Slovenians rejected in a national referendum a new family law that included a highly contested clause that would allow same-sex couples to adopt children in some cases.

This winter has been a surprising one for ski tour operators, with early gloom replaced by renewed optimism.

Belgian Gianni Meersman timed his attack perfectly to win the fourth stage of the Paris-Nice race yesterday, but Briton Bradley Wiggins kept the overall lead despite Alejandro Valverde's late surge on the final climb.

Kyle Bartley left Rangers' training ground this afternoon saying talks over the players' futures remained ongoing.

The Blackpool manager, Ian Holloway, has criticised the Football Association for letting his club's winger Matt Phillips choose to represent Scotland over England.

The deeply competitive world of downhill skiing is being rocked by a heated dispute about plastic underwear and whether wearing such garments on the slopes gives racers an unfair aerodynamic advantage over their rivals.

The best-known member of Aldershot, Farnham and District Athletics Club – past or present – has been in the news this week. It was announced on Tuesday that Zola Budd is to run in the 56-mile Comrades Marathon in South Africa in June – the ultimate running challenge for the woman who famously tangled with Mary Decker in the 3,000m at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984.

British ice hockey legend Tony Hand has been named the new head coach of the Great Britain team.

Changes to family and tax policies would boost the economy

Croatia is signing its long-awaited accession treaty that will bring it into the European Union in 2013 after ratification by the legislatures of the bloc's 27 member nations.

Britain's women's eight picked up a bronze medal at the World Championships in Bled, Slovenia yesterday.

Great Britain's Peter Chambers and Kieren Emery have won gold in the lightweight men's pair at the World Championships in Bled, Slovenia.

Hull City have moved to terminate the contract of Jimmy Bullard, their £5m record signing.