The ATLAS barrel tile calorimeter has recorded its first events underground using a cosmic ray trigger, as part of the detector commissioning programme. >>

The first major contract signed for the LHC is drawing to a close. Belgian firm Cockerill Sambre (a member of the Arcelor Group) has just completed production of 50,000 tonnes of steel sheets for the accelerator's superconducting magnet yokes, in what has proved to be an exemplary partnership with CERN. >>

RICH 2, one of the two Ring Imaging Cherenkov detectors of the LHCb experiment, is being prepared to join the other detector elements ready for the first proton-proton collisions at LHC. >>

Two ministers have recently paid visits to CERN. On 30 June, Mosibudi Mangena, South Africa's Minister for Science and Technology, was welcomed by CERN's Chief Scientific Officer, Jos Engelen. >>