MSPs are taking evidence on the inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Bill at Holyrood.

You can read more on the Holyrood Live page.

A convicted sex offender who was found guilty of rape, indecent assault and abduction charges against three women has been jailed for eight years.

Calan Morrison, 29, raped one woman at houses in Fernhill, Glasgow, and at Galston, East Ayrshire.

He indecently assaulted another woman in Clydebank and Elderslie and abducted two women who were left locked in a flat in Faifley, Clydebank.

Morrison has a previous conviction for sex with an underage girl.

Philip Sim, Reporting from the High Court in Edinburgh

There's been a later than usual start to proceedings at the Andy Coulson trial today as we waited for the last prosecution witness to arrive from London.

But the jury are now in place, and James Weatherup, another former News of the World journalist, is being sworn in.

Kevin Keane
BBC Scotland reporter

SNP rules out bid to take over Moray Council, despite gains in recent by-elections making them the largest group

BBC Radio Scotland

Michelle from Aberdeen: People are well aware animals are killed in slaughterhouses to feed the meat eaters of this world but mentally face the other way. They don't come looking like that on supermarket shelves. Disney has a lot to answer for!

Cristina in Coatbridge: What I find really terrible is people throwing meat away. No respect for the animal that died to feed you. Shocking. It's ok to kill for hunger, it's not ok to waste a life.

All, Dunblane: Not veggie but only eat meat a couple of times a week so I can afford to buy from decent ethical sources like my local butchers & farmers market.

Sandy, Kirriemuir: Vegetarians should pay extra income tax to keep their share of animals in the fields and on the hills.

Contact the programme on 0500 92 98 00 or by texting 80295.

Listen live here.

Tim Reid
Political correspondent, BBC News

Parliamentary commissioner for standards Kathryn Hudson confirms several complaints have been received regarding Alistair Carmichael's conduct in relation to the memo leak.

She is considering whether the matter is within her remit and whether the complaints merit a full investigation.

A young singer-songwriter from Lewis, who won an award in a UK music competition, told the BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "I've been singing and humming tunes ever since I was really young.

Image source, John Cassidy/The Headshot Guy

"I wrote my first song Dollies on the Road when I was three years old. My auntie told me this. I don't remember singing it."

Rosie Sullivan, 12, won the seven to 12-year-old category of the Song Academy Young Songwriter Competition with Runs from the Storm, external.

Rosie won a recording session at EMI's studios in London.

Scotland's distilleries have seen a record number of visitors, according to a survey by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA).

Image source, SWA

It said more than 1.5 million people visited the 54 distilleries which were open to the public last year.

That is up about 6% on the figure for the previous year.

The statistics also suggested that visitors spent almost £50m on distillery tours and in the shops and cafes, almost double the spend in 2010.

The cold weather has meant it's been a bad year so far for midges.

But The Scottish Midge Forecast, external told BBC Radio Scotland that the low temperatures might mean only a week's delay in the pesky bugs reaching numbers that cause problems for humans.

Image source, Scottish Midge Forecast

Midges are tiny insects that suck blood from the skin, causing itching and swelling.

Police have been called to investigate reports of sectarian graffiti on a church in West Lothian.

The priest at St Peter's Church in Livingston said the anti Catholic messages have been sprayed all over the building.

It's thought the attack happened on Saturday evening.

Team Scotland, external tweets: Boxing: Huge congrats @bringbackboxing at Lah Nimani Tournament, Kosovo with 5 GOLD & 2 SILVER! Great job guys!

Image source, Team Scotland

The House of Commons would be cleared out very fast if every MP, cabinet minister and prime minister who told a brazen lie had to quit, a former MP has said.

Sir Malcolm Bruce made the claim as he defended former Scottish secretary Alistair Carmichael's conduct in relation to a leaked memo.

Image source, PA

The former Liberal Democrat deputy leader accused the SNP of attempting to "extinguish all opposition" in Scotland, adding that Mr Carmichael should stay in his post to avoid seeing the SNP "bully a very good MP out of office for a mistake he has acknowledged and apologised".

Listen to the full interview on BBC Radio 4 here.

BBC Sport
Scotland

Tottenham Hotspur have stepped up their interest in Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk after watching the Dutchman in Sunday's 5-0 thrashing of Inverness Caledonian Thistle, while Everton are also keeping an eye on the 23-year-old. (Daily Express, print edition).

Get the full roundup here.

Norman Smith
BBC Assistant Political Editor

Nicola Sturgeon @ScotGovFM, external confirms wants "double lock" in EU referendum so exit not possible unless all four nations vote for it.

A service is being held this morning in Glasgow's Western Necropolis for three unknown children who died in the Quintinshill train disaster a hundred years ago.

Image source, Undoscovered Scotland

The "lost children of Maryhill" were among 227 people killed near Gretna Green in Britain's worst ever rail disaster.

Most of the victims of the multi-train crash in 1915 were soldiers. Royal Scots on their way to fight in WW1.

But three children were also buried following the accident. No one ever came forward to claim their bodies, and their identities and reasons for being on the train remain a mystery.

BBC Scotland News

Watch Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's first major economic speech since the general election in full.

James Cook
Scotland Correspondent, BBC News

@NicolaSturgeon, external setting out how she thinks Scotland can attain that elusive goal for UK business and politicians: increased productivity.

First Minister @NicolaSturgeon, external outlines "key challenges" to economy: improve productivity, increase exports, diversify, tackle inequality.

First Minister @NicolaSturgeon, external says she'll make a speech on the European Union in Brussels a week today.

If the UK government sticks to spending cuts, we will argue for ways in which the impact on Scotland can be lessened says @NicolaSturgeon, external

First Minister @NicolaSturgeon, external: proposed cuts would slow economic recovery and make deficit reduction more difficult.

Scottish First Minister @NicolaSturgeo, externaln: we will continue to oppose "scale and speed" of UK government's proposed cuts.

BBC Radio Scotland

Scotland's Finance Secretary John Swinney said his government's business pledge was about encouraging companies to innovate to increase productivity. He said;

• "My fundamental view is that I want to see as many people in employment as possible. When people get into employment to me that solves many of the issues and challenges that we face.

• "My priority is to get people into employment and then to make sure that as much of that employment as possible is high quality, productive employment that is making a high value contribution to our society.

• "That's why the business pledge places such as heavy emphasis on encouraging companies to innovate - because innovation is the key to improving productivity in our economy.

• "It's why we place such heavy emphasis on the development of skills to ensure that we invest in our people and to make sure that they can strengthen their capability and their contribution to companies.

• And it's why we put such emphasis on international business activity: so that companies more and more are able to sell their goods to other countries and other areas, and to boost their economic performance as a consequence.

• "There are various private companies looking to what the government is setting out today and saying this is exactly what we need to focus everybody's efforts on making sure that we strengthen the capacity of our companies to create wealth.

• "I think what we see here is the business community responding positively to the government's challenge in this respect. And the government indicating that we are determined to work in partnership and in collaboration with the business com munity to strengthen the Scottish economy as a consequence.

• "The government set out its economic strategy in commanding detail back in March, looking at a number of key aspects of where we need to strengthen the performance of the Scottish economy.

• "The strategy envisages taking forward initiatives to take forward innovation to support internationalisation, to boost investment in infrastructure and skills and to promote inclusive growth.

• "Our wider economic strategy is about ensuring that we recognise that every company in Scotland has got to be an innovator; every public sector organisation has got to be an innovator, and the strengthening of the Scottish economy as a consequence."

BBC Radio Scotland

Join Kaye Adams for her daily discussion on the issues behind the headlines.

Coming up on today's programme;

Are meat eaters hypocritical? And if you want to eat it, should you be prepared to kill it?

What does the Scottish government's business pledge mean for employers and employees across the country?

According to a recent survey, today's children are travelling further afield and are starting even younger. But is their enjoyment of a family holiday enhanced by visiting foreign climes? Is it really worth the money and the hassle?

Listen live here.

James Cook
Scotland Correspondent, BBC News

The First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has used a speech in Edinburgh to attack the "scale and speed" of spending cuts planned by the UK government.

Speaking ahead of the Queen's Speech, the SNP leader is also reiterating her party's support for Britain's continued membership of the European Union.

In her first major economic speech since the election Nicola Sturgeon is arguing that the prime minster cannot ignore the democratic will of the Scottish people.

Speaking at Heart of Midlothian football club Ms Sturgeon said that continued austerity will slow economic recovery and make deficit reduction more difficult.

She'll argue that David Cameron must either change his approach or find ways to lessen the impact on Scotland. The first minister will also say that business employees and government need to work more closely together to build a prosperous and more cohesive society.

And she'll again insist that the United Kingdom should only withdraw from the EU if there is a majority in favour of exit in all four nations of the UK.

Watch her speech live