Chippenham & Beyond news

A pathologist has been unable to find a cause of death for a promising teenage footballer who died after a canoe trip, police said today.

A senior Rwandan official was flown to France today to face accusations of complicity in assassination and genocide - just as the case against her appeared to fall apart at the seams.

Japan's all-male professional baseball league is set to have its first female player after a 16-year-old high school student was drafted by a minor league team.

American actress Winona Ryder was taken to hospital today after becoming ill on a flight to London.

Al-Qa'ida's second-in-command urged Muslims to keep up attacks on the "criminal" United States and criticised US president-elect Barack Obama for promising to back Israel.

Lancashire was today revealed as a stronghold of BNP supporters with 861 people in the county on a leaked membership list.

US Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales have been indicted on state charges involving federal prisons in a South Texas county that has been a source of bizarre legal and political battles under the outgoing prosecutor.

The commercial radio station Talksport has parted company a second presenter - after DJ Rod Lucas was named on the leaked BNP members' list.

The Chief Fire Officer for West Midlands Fire Service today quit his job after being arrested on suspicion of making indecent images of children.

Two of rugby’s top stars have turned their backs on huge pay bonanzas with a leading French club, it has emerged.

Seven England supporters have been detained after fights and minor clashes with police ahead of tonight's friendly against Germany.

A police force today started an investigation "as a matter of urgency" into claims that a serving officer is a member of the British National Party.

Spain may boast the world's top-ranked national team and richest club but the soccer obsessed nation is sliding towards its first recession in 15 years with many small and mid-sized teams tumbling into the red.

Britain will not let the financial crisis stop it bidding for the world's biggest sporting events such as the soccer World Cup, former Sports Minister Richard Caborn said.

Former Portugal international Paulo Sousa was named first-team coach of English Championship (second division) club Queens Park Rangers today.

I won't stop watching Strictly Come Dancing now that John Sergeant has pulled out, because I never watched it in the first place, but in a funny sort of way I shall miss opening the newspapers every day to read yet another angle on the story of how the viewing public loves Sergie. I suppose he is lovable, from a distance.

A doctor accused of failing to spot Baby P's broken ribs and back during an examination has spoken of the "shocking and tragic circumstances of his death".

Gordon Brown today promised to take "all measures necessary" to get the banks lending again to small businesses.

Watching Prime Minister's Questions from the members' gallery, above the opposition benches and facing Gordon Brown and Labour MPs, and on an excursion from the House of Lords, was would-be Strictly Come Dancing contestant and yachting enthusiast Lord Mandelson of Hartlepool and Foy.