Tiger Woods formally turned down the Ryder Cup captaincy Wednesday as he steps away from golf activities, and a Florida judge approved his motion to leave the country to seek treatment.

The developments come one day after Woods entered a not guilty plea to suspicion of driving under the influence when his SUV clipped the back of a trailer and flipped on its side last week on a residential road near his home on Jupiter Island, Florida.

Woods posted a statement Tuesday night saying that he was stepping away indefinitely “to seek treatment and focus on my health.”

A motion filed Wednesday by his attorney, Douglas Duncan, asked a judge that Woods be allowed to travel outside the country to begin “comprehensive inpatient treatment.”

Duncan said the recommendation from Woods’ doctor was based on the golfer’s “complex clinical presentation and the urgent need for a level of care that cannot safely or effectively be done within the United States as his privacy has been repeatedly compromised.

“Ongoing medical scrutiny and public exposure create significant barriers to his care and would result in setbacks and an inability to fully engage in treatment.”

Martin County Court Judge Darren Steele approved the motion, which did not say where the inpatient treatment facility was located.

The Ryder Cup decision by the PGA of America was not a surprise during the last five, chaotic days involving Woods dating to his Friday arrest.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

In a statement, Mills said: “The recent announcement that I am no longer contracted to the BBC has led to the publication of rumour and speculation.

“In response to this the Metropolitan Police has made a statement, which I confirm relates to me.

“An allegation was made against me in 2016 of a historic sexual offence which was the subject of a police investigation in which I fully cooperated and responded to in 2018.

“As the police have stated, a file of evidence was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, which determined that the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges.

“Since the investigation related to an allegation that dates back nearly 30 years and the police investigation was closed 7 years ago, I hope that the public and the media will understand and respect my wish not to make any further public comment on this matter.

“I wish to thank from the bottom of my heart all those who have reached out to me with kindness, my former colleagues, and my beloved listeners, who I greatly miss.”

The breakfast show host was abruptly taken off air by the BBC last week, before his sacking over allegations related to his “personal conduct” was announced on Monday.

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The 53-year-old last hosted his show on Tuesday, March 24 and signed off with: “See you tomorrow.”

He was questioned by police under caution in July 2018.

Mills was not charged with a criminal offence, and the case was closed due to a lack of evidence.

The Metropolitan Police does not identify people who are subject to an investigation before any charges are brought.

What was the Met Police statement?

A spokesperson said: “In December 2016, the Met began an investigation following a referral from another police force.

“The investigation related to allegations of serious sexual offences against a teenage boy. These were reported to have taken place between 1997 and 2000.

“As part of these inquiries, a man who was in his 40s at the time of the interview was questioned by police under caution in July 2018.

“A full file of evidence was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, who determined the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges. Following this advice, the investigation was closed in May 2019.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Scientists created virtual replicas of patients’ diseased hearts so precise that blocking a dangerous irregular heartbeat in these digital “twins” showed doctors how to better treat the real thing.

One of the first clinical trials of these custom models suggests it might improve care for ventricular tachycardia, a notoriously difficult-to-treat arrhythmia that is a major cause of sudden cardiac arrest, blamed for about 300,000 U.S. deaths a year.

The study, by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, was a small first step. The Food and Drug Administration allowed the digital twin technology to guide treatment for just 10 patients, and much larger studies will be needed.

But the results reported Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine come as doctors increasingly are exploring how a technology long used in aerospace and other industries might be harnessed for better health, too.

Dr. Jeffrey Goldberger, a heart specialist at the University of Miami who wasn’t involved with the study, experimented with more rudimentary iterations 15 years ago and praised the new findings. “This is what we envisioned,” he said.

Doctors have long used 3D models, both physical and computer-generated ones, to simulate disease and practice techniques. But Hopkins biomedical engineer Natalia Trayanova said true digital twins predict how a real organ can react to different treatments. Her lab is pioneering colorful interactive models developed with an advanced MRI scan and other data from each patient.

“We treat the twin before we treat the patient,” Trayanova said. “Did it work? And if it did, are there new things that arise” that will require more or different care?

The heart’s electrical system powers our heartbeat. Ventricular tachycardia is a super-fast heartbeat triggered when an electrical wave short-circuits in the organ’s bottom chambers, the ventricles, and prevents them from pumping blood out to the body.

“You see this heart that is basically quivering,” Trayanova said.

Medication can help but the main treatment is ablation, when doctors thread catheters to the heart to burn misfiring tissue. But it’s a bit trial-and-error, as patients spend hours under anesthesia while doctors determine where to aim. Repeat ablations are common, and many patients have an implanted defibrillator as backup.

Enter Trayanova’s digital twins of patients’ ventricles. Colors swirl on a computer screen – blue, green, yellow and orange – showing how the heart’s electrical wave moves across the chamber’s healthy areas before getting stuck on damaged tissue. It’s trapped in a circular motion that she compares to the swirl of a hurricane.

“It allows me to recreate the functioning of the patient’s organ and then predict what is the best way to ablate,” she said.

The technology locates a dysfunctional region where the electrical wave repeatedly hits. Virtually ablating it will show if that solves the problem or if another arrhythmia forms that also will need zapping. “Then we poke it again,” she explained.

Trayanova’s team created customized ablation targets for each of the 10 study participants. Cardiologists transferred them to a mapping system they use as a guide and aimed just at those targets instead of hunting their own.

More than a year later, eight patients had no arrhythmias while two experienced only a single brief episode while they were healing — better than the treatment’s typical 60% success rate, said Dr. Jonathan Chrispin, a Hopkins cardiologist and the study’s lead author. All but two also stopped their anti-arrhythmia medicine.

More importantly, cardiologists may burn away less tissue by targeting “specifically the areas that we think are critically important,” Chrispin said. “We could potentially make these procedures shorter, safer, more effective.”

The Hopkins team hopes to study the digital twin approach in a larger study with other hospitals, and has begun a trial using it to treat a more common type of irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation. Other researchers are studying digital twins for cancer care.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

A system failure caused more than 100 driverless cars to suddenly stop mid-traffic in China.

Some passengers were left stranded in their vehicles after a “system malfunction” caused the driverless robotaxis to come to a halt in Wuhan on Tuesday.

No injuries were reported.

One passenger told Chinese media that their robotaxi stopped after turning a corner.

An instruction on a screen then read: “Driving system malfunction. Staff are expected to arrive in five minutes.”

While some passengers were able to leave their cars, others were afraid to get out because they had stopped in a middle lane with traffic going by on either side, according to local reports.

Read more from Sky News:
Scott Mills releases statement after BBC sacking
Trump attends Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship

The taxis are operated by Baidu, a major Chinese internet and AI company firm that is set to bring its driverless taxis to the UK this year.

Baidu operates hundreds of robotaxis in Wuhan, which hosted an early pilot project for the company.

Uber and Lyft ‌are both planning to launch driverless taxi trials with the company.

It is the first time a mass shutdown of taxis has been reported in China.

In December, many self-driving cars in San Francisco operated by rival firm Waymo came to a sudden stop because of a power outage.

Baidu did not reply to a request from the Associated Press news agency for comment.

Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of Chelsea v Arsenal in the Women’s Champions League. 

A thrilling all-English clash awaits as Chelsea look to use their home advantage to overturn a 3-1 deficit at Stamford Bridge in their second leg against the reigning European champions. 

Arsenal saw off their Women’s Super League rivals in a dramatic contest last week at the Emirates, where goals from Stina Blackstenius, Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo helped the home side to a convincing win. 

Lauren James’s deft chip was the only positive for Chelsea on a night which left Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor fuming at the standard of refereeing after her side had two goals scratched off. 

Arsenal will fancy their chances after a resounding 5-2 North London derby win over Tottenham last weekend, although they can expect Chelsea to rouse a strong response as they bid to progress to a fourth consecutive European semi-final. “We know we can overturn this result,” were the confident words of Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze at full time.

The stats, though, are against Chelsea. Arsenal having progressed on all four previous occasions when they have gained a two-goal first-leg lead in a Uefa competition two-legged tie.

The Champions League is the one major honour missing from Chelsea’s trophy cabinet. While the club have dominated domestically, European success remains the ultimate goal – something they never managed to achieve under former manager Emma Hayes. 

Despite winning the League Cup last month, they have endured a sub-optimal season by their own lofty standards. They are nine points adrift of WSL leaders Manchester City and with three games of the league season remaining, their recent dominance in English women’s football looks set to come to a shuddering halt. 

Netflix has shared never-before-seen Age of Attraction footage exposing a love story that was completely cut from the reality series

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Netflix has released deleted scenes from Age of Attraction that unveil a hidden romance fans never got to witness. The reality programme brought together 40 singles ranging in age from 22 to 60, each given the opportunity to find love without ever discovering one another’s ages.

A Netflix synopsis teases: “Age is thrown out the window when singles search for their soulmates in this dating series. Is love truly ageless, or will the years come between them?”

The initial contestants were narrowed down to just five couples by the final commitment ceremony, where each pair decided whether they wished to continue their relationship outside of the experiment. Among them was Andrew Wheeler, 38, who departed the show with girlfriend Libby Vodicka, 22.

READ MORE: Emmerdale confirms Graham Foster poisoned Kim Tate in revenge bombshellREAD MORE: Netflix’s dystopian series fans say is ‘as good as Handmaid’s Tale’

However, it turns out Andrew had another significant connection that was cut entirely from the reality series. Tudum has unveiled previously unseen footage revealing Andrew’s romance with 39-year-old Ashley, whom he began pursuing a connection with during the retreat stage of the experiment, reports the Mirror.

The exclusive clips show Andrew and Ashley engaging in a flirtatious conversation as they reflect on their experiences in the show. Andrew is then heard drawing comparisons between his relationships with Libby and Ashley. He told Ashley: “Libby has been fun. I feel like my connection with her is a little bit different than, my connection with you. I feel like we have… it’s very calming, very chill.”

Business owner Ashley then opened up about her previous relationships, disclosing that she is a virgin and her ex “thought he could handle it but he couldn’t”.

She explained: “I haven’t told anyone else here this. I am a virgin that has been waiting for marriage. I get that’s different. I get that’s probably weird.

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“I understand it’s not for everyone. I don’t expect the person I’m with to have done that [abstinence] either. This is a very personal choice I made when I was younger, and it ties to the romantic side of me.” While Ashley was apprehensive about Andrew’s reaction, she visibly relaxed following his understanding response.

He said: “I don’t feel any type of way about that. I think if anything, it shows how strong of a person you are. And you should be proud of yourself. ” Despite their spark, Andrew subsequently ended things as he felt a stronger connection with Libby.

The new footage also uncovers little-known friendships and romances that were left on the cutting room floor. Fans will also be pleased to hear that Age of Attraction has already been commissioned for a second series, with hosts Natalie Joy and Nick Viall set to return.

Age of Attraction is streaming now on Netflix

The Met Office has placed two yellow wind warnings across Scotland over Easter as gusts are set to reach up to 90mph.

The Met Office has warned Scots to prepare essential items over the Easter weekend as two weather warnings have been put in place. The warning extends to over 59 parts of the UK across North Wales, northern England and Northern Ireland but Scotland is the only country to be included in both yellow warnings.

The national weather forecaster has advised that wind speeds could reach a staggering 90mph at times over the Easter weekend as the first yellow wind warning will cover almost all areas of Scotland. A large number of areas across north east and north west England as well as Northern Ireland and Wales will also be affected.

The warning is in place from 6pm on Saturday, April 4 until midday on Easter Sunday, April 5. The Met Office has warned that delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport are likely, and there is a chance of power cuts too.

Some buildings may also be damaged and there is a small chance of injuries “from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties”.

It added: “A rapidly deepening area of low pressure is likely to move northeastwards close to or across northwestern parts of the UK during Saturday evening and night, clearing to the North Sea by Sunday.

“Whilst there is some uncertainty over the exact track, intensity and shape of this area of low pressure, a period of strong west to southwesterly winds is expected during Saturday night and into the first part of Easter Sunday, before gradually easing through the day.

“Peak gusts of 50-60 mph will be possible fairly widely, with 60-70 mph in more exposed locations.

“There is a slight chance of some very strong winds across parts of Scotland, particularly in the west, where gusts of 80-90 mph may be possible in exposed areas for a time.”

It also urged people to prepare for power cuts by gathering “essential items” as well as torches, batteries, and a mobile phone power pack.

A second yellow warning for wind is in place for all day on Easter Sunday.

It states: “Peak gusts of 60-70 mph will be possible fairly widely, with a slight chance of 75-85 mph in some exposed areas for a time.”

The warning covers Orkney and Shetland.

Scots in these areas are again being urged to prepare essential items due to the risk of power cuts.

The warning adds: “Prepare to protect your property and people from injury.

“Check for loose items outside your home and plan how you could secure them. Items include; bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences.”

Areas covered by Met Office warning weathers over Easter Weekend

Central, Tayside & Fife

• Angus
• Clackmannanshire
• Dundee
• Falkirk
• Fife
• Perth and Kinross
• Stirling

Grampian

• Aberdeen
• Aberdeenshire
• Moray

Highlands & Eilean Siar

• Na h-Eileanan Siar
• Highland

SW Scotland, Lothian Borders

• Dumfries and Galloway
• East Lothian
• Edinburgh
• Midlothian Council
• Scottish Borders
• West Lothian

Strathclyde

• Argyll and Bute
• East Ayrshire
• East Dunbartonshire
• East Renfrewshire
• Glasgow
• Inverclyde
• North Ayrshire
• North Lanarkshire
• Renfrewshire
• South Ayrshire
• South Lanarkshire
• West Dunbartonshire

Orkney & Shetland

• Orkney Islands
• Shetland Islands

Chelsea have stepped up their interest in Jules Kounde and are ‘keeping a close eye’ on the defender ahead of the summer transfer window, according to reports in Spain.

Kounde has established himself as a regular in Hansi Flick’s starting XI and Barcelona’s hierarchy have no active plans to bring in an upgrade at right-back for next season.

And while Kounde’s level of consistency has dropped off a little from last term, when he scored the decisive goal against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final, he still has plenty of admirers in Catalonia.

There had been some positive signs of Kounde returning to his best over the winter, only for the full-back to go down with a muscle injury a month ago, meaning he has missed Barca’s last five matches in all competitions.

The France international was recently linked with Liverpool, who are in the market for a more defensive-minded right-back after capturing Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Kounde has since appeared on the radar of several other top European clubs – and Barca could consider the player’s departure should they receive a suitable offer.

The Spanish champions are well aware that Kounde has a number of potential suitors keeping tabs on the situation, with Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea all said to be circling.

City are known to be long-term admirers of Kounde, while concrete interest from both Liverpool and Chelsea in a newer development. It’s claimed all three Premier League giants are ‘keeping a close eye’ on the versatile defender.

Kounde’s current deal at the Camp Nou runs through to June 2030.

After Kounde put pen to paper on a contract extension last August, Barca’s sporting director Deco confirmed that Manchester City had made an approach for the 27-year-old.

‘There wasn’t an offer as such, but City called to ask if he was available,’ Deco explained at the time.

‘Since we told them no, there was no offer.’

While Barca ideally wish to keep Kounde ‘to avoid a potential problem’, the possibility of a sale cannot be completely ruled out, especially if the player is no longer satisfied with the salary increase he received last summer and agitates for a move.

Eric Garcia, Xavi Espart and Ronald Araujo are all capable of providing cover at right-back. Barca are also exploring a deal with Al Hilal to extend a loan for Joao Cancelo, who can operate on both flanks.

The report adds that Barca would ‘find it difficult’ to walk away from a deal for Kounde should they receive a bid in the region of €80million for the former Sevilla and Bordeaux man.

The La Liga leaders are determined to bring in an elite level striker this summer and a big-money agreement for Kounde would raise some much-needed funds for a player such as Julian Alvarez, who has emerged as their primary target up front.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

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The application by housing developer Persimonn Homes on land near Cross Lane, Sacriston, was approved by Durham County Council’s planning committee. 

A mix of bungalow and two, three, and four-bedroom homes will be built at the site, which the developer said would improve opportunities for locals to get onto the housing ladder. 

Of the 104 homes, 16 properties will be marketed to potential buyers as ‘affordable’. 

How the new estate could look. (Image: Persimmon Homes)

Tim Robson, county councillor for Sacriston and Witton Gilbert, said residents have “deep concerns” about the amount of new homes being built in the area, but said the council is at the mercy of government-imposed housing targets. 

He told the committee: “I grew up looking out over corn fields and I understand the concerns residents have. It is quite disconcerting for those living in the area. 

“I believe in protecting green belt and farmland, however, this is a central government mandate we cannot stop.”

Local parish councillors also warned about the impact the new houses would have on healthcare and education facilities. 

Kimblesworth and Plawsworth Parish Council said: “Many local people struggle to access GP appointments. While it is acknowledged there is a formula for money to follow additional patients, it would seem most likely that additional patients will make the situation even worse. 

“Opportunities for patients to register with existing NHS dentists are very rare. A similar concern was raised in relation to local school places.”

But Persimmon said it will contribute financially to local education, open space and healthcare services. 

Homes will be arranged along tree-lined streets and overlook open spaces. 

Praising the plans, Cllr James Stephenson, Reform member for Shildon and Dene Valley, said: “It’s a shame to lose the farmland but it’s a pretty good project. 

“There’s plenty of open space, it is well-related to Sacriston, and it has good access to Durham and Chester-le-Street. It’s a really good proposal.”

Work is expected to start on the site later this year. 

Olly Thompson, land director at Persimmon Durham, said: “We’re delighted to have these plans for new homes in Sacriston approved.

“This development will provide high-quality homes for first-time buyers, families and local residents alike.

“We look forward to engaging with residents and the Council to bring these exciting plans to fruition.

More than 100 new homes will be built despite concerns over a lack of local facilities. 

The application by housing developer Persimonn Homes on land near Cross Lane, Sacriston, was approved by Durham County Council’s planning committee. 

A mix of bungalow and two, three, and four-bedroom homes will be built at the site, which the developer said would improve opportunities for locals to get onto the housing ladder. 

Of the 104 homes, 16 properties will be marketed to potential buyers as ‘affordable’. 

Tim Robson, county councillor for Sacriston and Witton Gilbert, said residents have “deep concerns” about the amount of new homes being built in the area, but said the council is at the mercy of government-imposed housing targets. 

He told the committee: “I grew up looking out over corn fields and I understand the concerns residents have. It is quite disconcerting for those living in the area. 

“I believe in protecting green belt and farmland, however, this is a central government mandate we cannot stop.”

Local parish councillors also warned about the impact the new houses would have on healthcare and education facilities. 

Kimblesworth and Plawsworth Parish Council said: “Many local people struggle to access GP appointments. While it is acknowledged there is a formula for money to follow additional patients, it would seem most likely that additional patients will make the situation even worse. 

“Opportunities for patients to register with existing NHS dentists are very rare. A similar concern was raised in relation to local school places.”

But Persimmon said it will contribute financially to local education, open space and healthcare services. 

Homes will be arranged along tree-lined streets and overlook open spaces. 

Praising the plans, Cllr James Stephenson, Reform member for Shildon and Dene Valley, said: “It’s a shame to lose the farmland but it’s a pretty good project. 

“There’s plenty of open space, it is well-related to Sacriston, and it has good access to Durham and Chester-le-Street. It’s a really good proposal.”

Work is expected to start on the site later this year. 

Olly Thompson, land director at Persimmon Durham, said: “We’re delighted to have these plans for new homes in Sacriston approved.

“This development will provide high-quality homes for first-time buyers, families and residents alike.

“We look forward to engaging with residents and the council to bring these exciting plans to fruition.