David Lyttle’s US journey was more of a jazz-playing road-trip than a conventional music tour. Along the way he played at Art Blakey’s house and used an assault rifle as a percussion instrument, writes Alan O’Riordan

People of all ages can be lonely, but a volunteer phone service provides a friendly voice for older people who live alone and who are more isolated and vulnerable, says Paul d’Alton

As we approach the halfway point of the Premier League season we reflect on the ups and downs, successes and failures of the last five months.

INDIA’S determined batting line-up prevented England claiming a fourth successive Test win and spared them the embarrassment of narrowly missing out on victory because of their reluctance to play on two nights earlier.

The $3bn (£2bn) payout awarded to cancer victim Richard Boeken against the Philip Morris tobacco company is expected to prompt a flood of similar claims, US legal experts said.