Author: SKYNEWS

A brief scuffle broke out at London’s Royal Opera House after a performer unfurled a Palestinian flag during a show.The incident took place during a performance of Il Trovatore on Saturday. During the final night of the 11-night run of the show, a performer held up the flag on stage.In video footage, shared online, someone backstage could be seen attempting to take it off the performer. The performer grabs it back following a brief scuffle.A spokesperson for the Royal Ballet and Opera said: “The display of the flag was an unauthorised action by the artist. “It was not approved by…

Sir Jon Cunliffe’s review of the water sector is comprehensive, clear-eyed, and about as radical as allowed by terms of reference that explicitly ruled out renationalisation of England’s private water and sewage companies.With that key demand of many campaigners off the table, the former Bank of England governor has focused on more effective regulation and securing a better deal for consumers and the investors without whom the industry will sink. Image: Author of the report Sir Jon Cunliffe, former deputy governor at the Bank of England. Pic: PA So Ofwat, the embattled current regulator, is to be swept away on…

Labour will eliminate unauthorised sewage spillages in 10 years, the environment secretary has told Sky News.Steve Reed also pledged to halve sewage pollution from water companies by 2030 as he announced £104 billion of private investment to help the government do that. But he told Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips this “isn’t the end of our ambition”.”Over a decade of national renewal, we’ll be able to eliminate unauthorised sewage spillages,” he said.”But you have to have staging posts along the way, cutting it in half in five years is a dramatic improvement to the problem getting worse and worse and…

Huge steel fences have been erected to prevent ticketless fans from watching the Oasis reunion tour in Manchester.Liam and Noel Gallagher will resume their sold-out run of shows – their first since 2009 – with a performance at Heaton Park tonight, and two more on Saturday and Sunday. While tens of thousands bought tickets for Oasis’s first two shows last weekend, crowds gathered to glimpse the large screens above the stage in the distance – in an area dubbed “Gallagher Hill” by some on social media. Image: People walk past a temporary security fence erected ahead of concerts by Oasis…

The owner of stakes in Six Nations and Premiership Rugby and the top flights of French and Spanish football is plotting refinancing expected to value its sports portfolio at more than £9bn.Sky News has learnt that CVC Capital Partners has hired Goldman Sachs, PJT Partners and Raine Group to advise on a deal involving SportsCo, a new entity established to optimise the buyout giant’s investments in the sector. City sources said this weekend that the refinancing was likely to involve raising new debt against one of the largest private equity-owned sports portfolios in the world.CVC also owns stakes in international…

The chief executive of tech firm Astronomer has resigned after a video appearing to show two of its senior members of staff embracing at a Coldplay concert went viral.The tech firm said chief executive Andy Byron had tendered his resignation, and that the board of directors had accepted it. “As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding,” the company said in a statement.”Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met.”The board will begin a search for our next…

Snoop Dogg has become a co-owner and investor of Swansea, with the US rapper hailing the Welsh football club as “an underdog that bites back, just like me”.The former Premier League club, which plays in the English second tier, confirmed the US rapper and producer plans to use his own money to invest in it, Sky Sports reports, although it didn’t disclose financial details. “My love of football is well known, but it feels special to me that I make my move into club ownership with Swansea City,” the music icon said in the announcement.”The story of the club and…

An expert in financial regulation at one of the big four accountancy firms is in talks to become the inaugural boss of English football’s powerful new watchdog.Sky News has learnt that Richard Monks, a partner at EY, is the leading contender to become chief executive of the Independent Football Regulator (IFR). The new body will be formally established once the Football Governance Bill receives Royal Assent, which is expected this month.Mr Monks spent 18 years at the Financial Conduct Authority and its predecessor regulator, the Financial Services Authority, before becoming chair of the G20/OECD Taskforce for Consumer Financial Protection, according…

After years of protest, promised action, and bill increases, it would be reasonable to expect the sewage scandal to have improved. In fact, it’s done the complete opposite: A 60% increase in pollution incidents between 2023 and 2024. Water firms admit they’re not doing well enough, but point out, correctly, that 2024 was a wet year.Wet weather means a greater likelihood of sewage spills from pipes that carry both rainfall and sewage.Environment Agency data reveals that the excuse doesn’t wash. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:56 Water pollution up by 60% Serious pollution incidents are up…

Avon and Somerset Police will take no further action over Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury.The force announced on 30 June that officers had launched a criminal investigation following the performance, as well as investigating comments by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan, at the festival. It said they it was probing a possible public order incident and that a senior detective had been appointed to lead the investigation.However, on Friday, it was announced that the force would be taking no further action against Kneecap. In a statement, the force added that it was still investigating Boy Vylan’s performance.It comes as Kneecap also posted…