Author: SKYNEWS

A scary mid-air blowout aboard a Boeing 737-9 MAX passenger plane has led to dozens of aircraft worldwide being grounded while engineers try to establish what went wrong.Six people aboard Alaska Airlines flight 1282 from Portland to California were injured after a window and chunk of fuselage blew out of the plane in mid-air shortly after takeoff on 5 January. Questions around the safety of the jets are swirling and various airlines have come out with statements saying what actions they are taking, or seeking to reassure customers that they do not operate the same variant of plane.What happened on…

The average litre of bottled water contains nearly a quarter of a million invisible pieces of nanoplastics, according to new research.While scientists had long assumed there were large quantities of tiny plastic pieces in bottles of water, they never knew how many or what kind. Researchers at Columbia and Rutgers universities in the US used a microscope with dual lasers to detect and categorise the pieces for the first time.Looking at five samples, each of three common bottled water brands, the scientists found particle levels ranged from 110,000 to 400,000 per litre – averaging at around 240,000 – according to…

Sinead O’Connor died of natural causes, a coroner has confirmedThe singer died in July, aged 56, having been found unresponsive at her home in London. No medical cause for her death was given at the time, with London Inner South Coroner’s Court saying a postmortem would be conducted and the results could take several weeks.Now, the coroner has confirmed she died of natural causes and said it was no longer investigating her death.This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.Please refresh the page for the fullest version.You can receive Breaking News alerts on a…

The justice secretary is meeting with senior judges today to discuss ways to accelerate the appeals of those convicted in the Horizon scandal, with cabinet minister Mel Stride saying an announcement could come this week.The government is facing fresh calls to act following the airing of ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office which returned the spotlight to the scandal. Between 1999 and 2015, more than 700 Post Office branch managers were convicted after the faulty Horizon software made it look like money was missing from their shops.Politics latest: Sunak kicks off 2024 with cabinet meeting Politics Hub with…

The first US moon landing mission in more than 50 years appears to be doomed after a private company’s spacecraft developed a “critical” fuel leak just hours after it launched.Private firm Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic Technology estimated the Peregrine lander would start losing power in about 40 hours. The company had managed to orient it towards the sun, so the solar panel could collect sunlight and charge its battery while a team assessed the status of what was termed “a failure in the propulsion system”. Image: United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket is launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida But it soon became clear…

EDF Energy has revealed investment plans to extend the lives of its operational nuclear power plants in the UK.The French state-owned firm said its proposals, which are subject to regulatory approval and a final investment decision, would bolster energy security at a time when the world is seeking emission-free power amid the battle against climate change. The plans would see its advanced gas-cooled reactors (AGRs) at the Torness, Heysham 1 and 2 and Hartlepool plants maintain output at current levels for “as long as possible.”It is also examining the potential for its Sizewell B plant to run for 20 years…

Jeremy Hunt held talks with some of the City’s top business leaders on Tuesday in a bid to inject fresh momentum into London’s flagging market for new company listings.Sky News understands that the chief executives of asset managers Abrdn and Schroders and their counterpart at HSBC Holdings were among those scheduled to attend a breakfast summit with the chancellor. City sources said the objective of the meeting was to review existing initiatives aimed at boosting the competitiveness of UK equity capital markets following the Mansion House reforms unveiled last year by Mr Hunt.Among the measures he announced last summer was…

Rupert Gavin, the former BBC Worldwide and Odeon Cinemas chief, is to become the next chairman of English National Ballet (ENB) amid intensifying debate about the funding of London’s arts scene.Sky News has learnt Mr Gavin has been picked to succeed Sir Roger Carr, the veteran businessman who stepped down last year as chairman of BAE Systems, the defence contractor. An announcement is said to be likely as early as Tuesday.Mr Gavin is a respected figure in the arts and culture arenas, having also chaired Historic Royal Palaces for several years.His appointment as Sir Roger’s successor will come less than…

Alaska Airlines has said more “loose hardware” has been found on some of its Boeing 737-9 Max fleet of aircraft. It follows the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounding all 171 737-9 Max planes operated by US airlines after a window and chunk of fuselage blew out of one Alaska Airlines aircraft on 5 January shortly after it took off from an airport in Portland, Oregon. Six crew members were seriously injured after the door plug – used to replace an exit that would be installed on planes configured to carry more passengers – tore off around six minutes into the…

Oppenheimer and Succession were the big winners of this year’s Golden Globes – but which stars won the red carpet ahead of the show?The celebs showed off their looks ahead of the ceremony, with Margot Robbie, Jennifer Lawrence, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, Bradley Cooper (and his mum), Dua Lipa, Angela Bassett, Leonardo DiCaprio and Helen Mirren among the A-list guests.Here’s what the stars wore to the Golden Globes 2024. Image: Best actress (musical or comedy) nominee Jennifer Lawrence, for No Hard Feelings. Pic: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Image: The Crown and Sex Education star Gillian Anderson. Pic: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Image: Cinematic and…