Jane McDonald is leaving ITV1's Loose Women after six years to concentrate on her music career, she is set to announce. The 47-year-old star - who first found fame in fly-on-the-wall show.

The Cruise - will tell viewers about her departure during Friday afternoon's show. But she is leaving the door open for a return to the programme in the future and says she will be back.

Jane has been a regular on the show, alongside figures such as Lynda Bellingham, Carol McGiffin and Denise Welch. She will be touring the UK and Australia, as well as working on a DVD and album and said: "There just isn't enough time to do everything."

"I am going to be taking some time out from Loose Women purely because things are going to be a bit hectic over the next few months," she said. "I have had an absolute ball over the last six years and am going to miss everyone so much. But don't worry, when it's calmed down a bit I'll be back."

Researchers found women who regularly wore high heels for extended periods suffered more aches because their muscles were overstretched and could not relax.

They found that wearing a pair of shoes shortened fibres in their calve muscles as the heel of the foot was elevated. The scientists at Manchester Metropolitan University then discovered the Achilles' tendon became thicker and stiffer meaning it was harder to stretch the feet out to walk.

They said it could explain why women could wear high heels for hours but experience feet aches after removing them. In their study, published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, the team used volunteers aged between 20 and 50 who had regularly worn 5cm high heels for two years or more.

They tested a final group of 11 who felt uncomfortable walking without their heels and recruited a second group of women who did not wear high heels.

Using ultrasound to measure the length of muscle fibres in the women's calf muscles, they found high heel wearers were 13 per cent shorter than those who wore flat shoes.

"This confirmed the hypothesis that when you place the muscle in a shorter position, the fibres become shorter,” said Prof Marco Narici, who led the study.

Read the complete story

Researchers found the typical female will have her hair layered, shortened or coloured twice a year between the ages of 13 and 65 – or 104 times in her life. The main reasons for a shift in style are "boredom'" with their current look or the end of a relationshipIt also emerged the average female tries out three different colours over the years, while one in four experiments with up to five shades.

The statistics were uncovered in a report commissioned by award-winning hairdresser Andrew Collinge. He said: "Women have always used their hair as a way of altering their appearance as it often has the greatest impact visually. "My feeling is that women are changing their looks little and often rather than dramatic changes.

"For example, you can add modern texture without altering the length just by adding some layers or by drying and styling differently – think Jennifer Aniston. "Hopefully, with the help and advice of their hairdresser they are making these smaller changes to a style which already suits them – hence reaching almost 100 styles.

Read the complete story

When the U.S. Women's Open last visited Oakmont Country Club in 1992,  Patty Sheehan prevailed over  Juli Inkster in a Monday playoff after matching four-day totals of 4-under par. No word whether the U.S. Golf Association was showing mercy.

Oakmont and the USGA last tested the game's top men three years ago, when Angel Cabrera won at 5 over — and hardly anyone complained about a tricked-up layout. Judging from early reviews, this Women's Open will more resemble that affair than the 1992 version.

Perhaps the best confrontation to watch this week at the U.S. Women's Open outside Pittsburgh is not among the players but rather the competitors collectively against the course. Remember, the last time the men played an Open at Oakmont GC, Angel Cabrera won in 2007 with the robust total of five-over-par 285, one stroke better than either Tiger Woods or Jim Furyk could manage. Anyone like 300 in the over/under pool?

No course has held more major championships than Oakmont, and no course has so consistently identified great champions. Among those to win the nine U.S. Opens, five U.S. Amateur and three PGA Championships played here are Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller and Ernie Els.

Read the complete story

Organizers of the all-female Lilith Fair festival tour, co-founded by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan in 1997, announced on Thursday that they would cancel almost one-third of the scheduled shows. Lilith, which kicked off in Calgary on Sunday after an 11-year break, is to drop such big markets as Montreal, Houston and Dallas, with organizers citing "one of the most challenging summer concert seasons."

To be sure, it is not just a gender issue. Artists such as Christina Aguilera, the Eagles, Rihanna, John Mayer, Limp Bizkit, and the Go-Go's have either canceled shows or entire tours. U2 also canceled a big stadium tour, but that was after singer Bono suffered a back injury.

Read the complete story

As captain of her All-Star squad, Marta wasted little time in showing how it's done Wednesday. The FC Gold Pride forward scored the opening goal in the seventh minute, then scored again two minutes later to lead Marta's XI to a 5-2 victory over Abby's XI in the Women's Professional Soccer league All-Star game in Kennesaw, Ga.

"I brought up my powerful left foot," Marta said with a smile. "I tried to hit it in there, and it went in." FC Gold Pride forward Christine Sinclair scored in the 31st minute for a 3-0 lead, and Marta's XI were never really challenged.

Gold Pride goalkeeper Karen Bardsley was unable to play after breaking her collarbone in practice Tuesday. Bardsley is expected to miss six weeks. The game at KSU Stadium, home of the Atlanta Beat, drew an announced crowd of 4,610.

Hey, wait a second. That trophy looks exactly like a...wow. Hoo boy, that ain't right. I have no idea which tournament thought it would be a good idea to hand out.

A phallic-shaped trophy at a women's golf event or exactly when Miss Kerr's lips met trophy and became part of internet infamy, but there you have it.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your point of view), the non-phallic-shaped trophy presented to the winner of the LPGA Championship does not provide.

The possibility for unintentional, awkward hilarity like the trophy to the right. Nevertheless, Kerr, instead of.

Read the complete story

The Hockey Hall of Fame is no longer just for male inductees. Cammi Granato and Angela James changed that on Tuesday when they became the first women elected to be enshrined in Toronto.

Along with former NHL All-Star Dino Ciccarelli, Granato and James will go in as part of the players category during an induction ceremony in November.

Longtime Red Wings executive Jimmy Devellano and the late Daryl (Doc) Seaman - a founding owner of the Calgary Flames - were elected as builders.

While women had always been eligible for induction, the Hall made it easier for them to be voted in when it established a women's subcategory this year.

Up to four male players are eligible for induction annually, but only Ciccarelli was voted in Tuesday. Eric Lindros and Joe Nieuwendyk were potential contenders among NHL players in their first year of eligibility that didn't receive enough support.

Read the complete story

Ms Suu Kyi has been under house arrest since the military junta swept aside her opposition party's victory in the 1990 elections. Critics say she has been detained to keep her from contesting national elections later this year Some of nation's most prominent women including Australian Council of .

Trade Unions (ACTU) president Sharan Burrow, Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop and Minister for Women Tanya Plibersek have banded together to campaign against Ms Suu Kyi's arrest. Ms Bishop met with Ms Suu Kyi previously and says she is an inspiration. "As she told me her story I was struck by her resilience," she said.

"We must never rest in sending the message that the people of Burma deserve freedom and democracy and Aung San Suu Kyi deserves our absolute total commitment to her cause." The Burmese military has not set a date for her release.