The Pacific islands may have been beautiful but were never peaceful, less so when western slavers arrived. Tim Severin on empire and destruction

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CHELTENHAM’S cross-country course provided another dose of heavy drama for the wrong reason yesterday when seven riders ended up taking the wrong course with one obstacle remaining.

A SECTION of electricity cable has been removed from the paddock area at Newbury following the death of two horses at the course on Saturday.

The British Horseracing Authority intend to make no further comment until Monday on the deaths of two horses at Newbury yesterday.

British Horseracing Authority chief executive Nick Coward will leave the organisation in the spring.

Racing's rulers were "left with no choice" but to delay the publication of the fixture list for 2011.

British Horseracing Authority chief executive Nic Coward is one of number of racing-related figures to be appointed to a British government panel on sports betting integrity.

The heroism of the British Airways crew in Heathrow’s crash-landing drama emerged tonight when it was revealed the pilots had just seconds to get the aircraft down safely.

The captain who commanded the British Airways plane which crash landed at Heathrow spoke today of the teamwork and professionalism of his cockpit and cabin crew.

Henry Daly sent out his first winner for the Elite Racing Club as the free-running Inherent landed the Mishcon’s ’National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle at Towcester.

Psychiatrists spent almost 50 days examining Ian Huntley before concluding he was not suffering from any serious mental illness.

THERE is evidence to convict Soham accused Ian Huntley of the manslaughter of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman and he is “worthy of punishment”, his lawyer conceded yesterday.

Maxine Carr wept in the witness box at the Old Bailey today, saying she “would not be blamed” for what her ex-lover Ian Huntley did to Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.

Maxine Carr returned to the witness box at the Old Bailey murder trial of her ex-lover Ian Huntley today to face questions over her lies to protect him.

Soham accused Ian Huntley is changing his story even as his murder trial is going on, the Old Bailey heard today.

IAN HUNTLEY choked back tears yesterday as he told how he promised his parents that he would tell the families of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman exactly how they died.

Soham accused Ian Huntley today admitted taking steps to “destroy evidence” after the deaths of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.

Soham accused Ian Huntley today told how schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman died in his home.

Soham accused Ian Huntley did not dial 999 after Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman died in his house because the chain of events was too unbelievable, he told his Old Bailey murder trial today.

Soham murder accused Ian Huntley has told his trail in London's Old Bailey that he put his hand over Jessica Chapman's mouth after the youngster started screaming when her friend Holly fell into his bath.

Ian Huntley has told his London trial that Holly Wells did not move after she fell into his bath on the day she disappeared.

Huntley's barrister Stephen Coward QC has asked Soham murder accused Ian Huntley what happened after Holy Wells fell into the bath at his home on the day she disappeared.

Soham accused Ian Huntley told the Old Bailey today ``I just panicked and froze'' as he described the moment when Holly Wells lay motionless in his bath and Jessica Chapman began screaming.

Soham murder accused Ian Huntley has told his trial that he offered Holly Wells some tissue after he noticed she had a nosebleed.

The first words that passed between Jessica Chapman, Holly Wells and Ian Huntley when they turned up on his doorstep on the day they disappeared were about Maxine Carr, Huntley has told his trial.

Ian Huntley has told his trial for the murder of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman that he had run a bath for his dog on the day the girls disappeared.

Soham accused Ian Huntley was today called to the witness box to give evidence at his Old Bailey double child murder trial.

ALLEGED double child murderer Ian Huntley claimed in court yesterday that Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman died in a series of accidents in his bathroom.

Soham accused Ian Huntley claims that Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman both died accidentally in his bathroom on the day they disappeared, his lawyer said today.

School caretaker Ian Huntley admits disposing of the bodies of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman after they died in his house, the jury trying him for murder heard today.

Soham murder accused Ian Huntley told a journalist on the day after Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman went missing that police had searched his home and thought “he did it”, the Old Bailey heard today.

SOHAM accused Ian Huntley was the focus of a schoolgirl crush just weeks before he allegedly murdered Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, his Old Bailey trial heard yesterday.

Soham accused Ian Huntley was the focus of a schoolgirl crush weeks before he is alleged to have murdered Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, the Old Bailey heard today.

The Football Association in England have appointed Nic Coward and David Davies as acting chief executives following the resignation of Adam Crozier last month.