A mayor who resigned after a taxi driver he vouched for was found to have a rape conviction has been urged to leave the council altogether.

Article: The 10-year-old, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, was treated on the course but then put down after assessment back at the stables.
Gullinbursti had earlier been put down after falling in the same incident.
It takes the number of horse deaths to four at this year's Grand National meeting after Clonbanan Lad and Marasonnien collapsed on Thursday.
Neither fell but they died after being pulled up in the Fox Hunters' Chase which, like the Topham Chase, is staged over the same course as Saturday's Grand National.
Thirteen horses have died at the Aintree meeting in the past five years.
The British Horseracing Authority said there was one fatality from 661 runners at the previous two National meetings.
Since modifications to the fences and other changes three years ago, there have been no fatalities in the Grand National itself.
"While you can't remove all risk from any sport, we acted on evidence to make significant changes here at Aintree, including to the cores of every fence on the Grand National course," said John Baker, the north-west regional director for Aintree's owners Jockey Club Racecourses.
"We've seen hundreds of horses compete safely since over the last few years."
Speaking on the opening day of the meeting, Eduardo Goncalves, chief executive of campaign group League Against Cruel Sports, said: "We've seen some improvements in some places, but not enough in many."
The League Against Cruel Sports recommends removing the Becher's Brook fence where Gullinbursti and Minella Reception were fatally injured and reducing the field of any race to a maximum of 30 runners.
Marasonnien was ridden by amateur jockey Patrick Mullins - son of Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins - while Clonbanan Lad, who won last time out at Fakenham, was from Louise Allan's yard.

Summary: Minella Reception has died after a fall at Becher's Brook in Friday's Topham Chase at Aintree.
###
Article: A total of 1,186 people waited more than 12 months for hospital treatment in 2016 compared to 228 in 2015.
The Scottish Conservatives said it was evidence of "shoddy planning" by the Scottish government.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said they were committed to ensuring patients get quick access to services.
The figures were obtained by the Scottish Conservatives through Freedom of Information requests.
They found that, of those waiting more than a year in 2016, 16 faced a two-year wait and two waited four years.
Most outpatients waiting more than 12 months were getting urology treatment (303), followed by people waiting for trauma and orthopaedic surgery (277) and gastroenterology patients (170).
The number of people treated in under a year fell by more than 28,000 in the same period from 1,462,989 in 2015 to 1,434,813 last year.
The Conservatives' health spokesman Miles Briggs said it was evidence of "shoddy planning" by the Scottish government, adding "nobody should have to wait longer than a year for care".
He said: "This is just another measure which shows a real collapse in the standard of service being offered to patients.
"That's not the fault of hardworking staff - this is all on an SNP government whose shoddy forward planning has led to these unacceptable delays.
"To see these statistics shoot up by more than 400% in the space of just a year is remarkable."
Ms Robison said: "We remain committed to ensuring patients get quick access to the services they require.
"We announced an extra £10m to deliver 40,000 more outpatient appointments immediately between November 2016 and March 2017, and have also provided an additional £50m to improve waiting times at all stages of a patient's journey through the NHS.
"In December 2016, we published a new strategy for responding to the rising demand in outpatient appointments, aiming to free up 400,000 appointments.
"We have recently completed the consultation exercise and will be pushing ahead with this over the next year.
"To meet increasing demand, we are...

Summary: There has been a sharp increase in the number of NHS outpatients who have waited more than a year for treatment, according to new figures.
###
Article: The 1961 contract resulted in the single My Bonnie, a rock-and-roll version of a children's song.
It was released under the band name Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers, but caught the attention of Brian Epstein, who became the band's manager.
The six-page contract was sold by the estate of German Beatles collector Uwe Blaschke, who died in 2010.
In the early 1960s The Beatles regularly performed at nightclubs in the German city of Hamburg, where the contract was signed. The band had been backing British singer Tony Sheridan at Hamburg's Top Ten Club at the time.
The contract includes the signatures of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and drummer Pete Best, who was later replaced by Ringo Starr.
"Had they not spent this time in Hamburg, they may have not become the musical force that they did," said Dean Harmeyer, consignment director at Heritage Auctions, which sold the contract.
"Had they not recorded My Bonnie they may have never come to the attention of Brian Epstein."
My Bonnie was released only in Germany.
The following year, with Brian Epstein as their manager, The Beatles recorded "Love Me Do," their first hit single under their name.

Summary: The Beatles' first recording contract has been sold at auction in New York for $75,000 (£48,000).
###
Article: The union is accusing Southern railway of wanting to impose changes rather than reach an agreement.
The dispute is separate to a long-running row between Southern and the RMT union over changes to the role of conductors.
Aslef said Southern had "dug its heels in" over the changes.
Southern's drivers who are members of Aslef voted for walkouts by 87%.
The union has announced its drivers will strike on 13-14 December, again on 16 December, and between 9-14 January.
Mick Whelan, Aslef's general secretary, said: "Our trade dispute with the company is that there should be no introduction and/or extension of new driver-only operated routes on Southern without the agreement of Aslef.
"We have genuinely sought to reach a compromise with Southern. We have always been prepared to talk to the company and we have always been of the view that it should be possible to do a deal, but it takes two to tango and the company has not been prepared to negotiate," he said.
"They have dug in their heels and forced us to ballot our members."
This ups the ante in an already vitriolic dispute.
Up until now, Southern had managed to run about 60% of its trains on RMT strike days. Still incredibly annoying for customers but they could normally find a way of getting to work.
Now that just under 1,000 Aslef drivers are joining the fray, albeit on different days, it's hard to see how Southern will be able to run any kind of functioning train service when they walk out.
They're also stopping overtime, which is often vital to running the trains every day.
This dispute has become the defining battle for one of the most contentious issues on our railways, the increasing introduction of what's known as "driver-only-operation" or DOO, where the driver, rather than the guard, takes control of closing the doors.
The unions say it's a safety risk and an excuse to cut jobs in the long run, all to save money. The rail firms and the government argue that it's about modernising the railways, freeing up on-board staff to deal with customers. They also...

Summary: Members of the train drivers' union Aslef have voted overwhelmingly to strike in a dispute over driver-only operated trains.
###
Article: Subhan Shafiq stepped down as Milton Keynes mayor after describing the man as being of "good current character".
This helped the driver, Mr Shafiq's friend, to get a taxi driver's licence.
Milton Keynes Council leader Peter Marland said Mr Shafiq should examine his conscience over whether he could even continue as a councillor.
Mr Marland, Labour leader of the council, said: "He resigned to protect the reputation of the council but I think it is very difficult for him to remain and keep the trust of the public after advocating for someone who has been convicted of rape.
"He must examine his own conscience on this."
Mr Shafiq, a Liberal Democrat, had described his "friend", who had been convicted of four sexual assaults, as being of "good current character".
But earlier this month a member of the public raised concerns about the driver and his licence was revoked.
The council claimed it had "taken rapid steps" to keep passengers safe.
Mr Shafiq said in a previous statement he had resigned as mayor "with deep regret".
The driver had been issued with a licence in September 2011, despite councillors knowing of his four convictions, for which he had served a "substantial" custodial sentence.
He had received a "very strong" character reference from Mr Shafiq, who became mayor in June.
The driver's convictions were discussed again in 2012 and his licence was temporarily suspended, but this ban was later "inexplicably" lifted, the council said.
Seven other drivers who give the council "cause for concern" have been identified as part of a detailed review of licence holders.

Summary:


A "reckless drone operator" is being sought by police after reports of a "near miss" between a drone and plane.

Article: The Labour leader is expected to highlight positives from last week's elections but say the results were "mixed" for the party.
He will also criticise MPs for "parading on the media to give a running commentary on our party".
"We need, if not across-the-board unity, then at least respect for each other," he will say.
Elections 2016: At-a-glance guide
Follow the latest political news live
In Thursday's elections, Labour held onto some key councils in England, remained the largest party in Wales and its candidate Sadiq Khan won the London mayoral election.
But it failed to make significant gains in England and slipped into third place behind the Conservatives in Scotland.
Addressing the Parliamentary Labour Party, Mr Corbyn is expected to point to the party's successes before adding: "But let's be clear. The results were mixed. We are not yet doing enough to win in 2020.
"This is only the first stage in our task of building a winning electoral majority, attracting voters from all the other parties and mobilising those who have been turned off politics altogether - as we did last week in Bristol and London.
"But overall we have moved in the right direction. And now we have to build on these results."
Following his victory, Mr Khan said Labour could only win elections if it reaches beyond its own activists to a "big tent" of people.
Most MPs did not back Mr Corbyn in last year's Labour leadership contest, and some senior figures have expressed concern about the direction of the party and its prospects following the elections.
Mr Corbyn will say: "I don't expect, or even want, blind loyalty, but members and supporters expect us all to focus on taking on the Tories - and for our debates to be focused on policy, not personality."
The leader will also say the party is united in its opposition to the government's "failed economic policies", claiming there is a "broad consensus in support of a different kind of politics".
He will add: "Last week's elections showed Labour's recovery has begun in earnest. We now need to...

Summary: Labour is "not yet doing enough" to win the 2020 general election, leader Jeremy Corbyn will tell MPs.
###
Article: Eurozone finance ministers are meeting in Brussels on Monday to continue negotiations on a deal to release a portion of billions of bailout funds.
Greek ministers says they will honour a payment of €750m (£544m, $834m) to the IMF due on Tuesday.
No breakthrough is expected at Monday's talks, with many issues unresolved.
Greece's left-wing government has said it will not break anti-austerity electoral promises, something that has put the country at odds with European creditors.
Greece has until June to agree a new reform deal with its creditors.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is reported to have told his cabinet that Europe needs to acknowledge the economic reforms that Greece has made.
"We want a clear confirmation of the progress that has been made," he told a meeting on Sunday, Greece's Ana state news agency reported.
Eurozone ministers are not hopeful of a deal being struck.
"We have made progress, but we are not very close to an agreement," Eurogroup chair Jeroen Dijsselbloem told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
"It will surely not be reached at the Eurogroup meeting on Monday," he said.
Since January the government has been dominated by Syriza, the coalition of the radical left, which came into office promising to end austerity.
However, its international creditors remain unconvinced that its alternative plans to raise money will be sufficient to pay the bills.
Hence this prolonged stalemate - which has stretched Greek state finances to the limit.
The pressure on the Greek government to do a deal is immense. But if the only deal available is one that means it will have to break many of its election pledges, it could face rebellion within its own party.
That means a referendum could be called in Greece on whatever deal finally emerges. It would become, by necessity, a vote on whether the country should stay in the euro, or default on its debts and leave.
Last week Greece's Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis told the BBC that he did not expect a deal to be agreed on Monday but said agreement...

Summary: Greek politicians say they are hopeful that Eurozone ministers will recognise the fiscal progress that the country has made.
###
Article: North Somerset is one of only six areas identified by one think tank recently as likely to benefit from selection.
But, in the letter, the heads of nine local comprehensives said selection would be a "retrograde step" which would "undermine" progress.
Downing Street said ministers would respond to the letter "in due course".
And a Department for Education spokeswoman said all children should have access to an education able to "unlock their talents".
Last month's report by the Education Policy Institute said there were six areas in England where parents would like new grammar schools and where creating them would benefit the wider school population.
The researchers modelled the impact of the government's plans and applied the conditions for allowing new schools as set out in the consultation document, Schools that Work for Everyone.
These included that new grammars should not be to the detriment of pupils who do not pass entrance tests, should not undermine existing high-performing schools and should be allowed only in areas where parents want them.
The six areas that met the criteria were Solihull, Essex, North Yorkshire, Dorset, Northamptonshire and North Somerset, according to EPI.
At the time, the government called the study "a crude attempt to second-guess" the results of its consultation on new schools.
Now the heads of nine secondary schools in North Somerset say they fear the introduction of selection would "undermine the rapid progress that we have been making for the young people in our communities".
They say they fear the effect of selective education "on thriving and popular community schools".
They add: "No-one could object to the concept of grammar schools in isolation but they do not exist in isolation.
"Where grammars are created other schools become secondary moderns.
""This is the very definition of a zero-sum game.
"A child can only receive his or her education in one school.
"In most cases, teachers only work in one institution."
The heads say they fear that new secondary moderns would be...

Summary: Secondary head teachers in North Somerset have written to Prime Minister Theresa May, urging her to reconsider proposals for new grammar schools.
###
Article: It came after an animal welfare charity claimed trapping wildcats to breed them in zoos harmed the species' chances of survival.
Captive breeding forms part of the Scottish Wildcat Conservation Action Plan unveiled in September 2013.
Scottish Natural Heritage and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland said it was necessary to conserve the cats.
They are among 30 organisations backing the action plan.
The Scottish wildcat faces extinction because of breeding with domestic and feral cats, disease, habitat loss and being run over on roads.
The Captive Animals' Protection Society (Caps) has criticised the captive breeding plan, and instead supports the use of the the Wildcat Haven, a 500 square mile area that covers parts of the Ardnamurchan and Morvern peninsulas.
The peninsulas in north-west Scotland have few people, quiet roads and large areas of habitat favoured by wildcats.
Nicola O'Brien, campaigns director at Caps, said: "Taking animals from the wild to stock zoo exhibits is something which people nowadays see as unacceptable, a throwback to a bygone era where animal collections had nothing to do with animal welfare.
"Concepts such as using female cats as bait for males or throwing live animals into a cage to be eaten are barbaric ideas that also belong buried in the past."
She added: "Ignoring the substantial evidence from the Wildcat Haven project that threat-free zones can be effectively created around wildcat populations, this SNH/RZSS plan is unjustifiable, clearly little to do with conservation and everything to do with these zoos stocking their cages."
Emily O'Donoghue, director of the Wildcat Haven project, said: "Wildcats living here are safe from any threat and much loved by the entire community.
"We will strongly oppose any effort to remove wildcats from the haven region, and will be opening several new sites in the hope of protecting other wildcats against these plans."
But supporters of the Scottish Wildcat Conservation Action Plan have argued that it represents the majority view on...

Summary: Conservation groups have defended a proposed Scottish wildcat captive breeding programme.
###
Article: The Flybe passenger aircraft was flying at about 900ft (275m) and was about 2 miles (3km) from Cornwall Airport Newquay when it happened on Tuesday afternoon, police said.
Devon and Cornwall Police conducted a search of the area but have not found the drone or operator.
Insp Dave Meredith called it "an incredibly concerning incident".
Latest on the drone near miss, and other stories from Devon and Cornwall
"The close proximity of the drone to the passenger aircraft shows a complete disregard by the operator for public safety and we are appealing to the public for information to help us track down this reckless drone operator," Insp Meredith said.
A spokeswoman for Cornwall Airport Newquay confirmed a drone had flown within the air traffic zone adjacent to the final approach to the airport as the plane flew in from London Stansted carrying 62 passengers.
"Although on this occasion there was no danger of collision, Air Traffic Control (ATC) reported this incident to the police as the drone should not have been flown in that area without ATC clearance and posed a potential danger to incoming flights," she said.
A spokesperson for the UK Civil Aviation Authority said: "Airspace proximity incidents, whether involving two aircraft, or a drone and an aircraft, need to be fully investigated to establish the level of risk involved."
The UK Airprox Board, which investigates airspace proximity incidents, said it had not received any official report of the incident yet.
Flybe said it would "work closely" with all relevant authorities to help identify the perpetrators of any activity which could jeopardise passenger safety.
Operators of any small unmanned surveillance aircraft must not fly them within 50m (164 ft) of any vessel, vehicle or structure which is not under the user's control, unless they have obtained permission from the Civil Aviation Authority, according to the Air Navigation Order 2009.
Figures have shown there were more reported near misses between drones and aircraft over the UK in the first six months of...

Summary:

Article: {{document}}

Summary: ||| {{target}}


Plans have been announced for the "oldest carnival in Europe" to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Article: The Northwestern University team questioned 686 women who were taking aromatase inhibitors as treatment for oestrogen-sensitive breast cancer.
It found 36% stopped their medication because of symptoms such as joint pain, hot flushes, weight gain and nausea.
A UK charity said it was aware some women stopped their treatment early.
Aromatase inhibitors are given to postmenopausal breast cancer patients to reduce the level of oestrogen in those whose tumours were fuelled by the hormone.
About two-thirds of breast cancers are oestrogen-sensitive, and aromatase inhibitors have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer recurring.
Patients in the Northwestern University study filled out a 46-question survey rating their quality of life and symptoms associated with breast cancer and treatment.
They were asked about their symptoms before treatment and at three, six, 12 and 24 months after starting treatment.
After three months, a third of women had severe joint pain, 28% had hot flushes and 24% had decreased libido among a range of symptoms.
The longer women were being treated, the more reported side-effects.
Those at highest risk of stopping before the recommended five years were those still experiencing side-effects from chemo or radiotherapy.
As a result of the side effects, 10% of the women had stopped taking the drug within two years. A further 26% had stopped by four years.
The researchers say there is a big gap between what women tell their doctors about side-effects and what they actually experience.
Dr Lynne Wagner led the study, which is being presented to the Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
She said: "Clinicians consistently underestimate the side-effects associated with treatment.
"They give patients a drug they hope will help them, so they have a motivation to underrate the negative effects.
"Patients don't want to be complainers and don't want their doctor to discontinue treatment. So no-one knew how bad it really was for patients."
Dr Wagner added: "This is a wake-up call to physicians that...

Summary: About a third of breast cancer patients stop taking medication because side-effects are more severe than they expect, US researchers suggest.
###
Article: China's central bank said it wanted to investigate market manipulation, money laundering and unauthorised financing.
Chinese exchanges trading in the currency have seen the price of Bitcoin fall more than 16%.
The move comes as Beijing's tries to crack down on money flowing out of the country illegally. The weakening yuan has prompted many people to try to buy foreign currencies.
The Bitcoin currency had soared to record highs in the first days of 2017, a rise attributed largely to strong demand from China, where most Bitcoin trading takes place.
The Chinese central bank said that the "spot checks were focused on how the exchanges implement policies including forex management and anti-money laundering".
The currency traded at $760 (Â£624) on Thursday morning, down from more than $915 the previous day. Earlier in January, Bitcoin hit a $1,129 high.
The crypto-currency relies on web-based transactions handled across thousands of computers and is used as an anonymous way to move money globally.
As a result, some speculate that people in China are using it to circumnavigate strict government rules aimed at preventing money from leaving the country.
Currently, there's an annual maximum that people are legally allowed to change into a foreign currency.
The value of the yuan fell by about 7% last year.
In contrast, Bitcoin's value rose by 125% in 2016, making it the world's best-performing currency when compared with its central bank-issued peers.
Bitcoin is often referred to as a new kind of currency. Yet like all currencies its value is determined by how much people are willing to exchange it for.
To process Bitcoin transactions, a procedure called "mining" must take place, which involves a computer solving a difficult mathematical problem with a 64-digit solution.
For each problem solved, one block of Bitcoins is processed. In addition the miner is rewarded with new Bitcoins.
To compensate for the growing power of computer chips, the difficulty of the puzzles is adjusted to ensure a steady stream of new Bitcoins...

Summary: Chinese spot checks on Bitcoin trading have hit the digital currency's value.
###
Article: Centuries later, and the market survives and thrives, open seven days a week with stalls selling everything from fruit and vegetables to wooden toys and ceramic bowls.
Street markets across the country have had to evolve as town and city centres face challenges from out-of-town shopping, the growth of supermarkets, the birth of online retail, and economic cycles.
For many nowadays, that means offering something a bit different with an artisan twist, rather than just the daily groceries.
"We have all different types across the country - night markets, speciality markets, vintage markets, food markets," says Ellie Gill, of the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA).
Amid a two-week celebration of markets, run by the association, she says they offer a touch of eccentricity to "cloned" town centres. They also maintain the tradition of face-to-face transactions, she says, unlike internet shopping.
Markets will always face a challenge on price from the powerful supermarkets. As people tightened their belts during the recession, markets felt the pinch.
There were an estimated 38,100 traditional market traders in the UK in 2009, down 14% on five years earlier, a study by NABMA found.
The association estimates that well over 1,000 regular, traditional markets are run across the country.
Their success - and investment from local councils - depends on their ability to come up with something original to sell.
"They offer access to fresh produce and fresh ideas," says Martin Blackwell, chief executive of the Association of Town and City Management.
"Increasingly we are seeing new traders use markets as a stepping stone to growing their business before taking on premises on our High Streets."
Some retailers have argued that markets draw attention away from stores, but others say they attract shoppers who then stay for the day.
Councils in Sheffield, Bolton, Blackburn and Leicester are among the local authorities that have put money into rejuvenating indoor markets to attract shoppers into their towns...

Summary: Bury your head in the Domesday Book of 1086 and you will find mention of the market in the centre of Cambridge.
###
Article: Nearly £45m was allocated to a learning hub, north west Dumfries campus and an upgrade of St Joseph's College.
However, it has now emerged that "due to a range of factors" they could actually cost more than £66m.
Councillors will be told they can try to reduce funding to other schemes, use additional borrowing or reassess the schools project itself.
The Dumfries Learning Town project was formulated after plans for a "super school" for all the town's S4 to S6 pupils were dropped.
It will see new schools built at Maxwelltown High and Dumfries High and the refurbishment of St Joseph's College and Dumfries Academy.
It also involves the creation of a "learning hub" offering specialist higher academic and vocational studies.
The costs of its first phase have now been revealed to have risen significantly over previously agreed budgets.
A report to councillors shows the anticipated costs of the "learning hub" have actually dropped slightly.
However, the north west Dumfries campus and St Joseph's College plans have seen forecast spending rise by around £11m each.
Council leader Ronnie Nicholson said that following consultation it had been clear aspects planned for phase two of the project should be brought forward.
"The sheer scale of what we now want to achieve requires more investment but it is still modest given that in phase one alone we are replacing three schools and transforming another," he said.
"In the long term, the number of school sites will be reduced as primary schools move onto shared campuses.
"This will provide significant savings. More importantly we will see schools fit for the 21st century in Dumfries and beyond."

Summary: Revised plans for an education overhaul in Dumfries mean the costs of its first phase could rise by more than £21m.
###
Article: The West Indian Carnival in Leeds was launched in 1967 and once again will take over Potternewton Park for the August bank holiday weekend.
An exhibition recording its heritage, political and cultural legacy is planned for the city's Tetley gallery.
There will also be a week of new plays commemorating carnival at West Yorkshire Playhouse.
Live updates and more from Yorkshire
Additionally, it has been announced that an illuminated night carnival will kick-off the annual arts and light festival Light Night in October.
A recreation of the Sun Goddess, the first Leeds Carnival Queen costume, will be featured at the exhibition from August to October.
The celebration of food, music and culture will culminate again in a parade through Chapeltown and Harehills.
An estimated 160,000 revellers attended last year's carnival, organisers said.
Arthur France initiated it after becoming homesick for his native St Kitts and Nevis.
Mr France, head of the organising committee, said: "When you come to carnival it is electric, so many things going on, beautiful costumes, beautiful colours, beautiful music."
However, attempts to bring the parade into the city centre have been shelved.
Mr France said he was "very sad and upset" at the council decision but added that it would not "dampen my spirits".
Councillor Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: "A lot of events are happening on the bank holiday weekend and with the advice it just wouldn't be possible."
Ms Blake added: "The oldest carnival in Europe is here in Leeds. We are so keen to make sure as a city we come together and everyone celebrates an incredible achievement."
She praised Mr France as a "legend" that had made "an absolutely fantastic contribution heading up a brilliant team of people".

Summary:


Pro-Russia activists have stormed several official buildings in the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk.

Article: The national drop-out rate rose from 6.6% in 2011-12 to 7.4% in 2014-15, an SMF report finds, with each dropout representing "a loss of potential".
Out of all the regions in England, London performs the worst, with a drop-out rate of 9.3% in 2014-15.
The government said new laws would make universities publish drop-out rates.
The SMF study notes that many of the disadvantaged groups targeted through widening access programmes are also the groups most likely to drop out.
It says institutions with a higher in-take of black students, students whose parents work in lower level occupations or students who come from low university participation areas are more likely to have higher drop-out rates.
Statistics released by the Office for Fair Access in June showed that, in 2014-15, 8.8% of young, full-time, disadvantaged undergraduates did not continue their studies beyond the first year - up from 8.2% the year before.
The SMF says it is "futile to direct significant efforts to widen participation if the same students subsequently drop out".
"Tackling non-continuation at university is vital," the report says.
"Each dropout represents a loss of potential, a poor and probably confidence-sapping experience for a student and an investment in tuition costs which is likely to have a low return."
The research shows the South West has the lowest drop-out rate, while London has the highest:
The report says: "While [London] has successful schools and sends a high proportion of its population on to higher education, these successes are not always being translated into attainment at university.
"London's relatively poor performance in university retention is part of this story. It is one that needs to be rectified.
"While young people in London are more likely than similar individuals in other regions to attend university, drop-out rates are also higher."
The report suggests the cost of living may be a factor, as well as the fact that London has the highest proportion of students living at home (31%).
"It is possible that distance...

Summary: More must be done to tackle a steady rise in the number of students dropping out of universities in England, the Social Market Foundation (SMF) says.
###
Article: It was launched by Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing at the Scottish Game Fair in Perthshire.
Numbers have fallen by 49% in south west Scotland and 69% in south east Scotland over the 10 years between 1995 and 2005.
The plan hopes to protect "core populations" before trying to increase numbers in other areas.
"Black grouse are among Scotland's most iconic and impressive species but I am aware numbers in southern Scotland have fallen in recent decades," said Mr Ewing.
"To halt this decline, it is therefore vital that we work together to take the right conservation action in the right places.
"That is what this plan aims to do."
This strategic plan provides an important platform for all parties to deliver black grouse conservation objectives in southern Scotland
He said collaboration across many sectors could help to "conserve this magnificent woodland bird".
"I am very pleased to launch this plan and that the Scottish government is able to support it through the Scottish Rural Development Programme," he added.
The plan was funded by project partners Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), the Lammermuirs Moorland Group, Scottish Borders Council and RSPB Scotland.
It outlines a series of priority actions including:
Dr Philip Warren, of the GWCT and author of the plan, said: "This strategic plan provides an important platform for all parties to deliver black grouse conservation objectives in southern Scotland.
"In the short term we need to target resources to secure remaining populations whilst in the longer term putting in place a network of habitat corridors to enhance connectivity and facilitate future range colonisation."
Dr Sue Haysom of SNH said it wanted to ensure future generations could "enjoy the sight of this species displaying in all its glory."
Black grouse are "red listed" as a species of high conservation concern, and were a "priority species" of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.
Two thirds of the remaining black grouse in...

Summary: A new conservation plan hopes to reverse the decline of black grouse numbers in southern Scotland.
###
Article: The television advert for the Get into Teaching campaign suggested teachers in England could earn up to £65,000.
The government said the advertisement made it clear this salary was subject to eligibility and location.
The Advertising Standards Authority ruled viewers would understand £65,000 to be "aspirational but achievable".
Heads have been warning of teacher shortages and Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw last week described recruitment as a "burning issue" for schools.
The TV advertising campaign has been part of the government's response to encourage more people to enter the teaching profession.
In the advert a male teacher says: "And if you're wondering what else a good teacher makes, it's probably more than you think".
On-screen text then states: "£22k to £27k minimum starting salary... and up £65k as a great teacher."
Complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority said the figure misrepresented teachers' potential earnings.
The Department for Education (DfE) said the on-screen text made it clear that the figure should be understood as aspirational.
The department referred to published statistics showing that in November 2014 there were 12,845 teachers earning £65,000 or more.
Of these 12,360 were in leadership roles, with 485 working as classroom teachers.
The ASA noted the advert depicted a number of teachers conducting lessons but it did not consider that viewers would infer the salary information represented a pay scale for classroom teachers only.
It found the advert did not misrepresent teachers' potential salaries and was therefore unlikely to mislead.
"We considered that viewers were likely to understand that the salary information represented a pay scale, from starting salary to an aspirational but achievable salary for "good" or "great" teachers, including those who had progressed to senior or leadership roles."
The National Union of Teachers, one of the complainants, said it found the ASA's decision "quite surprising".
"The advert was instantly ridiculed by teachers, and they were right...

Summary: A teacher recruitment advert that prompted 140 complaints did not exaggerate teachers' pay, the advertising watchdog has ruled.
###
Article: The trade body was given permission to go to Britain's highest court at a hearing at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.
Whisky firms wants to stop the Scottish government's plans to regulate the price of alcohol.
The policy was passed by MSPs at Holyrood in 2012.
The SWA believes that the proposal contravenes EU regulation law.
Earlier this year, Judges Lord Carloway, Lord Brodie and Lord Menzies ruled that the Scottish government's plans were legally sound.
However, the three judges have now allowed the association to go to the Supreme Court after hearing from the organisation's advocate Aidan O'Neill QC.
Mr O'Neill told the court on Tuesday that the court's ruling from earlier this year misunderstood European law and said his client should be allowed to attend the Supreme Court.
He added: "There has been a misunderstanding and a misapplication of the law in this particular case."
The Lord President, Lord Carloway, then allowed Mr O'Neill's request to take the matter to senior judges in London.
He said: "This is a difficult matter. However, on balance we will grant leave to appeal."
May 2012: MSPs pass Scots booze price plan
May 2013: Minimum drink price challenge fails
December 2015: Minimum drink price 'may breach EU law'
October 2016: Courts back minimum alcohol price
This latest development comes almost five years after the Scottish government introduced a bill for minimum pricing to Holyrood.
MSPs passed the bill in May 2012. It stated that retailers could not sell alcohol below a minimum price of 50p per unit.
Under the plans, the cheapest bottle of wine would be £4.69, a four pack of 500ml cans of beer would cost at least £4 and a bottle of whisky could not be sold for less than £14.
The new laws would be "experimental" and expire after six years.
The Scottish government, health professionals, police, alcohol charities and some members of the drinks industry believe the policy would help address Scotland's "unhealthy relationship with drink".
But the SWA has consistently objected to the...

Summary: The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) can take its appeal against a minimum price for alcohol to the UK Supreme Court, judges have ruled.
###
Article: They seized the regional government's headquarters and prosecutor's office before opening fire with automatic weapons at the main police station.
Interim President Olexander Turchynov criticised local police for their "inaction" and "criminal treachery".
The US accused Russia of seeking to "change the security landscape" of Eastern and Central Europe.
By David SternBBC News, Kiev
The pro-Russian gunmen in Ukraine's east seem to be following a strategy of constant expansion and pressure on the Kiev government.
Hardly a day goes by without another incident. Just recently, official buildings in Kostyantynivka have been taken over, Western military monitors detained, peaceful demonstrators in Donetsk attacked, and now the regional administration building in Luhansk has been seized.
It is difficult to say what their ultimate goal is. Perhaps it is to keep government officials in Kiev on the defensive, forcing them to put out a number of fires at once, while others pop up throughout the region.
Or else it is simply to keep the situation unstable, in order to prevent the presidential election scheduled to take place on 25 May.
Or it could be just the opposite, as many in Kiev and throughout the country fear: to provoke the Ukrainians into a full crackdown, which would in turn spark a Russian invasion. The militants have called on Moscow to intervene on more than one occasion.
In a speech at the Atlantic Council in Washington, Secretary of State John Kerry told the Kremlin to "leave Ukraine in peace" and warned: "Nato territory is inviolable we will defend every single inch of it."
In other developments on Tuesday:
Moscow has said it has no intention of invading eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russia activists have seized government buildings in more than a dozen towns and cities.
Until now, only the local office of the State Security Service (SBU) in Luhansk, a city of 465,000 people less than 30km (20 miles) from the Russian border, had been targeted.
But on Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of people shouting "Russia,...

Summary:


(IPC) has banned a Belarusian official from the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games for displaying a

A Belarus official who carried a Russian flag into the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games has been banned from the competition.

Article: Amelia Saunders was a pupil at Crosfields School, Reading, where the Talbot Memorial Garden was created. She died in January 2013.
A cherry tree was planted at the site in memory of her. The garden also features a small bridge and a pergola.
It aims to offer pupils "peace and relaxation", a spokeswoman said.
During her visit, a bouquet of flowers was presented to the Princess of York by two pupils, including Amelia's four-year-old sister Charlotte.
A spokeswoman at the school said the garden, created by local designer Clare Olof, was a legacy left by the school's first chairman of governors, Clifford Talbot.
"He gave a sum of money to develop an outside area to offer children peace and relaxation," she said.
"It seemed a fitting tribute to dedicate it to Amelia."
Amelia was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in February 2012.
She died at Naomi House Children's Hospice in Sutton Scotney, Hampshire, and a memorial ceremony was held in Winchester.

Summary: A garden created in memory of a four-year-old girl who died from an inoperable brain tumour has been officially opened by Princess Beatrice.
###
Article: RSPB Scotland is challenging the developments in the Firth of Forth and Firth of Tay.
Scottish ministers approved the Inch Cape, Neart na Gaoithe and Seagreen Alpha and Bravo projects in October.
Industry body Scottish Renewables described the legal challenge as "really disappointing".
The four projects could comprise more than 400 turbines and generate more than 2.2GW of power, enough to power more than 1.4million homes every year.
Consent was given to the four developments under strict conditions to mitigate any potential environmental impact, and backing was given by environmental groups including Friends of the Earth Scotland.
However, a spokesman for RSPB Scotland said the approved projects could have "serious implications" for wildlife in the area.
He said: "We have not taken this decision lightly, but having given serious consideration to these decisions to grant consent, we have decided to take legal action.
"RSPB Scotland has a proven track record of taking a stand for nature, on behalf of our members and the general public, to ensure that wildlife and the natural environment is properly safeguarded for the future.
"If these decisions are allowed to stand, they could have serious implications for how birds and important wildlife sites are protected across Scotland and beyond.
"The vast majority of renewable energy developments pose no significant threat to birds or other wildlife.
"RSPB Scotland continues to support the development of carefully sited and designed renewables, including offshore wind. However, individual developments must be sited to avoid significant harm."
Lindsay Leask, senior policy manager at Scottish Renewables, said the challenge by RSPB Scotland was "really disappointing news".
She said: "Every one of these projects has been through an incredibly rigorous, detailed and independent assessment lasting anywhere between one and two years, and it now looks like there will be another lengthy examination of that process in court before they can go ahead.
"This new delay will make it...

Summary: A Scottish wildlife charity has lodged a legal challenge against the consent granted to four major offshore wind farm projects.
###
Article: Meg Brace's border collie has retrieved more than 20 balls on the open space behind her home in Glemsford, Suffolk.
After a public appeal, the Epic Youth Club recognised the balls had been taken from its kickabouts at the nearby village hall.
Stuart Ayling, youth club manager, said: "It's one remarkable pet."
The border collie, called Maggie, soon revealed her skill at retrieving balls and was featured in the East Anglian Daily Times.
"She's sometimes hard to get on with, but she has this talent," said Ms Brace.
"My other border collie Gizmo picks up litter from the same playing field and brings it to me to put in the bins.
"I just wish the kids would do it themselves."
Mr Ayling, who runs the youth club as part of the Edens Project based in neighbouring Sudbury, said: "We have had problems with our footballs being taken to the rec by older teenagers who weren't part of the youth club.
"We used to take several outside at once, so people walking past could easily take one without us noticing.
"They were being kicked into the bushes rather than brought back to us."

Summary: A youth club has been reunited with eight of its stolen footballs after a dog found them in bushes that border a playing field.
###
Article: A total of 670,000 Britons aged 15-24 have experimented with the substances at least once, it says in its 2013 World Drug Report.
It says there has been an alarming increase worldwide in new psychoactive substances, known as NPS.
The UK's crime prevention minister said the UK was addressing the threat.
Drawing on European Commission data from 2011 and United Nations population statistics, the World Drug Report says the UK is Europe's largest market "for legal substances that imitate the effects of illicit drugs".
But the use of mephedrone - also known as meow meow or M-CAT - has declined in England and Wales since it was banned in 2010, the report said.
Crime Prevention Minister Jeremy Browne said the UK is "leading the global effort to address the serious threat" from legal highs, "adapting and innovating" as new trends emerge.
"We have introduced temporary class drug orders, a swift legislative response to protect the public while our independent experts prepare advice. We are working with law enforcement agencies overseas to break down supply chains and reduce demand."
He added: "Our Forensic Early Warning System and the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs continue to closely monitor the prevalence and availability of these substances."
It said the 670,000 Britons aged between 15 and 24 who had experimented with such substances at least once was 23% of the EU total in 2011.
Close to 5% of people aged 15-24 in the EU have used NPS.
The world's biggest market for NPS is the United States, where use of these substances among youth "appears to be more than twice as widespread as in the European Union".
The UNODC said this is an alarming problem, as the substances have not been tested for safety and pose "unforeseen public health challenges".
"Sold openly, including via the internet, NPSâ€¦. can be far more dangerous than traditional drugs. Street names, such as spice, meow-meow and bath salts mislead young people into believing that they are indulging in low-risk fun," the report said.
It added that while...

Summary: The UK has the largest market for so-called "legal highs" in the European Union, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
###
Article: The official violated the International Paralympic Committee's (IPC) ban on political gestures.
Belarus' neighbours Russia are banned from the Games following state-sponsored doping.
"A hero has appeared amongst us," said Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russia's Foreign Ministry.
"This is the person who showed solidarity with people who were disgracefully treated in an inhumane way in not being allowed to compete at the Paralympics," Zakharova told Interfax news agency.
The official, identified by Russian media as Andrei Fomochkin, has had his accreditation for Rio cancelled by the IPC.
IPC head of media Craig Spence said: "I'd like to thank the media for ensuring there was a picture of the individual on Twitter pretty quickly. We managed to locate that individual and confiscate the flag pretty much within 20 minutes of the flag being displayed.
"It's seen as a political protest because he carried a Russian flag when he's in the Belarus delegation, and when you've got the president of the Belarus National Paralympic Committee being so vocal in the media before these Games saying he disagreed with our decision, then it's a pretty easy conclusion that it was a political protest.
"We check all teams before they go out into the stadium at every single Games, so that flag was pretty well hidden on that person because all of the Belarus team was searched before they went out and the flag was somewhere on the person that we didn't notice."
Fomochkin has received support from Belarus for his gesture.
"This was the right thing," Dmitri Mironchik, press secretary for Belarus's Foreign Ministry, told RIA Novosti. "If we need to answer for these gestures, then we will answer."

Summary:


Channel 4 will shut down E4 on the day of the general election, in a bid to encourage more young people to vote.

Article: The study, published in the journal Cell, shows that nearly nine in 10 men had gene mutations that could be targeted with drugs.
The study was led in the UK by scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) London in collaboration with several teams in the United States.
Researchers analysed the genetic codes of tumours from 150 patients with metastatic - or advanced - prostate cancer, whose disease had spread to other parts of the body.
They found that 89% had genetic aberrations for which there were existing drugs or treatments undergoing clinical trials.
Prof Johann de Bono, of the ICR and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust told the BBC:  "This is truly a game-changer.  We are calling this prostate cancer's Rosetta Stone, because we can now decode the disease for the first time.
"In the past, we used to treat lethal prostate cancer as a single illness but this shows that it is a group of diseases, each driven by their own set of mutations."
Prof de Bono said it meant that, using genetic testing, it would be possible to individualise patient care, heralding the arrival of personalised treatment for advanced prostate cancer.
More than 40,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and nearly 11,000 die in the UK each year.
Nearly all men with advanced disease develop resistance to hormone therapy, which is used to prevent prostate cancer cells from growing.
In the study, nearly two-thirds of the patients had mutations in a molecule that interacts with the male hormone androgen, which is targeted in current treatments.
Scientists at the ICR believe this could open up new avenues for hormone therapy.
Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes were found in nearly one in five patients.
Trials at the Royal Marsden/ICR have already shown prostate cancer patients with BRCA mutations can benefit from drugs called Parp inhibitors which disrupt cancer cells' DNA repair mechanism.
One of these drugs, called olaparib, is now licensed by the EU to treat women with ovarian cancer, who carry BRCA mutations.
The research is...

Summary: Scientists have unveiled a comprehensive genetic map of advanced prostate cancer, hailing it as the disease's "Rosetta Stone".
###
Article: Cardiff is projected to have 195,300 households by 2039, up 32% from 147,600 households in 2014.
But academics pointed out the rise is lower than previous projections.
The Statistics for Wales report has been based on population projections by the Welsh Government, along with household estimates by councils.
The biggest increase is in Cardiff, where earlier this month the council approved plans for a new Â£2bn "garden village" with almost 6,000 homes on the outskirts of the city.
This was followed by Swansea with a 17% rise - up from 105,600 households in 2014 to 123,200 by 2039.
Powys is the only council area where the number of households is projected to fall - down 2% to 57,600.
The report also showed one-person households will be the most common and are anticipated to rise by 27%.
It is estimated the average household size will drop from 2.29 people per household to 2.17.
Dr Neil Harris, senior lecturer at Cardiff University's School of Geography and Planning, said it showed urban areas were "buoyant and growing" while areas with lower projections were more "stable".
But he pointed out that the data was based on recent five-year trends continuing in the same way, and stressed that a rise in households did not necessarily equate to an increase in population.
"Nevertheless, in urban areas, there would be demand for more schools, better public transport, more investment in utility infrastructure," he said.
"However, in a city like Cardiff, the council is already planning for this scale of development.
"In stable areas, there would be potentially less pressure on housing stock but if there is a reduction in the population then certain services could face a challenge to sustain themselves."

Summary: The number of households in Wales is expected to rise by 10.5% within the next two decades, a report has shown.
###
Article: The hoard was buried near Watlington around the end of the 870s, in the time of the "Last Kingdom".
Under the Treasure Act 1996 finds declared treasure may be acquired by museums for public benefit.
Oxford's Ashmolean Museum hopes to acquire the items, with help from Oxfordshire Museum Service and the British Museum.
The British Museum said the partnership would "ensure the academic and scientific study of the hoard and will enable the hoard to be displayed in museums across Oxfordshire for the benefit of the widest possible public".
The hoard consists of seven items of jewellery, 15 ingots and about 200 coins - including rarities from the reign of King Alfred "the Great" of Wessex, who reigned from 871 to 899, and King Ceolwulf II, who reigned in Mercia from 874 to 879.
During this period, King Alfred achieved a decisive victory over the Vikings at the famous Battle of Edington in 878, prompting them to move north of the Thames and travel to East Anglia through the kingdom of Mercia.
Archaeologists have described the hoard, which was discovered in October by metal detectorist James Mather, as a "nationally significant find".
The hoard was lifted in a block of soil and taken to the British Museum, where it was excavated and studied by experts from the British Museum in London and the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
A selection of objects from the hoard are currently on display in the British Museum's Citi Money Gallery in London.

Summary: A Viking hoard of jewellery and coins unearthed in Oxfordshire has been declared treasure by a coroner.
###
Article: The woman, who worked at Buckinghamshire's Stoke Mandeville Hospital, was targeted by Savile while she was based at the children's ward.
Savile abused her over an 18-month period - when she was aged 17 to 19 - assaulting her when she was preparing milk feeds for children and even after she had been admitted to the staff sick bay with tonsillitis.
Speaking to the BBC, she said she wished Savile was still alive so she could tell him how he had affected her life and "ruined my 20s".
The woman said Savile was "one of the team" on the children's ward and had his own porter's office and flat at the hospital. She said she had initially been "in awe" of him.
"He was God as far as the children were concerned.
"He had high status and they gave him a job as a porter. He was just one of the staff, he was one of the team."
However, she said Savile's interest in her soon turned more sinister.
"It was casual, friendly, patting on the bottom, to start off with. But I think he was always trying to push the boundaries with me," she said.
"So it moved from patting my bottom to trying to put his hands on my breasts and putting his hand under my skirt."
Savile began targeting her during her daily job of preparing the milk feeds for children on the ward.
She said he would follow her into the milk kitchen - where she could be for up to two hours a day - and would lock the door behind them.
"I used to try and make excuses not to do the milk feeds," she said.
"It was invading my privacy and I didn't know what he was doing. It did frighten me. I was scared and violated."
On another occasion the woman was diagnosed with tonsillitis while at work and was taken to the staff sick bay.
"Jimmy Savile used to come every day and see me and again he used to put his hand under the sheet and touch my thigh and try and put his hand inside my thighs," she said.
"My mum came to see me and he came and put his head around the door. I said, 'don't let him in, don't let him in'.
"That was the time I told her what he had been doing and she was...

Summary: A nurse who was sexually assaulted by Jimmy Savile has said the abuse she suffered at the hands of the disgraced former BBC DJ "ruined" a decade of her life.
###
Article: Instead of The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother, viewers tuning in on 7 May will see "Darren", the man in charge of keeping E4 on air, sitting in the channel's control room.
It is believed to be the first time a UK channel has closed on polling day.
E4 is one of the most popular youth channels on television, reaching 8.7 million 16-34 year olds every month.
Its regular schedule will be suspended from 07:00 BST, when polls open, to 19:00 BST, when the channel will return to normal with Hollyoaks (polling closes at 22:00 BST).
Dan Brooke, Channel 4's chief marketing officer said: "Less than half of under-25s voted at the last election so we've engaged the most powerful weapon that we have at our disposal to try and boost that number - switching off their favourite TV channel for the day."
A pre-election advertising campaign, running on all of Channel 4's stations, will alert viewers to the reason for E4's absence.
The adverts will ask viewers: "How many times have you missed life-changing events because you wanted to watch your favourite show?
"May 7 is election day and Darren is going to turn E4 off so you might as well go and vote. You won't forget will you Darren?"
However, viewers will only be able to use the switch-off as an excuse to vote if they have already registered - and the deadline has already passed.
Meanwhile, Channel 4 will present an "alternative" to the election night coverage on the BBC and ITV, with a programme co-anchored by Jeremy Paxman and comedian David Mitchell.
Paxman, who left BBC Two's Newsnight last June, said: "Elections matter. But that doesn't mean the coverage has to be dull. I hope there'll be room for both insight and laughter."
David Mitchell added: "Our aim is to keep people watching much later than they intended and we will be judged by the dip in the nation's productivity on Friday 8 May."
The show will also include special election-themed episodes of Gogglebox and The Last Leg.
The BBC's coverage of the election will be anchored by David Dimbleby, while Tom...

Summary:


The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has said that the government's austerity measures have resulted in the burden of the crisis falling disproportionally on those least able to bear it.
The commission was set up last year to promote and protect human rights in the state.
Speaking on RTÃ‰'s Morning Ireland programme

The Irish government has been criticised for failing to adequately protect the human rights of vulnerable groups during the recession.

Article: A UK team found the Ferrigno rift using ice-penetrating radar, and showed it to be about 1.5km (1 mile) deep.
Antarctica
 is home to a geological rift system where new crust is being formed, meaning the eastern and western halves of the continent are slowly separating.
The team writes in Nature journal that the canyon is bringing more warm sea water to the ice sheet, hastening melt.
The Ferrigno rift lies close to the Pine Island Glacier where Nasa scientists found a giant crack last year; but the newly discovered feature is not thought to be influencing the "Pig", as it is known.
The rift lies beneath the Ferrigno Ice Stream on a stretch of coast so remote that it has only been visited once previously.
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) project revisited the area two years ago in the person of Aberdeen University glaciologist Robert Bingham.
The plan was to make ground observations that could link to the satellite data showing unexpectedly pronounced ice loss from the area.
The team towed ice-penetrating radar kit behind a snowmobile, traversing a total of about 2,500km (1,500 miles).
"What we found is that lying beneath the ice there is a large valley, parts of which are approximately a mile deeper than the surrounding landscape," said Dr Bingham.
"If you stripped away all of the ice here today, you'd see a feature every bit as dramatic as the huge rift valleys you see in Africa and in size as significant as the [US] Grand Canyon.
"This is at odds with the flat ice surface that we were driving across - without these measurements we would never have known it was there."
The Ferrigno rift extends into a seabed trough, called Belgica.
The scientists suggest that during Ice Ages, when sea levels were much lower than at present, the rift would have channelled a major ice stream through the trough.
Now, they suggest, the roles are reversed, with the walls of the Belgica trough channelling relatively warm sea water back to the ice edge.
Penetrating between the Antarctic bedrock and the ice that lies on it and...

Summary: A rift in the Antarctic rock as deep as the Grand Canyon is increasing ice melt from the continent, researchers say.
###
Article: A total of 6,687 cars were registered, a 3.67% rise on August 2014.
Sandy Burgess, chief Executive of the Scottish Motor Trade Association, said the figures maintained Scotland's year-on-year growth at 1.12% .
Across the UK registrations increased 9.6% for the month and 6.7% for the year to-date.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the August registrations in Scotland included two Lamborghinis, one Rolls-Royce and 1,006 Vauxhalls.
The top 10 best-selling cars in Scotland in August were:

Summary: The number of new car registrations in Scotland in August grew slightly when compared to the same month last year, new figures have revealed.
###
Article: War veteran Sam King MBE settled in south London having arrived on the Empire Windrush in 1948 and became Southwark's first black mayor.
His son, the Reverend Michael King, said his father was a "pioneer" who had been "a servant of the people".
Around 500 mourners attended the service for Mr King, who died in June.
Mr King arrived in Britain after volunteering for the Royal Air Force in 1944, and soon became a prominent campaigner for the West Indies community.
His son said his father helped organise London's first West Indies carnival "to exhibit ourselves as West Indians in a positive light".
Michael King said his father was "very pleased" the carnival had developed into the Notting Hill Carnival.
Sam King set up the Windrush Foundation with his friend Arthur Torrington in 1996 to celebrate the arrival of people from the Caribbean to Britain following World War Two.
Mr Torrington said Mr King believed "the ship was no different from the Mayflower" which transported English separatists to America in 1620.
"He was the one who really kept alive the importance of the Windrush", he said.

Summary: The funeral of a Jamaican "pioneer" who co-founded what later became the Notting Hill Carnival has been held at Southwark Cathedral.
###
Article: Leaders and managers in public life rarely escape criticism when they make unpopular decisions either. "The power has gone to his head" is an oft-heard accusation.
So are leaders losing touch with reality when they act in a power-hungry way?
According to psychologist Guy Claxton, professor of learning sciences at the University of Winchester, their actions could be to do with "a disorder of intelligence".
At a Royal Society of Medicine conference this week, entitled The Intoxication Of Power, Prof Claxton says that human intelligence is made up of four different mental systems working in harmony.
When one of these systems is not used, the decision-making process can become unreliable and potentially dangerous.
Instead of analysing actions, checking through the consequences of those actions and chatting through the decisions made, leaders too often rely on impulsive decision-making - and this is when hubris can set in.
"None of these systems is infallible. You need a jazz quartet of them to achieve full human intelligence," Prof Claxton says.
When it comes to governments and prime ministers, this failure of intelligence creates the need for ways of stopping power getting out of hand like the House of Lords checking the power of the House of Commons.
When individuals are in positions of great power, there are other dangers, he says.
"Politics can become dangerous. Leaders have the power to create wars."
When the rest of the world makes it known that they do not like this type of leadership, they tend to resort to something which Prof Claxton calls 'messianic hubris'.
"They transpose their leadership into a sense of humility, as if they are listening to an inner god or higher power when making decisions."
This is when self-deception and an inflated sense of self-worth sets in.
To combat against this, a sense of humour is a useful tool, Prof Claxton says.
"Traditionally, powerful people had a joker following them around, making jokes and poking fun at them, reminding them that they are just human beings."
This...

Summary: World leaders are often accused of hubris, of wielding power in arrogant and self-serving ways.
###
Article: The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission said seven years of austerity resulted in the burden of the crisis falling disproportionally on those least able to bear it.
The commission was set up last year to promote and protect human rights in the state.
This is its first report.
Speaking on RTÃ‰'s Morning Ireland programme, Chief Commissioner Emily Logan said the government had failed to meet basic human rights standards required under international law - in the stark choices made during the recession.
There was an absence of any human rights or equality assessment of the "troika" (EU, IMF and European Central Bank) bail-out programme.
This meant those who were already disadvantaged were even more susceptible to unemployment, lower incomes or poorer living standards.
People with disabilities experienced the impact of austerity measures more acutely, with the rate of unemployment almost trebling among this group - from 8% to 22% during the recession.
The report, published on Thursday, comes ahead of a UN Committee in Geneva next week where Ireland will be asked to defend its record on human rights.

Summary:


The Historic Institutional Abuse Inquiry is examining allegations of abuse in state-run children's homes and other institutions in Northern Ireland.
Article: The Historic Institutional Abuse Inquiry is examining allegations of abuse in state-run children's homes and other institutions in Northern Ireland.
The inquiry, chaired by retired judge Sir Anthony Hart

Abuse victims whose cases are excluded from a Stormont inquiry into historical child abuse have united in a campaign for their allegations to be included.

Article: The Scottish Building Federation's latest quarterly construction monitor saw confidence fall 22 points to -19.
It was the first negative overall confidence rating by employers since the second quarter of 2013.
SBF said employers were unsettled by the economic volatility seen following last week's vote to leave the EU.
There was also concern that investment decisions could be postponed indefinitely.
The federation's survey responses were collected during June, with firms being given the opportunity to update their confidence rating following the EU vote.
SBF managing director Vaughan Hart said: "The results of our latest quarterly survey reflect much of the informal feedback I have received from individual members.
"Construction employers are unsettled by the economic volatility we have witnessed following the vote to leave the European Union last week.
"General uncertainty about the economic outlook has prompted concern that investment decisions could be postponed indefinitely.
"The potential impact on interest rates also risks provoking a sustained slowdown of activity across different sectors of the property market."
He added: "If the current economic volatility is sustained over a longer period of time, the UK Treasury may be forced to take evasive action come the time of the autumn statement with a knock-on impact on the Scottish government's budget and on local government funding.
"There is also a more general concern that the process of negotiating the UK's withdrawal from the European Union could result in paralysis within government that means important priorities such as the delivery of more housing, the development of skills, training and apprenticeships and critical improvements to the country's infrastructure risk being sidelined."

Summary: Confidence within Scottish construction has fallen to its lowest level for three years following the outcome of the EU referendum, a survey has found.
###
Article: A former wrestler, the election results prove that he can still pin his opponents down.
His drive - combined with the skill to bounce back from seemingly hopeless political setbacks - has made him a formidable political adversary in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state with more than 200 million people.
In his long political career he has been the state's chief minister three times and also served as India's defence minister.
He is now set to become chief minister for the fourth time since 1989.
Although Mr Yadav, 72, has not been in good health for the last few years and has been grooming his eldest son Akhilesh as his heir, nothing seems to deter this dogged political campaigner from returning to the electoral podium in a career that has been characterised by extreme highs and lows.
Trained as a teacher in his home village in central Uttar Pradesh, Mr Yadav took the plunge into politics at the age of 15. He was influenced by the writing of well-known socialist Ram Manohar Lohia and took part in various socialist movements led by this ideologue.
In his early career, Mr Yadav championed the cause of the lower castes and minorities. They still provide him with bedrock support.
He has been able to exploit a growing perception among many voters in Uttar Pradesh - regardless of which party he represented - that the Congress party was the home only of high caste Brahmins or the elite.
Mr Yadav emerged as the youngest member of the state assembly when he contested elections in 1967 for a socialist party. He was elected in 1974 and again in 1977, when he romped home, still as a fervent socialist, but representing a different party.
Typical of the mercurial nature of Mr Yadav's career were the elections of 1980. For the first time he lost amid a surge of support for Congress.
But he still managed to be inducted in the upper house of the state legislature where he promptly rose to become leader of the opposition.
A few years later he took the unusual step of getting elected to the lower house of the state...

Summary: Mulayam Singh Yadav has bounced back with his Samajwadi Party winning the assembly elections in the politically-crucial Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
###
Article: Edwina Hart said there was "no place" for such terms of employment, while campaigning in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Earlier on Wednesday, party leader Ed Miliband said a Labour government at Westminster would give workers the right to a regular contract after 12 weeks of regular hours.
The Conservatives have claimed the move would be a threat to jobs.
"As a party we're in the business of helping those dispossessed and those that aren't doing well, and that's why he's made such an issue of this policy," Mrs Hart said, backing Mr Miliband's announcement on zero-hours contracts.
"At one time people thought they had a place, but there's been so much abuse, there's no place for them."
Commenting on an open letter by business leaders supporting Conservative economic policy, Mrs Hart dismissed it as "no surprise to anybody" and "just something that happens in the campaign".

Summary: Zero-hours contracts should be banned, Welsh Labour's economy minister has said, going further than party policy.
###
Article: They found the copies held in Lincoln and Salisbury were written by scribes based at those cathedrals, rather than by someone working for King John.
The discovery was made ahead of the 800th anniversary of the historic charter on Monday.
Lead investigator Professor Nicholas Vincent, said to identify the authors was a "significant achievement".
He said after 800 years it was "certainly equivalent to finding needles in a very large haystack".
The new discovery sheds further light on the Church's role in the creation and distribution of Magna Carta - which sought to restrain the powers of the king.
Professor Vincent said: "It has become apparent, not least as a result of work undertaken for the Magna Carta Project, that the bishops of England were crucial to both the publication and the preservation of Magna Carta.
"King John had no real intention that the charter be either publicised or enforced. It was the bishops instead who insisted that it be distributed to the country at large and thereafter who preserved it in their cathedral archives."
The project, involving academics from the University of East Anglia and King's College London, found the Lincoln Magna Carta was written by a scribe who produced several other documents for the Bishop of Lincoln and Salisbury's was "probably" made by someone working for the cathedral's dean and chapter.
Project team member David Carpenter, a professor of medieval history at King's College, said: "We now know that three of the four surviving originals of the charter went to cathedrals: Lincoln, Salisbury and Canterbury. Probably cathedrals were the destination for the great majority of the other original charters issued in 1215.
"This overturns the old view that the charters were sent to the sheriffs in charge of the counties. That would have been fatal since the sheriffs were the very people under attack in the charter.
"They would have quickly consigned Magna Carta to their castle furnaces."
A replica of the Great Charter began its journey down the Thames on Saturday as...

Summary: Scientists have identified the scribes who wrote two of the four original 1215 copies of the Magna Carta.
###
Article: The Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry is examining allegations of abuse in state-run children's homes and other institutions in Northern Ireland.
However, victims of clerical child abuse and former residents of Magdalene laundry-style institutions in Northern Ireland are excluded from the remit.
They have launched a joint campaign.
The two groups were due to call for the remit of the Historic Institutional Abuse Inquiry to be widened.
The inquiry, chaired by retired judge Sir Anthony Hart, was set up by the Stormont Executive and is examining cases from 1922 to 1995.
It will also determine if there were systemic failings by the state, or institutions, in their duties towards children under 18.
It was originally set up to investigate cases going back as far as 1945, but it was later extended to cover the period back to the foundation of the state in 1922.
Previously, Sir Anthony has opposed further extending the scope of his inquiry to deal with abuse which took place outside institutions.
He pointed out that such a move would have significant implications in terms of time and money.
The inquiry is currently investigating 35 residential facilities.
They include 15 state-run children's homes, 13 institutions run by Catholic Church orders and four borstals or training schools.
The inquiry was announced in December 2010 and the first phase began in October 2012.
Three institutions run by Protestant churches or voluntary organisations will also be investigated.

Summary:


An airport that "refused to close" is being remembered this weekend, 20 years after flying eventually stopped.

Article: The National Union of Teachers says schools in England spent Â£733m last year on supply teacher agencies.
The union says it is wasting money intended for children's education.
Education Secretary Nicky Morgan is launching a TV recruitment campaign to attract a "new generation of passionate and gifted teachers".
Head teachers have been reporting deepening problems with getting enough staff.
The Department for Education has launched a television advertising campaign to encourage more applications, saying that 35,000 trainee teachers need to be recruited every year.
There are particular problems in finding teachers in subjects such as physics, and the government is offering increasingly generous bursaries.
A physics graduate with a good degree can claim up to Â£30,000 tax free for entering teaching.
"Great teachers are at the heart of our drive to extend opportunity to every single child," says Mrs Morgan.
"That is why we are focused on attracting more talented people into the profession, to inspire young people, open doors to their future."
The teachers' union argues that the difficulty in recruiting teachers means schools are forced to use their budgets on supply staff - and that these temporary staff are not receiving the same pay and benefits as full-time teachers.
"Supply teacher agencies are making millions while supply teachers' pay continues to plummet," said NUT leader Christine Blower.
"This is money which should be used for children's education, not going towards boosting the profits of private companies."
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation rejected the NUT claims as unfair and said schools with vacancies "rely on their recruitment partners to bring in quality teachers, often at very short notice".
"Agencies charge a daily rate for temporary contracts and the majority of this will go directly to the teacher. It is up to schools, agencies and teachers to negotiate pay rates and this can vary according to location and other factors such as how much experience the teacher has," said head of...

Summary: Teachers' union leaders are warning that teacher shortages are costing schools hundreds of millions of pounds in temporary supply staff.
###
Article: The Commons' Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) committee's report into the BBC Charter Review recommends there should be no "specific director" for Wales under a new structure.
Elan Closs Stephens is the national trustee for Wales on the BBC's governing body, the BBC Trust.
A senior BBC Wales source said the proposals were "ill-considered".
Ms Stephens's role would be abolished under the committee's plans for a new governance and management structure.
The report recommends abolishing the trust in favour of a unitary board of executive and non-executive directors.
'Marching backwards'
It said "regional and national issues should be dealt with by the board collectively, not via specific director appointments".
A BBC spokesman said: "We support the committee's assertion that the BBC's independence should be protected by taking the BBC out of the political cycle and agree with its proposal for an 11 or 12 year charter.
"Like the committee, we think the BBC should be externally regulated - we believe that a unitary board would be good for the BBC and strengthen accountability."
The BBC Wales source added: "Practically every major development in broadcasting in Wales over the last 50 years has only come about because we've had someone at the very top table of the BBC championing our nation's interests and telling it like it is.
"Under these ill-considered plans, we're in danger of marching backwards."
But the Labour MP for Wrexham, Ian Lucas - a member of the committee - said a board member could not represent the whole of Wales.
He told BBC Radio Wales: "I think that it's really important that the board has a collective, strong, enquiring voice and it's not there at the moment and that doesn't happen simply by having a badge on that you represent a particular nation or a particular region.
"A lot of progress has been made but I don't think the mere fact that there is a trust board member from Wales will make a good accountable body.
"We need someone who is going to represent the whole of the UK but also speak out on...

Summary: The role of the Welsh representative should be removed from a reformed BBC board, a committee of MPs has said.
###
Article: Independent watchdog Transport Focus interviewed 1,244 Welsh commuters in its latest survey.
Since its last poll in Autumn 2016, those satisfied with how delays are dealt with and ticket value for money have dropped by four percentage points to 38% and 57%, respectively.
But overall, 83% were satisfied with Arriva Trains Wales' service.
Satisfaction with other aspects, such as stations (76%) and crowding levels (72%) remained largely unchanged.
Noting other points, Anthony Smith, the watchdog's chief executive, said: "Arriva Trains Wales passengers have clocked an improvement in satisfaction with aspects of their stations including the availability of staff.
"They are also happier with ticket buying facilities, cleanliness and personal security at stations."
The watchdog said results were in line with another recent survey it carried out relating to what passengers expect when a new rail contract is awarded in October 2018.
Four companies, including Arriva Trains Wales, are competing to run the Wales and Border franchise and develop a South Wales Metro system.
Mr Smith said passengers appreciated service from staff and wanted to see more seats on better quality trains.
Arriva Trains Wales has faced criticism about overcrowding and the age of carriages as rail user numbers continue to rise.
Barry Lloyd, head of customer experience for Arriva Trains Wales, said: "The fact we've improved in these areas shows we've really listened to customers from past surveys, investing in new technology for ticket buying and training our staff to give the best service possible.
"Our mobile phone tickets, new machines on stations and longer booking office opening hours are testimony to this as well as multiple examples of great service by our staff week in week out and during the Champions League, which attracted national media coverage."

Summary: How delays are dealt with and the cost of tickets are the biggest concerns for train users, new figures show.
###
Article: Htin Kyaw from the National League for Democracy (NLD) takes over from Thein Sein, who introduced wide-ranging reforms during his five years in power.
Although NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi is barred from the presidency, she has said she will rule by proxy.
The handover completes the transition that began after the NLD won a landslide win in elections in November.
Thein Sein's legacy of reform
Htin Kyaw, 69, said he would be "faithful" to the people of Myanmar, as he took the oath of office in a joint session of parliament in the capital Nay Pyi Taw.
Vice-presidents Henry Van Thio and Myint Swe, who lost to Htin Kyaw in the presidential vote earlier this month, were also sworn in, as were new cabinet ministers.
Most of the ministers belong to the NLD. The list includes Ms Suu Kyi who will be in charge of foreign affairs, the president's office, education, and energy and electric power.
But the military is appointing its own nominees for three key ministries - defence, home affairs and border affairs.
In a brief speech, Htin Kyaw noted challenges ahead including the need for a nationwide ceasefire. The government has been engaged in armed conflicts with various ethnic groups for decades.
He also spoke about the constitution complying with modern democratic values, in a nod to the NLD's stated goal during the election campaign of changing the constitution.
Correspondents say this is perhaps the most sensitive issue in the NLD government's relationship with the army, who have 25% of parliamentary seats. It means the army retains the power to veto any changes to the constitution, as that would require more than 75% of votes.
The constitution contains a controversial clause barring anyone with family members who have another nationality from becoming president - widely seen as aimed at preventing Ms Suu Kyi from taking power, as her two sons are British.
Despite the restriction Ms Suu Kyi, who remains hugely popular and prominent in Myanmar, has vowed to act "above the president".
Last year, the NLD won 80% of...

Summary: Myanmar's new president has been sworn in, the first elected civilian leader in more than 50 years.
###
Article: Campaigners fought to save Ipswich Airport after it was earmarked for housing by Ipswich Borough Council, with some occupying the terminal building for about four months.
The anniversary of the closure is being marked with an exhibition.
Organisers said: "There is now a generation that probably doesn't even know Ipswich had its own airport."
The site was formerly a World War Two airfield and home to RAF Blenheim light bombers, Hurricanes and - for short periods - Spitfire squadrons.
During its 66-year history, the airport launched a daily flight to Clacton with a journey time of just 15 minutes in 1938 and it later handled flights carrying royal passengers and sports stars.
In the 1980s, Suckling Airways started operating flights to Amsterdam and Manchester and by 1990 the airport housed flying schools, a helicopter school, parachute centre and various support firms.
But in 1996 the borough council, which owned the airport, announced the site would close later that year, to be turned into what is now the Ravenswood housing estate.
Saturday's exhibition at the town's Transport Museum has been put together by Ipswich Airport Association (IAA) whose members will be on hand to answer questions.
The reunion and exhibition will also feature press cuttings, photos and memorabilia to mark 20 years since the airport officially closed on 31 December 1996.
Martyn Steggalls, a director of the IAA, who worked part-time at the airport, said: "It's a time when a lot of people involved in the airport can get together and reminisce.
"It's a focal point to people who used to fly from there, work there and lived nearby."

Summary:


Partners of people with depression are more likely to suffer from chronic pain, a new study suggests.

Article: Speaking at a Mississippi rally, he said his opponent "sees people of colour only as votes not as human beings worthy of a better future".
Mr Trump added that Mrs Clinton and the Democratic party had taken advantage of the African-American community.
Mrs Clinton fired back, saying "he is taking a hate movement mainstream".
The Democratic presidential nominee called out Mr Trump for questioning the citizenship of President Barack Obama and for failing to disavow former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, adding that he was "peddling bigotry and prejudice and paranoia".
Mr Trump took aim at Mrs Clinton during a campaign stop in Jackson, Mississippi, on Wednesday, where he was joined by Britain's outgoing UKIP leader Nigel Farage.
Mr Farage, who is viewed as a major force behind the UK's exit from the EU, told Trump supporters to "get your walking boots on" and begin campaigning.
In recent days, Mr Trump has attempted to court African-Americans after failing to gain support among this key voting bloc.
Only about 2% of black voters say they will vote for the New York businessman, according to current polls.
It's a standard part of the American political playbook not just to try to exploit your campaign opponent's weaknesses, but also to diminish his or her perceived strengths.
George W Bush adviser Karl Rove mastered this manoeuvre, best displayed in the 2004 attacks against John Kerry, a decorated veteran, for his Vietnam military service.
So it's not exactly stunning that Donald Trump is attempting to undermine what a bedrock of Hillary Clinton's campaign - her support among minority voters, particularly blacks.
The trick, however, is there has to be some appearance of substance behind the charges for them to stick. The reason Kerry was so damaged in 2004 was because the hits came from his fellow veterans and not Mr Bush.
Mr Trump's calling Mrs Clinton a bigot in a few speeches is likely to bounce off the Democratic nominee if that's all there is. A wealthy - white - New York billionaire telling blacks how terrible...

Summary: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has accused Democratic rival Hillary Clinton of being a "bigot" in his latest appeal to minority voters.
###
Article: The School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) has recommended a 1% pay rise for most teachers, in line with public sector pay increases.
But there is no increase at the top levels, so some heads will miss out.
A Conservative spokesman said it was right that the higher paid took "more of the burden of pay restraint".
The ASCL says it wants the decision overturned.
The union says that in real terms teachers' pay has declined by 12% since 2010.
It says that by recommending no pay rise for very senior leaders, the STRB is in effect implementing a "pay freeze".
Although the STRB recommended a salary rise of up to 2% for some classroom teachers in the main pay band, it will be up to individual schools to award this based on their teachers' performance.
It adds that school governors could also decide to spend some of their budget on higher pay for senior leaders.
The report says: "As a consequence of recent reforms, governing bodies have considerable flexibility in setting salaries above the maximum of the relevant head teacher pay group, if merited."
Brian Lightman, general secretary of ASCL, described the "pay freeze" as "ill-conceived", saying: "Although the monetary value is small, the message that it sends is that the contribution that some staff make is not valued.
"As many of them may be nearing retirement, there is a risk they will decide not to continue in the profession, thereby further exacerbating the retention problems in the leadership group."
He said "a cost-of-living increase" was needed by all teachers at every level.
Teachers received a 1% pay rise last year in line with the two-year pay cap across the public sector, introduced in 2012. The 1% cap is to be extended to 2015-16.
A Conservative spokesman said he agreed with the recommendations from the STRB and the government had reformed pay and conditions to give schools greater freedoms in recruiting and rewarding teachers.
"Our pay reforms provide schools with more control over the management of their budgets and allow them to meet their school and...

Summary: Plans to freeze senior teachers' pay "arbitrarily discriminate" against school leaders, according to the head teachers' union ASCL.
###
Article: Mr Morgan claims the Welsh government spent £10m improving roads to Cardiff Bay on the understanding the BBC would build HQ premises there.
A BBC Cymru Wales spokesman said Mr Morgan was "mistaken".
The broadcaster announced this week it would move to Central Square by 2018.
In his weekly column in the Western Mail newspaper Mr Morgan claims the Welsh government agreed to invest £10m in new roads before building work on BBC Wales' Roath Lock drama village began.
He said the investment was agreed in a discussion with the former BBC Wales executive Nigel Walker.
Following that conversation Mr Morgan said he understood that at some point in the future BBC Wales would relocate its headquarters to the Roath Lock site - but admits he made no record of the conversation.
Nigel Walker was the project director the drama village development at the time, and has since left the corporation.
In an interview with BBC Wales Mr Morgan said the agreement was made when the BBC was considering two sites for its new drama village, at Roath basin in the bay, and the former Freeman's cigar factory site on Penarth Road.
"We agreed with the BBC that we would put money into covering the road access - about £10 million - because the Penarth Road site could not provide the basis of a Welsh media city," he said.
"Since we agreed that we would put the £10m in in order to create a Welsh media city - not just a drama village, there's been a breach of faith here," argued Mr Morgan.
"The BBC should look at its conscience and say - well we may be able to wriggle out of this legally - but actually we do owe £10m as well as an apology to the Welsh government and to the licence fee payers for choosing a more expensive option than the Freemans cigars factory for the drama village."
A spokesman for BBC Cymru Wales said Mr Morgan was mistaken and insisted no agreement, either formal or informal, was made between Mr Walker and Mr Morgan regarding the relocation of BBC Wales' HQ.
"The suggestion that a single individual in the BBC could make such a...

Summary: Former first minister Rhodri Morgan has accused BBC Wales of a "breach of faith" following the corporation's decision to relocate its headquarters to Cardiff city centre.
###
Article: He accepted a glass of fruit juice from a five-year-old girl.
His move came a day after MPs expressed support for proposed changes to anti-corruption legislation.
After nearly nine hours of debate, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told parliament the "sense of the House" was behind Anna Hazare's key demands.
However, an expected vote on the proposals did not take place.
Mr Hazare, 74, had vowed not to stop until a tougher bill was passed, but doctors have warned that his health is deteriorating rapidly.
He has so far lost 7kg (15lbs) in weight and has refused medical advice to be put on an intravenous drip to help him rehydrate.
Opening Saturday's debate in Delhi on the proposed amendments, Mr Mukherjee said India was "at a crossroads", with the focus squarely on the country's parliamentary democracy.
Mr Mukherjee said that while there was support for Mr Hazare's proposals, a solution would have to be found within the Indian constitution.
Meanwhile, governing Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi said he had "serious doubts" that a single bill would end corruption.
Prison vigil for corruption crusader
Biswas: Arrest complicates debate
Mr Gandhi told MPs that the problem could not "just be wished away" and thanked Mr Hazare for "helping people to articulate this sentiment".
"There are no simple solutions to eradicating corruption. But I have serious doubts that a single bill will end corruption. What we require is a set of effective laws," he said in a rare speech.
In April, Mr Hazare called off a hunger strike after four days when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he could help draft legislation to create a Citizens' Ombudsman, or Jan Lokpal, an independent body with the power to investigate politicians and civil servants suspected of corruption.
The final version of the bill was presented in early August, but Mr Hazare and other activists rejected it because the prime minister and senior judges would be exempt from scrutiny.
This week, the government appeared to agree to the demand that the prime minister...

Summary: Indian anti-corruption campaigner Anna Hazare has ended a high-profile hunger strike in Delhi after 12 days.
###
Article: Edinburgh University found chronic pain is caused partly by a person's genetic make-up and partly by as-yet-unidentified risk factors shared by partners in the same environment.
The team also identified significant overlaps between the risk factors for chronic pain and depression.
The scientists said chronic pain is a common cause of disability.
Scientists hope the research will help explain why some people suffer from the condition and not others.
The study used data from more than 100,000 people taking part in the Generation Scotland and UK Biobank projects - major studies investigating genetic links to health conditions.
The results of the collaboration with Dundee, Aberdeen and Glasgow universities are published in the latest edition of the journal PLOS Medicine.
Prof Andrew McIntosh, chair of biological psychiatry at Edinburgh University, said: "We hope our research will encourage people to think about the relationship between chronic pain and depression, and whether physical and mental illnesses are as separate as some believe."

Summary: