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No Writer
Apr 22
Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior sacked after fifth straight Premier League loss

The club was holding senior leadership team discussions about his future earlier today. A 3-0 loss at Brighton further dented the Blues' hopes of qualifying for the Champions League, with Rosenior admitting the performance was "indefensible". The Blues are set to play Leeds in an FA Cup semi-final on Sunday. Rosenior said on Tuesday he must identify which players he can trust after the poor result at the Amex Stadium. It was Chelsea's fifth straight league loss without scoring for the first time since 1912. "I understand their frustration," Rosenior said of the fans. "The buck stops with me. I have thick skin and I understand why the fans are frustrated." This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

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No Writer
Apr 22
Bang Si-Hyuk, boss of Hybe and mogul behind K-pop supergroup BTS, faces arrest

Bang Si-Hyuk, who is the founder and chairman of Hybe, is being investigated over allegations that he told investors the company had no plans to go public, which convinced them to sell their shares to a private equity fund in 2019. The company then proceeded with an initial public offering. Police believe that the fund may have paid Bang, who is widely seen as one of the most powerful figures in South Korean music, around 200bn won (£100m) in a side deal. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has since asked prosecutors to request a court warrant for Bang's arrest. Bang, who has been barred from leaving the country since August, denies any wrongdoing. His legal team told the Associated Press that they had offered "full and consistent cooperation with the investigation over an extended period". "We will continue to cooperate with all legal procedures and make every effort to clearly explain our position," the statement said. Bang is often credited with being behind the global success of BTS, who have become one of the biggest music groups on the planet. In 2021, the firm secured management rights for other major global acts, including Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande. Read more from Sky News:Children subjected to 'intrusive and traumatic' strip searchesLufthansa cuts 20,000 flights amid soaring jet fuel costs The legal troubles come ahead of the group's highly anticipated global tour after an almost four-year hiatus as they served mandatory military service. They are due to kick off a series of US events with a concert in Tampa, Florida, later this month.

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Faye Brown, political reporter
Apr 21
Mandelson drama turns 'high stakes' debate on economy into sideshow

Not whether Sir Keir Starmer should stay or go, or who is telling the truth over the Mandelson vetting saga - but about how we grow the economy in a way everybody benefits. The National Growth Debate - an event organised by the Good Growth Foundation - brought together cabinet ministers, backbench MPs, senior opposition figures, business leaders, unions and think tanks to answer that question. The discussions were not about abstract GDP numbers - but something more tangible - about how you build an economy that lets everyone have a stake, so that if you work hard, you will be rewarded. It's the social contract that people all over the country feel is broken, and why they are increasingly turning against mainstream politicians. To quote Louise Haigh, the former transport secretary who made the first intervention of the day: "For well over a decade, voters have been sending the same message, 'the system isn't working, the economy feels rigged, their lives aren't getting better'. "Our tax system is on the side of billionaire owners while people who work for them are abandoned and squeezed." Haigh, who resigned from cabinet 18 months ago after a past criminal offence came to light, now leads the Tribune group of soft left MPs. She was speaking alongside Chris Curtis, who chairs the moderate Labour Growth Group. They came together to outline an economic agenda they believe can unite the party and Labour's fragmented voter base. The policies they are calling for include reforms to stamp duty and council tax - described by Haigh as "regressive property taxes" - as well as reforms to business rates, VAT thresholds and the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The fiscal watchdog's five-year forecasts are holding the country back, Haigh argued, by prioritising short term costs over long term gains from investment. For her, the "obsession" with fiscal headroom to meet "shaky" OBR forecasts is one of this government's "original sins". For Curtis, it was the manifesto pledge not to raise VAT, Income Tax or NI: "It didn't win us a single vote, you shouldn't make commitments you don't believe you can stick to." That, and the "ming vase" election campaign strategy which meant "we couldn't talk about a vision, who we were for or against", the former YouGov pollster said. Read More from Faye Brown:Louise Haigh to set out economic policies that can 'unite Labour' Government looking at decoupling electricity and gas prices to bring down bills Haigh and Curtis will both publish more work on these ideas after May's local elections - which are expected to be disastrous for Starmer and could lead to fresh calls for him to go. The groups they lead represent 200 Labour MPs - almost half the Parliamentary Labour Party. Are they putting the PM on notice, or is this a signal to whoever might replace him to back this plan if they want their support? If it's the latter then Angela Rayner is certainly paying attention. Often tipped to succeed Starmer, the former deputy PM was not originally scheduled to speak at Tuesday's event but is said to have taken an interest in what her backbench colleagues had to say. During a short speech at the evening reception she thanked them for their contribution as she urged the government to be bolder: "Let's take bold action, let's tell a bold story about how we are building an economy for the one interest we should all serve and that's the British people" she said. It was not as critical as her previous intervention, when she warned Labour's "very survival" is at stake as she shot down the Home Secretary's immigration reforms. But this time it comes as the decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as US Ambassador rears its head again - casting further doubt on whether the prime minister can survive. It's unfortunate for the Good Growth Foundation (GGF) organisers that Tuesday's long-planned event coincided with Olly Robbins' Commons testimony - just the kind of Westminster psychodrama this Labour government pledged to stop. It also risks overshadowing a significant announcement from Energy Secretary Ed Miliband on decoupling gas from electricity prices - which could massively bring down household bills. Having absolved himself of anything to do with Mandelson in a punchy Sky News interview this morning, the former Labour leader was in good spirits as he told the GGF event that the impact of his policies were being felt "straight away". Miliband added: "Hope is the commodity that we have to offer as a government - people haven't felt it since 2008." It struck a different tone to Darren Jones, chief secretary to the prime minister, who when asked about the earlier interventions of his colleagues, said there were "no easy answers". That's exactly the narrative Tuesday's event tried to push back on. Ideas put forward included a bespoke customs union with the EU, championed by Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper. For the Conservatives, shadow chancellor Mel Stride talked about slashing the benefits bill and getting people into work while Green MP Adrian Ramsey called for a bigger windfall tax on oil and gas profits. Chancellor Rachel Reeves was among those listening. As Praful Nargund, the GGF's director said in his opening remarks: "When the stakes are high people show up." But whether government is listening is another matter.

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No Writer
Apr 22
Liam Rosenior wanted time to implement his ideas at Chelsea but the more he got, the worse they became

Rosenior explained his thinking after the FA Cup win over Charlton in his first game in January. "This is a team that won the Club World Cup. That was five months ago. This is a team that won the Conference League last year. They've been well coached." The new head coach felt Enzo Maresca had left strong foundations tactically. Looking back, his early results bore it out. Chelsea won eight of those first 11 games under Rosenior, their only defeats coming against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final. There were some adjustments to their approach during that period. Rosenior's preference for a far more aggressive man-to-man press than his predecessor was apparent in spells. But overall he favoured a light touch as he navigated their hectic schedule. Chelsea: No shots, no tackles for 30 minutes, outrun againGot Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱No Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺 That schedule eased after their FA Cup win over Hull in February, when the fixture list allowed an eight-day break between games. Finally, a chance for Rosenior to properly implement his own ideas. "I said to the players in our team meeting on Thursday morning that it was the first time we've had a two-day tactical lead into a game since I've worked with them," he said in his press conference ahead of their subsequent game against Burnley at Stamford Bridge. "It's been one day until now. Walk out, walk through certain situations and scenarios, rest, and play," he added. "Thursday was the first opportunity for us to talk about our style and what we want to put into the game, and then actually work on it. "Every coach would say the more time you get with the group, the more you can imprint what you want." The problem was that the more time Rosenior got with the players on the training pitch, the worse Chelsea seemed to become. The Burnley game ended in a bitterly disappointing 1-1 draw. Two months on, Rosenior has been sacked having only won three out of 12 games since the victory over Hull. And two of those victories came against lower-league opposition in Wrexham and Port Vale. He leaves with Chelsea having lost five consecutive league games without scoring for the first time since 1912. He is not solely to blame, of course. Chelsea's plight is a story of mismanagement from the top down. But the pattern of performances worsening the longer they spent on the training pitch was damning of his efforts. After the Burnley game, Chelsea suffered their third defeat to Arsenal under Rosenior following the February international break. The losses to Manchester City and Manchester United in April came after uninterrupted midweeks to prepare. The schedule cleared but performances became more muddled. By April, the cracks had started to appear, with Enzo Fernandez having made his come-and-get-me plea to Real Madrid during the March international break and Marc Cucurella having publicly questioned the decision to sack Maresca while away with Spain. Rosenior's authority was also undermined by what happened on the pitch. His commitment to an aggressive, man-to-man marking system was made to look naive in an embarrassing 8-2 aggregate loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Malo Gusto's comments after the five-goal first-leg defeat suggested some players agreed. "In the end, I think we need to recognise when it is important to sit back, to wait for them, to not concede too many goals," said the defender. In between those two fixtures against Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle were able to exploit the same flaws, when confusion over who was responsible for pressing Tino Livramento left the full-back free to drive up the pitch and set up the winning goal. "They were playing man-for-man, so we knew we could get behind them," said goalscorer Anthony Gordon after the game. Rosenior described it as a "new way of pressing", meanwhile. "We press in a way that is different to most teams," he added. But his side were showing precisely why it is not more popular. It only takes one lapse for such an aggressive press to be undone. Rosenior did not help himself at times. His furious reaction to an Arsenal coach encroaching into Chelsea's half during the warm-up before the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg brought unnecessary attention. The introduction of pre-match huddles in the centre circle was made to look silly too, culminating in the farcical sight of referee Paul Tierney becoming surrounded before the Newcastle game kicked off. Rosenior's comments about "respecting the ball" brought more ridicule. Chelsea have failed to score in six out of seven games in all competitions since that incident, the only exception being the 7-0 win over League One Port Vale in the FA Cup. Rosenior said he felt no disconnect with his players after the latest blank against Brighton but their "indefensible" performance suggested otherwise. Rosenior can justifiably argue that the job he took on, mid-season, at Chelsea was always likely to be challenging. He inherited a squad with clear flaws. The club's recruitment has left a glaring lack of experience and leadership among the players. But Manchester United make for an uncomfortable comparison. Michael Carrick has not had to contend with such a hectic schedule, in fairness. But he has used his time on the training pitch to make his side better. For Rosenior, the opposite appears true. The Premier League table since January 17, when both Rosenior and Carrick oversaw their first games, has Manchester United top, on a clear upward trajectory, while Chelsea are 10th, a side going backwards under a head coach for whom time has run out.

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Mickey Carroll, science and technology reporter
Apr 22
Predators have a new business model - and humans, not AI, need to catch them, experts warn

That's changing. Now, fully commercial sites are springing up all over the open web. The Internet Watch Foundation, the organisation charged with removing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from the internet, has seen the number of commercial sites double in the past year alone. Some of them are hidden behind apparently innocent website fronts, others are just sitting in the open, just a few clicks away from your social media feeds. The criminals running these sites aren't selling access to one or two videos of 'category A' material - the worst level of designation content assigned by police. They're encouraging users to download - and pay for - terabytes of content at a time. But like any business, they need a marketing strategy. They've chosen word of mouth. "[They're using] 'refer-a-friend' schemes whereby if you view the content and you want more, you can spread that link around your social media accounts, and then the more clicks that content gets," according to Mabel, an anonymous analyst at the IWF. "That's new. We never used to see that at all." Mabel is one of the few people in the world who is legally allowed to hunt down and remove CSAM from the internet. She's also a grandmother. She added: "I worry that my grandchildren will be presented with these sites in their feeds on their social media, not realise what they are and click on them." Nearly every refer-a-friend scheme was reported to the IWF by a member of the public, rather than a trained analyst. That worries analysts like Mabel because it suggests ordinary people are now stumbling across this extreme abuse material in a way they never have before. "I come into work every day and I know what I'm going to see. I'm expecting to see the content that I see on the internet," she said. "But can you imagine if you turned on your phone, turned on the computer, and within a few clicks you saw category A content? You can't unsee that once you've seen it." Read more from Sky News:Investigation into child sex abuse on TelegramSurvivor of online child abuse shares storySex offenders exposed to abuse as children A lot of tech firms, like social media companies, have recognised the harm that seeing such extreme content can do to their employees. Social media moderators are routinely exposed to CSAM, extreme violence and death. It has an impact. Two years ago, moderators from Meta began legal action against the company after more than 140 of them were diagnosed with severe PTSD. Other major social media sites like TikTok are also facing legal action over their treatment of moderators and, as a result, many companies are turning to AI to deal with the majority of extreme content. They say it will help ease the severe mental load for their human workers. Even the Metropolitan Police announced last week that it will begin exploring how AI could help the force analyse large volumes of CSAM, leaving officers free to "focus human expertise where it is needed most". So what about the IWF, where analysts are dealing with more content than ever before? They've seen a 6% increase in the amount of CSAM online in the last year alone. "Artificial intelligence tools are a supplement, right?" IWF chief executive Kerry Smith said. "They're a supplement to human intelligence. They aren't a replacement." She believes her human analysts are worth the cost of the mandatory monthly counselling, stringent recruitment process and ongoing psychological care, because of their "offline understanding" of the internet's underbelly. "[They have an] understanding of how abuse occurs, what exploitation looks like, how you find particular indicators within those images and within those videos that can help identify an individual," Ms Smith said. "So I think artificial intelligence is a weapon that we could use to prevent online child sexual abuse and exploitation, but it's not a replacement for human intelligence and human insight."

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No Writer
Apr 22
Harvey Weinstein 'did what he wanted', says prosecutor as rape retrial begins

Weinstein, 74, was once one of the most powerful people in the industry, producing films such as the Oscar-winning Shakespeare In Love, Pulp Fiction, and The Crying Game. Since becoming a focus of the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct nearly a decade ago, he has been convicted of some sexual assault charges and acquitted of others in trials on two US coasts. The retrial that began on Tuesday concerns a rape charge over a 2013 encounter in a Manhattan hotel. It has already been the subject of an overturned conviction, followed by a jury deadlock. The disgraced filmmaker has again pleaded not guilty and denied assaulting anyone or having non-consensual sex. Prosecutor Candace White began the new trial telling jurors that Weinstein raped aspiring actress Jessica Mann in the hotel room while she resisted and repeatedly said "No". "This case will come down to power, to control and to manipulation," Ms White said, accusing Weinstein of preying upon "fragile and sheltered" young women who dream of becoming Hollywood stars. Jacob Kaplan, defending, accused Ms Mann of making up the rape allegation after regretting that her relationship with Weinstein failed to advance her acting career. He told the jury in his opening statement that emails would show Ms Mann's romance with Weinstein was consensual, adding: "In the end, this case will be her word against her word." Ms White said that Weinstein "was used to getting his way". "He did what he wanted, when he wanted and with whom he wanted," she added. "Behind closed doors, power meant him taking what he wanted from the victim in this case." Weinstein shook his head slightly at one point as the prosecutor claimed he "silenced" Ms Mann by letting her know that crossing him could be professional quicksand. His defence emphasised that after the alleged rape Ms Mann kept seeing Weinstein, accepting invitations, asking him for career help and sending warm messages to him. Weinstein was convicted of raping Ms Mann in 2013 and assaulting onetime production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006, but New York's highest court overturned the conviction and Weinstein's 23-year prison sentence after ruling he didn't get a fair trial. In June 2025, a jury then convicted Weinstein of sexually abusing Ms Haley, but found him not guilty of assaulting former model Kaja Sokola. That jury was unable to reach a verdict on the third-degree rape charge relating to Ms Mann, leading to the judge declaring a mistrial on that count. The latest trial, before Justice Curtis Farber, is expected to last about a month. Weinstein will face a prison sentence of up to 25 years when he is sentenced for abusing Ms Haley. Read more from Sky News:The Osmonds singer dies aged 76Singer D4vd pleads not guilty to murder Weinstein is also serving a 16-year prison sentence after being convicted of rape in California ​in 2022. He is appealing that conviction and sentence. Weinstein's lawyers ​say his health has deteriorated rapidly while he has been imprisoned in ​New York's notorious Rikers Island jail.

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No Writer
Apr 22
The Cathy Newman Show to launch on Sky News

The Cathy Newman Show, launching on 27 April at 7pm, combines agenda-setting interviews, exclusive investigations and spirited debate from Sky News' Westminster studio. The show, airing Monday to Thursday on Sky News and YouTube, is designed to cut through the noise and make sense of the stories that matter. 'The perfect time to get started' Newman, who joins Sky News after two decades at Channel 4, will lead a show featuring uninterrupted conversations that challenge perspectives – with a warm but rigorous approach. The show will include interviews with leading political, public and cultural figures, original reporting and investigations, and analysis of the biggest UK, US and European stories. "With the local elections coming up, it feels like the perfect time to get started," said Cathy Newman. "I'm looking forward to welcoming guests on to the orange velvet sofa for big interviews, exclusives and real conversations that help make sense of it all. Join me from next week for a friendly but forensic chat." There will also be longer-form investigations and documentaries that sit alongside the show, with a new podcast launching this autumn. The programme is part of Sky News' 2030 strategy for premium, video-first journalism, designed to bring personality-led reporting to audiences wherever they are. "Cathy's journalism is forensic, fearless and engaging, and this new format brings that to life in a way that truly connects with audiences," said Jonathan Levy, executive editor and managing director. Join us from 27 April at 7pm for interviews that probe, investigations that reveal, and conversations that matter.

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No Writer
Apr 22
Brighton 3-0 Chelsea: Every word from Liam Rosenior's explosive interview to Sky Sports after embarrassing Premier League defeat

The Blues were well beaten from start to finish in a woeful display, falling behind to Ferdi Kadioglu's third-minute opener from a corner, before second-half goals from Jack Hinshelwood and Danny Welbeck sealed the win for the Seagulls. Chelsea failed to register a shot on target and did not even muster a tackle until the 32nd minute as their season hit a new low and led to head coach Liam Rosenior facing chants from the away end to be sacked. Brighton 3-0 Chelsea - report & highlightsLive 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 📺 An annoyed and unimpressed Rosenior did not hold back in his post-match interview with Sky Sports' Johnny Phillips and then doubled down on the criticism of his players in his post-match presser. Read every word below... Was it the worst result of the lot? "By far. By far. Was unacceptable in every aspect of the game. I keep coming out and defending the players, that was indefensible, that performance tonight. The manner of the goals we conceded, the duels that we lost. Something has to change drastically right here, right now." Why did it happen? "Why? We need to look in the mirror. I need to look in the mirror. But I can't keep coming out here and defending some of the things that we're seeing. Manchester United, genuinely result wasn't there but I felt we turned a corner. "But the general attitude, spirit was lacking - determination from three or four of the starting 11. That's nowhere near enough for this club. I can't come out and lie. I tell the truth. That was an unacceptable performance at every level." Was it coming from the start? "The first goal was terrible. We had an easy header and missed the header. The passage before the first goal upset me even more. We had four or five moments to show moral courage, and take the ball down and play. We just kicked the ball back to Brighton. "You can speak about a lack of confidence, or results not going our way. That doesn't represent anything that I want to see, and I won't ever see it again. "The performance in terms of professionalism wasn't there. It was a really difficult night, the most difficult night - not even here at this magnificent football club - but in my career. Some of the things I witnessed today, I don't want to ever see again." Did the players throw the towel in? "You have to ask the players. If you're playing at this elite football club, or any football club, to be even accused of throwing the towel in is unacceptable. That's all I'm going to say. I'm hurting, I'm feeling numb. That doesn't represent me. That doesn't represent the football club in any way. That has to change, starting with the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday." On Chelsea being out-run in every single league game this season... "I don't want to go into that right now. I have my own thoughts, my own feelings. I have discussed in depth about this football club -regardless of who is the manager - about what needs to happen at this football club for it to be where it needs to be. "It's about this football club, Chelsea represents fight, spirit and determination. That was lacking in every department this evening." On if injuries are part of it... "We've had injuries. It's not an excuse, it's a reality. That team we put out today was far better than its engagement in the game. I will pick a team that will represent the club in the correct manner." On if Sunday's FA Cup semi-final with Leeds is massive... "This was a huge game and we didn't hit anywhere near the mark. Every game between now and the end of the season is a huge game, and it needs to look like that in the way we play." On if the players are bereft of confidence... "That's your opinion, I have to see it with the staff. We have to make sure we get it right for Sunday." On the fans chanting for him to leave the club... "I understand their frustration and it's my job as the head coach and the manager of the football club. The buck stops with me. "I have thick skin and I understand why the fans are frustrated. I'm frustrated with the performances we're putting in. I've just got to keep working hard with the staff, with the players, but what I do need to do is really look at how we go about games, how the personnel of the team, who I can trust and rely on in difficult moments because not enough players showed that today in the game. "I'm an emotional person. That's just unacceptable. The word is unacceptable. "We lost 80 per cent of duels. We didn't win a header. Two of the goals come when we can head the ball, the basics of football. At any level, if you make those errors and lack of engagement to the game, you're not going to win games of football." On whether he has lost the Chelsea dressing room... "Whether it's playing for me, it's not about playing for me. "It's about playing for the club. It's about playing for the shirt. It's about playing to win games of football. I can only speak on what I saw tonight. You can read anything into it that you want, whether they're playing for me or not. That performance in itself was damning. "It stood everything against what I believe in. "We'll find out [if the players will react]. I haven't criticised them up to now. "I've defended them. They've deserved that. "I always come out here and tell the truth and I blame myself as well. It's not just blaming the players. I'm part of that process. "I always said I will be honest and I've been honest with the players and I'm honest with you as honest as I can. I'm not throwing anyone under the bus. "We're playing for Chelsea and I'm managing Chelsea. The criticism and pressure comes with the football club. So if you can't handle that, then you shouldn't be here. It's as simple as that. And that's something that needs to be addressed this week. But it also needs to be addressed in the long term."

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