Melvin Benn, managing director at Festival Republic, that promotes Wireless, described West's previous comments as "abhorrent" but added that he will only be performing and will not be given a platform to voice any opinions. He said in a statement: "What Ye has said in the past about Jews and Hitler is as abhorrent to me as it is to the Jewish community. "Ye's music is played on commercial radio stations in this country. It is available via live streams and downloads in this country without comment or vitriol from anyone and he has a legal right to come into the country and to perform in this country. "He is intended to come in and perform. We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions." Mr Benn went on to ask "people to reflect ... and offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do". In his statement, he added: "I am a deeply committed anti-fascist and have been all my adult life. I lived on a kibbutz for many months in the 1970s." The executive also said he is "pro the Jewish state, while being equally committed to a Palestinian state". Pepsi and Diageo pulled out of sponsoring London's Wireless Festival at the weekend - following the announcement that West would top the bill for all three nights of the event in July, playing to about 150,000 people. Sir Keir Starmer criticised the booking, saying it was "deeply concerning" that the 48-year-old musician was headlining the festival "despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism". The US rapper's last UK performance was his Glastonbury headline set in 2015. In the years since, he has drawn criticism for antisemitic posts on social media, a Super Bowl advert directing people to a swastika T-shirt, and a song referencing Hitler, which saw Australia cancel his visa for the country in July. Such statements have seen him barred from social media platforms, including X, several times. In January, West took out a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal to apologise for his behaviour, titled: "To Those I've Hurt." "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite," it said. "I love Jewish people." He attributed his previous outbursts to his bipolar-1 disorder, writing: "In early 2025, I fell into a four-month-long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life. "I lost touch with reality. Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret." Read more on Sky News:Savannah Guthrie returns to TV showBreaking Bad star on stage role Politicians, including Rachael Maskell, Labour MP for York Central, and Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, have called for the government to consider banning West from coming to the UK, as have Jewish community organisations and the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA). Last week, the Jewish Leadership Council condemned the organisers for booking Ye after a rise in attacks on Jewish people and Jewish targets. The Conservative Party has written to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, urging her to ‌ban him from coming to Britain. As the calls for him to be banned grow, Sky News understands ministers are considering whether to allow the singer to enter the UK, while the Home Office is yet to receive his application to enter the country. Live Nation, the co-organiser of the festival, and Ye's managers have been contacted for comment.

Melvin Benn, managing director at Festival Republic, that promotes Wireless, described West's previous comments as "abhorrent" but added that he will only be performing and will not be given a platform to voice any opinions. He said in a statement: "What Ye has said in the past about Jews and Hitler is as abhorrent to me as it is to the Jewish community. "Ye's music is played on commercial radio stations in this country. It is available via live streams and downloads in this country without comment or vitriol from anyone and he has a legal right to come into the country and to perform in this country. "He is intended to come in and perform. We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions." Mr Benn went on to ask "people to reflect ... and offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do". In his statement, he added: "I am a deeply committed anti-fascist and have been all my adult life. I lived on a kibbutz for many months in the 1970s." The executive also said he is "pro the Jewish state, while being equally committed to a Palestinian state". Pepsi and Diageo pulled out of sponsoring London's Wireless Festival at the weekend - following the announcement that West would top the bill for all three nights of the event in July, playing to about 150,000 people. Sir Keir Starmer criticised the booking, saying it was "deeply concerning" that the 48-year-old musician was headlining the festival "despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism". The US rapper's last UK performance was his Glastonbury headline set in 2015. In the years since, he has drawn criticism for antisemitic posts on social media, a Super Bowl advert directing people to a swastika T-shirt, and a song referencing Hitler, which saw Australia cancel his visa for the country in July. Such statements have seen him barred from social media platforms, including X, several times. In January, West took out a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal to apologise for his behaviour, titled: "To Those I've Hurt." "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite," it said. "I love Jewish people." He attributed his previous outbursts to his bipolar-1 disorder, writing: "In early 2025, I fell into a four-month-long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life. "I lost touch with reality. Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret." Read more on Sky News:Savannah Guthrie returns to TV showBreaking Bad star on stage role Politicians, including Rachael Maskell, Labour MP for York Central, and Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, have called for the government to consider banning West from coming to the UK, as have Jewish community organisations and the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA). Last week, the Jewish Leadership Council condemned the organisers for booking Ye after a rise in attacks on Jewish people and Jewish targets. The Conservative Party has written to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, urging her to ‌ban him from coming to Britain. As the calls for him to be banned grow, Sky News understands ministers are considering whether to allow the singer to enter the UK, while the Home Office is yet to receive his application to enter the country. Live Nation, the co-organiser of the festival, and Ye's managers have been contacted for comment.

Launched in 2023, the alerts warn people of a danger to life in their area. Testing has seen mobile phones play siren-like sounds with messages displaying on screens. Now, research from the PA news agency has uncovered when the alerts were almost sent for real. The most notable of these was the Southport riots in the summer of 2024. Widespread unrest erupted following the murder of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July of that year. After the killings, and following online rumours that the perpetrator was a small boat migrant, violent rioting broke out in several locations. Mosques, community centres, libraries and hotels housing asylum seekers were all targeted. A recent government analysis found the situation was "largely instigated" by far-right groups. British-born Axel Rudakubana later admitted to the murders. According to the information obtained by PA through a Freedom of Information request, the situations "represent 'near misses' where the Cabinet Office has considered the use of the Emergency Alerts capability, which was ultimately stood down". Another time, the government considered sending every phone in the UK a message was earlier in 2026. It was thought debris from the Chinese Zhuque-3 space rocket could land on Britain after re-entering the atmosphere. This was wide of the mark, as the wreckage ended up hitting the water more than 1,000 miles south of New Zealand, near the Antarctic. The government said they considered the alert "due to the size of the debris, which was larger than usual". Back in May 2024, an outbreak of the parasite cryptosporidium contaminated tens of thousands of people's drinking water in Devon, with some left requiring hospital treatment. The government considered using the emergency alert to tell residents to boil water before using it. Read more from Sky News:At least eight dead in Afghanistan-Pakistan earthquakeWorld's tallest building hit by lightning In September 2025, there were concerns that the Kilroot gas power station in Northern Ireland might have to be shut off as it was nearing its yearly running limit. Having been told power shortages might be on the cards, the Cabinet Office looked into warning people via their mobiles - but decided against it. Alerts were also considered for severe weather during Storm Babet in 2025, and during rain and wind in Scotland and the North East of England in 2023. A government spokesperson said: "As the public rightly expects, the government actively considers how to respond to a wide range of potential events. "The emergency alerts system is a vital public safety tool designed to be used sparingly. Its activation threshold is very high and strictly reserved for threats to life."

Woods was working towards making another competitive comeback, having undergone multiple back surgeries and an operation on his Achilles since last featuring in a major in July 2024, when he was involved in a car crash on March 27. The former world No 1 entered a not guilty plea after being charged with driving under the influence (DUI), taking the case to a jury trial, then announced his decision to be "stepping away" from golf for a "period of time" to seek treatment and focus on his health. The Masters LIVE! Latest build-up and headlinesWhen is The Masters live on Sky? Key TV timesWho has qualified for The Masters? Full 2026 fieldGet Sky Sports or stream golf with no contract The PGA Tour and Masters chairman Fred Ridley were among those to send messages of support to Woods, who is now missing the opening major of the year for a second successive year, while former Jason Day admitted that it's "difficult" to see his "hero" go through struggles. "He's not immune to it [struggles] just because he can hit a golf ball really well," Day said in his pre-tournament press conference. "He's had 25 to 30-something surgeries. When you're going through that many procedures, it's painful coming out of those procedures. "He's my hero. He was my hero growing up. The reason why I play golf is because of this tournament and Tiger. It's hard to see him go through what he's going through - especially under the microscope. It must be hard to be who he is and have everything, everyone look on, kind of down on him. "Some people want him to fail. Some people obviously want him to succeed. It's really difficult for me to go through that and watch him, and I know that he's getting the help now, which is good. I'm just hoping he comes out on the other side and is better." Day added: "People out here do support him and want him to kind of get through this. It must be tough to be isolated the way he is normally. He stays at home pretty much most of the time, doesn't really get out too much just because of how popular he is as a person. "When you're at home, it's just difficult. Sometimes you don't have people around, loving people around enough to be able to steer you in the direction that you need to. "He's human and we all make mistakes - that's just part of learning and getting better. I'm hoping that he gets the help that he needs and that he comes out stronger and better on the other side because golf misses him." Woods joins Mickelson in missing The Masters This year's tournament marks the first time since 1994 that both Woods and Phil Mickelson are missing from The Masters, with the latter withdrawing due to a 'personal health matter' in his family. "Everyone is probably in the same boat, that they're just very grateful that he [Woods] is okay and that everyone else that was involved is okay," 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed explained. "Hopefully he's able to get a speedy recovery and get back here to golf as fast as he can. "Let's be honest, without Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in the events, when they both step away, honestly I feel it hurts the game of golf. At the same time, we want them to come back and be healthy and ready to go." Former world No 1 Justin Rose added: "They [Mickelson and Woods] have both been obviously titans of the game for the last three decades. Clearly in a tournament like this, if you're a past champion, you get an opportunity to come back. "Whether they're 1,000 or 500 in the world or whatever current rankings may be, their stature is way more elevated than that in the game of golf and always will be. It's always a loss to not have either of them in a field anywhere." 'We hope to see him soon' - PGA Tour hoping for Tiger's return Woods has only played in 11 official tournaments since the end of November 2020 and completed 72 holes in just four of them, most recently when he finished last of those who made the cut at The Masters in 2024. The 50-year-old has suffered multiple injury and life setbacks during his career and has set no target over his next possible comeback, something many on the PGA Tour player hopes to see happen. "He's such a legend in this game, somebody I looked up to," Harris English said about Woods. "Watching him win around this place in 1997 is kind of the reason I started getting into golf. "I know he's going to get through this. He has a big fight ahead of him. He's a fighter. That's what he does. He's going to get through it and come out a better man and a better person. We hope to see him soon." Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson added: "I couldn't care less about his [Woods'] golf. Anybody that's struggling with anything, I feel for him because I've gone through a lot of mental stuff. So yeah, I always pull for him. "Nothing but love for him, and hopefully he can come back stronger." Who will win The Masters? Watch the opening major of the year exclusively live from April 9-12 on Sky Sports. Live coverage of the first round begins on Thursday from 2pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.

There were 432 blazes involving e-bikes during 2025 - a 38% jump compared with a year earlier. Meanwhile, 147 e-scooter fires were reported, up 20% from the 123 seen in 2024. These incidents are often caused by failing batteries, conversion kits and chargers. Products bought from online marketplaces are at a greater risk of malfunctioning, because they aren't subject to the same regulation as established retailers. Nick Bailey from BatteryIQ said the e-scooters and e-bikes involved in fires are "always cut-price products" manufactured with lax quality control. He added: "There's also a growing black market in DIY and counterfeit batteries, particularly for delivery riders, built using battery cells reclaimed from disposable vapes. "I wouldn't keep a battery in my home without continuous monitoring - regardless of what the manufacturer's sticker says." The PA news agency sent Freedom of Information requests to all 49 fire brigades in the UK and asked for the number of incidents recorded between 2021 and 2025. London Fire Brigade recorded the greatest number of fires by far, with Greater Manchester and Nottinghamshire identified as hotspots outside of the capital. Fires involving lithium batteries used for e-bikes and e-scooters can spread rapidly and produce a toxic vapour. Electrical Safety First has warned this issue is "swiftly becoming a runaway train that needs to be stopped" - with incidents surging over the past five years. The charity's chief executive, Lesley Rudd, warned: "Poorly made batteries and accessories are of huge concern, and are a major route through which dangerous devices are entering people's homes. "Without strong and enforceable changes, lives are at serious risk and further loss of life is, sadly, inevitable." The London Fire Brigade's deputy commissioner, Spencer Sutcliff, has said he is "extremely concerned" about the "worrying amount" of cases in the capital. E-scooters and e-bikes have now been banned from the Tube because of the fire risk they pose. Although private e-scooters have been banned from being used in public areas nationwide, they are often ridden illegally in many urban areas. Which? has warned unsafe products are "increasingly saturating" online marketplaces, which undercut responsible businesses that comply with the law. The government launched a consultation last week that is designed to boost product safety in the UK. Under the plans, online marketplaces would be legally required to "prevent, identify and remove dangerous products being sold via their platforms".

"Here we go, ready or not," Ms Guthrie said as the show opened. "Let's do the news." After running through a series of news headlines, Ms Guthrie said, "we are so glad that you started our week with us and it's good to be home". Her co-host, Craig Melvin said, "it's good to have you back at home". She greeted long-running co-worker Al Roker with "Good morning, Sunshine", when he said it was good to see her on the set. At the end of the first 25-minute section of the show, she offered Mr Melvin a high-five. Ms Guthrie became overwhelmed by emotions before the last half hour, when she joined colleagues in front of fans gathered at the show's Rockefeller Center studio. She fought back tears when one fan was seen with a "Welcome home Savannah" shirt, and grabbed hold of colleague Jenna Bush Hager's arm, thanking people for their support. Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her Arizona home on 31 January and was reported missing the following day. Officials say her blood was found on the front porch. Purported ransom notes were sent to news outlets, but deadlines for paying have passed. Read more from Sky News:Hiker fighting for his life after bee attackSponsors withdraw from festival after Kanye booking Authorities believe she was kidnapped or abducted. During the investigation, the FBI released surveillance videos showing a masked man on the porch that night. Today co-anchor Ms Guthrie, 54, has acknowledged she's a changed person since her mother's disappearance and that it's difficult to press ahead without knowing what happened to her. Despite a search that involved thousands of federal and local officers and volunteers, there has been no sign of the mother-of-three since she went missing. In a video message released by her New York church on Easter Sunday, Ms Guthrie said she felt "moments of deep disappointment with God, the feeling of utter abandonment". But she said the resurrection is not fully celebrated "if we do not acknowledge the feelings of loss, pain, and yes, death". "Perhaps this is too dark a message to share on Easter morning, but I have long believed that we miss out on fully celebrating resurrection if we do not acknowledge the feelings of loss, pain and, yes, death," she said. "It is the darkness that makes this morning's light so magnificent, so blindingly beautiful." In her closing message, she said: "I see a bright vision of the day when heaven and Earth pass away because they are one, on Earth as it is in heaven. "When we celebrate today, this is what we celebrate, and I celebrate, too. I still believe. And so I say with conviction, 'Happy Easter.'" Ms Guthrie, one of US morning television's most recognisable faces, has been a co-anchor on Today since 2012. There had been a great deal of speculation about whether she would return to the show. Nancy Guthrie made occasional appearances on Today over the years, once taking part in a cooking demonstration and surprising her daughter on set. When Savannah Guthrie returned to her hometown of Tucson last year for a segment recorded for the show, the pair attended one of their favourite restaurants and talked about their love of Arizona. The Guthrie family has offered a $1m (£754,000) reward for information leading to the return of their mother. The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department both said late last week that they had no updates. Early on, some media outlets reported receiving ransom messages linked to the case. Ms Guthrie said she and her siblings responded to two they believed to be real and offered to pay. Ms Guthrie said her celebrity status might be the reason her mother was taken, but that possibility was "too much to bear".

The prime minister released his statement as is traditional from Downing Street. He said that in 'times when some seek to divide, the government is committed to working across faiths and differences, to build a country that is more resilient, inclusive and connected'. This follows a row earlier last month over whether Muslims praying in Trafalgar Square as part of Eid constituted a "domination" of public space, as argued by the shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy and agreed by Reform. A Passion of Jesus performance, showing the story of the crucifixion, was put on in the square on Good Friday. Sir Keir also addressed the impact on cost of living from the war in the Middle East. In his Easter message, Sir Keir said: "Easter is a celebration of hope, new life and renewal. "Across the country, churches and Christian communities quietly and tirelessly support families, children and neighbours - offering comfort, bringing people together, and standing alongside those who need it most. "It is precisely that spirit of service which exemplifies national renewal, and reflects the very heart of Christ's example. "This Easter comes at a time of real anxiety for many people. Conflicts abroad, pressures at home, and uncertainty about the future weigh heavily on families and households. "In moments like these, faith offers reassurance and grounding - a reminder that we are not alone, and that hope can still take root even in difficult soil." Read more:Weather warnings over Easter weekendBeatrice and Eugenie to miss Easter church service The prime minister added: "Our country is at its best when we choose community over division, kindness over indifference, and service over self‑interest. "I thank everyone who gives their time through churches and Christian charities, and wish Christians across the UK and around the world a very happy Easter filled with peace, hope and the promise of new life." Leader of the opposition Kemi Badenoch also shared a message, describing Easter as "a reminder that even in the darkest times, renewal is possible and that light can overcome darkness". "At the heart of the Christian faith is a story of redemption, of second chances, of perseverance and of the belief that better days lie ahead," she said. 👉 Click here to listen to Electoral Dysfunction on your podcast app 👈 "In a world that can often feel uncertain, perhaps even bleak, with conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, and challenges at home, that message matters more than ever. "Across the country, we also see the cultural value of Christianity in the quiet, everyday impact of that faith in acts of kindness, service and sacrifice in our communities. I wish Christians and all people across the United Kingdom a very happy Easter."

The former world No 1 has already won on the PGA Tour this season at the Farmers Insurance Open and holds an impressive record at The Masters, with his narrow loss to Rory McIlroy 12 months ago the third runner-up finish at the event. Rose finished tied-second as Jordan Spieth roared to his maiden major title in the 2015 contest, then lost out in a play-off to Sergio Garcia in 2017 after letting a two-shot lead slip over the back nine. The Masters LIVE! Latest build-up and headlinesWhen is The Masters live on Sky? Key TV timesWho has qualified for The Masters? Full 2026 fieldGet Sky Sports or stream golf with no contract He has registered 10 top-10 in majors since that disappointment, including a runner-up finish to Xander Schauffele at The Open in 2024 ahead of being beaten in a play-off by McIlroy at The Masters the following April. "I hope it [near-misses] only boosts my belief that I can go ahead and do it [win at The Masters]," Rose said. "I feel like I've pretty much done what it takes to win. I just haven't walked over the line. I feel like I've executed well enough to have done the job. "From that point of view, I don't feel like I have to find something in myself to do something different - I truly believe that. I don't feel like it [Augusta National] owes me anything. I come here with a good attitude. I come here with it being a place that I enjoy." 'I gave it everything' - Rose on missing out to McIlroy Rose raced into a three-shot lead after the opening day of last year's contest and held a one-shot advantage heading into the weekend, where he fell seven behind after a third-round 75 before his dramatic Sunday comeback. "When you realise you're that close, you can taste the victory," Rose admitted. "You know what it would feel like had it been the other way around. I could see what it felt like. "I can see the celebrations. It all played out right in front of me. I kind of lived it as if I'd have won it, but obviously without any of the real positive emotion that goes with that, but I kind of sensed everything. "I feel like Saturday afternoon is the missed opportunity, quite frankly. Saturday is the day I'm frustrated and mad about - 40 putts or 38 putts or something crazy like that. That was the day I lost it really, and then did a great job on Sunday - walked away on Sunday feeling like I gave it everything." Victory this year would see Rose - who turns 46 in July - as the second-oldest winner of The Masters in history, just a year younger than Jack Nicklaus when he claimed the last of his 18 major titles in 1986. "I don't think about it [age] on a day-to-day level," Rose insisted. "Happy that the narrative around it is more positive than negative, for the most part. "Definitely there is some motivation there to keep going, keep pushing, try to find new habits, new ways of trying to get better, realising that's a pretty difficult ambition to sort of get better at this stage of my career. "Still feel like there's areas of my game that I can improve on significantly and easily without age being a factor to those areas of my game. Still enjoying the work really, I think, and that's the most important thing. When you enjoy it, you don't feel your age." Who will win The Masters? Watch the opening major of the year exclusively live from April 9-12 on Sky Sports. Live coverage of the first round begins on Thursday from 2pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract