Mike Huckabee's post on X was an unusually strong rebuke from a US official, even as he defended the Israeli military's response. Since Sunday, settlers have gathered near the home in the village of Qusra and harassed those inside, defying efforts by the Israeli military to defuse the situation, according to local officials and family members. A group that has included up to dozens of men has thrown stones, attempted to bring down a nearby stone wall, and stopped occupants from leaving despite dwindling supplies. Israel's military said on Thursday it had sent more troops to the village and is trying to disperse the settlers from the area, a day after a failed attempt that saw soldiers deploying tear ​gas. Mr Huckabee, who was named US ambassador to Israel last year, called the siege a "horrific act of terror". He said: "The actions of those doing this to this family's home is criminal. The WH hasn't 'intervened' because we have kept DC apprised of the situation already. "Actions by those who carried out this horrific act of terror meant to intimidate and harass this family are disgusting. No excuse for such thuggish behavior [sic]." He also said that "the IDF & Israel Police have gone at our request to remove the Israeli terrorists doing this". He later posted a video that he claimed was evidence of their intervention. The home's owner Lou Ridi said his 48-year-old brother and nephew, who have stayed to defend the property, had been unable to leave it, and did not have access to food or water for several days. On Thursday morning, the owner's brother, Qusai Abu Rida, said he and his teenage son had been evacuated from the area by Israel's military. It was unclear what would happen to the home, and at least one other that has been targeted. Mr Ridi said settlers have been harassing his home for months before the situation escalated in recent days. He said they had cut off the water and electricity to his house and thrown stones, causing damage to the property as well as at least one more house in the area. "We are prisoners in our own house, hostages in our own house," he said. Mr Huckabee has been an ally of Israel's settler movement and in the past expressed support for Israeli control over the occupied West Bank while condemning settler violence. Read more from Sky News:Britain could halt overlooked warFIFA VP warning over Infantino The IDF is facing growing pressure to halt ​rogue land seizures by settlers, who appeared to be emboldened by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hardline government, which has spearheaded a rapid expansion of settlements in the territory. Palestinians and the Israeli opposition accuse the Netanyahu administration of turning a blind eye to attacks. The military, in a statement late on Tuesday, described the Qusra outpost as "illegal, ​reprehensible, and unacceptable activity that harms the residents of the areas and disrupts their daily lives". In recent days, Israeli troops have intervened to try to restore order. The military said that overnight on Thursday its troops had dismantled "two illegal outposts" on the outskirts of Qusra and a nearby village, and detained one Israeli. It said that additional soldiers had pushed into the area, which is about 10 miles (16km) from the Palestinian city of Nablus, to "carry out defensive missions and patrols". Journalists on the outskirts of Qusra said roads into the village were closed. When troops deployed to the area to disperse the settlers on Wednesday morning, there were clashes and tear gas was used, video footage appeared to show. The army removed the cover of ​one of the outpost's tents and then withdrew from the area, after which the settlers tried to break the gate ‌to one ⁠of the Palestinian homes, witnesses said. The military said that border police forces "evacuated the tent and are working to evacuate the civilians who were staying there," referring to settlers, and noting that the situation is ongoing. Last month, a mosque in Qusra was set ablaze in another apparent settler attack. That followed the killing of an Israeli settler, sparking violence that left two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinian villagers dead.

Nick Reiner, 32, pleaded not guilty to the alleged murder of his father and mother, Rob and Michele Reiner, in the family's home in the affluent suburb of Brentwood. Grand jury charges unsealed on Wednesday replaced last year's original murder case, adding what prosecutors referred to as a "special circumstance" - the accusation that he lay in wait for the couple before the fatal stabbing attack. He was also charged with using a deadly weapon, a knife. The bodies of Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70, were found at their home on 14 December. Nick Reiner was arrested the following day. If convicted, he could face the death penalty or be jailed for life with no chance of parole. A decision about whether to seek the death penalty will be made later, prosecutors said. Los Angeles County district attorney Nathan Hochman said it was "a profound betrayal by someone who was loved and trusted by the very people he is accused of killing". He added: "We hope that by having a grand jury return an indictment in this case it will bring us one step closer to a trial and achieving justice." Read more:Messi's doubts over playing futureRod Stewart gigs off after surgery Rob Reiner's films include When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men, and This Is Spinal Tap. Michele Reiner was a photographer and producer. In April, Nick's brother Jake discussed how hard it was to cope with the death of his parents.

Youth unemployment is already at its highest level in more than a decade, and Andy Burnham has made getting more youngsters into work or training one of his first priorities as prime minister. Ministers argue their proposed reforms will help millions of workers who face uncertainty over their weekly hours and earnings and even support economic growth because it will improve employee "wellbeing and engagement". But Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said they will only serve to add more strain on businesses still reeling from the government's decision to raise employers' national insurance contributions. She warned: "Adding further costs when youth unemployment is soaring risks being a hammer blow to young people's job prospects, at precisely the time businesses across the country need to be creating more opportunities." Ms Dickinson's concerns were echoed by Kate Shoesmith from the British Chambers of Commerce, saying: "We are already facing a youth unemployment crisis – now is not the time to make it even more costly for employers to hire." UKHospitality chairwoman Kate Nicholls said the government should instead be seeking ways to "reduce the cost of employing people", and that young people would be most impacted by a zero-hours contracts ban. Read more from Sky News:UK braces for 37C highsTrump's press secretary to leave Reforms 'will give workers greater security' According to the government's impact assessment published yesterday, the direct cost to employers of a ban may be between £350m and £2.9bn per year. It is consulting on whether to apply the policy to anyone working 48 hours a week, but its preference is for it to be between eight and 20 hours. The proposals would mean workers get payments of between £5m and £1.2bn because of the right to payments for shifts getting cut or moved at short notice. A government spokesperson maintained it was "absolutely committed to ending exploitative zero-hours contracts". "These reforms will give workers in every postcode greater income security and predictability of hours," they added. The proposals have been welcomed by the Trades Union Congress, which accused critics of "scaremongering". "These are common-sense reforms, which bring us closer to the European mainstream," it said.

Playing for the first time since finishing tied for 40th at The Open at Royal Birkdale almost a full month ago, McIlroy was level par going into the final three holes before a disastrous streak left him towards the rear of the field. Dropped shots at 16 and 17 were followed by a double bogey at TPC Southwind's final hole, which came after McIlroy found the water with his tee shot to the closing par four. All the latest golf leaderboards | Live golf on Sky Sports this week🏌️‍♂️PGA Tour: Full 2026 schedule and key dates 📆Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺 The 74 left McIlroy nine shots adrift of the early leaders, with American duo Jordan Spieth and Michael Thorbjornsen setting the early pace with 65s. England's Tommy Fleetwood, who was paired with Spieth, was a shot off that mark after opening up with a 66 that included a delightful chip in for eagle at the par-five third hole. Fleetwood said: "I feel good. I didn't really play very good in the practice days. Game's not really been that great. I've been showing a lot, like some good and some really not so good. "Hit it great off the tee today. Still my iron play was iffy, but I did a good job of managing it for the most part. Still hit some really good shots, and you can never underestimate how good - I think shooting under par on this golf course is very good." World No 1 Scottie Scheffler, who played alongside McIlroy in the marquee group for the opening two rounds, put himself in a solid position by delivering a 68. Scheffler said: "I felt like I hit a lot of quality shots with my irons.I did a good job of being patient and not trying to force it too much. "I feel like I was right on the edge of having a good day, kind of all day is how I would describe it. So, I felt like patience-wise, I did a pretty good job." Fleetwood had European company towards the top of the leaderboard, with Ludvig Aberg and Sepp Straka both joining Scheffler on two-under. McIlroy could at least take consolation from not having the worst round of the day, which belonged to Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, who shot a 12-over par 82. Memphis is hosting the first of three FedExCup Playoffs events, with only the top 50 in the overall season standings at the end of Sunday's final round progressing to the BMW Championship, and then the top 30 qualifying for the season-ending Tour Championship. McIlroy's position of 12th out of the 70-player field means there is no concern about his progress to the BMW Championship, while the fact the events have no cut gives him plenty of time to climb the leaderboard over the weekend. How do the FedExCup Playoffs work? All season long, players have earned points based on how they have performed in PGA Tour events, with extra points available for the signature events and majors. Only the top 70 in the standings have reached the FedEx St Jude Championship (August 13-16), with just the top 50 then progressing to the BMW Championship (August 20-23) and then only the top 30 making it to the finale, The Tour Championship (August 27-30). Winners of the first two play-off events earn 750 points apiece - the same as The Players and the majors - before the points reset to zero ahead of the Tour Championship. In the closing event, all players begin at even par, with the starting-strokes model based on FedExCup placings at that point axed in 2025. The winner of the Tour Championship becomes FedExCup champion for 2026, earning $10m (£7.4m) and a five-year PGA Tour exemption. Live coverage of the first event of the PGA Tour's FedExCup Playoffs, the FedEx St. Jude Championship, continues at 5pm on Friday. Watch live on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event or stream with no contract.

Sources told NBC News, Sky's US partner, about the development - which comes less than a month before his state murder case is set to begin. The 28-year-old is accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson on a Manhattan street in December 2024. Thompson was killed by a masked assailant and Mangione was arrested five days later in a McDonald's in Pennsylvania. NBC News understands that making a deal could see state criminal charges thrown out due to New York's "double jeopardy" rule protecting people from being tried twice over the same crime. Mangione is due in court for the federal case on Friday but his lawyers and the Justice Department declined to comment on any potential deal. He's currently charged with stalking resulting in death, which carries a potential life sentence. Sources told NBC News negotiations over a deal were ongoing and nothing was confirmed. If he does plead guilty to federal charges, his lawyers are expected to try to get some or all of the state charges scrapped. He pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and seven other charges in that case. Earlier this week, the judge said the murder trial, which is expected to start in September, would be heard by an anonymous jury. Though jurors are not normally anonymous in the US, judges are increasingly choosing to shield them in high-profile cases to guard against harassment or intimidation. The case is expected to draw huge attention due to the notoriety of the case and the fact Mangione has been lauded as a hero by some on internet forums and social media. Prosecutors claim they can prove Mangione's guilt with hundreds of hours of CCTV, ⁠fingerprints, DNA, a phone, a gun with matching ballistics, and a ​notebook in which he allegedly wrote of hating insurers and wanting ​to kill. In July, a court filing indicated his lawyers might argue Mangione had lost control ⁠due to an extreme mental breakdown. However, they have not conceded he was the gunman.

Traditionally, the competition is hosted by the previous year's winning broadcaster, with the next show due to take place in Bulgaria in 2027 after singer Dara's victory for the country in May. Following an annual review by the organisers, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the rules have now been updated. The winning Eurovision broadcaster will now "automatically be ineligible to host the contest if an armed conflict, a sensitive geopolitical situation, or any other situation materially affects the security, safety or stability of their state or immediate region", the rules now state. Changes to hosting tradition have been made in the past, with the 2023 contest held in Liverpool, in the UK, following Ukraine's win the previous year. At the time, the EBU said the Russia's war made it impossible to begin the 12 months of preparation needed to organise the show. In the run-up to this year's competition, which was held in Vienna, Austria, countries including Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia all withdrew after Israel's place in the contest was confirmed. Their boycotts followed criticism from some broadcasters of Israel's role in the competition amid the war in Gaza. In the final, Israel claimed second place, as it did in 2025. Changes ensure contest 'remains fair' The EBU said the rule changes had been made following feedback from participating broadcasters, and that the updates would provide greater clarity for artists and production staff. Eurovision Song Contest director Martin Green said in a statement: "The Eurovision Song Contest is constantly evolving, and our annual review of the rules is an important part of making sure the contest remains fair, transparent and consistent for all those who participate, including the millions who engage with the event globally. "Guided, as always, by feedback from our members, we have clarified and strengthened several areas for 2027. These changes are about giving everyone involved greater clarity, protecting artists and ensuring the contest continues to provide a safe and welcoming environment, while preserving the spirit and integrity that make the Eurovision Song Contest so special." In circumstances involving a potentially difficult situation outside of armed conflict, the country would be assessed by an independent security body to help the EBU determine whether or not they could safely host. If the winning member is ruled ineligible, the EBU will identify an alternative host broadcaster to "assume all rights, obligations and liabilities associated with hosting the contest". Eurovision said this alternative broadcaster would organise the contest "in its own right" and not simply stage the event on behalf of the ineligible host. Read more from Sky News:The 1999 solar eclipse in picturesMessi raises 'serious doubts' over footballing future The rule changes also include an update to the minimum age for artists. At the moment, competitors need to be at least 16 on the day of their first rehearsal. This increases to 18 from 2027.

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Last week Barcelona had an initial offer in the region of £40m knocked back. On Wednesday, Sky Sports News reported that Barca were expected to raise their offer to between £50m and £60m, but their new offer is still not enough for City. Barcelona remain determined to sign Rodri and are considering their next move. City are seeking upwards of £60m for the 30-year-old midfielder, who has entered the final year of his deal. Talks remain ongoing. Transfer Centre LIVE! | Man City news & transfers🔵Man City fixtures & scores | FREE Man City highlights▶️Got Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Latest Sky Sports deals or stream PL games with no contract📺 Sky Sports News has reported this summer that City do not want to sell Spain's World Cup-winning captain and instead want to agree a new contract with him. However, if Rodri asks to leave, then they would not stand in his way. Man City in talks with Saudi side over Reijnders sale Meanwhile, Manchester City have agreed a deal to sell Tijjani Reijnders to Al Qadsiah. The fee is around £51m. Reijnders, who joined City from AC Milan last summer, wants to move and now looks set for the Saudi Pro League. It means City could lose two central midfielders but they also want to sign potentially two, with interest in Enzo Fernandez and Ayyoub Bouaddi. Chelsea have given City a deadline of Friday 5pm to make a £120m bid for Enzo while talks remain ongoing with Lille for Bouaddi. Could Reijnders sale help fund Fernandez move? Sky Sports News' James Savundra: "The Tijjani Reijnders news means Man City are making another major sale, they are bringing in over £100m in sales in this transfer window when you account for James Trafford departing and some smaller sales, such as Nathan Ake going to Turkey. "It means they are in a better position in terms of negotiating and what money they've got left to spend in this transfer window. "If they do get big money for Rodri, you match up £70m with £50m and that gets you to £120m - which is what Chelsea want for Enzo Fernandez!"