Paul O’Connell has big things on his mind this weekend with a possible Six Nations championship win for Ireland on the line in Paris this evening. But life will continue for the big man regardless of the result and on Monday he will turn his attentions to a even rarer possibility.

Four African white-backed vultures have been fitted with GPS transmitters in a bid to discover more about the birds and the threats they face, conservationists said today.

The presiding judge in the “Dome Raiders” trial at the Old Bailey two years ago admitted dozing off during counsel’s final speeches, but denied “snoring audibly”, the Court of Appeal heard today.