China Internet Hit By 'Largest-Ever' Attack

China has been hit by the "largest ever" attack on its internet structure, crashing servers across the country, according to a government agency.

Websites with a Chinese address - ending in .cn - went down for around two hours early on Sunday, the China Internet Network Information Centre (CNNIC) said in a statement.

The cyber attacks work by overloading servers with a huge number of requests to view internet pages - so much so that the system cannot cope and 

After the first attack, a second wave was described as "the biggest of its kind ever", CNNIC said.

"The resolution of some websites was affected, leading visits to become slow or interrupted."

The organisation did not say who might have been responsible.

Washington has repeatedly accused China of trying to hack the websites of US government agencies and businesses.

But Beijing has always denied the accusations, saying China itself is a victim of internet attacks.

Gibraltar Row: Spanish Divers Inspect Reef

The diplomatic row between Britain and Spain has intensified after footage emerged of Spanish police divers inspecting a controversial concrete reef off Gibraltar.

Spanish police published the footage showing one of its divers during an inspection of the artificial reef, which was built by the British overseas territory.

Gibraltar's government has dropped 74 concrete blocks onto the sea floor to create the reef, which it says will boost marine life.

Madrid has reacted furiously to the construction, with Spain claiming that its fishing industry has been damaged as a result.  

Fishermen say there are iron bars protruding from the blocks which tangle and break their fishing nets.

But the Rock's Governor, Sir Adrian Johns, says the actions of the police divers - as revealed in the footage - mark a "serious violation of British sovereignty".

In a statement, the Government of Gibraltar said: "Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar notes the incident of executive action taken by the Guardia Civil in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters in the area of the new artificial reef.

Profile: Gibraltar

"The matter of this serious incursion will not assist in de-escalating the present tensions."

Tensions between Spain and the British territory have been described as at their worst in 40 years.

Spain has imposed tighter controls at its border with Gibraltar amid the continuing row, causing long tailbacks at the crossing.

The move has prompted angry words from British officials.

But Gibraltar's chief Minister Fabian Picardo has said the waters could be re-opened to Spanish fishermen again by October, potentially offering a means to resolve the spat.

Mr Picardo said Gibraltar would not remove the concrete blocks, as Spain demands, and rejected four-way talks with Spain, Britain and Andalusia.

On Monday, HMS Westminster arrived in Gibraltar a day after Spanish fishermen were involved in a stand-off with UK military and police boats.

The type 23 frigate was due to spend three days on the Rock, before joining several other vessels taking part in a pre-planned international training exercise in the Mediterranean and Gulf.

Edinburgh Festival: Bridget Christie Wins Gong

Feminist comic Bridget Christie has won the £10,000 award for Best Comedy Show at the Edinburgh festival.

Her show, called A Bic for Her, was described as "beautifully written" and "delightfully delivered".

The producer of the awards, Nica Burns, said: "Whilst high on the laughter count, Bridget Christie's show about feminism also gives us something to think about. An outstanding hour amongst an extremely strong shortlist."

Christie, the wife of comic Stewart Lee, recently starred in her own Radio4 show.

The gongs, formally known as the 33rd Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards, were presented by last year's Best Comedy Show winner Doctor Brown and special guest Steve Coogan.

The £5,000 best newcomer award went to John Kearns for his show called Sight Gags for Perverts.

The Foster's Panel Prize, also worth £5,000, went to Adrienne Truscott's Asking For It: A One Woman Lady Rape About Comedy Starring Her ***** and Little Else!

Sunday Times Settles With Lance Armstrong

The Sunday Times has revealed it has settled with disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong after it was forced to pay damages over a report which suggested he had used banned substances.

The newspaper sued Armstrong for £1m last October when the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced it had "overwhelming" evidence of his drug use.

He later confessed to Oprah Winfrey that he had taken performance-enhancing substances.

The seven-time Tour de France winner - who has now been stripped of his titles - was awarded £300,000 in 2006 after he sued the paper and journalists Alan English and David Walsh.

Mr Walsh almost single-handedly uncovered Armstrong's cheating.

Following the USADA announcement, The Sunday Times demanded the return of the money as well as £720,000 costs and branded the libel "baseless and fraudulent".

It reported on Sunday that it, along with Mr Walsh and Mr English, had "reached a mutually acceptable final resolution to all claims against Lance Armstrong related to the 2012 High Court proceedings and are entirely happy with the agreed settlement, the terms of which remain confidential".

Armstrong said he justified his actions in the years that he won the Tour from 1999 to 2005 because doping was then part of the culture of the sport - and he did not believe he could capture cycling's greatest race without illegal assistance.

He did not see it as cheating, he said, adding: "I viewed it as a level playing field."

He described his favoured "cocktail" of EPO, blood transfusions and testosterone, recalling that at the time he told himself that his history of testicular cancer somehow justified it.

Pets Considered Part Of The Family, Census Shows

The British family has changed in modern times - with pets widely considered to be much-loved members, according to new research.

The findings from Ancestry.co.uk, the family history website, show 90% of pet owners think of their animal as part of the family.

A third (33%) of those even claim to prefer their pets to real life members of their family, with one in six (15%) considering their pet more important than their cousin.

Dog owners are the most keen to make their pet a bona fide family member, with 16% choosing to include the animal in the 2011 Census.

A number of these even listed their dog as their "son" on the official form.

But this animal infatuation is by no means a 21st century phenomenon, with pets also listed in the 1911 Census.

For example, Arthur and Elizabeth Delve from Smethwick found it fit to record the existence of their "faithful Irish terrier Biddy". Biddy, it was noted, was a "magnificent watch and a demon on cats and vermin".

Another canine in the 1911 Census is 'Roger the Watchdog' who lived in Dulwich. His journalist owner James Little listed his age at five and a rather fitting profession of "looking after the house".

Paintings of pets were particularly popular in Victorian Britain when wealthy women were known to sit for pictures with perfectly groomed lap dogs.

This trend persists today with one in 20 owners confessing they have commissioned a professional portrait of their animal.

Many British people also leave behind a more permanent token of affection.

Nearly one in 10 (9%) of dog owners love the animal so much that they are planning on leaving money or assets to them in their will.

:: Ancestry.co.uk commissioned ICM Research to question 2,000 UK adults aged 18 and over this month about attitudes towards pets. Of these, 1,172 were pet owners.

Britain Is Boom Destination For Tourists

A record number of visitors are choosing the UK as a holiday destination following the success of the 2012 London Olympics.

There were almost 2.9 million tourists in June, a record for the month, according to the latest figures from VisitBritain.

Data from the Office for National Statistics showed they spent a record £1.84bn in June, an increase of 13% on 2012, which was another record.

There has been a significant rise in the number of people coming from China, the US and various parts of Europe.

Visitors from overseas spent £8.72bn in Britain in the six months to June, up 11% on the same period last year.

But it is not just overseas visitors who have been swelling the numbers.

VisitBritain predicts that over the Bank Holiday 4.5 million Britons will be taking an overnight holiday trip in the UK, a factor helped by a spell of good weather.

In Stratford-on-Avon, the draw of Shakespeare has never been so popular.

Rachel Hudson, from The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, said: "We have seen a boost due to the success of the Olympics and I think people around the world realise that we have something really special to offer.

"Shakespeare is a worldwide brand and more people want to enjoy the experience in his home town."

Patricia Yates, VisitBritain's director of strategy and communications, said: "The Olympic bounce has well and truly sprung with the best start to a year since 2008.

"This has seen us achieve record-breaking spend figures for 2013 to date and record visitor numbers.

"We are surpassing our spend forecast for 2013, which is testament to the fact that our great campaign has capitalised on the showcasing of Britain through 2012 to turn viewers into visitors.

"Our marketing and promotion of Britain as a great place to visit will ensure we are well positioned to deliver continued growth through 2013 and beyond, achieving positive results for the UK tourism industry and increasing the 2.6 million job supported by the sector."

Boy, 8, Kills Gran After Playing Video Game

An eight-year-old boy intentionally shot and killed his grandmother minutes after playing the violent video game Grand Theft Auto IV, US authorities said.

The town of Slaughter, Louisiana, is in shock after the child was able to access the family's gun and shoot the 90-year-old in the head while she was watching television.

The woman, who was helping to look after the boy, was pronounced dead at the scene at the Country Breeze Mobile Home Park.

Sheriff's deputies have not revealed a motive but they pointed out the child was playing the video game before the fatal shooting.

The game, which is rated "M" for mature audiences and is recommended for ages 17 and above, has been associated with encouraging violence and awards points to players for killing people.

The child told investigators that he accidentally shot the woman while playing with a firearm, WAFB-TV reported.

But evidence has led investigators to believe the child intentionally shot her in the back of the head as she watched TV, it added.

Neighbour Johnnie Scott said: "Where did she have the gun? Where did he see the gun, was it in his eyesight? That's the thought that goes through my head."

Child psychologist Kristopher Kaliebe said access to a violent video game such as Grand Theft Auto IV may encourage aggressive behaviour.

He said: "From a behaviour therapy perspective, I would say that's practising.

"So if you have a video game where someone shoots at a target, that's sort of practising shooting at a target.

"When you have a video game that is shooting at a human being, that is practising shooting at a human being."

The child is being looked after by his parents. The authorities are treating the shooting as a "homicide".

The boy cannot be charged with a crime because of his age, the sheriff's office said.

Louisiana law states: "Those who have not reached the age of 10 years are exempt from criminal responsibility."