A new report has found that the number of people who have been diagnosed with cancer has risen by more than a quarter in the last decade.
The report, by the Cancer Research UK, said that the number of people diagnosed with cancer in the UK has risen by more than a quarter in the last decade.
The

Owners of exotic animals have been urged to do research before having them as pets after a seriously neglected chameleon was found in Cardiff Bay.

Article: Children faced the same pressures as their parents and grandparents as savings rates fell, Moneyfacts said.
The financial information service said some accounts paid just 0.1% a year.
Annual interest paid on a typical child savings account, including fixed term and variable accounts, has fallen from 1.61% a year ago to 1.39% now.
A government-backed advice service said that the rates were falling but children should still be urged to save.
Andrew Johnson, from the Money Advice Service, said: "While this may make the prospect of saving less attractive, it's important that people understand the importance of building up a savings buffer."
Last month the service said that more than 16 million adults in the UK have savings of less than £100.
He said that children should be included in the process of setting up savings, and parents should shop around for the best deals to suit everyone's needs.
Children's savings accounts had collectively been the subject of more than 100 rate cuts over the course of the year, according to Moneyfacts.
Those accounts, which have a fluid, or variable, interest rate, have seen rates cut after the Bank of England cut its base rate in August. Most variable rate savings accounts for adults have also been hit by this change.
The best paying accounts still pay nearly 3% a year in interest - higher than the rising cost of living. The worst still pay well below the rate of inflation.
"It is hugely disappointing to see children's savings accounts facing the same treatment as adult accounts," said Rachel Springall, of Moneyfacts.
"As the majority of child savers pay variable rates, they are in danger of rate changes at any moment, so it's worthwhile to be diligent in checking the savings pot on a regular basis and not put up with any paltry interest."
Young savers can get a better return by signing up to accounts that tie them in to making a fixed level of regular saving, while their families can also get slightly better rates on Junior Isas.
These Isas - a variation on regular tax-free...

Summary: Some children might as well put their pocket money in a piggy bank rather than an actual bank owing to poor rates of interest, research suggests.
###
Article: A regional breakdown of installations published by the Stephen Nolan Show on Radio Ulster shows the biggest cluster is around Dungannon, County Tyrone.
There are 342 boilers there - about one-in-six of the total.
The statistics show the total of 2,128 recipients are split roughly between commercial and farming interests.
Around Ballymena and Ballymoney there are 276 boilers.
Poultry farmers are heavily represented, accounting for 871 of the installations.
The two main clusters are close to Moy Park's processing plants in Northern Ireland, in Ballymena and Dungannon.
Poultry farmers use the boilers to heat chicken houses where the birds are reared.
Many switched from LPG gas to biomass in recent years.
Other areas where there are significant numbers of boilers by postcode include Armagh which has 112 and Omagh which has 82.
Last week, Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir said a Moy Park briefing with his officials had raised "issues" about the operation of the RHI scheme.
Moy Park later issued a statement but made no reference to those issues.
On Monday, the former DETI minister Jonathan Bell claimed under assembly privilege that he had been told DUP special advisers Timothy Johnston and John Robinson had extensive interests in the poultry industry, and that he would not be allowed to reduce the RHI tariff as a result.
The DUP later issued a statement of categorical denial on behalf of both men.
John Robinson said he had "no personal interest" in the poultry industry. He said two of his brothers were poultry farmers but were not in the RHI.
Timothy Johnston said he had "no family connections to the poultry industry". He said he had two brothers in law in the poultry industry but neither had any connection with the RHI.
On Tuesday, Mr Bell said he was prepared to repeat allegations he made about the role played by special advisers in the RHI scheme, to a judge-led inquiry.
He was speaking during an an opposition debate in the Assembly calling for a public inquiry into the controversial scheme.
He also made...

Summary: Most companies on the lucrative RHI scheme are based in mid-Ulster and north Antrim, according to information passed to the BBC.
###
Article: The panther chameleon was found on Monday by a dog walker in the wooded area at Marl Park.
It had to be put down after X-rays showed all of its legs were broken and it had a deformed spine.
RSPCA Cymru said it was an "extremely sad example of an abandoned and neglected exotic pet".
Inspector Selina Chan said: "It is a possibility that the owners took on this animal but were unable to provide the care he needs and decided to release him to the wild.
"We are urging potential owners of exotic animals to thoroughly research what is required in the care of the particular species before taking one on.
"Potential owners need to make sure they can give their animal the environment it needs and they have the facilities, time, financial means and long-term commitment to maintain a good standard of care, as required under the Animal Welfare Act 2006."
She added it was illegal to release non-native species into the wild.

Summary:


The US and Russia are in talks about a possible military base in Syria, according to a senior US official.
The US is operating warplanes against so-called Islamic State targets in Syrian airspace and Israel too is concerned about the potential constraints on its military freedom of action over southern Syria.
That's why Mr Netanyahu

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to allay Israeli concerns at Russia's military build-up in Syria.

Article: The Sheffield City Region was one of 38 places to bid for increased control in how public money is spent in its area.
The deal - part of the government's northern powerhouse programme - will require the support of local councils and be subject to public consultation.
As part of the deal, a Sheffield City Region mayor will be elected in 2017.
The mayor will be responsible for transport budgets and strategic planning.
The agreement means the Sheffield City Region will also have access to a pot of government money - Â£30m a year over 30 years - enabling Sheffield to boost local growth and invest in local manufacturing and innovation.
The mayor will chair meetings for Sheffield City Region Combined Authority.
The city region is comprised of the nine local authority areas of Barnsley, Bassetlaw, Bolsover, Chesterfield, Derbyshire Dales, Doncaster, North East Derbyshire, Rotherham and Sheffield.
Mr Osborne said Sheffield was "forging ahead" in creating a northern powerhouse.
He said: "We have signed this historic deal to transfer power from Whitehall to South Yorkshire, to an elected mayor accountable to local people, so that the decisions that affect this area are taken by local people."
The chancellor described the northern powerhouse as "a collection of northern cities sufficiently close to each other that combined they can take on the world" when he unveiled the plan for devolution in England's cities in June 2014.
Last November, he announced Greater Manchester was to have an elected mayor and next year the region is to become the first in England to get full control of its health spending.
The Sheffield City Region deal jumped the queue to be announced because it was the most clearly defined bid from clusters of local authorities across the country.
All four big South Yorkshire district councils, together with five smaller ones in the North Midlands, have been in agreement for some time that their economies are so closely linked that they are the obvious partners to take on extra powers and budgets from...

Summary: Chancellor George Osborne has signed an agreement with political leaders in South Yorkshire paving the way for an elected mayor for the region.
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Article: EU trade ministers are discussing the Ceta deal in Luxembourg, and Wallonia's concerns cannot be ignored. Belgium's national government backs the deal.
Walloon MPs say Ceta favours Canadian firms and they want more safeguards for Belgian farmers.
It is the EU's biggest trade deal yet.
Going into the Luxembourg meeting, Mr Reynders said: "The federal government is in favour [of Ceta] but we have to convince particularly Wallonia.
"I'm in permanent contact with the Walloon prime minister. I hope we'll be able to move forward at the summit."
Trade will be a major issue at the two-day EU summit in Brussels, which starts on Thursday.
EU leaders hope to sign Ceta - the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement - with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on 27 October. The negotiations started in 2009.
Some UK politicians see Ceta as a possible model for a Brexit deal with the EU. It will not allow the degree of EU market access that UK services currently enjoy. And Ceta does not involve EU-style free movement of people.
Would Ceta be a good model for the UK?
Walloon PM Paul Magnette said he was expecting the European Commission to present an additional text addressing his region's concerns.
On Friday the Walloon parliament, representing 3.6m people, voted against Ceta.
European Parliament briefing on Ceta
The deal requires approval by all six regional and community parliaments in Belgium, as well as the EU's national parliaments, and the European Parliament, to take full effect.
But parts of the deal can be implemented before full ratification.
One of the most controversial areas - special investor courts to handle commercial disputes - will have to await full ratification of Ceta.
"If there are safeguard clauses for the Canadians to legitimately protect their markets against possible European exports, which might threaten them, then why not have reciprocal clauses [for Europe] too?" Mr Magnette said.
"We in Wallonia are coming under huge pressure - and sometimes we're getting barely disguised threats," he told...

Summary: Belgium's Foreign Minister Didier Reynders says EU leaders may agree on a landmark EU-Canada trade deal this week - but only if objections from his country's Wallonia region can be met.
###
Article: At talks in Moscow, he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Russia's actions in the Middle East would always be "responsible".
Mr Netanyahu is concerned by the possibility of Israeli and Russian forces inadvertently trading fire.
Israel has periodically struck inside Syria against militants it says have been plotting attacks against it.
It has also responded to shellfire from forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who Russia has backed throughout the four-year uprising against his rule.
But in the past week, US officials have confirmed reports that the Russian military has sent warplanes, helicopters, tanks, artillery guns, armoured personnel carriers and 200 marines to an airfield near Mr Assad's ancestral home in Latakia province.
They believe Moscow plans to turn the airfield into a forward operating base that could allow it to send a large number of troops to Syria and launch air strikes.
Israel is believed to have previously targeted Syrian and Iranian weapons convoys in Syria meant for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, though it has not officially acknowledged this.
Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Moscow comes at a time of deepening Russian military involvement in Syria.
The arrival of Russian fixed-wing combat aircraft at the airbase in Latakia only accentuates the questions surrounding Moscow's military presence there.
According to satellite photos obtained by Stratfor - a US think-tank - the jets appear to be four Sukhoi Su-30 multi-role fighters and up to a dozen possible SU-25 ground attack aircraft.
Their deployment came shortly after initial military-to-military contacts between the US and the Russians at the end of last week.
The US is operating warplanes against so-called Islamic State targets in Syrian airspace and Israel too is concerned about the potential constraints on its military freedom of action over southern Syria.
That's why Mr Netanyahu visited Moscow. Clearly all three countries need to have some sense of what the other might potentially be doing if a...

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The BBC has launched a new website to help people find out more about the BBC's coverage of the 2014 World Cup.
The BBC World Cup 2014 website is the first of its kind, and will be updated throughout the tournament.
It will provide a comprehensive guide to the BBC's coverage of the tournament, including the

Confidence in the England team is high ahead of Saturday's opening World Cup match against Italy, according to a study of words relating to football.

Article: His departure comes just weeks after Microsoft launched Windows 8, the latest edition of its flagship product, seen as key to the firm's future.
Microsoft did not give any reason for Mr Sinofsky's departure.
However, one industry watcher suggested there had been talk of an internal "war" between Mr Sinofsky and chief executive Steve Ballmer.
Markets took the news badly, with Microsoft's shares ending the trading day on Tuesday 4% lower.
The company said Julie Larson-Green would be promoted to lead all Windows software and hardware engineering.
"This is shocking news. This is very surprising," said Brendan Barnicle, an analyst at Pacific Crest Securities.
He added that many observers saw Mr Sinofsky as a potential successor to Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's chief executive.
In a letter to all employees, published by Forbes, Mr Sinofsky set out to quell the rumours about his departure.
"Some might notice a bit of chatter speculating about this decision or timing. I can assure you that none could be true as this was a personal and private choice that in no way reflects any speculation or theories one might read - about me, opportunity, the company or its leadership," he said.
By Rory Cellan-JonesTechnology correspondent
Sinofsky's exit, just weeks after the launch of Windows 8, raises questions about the future direction of the business, not least because he was seen as a credible successor to Ballmer.
A 23 year veteran of the company, he was a familiar figure to anyone who attended a Microsoft launch, a polished performer explaining just why we should be excited about the latest innovations in the Windows operating system.
Read Rory's full blog
"It is impossible to count the blessings I have received over my years at Microsoft," he added.
Michael Gartenberg, an analyst with research firm Gartner, said that Mr Sinofsky's were big boots to fill.
"The reasons why he left don't matter all that much but the big question is about how Microsoft fills the void," he said.
"He did a lot more than head up a division, he had a...

Summary: Steven Sinofsky, the head of Microsoft's Windows division, has left the company with immediate effect.
###
Article: The items at Rievaulx Abbey, near Helmsley, North Yorkshire, are being displayed following a Â£1.8m redevelopment by English Heritage.
Objects on display include a half-tonne lead bar stamped with Henry's emblem which is all that remains of the abbey's roofs and windows.
Rievaulx Abbey was destroyed by royal command in 1538.
Other exhibits include medieval stone carvings, chess pieces and gold coins that tell the story of the first Cistercian abbey in the north of England.
Dr Michael Carter, for English Heritage, said: "Rievaulx Abbey is one of the most important abbeys in England and the setting one of the most beautiful.
"It was a place of huge spiritual significance for the country and one utterly transformed by dramatic upheavals under Henry VIII."
Rievaulx was founded in 1132 and at its peak in the 1160s was home to more than 600 men.
Many of the ruined buildings seen today were constructed by Aelred, abbot from 1147 to 1167, who became the most prominent religious figure of his day in England.
It was one of more than 800 monasteries closed by Henry VIII and his chief minister Thomas Cromwell following the reformation which severed the English church from Rome.

Summary: Artefacts from an abbey destroyed by Henry VIII have gone on display for the first time in nearly 500 years.
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Article: Cambridge University Press is analysing media coverage during Brazil 2014 and scoring 'confidence levels' out of 100.
The score rises and falls dependent on the words used to describe England.
Confidence was measured at 38 after the 2-2 draw with Ecuador on 4 June and 40 following the 0-0 draw with Honduras on 8 June but rose to 77 a day later.
England's current rating is 70, going into the game in Manaus, according to the Cambridge Confidence Index.
Researchers have analysed and assessed millions of words from a wide range of media sources over the past two weeks.
Cambridge University Press's Dr Claire Dembry said: "The breadth of sources means we're able to give a unique insight into the mood surrounding the England team.
"It's interesting to see that the nation is in confident spirits ahead of the Italy game, despite some fairly lacklustre performances against Ecuador and Honduras."
Words such as "progress",  "strong" and "joy" have increasingly been used by players, coaching staff and fans.
Midfielder Adam Lallana, 26, and 18-year-old Luke Shaw, who are both seeking to leave Southampton, have been described more positively than any other England player.
Neymar, who scored twice in Brazil's 3-1 victory over Croatia, was the most talked about player after the opening match.
"Controversial" was identified as the word of the day following the disputed penalty for Brazil's first goal and anti-World Cup protests in several host cities.
Cambridge will track positive and negative indicators throughout the tournament, in order to measure changes in the perceived confidence in the England team.

Summary:


The UK's biggest supermarket chain has been accused of "unfair" pricing after it raised the price of a loaf of bread by Â£1.
Tesco said the price rise was to "reflect the rising cost of wheat".
The price of a loaf of bread has risen by Â£1 in

A woman has won a gold award at national baking competition by entering a life-sized Jennifer Lawrence cake.

Article: The Tory minister was giving evidence to the Treasury select committee which is examining the Smith Commission plan.
Mr Osborne said it would be up to Scotland to decide whether to vary future tax rates and therefore spark "competition".
He added that Holyrood would bear the consequences of using its new powers.
On Thursday the draft Scotland Bill is due to be published.
That represents the next stage in a process to send more powers across the border.
During the Scottish independence referendum campaign, the Tories, Labour and Liberal Democrats vowed to give greater responsibility to Holyrood if voters said "No".
On 18 September, the electorate decided 55% to 45% against change.
Lord Smith, who headed the devolution commission, recommended that control over income tax would be shared between the UK and Scottish parliaments.
But within this framework, MSPs would have the power to freely set the rates of income tax and the thresholds of Scottish taxpayers.
Mr Osborne was asked whether that move could lead to "tax competition".
He told the committee: "Ultimately that is a decision primarily for the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish government as to whether they pursue that or not.
"I think it is quite interesting that off the back of the changes we announced at the Autumn Statement to stamp duty that then led to the Scottish government saying it would revisit its proposals on stamp duty.
"You could say that that is a bit of tax competition in action."
The committee quizzed the chancellor in detail about the Smith Commission principle that there there should be no "detriment" to either Scotland or the rest of the UK in regard to tax receipts and spending.
Mr Osborne explained to committee chairman Andrew Tyrie: "The no detriment principle is around the adjustments to the block grant connected with the loss or additional tax revenues that come from the first round effects and potentially behavioural effects.
"But I think it is important, and I think this is fundamental to what everyone is trying to establish...

Summary: Chancellor George Osborne has told MPs that new powers being handed to Scotland could result in a UK-wide competition over tax rates.
###
Article: Cycling charity CTC made the accusation after the cross-Channel service said it would be storing bikes from 1 November in what is known as a "bike box" - meaning the bike has to be dismantled.
The change would discourage cyclists from using Eurostar, the charity said.
But Eurostar said the new storage method used space more efficiently.
"The only change is that bikes will now need to be carried in a bike box, which we are happy to provide," a Eurostar spokesman said.
"When packaging bikes in this way, they take up less space which means that we can carry more bikes, or any other type of luggage."
Currently cyclists can take a bicycle on board and pay a Â£30 fee for it to be carried via a registered luggage system. The bike is hung on a storage rack by its tyres, and Eurostar estimates that at the moment they have the capacity to take around eight bikes per train.
But from 1 November cyclists will have to dismantle their bikes to put them into a box and reassemble them when they reach their destination.
Eurostar said its staff would be on hand to help cyclists getting bikes into the boxes, and it would accommodate any size bike box if cyclists wanted to bring their own.
Transport for London (TfL) allows folding bikes on all of its London Tube services but only permits non-folded bikes at some stations.
On its buses, folded bikes are allowed at the "driver's discretion".
Train companies' policies on bikes vary: Virgin Trains requires customers to reserve a space for non-folded bikes, while Southern prohibits non-folding bikes on some of its rush-hour services.
Coach companies National Express and Megabus only allow folded bikes, while Stagecoach allows non-folding bikes on a limited number of services.
Airlines tend to permit bikes but usually require them to be packaged in a box or bag and often charge a fee.
But CTC chief executive Paul Tuohy argued dismantling the bike - including taking wheels off - would be "too difficult" for some riders.
He said: "There is nothing sustainable about this policy, as it...

Summary: A planned change in the way Eurostar stores bikes for travel has led to claims it is treating cyclists like "third-class passengers".
###
Article: Lara Clarke, from Walsall, won the award at the Cake International contest with her 5ft 10in (1.7m) creation, inspired by the Hunger Games star.
Ms Clarke previously triumphed at the contest with a life-sized Johnny Depp cake, which made headlines around the world.
She said she found her second consecutive success "hugely exciting".
Ms Clarke also won silver in the large decorative exhibit section at the competition, with a cake based on her favourite Game of Thrones character Tyrion Lannister.
She spent two-and-a-half months working on the cakes ahead of the competition at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre,
The Jennifer Lawrence sponge cake required 150 eggs, 10kg (22lb) flour and 10kg butter.
When asked what she planned to enter next  year, she said she would need a "long lie down" before she decided.
Clare Fisher, senior sales executive at Cake International, said the standard of entries was "breathtaking".

Summary:


A new study has found that people who are overweight or obese are more likely to be diagnosed with depression than those who are not.
The study, published in the journal Obesity, found that people who are overweight or obese are more likely to be diagnosed with depression than those who are not.
The study, which involved

Make Your Move has caught up with BBC Radio 5 live's Anna Foster, who has completed week one of the Couch to 5k Challenge.

Article: The proposals would see more than 10,000 sq m of floor space built over the next decade at Lincoln Science and Innovation Park.
Director Tom Blount said the new Â£22m facilities would help attract larger science and technology companies.
Plans have been submitted to the City of Lincoln Council.
More on this and other local stories from across Lincolnshire
The science park, which is a partnership between Lincolnshire Co-op and the University of Lincoln, established in 2012, has already seen the creation of academic research laboratories, and other smaller high-tech businesses.
Phase one of the science park also saw the completion of the Boole Technology Centre, in February.
Mr Blount said the expansion plans (phase two) would compliment what already exists while bringing in larger firms with a focus on agricultural - advanced engineering and digital technologies.
"This site was at the heart of the Ruston Bucyrus factory until 25 years ago, with thousands of people coming here to work," he added.
"It's a great sadness that what we are left with is basically car parking and storage space."
He added that, if approved, the development would provide "huge opportunities" for technology businesses in the region, and help regenerate the area.

Summary: Plans to expand a science park could create up to 1,000 jobs and provide "huge opportunities" for high-tech firms, its director has said.
###
Article: Speaking at a Mississippi rally, he said his opponent "sees people of colour only as votes not as human beings worthy of a better future".
Mr Trump added that Mrs Clinton and the Democratic party had taken advantage of the African-American community.
Mrs Clinton fired back, saying "he is taking a hate movement mainstream".
The Democratic presidential nominee called out Mr Trump for questioning the citizenship of President Barack Obama and for failing to disavow former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, adding that he was "peddling bigotry and prejudice and paranoia".
Mr Trump took aim at Mrs Clinton during a campaign stop in Jackson, Mississippi, on Wednesday, where he was joined by Britain's outgoing UKIP leader Nigel Farage.
Mr Farage, who is viewed as a major force behind the UK's exit from the EU, told Trump supporters to "get your walking boots on" and begin campaigning.
In recent days, Mr Trump has attempted to court African-Americans after failing to gain support among this key voting bloc.
Only about 2% of black voters say they will vote for the New York businessman, according to current polls.
It's a standard part of the American political playbook not just to try to exploit your campaign opponent's weaknesses, but also to diminish his or her perceived strengths.
George W Bush adviser Karl Rove mastered this manoeuvre, best displayed in the 2004 attacks against John Kerry, a decorated veteran, for his Vietnam military service.
So it's not exactly stunning that Donald Trump is attempting to undermine what a bedrock of Hillary Clinton's campaign - her support among minority voters, particularly blacks.
The trick, however, is there has to be some appearance of substance behind the charges for them to stick. The reason Kerry was so damaged in 2004 was because the hits came from his fellow veterans and not Mr Bush.
Mr Trump's calling Mrs Clinton a bigot in a few speeches is likely to bounce off the Democratic nominee if that's all there is. A wealthy - white - New York billionaire telling blacks how terrible...

Summary: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has accused Democratic rival Hillary Clinton of being a "bigot" in his latest appeal to minority voters.
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Article: Media playback is not supported on this device
Anna has started the challenge, which is a BBC Get Inspired and Public Health England's One You campaign, especially designed for people who have done little or no running.
The campaign is a nine-week plan, starting with a brisk walk and ending with a 5k run.
If you want to start your own Couch to 5K Challenge just like Anna, visit the Make Your Move website.
And you won't be on your own - choose your trainer from some familiar faces. Radio DJ Jo Whiley; comedian and actor Sanjeev Kohli; 13-time Olympic and World Championship gold medallist Michael Johnson and comedian Sarah Millican will talk you through your run and support you every step of the way.
Impress yourself. Take on the challenge.

Summary:


A new drug could help people with cystic fibrosis breathe easier.
Article: A new drug could help people with cystic fibrosis breathe easier.
Summary: A new drug could help people with cystic fibrosis breathe easier.
Article: A new drug could help people with cystic fibrosis breathe easier

The first Church of England vicar to marry a same-sex partner has accused the church of being "institutionally homophobic".

Article: The Commerce Department said gross domestic product rose at an annual pace of 2.1%, not the 1.5% rate it reported last month.
Consumer spending was revised down slightly, although this was offset by growth in other economic areas.
Even with the GDP revision, growth still slowed from an annual pace of 3.9% in the second quarter.
However, in the second quarter of the year the economy was rebounding from the impact of the harsh winter weather experienced at the start of the year, which slowed the US economy to a crawl.
The better third quarter growth is still likely to fuel speculation that the US Federal Reserve is ready to raise interest rates next month.
The upward revision by the Commerce Department puts the US economy on course to grow at least 2% in the second half. It comes in the wake of strong jobs growth in October.
"Domestic demand in the US economy remains very solid, something that will surely give comfort to the Fed as it ponders its next move," said Robert Kavcic, a senior economist at BMO Capital Markets.
The main factor behind the upward revision to the growth figure was the discovery that businesses had restocked their inventories at a faster pace than first estimated.
Consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of US economic activity, grew at a 3% rate, down from the 3.2% rate estimated last month.
Growth in business investment slowed to a rate of 3.4% from 5.2% in the previous quarter. That was mainly due to a sharp drop in spending on oil and gas exploration by energy firms because of the weak oil price.

Summary: US economic growth for the third quarter has been revised up, helped by stronger investment and house building.
###
Article: Lynovex, developed by Aberdeen-based bio-technology company Novabiotics, is one of a number of new drugs being worked on to tackle the condition.
Cystic fibrosis affects one in every 2,500 babies born in Britain.
Sufferers often die before they reach 40 as mucus from the disease damages their lungs, risking infection.
Lynovex controls the bacteria and fungi that causes lung infections and could help the lungs to work effectively for as long as possible.
The results of Phase II clinical trials are due to be presented today in Brussels at the annual conference of the European Cystic Fibrosis Society.
Aberdeen-based Novabiotics concentrates on developing drugs for conditions which are rare or difficult to treat.
Last month, it was announced that a new combination drug had been developed which stops the genetic disorder damaging the lungs.
However, although the new drug is suitable for a lot of patients, it is not yet a 100% cure and there remains a critical need for more effective, safe, long-term treatments.
Lynovex breaks down the sticky mucus in the lungs of patients.
The active component of the new medicine is Cysteamine, a drug used for 20 years to treat an unrelated rare condition called cystinosis.
The fact it is already approved for clinical use means it could be quickly approved for use on people with cystic fibrosis.
"We know it's safe," said Novabiotics principal scientist Dr Douglas Fraser-Pitt. "Now we just need to prove its effectiveness in this group of patients in further trials.
"It has the potential to make a big difference to care.
"It is also a re-purposed drug so there is lots of potential for this drug to reach everyone who needs it quickly."

Summary: Scottish researchers believe a new drug could ease the symptoms of people with cystic fibrosis.
###
Article: He made the comments after he was told he would not get a new parish when he leaves his existing one in London.
The Reverend Andrew Foreshew-Cain is leaving his congregation in West Hampstead as he is moving to the Peak District with his husband.
He said he felt under constant pressure being a gay man working in the Church.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live's Stephen Nolan, he said: "The people of the Church of England, the worshipping congregations up and down the country are amazing people who worship and serve their local communities and do tremendous amounts of good in lots of places and for the most part they are welcoming and accepting of the LGBTI community.
"The problem is with the leadership of the Church which maintains and promotes policies and practices which are discriminatory against LGBTI people."
He added: "There's this constant pressure of being a gay man working for the Church of England, in an institution which is institutionally homophobic and has policies and attitudes towards the LGBT community which are harmful."
Father Foreshew-Cain has been a vicar for 27 years and is the vicar of St Mary with All Souls, Kilburn, and St James in West Hampstead.
He has told his congregation he plans to leave in July as his husband is now working 200 miles away.
He said after he married in 2014, he received a letter from his bishop saying he would not be allowed to work in another job within the Church.
"That's discrimination and in any other part of the world that would be illegal," he said.
A spokesperson for the diocese of London said: "Andrew Foreshew-Cain is currently a member of the clergy in the Diocese of London.
"We understand that he has plans to move to Manchester for personal reasons but the diocese has not received his resignation at this time."

Summary:


A new study has found that the use of e-cigarettes is associated with a higher risk of developing heart disease.
Article: A new study has found that the use of e-cigarettes is associated with a higher risk of developing heart disease.
Summary: A new study has found that the use of e-cigarettes

A study comparing the effect of e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes on smokers' health is being launched by Dundee University.

Article: Many birds are at risk when they stop to feed, rest or breed en route, say scientists.
They are calling for new reserves around the world to protect migratory species.
Most migratory birds have declined in past decades, from threats such as habitat loss and hunting.
Migrant birds are the endurance fliers of the bird kingdom, making remarkable journeys across land and sea.
The arctic tern, for example, flies the equivalent of the distance to the Moon and back three times in its lifetime.
And the bar-tailed godwit may fly for more than 10,000km (6,000 miles) in a single stint, the longest continuous journey that has ever been recorded for a land bird.
Dr Claire Runge, of the University of Queensland, the lead researcher of the study, said more than half of migratory bird species travelling the world's main flyways had suffered serious population declines in the past 30 years.
"This is due mainly to unequal and ineffective protection across their migratory range and the places they stop to refuel along their routes," she said.
"A typical migratory bird relies on many different geographic locations throughout its annual cycle for food, rest and breeding.
"So even if we protect most of their breeding grounds, it's still not enough - threats somewhere else can affect the entire population."
In the study, published in Science, researchers from Australia, the US and the UK looked at protected areas within the global routes of almost 1,500 types of migratory bird.
They found only 9% of species were fully protected across their range, compared with 45% for bird species that did not migrate.
"Migratory birds have a particular set of conservation needs and we found that these are not being adequately met compared with resident species," Dr Stuart Butchart, of BirdLife International, in Cambridge, told BBC News.
The research found that countries such as France and Venezuela meet targets for protected area coverage for more than 80% of migratory bird species whereas others such as China and India meet targets for less than...

Summary: More than 90% of migratory birds are poorly protected on their marathon journeys around the world, according to research.
###
Article: The exchange-traded fund (ETF) is run by celebrated financier and Pimco co-founder Bill Gross, who has been interviewed by US authorities, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The Pimco Total Return ETF has grown rapidly in the past couple of years.
Pimco said the investigation was a "private matter" and that its pricing procedures were "entirely appropriate".
The Californian firm confirmed it had been co-operating with the US regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), but did not elaborate on the nature of the investigation.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that the investigation had been going on for months and concerned the manner in which Pimco purchased and valued certain bonds.
The company, widely considered to be the world's biggest bond manager, was set up in 1971, and acquired by insurance giant Allianz in 2000.
Shares in Allianz have fallen slightly following news of the SEC investigation.

Summary: A fund run by investment firm Pimco is being investigated over allegations that managers inflated returns.
###
Article: The project will test the effects of both types of cigarette on volunteers' blood vessel function, a key health indicator.
It will recruit 135 adult volunteers who have smoked 15 cigarettes a day for a minimum of two years.
The study is funded by the British Heart Foundation.
Participants will be split into three groups, with one continuing to smoke tobacco cigarettes.
The others will switch to electronic cigarettes containing nicotine plus flavour, or switching to electronic cigarettes containing flavour alone.
Dr Jacob George, from the university's school of medicine, said: "E-cigarettes are sold on the principle that they are a much safer alternative to traditional cigarettes because they don't contain harmful substances like tobacco and tar.
"However, many e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which may be harmful to blood vessels itself.
"We want to see whether the e-cigarettes are better for blood vessel function compared to traditional cigarettes.
"Many people seem to think that this is the case but as yet there is no hard scientific evidence to prove this."
People with a history of cardiovascular disease, women who are pregnant or breast feeding and anyone with a nut allergy cannot take part in the study.
Anyone who is interested in joining the study or finding out more should contact vesuvius@dundee.ac.uk

Summary:


The BBC has announced a new comedy series from the creator of The IT Crowd.
The BBC has announced a new comedy series from the creator of The IT Crowd.
The BBC has announced a new comedy series from the creator of The IT Crowd. The BBC has announced a new comedy series from the creator of The IT

The Griffin family is moving home - to ITV2.

Article: Unison opposes plans to introduce 30 "operational clusters", ending the system of one janitor per school.
The union also wants janitors to be paid extra for tasks that are dirty or involve outside work and heavy lifting.
The proposals aim to save £515,000 while creating a modern facilities management service for primary schools.
The Glasgow City Council body Cordia has refused to pay janitors Working Context and Demands Payments, which range from £500 to £1,000 per year.
Unison has said these payments would cost Cordia about £120,000 per year.
A union spokesman said Cordia had already saved about £477,000 in wages over the 62 days of strike, with about 100 janitors losing out on £77 in wages per day.
Instead, janitors have been offered a pay rise of up to just over £1,000 in return for new working conditions.
There are currently 219 janitors employed at schools across the city.
The Cordia Janitorial Reform review would cut 33 jobs and see janitors given the new job title of "facilities assistants".
Within the remaining 186 posts, there would be 30 promoted posts of "facilities co-ordinators" to manage the operational clusters.
Cordia said there would be no compulsory redundancies, with jobs lost when people left or moved to other roles within the organisation.
Unsion's Glasgow branch said the cluster model would leave schools without a janitor at certain points of the day, compromising many aspects of health, safety and security.
A Cordia spokesman said "The Cordia janitorial reform will create a modern facilities management service that places Cordia staff at the heart of local communities.
"When implemented, janitorial staff will see an increase in salary and other benefits and there will be promotion opportunities."
There had been concern that some janitors who live in a "tied house" as part of their job could lose their accommodation.
Cordia had said janitors were no longer needed 24/7 due to CCTV, alarms linked to control centres, and timers on heating systems.
However, the union said Cordia had since...

Summary: Glasgow primary school janitors have started another two-week strike in a long-running dispute over plans to re-organise the service and pay.
###
Article: "I stupidly got on my bike this morning and got the sleet right in my face," she winces.
Having dried off and freshened up, she settles down to chat. Marling has a reputation for being a shy, sometimes reluctant interviewee - but LA clearly has rubbed off on her.
She chews gum as we talk, laughing bawdily as she discusses her penchant for dating drummers. ("What do they bring to a relationship? Rhythm!")
The 27-year-old also reveals her mum keeps a "very meticulous scrapbook" of her career, and admits to cooking up her own brand of Halloumi cheese.
"I'm aiming for direct competition with Alex James," she says, referring to the cheese-making Blur bassist. "But bloody hell, what a boring thing to talk about".
So instead we circle back to that new album.
It's her sixth, and possibly best, record since she emerged at the age of 17 as part of the indie folk movement that also spawned Mumford and Sons, Lucy Rose and Noah and the Whale.
Sumptuous and sensual, Semper Femina adds a hint of West Coast sheen to her delicate, acoustic melodies. Marling generously credits her band and producer Blake Mills for the progression.
"All of the musicality of the album is down to them," she says. "I wanted to be in the middle of it, but for someone else to be painting the picture around it."
If you don't have a Latin textbook to hand, the album's title is taken from a line in Virgil's epic poem The Aeneid.
The line is "varium et mutabile semper femina", which translates as "woman is always fickle and changeable". "I thought that was very jolly," says Marling, apparently without sarcasm.
She came across the phrase years ago and had a truncated version - "Semper Femina", or "always a woman" - tattooed on her leg when she was 21.
It's a fitting title for a record that explores femininity in all its forms, from the archetypal wild teenager to the artist's muse, while reflecting on female friendships and betrayals.
Marling prompted a lot of speculation when she announced in a press release that the album was written during a...

Summary: Laura Marling's latest album was recorded in her adopted home of Los Angeles, so coming back to London to promote it in mid-February has been something of a rude awakening.
###
Article: The channel's signed a deal with 20th Century Fox to show new episodes of Family Guy from later this year.
The agreement also includes other Seth MacFarlane animated comedies American Dad, The Cleveland Show and new series Bordertown.
Family Guy has been a major part of the BBC Three schedule since 2006, becoming one of the channel's highest rating shows.
But it's not the last we'll see of the Griffins on the BBC as the corporation has one more new series to show - the one currently being broadcast in the States.
The BBC also still has rights to repeat episodes from previous series - for the moment.
The BBC says Family Guy will be on the BBC for "at least the next two years".
There's been discussion over what would happen to the offbeat comedy, given plans to move BBC Three online.
More than 270,000 people have signed a petition against the move.
The BBC said: "We are incredibly proud that the BBC has successfully aired Family Guy for the past nine years and built the series into such a hit in the UK.
"However, when a show becomes so successful it often becomes a target for other broadcasters.
"We are sorry that it will not have a long term home on the BBC."
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

Summary:


A dog has been found abandoned in a Kent field after being attacked by a fox.
The RSPCA said the dog, which has now been named Flick, was found in a field in Harrietsham, near Ashford, on Tuesday.
She had some "really nasty wounds" on her feet

An injured dog has been found dumped in a bush with an illegally docked tail and having had her claws "forcibly" removed, the RSPCA says.

Article: A French inquiry has found that Poly Implant Prostheses - or PIPs - are filled with an unapproved gel and are missing protective barriers.
About 50,000 British women may have these implants.
The body for plastic surgeons warned against alarm, but said those with PIPs needed a check-up within six months.
If an ultrasound establishes that the implant is weakened or ruptured, then both should be removed, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) advised.
"This is certainly an unusual situation but so far there is no serious cause for alarm - whilst further tests are conducted into the substance, we recommend that women who've undergone breast augmentation contact their surgeons to find out what type of implant was used," said its president Nigel Mercer
"If it's PIP they should have an ultrasound in the next six months to establish whether there is any weakening or rupture.  At present removal is recommended in these cases, but if there is one ruptured implant, the contralateral one should be taken out as well, as a preventative measure."
In March, The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said no more PIPs should be implanted and that any remaining should be returned to the manufacturer.
The French company which produced PIPs has gone into administration. All the devices were recalled in France earlier this year.
The inquiry by the French association of plastic surgeons reported that the company had from 2005 dispensed with the protective barrier and was also using a gel with a composition different from that approved.
To determine how the altered version might react with the human body, BAAPs says French colleagues contacted the gel manufacturers for any studies. There were none, as they had understood the substance to be intended for use in mattresses.
Nigel Mercer added that surgeons who had fitted PIPs should not be held accountable for doing so.
"There was no way of knowing the gel was untested or that the protective envelope, which adds strength and restricts the...

Summary: Women with breast enlargements are being advised to contact their surgeon amid concerns about the safety of a certain type of implant.
###
Article: Cambridgeshire Police investigated Benjamin Morris, 32, after he was accused of travelling to the USA to assault a 14-year-old girl.
At Cambridge Crown Court, Morris, of Bourn Road, Cambridge, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the two boys when they were aged under 13-years-old.
He was also found guilty of assaulting the teenage girl in Vermont, USA.
Cambridgeshire Police said its investigation discovered Morris had befriended the boys in 2004, when they were aged eight and nine and attending an after school club.
He began to babysit them and assaulted them over a six year period, officers said.
Morris pleaded guilty to two counts of engaging in penetrative sex with the boys when they were under 13 and a further two counts of the same charge when they were under 16.
He was also found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a girl aged between 13 and 15.
Det Con Jo Nicholson said: "Morris abused his position of trust and showed no remorse for his actions, blaming the victims for what happened.
"I hope this sentence will provide some form of closure for the victims and allow them to move on with the rest of their lives."
Once he has served the prison sentence he will be on an extended licence for four years.
Morris was also placed on the sex offenders register for life and made subject of a sexual harm prevention order for life.

Summary: A man who sexually assaulted two boys he befriended at an after school club has been jailed for 16 years.
###
Article: The one-year-old spaniel bitch was found on the A20 in Harrietsham, near Ashford, on Tuesday.
She had some "really nasty wounds" on her feet and legs which were "covered in pressure sores and urine scald", an RSPCA spokesman said.
The dog, which has now been named Flick, has already been offered a home.
She had no form of identification and was not microchipped, the RSPCA said.
Live: More on this story and other news from Kent
A spokesman for the charity said: "She has a docked tail and some really nasty wounds on her feet and her legs. Vets believe she has had her claws forcibly and traumatically removed, while her legs are covered in pressure sores and urine scald."
Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, owners are only allowed to dock the tails of dogs who were certified working dogs under five days old, or for medical reasons as recommended by a vet.
"To forcibly remove a dog's claws is an abhorrent act and is illegal under animal welfare law in this country," the spokesman added.
"And to simply abandon her by the side of the road like rubbish when she is clearly injured and in need of veterinary treatment is unbelievably shocking."

Summary:


The European Union's approval system for genetically modified (GM) crops is "fundamentally flawed", say MPs.
Article: The European Union's approval system for genetically modified (GM) crops is "fundamentally flawed", say MPs.
Summary: The European Union's approval system for genetically modified (GM)

(Open): The UK market opened lower, but a well-received trading update from Dixons Carphone sent shares in the retailer higher.

Article: The law limits protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.
Businesses, entertainers and sports teams have boycotted North Carolina over the controversial bill.
But state legislators were unable to reach agreement after late additions were made to the proposed deal.
The law, known as HB2, was introduced in response to an ordinance from the city of Charlotte, which would have afforded extensive protections to LGBT people.
HB2 placed limits on this, particularly by requiring transgender people to use toilets that correspond to the sex listed on their birth certificates.
A compromise deal was announced several days ago, when Charlotte agreed to repeal its ordinance and the Republican-dominated senate agreed to repeal HB2 - effectively a "reset" of the entire controversy.
The city of Charlotte went ahead and voted to reverse its ordinance. The senate's repeal of HB2, however, never materialised.
Republicans added a provision on Wednesday which included a ban for several months on cities passing any similar ordinances to grant protections to the LGBT community.
"This wasn't the deal," said Senator Jeff Jackson, a Charlotte Democrat. "This bill breaks this deal. Charlotte would have not repealed its ordinance if this was the deal."
North Carolina's legislature is deeply divided. Last week, the Republican-controlled legislature took unprecedented steps to strip powers from the Democrat governor-elect following his election victory.
"The legislature had a chance to do the right thing for North Carolina, and they failed,'' Governor-elect Roy Cooper said. "This was our best chance. It cannot be our last chance."
The political fallout from HB2 was enormous, costing the state millions of dollars.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) moved its all-star game to another state, Bruce Springsteen and others cancelled concerts there, and PayPal dropped expansion plans, costing the state 400 jobs. The US Justice Department has taken legal action against North Carolina over the bill.
The controversy...

Summary: A deal to repeal North Carolina's so-called "bathroom bill" collapsed on Wednesday, as each side accused the other of broken promises.
###
Article: The process assumes GM plants pose greater risks than conventional plants, which is not backed by scientific evidence, the parliamentary Science and Technology Committee report says.
It calls for GM crops to be regulated on the basis of their characteristics not the method used to produce them.
Opponents say GM may have an impact on wildlife and needs careful scrutiny.
EU countries recently agreed to give individual nations more power to decide whether or not to allow GM crops to be grown on their territory.
But the committee said there was a need for more radical reform to meet the challenge of feeding a growing population, using fewer resources, under a changing climate.
In their report, Advanced genetic techniques for crop improvement: regulation, risk and precaution, MPs say agricultural innovations could be hindered, or even halted, by inappropriate regulation.
The committee's chairman, Andrew Miller, said: "Opposition to genetically modified crops in many European countries is based on values and politics, not science.
"The scientific evidence is clear that crops developed using genetic modification pose no more risk to humans, animals or the environment than equivalent crops developed using more 'conventional' techniques.
"Unfortunately, the way the EU's regulatory system works means that countries opposed to genetically modified crops can block their growth in other countries.
"This has driven research activity out of the EU and put at risk the UK's ability to be a global player in advancing agricultural technology."
But organic food and farming group the Soil Association said research had shown that GM crops could have a negative impact on wildlife.
Policy director Peter Melchett said: "In our evidence to the committee, the Soil Association reminded them that the UK government had spent millions of pounds of public money over five years, researching whether GM crops would be beneficial or damaging for British wildlife.
"This research found that, overall, GM crops would have a negative impact on...

Summary: Europe's approval system for genetically modified (GM) crops is "fundamentally flawed", say MPs.
###
Article: Dixons Carphone shares were up 1% after it said full-year profits were set to be slightly higher than previously forecast.
The FTSE 100 index was down 17.61 points at 6,910.66.
Shares in WH Smith rose 2.9% after it reported flat like-for-like sales in the three months to 30 May.
Like-for-like sales at its travel business rose 4%, but fell 4% at WH Smith's High Street stores.
Shares in Royal Mail rose 0.7% to 527.50p. The company announced on Wednesday that Peter Long, joint chief executive of travel firm TUI, would be its next chairman.
On the currency markets, the pound was flat against the dollar at $1.5345 and rose 0.1% against the euro to â‚¬1.3772.

Summary:


A US company that has developed an "electronic backpack" that fits onto a cockroach allowing its movements to be controlled by a mobile phone app has defended itself against cruelty claims.
Article: A US company that has developed an "electronic backpack" that fits onto a cockroach allowing its movements to be controlled by

One relationship, 10 Olympic gold medals.

Article: US researchers found those with access to dogs were less stressed as the day went on than those who had none.
The preliminary study published in theInternational Journal of Workplace Health Managementlooked at 75 staff.
The researchers suggested access to dogs boosted morale and reduced stress levels, whether people had access to their own pets or other people's.
The study was carried out by a team of researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University who looked at a manufacturing company where people are allowed to bring their pets to work.
They compared those who brought in their own pets, with those who had dogs - but left them at home - and staff who did not own pets.
Over a week, the researchers compared employees' stress levels, job satisfaction and feelings about support from and commitment to the company.
Stress hormone levels were measured using saliva samples during the day.
In the morning, there was no difference between the three groups.
But during the course of the work day, stress levels appeared to decline for employees with their dogs present and increased for non-pet owners and dog owners who did not bring their dogs to work.
The researchers also noted that stress rose significantly during the day when owners left their dogs at home compared to days they brought them to work.
Randolph Barker, lead study author and professor of management at the VCU School of Business, said dogs can make a positive difference in the workplace.
"The differences in perceived stress between days the dog was present and absent were significant. The employees as a whole had higher job satisfaction than industry norms."
Prof Barker said having dogs around the workplace may contribute to employee performance and satisfaction.
And he reported positive comments from employees such as "pets in the workplace can be a great bonus for employee morale", "having dogs here is great stress relief" and "dogs are positive; dogs increase co-worker cooperation."
Past research has shown that stress can contribute to employee...

Summary: Bringing pet dogs to work can reduce stress and make the job more satisfying for other employees, a study suggests.
###
Article: The Backyard Brains company says that the device is intended to get children to be interested in neuroscience.
A spokeswoman told the BBC that the device - being formally launched on Saturday - was not a gimmick.
But critics say that the company's stance is "disingenuous".
For the "electronic backpack" to work the cockroaches have to be placed in icy water to subdue them before sandpaper is used to remove the waxy coating on the shell of the insect's head.
Source: Natural History Museum
An electrode connector and electrodes are then glued on to the insect's body and a needle is used to poke a hole in their thorax in order to insert a wire.
Their antennae are then cut and electrodes are inserted. A circuit is attached to their backs, and signals are received through a mobile phone app allowing users to control the cockroaches' movements to the left and to the right.
Animal behaviour scientist Jonathan Balcombe has been quoted on US scientific websites as saying that the insects are harmed in the process.
"If it was discovered that a teacher was having students use magnifying glasses to burn ants and then look at their tissue, how would people react?" he is quoted as saying.
Likewise Queen's University philosophy Professor Michael Allen warned that the device will "encourage amateurs to operate invasively on living organisms" and "encourage thinking of complex living organisms as mere machines or tools".
The Michigan-based company has even received emails saying the the backpack - known as Roboroach - "teaches kids to be psychopaths".
But Backyard Brains says the backpacks "allow students to do graduate level research early in life".
A company spokeswoman told the BBC that the backpack had been developed solely to encourage children to take an interest in neuroscience which, she said, needed to be better taught in American schools.
"At the moment this crucially important subject is woefully under-taught," she said, "with many schools teaching neuroscience within the biology syllabus when it should be a subject...

Summary: A US company that has developed an "electronic backpack" that fits onto a cockroach allowing its movements to be controlled by a mobile phone app has defended itself against cruelty claims.
###
Article: You might forgive Laura Trott and Jason Kenny for leaving Rio rather full of themselves. Five competitions between them, five golds won. As of Tuesday night, had the couple been a country they would have sat 13th on the medal table, above Jamaica, Kenya and Brazil.
That would be to misunderstand what makes them tick. This is a couple who got engaged while on the sofa watching an episode of EastEnders.
You might think too that it would get competitive around the breakfast table in the cottage they share just outside Knutsford in Cheshire. Kenny now has six Olympic golds from three Games, more than Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Bradley Wiggins. Trott has four, more than any other British woman, and from one fewer Olympics.
That would be to misjudge their relationship. Cycling superstars on their own, together they can be almost ordinary, almost invisible. After the gold rush, after their tearful embrace in the Rio velodrome with the world watching on, that may be about to change.
"The difference in their characters is what makes it work for them," says Trott's father Adrian.
"Until he gets to know you, Jason is a little bit shy. He's quiet and understated. Laura is bubbly, chatty, just as you see in her interviews.
"If they were both like Jason, God only knows how they'd talk about anything. And God forbid having two Lauras in a household!"
The relationship between the two began in the build-up to London 2012, with Kenny about to come out of Chris Hoy's muscled shadow at his second Olympics and Trott about to experience her first.
"I remember seeing Laura at the velodrome years ago," says Kenny's mother Lorraine.
"I said to my husband, 'Flipping heck, you need to watch this young lady.' She was in the elimination race, only a tiny thing, and she kept sprinting over the top of everyone. She was amazing.
"The first time I knew something was happening between the two of them was when Jason phoned me up and said, 'I'm bringing Trotty home for a bacon butty.'
"I said to him, 'Is she your girlfriend?' 'No, she's just a...

Summary:


The prime minister has said the inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire will be "broadly" focused on the causes of the fire and how to prevent future incidents.
The prime minister will set out the terms of reference for the inquiry in the coming weeks.
The inquiry will be chaired by Sir Martin Moore-B

The judge leading the inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire has written to the prime minister with recommendations for its terms of reference.

Article: Almost 650 ballot papers were sent out across the city in April without the names of the Labour, Green and Yorkshire First candidates.
The EC said it had assessed the officer as not meeting "performance standards" as a result of printing errors.
Hull City Council said it would prevent similar incidents in the future.
Labour's Karl Turner and the Green Party's Sarah Walpole were left off 484 postal ballot packs for the Hull East constituency in the UK parliamentary election.
While Yorkshire First's Colin Worrall, who stood in the Bransholme West Ward, was omitted from 164 ballot papers for the local election.
In its report, the EC said: "...Although the errors did not affect the outcome of the election, this could have resulted in those voters concerned not having the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice.
"In addition, the errors could have affected the confidence of those standing for election in the management of the process and the result."
In a statement, the authority said the ballot papers were incorrectly cut by an external printing company and the firm had now put measures in place to "prevent such an episode occurring in the future".
"The council acted immediately on both occasions when problems with the ballot papers were identified.
"We have put our own steps in place with Presiding Officers and Inspectors to identify and prevent any similar incidents occurring in future elections."

Summary: A returning officer for the 2015 general and local elections in Hull did not meet the Electoral Commission's (EC) standards, the watchdog has said.
###
Article: The legislation aims to deal with the hundreds of drivers said to be misusing blue badges, by giving councils powers to confiscate and cancel them.
The Disabled Persons' Parking Badges Bill was brought forward by SNP MSP Dennis Robertson, who is blind.
He said abuse of the system was a growing problem and had become "unacceptable".
There are 245,000 legitimate blue badge holders in Scotland, and Holyrood's local government committee said misuse of the blue badge scheme was having a "major impact" on the lives of people who rely on disabled parking spaces.
In addition, research by agency Transport Scotland said 83% of legitimate badge holders had encountered misuse.
Misuse of a blue badge is already an offence, but enforcement powers currently lie with the police.
The legislation will come into force next year.

Summary: New laws to crack down on drivers who abuse disabled parking have been passed by the Scottish Parliament.
###
Article: Sir Martin Moore-Bick sent the letter late on Thursday following weeks of discussion with survivors.
There has been controversy over Sir Martin's suitability for the role and the areas the inquiry will cover.
The prime minister will set out the terms of reference for the process in the coming weeks.
Downing Street said: "The prime minister has received the letter and will consider it and respond shortly."
How far the inquiry can go has been a source of controversy since the Sir Martin's appointment was announced.
He angered survivors on his first day in the job by indicating the investigation would be "pretty well limited" to examining the cause of the fire, how it spread and how to prevent future incidents.
But he later vowed to consider a "broad range of evidence" which could include why residents' warnings about fire safety were allegedly ignored by authorities.
Survivors, bereaved families and other involved parties spent weeks making their case about what questions the inquiry should answer.
More than 400 submissions were received during the consultation period.
The "Justice 4 Grenfell" campaign said earlier this month it wanted an examination of local and national social housing policy and whether it "increased risks to residents".
Questions were raised in the aftermath of the disaster about the cladding used on Grenfell and other buildings. More than 100 buildings have failed the latest fire safety tests set in the wake of the fire.
Sir Martin has previously faced calls to resign from residents, while Labour MP David Lammy said he was a "white, upper-middle class man" who had "never" visited a tower block housing estate and should not have been appointed.
The inquiry is due to start in September. Sir Martin has previously said an interim report could be produced within a year.
The prime minister will set out the terms of reference for the process in the coming weeks.

Summary:


The Scottish government has said staff potentially... could be made redundant as a result of the Arches going into administration.
Article: The Arches announced on Wednesday that it had gone into administration.
Management said they had been left with no choice after a midnight closing time was imposed on its nightclub by the city's licensing

The Scottish government has said it will examine what it can do to help safeguard the future of Glasgow's troubled Arches arts venue.

Article: Shadow chancellor Ed Balls told the BBC that the government was "foot-dragging" on the issue.
Labour is proposing that the sold-off branches should be used to create "challenger" banks, to increase lending and competition within the sector.
But the government said it was already working to reform finance.
The coalition says it is committed to creating challenger banks, to compete with the "big five" of Barclays, Lloyds, HSBC, RBS and Santander.
Labour believes there should be a minimum of two challengers in place by 2015, meaning more than 1,000 branches would need to be sold off by the existing large banks to create seven sizeable lenders in the UK.
The government replied that it was already facilitating the creation of two challenger banks, in the shape of Co-operative Bank and Virgin Money, with a source telling the BBC: "Labour is simply demanding what we've already done."
The Mail on Sunday suggests that, in a speech on Monday, Labour leader Ed Miliband will say the "big five" of Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, RBS and HBOS should divest of hundreds branches to enable the privately run challenger banks to emerge.
Mr Balls said: "The government and [Business Secretary] Vince Cable are foot-dragging on the floor."
But Mr Cable told the Andrew Marr Show the government was already acting to reform banking, adding: "I want to see more competition. It's a good idea and it's happening... we are creating a more competitive banking system."
He accused some of the existing banks of not providing enough lending to businesses but concentrating on "short-term trade profits and not focusing on the long-term".
"It's throttling British industry," he added.
An investigation by US and UK regulators into the rigging of inter-bank lending rates has resulted in a record fine for Barclays, with the Serious Fraud Office confirming it has formally launched an investigation.
Mr Balls said this should result in criminal proceedings, telling BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "The reason why people are so angry is they think when people avoid...

Summary: Labour has demanded that top High Street banks should be forced to sell off hundreds of branches in a "root-and-branch" reform of the industry.
###
Article: The 27-year-old met up with the squad on Monday morning as they gathered ahead of their match against England.
Webb made his comeback from injury for Ospreys in mid-February and has not played for Wales since injuring a foot against Italy in September.
He led the team and played 80 minutes in Ospreys' 19-16 defeat by Leinster.
Webb established himself as Wales' first-choice scrum-half ahead of Mike Phillips after crossing for three tries in the 2015 Six Nations Championship.
However, he left the field on a stretcher in Wales' final warm-up game before the World Cup, where his place was taken by Gareth Davies.
The Scarlets number nine has since gone on to score six tries - five of them in the World Cup - and was named man of the match in Wales' 19-10 win against France.
Webb suffered a setback on his return for Ospreys when a clash of heads ruled him out for a week.
But he has looked assured in two matches since, and completed the full game against Leinster.
Both teams are unbeaten in this season's Six Nations, with England on course for a first Grand Slam since 2003 and Wales likely to be tournament favourites if they win at Twickenham.

Summary: Wales have called Ospreys scrum-half Rhys Webb into their Six Nations squad after six months out of international rugby with injury.
###
Article: The Arches announced on Wednesday that it had gone into administration.
Management said they had been left with no choice after a midnight closing time was imposed on its nightclub by the city's licensing board.
The restriction followed police complaints about drug abuse and disorder.
It was said to have cut total revenues at the Arches by more than 50%, making it untenable as a business.
Sandra White, the SNP MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, raised the plight of the venue at First Minister's Questions in the Scottish Parliament, where Deputy First Minister John Swinney was standing in for Nicola Sturgeon during her trip to the US.
Ms White said 130 jobs had been put at risk by the Arches going into administration.
She added: "Aside from the fact that the Arches is one of Glasgow's most cultural venues, this is obviously a very worrying time for the staff facing redundancy.
"Can the deputy first minister assure those affected that the Scottish Government will offer all the support that it can?"
Mr Swinney replied: "Creative Scotland is working hard with the organisation and with other partners to explore options regarding the future of arts programming of this nature in Glasgow.
"Creative Scotland agreed with Glasgow Life and Glasgow City Council to bring forward some of this year's support for the Arches - £92,000 from Creative Scotland and £37,000 from Glasgow City Council - to assist with the delivery of the current arts programme in the short-term.
"I reassure Sandra White that we will look in all ways that we possibly can do to assist in safeguarding the future of what I recognise as a significant cultural venue in the city of Glasgow and a venue that contributes a great deal to the cultural life of Scotland."
Ms White said she was now calling on Glasgow City Council, Police Scotland and the management of the Arches to get round the table and "see what can be done to either reverse the closure or see what can be done to reopen the doors as soon as possible".
The Scottish government has also said staff potentially...

Summary:


A former Liberal MP has been found guilty of contempt of court after he was found to have been in possession of a banned drug.
The former MP, who was a member of the House of Lords, was found guilty of contempt of court after he was found to have been in possession of a banned drug.
The

The longest-serving Lib Dem peer and veteran human rights campaigner, Lord Avebury, has died at the age of 87.

Article: Predicted grades are an important part of the university application process.
Only 48% of predicted grades were correct for pupils taking the OCR exam board's A-levels in summer 2012, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Almost one in 10 of the wrong forecasts, more than 15,000 entries, were incorrect by more than one grade.
For this one exam board, there were more than 186,000 incorrect forecasts for that summer's A-levels.
These teacher forecasts were gathered by the OCR board in May, a few weeks ahead of the exam season.
As such they should have been more accurate than the January predictions used in the university admissions system.
The findings could re-ignite questions about the fairness of a prediction-based university application system, before pupils know their results.
Although, the exam body says, it means more than 90% of forecasts were correct within a margin of one grade.
The A-level statistics published by Cambridge Assessment, OCR's parent body, show that teachers were much more likely to be over-optimistic about results - with 39% over-predicting, compared with 13% whose predictions turned out to be lower than the actual grades.
Independent school teachers were the most accurate in predicting the right grade, followed by grammar schools, academies, sixth form colleges and comprehensives.
The lowest level of accuracy was for teachers in further education.
Predictions from further education colleges, as the least accurate at both ends of the scale, were both the most likely to be over-optimistic and the most likely to be wrongly pessimistic.
Independent and grammar schools were the toughest in terms of predictions, with the lowest levels of over-optimism.
Teachers were much stronger at predicting the highest grades, A* and A, with more than 60% accuracy. For C-grades, only 47% had been correctly predicted.
But the figures also show that over a range of subjects, when a pupil is forecast three A-grades or better, only 35% of these predictions prove to be correct.
Oxford University said that...

Summary: Most A-level grade predictions made by teachers are incorrect when the final results are published, according to data revealed by an exam body.
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Article: Lance Ferguson-Prayogg, from Liverpool, died from kidney failure two days after the fight in Nottingham in June 2014.
The hearing was told tubs of T5 were found at the 32-year-old's house.
Ruling the death drug-related, assistant coroner Jane Gillespie called the legal but unregulated substances "extremely dangerous".
The inquest at Nottingham Coroners Court heard "white collar" boxing is an unlicensed and unregulated - though not illegal - form of the sport where part-time fighters compete for cash prizes.
Privately hired paramedics who staffed the event said Mr Ferguson-Prayogg seemed fit and well before and during the match.
However, he began to breath erratically as he left the ring and soon collapsed, with paramedics battling to keep him breathing.
After being placed in a coma, he suffered kidney failure and then cardiac arrest.
A pathology report found the rapid acidification of blood from broken down fat, combined with lactic acid from exercise, was the most likely cause.
However, it said it was "impossible to say" whether Mr Ferguson-Prayogg would have died if he had not gone into the ring.
Members of Mr Ferguson-Prayogg's family wept as Ms Gillespie read out her judgement.
She said: "By coincidence, warnings about these kinds of drugs have been in the media recently.
"I cannot emphasise enough how strongly I now add my voice to these sentiments.
"These drugs are easily available on the internet but they are unregulated and extremely dangerous."

Summary: The death of a boxer who collapsed after a "white collar" match was partly caused by a fat burning drug he took, an inquest has concluded.
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Article: Born Eric Lubbock, he became Liberal MP for Orpington in 1962 when he won a by-election with a huge 22% swing from the Conservatives.
He held the seat for eight years, moving to the Lords in 1971 when he inherited the title of Baron Avebury.
Lib Dem leader Tim Farron paid tribute to a "true Liberal", "great campaigner" and "committed internationalist".
Lord Avebury: Obituary
Mr Farron  said the peer, who had been suffering from leukaemia, would "be remembered as much for his unyielding commitment to fighting for Liberal causes as his sensational by-election victory".
"He campaigned to lower the voting age, founded the parliamentary human rights group and fought for the rights of refugees and asylum seekers, taking up the cases of hundreds of individuals fleeing persecution.
"He was a committed internationalist, regularly promoting human rights around the world. The Liberal Democrats have lost a great campaigner, a great friend and a true champion of the Liberal cause."
A Buddhist, Lord Avebury was the patron of Angulimala, which promotes the teaching and practice of Buddhism in British prisons.
He also campaigned on behalf of secular causes, fighting to remove mandatory daily worship in maintained schools.
In 2009, the National Secular Society named the peer secularist of the year, jointly with Evan Harris, for his work on abolition of blasphemy laws in England and Wales.
His biography on the Lib Dem website says he also "sought and won" a battle with the senior parliamentary official known as Black Rod to keep the right to park bicycles against the front of the Houses of Parliament.
Keith Porteous Wood, executive director of the National Secular Society, said Lord Avebury had supported countless human rights campaigns.
"His knowledge of foreign affairs, particularly of remote parts of the developing world, was second to none. The weak and oppressed in these places have lost a true champion.
"I have lost a very close friend. The nation has lost a human rights champion."

Summary:


The US has warned that it will not allow the UK to leave the EU without a deal.
The warning comes after the UK's prime minister, Theresa May, said she would seek a "short extension" to the Article 50 process to allow time for a deal to be agreed.
The warning comes after the UK

Whatever plot the US eavesdroppers overheard the top two al-Qaeda leaders discussing clearly rattled the US intelligence community so badly that Washington shut 19 of its diplomatic missions around the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Article: Sam James, from Salisbury, now 13, entered a competition to design the helmet's artwork two years ago.
It will be worn by Andy Green when he attempts to exceed 1,000mph (1,609km/h) in the Bloodhound SSC next year.
It has been hand painted by the same artist who paints many F1 helmets, including Lewis Hamilton's.
The artwork by Sam was selected from thousands to form the basis for the final design.
Sam and his family met the driver and the team behind the record bid at the technical centre near Bristol where the car is being assembled.
He said it was "really interesting" to see how his design had been used to make an "amazing helmet".
He added: "I thought the colour orange was like fire, and it would be a good way to interpret it.
"They've even included my signature at the back."

Summary: A helmet designed by a schoolboy at the age of 11 is to be worn by the driver of a supersonic car when he attempts to break the land speed record.
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Article: Labour retained majorities in Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead and North and South Tyneside.
In Cumbria, the Liberal Democrats came out on top in South Lakeland again while the Conservatives took control of Eden Valley for the first time.
On Teesside, control of Redcar and Cleveland Council will be decided by a recount on Monday.
Thirty seats are needed for a majority with Labour currently holding 27 and opposition parties a combined 29.
A recount will be held for the Skelton ward, which has three seats.
Elsewhere on Teesside, Labour held Darlington and Hartlepool, and became the biggest party in Stockton where there was previously no party in overall control.
Following a drawn-out count for the post of Middlesbrough's elected mayor, the council had still to declare the results of some wards at 21:45 BST.
It was due to announce the results on its website.
In Cumbria, Labour retained its position as the largest party in Copeland and also held Barrow and Carlisle.
There was no change in Allerdale where no party is in overall control. Labour has 28 of the 56 seats.

Summary: Controlling parties largely stood firm in council elections across the North East and Cumbria.
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Article: In the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, where the threat of attack is considered greatest, the UK, France and Germany have also shut their embassies.
The British embassy has emptied completely, with all remaining British staff leaving the country on Tuesday, while the US air force flew out American personnel.
So just what is it about al-Qaeda's branch in Yemen that triggers such warning bells in Washington?
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), al-Qaeda's branch in Yemen, is not the biggest offshoot of the late Osama Bin Laden's organisation, nor is it necessarily the most active - there are other, noisier jihadist cells sprawled across Syria and Iraq, engaged in almost daily conflict with fellow Muslims.
But Washington considers AQAP to be by far the most dangerous to the West because it has both technical skills and global reach.
Plus it is loyal to the nominal al-Qaeda leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and what remains of the group's core leadership hiding in Pakistan.
For the West, AQAP presents three dangers:
AQAP has form. In August 2009, its master bomb-maker Ibrahim al-Asiri, a Saudi national, built an explosive device so hard to detect it was either packed flat next to the wearer's groin or perhaps even concealed inside his body.
He then sent his brother Abdullah, a willing volunteer, as a human bomb to blow up the Saudi prince in charge of counter-terrorism. He very nearly succeeded.
Pretending he wanted to give himself up, Abdullah al-Asiri fooled Saudi security into letting him get right next to Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef before the device was detonated, possibly remotely by mobile phone.
The blast blew the bomber in half, but with most of the explosive force directed downwards, the prince had a miraculous escape with only a damaged hand. AQAP boasted that it would try again and it did.
In December 2009, Ibrahim al-Asiri devised another device to put on a volunteer, this time a young Nigerian called Omar Farouk Abdulmutallab.
He was able to fly all the way from Europe to Detroit with a viable explosive device...

Summary:


A new report has found that the UK's plastic bag ban has had a "minimal" impact on litter levels.
The report, published by the Environmental Audit Committee, said that the ban had led to a "minimal" reduction in litter.
The committee said that the ban had led to a "min

A cemetery's unique Victorian reception house which stored coffins to stop poor people keeping bodies in their homes, has been given protected status.

Article: The animal rescue centre took in the rabbit, named Atlas, when his original owner could no longer look after him.
But Atlas is no ordinary rabbit - even though he's still young, he's already the size of a small dog, and could grow even bigger.
Hundreds of people applied to look after the giant bunny. There were even offers from America, Canada and France.
Anna O'Donnell, manager of the Scottish SPCA's rescue centre in Glasgow, said:
"It was great there was so much interest in Atlas but we decided to find him a home here in Scotland to avoid a long journey as rabbits are very susceptible to stress."
Atlas's new owner, from North Ayrshire in Scotland, has lots of experience looking after rabbits.
She said: "Animals are just pets to some people but my rabbits are family members."

Summary: A giant rabbit who became famous after an appeal by the Scottish SPCA has found a new home.
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Article: Tesco sells about 700 million single-use carrier bags a year, the highest among the major supermarkets, but sales will end in stores on 28 August.
The supermarket said the decision followed a trial which led to a 25% cut in bag sales.
Charges for plastic bags have been in place in the UK since October 2015.
In 2011, Wales started charging 5p per bag and saw a 71% drop in the number used by customers. Northern Ireland introduced charges in 2013, followed by Scotland in 2014. England was the last country in the UK to charge, recording an 83% drop in use.
Tesco conducted a 10-week trial in Aberdeen, Dundee and Norwich in May. Plastic, single-use bags were withdrawn leaving shoppers with the choice of bringing their own or buying a "bag for life".
That will now be a permanent move at stores across the UK. The more expensive bags are made from 94% recycled plastic and will be exchanged without charge when damaged, the supermarket says.
Online shoppers can still opt to receive their deliveries in single-use carrier bags after store sales end, Tesco says, although just over half already choose a bagless delivery.
Sales of the more expensive "bags for life" fund grants for community projects - similar to other supermarkets' charity donations following the introduction of plastic bag charging.
Tesco said that its scheme had paid Â£33m to more than 6,400 groups.
Matt Davies, UK and Irish Republic chief executive at Tesco, said: "The number of bags being bought by our customers has already reduced dramatically. [This] move will help our customers use even fewer bags but ensure that those sold in our stores continue to fund thousands of community projects across the country chosen by customers."
Sainsbury's scrapped single-use bags from stores when carrier bag charges were introduced.
Louise Edge, senior campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said: "It is great to see major retailers moving away from disposable plastic. For too long we've seen plastic as something to be used once and thrown away. But there is no such place as...

Summary: Tesco will stop the sale of 5p carrier bags across the UK in three weeks' time, and will instead offer 10p "bags for life" to shoppers.
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Article: The building in Hammersmith's Margravine Cemetery, London created in 1869, has been given Grade II listing.
Families unable to immediately pay for a burial previously used to keep dead relatives in their homes, contributing to cholera outbreaks in the city.
Historic England said the store was "ghoulish and absolutely fascinating".
Director of listing Roger Bowdler said many had to keep their relatives' bodies in their small cramped homes during the early 1800s, "so you've got the living cheek-by-jowl with the dead".
The small octagonal building used for holding the dead before funerals, was an example of the facilities proposed by Edwin Chadwick, secretary to the Poor Law Commission, who led a review of sanitary conditions.
The store also addressed people's fears that their relatives would be buried before they had actually died.
The use of reception houses was phased out with the introduction of undertakers in the 1880s and the building is the sole survivor of its kind in the capital, according to Historic England.
Heritage minister Tracey Crouch said the building was "an important part of London's history" as it "gives us a glimpse into how cholera outbreaks changed Victorian attitudes to burials and public health."
Receiving the listing could help secure funding for any conservation work on the reception house.

Summary:


A new bridge has been built over the River Spey in the Cairngorms.
The new bridge, which is part of a £622,000 project to replace the existing bridge, was opened on Friday.
The new bridge, which is part of a £622,000 project to replace

A time capsule containing items from the 1890s including what is thought to be a bottle of whisky has been uncovered by construction workers.

Article: When asked by BBC reporter Colin Paterson whether video games should be an Olympic sport, Rob Pardo told BBC Radio 5 Live: "There's a very good argument for e-sports being in the Olympics."
Mr Pardo said: "Video games are well positioned to be a spectator sport."
Some video game events already attract thousands of spectators.
A recent video game tournament held in South Korea filled a stadium with 40,000 people.
He said: "Look at these professional gamers - [their] reflexes are lightning quick and they're having to make very quick decisions on the fly."
But he also said people would need convincing that video games can count as a sport.
Mr Pardo said: "If you want to define sport as something that takes a lot of physical exertion, then it's hard to argue that video games should be a sport."
"But at the same time, when I'm looking at things that are already in the Olympics, I start questioning the definition," he added.
For e-sports to appear at the Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee would first have to recognise video games as a sport, which is highly unlikely.
Board game fans have previously called for chess to be an Olympic sport, but the IOC said it is a "mind sport" and therefore not welcome in the Olympic Games.

Summary: Competitive video gaming - known as e-sports - should be included in the Olympic Games, according to a top video game designer.
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Article: In a report, net firm Akamai said in the last 10 months it had seen 141 attacks on its customers by the group.
The gang, called DD4BC, threatens to swamp servers with data unless a ransom of up to 50 bitcoins (Â£8,000) is paid.
The attacks mounted by the gang can flood sites with more than 56 gigabits of data a second, it said.
DD4BC had been active since September 2014, said Akamai in a report about the group, but had recently stepped up its attacks against net-based businesses.
"The latest attacks - focused primarily on the financial service industry - involved new strategies and tactics intended to harass, extort and ultimately embarrass the victim publically," said Stuart Scholly, manager of Akamai's security division, in a statement.
Mr Scholly said that as well as threatening to knock companies offline, DD4BC said it would also post messages on social networks to shame firms if they did not pay up.
DD4BC had a substantial network of computers to call on to mount its attacks, said Akamai, and was capable of rapidly increasing the amount of data being directed at a site to overwhelm it.
The group's main tactic is to use what are known as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks which, on average, were able to pipe about 13.3 gigabits of data every second (gbps) towards victims. The average connection that most firms have to the net can run at a speed of about 10gbps, said Akamai, so such an attack would completely overwhelm that link.
The largest attacks seen by Akamai involved more than 56.2 gigabits of data per second - far more than most companies could cope with.
In emails sent to targets, DD4BC claimed to have the ability to direct about 500 gigabits of data at victims but Akamai said it had seen no attacks of this magnitude.
Analysis of the attacks DD4BC had carried out showed it was using 10 separate methods of generating DDoS data floods. One method exploited weaknesses in the WordPress blogging tool to bounce data at targets.
The payments demanded by the group ranged from 25 to 50 bitcoins....

Summary: Banks, media groups and gaming firms are being hit with extortion demands by a cyber gang who threaten to knock them offline unless they pay up.
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Article: The capsule, a metal box about the size of a shoe box, was discovered buried deep inside part of Ruthven road bridge near Kingussie in the Cairngorms.
In the box was a folded newspaper from September 1894, a paper scroll and the bottle.
The items have been donated to a museum in nearby Newtonmore.
Workers from construction and infrastructure company Morgan Sindall uncovered the capsule during work to replace the bridge under a contract from Highland Council.
Robert Ogg, of Morgan Sindall, said: "It is fascinating to think these items have been sitting in the bridge's structure for 121 years.
"The changes which have occurred since it was placed there are extraordinary. If you think that the bridge was being used by horses back then, it gives you a sense of the time which has passed."
He added: "We have actually been working with Kingussie Primary School to create our own time capsule which we hope will last as long."
The Highland Folk Museum has taken the 1800s artefacts.
The single-track road bridge spans the River Spey and links the B970 to Kingussie and the trunk road network.
The Â£622,000 construction project will see the superstructure of the existing bridge replaced.
However, the stone masonry abutments and piers will be retained and repaired where necessary.
Work on the bridge is expected to be completed later this year.

Summary: