Joshua Kerry, 28, has been charged with the murder of the former Conservative minister, who was found dead at her Devon home on 9 July. In an update on Friday, it was revealed the Metropolitan Police received a report of an attempted burglary at an address in the Greater London area in April 2025. Sky News understands this relates to a property linked to Reform UK leader Mr Farage. Counter terror police have now reopened the investigation into this incident, and a staff member has been referred to the police watchdog for allegedly failing to follow up a line of inquiry. "Enquiries were carried out by the Metropolitan Police, supported by Counter Terrorism Policing London," said Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for counter terrorism policing. "No arrests were made, and the investigation was subsequently closed, pending any new lines of enquiry." Ms Evans added: "Following the reopening of the attempted burglary investigation, Counter Terrorism Policing London identified a line of enquiry which was not identified and pursued by them at the time, which may have been relevant. "As a result, to ensure their support to the initial investigation is thoroughly reviewed, Counter Terrorism Policing London made a mandatory conduct referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). "We will engage fully and comprehensively with the IOPC on this matter. "The victims and families in both investigations have been updated today, and we continue to support them." Read more from Sky News:High temperatures return to UKManhunt for escaped child rapist Reform UK spokeswoman Ms Widdecombe was having lunch when Kerry allegedly burst into her home in Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon, the Old Bailey heard previously. Ms Widdecombe was struck 21 times on the head with a hammer, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard. Kerry, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, was arrested on suspicion of murder on 11 July, two days after Ms Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her property. He was also arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism - but has not been charged with this offence. Kerry will appear at the Old Bailey on 9 October for a case management hearing before a further plea and trial preparation hearing on 20 November. A provisional trial date was listed for 8 June 2027. An IOPC spokesperson said of the burglary investigation: "We can confirm that the IOPC has decided to independently investigate the conduct of a Counter Terrorism Policing London staff member following a referral received earlier today. "The conduct relates to an allegation the individual failed to identify and pursue a line of enquiry relating to an attempted burglary reported in April 2025. "Counter Terrorism Policing London has been notified of our decision, and no further information is available at this early stage."

The Grammy winner died at home on 23 July, his family and friends announced in a statement on his Instagram page "We are deeply saddened by his passing," the statement said. "He will be greatly missed by us and by so many whose lives he touched through his music, friendship and kindness. "We kindly ask that the privacy of William's family and close friends is respected during this difficult time." Orbit produced Madonna's 1998 album Ray Of Light, a move into electronica and trip-hop for the US singer, which included hits such as Frozen and The Power Of Goodbye, as well as the titular track. He also worked with the star on her 1999 single Beautiful Stranger, from the second Austin Powers film, and her next album, Music, in 2000. For Blur, he produced the 1999 album 13, which saw the band take a darker lyrical turn and produced hit singles such as Tender and Coffee & TV. Orbit also took his ethereal sound to All Saints, to chart-toppers Pure Shores and Black Coffee in 2000, and worked on Spice Girl Mel C's 1999 debut solo album, Northern Star. Of his solo output, he was best known for his electronic version of Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings, and the trance remix released in 1999. 'A true visionary' Ferry Corsten, the DJ behind the trance version, was among those paying tribute on Instagram, writing: "William was a true visionary. "I had the privilege of working with him on Barber's Adagio For Strings in 1999 - a moment that changed my career and opened many doors in electronic music. I'll always be grateful for his trust and inspiration. Rest in peace, William. Your music will live on forever." All Saints songwriter Shaznay Lewis shared a broken heart emoji, while Mel C wrote: "Such an honour to have worked with this great man. Sending all my love." Orbit produced 12 solo studio albums in total, largely of electronic music, and was also a member of the groups Bassomatic and Torch Song. Singer Sonique, best known for her 2000 chart-topper It Feels So Good, collaborated with Bassomatic in the 1990s. "He was one of the first people I ever worked with," she wrote. "I am so sad to hear this. Sending all my love to his family. RIP my friend." Singer Katy B also paid tribute, saying: "I remember going to William's studio many years ago, I was so nervous but he was so warm and unassuming and genuinely curious about me and my music I still remember how welcome I felt . What an amazing legacy and major loss." DJ and producer Darren Emerson, formerly of Underworld, said he was "absolutely gutted" to hear of Orbit's death, and recalled a story of Orbit asking him whether he should perform Frozen with Madonna on the National Lottery programme, or if it was "uncool". "I just laughed and told him that maybe it was better he did and that I very much doubted it would be a bad thing to do... especially as the music he made with Madonna was amazing," Emerson said. "It was a pleasure to work with one of the best producers I've known. You'll be sadly missed mate, and your music will always shine bright." Read more from Sky News:US court blocks Trump's $400m White House ballroomOasis promoter granted Knebworth licence Orbit also worked with Britney Spears and Will.i.am on the 2013 album Britney Jean, and produced a 2014 version of the Freddie Mercury solo track There Must Be More to Life Than This, which featured Michael Jackson using archive vocals, and Queen. His awards included two Grammys for Ray Of Light - best pop album and best dance recording - and one for best song written for visual media for Beautiful Stranger. He was also nominated for Grammys for his work on Pink's song Feel Good Time, as well as his own 2000 album Pieces In A Modern Style, and for record of the year for Ray Of Light.

Joshua Kerry, 28, has been charged with the murder of the former Conservative minister, who was found dead at her Devon home on 9 July. In an update on Friday, it was revealed the Metropolitan Police received a report of an attempted burglary at an address in the Greater London area in April 2025. Sky News understands this relates to a property linked to Reform UK leader Mr Farage. Counter terror police have now reopened the investigation into this incident, and a staff member has been referred to the police watchdog for allegedly failing to follow up a line of inquiry. "Enquiries were carried out by the Metropolitan Police, supported by Counter Terrorism Policing London," said Vicki Evans, senior national coordinator for counter terrorism policing. "No arrests were made, and the investigation was subsequently closed, pending any new lines of enquiry." Ms Evans added: "Following the reopening of the attempted burglary investigation, Counter Terrorism Policing London identified a line of enquiry which was not identified and pursued by them at the time, which may have been relevant. "As a result, to ensure their support to the initial investigation is thoroughly reviewed, Counter Terrorism Policing London made a mandatory conduct referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). "We will engage fully and comprehensively with the IOPC on this matter. "The victims and families in both investigations have been updated today, and we continue to support them." Read more from Sky News:High temperatures return to UKManhunt for escaped child rapist Reform UK spokeswoman Ms Widdecombe was having lunch when Kerry allegedly burst into her home in Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon, the Old Bailey heard previously. Ms Widdecombe was struck 21 times on the head with a hammer, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard. Kerry, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, was arrested on suspicion of murder on 11 July, two days after Ms Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her property. He was also arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism - but has not been charged with this offence. Kerry will appear at the Old Bailey on 9 October for a case management hearing before a further plea and trial preparation hearing on 20 November. A provisional trial date was listed for 8 June 2027. An IOPC spokesperson said of the burglary investigation: "We can confirm that the IOPC has decided to independently investigate the conduct of a Counter Terrorism Policing London staff member following a referral received earlier today. "The conduct relates to an allegation the individual failed to identify and pursue a line of enquiry relating to an attempted burglary reported in April 2025. "Counter Terrorism Policing London has been notified of our decision, and no further information is available at this early stage."

The Gunners have signed the 28-year-old for £75m, and he joins a group of midfielders already including Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino and Myles Lewis-Skelly. So, where and how does he fit in? No 6 or No 8? Guimaraes can play as a deep-lying midfielder or a more advanced No 8. He explained his preference for the latter position in an interview with Sky Sports in October 2022, when he was being used by former Newcastle boss Eddie Howe in the No 6 role. "To be honest, if you ask me this question, I have to say I prefer to play at No 8, but I think my role here, at No 6, is exactly what the team needs," said Guimaraes. "It is to take the ball out, to do some passes, to find the wingers and the strikers. Transfer Centre LIVE! | Arsenal news & transfers🔴⚪Arsenal fixtures & scores | FREE Arsenal 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📺 "I can play both positions, but Eddie has a choice to make and, for me, the most important thing is just to play and to help Newcastle get the three points. I think my best position is at No 8 but I can play at No 6. It's not a problem for me." Guimaraes ended up playing in his favoured role for Newcastle after Sandro Tonali took over at No 6, but his flexibility, and willingness to put the team first, will doubtless appeal to Mikel Arteta, who loves players able to slot into different positions. Guimaraes' versatility shines through when breaking down his minutes played by position in the Premier League. The graphic above shows he has played most of his minutes for Newcastle at the base of midfield but also highlights his ability to play as both a right and left-sided No 8, providing further evidence of the flexibility he can bring to Arsenal in terms of how he is used. Arsenal have already hinted at their desire to make the most of Guimaraes' abilities in both roles, with sporting director Andrea Berta stating he was signed to help the squad "develop [its] playing style" while also adding competition to Arteta's midfield. "As we have all seen, Bruno can play as a defensive midfielder and as a box-to-box player. He combines quality with quantity, and has provided goals and assists for his team every year," Berta said. "Bruno will allow Mikel to further develop our playing style and will also increase our internal competitiveness, which is essential for maintaining the standards required when we are aiming to win major trophies." The options he gives Arteta Guimaraes himself describes his style as that of a "warrior" - but one who can play too. "I'm good with the ball, composed, very calm," he added upon his signing. Even when ostensibly starting as Newcastle's No 6, Guimaraes was platformed to attack. "With the way we are playing, Dan Burn is at left-back, so he can stay in the middle and I can go and be another player to help the attackers," the Brazilian added to Sky Sports in 2022. Guimaraes finished that season with four goals and five assists in the Premier League for Newcastle, despite playing as the No 6. He was even more productive in the following campaign, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists in the same role. In total, the midfielder contributed an impressive total of 30 goals and 25 assists in 153 Premier League appearances for the club, underlining the extent of his attacking threat. Arsenal have plenty of full-backs capable of tucking inside to allow him to get forward from the No 6 position. But another way to maximise Guimaraes' attacking qualities in a box-to-box role would be to use him as part of a double pivot. Rice could be the perfect foil. The 27-year-old spent most of last season playing as Arsenal's left-sided No 8, with Zubimendi playing at No 6. But he finished it playing further back, on the right of a double pivot with Lewis-Skelly, who impressed after his late-season move into midfield. Rice excelled alongside the youngster. Like Guimaraes, he has the energy to get up and down the pitch as a box-to-box midfielder but he is also tactically aware and disciplined in his positioning. Even before he was moved back into a double pivot last season, Rice often provided cover for Zubimendi, who was able to score five Premier League goals while playing as Arsenal's No 6. Using Guimaraes and Rice in a double pivot would allow Arteta to deploy one of Martin Odegaard or Eberechi Eze as a pure No 10. In the event of Rice being unavailable, or simply needing a rest, he could even use both players as No 8s, ahead of Guimaraes at No 6. If Arteta wanted to go in the opposite direction and prioritise physicality over flair, he could sacrifice a playmaker for Zubimendi and push Guimaraes forward, into the right-sided No 8 role in which he spent much of the last two seasons for Newcastle. A midfield trio of Guimaraes, Zubimendi and Rice might not appear the most attack-minded but it would certainly allow Arsenal to win most physical battles in central midfield. It should also be noted that Guimaraes actually profiles similarly to Odegaard as a passer. Guimaraes made almost exactly the same number of line-breaking passes per 90 minutes as the Arsenal captain last season. His average of 8.6 put him well ahead of either Rice or Zubimendi. He also directed a similar percentage of passes forward to Odegaard, and was in fact more efficient in terms of forward-pass accuracy. The numbers reflect a capacity to unlock opposition defences which could mitigate Odegaard's absence, at least to some extent, while providing another source of creativity from central midfield. Would others lose out? The arrival of Guimaraes does inevitably raise questions about some of Arsenal's other midfield options but is easy to see the logic behind their efforts to land a player of his quality. Last season, the distribution of midfield minutes was too heavily weighted towards Rice and Zubimendi, both of whom would benefit from a lighter load having played more than 4,000 each. Arsenal's over-reliance on Rice and Zubimendi was partly due to injuries. Odegaard and Merino both had long spells on the sidelines, along with Kai Havertz, who can also play in midfield. But it also reflected Arteta's lack of trust in alternatives such as Christian Norgaard, who has since joined Everton. His exit freed up a space in the squad for Guimaraes but Arsenal may still have work to do to reduce numbers, with Ethan Nwaneri and Fabio Vieira having returned from their loan spells at Marseille and Hamburg respectively last season. Lewis-Skelly, meanwhile, may find himself bumped down the pecking order having finished last season as a midfield starter ahead of Zubimendi. But Arsenal played 63 games last term and will be targeting silverware on multiple fronts again. The level of rotation required in that context, and the potential for injuries and absences, should still allow opportunities for Lewis-Skelly in midfield. But the reality is that Guimaraes, who was valued at £80m by Newcastle, does not arrive to play a supporting role.

Yellow heat health alerts, which warn of possible impacts across health and social care services, came into force from 9am on Saturday and run to 9pm on Tuesday, covering most of England, apart from the North East and North West. The Met Office said temperatures will climb through the weekend, and could hit a high of 36C in parts of East Anglia and the South East by Thursday. Christopher England, Sky News' meteorologist, said: "Temperatures are climbing again, with heatwave thresholds likely to be exceeded for an unprecedented fifth time this year. "England looks hottest, with 36C possible on Wednesday and Thursday, with Wales only a little behind, but there's a chance that all four nations may go over the limits." The UK has already seen two record-breaking heatwaves, in May and June, which have been linked to more than 2,700 excess deaths. Two further heatwaves in July have fuelled drought and wildfires. Dr England, however, notes that because of how heatwaves are recorded, the recent heat "could well be described as part of a prolonged heatwave interspersed with a few brief cooler interludes". There have been 33 days so far this year when temperatures have exceeded 30C somewhere in the UK and the record of 34 days - set in 1995 - will likely be broken next week. Forecasters say the weekend will see a national divide in the weather, with Scotland and Northern Ireland likely to see spells of heavy rain, while England and Wales will remain largely dry, sunny, and increasingly hot. Temperatures could reach 30C (86F) on Saturday, before climbing into the low 30s in southern England on Sunday. Highs of up to 30C are possible across parts of England and Wales on Tuesday, increasing to 32C to 34C (90F to 93F) on Wednesday, with the highest temperatures currently expected on Thursday. Get the weather forecast where you are 'Several more areas' could move into drought The forecast comes as the Environment Agency (EA) confirmed that last week was the seventh consecutive week in which England received less than 10mm of rainfall. The agency suggested "several areas" could move towards or into drought next week, in addition to the half of England already in drought. The EA is already planning to introduce formal restrictions on the amount of water that can be removed from natural sources in parts of East Anglia to protect exceptionally low river flows. Reservoir storage in England has also dropped to 69%, down from 72% a week ago and nearly 12% below the long-term average for this time of year, the agency said on Friday. Storage stood at 85% at the end of June, which was the average for that point in the year, but has fallen steadily in the past few weeks. Five reservoirs are now classed as having "exceptionally low" levels: Blagdon in Somerset (54% full); Clywedog in Powys, which provides water for central and North West England (62%); the Dove group of reservoirs in Derbyshire (74%); Hanningfield in Essex (60%); and Wimbleball in Somerset (50%). Wildfires to become 'exceptionally severe' Last month was the driest July for England and Wales since records began in 1836, with 19 counties across England recording effectively no rainfall - 1mm or less, according to provisional figures released by the Met Office. It comes after several wildfires have broken out in the UK this summer, with large blazes in Suffolk, on the Isle of Wight, in the Rhondda Valleys, South Wales, and the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. Read more from Sky News:Man charged over death of four people in crashSpain announces new border controls with Italy The Fire Severity Index, which evaluates how severe a wildfire could become if one were to ignite under current weather conditions, says fires on Sunday are likely to become exceptionally severe - its highest ranking - for almost all of the East and South East of England. The Met Office data includes rainfall, temperature, and humidity, but the index does not cover the chances of wildfires occurring.

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.

It comes following a draft set of alcohol policies, published by the council, which encouraged venues to prioritise sitting areas over standing space in a bid to discourage so-called "vertical drinking". Politics Hub: Follow the latest However, Paul Swaddle, the Conservative leader of Westminster City Council, said "there is no plan" to stop standing-up drinking in his borough. Mr Swaddle said the policies are currently out for public consultation, with the survey due to close on Sunday. A No 10 spokesperson said: "Busy pubs full of people talking to each other is not a public nuisance, it is British life and it is thousands of jobs." They said that new licensing powers would be devolved to the mayor of London to help provide support to the city's pubs and nightlife. "Soho did not become world famous by taking last orders early, switching the lights off at 10 o'clock," the spokesperson added. "The prime minister encourages local leaders to work with the industry so that pubs can continue to thrive." PM 'a defender' of pubs Andy Burnham has previously vowed to be "a defender" for British pubs and recently announced plans to cut business rates by 20% for pubs, clubs and live music venues across England from April next year. The prime minister described pubs as being "at the heart of high streets" and said it was "really important to signal" at the start of his premiership that he would support them. Mr Burnham insisted he would "speak up for them and act". Included in Westminster City Council's draft statement of licensing policy is an intention to "discourage excessive drunkenness and encourage the provision of more seating in premises that serve alcohol for people to sit and enjoy a drink and order food by table service in place of open bar space that caters for high-volume vertical drinking". One proposed policy is to "normally refuse" pub, bar, fast food or music venue licences in an area known as the West End cumulative impact zone – the area roughly between Oxford Street and Trafalgar Square, including Leicester Square and Soho. "The introduction of measures to reduce the extent of, or to remove opportunities for, vertical drinking could address the underlying reasons for the policy," the document reads. 'We don't need lectures' Mr Swaddle said he wanted "to be straight with people" and accused the press of writing "confusing stories" about what the document meant. He said: "There is no plan, and never has been, to ban drinking while standing up in a Westminster pub." Read more from Sky News:Reality TV star jailedFarmer gets life for murder Mr Swaddle also hit back at London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, who criticised the proposals on social media, writing: "You can't run a world-famous nightlife district with a village-hall mindset." The council leader said: "We don't need lectures from City Hall on backing hospitality when they have directed the police to object to every new licence application as their solution to curbing crime in the West End." He added: "Growth is central to everything this administration is doing. That means backing our hospitality sector, not making things harder for them." Business owners have also criticised the proposals, with one owner of a venue in Soho telling the Press Association that "we rely on those people standing up with the rents and the rates put upon us". Meanwhile, a Conservative Party spokesperson said: "Standing inside or outside a pub with a pint in hand is a British tradition." They also called for Westminster City Council to strike a balance between the nighttime economy and concerns from neighbours, adding: "We hope the council's consultation will recognise its importance whilst addressing any particular local issues in crowded late-night locations."

The deal for the 27-year-old, who signed a new Barca contract that runs until 2031 last year, includes an option to buy for around £47.14m (€55m). Araujo will arrive in the UK on Sunday to undertake a medical and complete his temporary switch to Liverpool. The Uruguay international joined Barcelona B in 2018 before being promoted to the first team in 2019. Transfer Centre LIVE! | Liverpool news & transfers🔴Liverpool fixtures & scores | FREE Liverpool highlights▶️Why Liverpool are ready to put their faith in the 'real deal' Jeremy JacquetGot Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Latest Sky Sports deals or stream PL games with no contract📺 The 27-year-old centre-back will add to Andoni Iraola's options at the heart of his defence following the departure of Ibrahima Konate to Real Madrid and fitness concerns over relatively inexperienced 21-year-old Jeremy Jacquet. The summer signing from Rennes has made fewer than 100 senior career appearances and has not featured in pre-season yet after missing the second half of last season following shoulder surgery. Joe Gomez suffered a muscle injury in Liverpool's opening pre-season game, while teenage centre-back Giovanni Leoni is still recovering from an ACL injury, leaving captain Virgil van Dijk as Liverpool's only fully-fit senior centre-back. Araujo primarily plays as central defender but is also capable of filling in at right-back. This would aid two problem positions for Liverpool, who have injuries at both right-back and centre-back. Araujo joined Barcelona from his native Uruguay in 2018 and made his debut the following October, going on to play more than 200 games at the Nou Camp to date. He was named one of the club's captains following the departure of Marc-Andre Ter Stegen in January but started only 11 LaLiga matches for the Catalan giants last season following an extended break from football in November 2025 as he recovered from what he later revealed was depression. Liverpool's Barcola deal difficult to complete after talks with PSG Liverpool have held preliminary talks with Paris Saint-Germain over the possibility of signing Bradley Barcola. However, Sky Sports News understands there is a significant gap in valuation between the two clubs. The Champions League holders value the 23-year-old at £145m. PSG's stance on the fee makes it a difficult deal to complete at this stage.