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No Writer
May 5
Murder probe launched after south London shooting victim dies

Police were called at 1.14am on 2 May following reports that multiple shots had been fired in Coldharbour Lane, Brixton. One victim found by emergency services who was taken to hospital has since died. He has been named as 25-year-old Keanu Taylor. Three others were also taken to hospital after suffering injuries that were not life-threatening or life-changing. They were aged 21, 47 and 70. Police have appealed for help in identifying who was responsible. Detective Chief Inspector Allam Bhangoo, who is leading the investigation, said: "As we work quickly to identify those responsible, our thoughts are with Keanu's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time. "This was a shocking act of violence which has had a devastating impact on those involved and the local community. I want to reassure residents that we are working urgently to identify and apprehend those responsible. Read more from Sky News:Two pubs closing every dayWorst airports for delays revealed "It is vital that anyone who saw what happened, or has any information or footage, comes forward. Even the smallest detail could prove crucial to our investigation. "Local residents will continue to see an increased police presence in the area over the coming days. If you have any concerns, please speak to officers."

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No Writer
May 4
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni reach settlement over It Ends With Us lawsuit

Lively accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and co-ordinating a smear campaign against her in a lawsuit filed a few months after the release of the 2024 romantic drama, which Baldoni also directed. A judge had dismissed most of the star's claims, including harassment, but allowed three to proceed to a trial: breach of contract, retaliation, and aiding and abetting in retaliation. The trial, which was due to begin in New York later this month, will no longer go ahead following the settlement agreement. Lively 'deserved to be heard' In a joint statement published on Monday, lawyers for Baldoni and Lively said: "Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors - and all survivors - is a goal that we stand behind. "We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments. It is our sincere hope that this brings closure and allows all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment." The lawyers also said they "acknowledge the process presented challenges and recognize concerns raised by Ms Lively deserved to be heard", but insisted It Ends With US remains "a source of pride to all of us who worked to bring it to life". A public rift The rift between the two co-stars became public in December 2024, when Lively filed a complaint with the California civil rights department, followed by her lawsuit. However, there had been speculation in the months beforehand as the pair promoted the film separately following its release. Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios production company countersued Lively and her husband, Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of defamation and extortion. His case was dismissed by a judge in June last year. The case sent shockwaves through Hollywood, revealing private texts among A-listers - including singer Taylor Swift - and raising questions about the power, influence and gender dynamics in the industry. Read more from Sky News:Follow: Met Gala 2026 liveBritney Spears pleads guilty to reckless driving It Ends With Us is an adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestselling 2016 novel, a story which begins as a romance but takes a dark turn into one of domestic violence and abuse. The film grossed more than $350m worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo, despite receiving mixed reviews. Lively is known for the TV series Gossip Girl and other films including The Town and The Shallows. Baldoni starred in the TV comedy Jane The Virgin, directed the 2019 film Five Feet Apart, and is the author of Man Enough, a book challenging traditional notions of masculinity.

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No Writer
May 5
Attacks on British Jews 'a crisis for all of us', says PM

The prime minister will meet senior figures from across public life to discuss growing antisemitism in Britain, which was brought into the spotlight last week by a terror attack in north London. Essa Suleiman, 45, has been charged with attempted murder after two Jewish men were stabbed on Wednesday in Golders Green. The incident also saw the UK's terror threat level raised to severe. Sir Keir described the incident as "utterly appalling" but said it was not isolated. "It is part of a pattern of rising antisemitism that has left our Jewish communities feeling frightened, angry, and asking whether this country, their home, is safe for them," he said. The prime minister will hold meetings with leaders from business, civil society, health, culture, higher education and policing and ask them to reflect on how they can move forward "at pace" to tackle antisemitism in their sector. He will also focus on the domestic security implications of the Iran war, including a heightened threat to Jewish communities, during a ministerial meeting of the Middle East Response Committee. Politics Hub: Follow the latest "It is not enough to simply say we stand with Jewish communities," Sir Keir will say later. "We must show it. And that responsibility lies with each and every one of us. That is what today is about. Because only by working together can we eradicate antisemitism from every corner of society." Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for pro-Palestine marches to be banned because of their impact on Britain's Jewish community. Sir Keir has suggested some could be stopped and wants "tougher action" against protesters who use certain phrases during pro-Gaza demonstrations. He has said protesters at the marches have a responsibility to call out those chanting "globalise the intifada", which critics believe is a call to use violence against Israelis and Jewish people more widely. But the Stop The War coalition has defended the marches, saying they pose "no threat" to the Jewish community and are attended by "thousands of Jewish people, often in a Jewish bloc".

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No Writer
May 5
Lewis Hamilton: Ferrari driver says 'challenging' Miami F1 Sprint weekend 'won't define us'

Hamilton was consistently a few tenths adrift of Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc throughout the Sprint weekend in Miami and failed to finish any session in the top five. He was classified in sixth, ahead of Leclerc, in Sunday's race due to a 20-second time penalty for the Monegasque driver for cutting several corners on the last lap following his hit with the barriers. F1 2026 standings | F1 2026 Calendar | F1 Gossip ColumnDownload the Sky Sports app for expert analysis, best video & more📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺 "A challenging weekend for us. With the contact I was pretty much stuck in no man's land and couldn't extract more from the car," Hamilton wrote on Instagram. "Tough to take especially given all the hard work the team has put in, but this won't define us. It's how we keep going. We're taking what we can from these past few days and putting everything else behind us. We move forward." Hamilton started the season off strongly in Australia and China, claiming his first Ferrari podium in Shanghai, but has lacked performance compared to Leclerc at the last two races in Japan and Miami. He was four tenths behind Leclerc in Sprint Qualifying, then dropped away from the leading drivers on his way to seventh in the Sprint. The team made set-up changes to his car for Qualifying which brought Hamilton to within two tenths of Leclerc but the seven-time world champion had contact with Alpine's Franco Colapinto on the opening lap of the Grand Prix, so ran a largely lonely race. "Obviously it's not a good weekend at all. Seventh and seventh [sixth after Leclerc's penalty]; no-man's land in both races," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. "Particularly with the damage, there was nothing I could do. Really unfortunate because the team worked so hard so to come away with so few points… we have to move on from here. "It was just contact. I was unlucky with Max spinning and I had to go to the right of him. I had a good Turn One and I was in a good position and then the only place I could go was right. "I lost positions from there and then I think it was Franco that hit me and I lost a lot of performance from there." Hamilton: I'm going to have a different approach The next F1 race in Montreal has historically been one of Hamilton's best tracks on the calendar, with six pole positions and seven wins at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. He took his maiden F1 pole position and win at the Canadian Grand Prix in 2007 with McLaren. Ferrari effectively brought a new car to Miami with 11 significant upgrades and Hamilton says his performance "doesn't truly reflect the hard work the team has done" but they may need to change their preparation for a race weekend. "I'm going to have a different approach for the next race," he said. "The way we're preparing at the moment is not helping. We'll see how that goes for the next race." Formula 1 next heads to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix and another Sprint weekend. Watch live on Sky Sports F1 on May 22-24. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime

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No Writer
May 5
Separatist group tries to trigger referendum on province leaving Canada

The group, called Stay Free Alberta, required 178,000 signatures for the province to consider such a vote, which could go to a province-wide ballot as early as October. Alberta premier Danielle Smith said she would move forward with the question of separation if enough names were gathered and verified, but added that she personally does not support oil-rich Alberta leaving Canada. A "yes" vote in a referendum would also not automatically trigger independence, as negotiations with the federal government would have to take place. Daniel Beland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal, said some indigenous groups, who are already using the courts to prevent an independence referendum, would use venues such as the courts to stop independence from happening. A judge in Edmonton, Alberta, is expected to rule on a court challenge launched by a group of Alberta First Nations who say a separation of the province would violate treaty rights. Mr Beland said a referendum would likely lose, as support for independence is "rather low" at less than 30% and even lower if the focus is only on hard-core supporters. He added that, considering recent reports of a large data breach involving an Alberta separatist group, the formal verification process is especially crucial to make sure the signatures are authentic. Mitch Sylvestre, the head of Stay Free Alberta, said as he delivered the names to the Elections Alberta office in Edmonton on Monday: "This day is historic in Alberta history. It's the first step to the next step." He said most papers were handled five times to verify the signatures. More than 300 supporters waving the provincial flag and chanting "Alberta strong" came to witness the delivery of the signatures. The push for independence predates Mark Carney's premiership and is related to "economic, fiscal, and political grievances about the seemingly unfair treatment of Alberta by the federal government", according to Mr Beland. "These concerns increased during the Justin Trudeau years but they have peaked and even declined since he left office," he explained. Read more from Sky News:Two killed after car ploughs into crowd21 dead in fireworks factory blast Alberta premier Ms Smith has accused previous federal governments lead by the Liberal Party of Canada of introducing legislation that hamstrings Alberta's ability to produce and export oil, which she said has cost the province billions of dollars. She also said she doesn't want the federal government getting involved in provincial issues. Mr Carney's federal government did not immediately respond to the separatist group submitting the signatures to the petition.

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Bethany Minelle, arts and entertainment reporter
May 4
Britney Spears pleads guilty to reckless driving

She did not attend the hearing Ventura County Superior Court on Monday and entered the plea via her lawyers. It means the star has escaped jail time, instead being sentenced to one day which the judge said was served when she was arrested. The 44-year-old pop star has also been sentenced to one year of probation, a drink driving class and a fine. Her summary probation is informal and means she won't be required to make regular meetings with a probation officer. Spears had been charged with a single misdemeanour count of driving under the combined influence of alcohol and at least one drug on Thursday. A representative for the singer said in April that Spears had voluntarily checked into a rehabilitation facility ⁠after the arrest. On 4 March, Spears was arrested after she was pulled over for driving her black BMW fast and erratically near her home, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) said. Read more from Sky News:Peter Kay show bomb hoax suspect removed from courtSAG-AFTRA reaches tentative deal with studios in bid to avoid strikes At the time, the CHP said the singer was arrested and taken to a Ventura County jail after taking a series of field sobriety tests during which she seemed to be impaired. In a statement issued to Sky News' US partner NBC, a representative for Spears described the incident as "completely inexcusable". After the hearing her lawyer, Michael A. Goldstein, told reporters: "I don't think anybody's happy about pleading guilty to anything, but under the circumstances, to get this behind her, I think everybody is pleased with the result. "We appreciate the district attorney recognizing the positive steps that Britney is taking to help herself." District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said after the hearing that Spears had taken "full responsibility" . Sky News has contacted Spears's representatives for comment.

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No Writer
May 5
Two pubs closing every day after 'sheer weight' of tax rises

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) said 161 had shut their doors for good in that period, equating to about 2,400 job losses. It's also a 26% jump on the same time last year. The body blamed tax increases and rising labour costs, including the increase to the minimum wage. Wales was the only part of the UK which saw a net gain in its number of pubs – rising by three to 2,901. Rachel Reeves had been warned measures she unveiled in her budget last November would put pubs at risk, and months later she announced they would receive business rates support to help them cope. But the BBPA said more needed to be done to save Britain's pubs and, in the meantime, will be hoping this summer's World Cup – with longer opening hours – will give them a much-needed boost. Chief executive Emma McClarkin said even pubs doing good trade were having their profits "wiped out by a disproportionate tax burden and huge costs". "For too many, the sheer weight of taxes and regulatory costs have forced them to shut up shop, which will only hurt communities, workers, and the wider economy," she warned. The UK Spirits Alliance, which represents hundreds of distillers across Britain, urged the government to carry out a "proper review" of excise duty. "Spirits offer higher profit margins and help keep us afloat, yet we have the highest rate of excise duty in the G7," a spokesperson said. Read more from Sky News:Two dead after car ploughs into crowdStars reach settlement over film lawsuit The government insisted it was backing the sector and indicated there was more support to come as part of its programme for revitalising town centres. "We are backing Britain's pubs – cutting April's business rates bills by 15% followed by a two-year freeze, extending World Cup opening hours and increasing the Hospitality Support Fund to £10m to help venues grow," it said. It also pointed to a cut to alcohol duty on draught pints, a cap on corporation tax and cuts to interest rates, but there are fears there could be hikes ahead due to the war in Iran.

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No Writer
May 5
Phil Foden contract: Man City star agrees to sign new four-year deal as he approaches final year of contract

Foden, who is about to enter the final year of his current deal, is expected to commit his future to boyhood club City until 2030, and his new contract includes the option to extend by a further year. The England international has won six Premier League titles, the Champions League, two FA Cups and five Carabao Cups since breaking through from the City academy, making his debut aged 17 in 2017. The 25-year-old has scored 10 goals and provided five assists in 46 appearances in all competitions for City this season. Transfer Centre LIVE! | Man City news & transfers🔵Man City fixtures & scores | FREE Man City PL highlights▶️Got Sky? Watch Man City games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺 The midfielder enjoyed his career-best season in 2023/24, winning Premier League Player of the Season and PFA Players' Player of the Year, but has since struggled to reach those heights for City. Foden has contributed fewer goals and assists in the last two seasons combined and has subsequently lost his place as a regular starter in Pep Guardiola's side, his last City goal coming in December. Will Foden make England's World Cup squad? England boss Thomas Tuchel has raised doubts about Foden's inclusion at the World Cup this summer after he disappointed in the last international break. Foden was the only player in England's expanded squad to start in both of the March friendlies, playing as a No 10 against Uruguay and as a false nine against Japan, but failed to impress in either position. Asked whether the 49-cap forward had taken his opportunity, Tuchel said: "He tried everything. I would say he was excellent in camp but, yeah, he struggles to show it on the pitch. "Obviously he didn't have a lot of minutes for City recently, then he came to camp with the brightest smile and was so good in training. "And I thought he will just surprise us and will play with the same verve and excitement but, yeah, he struggles to have the full impact." Pressed on if it places doubts against Foden's inclusion for the World Cup, Tuchel added: "Well, it's not a guarantee that he will come." Foden needs to reinvent himself - now might be the perfect time Analysis by Sky Sports' Laura Hunter: Phil Foden's decline felt sudden last year, off the back of a season's best campaign in 2023/24. He was heralded as the next big thing in football. In fairness, he had become the Premier League's first English player of the season since Jamie Vardy in 2016. The assumption was that he would carry that excellent form into England's Euro 2024 bid, but, despite starting every game, he failed to register a single goal contribution. His dismal stats went viral after the tournament and his struggles since will surely mean he has a battle on his hands to even be selected for Thomas Tuchel's squad this summer. Now 25, Foden has exhibited flashes since his 'big break' season but consistency has failed him. Pep Guardiola has come to his aid a few times in press conferences, insisting he's still a "top, top player", but it's clear the Spaniard no longer trusts him in big games, if at all. Foden has long been surpassed by Rayan Cherki and others. Young Nico O'Reilly has even been preferred in midfield ahead of him. His 21 Premier League starts have yielded seven goals and three assists this season, but one solitary assist since the turn of the year smacks of a player devoid of all confidence. There were hints of a return in late November-early December, scoring six times in five appearances, but again that didn't last. Given the context, a new deal therefore seems bizarrely timed. And yet there is some logic to it. Man City will be saying goodbye to Bernardo Silva this summer, leaving a big void in midfield and Guardiola is also rumoured to be edging towards an exit. Suddenly, Foden feels like a necessary piece. A bit of continuity with Mancunian roots. There is still a player in there somewhere. Perhaps it'll be up to a new head coach to unlock that quality in what has the potential to be his peak years. Surely that's a risk worth taking.

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