A dangerous game to play

The media descended on this story of bloody murder when the killer confessed, but pleaded that a video game made him do it. Authorities took him at his word, issued a hasty ban on exactly 10 games and vaguely promised new restrictions further down the line. Far from showing concern, this reaction emphasised the huge gap between the real technology revolution and what the country's leaders appear to know about it.

First of all, it is most troubling that authorities and the media latched on so quickly and conveniently to the alibi of a confessed, vicious killer.

They were far too quick to accept the word of Mr Polwat. He is an adult who told police he planned and carried out a reprehensible killing for a small amount of money. His claim that the video game Grand Theft Auto made him commit the crime sounds more like a novel legal defence than a credible motive.

Olympics: Medal winners who have made Olympic history

The cyclist is the first UK Olympic athlete to achieve the feat since swimmer Henry Taylor at the London Games in 1908.

Team mate Bradley Wiggins was earlier unable to complete a hat trick of golds, coming eighth in the Madison with partner Mark Cavendish.

He had a gruelling Olympic schedule and had already won gold for the individual and team pursuit.

Miner's son Taylor won the 1,500 metres, 400 metres and was part of the victorious 4 x 200 metres relay team.

He was Britain's greatest ever Olympic swimmer, achieving another bronze in 1912 and again in 1920.

The athlete also won three medals – bronze, silver and gold – at the unofficial Olympics in Athens in 1906, which was held to mark the tenth anniversary of the first modern Games.

Mansfield has new rules for attendance at football games

The guidelines, however, could mean trouble for parents who are consistently late in picking up their kids from football games.

Students not picked up 30 minutes after an event will be held in a community room inside the stadium. Those who repeatedly linger at the stadium may be restricted from attending future events by their principal.

The policy applies to both of the school district’s stadiums. Administrators cite MISD Stadium’s location along Texas 360 as a motivation for the change, which was posted on the district’s Web site late last week. The stadium opened in 2007, and businesses are opening nearby.

"It’s just about the kids’ safety, about wanting to keep them off that highway," Deputy Superintendent Bob Morrison said.

Marathon runner Radcliffe's brave effort over body and soul

Paula Radcliffe vowed this week to prolong her career until the London 2012 Games after her second tilt at the Olympic marathon title ended in a familiar combination of tears, pain and disappointment.

Four years after dropping out of the Athens race in distress less than 3km from the end, Radcliffe did reach the finish line in the Bird's Nest Stadium, but that feat offered little comfort to an athlete who usually races only to win.

Handicapped by a stress fracture to her left thigh that restricted her to just two weeks of serious preparation before the race, she finished 23rd, more than 17 minutes outside her own world record and almost six minutes behind the gold medalist, Constantin Tomescu, who at 38, is the same age Radcliffe will be when the Olympics arrive in London.

Kangas peak at right time

"We have six and a half wins after the break, and having won six games in a row, we have put ourselves in a really good position," he said.

"A lot of it is about peaking at the right time. It's really important for us to hold our form. Port Adelaide did this last year, and they had only won seven games at the halfway mark, so there are a couple of games to go but at least we are guaranteed finals now.

"The top four spots are not secure, so we have not nothing to lose. I am glad we can play Geelong this week so we can find out where we are at."

While Geelong smashed the Roos by 106 points in last year's qualifying final, North is looking at Sunday's Skilled Stadium clash as a perfect litmus test.

"It depends what kind of Geelong turns up, but at the same time we are playing pretty good footy," Simpson said.