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Aug 2
Man arrested after death of British woman whose body was found inside suitcase in Athens

The body of Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, was discovered by a homeless man in a derelict building in the Kypseli area of the Greek capital on 18 July. Ms Ross, from the Edinburgh area of Scotland, is believed to have died between five and seven days before she was found, police said. It is understood she arrived in the country from the United States via Cyprus on 29 June, according to Greek media. She was initially staying with friends in Piraeus and is then said to have gone to meet American friends in another part of Athens, but it is unclear if this ever happened. Earlier this week, toxicology tests were being carried out to establish whether "foul play" was involved in her death. The Hellenic Police, Greece's national force, were able to identify the victim using fingerprints. In the following days after her death, police said her bank card was still being used to withdraw money and text messages were being sent from her phone. On Sunday, Greek police said a 26-year-old man, described as a foreign national, has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, robbery and violation of weapons laws. A replica pistol and a knife were allegedly found at the suspect's home. Read more:Helicopters collide tackling Greek wildfires'One punch' killer to be extradited to GreeceGreat-grandfather died after garden crash The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said earlier it was "providing consular support and are in contact with the local authorities". A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "We are aware of the death of a Scottish woman in Athens and are liaising with authorities in Greece. "Officers are providing support to her family in Scotland."

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No Writer
Aug 2
Actor Vincent Pastore, who played mobster in The Sopranos, dies aged 80

Pastore, who was best known for his portrayal of Salvatore Bonpensiero in the acclaimed mob drama, died at his home in New York, his manager said. The veteran actor had appeared in films since the 1980s, including roles in Goodfellas and Awakenings, and made a name for himself portraying gangsters and tough guys. But it was his 30-episode stint in The Sopranos as a cigar-smoking mob enforcer turned conflicted informant that brought him fame. A cause of death has not been disclosed. Pastore's Sopranos co-stars paid tribute, with Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who played Meadow Soprano, writing: "A wonderful actor, a kind and loving man. It was an honor to know you and work with you." Michael Imperioli, who played Christopher Moltisanti, wrote on Instagram: "This is a hard one for us, it seems like I've known Vinny forever. "We did lots of work together and travelled all over the USA as well as Italy and Australia. Lots of good times. Lots of laughs. Vinny was a kind-hearted brother who cared deeply about his family and friends. I will miss him always." Lorraine Bracco, who played Dr Jennifer Melfi, said: "Such a funny & charming man… just a beautiful soul. Absolutely heartbreaking." Joe Pantoliano, who played Ralph Cifaretto, explained that while he was never on set with Pastore, "through our Sopranos family I got to know him over the years". "I always liked him," he wrote. "He had this incredible appetite for the business, and he never lost that spark." Stevie Van Zandt, who played Silvio Dante, said on X: "Another irreplaceable brother gone. It never gets any easier. Travel well Vincenzo." Pastore's manager Robert Attermann told Sky's US broadcasting partner NBC News that the actor will always be remembered as his "unforgettable" character in The Sopranos. "To the world, he will always be remembered as the unforgettable 'Big Pussy'," he said, using the nickname of Pastore's character in the show. "But to those of us who knew him, he was so much more." Mr Attermann added: "Vinny was one of the kindest, most generous people I have ever known. "He treated everyone with warmth and respect, never turning down a fan who wanted a photograph or an autograph. He genuinely appreciated the people who supported him and always made them feel valued." Another of Pastore's managers, Bob McGowan, said he had learned of the star's death on Saturday from another client and actor, Vincent Curatola, who portrayed mafioso Johnny Sack on The Sopranos. He said that Pastore had been found in his home on New York's City Island in the Bronx after not being heard from for several days. Mr McGowan said he'd been trying to reach Pastore about a possible job. "He was the most loyal client and he always gave to charity," he said. "And he was the kind of guy who would help anybody, which is rare in my business." Read more from Sky News:Prince William 'saddened' after death of mountaineerNetflix sued for $105m over stolen Nicolas Cage drama The actor also appeared in TV drama Law & Order, 2013 film Once Upon A Time In Brooklyn and theatre productions. He also played in a band called Gangster Squad. Pastore, who was born in the Bronx and grew up in suburban New Rochelle, New York, has been inducted on the Bronx Wall of Fame. "His portrayal of the complex and lovable mobster earned him widespread recognition and praise," the Walk of Fame said. "Pastore's ability to bring depth and authenticity to his character contributed to the show's success and solidified his place in television history." He enlisted in the navy during the Vietnam War and later attended Pace University, according to his biography on IMDb. He is survived by his daughter, Renee Pastore.

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Professor Rob Ford, Sky News elections analyst, Joely Santa Cruz & Daniel Dunford, data journalists
Aug 1
Comfortable victory, but uncomfortable numbers for Labour in Greater Manchester

Craig won 47% of first preferences, well above what polling had predicted, though not quite enough to avoid a run-off against the second-placed Reform, which Labour also won handily. Nearly 60% of those who cast a ballot backed Labour in the first or second round, a remarkable recovery in a city-region where the party had collapsed just months earlier in local elections. Labour's performance does not look quite so impressive if we zoom out a bit further. The party's first preference share was down 16 points on Andy Burnham's 2024 win (though this was under a different electoral system). Labour never dropped below 60% on first preferences under Burnham. Though Bev Craig won comfortably, this is now a more competitive city-region. Runners-up Reform will be pleased to have pushed Labour into a second round, but disappointed not to have run the winners closer. An aggregate vote share of 21% on first preferences, and under 30% with second preferences added, will have been at the bottom end of the party's expectations. Reform had topped the poll across Greater Manchester in May's local elections, sweeping dozens of councillors out of office. Though this is by a large margin Reform's strongest ever performance in a Greater Manchester mayoral election, it is only their fifth best performance in all mayoral elections, behind all four of last May's contests. After over a year ahead in the national polls, they will have hoped for better. But there were some consolations for Reform, and concerns for Labour, in the borough-by-borough results. Nigel Farage's party secured over 25% of the vote in five of GM's outer boroughs, and hit 30% in Wigan, Andy Burnham's home borough. That could herald further gains for Reform in next May's local elections, when the party will hope to wrest some of these boroughs out of Labour control. The Greens will also be disappointed. Less than six months after their by-election triumph in Gorton and Denton, they have fallen back into a distant third place with just over 12% of the first preference vote. This is only their sixth best performance in a mayoral election, weaker than results achieved in the West of England, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire when the party was less popular in national polling. One consolation for the Greens will be their second-place finish with 24% in Manchester itself - the party will still hope to cause Bev Craig some headaches in her home borough in local elections next year. This was a disastrous night for the Conservatives, who had come second in all three previous Mayoral races but dropped to fifth place in this one, winning less than 8% of the first preference vote. The Liberal Democrats also had a night to forget, winning under 3% of first preferences, comfortably their worst ever showing in the four mayoral contests to date. The biggest story from the trailing pack was instead Restore Britain, the party founded by former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe in February. Restore came in fourth place overall, beating the Conservatives and winning nearly 9% of first preferences, a remarkable showing for a brand-new party. Restore campaigned as a more uncompromising, hardline version of Reform, and their gains here, as in Makerfield last month, may well have come at Reform's expense. Restore won over 12% in Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside, all boroughs which featured strong Reform performances in May. The largest by-election in British history did not, in the end, excite Greater Manchester's electors. Turnout across Greater Manchester was a shade over 25%, down nearly seven points on the 2024 figure. This was the lowest figure recorded in GM's four contests, and the third lowest for any combined authority mayoral election. An uncompetitive contest held in the school and university summer holiday season was always going to struggle to engage voters. But with devolution now promoted as a route to political renewal, it will concern the new prime minister that so many in Greater Manchester have greeted the prospect of choosing his replacement with a yawn of indifference. The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open-source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.

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No Writer
Aug 1
Gianni Infantino abandons plans to sell off stake in World Cup after widespread FIFA backlash

But, despite walking back on his plans, UEFA has declared a loss of confidence in Infantino, with the Football Association supportive of the stance taken by European football's governing body. FIFA had announced on Tuesday that it was seeking to launch FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would bring together the sale of FIFA's commercial rights - including broadcasting, sponsorship, ticketing and licensing - with the operational delivery of its tournaments. World Cup 2030: Dates, schedule, hosts, stadiums and how qualification worksWorld Cup latest news | Saudi Arabia to host 2034 World Cup Infantino had then given football associations until September 19 to back his proposals to sell off part of FIFA to private investors with a £30.1m incentive to accept. But the controversial proposals received fierce criticism from UEFA, CONCACAF (the North American, Central American and Caribbean association) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Prime Minister Andy Burnham adding his condemnation by calling for "FIFA to undertake an urgent review of its governance". On Saturday, he told Sky News FIFA's climbdown was "the right decision". A statement from Infantino in the early hours of Saturday read: "The FIFA Forward Enterprise project was intended to provide a basis for further strengthening our FIFA member associations and our sport worldwide, especially in those countries where support is most needed. "And more so, as we said from the outset, to do this only if a majority of the FIFA member associations were in support and always subject to a consultation process with them, the FIFA council, the confederations and wider stakeholders. "Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place. Our purpose has always been - and will always be - to unite and improve. "As a result, this proposal will not proceed. Moving forward, my intent is to bring all interested parties back together in the coming days and weeks in the spirit of shared interest in our game, and with the objective to continue growing football everywhere, particularly in those countries that mostly need our support." Writing on the AFC website, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa welcomed FIFA's decision to abandon plans to sell a stake in ‌the World Cup. "Any initiative ‌that has the potential to impact global football will be presented and discussed with the confederations, the FIFA council, member associations and other stakeholders in a timely, transparent and meaningful manner," he wrote. "The future of global football must always be shaped through proper consultation, collective dialogue and respect for the established governance structures of our game." 'Approaching game over for Infantino' Sky Sports News' Kaveh Solhekol: "We have passed the tipping point and are approaching game over for Gianni Infantino. This whole disaster has been self-inflicted. "There was no need for him to be in the situation he finds himself in today. He is now losing all his authority and his power. We have had statements from UEFA and other football associations. "Reading between the lines, they are calling for Infantino to resign. They don't want to say it explicitly, no body wants to be the first [to say it]. "They are basically saying it is time to go and they no longer believe in him. This is one scandal too many, especially if you read UEFA's statement. "They have basically said they have lost confidence in Infantino and to hold a review into what has gone on, with no options off the table. "I think by saying no options are off the table, they are saying that they will look for somebody new to take over from Infantino. "He has lost the support of the few backers he had left." 'The task of rebuilding trust in FIFA has only just begun' UEFA welcomed FIFA's decision to ‌abandon its plans, adding ​it would work ‌with partners and stakeholders to ensure such moves cannot be fast-tracked without consultation ​in the future. A UEFA statement read: "UEFA thanks all the fans, leagues, clubs, players, individuals, associations and confederations that opposed the scheme, alongside the many prime ministers, heads of state and commentators who have demonstrated to the FIFA president that football is not for sale. "We cannot keep going on like this with secret schemes on fast-track timescales, cooked up by faceless individuals and of dubious benefit to the game. We must identify those responsible and hold them to account. "It is right that, in the coming days and weeks, UEFA will work with its associations and in close cooperation with other confederations to reflect on how this happened and devise a plan to make sure that it cannot occur again. "That review should be thorough and fundamental. No option should be off the table. The current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA's confidence but also that of many other members of the football family. "When Gianni Infantino asked for the trust and the votes of FIFA's member associations to elect him as their president in 2016, he said, 'Of course we have to be transparent. I have been this in the last 15 years of my life in UEFA. You will have to play a part every day in the life of FIFA', before telling the assembled stakeholders, 'The money of FIFA is your money. It's not the money of the FIFA president. It's your money. You are the national associations and the money of FIFA has to serve for the development of football and not for anything else'. "On both these promises, he has failed to deliver. The shabby, back-room, opaque deal he hatched and tried to force through was anything but transparent. "And with reserves standing at over $5bn (£3.7bn), he has also failed to use associations' money for the benefit of the game. "UEFA will begin work immediately with partners and stakeholders all over the world and right across the game to propose a new way of distributing resources through the existing FIFA Forward programme. "We must start to use some of that money that is sat idle in FIFA's bank account to deliver the kickstart that the grassroots and the wider game need in each of the 211 countries of FIFA. But we don't need to sell off the family silver to pay for it. "This is a victory for the whole game. But it must not be the end of the story. The proposal has gone. The task of rebuilding trust in FIFA has only just begun." FA and FAW firmly behind UEFA The Football Association has declared its unequivocal backing for the position taken by UEFA. "We fully support UEFA's position," an FA statement read. "It is time for a full and robust review of FIFA's leadership and governance to ensure that the global game is run transparently, for the benefit of all 211 member nations and with the long-term stewardship of football at its heart" The FAW added: "The Football Association of Wales (FAW) supports UEFA's position regarding a robust review of the leadership and governance of FIFA. "FIFA and its members are custodians of the game, responsible for its long-term growth, development and sustainability. This requires leadership that puts our game first in all of our decisions." Sell-off plans condemned Pressure increased on Infantino after Carlos Cordeiro, one of his senior advisors, resigned in protest at the privatisation plan, saying it was a "bad deal for football" and "for the long-term future of the game". In an exclusive statement to Sky News, Cordeiro added: "As a senior advisor to the FIFA president, a former banker and a lifelong football fan, I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup. "Let me be clear: I had no involvement in this proposal and I oppose it unequivocally." A second FIFA official - chief operating officer Kevin Lamour - had also said the governing body's staff were "deceived" by Infantino's lack of openness over his plans, and told the Associated Press news agency that staff "deserve better than contempt and intimidation". Lamour called the World Cup plans "the project of one person" and said it was time for football leaders to take action. Cordeiro's resignation and Lamour's comments came after FIFA had released a statement in the early hours of Friday morning insisting "nobody is selling football" amid criticism of its proposals. What were FIFA's World Cup plans? Under the initial proposal to launch FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), football's world governing body aimed to raise up to $4.2bn (£3.1bn) from external investors through the sale of minority, non-controlling stakes in FFE, which it said would be valued at around $20bn (£15bn). The governing body said its plans - which would have required approval from member associations - could deliver more than $10bn in "football development funding" over the next four years. Who could replace Infantino? Sky Sports News chief correspondent Kaveh Solhekol: There's been talk about the president of Paris Saint-Germain, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, one of the most powerful men in world football, who is on the UEFA executive committee. But my understanding is that he is not interested in replacing Infantino. Other candidates are people like Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, who came second in the vote to become FIFA president 10 years ago. He's the president of the AFC, who also oppose the sell-off plans. Then there's the president of CONCACAF, Victor Montagliani. We've just had the World Cup in three CONCACAF countries and historically, CONCACAF have been close to Infantino, but they said on Thursday that they rejected the proposal as well. Finally, someone I think would be very popular is Aleksander Ceferin, the president of UEFA. He has a totally different vision about the way football should be run. If he was the president of FIFA, there would be no hydration breaks, no FIFA Peace Prizes, no Qatari-owned private jets for the president, no $1m (£742,000) World Cup tickets. But I don't think Ceferin has ever expressed any desire or interest publicly to replace Infantino. Perhaps we are getting ahead of ourselves. Infantino is under a lot of pressure and it would be fair to say he is fighting for his job, but we are not at the stage where people are going to come out and say they are going to stand against him.

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No Writer
Aug 2
At least five dead and dozens missing after Indonesian ferry catches fire

The Mutiara Sentosa 2 ferry, which was carrying 271 passengers and crew members, caught fire off Indonesia's Madura island, the country's rescue agency said. The search operation is still ongoing for those missing - with 225 people understood to have been found. It was heading from Surabaya, in East Java province, to Makassar city, in South Sulawesi, when the blaze started. It's unclear how the ferry caught fire, but Indonesia's national search and rescue agency, Basarnas, said the flames broke out between 6am and 7am local time. The ferry operator, PT Atosim Lampung Pelayaran, reported the incident to the Surabaya search and rescue office about an hour later, Basarnas confirmed. It said the company received information from the ferry's captain that the vessel was on fire near the northern tip of Madura island, but contact was later lost. By 9.45am, authorities determined the ferry was about 19 nautical miles north of Buruan Sapudi island after communicating with the nearby cargo vessel Meratus Project 3, which was unable to approach the burning vessel because it was carrying a flammable load. A tugboat and another passing vessel moved in and began evacuating passengers from the stricken ferry shortly before 10am. By Sunday afternoon, several nearby vessels managed to rescue 225 passengers and crew and recovered five bodies. Footage on social media appeared to show people wearing life jackets as thick smoke poured from the vessel. Search and rescue teams dispatched a rescue vessel from Surabaya, although officials estimated it would take about six hours to reach the scene. A rigid inflatable boat from the Sumenep rescue post was sent towards the location but had to return because of rough seas and high waves. An Indonesian naval warship has also been deployed to help with the search and rescue. Read more from Sky News:US state's emergency over wildfiresTourist plane crash leaves 13 dead The 160m (525f) long and 25m (82ft) wide ferry serves the Surabaya-Makassar route, a voyage that typically takes around 40 hours and is primarily used by domestic travellers and cargo transport. Maritime accidents are not uncommon in Indonesia, which relies heavily on boats and is made up of over 17,500 islands. Last month, rescue operations had to be launched after a different ship, the KM Nurul Salsa, suffered an engine failure and sank. Rescuers then found five survivors, including a 7-year-old girl, days after the ship had sunk.

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No Writer
Aug 2
Teenage girl dies at Kendal Calling festival

Police said emergency services were called to the festival site in the Lake District in Cumbria at 2.13am, following reports of the girl suffering a "medical episode". Despite the best efforts of emergency responders, including the administration of CPR, she was pronounced dead at the scene, Cumbria Constabulary said. The girl's family have been told and are being supported by specialist officers. Enquiries into the circumstances surrounding her death are ongoing. Police are keen to speak to people who were in the area of the festival's Calling Out tent and the Big Wheel at around 2am. They also want to speak to a group of women who directed emergency personnel to the girl after becoming concerned for her welfare. A festival spokesperson said in a statement: "The team at Kendal Calling are deeply saddened by the passing of a festival attendee in the early hours of Sunday morning following a medical episode. "As soon as the individual became unwell, they were immediately attended to by our on-site security and medical teams. "Paramedics and medical personnel provided emergency care at the scene and did everything they could to help. "We extend our deepest sympathies to the individual's family, friends and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time. "We are supporting the relevant authorities and will continue to assist them with their investigation." The four-day festival, which continues Sunday (2 August), is being headlined by acts Biffy Clyro, Wolf Alice, Two Door Cinema Club and The Kooks. Growing year on year since its launch in 2006, Kendal Calling takes place annually at Lowther Deer Park, near Penrith and Hackthorpe.

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No Writer
Jul 30
Burnham's blitz: Sam and Anne's verdict

Andy Burnham has thrown the future of legalising assisted dying into doubt. After telling Sam Coates that he does not want legislation to proceed until social care and palliative care are "fixed". Supporters of the bill insist they are pressing ahead. But has the Prime Minister's intervention made its passage through Parliament far less likely? Sam and Anne examine what Burnham's comments mean for MPs ahead of the crucial September vote. Plus, new polling from POLITICO shows again the 'Burnham bounce' as his approval rating goes up in every demographic, except one - Reform voters. What will this mean in the long term? And, before Sam and Anne take some time off over summer, what do they make of Burnham's first two weeks?

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Ali Stafford at Royal Lytham & St Annes
Aug 2
AIG Women's Open: Shiho Kuwaki snatches play-off win over Esther Henseleit after remarkable finish at Royal Lytham

Henseleit holed a remarkable 45-foot birdie on the final hole at Royal Lytham & St Annes to move to five under alongside Kuwaki, who also posted a one-under 70 and overturned a three-shot deficit during an eventful Sunday. The two players returned to the par-four 18th for the sudden-death play-off, where Kuwaki scrambled an unlikely par as Henseleit missed a 10-foot birdie putt for victory. AIG Women's Open: Final scores and full leaderboardRecap: Final round as it happened at Royal LythamGet Sky Sports or stream golf with no contract Henseleit's tee shot on the second extra hole hit a marshal's ankle and finished in a bush, leaving her hacking back into the fairway on her way to a bogey, as Kuwaki two-putted for par to become Japan's second successive AIG Women's Open champion. Yealimi Noh took a three-shot lead into the final round at Royal Lytham & St Annes and briefly went four clear, only to card three bogeys in a five-hole stretch on her front nine and eventually finish a shot back in third. Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul - the world's top two - shared fourth spot on two under, while Hull and Woad both finished four strokes back in tied-sixth after both failed to mount a late challenge for a maiden major title. More to follow... This is a breaking news story that is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh this page for the latest updates. Sky Sports brings you live updates as they happen. Get breaking sports news, analysis, exclusive interviews, replays and highlights. Sky Sports is your trusted source for breaking sports news headlines and live updates. Watch live coverage of your favourite sports: Football, F1, Boxing, Cricket, Golf, Tennis, Rugby League, Rugby Union, NFL, Darts, Netball and get the latest transfers news, results, scores and more. Visit skysports.com or the Sky Sports App for all the breaking sports news headlines. You can receive push notifications from the Sky Sports app for the latest news from your favourite sports, you can follow @SkySportsNews on X to get the latest updates and you can also now follow Sky Sports' WhatsApp channel.

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