We are in a drill music recording studio in Birmingham. We have come here to talk frankly about why teenagers carry knives. This is a city with a history of gang violence going back decades. But in more recent years younger people have been drawn into the postcode wars. Battles are fought over drugs and territory. "A knife is one of the easiest things you can get," Daniel, 27, says. "Every person has a knife in the house." Data reveals a shocking increase in the number of teenagers killed with a knife or sharp instrument. In the year to March 2024, there were 53 teenage victims aged 13-19 in England and Wales, according to the Office for National Statistics. That is a 140% increase on the 22 teenage victims a decade earlier. And some of the people dying are even younger. In January, a 12-year-old was stabbed to death in Birmingham. Leo Ross was fatally stabbed in the stomach as he walked home from school. The government says it has a "mission" to halve knife crime over a decade. These young people are not optimistic. They blame poverty, austerity and a lack of opportunities for driving teenagers growing up in the city to a life of crime. Devontae Devontae, 19, has witnessed fatal stabbings. He says it's "very common" for people his age to carry knives. "You've got postcode wars, postcode wars everywhere," he says, referring to the battles fought between gangs protecting their territory. "There's this whole war going on that many people wouldn't be aware of," he explains. "There are kids that, like, can't even go to the shop without having the worry of getting stabbed… it's getting beyond a joke." He adds: "It's getting passed down from generation to generation and I don't think it'll stop. I reckon it'll get worse." Daniel "My own experience is I've been stabbed and I've been shot," says Daniel, pointing to scars - one on his finger, others on his legs. He says he began carrying a knife at the age of 14, around the time he was first stabbed. He says it was "for my own protection, not because I wanted to be a gangster and not because I want to hurt nobody or scare anybody but for my own protection". He says he saw life on the streets as "it's me or you and it's not going to be me". "A knife is one of the easiest things you can get. It's like a fork, right? "Everyone, every single person has a knife… Some people might take one out to try to stab someone. Someone might take one out just to make sure that they're safe". He ended up in prison. Since his release last year, he's been mentoring teenagers, trying to steer them away from getting involved in street crime. But he understands why so many get drawn in by the money they can earn selling drugs. "Everyone likes the finer things of life", he says, adding: "Nine to five is not buying that. And that's just a simple fact." "The youths don't want that. So when you're telling the youths to leave the life of crime, you've got to give them an alternative". William "I carried a knife from the age of 13. I got involved in a local gang growing up in central Birmingham," says William, who is now 23. He says he decided to start carrying a weapon after he was stabbed in the leg during a fight. "The only way I could still be there and not be at risk of getting stabbed again is to be ready to stab whoever tried to stab me," he explains. Over the last decade, he's seen more young people arming themselves. "Some of it is literally the same as myself - protection. Other people are carrying them because they just simply don't know how to have a fistfight. "And then you've just got the ones that carry it for the image. And social media and stuff like that has become sort of popular to be sort of the bad kid." He believes there's no one explanation for why more teenagers carry knives but says "the biggest reason [is] the government. There's no funding". "When I was a kid, there was funding, there was youth centres… Now there's none in my local catchment." He says poverty and the cost of living crisis are to blame too. "Parents having to work stupidly long hours - 40 to 60 hours a week - just to pay rent with the rent prices," he says. "So children are going home to empty houses." 'We weren't able to pursue the police route' Rachel Warren set up the charity Birmingham Says No to campaign against knife crime and youth violence after her son was robbed at knifepoint when he was 15. "Obviously that left me feeling very upset and angry," she says. "It was very difficult to know what to do. We weren't able to pursue the police route, obviously for fear of reprisal." She says knife crime is such a complex issue that "for any organisation to say, you know, that they could solve knife crime, it's not realistic. It's never going to be realistic". A recent report by the YMCA found local authority expenditure on youth services has fallen by 73% in England since 2010. The report also revealed there are 54% fewer local authority-run youth centres in England compared with 2011-2012. The vice chair of the Local Government Association's safer and stronger communities board, Councillor Tom Hunt, told Sky News: "Councils work hard to provide services that help to prevent people being drawn into serious, violent crime, and have a key role to play in responding when it occurs. "However, ongoing financial pressures have had an impact on councils' ability to provide services that can help address this issue. "We are working with the government in developing the Young Futures Programme, but councils need resources to provide youth services". Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson told us: "Knife crime has a devastating impact on families and communities across our country. Our mission to halve knife crime over a decade will be delivered through tougher enforcement and stronger prevention."

Back in 1991, Sophie Lloyd pulled off the ultimate illusion, tricking the Magic Circle into thinking she was a man. But over 30 years after being unceremoniously kicked out, the Circle has tracked down the former actress to apologise and reinstate her membership. She told Sky News how returning feels like the society has "made good on something that was wrong". How did she infiltrate that exclusive group that nowadays counts the likes of David Copperfield and Dynamo as members? In March of that year, she took her entry exam posing as a teenage boy, creating an alter-ego called Raymond Lloyd. "I'd played a boy before," she explained, but "it took months of preparation" to secretly infiltrate the Circle's ranks half a year before it would officially vote to let women in. "Really, going back 30 years, men's clubs were like, you know, just something you accepted." The men-only rule had been in place since the Circle was formed in 1905. The thinking behind it being that women just couldn't keep secrets. Aware of the frustration of female magicians at the time, Lloyd felt she was up for the challenge of proving women could be as good at magic as the men. The idea was, in fact, born out of a double act, thought up by a successful magician called Jenny Winstanley who'd wanted to join herself but wasn't allowed. She recognised the hoax would probably only work with a much younger woman posing as a teenage boy, and met Lloyd through an acting class. Lloyd said: "We had to have a wig made... the main thing was my face, I had plumpers made on a brace to bring his jawline down." To hide her feminine hands, she did the magic in gloves, which she says "was so hard to do, especially sleight of hand." The biggest test came when she was invited for a drink with her examiner, where she had to fake having laryngitis. "After the exam, which was 20 minutes, he invited Jenny and I - she played my manager - and I sat there for one hour and three quarters and had to say 'sorry, I've got a bad voice'." Raymond Lloyd passed the test, and his membership certificate was sent through to Sophie. Then, in October of the same year, when whispers started circulating that the society was going to open its membership to both sexes, she and Jenny decided to reveal all. It didn't go down well. Read more:Jelly Roll seeks pardon from criminal pastHarvey Weinstein retrial begins in New York Rather than praise her performance, members were incandescent about the deception and, somewhat ironically, Raymond Lloyd was kicked out just before women members were let in. Lloyd said: "We got a letter... Jenny was hurt... she was snubbed by people she actually knew, that was hurtful. However, things have really changed now..." Three decades later the Magic Circle put out a nationwide appeal stating they wanted to apologise and Lloyd was recently tracked down in Spain. While Jenny Winstanley died 20 years ago in a car crash, as well as Sophie receiving her certificate on Thursday, her mentor's contribution to magic is being recognised at the special show that's being held in both their honour at the Magic Circle. Lloyd says: "Jenny was a wonderful, passionate person. She would have loved to be here. It's for her really."

Specially trained prison officers in England will be allowed to use PAVA, a synthetic pepper spray, "as a last resort" to help de-escalate and diffuse violent situations from this summer. They will only be allowed to use the spray in limited circumstances where there is serious violence or an imminent risk of it taking place, and ministers will review its use after 12 months. Read more: Ed Miliband reads out rare message from King Charles New figures show the rate of assaults in England's three youth offender institutions is around 14 times higher than in adult prisons. Assaults by children and young people on staff at HMYOI Feltham A, HMYOI Werrington and HMYOI Wetherby increased by nearly 25% in 2024 compared with the previous year. The Ministry of Justice hopes allowing officers to use pepper spray will keep young people in custody safe so they can focus on rehabilitation and reduce reoffending. Minister for youth justice Sir Nic Dakin said: "This government inherited a criminal justice system in crisis. "The unacceptable levels of violence faced by our brave frontline officers in young offender institutions is yet another symptom of that. "This is not a decision we have made lightly, but our overarching duty is to keep staff and young people in custody safe. "This spray is a vital tool to prevent serious violence, helping staff to focus on rehabilitation as part of our plan for change." Pepper spray is already used on children and adults in the community, and in adult prisons. It can be used during the most serious incidents in youth offender institutions, but only by national tactical response officers, who are nationally based and have to be authorised to go into an institution by a prison gold commander. Deploying officers can take more than an hour, and because altercations often arise rapidly and with little warning, they can rarely arrive in time to respond to the violence. The number of young people in custody has fallen significantly in recent years, however, the majority in youth offender institutions are older teenage boys, aged 16 to 18 years old. More than two-thirds are there for violent offences such as murder, attempted murder and grievous bodily harm. Safety concerns have been rising, with recent incidents seeing young offenders seriously injured and staff experiencing fractures, dislocations, puncture wounds and lacerations. Staff acting as body shields A senior Ministry of Justice source told Sky News many of the boys are the same size as adults. They said a recent example includes a boy being attacked last Monday by five other boys who stamped on his head and stabbed him with a handmade weapon. "I've got staff here that are putting their bodies in the way to defend and try and prevent injuries happening to young people, and as a result of that they're being injured themselves," they said. "I think that's a prime example of where if we've got an incapacitant spray like PAVA it could be utilised effectively to defuse the situation and not only cause significant harm to my staff but also to young people." Like rubbing chillies in your eyes The source explained the pepper spray has the same effect as if you rub chillies in your eye while cooking, with eyes experiencing a burning sensation, closing up, and producing tears and snot - "but it passes". They said when they tested the spray on themselves, it took 45 minutes to an hour to pass and people have different levels of discomfort and irritation. "It means you physically can't respond in the way you normally do, so that ability to then ask the staff to step in because that person is impacted by it is the crucial stuff," they added.

Vardy departs as the club's greatest-ever player after he scored 24 goals in their 2015/16 Premier League title-winning season under Claudio Ranieri and lifted the FA Cup in 2021 with Brendan Rodgers in charge. The 38-year-old said he is "gutted" to be leaving in a parting message to Leicester fans. "I've had 13 unbelievable years at this club with lots of success, some downs but a majority, all highs, but it's finally time to call it a day, which I'm devastated about but I think the timing is right," said Vardy. "I just want to sincerely thank you all for taking me in as one of your own. Leicester will always, always have a massive place in my heart and I'll make sure that I will be following for the years to come and what I hope will be even more successful for the club. But as for now, this is my goodbye but you will see me again soon, I promise. Thank you." The announcement of his exit comes just days after the striker apologised to supporters for a "total embarrassment" of a season that has seen the Foxes relegated back to the Championship. Transfer Centre LIVE! | Leicester news & transfers🦊Leicester fixtures & scores | FREE Leicester PL highlights▶️Got Sky? Watch Leicester games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺Choose the Sky Sports push notifications you want! 🔔 A statement on lcfc.com read: "We can confirm legendary striker Jamie Vardy will leave Leicester City this summer after 13 seasons that have seen him become our greatest-ever player." The 38-year-old has made 496 appearances since joining Leicester from Fleetwood Town in 2012 and has been a crucial figure in Leicester's most successful period in the club's history after promotion to the Premier League in 2014. Vardy's legacy at Leicester stretches beyond silverware, with the Great Escape under Nigel Pearson in 2015 and reaching the Champions League quarter-finals under the late Craig Shakespeare figuring as his most notable achievements. He also scored 18 goals as the Foxes were crowned Championship winners last season, but has only managed seven in the Premier League this term. Leicester's 1-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday confirmed their immediate return to the second tier, meaning they have been relegated from the Premier League in two of the past three seasons. Live Premier League table | Watch PL highlights for freeNot got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺 Leicester chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said: "Jamie is unique. He is a special player and an even more special person. "He holds a place in the hearts of everyone connected to Leicester City, and he certainly has my deepest respect and affection. I am endlessly grateful for everything he has given to this football club." 'Vardy epitomises loyalty and longevity' Sky Sports' Adam Bate: There are some wonderful players in English football right now but how many can claim to be the greatest in their club's history? Jamie Vardy was a symbol of Leicester's title triumph of 2016, scoring 24 Premier League goals, but he represented so much more. N'Golo Kante was outstanding but he had not been part of the team promoted from the Championship. Riyad Mahrez had but by 2018 he had gone too. Vardy not only stayed but won the Golden Boot in 2020 and was part of the team that won the FA Cup in 2021. Vardy just seemed to keep going and going, even scoring 18 goals in lifting the club back up from the Championship last year. What began as a Cinderella story became a tale of loyalty and longevity too, still leading the line for Leicester at 38, still rustling opponents. Those antagonistic celebrations aggravated supporters of other clubs, and there have been unsavoury moments away from the pitch too. But there was a reason for Vardy's popularity, why he was cheered on with England at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup. His story resonated because Vardy brought a raw enthusiasm to the pitch that is rarely seen at Premier League level. It was as if he had come directly from Stocksbridge Park Steels, the Northern Premier League team that he was still playing for at the age of 23. That extraordinary pace, those finishes fired low into the corner, and the guile that he added to his game, marked him out as something special. Only Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane have scored more Premier League goals than Vardy over the past decade. A season too far? Maybe. But Vardy has escaped much of the criticism for Leicester's plight this season. Plenty would have gladly seen him continue, believing he could still deliver in the second tier. The point is moot now. He leaves as a legend. And a one-off.

A 15-year-old boy, said to be a fellow pupil, was arrested in connection with the attack after being overpowered by teachers at the scene before officers arrived, police said. The suspect reportedly entered the grounds of Notre-Dame-de-Toutes-Aides, in Nantes, western France, armed with at least one knife at around 12.30pm local time on Thursday. He then went to the second floor of the high school, where he attacked a teenage girl. She later died of her injuries, French television network BFMTV reported. The suspect then went down to the first floor, where he attacked at least three other students before being overpowered, radio station Europe 1 said. Local newspaper Ouest France said the attacker had been dressed all in black, and wore a helmet and balaclava. Two knives, including a hunting knife, were reportedly recovered from the scene. Students at the school revealed they had received an email from the suspect earlier in the day outlining unspecified grievances. One of them, who did not want to be named, told BFMTV: "It's absolutely shocking. This is usually a very calm high school, and there have never been any problems of this type, even minor ones." Two of the injured students were said to be in a critical condition. A police spokesman said there was no indication of a terrorist motive. Read more from Sky News:India and Pakistan tensions rise after attackYoung people on the reality of knife crimeOasis fans 'lost £2m to ticket scams' The suspect was not previously known to the police or security services, a source told Le Monde newspaper. Education Minister Elisabeth Borne said on social media that she was heading to the school with Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau to show ''solidarity with victims and the school community." An official at the school, which is part of a complex which also features a primary and middle school, declined to comment.

The UK group announced the tour last year, with it set to begin in just over two months time. However, amid the rush for tickets, Lloyds Banking Group said a number of customers fell victim to ticket scams, losing £436 on average. The bank made the calculations based on fraud reports from its own customers. Would-be concertgoers trying to get their hands on the tickets already faced issues around dynamic pricing. And Oasis fans accounted for more than half of all reported ticket scams so far this year, Lloyds added. The biggest amount lost was said to be £1,700, with people aged between 35 and 44 most likely to be scammed. Edinburgh, Warrington and Manchester had the highest numbers of scam victims, with the top 10 locations overall making up a quarter of cases, the banking group said. Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds, said: "The Oasis tour is the latest target for ticket scammers, with millions of pounds of fans' money stolen before the gigs even kick off. "If you're asked to pay via bank transfer, particularly by a seller you've found on social media, that should immediately set alarm bells ringing." Read more from Sky News:Eyewitness: Viewing the Pope's casketManhunt after convicted murderer flees prisonIsraeli troops shot at aid workers from 'point-blank range' Lisa Webb, a consumer law expert at Which? said: "Scammers are always looking for new ways to part people from their hard-earned cash and unfortunately, Oasis tickets being in such high demand has created a perfect storm for criminals." Here are the top 10 areas where the reported scam victims lived, according to Lloyds Banking Group: EdinburghWarringtonManchesterNewcastle upon TyneSheffieldGlasgowNottinghamBirminghamPlymouthNewport

The energy secretary Ed Miliband has been mulling over plans for "zonal pricing", which would see different regions of the country pay different rates, based on supply and demand levels in the local area. The idea is to attract industry to build in low-cost areas, and incentivise new electricity generation in regions where people need it most. Supporters say zonal pricing could lower everyone's bills to some extent by making the system more efficient - but some would fall more than others. Critics, including renewable energy generators, warn the plans would create a postcode lottery for bills and put investors off certain areas, risking jobs. It is not yet clear how the changes would be passed on to household bills. But it could see people in the south of England pay much more than those in parts of Scotland - though not, the government hopes, more than they do now. Ed Miliband told Sky News: "My bottom line here is any reform we make has got to cut bills, and it's got to cut bills across the country. "We're not going to have a postcode lottery... If there are bills savings to be made, we want them to be spread across the country so that all consumers benefit." He is expected to make his recommendation to fellow ministers in the coming weeks, before the government decides either way by the middle of this year. They are keen to resolve the issue - which was also considered under the last Tory government - before businesses start bidding for fresh renewable power contracts in summer. UK still 'vulnerable and exposed' It comes as the UK government hosts a summit on energy security in London today, lobbying other countries to leave fossil fuels behind. Read more: UK clean energy vision collides with Trump's fossil fuel frenzy Mr Miliband said the government's push to generate more clean power at home was as much about energy security as it was about fighting climate change. "As long as energy can be weaponised against us, our countries and our citizens are vulnerable and exposed," he said in a speech. But he also said North Sea oil and gas would "continue to play an important role" in the UK energy mix, fuelling campaigners' fears it may yet allow the Rosebank oil and gas field to go ahead, despite hurdles in court and the government's own concerns. Trump's representative invokes God US President Donald Trump's junior representative at the summit, acting assistant secretary Tommy Joyce, quoted the Bible in his address. He urged delegates to "remember God's golden rule, and that is that we should love our neighbour as ourselves". That means helping them out of poverty through access to affordable energy, according to Mr Joyce. About 750 million people in the world still have no access to electricity, and team Trump says American oil, gas and coal are the answer. However, a report by RMI suggests that new wind and solar are the cheapest option for new electricity in 82% of the world - though for some countries are hard to finance upfront, and they still need oil and gas for other sectors. Mr Joyce also continued Trump's ongoing attacks on climate policies, criticising what he described as "so-called renewables" and the "net zero agenda". 'Most delicate debate' Before the summit, a senior UN official said the idea that the switch to clean power compromised energy security and affordability "is just not true". "We really need to dispel this notion," said the source, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "If you are dependent on volatile and expensive fossil fuel imports, fossil fuels equal energy insecurity." A senior official from Brazil, which in November is hosting the COP30 UN climate summit, also this week said there had been a "rather successful" attempt by some to frame energy security and the switch to clean energy as a question of "either/or". "We don't believe it is." He called it "one of the most delicate debates" of the moment.

United want to sign Wolves forward Cunha to play as a No. 10 with Ruben Amorim's side struggling for goals, with just 38 scored in 33 Premier League games, after allowing forward options Rashford, Antony and Jadon Sancho to leave on loan this season. Amorim has said United will need to sell to buy this summer, and those three are prime candidates to raise the required funds for the head coach to build a squad capable of playing his 3-4-2-1 formation. Transfer Centre LIVE! | Man Utd news & transfers🔴Aston Villa undecided on Marcus Rashford as Man Utd's draw up shortlistWhy maverick Matheus Cunha is a good fit for Utd - but a risk too "They're desperate in that position," said Sky Sports pundit Neville. "You think of what Manchester United are playing now, they've let Jadon Sancho go, they've let (Marcus) Rashford go, they've let Antony go, so three players who are natural players who travel with the ball. "They're playing with (Alejandro) Garnacho at the moment but then they're lopsided. On the other side, sometimes it's (Joshua) Zirkzee when he was fit, or they've got Bruno Fernandes stepping up in moments. "Mason Mount's come in, but they need someone who can beat players, they need someone who's equally as good running through the middle with the ball and travelling with the ball, and go out wide and support the wing-back. "So he's a type of player that you could see Manchester United being interested in, that would suit this system that Ruben Amorim wants to play. Got Sky? Watch Man Utd games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺Choose the Sky Sports push notifications you want! 🔔 "They've lost three players who play in that type of position so they need to fulfil that, they'll need to fill those roles definitely or else they're going to struggle. "They need to score goals. Ruben Amorim said at the weekend we're just struggling to score goals, so you need players who can take risks, good in the final third, and Cunha's got a lot of ability." 'Rashford almost impossible to play against' Cunha is well-suited to the system having played it under Vitor Pereira at Wolves and has proven himself in the Premier League over the last two years as a goalscorer and creator, but his release clause stands at £62.5m. Rashford's form since joining Aston Villa mid-season, scoring four goals and laying on six assists in 17 games, has raised questions about Amorim's decision to let him go, especially as he would play a similar role to Cunha. The Villa loanee particularly impressed Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane in Tuesday's 2-1 defeat at Man City, as he netted a first-half penalty and ran Ruben Dias ragged when coming close to scoring after just 17 seconds. "He was a threat [against City]. When there is grass behind Marcus, he's as good as any player," said Keane in the Sky Sports studio. "There's still areas he can improve on, but when he is making runs in behind and getting that service, you ask the defenders, Marcus is a nightmare to play against. "He's got that hunger and desire to run into [the space]. When I see him making [those runs], and once he's got grass in front of him, he's almost impossible to stop." 'No concerns about Cunha temperament' Villa are yet to decide on if they will sign Rashford permanently, but Sky Sports News senior reporter Melissa Reddy writes that whatever happens, it is obvious the forward's future lies away from United. That is why plans are being made to sign Cunha, who has given United positive indications he would like to join. Cunha's character has come into question this season after missing six games through suspension for his misbehaviour on the pitch, including an altercation with a member of Ipswich Town's security and his clash with Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez after being sent off. Asked if he had any such concerns, Neville said: "No. To be honest, I quite like [it]. If I were playing against him, I wouldn't like a player with a bit of spirit and a bit of fight. "I used to play with some unbelievable players, some of the very best in the world at their time, and they had the right spike to them - you think about Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, Eric Cantona and Mark Hughes and how tough and sometimes spirited they were in games. "Sometimes they did the unpredictable, sometimes they lost their discipline, but they were amazing players. At the time that they get sent off, they know they've let the team down, but what they give you in return is something special and I love a player with character." Why maverick Cunha is a good fit for Utd - but a risk too Following reports linking Wolves' Matheus Cunha to Manchester United, Adam Bate analyses what the Brazilian forward could bring to Old Trafford, reflecting on conversations with the man himself as well as Cunha's current team-mates at Molineux...