Author: SKYNEWS

Donald Trump says he will delay the imposition of 50% tariffs on goods entering the US from the EU until July, as the two sides attempt to negotiate a trade deal.It comes after the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said in a post on social media site X that she had spoken to Mr Trump and expressed that they needed until 9 July to “reach a good deal”. The US president had last Friday threatened to bring in the 50% tariffs from 1 June, as European leaders said they were ready to respond with their own…

A piece of classical music is to be played into space to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of its composer and the 50th year of the European Space Agency (ESA).The Blue Danube, by Johann Strauss, will be beamed into the cosmos as it’s performed by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra on 31 May, and livestreamed with free public screenings in Vienna, Madrid, and New York. To avoid any technical issues, a pre-recorded version from the orchestra’s rehearsal on the day before will be played out, while a live performance provides the accompaniment.The music, which famously featured in Stanley Kubrick’s…

A weapons supervisor who was jailed for involuntary manslaughter over the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Alec Baldwin movie, Rust, has been freed.Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was released on parole from the Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Grants on Friday, after serving her 18-month sentence, NBC News, Sky’s US partner said, quoting New Mexico Corrections Department spokesperson, Brittany Roembach. Gutierrez-Reed was released to return home to Bullhead City, Arizona, where she will be on parole for a year for the manslaughter case. Image: Hannah Gutierrez-Reed in court as she was jailed for 18 months for involuntary…

A backer of Gail’s bakeries is in advanced talks to acquire Flat Iron, one of Britain’s fastest-growing steak restaurant chains.Sky News has learnt that McWin Capital Partners, which specialises in investments across the “food ecosystem”, has teamed up with TriSpan, another private equity investor, to buy a large stake in Flat Iron. Restaurant industry sources said McWin would probably take the largest economic interest in Flat Iron if the deal completes.They added that the two buyers were in exclusive discussions, with a deal possible in approximately a month’s time.The valuation attached to Flat Iron was unclear on Sunday. Flat Iron…

Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 50% tariff on the EU, starting from next month, after saying that trade talks with Brussels were “going nowhere”.Mr Trump made the comments on his Truth Social platform. It marks a fresh escalation in his trade row with the European Union, which he has previously accused of being created to rip off the US.While the US has done deals with the UK and China to reduce their peak exposure to his trade war, the president’s EU threat, which would cover all EU imports to the US, would risk retaliatory measures from Brussels if…

Wes Anderson is a rarity in Hollywood, with an unswayed distinct aesthetic which has every big name in Hollywood pleading to be in his next project.Fronted by Benicio del Toro, his new film The Phoenician Scheme sees the return of numerous previous collaborators including Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright and Scarlett Johansson, but also adds new faces to the Anderson universe. It is set in the 1950s and follows a ruthless yet charismatic European business tycoon called Zsa-Zsa Korda who, in Anderson’s own words, “has very little obligation to honour the truth.”Looking to solidify his own legacy, without much thought for…

The owners of the AA, Britain’s biggest breakdown recovery service, are lining up bankers to steer a path towards a sale or stock market listing next year which could value the company at well over £4bn.Sky News has learnt that JP Morgan and Rothschild are in pole position to be appointed to conduct a review of the AA’s strategic options following a recovery in its financial and operating performance. The AA, which has more than 16 million customers, including 3.3 million individual members, is jointly owned by three private equity firms: Towerbrook Capital Partners, Warburg Pincus and Stonepeak.Insiders said this…

Scientists from Kew Gardens are using a new study to track which trees bees prefer to try to stem the decline in our vital pollinators.Bee populations are falling all over the world due to a mixture of habitat loss, climate change, and the use of pesticides, with a devastating impact on our biodiversity and food production. But it’s feared that not enough comprehensive, global research is being done to understand the issue or find solutions. Image: The study is building up heat maps of the most popular trees Image: Scientists have been gathering DNA from pollen to help map which…

The Avengers will be reassembling later than planned.Disney has announced a delay for the next two instalments in the blockbuster Marvel superhero franchise, the first of which is now well over a year away. Avengers: Doomsday, which will see Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr return to the series as villain Doctor Doom, has been pushed from 1 May to 18 December 2026.Its follow-up, Secret Wars, will release on 17 December 2027. It had been due on 2 May that year. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:39 RDJ announces Marvel return Read more entertainment news:GTA…

The latest energy price cap announcement brings a welcome if modest reduction in prices for 22 million consumers, and valuable context to the politically corrosive debate over the Winter Fuel Allowance.From July, the maximum unit price for gas and electricity will come down 7%, amounting to a cut of £129 to Ofgem’s notional “typical usage” calculation for an average household, now set at £1,720. It is the first fall in a year, reflecting the path of natural gas wholesale prices, which have been in decline since March and, on current forecasts, are expected to remain broadly flat as we head…