The director of the US Secret Service has resigned in the face of revelations of security breaches and an erosion of confidence over the safety of president Barack Obama and his family.

Secret Service director Julia Pierson resigned yesterday in the face of multiple revelations about bumbling in her agency and rapidly eroding confidence that the president and his family were being kept safe.

The director of the US Secret Service has quit following a number of security lapses at the White House.

The US Secret Service director has told lawmakers she takes full responsibility for the serious breach of White House security when an Army veteran with a knife climbed the fence and made his way into the executive mansion before he was tackled.

An intruder who jumped a fence at the White House made it further inside the building than the US Secret Service has publicly acknowledged, according to reports.

Security at the White House has been stepped up after a man with a knife jumped the fence and made it into the presidential residence before being tackled.

A woman who had two hip replacement operations has launched what is believed to be the first action for damages over allegedly defective implants.

A woman who had two hip replacement operations intends to bring what is expected to be the first of many cases over allegedly defective hip implants.

A convicted sex offender and his wife have pleaded guilty to kidnapping and raping a California girl in a surprise plea deal that will spare their victim and the two daughters she had during her 18 years of captivity from taking the stand at a trial.

A lawyer in the case of a Northern California girl held captive in a backyard compound for 18 years said he expects defendant Phillip Garrido to plead guilty to all charges and his wife to go to trial unless she gets a better plea deal.

Tyrone 2-11 Cavan 0-14

TWO second-half goals, one each from Martin Penrose and Paddy McNiece settled this McKenna Cup semi-final at Brewster Park last night.

Jaycee Dugard, the girl held prisoner in California for 18 years, will be spared from giving pre-trial evidence against her alleged captors.

Cavan 1-7 Armagh 0-9

Ulster 1-15 Connacht 2-9

Cavan 2-11 Down 3-8

Tipperary 0-12 Cavan 1-14

Defender Anthony Forde and midfielder Lorcan Mulvey, who missed Cavan's Ulster SFC preliminary round defeat to Down due to suspension, have earned recalls to the Breffni Blues' side for tomorrow's All-Ireland qualifier against Kildare (Newbridge, throw-in 7pm).

Gowna forward Gerald Pierson has returned to training with the Cavan senior football team after seven months out with a cruciate knee ligament injury.

The investigation into the killing of a 10-year-old girl in Crothersville, Indiana appears to be drawing eerie parallels to a 1987 case in England that was the first to use DNA to solve a crime.

Cavan attacker Gerald Pierson is set to find out today whether his season is over or not as he undergoes a scan on his injured knee.

A British man who sent hoax e-mails to family and friends of people missing in the tsunami disaster falsely confirming their deaths was jailed today for six months.

A VICTIM of a tsunami disaster hoaxer yesterday condemned the "sick prank" which told relatives of those missing in Asia that their loved ones had been found dead.

The eyes of geologists, disaster officials and sightseers are today focused on Mount St Helens, where a mix of volcanic gases and low-level earthquakes raised fears the mountain in Washington state might blow its top at any moment.

US government scientists raised the alert level for Mt St Helens in Washington state after its second steam eruption in two days was followed by a powerful tremor.

Derry 0-25 Cavan 2-9 aet

Armagh 0-13 Cavan 0-11

Cavan 3-13 Down 2-12

A dramatic equalising point in the fifth minute of injury time by defender John Clarke gave 14-man Down a second chance at Ulster Football Championship salvation at Casement Park.

MDS STAR and Dart Killester set the scene for a crunch ESB SuperLeague tie in Dublin on Thursday night with cross-conference victories over Neptune and BurgerKing, respectively, at the weekend.

Dermot McCabe was the star of the show as Cavan advanced Louth in the all-Ireland footballer qualifier in Navan.

The Oscars ceremony could be put on hold if US troops go to war.

Peter O’Toole has turned down the offer of an honorary Oscar because he still hopes to win the real thing.

Donegal 1-17 Cavan 0-15