It described what might happen should a hostile state start a fight, saying this could include missile strikes against military sites and power stations across the UK, sabotage of railway lines and other critical infrastructure and attacks on the armed forces. Politics latest: Britain must be 'battle-ready', says PM In a devastating verdict on the state of Britain's defences, the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) said today's armed forces are "not currently optimised for warfare", with inadequate stockpiles of weapons, poor recruitment and crumbling morale. "The international chessboard has been tipped over," a team of three experts that led the review wrote in a foreword to their 140-page document. "In a world where the impossible today is becoming the inevitable tomorrow, there can be no complacency about defending our country." The review, which was commissioned by Sir Keir Starmer last July, made a list of more than 60 recommendations to enable the UK to "pivot to a new way of war". They include: Increasing the size of the army by 3,000 soldiers to 76,000 troops in the next parliament. The review also aims to boost the "lethality" of the Army ten-fold, using drones and other technologyA 20% expansion in volunteer reserve forces but again only when funding permits and likely not until the 2030sReviving a force of tens of thousands of veterans to fight in a crisis. The government used to run annual training for the so-called Strategic Reserve in the Cold War but that no longer happens.Embracing new technologies such artificial intelligence, robots and lasers. The paper said the UK must develop ways to defend against emerging threats such as biological weapons, warning of "pathogens and other weapons of mass destruction"The possibility of the UK buying warplanes that could carry American nuclear bombs to bolster the NATO alliance's nuclear capabilities. "Defence should commence discussions with the United States and NATO on the potential benefits and feasibility of enhanced UK participation in NATO's nuclear mission."The expansion of a cadet force of children by 30% and offering a "gap year" to people interested in sampling military lifeIncreasing the size of the army by 3,000 soldiers to 76,000 troops in the next parliament. The review also aims to boost the "lethality" of the army 10-fold, using drones and other technology.New investment in long-range weapons, submarines, munitions factories and cyber warfare capabilities. General Sir Richard Barrons, part of the review team and a former senior military officer, described the vision as "the most profound change" to UK defences in 150 years. But there were some notable gaps - likely caused by limited finances. This includes only a brief mention of bolstering the UK's ability to defend against cruise and ballistic missiles - a key weakness but one that would be very expensive to fix. Earlier today, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the Strategic Defence Review was a "blueprint to make Britain safer and stronger, a battle-ready armour-clad nation, with the strongest alliances and the most advanced capabilities, equipped for the decades to come". Defence Secretary John Healey, writing in a foreword to the document, said "up to" £1bn would be invested in "homeland air and missile defence" as well as the creation of a new cyber and electromagnetic warfare command. The review was drawn up with the expectation that defence spending would rise to 2.5% of GDP this parliament - up from around 2.3% now - and then to 3% by 2034. The government has pledged to hit 2.5% by 2027 but is yet to make 3% a cast iron commitment. Read more:UK to build weapons factoriesRussian-linked hackers targeted MoD The reviewers said their recommendations could be delivered in 10 years if that spending target is reached but they gave a strong signal that they would like this to happen much sooner. "As we live in such turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster," the team said. "The plan we have put forward can be accelerated for either greater assurance or for mobilisation of defence in a crisis." The review described the threat posed by Russia as "immediate and pressing". It said China, by contrast, is a "sophisticated and persistent challenge". It pointed to Beijing's growing missile capability that can reach the UK and said the Chinese military's nuclear arsenal is expected to double to 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030. The other two reviewers were Lord George Robertson, a former Labour defence secretary, and Fiona Hill, a Russia expert and former foreign policy adviser to Donald Trump. 👉Search for The Wargame on your podcast app👈 The review team warned the post Cold War-era of relative peace has ended and a time of contest, tension and conflict has returned. Adding to the pressure, the US - by far the most powerful member of the NATO alliance - is focusing more on the threat it sees from China. "Changes in the strategic context mean that NATO allies may be drawn into war with - or be subject to coercion by - another nuclear armed state," the review said. "With the US clear that the security of Europe is no longer its primary international focus, the UK and European allies must step up their efforts". The review set out how defence is not only the responsibility of the armed forces because countries - not just the professional military - fight wars. It said: "Everyone has a role to play and a national conversation on how we do it is required… As the old saying goes, 'If you want peace, prepare for war'." Sky News and Tortoise will launch a new podcast series on 10 June that simulates a Russian attack on the UK to test Britain's defences, with former ministers and military chiefs playing the part of the British government.

In a statement, his mother Jo - who appeared on the 2019 series with him - and his father Andrew said: "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved son Sam in a terrible accident. "Sam left us far too soon, and whilst words will never fully capture the light, joy and energy he brought into our lives, we hold on to the memories that made him so special. "Sam was adored by his family. As a son, brother and nephew, he was loyal, funny and fiercely protective." They added that taking part in Race Across The World "opened his eyes to the wonder of adventure and travel". The statement continued: "He was willing to go wherever the trail might lead and he touched everyone he met on the road. "Sam brought warmth, laughter and a smattering of chaos wherever he went. He leaves behind a huge hole in our hearts. "He found great happiness working as a landscape gardener on the west coast of Scotland. He leaves behind a huge hole in our hearts. We will miss him endlessly, but we'll also remember him with smiles, tall tales, and a depth of love that will never fade." Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the car accident happened on the A34 in Gatley, near Cheadle on Monday night. He died from his injuries on Thursday, they said. "Emergency services attended the scene after a vehicle was reported to have left the carriageway and rolled before landing on its side," a spokesperson said. The 24-year-old was the only person in his car and no other vehicles were involved, they added. A spokesperson for the makers of Race Across The World said: "Everyone who worked with him and indeed everyone who watched Sam could see just how precious and transformative the trip was for both him and his mum, Jo. "Sam embraced the seven-week trip with an energy, love and a determination that saw the pair enjoy adventures across Mexico to Argentina making audiences fall in love with them and their special bond as a result. "We would like to extend our deepest condolences to his parents, Andrew and Jo; his brothers, William and Charlie; his step mum Justine; his family and friends."

It described what might happen should a hostile state start a fight, saying this could include missile strikes against military sites and power stations across the UK, sabotage of railway lines and other critical infrastructure and attacks on the armed forces. Politics latest: Britain must be 'battle-ready', says PM In a devastating verdict on the state of Britain's defences, the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) said today's armed forces are "not currently optimised for warfare", with inadequate stockpiles of weapons, poor recruitment and crumbling morale. "The international chessboard has been tipped over," a team of three experts that led the review wrote in a foreword to their 140-page document. "In a world where the impossible today is becoming the inevitable tomorrow, there can be no complacency about defending our country." The review, which was commissioned by Sir Keir Starmer last July, made a list of more than 60 recommendations to enable the UK to "pivot to a new way of war". They include: Increasing the size of the army by 3,000 soldiers to 76,000 troops in the next parliament. The review also aims to boost the "lethality" of the Army ten-fold, using drones and other technologyA 20% expansion in volunteer reserve forces but again only when funding permits and likely not until the 2030sReviving a force of tens of thousands of veterans to fight in a crisis. The government used to run annual training for the so-called Strategic Reserve in the Cold War but that no longer happens.Embracing new technologies such artificial intelligence, robots and lasers. The paper said the UK must develop ways to defend against emerging threats such as biological weapons, warning of "pathogens and other weapons of mass destruction"The possibility of the UK buying warplanes that could carry American nuclear bombs to bolster the NATO alliance's nuclear capabilities. "Defence should commence discussions with the United States and NATO on the potential benefits and feasibility of enhanced UK participation in NATO's nuclear mission."The expansion of a cadet force of children by 30% and offering a "gap year" to people interested in sampling military lifeIncreasing the size of the army by 3,000 soldiers to 76,000 troops in the next parliament. The review also aims to boost the "lethality" of the army 10-fold, using drones and other technology.New investment in long-range weapons, submarines, munitions factories and cyber warfare capabilities. General Sir Richard Barrons, part of the review team and a former senior military officer, described the vision as "the most profound change" to UK defences in 150 years. But there were some notable gaps - likely caused by limited finances. This includes only a brief mention of bolstering the UK's ability to defend against cruise and ballistic missiles - a key weakness but one that would be very expensive to fix. Earlier today, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the Strategic Defence Review was a "blueprint to make Britain safer and stronger, a battle-ready armour-clad nation, with the strongest alliances and the most advanced capabilities, equipped for the decades to come". Defence Secretary John Healey, writing in a foreword to the document, said "up to" £1bn would be invested in "homeland air and missile defence" as well as the creation of a new cyber and electromagnetic warfare command. The review was drawn up with the expectation that defence spending would rise to 2.5% of GDP this parliament - up from around 2.3% now - and then to 3% by 2034. The government has pledged to hit 2.5% by 2027 but is yet to make 3% a cast iron commitment. Read more:UK to build weapons factoriesRussian-linked hackers targeted MoD The reviewers said their recommendations could be delivered in 10 years if that spending target is reached but they gave a strong signal that they would like this to happen much sooner. "As we live in such turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster," the team said. "The plan we have put forward can be accelerated for either greater assurance or for mobilisation of defence in a crisis." The review described the threat posed by Russia as "immediate and pressing". It said China, by contrast, is a "sophisticated and persistent challenge". It pointed to Beijing's growing missile capability that can reach the UK and said the Chinese military's nuclear arsenal is expected to double to 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030. The other two reviewers were Lord George Robertson, a former Labour defence secretary, and Fiona Hill, a Russia expert and former foreign policy adviser to Donald Trump. 👉Search for The Wargame on your podcast app👈 The review team warned the post Cold War-era of relative peace has ended and a time of contest, tension and conflict has returned. Adding to the pressure, the US - by far the most powerful member of the NATO alliance - is focusing more on the threat it sees from China. "Changes in the strategic context mean that NATO allies may be drawn into war with - or be subject to coercion by - another nuclear armed state," the review said. "With the US clear that the security of Europe is no longer its primary international focus, the UK and European allies must step up their efforts". The review set out how defence is not only the responsibility of the armed forces because countries - not just the professional military - fight wars. It said: "Everyone has a role to play and a national conversation on how we do it is required… As the old saying goes, 'If you want peace, prepare for war'." Sky News and Tortoise will launch a new podcast series on 10 June that simulates a Russian attack on the UK to test Britain's defences, with former ministers and military chiefs playing the part of the British government.

Verstappen and Russell collided with three laps remaining when battling for fourth, making contact at Turn Five, after the Red Bull driver had been told to let Russell through. The stewards gave Verstappen a 10-second time penalty for the incident, which dropped him from fifth to 10th, while also adding three penalty points on to his super licence - putting him one point away from an automatic race ban. Russell told Sky Sports F1 that the move "felt deliberate" and was "totally unnecessary" while 2016 F1 world champion Nico Rosberg says Verstappen should have been "black flagged" for the incident. Max Verstappen one penalty point away from race ban after George Russell clashSpanish GP result | F1 championship standingsGot Sky? Watch F1 races LIVE on your phone! 📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺Choose the Sky Sports push notifications you want! 🔔 "We had an exciting strategy and good race in Barcelona, till the Safety Car came out," Verstappen wrote on Instagram. "Our tyre choice to the end and some moves after the safety car restart fuelled my frustration, leading to a move that was not right and shouldn't have happened. "I always give everything out there for the team and emotions can run high. You win some together, you lose some together. See you in Montreal." Horner added on social media: "The Safety Car came out at the worst possible time for our strategy. We had the choice to stay out on older tyres or take the gamble with a new set of hard tyres. "Hindsight is always 20/20, but we made the best decision at the time with the information we had. The result that followed was frustrating as it was looking to be an easy podium for Max and good Championship points. "Max apologised in the debrief for his incident with Russell. The SC also hurt Yuki [Tsunoda's] race, he would've been very close if not in the points otherwise if you look at the trajectory he was on. "But that's racing. It can turn in a split second. It is one of the reasons we are all so captivated and in love with this sport. It was a tough weekend, but we will be busy working hard over the next weeks to make some set-up improvements to the car and come back strong in Montreal." Verstappen is now 49 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri, who won the Spanish Grand Prix. The Dutchman, who eventually let Russell through later in the lap, was not keen to speak about the incident post-race. He told Sky Sports F1: "Does it matter? I prefer to speak about the race rather than one single moment." What led to Verstappen's clash with Russell? Verstappen was on course to finish third behind the two McLarens until a Safety Car for Kimi Antonelli's stricken Mercedes bunched the field together. Red Bull put Verstappen on hard tyres, since they had no other new tyres, whereas everyone else in the top 10 was on softs. Verstappen had a big snap of oversteer on the restart out of the last corner and was overtaken by Charles Leclerc, who briefly made contact with him. Russell also tried to get through at Turn 1 but the pair touched and Verstappen cut the chicane to keep fourth place. Red Bull told Verstappen to let Russell through, which appeared to anger the reigning world champion who was already frustrated. "On recent experience and looking at recent incidents, obviously it's subjective, you've asked for guidance from the FIA, from the referee, essentially there's nothing come back," said Horner after the race. "You can see that it's been reported. It's going to the stewards. It looked for all intents and purposes that it was going to be a penalty. "Therefore, the instruction was given to Max to give that place back, which he was obviously upset about and annoyed about because he felt that one: he'd been left no space and two: that George hadn't been fully in control. "After a conversation with his engineer, he elected to give the space back at Turn 5. There was contact between the two cars. "Obviously the stewards deemed that he caused a collision and got 10 seconds and some penalty points, unfortunately, which obviously was very frustrating because it leaves us with one point out of the afternoon, what should have been an easy podium." The 2025 Formula 1 season pauses for breath after the European triple-header before resuming live on Sky Sports F1 with the Canadian Grand Prix from June 13-15. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime.

The Metropolitan Police say they are "aware" of the searches set to be conducted by German federal police in Portugal - where Madeleine disappeared while on holiday with her family in the resort of Praia da Luz 18 years ago. A spokesperson for the force said: "We are aware of the searches being carried out by the BKA (German federal police) in Portugal as part of their investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. "The Metropolitan Police Service is not present at the search, we will support our international colleagues where necessary." German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters also said in a statement that as part of the investigation, "criminal proceedings are currently taking place in Portugal". Later, Portuguese police said it was carrying out a European Investigation Order issued by German authorities, with the search being conducted between Monday and Friday. It comes as Portuguese police sources told Sky's partner in the country, SIC Noticias, that the search was expected to start on Tuesday morning. The three-year-old British girl was asleep with her younger twin siblings in the family's Portuguese rented holiday apartment before their mother Kate discovered her missing at around 10pm on 3 May 2007. Kate and Gerry McCann were dining nearby on the complex with friends and taking turns to check on all their sleeping children every half an hour. Officers are set to scour more than 20 rustic plots of land in the easternmost part of Praia da Luz - near the house where suspect Christian B lived at the time and close to where Madeleine disappeared. SIC Noticias also reports that German and Portuguese authorities are looking for either Madeleine's body or for an indication that she may have been there at the time. Her disappearance is one of the most high-profile cases of a missing person in British history. Christian B, who cannot be fully identified under Germany's privacy law, is currently in jail and coming to the end of his sentence for the rape of an elderly American woman in the resort. He has not been charged or indicted in relation to the disappearance of Madeleine, and he denies any involvement. A German prosecutor told Sky News in January that he will not face any charges in the foreseeable future. In October, Christian B was acquitted on a series of rape and indecent assault charges after a non-jury trial in Germany, in which several references were made to his status as the main suspect in the Madeleine case. German authorities last carried out searches in 2023 near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, about 30 miles from Praia da Luz. It had previously been searched in 2008 after Portuguese lawyer Marcos Aragao Correia paid for specialist divers to search it over claims her body was there. Read more from Sky News:Mount Etna erupts, sending tourists fleeingPersonal trainer jailed over 'first date' chaseRussia and Ukraine agree prisoner swap Last month, Madeleine's parents marked the 18th anniversary of her disappearance, vowing they would keep searching. "No matter how near or far she is, she continues to be right here with us, every day, but especially on her special day," they said ahead of her 22nd birthday. "We continue to 'celebrate' her as the very beautiful and unique person she is. We miss her."

Now making his film directorial debut with Mountainhead, starring Steve Carell and Jason Schwartzman, Armstrong has shifted his focus from cut-throat media moguls to a group of billionaire friends meeting up to compare bank balances against the backdrop of a rolling international crisis they appear to have stoked. Speaking to Sky News about the project, he said: "For a little while I poured some of my anxieties and feelings into it… and I hope it can be a receptacle for other people if they're feeling wonky about the world, maybe this can be somewhere they put some of their anxieties for a while." Few television writers achieve widespread recognition beyond their work, but Armstrong - the man behind Succession, one of the most critically acclaimed TV shows of the past decade - has become a household name and is today one of the world's hottest properties in high-end drama. "If there was more self-reflection and self-knowledge, there probably wouldn't be such amenable targets for comedy and satire," he admits. Long before he gifted viewers with the likes of manipulative Logan Roy and sycophantically ambitious Tom Wambsgans, back in the beginning, there was selfish slacker Jez and the perennially insecure Mark on his breakthrough hit Peep Show. "I love comedy, you know, it's my way in," he explains. "I think I like it because… the mixture that you get of tragedy and absurdity strikes me as a sort of a true portrayal of the world… and I just like jokes, you know, that's probably the basic reason." After putting his pen down on the finale of Succession, walking away with 19 Emmys and nine Golden Globes, attention was always going to be drawn to what Armstrong did next. "I had a couple of other things that I thought I would write first and this kind of snuck up on me as an area of interest," Armstrong says. "After I'd listened to a bunch of tech podcasts and Ted talks, I sort of needed somewhere to put the tone of voice that was increasingly in my head." Tapping into the unease surrounding big tech, he wrote, shot and edited Mountainhead in less than six months. Capturing the audience mood Explaining why he worked so fast, he said he "wanted to be in the same sort of mood as my audience, if possible". While he insists there aren't "any direct map-ons" to the billionaire tech moguls, which frequently make headlines in real life, he joked he's "happy… to play a game of 'where did I steal what from who?'" with viewers. "You know… Elon Musk… I think at least people would see some Mark Zuckerberg and, I don't know, some Sam Altman, there is a bunch of those people in all the [film's] different characters… and we've stolen liberally from the world in terms of the stories we've given them." Steve Carell is tasked with delivering some of the film's most memorable lines as the satire explores the dynamic between those holding the power and those pulling the strings. Read more on Sky News:Brand denies sex chargesWynne Evans leaves radio showTom Daley on LGBT rights Lack of self-knowledge 'good for comedy' "People who lack a certain degree of self-knowledge are good for comedy….and if there was more self-reflection and self-knowledge, there probably wouldn't be such amenable targets for comedy and satire. "You know, living in a gated community and travelling by private jet certainly doesn't help you to understand what life is like for most people." Armstrong's gift for using humour to savagely dramatic ends is arguably what makes him one of the most sought-after writers working today. Behind his ability to craft some of the sharpest and scathing dialogue on our screens, he views what he does as more than getting a laugh. "I do believe in the sort of nobility of the idea, that this is a good way to portray the world because this is how it feels a lot of the time." Mountainhead will air on Sky and streaming service NOW on 1 June.

The 48-year-old man was detained at London Stansted Airport on Monday and is being questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life, the Metropolitan Police said. Three other men have been charged over the fires: Ukrainians Petro Pochynok, 34, and Roman Lavrynovych, 21, and Ukrainian-born Romanian national Stanislav Carpiuc, 26. Lavrynovych is charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life, while Pochynok and Carpiuc are accused of conspiring to commit arson with intent to endanger life. They are due to appear at the Old Bailey on Friday. It comes after a fire in the early hours of 12 May at a house in Kentish Town, north London, where Sir Keir lived with his family before the election. Damage was caused to the property's entrance, but nobody was hurt. A car was also set alight in the same street on 8 May. Read more from Sky News:Mount Etna erupts, sending tourists fleeingNew searches in Madeleine McCann case Another fire took place on 11 May at the front door of a house linked to Sir Keir that was converted into flats in Islington. One person was taken to safety by crews wearing breathing apparatus.

The Saudi club are willing to make Fernandes one of the best-paid players in the world and pay £100m to sign the United captain, although an official offer has not been made for the 30-year-old. Fernandes has yet to decide whether he wants to move to Al Hilal and it's thought he will talk to his family before making a decision. Transfer Centre LIVE! | Man Utd news & transfers🔴Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺Sky Sports to show 215 live PL games from next season His agent Miguel Pinho has been in Riyadh for talks with senior Al Hilal executives, and Saudi Pro League insiders believe it is a positive sign for Al Hilal that Pinho has travelled to Saudi Arabia. However, United do not want to sell while head coach Ruben Amorim wants Fernandes to stay and believes his captain wants to remain at Old Trafford. It is thought United would only weigh up any potential offer for Fernandes if he communicated to the club he wants to leave. Sky Sports News has been told Fernandes has yet to formally express to the club whether or not he is open to a new challenge. Al Hilal are willing to almost treble Fernandes' £250,000-a-week wages. The Portugal international, who will turn 31 in September, signed a contract extension last summer until 2027 with the option of a further 12 months. Al Hilal have also held talks about signing Cristiano Ronaldo, who will become a free agent next month if he does not sign a new contract at Al Nassr. Al Hilal expect to have at least one big-name signing and a new head coach when they play in the Club World Cup in the United States in June. Amorim: I feel Fernandes wants to continue at Man Utd When asked if Fernandes had played his last game for United in their 3-1 friendly win over Hong Kong, Amorim replied: "I do not think so. I do not know for sure, nobody knows, but I do not think so. "I think he wants to stay, he is saying 'no' to a lot of things, but it shows that he wants to win. He is really good and needs to be in the best league in the world. "Yes [we can turn down a £100m bid], we can find another way to earn money. "Of course I am the manager, the coach, but sometimes it is the decision of the player, but of course I talk with him, I explain things and I just have that feeling. When you talk to someone, you have that feeling if he wants to stay. "Of course in a lot of games this season he was so frustrated, but he knows what we are doing. The feeling that I have every time I speak to him is he wants to continue for sure at Man Utd. But you never know." Follow the transfer window on Sky Sports The first of two summer transfer windows is upon us - and there is no better place than Sky Sports to get all the latest transfer news and rumours. Use the Sky Sports app and website for all your updates in our dedicated Transfer Centre and Premier League club blogs, plus live Q&As with our reporters throughout the summer. The Transfer Show returns to Sky Sports News from Sunday June 1 for the start of the pre-Club World Cup window and will then be on every weeknight at 5pm and 7pm until the deadline on Tuesday June 10. The summer transfer window will open again on Monday June 16 until Monday September 1 - with the deadline brought forward to 7pm this year