An oil painting inspired by a Bible story has won a prestigious £30,000 portrait prize.
Israeli artist Matan Ben-Cnaan picked up the BP Portrait Award for his work, for Annabelle and Guy, which shows his friend and step-daughter sitting in the sun with their pet dog.
The judges described it as a “highly charged and unsettling portrait”, and will go on show at the National Portrait Gallery in central London from Thursday.
Black cabs take vets on day trip
More than 100 London black cab drivers switched off their meters to ferry hundreds of war veterans on a day trip to the seaside.
Veterans and their carers were collected by cabbies who drove in convoy on a 30-mile (48km) journey from near Dorking in Surrey to Worthing in West Sussex.
More than 110 London black cabs created a spectacle by parking along the resort’s promenade for the annual veterans’ visit, which is now in its 67th year.
Five miss out on Disneyland trip
A primary headteacher has defended her school after five disappointed pupils missed out on a class trip to Disneyland because it was oversubscribed.
Parents of the five boys who were not allowed on the trip to northern France, which includes a day at the theme park, were angry that not enough places had been booked for the year six visit.
They were attending Whale Hill Primary School in Eston, Teesside, this week while friends were enjoying themselves abroad.
Lottery winner loses out
US police say a man accidentally left a Pennsylvania Turnpike plaza without claiming a $500 (£320) prize from a lottery scratchcard – only to have another man claim the winnings.
Troopers from the Bedford barracks say the York man accidentally left the voucher displayed on a machine at the South Midway Service Plaza on Friday.
The man had scanned the ticket to verify his winnings, but didn’t want to take a paper voucher – though he left with his winning information still displayed on the lottery machine. After this, another man walked up and claimed the winnings.
Flies force US bridge to close
US authorities say a Pennsylvania bridge was closed for a second night because of swarms of mayflies so thick that they caused accidents.
Wrightsville fire officials say the Route 462 bridge over the Susquehanna River between Columbia and Wrightsville was closed on Sunday night.
Chief Chad Livelsberger says a vehicle slowing because of the insects caused a crash, though he doesn’t believe anyone was seriously hurt. The bridge was also closed on Saturday night after three motorcycle crashes attributed to the flies.
Rare pythons stolen from shop
An Ohio pet rescue home is searching for seven rare pythons that were stolen from a shop over the weekend.
Akron Rattery and Reptile Rescue CEO Robin Everley says the snakes were taken on Saturday when thieves cut a hole in a wall in an adjacent building and broke in. She said the burglars set off the shop’s alarm, snatched the snakes and dashed away in seconds.
The snakes are all about six months old or younger and can grow up to 30ft long. She says the snakes – one of which is pregnant – are worth $6,000 (£3,800).