Image of Queen Elizabeth II was 'digitally enhanced at source', Getty picture agency says 19 March A photograph of the late Queen, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, was "digitally enhanced at source", according to Getty Images. The picture agency says it has added an editor's note to the image, which was shared by Kensington Palace in April 2023 on what would have been the late Queen's 97th birthday.The palace shared the picture on 21 April last year, saying it was taken by the Princess of Wales at Balmoral in the summer of 2022.In a statement, Getty said: "Getty Images can confirm that in accordance with its editorial policy it has placed an editor's note on a handout image stating the image has been digitally enhanced at source."The decision by Getty follows picture agencies issuing a "kill notice" for a photo released on Mother's Day by the Princess of Wales. She later admitted to editing the image.A photo forensics expert has told Sky News the alterations made to the image featuring the late Queen are a better editing job than Kate's Mother's Day photo - and might not have been made by the same graphic artist.There are at least three vertical splices and a variation in the number of light reflections in their eyes, they said.Major international picture agencies pulled the Mother's Day photograph amid concerns "the source had manipulated the image" after people cited several peculiarities, including issues with Princess Charlotte's sleeve, the uneven pattern on Prince Louis's jumper and the window frame behind Prince George. It was supposed to be a family photo to mark Mother's Day - and to quell speculation about Kate's health and whereabouts.But the release of the picture of the Princess of Wales with her three children by Kensington Palace ended up triggering more conspiracy theories.The 42-year-old future queen was admitted to the London Clinic for a planned abdominal surgery on 16 January.She was last officially pictured on Christmas Day as she attended the Royal Family's annual church service in Sandringham, Norfolk. However, several images of the princess have been published this month.US celebrity news site TMZ published a picture of Kate wearing dark sunglasses and sitting in the passenger seat of a black Audi being driven by her mother, Carole Middleton, which it says was taken near Windsor Castle on 4 March.A photo of her leaving Windsor in a car with Prince William as he was driven to the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London was published a week later.Kate did not attend the service, but is understood to have had a private appointment.Yesterday, footage of Kate and William was published by The Sun, which the newspaper said was taken on Saturday at Windsor Farm Shop, close to their Adelaide Cottage home in the grounds of Windsor Castle. It showed a smiling Kate walking alongside and chatting with her husband and carrying a large white bag.The couple also spent Sunday morning watching their children taking part in a sports event, according to The Sun.Read more from Sky News:Trust in royals not dented by conspiracies, poll showsKate's doctored photo poses big questions of royalsWhat the data says about Kate's edited photoA look back at Princess of Wales's photography A spokesperson for Kate said she was "making good progress" when she returned home to Windsor following her operation.The London Clinic is the private hospital where the King underwent treatment for an enlarged prostate in the new year.Charles, 75, visited his daughter-in-law's bedside after being admitted himself on 26 January.Kate is not expected to return to official royal duties until after Easter. READ MORE
Nicholas Hawkes, 39, becomes first in England to be jailed for cyber flashing 19 March A man has been sentenced for cyber flashing in England for the first time. Nicholas Hawkes, 39, from Basildon in Essex, was jailed for 66 weeks at Southend Crown Court today after he sent unsolicited photos of his erect penis to a 15-year-old girl and a woman on 9 February.The older victim took screenshots of the offending image on WhatsApp and reported Hawkes to the police the same day.Cyber flashing became a criminal offence in England with the passage of the Online Safety Act on 31 January. It has been a crime in Scotland since 2010.The offence covers the sending of an unsolicited sexual image to people via social media, dating apps, text message or data-sharing services such as Bluetooth and AirDrop.Victims of cyber flashing get lifelong anonymity from the time they report the offence, as it also falls under the Sexual Offences Act.Read more from Sky News:Love Island star 'bombarded' with unwanted penis imagesHawkes previously admitted two counts of sending a photograph or film of genitals to cause alarm, distress, or humiliation, at Southend Magistrates' Court.He was already a registered sex offender and will be until November 2033, having been convicted of sexual activity with a child under 16 and exposure at Basildon Crown Court last year, for which he also received a community order.On Tuesday he pleaded guilty to breaching the order and breaching a suspended sentence for another sexual offence.His sentencing included these breaches.Essex Police said Hawkes must also comply with a 10-year restraining order and will be subject to a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.Detective Chief Inspector James Gray said: "This result proves that we are able to thoroughly investigate all sexual offences, including those which have only recently been criminalised."Hawkes has proven himself to be a dangerous individual and our crime and public protection team have put hours of work into ensuring he is taken off the streets."Perpetrators may think that by offending online, they are less likely to be caught, however that is not the case. Cyber flashing has a detrimental impact on victims, and we will continue to investigate all reports of this offence."People who think it's acceptable to send these unsolicited photos... it's not, and I ask those who think it is acceptable to reflect on their behaviour."Sefer Mani, from the Crown Prosecution Service in the East of England, said of the case: "Cyber flashing is a grotesque crime and the fact we were able to deliver swift justice for the two victims shows the new law is working."Everyone should feel safe wherever they are and not be subjected to receiving unwanted sexual images."I urge anyone who feels they have been a victim of cyber flashing to report it to the police and know that they will be taken seriously and have their identities protected."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 smartphone or tablet via the Sky News App. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news. READ MORE
Climate report issues 'red alert' warning after record-breaking temperatures caused 'misery and mayh 19 March Extreme weather events were "off the charts" in 2023, according to a new report aiming to send a "red alert" to the world about the need for action on climate change. Global temperatures broke records "by a clear margin" last year, United Nations climate scientists have said.The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said in its annual report that the air and ocean were the warmest yet in modern times in 2023, with records shattered for both the rise in sea level and the retreat of glaciers and Antarctic ice.Heatwaves, floods, droughts, wildfires and rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones caused "misery and mayhem, upending everyday life for millions and inflicting many billions of dollars in economic losses", the WMO adds in its State of the Global Climate report.But the WMO also said the rapid roll-out of renewable energy offered a "glimmer of hope" that the worst impacts of global warming can be avoided.According to the report, the global average surface temperature reached 1.45C above pre-industrial levels last year, just below the 1.5C threshold that scientists believe will result in accelerating climate chaos.The temperature was lifted slightly - and temporarily - by the natural El Nino weather event over the Pacific Ocean, but it still shattered the previous record of 1.29C, set in 2016.Celeste Saulo, WMO secretary-general, said: "The WMO community is sounding the red alert to the world."Climate change is about much more than temperatures."What we witnessed in 2023, especially with the unprecedented ocean warmth, glacier retreat and Antarctic sea ice loss, is cause for particular concern." Two-metre sea level rise would be 'catastrophic'More than 90% of the world's oceans were gripped by a marine heatwave at some point in the year, with serious impacts expected on coral reefs, which are vital nurseries for marine life.Glaciers experienced extreme melting, particularly in North America and Europe. Those in the Swiss Alps have lost around 10% of their ice in just two years. And the extent of ice covering Antarctica's coastal sea shrank by an area equivalent to the size of France and Germany compared to the previous record, set in 2022.Melting ice, and oceans expanding in the heat, drove up sea levels.The rate of rise over the last 10 years has more than doubled compared to the decade between 1993 and 2002. Professor Jonathan Bamber, director of the Bristol Glaciology Centre at the University of Bristol, said: "Sea level rise is one of the most pernicious and certain consequences of global heating."Our own research indicates that, if greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated, there is a small chance that we could experience up to a two-metre rise by 2100."This would truly be catastrophic for civilisation with the potential to displace around a tenth of the population of the planet."Read more:2023 was world's hottest year on recordAre bigger cars a growing issue?Mice have overrun a remote island A year of 'off the charts' weatherExtreme weather events were once again a feature of the year.Tropical cyclone Mocha in May was one of the most intense ever seen in the Bay of Bengal with 1.7 million people fleeing to safety.Southern Europe and North Africa endured extreme heat in July, with Agadir in Morocco reaching 50.4C.And Canada's wildfire season was the worst on record with almost 15 million hectares of forest destroyed. Dr Kevin Collins, senior lecturer of environment and systems at the Open University, said the report was a significant milestone."It is too easy to say this is just more of the same," he said."This report shows that many of the key measures such as sea ice, level and temperatures, and extreme weather events such as storms and droughts, were 'off the charts' for 2023."'Renewables are humanity's best hope'But the report adds all is not lost.The roll-out of renewable energy in 2023 surged by 50%, or 510 GW, the fastest increase in capacity in two decades.The WMO is optimistic that the clean energy goal set at COP28 to triple renewables by 2030 is within reach. Click to subscribe to ClimateCast with Tom Heap wherever you get your podcastsProfessor Cameron Hepburn, environmental economist at the University of Oxford, said: "Renewables, combined with storage, offer humanity's best hope of reducing our emissions to safe levels."The faster we transition to using them, the more money we save the global economy, whilst insulating ourselves from the damaging impacts of volatile fossil fuel markets."The WMO's stark findings should provide policymakers with all the incentive they need to double down on investments into renewable energy." READ MORE
Aryna Sabalenka: Tennis star's boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov dies aged 42 19 March The boyfriend of tennis player Aryna Sabalenka has died. Konstantin Koltsov, a Belarusian former professional hockey player, was 42 years old.The news was announced by Salavat Yulaev, the Russian hockey club that Mr Koltsov played for and later worked for as an assistant coach."It is with deep sorrow that we inform you that the coach of Salavat Yulaev, Konstantin Koltsov, has passed away," a statement by the team said on Tuesday.His cause of death has not been released.The club described him as a "strong and cheerful person" who was "loved and respected by players, colleagues and fans".The statement added: "Konstantin Evgenievich forever wrote himself into the history of our club."May he rest in peace."Mr Koltsov played for the Belarus national hockey team in the 2002 and 2010 Winter Olympics - and spent parts of three seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, in the National Hockey League, between 2002 and 2006.Renowned for his speed on the ice, Mr Koltsov played for Salavat Yulaev when they won the Russian Super League in 2008.He was first linked to Sabalenka - currently ranked world number two by the Women's Tennis Association - in June 2021, according to People magazine, and the pair have frequently posted pictures together on social media.In an Instagram post in April last year, Sabalenka, 25, posted a birthday message to Mr Koltsov, writing: "You are my dearest person, my best friend and my strongest support."I hope we will have everything we planned. I love you."Read more from Sky News:Image of Queen Elizabeth II was 'digitally enhanced at source'Aaron Taylor-Johnson chosen as next James Bond - reportsShowjumper suspended over horse welfare concerns Mr Koltsov was also seen supporting Sabalenka after she won her second consecutive Australian Open title in January, defeating China's Zheng Qinwen to take the crown.Last week, the Belarusian lost in the last 16 at Indian Wells following defeat to Emma Navarro. She is scheduled to play her first match at the Miami Open on Friday.It is unknown if she will continue in the tournament or not. READ MORE
Aaron Taylor-Johnson: Avengers and Kick-Ass star chosen as next James Bond, reports say 19 March Aaron Taylor-Johnson is set to be the next James Bond, according to reports. Famous for roles in films such as Kick-Ass and Avengers: Age Of Ultron, the 33-year-old actor is apparently yet to officially accept the iconic part, but a source told The Sun: "Bond is Aaron's job, should he wish to accept it."The source added: "The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back."Eon Productions, which produces the Bond films, is also said to be preparing to shoot a new 007 movie, with a script now being worked on.The Sun's source added: "As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement."Taylor-Johnson is "an incredibly talented actor," the source is also quoted as saying. They called him the "perfect person to play Bond and will pick up well from where Daniel Craig left off". Taylor-Johnson was asked by Numero magazine last week about rumours linking him with the role. In response, he said: "I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role. I take it as a great compliment."After Daniel Craig hung up his tuxedo following the release of No Time To Die, speculation has mounted about who will become the seventh actor to play the spy in the official films. Taylor-Johnson would follow Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Craig in taking on the part, if his selection is confirmed.Connery starred in Dr No, the first official film, in 1962. Idris Elba was long tipped to take up the role, but the 51-year-old said in September that "disgusting" comments about his race put him off.He told the SmartLess podcast: "Those that weren't happy about the idea made the whole thing disgusting and off-putting because it became about race."It became about nonsense and I got the brunt of it." Read more from Sky News:Man charged with stealing Wizard of Oz ruby slippersBrosnan 'deeply regrets' walking Yellowstone offence Sky News has contacted William Morris Endeavour, Taylor-Johnson's talent agency, for a comment. READ MORE