Author: SKYNEWS

Julio Iglesias has denied abusing two former domestic employees behind a criminal complaint against him, calling the accusations “completely false”.Prosecutors with Spain’s High Court have opened preliminary proceedings into the complaint lodged by women who used to work for him in the Caribbean. In a post written in Spanish containing his signature and published on his Instagram page, the Spaniard said he denied “having abused, coerced or disrespected any woman. These accusations are completely false and cause me great sadness”.He said messages of support had given him “great comfort”.The women said he was guilty of human trafficking for ​forced labour…

Even though it’s high summer in the Antarctic, the ocean around the Rothera research station is -1 Celsius.As some of the most productive oceans on the planet – a soup of microscopic plant and animal plankton – it’s murky to boot. Not everyone’s idea of the perfect scuba spot.But the divers I’m with seem positively excited about tipping themselves backwards into the depths. Image: A seal swims by icebergs off the British Antarctic Survey’s Rothera base. File pic: Reuters “You can get these big starfish with 40 arms that you don’t see anywhere else, they’re my favourites,” said Pati Glaz,…

The petrol forecourts giant founded in Blackburn by brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa will next week kick off formal plans for a $9bn (£6.7bn) US stock market listing.Sky News has learnt that EG Group, about 25% of which is owned by each of the brothers, will hold a beauty parade of banks in London ahead of a flotation expected to take place this year. Banking sources said Barclays, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley were all likely to take part in next week’s selection process.EG Group has become one of the world’s largest fuel retailing multinationals,…

Prince Harry is expected to appear at the High Court in London next week to give evidence in his privacy case against the publisher of the Daily Mail.The Duke of Sussex and six others, including Sir Elton John and Liz Hurley, allege Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) hired private detectives to commit a series of unlawful acts between 1993 and 2011.Alleged activities included placing listening devices inside cars, using deception, or “blagging” private records, such as flight details and medical records and accessing private phone conversations.Harry’s case explained Image: Elizabeth Hurley Image: Sir Elton John. Pic: PA Harry is expected to…

The Grok AI tool on Elon Musk’s X will no longer be able to undress pictures of real people, the company has announced.”We have implemented technological measures to prevent the Grok account from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis,” said a statement. “This restriction applies to all users, including paid subscribers.”It comes amid mounting condemnation in the UK and US of the chatbot’s image editing capabilities, with British government ministers threatening the platform with action.Sir Keir Starmer has described nonconsensual sex images produced by Grok as “disgusting” and “shameful”, and media regulator…

The UK economy recorded growth of 0.3% in November, according to official figures, showing an improvement for output at a time when households and businesses were anxiously awaiting details of the budget.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported an improvement for industrial production on the previous month amid the phased restart of manufacturing at Jaguar Land Rover after August’s cyber attack. The ONS measured growth on a rolling three-month basis at 0.1% – a rise on the upwardly revised zero growth covering August-October.Money latest: Why you may have a trust fund you don’t know aboutEconomists have partly put that performance…

Spanish prosecutors are investigating allegations that singer Julio Iglesias sexually assaulted two former employees in the Caribbean.The singer is accused of sexually assaulting the workers in his Caribbean residences between January and October 2021. It comes after Spanish online newspaper elDiario.es and Spanish-language television channel Univision Noticias published a joint investigation into Iglesias’ alleged misconduct.Iglesias – father to Hero singer Enrique – has yet to speak publicly regarding the allegations.Russell L. King, a Miami-based entertainment lawyer who lists Iglesias as a client on his website, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Associated Press. The Spanish…

Britain is “firmly on track” to meet its clean power targets for 2030, according to the government following a record offshore wind auction.It has awarded contracts to supply 8.4 gigawatts (GW) of new offshore wind power – enough to power 12 million homes. The auction is part of efforts to ease the country away from volatile and polluting natural gas, but the strike price of £90.91 represents an increase of 11% on contracts agreed last year.The target of a clean power grid by 2030 requires at least 43GW of operational offshore wind but the price increase will stoke political debate…

MPs have warned that recent and upcoming policies could be the final nail in the coffin for many pubs, as the Commons backed an increase in alcohol duty in line with inflation.Pubs have faced a toxic cocktail in recent years, including an increase in employer’s national insurance, the minimum wage, energy costs, business rates, inflation, new worker’s rights legislation and now a rise in alcohol duty. The alcohol duty rise will come into play from 1 February, after MPs backed the government’s Finance Bill that will enact policies announced in Rachel Reeves’s budget.Analysis of government data by tax specialists at…

K-pop superstars BTS have announced details of their much-anticipated comeback tour, after a break of almost four years to complete mandatory military service.Details released say the band is set for “world domination”, playing 79 shows across Asia, North America, Europe, Latin America and Australia between April this year and March 2027 – the highest ever number for a South Korean artist. The tour includes two dates in London in July. Image: J-Hope was greeted by his bandmate Jin after being discharged from mandatory military service in 2024. Pic: Reyters/Kim Soo-hyeon In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28…