The Society of Radiographers (SoR) said the trend over the past 18 months is a "poor reflection" on society and described the behaviour as "unconscionable". Some have even been refused to be treated by non-white staff, a poll of its members revealed. A sonographer in the Midlands, of Asian descent, said several patients have said to her: "This country isn't the same, with all those people coming over here, taking our jobs." She said such incidents had become "more prevalent", blaming "the media and certain political parties" where people "are openly expressing" such views. Paul Awah, a Bedfordshire-based diagnostic radiographer originally from Nigeria, added: "It's definitely got worse – people are more expressive now. "What used to be something people wouldn't say – now the rhetoric has changed." Mr Awah also claimed he had experienced patients telling him they cannot understand him, even though English is the only language he speaks. Other incidents raised in the SoR survey include: - "Some patients always complain about the colour of skin of people attending them," said one worker. - One radiographer spoke of "patients describing healthcare staff as dirty foreigners". - Another said: "I have witnessed a colleague being called a monkey by a patient." - A white man allegedly refused to let a sonographer scan his pregnant wife, telling the staff: "I don't want anyone from any ethnic background touching my woman." - And another patient refused to let a black radiographer perform their chest X-ray, as "black people frighten me". Read more from Sky News:Cop's killers still eligible for early releaseTwo dead in 'explosive diarrhoea' outbreak 'Racist abuse has no place in NHS' The findings come after the latest NHS Staff Survey showed the percentage of staff who have experienced some discrimination over the past 12 months is at a five-year high. Published in March, it found 9.26% of workers had personally experienced discrimination in 2025. Thomas Simons, chief human resources and organisational development officer at NHS England, said: "Racist abuse towards NHS staff is completely unacceptable and has no place in our health service. "Our new national staff standards are clear that NHS organisations must take meaningful action to prevent and respond to racism, support affected staff and ensure there are clear consequences for patients who racially abuse or discriminate against NHS staff - including the option to refuse care in non-emergency situations."

The 66-year-old died in a Middlesbrough hospital yesterday evening after a short illness. Liddle had written for The Sunday Times since 2005 and The Sun since 2011. He was also a weekly columnist at The Spectator and had a show on Times Radio. His three children said they were "very saddened and shocked at the sudden passing of our wonderful father". "Even in hospital in the last few weeks, he consistently held the room and never let the awful situation show," they added. They said he had left "a legacy that we are all incredibly proud of". Liddle was known for outspoken and often controversial columns that riled his critics. He previously edited Radio 4's flagship Today programme but was forced to resign in 2003 over a piece in The Guardian the BBC said had breached its impartiality rules. His current employers paid tribute to a man who was one of Britain's best-known journalists. Rebekah Brooks, the chief executive of News UK, called Liddle "an inimitable journalistic force - brilliant, provocative and immensely talented". She said he "challenged conventional thinking and left an indelible mark on British journalism". More tributes came from the editor of The Sunday Times, Ben Taylor, who said colleagues would "miss him desperately". Mr Taylor said Liddle "used his unique talent to speak for the readers, highlighting the cant and absurdity that bedevils modern life". The Sun's editor, Victoria Newton, said he was a champion of press freedom and a "brilliant, fearless columnist who was much loved by all at The Sun". Reform leader Nigel Farage also paid tribute, calling Liddle "one of the most prolific columnists Westminster has ever seen". Piers Morgan wrote on X that Liddle was a "true voice of common sense" and "one of Britain's most fearless, funny and fabulously entertaining journalists". Liddle grew up in southeast London and moved to Middlesbrough, where his father's family were from, when he was young. He got his first job in journalism at the South Wales Echo and later worked as a speechwriter for the Labour Party while also studying for a social psychology degree at LSE. He joined the BBC as a junior producer on the Today programme in 1988 and landed the editor's job a decade later. Liddle had a complaint upheld by the Press Complaints Commission in 2010 when he wrote that the "overwhelming majority" of violent crime in London was carried out by young Afro-Caribbean men. It was one of multiple accusations of misogyny and racism he faced while working for The Spectator. Read more from Sky News:Thousands of illegal migrants still in CeutaFormer X Factor contestant denies murder His private life ended up in the papers when he left his wife, Rachel Royce, with whom he had two children, for his 23-year-old lover, a receptionist at The Spectator. They went on to have a daughter of their own but the fallout saw Liddle and Royce, a BBC reporter, engage in a public war of words. Liddle later presented a programme about infidelity in which he argued men are pre-programmed to be unfaithful.

Andy Burnham has blocked cuts to sentences – also known as early release – for rape and serious child sex and grooming offences, which will be welcome news to many. Politics Hub: Follow the latest Others, though, will be left wondering: what about me, or my case? Why is my perpetrator, some of them who will be in prison for really serious crimes, able to be freed early and not others? PC Andrew Harper's widow, Lissie, has called the announced review changes "disgusting" and an "utter betrayal". Thames Valley Police Federation, the force where PC Harper served, said they are "outraged that the justice secretary and the prime minister have decided that killing a police officer in the execution of their duty is somehow less serious than other offences deemed too dangerous for early release". The Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Nicole Jacobs, has said the government are putting "lives at risk" by not excluding domestic abuse perpetrators in the way that rape offenders and others are. "While this will be well received by some victims, most will not fall within those categories, and exclusions alone cannot guarantee victim or public safety," said Claire Waxman, the Victims Commissioner. The problem is, much of this is about pragmatism and politics. There is a perception that the general public don't care about prisons until it's a conversation about public safety and perceived injustice. This is exactly that. How did we get here? The latest row over this policy happened only days after Burnham became prime minister. He probably felt he had little option but to look again – ironically at plans which were made law under Sir Keir Starmer's government earlier this year, following an independent review of sentencing policy. Burnham has long been a critic of how previous governments have failed victims of injustice or covered up scandals. But he will also have been told that scrapping the plans altogether wasn't an option because of prison overcrowding. The male prison estate is operating at around 97% capacity still, even after numerous "emergency" or "temporary" measures, releasing tens of thousands of inmates early, under successive governments. One prison governor told me their usual "summer lull", as courts start to shut down for August, isn't happening this year. "What does this do to capacity by Christmas?" they asked. Remember, in 2024 there were just 100 free spaces left across England and Wales. Police custody suites were regularly used as alternative cells. 'A risk mistakes will be made' But there are fears too that "there is a risk mistakes will be made", according to one prison service source, with fast turnaround sentence recalculations (again) by an already stretched service. The first tranche of releases wasn't due until 2 September, but the prison and probation service had a while to plan for that date. It's now been delayed until 1 October, but with new exclusions, which could become complicated. Someone could be serving a sentence for varying offences, and things could be missed, is the worry. Probation will now only have around six weeks for release planning, once the sentences have been recalculated. Read more from Sky News:Woman who stole £300k from pensioner is jailedMan jailed after falsely claiming electric car was out of control A reminder – the Sentencing Act 2026, which became law earlier this year, meant prisoners serving standard sentences in England and Wales could be freed after serving a third of their sentence, rather than half, if they didn't break prison rules or commit further offences in jail. The rest would be spent on supervision in the community, using electronic tagging. More serious criminals, including those convicted of sexual and violent crimes, would have been eligible for release from prison after serving half of their sentence, rather than two-thirds, as is typically the case at the moment. 'Not the end of the conversation' This announced review now excludes inmates serving sentences for crimes like rape and grooming offences. But people who are in prison for a crime such as manslaughter can in theory still be released after serving half of their sentence. What this has to be about is human consequences and confidence in the justice system. For victims of rape, that's historically been a huge hurdle. The prospect that their demands are being listened to with these changes will be something. But even a lawyer representing abuse and grooming victims – the perceived beneficiaries of the review – tells me: "This should not mark the end of the conversation." "Victims of other serious violent offences also deserve confidence that sentences imposed by the courts will be served as intended," they said. This issue has troubled governments for years now. Burnham will be viewed by some as a new PM who acted decisively and who cares about victims and injustices. But what's already clear is that the outcome of this review is being seen by others as an injustice in itself.

Stokes gave up the England Test captaincy and retired from international cricket following his side's 2-1 series defeat to New Zealand in June, which followed a 4-1 Ashes loss to Australia over the winter. Speaking at length for the first time since his retirement on the For The Love of Cricket podcast hosted by former team-mates Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler, the 35-year-old Stokes suggested he had 'definitely' retired for good and opened up on his longer-term goals. The Ashes: England vs Australia 2027 dates confirmedListen to the Sky Sports Cricket PodcastStream England cricket without a contract "I want to be a coach," said Stokes. "I know what I want to do in terms of staying within the game - which is to be a coach. "Would I love to be coach of England one day? Absolutely. I would love to be able to do that. Do I think it's going to happen? I don't know. No idea. "Then, further on from that, I don't know. I just really like the idea of being, again, in some form of leadership away from playing." Stokes held the Test captaincy for four years from 2022, working alongside head coach McCullum as the pair reshaped England's playing style. McCullum's exit from his Test role was announced two weeks after Stokes called time on his international playing career during the fourth day of England's third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. "I was [surprised]," said Stokes. "If I hadn't made the decision that I made four weeks ago, Baz would still be coach. "So it's my fault!" On the discussions held between them around their respective exits, Stokes added: "When I told Baz [about Stokes' retirement] he was making toast and I just went 'oh, I'm done'. I'd obviously had discussions with him anyway and then told him over toast. "Then, again, he was like 'yeah, I've been given the tap on the shoulder' and I was like 'oh'. But he's still very excited and very happy to be moving forward with the white-ball because he's doing a very good job there." Stokes on his 'concern' for Root over captaincy return and Brook snub Stokes also had his say on the new era for the Test team after former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming was confirmed as the side's new head coach and Joe Root reappointed captain. Stokes said he spoke with Root, his long-time team-mate and predecessor as captain in 2017-2022, when the news broke and backed him to succeed in his second spell in the role. However, Stokes said he did have "concern" for his friend given how the role hung heavily on England's highest run-scorer last time. "I love Rooty. I wish him nothing but success," said Stokes. "I hope he goes on to achieve amazing things in his role of captain, and I think he's going to really enjoy it with Flem. He's a great man. I've worked with Flem before. "But I told Joe: 'my only worry is you'. And that's all I really care about now with Rooty just because I saw what he went through and how much he put himself through. "He just always put the team first; he always came second. That is just my only concern with it: knowing what he went through last time he was in charge of the team because I don't want to see that ever happen again because I care for Joe a lot. "But I wish him all the success in the world. I'm sure he's going to do great so I'm looking forward to seeing what the team does going forward." But Stokes did question why Harry Brook, the vice-captain of the Test team and the white-ball captain, had not been named as his replacement. Rob Key, England men's managing director, said recently "I don't feel like this is the right time" for Brook to be named Test captain but that the 27-year-old's "time will come". But Stokes argued: "If you think someone is going to be a good captain or a good leader, just give it to them. "Brooky [was] made vice-captain. I'm not there anymore but even when I missed that Test match [against New Zealand] I was like 'why is Brooky not captain? He's vice-captain.' "And I understood the reasoning why they were saying it, but I was still like, what message is that sending to him? He's vice-captain and the captain is not playing but he's not captain. Then the same again here. "I had no leadership or captaincy experience when I took over. It was just thought I was going to be a good captain." Stokes rules out 2027 Ashes return The 35-year-old also appeared to firmly rule out any playing return in next summer's home Ashes series against Australia after Key said he "wouldn't be surprised" if the all-rounder came out of retirement. "I never once thought, 'I'm just going to give it up and just keep going as a player'," said Stokes of his decision to retire as captain and player. "I'm 35. If I'm not going to be captain, I think I'd find it tough to do it. Not saying because I'd find it tough to be led by someone else. I just think because I've given so much of this part of my career to my job, if I'm going to be play for England it's going to be as captain. "I was very comfortable retiring from playing and not thinking about playing for England." And asked squarely if he had "definitely" retired, Stokes replied: "Defo." England vs Pakistan Test series schedule All times UK and Ireland, all games live on Sky Sports First Test (Headingley) - Wednesday August 19-Sunday August 23 (11am)Second Test (Lord's) - Thursday August 27-Monday August 31 (11am)Third Test (Edgbaston) - Wednesday September 9-Sunday September 13 (11am) Watch the three-Test series between England and Pakistan live on Sky Sports Cricket from August 19. Stream cricket and more sport contract-free with NOW.

Todd Blanche wants to be America's top cop. He's in a bitter battle to be confirmed as the next attorney general. What concessions are the Trump administration having to make to get their man over the line? As for the Dems… who will come out on top in the party primaries in Michigan? It's a race for the soul of the Democratic Party of 2026. Donald Trump wins another golf championship on the weekend. There are questions over whether the commander in chief gamed his way to the top of the pile on Sunday. But have we conditioned ourselves to be immune to anything different from this president? Plus, Trump is selling his Truth Social posts to the highest bidder – with enormous stock market consequences. Is it the art of the deal? Or – as Democrats in the Senate have suggested – is it just plain insider trading? You can watch episodes of Trump100 on our YouTube channel. Email us at trump100@sky.uk with your comments and questions. Find out how to subscribe to our members club, Sky News Insider: https://skynews.com/trump100 Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.

A representative for the Wicked star said that she had withdrawn from a theatre production of Sunday In The Park With George in London in 2027. The announcement comes just days after Grande, 33, released the music video for Petal, the titular single from her eighth studio album, which has sparked speculation about her health. Late on Sunday, the singer's representative told People: "Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour. "She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny. "This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much." Grande is currently on her Eternal Sunshine tour, which will come to the UK this month, with a 10-night residency at London's The O2. Her final London show on 1 September will also mark the end of the tour. Production company Empire Street Productions said the show would still go ahead and her part recast. "Empire Street Productions have said following this evening's announcement from Ariana Grande's team, we can confirm that she has decided to step back from Sunday In The Park With George," the company told the Press Association. "We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support. "We wish her nothing but the best. The production will open at the Barbican in summer 2027 as planned, and casting will be announced in due course." Read more from Sky News:The Sopranos star Vincent Pastore diesSam Fender and Olivia Dean make history Grande had been due to appear opposite her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey in the production of Stephen Sondheim's musical, inspired by the Georges Seurat painting A Sunday Afternoon On The Island Of La Grande Jatte. The original musical, created by Sondheim and James Lapine, debuted on Broadway in 1984 starring Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters. Grande has previously spoken out about her "vulnerability" when it comes being in the spotlight and having people constantly comment on her body. She has also been open about her mental health following the Manchester Arena attack at her concert in May 2017 when a suicide bomber killed 22 people. Grande has won three Grammy Awards amid a successful music career which took off in 2013 after the release of her debut album, Yours Truly. She first found fame playing Cat Valentine on the Nickelodeon television shows Victorious and Sam & Cat. Grande was nominated for an Oscar for her role as Glinda in the big-screen adaptation of Wicked.

It comes after Prime Minister Andy Burnham responded to backlash to the plan, which was initiated by the Starmer administration with the goal of easing prison overcrowding, by putting it on pause and launching an "urgent review". Politics Hub: Follow the latest Mr Burnham has also delayed the start of the scheme from September to October and said he "wanted to go even further", but it was not possible without the prison system collapsing – putting the public "at much greater risk". He is also seeking to assure the public that offenders will face tighter community supervision, including new GPS monitoring for rapists to restrict movements. The policy has been controversial since the outset but returned to prominence earlier this month when it emerged a policeman's killers may be among those eligible for early release. PC Andrew Harper was killed in 2019 while responding to a quadbike theft in Berkshire. When teens Albert Bowers, Jessie Cole, and Henry Long tried to escape, his ankles got caught in a getaway car's towrope loop, and he was dragged along a country road for a mile. While Long, who was driving the vehicle, was jailed for 16 years for manslaughter and will not be eligible for early release, Bowers and Cole were jailed for 13 years for manslaughter and will be eligible to be freed under the scheme after serving half their sentences. PC Harper's widow, Lissie Harper, had called for the prime minister to intervene. In a statement on Monday night, she condemned the fact that two of her husband's killers remain eligible as an "utter betrayal". 'I will not be able to forgive' Ms Harper said: "What abhorrent message does this send? How dare ministers say the killing of a police officer is not enough of a 'sickening crime' that deserves the stiffest of punishments." Bowers and Cole had "robbed us of our future" and "should remain in jail", she added. "This is an utter betrayal – and it's one I will not be able to forgive or forget," she said. Thames Valley Police chief constable Jason Hogg also said he was "beyond disappointed", while Aileen O'Connor, chair of the Thames Valley Police Federation, said she was "absolutely outraged". PM: I wanted to go further The prime minister said public safety is his "top priority", and he understands the "anger, anxiety and distress that's been caused" by the early release scheme. Despite the announcement regarding rapists and child sex offenders, Mr Burnham said, "I know there will still be concerns about other offenders having their sentence shortened". "That's why we will also be introducing much tougher community measures," he said. "There will be a presumption that all offenders are tagged, longer periods of supervision and tough new rules, including restriction zones for offenders." Read more from Sky News:'Worrying decline' in adoptive familiesRacist abuse of NHS staff 'getting worse' The government has also announced a £10m package of support to provide better trauma-informed contact, with a new national helpline to contact all affected victims. Mr Burnham also hit out at the previous Tory governments for not having invested in the prison estate, with adult male prisons now at 98% capacity, and pledged "the fastest prison-building programme since the Victorian era". He has also asked Justice Secretary Alex Norris to look at how the UK can remove foreign offenders faster, review outdated Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences, and free up space in women's prisons. How did we get here? Under changes in the Sentencing Act around 6,000 offenders were set to be freed in September after serving a third of their sentence – rather than half – as part of efforts to reduce overcrowding. Prisoners serving sentences of four years or more would be eligible for release at the halfway point of their term, rather than two-thirds. 'U-turn doesn't go far enough' The Conservatives had voted against the scheme and said the "U-turn" from Mr Burnham doesn't go far enough. Shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy said "the trauma of victims being told their abusers may be released can't be undone", while Reform UK branded the scheme "disgusting".

Oleksandr Usyk announced his decision to vacate the WBC, WBA and IBF belts last month and the unbeaten British contender now has the opportunity to become the new IBF world champion in his clash with Croatian Hrgovic at The O2. Frank Sanchez, who is the IBF No 1 contender after his knockout victory over Richard Torrez Jnr in May, has been guaranteed a shot at the Itauma vs Hrgovic winner. Latest boxing headlines, reports, highlights and interviewsBoxing in 2026: Key dates, results and upcoming scheduleGet Sky Sports or stream boxing and more with no contract Itauma has blazed his path to a world title shot with 14 victories, featuring 12 knockouts, and he ruthlessly stopped Jermaine Franklin in Manchester in March. But the 21-year-old is taking a sizeable step up in class against Hrgovic, who holds victories over Zhilei Zhang and Joe Joyce, with his only loss coming against Daniel Dubois by stoppage in 2024. Cuban Sanchez will lie in wait for the new IBF champion, having secured a mandatory shot at the IBF belt after his explosive second-round stoppage of Torrez Jr. Sanchez's manager Mike Borao said: "Frank Sanchez has allowed Itauma and Hrgovic to fight for the vacant IBF title on August 29 under the condition, as mandatory #1 contender, he fights the winner with no intervening bouts. "Frank didn't want to fight until the end of the year in order to prepare properly, so the timeline works perfectly for him, especially considering the Itauma vs Hrgovic fight is less than 30 days away. "The deal we negotiated for Frank to fight the winner is lucrative financially, he maintains his mandatory status, and is only deferring his opportunity a few months. "The agreement was relatively easy to make with Queensberry and Warriors Boxing, although at times it looked like a deal would fail to materialize. "I've known George Warren a long time. He understands the heavyweight division, is a gentleman and pleasure to work with. The final deal is good for the participating boxers, promoters, the IBF, and the fans. I am glad it got over the finish line. "Frank is anxious to fight Ituama or Hrgovic, he doesn't care who it is, and wishes the best of luck to both. He feels he will beat either and become heavyweight champion this year, the target date being December." The IBF belt is the last remaining vacant title as Agit Kabayel has been elevated as the new WBC champion, while Murat Gassiev has been upgraded to WBA champion. Watch Aaron McKenna vs Etinosa Oliha for the IBF world middleweight title in Dublin on Saturday, live on Sky Sports. Get Sky Sports or stream boxing with no contract.