Sky said a twin focus on product innovation and top-class sport and entertainment would help deliver a better-than-expected rise in revenue in the year ahead after it reported 12% higher full-year profit.

Some of the stranger stories from around the world

European pay-TV group Sky yesterday said it expects to perform strongly in its new financial year after better-than-expected profits for 2014-15 prompted investors to rethink their growth forecasts for the newly-enlarged group.

Liverpool are set to trigger Christian Benteke’s £32.5 million (€46.6m) release clause after changing their valuation of the Aston Villa striker.

Torino defender Matteo Darmian is on the verge of signing for Manchester United, according to reports in Italy.

Manchester City defender Aleksandar Kolarov admits a return to Italy appeals to him.

Sky said it was “in good shape” ahead of the imminent Premier League rights auction as it posted better-than-expected half-year results today and said it had signed up retail customers at the strongest pace in nine years.

Mario Balotelli is unlikely to return to Inter Milan in January, according to club vice-president Javier Zanetti.

European pay-TV group Sky has agreed to sell a controlling stake in Sky Bet to CVC Capital Partners in a deal which values the online betting business at £800 million (€1.1bn), with Sky retaining a 20% stake.

A sports betting business formed in 2001 was today valued at £800m after broadcaster Sky sold a controlling stake in the operation.

BSkyB is to change its name to Sky after the pay-TV company completed the acquisition of Sky Italia and a majority interest in Sky Deutschland.

Mario Balotelli could play against former club Manchester City on Monday as Liverpool apparently move closer to

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Liverpool are closing in on a deal to bring maverick striker Mario Balotelli back to England from AC Milan.

BSkyB bolstered its pay-TV empire today with the €6.7bn takeover of sister companies in Italy and Germany.

The independent producer behind the BBC’s hit show The Great British Bake-Off has been snapped up by BSkyB.

BSkyB’s plan to buy Rupert Murdoch’s pay-TV assets in Italy and Germany for up to €10bn is a bold bet on long-term growth at the expense of short-term profit, but the pioneering British media firm has pulled off such gambles before.

Broadcaster BSkyB is in talks over a deal that will expand its pay-TV empire in Europe through the acquisition of Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia.

BT has poached a top Sky executive to head its TV division as the two companies square up for the latest phase of their multibillion-euro war over football rights.

Missing your favourite TV programme just because you are out of the country could become a thing of the past as the EU opens an investigation into restrictions.

Bradley Wiggins admitted his disappointment after being forced to abandon the Giro d’Italia, a race the Olympic champion had made his number one priority this season.

Exit polls show Pier Luigi Bersani’s centre-left coalition leading in an Italian election that is testing the country’s resolve to maintain painful economic reforms.

Nicolas Anelka is set to join Juventus on a short-term deal, according to the club’s director general Giuseppe Marotta.

Rafael Benitez is in talks with Serie A side Sampdoria to become their new manager, club owner Riccardo Garrone revealed today.

Adrian Mutu’s move from Cesena to Genoa has fallen through after the Grifoni club pulled out of the transfer.

Manchester City’s top scorer Sergio Aguero has reiterated his commitment to the club following fresh speculation over his future.

Manchester City forward Edin Dzeko has admitted that the club’s recent slump was “a crisis” and rates their title chances as “almost non-existent” despite clawing back Manchester United’s lead to five points after beating West Brom while United lost at Wigan on Wednesday night.

Manchester City have no intention of selling striker Mario Balotelli this summer, according to the player’s agent.

Inter Milan boss Claudio Ranieri has denied that Diego Forlan refused to come on as a substitute during his side’s goalless home draw with Atalanta yesterday.

The referee who reported Arsene Wenger to UEFA for improper conduct after Arsenal’s Champions League exit to AC Milan on Tuesday night has hit back at the Gunners boss and backed his performance, despite the Frenchman’s stinging criticism.

James Murdoch relinquished control of his family’s British newspaper empire yesterday, stepping down as executive chairman of News International.

James Murdoch is to step down as executive chairman of News International to focus on expanding international TV businesses, the company announced today.

MANCHESTER CITY boss Roberto Mancini has responded to his side’s Champions League exit by targeting at least two trophies this season.

JAMES MURDOCH has resigned from the boards of the publishing units within News Corp’s British newspaper arm, which used to include the now-defunct News of the World tabloid.

Italian police fired tear gas and water cannons in Rome today as violent protesters turned a demonstration against corporate greed into a riot, smashing shop and bank windows, torching cars and hurling bottles.

Protesters in Rome smashed shop windows and torched cars as violence broke out during a demonstration in the Italian capital, part of worldwide protests against corporate greed and austerity measures.

THE decision to introduce the Drag Reduction System to assist with overtaking in Formula One had its doubters at the start of the season, but it appears to have so far been a considerable success.

FORMER News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks yesterday became the most high-profile casualty of the phone-hacking scandal, quitting as chief executive of News International.

British Prime Minister David Cameron believes Rebekah Brooks took “the right decision” in quitting as chief executive of News International in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal at the News of the World, Downing Street said today.

The chief executive of News Corporation’s Italian satellite broadcasting arm today replaced Rebekah Brooks at News International.

News International CEO resigns - full texts of messages to staff from Rebekah Brooks and James Murdoch

Italy midfielder Alberto Aquilani insists he is looking forward to returning to Liverpool following his season-long loan at Juventus.

Manchester City have pulled out of the race to sign Udinese winger Alexis Sanchez, according to coach Roberto Mancini.

Mirko Vucinic’s agent has ruled the Roma striker out of a move to Blackburn, saying he deserves a “more prestigious” club.