Fans were locked out of Baltimore Orioles' game against Chicago White Sox following violent protests in the city.

Article: The study used tree ring records and historical documents to reconstruct yearly temperatures going back 2,100 years.
Scientists say that past natural variability in temperatures was greater than previously thought.
As a result, climate models may be underestimating the frequency and severity of heat waves in the future.
According to the study, Europe has seen an increase in summer warming of 1.3C between 1986 and 2015.
In this period there has also been an increase in severe heat waves, most notably in 2003, 2010 and 2015.
The 2003 event was linked to the extra deaths of thousands of elderly people due to heat stroke, dehydration and increased air pollution.
In 2014, researchers from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that the period between 1983 and 2012 was likely the warmest 30 years of the last 1,400 in the Northern Hemisphere.
But this new, large-scale study, involving 45 researchers from 13 different countries, attempts to put the European temperatures experienced in the past three decades into an even broader context.
They have understood for many years that the last 1,000 years was cooler because of the Little Ice Age, which lasted from the 14th to the 19th Century.
They wanted to go as far beyond that as they could to better understand natural variability.
To do this, the researchers used recently developed statistical reconstruction methods, as well as a number of what they term "high quality proxy records", to estimate the European mean temperature variation since 138 BC.
"We've got 2,000 years of reconstruction where we have values for every year and the big surprise was that there wasn't a single 30-year period that was as warm as the last 30 years; that was unexpected," said Prof Danny McCarroll from Swansea University, UK, who was part of the research group.
The researchers then used modern climate models to predict past temperatures and compared the results with their newly reconstructed record.
"The modern models don't reconstruct the full range of climate change in the past,...

Summary: The past 30 years in Europe have likely been the warmest in more than two millennia, according to new research.
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Article: Newcastle University student Ed Farmer, from Leicestershire, was taken to hospital in a life-threatening condition on Tuesday last week.
The 20-year-old, who was studying economics, died in the city's Royal Victoria Infirmary the following day.
Friends posted tributes on social media sites, saying he lit up their lives with his "constant jokes and laughter".
Mr Farmer had reportedly been participating in an Agricultural Society event.
Northumbria Police said he had been drinking heavily.
Jonny Hedley posted a photo of his friend on Facebook and wrote: "RIP brother, been an absolute pleasure knowing you."
Another friend, Barney Carr, wrote on Facebook: "Gone too soon lad. You lit up all our lives, we'll miss you down here. RIP you legend."
The university said it was "deeply saddened" by the death of Mr Farmer, who had shown "great academic promise".
It added it took a "hard line" on behaviour that might constitute a risk and a full investigation would be carried out and "appropriate action" taken.
Northumbria Police said the investigation into the death of Mr Farmer, who is thought to have attended independent Oakham School, had now been passed to the coroner.

Summary: Tributes have been paid to a student who died after drinking "excessive amounts of alcohol".
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Article: Lower oil prices, weak growth across Europe, the upcoming general election and political unrest in parts of the world have been identified as contributing factors.
The latest business confidence monitor shows Scottish businesses recorded a confidence score of 3.6.
That was down on 22 in the last quarter and below the UK average of 16.8.
Companies were asked how they would describe their confidence in the economic prospects facing their business over the next 12 months, compared to the previous 12 months.
They scored zero for stating "as confident", positively up to 100 for more confident, and negatively down to -100 for less confident.
An average score was then calculated from all the responses.
The business monitor is conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and Grant Thornton UK.
More than a third of respondents to the survey said that competition is a greater challenge than it was a year ago, while customer demand is also a growing issue.
Grant Thornton's Scotland managing partner Kevin Engel said: "Given the impact of lower oil prices, UK elections, weak European economic growth and overseas political unrest, it is not surprising confidence has dropped.
"While such a significant drop in confidence is naturally concerning, there are reasons to be optimistic.
"Our research shows that despite low confidence levels in the past, the Scottish business community is resilient, innovative and in good shape to face these challenges.
"Scottish business output continues to grow, as does long-term employment and remuneration. Whether low confidence translates to a drop in economic performance is yet to be seen."
ICAEW Scotland president Paul Adderley said: "Whilst it is always disappointing to see confidence amongst Scottish businesses decline, we should be encouraged by the fact that Scottish confidence is still in positive territory.
"Factors such as the current uncertainty in the oil and gas sector and the fact that we are in the run-up to a general election have surely...

Summary: Business confidence in Scotland has fallen to its lowest level in more than two years, according to a report.
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Article: The town has just a single Grade l listed building - Acklam Hall - and more than 100 Grade ll and II* listed buildings.
The list aims to recognise those buildings of particular local interest which do not qualify for statutory protection.
A further 66 suggested entries arose from consultation with the public.
The list has now been expanded to 92 buildings following a review by Middlesbrough council.
New additions to the draft local list include Middlesbrough Dock, originally designed by William Cubitt, The Navigation Inn, Cargo Fleet Lane, the Evening Gazette offices on Borough Road, Psyche, Linthorpe Road, The Green Tree pub, Gilkes Street and King Edward's Square, Teesside University.
Members of the public are invited to comment on the updated draft local list as part of a consultation which concludes on 19 February.
The council said that while local listing would not offer the protection afforded to listed buildings, it would ensure locally important buildings, and their special qualities, were recognised within the planning system.
Councillor Charlie Rooney, Middlesbrough Council's executive member for regeneration and economic development, said: "For a relatively young town, Middlesbrough has a great number of buildings of interest.
"The first local list was a great talking point. I'm sure this latest round of consultation will prompt people to have another close look at the buildings around them - and I have no doubt there will be some interesting new suggestions."
The revised local list can be found on the Middlesbrough Council website.

Summary: New buildings in Middlesbrough have been added to a list which aims to recognise the town's heritage.
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Article: Protesters have been on the the streets since Freddie Gray's death on 19 April - a week after a police encounter where he sustained unexplained injuries.
Shops have been looted and objects thrown at police, injuring several officers.
It was the first time in the history of professional baseball that fans had been locked out of a game.
The game at Camden Yards started at 14:05 EDT due to the city's 22:00 curfew in the wake of the riots, with Baltimore winning 8-2.
Among the few able to witness the match were those who had paid for balcony rooms in the nearby Hilton Hotel, which overlooks the stadium.
Journalists accredited to cover the game reported that the voices of players on the infield could be heard clearly.
"Attention media: For record-keeping purposes, today's official paid attendance is ... zero," an announcement made over the press box public address system said.
Other reports said the stadium still played the traditional US baseball anthem - Take Me Out To The Ballgame - during the traditional seventh-inning stretch.
The Orioles and Major League Baseball officials had said the decision to shut out fans had been taken for safety reasons.
But Brendan Hurson, one of the 40 spectators gathered by a fence near the stadium's main gate, said it was a missed opportunity and held up a sign reading "Don't forget Freddie Gray".
Six police officers have been suspended following Gray's death and an internal investigation is under way.
On Sunday, more than 1,000 protesters were on the streets of Baltimore and at least 12 arrests made.
Gray, who was 25, is the latest of a series of black Americans to die in police custody in recent months, triggering angry protests accusing the police of brutality.

Summary:


Festival-goers are being invited to have a go on what is claimed to be the world's largest bouncy castle.

Article: Reports suggest increasing numbers of Buddhist monks are contracting diet-related diseases such as diabetes because of fatty, sugary gifts.
Traditionally monks do not cook and depend on donations given by devotees.
The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says on some occasions monks are given five-course meals.
Although most food given to monks is vegetarian, officials are worried that it is not always healthy, he adds.
"Because of their great affinity towards religious observances, most devotees offer food with high cholesterol content and the Buddhist monks have no choice but to partake of these foods all year round," Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said, according to the Sri Lankan Daily Mirror.
"The situation is further aggravated because monks do not engage in recreational activities or exercises to shed their excessive weight."
He said the new menu was being drawn up on the instructions of medical experts and nutritionists.
They advise the monks to eat more fruit, vegetables and rice, to drink more water and to cut down on wheat-based foods.
The minister has also instructed health officials to open a ward exclusively for the clergy at all hospitals, the Daily Mirror reported.
However, prominent Buddhist monk Maadulaawe Sobitha dismissed the government initiative.
"For thousands of years, the tradition was for the devotees to offer food for the clergy. It was up to the monks to decide what is appropriate to consume," he told the BBC Sinhala Service.
"We have to be satisfied with whatever is given to us.  We are not supposed to demand anything.
"The main problem is that there are many monks in rural areas who have no nourishment at all. They survive on meagre rations of some rice and green leaves. It will be much more useful to initiate a system to ensure that these poor monks have a square meal a day, than just wasting resources for political gain."

Summary: Buddhist devotees in Sri Lanka who traditionally give food to monks are to be given special menus in an attempt to stop the clergy becoming sick.
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Article: Dabbous shut for a week in August to allow pest controllers to block up mouse holes in the building.
The Food Standards Agency released a breakdown of its most recent ratings to mark the fifth anniversary of the scheme.
It "doesn't reflect the hygiene levels we practise," said owner Ollie Dabbous.
A zero rating means urgent improvement is necessary.
Michelin guide inspectors gave Dabbous a single star for its "very good" food which it said comes with an "elegantly restrained finesse and a bewitching purity".
Camden Council said its environmental health inspectors had visited Dabbous in the summer and it was voluntarily closed "due to a mouse infestation".
"We are not aware of any other issues at the site. In line with standard council procedure we will be undertaking another inspection in the near future."
The restaurant reopened days after the inspectors' visit.
Mr Dabbous, owner of the restaurant in Whitfield Street, central London, described the rating as "incredibly disappointing given we had five stars for three years previously.
"We are a situated in an old building in central London, so pest control is something that quite literally goes with the territory," he told BBC London. "We did have some concerns and were unhappy with the services provided by our previous pest controller.
"We axed them just a few weeks prior to the inspection and immediately instated a new one, but unfortunately we could not remedy the situation in time."
Thousands of pounds were spent sealing off all access points, he said.
"We are confident our next inspection will be a totally different story and have asked for a re-inspection as soon as possible."

Summary: A Michelin-starred restaurant, which was closed due to a mouse infestation, is one of 300 London food outlets to receive a zero food hygiene rating.
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Article: Exam passes are high by historic standards, more youngsters are staying on at school and going to college or university.
Is this a good thing in itself? Or is the education system simply having to adapt to the fact that in the modern world there are fewer good jobs for young people, and that unskilled jobs are disappearing?
It is an interesting philosophical question to contemplate - one quite distinct from the question of ensuring all young people can achieve their potential in education, regardless of wealth or family background.
The suspicion of some has always been that the education system has had to soak up youngsters who might otherwise have been unemployed - either because of economic problems or the gradual disappearance of some unskilled jobs.
In the 1970s the school leaving age was raised from 15 to 16 but it took a further 10 years for a qualifications system which had been designed with the more academically-able in mind to evolve.
For many years, youngsters who were not able to study for a full suite of O grades filled their third and fourth year timetables with "non certificate" courses - seen by some as a waste of effort. The boredom these students experienced was blamed by some teachers for indiscipline.
Standard grades were designed to make sure all youngsters could get a meaningful qualification. This underlying ethos has been carried into the current National qualifications.
But in the 1980s it was still unusual for a youngster who was not studying for Highers to stay on until S5. When someone who was not doing Highers stayed on past their statutory leaving age, again the suspicion of some was that the youngster was only at school to "stay off the dole".
In Scotland the official school leaving age is still 16, but the majority of pupils, regardless of their academic ability, stay on until S6. It is now unusual to leave at the end of S4 and schools would be genuinely concerned if a youngster wanted to leave early without a good reason for doing so.
S4, S5 and S6 are now classed as the...

Summary: On exam results day, education correspondent Jamie McIvor asks a fundamental and unfashionable question: is it a good thing that more youngsters than ever before stay on at school or go to college and university?
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Article: Analysis of pollen found on pottery buried with a young woman more than 4,100 years ago has identified plants used for medicinal purposes.
The woman's bones, including a skull and teeth, were discovered at Achavanich in Caithness 30 years ago.
Known as "Ava", an abbreviation of Achavanich, she is the subject of a long-term research project managed by archaeologist Maya Hoole.
Ms Hoole said the presence of the pollen "raises interesting questions".
Last year, forensic artist Hew Morrison created a facial reconstruction of Ava.
Now the results of other research have been published.
Analysis of pollen recovered from a decorated beaker buried with Ava identified various plants and trees.
Archaeologist Ms Hoole said: "Of the pollen recovered the majority were from trees and shrubs including birch, pine - most likely Scots pine - hazel and alder.
"Heather was also identified, as well as grasses, meadowsweet and St John's wort.
"The inclusion of meadowsweet proves interesting as it has also appeared at other Bronze Age burials elsewhere in Scotland.
"The presence of both meadowsweet and St John's wort may represent a deliberate inclusion of flowers within the burial. Interestingly, both of these plants are also considered to have medicinal properties."
The archaeologist added: "The presence of several different species of plant which are considered to have medicinal properties raises interesting questions: was this intentional, and was it in any way related to whatever caused the death of this individual?"
Other results of the latest research included:
Ava's remains, along with other artefacts found with her, are held in the care of Caithness Horizons museum in Thurso.
Unusually, the Bronze Age woman was buried in a pit dug into solid rock and her skull is an abnormal shape which some suggest was the result of deliberate binding.
It is believed Ava was part of a much wider European group known as the Beaker people.
Further research is to be done in an effort to shed more light on Ava and her burial.

Summary: All images copyrighted.
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Article: The organisers of Common People commissioned the inflatable structure for the event on Southampton Common on Saturday and Sunday.
The castle, measuring 23.8m by 20.7m by 12.8m, is taller than the Great Wall of China and can be used by 100 people.
It will also appear at the organisers' other festivals - Bestival on the Isle of Wight and Camp Bestival in Dorset.
Festival organiser Rob da Bank said: "We do love breaking a record and this is one of our funnest builds so far."
There is currently no record for the world's biggest bouncy castle.
Guinness World Records is yet to verify the record.
Common People, now in its second year, features Duran Duran, Primal Scream, Craig David and Public Enemy.
For the first time, a simultaneous event is also being held in South Parks, Oxford.
The current record for a bouncy castle was set in 1997 by Dana Caspersen and William Forsythe, the festival said.
The castle, measuring 19m by 19m by 12m, took six hours to erect at the Roundhouse in Camden, north London.

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so far and please, please do carry on registering because you can save so many other's

Thousands of people have come forward following a worldwide appeal to find a stem cell donor for a Cardiff University student who needs a match in the next two months.

Article: Auditors PwC found the festival had not been at arm's length and was operating as though part of the council.
A report raised concerns about appropriate controls not being in place over finances.
Councillors have agreed that a further report be prepared into the financial set up of the festival.
The AIYF, which has been running for more than 40 years, attracts thousands of young people from all over the world.

Summary: A further report will be carried out into the financial set up of the Aberdeen International Youth Festival (AIYF).
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Article: A staff survey has shown alcohol misuse is a contributory factor in about half of 999 calls.
It is the first time the police, fire and ambulance services have come together to highlight the problem.
They said alcohol-related incidents tied up resources which could be needed elsewhere.
The staff survey, completed by 909 police officers, 824 paramedics and 167 fire officers, revealed one in three had been subjected to physical abuse in the previous four weeks while attending an incident as a result of alcohol misuse, and two-thirds had experienced verbal abuse.
Almost half of all incidents attended by the emergency services in that period were alcohol-related, while almost two-thirds of emergency personnel had faced difficulties in securing urgent information because of victims or callers being intoxicated.
In the anonymous survey one firefighter recalled: "I was in breathing apparatus at a house fire and I found a man lying in his bed. He had tried to cook after coming back from a night out but he was drunk and fell asleep.
"The smoke alarm was blaring but he only woke up when I shook him to see if he was alive. He punched me in the face."
An ambulance crew member said: "I have been assaulted, spat at and verbally abused too many times to mention.
"If people could only see the effect they have on an incident when they're under the influence of alcohol. We have to spend as much time looking after our own safety as looking after our patient."
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams, of Police Scotland, said the demands placed on emergency services by people under the influence of alcohol were huge.
He said: "On many occasions, it delays police officers, firefighters and paramedics from getting to members of the public who really do need our protection and help."
Assistant Chief Officer David McGown, of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said 999 calls from intoxicated people often gave confusing details of the incident.
"Being unable to get reliable, accurate information also means that firefighters can be...

Summary: Two-thirds of emergency service workers were punched, threatened or spat on while they dealt with incidents over a four-week period, new figures reveal.
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Article: General secretary Frances O'Grady told delegates at its annual conference in Brighton that mistreatment is becoming more widespread in the UK.
She warned "greedy" businesses that her organisation would "shine a light on you".
This comes amid a renewed focus by trade unions on improving conditions for workers.
The TUC said the type of working practices "typified" by Sports Direct, which has been under fire for the treatment of its staff, was becoming more widespread.
"Sports Direct may be in the spotlight now, but they are not the only ones. There are other big companies that bring shame on our country. So let me give fair warning to any greedy business that treats its workers like animals - we will shine a light on you," Ms O'Grady told delegates.
"Run a big brand with a dirty little secret? A warehouse of people paid less than the minimum wage? A fleet of couriers who are slaves to an app? Let me put you on notice. There will be no hiding place. We will organise and we will win," she said.
Sports Direct's decision to end zero hours contracts in stores and put some agency workers on permanent contracts was a spectacular win for the trade union movement.
But unions know that the number of people on zero hours contracts is rising and self-employment continues to grow.
So, they are responding to this growing casualisation of the workforce - both to help those that are being exploited but also to sign up young people who are under-represented in trade unions.
Unions have also launched legal action against businesses like courier and taxi firms which have thousands of self-employed drivers who are not classified as workers and who don't enjoy basic workers rights.
Last week, Sports Direct promised to improve conditions after the sportswear chain's lawyers produced a critical report of how some staff were treated.
MPs had previously said working practices at the Shirebrook warehouse in Derbyshire were closer to "that of a Victorian workhouse than that of a modern High Street retailer".
Ms O'Grady said the firm's...

Summary: The TUC has warned companies that there will be "no hiding place" if they exploit their workers.
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Article: They looked at more than 200 studies of the content and associated health gains of organic and non-organic foods.
Overall, there was no discernible difference between the nutritional content, although the organic food was 30% less likely to contain pesticides.
Critics say the work is inconclusive and call for more studies.
The research, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, looked at 17 studies comparing people who ate organic with those who did not and 223 studies that compared the levels of nutrients, bacteria, fungus or pesticides in various foods - including fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, milk and eggs.
None of the human studies ran for longer than two years, making conclusions about long-term outcomes impossible. And all of the available evidence was relatively weak and highly variable - which the authors say is unsurprising because of all the different variables, like weather and soil type, involved.
Fruit and vegetables contained similar amounts of vitamins, and milk the same amount of protein and fat - although a few studies suggested organic milk contained more omega-3.
Organic foods did contain more nitrogen, but the researchers say this is probably due to differences in fertiliser use and ripeness at harvest and is unlikely to provide any health benefit.
Their findings support those of the UK's Food Standards Agency, which commissioned a review a few years ago into organic food claims.
Prof Alan Dangour, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who carried out that work, said: "Consumers select organic foods for a variety of reasons, however this latest review identifies that at present there are no convincing differences between organic and conventional foods in nutrient content or health benefits.
"Hopefully this evidence will be useful to consumers."
Dr Crystal Smith-Spangler, the lead author of the latest review, said there were many reasons why people chose to eat organic, including animal welfare or environmental concerns.
"Some believe that organic food is...

Summary: Eating organic food will not make you healthier, according to researchers at Stanford University, although it could cut your exposure to pesticides.
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Article: Vithiya Alphons, 24, has acute myeloid leukaemia but her Sri Lankan background makes the search hard as not many South Asian people are on donor registers.
She launched a social media campaign  to help find a match.
Charity Anthony Nolan said 5,600 have signed up in the last week.
"The impact of Vithiya's appeal has been nothing short of incredible," said Ann O'Leary, head of register development, at the charity.
"But Vithiya still needs to find her stem cell match and there are people just like her all across the world who are still waiting.
"We need to continue to diversify the register so we can find a match for all."
Miss Alphons was diagnosed with the aggressive form of blood cancer after falling ill just days after returning for her final year as an optometry student at Cardiff University.
She started feeling unwell with severe sickness and a fever, while she had a pain in her leg, so she went to her doctor for tests.
She underwent chemotherapy in Cardiff before being well enough to be transferred to a hospital in London, where she is from.
After her third course of chemotherapy, Miss Alphons felt better and thought she had beaten her illness.
But further tests showed the leukaemia was still in her blood and doctors told her the best option was a stem cell transplant from a donor, which is needed in the next two months.
Speaking to BBC's Asian Network Miss Alphons said she is grateful for all the support.
"I would just like to say thank you so much to everyone who has registered so far and please, please do carry on registering because you can save my life and you can also save so many other's lives.
"Please spread the word and help me to save my life."

Summary:


The two large eels were found in a routine fish survey on the River Tud, a tributary of the Wensum in Norfolk.
The organization said it was encouraging but did not "herald the recovery of the species as a whole".
The organization said it was encouraging but did not "herald

Eels have been found in a stretch of river where they have not been seen for nearly 40 years.

Article: Andrea Woodhead, 52, of Idle Road, Bradford, was also charged with assault and possession of an offensive weapon, West Yorkshire Police said.
One of the victims was pushing a baby in a pram when she sustained her injury on Friday. The child was unharmed.
Ms Woodhead is due to appear at Bradford Magistrates' Court on Monday.
Police were called to reports of a woman in her 50s having been stabbed in Scotchman Road, in the Manningham area of the city, just after 09:50 GMT on Friday.
Just 20 minutes later, at 10:10 GMT, a woman in her 30s pushing a pram was found with a stab wound to her back close to the Parkside Centre in Keighley Road,  in the city's Frizinghall district
Both victims suffered single stab wounds and were taken to hospital but were later discharged.

Summary: A woman has been charged with assault causing grievous bodily harm after two women were stabbed on the same morning in separate attacks in Bradford.
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Article: It comes after community group Energise Galashiels claimed the move would have "significant advantages".
Scottish Borders Council had initially selected the Tweedbank terminus of the Borders Railway but an alternative site in Galashiels has since emerged.
Mr Kerr, an SNP MP, said the newer option could have a greater impact.
"It's clear that the presence of such a remarkable attraction in the heart of Galashiels could be transformative for the town centre, which is still struggling to recover from long term economic challenges in the retail sector," he said.
"Although the greenfield site at Tweedbank may appear to be the more straight-forward option, I don't think it offers comparable economic benefits.
"On the other hand, a site in the heart of Galashiels could kick off a new phase of town centre regeneration."
The MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk has written to Scotland's Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, to express his support for the move.
Energise Galashiels said it could provide a "major boost" for the town but also offer "greater benefits" to the region as a whole.
It said the potential visitor market on both sites was exactly the same.
The group said Galashiels had a wide choice of retail offerings and was the "prime hub" for transport in the region.
It added that putting the tapestry in the town would help its overall commercial viability.
"In the absence of a major intervention, it is doubtful that 'retail trading' will ever resolve the current level of vacancies," it said.
"Having the Great Tapestry of Scotland's home in Galashiels town centre will be an investment which will provide a massive boost to the existing efforts being made to regenerate the 'old town centre'."
The organisation said there were already a number of other projects ongoing in the town which could also boost visitor numbers to the tapestry.
"Energise Galashiels believe that securing the Great Tapestry of Scotland in a town centre location will act as a catalyst for other projects and initiatives which offer the...

Summary: Borders MP Calum Kerr has given his backing to Galashiels as the best place for a permanent home for the Great Tapestry of Scotland.
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Article: However, it has thrown out several suggested cuts in local services which had caused local outrage.
The authority said it would use its own cash reserves to make up for a fall in government funding.
The options thrown out by the administration included a proposal to stop collecting litter at weekends.
The council will set its budget in February. But a consultation on savings options identified by council officials will not go ahead.
The leader of the administration, Councillor Martin Rooney, told BBC Scotland he expected there would be a 3% rise in council tax.
Discussing the decision to drop unpopular proposals for cuts, he said: "We've generated reserves through sound financial management, and will use these to protect residents from the brunt of funding reductions.
"I don't want our communities and service users worrying over Christmas about whether the vital services they receive will be reduced and can confirm now that we will not be taking any of the savings options put forward."
Other ideas suggested by council officers included axing hot school dinners, cutting school milk and replacing lollipop wardens with volunteers.
Sources at the council said that officers were always asked to identify a range of options, in the full knowledge some of them would prove politically unacceptable and were unlikely to ever happen.
However, the fact these options were made public can sometimes cause concern or anxiety to residents.
Across Scotland, it is not unusual for council officials to highlight savings options which prove unpalatable in order to demonstrate the financial pressures they face or make less radical but unpopular choices seem less draconian.
The majority of councils have still to say whether they plan to increase council tax. The government is ending a national freeze which has kept the tax at 2007 levels.
At least eight other councils have indicated they are likely to propose raising the council tax including Edinburgh, Falkirk and Fife. South Lanarkshire intends to hold the freeze for another year...

Summary: West Dunbartonshire has become the latest Scottish council to announce a planned council tax rise of  3% next year.
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Article: All inmates at Barwon Prison in Victoria are required to work unless they are too ill or too old to do so.
Striking prisoners say the A$9 ($6.90; Â£5:15) a day that they have been promised in a new deal is not enough to cover living costs inside.
The state's opposition wants them to be forced to return to work, saying the public is outraged the prisoners feel they are entitled to strike.
The roughly A$9 daily rate the prisoners have been offered, depending on their jobs and hours, is an increase on their current pay of between A$6.50 and A$8.95, but it has still been criticised as inadequate by prisoners and their supporters.
"The wages paid are a lot less than in other states in Australia and it doesn't meet their increasing costs," said Brett Collins, a spokesman for prisoner advocate group Justice Action, who described the strike as "a last act of desperation".
Barwon, 75km (46 miles) outside Melbourne, is home to nearly 450 inmates, including some of the state's most notorious murderers and gang bosses.
Corrections Victoria, which runs the jail, said anyone who refused to do the work on offer, which includes gardening and maintenance, would be confined to their cells.

Summary: Inmates at a maximum security prison in Australia are on strike over wages.
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Article: The two small eels were found in a routine fish survey on the River Tud, a tributary of the Wensum in Norfolk.
Increased numbers have also been seen at the New Mills fish pass in Norwich, which was installed eight years ago.
The Environment Agency, which monitors numbers, said it was encouraging but did not "herald the recovery of the species as a whole".
Jez Wood, a specialist at the Environment Agency, said the discovery of the eels on the River Tud was important.
"Two doesn't sound like many, but these are the only small eels we've found on this stretch for years," he said.
"While this does not herald the recovery of the species as a whole, it does show the positive benefit of eel passes at barriers to migration."
The status of the European eel is regarded as "critical", and globally the population has fallen over the past 40 years, with numbers down by as much as 95%, the Environment Agency said.
Barriers to upstream migration is thought to be one of the reasons for the decline.
These reduce access to the freshwater habitat preferred by eels while they mature.
In Norfolk, the Environment Agency is creating passes at several key obstruction areas on rivers to help increase numbers.
It said numbers in Norfolk rivers rose to a record of 34,000 in 2009 after a pass was introduced at New Mills Yard, in Norwich.

Summary:


It is imperative that those involved in modern day slavery in Wales are caught and brought to justice.

Article: In an attack on sexism in Westminster, Labour's deputy leader says she was "surprised" she was not given the title in 2007 and claims that she would have got it if she had been a man.
She also suggests she was relegated to a supporting role at a G20 summit, attending a dinner for leaders' wives.
Damian McBride, a former aide to Mr Brown, said this was "utter bilge".
Ms Harman is the most senior female politician in the Labour Party and a longstanding campaigner for equality for women at Westminster.
She was elected deputy leader of the party at a same time as Gordon Brown became leader in 2007 but, unlike her predecessor John Prescott, was not afforded the title of deputy prime minister.
The position was left vacant for the three years Mr Brown was in No 10.
In a speech in Westminster, in which she also attacked David Cameron, Ms Harman took issue with that decision, arguing that "even getting to the top is no guarantee of equality".
"Imagine my surprise when having won a hard-fought election to succeed John Prescott as deputy leader of the Labour Party, I discovered that I was not to succeed him as deputy prime minister," she said.
"If one of the men had won the deputy leadership would that have happened?
"Would they have put up with it? I doubt it."
Ms Harman does not mention Mr Brown by name, but she does refer to criticism of the former prime minister by others, including former Europe minister Caroline Flint who resigned from the government in 2009 accusing Mr Brown of treating women as "window dressing".
"We must remember Caroline Flint's denunciation of women being used as window dressing," she said.
Ms Harman downplayed Ms Flint's criticism at the time of her resignation, saying it was untrue that Mr Brown "doesn't take women in politics seriously".
But in Tuesday's speech, Ms Harman she suggests she was sidelined during the crucial G20 summit in London in 2009, where Mr Brown co-ordinated efforts to stabilise the global financial system.
"Imagine the consternation in my office when we discovered that...

Summary: Harriet Harman has suggested Gordon Brown did not make her deputy prime minister because she is a woman.
###
Article: About 40 heads of state and government will reportedly attend President Robert Mugabe's inauguration, but the hype that normally pre-empts such ceremonies is hardly discernible in the streets.
The mood around the city - a stronghold of the defeated Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party - will be a striking contrast to the rehearsed colourful celebrations inside a packed National Stadium, where each of the country's 10 provinces is sending in buses loaded with members of Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party.
The inauguration organisers have roped in several international performing artists, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa and Jamaica.
However, the MDC and its leader, outgoing Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, will not be attending, bitter about what they say was a "stolen, and rigged election".
The official word from MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti is that "we weren't invited for the ceremony and we are not attending".
"Even if we were invited, we weren't attending, it would be akin to legitimising an illegitimate process. No-one ever told us such an event was happening, and we don't know about it," he adds.
Post-election rancour is not dying away. Both party leaders have been trading insults. It is likely to cascade down, polarising supporters and the nation alike.
Zanu-PF insiders are talking of the 89-year-old president working on a lasting legacy.
There seems to be an underlying feeling this could be his last term.
There is also talk of him reaching out to Mr Tsvangirai by offering a seat in a possible unity government - to build on the progress created by the coalition that governed Zimbabwe from 2009 until last month's disputed elections.
But the MDC has indicated it is unwilling to continue its partnership with Zanu-PF.
"We will not do that," Mr Biti says.
President Mugabe has kept silent on the possibility of a new unity government, keeping everyone guessing about his strategic plans.
Analysts say he may offer an olive branch to the MDC to avoid political ructions.
"He has to reach out...

Summary: Hotels in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, are filling up with foreign dignitaries and the heavy security betrays the nature of the guests booked in.
###
Article: Scientists first heard the harsh call of the Sichuan bush warbler in 1987, but they only recently gathered enough data to formally describe it.
The new species, Locustella chengi, has been named after Prof Cheng Tso-hsin, a distinguished Chinese ornithologist.
The details have been published in the Avian Research journal.
"These birds are almost impossible to see when they are not singing," explained one of the scientists to describe the new species, Per Alstrom from the Swedish Species Information Centre, based at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
"If the species had not been singing when we first heard it back in 1987, we would never have seen it.
"They are incredibly difficult to see because they are so secretive, sneaking around in the dense vegetation, close to or on the ground. But when they are singing, you can hear them from quite a long distance.
He told BBC News: "By being patient or using tapes to attract them, you can see them - although they will stay in the dense habitat."
Harsh tones
The song of the new species is harsher than that of its closest relative, the russet bush warbler, and consists of a "drawn-out note followed by a shorter note that are repeated in series".
The team of researchers, from Sweden, China, Vietnam, the UK and US, carried out DNA analysis that showed the two birds were very closely related and were probably separated from a common ancestor about 850,000 years ago.
Prof Alstrom explained that the publication of the paper formally describing the Sichuan bush warbler came after a search lasting almost 30 years.
"I have been trying to find this bird ever since we first heard it back in 1987," he said. We suspected that it was something different, something new (to science).
"Last year, we had received information from colleagues that both these birds - the unknown species and the Russet Bush warbler - were present on the same mountain.
"We had not found both of them together previously, so we went there specifically to get more information on how they...

Summary: The distinctive song of a secretive and elusive bird in central China has helped researchers to identify it and deem it to be a new species to science.
###
Article: The rhaphium pectinatum was last recorded in Britain 147 years ago in 1868 but was rediscovered in Old Sludge Beds on the outskirts of Exeter.
The fly is from the Dolichopidiae family, a group known as long-legged flies, and is usually found in tropical parts of the world.
Devon Fly Group member Rob Wolton said he was surprised by the find.
The last recorded sighting was on 19 July 1868 when the Victorian entomologist George Verrall caught a male and female at Richmond in south-west London.
Mr Wolton, who is also a member of Dipterists Forum, which specialises in the study of flies, said: "Imagine my surprise when I examined my catch that evening to find it included a fly that was presumed extinct in Britain.
"Nothing is known about its biology, but it seems that it may like brackish conditions like those found at the Old Sludge Beds."
The five hectare site is situated between the River Exe and the Exeter Canal and has been managed by Devon Wildlife Trust since 1979.
Steve Hussey from the trust said: "So often we have to break the news of species that are disappearing, so it's good to be able to announce the discovery of an animal that was thought to be extinct."

Summary: A fly thought to be extinct in the UK has been found in a Devon nature reserve.
###
Article: That is the message from police and other experts gathering for a special event highlighting the issue on Friday.
Victims are due to share their experiences at the All Wales Anti-Slavery Conference in Llandudno.
Gwent Police officers who rescued a man who worked unpaid for 13 years on a Newport farm are also taking part.
Det Supt Mark Pierce from North Wales Police, who is the lead officer for the force on tackling slavery and human trafficking said: "It's imperative we identify and prosecute those responsible and make our communities safer.
"Human trafficking is serious and organised crime with those involved likely to be involved in the other serious crimes like drug production, kidnapping and the criminal use of firearms."
Among the guests also expected to address the event is the new UK independent slavery commissioner, Kevin Hyland.
North Wales Police are also launching a 'Say No to Slavery' campaign on its website on Friday.

Summary:


Ticket offices will start closing on the London Underground later in a move that has prompted past strikes.

Article: The EY Scottish Item Club predicted a rise in employment and house prices.
It raised its growth forecast for the Scottish economy to 2.4% this year - 0.7% higher than its previous prediction in December.
But it warned that September's referendum carried risks for the economy - whatever the result.
The item club's latest summer update predicted substantial growth this year and further growth of 1.9% in 2015 and 2016.
However, it forecast UK growth would be 0.5% higher than Scotland's in both 2014 and 2015.
The group said that was due partly to the relative size of Scotland's public sector and lower population growth.
The item club also predicted 45,000 new jobs would be created in Scotland this year, and 33,000 in 2015.
But it suggested it could take until 2018 before Scotland's employment rate returned to the levels seen before the financial crisis.
Average house prices in Scotland are predicted to rise by nearly 7% this year and 5% in 2015, "after a period of stasis".
According to its prediction, the average price in Scotland is likely to be about 67% of the UK average in 2015.
Dougie Adams, senior economic advisor to the item club, said: "This year is shaping up to be the best for Scottish economic growth since the onset of the financial crisis, with business investments and exports adding momentum to the consumer-driven recovery.
"A handful of sectors including transport, food services and retail are expected to create employment while public administration and manufacturing shed jobs.
"We expect financial services, education and health to tread water."
The forecaster warned that its predictions were subject to "international and home-grown risks", including the impact of September's independence referendum.
It argued that a Yes vote would bring uncertainty for business on key economic issues such as the currency and Scotland's place in Europe.
But it also warned that a No vote would bring the Scottish Parliament more tax powers than it has ever had - and that could change the UK's economic landscape.
Mr...

Summary: Scotland is set to enjoy its best year for economic growth since the financial crisis, according to a leading economic forecaster.
###
Article: Eight groups comprising five teams each will be drawn, with sides playing each other once in the group stage.
Hearts are one of the eight top seeds and Hibernian are one of the second seeds, with 24 unseeded teams.
Group winners and the four best runners-up progress to the second round, when Scotland's European representatives enter the competition.
Celtic, who will feature in the Champions League qualifiers, and Europa League qualifying participants Aberdeen, Rangers and St Johnstone all have a bye into the second round.
At the group stage, there are four 'north' groups and four 'south' groups. There are 38 teams from the Scottish Professional Football League, who organise the League Cup, as well as Highland League champions Buckie Thistle and Lowland League winners East Kilbride.
Each group will contain one top seed, a second seed and three unseeded teams, with seedings based on league position in season 2016-17.
Drawn matches at the group stage go straight to a penalty shootout after regulation time, in which case both sides take a point and the shootout winner receives a bonus point.
Dundee and Dundee United are seeded differently in the north section and, like Hearts and Hibs, could be drawn in the same group.
The new format for the first round was introduced last season and the tournament was eventually won by Celtic, who beat Aberdeen in November's final.

Summary: The seedings for Friday's Betfred League Cup first-round draw have been announced.
###
Article: The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said it was a serious breach of the Data Protection Act.
The woman gave her phone to Kent Police because she said video footage backed her claims against her partner, but the phone also contained sensitive data.
Kent Police said procedures had been changed to avoid errors in the future.
ICO head of enforcement Stephen Eckersley said: "Kent Police was investigating a serious matter yet the need to take proper care of the personal details they were entrusted with does not appear to have been taken seriously."
He said the force handed the solicitor "the entire contents of the complainant's mobile phone".
It contained many other files, with sensitive personal data including text messages and family photographs.
The woman's partner was a police officer who was subject to a professional standards investigation by Kent Police into misconduct.
According to Kent Police, the unnamed officer was facing a criminal investigation over alleged domestic abuse and was then also investigated for misconduct following a breach of his bail conditions after his arrest.
The ICO said the data on the phone was sent by mistake in advance of the misconduct hearing, and the solicitor disclosed the information to his client.
An investigation by the ICO found Kent Police had inappropriate security measures and it had committed a serious breach of the law, likely to have caused "substantial distress".
In a statement, Kent Police said it accepted the ICO's decision.
The force said: "When the data breach became apparent Kent Police referred itself to the Information Commissioner and fully cooperated with the investigation.
"As soon as the breach was identified a new standard operating procedure was implemented to ensure that a similar error cannot be made in the future."

Summary: Kent Police has been fined £80,000 after it handed data on a phone belonging to an alleged domestic abuse victim to her partner's solicitor.
###
Article: The Superfast Cymru contract was set up to connect 96% of businesses and homes excluded from commercial roll-out.
The project has so far reached 581,000 premises across Wales.
Concerns have been raised about the deadline being met, although Superfast Cymru said it was "on track".
The Welsh Government has part-funded the project, investing Â£205m into the initiative.
Industry experts thinkbroadband.com said they do not believe the deadline can be met.
Andrew Ferguson, editor of thinkbroadband.com, said: "We don't believe 96% can be hit this month at all. Current rates suggest the end of 2016."
He said the scheme had a "confused history" with "targets all too often misrepresented".
According to thinkbroadband.com, the cost of the project is Â£430 per customer.
It said 88% of Wales was now covered by superfast broadband speeds of 24 Mbps or more - less than England's 90.7% coverage, but more than Scotland's 85.3% and Northern Ireland's 80.1%.
The latest Welsh Government figures from March showed Cardiff has the lowest Superfast Cymru completion rates, with just 53% of eligible premises connected.
Blaenau Gwent has the highest connection rate, at 96%, followed by Merthyr Tydfil on 94%, and Rhondda Cynon Taff on 93%.
Across the rural counties, 57% of eligible customers in Powys are connected, Ceredigion is on 53%, Gwynedd 74% and Carmarthenshire 60%.
BT said Cardiff was the lowest as the vast majority of the city was covered by commercial fibre broadband.
NFU Cymru president Stephen James raised concerns that the figures are not broken down into rural and urban areas.
"I believe if we received this breakdown then we would see that a high number of rural areas continue to be excluded from superfast broadband," he said.
"Whilst we welcome the improvements that Superfast Cymru has made to areas of Wales, without a comprehensive strategy for targeting superfast broadband to rural areas, we fear that this could only widen the digital divide between urban areas and rural communities.
"If distribution of broadband...

Summary: A scheme to deliver superfast broadband to 655,000 premises in Wales will be completed by the end of June, BT and the Welsh Government have insisted.
###
Article: South Wimbledon and Queensway stations will be the first to see their staff moved from ticket offices into ticket halls and on to platforms.
Transport for London (TfL) said it would save £50m annually as it tries to save £4.2bn by 2020.
But Manuel Cortes, from the TSSA union, said London Mayor Boris Johnson was "rushing through" the closures.
Mr Cortes, leader of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association said: "Talks on the safety implications of closing over 250 stations have not even been concluded.
"The mayor doesn't seem concerned about how millions of tourists will cope with fewer staff to help them on their way."
TfL said all stations would remain staffed and 150 new ticket machines would be installed by April 2016.
It added that new visitor centres would be created at larger stations such as Victoria and King's Cross to help visitors.
Nick Brown, London Underground's chief operating officer, said more staff were being placed "where they can offer the best possible assistance" as only 3% of Tube tickets were bought at ticket offices.
He said: "This forms part of our wider vision for the Tube, which includes a 24-hour weekend service on core parts of the network."
But the changes have led to previous strikes by the Aslef and RMT unions.
Labour's London Assembly transport spokeswoman Val Shawcross said: "When he was elected, Boris Johnson promised Londoners he would protect the capital's ticket offices, but today he starts the process of dismantling each and every one of them.
"Whilst there is obviously a big role for ticket machines to play, there is no substitute for a member of staff."
London Underground said after 100 meetings with unions the number of roles to be reduced had fallen from 950 to 897 with no member of staff facing compulsory redundancy or losing money.

Summary:


Police investigations into claims of historical child abuse should "take precedence" over a UK government-ordered inquiry, a Welsh MP says.

Article: Twenty "listeners" met and spoke to prisoners suffering from depression and mental health problems, including some who were suicidal.
Details of the number of calls have been released to mark the 10th anniversary of the scheme.
It operates in Maghaberry and Magilligan prisons.
There are currently more than 1,300 prisoners in the two jails.
The prison authorities have been strongly criticised in a series of inspection reports for treatment of vulnerable prisoners, including those with mental health problems.
The scheme is run by the Samaritans, who provide a 12-week training course for prisoners who pass an initial selection and vetting process.
Volunteers working for the charity outside the prison answered a further 1,500 telephone calls from prisoners in Northern Ireland last year.
The Listener scheme has been operating for 25 years in prisons across the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Case study: The Listener who helps fellow inmates
The Samaritans said it is essential because research shows that prisoners are eight to 10 times more likely to die by suicide than the rest of the population.
According to the charity, around 23% of male prisoners and 46% of women prisoners suffer from anxiety and depression.
The first Listener programme in Northern Ireland began operating in Magilligan prison near Limavady in 2002.
The scheme in Maghaberry started in 2006.
A programme for women prisoners and young offenders is being developed at Hydebank in south Belfast.
Gillian McNaull, the Samaritans' regional prisons support officer, oversees the Listener scheme.
She said it works well because many prisoners prefer to talk to fellow prisoners.
"The prisoners who are suffering emotional distress know that the Listeners know what life in prison is like and know what they are going through," she said.
She believes those who volunteer to help their fellow inmates also benefit.
"I think there is something very redemptive about the process in that people who are in prison for punishment are being given a chance and are being...

Summary: Prisoners trained to help fellow inmates in emotional distress in NI's two largest jails were contacted more than 1,600 times last year.
###
Article: The legal amendment would give it a "significantly enhanced" role in regulating the lucrative market.
London currently processes most of the trade in this financial sector, providing thousands of jobs.
The ECB's proposal comes shortly after the European Commission published a draft law to give it the power to move euro clearing business out of London.
Clearing is where a third party organisation acts as a middleman for buyers and sellers of financial contracts tied to the underlying value of a share, index, currency or bond.
Trillions of euros are handled through clearing houses every year, mostly through London.
The ECB said the amendment would give it "clear legal competence" in the area of central clearing, which is currently dominated by London firms.
Under the proposal, the ECB and its national central banks would monitor risks that could affect monetary policy, the operation of payment systems and the stability of the euro.
Analysis: BBC economics correspondent Andrew Walker
Outside the financial world, clearing houses are a little known but important part of the "financial infrastructure" to use the phrase that appears in the key piece of EU legislation.
The European Commission has already called closer supervision for euro clearing that takes place outside the EU and the ECB's proposed rule change would give it the power to take on that role.
For the firms that use these clearing houses, the ECB's watchful eye is something they could live with.
What they don't want is a requirement to have euro denominated business decamp out of London.
They have to put money up front to use these facilities and they can use it more efficiently that if it's not dispersed in many different places.
Daniel Hodson of the Financial Services Negotiation Forum told the BBC that at the moment the ECB did not have sovereignty over euro clearing in London, as its UK regulator - the Bank of England - is responsible.
However, there are "substantial" arrangements in place with the ECB that are "very similar" to those in place with...

Summary: The European Central Bank has put forward a proposal to boost its oversight over euro clearing.
###
Article: The Revolutionary Guards said in a statement that the tests demonstrated the country's "deterrent power".
US officials said that if the reports were confirmed, they would raise the matter at the UN Security Council.
In January, the US imposed sanctions targeting Iran's missile programme in response to the last round of tests.
UN experts said those tests had violated a Security Council resolution.
Resolution 1929, which barred Iran from undertaking any work on ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, was terminated after a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers was implemented two months ago. A new resolution, 2231, then came into force that "calls upon" Iran not to undertake such activity.
Iran says it does not have nuclear weapons and will continue missile development.
Iranian state television reported on Tuesday that the missiles were fired from silos at various locations, without naming them.
It broadcast pictures of one of the night-time launches, and a presenter said the missile was a medium-range Qiam-1, according to the Reuters news agency.
The Revolutionary Guards' statement said the tests were intended "to show Iran's deterrent power and also the Islamic Republic's ability to confront any threat against the [Islamic] Revolution, the state and the sovereignty of the country".
The head of the Guards' Aerospace Force, Brig Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh told state television that the missiles had "struck a target 700km (435 miles) away".
He warned the US was "trying to turn off the lights of Iran's missile programme", adding: "The Guards don't give into threats."
US state department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said it was "aware of and following closely" the reports of the missile tests.
"If confirmed, we intend to raise the matter in the UN Security Council. We will also encourage a serious review of the incident and press for an appropriate response."
"This development underscores why we continue to work closely with partners around the world to slow and degrade Iran's missile...

Summary: Iran has launched several ballistic missiles from silos across the country as part of a military exercise, state media say, defying US pressure.
###
Article: The Revolutionary Guards launched the missiles from northern Iran against targets in the south-east, reports say.
On Tuesday, the country said it had launched several ballistic missiles as part of the same exercise.
In January, the US imposed sanctions targeting Iran's missile programme in response to a previous round of tests.
UN experts said those tests had violated a Security Council resolution.
Resolution 1929, which barred Iran from undertaking any work on ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, was terminated after a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers was implemented two months ago. A new resolution, 2231, then came into force that "calls upon" Iran not to undertake such activity.
Iran says it does not have nuclear weapons and will continue missile development.
The two Qadr H and Qadr F missiles hit targets 1,400km (870 miles) away, state media reported.
The missiles were produced by Iranian experts and the "successful" drills were aimed at showcasing the country's power, the Revolutionary Guards said, according to Iran's English-language Press TV channel.
They had the phrase "Israel must be wiped out'' written on them, the Fars news agency reported, AP said.
Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards maintain dozens of short and medium-range ballistic missiles, the largest stock in the Middle East, Reuters news agency says.
"The missiles fired today [Wednesday] are the results of sanctions. The sanctions helped Iran develop its missile programme," Brig Gen Hossein Salami, deputy commander of the Guards, was quoted as saying by Fars.
While any missile of a certain size could in theory be used to carry a nuclear warhead, Iran says its missiles are for use solely as a conventional deterrent.
It says it has ballistic missiles with a range of 2,000km (1,250 miles) that would be capable of reaching Israel and US military bases in the Middle East.
On Tuesday, US officials threatened to raise Iran's exercises at the UN Security Council if the reports were confirmed. But authorities said...

Summary: Iran has launched two new ballistic missiles, state media say, continuing a military exercise that has drawn a threat of a US diplomatic response.
###
Article: Cardiff North MP Jonathan Evans said it was "a tragedy" there was no agreement on who should chair the inquiry, set up after claims of paedophiles operating in Westminster in the 1980s.
The Conservative MP said cases should be investigated by the police first.
Child abuse survivors have urged the government to scrap the inquiry.
Instead, they want it replaced with a more powerful body.
It comes after Home Secretary Theresa May told inquiry members their panel might be disbanded.
The Met Police said earlier this month that detectives were investigating three alleged murders as part of their investigation into historical child abuse.
Mr Evans, who is chairman of the Welsh Tory party and a former deputy chairman of the Welsh NSPCC council, said: "Now I hear that a number of the groups who are representing victims have suggested the whole of the process should be stopped and a different sort of inquiry created.
"I don't know exactly what the terms of that inquiry should be and I'm not really sure what they mean by setting up a stronger inquiry because I think the inquiry that was being set up was a pretty strong one."
He said ongoing police inquiries introduced a "new dimension", and that they appeared to be proceeding on the basis of new evidence "in which the police have already made it clear to the media that there are real issues that are being investigated".
"It seems to me that those police inquiries have got to now take precedence. We ought not to have a situation in which we set up an inquiry and then we can only do half the job because police inquiries are ongoing."
Mr Evans, who was a Wales Office minister in the 1990s when the UK government set up the Waterhouse inquiry into abuse allegations at children's homes in north Wales, added: "It seems to me that the police inquiries are now at the forefront."
He said Mrs May should not be blamed for delays to the inquiry, which has been held up by the resignation of her first two choices of chairperson.
Victims must have confidence in the process, Mr Evans...

Summary:


The UK's most popular weapons are the UK's most popular weapons.
The UK's most popular weapons are the UK's most popular weapons.
The UK's most popular weapons are the UK's most popular weapons.
The UK's most

Criminals and terrorists are using the so-called dark net to buy weapons, a new study has suggested.

Article: For the last few years, four small UK minehunters have been maintaining a valuable if unsung presence in the waterway. It is one that Britain's allies value very highly, according to the Navy.
We joined one of the ships, HMS Middleton, as she headed out to sea from her base in the port of Bahrain. As we set sail, the international significance of the Gulf was evident.
As well as the four British minehunters, a frigate and a patrol craft from the Bahraini navy, dotted around the port were a French naval support ship, a US amphibious assault ship, some American minehunters and perhaps most intriguingly, a US Coastguard cutter.
There was also a huge British amphibious support ship, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Lyme Bay, another of the total of a dozen British naval vessels in the region. Lyme Bay acts as a mother ship for the minehunters.
Those minehunters themselves are hardly the biggest or most glamorous of warships. HMS Middleton is just 645 tons, with a crew of just 46. But their potential value massively outweighs their size.
If the Gulf were to be mined, the bigger ships - even the mighty US Navy aircraft carriers - would be relying on them to carry out their task.
None of the Royal Navy personnel in the Gulf will point a direct finger, but one of the West's nightmare scenarios is that the Gulf could be mined as part of a confrontation with Iran.
That could shut off the source of 40% of the world's oil shipments by sea and have a devastating effect on the world economy.
The waterway has been mined before. And in both the recent confrontations with Iraq, Royal Navy vessels have played a crucial role in mine clearance.
Mines could also be attractive to a terrorist group. Like their land equivalent the roadside bomb, they are simple, cheap, but devastating.
The purpose of the ships now is to build confidence. And they are also there to gain vital local knowledge so that they could respond immediately if the need arose.
"We're the core of a deployed force which proves that the UK can deploy and sustain a force...

Summary: Away from the headlines, the Royal Navy is carrying out a key security task in the Gulf.
###
Article: Hayley Duffety slammed Suffolk County Council after Holly and brother Elliot, who has cerebral palsy, were allocated to primaries four miles apart.
She had applied for them to attend Abbotts Green primary, Bury St Edmunds.
The authority has now apologised "for distress caused" and offered the twins places at the preferred school.
Ms Duffety said the authority's change of position was "fantastic news", adding it would have been distressing for the children to go to different schools.
"This was about keeping the twins together so that they could support each other in the new school," she said.
Ms Duffety applied for places at the school last June, when she applied for the education, health and care plan (EHCP) for Elliot.
She was told the process would take 20 weeks and would be complete before the January cut-off for school place applications.
But she said the EHCP was not finished in time, and as a result Elliot's needs had not taken been taken into account.
Suffolk County Council said it accepted the delay in issuing the EHCP had an impact on the outcome of the application.
"We are sincerely sorry for the delay and distress caused to the family," said a council spokesman.
"We would like to wish both Holly and Elliot every success at their new school."

Summary: A mother of four-year-old twins assigned to different schools after a council "cock up" has won her battle to have them sent to the same place.
###
Article: The 30-year-old was discovered in Fesants Croft in Harlow, Essex, at about 16:55 BST on Thursday.
Her injuries have been described as "life-changing" and Essex Police said she was in a serious condition in hospital.
Detectives arrested a 33-year-old man from Harlow, who has been taken into custody for questioning.

Summary: A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a woman was found badly burned in woodland.
###
Article: Tony Blair was prime minister, R Kelly was number one in the charts with Ignition, and no-one had heard of Twitter or selfies.
In cricket, England hadn't held the Ashes for 14 years, DRS and the Dilscoop had yet to be invented, and Alastair Cook had only just made his Essex debut.
But the game was about to change forever, as 10 English counties played each other in five 20-over games in a new domestic competition. Twenty20 was born.
Thirteen years on, as the sixth World Twenty20 explodes on to the global stage once again, cricket has been transformed beyond recognition. This is the story of how T20 changed the world.
While cricketers are undoubtedly fitter, stronger and more athletic than they have ever been, it can be argued this isn't a direct result of T20.
Yes, the modern player spends more time in the gym, pays more attention to what goes into their body and is more likely to be rested, but the same can be said for any professional athlete. In that sense, cricket has simply moved with the rest of the sporting world.
"Batsmen don't hit it further and the players are still of a similar standard," England all-rounder Stuart Broad told BBC Sport. "For example, the likes of Ian Botham and Viv Richards would have been ideally suited to T20.
"Fielding and fitness are the things that have taken a step up, but bowlers and batsmen are still on a par with where they were."
The biggest impact of T20 cricket has come on the mindset of the modern player. What was once thought to be impossible is now not only probable, but even routine.
Scoring at a rate of more than 10 an over to win a game, being confident enough to bowl six different varieties of slower ball, a batsman scooping a 90mph delivery over his own head and fielders jumping off the field and back on again to take spectacular boundary catches. Things that seemed outrageous 10 years ago are now commonplace.
"T20 cricket has given players a belief in what they can do," added Broad. "They have seen themselves catch screamers and hit balls out of the ground....

Summary: The world was a very different place on 13 June 2003.
###
Article: Those selling the illicit weapons often disassembled and sent them in different packages or embedded them in old stereos or printers, the report found.
Researchers found that firearms and related goods generated 136 sales per month and a monthly revenue of $80,000 (Â£62,000).
The firearms trade has gained attention following recent terrorist attacks.
The dark net is a part of the internet that requires specific software to access, in order for users to remain anonymous.
While the trade was unlikely to fuel large-scale terrorist operations, it had the potential to become the platform of choice for "lone-wolf" terrorists to obtain weapons and ammunition, the report said.
Non-profit organisation Rand Corporation Europe, working with Manchester University, found 52 unique vendors selling weapons or similar items such as ammunition, explosives, or components such as silencers across 811 listings and 18 markets.
Police believe the 2016 Munich shooting, which left nine people dead, used weapons purchased on the dark net.
Lead author of the research, Giacomo Persi Paoli, said: "Recent high-profile cases have shown that the threat posed by individuals or small groups obtaining weapons illegally from the dark web is real.
"The ability to not only arm criminals and terrorists, who can make virtually anonymous purchases, but also vulnerable and fixated individuals is perhaps the most dangerous aspect."
Guns account for less than 1% of items sold on the platform, with its main trade being in narcotics.
Nevertheless, the volume being sold "can be considered sufficiently high to be a cause of concern for policy makers and law enforcement agencies", said the report.
The study involved collecting data from 12 dark net marketplaces during a week in September 2016.
Most of those selling guns were based in the US, but Europe was the most popular destination for the weapons they sold.
Judith Aldridge, co-investigator on the study, said: "In very simple terms, anyone can connect to the dark web and within minutes have access to a...

Summary:


quality of life of the people of Scotland".
The government has also said that the government

Welfare reforms are making people live in "constant fear" of cuts to their benefits, according to a report.

Article: Ruddington Parish Council faced some opposition when it decided to install dog poo bag dispensers around the Nottinghamshire village.
Now, some of the bags disappear almost as soon as they are restocked.
It is costing the council hundreds of pounds a year, so it has decided to remove some of the dispensers.
Nick Tegerdine, chairman of the council's environment and policy committee, said: "I really do worry what it is all about.
"There's a militant fringe of dog walkers in Ruddington who take the view that their dog can go wherever it likes and do whatever it likes, and I did get some opposition when we first proposed putting these dispensers in."
Other theories are that people are stealing them to use as nappy sacks, or taking dozens at a time and stockpiling them.
"What's happened is that certain dispensers are emptied systematically almost as soon as they are full," said the councillor.
"You're certainly barking if that's the attitude you take."
Like many areas, Ruddington has had an ongoing problem with dog poo not being cleaned up.
Last year, the council handed out chalk and asked residents to draw sad faces on the pavement next to dog mess to encourage owners to clean up.

Summary: "Militant" dog walkers could be responsible for stealing large quantities of dog poo bags, according to a councillor.
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Article: With crime having fallen in most of the Western world in the 1990s, he said the decline may have been due to economic growth and high employment levels.
Meanwhile, the Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales, Dame Anne Owers, warned that "overpopulated" prisons are "increasingly brittle".
She said the government should invest in alternatives to locking people up.
Does prison cut crime?
Mr Clarke told judges at their annual Mansion House Dinner in London that "no-one can prove cause and effect" for why crime fell in the 1990s.
His comments come after former Tory home secretary Michael Howard recently criticised him for attacking high imprisonment rates.
BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said the justice secretary's comments appeared to be a swipe at Mr Howard, who coined the phrase "prison works" in 1993.
In his speech on Tuesday night, Mr Clarke said: "There is and never has been, in my opinion, any direct correlation between spiralling growth in the prison population and a fall in crime.
"Crime has fallen in Britain throughout a period of both rising prison populations, and throughout the same period of economic growth, with strong employment levels and rising living standards.
"No-one can prove cause and effect. The crime rate fell but was this the consequence of the policies of my successors as home secretary or, dare I gently hint, mine as chancellor of the exchequer at the beginning of a period of growth and strong employment? We will never know."
The justice secretary, who favours rehabilitation and community sentences, said crime had fallen in Canada in the 1990s after the prison population was cut by 11% and that crime did not rise significantly in Finland when similar measures had been taken there.
Dame Anne Owers' warning that prisons are now increasing brittle came in her valedictory lecture to the Prison Reform Trust on Tuesday night.
She said prisons "had become better places" but progress in rehabilitating offenders was slow because of the growing prison population.
She called...

Summary: There is no link between rising levels of imprisonment and falling crime, Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has said.
###
Article: The site, which bills itself as a "virtual pinboard", allows users to post pictures and other content onto a personalised profile.
However, some have raised concerns that the format encourages unauthorised sharing.
Concerned sites can now block their content by adding a line of web code.
Any Pinterest user attempting to share images or other material from a site with the "nopin" instruction will be told: "This site doesn't allow pinning to Pinterest. Please contact the owner with any questions. Thanks for visiting!"
In a blog post, co-founder Ben Silbermann said Pinterest cared about "respecting the rights of copyright holders".
He added: "We understand and respect that sometimes site owners do not want any of their material pinned. For these folks, we provide a snippet of code that can be added to any website."
In addition to the code, copyright holders can - like most sites featuring user uploaded content - request that material be taken downvia an online form.
Pinterest has grown rapidly, with reports from ratings firm Comscore suggesting the site had 7.5 million unique visitors in December, rising to 11.7 million in January.
However, concerns over copyright violations have caused some users to back away from using the service.
Webmasters who want to prevent their material from being posted on Pinterest can use the following code:
<meta name="pinterest" content="nopin" />
Niri Shan, a media law expert from Taylor Wessing, said he believed the move to enhance measures for rights holders would probably work in Pinterest's favour, should rights holders begin make legal claims.
"I think they [the courts] would look favourably," he said.
"Overall the court will have to look at the public interest. Blocking sites has implications for free speech - it's not something the court will do every day of the week."
Mr Shan added that Pinterest's key approach would be to prove that while copyrighted material might be uploaded to the site, it was not the service's primary function - an accusation made about other sites,...

Summary: Social networking service Pinterest has responded to concerns over copyrighted material by allowing websites to opt-out of being featured on the site.
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Article: Mervyn Storey said the main business organisations had called for the move.
The last valuation for business rates was completed in 2015, but that followed a 10-year gap.
Decisions on more controversial changes to the system, like ending exemptions for charity shops, are being left for the next Northern Ireland Executive.
Mr Storey said he would like to see the executive keep any increases in rates "at no more than inflation".
"There are no viable alternatives to the existing system," he said.
The Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association welcomed the commitment to valuations every three years.
Its chief executive, Glyn Roberts, said other changes should be "a top economic issue" after the Northern Ireland Assembly elections in May.
"With the chancellor announcing last week that many small retailers in England will now be paying no rates at all, the executive has some serious catching up to do," he said.

Summary: Businesses in Northern Ireland are to have their rates bills revalued every three years beginning in 2019, the finance minister has said.
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Article: The study by Napier University found those on benefits were anxious that changes to their circumstances would push them into "crisis situations".
Scottish Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil urged the UK government to rethink its reforms.
But the Department for Work and Pensions said the changes were designed to help people into work.
The Welfare Reform Tracking Study, which was carried out by Edinburgh Napier University on behalf of the Scottish government, also highlighted criticism of how the details of reforms were communicated to recipients of benefits.
Some disabled people who took part in the study said they felt they had to present themselves in a "negative light and focus on their limitations" when claiming.
Other participants spoke of stress, anxiety and depression brought on by assessments, and a fear of further changes.
Mr Neil accused the UK government's "austerity agenda and benefit cuts" of having a "damaging effect" on people in Scotland.
He added: "Their approach is slashing the incomes of some of our poorest households and pushing 100,000 children into poverty.
"The study is further evidence that people are living in constant anxiety about changes to their entitlements and are already suffering from the effects of around Â£6bn of cuts taken from Scottish welfare expenditure over the last five years.
"Despite these frustrations we will do all we can to use our new powers to make our system fairer and simpler and work to improve the experience for people."
However, a spokesman for the Department of Work and pensions said the reforms were about giving people peace of mind.
He added: "Reforms to welfare are designed to help people into work, giving more people the peace of mind and security that comes with a steady income - there are now near record numbers of people in Scotland in a job.
"The government provides a safety net to support millions of people who are unemployed or on low incomes, spending Â£94bn a year across the UK on working age benefits."

Summary:


A school has been forced to close until Monday after more than 145 pupils and staff came down with a sickness bug.

Article: The jet overshot the runway at Blackbushe Airport in July 2015 and crashed into a car auction site.
The Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB) said emergency warnings prior to landing may have "saturated the pilot's mental capacity".
The pilot and three passengers survived the crash but died in a severe fire.
Bin Laden's half-sister, Sana Mohammed Bin Laden, her mother, Raja Bashir Hashim, and his brother-in-law, Zuhair Hashim, were killed, along with pilot Mazen Al-Aqeel Da'jah Salem.
The AAIB report said the private Saudi-registered Phenom 300 jet, travelling from Milan, Italy, landed at high speed and touched down on 31 July 2015 with only 438m (1,437 ft) of runway remaining.
It collided with an earth bank before crashing into a British Car Auctions site, losing one of its wings and bursting into flames among parked cars.
Airport firefighters, who arrived on the scene within five minutes, were unable to control an "intense" blaze involving leaking fuel.
Eyewitnesses at the scene said there had been a "ball of flames" and "several explosions".
The AAIB said the three passengers appeared to have made an unsuccessful attempt to open the cabin door.
The report said the 57-year-old Jordanian pilot may have become "fixated on landing" because of "a very high workload situation" in the final minutes of the flight.
He made an emergency climb to avoid colliding with a microlight, and then came close to a second light aircraft.
The jet then began "a very high-speed descent", dropping at up to 3,000ft per minute.
The pilot ignored six "pull up" warnings from the aircraft's Terrain Avoidance and Warning System (TAWS), touching down at a speed of about 135 knots (155mph).
The AAIB said the 66 messages and alarms in the final three-and-a-half minutes of the flight may have created "audio overload" and "mental stressors".
"It is possible that in these circumstances the pilot... fixated on his initial strategy (landing) and lacked the mental capacity to recognise that the approach had become unstable," the report...

Summary: A pilot may have been suffering from "mental overload" when he crash-landed, killing three members of Osama Bin Laden's family, an inquiry has found.
###
Article: Unfortunately, quite a few fail.
But there are some psychological tactics which can be employed to increase the chances of success.
Psychologist Prof Richard Wiseman, from the University of Hertfordshire, has carried out research into the key to sticking to resolutions.
In a study of 5,000 people who made resolutions, it was those with a "fatalistic attitude" who were less likely to succeed.
He advises it's more than likely old habits will creep back in sometimes, so see those occasions as temporary set-backs and not a reason to give up altogether.
"Failure is the main thing that stops people  If, on day one of their diet, they raid the biscuit tin, they think 'that's it' and give up. But persistence is the key. Start again the next day."
Support from friends and family can help people stick to their goals.
But Prof Wiseman says women might be more likely to benefit. "They are generally better at offering moral support. Men tend to try and encourage you to have more dessert."
This can be something public like a blog - or the fridge door - or more privately, in a spreadsheet or a journal.
It might help to note down each gym visit, or decision not to have cake.
Prof Wiseman also advises having a checklist to show how life will be better once your goals are achieved - and allow small rewards throughout the process to keep up motivation levels.
It has to be something specific that can be realistically achieved.
Running a marathon, say, would be too much for a non-runner to aim for, while a vague desire to 'get fit' is hard to measure.
"Maybe start by saying you'll go to the gym once a week, then you can look at moving up to two," advises Prof Wiseman.
And be realistic - it's best to choose one thing to focus on rather than having a raft of goals to increase the chances of success.
This is important in terms of knowing what prompts behaviour you want to avoid - and to help encourage healthier habits.
"It could be as simple as not having biscuits in the house so you're not tempted - or understanding the stress...

Summary: After the excesses of the festive season, the thoughts of many turn to making resolutions to stop bad habits and take up healthier ones.
###
Article: Asda boss Andy Clarke said he would sink another Â£500m into the price war with his rivals, as part of "radical action to win back our customers".
The move comes at the start of a big week for the grocery trade.
The other big UK supermarkets - Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons - are set to unveil Christmas trading figures.
Asda, which is owned by US chain Walmart, does not release its figures until February.
However, Asda appears to have been suffering more than its rivals, with analysts viewing it as the most vulnerable of the big four to discount stores Aldi and Lidl.
Asda's latest price-cutting investment is in addition to Â£1bn of investment announced in 2013 and due to be rolled out over a five-year period.
Mr Clarke said: "The structure of UK grocery retailing has permanently changed to reflect the way that customers shop today."
He described the change as "a global phenomenon", adding: "We saw the change coming and responded in 2013, but we didn't move fast enough."
Conditions in the UK grocery market are particularly gruelling, with all of the big four chains struggling.
Morrisons, which reports its Christmas trading results on Tuesday, saw a 2.6% fall in its like-for-like third-quarter sales. The retailer dropped out of the FTSE 100 list of the UK's most valuable companies in December.
Tuesday also sees the publication of the latest Kantar Worldpanel figures indicating the relative size of retailers' share of the grocery market.
Sainsbury's, which publishes its third-quarter and Christmas results the following day, saw a 1.6% fall in its like-for-like first-half sales, which strip out the impact of new store openings.
Tesco's third-quarter and Christmas results come out on Thursday. In the first half of the financial year, its UK like-for-like sales were down 1.1%.
As for Asda, its like-for-like sales fell 4.5% in the three months to the end of September, marking its fifth consecutive quarter of falling revenue.
Retailers including Marks and Spencer and Waitrose have already released their figures for...

Summary: Supermarket chain Asda has predicted another year of "intense pressure" for the struggling sector as the global economy remains "turbulent".
###
Article: He has also been ordered to complete a compulsory education course, following a two-day Football Association hearing.
Anelka, 34, denied his use of the sign during a draw with West Ham on 28 December and described as an "inverted Nazi salute", was anti-Semitic.
Read the full details on BBC Magazine Monitor
West Brom have suspended him until the outcome of any appeal and club inquiry.
Anelka is considering whether to appeal against the FA's ruling; if he does, his five-match ban and fine would be put on hold pending the outcome.
The Frenchman and his legal team had defended his actions to the FA's independent regulatory commission hearing, saying the controversial gesture was in support of his friend, the French comedian Dieudonne M'bala M'bala - the person who first brought the quenelle to prominence.
The action, which the striker made after scoring in the 3-3 draw at West Ham, was described afterwards by France's sports minister Valerie Fourneyron days as "shocking and disgusting".
It also led to Zoopla, co-owned by Jewish businessman Alex Chesterman, ending its sponsorship of West Brom.
Anelka responded at the time by saying the salute was "anti-establishment", rather than anti-Semitic. The French government is trying to ban M'bala M'bala's shows over his use of the gesture.
We did not find that Nicolas Anelka is an anti-Semite
The commission's three-member panel, headed by a QC, said in its ruling that both charges against Anelka had been proven - that the gesture was abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting and/or improper, and that it included a reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or religion or belief.
However the panel added it did not believe Anelka had been deliberately anti-Semitic.
The commission statement said: "So far as the basis for our finding on charge 2 is concerned, we did not find that Nicolas Anelka is an anti-Semite or that he intended to express or promote anti-Semitism by his use of the quenelle."
His five-match punishment is the most lenient that could have been imposed under...

Summary: West Bromwich Albion have suspended striker Nicolas Anelka after he was banned for five matches and fined £80,000 for his "quenelle" gesture.
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Article: Dene Magna School in Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire, has about 750 pupils on its roll.
Headteacher Stephen Brady said: "It's just got worse and worse - we had to send 26 pupils home today, sometimes common sense has to rule."
A private cleaning firm will begin a deep clean on Friday to sterilise the school ahead of it reopening.
The school normally has an attendance of 97%, with fewer than 20 students off in a day, but on Thursday this had fallen to 80%.
"We've had a steady increase in the number of students and staff coming down with this. I think we've been hit with what is a perfect storm of bugs," Mr Brady said.
"Some of the students have experienced nausea and sweating, others with vomiting and diarrhoea."
He also said a supply teacher had come in for one day but was forced to go home, after falling ill within a matter of hours.
It is expected that the pupils will recover from the bug within 72 hours.
"My only message is with the students don't let them go out and about at the weekend," added Mr Brady.
"If you can keep them in so they don't spread this amongst their friends.
"A good wash would go down very well so they can be back on Monday, nice and healthy."

Summary: