Golf star Rory McIlroy is backing his fellow Northern Irishman Mark Allen to build on his thrilling opening win at the Betfred.com World Championship.

World number four Ali Carter came from 4-1 down to beat Matthew Stevens in a thrilling Shanghai Masters quarter-final today.

A former long-serving US senator and at least four other people were killed when a plane crashed near a remote fishing village in Alaska today.

A man believed to have shot dead his wife, her sister and three of her children, killed himself after police forced their way into the home where he had fled.

Bath 3 Toulouse 3

Former Tottenham boss Martin Jol has emerged as Hamburg’s first choice to replace Huub Stevens as coach.

MARTIN CORRY will lead England into their most important Test match since the 2003 World Cup final on Friday night, claiming: “Captaincy is not something I strive for.”

Lord Stevens and the Premier League have made it clear they have no concerns about Graeme Souness’ role in any transfers while he was manager of Newcastle.

LORD STEVENS’ long-awaited report into alleged illegal payments clears all Premier League clubs of paying or receiving bungs.

Lord Stevens’ long-awaited report into alleged illegal payments clears all Premier League clubs of paying or receiving bungs - but the report raises separate concerns about two managers and a number of agents.

Five Premier League clubs have been named by Lord Stevens in his final report into top-flight transfers.

MATT Stevens has met Nelson Mandela and performed on tv’s X Factor since he last played rugby for England.

Several illuminated electronic devices planted at bridges and other spots scared Boston, and briefly disrupted the traffic and subway service, in what turned out to be a US publicity campaign for a late-night cable television cartoon.

Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Gordon Taylor believes a permanent independent body to oversee transfers would have a positive influence on the game.

ENGLAND head coach Andy Robinson faces a potential front-row crisis for the summer tour of Australia following the loss of Matt Stevens.

England prop Matt Stevens appears to be facing a fitness fight ahead of next weekend’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against France in Paris.

Ace American jockey Gary Stevens will finally retire from the saddle tomorrow night.

AL-QAIDA fanatics plotted to gun down Tony and Cherie Blair during the Golden Jubilee celebrations, former Metropolitan Police chief John Stevens claimed yesterday.

England boss Andy Robinson has backed rookie prop Matt Stevens to thrive when he is thrown into the Lansdowne Road bear-pit against Ireland on Sunday.

Ronnie O’Sullivan enters the fray when the televised stages of the Travis Perkins UK Championship begin in York tomorrow – against the player he claims is currently the world’s best.

American legend Gary Stevens is to leave his job as number-one jockey to Andre Fabre and return to the United States.