerged in the accounts that Murrell is still owed £60,000 from a loan he gave the SNP in 2021. The figure remains on the balance sheet, but the party says Murrell has not "formally requested" the sum back. A note in the accounts said: "There is no formal loan agreement in place, no interest is charged on the outstanding balance, and no specific repayment terms have been agreed. "The former chief executive has not formally requested repayment of the outstanding balance. "Due to the absence of agreed repayment terms and the lack of recent communication regarding settlement, there is uncertainty as to when, or if, this loan will be repaid to the former chief executive, and whether it may ultimately be waived or written off. "This uncertainty regarding the future outflow of economic benefits from the party represents a significant judgment made by the party in assessing the nature of the liability and is disclosed to ensure the financial statements provide a true and fair view of the financial position." An SNP spokesperson later said that in light of Murrell's conviction, the money will not be paid back to him. They stated: "Our accounts show the position of the loan as of the end of 2025, since that point Mr Murrell has pled guilty to the crime of embezzling more than £400,000 from the party. "In light of this, the party is pursuing the full recovery of the money stolen from us and will not be making any payment to Mr Murrell." A proceeds of crime hearing is expected to take place next month, with the SNP seeking "to recover from the guilty party the full amount embezzled", according to treasurer Peter Grant. First Minister John Swinney said the accounts, which cover 2025, show the "formidable financial strength" the party was in leading up to May's Holyrood election. The SNP boasted a £509,903 surplus, compared to a near-£400,000 deficit the year before, largely driven by cuts to staffing following a 2024 redundancy drive. More than £1.7m of the SNP's income last year came from membership fees, with the party saying it had 50,443 members at the end of June, down from the peak of more than 100,000 during Ms Sturgeon's time as leader and a further drop from the 56,011 since 2024. "The publication of the SNP's accounts today shows that at the end of 2025 the party was in a position of formidable financial strength, having made a surplus of more than £500,000 over the year," Mr Swinney said on X. "The rebuilding of the party's finances allowed us to run a well-resourced campaign that took our positive message to every community in Scotland and made a major contribution to our historic election victory."

New York has emerged as the most likely venue for Fury vs Joshua, with Madison Square Garden poised to host the two British stars. Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn insists he is yet to agree that the bout can be moved to the States, but still expects the fight to be finalised this month. McKenna to target Eubank Jr and more after dream world title fightAll you need to know ahead of Zuffa Boxing 10Get Sky Sports or stream boxing and more with no contract "At the end of August, there will be a press conference," Hearn told Sky Sports News. "I'm not going to sit here and tell you there's no way the fight's happening in America because things can change. "But I really feel strongly that this is something that should happen in the UK and we'll do all we can. "We're up against it - it seems like everybody else has agreed but Anthony Joshua. He feels a little bit of responsibility to UK fight fans as well, and he's doing everything he can to give them what they want." Discussion about a change of venue has led to speculation that the fight could be delayed, but Hearn remains optimistic that an in-shape Anthony Joshua will be ready to fight in November no matter the location. "We're ready to go in November - so there's no reason for this fight to be delayed," Hearn added. "We will try and make it as financially unviable as possible to do this fight in the US, so that hopefully they just turn around and say, 'okay, let's just do it in the UK'. "Apparently, [New York] is the entertainment capital of the world. Who cares? It's two Brits and the biggest fight in the British boxing history. But I understand business." Watch Aaron McKenna and Etinosa Oliha fight for the IBF world middleweight title in Dublin on Saturday, live on Sky Sports. Get Sky Sports or stream boxing with no contract.