Pictures showed the double-decker bus nose-first down an opening off the side of the road in Kent. Police were called after 8am after a bus left the road at Chilmington Green in Ashford. UK weather latest: Amber 'danger to life' wind alert among new Met Office warnings Officers and paramedics rushed to the crash site to help passengers, but there were no reported injuries. Kent Fire and Rescue Service said the bus was believed to have "slipped" off the road due to black ice. In a statement it said: "There are no reported injuries and the cause is believed to be the vehicle slipping on black ice. "Crews are reminding everyone to use extra caution when driving in cold temperatures as there could be black ice on the roads, so avoid sudden braking and leave plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front." Stagecoach confirmed the incident involving one of its school buses is under review. A Kent Police spokesperson said: "Officers attended and remain on scene to assist while passengers leave the bus and the vehicle is recovered. "Paramedics attended as a precaution. There were no reported injuries." Joel Mitchell, managing director at Stagecoach South East, said: "Stagecoach can confirm that an incident occurred on January 7 on the A28 in Ashford involving one of our school buses. "There are currently no reported injuries. Stagecoach is cooperating fully with the local authorities, and the circumstances surrounding the incident are under review." Bus and coach collide in Reading Elsewhere, nine children have been injured after a school coach and bus crashed in Earley, Reading. Eight adults from the bus also suffered minor injuries, as did the coach's driver, the South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) said. Two patients have been taken to hospital for further treatment, it added, while three adults and three children are being assessed at the scene, and the remaining 10 patients have been discharged. It was not known if the crash was related to the weather affecting the country.

The French movie and style icon died on 28 December at the age of 91 at her home in the French Riviera resort, where she lived for more than half a century. Her husband, Bernard d'Ormale, revealed in an interview with Paris Match magazine that she had died from cancer after undergoing two operations. Crowds gathered along the streets and applauded as the late film star's coffin arrived at the Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption Catholic Church. People again applauded as the coffin was driven through the streets after the funeral. The service was attended by family and guests, which included French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who was pictured arriving at the church. Guests also included people invited to the funeral by the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the protection of animals. In a speech at the service, Max Guazzini, a friend and secretary general of the foundation, said: "All the animals she saved and she loved form a procession behind her … thousands of animals say: Brigitte, we will miss you, we love you so much, thank you." Hundreds of people gathered in the small town to follow the farewell on large screens set up at the port and on two plazas. After the church service, Bardot was to be buried "in the strictest privacy" at a cemetery overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, according to the Saint-Tropez town hall. A public homage was also being held at a nearby site in Saint-Tropez. In his interview released on Tuesday evening, her husband said the film legend had been "conscious and concerned about the fate of animals until the very end". Bardot's renowned sex symbol status was set in stone in 1956 with her portrayal of a rebellious teenager in And God Created Woman. Directed by her then-husband Roger Vadim and in line with the sexual liberation of the age, the movie featured Bardot dancing naked on tables, captivating audiences and scandalising censors in equal measure. She became a global icon and starred in more than 40 films. But she turned away from public life in 1973, aged 39, and gave her attention to animal rights, calling it her "only battle".

The Reform UK leader stressed he hadn't spoken with the US president about this issue but he doesn't think he will follow through on his threats. Politics live: Sir Keir Starmer to face Kemi Badenoch for first time in 2026 President Trump has been vocal about his desire to annex the self-governing island, despite it being part of Denmark - a NATO ally. The White House has said the "US military is always an option" in taking over Greenland, which it wants because of its strategic Arctic location and mineral resources. At a press conference in London, Mr Farage said the president has "been rather busy" and he hasn't spoken with him. But he added: "Ever since 2016, the narrative has been that Trump wants to destroy NATO, but actually, whenever I talked to Trump in 2016 about NATO, he's always said, no, that's not right. I want to strengthen NATO." He pointed to the fact President Trump's interventions have led to an increase in promised defence spending across Europe. He said: "In many ways, he has strengthened NATO. However, if he were to do this using military force, that probably would be the end of NATO which is why he won't do it, in my opinion." He added: "Would I stand up to him now? The great thing of being friends with people is friends don't always agree with everything that the other one says." Read more:The MP who tabled 342 questions in a dayFuneral held for Brigitte Bardot In recent days, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that US military action to seize the territory would spell the end of NATO. And in a joint statement on Tuesday, European leaders including Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron said they will "not stop defending" Greenland's territorial integrity. But a later statement from the White House showed no sign of toning down the rhetoric - and defended potentially taking a military approach, insisting it is "always an option" open to the president. "President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland ‌is a national security priority ‌of the United States, and it's vital ​to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region," it said. "The ‍president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important ‌foreign policy goal, ⁠and of course, utilising the ‌US military is ‍always an option at the commander-in-chief's disposal."

Director of football Jason Wilcox had initial, informal conversations with the former players on Tuesday - both of whom, it's thought, are keen on being involved again with the first team. United do have other candidates they are considering for the role until the end of the season, including Ruud Van Nistelrooy who bridged the gap when Erik Ten Haag was sacked in October 2024 before Ruben Amorim took charge the following month. Michael Carrick, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer contacted over Man Utd interim roleRuben Amorim sacked by Man Utd with Darren Fletcher in interim chargeGot Sky? Watch Man Utd games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺 United look set to confirm a short-term appointment until the end of the season, to give them the breathing space to focus on a substantive appointment in the summer when more elite coaches are likely to be more readily available. Oliver Glasner, Marco Silva and Andoni Iraola all see their current contracts expire at the end of the season, and Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann and Mauricio Pochettino could be available once their international commitments are complete at the World Cup. No meetings have been planned with Carrick and Solskjaer for Wednesday, with all the focus on Darren Fletcher's first game in charge of the team at Burnley. But it's expected those discussions will accelerate later in the week. Solskjaer the favourite of interim options Sky Sports News' football correspondent Rob Dorsett: "Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be a huge story if he came back. He was sacked by Manchester United in November 2021. He's incredibly popular with the Manchester United faithful. "He loved it and he gave a very emotional farewell when he left. There were no bridges burnt. The impression I'm getting is that Solskjaer is the favourite. "Jason Wilcox, who is leading this search, has spoken to him. Solskjaer has made it clear he would like to return to Old Trafford." Glasner, Howe speak on United links As talks continue for an interim boss, among those linked with the permanent role are Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner and Newcastle's Eddie Howe. Glasner has six months left on his deal at Selhurst Park but shut down any talk of the position during a press conference ahead of Palace's game against Aston Villa on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports. "I am Crystal Palace manager. It's wasted time for you to ask any more questions. I don't talk about any other club other than Crystal Palace," he said. Howe, meanwhile, also reiterated his commitment to Newcastle. "I'm 100 per cent here, working as hard as I can, head down, ignoring all the stuff that you guys write, good or bad, because it's irrelevant," he said. "It's about today's work and trying to prepare the team as well as we can for Leeds [on Wednesday], so that will never change from my perspective, my commitment to my work and my job. "As long as I'm happy and able to express myself in the best way that I can to help the team, nothing will change." Asked if there was anything which could tempt him away from St James' Park, Howe replied: "No, not at this current time. "The most important thing for me is happiness in the role, happiness in the job, the relationships I have with the people around me. Now that's not always been consistently good and things can change at any football club. "But, at the moment, I am very happy." Fletcher: An honour to lead Man Utd Current interim boss Fletcher gave his first news conference on Tuesday ahead of the midweek trip to Burnley. After a busy 24 hours, the Manchester United U18s coach said: "It's been surreal. It's an amazing honour to lead a Manchester United team. It wasn't in my wildest dreams that it was something that could potentially happen. "To lead out the team is an amazing honour and something I'm proud to do. It's not in the circumstances I expected it to happen so that doesn't sit easy with me. "I've got a job to do which is to lead the team tomorrow. I have great honour and pride in doing that." Asked whether he had any conversations with Wilcox and Omar Berrada, Fletcher replied: "I've had the conversations and the focus is on this game, then we'll speak after [Burnley]. "It all happened very quickly on Monday morning. Had a game to prepare and a very quick turnaround, a training session to organise, speak to the players so the focus has been on the Burnley match. "It's important we give the Burnley match the respect and focus it needs to prepare the team in such a short space of time." Fletcher also has the strange circumstance of having his two sons - Tyler and Jack - training with the first-team squad. Midfielder Jack already made his first-team debut under Amorim. When asked if they could be handed full debuts, Fletcher started with a joke: "I won't be disclosing team information before the game!" He then added: "They were in the training group on Monday because that was already arranged before I got there. They've been in the squad recently but we've got a couple of players back from injury, so we'll assess that tomorrow because of the short turnaround from games. "They're in the periphery squad but whether they make the matchday squad, I don't know." Man Utd's next five fixturesWednesday: Burnley (A) - Premier League, kick-off 8.15pm, live on Sky SportsSunday: Brighton (H) - FA Cup third round, kick-off 4.30pmJanuary 17: Man City (H) - Premier League, kick-off 12.30pm, live on Sky SportsJanuary 25: Arsenal (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky SportsFebruary 1: Fulham (H) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports

But the product he bought in bulk was to be sold with only one purpose. Cross, 33, has now been jailed for 14 years for selling a chemical that could have been used by those intending to take their own life. Two people died as a result of his dealing in that chemical. Cross, from Wrexham, had admitted four counts of intentionally committing an act capable of encouraging or assisting the suicide of another. He had set up a business selling the chemical through an internet discussion forum and interacted with others on the forum under a pseudonym. He joined the site in July 2024 and posted a QR code, which allowed people to order the chemical directly from him and pay via his bank account. Cross received payments of £100 from four people and sent them the chemical through the post. He was arrested in January last year following a police investigation into sales via the forum to assist with suicide. Officers found the chemical and other paraphernalia at his address. His devices, which were seized by police, linked Cross to the forum, social media profiles, and the bank account. One of those he provided the chemical to was 26-year-old Shubhreet Singh. Ms Singh died in West Yorkshire last year. Among those who are still alive is a woman who said she made the purchase at a time when she felt "vulnerable". She said: "Because this person made it so easily available makes me think they preyed on vulnerable people like me. "Although he does not know me and may not fully understand the impact of his actions, the substance he advertised, sold, and sent me could have ended my life and seriously impacted on my family." In police interviews, Cross was asked to provide details of anybody who might have received the chemical and who could therefore have been at risk. "Can you assist at all?" he was asked. "No," he replied. He later admitted the charges and his prosecution is the first of its kind. "I think it's been surprising that someone would stoop so low as to take advantage of people in such a vulnerable state and seek to profit from them," said North Wales police assistant chief constable Gareth Evans. "I would ask anybody in a difficult place or feeling really low or having any sort of suicidal thoughts that accessing specialist help from people at the Samaritans is the way to go and not engaging with the sort of forums where you will find predators like Cross waiting to take advantage of people's vulnerabilities." Alison Storey, senior specialist prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service's special crime division, said: "Miles Cross had obviously targeted people who were vulnerable, who he knew were thinking about suicide. "He knew nothing about them. He didn't know whether they would be in a different state of mind if they were given time. Perhaps he didn't care. He had a profit to make." Police say the forum is no longer accessible to regular users in the UK. Ofcom has said it is continuing its investigation into the forum. But Andy Burrows, chief executive of Molly Rose Foundation, said: "Miles Cross was able to callously use an online pro-suicide forum to target vulnerable people at risk of taking their own lives and sell them a poisonous substance linked to at least 133 UK deaths. "Ofcom should act immediately to apply fines and criminal sanctions against the owners of this forum and to deter copycat sites from springing up in its place." 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.

The Oscar-nominated actor and former boxer shared a video statement on Instagram saying he was "really frustrated" and "confused" by the page, titled "Help Mickey Rourke Stay in His Home", which was set up on crowdfunding platform GoFundMe over the weekend. "Somebody set up some kind of foundation or fund for me, to donate money, like in a charity, and that's not me," Rourke told his 488,000 followers, saying he did not know who was behind it. "If I needed money I wouldn't ask for no f***ing charity." The GoFundMe page said Rourke was facing a "very real and urgent situation: the threat of eviction from his home". The page organiser is listed as Liya-Joelle Jones, an assistant to Rourke's manager, Kimberly Hines, and its description said it had been set up with his "full permission to help cover immediate housing-related expenses" and prevent eviction from happening. According to the Hollywood Reporter, which first reported on the fundraiser, Jones told the outlet Rourke was "going through a very difficult time right now" and it had been "incredibly touching to see how many people care about him and want to help". Sat with his dog, Lucky, in his video, Rourke denied having anything to do with the page and said he was going to talk to his lawyer to "get to the bottom of this". The 73-year-old admitted he had done a "really terrible job" in managing his career, but said after years of therapy, he has "worked very hard" and is "not that wild man" of his past. The actor was known for films including 9 1/2 Weeks, Rumble Fish and The Pope of Greenwich Village in the 1980s, and continued to act while also pursuing his boxing career in the 1990s. In 2008, he starred in The Wrestler - a performance that earned him a BAFTA and an Oscar nomination for best actor. In 2025, he appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in the UK, but was kicked out of the house over "use of inappropriate language" and "instances of unacceptable behaviour". He caused upset in the house from the start and made former Dance Moms star JoJo Siwa cry after making comments about her sexuality. In his video, Rourke said COVID and the Hollywood strikes in 2023 had "killed" his money, and he had previously been in a "bad situation" with his rent. Read more from Sky News:Was the US attack in Venezuela legal?Chalamet and Buckley among Critics Choice winners However, he described the fundraising page as "very embarrassing", and told fans: "Don't give any money, and if you gave money, get it back… "I would never ask strangers or fans or anybody for a nickel. That's not my style. You ask anyone who knows me. It's humiliating and it's really f***ing embarrassing." He told fans he is "grateful for what I have - I've got a roof over my head, I've got food to eat… everything's okay", and added: "Get your money back, please, I don't need anybody's money and I wouldn't do it this way, I've got too much pride." Sky News has contacted Hines and representatives for Rourke for comment.

MPs have been accused of diverting resources and wasting public money after the number of Written Parliamentary Questions (WPQs) rose to 90,331, up from 49,125 in 2024, which was close to the average for the previous decade. Politics latest - follow live The Department for Health and Social Care saw a 97% increase in questions compared to the previous year. The Home Office saw a 92% increase, the Department for Education saw a 97% increase, and the housing department saw a 101% increase. Submissions from some MPs surged 10 or 20-fold in the second half of 2025 compared to the same period the year before, following the general election. Just 10 MPs accounted for 20% of the Commons WPQs submitted in the second half of 2025. These included a Lib Dem MP, Al Pinkerton, whose use increased more than 20-fold from 36 to 721, and independent MP James McMurdock, who on 2 January alone saw 342 questions tabled in his name on a range of subjects from Palestine funding to road deterioration and the UK-Italy young leaders programme. All MPs we spoke to strongly rejected any claim that their questions waste time or are not in the public interest, and no MPs admitted to using AI in their questions. The increase was confined to pockets of the Commons, and there was no massive difference in the number of WPQs submitted by members of the House of Lords over the two periods compared. Many MPs believe WPQs are an essential tool for extracting critical information from government departments. Some told Sky News the growth in questions stemmed from the government's failure to answer their first attempts, while a number of new MPs said they were learning the system. Is AI behind the rise? But senior government sources have launched an extraordinary attack on MPs for the growth of questions - which they believe could be time-wasting. "Some of the WPQs we are seeing are so obscure, and others are so generic, that you're regularly left wondering how any MP would have come up with them, and perhaps the answer is that they haven't," a senior source said. "Put it this way: when we look at the increase in WPQs from some MPs, the random variety of subjects they're asking about, and the lack of any apparent rationale behind their questions, we ask ourselves: how would this look any different if all their WPQs were being generated by AI? And the truth is it wouldn't." Sky News has been told by multiple government sources they believe they are seeing the increased use of AI tools to generate written questions. They suggest an MP with a general interest in a subject may ask an AI tool to give them 10 questions to ask the government about it, or - if they simply want to get their numbers up in a hurry - may ask AI to provide them with multiple questions asking the government about its performance across a range of different areas. Read more from Sky News:UK agrees to send troops to Ukraine'Humiliating' defeats for Chagos deal However, one MP whose use of written questions has increased 10-fold in a year showed Sky News how he keeps a written list on his phone of every subject he wants to ask about and denied ever using AI to write them for him. Ben Obese-Jecty, Tory MP for Huntingdon, tabled 150 questions in the second half of 2024 and 1,683 in the same period a year later. He said if Whitehall wanted to reduce the number of questions, they should give better answers the first time they are asked. 'It's like a chess game' "My message to those in government who are complaining about the volume of questions is: answer them properly, ensure that we can hold the government to account and maybe the number of questions that you have to suffer responding to will reduce," he told Sky News. "I know that I personally don't use AI to write questions. I have a running list on my phone and as questions come up during the day I will make a note of something that I want to ask the government to get some more clarity on it." Sky News challenged Mr Obese-Jecty why he asked about such a variety of topics, including the impact on the grocery industry of weight loss drugs. "All of the questions are certainly valid, and if they weren't valid, they wouldn't be allowed to be tabled in the first instance," he replied. "A lot of those questions are [there because it's] like a chess game, and each question is effectively an opening gambit in a back and forth where you will ask a question and then slowly drill down into a topic." Civil servants 'spending half their time' with WPQs Under the current rules, MPs can submit up to 20 written questions electronically each day. There is currently an inquiry by the Commons Procedure Committee into WPQs, which could change this limit. The Whitehall source said: "People think civil service departments are these huge bureaucracies where there are endless numbers of staff waiting to churn out answers to WPQs and FOI [Freedom of Information] requests. "But the truth is the individual units in charge of each specific area are fairly small, and too many important civil service teams are currently spending half their time dealing with WPQs. "MPs mean well, but if they are sending hundreds of WPQs asking for the latest update from the teams responsible for removing RAAC concrete in schools, or reducing cancer screening waiting times, or responding to Hurricane Melissa, they have to understand they are diverting resources from the actual work they're supposed to care about. "If the House wants to remove the 20-per-day limit, while simultaneously allowing members to use AI to write their questions, that is a recipe for chaos."

Bethell, at just 22 years old and in only his sixth Test, demonstrated precisely why he was identified by the England selectors just over a year ago despite lacking a professional hundred at the time, finishing the day unbeaten on 142 and cementing the troublesome No 3 spot. After Australia were bowled out for 567 in their first innings - earning an 183-run lead - Bethell helped England overturn that deficit with sizeable partnerships of 81 and 102 with Ben Duckett (42) and Harry Brook (42), respectively. Scorecard: Australia vs England, fifth Ashes Test, SydneyAshes Daily Podcast with Nasser and Athers in AustraliaChoose the Sky Sports push notifications you want After taking about 20 minutes to navigate the nervous 90s, Bethell brought up his first Test ton, off 162 deliveries, in some style as he skipped down the pitch to a Beau Webster off-spin delivery and smashed four in fearless fashion out to deep midwicket, his mum and dad visibly emotional in the SCG stands when celebrating the moment. But Webster (3-51) delivered possibly the decisive blow in the Test in his very next over as, with the lead standing at 36, he dismissed Brook and Will Jacks in the space of three deliveries to suddenly see England five down. Jacks' dismissal was reckless, holing out in the deep after a wild hack across the line, while Jamie Smith (26) suffered a calamitous run out later in the evening session. A hobbled Ben Stokes (1) could only manage one run and five deliveries when he came out to bat, the England skipper having suffered a groin injury midway through an over during the morning session. Brydon Carse (16) also fell late in the day as England's lead ticked past 100, but Bethell remains and will head into the fifth morning in pursuit of some vital runs with the tail to try and set Australia a competitive target in this final Test of the series. Australia resumed the fourth morning on 518-7 in their first innings, adding 49 to their overnight tally before being bowled out, with Steve Smith the first to depart for a superb 138 as he nicked off to a beauty from Josh Tongue (3-87). Tongue also cleaned up Mitchell Starc (5) impressively, before Jacks claimed Scott Boland for a duck to end the innings in the next over, Webster left stranded unbeaten on 71. Bethell maiden ton anchors England fightback on day four England's second innings couldn't have got off to a worse start when Zak Crawley (1) departed fifth ball, out lbw when offering no shot to a devastating Starc (1-61) inswinger as Australia's left-arm quick claimed his 29th wicket for the series and fourth in his opening over through the five Tests. The visitors will have feared the worse, but Duckett and Bethell calmed any frayed nerves by adding 76 serenely through to lunch. Their partnership ticked up to 81 after the interval before Duckett departed, bowled off the inside edge by Michael Neser (1-55), when looking to cut one away that was too straight in line. Joe Root, fresh from his magnificent 160 in the first innings, found the going a lot tougher second time around, getting bogged down against the relentlessly accurate Boland (2-34), in particular, as he could only manage a scratchy six from 37 balls before falling lbw to the seamer. Brook proved another willing foil for Bethell, as he cruised through to his richly-deserved century, the pair putting on over 100 together to earn England a lead and briefly give hope to setting Australia a stiff second-innings score to chase. But Webster's double-strike of Brook and Jacks in the same over completely changed the context of the day's play and England's prospects of back-to-back victories to end the series. Five wickets fell for 78 runs in the space of 20 overs at the back end of the day to see England on the ropes once more, and though Bethell remains he will be kicking himself for the part he played in Smith's downfall. Guilty of ball-watching when pulling a Marcus Labuschagne short ball behind square, he was too late in sending Smith back at the non-striker's end, with his partner already halfway down the pitch and left stranded, run out. There would be no series-ending heroics with the bat from Stokes, severely limited to injury, while Carse cracked a couple of boundaries to help England's lead past 100 before perishing late on. Bethell: Maiden ton will give me world of confidence Jacob Bethell, speaking to TNT Sports: "It hasn't really sunk in. It was pretty special. "I am sure my family enjoyed it. I think my dad would have held off the beers for a couple of hours but can have a few tonight! "I felt okay, to be honest. A bit nervous but nowhere near as nervous as when I was [out for 96 on debut tour] in New Zealand, where I forgot to watch the ball and got out. "Cricket is weird. When they bring the field up and you are on 99, you are like, 'woah, what is the difference in one run?' A massive difference. It was nice to get over the line. "That will give me the world of confidence, especially as people will now stop talking about it!" Nasser: Bethell's composure 'exceptional' Sky Sports' Nasser Hussain: "It was the innings of a proper number three. It was calm, it was composed, technically sound. "The composure for a 22-year-old was just exceptional. And it was a lovely moment, his first Test hundred and obviously his first Ashes hundred, with his mom and dad here at the SCG - one of the great cricket grounds in the world. "His mum had a big, beaming smile on her face, and his dad was just trying to hold back the tears. It was just so special." Ashes series in Australia 2025-26 Australia lead five-match series 3-1 First Test (Perth): Australia won by eight wicketsSecond Test (Brisbane): Australia won by eight wicketsThird Test (Adelaide): Australia won by 82 runsFourth Test (Melbourne): England won by four wicketsFifth Test (Sydney): Sunday January 4 - Thursday January 8