Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) agreed to allow the mayor of Greater Manchester to contest the seat. A Labour Party spokesperson said: "Labour's ruling body, the National Executive Committee has today given permission to Andy Burnham to stand in the candidate selection process in the forthcoming by-election for the Makerfield constituency." Mr Burnham, who dodged questions when he was spotted jogging by Sky News on Friday, has already confirmed his intention to stand in the by-election after the current MP, Josh Simons, announced he would quit parliament to make way for Mr Burnham. Mr Burnham said he has wanted to "bring the change we have brought to Greater Manchester to the whole of the UK and make politics work properly for people". Starmer latest: Andy Burnham clears hurdle in by-election bid Mr Burnham previously wanted to stand as the Labour candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election but his bid was blocked by the NEC. Applications for the candidate selection process close on Monday and the NEC will endorse a candidate on Thursday. It is thought that the earliest date the by-election near Greater Manchester could take place is 18 June. If he is successfully elected, Mr Burnham is widely expected to challenge Sir Keir for the party leadership. Labour expects a stiff challenge from Reform UK in Makerfield, with Mr Simons securing a majority of just 5,399 over Nigel Farage's party at the 2024 general election. Since then, Labour's polling collapse and Reform's surge have seen their positions reverse. This month's May elections saw Reform win every council ward in the Makerfield constituency, securing around half the vote, while Labour won only a little more than a quarter. Read more:Are all roads leading Labour to Andy Burnham?Beth Rigby: Is the leadership race on? Allies of Wes Streeting have told Sky News' Ali Fortescue that he will stand in any future Labour leadership contest. It followed his resignation as health secretary on Thursday, when he delivered an explosive letter to Sir Keir accusing his government of "drift" and the PM himself of leaving a leadership "vacuum". However, he did not trigger an immediate leadership contest himself as expected, calling instead for a "broad" debate about the party's future. He also said he backed Mr Burnham to be the candidate in the upcoming by-election. In a post on X, the now-former health secretary wrote: "We need our best players on the pitch. There is no doubt that Andy Burnham is one of them. "The Makerfield by-election will be tough. Votes will need to be earned. Andy is the best chance of winning and that should override factional advantage or propping up one person." 👉 Listen to This Is Why on your podcast app 👈 Housing Secretary Steve Reed, a close ally of Sir Keir, has admitted the PM is "unpopular". He told Sky News: "It's not a good week that we just had, let me put that on the table straight away. "It reminds me of what went on under the Conservatives, and I think we need to draw that to a close as quickly as possible." Asked if changing an unpopular leader was necessary to beat Reform UK at the next election, Reed replied: "The prime minister is unpopular, but each of the last four prime ministers, in turn, has been the most unpopular prime minister we've ever had."

Could Eins, Zwei, Drei be catchy enough, weird enough, to finally end 29 years of hurt? Or will it be the familiar chorus of "nul points"? And who exactly is the man fronting up for Britain in Vienna on Saturday? Look Mum No Computer is the stage name of Lincolnshire-born YouTuber and electro musician Sam Battle, who started making videos more than a decade ago. He's pulled in a hefty 85 million views across social media since then and has a combined 1.4 million subscribers. Not content with your standard Casio keyboard, Battle found a following through his love of vintage electro gear and putting together unusual instruments. These include an organ fashioned from dozens of Furbies (the cult 90s toy), a Star Wars Lego droid orchestra, and a synthesizer made with 48 Nintendo Game Boys. He even has his own museum in Ramsgate displaying his Frankenstein-esque creations and other "obsolete and experimental technology". Videos on YouTube show him darting between electro gear at small one-man live shows - and earlier this year he played a gig at Berlin's famed techno club Berghain. The 37-year-old is set to use his "mega synth" - to the untrained eye, a keyboard on a huge circuit board - when he belts out the track in the Austrian capital later. He told Sky News' Katie Spencer he wrote the song in about 12 hours. "I think there's just a certain Eurocentric feel that we're trying to bring into it, hence the chorus [Eins, zwei, drei, Darlin', I need something salty, Eins, zwei, drei, With a slice of pepperoni]." While it might not rival Bob Dylan's greatest prose, UK fans will be hoping the song tickles Eurovision's taste for the quirky and catchy. The Daily Telegraph called it a "synth-heavy banger that seems precision-engineered to appeal to the song contest's fan", while The Independent described it as "very, very English in a way that's both horrendously embarrassing and oddly charming". Read more:Israel qualifies for Eurovision Song Contest finalLess camp, more conservative - Russia's alternative Eurovision Battle says he spent hours "drilling thousands of holes into aluminium" for the kit he's using on stage, and "soldered for multiple hours until the baby came" [he's also a new dad]. He's pushed back against any suggestion he's just doing it for a laugh or to gain more subscribers, insisting he's taking it "very seriously" and has "always been a massive Eurovision fan". The last time the UK won the show was with Katrina And The Waves in 1997, the same year Tony Blair became prime minister, Princess Diana died, and Britain handed Hong Kong back to China. Whether it's bad songs, underwhelming performances, or even punishment over Brexit - as some have claimed - recent results have mostly been dire. The UK finished last in 2019 with Michael Rice, and the same again in 2021, when James Newman scored zero points. Mae Muller finished second last in 2023, 18th with Olly Alexander in 2024, and 19th last year when girl group Remember Monday got zero points from the public. Sam Ryder is the notable exception, whose song Space Man flirted with glory in 2022 but ended up second, the UK's best result in more than two decades. Fingers crossed for tonight then, but home fans will likely be keeping very modest expectations - some bookies have the UK at 150/1 to win.

Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) agreed to allow the mayor of Greater Manchester to contest the seat. A Labour Party spokesperson said: "Labour's ruling body, the National Executive Committee has today given permission to Andy Burnham to stand in the candidate selection process in the forthcoming by-election for the Makerfield constituency." Mr Burnham, who dodged questions when he was spotted jogging by Sky News on Friday, has already confirmed his intention to stand in the by-election after the current MP, Josh Simons, announced he would quit parliament to make way for Mr Burnham. Mr Burnham said he has wanted to "bring the change we have brought to Greater Manchester to the whole of the UK and make politics work properly for people". Starmer latest: Andy Burnham clears hurdle in by-election bid Mr Burnham previously wanted to stand as the Labour candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election but his bid was blocked by the NEC. Applications for the candidate selection process close on Monday and the NEC will endorse a candidate on Thursday. It is thought that the earliest date the by-election near Greater Manchester could take place is 18 June. If he is successfully elected, Mr Burnham is widely expected to challenge Sir Keir for the party leadership. Labour expects a stiff challenge from Reform UK in Makerfield, with Mr Simons securing a majority of just 5,399 over Nigel Farage's party at the 2024 general election. Since then, Labour's polling collapse and Reform's surge have seen their positions reverse. This month's May elections saw Reform win every council ward in the Makerfield constituency, securing around half the vote, while Labour won only a little more than a quarter. Read more:Are all roads leading Labour to Andy Burnham?Beth Rigby: Is the leadership race on? Allies of Wes Streeting have told Sky News' Ali Fortescue that he will stand in any future Labour leadership contest. It followed his resignation as health secretary on Thursday, when he delivered an explosive letter to Sir Keir accusing his government of "drift" and the PM himself of leaving a leadership "vacuum". However, he did not trigger an immediate leadership contest himself as expected, calling instead for a "broad" debate about the party's future. He also said he backed Mr Burnham to be the candidate in the upcoming by-election. In a post on X, the now-former health secretary wrote: "We need our best players on the pitch. There is no doubt that Andy Burnham is one of them. "The Makerfield by-election will be tough. Votes will need to be earned. Andy is the best chance of winning and that should override factional advantage or propping up one person." 👉 Listen to This Is Why on your podcast app 👈 Housing Secretary Steve Reed, a close ally of Sir Keir, has admitted the PM is "unpopular". He told Sky News: "It's not a good week that we just had, let me put that on the table straight away. "It reminds me of what went on under the Conservatives, and I think we need to draw that to a close as quickly as possible." Asked if changing an unpopular leader was necessary to beat Reform UK at the next election, Reed replied: "The prime minister is unpopular, but each of the last four prime ministers, in turn, has been the most unpopular prime minister we've ever had."

The 32-year-old Grimsby striker pushed former ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Petchtanong Petchfergus all the way before dropping a competitive unanimous decision to one of the division's most decorated veterans in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 43, which aired live on Sky Sports in the early hours of Saturday morning from Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium. For a man who battled Crohn's disease for over a decade - at one point, he was unable to last 15 seconds on the pads without collapsing - going three full rounds with a former ONE Championship title holder represented another extraordinary achievement. But Petchtanong made him work for every second of the battle. Britain's Jarvis and Woollis take spectacular ONE victoriesHarrison on retiring, his legacy and the wildest round in combat sportNot got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW The opening round saw the Englishman take a calculated approach, as he pressed forward and picked at the Thai veteran. Woolliss changed his stance repeatedly, keeping the Thai guessing while poking and prodding for an opening. Petchtanong stayed composed, stabbing out long kicks to control the range. The pace picked up in round two, as Petchtanong moved forward with combinations punctuated by kicks. Meanwhile, the Brit continued to brilliantly cut angles whilst throwing punches, and he incorporated standalone kicks to the head and body. Then, in the final minute of the second frame, Petchtanong aggressively moved forward with his shots and put the Grimsby native on the back foot. The Thai even set a trap - he deliberately left his lead leg exposed, and when "The Problem" attacked it, the 40-year-old was waiting. His counter kick smashed into Woolliss's standing leg, buckling his knee momentarily. When they did engage at close range, Petchtanong got the better of the exchanges. The Thai's left hand snapped Woolliss' head back repeatedly, his kicks continued finding their target, and he evaded most of the Brit's attacks. By the latter half of the frame, "The Problem" turned up the heat and the veteran seemed comfortable backing away. Woolliss didn't give him time to rest, opting to throw everything athim in the dying seconds of the bantamweight kickboxing match, including a wild spinning backfist followed by a desperate flurry. In the end, the judges were unanimous in awarding Petchtanong the decision, which moved his career record to 360-57. For Woolliss, it marked his first ONE Championship defeat, just two months after stopping former ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion John Lineker with leg kicks in the first round. Even though the Grimsby star fell on the wrong side of a decision, he proved to the world that he belongs with the sport's top talents and that he could be a real "problem" for the bantamweight kickboxing division's finest. Tang Kai dominates Shamil Gasanov, retains featherweight belt In the main event, China's Tang Kai enjoyed a commanding performance, as he finished Russian challenger Shamil "The Cobra" Gasanov to retain the ONE Featherweight MMA World Title. Gasanov, a near-flawless contender who is known for his formidable Dagestani wrestling and submission prowess, was determined to take the reigning champion down to the canvas and work his grappling magic. However, Tang stuffed nearly every single one of "The Cobra's" takedown attempts and forced him to fight on the feet, where the Chinese title holder held a decisive edge. The 30-year-old Shaoyang native peppered Gasanov with punches and kicks throughout the contest, slowly grinding him down with blows until his body could take no more. It all reached a conclusion in the fourth round, where Tang's low kicks were too much for the Russian to handle. Halfway into the frame, another crushing kick to the lead leg forced Gasanov to crumble to the canvas, and a few hammerfists finished the contest. With the victory, Tang - China's first-ever male MMA World Champion - retained his belt and showed everyone that he is more dangerous than ever. ONE Fight Night 43 - Full Results - ONE Featherweight MMA World Championship: Tang Kai (c) defeated Shamil Gasanov via TKO (ground and pound) at 2:41 of round four - Bantamweight Kickboxing: Petchtanong Petchfergus defeated Ben Woolliss via unanimous decision - Bantamweight Submission Grappling: Diogo Reis defeated Yuki Takahashi via unanimous decision - Flyweight Muay Thai: Aslamjon Ortikov defeated Jordan Estupinan via TKO (three knockdowns) at 2:06 of round two - Strawweight MMA: Fabio Henrique defeated Yosuke Saruta via TKO (ground and pound) at 0:39 of round two - Bantamweight Muay Thai: Nontachai Jitmuangnon defeated Felipe Lobo via unanimous decision - Bantamweight MMA: Lito Adiwang defeated Eko Roni Saputra via TKO (punches) at 0:34 of round one - Featherweight Kickboxing: Luo Chao defeated Denis Souza Jr. via split decision - Atomweight Muay Thai: Martyna Dominczak defeated Johanna Persson via unanimous decision Watch the ONE Championship live on Sky Sports. Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW.

The 38-year-old, who has not yet been named, was attacked on Saturday morning at Horseshoe Reef near Rottnest Island, about 31 ​km (19.2 miles) west of state capital Perth, police said in a statement. He was taken to shore after the attack, but could not be revived, police said. According to Surf Life Saving WA (SLSWA), a four-metre shark was spotted 80m offshore at Horseshoe Reef at around 10am local time. State ‌authorities advised people to take extra caution in the water at Rottnest Island, a ‌popular tourist destination. The government of western Australia said on its website that the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) was assisting the police with "a serious shark bite" incident at Horse Shoe Reefs. It called on the public to take "additional caution" in the Horse Shoe Reefs and Marjorie Bay areas and to adhere to beach closures advised by local government rangers, parks and wildlife service officers or Surf Life Saving WA. It is Australia's second fatal shark attack this year after a boy was killed in January while in Sydney Harbour. Nico Antic, 12, was bitten after he and friends jumped off rocks in Vaucluse, around five miles from the city's business district. Read more from Sky News:Burnham gets green light to run in by-electionGoPro could reveal how tourists died in Maldives Nico was pulled from the water by friends and taken to hospital with severe injuries to both legs. He died in hospital. His death followed a series of attacks on Australia's east coast. On average, Australia records 20 shark attacks a year, with fewer than three of those fatal, according to data from conservation groups.

A majority-male jury had been weighing whether Weinstein, now 74, raped former aspiring actor Jessica Mann, now aged 40, in 2013 in a New York hotel. But in a note to Judge Curtis Farber, the jury said it could not reach a unanimous decision. Weinstein had pleaded not guilty to the charge of rape in the third degree, and he has denied all allegations of nonconsensual sex. The mistrial comes nearly a year after a different New York jury failed to reach a verdict on a charge tied to Ms Mann's allegations, which she recounted across five days in court. Weinstein's lawyers ​have argued that Ms Mann made up the rape allegation after regretting that her consensual romance with Weinstein failed to advance her film career. While Weinstein remains behind bars, the mistrial leaves the New York rape charge in limbo after three trials. Read more from Sky News:New Ebola outbreak in Congo kills 65CIA chief visits Cuba Judge Farber said outside the presence of the jury that it was clear they were "hopelessly deadlocked" and that there was no reason to keep them any longer. He told lawyers for both sides to return for a hearing in June. It was not immediately clear whether prosecutors would seek ​to try the case for a fourth time. Weinstein appeared expressionless as court officers ushered him out in his wheelchair. In a statement, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said his office would "consider our next steps in consultation with Ms Mann". "Her perseverance and bravery are inspiring to the members of my office, and more importantly, to survivors everywhere," Mr Bragg said. At his ‌first ⁠trial in New York in 2020, Weinstein was convicted of raping Ms Mann and assaulting onetime production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006. But the state's highest court overturned the conviction and Weinstein's 23-year prison sentence after concluding he did not get a fair trial. A Manhattan jury then convicted Weinstein of sexually abusing Ms Haley at a trial in June 2025, but found him ​not guilty of assaulting former ​model Kaja Sokola. The same jury were ⁠deadlocked on the third-degree rape charge relating to Ms Mann, and Justice Curtis Farber declared a mistrial on that count. That paved the way for this year's retrial. Weinstein ​was convicted of rape in California in 2022 and is serving ​a 16-year prison sentence. He is appealing that conviction and sentence. The Miramax studio co-founder will face up to 25 years in prison when he is ​sentenced for abusing Ms Haley.

The constituency of Makerfield has been a Labour safe seat for generations, but in the May elections, Reform UK won nearly every seat that was up for grabs at the local council. So how much of a gamble is it for Andy Burnham to try to stage a Commons return here? In his favour is his personal popularity in Greater Manchester and the fact he grew up in the area. Against him is the momentum of Reform and the fact that Makerfield hasn't benefitted from some of Burnham's key policies as mayor of the city. To discuss his chances, Niall speaks to Rob Ford, professor of political science at the University of Manchester. Have you got a question for Niall? Email the show - why@sky.uk

Sophomore Stephon Castle led his side with 32 points and 11 rebounds on the night as the Spurs made a franchise-record 18 three pointers to send their opponents packing. They side will now take on the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder in a highly-anticipated matchup that will see the top two seeds in the West go head-to-head. Is LeBron James actually retiring? NBA great's options assessedNot got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contractChoose the Sky Sports push notifications you want De'Aaron Fox added 21 points and nine assists and rookie Dylan Harper had 15 points off the bench for the victors, while Wembanyama notched a quiet 19 points in 27 minutes. "Of course we're confident, but we need to keep the right confidence level," Wembanyama said ahead of the much-anticipated Thunder series. "Right now, I'm not even thinking about it. I'm just thinking about recovering." "It shows that we already gained a little bit of experience from our short playoff time. I feel like we put ourselves in the best conditions, as simple as that." Edwards had 24 points on 9-for-26 shooting for the Timberwolves, bringing to an end an impressive postseason that has seen the No 6 seed push one of the NBA's best teams to their limit. "I just tip my hat to them," Edwards said. "They were just the better team." "It just felt like we kind of ran out of bullets as this series went on," Minnesota head coach Chris Finch echoed. The Thunder swept their first two series - including putting LeBron James' future NBA career in doubt with their second-round win - but undoubtedly face the toughest test of their playoff campaign so far when they take on San Antonio, with Game 1 kicking the series off on Monday night. Pistons beat Cavs on road to force deciding game seven The No 1 seeded Detroit Pistons put together a dominant second-half performance to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-94 on Friday night to force a Game 7 in their Eastern Conference second-round series. The Pistons' 21-point victory tied a 66-year-old NBA playoff record for the largest Game 6 road win by a team trailing 3-2 in a series. The St Louis Hawks beat the Minneapolis Lakers 117-96 in a the 1960 West Division finals. Cunningham made five 3-pointers as the Pistons went 16 of 36 from beyond the arc, tied for their most this preseason. Duncan Robinson, who missed Wednesday's Game 5 with a lower back injury, had four 3-pointers and scored 14 points off the bench. Jalen Duren had 15 points and 11 rebounds while Daniss Jenkins also scored 15 for the Pistons, who have won four games this postseason when facing elimination. "It has been a collective effort. We needed every bit of it. Great team win," Cunningham said. James Harden's 23 points for Cleveland - alongside Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley's 18 points - wasn't enough to stop the Cavs suffering their first home loss of the postseason. "We never really kicked it to that second level. And we need to get to that third and fourth level. It was never just a consistent flow at either end of the floor, which is frustrating," Harden said. The decisive game takes place live on Sky Sports on at 1am on Monday (UK time) in Detroit. Watch the NBA Playoffs live on Sky Sports. Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime