Powerful storms stretching from the US Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes in the north wrecked two small towns and killed at least 28 people as the system tore roofs off schools and homes and damaged a maximum-security prison. It was the second deadly tornado outbreak this week.

Next month, the visionary poet, rap/hip-hop pioneer, and author Gil Scott-Heron will be honoured with a Special Merit Award at the Grammys. Here is an exclusive extract from his forthcoming memoir, The Last Holiday

There's something immensely gratifying about rockin' country music like this: the songs, the wit, the playing, the production values, the crackle of atmospheric enjoyment which accompanies such certainty of purpose.

A race that could scarcely accommodate any fresh intrigue obtained a mildly sensational new dimension yesterday when the final declarations were made for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. As expected, the big prize at Ascot tomorrow is all about quality, not quantity. Only five runners stood their ground, including the Godolphin pacemaker. Few, however, had envisaged the possibility that one of the key protagonists might be partnered by a teenage apprentice who will not, in contesting so prestigious a prize, be permitted to use his claim.

So no change there, then. The dominance by Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore Stud owner partnerships of the elite Irish racing scene, and of their country's premier Classic in particular, continued yesterday when Treasure Beach became the sixth successive Irish Derby winner, and the ninth in all, to emerge from Ballydoyle.

There will still be four runners from Ballydoyle in Sunday's Irish Derby, but not the four originally envisaged. Treasure Beach, Memphis Tennessee and Seville are still on course for the Classic that has become a benefit for their trainer Aidan O'Brien, but Recital was not on top form yesterday morning and his place in the squad will be taken by Roderic O'Connor.

Penn Badgley is to portray Jeff Buckley in a new movie, it has been confirmed.

A fatal explosion last month at an American plant run by the industrial and engineering group GKN will result in a £30m one-off hit, before insurance claims, to GKN's profits, the company said yesterday.

Epsom week got off to a pretty sensational start yesterday when Kieren Fallon discarded one of the leading fancies for the Investec Derby in order to rebuild bridges with his former employers at Ballydoyle. Nor were his incentives for breaking a commitment to Native Khan confined to Recital, one of four runners for the Co Tipperary stable on Saturday. Fallon has also been booked for Wonder Of Wonders, who has outstanding prospects in the Investec Oaks the previous afternoon.

Yesterday was a time for some i-dotting and t-crossing, and a little head-scratching, in mission control at Ballydoyle. In the morning, Aidan O'Brien's squad for the Derby was finalised; a quartet – Seville, Recital, Treasure Beach and Memphis Tennessee – is set to challenge for the £1.25m Investec-sponsored purse at Epsom on Saturday, with another who might have done so, Roderic O'Connor, heading for the Prix du Jockey-Club at Chantilly the following day.