As we sat basking in the glorious Wembley sunshine yesterday, it felt strangely unfamiliar to be beaming with satisfaction with the game still goalless at half-time. 

A 14-year-old boy has been charged in the North with attempting to possess a Russian sub-machine gun and 100 rounds of ammunition with intent to endanger life.

Middlesbrough goalkeeper Victor Valdes will want to lay low for the next few days after this slip-up today.

Three people died and two were injured when a small plane carrying them home from a cheerleading competition nosedived into two houses in southern California and sparked a major fire, authorities and witnesses have said.

Manchester United are still in the fight for Europe.

It was a bad day for the red half of Manchester.

4/5

Paul Linehan has been a Middlesbrough fan for about 40 years, writes Eoin O’Callaghan

Two men caught with loaded handguns and a can of petrol with “an intent to endanger life” following a large-scale garda operation will be sentenced next week.

Every emotion was tested yesterday in some West Cork towns as Storm Frank left an indelible mark on businesses, homes and the community at large.

Boro back top after gritty win over Wednesday

ENGLAND: Dozens of “number two” buses — powered entirely by poo — could be picking up passengers in Bristol next year.

A new chapter in the story of Anne Boleyn worthy of an episode of Wolf Hall has been unveiled, thanks to facial recognition technology. Henry VIII’s attempt to erase his second wife from history after chopping off her head may have been thwarted after more than 470 years.

A man who was caught stealing freshly delivered beer kegs from outside two public houses and loading them into a van wanted his curfew lifted for the weekend to pursue plans of a romantic nature.

Size: Sq m 184 (2,000 sq ft)

Sunderland 0 Hull 2

Middlesbrough have signed Aston Villa goalkeeper Shay Given on a month’s loan.

A man was fighting for his life last night after being shot four times in an attack at a gym on an industrial estate.

Rafa Benitez initially came into Cobham yesterday with a knowingly wide smile, well aware his Wednesday comments would make this a testy press conference.

Bayern Munich have often been referred to as FC Hollywood while David Beckham, with his Los Angeles tan still intact, continues to act as leading man since moving to France; but the events of the last 24 hours have proved that nobody in European football can put on a show quite like the Moscow State Circus of Stamford Bridge.

Fugitive US killer Christopher Dorner died from a single gunshot wound to the head as authorities were pumping tear gas into a mountain cabin during a deadly gun battle with sheriff’s deputies.

A $1m (€747,000) reward has prompted numerous tips to authorities seeking a fired Los Angeles police officer suspected of killing three people.

A massive manhunt continued in the California mountains for a fired policeman accused of three murders who declared war on law enforcement officers and their families in a rambling internet manifesto.

The US Food and Drug Administration is investigating reports of five deaths that may be associated with an energy drink, which is currently on sale in Ireland.

A strong rotten egg smell had Southern Californians plugging their noses and crying foul as air quality experts scrambled to determine if the sulphurous scent was coming from the Salton Sea.

Man-made pollution is helping to push the tropics northwards, research finds.

Middlesbrough 0 Leeds 2

Riverside provides an ideal location for those who want to escape the city, but maintain some of the convenience, writes Rose Martin

Tony Mowbray admitted his side’s scrappy 1-0 win over Watford was harsh on the strugglers.

Lawyers for Mattel filed papers declaring their intent to appeal against a US federal judge’s award of more than $309m to rival toy maker MGA Entertainment in the fight over ownership of the popular Bratz fashion doll line.

Fulham today confirmed a commemorative statue of the late Michael Jackson is being erected at Craven Cottage at the behest of chairman Mohamed Al Fayed.

Tony Mowbray has been named as the new manager at Middlesbrough.

The company which supplied the Tasers used by police in the stand-off with gunman Raoul Moat has had its licence revoked, the British Home Office said today.

ROY KEANE says he is looking to add two more new signings to his Ipswich squad this week.

Police officers hunting for Raoul Moat were “excited” by the arrival of new Tasers just hours before they entered a stand-off with the fugitive gunman, it was reported today.

A strong earthquake south of the US-Mexico border swayed high-rise buildings in Los Angeles and San Diego and was felt across Southern California and Arizona.

Former Celtic midfielder Barry Robson believes Aiden McGeady could be the next player to leave Parkhead as Tony Mowbray shapes his own team.

Scott McDonald claims Celtic have bought second-rate players to replace himself, Barry Robson and Gary Caldwell.

Stephen McManus has joined Middlesbrough on loan, according to Celtic boss Tony Mowbray.

MANCHESTER CITY defender Dedryck Boyata received the perfect compensation for missing a family Christmas when he was handed his senior debut at Middlesbrough.

Middlesbrough top scorer Adam Johnson could return for tonight’s visit of Blackpool as Gordon Strachan’s side attempts to mount an automatic promotion challenge.

Gordon Strachan has joined Middlesbrough in search of “something different” from his previous managerial experiences