A Royal Navy spokesperson said: "It is with deep sadness that we can confirm three members of the Royal Navy have died during a helicopter training exercise. "Our thoughts and sympathies are with their families and friends at this sad time." The head of the Navy, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, added in a statement that he was "deeply saddened to share the news," and said the helicopter was a Merlin Mk4. "I know this will come as a huge shock to all in our Naval community, and my deepest condolences go out to the families, friends and loved ones impacted by this tragedy," he said. "I would like to thank Devon and Cornwall Police and the search and rescue teams who responded to the incident this morning. "An investigation is under way, and further updates will be provided in due course." Devon and Cornwall Police said earlier that emergency services were at the scene of the incident at Sourton Down, near Okehampton. The Navy added on Wednesday morning that the crash happened just before 4am. Several road closures were in place around the A386 and A30 Sourton Cross area after the incident. According to Traffic England, disruption was expected on the A30 eastbound exit slip to the A386 until around 12.30pm. The Royal Navy's two air bases are located close to Devon: RNAS Culdrose, one of Europe's largest helicopter bases, is located near Helston in Cornwall, while RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset houses more than 100 aircraft. The scene of the crash is close to Okehampton battle camp, a military facility on the edge of Dartmoor which has been used for training Merlin helicopter crews from the Commando Helicopter Force. Merlin helicopters, such as the Merlin Mk4 involved in the incident, usually have a crew of four and can carry up to 24 troops. Sir Keir Starmer called the incident "utterly tragic," and said: "My thoughts are with the families, friends and loved ones of the three members of the Royal Navy who sadly lost their lives this morning. "Thank you to the emergency services responding to this horrific incident." See more from Sky News:YouTuber who murdered pregnant girlfriend jailed for lifeWho was 'ambitious' teen Henry Nowak?Google search facing UK 'conduct requirement' Defence Secretary John Healey said in a statement that the three Navy staff "served with excellence and will be much missed". "All our thoughts are with their families, friends and those they served with at this incredibly sad time," he added. The King is aware of the helicopter crash and will write privately to the families of the three dead, it is understood. The Princess of Wales, who is commodore-in-chief of the Fleet Air Arm, said in a personally signed message that she was "saddened" to hear of the deaths, adding: "William and I hold their families and friends in our hearts at this very difficult time." It is understood Kate and the Prince of Wales will be in touch with the families of those who died in the coming days.

The US rapper had been due to perform in the city of Reggio Emilia this summer. But local official ‌Salvatore Angieri ordered its cancellation because of concerns over the potential for protests, with West, known as Ye, having faced a wave of cancellations following years of antisemitic remarks. The northern city has also banned a concert from Travis Scott, another American rapper. Scott has faced scrutiny over safety at his concerts since ​a 2021 crowd crush at the Astroworld festival in Houston, Texas, that killed 10 people and injured hundreds. He had been due to perform at the Pulse ​of Gaia Festival on 17 July at the 103,000-capacity ⁠RCF Arena, with West scheduled to appear ⁠the following day. Angieri said the decision was taken following requests from a consumer group and the Jewish community ‌in Modena and Reggio Emilia, which had raised concerns about West. Italian authorities cited the close timing of the two shows and the high influx of ‌spectators expected within 24 hours as factors behind the ban. They also pointed to the cancellation of other West concerts in Europe, and the "concrete risk" of protests. This year's Wireless Festival was cancelled in April after West was blocked from coming to the UK. The ban was announced as his presence would "not be conducive to public good" after a backlash over West being booked to headline all three nights of the London event. In response, West offered to meet members of the British Jewish community. Read more from Sky News:Trump hits out at Kennedy Center ruling'Redaction errors' in Epstein files release Later that ​month, a concert in Poland was cancelled, and he also postponed a Marseille show after reports that the ​French government had sought to block it. West has apologised for his past remarks, saying they were linked to untreated bipolar disorder. He said in January: "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people". West is set ​to hold concerts in the Netherlands next month after its migration ​minister said there were no legal grounds to deny him entry. Dutch politicians had urged the ​government to bar West, citing his past remarks and expressions of admiration for Nazism and Adolf Hitler. Scott and West have been contacted for comment.

Ms Davies-Jones says politicians have spent days discussing powerful men, while survivors risk being an "afterthought" and "the PM needs to listen and act". She says the prime minister's approach to survivors was "one of many factors" that led to her resignation as victims minister. The prime minister has previously apologised to Jeffrey Epstein's victims for having "believed Mandelson's lies and appointed him". Asked whether the prime minister should meet survivors, Ms Davies-Jones gave a clear answer. "Yes," she said. "I think there is a strong case for the prime minister sitting down with survivors and listening directly to their experiences". When asked why she thinks the prime minister hasn't met victims she said: "That's for him to say". She added that his pledge to halve levels of violence against women and girls in a decade "doesn't happen without action". "If you're serious about putting victims at the heart of the response, then listening to them has to be more than a slogan," she said. Her comments come after an Epstein survivor told Sky News they felt ignored by political leaders despite the case returning to the headlines. Ms Davies Jones is planning to intervene in the debate on the files relating to Peter Mandelson on Wednesday to "ensure that the victims and survivors are heard and not forgotten". A government spokesperson said "Our thoughts remain with the victims of Epstein, who have lived with unimaginable trauma, and it is crucial that accountability is delivered". They added: "The Epstein scandal has exposed a culture that didn't value the lives of women. That is why government is deploying the full power of the state to halve violence against women and girls within a decade." Ms Davies-Jones' intervention comes as the prime minister is expected to meet alleged victims of abuse by Mohamed Al Fayed. Number 10 was contacted for comment.

Despite being on a central contract, Archer has not been included in the England side for the first Test, starting on Thursday live on Sky Sports, and was instead allowed to continue playing for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL playoffs. The decision has faced widespread criticism - former England captain Michael Atherton called the situation incredibly frustrating, while former Black Caps seamer Simon Doull went further as he labelled it "absolutely ludicrous". Brendon McCullum: England's best cricket ahead of themWhy 'world class' Ollie Robinson's England return makes senseNot got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with NOWChoose the Sky Sports push notifications you want England head coach Brendon McCullum has also cast doubt on whether Archer will be available for the second Test. While Stokes says he understands "both sides" of the argument, he believes those criticising the decision are not looking at the cricketing landscape as it currently is. Rather, they are thinking about it in the context of cricket from a decade or more ago. "I know it has been spoken about the last couple of weeks about that situation. I totally understand people's frustrations around the situation but there is also another side to it," Stokes said. "A lot of it has got to do with the landscape of cricket and where it is at the moment. "I think a lot of the points people have been making about Jofra in that situation are to do with the landscape when they were playing. It is completely different now. "There is opportunity for cricketers now that there wasn't 10 or 20 years ago. "In an ideal situation, it would be unbelievably great to have everyone available at every single opportunity - but that is not the way of cricket at the moment. "I get both sides of the story. You want players to take those opportunities and I want players to play for England. "There is a situation in which it could get messy and players like Jofra might not play for England again if you handle it in a different way, and that is not good for anyone. "Jofra has shown he is committed and loves playing for England. Just because he is not available for this first Test match does not change that." Stokes said that the case of Jacob Bethell is further evidence of how cricket is continuously changing. The Test skipper saw the England No 3 ahead of the series for the first time just a couple of days ago due to his hectic schedule, including a long stint in the IPL. All-rounder Bethell sustained a left ring finger injury while playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, an injury which saw him return to England at the end of May in order to be fit for this series. "The first time I saw him was two days ago and it is just one of those things where your No 3 has a great few weeks in Australia, goes off and does nine or 10 weeks in India and then you see him two or three days before a Test match," Stokes added. "It is almost becoming the norm and the game is just changing all the time. "There are some things you have just got to roll with and accept." Will Bashir feature in first Test? The weather could decide that! McCullum said earlier this week that England would play a spinner, namely Shoaib Bashir after he was named in the trimmed 12-player squad ahead of Rehan Ahmed. Bashir was England's No 1 spinner in Tests since 2024 but missed the second half of last year's home series against India after sustaining a fractured finger, and was then overlooked throughout the 4-1 Ashes drubbing in Australia over the winter. While "frustrating" for Bashir, Stokes believes he has progressed and will be a better bowler for it. "The thing with Bashir was, it was his first time since he has been in the England team where he has been able to go away for a long period of time and play for Derby[shire]," he said. "He has worked on some technical things - which you can see he has worked very hard on. "We are very happy with the progression he has made. He has been bowling overs for Derby and he is someone who we see having a very long career for England as a spinner. "He is in a great place, he is excited. Obviously, Australia didn't go how he imagined it would have done for him but he went away, worked hard, and has become a better bowler from it. "He deserves to be in the 12." While a spin option seems likely for England, Stokes admitted that the projected inclement weather on day one and day two may lead to a change of plan. "We will name that XI at the toss but there is weather about so we are just giving ourselves as many options as we can," Stokes said. "[Whether we play] A spinner will be dictated by how much time we lose at the start of the game tomorrow. We might not toss on day one, we might not toss on day two. "If we don't lose too much time then it will be very likely we will be playing a spinner." Robinson is 'world class' Ollie Robinson also looks set to make his first Test appearance for England in over two years, with Stokes confirming that he and Gus Atkinson will "more than likely" take the new ball in the first Test. Stokes insists Robinson has worked hard to regain his spot in the England camp but made clear that the main task for him now is retaining a place by showing just why he is "world class". "We have spoken to Ollie and he knows the reason he has found himself back here is because he has done what we wanted to see from him," said the England captain. "You guys all know that when he is operating at that level, he is world class. "His Test matches that he has played in so far - his numbers are up there with the very best. "For him, the easy part was always getting back in because he is that good. Now he is here, it is about staying here for as long as he can. "I think the time away from the team, as frustrating as it was for him, hopefully we see Ollie Robinson in an England shirt for the next four, five, six years." Watch the first Test between England and New Zealand, at Lord's, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 10am on Thursday (11am first ball). Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW.

Johannes Natland, 19, was allegedly directed to a stash of money, guns and ammunition after he was recruited by the Foxtrot network. Prosecutors say the organisation is a Swedish organised crime group "used by the Iranian regime", which offered up to 25,000 euros to carry out the hit. Natland, from Stavanger, in south-west Norway, was arrested on 19 March last year in a hotel room in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, with a semi-automatic pistol, a revolver and 12 rounds of live ammunition. Jurors were told the teenager has pleaded guilty to possession of the two guns and the bullets, but denies conspiracy to murder between 1 and 20 March last year. Jurors were shown footage of him handling the weapons on the hotel bed. "On 17 March last year the defendant Johannes Natland travelled from his home country of Norway to this country to murder," said prosecutor Alistair Richardson. "He had been recruited by an organisation called the Foxtrot network to an agreement that in return for money he would travel here and undertake a hit. "He was directed by others to a hotel, to a stash of money and then a stash of guns and ammunition. "He was prevented from committing murder when he was arrested inside a hotel room in Huddersfield with two firearms and live ammunition." The court heard the Foxtrot network, which was formed in 2021, has been involved in drug smuggling and violent crimes which are advertised in group chats on social media apps such as Snapchat, Telegram and Signal. Online groups can have thousands of members including "instigators", "recruiters" and "facilitators" who direct often very young "enforcers", who rarely have any advanced knowledge of who the target is. A jury was told the alleged murder plot was directed by someone with the username "Agent 47" who asked another Norwegian teenager, "Generalen", who was acting as a recruiter: "Do you have an assassin abroad?" Agent 47 had said the job was in "Great Britain. As easy as can be," and told him there was 25,000 Euros "in the pot". The court heard, in a Snapchat conversation on 15 March last year, Natland asked Generalen: "Who is to be shot?" Mr Richardson said from those first messages it was clear Natland knew the agreement he was entering into involved "someone being murdered and murdered with a gun". He then told his girlfriend, "I'm going on a crazy mission", the court heard. The jury was told Natland flew into Manchester Airport on 17 March last year, when he was aged just 18 on a temporary passport. He was questioned by Border Force officers and refused entry to the UK, but released on bail before taking a taxi to a hotel in Manchester. The following day, Agent 47 directed Natland to an address in Huddersfield to collect money before the teenager booked a room for three days at the Briar Court Hotel. Natland was then directed to another address and sent a video and map showing the route to the base of a tree, where he allegedly picked up the guns and ammunition. The court heard he bought three pairs of workman-style black and orange gloves before being sent to a stolen car, which was allegedly for use in the planned murder the following day. "He neither knew nor cared who he was to kill," said the prosecutor. "This was to him all about the money which he would receive for completing the job." The court heard Natland pretended to shoot firearms officers with his hand when they knocked on the door. Along with the guns and ammunition, they found £2,000 in cash. The trial, which is due to last up to three weeks, continues.

The summer shows in Washington DC were planned as part of The Great American State Fair, which is being staged to commemorate the country's 250th anniversary. However, a number of artists, including Martina McBride, Bret Michaels and the Commodores, have dropped out of the celebrations, which are being organised by the Freedom 250 group. It is described as a "non-partisan" organisation, but was launched last year by Mr Trump and is headed by Keith Krach, a first-term Trump appointee for the State Department. 👉 Follow Trump100 on your podcast app 👈 On Friday, ​Michaels, the lead singer of the rock band Poison, ⁠became the fifth performer to withdraw ⁠from the concerts. In an Instagram post, Michaels wrote that he had thought his show would be a chance to "honour our veterans, active military, first responders, teachers and hardworking Americans from all walks of life". But he concluded that the event had "evolved into something much more divisive". The withdrawals have seemingly prompted a rethink, and on Saturday Mr Trump floated the idea of an "America is back rally" in a post on Truth Social, suggesting that he is a bigger draw than the late Elvis Presley "in his prime". Trump wrote: "I am thinking about bringing the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World, the man who gets much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime, and he does so without a guitar, the man who loves our Country more than anyone else, and the man who some say is the Greatest President in History (THE GOAT!), DONALD J. TRUMP, to take the place of these highly paid, Third Rate 'Artists,' and give a major speech, rallying the Country forward like I have done ever since being President!" He added: "I am ordering my Representatives to look at the feasibility of doing an AMERICA IS BACK Rally on Wednesday, Washington, D.C., same time, same location. "Only Great Patriots invited - It will be a Wild and Beautiful Celebration of America!" Read more from Sky News:US treasury prepares Trump $250 bill'Errors' made in Epstein files release Mr Trump also lashed out after a federal judge who ordered the removal of his name from the Kennedy Center in Washington. He branded US District Judge Christopher Cooper an "an anti Trump Hater" - and predicted that the performing arts venue he wanted to close for a two-year overhaul would "soon" shut, "probably never to open again".

The government originally aimed to evacuate as many as 300 children for NHS care, but so far only about 50 have been treated - and none have arrived this year. Mahmoud, 12, and Obaida, 15, told Sky News' Barbara Serra they received a really warm welcome" when they arrived in autumn. But they've struggled without their parents, and Mahmoud said when they met Sir Keir Starmer in December, he "made us promises of reuniting the family". "When we informed our family back home in Gaza that we'd met the prime minister, they couldn't believe it," he said. "They were very happy and looking forward to us being reunited. They thought that that promise would be kept." Mahmoud found out during the Israel-Gaza war he had an undiagnosed chronic condition. He told Sky News he "was crying the whole time" during his operation to remove a kidney in the UK. "I knew that if my mother and my siblings were next to me, the operation would have been a lot easier to go through. But I couldn't stop myself from crying," he said. Obaida uses a wheelchair and needs more operations after his tent was hit by an Israeli bomb. He told Sky News: "I really need my dad to be there, supporting, standing next to me." Both boys hope more children will be able to come to the UK soon after seeing young people with "horrific" injuries in Gaza. "It's not fair that there are children there who require treatment, who deserve to have a future, who have instead been left behind to suffer," said Obaida. "I want to say that the children of Gaza are just as valuable as children elsewhere," he added. "The difference is in Gaza, a child could be playing, and in one moment his limbs are gone and his life is turned upside down." Gaza's medical system has been devastated by Israeli strikes, but a private initiative called Project Pure Hope has managed to bring some children to the UK for treatment. However, the government's plan has missed its ambition of helping hundreds of children, and on Tuesday the boys travelled to parliament as part of a group asking MPs to do more. A Foreign Office spokesperson told Sky News it is still very difficult to get people in need of treatment out of Gaza. "The situation in Gaza is appalling, and options for leaving are extremely limited," they said. "This is why we continue to call for Israel to ensure that those who need medical treatment can leave Gaza and get the health care they need following the ceasefire. "Now is the time to scale up aid and ensure much-needed medicines and medical supplies are getting into Gaza. This includes ensuring that the Rafah crossing is able to operate at maximum capacity."

An agreement has been reached on a three-year deal plus an optional year until 2029 to become Jose Mourinho's replacement at the Lisbon club. Sky Sports News understands Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna is expected to be high on the list of potential candidates to succeed Silva, although no candidates have been contacted. The compensation needed to appoint him from Ipswich would be in the region of £8m after guiding the club back to the Premier League for the second time. Silva was in charge at Craven Cottage for five years - winning the Championship in his first season in the 2021-22 campaign, before establishing Fulham as a Premier League club. Transfer Centre LIVE! | Fulham news & transfers⚪Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺Choose the Sky Sports push notifications you want! 🔔 Fulham have finished 10th, 13th and then secured back-to-back 11th-placed finishes in Silva's four top-flight seasons in west London. After the club announced his impending departure, Silva said: "To our fans - I asked you, from day one, to always be with us. And that's what you did these past five years. We achieved a lot together. "My staff and I always felt your support. It will never be forgotten. Fulham will always be in my heart, and sooner or later I will be back at Craven Cottage." 'We will soon appoint a successor,' says Fulham owner Fulham owner Shahid Khan revealed the club has prepared for Silva's departure and will replace him soon. He said: "Marco Silva leaves our club with my gratitude and best wishes. Fulham and Marco were an excellent fit for five seasons, but change is inevitable in this game, and we've accordingly prepared for this moment. "The talent in our squad, our historic home ground of Craven Cottage, our faithful supporters, and my commitment to backing the club, all make Fulham an extraordinarily attractive destination for an incoming head coach. "We will soon appoint a new leader in a timely but deliberate manner, who will meet the standards of our club and expectations of our fans throughout the world." Analysis: 'Silva has been fantastic for Fulham' Sky Sports News' James Cole: "This was news that was becoming more and more inevitable with the silence that has been there since the last game of the season against Newcastle. In the build-up to that final game, Marco Silva said he'd make a final decision as to whether to sign a new contract. He said Friday, by the latest but we didn't hear anything on Friday, so this news just seemed to be becoming more and more inevitable. "What he's done on a very small budget, relatively speaking, is absolutely fantastic. It's something that the fans, I think, will never forget this era. They will never forget how lucky they've been to have Marco Silva bring them back into this stable position where we could be talking this season about European football. "They didn't quite get there. For the third season running, they just fell off towards the end of the campaign. But there's no underestimating what a fantastic job Silva has done for Fulham."