By speeding up preparations for a big ground force and raising the promised American contribution from 4, 000 to 7, 000, he gave some ground to hawks both at home and abroad, mainly in Britain, which remains keener on the idea of a fighting intervention on land than almost any other country.

ECONOMIST: NATO piles it on

Ten billion light-years distant, Mingus will help shed light on so-called dark energy, the force that appears to be speeding up cosmic expansion.

BBC: Supernova 'Mingus' could shed light on dark energy

French and British police have formed a joint task force comprising Surrey police, French police and French magistrates, with the aim of speeding up the flow of information between the two countries.

BBC: French Alps murders: 'Long task' to solve case