Martin Amis once wrote a story showing what might happen if the world's poets changed places with the screenwriters.

If anyone ever tells you that modern music is dumb, you can shoot them down with three syllables: Pet Shop Boys.

Like Bob Dylan, whose songs he sings so well, Bryan Ferry has gone from being a bit of a recluse to an unstoppable old trouper. At 74, he is on the road for the eighth year in a row.

For a music lover, there's nothing better than putting on a debut album by an unknown and realising that you've found a new favourite.

In a fascinating, fitful career, Fiona Apple has often felt like a one-woman band - singing, playing the piano, perhaps throwing in some rudimentary percussion.

Out of this strange suspended spring, patterns are emerging. If an album isn't postponed, it's quite likely to be special. Music, like the sky on a sunny day, seems brighter, sharper, deeper.

Melbourne based pharmaceutical company has produced condoms that can fight the spread of the Zika virus. The condom is available in Australia and marketed as Ansell dual protect with VivaGel.

Samantha Armytage revealed she has serious doubts about covering the Rio Olympics over fears of contracting or being exposed to the Zika virus, with plans to have children over the coming years

The patient in Rutherford County contracted the disease while traveling internationally, according to a statement released by the state's Health Department on Thursday.

Travel advice issued from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Australia have added Bali to a long list of places being affected by the Zika virus - which has been linked to birth defects.

The Northern Ireland sportsman was due to compete in the sporting event in August. But he said today that it was a risk he was 'unwilling to take'.

Ali Fedotowsky and fiance Kevin Manno were all set to say 'I do' in Mexico but sadly had to scrap those plans.

While organizers didn't name her, Rihanna, 28, has been identified as the performer who dropped out of the festival by Colombian news outlets.

The retired swimming champion questioned whether the game's big stars, including Rory McIlroy and Jason Day, were 'not going because they just don't want to go' to Rio de Janiero in Brazil.

Imperial College London experts predict that the virus, which is rife in Brazil and other parts of South and Central America, will burn itself out in two to three years. However, it will strike again.

Hope Solo took to Twitter to Friday to document her extensive Zika arsenal laid out on her bed – adding: 'If anyone in the village forgot to pack repellent, come and see me… #DeptofDefense #zikaproof.'

This freeze should remain in place until each individual unit of blood collected in the two counties can be tested, according to the US Food and Drug Administration.

Health officials said all 15 are within the same one-mile region of Miami, just in-land of the beach.

It is not yet clear whether they Palm Beach County resident contracted the infection from Palm Beach mosquitoes or from insects during a recent trip to Miami, Florida, where there is a Zika outbreak.

It is the biggest one-day spike in diagnoses to date as the city struggles to control the virus. The development means there are now 21 people being treated for local transmission of the virus.

An Australian photographer in Rio covering the 2016 Olympic Games has become the latest robbery victim with $40,000 of camera gear stolen in a sting led by a woman.

The condition known as arthrogryposis freezes up joints, often leaving their hands, arms, legs, feet, or fingers frozen in a contorted position. In most cases, it also impairs function of the heart.

The star took to Twitter on Saturday after many were put off by a Snapchat story she shared earlier in which her mom Dianna Hart joked, 'Everybody down in Rio gonna get the Zika virus!'

My family and I were due to fly to Florida on the 27th August but following medical advice we decided we shouldn't go because I'm pregnant. Now Virgin is refusing to refund us.

A patient has been diagnosed with Zika in Pinellas County. The area just outside Tampa is 265 miles away from Miami on the other side of the peninsula from the original outbreak zone.

The finding makes clear the need for pesticide programs that kill both adult mosquitoes and their eggs. Current methods are not adequate, warns study co-author Dr Robert Tesh of the University of Texas.

Even with pre-clinical and early stage clinical trials underway, we still may not see a Zika vaccine licensed and approved for use in humans for years.

The sudden onslaught of floods and torrential rain brought by Matthew over the weekend to Florida's east coast has destroyed areas of contained water where the species which carry the disease thrives.

It comes after the intense storms last week, leaving swathes of standing water, which is ideal breeding ground for Zika-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

The Dept of Commerce says 74m US residents travelled internationally in 2015 - a 9% rise on the previous year. Of those, 33m travelled overseas, with the UK the most popular destination.

Officials lifted the warning on Tuesday, saying more than 45 days had passed since they have found a new last local case of the mosquito-borne infection.

Cases of sexual spread of Zika have been reported in other countries such as the US. Experts said the UK case was ‘not unexpected’.

Official data says just 16 Zika-infected babies have been born since the mosquito-born illness swept the Americas last year. However, more than 3,300 pregnant women got the virus in 2016.

The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District released 20,000 male mosquitoes infected by the Kentucky-based company MosquitoMate with naturally occurring Wolbachia bacteria.

A couple in Miami tested positive for the Zika virus that was sexually transmitted after one of the partners traveled to several countries, including Cuba.

In a first for the California county, a Los Angeles woman has contracted Zika by having sex with a man who was infected with the virus. It is rarely sexually transmitted, and women are at worse risk.

Robert Lewandowski has urged Poland to approach their crunch Euro 2016 game against Germany 'without fear' ‒ although the captain admits their opponents are favourites to win the tournament.

Poland's first-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny will miss Thursday's Euro 2016 clash with Germany but could return for their final Group C game against Ukraine

World Cup winners Germany lived up to their billing as as one of the clear favourites for Euro 2016 with a 2-0 victory over Ukraine in their opening game.

Euro 2016 has been something of a feel-good tournament for Germany so far and Joachim Low's men are certainly optimistic they can keep that going when they face Poland on Thursday night.

MATT BARLOW AT THE STADE DE FRANCE: This time, Joachim Low was left scratching his head as opposed to another part of his anatomy as Poland made his world champions appear mortal..

The Arsenal stopper damaged his thigh in Poland's opening group game against Northern Ireland. Swansea keeper Lukasz Fabianski will continue to deputise in his compatriot's absence.

Poland will hope Robert Lewandowski can fire them to an automatic top-two qualification spot for Euro 2016 when they face Ukraine on Tuesday afternoon.

One of Belgium, Croatia, Hungary, Northern Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland and Wales are guaranteed a place in the final - none of whom have a major international honour to their name.

SECRET SCOUT: Sportsmail’s football expert has been busy scrutinising the Euros for prospective Premier League bargains this summer. 

Switzerland and Poland have both reached the knock-out stage of the European Championship for the first time after finishing runners-up in their respective groups.

After 17 days and 44 matches, Euro 2016 has now reached crunch time with eight teams left to battle it out for glory in France as the tournament reaches the finishing straight.

Despite Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo so far failing to produce a string of consistent displays, Portugal have recovered from a slow start to earn a place in the quarter-finals.

The Portugal squad travelled to Marseille the day before the contest, with a number of the squad's senior players posing for a photograph while en route to the southern French city.

The Bayern striker, who scored twice in his country's 3-0 World Cup qualifier win over Romania on Friday, will not be in the squad for the friendly against Slovenia after returning to Germany.