The Vatican has granted a Christmas-time clemency to a former butler who served 18 months of a two-year sentence for stealing documents from the Pope.
The Vatican said the Pope had granted the priest conditional freedom.
The Vatican has only two prison cells but it can ask Italy to house its prisoners under

Pope Francis has freed a priest jailed for leaking official documents in a trial known as Vatileaks II.

Article: Vote Leave - backed by Boris Johnson and Michael Gove - saw off a challenge from a rival campaign Grassroots Out, backed by UKIP leader Nigel Farage.
The campaigns will be allowed to spend up to £7m, get a free mailshot, TV broadcasts and £600,000 public funds.
The Electoral Commission made the decision after weeks of deliberation.
It is likely to have a major impact on the shape of the debate in the run up to 23 June's referendum.
It means Nigel Farage will not feature on official Leave campaign literature, with Vote Leave insiders fearing the UKIP leader would alienate centre ground voters they believe hold the key to winning. The group wants to make a "positive" case for leaving the EU, with less emphasis on immigration.
Britain Stronger in Europe is likely to continue to focus on the impact of an exit on jobs and economic prosperity.
Grassroots Out founder, Tory MP Peter Bone, said his campaign would continue, but with a spending limit of £700,000, as he attempted to draw a line under the bitter war of words between his group and Vote Leave.
He added: "We look forward to working closely and productively with all those who want to see the UK set free to determine its own destiny."
A spokesman for Vote Leave said: "Our focus has always been the real campaign and the £350m we send to Brussels every week which we want to spend on our priorities like the NHS. We will continue to work constructively with everyone who wants to campaign for a Leave vote."
Nigel Farage offered an olive branch to Vote Leave, saying he could work with them as they had accepted his argument that immigration must play a more central role in the debate.
The UKIP leader added: "Regardless of whichever campaign got the designation, UKIP would always have played a big role in this campaign as the only national party committed to leaving the EU and with a substantial £4m spending limit.
"I have always wanted all on the Leave side to come together and have done my best to try and make this happen. I'll continue to do so in the run up to the...

Summary: Vote Leave and Britain Stronger in Europe have been designated as the official Leave and Remain campaigns in June's EU referendum.
###
Article: The convention will see 10,000 people get together in Docklands to celebrate all aspects of the hugely popular block-building game.
It will feature talks by the game's developers, a costume competition and sessions on modifying the basic game.
Well-known YouTube stars including Stampy, The Diamond Minecart and Captain Sparklez are also attending.
The convention comes as Microsoft announces an initiative to make more use of Minecraft in schools.
The core coding team for Minecraft is set to appear at the show to talk about future features on which they are working. Also present will be Telltale Games which is working on Minecraft: Story Mode - an episodic adventure set in the game's universe.
Prominent at the show will be the coders who modify the game who will share hints about the best way to customise the way it is played. A large panel of well-known YouTubers is also scheduled to appear to give tips about growing and serving the audience for Minecraft "lets play" videos.
The convention will also feature a "speedrun" competition to see which players can traverse a Minecraft game map the fastest. About 70 million copies of the game have been sold since it was launched in 2011.
Microsoft is giving away "golden tickets" to some attendees so they can try out the version of Minecraft being made for its Hololens augmented reality headset.
Earlier this week Microsoft also announced the creation of a Minecraft in Education initiative that will see the game become a route through which children are taught subjects including maths, history and religion.
It is also introducing tools that help schools co-ordinate what is done through the game to make collaboration easier.
This year's convention is the first since Microsoft bought Minecraft maker Mojang for $2.5bn (Â£1.6bn) in September 2014.
Despite now being the parent company for Mojang, Microsoft had no plans to change the way the game is made and run, said Matt Booty, general manager for the Minecraft team at Microsoft.
"This is definitely Mojang's show and it's...

Summary: Minecon, the global gathering for fans of the video game Minecraft, takes place in London this weekend.
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Article: And as a British exporting success, what it says on how to win in export markets should probably be heard more widely (and see more on this from my colleague Kamal Ahmed).
Which is why its view is so striking, that the UK should vote to leave the EU, unless the prime minister secures a reduction in EU red tape on British business.
Because there is no evidence that David Cameron has a UK opt-out from business red tape on his shopping list when he visits Berlin, Paris and Brussels.
According to senior members of the government, the big things he is looking for are:
The noises out of European capitals suggest it is moot whether he and his main negotiator, George Osborne, will get all or any of these - though it is also clear that no leader wants to bundle the UK towards the exit.
But there is no suggestion that Cameron and Osborne are looking for an opt-out for British business from EU regulatory requirements.
To be clear, the single-market voting protection they want is to prevent the eurozone discriminating against non-members of the euro such as the UK when determining the rules of EU markets.
But if the UK gets the kind of "double-majority" voting system for the single market that it secured at the end of 2012 for banking regulation, that is not a bulwark against red tape, just a protection against red tape that is perceived to be disproportionately harmful to euro "outs".
In fact, Osborne and Cameron might take the precise opposite view of JCB - that one reason to stay in the EU is to keep up the British fight against burdensome and over-the-top business rules,
And when I talk to German officials, the reason they normally cite for wishing and hoping that the UK doesn't take the one-way ferry out of the EU is that they don't want to lose the UK's liberal-market advocacy in EU debates.
Probably what matters more about JCB's intervention is the other point it makes, which is that - in its view - British exporters would cope perfectly well if the UK struck out on its own.
In other words, the rattle of JCB's...

Summary: The views of JCB, one of the UK's biggest manufacturers, are widely seen to carry weight among ministers, because its owners, the Bamford family, are one of the Tory Party's top donors.
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Article: The pontiff granted Spanish Monsignor Lucio Vallejo Balda a Christmas-time clemency after he served half of his 18-month sentence, the Vatican said.
The priest was convicted in July. The leaked papers were cited in books published in 2015, that alleged corruption in the Catholic Church.
A former colleague of the priest was given a 10-month suspended sentence.
On Tuesday, the Vatican said in a statement that Pope Francis granted "conditional freedom" to Mgr Angelo Lucio Vallejo Balda.
"This is a clemency measure which allows him to regain his freedom. The penalty is not quashed."
The statement added that all his professional ties to the Vatican had ended, and he would now be under the authority of the Bishop of Astorga in Spain - the priest's original diocese.
Mgr Balda has made no public comment on the latest developments.
The books, by journalists Emiliano Fittipaldi and Gianluigi Nuzzi, were based on leaked materials and exposed waste and financial mismanagement in the Church.
The original Vatileaks episode saw the last Pope's former butler, Paolo Gabriele, sentenced to 18 months in jail in 2012 after being found guilty of stealing sensitive documents from the pontiff's desk.
He served nearly three months of his sentence under house arrest in the Vatican before Pope Benedict visited him and personally pardoned him.
The Vatican has only two prison cells but it can ask Italy to house its prisoners under the terms of a 1929 treaty.

Summary:


A teenager has been left in a critical condition after being hit by a car in a road traffic collision.
The incident happened at around 7.30pm on Friday, January 25, on the A9 at the junction with the A7 at the junction with the A7 at the junction with the A7 at the

A Stranraer Academy student has set up a petition to ensure a life-enhancing drug is made available to a fellow pupil with an extremely rare disease.

Article: This will be the first time that the duke has taken on the role of a university chancellor.
The university's vice-chancellor Bob Cryan said the duke had showed a "real commitment" to student projects in digital skills and entrepreneurship and had become a "regular visitor".
"This is much more than a ceremonial appointment," said Prof Cryan.
The Duke of York will be formally installed later this month, when actor Sir Patrick Stewart steps down.
The relationship between Prince Andrew and the university goes back to 2001, said a university spokesman.
It began with a charity project and then developed into support for the university's entrepreneurship schemes, with the duke formally becoming the university's patron in 2013.
The university says the duke has also met alumni in Vietnam and Indonesia.
"When he visits us and talks to students who are launching businesses, his grasp of detail and his ability to get to the heart of an issue are always highly impressive," said Prof Cryan.
"Also, he has consistently taken an interest in the University of Huddersfield and the progress that we are making."

Summary: The Duke of York is to get a new title, chancellor of the University of Huddersfield.
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Article: "You killed my brother! Go to hell!" the relative screamed in the courtroom.
The shoe missed Breivik, hitting his defence lawyer.
Breivik, 33, admits killing 69 people at a youth summer camp on Utoeya island and eight in a bomb attack in Oslo on 22 July 2011. But he denies criminal responsibility.
The shoe-throwing incident on Friday brought spontaneous applause from members of the public in the courtroom.
Someone was heard shouting: "Bravo!"
The shoe-thrower - identified by the Aftenposten newspaper as an Iraqi called Hayder Mustafa Qasim - was led out of the room by the security staff.
He told the newspaper that after he had thrown the shoe, he heard others in the court clapping him.
"Then I realised that I had done the right thing. I did what many have wanted to do. I felt myself relax, and calm descended on me."
Throwing shoes is seen a form of protest and public insult in many countries, but the practice came to the fore when a shoe was hurled by an Iraqi reporter at the then US President George W Bush in Baghdad in 2008.
The police superintendent in charge of the Oslo courtroom, Rune Bjorsvik, later told the BBC's Caroline Hawley that his colleagues "quickly took care of the man".
By Caroline HawleyBBC News, Oslo
The interruption took place during extremely upsetting testimony as coroners concluded their reports into the exact circumstances of the deaths of each of Anders Breivik's 77 victims.
Relatives had been quietly weeping in the courtroom when, suddenly, a brother of one of the dead got up and threw the shoe, shouting "You are a killer.  You killed my brother.   Go to Hell!"
Some people in the gallery briefly clapped while police at the tightly guarded courtroom quickly ushered the man out. He has since been given psychological help.
It is perhaps surprising that such an outburst has not happened before, given the gut-wrenching nature of the evidence being heard and the palpable tension in the courtroom.
But, with this one exception, proceedings here have been calm, polite and dignified.  That,...

Summary: A brother of one of those killed by Anders Behring Breivik has thrown a shoe at the defendant, interrupting his trial in the Norwegian capital Oslo.
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Article: The Markit/CIPS purchasing managers' index (PMI) recorded its first slowdown in the services sector for four months.
The index fell to 54.5 in January from the previous month's reading of 56.2.
However, a reading above 50 still indicates the sector is expanding, and Markit said the economy was on track for a "buoyant" start to 2017.
Similar surveys from Markit/CIPS released earlier in the week suggested a slight slowdown in activity in both the manufacturing and construction sectors.
But Markit said the surveys together suggested the UK economy would grow by a "robust" 0.5% in the first quarter of the year, if current trends continued.
On Thursday, the Bank of England revised up its forecast for the UK economy this year, and now expects it to grow by 2%.
The health of the UK's service sector is monitored closely as it accounts for more than three-quarters of the economy.
Markit said the main positive finding from its latest survey of the sector was an increase in optimism about future prospects, which was at its highest since May last year.
However, once again firms reported inflationary pressures. Price inflation for goods bought by the companies hit the highest since March 2011, while inflation in prices charged rose at the same rate as December's 68-month high.
Firms are facing much higher prices for imported goods since the fall in the value of the pound since the Brexit referendum vote in June last year.
"Service sector growth eased after a strong end to 2016, but the January surveys still point to a buoyant start to 2017 for the UK economy," said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit.
"Encouragingly, optimism about the coming year has risen to its highest in one-and-a-half years, improving across the board in all sectors to suggest that January's slowdown may only be temporary.
"The main area of concern is the extent to which companies' costs are rising across the economy, with the rate of inflation accelerating to a pace not seen since before the global financial crisis," he...

Summary: Growth in the UK's dominant service sector slowed last month, according to a closely watched survey, while price pressures "remained intense".
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Article: Katie Milby, 13, has Morquio A, a degenerative syndrome which affects about 105 people in the UK.
It leads to the progressive deterioration of mobility, health and stamina.
Her friend Kyle Pirrie has started a petition seeking to see the medicine Vimizim made available on the NHS.
There is no known cure to Morquio syndrome but the drug improves the life of people with the condition.
It replaces a missing enzyme which allows children to continue to grow, as well as improving stamina and the ability to walk. It also relieves pain.
The drug's manufacturers have been providing the treatment to patients at their own expense but they are going to withdraw it unless the NHS in England and Scotland commit to funding it.
The Stranraer Academy student said her life would be markedly different without the drug.
"I wouldn't be able to move I'd just be in so much pain," she said.
"And I probably wouldn't be able to go to school."
It was that situation which prompted her friend to launch the petition which now has nearly 2,000 signatures.
"As a friend I suppose I felt kind of bad that she was going to be denied this because I know she has got a great outlook on life," Kyle explained.
"She's funny, she's friendly and I would hate to see her in pain all the time."
Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Alex Fergusson has also backed the petition.
"This is not a cheap medication but, as Katie herself asked me, how do you put a value on a human life?" he asked.
"There are only just over a hundred sufferers throughout the UK, with just five in Scotland, and those who have had treatment with Vimizim report a massive reduction in pain and the other symptoms of this syndrome.
"Life expectancy, which rarely exceeds the mid 20s without treatment, can be considerably extended with this treatment, and it is enormously to the credit of Katie and her friends that they have raised this petition to try to ensure that the treatment is available to all."
The Scottish Medicines Consortium said the drug was currently going through its assessment...

Summary:

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A new study has found that the number of people who have been affected by the Equifax data breach has risen to 143 million.
The credit reporting agency said the figure was up from the previous estimate of 143 million.
The company said the number of people affected by the breach was "up from the previous estimate of

A man has been jailed after he told a stranger that he wanted her to have a baby with her so he could abuse it.

Article: James Oxley said that unlike some EU countries, the UK does not have legal requirements on the size of hutches, or that rabbits be kept in pairs.
Writing in the World Rabbit Science Association's journal, he said rules in the Animal Welfare Act 2006 were "non-specific".
He has also suggested a review of how existing law impacts on rabbits.
Mr Oxley, who is involved in researching rabbit owners' interactions with their pets, said the review could also look at how the UK compared with other EU countries in its protection of the animals.
In a letter published in the journal World Rabbit Science, he said: "It has recently been noted that there are an estimated one to 1.7 million rabbits within the UK.
"Currently there have only been several small-scale studies in the UK which have looked at the management, personality and behaviour of pet rabbits and the views, personality and attitudes of new and current rabbit owners."
Mr Oxley said one study of pet owners had found that 60% of them planned to have an enclosure which was either the same, or smaller, than the recommend minimum size.
The research also suggested that 41% intended to keep their rabbit on its own.
Animal welfare charities the PDSA and Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund say a hutch should be no smaller than 6ft (1.8m) long, 2ft wide and 2ft high.
Both recommend pet owners provide rabbits with much larger enclosures than the minimum size, as well as a big run.
In the wild, rabbits live in social groups within large territories.
UK environment department Defra said owners were required to provide their pets with a suitable environment and proper exercise.
A spokesperson said: "Existing legislation provides adequate protection for the welfare of domestic pets including rabbits - anyone who fails to provide for their pet's welfare needs may face prosecution.
"There are no proposals to amend the legislation."
In Scotland, the campaign Rabbits Require Rights has a petition calling for rabbit welfare-specific legislation.
It said rabbits were the UK's...

Summary: Pet rabbits need better legal protection, according to an animal welfare scientist.
###
Article: Security firm RSA revealed how attackers assigned targets with a unique ID, meaning the scam could be aimed at specific people.
If a person's ID was not on the list, their computer would not be affected.
RSA said the advanced threat posed a new "detection challenge" to the security industry.
In a blog post, RSA cybercrime specialist Limor Kessem wrote: "As we adapt and improve our detection systems, we are reminded that in the never-ending cat-and-mouse game, only the nimble will survive."
The so-called Bouncer Phishing Kit targets preset lists of email addresses. For each target, a unique ID is automatically generated, creating a unique web address for the user to click on.
If someone has an ID that does not match the list of intended targets, they will simply be presented with a 404 Error page, and will be unharmed.
Phishing is a tactic used by cybercriminals to trick users into sharing personal data.
Typically, this is by pretending to be a legitimate website - such as as popular social network, or online banking. Assuming they are on the real site, users will enter their username and password, only for them then to be stolen.
Other phishing attacks can make use of emails designed to look like they come from a trustworthy source.
Internet users can take several common-sense steps to prevent being caught out, such as double-checking web addresses look legitimate, rather than a misspelling such as Facebok.com.
Using the latest version of your internet browser, as well as up-to-date security software, will give you extra help.
The UK Payment Council has set up a website with advice on how to stay protected from phishing scams.
If, however, a person is one of the unfortunate ones, the same page will instead spring into life as an "attack page" ready to steal user credentials.
Using this method means attackers can harvest data from certain groups of users, rather than having to sift through large amounts of data.
For example, the Bouncer Phishing Kit could be used to gather personal details on people in one...

Summary: Cyber-criminals have invented a cunning new method of targeting victims by developing a system that behaves like a bouncer at an exclusive nightclub.
###
Article: More recently we've seen the rise of the touchscreen. But other attempts at re-imagining controls have proved vexing.
"It's one of the hardest problems in modern computer science," Michael Buckwald, chief executive and co-founder of Leap Motion, told the BBC.
But after years of development and $45m (Â£29m) in venture funding, his San Francisco-based start-up has come up with what it claims is the "most natural user interface possible."
It's a 3D-gesture sensing controller that allows touch-free computer interaction.
Israeli firm Primesense has been making headlines in recent days thanks to a report that it is in talks to be bought by Apple - something the 3D sensor firm says is an unfounded rumour.
Rather than trying to make consumer products of its own, the company licenses its depth-sensing tech to others.
Its sensors are used in Microsoft's original Kinect, a 3D scanner by Matterbot and iRobot's Ava - a device that guides itself through hospitals allowing doctors to use it to "visit" patients without leaving their office.
Primesense recently showed off Capri - a second-generation sensor that is 10 times smaller than the previous version and needs less power.
It has fitted the component to one of Google's Nexus tablets to stir up interest and also suggests it could be built into smartphones.
But rather than fitting the sensor to the front of devices to recognise owners' gestures, the firm suggests the best use would be on their backs to look out into the surrounding environments.
"Object recognition is something that is very easily do-able," chief executive Inon Beracha tells the BBC.
"Imagine you scan something - you would get an identification and then you could get the price for an object."
Although the sensor won't feature in the Xbox One games console's new Kinect - which is using Microsoft's own tech - Mr Beracha says to expect news of a tie-up with another big player "in the next months".
Using only subtle movements of fingers and hands within a short distance of the device, virtual pointing,...

Summary: The keyboard and mouse have long been the main bridge between humans and their computers.
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Article: Robert McNab was sentenced to almost three years in jail for downloading indecent images of children, sharing them and sending offensive messages.
The 30-year-old admitted carrying out the offences between 2007 and 2016 at his flat in Greenock.
He was also given a two-year licence, which means he will be monitored after being released from prison.
Greenock Sheriff Court heard how McNab, who has previous convictions for hoarding indecent images of children and sexually assaulting a young girl, chatted to people on Facebook and WhatsApp using a fake name.
He talked about sexually abusing children and raping a baby.
The sex offender, who is also known as Robert Aitman, was found to have a stash of indecent pictures and videos - including footage of babies and children up to the age of 14 being sexually abused.
Defence solicitor Gerry Keenan said McNab was the victim of repeated sexual abuse when he was a child.
"Clearly there are issues which would require to be addressed in the public interest to minimise and reduce the risk of further offending," he said.
He asked for McNab to be spared jail and said he would engage with a treatment programme for sex offenders.
However, Sheriff Derek Hamilton ruled that a custodial sentence was required for such a "disturbing" case and jailed him for 35 months
He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Summary:


The report, by the Royal Society, says that the UK's gender pay gap is "unacceptable".
The report says that the gender pay gap is "unacceptable" and that the UK's pay gap is "unacceptable".
The report says that the gender pay gap is "unacceptable" and that the

Parity is this year's theme for International Women's Day so 46 years after the introduction of the Equal Pay Act, BBC Rewind looks back on the history of the gender pay gap.

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: Matthew Salmon, 29, of St Ann's, Nottingham, was found guilty of multiple child sex offences at Nottingham Crown Court in December.
The girl, then aged 10, came forward after the NSPCC visited her Derbyshire school as part of its Speak out Stay safe service.
Salmon was sentenced to 15 years with a further year on licence.
The court heard how Salmon carried out multiple sexual assaults on the girl, ranging from kissing to rape over a two-year period.
He was found guilty of nine charges, including three counts of rape and two of sexual assault.
Judge Gregory Dickinson QC said the girl had suffered the "full spectrum of sexual abuse" and, given her age, "she clearly had no idea how serious it was".
Det Con Sue Hough, of Derbyshire Police, said: "Hopefully this will go some way to providing closure for the family and allow them to move on.
"It has been the most horrific catalogue of sexual abuse I've ever had to investigate on a child."
The NSPCC's Speak out Stay safe campaign involves volunteers visiting schools to speak to children aged four to 11 about how to protect themselves from abuse and how to report it.
Since the service started in 2011, it has reached more than one million children at 15,000 schools across the UK.

Summary: A child rapist who was convicted after his victim heard a safeguarding talk at her school has been jailed.
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Article: The report by the UN's climate panel details the physical evidence behind climate change.
On the ground, in the air, in the oceans, global warming is "unequivocal", it explained.
It adds that a pause in warming over the past 15 years is too short to reflect long-term trends.
The panel warns that continued emissions of greenhouse gases will cause further warming and changes in all aspects of the climate system.
To contain these changes will require "substantial and sustained reductions of greenhouse gas emissions".
After a week of intense negotiations in the Swedish capital, the summary for policymakers on the physical science of global warming has finally been released.
The first part of an IPCC trilogy, due over the next 12 months, this dense, 36-page document is considered the most comprehensive statement on our understanding of the mechanics of a warming planet.
It states baldly that, since the 1950s, many of the observed changes in the climate system are "unprecedented over decades to millennia".
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Each of the last three decades has been successively warmer at the Earth's surface, and warmer than any period since 1850, and probably warmer than any time in the past 1,400 years.
"Our assessment of the science finds that the atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amount of snow and ice has diminished, the global mean sea level has risen and that concentrations of greenhouse gases have increased," said Qin Dahe, co-chair of IPCC working group one, who produced the report.
Speaking at a news conference in the Swedish capital, Prof Thomas Stocker, another co-chair, said that climate change "challenges the two primary resources of humans and ecosystems, land and water.  In short, it threatens our planet, our only home".
Since 1950, the report's authors say, humanity is clearly responsible for more than half of the observed increase in temperatures.
But a so-called pause in the increase in temperatures in the...

Summary: A landmark report says scientists are 95% certain that humans are the "dominant cause" of global warming since the 1950s.
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Article: 8 March 2016 Last updated at 17:25 GMT
Despite equal pay legislation being introduced in 1970 a gender pay gap still exists today. According to the Office of National Statistics, women are still paid 24.6% less than their male counterparts in skilled trades.
Video produced by BBC Rewind

Summary:


A lifeline has been offered to death row dog Stella by an American pit bull sanctuary which has offered to fly her to the United States.

Article: More than 20 Tory MPs have signed an amendment to a coalition defence bill, aimed at delaying the plan until its further impact has been discussed.
With Labour planning to support the amendment, the vote could be close.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond urged his MPs to reconsider, saying it would "cause confusion" in the Army.
As a compromise, Mr Hammond has offered to hold an annual debate in parliament to review progress in recruiting reservists.
BBC political correspondent Carole Walker said there had been no attempt to hide the serious concerns at the Ministry of Defence about the prospect of a vote that could delay its plans to increase the size and expertise of the Army Reserve from about 19,000 to 30,000.
Tories behind the amendment to the Defence Reform Bill fear there will not be enough reservists to fill the gaps left by substantial cuts in regular army units - due to come in by 2020 - and they are urging the government to publish up-to-date reservist recruitment numbers.
The rebel amendment would force the government to assess the "viability and cost-effectiveness" of the proposals and delay any reforms until the report had been supported by both MPs and peers.
But Mr Hammond said the cuts to the regular forces could not be reversed and any delays to the Army Reserve recruitment process could cause chaos.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The Army has set out a course. It is executing its plan. To halt that or to seek to reverse it at this stage would simply cause confusion in the ranks."
The defence secretary said he was confident that the Army Reserve could recruit enough numbers to hit the 30,000 target, saying the "conventional wisdom" that employers did not like their staff taking time off to take part was simply not true.
"We are beginning to see already the dividend of a big recruitment campaign which started just few weeks ago and what the army managers who are running this thing would say is 'give us a chance to show what we can do, give us a chance to demonstrate the effect of the...

Summary: The government faces a rebellion later by some Tory MPs over plans to expand the Army Reserve to 30,000 to offset cuts of 20,000 regular troops.
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Article: It says the world consumes about 10% more food than it needs, while almost 9% is thrown away or left to spoil.
Edinburgh scientists say efforts to reduce the billions of tonnes lost could improve global food security - ensuring everyone has access to a safe, affordable, nutritious diet.
The scientists looked at 10 stages in the global food system.
Using data collected primarily by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, the team found that more food was lost from the system than previously thought.
Almost half of harvested crops - or 2.1 billion tonnes - were lost through over-consumption, consumer waste and inefficiencies in production processes.
The researchers found that livestock production was the least efficient process, with losses of 78% or 840 million tonnes.
About 1.08 billion tonnes of harvested crops are used to produce 240 million tonnes of edible animal products including meat, milk and eggs.
This stage accounted for 40% of all losses of harvested crops, the researchers said.
They found that increased demand for some foods, particularly meat and dairy products, would decrease the efficiency of the food system and could make it difficult to feed the world's expanding population in sustainable ways.
Meeting the demand could cause environmental harm by increasing greenhouse gas emissions, depleting water supplies and causing loss of biodiversity.
The team said that encouraging people to eat fewer animal products, reduce waste and not exceed their nutritional needs could help to reverse these trends.
Dr Peter Alexander, of Edinburgh University's school of geosciences and Scotland's rural college, said: "Reducing losses from the global food system would improve food security and help prevent environmental harm.
"Until now, it was not known how over-eating impacts on the system. Not only is it harmful to health, we found that over-eating is bad for the environment and impairs food security."
Prof Dominic Moran, of the University of York, who was involved in the study, said: "This study highlights...

Summary: Almost 20% of the food made available to consumers is lost through over-eating or waste, a study suggests.
###
Article: The London-born entertainer died of metastatic prostate cancer last month at the age of 72.
Born Bernard Jewry, the singer is best remembered for hits including My Coo Ca Choo and Jealous Mind.
His former manager Lord Michael Levy, whose firm Magnet Records signed Stardust, paid tribute saying "there was no finer gentleman".
The singer's coffin was carried into St Thomas' Church to one of Stardust's favourite songs When You Wish Upon A Star from the Disney film Pinocchio.
Male voice choir the Gwalia Singers performed his favourite hymn Calon LÃ¢n, before Lord Levy read a eulogy to the star.
He told the 350 mourners: "I stand here as the creator of the persona of Alvin Stardust.
"But Alvin, you made yourself into such a great artist around the world."
The performer's eldest son Shaun Fenton paid tribute to his father who he said "created champagne moments and lifetime memories again and again".
Stardust's band mates poured themselves a glass of whiskey around his coffin before toasting the star.
A champagne cork was then popped to mark his habit of having a glass of the drink at the end of a show.
The funeral was held at the same church where Stardust, who grew up in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, married his third wife, Swansea-born actress and choreographer Julie Paton.
The couple met in the 1990s, when the singer was starring in the musical Godspell.
They bought a house in St Thomas and lived there when he was not touring.
His first wife Iris Fenton, 68, who attended the service, spoke fondly of the singer.
She said: "I dumped Paul McCartney to go out with Shane. We were a double act doing all the clubs as Shane Fenton and Iris - the personality pair.
"We were a singing and dance act. But I can't sing and he couldn't dance. But we had a fabulous marriage and we kept close afterwards.
"It shows what sort of man he was to have all three wives here. Everybody loved him."
After the service, around 50 members of the Harley Davidson Owners' Club escorted the singer's coffin from the funeral to Swansea...

Summary: The funeral of 1970s singing star Alvin Stardust has taken place in his adopted home of Swansea.
###
Article: US lifeline for death row dog Stella
Stella was seized by Devon and Cornwall Police in 2014 and kept in a cage without exercise.
A campaign to save Stella has gained momentum with more than 20,000 signatures on combined petitions.
Police said the dog was "deemed too dangerous to walk due to her aggressive behaviour".
Nicole Bruck, from the pit bull rescue centre Animals R Family based in Connecticut said: "We will take Stella and fly her to the US at our cost. Breed specific legislation is banned in Connecticut.
"Breed specific legislation is wrong and ineffective. In the US, pit bulls are one of the most popular dogs for family pet."
Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed Stella's owner has "launched a late appeal against the destruction order against Stella" and she will "remain in kennels until the outcome of the appeal is known".
Owner Anthony Hastie had 21 days to appeal a destruction order passed by Torquay Magistrates' Court on 8 February.
Tina Wagon, from the firm Wheldon Law, is acting on behalf of Mr Hastie.
Ms Wagon said: "Plan A is that Antony would like his dog back. Plan B is for us to get some help."
Mr Hastie said: "The appeal has been lodged now. I want Stella back, but if that's not possible I just want to make sure she's kept alive."
Animals R Family states on its website: "We rescue cats and dogs who have been abused, neglected, abandoned, and provide vet care, training, food, shelter and lots of love, while finding them a loving, forever home."
A joint statement from Devon and Cornwall Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner on the forces website said "we wish to answer as many of the concerns as possible on this highly emotive issue".
Chief Superintendent Jim Nye said: "Many of you have been in contact following BBC Inside Out's story on dangerous dog Stella.
"We had to seize Stella, she is both an illegal breed and an extremely dangerous dog.
"The welfare of dogs are extremely important to us. In the past year we have seized in the region of 100 dogs, and only Stella has been assessed...

Summary:


A former gymnast who was molested by Larry Nassar has testified that he molested her from the age of six until 12 during family visits to his Michigan home.
He is accused by more than 60 former patients and athletes of sexual abuse during pelvic procedures.
He is facing separate federal charges for possession of child

A judge has ordered a former USA Gymnastics doctor to be tried on sex assault charges, as an accuser said he abused her during hide-and-seek.

Article: Charlie Parker, a former politician, was shovelling snow near his home in Nova Scotia when he spotted a dark shape moving through the snow.
When he came closer, he found 73-year-old Gerald Whitman face down on the road.
"He thought I was a seal," Mr Whitman told CBC News.
"On behalf of all seals, I'd like to thank him for his interest. â€¦ If he hadn't been as strong as he was, I think we still would be there."
Mr Whitman had been driving to hospital on Monday for a dialysis treatment, when he took a detour because the road was closed.
"I made a wrong turn somewhere," he said, explaining how his car became stuck in the snow.
Not wanting to become trapped in his car, Mr Whitman crawled out of the passenger side and set out for a house he could see in the distance.
But snow was deep and hard on his arthritic knees. When he sat down for a break, he could not get up. So he crawled, knowing "what would happen if he fell asleep," he told the CBC.
"After about an hour, I thought, "Well, if this is what it's going to be - I made peace with the Lord and said 'If it be your will, so be it.' And I just stopped. Apparently it wasn't his will."
Mr Parker had spotted Mr Whitman while he was shovelling the driveway for his son, who was on his way home from a night shift.
"I'm sure I didn't do anything different than anyone else would have," Mr Parker said.
Whitman was taken to a hospital and has since recovered. He plans to drive to his next appointment later this week.

Summary: A Canadian man has been rescued from a snow storm after being mistaken for a seal.
###
Article: Paul Corkery from the organisation said a points system, intended to favour fans who have attended the most games, had left fans "confused" and "annoyed".
He said in some instances fans with fewer points had been given tickets when people with more points than them had missed out.
Successful applicants have been informed by email.
Mr Corkery told BBC Radio Wales' Good Evening Wales: "A majority of people who've been to most games seem to have got tickets okay."
But he added: "[After a] certain amount of points have been taken into consideration - it seems to be a bit of a lottery.
"It's a bit confusing then for people who are a bit annoyed about that."
Playing at smaller venues meant Wales had a lower ticket allocation than most of the 24 teams in Euro 2016.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) received more than three times as many applications for Euro 2016 group matches as it had tickets.
The FAW said: "While we are pleased to see many celebrating that they shall be watching our country in Bordeaux, Lens and Toulouse this summer, we are also sympathetic towards those fans who have been unsuccessful.
"When the ticket application window closed, UEFA shared the list of members who had applied for tickets with the FAW.
"The FAW implemented its loyalty system and prioritised the lead applicants before sending the data back to UEFA."

Summary: Ticket allocation for the Euro 2016 finals was a "lottery", the Football Supporters' Federation has said.
###
Article: A letter by the group says that in constituencies where Labour does well it "makes sense" for voters to "aid a progressive party like Plaid", and "to block any party that trades in fear".
They said Labour will have to work with others after the 5 May poll.
But Labour said the only choice was between them and a "rag-bag coalition".
The letter, published in the Western Mail on Saturday, is signed by ex-special advisor to David Miliband, Ian Hargreaves, former Welsh Government advisor Prof Gerry Holtham and chairman of the Yes for Wales 1997 pro-devolution campaign Prof Kevin Morgan.
It is also signed by National Museum Wales trustee Dr Hywel Ceri Jones, former Labour MP Prof David Marquand and former Welsh Development Agency economist Prof Brian Morgan.
The letter reads: "As long time supporters of the Labour Party, we are totally committed to the return of a Labour Government in Wales next week.
"But if the polls are correct Labour will not secure a majority in the assembly election and therefore it will have to cooperate in some shape or form with another party.
"Where Labour does well in the constituency section, it fares poorly in the regional list section, which is why so many people think that a second vote for Labour in such areas - like south Wales for example - is a wasted vote.
"In these areas it makes sense for voters to cast their vote in a purposeful fashion - to aid a progressive party like Plaid Cymru and to block any party that trades in fear and prejudice."
The letter adds that a "new political world" is emerging that is "more complex, more uncertain and more challenging than ever before".
The academics say that "no single party has the knowledge and the talent to deal effectively with this world".
They add: "To meet these challenges the Labour Party needs to be at the centre of a progressive political movement and we can start in Wales next week."
A Welsh Labour source said: "The choice people face next Thursday is between a Labour Government and a rag-bag coalition.
"Voting for Welsh Labour...

Summary: Labour voters should give their second vote in the Welsh Assembly election to a party like Plaid Cymru, six Labour-supporting academics have said.
###
Article: A 25-year-old woman testified that Larry Nassar molested her from the age of six until 12 during family visits to his Michigan home.
Mr Nassar, 53, is accused by more than 60 former patients and athletes of sexual abuse during pelvic procedures.
He is facing separate federal charges for possession of child pornography.
After testimony at a court in Mason, Michigan, Judge Donald Allen ordered Mr Nassar to stand trial on three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13 years old.
The accused, a sports doctor who treated US Olympic gymnasts, faces up to life in prison if convicted.
He was stripped of his medical licence last month, amid at least six criminal and civil lawsuits.
The unnamed woman, who was neither a patient nor an athlete, testified against him for more than two hours on Friday.
She detailed how Mr Nassar allegedly molested her during family visits to his home in Holt, Michigan, from 1998 to 2005.
"Almost every time I was there for a couple of years, something occurred," she told the court.
Some of the abuse happened under a blanket as he sat next to her on the sofa, while her unwitting older brother sat nearby, she said.
When she tried to tell her parents about the molestation, they did not believe her.
"They made me feel like I had done something terrible," she said, adding that they told her to apologise to the doctor. She refused.
When the woman left home for university, she again told her parents about her experience with Mr Nassar.
Her father, who committed suicide in March 2016, "crumpled" when she repeated her claims.
Mr Nassar was fired in September after working for decades as a doctor for gymnasts at Michigan State University, as well as USA Gymnastics - the sport's governing body.
Allegations of sexual assault were first revealed by the Indianapolis Star newspaper in September 2016 when he was accused by two former gymnasts.
Since then, more than 60 women have accused him, and at least 40 have filed lawsuits.
Several of those suits name USA Gymnastics as a...

Summary:


A man has been charged with the murder of a man in a "terrorist attack" in the US state of New York.
The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Sayfullo Saipov, was shot dead by police after a shootout with officers in the city of Binghamton, in the state

A leading Muslim organisation in the US has evacuated its headquarters in Washington after receiving a hateful message and white powder in the post.

Article: Jordan Winn drove at almost 100mph in a 30mph zone during the pursuit in County Durham in October last year.
The 23-year-old, from Murray Park, Stanley, admitted dangerous driving.
But during mitigation at Durham Crown Court he claimed his Staffordshire bull terrier, Buster, had become stuck in the footwell of his Volvo.
Judge Christopher Prince described as "ludicrous" Winn's claims that the dog made the car speed by sitting on the accelerator pedal, and then moved to the brake, causing it to swerve to avoid another vehicle.
The court heard that an officer spotted Winn driving at speed in Chester-le-Street before pursuing him.
CCTV footage showed the police car travelling at 88mph in an attempt to keep up with Winn as he drove at close to 100mph.
At one point, Winn's Volvo was seen to brake hard, and turn, just missing an oncoming vehicle.
When he eventually stopped and got out of his car, the bull terrier also leaped out.
Following his arrest Winn pinned the blame for his excessive speed on Buster.
Winn claimed the car accelerated and braked "because the dog's backside was on the pedals of the vehicle", Judge Prince said.
He added: "You advanced an utterly ludicrous account on which you were to insist for over a year."
Winn was also disqualified from driving for three years.

Summary: A driver who claimed his excessive speed during a police chase was due to his dog sitting on the accelerator pedal has been jailed for 13 months.
###
Article: Last year, the Leeds-based company used a revival of their 2002 Wuthering Heights production to target people who had not seen dance live in areas which chief executive Mark Skipper says get "little or no classical dance provision".
As part of the same project, they are returning to the Brontes as a source for this year's enticement with an adaptation of Jane Eyre - put on "by chance" in Charlotte Brontes's bicentennial year.
Skipper says Charlotte's most famous work was "a pretty obvious choice", partially because of the success of the adaptation of her sister Emily's novel, but also because it offers new audiences something they want - a story that they already know.
"I absolutely think audiences need to feel some comfort in knowing what they are going to see - they don't like to take risks.
"You can't blame people. If you're spending Â£30 or Â£40 on a ticket, you want to have a reasonably good idea that you're going to enjoy the experience and not end up thinking 'I don't understand this' or 'I don't like this'.
"And these days, we have to make sure we get enough audiences to bring in box office income, otherwise the company doesn't survive."
He says the secret of tempting new patrons is to "choose the right title", which is the "most difficult thing we have to do".
"It's always about getting a balance but our programming policy is that we will have a mixture of about six different productions across the year.
"Some will be guaranteed to be successful box office titles, like Nutcracker and Swan Lake, and then we mix in other things that are a little bit more challenging but are great for the company and for the audience to have different experiences."
Challenging is exactly what Jane Eyre has been for choreographer Cathy Marston.
"Jane Eyre is not Swan Lake or Nutcracker," she says.
"People don't know that it's a ballet, but you can imagine it - because it's all dark passion, love and landscape - that it sounds really interesting.
For her, the difficulty has been to keep the story that the audience...

Summary: Ballet is sometimes seen as a hard thing to sell to the general public, who may harbour misconceptions about what it is like and what is expected of them when they watch it, but that has not dampened Northern Ballet's efforts to find new audiences.
###
Article: Archaeologists believe the faeces were left by dogs or cats that helped to control vermin towards the end of occupation of the roundhouse on Orkney.
The coprolites, fossilised faeces, is thought to be about 2,000 years old.
Examinations of the dung could reveal what kinds of scrap foods the animals were thrown by the broch's residents.
The coprolites are among several interesting finds made at The Cairns on South Ronaldsay.
Other discoveries have included a human lower jaw bone and teeth.
The University of the Highlands and Islands is working on The Cairns Project along with others, including the organisation Orkneyjar.
Site director Martin Carruthers said the coprolites were not the most photogenic of the discoveries, but added that they were still an important find.
He said: "They tend to lose their integrity quite easily when they're just a couple of thousand years old rather than petrified as stony fossils if they're a great deal older.
"These are probably from medium-sized mammals like a cat or dog and their significance is two-fold.
"They tell us something of the conditions prevailing inside the broch during its use, at least towards the end of its use, in that there were animals probably feeding off the waste products of human food, as well as probably keeping numbers of vermin lower as well.
"The other useful thing about these coprolites is that their contents may well give good additional proxy information on the foodstuffs present in the broch as these animals will probably be eating scraps from the human diet."

Summary: Fossilised dung unearthed at an Iron Age broch could provide interesting information on the diets of animals and humans that once lived at the site.
###
Article: Two employees of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) were initially quarantined in the office.
A note reading "die a painful death, Muslims," was in the envelope with the powder, the group's lawyer said.
Initial tests showed that the powder is not hazardous, and the quarantine has been lifted.
The BBC's James Reevell at the scene says the package is now being passed to the FBI for further inspection.
Hazardous materials crews locked down the building and surrounding area shortly before 14:00 local time (19:00 GMT), while staff from CAIR waited outside.
In recent days, President Barack Obama has warned against anti-Muslim sentiment in the wake of deadly terror attacks in San Bernardino, California.
The Muslim group's leaders said that threats were not uncommon, and had increased since the attacks in Paris about a month ago.
Mr Awad tweeted that the office was "evacuated by DC Fire Dept after receiving envelope with suspicious powdered substance [with] hate message".
The group's lawyer posted a message on Facebook that said: "It's frightening to experience the hate manifest itself to such a real level. This will not deter us from continuing to protect the civil rights and liberties of all Americans."
Police cordoned off the area, which is located about a half-mile (0.73km) from the US Capitol building.
According to its website, the CAIR is an "organisation that challenges stereotypes of Islam and Muslims".

Summary:


The number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) has fallen by more than a quarter in the last year, according to official figures.
The number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) has fallen by more than a quarter in the last year, according to official figures

Teaser deals in adverts are masking the long-term cost of broadband packages, a charity has claimed.

Article: The cartridges have been found along the UK's south and west coasts, as well as the Irish Republic, France, Portugal, the Azores, and the Hebrides.
Conservationists say any plastic in the sea presents a hazard for wildlife.
HP says it is finalising a financial donation to help the clean-up.
It comes after thousands of bright pink plastic detergent bottles washed up on beaches in Cornwall earlier this week, likely to be the result of an unrelated loss of cargo at sea.
Beachcomber Tracey Williams, who lives in Newquay, first found the printer cartridges last summer.
"I started finding them on Perranporth Beach, and thought it was a bit odd, but I'm in touch with several beachcombing groups elsewhere and they started reporting them too," she said.
She then began tracking reports of their discovery using her Facebook page.
"Patterns started emerging. We've only been recording them for the last month or so, but now that word has spread we're getting daily reports - people finding eight or 10 at a time.
"What has been mapped so far is just what we know about. There must be many more out there. We had a report this week of 100 being found on another island in the Azores.
"I would imagine there are thousands washing up or something like that. I and other beachcombers think what has been reported so far is just the tip of the iceberg."
Ms Williams has previously been contacted by a man in the remote Flores Island, part of the Azores island chain in the Atlantic, who says he began finding HP cartridges on its shores at the start of 2014.
The highest concentration of cartridge finds that Ms Williams has recorded so far is in Cornwall, Devon and Dorset. Many have also washed up at County Kerry in the Irish Republic.
Ms Williams has previously tracked washed-up Lego pieces which were lost in a container spill in 1997.
"The whole business of container spills is very difficult. No company wants it to happen. But who's going to pick up the pieces? It's usually left to beachcombers and conservation groups," she said.
"If HP...

Summary: Thousands of Hewlett Packard printer ink cartridges are believed to be washing up on beaches around Britain and Europe after being lost at sea more than a year ago.
###
Article: Inspectors judged the Durand Academy "inadequate" in a draft report seen by the BBC.
Ofsted published the report in error on Wednesday before withdrawing it on Thursday. It said a final version will be published "in the coming days".
In a letter to parents, the academy's governing body said they had "no doubt" it had been "deliberately published".
The school said the release of the draft report was "part of yet further attacks on the school by the educational establishment".
The Department for Education (DfE) terminated funding for the school's trust in October.
It runs an infant and junior school in Stockwell, south London, and a boarding school for older pupils in Midhurst, West Sussex.
The report said senior staff did not ensure that "safeguarding [of pupils] was at the top of their priorities".
It said the school "could not account for the whereabouts of all pupils", adding its policies for child protection and safeguarding were "not translated into effective practice".
The inspectors cited one case in which a boarding school pupils's complaint of abuse by a member of staff was not referred to the local authority.
The report also said senior leaders at the Durand Academy had "an inflated view of the school's strengths and underestimate the seriousness of its weaknesses".
Other failings identified include:
Durand Academy has more than 1,000 pupils at its three sites and received Â£17m from the government to set up a school for weekly boarders in 2014.
The Ofsted report comes less than three months after the DfE announced it was terminating funding when it cited serious concerns about management and governance.
But the former head of the academy chain, Sir Greg Martin, said the withdrawal of the funding had "no legal basis".
Sir Greg stood down as executive head teacher in August 2015, six months after the Charities Commission announced it would be investigating the relationship between the Durand Academy Trust, its charitable arm, the Durand Education Trust and two other businesses - London Horizons...

Summary: A London academy faces the prospect of being placed in special measures following a damning Ofsted report.
###
Article: Official figures show that 300 people came off the register in March, putting the jobless total at 31,500.
The Northern Ireland unemployment rate also fell to 5.2% - the lowest it has been since last 2008 - but still above the UK average (4.7%).
Northern Ireland also trails the rest of the UK in terms of the proportion of its workforce in employment - 69% versus 75%.
However, one economist has said the data includes evidence of "a lost decade."
Dr Esmond Birnie, of the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre, said the Northern Ireland employment figure is "very similar" to 10 years ago.
"In other words over the last decade there has been no improvement," he said.
The figures also show a change in the composition of the labour market in recent times, with more self-employed and part-time workers.

Summary: Unemployment in Northern Ireland has fallen for a twelfth month in a row.
###
Article: Citizens Advice said that hidden charges such as line rental and delivery costs could add Â£20 a month to the advertised price.
It highlighted one case in which a customer would pay Â£465 more than the amount advertised during a contract.
The trade body for internet service providers, ISPA, said broadband prices were "clearly presented".
Nicholas Lansman, ISPA secretary-general, said: "It is important that customers look at the full terms of an offer when choosing a provider.
"Ofcom recently concluded that the UK has one of the most competitive broadband markets among major European economies, as the average price of a fixed broadband package has fallen by 40% and speeds have greatly increased."
Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said confusing teaser rates and hidden costs made it difficult for consumers to work out whether they were getting a good deal.
"Internet providers need to be upfront about broadband costs, ensuring adverts are transparent and people know what they are signing up to," she said.
"Some broadband firms are starting to accept that prices need to be clearer. Now the whole industry needs to up its game."
The charity said that line rental was the most expensive additional cost.
The ISPA said that service providers using the BT network were required to levy a line rental charge, which went toward maintaining the network used by most of the UK for both phone calls and broadband.
The report comes as Virgin Media was criticised by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for one of its broadband adverts.
Two customers complained that they had signed up to the operator's 12-month broadband contracts only to be told that their monthly charges would be increasing during the minimum term. They said this was misleading.
The company argued that it could not predict price rises at the start of a contract and so was unable to advertise potential increases.

Summary:


The curlew, the puffin and the red list of the UK's most pressing conservation issues.
The curlew, the puffin and the red list of the UK's most pressing conservation issues.
The curlew, the puffin and the red list of the UK's most pressing conservation issues

One of Northern Ireland's best-known birds has been added to a list of those that are giving major concern to conservationists.

Article: The council area includes Speyside, where dozens of distilleries attract thousands of visitors every year.
The annual Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, which runs from 28 April to 2 May, has welcomed the move, which will allow drinks to be served in 10ml measures rather than 25ml.
The new guidance follows consultation with Police Scotland.
Rhona Gunn, Moray Council's director of economic development, infrastructure and planning, said: "In Moray Speyside we have half the total number of distilleries that exist in Scotland, so it's appropriate that we should be taking the lead on this.
"The guidance says that where whisky is supplied in the context of a genuine whisky tasting event, and the marketing and other information provided to customers makes it clear that sample measures will be provided, then it is unlikely that the council's trading standards service would take the view that full measures were required.
"Police Scotland will assess the need for a licence on a case-by-case basis with a pragmatic view being adopted where appropriate.
"This applies to any tours, tutored tastings and events where alcohol is dispensed as part of the overall package".
James Campbell, of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, said: "This guidance from Moray Council will greatly enhance the experience of visitors attending our events.
"The Festival is a staunch advocate of responsible drinking, and we have campaigned for some time for our event providers to be allowed to serve smaller 10ml measures where it is deemed appropriate.
"We hope that the pioneering view taken by Moray Council will be mirrored by local authorities across Scotland."

Summary: Smaller measures of whisky can be drunk at tastings and distillery tours, after new guidance was issued in Moray.
###
Article: In a statement, he said his work was "now done" and that it "feels right to leave".
He said he was looking forward "to remaining involved with ENO... as an audience member and supporter."
Berry's departure follows a turbulent period for the company, during which it was placed "under special funding arrangements" by the Arts Council.
The ENO's acting chairman, Harry Brunjes, said his contribution had been "phenomenal" and that the company had been "fortunate to have John's insight and capability".
"He has helped build ENO a UK-wide and international reputation for excellent dramatic opera... [and] driven the use of international collaborations."
Berry, who was made a CBE last year, joined the ENO in 1995 as casting director before taking the position of director of opera planning.
He became the company's artistic director in 2005 and has presided over eight seasons of productions at its London Coliseum base.
Its most recent season has seen a production of Sweeney Todd starring Bryn Terfel and Emma Thompson and a Mike Leigh-directed revival of The Pirates of Penzance.
Berry said it felt "right to leave at the end of a hugely successful season both from an artistic perspective and in terms of audience numbers".
Yet his final season followed a period of unrest, during which it was revealed that the company's outgoing chairman, Martyn Rose, had called for Berry to step down.
"For the very survival of the ENO, Berry must leave, preferably soon," Rose wrote in a letter made public in January by the Sunday Times.
Rose's departure was quickly followed by the resignation of Henriette Gotz, ENO's executive director.
Not long afterwards, the ENO was told by Arts Council England to improve its business model or face funding cuts.
The council said it would review the ENO's finances over the next two years and "set rigorous milestones" for progress.
Personal animosities in the arts generally play out behind the scenes. Yet when ENO chairman Martyn Rose quit in January he passed damning judgement on John Berry, who remained...

Summary: John Berry, artistic director of the English National Opera (ENO), is to leave the company after 20 years.
###
Article: A new analysis of pictures of the Beagle 2 spacecraft shows that it did not crash-land on the Martian surface.
Instead, it indicates that the landing went to plan and at least three of its four solar panels opened successfully.
The analysis also suggests that the probe may even have worked for several months, but was unable to send its data back to Earth.
Prof Mark Sims of Leicester University, who commissioned the study, told BBC News that there is an extremely small possibility that Beagle 2 might still be working on the Martian surface.
"It may have worked for hundreds of days depending on how much dust was deposited on the solar panels and whether any dust devils were cleaning the panels - as happened with Nasa's Mars Exploration Rovers," he said.
"One possibility is that it could still be working today - but it is extremely unlikely and I doubt that it is."
Dr Manish Patel, of the Open University, was among the hundreds of UK scientists who worked on the Beagle 2 mission. He agrees that the new evidence suggests that Beagle 2 took lots of scientific data but was unable to send it back.
"If Beagle 2 went into surface operations mode, it could have continued for some time performing the initial pre-programmed operations, happily taking data and waiting for a response from the orbiters. It turned out to be a very lonely time for the lander at the surface," he said.
Those views are backed by Prof Jan-Peter Muller of the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, which is part of University College London - who has no ties with the Beagle-2 mission.
"Given that (Nasa's) exploration rover Opportunity is going strong since January 2004 when it was due to last only until March 2004 and that Mars Express is going strong 13 years after orbit insertion when it was due to last only 3 years, the possibility that Beagle 2 could still be collecting data after 13 years is remotely possible."
The British built Beagle 2 Spacecraft was due to land on the Martian surface on Christmas Day in 2003.
The mission was charismatically led...

Summary: Beagle 2, the failed British mission to Mars in 2003, came "excruciatingly close" to succeeding, a study shows.
###
Article: The curlew, Europe's largest wading bird, is recognisable by its long down-curved bill and evocative call.
It has been added to the red list in a survey of the 244 regularly occurring birds in the UK.
The RSPBNI said it could now be considered the "UK's most pressing conservation issue".
The curlew has suffered a severe population decline and has now been included on the red list of the British Birds of Conservation Concern 4.
There has been an 87% decline in its population in Northern Ireland between the mid-1980s and 2013.
The Antrim hills and County Fermanagh are two areas where the bird is most likely to be spotted.
Fermanagh holds 10% of the entire population on the island of Ireland.
Glenwherry in County Antrim is the only other place that holds what is considered a viable breeding population.
The number of pairs there has recovered a little in recent years and now stands at 39 pairs, down from 80 pairs in the mid-1980s.
Other birds seen in Northern Ireland and included on the red list include the Greenland white-fronted goose and the pochard, a type of duck.
It is thought the numbers of pochard are dropping at Lough Neagh because milder winters mean they do not have to migrate so far south.
The puffin has also been added to the red list. However, Northern Ireland's important colony on Rathlin is fairly stable.

Summary:


A man has been charged with the murder of a man in a "brutal" attack in a flat in the city centre.
The victim, a man in his 40s, was found with serious injuries in a flat in the city centre on Monday.
He was taken to hospital but died later.

This week musicians and music industry leaders from across the globe are in Cardiff as WOMEX, the world's leading World Music Expo arrives in Britain.

Article: Five MPs from the current parliament who are running next month's London marathon got their kit on this morning for the benefit of the cameras at Westminster.
Wales Office Minister Alun Cairns is one of the five and still basking in his "fastest MP" title from last year.
"It's a great way to keep fit when you're walking door-to-door. It's obviously a great way to take your mind off the stress of an election but most importantly there are two great charities, Macmillan Cancer Support, supporting patients and families of people suffering from cancer and the PDSA, supporting sick and injured animals."
With parliament dissolving on Monday, the five won't be MPs when they toe the line on April 26, although ministers do stay in office until after the election so Mr Cairns and Children's Minister Edward Timpson will be flying the ministerial flag around the streets of London.
With an election to fight, the Vale of Glamorgan MP has also set himself a more modest target. "I did 3:34 last year. I'm not sure I'll be able to do it this year, I'll be happy with sub 4 (hours)".

Summary: It's a marathon, not a sprint - and that's just the general election.
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Article: What's different about this paint is that some particles are on a nanotech scale, at just one thousandth the width of a human hair.
However, other particles are larger, meaning the paint separates into two layers as it dries.
The "self layering" coatings will be useful in industry, say UK researchers.
"This is literally like watching paint dry because we are looking at polymer colloids, which is the base of most commercial paints and varnishes," said Dr Ignacio Martin-Fabiani of the department of physics at the University of Surrey.
"So literally what we are doing is mixing two different sizes of these latex particles that are used in paints and then we are watching how this blend dries and seeing how the small and the big particles are distributed after the drying of the paint."
The two physicists found that during evaporation, the small particles pushed away the larger ones, so that they naturally separated out into layers.
"We mix these two different types of particles in two different sizes and we see that just by drying we can create a layer of just small particles on top, while all the other particles are at the bottom," lead researcher Dr Andrea Fortini told BBC News.
The physical mechanism, outlined in the journal Physical Review Letters, has not been described before.
But the experiment could lead to better products used across a range of industries.
In a sun screen, for example, sunlight-blocking particles could be designed to move to the top when applied, leaving the particles that stick to skin underneath.
And a coating for a mobile phone could be developed with dual properties such as scratch-resistance on top and the ability to adhere to glass at the bottom.
The research was carried out in collaboration with the Université Claude Bernard, Lyon, and was funded by the EU project Barrierplus, which aims to reduce environmentally damaging compounds in paints.
Follow Helen on Twitter.

Summary: Scientists have been watching paint dry in experiments they say could improve the performance of everyday items, from sun screen to mobile phones.
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Article: It is thought David Ellam, 52, was trying to protect his own Yorkshire Terrier when the larger dog turned on him.
Police had seized the dog in June on suspicion it was a banned pit bull breed, but returned it on Wednesday.
A man, 29, thought to be the dog's owner has been arrested and bailed.
More on this story and others in West Yorkshire
Mr Ellam suffered bites to his body on Riddings Road in the Sheepridge area of Huddersfield on Monday morning and was later pronounced dead in hospital.
Det Ch Insp Mark Swift, from West Yorkshire Police, said: "We believe that the victim was out with his own dog at the time of the attack near to his home address.
"His dog, a Yorkshire Terrier, was also injured during the incident and received emergency veterinary care."
The dog has since been returned from the vets.
Police said the larger dog was caught in a nearby garden and taken to kennels.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission said the matter had been referred to them by the force.
Carol Hanson, a friend of Mr Ellam, said: "We're lost for words, just devastated.
"It had only been out for five days, why did they let that dog back out, why did they let it go when it was vicious?"
Last week, a BBC investigation on the 25th anniversary of the Dangerous Dogs Act found 7,000 dogs had been put in kennels by police over the past five years.
West Yorkshire Police spent more than Â£550,000 on kennelling dogs over the same time period, with only the Greater Manchester and Merseyside forces spending more.
Speaking to the BBC following the man's death Caroline Kisko, from the Kennel Club, said she believed the act was "completely flawed".
She said the legislation had led to people "being fooled into thinking that just the way a dog looks defines its behaviour".
"The problem is that we've been given the idea that we are all secure because the Dangerous Dogs Act has vilified a certain type of dog and therefore, as long as they're illegal, we're all safe," she said.
"Any dog can be dangerous if it is wrongly handled and wrongly...

Summary: A dog previously seized by police over fears it was dangerous has attacked and killed a man days after being returned to its owner.
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Article: Each evening Cardiff Bay will become the venue for a world music Showcase Festival featuring a tapas of world music from around the world.
Folk music played a large part in this year's opening ceremony featuring Cerys Matthews and other leading Welsh musicians taking the audience on a journey of Welsh music and culture spanning 30,000 years.
We asked ten of the leading exponents of Wales' folk music to share songs that best represent what makes each tradition so unique.
The earliest surviving manuscript of harp music in Europe - the manuscript of Robert ap Huw, comes from Wales.
"The tablature of the Ap Huw manuscripts provide a vital insight into early, traditional music and his music is still celebrated and performed widely" said internationally renowned harpist, Catrin Finch.
"Caniad Y Gwyn Bibydd" (The Song of the White Piper) demonstrates his music's amazing ability to sound contemporary, even though it was written nearly five centuries ago."
This unique tradition of singing or chanting poetry to harp accompaniment is a direct descendent of the form used by early bards to intone poetry in praise of their kings and princes.
Gwenan Gibard, a musician and leading exponent of the tradition chose the track  Bum Yn Caru Cainc Y Datgeiniad by one of the old style singers, Einion Edwards, from Meirionydd - a stronghold of the tradition for centuries.
Considered by many to be Wales's national instrument, the triple harp was brought to Britain from continental Europe in around 1630. It became popular with harpists in London, many of whom were Welsh and brought it to Wales where it became popular amongst the Gipsy community.
"The 'shimmering' voice of the Triple Harp's three rows of strings is truly as timeless and unique as the Welsh language itself" said Robin Huw Bowen, a full-time professional Welsh harpist specializing solely in the Welsh Triple Harp.
The track Pwt Ar Y Bys (Fingering Vamp) shows off the harp's capability and the Welsh tradition to great effect.
In many parts of Wales Christmas Day meant...

Summary:


A man has been jailed for life for the murder of a man in a car crash in Leicester.
David Tomlinson, 37, was driving a silver Ford Fiesta when he lost control and crashed into a tipper truck on Fosse Road South, Leicester, on 9 March 2016.
The crash happened at

A man who admitted causing a fatal crash while being pursued by an unmarked police car has been jailed for nine years.

Article: But a dogged group of winemakers in the foothills of the Altai Mountains have conquered the frosts to produce both red and white varieties, and hope to start selling them next year.
Vladimir Vagner, head of the Altaiskaia Loza ["Altai Vine"] wine company, is convinced the wines will prove a hit around the world.
He recruited the help of experts from France to find grapes that could weather the frosts and thrive during the area's balmy summers - which can be as hot as many parts of France and other wine-producing countries.
He told the Siberian Times: "Our French partners spent two years studying the climate conditions and soil, and once they made sure these were appropriate, they started choosing grape types.
"Initially, we selected an area for the vineyards. It was a former fruit garden, we planted 600 saplings to see if they could make it through winter - and all but two of them actually did so."
The vineyards lie around the village of Altaiskoye (population: 4,000). The first was planted in 2009 using cuttings from the Franche-Comté region of eastern France, supplied by the Guillaume family nursery. It included 20 types of grape chosen specially for their hardiness.
Ultimately, the growers picked four or five - including Pinot Noir and Muscat Blanc.
"We produced last year, three kinds of red wine and have made pink wine by mixing white and red grapes," Mr Vagner told the BBC.
"We made a white wine based on the varieties of Muscat, and as an experiment made the first wine from frozen grapes - so called "ice wine". Given our climate, we will continue to apply this technology further."
Ice wine, also known by its German name "Eiswein", is a very sweet dessert wine made from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine - an ideal solution for winemakers in snow-capped climes.
Temperatures in Siberia are well below freezing throughout the winter, and remain sub-zero into April. In January, the average temperature is -17.8 °C (-0.4 °F), but by July the mercury can hit a more enjoyable 13.8 °C (56 °F).
Mr...

Summary: Siberia is known for its bitter, snowy winters - hardly the conditions associated with a thriving wine industry.
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Article: Migrants are having to work long hours while living in expensive and overcrowded housing, says a new report.
Catholics are waiting longer than Protestants to get social housing, and the delay has doubled since 2009, adds the report.
The commission has compiled the report based on a range of evidence.
People from minority ethnic groups are said to be vulnerable to attack and a fifth of people with disabilities live in homes which do not meet their needs, says the report.
Dr Evelyn Collins, Chief Executive of the Equality Commission, said: "Ensuring that everyone has access to a sustainable, secure home and enjoys the right to independent living, and the development of shared, safe communities are essential building blocks to a successful, flourishing Northern Ireland.
"As a society we must not ignore inequalities in this crucial area
"Unchallenged, they will continue to affect the lives of many people across Northern Ireland and the life chances of future generations."
The report found that Catholics wait an average of 15 months for social housing, compared to Protestants, who wait an average nine months.
People from what is called "other religions" waited for 13 months according to the latest figures.
It was not clear why Catholics have to wait longer, said the commission, but it pointed to the short supply of housing in certain areas.
In west Belfast, for instance, people waited an average 28 months.
In certain areas, such as north Belfast, the peace line meant that when vacant housing did become available, it could not be filled by Catholic applicants, says the report.

Summary: Migrant workers in Northern Ireland are "extremely vulnerable to exploitation and discrimination", according to the Equality Commission.
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Article: The cap, which applies to posts earning above £20,800, is a measure introduced under the coalition government in 2011.
The Home Office has confirmed that the monthly allocation of so-called "Tier 2" visas has been filled for June.
There were 1,650 allocations for June, but the Home Office will not confirm how many applications it received.
The BBC understands that as well as nurses, doctors and teachers other visas refused were applications to bring in accountants, solicitors and management consultants.
Under the Tier 2 scheme, there are 20,700 posts available a year to employers who want to recruit a non-EU skilled worker.
Applicants have more chance of success if the company is trying to fill a post on a national list of shortage occupations. The BBC understands that none of the visas refused this month under the cap relates to a job on that list.
On Thursday, Prime Minister David Cameron announced plans to make it harder to bring in skilled staff from outside the EU, saying, it was too easy for some businesses to employ these workers, rather than train British employees.
Immigration Minister James Brokenshire said there were no plans to change the current Tier 2 limit - and the independent Migration Advisory Committee would be advising on further reducing economic migration from outside the EU.
"Our reforms will ensure that businesses are able to attract the skilled migrants they need," he said. "But we also want them to get far better at recruiting and training UK workers first."
But some business representatives predicted that enforcing the cap would be damaging.
Mark Hilton, head of immigration policy at London First, said: "Every skilled migrant we turn away as a result of this cap will hit jobs and growth.
"Of course business wants to hire locally, but you can't just magic people up with highly specific skills because they take years to develop."
Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at Oxford University, said: "The cap has been hit at a time when many companies are hiring recent...

Summary: The government's immigration cap for non-EU skilled workers has been hit for the first time, blocking the arrival of some nurses, doctors and teachers.
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Article: Guy Tomlinson, 37, was being chased by officers when his car hit a tipper truck in Leicester on 9 March 2016.
David Anger and Christopher Needham, who were both passengers in the car, died in the crash on Fosse Road South.
In addition to the prison term, Tomlinson was also given a 15-year driving ban at Leicester Crown Court.
The collision was described as "horrific" by Leicestershire police.
More on this story and other news in Leicestershire
Tomlinson previously pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, two counts of causing death by driving while uninsured and two counts of causing death by driving while unlicensed.
Two people in the lorry suffered minor injuries during the crash and damage was caused to a shop on the corner of Upperton Road.
Det Sgt Mark Watling said: "This was a horrific collision which resulted in the death of two men.
"Prior to the collision Tomlinson was travelling at speeds in excess of 64mph (102kmph) and failed to stop for a police officer on Narborough Road South.
"He took a massive risk that night when he disregarded the traffic lights and used excessive speed, he will now be facing a considerable amount of time in prison."
The Independent Police Complaints Commission is still investigating the crash.

Summary:


The US has been accused of "double standards" over the treatment of the Guantanamo Bay detainees, who are being held in a US military base in Cuba.
The US has been criticised for its treatment of the Guantanamo Bay detainees, who are being held in a US military base in Cuba.
The US has been accused

Video replays were used for the first time to send off a player for a professional foul in a Major League Soccer reserve match.

Article: The education watchdog warns of a "one-size fits all" model in England which leaves behind young people who do not succeed in exams.
Better vocational training would reduce youth unemployment, says Sir Michael.
"We simply have to improve the quality of our technical provision," insists the Ofsted chief.
Sir Michael says that complaints about the quality of vocational education have been made for 50 years, but without sufficient improvement
"I can almost sense eyes glazing over when I say this," he says.
But he argues that it is a "moral imperative as well as an economic one that we do something now to change direction".
Sir Michael says there must not be another "false dawn" in improving vocational options and "the country cannot continue to fail half its future".
He warns that vocational training should not be a "dumping ground for the disaffected and cater just for the lower-ability youngsters".
The Ofsted chief says that some European countries, such as Germany and Switzerland, had lower youth unemployment rates because of a better training system.
This reflects a recent survey from City and Guilds that showed how the most developed vocational systems were linked to better rates of youth employment.
At present, Sir Michael says the education system in England does not offer enough opportunities for those who do not succeed at GCSEs.
"The statistics show that those who fail to achieve the required grades in maths and English at 16 make little or no progress in further education colleges two years later," says the Ofsted head.
"Preparation for employment remains poor and careers guidance in both schools and colleges is uniformly weak."
Sir Michael's speech, responding to the Centre Forum think tank proposals to raise standards, also raises the question of who is responsible for the oversight of schools when some are academies, under the scrutiny of regional schools commissioners, and others the responsibility of local authorities.
He accuses the current system of being "confusing and ill-defined".
But Sir...

Summary: Vocational options for teenagers should be much better so the talents of non-academic pupils are not wasted, says Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw.
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Article: Alarm bells sounded after Prime Minister Manuel Valls suggested he might stand against President Francois Hollande in party primaries.
However, the two had lunch together on Monday in a "cordial" atmosphere, Mr Hollande's office said.
Francois Fillon was elected as the conservatives' candidate on Sunday.
He triumphed at party primaries, winning 66.5% to 33.5% for his run-off rival, Alain Juppe.
A new opinion poll suggests he would easily beat the far right's Marine Le Pen in the actual election, held over two weekends in April and May.
According to the Harris Interactive poll for French parliamentary TV (in French), Mr Fillon would lead the National Front candidate by 26% to 24% in the first round, then win the run-off against her by 67% to 33%.
The same poll indicates that Mr Hollande or Mr Valls would win just 9% for the Socialists, leaving them trailing the far left and the centrists.
Mr Valls said on Sunday that he would not rule out running against Mr Hollande in the primary, telling the Journal du Dimanche he wanted to dispel the idea that the left had "no chance" of retaining power.
But government spokesman Stephane Le Foll stressed that Mr Valls would need to resign in order to stand.
"There will not be a primary between the president and the prime minister," he told Europe 1 radio.
At his weekly lunch with the president, Mr Valls apparently played down the idea of resigning, reportedly telling Mr Hollande: "I am head of the government, my instincts lie with the state."
The Elysee Palace said the two-hour lunch had taken place in a "quite cordial and businesslike atmosphere".
Speaking on French public TV, Socialist party leader Jean-Christophe Camabadelis sought to play down the divisions, saying the left was gripped by "fragmentation fever".
"I am for a primary of the whole left, not necessarily of the whole administration," he said. "That's enough fragmentation!"
According to the same Harris Interactive opinion poll, while a Socialist would win just 9% in the first round, former Hollande minister...

Summary: Leading figures in the ruling French Socialists have rushed to avoid a damaging split over their candidate in next year's presidential election.
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Article: Infestations are on the rise around the world, but the pests are growing resistant to some chemicals.
Now scientists have found 14 genes associated with a number of biological changes.
These include the development of a thicker skin that stops poisons from penetrating, and mutations that prevent toxins from hitting the nervous system.
The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, also suggests that some of the bugs are producing higher levels of enzymes that help to metabolise insecticides more quickly.
Others genes are associated with proteins that interfere with the way the deadly chemicals are carried around the bed bugs' bodies.
Subba Palli, professor entomology from the University of Kentucky in the US and an author of the study, said that the hardy insects were using a combination of these molecular tricks.
"Some used four different mechanisms, some three and so on," he explained.
"Bed bugs are employing more than one mechanism of resistance to avoid insecticide toxicity."
Nature's survivors
Bed bugs are present all over the globe, but in recent years Europe, the US, Canada and Australia have seen a huge influx of them.
The insects feast on the blood of their sleeping victims, leaving itchy, red welts as a calling card.
They are one of the toughest pests to get rid of. Vacating your bed - or even home - will not help, as the insects can survive for months without food, hiding away until their meal returns.
Direct exposure to insecticides - the most widely used are synthetic organic compounds called pyrethroids - was once an effective way to kill off the pests. But not any more.
Prof Palli said that the bed bugs had developed a number of biological systems to avoid death by poison.
Studying 21 populations of insects, which had been collected from infested apartments close to the university, the team discovered that the genes associated with resistance to pyrethroids were located in the bed bugs' tough outer shell.
"We are hypothesising that having these genes expressed in the epidermis will...

Summary: Bed bugs use a range of tactics to render insecticides useless, a study suggests.
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Article: The technology is being trialled at New York Red Bulls' stadium, with a video assistant referee taking 30 seconds to review a challenge in a Red Bulls II match against Orlando City.
A screen at the side of the pitch helped the officials decide to dismiss Orlando's Conor Donovan for denying a goalscoring opportunity just outside the penalty area.
Video replays will be used to advise on "game-changing" decisions in United Soccer League matches - the third tier of US football. That includes goals, red cards, mistaken identities and penalties.
They will also be tested in six other countries in the next two years, including Germany and Italy.
The game's lawmakers, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), wants to decide by 2019 on whether to introduce video replays across the sport.

Summary: