Traditionally, in the macho corporate world how little sleep you get is often a badge of honour.

High-profile bosses such as Yahoo's Marissa Mayer, PepsiCo's Indra Nooyi and Fiat Chrysler's Sergio Marchionne all boast of thriving on just four hours sleep a night.
Basically "sleep is for wimps" and the sooner you get up after you've gone to bed the better is the gung-ho attitude.
Yet what if the opposite was true: that the more hours you had in bed, the better it was for your career?
"It was unsustainable. I couldn't do my job any more," a 23-year-old management consultant at a big corporate firm tells me.
The issue was sleep, or rather the lack of it. She had never been a good sleeper, but starting her first professional role pushed her to breaking point.
"It was a shock compared to university. Expectations had increased and I was juggling a lot of balls. I had a harder time winding down and disconnecting," she says.
While she fell asleep easily, she would wake up again just four hours later with her mind racing and was unable to drop off again.
At work she found it hard to concentrate and couldn't produce as much in the same time. At weekends she avoided socialising to try to recuperate ahead of work on Monday again.
In the end she paid to do a one-day sleep course which gave her techniques to help her cope, including breathing exercises, taking short breaks to switch off during the day, as well as regular exercise.
The experience was so helpful that she told her employer, who is now funding some places on the course for staff.
She believes people should be more open about how not getting enough sleep affects their performance at work, although she's not willing for me to publish either her name or company.
In fact, as I find out when trying to speak to people for this article, while some firms are beginning to look at how well - or not - their employees sleep, they're rarely willing to say so publicly.
One exception is accountancy firm PwC. Three years ago, the blue-chip firm included a section on the importance of sleep as part of a training programme on resilience.
The course, which was done by 4,500 of its UK staff, focused on how to keep physically and mentally well while doing a demanding, fast-paced job.
The level of interest was so high that 18 months ago the firm opened up the course to all its UK staff. As part of this, it brought in a specialist sleep expert to run sessions and put tips on sleeping prominently on its intranet.
It's still too early to measure the impact of the training, but anecdotal feedback has been positive and the firm is currently assessing additional options to help staff improve their sleep, such as apps and online training courses.
"Apart from doing the right thing, there's a hard commercial edge to this. Sleep is absolutely crucial to performance," says Sally Evans, senior manager of diversity and inclusion and employee wellbeing at PwC.
Yet while the detrimental effects of not getting enough sleep on work performance and health have been well documented, there is far less research on the opposite: the benefits of more sleep.
One exception is a Stanford University School of Medicine study which found basketball players at elite college level were able to improve their on-court performance by increasing their sleep to 10 hours a night for five to seven weeks.
In the UK, research by the Rand Corporation, based on data from 21,822 employees, found that the productivity of those who slept between seven and eight hours a night was significantly better than those who slept less than five hours a night.
Similarly, a recent survey of more than 7,000 US adults found people who reported getting more sleep also had a higher overall sense of well-being than those who said they got less sleep.
But surely how well you sleep is a personal matter. Is it really appropriate for an employer to get involved?
Sleep and insomnia specialist Dr Guy Meadows, the founder of sleep consultancy Sleep To Perform, says it is not about forcing people, but giving them the information they need to "make the right choice".
"In the past sleeping was referred to as cheating. The tide is changing. You can't get away from the wealth of scientific research showing sleep deprivation is mentally, emotionally and physically damaging," he says.
He started running a programme aimed specifically at companies after several firms came to him saying that internal surveys had highlighted sleep as a major problem.
"People were saying they were stressed and couldn't switch off."
US mattress industry booming thanks to new focus on sleep
The consultancy, whose clients include PwC, Lloyds, Unilever, Olympus, Ogilvy & Mather and smoothie-maker Innocent, initially asks employees to fill out details about their sleep and then it gives them a score so they know how well they're doing, before giving them tools to improve it.
All of this data is anonymous and only shared with the employer as averages.
For companies, paying to help improve employees' sleep and prevent them "burning out" or making costly mistakes makes "valuable sense", he argues.
But in an increasingly global world where employees are often required to travel or take calls from overseas at unsociable hours, can check work emails around the clock and are able to work from home as easily as they do in the office, is getting more sleep really realistic?
Nancy Rothstein, who consults and lectures on sleep wellness to employers, says it is but only if corporate culture changes accordingly and if more people are willing to talk openly about the issue.
If a senior executive is sending emails into the small hours, or doing long days then those lower down the hierarchy will feel obliged to follow suit, she says.
Addressing this, she admits, is a relatively slow process with the idea of sleep as a company issue still new, but she believes it is "an executive imperative".
"The culture we've created is not sustainable. Everyone's crying, 'I can't keep this up.'"
For the graduate management consultant the change has been that she can now keep up with her job's demands. While she still has sleepless nights, these periods now last for three nights not three weeks.
"And when it does happen I don't go into panic mode. I know I have the tools to deal with it," she says.


A powerful new technology is giving bricks-and-mortar retailers access to more information about Australian shoppers as they move around the physical world, and shoppers might not even know about it.

For years, online retailers have been learning about their consumers by analysing their internet traffic but it's been impossible for bricks-and-mortar retailers to track shopping patterns in the same way.
Until now that is. New technology is giving retailers a clearer picture of what consumers are doing in the physical world by turning mobile phones into virtual tracking devices.
Retailers and other businesses with high foot traffic - such as pubs, cafes and restaurants - are increasingly offering free access to wi-fi networks and asking consumers to grant access to their digital data in return.
Retailers are then collecting, collating and analysing data about shoppers' gender, age and browsing habits.
It's an exciting development for retailers but one that some experts say consumers should think twice about.
Many shoppers might not be aware that logging on to free wi-fi is giving the corporate world access to their data, says Australian retail and consumer behaviour expert Brian Walker.
There is a "Big Brother" element to the technology, he admits.
"There could be some ramifications once shoppers understand this. I wouldn't be surprised if there was some sort of revolt as the realisation hits."
Consumer advocacy group Choice warns that digital data could be the new battlefield between shoppers and retailers.
"Most people don't realise that such services that are advertised for free can cost you a lot in terms of being targeted with advertising," says Choice's Tom Godfrey.
The largest and oldest retail property in Australia, the Queen Victoria Building in the heart of Sydney, has carried free wi-fi networks since September 2012 to attract more customers.
Research shows free wi-fi keeps shoppers in the centre longer and helps management build a rich customer database for marketing purposes.
The latest retailer to follow the trend is Australian shopping centre juggernaut Westfield, which also owns retail malls in the US and UK. Westfield has just rolled out free wi-fi networks across 21 shopping malls in Australia. As shoppers log in, Westfield will collect data.
Beginning later this year, it will use that data to deliver personalised offers to shoppers' mobile phones as they walk in and out of stores, says John Batistich, director of marketing for Scentre Group (Westfield Shopping Centres).
"We want to use the data to send out compelling news, offers, fashion content and information on events from later this year via a partnership with Optus," Mr Batistich told the BBC.
Mr Batistich says Westfield completed two shopping mall trials recently, which tracked between 2,500 and 3,500 wi-fi sessions a day.
For now, the technology doesn't let Westfield track where or how much money shoppers spend but as people increasingly use their mobile phones to make purchases, that level of detail will also be available, he says.
The technology was developed by Australian company SkyFii. Chief Executive Officer Wayne Arthur says the free wi-fi-data swap is a fair exchange and shoppers can unsubscribe from the network at any time.
"We'll be adding value to the consumer when they give up their information, which will provide them with a far more personalised shopping experience," he says.
Mr Walker says businesses are rushing to gather data and learn how to interpret it.
"From a branding perspective, this move provides enormous value to Westfield and others, giving them the ability to create far more tailored marketing than ever before."
Data collection and analysis also opens up the potential for new revenue streams, he points out.
"Whether Westfield on-sells the data is another matter entirely. This could well be a very concerted effort to make more money."
So how can consumers protect their data?  Technology expert Rob Livingstone says everybody should check the default privacy and location settings on their mobile devices and apps and change them if necessary.
"The bottom line is, if it's free, you are the product and your privacy is the currency."


Adebayo Akinfenwa scored late on to rescue a point for Wycombe Wanderers against fellow promotion-hopefuls Luton Town.

The Hatters would have leapfrogged their opponents in the League Two table with victory, but their poor discipline came back to haunt them, with Johnny Mullins' sending-off their eighth of the campaign.
Luton came within inches of taking the lead when Danny Hylton played in strike partner Jack Marriott but his rising shot clipped the top of the crossbar on its way over.
The deadlock was broken by the visitors in the 56th minute when skipper Scott Cuthbert attacked Jake Gray's corner at the near post and goalkeeper Jamal Blackman could not keep out his header.
The Hatters then had Mullins sent off for a wild lunge on Wycombe substitute Scott Kashket with 15 minutes left and the visitors could not hold on.
The Chairboys played to a big strength in the 82nd minute as striker Akinfenwa rose at the back post from Joe Jacobson's deep cross to thump a brilliant header past Christian Walton.
Report supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Wycombe Wanderers 1, Luton Town 1.
Second Half ends, Wycombe Wanderers 1, Luton Town 1.
Foul by Sido Jombati (Wycombe Wanderers).
Jonathan Smith (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Adebayo Akinfenwa (Wycombe Wanderers).
Scott Cuthbert (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Scott Kashket (Wycombe Wanderers) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Substitution, Luton Town. Stephen O'Donnell replaces Jack Marriott.
Luke Gambin (Luton Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Joe Jacobson (Wycombe Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Luke Gambin (Luton Town).
Attempt missed. Scott Kashket (Wycombe Wanderers) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Goal!  Wycombe Wanderers 1, Luton Town 1. Adebayo Akinfenwa (Wycombe Wanderers) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Joe Jacobson.
Foul by Sido Jombati (Wycombe Wanderers).
Jack Senior (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Adebayo Akinfenwa (Wycombe Wanderers) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt missed. Isaac Vassell (Luton Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Attempt blocked. Sido Jombati (Wycombe Wanderers) header from very close range is blocked.
Corner,  Wycombe Wanderers. Conceded by Jack Senior.
Adebayo Akinfenwa (Wycombe Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Glen Rea (Luton Town).
Attempt missed. Sam Wood (Wycombe Wanderers) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
John Mullins (Luton Town) is shown the red card.
Dominic Gape (Wycombe Wanderers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by John Mullins (Luton Town).
Attempt missed. Scott Kashket (Wycombe Wanderers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Substitution, Luton Town. Glen Rea replaces Jake Gray.
Substitution, Luton Town. Isaac Vassell replaces Danny Hylton.
Dominic Gape (Wycombe Wanderers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Luke Gambin (Luton Town).
Anthony Stewart (Wycombe Wanderers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Anthony Stewart (Wycombe Wanderers).
Danny Hylton (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Wycombe Wanderers. Sam Saunders replaces Paul Hayes.
Substitution, Wycombe Wanderers. Scott Kashket replaces Paris Cowan-Hall.
Luke O'Nien (Wycombe Wanderers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Pelly Ruddock (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Luke O'Nien (Wycombe Wanderers).
Attempt saved. Pelly Ruddock (Luton Town) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Danny Hylton (Luton Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.


A court in the Indian capital has formally charged a driver of the Uber web-based taxi firm with the rape and kidnapping of a passenger last month.

Shiv Kumar Yadav has also been charged with "criminal intimidation" of the 26-year-old woman, reports said.
The victim had used the Uber smartphone app to book a taxi home but said she was taken to a secluded area and raped.
Delhi later banned Uber and several other web-based taxi firms for failing to carry out adequate driver checks.
Although the driver has not yet given a statement in public, police say he has confessed to the crime. They say he has also been identified by the victim.
Rape and the issue of sexual violence against Indian women have been in the spotlight in recent years ever since a 23-year-old physiotherapy student was gang-raped and murdered in Delhi in December 2012.
The crime prompted global outrage and a tightening of the laws on sexual violence, but correspondents say they have failed to act as a deterrent.
Earlier this month, five men were arrested in Calcutta for kidnapping and repeatedly raping a Japanese student.
And in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, two policemen were arrested for allegedly abducting and raping a teenager.


Monaco are hoping for a historic comeback as they try to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit in their Champions League semi-final against Juventus on Tuesday.

The Italians have won all 11 knockout ties against Ligue 1 opponents.
Monaco have never won a game in Italy in seven attempts.
Only two teams have ever won a knockout tie in the competition after losing at home in the first leg and it has never been done from two goals down.
Ajax overcame Panathinaikos in 1996 and Inter Milan managed to beat Bayern Munich in 2011 - both, however, only needed to recover from a one goal deficit.
Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim has said that an early goal could be the catalyst for an upset.
"We have to stay confident, try to play our game and put on a good performance and if we score at the start of the game, maybe that could change things," he said.
Monaco, who themselves were the last French side to reach the final when they lost to Jose Mourinho's Porto in 2004, would also have to end Juve's four-year unbeaten home record in Europe and a run of six successive clean sheets in the competition.
Both teams lead their own leagues and are on the brink of winning their respective titles while Juventus have also reached the Italian Cup final, putting them on course for a treble.
Juventus forward Paulo Dybala limped off during Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to Torino but coach Massimiliano Allegri said it was just cramp.
"It was normal in the circumstances and towards the end of the season," said Allegri, who warned his team not to think about any another result than a win.
"Monaco are a side with great talent and we have absolutely not yet sealed our qualification. We need to win the second leg," he added.
Monaco's 18-year-old striker Kylian Mbappe, one of the hottest properties in European football, has scored 18 goals in his past 20 competitive games, while the team also features resurgent Colombian forward Radamel Falcao.


Scottish manufactured exports fell by 0.5% in the first three months of 2016, according to the latest figures.

Over the year, export volumes fell 2.1% compared to the previous 12 months.
Meanwhile, separate figures showed the value of retail sales remained flat between April and June, with growth much lower than levels across the UK.
The number of retail sales rose 1% in Britain in the second quarter of 2016, but north of the border the rise was 0.2%
Business minister Paul Wheelhouse said the export figures showed Scotland's place within the European single market was "absolutely vital".
He said: "These statistics remind us that Scotland's economy continues to face substantial challenges.
"Subdued global demand and the impact of a lower oil price environment have contributed to a drop in first quarter export volumes for companies working in several parts of the Scottish economy."
Mr Wheelhouse added: "While Scotland's economy is fundamentally strong, our continued EU status - and, thereby, our place in the world's biggest single market - is absolutely vital when it comes to promoting trade and protecting jobs, investment and long-term-prosperity, and this why we are committed to pursuing every possible avenue to maintain our place in the EU."
The figures showed a 3.3% increase in food and drink exports while the amount of textiles, clothing and leather goods sold abroad from Scotland went up by 2.1%.
The decline in exports was recorded ahead of the UK's vote for Brexit, which some economists have suggested could make British goods and services more attractive to overseas buyers as a result of falls in the value of the pound.
The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) said the latest retail figures continued the recent "trend of effectively flat retail sales".
SRC head of policy and external affairs Ewan MacDonald-Russell said: "This comes against the backdrop of an industry going through an intense period of structural, economic and regulatory change.
"Retailers are responding to this environment by becoming more innovative and productive through investment in people, technology and more efficient logistics systems.
"However, that's difficult when facing weak retail sales, falling shop prices and rising government-imposed tax and regulatory costs.
"When the uncertainty resulting from the Brexit vote is also considered, it becomes clear just how hard it is on the high street right now."


Survivors of the Manchester air disaster have called for an apology ahead of the 30th anniversary.

Fifty-three passengers and two crew members were killed when a blaze broke out in the engine of a British Airtours jet bound for Corfu, on 22 August 1985.
The pilot abandoned take-off, but passengers were left trapped as flames engulfed the rear of the plane.
Neither the airport nor the airline has apologised, but both expressed their sympathies.
John Beardmore from Congleton, Cheshire, survived the fire, along with his wife and two sons.
He said: "That plane wasn't fit for purpose. The engine had a history of problems. [The airline] shouldn't have crammed so many people into their [Boeing] 737 charter jets.
"Manchester Airport should've organised themselves so much better.
"We just had to sit in a coach on the runway for half an hour, while they were looking for other survivors. On the day it was a shambles.
"Neither company has ever apologised to us in that time. We think the time is right, where they could say sorry to us."
June Somekh, from Gatley in Stockport, lost her sister Vera, her brother-in-law Raymond and her niece Susan.
She said: "There were so many things that went wrong. I know that an apology isn't going to bring anyone back - but it will at least recognise that there was some wrongdoing.
"There was a lot of carelessness. It's bad and I still feel angry."
An investigation found the disaster was caused by a series of failures.
Most of the victims died from the effects of smoke inhalation, as the desperate passengers tried to escape the aircraft.
Many were impeded by the layout of the seats, and the narrow width of the exits.
Survivors and the relatives of those who died eventually successfully sued US aircraft engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney.
The disaster led to a host of changes in air safety procedures.
Ken O'Toole, managing director at Manchester Airport, said: "Our thoughts, sympathy and sorrow are still very much with those who lost their lives, were injured, their relatives, and the many brave individuals involved in the rescue operation.
"The stories of heroism and stoicism that have emerged from the horror of that day humble us all, and are never far from the airport's thoughts."
British Airtours was the charter division of British Airways at the time of the disaster.
A spokesman for BA said: "At the time of the accident the aircraft held a valid certificate of airworthiness and had been maintained in accordance with both regulatory and manufacturer requirements.
"The seating configuration met all of the certification requirements at the time."
He added the company's thoughts were with the families and friends of those who died.
He said: "We understand their continuing sense of loss, and also the difficulties faced by those who survived the incident and have had to live with the memories."


A second man has been arrested after three sexual assaults in five days, all within a mile of each other.

Police in Cardiff are investigating the attacks, in an area with a high student population, and said it was too early to know if they were connected.
Officers received the latest report of an attack on a woman, 19, at Gorsedd Gardens at 04:30 BST on Thursday.
It follows an incident at Cardiff Civic Centre early on Sunday, and a second in Cathays Terrace early on Tuesday.
A 40-year-old man from Riverside has been taken to Cardiff Bay police station. A 22-year-old, also from Cardiff, who was arrested earlier on Thursday, remains in custody.
However, officers stressed that it was too early to say whether the attacks are linked.
Chief Supt Belinda Davies told the press conference: "My message is one of zero tolerance towards anyone who commits these appalling crimes.
"Crimes like this are never the victim's fault, but I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to follow basic safety advice so they keep themselves and their friends safe."
The first attack on Sunday happened close to the main Cardiff University buildings in the civic centre of the city.
It came as thousands of students flooded back into Cardiff for the start of the new college year.
A Cardiff University spokesman said its security team had visited student residences during freshers' week to discuss personal safety.
"We're in consultation with our Students' Union and are discussing appropriate measures to help ensure our students' safety."
"We encourage anyone affected by these events to speak to someone in Student Support," he added.
Extra police patrols are also continuing in the area to offer reassurance to residents.
On Wednesday, South Wales Police also advised people in the area to walk in pairs at night, and to stay in well-lit areas.


More than one million passengers have used the Borders Railway since it was officially opened by the Queen.

The figure was announced by Transport Minister Humza Yousaf and ScotRail Alliance managing director Phil Verster at Edinburgh's Waverley station.
The first services ran on the route from Tweedbank to Edinburgh on 6 September last year.
However, the opening ceremony was carried out by the Queen three days later.
The date coincided with her becoming Britain's longest-serving monarch.
The popularity of the route has considerably exceeded initial forecasts.
It had been predicted about 650,000 passengers a year would use the line but that figure was passed within its first six months.
Mr Yousaf and ScotRail Alliance staff were joined by passengers and local businesses from along the line of route to celebrate the impact the new railway has had on Midlothian and the Borders.
Abbotsford House, Sir Walter Scott's former home in the Borders, has recorded a 12% increase in visitor numbers this year.
Research by the Moffat Centre has also shown that overall visits to Midlothian and Borders tourist attractions increased by 4% and 6.9% over the first seven months of 2016, compared with the same period last year.
Mr Yousaf said: "I am delighted that we are continuing to see the Borders Railway go from strength to strength with over one million passengers using the line during its inaugural year.
"Not only has the railway linked the communities in the Borders and Midlothian with the wider Scottish rail network for the first time in 46 years, but the increased accessibility has breathed new life into the region, boosting tourism and employment opportunities.
"We are now committed to working with ScotRail to strengthen the railway operationally, increasing capacity and delivering a comprehensive programme of refurbishments to rolling stock, which will mean more passengers can travel in greater comfort in the future."
Mr Verster said the first year had been a "tremendous success".
"The new line has brought the Borders closer to the economic and social opportunities of Edinburgh and given visitors to the capital a new way of reaching one of Scotland's most beautiful and historic regions," he said.
"We are very proud of the popularity of the new line, are striving to continually improve the service we offer on it, and look forward to welcoming even more passengers aboard Borders' services in the years ahead."
Plans are in place for more seats to be introduced on peak services next year, along with plans to introduce longer trains on more services from 2018.


Spain winger Pedro has said a substitute role during Euro 2016 is "not worth staying for".

The Chelsea forward's 10-minute cameo during the 1-0 victory over Czech Republic is his only appearance of the competition so far.
Spain are through to the knockout stages, having beaten Turkey in their second game.
David Silva and Nolito have been preferred to the 28-year-old former Barcelona player.
Pedro told Spanish media that it was "difficult" for him to accept being second-choice as there was "no continuity" for him.
"If you don't see continuity, coming here to stay with the group is no longer worth it," he said.
The winger has 58 caps for Spain, scoring 17 goals since his debut in 2010.
Spain play their final group fixture against Croatia in Bordeaux at 20:00 BST on Tuesday.


Brighton & Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton says he "could not have envisaged" his side being four points clear at the top of the Championship at this point of the season.

The Seagulls, who finished two places above the relegation zone last term, beat Hull 1-0 at home on Saturday.
"We wanted to be in a position where we could at least challenge to go up. That is still the case," said Hughton.
"We've made a tremendous start and I could not have envisaged it."
Hughton's side are unbeaten so far in the Championship this campaign, and earned their fifth win in six league games thanks to Israel international Tomer Hemed's third goal in two games.
"I was hopeful we could challenge better," said former Norwich manager Hughton. "At the moment the margins are going our way.
"Just now we have fit players and good options, and we have continued the momentum following the international break."
Before kick-off at the Amex Stadium, both sides paid tribute to the 11 victims of the Shoreham air disaster.
Matt Grimstone, a member of Brighton's ground staff, and Seagulls supporter Jacob Schilt were among those who died when a Hunter Hawker jet crashed on to the A27 on 22 August.
"A tribute can go two ways. It can draw you on and motivate you, and the way we started I would like to think that it inspired the players," said Hughton.
"It was a fitting tribute by the club and it was a fitting day; in particular for the two lads (Matt Grimstone and Jacob Schilt)."


The White House has said it intends to rule on the fate of the Keystone XL oil pipeline before the end of President Barack Obama's term.

The company behind the pipeline, TransCanada, had wanted to delay the approval process until after his term.
The White House said on Tuesday "there might be politics at play" in the decision by TransCanada.
Some analysts think the company is waiting in hopes that the next president would welcome the project.
The company had complained for years about delays from the Obama administration and had aggressively urged that the project be approved as quickly as possible.
The Keystone XL would send more than 800,000 barrels a day of mostly Canadian oil to Nebraska. From there, the oil would travel to refineries and ports along the US Gulf Coast.
The project has pitted Republicans and other supporters - who say it will create much needed jobs - against many Democrats and environmentalists, who warn the pipeline will add to carbon emissions and contribute to global warming.
President Obama vetoed a Republican bill approving the pipeline in February.
All the Democratic candidates for president - including front-runner Hillary Clinton - oppose the project. The Republican field supports the pipeline.
Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was a strong proponent of the pipeline, but his successor Justin Trudeau - while supportive - is less bullish on the scheme.
The Keystone XL pipeline project was first proposed more than six years ago, but has languished, awaiting a permit required by the federal government because it would cross an international boundary.


Midfielder Ki Sung-yueng says Swansea City's trip to his former club Sunderland could be made even tougher after the Black Cats' relegation.

The 28-year-old spent a season on loan at Sunderland, who secured their first win in 11 Premier League games against Hull.
The Swans are a point above the drop zone but Ki says pride will make Sunderland dangerous opponents.
"They won against Hull because they had no pressure," Ki said.
"They can enjoy their football. They try to win for their fans and for their pride.
"It's going to be a very difficult game against Sunderland and we have to be ready for that. We must win this game."
Swansea moved out of the bottom three after a 1-0 win over Everton and with two games remaining they are a point above Hull, who face Crystal Palace on Sunday a day after Swansea play Sunderland.
Media playback is not supported on this device
South Korea international Ki says Swansea are good enough to survive and secure top-flight football for a seventh successive season.
"I believe we have great players and enough quality in this team," Ki added.
"For Wales as well there's great pride to stay in the Premier League.
"And for myself and my career I don't want to drop to the Championship, I want to stay in the Premier League next season.
Ki, wo had joined Swansea from Celtic in 2012, joined Sunderland on a season's long loan for the 2013-14 campaign after he fell out of favour with former manager Michael Laudrup.
He won a League Cup runners-up medal during his time at the Stadium of Light and said he had good memories of his loan spell but added there was no place for sentiment.
"I'm disappointed for them because they are a big club but for myself I need to win," Ki added.


China has outlined an "air-defence identification zone" over an area of the East China Sea, covering islands that are also claimed by Japan.

China's defence ministry said aircraft entering the zone must obey its rules or face "emergency defensive measures".
The islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, are a source of rising tension between the countries.
Japan lodged a strong protest over what it said was an "escalation".
By Damian  GrammaticasBBC News, Beijing
Since President Xi Jinping took power a year ago, he has overseen a more muscular effort to assert Chinese control over disputed territories in East and South China seas.
His nationalist approach, backed-up by large increases in spending on the armed forces, is welcomed by many in China. But it has led to increasing tension with almost all of China's neighbours. Many, like Japan, have defence agreements with the United States, which has long sought to preserve the balance of power in Asia.
The fear is that one small incident, for example between Chinese and Japanese vessels or aircraft, could escalate rapidly into a far wider and more serious crisis.
"Setting up such airspace unilaterally escalates the situations surrounding Senkaku islands and has danger of leading to an unexpected situation," Japan's foreign ministry said in a statement.
Taiwan, which also claims the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands, expressed regret at the move and promised that the military would take measure to protect national security.
In its statement, the Chinese defence ministry said aircraft must report a flight plan, "maintain two-way radio communications", and "respond in a timely and accurate manner" to identification inquiries.
"China's armed forces will adopt defensive emergency measures to respond to aircraft that do not co-operate in the identification or refuse to follow the  instructions," said the statement.
It said the zone came into effect from 10:00 local time (02:00GMT) on Saturday.
State news agency Xinhua showed a map on its website covering a wide area of the East China Sea, including regions very close to South Korea and Japan.
Responding to questions about the zone on an official state website, a defence ministry spokesman, Yang Yujun, said China set up the area "with the aim of safeguarding state sovereignty, territorial land and air security, and maintaining flight order".
"It is not directed against any specific country or target," he said, adding that China "has always respected the freedom of over-flight in accordance with international law".
"Normal flights by international airliners in the East China Sea air-defence identification zone will not be affected in any way."
The islands have been a source of tension between China and Japan for decades.
In 2012, the Japanese government bought three of the islands from their Japanese owner, sparking mass protests in Chinese cities.
Source: aviationdevelopment.org
Since then, Chinese ships have repeatedly sailed in and out of what Japan says are its territorial waters.
In September this year, Japan said it would shoot down unmanned aircraft in Japanese airspace after an unmanned Chinese drone flew close to the disputed islands.
China said that any attempt by Japan to shoot down Chinese aircraft would constitute "an act of war".
Last month Japan's defence minister, Itsunori Onodera, said China's behaviour over the disputed East China Sea islands was jeopardising peace.
BBC World Service East Asia editor Charles Scanlon says the confrontation over the small chain of uninhabited islands is made more intractable by conflicting claims for potentially rich energy resources on the sea bed.
But the issue has now become a nationalist touchstone in both countries, making it hard for either side to be seen to back down, he says.


An inquiry is to begin at Westminster on Wednesday into the issue of compensation for victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA violence.

Semtex from Libya became the IRA's most devastating and infamous weapon during the Troubles.
The NI Affairs Committee will look at how effective government efforts have been in seeking redress for victims.
It will also examine potential options for compensation, such as using the frozen assets of the Gaddafi family.
Links between the IRA and Libya can be traced back to 1972 when the country's leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi first praised the group as allies in a struggle against Western imperialism.
Gaddafi later helped provide the IRA with the weaponry they needed to wage an armed campaign that lasted more than 30 years and claimed more than 1,000 lives.
He was toppled from power in August 2011 after 42 years in charge of the country. Two months later he was killed after an assault on his birthplace of Sirte.
The committee has invited written evidence from interested parties.


Scotland stunned Spain but missed out on a place in the Euro 2017 quarter-finals.

Goalkeeper Gemma Fay pulled off two fantastic saves before Caroline Weir drilled Scotland in front.
With England beating Portugal 2-1, Scotland needed to win by two goals and their best chance came when Leanne Crichton missed from three yards.
Silvia Meseguer hit the bar for Spain, while Scotland threw everything at them late on but could not fashion a goal.
It was a heartbreaking end to Scotland's first appearance at a major finals, but they restored pride after opening defeats by England and Portugal.
Scotland began the game knowing if they could win by two goals they would qualify for the knock-out stage, providing England beat Portugal in the other Group D match.
After an impressive performance from the bench against Portugal, Erin Cuthbert was rewarded with a starting place, one of four changes with Leanne Ross, Jo Love and Chloe Arthur all handed a shirt.
It was Scotland's Fay who was the busier of the two goalkeepers early on, though, as Marta Torrejon and Meseguer both tested Scotland's early resolve.
And as the game wore on, Spain grew in confidence with Amanda Sampedro missed the target after Mariona Caldentey squared the ball for her.
Then Fay went from villain to hero. After flapping at a loose ball and conceding a corner, she twice pulled off stunning saves to push away headers from Jennifer Hermoso and Irene Paredes.
And she almost went back to being the villain when she raced from goal and handled outside the box. As the Spaniards roared for a red card, referee Jana Adamkova did Scotland a huge favour by reaching for just the yellow.
The Scots were hanging on, but against the run of play they took a stunning lead.
Cuthbert raced on to a through-ball, but was denied by Spanish goalkeeper Sandra Panos.
However, the ball fell for Weir who held off the goalkeeper's challenge and fired through the legs of Paredes, who could only help the ball into her own net.
Frankie Brown twice denied substitute Maria Paz at the near post with brave challenges to keep Scotland ahead, before Crichton somehow smashed a corner over the bar at the other end.
And the Spanish substitute was continuing to cause problems; bulleting a header into the side netting then drilling a shot wide of the far post minutes later.
Scotland needed a second goal but they were struggling to keep the Spanish at bay.
Meseguer was given far too much time and space to pick her spot, and Fay could only watch as her shot cracked off the crossbar.
Paz headed wide from close range, and she again went close when Ifeoma Dieke cleared off the line after Alexia Putellas had been denied by Fay.
A rare Scotland attack saw Lisa Evans force a save from distance but it always looked comfortable for Panos.
Time was ticking away for Scotland but they were becoming more of a threat. Crichton headed a Weir free-kick over, but that was as close as they could get in a frustrating finish to Anna Signeul's time as head coach, with Spain pipping Scotland to second place in the group.
Match ends, Scotland Women 1, Spain Women 0.
Second Half ends, Scotland Women 1, Spain Women 0.
Foul by Marta Corredera (Spain Women).
Erin Cuthbert (Scotland Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt saved. Marta Corredera (Spain Women) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Corner,  Spain Women. Conceded by Ifeoma Dieke.
Attempt saved. Mari Paz Vilas (Spain Women) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Marta Torrejón with a cross.
Attempt missed. Leanne Crichton (Scotland Women) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Caroline Weir with a cross following a set piece situation.
Foul by Irene Paredes (Spain Women).
Fiona Brown (Scotland Women) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Marta Torrejón (Spain Women).
Lana Clelland (Scotland Women) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt missed. Mari Paz Vilas (Spain Women) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Amanda Sampedro.
Irene Paredes (Spain Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Fiona Brown (Scotland Women).
Attempt blocked. Fiona Brown (Scotland Women) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Silvia Meseguer (Spain Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Vicky Losada.
Attempt saved. Lisa Evans (Scotland Women) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Leanne Crichton.
Attempt blocked. Lana Clelland (Scotland Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Caroline Weir.
Offside, Spain Women. Mari Paz Vilas tries a through ball, but Alexia Putellas is caught offside.
Attempt blocked. Mari Paz Vilas (Spain Women) header from the left side of the six yard box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Alexia Putellas (Spain Women) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Amanda Sampedro with a cross.
Attempt missed. Alexia Putellas (Spain Women) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Marta Torrejón.
Silvia Meseguer (Spain Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Leanne Crichton (Scotland Women).
Substitution, Spain Women. Bárbara replaces Mariona.
Vicky Losada (Spain Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Lana Clelland (Scotland Women).
Corner,  Spain Women. Conceded by Rachel Corsie.
Attempt blocked. Marta Torrejón (Spain Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner,  Spain Women. Conceded by Ifeoma Dieke.
Substitution, Scotland Women. Fiona Brown replaces Joanne Love.
Attempt missed. Vicky Losada (Spain Women) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Alexia Putellas.
Attempt missed. Amanda Sampedro (Spain Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Mariona.
Attempt missed. Mari Paz Vilas (Spain Women) header from very close range misses to the left. Assisted by Mariona with a cross following a set piece situation.
Marta Corredera (Spain Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Erin Cuthbert (Scotland Women).
Offside, Spain Women. Mari Paz Vilas tries a through ball, but Alexia Putellas is caught offside.
Silvia Meseguer (Spain Women) hits the bar with a left footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Marta Torrejón.
Silvia Meseguer (Spain Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.


A couple from Suffolk have won £148m on the Euromillions lottery.

The pair from Haverhill have won the UK's second biggest ever lottery prize after being the only winners in Friday's lottery draw.
Camelot said the pair would reveal their plans for the future on Tuesday at Down Hall Country House Hotel in Hertfordshire.
The lottery organisers said the total prize money won by the couple was £148,656,000.
Camelot said the lucky ticket holders would be revealed at the hotel in Hatfield Heath, near Bishop's Stortford, at 11:30 BST.
A National Lottery spokeswoman said: "We are looking forward to welcoming the ticket-holder into our millionaires club, joining the 2,900 millionaires created by the National Lottery to date".
The ticket is the second biggest National Lottery win behind Colin and Chris Weir from Ayrshire, who scooped £161m in July 2011.
It is also the second winning ticket by a couple from East Anglia in less than a year after Dave and Angela Dawes, of Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, won £101m in October.
The winning numbers were 11, 17, 21, 48 and 50. The lucky stars were 9 and 10.
It is the seventh Euromillions jackpot to be won in the UK so far in 2012.
In Friday's draw another UK millionaire was created in the Millionaire Raffle Selection game, with the winning code JDW 016965.
Camelot said to date Euromillions players have raised £28bn for National Lottery Good Causes.
Watch live coverage of the winning couple's TV interview on the BBC News website at 1130


BBC Northern Ireland presenter Stephen Nolan receives a salary of between £400,000 and £449,999 a year, the corporation has revealed.

He is among 96 stars just named by the BBC in its annual report, who earn more than £150,000 annually.
It is the first time the information has been made public.
Most BBC staff and talent earn well under £150,000. Only around 0.5% of the workforce - and only 0.25% of talent - are paid more than that.
The Belfast-born broadcaster presents a number of radio and TV programmes for the BBC.
He presents The Nolan Show Monday to Friday on BBC Radio Ulster, a programme on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings for BBC 5 live and Question Time: Extra Time on Thursday evenings, as well as hosting the TV programme, Nolan Live, on BBC One Northern Ireland several times a year.
It is understood the salaries he receives for his separate presenting roles within the BBC have been amalgamated.
Details of money he earns through programmes commissioned for the BBC from his independent production company are not included in the figure.
Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's News at One programme, the broadcaster refused to say how much he earned in the last 12 months for programmes made by his production company.
"At the end of the day, I try to come with ideas and I try to win business, the BBC are not releasing how much they pay for private productions, it's a commercially sensitive business," he said.
"I'm trying to win independent business by coming up with really good ideas that might be able to be commissioned by the BBC or indeed other broadcasters and I'm talking to other broadcasters too - that's what production companies do."
Asked if he had ever turned down an offer from a competing broadcaster for more money, Stephen Nolan said "other offers had been made (to me) where I could have made more money for doing significantly less".
He did not reveal who had approached him or how much money had been offered.
"It's a pleasure for me to work at the BBC and being paid a lot of money to do it," he added.
Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show on Wednesday morning before the list was published, the presenter said he would be addressing the issue on Thursday's programme.
"I will be making sure that someone independent of me is interviewing me and making sure listeners have access to ask me questions about my salary," he added.
Speaking to BBC News NI, the BBC said: "Stephen presents up to nine radio programmes each week across BBC Radio Ulster and Five Live.
"According to the latest RAJAR figures his BBC Radio Ulster programme is the most listened in Northern Ireland and he also presents the BBC Northern Ireland television series Nolan Live, which regularly attracts an audience share of more than 30 per cent.
"Now with the BBC for 13 years, Stephen is hugely popular with our audiences and is also a multi-award winning presenter.
"He holds the record for winning the most Sony Radio Academy Golds, with seven to his name, and is the current Radio Academy Speech Broadcaster of The Year. He is also a two-time recipient of the Nick Clarke Award and has won Royal Television Society awards two years in a row for his television work.
Steven Carson, head of BBC Northern Ireland productions, said: "The BBC operates within a market place, there are other big providers.
"Our audience have shown in our own research that they want the best presenters and the best talent to be on BBC services."
He said that the BBC takes several factors into account when deciding how much top presenters should be paid, including the amount of work involved, the nature of that work and how much that presenter may be in demand from other broadcasters.
East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell, from the DUP, has been a strong supporter of having information about the highest BBC pay grades in the public domain.
He told the BBC's Talkback programme: "It has taken a very very long time, why did it take so long?
"We, the licence fee paying public, we pay the piper so we should call the tune, it's as simple as that."
Mr Campbell dismissed suggestions that publishing top presenters' pay will have an inflationary effect on future pay levels.
The DUP MP also questioned the timing of the BBC releasing the information on talent pay - the day before Parliament rises for its summer recess.
"Parliament would have been able, over the course of today, tomorrow and the next day - if we had have had the opportunity - to investigate this, to examine it, to raise other issues," he said.
Sinn Féin said it welcomed the move by the corporation, saying "there is an onus on the BBC to be transparent about the levels of salaries".
However, its culture spokesperson, Sinead Ennis, said that her party shared concerns about "exorbitant" salaries paid to some presenters.
"Many will find it incredible that such vast sums are being paid by a publicly-funded organisation at a time of austerity, pay caps on public sector workers and cutbacks to regional BBC services," she added.
"The clear gender inequality, where only a third of the top earners are women, is also a source of concern."
Overall, 25 men on the BBC talent list receive more than £250,000, compared to just nine women.
As part of its annual report on Wednesday, the corporation published a full list of all its senior managers and on-air talent who earn in excess of £150,000 a year.
BBC Northern Ireland Director Peter Johnston is the highest paid senior executive in Northern Ireland, earning between £150,000 and £199,999 annually.
While Northern Ireland- born actor Derek Thompson, who plays Charlie Fairhead in BBC One drama Casualty, is the BBC's highest paid actor.
He received between £350,000 and £400,000 over the last financial year.


Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has said he believes the British government is reluctant to move to break the deadlock on legacy issues until after May's assembly election.

Mr McGuinness was talking to BBC NI's The View.
He said he believed the government was "not keen" to resolve the matter until after the vote.
The Fresh Start Agreement failed to resolve legacy issues arising from Northern Ireland's Troubles.
Mr McGuinness said he was making his assessment following discussions with Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers.
"From the meeting I was involved in with Theresa Villiers, it was clear to me that the British government were not keen to resolve this situation prior to the Assembly elections, so I think probably Arlene Foster (Northern Ireland First Minister) is taking her lead from where she believes the British government to be at," he said.
"I don't think that is it, I made the point when I had the conversation with Theresa Villiers that if it was a matter of waiting until after the Assembly elections that preparatory work needs to be done between now and the elections, so that we are not after the election facing the public with this prospect that there will be more talks.
"This needs to be resolved immediately after the Assembly elections."


During the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Muslims reflect on their faith as they conduct their daily fast from dawn until dusk in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which marks the anniversary of the revelation of the Islamic holy book, the Koran.

The end of the month of fasting is marked by Eid al-Fitr, which means the "festival of the breaking of the fast", which continues over several days.
The first day of Eid starts in the UK this Friday, beginning with morning prayers, followed by feasting and celebrations with family and friends.
Ramadan is also a time for charitable deeds, which for some Muslims in the US this year has meant helping raise funds to rebuild black churches in the American South that have been devastated by fire.
Imam Zaid Shakir, an Islamic scholar at California's Zaytuna College, explained why on one of the fundraising pages.
He wrote that the US Muslim community understood "the climate of racially inspired hate and bigotry that is being reignited in this country.
"We want to let our African American brothers and sisters know that we stand in solidarity with them during this dark hour."
However, that sense of some communities dividing increasingly along ethnic or religious lines is one that has also been felt in parts of Europe and the UK, not least as the self-styled Islamic State (IS) and other extreme Islamist groups continue to dominate the headlines, exacerbating concerns among non-Muslims over what Islam means for some of its younger followers today.
Some Islamic clerics around the world have used Ramadan as a chance to reflect publicly on how to reform the religious discourse within Islam to keep up with the challenges of 21st Century life, and to oppose extremism.
In Egypt and elsewhere, some Islamic scholars have discussed ways to renew the interpretation of the Koran, while in the United Arab Emirates, a popular American scholar of Islam warned that renewal was needed within Islam. Others stressed the necessity for a greater emphasis on tolerance of difference, mercy and mutual respect.
Those efforts to discuss religious reform to a faith followed by around 1.6 billion people, or a quarter of the world's population, are aimed in part at ensuring that extreme interpretations of Islamic tradition do not gain a greater following.
Militant violence has escalated in the Middle East and elsewhere with the spread of IS. Slick online propaganda appeals to some Muslims in Europe - and to rather more young people in countries such as Tunisia or Saudi Arabia - some of whom are attracted to its austere interpretation and claim to be the "real" Islam.
In January, the Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi called for a revolution in Islam, saying that outdated interpretations had made the Muslim world a source of destruction.
However, others do not want a revolution within Islam but reinterpretations, or gentler reforms.
Speaking in Abu Dhabi, American scholar Sheikh Hamza Yusuf urged a return to the core tenet of mercy in Islam, describing the religion as a house that had been neglected and was in need of renovation.
"The water taps aren't working, the plumbing's not working. The house is in disarray," he told the Associated Press.
"You don't destroy it, you don't set it aside. You renovate it."
He said Muslims should not oppose even strong reforms, nor feel that everything needed to be changed.
"Because of the urgency of the situation, some people are waking up... and thinking we better do something," he said.
Efforts to reform Islam are not new, and not everyone thinks they are necessary.
But many Muslims would agree that these are difficult times for Islam.
For centuries, Islamic theologians, legal experts, poets and scientists advanced not only their understanding of how Islam applied to their times, but also led global philosophical and legal debates, and discoveries in medicine and the sciences.
In the UK, a new Muslim video on-demand channel that launched earlier this year, focusing on Islamic life across the globe, hopes to aid better understanding of Islam in the 21st Century.
Alchemiya is the brainchild of two British Muslims, and offers documentaries and entertainment.
After the end of Ramadan, the channel will be looking for fresh funding to help it expand for a global Muslim audience.
London-based imam Ajmal Masroor, one of its co-founders, says its aim is to celebrate Islam.
"Unfortunately, Islamic hatred has become very fashionable or acceptable today, because the media has portrayed it in this way.
"Every time you switch on the television, it's something about Muslims or something about terrorism, and the two have become synonymous for some people.
"Our channel isn't a reaction to that - our channel is a challenge to it."
The channel's appeal is that unlike many other Muslim channels, it won't focus on news or politics, but seeks to serve a new demographic: global urban Muslims (Gummies) - the growing Muslim middle-classes.
Alchemiya's Navid Akhtar believes there is a real gap in that market, not least in Muslim majority countries such as Malaysia or Indonesia.
"They are really interested in what it means to be a Muslim dealing with the realities of 21st Century Islam.
"When I go there, they say, 'Wow, you're from London, you Muslims are so cool,' with the kind of creativity that comes out of London, the ideas we have here. There's an enormous demand for products coming out of Muslim London."
During Ramadan Muslims endeavour to adhere to three types of worship: Sawm (fasting), Zakat (charity) and Salat (praying).
It was in the ninth month in AD610 when Muslims believe the Koran was first revealed by God to his messenger on Earth, the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims decided this event should be commemorated with a period dedicated to extra worship. The key tenet became fasting.
The first fast is believed to have occurred in AD624 when the Prophet Muhammad persuaded the residents of Medina, in modern-day Saudi Arabia, to forgo their food and give it to poor worshipers who had followed him from Mecca.
Muslims try to purify body and mind during Ramadan. Besides fasting from dawn to sunset, Muslims also abstain from sex, smoking and avoid gossip to concentrate on personal reflection and prayer.
When the sun has set, the fast is broken with friends and family, in a ceremony known as the iftar. After 30 days the end of Ramadan ushers in a festival known as Eid al-Fitr. This is when Muslims can collectively end their period of fasting with a celebratory party
Ramadan: What do I need to know?
The idea is for Alchemiya to show a different side of the modern Muslim world - one seen all too rarely on the news today.
For Navid Akhtar, this Ramadan has been a chance to establish a broader understanding with friends of what their faith means to Muslims today, in the West and elsewhere.
"Growing up, Ramadan was a very private affair for my family as immigrants from Pakistan, living in east London. My life was split into two between school, friends and my traditional Pakistani family, and never the twain did meet," he says.
"Thirty-five years later, what has changed? I now have close relationships with non-Muslim friends who are really aware of what Ramadan means to me.
"One of my partners at Alchemiya, David, has been fasting all month, despite being resolutely atheist, for no other reason than a human desire for empathy.
"He has called it his 'non-Muslim Ramadan' and it's a great example of how we in the UK are finding ways to understand each other, and go beyond the stereotypes."


Tony Bellew has "agreed to fight on" and targeted becoming a champion in the heavyweight division.

Bellew, 34, moved up from cruiserweight to beat fellow Briton David Haye in a heavyweight contest in March and considered retiring after the bout.
However, he says he has "more left in the tank" and talks have taken place about fighting WBC champion Deontay Wilder or WBO holder Joseph Parker.
"I love the sound of heavyweight champion of the world," said Bellew.
"It's a big goal, it's a big ask."
Liverpudlian Bellew made the decision to continue following talks with promoter Eddie Hearn and a fight with former WBA, IBF and WBO champion Tyson Fury or a rematch with Haye are possible.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Bellew added: "Eddie has had talks regarding Deontay Wilder. We have spoken with Joseph Parker's people and Tyson Fury's representatives have been in touch with my people.
"It seems like I am the most hunted man on the planet at the moment."
Bellew, who has 29 wins and a draw from 32 fights, broke his hand in the fight against Haye.
"I haven't punched with the right hand yet. I can clench a fist, shake hands and I am ready to get back to work," he said.


A woman who was killed during a diving accident was an Edinburgh school drama teacher.

The body of Kelda Henderson, 36, was recovered at a Fife quarry where she had failed to surface.
Emergency services were alerted to the incident at Prestonhill Quarry in Inverkeithing at about 21:20 on Sunday.
Her body was recovered at 10:30 on Monday. The head teacher of George Heriot's in Edinburgh paid tribute to the mother-of-one.
Cameron Wyllie, the school's principal, in a letter to parents, said: "Kelda was an immensely talented, compassionate and vibrant person who loved teaching drama, and who has inspired a love of her subject in many young people over the years.
"Those of us at school are very shocked. I know you will all include her son Josh, and her parents, in your thoughts."
Police inquiries are currently ongoing to confirm the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
Insp Ian Stephen, of Police Scotland, said:  "This is a tragic incident and our thoughts are with Kelda's family and friends as they come to terms with this terrible loss.
"We are supporting Kelda's family at this time through specially-trained officers.
"Inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding this incident. I would like to thank the officers, public and partner agencies who assisted with our search."
In August 2014, Cameron Lancaster, 18, from Burntisland, died at the same quarry while John McKay, 18, from Kirkcaldy, also lost his life there in June 2015.
Last August, a diving training club - Forth Diver Training - was launched at the site by two ex-forces diving instructors to provide diver training courses.
The charity project was formed after the diving community, who have used the site for many years, was invited to work alongside Fife Council and the emergency services to look at ways of improving water safety awareness.


Former Yorkshire and England off-spinner Bob Appleyard MBE has died at the age of 90.

Born in Bradford, Appleyard did not make his first-class debut until he was 27, but took 200 wickets in his first season in 1951.
He made his Test debut in 1954 and had match figures of 7-123 in a victory over Pakistan at Trent Bridge.
Appleyard retired from playing in 1958 and went on to serve a two-year term as club president between 2006 and 2008.
During his career, he took 642 wickets at an average of 15.42 for Yorkshire, and 31 in nine Tests for England.
Appleyard was named as one of  Wisden's cricketers of the year in 1952 and appointed an MBE in 2007.


The Federal Reserve has decided to keep US interest rates unchanged after its latest meeting.

The decision leaves short-term interest rates at record lows of 0% to 0.25%, the same level they have been at since December 2008.
The decision came as little surprise to the markets, although the Fed has previously signalled that rates are likely to rise within months.
The Fed said the US economy was still expanding at a moderate pace.
Share of gold mining firms were up earlier in the day on the expectation that the central bank would hold off on a rate rise this time.
In a statement, the Fed said it was continuing to watch the global economy and domestic labour market for signs of strength.
"The Committee continues to see the risks to the outlook for economic activity and the labour market as nearly balanced, but is monitoring global economic and financial developments," the statement added.
In a repeat of September's vote, nine members of the board - including chairwoman Janet Yellen - voted to keep rates the same. One, Jeffrey Lacker from the Federal Reserve Bank at Richmond, voted for an increase.
The Fed gave few hints about when it will raise rates, but if it sticks to previous expectations that a rate increase will happen this year, it has only one more chance to do so, at its next meeting in December.


A mistake by one of Wales' fire services meant £6.2m in VAT receipts were unclaimed for almost three years.

Businesses can reclaim VAT paid for goods and services from HMRC.
It emerged at a Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service fire authority meeting last Thursday that £6.2m went unclaimed up to March 2016.
The authority's assistant chief officer, Elizabeth Aitken, said no VAT money was lost and "the whole of this amount has now been claimed".
The meeting was told the outstanding amount did not have an impact on the fire service's budget.
Staff sickness and the changeover of employees in the fire service's financial department were among the reasons give for the error.
When staff realised the problem, money had to be borrowed to cover the shortfall, meaning the fire authority paid £46,000 in interest.


Education Secretary Nicky Morgan says she wants England to get into the top five of the international Pisa tests for English and maths by 2020.

The man in charge of the Pisa tests, Andreas Schleicher, says the evidence from around the world reveals some big myths about what makes for a successful education system.
Teachers all around the world struggle with how to make up for social disadvantage in their classrooms. Some believe that deprivation is destiny.
And yet, results from Pisa tests show that the 10% most disadvantaged 15-year-olds in Shanghai have better maths skills than the 10% most privileged students in the United States and several European countries.
Children from similar social backgrounds can show very different performance levels, depending on the school they go to or the country they live in.
Education systems where disadvantaged students succeed are able to moderate social inequalities.
They tend to attract the most talented teachers to the most challenging classrooms and the most capable school leaders to the most disadvantaged schools, thus challenging all students with high standards and excellent teaching.
Some American critics of international educational comparisons argue that the value of these comparisons is limited because the United States has some unique socio-economic divisions.
But the United States is wealthier than most countries and spends more money on education than most of them, its parents have a higher level of education than in most countries, and the share of socio-economically disadvantaged students is just around the OECD average.
What the comparisons do show is that socio-economic disadvantage has a particularly strong impact on student performance in the United States.
In other words, in the United States two students from different socio-economic backgrounds vary much more in their learning outcomes than is typically the case in OECD countries.
Integrating students with an immigrant background can be challenging.
And yet, results from Pisa tests show no relationship between the share of students with an immigrant background in a country and the overall performance of students in that country.
Even students with the same migration history and background show very different performance levels across countries, suggesting that where students go to schools makes much more of a difference than where they come from.
South Korea, the highest-performing OECD country in mathematics, spends well below the average per student.
The world is no longer divided between rich and well-educated countries and poor and badly-educated ones. Success in education systems is no longer about how much money is spent, but about how money is spent.
Countries need to invest in improving education and skills if they are going to compete in an increasingly knowledge-based global economy.
And yet, educational expenditure per student explains less than 20% of the variation in student performance across OECD countries.
For example, students in the Slovak Republic, which spends around $53,000 (Â£35,000) per student between the age of 6 and 15, perform on average at the same level at age 15 as the United States which spends over $115,000 (Â£76,000) per student.
Everywhere, teachers, parents and policy-makers favour small classes as the key to better and more personalised education.
Reductions in class size have also been the main reason behind the significant increases in expenditure per student in most countries over the last decade.
And yet, Pisa results show no relationship between class size and learning outcomes, neither within nor across countries.
More interestingly, the highest performing education systems in Pisa tend to systematically prioritise the quality of teachers over the size of classes. Wherever they have to make a choice between a smaller class and a better teacher, they go for the latter.
Rather than putting money into small classes, they invest in competitive teacher salaries, ongoing professional development and a balance in working time.
There is a conventional wisdom that sees a non-selective, comprehensive system as designed to promote fairness and equity, while a school system with academic selection is aimed at quality and excellence.
And yet, international comparisons show there is no incompatibility between the quality of learning and equity, the highest performing education systems combine both.
More from the BBC's Knowledge economy series looking at education from a global perspective
None of the countries with a high degree of stratification, whether in the form of tracking, streaming, or grade repetition is among the top performing education systems or among the systems with the highest share of top performers.
Globalisation and technological change are having a major impact on what students need to know.
When we can access so much content on Google, where routine skills are being digitised or outsourced, and where jobs are changing rapidly, the focus is on enabling people to become lifelong learners, to manage complex ways of thinking and working.
In short, the modern world no longer rewards us just for what we know, but for what we can do with what we know.
Many countries are reflecting this by expanding school curriculums with new school subjects. The most recent trend, reinforced in the financial crisis, was to teach students financial skills.
But results from Pisa show no relationship between the extent of financial education and financial literacy. In fact, some of those education systems where students performed best in the Pisa assessment of financial literacy teach no financial literacy but invest their efforts squarely on developing deep mathematics skills.
More generally, in top performing education systems the curriculum is not mile-wide and inch-deep, but tends to be rigorous, with a few things taught well and in great depth.
The writings of many educational psychologists have fostered the belief that student achievement is mainly a product of inherited intelligence, not hard work.
The findings from Pisa also show this mistaken belief, with a significant share of students in the western world reporting that they needed good luck rather than hard work to do well in mathematics or science. It's a characteristic that is consistently negatively related to performance.
Teachers may feel guilty pushing students who are perceived as less capable to achieve at higher levels, because they think it is unfair to the student.
Their goal is more likely to be enabling each student to achieve up to the average of students in their classrooms, rather than, as in Finland, Singapore or Shanghai-China, to achieve high universal standards.
A comparison between school marks and performance of students in Pisa also suggests that teachers often expect less of students from lower socio-economic backgrounds. And those students and their parents may expect less too.
This is a heavy burden for education systems to bear, and it is unlikely that school systems will achieve performance parity with the best-performing countries until they accept that all children can achieve at very high levels.
In Finland, Japan, Singapore, Shanghai and Hong Kong, students, parents, teachers and the public at large tend to share the belief that all students are capable of achieving high standards.
Students in those systems consistently reported that if they tried hard, they would trust in their teachers to help them excel.
One of the most interesting patterns observed among some of the highest-performing countries was the gradual move away from a system in which students were streamed into different types of secondary schools.
Those countries did not accomplish this transition by taking the average and setting the new standards to that level. Instead, they "levelled up", requiring all students to meet the standards that they formerly expected only their elite students to meet.
In these education systems, universal high expectations are not a mantra but a reality.


A petition calling for an end to a 5% tax on sanitary products has gathered more than 125,000 signatures.

But, because of current EU rules, it's unlikely that it will be successful.
Back in 2000 the VAT on tampons and sanitary towels was dropped from 17.5% to 5% after a campaign by Labour MP Dawn Primarolo.
However, standardised EU taxes mean that the rate cannot drop below 5% - and it's not just sanitary products that are affected.
Here's a list of the other items that people may consider important to their lives, which have VAT of 5%.
Why the 'tampon tax' is here to stay - for a while at least
People over 60 pay 5% on items such as grab rails, stair lifts and walk-in baths, so long as they are bought and installed in a private home.
If all those criteria aren't met, then full VAT of 20% is paid.
Nicotine patches, gum or inhalators to help you quit smoking all attract the 5% tax if you buy them over the counter.
VAT isn't charged on those items if they are prescribed by a doctor.
Some sanitary products are specifically designed for women have just given birth - like tampons, these have a 5% rate.
If the item you buy has a dual-use to help with both incontinence and menstruation, then it is exempt from VAT, subject to certain restrictions.
This is also true for pads which are just for incontinence.
According to HMRC, the 5% rate applies to children's car seats, booster chairs and booster cushions.
It is also charged on carry cots with restraint straps but prams and pushchairs attract a standard rate.
Along with other energy-saving materials such as wind turbines and insulation, if you install solar panels in your home then you will pay a reduced VAT of 5%.
This is also the case for boilers and radiators.
It's not just energy equipment that gets VAT of 5%.
You also pay that rate for any gas or electricity that is supplied to your home.
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The UK is handing control of Europe's destiny to Germany by leaving the EU, Lord Heseltine has claimed.

The Tory peer, sacked as a government adviser after defying the whip over Brexit, said the Germans had lost World War Two but the UK was now giving them the "opportunity to win the peace".
"I find that quite unacceptable," he told the House Magazine.
UKIP said the comments showed Lord Heseltine was "utterly out of touch with the modern world".
"If I was German I would be deeply offended," a UKIP spokesman told the BBC.
In a wide-ranging interview, Lord Heseltine questioned how Theresa May could campaign to remain in the EU as home secretary but "within a few weeks" of becoming PM, insist "Brexit means Brexit".
The prime minister, he added, had seemed to change her mind on the issue, suggesting "this lady was for turning".
Lord Heseltine, who was deputy prime minister between 1992 and 1997, said he would continue to argue against the decision to leave the EU, believing it was against the UK's historic national interest.
The 83-year old said he was "now free" to speak out after he was relieved of his five economic advisory roles after defying party managers to vote against Brexit in the House of Lords.
"If anyone is listening, I will continue to play a role in trying to avert what I perceive to be a disaster of British self-interest," he was quoted as saying.
"The letters keep flowing, the invitations keep coming...They haven't kicked me out of the party yet. They kicked me out of my advisory jobs but as yet there is no suggestion I should be asked for my membership card."
Not only would Brexit alter the balance of power in Europe, he suggested that for many people of his generation, the UK's decision might be regarded as a betrayal of the country's fight against the Nazis.
"For someone like myself, it was in 1933, the year of my birth, that Hitler was democratically elected in Germany. He unleashed the most horrendous war.
"This country played a unique role in securing his defeat. So Germany lost the war. We have just handed them the opportunity to win the peace."
He dismissed those who argue Britain's standing in the world would be unaffected by EU withdrawal, saying the UK would lose its ability to act as a bridge between both the Commonwealth and the US and Europe.
"The Americans will shift the focus of their interest to Germany."
Lord Heseltine has long been one of the most pro-European voices in his party but has rejected the Europhile tag often given to him - saying that EU membership is about enhancing the UK's national interest not giving up power and identity.
He said he had "no complaints" about the way he had been treated by the prime minister, saying they came from a different political generation and had never met, let alone discussed Europe.
But he suggested that she had not shown the iron resolve of her predecessor Lady Thatcher, who the peer served under and later helped to depose as prime minister.
Lady Thatcher famously told the 1980 Conservative party conference, at a time of intense calls for the government to reverse its economic policies, "you turn if you want to, this lady's not for turning."
Pointing to a speech Mrs May made two months before the EU referendum - in which she called for Britain to "stand tall and lead in Europe" - Lord Heseltine said:  "I don't know how someone who made that speech can, within a few weeks, say Brexit is Brexit and ask the nation to unite behind it...This lady was for turning."
Lord Heseltine also urged Chancellor George Osborne not to rule out a return to frontline politics and disclosed that he did not vote for Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith as London Mayor because of Mr Goldsmith's pro-Brexit stance.
He also advised the prime minister to resist the "powerful" temptation to call a snap election, suggesting the result of the Richmond by-election, won by the Lib Dems, showed the "deep and bitter fury" of many voters who wanted to remain in the EU.
Conservative MP David TC Davies said he respected Lord Heseltine and the generation whose world view was shaped by war but their outlook was not shared by others.
"For them the EU was not just a trading arrangement. It was a way of avoiding a third world war," he said.
"But it is an analysis that is decades out of date. We can't carry on as if we are all still living in the 1950s."
Mr Davies, who is vice chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British-German relations, added: "There is no chance of a war between Germany, France and Britain. We all share the same values and we are all open to each other for trade."
Responding to Lord Heseltine's comments, a UKIP spokesman said: "What an extraordinary thing to say. Has he lost his marbles?
"I never realised the purpose of Britain's membership of the EU was to stop German domination of Europe.
"For someone who is deeply pro-European to basically say he doesn't trust the German people not to misbehave shows how utterly out of touch he is with the modern world and the modern, democratic and free Germany."


Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale says 16-year-old Jack Sparkes has made a "lovely start" after making his debut in their draw at Swindon on Saturday.

The winger came on for the last 20 minutes of their League Two match, hitting the post from long range.
"We believe him to be capable of coping with the situation - that's a really big part," Tisdale told BBC Devon.
"The reason he's been elevated and he's accelerated into the first-team squad is because physically he can cope."
Sparkes has been given the number 31 shirt, because his wages are being paid by members of Exeter's '1931 Fund' - made up of about 70 fans who each pay £19 per month to help pay for a player.
The fund, which has raised more than £100,000 since starting in 2009, has previously helped the Devon club sign Joel Grant,Pierce Sweeney and Elliott Chamberlain.
"He's got a long way to go yet, but it was a lovely start and another one through the academy," added Tisdale.
"It's not just the technical and physical aspect, it's an ability to cope with the stress and the pressure in the appropriate way."


Former heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko has retired from boxing - ruling out a rematch with Britain's Anthony Joshua.

The Ukrainian, 41, was knocked out in the 11th round by current champion Joshua at Wembley Stadium in April.
Joshua, 27, had hoped Klitschko would sign his rematch clause for a proposed fight in Las Vegas on 11 November.
"I have achieved everything I dreamed of, and now I want to start my second career after sports," said Klitschko.
The two-time former champion, who held the unified title from 2006-2015 before losing to Joshua's fellow Briton Tyson Fury, ends his career with a record of 64 wins and five defeats.
"I would have never imagined that I would have such a long and incredibly successful boxing career," he added.
Joshua must now face mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev before 2 December or risk being stripped of his IBF belt. Bulgarian Pulev, 36, has a record of 25 wins and one defeat, which came to Klitschko in 2014.
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Klitschko won Olympic super-heavyweight gold at the 1996 Games in Atlanta, before turning professional later that year.
He built an unbeaten 24-0 record before losing to American Ross Puritty in 1998 in his only fight to take place in his native Ukraine.
After claiming the WBO belt with victory over American Chris Byrd in 2000, Klitschko was upset by South Africa's Corrie Sanders and American Lamon Brewster in 2003 and 2004 respectively.
He then went 11 years unbeaten, until losing the WBA, IBF and WBO titles to Fury in November 2015.
The Germany-based fighter announced his retirement on a video posted on his website, with so many people trying to access it that the server crashed.
In his video statement, Klitschko said: "Twenty-seven years ago I started my journey in sport. It was the best choice of a profession I could have made. Because of this choice I have travelled the world, learned new languages, created business, built intellectual properties, helped people in need.
"At some point in our lives we need to switch our careers and get ourselves ready for the next chapter - obviously I am not an exception to this.
"I am expecting and hoping my next career, which I have already been planning and working on for some years, will be at least as successful as the previous one, if not more successful."
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Klitschko's bout with 2012 Olympic gold medallist Joshua was the most lucrative fight in British boxing history - the fighters were reported to have shared prize money of £30m - and was only the third time a fight had been televised by two American networks.
It turned out to be a memorable occasion in front of a post-war record 90,000 fans, as Joshua knocked down Klitschko in the fifth round before he was then dropped himself in the sixth - the first time in the Briton's career.
Promoter Eddie Hearn had said the rematch could take place in Cardiff's Principality Stadium, but Las Vegas became a frontrunner in recent weeks until Klitschko's retirement.
Hearn said he was informed of Klitschko's decision by the Ukrainian's manager Bernd Boente on Thursday morning.
"We wish him all the success," Hearn said on social media.
Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko said Klitschko was a "symbol of victory" who had "brought glory" to the country.
"Wladimir's triumphs will always stay in our memory as an example of iron will - Ukraine is proud of you, champion," he said.
Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman added his thanks for "unrivalled matches and victories" and wished Klitschko "success and achievements on new fronts".
BBC boxing correspondent Mike Costello
There had been speculation he would face Joshua in a rematch in Las Vegas in November, but Klitschko has now decided to call time on one of the most successful careers in the history of the heavyweight division.
In two reigns as champion he won 25 world title fights, and only the American Joe Louis made more successful defences of the title.
Klitschko suffered a series of knock-downs in the first half of his career, which led to him adopting a cautious style that was criticised by many fans.
But the great trainer Emanuel Steward said Klitschko had one of the best right-hand punches in history, and his contest against Joshua ranks among the best ever heavyweight fights.


Matt Dolan's second-half strike clinched Yeovil's fifth win in seven league games as they won 1-0 at Crewe.

The midfielder's curling free-kick proved decisive after the Glovers came under the cosh in the first half at Gresty Road, where Crewe were sinking to their first home loss.
The Railwaymen were on top for large parts with Chris Dagnall driving an effort across goal and George Cooper heading over.
Keeper Artur Krysiak was Yeovil's hero, coming off his line swiftly to thwart Ryan Lowe twice in quick succession.
Yeovil's Tahvon Campbell could have made more of a loose back-pass by Ollie Turton but fired into the side netting.
The visiting goal led a charmed life at times with defender Jon Guthrie inches away from finding the far corner with a header and Dagnall's crashing 20-yard drive bouncing off the underside of the bar.
Yet Darren Way's side were more positive after the break and they took the lead in the 62nd minute when Dolan struck a free-kick from 30 yards into the bottom corner.
Dagnall was thwarted by the woodwork again when his header from sub Callum Ainley's cross looped onto the frame.
But Yeovil could have had another when sub Francois Zoko struck the post from Dolan's free-kick.
Reports supplied by Press Association.
Match ends, Crewe Alexandra 0, Yeovil Town 1.
Second Half ends, Crewe Alexandra 0, Yeovil Town 1.
Attempt blocked. Zoumana Bakayogo (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Foul by Zoumana Bakayogo (Crewe Alexandra).
Alex Lawless (Yeovil Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Corner,  Crewe Alexandra. Conceded by Alex Lacey.
Foul by Harry Davis (Crewe Alexandra).
Tom Eaves (Yeovil Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Oliver Turton (Crewe Alexandra).
Francois Zoko (Yeovil Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Oliver Turton (Crewe Alexandra).
Francois Zoko (Yeovil Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Callum Ainley (Crewe Alexandra).
Francois Zoko (Yeovil Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Chris Dagnall (Crewe Alexandra) hits the bar with a header from the centre of the box.
Substitution, Yeovil Town. Francois Zoko replaces Otis Khan.
Substitution, Crewe Alexandra. Callum Ainley replaces Danny Hollands.
Corner,  Crewe Alexandra. Conceded by Bevis Mugabi.
Corner,  Yeovil Town. Conceded by Jon Guthrie.
Attempt saved. Ryan Hedges (Yeovil Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. Ryan Hedges (Yeovil Town) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Tom Eaves (Yeovil Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Danny Hollands (Crewe Alexandra).
Corner,  Yeovil Town. Conceded by Harry Davis.
Foul by Tom Eaves (Yeovil Town).
Harry Davis (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Kevin Dawson (Yeovil Town) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Goal!  Crewe Alexandra 0, Yeovil Town 1. Matthew Dolan (Yeovil Town) from a free kick with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Ryan Hedges (Yeovil Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Zoumana Bakayogo (Crewe Alexandra).
Substitution, Yeovil Town. Tom Eaves replaces Tahvon Campbell.
Substitution, Crewe Alexandra. James Jones replaces Billy Bingham.
Attempt blocked. Jon Guthrie (Crewe Alexandra) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Foul by Kevin Dawson (Yeovil Town).
Danny Hollands (Crewe Alexandra) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Harry Davis (Crewe Alexandra).
Alex Lacey (Yeovil Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Otis Khan (Yeovil Town) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Attempt blocked. Alex Lawless (Yeovil Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Foul by Alex Kiwomya (Crewe Alexandra).


Great Britain missed out on men's team foil bronze at the European Fencing Championships in Switzerland after a 45-37 loss to Germany.

The GB squad of James Davis, Richard Kruse, Laurence Halstead and Marcus Mepstead had earlier reached the semi-finals in Montreux, but lost to Russia.
That meant a straight fight for the bronze medal against Germany, who were too strong.
Russia lost to France in the final while Romania won the women's epee.
GB defeated Hungary then claimed the scalp of highly fancied Italy en route to the semi-finals, beating a squad featuring individual champion Andrea Cassara and finalist Daniele Garozzo.


The transport budget for people using adult social care services in Norfolk is to be cut by £7m as the county council deals with falling income.

The council's government grant will be reduced by £42m in 2015-16 and costs will rise by £27m, the council said.
Councillors agreed a budget of £318m on Monday after a meeting lasting nearly six hours.
The council is run by an alliance of Labour, Lib Dems and UKIP supported by the Greens.
Total cuts amounting to almost £11m will affect community services, arts funding, libraries and road maintenance.
Council leader George Nobbs agreed to set aside £100,000 to delay the cut in transport for people using adult social care services.
A protest by those affected by the transport cuts met the councillors as they arrived for the budget summit.
A spokesman said some of those hit by the cuts would now be faced with travel costs of up to £7,000 a year.
Council tax is to be frozen for a further year after a proposal by the Greens for a 2% increase was rejected.
Mr Nobbs said: "Gone are the days when the hardest decisions facing councillors was where to allocate additional money.
"Despite losing almost £42m in government grants, and facing escalating costs of £27m, we have protected front-line care services from the worst impact.
"This has been done through a strong record of delivering efficiencies and through taking tough decisions, cutting where we have had no alternative."
Budgets for the current year were cut by £66m in February 2014.


A 49-year-old man has denied a string of attacks on people who had sneezed on streets in Carlisle.

Stephen Jackson is accused of 12 charges of assault by beating, one charge of common assault and one of threatening and antisocial behaviour.
It follows reports of incidents between October 2014 and March 2015.
Appearing before magistrates, Mr Jackson, of Dixon Court, in Carlisle pleaded not guilty and will return to the court at date yet to be fixed.


Campbell Corrigan has been named acting Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police following Stephen House's appointment to head Scotland's new single force.

The former Deputy Chief Constable was confirmed in the top job at a meeting of Strathclyde Police Authority in Glasgow on Monday.
The post vacated by Mr Corrigan will now be filled by former Assistant Chief Constable Rhuaraidh Nicolson.
In turn, his position will be filled by Chief Superintendent Russell Dunn.
Mr House was appointed last week to head up Scotland's new single police force, which comes into being in April next year.
He has already said that as many as 3,000 support staff could be lost as he seeks to merge eight forces into one.


Janet Jackson announced on Thursday that she was expecting her first child at 50.

While the news came as a shock to some, statistics show more women are choosing to get pregnant later in life.
The US health department reported that in 2000, 7.4 % of women had their first child at 35 or older - by 2014 the number had risen to 9.1%.
Earlier this year, the UK's Office for National Statistics reported there were 15.2 births per 1,000 women aged over 40, compared with 14.5 per 1,000 women in their teens, in England and Wales.
But the choice to have children later in life has implications for future generations.  Children maybe forced to care for their parents from a young age or parents may not be able to see their own grandchildren grow up.  What is it like living in a family with a big age gap between the child and the parent?
I gave birth to my daughter when I was 45 years old. Her birth was natural without any reproductive assistance. Before I became pregnant with my oldest son, now 18, I had 5 miscarriages. You can image how surprised I was to become pregnant with my daughter at 44 years old.
There is some stigma with parents that have children later in life but on the whole it is becoming a norm to have children at a later stage in life.
My only regret might be that I will not be able to know my grandchildren as well as maybe a parent that had their children younger.
I had my fourth child at 41 and my fifth one at 42.  I had my oldest when i was 20.  The difference of being an older parent is that I found I was a lot calmer, and I didn't worry as much. I was much more laid back when it came to parenting.
I feel that having children when you are older definitely keeps you young and more active and still enjoying things as a younger person.
I supported my mother looking after my elderly father all through my teens and he died just before my A-levels when he was 86 and I was 18. I then spent the next 25 years looking after my mother, on and off.
I had an elderly mother to look after whilst I was also looking after my own young children and earning a living.
Whilst I adored my parents and it was wonderful knowing them so well (my father retired when I was two and was very hands on), life was stressful for them and I never had an adult to adult relationship with them.
I went straight from them looking after me to me looking after them. I would not recommend it for parents or their children.
I was a child of an older mom and dad, 43 and 48 years old respectively. I loved it. At times they were terribly old-fashioned and I wished my cousins or much older siblings were my parents. Conversely, their disconnect to my generation allowed me to be more independent and served me well as I grew up.
Their lifestyle was so different from my friends' parents that I learned so much more from them; without them explicitly teaching me anything specific. I understood recent history in a way my peers did not.
I was fortunate they lived into their 80s and they were alive for my 40th birthday. They were never my "friends" but parents should not be friends with their own kids.