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Olympic rings lowered over Thames

A set of giant Olympic rings has been lowered from Tower Bridge over the River Thames in London, marking one month until the start of the Games.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson says it shows the city's readiness to host the event.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhpRsJUyPgo

Role of stress in dementia investigated

By Damir DervanovicHealth editor, DDC World News online

UK experts are to begin a study to find out if stress can trigger dementia.

The investigation, funded by the Alzheimer's Society, will monitor 140 people with mild cognitive impairment or "pre-dementia" and look at how stress affects their condition.

The researchers will take blood and saliva samples at six-monthly intervals over the 18 months of the study to measure biological markers of stress.

They hope their work will reveal ways to prevent dementia.

The results could offer clues to new treatments or better ways of managing the condition, they say.

Dementia triggers

People who have mild cognitive impairment are at an increased risk of going on to develop dementia - although some will remain stable and others may improve.

And past work suggests mid-life stress may increase a person's risk of Alzheimer's disease.

A Swedish study that followed nearly 1,500 women for a period of 35 years found the risk of dementia was about 65% higher in women who reported repeated periods of stress in middle age than in those who did not.

Scottish scientists, who have done studies in animals, believe the link may be down to hormones the body releases in response to stress which interfere with brain function.

Prof Clive Holmes, from the University of Southampton, who will lead the study, said: "All of us go through stressful events. We are looking to understand how these may become a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's.

"Something such as bereavement or a traumatic experience - possibly even moving home - are also potential factors.

"This is the first stage in developing ways in which to intervene with psychological or drug-based treatments to fight the disease.

"We are looking at two aspects of stress relief - physical and psychological - and the body's response to that experience."

Dr Simon Ridley, of Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "We welcome any research that could shed new light on Alzheimer's disease and other causes of dementia.

"Understanding the risk factors for Alzheimer's could provide one piece of the puzzle we need to take us closer to a treatment that could stop the disease in its tracks."

Queen and Martin McGuinness shake hands

The Queen shook hands with former IRA commander Martin McGuinness.

The Queen and former IRA commander Martin McGuinness have shaken hands for the first time.

The meeting between the monarch and Northern Ireland's deputy first minister took place at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast on Wednesday.

It happened at an event organised by a charity, Co-Operation Ireland, which works to bring communities together.

They shook hands at a private meeting and later shook hands in public.

The private meeting, in a room at the theatre, involved a group of seven people, including Irish President Michael D Higgins and Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson

It is understood Mr McGuinness welcomed both the Queen and the Irish president in Irish.

The deputy first minister is said to have commented on the Queen's visit to Dublin last year, and in particular her comments regarding all the victims of the Troubles.

A Sinn Fein spokesman said: "He emphasised the need to acknowledge the pain of all victims of the conflict and their families."

Sinn Fein said Mr McGuinness told the Queen that their meeting was a "powerful signal that peace-building requires leadership".

Later, as the Queen left to continue her Diamond Jubilee tour of Northern Ireland, the pair shook hands again, this time in public.

As they shook hands for a second time, Mr McGuinness wished the Queen well in Irish, which translates: "Goodbye and God bless."

The BBC's royal correspondent Peter Hunt said: "Asked how it was to meet Queen, Martin McGuinness replied 'very nice'".

The main event had been billed as one to celebrate the role of the arts in contributing to reconciliation and peace-building and not as part of the Jubilee celebrations.

During the event, the Queen was presented with a gift of Belleek pottery to mark her Diamond Jubilee.

President Higgins said he and his wife, Sabina, had been delighted "to have the opportunity for a brief but very warm meeting" with the Queen.

He said it marked "another important step on the journey to reconciliation on this island".

The prime minister's official spokesman said the Queen's visit to the Republic of Ireland last year had "taken relations between the two countries to a new level".

The spokesperson added: "We think it is right that the Queen should meet representatives from all parts of the community."

Those present at the Lyric event included the pianist Barry Douglas, poet Michael Longley and actors Adrian Dunbar and Conleth Hill.

BBC Northern Ireland's political editor Mark Devenport said the occasion at the Lyric had been specifically designed to meet Sinn Fein's sensitivities and to ensure that a ground-breaking encounter could take place.

"It is being stressed the arts event has a cross-border dimension and is not part of the Jubilee celebrations," he said.

"That is in contrast to the huge party planned for Stormont, which is a celebration of the Queen's 60-year reign organised by the Northern Ireland Office."

The Queen and Prince Philip later toured Titanic Belfast, a new visitors' centre located near where the ship was built. She has also unveiled a plaque to commemorate the visit.

She enjoyed a lunch which included traditional Irish soda bread, Comber potatoes, the sweet toffee yellow man, and icecream.

Northern Ireland's first minister said thousands were waiting for the Queen at Stormont.

"I am certain, you will receive a massive, unparalleled and enthusiastic expression of affection and fidelity," he told the Queen.

"I know for many in the media, the focus has been on a handshake and a photograph, but for most people in Northern Ireland it is not about one moment of history but the opportunity to celebrate and give thanks for 60 very full years of Your Majesty's service to this nation."

About 20,000 people are expected to attend the event at Stormont later.

• There will be live coverage of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee visit at 14:45 BST on BBC Two NI with live streaming online on the BBC Northern Ireland news website.

Are you hoping to see the Queen during her Northern Ireland tour? You can share your thoughts with us using the form below.

Spice Girls unveil West End show

By Tim Masters

The Spice Girls have reunited to launch Viva Forever!, a new West End musical based on their hit songs.

Victoria Beckham, Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell helped unveil the show at a central London hotel on Tuesday.

"We're going to be introducing a whole new generation to Girl Power," Beckham said.

Written by Jennifer Saunders, the musical explores the "bitter reality of fame" brought by a TV talent show.

Viva Forever! opens at London's Piccadilly Theatre on 11 December.

The show is the idea of Judy Craymer, producer of Abba musical Mamma Mia!, who described Saunders as a "brilliant collaborator".

"She understands the anxieties in women, the fear of judgment and trepidation that one day they get to a certain age and become invisible," Craymer said.

The launch event was held in the neo-Gothic St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, the location where the Spice Girls filmed the video for their breakthrough hit Wannabe in 1996.

Reunited on the same podium, the five ex-bandmates exchanged banter about Halliwell's exit from the group at the height of their fame in 1998.

"I've got to say these girls are amazing and brilliant and loving," said Halliwell.

"Every time I see them, and I don't see them that often, independently and collectively they're really lovely. I'm really grateful to have good friends like this."

"She's only saying that because she left," joked Chisholm, aka Mel C.

"To have our songs performed night after night in a theatre is an honour for us," Chisholm went on.

"My little boy doesn't know who were are, so I can't wait for him to see this," said Emma Bunton.

According to its producers, Viva Forever! is "the story of a beautiful, talented girl and her best friends who get swept up in the obsession of today's TV celebrity culture".

Craymer said Saunders' story would "embrace all generations".

"We listened to Spice Girls songs for nine months non-stop," she said. "Jennifer came up with a heart-warming family story that touches on celebrity today."

The show, Craymer continued, was "very much about the chaos that a TV talent show can bring on a family and friendship".

Saunders, the writer of TV comedy Absolutely Fabulous, said both she and her daughters had been Spice Girls fans.

"I remember the joy and energy and positivity that they brought, and I wanted to bring that to the story," she told reporters.

The musical will be directed by Paul Garrington, who has staged international productions of Mamma Mia! and Dirty Dancing.

'Jukebox' musical

Viva Forever! is the latest in a line of so-called "jukebox" musicals that use popular songs to score what is often a fresh storyline.

The commercial success of Mamma Mia! has helped fuel dozens of similar shows, such as Jersey Boys - featuring the hits of Franki Valli and the Four Seasons - and the Michael Jackson show Thriller Live.

Mamma Mia!, which opened in 1999, is booking in the West End until April 2013, while We Will Rock You, based on the music of Queen, recently celebrated its 10th anniversary.

Yet other examples of the genre have enjoyed lesser success.

Despite winning an Olivier for best new musical, the Madness-based Our House closed in 2003 after 10 months in the West End.

The opening of Viva Forever! will coincide with that of The Bodyguard, a musical based on the 1992 Whitney Houston film that opens at the Adelphi in December.

According to theatre critic Mark Shenton, "the received wisdom on jukebox musicals is the band mustn't be alive or touring".

"I'm wondering if the Spice Girls are too familiar to need this treatment," he told the BBC News website.

"On the other hand if anyone can do it Judy Craymer can, because she created the trend and there have been many imitators in her wake."

The Spice Girls topped the charts in 31 countries with their 1996 debut single Wannabe and went on to sell more than 75 million albums worldwide.

The group created the 1990s mantra "Girl Power" and starred in their own feature film, Spiceworld, in 1997.

The Spice Girls disbanded in 2000 but reformed seven years later for a reunion tour.

Craymer said she was "thrilled" the five had shown "so much encouragement and support" about a musical she insisted was "not a tribute show".

"The positivity, energy, humour, excitement and friendships that encapsulated the Spice Girls and their songs have inspired the whole creative team," she added.

Previews of Viva Forever! begin at the Piccadilly on 27 November.

Facebook's email switch prompts criticism by users

Facebook is facing a backlash from users after replacing email addresses listed in members' contacts with those provided by its @facebook.com system.

The company said it had acted to make details "consistent" across its site.

If Facebook's email system takes off it could drive more traffic to the firm's pages helping boost advertising sales.

But some users have branded the move "annoying" and "lame" and publicised instructions on how to display original addresses instead of the Facebook ones.

Facebook first announced plans for the move in April, although the news attracted little attention at the time.

"We are providing every Facebook user with his or her own Facebook email address because we find that many users find it useful to connect with each other, but using Facebook email is completely up to you," said a statement from the company.

Emails sent to @facebook.com addresses appear alongside posts sent via the network's internal message system, allowing users to pick up both types of communication from the same place.

Annoyed users

One analyst told the BBC the effort could backfire.

"It reeks of the same move Google did with its Buzz product when it automatically opted people in, and users recoiled against the action," said Anthony Mullen, interactive marketing analyst at Forrester Research.

"This is a direction Facebook needs to move in - your email is a proxy for your identity on the internet and Facebook want to usurp people's pre-existing email identities with their own to help drive up traffic to its site and lock users into its service.

"The problem is the lack of transparency - it has acted without asking for members' permission first."

Messages posted to the rival social network Twitter suggested the move had annoyed some users.

"Warnings would have been nice Facebook, don't just go and change email addresses," tweeted Josselyn Arundell from Manchester.

"More stunningly bad work from Facebook," posted London-based Darren Gough.

"Good idea to get people to use it. Poorly executed!!!" added Brent Jagodnik from California.

Few messages supported the move.

Users wishing to undo the change can do so by clicking on the "about" link in their profile and then clicking the "edit" button next to their contact information.

They then need to click make their Facebook email address "hidden from timeline" and then - if they wish - make one or more of their other preferred addresses visible.

Space: A travel guide

With Virgin Galactic planning its first sub-orbital test flights later this year, space tourism is close to becoming a reality even if you are not mega-rich. But which space company to choose to take you to the final frontier? Richard Hollingham, looks at the options.

It’s the ultimate experience – an event that will change your life. And whether you’re a billionaire, millionaire or just incredibly wealthy, the space tourism industry has something to offer. So far, only seven space tourists have flown in space but, all being well, over the next couple of years that’s going to change. Big time. And, if you’ve got the money, you could be part of it.

I’m not going to pretend the experience will be cheap but whether you want a quick sub-orbital thrill, a week staring out of the window of the International Space Station (ISS) or a daring mission to the far side of the Moon, it’s going to be considerably cheaper than it was for Nasa.

Neither is it without its risks. Even today, there is nothing routine about spaceflight. Some of these companies are relying on tried and tested Russian spacecraft but the others are stretching new technology to its limits. Just hope you’re not on board when those limits are discovered.

But, if you’ve saved your money and signed the waiver form, here’s what you can expect from a selection of the major players in this fledgling market.

VIRGIN GALACTIC

Mission: Space is Virgin Territory

The experience: After a few days of training alongside your five fellow crewmembers, you don your spacesuit and take your seat in the VSS Enterprise rocket plane.  Slung beneath the wings of the WhiteKnight Two twin-hulled aircraft, your rocket is carried 50,000 ft (15,000m) into the clear skies over the Mojave Desert. With everything checked out, WhiteKnight releases Enterprise, the pilot hits the start button and you’re thrust back into your seat as the rocket powers into space.

After the engines have cut off, it’ll be completely silent (apart from the exclamations from your fellow passengers) and you’ll have around five to six minutes of weightlessness when you’re free to float around the cabin and peer out of the large windows to the Earth below. Then it’s back to your seat, as gravity takes over and the spacecraft descends– at some speed – to land back on the runway.

What they say: “It has been specifically designed to give as many people as possible, an affordable, fantastic experience,” Virgin Galactic commercial director, Stephen Attenborough, tells me. “It’s the astronaut experience, so it’s the rocket ride to space, it’s having a big cabin that you can float around in zero gravity, it’s got big windows, so you’ve got fantastic views of Earth, it’s all run by Virgin so you’ll have a fantastic experience and you’ll come back an astronaut!”

Cost: $200,000

Wow factor: 8/10

Warped factor: 6/10

Verdict: It’s likely to happen in the near future and is certainly going to be a thrill-ride. But it might leave would-be astronauts wanting more.

SPACE EXPEDITION CORPORATION (SXC)

Mission: A life changing experience

The experience: SXC are working with XCOR Aerospace, the developers of the Lynx suborbital space plane. Equipped with four rocket engines, the plane is designed to take off and land on a runway. What’s neat about these engines is that they can be ignited and shut down at any time during flight. However, the Lynx has yet to fly.

As a passenger on board, you will be strapped into the cockpit at the front alongside the pilot. After take off, the plane will climb rapidly at three times the speed of sound to 58km (36 miles) above the Earth. At that point, the pilot will shut off the engines and let the plane coast upwards for another 40km (25 miles) as you start to descend in an arc back towards the Earth. You’ll experience around 4Gs of force as the plane re-enters the atmosphere, before it glides back for a horizontal landing.