She criticised what she called "lies" linking her to the late sex offender in a surprise address filmed in the Grand Foyer of the White House. The First Lady said the claims were "defaming her reputation". "The lies ​linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end ​today," she said. "I ⁠am not Epstein's ​victim," she added. She also called for a congressional hearing for survivors. Mrs Trump also said she had never had a relationship with Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell, with whom she said she had only a casual correspondence. Epstein was found dead in his Manhattan cell in 2019, aged 66, facing sex trafficking charges. Mrs Trump added: "I have never been friends with Epstein. Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time, since overlapping social circles is common in New York City. "To be clear, I never had a relationship with ⁠Epstein or his accomplice, Maxwell." It is understood many of Mrs Trump's staffers gathered to watch the statement but that several of them did not know what she was going to say. A reporter from MS Now posted on X that Mr Trump told the outlet he did not "know anything about" the First Lady's statement. 'Absolutely extraordinary' Sky News' US correspondent Mark Stone called the address "absolutely extraordinary". He said: "I can't think of a precedent for a First Lady making such a statement like this ever before. "We knew she was going to make a statement but we had no idea what it would be about, and it was about an elephant that has been in the room for quite some time. "There have been rumours that have been circulating for quite some time about an alleged relationship or acquaintance between Mrs Trump and Epstein. She has decided to get out ahead of those, and ahead of perhaps more that may come out. "Some of what she has said and the tone in which she has said it suggests perhaps that she was getting ahead of stories that may yet emerge. "And she wanted to make quite clear she had absolutely no relationship with Epstein, she said 'I am not Epstein's victim'." Asked why she may have chosen this moment, Stone added: "It's a good question, and I don't know, but the tone in which she was speaking and the fact that she says numerous fake images had been circulating, then said 'be cautious about what you believe, these stories are completely false', there is perhaps some concern within the White House, within the administration, that more emails are due to emerge, which the White House believes may look as though they are implicating Mrs Trump." Mrs Trump's statement in full "Good afternoon. The lies linking me with the ‌disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today. The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect. "I do not object to their ​ignorance, but rather, I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation. "I have never been friends with Epstein. Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time, since overlapping in ​social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach. To be clear, I never had ‌a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice Maxwell. "My email reply to Maxwell cannot be categorised as anything more than casual correspondence. My polite reply to her email ​doesn't amount to anything more than a trivial note. I am not Epstein's victim. "Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband by chance at a New York City party in 1998. This initial encounter with my husband is documented ​in detail in my book Melania. "The first time I crossed paths with Epstein was in the ⁠year 2000 at an event Donald and I attended together. At ⁠the time, I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings. "Numerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been circulating on social media for years ‌now. Be cautious about what you believe. "These images and stories are completely false. I'm not a witness or a named witness in connection with any of Epstein's crimes. My name has never appeared in court documents, the depositions, victim statements or FBI in interviews surrounding the ‌Epstein matter. "I have never had any knowledge of Epstein's abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant, was never on Epstein's plane and never visited his private island. "I have never been legally accused or convicted of a crime in connection with Epstein, sex trafficking, abuse of minors and other repulsive behaviour. "The false sneers about me from mean spirited and politically motivated ⁠individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name to gain financially and climb ​politically, must stop. "My attorneys and I have fought these unfound and baseless lies with success, ​and will continue to maintain my sound reputation without hesitation. "To date, several individuals and companies have been legally obligated ​to publicly apologise and retract their lies about me, such as Daily Beast, James Carville and HarperCollins UK. "Now is ⁠the time for Congress to act. Epstein was not alone. Several prominent male executives resigned from their powerful positions after this matter became widely politicised. "Of course, this doesn't amount to guilt, but we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth. "I call on Congress to provide ⁠the women who have been victimised by Epstein with a public hearing ​specifically centred around the survivors. "Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power ​of sworn testimony. "Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public, if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the Congressional Record. Then, and only ‌then, we will have the truth. Thank ​you." Two of Epstein's accusers, Maria and Annie Farmer, said in response to the comments: "What we want is accountability, transparency and justice."

The hip-hop mogul was found guilty of two prostitution-related charges, involving male sex workers and former girlfriends, following a trial last year - but was cleared of more serious charges of sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. Combs, 56, was sentenced to more than four years in prison in October - and filed to appeal his conviction a few weeks later. Now, his lawyers have made their case to judges sitting at the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, New York. They say the conviction should be reversed, or the rapper should at least be resentenced. Combs' defence team argues Judge Arun Subramanian, who oversaw the trial, should not have considered evidence related to the more serious charges when sentencing. "This case presents an important issue about a respect for jury verdicts and public confidence in our criminal ​justice system," defence attorney Alexandra Shapiro said during the hearing on Thursday. Combs, a Grammy-winning artist and founder of Bad Boy Records, is serving his sentence ​at a low-security federal prison in Fort Dix, New Jersey. With time served before sentencing, he is currently due to be released ​in April 2028, Bureau of Prisons records show. During the rapper's seven-week trial last year, jurors heard allegations about drug-fuelled sex and sometimes days-long sexual encounters, referred to as "freak offs" and "hotel nights", involving former girlfriends and male sex workers. But while Combs was found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution in relation to sexual encounters involving former girlfriends Cassie Ventura and a woman who used the pseudonym Jane in court, he was cleared of the more serious charges alleging the women were forced or coerced into taking part. Ms Shapiro argued in court papers that the conviction on prostitution charges should be overturned because Combs was alleged to have watched his former girlfriends having sex with paid escorts, but did not take part himself. Read more from Sky News:Man jailed for £2m theft of bag holding Faberge eggThe shocking photo people thought was AI "It was unlawful, unconstitutional and a perversion of justice to sentence Combs as if ​the jury had found him guilty of sex trafficking and [racketeering charges]," she wrote. Prosecutor Christy Slavik, who presented her arguments after Shapiro, told the appeals judges that the 50-month sentence handed to Combs was not unreasonable. In the government's court documents, Ms Slavik ​said Mr Subramanian was right to consider evidence of threats and abuse by Combs toward his former girlfriends, ⁠even though he was acquitted of sex trafficking, because that alleged conduct was relevant to the prostitution counts. After hearing the arguments during a two-hour hearing, the appeals court judges reserved judgment for a later date.

John Healey said a Russian Akula-class attack submarine and two specialist submarines from Russia's main directorate for deep sea research (GUGI) were directed by president Vladimir Putin to "conduct hybrid warfare activities against the UK and our allies, specifically around critical undersea infrastructure". He said they were detected within the UK's exclusive economic zone, which stretches around 230 miles offshore. Politics latest: Defence secretary reveals Russian subs entered UK waters The attack submarine was a "likely decoy" to divert attention away from the other two, he added. Mr Healey, speaking at a conference in Downing Street, said he directed the British military to track the vessels, by sea and air, in a month-long mission with allies to prevent attacks on cables and pipelines. A Royal Navy frigate, HMS St Albans, were used in the operation along with RFA Tidespring. Merlin helicopters and RAF Boeing "submarine hunting" aircraft also tracked the Russian vessels. The operation involved working with the Norwegian military. Moscow has rejected claims the ships pose a threat to the UK's critical underwater infrastructure, Russian news agency TASS reported. GUGI is thought to have access to more than 50 ships, submarines and other vessels, including the Yantar, a Russian spy ship spotted in British waters in November, which allegedly used lasers to dazzle RAF pilots. 'We see you' Mr Healey said: "I'm making this statement to call out this Russian activity. "To President Putin, I say - we see you, we see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences." He then said the UK's undersea network was highly resilient but that the number of threats to it are increasing, adding: "Putin's covert operation failed because this government is delivering our first duty - protecting Britain." Read more:Will exposing submarines be enough to deter Putin?Is the Strait of Hormuz really open? The operation used more than 500 British personnel and has now ended, he added. He also said there was "no evidence" that the Russian submarines have caused any damage to UK underwater cables or pipelines. Distracted by the Middle East But he claimed it was "pretty clear" that Putin wants the UK to be distracted by the war in the Middle East, in response to a question from Sky News' security and defence editor, Deborah Haynes. He said: "I'm pretty clear that Putin would want us to be distracted by the Middle East. "What I'm setting out today demonstrates that we are not just exposing his covert operation, but we are saying to him that we recognise Russia as the primary threat to the UK and to NATO, and that we will not take our eyes off Putin, whilst at the same time we act to protect our British interests and our British allies in the Middle East." Defence spending Asked by Ms Haynes if he believes the UK's defence spending needs to be pushed towards 3% faster, he said: "I would just say to you, look back at the speeches that the chancellor has made. She has quite rightly argued a strong economy needs strong national security. "Look back at the £8bn we're now spending each year on defence, above the level of the last government's last year in office."

Fernandez said in interviews that he would welcome living in Madrid, leaving the door open to moving to Real Madrid in the summer. No talks have been held about selling Fernandez and he has a Chelsea contract until 2032. Chelsea fixtures & scores | FREE Chelsea highlights▶️Got Sky? Watch Chelsea games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract📺 As a result of those comments, Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior announced last Friday that Fernandez would not be in the squad for two matches - the 7-0 win over Port Vale last Saturday and this weekend's game against Manchester City on Sunday, live on Sky Sports. Real Madrid will sign a midfielder this summer and Fernandez is one of their targets. He is valued at more than £100m but Chelsea are not trying to sell the player. Fernandez is one of the players seeking improved terms on his Chelsea contract - but his cause will not have been helped by the comments he made in Argentina. What did Fernandez and his agent say? Fernandez has been regularly linked with a summer move to Real and he cast doubt over his Chelsea future after their heavy Champions League last-16 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, telling ESPN Argentina "I don't know" when asked if he would still be at the club next season. "My focus is here now. Then the World Cup coming up, so we'll see after that," he added. During his time with Argentina in the international break, Fernandez told Marcos Giles, a media personality, "I really like Madrid - it's similar to Buenos Aires". Fernandez was then questioned on whether he would consider living in Madrid, saying: "Yes, of course." Speaking last Friday about Fernandez's punishment, Rosenior said: "A line was crossed in terms of our culture. We had to make a sanction." The Chelsea midfielder's agent - Javier Pastore - then branded the decision to drop Fernandez for two games as "completely unfair." Pastore said: "Enzo didn't understand the situation. When the coach told him, he accepted it because he's a highly professional guy who's always fully committed wherever he is and respects decisions. "But we don't understand the punishment because he doesn't mention any club or say he wants to leave Chelsea, far from it. "He only mentions Madrid, the city, because he was asked which European city he'd like to live in one day. "He said Madrid because of the language, because it's similar to Buenos Aires and because it's logical - it's only natural for an Argentine to say that - and also because of the culture and the weather. But at no point does he say he wants to leave Chelsea or London." Pastore also revealed talks over a new contract have stalled, adding: "There have been talks about renewing his contract, yes. We started discussing it around December or January, but we couldn't reach an agreement. "As Enzo's contract still has six years to run, we decided not to renew it because the terms weren't right for us or for the player. Given what Enzo is capable of today, he deserves much more than he's currently earning. "We haven't reached an agreement and it may be that this annoyed the club, given that he is a hugely important player, but these are things that have to be managed. "We felt that rather than renewing on terms that wouldn't make the player happy, it was better to leave things as they are and focus on playing and performing well. We don't want to get into discussions about figures, contracts and negotiations when the timing wasn't right. "Our plan after the World Cup is to meet with Chelsea again and, if there is no agreement, to explore other options." Speaking after the 7-0 win over Port Vale - the last time the Chelsea head coach has commented on the situation publicly - Rosenior said: "Me and Enzo are in a very good place. I saw him today [Saturday]. I had a really good conversation with him on a one-to-one. Things aren't what people maybe think they are. Asked about the comments of Fernandez's agent Javier Pastore, Rosenior said: "That's his opinion. I don't have anything to say on someone else's opinion. "Enzo knows what I think of him and it was brilliant to see him here to support the players today. We'll move forward and make sure we have a really good run-in to the season."

John Healey said a Russian Akula-class attack submarine and two specialist submarines from Russia's main directorate for deep sea research (GUGI) were directed by president Vladimir Putin to "conduct hybrid warfare activities against the UK and our allies, specifically around critical undersea infrastructure". He said they were detected within the UK's exclusive economic zone, which stretches around 230 miles offshore. Politics latest: Defence secretary reveals Russian subs entered UK waters The attack submarine was a "likely decoy" to divert attention away from the other two, he added. Mr Healey, speaking at a conference in Downing Street, said he directed the British military to track the vessels, by sea and air, in a month-long mission with allies to prevent attacks on cables and pipelines. A Royal Navy frigate, HMS St Albans, were used in the operation along with RFA Tidespring. Merlin helicopters and RAF Boeing "submarine hunting" aircraft also tracked the Russian vessels. The operation involved working with the Norwegian military. Moscow has rejected claims the ships pose a threat to the UK's critical underwater infrastructure, Russian news agency TASS reported. GUGI is thought to have access to more than 50 ships, submarines and other vessels, including the Yantar, a Russian spy ship spotted in British waters in November, which allegedly used lasers to dazzle RAF pilots. 'We see you' Mr Healey said: "I'm making this statement to call out this Russian activity. "To President Putin, I say - we see you, we see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences." He then said the UK's undersea network was highly resilient but that the number of threats to it are increasing, adding: "Putin's covert operation failed because this government is delivering our first duty - protecting Britain." Read more:Will exposing submarines be enough to deter Putin?Is the Strait of Hormuz really open? The operation used more than 500 British personnel and has now ended, he added. He also said there was "no evidence" that the Russian submarines have caused any damage to UK underwater cables or pipelines. Distracted by the Middle East But he claimed it was "pretty clear" that Putin wants the UK to be distracted by the war in the Middle East, in response to a question from Sky News' security and defence editor, Deborah Haynes. He said: "I'm pretty clear that Putin would want us to be distracted by the Middle East. "What I'm setting out today demonstrates that we are not just exposing his covert operation, but we are saying to him that we recognise Russia as the primary threat to the UK and to NATO, and that we will not take our eyes off Putin, whilst at the same time we act to protect our British interests and our British allies in the Middle East." Defence spending Asked by Ms Haynes if he believes the UK's defence spending needs to be pushed towards 3% faster, he said: "I would just say to you, look back at the speeches that the chancellor has made. She has quite rightly argued a strong economy needs strong national security. "Look back at the £8bn we're now spending each year on defence, above the level of the last government's last year in office."

Jasveen Sangha initially denied the charges but agreed to change her plea in a signed statement last year, just a few weeks before she had been due to stand trial. In a victim impact statement submitted ahead of the sentencing hearing, Perry's stepmother Debbie described Sangha as "heartless" and called for the judge to give her the maximum jail time. The Friends star and Emmy-nominated actor died in October 2023, aged 54. He had struggled with addiction for years, but released a memoir a year before his death during a period of being clean. He had been using ketamine through his regular doctor as a legal, but off-label, treatment for depression, but in the weeks before his death had also started to seek more of the drug illegally. His dependence on the drug was "spiralling out of control" in his final months, prosecutors said. Five people, including doctors and the actor's personal assistant, have pleaded guilty to various charges connected with his death. Sangha, who has dual British-American nationality, is the third person to be sentenced. In December last year, Salvador Plasencia, a doctor, was jailed for two-and-a-half years for illegally supplying ketamine to Perry in the weeks before his death. Another doctor, Mark Chavez, was sentenced to eight months home confinement after admitting selling ketamine to Plasencia. Sangha, who has been in custody since her arrest in August 2024, pleaded guilty in September to five federal charges, including distributing ketamine resulting in death. She is the only defendant whose plea deal included an acknowledgment of causing Perry's death. She also admitted to selling drugs to another man, Cody McLaury, 33, who had no connection to Perry, before his overdose death in 2019. Prosecutors wrote in March that after Sangha found out she had sold the drugs that caused Perry's death, "she didn't care and kept selling". Her conduct showed a "cold callousness and disregard for life. She chose profits over people, and her actions have caused immense pain to the victims' families and loved ones". But before sentencing, Sangha told the judge she wears her shame "like a jacket", admitting her actions "were not mistakes. They were horrible decisions" which "shattered people's lives and the lives of their family and friends". Keith Morrison, Perry's stepfather, said the judge delivered "a highly reasoned sentence", NBC, Sky's US partner, reported. He added: "We miss Matthew dreadfully, of course, and I feel badly for the perpetrator here as well. Nobody won today." Perry's role as Chandler Bing on NBC's Friends in the 1990s and 2000s made him one of the biggest television stars of the era. The actor was found dead in the hot tub at his Los Angeles home. He was lying face down in the water, NBC said. Read more on Sky News:RSPCA denies using AI dogs in pictureWhy Bake Off episode was droppedDeath penalty possible after guilty plea He died from an accidental overdose of ketamine, the Los Angeles County medical examiner's office said. Sangha sold him 25 vials of ketamine, including the fatal dose, for $6,000 (£4,482) in cash four days before his death, prosecutors said.

Two women find out they have cancer during or shortly after pregnancy every day, according to the charity Mummy's Star. But maternity leave cannot be delayed in the UK, meaning many mothers have to choose between spending time with their newborn and receiving treatment. Politics latest - follow live The longest-serving health secretary in British history is backing calls to change the law so that mothers diagnosed with cancer would be able to delay maternity leave for up to a year after birth, calling the move a "no-brainer". Sir Jeremy, who received a cancer diagnosis himself, said it is "one of the most terrifying things that can happen to you", and described how "you feel like there's a guillotine hanging over your head and you just don't know". His cancer was caught early, but the disease has taken both of his parents and his brother. Addressing the calls to change maternity leave, he warned ministers that "the longer you wait, the more people will suffer". Speaking to Sky News, Sir Jeremy added that such a change would face "zero opposition from any other parties in the House" if it was introduced as a draft law by the government, or as a private member's bill. The campaign has received cross-party support, being championed by a key aide to the prime minister, as well as by other Labour MPs and members of the Liberal Democrats. The move is being led by Mummy's Star founder Pete Wallroth, whose own wife, Mair, was diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant in June 2012. Two months later, she gave birth to her second child - but the cancer spread and she died that December. He told Sky News that Mair's cancer diagnosis "really impacted her and her early days as a mum for the second time". "We can't be penalising people unfairly just because they got a cancer diagnosis around their pregnancy," he said. Ashleigh Eccles, who was diagnosed with cancer shortly after giving birth in 2023, said she felt "an immense amount of grief" at losing her entire maternity leave to cancer treatment. She routinely had to leave her newborn with her parents while she went for chemotherapy. "I really felt like I had missed out on this magical time to bond with my baby," she said. Ms Eccles was also "totally surprised" to learn that maternity leave couldn't be delayed, and that she was "never going to get that time back". Similarly, Beth Dedman was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma shortly after giving birth to her first child in 2024. She said her employers were "brilliant" about the situation – but "they didn't know what to do". "It all seemed like it was wrong, that something was missing," she said. "I was thinking 'that can't be right'. Everybody that I came across didn't really know how to tell me that [delaying maternity leave] wasn't even an option." Mr Wallroth believes that the current situation means "everybody loses", and pushes women out of their jobs, as they often don't return full-time, having spent precious few moments with their newborn. He said changing the rules on maternity leave would involve a short-term cost, but a long-term saving. "If you're able to better support that process, if you're able to offer a deferment, they're far more likely to stay in that job in the long-term," he said. "I know what the Treasury will say," said Sir Jeremy, who served as the chancellor for almost two years, under Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak. He continued: "They'll say, 'look, why make an exception for cancer? What about other illnesses that people could get as well?' The truth is that the law is always a bit messy, but in a compassionate society, we need to make some room for exceptions – and this is one that just seems to be very sensible." Labour MP Jon Pearce, who is a parliamentary private secretary for Sir Keir Starmer, raised the issue with ministers after hosting some of the campaigners in parliament last month. "You could not fail to be moved by the stories of mothers whose maternity leave was spent undergoing treatment for cancer," he told Sky News. "I cannot imagine what it must be like for a mum excited about bonding with their new baby to have their lives turned upside down." Changing the law "would benefit around 700 mums each year", he added. Ireland has already taken the decision to allow maternity leave to be delayed in certain circumstances, introducing the change in 2024. Referring to this, Sir Jeremy said: "If you can point to a country where it's happened, and it hasn't caused the skies to fall in, then that's a pretty good indication it's a sensible thing to do. "It's a real shame to hang around on something like this that really would make life better for lots of people." A spokesperson for the Department of Business and Trade said: "Receiving news of a cancer diagnosis is devastating for individuals and families at any time, especially for mothers on maternity leave who should be spending that precious time bonding with their newborn baby. "Our National Cancer Plan sets out how we will support people, including pregnant and postnatal women with cancer, and our parental leave review is exploring how we can better support working families so that parents can spend time doing what matters most – caring for their baby."

Rory McIlroy is defending champion after last year's play-off victory over Justin Rose, seeing him become the sixth player in history - and first since Tiger Woods - to complete the career Grand Slam. World No 1 Scottie Scheffler is the pre-tournament favourite to win the tournament for a third time, despite entering the week without a top 10 in his last three PGA Tour starts, with Bryson DeChambeau and Xander Schauffele others expected to impress. The Masters tee times: Full R1 groupings and UK start timesWhen is The Masters live on Sky Sports? Key ways to watch Official leaderboard from The Masters (external site)Get Sky Sports or stream golf and more with no contract Cameron Young looks to replicate Scheffler and McIlroy over the past two years by following a win at The Players with another at The Masters, while Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood are all looking to become just the third Englishman to win a major at Augusta National. There are 91 players in the field for this week's major, the first of four in as many months in men's golf. The Masters is followed by the PGA Championship (May 14-17), US Open (June 18-21) and The Open (July 16-19). The Masters weather: What is the forecast at Augusta National? There is no rain forecast throughout this year's Masters, with the temperature getting warmer each tournament day. Here's the forecast issued by the on-site meteorologist, issued the day before the tournament. Thursday: A cool start. Partly cloudy and breezy. Winds 10-15 mph, with gusts to 20 mph. High temperature: 23°C (73F)Friday: Mostly sunny and warmer. Winds 5-10mph. High temperature: 26°C (79F)Saturday: Mostly sunny and hot. Winds 4-8 mph. High temperature: 29°C (85F)Sunday: Mostly sunny and hot. Winds 5-10mph. High temperature: 29°C (85F) When is The Masters live on Sky Sports? Wall-to-wall coverage from the tournament begins at 2pm on Thursday, with Featured Group action and regular updates from around the course available on Sky Sports Golf until the global broadcast window begins at 6pm. The same timings will apply on Friday, before an earlier start kicks in for the weekend - with coverage starting at 4.30pm ahead of full coverage getting under way at 5pm and lasting until long after the final putt is holed. The notorious Amen Corner stream will also be available, focusing on the famous three-hole stretch from the 11th, with that Featured Group offering also available on the Sky Sports+ channel. A feed of the fourth, fifth and sixth holes will go live each day as soon as the opening group reach that part of the course and another stream covers the 15th and 16th holes, with Featured Groups also available on Sky Sports+. Who will win The Masters? Watch the opening major of the year exclusively live throughout the week on Sky Sports. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.