It's widely accepted that the late republican Freddie Scappaticci was the agent, codenamed "Stakeknife". He headed the IRA's so-called "nutting squad", a notorious internal security unit tasked with hunting and executing informants, but was himself operating as a mole for British intelligence. The final report of a seven-year investigation named Operation Kenova has found that "there is a compelling ethical case" to reveal the agent's identity. Operation Kenova live: 'Stakeknife' spy inside IRA committed 'worst possible' crimes Head of Kenova Sir Iain Livingstone said that "it is in the public interest that Stakeknife is named". He urged the government to depart from its "neither confirm nor deny" (NCND) policy on the grounds of public interest. It's understood that the government believes Stakeknife cannot be officially named at this time due to some outstanding legal issues. Sky News has approached No 10 Downing Street for comment. Freddie Scappaticci died two years ago denying that he was the agent, but all sides in Northern Ireland accept his denial was false. The report also found a "significant failure" by MI5 in its late provision of materials to the investigation. "The further material revealed MI5 had earlier and greater knowledge of the agent than previously stated," the report says. Sir Ian Livingstone added that "further investigative opportunities were undoubtedly lost", and that the confidence of the communities in Northern Ireland was undermined. Sky News has approached the security agency for comment. Stakeknife produced a "vast" amount of intelligence. 3,517 reports from the agent were discovered, including 377 from one 18-month period. But the report found the intelligence was not shared with those who could have used it to save lives. Read more:Bloody Sunday shootings 'unjustified and gratuitous'Government will 'look at every conceivable way' to stop Gerry Adams payout Last year, Operation Kenova's interim report found the security forces were frequently aware of imminent abductions and murders but failed to protect those at risk. Today's report found his army handlers even took Stakeknife out of Northern Ireland for two holidays, at a time when he was sought by police for murder and kidnapping. He was flown on military aircraft and given military ID. As a result, preventable deaths occurred with the security forces' knowledge and those responsible were not brought to justice and were instead left free to reoffend. 'Wholly unjustified criminality' The 2024 report also concluded that Stakeknife was involved in "very serious and wholly unjustifiable criminality", including murder, and claims his intelligence saved "countless" or "hundreds" of lives were exaggerated. It found that the number of lives saved by his spying ranged from the high single figures to low double figures. This contradicted claims that Scappaticci had saved hundreds of lives during the years he was active, with a former defence chief describing him as "the goose that laid the golden eggs". The interim report found that claim to be "inherently implausible" and "a comparison rooted in fables and fairy tales". The 2024 report also called on the UK government to apologise to bereaved families, given that many murders were avoidable. 'Each evil act being the epitome of cowardice' There was also a call for an apology from republican leaders for "the most shameful and evil" actions of the Provisional IRA (PIRA). "It was PIRA that committed the brutal acts of torture and murder, each evil act being the epitome of cowardice," the report stated. No prosecutions connected with Stakeknife will take place, prosecutors in Northern Ireland have already decided. Families of IRA victims associated with Stakeknife will give their response to the Kenova report in a news conference later today. They want Scappaticci to be officially named, and many are seeking an apology from the British government.

The 41-year-old also pleaded guilty to driving dangerously in areas of London before the fatal collision, which happened in Ilford, north-east London, shortly after 11.30pm on 18 October. Yubin Tamang, 20, a student from Nepal, died two days after being hit by the rapper's BMW M5 in Redbridge Lane. Police said Ghetts was driving in excess of 60mph in a 30mph zone, and hit Mr Tamang as he was crossing the road. He then failed to stop at the scene. On Monday, the grime artist, whose real name is Justin Clarke-Samuel, appeared for a hearing at the Old Bailey via videolink from Pentonville prison, wearing a green polo shirt. He pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and to driving dangerously in Tavistock Place, in the Bloomsbury area of central London, and on other roads in Camden, Islington and Hackney before the crash. Mr Tamang's family, who had travelled to the UK, watched in court as the pleas were made. He was an only child who had been sent to complete his studies, the court heard. Clarke-Samuel, a two-time Mercury Prize nominee and MOBO winner, has been in custody since a preliminary appearance at Barkingside Magistrates' Court on 27 October. He will be sentenced in February. Judge Mark Lucraft KC told him the sentence would be custodial, but the length of his jail term is yet to be determined. He was disqualified from driving with immediate effect - with the length of the ban also still to be set. Speaking after the hearing on Monday, Detective Inspector Mark Braithwaite, of the Met's Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said that while nothing could undo the loss felt by Mr Tamang's family, the guilty pleas marked "a step towards justice". He added: "Split-second decisions behind the wheel can have devastating, life-changing consequences." The Met Police said Clarke-Samuel's BMW was found by officers in the early hours of the day following the collision, parked near his home in Woodford. The car "displayed significant damage, including a smashed windscreen, extensive marks on the bonnet, damage to the front bumper and a missing wing mirror cover", the force said. On Thursday 4 December, Clarke-Samuel was further charged with causing death by careless driving while over the alcohol limit. He did not enter a plea to this charge, nor a second count of dangerous driving following the incident, the force said. The rapper was first nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2021, for his third album, Conflict Of Interest. His second nomination came for his fourth album, On Purpose, With Purpose, in 2024. He was named best male artist at the MOBOs in 2021, and received the pioneer award for his contribution to British black culture in 2024. Earlier this year, he was nominated for two Ivor Novello awards - for best album and best contemporary song. He also had a role in the Netflix drama Supacell.

Pandemic support programmes such as furlough, bounce-back loans and Eat Out to Help Out led to £10.9bn in fraud and error, the COVID-19 Counter-Fraud Commissioner Tom Hayhoe's final report has concluded. The government said the sum is enough to fund daily free school meals for the UK's 2.7 million eligible children for eight years. Money blog: mortgage rates 'will fall below 3.5% this year' in price war Weak accountability, bad quality data and poor contracting were identified as the primary causes of the loss. Of the figure, £1.8bn has been recovered, though "much" of the shortfall is now "beyond recovery", the report said. There remain areas, however, where investing to recover sums is "worthwhile" and should continue, it continued. Fraud risks were increased due to the design of the schemes and the absence of fraud expertise, it read. Government departments generally worked independently and designed schemes from scratch, which led to a "high degree of novelty" in the design and introduced greater fraud risk. This was especially the case as cross-government fraud expertise was "often not brought in" to advise on risk mitigation. Procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) involved measures which "invited mistrust, opportunism and profiteering". Lack of government data to target economic support made it "easy" for fraudsters to claim under more than one scheme and secure dual funding, the report said. Prevention Measures to protect against fraud are said to be "inadequate" in the report. Fraud prevention is "insufficiently embedded" in thinking and practice across government, it added. Activity to counter fraud and recover funds has "varied significantly" across government departments. This reflects differences in fraud exposure, in relationships to the stakeholders supported, and in the "commitment, capability and investment" to counter fraud. "Some departments" were slow to step up work to recoup funds. What next? Among the four lessons Mr Hayhoe's report recommends the Treasury has been told it should establish a "scrutiny panel" of senior officials across government with external members and chaired by a minister to review implementation of recommendations at six-month intervals for "at least" two years. This has been suggested as lessons are "often not learned and recommendations not implemented ". The work is separate from the COVID-19 inquiry, which was set up to scrutinise the decisions made around the virus and the impact they had on day-to-day life.

Marc Cucurella's on-pitch explanation for Chelsea's winner that day highlighted the weakness that teams have been trying to exploit against Liverpool. The full-back was allowed to move forward into the box untracked to lay on the goal for Estevao. "We know that Salah is already ready to attack, to play on the counter-attack, so we know, and we practise, and the manager tells us, that the space is maybe there," he told Sky Sports, before adding: "Today it worked and we can win the game in this way." Salah removed from Liverpool selectionSlot: No clue if Salah has played final game In each of the next four Premier League defeats that Liverpool have suffered, the opposition have focused their attacks down the left wing - Liverpool's right. When Jamie Carragher talks of Salah throwing his right-back under the bus, this is what he means. Salah's defending has never been his biggest strength. Jurgen Klopp often used Jordan Henderson to ensure Liverpool's structure was sound on that side of the pitch. But the statistics show that Salah's own defensive work declined dramatically after Klopp's exit. Under Slot, this was the trade off, the deal that Salah alluded to having made with his coach in firing Liverpool to the title last season. The Egyptian eschewed his defensive duties but repaid for that privilege by delivering the goals and assists at the other end. "Now I don't have to defend much. It is quite difficult to say one thing, but the tactics are quite different. But I told him, 'As long as you rest me defensively, I will provide offensively' - so I'm glad I did. It was the manager's idea, of course, but he listens a lot." Salah might talk of broken promises but perhaps Slot believes that it is the player who failed to hold up his end of the bargain. Six non-penalty goals in his last 33 appearances for Liverpool tells the tale. Salah's output is no longer justifying the problems he causes. Against PSV, all it took was a mere drop of the shoulder from Mauro Junior for him to skip away from Salah and set up the goal that restored the Dutch side's lead at Anfield. "Salah was embarrassing in terms of the challenge he puts it," said Carragher. The gap that the PSV player was able to open up by the time that he provided the assist was alarming and highlighted Salah's unwillingness to track back. The statistics also reveal this decline, his defensive work for Liverpool steadily declining year on year. To an extent, that is unavoidable. Salah's physical decline in his 34th year is an inevitability. It is there in his attacking numbers too. His overall sprints are down and so are his top speeds. Perhaps he is no longer able to put in that shift even if he wanted to. But it helps to explain why, in a desperate bid to regain some defensive control, Slot elected to drop a player who has become a defensive liability. Salah's poor contribution is further illustrated by how rarely he tracks back into position for Liverpool. This metric measures the number of times that a player runs back into their own half to regain their defensive position. Of the 45 wide forwards to play 270 minutes or more in the Premier League so far this season, Salah makes that run less than anyone else. In this context, Slot's decision appears logical in an attempt to tighten up. "What are you going to do as a manager? You are going to take out the one player in your team who you have allowed not to defend," said Carragher of Slot's team selection at West Ham. It also explains why Salah remained an unused substitute in that 2-0 win at the London Stadium and more recently in the away game at Leeds when Liverpool were defending a lead. "Why would you bring him on? You don't need a goal, you need not to concede." Statistically, it is possible to compare Liverpool's defensive intensity with and without Salah - and the evidence is compelling. By isolating zones of the pitch, it is possible to establish how often Liverpool press the opposition when they have the ball there. On Liverpool's right side, when they are in their defensive third, they become much more intense in their pressing when Salah is not on the pitch. The clear weakness that Cucurella pointed out - and every team since then has targeted - becomes less apparent. Of course, it did not stop Leeds finding a stoppage-time equaliser. There are other problems for Slot to address at Liverpool and his failure to do so emboldened Salah to make his incendiary remarks in the belief that the coach's position was weakened. But the analysis shows that unless Salah is again able to register the attacking numbers that have made him a Liverpool legend, the fact that he has become a defensive liability is harming his hopes of being trusted again almost as much as his outspoken comments.

An investigation into NHS maternity services is under way after a series of shocking scandals. The National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation (NMNI) is being led by Baroness Amos, who said "nothing prepared her" for the amount of "unacceptable care" families currently receive. A report has been released documenting her initial reflections and impressions after meeting families and visiting hospitals. She will investigate 12 NHS trusts in total, including Oxford University Hospitals (OUH), which runs the world-renowned John Radcliffe Hospital. 'I was left in my own blood' Rebecca Matthews formed a campaign for families failed by OUH after her own traumatic births. Asked to discuss the care she received, she said she "could only describe it as callous". "There wasn't any kindness there. I was left in my own blood," she added. Ms Matthews recently took part in evidence-gathering sessions held by Baroness Amos. But when she read her interim report, she said it was "disappointing", as it appeared to be "a bullet point list of failings that actually we've seen time and time again in independent reviews". "The reflections don't mention accountability at all," she said. Readers' stories of birth trauma - share yours here 'Why are we struggling to provide?' Based on her initial inquiries, Baroness Amos found common themes, including women not being listened to and being "disregarded" when they raised concerns. Many weren't given the right information to make informed choices about their care. She was told of discrimination against women of colour, working-class mothers, or parents who were younger. A "staggering" 748 recommendations have been made about NHS maternity services in recent years, Baroness Amos revealed - and she does "not understand why change has been so slow". She asked: "Why are we in England still struggling to provide safe, reliable maternity and neonatal care everywhere in the country?" Baroness Amos told Sky News' Mornings with Ridge and Frost: "I have been shocked…I've been shocked because there have been so many reviews before." She said she had been asked to come up with "clear national recommendations that will stop this and will make a difference". "It just cannot continue, there's too much harm, too much distress, too much trauma," Baroness Amos said, describing the long-term consequences for families as "almost unbearable". Asked if there was "systematic racism in the NHS", she said there was "clearly discrimination". "When a woman tells you that she is making choices that she knows may be detrimental to her because of her previous experience of healthcare, because of the racism that she has experienced, there is something additive here in terms of race," she said. "Inequalities is a key strand of the work that we're doing." The most recent health watchdog findings paint a depressing picture of maternity services. Almost two-thirds of acute hospital maternity services were judged either inadequate or required improvement for safety. Read more from Sky News:Three women describe traumatic childbirth This investigation is not due to report back fully until the spring. But some campaigners are already worried it won't bring meaningful change to maternity services. Ms Matthews said it "seems as though it's heading the same way that other reviews have gone in the past, leading to some recommendations but no teeth". "We need some mechanisms that are going to hold people and systems to account," she said. 'More to do' OUH chief nurse Yvonne Christley said in a statement that "feedback received from patients using our maternity service over the last year is positive overall". "However, we know we have more to do to improve our maternity services," she added. "Our present focus is on listening to the experiences of women and families, which is helping us to identify opportunities for improvement." Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK. You can also get help at support@birthtraumaassociation.org.uk

Paramount said on Monday that it was going straight to Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) shareholders with its cash offer for the entirety of the company, including its Global Networks segment, asking them to reject the deal with Netflix. On Friday Netflix struck a deal to buy WBD, the Hollywood giant behind "Harry Potter" and HBO Max The cash and stock deal is valued at $27.75 (£20.80) per Warner share, giving it a total enterprise value of $82.7bn (£62bn), including debt. But Paramount says its deal will pay $30 (£22.50) cash per share, representing $18bn (£13.5bn) more in cash than its rivals are offering. In a statement, Paramount said it was making a "strategically and financially compelling offer to WBD shareholders" and a "superior alternative to the Netflix transaction". David Ellison, chairman and CEO of Paramount, said: "WBD shareholders deserve an opportunity to consider our superior all-cash offer for their shares in the entire company. "Our public offer, which is on the same terms we provided to the Warner Bros Discovery Board of Directors in private, provides superior value, and a more certain and quicker path to completion. "We believe the WBD Board of Directors is pursuing an inferior proposal which exposes shareholders to a mix of cash and stock, an uncertain future trading value of the Global Networks linear cable business and a challenging regulatory approval process. "We are taking our offer directly to shareholders to give them the opportunity to act in their own best interests and maximize the value of their shares." Under the Netflix deal, WBD will continue with previously-announced plans to split its studio and streaming operations from its global networks division, with the latter becoming a separate company, Discovery Global. The Netflix deal will not be finalised until the split is complete, and Discovery Global, including channels like CNN, will not form part of the merger. But Paramount said its deal would be for the entire company. Paramount said it had submitted six proposals to WBD in the course of 12 weeks, but that they were never "meaningfully" engaged with. It's not the first difficulty the proposed Netflix deal has run into, with Donald Trump raising the spectre of government intervention on Sunday. The US president said the combined market share of the resulting company "could be a problem" and that he would be involved in the decision about whether to approve the deal. Read more:Analysis: Netflix could yet get its way in Trump's AmericaAnalysis: Why Sussexes' new Netflix deal might not be a demotion The deal has to "go through a process and we'll see what happens," Trump said. But a Paramount-WBD deal is likely to face scrutiny too, given the resulting company's dominant position within the film studio business, and the potential for job losses as the industry consolidates. Nonetheless, experts have noted the ties between the Trump administration and the Paramount bid. Both Mr Ellison and his father, Larry Ellison, the multibillionaire founder of the Oracle Corporation, have ties to the president. Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell, told Sky News: "Donald Trump is very friendly with David Ellison, who is the son of Larry Ellison, who owns Oracle, and he and Donald Trump are good buddies. "And also Donald Trump's son in law, Jared Kushner, is on board with this particular rival, hostile takeover bid. "So it is assumed that because of those relationships, Donald Trump would look an awful lot more favourably on this deal." Announcing the Netflix deal last week, David Zaslav, president and CEO of WBD, said it combined "two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love to watch the most". He continued: "For more than a century, Warner Bros. has thrilled audiences, captured the world's attention, and shaped our culture. "By coming together with Netflix, we will ensure people everywhere will continue to enjoy the world's most resonant stories for generations to come."

The former deputy prime minister delighted Labour backbenchers with a powerful Commons speech defending her workers' rights legislation on Monday evening. With the House of Lords locked in a battle of parliamentary "ping pong" with MPs, she told ministers: "Now is not the time to blink or buckle." Her very public intervention came amid claims that her next move has the Labour Party on tenterhooks and that she's the favourite to succeed Sir Keir if she wants the job. And her speech, delivered from notes and clearly meticulously prepared, appeared to send a message to Labour MPs: I'm here to make a comeback. Exclusive: Starmer would lose leadership contest The government's flagship Employment Rights Bill was championed by Ms Rayner when she was deputy PM, in the face of bitter opposition from the Conservatives. In a bid to end the deadlock with the Lords, ministers have backed down on unfair dismissal protection from day one, proposing a compromise of six months. Backing the compromise, brokered with the TUC, Ms Rayner said: "I know ministers had faced difficult decisions and difficult discussions with the employers and worker representatives. "But I strongly believe that the work that has been done has been necessary, and we should be able to move forward now." 'No excuses' Attacking the upper chamber for delaying the legislation, she said: "There is now no more time to waste. "Vested interests worked with the Tories and the Lib Dems and, cheered on by Reform and backed by the Greens, to resist the manifesto on which we were elected. "And now there can be no excuses. We have a mandate for a new deal for working people, and we must, and we will deliver it. And she concluded: "It has been a battle to pass this bill, but progress is always a struggle that we fought for. Its passage will be a historic achievement for this Labour government. "It will benefit working people now and into the future. Now is not the time to blink or buckle. Let's not waste a minute more. It's time to deliver." Could she replace her old boss? It was the sort of fighting talk and defiance of the government's opponents that will have cheered up Labour MPs and boosted her hopes of a comeback and even a leadership bid. Speculation over Sir Keir's future grows more frenzied by the day, with claims that even some of his own supporters have begun the hunt for his successor. The thinktank that ran his leadership campaign in 2020, Labour Together, is reported to be canvassing party members on candidates to replace him. There was even a claim last week that allies of Wes Streeting were sounding out Labour MPs about a pact with Ms Rayner and a joint ticket for the leadership. The health secretary dismissed that claim as a "silly season story", while a Rayner ally said: "There's no vacancy and there's no pact". They added that she will not "be played like a pawn". Mr Streeting did, however, start speculation himself when he said in his Labour conference speech: "We want her back. We need her back." Fuelling more speculation, Sir Keir went further than he had previously on Sunday, when he was asked in an Observer interview if he missed her and replied: "Yes, of course I do. I was really sad that we lost her." And asked if she would return to the cabinet, the prime minister said: "Yes. She's hugely talented." Sir Keir also described Ms Rayner, who left school at 16 without any qualifications, as "the best social mobility story this country has ever seen". Read more from Sky News:Navy chief's chilling warningNew design for nationalised trains But a swift return to the cabinet would be hugely controversial, because the PM's ethic adviser, Sir Laurie Magner, ruled that she breached the ministerial code by underpaying stamp duty when she bought a flat. But she has been linked to speculation about possible efforts to remove Sir Keir if - as predicted - Labour performs badly in the Scottish, Welsh and local elections next May. Her supporters also claim she will eventually be cleared by HMRC over her stamp duty breach, clearing the way for her to come back. And her latest speech - combative, defiant and yet loyal - will have boosted her hopes, and reminded Labour MPs what they've missed since she quit in September.

Two days after becoming world champion by finishing third in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Norris - wearing a special gold crash helmet for the occasion - returned to his title-winning MCL39 at the Yas Marina Circuit as all 10 teams hit the track with two cars. Norris was still running with his usual career-number four on his car's nosecone, with the number one that is reserved for the reigning world champion - which Norris confirmed to Sky Sports News on Monday he will use in 2026 - set to feature from pre-season testing at the end of January. Martin Brundle's verdict on Formula 1's 'intense' 2025 world title raceF1 2026: Calendar, line-ups, new regulations, how to watch on Sky SportsDownload the Sky Sports app for expert analysis, best video & more📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺 Norris was one of the 14 current race drivers in action testing 2026 Pirelli tyres in modified 2025 mule cars ahead of F1's major rules overhaul for next year which features significant changes to chassis and aerodynamics, in addition to revised power units. Norris ran in the morning before team-mate Oscar Piastri, who finished 13 points behind the Briton in the standings, taking over the car in the afternoon. "It was great to get back out in our championship-winning car for one last time this year," said Norris, who completed 71 laps. "We worked through the Pirelli testing programme well, giving them valuable feedback to help set us up as well as possible for 2026. Thank you to everyone for their work this year, now it's time for a rest before we go again." All 10 teams had to use their two race cars at the single-day test. One car has to be driven by an experienced driver for 2026 tyre duties, while the other one with fewer than three grands prix starts in designated young-driver running. Underlining that preparations for 2026 have started already despite the old season barely having finished, Red Bull's two teams each ran their respective new drivers for next season on Tuesday. Isack Hadjar was in the senior Red Bull car, with British teenager Arvid Lindblad in the Racing Bulls ahead of his maiden F1 campaign as an 18-year-old. Like McLaren, Ferrari opted to split their 2026 tyre running between race drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, with the latter having promised to "completely unplug from the matrix" over F1's short winter once his post-season duties are completed following his disappointing first campaign in red. Leclerc completed the morning running before Hamilton took over, at a typically sun-kissed Yas Marina Circuit Williams (Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz), Haas (Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman) and Sauber (Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto) also used both race drivers, while Kimi Antonelli was in the Mercedes mule car all day. Former McLaren driver Stoffel Vandoorne conducted Pirelli duties for Aston Martin, where he is now a test and reserve. Jak Crawford returned to their other car with the American one of a number of young drivers on track who had also run in first F1 practice in Abu Dhabi last Friday. Watch every race of the 2026 F1 season live on Sky Sports, starting with the Australian Grand Prix from March 6-8. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime