Laura Kenny named Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year

_92892933_laura

Four-time Olympic gold medallist Laura Kenny has been named the 2016 Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year.

The Great Britain hockey side who won gold at Rio 2016 have been named Team of the Year.

Cyclist Kenny won team pursuit and omnium gold during the summer.

The 24-year-old beat fellow cyclist Sarah Storey, who has won 14 Paralympic gold medals and Jade Jones, who successfully defended her Olympic taekwondo title, to the prize.

Nicola Adams (boxing), Charlotte Dujardin (equestrianism) Johanna Konta (tennis) were the other nominees.  More

Margaret Thatcher tops Woman’s Hour Power List

mrs-tMargaret Thatcher has topped a list of the women who have had the biggest impact on women’s lives over the past 70 years.

Fictional heroine Bridget Jones and singer Beyonce were also named on the list, which was compiled by BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour.

Seven people were picked for the Power List to mark the show’s 70th birthday.

While Thatcher topped the list, the other women who appear on it were not ranked in any order.

Feminist academic Germaine Greer also made the cut, as did Helen Brook, who set up the Brook Advisory Centres in 1964 offering contraceptive advice to unmarried women.

The other names listed were Barbara Castle, the Labour MP who brought in the Equal Pay Act in 1970, and Jayaben Desai, who campaigned against low pay and poor conditions for women workers.  More_92954312_castle_bbc

Rogue One’s Felicity Jones says female action heroes are now ‘the norm’

_92962819_rogue3

Rogue One actress Felicity Jones has said the number of lead roles for women in action films is a “a wonderful moment for cinema”.

Jones, who plays Jyn Erso in the new Star Wars spin-off, said “it means a huge amount” to be the first woman to have top billing in a Star Wars movie.

She said: “It’s absolutely time that we had female leads and as many females leading films as we do men.

“It’s a very exciting time to be an actress.”

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story had its UK premiere in London on Tuesday and is released around the world this week.  More

Don’t buy pink toys for girls, parents told

_92889977_makeupthinkst

Parents are being warned against buying pink, gender-stereotyped toys this Christmas, so as not to deter girls from getting into science.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology claims such stereotypes could be putting girls off engineering and technology.

Its analysis of top retailers and search engine results found 89% of toys aimed at girls were pink.

Only 11% of girls’ toys focused on science, technology or engineering.

Conversely, nearly a third (31%) of toys aimed at boys had a such a focus.  More